《Path of Dragons》 Book 1: Chapter 1: Waiting for the End to Come Book 1: Chapter 1: Waiting for the End to Come Elijah Hart ran a hand over his hairless head as he tried to ignore the curious or disgusted nces originating with the ne¡¯s other passengers. Hisck of hair wasn¡¯t really the issue ¨C not by itself, at least. Instead, the real problem was theck of eyebrows; he¡¯d never really considered how much the presence of those two short tufts of hair affected the way someone looked. Not until he¡¯d lost his, that is. In addition to the alien absence of hair on his brow, he was also afflicted with sunken cheeks, red-rimmed eyes, and a pallidplexion. One look, and anyone who knew anything would recognize precisely what he was. He sighed, drinking in the stale, antiseptic atmosphere. He hated flying, but not because he was terrified of crashing. No ¨C it was more the act itself. The sudden jumps and jerks, the steady drone of the engines, the cramped confines of the cabin ¨C it all added up to a particrly ufortable experience that, if he had any choice in the matter, he would have avoided. But some things were more important than the avoidance of difort. ¡°Elijah!¡± came his sister¡¯s voice, jerking his attention back to the tablet in hisp. ¡°Shit. Sorry,¡± he mumbled, locking his eyes on the screen. ¡°Chemo-brain, I guess.¡± Alyssa shook her head, pushing a lock of blonde hair back behind her ear before saying, ¡°I wish you would have waited for me toe pick you up.¡± Before Elijah had been diagnosed with cancer and forced to undergo the horrors of radiation and chemotherapy, he and his sister had looked strikingly simr. Now, though, when Elijah looked at his sister¡¯s sandy blonde hair and clear skin, he couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of all he¡¯d lost. Of everything he¡¯d yet to lose. ¡°It would¡¯ve just been a waste of money,¡± Elijah said with a tired sigh. ¡°There¡¯s no point in you paying for a flight all the way out to the ind when I¡¯m perfectly capable of sitting in a ne by myself for a few hours.¡±Of course, Elijah didn¡¯t mention the half-dozen times he¡¯d had to race ¨C or hobble, given his distinctck of energy ¨C to the ne¡¯svatory to vomit. The treatments had torn him apart, leaving him a shell of his former self. And though he¡¯d recently finished hisst round of chemotherapy, he still hadn¡¯t had time topletely recover. And he never would, either. What the treatment hadn¡¯t destroyed, the disease itself had. Soon, it would all be over. Or that¡¯s what the doctors had said, at least. It was the reason he¡¯d left his home in Hawai¡¯i to fly back to Seattle where he¡¯d grown up. He didn¡¯t want to spend what little time he had left drugged out of his mind in hospice care. Instead, he wanted to spend it with the only family he had left ¨C his sister, her wife, and their son. Still, just because he preferred going home to lying in a hospital bed didn¡¯t mean he was happy with his circumstances. As much as he wanted to see Alyssa and her family, thest thing he wanted was for them to see him wither away and sumb to cancer. He¡¯d have preferred to be remembered as he¡¯d been ¨C vibrant and alive. Not the husk he had be. ¡°Elijah, I ¨C¡± The tablet stuttered, then went dark. At the same time, the lights in the ne¡¯s cabin went the same way, leaving the passengers mired inplete darkness. Someone screamed. Others gasped. Most of the reaction was confined to a low murmur, though. There was no point in panicking. Elijah felt something dig into his forearm, and it only took him a moment to realize that the w-like fingernails belonged to the woman next to him. He was just about to say somethingforting, but his words were cut off when his stomach jumped into his throat as the ne dropped. There were more screams. Elijah¡¯s heart pounded, and his stomach clenched. And then he realized what was wrong. The hum of the ne¡¯s engines had ceased when his tablet stopped working. Had they been struck by lightning? Or was there some other mechanical issue? He didn¡¯t know enough about nes to figure it out. Instead, as was the case with everyone else on the ne, the panic had truly begun to grip him. His fingers wrapped around the armrest, squeezing the hard stic with every ounce of his meager Strength. Elijah had long sincee to terms with his own mortality. Death was inevitable. He would just have to confront it a little earlier than most. And though he¡¯d spent a few weeks after his diagnosis railing against his own fate, questioning why he¡¯d been chosen to die an early death, he¡¯d slowly made peace with leaving the world behind. After all, what choice did he have? It wasing for him, regardless of how he felt. Whether it was in a few more weeks or a scant few minutes shouldn¡¯t have mattered all that much to him. But it did. With everyone else panicking all around him, Elijah couldn¡¯t stop himself from reacting simrly. It was simple human nature at work, and as the ne continued to plummet, his heart raced out of control. He murmured, ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine. These nes can glide for miles without power. It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± ¡°Y-you think so?¡± asked the woman beside him, her voice small, quiet, and terrified. Elijah couldn¡¯t see her ¨C it was night, and with the ne¡¯s lights having stopped working, he was almost entirely blind. Still, he remembered her being an attractive redhead, and she spoke with an Irish ent. She¡¯d introduced herself out of politeness, but after a four-hour flight, most of which Elijah spent mired in self-pity, he couldn¡¯t remember her name. He wanted to say it was ¡°Gwen¡± or something like that, though that might¡¯ve beenpletely wrong. ¡°I think ¨C¡± Elijah never got the chance to finish his statement because, only a momentter, something wholly unexpected shed before his eyes. A disembodied block of text appeared:
Your (Earth) has been touched by the World Tree. Scanning¡­
Elijah blinked, thinking that he¡¯d suddenly gone crazy. Perhaps he¡¯d hit his head and hadn¡¯t realized it. ¡°What the¡­¡± He never finished that question either, because a momentter, a different message reced the first:
Scanplete. Grade: Unranked.
¡°What is going on?¡± demanded the redheaded woman. ¡°What does this mean? Who¡¯s doing this?¡± Elijah had no idea how to answer that, so he remained silent. Regardless, the fact that she¡¯d seen the messages as well meant that he wasn¡¯t going crazy. Unless her response was part of his delusion. Either way, he didn¡¯t have much time to offer any words offort because a third notification came closely on the heels of the second:
Due tock of energy and mass, (Earth) will be adjusted to multiversal standard. Selective randomization of terrain will ur as mass increases. Standby for insertion ofary core¡­
None of it made any sense to Elijah, but the information never had the opportunity to marinate because, only a secondter, the world shifted. The already pitch-ck cabin somehow grew darker, and suddenly, Elijah felt more alone than he ever had in his entire life. He couldn¡¯t feel anything. Not the ne¡¯s sharp descent. Not the fingernails digging into his forearm. Not the ever-present weakness and nagging nausea he¡¯d felt since the night after he¡¯d first started his treatments. Nothing. Nor were his other senses working properly. The sounds of panicking passengers and the buffeting winds were gone. No antiseptic ozone smell assaulted his nose. There was nothing. Instead, he felt as if he was floating in an absolute void. Fortunately, that disconcertingck of sensory input onlysted for a couple of instants before he was distracted by yet another disembodied block of text:
Elijah tried to shake his head, but without any senses, he wasn¡¯t sure if it did any good. In fact, he wasn¡¯t even sure if he had a body in that strange void. He did his best to ignore the existential terror that came with that thought, distracting himself with the information conveyed by the blocks of text. It didn¡¯t make any sense to him, but he also couldn¡¯t deny that it was happening. After all, the woman sitting next to him on the ne had seen the odd notifications as well. Unless it was all a hallucination brought upon by thebination of his disease and the treatments he¡¯d undergone, it was all really happening. And the implications were terrifying. Specifically, the parts about randomization of terrain. His mind jumped to scenes from various disaster movies he¡¯d seen, and he wondered if the entire world was experiencing a great earthquake or some other massive upheaval. If that was the case, how many were already dead? How many would die? Before he could wind himself up even further, Elijah was confronted with yet another notification:
Scanning human (Elijah Hart] for aspects. [Nature] aspect found. [Martial] aspect found. [Schr] aspect found. Generating ss choices¡­ Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
It didn¡¯t take much internal investigation for those so-called aspects to make sense to Elijah. The [Nature] aspect was probably the most fitting, given that, until he¡¯d been diagnosed with cancer, he had spent his adult life working as a marine biologist. Moreover, he had always felt a certain connection with nature that he¡¯d never been capable of putting into words. Ever since he was a kid, he¡¯d always felt more at home in the wilderness than surrounded by so-called civilization. The same could be said for the [Schr] aspect, which probably came from his years in college and his career as a scientist. The incredible amount of study required to attain a doctorate had clearly left its mark on him. Since then, his work as a marine biologist had only thrust him deeper into the life of an academic, albeit one who spent more time in the field than in aboratory. Finally, he considered the [Martial] aspect. That probably made even more sense than the one awarded for his time stuck in the trappings of academia. After all, Elijah had spent much of his youth ying one sport or another. He wasn¡¯t always the best at any of them, but he was naturally agile, and what hecked in sheer physical size, he made up for in Dexterity. However, his first love had always been boxing. He¡¯d never been an elite fighter, but that didn¡¯t matter; he loved the sport, and as a teenager, most days saw him down at the gym. In college, he hadn¡¯t had time to continue boxing, but he¡¯d picked it back up in the years since getting his doctorate. He didn¡¯t train as hard as he once had, but he still put in plenty of time. To see that acknowledged by the so-called System ¨C whatever it really was ¨C was more than a little gratifying. Of course, Elijah couldn¡¯t be entirely certain any of it was even real. It could have just been a hallucination. Or perhaps he was already dead, and the whole thing was the result of hisst few neurons shing out of control. In either case, he wasn¡¯t given enough time to get into those sorts of existential questions. Instead, he focused on thetest notification to appear before him:
You have been awarded four choices of ss archetypes. Choose well, because this decision will forever affect your path.
¡°Well, that¡¯s not ominous at all¡­¡± He felt certain that he¡¯d spoken, but he couldn¡¯t actually hear the words. They might¡¯ve just been thoughts, for all he could tell. As soon as he¡¯d finished reading thest notification, another appeared:
Archetype: Warrior A versatile melee archetype, proficient with most weaponry. Features bonuses to durability, Strength, and learning martial techniques. Required Aspect: [Martial] Sample ss Choices: {Berserker}, {Guardian}, {Knight}, {Brawler}, {diator} First Skill: Heavy Strikes Compatibility: 51%
The next was:
Archetype: Researcher Research is the root of all academic pursuits. Features bonuses to memory, calction speeds, and observation. Required Aspect: [Schr] Sample ss Choices: {Librarian}, {Tradesman (various)}, {Philosopher}, {Doctor} First Ability: Knowledge Repository Compatibility: 63%
Elijah¡¯s eyes found the third option:
Archetype: Druid The druid is a defender, ally, and cultivator of nature. Features bonuses to natural Regeneration, Ethera density, and One With Nature. Required Aspects: [Schr], [Nature] Sample ss Choices: {Bard}, {Preserver}, {Fury} First Spell: Touch of Nature Compatibility: 94%
¡°It feels like a video game,¡± he mumbled to himself. He didn¡¯t even think about the fact that the words were lost to the void.
Archetype: Ranger The ranger is a hybrid between the druid and warrior archetypes, with strong ties to both the martial and natural paths. Gives up true mastery of either path in favor of versatility. Features bonuses to durability, Regeneration, and One With Nature. Required Aspects: [Nature], [Martial] Sample ss Choices: {Predator}, {Tamer}, {Trapper} First Skill: Natural Instincts Compatibility: 89%
So, his choices were between bing a Warrior, Schr, Druid, or Ranger. The first seemed pretty self-exnatory, and if Elijah was reading the description correctly, it would eventually branch off into something more specialized. Given his background as a boxer, he was particrly intrigued by the {Brawler} options. However, he was a little thrown off by the seemingly lowpatibility of the archetype. The second choice, Researcher, was at first easy to dismiss, but the archetype¡¯s descriptions had hinted that magic was now going to be a real thing. As crazy as that sounded, it was much easier to ept when he was floating in a void, deprived of all senses, and seeing a bunch of notification boxes about sses, archetypes, and the randomization of Earth¡¯s terrain. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the messages concerning Earth¡¯s core and increasing the¡¯s mass. So, with the assumption that magic was real, what sort of secrets could a magical Researcher unlock? The archetype had also mentioned {Tradesman (Various)} as ss choices that branched off from the Researcher archetype. And Elijah had a suspicion that the System wasn¡¯t talking about electricians or plumbers. If his experiences in a materialistic society were anything to go by, that might be a route to wealth or importance. Not that either of those things really interested Elijah. So long as he wasfortable and doing something about which he could be passionate, he was happy enough. Even so, the Researcher was worthy of consideration, and he couldn¡¯t dismiss that archetype out of hand. Next, he considered the third option ¨C the Druid archetype. He really didn¡¯t know what such a path might entail, but by the required aspects, he could surmise that it might be some sort of natural wizard. Or a schr focused on the study of the natural world. A nt mage, perhaps. Whatever the case, he didn¡¯t know enough about it to choose it. After all, if the notifications were to be expected, these decisions were permanent. And while he didn¡¯t necessarily expect to survive much longer ¨C even in the calm void, the ne¡¯s descent loomedrge in his mind, and he still had terminal cancer to worry about ¨C he would need to make a rational choice. And without further information, there was no way he could choose the Druid archetype. For the first time in his life, Elijah wished he¡¯d spent his youth ying video games like his friends and ssmates. However, he¡¯d been too busy with sports ¨C or with his family¡¯s weekend camping trips. That hadn¡¯t left much time for more than the asional game, but even that was enough to highlight the simrities between this System and some of the rules that governed roleying games. Perhaps if he¡¯d spent more time with them, he¡¯d be better prepared to make appropriate choices. Finally, he moved to thest option ¨C the Ranger. It was a blend of the Warrior and Druid archetypes, which made the choice seem very appealing. However, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but think that there should be some sort of drawbacks to the ss. He found himself focusing on the description, which said it gave up true mastery in favor of versatility. That nted a seed of doubt. For a long time, Elijah stared at the descriptions, torn between his choices. Indecisiveness strangled his mind, and he found himself incapable of making a decision. It would have been different if he¡¯d had all the information, but those paltry archetype descriptions highlighted just how ignorant he was. Suddenly, another sh of text interrupted his internal debate:
Insertion of core sessful. Due to proximity to high energy sectors,¡¯s (Earth) mass and energy adjusted. Randomization of terrainplete. New grade: C
Next, the void suddenly disappeared, reced by the chaos of the plummeting ne. A feminine voice mumbled, ¡°Oh, God¡­what is going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elijah answered, his own voice quivering with fear. He still hadn¡¯t made a choice, so he turned his attention inward. When he did, he saw the same optionsid out before him. Warrior. Schr. Druid. Or Ranger. They all had their benefits, and he was certain that they would all have deficiencies, too. Meanwhile, the ne found some stability, and it leveled off. The shaking stopped, and Elijah heard more than a few sighs of relief. It was all temporary, Elijah knew. They¡¯d been an hour and a half away from Seattle when everything went dark, which meant that they were still hundreds of miles out to sea. He had no idea how far a ne could glide, but he suspected it wouldn¡¯t be that far. Someone shouted over the din of tense murmuring, ¡°Okay, everyone ¨C please remain calm. I¡¯ve spoken to the pilot, and he says everything is going to be okay. We¡¯ve lost power, but he thinks ¨C¡± Just then, something mmed into the ne, ripping a giant gash in the fusge. Everyone screamed, and Elijah caught sight of a huge shadow with a hint of feathers before the ne resumed its sharp descent. Elijah¡¯s heart once again jumped into his throat as the ne dropped like a rock. A few unlucky passengers had been torn from their seats and sucked out into the dark night. The wind whipped by, adding to the panic, and Elijah clutched his armrests with all the Strength he could muster. It wasn¡¯t much. Another furious impact tore yet another gaping hole in the ne, and Elijah was close enough to see one of the wings cartwheeling off into the air. Nearby passengers were ripped free, and they disappeared into the darkness a momentter. That was when it hit him. He was about to die. They all were. And there was nothing anyone could do about it. If the crash didn¡¯t get them, then whatever had ripped the ne apart would pick up the ck. The introduction of the System had given a brief glimmer of hope, but reality hade crashing back in a hurry. He was already dead. Between the cancer, the impending crash, and the creature outside, he knew his remaining time was numbered in seconds. That expectation was proved true when, a moment after that thought flitted across his brain, the sound of screeching metal filled his ears as the creature tore into the ne once again. This time, Elijah was one of the unlucky ones who¡¯d been close enough to be thrown free of the ne, and an instant of chaoster, he found himself falling through the air. The starry night twinkled above him as he watched a monstrous, bird-like shape rip into the ne and tear it to pieces. An explosion erupted as something ignited, and Elijah got a brief glimpse of the monster. It was a bird, though its size beggaredprehension. Its wingspan wasparable to the ne¡¯s, and it was equipped with talons the size of an economy car. Elijah didn¡¯t have the chance to see much more before his fall abruptly ended with a ssh and unconsciousness brutally smothered his awareness. His final thought before hepletely surrendered was that he still hadn¡¯t chosen an archetype. Perhaps he never would. Book 1: Chapter 2: Death of Familiarity Book 1: Chapter 2: Death of Familiarity ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± gasped Alyssa, staring at the disembodied blocks of text. It was too dark to see, but, after that brief period of nothingness, she could feel Carmen¡¯sfortable presence next to her in bed. ¡°You saw it too, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡­I did,¡± Carmen answered, her hand finding Alyssa¡¯s. She squeezed it tightly. ¡°Could this be real?¡± Alyssa had already gone through the tunnel of disbelief ande out the other side. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn¡¯t see how the situation could be anything but real. It was one thing if it was just her experiencing it, but thebination of the loss of power, the strange period of nothingness, and the fact that Carmen had been through the same thing confirmed the reality of it all. So, she chose to treat it as such. If it turned out that she was crazy, then she would just deal with spending the rest of her life on antipsychotic drugs in a mental institution. ¡°What choices did you get?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°We¡¯ll go over it once we figure this thing out,¡± she said, reaching over to her phone. Fortunately, it still worked, though there was no signal. Still, it gave her a light source. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Miggy. He¡¯s probably terrified.¡± With that, she slipped off the bed and, using the light on her phone, headed out of her bedroom, down the hall, and into her eight-year-old son¡¯s room. Thankfully, he was more than fine. In fact, he was grinning from ear to ear. When she asked if he was okay, he said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why¡¯s the power out? It¡¯s not even raining. Can we y Scrabble?¡± Of course that was where his mind would go. For one reason or another, he saw any power outage as an opportunity to y board games, which he loved. Probably because he usually won. ¡°Everything is fine,¡± she said. ¡°Did you see any¡­uh¡­boxes?¡± ¡°Huh?¡±Clearly, he hadn¡¯t. Alyssa had no idea why that would be, but thatck ofprehension seemed par for the course. So, she yed it off, then led him into the house¡¯s living room. For some reason, she had a very bad feeling, like there was something dangerous right around the corner. Part of that was due to the oddness of the situation, but she also knew just how irrationally people tended to act in any emergency. ¡°Okay, so what did you get?¡± Alyssa asked as she walked into the room. ¡°You first,¡± Carmen said, her feet curled under her on the couch. It was an incongruous position for someone with her particrly muscr physique. Alyssa rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine,¡± she said, ncing at the boxes she¡¯d so far ignored. After the ones talking about Earth being connected to the World Tree ¨C whatever that meant ¨C was the one mentioning aspects. She read it, then said, ¡°I got three aspects. Martial, Faith, and Schr. You?¡± ¡°Schr and Magic,¡± Carmen said, obviously disappointed. Even if the situation seemed a little ridiculous, she clearly took it just as seriously as Alyssa. ¡°What are aspects?¡± asked Miguel. ¡°We¡¯re not sure,¡± Carmen said. ¡°But for your mom, Martial makes sense.¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s a policewoman?¡± ¡°And because I¡¯ve spent years practicing judo and jujitsu,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°I used to go to the boxing gym with your uncle, too.¡± The mention of Elijah brought with it more pain than she¡¯d expected. If his ne had lost power¡­no, she didn¡¯t want to think about that. Where he was concerned, it was easy to sink into a pit of depression, what with his illness. She was prepared to say goodbye, but that didn¡¯t mean it was easy. Faith made sense, too. Especially since her brother had been diagnosed, Alyssa had spent quite a bit of time praying. She rarely went to church ¨C most of them didn¡¯t especially approve of how she lived her life ¨C but her religion was still important to her. Schr was easy, too. She¡¯d just finished her master¡¯s degree in criminal justice, and she intended to pursue her doctorate as well. It was mostly so she would look better when it came to promotions at work, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that she¡¯d spent quite a bit of her life studying. For Carmen, the Schr aspect made even more sense ¨C assuming that it was, as Alyssa suspected, ament on the lives they¡¯d led. Carmen held her own doctorate in history with a specialization in primitive skills. So, most of her life had revolved around her education. As for Magic? Well, that was a mystery, but hopefully one they could solve by going through the rest of the notifications. ¡°And your archetypes?¡± ¡°What¡¯s an archetype?¡± asked Miguel, snuggling close to Carmen. ¡°In this instance, I think it refers to as an overall ssification. But we¡¯re not sure, Miggy,¡± said Carmen. ¡°Hopefully, we can figure it out together.¡± He nodded along, and Alyssa said, ¡°I got Warrior, Priestess, and Researcher. You?¡± ¡°Priestess? Ugh.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t knock it. It says one of the sample sses is a Valkyrie.¡± ¡°Sexy.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± groaned Miguel. ¡°What did you get?¡± repeated Alyssa. ¡°Two choices. Tradesman and Sorcerer. Both of which are bullshit. I mean, it wouldn¡¯t make me so angry if your sses didn¡¯t have feminine suffixes. But you got priestess. Why couldn¡¯t I get Tradeswoman or Sorceress? I meane on.¡± ¡°I guess they didn¡¯t get the memo on gender equality.¡± ¡°Obviously. So, which one are you picking?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°Priestess, right?¡± Alyssa shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m tempted,¡± she said. ¡°Valkyrie does sound cool. But I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Indeed, looking at her choices, she was torn. Given the vague feeling of unease nketing her mind, she had no intention of choosing Researcher. With the power outage and the messages she¡¯d read, it seemed a foregone conclusion that things would get more dangerous. And as a police officer, she was duty-bound to meet that danger head-on and protect the popce. So, her choices were between Priestess and Warrior. She looked at the first description again:
Archetype: Warrior A versatile melee archetype, proficient with most weaponry. Features bonuses to durability, Strength, and learning martial techniques. Required Aspect: [Martial] Sample ss Choices: The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. {Berserker}, {Guardian}, {Knight}, {Brawler}, {Guard} First Skill: Heavy Strike Compatibility: 77%
Then, she looked at the one for Priestess:
Archetype: Priestess Faith is versatile, lending power in a wide variety of ways. Features bonuses to Regeneration and Ethera. Required Aspect: [Martial], [Faith] Sample ss Choices: {Valkyrie}, {Apostle}, {Chain}, {Pdin}, {Inquisitor} First Skill: Word of Power Compatibility: 63%
¡°Do you want my advice?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°You know I do.¡± ¡°Take Warrior,¡± she said. ¡°The other one sounds fancy enough, but I know you. You¡¯re a fighter. I can¡¯t imagine any other archetype describing you any better than that.¡± ¡°But what if the other one¡¯s better?¡± Carmen rolled her eyes, then raked a hand through her ck hair. ¡°You always do this,¡± she said. ¡°Remember when we used to have time to y games together? You would always second-guess your choices. But believe me, Alyssa ¨C you won¡¯t find a better fit than Warrior.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Alyssa asked, pushing the choice aside for the time being. ¡°Tradesman all the way,¡± she said. ¡°Really? You don¡¯t want to sling fireballs?¡± ¡°I mean, yeah. But you know me. I¡¯d rather make things, you know? Besides, I get the feeling that the world¡¯s going to need people who can build things,¡± she said. ¡°You read those notifications, right? Randomization of terrain? I mean, if I were a betting woman, I¡¯d put money on the reason the power¡¯s out is because the grid¡¯s fucked.¡± Miguel gasped. ¡°You said a bad word.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll probably say a lot more before this is finished,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Carmen.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll put a dor in the swear jar in a minute,¡± she said. ¡°Of course, money¡¯s probably useless right now.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± asked Alyssa. ¡°That always goes first, doesn¡¯t it? With the power being out, credit cards and stuff are useless. The same for paper money. Haven¡¯t you ever watched a zombie movie? Society¡¯s about to copse, Alyssa,¡± she said. ¡°This is not a zombie apocalypse.¡± ¡°You know that for sure?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°I mean, maybe not the zombies. But I just got told by a magic box only I can see that I could be a Sorcerer. So, who knows what¡¯s going to happen? My point is that apocalypse rules are definitely in y. Food. Water. Shelter and security. Those are the priorities.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s going to get that bad?¡± Alyssa asked. As a police officer, she had training for that kind of scenario, but she¡¯d never really taken it seriously. Sure, she was prepared to respond to active shooters and terrorist scenarios, but the full copse of society definitely seemed a bit far-fetched. Carmen shrugged. ¡°I have no idea, but I think it¡¯s possible,¡± she said. ¡°Okay, so first thing¡¯s first,¡± Alyssa said, deciding that it was better to treat it as an apocalyptic emergency and be wrong than the opposite scenario. ¡°We need to catalogue our supplies. You and Miggy go to the kitchen ¨C¡± ¡°Did you seriously just tell me to go to the kitchen?¡± asked Carmen with a grin. ¡°This isn¡¯t time to joke, Carmen.¡± Once again, Carmen rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine. But I want it on record that you¡¯re no fun. I mean, assuming we¡¯re not crazy, we just got offered magic powers. Or at least I did,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s kind of a dream scenario for me.¡± ¡°Except the apocalypse part you just predicted.¡± ¡°Well, the world has too many people anyway,¡± she remarked. ¡°Maybe Roy will get eaten by a zombie. Or turned. Then, I can legally blow his head ¨C¡± ¡°Carmen!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Roy?¡± asked Miguel. ¡°Someone your mom knows from work,¡± Alyssa said, referring to the head of Carmen¡¯s department. He was a tant misogynist who constantly questioned her work, belittled her at every opportunity, and had evene onto her on more than one asion. ¡°He¡¯s not important.¡± ¡°Unless I need to rid the world of a Roy-shaped zombie.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t any zombies.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± Alyssa let out a long-suffering sigh. ¡°You¡¯re a child.¡± ¡°I¡¯m young at heart, which is why you love me,¡± Carmen pointed out. ¡°Anyway ¨C you two take stock of the food,¡± Alyssa said, moving on. ¡°I¡¯m going down to the basement to get¡­other stuff.¡± That was where she kept the gun safe, which, given what Carmen had predicted, seemed extremely important. Even if it wasn¡¯t a zombie apocalypse ¨C which sounded silly even in the context of what had happened so far ¨C there was every chance of looters and other violentwbreakers. And even if she had no intention of exercising lethal force, she was prepared to do whatever it took to protect her family. ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°Your archetype. You really should choose something. You get bonuses to your stats and stuff,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Stats? Like a video game?¡± ¡°Yup. Just like a game.¡± Alyssa shook her head, then confirmed her choice to be a Warrior. When she did, she got a notification congratting her on it, then another window opened soon after:
Name Alyssa Hart
Level 1
Archetype Warrior
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 6
Dexterity 7
Constitution 5
Ethera 4
Regeneration 4
Attunement None
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Unformed Unformed Unformed Unformed
¡°What does all of this mean?¡± she asked. Before Carmen could answer, another notification popped up, telling her that she had ten free attribute points to spend. ¡°It means that all that weightlifting I did waspletely useless,¡± pouted Carmen. Indeed, that was her primary hobby and means of stress relief, and her physique showed it. She¡¯d never been one for heavy cardio, but she had long since cultivated a body studded with bulging muscles. Of course, some of that was mitigated by the fact that she was, at best an inch over five feet tall. Byparison, at nearly six feet tall, Alyssa was extremely tall for a woman, and though she worked out as well, her routines were more for endurance, resulting in a much slenderer physique. ¡°Kind of depressing, really,¡± Carmen remarked. Then, she perked up, adding, ¡°But on the bright side, I put all my points into Strength. So, I can probably lift a car now.¡± ¡°Ugh. Didn¡¯t think it would be smarter to¡­you know, spread the points around?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Alyssa shook her head, and after spending a few moments reading what each attribute did, decided to follow her own advice, allocating two points into each category. As soon as she did, she let out a gasp as a wave of what could only be called rejuvenation swept through her. ¡°That¡¯s the good stuff, right?¡± said Carmen, still grinning. Alyssa didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she focused on the fact that, if she could feel something like that, then the chance ¨C slim though it was ¨C that it wasn¡¯t real became even more unlikely. In the middle of her thought, something banged against the door. She flinched. Carmen grabbed Miguel, clutching him with her thick arms. Then, a familiar voice called out, ¡°Alyssa! It¡¯s me! Open up!¡± Alyssa let out a sigh of relief, then crossed the living room to the door. When she flung it open, she saw a tall, broad-shouldered and athletic man in his mid-forties. ¡°What¡¯s up, Chief?¡± asked Alyssa, looking past him and the petite blonde woman clutching his arm. The street was dark. ¡°Shit is going to go wrong real quick out there,¡± Roman Cain said. He was both the police chief and her neighbor. ¡°Thought we all might be safer together.¡± Of course, Alyssa knew that he hadn¡¯te for his own good. Rather, he¡¯d done so for his wife, who was good friends with Carmen. ¡°Yeah. Probably for the best,¡± Alyssa said, stepping aside. ¡°Come on in.¡± Book 1: Chapter 3: Castaway Book 1: Chapter 3: Castaway Elijah dreamed of his puppy, Fremont, nipping at his legs as he read a book. The dog was a rambunctious thing, still untrained, and full of energy and cuddly love. Slowly, his rational mind intruded on the pleasant dream, telling him that his dog hadn¡¯t been a puppy for years, that he¡¯d been forced to rehome him when it became clear that the cancer was incurable. Doing so had been almost as emotional as when his oncologist had informed him that the treatments weren¡¯t working. That he only had a few more months to live. Gradually, Elijah¡¯s memories distorted, and the puppy¡¯s nipping bites became something altogether more painful. Punishment for the abandonment Fremont had doubtless felt at being left with a neighbor. Suddenly, Elijah¡¯s eyes fluttered open as painnced through his leg. He kicked out, but the pain only increased. Moreover, there was something digging into his arm, too. He spasmed, waving his arms and legs as he tried to dislodge whatever had assaulted him, eventually jerking himself free and mbering away. His hands found scant purchase on the slippery rocks and gravel as he crawled away, and he vaguely noticed the steadypping of waves. The unmistakable smell of the sea. The biting ocean wind. That¡¯s when his memories began to assert themselves. The ne. The cancer. The System. Gasping, he pushed himself to his knees and looked around. As he¡¯d suspected, he was on a rocky beach, but only a few dozen feet away, there was an incredibly dense forest. The sky was gray with clouds, and the steady sound of the waves, apanied by a strange clicking sound filled his ears. He turned his attention in the sound¡¯s direction, and his eyes widened at the sight. At first nce, it was just a crab, little different from thousands of others Elijah had seen throughout his life. However, it differed in a couple of notable ways. First, it was a perfect example of a purple shore crab. Dark maroon in color, it had stout ws, which bore slightly darker spots. However, unlike its more typical brethren, which were usually only a few inches across, this one was the size of a cat. Elijah scrambled backwards when he saw a dozen more of the creatures bearing down on him, each of simr size. But they followed; judging by the frayed edges of his pants ¨C and the wounds beneath ¨C the little scavengers had thought him dead, and they¡¯d been feeding off of him. More importantly, they didn¡¯t seem all that enthused about losing their meal. The first few scuttled forward in a sideways shuffle, and when Elijah didn¡¯t react, the rest followed. He reacted on instinct, kicking out with bare feet. Apparently, he¡¯d lost his shoes at some point, though he didn¡¯t have time toment the loss. Instead, the whole of his attention was upied by defending himself from the horrifically huge crabs.He connected with the first, his foot hitting its incredibly hard shell. It did little damage, but the thing couldn¡¯t escape the reality of its small size, and the momentum of the kick sent it sailing through the air. But it also opened Elijah up to the rest of the crabs, which assaulted his legs with their oversized ws. Snapping, ripping, and tearing ¨C it wasn¡¯t long before his lower legs were a bloody mess, with ribbons of flesh hanging off in strips. A few of the ws had cut right through his muscle, stopping only when it reached the bone. Elijah panicked, kicking out with renewed fury, but his Strength waned with every blow. Whether it was blood loss, his preexisting conditions, or simple fatigue, he didn¡¯t know; what he did know was that he couldn¡¯t continue in that manner. So, after he kicked another one away, he levered himself to his feet, then leapt, pushing off with all of his Strength. He barely cleared a few inches. But it was just enough that when he descended atop the closest crab, he felt the thing¡¯s shell crack and crunch beneath his bare feet. The shards of shell pierced the soles of his feet, but he didn¡¯t allow himself to stop, stomping down as hard as he could. Over and over, until the creature had been reduced to a slurry of shell, crab meat, and its juices. Seeing the other crabs surrounding him, Elijah stumbled away, scrambling over the rocks as best he could. He left a trail of blood and bits of ruined flesh behind, but adrenaline drove him forward and into the trees. He nced back to see that the crabs had descended upon their fallen fellow, and he sighed in relief. Still, he kept going into the thick forest, only copsing a few dozen feet in. Crabs wouldn¡¯t go too far ind, so he felt like he was safe. Even so, the presence of the abnormallyrge crabs was a troubling thing. But it was nothingpared to his ruined legs that increasingly refused to follow hismands. A few more feet, and he tumbled to the ground. Elijah dragged himself forward until, atst, he could turn over and rest his back against a pine tree. Finally, he let himself rx, and in that moment, another block of text appeared before his eyes:
Congrattions for defeating your first foe. Status unlocked (essed via mentalmand). There are many ways to advance in this universe, and killing is only one of them. Explore the System to discover your own path to power.
Elijah was both rmed and relieved to see that his memories on the ne hadn¡¯t been a hallucination. Relieved, because one of his most potent fears was losing his mind. He¡¯d watched his grandmother descend into dementia, and those memories had stuck with him ever since. He¡¯d experienced some mental decay during his treatment ¨C a side effect colloquially known as ¡°chemo brain¡± ¨C and he¡¯d have rather died than go through any more decline in his mental faculties. After a second, during which he grew increasingly lightheaded, Elijah decided to distract himself from the pain by taking a look at his so-called status. When he thought of it, another box appeared. However, this one was divided into various categories. He studied it:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 1
Archetype Druid
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 3
Dexterity 4
Constitution 1
Ethera Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. 4
Regeneration 7
Attunement None
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Unformed Unformed Unformed Unformed
Below the status was another box, which said:
You have ten (10) attribute points to spend. Each level you gain will grant you two more points to spend as you wish. Upon reaching level ten and gaining a ss, each level wille with an automatic allocation based on your ss. Some sses will grant additional free attribute points. Choose well. All decisions have consequences.
That wasforting, at least. Elijah had no context for what the numbers on his status page really meant, but he suspected that threes and fours weren¡¯t high. Most of that could be attributed to his disease, which had sapped his muscle mass like nothing else could. But the one point in Constitution was more than a little troubling. Obviously, he knew what Strength and Dexterity were. One represented physical power, while the other was probably representative of his coordination. And Constitution was likely tied to his body¡¯s durability. Regeneration was self-exnatory as well, and he felt certain that it governed his ability to heal. That it was his highest attribute was bothforting and a little disappointing. Comforting because it meant that, if he managed to survive for any length of time, healing quickly would almost assuredly prove invaluable. Disappointing, though, because his other attributes were so low. Even though he had a good idea what each category meant, Elijah focused on Strength, which brought up a new box:
Strength: Determines physical might.
That was in line with Elijah¡¯s expectations, so he quickly moved on to the next attribute:
Dexterity: Determines coordination and reaction speed.
Again, that made perfect sense, given the word¡¯s definition. However, what was left unsaid was that, between the two of them, they represented a muchrger concept. Strength wasn¡¯t just about lifting heavier things; instead, it described explosive movement as well, which in turn would determine how quickly he could cover ground. However, without coordination, that ability would be useless. With both high Strength and Dexterity, he would be able to move incredibly quickly. But if either of themgged behind, his speed would suffer. Next, he looked at Constitution:
Constitution: Determines the body¡¯s stamina as well as resistance to physical and magical damage.
This was the third piece of the puzzle and confirmed that all three of the physical attributes worked together. Strength gave him power. Dexterity gave him coordination. And Constitution would give him the capability of harnessing those attributes to their fullest effect. Without it, he could easily envision a scenario where he quickly ran out of stamina. Or one where his body simply couldn¡¯t endure the strain. He would have to keep that in mind going forward, lest he grow lopsided and incapable of using his attributes properly.
Ethera: Determines the size of the pool of energy used to empower magical spells, skills, and techniques.
Ethera was the first of the attributes to truly surprise him, but the description was as straightforward as he could¡¯ve asked it to be. As was the case with the numbers representing his attributes, he had little context for what it really meant, though. If he ever got a spell, skill, or technique, he would be able to experiment and find out more. So, he moved on to the final attribute, Regeneration:
Regeneration: Determines physical healing as well as Ethera recovery.
This was another surprising attribute. In addition to the effect he¡¯d suspected upon reading the name, it also determined how quickly his pool of Ethera regenerated. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that it would be incredibly important, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine a scenario where he had a huge pool of avable Ethera, but once he used it all, it might take him an eternity to regenerate it. With a sigh, Elijah leaned back, staring at his status screen. As he did so, something nagged at him, niggling at the edge of his awareness, like he¡¯d forgotten something very important. Then it hit him. He hadn¡¯t chosen an archetype, but there it was on his status screen. Druid. The System had chosen for him. With focused thought, he found that he could cycle back through his notifications, and as he did, he found the moment he¡¯d dreaded:
Due to failure to choose an archetype within twelve (12) hours, one has been chosen for you. Choice made due topatibility.
Then, there was another notification informing him that he was now a Druid, whatever that entailed. The decision had been taken out of his hands, but for some reason, Elijah wasn¡¯t upset about it. In fact, it felt entirely appropriate. Perhaps the System knew what was best for him after all. On his status sheet, Elijah focused on his archetype, and yet another table opened before his eyes.
Archetype: Druid The druid is the defender, ally, and cultivator of nature. Features bonuses to natural Regeneration, Ethera density, and One With Nature. Required Aspects: [Schr], [Nature]
Spells
Touch of Nature Harness the power of nature to heal yourself or an ally.
This notification was the most wee one he¡¯d yet seen, and he couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief. However, just because he had the spell didn¡¯t mean he knew how to use it. And given that he had precisely zero experience with magic ¨C or Ethera, as it had been called ¨C he didn¡¯t like his chances of figuring it out. Still, given the state of his legs ¨C and his body in general ¨C he felt certain that Touch of Nature was the key to his survival. First, though, he decided to use his free attribute points. With his body ravaged by cancer, he felt that there was only one choice. He wouldn¡¯t get such an influx of attribute points anytime soon, so if he was going to fix himself, he needed to do it now. Even then, he wasn¡¯t entirely certain that it would work. Was the damage already done? He had no idea. But until he felt like the cancer was gone, he would continue to invest his attribute points appropriately. At first, he considered investing them in Regeneration, though that just didn¡¯t feel right to him. That attribute was already pretty high, and he was still dying. No ¨C if he wanted to make it through the cancer, investing in Constitution seemed like the better option. To that end, he flicked his mind at his status screen, mentally willing it to add his free points into the Constitution attribute. Once he was finished, a new box of text appeared before him:
You have spent your free attribute points. Would you like to make this allocation permanent?
Elijah hesitated. If he was wrong, he was probably sentencing himself to death. So, even though he felt confident in his reasoning, he mentally retracted the attributes until only one had been allocated. Then, he confirmed it, bringing his Constitution up to two. He didn¡¯t feel that it made any difference, so he added another. Then another. He kept going until he reached five points, only stopping because he finally felt something changing. Suddenly, his body clenched, his every muscle going taut. It onlysted a few seconds, and when his muscles finally loosened, he felt better than he had in weeks. Probably better than at any time since he¡¯d begun his treatments. That was all the confirmation he needed before mming every free point into Constitution. That was a mistake. A strangled groan escaped from between Elijah¡¯s lips as he wentpletely stiff. His body trembled with exertion as he felt vitality flood his body. Blessed, agonizing life. Minutester, when he went limp, he let out a long, quivering sigh of relief. His body was still weak, but it was a natural weakness, not unlike he¡¯d felt after spending a couple of hours in the gym. It was a far cry from that feverishck of Strength he¡¯d felt for thest few months. Was he certain that the cancer was gone? No. But he had reason for hope. And sometimes, that was enough to change a person¡¯s entire outlook on life. Book 1: Chapter 4: Necessities Book 1: Chapter 4: Necessities ¡°I think we have enough for a couple of weeks, so long as we ration,¡± said Alyssa, looking over the stacks of canned food on the table. There were other dry goods as well, but not nearly as many as she¡¯d hoped. ¡°Makes me wish I¡¯d made a Costco run before, you know, the end of the world.¡± Roman shook his head, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not that worried about food. We have the garden out back, too. What really concerns me is water.¡± Alyssa looked away, then ran a hand through her hair. It was so difficult to wrap her head around the fact that the world had changed overnight. However, when the sun had risen, she¡¯d gone outside to survey the damage, and she¡¯d been shocked to discover that, instead of the familiar skyline of Seattle, all she saw on the horizon was mountainous wilderness. The rest of her neighborhood was still there, and though she saw hints that the nearby town of Easton had survived, she anticipated that she¡¯d only seen the smallest fraction of the changes that had taken ce. Further supporting that assumption was the fact that utilities hadn¡¯t been restored, meaning that in addition to theck of power, cellr service had been suspended. Probably due to issues with the cell towers. But that wasn¡¯t an immediate concern. The biggest issue was that, because of the transformation of the terrain, water service had been cut as well. ¡°Lake Eden is only a few miles away,¡± Alyssa suggested. ¡°And we can set up some buckets for rain collection for the short term.¡± ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t rain?¡± asked Roman. He nced toward the basement¡¯s ceiling, almost as if he could see the others in the house above. He took a deep breath, then said, ¡°I think we need to go to the store.¡± Alyssa leaned forward, hands on the table, and sighed. As a police officer, she¡¯d often had to deal with shoplifters, and during some periods of civil unrest, she¡¯d had to respond to looting as well. So, what Roman had suggested didn¡¯t really sit well with her. However, it wasn¡¯t as if she was contemting stealing televisions and cell phones. This was a matter of survival. Still. It just didn¡¯t feel right. But considering that the world as they knew it had just ended, her moral quandary felt more than a little silly.¡°We only take what we need,¡± she said. Roman shook his head, then put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, either,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s been less than a day, and already, we¡¯re talking about breaking thew.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± ¡°But the thing is ¨C this isn¡¯t anything like what we¡¯ve been trained for,¡± he said. ¡°This is survival.¡± ¡°I just told myself the same thing,¡± she stated. ¡°And if we don¡¯t do this now, there¡¯s not going to be anything left,¡± Roman pointed out. ¡°We need to take care of our immediate survival. You have Miggy. I have Trish. And I¡¯m going to do whatever it takes to make sure they get through this. Next to that, legality doesn¡¯t matter. Hell, I¡¯m not sure morals evene into it.¡± Alyssa shook her head. One day. That was all it had taken. And if they were thinking that way, then everyone else was, too. The moment that thought crossed her mind, she knew that the situation was going to quickly deteriorate. Easton had never had much of a criminal element. That was why she¡¯d moved to the suburbs in the first ce. But when people got desperate, social order had a way of being tossed by the wayside. Roman¡¯s suggestion proved that. The real problem was that Alyssa couldn¡¯t really counter it. Food and water were going to be issues. That was a fact. And given the choice between watching her son die of dehydration or hunger and following thew of what may well have been a fallen civilization, she knew precisely which option she was going to choose. So, in that context, Alyssa said, ¡°We need to get going soon. Manning¡¯s isn¡¯t huge, and if we take too long, it¡¯ll be picked clean.¡± With that decided, Alyssa and Roman went upstairs to inform the others of the n. Everyone agreed that it was the right course of action, but predictably, conflict reared its ugly head when they realized that they were going to be left behind. Trish said, ¡°It¡¯s just a mile or so. What could go wrong? I don¡¯t want to be cooped up in this house, and I¡¯m sure Carmen doesn¡¯t either.¡± ¡°It might be dangerous,¡± Roman said. ¡°Think about it. None of us have really tried out these abilities, but ¨C¡± ¡°I tried mine out,¡± Carmen pointed out. ¡°I mean, Bind isn¡¯t meant for fighting or anything, but ¨C¡± ¡°Nobody said anything about fighting,¡± Alyssa interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t want to admit the obvious,¡± Carmen countered. ¡°But I think what Roman was going to say is that people are probably panicking right now. And they have magic abilities. More than that, some of them have definitelye to the same conclusion you two did. Given that, there¡¯s a good chance that they¡¯ll try to keep others from taking resources that might ensure their own survival.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been less than a day!¡± Trish insisted. ¡°You act like all of society is going to copse just because the power is out.¡± ¡°Trish¡­¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°You haven¡¯t been outside yet, have you?¡± said Carmen. Alyssa added, ¡°Trish, this is way more than just the utilities being cut. The whole world has changed. Did you even read the notifications?¡± ¡°I skimmed them,¡± she admitted. ¡°Something about World Trees and whatnot. Seemed like nonsense.¡± Alyssa massaged her forehead in frustration. ¡°You did pick an archetype, though, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Roman made me choose Healer.¡± Alyssa let out a sigh of relief. Then, she said, ¡°Okay ¨C I think it¡¯s best if we figure out what everyone chose and test out our abilities before we start running around. Like Carmen said, it might get dangerous out there.¡± She looked around, then went on, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll go first. I picked Warrior. And the ability I got was Heavy Blows.¡± She navigated to the ability¡¯s description:
Heavy Blows Increase the damage of your melee attacks by 5%. Toggled personal augmentation.
¡°It just says it increases the damage of my attacks by five percent,¡± she exined. ¡°Apparently, it¡¯s a ¡®toggled personal augmentation¡¯, whatever that means.¡± ¡°Self-buff,¡± said Carmen. All but Miguel narrowed their eyes in confusion. ¡°Oh,e on. None of you y video games? It¡¯s obvious.¡± ¡°I only y sports games,¡± said Roman. ¡°I like Candy Crush,¡± Trish stated. Alyssa asked, ¡°You really think this System is like video games? I mean, what are the odds of that?¡± Carmen shrugged. ¡°I mean, there are probably all sorts of exnations that would make sense,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe the System seeded the ideas a long time ago, guiding us so that it would make sense when we were touched by the World Tree. Or ¨C¡± ¡°That sounds like the World Tree is some kind of sexual deviant,¡± said Trish. ¡°It¡¯s a tree¡­¡± She shrugged. ¡°Still not the best phrasing,¡± Trish persisted. Carmen rolled her eyes, then said, ¡°Anyway. My point is that the exnations don¡¯t really matter. It is what it is, and I get the feeling that if we keep questioning it, we¡¯re going to end up dead. ept it, adjust, and move on. Or that¡¯s what I intend to do, at least. So, in that spirit, I took Tradesman, and my first ability is Bind. It lets me bind two materials together.¡± ¡°What use is that?¡± asked Roman. ¡°Forbat? Nothing that I can think of,¡± Carmen answered. ¡°But for making things? I mean, it should be incredibly useful going forward.¡± ¡°You took a nonbat option? That¡¯s the stupidest thing ¨C¡± She crossed her arms and interrupted, ¡°I also put all my extra points into Strength. So, watch what you say, big guy.¡± ¡°Calm down,¡± said Alyssa. ¡°I¡¯m sure Carmen can pull her own weight and then some. Besides, people who can make things are going to be valuable. You¡¯ve got to see that, chief.¡± Roman shook his head. ¡°Whatever,¡± he said. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll go next. I took Marksman. Ability I got was Aim, which I can use to increase the damage of any ranged attack by thirty percent.¡± ¡°Wow. That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it works on guns, though,¡± he admitted. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Instinct? I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s weird. I just¡­know. Does that make any sense?¡± he asked. Alyssa said, ¡°Kind of. My ability kind of came with something simr. I sort of know how to use it, at least. Yours is probably the same way.¡± ¡°Stop trying to make sense of it,¡± Carmen advised. ¡°Just ept it.¡± ¡°Probably for the best,¡± Roman said, shaking his head. Then, to Trish, he continued, ¡°Alright, babe. Tell them what you got.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Mend. I can¡­I don¡¯t know¡­I guess I can heal people with it. Just wave my hand and they¡¯ll get better? It feels kind of like it would be strong, but¡­it alsoes with¡­I don¡¯t know. Sort of like if I cast it, I won¡¯t be able to do it again for a little while.¡± ¡°Cooldown,¡± provided Carmen. Everyone looked at her, and she said, ¡°Game term. Sorry.¡± ¡°What about the kid?¡± asked Roman, gesturing down the hall where Miguel was asleep. He¡¯d tried to stay awake, failing spectacrly. ¡°He get an archetype, too? And what are we going to do with him when we go for supplies?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t see anything but the initial notification about the world changing,¡± Alyssa answered. ¡°And if we¡¯re all going, we need to take him with us.¡± Roman shook his head. ¡°That¡¯llplicate things.¡± ¡°Non-negotiable,¡± said Carmen. ¡°Fine. But if it¡¯s dangerous out there¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him,¡± Carmen stated. Alyssa was quick to voice her own agreement. While Miguel wasn¡¯t her biological child, she¡¯d helped raise him since he was a toddler. So, in every way that mattered, he was as much her son as if he¡¯de from her own genes. Roman shook his head, saying, ¡°But if you¡¯re taking care of him, you¡¯re going to be distracted when we might need you to ¨C¡± ¡°Drop it,¡± said Trish. ¡°Just drop it, okay. If we had kids, I¡¯d want to keep them close, too. Especially if things are as bad as you say they are.¡± Roman had clearly been outvoted, so, as his wife had suggested, he dropped the topic. Instead, they all went out to the back yard, where they spent a little time practicing their abilities. From Alyssa¡¯s perspective, there really wasn¡¯t much to practice. She just had to use her ability, and it would remain active indefinitely. Perhaps there was some other limiter, but if there was, she couldn¡¯t find it. Trish¡¯s limitations were far more prominent, and after spending almost an hour testing things out, they determined that the cooldown after using Mend was nearly fifteen minutes. ¡°Feels crazy toin about magical healing, but that seems like a pretty harsh cooldown,¡± said Carmen, pressing two old fence boards together. They stuck, which seemed to be the limits of what her own ability could aplish. ¡°Still, I guess we just save that for emergencies.¡± Roman, who¡¯d retrieved his hunting bow from his house next door, shot an arrow at a target he¡¯d set up at the other end of the yard. It was only a few dozen feet away, and when he loosed the arrow, it whipped across thewn with the speed of a bullet, tearing through the target ¨C a fake deer meant for hunting practice ¨C and hitting the shed behind it. ¡°Damn,¡± he said. ¡°Impressive,¡± agreed Alyssa. ¡°Haven¡¯t shot this thing in years. No time for hunting,tely.¡± Indeed, Roman had been promoted to police chief only a year before, and since then, he¡¯d been putting in seventy-hour work weeks. That he was home when the world went crazy was just a stroke of good luck. After everyone had gottenfortable with their abilities, Carmen went inside to wake Miguel up while everyone armed themselves. Roman and Alyssa both strapped their service pistols to their hips, while Trish was given a shotgun. She handled it with some familiarity, reminding Alyssa that the other woman had spent her fair share of time at the range. Carmen carried an old softball bat and an ancient revolver that had belonged to her father. Despite its age, it was in good condition, and like Trish, Carmen knew her way around some firearms. The only one who was unarmed was Miguel. No one wanted an eight-year-old running around with deadly weapons, after all. Still, he put himself to use by carrying spare ammunition and bottled water in his backpack. Thus prepared, the group set out for their local market. Book 1: Chapter 5: Beyond Repair Book 1: Chapter 5: Beyond Repair Alyssa kept her hand on her pistol as she walked down the center of the street. Behind her followed Carmen, their son Miguel, and Trish. Bringing up the rear was Roman, who was holding his bow. With her shotgun in hand, Trishined, ¡°Is all this really necessary?¡± ¡°Maybe. Maybe not,¡± Carmen said. ¡°But I¡¯ve watched enough zombie movies that I¡¯m more than willing to be overly cautious.¡± ¡°There are zombies? Cool,¡± said Miguel. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you let him watch Walking Dead,¡± Alyssa muttered just loud enough that her wife could hear it. ¡°In my defense, I didn¡¯t expect him to like it so much,¡± Carmen remarked. ¡°Especially after the first season when the quality went downhill.¡± ¡°I liked it!¡± Miguel countered. ¡°Because you¡¯re eight, and you don¡¯t have taste. It¡¯s not your fault. You just haven¡¯t experienced enough variety to know when you¡¯re watching trash,¡± Carmen stated. She reached out to ruffle his ck hair. ¡°But I still love you even if your taste leaves a lot to be desired.¡± He dodged to the side, avoiding her hand as he whined, ¡°Mom¡­c¡¯mon¡­¡±Alyssa ignored their back-and-forth as Carmen teased their son. Instead, she focused on her surroundings. It had been a troubling discovery to find that none of their vehicles worked. Even Carmen, who knew a bit about working on cars, had been stumped as to why they were inoperable. She¡¯d tried to change the batteries and even inspected the spark plugs, but everything appeared to be in working order. They just wouldn¡¯t start. So, the group had been forced to head out on foot as they sought supplies at the local grocery store, Manning¡¯s Market. It was only a couple miles away, so they reasoned that the trip shouldn¡¯t prove too arduous. By the time Alyssa and the others reached the end of their street, she was beginning to rethink that assessment ¨C chiefly because of the hole that had been ripped in the side of one of the houses. ¡°How did we not hear that?¡± she asked, ready to draw her pistol. She also had an old machete sheathed on her other hip, but she hoped she wouldn¡¯t need to get close to whatever was capable of tearing a hole in a building. ¡°What even could do that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Roman, having already nocked an arrow. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to find out, either.¡± The house was barely standing, with a good portion of the roof having copsed when something had torn through a load bearing wall. ¡°We need to check it,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°In case someone inside needs help.¡± Roman started to respond, and judging by his expression, he intended to argue for ignoring it. It was strange, how quickly he¡¯d abandoned his role as a public servant dedicated to the safety of the townspeople. But then again, judging by what she¡¯d seen so far, the town didn¡¯t really exist anymore. Not in any way that mattered, at least. ¡°If someone¡¯s hurt, I can help them,¡± said Trish, already moving to cross thewn. ¡°Honey, don¡¯t ¨C¡± She turned, backpedaling for a moment as she said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It was probably just a ¨C¡± She never got the chance to finish her thought before something came tearing out of the house, moving so fast that Alyssa had difficulty tracking it. In the space of a second, it was already bearing down on Trish. She screamed and tried to run, but as panicked as she was, she only got a step before stumbling. And then, the creature was upon her,tching onto a hastily raised forearm. Blood misted, and the sound of a breaking bone filled the air, apanied by Trish¡¯s agonized shout. And then gunshots sounded. Alyssa fired once. Twice. Then three times. Each shot took the furry creature in the ribs, but it didn¡¯t release Trish¡¯s arm. Suddenly, an arrow sprouted from just behind its foreleg. Then Alyssa heard the thwap of a bowstring before another joined the first. It yelped, releasing Trish, who fell to thewn where she clutched her arm as a mewling sound escaped from between her lips. But Alyssa only had eyes for the creature before her. It resembled a wolf, though it was at least the size of a pony. And its coloring was different from any canine she¡¯d ever seen. Predominantly ck, the thing¡¯s fur had green-and-blue streaks as well, which gave it a distinctly alien appearance. Alyssa advanced, firing her weapon over and over again as she emptied the magazine into the monster. It didn¡¯t die, though. Instead, it leaped to its feet and stumbled back towards the house. It never got to its destination. As Alyssa fired her gun, Roman continued to loose one arrow after another until, after seven, it finally slumped to the ground. Still, it wasn¡¯t dead, though that wouldn¡¯tst much longer. Alyssa had been hunting with her father enough that she could recognize when an animal was on itsst leg. Soon, it would bleed out. She wasn¡¯t willing to trust that assumption, though. So, Alyssa strode forward, dragging the machete from the sheath at her waist, until she stood over it. Then, without further hesitation, she reached back and chopped into the monster¡¯s neck. The de cut deep, sttering blood on her pants, but the monster still clung to life. So, she swung again, and, atst, it perished. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Breathing hard, more from panic as exertion, she turned and demanded, ¡°What the ever-living fuck was that?¡± No one paid any attention to her, though. Instead, they¡¯d all descended upon the injured Trish. When Alyssa joined them, she saw that the other woman¡¯s arm was misshapen, covered in blood, and had bones sticking out in multiple ces. More, it looked the wolf-creature¡¯s ws had clipped Trish¡¯s upper thigh, which was gushing blood. Clearly, it had hit an artery. ¡°You have to use your ability,¡± Carmen was saying. ¡°Spell¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a spell. Not an ability¡­¡± ¡°Whatever it¡¯s called, use it now or you¡¯re going to bleed out!¡± Carmen spat. It made perfect sense, but still, Trish looked at Roman and waited for his approval before she closed her eyes and cast her spell. Alyssa felt something stir, almost like an ephemeral wind, before Trish¡¯s body erupted into golden light. When it faded, her arm was entirely healed, and the bleeding had stopped. ¡°Whoa,¡± gasped Miguel, his eyes wide as saucers. ¡°Magic.¡± ¡°Trish,¡± said Alyssa, holstering her pistol. As she shoved her machete back in its sheath, she spat, ¡°What the hell were you thinking? You saw a house that looked like a monster had torn through it, and you thought you should just traipse across thewn without any sort of precautions?! What the fuck were you thinking?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know¡­I just thought I could help,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think there was a monster. Why would I think there was a monster? I just thought¡­I don¡¯t know¡­I don¡¯t know what I thought¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t think at all!¡± Alyssa growled. ¡°This isn¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Enough,¡± interrupted Roman, reaching out to grab her by the arm. ¡°She knows that what she did was stupid, Alyssa. Just leave it. Nobody¡¯s hurt, so we can just ¨C¡± Alyssa pulled away. ¡°She just wasted her spell. That means she can¡¯t use it again for a while.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a waste,¡± said Roman. ¡°But it¡¯s done, now. We can¡¯t undo it, so we just have to keep going.¡± Alyssa clenched her fists in frustration. If they didn¡¯t take things seriously, they were all going to die. However, harping on Trish¡¯s mistake wasn¡¯t going to change anything. Hopefully, the woman had learned her lesson. ¡°Fine. But we need to do better.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Roman said, a steely glint in his eyes. He nced at the pile of fur that had once been a monster, then asked, ¡°So¡­what was that?¡± ¡°Looked like a wolf,¡± she said. ¡°Sort of. Lots of things were wrong, though. Its snout¡¯s too short, the fur is all the wrong colors, and its legs are a little longer than normal.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s the size of a pony,¡± added Carmen, her hand on Miguel¡¯s shoulder. She wasn¡¯t going to let him get too far away, especially after what had just happened. ¡°That, too.¡±¡¯ Carmen reached down to help Trish up, saying, ¡°It¡¯s a monster. Doesn¡¯t matter where it came from. Maybe it¡¯s a wolf that got mutated. That wouldn¡¯t be that surprising, given the fact that Trish here just cast an honest-to-God healing spell. Or it could¡¯ve been brought here from somewhere else. It might¡¯ve just manifested for all we know. The point is that it doesn¡¯t matter for now. All we need to know is that the world just got a lot more dangerous, right?¡± ¡°The people who lived there are probably dead, too,¡± Alyssa said, gesturing to the ruined house. ¡°If they¡¯re not, they ran away. No way they fought it off.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± Trish said, wiping her tears. She must¡¯ve forgotten that she was coated in blood, because she left red smears across her cheeks. ¡°If they had fought it off, it would¡¯ve been injured. And I¡¯m pretty damn sure doors couldn¡¯t stop that thing. Hell, walls would barely slow it down,¡± Alyssa stated. ¡°If they were still in that house, it would¡¯ve killed them. Same with any other houses we see. Let¡¯s just go to the store, get what we need, then head back home. We can hole up there until¡­¡± She let the statement trail off because the idea of rescue seemed absolutely ridiculous. The city was gone. If those notifications were to be believed, the whole world had been randomized. That meant the army wasn¡¯ting. No ¨C they were all alone, and if they wanted to survive, they needed to do so on their own. Perhaps someone would eventuallye. The government still existed, after all. But Alyssa expected that it would be a long time before they got around to rescuing anyone. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± asked Roman. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should go back to the house,¡± she said. ¡°Not permanently, at least. We need somewhere more defensible.¡± Roman didn¡¯t immediately respond. Carmen and Trish did, though. Neither were terribly supportive of the idea, but that wasn¡¯t surprising, given their personalities. Carmen was concerned with uprooting Miguel, while Trish still wasn¡¯t convinced they needed to move at all. Miguel, for his part, seemed excited about it. ¡°Where?¡± asked Roman. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe the elementary school?¡± she suggested. ¡°Too open.¡± ¡°The bank?¡± ¡°Too small.¡± ¡°The station?¡± was her next suggestion. Roman tapped his finger against his chin, then said, ¡°You know what? That would probably work. It¡¯s got size. It¡¯s closer to theke, so we would have an easier time getting water. And it¡¯s sturdier than any house.¡± Indeed, the police station was made of brick, and it was a FEMA-approved shelter. That, plus the fact that it was equipped with a sturdy fence and a rtively huge arsenal of weapons made it the perfect choice. ¡°Plus, we kind of need to go there anyway,¡± Roman said. ¡°Once we¡¯re sure Trish and your family are safe, we need to start working on the rest of the town. The station¡¯s the best ce to do that.¡± ¡°Sounds like a n,¡± Alyssa said. She wasn¡¯t nearly as concerned with her duty as she was with making certain that Carmen and Miguel were safe, but she hadn¡¯t abandoned it altogether. ¡°Store first. Then back to the house to gather our other supplies. We probably need to spend the night there before heading out first thing in the morning.¡± Roman nodded. For their part, the others only made minor objections. However, they were quickly convinced when Alyssa pointed at the house, reminding them that a monster had ripped its wall to pieces. After that, they fell into line. So, with that, the group continued down the street as they made their way to the grocery store. When they reached the market over an hourter, they found that more than a few people had already picked it clean. There were still some supplies to be had, but it was far less than any of them hoped. In the end, they had to be satisfied with one cart full of canned goods, another shopping cart filled with bottled water, and another with a variety of dry goods. Thus supplied, the group started back to the house, studiously ignoring the evidence of fighting they passed along the way. A few storefronts had been bashed in, and a couple of houses had taken even more damage than the one where they¡¯d encountered the wolf monster. Still, they didn¡¯t see any other people, which they all found more than a little curious. Alyssa hoped that they were all just hiding, mostly because she didn¡¯t want to think about the alternative. Finally, they returned to the house, where they set about arranging everything they might need to take with them when they left for the station in the morning. Book 1: Chapter 6: Magic and Danger Book 1: Chapter 6: Magic and Danger Elijah looked down at his ruined legs. The crabs had really done a number on them, and unless he figured out how to use his new spell, he¡¯d be in real trouble. Even if he¡¯d managed to ovee his cancer ¨C which was still unsure ¨C he still had to concern himself with immediate survival. His legs were caked with dried blood and dirt, which didn¡¯t bode well for staving off infection. In addition, huge chunks of muscle were missing, snipped away and eaten by the oversized crustaceans. His legs had been so ravaged that he questioned whether he could even walk without the advantage of adrenaline pumping through his veins. He extended his hand and whispered, ¡°Touch of Nature.¡± But nothing happened, which made him feel extremely foolish. After trying a few different techniques, most of which involved contorting his fingers in various ways, Elijah sagged back against the tree and closed his eyes. Now that he¡¯d calmed down a little, he was beset by wave after wave of agony originating from his legs. There were smaller injuries across his body ¨C the crabs hadn¡¯t confined themselves to a single ce, after all ¨C but they were insignificant next to the fiery pain in his lower legs. There was something beyond the pain, though. Something almost soothing. Somethingforting. He focused on that sensation, delving deeper and deeper until he finally recognized what he sensed. It was nature. He remembered the description that hade along with the Druid archetype, which had imed that it included a bonus to ¡°One With Nature.¡± At the time, Elijah hadn¡¯t known what to expect from it, but now, leaning against that tree in the middle of a forest, he felt more at home than he¡¯d ever felt before in his life. In the past, Elijah had been no stranger to the outdoors. As a child, he¡¯d grown up camping and hiking with his parents, and he¡¯d continued that positive rtionship with nature when he¡¯d chosen his career as a marine biologist. Often, during a hike or when he was sitting on a boat in the middle of the ocean, he¡¯d found himself looking around in abject wonder and appreciation for the natural world. Sometimes, it was the result of gazing at a particrly vivid sunset. Or seeing a mighty storm on the horizon. Maybe overlooking a raging river that cut through a deep canyon. It had happened so many times that the scenes themselves tended to blend together. But the feeling remained. Now, it had been dialed up to a hundred, and, as a result, he didn¡¯t just feel an appreciation for nature. Instead, it was a connection. He was no longer standing outside, a spectator looking in; rather, he was a part of it. Another piece of the ecological puzzle. Simply put, he belonged. He let out a sigh, and for a long moment, Elijah simply basked in that feeling. It overwhelmed his pain, ushering it into the back of his mind. The agony was still there, but in the face of that overwhelming sense of belonging, it was a pitiful thing that barely even qualified as difort. Then, suddenly, that oneness with nature faded away, little by little, until it was only a vague awareness. A metaphysical anchor that kept him moored to the natural world. But more than that, it gave him some insight into his own being, which was divided into four distinct pieces. There was his physical body, weak but vibrant with potential. Then, his mind, a snarl of errant thoughts and determination. His soul, an ephemeral web that suffused his entire body, almost like a second circtory System but far moreplex and infinitely more meaningful. Thest piece drew his attention more than any other, though. At the center of who he was, there was a gleaming ball of energy. Physically, it was located in the center of his chest. Spiritually, it was at the intersection of his soul; each pathway inevitably stemmed from that sphere of power, the thickest and most powerful of which ran to his mind. It was all connected, but that core was the driving force behind everything. So, he focused on it. A secondter, he let out a ragged gasp. The energy contained in that core wasn¡¯t just overwhelming. It was domineering. But even the brief glimpse Elijah had managed told him that it was the key to everything. So, marshalling his willpower, he shoved his attention back into the core, keeping one thing on his mind. Touch of Nature, he thought. When he did, a surge of power rushed through his soul. It built for a long second until, atst, it flowed into his hand. Elijah opened his eyes to see that his fingers glowed with a soft, verdant light. Trembling, Elijah reached out to touch the most egregious wound on his leg, where the crab had torn a three-inch chunk of flesh from his calf. If he¡¯d been capable of washing out the dirt, debris, and blood, he felt certain he would have seen bone. But when he touched the wound, the green light surged, nketing it in a warm glow. Then, the flesh began to writhe, bits of muscle and skin growing out in tendrils until they connected with the other side. One after another, looking like fleshy string, they mended together, and as they did, they pushed the foreign substances out. But it wasn¡¯t easy. In fact, holding that concentration was one of the most difficult things Elijah had ever done. If it wasn¡¯t a matter of survival, he might not have managed it. However, it was, so he did, keeping the energy ¨C no ¨C the System called Ethera ¨C flowing through his soul and into his mind, which somehow converted it into the spell. After a few moments, he couldn¡¯t hold it anymore, and with a gasp, his core sputtered and the Ethera ran dry. Still, when he looked down at his leg, he saw mostly unbroken skin where the wound had once been. There were plenty more up and down his calves and on his feet, but in mere moments, he¡¯d managed topletely heal a wound that should¡¯ve taken weeks to mend. Elijah sighed in relief and sagged against the tree. Its presence wasforting, like an old friend who¡¯d wrapped him in its warm embrace. For a moment, Elijah considered simply giving in to his exhaustion and closing his eyes. However, it only took the memory of waking up to being eaten by giant crabs to disabuse him of that notion. So, he sat there, regting his breathing as he concentrated on his core. Slowly, it refilled, but it didn¡¯t generate the Ethera itself. Instead, Elijah¡¯s mind seemed to have be a funnel, absorbing the energy from the environment and channeling it through his soul down to his core. The key seemed to be keeping his mind clear; otherwise, he could sense the rate of recovery slow to a crawl. Overall, it took almost ten minutes for him to refill his Ethera reserves. Once his core was full, he repeated the process on his other wounds, stopping only when he ran dry of Ethera. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. It took most of the rest of the day, but by the time the sun began to dip toward the horizon, Elijah was healthier than he¡¯d been in months. He was still weak ¨C remarkably so ¨C but he didn¡¯t feel sick or injured. He couldn¡¯t be certain if the cancer was actually gone, but he felt well enough that it gave him some hope for the future. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t going to die, after all. Not immediately, at least. But the fact of the matter was that, even if he was healthy, he was still stranded in the wilderness, alone and with no supplies. And if the size of those crabs was any indication of what to expect, the wildlife had been affected by whatever had turned the world upside down as well. It wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibility that things were much more dangerous now than they had been when he¡¯d left Hawai¡¯i. Even so, there was cause for optimism. He was still weak, but he¡¯d just used an actual magic spell to heal wounds that should have been crippling in his current environment. Without Touch of Nature, those wounds would have soon gotten infected, and, given the state of his immune System, he would have sumbed not long after that. Now, though, he had a new lease on life, and he wasn¡¯t going to waste it. So, he gathered all the knowledge he¡¯d managed topile over decades of camping and hiking, and he began to make a list of what he needed to do if he was going to survive for longer than a couple of days. The first thing he did was check his pockets for his phone, which provedpletely unfruitful. It must have fallen out when he¡¯d hit the water. Or while floating in the ocean, perhaps. It wasn¡¯t unexpected, but still, the inability to simply call for rescue was disappointing. In any case, he moved on to the other necessities for survival. First, he needed water. Then shelter. Fire. And finally, food. Luckily, the biome seemed to suggest that he was still in the Pacific Northwest, which meant that water should be plentiful. Shelter might be a little more difficult to find, but given the time of year, food should be abundant. Sure, mushrooms and berries weren¡¯t always appetizing, but they would sustain him until he could find something else. Fire would be the most difficult, especially without specialized tools like a ferro rod or a lighter. Even so, he¡¯d made fires from scratch before, and though the environment was incredibly wet ¨C there were ces in the Pacific Northwest that were ssified as actual rainforests ¨C he hoped he could put those long-dormant skills to good use. For now, though, Elijah needed to explore his surroundings to see if he could find a ready source of fresh water. So, after inspecting himself for wounds one more time, he pushed himself to his feet. The surge of energy he felt upon standing was enough to make him stumble, and he pressed one hand to the pine tree, steadying himself. He just wasn¡¯t used to feeling¡­good. If anything, that highlighted how adaptable people could really be, that he¡¯d managed to keep going for as long as he had. But now, he didn¡¯t have to worry about that. He hoped. With a sigh, Elijah shook his head, reminding himself that he didn¡¯t have much choice in the matter. Before, he¡¯d beenpletely incapable of changing his fate. The cancer was terminal, and he¡¯d epted his death as inevitable. However, now that it seemed to be gone ¨C or at least weakened enough that he¡¯d been given a fighting chance ¨C he felt free. But it was all an illusion. If it still decided to kill him, there was still nothing he could do about it. So, he chose to focus on the things he could affect ¨C mainly, the items on his list. After taking a deep, steadying breath, he pushed away from the tree and trekked ind. It was slow going, mostly due to the density of the forest, but Elijah was an old hand at picking his way through the wilds. So, he made gradual progress until the sound of a stream filled his ears. By that point, the forest had descended into dusk, which made finding shelter almost as much of a priority as finding water to quench his thirst. Still, he trudged forward until he stumbled onto a small stream. It was only a few feet across, but it flowed extremely quickly across the rocks that made up the streambed. Elijah copsed next to the water, cupping his hands and taking a big gulp. He knew he should have taken the time to boil it, but he was hoping that thebination of his high Constitution and the healing power of Touch of Nature would be a match for any sickness that came from the microbes in the water. Regardless, he didn¡¯t have much choice in the matter. Every piece of wood he¡¯d seen during his trek through the forest had been soaked through by the incessant humidity and the frequent drizzling rain, meaning that he¡¯d have to get lucky if he wanted to start a proper fire. After drinking his fill, Elijah sat back and focused on the sense of One With Nature, and he was surprised to find that it was subtly different than it had been closer to the shore. Stronger, in some ways. But gentler, too. It was as if there was some sort of calming presence watching over the area. And he got the impression that it would be stronger the further ind he traveled. As curious as Elijah was, though, he was in no shape to investigate. Night was on its way, and he needed to find some sort of shelter before that happened. Being alone in the wilderness in the dark was one thing, but trying to sleep in the rain was even worse. So, he reluctantly pushed himself back to his feet and followed the stream uphill. As he did so, Elijah continued to look for a hollow or an overhang that might prove to be decent shelter for the night. But to his eternal surprise and good fortune, only twenty minutester he found himself staring at something wholly unexpected in such rugged country. It was a cabin. It was old, decrepit, and the roof looked on the verge of copse. But soaked through, tired, and with night nipping at Elijah¡¯s heels, the cabin looked like a godsend. He ambled forward, tripping over a root along the way, but he maintained his bnce until he reached the wall. The cabin itself had been constructed of a series of horizontal logs, with the gaps filled in with mud. The roof was of simr construction, but ayer of moss and leaves would provide instion. A metal tube, rusted and barely holding together, extended from one of the walls, and Elijah reasoned that it must be the cabin¡¯s chimney. ¡°Hello?¡± he called, sure that he was wasting his time. The cabin was in too poor of shape to have housed anyone in a long while. That impression was further cemented in Elijah¡¯s mind when he began to circle around the structure, and he saw that half of it had, indeed, copsed long ago. He shook his head, wondering what had happened. How old was the cabin? Why hadn¡¯t the owner fixed it? Where were they now? A hundred simr questions raced through Elijah¡¯s thoughts, but there were no answers forting. So, he carefully climbed over the debris, making certain not to impale his bare feet on anything particrly sharp, and looked around inside. There wasn¡¯t much there. An old pot that might be good for boiling water or, eventually, cooking. A rusted knife that didn¡¯t look sharp enough to do anything with. And the remains of some rotted furniture. Altogether, it wasn¡¯t much better than if he¡¯d found a cave. But for now, it would have to do. Tomorrow, he¡¯d have to find food and a better ce to sleep so he could regain his Strength and prepare for whatever came next. He still hadn¡¯t decided if he wanted to continue his trek ind to look for civilization or if he wanted to stay put and wait for rescue. There were merits in favor of either course of action. On the one hand, most survival guides would have told him to stay where he was and wait for rescue. There were plenty of exceptions to that rule, though, and, in any case, everything he¡¯d seen on that ne suggested that the world had experienced significant upheaval. It would be a bit na?ve to expect someone to rescue him. But as Elijah settled down in the most intact corner of the cabin, curling up, he decided that that was a decision better made after a good night¡¯s rest. Book 1: Chapter 7: Many Paths to Power Book 1: Chapter 7: Many Paths to Power After a night filled with fitful sleep, Elijah woke to a world of pain twisting through his stomach. He clutched at his midsection and, as cramps assailed him, heaved the meager contents of his stomach onto the ground beside him. There was precious little there ¨C mostly liquid, in fact, which gave him some clues as to what had happened. The water he¡¯d drunk the evening before had obviously been contaminated. ¡°Stupid,¡± he muttered, thinking back to his decision to drink the water without even trying to boil it. But in his defense, he didn¡¯t really have the means to start a fire. And until he¡¯d found the cabin, he hadn¡¯t had anything in which to boil any water he managed to collect. For a healthy person, the tainted water might not have been that impactful, but his immune System had been devastated by the deadlybination of cancer, chemotherapy, and radiation, and despite the effects of his increased attributes, he clearly wasn¡¯t fully recovered. Once his stomach stopped twisting and turning, Elijah sat up and closed his eyes. The pain was still there, but he needed to move past it. He had plenty of experience in that arena, what with everything he¡¯d been through while fighting his disease, so it wasn¡¯t that difficult to concentrate on the ball of energy in his chest. With an effort of will, he mentally embraced the Ethera in his core, grasping at it with his consciousness. The shock was like dunking his entire mind in frigid water. Or moltenva. It was difficult to tell the difference, the feeling was so intense. However, he pushed past that shock, wrapped his core in his willpower, and pulled. As he did so, he muttered, ¡°Touch of Nature.¡± His hand lit up with verdant energy, and when heid it on his rebellious stomach, the spell flowed forth and back into his body. For only an instant, Elijah could follow its path, but soon, it left his perception behind. However, a few secondster, he felt the spell take hold as it healed the damage inflicted by whatever parasite had twisted his stomach into knots. The spell onlysted for a few moments, but by the time the green energy dissipated, Elijah felt better than he had since before being diagnosed. He wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to think that his little spell could cure cancer; based on how long it had taken to heal his legs, he suspected that it didn¡¯t have nearly enough power to do that. Instead, it felt like confirmation that the attribute points that he¡¯d allocated into Constitution had been well spent. Was he cured? He had no idea, but he intended to investigate it further. Even if he hadn¡¯t beenpletely healed, he¡¯d made progress. And for now, that was enough to give him a jolt of optimism and energy. So, with streams of morning sunlight cutting through the forest¡¯s dense canopy, Elijah pushed himself to his feet and stretched aching muscles. Whatever benefits he¡¯d gotten from Touch of Nature, it had done nothing to counteract the effects of sleeping in such an ufortable position. Not that he wouldin too much. Not only was he alive, but he had ess to magic. Plus, there was still that slight tingle in the air giving him a trickle of energy and a sense of belonging. He didn¡¯t quite feel at home, but he wasn¡¯t nearly as distressed as being stranded in the wilderness should have made him. After a few minutes of stretching, Elijah thought back to the simple list of things he wanted to aplish. The first part was to catalogue everything he¡¯d found in the ruined cabin. It was all trash, but in the wilderness, even garbage could be useful. A rusted knife. A pot. And a few piles of wood. There was also a coil of rope, but it was so rotted that he wouldn¡¯t trust it to hold even the meager weight of his cancer-ravaged body. Overall, it wasn¡¯t much, but it was better than he could have expected. The pot, in particr, would be incredibly useful when he managed to start a fire. Clutching the rusted knife in his hand, he arduously hacked off the shredded hems of his pants, carefully putting the cloth in his pockets where he hoped they would dry into decent tinder. It wasn¡¯t a great idea, but everything else in the forest was perpetually damp. He had some other thoughts on how to get around that, but for now, he would take the steps he could and hope for better luck in the future. With that done, he scoured the area around the cabin for a walking stick. Fortunately, a storm hade through sometime in the past few days, breaking plenty of limbs. So, Elijah had no difficulty finding a stout, mostly straight branch that could serve as both a walking stick and a means of protection from any nearby predators. Of course, he didn¡¯t think he was going to fight them off. The best he could hope for was to use the stick to establish some distance before he ran away. As he¡¯d searched through the forest, though, Elijah got the distinct sensation that he was being watched. However, no matter how often or how quickly he turned, he saw nothing. Perhaps it was only his imagination ying tricks on him. Or maybe some apex predator who¡¯d been transformed alongside the rest of the was stalking him. He shuddered at the thought. There were plenty of predators native to the Pacific Northwest. From bears to wolves and everything in between, they were dangerous enough before the influx of Ethera had transformed the. But if they¡¯d been affected like the crabs? Thest thing Elijah wanted to run into was a van-sized brown bear. Regardless, he didn¡¯t have much of a choice in the matter. If he was going to live ¨C or maybe even thrive ¨C he couldn¡¯t just stay huddled in that ruined cabin. He needed kindling. He needed firewood and food. Otherwise, he might as welly down and die. So, marshalling his courage, Elijah set off into the woods. All the while, sticks and rocks stabbed him in the feet, but he ignored the difort. None of it drew blood, and he could always use Touch of Nature to heal any damage at the end of the day. As he walked, he kept an eye out for reasonably dry sticks, picking them up when he stumbled upon them. He also kept a lookout for birch trees, hoping to use their bark for tinder. On that ount, he was unlucky. Still, he was fortunate enough to find some red bunchberries and a huge chanterelle mushroom. Elijah used the front of his shirt to carry them as he continued his exploration. That same feeling of being watched followed him through the forest until he finally broke free from the brush and into a wide meadow. Stolen story; please report. The clearing was about two-hundred yards long and about half-again as wide, but it waspletely clear, save for a single, huge oak tree that towered hundreds of feet into the sky. However, as impressive as that sight was, Elijah was more concerned with the wispy, white dandelions dotting the small prairie. He couldn¡¯t help but smile as he realized that he¡¯d found his tinder. It wasn¡¯t perfect, and he¡¯d have to gather hundreds of the cottony white seeds, but there were plenty avable. Gleefully, he crossed the meadow and began collecting his bounty, shoving the seeds into one of his pockets. His happiness at finding such a ready supply of tinder was so intoxicating that he almost didn¡¯t notice that the feeling of belonging that had suffused the entire forest had only grown stronger. But once he did, he immediately knew the source. He looked up at the tree towering over the meadow. It called to him. And before Elijah realized what was happening, he found himself stumbling across the meadow. When he reached the tree, he extended a trembling hand andid it on the rough bark of its trunk. A soothing sensation filled Elijah¡¯s entire body. Suddenly, his muscles rxed. His mind cleared. And the fatigue that had been building from the moment he¡¯d woken up fell away. Then, he felt a presence. ¡°Hello,¡± came a high-pitched voice. Elijah jerked his head up, and he saw¡­something growing out of the lowest branch. At first, he thought it was just another limb, gnarled as it was. However, as he looked closer, he saw that it had taken the shape of a tiny, six-inch tall person. That person, though, was made entirely of branches that had grown together. It had no defining features, and one of its wooden hands clutched at the trunk. ¡°Did I startle you?¡± asked the tree creature. ¡°Uh¡­n-no,¡± Elijah said, his voice hoarse fromck of use. ¡°What¡­I mean¡­who are you?¡± The creature cocked its head to the side as if thinking about Elijah¡¯s question. Then, after a few seconds, it said, ¡°I am the tree, and the tree is me. I only took this form so I couldmunicate with you.¡± ¡°Why? Not that I¡¯m¡­ungrateful,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never spoken to a tree before.¡± ¡°A druid who does not speak to trees? How?¡± it said. Then, it leaned forward, never taking its arm from the trunk. ¡°Ah ¨C I see. You are very weak. New to power. Understandable. But this will not do. My protector cannot be so weak.¡± ¡°Protector?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± said the tree. ¡°You are a druid, and this is your Grove. Therefore, you must protect me.¡± Elijah had no idea what to say to that. In fact, the whole encounter was so strange and unbelievable that he was unsure what to even think. ¡°I have decided to help you.¡± ¡°What? How?¡± he asked. ¡°Information,¡± the tree said. ¡°Now, sit. I will guide you to your first breakthrough. It is not much, but it will give you a better chance of survival.¡± ¡°Breakthrough? What kind of breakthrough?¡± he asked, cursing his own ignorance. He didn¡¯t know anything about the new form the world had taken, and thatck was going to get him killed. So, he decided to wring as much information from the tree as was possible. ¡°Cultivation, of course¡± said the tree creature. Somehow, even without any facial features, Elijah felt like the thing regarded him as something of an idiot. ¡°I have no idea what that means,¡± he said. ¡°I saw it on my status sheet, but ¨C¡± ¡°Heavenly Status,¡± said the tree. ¡°Uh¡­okay. My Heavenly Status, then,¡± Elijah corrected himself. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t know if you realize it, but this world just got¡­I don¡¯t know¡­transformed, and there¡¯s no manual or anything to tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°A newly integrated world?¡± the tree said. ¡°Of course. Now I remember. That is why the Ethera is so thin. It makes perfect sense.¡± The tree creature sat down on the branch, then cupped its chin in one hand. ¡°Hmm. So, you know nothing of the System? That is both a boon and a curse,¡± it said. ¡°You have an opportunity to grow very powerful, but with that power wille responsibilities.¡± It looked up. ¡°If you survive, of course.¡± Elijah swallowed hard. He¡¯d already surmised that the new world would be dangerous. If he had magic, then surely others would as well. And judging by what had happened with the crabs, the wildlife would be affected as well. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever it takes,¡± Elijah stated. He¡¯d made peace with his impending death, but that didn¡¯t mean he intended to lie down and give up. He felt like he had a new lease on life, and he wasn¡¯t going to let it go without doing whatever he could. ¡°Very well,¡± said the tree creature, sounding pleased. ¡°But I am limited in how much information I can convey. The System does not prohibit charity, but there is an established System whereby newly integrated worlds can gain knowledge.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take whatever I can get.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You have some spirit in you,¡± the tree said. ¡°With how weak your body is, you will need that. In fact, I think that is where we will start.¡± ¡°You want to heal me? I¡¯ve been sick for a while, and ¨C¡± ¡°No. And yes,¡± the tree stated. ¡°It is moreplicated than that. Think of it more as I will be guiding you towards the tools that will allow you to heal yourself.¡± ¡°Like Touch of Nature,¡± Elijah reasoned. ¡°No. With cultivation.¡± ¡°You keep saying that word like I should know what it means,¡± Elijah countered. ¡°But if you want me to nt something and help it grow, I¡¯m not sure I have the tools or the ¨C¡± The tree sighed, a sound like wind whistling through its branches. Or perhaps the wind really was rustling its leaves. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure, and he didn¡¯t have much opportunity to figure it out because the tree said, ¡°Cultivation is a System whereby a sentient being improves themselves. There are four categories ¨C Body, Mind, Core, and Soul. They are intertwined but separate. Dependent on one another, but capable of progressing independently.¡± ¡°O-okay¡­¡± The tree went on, ¡°Your body is the easiest, but in your situation, it will be the most impactful. Without it, you will likely die within a month or two.¡± ¡°The cancer?¡± ¡°A disease, yes. I cannot sense any other specifics.¡± Elijah shook his head. So, his efforts at raising his Constitution attribute had been wasted, and the resultant spike of energy was unrted. He hadn¡¯t been healed at all. It wasn¡¯t really unprecedented. There had been times after his diagnosis when Elijah had almost felt normal. Usually, those moments were brief, and they usually coincided with distractions. Now, he realized that the ne crash and all the changes he had experienced had probably caused such a moment. ¡°What do the others do?¡± he asked. ¡°Your Mind dictates how quickly you can funnel Ethera into your soul,¡± it said. ¡°Together with your Regeneration attribute, it determines how quickly you can refill your stores of Ethera. ¡°Then there is your Soul, which determines how quickly you can bring that Ethera to bear via spells, abilities, and skills.¡± It went on, ¡°But the Core is the most important aspect of your cultivation. At its most basic level, it is where you store your Ethera, and when you cultivate it, you increase the potency of your Ethera. However, it will also influence your entire path, which is arguably more important.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we improve that one, then?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Because you are not ready,¡± the tree said. ¡°In addition, without advancing your Body cultivation, you will surely die, regardless of the stage of your core. And finally, it requires more than this world is currently capable of providing.¡± ¡°But what ¨C¡± ¡°To tell you more than that would be to risk the ire of the System,¡± the tree stated. ¡°For now, all I can do is put you on the path. Learn this lesson well, because your life will depend on it.¡± ¡°I¡­I understand.¡± ¡°Good,¡± the tree said. ¡°Now, let us begin.¡± Book 1: Chapter 8: Clearing the Station Book 1: Chapter 8: Clearing the Station Alyssa knelt in the park across the street from the police station. Next to her was Roman, with the other three a few feet behind. She asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good,¡± he said, clutching his bow. Alyssa noticed that his knuckles were white, and if she was honest, she didn¡¯t me him even a little. On their way through town, they¡¯d seen plenty of evidence that the world, as they knew it, was gone. They¡¯d even had to fight a couple of battles, though with Alyssa¡¯s Heavy Blows-empowered machete and Roman¡¯s bow skills, none of the mutated creatures hadsted long. Thankfully, they hadn¡¯t seen anything like that first wolf monster they¡¯d encountered. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s another wolf?¡± she asked, still studying the shattered ss of the front door. ¡°Or something worse? Maybe one of those huge racoons?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted, running his hand through his hair. He looked as bad as Alyssa felt. Just like her, he took the little town¡¯s safety as his personal responsibility, and they¡¯d seen plenty of evidence of just how thoroughly they¡¯d failed in that endeavor. Not that they could have predicted that the world would be transformed overnight, but still, it hit them both extremely hard. Especially when they¡¯d seen the bodies. So far, there had only been a few, and they were so chewed up that they were unrecognizable. Even so, no one in their little group had been unaffected. Alyssa rested her hand on the grip of her pistol. Not because she thought it would do much good. If nothing else, the trip across town had proven just how ineffective firearms were against the transformed creatures. Even the racoons, which seemed to be the weakest monsters they¡¯d encountered, took an entire magazine to put down. The machete at her hip had proven a much more reliable weapon. The same was true of Roman¡¯s bow.Even Carmen¡¯s shotgun, which she¡¯d gotten from the gun safe in their basement, hadn¡¯t done much, and she¡¯d been forced to fight with the old softball bat. It hadn¡¯tsted long, and she¡¯d reced it with a solid steel crowbar which, with her Strength, was devastating. The one who¡¯d taken it worst was Trish. She was a nice enough woman, but she just wasn¡¯t built for the apocalypse. Prone to panic and incapable of acting in a crisis, she was more of a liability than an asset. Even her ability to heal couldn¡¯t change that. Byparison, Miguel was taking the end of the world remarkably well. Certainly, he was frightened. What eight-year-old wouldn¡¯t be? But he¡¯d proven his mothers¡¯ son, and he¡¯d responded to the dire situation by searching for ways to make himself useful. At present, he was the group¡¯s pack mule, carrying extra ammunition and a few bottles of water. Their other supplies were in shopping carts they¡¯d taken from the market. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to go in soon,¡± Alyssa said, ncing at the sky. The sun was almost to the horizon, which meant night would soon be upon them. None of them wanted to be outside after sunset, which meant they needed to clear the station out, then secure it so they could hole up for the night. In the morning, they would establish more permanent defenses. ¡°I know,¡± Roman stated, shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. There¡¯s something in there. I know it.¡± ¡°Does that change anything?¡± Alyssa asked. ¡°We can¡¯t go back.¡± Indeed, the house was miles away, and it would take at least twenty minutes to reach any other building that might offer any security. ¡°I¡¯m aware. I¡¯m just not looking forward to what we have to do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± ¡°Where do you think everyone else is?¡± he asked. They¡¯d only seen a few townspeople along the way, and none of them seemed keen on doing anything but barricading themselves in their houses. Even when Alyssa had offered to protect them, they¡¯d remained silent. Not for the first time, she recognized that being a police officer didn¡¯t exactly engender trust. The rtionship betweenw enforcement and the general popce had been shattered, and it seemed that the end of the world hadn¡¯t changed that. Alyssa shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s healthy to think about that right now,¡± she said. ¡°Okay, so here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. I¡¯ll run in there and ¨C¡± ¡°By yourself? No chance.¡± ¡°Just listen, alright? I¡¯ll run in there. I got that new ability,¡± she said. Indeed, she¡¯d gained a level along the way, and it had granted her a new ability:
Charge Dash forward at 200% your normal speed for three seconds. Your next attack will do 30% more damage.
¡°I can go in, see what¡¯s in there, and if I get in trouble, I¡¯ll use Charge,¡± she said. ¡°That way, I can lead them out here, where you¡¯ll be waiting to fill them full of arrows.¡± ¡°It sounds dangerous.¡± ¡°More than taking Trish and Miggy in there?¡± she asked. ¡°Because I don¡¯t know about you, but I have no intention of letting my son in that building until I know for sure there aren¡¯t any monsters. Too much can go wrong in an enclosed space. If keeping him safe means I have to take on a little more, then so be it.¡± Alyssa had worked with Roman for almost five years, so she knew him well enough to recognize the sour expression for what it was. He didn¡¯t like the n, but he also had no alternative proposal. The reality was that the trip across town had taken a lot longer than any of them could have anticipated, and now, they were overextended. With nighting, they didn¡¯t have a lot of choices. Stolen story; please report. ¡°We could go back to the bank,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s less than a mile away.¡± ¡°There are probably monsters there, too. You saw that hole in the front window,¡± Alyssa reminded him. Indeed, they¡¯d only passed a couple of buildings that hadn¡¯t been breached, and none that were close enough to reach before dark. ¡°You know I¡¯m right, Chief. This is the best option. Besides, you can set that new ability of yours up, too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust it,¡± he muttered. ¡°Embrace the magic, chief,¡± she said, forcing a grin she didn¡¯t really feel. ¡°That¡¯s all we can do at this point.¡± Alyssa understood his reservations. It was one thing to use something like Heavy Blows, which just made her better at something she was already doing. But to manifest a trap out of nothing? That was enough to hammer home just how much things had changed. Sure, the monsters did the same, but it required a different sort of response than being able to use magic. Or Ethera, as every notification seemed to remind them. In Roman¡¯s case, his second ability ¨C or spell, as it was categorized ¨C let him set a magical trap that hobbled any hostile creature that passed through. The effect didn¡¯tst more than a few seconds, but the one time they¡¯d tested it, the spell had worked extremely well. How it differentiated between enemies and allies was still a mystery, but it managed it all the same. ¡°Let¡¯s do it, then. Daylight¡¯s burning,¡± he said, recing his cap. ¡°Probably should let them know the n,¡± Alyssa said, nodding to the other three. They were far enough away that they had been incapable of hearing the exchange. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Roman stated. ¡°You need to get moving. We¡¯ll be ready when youe out.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± With that, Alyssa stood, then looked back at Carmen. She nodded at her wife before taking a deep breath and turning toward the station. She and Roman strode forward together, but he didn¡¯t pass through the door. Instead, he knelt before it, holding his hands out and casting his spell. Meanwhile, Alyssa stepped into the lobby, holding her machete in one hand and the pistol in the other. If everything went ording to n, she wouldn¡¯t need either. Not inside the building, at least. Outside was a different story, and she didn¡¯t want to think about the immediate future. It was attention she couldn¡¯t spare. So, she crept through the familiar lobby, passing the receptionist¡¯s desk and into the office space. There, she saw ten desks, each sporting aputer monitor. Beyond was an interrogation room, a break room, and a couple of storage closets. On the other side stood the chief¡¯s office. Alyssa stepped softly, keeping her breathing as even as she could. It had been a long time since she¡¯d hunted, but she hadn¡¯t forgotten the lessons her father had taught her. Sure, Elijah had always been the more skilled outdoorsman, but Alyssa hadn¡¯tgged too far behind. So, she channeled those skills as she cleared the area, finding nothing. Next, she checked the outer rooms, finding more of the same. Which was to say, nothing. In fact, Alyssa was starting to think that, perhaps, whatever had broken into the station had already abandoned it. But she knew better. Besides, there was still one level left to clear. The basement held the holding cells as well as the armory, which meant that there was plenty of space downstairs to hold any number of horrors. So, after taking another deep breath, Alyssa approached the stairs. Opening the door, she poked her head inside. And nearly gagged. There, sprawled across the floor, was a half-eaten corpse that had once been one of her colleagues. By his skin tone, it was Jerome, one of the other deputies. Alyssa didn¡¯t need to check for a pulse to know he was dead. Not only was hepletely stationary, but he was missing a third of his torso. Nobody could live through that. Still, after making certain that nothing was going to jump out and try to eat her, she knelt beside him and collected the magazines at his belt. Ammunition would soon grow scarce, and there was every chance that she would soon need it. After all, whatever had killed Jerome was probably still around. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Alyssa continued down the stairs. Notably, Jerome had clearly tried to climb to safety, as evidenced by trail of blood-soaked stairs. Alyssa ignored them, instead focusing on her surroundings. Which was a good thing, because as she hit the staircase¡¯s switchback, somethingunched itself at her. But it didn¡¯te from below. Instead, it descended from the low ceiling, spreading bat-like wings as it snapped at her with vering jaws. With so much adrenaline coursing through her veins, she responded with incredible crity, shing out with her machete. The monster ¨C and it could be nothing else ¨C screeched as the de bit deep into its furry body. But it still got its ws into her forearm. Alyssa screamed as she tried to dislodge it, banging the monster against the wall. Yet, despite her frantic efforts, it held fast. So, she jammed the pistol against its bulbous body, then squeezed the trigger. The weapon discharged with an earsplitting and unmistakable crack, which was soon followed by another. And another after that. The monster went wild as she emptied the entire magazine into the creature. Blood and fur misted into the air, but it held on until the very end. Finally, after she¡¯d discharged every single round into monster, Alyssa banged it against the wall. Over and over until, atst, its screeches became burbling wheezes. Then, atst, it fell free. Alyssa stared at it for a long moment, unsure of what she saw. The monster was bat-like, but with humanoid characteristics. Especially its face, which looked almost simian. But she didn¡¯t have time to study it, because the sound of a dozen pping wings filled the air as more monsters ascended from below. Alyssa didn¡¯t hesitate to turn and run. She¡¯d gotten the creatures¡¯ attention. Now, she just needed to lead them outside where, hopefully, her allies could finish them off. That was easier said than done, though,rgely because she had a flock of monkey-bats trying to kill her. Dashing up the stairs, she had to duck under one such monster, thensh out with her machete to knock another out of her way before she could get through the door. Once she¡¯d made it through, she used Charge. Instantly, her body responded. Alyssa had run track in college, so she¡¯d always been rtively fast. But the speed she achieved after using Charge was something else altogether. If she ran any less than thirty-five miles an hour, she would have been incredibly surprised. However, that speed came with a cost ¨C chiefly, that she had difficulty changing direction. For a few steps, she was fine, but then she clipped one of the desks, which sent her spinning. With so much momentum, that spin took her into one of the walls, where she caromed into another desk. But she still kept moving forward, eventually stumbling into the lobby and through the door. The bat-monkeys weren¡¯t far behind. Charge dissipated, and she tumbled to the ground. She tried to turn it into a roll, but her movements were graceless, and she ended up sprawled across the pavement of the parking lot. Behind her, the bat-monkeys screeched, the sound apanied by the steady thwap of Roman¡¯s bow. Meanwhile, Alyssa heard Carmen let out an inarticte yell, and when she finally righted herself, she saw the stout woman swinging her crowbar at the disoriented and slowed bat-monkeys. In the waning light, they looked like true monsters,rgely because there was no way anything like them had ever existed on Earth. But with Carmen¡¯s incredible Strength and Roman¡¯s steady aim, the flock of creatures soon fell. Vaguely, Alyssa was aware of someone kneeling beside her. Trish reached out and used her Mend spell. Vitality flooded through Alyssa¡¯s body as her wounds closed. Instantly, her mind snapped into focus, but it was unnecessary. The monsters were all dead. Roman and Carmen rushed over, and from somewhere, Miguel appeared with a bottle of water. Alyssa looked up and said, ¡°That definitely didn¡¯t go like I nned.¡± ¡°You think? God, you¡¯re an idiot,¡± groused Carmen. ¡°Idiot is a bad word,¡± Miguel offered. ¡°I know, sweetie,¡± said Carmen, tousling his hair. ¡°But sometimes, bad words are appropriate.¡± ¡°Is it clear?¡± Roman asked. ¡°I think so,¡± Alyssa answered, pushing herself to her feet. Despite the healing, she was still a little unsteady. ¡°I saw Jerome. He didn¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°Shit. He was a good man,¡± Roman stated. He sighed. ¡°He won¡¯t be thest, though. Let¡¯s get inside and find something to block the door.¡± And with that, the group grabbed their carts full of supplies and headed into the station. Hopefully, it would prove more secure for them than it had been for poor Jerome. Book 1: Chapter 9: An Introduction to Cultivation Book 1: Chapter 9: An Introduction to Cultivation ¡°What do I call you?¡± asked Elijah, still looking up at the tree creature. ¡°I have no name, for I am only a sapling,¡± it said. ¡°Regardless, this is thest time we will speak for some time. I am nearly at the end of my avable energy.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Elijah had no idea how to respond to that, so he¡¯d decided to keep his mouth shut. As his father always said, it was better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt. It had originally been an Abraham Lincoln quote, but Elijah¡¯s father had adopted it as a mantra. Elijah missed the days he¡¯d spent with his father. Most of the time, they didn¡¯t even talk; instead, they¡¯d just sit in nature and enjoy one another¡¯s silentpany. By contrast, his mother had been the talkative type whose base demeanor bordered on mania. She could be exhausting, but her good-natured attitude and kind heart had made it endearing, rather than annoying. Everything would have been so much easier to bear if they were still around. But fate had other ideas, and almost a decade past, they¡¯d died in a brutal car crash. Back then, Elijah had just graduated high school, but he remembered it like it was yesterday. He shook his head. It was neither the time nor the ce to think about such things. If the tree creature was running low on energy, then its time was limited. Elijah needed to get as much information out of it as he could manage. So, he looked up and asked ¡°So, what do I do?¡± ¡°Sit,¡± said the tree. Elijah did, crossing his legs under him. The tree was surrounded by a carpet of green-and-yellow moss that had felt particrly luxurious on his sore feet. Sitting atop it was even better, and he found himself rxing. Or perhaps that was just the tree¡¯s presence, which had put him at ease the moment he¡¯did eyes on it.¡°Put your hands on your knees,¡± it said. ¡°Then close your eyes.¡± Elijah followed the tree¡¯s instructions, feeling a bit silly. He¡¯d tried meditation a few times, but he¡¯d never achieved anything close to a quieted mind. Still, he¡¯d tried it enough that he could recognize the trappings. With his eyes closed, Elijah could feel everything even more clearly. That pull he¡¯d felt back in the cabin was even more potent now, telling him that it had originated with the tree. However, he also felt a sense of connection that he couldn¡¯t quite wrap his head around. Like he was part of something far bigger and moreplex than he could understand. But rather than feel overwhelmed by that reality, he instead felt immensefort. It was as if all he had to do was just let go, and he could throw away his individuality in favor of ¨C ¡°Listen to me, young one! Hear my voice!¡± thundered the tree with far more volume and authority than it had before. ¡°Do not surrender.¡± It took a few more moments for Elijah totch onto the tree¡¯s continuous instructions, but when he did, he felt overwhelmed with what he¡¯d been about to do. In seconds, he¡¯d nearly given up on everything that made him an individual. ¡°The Call is strong here,¡± said the tree, its voice far gentler. ¡°That you can resist it at all is a testament to your individualistic nature.¡± ¡°The Call?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°Of nature,¡± the tree stated. ¡°Of the collective. We call her the Mother of All. But that is your first lesson, young druid. To be one with the Mother is tempting. It will feel natural. But that is not our path. You must resist, or you will lose yourself. Do you understand? Do not surrender.¡± ¡°I¡­I understand,¡± was Elijah¡¯s response. And he did. He was horrified that it had only taken him a few seconds before he almost willingly sacrificed his individuality in favor of joining with the Mother. ¡°You must feel her presence,¡± it said. ¡°But you must not let it overwhelm you. Try.¡± Elijah focused on that feeling, keeping a firm grip on his own identity. It was difficult, and it took quite a while, but with every breath, he let himself more fully perceive the energy surrounding him. In his mind¡¯s eye, it was green, but that was just a construct of his imagination. Still, it helped. For a while, it continued to try to convince him to surrender, but now that he was aware, he could resist The Call. Barely. However, with every passing moment, it was a little easier. ¡°Now, look closer,¡± the tree intoned. ¡°Separate The Call from the Ethera.¡± Elijah followed the tree¡¯s instructions. For a long time, he didn¡¯t even know what he was looking for, but as the minutes passed into hours, he began to recognize a subtle difference between the energy and the presence of The Mother. It still felt like her, but it was separate. Completely different from the Ethera in his core. ¡°I see it,¡± Elijah said,pletely unaware of the sweat pouring down his hairless face. In fact, he was so deeply enmeshed in his trance that he could barely perceive the passage of time. ¡°Good. Reach out with your awareness and drag the Ethera toward you,¡± said the tree. ¡°But do not absorb it through your Mind. Surround yourself with it.¡± That was much more difficult. Elijah could barely even follow what the energy was doing when his Mind harvested it from the air and funneled it down into his Core. When he¡¯d done it before, most of the process was automated; he¡¯d just had to give it a nudge. But interrupting that process and forcing the energy to do something else? That was extraordinarily difficult. Still, Elijah bent his will to doing just that, concentrating the entirety of his being on keeping the ambient Ethera from entering through the vortex in his mind. In the end, his will acted as a one-way door, letting the suction of the funnel act on the Ethera but not letting anything through. Hour after hour passed, but he didn¡¯t let up. Eventually, the gathered Ethera began to pool around him, growing ever denser as it clung to his body. Oneyer after another, it condensed further and further until Elijah could hardly breathe. He pushed harder, packing the energy around him until it had be a cocoon of Ethera. ¡°Hold it there,¡± said the tree, a note of strain in its voice. Elijahplied, focusing every ounce of his will on keeping the energy as densely packed as he could. And then an avnche of Ethera crashed into him. He almost lost control as the pressure built far past what he could handle. But the new onught of energy was more controlled. ¡°Now, condense it!¡± roared the tree, its voice so powerful that it sent reverberations throughout Elijah¡¯s body. ¡°Focus your will on harnessing the Ethera andpacting it into your body!¡± Elijah pulled with his will, focusing on the tree¡¯s instructions. He didn¡¯t stop to wonder how he was doing any of it. Indeed, if he had, he would have felt like he¡¯d gone insane. Or perhaps that he was concussed. But he didn¡¯t have any room for such thoughts in his mind. He could only do as the tree ordered. Even so, he almost lost his grip when his entire body erupted into agony. It was as if he¡¯d descended thousands of feet underwater without any protective gear. The human body just wasn¡¯t meant to withstand that kind of pressure, and it felt like he was on the verge of implosion. His bones creaked, and his organs felt like they were about to rupture. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. If he could have stopped it, he would have. But the Ethera had taken on a mind of its own, increasing the pressure exponentially with every passing second. Elijah tried to scream, but he couldn¡¯t open his mouth. And even if he could, there was no air in his lungs. He was dying. He knew it. The tree had tricked him into willingly walking to his own doom. But Elijah didn¡¯t have the willpower left to curse his own naivete. Eventually, the pressure leveled out, but that was little relief for Elijah. He couldn¡¯t move. He could scarcely think, much less try to break free as the Ethera began to solidify around him. In the beginning, it felt like a dense fog, but then it was like being submerged in water that, in turn, became gtinous. At some point, it turnedpletely solid, then crystalline, where it settled. Elijah wanted to scream. To rail against his captor. But he couldn¡¯t marshal the willpower, and even if he could, he was frozen in ce. He could only await his fate. Like that, time passed. It could have been hours, days, months, or even years. Perhaps he would sit there, trapped in that crystalline prison for all eternity. And then, suddenly, there was a cracking sound, followed by the sensation of immense power washing through him. Another crack. And then another. Over and over, tiny fissures appeared in the crystal. Elijah still couldn¡¯t open his eyes, but he could feel tiny surges of relief with each crack. Then, finally, the crystal shattered, and he fell over, gasping for breath. That¡¯s when the smell hit him. It was like rotten garbage and sewage rolled into one horrible odor. Lying on his side, he retched, but only a little water came out. Coughing, he pushed himself to his hands and knees. Hanging his head, he muttered, ¡°W-what did you do to me?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± said the tree. ¡°I merely provided a little push. You did this to yourself. That is how cultivating the body works.¡± Elijah slowly sat up, shifting away from the tiny puddle of vomit. However, when he looked down at the nket of moss that had surrounded the huge tree, he was distressed to see that the once-green-and-yellow carpet had be ck and shriveled, almost as if the life had been sucked out of them. Then, he looked at his hands, which were covered in a ck, tar-like substance. As distressing as that was, he was more concerned with the state of his fingers. Over the course of his chemotherapy, his body had been ravaged by the toxic chemicals, but the most troubling side effect was when he¡¯d started to lose his fingernails. His toenails had soon followed, but by that point, he had been distracted by other, more pressing issues. Now, though, his nails had returned, and what¡¯s more, the skin he saw beneath the tar-like substance had lost the pallid, sicklyplexion that had been with him for months. In its ce was healthy skin. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, confused. He¡¯d thought the tree had been trying to kill him. Or perhaps, to feed off of him in some way. But now? He wasn¡¯t so sure. ¡°You have broken through to the first stage of Body cultivation,¡± the tree said. ¡°You will be stronger, faster, more durable, and healthier than you¡¯ve ever been before. That substance covering you is impurity made manifest and purged from your body. Whatever disease from which you suffered has now been cured.¡± Impurities. Elijah guessed that much of what had been purged from his body had been rted to the chemotherapy he¡¯d been forced to undergo. To confirm what the tree had said, Elijah opened his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 1
Archetype Druid
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 3
Dexterity 4
Constitution 11
Ethera 4
Regeneration 7
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Unformed Unformed
Elijah shook his head. Not only had he picked up an Attunement ¨C whatever that meant ¨C he¡¯d also progressed his Body cultivation from Unformed to Wood. The next question seemed obvious, so he asked, ¡°Whates after Wood?¡± ¡°Stone,¡± said the tree. ¡°But you will have to find an area with much denser Ethera if you want to progress. As it stands, even if you were fortunate enough to find such a ce, attempting to take the next step would kill you.¡± ¡°What? How am I supposed to progress, then?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°So impatient,¡± was the tree¡¯s response. ¡°Barely taken one unsteady step on the path, and already, you want to run. The first ¨C and easiest way ¨C to ensure that you are ready to progress is to gain levels. You can do this in a variety of ways. Killing other creatures is the mostmon, but any use of your skills or spells will count toward your progression.¡± ¡°Like a video game¡­¡± The tree either didn¡¯t hear Elijah¡¯s muttered interruption, or it simply chose not to acknowledge it. It continued, ¡°The other method is to limate yourself to increasingly denser Ethera. To do so, you must repeat what you did here today. Over and over, improving bit by bit until you can take the next step.¡± Elijah¡¯s eyes flicked to the other categories of Core, Mind, and Soul. So, he asked, ¡°What about the others? How do I progress my Core?¡± ¡°I cannot answer that,¡± said the tree. Its voice had already grown dimmer, and Elijah thought it looked even smaller than before. ¡°What I did here was the limit of the assistance I could give, and even that was toeing the line between what is and is not allowed. Any further, and¡­it would not be good.¡± ¡°What else can you tell me?¡± Elijah asked. He was incredibly grateful for the help the tree had given him ¨C the value of ridding his body of cancer, both from an emotional and a physical perspective, was vast ¨C but he wasn¡¯t averse to pushing for more. After all, the more information he could get, the better prepared he would be to survive. Perhaps he could even get to Seattle and find his sister and her family. Though he sensed that with how much the world had changed, that might be a far off goal. ¡°Nothing,¡± said the tree. ¡°I can only wish you luck on your journey. When next we speak, I hope to see that you have progressed.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± The tree creature shrank before Elijah¡¯s very eyes, growing smaller until it was only a small protrusion atop the branch. At the beginning of their conversation, the tree creature had imed to be an extension of the tree, and now, it had retracted. He leaned back, trying to wrap his head around what had happened. He¡¯d been healed, and if what the tree had said was true, his cultivation had given him a stronger body. What that meant ¨C beyond the basic understanding that it was better ¨C was still a mystery, though. He¡¯d have to do some testing. But first, he needed to head back to the stream and clean himself as well as he could. Then, another question hit him: how long had he been in that crystalline chrysalis of condensed Ethera? It had felt like an eternity, but other than looking up at the sky, which was just as overcast as always, he had no context by which to tell time. He wasn¡¯t that hungry or thirsty, so maybe it had all been in his head. The bushberries and the mushroom he¡¯d gathered, as well as the dandelion fluff, had gone the same way as the carpet of moss. None of it was rotten, but rather, it was more like they had be ckened shells of what they¡¯d once been. Perhaps the tree had sustained him somehow. Either way, it didn¡¯t affect what he needed to do. So, he pushed himself to his feet and started back the way he¡¯de. Book 1: Chapter 10: The First Steps Book 1: Chapter 10: The First Steps Elijah ran his hand over his head, feeling a light stubble that should not have been there. After all, hair just wasn¡¯t supposed to grow that fast, was it? When the ne had crashed and the System had descended upon Earth, he had beenpletely bald, his hair having been sacrificed at the altar of chemotherapy. By his count, only a couple of days had passed since then. Except for the chrysalis. He had no idea how long he¡¯d been in there. It could have been days. Years. Months. Or it might¡¯ve been mere hours. His only hints were his budding hair growth, which wasn¡¯t really as informative as it could have been. After all, his entire body had changed ¨C he could feel the Strength coursing through him ¨C was it really so unthinkable that cultivating a body of Wood might prompt some rapid hair growth? Letting out a sigh, Elijah left the majestic tree behind and went about restoring his stock of dandelion fluff. He might have been cured of his cancer, but his needs were still the same. He needed water, food, and a fire, and that was just the beginning. After gathering two pockets full of fluff, Elijah headed back into the woods. On the way back to the fallen cabin, he realized that he¡¯d left his walking stick in the meadow. However, because he expected to find that it had be an empty husk, just like the moss, berries, and mushroom, he chose not to go back for it. He would just find a new one. So, as he walked, he kept an eye out for three things. First, he wanted more mushrooms and berries. They wouldn¡¯t be enough to sustain him indefinitely ¨C he knew he needed protein and fat ¨C but they would go a long way to staving off hunger while he sorted out his other needs. Second, he wanted a new walking stick. It wasn¡¯t absolutely necessary, but he¡¯d always carried a stick while hiking, so it felt right to have one now. Besides, a stout stick could function as an impromptu weapon if he encountered something dangerous. And third, he wanted to gather fallen branches for firewood. Only a few minutes into the woods, Elijah found more bushberries; it wasn¡¯t surprising, the little, red berries were all over the ce in the Pacific Northwest. He¡¯d hoped to find some ckberries too, but he hadn¡¯t been that lucky yet. A couple of minutester, he found a clump of lion¡¯s head mushrooms, which were white and looked a little like bunches of cauliflower. Not for the first time, he silently thanked his father for teaching him about foraging in the wilderness. Otherwise, he¡¯d have run the risk of gathering something poisonous. But that begged the question ¨C was his new body of Wood susceptible to poison? He had no idea, but it would be foolish to assume that it wasn¡¯t. So, he kept gathering until he finally reached the cabin. Once there, he carefully ced his meager stash of food ¨C a few handfuls of bunchberries and the lion¡¯s head mushrooms ¨C on the ground and grabbed the old pot he¡¯d found when he¡¯d first moved into the cabin. It was a little rusted, but he estimated that it would hold a couple of quarts of water. Being that it was his only viable container, he knew he couldn¡¯t be terribly picky. With that in hand, Elijah trekked back to the stream and, after spending quite some time washing the ck gunk from his body and clothes, he gathered a pot full of water. It was going to be such a pain, going back and forth. It waste in the summer ¨C assuming that he hadn¡¯t been in that chrysalis for months ¨C so the only real danger was the unforgiving terrain. But it was navigable. In the winter, though? That would be a different story altogether.Elijah found himself hesitating. He¡¯d gotten sick after drinking the waterst time, but that might have been the remnants of his fight against cancer. It didn¡¯t necessarily mean that the water was contaminated. Sure, the smart thing to do was to take it back and boil it. However, with the size of the pot, only drinking water that had been boiled would see him spending the majority of his time going back and forth to the stream. The way he saw it, he had three options. Just suck it up and resign himself to wasting so much time when it might not even be necessary. He¡¯d learned enough about wilderness survival to know that any time he spent doing that would be time he couldn¡¯t spend finding food. He¡¯d gotten lucky with the bunchberries and the mushrooms, but as the weather turned, those would slowly disappear. He needed to stock up, or he¡¯d end up starving to death. And that meant spending as much time as possible gathering food. The second option was to move his camp. But on the first day, he¡¯d looked around, and he hadn¡¯t seen any likely shelter. Sleeping out in the open was out of the question. It might work out well enough for now, but the moment the weather turned, it would be a death trap. The old cabin wasn¡¯t perfect, but at least it had most of a roof that would protect him from the weather. The third choice was to simply drink the water without boiling it. It was clearly the most convenient option, but that didn¡¯t mean it was the right one. After all, he had gotten ill thest time he¡¯d tried it. But that might¡¯ve been the cancer or the remnants of failed chemotherapy. The water could have been perfectly potable. In the end, his decision came down to his ability to heal himself with Touch of Nature. Certainly, being forced to do that wasn¡¯t particrly pleasant, but it was a nice safety if the water was contaminated. If it was, he would just have to use his lone spell to heal himself. But he was also banking on his new body of Wood. His attributes hadn¡¯t changed, but he¡¯d already felt a qualitative difference in his Strength and stamina. So, it wasn¡¯t out of the question that he would be more resistant to waterborne diseases and parasites. He hoped that was the case, at least. So, Elijah bent down next to the stream, cupped his hands, and drank. The water was clear, and it tasted cool and fresh. But he knew better than most that that didn¡¯t mean anything. The water still might make him sick, but he had a way to easily fix that. Sure, he¡¯d lose a bit of hydration if he woke up vomiting, but that was a small price to pay for the convenience of simply drinking from the stream without the necessity of boiling the water. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Once Elijah had drunk his fill, he cleaned the pot as best he could, then used it to carry some water back to the cabin. When he got there, he dug out a shallow pit, surrounded it with gathered stones, and leaned the sticks he¡¯d collected together into a pyramid shape. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but surviving in the wilderness without supplies never was. You had to take what you could get. To that end, he searched the cabin for a likely piece of wood. There were a few options around the copsed wall, and he chose the least rotted board he could find. With that done, he settled down and used the old, rusted knife to carve a notch into one side of the board. It took a while, but beneath the rust, the four-inch de was sturdier than Elijah could have expected. When the notch was finished, he let out a sigh of relief. Before, even that much work would have left him exhausted. And while he was frustrated and tired after a long day of trekking through the woods, he still had energy to spare. That, as much as anything else, told him that he¡¯d left the effects of the cancer far behind. Back in the meadow, he¡¯d gathered a few pieces of thick horseweed, which he intended to use as a spindle. So, he stripped them down and selected one roughly as big around as his pinky. Then, he carved a small dimple in one end; it was intended to increase airflow ¨C a tip he¡¯d learned from his father. So, with all of that set up, Elijah carved a divot on the inner edge of the notch he¡¯d cut into the board. With that done, he was ready to attempt to create his first coal. He¡¯d done it before, but that had been under ideal circumstances while camping with his father. Now, though? He had suboptimal tools, barely eptable materials, and a damp environment. Even if he did manage to get a fire going, it would take a lot of work. But Elijah knew that his life would eventually depend on that fire. Not only would it provide warmth during the chilly nights, but it would also allow him to cook any food he managed to find as well as keep most predators away. He didn¡¯t know if the transformed animals in the area ¨C none of which he¡¯d actually seen, aside from the erged crabs ¨C would be afraid of fire, but he was banking on their natures remaining static. At least for now. Who knew what else woulde? Elijah shook his head and focused on the task at hand. He couldn¡¯t n for everything; he just didn¡¯t have enough information. So he could only take it one step at a time,batting any changes as they presented themselves. He set a bit of dandelion fluff on the divot, then followed up with the dimpled end of the spindle. Sitting crosslegged by his poorly constructed fire pit, Elijah set about creating a coal from which he could start the fire. Friction fires were fickle at the best of times, but using a homemade hand drill was an acquired skill. Still, Elijah had done it before, and even if it had been quite some time, he hadn¡¯t forgotten the technique. Twisting the spindle between his palms, he rapidly rotated the stick of horseweed. For a few minutes, nothing happened, but eventually, small tendrils of smoke started to drift up from the wood. Nothing caught, though, so he kept at it. He''d optimized the process as much as he could, but that wasn¡¯t saying much. So, it still took quite some time before, finally, he created an ember. Leaning forward, he added more dandelion fluff to the coal. It caught easily and burned quickly, so he kept adding to it until he had a nascent me. Carefully, he pushed forward and ced that me in the pile of twigs at the bottom of the pyramid of sticks in his fire pit. Then, he added some more dandelion fluff. It caught, and he pumped his fist in celebration before adding more and more sticks to the growing me. The fire wouldn¡¯t be much with the fuel he had avable, but it was proof that he had remembered his father¡¯s teachings. Elijah sat back and admired the growing fire for a long moment before he looked at his hands. He¡¯d always had plenty of calluses, but his battle with cancer had kept him abed for weeks at a time. So, his tender hands had developed a couple of blisters. But he had an answer for that, didn¡¯t he? Focusing on his core, Elijah dragged some Ethera into his soul before embracing his spell, Touch of Nature. His hand glowed with verdant light, and before his very eyes, the blisters healed. After that, Elijah inspected the rest of his body, looking for any other injuries, but he found none. The transformation that hade with his body of Wood had left himpletely healed. Only the blisters he¡¯d gained while making his fire and a few scratches on his feet needed healing. As he finished his inspection, the fire roared to life, finally eating into the pyramid of sticks he¡¯d created. He added a few bigger pieces that he¡¯d foraged, then turned his attention to the food he had gathered. The bunchberries were mildly sweet, but didn¡¯t really taste like much else. And the mushroom had a thick, earthy vor. But Elijah wasn¡¯t in any position to be picky. He needed a lot of calories to survive, so he¡¯d take whatever he could get. Still, he had to admit that he wasn¡¯t a particr fan of mushrooms. As Elijah sat there, he began to make ns for the future. Some of his needs had been met. He had water. A little food. Basic shelter and fire. But there was a time limit on most of it. Foraging for wild edibles was a good start, but it wouldn¡¯t sustain him for long. Besides, those sources would be gone soon after the weather turned. He needed something else. Preferably meat. That¡¯s when he thought of the crabs. He¡¯d already killed one of them, and they hadn¡¯t seemed that difficult to find. Perhaps they would offer a ready source of protein. He also had some ideas about how he could go about fishing in the nearby ocean. There were some hurdles he¡¯d have to clear ¨C like making some line and creating a hook, not to mention finding the right spot ¨C but he felt confident he could make it work. It just might take a lot of trial and error. Meanwhile, he¡¯d need to build up his shelter, both for protection against the wildlife as well as the weather. He also needed to explore some more; rare was the environment that had beenpletely untouched by man, and he hoped that he could stumble across something he could use. Perhaps some stic bottles had been washed ashore. Or an old barrel, maybe. The possibilities were endless, and Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t afford to ignore any potential means of survival. Just like that, he realized that he¡¯d already made his decision about whether or not he intended to stay. Certainly, there were merits to setting off into the wilderness in search of civilization, but ultimately, he¡¯d decided that it was better to stay put at least until after he made it through the winter. Maybe then, he¡¯d be able to make such a journey with some degree of confidence. As Elijah sat there eating bunchberries, he continued to make ns for how he was going to survive. Idly, he wondered how the rest of the world was getting by, but ultimately, he couldn¡¯t afford to split his focus. He needed to concentrate on keeping himself alive, and then, once his survival was assured, he¡¯d be able to spare thoughts for others. Book 1: Chapter 11: Crab Book 1: Chapter 11: Crab Throughout the night, Elijah kept adding fuel to the fire, so by the time morning came, he was still tired, and his meager store of firewood had been vastly depleted. But he¡¯d managed to keep it going, so there was a chance that he wouldn¡¯t have to go through the grueling process of creating a friction fire again. Of course, he¡¯d have to make sure it had plenty of fuel while he went about the tasks he had nned for the day, but that was unavoidable. There was a reason most survivalists never left home without a ferro rod, after all. Starting and maintaining a fire was hard but ultimately necessary work. Elijah was only thankful that he had plenty of experience with it. Otherwise, he¡¯d have a lot of cold nights ahead of him, and his chances of survival would have plummeted. Either way, the moment the night turned to dawn, Elijah was up and stretching. He was sore from the previous day¡¯s exertions, but not nearly as much as he might have expected. He almost felt like he had before his body had been ravaged by cancer, radiation, and chemotherapy. He still wasn¡¯t quite there, but that bone-deep weakness that, for months, had been his constantpanion had disappeared. As he stretched, he went over his tasks for the day. His first goal was to refresh his store of firewood. It wouldn¡¯t be easy because he could only really gather fallen limbs and sticks, and most of those had been rotted by the constant humidity and frequent rainfall. However, it was all he could do until he could create some tools. He had some ns for how to do that, but he knew it would all be trial and error; he had no experience with that kind of thing, so he knew it would probably lean more toward thetter. He could figure it out, though. If cavemen could do it, then he could, too. But that wasn¡¯t a short-term task. For now, he needed to focus on immediate survival. So, after getting loose, Elijah set out from the cabin and started gathering fallen branches and sticks. Like that, he spent most of his morning until, finally, he had umted a sizable pile inside his cabin. Most of the wood was wet, but he hoped that the protection of the cabin¡¯s roof would give everything a chance to dry out. After feeding a bit more wood into the fire, Elijah went searching for another walking stick. Or staff, given that he intended to use it in his uing crab hunting expedition. It took another couple of hours, but he eventually stumbled upon a birch tree whose limbs would make for a fine staff. He only had to get to them, first. The few that had fallen to the ground were long since rotted, so he had no choice but to climb a few feet up the trunk and somehow cut a limb loose. He even saw a likely target that wasn¡¯t that far out of reach. Fortunately, the tree itself wasn¡¯t that big around, and with his newly recovered Strength and endurance, Elijah found it fairly easy to climb. Then, once he reached the limb, he wrapped his legs around the trunk and got to work. With his hands free, Elijah ced the rusted knife¡¯s edge on the branch, then used a rock he¡¯d recently gathered to hammer out a cut. With his legs burning from the exertion, he continued at it until he¡¯d made a sizable notch that dug a quarter of the way through the branch. If he wanted to make it all the way through, he¡¯d be up there for hours, and he knew his energy reserves wouldn¡¯tst that long. So, without much other choice, he took a deep breath, then reached out to the branch with both hands.Finally, he let go with his legs and swung free. The branch held for a split second before a loud crack filled the air. Then, Elijah fell a dozen feet tond on the leaf-strewn ground. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs, and he felt something in his ankle twist, but he¡¯d aplished his goal. In normal circumstances, it would have been stupid to do such a thing. The chances of injury ¨C which were obviously well-founded, judging by the throbbing in his ankle and what he suspected were a couple of broken ribs¨C were too high. However, Elijah had a healing spell in his pocket, and, because of that, he¡¯d already decided that he could be a bit reckless with his body. So long as he didn¡¯t incapacitate himself by hitting his head or something, he felt confident that he could heal himself from whatever injuries he might sustain. Still, there was the pain to worry about, but it was a small price to pay, given that something like the staff would improve his chances of survival. But it was easy to make that kind of judgement before he actually had to endure it. Now that he felt the consequences of his actions, he¡¯d begun to question whether or not he was an idiot. Even so, what was done was done, and he had more than enough experience dealing with pain and difort. Not only had he spent quite a lot of time in the boxing gym ¨C and all that entailed ¨C but he¡¯d also been through the horror that was cancer and chemotherapy. He could handle the pain of a twisted ankle long enough to heal it. Still lying there, Elijah looked inward and grabbed the Ethera in his core, dragging it into the pathways of his soul. Once he was flooded with the magical energy, he embraced his lone spell. He ced his hand, which glowed with verdant Ethera, on his side and used his spell to heal the broken bones. The first application didn¡¯t do the trick, but the second pushed the pain into the background. A third, which exhausted the Ethera in his core, finished the job, letting him breathe freely. Sighing, Elijah sat up and inspected his ankle. ¡°That¡¯s definitely not a sprain,¡± he muttered through gritted teeth. In the time it had taken him to heal his ribs ¨C which was no more than a couple of minutes ¨C the ankle had already started to turn purple. It was also swollen to twice its normal size. Perhaps it was broken as well. That really brought home the stupidity of his actions. Just because he could heal himself didn¡¯t mean that he was invincible. While it would doubtless help, he had a limited amount of Ethera at his disposal, and regenerating it took time. Time he could have spent trying to aplish the hundreds of other tasks he needed to button up before he felt his survival would be assured. This novel''s true home is a different tform. Support the author by finding it there. Lying back, he let out another deep breath. Magic was helpful, but it wasn¡¯t the cure all he hoped it would be. Elijah let out a little chuckle. He¡¯d only been using magic for a day or so, and already, it felt mundane. It was just another tool in his toolbelt, not a miracle that would solve all his problems. Perhaps in the future, it would be more impactful, but for now, it was too limited to do much more than heal small injuries. As hey there waiting for his Ethera to regenerate, Elijah¡¯s mind wandered. And then, suddenly, the feeling that something was watching him returned. It was buried within that pervasive sensation of belonging that hade courtesy of his druid archetype, but it was there, all the same. Slowly, he turned his head in the direction he thought it wasing from, and he saw a brief sh of movement in a nearby clump of trees. Then, it was gone. The feeling. Whatever was stalking him. Everything. Only his One With Nature remained. Clearly, he wasn¡¯t alone in the forest. That wasn¡¯t really a surprise, but he¡¯d hoped that he could avoid any major predators. There was a chance that whatever had been following him was just a curious herbivore, but he felt almost certain that that wasn¡¯t the case. After all, a simple deer wouldn¡¯t have sent a chill up Elijah¡¯s spine. Probably. It was just further evidence that he needed to curtail his risky behavior. If something attacked him while he was injured, he wouldn¡¯tst long. For the next few minutes, Elijah kept his inner eye on his core while his physical eyes scanned the area. But nothing came, and, eventually, he was able to heal his ankle. It took four uses of Touch of Nature, which told him that the injury was much worse than he¡¯d first suspected. ¡°Stupid,¡± he muttered to himself as he climbed to his feet. He inspected the branch he¡¯d risked everything for. It was long ¨C probably ten feet ¨C straight, and about two-inches thick. A little bigger than Elijah preferred, but he hoped to whittle that down. Eventually. For now, though, it was a good stick. Using the same method he¡¯d used to notch the branch before taking it down, Elijah arduously undertook the task of bringing it down to size. It took a while ¨C most of which was spent banging the rock into the knife de ¨C but he managed to cut a roughly five-foot section. He also carved one end into a rough point; for what he nned, it needed to act as both a spear and a staff, but it couldn¡¯t be too delicate. He dragged the rest back to his cabin, where he intended to cut it into firewood. Waste not, want not, he thought, tossing the unused portion into the corner. He¡¯d get to thatter. For now, hunger gnawed at his belly, and he wanted to use his staff for its intended purpose. So, after popping a few bunchberries into his mouth and taking a quick trip to the stream, where he washed his face and drank his fill of water, Elijah slowly made his way back to the beach. There, the crabs waited, looking entirely disoriented. It wasn¡¯t a surprise. Purple shore crabs usually lived under rocks, and their diets consisted mostly of algae and the rare small animal. So, suddenly being the size of a mid-sized dog was understandably disorienting to the creatures. As a result, they milled around, their instincts telling them to find a rock to hide under while their size prohibited any such action. In a way, it was sad. Or it would have been if Elijah hadn¡¯t recently woken up to a herd of them desperately trying to eat his legs. No ¨C not trying. Seeding. He¡¯d had the wounds to show for it, too. Clutching his stick, Elijah knelt down as he studied his intended prey. The monstrous crustaceans were big enough that they were a threat, but their disorientation meant that they had yet to adjust to their new size. If they had, the things could end up being a real terror ¨C especially if they were capable of traveling ind. Elijah could easily imagine a scenario where a horde of giant crabs swept through the area, devouring everything they found. Including him and his cabin. But he couldn¡¯t worry about that right now. He wasn¡¯t there to cull the poption. Instead, he just wanted some meat. So, he watched and waited until one of the crabs separated itself from the others. It skittered down the shore, which wasprised mostly of slippery, wet rocks. The crab waspletely ignorant of how it had made itself into attractive prey. Elijah felt something ignite in his mind. When he was younger, he¡¯d spent quite a lot of time hunting and fishing with his father. Those were some of his fondest memories. But back then, he¡¯d never felt so focused as he did at that moment. It was like the spirit of a great predator flowed through him. He stalked forward on bare, silent feet. Holding the staff in both hands like a spear, he followed the crab until it was almost forty yards away from the rest of the group. But still, it wandered, stopping ever so often to nip at some bit of kelp. Any other time, Elijah might have remembered how many nutrients he could get from seaweed, but in this instance, his mind wasser focused. One step after another, he moved forward, steadily gaining on the brown-ish purple crab. His progress was slow, but that was intentional. He didn¡¯t need to go quickly. He just needed to do it right. Finally, when he was only feet away, he pounced, swinging his staff at theparatively delicate backmost leg. His first strike connected with a solid crunch, but the crab whipped around without any hesitation, nearlytching onto Elijah with its enormous front w. He dashed to the side, narrowly avoiding the skittering creature, but it scuttled after him. He ran, quickly outpacing the oversized crustacean. When he was twenty feet away, Elijah looked back to see that the crab had lost interest. Apparently, even if it had grown quite a bit, it hadn¡¯t gotten any smarter. So, Elijah circled back around until he was once again behind the crab, then stalked forward and repeated the process. This time, he put a little less force into the blow so he could maintain control and avoid the creature¡¯s response. Once again, his sturdy stick hit with a solid crack, and he darted away. The crab¡¯s pursuit came much more slowly this time. Elijah¡¯s hit-and-run tactics continued until, atst, all of its legs were broken, rendering it almostpletely immobile. Still, it wasn¡¯t dead. In fact, judging by its barely audible hisses and whistling screeches, it was in quite a lot of pain. It was a cruel way to kill something, but without proper tools, there was nothing more Elijah could do. But he didn¡¯t have to prolong the kill. So, he carefully approached its rear once again, and, using his stick as a lever, flipped the crab over onto its back. It tried to snap at him, but Elijah had expected that, so he was already backing away and circling back around to the rear. Once there, he approached the helpless creature, located the proper position, and used his staff like a spear. It took a handful of strikes to get through even its softer underbelly, but eventually, he pierced through the shell and severed the nerve center closest to its head. Then, he repeated the process on the one near its rear, killing it. Throughout the whole process, the crab snapped its ws ineffectually, but so long as he was careful, Elijah didn¡¯t have to worry about that. Still, what he had done was an incredibly inhumane way to kill something. But given hisck of equipment, there was no other way to do it. Sighing, he looked down at the crab¡¯s corpse. He wasn¡¯t looking forward to processing it, but he knew that it would only be a matter of time before the other crabs sensed the presence of food. So, taking out his rusty knife, Elijah bent down and got to work. Book 1: Chapter 12: An Unseen Threat Book 1: Chapter 12: An Unseen Threat Elijah studied the results of his efforts, which had been arranged into separate piles ording to their intended purpose. The first was simple enough; it wasprised of a couple of crab ws, each the size of a small animal. Beneath that chitinous exterior was at least a few pounds of white meat, which Elijah hoped would see him through until he could supplement his diet with fish. He¡¯d considered harvesting the rest of the crab, but he¡¯d run into two problems. First, crab had a tendency to turn rancid very quickly, and he had no way to preserve the meat. Even the amount he could get from the ws was pushing it, and he wouldn¡¯t dare eat it after twenty-four hours. Even with his ability to heal himself, he wasn¡¯t interested in getting food poisoning from bad crab meat. Second, the other crabs had eventually noticed the smell of nearby carrion, and like the opportunistic scavengers they were, had quicklye scuttling in Elijah¡¯s direction. So, even though he¡¯d only managed to break off the creature¡¯s ws and legs, he wasn¡¯t able to do much else without drawing the ire of the oversized crustaceans. But he wasn¡¯t too upset. The crabs didn¡¯t seem like they were going anywhere, and he already had proof that he could efficiently hunt them. If his other ns for food failed, he felt confident that he could always get more crab. In the future, as the weather turned colder, perhaps he could even use it to bolster his stores of food for the winter. That wasn¡¯t one of his immediate concerns, though. The next pile held various bits and pieces of the crab¡¯s shell that Elijah intended to fashion into needles and hooks. It would take some doing, but he was nothing if not adaptable. Plenty of ancient people had used bones for hooks, and while crab shell was a lot more brittle, it made up for its unsuitability by being readily avable. With as much chitin as he had harvested, Elijah was sure that he could make it work. After harvesting the crab, Elijah had been forced to flee the shore and head back to the cabin, where he¡¯d piled his treasure trove of food and potential building material. Then, he got to work. The first thing he did was pop open one of the shells by cracking it with a few blows from his walking stick. Normal crab ws weren¡¯t that difficult to crack, but Elijah soon found that these purple shore crabs hadn¡¯t just gained size. They¡¯d gained durability as well, and even in death, its shell made for an extremely tough material. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he should be saving it for some sort of armor; after all, he¡¯d already discovered that the wilderness was dangerous. Having some protection wouldn¡¯t go amiss. But he tabled that thought in favor of focusing on his task, and eventually, his efforts bore fruit in the form of a cracked w. Once its structure had beenpromised, it was much easier to get to the meat within. Elijah picked the shards of the shell away, then carefully gathered the white meat. It seemed tougher than most crab meat he¡¯d encountered, but as far as he could tell, it seemed edible. So, he tossed the meat into his pot. The second w, he left alone for the time being. For now, it would keep better inside the shell ¨C at least until morning, when he intended to eat it for breakfast.Once Elijah had a pot full of crab meat, he set it over his small fire and waited on it to cook, stirring it ever so often with his small knife. To be sure it waspletely done, Elijah overcooked it by quite a bit, but that was because he knew the dangers of eating undercooked crab. Just because he had the ability to heal himself didn¡¯t mean he wanted to tempt fate. Besides, he had a couple of ns for his Ethera, and healing himself because he ate the wrong things didn¡¯t factor into them. Eating the crab was not a pleasurable experience. Certainly, it would provide him with the necessary proteins and fat that mushrooms and berries couldn¡¯t give him, but hecked the tools to prepare it properly. As a result, it alternated between mushy, salty, and burned. Elijah had to keep reminding himself that it was necessary in order to keep himself going. Once he¡¯d choked down his meal, he headed back to the stream to wash his pot and rinse the taste out of his mouth. Along the way, he stumbled upon some more berries, which he quickly gathered and ate. Just before he reached the stream, Elijah felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Something was watching him. He knew it the same way he¡¯d felt the tree. Whether it was his connection to nature or something more concrete, Elijah had no idea. But he didn¡¯t dare ignore it. Slowly, he turned a circle as he searched for whatever had followed him. As he did so, his mind ran amok, conjuring images of mutated versions of all the predators native to the region. Bears, cougars, wolves, and coyotes were at the top of the list, but there were plenty of other, smaller creatures that could pose a danger ¨C especially if they¡¯d grown the same way the crabs had. Suddenly, he thought of a man-sized mosquito, and he nearly started running right then and there. But he stopped himself, even if he couldn¡¯t keep his heart from beating out of his chest. He could only hope that the System hadn¡¯t chosen that route. For a long few minutes, Elijah continued to study his surroundings, but he was no more sessful in finding his stalker. Then, the feeling of foreboding disappeared, leaving him sweating profusely as his heart hammered in his chest. For another five minutes, Elijah didn¡¯t dare move. Then, finally, he managed to steady his breathing and refocus his mind. Whatever had been there ¨C and he was sure it was something ¨C had chosen not to attack. And if he wanted to survive, he couldn¡¯t afford to let fear dictate his actions. Of course, it was one thing to think that and another to ovee the sense of palpable terror he¡¯d felt. Even the remnants were potent enough to keep him rooted in ce. But slowly, Elijah managed to shake it off and continue along toward the stream. By the time he¡¯d reached it and started cleaning his pot, he had convinced himself that it was all just an overreaction to an overactive imagination. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Mostly. But in the back of his mind, he knew it was real. The fact that he¡¯d felt it multiple times since washing ashore was as much an indicator as the visceral feeling of being watched. However, the more time that passed, the easier it was to push that certainty aside in favor of the necessities of survival. Once Elijah finished washing up, he trekked back to the cabin. The moment he entered the area, though, he realized that something was wrong. He crouched, holding his walking stick in one hand and the pot in the other. Neither were great weapons, but he wasn¡¯t exactly spoiled for choice. The forest was deathly silent as he crept toward the derelict cabin. No birds sang. No squirrels chirped. Even the insects seemed to have gone dormant. ttening himself against the cabin¡¯s most intact wall, he slid forward, inch by inch, until he could see the interior. It waspletely unupied. His fire still burned, low but merry in the waning light of approaching evening. But it all felt wrong. Like the space had been vited. It took Elijah¡¯s conscious mind a moment to catch up, but when he did, he let out an audible curse. The remaining crab w was gone, and in its ce were a couple of faint tracks. Elijah slowly moved into the cabin and investigated the site of the theft, and he was unsurprised to see feline paw prints in the soft earth. And they were huge ¨C far bigger than he would have expected from a mountain lion or a bobcat, which were the only big cats native to the area. But that didn¡¯t really mean anything, did it? The crabs had grown. Why couldn¡¯t a bobcat? Or worse, a cougar? In the back of his mind, though, Elijah considered another option. The tree that had guided him through his cultivation had clearlye from somewhere else. It wasn¡¯t a native to Earth. So, it stood to reason that the System had brought new dangers to the area. Obviously, Elijah couldn¡¯t be certain. He didn¡¯t have enough information. But he also couldn¡¯t discount the possibility that the region was now home to a super predator like a tiger or a lion. Fear gripped him, cold and palpable. He knew he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against something like that. Especially not with only a stick and a pot to defend himself. Sure, if he was wounded, he could use Touch of Nature to heal himself, but that seemed a poor substitute forbat ability. That¡¯s when Elijah decided to implement his budding n for self-improvement. He had woeful attributes, especially in Strength. His Body of Wood had helped with that, but it was clear that if he wanted to survive, he needed to address his weaknesses. The most straightforward way to do so was to go out and kill things; he¡¯d felt a bit of foreign Ethera enter his body when he¡¯d killed the crab, and he¡¯d intuited that it was something akin to experience from a video game. But it wasn¡¯t much, and he sensed that he¡¯d have to kill quite a few more if he wanted to progress in that manner. The tree had also exined that he could gain levels via other actions associated with his archetype, but he hadn¡¯t felt any influx of Ethera when he¡¯d healed himself. So, that ruled out a n for intentionally injuring himself and reaping the Ethera from healing the wounds. If he was honest, Elijah was d for that. That kind of path, even if it had proven effective, would have been too disturbing. So, that left him with one other possibility. He could do things the old-fashioned way. Elijah was no stranger to working out, so he knew that, so long as he had fuel for his body, he could slowly strengthen himself. In addition, he could cut down his recovery times significantly by using Touch of Nature to heal himself. He had no idea how soon he could expect gains, but he suspected that it would be fairly quick. In the meantime, he would continue to survive. Thankfully, the native predator hadn¡¯t disturbed Elijah¡¯s pile of chitin, so he could still enact his n to create hooks and needles. Once he had those, he could make some rudimentary fishing line from some dogbane he¡¯d seen in the tree¡¯s meadow. It wouldn¡¯t be nearly as strong as synthetic fishing line, but it would still be better than trying to unravel the threads of his remaining clothing. Elijah settled down close to the fire and went to work. Normally, he¡¯d have carved the hooks from wood, but the crab¡¯s chitinous exoskeleton was too appropriate to pass up. From a mundane crab, the shell would¡¯ve likely been too brittle, but for this evolved version, it almost had the texture and Strength of stic. Besides, there had been some spines on the underside of the legs that were nearly perfect for hooks. All it took was for Elijah to separate them, then whittle them down to size ¨C a tedious process that took time and concentration, but little actual skill. Eventually, he managed to create his first hook. He held it close to the campfire¡¯s light and grinned. It wasn¡¯t ideal ¨C not like a metal hook would have been ¨C but it wasn¡¯t bad, either. By that point, night had truly fallen, but Elijah wanted to get a few more hooks made before he went to sleep. In the end, he only got three finished, but he was happy with them all. So, having aplished his goal, he curled up in his corner of the cabin and went to sleep. The next morning, Elijah awoke feeling somewhat refreshed. He wasn¡¯t certain if it was the effect of having a filling meal, or if his body was just getting stronger, but he felt better than he had since before his diagnosis. Which was good, because he had a lot of ns for the day. The first few hours, he spent doing various calisthenics and lifting some heavy rocks he¡¯d found near the shore. And if he hadn¡¯t believed his status before, he was soon convinced by his weakness. Still, he sensed that his body was stronger and more durable than it should be, likely due to his cultivation. He intended to exploit that, pushing himself far past the point of exhaustion with each exercise. After a few hours, he spent a while resting and healing himself with Touch of Nature, and he was surprised to see that his status reflected his work. His Strength had risen by a single point. If he could continue along that track, he could truly make some gains. Once he felt up to it, he set out toward the meadow where he¡¯d seen the dogbane. When he got there, he noticed that the tree was still dormant. However, it still radiated a sense of calm power, letting him know that it was no normal tree ¨C not that he would have made that mistake, anyway. One look was all it took to put the lie to any notion of normality. But he wasn¡¯t there to gape at the tree. Instead, he gathered an armful of dogbane, which were red-stalked weeds that, when picked apart, could make for decent cordage. Having aplished that, he headed back to his cabin, where he intended to start the process of making fishing line. The trip was uneventful, save for Elijah stopping from time to time to pick various berries or edible fungi. He even found some rosehips, which was a nice discovery. More importantly, he wasn¡¯t beset by that same fear he¡¯d felt near the stream, which was enough to put his mind at ease. Finally, he reached the cabin and rxed. It remainedpletely undisturbed, which was reassuring after the previous intrusion. Elijah could only hope that his good luck would continue long enough for him to ensure his survival. Book 1: Chapter 13: Safe Haven Book 1: Chapter 13: Safe Haven Alyssa stood on the roof of the police station and gazed out across the parking lot. There, she saw a haggard group of people waiting in front of the crude brick wall Carmen had built. It was rough, but at almost six feet high and half as thick, it had proven to be very effective in the weeks since it had been built. ¡°What do you think?¡± asked Roman, who¡¯d taken a position beside her. She nced his way. The past couple of months had been difficult for everyone, but Roman had been hit particrly hard by all the death they¡¯d seen. After that first night in the police station, they¡¯d set about creating a safe haven, and along the way, they¡¯d picked up quite a few survivors. At present, their littlemunity, which had extended well past the station by virtue of a series of hastily built structures behind the main building, numbered in the hundreds. And more seemed toe every day. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°Same as always, right? Take them in, interview them, and then watch them closely.¡± ¡°That method doesn¡¯t work,¡± he said, clearly referring to a recent incident where a few recent additions had plundered the stores of supplies. The group had escaped before anyone even knew they¡¯d stolen anything. Where they¡¯d gone, no one knew, but Roman wanted to hunt them down. Everyone else had talked him out of it. ¡°What¡¯s the alternative?¡± Alyssa asked. ¡°Martialw,¡± he said. ¡°Curfews. Strict rationing. Rewards for good behavior.¡± ¡°You make it sound like a prison,¡± she said. He¡¯d spent the first part of his career working at the local jail, so the fact that he¡¯d gone down that road wasn¡¯t terribly surprising.¡°Same concepts.¡± ¡°And you think that¡¯s fair?¡± she asked. ¡°Fair has nothing to do with it,¡± he answered. ¡°Look around, Alyssa. This isn¡¯t a world where we get to worry about personal freedom. We all have to work toward the greater good, or we won¡¯t survive. You know that as well as anyone else.¡± Indeed, she¡¯d seen more death in the past two months than she¡¯d ever thought possible. The first few days had been particrly hard on the local townspeople, and it was only through luck that their little group had managed to survive. She¡¯d heard stories about monsters breaking into houses within a few hours of the world¡¯s integration, and what¡¯s more, she¡¯d seen the results for herself. The reality was that they had suddenly found themselves in an incredibly dangerous world where support was a distant concept. They had no choice but to take care of themselves. But that need had brought to light an additional problem ¨C they all had different ideas about how to go about it. Roman leaned toward a strict policy where everyone was expected to pull their weight, and if they didn¡¯t, they¡¯d be left behind. Understandable, considering what was at stake. By contrast, Alyssa wanted to leave people to their own devices ¨C at least for the most part. Sure, she expected people to work for the greater good, but she had no interest in forcing them to do things against their will. And she would never kick anyone out of thepound they¡¯d established. Roman would, and without even a hint of guilt. If someone wasn¡¯t pulling their weight, they were worthless to him. Again, Alyssa didn¡¯t exactly disagree with that assertion. She knew how close they were to tipping over the edge. But she didn¡¯t think someone deserved to die just because they were incapable ¨C for whatever reason ¨C of working toward the greater good. Somecked the skills. Others were barely functional after losing friends and family. Only a few refused for selfish reasons. ¡°I think we need to go down and let them in,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to figure this out eventually,¡± Roman stated. ¡°We need a system. We¡¯re getting too big to be on the honor system.¡± Alyssa nodded. ¡°Then we get everyone together and hash it out,¡± she said. ¡°Or we tell people how it¡¯s going to be, and if they don¡¯t like it, they can leave,¡± he responded. ¡°We can¡¯t do that.¡± He sighed. They¡¯d had the discussion more than a few times, and he clearly didn¡¯t want to revisit the debate. So, he said, ¡°We¡¯ll figure it outter, then. For now, we need to get those people inside.¡± With that, the pair descended from the roof via adder that led to the ground. Then, they headed toward the gate. Like the wall Carmen had constructed, it was a crude thing made of plywood and rebar they¡¯d found at a construction site just outside of town, but it did the job well enough. They pulled it open. ¡°Oh, thank God!¡± said a shabby looking fellow armed with a shovel. He sported a few wounds, as did the rest of his party. There were seven in all ¨C two of which were women ¨C each looking like they¡¯d been through hell. ¡°We heard there were people here, but I wasn¡¯t sure what we would find.¡± ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± demanded Roman. ¡°Uh¡­around? There was¡­I don¡¯t know¡­we ran into a group a few days back,¡± the man said, running his hand through greasy hair. ¡°They told us about thispound. Said it was safe.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators! ¡°Nowhere is safe,¡± Alyssa stated. ¡°R-right,¡± he said, ncing at Roman. The former police chief held his bow at the ready, and he already had an arrow nocked. He hadn¡¯t gone so far as to draw it back, but the threat was clear in his expression. The refugee asked, ¡°Can¡­can wee in? We¡¯ve been walking for two days, and ¨C¡± ¡°What are your archetypes?¡± Roman asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Archetypes. What are we dealing with, here?¡± Roman repeated. ¡°Uh¡­I¡¯m a Ranger. Martha is a Mage. Two Warriors. Two Schrs. And a Tradesman.¡± ¡°No Healers?¡± asked Alyssa in obvious disappointment. ¡°And two Schrs? Useless,¡± Roman added. One of the women spoke up, ¡°We¡¯re not useless! I¡¯m a historian, and I think ¨C¡± ¡°Nobody cares what you used to be. Or didn¡¯t you get the memo? The world ended two months ago. Now, all that matters is if you¡¯re useful,¡± Roman said. ¡°That means fighting. Gathering. Healing. Building things. Can you do any of that?¡± ¡°N-no¡­¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re useless. But that¡¯s fine. We need manualborers, too.¡± One of the men said, ¡°But I have a doctorate! I can ¨C¡± ¡°In what?¡± ¡°Uh¡­French literature¡­¡± ¡°Right. Useless.¡± Alyssa wanted to speak up, but they¡¯d agreed to present a unified front. She didn¡¯t like how dismissive Roman was, but division was even worse. So, she held her tongue. Meanwhile, Roman told the group of refugees the rules. They weren¡¯t onerous. No fighting. No stealing. Everyone worked toward collective survival, and if they were attacked ¨C which wasn¡¯tmon, but it wasn¡¯t unheard of either ¨C everyone was required to contribute to the defense in one way or another. ¡°Food is earned,¡± he went on. ¡°You work, you eat. You don¡¯t work, you starve. You refuse to contribute, you can take your ass elsewhere. We¡¯ve got no use for freeloaders.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll work,¡± the leader said. ¡°Damn right you will,¡± Roman stated. Then, his expression softened and he extended his hand, ¡°Roman Cain. This is Alyssa Hart.¡± ¡°Cain? That sounds familiar,¡± said the man. ¡°Used to be the police chief,¡± Roman said. ¡°Before everything went to shit, I mean. Not much use for those kinds of titles these days, though.¡± It was at that moment that Alyssa saw a flicker of movement as something streaked toward the open gate. She couldn¡¯t see what it was, but she had been in enough fights in the past couple of months that she didn¡¯t hesitate to act. Yanking the machete from the sheath at her waist, she used Charge and dashed forward to meet it. As she did, she used her newest ability, which she had acquired upon reaching level three. Stomping on the ground, she let loose with Shockwave, sending an invisible pulse of force to hit the monster. It didn¡¯t do much, just stunning it for a split second, but it was enough to give Alyssa an opening. She used it, shing down with all the force she could muster. And considering that she¡¯d put all her free points into her physical attributes, the power she could bring to bear was considerable. The creature ¨C which looked like some kind of monstrous weasel ¨C took the de on the shoulder. The momentum of the overhand attack knocked it into the ground. And a momentter, an arrow took it in the eye, killing it instantly. Alyssa¡¯s Charge dissipated, and she slowed to a stop. Her eyes darted back and forth. Sometimes, the monsters moved in packs, and she wanted to ensure that the weasel had been alone. She saw nothing, suggesting that it was a lone hunter. Then, once she¡¯d ensured that there were no other threats, she reached down and grabbed the monster by the tail. In one swift motion, she hefted it and slung it over one shoulder before turning to the stunned refugees. ¡°Good fur. Winter¡¯sing, and we¡¯re going to need all the materials we can get,¡± she said. Indeed, the monster was almost four feet long, which meant that its pelt would make for a decent nket. They had ess to quite a bit of cloth ¨C by virtue of looting the abandoned homes and the handful of businesses in the town proper ¨C but no one could afford to turn down any resources. ¡°Come on in,¡± said Roman. ¡°We¡¯ll get you settled.¡± With that, the stunned group came through. Alyssa sheathed her machete, then dragged the gate closed, locking it in ce. Then, she told Roman, ¡°I¡¯ll go drop this for Carmen. She can probably make something with it.¡± He nodded, and as he led the group into the main building, Alyssa circled around to the left. Soon, she caught sight of Carmen, who was wearing nothing but a sports bra, a pair of shorts, and a heavy leather apron. The other woman was busy stoking a forge. Alyssa took a moment to admire her wife¡¯s muscr form before she remembered that she had a dead animal over her shoulder. Once she did, she strode forward, and when she reached the smithy, deposited the animal carcass. ¡°Really?¡± Carmen said, cutting her eyes at the corpse. ¡°Right in the middle of my smithy?¡± Alyssa shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know where else to stick it,¡± she said. ¡°You want me to process it?¡± ¡°Go nuts.¡± Alyssa did just that, pulling a knife from where it was strapped to her thigh. Then, shemenced with gutting, skinning, and quartering the animal. It took a while, and when she¡¯d finished, her arms were covered in blood up to her elbows. But it was worthwhile, and not just because of the pelt. The meat looked perfectly edible, which woulde in handy considering the shortage of food. ¡°I have no idea how you can do that,¡± Carmen said, handing Alyssa a bucket of water. ¡°Just watching you makes me want to vomit.¡± ¡°Grew up hunting with my dad,¡± she said with a shrug as she washed the blood off. ¡°New arrivals have any decent skills?¡± ¡°Not sure. There was a Ranger, so maybe he can help with defense and hunting,¡± she said. ¡°A Mage. A couple of Warriors. And a Tradesman. Two Schrs, unfortunately.¡± Alyssa didn¡¯t precisely agree with Roman about what to do with the less useful people in their buddingmunity, but she couldn¡¯t deny that she was more than a little disappointed with the Schrs. ¡°Oh, maybe I can get an apprentice,¡± said Carmen. Alyssa shrugged. ¡°Maybe,¡± she agreed. ¡°What are you working on, anyway?¡± ¡°Boar spear,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got the de shaped. I just need to get it sharpened and attached to the haft.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Alyssa said. She could see the use of such a weapon. Many of the monsters they fought were just mutated animals who just charged blindly when they were disturbed. For that kind of situation, you couldn¡¯t get much better than a boar spear. ¡°d you approve, because I made it for you,¡± she said. ¡°Someone else might ¨C¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t make it for anyone else. I don¡¯t give two shits about all those other people. All I care about is that you and Miggy stay alive. That¡¯s why I made it,¡± Carmen said. Alyssa sighed, then rolled her eyes. ¡°So noble.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave the nobility to you,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Whatever. You going to be here much longer?¡± she asked. ¡°A few more hours,¡± Carmen said, ncing at the sky. Night was still quite a ways off. ¡°But save some of that weasel, yeah? Miggy hasn¡¯t been getting enough meat.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Alyssa responded. That was one thing they definitely agreed on. No matter what else happened, the boy was their first priority. She leaned in and kissed Carmen, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t work yourself to death.¡± And then she headed back toward the main building. There was still a lot to do, after all. Book 1: Chapter 14: Thriving Book 1: Chapter 14: Thriving Elijah hacked at the block of wood, careful to hit it just right. Over thest couple of months, he¡¯d had plenty of practice, but even so, losing concentration would be disastrous for the results. He spared a nce for the pile of firewood propped against one corner of his shelter and reconsidered that word. Disastrous. For weeks after washing ashore, every action had been one of life and death. When he¡¯d killed his first crab, when he¡¯d made his first tools, and, finally, when he¡¯d caught his first fish ¨C the stakes had been incredibly high. But now? He had a stock of smoked fish, a horde of berries, and a store of mushrooms. Food wouldn¡¯t be an issue any time soon; in fact, he felt confident that his cache wouldst him through most of the winter, and if he continued to gather food, he wouldn¡¯t even need to ration. He looked down at his crude axe. The de was made of chipped flint, sharpened and refined over the course of a week. It wasn¡¯t his first such tool ¨C they had a habit of cracking if he used them too roughly ¨C and he was certain it wouldn¡¯t be hisst. The same went for his stone knife and spear, thetter of which had yet to even see use. Regardless, he could always make more. He¡¯d found a nice vein of the stuff in a nearby cliff, so he wouldn¡¯t soonck for material. Elijah sighed, flexing his shoulders. Over the past six weeks, he¡¯d made incredible progress regarding his overall physical condition. Some of that was due to his usage of Touch of Nature that reduced his recovery times to mere minutes, rather than days. But he also felt confident that his Body of Wood had yed a part as well. When he turned his mind inward, Elijah got the feeling that his body wanted ¨C or needed, perhaps ¨C to be stronger. Whatever the case, the result was explosive muscle growth that had left him nearly as strong as he¡¯d been before his cancer diagnosis. It was a good thing, too, because there was no way his weakened body could have survived for more than a couple of weeks. Getting stronger and healthier hadn¡¯t been a mere desire; it had been a necessity for survival. And Elijah had thrown himself into it ordingly. The results spoke for themselves. Elijah didn¡¯t have ess to a mirror, but from what he could see of his arms, legs, and torso, his entire body was lean and corded withpact muscle. He¡¯d never look like a bodybuilder; wilderness survival didn¡¯t lend itself to packing on mass. But he did look ¨C and more importantly, feel ¨C healthier than he had in recent memory. More importantly, Elijah¡¯s constant fishing and crab hunting had had another side effect. Each kill hadted him an umtion of foreign Ethera. With the fish, it was barely noticeable. A thimblefulpared to the crabs¡¯ cup. But he¡¯d killed a lot of fish, and the pool of Ethera had slowly grown until Elijah felt as if he was going to burst. Soon ¨C maybe the next time he went fishing ¨C he was certain that he would gain a level. And with that, ording to one of the notifications he''d seen after having the druid archetype thrust upon him, he¡¯d get another two points to improve his stats. He couldn¡¯t wait because he already knew where those points were going to go. First, though, he needed to finish his daily chores ¨C chopping firewood and gathering water ¨C before he could go fishing. An unrted shiver ran up his spine. In the past, he would have panicked. But over the weeks, he¡¯d grown used to his stalker. If it really wanted to kill him, it would have done so already. With each passing day, Elijah had grown stronger and gotten better equipped. His axe and spear weren¡¯t ideal weapons, and he was certain that they wouldn¡¯t give him the edge he needed to survive an encounter with the still unseen feline predator. However, he was confident that he could at least wound it. Perhaps the creature knew that as well.Or maybe he was just anthropomorphizing it by attributing human intelligence and reasoning ability to an animal. Either way, if the cat ¨C and he was fairly certain that¡¯s what it was ¨C wanted to kill him, it had already had plenty of opportunities to do so, and with less risk than he now presented. Besides, he had an agreement with the creature. Sort of. Slipping his axe¡¯s haft through his belt of twined dogbane fibers, Elijah grabbed the fruit of his day¡¯sbor and piled it into a neat stack inside his shelter. The cabin had undergone almost as drastic a transformation as his body, and he¡¯d used a series of logs from trees he¡¯d cut down, branches, and moss to enclose the space. At the time, it hadn¡¯t been wholly necessary, but with every passing week, he drew closer to winter. That, in turn, meant that he needed a much sturdier home to stave off the iing weather. It also served as rudimentary protection from any wildlife that mighte sniffing around. It had been the work of a rough couple of weeks, but he¡¯d finally gotten it to a passable, if notpletelyfortable, state. With his firewood put away, Elijah sat on the stump he¡¯d dragged inside the shelter and let out a sigh. For a moment, he just sat there, gathering his thoughts. That was one of the issues with living a solitary life. Often, he¡¯d lose himself in his inner thoughts, and he wouldn¡¯t even realize that he¡¯d been staring off into space for some indeterminate amount of time. Usually, his thoughts weren¡¯t borate. Instead, they were mostlyprised of half-forgotten memories from the distant past. Ultimately, that was a good thing. He¡¯d had a good childhood with loving parents who would have done anything they could to support him. Certainly, they¡¯d passed away before their time, which was anything but pleasant, but he¡¯d long chosen to focus on the good times they¡¯d shared rather than the devastating loss of their passing. So, as he sat there, he found his mind drifting back to when his father had taught him the rudiments of boxing, to when his mother would take him out into the woods where she helped him to identify various wild edibles. Or when the entire family would visit the farmer¡¯s market. Little things, all, but they were enough to keep his spirits up. Idly, he found himself wondering how his sister was coping. What was life like in the cities? She didn¡¯t live within Seattle¡¯s city limits, but it was close enough that she wouldn¡¯t have escaped the problems that came with a metropolitan area. The world had irrevocably changed. There was magic now. If what had happened to the ne was any indication, modern technology had probably failed. He¡¯d lost his phone in the crash, but he suspected that even if it had survived, it would¡¯ve been rendered into nothing but a useless brick. Likely, everything else was the same. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Elijah wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to think that humanity would react well to the changes. He¡¯d seen people turn into savages after more mundane natural disasters, so it stood to reason that, with survival on the line, people would head down an even less civilized route. Of course, there were plenty of people who would support their neighbors and friends. Good people always outweighed the bad, in his experience. However, he also knew it only took a few people willing to enforce their will on others to enve a muchrger poption. Human history was evidence of that. He shook his head. Down that line of thinking was nothing but despair, which was a very real threat in his situation. Elijah needed to keep his spirits up, lest the istion and brutal environment be allowed to rece it with despondency. If that happened, he¡¯d soon surrender to depression and wither away. And he refused to let that happen. The best cure for that kind of thing was to keep busy. To create manageable goals. To take the wins he could get. So, he ran his hand through his lengthening hair, closed his eyes, and took a deep, centering breath before climbing to his feet. He pushed his makeshift door ¨C which was made of sticks that had been bound together with his homemade cordage ¨C aside and ducked outside the shelter. His main fire burned merrily in its pit, reminding Elijah of his half-finished project. He nced toward the back of the cabin, where he¡¯d been building a firece with stones and y he¡¯d harvested from the stream. It was arduous work, which meant he¡¯d limited his efforts to only working on it a bit each day, but it wasing along. Hopefully, he would finish it by the onset of winter. Flexing his shoulders, Elijah dragged Ethera from his core and sent a pulse of Touch of Nature through his body. When he¡¯d initially used the spell, he¡¯d done so with very focused intent, which was perfect for healing wounds. However, over the past month-and-a-half, he¡¯d discovered that he could use it without intentional direction. When he did, the Ethera of the spell spread throughout his entire body, healing the minute tears in his muscle fibers that came from exertion, curing his fatigue and hastening his recovery by arge degree. Usually, it took a couple of pulses, but that wasn¡¯t a big deal. He had Ethera to spare, considering he only had the one spell. Hopefully, that would soon change, but he really couldn¡¯t be sure when he¡¯d get another spell. Grabbing his spear, a coil of line, and a wooden container he¡¯d carved from a piece of stump, Elijah set off toward his fishing spot. He took a circuitous route, heading toward the snare lines he¡¯did; they had yet to be sessful, but he hoped they¡¯d soon bear fruit in the form of small woond creatures he could eat. Thankfully, the hares and squirrels hadn¡¯t been transformed like the crabs. Otherwise, he¡¯d be in real trouble. He checked his snare lines, but he¡¯d once again failed to catch any prey. However, he did find a stand of mushrooms that he could add to his stash back at the cabin. He slipped each morsel into a satchel he¡¯d crafted from woven grass and lined with his shirt. Soon, he¡¯d have to find some sort of recement clothing, or he¡¯d die from exposure. At least the weather hadn¡¯t really turned yet, even if Elijah knew it wasing. Slowly, he made his way to what he referred to as his fishing hole. Nestled on the shore almost a mile from where he¡¯d battled the crabs, it was characterized by a deep pool almost thirty yards across which connected to the sea by a narrow channel. The best spot from which to cast his liney atop arge boulder that he wouldn¡¯t have been able to climb without his recent physical gains. Now, though, so long as he was careful, it wasn¡¯t difficult, and he soon found himself threading his homemade hook with his simrly handmade line. Once that was done, he baited the hook with a piece of rancid crab, then tossed it into the water. Once it had settled, he wove the line around his arm, from elbow to palm, then started to gradually pull it in. The first cast was unsessful. So was the second. But on the third, he got a bite. However, when he pulled it in, he saw that the fish had only taken the bait. That was the problem with his hooks ¨C well, one of them, at least. They only managed to do their job about half the time. But Elijah was persistent, and on the tenth cast, he finally pulled in a fish. Like most of the other fish he¡¯d caught over the past six weeks, it appeared to be a steelhead trout. However, it had clearly been mutated just like the crabs had been. Its fins wererger, its body sleeker, and its teeth much more prominent. But fortunately, this mutated variant still tasted the same as every other trout Elijah had ever eaten. More importantly, despite looking like it would be a fearsome predator in the water, it had the same weakness that afflicted almost every other marine animal ¨C it couldn¡¯t breathe outside of the water. Elijah pulled it on top of the boulder, but he gave it a wide berth as it flopped around. He¡¯d have preferred to end its suffering with a swift strike from his axe, but when he¡¯d tried that with the first fish he¡¯d caught, it had ended with the thing flopping around at the wrong time andtching onto his forearm. Without Touch of Nature, he¡¯d have quickly bled out from that wound, so he¡¯d decided to simply let the fish suffocate from now on. Still, it wasn¡¯t a pleasant thing to watch, even if he knew it was necessary. He¡¯d never been particrly averse to hunting or fishing, but watching an animal suffer was something wholly different. Even so, he forced himself to watch. Part of that was practical ¨C he wanted to be alert in case the fish got close to the edge; he couldn¡¯t afford to lose it, and he would throw caution to the wind to avoid that eventuality. But the other reason he made himself watch was because he wanted to be aware of the cost of his own survival. Elijah had long sincee to terms with hunting and consuming other animals. Back in the civilized world before the System descended and changed everything, it was possible to avoid eating meat. And for the past few years, he had ¨C mostly. But there was a marked difference between eating meat because you liked it and doing so because you needed the protein and fat if you wanted to survive. That shift in his mindset had given Elijah some insight into the natural order. Animals didn¡¯t care about the morality of killing another animal for food. They just did what they had to do. In that way, nature was brutal. However, most animals shied away from wanton killing as well. For them, there were no trophies. Just a meal and another day of survival. Elijah had gradually adopted that mindset as his own. When the fish died, he felt an influx of foreign Ethera flow from the trout and into his mind, where it spread through the branching conduits of his soul and, finally, into his core, where he felt something shift. He gasped at the resulting sh of power, and when it settled, he didn¡¯t need to see the notification to know that he¡¯d reached level two. Elijah let out a sigh of relief. Now, it was time to see what benefits a level brought with it. Book 1: Chapter 15: Snaring Roots Book 1: Chapter 15: Snaring Roots Elijah sat on the boulder, the trout forgotten as he looked at the notification that hade with the jolt of power to which he¡¯d been subjected after reaching the second level. It said:
Congrattions! You have reached level two, earning two free attribute points. Would you like to allocate free attribute points?
Elijah already knew what he had nned, so he slotted the two points into his Regeneration attribute. His reasoning wasn¡¯tplicated; Regeneration was the only attribute that did two things. First, it would help him heal from wounds more quickly. He already had Touch of Nature for that, but there had been plenty of times when he hadn¡¯t wanted to waste his limited Ethera on minor injuries. Now, those nagging issues would heal that much more quickly. But more importantly, the second function of the Regeneration attribute was what he was really after: Ethera Regeneration. The faster he could regain the energy he spent, the more he could use Touch of Nature. Besides, he was already gaining physical attributes like Strength and Dexterity via his frequent workouts. He had a suspicion that that wouldn¡¯tst forever, though, so he wanted to get as much as he could out of his routine before investing any points in the physical attributes. After assigning his attributes and confirming his choices, Elijah opened his status to inspect his gains. And he wasn¡¯t disappointed. His Regeneration had increased by two points.
Name Elijah Hart
Level 2
Archetype Druid
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 6
Dexterity 5
Constitution 11
Ethera 4
Regeneration 9
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Unformed Unformed
After he reached level three, Elijah intended to invest an additional point in Regeneration before focusing on Ethera. Once that was up to ten points, he would start working on his other attributes. Hopefully, by then, he would know the limits of his physical training, which would give him enough information to make the right choices. The same line of thinking told him to get everything to ten, then specialize from there based on his experiences. Indeed, there was a part of him that just wanted to throw everything into his physical attributes. Being stronger, more coordinated, or more durable never hurt anyone. However, because of his archetype, he expected that he would be increasingly more reliant on his spells. Those required Ethera, and he was almost certain that he¡¯d eventually outgrow the meager size of his core. No ¨C for better or worse, he was on the path of a spellcaster, and aside from being fit enough to survive, he needed to assign his attributes along those lines. Fortunately, there was no ambiguity about what each attribute did, so he could make his ns with at least some degree of certainty. Sighing, he closed his status before opening a new window. This one described his archetype and, more importantly, the spell that came with his new level. How he knew he¡¯d get one, he wasn¡¯t sure, but that knowledge was firmly entrenched in his mind.
Archetype: Druid The druid is the defender, ally, and cultivator of nature. Features bonuses to natural Regeneration, energy density, and One With Nature. Required Aspects: If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. [Schr], [Nature]
Spells
Touch of Nature Harness the power of nature to heal yourself or an ally.
Snaring Roots Call upon nature to summon a snarl of roots to bind your enemies¡¯ movements.
That had potential, depending on how strong those roots turned out to be. Certainly, it could help him kill the crabs ¨C or more importantly, help him escape if he made a mistake. Even with his experience and a proven technique, killing the crustaceans was no sure thing. More than once, he¡¯d picked a fight he couldn¡¯t win and been forced to retreat, frustrated and wounded. But with this new spell, perhaps his hunting would be safer. And given that Elijah¡¯s survival was bnced on the edge of a knife, safer was always better. He ached to try it out, but there were no enemies about. So, he reluctantly went back to fishing. And over the next few hours, Elijah had decent sess, catching four more fish, which he gutted and cleaned before tossing the offal into the water. Then, with his catch in hand, he set off back toward the cabin, where he intended to use some of the wild herbs and mushrooms to make a fish stew. It wasn¡¯t the tastiest thing around due to ack of proper spices, but it was better than his initial attempts at cooking the crab. Along the way, though, a familiar foreboding sent a shiver up his spine, and he let out a sigh. He knew his stalker had returned ¨C no surprise there; even when he didn¡¯t have a basket full of fresh fish, it rarely let him walk through the forest unobserved. ¡°Come for your tribute, huh?¡± he said as calmly as he could. Still, there was a slight tremble of fear in his voice. He liked to think that he and the cat ¨C whatever it was ¨C had an understanding, but the fact was that he could very well have been fooling himself. It was a wild animal, and judging by his senses, almost assuredly far deadlier than he could hope to be. He had no idea what was going through its mind. Even so, now that he¡¯d started down this path, he knew that trying to stop wouldn¡¯t be smart. So, he grabbed three of the fish and tossed them onto the ground before saying, ¡°Eat well, your majesty.¡± Then, he backed away. There was a rustle in the nearby brush before a huge shape appeared. Elijah¡¯s jaw dropped as he beheld the creature. In a lot of ways, it looked like a panther. But he¡¯d seen panthers before, and none of them were even half this monster¡¯s size. In fact, this creature was closer to the size of a tiger than the panthers Elijah had seen. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing that made him wary. It also had a few characteristics that distinguished it from any other panther ¨C or other animal ¨C Elijah had ever seen. For one, everything about it seemed exaggerated. From its muscture to the size of its teeth or ws, it was all too much. On top of that, it bore a white stripe down its spine that branched down to its ribs, slowly fading into ck. And then there were its eyes. Emerald green and glistening with intelligence, they told Elijah that he wasn¡¯t dealing with some mundane animal. Like the tree, this creature was magical in nature. More than anything, Elijah wanted to turn and run. While pursuing his doctorate, he¡¯d worked as an intern at a local zoo. And once, he¡¯d seen a lion turn on one of its keepers; it had been a massacre that the woman had barely survived, and that only because the animal hadn¡¯t really been interested in killing her. If it had been, there was no chance she would have survived. And this creature was almost twice the size of a typical lion. It also moved with unnatural grace, telling Elijah that its bulk wouldn¡¯t slow it down. If he ran, it would pounce, and there would be nothing he could do about it. Even with the local wildlife having been transformed, this creature was an apex predator. The panther stepped forward, its green eyes locked on Elijah. It moved slowly. Carefully. And with deadly silence. Elijah¡¯s heart thundered in his chest even as a cold sweat broke out across his brow. If the panther attacked, he could use his new spell. He had his spear. And he was almost as fit as he¡¯d been before his cancer diagnosis. But instinctively, he knew none of that would matter. He was inferior in every single way, and he only lived because it chose to let him live. It ducked its head and snapped up one of the fish. It swallowed it in a second before eating the second. Then the third. Before Elijah knew it, the panther had finished eating the overge trout. Then, it shifted its gaze to Elijah¡¯s basket. It wanted more. He swallowed hard before slowly retrieving one of his two fish from the basket, then tossing it toward the panther. The fishnded only a few feet away from the panther, but it didn¡¯t even look at it. Instead, its eyes remained locked on the basket. ¡°Oh,e on¡­¡± A low growl cut him off. With no moreining, Elijah threw his remaining fish toward the huge panther, who snapped both up just as quickly as it had the first few. Then, without any hesitation, it turned around and melted back into the undergrowth. In the space of a second, it was gone. Elijah stood there for a couple of minutes, unable to move. He could barely even breathe. But then, resentment set in. He¡¯d just wasted half the day so he could feed a giant cat. Now, he had no choice but to go back to his fishing hole and hope he could catch something else. Sighing, he did just that, and by the time he reached it, the sun had already passed its zenith and was heading toward the horizon. In a few hours, it would be dusk, so he knew he¡¯d only have time to get a single fish. Maybe two, if he was lucky. ¡°Unless that stupid cat decides to shake me down again,¡± he muttered, tossing his line into the water. Almost immediately, he felt a nibble, and he grinned. Perhaps his luck was changing. He tugged on the homemade string, wrapping it around his elbow. But the fish on the end of the line wasn¡¯t going toe in without a fight. Still, Elijah was an old hand at fishing, and he continued to work the line until he felt it go ck. At first, he thought that the line had broken ¨C it wouldn¡¯t have been the first time, and he knew it wouldn¡¯t be thest. But then, he saw a dark shadow in the water before, suddenly, something burst forth from the waves. Elijah only got a brief view of scales and sharp teeth before he threw himself backwards. He tumbled off the boulder and to the ground below, and by some miracle, managed to keep from breaking his neck. When he looked up, he saw an abomination looking down at him. It was dark blue-green in color, with four arms, glistening scales, and a face that looked like it belonged to some bottom-dwelling monstrosity. The monster ¨C and it definitely was a monster, there was no doubt ¨C screeched at him beforeunching itself into the air. For a split second, Elijah froze. But then, instincts born of uncountable hours in the boxing ring took over, and Elijah dove aside. His brief hesitation cost him, though, and a line of fire erupted across his back. He screamed as he was sent rolling across the rocky shore. With adrenaline coursing through his veins, he ignored the worst of the pain as he pushed himself to his feet. The monster looked at him, then against all odds, its hideous face split into a wide grin. A chill ran up Elijah¡¯s spine as he realized that the thing wasn¡¯t just a monster. It was that, but it was so much more. It raised one of its ws, then licked Elijah¡¯s blood away. Its smile widened. Elijah had a brief moment to take stock of the situation. His spear was atop the boulder, so it was out of reach. He had the flint-ded axe at his waist, but it was barely even sharp enough to split wood, much less cut through that thing¡¯s viridian scales. So it was useless. No ¨C if he wanted to survive, he had only one option: he had to run. So, as the creature advanced ¨C in no apparent hurry ¨C Elijah embraced the Ethera in his core and pushed it into the webwork of channels that constituted his soul. Then, he cast Snaring Roots. The Ethera left his core in a rush, taking all but a third of his reserves, but it went to good use because, a momentter, thick, brown roots erupted from the ground, snaking around the monster¡¯s legs. They twisted and turned, ensnaring its entire lower body. Elijah didn¡¯t stay to see how far the spell would go, because he knew he only had a narrow avenue of escape. So, once the creature was trapped, Elijah turned and ran, crashing through the underbrush and stumbling over exposed roots. Already, the blood loss was getting to him, but he couldn¡¯t afford the time needed to stop and heal. So, he continued to run, hoping that the monster would be reluctant to follow him ind. But only fifteen or twenty secondster, Elijah heard the sounds of the creature¡¯s pursuit. He pushed himself, but he just wasn¡¯t fast enough. He tripped over a rock he should have been able to avoid, and he went tumbling down a slight incline and into a shallow depression. When he looked up, he saw that the monster had already caught up. His spell had briefly slowed it down, but it waspletely insufficient against such a powerful creature. Elijah scrambled back, searching for a weapon. A stick. A rock. Anything. He came up empty-handed, and once again, the monster grinned its sickening grin before stepping forward. At the end of his rope, Elijah embraced Touch of Nature, hoping to heal the wound in his back so he could try to fight the monster off. In the back of his mind, he knew it was useless. With the size of that monster ¨C it was at least seven feet tall and dense with muscle ¨C and the way it moved, he didn¡¯t stand a chance. Even if he¡¯d been armed, those scales looked tough. Perhaps if he¡¯d had something more potent than Snaring Roots, he would have been able to hold his own. But he had none of those things, so he was almost assuredly going to die. That was okay, though. Elijah had made peace with his own mortality long ago. On that ne, he¡¯d been ready to die; the fact that he¡¯d gotten even a few more weeks was a miracle. Still, none of that meant he was going to go down without a fight. The Ethera in Elijah¡¯s core drained away, fueling Touch of Nature as the wound in his back healed. It wasn¡¯t perfect; it would probably break open the moment he moved. For now, though, it would have to be enough. He¡¯d reevaluate if he somehow managed to survive against the monster. As the viridian beast slowly advanced ¨C it seemed to be savoring Elijah¡¯s fear ¨C he pushed himself to his feet and squared his shoulders, ready for whatever came next. Book 1: Chapter 16: An Ant Among Titans Book 1: Chapter 16: An Ant Among Titans Elijah had managed to close the wound on his back, but with the viridian monster slowly closing on him, he had other things on his mind. His core was empty, and it would take at least an hour before it recovered to full capacity. And even if he survived that long, he had no way of defeating the creature. It was too fast. Too strong. And those scales were far too durable. His only other spell, aside from Touch of Nature, had already proved insufficient. No - he knew that, unless he managed some miraculous feat, he was going to die. After everything that he¡¯d managed to survive ¨C from cancer and the ne crash to carving his own ce out of the wilderness ¨C it was frustrating to think that it had all been for nothing. But that wasn¡¯t true, was it? The moment he¡¯d recovered from what the doctors had called incurable cancer, he¡¯d aplished the impossible. Further, there likely weren¡¯t that many people who could have survived his experiences after being stranded in the wilderness. Not only was the forest an inhospitable ce, full of dangers both hidden and obvious, but he¡¯d even managed to kill a few of those monstrous crabs. He wasn¡¯t quite thriving, but he wasn¡¯t that far off, either. If only he¡¯d chosen an archetype with morebat potential, he might have been capable of standing against the scaled monster. But that wasn¡¯t necessarily true, either. Without the ability to heal himself, Elijah would have died a dozen times over. And even if he had managed to survive as another archetype, he didn¡¯t think he could have done much against the creature slowly walking toward him. Its aura reminded him of the panther with whom he¡¯d made a tentative truce. But it was also wildly different as well. Elijah had no idea if he was imagining the auras of the two creatures, but given that magic had been thrust upon the world, he was prepared to believe that it was real. Either way, with the panther ¨C or whatever it really was ¨C Elijah felt a sense of connection. It was subtle, but something told him that, while it wasn¡¯t a native to the area, or even Earth, it still belonged. It was still a part of the wider tapestry that constituted the natural world. But the neer was something else entirely. It felt like an outsider, and for some reason, Elijah thought of a virus. A corrupting influence that was both part of the natural world and apart from it. Of course, that wasn¡¯t quite right, either, and he didn¡¯t have the time to contemte what any of it meant. Not if he wanted to maintain any hope of survival. Slim though it was, Elijah knew that that hope was contingent on his persistence, on his refusal to give in. The moment he surrendered and epted his fate, he would die. But so long as he kept fighting, that hope would survive. So, he steadied himself and drew the flint-ded axe from his makeshift belt. It was a poor weapon, but even that was better than facing the thing with only his bare hands.Squaring his shoulders, he gripped the rough haft tightly and muttered, ¡°You want some of this? You¡¯re going to have to earn it.¡± To his horror, the monster let out a wheezing sound, which to Elijah¡¯s ears, was unmistakably augh. Whatever confidence Elijah had managed to muster faded. Then, before Elijah could hype himself back up, the creature pounced. Its ws shed as they cut through the air, and it was all Elijah could do to dive out of the way. A ripping, tearing sound preceded a great crash as the enemy shredded a nearby tree ¨C a reminder that if those ws made contact with hisparatively soft flesh, there was little he could do. Elijah rolled to his feet just in time to see the tree tip over with a massive crack and the sound of snapping branches. Fortunately, the monster hadn¡¯t counted on that, and a momentter, the huge trunk of the tall pine tree thudded down right on top of the monster. Even that seemed insufficient against such a mighty creature, but for a few seconds at least, it was stationary. That was Elijah¡¯s moment. He dashed forward, a battlecry on his lips as he raised his homemade axe. He brought it down with all the Strength he could gather. His aim was true, and the flint de found a home in the monster¡¯s unprotected side. However, Elijah¡¯s heart jumped into his throat when he saw two things. First, his axe shattered into a million pieces, the shards exploding out from the point of impact. A few of them buried themselves in Elijah¡¯s unprotected skin, but most went sailing into the surrounding forest. But more troubling was the second thing Elijah noticed ¨C the blow, mighty though it was, didn¡¯t even leave a mark. No, that wasn¡¯t true. He¡¯d managed to leave the tiniest of scratches ¨C so small that it might have been Elijah¡¯s imagination ¨C on one of the monster¡¯s scales. It hissed and gurgled, leveraging its four muscr arms beneath the heavy tree trunk. Its ws bit deep into the bark, and it pushed. Meanwhile, Elijah took those few seconds for the opportunity they represented, and the moment he recovered from his ill-advised attack, he rolled to his feet and took off at a sprint. One second passed. Then two. Three. He scrambled over a fallen tree and slid down a slight hill, his passage eased by the ubiquitous moisture that seemed to cling to everything. When he reached the bottom, he regained his feet and continued his flight, hoping to put as much distance as he could between himself and the unassable monster that had pegged him as prey. A handful of endless seconds passed before Elijah heard the sound of pursuit. Still, he ran ¨C because, what else was he supposed to do? He couldn¡¯t fight that creature. He couldn¡¯t hurt it. He couldn¡¯t endure its attacks. He was lucky that he¡¯d managed to survive as long as he had. He dodged between the trees, panting as much from fatigue as from the panic filling his heart. The monster chose a different track. Judging by the sounds of snapping branches and falling trees that dogged Elijah¡¯s path, the creature had chosen to simply run through the various obstacles native to the densely forested wilderness. That was probably the only reason it didn¡¯t immediately catch him. With its size and single-minded pursuit, it was far less suited for forest traversal. But that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t gaining on him. In the end, his doom came in the form of a particrly well-camouged root that Elijah never even saw. One second, he was sprinting through the forest, and the next, he was tumbling through the air only tond on his chest. His momentum took him into an awkward roll, and he ended up colliding with a solid bermposed of roots and tightly packed earth. The impact dislocated one of his shoulders and took a few square inches of the skin of his arm. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. More troubling was the fact that he¡¯d stopped moving. Terror gripped him as he tried to scramble to his feet, but the pain in his shoulder made it difficult to focus. On top of that, that arm was useless, which threw off his bnce. Still, he grasped at exposed roots as he tried to continue his flight. But by then, the monster was upon him. Insanely sharp ws bit into his legs as the sound of the creature¡¯s hissingughter mingled with his screams of agony. Elijahshed out, but he might as well have been kicking a boulder for all the good it did. Even so, he squirmed and kicked as the monster reached down with curious delicacy and turned him over. Oh, God ¨C it wanted to see the look on his face as it killed him. That was the only exnation. Elijah¡¯s screams turned into a defiant, yet trembling, roar as he continued to resist. But it was useless. The monster was unstoppable. Unassable. Unbeatable. It leaned close, its fetid breath filling Elijah¡¯s nostrils. Then, a forked tongue slithered out from its lipless mouth to trace a line along Elijah¡¯s cheek. It shivered in pleasure. Elijah pressed himself against the ground as he desperately tried to put as much distance as he could between the creature and himself, but it was useless. The ground was as immovable as the creature was inescapable. The monster was also done dying the inevitable. Dim light glinted off the reptilian creature¡¯s viridian scales, shining with a dark, green-blue tint as it unhinged its jaw and opened its mouth. Row after row of teeth glistened in that yawning abyss as it opened wider and wider. Elijah punched out with his good arm, but the monster didn¡¯t even flinch at the blow. Why would it? It leaned forward. Inch by inch, Elijah¡¯s death crept closer until he could see the ckened flesh inside the creature¡¯s mouth. He closed his eyes, resolving to go to his death with stoic defiance. But then, a whisper of a sound greeted Elijah¡¯s ears, and, suddenly, the weight of the monster¡¯s grip disappeared. A mere secondter, the sound of splintering trees filled the air, and Elijah flung his eyes open to see two titans locked in furious battle. The panther had pounced on the monster¡¯s back, its ws biting deep into its scaly hide. ck blood misted the air as the panther subjected the creature to a furious onught of raking ws. Those imprable scales split. Its blood flowed. And the monster wailed in hissing agony. A momentter, the panther lost the advantage of surprise, and the monster regained its bnce, reaching back and gripping the panther¡¯s glossy ck fur. But the lithe animal wasn¡¯t so easily caught. It dodged with feline grace, its ws continuing to rake at the monster¡¯s scaly hide. But it didn¡¯t do so without picking up a few injuries of its own. The panther was agile and deadly, but the enemy wasn¡¯t without advantages of its own. And it used them as it mored to turn the tide of battle, its own natural weapons ripping into the panther¡¯s fur and tearing through its dense muscles. The panther spat and hissed under the assault, but it didn¡¯t let up. Most predators would give up on a hunt if it proved too dangerous, but the scene Elijah witnessed wasn¡¯t one of two animals engaged in a natural battle for survival. No ¨C it was a pair of bitter enemies who werepelled ¨C whether it was by choice or instinct, Elijah had no idea ¨C to fight to the bitter end. Using one arm, he dragged himself further away, but he didn¡¯t take his eyes from the fight. It seemed to go on for ages, but Elijah knew that less than a minute had passed. The panther leapt away from the monster¡¯s sweeping ws, narrowly dodging the attack before it bounded off a nearby tree, changing directions. The tree swayed under the cat¡¯s massive weight, and the panther rocketed toward the scaly creature. It tried to react, but the cat was moving too quickly. The panther¡¯s ws shed. Once. Twice. Three times in less than a second. And when it jumped away, the viridian monster¡¯s throat had been destroyed. Pitch ck blood flowed from the gaping wound, smothering its shimmering scales in stygian ckness. It stumbled to its knees, falling forward only to barely catch itself with an outstretched arm that extended to the ck blood-soaked ground. Its ws dug furrows into the soft earth, but with a gurgling, hissing roar, it climbed to its feet and faced off against the cat, who was patiently waiting in the shadows. Elijah could only see hints of its tail¡¯s movement and shining green eyes, but he could easily imagine it crouching for its next pounce. The monster staggered forward, leaving a trail of ck blood. The cat knew it only had to wait it out, though. Its enemy was already weakened, and the viridian monster¡¯s Strength fled by the second. But then, the monster seemed to remember its original prey, and it turned toward Elijah. Even with its blood gushing from the wound on its stubby neck, the creature managed its horrifying imitation of a smile before it turned its body in Elijah¡¯s direction. Elijah shuddered. The monster was on itsst legs. Its life was going to end. There was no stopping that. But just as surely, it didn¡¯t intend to die alone. Elijah¡¯s hand crept to a small hilt at his waist. The flint-ded knife was not a weapon. Comprised of a single stone that he¡¯d arduously filed into a point before wrapping the narrowest end with his homemade cordage, it was barely even a tool. But it was better than his bare hands. So, with his good arm, he reached down and yanked it from his makeshift belt. Brandishing it in the monster¡¯s direction, Elijah pressed his back against the berm and pushed himself to his feet. The monster continued to advance, its pace slowed not by a desire to prolong Elijah¡¯s horror, but by its diminishing Strength. Elijah was content to wait. Every second that passed, brought it closer to death. Perhaps, if he was lucky, it would fall before it even reached him. He was not lucky. With a burst of speed that constituted thest of the monster¡¯s Strength, it dashed across the short distance. It reared back, its ws glistening with the panther¡¯s red blood. But Elijah didn¡¯t wait for its attack. Instead, he marshaled thest bit of his own remaining energy and leapt forward, leading the way with his homemade dagger. He knew it wouldn¡¯t cut through the monster¡¯s viridian scales, but he wasn¡¯t aiming for that. Instead, he thrust his knife deep into the wound wrought by the panther¡¯s sharp ws. It sank into the creature¡¯s ck flesh, biting deep until it collided with bone. The monster flinched back, losing its bnce as Elijah crashed into it. Elijah screamed as he was thrown free, rolling on his already injured shoulder. He could feel the ripping tendons of the abused joint, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself. After a second, he skidded to a stop, and it took him a few more moments to gather his wits and look back at the scene of the battle. And what he saw brought a grim smile to his face. He was so ted that, at first, he didn¡¯t even notice the gaping wound drawing a line across his belly. But within a few seconds, fire erupted in his stomach, and he looked down to see his innards falling out. Even more disturbing, when Elijah looked up, he saw his protector slinking forward. The panther had sustained a host of wounds that Elijah hadn¡¯t noticed during the battle, and beneath its glossy, ck fur, he saw hints of white bone. Half its face had been massacred, and it moved with a pronounced limp. Gathering his intestines, Elijah realized that he was about to die. Stomach wounds weren¡¯t immediately fatal, but when a person started spilling his intestines, it was only a matter of time. Soon, he¡¯d grow weak and pass out ¨C if not from the wound itself, then from shock or blood loss. So, even if he managed to recover enough Ethera to power Touch of Nature, he wouldn¡¯t be conscious to use it. But that was okay. He¡¯d done well for himself, and while he knew he was about to die, he¡¯d stood his ground. And that unstoppable monster was now dead. He only hoped that the panther would survive, which, judging by its wounds, didn¡¯t seem likely. It approached, looked at him out of the corner of one baleful green eye, then flopped onto the ground with a pained sigh. Elijah¡¯s eyes drooped as he felt the pool of sticky blood gathering beneath him, and finally, he began to dip into unconsciousness. Book 1: Chapter 17: Resurgence Book 1: Chapter 17: Resurgence Before Elijah dropped into unconsciousness, he saw a familiar notification that jarred him back to awareness.
Congrattions! You have reached level three, earning two free attribute points. Would you like to allocate free attribute points?
It was followed closely by another:
Congrattions! You have reached level four, earning two free attribute points (four total). Would you like to allocate free attribute points?
Two levels? That didn¡¯t make any sense. He hadn¡¯t done anything. Sure, he¡¯d jabbed his now-ruined, homemade knife into the monster¡¯s neck, but Elijah felt certain that he had only hastened its demise. The panther had been the real killer. But the evidence was right in front of him; the System had given him credit, and the resulting Ethera had pushed him to level four. As he continued to bleed out, Elijah¡¯s mind turned sluggish, and his ability to focus slipped further and further away. It was like wading through thick mud just to force his status open and allocate his attribute points. When he finally managed to wrangle his mind into doing what he wanted, he shoved the free attribute points into Ethera, bringing his total up to eight. Immediately, Elijah felt an influx of magical energy as his core doubled in size. Thankfully, the upgrade didn¡¯t just provide capacity, but rather, it gave him an amount of energy equal to what he¡¯d get from four Ethera, leaving him with a half-full core. The influx was a heady sensation that nearly drove him to distraction, but he once again harnessed his concentration and forced himself to cast Touch of Nature. The healing spell soothed the injury in his stomach, dragging his intestines back into ce and sealing the wound. But before it could do much more than patch things up, Elijah¡¯s core ran dry.He was still gravely injured, and any movement would threaten to tear the wound open, but he¡¯d bought himself some time. His survival was now all but assured, provided he didn¡¯t run afoul of any other monsters. Elijah nced at the corpse of the scaled creature that had attacked him and shivered. That, of course, brought with it a significant amount of pain. That monster hade out of nowhere, and even with his newly strengthened body and magical powers, it had beenpletely out of his league. Without the panther¡­ The panther! The enormous cat was lying only a few feet away, its breathing shallow and its eyes filled with agony. And it wasn¡¯t surprising. The panther had killed the monster, but it had also paid the price. Shallow wounds decorated its entire body, but Elijah¡¯s eyes were drawn to the three much more serious injuries it had sustained. The most troubling was a long gash along its side. At least two feet in length, and gaping open to expose the panther¡¯s ribs, it was a ghastly wound that, even in the best of times, would likely spell a wild animal¡¯s doom. If infection didn¡¯t set in, then perhaps it would have a chance. But given the foul odoring from the now-dead monster, Elijah considered that unlikely. Next, one of the panther¡¯s legs was turned the wrong way, and Elijah saw its broken bones bulging beneath its sleek skin. Finally, the semi-aquatic monster had ripped a chunk of the panther¡¯s face off. In short, the huge cat had almost assuredly given its life to save Elijah. Or perhaps it made more sense that the monster was its mortal enemy. After all, though Elijah had been paying tribute to the panther in the form of a daily fish or two, he¡¯d never gotten the sense that it liked or epted him. In fact, it had always seemed on the edge of killing him outright. The idea that it would protect him, except as a side effect of its true intention, was almostughable. But still, Elijah owed the animal his life. It was at that moment that he made a choice. If he recovered enough Ethera before the panther sumbed to its wounds, he would try to heal it. If not, then it just wasn¡¯t meant to be. With that in mind, Elijah settled back against the tree and waited on his Regeneration to refill his core. Slowly, his mind began to churn, drawing the ambient energy in before sending it through his soul and down into his core. The process was both soothing and distracting enough that he wasn¡¯t overwhelmed with the pain of his still-serious wound. To further distract himself, Elijah opened what he¡¯d begun to affectionately refer to as his spell book:
Archetype: Druid The druid is the defender, ally, and cultivator of nature. Features bonuses to natural Regeneration, energy density, and One With Nature. Required Aspects: [Schr], [Nature]
Spells
Touch of Nature Harness the power of nature to heal yourself or an ally.
Snaring Roots Call upon nature to summon a snarl of roots to bind your enemies¡¯ movements.
One With Nature Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Draw power from nature.
Eyes of the Eagle Briefly enhance your eyesight with the power of a fearsome raptor.
As had been the case with both level one and two, he¡¯d gotten spells for each of his new levels. One With Nature seemed a bit ambiguous, but the second spell, Eyes of the Eagle, seemed fairly straightforward. And for now,pletely useless. Perhaps there would be a situation in the future where having telescopic vision would help, but for now, it would do nothing to help him. What¡¯s more, he couldn¡¯t spare the Ethera to test either spell out. However, One With Nature was definitely intriguing. Drawing power from nature could mean just about anything. Would it let him rapidly regenerate his Ethera? Or perhaps give him an influx of Strength? The possibilities were endless, and his spection upied his mind until he¡¯d recovered a little more than half his Ethera. Once he¡¯d done that, Elijah pushed himself away from the tree and slowly shifted closer to the panther. By that point, it had been almost an hour since they¡¯d killed the monster, but the cat had yet to sumb to its wounds. Still, its breathing wasbored, and Elijah saw pink-tinted foam around its mouth. Clearly, it had internal injuries in addition to the visible wounds. In short, it was dying. Elijah aimed to change that. When Elijahid his hand on the animal¡¯s paw, its only reaction was a shift of its eyes and a slight tensing of its muscles. Perhaps that was the extent of its capability. Closing his eyes, Elijah pulled Ethera from his core, channeling it through the webwork of his soul, and into his spell, Touch of Nature. He gasped. Healing someone else was clearly very different than healing himself. For one, he couldn¡¯t just ce his hand on the appropriate spot and hope for the best. Instead, he needed to know what he wanted to fix before he could heal it. Thankfully, as a trained biologist, Elijah was very familiar with animal physiology, and it didn¡¯t take him long to find the issues. Even without the magical awareness that allowed him to sense problems, Elijah would have had a good idea of where to start. With it, he could pinpoint the issues in mere seconds. That¡¯s when the other difference between healing himself and healing others surfaced. When targeting himself, Touch of Nature had always felt like being wrapped in a wave of soothing energy that both healed and revitalized him. But with the panther, it felt like he¡¯d just poured a ss of water into a vast ocean. Even with his senses and experience as a scientist guiding him, Elijah knew it was going to take more than a few casts to heal even the least of the panther¡¯s wounds. But Elijah was nothing if not persistent. So, he focused on the cat¡¯s internal injuries first, using his gathered Ethera to mend the wounds. He managed three casts before his core ran dry once again, but he¡¯d managed to staunch most of the internal bleeding. It was less effective than he¡¯d hoped, but it was a start. Over the next day-and-a-half, Elijah fell into a rhythm. Once his core refilled, he would cast Touch of Nature on himself a single time, then use the remainder of his pool of Ethera to repeatedly heal the panther. As he did, he learned a couple of things. First, so long as he kept his mind clear, he could regenerate his entire core in two hours. Sometimes, it varied by a couple of minutes, but he chalked the variance up to his inability to keep proper time. After all, he didn¡¯t have a clock to consult. If he let his mind wander, his Regeneration took a significant hit, so he did everything he could to keep his thoughts from wandering too far afield. The second thing he learned was that the panther was vastly more powerful than him. Elijah had no notion of its level, but it was so far above him that it might as well have been a god. But it was mortal, just like him, and he knew that without his help, the cat would have quickly sumbed to its wounds. It seemed to know that as well, and even after Elijah had healed it enough to keep it from dying, it remained in ce. Gradually, Elijah mended both his and the panther¡¯s wounds until, after almost two days, the job was done, and he slumped in exhaustion. Hunger gnawed at his belly ¨C after all, he hadn¡¯t had time or concentration to spare for gathering any food ¨C and fatigue weighed down on him like he carried a mountain on his shoulders. Fortunately, water hadn¡¯t been as much of an issue, given that it had rained intermittently throughout the process. The panther pushed itself to its feet, testing its mended leg. Elijah had left it forst, as much to keep the panther in ce as because it was the least life threatening of the cat¡¯s many injuries. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s healed,¡± he said tiredly. His own wounds had healed much more quickly, allowing him to focus entirely on the panther. The cat locked its glistening green eyes on him for a long moment. Then, without even a nod of thanks, it padded away, disappearing into the shadows. Elijah sighed. ¡°You¡¯re wee, I guess,¡± he muttered. Then, he turned his attention inward to address a notification pushing against his mind. When he did, his jaw dropped.
Congrattions! You have reached level five, earning two free attribute points. Would you like to allocate free attribute points?
Another notification soon followed. And then another. Three levels, putting him at seven. That gave him six extra attribute points to allocate, but even more exciting than that, he¡¯d gained three new spells. It was a nearly overwhelming degree of advancement, and he quickly opened his spell book to investigate his gains.
Archetype: Druid The druid is the defender, ally, and cultivator of nature. Features bonuses to natural Regeneration, energy density, and One With Nature. Required Aspects: [Schr], [Nature]
Spells
Touch of Nature Harness the power of nature to heal yourself or an ally.
Snaring Roots Call upon nature to summon a snarl of roots to bind your enemies¡¯ movements.
One with Nature Draw power from nature.
Eyes of the Eagle Briefly enhance your eyesight with the power of a fearsome raptor.
Ancestral Circle Create a ce of power.
Nature¡¯s Bounty Encourage the growth of nts.
Storm¡¯s Fury Call forth the power of a storm and harness its might.
The first spell felt powerful, but the description didn¡¯t give any hints as to what it was supposed to do. Creating a ce of power sounded great, but how did it benefit him? He would have to try it out if he wanted to discover the answer to that question. The second spell, Nature¡¯s Bounty, at least seemed more straightforward, and he could already see how beneficial it could be. A good portion of his diet depended on foraging, but what if he could create a garden and elerate its growth? It would change everything about his life in the wilderness. Thest spell was clearly Elijah¡¯s first attack spell, but beyond that, he wasn¡¯t sure what to expect. Storms were deadly, sure, but he wasn¡¯t certain how he was supposed to use such power to fight his enemies. Elijah shook his head as he pushed himself to his feet. While healing himself and the panther, he¡¯d rarely moved from that position, and he¡¯d grown stiff. In the past, he¡¯d have had quite a bit of difficulty sitting still for that long, but in the throes of his quest to mend his savior¡¯s wounds, moving around had been thest thing on his mind. Then, Elijah remembered that he still needed to allocate his six free points. He did so, splitting them between Ethera and Regeneration, bringing them to eleven and twelve, respectively. His original n had been to focus on his physical attributes once he got Ethera and Regeneration to ten, but he¡¯d never expected to gain so many levels so quickly. He still wanted to get the most out of his physical training, so he¡¯d chosen to focus on his magical attributes for now. Once Strength and Dexterity teaued ¨C if they did at all ¨C he would reevaluate his ns. For now, though, Elijah had some spells to test. First up was One With Nature, but when he embraced the spell, channeling Ethera from his core and through the pathways of his soul, he got a big shock. His jaw dropped as a cascade of information spread across his mind, telling him how the spell worked. Grinning, he said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. Really good. This could change everything.¡± Book 1: Chapter 18: The Power of a Druid Book 1: Chapter 18: The Power of a Druid Elijah felt Strength flow through him as he felt the effects of One With Nature take hold. More, for the first time, the spell came with understanding. It felt as if he¡¯d suddenly remembered a long-lost memory, and the result was that he knew how the new spell worked. And he was impressed. The effects of One With Nature were threefold. So long as he remained in contact with natural earth, the spell would enhance his physical attributes. His new understanding wasn¡¯t specific about the exact degree of enhancement, but he could feel that it was significant. Further testing would need to be done if he wanted exact information, though. The second facet of the spell¡¯s enhancement came in the form of natural healing. It wasn¡¯t even close to rivaling his other spell, Touch of Nature, but it would go a long way toward staving off minor injuries and the effects of fatigue. More importantly, the effect it would have on his physical training would almost assuredly be profound. Finally ¨C and he suspected, most importantly ¨C the spell came with a sense of connectivity with the natural world. He¡¯d felt a version of that the moment he¡¯d awoken with his new archetype. However, One With Nature enhanced that feeling a hundred-fold. More than that, though, he could sense the forest¡¯s aura of life far more keenly, and within a few feet, he almost felt as if he could identify individual organisms. But he suspected that he¡¯d have to grow much stronger for the spell to reach that level, if it ever did. For now, though, he tookfort in the feeling that he was that much closer to belonging in the forest. Elijah also got the feeling that it would protect him from natural predators, at least to some extent. If he antagonized them, they would still react with vicious certainty; however, he felt that they wouldn¡¯t instigate anything. Of course, Elijah suspected that something like the panther would be unaffected. He had no gauge or context for its power, but he knew it was too far above him to sumb to any attack or spell he could muster. Not that he wanted to try ¨C no, he¡¯d been disabused of that notion when he¡¯d witnessed the battle between the panther and the monster. That was a battle he had no interest in fighting. After testing One With Nature, Elijah nced at the monster¡¯s corpse. It had begun to dpose within an hour of its death, and now, it was little more than a mass of discolored refuse. In the beginning, he¡¯d harbored notions of harvesting its imprable scales and using it for armor, but even if it hadn¡¯t rotted into a state of uselessness, Elijah was more than a little put off by both the smell and the sense of wrongness that radiated from its body. Even in death, it didn¡¯t seem like it belonged in the world, and he wanted nothing more than to let it rot so that it would cease its corrupting influence. Mostly, that aura of corruption had faded, but Elijah still wanted to get away as quickly as he could. So, after a few more seconds, he headed in the direction of the stream. As he did so, he marveled at how much stronger and more vital he felt. ¡°Could definitely get used to this,¡± he muttered. The spell¡¯s effects had nearly doubled his physical ability, making traversal through the forest trivial. Soon, he reached the stream, where he stripped off his soiled clothing and washed them as best he could. The endeavor was only a moderate sess; the monster¡¯s ck blood seemed to have suffused everything, right down to the tiniest of fibers, but he did what he could.Next came his body, and though the water had grown much colder since his first encounter with the stream, One With Nature made him much more durable, so he barely felt the stream¡¯s frigid embrace. Without soap or something abrasive, it took quite a while before Elijah was satisfied with his rtive cleanliness, but when he stepped out of the stream, he felt refreshed in a way he hadn¡¯t since awakening on the shore after the ne crash. After dressing, Elijah made his way back to the cabin, which was much the same as he¡¯d left it. The fire had been extinguished, and it looked like some small animal had rooted around in his food stores. Not unexpected after two days, but still disappointing. Before Elijah got down to trying his other new spells, he set about the task of restarting the fire. He might not have needed as much protection from the cold as he had before using One With Nature, but he still didn¡¯t want to go through any more nights without a fire. Summer had already faded, and he knew from experience that fall could turn into winter in a matter of days. So, he needed to be prepared for it. As he worked, Elijah continued to feel his way through One With Nature, and along the way, he discovered that, once cast, it would remain in ce indefinitely. However, he also sensed that his body only had room for a single augmentation of its nature. Part of that feeling came from the information he¡¯d been granted alongside the spell, but he could also feel the subtle way the spell stretched his soul. Any more, and it would copse. But that was fine by Elijah. He didn¡¯t have any other augmentations to cast, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about it. For now. Perhaps he¡¯d have to revisit the problem in the future, though. In any case, once Elijah restarted the fire, he took a few minutes to test the other new additions to his spell book. After One With Nature, the next one on the list was Eyes of the Eagle, which gave him a brief duration of telescopic vision. After casting it for the first time, he looked down at the ground and could see everything as if it was under a weak microscope. It wasn¡¯t powerful enough that he could see microbes or individual cells, but he suspected that wasn¡¯t the purpose. Instead, it was meant to give him the means to see long distances, and he expected that it would aplish that goal very well. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The next new spell was Ancestral Circle, which, for now, proved useless. However, like his other spells, it dide with a thorough understanding of the spell¡¯s purpose. And that was enough to make Elijah¡¯s jaw drop. Unlike Elijah¡¯s other spells, Ancestral Circle required significant preparation. Once he chose an appropriate spot ¨C and the moment he understood the requirements, he knew precisely where he wanted to put it ¨C he would have to nt a series of trees in a perfect circle. Then, he would have to empower that circle with his spell. Once that was done, the true purpose of Ancestral Circle would be avable to him. And it could be summed up in one word: teleportation. It was limited, but the idea was that he could use the second portion of the spell to instantly transport himself from anywhere in the world to his circle, which the burst of information he¡¯d received with the spell referred to as a Grove. He could only do so once a week, but it was an incredible ability. Still, it would take a vast amount of work to create his Grove. He was so eager to get started that he very nearly set off to his chosen spot right then and there. But good sense won out, and he moved on to the second-tost spell he¡¯d received after healing the panther. Nature¡¯s Bounty was far more straightforward than any of his other spells. He only had to channel his Ethera from his core and through his soul before casting the spell, and it would cause rapid nt growth within a ten-yard radius. Of course, to nts, rapid meant that it would only take weeks for a nt to reach maturity, but that was still a huge boon. Already, Elijah¡¯s task of growing his Grove had gone from being a project of years to one that might only take months. Doubtless, the two spells were intended to be used in tandem. Finally, Elijah¡¯s exploration of his spell book reached Storm¡¯s Fury. Ever since learning that his transformed world was one of magic, Elijah had imagined being a grand wizard and slinging fireballs at his enemies. Of course, he knew that wasn¡¯t what being a Druid was all about, but even so, he¡¯d be enamored with the fantasy, and he¡¯d found himself hoping that his path would include something of the like. And now, it did. Standing a couple of dozen yards away from his cabin, Elijah sighted in on a rock he¡¯d ced twenty feet away. Then, as he had with every other spell, Elijah dragged Ethera from his core and pushed it through the pathways of his soul and into the spell he wanted to cast. And for a split second after he released it, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, a bolt of lightning tore through the forest¡¯s canopy and hit the ground five feet away from the rock. Electricity spiderwebbed across the ground for another few feet before dissipating, leaving only a few tendrils of wispy smoke snaking up from the point of impact. Elijah grinned. On the one hand, the spell seemed incredibly powerful. He knew the power of that much electricity, and he could surmise that it could be a potent weapon. But on the other hand, he¡¯d missed his target, and badly. Clearly, he needed to practice. That was okay, though. He was nothing if not persistent, and it wouldn¡¯t take a significant shift to add target practice to his exercise regimen. The only big problem was that the spell was incredibly Ethera-hungry, and it had taken almost a third of his capacity to cast it a single time. Not ideal, but Elijah was used to that. Once he¡¯d finished exploring his new spells, Elijah set about replenishing his food stores, gathering mushrooms and berries as he walked around the forest. Eventually, his path took him to the meadow that was home to the powerful tree that had eased the cultivation of his Body of Wood. When he arrived, he noticed something peculiar ¨C the meadow was perfectly circr; it was as if it had been made to amodate his Grove. Perhaps it had. Or maybe the tree had influenced the area for that purpose. Whatever the case, it was precisely what Elijah needed. He¡¯d already decided to use the tree¡¯s thick aura to his advantage when cing his Grove, and the discovery was just further evidence that he was on the right track. But with the sun dipping toward the horizon, he didn¡¯t have time to get started just yet. Instead, he gathered more berries, some dogbane for more cordage, and a few dozen acorns that had fallen from the tree. The arboreal spirit that dwelled within still seemed dormant, but Elijah hoped that it would awaken soon. After all, if it had guided him through the process of cultivating his body, then it was probably full of other useful information. Once he was finished, Elijah trekked back to his cabin, where he enjoyed a meal of berries and mushrooms before, atst, releasing One With Nature and letting himself fall asleep. When Elijah awoke the next day, he held off on reapplying the augmentation as he went through the daily regimen of exercise he¡¯d established before the fight against the viridian scaled monster. However, instead of being confined to physical exercise, he interspersed target practice into the routine. He still had to stop and concentrate before he could focus enough to cast Storm¡¯s Fury, but by the end of his workout, he¡¯d progressed noticeably. His aim was stillcking, especially if he rushed through it, but he''d found that the process of casting the spell came quicker every time he did it. It was still alien, but like any process, it was on its way to bing instinctive. Now, he only had to spend the time necessary to push it over the edge to where he could use the spell without thought. Of course, that wasn¡¯t something he could aplish in mere hours. Instead, it was a task of weeks. Or perhaps months. Maybe it would even be years. But stranded in the wilderness, he had time to spare. More than that, he had plenty of motivation to get it right. After all, that monster hade at him out of nowhere, and if the panther hadn¡¯t saved him, Elijah would have been in. Even with the cat¡¯s help, it had been a close thing. The new world wasn¡¯t benign. It was deadly. And if Elijah wanted to avoid ending up as some monster¡¯s lunch, he needed to grow more powerful. To that end, he redoubled his efforts and leveraged every ounce of his focus as he continued to practice his aim, one lightning bolt at a time. Book 1: Chapter 19: Not Alone Book 1: Chapter 19: Not Alone Elijah crouched at the tree line, watching the crabs scuttle across the rocky shore. Then, he tossed a bit of fish entrails only a few feet away from the most isted crustacean. It took the creature a moment to notice it, but when it did, it wasted no time before skittering across the rocks and gobbling it up. That¡¯s when Elijah tossed another bit of fish guts a little further away. After the crab found that one, too, he repeated the process. That¡¯s how, a few feet at a time, Elijah led the crustacean away from its fellows. Once it was sufficiently isted, he struck. Not with the homemade spear in his hand, but with magic. A thin bolt of lightning, barely visible in the harsh light of the winter sun, descended from the sky to hit the crustacean in the center of its muddy brown shell. It let out a shriek as it convulsed, its limbs spasming out of control as it flopped to the gravelly ground. But Elijah knew from experience that it wasn¡¯t dead. It would take two more strikes ¨C and all the Ethera in Elijah¡¯s core ¨C for the monster to sumb. He quickly re-cast the spell, to simr results. Finally, he finished it off with a third cast. Elijah sighed. For all the excitement he¡¯d felt when he¡¯d gotten his first attack spell, it had proven to be a bit of a mixed bag. While the spell did allow him to hunt in rtive safety, it wasn¡¯t nearly as powerful as he¡¯d hoped it would be. Clearly, the Druid archetype was no mighty wizard, even if it gave Elijah a single attack spell. Rising from his cover, Elijah trotted to where the crab had died, then set to harvesting it. He¡¯d done so dozens of times over the past eight weeks, so he found the task boring but ultimately necessary. After all, with the onset of winter, the fish had retreated into deeper waters, leaving his once-fertile fishing hole dested. The crabs ¨C along with his stores of mushrooms and berries ¨C were his only consistent source of food. Sure, Elijah managed to kill a few hares and squirrels here and there, but those instances were so infrequent that he knew he couldn¡¯t rely on them when it came to his survival. Of course, if things got really bad, there were always the bugs he felt crawling through the earth. They wouldn¡¯t be pleasant, but Elijah expected that they would provide some sustenance. Still, he wasn¡¯t quite at the point where he needed to resort to eating insects. He was tired of crab, but it was still better than eating crickets and grubs. ¡°Yeah. My standards are sky high,¡± he muttered to himself. Other animals had no problems eating bugs. It was the same with many human cultures as well. But Elijah found the idea disgusting. Even so, he knew that if he got hungry enough, he¡¯d start digging through the dirt like any other hungry animal. Only, he had an advantage; with One With Nature, he could feel everything within a few feet, and the ground was no barrier to the ability. No ¨C he was perfectly suited for bug hunting. He just didn¡¯t want to do it. So, he hunted crab. Fortunately, there seemed to be an endless number of the creatures ¨C which didn¡¯t seem all that surprising. Purple shore crabs had always been very populous, and the onset of the System hadn¡¯t changed that. At first, Elijah had wondered if the creatures would simply starve ¨C after all, with greater mass came the need for a more plentiful food source ¨C but that problem had been solved by the corpses of sea creatures that regrly washed ashore. Most were half-rotted and bore severe wounds, but the crabs didn¡¯t seem to mind. They had always been scavengers, after all.Soon enough, Elijah finished harvesting the crab, putting the meat in a huge basket he¡¯d woven from sticks, dried reeds, and leaves. Once he¡¯d finished, he set the basket aside and repeated the process, killing and harvesting another crab. He didn¡¯t need the meat for himself, but still, he feltpelled to feed ¨C or perhaps pay tribute to ¨C the panther, which he¡¯d only seen a handful of times over the past eight weeks. Gathering his huge basket ¨C it was at least three feet across ¨C Elijah began the trek back to the cabin. About halfway there, he felt the presence of the panther bearing down on him. It wasn¡¯t as suffocating or terror-inducing as it once had been, but it was still enough to make him sweat. He set the basket down, then piled half of the meat on the forest floor. ¡°Your tribute, your majesty,¡± he said, his voice loud and slightly mocking. ¡°Feels sort of like it should be the other way around, though. You¡¯re the mighty hunter, right? You should be feeding me.¡± The forest stilled, and a wave of oppressive power washed over Elijah. Unperturbed, he said, ¡°Fine, fine. You¡¯re the king around here. I know my ce.¡± The feeling disappeared. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if the cat could understand him ¨C he suspected that it could, after a fashion ¨C but he didn¡¯t really care. The panther hadn¡¯t killed him yet, so he didn¡¯t think it was suddenly going to change its mind over a snarkyment. Besides ¨C Elijah had studiously held up his end of the bargain by providing food. The cat had no reason to kill him. But it was still a wild animal, wasn¡¯t it? As such, it was unpredictable. There was no telling what might set the panther off. Then again, it was far more intelligent than any wild animal Elijah had ever seen ¨C even dolphins or chimps. So, applying his previous experiences might not be the best idea. Whatever the case, they seemed to have a mutually beneficial arrangement, and Elijah wasn¡¯t going to do anything to mess that up. So, he added a few handfuls of crab meat to the pile before saying, ¡°There you go. Next time one of those monsters attacks, remember who feeds you, yeah?¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Predictably, the panther didn¡¯t give voice to his agreement. Nor did it show itself at all, and without the cat¡¯s oppressive aura, Elijah would have thought that he was talking to empty air. But he knew the cat was there. It had heard him. And he suspected that it understood. That would have to be enough. With that, Elijah continued back to the cabin. Along the way, he kept an eye out for mushrooms and berries, but with the onset of winter and his constant foraging, he found nothing. It would have been troubling if he hadn¡¯t amassed a significant store of food. And it had finally gotten cold enough that he didn¡¯t have to worry nearly so much about spoge, even with the crab meat. That was a boon, even if it came with the decidedly less pleasurable side effect of him being cold all the time. He¡¯d tried his best to guard against it, making rudimentary clothing out of woven grass and the few rabbit pelts he¡¯d managed to acquire, but it was mostly ineffective. Still, with his increased Constitution as well as the constant enhancement that came with One With Nature, it wasn¡¯t so bad. Even though the days had continued to grow colder, he felt that, unless things got much, much worse than was normal for the Pacific northwest, he would survive. It wouldn¡¯t befortable, but that was true of most of his life now. After storing everything away in raised boxes he¡¯d carved, Elijah added some more wood to his fire, then set off toward his budding Grove. The trip was mostly uneventful, save for when he ran into a rapidly dposing monster corpse. It looked different than the one he and the cat had fought. Smaller. And somehow less oppressive. However, it was still an alien creature that could ¨C and would, if it got the chance ¨C rip him to shreds. Thankfully, the panther seemed to take hunting them as its personal mission, and over the past eight weeks, Elijah had run into a handful of other monster corpses. Leaving it behind ¨C there was nothing useful about it ¨C Elijah continued on his way until he reached the Grove. In some ways, the meadow containing the huge tree was the same. The dimensions hadn¡¯t changed; nor had the tree itself. However, about thirty feet from the natural tree line, there was now a ring of saplings. They were barely taller than Elijah himself, but even that much growth was so abnormal as to be considered miraculous. Part of their rapid growth was due to his daily usage of Nature¡¯s Bounty, but Elijah suspected that it was also a characteristic of the trees themselves. After all, they¡¯de from acorns he¡¯d gathered from around the majestic tree at the center of the meadow, and he knew good and well that it wasn¡¯t normal. The ambient Ethera of the area had also increased significantly, and Elijah could keenly feel its nature aspect. It was soothing and energizing, and it increased the Regeneration of his core significantly. Normally, it would take him two hours to regenerate the Ethera in his core, but in the Grove, it was cut down to a quarter of that. And that increased Regeneration had allowed him to make abundant use of Nature¡¯s Bounty, which in turn, had continued to increase his Regeneration. It was a perpetuating cycle, and one for which Elijah was extremely grateful. Without it, his Grove would have taken much, much longer. Afterpleting two circuits through the circle of saplings, Elijah went deeper into the Grove until he reached ten neat rows of turned soil. From that soil sprouted dozens of small nts that would, Elijah hoped, eventually be berry bushes that would, in turn, make gathering food much easier. But the bushes were in their infancy, and it would be weeks before they bore fruit. Still, the fact that they¡¯d sprouted at all was a good sign for Elijah¡¯s long-term survivability. Elijah nted himself in the center of his nascent garden, crossing his legs and activating Nature¡¯s Bounty. His spell¡¯s range was just wide enough to epass the entire garden ¨C by design ¨C so, once activated, he only had to sit and keep it going. So, that¡¯s what he did; however, as he did so, he focused on thework of pathways and channels that constituted his soul. It was metaphysical in nature, so his only concept of how it worked came from feeling the Ethera as it traced its way through thework. However, a few weeks before, he¡¯d discovered that he could guide and elerate the process, dumping extra Ethera into the spell and making it more potent. Or that¡¯s what he thought. There were no manuals to read, and Elijah could only go by what he felt. But he expected that it was one of the reasons behind the garden¡¯s rapid growth. In any case, it didn¡¯t seem to be hurting anything, so he kept at it, pushing at the boundaries of his soul¡¯s pathways. That was how Elijah spent the next few hours until his soul started to ache. The first time he¡¯d discovered the process, Elijah had pushed through the pain. A mistake, as it happened, because he¡¯d eventually pushed himself too far, resulting in an inability to use any Ethera at all for the next two days. So, the moment he felt that ache in his soul, Elijah cut the spell off. Looking up, he saw that there was still plenty of daylight left, so he decided to explore a little. He still had little concept of the area beyond his immediate surroundings, so he¡¯d resolved to spend a bit of time each day in exploration. Before he started, though, Elijah knew he needed to refill his core. So, he waited about twenty more minutes before he set off toward the east. Clutching his new, homemade flint-ded spear, Elijah trekked ind through the dense forest. One hour passed, then two. Along the way, he gathered the few mushrooms and berries that had managed to stubbornly resist the effects of winter. He also saw signs of game, but he didn¡¯t run into any animals. Eventually, though, Elijah crested a small hill only to find himself atop a sheer cliff that dropped off at least two-hundred feet. Below him, the canopy of the forest ran on for at least a couple more miles until it abruptly ended at the sea. ¡°It¡¯s an ind¡­¡± Indeed, Elijah could see the curve of the shore a few miles in the distance. Of course, it still could have been a penins, but he didn¡¯t think that was the case, for some indefinable reason. In any case, Elijah could see morend stretching across the horizon in the distance. Miles of turbulent sea separated Elijah from the maind, but at least he wasn¡¯t stranded in the middle of the ocean. Finally finding a use for Eyes of the Eagle, Elijah embraced the spell, then channeled Ethera from his core and through his soul. Immediately, his vision sharpened, and he could see the distant shore as if it was only a few hundred yards away. And what he saw was both troubling and exciting. It seemed that he was not as alone as he thought he was. Book 1: Chapter 20: Neophyte Soul Book 1: Chapter 20: Neophyte Soul From the top of the cliff, Elijah studied the encampment across the strait separating his ind from what he expected was the maind, and what he found was inexplicably infuriating. With Eyes of the Eagle, he could clearly see the beginnings of a primitive town nestled at the foot of a mountain. The low-slung buildings had been constructed of seamless concrete ¨C or some magical variant, he expected ¨C from which grew thick smokestacks that were steadily belching ck clouds into the otherwise pristine air. The town was surrounded by thick forests not unlike what Elijah had found on his ind, but the inhabitants had waged a war against the flora, clearingrge swathes of trees in the process. No doubt, they had been used as fuel for their fires. Or perhaps they¡¯d been used to construct the sturdy-looking barges moored at the town¡¯s simplistic dock. Either way, the sight filled Elijah with a degree of sorrow he couldn¡¯t adequately describe. He''d never really been an environmentalist ¨C not like many of his colleagues. Certainly, he¡¯d always tried to conserve where he could, and he had never been an unrepentant polluter, but he also knew that environmental issues were far moreplicated than the hardcore activists wanted to admit. In a vacuum, it was easy to tell people to drive electric cars or eschew eating meat, but those were solutions only avable to a select few. Others had to do what they had to do, regardless of environmental consequences. That wasn¡¯t to say that Elijah didn¡¯t want to hold industry ountable for their profit-driven choices. He did. He just understood that things were far less simple than they might appear to be at first nce. However, when he looked upon that decimated forest and the billowing ck smoke, he felt a degree of anger he¡¯d never felt before. Clearly, that was his Nature aspect ¨C and the connection that came with his archetype ¨C screaming at him. He did his best to push it to the back of his mind, but it was difficult. The fact that the inhabitants of that town didn¡¯t appear to be human helped, though. Elijah didn¡¯t know what any of them were called, but he saw creatures that reminded him of stereotypical fantasy dwarves, gnomes, and goblins, all of which were working together. Soon, Elijah noticed a flood of the small-statured creatures pour out of what he thought was a mountain cave. Upon further inspection, though, he saw that each of those people ¨C if indeed, that was the right word ¨C was carrying a mining pick. After that, it didn¡¯t take much longer for Elijah to notice the carts full of unrefined ore, though he was too far away to utilize his limited geological knowledge to identify what it was. Elijah stood there, watching the town from miles away, until he could confidently say that the entire settlement was a mining operation. Likely, the chimneys belching clouds of billowing ck smoke were connected to smelters, from which they would extract metal from the raw ore. More than that, though, Elijah saw that the refined metals were taken to the biggest building, which looked more borate than all the rest. For some reason, he didn¡¯t think he was looking at a warehouse. The building was too borate and far too small to serve that purpose. And given that his own spell, Ancestral Circle, had a teleportationponent, it didn¡¯t take him long to guess that the alliance of dwarves, gnomes, and goblins had ess to something simr. Or perhaps he was wrong. He was still far too new to the transformed world to understand what was and wasn¡¯t possible. However, he felt unreasonably confident in his assertions. For a while, Elijah wondered what he should do. The distance from the ind to the town wasn¡¯t short; at least ten miles, but probably more than that, separated him from the coast. So, it would not be an easy trip, even if he managed to construct a raft of some sort. He never even considered swimming; seeing the transformation of the trout, with all their extra teeth, was enough to dissuade him from that notion. And that wasn¡¯t even considering that the monster that had almost killed him hade from the sea. Who knew what else was down there? After a while, Elijah realized that, while the discovery was interesting, it didn¡¯t really affect his situation. With the inability to cross the strait, the best he could do was create a bonfire and hope they saw it. Then, he¡¯d have to hope that they were friendly, which wasn¡¯t entirely likely, given that the town¡¯s inhabitants weren¡¯t even human. No ¨C nothing had changed, save for the fact that he needed to be on his guard. Which was the same as always. As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, Elijah reluctantly turned away and started back toward his cabin. Fortunately, he¡¯d long since mastered traversal through the thick foliage, so he made good time back to the Grove. There, he did a circuit around the clearing, keeping Nature¡¯s Bounty active, before he retreated to his cabin where prepared some stew, which wasprised of seaweed, crab meat, and mushrooms. So, the same thing he ate most days. As he sat there spooning the stew into his mouth, Elijah was struck by a deep sense of longing. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d missed his old life and, more importantly, people, but after seeing civilization so close, the feeling came back with a vengeance. With their setup, the dwarves, gnomes, and goblins were probably eating like kings. Even if they didn¡¯t have ess to teleportation ¨C which, for some reason he couldn¡¯t exin, he doubted ¨C their area was probably home to plenty of game. Deer, wild hogs, and a multitude of other edible animals were native to the region, and the thought of enjoying a nice venison steak filled Elijah with a deep sense of longing. Of course, he also missed his friends. He wished he could talk to his sister. Or her family. Idly, Elijah wondered how everyone else in the world was doing. Were they struggling to survive, just like him? Or were things easier in the cities? Were there even cities left? The world had supposedly been rearranged, so there was no guarantee that there hadn¡¯t been more changes. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. He sighed. For now, mere survival was difficult enough. But what about the future? Would he be content to remain an ind hermit for months? Perhaps years? No. He needed more than that. He needed a purpose. The problem was that Elijah had never been burdened with anything of the sort. After his parents had died, he¡¯d thrown himself into his schoolwork, eventually getting his doctorate despite not really being passionate about marine biology. Sure, it was interesting enough, and he did enjoy it, but only as a job. It was never a purpose. But now, magic was real. The impossible was now possible. Not that long ago, he¡¯d spoken to a tree. With a mere thought, he could call lightning from the sky. Not to mention his healing abilities. He had power. The question was how he wanted to use it. The problem was that he didn¡¯t know the answer to that fundamental question, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he would figure it out anytime soon. Not that it was urgent. Staying alive in such an unforgiving world was hard enough to upy most of his focus. So, for the time being, he just had to keep going, and that wouldn¡¯t change until at least the spring. With that thought, Elijah let sleep overtake him. When he awoke the next morning, he embarked on his daily routine of exercise and target practice. At first, his physical attributes had improved, but they¡¯d stalled out at nine points, which just seemed to confirm his suspicions that if he wanted to go past ten, he would need to allocate his points appropriately. Still, with his ability to heal, he felt better than he had since college. He was only thirty years old, but they¡¯d been a hard thirty years filled with sports injuries. But with constant usage of Touch of Nature, the remnants of those injuries, which had presented themselves via nagging aches and pains, had faded to nothing, leaving him whole and hale. If he¡¯d had proper nutrition, Elijah would have been in the best shape of his life. After his target practice, Elijah headed to his nascent Grove, where hepleted his daily circuit powered by Nature¡¯s Bounty. The saplings seemed to have grown a few inches, and his garden of berry bushes had continued to sprout. Soon enough, he hoped to have a proper Grove. Once it crossed whatever arbitrary threshold that was imposed by his spell ¨C or maybe the System itself ¨C he would be able to test out the teleportation feature. Once he¡¯d finished his circuit, Elijah settled down next to the majestic tree at the center of the clearing, where he recast Nature¡¯s Bounty, pushing extra Ethera into it. The pathways of his soul flexed, expanding minutely with every pulse of energy only to return back to normal a momentter. However, they did seem a bit thicker than they had the day before. It might have been his imagination ¨C or wishful thinking, perhaps ¨C but his soul seemed a little sturdier. The pathways a little wider. It was as if the previous day¡¯s exertions had stretched them enough that some of the benefits remained. In some ways, it wasn¡¯t unlike his daily exercise. Repeated exertion seemed to be the key to channeling more Ethera through his soul, which he hoped would allow him to cast more powerful spells. Or maybe he was doing thingspletely wrong and he was on the verge of ruining his pathways. He had no way of knowing. But what he was doing felt right, which was enough to keep him going. Over the next six weeks, Elijah continued the rhythm of his existence. Even as the weather grew colder and more inhospitable, his days maintained the familiar cadence of improvement and the necessities of survival. From time to time, he¡¯d go back to the cliff, where he continued to observe his neighbors. The town grew, with many of the buildings gaining an extra story or two. And whether it was imagination or not, the poption seemed to increase as well. So, too, did their impact on the environment. Elijah seethed as he watched the forest¡¯s retreat, but he had no idea what to do about it. Nor was he sure if he truly cared if they cleared a little bit of the woond. There were plenty of trees out there, after all. But he felt what he felt, artificial or not, and he couldn¡¯t escape it. Toward the end of the sixth week, though, Elijah had a breakthrough that cut right through the monotony. It happened as he sat next to the tree at the center of his Grove; the saplings had continued to grow, and they were on the verge of bing proper trees. He could feel his spell teetering on the edge of activation. But that wasn¡¯t the source of his breakthrough. Instead, that distinction belonged to what he¡¯d begun to refer to as his soul cultivation. The pathways of Elijah¡¯s soul had continued to thicken; the effect was only minute, but even a small change was cause for celebration because it allowed him to channel more Ethera into Nature¡¯s Bounty, which in turn caused the spell¡¯s radius to increase. In the beginning, it had only been about ten feet wide, but now, the circle¡¯s diameter was at least fifteen feet. Following the same pattern he always did, Elijah flexed the Ethera, pushing against the boundaries of his pathways. They stretched, but he felt that they could take more, so he continued to shove more Ethera through them. Then, suddenly, something snapped. Elijah gasped as the Ethera ran wild, tearing down the limits imposed by his pathways. In the space of a second, his entire soul began to degrade under the influence of the tidal wave of Ethera. Panicking, he tried to stem the flow, but his cultivation System had no interest in following hismands. Instead, Ethera flooded through his mind, dragged into his soul from his surroundings. Meanwhile, the energy in his core came in from the other side, and when the two energies met, they did so with explosive force. The world felt like it was ripping him in two. Elijah screamed, but it was useless. He could hardly think amidst the pain, much less find a solution to the problem. Over and over, those two opposing forces crashed against one another, sending agony arcing through Elijah¡¯s body, soul, and mind. It went on for a subjective eternity as the Ethera tormented him. Before, Elijah had considered the energy benign, but free from the confines of his cultivation System, it was an incredibly destructive force. Especially when the two different vors ¨C the wild Ethera and the energy from his core ¨C shed. But Elijah endured. He couldn¡¯t have said how. He didn¡¯t know why. He just clung to his life with as much fervor as could muster as he maintained the grip on his sanity. And slowly, the shing energies transformed his pathways. But they didn¡¯t grow wider. In fact, they were destroyedpletely, and the loose Ethera was freed to rampage through his body. But as the seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours, the transformation took hold, and suddenly, he crested the peak, and his body ¨C or his soul ¨C started to absorb the Ethera. At first, it only took a trickle, but soon, that trickle became a torrent. Then, atst, Elijah¡¯s soul drank thest of the Ethera that had been raging through his body, and he copsed. When he did, a new notification appeared in his mind¡¯s eye:
Congrattions! You have cultivated a Neophyte Soul!
He only had a moment to study that notification and smile before unconsciousness overtook him. Book 1: Chapter 21: Nerthus Book 1: Chapter 21: Nerthus Elijah awoke shivering in the middle of the night. Winters in the Pacific northwest could be brutal, and it seemed that his ind was no exception. Fortunately, his initial investment into the Constitution attribute hadbined with his Body of Wood as well as One With Nature to give him significant protection from the elements. He was still cold ¨C after all, the temperatures had dropped well below freezing ¨C but his experiences told him that he was at no risk of frostbite or other issues rted to overexposure. Of course, even if that wasn¡¯t the case, he had Touch of Nature to bail him out, though that seemed like a waste of Ethera. With a groan, he opened his eyes to see an incredibly clear, starlit sky. That was one thing about being stranded in the middle of nowhere ¨C there was no light pollution, so there was nothing to obscure the tapestry of stars. In a way, it reminded Elijah of being out to sea, though even those experiences had been marred by the asional drone of an airne or a satellite streaking through the atmosphere. Now, after the onset of Ethera and the transformation of the, there was nothing of the sort. And in all the ways that counted, it was both terrifying and objectively beautiful. After all, while there was incredible beauty that hade with the transformation of the Earth, it also came with the knowledge that everything people had worked toward for thousands of years had been cast aside in the space of an instant. Elijah had no way of knowing for sure, but judging by the way the ne had crashed, technology no longer worked the same way it had before. No more electronics. No more cars. No telephones orputers. They¡¯d been shoved back into the stone age. But along with the dissolution of technology came Ethera and magic. So, hopefully, people had begun to adjust. There was no telling how many different archetypes were out there, and if Elijah¡¯s own abilities were any indication, there was plenty of reason for optimism. There was also call for cynicism as well. Elijah wanted to think the best of people, but he was realistic enough to know that they wouldn¡¯t always cooperate with that optimistic expectation. Instead, they would act ording to their own self-interests. Sure, most people would try to help others. And only a few would turn on their neighbors. But it really only took one person with power to ruin everything. One man or woman who chose to take advantage of those weaker than them could do untold damage, especially with the esction of power that came with the influx of Ethera. That¡¯s what Elijah feared more than anything. A magical tyrant so strong that no one would oppose them ¨C it was a horrifying prospect. Not that it really mattered for now. Aside from his distant neighbors across the strait, Elijah was alone. There was no one to oppress him, save for the environment itself. For a long while, Elijah justy there, his body still feeling as if it was in a state of flux. Certainly, he could already feel the changes that hade with his Neophyte soul. However, he was more than a little afraid of looking at the changes ¨C which seemed extensive ¨C wrought by his heedless pursuit of improvement. In hindsight, his actions had been stupid. He had no idea what he was doing, and because of that, it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if he¡¯d crippled himself. In fact, if he¡¯d had the wherewithal to form rational thoughts while in the middle of his soul¡¯s transformation, that was exactly what he would have expected. But against all odds, he¡¯d seeded in yet another cultivation upgrade. He opened his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 7
Archetype Druid
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 9
Dexterity 8
Constitution 11
Ethera 11
Regeneration 12
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Unformed Neophyte
Idly, he wondered what he should do with his future attributes. He¡¯d very much reaped the benefits of having a bigger pool of Ethera and increased Regeneration. But he also knew that, without physical attributes, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against more powerful creatures like the viridian monster or the panther. He hadn¡¯t forgotten how much stronger and faster they were, after all. To stand up to that level of might, he needed as much of a boost to his Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution as he could get. It was a conundrum, and it was one he didn¡¯t expect to solve in the near future. Nor did he need to. After all, he hadn¡¯t gained a level in a while, and if he had his way, he wouldn¡¯t be fighting anymore major battles anytime soon. Sure, he got a trickle of Ethera from his crab hunting, but it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to progress at any appreciable rate. It would take a concerted effort to change that, and in the middle of winter, he couldn¡¯t afford to devote himself to such a thing. Survival was hard enough without adding the danger that came with hunting for levels. So, Elijah turned his attention to the pathways of his soul, and he was more than a little surprised to find that they werepletely gone. For a moment, he wondered if the System had gotten things wrong. It had imed that he¡¯d progressed, and because of that, he¡¯d expected to find a minute increase in the size of the channels that carried his Ethera throughout his body. However, that just wasn¡¯t the case. The only thing that kept Elijah from panicking was the fact that nothing really felt wrong about it. So, he tested it the only way he knew how, dragging Ethera from his core and casting Nature¡¯s Bounty. A flood of Ethera poured out of his core, infusing his entire body. A momentter, the spell activated, and when it did, Elijah could feel that the diameter of the area of effect had more than doubled. But it didn¡¯t feel any more powerful. So, Elijah let it drop and cast Touch of Nature instead. Before, the cast had taken almost two seconds, but now, it only took half that. He tried out his other spells, finding simr results. It seemed that, for his constantly channeled spells, it simply increased the area of effect. For Nature¡¯s Bounty, that was an incredible boon because it meant that he could affect more nts at once. For something like One With Nature, though, the effect was somewhat muted and only really influenced the sensory bubble around him. With spells like Eyes of the Eagle, Storm¡¯s Fury, or Snaring Roots, the transformation of his soul merely made them activate much more quickly. Definitely useful, if not life-changing. ¡°You have only begun to walk the path of a cultivator,¡± came a voice from nearby. Elijah didn¡¯t need to look up to know that it belonged to the tree spirit. ¡°For now, you are merely setting your foundations.¡± Elijah nced at the familiar form sitting on the branch. It seemed a little bigger, but it was hard to tell in the middle of the night. Even with the moon and stars casting the de in silvery light, it was difficult to see more than shadows. ¡°What?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°The first steps are unique,¡± the tree spirit stated. ¡°You are not truly a cultivator until you have reached the first stages in body, mind, soul, and most importantly, your core. However, you are progressing well, as is proper for the protector of my de.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± was Elijah¡¯s response. ¡°What are you talking about? Protector? I¡¯m just trying to survive here.¡± ¡°You have drawn an Ancestral Circle around my de,¡± the spirit said. ¡°Using my seeds, no less. When the saplings reach maturity, our bond will beplete.¡± ¡°What bond?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°It is a symbiotic connection,¡± said the tree spirit. ¡°Your Grove will be more powerful, and with it, the speed of your cultivation will increase. However, that power does note without obligations. You must be my guardian, protecting me from those who would harvest my wood and drink my sap in hopes of growing stronger.¡± ¡°Is¡­is that possible?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°It is,¡± the tree spirit responded. ¡°Deplorable and short-sighted though it is, there are those who act as parasites, consuming all they see. Doing so will grant power, but it is fleeting. Harmony is the better path, though it is often slower.¡± Elijah could intuit a little from the spirit¡¯s exnation, chiefly that harvesting and consuming natural resources like the tree would grant power, though it would be a one-time gain. And perhaps it would only be temporary, though Elijah expected that that wasn¡¯t the case. However, he¡¯d already experienced the effects of cultivating under the tree¡¯s branches, so he knew that that was a path to Strength as well. Though, ording to the tree spirit, it was slower, yet sustainable. The optimal path seemed obvious to Elijah, but he could also see how quick gains might be appealing as well ¨C especially if growing stronger more quickly would mean survival. But Elijah had no interest in quick gains. Nor did he have any inclination to somehow harvest the tree. Doing so seemed abhorrent, and not just because of the effects of his archetype, though it surely influenced him. Instead, his reticence was born of the knowledge that the tree spirit was a sapient creature. Killing it and consuming its power ¨C however that might be aplished ¨C was grotesque. Still, Elijah understood people well enough to know that he might just be in the minority in that opinion. ¡°What do I need to do?¡± he asked. ¡°And what should I call you? I don¡¯t want to keep thinking of you as the ¡®tree spirit¡¯, you know?¡± ¡°Hmm. I have never had a name,¡± the tree responded. ¡°Perhaps¡­Nerthus. Yes, that name feels right. Nerthus.¡± ¡°Okay, Nerthus ¨C is there anything I need to do? Or should I just keep helping the other trees grow? Also, are they going to be like you? Sentient, I mean? And how do I progress my other cultivation. Like, my Mind and Core,¡± Elijah rambled. After his ordeal withying the foundations for his Soul, he felt a little giddy ¨C almost like he¡¯d drunk too much coffee. ¡°No ¨C you are doing enough,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°The saplings may one day develop spirits, but not for a very long time. Regarding your cultivation¡­I cannot say. I am limited in what information I can give a newly integrated native.¡± Elijah was a little disappointed, but he wasn¡¯t really surprised. Nerthus had been helpful, but it had always been limited in terms of what information it could convey. But that was fine. Elijah would have loved to hear more, but he¡¯d been doing okay so far. Mostly. Aside from a few speedbumps like almost getting killed by a huge, scaled monster from the ocean. Which reminded him¡­ ¡°While I¡¯ve got you here,¡± Elijah said. ¡°A few weeks back, I ran into this monster. Or I guess it ran into me. It was huge, scaly, and just felt¡­wrong. Like, just looking at it made me nauseous. Anyway, it almost killed me, but there¡¯s this panther who lives in the area ¨C we¡¯ve got kind of an understanding ¨C and between us, we managed to take it down. But it started to dpose almost immediately. None of the other animals I¡¯ve killed have been like that.¡± ¡°That is because that was not an animal,¡± responded Nerthus. ¡°It is one of the Voxx. Creatures from a different realm. Theye through portals and corrupt the verynd they walk upon. As weak as you are, if you managed to survive an attack¡­perhaps you will be a better guardian than I hoped.¡± ¡°Where do theye from?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°Somee from temporary portals,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Those are rare. I suspect that is the origin of the one you encountered. However, there are more permanent¡­¡± Nerthus trailed off, and the entire tree trembled. ¡°I am not permitted to say any more than I have,¡± it stated. ¡°I am sorry, guardian.¡± Elijah shook his head. He¡¯d have preferred more information, but he understood the tree spirits limitations. So, he resolved to be happy with what he could get. However, just when he was going to ask another question, the spirit said, ¡°I must rest now. Perhaps when youplete your Grove, I will be able to remain longer.¡± ¡°I¡­I understand,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No, guardian. Thank you,¡± stated Nerthus, its voice trailing off as it retreated into the branch upon which it had been sitting. Soon, it looked like nothing so much as another knot in the wood. Elijah sighed. He had learned quite a bit from that short conversation. First, it was incredibly important that he continue to try to explore the other facets of his cultivation. He¡¯d alreadyid the groundwork with his Body and Soul. Now, he needed to work on his Mind and Core ¨C though that would take some doing, because he didn¡¯t even know where to start. Second, he¡¯d learned of the existence of two sets of enemies. There were the people who would want to harvest creatures like Nerthus; for some reason, he expected that the coalition of dwarves, gnomes, and goblins he¡¯d seen across the strait would fall into that category, but he had no real basis for that intuitive leap. Still, with how unconcerned they seemed to be about their environment, it seemed to fit. The other ¨C the so-called Voxx ¨C were a far graver threat, probably to everyone, regardless of how they chose to interact with the world. And third, he¡¯d discovered that Nerthus¡¯s existence ¨C as well as Elijah¡¯s choice of where to grow his Ancestral Circle ¨C gave him a significant advantage. He didn¡¯t know what form that advantage might take, other than to aid him in his cultivation, but he expected that it would be important. But more than the information, Elijah was most grateful for the opportunity to engage another being in conversation. Sure, talking to a tree was a poor substitute for humanpanionship, but doing so had soothed his mind and soul to the point where he actually felt optimistic about the future. Of course, the moment that thought skittered through his mind, he remembered just how tenuous his situation was. Certainly, he¡¯d managed to find a way to survive, but that was contingent on everything remaining the same. Which was incredibly unlikely. Book 1: Chapter 22: Woodworking Book 1: Chapter 22: Woodworking For the next few weeks, Elijah fell into a rhythm. With winter tightening its grip on the area, the days shortened, and the nights grew longer. However, to his surprise, the cold didn¡¯t seem to bother him much at all ¨C which was a good thing, because aside from a makeshift nket he¡¯d stitched together from rabbit hides, he had little protection against the elements. Certainly, he¡¯d closed the cabin off by piling moss and leaves across a few upright limbs, but he¡¯d never been much for bushcraft. He knew some of the basics, and he could survive passably well, but Elijah knew he¡¯d never be much of a builder. So, his continually decreasing susceptibility to the cold was more than wee, though he had no idea if it was due to his Body of Wood or his increased Constitution attribute. Perhaps it was both. Either way, it significantly increased his chances of surviving through the winter. Fortunately, the crabs didn¡¯t seem to care what time of year it was, so his hunting continued apace. However, he did worry about theck of vitamins and carbohydrates in his diet. He did what he could to supplement his meals with seaweed that he gathered from the shore, but it was a poor substitute for a bnced diet. When his cache of berries and mushrooms ran out, he¡¯d be in real trouble. Which was why he¡¯d taken to spending much of his day trying to force his garden to grow. It was going well, and the bushes had nearly reached maturity, but it would still be some time before they sprouted anything edible. The same could be said for some wild onions he¡¯d nted nearby. To pass the time while he sat in the middle of his garden sting the nts with Nature¡¯s Bounty, Elijah busied himself with whittling. It was something he¡¯d picked up from his father, but he hadn¡¯t practiced carving in quite some time. Years, in fact, so he was more than a little rusty ¨C an issue that was further exacerbated by theck of a proper knife. He had his stone-ded knife, but it was nowhere near as good as working with a steel de. Still, so long as he went at it deliberately, he could carve something approaching recognizability. His first attempt had been Fremont, the dog he¡¯d been forced to give away, but that hade out looking more like a child¡¯s interpretation of a horse. Which meant that the only recognizable traits it borey in the fact that it had four legs and the proper basic shape. Still, with basic survivability taken care of, Elijah had quite a bit of free time ¨C and he¡¯d have more as winter truly embraced the ind. So, he¡¯d kept at it. And day by day, he improved. Even as his technique grew more practiced, his focus shifted as well, and he stopped trying to carve figures. Instead, he wanted to rece his walking stick with something a bit more borate. Which was how he found himselfbing the forest for the perfect material. The hunt hadn¡¯t gone that well. The branches he¡¯d found were almost all rotten, and even the ones that weren¡¯t were bent too far out of shape to be useful for his purposes. Still, he persisted until he found a wrist-thick branch that had only just fallen from a hickory tree. Elijah had no idea why it had fallen, but he suspected it had something to do with the fact that the base looked as if it had been chewed through by some small animal. Couple that with the winter winds that periodically swept through the ind forest, and it wasn¡¯t that difficult to figure out. Branch in hand, Elijah trekked back to his cabin and set about straightening it. In the beginning, he only had some vague ideas about how to go about the task, but he did know that it had something to do with saturating the wood with steam. Through trial and error, he¡¯de across a decent, if abor-intensive method of steaming the wood, then bending it into the proper shape. Before he¡¯d advanced his Strength, Constitution, or Regeneration, Elijah never could have kept it up for long enough to make the shapes stick. And even with his improvements, he was forced to periodically use Touch of Nature to stave off fatigue. He was also aided by One With Nature, which entuated his physical capability to the point where he suspected that he¡¯d reached the peak of human potential. Perhaps he¡¯d even exceeded it. Whatever the case, it worked, even if it was a grueling process that took days. It would have been much easier if he¡¯d had mps and proper woodworking tools, but out in the wilderness, that simply wasn¡¯t the case. Either way, it was good practice for his spells and an even better workout. After two days of working on straightening the stick, Elijah¡¯s Strength finally ticked over to ten. His Dexterity stillgged behind by a couple of points, but he had some ideas about how to remedy that ¨C once he finished his staff. Once the staff had been straightened, Elijah set about carving some decorations into it. When he started, he just focused on the process, uncaring about the result. Afterwards, he would liken it to absently doodling; however, it wasn¡¯t long before his little stone-ded knife seemed to take on a mind of its own as it carved fanciful designs in the sturdy staff. Soon enough, it started to take shape, and only when it was half-finished did Elijah realize what he¡¯d taken for inspiration. The staff looked remarkably like the tree spirit¡¯s limbs ¨C as if someone had intertwined dozens of small vines into a single structure. At first, Elijah was surprised that his mind had taken him in that direction, but the more he thought about it, the more appropriate it seemed. So, he continued along, only now he was conscious of the direction he wanted to go. As he carved ¨C a process spanning weeks and consisting of him steadily scraping the barely sharpened stone de against the wood ¨C Elijah found himself continuing to re Touch of Nature. As always, he kept One With Nature active as well, and often, it was apanied by Nature¡¯s Bounty as he coaxed his garden into maturity. Once he¡¯d finished the process, the staff looked almost natural, as if it had been grown rather than carved. In addition, even when Elijah let his spells fall away, it practically pulsed with what he¡¯d begun to consider his own vor of power ¨C a result of its constant exposure to his Ethera, no doubt. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. But it needed something else. And Elijah knew precisely what that something was. During his exploration of the wilderness, he¡¯d stumbled upon quite a few beehives. More than once, he¡¯d considered pilfering the honey ¨C not only would it provide a bit of variety to his diet, but the hive would give him ess to beeswax, which had all sorts of uses. However, he¡¯d so far decided against it because he had no apiculture skills. And Elijah had no interest in getting swarmed, even if, from a rational perspective, he knew he could heal whatever damage a few stings might cause. With his advancement in Constitution and his body cultivation, the bees might even be incapable of prating his skin. Of course, that was assuming they hadn¡¯t evolved like the crabs had. Some animals had appeared mostly unaffected by the¡¯s conversion, but others had beenpletely transformed. For instance, most of the hares he¡¯d encountered were just normal rabbits, but he¡¯d caught a few glimpses of some rabbit-like creatures that actually had horns. Who knew if the bees he¡¯d stumbled across were simrly transformed? He¡¯d observed them a few times, and they didn¡¯t look any different, but there was no way of telling if they had other new defenses. Perhaps they were even more venomous than normal, which was a terrifying thought. It was one thing to get a painful sting, but it was something else entirely if they were suddenly deadly. Even so, Elijah hade to trust his ability to heal, and he¡¯d decided to attempt to harvest one of the hives. To that end, he¡¯d chosen one close to the stream; if they swarmed him, he intended to cut and run, submerging himself in the frigid water until they lost interest. But he hoped it wouldn¡¯t be necessary. Using an ember he¡¯d carried from the cabin, Elijah started a small fire at the base of the tree where the hive was located. Then, he added green pine needles to make the fire smoke more than normal. Finally, he waved the smoke in the direction of the hive. He only had a vague idea of how it was supposed to work, but he knew that smoking the hive was the most effective method. So, that¡¯s what he did, waiting for a few minutes until he scrambled up the tree and, using his stone-ded knife, cut a huge chunk of the honeb away. Thankfully, the bees in the hive were incredibly lethargic, and though he picked up a few stings, it was nothing like the swarm he expected. Before long, he¡¯d filled a shallow, wooden bowl he¡¯d carved with the stuff, and he retreated, using Touch of Nature to heal the stings he¡¯d received. ¡°Easier than expected,¡± he muttered to himself as he made his way back to the cabin. Along the way, he felt the presence of the panther, but he said, ¡°No fish right now, your majesty, and I don¡¯t think you want to eat beeswax.¡± Still, he left a big chunk of it out, just in case he was wrong about cats and their tastes. After all, he wanted to do whatever it took to stay on the panther¡¯s good side because he¡¯d seen exactly what happened to things that drew its ire. When Elijah made it back to his cabin, he stoked the fire and ced the honeb into a pot of water. Then, he set it to boiling. Once the honeb had melted, he strained the soupy mess, then repeated the process until, atst, he had a disc of golden wax. Grinning, he set it aside and retrieved his staff. Fortunately, Elijah¡¯s father had taught him how to make his own finish, whichbined beeswax, turpentine, and linseed oil. While it would have been much easier to simply go to the store and buy the materials, Elijah had learned how to gather and prepare the proper materials from their sources. The linseed oil had been the easiest because x ¨C especially in the quantities that he needed ¨C wasn¡¯t difficult to find. After that, it had been a simple process of drying the seeds, then crushing them. It would have been better to boil the result, but that came with a host of problems, chiefly that it was difficult to do so without the oilbusting. There were ways to avoid that ¨C primarily additives ¨C but Elijah didn¡¯t really know how to source them. So, he¡¯d decided to simply use the raw paste, even if it wasn¡¯t ideal. The turpentine had a simr issue in that, ideally, it needed to be distilled, but Elijah had chosen to simply boil it and hope for the best. The results were mixed, but he expected that it would work well enough. With the various ingredients in hand, Elijah added them together like his father had taught him, resulting in a paste that he hoped would seal the wood of his new staff. Sealing wasn¡¯t absolutely necessary, but he had time to kill and a desire to do things properly. After creating the sent, Elijah dipped a corner of his shirt into the mixture and started massaging it into the wood. He went slowly, and it took him most of a day to finish the process. Meanwhile, he continued to use his various spells, almost on instinct as much as because he needed them. Finally, with his hands cramping despite his constant usage of Touch of Nature, he finished. And when he did, he got a couple of surprises. First, the weeks¡¯ worth of carving the staff had resulted in his Dexterity increasing to the point where it matched his Strength. That was somewhat expected, even if he¡¯d been too distracted to pay much attention to it. However, the second surprise was that the System recognized thepletion of the staff with a notification:
Congrattions! You have created a unique item [Staff of Natural Harmony]! This item will serve to enhance any spells, skills, or techniques with a nature aspect. Grade: Simple
¡°W-what the¡­¡± Sitting in the center of his budding Grove, where he¡¯d been ring his Nature¡¯s Bounty, Elijah was dumbfounded. He¡¯d simply meant to carve a cool-looking walking stick, but it seemed that he¡¯d overshot that mark by quite a bit. Excited, he monitored his spell, but its area of effect hadn¡¯t grown by a single inch. In fact, it seemed exactly the same as it had before he¡¯d finished the staff. And he knew good and well that Nature¡¯s Bounty had a nature aspect. It was right there in the name! So that meant he was doing something wrong. After a few minutes of frustrating experimentation, Elijah figured it out when he actively chose to channel his Ethera through the staff, as opposed to simply using his body. Instantly, the area of effect associated with Nature¡¯s Bounty grew by almost ten feet. More than that, though, the associated atmosphere of Ethera felt heavier. Denser. More potent. Elijah couldn¡¯t be sure, but he interpreted that feeling as the spell being stronger, and not just in terms of its area of effect. Which meant that the force he could bring to bear had just grown. Not only would his Grove and garden benefit from the increased power of Nature¡¯s Bounty, but he suspected that channeling Storm¡¯s Fury through the Staff of Natural Harmony would result in a more potent effect as well. ¡°A grand achievement for one so young and inexperienced,¡± came Nerthus¡¯s voice, though when Elijah looked up at the majestic tree at the center of the Grove, there was no physical representation of the spirit. Instead, the voice was disembodied, which somehow seemed even more magical. ¡°I have chosen my guardian well, it seems.¡± Then, Nerthus¡¯s presence faded away before Elijah had a chance to ask any questions. He was about to head back to the cabin when a new notification shed before his eyes, this one even more interesting than the one that had announced thepletion of his staff. Book 1: Chapter 23: Supply Run Book 1: Chapter 23: Supply Run Winter hade, nketing the region around the settlement in a thickyer of snow. The temperatures had plummeted well below freezing, and as a result, food ¨C as well as every other necessary resource ¨C had grown scarce. Alyssa and a few of the other hunters with martial archetypes hunted as much as possible, and other members of the growingmunity frequently gathered supplies from the remnants of the town. But the pickings were growing slimmer by the day. Already, the local market had been picked clean of non-perishable goods, and the gathering parties had been forced to range further with every passing week. They¡¯d found a few gas stations here and there, as well as a couple of fast-food restaurants, but for the most part, they had been forced to gather wild edibles like mushrooms and berries. With winter having descended, even those sources of food had dried up. Alyssa sat next to Carmen¡¯s forge, where her wife was busy shaping a hunk of metal into what would probably be a sword. She watched as the other woman¡¯s hammer repeatedly fell upon the hot steel. The spear that Alyssa favored ¨C another of Carmen¡¯s creations ¨C was never far away. They¡¯d been attacked often enough that she didn¡¯t dare walk around unarmed. Not anymore. Finally, Carmen was satisfied with the shape, so she shoved it into the forge ¨C which was really just a fire pit ¨C and let out a sigh. Then, she turned to Alyssa and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Alyssa said. She sat in a camp chair she¡¯d retrieved from the house when she and a few others had returned to gather any supplies they¡¯d left behind. Most of the house had been ripped to pieces by some unknown monster, but the chair ¨C along with a few other essentials ¨C had survived. ¡°Yeah ¨C not buying it,¡± Carmen said. ¡°C¡¯mon. Lay it on me.¡± ¡°Why does something have to be wrong? Can¡¯t I just want to watch my wife work?¡± she asked.¡°Again ¨C not buying it. You never stop moving unless something¡¯s gone wrong. So, what¡¯s going on?¡± Carmen asked. Alyssa sighed. ¡°Same as always. Not enough food,¡± she said. ¡°Not enough wood. Not enough of anything, really. We have almost three-hundred people living here now, and unless something changes, there¡¯s no way we can survive the winter.¡± ¡°Oh. That.¡± ¡°Yeah. That,¡± Alyssa agreed. Carmen wiped the sweat from her brow, then grabbed a huge stump she often used as a chair. It had to weigh at least three-hundred pounds, but with her enhanced Strength, she didn¡¯t even struggle with it. Carmen had always been a strong woman, but she¡¯d begun to approach superhuman levels. Of course, that hade at the cost of her other attributes, none of which had seen any significant investment. Despite Alyssa¡¯s words of caution, Carmen had no interest in increasing her Dexterity, Constitution, or the more ephemeral Ethera attributes. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to go on another supply run soon,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°I was talking to Roman about it, and he thinks we should go tomorrow.¡± ¡°Miggy won¡¯t like that,¡± Carmen said. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it either,¡± she admitted. ¡°But I¡¯m an adult, and I know what¡¯s going on here. Either you do what needs to be done, or none of us survive.¡± ¡°Someone else could go.¡± Carmen shook her head, then put her hand on Alyssa¡¯s thigh. ¡°You¡¯re the highest level here,¡± she said. ¡°Face it ¨C you¡¯re the most important person in this wholemunity.¡± ¡°Roman ¨C¡± ¡°Is an asshole who nobody likes,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°He tries. He works as hard as anybody. Harder, even. But think about it, Alyssa. Everyone sees you out there on the front lines, leading the charge. Meanwhile, Roman¡¯s in the back with all the nonbatants, firing away from rtive safety. On top of that, he¡¯s the guy who¡¯s telling everyone they can only have so much food. That they have to work or get kicked out.¡± ¡°This ce would copse without him.¡± ¡°I know that. You know that. And deep down, most other people do, too. But just because they recognize that he¡¯s essential doesn¡¯t mean they like the guy. Hell, he¡¯s saved my life twice now, and I still barely tolerate him,¡± Carmen said. The fact that most people didn¡¯t particrly care for Roman wasn¡¯t news to Alyssa, though she certainly didn¡¯t think it was fair. Without his influence, the smallmunity would have long since failed. People would have starved if he hadn¡¯t instituted rationing or insisted that everyone had to contribute in some way. Whether it was gathering or hunting, no one was exempt from food procurement duties. ¡°He¡¯s a good man.¡± ¡°Again, not arguing that he isn¡¯t,¡± Carmen said, holding up her hands in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m just saying he¡¯s an asshole. And nobody likes assholes.¡± Alyssa shook her head, then leaned over, her head in her hands as she massaged her temples. She certainly hadn¡¯t signed up to lead amunity, and she didn¡¯t think she was cut out for it. However, because she¡¯d reached level nine ¨C making her the highest level person in the settlement ¨C people looked to her for guidance. As she went, themunity would follow. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she said. ¡°I think it matters more than you want to admit, but okay,¡± Carmen said. ¡°So ¨C how far do you think you¡¯ll have to go?¡± Alyssa shrugged. ¡°At least a few miles,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe further. Last time he climbed the water tower, Rick said he thought he saw some buildings about ten miles to the north. So, at worst, we¡¯ll have to go there.¡± ¡°Any signs its inhabited?¡± ¡°Not by people,¡± Alyssa answered. Not for the first time, she tried to wrap her head around how much the world had been transformed. Before, Easton had been only a few miles from Seattle¡¯s city limits, but now, there was nothing but forest for dozens of miles all around, with only pockets of the abandoned remnants of civilization. Alyssa had confirmed it for herself when she¡¯d climbed the water tower at the center of town. It seemed that they¡¯d managed to gather all the local survivors into one ce, which was both horrifying and gratifying. Horrifying because it suggested that the mortality rate approached seventy or eighty percent. On the other hand, the fact that everyone was willing to gather in one spot and work together for the greater good was certainly a good thing. Alyssa had seen enough post-apocalyptic movies where the world was ruled by warlords to be thankful that such a fate hadn¡¯te to pass. Perhaps it was different in more popted areas. Or maybe not. Either way, she couldn¡¯t concern herself with hypotheticals that couldn¡¯t be proved one way or another. Instead, she needed to focus on her own situation. For a while, she and Carmen sat together, just enjoying one another¡¯spany. Miguel was in the main building with the other surviving children. Without the benefit of an archetype ¨C the cut-off seemed to be fifteen-years-old ¨C they weren¡¯t yet equipped to make it in the new world. ¡°Are you going to be back for Christmas?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°I hope so,¡± Alyssa answered, fervently hoping that she could spend the holiday ¨C if such a thing even mattered anymore ¨C with her family. It was three days away ¨C as far as they could tell, at least ¨C and she wanted more than anything to be there for what would probably be a very subdued celebration. However, the needs of the many outweighed her desire for family time. She hoped Miguel understood why she just didn¡¯t have as much time for him as she would have liked. Eventually, duty called, and Alyssa bade her wife goodbye. After that, she stopped by to see Miguel before reporting to the armory. She was the first of the hunters to do so, which gave her a few minutes to look her status over: If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Name Alyssa Hart
Level 9
Archetype Warrior
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 10
Dexterity 10
Constitution 10
Ethera 7
Regeneration 7
Attunement None
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Unformed Unformed Unformed Unformed
Unlike Carmen, Alyssa had chosen to spread the sixteen free attribute points out, allocating a few into each category. She¡¯d brought all of her physical attributes to double digits, but Ethera and Regeneration hadgged a little behind. The benefits were apparent, and she felt stronger, more coordinated, and far more durable than she ever had before. She¡¯d never been in bad shape, but with the increased physical capability that came with her new attributes, Alyssa had no trouble throwing a grown man over her shoulder in a fireman¡¯s carry. She knew that because she¡¯d been forced to do just that on more than one asion, and even hindered by the extra weight, she could sprint at speeds appropriate for a professional athlete. And during her frequent hunts, she¡¯d also taken enough wounds to know precisely how much more durable she¡¯d be. Attacks that would have once been debilitating were far less severe, and she healed from them far more quickly than ever before. But even with her increased attributes, the most important change hade from her abilities:
Archetype: Warrior A versatile melee archetype, proficient with most weaponry. Features bonuses to durability, Strength, and learning martial techniques. Required Aspect: [Martial]
Abilities
Heavy Blow Increase the damage of your melee attacks by 5%. Toggled personal augmentation.
Charge Dash forward at 200% your normal speed for three seconds. Your next attack will do 30% more damage.
Shockwave Stomp the ground, sending a wave of force to stun opponents. Incapacitates lesser enemies.
Hardened Skin Increase your Constitution by one (1) point per level. Current: Nine (9). Toggled personal augmentation
Recover Focus your Ethera, tripling your Regeneration.
Impale Strike an enemy, causing damage over time.
Bulwark Summon a shield of Ethera to protect allies.
Weapon Mastery Grants basicpetence with any weapon.
Champion¡¯s Shout Strike fear into your enemies¡¯ hearts, weakening their resolve.
Enrage Channel Ethera into rage, increasing all physical attributes.
All of her abilities were powerful, though a few of them came with significant caveats. For instance, Recover allowed her to heal from grievous injuries in a fraction of the time that would normally be required, but it rapidly drained her Ethera as well. The other abilities were also limited, either by Ethera, time, or an ephemeral cap on how many self-buffs she could maintain. At present, she usually had Heavy Blows active, but she¡¯d found a few asions where Hardened Skin was more useful. The only one that didn¡¯t seem to count toward her limit was Weapon Mastery, which seemed to always be active, regardless of the situation. Alyssa was busy considering it when the others arrived. First, there was Tony ¨C one of the town¡¯s Rangers. Thin and dark-skinned, he was level six, which made him the fourth highest leveled person in themunity behind Alyssa, Carmen, and Roman. ¡°Hey,¡± he said as he came into the room. Following him was Fiona, a mousey woman who¡¯d chosen the Sorcerer archetype. Then, finally, Trish came into view. She was one of only three Healers in the settlement. Alyssa had argued against her inclusion, but Trish had insisted uponing, citing the very probable need for a healer. Alyssa had reluctantly acknowledged that the blonde woman was right, but she¡¯d have still preferred it if one of the other healers had been avable. They all exchanged greetings before Alyssa said, ¡°I guess we need to get going. If we move quickly, we should be able to make it to the Robinson House before nightfall.¡± There wasn¡¯t much else to say, so they quickly set out, passing through the building¡¯s lobby, then crossing the parking lot, and exiting through the gate. Often, Alyssa found herself marveling at how much had changed, and in only a handful of months. Tony ranged ahead, using his abilities to stay hidden as he scouted their route. Periodically, he would return to the road to report his findings while the others moved at a much more sedate pace. Alyssa could have gone much faster, but neither Trish nor Fiona had invested heavily in their physical attributes. Even so, Alyssa knew that if they were attacked, both would prove their worth. Gradually, they covered ground until, as the sun began to set, they reached arge log cabin. The mailboxbeled it as belonging to the Robinsons, though no one knew what had happened to the original owners. What they did know was that the house, with its sturdy walls, made for a great shelter, and it had often been used as such by foragers who needed to spend the night away from the settlement. Though it was technicallybeled as a log cabin, the house was more of a mansion than anything else. The sort of ce the incredibly wealthy built, and when they stayed there, they called it roughing it. So, to make it safe, Alyssa and the others had been forced to board the windows and block most of the doors. That had been months back, and the house had proved its worth on more than one asion. So, as the group settled in for the night, they had every reason to feel secure. They weren¡¯t. A little after midnight, something huge and scaly burst through the door, tearing it free of its hinges. Alyssa, who was the one who happened to be on watch at the time, sprang into action, using Champion¡¯s Shout. At the sound of Alyssa¡¯s raised voice, the creature stumbled a bit, but it was otherwise unaffected. Shocked, Alyssa raised her spear and sprang forward, engaging the massive creature so the others would have a chance to respond. Book 1: Chapter 24: The Monster Book 1: Chapter 24: The Monster Alyssa leaped toward the monster before she even took the time to properly analyze it. Using Impale, she thrust her spear forward, but to her horror, the creature¡¯s heavy scales turned the de aside. Off-bnce, she couldn¡¯t arrest her momentum quickly enough to keep herself from ramming into it, shoulder-first. It took the blow, skidding backward only a few scant inches. She stomped on its talon-like foot, using Shockwave at the same time. Disoriented, the monstershed out with a backhanded blow that took Alyssa in the chest. She felt her ribs break before she flew backward, only slowing when she hit one of the room¡¯s couches. It flipped, and she tumbled to a stop a few feetter. Owing to her enhanced Constitution, Alyssa maintained consciousness, albeit barely. However, painnced through her chest with every breath, and after only a couple of ragged gasps, she coughed up blood. Knowing she didn¡¯t have much of a choice, she used Recover. In addition to rapidly draining her Ethera, the ability was only usable once every couple of days, so she usually kept it in reserve for emergencies. But with what felt like a punctured lung, she thought the current situation counted as just that. Instantly, she felt better, though it would still take some time for the increased Regeneration to heal the damage. But it was enough to mend the punctured lung in short order, which was all that really mattered to get her back on her feet. Using her spear as a lever, she pushed herself upright in time to see a Fireball hit the monster in the face. That brief bit of illumination showed her a creature that resembled nothing she¡¯d ever seen before. With blue-green scales, ted ridges above its eyes, and a squashed visage, the thing was wholly unique. More, it was a little shorter than her, though from the muscles rippling beneath its scales, it wasn¡¯t difficult to see how it had managed to knock her across the room with a single blow. The Fireball sent it stumbling backward, and Alyssa saw a blurry shadow materialize behind the monster. A secondter, Tony appeared, stabbing his sword into the monster¡¯s back. Hissing loudly, it wheeled around much more quickly than any of them could have anticipated. Tony tried to retreat, but he was far too slow. The monster¡¯s w shot out, easily tearing through Tony¡¯s thin, leather armor. It didn¡¯t stop there. In fact, it didn¡¯t even slow when it hit flesh, and an instantter, the w burst through Tony¡¯s back. Blood sttered against the broken door, and the shocked Ranger desperately tried to wrench himself free. But it was a futile effort.The monster pulled him close. Another Fireball hit it in the back, but it paid no heed. Instead, it cocked its head to the side as it listened to Tony¡¯s increasingly desperate screams. Then, to Alyssa¡¯s horror, its tongue snaked out, running along Tony¡¯s face. Then, it tilted its head back and let out a hissingugh. Alyssa marshalled her courage and shouted, ¡°Run! I¡¯ll hold it!¡± Dashing forward on wobbly legs, she tried to bound over the couch, but she stumbled. She caught herself, but by that point, it was toote. The damage had been done. Alyssa¡¯s shout had gotten the creature¡¯s attention, and it responded by tossing Tony aside. He crumpled to the ground in a boneless heap. Alyssa barely saw it. Instead, she struggled to get her boar spear set. And to her eternal surprise, she managed to jam her foot down on the butt of the spear just in time. The stunned monster bounded forward, impaling itself with its own momentum. The de bit deep before the shaft snapped. And then it was on her. In a panic, Alyssa used Hardened Skin, recing Heavy Blows just before its ws reached her. She fell back, shielding her face with her forearms. The creature¡¯s ws shredded her leather armor like it wasn¡¯t even there. Then, it got to her flesh, which fared no better. Despite her enhanced Constitution, the monster¡¯s talons ripped through her with ease, sending great gouts of blood to coat the walls. Alyssa went into shock, but she kept her wits about her enough to pull her machete from the sheath at her waist. With the monster¡¯s ws digging into her chest, she went to work. Screaming, she activated Enrage, flooding her body with her furious rage. The ability to think rationally fled before the onught of emotion. The de fell, dislodging one of the rigid scales above the monster¡¯s slitted eye. It howled in pain, trying to retract its w, but Alyssa grabbed hold of its wrist and swung again. And again. When she pulled the de back, it was coated in blood. She swung again and was rewarded with a wet thunk. At some point, her own screams joined the monster¡¯s cries. Vaguely, Alyssa recognized another Fireball sshing against the creature¡¯s back, but she couldn¡¯t be bothered to care. Her mind was swimming in a sea of fury, and the only thing keeping her conscious was the next swing. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. And the next after that. Over and over, Alyssa swung that machete. Each attack bit a little deeper until its screams became whimpers. Then, Enrage ran its course. It onlysted a few short moments. Twenty seconds, at most. Normally, that was enough to win any battle. But this was no normal creature, and though she¡¯d wounded the monster, she hadn¡¯t put it down. Her shoulders sagged, and her next attack was like swinging through water. The results were predictable. Alyssa¡¯s machete hit the creature¡¯s wounded head, but robbed of any momentum, it did almost nothing. The scaled monster recognized the difference, and it reacted with crity, slinging Alyssa across the room, where she collided with one of the pirs holding the roof upright. It splintered. Someone screamed. Another Fireball smashed into the monster, catching it off guard. It stumbled. And Tony, who¡¯d somehow clung to life and crawled into position,tched onto the monster¡¯s ankle and shouted, ¡°Run!¡± It came out in a croak that Alyssa, in her dazed, wounded, and drained state, barely understood. Another Fireball hit the monster, preventing it from rising. The mes sshed onto the floor, catching the rug on fire. That was when Alyssa¡¯s struggling mind put things together. The glow she¡¯d barely noticed wasn¡¯t from Fiona¡¯s Fireballs. Not directly. Rather, the entire cabin had caught fire, and it was on the verge of bing a raging inferno. Someone grabbed Alyssa by the armpits, and suddenly, she was being dragged across the floor. Slowly. So, so slowly. She muttered, ¡°Leave me¡­save¡­save yourself¡­¡± But Trish wasn¡¯t going to do that. She couldn¡¯t move Alyssa, either. Not with enough speed. She needed a different strategy. Fortunately, she was a Healer. Often, Trish forgot that fact,rgely because using her lone spell came with a significant cooldown. If she used Mend, she would be useless afterwards. So, like Alyssa¡¯s strategy concerning Recover, she saved it for emergencies. However, unlike Alyssa, she was terrible at determining when there was no other choice, so she often waited too long, or simply forgot to use it entirely. Some of that was mitigated by her husband¡¯s influence; so long as Roman ¨C or someone else with a decent head for battle ¨C was around, Trish was an extremely valuable asset. Still, even Trish was capable of seeing that, if she was going to save Alyssa, she had little choice but to use her spell. So, that was what she did. Vitality rushed into Alyssa, mending her broken bones, ruptured organs, and rent flesh. In less than a second, Alyssa was in perfect condition. She shouted, ¡°Fiona! Target the pirs!¡± The Sorceress didn¡¯t hesitate to follow Alyssa¡¯s orders. Meanwhile, Alyssa found the remnants of her boar spear and threw it at the monster. The splintered shaft flew true, miraculously hitting the creature in its wounded skull. It howled, then tried to charge. However, with Tony still tangled in its legs, it quickly tipped over. One look was all she needed to determine that the Ranger had died. He¡¯d used thest of his energy to give them a chance, and Alyssa wasn¡¯t going to waste it. So, she grabbed Trish¡¯s arm and yelled, ¡°Evacuate!¡± Alyssa, Fiona, and Trish ran, making for the back door. Along the way, Fiona continued to use her spell to set the interior of the cabin on fire. And then, suddenly, they were free. Stumbling in the snow, the trio went down in a heap, and a secondter, the roof copsed in a giant congration of burning wood. Alyssa rolled over and pushed herself to her feet. If the monster could survive that, then they¡¯d never had any chance to kill it. Still, she watched for a long few minutes as the building steadily sumbed to the fire. ¡°W-what the hell was that thing?¡± Fiona asked atst. Despite the battle, the small woman had escaped almostpletely unscathed. But that wasn¡¯t a surprise. She had an ability that protected her from fire, and she¡¯d never been in the thick of the fight. Trish was a little worse off, but she¡¯d escapedrgely unharmed. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± ¡°It felt wrong.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± asked Alyssa, turning to Trish. The other woman had turned away, clearly struggling with what had happened. Alyssa reached out tofort her, but Trish pulled away, retreating a couple of steps. ¡°You didn¡¯t feel it? Even just thinking about it makes me want to throw up,¡± she said, gesturing toward the mes. ¡°I felt it,¡± Fiona said. Alyssa shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I wasn¡¯t¡­I guess I just wasn¡¯t in any state to notice,¡± she stated, watching the fire burn. As she did, she drew her backup weapon ¨C the long dagger she kept strapped to her thigh. After all, even if the creature was dead¡­ Wait. She hadn¡¯t felt an influx of experience. The monster hadn¡¯t died. No sooner had that thought crossed her mind than a ming figure burst free of the burning building. Its scales were half-melted, and it screeched in obvious pain. But it wasn¡¯t dead. Not yet. It raced across the snow-covered ground. Alyssa reacted, trying to intercept it. Fiona shouted. And Trish froze. The monster hit her with the force of a runaway car, ripping through herparatively soft body with ease. If Alyssa had ever wondered about the effects of her inted Constitution, she only needed to remember how Trish was practically torn apart. Alyssa had endured a simr attack, and though it was enough to have killed her without the Healer¡¯s intervention, she had more or less remained intact. Trish couldn¡¯t make that im. In fact, she couldn¡¯t do anything as her body ragdolled across the terrain, leaving a wide smear of blood behind. Alyssa shouted, then leaped upon the monster¡¯s back. mes licked at her, but she didn¡¯t care. Her fury wasn¡¯t as all-epassing as it had been under the effects of Enrage, but it wasn¡¯t far off, either. Her dagger rose, then fell. Over and over, as she dug through monster¡¯s weakened scales. It tried to dislodge her. It iled, screeching and screaming. But Alyssa wouldn¡¯t be denied. And eventually, her de bit into its brain. Still, it took three more blows before it finally went limp, falling to the melting snow. Alyssa kept going until, atst, Fiona grabbed her by the arms and dragged her away. By that point, she had taken a few burns, but she wasn¡¯t concerned with that. Instead, she only cared about making the monster pay. So, when, atst, it perished, all the fight went out of her. Vaguely, she was aware of some notifications sshing across her inner eye, but she ignored them as she looked at Trish¡¯s limp body. The woman was dead, practically ripped in two. ¡°Oh, God,¡± she muttered. ¡°Oh my God.¡± Fiona didn¡¯t respond because there was nothing else for either of them to say. Book 1: Chapter 25: Ladder Book 1: Chapter 25: Ladder Elijah wasn¡¯t sure what it meant. Certainly, on the most basic level, the list floating before his inner eye was easily understood. There was no mistaking that much. But the implications were far more difficult to figure out. Still, he studied it, starting with a simple message:
Five months have passed since the World Tree reached this world, giving inhabitants enough time to establish themselves. These are the future leaders of your:
Had it really been five months? It didn¡¯t seem like it. But then again, even before the onset of winter, the days had begun to blend together. So, the passage of so much time didn¡¯te as too jarring of a surprise. Even so, it did give him hope that soon enough, winter would release the area from its cold grip. When it did, he could hopefully progress past mere survival and to something more fulfilling. Perhaps he could even figure out a way to cross the strait. In any case, Elijah moved on to the second notification, which was a list:
1. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 262. Sadie Song ¨C Level 25 3. Lisa Song ¨C Level 24 4. Hu Shui ¨C Level 24 5. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 21 6. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 19 7. Kimberly Jackson ¨C Level 18 8. Michael King - Level 18 9. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 17 10. Theresa Dupont ¨C Level 16 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­ 99. Caleb Jameson ¨C Level 11 100. Franklin Rich ¨C Level 11
Elijah¡¯s eyes swept over the list, but unsurprisingly, he found that he didn¡¯t recognize any of the names. But if it represented the top one-hundred people in the world ¨C at least regarding levels ¨C that wasn¡¯t unexpected. Still, Elijah was a little disappointed that his name wasn¡¯t on the list. Of course, that wasn¡¯t a surprise either. Not really. It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine the benefits of many people working together or using modern weapons, assuming those still worked. By contrast, Elijah was stranded on an ind all alone, and he was preupied with mundane concerns like staying warm, finding water, or gathering enough food. It was only recently that he¡¯d managed to branch out into woodworking, and even that was more to pass the time when the weather didn¡¯t cooperate. So, discovering that he wasn¡¯t at the peak of humanity shouldn¡¯t have annoyed him. But it still did for some reason. And it only took him a few minutes to figure out why. First, he¡¯d internalized the idea that he would be Nerthus¡¯s protector. Part of that was clearly rooted in the connection he felt to nature ¨C and subsequently, to the tree spirit ¨C but it was also because Nerthus had helped him quite a bit, answering his questions and guiding his cultivation. So, if Elijah could repay the tree spirit by bing its guardian, then he would. In addition, Elijah suspected that, as the tree spirit matured ¨C and his Grove right alongside it ¨C he would be exposed to some benefits that might make him stronger. Or, at the very least, make the ind much safer. If Elijah had encountered the Voxx, then surely, the rest of humanity had as well. And that wasn¡¯t even considering things like that giant flying creature that had downed the ne. No ¨C it was a dangerous world out there, and having a safe home was incredibly important. Finally, Elijah found the idea of quantifiable improvement to be somewhat habit-forming. That feeling he¡¯d gotten as he improved his body cultivation, as he¡¯d gained attribute points either via leveling or through rigorous exercise, or as he¡¯d set the foundations for his soul¡¯s cultivation ¨C it was all addictive in a way he couldn¡¯t really exin. And he wanted more. More levels. More spells. Better cultivation. And seeing that so many people had already exceeded his aplishments was a little frustrating. But it was also inevitable. Elijah was honest enough with himself to know that he had never been what anyone would categorize as the peak of humanity. He was smart and athletic, but he was never the smartest or most physically gifted. But could he change that? Perhaps. Either way, Elijah feltpelled to chase the people on that list, which somehow seemed like it might have been the point. He had no idea what the purpose of the System was, but it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that it wanted them to grow stronger. Elijah studied the list for quite some time before, finally, dismissing the notification. When he did, he found that he could recall it with only a thought, much like he could with his status or his spell book. As he gave the rankings some thought, he circled his Grove, ring Nature''s Bounty along the way. The saplings were on the cusp of reaching maturity, and Elijah found himself keenly looking forward to thepletion of his Ancestral Circle. Once that was done, he would be free to explore the ind a little more. As it was, he was limited to how far he could go because he had to leave enough time to get back to the cabin. But if he could teleport, that would change everything. Once hepleted two revolutions, Elijah headed back to the cabin. Once there, he made some crab-and-mushroom stew before settling down for the night. He had a nket of rabbit furs that he¡¯d stitched together with his natural cordage, so for the first time that day, he felt warm. As hey there, he recalled the rankings a few times, but nothing had changed. So, he summoned his status to see his own progress:
Name Elijah Hart
Level The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. 7
Archetype Druid
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 10
Dexterity 10
Constitution 11
Ethera 11
Regeneration 12
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Unformed Neophyte
He¡¯d finally managed to reach his original goal of getting each of his attributes to double digits, but nothing else had changed. The fact that Constitution hadn¡¯t naturally gained any additional points seemed to support the idea that progressing past ten in any category required the investment of the free attribute points that came with leveling. Or perhaps the consumption of natural treasures would help with that. Given that he spent a few hours of each day next to one of those natural treasures suggested that the benefits were more esoteric than a few attribute points, though. Maybe that was how people advanced their cultivation. Or maybe those natural treasures could be turned into powerful items like his Staff of Natural Harmony. The possibilities were endless, and without more information, Elijah had no way of knowing the truth of the matter. In fact, his ignorance had be one of his biggest weaknesses, though one without much in the way of solutions. He could only keep plugging along as he tried to survive at least until spring. Once the seasons turned, he could reevaluate his position. So, he fell asleep, secure in the mandate to simply keep doing what he was doing. Hopefully, things could change as the temperatures rose. The next morning, Elijah awoke to an intense blizzard that had already left the forest coated in ice and covered in ayer of deep snow. But he knew it wouldn¡¯t end soon, judging by the storm¡¯s fury. Thankfully, the cabin was well-ced, so his home was protected from the harsh winds and driving snow. Even so, it made everything more difficult. Even getting water became a chore, and not for the first time, Elijah found himself grateful for thebination of his Body cultivation and enhanced Constitution. Without it, he would no doubt have frozen, if for no other reason than because he didn¡¯t have proper clothing. The shirt he¡¯d been wearing when he''d washed ashore had slowly been repurposed for various tasks, and his pants had been ripped and torn by the crabs. Where his shoes had gone, he had no idea, but he¡¯d been barefoot from the very beginning. That outfit ¨C orck thereof ¨C would have been fine for a tropical ind, but in the middle of a Pacific Northwest winter, it should have been a death sentence. Fortunately, his advancements had taken the bite out of the frigid temperatures, and any other issues that might¡¯ve cropped up could be removed by Touch of Nature. Still, being stranded in the middle of a blizzard wearing nothing but a pair of pants was anything but pleasant, even if it was no longer deadly. The next couple of weeks were more of the same, with Elijah being more or less confined to the cabin. He still had to trudge through the snow to get water, and he kept up his efforts with the Grove. Otherwise, he remained secluded in the rtive warmth of the cabin, covered in his makeshift rabbit-fur nket as he maintained One With Nature and periodically pulsed Touch of Nature to stave off frostbite. Over that time, Elijah lost any excess fat, giving his alreadypact frame a lean, stringy appearance. His sandy blonde curls continued to lengthen into a wild nest of hair, and his beard grew into something a lumberjack would be proud of. Meanwhile, to distract himself, Elijah explored his cultivation. First, he spent quite some time trying to familiarize himself with the new shape of his soul, which felt far more amorphous than the pathways had been. Because of that, the flow of Ethera was less constrained, which resulted in the gains he¡¯d already seen. But beyond that, he was incapable of discovering a way to continue his advancement. The same could be said for his Body, which was even less responsive than his Soul, leading him to the conclusion that he was missing something vitally important. But secluded as he was, without even Nerthus to guide him, Elijah had no idea how to progress. Thankfully, his Mind was a different story altogether, and after weeks of poking and prodding, hetched onto something that felt important. In a lot of ways, it was an intuitive leap. But in others, it made so much sense that Elijah found himself wondering why it had taken him so long. Of course, the crux of the matter was that, like all the other facets of cultivation, it was incredibly ufortable, which meant that it wasn¡¯t something a person could just stumble upon. Instead, it required focused effort, which, once Elijah decided to pursue it, was one of the few things he had in abundant supply. The technique ¨C if it could even be called such a thing ¨C was simple in that it only required him to flex his mind to such a point that the flow of ambient Ethera increased. In principle, easy. In practice, it was far from it, and on more than a few days, it resulted in a crippling headache. But Elijah felt like he made progress all the same. He might not have been capable of reaching the levels of the people he saw on the rankings list, but he found himself driven by the hope that his cultivation might be even more valuable than a few extra levels. Besides, as ufortable ¨C and often painful ¨C as it was, it at least gave Elijah an opportunity for improvement, which with the weather the way it was, was in short supply. Then, one day, the weather began to change. At first, Elijah thought it was just a warm fronting through the area, but after a few more weeks of steadily warmer temperatures, he reasoned that winter had finally released the region from its grip. It still wasn¡¯tfortable, but at least the frost melted, and the animals began to stir. So it happened that a little over two months after the rankings had been released, spring managed to shoulder winterpletely aside. And with that came the moment for which Elijah had been working for months ¨C thepletion of the Grove, heralded by a notification from the System:
Congrattions! Your Grove has reached maturity. Teleportation function of [Ancestral Circle] will be avable after forging the bond with the Grove.
Elijah pumped his fist in celebration, grinning broadly as he threw the nket aside. Thankfully, it was already morning, so he didn¡¯t have to wait before heading toward the Grove to check things out. So, he gathered his handwoven satchel and his staff before leaving the cabin behind. The air still had a chill to it, and some of the snow remained unmelted. However, most of the ground was clear. As a result, he made good time as he traversed the forest, making his way to the Grove. To his surprise, the saplings ¨C or trees, now ¨C looked to have grown ten feet overnight. That took him by surprise, but in a world of magic, his shock didn¡¯tst long. The trees themselves were still dwarfed by Nerthus, though they were clearly from the same species. One day, perhaps they would attain sentience as well. Or maybe not, considering that, regardless of how they looked, Nerthus felt different than the other trees. Either way, Elijah was more than a little excited to bond with his newly finished Grove. Once he¡¯d made his way to the center of the meadow, he settled down under Nerthus¡¯s broad limbs before dragging Ethera from his core and pushing it into Ancestral Grove.
Synergy found. Do you wish to bind yourself to the Grove of Nerthus?
Even though Elijah was a little wary of the Grove¡¯s name, Nerthus had been nothing but helpful. And besides, it wasn¡¯t like he had the desire or opportunity to grow another Grove. In his exploration of the ind, he hadn¡¯t discovered enough free space to nt a circle of trees, and besides, he¡¯d been working on the Grove for months, saturating it with his magic at every step of the way. Regardless of the name, it was as much his as it was Nerthus¡¯s de. So, Elijah consented to the binding. A momentter, a presence erupted in his mind, sending him reeling until he copsed to his knees. Perhaps he should have been more careful after all. Book 1: Chapter 26: Domain Book 1: Chapter 26: Domain It was like a bomb going off in Elijah¡¯s head. If he¡¯d thought using One With Nature was a little overwhelming, then the deluge of sensory input that came when he¡¯dpleted the Grove nearly crushed his mind into pulp. He could feel everything, right down to the smallest insect, screaming inside his head. But more than that, he knew things he had no business knowing. Like the existence of forty-two squirrels within a hundred yards of the Grove. Or exactly how many treesprised the forest in that same area. Or how many leaves were on the ground. If he concentrated, he could even say precisely how many grains of dirt were within his range. And given that he could sense everything within a hundred yards of the outside edge of his Grove, that was a lot of dirt. That sudden awareness washed over him, and for a long time, he was rendered insensate. Drool fell from the corner of his mouth as hey there, staring up at the sky but seeing nothing. Elijah very nearly lost himself to it. Even as day wore into night, and the night into the next day, Elijah didn¡¯t move a muscle. Then, suddenly, he began to limate. The adaptation took another day, during which he gradually filtered the awareness down to a minimum. It was still there, hovering at the edge of his consciousness and threatening to overwhelm him. However, he kept it at bay via sheer concentration. It wasn¡¯t pleasant, but he could do it. Probably. So long as he didn¡¯t lose his grip. Which didn¡¯t seem all that likely. But he¡¯d survived it once, and he could do it again, even if that definitely wasn¡¯t his goal. But what if he increased his Mind¡¯s cultivation? Would that ease the burden? Or was thatpletely unrted? He¡¯d long since decided that the term didn¡¯t really refer to his mental capacity. Instead, it seemed wholly focused on his ability to draw Ethera into his Soul. But it couldn¡¯t hurt, could it? So, sitting there, Elijah went back to his homemade Mind cultivation technique. When he first pulled against the ambient Ethera, he nearly lost control and let the awareness nket his consciousness once again. However, he barely managed to maintain the partition he¡¯d created to hold it in ce. Still, it made things that much more difficult because he had to split his attention into two directions. Gradually, he funneled more and more Ethera through his mind and into his Soul. It had nowhere to go, so it slowly seeped from his pores and dissipated back into the air, but Elijah kept going. In some ways, it felt like lifting weights with his mind. Each pull was like a bench press repetition, though with the added difficulty that came with maintaining the partition, it was probably more like doing so with one hand while drawing a portrait with another. Or something like that. In any case, Elijah didn¡¯t have the mental capacity for metaphors. Instead, he focused his entire brain on the task at hand. And slowly, the depth of his pulls began to increase. Bit by bit, his capacity for input grew. However, as he worked, Elijah noticed an issue. The more Ethera he absorbed through his Mind, the flimsier the partition became. So, he had to spend almost as much concentration keeping it in ce as he spent increasing his capacity. It was as if, for every step forward, he took two steps back. So, after a while, he started shifting some of the Ethera into the partition. It seemed counterintuitive, and Elijah had no real idea what he was doing. Instead, he was just going by instinct. Fortunately, it seemed like that was thest piece of the puzzle, and only an hourter, the Ethera took on a mind of its own. He barely even had to focus, and a river of Ethera flowed into his Mind. Wider and wider, the aperture of his Mind grew until, atst, something shifted, and the flow stemmed down to a trickle, leaving cidity in its wake. It was only after a few minutes of that peace that he realized he had a new notification:
Congrattions! You have cultivated an Opal Mind!
¡°You did well,¡± came the rough, yet curiously high-pitched voice of the tree spirit, Nerthus. Elijah looked up from where he was sitting to see that the spirit had once again taken on its tiny humanoid form, but this time, it had descended from its customary tree branch to stand beside him. Only then did Elijah realize that it was resting a hand on his shoulder. Unknowable energy flowed from its touch; it felt like the natural Ethera he¡¯d experienced when cultivating his Body of Wood, but it was far deeper and infinitely more powerful. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elijah croaked, his throat raspy with thirst. ¡°H-how long?¡± ¡°You have been cultivating for a week,¡± Nerthus replied. ¡°Before that, you were lying here in the Grove for three days.¡± ¡°Ten days?¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡­how am I still alive?¡± ¡°I lent you some of my power,¡± the spirit responded. ¡°After all, you are the protector of my Grove. Or you will be. The bond goes both ways.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. That was news to Elijah. He¡¯d just wanted to empower his spell so he could teleport around. But now, it seemed that he¡¯d made some kind of pact with a nature spirit of indeterminate power. That didn¡¯t seem like it was going to go so well, especially considering the disparity in Strength and Elijah¡¯s admitted ignorance. ¡°What does that entail?¡± he asked. ¡°And I thought you said thatpleting the Ancestral Circle would bind us together.¡± ¡°I may have stretched the truth. You must consent to the bond, lest I be expelled from your Ancestral Circle,¡± Nerthus stated, looking down on him with its wooden eyes. Its face was capable of movement, but only just, so the effect was akin to talking to a puppet. ¡°But it benefits you in a number of ways. I will manage the Grove, empowering it to levels far beyond what it could reach naturally. And you will guard me against all external threats.¡± ¡°And this benefits me how?¡± Elijah asked. Nerthus answered, ¡°Cultivation beyondpare. You will advance faster and more easily than any of your contemporaries. In a year¡¯s time, this Grove will be home to the densest nature-attuned Ethera on this. And that is just the beginning. I will also prevent any intrusions from the Voxx. No towers. No portals. You will have a safe ce to call home.¡± That certainly sounded good to Elijah, but he felt that his end of the bargain might prove more than a little difficult. After all, he wasn¡¯t very strong; indeed, he wasn¡¯t even on the powerdder, so he wasn¡¯t sure exactly how well he could protect himself, much less the Grove. Likely seeing that Elijah wasn¡¯t convinced, Nerthus said, ¡°I will also grow you a home. Yes ¨C in a few months, you will have a home worthy of the dryads of Drathimar.¡± Elijah had no idea where Drathimar was, but in mythology, dryads were nature spirits. Perhaps they were just another race of creatures simr to the dwarves, gnomes, and goblins he¡¯d seen across the strait. Still, he wasn¡¯t convinced. So, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. This doesn¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Please,¡± Nerthus pleaded, more emotion than it¡¯d thus far shown evident in its voice. ¡°If you do not agree, I will be cast back to my home world. It is terrible there. No chance of advancement at all. That is why I chose to¡­¡± Its voice petered out, and Elijah expected that it was because the System didn¡¯t want Nerthus to say anything else. ¡°I¡¯m not against it, okay?¡± he said. And it was true. The tree spirit had already helped him quite a bit, giving him as much information as it was allowed to give. And it had just kept him alive while he¡¯d cultivated his Opal Mind. Couple that with how desperate it seemed, and Elijah really did want to help. He just wasn¡¯t sure he could protect himself, much less the tree spirit or its Grove. He said as much, adding, ¡°What am I supposed to do if something attacks? If one of those Voxx thingses out of the ocean, I¡¯m done for. The only reason I survivedst time was because of the panther that lives here. And even that was probably only because I¡¯ve been feeding it.¡± Nerthus cocked its head, saying, ¡°Do not underestimate yourself. You have unlimited growth potential. You may be weak now, but in a month, you will be stronger. And a year, even more powerful. In a decade, you will have power iprehensible to your current incarnation.¡± ¡°If I survive.¡± ¡°If you survive,¡± it agreed. ¡°However, I feel obliged to point out that you have survived this long, have you not? You have Strength of heart, conviction, and willpower; those will take you much further than anything else.¡± Elijah shook his head and looked around. It was a clear night, so the de was well lit. However, he saw everything with far more acuity than he ever had before. Even in the light of day, his vision was never so sharp. Perhaps that was a result of his Mind cultivation. ¡°What about this¡­awareness?¡± Elijah asked, his thoughts barely brushing against the partitioned portion of his brain. Even that threatened to overwhelm him. ¡°How do I deal with it?¡± ¡°Awareness?¡± the tree spirit asked. ¡°Ah ¨C it is called Locus. Or Presence, by some. It is your greatest asset, but it can be overbearing. I can guide you through learning to deal with it, though if you had asked me, I would have suggested that you partition your mind before the Grove¡¯spletion instead of after. People have died from less.¡± ¡°I can believe it,¡± Elijah muttered. Then, he asked, ¡°Will you be able to give me more information if I agree to be your protector?¡± Nerthus answered, ¡°A little. Not much, though. The System is very strict with what information is to be made freely avable to newly integrated worlds. As time goes by, those restrictions will lift, but it will be years before I could reveal everything I know without dire consequences.¡± Even a little more information would help, because ignorance seemed to be the biggest threat to Elijah¡¯s survival. He¡¯d managed to secure food, shelter, and water ¨C the big three, as far as he was concerned ¨C so basic necessities were covered. However, he would¡¯ve died if it wasn¡¯t for the tree spirit¡¯s intervention, and all because he had no idea what he was doing when it came to the System and cultivation. That alone was probably enough to make the choice for him, but it also came with other benefits. Like better cultivation and a home that would presumably improve upon his current situation. And all it would take was for him to y security guard for a magic tree. But wasn¡¯t that kind of in the job description for a druid anyway? He sighed, then said, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do it.¡± The tree spirit managed to look relieved despite being unable to contort its face into an expression. It said, ¡°Thank you. You will not regret this.¡± Then, a new notification appeared before Elijah¡¯s eyes. Instead of the unadorned boxes he normally saw, this one bore a golden border. It said:
Do you wish to be the Protector of the Grove, binding your fate to Nerthus, the ancestral tree spirit? This bond is irrevocable and unbreakable by normal means.
Elijah hesitated for only a moment before giving the notification his consent. And then¡­nothing happened. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± eximed Nerthus. ¡°You will not regret this! I can already see the home I will grow for you. You will be very pleased!¡± Elijah couldn¡¯t help but smile at the excited tree spirit. Still, he asked, ¡°Is that it? I expected more.¡± ¡°The bond is more of a formality that lets me stay on this instead of being sent back home. The benefit to you is in the environment,¡± Nerthus said, regaining some of itsposure. ¡°You should notice an increase in ambient Ethera within a day or two, and I will begin growing your home soon enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more interested in information for now,¡± Elijah said. ¡°This Locus sense or whatever ¨C how do I deal with it? It¡¯s locked away for now, but you said it was important.¡± ¡°Indeed, indeed. It is not meant for the mind of such a low-level druid,¡± Nerthus said. Raising one wooden hand, it continued, ¡°But that does not mean you cannot make it work. It merely requires practice.¡± ¡°Well, considering I¡¯m stranded on a deserted ind, I¡¯ve got nothing but time,¡± Elijah said. ¡°So, let¡¯s get to it.¡± Book 1: Chapter 27: Locus Book 1: Chapter 27: Locus Elijah let out a deep breath as he slowly opened the Ethera-bolstered partition in his mind. For the first few seconds, he only let a trickle of sensory input through while forcing the rest to remain sequestered away, but over the next couple of hours, he gradually released the rest. And to his surprise, it wasn¡¯t nearly as overwhelming as it had been before he¡¯d cultivated his Opal Mind. At most, it was moderately distracting, though even that was manageable. As far as Elijah could tell, the Locus gave him hyper-awareness of everything within a hundred yards of his Grove. That didn¡¯t seem like much until he realized that it constituted over hundreds of thousands of square feet of dense vegetation and copious animal life. But it was more than just knowing things were there. He also felt a connection that hinted at something far deeper than mere awareness. Nerthus had called it an undeveloped Domain, but that didn¡¯t really mean much to Elijah, save that he expected the connection to grow progressively stronger as he gained power. In addition, the tree spirit had imed that the area would eventually grow to epass the entire ind. But not until he was far stronger and infinitely more capable of handling such a thing. For now, though, Elijah needed to harness the awareness he did have. Eventually, over the next week, he learned to push all but the most basic information behind the partition. Certainly, if anything went wrong ¨C or if there were intruders ¨C he would feel it. But beyond a simple rm, the connection was very much diluted ¨C which allowed Elijah to function normally. Even so, that awareness in the back of his mind would definitely take some getting used to. So it happened that he pushed himself to his feet and looked around. He¡¯d been meditating for a few days, during which his basic needs were met by an influx of nature-attuned Ethera; that was one of the side benefits of the Grove. It didn¡¯t remove the need for sustenance ¨C not entirely ¨C but it did decrease his reliance on food and water. For instance, instead of being able to go without food for a week or two, he felt sure that he could abstain for at least a month, so long as he didn¡¯t leave the Grove during that time. With water, a week seemed to be hisfortable limit. After that, he suspected he would quickly be dehydrated. Thankfully, Elijah didn¡¯t need to push those limits, because, by limating himself to the Locus, he¡¯d aplished his most immediate task. As he cast his gaze across the Grove, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the changes. Three new saplings grew nearby. They were only days old, but already, they had grown to a height of nearly ten feet. More than that, they didn¡¯t extend directly toward the sky; instead, they twisted in on one another, their thin branches intertwining until Elijah lost track of which one belonged to which tree. ording to Nerthus, those three trees would grow into his new abode, and the spirit assured him that it would be a grand home indeed. But it would take another month or two before it was finished. Until then, Elijah would continue to live in the decrepit old cabin. With that in mind, Elijah trekked back to the stream, gathering mushrooms and berries along the way. Even though there was still a chill in the air, spring had begun to supnt winter, so there was a slightlyrger selection than in weeks past. It was still sparse, but that would soon change along with the weather.When he reached the stream, Elijah drank his fill and washed himself in the cold water before heading back to the cabin. The ce reeked of rotten crab. No surprise there ¨C Elijah¡¯s enforced cultivation hadn¡¯t been nned, and as a result, his stores of crab meat had gone bad. Very, very bad, judging by the smell. Even after he gathered the basket and dumped it into the ocean, the smell remained. And he suspected it would for some time. So, with that in mind, he made an executive decision to gather his things and prematurely move to the Grove. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have much to gather ¨C just the Staff of Natural Harmony, his various baskets, the rabbit fur nket, and a few tools. All in all, it only took one trip to transfer his belongings to the Grove. When he arrived, Nerthus was waiting for him. The tree spirit still spent most of its time in its tree, but now that the ambient Ethera had thickened, it had a little more freedom of movement. ¡°Your home is not ready,¡± it said. ¡°I know,¡± Elijah replied. ¡°But the cabin where I¡¯ve been living isn¡¯t really¡­suitable for habitation anymore. So, with the weather turning, I think I¡¯ll be okay here until the house is done.¡± It probably wouldn¡¯t be pleasant if it started raining, but it was still better than smelling rotten crab for the next few weeks. On top of that, he was afraid that the smell would attract predators. So, it wasn¡¯t just a matter offort, but one of safety. ¡°I was wondering,¡± Elijah said. ¡°In my head, I¡¯ve been using generic pronouns. Like ¡®it¡¯. But it urs to me that I should ask if you¡¯re male, female, or agender.¡± Nerthus raised a hand of twisted branches, then said, ¡°Your concept of ¡®male¡¯ is the closest to reality. You may think of me in those terms.¡± ¡°Good. Okay. So, I¡¯m going to set my stuff up under your tree, okay? And just remember ¨C this is temporary,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Oh, and is it okay if I build a fire? What with you being wood and all, I didn¡¯t want to offend you or anything.¡± ¡°My people have been using fire for millions of years,¡± said Nerthus. ¡°No fire you could create on this world could burn the Ancestral Tree.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay, then,¡± Elijah said. With that, Nerthus retreated back inside his tree, merging with it in only a second or two as Elijah set himself up beneath its expansive boughs. The tree¡¯s canopy wouldn¡¯t provide perfect protection from the elements, but it would be better than nothing. First, he deposited his meager belongings, then he set off back into the forest to gather rocks for a suitable fire pit. As it turned out, thebor was quite a bit easier now that he had the benefit of a properly healthy body. He was sure that the Body of Wood contributed as well, considering that he was far stronger than he¡¯d ever been before. If he had to gauge it, he expected that his cultivation gave him at least a fifty-percent boost to his physical capability, which put him firmly in the range of peak humanity. Probably even exceeding it, if ten really was the human limit without the interference of the System, as he suspected. Once he finished the arduousbor involved in toting heavy rocks into the Grove, he arranged them in a circle around a pit he¡¯d dug, then went back to his cabin where he gathered the firewood he¡¯d already stockpiled. After that, it wasn¡¯t difficult to get the fire started ¨C after all, he had plenty of experience by that point ¨C and settled in for a meal of mushrooms and underripe berries. As he ate, he also took some time to think about his future. With his fate intertwined with the ind¡¯s ¨C and Nerthus¡¯ ¨C he knew he needed to get stronger. But the problem was that his neighbor, the panther, had already killed everything on the ind higher-leveled than the crabs. In most ways, he was grateful for his protector, but when it came to getting stronger, it was clear that the panther¡¯s presence had stunted his growth. Some familiar names on thedder had dropped off, either dead or having hit some kind of wall in their leveling, but the ones that had remained continued to get stronger, with the leader, Oscar Ramirez, having reached level twenty-nine. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. And there Elijah was, stuck at level seven. He needed to get stronger, and the only way he was likely to reach any of his goals involved exploring the rest of the ind. He still didn¡¯t even know how big it was, much less whether or not it was home to any viable threats. The panther couldn¡¯t be everywhere, after all. Surely, it had left something alive. By the time he¡¯d finished eating, night had already fallen. So, he resolved to begin his exploration of the ind when the sun came up, which, the next morning, was exactly what happened. For the next week, Elijah charted the ind, and he discovered a few things along the way. First, it was a bit bigger than he¡¯d first suspected. He couldn¡¯t bepletely sure, but he judged it to be about six miles long, running from northwest to southeast and about half as wide. The biome remained consistent, and the area was as densely packed with vegetation as anything Elijah had ever encountered. And thankfully, after about a mile, he started to encounter more wildlife as well. The ce was lousy with rabbits, marmots, and moles. He also saw a wide variety of birds, a few lizards that were quite a bitrger than they should have been, and a frog as big as a cocker spaniel. But none of them exuded an aura stronger than the crabs, so he left them alone. That changed when, a few miles away from the Grove, Elijah heard a rustle in the bushes. He wheeled around, his staff in one hand and the stone-ded hatchet he¡¯d been using to cut a path through the vegetation in the other. It was just in time, too, because only a secondter, a huge ck bear burst through the underbrush. Elijah only had a brief moment to notice its unusual size and vering jaws before he was forced to react. The bear crashed into him, raking its ws across his shoulders. Elijah screamed in pain, swinging his hatchet instinctively. Despite his panic, his aim was true, and the hatchet found its way to the bear¡¯s snout. However, the small axe wasn¡¯t a real weapon, and under the influence of Elijah¡¯s enhanced Strength ¨C after all, he was already operating a peak human level, and that was further augmented by One With Nature ¨C the hatchet¡¯s stone de shattered into pieces. But it served the purpose of startling his attacker, and the creature reared back in pain and surprise. Elijah used that opportunity to kick out, his bare feet barely capable of pushing the bear off bnce. By that point, he¡¯d managed to regain some of his wits, and he used them to guide Ethera into Grasping Roots, binding the off-bnce bear into ce. Elijah scrambled back in a panicked crab walk made even more awkward than normal by the death grip he had on his staff. Once he was a few feet away, he channeled more Ethera into Storm¡¯s Fury, pushing it through the Staff of Natural Harmony. When he released the spell, a thick, blue bolt of lightning arced out, hitting the struggling ck bear in the chest. The smell of charred flesh and burned hair filled the air as the bear let out a roar of furious agony. Elijah ignored it, dragging Ethera from his core and pushing it through his soul until the spell was charged once again. He let it loose, and another bolt of lightning hit the monstrous bear. Then, he did it again. And again. Over and over until, by the tenth cast, the animal had been reduced to a twisting mass of dead flesh and charred fur. Elijah sat there, panting in that curious exhaustion that seemed toe after every life-or-death experience. His muscles shook, and his heart was beating out of control ¨C a feeling that he¡¯d only experienced twice before. Once, when he¡¯d first learned that the cancer he¡¯d been told waspletely treatable was, in fact, terminal. And then once again after the death of the Voxx monster that had nearly killed him and the panther. Slowly, Elijah got his thoughts back under control, and he studied his vanquished foe. The bear was farrger than a ck bear should have been, but that didn¡¯t exin its aggressive behavior. Bear attacks weren¡¯tpletely unheard-of, but this was different from a creature protecting its cubs or territory. For one, the thing was male, so the first excuse didn¡¯t seem applicable. And second, Elijah had found that, with One With Nature, most animals would simply ignore him unless he attacked them first. But this bear had instigated the encounter. That, coupled with its unrestrained aggression suggested that something was wrong. That suspicion was further supported when Elijah drew the stone-ded knife that he¡¯d secured to his waist via a makeshift belt woven from his homemade cordage and sliced into the bear¡¯s flesh. When he did, he saw that the expected red muscle wasced with ck tendrils of what could only be called corruption. It reminded Elijah of the Voxx, though he wasn¡¯t sure why he was so certain that it was rted. It was just a feeling, but one he couldn¡¯t ignore. After a little more inspection, he saw that the bear¡¯s eyes were clouded and milky white, and its saliva was flecked with fresh blood, almost as if it had been rabid. But even though his specialty had been marine life, Elijah had enough experience withnd mammals to know that whatever had afflicted the bear hadn¡¯t been something as mundane as rabies. It was corruption, and given what he¡¯d seen of the Voxx, it wasn¡¯t difficult to make the intuitive leap that they were the cause. Still, he didn¡¯t even know if such a thing was possible. For all Elijah knew, it was just another strange mutation foisted upon the world by the touch of the World Tree. After all, if crabs could suddenly grow hundreds of timesrger, then an aggressive ck bear wasn¡¯t so far outside the realm of possibility that it could bepletely discounted, regardless of Elijah¡¯s suspicions regarding corruption by the Voxx. He needed confirmation, and the only way he was going to get it was to ask Nerthus. But first, he needed to heal the gashes in his chest. So, he channeled Ethera through his soul and into Touch of Nature. The wounds weren¡¯t too deep, so it only took two casts to mend his flesh. However, that ended up draining his core dry, so he had no choice but to wait a few minutes before he¡¯d gathered enough Ethera to fuel the teleportation portion of Ancestral Circle. When he finally cast the spell, it was as if one moment, he was in the forest, and after a blink, he was back in the Grove. He¡¯d used it a few times ofte ¨C without the ability to return to the Grove at will, his exploration would have been much slower ¨C but Elijah didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever get used to the feeling. Once he¡¯d reoriented himself, he approached the Ancestral Tree where he called out to Nerthis, who grew out of the trunk only a few momentster. Once he was fully present, Elijah exined the situation, then asked, ¡°What do you think it is? I thought it felt like the Voxx, but I figured I¡¯d ask before I jumped to any definitive conclusions.¡± Nerthus nodded. ¡°Your instincts were correct,¡± he said. ¡°There must be a portal nearby. I knew there had to be at least one in the surrounding waters, but this is troubling.¡± Then, Nerthus exined how the existence of portals ¨C dimensional rifts through which the Voxx could invade ¨C had a corrupting influence on non-sentient life. Then, he said, ¡°Fortunately, it seems to be a small one.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°If it was of significant size, the System would have contained it with a Tower. If that were the case, we would know,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Because it is small, you should be able to take care of it.¡± ¡°What? How? And why me?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Because you are the Protector of the Grove,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°It is a simple process. You must find the dimensional tear, enter it, and defeat the guardian. Once you have done so, you will gain a boon from the System.¡± ¡°And¡­and you think I¡¯m capable of that? I¡¯m only level seven,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°With your cultivation, you are much more powerful than your level,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°In any case, you wish to get stronger, correct? This is how you will do so.¡± Elijah sighed. That much was true, and the existence of these portals ¨C or Towers, if they wererger ¨C suggested a reason for why the others on thedder had grown so powerful. It was also gratifying to know that his cultivation meant that he was stronger than he might appear. But in the end, Elijah knew he didn¡¯t have much choice. This was his ind, and ording to Nerthus¡¯s exnation, if the portal was left unchecked, its influence would grow until it enveloped the entire area. So, unless he wanted to run away ¨C an impossibility because he didn¡¯t think crossing the strait was a good idea and because doing so would mean abandoning his Grove ¨C he was stuck with dealing with it. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°Any advice?¡± Nerthus cocked his head to the side, then said, ¡°Try not to die. Your protection is needed if the Grove is meant to reach its potential.¡± Elijah shook his head, then said, ¡°Thanks, I guess. I¡¯ll try to find it tomorrow, then.¡± Book 1: Chapter 28: A Portal to Hell Book 1: Chapter 28: A Portal to Hell Elijah spent the rest of the day preparing his mind for what wasing. Nerthus couldn¡¯t tell him much about what he could expect to find on the other side of the dimensional portal, so he¡¯d chosen the route of pessimism. Judging by his experiences with the Voxx and the corrupted bear, he thought expecting the worst was likely appropriate. That night, he slept fitfully, and not just because he still wasn¡¯t used to sleeping under the open sky. Instead, his imagination had gone wild, conjuring one terrible setting after another until he felt like he was going to go mad. So, when morning dawned, he was more than ready to get things over with. First, though, he had to find the portal. So, he returned to where he¡¯d fought the bear, only to find that it had almost entirely rotted away during the night. All that was left were a few clumps of ck fur and a couple of puddles of a semi-solid slurry of flesh, blood, and corruption. The sight nearly made Elijah vomit, but he barely managed to keep his breakfast of berries and mushrooms froming back up. From there, he began his search. The ind was only so big, but even with its limited size, the search proved frustrating, and it didn¡¯t bear fruit until four hourster when he felt something amiss. One With Nature was a versatile spell, giving him augmented physical ability as well as giving him a watered-down connection with his surroundings. And it was via this sense that he found the first tendril of seeping corruption. Pinpointing it was difficult, but the general direction was not. So, he picked his way through the forest, keeping that sickening corruption firmly in his senses. And when he stumbled across it, he once again felt the need to vomit. This time, though, he didn¡¯t manage to push through it, and he soon found himself heaving the contents of his stomach onto the forest floor. The tendril wasn¡¯t all that noticeable ¨C not to mundane senses. However, to the feelings that hade with his archetype, it was like bathing in raw sewage. To call it disgusting would have been underselling the repulsiveness to an extreme degree. When he looked around the meandering tendril of ck rot snaking across the ground, Elijah felt like he had maggots burrowing into his skin. But he pushed his disgust aside and followed the trail for a few dozen yards, and with each step, he felt the corruption more keenly until, atst, he found the source. It was a gaping rip in the very fabric of reality. With jagged edges of glowing purple light and a center of pitch ck, it lookedpletely out-of-ce amidst the verdant forest. Elijah took a deep breath that he regretted after being assailed by another wave of nausea. He wanted nothing more than to simply turn around and flee the alien thing. But he couldn¡¯t. He refused to back away. Not only because he really didn¡¯t have a choice, but also because he didn¡¯t want to be the kind of man who ran from his responsibilities. He never had been, and he wasn¡¯t going to start now that the world had changed, either. So, after resolutely squaring his shoulders, Elijah stepped forward, his staff at the ready, and strode through the portal. When he used the teleportation function of Ancestral Circle, it was no more ufortable than blinking. So, he¡¯d expected that going through the portal would be somewhat simr. However, that expectation couldn¡¯t have been further from reality. For an instant, Elijah felt like he was being ripped into a million pieces and from every direction. Then, suddenly, the pain ceased, and he fell to the ground. For a long moment, Elijah knelt on one knee, his breathing in ragged gasps. Even the memory of that agony was enough to spike his heart rate. But over the next couple of seconds, even that faded away until he feltpletely normal. That¡¯s when he took a moment to study his surroundings. The ground was bare, ck stone, jagged and so shiny that it reminded him of obsidian. He looked up and when he saw the alienndscape, Elijah couldn¡¯t stop himself from gasping. Huge peaks of grey rock stood against a ck sky crisscrossed with rivers of deep purple energy. By itself, that alien atmosphere was enough to tell Elijah that he was no longer on Earth. But the terrain was just as peculiar. The obsidian-like rock extended for thirty yards in every direction, but beyond that was lifeless grey stone. The only color came from what looked like purple anemones, their appendages waving in the motionless atmosphere. But Elijah only had eyes for the hulking creature twenty feet away. In some ways, it resembled the scaled monster that had attacked him what felt like a lifetime before. However, where that creature¡¯s scales had shimmered with a green-blue luster, this new monster was ck with purple markings running along its muscr shoulders. It was also much smaller, only topping Elijah¡¯spact frame by a few inches. But with its bulging muscles, it was much heavier than him. It let out a hissing growl, staring at him with all four of its eyes. Had the other one possessed four eyes? Elijah couldn¡¯t remember. His fingers tightened around the Staff of Natural Harmony, and he held it before him. If everything went right, the monster wouldn¡¯t get anywhere near him. He just needed to keep his wits about him, and everything would be fine. But as much as he wanted to believe that, it was difficult to keep it in mind when facing off against a monster out of his worst nightmares. It shifted forward, its muscles rippling beneath its scales as it dropped to all fours, like a gori. Then, without any further dy, it sprang forward. The thing exploded into motion so quickly that Elijah had no time to channel Ethera into Grasping Roots. Instead, all he could do was dive to the side, narrowly avoiding the monster¡¯s pounce. Even so, jagged rocks ripped at Elijah¡¯s bare shoulder as he rolled to safety. He managed to keep a grip on his staff, and by the time he reached his feet, he¡¯d channeled enough Ethera into the spell. Roots, thick and purple, with three-inch thorns erupted from the ground and snaked around the monster¡¯s legs. It yanked its limbs free, tearing the roots from the rocky ground. However, the moment one root was destroyed, three more took its ce. And after only a second, the monster¡¯s entire lower half was mired in a quagmire of alien vegetation. That was the difference his Soul cultivation and the Staff of Natural Harmony had made. Before, the roots were flimsy and easily broken, but now, he could pour enough Ethera into the spell that it was a much more formidable obstruction. But Elijah knew it wouldn¡¯tst forever. So, he switched his focus to Storm¡¯s Fury, channeling as much Ethera as he could into the spell. In the second it took him to saturate the spell, the monster had begun to break loose. And if it managed that feat before he released the spell, Elijah knew he was doomed. Just as it freed one leg, he loosed the spell, and purple lightning ripped forth, tearing a path from his staff to the ck-scaled creature. With a crack of thunder, it punched the monster so hard that it was sent staggering backward. But even more importantly, that purple lightning raced through its body, leaving devastation in its wake. Elijah wasn¡¯t finished, though. Even as the monster convulsed, he charged another spell, releasing it just as the effects of the first faded. This time, the results were even more destructive, and by the time Elijah finished casting his third spell, the creature¡¯s flesh was smoking. But Elijah refused to let up. Seven more times, he cast Storm¡¯s Fury, never letting the monster recover or regain its feet. And when his Ethera ran dry, it waspletely still. Stolen story; please report. It wasn¡¯t dead, though. Elijah still hadn¡¯t gotten any sort of notification from the System, which meant that, for all the punishment he¡¯d sent its way, it wasn¡¯t dead. And that was a problem because Elijah¡¯s core was almostpletely empty. He had just enough Ethera to fuel a heal, but not enough to use Storm¡¯s Fury. And that meant he¡¯d have to do things manually. Elijah drew his stone-ded knife before stalking forward. The jagged ground threatened to cut into his feet, but months of walking around barefoot had inured him to such difort. So, staff in one hand and knife in the other, he slowly approached the prone monster. The closer he drew, the worse it smelled, but he steeled himself against the disgust bubbling in his stomach. Once he got close enough, he levered his staff under the creature¡¯s stomach and flipped it over. And for his trouble, he got a w to the stomach. It happened so quickly that Elijah had no chance to react. One second, the thing waspletely inert, and the next, it was springing forward with shing ws. Elijah stumbled, and the monster pounced on top of him. Luckily, Elijah had kept a grip on his weapons, and he managed to get his knife up just in time. Even more fortunately, the hardened scales on its stomach had been melted to such a degree that they offered little protection against even so pitiful a weapon as his knife. It sank deep even as Elijah blocked its snapping jaws with his staff. The wood held firm, and the knife bit into the creature¡¯s vitals, ripping them apart without issue. Elijah¡¯s arm pumped, repeatedly stabbing into the monster¡¯s stomach. It wasn¡¯t idle, though. No ¨C it iled and bit, ripped and wed ¨C but Elijah had steeled his will and cultivated his Body, which barely allowed him to survive long enough to destroy something vital. And then, suddenly, the Strength went out of the creature¡¯s powerful muscles and it copsed atop him. With Strength enhanced by the System, his Body cultivation, and One With Nature, Elijah barely managed to push the creature aside. And as soon as he did, he pulsed Touch of Nature, partially healing the wounds he¡¯d taken. He tried to cast the spell again, but his core was entirely dry. So, as hey there, waiting for his Ethera to recover, Elijah considered the fight. He couldn¡¯t think of anything he could have done differently, save for having better weapons or more Ethera. But even so, he¡¯d only barely managed to survive. One less Storm¡¯s Fury, and he wouldn¡¯t have been able to punch through its scales. One misstep, and he¡¯d have been ripped to pieces. It was a grim reminder of just how little power he really had. Regardless of how much he¡¯d advanced ¨C and he felt that he¡¯d done well with the situation he¡¯d been given ¨C he still had a long way to go. But the notification he got after killing the monster was going to be a good start:
Congrattions! You have reached level eight, earning two free attribute points. Would you like to allocate free attribute points?
Elijah did, adding two points to Ethera. It didn¡¯t seem like much, but if he¡¯d had a couple extra casts of Storm¡¯s Fury, he might not have had to kill the monster by hand. Or maybe it wouldn¡¯t have made any difference at all. He had no way of knowing. Not for the first time, he found himself wishing things were a little clearer. Perhaps if everyone had health points, like in a video game, things would¡¯ve made a little more sense. As far as he could tell, though, even things like the rtive value of his attributes didn¡¯t follow much logic. For instance, the points he¡¯d spent in Ethera didn¡¯t result in a linear progression in terms of how many times he could cast his spells. The only quantifiable corrtion was that more points meant more casts. Perhaps his cultivation threw things off. Or maybe it just wasn¡¯t linear. He had no way to know. Such thoughts upied his mind until he recovered enough Ethera to once again cast Touch of Nature, which, when channeled through his staff, was enough to push him to perfect health. After that, he pushed himself to his feet and looked around for the exit. The portal through which he¡¯d entered was nowhere to be seen, but in its ce was a floating white crystal. When he looked upon it, he felt a draw unlike anything he¡¯d ever felt. He needed to touch it. The need was so overwhelming that itpletely abolished any sense of choice. He never even considered resisting it. Elijah walked forward andid his hand upon its smooth surface. Instantly, the alienndscape disappeared, reced by a void, as if he floated between realities. It would have been maddening if it didn¡¯t feel so right. Another notification bloomed in his mind¡¯s eye:
Congrattions! By closing a Minor Dimensional Rift, you have done a great service to your world. Thus, you have earned a reward. Lesser Attribute Potion awarded.
Elijah didn¡¯t have a chance to wonder what that meant before he was whisked away back to reality. An instantter, he was back in the forest, though when he looked around, the portal and tendrils of corruption were gone. And in his hand was a small vial containing a glowing blue liquid. Without a doubt, it was the potion awarded by the System. Perhaps it would have been smart to wait. To investigate more. But the System had yet to lie, so he unhesitatingly popped the stopper off the vial, then upended the contents down his throat. When he swallowed, he felt a budding warmth in the pit of his stomach, then received another notification:
You have consumed a Lesser Attribute Potion, receiving three free attribute points. Would you like to allocate free attribute points?
Elijah pumped his fist. It was precisely what he¡¯d hoped for, and he quickly allocated his points, pushing two into Ethera and bringing it fifteen. The final point, he allocated into Regeneration, bringing it to thirteen total points.
Name Elijah Hart
Level 8
Archetype Druid
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 10
Dexterity 10
Constitution 11
Ethera 15
Regeneration 13
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Opal Neophyte
His reasoning was simple. He fully intended to spread his attribute points across each category on his status. However, for now, his spells were his most potent means of survival, so he intended to enhance the relevant attributes until he feltfortable with where he was. Then, he¡¯d push points into his physical attributes. Once that was done, Elijah headed back to the Grove. He wished he could use Ancestral Circle to teleport back, but the spell had a significant cooldown that still hadn¡¯tpsed. So, he was forced to go back on foot. Still, it wasn¡¯t an arduous journey, and soon enough, he was back in familiar territory. Book 1: Chapter 29: Envoy Book 1: Chapter 29: Envoy ¡°I know it¡¯s not a new ystation, but¡­happy birthday.¡± Miguel looked down at the weapon in his hands. It was apound bow not unlike the one Roman still carried, but it had been made from scratch by Carmen. The same could be said for the wide variety of arrows in the paired quiver. Alyssa and Carmen had gone back and forth trying to decide on an appropriate gift for Miguel¡¯s birthday. In the past, he¡¯d usually gotten various electronics, games, or toys like Legos. But the world had changed, and not only were those things unavable, but it was also irresponsible to devote any significant time to such frivolous pursuits. Still, they wanted their son to have a childhood. Or whatever passed for one in the new world. So, in addition to the bow, they¡¯d given him some homemade toys and scavenged board games. None were in perfect condition, but they were the best Alyssa could gather. The young boy¡¯s face lit up, and he eximed, ¡°I love it!¡± Then, he threw himself at Carmen, wrapping his arms around her as he profusely thanked his mother. Then, he did the same for Alyssa, announcing that he was going to be a Marksman, just like Uncle Roman. Carmen tousled his hair, then told him to go outside and practice. He¡¯d already been taught the basics of the weapon ¨C all of the settlement¡¯s children had ¨C and he was eager to test it out. So, he quickly scurried from the small cottage that Carmen had built, intent on following his mother¡¯s instructions. That left the two women alone. The moment he was gone, Alyssa¡¯s shoulders sagged. Carmen put her arm around the slenderer woman¡¯s shoulders and hugged her close as she said, ¡°This was the right decision. Everything we¡¯ve seen suggests that people get archetypes based on their past experiences. Being a Marksman will keep him off the front lines. It¡¯s a strong option.¡±Alyssa shook her head. ¡°I just wish it wasn¡¯t necessary,¡± she stated. It was a useless sentiment. As she well knew, the world had been irrevocably transformed, and there was nothing she could do about it. What she could do was prepare her son to thrive, at least as much as possible. Leaning into Carmen, she thought about how far they¡¯de. It had been a difficult winter, and more than a few people hadn¡¯t made it. Some had starved. Others had passed away due to exposure. But most of the casualties hade at the hands of the wildlife. Most of the monsters they encountered were clearly mutated versions of Earth animals, but there were other, less natural creatures ¨C like the bat-monkeys they¡¯d had to clear out of the station. But deadliest of all were the scaled monsters like the one that had killed Trish and Tony. Fortunately, they hadn¡¯t encountered any others nearly that powerful; if they had, the settlement wouldn¡¯t have made it. But the ones they had fought were just as dangerous, especially considering that they often targeted people much less powerful than Alyssa. And the results had been predictable. To date, they¡¯d lost almost two-dozen hunters and gatherers to the scaled monsters. But there was hope. The night that Trish had died, Alyssa had gained the ability to choose a ss, and since then, ten others had done the same. It was slow-going, but if everyone gained a ss, there was a chance that they could stand up to the monsters. So, even if there was hope for their continual survival, it was tempered by the reality of their losses. Still, with spring hade solutions to some of their problems. A few of the Schrs had nted some crops, and a couple of the Tradesmen had figured out how to get power from scavenged sr panels. The yield wasn¡¯t nearly what it should have been, but it was progress. In short, after a hellish beginning to the end of the world, things had begun to look up. It was all different, but Alyssa thought they¡¯d survived the worst of it. Or at least, she hoped so. ¡°How is Roman?¡± asked Carmen. Alyssa sighed. ¡°Outwardly? He¡¯s fine,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s doing everything right, and I think people recognize that.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still not over what happened to Trish.¡± ¡°Who would be?¡± asked Carmen. It had been months, but the Healer¡¯s death still weighed heavily on the settlement¡¯s leader. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The problem isn¡¯t that he¡¯s still grieving. People expect that. It would humanize him. But he doesn¡¯t let it show. For all everyone knows, he just kept going like normal. Meanwhile, only those of us who really know him can see just how much he¡¯s hurting. I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± she admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your responsibility,¡± Carmen reminded her. ¡°He¡¯s a grown man. If he doesn¡¯t want to address it, there¡¯s not really anything you can do.¡± Alyssa sighed, then pushed away from her wife¡¯s embrace. Standing, she said, ¡°I know that. But I can¡¯t help but feel¡­I don¡¯ t know¡­¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t me you, does he?¡± asked Carmen. Alyssa shook her head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so, at least. Maybe? I don¡¯t know. I me myself, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s stupid. You couldn¡¯t have done anything differently,¡± Carmen said without a hint of hesitation. ¡°You did what you could. I know you don¡¯t want to hear this, but Trish was never cut out for this world. You saw that on the first day when she almost got killed. She was always going to end up ¨C¡± Just then, there was a knock at the door, cutting Carmen off. Their cottage only had three rooms ¨C amon area and a pair of bedrooms ¨C but each space was incredibly small. So, it only took Alyssa two steps to reach the door. When she opened it, she saw Fiona, who¡¯d established herself in a position of some prominence after what had happened in the cabin. Since then, she¡¯d be the highest-leveled mage-type, and she¡¯d distinguished herself on more than one asion. More importantly, she was Roman¡¯s right-hand woman. ¡°The Chief needs you,¡± she said. Looking past Alyssa at Carmen, she said, ¡°Both of you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Fiona shrugged. ¡°No idea. He just said it¡¯s important,¡± was her response, though Alyssa got the feeling that even if Fiona had known, she wouldn¡¯t have let loose with the information. She wasn¡¯t precisely hostile, but she wasn¡¯t friendly, either. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go then.¡± After letting Miguel know what was going on, the trio set off across the settlement. It had grown quite a bit, and the area surrounding the old police station now featured dozens of buildings and other homes. Most weren¡¯t more borate than four walls and a roof, but a few were a little moreplex. It was further evidence that people had begun to adjust to the new world, especially considering that they¡¯d started to move past the scarcity-induced policies of collective survival and into an economy based on barter. The various Tradesmen had begun to hawk their wares, and, as a result, better weapons, armor, and other goods had taken a leap forward. For her part, Alyssa favored the spear,rgely because of the ss she¡¯d received at level ten. She¡¯d had a host of options, but none seemed quite as powerful as the one she had chosen. As they walked, she looked at her ss¡¯s description:
ss: Dragon Lancer A powerfulncer meant tobat and kill the most dangerous foes. Required Archetype: Warrior Required Achievements: y a much more powerful creature with a spear ornce. Garner the loyalty of at least twenty people. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences elsewhere. First Ability: Descending Dragon Attribute Allocation: Physical Compatibility: 97%
She¡¯d gained a couple of levels since then, and her attributes had experienced a huge jump with each level. She had also gotten three new abilities: Descending Dragon, Heart of the Dragon, and Heroic Leap. At first, she¡¯d considered Descending Dragon a niche ability, but upon reaching level twelve and gaining Heroic Leap, the synergy of the two abilities had forced her to reevaluate. Heroic Leap was just what the name implied, and it allowed her to leap much higher and travel faster through the air than her attributes would normally allow. On its own, it was a useful way to close with her enemies, and it gave her far more mobility than she could have otherwise expected. However, where it really shone was when paired with Descending Dragon.
Descending Dragon Fall upon an enemy, dealing more damage based on distance fallen. Protected from falling damage while ability is active.
Alyssa had no way to gauge precisely how much damage she could do with the ability, but she did know that she could obliterate normal beasts, so long as she used Descending Dragon at the apex of a Heroic Leap. If her timing was off, the resulting blow would be less powerful. As for Heart of the Dragon, it temporarily enhanced her attributes. In a way, it was simr to Enrage, but the effect was far less potent. The other differences were more important, though. Not only did itst longer, but it didn¡¯te with Enrage¡¯s fury, allowing her to keep her wits about her. Before the trio reached their destination, she checked her status as well:
Name Alyssa Hart
Level 12
Archetype Warrior
ss Dragon Lancer
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 16
Dexterity 12
Constitution 12
Ethera 7
Regeneration 7
Attunement None
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Unformed Unformed Unformed Unformed
Unlike the first ten levels, after choosing her ss, Alyssa¡¯s attribute allocation was automatic, and she¡¯d gained two points in Strength as well as one each in Dexterity and Constitution per level. She worried a little about her low Regeneration and Ethera attributes, but at the moment, there wasn¡¯t much she could do about it. Perhaps she could figure it out sometime in the future, though. After all, she suspected that, at some point, she¡¯d choose a Specialization, which would likely give her more options for improvement. There was also the question of the four aspects of Cultivation to worry about. No one had figured out what any of that meant, but she expected it would only be a matter of time before they did. Soon, the group reached the central building that had once been the police station. It looked much the same as it always did, though construction had begun to add additional floors. With the abilities granted by the Tradesman archetype, the architects of that n had promised that it would soon bepleted. One of them had even confessed that he envisioned a future where it grew to the size of a skyscraper. Alyssa thought the man ¨C named Toby ¨C was a bit off in the head, but Carmen had insisted that it was theoretically possible, especially if one of the other Tradesmen reached level ten and took something like an Architect ss. For her part, Carmen had chosen the cksmith ss when she¡¯d been offered the opportunity at level ten. She was the only member of the craftsman poption to have reached such heights, but there were a few others who were snapping at the heels of her progress. Once they entered the building, they had to pass through what had be a makeshift market-sh-headquarters, where people tried to organize the settlement¡¯s supplies, defense, and gathering missions. It was a mess, but the building was easily the most secure location within the settlement, and so, it was the natural choice for such operations. Soon, the trio found their way to the second level, where they passed a few old offices on their way to the one Roman had imed. When they entered, Alyssa found her mind drifting back to what felt like ancient history. Roman looked much the same as he always did, which was to say he was lean, broad-shouldered, and dark haired. But his face bore a few extra lines, no doubt due to worrying about all the people who¡¯d entrusted him with their security. The office, though, was almost identical to what it had been before the world had transformed. The same photos. The same old football memorabilia. The same hunting trophies. It was like stepping out of a time machine. Beside the great wooden b of a desk was a man Alyssa vaguely recognized, though she couldn¡¯t remember his name. ¡°What¡¯s up, chief?¡± she asked. ¡°Sit,¡± he said, gesturing to the trio of chairs across from him. ¡°We need to talk about something important.¡± Alyssa did as he bade, though she had to keep herself from wilting under the intensity of his gaze. She knew he didn¡¯t me her for the death of his wife, but that didn¡¯t help much with her guilt. As a result, she found it difficult to look him in the eye. Carmen had no such issues, and she plopped down in the chair, throwing her arm over the back in a disy offort Alyssa wished she could emte. Fiona took a seat as well, looking like Carmen¡¯s exact opposite. Where Carmen¡¯s muscles had only grownrger and more defined, Fiona looked like she would blow away at the first hint of a breeze. ¡°Who¡¯s the stiff?¡± Carmen asked, gesturing to the man. ¡°Derek or something, right?¡± He adjusted his sses and said, ¡°Dirk, actually.¡± ¡°Right. Sorry. I¡¯m terrible with names. So, what¡¯s going on, boss?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°Right,¡± Roman said. ¡°Dirk here is a Schr who just reached level ten.¡± ¡°Okay? He¡¯s not the first,¡± said Alyssa. Indeed, there had been a couple of other Schrs who¡¯d managed to climb to level ten. One had taken a Horticulturist ss, while the other had be an Administrator. But both had other choices like Banker, Teacher, and Philosopher. It had bemon practice to respect peoples¡¯ choices in regards to archetypes, but it was an undeniable fact that most of the townspeople looked down on Schrs because they offered little in terms of immediate survival. Some had found niches where they could be of use, but quite a few were nothing more than inferiorborers. There was even some sentiment that town should cease providing for them, and if they weren¡¯t already ingrained in the burgeoning society, the idea would have probably gotten a little more traction. Roman had given voice to the idea on more than one asion, though never where anyone but his inner circle ¨C including Alyssa ¨C could hear. ¡°He has a unique ss choice,¡± Roman said. Then, he told Dirk, ¡°Go ahead. Tell them.¡± The bespectacled man once again adjusted his sses, then cleared his throat before saying, ¡°Right. So, it¡¯s called Envoy of the World Tree. The description is, ¡®You have been chosen to represent the Cult of the World Tree. Doing so will legitimize your settlement and grant limited ess to the Network.¡± ¡°Uh¡­what the hell does that mean?¡± Alyssa asked. ¡°That¡¯s a damned good question,¡± Roman answered. ¡°Dirk?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Not precisely. But you know how you kind of get an idea of what a ss entails before you pick it?¡± he asked. They all had progressed past level ten, so they nodded. ¡°Well, I get the impression that this one is¡­I don¡¯t know¡­necessary.¡± ¡°How so?¡± asked Fiona, her first contribution. ¡°I have no idea. I just think it can help us survive somehow. The Network sounds like it might be some means ofmunication, right? So, maybe it will let us call for help.¡± Roman said, ¡°That¡¯s what worries me.¡± Carmen asked, ¡°Calling for help?¡± Alyssa answered before Roman did, saying, ¡°It could be dangerous. I know we haven¡¯t had much trouble with would-be warlords and the like, but we¡¯d be stupid to assume they don¡¯t exist out there. Someone gets a little power, and then¡­well, you know how it goes. It¡¯s been the same throughout human history. There are always people out there who will abuse power to enve or oppress everyone else. And with everything else¡­I mean, does anyone here think there aren¡¯t bad actors out there? If we start calling for help, we might put a target on our backs.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Roman said. ¡°Still, we can¡¯t ignore this. For all we know, we¡¯repletely wrong about how this works.¡± ¡°I think we have to do it,¡± said Carmen. Fiona agreed, ¡°We can¡¯t ignore a chance like this. We¡¯re already on the verge of ruin. Maybe this Network will give us a chance to do more than just survive.¡± Roman nodded. ¡°I was thinking the same thing. So, Dirk, we¡¯re going to need you to take the ss. But don¡¯t do anything else, okay? Not until we know what we¡¯re dealing with.¡± Dirk nodded. ¡°Alright, here it goes.¡± Book 1: Chapter 30: The Network Book 1: Chapter 30: The Network Nothing happened ¨C at least not outwardly, but Dirk¡¯s eyes briefly zed over. It onlysted a second or two before he refocused. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± he said. ¡°Well, that was anticlimactic,¡± said Carmen, who, like everyone else, was on the edge of her seat after Dirk took the ss. ¡°That¡¯s it? What kind of ability did you get?¡± ¡°Not an ability,¡± he said. ¡°A spell.¡± ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s it called?¡± she asked. ¡°Um¡­it¡¯s called Branch of the World Tree,¡± Dirk answered. ¡°It says that it imbues a crystal with a connection to the World Tree Network.¡± ¡°A crystal? What kind of crystal?¡± asked Roman. ¡°You think I know?¡± Dirk responded. ¡°I¡¯m just as much in the dark as you are.¡± Alyssa said, ¡°Okay. So, it seems we need to find a crystal. Any ideas where to find one?¡± ¡°How big?¡± asked Carmen.Everyone looked at Dirk, who clearly did not like the attention. He said, ¡°I have no idea. Asrge as we can find, I suppose.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve got something that will work,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Really? What?¡± asked Alyssa. ¡°You remember that trophy we foundst month?¡± she answered. ¡°You know, the one with the giant golf ball?¡± ¡°You kept that?¡± She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s sparkly.¡± Alyssa was about to respond, but then thought better of it. Instead, she just rolled her eyes. Carmen had always been something of a pack rat. Rarely did she encounter anything she wanted to toss out, and that clearly extended to the gaudy golf trophy they had found in one of the small town¡¯s more affluent houses. ¡°Plus, I thought I could reshape it,¡± she said in a small voice. ¡°Maybe into a dolphin.¡± ¡°A¡­a dolphin?¡± ¡°You do have a birthdaying up,¡± Carmen said, blushing. ¡°And you like dolphins¡­¡± Before Alyssa could respond to her wife¡¯s admission, Fiona cleared her throat and said, ¡°As heartwarming as this is, can we get on with it? Where is this crystal? And if you can reshape it, why not do it in something that¡¯s¡­you know, not a golf ball?¡± ¡°I could just do a generic crystal,¡± Carmen stated. She nced at Dirk, as she continued, ¡°Like a faceted gem.¡± She held her hands about eight inches apart, adding, ¡°About that big. Think that¡¯d work?¡± ¡°I guess? Maybe. I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You are tons of help,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Anyone ever tell you that? Helpful Dirk. That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to start calling ¨C¡± ¡°Enough, Carmen,¡± said Roman. ¡°He¡¯s doing everything he can.¡± Carmen started to respond ¨C probably in a not-so-courteous way ¨C so Alyssa grabbed her by the arm and tugged her away as she said, ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go get that crystal. Where do you want us to meet you?¡± ¡°In the lobby,¡± Roman said. ¡°Ten-four, chief,¡± Alyssa acknowledged, pulling Carmen out the door. A few minutester, the pair were in the small storehouse beside Carmen¡¯s forge, where she was muttering under her breath while searching through her materials. Eventually, she found the trophy ¨C a gaudy thing that Alyssa couldn¡¯t believe anyone had evermissioned ¨C behind a bundle of iron rods. Carmen easily pulled the dimpled sphere free of base of the trophy, then tossed the faux marble aside. ¡°Alright,¡± she said. ¡°You might want to look away.¡± Alyssa was well ustomed to Carmen¡¯s process. She had an ability she could use once a week that allowed her to reshape materials only using her hands. Aside from the significant cooldown, the other major downside was that it created a light bright enough to blind most normal people. To protect herself, Carmen pulled on a pair of old welding goggles, then used the ability. Even with her back turned, Alyssa saw stars, and that was just from the indirect light. She couldn¡¯t imagine looking at it directly. After a couple of minutes, Carmen announced, ¡°Alright. I think that¡¯s the best I can do. Sucks I had to waste my cooldown on something like this, but whatever. For the greater good, right?¡± ¡°For the greater good,¡± Alyssa echoed, grinning slightly as she turned to face her wife. In Carmen¡¯s hands was an oblong gem, faceted like a cut diamond. ¡°Oh¡­pretty.¡± ¡°Would¡¯ve been better as a dolphin.¡± ¡°You know I don¡¯t even like dolphins, right?¡± ¡°Sure you do. You had all those figurines.¡± ¡°Because they were my mom¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Wait¡­really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°You mean I bought you that ridiculous dolphin nket for nothing? And those matching slippers¡­¡± ¡°They were¡­uh¡­cute. I guess. And warm, which was the main purpose.¡± ¡°God¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what people say when they get shitty gifts,¡± Carmen pointed out. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°Well¡­yeah, but¡­I mean¡­¡± ¡°And moving right along¡­¡± ¡°Probably for the best,¡± Alyssa acknowledged. ¡°Come on. Roman¡¯s waiting on us.¡± ¡°He can wait for all I care,¡± groused Carmen. She¡¯d never liked being at anyone¡¯s beck and call, which was why she had sought a field where she didn¡¯t really have to answer to anyone. Notably, she followed Alyssa anyway. After all, like her wife, Carmen suspected that Dirk¡¯s spell would probably be important for the settlement¡¯s development. It only took a couple of minutes for the pair to get back to the lobby, where they found the other three. Roman directed Carmen to set the crystal atop a stool someone had hunted down. When she did just that, they all stepped back, and Roman said to Dirk, ¡°Alright. Do your thing.¡± Dirk stepped forward and held out his hand. As he did, he said, ¡°I really hate that you¡¯re all staring at me¡­¡± ¡°Just do it,¡± said Fiona. He sighed, scrunched up his face, andid his hand on the crystal. A secondter, Alyssa felt something in the air move before the crystal lit up with blue light. Then, it started to morph, tendrils of the crystal growing downward to wrap around the stool. At the same time, the rest of the structure elongated before growing more tendrils. ¡°It looks like a tree¡­¡± Alyssa nced at Carmen, then back at the glowing crystal. The moment Carmen had said as much, Alyssa saw it as well. And with every passing second, it grew clearer until, atst, the blue light faded. When it did, a crystalline tree was revealed. It was maybe six feet tall, with leafless branches stretching the same distance from the trunk. ¡°Uh¡­what now?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± Suddenly, someone new appeared before them. And everyone reacted with predictable aggression. Carmen pulled a hammer from thin air, and Alyssa yanked a dagger from the sheath at her waist. Meanwhile, Roman, who¡¯d taken the Assassin ss, disappearedpletely. When he reappeared a momentter, he had a pair of knives in hand. Dirk was the only one who didn¡¯t move at all. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this embarrassing?¡± said the woman as a throwing knife passed right through her. ¡°I suppose you didn¡¯t expect me to show up, huh?¡± ¡°What are you?¡± demanded Roman. It was a valid question, considering that the woman was clearly inhuman, with light green skin, pointed ears, and hair that looked more like vines than any tresses that Alyssa had ever seen. She wore a thin robe that left very little to the imagination. ¡°Oh. I guess you don¡¯t have wood elves here,¡± she said. ¡°No matter.¡± She cleared her throat, then straightened her back. ¡°I am Numa, and I am a representative of the Cult of the World Tree. You would know all about that, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Uh¡­no,¡± said Dirk. ¡°What? Really? Why did you take the ss, then?¡± Numa asked. ¡°They made me.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t make you!¡± Carmen barked. ¡°We suggested.¡± ¡°Ah. This¡­is a nice ce you have here,¡± said Numa, looking around. ¡°Very chic.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry that it¡¯s not up to your standards,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°We¡¯ve been a little too busy dealing with the fucking apocalypse to worry about making everything all nice and shiny.¡± ¡°Apocalypse? Oh! This is a newly integrated world! That exins so much,¡± she said. ¡°In that case¡­ahem. Wee! Your world has been connected to the rest of the universe via the majesty of the World Tree. As an official settlement, you now have ess to a host of features based on the level of your Envoy.¡± ¡°He¡¯s level ten,¡± said Alyssa. ¡°What does that get us?¡± ¡°Ah, right. Not much, I¡¯m afraid. You get ess to the banking System, limited trade, and¡­well, that¡¯s it. But if he reaches level fifty, you will unlock the teleportation System!¡± she said. ¡°So, that¡¯s something to look forward to, right? We also have guides on a variety of subjects, sses, and, of course, cultivation methods. For a price, obviously.¡± Alyssa addressed the obvious concern, saying, ¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t take dors. What currency are we using here? Precious metals? Gems? We don¡¯t have much, but ¨C¡± ¡°Etherium, of course.¡± ¡°Uh¡­what the hell is etherium?¡± ¡°Solidified Ethera in the shape of coins,¡± she said, holding up a small, circr object the size of a half dor. ¡°Copper is the lowest denomination, and it¡¯s denoted by a¡­well, copper color. Then silver. Gold after that. And finally, tinum. It takes a thousand copper to add up to a silver, a thousand silver to amount to the same value as one gold etherium, then a million gold coins to equal a single tinum. Most people only deal in copper and silver coins.¡± ¡°And where do we get these coins? I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s a ss with a Mint ability, right?¡± said Fiona. ¡°Certainly not,¡± said Numa with an indulgent smile. Alyssa didn¡¯t like how condescending the wood elf was, but then again, she probably had every right to be. As far as Numa was concerned, they were backwards savages. It didn¡¯t matter that they¡¯d had their world turned upside down; their lives were primitive by anyone¡¯s measure. ¡°The answer to your question is the Branch of the World Tree. You merely need to touch it, and you will gain ess to the banking System.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have anything to deposit,¡± said Carmen. ¡°Oh, but you don¡¯t understand. Of course you don¡¯t,¡± she said with a patient tone that reminded Alyssa of the way a kindergarten teacher would talk to a ss full of five-year-olds. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Each time you kill a hostile creature, it marks you. When you ess the Branch of the World Tree, it reads those¡­ah¡­marks and rewards you appropriately. For instance, if you kill a reasonably weak creature, you might be credited with a single copper etherium. The more powerful the enemy, the higher the reward. And, of course, defeating one of the Voxx is even more valuable.¡± ¡°Voxx?¡± ¡°Oh, dear. You don¡¯t know about the Voxx.¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Carmen muttered. ¡°The Voxx are denizens of another reality,¡± Numa said. ¡°They infiltrate our universe via dimensional rifts. Some of those rifts are only active for long enough to admit a single Voxx. However, others remain in ce until someone goes in and closes them. Then there are the towers, which can be divided into different grades of difficulty. Finally, there are primal realms, though I doubt you need to worry about those right now.¡± Alyssa nodded along as Numa exined it, and once the elf was finished, she asked, ¡°So, we use those coins to buy the stuff you were talking about. What form does it take? And how does it arrive?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Numa said. Then, her already huge eyes widened, and she said, ¡°Oh. I get it now. The information will be presented in the form of leaves, which will grow from this tree. Pluck them, and you will be able to read their contents.¡± Alyssa realized then that she would get far more information by testing it out rather than relying on Numa¡¯s exnations. So, she stepped forward and asked, ¡°I just put my hand on it?¡± ¡°Yes. Go ahead,¡± the elven woman prompted with another condescending smile. Alyssa suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, then put her hand on one of the crystalline branches. Immediately a new window shed before her eyes:
Copper Silver Gold tinum
732 7 0 0
¡°Okay,¡± said Alyssa. ¡°I guess I have a little over seven silver etherium. What can I get for that?¡± ¡°Seven? How¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re the expert,¡± she said. ¡°So ¨C what can I get?¡± ¡°For now? You¡¯re limited to our basic guides. However, those should be quite sufficient for your current level of advancement,¡± Numa informed her. ¡°Okay? How do I ess them?¡± After that, Numa walked her through the process. It boiled down to simply thinking the word, ¡°Market¡±, which pulled up the avable guides. The wood elf also taught her how to ess the other features of the Branch, but all of those were greyed out. Most, she couldn¡¯t even identify because they were hidden. Still, she selected a dozen different guides, exhausting the limits of her currency. A few of them were for Carmen, and they detailed different crafting methods. However, the ones that really excited Alyssa were the ones meant to teach her about cultivation. ¡°I think this is going to change everything,¡± Alyssa said, pulling away. The elf gave her an indulgent smile, saying, ¡°Of course. That¡¯s the point.¡± Book 1: Chapter 31: Invaders Book 1: Chapter 31: Invaders Elijah heaved a rock above his head, pushing as high as he could. As soon as his elbows locked out, he dropped it back to the ground. Once it settled into the soft, spongy forest floor, he bent down, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. If he¡¯d had to guess, the rock weighed somewhere around a hundred-and-fifty pounds. Maybe two-hundred, depending on the density. Lifting that kind of weight might not have seemed all that impressive, but given his rtively small size, he was satisfied with the results of his training. Once he¡¯d passed into double digits with his Strength and Constitution attributes, he¡¯d been forced to expand upon his normal workout routine. Before, he¡¯d relied on something he referred to as wilderness crossfit, which included lots of calisthenics and endurance training, but now, if he wanted to push his limits, he needed to lift increasingly heavy things. And considering there were no weight sets of exercise machines lying around, he was forced to use the abundant rocks he found on the shore of his ind. Even so, over the past three weeks since he¡¯d closed the minor dimensional rift, he¡¯d made no verifiable progress in his attributes. And he was beginning to think that he never would ¨C not using his free points in the endeavor, at least. Still, even though he didn¡¯t expect to see anything, he opened his status.
Name Elijah Hart
Level 8
Archetype Druid
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 11
Dexterity 10
Constitution 11
Ethera 15
Regeneration 13
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Opal Neophyte
The moment he saw that he¡¯d gained a point in Strength, Elijah pumped his fist in the air and let out an inarticte yell of satisfaction. It wasn¡¯t much, and he didn¡¯t think one point of Strength would even be noticeable. However, the fact that he could still train his attributes meant that he had another path he could follow. So, when he headed back to the Grove, he was in understandably high spirits that were buoyed even further when he saw that Nerthus was awake. ¡°Awake, huh?¡± Elijah said as he approached the Ancestral Tree. ¡°I do not sleep. I must go dormant while I process the ambient Ethera I absorb.¡± ¡°Sounds like sleep to me,¡± Elijah responded. ¡°But call it what you want.¡± ¡°Pardon, but you seem to be in high spirits. May I ask why?¡± asked the tree spirit, who was sitting on the tree¡¯s lowest branch, swinging his root-like legs back and forth. Elijah shrugged, then answered, ¡°I just found out that I can continue to gain attribute points with training.¡± ¡°Of course you can.¡± ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°I did. Do not rely on it, though,¡± Nerthis advised. ¡°The higher you climb, the more effort it will take to gain even one attribute point.¡± Elijah sat on the mossy ground and leaned back on his hands. As he did so, he embraced the Ethera in his core, channeled it through his soul, and empowered Touch of Nature. The healing power of the spell washed through him, soothing the fatigue of his workout. So long as he only wanted to suffuse his body with formless healing, the spell was almost autonomous, and it didn¡¯t require much thought after activation. However, if he needed to heal a specific injury, he¡¯d need to focus. ¡°How do they work, anyway? The attribute points. I mean, what is the rtive value of one point?¡± he asked. He¡¯d already surmised that ten points seemed to be the natural peak of human ability; however, gaining his eleventh point in Strength didn¡¯t seem to push him into superhuman levels. Nerthus answered, ¡°At ten, you are indeed at the peak of your race¡¯s normal potential. That is not to say that some members of your race haven¡¯t already exceeded that potential; they undoubtedly have. It is just exceedingly rare. In any case, your gains will continue at the same rate with each additional attribute point. However, you must understand that it is all rtive.¡± That made some sense to Elijah. When he had first washed ashore, gaining a single point in Strength was an enormous boon. But even if each subsequent point meant the same gains, the increase wasn¡¯t as dramatic. ¡°I get it,¡± he said. ¡°When you can only lift forty pounds, suddenly being able to lift twenty more seems a lot bigger than if you started at two-hundred. The gains are the same, but rtively speaking, one represents a fifty percent increase while the other is only like ten percent.¡± ¡°Just so.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. So, Elijah reasoned he wouldn¡¯t be throwing cars like aic book superhero anytime soon. Disappointing, but it was also somewhatforting. After all, he hadn¡¯t forgotten those people at the top of the leaderboard. If the gains were percentage based, he¡¯d have no chance of standing up to any of them. But if each point defined a specific value, he wasn¡¯t quite as far behind as he¡¯d thought. Still, some of the people on thedder were closing in on level thirty, which meant that they probably had more than forty more attribute points to work with. If someone went all in one attribute, the results could be dramatic. He said as much to Nerthus, ending with, ¡°If I run into someone who spent all their points in Strength, I won¡¯t stand a chance.¡± ¡°You will be less disadvantaged than you believe,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Without Constitution, they will quickly run out of energy. Without Dexterity, they will have no control. And without Ethera or Regeneration, their spells, techniques, and abilities will be limited in scope.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying a well-rounded approach is better than specialization.¡± ¡°For you, yes. If you had allies, that would not be the case. Once you choose your ss and specialization, your attribute allocation will be more specialized.¡± Elijah wanted to ask for further exnation, but he knew it would do no good. The tree spirit¡¯s restrictions had eased somewhat since Elijah had bonded with the Grove, but Nerthus was still limited as to what he could reveal. Frustratingly, sses and specializations fell under the umbre of taboo topics, and no matter how often Elijah asked, Nerthus steadfastly refused to reveal any details. Soon enough, Nerthus retreated back into the Ancestral Tree, citing a need to rest, which was just as well, because Elijah had plenty of tasks he still needed to aplish. So, after Touch of Nature had renewed his body, he spent a couple of hours working on his garden. The berry bushes had already borne fruit, proving the value of Nature¡¯s Bounty. So, he¡¯d doubled down, and over the past week, he¡¯d expanded the garden. Hopefully, his efforts would be rewarded. As he sat between the bushes, he nced toward the three trees that would eventually be his home. Already, they¡¯d twisted together so thoroughly that he had trouble telling where one ended and the others began. More, the branches had begun to grow outward in what Nerthus assured him would be the floor of his new home. He couldn¡¯t wait for it to be finished. Since spring hade, sleeping outside wasn¡¯t as torturous as it had been in winter, but Elijah still found himself missing a roof over his head. Especially when it rained, which was a fairly frequent urrence. After he was satisfied that his garden was well-saturated with his Ethera, Elijah gathered his fishing equipment and woven baskets and headed toward his fishing hole. With the onset of spring, the fish hade back to shallower waters, and he intended to supplement his diet ordingly. But as he drew closer to the shore, his calm day was interrupted by the sound of agonized screaming. Elijah reacted on instinct, sprinting through the forest until he came to the rocky shoreline where he saw a battle ying out. On one side were a trio of short figures ¨C what looked like a gnome, dwarf, and a green-skinned goblin. And on the other was the panther. The gnome darted toward the panther, a pair of daggers in hand. She moved so quickly that Elijah could scarcely track her movements. To him, she looked like a blur as she crashed into the panther, where she repeatedly stabbed the big cat in the ribs. Before it could react, she dashed away. A secondter, the dwarf rammed his shield into the panther¡¯s face, sending it staggering backward. But the panther was only stunned for a brief moment before it pounced on the dwarf. The dwarf raised its shield, shouted something unintelligible, and a secondter, a translucent half-dome manifested before him. The panther crashed into it, and with the sound of breaking ss, the half-dome shattered into a million pieces. Each piece homed in on the panther, cutting into its glossy ck hide and sending gouts of blood sttering across the rocky shore. But the cat paid its injuries no mind, and only an instantter, it raked its ws across the dwarf¡¯s face. Meanwhile, the gnome had returned to stab the distracted cat a dozen times in the space of a single second before springing backwards in an acrobatic flip. The retreat was just in time to avoid the panther¡¯s reprisal, and when it tried to attack the gnome, its ws found nothing but air. The moment it turned, the wounded dwarf mmed his shield into the panther¡¯s side, sending it skidding across the rocks. Meanwhile, the third member of the party raised a shining staff into the sky, and a beam of light descended upon the dwarf. Elijah gaped as he saw the dwarf¡¯s wounds heal in seconds. The cat recovered from the dwarf¡¯s shield m, and demonstrating an intelligence no animal should have, pounced on the healer. However, when the panther drew close to the goblin, it found that the dwarf had somehow interposed himself between the two. It was as if he¡¯d simply teleported between them, and as a result, the cat once again took a shield to its face. Like that, the battle continued, and Elijah watched as, slowly but surely, the trio wore the powerful panther down. After a few minutes, its glossy hide was wet with blood, and its agility had been almostpletely negated by multiple injuries. Still, it fought on. The problem was the dwarf. Every time the cat targeted one of the seemingly less durable members of the group, he was there to shield them from the panther¡¯s attacks. That was why, when Elijah chose to act, he aimed in his direction. The panther once again pounced toward the healer, and Elijah watched as the dwarf readied himself to intervene. Just before he took that first step, Elijah cast Grasping Roots. A half-dozen thick, spiny vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around his stubby legs. It only took him a moment to pull free, but Elijah¡¯s spell caused just enough dy that the cat finally reached the healer. The results were explosively bloody. The panther ripped through the goblin, sending a geyser of red blood sttering across the rocky shore. The goblin tried to cast a spell, but he was far too slow toplete the cast. He fell only a few momentster, well before the dwarf could extricate himself from Elijah¡¯s roots. That¡¯s when Elijah felt something rip through his hip, the impact sending him spinning away and to the ground. As he skidded to a stop, he saw the gnome standing over him, a murderous gleam in her abnormally huge eyes. She stalked forward, absently twirling a wicked set of daggers as she spat, ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that, human.¡± Elijah tried to mber to his feet, but she dashed forward, peppering him with wounds as she stabbed him a half-dozen times in the space of an instant. He cried out, blindly swinging his staff, and, through blind luck, managed to connect. The gnome, who was barely the size of a preadolescent child, went staggering to the side. She quickly recovered, but by that point, Elijah had already empowered another cast of Grasping Roots. Vines once again burst forth from the rocky ground, snaking around her legs and giving Elijah enough time to channel Ethera through his Staff of Natural Harmony as he cast Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightning burst forth from the end of the weapon and crashed into her. The momentum of the spell sent her flying through the air to collide with the warrior who was still engaged in his own fight against the panther. The pair fell in a tangled heap, which gave the panther the opening it needed to swipe its ws across gnome¡¯s throat. That attack opened the panther up to a counter from the dwarf, who bellowed something unintelligible before mming his axe down on the panther¡¯s shoulder. It bit deep, and the panther let out an anguished whimper as it was driven to the ground. Elijah aimed another cast of Storm¡¯s Fury at the dwarf, who took it far better than the gnome had. Instead of being thrown from his feet, he remained anchored to the ground. Then, still smoking from the bolt of lightning, he turned his attention toward Elijah. Armed with a shield and axe, he strode forward. Holding his staff before him, Elijah backed away. He still had enough Ethera to cast Storm¡¯s Fury a couple more times, but after that, he¡¯d be done. ¡°Who are ye?¡± demanded the dwarf, his ent rendering his words barely intelligible. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Ne¡¯er mind,¡± the dwarf growled. ¡°Don¡¯t matter none. Y¡¯ain¡¯t gonna be ¡®round long ¡®nough fer it te matter.¡± Elijah summoned his Ethera and cast Storm¡¯s Fury, sending a bolt of lightning to crash into the dwarf. The warrior took it on the shield, the surface of which was suddenly encased in a blue nimbus of energy. The dwarf was unhurt by the spell, so, Elijah cast again. And again after that. Two more times, he cast Storm¡¯s Fury until most of his Ethera drained away. But the additional casts were no more effective than the first, and the dwarf was almost entirely unharmed, though, judging by his scowl, he was incredibly angry. And every ounce of that anger was directed at Elijah. The warrior started to say something, but at that moment, the wounded panther pounced on his back, raking its ws across his shoulders and mping its powerful jaws around the dwarf¡¯s head. The warrior tried to fight back, but the panther was too strong. A few secondster, the sound of cracking bone filled the air as the panther crushed the dwarf¡¯s skull. It was precisely what Elijah had been waiting on; he''d seen the mighty panther on approach, so with few options avable, he had chosen to keep the dwarf''s attention in order to give his ally a clean line of attack. Even as the dwarf fell free of the panther''s jaws, the cat copsed to the ground. Its breath came in ragged gasps as Elijah raced forward. When he reached the fallen feline, he saw that the creature was far more wounded than he''d first thought, and he tried to summon enough Ethera to fuel Touch of Nature. But after only a single, ineffectual cast, his core ran empty, and further attempts at casting the spell fell t. So, without the ability to call upon magic, he mped his hands around the panther¡¯s worst wounds as he tried to stem the flow of blood. But it was no use. That¡¯s when the creature locked its eyes on his. Suddenly, Elijah felt a push against his still active One With Nature. At first, it was like a feather brushing against his awareness, but over the next few seconds, the intensity of the contact increased until it felt like someone was swinging a hammer against his skull. Finally, it broke through, and he felt an alien presence invade his mind. And suddenly, he knew what he had to do. The panther knew it was dying, and it had used thest of its own Ethera to make itsst wishes known. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t,¡± Elijah muttered, recoiling from the panther¡¯sst request. ¡°I can¡¯t kill you¡­¡± But that was what it wanted. It pushed harder, insisting. There were no words, just vague impressions. But still, the panther¡¯s wishes were clear. It wanted to die at Elijah¡¯s hands. Elijah was no stranger to mercy killing. He¡¯d spent much of his youth hunting with his father, and he had also seen plenty of animals euthanized during his time working at the zoo while in college. So, when he drew the flint-ded knife from his belt, he did so with practiced surety. The panther raised its chin, giving him free ess to its throat. And Elijah stabbed out, raking the knife across its neck and severing its jugr vein. Blood gushed out, coating his hand. The panther stared at him for a long moment before a wave of gratitude rushed through Elijah¡¯s thoughts. And then, it closed its eyes and went limp. When it died, a series of notifications flew across Elijah¡¯s awareness. He ignored them. Instead, he simply sat there on his knees, staring at the animal that had, for so long, protected him. Book 1: Chapter 32: The Cost of Improvement Book 1: Chapter 32: The Cost of Improvement As Elijah knelt on the beach, he stared at the in panther. But he didn¡¯t really see it. Instead, all he saw was what he¡¯d just done. Strangely, he didn¡¯t feel the least bit guilty about the people he¡¯d helped kill. They were invaders and defilers, and if he wanted to protect his ind and the Grove, killing them was necessary. However, he couldn¡¯t help but keenly feel the loss of the panther who had, on more than one asion, saved his life. Was it silly to mourn the loss of a wild animal that, at any point, might have killed him? Maybe. But in thosest moments, he had seen the creature¡¯s mind. He¡¯d felt its soul. And in doing so, he¡¯d forged a brief connection. Perhaps he was simply anthropomorphizing an animal, but as he looked at the panther, he felt a kinship that, in the end, had been reciprocated. Until that moment, he hadn¡¯t realized just how much he¡¯d leaned on the big cat¡¯s presence. Sure, it wasn¡¯t precisely apanion, but it had been with him since the very beginning. They had protected one another. And now, it was dead. It took Elijah a long time to get past the poignant stabs of grief racing through his mind, but eventually, he forced himself to stand. As he did so, he felt a bolt of agony carve itself through his torso, and he realized that he¡¯d been ignoring a serious wound in his side. Thankfully, his ill-advised moment of grief had given his Ethera the chance to regenerate, so he was free to use Touch of Nature to heal the injury ¨C at least enough to ensure his survival. He did so, and the wound stopped bleeding. It would take a few more casts topletely heal himself, but he didn¡¯t have the Ethera to power such an effort. Clutching his staff, he turned his attention to the three bodies. They had all been mauled beyond recognition, so Elijah didn¡¯t see much point in truly examining them. However, he wasn¡¯t above looting their corpses. For months, he¡¯d been making do with homemade tools, so he was more than willing to plunder whatever valuables they had on them. Of course, making that decision and actually following through with it were two very different things. While he might¡¯ve been fine with killing the intruders, the process of rifling through the pockets of a bunch of corpses was a grim one, and by the time he¡¯d finished, he¡¯d emptied the contents of his stomach more than once. But the rewards, he thought, were worth that difort. ncing at the panther¡¯s corpse, he amended that thought. He¡¯d have given everything if the panther could have survived just a little longer. But that wasn¡¯t how things had turned out. Not before whatever had transformed the world, and certainly not after. If he could soldier on through the deaths of his parents, he¡¯d get through the loss of the panther. To distract himself, he took stock of his looted treasures, which consisted of a couple of leather pouches, the dwarf¡¯s axe, two high-quality steel daggers, and the warrior¡¯s shield. None of the goblin healer¡¯s possessions had survived the panther¡¯s mauling intact, though Elijah took the time to remove his robes. He did the same with the other two invaders¡¯ clothing, which gave him plenty of material. It was all too small to fit him, so he had no idea what he intended to do with it, but surviving in the wilderness was about resourcefulness. And he wasn¡¯t going to turn down a ready source of good cloth. The same could be said for the rest of their attire, and he picked up a couple of leather belts as well. In the end, it was a treasure trove, but one that had cost far more than it was worth. Sighing, Elijah set about the task of getting rid of the bodies. The panther, he took the time to bury, marking the grave with a small cairn made from therge rocks he found on the beach. It took a while, considering he had no tools, but he managed it all the same. Once he was finished, he just stared at the grave with a forlorn sense of sadness that he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d get over anytime soon. Disposing of the invaders¡¯ corpses was much easier, and after he¡¯d toted the small corpses to what he¡¯d begun to call Crab Beach, he simply threw them to the opportunistic scavengers. From experience, he knew the huge crabs would eat their way through the bodies in a matter of hours. It was not a respectful end, but then again, Elijah didn¡¯t much respect them. Part of that was because of what he¡¯d seen across the strait; the settlement had continued to grow, and the coalition of goblins, dwarves, and gnomes had likewise continued to despoil their environment. However, if he was honest with himself, most of Elijah¡¯s ire came from the fact that they had killed the panther. Did it matter that the cat had probably attacked them first? No. Not really. After all, he¡¯d coexisted with the panther for months, and it had never tried to kill him. Following from that was the perception that there must¡¯ve been a reason for the battle that had ensued. Whatever the case, the damage was done, and he needed to adjust ordingly. So, he spent the next hour searching for the means by which they¡¯d reached his ind. And soon enough, he found a small rowboat, which he pulled onto shore and stashed near the tree line where it wouldn¡¯t wash away with the tide. After that, he returned to the Grove, where he settled down to go over the battle¡¯s other gains.
Congrattions! You have reached level nine, earning two free attribute points. Would you like to allocate free attribute points?
That notification was quickly followed by another:
Congrattions! You have reached level ten, earning two free attribute points. Would you like to allocate free attribute points?
And unexpectedly, a third:
Congrattions! Upon reaching level ten, you are eligible to choose a ss. Keep in mind that this decision will define your future. Choose wisely.
Then, there was a final notification:
Error. You may not gain umte kill energy until you have chosen a ss. Please choose a ss to progress further.
¡°Godammit!¡± he growled, pping his hand against the mossy turf around the Ancestral Tree. How much kill energy had he lost? Now, more than ever, he needed to progress quickly and efficiently, and through no fault of his own, he¡¯d wasted at least a level or two worth of energy. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Elijah¡¯s frustration finally spilled over, and he let out a wordless scream of pure anger. After spending months fighting tooth and nail just to survive the winter, he¡¯d lost his protector. More than that, he¡¯d set himself firmly at odds with the only people around. He was fine with that choice, but it was just one more issue to add to all the pressure on his shoulders. How was he supposed to survive if he didn¡¯t know any of the rules? But it really wouldn¡¯t have mattered, would it? Even if he¡¯d known that reaching level ten would require him to choose a ss, he couldn¡¯t have changed anything. Still, it was frustrating, knowing what could have been. Then again, the kill energy he could¡¯ve earned from the day¡¯s actions certainly wouldn¡¯t have let him catch up to the people on thedder. Those weren¡¯t his enemies, though. Aside from a salve for hispetitive spirit, catching up to the people on thedder wouldn¡¯t really affect him. But the trio he¡¯d helped kill ¨C they were a different story. Not only had they been well organized, but at an individual level, they¡¯d all outpaced him in terms of power. He had no notion of what levels they were, but he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were well beyond him. So, he needed to get stronger, and fast. The first step on that journey was to choose a ss. So, he moved on to the next notification:
Please choose a ss from the listed options. Be aware that you may dy this choice until better options are avable. However, you will not progress until you have chosen.
If his need to progress wasn¡¯t so urgent, Elijah might have taken the System up on that opportunity. The idea of getting better choices was certainly attractive enough to dy his own development. However, the looming threat of the settlement across the strait made it an impossibility. Further restricting his choices was the reality that, without the panther, his ind had just gotten a lot more dangerous. After all, he¡¯d seen the evidence of the cat¡¯s efforts every time he¡¯d stumbled across one of the Voxx bodies. Now, without the panther patrolling the ind, the responsibility for keeping it clear of the detestable creatures was left to him. So, Elijah moved on to his choices, the first of which both excited and terrified him.
ss: Animist The animist is a shapeshifter who can take on the characteristics of various beasts. Required Archetype: Druid Required Achievements: Create a bond with a guardian beast. First Ability: Shape of the Predator Attribute Allocation: Bnced Compatibility: 99%
Elijah had been using magic since the very first day he¡¯d arrived on the ind. He¡¯d healed himself from injury countless times. He had also cured himself of cancer. So, he thought he was used to the idea of magic being real. But upon reading a notification that told him that, if he chose that ss, he could transform into an animal, he was taken aback. As such, it took him a few moments before he could look at the notification objectively. The first thing he noticed was that hispatibility with the ss was incredibly high. How the System came up with that number, he had no idea, but a simr notification had given him his druid archetype. And that had worked out well. So, he had to believe that the System knew what it was doing. Other than that, it didn¡¯t really give him much in the way of information. Without a description, the name of the first ability, Shape of the Predator, didn¡¯t really tell him much about what he could expect from the ss. However, he did note that the attribute allocation was supposed to be bnced, whatever that meant. He re-read the description a few more times before moving on to the next ss¡¯s notification:
ss: Fury The fury is a spellcaster who harnesses the power of nature for offensive effect. Required Archetype: Druid Required Achievements: Kill ten (10) creatures of a higher level with offensive spells. First Ability: Cyclone Attribute Allocation: Ethera, Regeneration Compatibility: 88%
The description for the fury was a little more informative than the one for the animist, and Elijah took it to mean that the ss would give him more spells like Storm¡¯s Fury. The attribute allocation seemed to support that notion. Certainly, the idea of being a nature wizard had a certain appeal. However, his recent fight against the trio of invaders gave him some insight into what that might mean for his future. Seeing the panther rip through the healer so easily had certainly left a mark on his mind. If he chose to be a Fury, would that happen to him? The goblin healer had been very effective, so long as he¡¯d had someone to protect him, but the moment he hadn¡¯t, the panther had ripped him apart without issue. And Elijah didn¡¯t have some shield-bearing warrior to protect him. He was all alone, which meant that choosing the path of a dedicated spellcaster seemed like it might be the wrong way to go. But then again, he kept going back to the listed ability, Cyclone. He¡¯d seen the aftermath of plenty of tornados. What if that spell would let him summon something like that? The settlement across the strait would be gone in an instant. Shaking his head, Elijah moved on to the final choice:
ss: Nurturer The nurturer is a spellcaster who harnesses the power of renewal to promote growth and healing. Required Archetype: Druid Required Achievements: Completely heal a higher level entity from near death. First Ability: Flower of Regrowth Attribute Allocation: Ethera, Regeneration Compatibility: 72%
The moment Elijah read the name of the ss, he knew what was in store, and the description did nothing to change his mind. It was a healer, not unlike the one he¡¯d just watched die. Perhaps there was more to it than that ¨C in fact, he was certain that would be the case ¨C but it was simr enough that he didn¡¯t have to think about it too much before he rejected the ss. If he wasn¡¯t stuck on a deserted ind with dangers all around him, Elijah would have probably picked the Nurturer as his ss. The idea of healing people was a rewarding one. And given that he¡¯d gained levels by healing the panther, it was a solid way to progress as well. However, it came with the significant downside of being extremely vulnerable. Elijah couldn¡¯t afford that, so he immediately struck the third option from his list of choices. ¡°Who am I kidding?¡± he muttered to himself. He¡¯d made his choice the moment he¡¯d read the description of the Animist. It wasn¡¯t because he relished the idea of turning into an animal. That was interesting and all, but the real reason he picked animist was because he¡¯d seen the power the panther could bring to bear. On top of that, the attribute allocation was bnced, suggesting that it would be a ¡°jack of all trades¡± sort of situation. Which was exactly what he needed, considering that he was all alone and had no one to depend on but himself. So, without further deliberation, he chose his ss.
You have chosen to be an Animist (Druid archetype).
A few more notifications popped up, but Elijah ignored them. Instead, he just stared at the one confirming his ss, hoping all the while that he¡¯d made the right choice. Because if he hadn¡¯t, his chances of survival were slim. ¡°Alright,¡± he said to himself, pping his hands together in anticipation. ¡°Let¡¯s see what these new spells are.¡± Book 1: Chapter 33: The Shape of the Predator Book 1: Chapter 33: The Shape of the Predator Elijah opened his spellbook and looked at the new additions:
Archetype: Druid The druid is the defender, ally, and cultivator of nature. Features bonuses to natural Regeneration, energy density, and One With Nature. Required Aspects: [Schr], [Nature]
Spells
Touch of Nature Harness the power of nature to heal yourself or an ally.
Snaring Roots Call upon nature to summon a snarl of roots to bind your enemies¡¯ movements.
One With Nature Draw power from nature.
Eyes of the Eagle Briefly enhance your eyesight with the power of a fearsome raptor.
Ancestral Circle Create a ce of power.
Nature¡¯s Bounty Encourage the growth of nts.
Storm¡¯s Fury Call forth the power of a storm and harness its might.
Essence of the Boar Harness the stamina of the boar, increasing Constitution attribute by five (5) points. Usable on allies.
Essence of the Monkey Adopt the coordination of the monkey, increasing Dexterity attribute by five (5) points. Usable on allies.
ss: Animist The animist is a shapeshifter who can take on the characteristics of various beasts.
Shape of the Predator Take on the shape of a mighty hunter, vastly increasing your Dexterity and Strength attributes and giving a minor increase to Constitution. Spellcasting is suspended while Shape of the Predator is active.
Despite the lingering feelings of sadness, a sense of excitement washed over Elijah when he saw his new spells. Essence of the Boar and Essence of the Monkey were both impressive enough, but his eyes were immediately drawn to Shape of the Predator. Still, he forced himself to focus on what he considered the more mundane spells. Essence of the Boar would increase his Constitution attribute by five points, while Essence of the Monkey would serve to do the same for his Dexterity attribute. The real question was whether he could keep them both active at the same time. Before, he¡¯d been able to intuit that keeping One With Nature active was the limit of his current abilities, but now that he¡¯d gained a ss ¨C or maybe it was because he¡¯d gotten a couple of levels ¨C he felt that those limits had been expanded. So, without further ado, he cast Essence of the Boar. He immediately felt the effects as his fatigue washed away. Sure enough, when he opened his status, he saw that his attributes had increased ording to the spell¡¯s description. That sess prompted him to cast Essence of the Monkey as well. However, that was when he got the first disappointment. He couldn¡¯t keep One With Nature, Essence of the Boar, and Essence of the Monkey active at the same time. Two seemed to be the limit. Which presented something of a conundrum. Both Essence of the Boar and Essence of the Monkey gave quantifiable increases, while One With Nature was a bit more nebulous. Still, just because it wasn¡¯t reflected in his status didn¡¯t mean that it didn¡¯te with benefits. One With Nature made him feel stronger, faster, and more durable, even if those gains weren¡¯t represented in his status. So, the way he saw it, the choice was whether or not he wanted an all-around increase from One With Nature coupled with the specific increase that came with either Essence of the Boar or Essence of the Monkey. Or he could just remove all mystery from the equation and use his two newest spells to gain quantifiable increases in his attributes. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Elijah sat there for a long while as he considered the pros and cons of eachbination. But in the end, he decided that he would always keep One With Nature active,rgely because it didn¡¯t juste with benefits to his physical abilities. Rather, it also came with a more esoteric connection to the natural world that he¡¯d begun to take for granted. Without it, he knew he¡¯d feel a little lost. As for his second avable enhancement slot, he chose to use Essence of the Boar as a default, then switch to Essence of the Monkey as needed. That would protect him from any surprises by increasing his durability while giving him the flexibility to respond to threats ording to the situation. Satisfied with that strategy, Elijah shifted his focus to his status. Or more importantly, to the free attribute points he¡¯d yet to allocate. However, to his surprise, he only had four unspent points. Frustrated, he cycled through his various notifications until he saw one he¡¯d somehow ignored after choosing his ss:
ss: Animist automatic attribute allocation: +1 STR, DEX, CONS, ETH, REG
¡°What the¡­¡± Elijah trailed off as he realized what it meant. His days of being able to guide his attribute allocation were over. Instead, because of his ss, he¡¯d get a single point in every attribute each time he gained a level. While that made sense, he found that he was a little disappointed. After all, he didn¡¯t like the idea of losing control over his own development. Still, it only took him a few seconds to realize that that wasn¡¯t necessarily the case. When he¡¯d closed the minor dimensional rift, he¡¯d been awarded three free attribute points. So, if he wanted to keep a handle on his own progression, he would need to continue to do those sorts of things. Which was probably going to happen sooner rather thanter, considering that the panther was now dead. Now, the ind didn¡¯t have any guardians left besides Elijah himself. He had no idea if the cat had been closing those rifts itself, but Elijah suspected that that was the case. Suddenly, he started to realize that his progression had just be far more important than ever before. He needed levels as well as the attributes and additional spells that woulde with them. Otherwise, he was going to be overrun by the Voxx, the invaders from across the strait, or both. First, though, he needed to allocate his four free attribute points. To him, it felt like an easy decision. He had the means to augment his physical attributes, either directly via Essence of the Boar and Monkey or indirectly by keeping One With Nature active. And it stood to reason that, as he leveled, he¡¯d gain more enhancement slots as well as the spells to increase his other attributes. But so far, his limiting factor had been Ethera. There was an argument to be made that Regeneration was just as valuable, but Elijah found himself discounting that line of thinking. If it came down to a fight, there just wasn¡¯t enough time for Regeneration to make much of a difference. However, being able to cast one more Storm¡¯s Fury could end up being the difference between life and death. So, he chose to allocate all four points into Ethera, thus increasing the number of spells he could use before his core ran dry.
Name Elijah Hart
Level 10
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 12
Dexterity 11
Constitution 12
Ethera 20
Regeneration 14
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Opal Neophyte
Looking at his status, Elijah felt a deep sense of pride. It felt like an eternity had passed since he¡¯d washed ashore, and in that time, he¡¯d been entirely remade. Certainly, he was still a long way from the superhuman levels that he¡¯d imagined when he¡¯d first epted that magic was part of his new reality, but he was well on his way. After letting a long sigh, he moved his focus to the most important item on his list. He opened the spell¡¯s description:
Shape of the Predator Archetype: Druid ss: Animist Level: 10 Take on the shape of a mighty hunter (Mist Panther), vastly increasing your Dexterity and Strength attributes and giving a minor increase to Constitution. Spellcasting is suspended while Shape of the Predator is active.
Contagion Physical attacks made while in Predator form also inflict a minor infection.
¡°Wow,¡± Elijah breathed as he read the description. He would have been happy with the transformation alone, so he was ecstatic to find that another ability was included. He didn¡¯t know if it was just a characteristic of being a Mist Panther or if it was awarded as part of his Animist ss progression, but he figured that time would answer that question. For now, he was eager to finally use the spell that he expected to define his ss going forward. So, without further ado, he stood, then dragged Ethera from his core while focusing on Shape of the Predator. By that point, he¡¯d recovered all of his Ethera, so his core was entirely full. However, the moment he cast the spell, that changed. His Ethera rushed out of him in a tidal wave, draining everyst ounce of the energy and leaving it absolutely bare. However, Elijah barely noticed the headache that inevitably followed. Instead, he was entirely focused on the transformation that came soon after. Unlike what he might¡¯ve expected, it didn¡¯t hurt. Nor was it pleasant. It was just odd, feeling his bones rearrange themselves. He fell to all fours as his body continued to change. His organs shifted, his muscles reformed, and midnight fur sprouted all over his body. And after about thirty seconds, the transformation finished. The moment it did, Elijah was overwhelmed by his own senses. He could smell everything. The small animals who made their home in the de. The nearby bushes of his garden. The tree itself. He even smelled an acrid scent that he immediately interpreted as belonging to his human body. But it wasn¡¯t just his sense of smell that had been enhanced. He also heard things he never knew were even there. The slight chitter of a squirrel that was at least a hundred yards away. The p of a bird¡¯s wings. The scurrying insects underground. It was everything Elijah could do not to lose himself amidst the cavalcade of sensory input. His vision and sense of touch had been affected as well, though not to the degree that his sense of smell and hearing had been enhanced. He copsed to his stomach, burying his face between his paws as he struggled to adapt. If he hadn¡¯t already experienced something simr when he¡¯d cultivated his Neophyte soul, he never would have been able to endure it. However, because he¡¯d done so, it only took him a few hours toe to terms with his new, much stronger senses. When he finally did, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at just how much he¡¯d never noticed before. For a while, he justy there, his tail swaying back and forth as he took it all in. Then, atst, he pushed himself to his feet and took his first steps as a Mist Panther. To his surprise, his body seemed to move of its own ord. Or rather, like he¡¯d been a panther all his life. A good thing, too, because he had not relished the idea of learning how to walk on four legs. But now, he could focus on everything else. Without further dy, Elijah took off across the de, moving far more quickly than he¡¯d ever moved in all his life. When he reached the tree line, he bounded forward, kicked off one of the sturdy trees, then hit the ground running. That¡¯s when he noticed an enticing scent. He followed it easily, and soon enough, it started getting stronger. With every step, the smell became more potent until, atst, he found the culprit. Without even thinking, Elijah pounced on the fat hare, mping down on the back of its neck with his mighty jaws. Then, he shook it, breaking its neck. Elijah didn¡¯t even realize what he was doing until he¡¯d already consumed half of that rabbit. But when his mind caught up to his wild instincts, he recoiled. A momentter, he mentally cancelled the spell. His reversion to humanity took a lot longer than his transformation into a panther, and when it finallypleted, the headache he¡¯d felting when he¡¯d first cast Shape of the Predator returned in force. When it did, he copsed onto his rear and just sat there, burying his head in his hands until he¡¯d regained enough Ethera to take the edge off. Once he felt a little better, he looked around and realized that he¡¯d traveled a lot further than he¡¯d intended. As a Mist Panther, he¡¯d moved so quickly, and his mind had focused in on stalking the rabbit so thoroughly that he hadpletely lost track of anything else. That would be a danger he¡¯d have to mitigate in the future. The same could be said about the instincts that came with his transformation. It was perfectly natural for a panther to kill and eat raw animals. But for a human being? That was something entirely different, and the memory of that rabbit¡¯s raw flesh between his teeth twisted his stomach into knots. Finally, the spell itself was incredibly Ethera hungry, draining every bit of the magical energy from his core. So, it was clear that he wouldn¡¯t be rapidly transforming forms anytime soon. In fact, the next time he used Shape of the Predator, he intended to remain that way for a while, if just to get his proverbial money¡¯s worth out of the spell. All in all, though, Elijah was impressed with the ability. It had performed far better than he could have expected, and the sense of power he¡¯d felt as a mist panther was overwhelming. Perhaps if the spell had been avable when he¡¯d stumbled upon the battle between the trio of invaders and the ind¡¯s guardian, then the panther might have survived. Elijah sighed. That wasn¡¯t fair. He had no reason to feel guilty. He had done everything he could, and even if he¡¯d had ess to Shape of the Predator, it wouldn¡¯t have made much difference. The invaders were simply too strong. Or rather, he was too weak. But that was going to have to change. So, he pushed himself to his feet and returned to the Grove. There, he gathered his staff and set off toward the stream so he could wash the taste of raw rabbit out of his mouth. After that, he woulde up with a n that would hopefully shore up some of his weaknesses. Book 1: Chapter 34: The Black Sheep Book 1: Chapter 34: The ck Sheep Eason Cabbot ran his hand along the thick bristles of his blood red mohawk as he sat at the desk he¡¯d been given. Ostensibly, he could havemandeered any building in the budding settlement of Ironshore ¨C that was what his contract had said, at least ¨C but he knew better than to make any power moves. For one, it wouldn¡¯t do much good. He was just the head of security, and as such, the miners and other settlers wouldn¡¯t follow him. For another, he had no aspirations of rule. Instead, he¡¯de to this out-of-the-way backwater of a newly integrated with one goal: to get strong enough to return home and im his rightful ce. But it wasn¡¯t going well. Certainly, there were opportunities for him and the mercenaries he¡¯d brought with him. No restrictions on hunting. No guards to keep him from challenging any interdimensional rift he came across. And the local wildlife was just that ¨C wild. Back home on Norat, everything was so restrictive. The rifts were well-guarded, and the wildlife had long since been tamed. The only way to get ahead was to join a guild ¨C or to convince his parents that he was worth their investment. But that had never been possible for him. The sixteenth son of a minor noble house, gaining any degree of power was a tall hill to climb. Moreso because he¡¯d taken a ss that painted him as an uncontroble barbarian. In his defense, though, Berserker was the most powerful ss he¡¯d been offered, and it wasn¡¯t even close. He would¡¯ve had to have been a fool to take any of the others. His parents didn¡¯t see it that way, though. Nor did his siblings. And as a result, Cabbot had been forced to take drastic measures ¨C like joining a mercenary group called ck Sky and buying passage to the newly integrated world unimaginatively dubbed Earth. When he¡¯d arrived only a few months before, he¡¯d found that the settlement had only barely been developed. However, the miners had found signs that there was true iron beneath the local mountains, so there was every indication that Ironshore would turn out to be a profitable settlement. Still, Cabbot didn¡¯t care about that. Certainly, he would gain a bonus based on the town¡¯s profits, but it was a pittancepared to what he¡¯d need to get ahead. That was why he sought a shortcut. And his eyes were set on the mist-wreathed ind across the strait, which was why he¡¯d sent a scouting team over. They¡¯d been gone for three days, which meant that they were already two past due. He rose, hopping down from the chair. It had been made for a much taller dwarf, and so, it was about two times toorge for his diminutive stature. He¡¯dmissioned some gnome-sized furniture, but the local carpenter was a busy goblin with a wait list a mile long. It would take time to fill Cabbot¡¯s order, and in the meantime, he had to make do with what he had. Which infuriated him.Didn¡¯t these people know who he was? But the answer to that question was a resounding no. To them, he was just the mercenary they¡¯d hired to see to their security. Did it matter that he¡¯d purposely stunted his own progression in hopes of securing just such an opportunity? If he¡¯d let himself gain any more levels, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to make the trip at all. So, he was stuck at level twenty-five. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t remain at that level for much longer. Already, he¡¯d started to participate in local hunts, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before they started finding minor dimensional rifts. And with any luck, they¡¯d discover a tower. Not only would the reward for a first clear be significant, but it would also be a perfect opportunity for him and his most trusted subordinates to quickly progress. None of the local nonbatants knew that, though. And even if they did, it wouldn¡¯t matter. They had all the power. All the money. Sure, that would change if he ever pushed ahead and became an Ascendent, but that was a long way off. Most fighters never sniffed such a lofty status. But Cabbot¡¯s parents had, even reaching the next tier of existence as Demigods. Two of his siblings were well on their way to that goal as well. Not Cabbot, though. His parents wouldn¡¯t invest that kind of etherium or political capital into his progression, and so, he was forced to seek out other means of advancement. He would prove them wrong, though. All it would take was one lucky encounter, and he¡¯d blow them all out of the water. Because while he hadn¡¯t gotten the same opportunities as his siblings ¨C or even his contemporaries in the other noble houses ¨C Cabbot had long known that he was special. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been offered such a powerful ss. Sure, it came with weaknesses, but he could deal with those. Mostly. But it was fine. There were always going to be growing pains. And if it meant having killed a few of the wrong people while in a murderous rage that had begun as a bar fight, so be it. That was another reason he¡¯de to Ironshore. He wasn¡¯t afraid, per se. But getting out of Norat just seemed like a good idea. Once again running his fingers over his mohawk, he checked his weapons. Using Arsenal, he pulled out arge, two-handed axe. Then, making certain that it was in good condition, he checked the greatsword as well. Then, the pair of shortswords. A few daggers. Finally, he inspected arge ive.
Ability: Arsenal Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Store weapons in an extradimensional space. Limited to Unranked items.
The ability was one of the most useful he¡¯d been granted upon gaining his ss, and though it precluded the use of higher-grade weapons, he had noints. Likely, that was because he couldn¡¯t afford anything better than Crude items for now, and those weren¡¯t enough better than peak Unranked items to matter. Sure, they were usually much more durable, but with Arsenal, losing out on a little durability wasn¡¯t the detriment it otherwise would be. After all, if he destroyed one weapon, he could almost always just summon another. After checking his weaponry, he crossed the small room ¨C it really wasn¡¯t much bigger than a closet, which was something that would have to change, and soon ¨C and left his office behind. When he did, he immediately stepped into a mud puddle. Grimacing, he looked down at this boot. Like its partner, it was a Crude grade item, but it had still been expensive. Besides, would it have killed Ramik to pave the roads? That seemed like a minimal level of development. The goblin who ran the town, though, clearly had other things on his mind, because the settlement was still little more than a few hastily-thrown-together buildings and an imported Branch. Disgusted, Cabbot hopped over the mud puddle, then strode down the street. He had to avoid a few carts along the way, but miraculously, he managed to avoid any more idents as he trekked across Ironshore. Eventually, he reached the expansive barracks and went inside. The front of the building was a tavern that a group of mercenaries ran during their off-time. Cabbot didn¡¯t mind the split focus, mostly because they¡¯d paid for the privilege. It wasn¡¯t much of an ie stream ¨C just a few copper etherium a week at present ¨C but it didn¡¯t require any effort on his part. And over time, it would start to add up. In any case, it was the only ce in town to get a decent ss of gnomish whiskey. As tempting as that was, Cabbot resisted the urge as he passed through the tavern ¨C called the Slow Dwarf ¨C and entered the actual barracks. The room was long and lined with two rows of beds, each equipped with a sturdy footlocker and a cab for the mercenaries¡¯ other belongings. By no stretch of the imagination was it morous, but it was also temporary. As the town grew, the mercenaries would be givennd and materials to have their own homes built. If the¡¯s Ethera levels continued to rise, then those homes would be incredibly valuable going forward. But that was a worry that wouldn¡¯t bear fruit for decades, if ever. So, Cabbot pushed that out of mind and continued on to the back of the building. Along the way, he greeted a few of the gnomes, but he all but ignored the goblins and dwarves. He wasn¡¯t quite as prejudiced as most of his race, but neither could he ignore the facts. By nature, goblins were tricky, crude, and often cruel, and dwarves weren¡¯t much better. Those were just facts, and no amount of goodwill or understanding was going to change reality. All Cabbot could do was recognize their obvious ws and adjust his own expectations ordingly. Soon enough, he reached his destination and knocked on the door. A momentter, it swung open to reveal a pink-haired gnomish woman. He grinned broadly and leaned against the doorframe. ¡°Nirea! So good to see you! May Ie in?¡± he asked. ¡°I was working.¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s what this is about,¡± he said, pushing past her. She was just an Administrator, which meant that she didn¡¯t have the ability to stop him. Still, aside from being quite a beauty ¨C which was what had caught his eye in the first ce ¨C she was an incredibly valuable member of the mercenary band. Without her, logistics would devolve into an unsolvable mess, which would in turn, create an unmitigated disaster. Mercenaries were only so loyal as theirst payday, and if the coins stopped flowing, they¡¯d turn pretty quickly. Nirea pointedly left the door open as she sighed and crossed the office to nt herself in her own, gnome-sized chair. That she had one irritated Cabbot something fierce, but he nobly pushed his annoyance to the side. ¡°Have you heard from Dena and those two idiots she works with?¡± he asked without further preamble. Right to the point. Then, he¡¯d get to personal matters. ¡°No. Dena, Braxon, and Vtigt are still missing. Do you want me to organize a search party?¡± Cabbot shook his head, closing the door. What he had to say wasn¡¯t something he wanted the rest of the mercenaries to hear. ¡°No. If they encountered what I think they found¡­no. We can¡¯t afford to lose anyone else.¡± ¡°You think there¡¯s a guardian over there?¡± Cabbot answered, ¡°I do. It¡¯s the only thing that makes sense. Dena might¡¯ve had bad taste in partners, but she was smart and capable.¡± ¡°Highest level in the band.¡± ¡°Was she?¡± he asked, a little surprised. That was certainly news to him. ¡°She found a minor dimensional riftst week. Then, she encountered a herd of lizard creatures. Ran on two legs, short arms, big teeth. She said they looked like six-foot birds, but with scales instead of feathers. They weren¡¯t that strong, but there were more than a dozen of them. She gained a level there and one in the rift.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°There are a few others who are on the verge of catching her, though. Well, now that she¡¯s¡­missing¡­¡± Cabbot said, ¡°Whatever¡¯s over there must be strong, if it took out three of our higher-leveled fighters. If we go over there, we need to go in force. And we¡¯re not ready for that yet.¡± ¡°When will we be?¡± she asked, drumming her fingers on the desk. He sighed. That was certainly a good question, and one he couldn¡¯t really answer. The truth was that, though the presence of a guardian meant that there was probably some potent natural treasure on that ind, they were ill-equipped to handle such a threat. Guardians weren¡¯t just powerful beasts. They were intelligent and cunning, and their sole purpose was to protect that natural treasure until it reached maturity. The World Tree permitted them to exceed the level restrictions imposed by the System, which meant that Cabbot and his mercenaries would almost assuredly be unprepared to face such a creature. Dena and her two hangers-on had discovered that first-hand. ¡°Soon. We just need to get stronger,¡± he said. ¡°Very well. What should I tell the others about Dena, Braxon, and Vtigt? They were popr, and their absence has already been noted.¡± ¡°Tell them that they all received opportunities to go home,¡± Cabbot stated. ¡°Lie?¡± ¡°Of course. To do otherwise would only invite a response. They¡¯ll go over to that ind, and they¡¯ll die just like Dena and those other two idiots. If you think about it, we¡¯re saving lives,¡± he said smoothly. She thought about it for a moment, then said, ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Now that business is done, perhaps you would like to apany me¨C¡± ¡°My apologies, captain, but I have a good deal of work to do. We will have to do it another day.¡± Cabbot ground his teeth together, then once again ran his hand over his bristly mohawk. Then, he forced a smile he didn¡¯t feel before saying, ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± Without anything else, he turned, opened the door, then strode away. However, he did hear something that sounded very much like ¡°asshole¡±ing from the office he¡¯d just left behind. Clearly, he¡¯d misheard, though. Right. Obviously. Book 1: Chapter 35: The First Step Book 1: Chapter 35: The First Step Carmen stood in front of her forge, staring at the mes. She had built the thing herself, and to exacting specifications. However, she knew just how much room there was for improvement. Still, as she walked around it and inspected the brickwork, she was more than happy with the results. The forge itself was a little more than waist high, made of thick bricks she¡¯d made herself using a local y deposit she¡¯d found near theke. The process hadn¡¯t been as onerous as she¡¯d expected, and it had been made even simpler via copious use of her archetype techniques. Idly, she inspected her technique list:
Archetype: Tradesman A versatile crafter who can create a wide variety of goods. Required Aspect: [Schr] [Magic]
Techniques
BondUsing Ethera, bond two materials together.
Fracture Harness Ethera to break a material
Summon Tool Summon one of the following temporary tools: mining pick, cksmith¡¯s hammer, shears, knife, woodsman¡¯s axe
Ethereal Infusion Imbue an item with Ethera.
Minor Enchantment Imbue an item with the minor enchantment: durability
Decontaminate Remove contaminants from a raw material
Tradesman¡¯s Appraisal Gain basic information on your creation.
Refine Material Enhance the basic properties of a material. Only usable on pure substances.
Crafter¡¯s Stamina Gain one (1) point of Constitution per level.
Resist Fire Enhance resistance to fire and heat.
Shape Reshape a material with raw Ethera.
Meld Metals Create an alloy from two metals.
Minor Embellishment Use a single embellishment to augment the grade of an unfinished item. Only usable on metallic weapons, armor, and tools.
Her techniques were mostly self-exnatory, though a few bucked that trend. Specifically, Ethereal Infusion, Minor Enchantment, and Minor Embellishment had required a little experimentation. Now, though, she felt confident that she understood them well enough to attempt something special. And perhaps she would gain a level as well, which would be quite a feat. As a cksmith, she didn¡¯t gain experience like the people withbat sses. Instead, her progression was predictably rooted in crafting. However, she couldn¡¯t simply make the same things over and over again. If she took that route, any progress would take forever. No ¨C if she wanted to keep pace with powerfulbatants like Alyssa, she had to continuously create new and unique items. Which wasn¡¯t such an onerous task, considering that was the entire reason she¡¯d taken the Tradesman archetype to begin with. For her whole life, Carmen had been fascinated with the idea of making things with her own two hands, which was why she¡¯d chosen to pursue her post-graduate work specializing in primitive skills. And while she¡¯d only had a very basic interest in smithing, when the cksmith ss became avable, it had felt like the best choice. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the vition. In any case, it gave her the opportunity to help without putting herself at personal risk. It wasn¡¯t that she was a coward. She would fight if she needed to. But with Miguel depending on her, throwing herself into battle just wasn¡¯t a viable option. One parent taking that path was bad enough ¨C and worry for Alyssa often kept her awake at night ¨C but two was infinitely worse. God forbid Alyssa was killed, but if it happened, Carmen had a responsibility to continue on without her, if only for Miguel¡¯s sake. Besides, there was an argument to be made that, without the settlement¡¯s crafters, no one would have survived. Primitive though their situation was, at least they had shelter and equipment. Without those two things, few would have made it. Now, though, Carmen wanted to do something more than build a log cabin or craft a mundane iron weapon. Instead, she wanted to make something special. To that end, she gathered an old leaf spring she¡¯d taken from one of the now-useless cars in town. Though it was rusty, it was still good steel, which was what she needed for the project she had in mind. She thrust it into the forge, then worked the attached bellows as she waited for the metal to heat to the proper temperature. Slowly, the color changed. Starting at light yellow, it grew darker, progressing through a series of purples and blues on its way to a dark grey. That grey took on a red tint that gradually took over. When the metal became bright red, she knew it was ready to be manipted. Using a pair of tongs, Carmen yanked it out of the forge, then ced the cherry red bar of steel on her anvil. She used Summon Tool, and an unadorned cksmithing hammer weighing about four pounds appeared in her hand. It was a little on the heavier side for what she needed, but with her inted Strength, it felt almost too light. Still, when the heavy head fell on the bar of steel, the metal moved. Over and over, she hammered against the steel until she saw the color fading back to grey. When it did, she thrust the bar back into the forge and repeated the process. Gradually, the bar of steel took on the shape of a tapered, double-edged de about a foot in length. Once Carmen had hammered out the basic form, she dismissed the cksmithing hammer, only to use Summon Tool again. This time, she came up with a much lighter hammer. It took a bit of concentration to make such a change, but she¡¯d mastered it soon after receiving the technique. Thus armed, she started working on the profile of the de, hammering it into a sloped surface that would eventually be a sharp edge. Before the world¡¯s transformation, she would have done things slightly differently. But because of her techniques, Carmen could skip some steps ¨C like building in a socket for the shaft she intended to attach. So, while the forging itself was slightly easier, the fact that she had to continuously use Ethereal Infusion, constantly bathing the piece in Ethera, made up for the decreased difficulty. Gradually, the spearhead took shape. If she¡¯d only wanted to hammer out something that would meet the basic standard of effectiveness, she could have been finished in less than an hour. However, because she wanted to create something at the height of her abilities, she was forced to take her time. She fell into a rhythm. Hammering until the metal cooled, thrusting it back into the forge, working the bellows until it got hot enough to move, then repeating the process. Over and over until, atst, she was satisfied with the shape. Then, Carmen got down to grinding. She would have preferred a belt sander, but due to theck of avability ¨C and the fact that she hadn¡¯t had time to build one ¨C Carmen was forced to do it the old-fashioned way. That meant repeatedly dragging the de along the surface of a whetstone until the shape of the weapon was refined to her tastes. That took even longer than the forging process, but with Ethereal Infusion coursing through her, she fell into something akin to a meditative state. Hours passed, and the sun eventually set, but she kept going by the light of the moon. Each pass along the whetstone took the tiniest portion of metal with it until, just before dawn, she had achieved perfection. She looked up. The forge was still burning, but she didn¡¯t remember adding extra fuel. No one else was around, so she figured that she must¡¯ve done it without thinking. In any case, the de was finished ¨C except for the heat treat, but that wouldeter. For now, she needed to work on the haft. For that, Carmen had chosen hickory she¡¯d gathered from the local forest. But she wasn¡¯t just going to jam the two pieces together and call it a day. Instead, like she¡¯d done with the steel, she¡¯d used her Decontaminate and Refine Material techniques to purify and enhance the wood. As a result, it was a good deal more durable than it would¡¯ve otherwise been. After that, she used abination of Fracture and basic whittling skills to shape the raw limb. In the end, she came up with a six-foot long shaft that was about three-quarters of an inch wide. If the wood wasn¡¯t so durable, she would¡¯ve gone slightly thicker, but because of her techniques, Carmen felt confident that it would survive just about any impact. And she had ns to enhance it further. Once the shaft was finished, Carmen set about heat treating the de. Normally, she would have preferred to use oil for the quench, but it wasn¡¯t as if she could run down to the local big box store and buy a drum of quenching oil, so she was forced to use water. Which was dangerous because it would cool the metal very quickly, and if there were any ws in the de, it stood the risk of shattering. But Carmen had prepared as well as she could, so she could only hope it was enough. With that in mind, she shoved the spearhead back into the forge, waited for it to reach critical temperature, then removed it. The moment it was out of the forge, she thrust it into a barrel of water she¡¯d prepared. Steam billowed, but because of her Resist Fire ability, Carmen was unaffected. Regardless, she was too focused on what she heard to pay any attention to the steam. She listened, but when she heard no cracking sounds, she let out a sigh of relief. Still, after the de had cooled, she inspected it closely, looking for any ws. There were none. So, she was free to move on to the next step, which involved shoving the two pieces together, then using Bond to meld them into one piece. If they wereprised of the same materials, it would have been simple. However, because the shaft was wood and the de was high-carbon steel, it was a bit trickier. Still, Carmen had spent quite some time preparing for just that problem by melding a wide variety of materials together. The trick was focus and patience. If she tried to do it all at once, just using the Bond technique without any direction, it would fail. But so long as she took her time, slowly guiding the two disparate materials into merging, it would create a seamless transition that was stronger than either of the individual materials. With well-practiced resolve, she did just that, directing tiny tendrils of metal and wood into a series of microscopic braids. She couldn¡¯t see them, but so long as she maintained her focus, she could feel them. At the same time, she never let Ethereal Infusion drop, which added some degree of difficulty, but would create much better results. In the end, it took another four or five hours before she finished the process. Once it was done, she sagged in exhaustion, both mental and physical. But she was only getting started. Sure, the spear was fine as it was. It would do the job. Yet it required two more steps before she could call itplete. First, though, Carmen needed some rest. She¡¯d been at it for almost an entire day straight, and though her endurance was augmented by Crafter¡¯s Stamina, it could only do so much. So, she stashed the spear in a corner and headed home to eat and sleep. Fortunately, Alyssa had taken Miguel out into the wilderness, where she was teaching him the lessons her father had taught her. Hunting, fishing, tracking ¨C all sorts of wilderness survival skills that were even more important now than they had been when she¡¯d learned them. Her meal wasn¡¯t terribly satisfying. Just a hunk of bread, a few berries Alyssa had gathered, and some dried meat. Normally, she would have taken the meal in one of themunal dining halls, but that would havee with a host of social obligations she had no time to meet. So, she suffered through her meal, then washed off as best she could before going to bed. Sleep came fast and ended even more quickly, and soon enough she was back at the forge. Technically, she could have finished everything at the cabin, but she had no intention of taking her work home. Sitting near the forge, she held the spear across herp. After spending quite some time inspecting it for any ws she might have missed, she decided that its quality was good enough to take the next step. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was the best she could do. For now. She felt positive that, one day, she could make something far more impressive. After all, the crafting guides Alyssa had bought from the Branch of the World Tree suggested the existence of rare, powerful materials. And she knew her journey as a crafter had only just begun. No ¨C there were many powerful items in her future. But every journey began with a single step, and her path as a cksmith started with a single spear. So, with that in mind, she took the next step. Using a small knife, she started to carve. As she did, she kept two techniques active. The first, as always, was Ethereal Infusion, which bathed the entire weapon in Ethera. The second was Minor Embellishment, which had two requirements to activate. The first was to simply embrace the technique, using it the same way she used any other. The second requirement was to create some sort of flourish in her crafted product. ording to the crafting guides, it could be something as simple as embedding a jewel into a tiara, but it hinted that the more appropriate the embellishment was to the item, the more it would boost the eventual quality of the end result. However, the guide acknowledged that there was some debate on the subject as well, and it said that some crafters had posited that the appropriateness of the embellishment was subject to the crafter¡¯s opinion. In short, if she thought it fit, then that was all that mattered. Carmen wasn¡¯t sure about that, but it really wasn¡¯t all that important, either. She¡¯d known from the very beginning what form the embellishment would take. So, she got to work, carving the shaft with fanciful designs that resembled Renaissance ornaments. But she didn¡¯t stop there, instead continuing onto the spearhead with an engraving tool. Once she¡¯d finished, Carmen set it on a nearby rack, then stepped back. From a distance, the designs weren¡¯t even visible. However, once someone drew close enough, they would see just how borate they were. It was perfect. But it wasn¡¯t done. There were still two more steps. Both were important, but one was far more critical than the other. So, Carmen chose to take care of that one ¨C the Minor Enchantment ¨C first. On the surface, it didn¡¯t seem all that difficult. All she had to do was carve the appropriate symbol into the surface of the weapon while channeling the technique. However, her tests had told her that it was far from simple, and she knew it would require every ounce of her concentration to get it right. So, Carmen took another break, got some food, and even walked around the settlement for a bit. Once her head was clear, she returned to the forge, ced the spear across herp, and got to work. She¡¯d left a small ring of virgin territory in the center of the spearhead, and she targeted that space with her engraving tool. As she did so, Carmen used Minor Enchantment. From experience, she knew it would only make the weapon more durable ¨C a minor effect, just as the name implied ¨C but it was worth it. Thest thing she wanted was for the spear to snap at the wrong time, after all. So, Carmen put her all into it, doing her best to regte the Ethera flowing through her so that she wouldn¡¯t overload the would-be enchantment. It was no easy task, but she¡¯d practiced enough that she managed it all the same. And then, after a few strokes of her engraving tool, she was finished. Now, all she needed to do was sharpen the de and seal the wooden haft with wax. She took her time, partially because the tasks required it. But mostly, she was loathe to finish the weapon. What if it didn¡¯t prove to be worth the trouble? What if it was just another spear? After everything she¡¯d done, it was still made from mundane materials, after all. But part of her reticence was also because, despite the amount of effort it had taken, she had very much enjoyed the process. There was something about the act of creating something from nothing that had always appealed to her, and the addition of magic ¨C or Ethera, she supposed ¨C just made it that much more impactful. But still, she put the finishing touches on it, and just like that, the project was done. It was the product of three days of work and countless hours of practice. She¡¯d arduously gathered the best materials she could, and she¡¯d used every ability at her disposal. Looking back on the process, Carmen didn¡¯t think she could have done anything differently. So, it was with some sense of satisfaction that she used Tradesman¡¯s Appraisal:
Congrattions! You have created a unique item [Spear of the Dragon Lancer]. Overall Grade: Crude Enchantment Grade: F
Carmen pumped her fist in celebration, letting out a whoop of excitement. Then, she did an awkward, little dance. And as far as she was concerned, her celebration was well warranted. Until that moment, the best item she¡¯d managed to craft had still never exceeded an unranked overall grade. That she¡¯d stepped up to the next level was an enormous achievement. Calling something crude wasn¡¯t really ttering, but it represented the first step of magical equipment. ording to everything she¡¯d read, it was an enormous leap forward in terms of effectiveness, and even though the Spear of the Dragon Lancer wouldn¡¯t have any fanciful magical powers, it would be nearly unbreakable and would feature a minor self-repair function. In short, it was everything she¡¯d hoped to achieve. But having taken that first step, she couldn¡¯t help but look forward to the next. Sure, she¡¯d made a crude magical item, and that was great. Better than great, really. But what would an item with a simple grade look like? Or aplex one? Before, those goals had seemed almost unreachable. However, now that she¡¯d taken the first step, those heights seemed much more attainable. Book 1: Chapter 36: Climbing the Ladder Book 1: Chapter 36: Climbing the Ladder Elijah stalked forward, his feet falling silently against the forest floor as he followed his prey through the forest. Even if it hadn¡¯t made so much noise, there was no mistaking the scent that it emitted. To Elijah¡¯s sense of smell, the odor was abination of rotten eggs, something simr to cheap cigar smoke, and the sickly sweet scent of dposing fruit. It was, to put it mildly, extremely off-putting, and he wanted nothing more than to get as far from the smell as he could manage. But he couldn¡¯t do that. No longer could he shirk his responsibilities as protector of his Grove. The panther was gone, and so, he needed to step up and fulfill his role. To that end, he followed the Voxxian creature through the forest. It was small, barely as big as a mid-sized dog, and its sleek body was covered in blue-green scales that shimmered in the scant rays of light that managed to pierce the forest¡¯s canopy. In any other situation, the reptilian monster would have been beautiful, at least in its own odd way. However, with every step it took, thend was further despoiled. It was a virus. A foreign entity that could only spread rot, disease, and destruction. With something like that, there was no coexistence. It was kill or be destroyed, with nopromise in between. So, cloaked in Shape of the Predator, Elijah hunted. It had been two days since he¡¯d gained the spell, and in that time, he¡¯d gained significant mastery over his new form. He knew he was no match for the panther that had died protecting the ind from the invaders, but he was rapidly closing that gap. One day, he hoped he could rival its power. But for now, he stalked the Voxxian monster. When it leaped between two rocks, Elijah pounced. His ws shed as he raked them across its scaley back, and to his surprise and satisfaction, they parted beneath his natural weapons. As Elijah¡¯s weight fell upon it, the monster screeched in pain and shock, but it quickly recovered and flexed its elongated neck as it tried to bite him. Elijah pressed down on it with every ounce of Strength he possessed, holding it there for a few long seconds before he brought his teeth to bear.In only a moment, he¡¯d mped his jaws around itsparatively smaller skull. He squeezed, and his efforts were rewarded with the sound of cracking bone. And the most repulsive taste imaginable. It was like ash and oil mixed with rubber, and the moment it hit his tongue, he was forced to resist the urge to recoil. Instead, he redoubled his efforts, trying to end the fight before it could even begin. The monster struggled, wiggling beneath Elijah¡¯sparativelyrger form, but it was no use. After a few more moments, the pressure finished its work, and the monster¡¯s skull copsed entirely, squirting brains, blood, and whatever else the monster had inside its head into Elijah¡¯s mouth. The second the monster was dead, Elijah bounded backwards, spitting and hissing with every foot he could put between himself and the detestable creature. His efforts were useless, and the horrid taste remained. However, he still felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he watched the monster¡¯s death spasms. Finally, once it was dead, he let his spellpse, and over the next few moments, he reverted to his human form. It was still a strange transition, going from a four-legged mist panther to standing upright, and Elijah assumed that the process was helped along by magic. Otherwise, it would have assuredly been far more jarring. Over the past couple of days, Elijah had learned a few things about his ss¡¯s defining spell. First, as he¡¯d discovered on that very first day, his clothing transformed with him. Where it went, he had no idea, but he was grateful for the fact that he didn¡¯t have to walk around naked every time he transformed back into a human. By this point, his clothes didn¡¯t cover much ¨C his shirt had been cannibalized for various projects, and his pants had been ripped to shreds below the knee ¨C but he still appreciated the coverage all the same. The second thing he had discovered was that his staff transformed with him as well. Other weapons did not, though Elijah had no idea why that would be the case. The only answer that made sense was, as always, that it was all magic he didn¡¯t really understand. Hopefully, he would learn more as he made his way through the transformed world. Finally, through trial and error, he¡¯d learned that transforming into a mist panther vastly increased his Dexterity and Strength, which was reflected in his status. Numerically, the spell added ten points to both of those attributes while increasing his Constitution by aparatively smaller three points. Considering that he couldn¡¯t cast any spells while transformed, the additional points in his physical attributes were a wee ¨C and wholly necessary ¨C part of the ability. Elijah leaned on his staff as he watched the monster¡¯s death throes. It was the fourth such creature he¡¯d killed in the past two days, and the moment it had died, he received a new notification:
Congrattions! You have reached level eleven. Attribute points allocated ording to your ss.
Elijah was still of two minds about the fact that he had no say-so in his attribute allocation. However, he couldn¡¯t argue with the fact that, instead of two points, he received five with each level. They were spread across his entire status, but given the nature of his new ss, the even distribution seemed appropriate. After all, he still had his druid spells, which required Ethera to cast, but he also needed the physical attributes if he was going to be effective in his mist panther form. He truly was a jack-of-all-trades, which was bothforting and disappointing. Comforting because he liked the idea of being capable ofbating any situation that mighte up, but disappointing because he knew he¡¯d never be as powerful as a specialist. Probably. While that made sense, it functioned off of the assumption that the world ¨C and sses ¨C were bnced. There was no guarantee that that was the case, though. For all he knew, there were extraordinarily powerful sses that gave people god-like power. Or sses that gave people almost nothing. It was all a mystery to him, and aside from Nerthus, who seemed extremely restricted in what he could say, there was no one for Elijah to ask for advice. So, he had to discover most things for himself. Unfortunately, one of those discoveries happened shortly after he reached level eleven. He¡¯d fully expected to get another spell, much as he had with every other previous level. However, he quickly discovered that that wasn¡¯t the case. He knew he should be happy with his additional attributes, but he¡¯d been looking forward to getting a new spell. Sighing, he just shook his head and hoped that he would get one when he reached level twelve. With that, Elijah set off back to the Grove, stopping by at the stream so he could rinse the foul taste of the Voxxian monster from his mouth. When he reached the Grove, he was unsurprised to find that the three trees that would eventually be his home had continued to grow, twining together to create a sizable floor. Suspended about ten feet off the ground, it spread out for around a hundred feet in every direction, meaning that, once it was finished, it would end up being quite arge house. For now, though, he set himself up beneath what would eventually be the floor and leaned against one of the trunks. There, he focused his mind on the ambient Ethera and began to meditate. The process wasn¡¯t overtly effective, but the swirling Ethera did help him rx, which was sorely needed, given his situation. After a while, Elijah slipped off into a fitful sleep, only waking when the sun rose the next morning. Starting that morning, his life took on a decided rhythm. Most of his time was spent hunting the Voxx. He had no idea where they wereing from, but he killed at least a couple each day. Most were small, but over the next few weeks, he managed to kill a couple that rivaled the one he¡¯d fought in the minor dimensional rift in size. When he wasn¡¯t hunting the Voxx, Elijah was either meditating, gathering food, or exploring his ind. And slowly but surely, he made progress in each arena. So, by the time spring became summer, he¡¯d managed to progress far more than he ever thought possible. Never was that more apparent than when he looked at thedder: This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience.
1. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 31 2. Sadie Song ¨C Level 28 3. Lisa Song ¨C Level 28 4. Hu Shui ¨C Level 26 5. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 25 6. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 24 7. Kimberly Jackson ¨C Level 24 8. Michael King - Level 23 9. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 23 10. Niko Song ¨C Level 23 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­ 92. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 18
He thrust both of his hands into the air in celebration as he saw that he¡¯d managed to break into the top one-hundred. He was only five levels away from getting into the top twenty-five, too. However, getting to level twenty-three would technically put him on equal footing with a few of the top ten. How the System differentiated between people of the same level, he didn¡¯t know. Regardless, he didn¡¯t really care about rankings. He cared about power, and after his slow start, he¡¯d truly begun to gain on the leaders. Not that he waspeting with the rest of humanity. Not really, at least. Instead, he just wanted enough Strength to do what was necessary. Hopefully, histest gains would assist in that endeavor. He took a look at his status, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction at what he saw.
Name Elijah Hart
Level 18
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 19
Dexterity 18
Constitution 19
Ethera 27
Regeneration 21
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Opal Neophyte
His attributes were so much higher than they¡¯d been even a few weeks before. However, he¡¯d confirmed that each attribute point seemed to mean less and less as he grew in power. As far as he could tell, each point gave him the same benefit, but rtive to his overall power, it just meant less. For instance, if each point of Strength let him lift an extra twenty pounds, that additional Strength would be a lot more noticeable when he could only lift forty total pounds than when his total capacity was in the hundreds of pounds. In any case, Elijah was satisfied with his progress, especially considering that he¡¯d had to do it all alone. Judging by the surnames of some of the other top one-hundred, that wasn¡¯t the case with most people. For example, three people with the Song surname were in the top ten, suggesting that they were all leveling together. It didn¡¯t take a genius to reason that they all hadplimentary sses and abilities, and even if they didn¡¯t, there was value in cooperation. Human beings were social animals, after all. In addition to the extra attribute points that came with each level, Elijah had also gotten a few new spells. Instead of getting one every level, as he had for the first ten, he now got ess to a new spell every other level. That meant that, since gaining his ss, he¡¯d gained four new spells. He pulled up the individual spell descriptions:
Spell: Essence of the Wolf Channel the crity of the wolf, increasing movement speed by twenty percent. Combat cancels effect.
The first spell, called Essence of the Wolf, was simr to the others in the essence line in that it enhanced his physical abilities. However, unlike Essence of the Monkey or Boar, it didn¡¯t provide straight attribute bonuses. Instead, it simply made him run faster ¨C a boon that he had used to great effect while exploring the ind. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t take up one of his augmentation slots, so he didn¡¯t have to make a choice between using it or enhancing his Dexterity. The only issue was that the benefits fell away when he enteredbat.
Spell: Ward of the Seasons Harness the power of the seasons, increasing resistance to elemental damage (Water, Earth, Fire, Air).
The next new spell, which he¡¯d gotten at level fourteen, was called Ward of the Seasons. It did take up one of his augmentation slots, so it was often forgotten. Certainly, he could see the benefits of the spell, which promised to decrease the damage he took from elemental spells. However, because he¡¯d been fighting nothing but animals and Voxx, none of which had ess to spells, he hadn¡¯t seen much use for it. Perhaps that would change in the future, though. For now, he mostly ignored it.
Ability: Guise of the Unseen Fade into your surroundings. Not usable inbat. Requires: Shape of the Predator
At level sixteen, he¡¯d gotten an ability that was only usable when he took on the form of a mist panther. However, even with that limitation, it was incredibly useful. As a hunting cat, he was already incredibly stealthy, but using Guise of the Unseen made him all butpletely undetectable. He¡¯d tested it out against various animals, and unless he actively tried to be seen, he was almost entirely invisible. Of all his abilities, it was probably the one that had affected his everyday hunting the most.
Spell: Healing Rain Conjure a nourishing storm that heals allies.
Once again, Elijah could see how his level eighteen spell could be useful. He¡¯d used it a few times, just to get a feel for it, and he¡¯d discovered that it had a couple of points in its favor. First, it took almost no Ethera to cast, meaning that it was incredibly efficient. The downside to that was that it wasn¡¯t nearly as fast-acting as Touch of Nature. A wound that Touch of Nature could heal in minutes took hours for Healing Rain to treat. The second positive aspect of the spell was that the storm it conjuredsted for hours while covering an area that extended around twenty feet in each direction. So, if he ever encountered allies, he could heal multiple people at once with the spell. For now, though, Elijah used it to heal minor injuries and to stave off fatigue while Touch of Nature was more geared toward healing more urgent wounds. Both had their ces and were potent parts of his toolkit. All in all, Elijah was satisfied with his progress. However, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that he wasn¡¯t going fast enough. The settlement across the strait had continued to grow, and despite his efforts the infestation of the Voxx had only grown worse since the death of the panther. Unless something changed, and soon, he would be overwhelmed. For now, though, he could only keep going the way he was and hope that it would be enough. Book 1: Chapter 37: Survival Isnt Living Book 1: Chapter 37: Survival Isn''t Living Elijah bounded off the embankment, using his enhanced Strength tounch himself at the enormous crab. At some point within the past few weeks, the crabs had experienced another growth spurt, and they had reached absolutely gargantuan proportions. With ws as big as motorcycles and a body that would rival a Volkswagen bus in size, it truly had earned the monsterbel. With that increase in size came the mixed news that they¡¯d begun preying on one another. Usually, when he came within a few hundred yards of the beach, his ears would be assaulted by the thunderous sounds of cking ws and colliding car-sized crabs. On the surface, that didn¡¯t seem like such a bad thing, and usually, it made hunting the distracted or often-wounded creatures much easier. However, their increased size and decreased avability presented a new problem. Food storage. Ever since the very beginning, Elijah had depended on the crabs as his primary source of protein and fat. He¡¯d supplemented it with various small game and fish, but crab meat had always been the backbone of his diet. And though he often found himself looking at the lumpy bits of white meat with disgust, he knew he couldn¡¯t afford to ignore such a ready source of food. However, because the crabs had grown sorge andbative with one another, when he killed and harvested one, he was forced to make that meatst. Which wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if he had some means of refrigeration, but with spring already turning to summer, crab meat was quick to spoil. So, he¡¯d ended up wasting far more than he ate. Again, that wouldn¡¯t have been such a problem if they¡¯d remained as numerous as before, but due to their habit of fighting and killing one another, that just wasn¡¯t the case anymore. Still, that was a problem for another time, and Elijah focused on the fight at hand. Or rather, the ughter. For all their size, the mutated crabs werepletely incapable of keeping up with Elijah¡¯s enhanced speed. Even if he¡¯d been in human form, he could have run circles around the thing. The only dangerous bit came from how quickly it could bring its oversized ws to bear, but Elijah was an experienced-enough crab hunter that he was never in any real danger. First, he let his bounding leap take him to the top of the creature¡¯s muddy brown shell. It spun in circles, trying to dislodge him, but he dug his ws into the surface and raced towards its head. Once there, heshed out with his ws, severing the creature¡¯s eye stalks. It let out a whistling howl ¨C a sound that enormous crabs apparently could make ¨C as it tried to buck him off, but Elijah was already on the move, leaping from his perch andnding on the rocky shore.Once there, he raced off into the nearby brush where he waited for the crab to lose interest. For all that the crabs had grown in size, their intelligence had not increased apace, and as a result, they were just as stupid as always. A good thing, too, because otherwise, Elijah would¡¯ve had difficulty bringing them down. Once the crab lost interest, it meandered around, confused andcking the senses it needed to navigate the world. Even if Elijah left, it would soon sumb to some other predator ¨C or to another crab. He didn¡¯t revel in the thing¡¯s suffering, but killing was a part of life in any ecosystem. If he wanted to survive, the crab needed to die by any means necessary. Suffering just didn¡¯t enter into his thought process. It couldn¡¯t. Now that he was out ofbat ¨C a nebulous state that he couldn¡¯t really exin, save that he knew it when he felt it ¨C Elijah embraced Guise of the Unseen, letting himself fade from view. It wasn¡¯t invisibility. Not exactly, at least. But it was the closest thing to it, and he knew that most creatures would have trouble detecting his presence unless he got really sloppy. Which had happened more often than Elijah liked. While he had the instincts of a hunting cat to call upon, he was still new to it all. As such, he¡¯d experienced almost as many failures as sesses. So, he¡¯d learned to handicap his prey any way possible. Thus, his attack on the crab¡¯s primary sensory organs. He stalked forward, confident in his ability to remain undetected as he passed beneath the monster¡¯s shell. Because the crabs had a habit of standing extremely still when they couldn¡¯t see ¨C it was a new development from the unmutated versions, but Elijah had observed it on enough asions to trust it ¨C he moved beneath the creature¡¯s body without hesitation. Once he reached the appropriate spot, heshed out, plunging his w deep into its rtively unprotected underbelly, and destroying the nerve center closest to its head. With that done, he darted out from beneath it just before it copsed. It wasn¡¯t dead yet, but it was only a matter of time before it sumbed. As he watched it slowly die, Elijah regretted that he couldn¡¯t have finished it off more quickly. Before, when he could simply flip the thing on its back, it was easy enough to destroy the second nerve cluster and kill it, but with howrge it had grown, that was simply impossible. So, he had no choice but to watch it slowly perish. However, only a few minutes into the process, an acrid scent wafted toward Elijah. The moment it hit his nostrils, he dashed away. It was just in time, too, because, only a secondter, a Voxxian monster the size of a pony crashed into the spot he¡¯d just vacated. Like all of the Voxx Elijah had seen, this neer was reptilian in appearance, with viridian scales, wicked talons, and sharp teeth. However, this one was also equipped with a thick, meaty tail that reminded Elijah of a crocodile. Except for the spikes jutting from the end. It recovered quickly, spinning around and using its tail as a weapon. Elijah leaped high into the air, avoiding a blow that would surely have skewered him, but the lizard-like Voxx was ready for that move, and it continued its spin by aiming a raking w in his direction. Elijah tried to twist out of the way, but being suspended in mid-air, he had no leverage. So, although he managed to avoid the worst of it, he still took a blow to his side. This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Blood gushed from the resultant wound, showering the Voxxian monster in red rain. It opened its mouth and screeched in obvious ecstasy as the momentum of the attack sent Elijah spinning through the air only to skid across the rocky beach before colliding with the dying crab. He ignored his wound, leaping to his feet just in time to dodge the Voxxian monster¡¯s next blow, and he managed to clip it with a responding attack that easily parted the scales on its shoulder beforending lightly and taking off into the brush. The lizard-like Voxx crashed through the forest after him. Elijah hade a long way since his first encounter with a Voxxian monster, and so he wasn¡¯t the helpless prey he¡¯d once been. No ¨C he¡¯d spent weeks honing his skills as a hunter, and now that he¡¯d recovered from the surprise attack, it didn¡¯t take him long to gather his wits and turn the tables on the creature. And while he might¡¯ve beenparatively vulnerable on the beach, he waspletely at home in the forest that had been his home for the better part of a year. With the failure of its ambush, the monster never had a chance. Over the next few minutes, Elijah engaged in hit-and-run tactics. He didn¡¯t try to kill the thing with a single blow. Instead, he utilized the death-by-a-thousand-cuts mentality. Soon enough, the wounds he¡¯d opened with his first few attacks began to fester, and the monster stumbled. It quickly righted itself, but it was the beginning of the end. Contagion, the passive ability that came with Shape of the Predator, usually didn¡¯te into y. However, in a long and drawn-out confrontation, it showed its worth when the elerated infection began to do its work. Elijah could have left it there, and like he¡¯d done with the crab, simply waited on the monster to die. However, he chose to use the encounter to hone his skills. So, over the next hour, he continued to harass the creature until, atst, it fell over and died. Elijah approached, ignoring the acrid scent assailing his nostrils as he beheld his handiwork. The Voxxian monster¡¯s scales had be a mass of shallow cuts, and the barely-visible flesh beneath had turned a sickly green color with infection. It had been a useful fight, but even the day¡¯s two kills hadn¡¯t given him enough energy to gain a level. Which was frustrating. It had been almost a week since he¡¯d achieved level eighteen, and he¡¯d yet to progress any further. That stall had already resulted in him falling off thedder, which only exacerbated his annoyance. After ensuring that the monster was dead, Elijah returned to the beach to find that his crab was already being consumed by another of the creatures. So, with a feline sigh, he set about repeating his actions, killing the oversized crab with little difficulty. Then, he let Shape of the Predator fall away, resuming his human form. Ofte, he¡¯d spent most of his time as a mist panther, and as a result, returning to his natural body left him feeling momentarily awkward. Once he¡¯d taken the time to harvest the huge crab¡¯s ws, he set off back to the Grove. Along the way, he stopped by to wash the blood from the wound on his side. Upon inspection, he saw that the monster¡¯s attack had actually exposed his ribs. After cleaning up, he continued on his way, carrying an enormous crab w on either shoulder. Once, he would¡¯ve had trouble with such a feat of Strength. Certainly, when he¡¯d first washed ashore, he¡¯d have been entirely incapable of even dragging such heavy appendages. But now? With his increased Strength, the only barrier was how awkward the burden was to carry. When he reached the Grove, he took a few moments to look around before heading to the underside of what would be his house. The roof still wasn¡¯t finished, so he¡¯d yet to move in. However, it was growing closer topletion with every passing day. Still, he found it difficult to take pleasure in its construction. Because he was frustrated with his slow progress. Elijah had never been the mostpetitive person in the world. Sure, he wanted to win anypetition he participated in, but losing hadn¡¯t put him in a foul mood. Not like it had with his sister. Indeed, she had always been the trulypetitive one, and if Elijah was honest, he¡¯d half expected to see her name at the top of thedder. She was the high achiever, after all. But now? Having tasted a bit of sess, Elijah desperately wanted to continue climbing thedder, and not just for the sake of doing so. He knew he needed to get stronger. The Voxx continued to assault his ind, and even if they hadn¡¯t, there were the people across the strait to worry about. If he truly wanted to protect his Grove, he needed to grow more powerful, and fast. And just when he¡¯d started to roll, his progress had stalled. His frustrations continued to mount as he stored his crab ws away in a woven basket he¡¯d made for that very purpose. Then, he removed his clothing and cast Healing Rain. A small, localized storm cloud manifested, and a momentter, a steady drizzle fell from the sky. Elijah sat down and ced his hand over his wound before casting Touch of Nature. Thebination of the two healing spells quickly mended his flesh, and soon enough, Elijah was entirely whole. But he was still too frustrated to sink into meditation, so he took a few moments to inspect his garden. The berries he¡¯d grown were almost ripe, which would be a boon for his food supply. To quicken the pace, he spent an hour steadily pulsing Nature¡¯s Bounty. After that, Elijah made a circle around the Grove, using his spells to ensure that the trees continued their own growth. ording to Nerthus, the Grove would continue to mature, and that it would eventually epass the entire ind. Hopefully, at that point, the steady invasion of Voxx would cease. Once he¡¯dpleted a few circuits around the Grove, Elijah retreated to his temporary home beneath what would be his permanent house, and ate some stew he made from mushrooms, wild onions, and, of course, crab meat. It was not pleasant, but he ate it anyway. As he sat there spooning the vaguely edible concoction into his mouth, Elijah pondered the nature of life. Survival, he reasoned, wasn¡¯t enough. Not really. Eventually, endeavoring to simply live another day would lose its luster. He missed people. He missed good food prepared by people who actually knew what they were doing. He missed his family. He missed so many things about his old life. Sure, he¡¯d gotten a second chance when his terminal cancer had been cured. He even got magic powers out of the deal. But was he really living? No. He certainly wasn¡¯t. It was at that moment that Elijah resolved to change that. He still needed to ensure the Grove¡¯s survival, and eventually, he would have to do something about his aggressively industrious neighbors across the strait. But once he¡¯d aplished those goals, he decided to look for civilization, to find his sister, nephew, and sister-inw, and to actually start living his life. But as he looked up at the star-filled sky, he realized that those goals were probably a long way from bing reality. For one, the world had been transformed. One of the very first notifications he¡¯d read said that the Earth would experience selective randomization. And clearly, they had alien visitors. The fact that he¡¯d helped kill a goblin, gnome, and dwarf proved that much. So, he reasoned that finding his way back to Seattle would probably be much more difficult than he could imagine. Sighing, heid back and closed his eyes. It would be difficult, sure. But that was fine. He had magic powers, after all. He could handle a little journey. With that in mind, he felt a little better about his situation. Book 1: Chapter 38: Towers and Rifts Book 1: Chapter 38: Towers and Rifts As summerid its hand over the region, the ind transformed. Flowers bloomed, fruit ripened, and wildlife became more active than ever before. Elijah was no exception, spending his days hunting and exploring. It wasn¡¯t long before he¡¯d visited every corner of his ind, and his efforts as a hunter were more sessful than not. In short, he began to thrive. However, despite his efforts in keeping the ind clear of Voxx, he¡¯d only barely progressed to level neen. Fortunately, that got him back on thedder, if only onto the ny-ninth spot. Still, it was progress, and he appreciated the allocation of the additional attribute points that came with the level. As he sat in his Grove, he looked at his status, a habit he¡¯d developed over the months since he¡¯d been stranded on the ind. Barely a day went by when he didn¡¯t flick the window open and study his progress. Most of the time, there was nothing to see, but he still did it, nheless. That action came with varying degrees of pride and disappointment, depending on his mood. Pride, because he¡¯de a long way in a little more than a year. When he¡¯d washed ashore, suffering from cancer treatments and terminal cancer, he¡¯d been incredibly weak. In fact, he was so powerless that a few overgrown crabs had nearly killed him. Since that time, his Strength had grown by leaps and bounds, rendering survival trivial. But he knew just how far he was behind the others at the peak. Thedder spoke for itself, after all. So, while his progress had been substantial, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but think that it wasn¡¯t enough. The same could be said for the Grove, which had been transformed by his presence. What had been a simple field with a lone tree at the center had be a beautiful and thriving garden, ringed by a tower of trees and featuring lush vegetation that had been enhanced by his abilities. The only thing it was missing was a water feature until it could rival the borate and well-tended botanical gardens he¡¯d visited before Earth was transformed. But it wasn¡¯t enough ¨C not to be the safe haven he and Nerthus had envisioned. The coalition of dwarves, gnomes, and goblins across the strait had continued to settle the area, and their little town had be a thriving city with a poption in the thousands. The surroundingndscape had been decimated, and though they hadn¡¯t covered everything with concrete like humanity was wont to do, it still smacked of the artificial. More, they¡¯d begun to expand their efforts into the sea, sending sizable ships out that soon returned with massive whales in tow. Elijah had never been a true conservationist, but there was enough of the marine biologist left in him that he saw whaling as an abominable practice. Once, humanity had driven the mighty creatures to near extinction, so he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of anger as he saw those carcasses being dragged into the strait.But he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. There were no regtions anymore. Not that he knew of, at least. And if the state of the crabs was any indication, those whales were probably more than capable of defending themselves. But that didn¡¯t really affect the way he felt about any of it. The fact was that he was inadequate, and his efforts to change that had so fare up short. So far. He still had time, but the settlement continued to grow with every passing week. Soon, they would expand to his ind. Why they hadn¡¯t done so, aside from sending the trio that had run into the panther, was a mystery he¡¯d yet to solve. Shaking his head, Elijah took onest look at his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 19
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 20
Dexterity 19
Constitution 20
Ethera 28
Regeneration 22
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Opal Neophyte This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet and looked around. Behind him, his home was nearingpletion. The branches had woven together, giving it a rounded shape that culminated in a leafy and imprable canopy that, when it was finished, would block out the elements. The interior construction ¨C or growth, if he was being urate ¨C hadn¡¯t even begun, but ording to Nerthus, that wouldn¡¯t take long toplete. Almost as soon as he thought of the tree spirit, Elijah felt a stirring in the ambient Ethera that announced Nerthus¡¯s arrival. He looked up to see the vaguely humanoid knot of twisted roots and said, ¡°You¡¯re popping up a little more oftentely.¡± ¡°The Ethera climbs a bit more each day,¡± Nerthus said in his whispering-wind voice. ¡°Soon, it will be capable of supporting my continuous presence.¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°I have questions,¡± he said. ¡°As is your habit,¡± Nerthus replied from his perch. ¡°You¡¯ve talked about those dimensional rifts,¡± he started. ¡°The one I closed was a minor version, right?¡± ¡°It was.¡± ¡°But there are presumably major ones, as well, right? And you said something about towers before. Can you exin how that works?¡± Elijah asked. Nerthus cocked his head to the side, then, after a moment, said, ¡°Some.¡± Elijah gestured for him to go on, but when Nerthus clearly didn¡¯t take the hint, he said, ¡°Okay? Go ahead.¡± ¡°The minor dimensional rift is the second-weakest version of a Voxx incursion,¡± he stated. ¡°If left to its own devices, it will eventually spew forth a small horde ofparatively weak creatures.¡± ¡°Second-weakest? What¡¯s the weakest?¡± Elijah asked, already guessing the answer. ¡°The spontaneous manifestations. Singr Voxx who manage to tear through the dimensional membrane and invade the world. Weak is a bit of a misnomer, though. Typically, the creatures thate through spontaneous manifestations are much more powerful than those in minor rifts. These, you have encountered as well.¡± Elijah nodded along. That exined why he¡¯d never been able to find the source of the monsters he routinely killed. If they were spontaneous manifestations, then there was no source. They simply appeared. ¡°What causes them?¡± he asked. ¡°Abination of factors I am prohibited from exining to you.¡± Elijah sighed. It was so frustrating, having a source of information so close but being incapable of getting what he needed. It felt like reading a book that was missing pages. ¡°Okay, whates after the minor dimensional rifts? Major ones?¡± ¡°No. After thates average dimensional rifts. Then major. And finally, primal realms. There are more dangerous incursions, but not on this. Not yet.¡± ¡°What else can you tell me?¡± ¡°Average dimensional rifts are little different from the one you encountered. They act as a simple bridge between our two realities, and the creatures they manifest will be dependent on the region and ambient Ethera levels.¡± Elijahtched onto thest part, asking, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that as ambient Ethera levels rise, the Strength of the Voxx will rise, too?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°Until the stabilizes, you will face increasingly powerful Voxx.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°Fantastic,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Okay, so what about the major dimensional rifts? And the primal realms? Are there any of those around here?¡± ¡°No. You would know if you were anywhere near a primal realm.¡± ¡°What ¨C¡± ¡°I am prohibited from revealing anything else about primal realms.¡± Elijah shook his head, then asked, ¡°What about major dimensional rifts, then?¡± ¡°Those are¡­different,¡± said Nerthus. ¡°How so?¡± For the first time, Nerthus looked flustered. ¡°Towers,¡± he said, obviously straining. ¡°Look for towers.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°I can say no more on the subject,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°Just¡­just remember what I said.¡± Then, without any further warning, the little tree spirit retracted into his branch, disappearing entirely. Obviously, he¡¯d overstepped, and as a result, he was incapable of sustaining his presence. Was that the secret, then? Was it a matter of energy keeping Nerthus from revealing too much? Elijah had no idea, and he suspected that it would be some time before he got any more answers. However, the information Nerthus had revealed was incredibly useful. Because Elijah had seen something that might have been the top of a tower. During his exploration of the ind, he¡¯d seen a rocky spire a few hundred yards out to sea. At the time, he¡¯d thought it just a curious rock formation, but now that he knew what to look for, he could easily imagine that it was the top of a tower. Or perhaps he was just grasping at straws. After all, there was nothing else to suggest that there was a major dimensional rift near his ind. But then again, perhaps its presence was the reason Nerthus had strained his limitations to give him the small but necessary bit of information that would steer him in the right direction. But if there was a tower near the ind, then it represented both a danger and an opportunity. Since the beginning, the ambient levels of Ethera had continued to rise, and ording to Nerthus, the rtive danger of the dimensional rifts rose right along with it. So, if there was a tower, it made far more sense to deal with it as soon as possible rather than let it continue to strengthen. Or fester. That seemed a more urate word, given the nature of the Voxx. Was he ready to face such a challenge, though? His cautious nature screamed at him to avoid finding out. Hunting a few monsters that had manifested on his ind was one thing, but to enter a major dimensional rift? That seemed like a recipe for disaster, especially considering that he¡¯d nearly died in the minor version. In fact, if he chose tobat the new threat ¨C if it even it existed ¨C he¡¯d be skipping an entire level. Logically, he should look for an average dimensional rift, then work his way up from there. Instead, he was thinking about jumping from the lowest level threat to one of the highest, with nothing in between. But was that urate? He¡¯d been hunting and killing Voxxian monsters for months, and he¡¯d gained more than ten levels since defeating the minor dimensional rift. Maybe that would be enough to see him through. Elijah sighed and sat down, leaning against the ancestral tree that was Nerthus¡¯s home. The reality of his situation was that he didn¡¯t have much in the way of options. He knew he wasn¡¯t ready to face the people across the strait. That was an indisputable fact that was supported by verifiable events. He had seen the panther in action, and he knew that, even now, he couldn¡¯t have stood up to it. And it had been killed by the people from across the strait. Without Elijah¡¯s interference, they¡¯d have done it without much difficulty, too. That meant that they were still far above him in terms of power. And soon enough, they¡¯de to the ind. He knew that as well as he knew anything else in the transformed world. Nerthus had said as much, but Elijah¡¯s surety came from observation. He¡¯d seen them consume and destroy everything they saw, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to infer that, if they knew about the existence of the ancestral tree, they would aim their destructive tendencies in the ind¡¯s direction. The only thing standing in their way was Elijah himself. And he wasn¡¯t ready to fight them off. He¡¯d long known that he needed to get stronger, and he¡¯d diligently worked towards that goal ever since the panther¡¯s death. But his progress had stalled. He needed a jolt to get him back on track, and the unconfirmed presence of a tower represented just such an opportunity. It just made sense to challenge it. After all, defeating the minor dimensional rift had given him three free attribute points. What potential rewards might a more powerful rift offer? Elijah shook his head. No matter how much he wanted to get stronger, there was no way he could convince himself to walk into unknown danger. He had no real context to guess what a major dimensional rift would entail, and if he went in blind, he would probably end up dead. Certainly, he liked the idea of getting stronger at all costs. He wanted to gain levels, to get attribute points, and learn new spells. But slow, steady, and alive was much better than quick and dead. However, he did decide to check out the rocky pir to see if it was, indeed, a tower. Scouting the area didn¡¯t mean throwing himself into danger. He would just investigate, then make further decisions from there. With that in mind, he rose and cast Essence of the Wolf, then Essence of the Monkey, and finally, embraced One With Nature. Stretching, he reveled in the increased power of his enhancements, then cast Shape of the Predator. Over the past few weeks, he¡¯d spent more time as a mist panther than as a human, and the transformation feltfortable in a way his humanity couldn¡¯t match. Perhaps it was the increased power, or maybe it was just easier to live as an animal. After all, with the transformation came the increased focus of a predator. And with so much stimuli tickling his senses, it was difficult to think about philosophical questions concerning loneliness, disappointment, and the future. Whatever the case, Elijah found it so much easier to focus on the task after the transformationpleted. He set off across the ind, moving with incredible swiftness as he bounded over fallen trees, climbed hills, and leaped across wide depressions. Some of that speed came from the mist panther form, which increased his Dexterity and Strength attributes. Further adding to points to his status was Essence of the Monkey, which gave him an extra five points in Dexterity. The bonuses that came with One With Nature were a bit more nebulous in that it didn¡¯t award temporary bonuses to his attributes. Instead, it just made him stronger, more durable, and more coordinated than normal. Alone, none of the enhancements were too overwhelming, but when taken as a whole? The increased power was significant. Finally, adding to his speed was Essence of the Wolf, which gave him an extra twenty percent movement speed. The end result was that he was more than twice as fast as he would¡¯ve been without his various augmentations, and he covered the distance to the southern shore in a fraction of the time it would¡¯ve taken him to travel the distance in his human form. So, it was only about fifteen minutes before he reached his destination, which was a steep cliff that looked like someone had simply sliced into the side of a hillock. As he stood at the top of the cliff, Elijah nced down at the crashing waves more than a hundred feet below before letting his eyes wander out to sea. In the distance ¨C maybe two- or three-hundred yards away ¨C he saw a rocky pir jutting approximately fifty feet above the surface of the water. There were a few more fingers of stone surrounding it, but they barely crested the waves. From a distance, the pir looked natural. However, after Elijah let Shape of the Predator fall away and used Eyes of the Eagle to magnify his vision, he saw that, beneath that rocky exterior was something that looked manmade. There were too many straight lines for it to be natural. He couldn¡¯t be certain unless he dove into the sea, but Elijah¡¯s instincts ¨C or maybe his sense for Ethera ¨C told him that he¡¯d found a tower. Book 1: Chapter 39: The Illusion of Peace Book 1: Chapter 39: The Illusion of Peace Elijah leaned against the ancestral tree, slowly chipping away at the hunk of wood that he hoped would one day be a recognizable figure. But even with the knives he¡¯d taken from the invading trio that had killed the guardian panther, it was slow going. And the results of his attempts at carving were scattered at best. Gradually, he whittled the hunk of wood down to a basic shape. When he finished, he hoped it would resemble the first Voxxian monster he¡¯d encountered, but he knew enough to recognize that the best he could manage was a vague likeness. That was fine, though. It wasn¡¯t as if he intended to enter into some artpetition. Instead, wood carving was just a way to pass the time. After a couple of hours, he rose and crossed the Grove. As he did so, he snatched a handful of berries from the bushes he¡¯d cultivated and popped them into his mouth. On the outside, they resembled ckberries, but they were far sweeter than any he¡¯d ever tasted. More, only a few could sustain him for weeks ¨C at least ording to Nerthus, who after a dormant week, had recently returned to dole out a few parcels of information. One such nugget was that the fruit grown within his Grove was abnormally nutritious. Eventually, it would pass from abnormal to overtly magical, and would offer restorative powers. But that was a long way off. Still, Elijah appreciated the additional taste even if he didn¡¯t really need the enhanced nutrition. Because of his hunting prowess as a mist panther, food scarcity had ceased to be a threat to his survival. Of course, ack of variety still haunted him to the point that, when he finally managed to make good on his internal promise to explore the transformed world, he fully intended to abstain from eating shellfish for the rest of his life. But for now, crab remained the most ready source of fat and protein. He could hunt smaller game fairly easily, but doing so just wasn¡¯t worth the energy when he could quickly and easily kill crabs and harvest their meat. After pausing to pulse Nature¡¯s Bounty next to the bushes, Elijah continued across the de until he reached the trio of trees that had grown together into his home. It had only just reached the point where it was livable, and he was eager to give it a look. For a long few moments, he just stood and admired the creation, though. The trees had grown together so seamlessly that, at first nce, they looked like the same organism. From those winding trunks grew a series of branches and roots that twisted around the base of the trees, creating what looked like a spiral staircase that led to the expansive floor suspended two dozen feet from the ground. From a distance, the structure of the house itself was hidden by leaves and branches, but up close, Elijah could see the solid walls that looked to him like a woven basket made of tree limbs. With no more hesitation, Elijah mounted the steps, feeling the branches thatprised the staircase give slightly beneath his feet. He ran his hand along the tree trunk as he followed the spiral up and into the structure itself. When he did, he found his breath catching in his throat.Flowers danced along the ceiling, slightly glowing with soft, white light that illuminated the interior. Chairs, couches, and other furniture grew from the ground, their surfaces softened by moss and leaves. When Elijah reached down to touch the closest chair, he found that it felt little different from a modern version he might¡¯ve had in his old apartment back in Hawai¡¯i. ¡°No,¡± he said to himself as he sat down with a grateful sigh. ¡°This is so much better.¡± Of course, that might¡¯ve been due to the fact that he¡¯d spent the past year with nothing but stumps and logs as furniture. ¡°I am d you like it,¡± said Nerthus as he suddenly grew out of the floor. ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t leave the ancestral tree.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± said the tree spirit, but he didn¡¯t borate. That led Elijah to the conclusion that his home was somehow connected to the other tree, probably in a way Nerthus was prohibited from exining. ¡°Would you like a tour?¡± Elijah nodded, and the little tree spirit led him deeper into the house, describing the home¡¯s features along the way. To Elijah¡¯s surprise, it wasn¡¯t devoid of amenities. In fact, Nerthus had somehow incorporated a kitchen into the design. Certainly, it didn¡¯t feature an electric stove or anything of that nature, but it did have a fire pit where Elijah could cook his food and a few raised, t surfaces where he could prepare his meals. More importantly, it had what Nerthus described as a cold box. Set into the floor, it was only a couple of feet wide and half as deep, but when Elijah opened it, he felt a st of cool air. It wasn¡¯t quite freezing, but it reminded Elijah of a small refrigerator. ¡°How is this possible?¡± ¡°Ethera,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°I noticed that you had a food spoge problem, so I took the liberty of addressing it. Are you pleased?¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°I definitely am,¡± he said. Being able to preserve his food would free up quite a bit of time, much of which had been wasted due to the need to constantly acquire fresh meat. With the cold box to preserve the meat, a lot less would spoil. Over the next few minutes, Nerthus showed Elijah through the tree house, and to his surprise, it featured a multitude of bedrooms in addition to the kitchen, living area, and even a bathroom. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°There is no running water as yet, but in a few months, I should have enough Ethera to manage it,¡± Nerthus stated, almost apologetically. ¡°No, this is great,¡± Elijah said. Indeed, he wasn¡¯t above hauling a little water if it meant having afortable ce to do his business. After squatting in the woods for an entire year, even having an enclosed space seemed like a nearly unimaginable luxury. All in all, the house seemed far more borate andfortable than anything he could have expected. So, over the next hour or so, he engaged in the arduous process of moving in. First, he gathered a crab w he¡¯d harvested earlier that day, and after cracking the shell open, deposited a good portion of the meat in the refrigerated cold box. Then, after disposing of the remnant, he headed to the stream where he washed himself. It wasn¡¯t the same as using soap and water, but he did the best he could with his limited resources. Once he¡¯d removed the worst of the dirt and grime ¨C as well as the scent of the raw crab ¨C Elijah gathered the rest of his belongings. He didn¡¯t have much. Just a few baskets full of berries and mushrooms, his carving attempts, some honey he¡¯d harvested from a hive a few days before, and the gear he¡¯d looted from the invaders¡¯ corpses. He¡¯d already made use of their clothing by picking out the stitches and adjusting it to fit his muchrger frame, but there were a few strips of excess cloth he¡¯d been using as rags. After moving everything to the house, he looked around. On the one hand, he was grateful to finally have a real roof over his head and afortable, safe ce to sleep. However, a wave of depression came with that satisfaction,rgely because he had no one to share any of it with. Elijah had never been what anyone would call a social person. He had friends and acquaintances, but he¡¯d always been just as happy alone in the wilderness as he was apanied by other people. Or that was what he¡¯d thought before spending over a year with no one but an asionally present tree spirit forpany. As hey in his new bed, which was incrediblyfortable, and looking up at the softly glowing flowers, he found himself wishing someone else was there to appreciate it alongside him. His sister-inw, Carmen, would have loved it. So would his nephew, Miggy. His sister, Alyssa, would act like she didn¡¯t find it all fascinating and beautiful, but Elijah knew her well enough to know just how false her act was. Finally, his mind wandered to his ex-girlfriend, Lacey. They¡¯d never been truly in love. Elijah could recognize that with the distance and time stretching between them. However, for years, she had been his closest friend. Breaking up with her had been one of the most difficult things he¡¯d ever had to do, but at the time, he hadn¡¯t wanted to burden her with the reality of watching him slowly wither away and die. Now, he regretted that they hadn¡¯t spent more time together. He fell asleep thinking about the times they had shared, and his dreams followed along with that theme right up until something startled him awake. He bolted upright, already embracing the Ethera in his core and priming himself to cast Storm¡¯s Fury. Jerking his head around, he saw nothing but the still-unfamiliar confines of his new home, which was still softly lit by the white flowers growing out of the ceiling. ¡°What the¡­¡± A wave of dense Ethera washed over him with enough force to send his mind reeling. Before, he would¡¯ve said that it was impossible for there to be too much ambient Ethera. Clearly, that was false, and the excess left him feeling dizzy enough that if he¡¯d been standing, his knees would have already buckled. As it was, he had to grab the wall just to steady himself. Over the next twenty seconds or so, the level of Ethera slowly fell until it reached something closer to normal. And then, just as Elijah was thinking about standing, another wave of dense energy swept through him, starting the process anew. Again and again, the cycle repeated over the next few hours until, atst, normality reasserted itself. By that point, Elijah was a mess. He felt alternatingly drunk, hyper aware, and everything in between. Still, once everything settled, he managed to push himself out of bed and stumble his way out of the house. Lurching down the steps proved to be particrly perilous, and he ended up falling down thest few steps. After hitting the ground, he simplyy there for a few moments before pushing himself to his hands and knees as he tried to master himself. The results were mixed, but after a while, he climbed back to his feet and staggered toward the ancestral tree. When he reached the tree, Elijah called out for Nerthus, and only a few secondster, the spirit grew out of the lowest branch. ¡°How may I¡­oh, dear¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Elijah slurred. ¡°It is a surge,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Please listen carefully, because I do not have much time. The tower, you have found it, yes?¡± ¡°I¡­yeah¡­I found it.¡± ¡°Good. Over the next few hours, the ind will be inundated by wave after wave of monsters,¡± the tree spirit said. ¡°After a period of calm, it will repeat unless you challenge and conquer the tower.¡± ¡°Conquer it? I can¡¯t¡­I¡¯m not¡­¡± Elijah¡¯s mind spun. He¡¯d decided not to investigate the tower further, and for good reason. He had no idea what dangers lie within, and as such, he felt like challenging it would be walking to his death. ¡°You must. Otherwise, this ind will be overwhelmed and destroyed,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°Conquering it will ¨C¡± Nerthus copsed, merging with the branch before he could get another word out. He was gone so suddenly that, for a long while, Elijah could only stare at that spot. Until he felt something enter the Grove. Elijah¡¯s head stopped spinning, and he whipped around, already embracing his various spells. First came Essence of the Monkey. Then, Essence of the Wolf. One With Nature. And finally, Shape of the Predator. Even as he felt himself transforming into a mist panther, he searched his surroundings for the intruder. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find it. The Voxxian monster, like all the others he¡¯d encountered, was reptilian in nature. However, it stood on two legs and reached around four feet in height. So, given that size and power were corrted ¨C at least as far as Elijah was concerned ¨C he didn¡¯t think the creature would give him much trouble. Then, a second presence appeared in his senses. And a third. A fourth. They kepting until there were ten of the Voxx stalking forward. There were subtle variations between them, but, for the most part, they were simr. Fortunately, Elijah had embraced Guise of the Unseen the moment his transformation wasplete, so he was hidden from view. However, their mere presence made his stomach roil, especially when he realized that they had taken a straight line that would soon bring them to the ancestral tree. Perhaps it was just coincidence, but Elijah suspected that it was their goal. And he couldn¡¯t let them reach it. So, throwing his very valid fears into the back of his mind, Elijah crept forward, intending to massacre the creatures that dared to desecrate his Grove with their horrid presence. Book 1: Chapter 40: Preamble to Disaster Book 1: Chapter 40: Preamble to Disaster Elijah stalked forward, moving as quickly as he dared without rendering his Guise of the Unseen ineffectual. The ability was usually very effective, to the point where he could sneak up on most animals without fear of being detected, but it had its limits ¨C chiefly, that if he moved too suddenly or into bright lights, he would be seen. It was still just before dawn, so bright lights were no threat, but he had to be careful to keep his movements under control as he hurried toward the invading Voxx. The monsters approached with little care, crashing through the underbrush as they passed the ephemeral boundary of the Grove proper. They were already within his Domain, but they had yet to pass the circle of trees that constituted his Grove. Still, he could sense them very clearly. More, Elijah knew ¨C how, he wasn¡¯t sure ¨C that they were weakened by the Grove. However, he also felt the Grove¡¯s power level dip, and he inferred that, if the Voxx were left to their own devices, they would slowly drain the Grove of all Ethera and consume whatever remained of the ancestral tree. Elijah refused to let that happen. Not because he wanted to fight them. He didn¡¯t, especially considering that he was outnumbered ten to one. But he also didn¡¯t have much of a choice. The Grove was more than just his home. It was a stronghold against the invaders and a fortress that protected Nerthus and the ancestral tree. And he was meant to be their protector. So, Elijah padded forward on silent paws until he reached the first monster. On all fours, Elijah was only a few feet tall at the shoulder, so the reptilian creature loomed over him. An air of corruption wafted from its viridian scales, apanied by the sickly sweet smell of decay. If Elijah hadn¡¯t spent thest few months hunting simr creatures, he would have been overwhelmed by disgust. However, he¡¯d grown ustomed to their stench, and so, he barely paid it any heed as he finally pounced. The first attack was vicious, and Elijah¡¯s ws ripped through the monster¡¯s back legs. Its scales parted easily, and his efforts were rewarded with a screech of pain and a shower of ck blood. It tried to whip around with a backhanded attack, but it didn¡¯t ount for its injury. For all their magical toughness, the Voxx were still physical creatures that were dependent on muscles, bones, and ligaments. So, the moment it tried to turn, its leg copsed beneath it, sending it stumbling to the ground. Of course, it quickly recovered ¨C magical durability being what it was ¨C but by that point, Elijah was already racing into the shadows. The monster howled in pain ¨C or perhaps in an attempt tomunicate with its fellows - but it was useless. Elijah darted from the darkness, targeting the second monster with a simr attack. It was even more effective than thest, and Elijah felt his ws scraping against bone before he bounded away. The third monster was clearly aware of his presence, but with Guise of the Unseen active, it couldn¡¯t pinpoint his location. So, it remained rooted in ce, spinning around as it tried to look everywhere at once. It was a curiously human reaction, and if Elijah wasn¡¯t in the middle of a battle, he would have wondered at its origin. As it was, he baited the Voxxian monster by letting himself be seen, then melting back into the shadows. It responded with predictable fury, rushing toward the spot where Elijah had been seen, but by that point, he was already circling around. His subsequent attacks ripped through both of the creature¡¯s hamstrings before Elijah dashed back into the underbrush, using the shadows and his ability for cover. The next few creatures were simrly easy to manipte, giving Elijah confidence to push himself to do a little more damage with each ambush. It was a mistake, as was made painfully obvious when he overyed his hand and got a w to his ribcage for his trouble. He went tumbling into the bushes, leaving a trail of blood as he barrel rolled to a stop. Shaking his head, he pushed through the dizziness that came from blood loss, pain, and a budding concussion from where he¡¯d hit his head multiple times while bouncing through the forest. Knowing that he couldn¡¯t remain stationary for long, Elijah climbed to his feet and dashed away. It was just in time, too, because one of the remaining uninjured monsters ¨C there were only two who were at full Strength ¨C came into view only a momentter. It stopped, sniffing the air, then turned toward where Elijah was crouched. A horrifying grin split its reptilian face before it let out a series of barking hisses. Elijah crept backwards as those barks were answered by its fellows. The creatures weremunicating. Were they pack hunters, like wolves? Or was their ability tomunicate more advanced? Did they have intelligence on par with humans, perhaps? It was a daunting prospect, but one Elijah had no time to contemte. Elijah ran, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Doubtless, the monsters could now track him ¨C in fact, he was hoping that they would follow, forgetting the de until the pesky mist panther was dealt with. For a few seconds, the creatures kept up, but Elijah quickly outpaced them and, after a few more seconds, felt his speed increase as the System deemed him to have gotten out ofbat. With that, the effect of Essence of the Wolf reasserted itself, and as a result, he tore through the forest with unprecedented speed that the Voxxian creatures couldn¡¯t hope to match. He ran, but even as his injury sapped his life, he kept his wits about him, leading the monsters on a long and winding trail before finding his way to his old cabin. By the time he reached his former home, Elijah judged that he¡¯d put enough distance between himself and the stalking Voxx to let Shape of the Predator fall away so he could heal himself. Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The only problem was that he had no real notion of how much Ethera he had avable. While in his predator form, he had no sense of his core. He knew his Ethera still regenerated while he was transformed, but with everything that had happened, he knew his sense of time was skewed. Perhaps he had enough Ethera to heal himself, but would he have enough to resume his predator form? Whatever the case, Elijah didn¡¯t have much choice. Shape of the Predator came with significant benefits, but in the months since he¡¯d acquired the spell, he¡¯d learned that its durability was grosslycking. The form was meant for hit-and-run tactics, not standing toe-to-toe with powerful monsters. As a result, he was difficult to pin down, but when he actually took a hit, he had few defenses to mitigate the damage. When he was only fighting one enemy, it wasn¡¯t such a problem. He could pounce, ravage the opponent, then retreat while Contagion did its work. But fighting multiple enemies at once had quickly shown him his limits. He could work around them, but doing so bnced him on a razor¡¯s edge of disaster. Hence, the retreat. Elijah felt himself resume his human form, and, to his relief, he saw that his core had refilled almost entirely. So, he pped his hand on his side and cast Touch of Nature, channeling the ability through his Staff of Natural Harmony. Enhanced by the staff, the spell quickly took effect. On the surface, the wound closed, but it would require at least one more cast before he was back to perfect health. He couldn¡¯t afford that. He had neither the time nor the spare Ethera to finish the job, so after making certain that he¡¯d stopped the bleeding, he set off through the forest. In human form, he couldn¡¯t move nearly as quickly as he had as a mist panther, but he still put his high Dexterity and Strength, as well as the effects of Essence of the Wolf, to good use. Still, it was a journey fraught with tension as he waited for his core to replenish. He tried to still his mind and funnel more Ethera through his mind and into his soul, but with his adrenaline pumping, it was an exercise in futility. Unable to still his thoughts, he was limited to his natural Regeneration. Elijah could only hope that it would be enough. Bounding over a fallen tree, he slid down a dew-slick hill before popping back to his feet and sprinting forward. Somewhere behind him, Elijah heard one of the monsters crashing through the brush. They didn¡¯t bother trying to conceal their presence, and instead of leaping over obstacles, they simply tore though them. Elijah bent his mind toward pushing his limits, and at any moment, he expected to feel a wickedly sharp w slice through his spine. While his body might be magically enhanced, Elijah didn¡¯t think he¡¯d make it through that, regardless of how high his endurance or Regeneration was. A few momentster, Elijah leaped over a familiar boulder and sshed down in the stream where he got most of his water. Fortunately, that was the moment where his Ethera regenerated enough to allow him to once again assume the Shape of the Predator. He embraced the spell, and his core emptied as his body transformed. It took a subjective eternity as his form shifted from human to panther, but the transformationpleted before his Voxxian stalker climbed over the boulder. With the metamorphosis finished, Elijah took off downstream, pushing himself to his top speed. He left the frustrated monster behind, and when he¡¯d managed to put quite a bit of space between his position and his pursuer. With a little freedom, he dropped to his stomach and rolled, washing the blood away in the process before doubling back. As he did so, he cloaked himself in Guise of the Unseen and resumed his hit-and-run tactics. When he reached the nearest monster, he saw that Contagion had already begun to work its gruesome magic. The creature was still moving forward, but the ability had sapped much of its Strength. If Elijah left it alone, there was every possibility that the infection would eventually kill it off. But he wasn¡¯t going to take that chance. So, he climbed a tree and, when the monster passed beneath him, he pounced, raking his ws across its shoulders as he mped his jaws down on the creature¡¯s head. It tried to throw him loose, but with Contagion coursing through its veins, it was incapable of disying its former Strength. Elijah¡¯s jaws flexed, and, a momentter, the monster¡¯s skull was crushed. It fell, dead before it hit the ground. Elijah felt an influx of Ethera that pushed him closer to level twenty, but it wasn¡¯t quite enough to tip him over the edge. But that was fine. He had nine more of the monsters to kill. So, he set off through the woods, trying to ignore the foul taste in his mouth as he stalked the remaining Voxx. The first he found was one of the two uninjured, so he used simr tactics to what he¡¯d employed at the start of the battle. Two quick w strikes, and its hamstrings were severed. More importantly, it was infected with Contagion. Elijah moved on, disappearing into the shadows as he stalked the remaining monsters. The next one he found was barely capable of standing on its own two feet. In his initial salvo, Elijah had severed the Voxx equivalent of one of the creature¡¯s Achilles tendons. That injury, along with the effects of Contagion, meant that its gait had been reduced to little better than an awkward stumble. Elijah finished it off without any real difficulty. The same could be said for the next, which fell almost as easily. The next few had huddled together as they searched for him, but their superior numbers did them little good as Elijah dashed in, shed a few times, then used his superior speed to disappear into the forest. It took a few passes, but a few minutester, they were all dead. Over and over, Elijah killed the powerful monsters. With Contagion slowing them down and gradually sapping their Strength, they were no match for Elijah¡¯sbined advantages. There were a few close calls ¨C especially when he found the lone uninjured monster ¨C but he managed victory all the same. He barely even took any additional wounds. By the time it was all said and done, Elijah was absolutely exhausted, though. However, when he finally returned to his Grove, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of aplishment. Not only had he managed to defend his territory, but he¡¯d also crossed over to level twenty. And with that came additional attributes. Or more importantly, a new ability:
Ability: Predator Strike Ambush an enemy from stealth, causing increased damage. Only usable when under the effect of Shape of the Predator.
When Elijah looked at the ability, he was ted. He¡¯d been hoping for something he could use in his predator form, and reaching level twenty had given him precisely what needed. He could only hope that it would be enough to get him through the ordealid out before him. Book 1: Chapter 41: The Entrance Book 1: Chapter 41: The Entrance Elijah stalked the Voxxian monster as it, in turn, attempted to do the same to him. Of course, because he was cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, it had no clue where he was ¨C which was precisely how Elijah liked it. As a mist panther, he was only marginally more durable than he was as a human, so caution was a necessity, rather than a choice. Fortunately, his abilities made it easier. Taking one careful step at a time, he silently closed with the monster. It was a bit bigger than the ten creatures he¡¯d killed during the previous wave, but it wasparatively slower as well. That meant that it was a perfect target for Elijah¡¯s brand of hunting, which involved rapid attacks and hit-and-run tactics that kept him out of harm¡¯s way. However, this time, he had something different in mind. Activating an ability was different than using a spell. Instead of dragging Ethera from his core, he harnessed the ubiquitous energy from his surroundings, funneling it through his mind and into his soul. From there, he let it seep into his body before darting forward and activating the ability. There were no mentalmands. Instead, he simply acted ording to the instincts that came with the ability. Thus, he used Predator Strike for the first time. His ws shed toward the monster¡¯s spine ¨C not an optimal target for his usual tactics, but Elijah trusted his instincts to guide him appropriately. He moved with unnatural speed, and just before his ws connected, he felt a surge of power burst forth. An instantter, he tore through the monster¡¯s back, slicing through its thick scales with ease. His ws crushed the creature¡¯s backbone, then severed its spine before raking across its organs. Elijah was so surprised by the sheer power of the attack that he almost forgot that the thing was still alive. Only at thest second did he remember to leap away. Fortunately, the lumbering creature, which was more than six feet tall and built like the world¡¯s most ill-proportioned bodybuilder, was slowed by the sudden obliteration of its spine, so even with Elijah¡¯s hesitation, its counterattack only found air. But Elijah didn¡¯t melt back into the shadows like he normally would have. Instead, he slowly circled the Voxxian monster as it dropped to one knee. Then, unable to support itself, it fell forward. Elijah watched as the thing struggled against its new infirmity, dragging its increasingly useless legs as it dug its ws into the loam-covered forest floor. It growled. It spat. It even barked something that might¡¯ve been an attempt atmunication. But Elijah simply continued to watch, waiting as Contagion, which was a passive ability that came with his transformation into a mist panther, took hold.Gradually, the disease spread, further weakening the monster until it coughed up ck blood. With ast surge of Strength, it tried to heave itself toward Elijah, but it came a half-dozen feet short before, finally, it sumbed. Elijah continued to circle, keeping his eyes and ears peeled just in case there were more monsters about. He felt nothing, but that wasn¡¯t an indicator that there were no more interdimensional invaders. In the past, he¡¯d found a few spontaneous manifestations that specialized in stealth. If any of those hade with the second surge, he¡¯d be far more pressed. But Elijah found nothing. The second surge hade a few hours after he¡¯d killed thest of the previous wave of monstrous invaders, and ording to Nerthus, that pattern would continue until he entered the tower. If he conquered it, then a period of peace would follow. If not, then the tower would disgorge a fresh wave the moment he failed. And again every few hours after that, eventually taking over the entire area. They would eventually break down on their own ¨C something about their natures being ipatible with Earth ¨C but not before doing untold damage to the environment. If it happened enough throughout the world, then Earth would begin to change, eventually bing inhospitable to the natives. Of course, that would take hundreds of years, but ording to Nerthus, it had happened often enough in other worlds that it was a very real danger for Earth¡¯s future. So, Elijah wasn¡¯t just tasked with fighting for his own ind. Instead, he was fighting for the whole world. Which was why he didn¡¯t let himself hesitate before transforming back into a human and gathering his woven satchel. It contained enough berries and mushrooms tost him about a week, which he hoped would be enough to conquer the tower. Nerthus had been silent on whether or not that was the case, which didn¡¯t fill Elijah with much confidence. Once he¡¯d slung the satchel across his back, he set off at a jog across the ind. He was still under the effects of Essence of the Wolf, but he¡¯d also cast his other augmentations as well. Including Essence of the Boar, because upon reaching level twenty, he¡¯d gained another enhancement slot. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t need the extra Constitution that came with Essence of the Boar, but he suspected that was an impotent fantasy. Nerthus had spoken of the tower like it would be a challenge, and Elijah had learned to trust the little tree spirit¡¯s judgement. So, he was ready to be pushed to his limits. Soon enough, Elijah reached the cliff that was his destination, and in the distance, he saw the pir of stone protruding from the waves like a giant, rocky finger. It was a foreboding sight, and not just because Elijah fully expected that entering the tower was extremely dangerous. That was part of it, but there was also a sense of unease that came with the mere sight of it. Was that natural? Or was it part of its magic? Elijah didn¡¯t know, and he suspected that he wouldn¡¯t soon find out. So, without further hesitation, he took a deep breath, thenmenced with what would have once been an arduous climb. However, with the benefit of his increased attributes, the descent had be trivial, and soon enough, he found himself leaping into the water. At first, Elijah tried to hold his satchel and staff above the waves, but it soon became clear that he was fighting a losing battle. So, even though he knew it would ruin most of the food inside, he stopped trying to keep the contents of the satchel dry. With the staff, at least, he was confident that it could endure the salt water fairly well. Even if it hadn¡¯t been a magical piece of equipment, it was well-sealed. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. Lowering his head, Elijah began to swim forward. His heart pounded as he imagined various sea creatures nibbling on his toes. Before Earth¡¯s transformation, he wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about swimming in the ocean. But now? With how much the wildlife had changed? It wasn¡¯t difficult to conjure a scenario where some overgrown fish decided that he looked like a viable meal. Still, he didn¡¯t have much choice but to keep going forward. His Grove needed him, and if Nerthus was to be believed, so did the rest of the world. So, he pushed his fears to the back of his mind and continued with his swimming stroke. After a while, he finally reached the pir. Up close, he could clearly see the straight lines and the hints of intelligent design that marked it as an artificial creation. Of course, that wasn¡¯t entirely true, either. Not if one considered the towers to be natural. But Elijah didn¡¯t spend long pondering that distinction before he took a deep breath and dove into the water. Fortunately, with his level of body cultivation, his senses had been greatly improved. Without Eyes of the Eagle, he couldn¡¯t really see further, but obstructing forces like darkness and seawater were not the barriers to sight that they once might have been. So, when he dove beneath the waves, Elijah could see far more clearly than he¡¯d expected. Five smaller pirs surrounded the central column, though they didn¡¯t extend more than a foot or two above the surface. As he dove, Elijah saw that they were not, in fact, separate columns. Instead, the smaller pirs of stone connected to therger, forming the head of a decorative staff. Elijah categorized it that way because he quickly recognized that it was held by a giant, stone hand that was, in turn, connected to an equallyrge arm that ended in a shoulder. Next came a torso that extended into the darkness hundreds of feet below. He couldn¡¯t even see the sea floor. But even so, Elijah kept going, using the shaft of the huge, stone staff as a guide. Fortunately, with his enhanced attributes, he could swim far more quickly than he ever could have before bing a druid, and as such, he quickly reached the bottom. There, he saw andscape of flora that rivaled the ind that had be his home. Seaweed danced upon the seafloor, mingling with multi-hued coral while giant crabs scuttled about. Fish ¨C some of which, he recognized, but most were species he¡¯d never seen before ¨C darted here and there, adding to the underwater ecosystem. If Elijah had had a ready source of oxygen, he would have happily remained in ce where he could simply observe the wondrous sight. However, the moment he¡¯d dipped below the surface, the clock had begun to tick, and he only had a limited amount of time before even his enhanced body ran out of air. More, the tower still needed to be conquered, lest it spit more Voxxian monsters into the world. So, without further hesitation, Elijah swam across the seafloor, carefully avoiding anything that looked particrly dangerous as he headed toward the base of what he now recognized was a giant, headless statue. When he reached his destination, Elijah was unsurprised to see what appeared to be a Greek style temple,plete with a triangr pediment and carved columns. He was no expert on architecture, but Elijah recognized the style nheless ¨C which begged the question of how something so alien would adopt such a familiar form. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have the time to seek out an answer, because his body had begun to protest theck of oxygen. So, he swam forward, intending to continue his investigation until he was forced to resurface. But soon enough, Elijah found what he was looking for in the entrance to the temple. The portal, which extended from one column to the next, shimmered with unnatural light. Elijah kicked forward, but when he got close, he found himself hesitating. If he went in, there would be no going back. Either he conquered the tower ¨C whatever that really meant ¨C or he would die. There was no in between. There would be no early exits. Win or die. Those were the conditions Nerthus had described, and Elijah wasn¡¯t certain he wanted tomit to that. Not even to protect the Grove. Maybe not even to safeguard the world against an invasion of Voxx. The smart thing to do was to head back to the ind, use the boat he¡¯d taken from the invaders to cross the strait to the maind, then leave everything behind. He could survive the wilderness well enough, and he could start towards his goal of finding what remained of his family. Surely, they could use his help. For a long moment, he considered abandoning his responsibilities. Did that make him a coward? Maybe. Or perhaps it simply made him smart. Because heading into unknown danger was not the intelligent thing to do, no matter how he spun it. Certainly, it might be necessary, but it definitely wasn¡¯t smart. After a few more seconds, during which his oxygen levels continued to dwindle, Elijah made a decision. If he couldn¡¯t risk his life to protect the world ¨C and all the people in it ¨C he didn¡¯t deserve the second chance he¡¯d been given. After all, he¡¯d already made his peace with his own mortality. If he died now, he would do so trying to do the right thing. So, he swam forward and passed through the portal. A momentter, he fell into darkness. He tried to gasp, but he was still surrounded by water. However, unlike before, he could see nothing. Then, he remembered something his father had taught him a very long time ago. Look for the bubbles. The idea was simple. Bubbles would always rise to the surface. So, if he ever found himself underwater and unsure of which way to swim, he only needed to look for the bubbles. So, he pursed his lips and blew, resulting in a stream of bubbles that he then followed to the surface only ten feet above him. When his head broke through, light pierced his eyes. For a second, he wondered why the light hadn¡¯t prated into the water, but that onlysted a moment before the need to breathe crashed into him. He took a series of deep, gulping breaths before finally taking stock of his surroundings. He was in a cave. That much was immediately obvious. Stctites descended from the ceiling, and, a few dozen feet away, Elijah could see a rocky edifice that he hoped was the shore. So, he swam forward until he finally pped his arm on the curiously porous rock. Like that, he remained stationary as he caught his breath. After a few minutes, he climbed atop the boulder and pushed himself to his feet. When he did, he very nearly let out a gasp of surprise. In the distance ¨C maybe a quarter mile away across another expanse of water ¨C he saw a vige. That was odd enough, considering that he¡¯d had to swim hundreds of feet below the surface to get to the portal. But what made it even stranger was that it was popted by what looked like humanoid walruses. The moment Elijahid eyes on the creatures, a notification shed before his eyes:
Wee to The Keledge Tower, Level One. To advance to Level Two,plete the task before you.
Elijah shook his head, then looked at the next notification:
Task: Save the Ulthrak Vige from annihtion.
Upon reading that message, he muttered, ¡°This is a lot more involved than I expected.¡± Book 1: Chapter 42: A Druids Purpose Book 1: Chapter 42: A Druid''s Purpose Before Elijah swam to shore, he took a moment to take on the Shape of the Predator. However, the moment he did, he got a bit of a surprise when he suddenly realized that mist panthers were apparently very poor swimmers. He could stay afloat, and he could move a little, but his frantic iling ruined any chance at maintaining Guise of the Unseen. So, he let the transformation drop and treaded water until he¡¯d regained enough Ethera tofortably approach the vige. By the time he did, he¡¯d garnered enough attention from the vige¡¯s upants. Indeed, stealth had never been an option. A few of therger creatures stood on the rocky shore, gesturing threateningly with long spears. So, when Elijah got close enough to stand, he did so, holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender. He¡¯d have preferred to find a different route on shore, but thegoon was entirely enclosed. So, the stretch of beach before him ¨C which was about three-hundred yards long ¨C was the only way out of the water. ¡°Ie in peace,¡± he said, hoping that there wasn¡¯t anguage barrier. ¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡± That much was true. After all, the task he¡¯d received from the tower had made it very clear that he needed to save a vige. It didn¡¯t take a genius or a leap of logic to assume that the vige in questiony before him. That meant that the humanoid walruses were the Ulthrak he needed to save. Of course, that would almost assuredly require their cooperation, which was why he¡¯d tried the peaceful approach. However, he had enough Ethera to fuel Shape of the Predator if they proved less than cooperative. ¡°Where¡¯d youe from?¡± demanded thergest spear-wielder. Like all the others, he had two arms, two legs, and opposable thumbs ¨C which set him apart from Earth walruses ¨C yet he still possessed the characteristic whiskers, tusks, and general girth of the creatures with which Elijah had associated him. The fact that he spoke English would have been surprising if not for two things. One, Elijah had heard the little, dagger-wielding gnome speak English months before. And two, he¡¯d grown used to the existence of Ethera-powered magic, so he didn¡¯t think anything could surprise him. ¡°Uh¡­the surface,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tower, Raji,¡± said one of the other ulthrak¡¯s. ¡°That¡¯s what old Mig¡¯s been tryin¡¯ to tell you. That¡¯s why we can¡¯t get out. That¡¯s why ¨C¡±¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Elijah said, earning a re from Raji. ¡°My world¡­I don¡¯t know if you know anything about Earth, but this tower just popped up out of the ocean. If I don¡¯t conquer it, these things called the Voxx are going to overwhelm my home.¡± Honesty seemed like the best policy, especially when he got a distinct impression of danger from the overge Raji. Elijah had never been a great liar, anyway, and he had a feeling if he tried to make something up, he¡¯d end up telling such an unbelievable tale that he¡¯d end up with a spear in his gut. Then, as Elijah was getting ready to defend himself, Raji¡¯s shoulders sagged, and he said, ¡°I knew it. Didn¡¯t want to believe it, but¡­well, what else could it be?¡± ¡°If you knew it, then why¡¯d you argue with Mig all this time?¡± said the smaller ulthrak. ¡°I think you ¨C¡± Raji red at the other humanoid walrus, which shut him up in a hurry. Elijah took that opportunity to ask, ¡°What is going on here? I thought I wasing in here to fight corrupted reptiles from another dimension.¡± It sounded silly when Elijah said it, but it was the best way to describe what he¡¯d expected out of the tower. Raji answered, ¡°You¡¯d bettere with us. Our survival likely depends on you.¡± If Elijah hadn¡¯t already been tasked with saving the vige, he might¡¯ve refused. However, he reasoned thatpleting his task would be a lot easier if he had cooperation from the people he was intended to save, so he just asked, ¡°Are you ulthraks, by the way? Is that your species, I mean?¡± ¡°We are.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay, then. Lead on, I guess,¡± Elijah stated, wading forward until he climbed onto shore. Once he did, Raji turned and led him into the vige, which was a collection of huts that looked like they¡¯d been built from whale bones and the hide of some sort of grey-skinned animal. And to Elijah¡¯s surprise, when he looked up, he saw stars winking back at him via a giant hole in the roof of the cavern. He followed Raji through the vige until they reached a hut that was muchrger than any of the others. Along the way, they passed more of the ulthrak vigers, many of whom were clearly female, while the smaller ones were obviously children. None of them looked particrly happy, and in fact, Elijah saw more than a few poorly dressed wounds among the vigers. As he and Raji passed through therger hut¡¯s door, he chanced a question, asking, ¡°What happened here? Was there some sort of battle?¡± ¡°The water goblins,¡± Raji said, crossing the single room and taking a seat on arge cushion. He gestured to another, saying, ¡°Sit. I will exin everything.¡± ¡°Not without me here, you won¡¯t, you big idiot,¡± came a scathing voice from the entrance. Elijah¡¯s head whipped around, and he saw an old, incredibly thin ulthrak standing nearby. His skin hung off of him in great bunches ¨C like an obese man who¡¯d recently lost most of his body weight ¨C and he carried a crooked staff with an borate head of feathers. ¡°You¡¯ll send our guest out to fight the goblins when he¡¯d clearly be better suited for other tasks.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on, Mig.¡± ¡°More reason to use him to solve the real problems, hmm?¡± ¡°Just let me exin to him what¡¯s going on. Then, we¡¯ll let him pick his path. You know that¡¯s how this has to work. Curse the Gods for putting us in this situation.¡± ¡°The Gods? No ¨C curse our own weakness, Raji.¡± ¡°That, too.¡± ¡°Well, get on with it,¡± said Mig, crossing the hut. He used the staff like a walking stick, but to Elijah¡¯s senses, it glowed with power. Mig must have noticed, because he said, ¡°Like my staff, hmm? Thinking about taking it? You wouldn¡¯t be the first to try.¡± Raji rolled his eyes ¨C a strange sight, given he was a giant walrus man ¨C and said, ¡°Don¡¯t threaten him, Mig. We need his help to get out of this.¡± ¡°You think there¡¯s any way out of this? No ¨C we¡¯re doomed to a ¨C¡± Raji said, ¡°Enough. Let me exin.¡± ¡°He¡¯s too skinny. And he has so little power. A child could ¨C¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Enough!¡± Raji roared, and the smaller ulthrak flinched back. ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°I just want to know what¡¯s going on,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Is this real?¡± ¡°Yes. And no,¡± Raji stated. ¡°The reality is that no one really knows. I remember my life. I remember fighting against the goblins. But I know that if I¡¯m in a tower, I¡¯m not the real me.¡± ¡°Just spit it out, Raji,¡± said Mig, who¡¯d managed to regain some of his vigor. ¡°We are projections,¡± Raji said. ¡°Probably. If this tower is conquered, then our people will get some sort of benefit. It¡¯s all¡­fuzzy, like everything is obscured. I don¡¯t even think we¡¯re in our normal bodies.¡± Mig sighed. ¡°Our people volunteered for this,¡± he said. ¡°We were given an opportunity to be recorded by the System, which we took in exchange for some sort of power. I don¡¯t know what. Like the big idiot there said, it¡¯s all a little fuzzy. Once the System had our souls in its grasp ¨C¡± ¡°We¡¯re not souls, Mig.¡± ¡°Sure. Our essence, then. Our reflections. Whatever the case, once it had us, we were put to work popting towers like this,¡± he said. ¡°For you, this is all real. But for us? When you die, we¡¯ll just loop back around and start all this over again so the next group thates in here will have a proper challenge. Until we satisfy the terms of our agreement. Then, this little piece will be reunited with the host, and¡­well, the rest is all just conjecture based on blurry memories.¡± It was a lot to take in. If Elijah understood it right, then ording to Mig, none of the people he¡¯d seen were real. Instead, they were lifelike projections of people who actually existed ¨C or at least had existed at some point. ¡°How does that even work? Do you just show up to some System kiosk and tell them you want to get recorded?¡± he asked. Mig gave a derisive chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s actually not that far off,¡± he said. ¡°There are people who ¨C¡± ¡°We can¡¯t tell him any of that.¡± ¡°Why not? I¡¯m not ¨C¡± At that very moment, Mig simply ceased to exist. One second, the skinny ulthrak was there, and the next, nothing of him remained. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°System sanction,¡± Raji said. ¡°Everyone has to follow the rules. I don¡¯t know anything about wherever you came from, but I¡¯m guessing the System is fairly new to you.¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°The one thing you need to know is that System likes its rules,¡± Raji said. ¡°Either you follow them, or bad things happen. Out there, you might just have a run of bad luck. Or you could end up being targeted by heaven¡¯s wrath. Probably thetter if you manage to get the System¡¯s attention. But for us, it¡¯s much, much worse. We¡¯re not physical beings, so we¡¯re easy to stamp out.¡± Elijah nodded. Nerthus had been prevented from answering his questions on more than one asion, which supported Raji¡¯s exnation. Still, it seemed incredibly callous to end someone¡¯s existence over something so trivial. Sure, Mig hadn¡¯t been strictly real, but he¡¯d clearly been capable of independent thought. Which made him real enough that Elijah felt sorry for him. ¡°What happens if you die?¡± Raji shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°Nothing good, I¡¯m sure. At best, I¡¯ll just cease to exist while my host continues living his life. Or hers, I suppose. But at worst? They¡¯ll be punished in some way. I feel like I used to know, but¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s all blurry. Yeah. You said that,¡± Elijah said, nodding along. ¡°I see from your expression that you understand,¡± Raji said. ¡°We know we¡¯re not real, but we feel pain. We think. We have goals. We have lives. We love. We hate. And we want to live. Will you help us?¡±
Branching Task: Save the Ulthrak vige or destroy them. Choose wisely, because there are rewards at the end of both paths.
There were probably plenty of people who would have chosen the second option. Certainly, it seemed easier. However, for Elijah, it was never really an option. There was no way he could just kill the ulthraks he¡¯d met. If they¡¯d attacked him, it would have been a different story, but that wasn¡¯t how it had happened. ¡°Can you tell me how this all works?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Like I said, I came in here expecting to fight interdimensional reptiles.¡± Raji shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you much,¡± he said. ¡°Not until you¡­well, here¡¯s what I can tell you. These towers are just constructs meant to siphon Ethera from powerful interdimensional rifts. But left alone, a siphon isn¡¯t enough. It¡¯ll eventually overflow.¡± ¡°The surges,¡± Elijah said, remembering the waves of reptilian Voxx. ¡°That¡¯s just a side effect, but yeah. That¡¯s the gist of it. When someone like youes in and challenges the tower, it has to spend that Ethera to run things,¡± he exined. ¡°And to provide rewards. So, most towers need to be constantly drained of Ethera, or¡­well, things overflow.¡± ¡°But that means I¡¯ll have to keep challenging it if I want to keep this from happening again?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°In most cases, yes. There are ways around it, but¡­well, I can¡¯t speak to that. So, will you help us?¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°I intend to, but I¡¯m not sure what I can really do,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not a great fighter.¡± ¡°Is the rest of your team going to join you? Did you get separated?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a team.¡± ¡°You challenged a tower by yourself? Oh, that¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m beginning to realize that,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But I¡¯m here now, and I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a way out unless I finish it. So, tell me what needs to be done, and I¡¯ll do what I can to help.¡± ¡°What are your abilities?¡± Elijah didn¡¯t want to reveal all his cards, so he chose to keep his ability to take on the form of a mist panther a secret. He said, ¡°I can heal some, and I can ¨C¡± ¡°You can heal? How often? And how efficiently?¡± the ulthrak asked, his words tumbling out of his tusked mouth in a rapid stream. ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°Never mind. We¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Raji said, pushing his bulk upright. ¡°Come with me.¡± With that, he strode from the building. Elijah sprang to his feet and hurried after him, catching up just in time to hear Raji tell the smaller ulthrak from before to gather all the sick and wounded in the town square. The smaller walrus man rushed off, presumably to do as he was asked, and Elijah followed Raji into the center of the town, which was characterized by a tall tree with gleaming white leaves. ¡°So, what do you need? We don¡¯t have much coin, but ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anything,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Just¡­uh¡­just get everyone clumped around me, I guess.¡± Raji nodded, and over the next half-hour, the square slowly filled with injured ulthrak. Some were carried in on leather stretchers, while others hobbled close on their own power. Soon enough, they were clustered so close to Elijah that he began to feel a little ustrophobic. But he pushed that difort aside, knowing full well that Healing Rain had a very limited area of effect. So, he needed to get as many people under the clouds as possible, hisfort be damned. Once everyone had been gathered, there were hundreds of ulthrak in the square. ¡°Is this everyone?¡± Elijah shouted over the din. Raji nodded from afar. Then, Elijah embraced the Ethera in his core, channeling it through his soul and into Healing Rain. When he cast the spell, a localized cloud materialized approximately twenty feet above him before dropping a steady drizzle on the area. It was only a couple dozen feet across, but it covered almost a third of the square. Immediately, the injured and sick ulthrak began to notice the effects of the Healing Rain. Someone gleefully shouted that their wound had been healed, while others gasped in surprised relief. Elijah just stood there, preparing to refresh the spell when necessary. He¡¯d tested it many times, so he knew it wouldst quite some time before the spell faded. In the meantime, he looked around, searching for someone who needed healing more urgently. And after only a moment, he sighted in on an ulthrak woman who was covered in so many bandages that she looked like a slightly corpulent mummy. Elijah motioned for her toe closer, and she hobbled forward. ¡°What¡¯s your worst injury?¡± ¡°Gut wound,¡± she muttered, grimacing with each word. ¡°Here,¡± Elijah said, kneeling down and pressing his hand against her abdomen. He could practically feel the injury. While he knew it wasn¡¯t the most efficient use of his Ethera, Elijah used Touch of Nature, sending a powerful pulse of healing cycling through his staff, then through his hand and into her body. He tried to guide it to the wound in her stomach, but without actually inspecting the injury, it was safer to simply bathe the area in healing energy and hope for the best. Still, thebination of the two spells ¨C Healing Rain and Touch of Nature ¨C did wonders, and in seconds, her eyes widened in shock. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± Elijah said. And for the first time since gaining his archetype, he understood his ce in the world. He could fight. He could kill. But his true calling was preservation. Sometimes, that would take the form of coaxing natural growth from thendscape, as he had in his Grove. Other times, he would be forced to defend the natural world, as he¡¯d tried to do with the panther. But as he healed the ulthrak woman¡¯s injuries, Elijah came to realize that he preferred the third option: mending the broken. Book 1: Chapter 43: Why We Fight Book 1: Chapter 43: Why We Fight They weren¡¯t real ¨C not as he recognized reality, at least. Elijah knew that without a shadow of a doubt. However, that didn¡¯t seem to matter when he was surrounded by suffering people. Even if those people happened to be humanoid walruses. He had been at it for hours, and he was soaked with sweat that had mingled with precipitation from Healing Rain. He gasped, pulling his hand away from histest patient. He was tiny. Barely more than toddler-sized, and with tiny nubs for tusks. He¡¯d also been on the edge of death before Elijah had stepped in and cured some sort of infection by virtue of Healing Touch. It had taken thest of his Ethera, but he¡¯d finally done it. Everyone in the vige who¡¯d needed healing had gotten it. And Elijah had been rewarded ordingly. He nced at the notifications he¡¯d so far ignored, and he couldn¡¯t help but give a tired smile as he slumped to the ground and leaned against the tree in the center of the square. It felt different from the vegetation on his ind. Like the shadow of a tree. Or a projection, which was probably more urate. He leaned his head back and stared at the arboreal canopy, watching the stark white leaves dancing in the subtle breeze. Projection or not, it was definitely beautiful. He stared at it for a long few seconds before reading the notifications.
Congrattions! You have reached level twenty-one. Attribute points allocated ording to your ss.
Then, he moved on to the next one:
Congrattions! You have reached level twenty-two. Attribute points allocated ording to your ss.
Two levels in a single day. It was the fastest pace he¡¯d managed since washing ashore, and he hadn¡¯t even gotten into a fight. That alone made him question his previous actions. If healing was so profitable, then what use did he have for killing? Of course, he¡¯d yet to kill anything simply to gain kill energy. The crabs and other animals he¡¯d hunted, he¡¯d done so for food. The invaders, he¡¯d killed in order to protect the sanctity of his Grove as well as in a doomed attempt to assist the panther. And the Voxx ¨C well, that was less about killing, and more about simple extermination. He likened it to pest control. Unpleasant, necessary, and ultimately beneficial. Whatever the case, it wasn¡¯t as if he¡¯d set out to murder hordes of creatures for the sake of quick leveling. Elijah shook his head. He couldn¡¯t even fool himself. While he didn¡¯t think of himself as a bloodthirsty murderer, the reality was that he had enjoyed exterminating the Voxx. He had gotten satisfaction from hunting ¨C and killing ¨C the various animals that were his main sources of food. And the invaders? They were the enemy. He¡¯d known it from the first moment he¡¯did eyes on that settlement across the strait, and that impression had been further cemented when they¡¯d tried to kill the panther. No - he felt more guilty about killing crabs than he¡¯d ever feel about taking out the invaders. That realization probably should have worried him, yet he was curiously ambivalent about it. He let out a sigh and focused on his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 22
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 23
Dexterity 22
Constitution 23
Ethera 31
Regeneration 25
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Opal Neophyte
His attributes truly were beginning to round out, and though his physical abilities hadn¡¯t really kept pace with his expectations, he was satisfied. Originally, he¡¯d thought that the threshold for peak humanity was the ten-point mark. However, he¡¯d had to reassess that assumption when he¡¯d nearly doubled that point total, and he was still incapable of superhuman feats of physical prowess. Certainly, he felt confident that he¡¯d reached at least Olympic-athlete levels of ability, but he wouldn¡¯t be lifting any cars anytime soon. Before histest burst of levels, he¡¯d done a little testing, and as far as he could tell, it would take nearly triple his current totals to reach what he considered truly superhuman territory. For example, when he got to sixty Strength ¨C assuming he didn¡¯t advance his body cultivation, which seemed likely considering that he still hadn¡¯t figure out how to do so ¨C he estimated that he¡¯d be capable offortably lifting around two-thousand pounds. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Of course, that was assuming the gains would be linear. From one-to-ten, they hadn¡¯t been, but ever since, each point seemed to ount for around twenty extra pounds of lifting capacity. Then again, those were only estimates. It wasn¡¯t like he had a set of scales lying around, and ¡°little rock¡± and ¡°bigger rock¡± were not urate units of measurement. Perhaps when he reached civilization, he could remedy thatck of uracy. The scientist in him wanted nothing more than to sit down and develop a way to urately test his current capabilities while putting together a predictive model for what he might expect going forward. But that would require his survival, which was anything but assured, given Raji¡¯s reaction to the fact that he¡¯d entered the tower alone. Knowing that he would need all the tools he could acquire, Elijah consulted his spellbook and inspected his new spell:
Spell: Swarm Conjure a swarm of pests that infect your enemies with appropriate afflictions.
¡°Nice,¡± Elijah said, looking at the description. If it worked anything like Contagion, which was a passive ability that gave his ws the ability to infect his victims with a disease that sapped their Strength and slowly damaged them, the new ability would be a nice addition to his toolkit. Looking around, he wished he had an opportunity to test it, though he quickly thought better of that desire. If he was forced into battle mode, it would probably mean that the ulthraks he¡¯d just spent hours healing would once again be injured. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten stronger,¡± came a soft voice from nearby. The child that had been hisst patient had already scampered away, which meant that he¡¯d thought he was alone. Clearly that wasn¡¯t the case, and he lowered his face and looked at the speaker. ¡°I¡­I recognize you, don¡¯t I?¡± he said, looking at the female ulthrak. She was quite a bit smaller than males like Raji, but she was still quite bulky. Still, there was something undeniably feminine about her posture as well as her speaking voice. ¡°I was the first person you healed,¡± she said. ¡°I came to thank you.¡± With that, she held out a basket filled with some sort of fruit. Elijah took the container, saying, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No ¨C thank you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t think any of us would have survived without your efforts.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Anybody would have done the same.¡± Indeed, his experience was that most people tended to work together when faced with catastrophe. He¡¯d seen as much after wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes. When disaster struck, people tended to step up. ¡°I¡­disagree. I don¡¯t remember much about who I¡­was. Who I am, I suppose. But every instinct tells me that many people put in your situation would have simply killed us, taken our hides, and ¨C¡± Elijah gasped in horror. ¡°Your hides?¡± ¡°Oh. I¡­um¡­I shouldn¡¯t have said that¡­¡± She backed away, suddenly afraid. Elijah held up his hands and said, ¡°I¡¯m not¡­I would never¡­I mean¡­w-why would anyone do that?¡± ¡°Ulthrak hides are extremely valuable,¡± she said. ¡°It is why the goblins hunt us. With ulthrak hide armor, they will be able to hunt, grow stronger, and expand their territory. Did you truly not know?¡± Elijah shook his head. The mere notion of killing and skinning sapient beings was absolutely abhorrent. Even if the walrus beings¡¯ hides would make the best armor in the world, there was absolutely no way Elijah could ever use it. And he questioned the morality of anyone who could. Of course, that wasn¡¯t really fair. If the choice was between that and death, many would choose the path that would lead them to survival. But Elijah would rather die than take one step down that road. He had no issues with killing for food. Or to protect himself or his territory. That was just natural. But hunting and murdering sapient beings just because they had some resource you wanted? A shiver went up his spine. ¡°No. I definitely didn¡¯t know,¡± Elijah said. He knew he couldn¡¯t say anything to put her at ease, so he simply shook his head and remained silent. He would have to let his actions speak for him. In that moment of silence, hetched onto something she¡¯d said, so he asked, ¡°How did you know I leveled? And what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Takha,¡± she said. ¡°My name is Takha. And I knew because I have an ability that lets me inspect things. The System provides a description.¡± ¡°And what does it say about me?¡± ¡°That you are a level twenty-two druid,¡± was her answer. ¡°I¡¯m not powerful enough to gain any more information about you. But that staff¡­¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°It glows with Ethera,¡± Takha said. ¡°Where did you get it?¡± ¡°I made it.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± she said, her eyes widening. It was almost like watching a cartoon, her face was so expressive. ¡°You are a great craftsman?¡± Elijah shook his head and let out a slight chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m really not. I just needed a good walking stick. I guess I overshot that mark by a little.¡± Indeed, the fact that the staff could enhance his spells had been an incredible boon that had saved his life more than once. Shaking his head, Elijah stood up. The skittish Takha flinched back, but he ignored the movement. She had every right to be afraid, given that she didn¡¯t really know him. He¡¯d healed her, certainly, but who was to say that he wouldn¡¯t turn on her now that he knew the value of her hide? He never would, but caution was absolutely the right decision on her part. ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s healed, I think it¡¯s time to see whates next.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The tower. I have to conquer it. I¡¯ve chosen to save you all, but I still don¡¯t know what that really means. I hope Raji can point me in the right direction.¡± With that, he strode off, quickly passing through the small vige to reach thergest hut in the vige. The p that served as the building¡¯s door hung open, so Elijah pushed through it. When he did, he saw that Raji was sitting in the center and eating something from a bowl. He quickly pushed his bulk upright and said, ¡°What can I do for you? Is everyone healed? I can¡¯t thank you enough for ¨C¡± ¡°I need to know what the win condition for this ce is.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The win condition. I need to save your vige. That¡¯s my goal. So, how do I do that? I hoped the healing would satisfy the requirements, but that¡¯s obviously not it. So, spit it out. How do I ensure your survival?¡± ¡°The goblins,¡± muttered Takha. ¡°No. It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Raji interjected. ¡°We need him to remain here where he can heal us. That will ¨C¡± ¡°The goblins will keeping. You know that, Raji. And we¡¯ve already lost so many that we can¡¯t stand up to them. Every time they raid the vige, we lose more people. Even if we can heal everyone who¡¯s injured, you know we can¡¯t save everyone,¡± Takhi said. ¡°I can¡¯t in good conscience ¨C¡± ¡°Where are these goblins?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°You can¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m not going to stay here indefinitely. I¡¯m leaving, one way or another,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°I just need you to point me in the right direction, and I¡¯ll be out of your whiskers.¡± Raji shook his head. Elijah knew why the ulthrak wanted him to stay. He¡¯d already made it clear what he thought of Elijah trying to conquer the tower solo, but he¡¯d also seen the good that could be done via Elijah¡¯s healing spells. Likely, he considered it the only way Elijah could lend any aid. Of course, Elijah didn¡¯t think like that. Instead, he wanted to at least investigate the situation before he wrote it off as a lost cause. After all, he had abilities of which the ulthraks were ignorant, and he felt confident that he could at least hold his own. Otherwise, Nerthus never would have sent him into the tower. But he couldn¡¯t say that ¨C not without revealing his secrets and losing any advantage he might have in the event of betrayal. He didn¡¯t want to think the ulthraks would turn on him ¨C he was an optimist, after all ¨C but trust was earned, not freely given. And the humanoid walruses simply hadn¡¯t disyed anything but a willingness to take healing where it was offered. ¡°Fine,¡± Raji said. ¡°If you head to the other side of the vige, you¡¯ll see a path that leads up to the surface. Once there, look to the west. That¡¯s where the goblins live.¡± Elijah nodded, then said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Before he left, he looked down at his satchel. The mushrooms and berries he¡¯d brought with him had been ruined by immersion in the salt water, so he asked, ¡°Do you have any rations? I think I might be up there for a while.¡± Raji nodded, and Takha pushed the basket of fruit back into his hands. He hadn¡¯t even realized he¡¯d left it behind. Nor did he remember seeing Takha retrieve it. Still, he took the fruit with a grateful nod as Raji left the hut. He returned a few momentster and handed a parcel to Elijah, saying, ¡°Dried fish. It¡¯s not much, but it shouldst you a few days if you pace yourself.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Is there anything I can say to keep you from going?¡± Raji asked. ¡°Our vige isn¡¯t much, but you could stay here for a while longer. You would be safe, even if you couldn¡¯t leave.¡± Elijah answered, ¡°No. This is something I have to do. But look on the bright side ¨C if I¡¯m sessful, I¡¯ll conquer the tower.¡± Raji shrugged his massive shoulders, saying, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll just cycle. I¡¯ll forget this ever happened. At best, I¡¯ll finish whatever mymitment is and rejoin the real me. I don¡¯t know. Either way, win or lose, it¡¯s all the same. So long as we don¡¯t die.¡± ¡°What happens then?¡± ¡°Nothing good,¡± Raji said, and by the set of his tusks, Elijah knew he would get nothing else out of the big ulthrak. So, he once again thanked his hosts, then turned and left. As he did, he heard Raji remark, ¡°No way he makes it.¡± Takha said, ¡°I think he will.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re just as much an idiot as him,¡± Raji responded. He said something else, but by that point, Elijah had gone out of hearing range. He trekked through the vige, then when he reached the edge, found the path leading into a tunnel that, in turn, rose at a gradual incline. Elijah followed it, and over the next twenty minutes, the path twisted and turned, steadily climbing until it finally led him to the surface. There, Elijah stopped to marvel at the sight before him. To his left stretched a vast tundra of rolling white hills, and to his right was an expansive ocean. ciers and other blocks of ice floated nearby,pleting the biome¡¯s appearance. ¡°This is all in a tower,¡± he muttered to himself, ncing at the sky. Night still reigned, but on the distant horizon was the vague illumination that preceded a sunrise. As the cold seeped into his bones, Elijah was suddenly aware of just how underdressed he was. In the fairly temperate summer of the Pacific northwest, his ragged pants and barely-there shirt offered plenty of protection. But in sub-zero temperatures? Even with his increased resistance to the elements that came with his enhanced Constitution, he knew he wouldn¡¯tst more than a few days before frostbite set in. Sighing, he realized that he had no choice but to embrace Shape of the Predator, if only because, as a panther, he had thick fur that would protect him from the cold. So, he turned his attention to his rations, then dug into the fruit. He ate as much as he could stomach, then ced the dried fish in his satchel. He wrapped the bag as tightly as he could before finally embracing his spell and transforming into a mist panther. Immediately, the cold felt less pervasive, cing his decision firmly in the ¡°good idea¡± column. Then, he dipped his head, grabbed the folded satchel containing his remaining rations between his jaws, and set off to the west. Hopefully, he would quickly find the so-called water goblins so he could at least scout things out. After that, he¡¯d make a n for how he was going to defeat them. Book 1: Chapter 44: Guerilla Warfare Book 1: Chapter 44: Gueri Warfare The sun shone bright in the clear, blue sky as Elijah padded across the tundra. His steps were so light that he barely even left prints across the snow, but even as cautious as he was, he still moved quickly enough that, within a couple of hours of sunrise, he spotted the first sign of civilization when he saw a dark plume of smoke twisting in the air. Soon after, a series of buildings came into view. Reminiscent of the architecture of the ulthrak vige, the buildings¡¯ walls wereposed of thick, grey hide stretched across a bone frame. However, the basic construction was where the resemnce ended. Instead of being low-slung dwellings, the ones arrayed around a shallow bay were octangr structures that stood on tall pylons. Between the buildings stretched a series of rope bridges, across which scurried a poption small, blue figures. Elijah stopped a few hundred yards away and, after letting Shape of the Predatorpse, returned to his human form. He crouched low, nting himself behind a snowdrift. Thus concealed, he waited on his Ethera to regenerate. As he did, he once againmented hisck of appropriate clothing. With his Constitution, he could withstand the biting cold, but it wasn¡¯t pleasant. So, the few minutes he spent waiting left him shivering ufortably. Still, he refused to elerate his schedule, which hinged on him having a full core before he took even the most basic actions. So, he waited patiently, slowly pulling Ethera through the funnel of his mind. Without any outside stimuli to distract him, he could bolster his Regeneration via meditation. The effect wasn¡¯t so dramatic as to double the speed with which he could refill his core, but it was still significant enough to show a noticeable benefit. Gradually, his core refilled, and when it reached saturation, he poked his head over the snow drift and used Eyes of the Eagle to get a better look at the creatures he expected would be his opponents. They were water goblins, he was certain. Blue-skinned, with long arms and squat legs, they moved like primates. However, with Eyes of the Eagle, Elijah could see gills running just below their sharp jaws. In addition, they were equipped with bat-like ears, short, stubby noses, and sharp teeth. In short, aside from the gills, posture, and blue skin, they looked remarkably simr to the goblin intruder who¡¯d helped kill the panther back on his ind. And yet, there was something different about them, too. They were more animalistic. Feral, almost. More than once, Elijah saw one member of themunity growl and attack another. It was like they were primal versions of theparatively more civilized goblin he¡¯d previously encountered. Or perhaps he was simply seeing what he expected to see. After all, he knew what these water goblins had done to the ulthrak vige. And he knew why. The idea of anyone raiding amunity of sentient creatures just to harvest their hides was absolutely abhorrent. Further disgusting Elijah was the giant whale carcass lying on the icy beach on the other side of the bay. Water goblins scurried all over it, hacking away with primitive tools they used to harvest meat, blubber, and skin. It didn¡¯t take him long to connect the grey hide thatprised the walls of the vige¡¯s buildings with the simrly hued skin of the whale.Of course, whaling wasn¡¯t terrible, in and of itself. People needed to eat, and in a primitive culture like the goblins¡¯, whaling may very well have been the only real source of food. However, judging by the gleeful shoutsing from the harvesting goblins, there was more to it than that. Besides, he was well aware of his own personal bias which emanated from predatory whaling practices back on Earth. Elijah watched and waited, spending quite some time studying the vige. The goblins might have been primitive, but they were clearly sapient and organized, as evidenced by themunity they had created. However, the longer Elijah watched them, the more he felt secure in his decision to side with the ulthrak. But for the life of him, he couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint why he felt that way. On the surface, they just looked like a normal ¨C if primitive ¨C people. Sure, he was probably biased against them due to what they¡¯d done to the ulthrak, but there was far more to it than that. He felt it in his bones that they were the enemy. And then he realized what it was. The blue-skinned goblins were all wearing leather armor. Armor that was obviously made of ulthrak hides. The moment Elijah realized the origin of his disdain, the feeling intensified. No one had ever told him what it meant to be a druid, but his archetype wasn¡¯t simply a line on his status and a few useful spells. It meant more than that. Back in the ulthrak vige, he¡¯d discovered that healing was part of it, but he was also a defender, wasn¡¯t he? Looking at the goblins, he was reminded of how he felt about the settlement across the strait from his ind. They weren¡¯t interested in living with thend. Nor were they concerned with conservation. Instead, they only took, harvesting whatever they needed and leaving nothing but devastation in their wake. It wasn¡¯t environmentalism that he cared about. Not really ¨C or not as he would have thought of it before the Earth¡¯s inclusion in the wider universe. Rather, it was about bnce. And finding a way to live with the world in a mutually beneficial way rather than simply consuming whatever you needed to let you gain power. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. As he sat there watching the vige, Elijah considered his feelings. But by the time night fell, he¡¯d gotten no closer to true understanding. However, what he had realized was that he needed to kill the goblins. Part of it was due to the task set by the System, but it was also because he needed to stay true to his druidic calling. So, when night fell, he used Shape of the Predator and, leaving his pack of supplies behind the snowbank, set off toward the goblin vige. As he did so, he cloaked himself with Guise of the Unseen. Silent and all but invisible, he approached the vige. Many of the goblins had already retired for the night, but there were a few still up and about. Guards, perhaps. Regardless, Elijah¡¯s vendetta was indiscriminate. With surety of purpose, he stalked his first victim, passing under the houses as he crept from shadow to shadow. Soon enough, the blue goblin had separated itself, and he pounced, using Predator Strike. It was over before the goblin ever knew what had happened. It fell, disemboweled by Elijah¡¯s first attack, and with its throat slit by the second. Its aquamarine blood pooled on the snow as Elijah dragged it into the shadows beneath one of the buildings. After that, Elijah continued his task, and the goblins fell, one after another. None of them even knew he was there, much less tried to defend themselves. Thus, the power of his ss truly became evident. As he swept through the vige, silently ughtering water goblins, he was too focused to consider the morality of his actions. However, after he¡¯d killed the final creature, he stumbled across the building where they butchered and skinned the ulthrak they¡¯d taken prisoner. After that, any sympathy he might¡¯ve felt dissipated before the harsh reality of their actions. Only after he had seen that grisly charnel house did Elijah get a notification from the System:
Congratluations! You havepleted Level One of Keledge Tower. Grade: A To progress further, find the portal to Level Two.
Then, a small box appeared before him. It was a simple, metal cube about four inches wide, but it radiated enough Ethera to surprise Elijah. He leaned forward, sniffing it, but even with his panther¡¯s senses, he smelled nothing out of the ordinary. So, he let Shape of the Predator drop before reaching down and flipping the box¡¯stch. It sprang open, revealing a simple pewter ring. Elijah took it, resulting in a new notification:
Reward forpleting Level One of Keledge Tower: Ring of Aquatic Travel
The ring itself was carved with fanciful whorls, but otherwise, it looked entirely ordinary. Elijah slipped it on, but felt nothing. Thest time Elijah had acquired a magical item, he¡¯d gotten a description. But perhaps that was because he¡¯d created the Staff of Natural Harmony himself. Either way, aside from making an inference based on the ring¡¯s name, Elijah had no idea what the ring really did. He would do some testing once he made it out of the tower. In the meantime, he needed to find the portal to the next level. To that end, he searched through the vige once again. However, he found nothing, so he expanded his parameters to the small bay abutting the settlement. The moment his feet touched the water, he felt a thrum of Ethera emanating from the center of the bay. It didn¡¯t take a leap of logic to recognize what it meant. The portal to the second level was down there. Groaning, he said, ¡°Swimming again? Ugh.¡± As much as he didn¡¯t want to do it, Elijah knew he didn¡¯t have much of a choice. So, after heading back to the snowbank where he¡¯d spent most of the day observing the water goblin vige, he retrieved his supplies and ate his fill. Fortunately, the water of the bay was fresh, so he¡¯d already sated his thirst. Odd, sure. But he wasn¡¯t going to question something that worked in his favor. Thest thing he wanted to do was melt snow just so he could get a drink. With that done, Elijah checked to make sure that his Ethera hadpletely regenerated, then set off back to the bay. When he reached it, he waded in, and once the frigid water reached his midsection, he dove in. It was not pleasant. In fact, his entire body went numb after only a few seconds. With the knowledge that he didn¡¯t have much of a choice at the forefront of his mind, he forged ahead. Using the pulse of Ethera as his guide, he continued to swim until, a few dozen yardster, he was directly above it. Not wasting any time hesitating, Elijah dove. It only took a few seconds to recognize the portal. This time, it presented itself as a stone doorway, its corners twisted in such a way that he struggled to make sense of it. But he didn¡¯t care about that. With the cold sapping his energy, Elijah didn¡¯t have the luxury of time on his side. So, he swam down and passed through the door. Then, he was once again plunged into imprable darkness. However, this time, it didn¡¯t fade. Instead, a brief stab of light pierced Elijah¡¯s eyes, and suddenly, he felt an incredibly strong undertow pulling him down. He fought against it, using every point of his enhanced Strength attribute as he swam against the current, but it was useless. He couldn¡¯t escape. He couldn¡¯t even fight to a standstill. Instead, the inexorable current continued to pull him into the watery abyss. Panic suffused Elijah¡¯s mind as his oxygen ran out. But to his surprise, it didn¡¯t matter. That was when he remembered the name of his reward forpleting the tower¡¯s first level. The Ring of Aquatic Travel clearly gave him the ability to survive underwater. Still, as Elijah was slowly pulled ever downward, his panic did not subside. Even if he wasn¡¯t going to drown, he had no idea what to expect next. Some indeterminate timeter, Elijah hit something solid. But it wasn¡¯t the silt he would have expected. Instead, it was stone. Gradually, his eyes began to adjust, and what he saw shocked him to his core. Book 1: Chapter 45: Under the Sea Book 1: Chapter 45: Under the Sea Arrayed before Elijah was a maze of coral and seaweed. Even as he floated only a few feet above the seafloor, he forgot the conflict of the previous day. Instead, he focused entirely on the setting in front of him. Elijah had been diving many times in the past. He had his scuba license, and he¡¯d been an avid free diver before being stricken with cancer. More, he¡¯d watched countless videos of the depths and studied even more photos and texts while earning his doctorate. However, he¡¯d never seen anything like thendscapeid out before him. Coral twisted hundreds of feet in the air, and the thick stalks of seaweed, barely waving in the current, looked like nothing so much as des of grass. Huge schools of colorful fish flitted about, while Elijah caught sight ofrger predators lurking within the forest of coral and seaweed. A shadow enveloped him, and he looked up. A sea serpent the size of a bus slithered hundreds of feet above him, cutting through the water with speed that would have rivaled an airne. Elijah stared as it darted into the seaweed forest and passed out of view. That was when he noticed a notification waiting for him:
Wee to The Keledge Tower, Level Two. To advance to Level Three,plete the task before you.
It was almost identical to the notification that had greeted him upon his entry into the tower, and it was followed by a description of the task in question:
Task: Reach the center of the Sea of Sorrows and defeat the Hegemonic Guardian.
Neither of those names sounded good. The words sorrow and hegemony did not fill him with the warm and fuzzies. But he knew he didn¡¯t have much in the way of choices. He couldn¡¯t very well turn back. Nor did he really want to. There was definitely something addictive about meeting the challengesid out before him. In any case, there was every chance that the previous level had ceased to exist the moment he¡¯d left it behind. Perhaps the scenario had already reset. Looking back, his emotions felt a bit silly. If none of it was real ¨C and it wasn¡¯t, at least ording to the ulthraks and his own deductive ability ¨C then what did any of it matter? He shouldn¡¯t have cared if the walrus people lived or died. Nor should the goblins have infuriated him so thoroughly. And yet, they had. He could only reason that there was more at y than he knew. But that wasn¡¯t exactly surprising, given that he knew almost nothing about what was going on. At times, Elijah felt like he was being led around by the nose, and he very much didn¡¯t like it. For now, though, he needed to push those sorts of thoughts to the back of his mind and focus on aplishing the task at hand and progressing to the third and final level of the tower. To that end, he sank to the sea floor and took cover behind a sizable rock so he could think about how he intended to aplish the goals that had been thrust upon him. And not for the first time, he realized just how out of his depth and unprepared he really was. Until that point, he¡¯d leaned on his Shape of the Predator, which he¡¯d found was incredibly powerful. It allowed him to remain undetected and, when the time was right, strike hard and fast before sinking back into the shadows. But underwater, adopting that form just wasn¡¯t an option. When he¡¯d tried to swim in his panther form, he¡¯d barely been capable of remaining afloat. In theory, it ought to have been easy enough to adapt. After all, he knew how other animals swam, so it should have been a simple matter of practice before he mastered the necessary technique. But in this case, the instincts that came with the form had worked against him, inciting a simmering panic that had scuttled any attempt at rational thought. It had been all he could do to awkwardly paddle a few feet, much less swim through a territory the size of the Sea of Sorrows. So, he was stuck in his human form. Fortunately, he was extremelyfortable as a swimmer, and with the Ring of Aquatic travel giving him the ability to breathe underwater, he felt confident that he could at least survive the environment. However, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be so simple as to swim in the right direction. Never was that more clear than when he saw motion out of the corner of his eye. At first, he panicked, but that onlysted a split second before he realized that the creature he¡¯d seen was hundreds of yards away. It was an eel, but one with coloring he¡¯d never seen. It was also the size of a horse, which made it thergest eel he¡¯d ever even heard about. It swam from the forest of seaweed and coral, chased by a school of much smaller fish that resembled barracuda. The smaller fish nipped at the eel¡¯s tail, but it quickly started to outpace them. Until a huge w descended from above, snapping the eel in half. Elijah tensed as the w¡¯s owner sshed into the water from surface, revealing its entire form. It was a giant crab. Because of course it was. But if every crab he¡¯d ever killed had all somehowbined into one, they wouldn¡¯t have reached half the size of this neer¡¯s w, much less the rest of its body. If it was any smaller than an aircraft carrier, Elijah would have been shocked. No ¨C he was already shocked, regardless of his vehicle-based size estimations. The school of barracuda darted away, but the crab wasn¡¯t going to let even so small of a meal escape. Itshed out with his w, and though it didn¡¯t make physical contact, the motion created an unnatural whirlpool that sucked theparatively small fish into its gaping maw. The two halves of the still writhing eel soon followed, and before long, nothing was left of the brief hunt. Then, the crab floated up, eventually breaking through the surface. Where it went after that, Elijah couldn¡¯t see, and if he was honest, he had no interest in finding out. Over the next hour, he settled in to watch the sea. And as he did, patterns became clear. For one, anything that ventured above the forest of kelp and corral was quickly killed and eaten by the crab, so trying to swim above the fray was impossible. Elijah had no idea if it was the same crab, or if it was a series of the creatures, but it didn¡¯t really matter for his purposes. Next, he saw that the ecosystem in the forest was, to put it mildly, one based on predation. If there were herbivorous creatures in there, Elijah never saw them. Instead, everything seemed out to kill everything else, which meant that the entire ce was a natural battlefield of epic proportions. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. And that posed quite a problem. If he¡¯d been capable of adopting his panther form, he could have simply snuck through. However, in his human form, he had no more ability in stealth than any other person. Certainly, he¡¯d learned a few tricks over the past year of living in the wilderness, but most of his knowledge was useless in his current environment. The third thing he was forced to realize was that he wasn¡¯t nearly as buoyant as he might have expected, which meant that swimming really was out of the question. In fact, after a little testing, he reasoned that it wasn¡¯t so different from the level of gravity on the moon. And finally, he acknowledged that, once again, the water was free of salt, which seemed even more incongruous than the massive predators or clearly contrived scenario. But at least it meant that he wouldn¡¯t die of thirst if he remained on the level for too long. Food would be an issue, though,rgely because he¡¯d lost his woven satchel sometime during the transition between levels. Hopefully, he wouldplete the task before he had to start considering eating the fish and other creatures he¡¯d seen so far. After a few hours, Elijah realized that he was stalling. He really didn¡¯t want to head into the forest of kelp and corral,rgely because he felt incredibly vulnerable without his Shape of the Predator spell. He still had Storm¡¯s Fury, though he wasn¡¯t entirely certain it would work underwater. And he had his newest spell, Swarm. But other than that, he only had his staff to defend himself. And he suspected that that wouldn¡¯t be enough. Letting out a sigh that sent a series of bubbles drifting toward the surface, Elijah pushed the negative thoughts aside. He¡¯d survived cancer. He had learned to thrive after being stranded on a deserted ind. He¡¯d killed a host of interdimensional lizards. He could stroll across the seabed and kill some boss monster. If that was what he had to do to survive, then that was what he was going to do. The first order of business was to test Storm¡¯s Fury, though. So, he backed away from his rock and embraced the spell. To his shock, a veritable torrent of Ethera swept through his mind, and Storm¡¯s Fury activated in a fraction of the time it normally took. The moment the spell was saturated, he released his hold, and a thick bolt of white lightning tore across the water and hit the rock. It shattered, sending bits and pieces slowly flying through the water. Elijah grinned. It was definitely stronger, but he wasn¡¯t sure why. Was it the interaction with the water? Or was it the denser ambient Ethera? He had no way of knowing. Testing it again, he fired off another spell. This time, though, he paid attention to the bolt of lightning itself. In its normal form, the lightning manifested from the sky, but when he channeled it through his Staff of Natural Harmony, it emanated from the head of the weapon. But it always took the form of a single, well-defined bolt of lightning. Underwater, that changed. From that single bolt extended a series of smaller branches of electricity, suggesting that it could affect arger area of effect. The radius around the bolt wasn¡¯trge ¨C maybe a few feet before those branches dissipated ¨C but it was enough to excite Elijah about his chances of making it through the Sea of Sorrows. He decided to test Swarm as well. To his surprise, though, when he tried, it wouldn¡¯t activate. It only took a moment for Elijah to realize that, like Shape of the Predator, the spell would take the bulk of his Ethera reserves to cast. So, he retreated a little and settled in to meditate on funneling Ethera through his mind and into his soul, after which, it settled into his core. He was well used to the process by that point, but he still reveled in the feeling of so much energy flowing through the ephemeral System. Eventually, Elijah regenerated enough Ethera to fuel the spell. So, he rose and channeled it through his staff. A momentter, a school of tiny fish ¨C they looked a lot like piranha ¨C appeared and swept through the area. Without anything to attack, they dissipated only a few momentster. Interesting. ording to the spell¡¯s description, the creatures would infect his enemies with ¡°appropriate afflictions,¡± whatever that meant. Elijah didn¡¯t know, and he wouldn¡¯t find out until he used the spell on an enemy. He hoped it wouldn¡¯te to that, but given the nature of the tower, he suspected that his hopes would soon be dashed. After testing the spell, Elijah settled in to once again regenerate his Ethera, and once his core was full, he finally set off, bounding across the seafloor with long, bouncy steps that helped him cover the ground very quickly. However, he chose to hesitate when he reached the edge of the kelp forest. Was going in the right choice? Maybe. Perhaps not. But he couldn¡¯t think of any other option. So, without further ado, he plunged ahead. This time, though, he kept his footsteps short, and he stayed as low as he could. His attempts at stealth turned out to be useless. Only ten steps into the kelp forest, he passed what he thought was an innocuous rock. But the moment his back was exposed, he felt the water stir. With instincts born of surviving for a year in the wilderness, he dove forward. It wasn¡¯t enough. Something mped down on his side, ripping into the delicate flesh. His momentum tore him free, and whatever had attacked him pulled back. Blood as well as bits of skin and meat misted into the water as Elijah pped his hand to his side and pulsed Touch of Nature. He hit the seabed hard before bouncing into a tall stalk of kelp. Even as the spell staunched the bleeding, he got his first glimpse of his attacker. It was a turtle, though a species Elijah did not recognize. The sharp beak and leathery skin were familiar, but its shell was made entirely from rock and coral. More, its legs were far longer than any turtle Elijah had ever seen. And finally, it was at least as big as he was, and it probably weighed at least three-hundred pounds. Probably a lot more. In short, it looked like a primal version of a snapping turtle with a jagged boulder for a shell. Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate to cast Storm¡¯s Fury, the moment he recovered from his tumble. The monster ¨C and that was the only way he could think of the creature ¨C saw the spelling, and disying more intelligence than any reptile had a right to show, it twisted around to present its shell. The lightning hit it, splintering the shell and eliciting a burbling scream from the turtle. It reacted instantly, leaping across the intervening space andtching onto Elijah¡¯s hastily raised arm. Bone crunched as its jaws closed, but Elijah kept his wits about him as he recast the spell. The lightning hit the creature square between the eyes, but even though it was clearly hurt, the thing channeled its inner pit bull and refused to relinquish its grip. So, Elijah re-cast the spell. Once. Twice. Three more times. And as his Ethera dipped to dangerously low levels, the creature finally died. But its jaws remained locked into ce, and its weight tugged Elijah to the seafloor. Painnced through him. His arm was broken ¨C probably in multiple ces ¨C and his side was still missing quite a bit of flesh. He only had enough Ethera for two heals. Maybe three at most. And he had a turtletched onto his arm. Prying it loose was the first order of business. Then, he intended to ¨C Just then, a school of small fish ¨C maybe seven or eight inches long, with gold scales and red, beady eyes ¨C swam into view. They made a bee-line for the bloody water surround Elijah. Recognizing them for the predatory scavengers they were, Elijah took aim with his staff and cast Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightning arced out, taking the little creatures head-on. But the bolt of electricity was so powerful that it didn¡¯t stop after obliterating the first. No ¨C it kept going, tearing through the school. That¡¯s when the little branches of lightning showed their worth, leaping out to fry most of the remaining fish. The majority of the school died in an instant, but a few managed to survive. But suddenly alone, they weren¡¯t nearly as brave as they¡¯d been only a moment before, and they quickly darted back under the cover of the kelp forest. Elijah felt his shoulders sag. He¡¯d killed the little creatures, but that victory hade at a cost. His core was entirely empty, now. So, he couldn¡¯t heal himself. Grimmacing, he realized that he had no choice but to retreat. But first, he needed to pry the turtle¡¯s jaws apart. So, over the next couple of minutes, he awkwardly did just that. In the end, he had to lever his foot under one side while tugging the other in the opposite direction. And just like that, he was free. It only took one look at his arm to tell him that he¡¯d severely underestimated the damage. He was a marine biologist, but he was familiar enough with mammalian physiology to know that, if he didn¡¯t have ess to healing magic, he would lose the arm. It was already swollen to nearly three times its normal size, and bits of bone jutted through the purpling skin. That served to further cement Elijah¡¯s decision to retreat. Letting out a gurgling sigh, he returned to his previous spot and settled in to regenerate his Ethera. Without the adrenaline of the fight pumping through his veins, he felt every pulse of agony emanating from his arm. The only good thing he could say was that it at least served as a distraction from the injury on his right side. Silver linings, he supposed. As he sat there, he began toe to the realization that he might be on his current level of the tower for a little longer than expected. Book 1: Chapter 46: Survivor Book 1: Chapter 46: Survivor Elijah knelt behind a fallen chunk of coral. In one hand, he clutched his staff, while the other kept him from drifting with the current as he watched the sceneid out before him. It had been nearly a week since he¡¯d first entered the second level of the tower, and in that time, he¡¯d been forced to learn to adapt to life in the sea. At first, it had not gone well, and he¡¯d spent most of the first few days recovering from the brief, intense battles that gued every step into the kelp and coral forest. But with every fight, he drew a little closer to gaining enough power to traverse the sea with impunity. He still wasn¡¯t there yet, having only reached level twenty-three, but he felt like he was on the verge of gaining another level. And when he did, he would learn a new spell or ability. Hopefully, that would make his task easier to aplish. Which was why he was watching the giant eelzily drifting back and forth in the current. It hadn¡¯t moved from the small clearing in some time, and Elijah knew that, if he was going to kill it, he needed to act soon, lest he lose his chance when the thing woke up and wandered off. So, he screwed up his courage, then leaped up, grabbing a piece of branching coral, and dragged himself atop the edifice. Once there, he raised his staff and dragged Ethera from his core, channeled it through his soul, and cast Swarm. Instantly, a thousand piranha-like fish manifested and swept down into the clearing. The eel never saw theming. In seconds, the little fish, which were barely bigger than Elijah¡¯s fingers, had torn huge chunks from its flesh. More importantly, with each bite, they delivered an affliction that, so far as Elijah could tell, functioned like the necrotic damage associated with brown recluse spiders. Only it was much elerated and far more powerful. The degradation of the tissue surrounding such a bite would normally take as much as two weeks, but once magic became involved ¨C as was the case with the fish conjured by Swarm ¨C it only took moments. Instantly, the eel¡¯s brown-and-grey serpentine body was riddled with red blisters, which quickly turned white, and soon after, burst with puss and blood. The eel didn¡¯t take the attack lying down, either. It twisted and struck, biting at the swarm of creatures. When its jaws mped down on them, they burst into clear goo that dissipated only a secondter. Over and over, the eel attacked the swarm of biting fish, but it only got a fraction of the creatures before the spell ended. All the while, Elijah waited, hoping against hope that the damage would be enough to take the monster down. Because of the extreme Ethera cost, this was the first time he¡¯d used the spell in battle, and though it hadn¡¯t disappointed, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but hold his metaphorical breath as the thing slowly sumbed to the necrotic venom. Over the next few minutes, it thrashed and bucked, clearly in pain. Elijah hated watching the animal suffer, but he didn¡¯t dare intervene. He¡¯d learned to fear the denizens of the Sea of Sorrows, and though his heart bled for his victims, it wasn¡¯t enough to throw himself into undue danger.Gradually, the eel¡¯s thrashing ceased, and it sank to the silt-covered seabed. But it was still alive. And worse, the sores that were the result of the creatures¡¯ bites had begun to close. If Elijah judged it correctly, it wouldn¡¯t be too much longer before the eel started to recover from its internal injuries, which were almost assuredly much more severe than the bites and burst blisters on its skin. No ¨C if he was going to kill the thing, he needed to act. Fortunately, in the minutes since he¡¯d cast Swarm, he¡¯d recovered enough Ethera to fuel a few casts of Storm¡¯s Fury. Hopefully, that would be enough to end the monster¡¯s life and give him the kill energy he needed to progress. If not, then he would have to find another vulnerable creature and start the process over again. It was not precisely the way Elijah wanted to live ¨C after all, the eel was probably inedible, and even if it wasn¡¯t, there was no way he was going to use that much meat ¨C but that was the reality that he¡¯d been forced to confront. Killing was necessary for survival. It always had been, but that was even more true than it had been back on his ind. There, he¡¯d killed so he could eat. Or to protect the ind and his Grove from the Voxx. But now, he was killing simply because he needed to grow more powerful. It wasn¡¯t exactly killing for the sake of killing, but it wasn¡¯t so far off that he didn¡¯t see the parallels, either. Regardless, he had alreadye to terms with it. He¡¯d resolved to survive by whatever means necessary, and so, that was precisely what he was going to do. However, he did recognize that there woulde a point in time where he needed to have a better n than that. In short, he needed a code by which he would live. But for now, what he really needed most was for that eel to die, and no moral debate would change that. So, without further dy, he once again raised his staff, took aim at the eel, and used Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightning, hot and furious, arced out from his Staff of Natural Harmony and hit the Eel directly in the forehead. The moment the spell hit, the creature seized, but Elijah knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. So, he used the spell again, draining thest of his Ethera. More convulsions followed until, atst, it fell still and settled onto the seabed in a cloud of silt. But the thing didn¡¯t die. Elijah knew that because he hadn¡¯t received the expected influx of kill energy. So, he had a choice. Either he could wait for his Ethera to regenerate and chance the monster healing the damage he¡¯d just done. Or he could go down there and finish it off the hard way. Both options had downsides, but considering that one of the choices¡¯ downside was that he¡¯d get eaten the moment he got within range of the creature, he chose the first option. So, once again, he settled down to wait. As he did, he focused on funneling as much Ethera as he could through his mind and into his core, but when the eel started to stir, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Still, he refused to move. Killing the eel was the goal, and he¡¯d put everything he had into doing just that. But he refused to let that sway his judgement. Instead, he ignored the sunk cost and focused on the most important thing: staying alive. So, he watched as, before he¡¯d even regenerated enough Ethera to fuel two casts of Stom¡¯s Fury, the eel awoke. The moment it did, the creature swam away, taking Elijah¡¯s chance at gaining level twenty-four with it. But at least he was still alive. It was just further proof that, while his archetype was versatile and, in the right situation, deadly, it just didn¡¯t give him the kick he needed to easily kill most of the creatures in the Sea of Sorrows. If he¡¯d had ess to Shape of the Predator, things would be very different. He could have snuck up on the eel and ravaged it with Predator Strike, then finished it off with abination of Contagion and the kind of hit-and-run tactics he¡¯d used against the water goblins on the previous level. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. But his mist panther form was almost entirely incapable of swimming, which ruled that strategy out. He sighed, sending a trail of tiny bubbles drifting toward the surface. It seemed that he wasn¡¯t going to progress via one big kill. Instead, he¡¯d need to target the smaller creatures he¡¯d been hunting since he¡¯d entered the Sea of Sorrows. Once the eel had been gone for a few minutes, Elijah climbed down from his perch and took a familiar route back to the shallow cave he¡¯d been using as a temporary base of operations. When he got there, he looked at it with a sense of blended nostalgia and fatigue. The first, because it reminded him of his earliest days on the ind, when even killing a crab had been difficult. The second, for the same reasons. It felt like it had been so long since he¡¯d been able to just rx. Survival, for all that it was periodically exciting, was incredibly exhausting, and, at times, he longed for the days when he could just go home after a long day of work, kick off his shoes, and read a good book. Or watch some trash television. Or any of a number of other wastes of time that came from having most of his needs met. It wasn¡¯t as if he intended to give up. He didn¡¯t. But he would¡¯ve appreciated a short break, all the same. That wasn¡¯t in the cards, though. He¡¯d only made it a few miles into the kelp forest, and he knew he had at least that much left to go before he reached the center of the Sea of Sorrows. So, rest would have to wait. Perhaps indefinitely, if his experiences since the world had been transformed were any indication. But it wasn¡¯t that bad, really. With the water being fresh, he didn¡¯t run the risk of dehydration. And he¡¯d killed enough fish, crustaceans, and other creatures that hunger wasn¡¯t an issue, either. Sure, he had to eat it raw ¨C fire didn¡¯t burn underwater, after all ¨C but ingesting unsafe food was nothing that a quick pulse of Touch of Nature couldn¡¯t take care of. So, he had no issues with meeting his basic needs. As he settled into his cave to rest, Elijah let his mind drift until, atst, he fell asleep. He awoke some indeterminate timeter ¨C after all, without the steady rise and setting of the sun, he had no real concept of how much time had passed ¨C he once again set off. Soon enough, he was attacked by a small sea serpent, which he killed with a quick cast of Storm¡¯s Fury. Once it was dead, he ate a bit of its meat, then discarded the rest before moving on. He met a simr ambush by a sea spider with the same tactics, though he ended up having to bash the thing apart with his staff after it survived the onught of spells that drained his pool of Ethera. He didn¡¯t eat any of the spider because, well, he drew the line at arachnids. Like that, Elijah slowly progressed, and a dayter, he finally achieved his goal.
Congrattions! You have reached level twenty-four. Attribute points allocated ording to your ss.
The notification came after he¡¯d killed the second of a trio of giant, foot-long shrimp by clobbering it with his staff, and the shock of it very nearly got him killed when the lone survivorunched itself at him. Elijah barely managed to block its attack with his staff, knocking it aside before following up with a hastily cast Storm¡¯s Fury. It drained thest of his Ethera ¨C he¡¯d already cast it a handful of times, missing the little creatures more than he wanted to admit ¨C but the resulting bolt of lightning took the stunned creature head-on,pletely obliterating it. Elijah¡¯s shoulders slumped. He¡¯d been at it for hours, and after finally reaching his goal, his exhaustion finally caught up to him. However, he couldn¡¯t afford to rest. Not until he reached some modicum of safety. So, without even looking at his status or whatever new spell or ability he¡¯d gained, he set off to find a safe haven. It took longer than he hoped, but eventually, he found a dense clump of coral that seemed promising. So, he trudged into what turned out to be a tiny cave. The only problem was that it already had a resident in the form of a sizable catfish that did not appreciate being disturbed. By that point, Elijah had enough Ethera to cast Storm¡¯s Fury a couple of times, but judging by the size of the thing ¨C and the famous durability of catfish ¨C he considered retreat a better option. So, after narrowly avoiding the creature¡¯s initial salvo, he leaped for the entrance and dragged himself out. Thankfully, the catfish didn¡¯t follow. After a few more failures, Elijah finally discovered another cave that would serve as a decent resting spot ¨C at least for a few hours. So, he headed inside and spent the next few minutes arduously inspecting the interior for threats. He found none, so he dragged a few pieces of coral in front of the entrance and finally settled down to rest. Though he struggled to keep his eyes open, Elijah forced himself to take a look at his status, just in case anything had changed:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 24
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 25
Dexterity 29 (24)
Constitution 30 (25)
Ethera 33
Regeneration 27
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Opal Neophyte
Unsurprisingly, aside from gaining two points in each attribute since he¡¯dst checked, nothing had changed. And while he appreciated the additional attributes, Elijah was far more interested in his new ability. So, without further dy, he took a look at it:
Ability: Venom Strike Imbues an attack with fast-acting neurotoxin. Usable in all forms. Damage doubled when in Predator form.
Elijah didn¡¯t really know what to think of it. On the one hand, it certainly opened up a lot of possibilities ¨C especially after he realized that the ability didn¡¯t actually take Ethera. Even though all he wanted was to rest, Elijah took a few minutes to try it out, and what he discovered was that even though it didn¡¯t use Ethera, it still had a cost. The first time he used the ability, he felt a sudden wave of fatigue. The second time, it was stronger. And the third nearly wiped him out. It was an odd feeling ¨C somewhere between the fatigue associated with a high fever and the result of a long workout. He could probably force himself to use it a few more times ¨C especially if he was fresh ¨C but eventually, he would simply copse from exhaustion. But that was fine. It just gave him one more tool to survive, and, eventually, if he kept stacking advantages and abilities, he would make it out of the tower. Book 1: Chapter 47: The Bitter Taste of Victory Book 1: Chapter 47: The Bitter Taste of Victory Elijah was exhausted. It wasn¡¯t just the constant danger, though that was a big part of it. Nor was it the raw fish that had be his diet. He¡¯d even grown ustomed to the taste of the water. No ¨C what really got to him was the constant submersion. People just weren¡¯t meant to live underwater, as evidenced by the fact that his skin had started to break down only a few days into his time in the Sea of Sorrows. On top of that, if he didn¡¯t consistently use Touch of Nature to counteract some of the other effects ¨C like the degradation of his muscles due to the decreased weight and the havoc submersion wrought on his circtory System ¨C he would¡¯ve already died. But as valuable as Touch of Nature was, it did nothing tobat the psychological effects. Istion was difficult on its own, but he¡¯d been dealing with that for more than a year. However, when it waspounded by living for more than a month in such an alien environment, it became nearly unbearable. There were only two reasons he¡¯d managed to keep going. First ¨C and most importantly ¨C he didn¡¯t have any choice. He was a survivor, and after being given a second chance at life, Elijah simply refused to give in. With that driving him, he didn¡¯t really have any choice in the matter. The same factors that had driven him to enter the tower in the first ce ¨C chiefly, the fact that he would be overwhelmed by the Voxx if he didn¡¯t ¨C kept him moving forward. The second reason he¡¯d managed to maintain his sanity was that, despite the hostility of the environment, he was consistently struck by the beauty all around him. He¡¯d never been a particrlymitted biologist. Certainly, he¡¯d enjoyed his work well enough, but he wasn¡¯t nearly as driven as some of his colleagues. Work was work, and he was content with keeping it separated from the rest of his life. However, spending so much time in the Sea of Sorrows had opened his eyes in a way that nothing else ever had. If he hadn¡¯t been trapped there, he might have even enjoyed himself. So long as he could get out of the water and enjoy drynd. In any case, in the previous weeks, he had seen a host of things no one else ever had, and despite the fact that he desperately wanted to leave the Sea of Sorrows, he couldn¡¯t help but appreciate it for the beauty it represented. Even the predators ¨C especially them ¨C filled him with awe. But for now, he needed to focus on the task at hand. If he didn¡¯t, the sea wouldn¡¯t have to kill him because his foe would do the job instead. Crouched behind a half-eaten carcass of what he thought had once been a whale, Elijah studied the creature he¡¯d decided to kill. From Elijah¡¯s perspective, it looked like a giant isopod ¨C with emphasis on the giant part. As seemedmon within the Sea of Sorrows, and the transformed world atrge, a creature that should have topped out at around twenty inches long had reached truly gargantuan proportions. If it was smaller than a minivan, Elijah would¡¯ve been incredibly surprised.More distressing than its size were the other addendums to its morphology. Chiefly, that its legs ¨C all fourteen of them ¨C were quite a bit longer than the species with which Elijah was familiar. That, in and of itself, wouldn¡¯t have been terribly distressing, but the limbs were also barbed, which told him all he needed to know about their purpose. Its shell also looked quite a bit thicker than it should¡¯ve been, though, given Elijah¡¯s experiences with the crabs on his ind, that was expected. Otherwise, the creature looked much like its terrestrial native, the humble wood louse ¨C or the pill bug, as they were usually known. Though instead of a ck shell, the giant isopod was equipped with a much lighter-colored armor. Regardless, Elijah had chosen the monster as his target for two reasons. First, after killing the whale and gorging itself, the isopod had grown quite lethargic. That would give him some leeway in his method of attack. Most importantly, though, Elijah knew that if he didn¡¯t kill it, it would almost assuredly hunt him down. Because the overgrown crustacean was very territorial, and it killed anything that dared set foot ¨C or fin ¨C into its territory. The whale, as well as a dozen other, much smaller creatures, was proof enough of that. No ¨C if Elijah wanted to continue to progress toward the center of the Sea of Sorrows, he needed to get past the isopod. And if he couldn¡¯t? Then, he had no business challenging the level¡¯s guardian in the first ce. But just because it was necessary didn¡¯t mean Elijah was looking forward to it. He wasn¡¯t. In fact, he was almost certain he was going to die in the effort. However, he was tired of the sea, and he knew that if he didn¡¯t make progress soon, his resolution to keep going would begin to wane. He wouldn¡¯t just give up, but every day he spent in that sea robbed him of some ineffable aspect of his motivation, and without that, he would lose focus and make mistakes that would eventually get him killed. Still, he considered simply going back and continuing to hunt. There was no shortage of prey, and eventually, he would gain more levels. Though over the past few days, he¡¯d gotten the feeling that kill energy was subject to diminishing returns. Killing things within the Sea of Sorrows would still let him progress, but the longer he stayed, the more it would take. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure how he knew that ¨C there was no numerical value or anything associated with how much kill energy he needed to level ¨C but he knew it all the same. Not for the first time, Elijah wished he had someone to exin everything to him. Or failing that, apanion with which he couldpare notes. Nerthus was great, and he¡¯d been extremely helpful, but he was obviously very limited in what information he could pass on. Shaking his head, Elijah realized that he was just stalling. So, he stepped out from behind the whale and used Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightningnced out from the tip of his staff, hitting the dormant monster directly in its eye. But Elijah didn¡¯t see it. Instead, he used the spell again, to simr results. The creature stirred, locking its eyes on Elijah. He tried to cast another instance of Storm¡¯s Fury, but he cut it off when the monster raced toward him. Propelled by its multitude of legs, the isopod could move incredibly quickly, and as such, Elijah knew he didn¡¯t have time to dawdle. Instead, he turned and ran. Moving quickly in the water required a curious mix of jumping, paddling, and running, but over the previous month, Elijah had been forced to master the awkward technique. As such, he managed to get away just before the isopod reached his previous position. Clicking its mandibles furiously, it dug its sharp legs into the silt andunched itself at Elijah. But by that point, Elijah was already gone, darting between a pair of coral stalks and into a stand of kelp. The isopod thundered after him, crushing the coral and tearing through the waving kelp. Elijah never stopped moving, though he was careful not to outpace the monster. Not that that was a real possibility. It was native to the environment, and despite its bulk, the thing was well-equipped for rapid movement. So, Elijah struggled to stay ahead of it. Leaping over a wide but rtively shallow chasm, Elijahnded with a roll before finding his feet and continuing his flight. A turtle not unlike the one who¡¯d first greeted him snapped at him in passing, but by that point, Elijah was already gone. Just when he thought he was going to be caught, he got a boost of speed as the System finally judged that he¡¯d leftbat. The monster still chased him, but because he hadn¡¯t taken any hostile action or damage for a while, his Essence of the Wolf kicked in. Though it was expected ¨C he¡¯d tested it thoroughly ¨C it still came as a wee relief, and he quickly put some extra distance between himself and the giant sea louse. After a few dozen more yards, he looked back to see that the creature had all but given up. So, mustering his Ethera, Elijahunched another Storm¡¯s Fury in its direction. From that distance, all he could manage was a ncing blow, but it was enough to renew the monster¡¯s ire. Like that, Elijah ran the thing in circles until, atst, he came to the spot he¡¯d prepared ahead of time. It wasn¡¯t a very artful trap. Indeed, any creature with even basic intelligence would know to avoid it. But Elijah was banking on the creature being no more intelligent than the giant isopods with which he was familiar. So, he¡¯d built the trap ¨C which consisted of a few arduously sharpened bones arranged within a cave he had stumbled upon. The cave itself was characterized by arge overhang just above the entrance, and it was only justrge enough for the monster to fit. Even though it was a tight fit, the monster still followed when Elijah dashed inside. As he wove through the stakes and into the much narrower back of the cave, Elijah shot another Storm¡¯s Fury at the monster. It ran headlong into the cave, impaling itself on the angled stakes Elijah had carved from another whale carcass he¡¯d stumbled upon a few days before. But that wasn¡¯t enough to kill such a creature. Nor would it suffice to trap it. And with its long legs, it was only a matter of time before the thing escaped. Elijah had a n for that, too. He had chosen his killing ground well, and though the cave hadn¡¯t initially had two openings, the wall at the narrow end was thin enough that it had only taken him a few hours to carve a hole big enough for him to fit through. So, he dragged himself through, then circled around to the entrance. Once there, he aimed his staff at the overhang above the entrance and let loose with another Storm¡¯s Fury. He''d spent hours making certain that the overhang was weak enough that it would only take a single cast to send the rock and coral tumbling down. And that was precisely what happened, the ensuing avnche sealing that side of the cave and trapping the giant isopod inside. Elijah pumped his fist in celebration, but judging by the rumblinging from within the cave, he knew he didn¡¯t have time to pat himself on the back. He still had a giant crustacean to kill. So, he circled back around to what was now the lone exit. Then, he settled in to wait for his Ethera to regenerate. It only took a little while ¨C after all, that was one of the reasons he¡¯d led the creature on such a long chase ¨C before he had enough Ethera to cast Swarm. He pointed his staff into the hole and did just that. He couldn¡¯t see the piranha that the spell conjured, but he didn¡¯t need to because, only a secondter, an unholy burbling screech came from within the cave. Elijah knew the conjuration wouldn¡¯tst long ¨C just thirty seconds or so ¨C but the screeching endured well after. At the same time, the monster never stopped trying to escape. The other reason Elijah had circled the trap so many times was because he¡¯d wanted to tire it out. He didn¡¯t know if it had worked, but with its massive size, even when it was exhausted and wounded, it was more than capable of breaking free. But Elijah wasmitted, now. Everything had gone precisely how he¡¯d nned it. He just needed to finish things off. Which was easier said than done, and over the next thirty minutes, he listened to the monster¡¯s screeches and attempts to escape its fate. At the same time, his Ethera continued to regenerate until, atst, he was able to cast Swarm once again. The results were predictable. More screeches. More localized earthquakes as the isopod tried to break free. But still it didn¡¯t die. So, Elijah waited. And cast Swarm. Then waited some more. By the time the monster finally keeled over, giving Elijah enough kill energy to progress to level twenty-five, it had nearly broken free of the trap. And it had taken seven casts of Swarm to do it in. When it died, Elijah stood atop that half-destroyed mound, looking down at the massive monster he¡¯d just killed, and basked in the satisfaction that, despite being handicapped by his inability to transform, he¡¯d emerged victorious. That was probably why he never saw his inevitable death bearing down on him. Book 1: Chapter 48: Divergent Ideas Book 1: Chapter 48: Divergent Ideas Alyssa swung her spear in a long arc, severing a series of saplings in one swing. As she did so, she let out a shout of anger and frustration. ¡°I¡¯m going to go out on a limb here and say that Carmen didn¡¯t make that thing so you could use it to cut down trees,¡± said Bryce, the party¡¯s Wizard. He specialized in long-casting, hard-hitting spells that could change the shape of any battle, but he exchanged that ability for any personal survivability. Most sses were equipped with some sort of ability that helped keep them alive, but Wizards were one of the few exceptions. As a result, he was definitely the kind of a ss cannon who was almost solely reliant on someone else to be effective. ¡°Like it matters,¡± Kevin, the group¡¯s healer, said. He was a short, dumpy man with a crown of shaggy hair, and he¡¯d taken the Rejuvenator ss, which meant that he specialized in efficiency and healing over time. As with every other ss, though, that specialization came at the expense of versatility. His healing spells took time to work their magic, and as a result, he wasn¡¯t great for emergency situations. But a healer was a healer, and they were rare enough that nobody could be particrly picky. ¡°I¡¯ve seen that thing go through a brick wall and not get a scratch. Wish I could convince her to make me something.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re using a weapon, you¡¯re doing something wrong,¡± Bryce stated. Tall, weedy, and awkward, he clearly hadn¡¯t allocated many of his attribute points into any of the physical categories. But from what Alyssa had seen, he had Ethera for days, and he regenerated it extremely quickly. ¡°Or you are,¡± Kevin pointed out. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m dependent on jabronis like you to ¨C¡± ¡°That word makes you sound like an idiot,¡± said the final member of their party, Lisa. She upied the scout role, but she was more of a damage dealer than anything else. Alyssa had no idea what the woman¡¯s ss was ¨C she wasn¡¯t keen on volunteering anything ¨C but that wasn¡¯t a huge deal. She did her job, and that was all that really mattered. ¡°What word? Jabroni?¡± Kevin asked. Bryce said, ¡°I think it¡¯s cool. You should definitely keep using it at every opportunity.¡± ¡°Do I sense some sarcasm?¡±¡°From me? Noooo. I would never¡­¡± ¡°I hate you both,¡± Kevin muttered. ¡°Samesies,¡± Bryce said with a grin. ¡°That word makes you sound just as stupid as him,¡± Lisa said. ¡°In fact, I think being around you two is having a negative effect on my own intelligence. I¡¯m going scouting.¡± She looked at Alyssa, asking, ¡°That alright, boss?¡± Alyssa nodded, and the woman flitted off into the wilderness. If Alyssa really wanted to, she could have kept track of her. She certainly wasn¡¯t as adept at stealth as Roman. But that was fine. For a normal patrol, her skills were adequate for their purposes. As the group continued on, Alyssa struggled to keep her mind on the task at hand. Not because of the banter between the remaining members of the patrol party, but rather, because her mind was nestled firmly back in Easton. The settlement¡¯s name was no new addition ¨C indeed, it had been in ce since they¡¯d made the connection to the World Tree ¨C but Alyssa still had difficulty thinking of it as anything but the settlement. Easton had been the now-defunct town where they¡¯d lived before the world¡¯s transformation, not the settlement they¡¯d managed to cobble together from the ruins of a lost civilization. In any case, Alyssa wasn¡¯t frustrated with names. In fact, she should have been happy. Things were looking up, and it appeared that they¡¯d passed through the worst of the transition. The problem, though, was Roman. He¡¯d never been much forpassion, and after Trish¡¯s death, his heart had further hardened. He didn¡¯t care much for the sanctity of human life. Instead, he looked at everything with the eyes of a man who was only concerned with the prosperity of the settlement as a whole. That meant that, if someone couldn¡¯t pull their weight, Roman wanted to get rid of them. The same could be said for any refugees who happened to stumble on them. Most recently, he¡¯d turned a group of thirty away because they didn¡¯t possess what he considered useful sses. Or not enough of them, at least. If they couldn¡¯t contribute to Easton¡¯s immediate needs, then they had no ce in the town. He¡¯d turned them away without a second thought, and Alyssa hadn¡¯t found out about it until they were already gone. When she chased them down, they¡¯d been attacked by a herd of monsters, and the majority had been killed. She¡¯d brought the survivors back to Easton, but saving those few wasn¡¯t enough to assuage her conscience. And the worst of it was that she knew that, if another group came while she was gone, they¡¯d be turned away, too. She understood Roman¡¯s stance. There were only so many people they could support. Despite the fruition of the attempts to grow crops and their constant efforts to hunt more game, there was only so much food to go around. More, living conditions were still crowded, and while they were constantly building more houses, it was a slow process that had left quite a few people crammed into small domiciles. They were surviving, but they were a long way from thriving. As a result, taking on more refugees was a bad idea. Alyssa knew that. But she didn¡¯t ept the ramifications. She would go without if it meant someone else had a chance to live, and she suspected that many of Easton¡¯s residents thought the same thing. Or she hoped so, at least. Before leaving on the current scouting expedition, she¡¯d had another argument with Roman about it, but neither had been willing to budge. She trusted the man, and she knew he meant well, but they just couldn¡¯te to a consensus about how to approach the subject. More than once, she¡¯d thought about how much easier things would be if they simply broke apart and went their separate ways. If she hadn¡¯t had Carmen and Miguel to worry about, she might¡¯ve already done it. Shaking her head as she looked around, she realized how untrue that was. For better or worse, she cared about the people of Easton ¨C too much to abandon them, especially over people she¡¯d never even met. So, as much as she wanted to save everyone, Alyssa knew precisely where her prioritiesy. ¡°You alright, boss?¡± asked Kevin. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Kev,¡± she said. ¡°Just stressed is all.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, we agree with you,¡± Bryce said, adopting an uncharacteristically serious tone. As far as Alyssa knew, the man had approached the world like it was one of the video games he¡¯d yed before the world ended. It had served him well, giving him some insight into the inner workings of the System. However, it also meant that he sometimes failed to take things seriously, instead approaching it like he¡¯d simply respawn if things went wrong. He wasn¡¯t the only one, either. More than once, Alyssa had considered the possibility that the world¡¯s integration into therger universe had been arge enough change that it had broken people¡¯s minds. Notpletely. Not with the ones who¡¯d survived, at least. But just enough that they weren¡¯t truly certain if what they saw was real. Alyssa said, ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Bryce. Don¡¯t let yourself forget that. Now, eyes up. You know how dangerous it is out here.¡± For the next hour, they continued on their patrol, passing through the old town along the way. The vegetation had experienced explosive growth over the spring and summer, and as a result, many of the buildings had been enveloped by creeping vines and nkets of moss. Thankfully, though, they didn¡¯t encounter any monsters. They were out there, Alyssa was certain. They always were. In that respect, it wasn¡¯t unlike walking through the woods before the integration. Back then, animals were all around; they were just good at staying hidden. The mutated versions of the new world were much the same, and most avoided humanity as much as possible. The patrols were there tobat the other ones. The type that preyed on humans and killed indiscriminately. There were plenty of those as well, which meant that the patrols were an absolute and dangerous necessity. Almost an hour after she left them, Lisa returned. The slender girl ¨C she couldn¡¯t have been older than neen ¨C slipped from between a pair of overgrown buildings, saying, ¡°Boss. You need to see this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I genuinely don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good,¡± Alyssa muttered, but she directed the others to follow Lisa as the scout led them across the abandoned and mostly destroyed town. Along the way, Alyssa saw a few smaller animals, and she even caught sight of a couple of skeletons that had once been human beings. They hadn¡¯t had the chance to properly bury the people who¡¯d died right after the integration, and so, they¡¯d been left out to rot. Or for the scavengers to gorge themselves. Finally, Lisa pointed at the old hardware store and said, ¡°In there.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s some kind of¡­I don¡¯t know. A hole in space or something. It¡¯s weird. Once I saw it, I didn¡¯t go any closer, but I wasn¡¯t so far away that I didn¡¯t feel it.¡± ¡°Feel what?¡± asked Bryce. He carried a staff, though he didn¡¯t know how to use it. It was more of an affectation for the Wizard. ¡°The scaled monsters,¡± she said. ¡°Like that, but different. Wrong, you know?¡± They all nodded. Each of them had felt it, so they knew precisely what she was talking about. ¡°Okay,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°Bryce and Kev, to the rear. Lisa, nking. If somethinges, I¡¯ll pin it down. Everyone else do what you do.¡± They¡¯d drilled the strategy dozens of times, and it worked great against theparatively weak wildlife. Against the scaled monsters ¨C the Voxx, Alyssa had read in one of the guides she¡¯d bought off the Branch ¨C it was only moderately effective. It was fine when they only faced the weaker versions, but against something like the creature that had killed Trish, it would be woefully inadequate. If they fought something like that, Alyssa intended to tell her team to run while she tied it up. They probably wouldn¡¯t obey that order, though. In any case, they couldn¡¯t leave something like that free, let alone something that sounded suspiciously like the dimensional rifts Alyssa had read about. She¡¯d made those guides avable for anyone who wanted to read them, but few people had the time or the inclination to learn more than was absolutely necessary. Survival was enough to upy the whole of their minds. ¡°Follow.¡± Then, Alyssa advanced, passing through the shattered frame that had once held a pane of ss. When she stepped inside, she was assailed by a musty smell and a subtle undercurrent of what she could only interpret as corruption. Overgrown with moss and fungi, the interior of the old hardware store looked like it had been abandoned for decades rather than a little less than a year. An effect of the ambient Ethera, she reasoned. What remained of the shelves was empty, having been picked clean by scavenger teams, so there was nothing useful ¨C aside from a few mushrooms that looked like an edible variety. She marked it in her mind, intending to direct the gatherers to the small cache of potential food. Slowly, they advanced. The store was a local mom-and-pop operation ¨C or at least it had been before the world ended ¨C so it didn¡¯t take long to reach the rear. When the group did, Alyssa saw the anomaly that had garnered Lisa¡¯s attention. Suspended a few inches above the floor, it was a gaping hole with jagged, purple-glowing edges that looked like some interdimensional being had ripped a hole in the fabric of reality. The interior of the portal ¨C and that was clearly what it was ¨C was pitch ck, offering no visibility. ¡°We have to go in,¡± she said. ¡°W-what?¡± asked Kevin. ¡°That sounds like the kind of thing someone says before they¡¯re violently murdered,¡± Bryce pointed out. ¡°I hate to agree with him, but Bryce is right,¡± Lisa agreed. ¡°Wait, why do you hate to agree with me? I¡¯m smart,¡± he argued. ¡°You¡¯re stupid smart. Like, you know plenty of things, but¡­well, you¡¯re stupid, too.¡± ¡°That makes no sense.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°That¡¯s a dimensional rift. A minor one, by the looks of it. If we don¡¯t close it, it¡¯s going to burst, and we¡¯ll get a flood of those scaled monsters. If we go in, though, we can close it. And we¡¯ll be rewarded for it, too.¡± ¡°No offense, boss, but we¡¯d have to be alive to get a reward,¡± Bryce said. ¡°That¡¯s the idea, yeah.¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s got one of those big monsters inside¡­¡± ¡°It won¡¯t. It¡¯ll be one we can handle.¡± ¡°You know that?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°Not for sure. But everything I¡¯ve read suggests we should be able to do this. More importantly, we¡¯re here. If we take the time to go back, it might burst. If that happens, people will die.¡± ¡°And if we go in there, we might be the ones to die,¡± said Kevin. ¡°Maybe,¡± Alyssa acknowledged. ¡°But maybe not.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯m in,¡± said Bryce. Kevin looked at him like he¡¯d said something crazy. ¡°Look ¨C we¡¯ve got the boss here. If we¡¯re ever going to earn our pay ¨C¡± ¡°We don¡¯t get paid,¡± Kevin pointed out. ¡°Whatever. You know what I mean. If we¡¯re ever going to do something like this, now¡¯s the time when we¡¯ve got the best chance of surviving. Plus, I¡¯m close to leveling.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a game, Bryce,¡± said Kevin. ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± he replied, a bit of steel in his voice. Like everyone else, he¡¯d lost people, and every now and again, he let the carefree mask slip. ¡°I¡¯m going in,¡± Alyssa said, cutting the conversation off. ¡°You cane in with me if you want. Or not. If you don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°We¡¯re obviouslying with you, boss.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lisa added, ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this,¡± Alyssa said, forcing a smile. She appreciated their loyalty and faith, but she also knew what was probably on the other side of that gate. So, she took a deep breath, then stepped forward into hell. After a blink-and-you¡¯ll-miss-it period of ck nothingness, Alyssa stumbled into a rockyndscape. Upon crossing that threshold, the first thing she saw was a sky of roiling, purple fire, but soon after, she took in the grey terrain with rivers of purple liquid cutting through it. More importantly, she saw the creature. Even as the others staggered out of the gate, the viridian monster ¨C four arms, two legs, and a face like a smander ¨C rumbled forward. It was big. A little over six feet tall and bulging with rippling muscles. Alyssa didn¡¯t hesitate to act. Using Heroic Leap, sheunched herself into the sky. The monster stopped its charge, seemingly surprised by what it saw. At the apex of her leap, she used Descending Dragon, which sent her plummeting toward the ground like a falling meteor. She led the way with the Spear of the Dragon Lancer, which sliced through the monster¡¯s scales, pierced through its thick muscles, and erupted from between its four shoulder des. Then, her weight hit it, knocking it onto its back. The de of her spear bit deep into the ground, pinning the creature in ce. However, Alyssa didn¡¯t escape unharmed. The moment shended on its chest, the Voxxian monster went insane, and with all four of its ws, tried to rip her to pieces. She sprang away in a ck flip that sent a cascade of blood raining onto thendscape, thennded on unsteady legs. Then, she felt the familiar sensation of Kevin¡¯s healing spellsyering onto her. One after another, and the wounds the monster had ripped open began to mend. Still, it would take more than a few minutes for her topletely heal, and the monster wouldn¡¯t remain pinned in ce for long. That¡¯s where the other two members of the party came in. Bryce had begun casting the second he¡¯d stepped through the portal, and he would be upied for a few more seconds still. Meanwhile, Lisa had circled around to the back, unnoticed by the monster. And even as Alyssa gathered herself for another pass at the creature, Lisa struck. Once. Twice. Her swords arched out, biting deep under the influence of her abilities. The Voxxian monster screamed in pain, terror, and rage, ripping itself free of Alyssa¡¯s spear. Before Lisa could react, it wheeled around, catching her with a backhand that sent her sprawling. Alyssa bounded forward, dragging her trusty machete from the sheath at her hip. As she did, she used Heart of the Dragon and Enrage in conjunction, sending her attributes skyrocketing. Her first attack hit the creature¡¯s shoulder, and the de didn¡¯t stop until it was embedded in its corbone. She tried to yank the weapon free, but it was stuck fast. So, she let it go and kicked out, taking the monster in the stomach. It staggered back but recovered quickly. Still, with Alyssa¡¯s attributes so enhanced, it was no match for her. She raced forward ¨C not at the monster, but at the spear she¡¯d left embedded in the rocky ground. When she reached the weapon, she wrapped her fingers around the familiar haft and yanked it free. That was when Heart of the Dragon ran its course. Her attributes plummeted, eliciting a gasp and a stumble at exactly the wrong time. She twisted around, trying to get her spear up, but the Voxxian monster was already upon her. It tackled her to the ground, then raised its talons high into the air. They fell. Alyssa screamed as she was torn to pieces. Kevin screamed as he tried toyer his healing spells on her, and for a moment, they did the trick. She healed almost as quickly as the monster could tear through her body. But it was short-lived, obviously the result of some ability that elerated the healing over time effects upon which he relied so heavily. Then, Lisa was back, her swords moving in a blur as she sliced into the creature¡¯s back. It wasn¡¯t much damage ¨C not really. But it was enough to get its attention. The moment it turned to her, Alyssa kicked away. It paid her no mind, intent as it was on getting to Lisa. For her part, the young scout bounded away, barely faster than the scaled monster. That was the opening Bryce needed. He let loose with his spell, and a huge ball of molten rock descended from the sky. When it hit the Voxxian monster, it sent out a shockwave powerful enough to nearly knock the recovering Alyssa from her feet. Lisa stumbled to her knees before pitching forward onto her chest. And the monster was buried under a pile ofva. The spell onlysted a moment before it dissipated, and when it did, a sizable crater ¨C at least ten feet wide and a few feet deep ¨C was revealed. The monster wasn¡¯t dead, though. It pushed itself to unsteady feet, then looked around. Its scales were smoking, and it was clearly wounded. But it was still standing. Alyssa, who was still healing, intended to put an end to that. So, she bounded forward in a loping run. She couldn¡¯t use Descending Dragon so soon, but Heroic Leap had no cooldown. She intended to use that to her advantage. Before she did, though, she used Heavy Blows, then Charge. Finally, she kicked off the ground, using Heroic Leap, sending her rocketing through the air. Before she reached the monster, she threw Bulwark out behind it, then used Champion¡¯s Shout. The creature froze for a split second, which allowed Alyssa to, once again stab it in the chest. As she did, she used Impale, which, in the event that it didn¡¯t immediately die, would cause damage over time. Her momentum knocked the monster back, but it could only go a few inches before it hit her Bulwark, which acted as an anvil. And she was the hammer. Bones cracked on both sides, but Alyssa had the benefit of Kevin¡¯s healing. She reared back, yanking her spear free before stabbing it again. Then again after that. Three times, she managed to wound it before the monster knocked her free. The moment Alyssa was clear, another spell ¨C this time, sharpened spikes of ice ascending from the ground ¨C exploded into the creature. Seeing that it was distracted, both Alyssa and Lisa hit it again. This time, its responses were sluggish, and they managed to do quite a bit more damage than the first few forays. But still, the monster was dangerous and immensely powerful, and they were both forced to retreat a momentter. That¡¯s when Bryce shouted, ¡°After this, I¡¯m out!¡± Then, a giant, earthen worm burst forth from the ground, wrapped itself around the monster, and squeezed. It screamed, but its bestial cries fell on deaf ears. Bryce¡¯s summon onlysted a few seconds before it fell apart, but by then, the monster was barely standing. Alyssa approached with steady resolve, and when she got in range, she thrust her spear forward with deadly uracy. The creature tried to respond, but it was far too sluggish. The de took it in the throat, and Alyssa ripped it free a momentter, leaving a jagged wound behind. That was thest straw, and it tipped forward, falling t on its face. A few secondster, it bled out, sending a deluge of experience to nket the group. The moment the monster died, a pure, white crystal appeared before Alyssa. She reached out, touching it, prompting a notification:
Congrattions! By closing a Minor Dimensional Rift, you have done a great service to your world. Thus, you have earned a reward. Minor attribute potion awarded.
Alyssa also gained a level, pushing her to level fourteen and granting a new ability. She didn¡¯t take the time to inspect it, instead focusing on the vial of white liquid in her hand. She looked around, seeing that all the others were holding simr rewards. ¡°Well, I guess we win,¡± said Bryce, raising his arms in a sarcastic cheer. ¡°Yay us.¡± Book 1: Chapter 49: Guardian Book 1: Chapter 49: Guardian Elijah was in mid-celebration when he felt something about the current change. No stranger to ambushes, he wheeled around, ready to defend himself. But when he did, he saw nothing but a gaping maw filled with jagged teeth. Panicked, he tried to dash away, but he only took a single step before the maw closed around him. He let out a gurgling scream as the jaws mped down on him, but he kept enough of his wits about him to grab hold of whatever he could and drag himself forward. The creature¡¯s teeth ripped a ragged wound down his side and very nearly tore his leg off, and yet, he still managed to pull himself to safety. With terror and agony tearing through his mind, Elijah barely managed to p a hand on his side and cast Touch of Nature before the creature¡¯s bulbous, purple tongue shifted and forced him down its slimy throat. Crushing pressure encapsted him, breaking bones and making him feel like an overfilled balloon on the verge of bursting. Somewhere in the back of his mind where the terror, pain, and panic couldn¡¯t reach him, Elijah recognized what was happening as the muscles in the creature¡¯s throat slowly pushed him down its esophagus. But he could barely think, much less acknowledge that seemingly useless information. Somehow, he managed to re-cast Touch of Nature. The healing spell wasn¡¯t enough to keep up with the crushing damage, but it was barely capable of keeping him alive and conscious. Pain, he wouldter acknowledge, was not something to which one could really grow ustomed. Elijah learned the truth of that as he was slowly but surely crushed as the creature swallowed him. Without his consistent use of Touch of Nature or the ability to breathe underwater that had been granted by the Ring of Aquatic Travel, he would have perished. The same could be said about his Constitution, which had been further enhanced by Essence of the Boar. Still, Elijah couldn¡¯t think straight enough to be grateful. In fact, if death would have closed in on him, he might have been thankful. Yet, held at bay by his healing spell, death did note, and eventually, Elijah broke free of the esophagus and fell into a pit of acid. Screaming while he recast Touch of Nature, Elijah dragged himself forward, crawling across the fleshy innards of the monster until, atst, the sting of the acid began to dissipate. But just because the acid wasn¡¯t eating through him at a visible rate, that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t still killing him. Away from the center of what must have been the monster¡¯s stomach, the acid had been diluted by the water, but it was still there, slowly dissolving his flesh. Through the pain, Elijah forced himself to focus just enough to take stock of his Ethera. It was dangerously low. And he knew he couldn¡¯t keep using Touch of Nature. He¡¯d run out of Ethera, and then, he¡¯d die a slow and agonizing death. But with Healing Rain, there was a possibility that he could keep pace with the damage being wrought on his body.So, he cast it. Apparently, being underwater wasn¡¯t enough to stop the spell from activating, and as the falling rain ¨C Elijah didn¡¯t question how that was possible ¨C fell, he felt the healing magic begin to take hold. But just because he was constantly regenerating didn¡¯t mean that the pain had stopped. Indeed, it only meant that, so long as he could keep Healing Rain active, the damage was negated by the Regeneration. Still, the cycle of damage and Regeneration still hurt. A lot. And as a result, Elijah started to go into shock. And that shock eventually ushered him into unconsciousness. When he awoke some indeterminate timeter, his Healing Rain had run its course, and the acid had gained some ground. So, he recast the spell and tried to force himself to remain conscious long enough to utilize the Ethera that had regenerated while he¡¯d been unconscious. To that end, he cast Touch of Nature, marginally healing the wound in his side. It didn¡¯t do much. In fact, the spell didn¡¯t evenpletely close the wound. But it was progress, and in his situation, that was all he could really hope for. From that point on, Elijah¡¯s world devolved into a cycle of hellish agony and healing. It was not pleasant. In fact, it was the worst experience of his life. And given that he¡¯d gone through multiple rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, that was saying something. For a long time, he was incapable of rational thought. Instead, he focused the entirety of his consciousness on maintaining the cycle. Heal. Regenerate. Heal some more. Cast Healing Rain. Keep healing. Regenerate. Hours must have passed. Perhaps days. Elijah had no means of keeping track. But gradually, he gained ground until, atst, the wound on his side had healed as much as it could when encased in a pool of diluted acid. Then, he started on his leg. The monster¡¯s teeth had ripped a long, jagged wound that ran from mid-ankle all the way to his knee, exposing muscle, bone, and everything else skin was supposed to hide. Resting his hand on the injury, he began the cycle anew. By the time he finished, weeks had to have passed, but it might as well have been an eternity. With the ubiquitous pain keeping him from resting, his mind had descended well past the dividing line between sanity and madness. The only thing that had kept him from plunging headlong into insanity was the focus he¡¯d had to maintain. Otherwise, he would have long since sumbed. But it still took its toll, and as he finally saw the wound in his leg heal, the only thought on his mind was vengeance against the monster who was responsible for shoving him into a pit of hell. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. And without the need to use all of his Ethera on healing, he had options avable. The first thing he tried was Swarm, but his conjured piranha onlysted a quarter of their usual time before the acid did them in. That was fine, though. He had other spells. After renewing Healing Rain, Elijah cast Shape of the Predator. He still couldn¡¯t swim, but what he had in mind only required him to stand still and attack. He could do that. And so he did, ripping into the monster¡¯s innards with his ws. But it wasn¡¯t enough. The creature was tough, and even though he spent the entirety of Healing Rain¡¯s duration furiously digging into the thing¡¯s flesh, the only effect was a shallow divot. Transforming back into his human form, Elijah renewed Healing Rain and forced himself to think. With the pain of his skin being constantly dissolved by the acid and rebuilt by Healing Rain, his thoughts were sluggish. Still, he could think just clearly enough to recognize that he was missing something incredibly important. Though, try as he might, he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. Then, like a lightning bolt, it hit him. Venom Strike. The ability he¡¯d yet to use because he had no interest in getting close to monsters when he was in his human form. But now? He was already close. Too close, really. To focus his mind, he pulled up the ability¡¯s description:
Ability: Venom Strike Imbues an attack with fast-acting neurotoxin. Usable in all forms. Damage doubled when in Predator form.
Double damage when in Predator form. That was all Elijah needed to set his path. Still, he couldn¡¯t immediately take the first step down that road. Instead, he had to wait until he¡¯d regenerated enough Ethera to fuel the transformation into his Predator form. Then, he needed to cast the spell directly after renewing Healing Rain. Otherwise, he would lose ground to the acid still steadily eating away at his skin. So, he waited. In agony. Compared to the time he¡¯d already spent in the creature¡¯s stomach, it was nothing. But with the n for his eventual escape taunting him, Elijah could barely stand it. It felt like an eternity. Still, in the back of his mind, buried beneath a mountain of pain, he knew that if he jumped the gun, he would only make things worse. With that firmly entrenched in his mind, he continued to wait. And suffer. Eventually, though, Elijah recovered enough Ethera to power his transformation into a mist panther. Still, he waited until he could renew Healing Rain before he initiated the spell. As usual, the transformation didn¡¯t take long, and as soon as it wasplete, he used Venom Strike. Then, he attacked. The effect was immediate, and the monster¡¯s response nearly threw Elijah from his feet. He clung to the fleshy stomach lining with his ws and attacked once again. And again after that. He kept digging into the monster¡¯s innards, with each swipe of his ws bearing with it a refreshed Venom Strike. Each attack drained a bit of his stamina, and within thirty seconds, he could barely hold himself upright. So, he switched back to his human form to wait for the neurotoxin to take hold. The moment he did, though, he realized his mistake. In the ubiquitous pain clouding his mind, Elijah hadn¡¯t considered the fact that, as a human, he didn¡¯t have any ws, and so, the moment he switched back, the monster¡¯s convulsions sent him flying back into the dense acid in the center of the stomach. If he¡¯d been in agony before, there was no word capable of describing what he felt as he plunged into the more concentrated acid. He iled, watching his skin melting away with every passing moment. Then, the most powerful shudder yet rocked the stomach, and suddenly, Elijah was flying forward. He hit the esophagus, and it opened. A secondter, a powerful current pushed him into the fleshy hose until, atst, he passed the teeth that had ripped him to pieces. And just like that, he was free. Tumbling down through the water, he hit a stand of coral that scraped much of his melted skin from his shoulder, then settled into the silt where hey,pletely incapable of moving. Even as unconsciousness started to close in, Elijah managed to cast Healing Rain. Then, darkness enveloped him. It onlysted a few moments, and when he awoke, the blessedck of acid was enough to jolt him back to reality. He still hurt, but it was the pain of more mundane injuries, rather than constant agony of being dissolved. Opening his eyes, Elijah tried to sit up, but immediately wished he hadn¡¯t. More agonynced through his body as he copsed onto the ground. Checking his Ethera, he saw that he had enough to fuel a few casts of Touch of Nature ¨C maybe he¡¯d been out longer than he thought. So, he flopped his arm over his stomach and cast the spell. A wave of healing magic swept through him, making him feel slightly better, but it was directionless and only resulted in a slightly better overall condition. Still, it was better than nothing, especially whenbined with the ongoing Regeneration from the still-active Healing Rain. And after his time being slowly digested within the monster¡¯s stomach, the small relief the spell brought with it was more than wee. He cast the spell three more times before his Ethera ran dry. Then, hey back and waited for his core to regenerate. As he did so, he focused on the funnel of his mind, trying to force more and more ambient Ethera into his soul. It was mildly sessful, though the improvement over his normal meditative Regeneration was barely noticeable. It might¡¯ve even been his imagination at work. Whatever the case, he resolved to keep it up on the off chance that he wasn¡¯t imagining things. Gradually, his core refilled until, atst, he could continue his efforts to heal his ravaged body. One cast of Touch of Nature after another, and after using two cores¡¯ worth of Ethera, he felt well enough to sit up. His body protested as he levered himself upright and looked down at his arm. It was a withered mass of flesh that looked like nothing so much as a melted candle. Groaning, Elijah grabbed it and resumed his healing. With each cast of Touch of Nature, his arm looked a little better. More, he slowly regained feeling as the nerves and muscles rebuilt themselves. However, when he finally finished the healing process, his arm still bore significant scarring. Fortunately, the rest of his body had escaped that fate, though his clothing and hair had long since dissolved. His staff had survived, though, and once he picked himself up, he found it only a few feet away. So, naked as the day he was born ¨C and even more hairless ¨C Elijah started toward the creature that had fallen only a few dozen yards away. The neurotoxin of Venom Strike had nearly killed the monster that had tried to eat him, but the job still wasn¡¯t finished. With vengeance in his heart, Elijah aimed to change that. Book 1: Chapter 50: Vengeance and Mercy Book 1: Chapter 50: Vengeance and Mercy Elijah rolled his shoulders as he strode forward, but in the back of his mind, he realized that the effect was probably ruined by the curious, bouncing gait required to walk across the seafloor. He didn¡¯t care, though. Instead, he only had eyes for the monster that had tried to eat him. It was an orca. Or that was the closest analogue Elijah could conjure. The thing was at least a hundred feet long, with the same sturdy, yet sleek ck-and-white body as the familiar marine mammals. But like all the other animals he¡¯d seen in the sea ¨C and on the ind,e to that ¨C everything about it seemed more exaggerated. From its huge, jagged teeth to its slightly more angr body, it was like a cartoon version of the creatures with which he was familiar. And it was obviously dying. The thing was still breathing, but it couldn¡¯t move more than a few feet in any direction. So, as Elijah approached, it only seeded in flopping around a bit. Still, it was a monster that probably weighed dozens of tons, so there was a very real danger of being crushed. With that in mind, Elijah took great care as he drew closer. But it didn¡¯t even acknowledge his presence. Instead, it seemed wholly focused on its own agony as Elijah¡¯s repeated usage of Venom Strike slowly ate away at it. Given the orca¡¯s massive size, Elijah knew its death would not be quick. Instead, it was in for a slow and agonizing process. There was a part of him that thought it served the creature right. After spending what felt like an eternity being digested by the sea mammal, Elijah thought it had gotten its just desserts. However, the marine biologist inside of him rejected that idea. As much as he wanted to take pleasure in its suffering, Elijah couldn¡¯t shed the lessons he¡¯d learned at his father¡¯s knee. Killing wasn¡¯t wrong. Instead, death and predation were necessary parts of nature. Elijah had never shied away from hunting or fishing. But his father had taught him that any responsible hunter tried to minimize his prey¡¯s suffering. So, as much as Elijah wanted to anthropomorphize the enormous killer whale and assign me, the reality was that the thing had merely been acting ording to its nature. There was no sapience there. It was just an animal, and so, it couldn¡¯t be med for its actions. So, taking vengeance on the creature was an exercise in futility. It would never understand its mistake. There was no lesson to be taught. No reform to be found. And, even though Elijah knew he¡¯d feel a certain satisfaction when the thing was dead, he also knew himself well enough to recognize the fact that, with the benefit of time and distance, he would regret it if he let the thing suffer more than necessary.So, it was with mercy on his mind that Elijah raised his staff and conjured his Swarm of piranha, which wasted no time before tearing into the monster. It wasn¡¯t enough to finish it off. Nor was the second cast. Or the third. Soon, it became clear that, if he wanted to hasten the monster¡¯s death, he would have to do so up close. That was why he found himself leaping from a hastily climbed stalk of coral onto the orca¡¯s back. It didn¡¯t react. Instead, the creature only continued its weak convulsions as Elijah climbed towards its head, and then, when he reached his destination, transformed into a mist panther. Immediately, he felt awkward, and his instincts screamed at him to somehow get out of the water. He pushed through that and embraced Guise of the Unseen. Before the fact that he was out in the open and standing atop a giant killer whale could degrade his stealth, Elijah reached back with his w and used Predator Strike to gouge a massive hole in the orca¡¯s head. That woke it up, and its bucking sent Elijah spinning through the water before hended in a cloud of silt. With the panic of his feline instincts threatening to overwhelm him, Elijah transformed back into his human form. Then, after he healed the minor damage he¡¯d sustained ¨C just a few bruises ¨C he waited for his Ethera to regenerate enough that he could repeat the process. When his core was saturated with Ethera, he climbed the coral stalk, leaped onto the orca¡¯s back, and repeated his previous strike. This one went a good deal deeper, but the result was much the same, and he ended up back on the sea floor. It took three more uses of Predator Strike before Elijah broke through the monster¡¯s thick skull. After that, it only took one more attack to destroy its brain. And just like that, a wave of kill energy swept through him, giving him another level and a new ability. More importantly, he also received an update to his task, congratting him on killing the guardian. Now, he just needed to reach the center of the Sea of Sorrows in order toplete the second level of the Keledge Tower. Elijah¡¯s shoulders sagged, and he took a moment to dig a bit of the monster¡¯s brain out. One look at the ck tendrils that had infested the creature¡¯s flesh, and he knew he couldn¡¯t eat any of it. Which was a shame, considering that he had no idea how long it had been since he¡¯d eaten anything. Perhaps his body was more magical than he¡¯d originally thought. Or maybe his constant usage of his healing spells had helped keep him on his feet even as he starved. It was even possible that his perception of time had been skewed by the persistent agony he¡¯d endured. He had no idea, but regardless of how he¡¯d managed to live through his ordeal, he was now starving. So, without hesitation, Elijah slid off the monster¡¯s back and immediately set off through the Sea of Sorrows. Eventually, he stumbled across a school of mid-sized fish that he killed with a trio of Storm¡¯s Fury casts. Then, like the starving man he was, he tore into them with reckless abandon. Elijah had never been a huge fan of raw fish, but in that moment, he considered it the best meal he¡¯d ever had. He gorged himself, then gathered a few of the fish he hadn¡¯t already eaten before moving on. Like that, he kept going for the next few hours until he finally found a shallow cave in which he could rest. Once he¡¯d blocked the entrance, Elijah settled in to inspect the ability he¡¯d received upon reaching level twenty-six. It was a spell:
Spell: You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Aura of Renewal Tap into the power of nature to increase your Regeneration by ten (10) points. Usable on allies.
Elijah let out a chuckle that came out in a gurgle and sent a stream of bubbles drifting toward the ceiling of the small cave. That certainly would havee in handy while he was being digested. He just stared at the spell and shook his head before mentally canceling one of his other augmentations ¨C Essence of the Monkey ¨C and recing it with his new spell. Essence of the Monkey was great for when he was onnd, but in the Sea of Sorrows, both Aura of Renewal and Essence of the Boar seemed much more important. Those two took up his only avable enhancement slots, leaving Essence of the Monkey as the odd one out. Hopefully, though, he would get another slot sometime soon. At least Essence of the Wolf seemed to be a different category ¨C perhaps because its effect was restricted to out-ofbat ¨C so he didn¡¯t have to make the choice between more Constitution or faster movement speed. In any case, Aura of Renewal was a nice addition. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the future might hold. Perhaps he would get an augmentation that would enhance his Ethera next so he couldplete the set. As he thought about his attributes, he couldn¡¯t help but toggle open his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 26
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 28
Dexterity 27
Constitution 33 (28)
Ethera 36
Regeneration 40 (30)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Opal Neophyte
As always, his attributes had gone up by a single point for each of his two levels. It wasn¡¯t enough that he could notice the difference from before he¡¯d killed the orca, but looking back to when he¡¯d first entered the Keledge Tower, Elijah certainly felt stronger, more durable, and more coordinated. And he could cast his spells more often, which spoke to the size of his core. Finally, he felt certain that, without those few points he¡¯d gained in Regeneration, he never would have survived the killer whale¡¯s stomach acids. So, while he hadn¡¯t made huge strides, they were enough to make the difference between life and death. Which was all Elijah could really ask for, all told. Aside from maybe asking not to spend weeks being digested by a giant orca. That would¡¯ve been nice, too, but maybe that would¡¯ve been expecting a little too much, given the world in which he now lived. Such thoughts upied Elijah¡¯s mind as he settled in to rest and recover as much as he could. He slept, albeit fitfully, and soon enough, the urge to continue to the next and final level of the tower grew overwhelming. So, after once again gorging himself on the leftover fish, he used Touch of Nature to remove any chance of food poisoning, then set off. The next day stretched his capabilities. Not by pitting him against powerful monsters. By that point, he¡¯d spent long enough in the Sea of Sorrows that he felt almost asfortable in that submerged environment as he did on his own ind. Rather, the problem was his own body, which, despite his increased attributes, had been ravaged by malnourishment as well as the acid that had slowly eaten away at him. In fact, when he looked down at his thin limbs and exposed ribs, he suspected that he weighed less than he had at any time since the ne crash that had stranded him on the ind. And that was more than a little distressing, because at that time, he¡¯d been fresh off his third round of chemotherapy. Curiously, the problem didn¡¯t present itself in a way he might have expected. He was just as strong as ever before, but he could only show that Strength in extremely short bursts before he grew exhausted. The same could be said for his ability to traverse the Sea of Sorrows. He could only go for an hour or two before he needed to rest, which was a far cry from what he¡¯d experienced before his bout of whale digestion. But gradually, as he continued to eat his weight in in monsters ¨C from fish to turtles and everything in between ¨C his endurance returned. By the end of that first week after his encounter with the killer whale, he¡¯d reached what he thought of as the halfway point in his quest to recover his stamina. A week after that, he finally felt fully recovered ¨C a feeling that was supported by his increased weight. It was just in time, too, because that was when he finally reached the center of the Sea of Sorrows, which presented itself as a huge hole in the seabed that stretched hundreds of yards across. It didn¡¯t take a genius to guess that, in order to reach the third level, he would have to take the plunge and dive into the hole. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but hesitate, especially when he found himself at the edge of the hole and looking down into the shadowy abyss. Could he have been wrong about it being his goal? Of course. But given the saturation of Ethera in the area, he didn¡¯t think so. He¡¯d also circled the pit, searching for anything else that might qualify as his destination. But he¡¯d found nothing but more coral and kelp. No ¨C it was the right ce, but knowing that did nothing to assuage the fear coursing through Elijah¡¯s veins. The first level had been fairly easy. The second had stretched him to his limits. And it stood to reason that the difficulty would only increase going ahead. But as he kept reminding himself, there was no choice in the matter. He couldn¡¯t go back. Even the teleport associated with Ancestral Circle was disabled within the tower, which he¡¯d confirmed at some point during the cycle of healing and dissolution he¡¯d experienced in the whale¡¯s stomach. The only way out was through. So, he squared his shoulders, then dove into the abyss. Book 1: Chapter 51: Primordial Jungle Book 1: Chapter 51: Primordial Jungle Elijah dove, slicing through the water with ease. Then, when he¡¯d gone a few hundred feet, gravity shifted, and he was suddenly falling in the other direction. Inexplicably panicked, he desperately treaded water as he searched for somendmark in the abyssal darkness. Looking down, he saw nothing but ckness. The same was true when he spun left, then right. But when he tilted his head up, he saw a glimmer of light. So, with no other guide, he swam toward it. Gradually, he drew closer to the surface until, finally, he broke free in the middle of a storm. That was a far cry from the Sea of Sorrows, which had been a strangely navigable underwater seascape. Even with only a nce as evidence, Elijah knew that the new environment of the third level was markedly different. For one, it was clear that he would no longer have to live beneath the waves. Above him was a grey sky filled with storm clouds, and in the distance, he saw a strip of dense jungle that stretched from one end of the horizon to the other. Struggling to stay afloat, Elijah knew the dangers of a storm on the open sea, so he started paddling to shore. It was difficult, and not just because of the violent current tugging against him. In addition to that riptide, he also had to deal with the inevitable effects of spending weeks in what amounted to a low-gravity environment. His muscles hadn¡¯t exactly atrophied, but he¡¯d certainly grown used to using them less. And so, the way ashore was awkward and filled with frustration. Still, he persisted and, after what felt like hours, he finally dragged himself onto a muddy beach. Then, he copsed, taking huge, gulping breaths as he tried to limate to what should have been his natural environment. It took some time, but eventually, he forced himself to his hands and knees. Then, a few minutes after that, he pushed himself upright and looked around. The first thing he noticed was that a small, metallic box had, at some point, appeared before him. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that it was his reward for defeating the Kelledge Tower¡¯s second level. So, he reached out with shaking hands and popped it open. Inside was another ring, which he promptly collected. Even as the box dissolved, Elijah read the notification that had apanied the acquisition of the ring:
Reward forpleting Level Two of Keledge Tower: Ring of Anonymity
¡°What the hell does a Ring of Anonymity do?¡± he asked aloud, slipping the dark green circlet around his pinky finger. It shrank, sizing itself to fit, then disappeared from his sight. He could still feel it, so he knew it remained around his finger, but he couldn¡¯t see it at all. A momentter, he received another notification:
Ring of Anonymity Equipped. Choose Mode: Anonymous False Identity (Unchosen) Deactivated (Currently Active)
Elijah had no idea what any of that meant. So, he selected False Identity, which prompted yet another notification:
Specify False Identity: ??
Intuitively, Elijah knew that he could create a pseudonym. But more than that, he could choose a new archetype, which he most certainly did not want to do. He suspected that it was only for disy purposes, but he resolved not to use it until he knew for sure. Thest thing he wanted was to screw things up. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if anonymity would do much for him while he was still in the tower. So, he left the ring Deactivated and moved on to the next two notifications he¡¯d received. Both were expected.
Wee to The Keledge Tower, Level Three. To conquer the tower,plete the Task before you.
It was almost identical to the notifications he¡¯d gotten upon reaching the previous levels, so he shifted his attention to the next:
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Task: Before you lies the Primordial Maze. There are many paths topletion, but some are more dangerous than others. Choose wisely, reach the center, and conquer the Tower.
Elijah read the message a few times, but it seemed straightforward enough. Before he could embark on that Task, though, he needed to get his feet under him. His time in the Sea of Sorrows had definitely taken its toll, and though he¡¯d managed to recover somewhat, he was still naked, rail thin, and unustomed to existing onnd. With that in mind, Elijah slowly limated to his new environment. First, he worked up to standing, then walking, and finally, to doing the calisthenics routines he¡¯d created when he¡¯d first been stranded on the ind. It took almost two days, during which his ability to go without food was tested, but eventually, he managed to recover some semnce of his former conditioning. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to go without water, though. Not only was the rain constant, but the water in which he¡¯d entered the level was fresh. So, that was one thing he didn¡¯t have to worry about. His nudity, though, was unavoidable. Which was how, two dayster, he found himself standing on the muddy beach and staring ahead at a dense jungle. Somewhere ahead of him was the entrance to the Primordial Maze, which he would have to traverse before he could conquer the tower and get back to his ind. And given his experiences in the previous levels, he expected that the maze would be huge. Even if it was norger than the Sea of Sorrows, it would take weeks ¨C or maybe even months ¨C to reach the center, and that was assuming he could find his way at all. More, he felt certain that there would be plenty of monsters within. But at least he had all his abilities avable. In the Sea of Sorrows, he¡¯d learned a lot about using his caster form, but the jungle ¨C and presumably, the maze as well ¨C were tailor-made for his Predator form. So, without further hesitation, Elijah cast Essence of the Wolf to increase his movement speed, then used Aura of Renewal to help him stave off fatigue, and finally Essence of the Monkey to augment his Dexterity. Only once he finished casting his enhancements did he use Shape of the Predator to transform into a mist panther. The moment the transformationpleted, he felt infinitely morefortable. Some of that was due to his glossy ck fur, but there was also some ephemeral quality about the jungle that made him feel more at home. He took a deep breath ¨C oh, he¡¯d certainly missed that when he was underwater ¨C then activated Guise of the Unseen before setting off into the jungle. If he¡¯d been in human form, he might¡¯ve found the dense foliage difficult to traverse. Certainly, with the imprable canopy above him, Elijah would¡¯ve felt at least a little ustrophobic. But as a panther? It wasn¡¯t even a factor. He went a little more than a quarter of a mile before he smelled another animal. It was musty and unfamiliar, which triggered Elijah¡¯s curiosity. So, he stalked toward it, keeping low as he passed broken branches and fallen trees. Along the way, the smell grew stronger until, finally, he reached a massive pile of dung. That certainly didn¡¯t bode well, but after giving it a quick sniff, he determined that he¡¯d been tracking a carnivore. A few hundred yardster, he stumbled upon a giant track. It was at least four feet across, with three distinct ws that marked it as either a giant reptile or some sort of bird. In fact, to Elijah, it reminded him of a turkey¡¯s tracks, only hundreds of timesrger. Cautiously, he continued to follow the trail until he heard something crashing through the jungle ahead of him. Elijah didn¡¯t let himself react. Instead, he simply continued to follow until, atst, he saw his quarry. And it was terrifying. With its huge jaws, pebbled skin, powerful hind legs, andparatively small forelegs, the massive reptile could only be described as a tyrannosaurus rex. And it was happily feeding on some smaller, unidentifiable reptile. Clearly, the ¡°primordial¡±bel extended to the jungle surrounding the maze. Elijah shivered, then backed away. He had killed creatures just asrge as the dinosaur ¨C the killer whale had been much bigger, and even the giant isopod had rivaled the tyrannosaurus in size. But there was just something about seeing the terrifying subject of countless movies and books that sent a jolt of fear up his spine. He backed away, careful not to make a sound that might interfere with Guise of the Unseen. Then, once he¡¯d made it a few dozen yards away, he turned and sped across the jungle. His haste was probably why, five minutester, he fell afoul of a different sort of threat. The sound of cracking bone echoed across the jungle as something reached up and grabbed him around the foot. Elijah let out a scream as he instinctively tried to tug his limb free, but all he did was make it worse. Something thudded into his side, piercing his hide, and he looked down to see that the thing that had mped around his foot was what looked like a crude bear trap made of bone. Something else hit him, this time in the shoulder, eliciting another cry of pain as it dug deep into the muscle. If Elijah hadn¡¯t had the benefit ¨C if it could be called that ¨C of spending days being steadily digested within the orca¡¯s stomach, the pain might¡¯ve kept him from thinking straight. It still hurt, but the agony didn¡¯t send him careening down the path of panic. So, even as another something hit him in the back leg, he shifted form and cast Touch of Nature. He followed it up with Healing Rain before reaching down and prying his foot loose. He cast Touch of Nature again, mending the fractured bone enough that he could put weight on it. In the meantime, he heard something shout as another projectile went wide. It was only then that he recognized that someone was shooting arrows at him. He shouted, ¡°Ie in peace!¡± He only got a roar in response as something that looked like a mix of ape and sasquatch crashed through the forest, making a beeline toward him. Elijah didn¡¯t need more than a nce to confirm that he had no chance in a physical confrontation. The thing was at least eight feet tall, and beneath its shaggy red fur, it was thick with muscle. More, it was armed with a giant, flint-headed spear. So, Elijah took aim with his staff and cast Snaring Roots, which he¡¯drgely ignored during his time in the Sea of Sorrows. Vines, thick and thorny, erupted from the ground and snaked around the creature¡¯s legs. It tripped, tumbling face-first into the ground, where even more vines enveloped it. Elijah didn¡¯t dare stick around for a fight. He¡¯d already used a lot of Ethera, and judging by the sasquatch-ape¡¯s size, it would take more than a few casts of Storm¡¯s Fury to take it out. However, he wasn¡¯t going to let it offpletely unharmed. So, he hobbled forward, reared back with his staff, and, after activating Venom Strike, smacked it across the back of the head. The already-prone monster was driven down by the force of the blow. But Elijah knew he hadn¡¯t done any real damage. Not yet. Eventually, Venom Strike would take effect, but, because he¡¯d activated it in his human form as opposed to as a mist panther, it wouldn¡¯t be nearly as dramatic as when he¡¯d used it against the killer whale. So, after taking his swing, Elijah took off through the forest, bounding over the fallen trees and jumping across various depressions. In a way, he felt like he was back on his ind. But clearly, the level of danger in the Primordial Maze was at least as high as it had been in the Sea of Sorrows he¡¯d left behind. Monsters were one thing, but what really frightened him was a creature who could use tools like traps and the arrows still sticking out of him. Book 1: Chapter 52: Wild Book 1: Chapter 52: Wild Once Elijah had gone a few hundred yards, he stopped and yanked the arrows out. There were three of them, but only one had prated more than an inch. Whether he could me the ape creature¡¯s poor equipment or his own enhanced Constitution, he had no idea, but whatever the reason for the projectiles¡¯ poor performance, he wasn¡¯t going toin. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have removed the arrows, a caution borne out by the veritable fountain of blood that came with the most serious wound when he yanked the arrow free. But with Touch of Nature, he was capable of stemming the flow of blood in only an instant. It was especially effective with such a small wound, so after two casts, he¡¯dpletely healed the two most serious injuries. However, doing so drained most of his Ethera, so he had no choice but to continue his flight until he regenerated enough to finish the job. So, that was what he did. He knew he was leaving a trail a mile wide for the sasquatch monster to follow him, but he didn¡¯t have much of a choice in the matter. He could only hope that his use of Venom Strike would slow it down enough so that he could get away. Minutes passed, and, to his surprise, Elijah wasn¡¯t forced to endure any further attacks. Soon, he regenerated enough Ethera to finish healing, though he kept running for almost an hour more until, atst, he used Shape of the Predator to return to his panther form and slink into the shadows. Only once he¡¯d climbed a tree did he let himself rx. A little. Even though he¡¯d managed to escape with his life, Elijah knew precisely how close to the edge he¡¯d gotten. One little mistake, and he would have died. And it¡¯d been like that since he¡¯d first stepped foot in the tower. Even back on the first level, the goblins were more than capable of killing him. Certainly, he¡¯d easily massacred that vige, but if he¡¯d stepped one foot out of line, they would have fallen on him without mercy. And it was a fool¡¯s hope to expect quarter from such monsters. No - he was walking a fine line, and even if he hadn¡¯t recently spent an untold number of days being digested in the stomach of a killer whale, he¡¯d have been close to his breaking point. A person wasn¡¯t meant to endure so much constant stress.But what choice did he have? He couldn¡¯t afford to just break down. He didn¡¯t get the luxury of taking a break. He couldn¡¯t just call for a timeout. Even if he could find somewhere rtively safe, there was always the danger that some powerful predator would find him. And it wasn¡¯t as if he could just turn around and go home, either. Even if he could exit the Keledge Tower without conquering it, his reasons for challenging it in the first ce hadn¡¯t changed. Either he won, or his ind ¨C and eventually, the world ¨C would be overrun with horrible monsters from another dimension. He transformed back into his human form and muttered, ¡°How is this my life, now?¡± Indeed, as he used Touch of Nature toplete the healing he¡¯d begun during his flight, Elijah wondered how the rest of the world was faring. Were they fighting monsters, too? What about his sister? What about Carmen, his sister-inw? Or his nephew? His ex-girlfriend back in Hawai¡¯i? The list went on and on, but it was a pointless exercise because he had no way of getting any answers. Eventually, Elijah came to the conclusion that feeling sorry for himself was just as pointless as wondering how the rest of the world had dealt with the transition. So, he forced his mind to other topics ¨C like the task before him. He¡¯d already gotten turned around, so he didn¡¯t know which way was which. The sun still hadn¡¯t made an appearance, and despite being on the new level for a few days, night still hadn¡¯t fallen. It seemed reasonable to conclude that it never would. Instead, the whole level seemed eternally mired in a rainy afternoon. After a while, Elijah transformed back into a panther, then climbed down from his perch. Over the next day, he scouted the area, but he still hadn¡¯t found the maze. So, he kept going, switching his focus to survival rather than exploration. He¡¯d established that he could go without food for quite some time, but there were repercussions for doing so. With that in mind, he began his first hunt. It didn¡¯t take long before he found another dinosaur. This one was clearly herbivorous, but Elijah couldn¡¯t identify it. Regardless, it was quadrupedal and the size of arge cow, which meant that it had plenty of edible meat. Most importantly, it didn¡¯t seem terribly dangerous, which meant that he could avoid tainting the meat with Venom Strike. Instead, he crept forward, dipping below a series of low-hanging vines as he prepared to pounce. The creature, which resembled a triceratops, but without the natural armor or horns, remainedpletely unaware as Elijah stalked closer. When he got within a few feet, he embraced Predator Strike and leaped forward, slicing his ws across the monster¡¯s back leg. The joint exploded, but Elijah had let the animal¡¯s ponderous size fool him into thinking that it was slow. It wheeled around, using its head as a club, and it would have connected if the thing¡¯s leg hadn¡¯tpletely given out. As it was, the blow still came close enough that Elijah had to spring backwards out of range. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The animal bellowed, either in agony or rage, as it tried to run away in a three-legged gait. It moved rtively quickly for its impairment, but Elijah was much faster. He darted in, slicing his ws across the other back leg. He didn¡¯t cut nearly as deeply, but he still severed the monster¡¯s hamstring. Not enough topletely immobilize it, but it was further slowed, which allowed Elijah to dart in once again and nip at the front leg. This attack wasn¡¯t nearly as effective, but with the dinosaur so thoroughly wounded, Elijah had the luxury of time. So, over the next few minutes, he continuously harassed the injured animal until, atst, he disabled the third limb. Soon after, the creature copsed. But as Elijah found out when he tried to finish it off, his prey wasn¡¯tpletely defenseless. He darted in, and it once again swung its head around, taking him in the side and sending him rolling across the jungle until he hit a tree. Growling, he found his feet. He¡¯d sustained a few broken ribs, and though they were painful, he couldn¡¯t afford to switch back to his human form and heal. Soon, the jungle¡¯s scavengers and other predators would smell the blood in the air, and when they did, they would descend upon the scene. If Elijah was there when that happened, he¡¯d be forced to flee. So, without the option to heal himself, he once again started circling the immobilized monster. It tried to track him, but with its injuries, it could only do so much. So, when Elijah found a blind spot, he pounced. This time, he leaped atop the creature¡¯s back and mped his jaws down on the base of the thing¡¯s skull. At first, Elijah couldn¡¯t get through the dinosaur¡¯s tough, pebbly skin, but he leveraged his enhanced Strength to great effect, and soon enough, he crushed the thing¡¯s spine. It went limp, but it was still alive. Elijah ended its life a few momentster when he raked his ws across its throat and watched it bleed out. Then, without bothering to shift back to his human form, Elijah tore into the creature¡¯s haunches, eating as much as he could handle before dashing away. Over the next few days, he followed the same pattern. Hunting, eating, and surviving ¨C it was so easy to lose himself in the animalistic instincts that came with his predator form. Soon enough, he found that he only cancelled Shape of the Predator when he was injured and needed healing. Otherwise, he remained in his predator form at all times. And gradually, he lost track of time. At some point, he gained another level, but he didn¡¯t really notice it. He was too busy living the life of an apex predator. Later, he would recognize his descent into animalism as a coping mechanism, but it wasn¡¯t until, weekster, he stumbled upon the maze that he was shocked out of it. Suddenly, as he stood in front of that gate, his humanity came rushing back, and when it did, it brought with it the memory that he wasn¡¯t just there to survive. He had a goal. He had a Task. To remind himself, he summoned the notification he¡¯d read just after entering the jungle:
Task: Before you lies the Primordial Maze. There are many paths topletion, but some are more dangerous than others. Choose wisely, reach the center, and conquer the Tower.
How long had it been since he¡¯d assumed his human form? It had felt like¡­he didn¡¯t know how long. Days, at least. Weeks, probably. It might have even been months. In his panther form, and with the sameness of the grey days, time was difficult to judge. But he knew it had been far too long. So, with some regret, Elijah forced himself back into the shape of a human being. Even as he changed, he felt a sudden sense of loss. The world seemed so much less alive. There were no interesting smells. He couldn¡¯t see nearly as well. And standing on two legs, he felt so weak. So awkward. So human. His heartbeat quickened. His breath came in sudden, sharp, and shallow pants as a formless panic began to overwhelm him. Nothing seemed to make sense, and if he¡¯d had the Ethera for it, he would have immediately shifted back to the Shape of the Predator. Leaning on his staff, he struggled to get his breathing under control. As he wrangled his emotions, Elijah saw his feelings for the danger they represented. It was so easy to be an animal. It was a much simpler life to surrender to the mechanics of survival and let everything else fall away. But he was not an animal. ¡°Human,¡± he muttered, his voice ragged fromck of use. The word felt thick on his tongue, and it certainly didn¡¯te easily. It was like his mind was fighting him. Still, he persisted, ¡°I am¡­human.¡± He repeated the words a few more times, and with each iteration, he felt a little more in control. The panic receded, and he felt morefortable in his own body. Elijah looked down. He had gained weight, and his body was corded with lean muscle. His memory of his self-image was a little fuzzy, but he suspected that he was even healthier than he¡¯d been before he¡¯d entered the tower. For all it was psychologically dangerous, living as a panther had done wonders for his physique. He forced a chuckle. ¡°The Tarzan workout, I guess,¡± he rasped. Then, he studied the arched entrance to the maze. It was constructed of thick, rugged stone, and it looked as if it had existed for thousands of years. The same could be said for the connected wall, which was covered in vines and moss. Both parts of the structure were at least fifty feet tall. Looking at the maze, Elijah¡¯s first idea was to simply climb the walls. It still wouldn¡¯t be easy to traverse, but it would still be much easier if he could get a top-down view. So, he approached the wall and tried just that. However, ten feet up, he started feeling heavier. At first, it was just a minor increase, but with every foot he ascended, his weight increased until he could barely hold on. He''d only made it twenty feet before he could climb no higher. ¡°Should¡¯ve expected that,¡± he said to himself. It felt good to speak, especially after his stint as a panther. It reminded him that he was still human. In any case, it seemed like he had no choice but to traverse the maze the old-fashioned way. With thepletion of his Task in mind, Elijah stepped through the gate and entered the Primordial Maze. He could only hope that it would prove less dangerous than the jungle, but even as that thought crossed his mind, he recognized how ridiculous it was. There was no way things would get easier now that he was on the home stretch. If anything, he was in for a steep increase in difficulty. Book 1: Chapter 53: The Tower Book 1: Chapter 53: The Tower Alyssa said, ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost fifty miles away,¡± Roman pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s not our problem.¡± Alyssa looked around at the others. Carmen was there representing the nobatants, but the rest of the council were Roman¡¯s allies. He had handpicked most of them because they agreed with his philosophy of tant self-interest. Not on a personal level, but rather when it came to the way they ran Easton. That meant that, of the eight members of the council, Alyssa only had one ally. She resisted the urge to scream. The formation of the council was supposed to have been apromise, a way to solve the rift between Roman and her. But in her frequent absence, the former police chief had managed to stack the deck against her. A few of her people had been intimidated into stepping down, and one had been outright bribed. The recements were loyal only to Roman. No - that wasn¡¯t quite right. They didn¡¯t care about him. They cared about themselves, and it didn¡¯t matter if that came at the detriment of everyone else. To Alyssa¡¯s sensibilities, they were selfish and cowardly. But she couldn¡¯t really argue with their reasoning ¨C not on a purely logical level. It didn¡¯t make much sense to put their lives on the line in order to help people who couldn¡¯t do anything for them. And if they responded to this new threat, they would certainly be putting themselves, as well as all of Easton, at risk. Choosing not to act carried with it its own risks, though. ¡°You heard the Envoy,¡± she said, gesturing to Dirk. He imed to bepletely neutral, and as an Envoy of the Cult of the World Tree, that was precisely what he was supposed to be. However, he was clearly Roman¡¯s stooge. He¡¯d proven that a hundred times over. ¡°This tower is a threat to our survival. If nothing is done, it¡¯s going to overflow. We¡¯ll be inundated by more Voxx. You have to see that it¡¯s better to take care of it before circumstances force our hand.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m sure the proximity of the refugee camp has nothing to do with your stance,¡± one of Roman¡¯s flunkies said. ¡°Pardon me if I don¡¯t share your bleeding heart and ¨C¡±¡°Enough,¡± Roman interrupted. The woman snapped her mouth shut. The former police chief took a deep breath, then continued, ¡°Compassion ismendable. You know I don¡¯t want anyone to die unnecessarily, Alyssa. But the fact remains that if we attack this tower, we¡¯ll have to send some of our best. That will leave us vulnerable, and not just to the wildlife. You know what¡¯sing our way.¡± Alyssa looked away. They¡¯d recently received word that there was a roving band of warriors making their way across thendscape. They¡¯d already sacked a half-dozen towns, and there was a good chance that they¡¯d soon target Easton. The group ¨C no, it was an army, by all ounts ¨C might never find the settlement, but they had to be ready to fight in the event that they were attacked. It had been so much easier when all she had to worry about was patrolling the surrounding area. But as Dirk had leveled, he¡¯d unlocked more features of the Branch of the World Tree, including the ability tomunicate with other nearby settlements. And to Alyssa¡¯s surprise, there were dozens of them, though none asrge or sessful as Easton. But with thatmunication hade trade, dependence, and news. And it had unlocked Roman¡¯s ambition. It was an open secret that he wasn¡¯t content with ruling Easton. He wanted his own kingdom. Sure, he couched that ambition in a desire to save as many people as possible. After all, Easton was far safer than anywhere else with whom they had been in contact. It only made sense that he take them all under his wing. Of course, if he had his way, that would mean the virtual envement of anyone who didn¡¯t offer immediate benefit to society. Alyssa had fought against it, and she¡¯d been mostly sessful, but the more power Roman got, the less capable she was to fight against the worst of his nature. ¡°Then we should send our best,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°Get through it quickly, gain the benefits, and be better prepared to meet the armying our way. Or do you want to fight a war on two fronts? Think about it. What¡¯s going to happen when that tower bursts? Even if we fight off the waves of Voxx, we¡¯ll be weakened when that army gets here. They¡¯ll roll over us.¡± ¡°Unlikely,¡± one of the others scoffed. Alyssa shook her head. Of the people present, only she and Roman fought with any regrity. The others were just sycophantic bureaucrats. They all hadbat sses, but they used any excuse to avoid anything that might put them in danger. They were cowards, and as such, Alyssa had no respect for them. Certainly, they served a purpose. Someone had to tend to the minutiae required to run the city whose poption had grown into the thousands. However, recognizing that they weren¡¯tpletely useless didn¡¯t equate to respect. Either way, thatck ofbat experience meant that they wavered between looking down on those who protected them and putting far too much trust in those same people¡¯s abilities. ¡°You know I¡¯m right, chief,¡± she said. Roman locked his eyes on hers, but he didn¡¯t change his expression. She couldn¡¯t read him. Not anymore. Not since Trish¡¯s death. His thoughts and emotions had be a mystery to her. After a moment, he asked, ¡°How do you propose we do this?¡± ¡°You and me, at minimum,¡± she said. They were the two highest-leveled people in the city. ¡°A healer. Maybe two. And at least a couple of damage dealers. The tower won¡¯t allow more than six people inside at a time.¡± He nodded, but before he could speak, one of his sycophants spat, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious? We would be defenseless!¡± ¡°There are more than a thousand warriors in this city,¡± Roman stated. ¡°Surely they can defend you while we¡¯re gone. Perhaps you can even defend yourself, Mr. Adams.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got abat ss, don¡¯t you?¡± asked Alyssa. ¡°A warrior variant, right? We could use you in the tower. Unless you think you¡¯re needed here, of course.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°We should take Verin Watson,¡± Roman stated. ¡°She got some sort of Priest ss, and she¡¯s probably the most versatile healer we have in the city.¡± The woman in question was one of the newer arrivals, though Alyssa didn¡¯t know much else about her. ¡°I want Bryce Caraway.¡± ¡°The Wizard?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s one of our hardest hitters,¡± she stated. ¡°That¡¯s four. You know another healer?¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. ¡°Could take Kevin Tate,¡± she suggested. ¡°I¡¯ve worked with him.¡± ¡°No. I think I have someone else that would work,¡± he said. ¡°In fact, I think I can fill our other two slots. So, I suggest you spend the night saying your goodbyes and preparing. We leave in the morning.¡± And just like that, Alyssa had won the argument, though she wasn¡¯t certain if she would grow to regret it. The minor dimensional rift had been difficult enough to ovee, but a tower was supposed to be far more dangerous. The guides she¡¯d purchased from the Branch had been limited in what information they contained, but one thing seemed certain ¨C if they were going to challenge a tower, it was going to be deadly. After Roman had agreed to the n, the meeting concluded, and Alyssa and Carmen quickly left the former police station behind. Having grown to five stories tall, it was unrecognizable, as was the rest of the city. The collection of log cabins had been reced by more permanent, brick buildings, and though none of them had much artistry to be seen, there were a couple that had been designed by Architects. Those were clearly higher quality, and there was a hope that soon enough, the rest of the city would follow suit. After traversing the city, Carmen and Alyssa retreated to their home. It still wasn¡¯t huge, but they¡¯d had a host of modern amenities installed. Running water, central heating, and a working kitchen,plete with ethereum-powered appliances meant that it was almost asfortable of a home as the one they¡¯d abandoned shortly after the world had transformed. In that respect, the Branch of the World Tree had proved invaluable, if only for the guides it made avable. Without them, Easton would¡¯ve still been stuck in the stone age. Once they got home, Carmen said, ¡°I don¡¯t like this. You saw that, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± Alyssa asked, plopping down on one of the couches. She¡¯d gone to the meeting straight from a patrol, so even with her inted Constitution, she was absolutely exhausted. ¡°Roman. He didn¡¯t want you to bring your people even though it made sense,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Why would he do that?¡± Alyssa shrugged. ¡°Probably because he thinks his people would be better,¡± she answered. ¡°Or he¡¯s going to betray you,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°Oh,e on. This is Roman. He¡¯s the chief. He¡¯s a good man.¡± ¡°Who wants to let people die just because he doesn¡¯t consider them useful.¡± Alyssa sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. We have limited resources, and ¨C¡± ¡°I know more about our resources than you do. I go to almost all of those sham council meetings, you know. And we could have taken those refugees in. It would¡¯ve meant people had to cut back a little, but we could have done it.¡± ¡°Yeah? And what about the next group. We¡¯d cut back a little for them, too. And the next after that. Until, suddenly, we have people starving or sleeping in the streets. It¡¯s a slippery slope, Carmen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± Alyssa rubbed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue about this again,¡± she said. ¡°I trust Roman. Besides, he needs me.¡± ¡°For now,¡± Carmen pointed out. ¡°But fine. Just promise you¡¯ll stay on your guard in there.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Did you see it?¡± asked Carmen in a different tone. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thedder.¡± ¡°Oh. He¡¯s¡­he¡¯s still on there,¡± Alyssa said, referring to her brother¡¯s cement on the worldwide power rankings. How he¡¯d managed to even survive, much less climb to such heights, was a mystery to her. When she¡¯d first noticed his name on the list, she had wanted to pick up right then and there and try to find him. But it didn¡¯t take long for reason to take over when she realized that she didn¡¯t even know where to start. The world had been entirely transformed, and there was no telling where Elijah had ended up. However, she took more than a littlefort from the confirmation that he wasn¡¯t just alive, but he was also thriving. She could only wish that everyone could say the same. After that, they moved on to more pleasant topics, like the fact that Miguel had won an archerypetition among the town¡¯s children. There were only a couple hundred, and half of those weren¡¯t old enough topete. But still, it was quite an aplishment. As the afternoon turned to night, Miguel got home from the school the town had set up. He eagerly told his mothers about his exploits at thepetition, and Alyssa made it clear that she wished she¡¯d been able to attend. Carmen had been there, but that was because, as a crafter, she didn¡¯t have to leave the city. Eventually, Alyssa had to break the news that she was once again leaving. Miguel took it well ¨C he took pride that his mother worked so hard to protect everyone ¨C but he was still disappointed. In the end, the family spent a nice night together, though. Which made it that much more difficult when, the next morning, Alyssa found herself waiting near the southern gate. Slowly, the members of the group trickled in. Bryce was the first to arrive, followed by the healer, Verin. She was a matronly woman, but she looked solid enough. And judging by the spring in her step, she wouldn¡¯t slow them down. Next came a man who introduced himself as Trace. He also imed to be their scout, with the Ouw ss. The next tost to arrive was a woman with the Disciple ss, which apparently was a healer variant that also specialized in unarmedbat. Alyssa had no idea how that worked, but the woman ¨C named Chen ¨C seemed pleasant enough. Finally, Roman arrived, nked by a pair of his sycophants. Alyssa had never even learned their names. Alyssa looked around at her party. Of them all, she was the most heavily armored, but that was no surprise. Carmen had made her a full suit of actual te armor, and just like her spear, it could take a significant beating. Chen and Trace both wore leather armor, while Roman had equipped a chainmail hauberk, heavy leather gloves, and a pair of armored pants. Bryce wore heavy robes, as much because he didn¡¯t have the Strength to amodate heavier armor as because he thought it appropriate for his Wizard ss. Finally, Verin¡¯s armor was almost as heavy as Alyssa¡¯s, and the older woman had a wicked-looking morningstar at her waist. All in all, they looked like a well-equipped party. ¡°Everyone have rations?¡± she asked, looking from one to the other. Each had a sizable pack on their backs, and they all confirmed that they¡¯d packed plenty of dried meat, hard tack, and extra bottles of water. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this thing going.¡± She and Roman had agreed that, while he was the highest-ranking official in the city, she wouldmand the party duringbat,rgely because she had far more experience than the rest of the groupbined. ¡°This is going to be so awesome,¡± Bryce muttered. The others looked at him like he was crazy, but no one argued. Instead, everyone but Trace followed. The Ouw ran ahead, scouting their path. And like that, they slowly made their way across the wilderness towards the south. The tower had appeared almost fifty miles away, so it took them two days of hard travel to reach it. When they did, the group took the opportunity to rest for a day before finally approaching it. To Alyssa, it looked like a ruin, though it was almost entirely intact. The impression of age was due to the thick moss coating the weathered stones. Vines cascaded from the crown, blending it in with the surrounding forest. ¡°And if we go in that thing, we¡¯re going to what? Teleport somewhere else? How does this thing even work?¡± asked Trace. Alyssa told him what she knew, which was precious little. The towers were constructs meant to contain the surging Ethera that came with powerful dimensional rifts. If they conquered them, it would drain the rift for a time, removing the possibility that it would spill over. ¡°So, those Voxx creatures we¡¯ve killed, they¡¯re just¡­what? Constructs?¡± asked Bryce. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think so, though. In truth, I only know as much as I¡¯ve read in the guides I¡¯ve bought from the Branch,¡± Alyssa admitted. ¡°But I think it¡¯s more like these creatures are alien enough that they need all that Ethera to cross over. Again, I might be wrong, though. The guides weren¡¯t very specific.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Roman said. ¡°We have a job to do, so let¡¯s do it. We¡¯ll leave the conjecture to the Schrs.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± she said. Then, to Trace, she said, ¡°You found the entrance, right? Lead on.¡± ¡°Aye, cap¡¯n,¡± he said with a mock salute. ¡°Right this way, mdy.¡± ¡°Is it captain? Ordy?¡± asked Bryce. ¡°Don¡¯t humor him,¡± Chun said. ¡°Give me a shot, and you¡¯ll find I¡¯m quite humorous,¡± Trace said with an exaggerated wink. ¡°That makes no sense.¡± ¡°I stand by it,¡± he said. Then, he thrust a finger to the sky and shouted, ¡°Onward!¡± Alyssa nced at Roman and asked, ¡°He¡¯s the best you could find?¡± ¡°He¡¯s¡­an acquired taste. But he¡¯s a fantastic fighter. Stealthiest man I¡¯ve ever seen, too.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Alyssa said, watching the ridiculous Ouw march off. They followed Trace around the tower until they found him standing by arge crack in the masonry. Inside waspletely dark, and Alyssa could tell by the ambient Ethera that they¡¯d found the entrance to the tower. In truth, she¡¯d expected something more grandiose, but she had no idea why she might¡¯ve thought that. In any case, she once again asked if everyone was ready, and when they confirmed that they were, she said, ¡°Okay. You all know the order. Wait two seconds, then follow. When you get inside, step to the left so the next person in line doesn¡¯t trample you. Everyone got it?¡± They all said they did, which was unsurprising. They¡¯d been over it more than once, after all. So, with that confirmed, Alyssa took a deep breath, then ducked into the tower. Book 1: Chapter 54: The Zombie Apocalypse Book 1: Chapter 54: The Zombie Apocalypse Unlike when she¡¯d entered the minor dimensional rift, Alyssa didn¡¯t stumble. Not physically, at least. But her mind certainly hit a speedbump as she beheld thendscape before her. At its most basic level, it looked like a city, not dissimr from any of the dozen or so major poption centers she had visited before the world had changed. Skyscrapers stretched high into the air, surrounded byparatively squat structures. Streets cut between them, popted by a multitude of densely packed cars. The whole thing was surrounded by a river, making the city essible only via a trio of bridges. ¡°Do you recognize it?¡± asked Roman from beside her. She turned, noting that the other four were also staring at the city. She shook her head. ¡°No. But I haven¡¯t been everywhere.¡± ¡°Did you read the notification?¡± was his next question. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°You should.¡± Alyssa conceded with a nod, then focused on the notification that had popped up upon entry into the tower:
Wee to The Zombie Apocalypse, Level One. To advance to Level Two,plete the task before you.
Alyssa stared at that notification for a long moment before moving on to the second:
Task: Enter the City.
It seemed simple enough, but just because it was easily understood didn¡¯t mean that it wouldn¡¯t be a difficult task. Alyssa nced around at her immediate surroundings. Clearly, they¡¯d arrived in the outskirts of the city, but more immediately, she and the others stood in the center of a wide street that would have been at home in any low-ie neighborhood. What looked like a service station upied one corner, while an obvious pawn shop sat across from it. The other two corner lots were vacant, though they featured a few overturned and rotting couches and a multitude of burning barrels. It was clearly the sort of area where homeless people tended to congregate. But there were no people around. In fact, aside from a gentle wind that sent the pawn shop¡¯s sign to pping, there was no sound at all. To call it eerie would have been a vast understatement. And Bryce, at least, agreed, saying, ¡°This looks like the opening scene from 28 Days Later. You know, that horror movie where Cillian Murphy wakes up in the hospital and walks around an abandoned London.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just saying that because of the tower¡¯s name,¡± Trace said. ¡°They weren¡¯t zombies in that movie,¡± Bryce pointed out. ¡°They were infected by the Rage virus.¡± ¡°Oh,e on ¨C they were zombies, and you know it. Just because they call them a different name doesn¡¯t mean ¨C¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Bryce cut off at Roman¡¯s single word. ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would need to remind you people that this is probably the most dangerous ce you¡¯ve ever been,¡± he went on. ¡°So, perhaps you should take it seriously.¡± Alyssa wanted to say something, but she held her tongue. She knew Bryce well enough to recognize his coping mechanisms, which included babbling about whatever useless facts had taken hold of his mind. But Roman was right. They needed to focus, and that included refraining from talking about twenty-year-old movies, even if theparison did seem fairly apt. Instead ofmenting on it, she chose to address the topic at hand. ¡°So, we have three options,¡± she said, pointing at the city in the distance. ¡°Three bridges into the city.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just go for the closest one?¡± asked Chun, her arms crossed. ¡°You think it¡¯ll be that simple?¡± asked Trace. ¡°Because I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone believes this will be simple,¡± Roman stated. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t be straightforward.¡± Alyssa said, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true, chief. The guides I bought said that these tower tasks can be incrediblyplex. I read about one where the tower climbers had to fight a war thatsted weeks.¡± It was true, but that tower had been on the verge of being a Primal Realm, so it wasrger and moreplicated than normal. ording to her research, towers could be divided into five levels of power, which coincided with the grades associated with items. The lesser dimensional rifts were better categorized as unranked and crude, but any tower that manifested was at least considered simple grade. But that was just the minimal level of power, and there were also stronger towers that were ssified asplex, then sophisticated, miraculous, deific, and transcendent. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the Primal Realms, which were akin to entirely separate worlds,plete with indigenous poptions. Like intelligent creatures found in towers, the denizens of Primal Realms were still manifestations of Ethera whose sentience was based on copying existing people¡¯s souls, but the exnations she¡¯d found in the guides were a little fuzzy on how all of that worked. ¡°What grade do you think this is?¡± asked Bryce. They¡¯d all read the same guides, so theoretically, they should¡¯ve all had the same information. ¡°No way to know,¡± she said. It would take someone with a powerful analysis skill to determine that. Abilities like that came from sses subordinate to the schr archetype. Roman¡¯s policy on the uselessness of those people meant that no one in Easton had received any skills that could manage the sort of analysis they needed. It was short-sighted and more than a little moronic, but Alyssa¡¯s efforts could only effect so much change, especially considering that she had so many other responsibilities. When weighed against keeping the town safe via her frequent patrols, making sure that schrs were properly appreciated seemed particrly low-priority. She always intended to use her influence to change things, but she had so far been too busy to implement any of her ns. That would probablye back to bite them sometime in the future, but for now, she needed to focus on the tower. Over the next few minutes, the group came to a consensus. Without any other information, one choice was much the same as any other. So, they opted to aim for the closest bridge in the hopes that it would help them conquer the tower more quickly. As he had outside, Trace ranged ahead, plotting a course and scouting for dangers, while the rest of the party followed. Alyssa took the lead, with the othersing soon after. Roman brought up the rear, often remainingpletely undetected. Which was incredibly unnerving. Alyssa knew she was higher-leveled than the other man, but if Roman wanted to remain hidden, she would never see him. Even though she trusted him ¨C they were friends and colleagues, after all ¨C she still couldn¡¯t escape the wave of anxiety his undetectable presence brought with it. About thirty minutes into their trek through the outskirts of the city, they rounded a corner to find Trace waiting. He held one finger over his lips, indicating that they should remain silent, then motioned for them to follow. They all did, taking great care not to make any noise. They¡¯d all spent time on patrol, so they knew how to stay quiet. Because the people who hadn¡¯t learned that lesson hadn¡¯t survived long. Alyssa and the others followed Trace for a few minutes as he led them down an alley that ran parallel to the river surrounding the city proper. It terminated in a dead end, where Alyssa saw a dumpster. Trace pointed to her, then Roman, before pointing to the dumpster. Then, he climbed atop it, giving him just enough clearance to see over the wall at the end of the alley. Roman, then Alyssa echoed his path, climbing onto the top of the dumpster next to him. It was a close fit, but they squeezed in, maintaining their silence the whole way. When Alyssa looked over the top of the wall, she almost let out a gasp. Fortunately, she kept her wits about her, stifling any audible reaction. Still, she could feel her heart beating out of her chest as she beheld a sea of rotting corpses. Mosty on the asphalt surface of a wide street, and the nket of cadavers stretched as far as Alyssa could see in either direction. Death had be an undeniable part of her life. Indeed, even before the end of the world, she¡¯d spent a good portion of her childhood hunting with her father and brother. So, she¡¯d never considered herself squeamish around dead bodies. Then, in her time as a police officer ¨C especially when she¡¯d worked in Seattle ¨C she¡¯d seen her fair share of death. Most of the time, the victims died of natural causes, but she¡¯d seen the results of quite a few violent deaths as well. But nothing could have prepared her for what she saw stretched out before her, and she wasn¡¯t ashamed to admit that, upon seeing it, she very nearly lost control of her stomach. Still, Alyssa was nothing if not in control of herself, so she managed to push her nausea aside and focus on the multitude of corpses. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. None were in good condition, exhibiting the kind of rot one would expect from a few weeks¡¯ worth of dposition. In a way, that helped her separate them from their obvious humanity. It was easier to look at a rotting corpses and see things rather than the people they¡¯d once been. A tug at her arm got her attention, and she turned to Trace. The man¡¯s face had gone pale, clearly indicating that he was just as ufortable as she was. He extended his arm, pointing toward the corpses. Alyssa followed his gesture, a little unsure of what he intended to point out. However, it only took a couple of seconds before she realized what he wanted her to see. One of the corpses was moving. Zombies. It was so easy to forget what the tower was called, which in turn, had prompted her to take the pile of corpses at face value. But now? It all made horrible sense. Those weren¡¯t just a bunch of dead bodies. No. They were enemies, and after only a few more moments, she realized that they were blocking the way to the bridge, which stood only a couple hundred yards away. Alyssa continued to watch, and over the next few minutes, she caught sight of more movement. None of the zombies moved much ¨C just a twitch here or there ¨C but after seeing the first, the rest were easily noticeable. Finally, she turned away and silently climbed down. There, she settled in to think. It onlysted a few minutes before Roman and Trace got her attention and motioned for her to follow. She did, and they returned with the others to rtive safety. They didn¡¯t stop there, though. Instead, they retreated another few hundred yards until Roman finally said, ¡°I think this is far enough away.¡± ¡°What did you see?¡± asked Verin, her hand resting on her morningstar¡¯s grip. Roman told them, exining what they faced. He ended by asking, ¡°Any ideas? Let¡¯s get them all out there so we can figure out how we¡¯re supposed to do this.¡± There were a few suggestions, each of them viable enough to work. Most hinged on setting some sort of trap for the zombies, and Verin actually suggested that she get their attention, then lead them away so the rest of the team could progress. ¡°Nobody¡¯s sacrificing themselves,¡± Alyssa said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m prepared for it,¡± the Priest said. ¡°I knew I probably wasn¡¯t going to live through ¨C¡± ¡°No.¡± She looked disappointed, which prompted Alyssa to wonder what, precisely, the woman had been through if she was so quick to suggest martyring herself. However, she didn¡¯t pursue the matter,rgely because she needed to focus on other things. ¡°Okay, so here¡¯s what I think we should do¡­¡± As Alyssa exined her n, the others nodded along. It took elements of the others¡¯ ns, but, notably, it wouldn¡¯t require anyone to sacrifice themselves. When she¡¯d finished, Roman said, ¡°I wish explosives still worked. They wouldn¡¯tst long if I could¡¯ve brought a few drums of homemade napalm in here.¡± Alyssa couldn¡¯t disagree, but one of the first things they¡¯d discovered after the world had transformed was that explosives didn¡¯t work anymore. Not to any degree of sess. They could still set fires the normal way, but any explosion that exceeded a certain threshold had been significantly diminished. In some cases, like with firearms, that meant that they¡¯d been weakened enough that they quickly becamergely useless. In others, as with internalbustion engines, they didn¡¯t work at all. But bombs were definitely off the table. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alyssa agreed. ¡°But we have to work with what we¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°I want to go on record as saying that I really like this n,¡± said Trace. ¡°Normally, I¡¯d be the bait, so this is a nice change of pace.¡± ¡°The boss doesn¡¯t work like that, man,¡± Bryce pointed out. ¡°She¡¯s ¨C¡± ¡°Not the time, Bryce,¡± said Alyssa. ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°Not the time.¡± He sighed, but he didn¡¯t argue. Instead, he and the others headed toward a nearby building. It was a two-story brick structure that, if they weren¡¯t in the middle of a magical tower, Alyssa would¡¯ve pinned as being built in the fifties. It was the sort of relic she recognized as belonging to a bygone, more prosperous era. The entirety of the outskirts was like that. Sure, there were more modern, prefabricated buildings, but there were also long stretches that suggested that the area had once seen some degree of prosperity. Time had taken its toll, though, and over time, the middle ss had shifted further from the city, and they were reced by a slightly less fortunate poption. Over and over, the process had repeated until, atst, it descended into poverty. Or that was what thendscape suggested. Alyssa knew it wasn¡¯t real. It was just a detailed projection, not so different from an borate movie set, with plenty of detail but none of the real history. In any case, the others climbed to the roof of the three-story building while Alyssa set off toward the mass of zombies. Once she¡¯d reached her destination, she settled down to wait for a little more than half an hour, just to ensure that the rest of the party would be ready. As she waited, she made certain that Hardened Skin was still active. If everything went as she hoped, she wouldn¡¯t need either of her self-buffs, but if things went wrong, she would appreciate the defensive ability far more than the offensive Heavy Blows. Steeling her nerves, she embraced Heart of the Dragon as well. The increase to her capabilities wasn¡¯t massive ¨C only a few points to each physical attribute ¨C but it was enough that she noticed the difference. Fortunately, the ability only produced a minor drain on her energy levels. Even in battle, she could keep the ability active for hours before she began to experience noticeable fatigue. Hopefully, the uing fight wouldn¡¯t take that long. With her abilities active, Alyssa stepped out from around the corner and started yelling. The living corpses responded immediately, pushing themselves to their feet. She retreated a few feet around the corner of a building, then waited. The moment she saw the first zombie step into view, she started jogging back toward the building where she had left the rest of her party. The distance went by in a sh, and before she knew it, she was in front of the building. But there was a problem. The zombies weren¡¯t the shambling mass portrayed in most movies, but they weren¡¯t exactly fast, either. The result was that she¡¯d left them behind. So, she headed back, finding that they¡¯d only reached the halfway point. Some had lost interest altogether and were heading back to their original location. That changed when Alyssa let out another shout, and when she saw that she once again had a trail of zombies, she took off at a light jog. Every few yards, she looked back and let out another yell, and like that, she led the horde back toward the building. When she finally reached it, she once again assured herself that the zombies were on their way. Then, she used Heroic Leap,unching herself into the air. With her inted Strength, as well as the enhancement of the ability, she reached the roof. As she climbed to her feet, she noted that Bryce was already in the middle of casting one of his spells. Meanwhile, Roman had drawn his bow, and was steadily picking off the zombies at the fringe of the mass. After ensuring that the others knew their roles, Alyssa headed to the roof ess and hefted her spear. Behind her, Bryce finished casting his spell, and there was the sound of a massive explosion. But Alyssa tried to ignore it. Bryce and Roman had their task, and she had hers. Beside her stood Trace, while the pair of healers had positioned themselves behind her. However, Alyssa noticed that both looked eager for a fight. Verin had her morningstar in hand, while Chun had adopted a fighting stance. Another explosion sounded before Roman shouted, ¡°They¡¯re in the building!¡± The n was simple. Under no circumstances could Bryce kill all of the zombies. His spells were powerful, but he¡¯d run out of Ethera well before they were all dead. The same was true of Roman with his arrows. So, they were always going to have to fight hand-to-hand. Knowing that, Alyssa¡¯s n tried to mitigate the weight of the zombies¡¯ numbers by forcing them into the stairwell, which would not only funnel them into a single file line, but it would also slow them down. With that in mind, Alyssa had ced herself at the door where she intended to use her abilities as well as inted attributes to hold the line long enough to finish the horde off. It was some time before the first zombies broke through the door, but Alyssa was ready. She thrust her spear forward, sweeping the de across its neck and decapitating it. She¡¯d seen enough movies to know that was the surest method to deal with the creatures. Even as the monster fell, another took its ce. Alyssa¡¯s spear whipped out, spearing the zombie through the head. It dropped, just like the first. Two more appeared, trying to squeeze through the doorway at the same time. Alyssa decapitated one, while Trace stepped forward and sliced the top of the other¡¯s head off. They both fell. So it began, but judging by the numbers she¡¯d seen, the battle was far from over. As it turned out, her prediction was correct. On and on it went, and the bodies piled up, blocking the door. Every now and then, zombies would manage to crawl through, but it was enough to give them plenty of rest. After a few hours, Roman announced that the flow of zombies had slowed to a trickle and that the building was probably full of the creatures. That meant that it was time for phase two. Alyssa turned to Bryce, who¡¯d stopped casting for the past hour so he could regain his Ethera. She asked, ¡°You ready?¡± ¡°Definitely not.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°You have no way of knowing if that¡¯s true,¡± he stated. ¡°Bryce, I ¨C¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°This is how it¡¯s got to be. Just don¡¯t let them eat my brains.¡± To Roman, Alyssa asked, ¡°Is thedder clear?¡± He nodded, saying that it was. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s get this thing going,¡± she said. With that, Roman, the two healers, and Trace headed to the back of the building, where they descended adder. They wouldn¡¯t stop there, either. Over the next few minutes, Alyssa watched the piled corpses, just in case another zombie broke through. They didn¡¯t, and soon enough, enough time had passed for Alyssa to say, ¡°Alright. Use it.¡± ¡°On it, boss,¡± Bryce said, extending his hand toward the bodies. He muttered something under his breath, though as far as Alyssa knew, there was no verbalponent to his spells. Instead, he just had to wait for them to gather enough Ethera. Once the spell was saturated, he would unleash it. Still, he was fullymitted to the image he¡¯d created, so he maintained that the incantation was a necessary part of decent spellcasting. And considering that Bryce was the highest level pure spellcaster in Easton, Alyssa couldn¡¯t really gainsay him. In any case, he was effective, so she didn¡¯t push it. After about thirty seconds, he finished his spell, and a huge stream of fire burst forth from his extended hand. It was hot enough that, even from five feet away, Alyssa felt her skin on the verge of blistering. She stepped back, watching as the fire melted the bricks around the doorway and burned the corpses to ash. The stream continued for almost fifteen seconds until, atst, the mes petered out. Bryce¡¯s shoulders sagged as he said, ¡°That was¡­a lot of Ethera.¡± Then, he looked at the results of the spell, saying, ¡°Effective, though.¡± And he wasn¡¯t wrong. Dozens of zombies had been so thoroughly burned that nothing but charred bones remained. More importantly, a few of the mes persisted as more mundane fire. That was due to the others¡¯ preparation. While Alyssa had been acting as bait, the rest of the party had scoured the building for anything mmable, which they ced in such a way as to catch the entire building on fire. One cast wouldn¡¯t be enough, but they didn¡¯t intend for it to be, either. ¡°You still have enough Ethera, right?¡± ¡°One more cast. Not Stream of me, though. I can only cast Meteor Strike.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll have to do,¡± she said. ¡°Do it.¡± ¡°Already gathering Ethera.¡± Alyssa watched the half-melted doorway, but Stream of me had done its work well. Much of the brickwork had copsed, blocking the way. The zombies soon piled up on the other side, and eventually, she knew they would manage to break through. But for now, Alyssa and Bryce were safe. Then, the Wizard dropped a meteor on them. It was only a yard or two across, and it certainly didn¡¯t hit with the force of a real meteor. However, it didn¡¯t need to, either. When it hit, the stairwell copsed, as did a good portion of the roof. Alyssa had expected it, so she grabbed the much taller Bryce around the waist, throwing him over her shoulder in a fireman¡¯s carry, then sprinted across the roof. Using Enrage, she increased her attributes to unreal levels, and when she reached the edge of the roof, she used Heroic Leap, sending her sailing through the air for over thirty feet before shended on the neighboring roof. As she skidded to a stop, she was greeted by the sound of a copsing building, and when she turned around, she saw the fruits of theirbor. The fires from Stream of me had spread throughout the building, weakening it enough that Meteor Strike was enough to tear it down. With all those zombies inside. ¡°I just got a lot of experience,¡± Bryce said. ¡°Good. I think we¡¯re going to need it going forward,¡± she said. Then, looking around, she added, ¡°Let¡¯s go find the others.¡± Patreon Announcement Patreon Announcement First of all, I want to thank everyone for all your phenomenal support. Because of you, this story has been much more sessful than I anticipated. So far, it''s been sitting on the second page of the Popr This Week list, had been on the Rising Stars list for more than a week, and has broken into the top 500 for the whole site. That''s amazing to see, and I''m eager for everyone to read the first book''s conclusion (it''ll be fully posted in about a month). In the meantime, I''ve been steadily increasing the Patreon benefit since the story''s release, and as of today, I pushed it all the way to 40 chapters ahead of Royal Road. The ultimate goal is 50 chapters ahead, but that''s going to take a month or two to hit that mark (I can only write so fast!). In any case, I just wanted to make a quick announcement to let everyone know about the increase. If you''d like to check out the extra chapters (the end of book one is already posted, and we''re 20 chapters into the second book), you can click the link below to be redirected to my page. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Again, thank you all for this story''s sess. I hope it''ll continue to be worth your time because I''ve been having a st writing Elijah''s story. Book 1: Chapter 55: The Primordial Maze Book 1: Chapter 55: The Primordial Maze Elijah was afraid he would once again lose himself if he shifted back into his predator form, so, as he headed through the maze¡¯s entrance, he did so as a human. Holding his staff in front of him like a spear, and naked as the day he was born, he crept forward one tentative step at a time. But nothing attacked. He knew it wasing, though. So, he maintained vignce as he continued toward the first intersection. He kept close to the moss-covered wall, dragging his hand along the ancient brickwork until he reached his destination. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Elijah peeked around the corner and saw nothing but more of the maze. No monsters. No giant predators. Just a long, empty corridor that looked no different from the way he¡¯de. ncing back in the opposite direction, he saw much of the same. ncing up at the overcast sky, he let out a sigh of mingled relief and disappointment. Relief, because he truly didn¡¯t want to fight any more monsters. Certainly, gaining a few extra levels would be beneficial, but as had happened in the Sea of Sorrows, his progress while in the Primordial Jungle had slowed to a crawl as the diminishing returns began to take effect. Killing the same creatures over and over was no way to advance. More than that, though, he was just tired of the constant killing. That was one of the reasons his panther instincts had taken over. In his predator form, Elijah didn¡¯t have to worry about stress or morality or anything else. He could just hunt, eat, and live. Everything else had faded into the background. And while that had made his journey through the primordial jungle much easier to endure, it certainly wasn¡¯t a state to which he wanted to soon return. He was a human, not a panther, and though it was sometimes beneficial to let his identity slip toward thetter, it was also dangerous. Elijah knew just how close he¡¯de to letting his human identity disappear, which was a horrifying testament to his adaptability. So, he was relieved that no foes were in evidence. However, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointment, too ¨C mostly because it meant that he probably had starvation ahead of him. After all, the jungle, for all its seeming normalcy, was an artificial space. There was no fruit. No edible fungi. If he wanted to eat, he had to kill. And without any other creatures around, Elijah had no source of food. He wouldn¡¯t die, but the prospect of slowly wasting away was distressing enough that he turned around, intending to exit the maze and gather some food to carry with him. The meat would likely spoil quickly, but a quick pulse of Touch of Nature would take care of any problems that might present. So long as he got some calories in him, he would be okay. But as soon as he turned around, he saw a very big problem. The exit had disappeared. The corridor he¡¯d just traversed was a dead end. ¡°Damnit,¡± he muttered, his voice sounding odd in his own ears. Or maybe it was the silence of the maze that rendered it strange. Elijah had been in a few jungles in his time. Not only had he lived in Hawai¡¯i, but he¡¯d also visited the Amazon during college. And one of the many things that set a natural, Earthly rainforest apart from his current location was the ubiquitous presence of insects. Yet, Elijah had yet to feel the sting of a single mosquito. No biting flies. No spiders in their webs. Nothing but dead air and rain. If he let himself notice it, Elijah found the whole thing incredibly disturbing. Forests should be alive, but the Primordial Jungle and the attached maze were anything but living ecosystems. Never had anything felt less real than the moment he realized that. But that was what it was, wasn¡¯t it? The whole tower was just a manifestation of Ethera. That was Elijah¡¯s understanding, at least. Perhaps there were more steps involved, but he felt confident in that basic assertion. Then again, aside from satisfying his intellectual curiosity, knowing that didn¡¯t change anything. The dangers were still present, and they would certainly kill him if he didn¡¯t treat them as reality. So, with that in mind, he turned back toward the center of the maze and sank to his haunches to think about how he wanted to attack the challenge before him. Elijah was no expert on mazes, but he was familiar enough with them to know a few basic strategies for the traversal of abyrinth. First among them was what was known as the right-hand rule, which was a technique that, fittingly, given the name, would require Elijah to keep in contact with the right-hand wall at all times. The right-hand rule wasn¡¯t foolproof, though, and stood a chance of getting him even more lost than if he¡¯d just wandered around aimlessly. So, he wracked his brain for another method, and over the next few minutes, he came up with what he felt was a viable solution. Basically, it came down to mapping the maze by keeping track of which paths he¡¯d taken and how many times he had taken them. So, each time he reached a path, he would make one of three marks. The initial mark woulde during the first encounter. The second would, predictably,e if he crossed that path again. And the third would be for dead-ends. So long as he prioritized unmarked paths, he felt that he could eventually find his way to the center. There were two major problems, though. First, he suspected that using this method would be extremely time-consuming and require quite a lot of backtracking. Yet, he didn¡¯t see any option that wouldn¡¯t have that issue, so he could discount that as unavoidable. The second problem was that he didn¡¯t have any way to mark the paths. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. That was easily solvable, though. The walls were helpfully covered in moss into which it was easy to scrape a pattern. So, he settled on one line for the first crossing of a path, two lines for the second, and a giant ¡°D¡± for dead-ends. ¡°Keeping it simple,¡± he muttered to himself. Then, he stopped hesitating and got to moving, marking his first path. Over the next few hours, he continued that pattern, carving a single line each time he reached an intersection and chose a direction. Eventually, he crossed paths he¡¯d taken before and marked them appropriately as well. The same was true of dead-ends. Like that, he kept going for some time until, atst, his fatigue finally caught up to him. So, knowing that he wasn¡¯t likely to traverse thebyrinth in a single day, he settled down to rest. When he awoke, Elijah continued on as he had before. And so, his days took on a pattern where he kept to his strategy. Each time he passed one of his markings, he made sure to refresh them by using his staff to re-carve the appropriate lines in the moss. Otherwise, after only a few days ¨C or even weeks ¨C they would have grown over. It was in the second week when the hunger got overwhelming, and he resorted to eating the moss. It wasn¡¯t tasty, and Elijah felt certain that it wasn¡¯t really edible. However, he had Touch of Nature on his side to deal with any lethal side effects, and it was the only real solution to his hunger problem. He had no idea if he really got any nutrients from it, but it did fill his stomach. So, there it had that going for it. And with the ubiquitous rain, at least water wasn¡¯t an issue. Boredom was the real killer, and Elijah upied his mind in a few ways. Most of the time, he dwelled on thoughts of the world atrge. Largely, he worried about his sister and her family, but he did give some thought to the rest of the poption. One thing he¡¯d discovered since being stranded on the ind was that his mind often drifted to his past, and when that happened, his memories seemed far more vivid than they ever had before. That was the nature of extended solitude, he supposed, and he appreciated the ability to remember the good times he¡¯d had with his family and friends. However, it also highlighted just how lonely of an existence he led. One day, he¡¯d leave his ind. And when he finally found his family, he would no longer take them for granted. Before that, he had toplete the tower, though. Not only was it the only way of protecting his ind from an invasion of Voxx, but now that he wasmitted, there was no way out but through. And to do that, Elijah suspected he would have to be much stronger. With that in mind, he focused on his neglected cultivation. Upon reaching the Opal stage with his mind, his ability to regenerate Ethera had received quite a boost due to the widening of the aperture through which the ambient energy was funneled into his soul. Byparison, his soul cultivation had decreased the casting time of his spells. Finally, his body reaching the Wood stage had made him stronger and more durable, almost as if it had made each point of his attributes count for more. He had no idea how to improve his core cultivation. Although, he suspected that when he did finally figure it out, it would be even more impactful than the rest of his improvements. Part of that certainty came from a suspicion that it was all meant to work together. So, when he reached the first stage of improvement with all of them, the whole would add up to more than the sum of its parts. However, the majority of his surety was rooted in the feeling he got from his unimproved core. It was the battery upon which everything about him was built. He was all but useless without it. So, it stood to reason that any improvement to his core would be incredibly impactful. It was a shame, then, that Nerthus had refused to give him any information on how to improve it. Perhaps he could figure it out on his own at some point. All that and more flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind as he slowly traversed thebyrinth, making his marks along the way. Days passed into weeks, and as he¡¯d expected, his time in the maze eventually eclipsed the one-month mark ¨C at least as far as he could count the days. In the absence of a sun, he¡¯d taken to marking the days via how often he slept. It wasn¡¯t exact, but at least it gave him some degree of context. As he went, the monotony of thebyrinth dulled the edge of his mind until, suddenly, everything changed when he stumbled across a dead body. The corpse was unidentifiable, but given its general size and the color of what little fur was left, he suspected that it might have been one of the giant primates that called the jungle their home. His time in the jungle was a bit of a blur, but he remembered enough of it that he could confidentlybel the primates as deadly foes. And something had killed one. Had it simply wandered into thebyrinth and died of hunger, thirst, or somebination of the two? Maybe. But given the state of the corpse, it was clear that something else was within the maze. Something that had probably killed and then feasted upon the fearsome sasquatch-ape. Elijah knelt beside the body, then, with a shake of his head, started rummaging for anything useful. It was disgusting, and it took far longer to sift through the pile of meat, fur, and bones, but eventually, Elijah came away with a simple stone knife and a collection of broken sticks and string that might¡¯ve once been a bow. There were no arrows. Nor did he find a quiver. Not that he would¡¯ve used such a crude weapon. Perhaps if he¡¯d taken the Ranger ss in the very beginning, but he currently had much more potent means of attack. If it came down to a battle, he would rely on his spells or his predator form. After looting the corpse, Elijah backed away. He had a choice to make. He had to keep moving forward, but the question was what form he would take while doing so. There were benefits to both options, and as Elijah settled down into a squat, he considered the choices before him. His human form gave him the opportunity to carry the items he¡¯d looted. Neither the knife nor the broken bow were immediately useful, but he didn¡¯t have to get creative to think of ways that could change. The knife, especially, was invaluable ¨C especially after he¡¯d lost all the equipment he¡¯d brought with him. Only his staff had survived so far. But as a panther, he didn¡¯t really need tools or weapons. More, he could traverse the maze almost undetected, which seemed much more important now that he knew he wasn¡¯t alone within thebyrinth. Clearly, his panther form was better suited for the task. However, Elijah found himself hesitating. Did he dare risk letting those animalistic instincts overwhelm him again? If they took hold, there was every chance they¡¯d never let him go. For a long time, Elijah thought it over, but in the end, he decided that he couldn¡¯t simply ignore such the defining feature of his ss. Shape of the Predator was part of him, and he couldn¡¯t run from it. Instead, he needed to use it to his advantage. He had to control the wild nature of his panther form, rather than let it control him. With that in mind, Elijah renewed his enhancements, casting Essence of the Monkey, Aura of Renewal, and Essence of the Wolf. Then, for the first time in more than a month, he embraced Shape of the Predator and took on his mist panther form. Book 1: Chapter 56: Crossing Over Book 1: Chapter 56: Crossing Over Alyssa sagged to one knee, propping herself up with the Spear of the Dragon Lancer. Looking around, she saw that the rest of her party looked just as exhausted as she felt. No one seemed nearly as drained as Bryce, though. But that wasn¡¯t surprising, considering that, as they cleared their way to the first bridge, he¡¯d be their most powerful weapon. Despite his clear weaknesses ¨C long cast times and horrible physical attributes ¨C the Wizard¡¯s spells had torn through the zombies in a way none of the others could replicate. Again ¨C not terribly surprising, considering that they¡¯d taken great pains to put him into optimal situations, setting numerous traps and guarding his back along the way. But it was still impressive, nheless. Now, though, they¡¯d finally reached their goal. ¡°How many do you think we killed?¡± asked Chen, her leather armor ripped and her hands bloody. During the short campaign, the woman had put her martial arts prowess on disy, and while she wasn¡¯t as powerful of a healer as some Alyssa had seen, she made up for it in versatility. She wasn¡¯t the strongestbatant, but she was far from weak, either. ¡°Thousands, at least.¡± ¡°I figured we would have gotten more experience,¡± Bryce said. ¡°But after that first bump, it¡¯s been¡­I don¡¯t know. Underwhelming.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself, beanpole,¡± said Trace as he wiped viscera from one of his des. ¡°I got a whole level.¡± ¡°I got two, but ¨C¡± ¡°And you¡¯reining?¡± Trace asked, shaking his head in derision. ¡°You kids today. No sense of ¨C¡± ¡°We¡¯re like the same age,¡± Bryce interrupted.¡°I¡¯m an old soul.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± Trace shrugged. ¡°A badge I wear with honor,¡± he said. ¡°Nobody¡¯s looking out for the fool, right? Being underestimated is a weapon just like any other. You should write that down.¡± Bryce shook his head. ¡°That would mean a lot more if I thought it was intentional,¡± he said. ¡°Acting like an idiot is one thing. Actually being dumb is something else.¡± Before Trace could respond, Roman cleared his throat. He¡¯d taken a back seat during the fighting, but he was still the leader of Easton. So, he had no trouble getting everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°We still have a bridge to cross,¡± he said. ¡°We need to find somewhere to rest that isn¡¯t covered in corpses. Then, we need to move on. I don¡¯t want to be in here any longer than necessary.¡± Alyssa voiced her agreement, and the others fell into line soon after. A few minutester, they¡¯d found their way to an old gas station, where they settled in for some rest. Roman sat next to her on the counter and offered her a piece of dried meat. She took it, pulling a bottle of water from her own pack. ¡°That was unpleasant,¡± Roman said, his eyes trained on the others, who¡¯d all congregated in a different corner. Once again, Trace and Bryce were having an animated discussion, though Alyssa couldn¡¯t make out the subject. ¡°It¡¯s probably going to get worse when we cross the bridge,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it¡¯ll be presented, but the guides were all pretty clear about the increasing difficulty. The further you progress, the worse it¡¯ll get.¡± Roman sighed, then ran his hand through his hair. He looked extremely tired, but that wasn¡¯t so different than everyone else. They¡¯d been fighting for what felt like an entire day, and while they¡¯d done everything they could to mitigate the danger, there¡¯d still been a few close calls. And Alyssa knew better than anyone how thoroughly life-and-death situations could drain a person¡¯s energy. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe, you know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This,¡± Roman said, gesturing to their surroundings. ¡°Magic towers and spells and zombies. It really wasn¡¯t that long ago that the worst I had to worry about was a domestic abuse call. I mean, I moved out of Seattle to get away from the stress of living in a big city. Now, I¡¯m responsible for thousands of people. If I make the wrong choice, people die. Even if I make the right decisions, people die. All I can do is mitigate it. I can¡¯t stop it. Notpletely.¡± That had been true even before the world had changed. Sometimes, bad things happened, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. It was a lesson she¡¯d been forced to learn when her parents had died, but it had really been driven home during her time as a police officer. ¡°You¡¯re doing the best you can,¡± she said, reaching out to grip his shoulder reassuringly. He flinched at her touch, but she pretended not to notice as she went on, ¡°You care, Roman. That¡¯s what matters. You just want what¡¯s best for everyone.¡± ¡°I do,¡± he agreed. ¡°But sometimes¡­sometimes, I¡¯m afraid of what it¡¯s doing to me. To us. Before all this, I would have tried to save everyone. Rationally, I know that it would¡¯ve eventually killed us all. We don¡¯t have the resources to support everybody. But still¡­¡± Alyssa shook her head. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re worried about it means you¡¯re a good man, chief. You¡¯re just trying to make the best of a bad situation. We all are. So long as you keep working toward the greater good, I don¡¯t think anyone has a right to criticize you. Not unless they¡¯ve been in your shoes. Not unless they¡¯ve had to make the same choices you¡¯ve had to make.¡± Not unless they¡¯d experienced the same losses, Alyssa left unsaid. Trish¡¯s death hade close to breaking Roman. He¡¯d put on a strong front, and he had kept going despite his grief. But Alyssa knew him well enough to recognize how close he¡¯de to falling off the edge. That he¡¯d somehow climbed his way out of that pit was just further evidence that he was worthy of her respect. Despite their frequent disagreements. For the next few hours, everyone rested. Fortunately, they¡¯d killed most of the zombies, so they were undisturbed. It was a necessary break, and when Roman finally called for everyone to gather up, they did so with renewed vigor. ¡°We¡¯re crossing the bridge. I want you all to be ready for anything,¡± he said. Alyssa added, ¡°Same formation as before. Roman in the back. Me in the front. Trace, you stick close for now, though. We don¡¯t want you crossing before we do.¡± She recognized that crossing the bridge likely constituted progressing to the tower¡¯s next level, and she didn¡¯t want the group separated. After everyone had received their instructions, the party set out across the corpse-strewed outskirts, and they reached the bridge only half an hourter. It was no different than a thousand other bridges across the world, which meant that it was fournes wide, about a quarter mile long, and supported by thick, concrete pylons. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The city beyond was wreathed in fog, though, so, despite the sun hanging high in the sky, none of them could see what awaited. That mist had grown steadily thicker the closer they drew to the city proper. Alyssa took the lead, and the others followed her across the bridge. For most of its length, it was no different from the outskirts. However, when they passed the three-quarter mark, she got a notification:
Congratluations! You havepleted Level One of The Zombie Apocalypse. Grade: C To progress further, continue across the bridge.
An instantter, a small box appeared in front of Alyssa. It was silver, with red trim, but it looked no different than any other metallic box she had seen. She stopped, then knelt beside it. From her guides, she knew that it was the reward forpleting the tower¡¯s first level, so she didn¡¯t hesitate to flip thetch and open the lid.
Reward forpleting Level One of The Zombie Apocalypse: Pendant of Ethereal Regeneration
¡°What is it?¡± asked Roman as Alyssa retrieved the silver ne. She held it up so the others could see it, but there really wasn¡¯t much to see. Just a blue gem set in silver and attached to thin chain. Alyssa told them what it was called, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it does. What should we do with it?¡± ¡°Give it to one of the healers. Probably Verin,¡± Trace said. They all looked at him in surprise, and he said, ¡°What? If ites down to that thing making the difference, I¡¯d rather her have it so she can heal my ass.¡± ¡°It makes sense,¡± said Alyssa. If it did what they expected it would do ¨C help to boost Ethera Regeneration ¨C she certainly had no use for it. Only a couple of her abilities even used Ethera, with the rest taking stamina. The others all agreed, and the pendant went to Verin. The older woman protested, saying that it should go to someone else, but they all insisted. Once Verin had epted it and verified that it enhanced her Regeneration attribute by three points, the group continued across the bridge. The moment they reached the other side, another pair of notifications crossed Alyssa¡¯s vision. The first weed her to the second level of the tower, while the second gave her the task of reaching the capital. They¡¯d barely made it a few dozen yards into the city when the heavy p of skin against asphalt alerted them that they weren¡¯t alone. Alyssa whipped around, her spear at the ready, and she was just in time to see a bulky figure emerge from the mist. It didn¡¯t even attempt to dodge, instead ramming into her spear with the speed of an Olympic sprinter. The de cut deep, but the attacker kepting, sliding past the de and up the shaft. Before it could reach her, Alyssa spun. Using all her Strength, she flung the monster off her spear. It hit the ground and rolled to a stop. But it wasn¡¯t dead. It pushed itself to its feet just in time to catch an arrow in the eye. Trace shed in from the side, dragging his sword across its hamstrings. And then, Verin was on it, swinging her morningstar with all her might. The spiked head took the creature in the face, once again knocking it to the ground, where another arrow hit it. At the same time, Chun aimed an axe kick at its already damaged skull. Her heel hit with enough force to crack bone. Still, it didn¡¯t die. In fact, it seemed mostly unaffected by the deluge of attacks. The creature lunged to its feet, pouncing on Chun before she had a chance to react. Another arrow hit it, and Alyssa rushed forward, using Charge to enhance her speed. She knew she wouldn¡¯t get there in time, though. The thing reared back and then, with the speed of a striking snake, descended upon Chun¡¯s exposed jugr vein. It only took an instant before Alyssa rammed her spear into it, but by that point, it had already ripped the woman¡¯s throat out. She fell away, limp and dying. Verin tried to cast a heal, but the impaled monster took her with a backhand before Alyssa could drive it away. The older woman went tumbling across the asphalt, but Alyssa couldn¡¯t do anything to help. Instead, she rammed her spear further into the monster¡¯s chest until the de got lodged in its ribs. She shouted, ¡°Burn it!¡± Bryce had finally finished his spell. With the influx of experience during the first level, he¡¯d earned a new one, which he let loose at Alyssa¡¯s prompting. A fireball the size of a softball arced through the air, taking the monster in the shoulder. It quickly caught fire, and though it went wild, screeching in pain, Alyssa¡¯s spear kept it under control. A few momentster, it died, falling to the ground. The mes remained, continuing to burn through the monster¡¯s body. It was a bulky thing, with the sort of muscles that would¡¯ve qualified it topete as a professional wrestler, and though it looked vaguely human, it clearly wasn¡¯t. With maggoty white skin, huge eyes, and pointed ears, it was something else entirely. Alyssa only took it in at a nce before she turned her attention to her fallenrades. When she did, she saw Verin kneeling beside Chun¡¯s still form. The older woman¡¯s hands glowed with blue light, but no matter how much she tried, it wouldn¡¯t make the jump into Chun¡¯s body. Because the younger woman had already died. Tears fell down Verin¡¯s cheeks as the woman continued to attempt her casting. But it was toote. She knew it. Everyone did. Still, she tried. Over and over again until Roman rested his hand on her shoulder, saying, ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± Verin didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she rose, then copsed against the man¡¯s chest. He wrapped his arm around her,forting the Priest as best he could. After a moment, he looked at Trace and said, ¡°Find us somewhere to rest. We need to get our bearings.¡± As Alyssa watched the man disappear into the mist, she realized what had happened. On the surface, they were powerful enough to fight the monster. However, because of the nature of the previous level, where the zombies were all rtively weak, they¡¯d gotten sloppy. And this new enemy had taken advantage of it. That was her fault. She was the battle leader, and now, because of her failure, one of their number was dead. She had always known it was possible. Likely, even. But knowing it wasing and watching someone die were two very different things. It was especially impactful because, at the end of the day, Chun had been her responsibility. Then and there, she vowed to keep everyone else alive as they climbed the tower. But in the back of her mind, she couldn¡¯t help but doubt herself. Did she have the ability to follow through with that promise? Maybe. Maybe not. Only time would tell. With that in mind, she collected Chun¡¯s body, and when Trace returned, the subdued but alert group followed him into the lobby of one of the skyscrapers. Once inside, they found their way to a side room, where they blockaded the door with disused furniture. Thus secured, they turned their attention to saying goodbye to the woman. Verin was the most affected, but none of them could look at their party member¡¯s corpse without at least some guilt. As it turned out, Roman had known the woman best, and he handled the impromptu eulogy. ¡°She was a good person. I didn¡¯t know her for long. She only arrived at Easton a little less than a month ago,¡± he said. ¡°But she led a group of forty people across the wilderness, personally keeping most of them alive. She was a protector and a healer, and she will be missed.¡± He delivered the short speech in a dry, emotionless voice, but Alyssa knew Roman well enough to recognize his guilt. Probably because she felt it, too. For a long while, they just sat there, stunned. It hadn¡¯t been that long ago that they¡¯d been joking amongst one another. Now, though? None of them even considered making flippant remarks. Eventually, they started nning for the immediate future. They had a destination, though they didn¡¯t know where it was, so finding the capital was the first order of business. Next, once it was found, they needed a safe way to make the journey. None of them thought that the monster that had attacked them was the only enemy, after all. Likely, there were a lot more of them out there. In the end, it came down to taking the journey in steps. They intended to go from one building to another, using Trace and Roman as scouts. It wasn¡¯t borate, and it certainly wasn¡¯t a perfect n, but it was the best any of them coulde up with. So with that established, the group set out, leaving the corpse of one of their own behind. Alyssa could only hope that it would be thest time they would be forced to do so. Book 1: Chapter 57: Pack Hunters Book 1: Chapter 57: Pack Hunters As Elijah padded down the corridor, a chill ran up his spine, raising his hackles. Cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, he was safe from observation, but he still felt like something was watching him. Over the past few days, an eerie ambiance had nketed thebyrinth, setting him on edge even if nothing had outwardly changed. When he looked around, the same moss-covered walls and endlessly twisting turns greeted him. And yet, he felt like he¡¯d been enveloped by a formless and persistent fear. Since finding that first body ¨C or hunk of flesh, fur, and bone, really ¨C he hade across a half-dozen more, all in various states of decay. Theck of scavenging insects pushed him even closer to the edge, and he knew it wouldn¡¯t take much to shove him over. Still, the only way out was through, he kept telling himself. But increasingly, he¡¯d done so with fatalistic despair rather than the stoic determination that had once apanied the mantra. He reached out with one paw, scratching a second line next to the one he¡¯d left in his first passing. Then, he chose the other direction, keeping to his pattern. With how much time had passed, he suspected that he was getting closer to his destination. He only had to keep going ¨C even if it felt increasingly futile. Perhaps thebyrinth was endless. Maybe he had missed some key detail that would have seen himpleting the level without issue. Elijah¡¯s greatest fear was that it was all just an borate death trap. But still, he continued on, and the days continued to pass. Eventually, he grew ustomed to the fear, and he barely even hesitated when he saw new bodies. The only thing that kept him going was a single-minded refusal to quit.And it almost got him killed when he turned a corner and very nearly walked into the center of a recently concluded hunt. The most intact simian body he¡¯d yet seen within the mazey in the middle of the corridor, surrounded by the creatures who¡¯d obviously killed it. At first, Elijah thought they were terrestrial birds, though that impression was based more on the way they moved than how they looked. It was only when he looked a little closer that he realized that they were four-foot-tall reptiles that stood on two legs. In real life, raptors had not been the devastating predators portrayed in popr media. Instead, they were much smaller than how they were usually depicted, and they were primarily scavengers. However, these creatures very much resembled the fearsome dinosaurs he¡¯d seen in movies and on television, though they differed in a one major way ¨C they looked like they¡¯d been made of twisted roots, with thorns for teeth and tufts of moss in ce of feathers. Still, there were six of the creatures huddled around and tearing chunks of flesh from the carcass. Elijah backed away, praying that his Guise of the Unseen was enough to keep him hidden. And to his surprise, he made it back around the corner without gaining their attention. When he did, he let out a feline sigh, then sank to his haunches. He had a choice to make. Either he could backtrack and try to find another way through the maze; there were still plenty of untapped routes. Conversely, he could follow the root raptors. Guise of the Unseen seemed to be up to the task of keeping him hidden, but it would only take a single misstep to ruin the effect. And then he¡¯d have to deal with an entire pack of the creatures. The first option was safer, but no matter how he looked at it, Elijah felt it was the wrong move. He¡¯d been trekking through the maze for so long, and he¡¯d barely seen anything break up the monotony. And given that the environment was a manufactured level of the tower, it suggested that there would be no coincidences. If something changed, it was meaningful. So, it stood to reason that the root raptors were important. Following them was the right choice, even if it was more dangerous than the alternative. With that in mind, Elijah ensured that his enhancements and Guise of the Unseen were active, then stepped around the corner where he settled down to wait. The raptors never noticed him, due in no small part to their grisly feast. They tore the simian corpse apart, seemingly reveling in the dismantling as much as they enjoyed the meal. Or perhaps Elijah was anthropomorphizing them. Either way, he forced himself to watch the ghastly scene, and soon enough, one of the creatures let out a piercing cry. The others stopped, whipping around to the leader, and when it took off at a run, they followed. And just like that, Elijah was alone. He was tempted to run after them, but that was a good way to get detected. So, he approached the corpse, took a few nips from the leftover meat, then sniffed around. Beneath the overwhelming smell of blood was a wet, musty scent that he instinctively knew belonged to the raptors. After finding that scent, it was easy enough to follow their trail. As he did, Elijah continued to mark each turn, but he had a sneaking suspicion that if he continued to track the root raptors, he would find his way to his destination. So it went for the next few hours until he found the scene of another massacre. This time, there were two of the simians, but to Elijah¡¯s surprise, there were also a pair raptor bodies. And one of them was still alive. So, once Elijah ensured that there were no other root raptors around, he approached the survivor. It had been pierced through by four arrows, and itsbored breathing was shallow. Sap-like blood stained the ground, telling Elijah that the creature was on the verge of death. He had no issues with speeding it along on its way to whatever afterlife awaited the tower¡¯s denizens. He stepped forward, reared back one forepaw, then activated Predator Strike. He swept his ws forward, ripping through it with abination of his considerable Strength and the augmentation provided by his ability. It never even knew what killed it. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Elijah¡¯s attack destroyed its elongated head, shattering it into a thousand splintered and sap-covered pieces. He received some kill energy, but it wasn¡¯t enough to send him to the next level. So, after ensuring that there was nothing useful around the corpses, he continued to follow the trail. Over the next few hours, he came across three more scenes of ughter, each with two or more simian corpses. However, there weren¡¯t any other dead or dying raptors. Seeing that, he didn¡¯t spend much time investigating them. As he went, though, the eerie ambiance of thebyrinth continued to grow more and more palpable until every third or fourth step was punctuated by a nce to his rear. He didn¡¯t see anything, but he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was following, that some monster was stalking him. He strained his senses, but he came up empty. Until, atst, he caught a whiff of something familiar. It was just a stray scent, but the moment it wafted beneath his nose, he recognized it. Without hesitation, Elijah leaped to the side, and he was just in time to avoid a descending, thorn-like w. He skidded to a stop, then used the wall to reverse directions. His ws shed with Venom Strike before he collided with his attacker. He barreled into it, his ws digging deep and delivering their poisonous payload before he bounded away. He slid to a stop, then reversed course. Crouching low, he saw the creature pick itself up. The thing was clearly a raptor, but instead of only being four feet tall, it was at least half again that height, with wicked ws and gnashing teeth. More distressingly, as the thing rose, the remaining pack of root raptors appeared from around the corner. They didn¡¯t stop when they reached therger monster, instead tearing across the ground with clearly murderous intent. Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t stand up to so many, so he wasted no time before turning tail and running away. At first, the creatures kept pace, but the moment the System deemed that he¡¯d leftbat, his Essence of the Wolf took effect, and he left them behind. But that wasn¡¯t enough. Elijah knew it. These monsters would have to die if he was going toplete the Primordial Maze. It was no different than when he¡¯d had to kill the guardian in the Sea of Sorrows. The only question was how he was going to do it. Had they always known he was there? Were they simply leading him along so that their alpha could kill him off? Had he walked into a trap? Or was there some other exnation? He didn¡¯t know. But what Elijah did know was that he had an opportunity. If he could kill a few of the smaller raptors off, he might have a chance to kill therger one. To that end, Elijah poured on the speed, hoping to separate the pack. He was certain that the neurotoxin from Venom Strike wouldn¡¯t kill the alpha. His ws had barely even nicked it, suggesting that its Constitution ¨C if monsters even had such attributes ¨C was extremely high. However, the poison would slow it down, he was sure. He hoped that would prevent it from keeping pace, giving him the opportunity he needed to thin the pack. Once he¡¯d been running for a few minutes, he rounded a corner, then leaped onto the wall. His ws dug into the vines, and he pulled himself up. Immediately, his weight increased, but he didn¡¯t have to go far. Just a few extra feet, and then Elijah once again embraced Guise of the Unseen. The muscles in his paws strained under his increased weight, but he pushed through it long enough for the raptors toe tearing past him. They kept going, with a couplegging a little behind. When thest one passed beneath him, he pounced, falling upon it with Predator Strike. His descending w ripped through its spine, ttening it against the ground. Then, he snapped out, his jaws closing around the nape of its neck. Then, he squeezed, and the base of its skull shattered. But Elijah wasn¡¯t finished. He leaped, bounding off the wall, and attacking the next closest creature. This time, it didn¡¯t go quite as well, but he wasn¡¯t aiming to take it out all at once. Instead, he used Venom Strike, and even though he only managed a ncing blow on the quick monster, he aplished his goal of infecting it with the ability¡¯s neurotoxin. He got one more attack in on a third creature, but by that point, he¡¯d started to push his luck. So, having done what he¡¯d intended to do, he turned and took off back in the direction he¡¯de. However, he turned down one of the two-stripe routes, taking a different path and putting more distance between himself and the pursuing pack of root-raptors. A few minutester ¨C well after the effect of Essence of the Wolf returned to speed him along his way ¨C Elijah received a pulse of kill energy as one of the monsters died. A couple of minutes after that, yet another went down. That left only a few more. However, when he tried to repeat his tactic, he was distressed to find that the raptors were ready for him. He barely escaped alive, but even so, he sustained a couple of wounds from their vicious ws. Clearly, his Constitution was too low to stand up to them in a stand-up fight. Taking them head-on was a good way to get ripped to pieces. Fortunately, Elijah was slightly faster, an advantage that was further enhanced when Essence of the Wolf took effect. Still, the fact that they could learn was a disappointing discovery. That meant he couldn¡¯t just keep doing the same thing over and over. But Elijah¡¯s ss, if nothing else, was versatile. If he couldn¡¯t kill them in his panther form, then his caster form would pick up the ck. So, once Elijah judged he was far enough ahead, he shifted back to human form, then adjusted his enhancements, exchanging the extra Dexterity of Essence of the Monkey for more Constitution via Essence of the Boar. Then, he cast Healing Rain and settled in to wait at the end of a long corridor. The three remaining raptors appeared only a minute or soter, and he wasted no time before channeling Storm¡¯s Fury through his Staff of Natural Harmony. Lightning tore across the intervening distance between them, hitting the first monster and knocking it back into the other members of its pack. They went down in a heap, and Elijah cast Snaring Roots, further entangling them. Finally, he brought another Storm¡¯s Fury to bear, intending to keep casting until he finished them off. The first monster died after the third cast. It took two more to kill the fifth, but by that point, the third and final root raptor had regained its feet and closed the distance. Elijah didn¡¯t have enough Ethera to cast his spell again, so he reared back and swung his staff with every ounce of Strength he could muster. The monster wasn¡¯t expecting the vicious attack, so it took the blow directly in its open mouth. The impact cracked its lower jaw and the momentum of the attack sent it skidding across the ground. Elijah¡¯s every instinct told him to leap upon it and use finish it off, but his rational mind screamed at him that doing so would be a terrible idea. The alpha couldn¡¯t be that far behind, and even if it didn¡¯t catch up anytime soon, the little raptor was more than capable of ripping him to fleshy ribbons. So, once again, Elijah turned tail and ran. It didn¡¯t matter how long it took to kill the thing. Hit and run. That was his game. Standing and fighting was too dangerous. His feet pped against the ground as he sprinted to safety. The raptor recovered its feet before Elijah turned a corner, and to his distress, Essence of the Wolf didn¡¯t kick in. Without that extra movement speed, he couldn¡¯t outrun it. Not in human form, at least. But he could still ambush the thing. So, as he turned the corner, he reached out, grabbing one of the vines attached to the wall, and forced himself to a stop. Then, he hefted his staff and waited. The raptor came screaming around the corner only to once again find itself on the wrong end of Elijah¡¯s staff. This time, though, the attack carried with it a Venom Strike, infecting the monster with a neurotoxin that would eventually kill it. Having delivered that blow, Elijah once again sprinted away. A minuteter, Essence of the Wolf took effect, telling him that his strategy of slowing the monster down had been effective. A couple of minutes after that, he received another dose of kill energy. Just like that, he¡¯d finished the pack off. Now, Elijah only needed to take out the alpha. Something told him that doing so would be much more difficult than killing the pack of smaller creatures. Book 1: Chapter 58: A Rare Opportunity Book 1: Chapter 58: A Rare Opportunity ¡°Are you certain?¡± asked Cabbot, using the same imperious tone he¡¯d heard from his father on so many asions. The effect, in his opinion, was ruined by ack of a throne room. Or perhaps by the presence of his disgustinglymon office, with its mismatched, oversized furniture, bare walls, and the stubborn draft that kept the space annoyingly cool. Still, he sat in his dwarf-sized chair, back straight and chin held high ¨C just like he¡¯d been taught. Nirea shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s no certainty to be had in a situation like this,¡± she said. ¡°We caught only a trace, and it is unclear how old it is.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°But you¡¯re sure of the trail¡¯s origin, right?¡± he said, a little eagerness peeking through. ¡°The trackers are,¡± she answered. Cabbot¡¯s heartbeat sped up at the confirmation. A dragon? A real one, and not some lowly drake? On a freshly-integrated backwater like Earth? It didn¡¯t seem possible. In fact, it was so improbable that, despite Nirea¡¯s insistence, his skepticism persisted. Still, even the possibility of something like that was enough to excite him in ways he didn¡¯t want to acknowledge. If it was a real dragon¡¯s trail, then it presented a unique opportunity. Dragons were an Elder race, and as such, even the weakest among them were nearly unassable for someone like Cabbot. He¡¯d heard of whole continents being decimated after a dragon¡¯s descent. But Earth, being newly integrated, couldn¡¯t support power like that. If a true dragon fell upon the baby with its full might intact, the entire world would know about it. Right before their death. They probably wouldn¡¯t even recognize the surge of Ethera for the danger it would represent. Newly integrateds were slowly introduced to Ethera for a reason. It was why each world was transformed the moment they were touched by the World Tree, but that was just setting the table for a slow and steady rise of Ethera levels. If a fully developed member of one of the elder races descended upon Earth so soon after its initial transformation, the would be destroyed by the flood of potent Ethera that came with the creature¡¯s aura. That was why the represented such a unique opportunity for someone like Cabbot.On his own of Norat, he was still a weakling. But on Earth? He was already near the peak. The natives would quickly catch up, though. The environment was carefully cultivated to drive them to progress. So, Cabbot could feel his lead dwindling by the day ¨C which was why he needed to seize every opportunity that presented itself. There was the ind across the narrow strait, but he was still wary of whatever Guardian called it home. He¡¯d contemted sending more explorers to check it out, but abination of caution, fear, and the necessity of fulfilling his duties to Ironshore had kept him frommitting even one team to such an endeavor. After all, Guardians were normally tethered to their natural treasures, but it wasn¡¯tpletely unheard-of for one to go on the offensive if it felt threatened. Cabbot had no intention of prompting such a reaction. He still intended to take the ind ¨C and whatever treasure it housed ¨C but he would only do so once he¡¯d had the chance to progress a little more. And the potential dragon represented just such an opportunity. Because if one was here, that meant it was young and inexperienced. Vulnerable ¨C at least as much as any dragon ever was. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± asked Nirea. Cabbot shifted in his overlyrge chair as he thought about her question. His people had a long history of hunting powerful beasts. It was one of the reasons they¡¯d risen to such prominence. He knew what he needed to do, but he also knew it would take almost every coin of ethereum he¡¯d earned sinceing to Earth. It wasn¡¯t a huge sum, but abination of his pay, the profits from the Slow Dwarf tavern, and the proceeds from selling a few minor treasures had left him far richer than when he¡¯d arrived. He had intended to use that money tomission some new equipment ¨C like some Simple-Grade armor or a piece of jewelry that might grant him an attribute point or two. But if he could capture a dragon and drain its essence, the gains would far outstrip anything he could gain from mere equipment. After that, all it would take wasmissioning a decent Alchemist to create an appropriate potion, and his cultivation would see marked progression. He might even develop a proper core ¨C something that would, even in optimal conditions ¨C take months. Realistically, he didn¡¯t expect to reach the first stage of core development for years. If he could elerate that process with a potion created from a real dragon¡¯s essence, he would put himself on a path that would eventually take him to the peak of the new world. So, there really was no choice to make. Only one option was viable. ¡°Do nothing. Not yet,¡± he said. ¡°I need to go to the Branch. When I return, we will act.¡± With that, he pushed himself from the chair, dropping a few extra inches to the office floor. Normally, that would have annoyed him something fierce, but he was too excited to let his ill-fitting office get to him. He didn¡¯t even bother flirting with Nirea or asking her out. He knew she was hesitant to acquiesce to his advances ¨C probably because she didn¡¯t want to seem like she was getting special treatment ¨C but he knew she would give in eventually. Right now, though, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to care about issues of the heart. He had a lot to do, and not much time to aplish his goals. After all, there was no guarantee that the dragon wouldn¡¯t move on, and quickly. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. So, he pushed past Nirea, then left the office behind. Nimbly, he leaped over the mud puddle in front of his office, then trekked across town to the budding town¡¯s central building. The broad, low-slung building was abination of warehouse and administrative hub, but more importantly than that, it housed the imported Branch of the World Tree, which made it the settlement¡¯s most important location. Cabbot strode through the front doors, taking a well-trod path through the building until he was forced to a stop at the end of the line leading to the Branch. Sighing, he considered using his position as the leader of the security forces to bully his way to the front of the line, but, like everyone else, he knew that would be counterproductive. Before the World Tree, everyone was equal. To the being that connected their universe, a king was no different than a beggar. That attitude had affected its Attendants and Envoys, and even the elder races would think twice before offending A World Tree Ambassador. So, Cabbot impatiently waited in line as a parade of brutish dwarves, cunning goblins, and gnomes moved into the room housing the Branch. And after forty-five minutes, he reached the front of the line, where he met one of the Envoys. The lowest-ranked members of the Cult of the World Tree were still afforded a significant degree of authority. At the dwarven woman¡¯s word, he could be barred from ess. So, Cabbot put on his most winning smile, pushed his innate ¨C and well-earned ¨C prejudice against dwarves aside, and said, ¡°Good afternoon! I trust your day¡¯s going well, honored Envoy.¡± The dwarven woman barely even looked at him before saying, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You understand the rules?¡± Cabbot did. He¡¯d been introduced to his family¡¯s Branch of the World Tree as a child, and he¡¯d visited it ¨C or others like it ¨C on numerous asions. So, he knew the rules as well as anyone. So, after confirming that he knew how to conduct himself, Cabbot retrieved a handful of copper etherium from his purse and handed them over. The woman took the offering with equanimity, then waved him forward. He suppressed his annoyance, then stepped into the room. Even though he¡¯d seen many Branches over the course of his life, he still found the sight breathtaking. A crystalline tree sprouted from the center of the room. It wasn¡¯trge ¨C barely the size of a sapling ¨C but it was still awe-inspiring,rgely because of the Ethera swirling through its branches. He strode forward confidently, ignoring the pair of Envoys standing guard. So close to the Branch, they wielded enviable power, but even if they hadn¡¯t, it would not have mattered. With a flick of thought, they could bar him from essing the Branch, which would be absolutely disastrous. Not only would it cut him off from ever leaving Earth, but it would also prevent him from ever earning etherium through hunting. He could still get by ¨C after all, people could still pay him via their own coins ¨C but it would still be incredibly inconvenient. Besides, losing ess to the World Tree carried with it a certain stigma, and most people shied away from anyone so tarnished. So, Cabbot remained on his best behavior as he approached the Branch andid his hand on the trunk. Instantly, he saw his ethereum totals:
Copper Silver Gold tinum
212 44 3 0
Upon seeing his amassed wealth, Cabbot felt a mingled sense of satisfaction and disappointment. The first was due to the fact that, aside from a single gold etherium, he¡¯d earned it all himself. However, thetter emotion came from the reality that, no matter how he looked at it, he was poor. His parents ¨C even his siblings ¨C had multiple tinum etherium avable to them. And here he was, after months of effort, with only a few measly gold coins to his name. Of course, that still put him head and shoulders over mostbatants his level, but to him, it wasn¡¯t enough to simply be better than the unwashed masses. He was meant for much greater things, and he knew it. The world just needed to catch up and recognize that he was better than everyone else. The System knew. That was why it had given him such a powerful ss. Now, he just needed to prove that he was worth it. To do that, he needed to contact a few old acquaintances back on Norat. So, he navigated past the Knowledge Base, through the Market ¨C where everything was overpriced anyway ¨C and to the Communications Apparatus. From there, he cycled through his contacts and settled on the person he thought could help him. He initiated the messaging function, detailing what he needed. Fortunately, Erlych didn¡¯t take long to respond, and when he saw the payment on offer, he was quick to acquiesce to Cabbot¡¯s requirements. Soon enough, the transfer went through, and Cabbot headed to the Transfer Portal to await his goods. A few minutester, a few boxes arrived, apanied by a foursome of robed figures. They were all Ritualists, though due to theary restrictions, they were even lower-leveled than Cabbot. He hoped they would be powerful enough to aplish his goals. ¡°Where may we set up?¡± asked one of the male gnomes. He was obviously the leader. Cabbot answered, ¡°I will show you to the barracks where you can wait until we track the creature down.¡± ¡°How will you capture the beast?¡± Cabbot hadn¡¯t told them what sort of creature it was, but they had to have guessed. Otherwise, their presence wouldn¡¯t be necessary. He said, ¡°I¡¯m an Eason.¡± ¡°Oh. Very well, then.¡± It was telling that the simple mention of his house was enough to ay any worries. Telling, but unsurprising. The Eason reputation was well-earned, and even a ck sheep like Cabbot had all the expertise he needed to capture any beast ¨C even one so powerful as a dragon. Still, after showing the Ritualists to the barracks and getting them set up in one of the attached apartments meant for officers, he took the time toy out his ns. The idea wasn¡¯t terriblyplicated. He simply needed to lure the dragon into a trap. To do so, he¡¯d need a reasonably powerful natural treasure ¨C young dragons were notoriously curious, and they would be attracted to any fluctuation in Ethera, which meant manipting it into position was the easy part. More difficult was the method meant to capture it. The Entrapment Ritual was a family secret, and one Cabbot had learned as a child. He¡¯d since put it into use on multiple asions, which meant that, with the materials he¡¯d gotten from Erlych, it would be easy enough for him to empower the ritual. Cabbot hoped that would be the case, at least, because he¡¯d just used every ethereum coin at his disposal. Even the coppers. So, if it didn¡¯t work, he would be back to square one. With that in mind, he gathered the scouts who¡¯d found the dragon¡¯s trail and set off into the surrounding wilderness, hopeful that he¡¯d taken the first steps toward realizing his vast potential. Book 1: Chapter 59: A Mighty Hunter Book 1: Chapter 59: A Mighty Hunter The alpha never showed up, much to Elijah¡¯s chagrin. He was keyed up and ready to fight, and the moment he regained enough Ethera, he resumed his predator form before retracing his steps. It wasn¡¯t easy, finding his way back to the site of the original ambush, but the marks he¡¯d previously left at every intersection proved their worth. Eventually, he arrived, and to his mingled disappointment and relief, the alpha was nowhere to be seen. But its scent was everywhere. Elijah crept through the area, sniffing everything, but with how ubiquitous the odor was, he couldn¡¯t get a read on where it had gone. Still, that didn¡¯t mean he knew nothing. It probably wasn¡¯t back the way he¡¯de, so it had to have gone forward. So, he left the site behind and continued in much the same way he¡¯d spent the past month progressing through thebyrinth. And like that, he kept going, moving slowly and methodically. Never did he drop his guard, though. The giant root raptor had surprised him once, and he wasn¡¯t going to let it happen again. It wasn¡¯t long before Elijah felt that same formless fear that had preceded his previous encounter with the alpha raptor. But no matter how closely he looked, there was nothing following him. Did the thing have some sort of concealment skill, just like Elijah¡¯s Guise of the Unseen? Or was that aura of terror simply that pervasive? Elijah had no idea. But he couldn¡¯t keep his hackles from rising as he continued through the maze. Nor was he surprised when, finally, the creature attacked. It leaped at him from behind, leading the way with its mighty, dagger-like talons. Even though Elijah was on guard for an attack, he was caught by surprise, and so, he barely managed to avoid being gored by those wicked ws. Still, the creature¡¯s w scraped against his ribs, and the impact sent him tumbling across the ground. Elijah regained his feet just in time to dart beneath the raptor¡¯s next attack. Heshed out with his own ws, raking them across his foe¡¯s ankles in an effort to render it immobile. But his efforts only scattered a few wood chips across the ground. He didn¡¯t stop moving, though, dashing past the muchrger figure. He leaped, bounded off the wall, and sent himself flying toward the still-turned raptor. He activated Venom Strike, thentched onto the monster¡¯s back. Holding on with his front ws, he kicked with his back legs, digging into the raptor¡¯s lower back. In addition, hetched onto it with his jaws, activating Venom Strike again. And again.The raptor wheeled around, trying to dislodge Elijah, but it was useless. Not until Elijah¡¯s repeated usage of his ability drained his energy and fatigue began to set in. His muscles went ck, and a secondter, the raptor¡¯s wild bucking sent him flying through the air to crunch against the moss-covered wall. Elijah narrowly retained his consciousness. As the giant root raptor spun about and charged, he could barely lift his head, much less dodge the creature¡¯s charge. He¡¯d overreached, and now, he was a sitting duck. With exhaustion setting in, Elijah knew his panther form was useless. So, without any further hesitation, he resumed his human form. It took a second for the transformation toplete, and by that point, the raptor was upon him. Elijah didn¡¯t have time to use his staff. He simply raised his hand and cast Storm¡¯s Fury as the raptor mped down on his shoulder, its teeth digging in down to his navel. Lighting descended from the sky, tearing into the monster¡¯s back, but rather than dislodge the creature, the resulting convulsions tightened its jaws. Razor sharp teeth ripped into Elijah¡¯s vulnerable flesh, but he cast the spell again. At the same time, he pped his hand against his side, casting Touch of Nature. It did almost nothing as the raptor ripped his flesh to shreds. So, he cast it again. He summoned Healing Rain, too. But he knew he wasn¡¯t going tost much longer. Already, he could feel the weakness of blood loss setting in, and that was saying nothing for whatever damage its teeth were inflicting upon him. But Elijah couldn¡¯t give up. Not after he¡¯de so far. He refused. Even as he rapidly descended into shock, Elijah¡¯s mind whirled, searching for some solution. And the only thing he coulde up with was a gamble. If he did it, he wouldn¡¯t have anything left. Not for a while. He didn¡¯t have a choice, though. So, as he bled out, he cast Swarm. A thousand biting flies manifested in a cloud, then descended upon the raptor. They tore into its most vulnerable ces. Some targeted its fleshy eyes, while others flew into its half-open mouth and down its throat, biting all the way. The shock of it sent the monster reeling backwards, and suddenly, Elijah was free. The raptor bucked, throwing its head back and snapping at the biting flies. But its efforts were useless. The little creatures were too small and far too numerous. They could onlyst so long, though, and after a little more than thirty seconds, they dissipated. For a moment, the raptor was confused by their sudden disappearance, but soon enough, it locked its eyes back on Elijah, who still hadn¡¯t moved. His still active Healing Rain helped with some of his injuries, but he was too drained to make a break for it. So, devoid of Ethera and with exhaustion weighing him down, Elijah just red at the raptor in defiance. Then, he screamed. It was a wordless roar, but it still took the raptor by surprise. It took a step back, and then, miraculously, it stumbled. That¡¯s when Elijah saw the ck tendrils creeping up its neck. It tried to right itself, but it stumbled again. Then, it fell on its side. The monster¡¯s forews scraped against the ground as it attempted to drag itself forward, to finish the job it had started. And yet, it couldn¡¯t. With every passing second, the neurotoxin from Elijah¡¯s Venom Strike coursed through its veins. That,bined with the afflictions from Swarm, slowly killed it. When it died only half a minuteter, Elijah received a huge burst of kill energy that pushed him into level twenty-eight. He barely noticed, though. He was far too focused on his own plight. He was naked, bleeding like a stuck pig, andpletely drained of energy and Ethera. If he hadn¡¯t had the presence of mind to cast Healing Rain in the middle of battle, he would have already died. The same could be said for his choice to use Essence of the Boar and Aura of Renewal. Without either, he¡¯d have died. He still might. But no matter what else, he¡¯d won. He had beaten the raptor, and, in his increasingly delirious state, that was all that really mattered. Gradually, with the aid of Healing Rain, the bleeding slowed, then stopped. At the same time Elijah¡¯s Ethera regenerated enough that he could use Touch of Nature. He didn¡¯t dare look down at the gaping wound stretched across his chest. Instead, he just put his hand into position and cast the spell. It didn¡¯t do much, but it did help him feel slightly better. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Over the next day ¨C or it might have been longer ¨C Elijah healed himself every time he regenerated enough Ethera to fuel Touch of Nature. At the same time, he kept Healing Rain going. And between the two ¨C as well as the increased Regeneration provided by Aura of Renewal ¨C he was slowly healed. For the first few hours, it was touch and go, and he very nearly slipped into unconsciousness on more than one asion. However, he forced himself to stay awake, and, at some point, he passed from critical condition to something a little less serious. When he was finally healthy, he took a moment to inspect the site of the injury, and he found the puckered flesh of a long, wide scar that extended from his cor bone, across his pectoral muscle, and almost to his navel. It went well with the acid scars on his right arm. ¡°How is this my life now?¡± he muttered to himself, running his fingers along that scar. It was difficult to wrap his mind around how many times he¡¯d nearly died since entering the tower. But unless he waspletely off-base, that was thest challenge he¡¯d have toplete. Maybe. Certainly, the pack of raptors and their alpha had certainly felt like a threat on par with the guardian of thest level. However, he had to acknowledge that there was every possibility that, with the increased difficulty of the third level, he might have to fight something even more fearsome. If that turned out to be the case, Elijah was not confident in his ability to survive. But as had been his mantra since entering the tower ¨C and even before, really ¨C he didn¡¯t have much choice but to keep moving forward. Sometimes, a man had to do difficult things if he wanted to survive, and there was no point whining about it, even in his own head. So, once he was healed, Elijah pushed himself to his feet and stretched his stiff muscles. After checking to see if the raptor had anything useful on its body ¨C and finding nothing ¨C Elijah shifted back into his mist panther form and continued his exploration of thebyrinth. On the surface, it was no different than before he¡¯d killed the raptor, but somehow, it felt safer. He felt stronger. That was when he remembered that he¡¯d gained another level. Elijah opened his status to make sure:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 28
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 29
Dexterity 33 (28)
Constitution 29
Ethera 37
Regeneration 41 (31)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Unformed Opal Neophyte
Sure enough, he¡¯d passed the threshold into level twenty-eight, gaining another point in all his attributes. With Aura of Renewal, his Regeneration had passed the forty-point mark, too. Which was incredible, considering where he¡¯d started. However, Elijah was more interested in the new ability he knew was waiting on him:
Spell: Cmity Bury your enemies beneath the power of nature. Conjure a natural disaster appropriate to your environment. Only usable in caster forms.
That sounded good. Really good, in fact. He wanted to use it immediately, but Elijah suspected that it would be quite attention-getting. Thest thing he wanted was to bring more enemies down on his head ¨C after all, he knew that at least the primitive ape-creatures had some sort of presence within the maze. So, he refrained from shifting back into his human form and trying it out. Instead, Elijah continued through thebyrinth. As he went, he realized something was wrong. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. There was no odor to indicate any other creatures were around. No formless fear to herald the arrival of another raptor. Nothing. And then it hit him. It had stopped raining. In fact, when he looked up, Elijah saw sunlight peeking through the clouds. He had no idea what it meant, but he couldn¡¯t help but bask in the sudden cessation of precipitation. Like that, he stood, tilting his feline face toward the sky and bathing in the warmth of a weak ray of sunlight. However, eventually, he remembered his task and set off again. With every step, it felt like the light grew stronger until, when he looked up a few hourster, he saw nothing but blue skies. That had to be a good thing, he thought, continuing on. It still took him a further day of exploration, but it felt like no time at all until he finally reached the center of the maze. Elijah¡¯s shoulders sagged in relief as he looked across a wide, grassy clearing and saw a simple, stone arch. He didn¡¯t need a notification to tell him that he had reached his destination. Once he¡¯d established that there were no threats within the clearing, he shifted back to his human form and stepped forward. A notification shed before his eyes, verifying what he¡¯d suspected:
Congratluations! You havepleted Level Three of Keledge Tower. Grade: S To exit the tower, step through the portal.
Then, consistent with what had happened when he¡¯dpleted the other two levels, a small, metallic box appeared before him. He bent down and opened it, revealing a small, crystalline splinter. When he picked it up, another notification shed before him:
Reward forpleting Level Three of Keledge Tower: Shard of the World Tree
As before, it didn¡¯te with any exnation or description. But something called the Shard of the World Tree couldn¡¯t be trivial. In any case, he hadn¡¯t challenged the tower to get rewards. He¡¯d done it to prevent his ind from being overrun. So long as he¡¯d aplished that goal, that was all he really cared about. Anything else was just icing on the cake. After collecting his reward, Elijah took a deep breath, then stepped through the portal. Book 1: Chapter 60: The Taste of Victory Book 1: Chapter 60: The Taste of Victory Elijah burst through the surface and took a deep breath of freedom. Bobbing up and down with the waves, hey back and stared at the winter sun for a few seconds before the frigid water began to affect him. Once numbness started to set in, he swam toward his ind. When he got within a few dozen yards, he circled around to avoid the cliff, then finally climbed onto the rocky shore. Nearby, a giant crab was busy picking meat from a huge skeleton that, to Elijah¡¯s trained eye, looked like it had belonged to some sort of erged sea snake. But he didn¡¯t pay any attention to the pervasive stench of the decaying corpse. Instead, he simply sank to his knees and wept. He had won. He had survived. But months of life-or-death battles had taken their toll, both on his body and his psyche. Most of all, his psyche. Until that moment, he¡¯d refused to acknowledge the stress weighing him down, but now that he was reasonably safe, he could allow himself to acknowledge it. And it was overwhelming enough to drive him to tears of mingled relief and horror. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure how long he knelt, weeping, on the rocky shore. But by the time his tears dried, he was shivering with the winter cold. It had beente summer when he had entered the tower, but clearly, the world had continued its steady march through time, and the seasons had turned. Thankfully, with his increased endurance, it wasn¡¯t nearly as deadly as it probably should have been. Still, it wasn¡¯tfortable, and so, hefting his staff in one hand and the Shard of the World Tree in the other, he pushed himself to his feet and crossed the ind. Before he¡¯d challenged the tower, Elijah¡¯s territory had only extended a couple hundred yards around his Grove. However, the moment he¡¯d climbed ashore, he¡¯d known that his Domain had grown to epass the entire ind. Because of that, he could feel everything around him. Normally, it was just background noise not dissimr from the ambient sound of any forest, but with a bit of mental effort, he could know the ind down to its most miniscule detail.He chose to keep the partition of his mind firmly in ce, mostly because it would have overwhelmed his mind with the sheer amount of knowledge. Instead, he let himself feel the area around him in a fifteen-foot radius, which seemed to be the limit without getting everything jumbled up. In any case, Elijah trekked across the ind. With his increased attributes and Essence of the Wolf pushing his speed to new heights, he covered the few miles with some crity, and soon enough, he arrived at his Grove. The sight of the familiar trees and his home nearly brought him to tears. Again. He¡¯d never been much of a crier, but spending months being abused both physically and psychologically could change that kind of thing in a hurry. And so, as he walked toward the ancestral tree at the center of the Grove, he let himself bask in the emotions. ¡°Nerthus?¡± he called,ying his hand on its trunk. He could feel it, and not just the Ethera coursing through it. No ¨C he could feel the life. The tree¡¯s cial thoughts. Its emotions, such as they were. It was content and, to Elijah¡¯s surprise, joyous. ¡°You made it!¡± came the gnarled, but high-pitched voice of the tree spirit. Elijah looked up to see that Nerthus¡¯ form had reached almost three feet in height, and he was currently sitting on the same branch where he usually appeared. ¡°I did,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t¡­¡± And then, once again, he copsed to his knees. This time, there were no tears. Just a mental acknowledgement of everything he¡¯d experienced. It was one thing to fight a few Voxxian invaders or giant crabs. But it was something else entirely to endure what he had in the tower. He looked up and said, ¡°That was the worst experience of my life.¡± But if Elijah was honest, that wasn¡¯t necessarily true. Certainly, it had been extremely stressful. And he could have done without all the pain. But there had also been triumphs, as he¡¯d felt after healing the ulthrak vige and defeating the giant isopod. Aside from the constant threat of death, he¡¯d even enjoyed the Sea of Sorrows, after a fashion. As he thought about it, Elijah realized that he much preferred his experiences in the tower over the time he¡¯d spent slowly dying of cancer. Back then, he¡¯d had no agency. No control. He was just waiting to die. But in the tower, he had the ability to fight. His survival was in his own hands. And that made all the difference. The real question was whether or not he would do it again. After all, as far as he knew, the same dangers would soon return. The Ethera would build, and the tower would need to be re-conquered. And Elijah only had to think about it for a moment to realize that, when the time came, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to go back in there. Partially because it was his responsibility, but also due to the sheer amount of progress he¡¯d made. Growing stronger was addictive and rewarding in its own right, after all. ¡°Pardon,¡± said Nerthus, interrupting his reverie. ¡°But¡­but what is that in your hand?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Elijah. He¡¯d intended to ask the tree spirit about his rewards, but in the wake of his relief at finally conquering the tower, he¡¯d forgotten. Still, he clutched the Shard of the World Tree in his fist. He held it up, saying, ¡°I got this for beating the final level.¡± Nerthus gasped, then copsed into convulsions. No ¨C wait. He wasn¡¯t convulsing. He was trembling while he knelt, his head on the branch. ¡°Uh¡­what¡¯s going on, Nerthus?¡± ¡°The¡­the¡­is that¡­that is a piece of the World Tree.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°Yeah? That¡¯s what the notification said. What¡¯s it do?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡­it is¡­¡± The tree spirit clearly couldn¡¯t find the words. So, Elijah said, ¡°Calm down. Just breathe. Wait ¨C do you breathe?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then do¡­whatever you do to calm down. Meditate or whatever.¡± It took a few more minutes to get Nerthus to rx, and even that was only partially sessful. In the end, he was still trembling ¨C with fear or excitement, Elijah wasn¡¯t sure ¨C but he was at least able to talk. ¡°It is a Shard of the World Tree,¡± the tree spirit exined. ¡°A holy artifact for¡­for any¡­¡± He sighed, then admitted, ¡°Ick the vocabry to exin what that means to me and my people. And anyone who venerates nature.¡± ¡°What is the World Tree?¡± Elijah asked. The name had popped up more than once, but he¡¯d never gotten a decent exnation as to what it was. ¡°It is the beginning and the end,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°It is the source of all life.¡± ¡°Oh¡­that clears it up¡­¡± Nerthus red. ¡°The World Tree is a universe unto itself,¡± he said. ¡°It runs parallel to our own, connecting everything and everyone. Without it, there would be no System. Nomunication or travel between worlds. It is the most important being in existence. That shard represents the tiniest sliver of its power. Normally, only the elder races would ever get the chance to see one, and even then, it is rare.¡± Elijah looked down at the small, crystalline object. It was white, with green veins pulsing through it, but to his senses, it was just an ordinary crystal. He didn¡¯t even feel any Ethera in it. ¡°What does it do, though?¡± ¡°It¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± Nerthus admitted. ¡°Not for sure. But there are legends¡­¡± ¡°Legends? What kind of legends?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I think that it could change everything,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Oh, yes. I feel it now. If my tree absorbs the shard, it will enhance the Grove¡¯s power.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nerthus admitted. ¡°Denser Ethera. Stronger vitality. And perhaps¡­perhaps more.¡± ¡°But it won¡¯t hurt, right?¡± Elijah asked. As it was, he had no real use for the shard. If it had emitted even a little Ethera, he might¡¯ve been more hesitant to let the tree absorb it. But at the end of the day, the Grove was his home, and anything that benefited it did the same for him. ¡°No. Not us.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Suppose that¡¯s all I need to know,¡± he said. Perhaps he was making a mistake. There was a chance that the Shard of the World Tree could help him more directly sometime in the future. But as he offered the crystalline shard to Nerthus, he felt good about the choice. Nerthus backed away. ¡°No. Do not offer it to me,¡± he said, trembling. ¡°I could¡­but¡­no. No, I mustn¡¯t. Press it against the trunk of the tree. Yes. Do it soon.¡± Elijah shrugged, then did just that, and when he held the splinter against the ancestral tree, it trembled. Then, in the space of a second, the Shard was gone. A momentter, a burst of Ethera swept out of the tree, and a notification appeared in Elijah¡¯s mind¡¯s eye.
The Shard of the World Tree has been absorbed by an Ancestral Tree.
¡°I really hope that was a good thing,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Oh, it is!¡± Nerthus responded. ¡°I can already feel it. And¡­oh, that is surprising¡­¡± ¡°What is?¡± Elijah asked, a little rmed. Thest thing he needed was more surprises. ¡°The ancestral tree is changing.¡± Elijah looked up, saying, ¡°Looks the same to me.¡± ¡°For now, the transformation is¡­well, it¡¯s more like an evolution. Think of it in terms of your cultivation, though all branches at once.¡± ¡°And again, this is good, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Better than good. It is life-changing.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°My progression is tied to the tree. The stronger it gets, the more powerful I be.¡± ¡°Tell me I didn¡¯t just create a monster,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°Oh, no. I am a natural spirit. As such, there is a limit to how much influence I can exert in the physical world. Tending to the tree ¨C and by extension, the Grove ¨C is my purpose. If I ever reached the Transcendent stage, that would change, but only minutely.¡± Elijah knew he wouldn¡¯t get much more information on the subject out of Nerthus, so he nodded. ¡°So, what can you tell me about the two other items I got in the tower,¡± Elijah said, holding up the hand where he wore both rings. The Ring of Aquatic Travel was visible, but the Ring of Anonymity was not, though he could still feel it on his pinky finger. ¡°The first one lets me breathe underwater, but the other is kind of a mystery.¡± ¡°I see only one.¡± ¡°Oh. Sorry,¡± Elijah said, pulling the ring off his finger. The moment he did, it became visible. ¡°Called the Ring of Anonymity.¡± ¡°Not umon in the wider universe,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°But it surprises me to see one here, given how new this world is.¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°Precisely what its name implies. You can use it to conceal your identity. Does it have one or two options?¡± ¡°Three. Anonymous, False Identity, and Deactivated,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Good, good. That means it is at least Simple grade. Perhaps even the lower reaches of Complex,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°The ring will allow you to either conceal or falsify your identity at will.¡± ¡°Like a disguise?¡± ¡°No. It only affects the response when others use an identification ability,¡± Nerthus stated. Then, seeing that Elijah had no idea what he was talking about, he went on to exin that some sses and archetypes had abilities that allowed them to identify people and objects. ¡°So, it¡¯s useless for me right now,¡± Elijah said, shaking his head. He put the ring back on. ¡°Not really anyone around here to hide from, right?¡± ¡°Just so. However, you may want to familiarize yourself with its use. If I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, you may wish to create a benign false identity that you can use when you eventually encounter civilization,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°Druids are notmon, and there are those who might target you for the archetype.¡± Elijah nodded, then, with a little focus on the Ring of Anonymity, which brought up the item¡¯s governing notification. After a little fiddling, he found that he could not only change his apparent level, but he could also choose from a long list of identifiers ranging from Fighter to Merchant and everything in between. For a long while, Elijah perused the list, as much to get a sense for what was out there as to find a viable alternative identity. The sheer breadth of options was overwhelming, and ording to Nerthus, it represented only a fraction of what was really possible. In the end, Elijah chose to reduce his apparent level and adopt the identity of a generic and non-threatening healer with an eminentlymon name.
Ring of Anonymity Equipped. Choose Mode: Anonymous Mike Smith ¨C Level 18 Healer (Currently Active) Deactivated
With that done, he left the tree spirit to his own devices and, for the first time in months, returned to his home. Once there, he wasted no time before heading to the bathroom. One good thing about his months-long stay in the tower was that it had given Nerthus plenty of time toplete the tree house. And that meant that it was now equipped with actual running water. When Elijah stepped under the stream of water ¨C which was more like a natural waterfall than anything else ¨C he felt much of his tension wash away alongside all the dirt and grime he¡¯d umted. Unfortunately, there was no soap ¨C Elijah had some ideas about how to remedy theck, but he¡¯d had no time to put his ns into ce ¨C but it was still the most wonderful shower he¡¯d ever experienced. After that, he ambled toward his bed, and for the first time in months, felt secure enough to fall into a deep and dreamless sleep. Book 1: Chapter 61: Safe and Sound Book 1: Chapter 61: Safe and Sound Elijah chipped thest bit of wood away, then ran his thumb over the pawn¡¯s head before holding it out to inspect. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but his whittling skills had improved since he¡¯d first washed ashore. And using the knife he¡¯d taken from the gnomish invader was much better than using the flint-ded knife upon which he¡¯d once relied. So, at least the chess piece was recognizable. He set it down on the homemade board, where it joined all the others he¡¯d carved. Finally, after four nights of work, he¡¯d finished the set. Leaning back in the chair, he looked down at the small pile of wood shavings and sighed. It had been almost a week since he¡¯d returned from the tower, and he¡¯d spent much of that time in total rxation. Sure, he still had to pick the incredibly nourishing berries from his garden, and he¡¯d spent a little time fishing as well, but after spending the past few months in a struggle for survival, none of that seemed so onerous. But as he sat there, Elijah had to admit something to himself. He was devastatingly bored. At first, whittling his chess board had been enough to stave off his boredom, and because of that, he¡¯d stretched the process out quite a bit. However, now that he was finished, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he was supposed to do with all his free time. If he¡¯d been back home in Hawai¡¯i, he might¡¯ve gone out hiking. Or hung out with his friends and coworkers. Perhaps gone on a date with Lacey. Maybe he would have nted himself in front of hisptop and watched some trashy television or thetest, greatest prestige drama. He could¡¯ve gone to a football game. He could¡¯ve yed basketball. Or headed down to the gym to workout. The modern world was replete with near infinite ways to waste time and rx, but stranded on his ind, opportunities for recreation were slim. Which was why he¡¯d long since taken to carving various bits of wood. Still, that could only upy him for so long before he started to go a little crazy. The fact was that, with his basic needs met, and with the safety his home represented, boredom had truly begun to set in.Sighing, Elijah decided to do something he¡¯d been putting off for some time. So, he rose from his seat ¨C which had been grown from the floor ¨C and prepared for a little excursion. Or more urately, a project that had been sitting in the back of his mind for months before he¡¯d entered the tower. To put it simply, he wanted to make some soap. At the most basic level, he understood the process well enough. He needed to make some lye, then melt some fat, and add the two together. He¡¯d even seen it done a few times when he was young. But vague memories were not enough to make him confident that he could do it. Still, he was willing to try. So, the first thing he did ¨C after slipping on some shorts he¡¯d cobbled together from thest remnants of the cloth he¡¯d taken from the invaders ¨C was grab his equipment. Staff in one hand and the axe he¡¯d taken from the dwarf in the other, he descended from his tree house and into the early morning air. It was cold, but judging from theck of bite in the wind, winter was close to giving way to spring. His first task in his quest for soap was simple: find lots of wood. So, axe in hand, he set off into the forest and set about the arduous process of gathering fallen branches, which he dragged back to his old cabin. It was just as decrepit as always, but at least the smell of rotten crab had dissipated in the months since he¡¯dst visited. Once there, he cleared an area, then once it was free of debris, he started piling his branches. It took most of the day to get enough, but by the time he¡¯d finished, he had enough for a sizable bonfire. He lit it, then sat back to watch as the mes enveloped the meticulously stacked branches. Once that was done, he found arge tree whose trunk was nearly two feet across, then set about cutting it down. With his enhanced Strength, Elijah was only held back by his tools. Luckily, the dwarven axe was well-made, and the tree fell after only a couple of hours. By that point, night had begun to fall, so he retreated back to his tree house, where he spent the night whittling before going to sleep. The next morning, he returned to cut the fallen tree into two sections before rolling them next to the remains of the bonfire. Elijah added some additional branches, then started the process of turning the rounds of lumber into a pair of barrels, which, over the next few days, he aplished by slowly chipping away at the interiors of both. It really wasn¡¯t so different from how he¡¯d created his bowls, just on a muchrger scale. In the end, it was an entire week before he was satisfied, and by that point, he¡¯d managed to umte a huge pile of wood ash. So, after lining the bottom of thergest barrel with sticks, thenyering some pine straw overtop that, he started shoveling ash inside. Once the barrel was full, he took the smaller barrel, which he estimated would probably hold about twenty gallons of water, to the stream, where he filled it. Then, Elijah started pouring water into therger barrel, stopping only when he¡¯d created a soupy mess that he covered with ayer of sticks and moss. With that done, he dropped off his tools at his tree house, then shifted into a panther and went on the hunt. Given his awareness of everything on the ind, locating his prey wasughably easy, and he quickly hunted down and killed arge boar. The only tricky part was avoiding its lethal tusks, but Elijah was experienced enough with hunting dangerous prey that he had no issues with that. Once the animal was dead, he shifted back into human form and dragged the three-hundred pound carcass back to the cabin, where he processed it. The meat and edible organs went back to the tree house¡¯s cold storage, but he had other ns for theyer of fat he took from the animal¡¯s back. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. After cutting it into chunks, he gathered the old pot he¡¯d long ago found in the cabin, then started melting the fat down over a smaller fire he¡¯d built. Once it had turned to liquid, he poured it through a piece of cloth ¨C again, taken from the clothing he¡¯d looted from the invaders ¨C and into one of his bowls. He repeated that process a couple of times until he had nothing but pure fat, which he left to cool and harden. With that done, his next task was to gather something to make the eventual product smell a bit better. For that, he harvested some pine oil before retiring for the night. The next day, he poked a hole in the bottom of hisrge barrel and drained the ash water into the smaller receptacle. The dark brown color looked right, but he needed to check if it was appropriately alkaline. To do that, he tasted it. Normally, he¡¯d never have done that ¨C that was a good way to get your tongue melted ¨C but he had ess to Touch of Nature, so he wasn¡¯t afraid of ying loose and fast with his own health. Fortunately for his tongue, it was only slightly alkaline. Unfortunately for his project, that meant he needed to repeat the process. So, he filled the barrel ¨C better categorized as a lye hopper, considering its use ¨C with more ash, then poured the water back in. It took three more rounds over the next week to get it where he wanted, but by the time he¡¯d finished, he was satisfied with the results. So, after straining it a couple of times, he boiled the resulting liquid into a more concentrated solution. Finally, he was ready to make his soap. The remaining process involved melting the fat, then adding the lye water before spending the next three hours stirring it. During that time, he added a bit of pine oil and a few pinches of salt he¡¯d gotten by boiling seawater. Eventually, the mixture took on a pudding-like consistency, telling him that it was ready. Upon reaching that point, Elijah poured the white substance into a mold he¡¯d whittled for that purpose and took it back to his tree house. After that, it was just a matter of waiting a few weeks until everything hardened. All in all, it had taken Elijah a week to finish the project. But now? He was back to having nothing to upy his time. So, without anything else to focus on, he returned to his Grove and, while ring Nature¡¯s Bounty, circled through the garden. He was on his third revolution when he noticed that the ancestral tree had subtly changed. Before, it had taken the appearance of a massive and ancient oak tree. It wasn¡¯t one, but that was how it had looked. But now? Its brown¨Cgrey bark had begun to skew closer to white, and its leaves ¨C which, given the season, the presence of which was more than a little incongruous ¨C were distinctly lighter. In addition, the Ethera in the area felt noticeably thicker than before. He shook his head, knowing that the Shard of the World Tree was responsible. Was that the extent of the changes he could expect? Or was there more in store? There was no way to know, but Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯d made a big mistake. In any case, after finishing his rounds, he set off to explore more of the ind. He was aware of everything in his territory ¨C which stretched across the whole ind ¨C but there was a distinct difference between that awareness and actuallyying eyes on it. To Elijah, it felt like the difference between seeing photos of something and experiencing it. So, with that in mind, he began a thorough exploration of the territory he¡¯d imed. That upied him for the next few days, though when he reached the cliff overlooking the tower, he got an incredible surprise. He could feel the seafloor. His Domain only extended a few feet past the cliff, but it had definitively grown. Which, ording to Nerthus, should not have been possible. So, Elijah used Ancestral Circle to teleport back to his Grove, then marched toward the ancestral tree to demand some answers. Nerthus responded to his calls with some crity, and when Elijah told him what was happening, the tree spirit said, ¡°It must be the shard. The boundaries of your Domain are no longer as fixed as they once were.¡± ¡°Does this mean it¡¯ll keep growing forever?¡± ¡°No. This is toorge, and the Ethera is too diffuse,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°But with luck, your territory will soon epass the tower. If that happens, you will not need to conquer it again.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°The excess Ethera the tower is meant to contain will go to fueling your Grove,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°It¡¯s not dissimr from how the Grove prevents the manifestation of other dimensional rifts.¡± That was when Elijah realized that, since returning from the tower, he¡¯d yet to see or feel any other Voxx incursions. When he asked Nerthus about it, the tree spirit exined that his Grove drained any dimensional disturbances of Ethera, keeping them from forming. ¡°It won¡¯tpletely disable the tower, but it will keep it from overflowing,¡± Nerthus finished. ¡°Assuming that your Domain grows thatrge, of course.¡± That was a weight off Elijah¡¯s shoulders. Even if he was a little bored, he¡¯d been dreading going back into the tower. If it was necessary, he¡¯d already decided he would do it, but now, it didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d have to. Not unless he wanted to. It was just a seed of a feeling, but Elijah had begun to move past some of the more horrible aspects of his time in the tower. He could acknowledge that they were terrible, but time had begun to heal those wounds and blur the memories. Instead, he¡¯d started to focus on how much he had grown as well as the triumph he¡¯d felt upon conquering it. ¡°That is not umon,¡± Nerthus said when Elijah had exined what he was feeling. ¡°This universe is built on Strength, and the most efficient way to progress is to challenge dimensional rifts and conquer towers.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What is to prevent me from conquering it again, then?¡± Indeed, if that was the best way to grow stronger, then it made sense to simply repeat the process over and over. ¡°Diminishing returns,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°Doing so will not gain as much kill energy. Of course, you can still earn money, but ¨C¡± ¡°Money? I didn¡¯t get any money.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Exin.¡± Nerthus sighed. ¡°The System rewards killing Voxx more than anything else, and the same goes for killing creatures in the towers,¡± he said. ¡°Some of that rewardes via kill energy ¨C which is just another form of Ethera, by the way ¨C but the bulk of the reward is mary. If you wish to collect your reward, you only need to go to a Branch of the World Tree, which will read your status and give you your reward in the form of currency.¡± ¡°I¡­and where do I find one of a Branch of the World Tree?¡± ¡°Major poption centers,¡± said Nerthus. ¡°Like the settlement across the strait?¡± ¡°Perhaps, if they imported one. For natives, someone will have to first join the Cult of the World Tree as an Envoy, which will grant a spell to grow a Branch,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°It really is exciting. Most people in the wider universe never get to see such a thing.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that when I reach one of these Branches, it¡¯ll be able to tell what I¡¯ve killed, and they¡¯ll just give me a bunch of money,¡± Elijah summarized. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to know,¡± he said. He had no idea how the System¡¯s mary System had been implemented in the world atrge, but he suspected that, as was always the case in any society, money would be incredibly important going forward. Not that it did him much good. He was still stuck on his ind, and though he felt confident about crossing the strait, he certainly couldn¡¯t do so until his domain rendered the tower safe. So, he really wasn¡¯t any better off than before. But on the bright side, at least he¡¯d have some soap in a couple of weeks. Book 1: Chapter 62: Curiosity Book 1: Chapter 62: Curiosity Saraalinisa looked around with wide eyes, her every footfall apanied by fresh awe. The trees were so green, the local fauna so varied ¨C it was so distinctly wild that she could not help but wonder if the curated forests of her homnd even qualified for thebel. The Empire of Scale was one of the oldest in existence, and though there were plenty of untamednds within its borders, the inhabited territory was so thoroughly controlled that it could scarcely even be called wild. Or that was true of anyce Saraalinisa had been allowed to roam unsupervised. That was why she had begged her mother to allow her to visit the newly integrated world called Earth. If she was ever to realize her potential as a true dragon, she needed to experience a world without the protection and guidance of her everpresent chaperones. It had taken some time to convince her mother ¨C a powerful elder dragon in her own right ¨C but in the end, her logic was unassable. No one truly progressed beneath the shelter of a powerful wing. Instead, a hatchling had to experience the world for herself, lest she be unprepared for the challenges inherent in evolution. Earth represented a perfect opportunity. Even though Saraalinisa was barely more than a hatchling, she was still a member of an elder race. That meant that she was at the pinnacle of what could exist on a newly integrated world. Of the inhabitants of Earth, only truly mighty Guardians could rival her power, and those posed no threat to her. Indeed, they would be more likely to assist than attack. No - she was in no real danger. Otherwise, her mother never would have allowed her to visit the. So, the juvenile dragon was more than a little surprised when she caught an ephemeral whiff of something extremely interesting. Sinceing to Earth, she had sensed plenty of spikes of Ethera. The world was still in flux, and as such, the ambient Ethera was unsettled. However, there was a distinct difference between wild Ethera and what she felt in the distance. It wasn¡¯t just powerful. It was enticing in a way she couldn¡¯t quite understand. As a result, Saraalinisa was moving before she had a chance to examine her curiosity. Her form wasrge ¨C at least for the tiny world in which she found herself ¨C but she moved through the forest with sinuous speed. A few local animals fled before her, and rightly so. While she was barely more than a hatchling, on Earth, she was mighty, and the wildlife could sense that they were in the presence of an apex hunter. It reminded her of her youth, when she was little more than a clever lizard. That was decades ago, but she still remembered it with some degree of fondness. Back then, she had fought, tooth and w, for every advantage. And through some twist of fate, she¡¯d managed to survive. She had thrived, steadily growing in power and intelligence until, atst, sapience had bloomed. That was when her mother had found her. From then on, she had been coddled as she was ushered into juvenility. She had grown into a mighty ¨C if young ¨C dragon. Still, Saraalinisa had a long way to go before she could truly im her birthright, and when she did, she would need to be much, much stronger.Those thoughts and more slithered through her mind as she stalked through the forest. Every now and then, she came across particrly slow animals, which she used to satisfy her budding hunger. The furry, little creatures went down in a single gulp, reminding her of what she had left behind. They were not unpleasant; in fact, despite the gamey tinge to the meat, she enjoyed the little morsels. However, they were nothingpared to the feasts her mother¡¯s servants prepared on a daily basis. Gradually, she drew closer to the curious ethereal aroma, and with every step, it grew more potent until she could think of little else. In the back of her mind, Saraalinisa knew she should have maintained caution, but abination of the overwhelmingly enticing smell, her natural curiosity, and the certitude in her own might pushed it aside. Still, she maintained her wits enough that, when she reached the source, she recognized it for the danger it represented. But by that point, she could not stop, and she ran headlong into the trap. Even as the ethereal bonds snapped around her, she fought against them, ripping them to pieces with her ws and teeth. If she was a little older, she might have won free. However, the trap had been well designed, and soon enough, she found herself pressed against the loamy forest floor. Incapable of moving, she tried to use her natural gifts, but only a tiny gout of golden me came from her snout. And even that petered out after only a few seconds. That was when she realized what was happening. The trap was draining her Ethera. Panic enveloped her heart as she recognized the dangerous situation for what it was. She writhed and snapped, but her efforts were useless. Steadily, the trap siphoned her Strength away until exhaustion gripped her in its ws. She still tried to fight it, but soon enough, she could not even force herself to move. And then, darkness began to close in until, atst, she sumbed to unconsciousness. Thest thing she saw before she passed out was a grinning gnome with a blood-red mohawk. * * * Cabbot let out a sigh of relief as he looked at the gold dragon he¡¯d trapped. It was still alive ¨C no trap he could set would be sufficient to drain such a creature¡¯s vitality ¨C but it would remain unconscious until he released it. Which he wouldn¡¯t. Instead, he had ns. This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°That what I think it is?¡± asked Brogan, the gnomish tracker who¡¯d first found the dragon¡¯s trail. ¡°You knew we were hunting a dragon,¡± Cabbot said, ncing at the shaggy-haired gnome. ¡°Aye. But I thought it was a dragonkin. Like a wyrm or a drake or somethin¡¯,¡± the scout said. ¡°Didn¡¯t think we were huntin¡¯ a real dragon. And a gold one at that. You sure you want to deal with that kind of weight?¡± Cabbot rolled his eyes. Dragons were powerful enough, but they had to work within the confines dictated by the World Tree, just like everyone else. Sure, if he was stupid enough to ever go to the Empire of Scale ¨C or one of their subordinate territories ¨C he might be in trouble. But he didn¡¯t think so. Earth was an unimed, and as such, he could do whatever he wanted. Even if half the universe would look down on him for it. The other half, on the other hand, would be jealous of the opportunity. But that was the nature of things, and just by virtue of his birth, he knew which side he fell on. ¡°I think we¡¯ll be just fine,¡± Cabbot said. Then, to the others, he said, ¡°Now, bind it, pack it away, and get it to the ritual chamber.¡± Brogan spat, then asked, ¡°You ain¡¯t gonna help?¡± ¡°I have better things to do,¡± was Cabbot¡¯s answer. The other gnome didn¡¯t seem to like that very much, but Cabbot was banking on Brogan knowing who held the purse strings. ¡°Just get it done.¡± ¡°Aight,¡± he said. Then to his helpers, he said, ¡°C¡¯mon boys. You heard ¡®im. Let¡¯s do it.¡± Cabbot stayed around long enough to ensure that they weren¡¯t going to mess it up, then retreated through the forest, eventually arriving back in Ironshore. Once he did, he quickly made his way to the barracks, where he collected the Ritualists he¡¯d hired. They¡¯d been cooling their heels for weeks while Cabbot and the others hunted the dragon down, and so, they were eager to finish the job. To that end, Cabbot led them into the mines and to the specially prepared chamber where they would drain the dragon¡¯s essence. There, they set up their rituals as Cabbot waited for the scouts to bring the creature along. Once they were finished, the leader asked, ¡°What do you intend to do with the essence? I can offer you ¨C¡± ¡°I have big ns,¡± Cabbot stated. ¡°Very big ns.¡± ¡°Do you need the services of an alchemist?¡± Cabbot shook his head. ¡°No. I intend to use an old friend,¡± he said. ¡°He is an Ascendent Alchemist working for the Ferdan Family.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said the robed gnome. ¡°Impressive. Making Ascendent as a craftsman is no small feat. He must be talented.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°What of the other materials?¡± the ritualist leader asked. Cabbot still hadn¡¯t learned his name. Nor did he want to. Ritualists who specialized in essence-draining were not looked upon favorably in most circles. They were necessary, but most people were ufortable with the process. Some people even called it a vition of a creature¡¯s soul. A ridiculous superstition, as far as Cabbot was concerned. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that,¡± he said. It would be a shame if such a potent resource went to waste. ¡°Do you have something in mind?¡± ¡°I do. Our¡­organization will be happy to take them off your hands,¡± he said, greedily rubbing his hands together. ¡°You will bepensated, of course. Not only will we pay¡­ah¡­handsomely for those resources, but we will also be in your debt. I don¡¯t think I need to remind you of how useful that could be, considering the nature of our rtionship.¡± Indeed, the only reason Cabbot had known to call on Erlych in the first ce was because he¡¯d used them before. Not on anything so taboo as a dragon ¨C or any other sentient race ¨C but that rtionship was the poorly concealed secret to his family¡¯s power. After all, being able to trap powerful monsters was useless without the means to eke out every ounce of benefit, which was where the ritualists came in. Or rather, the Cult of the Devourer. The Ritualists came from aparatively weak sect within the cult, but they were clearly adherents of the religion. Cabbot didn¡¯t know much about them, save that they worshipped an ancient Transcendent being whose power was built on consuming the power of others. He¡¯d never researched more than that because, well, he found the notion far too enticing to trust. The Church of the Devourer wasn¡¯t exactly illegal, but the organization was certainly frowned upon in most societies. However, that didn¡¯t stop people from seeking out their services; they just didn¡¯t talk about it at parties. In any case, Cabbot knew just how valuable a good rtionship with the Church could be, so he said, ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. Just let me know what you¡¯re willing to pay for the carcass, and we¡¯ll address this once you¡¯ve had a chance to examine it.¡± ¡°The creature is not an ¡®it¡¯,¡± the ritualist leader stated. ¡°What?¡± ¡°They have an identity. A gender. They are a living, thinking, and self-aware being with a soul,¡± he responded. ¡°To refer to them as an ¡®it¡¯ robs it of dignity.¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to drain it of its essence,¡± Cabbot stated. ¡°It won¡¯t have any dignity left when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Yes. Our ts require that we acknowledge what we¡¯re taking,¡± he responded. ¡°Make no mistake. A sapient being will die, their soul stripped away so that we may progress. That is as the Devourer dictates.¡± Cabbot resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He¡¯d seen the creature. It was nothing more than a giant, unthinking lizard. Perhaps it would one day be more ¨C or it would¡¯ve been before he captured it ¨C but for now, it was just another monster. He wasn¡¯t going to say that, though. Not to a gnome who could, with a single order, ruin all of Cabbot¡¯s ns. So, he just nodded his head in acquiescence, saying, ¡°If you say so.¡± After that, the conversation petered out until a couple of hourster when the hunters arrived. Between them they carried a sizable litter, the contents of which was covered in a heavy tarp. It was curious, but at a nce, there was no way anyone could have identified the bulky burden as a living dragon. At the ritualists¡¯ direction, the trackers-turned-porters deposited the creature in the center of the room, where the ritualists had drawn their glyphs and sigils. After that, they hurried away, clearly wanting nothing to do with what was going to happen next. ¡°How long?¡± asked Cabbot before they could get started. ¡°Days, at least. Maybe weeks. It depends on how much power she has.¡± Cabbot nodded, then said, ¡°Then let¡¯s hope for weeks. I¡¯ll leave you to it, then.¡± The lead ritualist nodded, but before Cabbot could leave, he said, ¡°Think on what I said. No poweres without sacrifice.¡± Cabbot didn¡¯t respond, instead pretending that he hadn¡¯t heard. As he left the ritual chamber behind, passing into the mines, the whole of his mind was upied as he considered everything he stood to gain. Book 1: Chapter 63: A Plea for Help Book 1: Chapter 63: A Plea for Help Though it took almost three weeks to fully harden, the soap turned out exactly as Elijah had hoped, which was to say that, while it was a little harsh, it did the job. So it was that, after spending almost two years on his ind, he was finally able to reach a reasonable level of cleanliness. After that, he copsed onto the bed, which was made of pleasant-smelling moss and leaves, he looked up at the softly glowing flowers above him and let out a satisfied sigh. It had taken a long time, but he¡¯d finally achieved a level offort that should have been impossible. So, of course it couldn¡¯tst. ¡°Elijah,¡± came Nerthus¡¯s soft voice. Elijah looked up to see the tree spirit standing in his doorway. ¡°What?¡± he asked. Then, seeing the troubled expression on Nerthus¡¯s face, he sighed and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me the tower is about to burst again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called a Surge,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°But no. The local tower should be subdued for some time yet. Perhaps for as long as the Grove persists, if your Domain continues to grow.¡± The boundaries of Elijah¡¯s territory had continued to expand, but the growth was slow, and even if it kept going at the same rate, it would take months for the tower to be subsumed into his Domain. Hopefully, it would happen quickly enough that Elijah wouldn¡¯t be forced to challenge it again. He could acknowledge that his previous experience within the tower had been valuable for his personal growth, but that didn¡¯t mean he was eager for a repeat. ¡°Here¡¯s hoping, then,¡± Elijah said, making a show of crossing his fingers. Nerthus clearly didn¡¯t understand the gesture. ¡°Yes. Of course. The reason I¡¯ve disturbed your rest is more troubling than the tower, though,¡± Nerthus said, nervously looking down as he shuffled from one foot to the next. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good,¡± Elijah said, sitting up. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±¡°I have been¡­contacted by a powerful being,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°And she made a request that I don¡¯t think we should turn down.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t like the way that sounded. He sat up. ¡°Powerful being? That¡¯s a bit vague, man. Can¡¯t you be a little more specific?¡± he asked. In a clear effort topose himself, Nerthus took a deep breath. ¡°A dragon.¡± ¡°What? A dragon? Like a huge reptile with wings and ¨C¡± ¡°Dragons are technically not reptilian, though they do share some characteristics,¡± he said. ¡°But if you ever meet one ¨C which seems likely, if you are to fulfil the request ¨C you should not liken them to lizards.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because they are touchy about that sort of thing, and you do not wish to anger a dragon.¡± ¡°I think I probably already know the answer to this,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But why not?¡± ¡°Because a suitably upset dragon is fully capable of destroying this entire.¡± ¡°Gotcha. Don¡¯t piss dragons off,¡± Elijah said. ¡°So ¨C if they¡¯re so powerful, then why would one need to make a request of me?¡± Nerthus answered, ¡°Because this is young. Its Ethera is weak enough that a fully-grown dragon couldn¡¯t survive here. However, that is not to say that they couldn¡¯t destroy this whole from afar. Or if they set foot on the surface.¡± Elijah sighed. He certainly didn¡¯t like the sound of that. Nor was he thrilled with the implications behind the statement. It felt like Nerthus was telling him that if he didn¡¯t do what this dragon asked, then he would run the risk of having his entire destroyed. ¡°What does this dragon want?¡± ¡°Something was stolen from her,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°In fact, it is, at this moment, only a few miles away. She wishes for you to retrieve it.¡± That sounded very vague to Elijah, and he said as much before asking what, precisely, had been stolen. ¡°Her daughter,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°She is barely past the hatchling stage, though even that should have been plenty to survive a new such as this. However, she was abducted soon after her arrival and brought to the settlement across the strait.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I mean, if dragons are so powerful, why would anyone do something so stupid?¡± Nerthus sighed. ¡°I have mentioned this a few times, but this universe can be roughly divided into two philosophies,¡± he said. ¡°On one side, there are those who see the world as theirs by right. They consume, using any means they can to progress. On the other are those like you who, instead, seek to harmonize with the natural world. ¡°The first way is faster, but ites at a cost. Once a resource is used, it is gone. These devourers must continuously seek new sources of power,¡± Nerthus went on. ¡°They are, in a very real way, a spreading virus that will consume the universe. The worst of them adhere to the Church of the Devourer, a Transcendent being older than your world and much more powerful than anything you can imagine.¡± ¡°But these¡­devourers, their way works, right?¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°And the other side?¡± Elijah asked, already guessing the answer. Still, he wanted it confirmed. ¡°Preservationists seek to cultivate rtionships with sources of power,¡± he said. ¡°For instance, if a devourer were to encounter this Grove, he would harvest the ancestral tree and use the wood to fuel his own advancement.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Potions. Rituals to temporarily provide an ideal cultivation environment. Sacrifices. They might even consume the wood via mastication,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°The methods are many and varied. But the results are the same. They get a little stronger, and this Grove would cease to exist. Once they¡¯d wrung every ounce of power from it, they would move on to the next. And the next after that. Over and over until they reached the pinnacle or there was nothing left.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m already a preservationist, huh?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Or does harvesting the berries in this Grove mark me as a devourer? What if I was to ¨C¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have been offered the druid archetype if you were the sort who might be a devourer.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°But most people are somewhere in between,¡± Nerthus admitted. ¡°And though I may not like it, I can¡¯t me people for grasping at power. However, there are those who take things too far. That is what we¡¯re dealing with here.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Dragons are some of the most powerful creatures in the known universe,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°The people who kidnapped the young one intend to drain her.¡± ¡°Drain her? That¡¯s¡­wait¡­they¡¯re going to use a sentient creature as fuel?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­I mean¡­is that even allowed?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Nerthus eximed. ¡°But there are those who will do anything for power.¡± Elijah shook his head. The idea was abhorrent, but he could understand the motivation. On Earth, people had done horrible things for money and power, so the idea that some would be willing to sacrifice a sapient creature just to enhance their own cultivation wasn¡¯t all that surprising. Greed, it seemed, was a constant, even in the wider universe. ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°The task is simple. Retrieve the young one.¡± He waved his hand, and a notification bloomed before Elijah¡¯s eyes.
A powerful entity has offered you a Task: Objective: Rescue the Child Reward: Blessing of the Dragon, Kirlissa Do you ept?
¡°This looks like the tasks I did in the tower,¡± Elijah said. Then, he looked up at Nerthus and asked, ¡°How?¡± ¡°Sufficient power gives you the option of offering official tasks through the System,¡± he said. ¡°I am merely the vessel by which the dragon acted.¡± ¡°What is the Blessing of the Dragon?¡± Nerthus shook his head. ¡°That, I do not know,¡± he said. ¡°It could be a useful item. It could be ethereum. Or anything else. There is no limit, save for the level of power of the offered reward.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Enough to make a difference. Not enough to change the fate of this world,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°So, will you take the task?¡± ¡°I have one more question,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Why me?¡± Nerthus cocked his head to the side as if confused. Then, he said, ¡°Because you are a druid.¡± ¡°Yeah, no ¨C I know I am. But what difference does that make? I¡¯m sure there are lots of druids.¡± ¡°No. There aren¡¯t. Perhaps a few thousand satisfied the requirements of that archetype. Of those, only a couple hundred managed to survive. It is a prestigious and rare archetype. Even more so because you have managed to gain power so quickly. Usually, druids are much slower and far lessbative. The more action-oriented of the archetype tend to die early deaths.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s¡­I don¡¯t know if I should feel good about myself for surviving or terrible for all the people who died.¡± ¡°Both,¡± said Nerthus. ¡°Still ¨C that doesn¡¯t answer the question. What makes me being a druid so important?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Dragons trust druids.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Mutual benefit and aligned philosophies,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°That is not to say they are one entity. Dragons tend to be¡­proud, and though dragons and druids have often allied with one another, there is still some level of animosity. However, with something of this nature, there is no better ally than a druid.¡± Elijah still didn¡¯t quite understand. It was just an archetype, which in turn, was just a means to get some useful spells. But he wasn¡¯t going to argue with the tree spirit¡¯s assertion. ¡°Okay ¨C I thought of another question. How did the dragon contact you?¡± ¡°Very painfully,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°I barely survived the touch of her mind.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°So, will you ept the task?¡± the tree spirit asked. Elijah was torn. He had seen how powerful the people across the strait were when they¡¯d killed the guardian. So, what chance did he have of going up against an entire settlement? But then again, could he sit on the sidelines and let an innocent person die? Sure, that person was a dragon, but that didn¡¯t really matter. She was just a child. What kind of monster would he have to be to ignore her plight? And then there was the reward. The Blessing of the Dragon was a bit ambiguous, but Nerthus seemed convinced that it would be worth it. Besides, if dragons were so powerful, then a blessing bearing their name was clearly something worth pursuing. Just like that, Elijah knew what he would do. So, he epted the task, then told Nerthus his decision. The tree spirit seemed relieved, but he was also clearly worried. ¡°I need to get ready,¡± Elijah said. And so he did. He didn¡¯t have much in the way of supplies to gather, but he did grab his staff. One thing he¡¯d discovered was that, so long as he was wearing an item ¨C even if it was something like a knife stuck to his belt or a pack secured to his back ¨C it would transform right alongside him. That would have been good to know before he¡¯d challenged the tower, but back then, he¡¯d just assumed it was just his staff that transformed with him. So, he¡¯d never even tried it. Now he knew, though, and so, he could prepare ordingly. After stuffing one of his woven satchels full of berries and mushrooms, Elijah stuck his pilfered knife into a homemade sheath at his waist. Then, after checking everything a second time, he bade goodbye to Nerthus, who wished him luck. Then, he set off across his ind. Soon enough, he reached his destination. The boat hadn¡¯t been in the water since he¡¯d helped kill the trio of invaders who¡¯d infiltrated his ind, and the months that had passed since then had left it a little worse for wear. Still, it wasn¡¯t rotted, so he figured it would hold together at least long enough for him to reach the other shore. However, Elijah wasn¡¯t going to set off until after dark. So, he settled down to wait. In that time, he focused on what he nned to do. He didn¡¯t know theyout of the settlement ¨C which, by that point, had be a proper city, with thousands of residents ¨C but he hoped he could figure things out when he got there. It wasn¡¯t much of a n, but he didn¡¯t know how else to aplish the task at hand. Eventually, night began to fall, apanied by a light drizzle. Elijah looked to the west and saw dark clouds on the horizon. There was a storming, and he could only hope that he had the means to survive it. Book 1: Chapter 64: Ironshore Book 1: Chapter 64: Ironshore Rain fell in heavy drops that reminded Elijah that spring would soon overtake winter. But it had yet to arrive, as evidenced by the biting cold that refused to relinquish its grip. Elijah ignored it as he pushed the small boat out into the sea. He had endured worse, and he knew his suffering had only begun. He could only hope that it would be worth it. Once the water reached his waist, he climbed into the boat, grabbed the oars, and started to row. With his enhanced Constitution, it was trivial to send the vessel cutting through the waves, and soon enough, he was skipping along the surface with some speed. Still, the strait was wide, and even as the darkness of full night enveloped him, he continued to row towards his destination. Even with his augmented Strength, it took Elijah over two hours to cross the strait, partially due to the distance, but also because the boat itself had never been built for speed. Still, he made it without much difficulty. Upon reaching the shore, which was just as rocky as that of his ind, he climbed out of the boat and dragged it out of the sea. For his point of ingress, Elijah had chosen a spot about a mile up the shore from the edge of the settlement. He¡¯d done so in an effort to avoid detection; after all, the town was well-lit, and it would have been tempting fate to assume he could arrive at the dock unseen. Thankfully, the tree line was only a few feet from the shore, which allowed Elijah to quickly drag the boat under cover. Once that was taken care of, Elijah recast his enhancements ¨C Essence of the Wolf, Essence of the Monkey, and Aura of Renewal ¨C before casting Shape of the Predator. As always, One with Nature was still active as well. Once he¡¯d assumed the form of a mist panther, he set off through the forest. As he slowly padded through the woods, nimbly leaping over fallen trees and across the dips in the terrain, he sorely missed the awareness of his Domain. He hadn¡¯t felt it back in the tower, but in the weeks since returning to the ind, he¡¯d grown used to knowing everything about his surroundings. Fortunately, One With Nature acted as a watered-down version of the skill. The breadth of knowledge it granted was far more limited, and it only extended a dozen yards around him, but it was much better than nothing. Gradually, he covered the ground between hisnding spot to the clearing surrounding the city. As he did, he tried to n for what he would find. A hundred possibilities flitted through his mind, but they were all useless until he knew what obstacles might bar his way. He reached the edge of the forest, then bounded up a tree until he was twenty or thirty feet from the ground. From that elevated position, he gazed out across the clearing at the settlement. The first thing he noticed was that it was far more developed than he¡¯d expected. The buildings weren¡¯t so different from what he might¡¯ve seen from industrious humans, though the few residents he saw put the lie to that image.Gnomes, dwarves, and goblins made up the majority of the poption, but he also saw a couple of creatures he could only categorize as dark elves. Because of their onyx skin, refined features, tapered ears, and stark white hair, Elijah couldn¡¯t think of them as anything else. After watching for a while, Elijah resigned himself to the inevitable. He could only glean so much information from afar; he would have to enter the settlement if he wanted to find the dragon¡¯s daughter andplete the task he¡¯d been given. So, after only a little more hesitation, he descended from his perch and embraced Guise of the Unseen before setting off across the clearing. However, after only a few feet, he felt something in the ambient Ethera shift, a feeling that was quickly followed by a sense of vague unease. When he felt that, he stopped in his tracks and retreated a few feet until he felt things return to normal. It took a few more passes before he found the line of demarcation. After a few more minutes of study ¨C during which he followed the line across the clearing ¨C he determined that it surrounded the settlement. With that in mind, and without any other indications as to the purpose, Elijah set out to test it further. As he did, he determined that it clearly wasn¡¯t dangerous, but there was something about it that tickled at the back of his mind. So, after finding a hollow that was out of line of sight of the settlement, he shifted back to his human form. Then, he crossed the line, and just as he¡¯d expected, he felt nothing. That cemented it. The line wasn¡¯t so different from the boundaries of his Domain. However, instead of granting awareness, it was meant to keep the wildlife away. Perhaps it even prevented dimensional rifts from forming. He didn¡¯t know enough to draw any further conclusions, so he retreated out of sight and waited for his Ethera to regenerate. Once it did, he once again assumed the form of a mist panther and stalked forward. After crossing the line, the sense of unease returned, but it wasn¡¯t enough to dissuade him from continuing. Perhaps that was because he wasn¡¯t truly an animal. Or maybe his attributes protected him. It might¡¯ve even been One With Nature keeping the boundary from fully affecting him. Whatever the case, it was easily endured, so he continued to stalk toward the settlement. As he drew closer, more of the town¡¯s details became apparent. It was lit by what looked like gasmps, though the light was different enough that Elijah thought they must have been powered by Ethera. The buildings themselves were made from a mixture of quarried stone and wood from the surrounding forests, and from an architectural perspective, were entirely unimpressive in their mundanity. Elijah padded forward, keeping low and trusting the shadows and Guise of the Unseen to keep him hidden. Even so, he took great pains to avoid the residents. By that point, it was well past midnight, so there weren¡¯t many out and about, but there were enough that Elijah had to choose his route into the city with care. Fortunately, there were no active defenses or guards; otherwise, he might¡¯ve been found. Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Over the next few hours, Elijah explored the city, and as he did, he was struck by just how normal everything seemed. The residents were all mythological creatures ¨C at least from his perspective ¨C but they acted much as he¡¯d have expected from humans. He saw them eating, drinking,ughing with their friends, and enjoying all sorts of leisure activities. He passed a few taverns, and he even crept into a couple of domiciles to see them sleeping. It was all just so normal. And even when he was focused on the task before him, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of just how lonely he was. It had been years since he¡¯d spoken to another human being, much less done something so mundane as hung out at a bar. Once, Elijah had taken that sort of thing for granted, but now, he knew just how valuablepanionship really was. More, the city ¨C and the normalcy of its atmosphere ¨C suggested that the world hadn¡¯t fared as poorly as he had expected. Certainly, people had died, but if the collection of gnomes, goblins, and dwarves could live normal lives, then so could the human poption that had been lucky enough to have survived the world¡¯s transition. Seeing the city also awakened within him a resolve to find other survivors. To search out his family. Before, it had seemed impossible. Now, though, he felt confident that he could traverse the world with some degree of safety. After all, he¡¯d survived the Sea of Sorrows and the Primordial Jungle. Surely, that was more dangerous than whatever he¡¯d find in Earth¡¯s wilderness. In any case, Elijah couldn¡¯t focus on that. Instead, he continued to search the settlement for any hints as to where he might find the dragon¡¯s daughter. Despite his efforts, as dawn approached, he still hadn¡¯t discovered any leads. So, with the poption beginning to stir, he had no choice but to retreat, quickly returning to the forest and settling in to observe the town by the light of day. Soon enough, the sun rose, and the town came to life as hundreds of people set about their daily tasks. Elijah focused on two groups in particr, though. One headed into the surrounding forests, while another went to the mine behind the town. After finding a secluded cave a few miles away from the city, Elijah settled in for a few hours¡¯ worth of sleep. When he awoke, he took off through the forest to search out the townspeople who¡¯d gone into the woods. The first group he found were loggers, while the second were clearly hunting the local wildlife. From a perch on the thick branch of an oak tree, Elijah watched as the hunters took down a bear the size of apact car. The beast put up a decent fight, but the group of five hunters were well-prepared and clearly practiced at their craft. So, the animal fell without inflicting much damage on its killers. After that, they set about processing the creature, and when they finished and headed back to the town, they left nothing behind. After seeing that, Elijah continued to search the forest, and he came across more hunts in progress. None of them even vaguely suspected he was around, which, though unsurprising, was gratifying. Emboldened by that sess, he followed each of the hunting parties until he could confirm that they weren¡¯t keeping the dragon¡¯s daughter hidden away. It took most of the day, but by the time the sun set, he¡¯d ruled the hunters out as the kidnappers. So, with night falling, he retreated to his cave and got a few more hours of rest. When he awoke, it was nearly midnight. While he¡¯d slept, the rain had returned in full force, which provided that much more cover as he crept toward the mine. It was situated at the base of one of the surrounding mountains, and the entrance was guarded by a few scattered buildings. Elijah searched them, though he found nothing but administrative facilities that looked strangely reminiscent of what he¡¯d expect from a simr human-run operation, a couple of storehouses filled with various mining supplies, and a guard post manned by a couple of dozing goblins. He also made a couple of discoveries along the way. First, the System¡¯s trantion feature apparently extended to the written word, so he had no issues reading the files in the administrative room. Second, that ability gave him a little context for the mining operation ¨C chiefly that the settlement was called Ironshore, was run by a group known as the Green Mountain Mining Guild, and that they were almost exclusively interested in something called true iron. None of that was pertinent to his task, so he only spent a few minutes reading the files. Still, it was nice to get some information about his neighbors. He crept past the goblin guards, entering the mine. At first, he took things slowly, but after a few minutes, it became clear that the mine was entirely deserted. So, he sped up, abandoning Guise of the Unseen in favor of crity. He passed carts and piles of ore along the way, but for the first hour or so, he found nothing out of the ordinary. As far as he could tell, it was just an ordinary mine. Then, Elijah noticed that the density of the ambient Ethera began to rise. As he continued on, he came to a fork in the tunnel. Down the left path, the Ethera remained mostly stable, but to the right, it continued to thicken. Reasoning that that had to mean something, he chose the right path. Over the next hour, he was confronted with a few more such choices, and each time, he decided to follow the Ethera, reasoning that it would mean something. Along the way, he paid special attention to the senses granted by One With Nature ¨C a good strategy, because otherwise, he never would have found his quarry. He was slowly padding down the mine shaft when he felt something that shouldn¡¯t have been there. To his left, he could sense the normal life ¨C insects and the like ¨C that indicated there should be a tunnel there, but when he looked, he saw nothing but a solid wall of rock. Curious, Elijah reached out with a paw, and to his shock, he saw it pass through the wall. He snatched his paw back, then inspected it. It seemed the same as always, and he hadn¡¯t felt any pain to indicate that it was dangerous. So, it only took a few seconds for him to conclude that the wall was some sort of illusion. Still, even though such an exnation made perfect sense, Elijah felt a tremble of fear as he pushed through. To his relief, nothing bad happened, and he sighed in relief as he stepped into a new tunnel. However, this one was different. Rougher. It didn¡¯t bear the same wooden beams that supported the integrity of the rest of the tunnels. Likely, that was because it was so small. The rest of the mine¡¯s passages were at least twenty feet across and just as high, but this new tunnel was maybe a quarter of that. Wide enough to permit passage of a couple of the small gnomes or goblins, but wider-shouldered dwarves would have to traverse it single file. Elijah padded down the tunnel as it sloped dramatically downward, twisting and turning every few steps. Then, finally, he reached a point where it opened into a wide chamber. It only took him a few seconds to confirm that he¡¯d found his destination, because in the center of the roomy arge, curled form that could only be a young dragon. Book 1: Chapter 65: The Ritual Book 1: Chapter 65: The Ritual Golden scales glinted in the flickering light of a dozen torches, giving the illusion that the figure was moving. But aside from the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the dragon was entirely motionless. The creature had been described as little more than infant, and yet, she was at least seven feet long, from delicate snout to tapered tail. With wings folded against her back, she had the sinuous shape of a serpent, and yet, four legs were tucked under her form. In short, she was a stunning creature, and for a moment, Elijah could only stare in awe. And then, as he continued to study the scene before him, anger stared to overwhelm the sense of astonishment. Because she was clearly injured, with one of her legs having clearly been broken. Blood coated one of her folded wings, and a long gash stretched from the base of her tail to her ribs. Even more disturbingly, a half-dozen hooded figures that, from their size, had to be goblins or gnomes, were busy drawingplex symbols on the stone ground. Or a few of them were, at least. The others followed behind, sprinkling glittering dust on the still-wet paint. No. Wait. Elijah caught another whiff, and he instantly recognized the smell. Blood, mixed with something else, and pulsing with Ethera. A low growl escaped from between his lips, though he was thankfully far enough away that the gnomes didn¡¯t hear. It didn¡¯t take much intuition to see what was happening. The gnomes ¨C or goblins, perhaps ¨C were setting up a ritual of some sort. That tracked with what Nerthus had described. They wanted to harvest the dragon, taking whatever made her special in order to enhance their own cultivation. Or perhaps, to sell it. He didn¡¯t know which, but it really didn¡¯t matter, either. Even if he hadn¡¯t had the task spurring him forward, there was no way he could see what was happening and not act.Crouching low to the ground, his tail swished back and forth. Then, he pounced, using Predator Strike. His w ripped through the gnome¡¯s robes, cutting deep before shattering his ribs. Without stopping, he snapped out, mping his jaws on the screaming figure¡¯s head, then bit down. The creature¡¯s skull shattered. But Elijah wasn¡¯t finished. Instead, he bounded toward the next closest figure, and when they turned, he saw nothing but wide eyed surprise. He pounced on her, then swiped his ws across her exposed throat. He felt a slight resistance at thest second, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop him. With two down, Elijah was gone before the rest even knew what had happened. He melted into the shadows, letting Guise of the Unseen settle onto his shoulders. Nestled in the shadows, he knew he waspletely undetectable. One of the remaining four figures whipped around, saying, ¡°What¡­¡± Another locked eyes on Elijah¡¯s second victim, and upon seeing the bright, red blood pooling around her fallen body, she screamed, ¡°Rayna!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± said the third, his voice full of authority. He raised his hand, and Elijah felt Ethera gathering at his fingertips. That was enough to mark him as his next victim. Elijah darted from the shadows, then used Predator Strike and Venom Strike at the same time. However, he was surprised when his w met stiff resistance; it wasn¡¯t enough to stop his attack entirely, but it was plenty to prevent a mortal strike. Still, his w traced a line across the gnome¡¯s shoulder, sending a spray of blood arcing through the air. Elijah never stopped moving, instead melting into the shadows with Guise of the Unseen. Against animals, such a strategy wouldn¡¯t have been possible. But the gnomes¡¯ senses just weren¡¯t sharp enough to track him ¨C especially after he started attacking the torches. One after another, they fell. They weren¡¯t extinguished, but it was enough to deepen the shadows. Meanwhile, the neurotoxin of Venom Strike had begun to do its job. The leader fell, seizing as he hit the ground. Pink foam escaped his mouth as he rasped, ¡°Poison¡­¡± Elijah didn¡¯t pay attention. Instead, he stalked his remaining prey. There were only three left, and they nted themselves with their backs against the wall. All three were gnomes. One male. Two female. As if that mattered. With what they¡¯d done to the dragon, they deserved whatever he could dish out, regardless of gender. Elijah circled to the right, careful to avoid the guttering torches. He could taste the gnomes¡¯ fear. He could feel it in his bones. And there was a part of him that reveled in it, that felt justified in striking terror into the hearts of people who thought nothing of killing and harvesting a sapient creature. He padded closer, staying close to the ground. Then, he pounced, once again using Predator Strike. And just like before, he was met with significant resistance that slowed his ws. It didn¡¯t matter. One strike followed the next, and he could feel the invisible shield weakening. Finally, he broke free and gutted one of the females, raking his ws across the gnome¡¯s midsection. His innards spilled out, filling the chamber with the foul stench of ruptured intestines. But the kill had taken too long, giving the remaining two a chance to respond. And respond they did. Elijah felt something m into his ribs, flipping him over and sending him sprawling across the ground. He recovered quickly, but judging by the burning pain on his side, he¡¯d picked up a serious wound. Even more distressingly, another unseen force mmed into him a secondter. Then another. Elijah rolled with the momentum, thenunched himself at the wall and used it to spring into another attack. His ws raked across an invisible shield, doing nothing. He¡¯d learned his lesson, though, so he kept moving, diving back into the shadows. ¡°It¡¯s bleeding! Just follow the trail!¡± screeched the remaining female. Elijah kept going, moving as quickly as he could. But he didn¡¯t need to inspect his wounds to know that he might have bitten off more than he could chew. So long as he could strike from the shadows, his mist panther form was deadly. However, in a straight-up fight, it left a lot to be desired, at least in regard to durability. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Where did it go?!¡± ¡°Over there!¡± Something thudded into the wall across the room. ¡°Did you get it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± They were jumping at shadows, which Elijah understood. Thebination of his ck coat and the dying light of the flickering torches had created a nearly perfect environment for him. But even if he could easily remain undetected and escape if he so desired, the gnomes were still alert enough to see himing. But Elijah refused to abandon his task. So, he continued to circle, trusting that his Aura of Renewal-enhanced Regeneration could keep him alive, even with his wounds. ¡°Is it gone?¡± asked one, her voice trembling. The other hissed, ¡°I have no idea!¡± ¡°What was it? It looked like a big cat,¡± the female whispered. ¡°But how? With the barrier ¨C¡± That¡¯s when Elijah pounced, his ws raking across her shield. He could feel it weakening with every subsequent attack. He could use Venom Strike and Predator Strike in tandem, and perhaps he could get through, but that would leave him dangerously close to exhaustion. No ¨C it was better to hit and run, over and over, until she was vulnerable. So, that¡¯s what Elijah did. Each swipe he took came with the risk of taking another hit himself. But so long as he kept moving, he felt confident in his chances. The gnomes weren¡¯t fighters. He could tell that much. That made them prone to panic, and more, the constant flow of adrenaline would eventually take its toll. After twenty minutes, they tried to escape. That was the opening Elijah needed to finish the female off. He pounced on her, driving her to the ground. Her partner continued running toward the tunnel as Elijah¡¯s ws shed. Once. Twice. Three times. She screamed. Elijah paid it no mind as he finally broke through her shield and eviscerated her small body. She died soon after he mped down on the back of her neck, crushing her vertebrae and severing her spine. The final gnome only made it a few feet into the tunnel before Elijah caught up. However, when he leaped upon the lone survivor¡¯s back, he got a surprise when the creature disappeared, appearing a few feet away. As Elijah recovered, the gnome raised his hands. Ethera gathered in a sh, and then, suddenly, Elijah felt something at his feet. He looked down to see ethereal chains encircling his legs. He tried to pull free, but it did no good. ¡°Stupid animal,¡± the gnome panted, his shoulders sagging. ¡°Suppose it¡¯s not all bad, though. You¡¯re what? Level twenty-eight? Decent materials. Bones for weapons. Pelt for a ¨C¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t going to listen to that. Instead, seeing that he couldn¡¯t escape the gnome¡¯s spell, he knew he had no choice but to y his ace. So, he shifted back to human form, pointed his staff at his enemy, and cast Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightningshed out, and the shocked gnome went flying backwards, hitting the wall of the narrow tunnel and copsing to the ground. But it didn¡¯t kill him. ¡°What? That¡¯s not ¨C¡± Elijah cast again, but even though the gnome was once again knocked back into the wall, he didn¡¯t look all that injured. So, after focusing on his core, Elijah decided to use something with a little more oomph. He cast Swarm. At first, it didn¡¯t seem like anything had happened, but then, a buzzing sound filled the air. The gnome said something derisive, but Elijah paid no attention. He knew what wasing. ¡°Ow!¡± said the short figure, pping a hand against his neck. It was prelude to disaster ¨C at least from the gnome¡¯s perspective ¨C and a secondter, a swarm of stinging flies descended upon him. Elijah had no idea why the shield did nothing to stop them, but he wasn¡¯t going to argue with it. Instead, he watched with stoic fury as the swarm¡¯s afflictions took hold. The gnome screamed. Elijah watched. Even after the spell holding him in ce faded, he didn¡¯t move until, atst, the swarm dissipated, leaving only a diseased corpse behind. Once he was certain that the gnome was dead, as evidenced by the influx of kill energy that pushed him closer to level twenty-nine, he pped a hand over his side and cast Touch of Nature. The bleeding stopped, but he didn¡¯t dare use more than one cast, lest he not have enough Ethera to heal the dragon. With that, he dragged the gnome¡¯s body back to the ritual chamber, then cast Healing Rain. Clouds swirled, covering the center of the room and covering the dragon in rejuvenating precipitation. Perhaps more importantly, it washed away the glittering paint the ritualists had been using to draw symbols on the ground. With that done, Elijah set his sights on the corpses; he looted them,ing up with a couple of purses containing a few strange coins, the robes, and a pair of new knives. He slipped his ill-gotten gains into his woven pack, then headed toward the prone dragon. Heid a hand on the golden scales, feeling her breathing. She was warmer than he¡¯d expected, hammering home the fact that she was not a cold-blooded reptile. More, he felt the mass of Ethera swirling in her body. It was no wonder the gnomes had been trying to harvest her. It didn¡¯t excuse their actions, but he understood. Taking a deep breath, Elijah channeled Ethera into Touch of Nature, sending a jolt of healing through the creature. When that did nothing, he cast it again. Then again after that. Two more times, he cast, but the dragon was unaffected. He wanted to do more, but his core was dry. So, Elijah waited, and just like he¡¯d done with the panther what felt like an eternity ago, he healed the creature each time his Ethera recovered enough to facilitate a cast of Touch of Nature. It took two more hours before the dragon awoke. And she did so with explosive violence, raking her ws across his chest and tearing open a gaping wound. Elijah sprang backward, but he knew he could do nothing to stop the vicious monster he¡¯d made the mistake of saving. Her eyes were wild as she stepped on his chest, and smoke curled up from her red nostrils. ¡°Human,¡± she growled, her voice deep but feminine. ¡°Why? What?¡± Elijah channeled Touch of Nature through his body as he choked out, ¡°I¡­was sent¡­to rescue you.¡± That¡¯s when her eyes lost their wildness, and she nced around. When she saw the bodies of the gnomes, her expression softened and she stepped back. ¡°Oh,¡± she said. Then, she copsed, once again losing consciousness. Elijah shook his head, then used thest of his pool of Ethera to cast Touch of Nature on himself. After that, he justy there, his breath shallow as he tried to deal with the pain of the wound she had caused. Once he¡¯d regained enough Ethera, he cast the spell again. It took two more casts before the wound closed. But by that point, he heard voicesing from the entrance tunnel. ncing at the dragon, he saw that she was still unconscious. And after his battle against the gnomes and the misunderstanding with the dragon, he was in no shape to fight. He¡¯d healed enough to get around, but anything beyond that would take some time and more than a few more casts of Touch of Nature. Which left him with only one option, though he had no idea if it would work. But given the situation, he didn¡¯t think he had much choice. So, Elijah painfully pushed himself to his feet, then staggered to where the dragon had copsed. Then, he knelt beside her form, ced his hand on her side, then used the teleport function of Ancestral Circle. He felt the spell tugging at him ¨C and him alone. But he wouldn¡¯t allow that. Instead, he forced more Ethera into the spell so it would ept the dragon as well. It wasn¡¯t so different than when he used the same method to bolster the effect of Nature¡¯s Bounty. Though it was significantly more difficult, and at first, the spell refused to cooperate. But then, suddenly, it snapped into ce. Elijah screamed as pain tore through him, and just as the spell enveloped the pair of them, he saw a group of gnomes and goblins appear at the mouth of the tunnel. Then, he was gone, and for a split second, he felt like he was being ripped into a thousand pieces. He thudded to the ground as he and the dragon appeared in his Grove. Blood spurted from a hundred wounds. Vaguely, he heard someone shouting his name, but by that point, the blood loss had begun to take hold. Still, before he passed out, he managed to use the veryst bit of his Ethera to cast Healing Rain. Then, everything went ck. Book 1: Chapter 66: Task Complete Book 1: Chapter 66: Task Complete Elijah awoke, and for a long time, justy there unmoving. His body was still a mess ¨C he didn¡¯t need to inspect his wounds to recognize that much ¨C but he didn¡¯t feel like he had the energy to do anything about it. Nor did he have any idea how much time had passed. But one thing he did know was that he¡¯d survived, and judging by the steady sound of heavy breathing nearby, the dragon had as well. For a while, that was enough. Soon enough, though, Elijah¡¯s eyes fluttered open, and he saw a clear blue sky looking down on him. After taking a deep breath, he cast Healing Rain and watched the clouds coalesce above him before they dumped their regenerative payload on him. Then, he began the arduous process of healing himself via Touch of Nature. He felt terrible, and his limbs refused to respond to his instructions. So, he channeled the spell without direction, letting the formless healing energy flood his body. It was inefficient, but given the sheer volume of his injuries, there wasn¡¯t that much wasted Ethera. He wasn¡¯t sure precisely how long hey there, but it was at least one day. Maybe more, considering that, while waiting for his Ethera to regenerate, he often dozed off. It wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibility that, on a few of those asions, he slept through an entire night. But eventually, Elijah healed enough to sit up. Predictably, when he did, he saw the familiar confines of his Grove staring back at him. He nced down at his previously unblemished arm, where he saw a series of pale, thin scars marring his skin. Elijah sighed. At the rate he was picking up scars, he¡¯d soon be a malformed mess. ncing to his side, he saw a mass of golden scales. But given that the dragon was still alive ¨C he could see that she was still breathing ¨C he reasoned that he should take care of himself first, then heal her once he was healthy. So, Elijah continued on his long road of Regeneration, renewing Healing Rain every time it fell away and using Touch of Nature in the interim. And over the next day, he gradually returned to health.Then, he started in on the dragon. With the benefit of time on his side, Elijah could better gauge what was happening, and it didn¡¯t take him long to recognize that the dragon¡¯s pool of vitality ¨C or life energy ¨C was farrger than his own. When he healed her, it was like trying to fill a swimming pool with a bucket. He was making progress, but it was going to take a long time. So, he bent himself to the task. Fortunately, he was in his Grove, so food was no issue. And it only took a quick trip up to his tree house to get water ¨C Nerthus had told him that it would be difficult to exhaust its water stores, so his basic needs were easily met. However, beyond satisfying those necessities, he had a hard time focusing on anything but the task in front of him. That got a little better as the days passed, which hinted that the issue was rted to forcing Ancestral Circle to teleport both him and the dragon, but beyond that, he was unsure what else to expect. And so, days passed as he slowly healed the dragon, one Touch of Nature at a time. In a way, it reminded him of how he¡¯d healed the guardian panther so long ago. But as difficult as it had been to heal the panther, it couldn¡¯t even begin topare ¨C at least in terms of how much Ethera it took ¨C to doing the same for the young dragon. But Elijah persisted. Curiously, Nerthus remained absent. At first, Elijah didn¡¯t even spare the tree spirit¡¯s absence a second thought. After all, he¡¯d only had a handful of conversations with him since making first contact. However, as days passed without Nerthus making an appearance, Elijah started to worry. Not that it did any good. The tree spirit showed up when he wanted to, and there was nothing Elijah could do to change that. So, he pushed that from his mind and focused on healing the dragon. And finally, a weekter, Elijah seeded. Thankfully, the dragon didn¡¯t respond as she had in the ritual chamber. Instead, after her eyes fluttered open, she craned her long neck and looked around before focusing on Elijah. She stared at him for a long moment before saying, ¡°I apologize for my actions, druid.¡± Then, she copsed into unconsciousness once again. Over the following few days, she awoke a few more times, but she didn¡¯t speak again until, as far as Elijah could tell, she¡¯d finally reached perfect health. At that point, she said, ¡°Where am I? What happened to the devourers?¡± ¡°You¡¯re in my Grove,¡± Elijah answered. Aside from shifting to a morefortable position, she still hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°You¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°How did we escape? The leader would not have allowed me to leave without a fight.¡± ¡°I used a spell to teleport us here,¡± Elijah said. She narrowed her eyes, then leaned closer, and for a moment, Elijah felt like he was being sized up by a muchrger predator. Then, she said, ¡°You are not strong enough to do that.¡± He sighed, then sat down. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong about that,¡± he admitted. ¡°It nearly ripped me to pieces.¡± He raised his arm, showing off the pattern of thin scars. ¡°And I have the scars to show for it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So, how did you get caught? No offense, but those guys didn¡¯t seem all that strong,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And you¡­well, you¡¯re a dragon.¡± Before, he hadn¡¯t really understood why Nerthus had spoken of dragons with such reverence. However, after seeing the one before him, he thought he¡¯d begun to understand just how much more powerful the species was. She was only a child, and yet, Elijah was certain that if she so wished it, she could tear him to pieces with only minimal effort. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°They trapped me,¡± she said. ¡°I was¡­foolish and hubristic. Despite my mother¡¯s words of caution, I thought this world beneath me. I was wrong.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t probe the topic any further. Instead, he changed the subject, asking, ¡°So, what do I call you?¡± ¡°I am Saraalinisa.¡± ¡°Uh¡­mind if I just call you Sara?¡± he asked. ¡°Because that¡¯s a mouthful.¡± She cocked her massive head to the side as if thinking it over, then said, ¡°I suppose that will do.¡± ¡°So, what happens now? Because I just checked, and my task isn¡¯tplete.¡± ¡°Task? Wait¡­did my mother send you?¡± ¡°Are you going to eat me if I say she did?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°What? No!¡± Sara shouted. ¡°Why would I eat you?¡± ¡°You attacked me for healing you back in the ritual chamber,¡± Elijah reminded her. ¡°Just covering my bases here.¡± ¡°Bases?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. My point is that I really don¡¯t want to get attacked again. So¡­uh¡­please don¡¯t. Because I don¡¯t think I can stop you if you want to eat me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat you!¡± ¡°That sounds like what someone who intended to eat me would say.¡± It was a strange thing, watching a dragon roll her eyes. Curiously human, but also undeniably alien. Either way, Elijah found it disconcerting. ¡°I have no intention of eating you,¡± she said. ¡°So, please ¨C just leave it at that.¡± ¡°Fair enough. My original question still stands. I¡¯m not saying the only reason I rescued you was toplete that task, but I¡¯m not saying it didn¡¯t y a huge part in my decision,¡± he said. ¡°What was the objective?¡± ¡°It just said to rescue the child.¡± ¡°Child? Ugh. She would phrase it like that,¡± Sara said. ¡°I¡¯m almost a century old, and she still treats me like an infant.¡± She let out a snort. ¡°So infuriating!¡± ¡°Again ¨C please don¡¯t eat me.¡± ¡°I am not going to eat you!¡± ¡°Good. Because I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t taste very good. Too little fat.¡± ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± she asked. ¡°Nothing. I just don¡¯t want to get eaten. Plus, I¡¯ve been living on this ind alone for close to two years at this point. I mean, I did talk to some nice walrus people, but they weren¡¯t real, so I contend that doesn¡¯t count. There¡¯s Nerthus, too, but he¡¯s a tree. Or a tree spirit, I guess. I¡¯m not sure where he ends and the tree begins, if I¡¯m honest. He¡¯d probably tell me if I asked, but that just felt a little rude, you know?¡± ¡°What is a walrus? And why would they not be real?¡± she asked. ¡°Uh¡­never mind. My point is that I really, really don¡¯t want to get eaten. I can¡¯t stress that enough.¡± ¡°I swear not to eat you.¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re annoyed with me? Because ¨C¡± ¡°No matter what, I won¡¯t eat you. There. Satisfied?¡± ¡°Well, not really. Who knows if you¡¯re a liar? I mean, you seem trustworthy as far as giant, golden dragons are concerned, but I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m not the best judge of character. I mean, I had this girlfriend back in high school who was sleeping with half the football team, and I never ¨C¡± ¡°Can you please stop babbling?¡± Sara interrupted. ¡°Oh, right. Just haven¡¯t had a lot of conversational opportunitiestely. So, about my quest? Or task, I guess. Not sure if there¡¯s a difference, but we mustn¡¯t get the terminology wrong.¡± Sara sighed, a bit of a spark escaping from between her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t roast me either.¡± The dragon didn¡¯t respond, which Elijah thought was moderately concerning. Instead, she asked, ¡°How did my mother contact you?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t. She talked to Nerthus.¡± ¡°This is the tree spirit you mentioned?¡± she asked. Elijah nodded, then hiked his thumb in the direction of the ancestral tree. ¡°Lives over there. But sometimes, he visits me in the tree house.¡± Sara nodded, then pushed herself to her feet. When she did, Elijah could only stare in awe. Her form was even more magnificent than he¡¯d first thought. ¡°Stop staring. It¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stare. Gotcha,¡± he said, though he didn¡¯t look away. Sara let out a huff, then headed toward the ancestral tree. When she reached it, she called out, ¡°Tree spirit! Speak to me!¡± Nerthus appeared only a momentter, and Elijah groaned, ¡°Oh,e on. I tried to get you toe out like ten times over the past week, and nothing. But she calls for you one time, and you just pop right up?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a dragon,¡± he said unapologetically, as if that was exnation enough. Looking at Sara, Elijah couldn¡¯t really argue with that assessment. ¡°Please contact my mother and tell her I am safe,¡± Sara said. Nerthus disappeared, merging with his branch. He was gone for only about thirty seconds before he reappeared, saying, ¡°Your mother wishes for your return. Consent, and Elijah willplete his task.¡± ¡°But she said I could stay on this ¨C¡± ¡°She was very specific about the conditions. She said ¨C and I quote, ¡®You have visited the new world. Return and continue your training.¡¯ The Great ¨C¡± ¡°Ugh. Fine. I¡¯ll go. Just do it.¡± ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°The tree spirit is going to use his connection to the world tree to send me home,¡± Sara said. ¡°Once I¡¯m back in Kabalis, you¡¯ll get your reward.¡± ¡°Ah. Makes sense, I guess,¡± he said, tapping his lip. ¡°Except for, you know, the whole thing! You¡¯re just going to connect to the World Tree? And what the hell, Nerthus? Could you have just sent me away?¡± He sighed, then before either Sara or Nerthus could respond, Elijah said, ¡°You know what? Never mind. The answer¡¯s probably just ¡®magic,¡¯ anyway. Right? It¡¯s magic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not not magic,¡± said Nerthus. ¡°Fine. Carry on, I guess. Stupid trees and magic and dragons¡­¡± He looked up at Sara, then held up his hands, ¡°Not you. Obviously. As the only dragon I¡¯ve ever met who ¨C let¡¯s remember ¨C promised not to eat me, I¡¯m very much on your side. And your mom¡¯s. And any other dragon out there, I guess. Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m pro-dragon all the way.¡± To drive his point home, he held up two thumbs. Sara, for her part, just shook her head, then ced her foreleg on the tree¡¯s trunk. Looking down at Elijah, she said, ¡°You¡¯re weird. But thank you.¡± Without waiting for a response, she disappeared. Nerthus wilted, merging with his tree without another word. That left Elijah alone. Again. ¡°What¡¯s new?¡± he muttered to himself. However, at least he¡¯dpleted his task, which was important enough. He couldn¡¯t help but think that he¡¯d have traded the reward for a littlepany, though.
Congrattions! You havepleted a Task. Standby for reward¡­
Elijah held his breath until the next notification shed before his eyes:
Blessing of the Dragon received. Please choose which form it takes: Core Advancement Item (Wings of the Dragon) Spell (Firestorm)
Elijah sank to his knees as he read the notification. He¡¯d anticipated that the reward to be good, but the Blessing of the Dragon exceeded his expectations. The first option was something he¡¯d sought ¨C without any luck ¨C for quite some time. The second option was a little less exciting, but the name was evocative enough that he was practically drooling at the possibilities. However, the third choice was probably the most straightforward ¨C a new spell, and the name Firestorm suggested that it was a powerful one. Still, Elijah only looked at the options for a moment before making his decision.
You have chosen: Core Advancment
Elijah grinned. And then, something exploded inside of him, driving him back into unconsciousness. Book 1: Chapter 67: Dragon Core Book 1: Chapter 67: Dragon Core Elijah awoke suddenly, springing upright the moment awareness returned. However, despite his rm, he was in no danger. In fact, he felt better than he had in¡­well, ever. Sitting beside the ancestral tree, he nced down at his hands, but saw no difference. One still bore the acid scars he¡¯d gotten in the Sea of Sorrows, while the other, like most of the rest of his body, was riddled with thinner, much lighter scarring from overstepping in his use of Ancestral Circle. It took only a second more for him to realize that he was, once again,pletely nude. Sighing, Elijah muttered, ¡°Of course I¡¯m naked. Again.¡± The loss of what amounted to rags wasn¡¯t a huge loss, and due to looting the ritualists, his collection of cloth was much deeper than it once had been. However, he really hated sewing ¨C especially since he didn¡¯t have proper tools, instead relying on bone hooks and homemade twine in ce of thread ¨C so he wasn¡¯t looking forward to putting a new outfit together. If only the robes hadn¡¯t been sized to fit gnomes, he could¡¯ve just used them as they were. But that wasn¡¯t the case, so it looked like he had a good deal of sewing in his future. For now, though, the day was warm enough that his nudity wasn¡¯t terribly ufortable. Certainly, he¡¯d have once been a bit self-conscious about it. But there was no one else around ¨C aside from Nerthus¡¯s inconsistent presence ¨C and after spending so much time in the tower without any clothes, he¡¯d gotten over any shyness he might¡¯ve once fostered. In any case, he had other things on his mind. Chiefly, the pair of notifications moring for his attention. The first was:
Congrattions! You have cultivated a Dragon Core. Current stage: Hatchling
¡°What does that even mean?¡± he said to himself. However, aside from the obvious ¨C that he¡¯d managed to reach the first stage of cultivating his core ¨C he had no idea what it meant. ¡°Okay, so¡­tabling that forter, moving on¡­¡± He pushed past that notification and opened the next:
You have reached the first threshold. Current stage: Cultivator
Elijah knew that he¡¯d aplished something important, but he wasn¡¯t certain how to categorize it. So,cking any further information, he opened his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 29
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 30
Dexterity 29
Constitution 30
Ethera 38
Regeneration 32
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Hatchling If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Opal Neophyte
As expected, he¡¯d gained a single point in every attribute when he¡¯d gained level twenty-nine. But that certainly didn¡¯t ount for how much stronger he felt. If he had topare it to something, he would¡¯ve likened it to how he¡¯d felt after cultivating his body of wood. Though there was more to it than that, Elijah sensed. So, he took a moment to look at his spell book. And at first, it looked no different ¨C at least until he reached Shape of the Predator:
Shape of the Predator Take on the shape of a peerless hunter, vastly increasing your Dexterity and Strength attributes and giving an average increase to Constitution. Spellcasting is suspended while Shape of the Predator is active.
There were a couple of changes. First, it had once featured the word ¡°mighty¡± to describe the transformation, but now it used the term ¡°peerless¡±. Second, it described the increase to his Constitution as average instead of minor, suggesting that it would be more impactful. If he¡¯d had any doubts about the general power of his spells, though, they were ayed when he reached his various Essence spells, the benefits of which had all doubled. So, instead of Essence of the Monkey increasing his Dexterity by five points, it now would enhance the attribute by ten points. Perhaps his other spells would see a simr increase in their potency. But he wanted to check things out, just in case. So, after stopping by the treehouse and wrapping one of the robes around his waist, Elijah headed to the beach where he usually hunted the giant crabs. Fortunately, there was one there, and even more luckily, the unnatural growth that had transformed the species seemed to have run out of steam. As a result, the one in front of him was norger than a truck. A good thing, too. When the crabs had continued to grow, he¡¯d spent more than a couple of sleepless nights worrying about world-devouring crabs. Thankfully, it seemed that such a future would remain in his nightmares where such things belonged. In any case, Elijah used his Essence spells to increase his Regeneration and Dexterity, then applied One With Nature before pointing his staff at the crab. First, he used Entangling Roots, and at hismand, thick vines erupted from the rocky shore to grab the crab¡¯s legs. It tried to tug free, but most of the vines remained intact. And those that broke were quickly reced by more of the same. That was a marked improvement over the previous incarnation of the spell, which had been weak enough that he¡¯d often forgotten to use it. Now, though, that seemed to have changed, and it was potent enough to at least slow down powerful enemies. Idly, he wondered how it would fare against something like the Voxxian monster that had nearly killed the panther. Shaking his head, he knew that such a matchup wouldn¡¯t end well. He had no idea how strong either creature had been, but he was well aware of just how poorly he¡¯d match up to either the Voxx monster or the guardian panther. He¡¯d gotten stronger, but that kind of power seemed to be out of his reach. For now. Elijah watched as the crab continued to struggle, but it seemed incapable of escape. From experience, though, Elijah knew that it wouldn¡¯tst forever. Instead, the spell had a duration of around a minute before it would start to lose steam. So, he quickly raised his staff and channeled Storm¡¯s Fury though it. The bolt of lightning that tore out of the Staff of Natural Harmony was thicker and brighter than any he¡¯d summoned before, and when it hit the crab, it sent bits and pieces of the creature¡¯s shell flying away from the point of impact. At the same time, the creature copsed into a seizure as the powerful electrical current coursed through its body. The aroma of cooking crab filled the air, telling Elijah just how much stronger his spell was. Still, he needed more tests. So, he aimed another couple of casts at the crab, killing it. ¡°Solid improvement,¡± he muttered to himself. Indeed, the spell had never been the most potent, and before, it had taken at least a eight casts to kill one of the crabs, depending on how strong the individual monsters were. Having that number cut in half was a remarkable increase in power. Still, he had more spells to test. So, over the next few hours, he did just that, finding another crab on the other side of the ind so he could determine how much stronger Swarm had be. Curiously, the afflictions it inflicted weren¡¯t that much stronger, but the size of the swarm itself had grown by nearly half. However, the biggest change came when he finally decided to test Shape of the Predator. The transformation urred much as it always did, but instead of sprouting fur, he grew glistening ck scales. Looking down at his ws, he saw that they were far longer as well, and upon seeing that, he quickly sought out a small pool of water so he could look at his reflection. When he did, he let out a reptilian hiss. He certainly didn¡¯t look like a panther anymore. Indeed, if he had to describe the new expression of Shape of the Predator, he would have said it was a curious mixture of alligator, wolf, and panther. More than anything, the new form looked like some undiscovered dinosaur, swift, sleek, and more than anything else, deadly. The next big shock came when he used Guise of the Unseen. Instead of simply melting into the shadows as he normally did, he watched his blurry reflection fade away entirely. No ¨C that wasn¡¯t necessarily true. He didn¡¯t be invisible. Instead, the ability acted more like a chameleon¡¯s color-changing defense mechanism, though it was obviously aided by Ethera, because if he stood still, his scales were almostpletely indistinguishable from their surroundings. So, not only would he gain far more attributes, but the viability of Guise of the Unseen had seen a significant boost as well. Elijah tracked down another crab, but this time, he only intended to use abilities native to Shape of the Predator. Chiefly, Venom Strike, Predator Strike, and Guise of the Unseen. However, when he pounced, using Predator Strike, his ws went through the animal¡¯s shell like it wasn¡¯t even there. He destroyed the monster¡¯s frontal nerve center with that single attack, and it copsed in a heap, still alive but incapable of moving anything but its back legs. Silently apologizing for the creature¡¯s suffering, he proceeded with checking Venom Strike¡¯s viability as well, and he got the results he had expected. The crab died only thirty seconds after Elijah had used Venom Strike, which injected it with a much more potent neurotoxin. He still had one spell to test, but because Cmity had a significant dormant period after being cast, he chose not to experiment. After all, it would be quite an issue if he needed the powerful spell and didn¡¯t have it avable. So, as he had since acquiring the spell, he kept it in his back pocket, just in case he needed it going forward. Once he¡¯d finished testing his Strength, Elijah returned to the Grove. There, he found Nerthus waiting for him in the tree spirit¡¯s customary spot on one of the ancestral tree¡¯s branches. ¡°Thanks for bailing on me, man,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Do you have any idea how many questions I have? I mean, could you always use the World Tree like that? And ¨C¡± ¡°What happened to you?¡± Nerthus interrupted. ¡°I¡­you¡­you are different.¡± ¡°Right. Yeah,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Well, the Blessing of the Dragon ¨C you know, the reward for my task? Well, it gave me three options. I could have taken an item called Dragon Wings and ¨C¡± ¡°You refused?! Dragon Wings are some of the most sought after items in the universe!¡± Nerthus eximed. ¡°They allow for true flight. Do you know how rare that is at your stage?¡± ¡°Right. Maybe I should¡¯ve taken that, but I don¡¯t think so. The other option was a spell called Firestorm. I¡¯ve gotta tell you ¨C that one tempted me,¡± he said. ¡°As well it should!¡± Nerthus shouted, clearly excited. ¡°Well, I thought the other option was better,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I upgraded my core.¡± ¡°W-what? How? That should not be possible on this world¡­the Ethera is too thin.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know what to tell you. That was the reward,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s at the hatchling stage, if that means anything to you.¡± ¡°Hatchling? That doesn¡¯t¡­I¡¯ve never heard of that¡­what kind of core did you get? A nature core? Tree? Perhaps the predator core?¡± ¡°Dragon.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it said on the box,¡± Elijah stated. Then he read the notification aloud, ¡°Congrattions! You have cultivated a Dragon Core. Current Stage: Hatchling.¡± Nerthus fell off his tree. Elijah rushed over to make sure the tree spirit was unhurt, but he found the small creature muttering to himself. ¡°That isn¡¯t possible. You can¡¯t be¡­no. They wouldn¡¯t¡­but she would have the power to¡­oh, dear¡­¡± ¡°Calm down, man. What¡¯s going on? Is a Dragon Core really that rare?¡± Elijah asked. Nerthus fixed him with a look of disbelief, then said, ¡°It is beyond rare. As far as I know, it may well be unique.¡± ¡°Oh. Well. That¡¯s good, then.¡± ¡°Good? Good?! It is unprecedented!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said. It¡¯s good. Maybe I¡¯ll be able to get off this ind, now,¡± Elijah said. His brief trip across the strait had reawakened his need for humanpanionship. Seeing all those people living normal lives ¨C he wanted something like that. Certainly, he had no intention of abandoning his Grove, but he could always return with Ancestral Circle. ¡°Anyway ¨C what¡¯s so good about it?¡± ¡°Oh¡­yes. Right. Where to begin?¡± ¡°How about you start with why you just about have a seizure every time someone says the word ¡®dragon¡¯, and then we can move on from there.¡± Book 1: Chapter 68: Long Overdue Book 1: Chapter 68: Long Overdue ¡°First, you must understand the fundamental races thatprise the universe,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Humans are one. Obviously. But there are also elves, dwarves, gnomes, goblins, kysar, and elementals, with each race having various branches. For instance, elves have three main variants ¨C wood elves, dark elves, and high elves. Each of the other races have at least as many varieties who have followed different evolutionary paths.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Elijah said. ¡°When you say races, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not talking about ethnicity.¡± ¡°I am not. Though most races can reproduce with one another, creating even more diversity, each is fundamentally different from the other.¡± ¡°Gotcha. Lots of interbreeding. A bunch of half-elves and demignomes running around. Not really my thing, but someone has to be into that kind of thing, right?¡± Elijah asked. Nerthus just looked at him like he¡¯d gone a little crazy. ¡°Sorry. This is the second longest conversation we¡¯ve had, and like I said before, it¡¯s kind of gotten to me.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Elijah apologized again, then said, ¡°Carry on.¡± Nerthus continued to exin the shape of the universe and its inhabitants, once again pointing out the difference between devourers and preservers, though Elijah got the feeling that neither group was exactly codified. They were justbels that probably meant different things to different people. He also talked about how there were thousands of worlds, adding, ¡°The older they are, the more connected to the world tree they are. That makes the overall Ethera in those worlds thicker and the denizens more powerful on average.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m guessing the world tree is where the Systemes from?¡±¡°No. Though it is dependent on the World Tree to spread, the System is not of the World Tree. Instead, it is the result of multiple Transcendents working together,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°They worked for eons until, atst, they created the System.¡± ¡°Oh. Why?¡± ¡°To help people resist the Voxx, of course,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°But I digress. You wish to know of dragons. They are what¡¯s known as an elder race. There aren¡¯t many, and even the youngest among them is capable of feats few of the fundamental races can match. To those of us following a nature path, they are as gods.¡± That certainly exined Nerthus¡¯s reaction. Elijah asked, ¡°So, what does it mean that I have a Dragon Core? And why do I feel so much better, now? It¡¯s like I got twenty or thirty percent stronger in the blink of an eye.¡± Indeed, during his testing, he¡¯d tested his attributes by lifting progressively heavy rocks, which was where he¡¯d gotten his estimate. It wasn¡¯t exactly scientific, but he felt confident in the assessment. ¡°You passed the first threshold,¡± said Nerthus. Elijah rolled his eyes. ¡°You say that like it¡¯s supposed to mean something to me. Come on, man. I have no idea what any of this stuff means,¡± he groaned. ¡°It is the System¡¯s way of measuring your overall cultivation,¡± he said. ¡°There are nine stages, starting with Cultivator and ending with Supremacy. It is the first half of Godhood.¡± ¡°Wait ¨C are you saying I can be a god?¡± ¡°Indeed. How do you think the originators gathered enough power to create the System? Of course, they went far beyond our current measurements, but ¨C¡± ¡°I can be a god, though? Like, you¡¯re not screwing with me, are you?¡± ¡°Yes. Though, I caution you that such a journey will take you millennia. However, with a Dragon Core, if you progress that far, you will be one of the more powerful deities,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°In in terms, what does core cultivation do?¡± ¡°It increases the density and quality of your stored Ethera, making your spells, abilities, and techniques more powerful. Different types of cores represent differing degrees of improvement. For instance, if you were to have cultivated a nature core and reached the seed stage, you would have experienced a five or six percent increase in the power of your spells. Higher stages result inrger increases, though I can¡¯t speak to anything after the sapling stage.¡± ¡°Uh¡­are you sure about those numbers?¡± ¡°Quite. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­well, I can¡¯t say that this is the case for everything, but my Essence spells ¨C they increase my attributes by set amounts ¨C all experienced a bigger increase than what you¡¯re describing.¡± ¡°Oh? That should be expected, with a Dragon Core. They are some of the most powerful beings in the universe, after all. Howrge of an increase did those abilities experience? Ten percent? Fifteen?¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Um¡­higher. A lot higher.¡± ¡°Thirty?¡± Elijah gestured for the tree spirit to keep going. Nerthus went pale ¨C quite a feat, considering that he was made of tree bark ¨C and Elijah took pity on him. He said, ¡°Double.¡± ¡°D-double?¡± ¡°Yeah. For those spells, at least. I can¡¯t tell for sure with the others, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­that isn¡¯t possible.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said that a couple of times already. I don¡¯t think you really know what that word means.¡± Nerthus looked like he was on the verge of having a seizure, so Elijah changed the subject, ¡°So, you said dragons are only one of the elder races, right? What are the other ones?¡± Nerthus shook his head, muttering to himself, but after a few seconds, he looked up and answered, ¡°Demons are one. Angels are another. And mechaniques, though they are exceedingly rare.¡± ¡°Demons?¡± Elijah said. Then, he held his hands up to his head with his index fingers pointing skyward. ¡°Like, horns, forked tails, and cloven hooves?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°They are the sworn enemies of angels, though they rarelye into actual conflict. Long ago, they reached an agreement to remain on their respective sides of the universe. If they hadn¡¯t, there¡¯s every chance that nothing would have survived the ensuing war. Mechaniques, byparison, are a race of awakened golems. No one knows how they reached that stage, and any attempts to replicate the feat have met with failure. There are a handful of other elder races that have died out as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­a lot to take in.¡± The idea that angels and demons were real had been more of a surprise than seeing gnomes and dwarves. ¡°So, is there a reason why some of our religious stories and myths mention these elder races? Or the foundational races,e to that.¡± ¡°Before the¡¯s integration, it would have been incredibly difficult for them to reach your. However, difficult does not mean impossible. Likely, this has been visited sometime in the past, which is the source of your myths, legends, and religions.¡± Elijah shook his head. If the rest of the world knew that, then there were probably some religions that would experience quite a bit of upheaval. The only thing that made it any more ptable was that the way Nerthus described deities was more like Greek gods, rather than any of the omnipotent monotheistic versions. The first was frightening, but the second was far more so. The idea that a wed being could reach that level of power was one of the most horrifying things Elijah could imagine. ¡°What does this mean for me, though?¡± he asked. ¡°Druids are already rare,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°But a druid with a dragon core? If there is another one in the entire universe, I would be shocked. You must keep this to yourself. Otherwise, the Grove will be in danger.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Some will see it as an obstacle to ovee,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°Strength invites challenge. However, dragons have their own enemies. We have spoken of this, but you must understand that the most extreme devourers can and will attempt to harvest anything they can find that will increase their power. That was why the young dragon was trapped. That is why you must be careful. Even if only your core is of the dragon, it is still valuable in the extreme.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°Understood,¡± he said, thinking that it sounded like more trouble than it was worth. However, he only needed to remember the challenges he¡¯d faced so far to recognize the necessity to gather as much Strength as he could. That included his Dragon Core, regardless of the problems that came with it. ¡°Alright, I only have a couple more questions,¡± Elijah said. Indeed, he¡¯d beenpiling them since the very beginning, and now that Nerthus was willing to exin some things, he intended to take full advantage. ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned that the World Tree let you connect with Sara¡¯s mother. How?¡± ¡°The World Tree connects everything. You merely need to know how to tap into it. Your spell, Ancestral Circle, does this.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°And I haven¡¯t the time to exin it in the sort of depth understanding would require.¡± ¡°Alright. No need to get snippy,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And I see you¡¯re getting a bit antsy to get back in your tree, so I¡¯ve only got one more question.¡± Nerthus sighed, ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t we being inundated by powerful beings?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Those gnomes had some Strength, but the fact that, after less than two years, I could kill them like that suggests that they weren¡¯t very powerful. But that doesn¡¯t make sense. Howe there aren¡¯t stronger people here taking over the world?¡± ¡°Two reasons. First, there¡¯s no reason to,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°This world may one day be valuable, but for now, getting here and taking over is far more trouble than it¡¯s worth. That may change in the future, but for now, only the people who want to escape their old lives woulde here. Second, the low density of ambient Ethera is ufortable for anyone above a certain level or cultivation threshold.¡± ¡°What about Sara? How was she trapped?¡± ¡°She is a child, and, ording to her mother, she was reckless. For someone with the right skills, that is all that¡¯s necessary. Let that be a lesson to you, Protector of the Grove. No matter how strong you be, a moment of inattention is all it will take to bring you low.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a cheery thought.¡± ¡°You must excuse me,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°I have stayed far longer than I should. If the Ethera levels continue to rise, I should soon be capable of leaving the tree permanently. However, I should point out that I will never be able to leave the Grove.¡± ¡°Oh. That sucks.¡± Nerthus cocked his head to the side, then said, ¡°No. Not really. This is a great thing, tending a druid¡¯s Grove. At heart, I am still a tree, and trees were never meant to roam. Goodbye, for now.¡± ¡°Yeah. See youter, Nerthus.¡± With that, the tree spirit retreated to the ancestral tree,id his hand on the trunk, and then merged with it. The process was a bit of a mind bender, but Elijah had seen it often enough that it didn¡¯t really seem that odd to him anymore. ¡°What a weird world¡­¡± After that, Elijah stood, grabbed the pack that had been discarded when he¡¯d returned to the Grove, and headed back to his tree house, where he intended to get started on sewing his new clothing. Halfway up the stairs, he stopped mid-step as he felt something he had hoped he would never feel. Someone hadnded on his ind. No. Not just one person. A veritable army of gnomes, goblins, and dwarves had invaded his Domain. He could feel them all so thoroughly that it almost felt like he was standing right there beside them. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. The numbers didn¡¯t stop climbing until he reached fifty, all having been carried ashore by a small fleet of rowboats. Elijah was vaguely aware that one of them was shouting orders, but his Domain didn¡¯t extend to interpretation of sound. It didn¡¯t matter, though. Even as they spread out, he hopped down the steps and checked his enhancements. They were all still active. With that confirmed, he was ready to defend his Domain, and he quickly shifted into the Shape of the Predator. Once he¡¯d taken on his new form, he set off across the ind he knew so well. Book 1: Chapter 69: Defense Book 1: Chapter 69: Defense Elijah darted through the dark forest like a ghost, letting Guise of the Unseen hide him. The ability didn¡¯t just change the color of his scales or use the shadows to obscure him. Instead, it also harnessed his Ethera to muffle every other aspect of his presence. He was quieter. His odor less pronounced. Even the air moved a little less while he was cloaked in the ability. Still, it wasn¡¯t perfect, and at the speed he dashed beneath the trees, he knew he was vaguely visible. Fortunately, the awareness that came with his Domain helped him avoid anything ¨C whether it was wild animals or his prey ¨C so he remained as unseen as the name of his ability would suggest. Fifty invaders was a daunting number. In the ritual chamber, he¡¯d fought against six, and he¡¯d only narrowly managed to survive. And who knew if these neers would be more suited to a fight? After all, he hadn¡¯t forgotten the battle that had killed the panther. That trio ofbatants had been far stronger than the ritualists. So, Elijah knew he needed to be prepared for the worst. Both Shape of the Predator and Essence of the Monkey provided double their previous attribute enhancements, and One With Nature probably did so as well, even if it wasn¡¯t disyed in his status. So, his effective Dexterity ¨C and Strength ¨C had more than doubled with the formation of his Dragon Core. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the even more ephemeral increase he¡¯d gotten from passing the first threshold. No - he was more powerful than ever before. The only problem was that he expected that he would need it if he was going to repel the invasion. One against fifty weren¡¯t good odds, no matter how much stronger he felt. Even with his advantages, if he made one small mistake, he would be easy prey. So, knowing how close to the edge he needed to walk, he let himself slip into the instincts that hade with Shape of the Predator. They¡¯d let him survive the Primordial Forest, so Elijah reasoned that they would stand him in good stead against the invaders. Hopefully, he would retain enough of his rational mind to pull out of it once everything was done. With that done, his gait became even more graceful, his movements more silent as the animalistic part of his mind took full advantage of his improved attributes. He never slowed, springing over natural gullies, bounding past boulders, and climbing and leaping from tree to tree when there was no other option. He covered almost three miles in a little more than a quarter of an hour ¨C a mighty feat, considering the terrain ¨C and during that time, few of the ind¡¯s residents even knew of his passing. It was a heady feeling, knowing just how efficient a predator he had be. But soon, he pushed those emotions to the side as he finally reached his destination. The beach was one of the more essible on the ind, with a long, open stretch of shore marred only by the asional rock or piece of driftwood. There were a dozen boats, each a copy of the one Elijah had used to cross the strait. With a clear night sky lit by a carpet of stars as well as the silvery light of a gibbous moon, there was plenty of illumination for him to study his prey.Most of them were diminutive gnomes, but there were a few green-skinned goblins and broad-shouldered dwarves mixed in as well. More importantly, they were kitted out for battle, with most of them wearing one sort of armor or another. Elijah saw more than a few wearing sturdy te, while most wore chainmail mixed with hardened leather. Even the ones Elijah marked as casters wore armored robes and carried staves. The rest were armed with a wide variety of weapons ranging from axes to swords and shields, with quite a few wielding bows mixed in. They didn¡¯t look so much like the small army he¡¯d expected as they seemed to be a collection of individuals. Elijah could only hope he would be able to use that to his advantage. So, he watched from the tree line, keeping low to the ground with Guise of the Unseen masking his presence. And as they started setting up tents a few dozen yards from shore ¨C far enough to keep dry during high tide, but not nearly enough for Elijah¡¯s preference ¨C an idea began to take shape. And the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. So, once Elijah was satisfied with his n, he set off back the way he¡¯de. As he did, he kept a proverbial eye on the invaders via the senses granted by his Domain, but they continued setting up their camp. When they¡¯d first arrived, Elijah had thought they had somehow followed the metaphysical trail he¡¯d left behind after rescuing Sara. However, the fact that they seemed keen on sticking around for at least a little while suggested a different motivation, though Elijah wasn¡¯t clear on what, precisely, that was. Sure, he felt confident that it had something to do with the ancestral tree, but beyond that, he waspletely ignorant. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. In any case, he didn¡¯t expect he would ever find out. With any luck, he¡¯d be rid of them in only a few hours. With that in mind, he continued to dash through the woods until, atst, he reached a familiar beach on the other side of the ind. Fortunately, he only had to follow the beach for a few minutes in order to find his quarry. One of the huge crabs stood before him, busy tearing into some carcass that had washed ashore. Elijah wasted no time before bounding toward the creature, then tapping it on its leg. Then, as the monster skittered around, he sprang backward out of range of its ws. Then, he took off down the beach, the crab in tow. Every now and then, when the crustacean started to lose interest in the chase, he¡¯d circle around and reengage. Even before reaching the first threshold and having his spells and abilities enhanced by the Dragon Core, he¡¯d been capable of running circles around the crabs. He could even manage it in his human form, so doing it as the scaled predator barely required any focus. Elijah led the creature along the beach until he saw another crab. When he did, he repeated the process, nipping at its armored legs before dashing along. It followed, just like the other, though it was about thirty feet in front of the first. He kept going, leading the creatures along as he gradually circled the ind. It took hours, but the only really tricky part hade when he reached the western cliffs. There, he¡¯d had to switch to his human form and swim while keeping the crabs engaged via Storm¡¯s Fury. He lost one along the way, but by that point, he¡¯d grabbed three others, and he reached the next beach without any further issue. As soon as his Ethera allowed, he switched back to the predator form and continued along until he felt the invaders¡¯ camp looming ahead of him. Throughout the process, Elijah had let his mind wander slightly. However, with the invaders so close, he reengaged his focus and stalked forward. He knew he had to time things correctly. Otherwise, the crabs would lose interest. By that point, the invaders had finished setting up their camp, and they¡¯d set out a few sentries, one of which was only a couple dozen feet in front of him. The scout wore stiff leather armor and was armed with a bow, but more importantly, he was clearly alert. It didn¡¯t help. Elijah circled, staying low and hidden by the terrain, until he saw the gnome¡¯s back. Then, using Predator Strike, he pounced. The first attack met little resistance, but it wasn¡¯t immediately fatal. He let out a high-pitched scream, but was quickly silenced by a w to the throat. Without skipping a beat ¨C and knowing just how tight his window was ¨C Elijah mped his jaws around the scout¡¯s thin arm, bit through the bone, then repeated the option on the other limbs. In short order, he had five pieces of gnome piled before him. More troublingly, the crabs were almost upon him, and the gnome¡¯s scream had roused the camp. That was fine, though. Elijah shifted back to his human form, grabbed one of the limbs, and tossed it in the direction of the skittering crabs. Then, he repeated the action, scattering the bloody chunks of gnome in a rough line that led directly to the camp. After that was done, he ran off, bounding across the rocky shore and into the tree line. No one had ever seen him. His breathing shallow and fast, Elijah circled the camp. Even in his human form, he was no slouch when it came to remaining hidden, and soon enough, he found himself on the other side of the camp. It was at that moment that the crabs came into view, having followed Elijah¡¯s trail of gnome parts. When the invaders saw the massive monsters, they let loose with a wide variety of attacks. Mages cast fire balls, archers shot arrows, and the heavily armored warriors rushed to what they thought were the front lines. That left the other scouts on a proverbial ind where, even if they shouted an rm, they would get little support. And Elijah was more than willing to take advantage of that. In his caster form, he wasn¡¯t nearly as deadly as he would be as the scaled predator, but he was still much stronger than an average human. And he had a big, sturdy stick. So, when he rushed the gnome, swinging his staff like a baseball bat, the little scout fell without a word. He hadn¡¯t died ¨C he¡¯d only been knocked unconscious ¨C but that was fine. Elijah had no qualms about finishing the job with the knife at his belt. After slitting the invader¡¯s throat, he took a look back at the camp. They were handling the crabs well enough, and though the crustaceans had little hope of actually hurting the invaders, they were extremely durable. And there were almost a dozen of them, which meant that the camp¡¯s damage was spread out enough that it gave Elijah plenty of time to kill the lone remaining scout. This one went much the same as thest, though it took two staff strikes to put the goblin down. Still, Elijah managed, then slit the green-skinned creature¡¯s throat before turning back to the camp. Three of the crabs had been killed, and the rest were on theirst legs. Not surprising, considering the overwhelming Strength of the force. However, Elijah had never meant for the crabs to be anything but a distraction. His real attack was forting. He only wished he¡¯d had the chance to test it, but between the rescue, his subsequent recovery, and gaining his Dragon Core, it had slipped his mind. In his defense, his ind had been rtively safe since the very beginning, so he hadn¡¯t expected a small army of invaders tond on his shores. Still, as he gathered his Ethera, he vowed to never let it happen again. From now on, he¡¯d test his abilities and spells as soon as he could. Once he¡¯d shifted enough Ethera into the appropriate spell, he cast Cmity, hoping it would be just as devastating as the description implied. Book 1: Chapter 70: The Boss Book 1: Chapter 70: The Boss Mist swirled around Alyssa as the monsterunched itself at her. Moving far more quickly than any normal human could have managed, she raised her Spear of the Dragon Lancer just in time to intercept its snapping jaws. Still, its momentum hit her like a truck, sending her tumbling onto her back. The monster followed, raking its ws across her breastte. The metal held, but only barely, and Alyssa used the creature¡¯s inertia against it as she rolled, kicking up as she sent it flying past her. It hit a nearby wall, shattering ss and distorting the steel frame of a floor-to-ceiling window. Even as it skidded across the building¡¯s lobby, an arrow followed. Just before it hit, the projectile split into three, each of which mmed into its chest. A stream of pale blood arced into the air as the monster screamed. A blur materialized behind it, and suddenly, its head was rolling to a stop at Trace¡¯s feet. The Ouw disappeared a secondter, but Alyssa didn¡¯t see it. Instead, she was too busy pushing herself to her feet so she could face the next threat. There were three enemies, each advancing with cautious imcability. They looked much the same as all the other monsters they¡¯d faced in the city ¨C pale white skin, with almost human features and abnormally muscr bodies ¨C but Alyssa wasn¡¯t concerned with their appearance. She had already seen enough of them, after all. Stomping down, she used Shockwave, the ability sending out a wave of force that briefly stunned them. Then, she thrust her spear forward in a move that might¡¯ve looked odd from a full fifteen feet away. As she lunged, she used Unstoppable Thrust, sending a thick wave of ethereal force piercing through them.
Unstoppable Thrust Thrust with a spear ornce, hitting all enemies in a straight line.
It wasn¡¯t enough to kill the monsters, but it certainly did plenty of damage. More importantly, it kept them off-bnce as she used Heroic Leap, pushing herself high into the air. Then, she fell upon them with Descending Dragon, skewering the centermost monster with her spear. Even as the de exploded through its skull, she let loose with Champion¡¯s Shout, striking fear into the remaining creatures. It wouldn¡¯tst long. She knew that. But then again, she didn¡¯t need much time to wrench her spear free and sweep it out in a wide arc that hacked into the second monster¡¯s neck. She used that momentum to sweep the legs out from under the third monster, which she dispatched with a two-handed thrust to its inhuman face.But that¡¯s where her luck ran out. Something rammed into her back, sending her sprawling across the concrete sidewalk. The metal of her armor screeched in protest as she tried to twist around, but her assant had timed its attack well. Without looking back, she used Bulwark, hoping to superimpose the invisible shield between herself and her attacker. But without being able to see, her aim was off, and she ced the shield behind the pale-skinned monster. So, she improvised, gathering her limbs beneath her and pushing up with all her might. As she did, she once again activated Heroic Leap. Bones crunched ¨C hers as well as the monster¡¯s ¨C but she gritted her teeth through the pain and sent an elbow back to hit the monster again. It let loose with what sounded like abination of a dog¡¯s yelp and a human¡¯s scream, but it didn¡¯t loosen its grip. If anything, it clung to her back with even more fervor, its ws digging deep into her flesh. Then, heat washed over her, and the monster¡¯s screams ceased. ¡°Stay still!¡± yelled Bryce. Then, Alyssa screamed as something ripped the ws free. Bryce called out, ¡°Need a heal!¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost out of Ethera!¡± responded Verin. But despite the healer¡¯sck of fuel, a spell of Regeneration washed over Alyssa. The wounds in her back closed, though she knew that a single spell wouldn¡¯t entirely heal the damage. In fact, if she moved too violently, thecerations would re-open. Still, it was better than nothing. She used Recover, sending her Regeneration through the roof. With that done, she levered herself to her feet. Wobbling, Alyssa thrust the butt of her staff into the ground and looked around. The monsters were dead, and everyone had survived. For now. She¡¯d lost track of how long they¡¯d been there. Time was difficult to track in the mist, and even without it, there was no night or day to mark the time. Still, she suspected it had been days, at least. Maybe as much as a week, based on how often they¡¯d been forced to rest, and barely an hour of it had passed without significantbat. But ording to Trace, they¡¯d finally reached their destination. More importantly, they¡¯d done so without losing anyone else. Sure, they¡¯d all been injured, but they¡¯d made it. Letting out a deep sigh to steady her nerves and help herself deal with the pain of her persistent wounds, Alyssa looked around. Everyone was there, and aside from Roman, they were all looking to her for direction. She said, ¡°Into the building. Find us a defensible position.¡± ¡°But the capital is right there¡­¡± She red at Trace. The man¡¯s armor had definitely seen better days, but due to Verin¡¯s ministrations, he was whole. The same could be said for all the others. For her part, Alyssa¡¯s armor was mostly intact, though she¡¯d lost one of her vambraces during a previous fight. Still, for her next suit of armor, Alyssa intended to ask Carmen to make her a more robust backte. The current level of protection back there was woefully insufficient, as she¡¯d discovered when thetest monster had sunk its ws into her back. Aside from the terrible state of their armor, everyone looked exhausted. And given what had happened thest time they¡¯d gone from one level of the tower to another ¨C which was what she assumed would happen when they reached the capital ¨C Alyssa wanted everyone in the best shape possible. That meant rest and repast. No one spoke much over the next couple of hours. By that point, they didn¡¯t have much to say. For her part, Alyssa watched for any sign of attack, nting herself in the doorway as the rest of her team prepared for what was toe. She was so focused on the lobby of the building ¨C which looked like every upscale office building she¡¯d ever seen ¨C that she didn¡¯t even notice Roman until he put a hand on her shoulder. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition. She flinched, moving with incredible speed as she extricated herself from his grip. She had her spear up and at his neck in only an instant. The moment she realized what she¡¯d done, she retracted the de and apologized. Roman shook his head, saying, ¡°No need to apologize. We¡¯re all on edge. I shouldn¡¯t have snuck up on you.¡± Alyssa sighed, then resumed her vigil. Roman joined her. ¡°What do you think we¡¯ll find on the next level?¡± she asked atst. ¡°More monsters,¡± he stated. ¡°Beyond that¡­I don¡¯t know. But I don¡¯t think we¡¯re done with this one.¡± ¡°Really?¡± she asked. ¡°You read the guides. There¡¯s probably some kind of guardian.¡± ¡°Boss monster!¡± supplied Bryce from across the room. She turned her head and red at him. ¡°Don¡¯t eavesdrop.¡± ¡°Sorry, boss.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Roman said, running his hand through his hair. ¡°There¡¯s probably something we¡¯ll have to beat before we advance. Maybe it¡¯s another horde of monsters. Or it might be a bigger, badder monster. But I don¡¯t think we¡¯re done with this level. Not by a long shot.¡± Alyssa didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. She was already prepared for something worse, so it didn¡¯t really matter if they met it at the end of the second level or the beginning of the third. So, she just said, ¡°We¡¯ll beat whatever we find. We don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Roman didn¡¯t say anything after that, instead giving Alyssa¡¯s shoulder another squeeze before heading back to rest with the others. At one point, he might have tried to relieve her, but he¡¯d learned firsthand that doing so wouldn¡¯t do any good. She had a responsibility, and with her heavy armor, Recover ability, and high level, she was the best person for the job. So, if someone wanted to rece her as the group¡¯s guardian, they¡¯d have to physically drag her out of the way. No one was willing to try that. After a couple more hours, Alyssa¡¯s wounds had healed, and everyone had recovered enough that they felt confident in moving forward. So, they set off from the skyscraper¡¯s lobby and down the wide street. The evidence of the previous battle remained, but they all ignored it. Instead, they kept moving along the route defined by Trace¡¯s scouting, and soon enough, the capital came into view. ¡°Familiar,¡± she muttered. And it was. The building before themy at the center of a wide za whose details were lost to the mist. However, the building itself was almost a perfect replica of the U.S. Capital building, though evenrger than the real thing. Still, Alyssa was less concerned with that than the creature nted at the base of the steps. ¡°Eyes up,¡± she said a little louder, hefting her spear. ¡°Boss monster ahead.¡± The monster in question looked a lot like the others they¡¯d fought, though where they were roughly human-sized, this new creature was the size of a giant. If it was less than fifteen feet tall, Alyssa would have been surprised, and its frame bulged with dense muscle. More, the pale skin was riddled with raised green veins. And what¡¯s even worse, it had clearly noticed them because it pushed itself to its feet ¨C an act which made Alyssa reassess her previous estimate of the thing¡¯s height; it was at least twenty feet tall, and maybe evenrger. A shiver of fear slid up Alyssa¡¯s spine, but she suppressed it. ¡°You all know what to do.¡± Indeed, the group had been working together for long enough that they were all extremely familiar with the most effective strategy. Alyssa stepped forward. The monster echoed the motion, cocking its head to the side as if surprised that she wasn¡¯t running in fear. She hefted her spear in both hands. Then, she used Heart of the Dragon, flooding her body with Ethera and inting her physical attributes. Meanwhile, Roman stepped to the side, raising his bow. He drew an arrow from the quiver at his waist, but he didn¡¯t draw it back. Not yet. At the same time, Bryce started casting a spell while Trace slipped away unnoticed, fading into the mist. Finally, Verin slipped her morningstar from her waist and cast her own spell. Alyssa felt the woman¡¯s heal-over-time spell hit her, followed by a second effect. Thus prepared, she trotted forward. The monster was only forty yards away, so it wasn¡¯t long before Alyssa used Heroic Leap, following it up with Descending Dragon. Predictably, the monster was taken by surprise ¨C even if it had expected her descent, it certainly didn¡¯t envision the sheer ferocity of her first strike. Still, it managed to dodge to the side at thest second, so Alyssa¡¯s spear ¨C which had been aimed at its head ¨C hit its meaty shoulder instead. The de tore through pale flesh, spraying Alyssa with a fountain of blood. She bounded backwards, leaving the spear embedded in the monster; she might have been capable of dislodging it, but she wasn¡¯t sure of it. So, she¡¯d chosen not to try. Flipping, she used her newest ability. Leathery wings manifested, spreading out from her shoulder des and allowing her to glide away. It was perfectly timed, too, because only a secondter, the monster charged forward, trampling the spot where she would havended. Instead, it caught nothing but air, and Alyssa canceled the ability. Shended on its shoulders, grabbed the spear, and used Enrage. With her increased Strength, she yanked it free, then used Heroic Leap to send herself flying away. Predictably, the monster attempted to follow, but she¡¯d used Bulwark the moment her feet left its bulbous flesh. So, it hit the low wall, tipped over, andnded on its face. That¡¯s when Bryce finished his spell. The ground beneath the monster erupted, and suddenly the earth worm wrapped itself around its torso. The creature screamed in pain as the worm squeezed, its rocky flesh contracting until bones started to break. But it didn¡¯tst long before, with a mighty shove, the monster broke free. Rocks and earth exploded in every direction as a roar of fury filled the air. Before it could rise, Roman shot it. Once. Twice. Thrice, the thwap of his bowstring sounded, and suddenly, three arrows sprouted from the monster. It seemed stunned, looking down at them in confusion. They had barely even pierced its skin, much less done any damage. Then, they exploded into whirlwinds of shadow that enveloped the thing. Another arrow hit its leg, and arcane ck chains shackled it to the ground. Another arrow took it in the head, piercing one of its eyes. It stumbled, clearly blinded by Roman¡¯s newest ability. He hadn¡¯t named it, but Alyssa thought of it as Blinding Shot. He¡¯d kept the rest of his ability names a secret as well, but they were certainly effective at hindering the creature. Still, Roman didn¡¯t have the ability to finish it off. And Bryce had only just begun casting histest spell. Fortunately, that was when Trace made himself known. Heunched himself from the mist as if he¡¯d only just manifested from nothing. His swords shed as he fell on the creature, stabbing down into its chest. Then, he raced away, disappearing back into the mist. The blinded monster never even knew he was there. But it wasn¡¯t dead. Like Roman, Trace kept his ability names close to his chest. However, Alyssa had seen the Ouw¡¯s des rip through lesser creatures with ease, so she knew just how much damage he could do. The monster had to be on itsst legs. Alyssa just needed to finish it off. So, she strode forward, and when she reached the hobbled creature, she used Unstoppable Thrust. A wave of piercing force ripped through it, sending more blood to spray across the za. Then, she used Heroic Leap, sailing high into the air. When she started to fall, she summoned an invisible Bulwark before kicking off the ne of Ethera with yet another Heroic Leap. Twice more she repeated the action until she was more than a hundred feet in the air. Then, atst, she used Descending Dragon.
Descending Dragon Fall upon an enemy, dealing more damage based on distance fallen. Protected from falling damage while ability is active.
She fell, leading the way with her spear. Just before she reached the monster, its eyes cleared, and for the briefest of moments, it saw its doom. The Spear of the Dragon Lancer bit into the monster¡¯s skull with enough force to shatter it entirely. But Alyssa¡¯s attack didn¡¯t end there. Instead, her knee took it in the chest, obliterating flesh and bone alike before cracking the za¡¯s stone tiles and digging a shallow crater in the ground below. When the dust settled, she rose, covered in the creature¡¯s blood and having defeated the guardian of the tower¡¯s second level. Without any of them, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible. Roman had hobbled it. Both Bryce and Trace had weakened it so that Alyssa could finish it off. It was a team effort, but to anyone who saw her rising from that crater, it was clear who¡¯d shouldered the bulk of the load. Alyssa looked around, then down at her gore covered body before letting out a resigned sigh. ¡°I really need a shower.¡± Book 1: Chapter 71: Cursed Book 1: Chapter 71: Cursed Standing in the center of camp, Cabbot shouted, ¡°They¡¯re just crabs, you idiots! Just kill them!¡± Even as he said it, the whole of Ironshore¡¯s defense force waged war against the remaining three pests. They weren¡¯t terribly dangerous ¨C not unless his idiotic soldiers made a bunch of mistakes, which, given their performance so far, wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibility ¨C but they were difficult to kill. Still, despite taking the camp by surprise, the attack hadn¡¯t imed any casualties. He turned to Nirea, demanding, ¡°Have you heard from those idiot scouts? Why didn¡¯t they warn us?¡± She looked up, tucked a vivid pink lock of hair behind her ear, then said, ¡°No contact. They are presumed incapacitated, though we won¡¯t know for certain until we investigate further.¡± The gnomish woman was an Administrator, which was supposed to be an extremely valuable addition to any force. However, from what Cabbot could tell, she was mostly a waste of resources. All she ever did was tell him things he could have figured out on his own. She was lucky she was beautiful. Otherwise, Cabbot would¡¯ve already gotten rid of her. ¡°Well, investigate, then!¡± he growled. ¡°Figure it out!¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she said, and then, without any further conversation, she strode away. ¡°Not now!¡± he spat, though by that point, she was too far away. He looked around, seeing that he was safe. At least the idiots had managed to repel a few scavengers; if they hadn¡¯t¡­ He looked around at the battle-hardenedbatants. They were all of a level with him, though he knew most had fairlymon sses. Not like him.The Berserker ss had never been his goal, but after seeing his other options, he¡¯d made the only choice that made any sense. And since then, he¡¯de around to its benefits. However, that didn¡¯t mean he waspletelyfortable with some of its downsides. That would take years of pain and effort ¨C neither of which really appealed to him. Still, it was a powerful ss with great attribute bonuses that put him above any other elite in Ironshore. And even if he¡¯d lost the opportunity the captured dragon represented, he was still on a fresh world with plenty of chances to improve. So long as he could find whatever natural treasure made the ind so special. And it was special. He knew that from the moment he set foot on shore. The Ethera was thick, feeling almost solid to his senses, and the crabs¡¯ advanced mutation was even further evidence that there was something worth harvesting in the area. He just had to find it. But to do that, he needed to establish a foothold. Cabbot might¡¯ve been impatient, but he was anything but foolish. The first step was to create a defensible position. Then, he would send the scouts to map the interior of the ind. Meanwhile, his underlings would begin the process of subduing the local fauna. And when the time came, he would reap the benefits. Really, it was probably for the best if a few of his soldiers died. That meant that he¡¯d have to worry less about appeasing them. After all, natural treasures were finite, and Cabbot had no desire to split the benefits with anyone else, least of all the sorts of idiots he¡¯d been able to recruit for an expedition into a newly integrated backwater. Finally, one of the dwarven warriors ¨C Rockbeard, unless Cabbot was mistaken ¨C finished off the final crab with a vicious, overhead swing of his axe. And then, everything went quiet. A few of the soldiers who knew how to harvest monsters rushed forward, intending to tear the crabs to pieces in hopes of finding something useful. The shells were durable enough that some of the craftsmen back in Ironshore might be able to use them for armor. The meat would probably be edible as well, and given the thickness of the ambient Ethera, a decent Chef might be able to make something worthwhile with it. But Cabbot wasn¡¯t concerned with any of that. The real prize was whatever treasure had given the ind its increased Ethera density. Unless it turned out that the crabs were more valuable than he expected. If that happened, he would take his cut. ¡°Mr. Cabbot,¡± came Nirea¡¯s voice. Cabbot whipped around and demanded, ¡°What?¡± ¡°We found one of the scouts,¡± she said. ¡°Or what was left of him. Initial findings suggest that he was killed before the ¨C¡± At that moment, the Ethera in the air stirred. Cabbot only had a moment to activate his ability, Deathwish, before the world came alive with wind, lightning, and trembling earth. He activated Blood Shield as well, enveloping himself in a bubble of red-tinged force. It was just in time, too, because a secondter, an enormous bolt of lightning descended upon Nirea, tearing through her before ripping a hole in the rocky shore. The force of the lightning bolt sent her flying through the air, where the wind cut through her, leaving a trail of blood behind. Shended before taking another bolt of lightning, but by that point, Cabbot knew she was already dead. If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. All around him, chaos reigned as the earth was ripped asunder and a violent thunderstorm tore across the sky. des of wind whipped through the air, drowning out the screams of agonying from anyone who hadn¡¯t raised some sort of defenses in time. The warriors fared the best, with the healers following soon after. But the mages took the worst of it. At the end of the day, ethereal shields ¨C which were a staple among the mage variants ¨C could only take so much before they broke. And break, they did. Cabbot fell to the ground, curling up in the fetal position as the entire camp was torn apart by the fury of nature. It onlysted a handful of seconds before it dissipated, but by that point, the damage had been done. When Cabbot pushed himself upright, he saw nothing but carnage. Most of his soldiers had survived, but there were enough casualties that he had to wonder if he¡¯d made a mistake bying to what had been described as a cursed ind. ¡°Report!¡± he screamed, his voice shaking as he let his abilitiespse. But that¡¯s when he remembered Nirea¡¯s fate. She¡¯d taken care of all the administrative functions, so when she¡¯d stupidly allowed herself to be killed, her failure had robbed him of necessary utility. Looking around, Cabbot felt something sting him. He pped his hand against his neck. ¡°Sound off!¡± he shouted. Then, something else stung him. A momentter, a wave of dizziness swept over him. He looked up to see a swarm of biting flies descending upon the camp. And as his stomach twisted with nausea, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the ind was, indeed, cursed, as so many back in Ironshore suspected. * * * Elijah didn¡¯t stay to watch his Swarm fall upon the camp. Cmity had been incredibly effective, and it had killed a few of the invaders by itself. However, like the crabs, it was only ever intended to be part of the first wave of attacks. A distraction meant to break through their defenses and allow Swarm to do its work. The only downside was that Cmity had a significant recharge period before it would once again be avable ¨C a tradeoff that was probably responsible for its incredibly low Ethera cost. Byparison, Swarm had a high cost, but could be cast back-to-back if he had the avable Ethera. Which he didn¡¯t. In fact, Elijah¡¯s core had been almost entirely drained by the sequence of attacks, so he had no choice but to retreat. As he ran through the forest, he wondered how effective Swarm would be. He knew the force had plenty of healers among their number, but he also had no clue whether they could cure the Swarm¡¯s afflictions. Even if they managed it, there would be a cost. And that was fine with Elijah. Despite hoping otherwise, he¡¯d known from the moment the invadersnded on the shores of his ind that he wouldn¡¯t win the battle in a single day. Indeed, he expected it to take quite a bit longer than that. But the first strike was important because he hoped it would set the tone for the rest of the conflict. He needed to keep them off-bnce so he could continue to wage gueri warfare. The worst that could happen was if they chose to break camp and head back to Ironshore. That would let them regroup, resupply, and replenish their numbers. If they returned after that, then they would be prepared for Elijah¡¯s tactics. Of course, they didn¡¯t even know who he was. Even if they suspected his presence ¨C as opposed to some guardian ¨C they would only think he was a caster. They didn¡¯t know about his predator form, which gave him the continued advantage of surprise. All in all, Elijah was happy with how things had gone. He just hoped his advantage would continue. To that end, he retreated from the shore, racing through the forest with experienced ease. All the while, he kept his mind trained on the devastation he¡¯d wrought on the camp. There were thirty-one survivors, and if his senses were anything to go by, they hadn¡¯t escaped unscathed. Only a couple seemedpletely healthy, and the healers were in the process of healing the afflictions. It was no easy task, either, and it took multiple casts for each of the afflicted. Once Elijah was about a mile away, he settled down to rest. ncing up at the forest¡¯s canopy, he saw sunlight beginning to peek through the leaves. It had been an exhausting night, but he¡¯d only just begun with the defense of his ind. There were still more than thirty left, and Elijah knew he and his Grove wouldn¡¯t be safe until they were all dead. So, he rested. He regenerated his Ethera. And, more importantly, he considered the tactics he would need to employ if he was going to survive the incursion. * * * Cabbot looked around at the devastated camp. Almost twenty dead, all because his moronic andzy scouts hadn¡¯t been paying attention. If they hadn¡¯t already paid for their inattention with their lives, he would have killed them. ¡°Sir,¡± said Iros, one of the goblin mages. He¡¯d just been healed, but his skin still bore the marks of that damnable infection. Even Cabbot hadn¡¯t been capable of resisting it, and though it hadn¡¯t killed him, he still felt weak. And judging by the way Iros swayed on his feet, the goblin was just as affected. ¡°We should go back. We need to regroup.¡± ¡°Regroup? No.¡± ¡°But sir¡­¡± ¡°Look around, Iros,¡± Cabbot said, sweeping his arm to indicate the ruined camp. Most of the tents had been trampled by the crabs, and the dead bodies still hadn¡¯t been recovered. Multiple peopley on the ground, groaning in pain, too ill to rise. Healers knelt beside some, but Cabbot suspected that, before they got to everyone, a few more would perish. But that was expected. And, in his mind, it was eptable. After all, the less people who lived, the fewer times he had to split the reward for their efforts. More, Cabbot thought of it as trimming the fat. Without the weak to hold the rest of them back, the group would be capable of so much more. ¡°What am I looking at?¡± asked the goblin. ¡°If the natural treasure¡¯s guardian is powerful enough to do this, then think about what it must be guarding,¡± Cabbot said. It was well known that a guardian¡¯s Strength was directly linked to its treasure. Iros¡¯s face split into a jagged-toothed grin as he processed Cabbot¡¯s statement. ¡°I see,¡± he said. Then, his grin faded before he continued, ¡°But sir¡­what if it¡¯s too powerful for us to kill? Remember what happened to Dena and her group.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened to those three. For all we know, they ended up getting killed by some sea monster,¡± Cabbot said. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. Those idiots were always too confident for their own good. And anyway, we¡¯re prepared now. We know the guardian¡¯s tricks. Now, we can defend against it. Get the shield arrays set up. Use the coins if you need to.¡± Iros said, ¡°Aye, sir.¡± Cabbot nodded, then said, ¡°This time tomorrow, we¡¯ll all be taking whatever this ind has to offer.¡± He looked around at the rest of the group. ¡°Well, those of us who survive.¡± Once they defeated the guardian, Cabbot intended to make certain that there weren¡¯t many left to split the spoils. Book 1: Chapter 72: A Test of Might Book 1: Chapter 72: A Test of Might Alyssa stepped through the doors and felt the familiar moment of nothingness before the interior of the capitol building came into focus. Once, she¡¯d visited Washington, D.C., and while there, she¡¯d taken a tour of the U.S. Capitol building. So, the sight that greeted her was easily recognizable. The expansive lobby was festooned with white marble, with a foursome ofparatively small statues standing before square columns. Behind and between those was the muchrger replica of the Statue of Freedom, which depicted a robed woman wearing an borate headdress. Behind that sculpture was a pair of identical staircases that met on an elevated tform. ¡°It looks like the Capitol Visitor Center,¡± she said once the others had joined her. ¡°Like, the U.S. Capitol? But that wasn¡¯t Washington, D.C. out there,¡± remarked Bryce. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve never been, but¡­well, I¡¯ve seen movies.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t,¡± agreed Roman, clutching his bow while looking around. ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet that the rest of this building doesn¡¯t exactly match up with the real thing, either.¡± Alyssa didn¡¯t say anything else, but she suspected Roman was right. The levels for towers could take just about anything for inspiration, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that it had used one of Earth¡¯s most iconic buildings. However she did wonder if it would have presented itself simrly if the tower climbers hailed from another country. If they¡¯d been French, perhaps it would have resembled the Louvre. Or Buckingham Pce for a group of Englishmen. She shook her head. There were too many possibilities to consider, and regardless of how interesting it was, it seemed a fruitless endeavor to do so. Understanding the nature of towers wouldn¡¯t help them survive what wasing. What could help them, though, was the silver box that suddenly appeared before her. Alyssa knelt, flipped thetch, and opened the box to reveal a long, thin dagger. She looked at the notification that had appeared directly after she¡¯d stepped into the building:
Congratluations! You havepleted Level Two of The Zombie Apocalypse. Grade: B To progress further, defeat the Final Guardian.
It was an expected message, though Alyssa had to admit that she felt a sense of aplishment when she saw that the group had been given a higher grade than after thest level. She wasn¡¯t certain what it really meant, but she suspected that the reward¡¯s power was dependent on their grade. In any case, she moved to the next notification:
Reward forpleting Level Two of The Zombie Apocalypse: Stiletto of Sundering
¡°It¡¯s called a Stiletto of Sundering,¡± she said, reaching out to pick the weapon up. When her fingers closed around the hilt, she felt a brief jolt of Ethera, suggesting that it was an incredibly powerful weapon. Even her spear, which, ording to Carmen, was the strongest weapon created by any of Easton¡¯s crafters, didn¡¯te with that sort of feeling. She nced back at herpanions, wondering who should get the item. Verin and Bryce were out,rgely because Byrce had no martial ability and Verin favored her morningstar. Alyssa also ruled herself out as the recipient. She could use a dagger well enough due to her Novice level of Weapons Mastery, but she preferred to use the spear. A dagger would only be a backup weapon for her. But both Roman and Trace could make use of it. In Roman¡¯s case, he typically used his bow. However, he had a couple of abilities meant for use in meleebat. As for Trace, the Ouw favored longer des, but Alyssa suspected that he could use daggers just as effectively as he used his swords. ¡°I¡¯m thinking it should go to you or Trace,¡± she said to Roman. ¡°Up to you.¡± Without hesitation, Roman said, ¡°Trace. He can make better use of it.¡± The Ouw narrowed his eyes. ¡°You sure, chief?¡± Roman nodded. ¡°Consider it a loan. When we get back to Easton, we¡¯ll redistribute these rewards for the greater good.¡± Trace shrugged. ¡°Sounds fine to me.¡± Then, he epted the offered Dagger of Sundering, letting out a slight gasp when he took hold of the hilt. He didn¡¯t say anything else, though, so everyone quickly moved past it. Alyssa told everyone what the level¡¯s task was, but no one was terribly surprised. ording to the guides they¡¯d all read, most towers required a show of Strength before the climbers could im the final reward. After taking a few minutes to collect themselves, they began their progress through the building, using a simr strategy to what they¡¯d established in the city. Trace and Roman acted as scouts, while the others took the only route avable to them ¨C up the stairs and down the wide hall. Alyssa noticed that each side of the corridor was lined with paintings, though they¡¯d been shed to pieces, obscuring the subjects. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! After a few hundred feet ¨C which would make it an incredibly long hall ¨C Alyssa started to notice the blood. At first, there were only a few drops here and there, but soon enough, the group came across huge, standing puddles of red liquid. More, the walls were stained with patterns of sttered blood. ¡°Okay, this is starting to freak me out,¡± Bryce muttered, almost under his breath. Alyssa was tempted to tell him to stay quiet, but she refrained from doing so because, if she was honest, she felt just as uneasy as he did. Still, they kept going, with Roman and Trace periodically returning to report that the way forward was more of the same. Along the way, they passed a multitude of side rooms, but none were upied. Not anymore, at least. But judging by the amount of blood in each of what appeared to be well-appointed offices, they once had been. Clearly, the building had been the subject of a massacre of epic proportions. Gradually, Alyssa led the others down the hall, eventually reaching an intersection. Roman and Trace had already explored all three directions and passed on which way would lead them to their destination, so Alyssa didn¡¯t hesitate before continuing forward. Over the next few hours, they experienced more of the same. Eventually, blood covered everything, and they found themselves walking through what felt like a half-congealed bog. Finally, Roman appeared before them and whispered, ¡°This is going to be an issue.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to see it. I can¡¯t really¡­I can¡¯t really describe it.¡± After being assured that there were no enemies around, Alyssa left the other two behind and followed Roman. The journey took another few minutes, during which they were apanied by the squelching sounds of their footsteps, but soon enough, they found Trace standing before a pair of massive, wooden doors. And the Ouw looked like he¡¯d seen a ghost. Roman held a finger up to his lips, indicating that she should remain silent. Then, he pushed one of the doors open ¨C just a crack ¨C and gestured for her to take a look. Alyssa leaned forward, pressing her eye to the opening. Her eyes widened in horror. At first, she wasn¡¯t certain what she was looking at. At a nce, it looked like a pile of meat, misshapen and with a series of odd bulges. However, after she saw it quiver, Alyssa recognized that some of those bulges were human limbs attached to a bulbous mass of naked fat and muscle. And it was huge. At least forty feet tall and just as wide. The sight was so grotesque that she almost didn¡¯t recognize the setting. Then, her thoughts caught up, and everything clicked into ce. She pulled away, and Roman gently pulled the door back into ce. Then, the trio retreated to where they¡¯d left the other two. When they arrived, Alyssa finally asked, ¡°Was that the Senate Chamber?¡± Roman nodded. ¡°Yeah. I think the scale is off a little, but I recognize it from the State of the Union.¡± ¡°And that monster?¡± Alyssa asked. It was Trace¡¯s turn to answer, and he said, ¡°It¡¯s people.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big ball of people. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re zombies like we saw outside, or whatever. But those are people. I think¡­I think it¡¯s all the people who were in these offices,¡± he said. ¡°I¡­I got close. Closer than I wanted. And I saw them. The faces. The arms and legs. The¡­t-the everything. They looked like they were in pain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not real,¡± Alyssa said, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder. He yanked away. ¡°It was real enough for me.¡± She didn¡¯t persist, instead turning to Roman. ¡°How do we kill it, then?¡± ¡°Overwhelming force?¡± he said. ¡°With all the blood, I don¡¯t think we can get this ce to catch fire. So, I think we¡¯re just going to have to hack it to pieces. Drop a Meteor on it. That sort of thing.¡± ¡°And we think that¡¯ll work?¡± ¡°I know just as much as you do,¡± he replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t think this is the kind of thing we can outthink. If we want to win, we¡¯re going to have to do it in a straight-up fight.¡± ¡°Against that thing?¡± she asked, a shiver of fear traveling up her spine. ¡°We¡¯ll lose.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re underestimating what we can do,¡± Roman stated. ¡°You destroyed thatst monster. Besides, we don¡¯t have a choice. Not unless you can think of a way to make this work.¡± Alyssa shook her head, but she didn¡¯t immediately respond. Her first inclination was to set a trap for the thing, but there were two issues that made that impossible. For one, it was so huge that any trap would have to be absolutely enormous. They didn¡¯t have the means to create something like that. For another, there were no materials to construct anything of note. They couldn¡¯t even dig a basic pit because, under all the blood and the floor, they found only concrete. No - it was like Roman had suggested. If they were going to conquer the tower, they¡¯d have to do so in a straight fight against the abomination. So, Alyssa turned her mind to creating a battle n where they might stand a chance of survival. She didn¡¯t get far, though, because the reality was that none of them had seen the thing in action, so they had no context for its capabilities. Without that, any n wasrgely useless. Still, they could follow some basic parameters, which she exined to the others. In the end, the fight would likely require a lot more improvisation than Alyssa would like, but that was unavoidable. She hated going into it half-cocked, but there really wasn¡¯t any choice in the matter. That monster was between them and conquering the tower, which meant that, one way or another, it needed to go down. So, without further ado, the group set off for the tower¡¯s version of the Senate Chamber. When they reached the double doors, Alyssa once again asked if everyone was ready. They all confirmed that they were as prepared as they could be, so, after taking a few steadying breaths, she slowly pushed the doors open. ¡°Can you hit it from here?¡± whispered Alyssa, ncing from Roman to Bryce. Thetter shook his head in the negative, but Roman confirmed that he could shoot the monster from that distance. It was only a hundred yards ¨C at most ¨C so that wasn¡¯t that surprising. Ever since he¡¯d gained his ss, Roman¡¯s ability with the bow had grown by leaps and bounds, and Alyssa had seen him hit targets from hundreds of yards away. ¡°Okay,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°Start casting.¡± Bryce did as he was told, closing his eyes as he mumbled his spell. At the same time, Roman raised his bow, nocked an arrow, and drew it back to his cheek. Ethera gathered as he used some ability. He exhaled, then loosed the arrow. It flew with unerring uracy, and when it hit the bulbous monster, it did so with an explosion of force that tore a massive divot out of the bulging mass of flesh at its side. It let loose with a thousand screams, each one loud enough to set Alyssa¡¯s ears to ringing. Then, it rolled around, and she saw its faces. Hundreds of them, all connected by ps of moist skin. Men. Women. Fat and thin. Beautiful and ugly. It didn¡¯t matter. They¡¯d all merged into one. Every eye locked onto the party standing at the open door. Then, it heaved its bulk into motion, rolling across the ground and crushing chairs and desks along the way. It moved with crity that belied its size. When it drew near enough, Alyssa used Bulwark, hoping to trip it up as she had with the previous monster. But it rolled over the shield like it wasn¡¯t even there, the monster¡¯s shapeless bulk conforming to the immovable ne of Ethera with ease. Alyssa cursed. Bryce was a long way from finishing his spell. He needed more time, and she was the only one who could give it to him. ¡°Keep me alive,¡± she muttered to Verin. Before they could object to the alteration of the n ¨C which had hinged on them staying safe in the hall while Bryce and Roman peppered it with attacks ¨C Alyssa dashed forward. The n hadn¡¯t been a bad one, per se. However, the moment it moved past her Bulwark, she knew it wouldn¡¯t work. The thing was like a boneless slug, and it could easily conform to the confines of the hall. So, it was better that she fight the battle in the open. Hopefully, that would allow her to use her mobility and keep it upied while Bryce and Roman did their job. With Heroic Leap, she soared into the sky, hoping that she had what it took to survive. Book 1: Chapter 73: Hit and Run Book 1: Chapter 73: Hit and Run Sunlight streamed through the forest canopy, casting the undergrowth in deep shadow. Elijah stepped lightly, his feet making no sound as he slowly approached the trio of invaders. The closest was a slight gnome with bushy, turquoise hair, while her two escorts were both dwarves with magnificent, ck beards. The pair of dwarves both held wicked axes, and the gnome wore a robe and carried an elegant staff that was taller than she was. ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± growled one of the dwarves, peering intently into the shadows. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m bein¡¯ watched.¡± ¡°This ce is cursed,¡± said the other. ¡°You always say that,¡± the gnome responded, rolling herrge eyes. Elijah took another slow step, carefully cing his paw on the loamy ground. ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right, Biko,¡± the other dwarf said. ¡°It¡¯s just like that cave we foundst month. You said that was cursed, too, and how¡¯d that turn out?¡± ¡°That was different. How was I s¡¯posed to know there was ghouls around?¡± ¡°Ghouls aremon on newly integrated worlds,¡± the gnome stated. ¡°Did you even read the pamphlet I made before we came here?¡±Another step. ¡°Biko can¡¯t read.¡± ¡°Can so!¡± Then another. ¡°Sure, buddy. We all believe that,¡± said the second dwarf, patting the other on the shoulder. Finally, Elijah was in range. He used Predator Strike, then pounced. His ws met some resistance from the mage¡¯s shield, but it wasn¡¯t enough to keep him from ripping out her throat. Even as she fell, Elijah kept moving, disappearing into the shadows. The moment he was out of sight, he bounded up the trunk of a tree, then out onto a limb. Meanwhile, the dwarves reacted, charging noisily into the brush, but finding nothing. ¡°Oh, gods¡­¡± ¡°What was that?!¡± ¡°Looked like a giant lizard.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t no lizard. That was a ¨C¡± Elijah leaped from the branch, using Venom Strike as he dropped onto the smarter dwarf¡¯s shoulders. In less than an instant, his teeth sank into his neck, and then he was gone, bounding back under cover. ¡°It bit me! It bit me!¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ but a scratch¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel so good¡­¡± Elijah raced from the scene, getting far enough away to use Guise of the Unseen. Once he did, he wheeled around and crept back to where the dwarf had fallen to his knees. He fumbled at his belt pouch, grabbing a small vial and tipping it back. Even as he did, Elijah darted forward, using Predator Strike before shing his ws across Biko¡¯s hamstrings. Even as the short figure fell forward, Elijah dashed behind a tree. ¡°Gimme that potion! It got me! It got me, Tor!¡± Whatever the other dwarf had drunk had clearly counteracted the neurotoxin inflicted by Venom Strike, but he was still a little unsteady. He turned left, then right, holding his axe before him. He used some sort of ability, but Elijah couldn¡¯t tell what it did. Probably something defensive, given their obvious role. Elijah didn¡¯t care. All he needed was to break the skin, and he doubted anything but a powerful mage¡¯s shield could stop that. So, he once again used Venom Strike, then dashed from under cover and leaped at Tor¡¯s face. His ws barely managed to pierce the dwarf¡¯s skin, but it was enough to deliver the toxic payload before he bounded off. Tor coughed, then pitched forward onto his face. The potion obviously hadn¡¯tpletely cleared the neurotoxin, and the extra dose had pushed him over the edge. Even as he fell into a seizure, Elijah circled the remaining dwarf, who, due to his torn hamstrings, was having trouble remaining upright. Coming at him from behind, Elijah once again used Venom Strike before raking his ws across the dwarf¡¯s back. Before Biko could turn around, Elijah had already bounded up the nearest tree, where he waited for the neurotoxin to finish the dwarf off. It took less than a minute before the final bit of kill energy swept through him. Elijah¡¯s shoulders sagged as he sank to his stomach in exhaustion. Using so many abilities so close together had really taken it out of him. But still, he¡¯d managed to win the fight, which meant that there were only twenty-eight more. After a few minutes of rest, Elijah leaped from the branch and headed toward the next group. The bulk of the invaders were still in camp, but after they¡¯d recovered from Elijah¡¯s first attack ¨C mostly, at least ¨C they had begun to send groups out to scout their surroundings. At present, there were two other groups out and about, which meant that Elijah had his targets. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Gradually, he stalked his prey ¨C another group of three, consisting of a pair of goblins and a gnome ¨C and, when the time was right, he pounced. The fight went much as thest had, and over the next couple of minutes, he took them down. The only dangerous bit came when the mage¡¯s shield managed to block his first attack, but Elijah was quick enough to adjust. The next attack took the mage out, and the remainder of the battle followed the script he¡¯d used during the first encounter. The next group fell as well, and soon enough, Elijah was alone within the forest. With the invaders confined to their camp, he decided to head back to the Grove, where he ate a meal of berries and mushrooms. He¡¯d have loved to eat something warm, but he didn¡¯t want to give away his position with a fire. If the invaders were even moderately observant, they could follow a plume of smoke right to the Grove. ¡°Wait¡­¡± There was an opportunity there, wasn¡¯t there? If he could count on the invadersing to a certain spot, then couldn¡¯t he take advantage of their predictability? It was worth a shot. Elijah thought he could kill them using his current tactics, but only if they didn¡¯t adjust. So long as they kept to groups of three or less, he would be fine. But if they increased their numbers? Things would get much more difficult. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if he could take some of them out of the fight without his direct intervention? At worst, it would force them to focus more on the environment. With that, Elijah cemented his n and set off across the ind. He didn¡¯t intend to go far ¨C just a mile from the camp ¨C but once he reached the clearing, he got to work. First, he started digging. With his enhanced Strength and sharp ws, he was almost as efficient as a small backhoe, and within an hour, he¡¯dpleted his first pit. Then, he dug a handful more, arranging them in a semicircle. It took half a day, but the invaders remained idle, giving him the opportunity toplete his undertaking. Once the pits had been dug ¨C each one reaching a depth of almost ten feet ¨C he set off into the forest to gather sticks. Doing this required that he shift back into his human form, but he didn¡¯t mind. He had plenty of Ethera avable, so he could shift back into his predator form at a moment¡¯s notice. Fortunately, Elijah¡¯s enemies remained sequestered in their camp. Likely, they knew that something was hunting them, and as a result, were reluctant to leave ¨C especially with nighting. That yed right into Elijah¡¯s ns, giving him hours to finish building his traps. He¡¯d based the design on a medieval fortification called a trou de loup ¨C or a wolf hole ¨C which consisted of a dense pattern of conical pits, at the bottoms of which would be punji sticks. In some cases, rotting meat or feces would be smeared on the wooden stakes, but Elijah had neither the time nor the inclination to go to those lengths. In any case, he suspected that any long-running infection that came from such tactics would be easily cured by the healers among the invaders. No - all he cared about was creating more chaos. With any luck, he could repeat his actions from before, using Cmity and Swarm to further whittle their numbers down. And if he was truly fortunate, he¡¯d kill them all in one go. After sharpening the stakes with his knife, Elijah jammed them into the bottoms of the pits, then went about gathering some firewood, which he arranged in another shallow pit at the center of the arrayed traps. By that point, it was already night, which gave him only a few short hours to finish the project. Thest piece that would bring everything together required him to weave a series of flimsy mats from grass he gathered from nearby. Once he¡¯d done that, morning was only about an hour off, so he quickly covered them with a thinyer of dirt and loose grass that he hoped would disguise his traps. Finally, with his traps built, Elijah lit the fire before piling a series of green limbs onto the pile. As the fire filled the air with a thick plume of dark smoke, the invaders set out from their camp en masse. They were going in the wrong direction at first, but as Elijah continued to stoke the fire, adding more and green limbs, they clearly noticed the plume of smoke and changed directions. And just like that, Elijah¡¯s n was on. He retreated into one of the trees, climbing until he had a good view of the clearing. Then, he waited. It only took them an hour to reach the clearing. All twenty-two of them, advancing in a line. They did so cautiously, but none of them even looked at the ground. Elijah¡¯s previous efforts to kill their scouts bore fruit when the first few ¨C a couple of gnomes and a goblin ¨C fell into one of the traps. They screamed, and the group panicked. One of the gnomes ¨C a fellow with a vivid red mohawk ¨C started shouting something Elijah couldn¡¯t hear, gesturing violently. That was when Elijah leaped down from the tree, shifted into his human form, and, for the second time in the past three days, used Cmity. The sky tore apart as thick storm clouds rolled in. The earth rumbled and the wind whipped into a frenzy. That was enough to send the remaining invaders into a panic. They scattered. Unfortunately, the clearing was absolutely lousy with traps, and it only took a couple of seconds before the panicked invaders ran afoul of the previous night¡¯s efforts. A full half of the group fell into traps as Cmity tore the area asunder, peppering it with lightning, des of hurricane force winds, and a minor earthquake. As before, it onlysted for a few seconds before it dissipated, but by that point, the damage was done. Elijah cast Swarm. Thousands of biting flies manifested, then swept down on the trapped invaders. Some tossed fireballs and other spells out to try to mitigate the mass of insects, but their efforts were all for naught. A handful of gnomes and goblins had managed to avoid the traps, but all except one had fallen to Cmity. Elijah crouched at the tree line, watching as Swarm did its work. Slowly, the kill energy flooded in, pushing him past level thirty. And just like that, the invaders were finished. Only one remained. A few others were still alive, but he was the only one who remained upright and mostly healthy. The same gnome that seemed to be in charge, pulsing with red energy, stood amidst the carnage. He looked around, panicked and furious, screaming something unintelligible. Elijah kept an eye on him, and as he continued to regenerate his Ethera, inspected his new spell:
Shape of the Guardian Take on the form of a stalwart guardian, vastly increasing your Strength and Constitution attributes. Spellcasting is suspended while Form of the Guardian is active.
Another shapeshift, but unlike Shape of the Predator, it didn¡¯t cost nearly as much Ethera. As Elijah read the new spell''s description, he watched the gnome''s tirade continue. And after only a second more, the red-glowing gnome finally locked his eyes on Elijah''s position, and with a growl,unched himself toward the man who¡¯d torn his small army apart. The gnome shouted in rage, the glow of his red aura increasing in intensity as he tore across the battlefield. . Book 1: Chapter 74: Inevitable Book 1: Chapter 74: Inevitable Using Descending Dragon, Alyssa rocketed toward the bulbous mass of sweaty flesh. It reacted far more quickly than she could have anticipated, and even as she fell, a series of appendages thrust upward, each one tipped with a yellow pustule. They burst, spraying her with a sticky goo that immediately set her armor to smoking. Through some miracle, she avoided getting it into her eyes, but the rest of her body was fair game. She screamed in mingled agony and anger, but her spear remained steady, tearing into the bulky monster and carving a huge gash into its moist form. The moment shended, she tried to kick off, intending to use Wings of the Dragon to glide away to safety. However, the monster was too fast, and its multitude of disparate arms whipped out, grabbing at her legs. Caught off bnce, she tumbled forward, mming face-first into the naked flesh. The thing let out a multitude of screechingughs, then wrapped its arms around her, hugging her close. The skin split, then the flesh beneath opened as well, trying to swallow her whole. Panicked, Alyssa summoned another Bulwark directly below her, and miraculously, the invisible shield locked into ce, preventing the flesh from closing around her. Activating Enrage, she let loose with Champion¡¯s Shout, flooding her body with Strength even as thetter ability stunned the monster¡¯s grasping limbs. With that small opening, she shoved herself upright and leaped away, sprouting wings a secondter. But her victory was short lived, as a tendril of pure muscleshed out, smashing against her lower half and sending her off course. Before she could right the proverbial ship, Alyssa crashed into the ground, destroying one of the desks before rolling to a stop against another. With her vision blurred and her thoughts slowed by a probable concussion, Alyssa struggled to rise. She heard someone shout something, but her sluggish mind couldn¡¯t wrap itself around the meaning. Then, a wave of vitality swept through her. Her thoughts cleared, and her agony faded under Verin¡¯s ministrations. Shaking her head, she looked up to see that the monster was on fire, with a full quarter of its flesh resembling something with the consistency of melting rubber. The smell of cooking flesh ¨C which was disturbingly like grilled pork ¨C filled the air, but despite the obvious damage wrought by Bryce¡¯s fiery spell, the monster was far from dead. And it was just as clearly pissed off. Each of its faces screamed in fury while its various appendages waved in formless anger. It rolled forward, intent on crushing the author of its pain. Bryce tried to run, but he tripped over something Alyssa couldn¡¯t see. Roman shouted something, but he¡¯d dashed away in the opposite direction.Bryce never stood a chance. He yelled, casting another spell, but it was the quick-casting variety, and the fireball connected with barely a sizzle before the bulbous monster rolled over him. It quivered in obvious ecstasy as a squelching sound filled the air. A secondter, Alyssa saw the melted flesh begin to reform. Most of it was featureless, but she couldn¡¯t mistake the growing presence of Bryce¡¯s agonized face. Fury, disgust, and fear coursed through Alyssa¡¯s mind as her Enrage reached new heights. She threw herself to her feet, then raced across the Senate Chamber. The monster turned in her direction, quivering eagerly as it likely contemted adding yet another body to its mass. When she got close enough, Alyssa activated three abilities, all in quick session. First, Champion¡¯s Shout, to briefly stun the monster. Then, Impale, to add a damage-over-timeponent to her next ability. Finally, she aimed ancing strike in the direction of the monster¡¯s injured side, shouting a wordless war cry as she unleashed Unstoppable Thrust, sending a concentrated spear of Ethera to tear through its mass. Blood misted into the air as ayer of flesh was carved from its body. It screamed. But Alyssa wasn¡¯t finished. Once again, she used Heroic Leap. This time, though, she didn¡¯t go upward. Instead, she used it to send herself into a horizontal Charge. Her spear took the creature in the injured side, slicing deeper than ever before. Shended amidst the bloody muscle with a wet squelch, pulled her spear back and stabbed again. And again after that. Vaguely, she recognized Roman¡¯s arrows joining her barrage of spear strikes. With every passing second, she was battered by the creature¡¯s nearest limbs. But none could dislodge her. Over and over, she brought her weapon to bear. She didn¡¯t escape unscathed, but Verin healed her from a distance. In the meantime, she also activated Recover almost by instinct. Slowly, she carved her way into the monster until, atst, she found something that seemed important. It was a concentrated ball of dense flesh that looked like a mass of wriggling worms. Was it the brain? Or was it the creature¡¯s original form? Alyssa didn¡¯t care. She attacked it, using Impale to increase the damage. Those wriggling worms shot out, but most of them hit her armor. The ones that found skin tried to burrow into her, but with Hardened Skin enhancing her Constitution, they couldn¡¯t find any purchase. She ignored the pain, stabbing and slicing with her spear until, atst, the thing fell still. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the tform they originally published on. A secondter, the flesh lost cohesion and fell apart. Alyssa tumbled to the ground as she was buried beneath hundreds of bodies. She panicked, slicing the cadavers apart, with every ounce of fury she could muster. But they were dead, and as such, they were no match for her de. They were heavy, though, and it took her a few minutes to carve her way free. When she finally did, she found Roman and Verin waiting for her. And they looked almost disappointed. Or was that sadness? They had lost Bryce, after all. Maybe they felt guilty. She started to say something, but then, something rammed into her back. Alyssa twisted, but her body failed her. She flopped to her side, confused as to what had happened. Was there another monster? No¡­ She had felt the experience from killing the monster. They¡¯d conquered the tower. More, she could see the reward box sitting only a few feet away, gleaming in the ambient light. She tried to roll over, but her body wouldn¡¯t respond. Recover had faded. So had her passive augmentations. ¡°W-what¡­¡± Roman crossed his arms, saying, ¡°Again.¡± ¡°You got it, chief.¡± Another stab, this time in her kidney. Alyssa coughed up blood, but she couldn¡¯t move. ¡°Damn nice knife, here,¡± came Trace¡¯s voice as he circled into Alyssa¡¯s field of vision. He looked like he hadn¡¯t even fought in the previous battle. He tossed the Stiletto of Sundering into the air, letting it flip before its hilt fell back into his hand. ¡°Interesting effect. Did you know I have an analysis ability? Part of being a proper Ouw is recognizing what goods are worth stealing, after all. And this one is a real gem. Doesn¡¯t do much damage. Not really. But it debuffs the shit out of you. Forcefully deactivates self-buffs and decreases attributes. Not by a lot. Really hits the ol¡¯ Constitution hard, though. Just enough that my ability could put you down.¡± Roman growled, ¡°Enough with the monologue.¡± ¡°Sorry, chief.¡± It took all of her Strength, but Alyssa managed to croak, ¡°W-why¡­¡± Roman sighed. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t see what you¡¯ve done?¡± he asked. ¡°Always putting yourself out there, taking extra patrols, saving people¡­and all the while, I¡¯m doing what¡¯s necessary. I¡¯m making the hard decisions, the unpopr choices. And people hate me for it as much as they love you. I can¡¯t have it. I won¡¯t stand for division.¡± Alyssa tried to move, to do something, but whatever Trace¡¯s ability was, it robbed her of any control over her own body. She didn¡¯t think it was permanent. It would wear off. So, she just needed to keep Roman talking. She spat, ¡°Is¡­it¡­about¡­Trish¡­¡± Roman¡¯s cid expression changed in an instant, taking on a pained and furious visage. ¡°It¡¯s not about that,¡± he growled. ¡°It is¡­¡± She saw his knuckles whiten around the grip of his bow. He took a couple of deep breaths, then looked from Trace, who seemed as calm as if he was on a walk in the park, to Verin, who was clearly ufortable. But she seemed stoic. Committed. Alyssa didn¡¯t think she was going to step in to help. Roman closed his eyes and took yet another deep breath. And when he once again opened his eyes, it was as if his anger had simply washed away. ¡°Believe what you want,¡± he said. ¡°This isn¡¯t personal.¡± If Alyssa could have moved, she would haveughed in his face. She could see it in his expression. He med her, whether or not he wanted to admit it aloud. He sighed. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re going to die here, Alyssa. I wish it hadn¡¯t worked out this way. You¡¯re a good person. One of the best. I know you want to help,¡± he said. ¡°And believe me, you dying here today ¨C that¡¯ll help Easton more than anything else you could do.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°You know it¡¯s true. Your death will make sure we¡¯re all united to face the difficulties toe,¡± he said, stepping forward. He knelt beside the box, then utched it. A notification shed across Alyssa¡¯s eyes. Everyone froze, clearly reading the same notification Alyssa had just received.
Congratluations! You havepleted Level Three of The Zombie Apocalypse. Grade: A To exit the tower, find the portal.
It was an expected message, though Alyssa had to admit that she felt a sense of aplishment when she saw that the group had been given a higher grade than after thest level. She wasn¡¯t certain what it really meant, but she suspected that the reward¡¯s power was dependent on their grade. In any case, she moved to the next notification:
Reward forpleting The Zombie Apocalypse: Seal of Authority
¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good one, chief. Lets you establish the town as an official city with the System. Don¡¯t know what that means, but it¡¯s probably good,¡± said Trace. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do it, just do it,¡± said Verin. ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to this so I could watch her suffer. It¡¯s inhumane.¡± ¡°F-fuck you,¡± Alyssa spat, feeling some of the feelinging back to her legs. Just a few more moments, and she¡¯d be able to move. And when she regained mobility, she would end all three of them. The Priest would have to go first. Then the Ouw. She¡¯d save Roman forst, and she intended to take her time with the traitor. ¡°Fuck you all.¡± ¡°Best get on with it, chief,¡± Trace said. ¡°The effect won¡¯tst much longer. She¡¯s already getting feeling back.¡± Roman shook his head, pocketing the Seal of Authority. It was a simple item the size and shape of a coin, though she couldn¡¯t see it well enough to recognize more than that. Once he¡¯d put it away, he stepped forward. He held a hand out toward Trace, and the Ouw responded by handing him one of his swords, hilt first. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I wish I didn¡¯t have to do this. Even with¡­everything that¡¯s happened, I still consider you a friend.¡± Then, Ethera swirled around him as he raised the sword in a two-handed grip. Even as it fell, Alyssa tried to squirm out of the way. She desperately attempted to activate an ability. Hardened Skin. Heroic Leap. Shockwave. Anything. But none of them responded any more than her paralyzed body. The sword fell, biting deep into her exposed neck. She didn¡¯t even feel it. Nor did she immediately die. Blood pooled beneath her, and she tried to speak. Nothing came out but a wordless gurgle. Roman raised the sword again, and just like it had the first time, it fell upon her neck. Still, she lived. Barely. Darkness had begun to creep around her eyes, which flicked from one person to another. Trace looked unconcerned. Roman was stoic, yet regretful. But Verin ¨C she had tears in her eyes. She didn¡¯t look away, though. The sword came down again, and atst, her head fell free. It rolled a foot or so away, and for a few seconds, Alyssa¡¯s awareness persisted. But then, finally, her life winked out. Herst thoughts were of impotent anger and revenge. Book 1: Chapter 75: Protector of the Grove Book 1: Chapter 75: Protector of the Grove The charging gnome was shorter than any of the others Elijah had seen, a fact he¡¯d tried to disguise with a very ridiculous mohawk that extended almost a foot higher than was reasonable. Still, the diminutive man moved with enough crity that Elijah almost didn¡¯t have time to respond. At thest second, he pointed his staff in the gnome¡¯s direction, casting Entagling Roots. The spell took hold, transforming the targeted area into a quagmire of thorny roots. They reached up, wrapping around the racing gnome¡¯s legs and digging into his flesh. But he never stopped moving, ripping free and leaving quite a bit of blood behind. He was unaffected, though, moving just as quickly as before. Next came Storm¡¯s Fury, sending a bolt of lightning in the gnome¡¯s direction. It hit, and the attack was effective. The gnome ¨C Cabbot, Elijah thought he¡¯d heard someone say back in the camp ¨C tumbled backward from the force of the lightning¡¯s impact, flipping end over end until he came to a rest after ten feet. Elijah watched as Cabbot staggered to his feet, his clothing smoking and the flesh on one side of his face charred. Only a momentter, the red energy cloaking his form pulsed, and the blistered and ck flesh ked away, leaving unmarred skin behind. He was healing, and at a rate Elijah thought impossible. Even with Touch of Naturebined with Healing Rain, if he¡¯d tried to heal that much damage, it would¡¯ve taken hours. Perhaps days. But Cabbot had aplished the feat in only seconds. Seeing that, Elijah turned to run. He couldn¡¯t keep up to that kind of power. Not in a straight-up fight. Instead, he intended to use the same tactics he¡¯d used before, harassing the gnome with hit-and-run tactics until he went down. However, before he could get more than a few steps, something hit him in the back. He went flying through the air, then hit the ground where he tumbled, end over end, until he hit the tree line. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t collide with a tree. Instead, he was slowed by the underbrush, and about ten feet into the forest, he came to a stop on his back. He felt something wet.Confused ¨C there was no water around ¨C he reached down, dipping his fingers into the puddle below. Pulling his hand away, he held it up in front of his face. And all he saw was red. Blood. He was bleeding. That didn¡¯t seem right. There was something he needed to do. Some way he should have responded. But in his foggy state, Elijah couldn¡¯t solve that seemingly insurmountable puzzle. Then, by instinct more than conscious thought, he cast Touch of Nature. The healing power coursed through him, healing his concussion and clearing his thoughts. But it did little for the gaping wound in his side. ¡°You ruined everything!¡± came a shout, apanied by something ¨C Cabbot, his slowed mind reasoned ¨C crashing through the underbrush. Elijah used Touch of Nature again, but it was like trying to fill a bucket one thimbleful at a time. The bleeding slowed, but it didn¡¯t evene close to stopping. He tried to rise, but his legs didn¡¯t seem to work. So, all he managed was to awkwardly lever himself into a sitting position. When he did, he saw the gnome, still pulsing with angry red energy, charging through the forest, an enormous, bloody axe raised above his head. Cabbot¡¯s murderous intentions were clear. Elijah¡¯s options were nearly nonexistent. In fact, he only had one, and it was untested. But he had no choice. So, without any other options, Elijah embraced his newest spell. Ethera raced through his body, transforming it with every passing millisecond. Scales sprouted, muscles inted, and his skeleton twisted into the appropriate shape. After only a second, he had assumed the Shape of the Guardian.
Shape of the Guardian Archetype: Druid ss: Animist Level: 30 Take on the form of a stalwart guardian, vastly increasing your Strength and Constitution attributes. Spellcasting is suspended while Form of the Guardian is active.
Guardian¡¯s Renewal Instantly andpletely regenerate. Cooldown affected by Regeneration attribute. Current: Once Per Week
Elijah gasped as the notification shed before his eyes. Whether it was a sign from the System, or his subconscious mind reminding him that his shapeshifting forms came with innate abilities, he had no idea. But regardless of whence it hade, Elijah wasted no time before using Guardian¡¯s Renewal. As the description promised, his wounds instantly healed. The exhaustion he¡¯d felt from his days of fighting a gueri war disappeared. And just like that, he was ready to meet the gnome on equal footing. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. However, the transformation had clearly surprised Cabbot, who¡¯d stumbled to a stop. ¡°W-what¡­¡± Elijah didn¡¯t wait for him to regain hisposure. Instead, he pushed himself to his feet and raced forward. Or he tried to, at least. His new form was enormous and powerful, and the sudden disparity between his Strength and Dexterity made him clumsy. As a result, he found himself stumbling. Cabbot took that as an opportunity to regain his momentum. Fury evident in his expression, he leaped forward, hefting his axe in a herculean swing that took Elijah by surprise. He tried to dodge, but he still hadn¡¯t managed to master his new form. So, he once again stumbled, and Cabbot¡¯s axe took him in the hip. A loud ng filled the forest as Cabbot¡¯s momentum took him tumbling past Elijah¡¯s surprised form. The blow hadn¡¯t even drawn blood. Instead, the axe had gotten lodged in Elijah¡¯s scales. With a sweep of his powerful foreleg, he knocked the weapon aside, then turned to face Cabbot. ¡°What are you?¡± the gnome demanded, pulling another weapon out of nowhere. This one was a in-looking greatsword with a de almost twice Cabbot¡¯s size. He held it easily, though, evidence of his inted Strength attribute. ¡°A druid,¡± Elijah growled, speaking before he thought better of it. He¡¯d never even tried in his predator form, so the ability to do so surprised him. ¡°And you¡¯re trespassing in my Grove.¡± Cabbot took a step back, and the red light enveloping his form flickered, then dimmed slightly. ¡°A d-druid? Here? How?¡± Elijah tried to shrug his massive shoulders. It was difficult, given his new anatomy. As far as he could tell, the Guardian form was a mixture of dinosaur, ape, and bear. But that was inadequate to describe what he felt. He could move on two legs, but he was much morefortable using his long arms to move in an ape-like gait. Perhaps he would know more about the form when he had a chance to study it further. For now, though, he had a gnome to kill. Cabbot easily interpreted the situation, and as a result, his light red as he charged forward. This time, his attacks were more measured, but his de was incapable of doing more than chip Elijah¡¯s scales. At least at first. With each ineffectual attack, Cabbot¡¯s fury rose. With it, he grew stronger. Faster. And less controlled. In seconds, he¡¯d be a whirling dervish of shing des. Elijah tried to respond in kind, but due to abination of his mismatched attributes, inexperience with his new form, and the gnome¡¯s rapid movements rendered his own counterattacks ineffective. Each miss brought with it more frustration, and soon enough, Elijah was roaring like the beast he appeared to be. If he¡¯d been in his Predator Form, he could have easily kept up. But it came with its own weaknesses ¨C chiefly, that if he was hit, he probably wouldn¡¯t survive. Byparison, the Guardian Form lived up to its name, and it traded coordination for explosive Strength and durability. In any case, he was stuck in the form because he didn¡¯t have the Ethera to fuel another transformation, and he couldn¡¯t endure the gnome¡¯s attacks as a human. No ¨C he had to remain in the Guardian form for now. Which meant that the twobatants reached something of a stalemate. The fight wore on. Minutes passed, bing more than an hour. The whole time, Elijah stoically withstood the gnome¡¯s ferocious attacks. Eventually, though, the evesting battle took its toll. Not on Elijah, who was well-suited to such a fight ¨C not only due to his Guardian form, but also because of his experiences in the tower. There, he¡¯d learned to endure, and against Cabbot, he put those hard won those lessons to good use. As he did, he slowly grew more used to his new body. He knew it would take quite some time before he was nearly asfortable in the Guardian form as he was as a human or in the Predator shape, but he did improve, even clipping Cabbot a few times. Still, the biggest deciding factor was that the gnome¡¯s abilities clearly weren¡¯t made for a long-drawn out battle. As it wore on, it became obvious that he was fighting against impotent frustration as much as he fought Elijah. And in the end, his abilities began to peter out. The red light dimmed, and his movements slowed. Still, Elijah didn¡¯t dare make his move. He knew that the moment he did, it would reignite the gnome¡¯s fury. So, he had to make that first major blow count. Cabbot iled against inevitability. Eventually, his sword broke, and he produced another axe from thin air. That broke, too. However, with every passing minute, the gnome¡¯s attacks grew weaker until they were incapable of even chipping Elijah¡¯s scales. Still, he waited. And waited. The gnome continued, but Elijah knew how to be patient. Then, finally, the light winked out, and Elijah struck. With his Strength attribute so thoroughly inted, he was well into superhuman territory. And even if he didn¡¯t have the Dexterity to control his power, he didn¡¯t really need to, either. Not with Cabbot having slowed to more normal speeds. Elijahshed out with his forew. It was a simple jab, but it took Cabbot directly in the face. The gnome flipped backward, then hit one of the nearby trees. It shuddered with the impact, and Cabbot crumpled. The red light flickered back into being, but Elijah had no intention of letting the gnome get going. Using his explosive Strength, he rushed forward. Then, sping his hands together, he brought both fists down on the injured figure. Red light red again, and bones snapped back into ce. Elijah hit him again. And again. Over and over, his attacks barely outpaced the Berserker¡¯s Regeneration. Slowly, Elijah gained ground. He shattered bones, over and over, and then, suddenly, the red light disappeared. Kill energy rushed into Elijah ¨C less than he would have expected ¨C as the gnome finally died. Elijah sighed, the sounding out in a growling hiss, then let his shoulders sag. He still wasn¡¯t finished. There remained a few survivors who¡¯d managed to live through the barrage of Cataclysm, Swarm, and his traps. So, after letting himself resume his human form, he looked down at his body. There were hundreds of tiny cuts where his scales had been chipped. Shaking his head, Elijah used Touch of Nature, healing the minor damage, then marshalled his resolve. Most of the fighting force was dead, but as he¡¯d suspected, a few had managed to survive ¨C all of which were still impaled on the stakes he¡¯d nted at the bottom of the pits. After taking a deep breath, he used Storm¡¯s Fury to finish them off. It wasn¡¯t pretty, and it usually took more than one cast, but he did what he had to do. He would have preferred something more humane. The gnomes and goblins certainly suffered more than Elijah would have liked. But in the end, he needed to protect his Grove. That meant finishing the job he¡¯d started. When he reached thest one, though, he hesitated. She was a goblin, with huge, green ears and sharp teeth. But unlike the others, she hadn¡¯t fallen into one of the traps. He pointed his staff at her and demanded, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Calix,¡± she coughed, spitting blood. She was either a mage or a healer, judging by her robes and the staff lying nearby. But she was just as clearly out of Ethera ¨C using it was probably the only reason she¡¯d survived so long. ¡°Do you want to live, Calix?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡­I do¡­¡± Elijah stepped forward, then put his hand on her shoulder. The battle against Cabbot had gone on long enough that he¡¯d managed to regenerate most of his Ethera, so he had no issues with casting Touch of Nature. It took four pulses ¨C and half of his remaining Ethera ¨C but in only a few seconds, Calix was healthy. ¡°W-why?¡± she asked, looking up at him with mingled fear and awe. ¡°You need to go home,¡± he said. ¡°When you get there, I want you to let everyone in that town know what happens to anyone whoes to my ind. Youe here, you die. Period. This is thest bit of mercy I¡¯ll give. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± ¡°And if I hear about you trying to harvest sentient creatures as fuel for your advancement, I wille for you. If ites to that, Ironshore will not survive. Do I make myself clear?¡± She nodded eagerly. ¡°Go,¡± he growled. Calix didn¡¯t need any further prodding. After all, Elijah had killed almost fifty people in less than two days, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that she was far too frightened to do anything but flee. However, before she got more than a few steps, she did manage to stop, turn, and ask, ¡°W-what are you?¡± Elijah thought about it for a second before he said, ¡°I am the protector of the Grove. Challenge me at your own risk.¡± Book 2: Chapter 1: Recovery Book 2: Chapter 1: Recovery Elijah watched Calix as she shoved one of the rowboats out into the sea, then board the small vessel and start paddling away. He didn¡¯t avert his eyes until almost twenty minutester when the little boat disappeared behind a rolling wave. That¡¯s when his shoulders sagged in relief. He knew he¡¯d taken a risk by letting her go. There was every chance that, as soon as she reached Ironshore, she would gather as many fighters as she could find beforeing back to his ind to exact vengeance on him. But he was also well aware of his own limitations. Certainly, if the entirety of the expedition had remained missing, they would be wary of setting foot on his ind. They would also be curious, though, and that curiosity would eventually drive them back to the ind. Now, though, the goblin mage would tell her people precisely what had happened to her colleagues. Elijah had seen the fear in her eyes, and he suspected that she would do just about anything to avoid setting foot on the ind again. Hopefully, she would warn the other residents of Ironshore away, telling them that they would find nothing but death if they came to his ind. It was still a risky move, though, and one he hoped wouldn¡¯te back to bite him. It wasn¡¯t that he had issues with killing the invaders. He didn¡¯t. They¡¯de to his ind with avarice in their hearts; that much was proven the moment they¡¯d abducted and attempted to drain the young dragon, Saraalinisa. Even so, Elijah was willing to live in peace, so long as they left him alone. For now, though, he had other issues at hand ¨C like cleaning up his ind. He could feel every single dead body, and though he was tempted to let them rot, he chose another tactic. After all, he¡¯d already dug a bunch of holes, hadn¡¯t he? He still needed to refill those traps ¨C otherwise, the local wildlife might fall afoul of them ¨C so throwing a few dead bodies into each one wouldn¡¯t really require much extra effort. So, Elijah set off across his ind and started gathering corpses. At first, he¡¯d resolved to simply carry them, but the first few he¡¯d killed had already begun to bloat, so he retreated to his grove, gathered a few coils of homemade cordage as well of some of the old ritualist¡¯s robes he¡¯d intended to use to make clothes. Then, he stretched those robes between a pair of long, stout branches, tying them off before heading back to the first bodies. The task of loading the litter was, in a word, disgusting ¨C especially considering that he couldn¡¯t just toss them into ce. Instead, he had to search the bodies first. The first group ¨C which was the first trio he¡¯d ambushed the day before ¨C had a few weapons, some clothes, and various leather goods like belts. Each subsequent group was much the same, though he also came away with a decent stash of curious coins. He¡¯d seen their like before, but he hadn¡¯t taken the time to really examine them. Now, he did, and he came away with a host of questions. First, each one emitted its own localized cloud of dense ethera. Second, they looked and felt like copper, though they were far lighter than they should have been. Knowing he wasn¡¯t going to figure it out anytime soon ¨C not without Nerthus¡¯s input, at least ¨C Elijah thrust every coin into a few pouches. He even found a couple that looked silver, but they joined all the others.Over the next couple of days, Elijah went through the bodies, one by one, and he evenbed through the former campsite near the beach. He looted a ton of interesting items ¨C tents, tools, and more cloth than he knew what to do with ¨C but the one that excited him most was a small sewing kit he found on one of the goblins. Until then, Elijah had been forced to make do with needles of bone or crab shell, so the addition of a few good, steel needles was a godsend. And he hoped it would let him sew some decent clothes. Because he was still wearing nothing but a gnome-sized robe he¡¯d repurposed into a makeshift kilt and tied around his waist with a bit of homemade cordage. So, the sewing kit was a fantastic find, as was the rope he gathered from the campsite. However, the biggest score was when he uncovered a crate of dried meat, cheese, and bread. Elijah stared at it in awe. For two years ¨C or something like that ¨C he¡¯d been eating nothing but what he could hunt, fish, or gather. And while there was something to be said for mushrooms and wild edibles, the reality was that he¡¯d never been a very good cook. More, even if he¡¯d had the skill, he didn¡¯t have the spices to make any decent recipes work. So, aside from some wild onions he¡¯d managed to grow in his garden, his cooking didn¡¯t feature much in the way of seasoning. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the fact that, in the tower, he¡¯d eaten his meals raw. Sometimes, that was as a panther, which somehow made it better, but he¡¯d done so as human often enough that he would appreciate anything he could get. Still, he didn¡¯t eat right away. Instead, he continued his task of burying the bodies, then took everything he¡¯d gathered back to his Grove. It took a few trips because there was so much, and when he finally had everything in one ce, he couldn¡¯t stifle an appreciative sigh. ¡°The Grove is secure?¡± came a familiar voice. Elijah looked up to see Nerthus perched on one of the steps leading up to his tree house. ¡°Yep. I let one go, though,¡± he said. ¡°I thought she might warn the others off.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Do you think that will work?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯ll probably keep them away for a while, but it¡¯s definitely not a permanent solution,¡± he said. ¡°If they¡¯re willing to kidnap a dragon, they won¡¯t be scared off by me. Not indefinitely.¡± ¡°What do you intend to do?¡± Nerthus asked. ¡°For now? I want to eat my weight in dried meat and cheese,¡± he answered. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to keep going the same way I¡¯ve been going. I don¡¯t know. I have a few projects in the back of my mind. Plus, I just want to rest for a while.¡± The tree spirit cocked his head to the side, then asked, ¡°And what about when you get bored?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Who says I¡¯ll get bored?¡± ¡°I do.¡± He sighed. ¡°Fine. Once I¡¯m happy with the security of the Grove, I n to explore a little,¡± he said. ¡°Branch out, you know? Maybe I can find my sister.¡± Nerthus said, ¡°Hmm. Perhaps this is overstepping, but you may want to consider diplomatic rtions with the settlement across the strait.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°They clearly have a Branch of the World Tree,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°I figured as much. That¡¯s how they got here, right? Through the World Tree.¡± ¡°Yes, but not like you¡¯re thinking. When the World Tree touched this world, non-Earthlings were given the opportunity toe here,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°Some did so as representatives ofrger organizations. From what you have told me, the people in Ironshore are like that. Others came to escape something in the more settled worlds. Still others came to take advantage of a virgin world and the progression that wille with taming it.¡± ¡°Okay? What does that have to do with anything? I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong ¨C it¡¯s interesting, I guess. But it doesn¡¯t really answer the question, does it?¡± ¡°Right. I was getting to that. Many of these colonizers brought Envoys with them,¡± Nerthus went on. ¡°The Branches they can summon are a little more advanced than the ones native to this world. So, in addition to the most basic functions, like essing the Knowledge base, Market, and Communications apparatus, they will oftene with the ability to detect additional settlements within a certain territory.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said. Indeed, if what Nerthus had said was true, then if he could gain ess to the Branch, then he could use it as a guide to find the next closest settlement. Then that one could direct him to the next. And so on. Eventually, he would find Easton ¨C or at least Seattle. At worst, he could find other people who could send him in the right direction. It was as good of a n to find his sister and her family as any he¡¯de up with. So far, the best he¡¯d thought of was to simply roam around and search for signs of civilization, which he would readily admit was a bad n. The only problem was that the people of Ironshore weren¡¯t very likely to let him simply waltz into town and use their Branch. At best, they would refuse him entry. At worst, they would attack him on sight. But then again, if there was one settlement like Ironshore around, then there were probably others as well. And perhaps they would be more amenable to a good rtionship. Elijah shook his head and said, ¡°I guess that¡¯s a start.¡± After that, Nerthus retreated into his tree, and Elijah began cataloguing his new cache of supplies. Soon enough, he had everything sorted into separate piles. One pile held various weaponry ¨C almost a dozen axes, at least as many staves, and a few swords ¨C while another wasprised of the clothing he¡¯d stripped from the corpses. The next was a little smaller, and it contained various leather items ranging from belts and pouches to armor. The next pile contained various bits of metallic armor. It was all valuable enough, though not to Elijah. If they¡¯d been sized to fit him, it would have been one thing, but given that each piece was made for the much smaller dwarves, gnomes, and goblins, they were useless to him. However, he hoped that, perhaps, he could find some use for the metal. He was only basically familiar with cksmithing methods, but he was willing to learn via trial and error. The final pile had the various odds and ends he¡¯d found in camp. Pots and pans, cooking utensils, and various other tools were prominent. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a beauty,¡± he said, holding up arge pot. For the longest time, he¡¯d had to make do with an old, rusted, and far too small pot. But now, he was spoiled for choice, which would go a long way toward improving his quality of life. In all, looting fifty corpses and the camp they¡¯d built on the shore had proven extremely valuable, and Elijah couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of optimism about life going forward. More than anything, though, he was looking forward to digging into the crate of food he¡¯d taken. Still, he took the time to head down to his garden, where he gathered a basket of berries and a handful of wild onions. Then, he went back to his tree house where heid out a feast, which he tore into with all the gusto of a man who hadn¡¯t eaten anything but poorly cooked crab, fish, and wild edibles for two years. Which was to say, he quickly gorged himself. The meal wasn¡¯t anythingplicated. Generously, the contents of that crate would have been called travel rations. But still, it was better than anything Elijah had eaten in quite some time. And he enjoyed everyst bite until, finally, he¡¯d had enough. Once that was done, he stripped down, took a shower ¨C using his homemade soap ¨C and then went to bed. But he didn¡¯t immediately go to sleep. Instead, hey there for a long time, just staring at the gently glowing flowers on the ceiling. As he did, he thought back to what he¡¯d been through for the past couple of years. Sometimes, it was difficult to wrap his head around it all. From the moment he¡¯d washed ashore, Elijah had struggled to survive. For the longest time, even getting enough food had been difficult, but gradually, he had adjusted. Along the way, he¡¯d been forced to be a killer. Not only had he killed dozens of Voxx ¨C the interdimensional lizard creatures who threatened the entire world ¨C but he¡¯d also in plenty of sentients as well. Goblins. Gnomes. Dwarves. He¡¯d even fought and killed raptors that seemed like they were made of roots and moss. More than anything, though, he had survived. And he had protected his ind. But now, Elijah felt like he¡¯d turned a corner. Not just because he suddenly had a glut of supplies. That was part of it, but he¡¯d also proven that he could stand toe-to-toe with anyone. So, with that in mind, he was running out of excuses not to venture out into the wider world where he hoped to reunite with his sister and the rest of humanity. It was with those thoughts that he finally sumbed to a blessedly dreamless sleep. Book 2: Chapter 2: A Great Loss Book 2: Chapter 2: A Great Loss Carmen hammered away at the hunk of steel, steadily shaping it until she finally achieved her goal ¨C a utilitarian longsword. The result was nothing impressive, though she hoped that once she was finished, it would at least reach Crude grade so she could practice her enchanting. Either way, it would be a useful piece, if only by virtue of her skill. Even her failures were head and shoulders above what anything the other cksmiths in Easton could forge. She was busy inspecting the cooling de for any major ws when she felt someone standing behind her. It was a trick she¡¯d learned from her habit of constantly immersing herself in Ethera; she could tell when someone was nearby, just by the way the ambient Ethera swirled around them. Still, she didn¡¯t turn as she said, ¡°If you¡¯re here to put in an order, just know that I¡¯m booked for at least three weeks solid. Longer, probably. So, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be able to get to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that,¡± came an unfamiliar voice. Carmen turned to see an older woman she didn¡¯t recognize. The neer carried a wicked-looking morningstar strapped to her waist, but otherwise had a middle-aged, matronly look about her. The ethnicity was wrong, but still, the woman reminded Carmen of her abu. ¡°Don¡¯t know you,¡± Carmen said, crossing the forge to a barrel full of clean water. She dipped her hands in, then sshed some of it on her face. ¡°If you¡¯re not here to hire me, then what do you want?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the¡­uh¡­council,¡± the woman said. ¡°They want to see you.¡± ¡°Yeah? Well, they can wait,¡± she responded with no small degree of impatience. She¡¯d long since grown weary of their petty back and forth, and it had grown even worse since Alyssa and Roman had gone to conquer the tower. If they were self-serving before, then Carmen really didn¡¯t know a strong enough word to categorize their selfishness in Roman¡¯s absence. Hopefully, when the Chief returned, he would set them straight. Or maybe Alyssa would. ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± the older woman stated. Carmen sighed. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±¡°Verin.¡± ¡°Well, Verin, do you know what I do?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re a crafter.¡± ¡°Right. But do you know what that really means? Every day, our hunters encounter stronger creatures. Monsters, really. Even the normal animals have gotten powerful enough to give a sser a good fight. Do you know why so many of them have survived?¡± she asked. ¡°Skill?¡± Carmen chuckled. ¡°Partially,¡± she admitted. ¡°But I can say with no false modesty that it¡¯s at least partially because of me. And people like me. I spend my days crafting armor and weapons so that the people who keep us safe can fight the things that, with every passing day, get a bit better at trying to kill us. So, with all due respect ¨C I don¡¯te running when those assholes in the council whistle for me.¡± She frowned. ¡°Roman is there,¡± she said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Roman is back from the tower.¡± Carmen broke into a wide grin. It was the wonderful news she¡¯d been waiting to hear, though if Alyssa hadn¡¯te straight to find her, then that meant something had gone wrong. Had they failed in conquering the tower? Was there some other threat? Probably thetter, given the pattern since the apocalypse had started. ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you lead with that, then? Come on. Let¡¯s go see what¡¯s going on.¡± Verin looked like she wanted to respond, but then clearly thought better of it. Not that Carmen much cared. She was already striding toward the door before she even finished her sentence. After passing through and into the street, she paused only long enough to ensure that Verin had followed. Then, once she¡¯d locked her door ¨C Easton was a fairly orderly ce, but thievery was still a problem ¨C she strode off through the settlement and towards the five-story government building. Once, it had been a two-story police station, but as the little settlement had grown into a proper city, the Architects and Builders had worked overtime to add more space. A good thing, too, because with a poption that had climbed into the high five digit range, it took quite a lot of people to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Still, as Carmen joined the throng of pedestrians ¨C they still hadn¡¯t figured out how to get anything but electric cars to work, and even those had been deemed useless because of how inconvenient they were ¨C she barely noticed the city¡¯s growth. Once, it had only been a collection of ramshackle huts, but now, the structures were strong and sturdy as well as architecturally interesting. Even the streets had been paved with cobblestones, giving Easton an atmosphere that hovered between that of a modern city and something out of the Victorian era. The people themselves wore an eclectic mixture of contemporary clothing from before Earth had been touched by the World Tree and thetest from the city¡¯s Tailors. There were people wearing blue jeans walking side-by-side with those d in borate robes. Some people, it seemed, had taken the magical nature of their transformed world as an excuse to indulge some eclectic stylistic choices. There were plenty of people wearing armor, as well. Some were Guards, as denoted by the standard-issue chainmail and sky-blue sashes of their offices, but others were the people tasked with patrolling the outskirts for threats to the city. Carmen had been on a few such hunts, so she recognized the necessity of armor, even if it was a bit mismatched, as was the case with those men and women. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Gradually, the pair of women made their way to the government building. There had been talk about renaming it, but getting the council to agree on anything was a tall order. Especially without Roman¡¯s steady hand on the tiller. Carmen didn¡¯t particrly like the man, but she could at least acknowledge that he was necessary for Easton¡¯s survival. Without his influence, most of the people within the town¡¯s walls would long since have died. A few times, Carmen¡¯s escort tried to make conversation, but she quickly realized that it was a useless endeavor. It wasn¡¯t that Carmen was antisocial ¨C quite the contrary ¨C but she was too eager to see her wife to let even idle conversation slow them down. Soon enough, Carmen found herself walking through the government building¡¯s familiar front doors. The entire first floor, which had once yed host to the entire police force, had beenpletely remodeled into a grand lobby with the Branch of the World Tree standing at its center. Dirk, the Envoy of the World Tree, stood silent sentry as a line of people essed the Branch¡¯s features. With a thought, he could ban anyone who displeased him, and in the Branch¡¯s vicinity, he wielded significant physical power. So, no one even considered stepping a single toe out of line. Carmen gave him a nod, which he returned. Once, he¡¯d been a fairly timid man, but the power had gone to his head. Now, he had cultivated an inted sense of self-importance. Fortunately, Carmen rarely had reason to rub shoulders with the likes of him, so his faults were easily ignored. After crossing through the lobby, Carmen and her morningstar-wielding escort approached the stairs that would lead them to the Council Chambers on the top floor. There, she hoped to be reunited with her triumphant wife. Still, even with her excitement distracting her, Carmen couldn¡¯t help but be mildly distracted by the questions circling her mind. But she didn¡¯t have to suffer for much longer before, atst, they reached the pair of carved, wooden double doors that would lead to the chambers. Surprisingly, the woman didn¡¯t hesitate before pushing them open and stepping inside. Carmen followed. ¡°Carmen,¡± said Roman, pushing himself to his feet. He¡¯d been sitting at the head of a polished oak table, so he was still more than a dozen feet away. ¡°Sit. There¡¯s much we need to discuss.¡± ¡°Why are you talking like that?¡± she asked, noting his formal tone as she looked from one face to another. All the normal culprits were there, and they all wore forlorn expressions. There were two neers there, though. One was a short, slender man with a pair of shortswords strapped to his back, while the other was the stoic, matronly Verin who¡¯d brought her to the Council Chambers. For a moment, Carmen was confused until she saw something familiar leaning against the table. That¡¯s when it hit her. ¡°W-what¡­what¡­what happened?¡± She had crafted the Spear of the Dragon Lancer herself, and while she had created even more powerful weapons since, it held a special ce in her heart. Because it had been a gift meant to keep her wife safe. If it was here, then¡­ ¡°Oh, God¡­¡± She sank to her knees, already havinge to the only logical conclusion. Alyssa was gone. She was dead. Suddenly, Roman was by her side, his hand on her back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡­I tried to save her.¡± ¡°How?¡± she managed, looking up at him with tearful eyes. Roman knelt beside her and said, ¡°She died a hero.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked. How did she die? I want the details.¡± Carmen hadn¡¯t forgotten the warning she¡¯d passed on to Alyssa before she left for the tower. Back then, she¡¯d told Alyssa to watch out for Roman,rgely because they¡¯d always had such differing views on how to run Easton. He shook his head. ¡°I know how you¡¯re feeling, Carmen. I¡¯ve been where you are right now. It doesn¡¯t feel real, does it? Sometimes, I still look up and expect Trish to walk through the door. It¡¯s been more than a year, and¡­and I still haven¡¯t gotten over it.¡± Carmen clenched her fists, then repeated her question, ¡°How did Alyssa die?¡± It came out as more of a growl, and the tension in the room rose to unprecedented heights. Still, Roman didn¡¯t react negatively, even if there were more than a couple of hands subtly creeping towards weapons. Then, he told her a pretty story about Alyssa sacrificing herself for the greater good. He described the circumstances, exining how Alyssa had been speared through the back by a creature that cancelled her self-buffs while draining her attributes. She was defenseless, and she died before Verin ¨C apparently, that was the matronly woman¡¯s name ¨C could heal her. All of it was perfectly believable. Alyssa had certainly been the type to sacrifice herself so her teammates could survive. Carmen had seen it y out on dozens of asions, and she knew it was why Alyssa was so popr amongst most of the city¡¯s residents. They knew a hero when they saw one. But in the back of her mind, Carmen felt suspicion take root. After all, Alyssa¡¯s death was nothing but a benefit for Roman. He¡¯d wrung everything he could out of her, and now that the city seemed capable of defending itself, she was no longer necessary. Or maybe that was just misced anger. She knew herself well enough to recognize that she just wanted someone to me. The reality was that the world was an incredibly dangerous ce, and it was only a matter of time before Alyssa ran into something capable of killing her. Before, it had been easy to think of her as something akin to a chosen one. Everything hade so naturally to her. But now she was gone. Carmen knelt there for some indeterminate time, her eyes unseeing until, atst, she blinked. By that point, all the others ¨C except for that slim man with the twin des ¨C were gone. Idly, Carmen recognized that he had a high-quality dagger at his waist. It was at least Simple grade. Maybe even Complex, which was unheard-of. Though with it in its sheath, she couldn¡¯t use Tradesman¡¯s Appraisal to get any more information. That small distraction was enough to pull her out of her stupor, and she shook her head before saying, ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡± She climbed to her feet, then grabbed the Spear of the Dragon Lancer. For a moment, Roman looked as if he was going to object. After all, most of the time, such a weapon would have gone to the city¡¯s armory to be assigned to someone it might benefit. But her challenging re must have told Roman that, if he wanted to confiscate it, he would have to pry it free of her cold, dead fingers. He clearly didn¡¯t want to go down that road. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked when she turned to leave the room. ¡°First, I¡¯m going to get Miggy and tell him that his mom¡¯s dead,¡± she stated, thest wording out ragged and barely audible. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to Juan Carlos¡¯s bar so I can get well and truly drunk. You¡¯re wee to join.¡± ¡°I¡­the funeral arrangements are ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°And I¡¯ll let you know where to show up. She always considered you a friend.¡± ¡°I did too.¡± Then, without another word, Carmen turned and left the room, trying to figure out how she was going to tell Miguel the news. Book 2: Chapter 3: A Special Garden Book 2: Chapter 3: A Special Garden A drizzle fell from the grey sky, apanied by a fine mist that dampened the entire ind. It was the sort ofzy rain that wasn¡¯t quite enough to drive one inside for the day, but too heavy topletely ignore. For Elijah, though, it was little different from any other day. He¡¯d long since grown ustomed to much harsher elements, so as he tended his garden, he barely noticed the inclement weather. A little more than a week had passed since his sessful defense of the ind, and he¡¯d spent much of that time in well-earned rxation. As much as he longed to explore the world and find civilization, the previous few months had certainly taken their toll. He needed to dpress, and there was no better way to do that than to lose himself in the task of nurturing his increasingly impressive garden. There was something almost meditative about walking among the bushes, ring Nature¡¯s Bounty as he went. From time to time, he was forced to pull weeds, though even those he preferred to leave alone. Because calling the Grove a garden was a bit of a misnomer. As beautiful as it had be, it was still a wild ce, and taming that wilderness held little appeal for Elijah. He preferred to leave it be, to let it grow as it would. However, there were practical concerns as well. He depended on the berries growing on the bushes he¡¯d meticulously nted long ago. Certainly, he could survive off of foraging and fishing, but there was a wide gap between simple persistence and flourishing. The berries ¨C and the other wild edibles he¡¯d managed to cultivate ¨C represented the ability to veer away from the day-to-day struggle of wilderness survival. After all, there was a reason humans had developed agriculture in the first ce, and despite his preference for wild things, Elijah wasn¡¯t averse to carrying on that proud farming tradition. So, he tended his garden, pulling weeds as he went. From time to time, he would grab a ripe berry and pop it into his mouth, and it was on one such asion that he got quite a surprise. ¡°Oh¡­¡± The ckberry wasn¡¯t just sweeter than its fellows, though that was the first thing Elijah had noticed. He quickly moved past that observation when he felt a tiny surge of Ethera race through his body. But there was something else there as well. Something he couldn¡¯t quantify. One thing he did know was that it made him feel incredible, like that tiny spark of Ethera had carried with it a little ball of pure adrenaline as well. After gathering a couple, he carried them to the ancestral tree and called out, ¡°Nerthus? You in there, man?¡±For once, the little tree spirit actually responded. His appearances were still rare enough that Elijah usually didn¡¯t even try to contact him, but ofte, they¡¯d grown a bit more frequent. In addition. Nerthus looked a good dealrger, with more defined features as well. Finally, the tree spirit¡¯s bark had taken on a much paler shade, mimicking the changes to the ancestral tree that had begun after it had absorbed the Shard of the World Tree that Elijah had received as a reward for defeating the tower. ¡°Yes?¡± the humanoid bundle of roots asked. Elijah held up one of the ckberries and exined what he¡¯d felt. When he finished, he asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°It is as expected. I¡¯ve told you that the Grove will change this ind, yes?¡± ¡°You have.¡± ¡°The ambient levels of Ethera will rise and thicken, whiches with a host of benefits, both for you and the flora. One of those benefits is that many nts ¨C especially within the Grove itself ¨C will be pseudo-treasures. That berry is one. It is a potent source of vitality which, given time, will help you heal more quickly and provide far more sustenance than any normal food. Be wary, though ¨C as your Grove strengthens, so too will its value. Right now, it is fairly unremarkable in the grand scheme of the universe. But in a decade or two, it will be extremely valuable to many craftsmen. Alchemists, especially, would kill for such a ready source of Ethera-rich pseudo-treasures.¡± That was news to Elijah, but then again, basically everything he learned about his new world could qualify for thatbel. The reality was that, aside from the asional exnations from Nerthus, he¡¯d spent most of his time on the ind flying blind. ording to the tree spirit, he could change that by finding a Branch he could ess in order to purchase some guides, but he didn¡¯t foresee that opportunity presenting itself anytime soon. After all, it was a big world out there. Much bigger than Earth had been before feeling the touch of the World Tree, in fact. So, the chances that he would find a settlement with a Branch ¨C other than the one across the strait, which came with its own problems ¨C were fairly slim. Still, he knew that was the only way he would get any significant degree of information. Nerthus was prohibited from saying too much, mostly because the system was structured to force people to gain knowledge either first-hand or through the guides it sold. It was something to do with that being the optimal way to ensure proper progression, and that restriction would remain in ce for years toe. ¡°So, eating these things isn¡¯t bad for me, right?¡± Elijah asked, looking down at the ckberry. If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Nerthus answered, ¡°No. The opposite, in fact. It will help prepare your body for the next step in your cultivation, and, in addition to providing sustenance, it will provide some degree of passive Regeneration. How much is dependent on your consumption as well as the power in the fruit.¡± ¡°Wait ¨C so you¡¯re saying that if I eat enough of these things, I can directly enhance my attributes?¡± ¡°Yes. If you were a Cook, you could create meals that would get even more out of those ingredients,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°A truly skilled Chef can do even more, and with a wide variety of ingredients that augment attributes other than Regeneration. Of course, if you had either of those sses, you would not be a Druid, and as such, we wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation in the first ce.¡± ¡°But if I found someone who had a ss like that?¡± ¡°Then your little Grove would be even more valuable,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°The same would be true for an Alchemist. However, I do warn you to be wary of any of those you might find. Many of them veer into devourer territory.¡± After that, Nerthus reached the limit of the information he could pass on, and soon retreated into his tree, leaving Elijah alone once again. He returned to his gardening, but he didn¡¯t get much done before he felt something interesting. Ever since the ancestral tree had absorbed the Shard of the World Tree, the Grove had grown past the confines of the ind. The boundaries had yet to reach more than a few dozen feet into the ocean, but Elijah hoped that it would soon epass the tower, obviating the need for him to re-conquer it sometime in the future. Nerthus imed that would be the case, but Elijah was impatient for the tree spirit¡¯s prediction toe true. In any case, the expansion of his Domain brought with it an awareness of the sea surrounding his ind. Most of it was unremarkable ¨C just rock, silt, and various forms of sea life. However, the Domain had just grown to epass the mouth of an underwater cave that, ording to his awareness, extended well below the seabed. Elijah had been cave diving quite a few times in his life. Sometimes, it had been for work, but he¡¯d also done it for fun as well. There was definitely something incredibly engaging about the act of exploration ¨C especially when it was in a location few, if any, others had ever experienced. So, the moment his Locus had touched the cave ¨C more of a tunnel, really ¨C he¡¯d felt a deep sense of longing. Partially, it was for a simpler time when he might¡¯ve gone diving with friends. But it was also a call to adventure. For better or worse, his time in the tower, though deadly and exhausting, had awakened something inside of him. He wanted to explore new things. He needed to experience everything his new, magical world had to offer. And though he¡¯d been putting off heading to the maind ¨C for good reasons, too ¨C he didn¡¯t think there was any issue with seeing a new facet of his ind. He nced at the grey sky. With the near-ubiquitous cloud cover obscuring the sun, it was sometimes difficult to urately tell the time. Especially when Elijah often lost himself in whatever task he was performing. But he¡¯d paid enough attention to recognize that it wouldn¡¯t be long before nightfall, so he resolved to spend the rest of his day tending to the garden. In the morning, though, he intended to explore the cave on the edge of his awareness. So, with that, he continued his task until sunset, then headed back to his treehouse where he enjoyed a meal of leftover fish stew and berries. After that, he took a shower ¨C using his harsh, homemade soap to thoroughly clean himself, then retired to his bedroom. For a while, hey awake, just thinking about the world atrge. As always, the persistent questions of how the rest of humanity had dealt with the world¡¯s transformation upied his mind until, atst, he fell asleep. That night, he dreamed of once again being trapped in the stomach of a giant killer whale. The next morning, he jerked awake, covered in cold sweat and with his heart pounding out of his chest. Sighing, he massaged his temples. While he¡¯d tried to move on from some of his experiences in the tower, some of those memories still crept up on him from time to time. It wasn¡¯t enough to counteract his enthusiasm for exploration or progression, but it was definitely a poignant reminder that nothing worthwhile ever came without a cost. Certainly, he wanted to continue to grow his power. And he wanted to see wonderful sights like he¡¯d experienced in the Sea of Sorrows and the Primordial Jungle. The new world gave him that opportunity, and he fully intended to use it. However, he had to remember that that path wasn¡¯t without significant peril. Elijah pushed himself out of his mossy bed and ran his hand through his blonde curls. He¡¯d need to cut it soon, he reasoned. While he didn¡¯t exactly have ess to a barber, he had a knife and a couple of reasonably reflective surfaces. So, he could make do, even if he¡¯d never grace any magazine covers. If such things even existed anymore, which didn¡¯t seem likely. Sighing, he rose to his feet, then slipped on a pair of homemade shorts. Autumn had alreadye, but his Constitution had grown enough that he could withstand fairly extreme climates without the benefit of heavy clothing. At a certain point, it became extremely ufortable, but the temperatures hadn¡¯t quite dropped that low. Besides, he didn¡¯t want to swim around fully clothed. Even as the sun peeked above the horizon, Elijah set about his morning routine. He went through his exercise regimen ¨C he wasn¡¯t sure if it still helped very much, but almost two years of daily training had formed a habit. In any case, he spent most of the morning going through various calisthenics, then practicing his aim with Storm¡¯s Fury. After that, he enjoyed a breakfast of berries before, atst, he could finally get to the fun part of his day. With that, he found himself racing across the ind, staff in hand. He leaped over shallow gullies and bounded over fallen trees; he barely even had to look where he was going, he¡¯d grown so used to sensing his environment with his Locus. Soon enough, he reached his destination, which was one of the beaches on the east side of the ind. Without hesitation, he waded into the chilly water, then dove into the depths. His Locus guiding him, Elijah cut through the salty water like a fish. With the Ring of Aquatic Travel, he didn¡¯t have to worry about holding his breath, so he quickly found the cave, which presented itself as a narrow crack ¨C maybe three-feet wide ¨C that cut into the rocky seabed. At the entrance to the cave, Elijah hesitated for a few moments. After all, he was well aware of how deadly cave diving could be. But he was superhumanly durable, now, though. And he couldn¡¯t drown. So, he expected it wouldn¡¯t be nearly as dangerous as it would¡¯ve been before the world¡¯s transformation. So, without further ado, Elijah dove through the cave¡¯s entrance. Book 2: Chapter 4: Spelunking Book 2: Chapter 4: Spelunking Cold darkness enveloped Elijah as he passed through the jagged mouth of the cave. He could still see, if only barely, and the current threatened to throw him into the sharp rocks. He kicked forward, grabbing hold of those rocks as he pulled himself through the tunnel. Cave diving was not for the weak of heart; nor was it fit for the easily panicked. Not only did the diver have to be cognizant of his oxygen levels, but it was incredibly easy to lose oneself in the twisting turns of a submerged tunnel. Elijah didn¡¯t have to worry about the former, but thetter could probably get him killed. After all, though he could survive without food and water for a time, he was no immortal. So, he kept his wits about him as he gradually pulled himself through the narrow tunnel. Soon, his Locus receded, and he had to rely on his more mundane senses. As he followed the cave¡¯s path, he noticed a slight decline that quickly grew far steeper until he was swimming down an almost vertical shaft. With every foot, his heart beat a little faster as he imagined all the monstrous things hidden in the darkness. Elijah thought he could survive most threats ¨C at least long enough to run away ¨C but he hadn¡¯t experienced everything the world had to offer. Far from it, in fact. What if he ran into the underwater equivalent of that great raptor that had torn his ne apart so long ago? Or another creature like the panther that had once guarded his ind? And that wasn¡¯t even considering the possibility that he might encounter one of the Voxx. After all, the most powerful of the interdimensional reptiles he¡¯d encountered hade from the sea. Still, Elijah continued on, confident in his own abilities. He¡¯d conquered the tower, defeating creatures much more powerful than he was. So, he reasoned that, if push came to shove, he could repeat that feat in the real world. Still, he didn¡¯t savor the notion of being eaten by some sea creature, so he remained focused on his surroundings, concentrating as much on One with Nature as his more mundane senses. It worked, after a fashion, but it was far from ideal. Slowly, the cave began to level out, and Elijah found himself with a pair of options. One branch of the tunnel continued down, while the other broke off to the right. He knew he was already pretty deep ¨C maybe fifty feet below the sea floor ¨C so he decided to check thetter branch. So, he turned to the right and continued on. However, the tunnel only continued for a few dozen more feet before it started to narrow. Still, Elijah persisted, steadily dragging himself along until he only had a few inches of clearance. When that happened, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of ustrophobia. His heart raced, and if he hadn¡¯t been equipped with the Ring of Aquatic Travel, his breathing would have quickened into shallow and panicked pants as well. There was just something so powerfully primal about the fear of getting trapped in a tight space, and though Elijah had been cave diving a few times in the past, he certainly wasn¡¯t immune to his own nature. So, it took him a few moments to master his fear and slowly back away. More than anything, Elijah wished he could just take a few deep, calming breaths. An impossibility considering his situation, but the desire was there all the same.Inch by inch, he pushed himself backward until he could flip over and retrace his proverbial steps. When he finally reached the fork, he considered returning to the surface, but instead, chose to resume his descent. So, he continued to pull himself down into the depths. At some point, the water grew still, and the darkness became even more oppressive; it was like he¡¯d passed some ephemeral threshold into the mythological underworld. Any heat remaining in the water slowly dissipated with every passing inch until even Elijah¡¯s much enhanced Constitution began to falter. Still, he went on. In some ways, it felt almost like a dream. With no light, he couldn¡¯t see. With the numbing cold, he couldn¡¯t feel. Sound was muffled, and he certainly couldn¡¯t smell or taste anything but the salty water. But he could feel his surroundings. He was incapable of distinguishing between the microscopic creatures in the water and clinging to the walls of the cave, but he could feel their collective life force. And it wasforting, knowing that even in such an inhospitable environment, life persisted. It reminded Elijah of all the undiscovered creatures in the deepest parts of the ocean. They lived in a lightless world of crushing pressure, and yet, they thrived. If ever there was a testament to the enduring nature of life, then it would be found in the ocean¡¯s depths. Such thoughts upied Elijah¡¯s mind as his descent continued, and he reached something akin to a meditative state. Without much in the way of sensory input, he lost track of time. Indeed, he felt almost formless as he drifted ever downward. It was so hypnotic that he almost didn¡¯t notice when the slope leveled out. However, he couldn¡¯t help but see the subtle green glow hovering in the distance. Elijah dragged himself forward, and the illumination loomedrger with every passing moment until it suffused everything. Then, he realized the source. Stolen novel; please report. Tiny crystals, no bigger than a thumbnail, lined the submerged tunnel. Elijah slowed to a stop, reached out, and ran a finger across the surface of one crystal. It felt like warm ss. For a while, Elijah just floated there, drifting back and forth in the subtle current as he beheld the phenomena. He was well-acquainted with bioluminescence, but these crystals were unlike anything he¡¯d ever seen. And the subtle aura of Ethera they emitted told him that they were magical in nature. As if there was ever any doubt. One nce, and he¡¯d known. Eventually, he resumed his path and continued through the tunnel. The crystals slowly grewrger until they were at least the size of his fist, and the illumination they cast followed suit, increasing in intensity until Elijah felt almost as if he was beneath the light of a green sun. Still, he kept going until, atst, he reached the end of the tunnel. It didn¡¯t terminate in a dead end as he¡¯d expected. Instead, it opened into a massive chamber, at least a hundred yards wide and only half-filled with water. He swam to the surface, and when he broke through, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from taking a deep lungful of air. A mistake in normal times ¨C who knew what gasses might¡¯ve been trapped in such an air pocket ¨C but the danger proved unrealized, because it was no different from the atmosphere of his ind. Sure, it was a little stale, but that wasn¡¯t going to kill him. In any case, Elijah was far more focused on his surroundings. The cave was roughly spherical, and the dome-shaped ceiling, which was about thirty or forty feet above him, was absolutely covered in more of the glowing green crystals. Verdant light danced across the surface of the water. To call it beautiful would have beenpletely underselling the awe in Elijah¡¯s heart. Hey back, letting himself float on the surface as he stared up at the ceiling. The water was still cold enough to be ufortable, but he barely felt it. Instead, he was far too focused on the fact that he was looking at something he could confidently say that nobody had ever seen before. And in that moment, Elijah was content. Not just happy, because that was fleeting. Contentment was something else altogether, and though it didn¡¯t carry with it the intensity of most other emotions, it ran far deeper. Stress he didn¡¯t know he¡¯d been carrying since his adventures within the tower melted away, and thus unburdened, he could truly appreciate the ethereal beauty before him. More, he could see the wonderous nature of his new life for what it was. Sure, he¡¯d been forced to kill, and not just a little. But as he¡¯d felt since the very beginning, that was just part of the circle of life. It felt a bit clich¨¦ to think of it in such terms, but there was a reason for the ubiquity of such sentiment. Some things had to die so others could live. It had been true before the world¡¯s transformation, and it had be even more so afterwards. The funny thing was that he didn¡¯t really feel the weight of his actions ¨C not in any way that was going to affect him. Only a week or so before, he¡¯d killed almost fifty people. By all rights, it had been a massacre. And yet, he didn¡¯t feel the least bit guilty for it. Elijah wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to believe that they¡¯d all been terrible people, either. Most had probably just been following orders when they¡¯dnded on the ind. That didn¡¯t matter, though. They¡¯d thrown their lot in with the sort of people who would kidnap and try to kill a sapient being, and for no other reason than to drain her power. That painted them all with the same brush, so when they¡¯de ashore intending to do the same to his Grove, he felt justified in his actions. In fact, he was content in the knowledge that, given the same situation, he would make all the same choices. Admitting that he didn¡¯t really mind the killing ¨C so long as he felt it was warranted ¨C felt good, like he didn¡¯t have to lie to himself. He also came to realize something he¡¯d been dancing around for quite some time. When he¡¯d first washed ashore, Elijah had been given a second chance at life. And throughout his time on the ind, he¡¯d used that opportunity to steadily w his way forward. He had survived, and, to his own surprise, he¡¯d actually enjoyed most of it. Not the pain. Obviously. But the triumph. The discovery. The magic. The connection to nature he¡¯d gained with his archetype. They all coalesced into one inescapable truth: he liked his new life. And more than anything else, he wanted more. He needed to experience new adventures. He craved that moment of triumph he¡¯d felt after aplishing what felt like the impossible. After oveing long odds and defeating fearsome monsters. He wanted to gain more levels, to acquire new abilities. He wanted to see what the higher levels of cultivation had to offer. And more than anything, he wanted to see more incredible things. Elijah knew that path wasn¡¯t going to be afortable one, and he would probably experience plenty of pain along the way. But so long as he survived, he could take it. ¡°It¡¯ll be worth it,¡± he said to himself, the sound carrying through the cave. The sound bounced off of the crystals, sending green power arcing from one to the other in a wave. It looked fearsome, but Elijah could feel that it wasn¡¯t dangerous. So, he couldn¡¯t help but grin at the sight. And at his personal revtion. Or rather, an admission. For a long time, Elijah simply floated there, a contented smile ying across his face as he beheld the crystal cavern. Every now and then, he¡¯d let out a subdued shout before he watched the green lightning dance across the ceiling. But then, he felt something he¡¯d been dreading since he¡¯d let the little goblin mage leave his ind alive. Someone had encroached upon his domain. Sighing, Elijah righted himself, then cast the teleport function of Ancestral Circle. A momentter, he appeared ¨C still soaking wet ¨C in the middle of his Grove. The invaders still hadn¡¯t moved from shore. Elijah could feel both of them standing beside their rowboat. Then, one of them nted something in the ground. It took Elijah a moment to recognize the white g. Did that mean the same thing for them as it did on Earth? Or was it something else? Elijah chose to believe the former, but prepared for theter. In any case, he had no intention of meeting ¨C or fighting ¨C them in his homemade shorts. Instead, he¡¯d sewn a garment for just such an asion. It resembled a toga, but it represented the best of Elijah¡¯s tailoring capabilities. So, wanting to make a reasonably good impression, he retrieved the garment from his treehouse, donned it, and then set off across the ind, staff in hand. Hopefully, it would turn out better thanst time. Book 2: Chapter 5: Diplomacy Book 2: Chapter 5: Diplomacy Cold, mmy humidity hung thick in the air as autumn had begun to give way to winter¡¯s frigid grip. Still, as Elijah raced across his ind, he wasrgely unaffected, save for the sweat on his brow. Even so, the robes he¡¯d sewn were ill-fitting, and as he went, he had to take great care to keep them from snagging on the dense foliage. As a result, his progress was slower than if he¡¯d been less clothed. Oddly enough, he almost wished he could return to the nudity of his time in the tower. At least then he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it. Instead, he could focus on the task at hand. The two figures who¡¯d arrived on his ind still hadn¡¯t moved more than a few feet from their little boats, suggesting that they were waiting on him. The white g supported that notion, though, as he approached, he remained wary of any traps. Sure, he could feel everything through his Locus, but he was also fairly ignorant of the world. For all he knew, there were ways around his extra-sensory perception. And he had no intention of walking into a trap. Elijah took a few minutes to visually inspect the area, but to his relief, he found nothing out of the ordinary. So, without further dy, he headed toward the beach, stopping a few feet away from the tree line. From there, he studied the neers with his own two eyes. There were a pair of them ¨C a goblin and a dwarf ¨C but neither looked to be armed. The goblin¡¯s skin was pale, with only the barest hint of a green tint. Both of his huge, bat-like ears bore multiple piercings that glittered gold and silver, but his features were a little less exaggerated than the other goblins Elijah had seen. He wore sturdy boots, cks, and a ck vest over a white shirt. In short, he looked strikingly normal, even despite his short stature and obvious goblinhood. The dwarven woman next to him was the exact opposite. With heavy shoulders bulging with muscle, she wore a sleeveless tunic and a id kilt whose hem brushed against the rocky beach. More than that, her worn features and leathery skin told a story of hard work. But neither looked like abatant, though Elijah had to admit that, due to his ignorance, he probably wasn¡¯t the best judge of such things. For all he knew, he was looking at the two most dangerous people in the world. He didn¡¯t think that was the case, but he really didn¡¯t have much basis for that judgement. Elijah took a deep breath, then stepped out from the tree line. The pair flinched at his appearance, but neither of them said anything as he approached. With each step, they grew more frightened until, atst, he was only ten feet away. He didn¡¯t intend to go any closer. ¡°Why are you here?¡± he demanded, nting the butt of his staff in the ground.¡°Apologies,¡± said the goblin, wringing his hands. His voice was fairly high-pitched but scratchy. Almost as if he was a pre-teen with a sore throat. ¡°But we are emissaries from the Green Mountain Mining Guild.¡± ¡°Is that supposed to mean anything to me?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°No. Not as such,¡± stated the goblin. ¡°But we havee to apologize.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Yes. Eason Cabbot tantly flouted our rules when he led his subordinates to this ind,¡± the goblin said. ¡°He ¨C¡± ¡°What about when he tried to kidnap and drain a dragon?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Was that against your rules, too?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°You heard me,¡± he said. ¡°We¡­we knew nothing of this¡­¡± ¡°Oh,e off it, Ramik,¡± huffed the dwarf. Her voice was gruff, and her tone one of annoyance. ¡°You knew the connivin¡¯ little bastard was up to somethin¡¯. You might not¡¯ve known what, but you knew somethin¡¯.¡± ¡°Carisa!¡± ¡°What? You ain¡¯t convincin¡¯ nobody with your little act. Just be straight with ¡®im like I said. He¡¯lle around or he won¡¯t,¡± she said. Then, she tuned to face Elijah and said, ¡°I¡¯m Carisa. Head o¡¯ the miners. Meanin¡¯ I¡¯m only second inmand to Ramik there. ¡®Cept he knows if he steps out o¡¯ line, I¡¯ll straighten ¡®im out real quick-like.¡± ¡°You will do no such thing!¡± spat the goblin. ¡°I am your superior, and I would appreciate it if you acted as such.¡± Then, as if he¡¯d just remembered Elijah was there, he went even paler than normal. He took a deep breath, then straightened his vest. ¡°Right. As I was saying, the Green Mountain Mining Guild and Ironshore had no knowledge of Cabbot¡¯s misdeeds. If we had, we would have stopped him.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve done much good,¡± Carisa stated. ¡°He had all the fighters on ¡®is side. Wasn¡¯t nothin¡¯ we could do to stop him. ¡®Cept Mr. Protector of the Grove over here did us a favor, yeah?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anyone any favors,¡± Elijah interjected, finally deigning to speak. ¡°They invaded my ind. I reacted.¡± ¡°Some reaction,¡± she muttered. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t like unannounced visitors. Which brings me to why you¡¯re here,¡± he said. ¡°I seem to recall telling that little goblin mage that I¡¯d kill anybody who set foot on my ind.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°And yet we still live,¡± said Ramik. ¡°That could change.¡± He swallowed hard in an exaggerated expression of fear. ¡°What do you want?¡± Elijah asked before either of his two visitors could speak again. ¡°An understandin¡¯,¡± said Carisa. ¡°Maybe even an alliance.¡± At that, Elijah wanted tough out loud. His only real contact with the settlement had been the murder of nearly fifty people. To follow that up with diplomacy was more than a little surprising. Still, he kept his face expressionless. ¡°And what do you offer?¡± he asked. ¡°What do you want?¡± Ramik countered. ¡°Nothing,¡± Elijah said. And he meant it. The ind could provide everything he needed. Certainly, he intended to expand his horizons sometime in the near future, but they didn¡¯t need to know that. The less the people of Ironshore knew about his ind, the better ¨C at least as far as he was concerned. But then again, if they¡¯de to him, they probably wanted to keep him happy. ¡°We needn¡¯t be enemies,¡± Ramik said. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m content with being very distant neighbors. Like I said, I want people to stay away from my ind,¡± he responded. ¡°That¡¯s it. I was fine with things the way they were. I stayed here, you all stayed over there. But then fifty people came to my ind hoping to¡­I don¡¯t even know what they intended, but it wasn¡¯t good. I like this ce the way it is, and I don¡¯t want anyone screwing with it.¡± ¡°That seems reasonable,¡± Ramik responded. ¡°But let me ask you this ¨C do you enjoy wearing rags? I suspect that you could use many things that we take for granted. That¡¯s what I¡¯m offering. Clothing. Equipment. Soap ¨C¡± ¡°I make my own soap.¡± ¡°What? Really? I mean¡­never mind that,¡± Ramik went on. ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± Carissa interrupted, asking, ¡°Yer a human, ain¡¯t you? A native, right?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°We can give you ess to our Branch. Should be at least as advanced as any on the,¡± she said. Elijah didn¡¯t immediately respond. That was the one thing he really wanted more than anything else,rgely so he could cure some of his ignorance. However, he could also admit that he wouldn¡¯t mind seeing what goods they had to offer. Perhaps some spices. Maybe something with caffeine. He definitely missed coffee. Or perhaps he could obtain some proper clothing. It was an attractive offer, but there was one thing that neither Ramik nor Carissa had mentioned. ¡°And what do you want from me?¡± ¡°Mutual defense,¡± Ramik said. ¡°You killed most of our fighters. We still have enough for basic defense, but if any truly powerful enemies attack, we will be vulnerable. I¡¯ve sent for reinforcements, but those cost quite a bit of etherium, and I¡¯ll be honest ¨C the coffers aren¡¯t precisely overflowing ofte.¡± At that, he directed a pointed re at Carissa. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± she said before spitting on the ground. ¡°Ain¡¯t my fault the true iron¡¯s stubborn on this. We¡¯re gettin¡¯ there. Just takin¡¯ a bit longer¡¯n we thought it would.¡± Ramik sighed. ¡°This is neither the time nor the ce to get into that,¡± he said. ¡°Mr. Protector, if ¨C¡± Elijah cringed at the moniker. If he¡¯d had it to do over again, he certainly wouldn¡¯t havebeled himself in such a way. But there was nothing he could do about it now. So, he said, ¡°My name is Elijah.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Elijah,¡± the goblin repeated. ¡°We would also like the opportunity to purchase any equipment you might have¡­ah¡­acquired during the previous raid.¡± That, Elijah had no issues with. He¡¯d already set aside a few pieces he thought might be valuable ¨C an axe he intended to use for cutting down trees, a few extra daggers, and lots of leather and cloth ¨C but the rest, he had little use for. If he could simply sell them back to the people of Ironshore, it would solve some issues for him. ¡°I have no problem with thest part. The rest of it, I¡¯m going to have to give some thought. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m revealing any secrets when I say that I don¡¯t trust you,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Your people came here to kill me and take what was mine. If they could have done it, they would have.¡± ¡°Right, but ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m not finished,¡± Elijah growled. ¡°Even so, I¡¯m notpletely opposed to the idea of working together. I just need to give it some thought before Imit to anything. In the meantime, I would ask that you get back in your boat and return to Ironshore. I will bring the equipment across once I¡¯ve made my decision.¡± For a moment, the goblin looked like he was going to say something else. However, Carissa beat him to it, saying, ¡°Sounds fair ¡®nuff.¡± Elijah just nodded, then turned around and retreated into the trees. He didn¡¯t stop, either. Instead, he just kept going, never turning back. However, he did keep tabs on his visitors, who resorted to arguing the moment he was out of earshot. That wasn¡¯t surprising; they seemed keen enough on bickering. But then they boarded their little rowboat and, soon enough, they were on their way back to Ironshore. Elijah lost track of them when they passed out of his Locus. When he got back to the Grove, he went straight to the ancestral tree and called for Nerthus. The little tree spirit had grown more active with every passing day, so he responded in only a few seconds. ¡°Yes?¡± Elijah wasted no time before telling him what had happened. When he¡¯d finished ¨C which didn¡¯t take long ¨C he asked, ¡°So, any advice? I was thinking that it wouldn¡¯t hurt to sell the weapons back, at least.¡± ¡°You need to ess the Branch. Whatever concessions you must make, that should be the goal.¡± ¡°Is it really that important?¡± ¡°It is. As I¡¯ve said before, I am restricted in what information I can pass on. That is by design. On integrated worlds, the rules are much more flexible, but here, the origin of any knowledge must be the World Tree.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Three reasons. The first is that the system is infallible. As such, any information it provides is guaranteed to be true. The same cannot be said for what might be passed on by visitors such as those goblins or gnomes. It is not difficult to manipte people with bad information.¡± Elijah nodded. That much was true. Before the world had been transformed, humanity had been gued by misinformation. Bad actors the world over had spent trillions of dors in an effort to manipte the popce via iplete or outright false information. So, it stood to reason that the invaders ¨C or visitors, as Nerthus categorized them ¨C could do the same. ¡°And the second reason?¡± ¡°It is generally agreed that knowledge freely given does not promote the sort of growth necessary for the system¡¯s goals. As such, earning knowledge is preferable,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°And finally, the system is an ethereal construct that needs fuel to function. The ethereium spent on various functions essible at any Branch goes towards that goal. ¡°Aside from that, what good is etherium? I mean, I know it¡¯s money, but does it have value other than what¡¯s assigned to it?¡± ¡°Of course. Etherium is a basicponent of crafting,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°Before you ask ¨C no, I can¡¯t exin it to you.¡± Elijah sighed. It was just further evidence that he needed to ess that Branch. Just like that, he made up his mind. He intended to approach any potential alliance with his eyes wide open, though. And if they stepped one toe out of line, he had no issues repeating his actions from the week before. Book 2: Chapter 6: Drowning Book 2: Chapter 6: Drowning The hammer fell, sending sparks flying from the molten metal. Carmen knew it was too hot, that the result was going to be almost entirely unusable. But she didn¡¯t much care. Indeed, all she really wanted to do was hit something ¨C anything ¨C really, really hard. So, she had retreated to her forge, intending to lose herself in the process of shaping metal. Instead, she¡¯d quickly made one mistake after another until she stopped even trying to do anything worthwhile. With a growl, she reached down and grabbed the glowing bar of steel, then tossed it at the wall. It hit with another spray of sparks, then shattered entirely. That¡¯s when she let out a primal yell that sounded more like it came from a wild animal than a human woman. The moment the scream died in her throat, she sank to her knees and copsed into a mess of sobbing tears. Alyssa was never supposed to be the one to die. Even if everyone else was killed, Alyssa should have survived. Carmen had made sure that her wife had been equipped with all the best equipment ¨C armor the likes of which no one else in Easton could even think about making ¨C and that wasn¡¯t even mentioning Alyssa¡¯s gifts. She was the best fighter in the city, and she¡¯d proven her mettle in countless battles. And yet, she had fallen. She wasn¡¯t the only one, either. One of the healers had died, and so had thenky wizard who¡¯d been part of Alyssa¡¯s normal team. Roman had spun a pretty tale. He¡¯d talked about how brave Alyssa had been, about how she had sacrificed herself so the others could live. That certainly sounded like the woman Carmen had married, but still ¨C she hadn¡¯t forgotten the growing animosity between Alyssa and Roman. That loomed over everything, casting frustrating doubt over the man¡¯s story. Bending over, Carmen hung her head. Her sweat-soaked hair formed a curtain around her face as the tears continued to fall. She knew her suspicions were unfair. Roman had never done anything to suggest that he would betray Alyssa. In fact, despite their differences of opinion, the pair had been close friends. They had relied on one another at every turn. Carmen knew she was just looking for someone to me. The fact of the matter, though, was that there was no single guilty party. People died every day. The world was dangerous and deadly, and Carmen needed to look no further than the situation itself. Going into the tower had always been a risk, and for once, Alyssa had paid the price for her gant nature. But just because Carmen knew there was no one to me didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t angry. That she didn¡¯t need to vent her frustrations on something. Anything. And given that the metal had proven to be a poor opponent, she decided to seek out a more satisfying foe. So, with tears still falling down her cheeks, she went to the corner where she found her armor.It wasn¡¯t the same quality as the beautiful suit of te she¡¯d made for Alyssa. In fact, it looked just about as ordinary as any suit of armor could. in steel, with only a few embellishments to set it apart, the armor was workmanlike in both appearance and function. It suited Carmen perfectly, and she donned it with grim determination. Once she¡¯d strapped the various pieces into ce, she retrieved a giant, two-handed hammer from the storeroom. Like her armor, it didn¡¯t look like anything special. Indeed, it had a crude, almost unfinished look about it. But also like her armor, it was well-crafted, and its quality exceeded any of her creations, aside from the gear she¡¯d made for Alyssa. Thus armed and armored, Carmen grabbed a rucksack, then headed to the nearby home she¡¯d shared with Alyssa and her son. Miguel was staying with friends for the night, so the house was deserted. Confronted with that emptiness, Carmen once again felt on the verge of breaking down. The years after the world¡¯s transformation hadn¡¯t been easy, but as a family, they¡¯d shared plenty of happy times ¨C especially in that house. Now, it was empty, and it would never feel full again. Forcing her emotions aside for the moment, Carmen gathered some provisions ¨C just a few bottles of water and the dried meat Alyssa had always favored for when she went on her patrols. Once she¡¯d taken care of her supplies, she set off for the gate. When she got there, the pair of guards tried to caution her against going out alone, but one re was all it took for them to back down. So, soon enough, Carmen was trekking down the well-trodden trails in the surrounding wilderness. At first, she had no real notion of where she was going. She just wanted to find something to kill. But in the back of her mind, she knew precisely where she was destined to end up. And hourster, she stood in front of the derelict building she¡¯d once called home. It had already been picked clean, and in the two years since it had been inhabited, the surrounding wilderness had reimed the single-story house. But it was still recognizable enough that Carmen couldn¡¯t look at it without tearing up again. She probably would have stayed longer if it wasn¡¯t for the massive creature charging down the street at her. On the most basic of levels, it was a brown bear. However, like most of the local wildlife, the world¡¯s transformation had turned it into something else. Something bigger, faster, and far deadlier. Fortunately for Carmen, she¡¯d changed, too. Stolen novel; please report. Even as the monster charged at her, drool flying from its vering jaws, Carmen pulled the massive hammer from her shoulder. For her first ten levels after Earth had been touched by the World Tree, Carmen had put every free point into Strength. And that attribute had been further enhanced after she¡¯d gained her cksmith ss. So, even though the hammer weighed north of a hundred pounds, she handled it like it was as light as a feather. The bear monster closed with frightening speed, and if Carmen hadn¡¯t been so enveloped by her own grief and rage, she might¡¯ve sumbed to fear. That wasn¡¯t what happened, though. Instead, she met the charging bear with a sweeping attack reminiscent of a softball swing, and the huge chunk of steel at the end of the hammer took the mutated animal directly in the face. Carmen experienced a deep sense of satisfaction when she felt bones crunch under the blow. The bear stumbled, though its mass and momentum were so great that it still tackled her to the ground. Fortunately, her attack had shattered its jaw, so it couldn¡¯t bring its most potent weapons to bear. It still had ws, though. So, Carmen dropped her weapon ¨C it was useless when she was buried beneath a thousand pounds of pissed-off ursine ¨C and locked her own meaty hands around its wrists. Thus began a contest of strength. Woman against monstrous bear. And for a moment, it looked like the bear mighte out on top. Then, Carmen regained her leverage, and suddenly, the bear was losing. With a great heave, she flipped the creature onto its back and rolled atop it. Then, Carmen let out a mighty roar that dwarfed anything the bear could utter as she ripped her arms out to the side. More bones cracked as the bear¡¯s joints couldn¡¯t handle the stress. It whimpered, suddenly aware of its own vulnerability. If Carmen had let it, the thing would have run. But she hadn¡¯te out into the wilderness to wrestle bears. She¡¯de to kill something. So, without further ado, she cocked her arm back, curled her fingers into a fist, andmenced with transforming her wishes a reality. Over and over, her gauntleted fists descended, and slowly, she pummeled the monster¡¯s face into a bloody pulp. At first, it squirmed as it tried to escape, but soon enough, even that struggle fell away. At some point, Carmen had stopped attacking a living monster, instead transitioning into beating a dead bear¡¯s corpse. But still, she persisted, screaming and growling and crying all the while. It did no good, though. Her frustration and grief remained as poignant and powerful as ever. When she pulled away, her knuckles were sore and bloody beneath her armored gauntlets, and one of her hands was probably broken. Her one-sided attribute allocation meant that her Constitution couldn¡¯t really hold up to her Strength. But she¡¯d get someone to heal her when she got back to Easton. For now, she grabbed the knife from her belt and started processing the creature. That took quite some time; it was arge animal, after all, and she wasn¡¯t an expert. However, over the next couple of hours, she finished the job,ing away with a decent quality pelt and a few hundred pounds of good meat. Once she¡¯d gotten everything she could out of the bear, she began the long trek back to town. Along the way, she had to fight two more times, though nothing as menacing as the bear, and when she finally returned to Easton, she¡¯d added a significant amount of meat to her haul. She handed it over to the guards and told them to distribute it ordingly. Then, she took her pelt to a man who¡¯d taken the Leatherworker ss and told him what she wanted made. It cost quite a few etherium, but he was amenable. Finally, after washing the worst of the blood away, Carmen headed to one of the town¡¯s handful of taverns, where she quickly got down to the serious business of drinking herself into a stupor. While she was there, multiple acquaintances approached to give her their condolences, and for the most part, Carmen epted them with as much grace as she could muster. However, at some point, she skated past mere drunkenness and into absolutely sloppy territory. Which had always been the goal. However, just before she let herself fall into unconsciousness, someone sat across from her at the table. She looked up with blurry eyes, but didn¡¯t recognize the woman. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be muchpany,¡± she slurred. Then, Ethera gathered, and the woman cast a spell on Carmen. She never even had a chance to react before it enveloped her. And gradually, her drunkenness faded away, reced by horrible sobriety. ¡°What the fucking hell?¡± Carmen growled. ¡°Hope you had a good goddamn reason for doing that, because¡­¡± That¡¯s when she recognized the woman. Verin. The healer who¡¯d been there with Alyssa when she¡¯d died. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± the older woman said, pushing her hair behind her ears. Her face wasrgely unlined, but she had a few grey streaks mixed in with the brown locks. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­I just wanted to talk.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. Or didn¡¯t me getting ckout drunk give you a goddamn hint?¡± Verin¡¯s eyes found the table, and tears started to fall down her cheeks. Carmen sighed. ¡°Look ¨C I didn¡¯t mean it like that, alright? Just don¡¯t start crying on me. Listen ¨C just tell me what you want, alright? I¡¯m all ears.¡± Verin looked up, her eyes glistening. ¡°I was with her.¡± ¡°I know. Roman told me.¡± ¡°I should have¡­I should have saved her,¡± Verin said. ¡°I wish¡­I just wasn¡¯t strong enough. But I¡¯m a healer, right? That¡¯s my job. I should have saved her.¡± Carmen shook her head. With sobriety came terrible rity, and she saw the day¡¯s actions for what they were ¨C especially when she saw her own grief reflected in Verin¡¯s. ¡°Look ¨C it¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°You did everything you could have done.¡± The matronly healer said nothing. ¡°You¡¯re new around here, right? You just got here a couple of weeks before the tower.¡± Carmen didn¡¯t know what else to say. She didn¡¯t want to be the one tofort someone else. She wasn¡¯t capable of it, and even if she was, that was a road she had no interest in traveling. So, she¡¯d changed the subject. ¡°Yes. I came with a group of refugees. Some of us were allowed in, but¡­others were not,¡± she said. ¡°Because of what I did in the tower, Roman is letting the rest in.¡± ¡°Well, at least something good came of it,¡± Carmen said. And indeed, she meant it. Not only had they kept the tower from overflowing and burying them beneath a horde of Voxx, but it had saved a few refugees, too. Alyssa would have been proud of that. She took a deep breath, then said, ¡°Look ¨C I¡¯m sure you mean well and everything, but I really can¡¯t do this right now. So, I¡¯m going to go. I hope¡­I hope you get what you want out of all this. We can always use good healers.¡± ¡°T-thank you,¡± Verin said, her gaze back on the wooden table. Carmen just shook her head and pushed herself to her feet. After paying her tab ¨C with a single copper etherium ¨C she headed back home. She was done feeling sorry for herself. Now, she needed to focus on what really mattered ¨C making the world a safer ce for Miguel. Mistrunner 2 Now Available on Kindle and Audible! Mistrunner 2 Now Avable on Kindle and Audible! I just wanted to make a special post to let everyone know that Mistrunner 2 is now avable on Kindle and Audible (narrated by Sone Nankani). I really love this story, and I think it represents some of my best writing (especially books 2 and 3). So, if you''ve enjoyed reading this far and want to support my work, please head on over to Amazon and give it a shot (link to follow). I feel like the quality deserves sess, and I hope you all do too! For those who don''t remember the chapters covered in that book, here''s the synopsis:
Nearly a century ago, the people of Earth surrendered their freedom to the aliens responsible for the cloud of nanites, known as the Mist, that transformed the¡¯s ecosystem: Landscapes became toxic. Animals morphed into monsters. Humans found themselves imbued with supernatural abilities and wielding technological wonders that changed the world¡¯s bnce of power. Now, while ruthless entrepreneurs take advantage of their fellow man in order to rue incalcble amounts of wealth, the aliens prepare to descend like a gue and drain Earth of its natural resources once and for all. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Mira Braddock¡¯s uncle was once the most powerful man in Nova City, and before his death, he empowered his niece with a Tier 7 Nexus Imnt. Cybeically enhanced and trained as a warrior, Mira is not only peerless on the battlefield but also possesses the ability to control the Mist that¡¯s pervaded every machine¡ªand person¡ªshe encounters. Setting her vengeful sights on Nora Lancaster, the woman who betrayed her uncle and took over his empire, Mira wages a war against the city¡¯speting overlords, tearing apart their fragile alliances and turning them against one another. But with every victory Mira ims, innocents get caught in the crossfire. Struggling to regain her sense ofpassion and empathy for others, Mira won¡¯t find peace until she¡¯s fulfilled her rage-fueled quest against Nora, an enemy whose endgame promises mass destruction on an unimaginable scale . . .
Anyway, the links are down below: Book 2: Chapter 7: Change is in the Air Book 2: Chapter 7: Change is in the Air A distinct chillced the morning air as Elijah hefted arge boulder above his head. Judging by its size, the mass of rock was at least two-hundred pounds, and Elijah let out a loud grunt as he locked his elbows out before dropping it to the loamy ground. The moment he was free of his burden, his shoulders sagged in exhaustion. He¡¯d been working out with that boulder for almost an hour, and it had certainly taken its toll. So, he channeled Ethera through his soul and into Touch of Nature, sending a pulse of healing magic through his body. It was only mildly effective inbating his fatigue, but as he¡¯d learned since the very beginning of his time on the ind, that strategy certainly helped to mitigate his recovery times. He spent the next few minutes stretching his tight muscles before taking off at a light jog that took him to the beach, where he didn¡¯t hesitate to dive into the ocean. Over the next couple of hours, he swam a circuit around the ind. Once, he wouldn¡¯t have dared do any such thing ¨C the fear of mutated marine life had been enough to keep him from even considering it ¨C but ever since his time in the tower, he¡¯d moved past those fears. He was still wary, but with his Locus extending almost fifty yards from shore, he would know about any threat well before it posed any real danger. Once he¡¯dpleted his circuit, Elijah climbed out of the ocean. His arms and legs were burning with exhaustion, but another pulse of Touch of Nature served to alleviate that, at least to some small degree. Still, he needed to rest a bit before he concluded his training regimen. With that in mind, he returned to his Grove, where he spent the next hour or so tending to his garden with Nature¡¯s Bounty. The process was meditative as well as restorative ¨C not to mention necessary ¨C so by the time he¡¯d finished, he was more than ready for the more enjoyable, if frustrating portion of his training. Once he¡¯d finished up with the garden, he left the Grove behind and headed for his old cabin. When he reached it, he saw that the derelict building was in just as poor of shape as it had always been, though the simple repairs he¡¯d made ¨C like closing off the copsed wall by leaning a mixture of branches and moss against the roof ¨C had fallen by the wayside. Likely, one of the frequent storms that gued the area had torn the makeshift wall down. The sight brought with it a degree of nostalgia. At times, it felt as if only a few days had passed since he¡¯d washed ashore and taken refuge in the ruined structure. At others, it felt even more distant than the two-plus years that had passed since then. Still, without that cabin, Elijah probably wouldn¡¯t have survived, and if he had, it would have been significantly more difficult and a good deal lessfortable. So, if he ever met the original builder, he would shower that person with all the gratitude he could muster. In any case, he wasn¡¯t there to reminisce about days past. Instead, just like when he¡¯d gotten his first attack spell, Elijah had taken to using the area for training. So, without further hesitation, he embraced Shape of the Guardian and shifted into the curious ape-bear-lizard hybrid to which he¡¯d gained ess at level thirty. A couple of days after he¡¯d dealt with the invaders, Elijah had finally taken the opportunity to truly inspect his new form. And he hadn¡¯t been disappointed. With thick, red-and-ck scales, the new shape was monstrous in size. If he decided to push himself fully upright, Elijah estimated that the form was at least nine feet tall and heavily muscled. There was a significantyer of fat, too ¨C not unlike a grizzly bear, in that respect.The face was a little harder to describe in Earthly terms, but if he forced himself topare it to something familiar, he would have said that, with its spiny protrusions, it resembled a bearded dragon ¨C which felt somewhat appropriate, given the nature of his Dragon Core. Byparison, the scaled body was easier to categorize as distinctly simian in shape. With long arms, stumpy legs, and a powerful torso, the shape looked like it belonged to the world¡¯srgest, scaliest ape. It also came with a significant issue, as specified by the description:
Shape of the Guardian Archetype: Druid ss: Animist Level: 30 Take on the form of a stalwart guardian, vastly increasing your Strength and Constitution attributes. Spellcasting is suspended while Shape of the Guardian is active.
Guardian¡¯s Renewal Instantly andpletely regenerate. Cooldown affected by Regeneration attribute. Current: Once Per Week
On the surface, it all looked great. And it was, which was reflected in his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 30
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Alignment N/A
Strength 62 (31)
Dexterity 40 (30)
Constitution 72 (31)
Ethera 39
Regeneration 53 (33)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Hatchling Opal Neophyte
After reaching level thirty, Elijah had been happy to find that his limit for augmentations had increased to three, not including One with Nature or Essence of the Wolf. So, he could keep Essence of the Monkey, Essence of the Boar, and Aura of Renewal active at all times ¨C which he did. However, even with Essence of the Monkey increasing his Dexterity by ten points, there was a huge disparity between his power and coordination. So, while he was capable of incredibly rapid movement, he had difficulty controlling himself. The disparity was especially difficult to endure after spending so much time with his bnce of attributes skewing more towards immense coordination. The problem had presented itself during the fight with the gnomish leader of the invaders, and in hindsight, the only reason Elijah had managed to win that battle was because of a gross power disparity. He expected that he and Cabbot had been simr level, but Elijah had the benefit of hisparatively advanced cultivation, so he got far more out of his attributes than the gnome had. Couple that with the overpowered nature of Shape of the Guardian ¨C especially with Guardian¡¯s Renewal effectively bringing him back from the brink of death ¨C and it wasn¡¯t difficult to understand how he¡¯d won. But it definitely hadn¡¯t been skill that saw him through to victory, because, as Elijah had discovered every time he tried to use Shape of the Guardian, he was incredibly clumsy in the new form. It was an issue he was determined to remedy. Thus, he¡¯d quickly incorporated it into his training regimen. He¡¯d made some progress, but he knew he had a long way to go. So, he quickly got to it. In his experience, nothing built hand-eye coordination quite like juggling, so Elijah had gathered a multitude of rocks for just that purpose. They weren¡¯t identical or anything ¨C not like juggling balls usually were ¨C but that worked in his favor. Or rather, it made things much more difficult, which in turn, made the exercise that much more effective. Still, it was a frustrating experience, and more than once, he¡¯d used his incredible strength to chuck rocks off into the distance. But he persisted, as much out of a stubborn refusal to give in to the limitations of the form as it was due to a desire to improve. Either way worked, but it definitely made for a very different mindset. For almost two hours, Elijah kept at it until he¡¯d finally had enough. Then, he moved on to engaging in various agility drills he¡¯d learned over the years ying sports. These were slightly easier, because he could ride a wave of momentum untilpletion. However, he tried to vary things just enough to throw off his own rhythm so that he forced himself to learn to control his body better. Once he was finished with that, Elijah shadowboxed. He¡¯d engaged in the drill often enough in the past that it should havee easily to him, but due to the disparity between his Strength and Dexterity, as well as the odd anatomy of the form, it was much more difficult than it should have been. However, just like with the juggling, he persisted through the frustration, hoping that so long as he kept at it, he would learn to deal with the imbnced attributes. By its very nature, the form would never be particrly coordinated. That was an inescapable fact. And yet, Elijah hoped that repetitive practice would help him to work around theck of coordination at least enough that he could control his bulky body. Because, as it was, he had trouble even running in anything but a straight line, which meant that he would be a sitting duck for any agile foe. After a little more than an hour of shadowboxing, Elijah finally arrived at the most hated part of his workout. At one point, he¡¯d enjoyed yoga. There was something meditative about it that had always given him a sense of peace. But in his Guardian form, the practice was far too frustrating to allow for anything even approaching that lofty state. If anyone else would have been there, they would have probably gotten a good giggle out of watching a nine-foot-tall ape-lizard trying to contort itself into various yoga poses. Elijah could acknowledge that it probably looked incredibly silly. However, as he tried to wrangle his body into each position, his frustration continued to mount until, atst, he¡¯d had enough. With a bestial roar, heunched himself from the warrior pose and into a nearby tree. His forew swept out, destroying the trunk of the tree in an explosion of splinters. He watched as the tree tipped over, then fell. Slowly, his anger faded until, atst, his mind stilled to the point that he could make sense of what he¡¯d just done. Ever since he¡¯d gained Shape of the Predator, Elijah had known that his forms came with appropriate instincts. As a mist panther, it had manifested almost immediately when he¡¯d lost himself in hunting a hare. Later, he¡¯d nearly lost his humanity altogether in the Primordial Forest. And presumably, the scaled panther form that the shape had be when he¡¯d attained his Dragon Core would show simr tendencies. It was the form of a hunter, and once he assumed that shape, his instincts followed suit. Now, the Guardian Shape had shown its own colors. It was a stalwart, powerful beast, but he could easily envision a scenario where he lost himself to its ferocity. He¡¯d have to keep that in mind, lest he do something he¡¯d regret. Like knocking down a perfectly innocent tree. Or killing an annoying person. With a bestial sigh, Elijah let the form drop. He¡¯d had enough training with the scaled ape form. Instead, he needed to work on something he¡¯d put off for far too long. In the Sea of Sorrows, he had been deprived of his predator form. As a result, he¡¯d been forced to fight as a human, which had put him at a distinct disadvantage ¨C not least because his attributes were distinctly inferior in his natural shape. However, it was also because, until that point, he¡¯d relied on his mist panther form in almost every physical confrontation. So, he just wasn¡¯t used to fighting as a human. And certainly, he¡¯d gotten by, but during those long days, he¡¯d made a vow to himself to remedy his situation through training. Thus, he¡¯d decided to practice with his staff. He knew that, if he ever had to fight someone like Cabbot in his human form, he¡¯d nevere out on top. He just didn¡¯t have the attributes or abilities to do that. But he hoped to develop his technique to the point where he could at least hold his own long enough to bring his various spells to bear. The problem with that was that he had almost no experience fighting with a staff, and as a result, when he decided to train, he felt like a little kid swinging a stick around. Which wasn¡¯t so far from the truth, really. The only difference was that, with at least some fighting experience, he had some notion of what might work. So, over the past week, he¡¯d developed a few drills so he could practice strikes and blocks while incorporating some boxing footwork. Was it perfect? Far from it. But it was the best he could do with the resources he had. So, as the sun dipped toward the horizon, Elijah upied himself with iling his staff around. He tried to maintain some semnce of discipline and technique, but the results were, at best, mixed. Still, he kept at it until night finally fell. As darkness enveloped the forest, Elijah returned to the Grove, where he made another circuit of his garden ¨C and the trees that constituted his Ancestral Circle ¨C while ring Nature¡¯s Bounty. Finally, he ended his day with a meal of berries and fish-and-mushroom stew. All in all, it was a good day, but he suspected that it would take many more before he saw any real results. In the meantime, though, he intended to take Ramik and Carissa up on their offer. He¡¯d already bound the weapons together with some of his homemade cordage ¨C he wasn¡¯t going to waste the looted rope on something like that ¨C and he nned to head to Ironshore at first light. With that in mind, he took a long, cold shower ¨C he certainly missed hot water something fierce ¨C then went to bed. Book 2: Chapter 8: A Warm Welcome Book 2: Chapter 8: A Warm Wee The next morning dawned crisp and cool, but Elijah was hesitant to extract himself from his warm, rabbit-fur nkets. Still, he was a creature of habit, and he had many tasks to aplish before heading to Ironshore. So, he groaned as he threw thefortable bedding aside and pushed himself to his feet. Soon enough, he began his morning routine. Starting with a leftover fish stew breakfast and ending with an abbreviated version of his training regimen, it wasn¡¯t long before Elijah was donning his best outfit. It was a toga, just like the one he¡¯d worn for the first meeting, but the stitching was a little tighter, and the fit a little better. Still, he knew he was never going to be much of a tailor, which highlighted one of his goals for the day. If he did nothing else, he intended to purchase some proper clothing. To that end, Elijah found the little basket where he kept his pilfered etherium and dumped it all in one of his homemade satchels. Then, he gathered the looted weapons in an awkward bundle before heading to the beach where the invaders¡¯ incursion had begun. The rowboats were all exactly where he¡¯d left them, so he selected the sturdiest one and shoved it into the surf. The water was frigid, but Elijah had grown used to it during his daily swims, so it was only mildly ufortable. Likely, that had as much to do with his Constitution as it did his routine. In any case, he pushed the small vessel out to sea, then hopped inside and started rowing across the strait. As he went, Elijah was reminded of thest time he¡¯d crossed over to the maind. Back then, he¡¯d been on a mission to rescue a dragon from people intent on draining her for their own cultivation. That had ended with Elijah killing quite a few gnomish ritualists, saving the dragon, and obtaining a Dragon Core. That Core cultivation had, in turn, given him the strength to kill the invaders. He sighed as he continued to row. So much had happened, and in so little time. Once, he¡¯d struggled to even ce on the powerdder, but now? He¡¯d progressed into the top twenty-five, and given the advanced state of his cultivation ¨C which Nerthus imed should have been impossible on such a young world ¨C Elijah feltfortable in saying that he was one of the most powerful people on Earth. Which was insane. Almost as if to reassure himself, he opened thedder and found himself in the thirty-second position:
1. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 38 2. Sadie Song ¨C Level 37 3. Hu Shui ¨C Level 35 4. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 35 5. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 34 6. Kimberly Jackson ¨C Level 33 7. Abigail Lowrey ¨C Level 33 8. Michael King - Level 33 9. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 33 10. Thor Gunderson ¨C Level 32 11. Niko Song ¨C Level 32 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­ 14. ¡­ 32. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 30 33. ¡­ 34. ¡­ 35. ¡­ 91. Carmen Rodriguez ¨C Level 21
Oscar Ramirez, whoever he was, still maintained the top spot, and most of the other names were unchanged. However, Elijah noticed that one of the Songs had dropped off the list entirely. It didn¡¯t take a genius to intuit that they were now dead. Given what he¡¯d been through so far, Elijah expected that to happen more often, too. He kept reading the names until he got to his, and initially, intended to close the window. But then a new name jumped out at him. Carmen Rodriguez. His sister-inw. The oars came to a stop, and as he stared at that line, the boat just drifted back and forth in the gentle current. Carmen was alive. But what did that mean? Surely, she wouldn¡¯t have let anything happen to his sister. Definitely not to Miguel. In fact, if something had gone wrong with Elijah¡¯s nephew, he felt confident that Carmen would have descended into apathy or, in a worst-case scenario, suicidal thoughts. No ¨C if Carmen was alive, then the rest of her family and by extension, Elijah¡¯s ¨C had to have made it as well. A broad grin spread across his face as he realized just how much he¡¯d dreaded finding out his family¡¯s fate. Now, he knew. He just knew that Alyssa and Miguel were okay, and that made everything so much easier. So, with that buoying his mood, he resumed his rowing, propelling the little rowboat across the strait. Still, it took quite some time to cover the distance, so he had plenty of opportunity to think. Mostly, his thoughts centered on Alyssa, Carmen, and Miguel, and he found himself wondering how they had survived. Had they formed amunity with other survivors outside of Seattle? Or had they gone into the city itself? More, what sses had they gotten? Miguel was only ten years old ¨C by Elijah¡¯s calction, at least ¨C but had he gotten an archetype when the world had transformed? The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. Elijah had no answers to any of his questions, but he couldn¡¯t help but ask them in his own mind. And like that, he eventually found himselfpleting his journey and approaching the Ironshore docks. They weren¡¯t terribly impressive, at leastpared to what Elijah had seen in the old world. However, they were functional enough, and the long docks seemed capable of berthing at least a half-dozen of the whaling ships he¡¯d seen sailing from the small city. Elijah navigated to one of the shorter docks, keenly aware of all the people ¨C mostly gnomes, dwarves, and goblins ¨C watching his every move. Someone called out to him, but he ignored whoever had shouted. Instead, he pulled up to the dock, then used a rope attached to the rowboat to tie off. Then, he reached down and heaved the bundle of weapons onto the wooden nks. Theynded with a thud, but Elijah paid the sound little attention. Instead, he was prepared to shift to his Guardian form at a moment¡¯s notice. His caution proved unnecessary, because only a few moments after he¡¯dnded, a small figure ¨C even for a gnome, he was miniscule ¨C scurried in his direction. When he got close, he nervously smoothed his long mustaches and said, ¡°Wee, Protector of the Grove, to our humble town!¡± He bowed deeply. ¡°I have sent for Overseer Ramik. I am Uban, the dockmaster.¡± ¡°Good to meet you, Uban,¡± Elijah said, climbing out of the boat. His bare feet pped against the dock, reminding him that he wasn¡¯t wearing any shoes. Theck certainly hadn¡¯t been a problem back on his ind, but now, with every passing second, he grew distinctly more aware of his state of dress. Byparison, Uban wore what Elijah would have ssified as Victorian garb. The cut was a bit wrong, and his wide-brimmed hat reminded him of a bolero, but it somehow fit the aesthetic. In any case, Elijah¡¯s homemade toga was, in a word, shabby to the point of being ssified as rags. Which it kind of was, considering that he¡¯d made the garment from repurposed Ritualist¡¯s robes. Whatever the case, that was an issue that had contributed to his decision to visit Ironshore in the first ce. Hopefully, he could find recement clothing ¨C and much more ¨C while he was in town. ¡°You don¡¯t have to use that whole Protector of the Grove stuff,¡± he said. ¡°Just call me Elijah.¡± ¡°Oh¡­okay,¡± said the nervous gnome. ¡°Elijah.¡± After that, the little gnome tried to make nervous small talk, but he was obviously too anxious to seed. So, Elijah tried his best to seem weing and kind, but with hisck of social interaction over the past couple of years, he was certainly out of practice. He was nearly certain that the smile he meant to be reassuring came across as a little demented. As a result, it was with some degree of relief that he saw a familiar face when Ramik approached. Elijah nodded to him and said, ¡°I brought your weapons. What¡¯ll you give me for them?¡± ¡°Ah¡­there are some¡­um¡­these are all unranked grade,¡± Ramik stated. ¡°The best we can do is five silver etherium per weapon.¡± Elijah had no idea if that was an appropriate price, so he took a moment to think it over. He must¡¯ve looked a bit hostile, because Ramik quickly cleared his throat and amended his previous offer to seven silver. Elijah epted that, then watched as someone else ¨C a dwarf ¨C sorted through the weapons and gave the goblin overseer a count. Ramik epted that, then counted out seventy-seven silver coins, which he handed to Elijah. Once those had been deposited in his homemade satchel, he told the goblin what he wanted. ¡°First things first, I need to go to the Branch,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Then, I want to get some new clothes. Something durable. Maybe a good pack, too. Seeds, if you have them. And some spices. After that, if I have money left over, I want to buy a woodworking kit. Knives and files and such. Can you provide all of that?¡± Ramik tapped his lip. ¡°The clothes, certainly. And we¡¯re lucky enough to have a high-level Leatherworker in town, so the pack won¡¯t be a problem either. As for the seeds¡­maybe. We have some Farmers, but I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll be willing to part with any of their seeds. Spices, I¡¯m afraid, won¡¯t be possible. Not unless you want to go through the Branch Market.¡± ¡°I might just do that,¡± Elijah stated. He¡¯d been living without proper spices for so long that the idea of even basic seasoning seemed positively decadent. But he wasn¡¯t going to go broke just for a little paprika. ¡°And the tools?¡± Ramik said that he could amodate that, too. So, without further dy, the little goblin ¨C and his couple of dwarven guards ¨C led Elijah through Ironshore and to therge building that seemed like the small town¡¯s hub. He didn¡¯t know what to expect, but as they progressed through the building, Elijah was a little surprised to find that it wasrgely normal. Sure, some of the architectural choices seemed a little odd, and it certainly wasn¡¯t sized for someone of his height, but it definitely wasn¡¯t so abnormal that it seemed alien. The same, however, could not be said for the crystalline tree that was the Branch. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± he muttered to himself, wide-eyed as he took it in. Ramik asked, ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯ve seen one?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°This one is a little more advanced than what you would see in a native settlement,¡± the goblin stated. ¡°It is an import from my home world.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah lied. He didn¡¯t want to show the depth of his ignorance, so he kept his questions to himself. But he did ask one that couldn¡¯t be avoided, ¡°How do I ess it?¡± ¡°Just touch it.¡± Elijah approached, trying to ignore the stern-looking dwarf that stood watch. He expected that the robed individual was one of the Envoys of the Cult of the World Tree Nerthus had mentioned. As such, he wanted to avoid offending her. So, he nodded and asked, ¡°May I?¡± ¡°You may,¡± she replied in a gruff voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be expectin¡¯ special treatment from now on, though. Youe back ¡®ere, and you wait just like everybody else, ya hear?¡± Elijah nodded. He¡¯d had no idea that he was skipping to the front of a line, but he wasn¡¯t going to refuse now that it had been arranged. So, he stepped forward andid one gentle hand on the crystal tree¡¯s trunk. Immediately, he became aware of a series of notifications waiting to be opened. He cycled through them, and as he did, he recognized them as menus meant to help him navigate the Branch¡¯s various functions. There were almost a dozen headings, but most were inessible to him. Instead, only five were avable: the Market, the Bank, the Knowledge Base, the Regional Map, and the Communication¡¯s Hub. The first destination was the Bank. From Nerthus, he knew that each time he¡¯d killed something, the system had marked him for reward. And the Bank was where he could ess those rewards.
Copper Silver Gold tinum
321 92 11 0
¡°Can I deposit the coins I already have into the Bank?¡± Elijah asked, ncing in the Envoy¡¯s direction. ¡°You may. Simply think it, and the Branch will transfer any coins you have on your person to the Bank.¡± Elijah followed the dwarven woman¡¯s directions, and with a stir of Ethera, the coins he had in his pack disappeared. When he looked at the readout for his bnce, he was unsurprised to see that it had changed slightly:
Copper Silver Gold tinum
362 179 11 0
Satisfied, Elijah moved to the next order of business: essing the Knowledge Base. To his surprise, there were hundreds of topics ranging from crafting methods to faction information, with some of the Guides carrying hefty price tags. So, he satisfied himself with subjects pertaining to the system itself. Still, he spent three gold on almost two dozen guides before he finally settled on one called ¡°A Practical Guide to Progression.¡± It was touted as a sort of progression-for-idiots instruction manual, and Elijah eagerly paid the fifteen silver to gain ess. When he¡¯d finished, twenty-two crystalline leaves grew from the tree¡¯s branches, but Elijah wasn¡¯t finished. He still wanted to check out the Market, the Regional Map, and the Communications Hub. Thest, he hoped might give him some insight into where his sister might have ended up. As it turned out, all three topics werergely useless for him. The Regional Map only showed one other settlement, and it was almost two-hundred miles away. It was also the only essible target formunications. The Market was a little better, but Elijah held off on buying any of the few items avable to him. He still had more practical concerns, and he didn¡¯t want to spend all his money on frivolity. So, with that done, he collected the leaves, tossing them into his satchel, and let Ramik lead him away from the Branch and to what he dubbed the Crafting District. Book 2: Chapter 9: Shopping Spree Book 2: Chapter 9: Shopping Spree In preparation for what he hoped would be a shopping spree, Elijah had kept a decent number of etherium coins out. At Ramik¡¯s suggestion, though, he restricted himself to a few dozen copper coins and ten silver. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t need more than that,¡± the little goblin said, checking what looked like a pocket watch he¡¯d pulled from his vest pocket. ¡°But if you do, you can always return to the Branch and withdraw more.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Elijah asked, curiously nodding at the device. ¡°Oh. I apologize for the rudeness,¡± Ramik answered. ¡°But all this talk of money prompted me to check my own avable etherium. This is an enchanted coin storage device called a folio. It doesn¡¯t actually hold etherium, but instead allows you to exchange promisary notes with other people. If you had one of these, it would obviate the need to carry coins on your person.¡± ¡°How does it work? And where can I get one?¡± ¡°It only stores information,¡± Ramik said with a small smile. ¡°It maintains a thin connection to the Branch, allowing one to transfer wealth without physically exchanging coins.¡± ¡°Like a credit card,¡± Elijah reasoned. It sounded remarkably simr, and just as convenient as his old debit card. ¡°I have no idea what that is.¡± ¡°Sorry. My world ¨C before all this ¨C had a simr system. Though we used a different currency.¡±¡°Ah. I see. As to where you might acquire a folio, I can show you to an appropriate tinkering shop. You will still have to get it paired to your personal Bank, and it likely won¡¯t be inexpensive.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay,¡± Elijah said, already preparing himself to do without. He had no real notion of how much his money was really worth, but he couldn¡¯t imagine that it was a lot. So, he moved on to the next subject, asking, ¡°So, what about clothes? I don¡¯t know if you noticed, but I¡¯m kind of wearing rags here.¡± He tried to soften the statement with a slight grin, but Ramik still went a little greener than normal as his eyes found the persistent blood stains on Elijah¡¯s toga. He¡¯d scrubbed the cloth as well as he could manage, but blood tended to be quite difficult to wash away. He¡¯d also hoped that the cloth¡¯s dark material would hide it. Clearly, he¡¯d been wrong. Suddenly, he realized what he must look like to the residents of Ironshore. In the beginning, he¡¯d hoped that most of them would be ignorant of his exploits, but judging by the fearful looks that had followed him since his arrival in the small town, that just wasn¡¯t the case. So, that,bined with his curious manner of dress, massive-inparison size, and apparent disdain for grooming, had probably given people the wrong impression about him. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say no to a barber, either,¡± he remarked. ¡°I think we could arrange that,¡± Ramik said, tucking his folio away. Elijah ran his hand through his curly hair, adding, ¡°You don¡¯t have to escort me around. I can find my own way.¡± ¡°Ah, well, I think it¡¯s best if I show you where to find everything. The ck Sun mercenaries weren¡¯t popr. Not exactly. But they still had friends.¡± That was the first time Elijah had heard the name of the group who¡¯d assaulted his ind, and for some reason, he wasn¡¯t surprised to find that they had been ssified as mercenaries. That fit with what he¡¯d seen. After that, Ramik led him down the street and toward a nearby building. Elijah had spent some time exploring the small city in his predator form, but in the light of day, everything looked so much nicer. But then again, he¡¯d been a little distracted by his mission to rescue the dragon thest time he¡¯d been in Ironshore. In any case, he was pleasantly surprised by how clean and orderly the little town was ¨C it really did look like a mix of a settlement out of an old Western and something he¡¯d see in a modern fantasy movie. That impression was only supported by the presence of tiny gnomes and green goblins. Dwarves, byparison, could almost pass for short, particrly hirsute, and broad humans. Elijah couldn¡¯t help but gawk a little as he followed Ramik into what turned out to be a barbershop manned by a trio of swarthy gnomes. They were all absolutely tiny, had blisteringly white hair, and eyebrows that looked like not-so-small caterpirs of the same hue. Elijah would have put a few of his coins on the idea that they were rted in some way. Perhaps even brothers, given their simr features. ¡°Oi! This the one, then?¡± asked one of them. ¡°¡¯Course it is, you dolt! How many o¡¯ them you think¡¯s is runnin¡¯ round ¡®ere?¡± said another. ¡°Don¡¯t kill us Mister Protector,¡± said the third. ¡°We ain¡¯t got nothin¡¯ to do with no ck Sun bastards. I was just sayin¡¯ the other day as how we ought to kick ¡®em out, I was. Send ¡®em back where theye from, I said.¡± ¡°You ain¡¯t said no such thing, Brok.¡± ¡°Did so!¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t never heard so much as a peep of that kind o¡¯ talk.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t talkin¡¯ to you when I said it, was I? Nope. I was talkin¡¯ to ol¡¯ Derkins. You can ask ¡®im, too. He¡¯ll tell you the same, he will.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Gentlemen,¡± said Ramik. All three went silent in the space of a heartbeat, telling Elijah that the goblin was held in no small esteem. ¡°Mr. Elijah requires your services.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Brok, narrowing his eyes. Then, they widened. ¡°Oh. You need a little trim, you do. Step right up, big fe. We¡¯ll get you sorted in a hurry, we will.¡± As he spoke, he gestured to a chair that looked like it¡¯d been sized to fit a dwarf. Elijah had never been a giant ¨C in fact, he was considered a little below average, for a human being ¨C but he was skeptical that he¡¯d fit. Still, he followed the gnome¡¯s instructions and miraculously wedged himself into ce. What followed was the oddest twenty minutes of Elijah¡¯s rtively young life. He¡¯d had plenty of haircuts throughout his life, but the way Brok did it was certainly a novel experience. On the surface, some of it was familiar. The gnome used scissors just like any other barber Elijah had ever seen. However, those sheers weren¡¯t wielded in the gnome¡¯s hands. Instead, they floated around seemingly of their own ord as Brok gestured here and there. At first, Elijah was a little leery of the sharp scissors ¨C and how close they came to his ears ¨C but it quickly became apparent that Brok was inplete control. So, he let himself rx a little as he listened to the three brothers drone on and on about one thing or another. If Elijah was honest, it felt good, just hearing other people talk. He¡¯d had a few conversations with Nerthus over the months since being stranded on the ind, but they were few and far between. Most of the time, he¡¯d been all alone, with no one forpany but himself. And though he wasn¡¯t about to go insane from theck of human contact, he definitely recognized that it was no way for a human being to live. In short, it was nice just being around other people ¨C even if those other people were bickering amongst themselves about things he didn¡¯t really understand. Elijah ended up paying a few copper etherium for the service, and judging by Ramik¡¯s narrowed eyes, he¡¯d gotten ripped off. However, a few measly coins were a small price to pay for something he¡¯d very much needed. Next, Ramik led a freshly shorn Elijah a few streets over and into a Market that was obviously a tailor¡¯s premises. Soon enough, a pudgy, matronly female dwarf stomped out, put her hands on her hips, then demanded, ¡°What is this, then?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Seeing that Elijah was out of his element, Ramik stepped, saying, ¡°Mari, this is Elijah. Our friend and potential ally from the ind.¡± ¡°The ind? What ind are you¡­¡± Her face went white, and she took a step back. ¡°He needs some clothing. Simple grade, if you have the materials.¡± For a few seconds, she didn¡¯t respond. Clearly, she was frightened of Elijah, but he had no idea how tobat that impression. So, he remained silent as she worked her way through her feelings. In the end, it was probably Ramik¡¯s presence that got her toe around, but even then, she still didn¡¯t look happy to have Elijah in her shop. That was fine, though. He¡¯d never really expected to be epted in Ironshore, but so long as he got what he needed out of them, he¡¯d be happy. In fact, he¡¯d already aplished his primary goal by buying the various guides from the Branch. Those would hopefully go a long way to cure his ignorance and give him some much-needed direction going forward. Everything else was just icing on the cake, as far as Elijah was concerned. Still, the idea of getting some proper clothes was definitely attractive, especially if he intended to encounter more people anytime soon. The idea of meeting other humans while wearing nothing but a toga wasn¡¯t precisely appealing. Finally, she said, ¡°Seven silver. Each. I can modify some trousers for him. A few shirts. No boots, though. His feet are too big for goblin- or gnome-sized shoes and far too narrow for anything meant for a dwarf. And I don¡¯t have the materials for anything special order.¡± After that, she disappeared into the back, leaving Elijah to examine the wares on disy in her Market. The clothes were a fairly simple design, and they seemed high quality if mundane. When Mari returned, she had a clear pane of ss in one hand and a pad with a stylus in the other. She held the ss up, reminding Elijah of people taking photos with their smart phones, then said, ¡°Hmm. The pants are going to be a bit short. Mid-calf, at best. Can¡¯t stretch the materials any more than that, so it¡¯s just going to have to do.¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t exactly keen on wearing what sounded a lot like capri pants, but he wasn¡¯t going to argue with the dwarven woman. She already didn¡¯t like him ¨C that much was clear ¨C so he didn¡¯t want to push his luck. So, he agreed before asking, ¡°That piece of ss ¨C that¡¯s for measurements, right?¡± ¡°It is. Also lets me apply one of my abilities to inspect items other than clothing,¡± she said. ¡°Nice staff, by the way. Shame it¡¯s bound to you. You could sell it for quite a few etherium. Who made it?¡± ¡°I did.¡± She narrowed her eyes, then said, ¡°Interesting. Clothes will be ready in a couple of hours. Now, shoo.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t need any other prompting, and he left the shop with Ramik only a momentter. Their next stop was a leatherworker who sold Elijah a miraculous pack that could hold almost twice as much as its exterior would suggest it was capable of holding. In addition, it was a Simple-Grade item, so it was much more durable than more mundane packs. The only downside was that it cost Elijah most of his remaining silver, which meant that for any more shopping, he¡¯d have to return to the Branch. Before that, Ramik took him to purchase his own folio. His first impression of Ramik¡¯s device seemed urate, and the item he ended up buying for himself looked like a pewter pocket watch. When he opened it, though, he didn¡¯t see a clock face; instead, there were a series of dials meant to indicate how much etherium he had in his bank. At present, all the dials were on zero, but that was because he had yet to pair it with the Branch. Which was, by necessity, the next stop. This time, Elijah was forced to awkwardly wait in line, just as the Envoy had promised. He didn¡¯t mind, though. It gave him some time to fiddle with his pack, which was an endless source of wonder for him. He¡¯d been using magic for quite some time, but a bag that seemed to house a much bigger space than it should just seemed more miraculous. Apparently, such containers weren¡¯t umon in the wider universe, but on Earth, with its low level of Ethera density, they would be a rarity for years toe. That Ironshore had any at all was just a stroke of luck, which exined why it had been so expensive. After Elijah had paired his folio with the Branch, he and Ramik finished up his shopping. He probably spent more money than he should have, but in the end, he acquired almost everything on his list. The lone exception was, predictably, spices. He got a few, but Ironshore simply didn¡¯t have enough to spare. Finally, Ramik asked, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be presumptuous, but would you like to join me for a meal? There are a few people who wish to speak with you.¡± Elijah almost refused outright, but then he thought better of it. The people of Ironshore ¨C aside from the ones who¡¯d attacked his ind ¨C had been decent enough to him. So, he felt that he should return the favor. He wasn¡¯t about tomit to any alliances, but the idea of cultivating decent a decent rtionship with his neighbors seemed more attractive than ever before. So, he said, ¡°That sounds nice. I¡¯m starving.¡± Book 2: Chapter 10: A Simple Meal Book 2: Chapter 10: A Simple Meal The smell of smoked meats greeted Elijah before the restaurant even came into sight. His mouth watered as he remembered all the barbecue joints he¡¯d sampled over the course of his life. His infrequent forays into vegetarianism ¨C usually taken at the insistence of a girlfriend or his more environmentally conscious coworkers ¨C had consistently been squandered by his love of well-cooked meat. He was a born carnivore, and no amount of social pressure could ever really change that, even if he¡¯d made a decent effort at it from time to time. But now, after having to subsist for more than two years with nothing but his own terrible cooking forfort, he couldn¡¯t stop his mouth from watering the moment those savory smells graced his nostrils. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to wait long before they reached the restaurant. It was a squat structure that took up an entire corner of an intersection of two major thoroughfares, and judging by the number of people entering and exiting the building, it was one of Ironshore¡¯s more popr destinations. The interior was packed with dwarves, gnomes, goblins, and the odd elf, all of whom sat at a pair of long tables that reminded Elijah of cafeterias he¡¯d seen during his high school years. The only difference, aside from the clientele, was that instead of being made of stic and stainless steel, they were constructed of scrubbed wood. Of course, the moment the diners saw Elijah, their conversations came to a poignant halt as each and every eye turned to behold the interloper in their midst. Ramik seemed to have anticipated this, and he quickly led Elijah across the main room and to a private dining area. There, Elijah found at least one familiar face among the five other people already seated at a more formal-looking table. Carissa nodded to him, and said, ¡°Wee to the Stuck Pig. Best Cook in town runs the joint.¡± ¡°I could smell it from a block away,¡± Elijah admitted. He gave her a reassuring smile before adding, ¡°Believe me when I say it almost brought tears to my eyes.¡± Soon enough, Ramik had guided Elijah to a chair, and the moment he sat, he realized what his next project should be. Sure, Nerthus had grown a few chairs in his tree house, but if he wanted to sit in his garden, he had to do so on the ground. Already, his mind whirled with ns for building the perfect chair. It wasn¡¯t until a few secondster that he realized that he¡¯d been staring off into space, and that everyone was looking at him.Elijah cleared his throat, then said, ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve been alone for a long, long time, and I sometimes get a bit lost in my own head.¡± ¡°How long?¡± asked Carissa. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not exactly sure,¡± he said. ¡°Time got a bit funny there for a while. I think it¡¯s been around two years. Except Nerthus, of course, but he doesn¡¯t really count.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked one of the other goblins. Elijah noted that she had conniving eyes, so he marked her as untrustworthy. But that wasn¡¯t so different from all the rest of them. Not really, at least. Even Ramik and Carissa, both of whom had actually helped him, had yet to earn his trust. ¡°Who is Nerthus?¡± asked the fourth diner. He was another dwarf, and judging by the way he kept ncing toward Carissa, the pair were either rted or a couple. Elijah didn¡¯t know enough about dwarven physiology or mannerisms to make a judgment about which one was more likely. ¡°Just a friend. He¡¯s not important,¡± Elijah said. ¡°These are some nice chairs, by the way. You wouldn¡¯t know who made them, would you? I¡¯d love to get the ns.¡± ¡°Chairs?¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t have any chairs on my ind. Well, I do, but they¡¯re not exactly where I want them, you know? I was thinking of building a couple. Everyone needs a hobby, I guess, and I suppose I could make chair-building mine. Though after I finish one chair, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll want to build more. That¡¯s the ticket, I think. Figuring out what you want to keep doing, I mean. I keep trying to fill my time with different things, but after doing it once, I¡¯m done with it. Like when I made my soap. It was a fun and diverting project, but I don¡¯t think I ever really want to do it again.¡± Everyone just stared at him like he¡¯d grown a third ear. But unlike with Sara the dragon, Elijah hadn¡¯t just started running off at the mouth on ident. Instead, he¡¯d done it for a reason ¨C to throw them off and keep them from focusing on his slip of the tongue. He hadn¡¯t intended to mention Nerthus. Nor had he meant to awkwardly stare off into space. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. As it turned out, the group was willing to forgive his seeming entricity, and they soon turned their attention to the reason they¡¯d invited him to the meal in the first ce. They wanted an alliance ¨C desperately, it seemed. When Elijah had killed the ck Sun mercenaries who¡¯d tried to invade his ind, he¡¯d robbed Ironshore of much of their defense force. As such, they were vulnerable ¨C and they knew it. To them, Elijah represented a solution to that problem. After all, he was powerful enough to kill almost fifty people, all by himself. Surely, he could protect them from anything that mighte after them until they managed to contract more mercenaries. Either way, they spent the next fifteen minutes trying to forge an alliance with Elijah. For his part, he was content with a pact of non-aggression, so he didn¡¯tmit to anything one way or another. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t long until the food arrived. Elijah¡¯s eyes lit up as one tray of steaming meat after another was brought in by the restaurant¡¯s waitstaff. They were all goblins, identifiable by their simple, if identical red outfits, but Elijah was admittedly unconcerned with anything but the food they served. Not only was there plenty of meat ¨C it looked like pork, but it might¡¯ve been something else ¨C thered in some sort of red sauce, but there were also tureens filled with various vegetables. When he saw the rest of the diners serving their own tes, Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate to join them, piling his own te high with everything he saw. Over the course of his life, Elijah had eaten plenty of great meals. From the simple ¨C like the home-cooked meals he¡¯d once enjoyed with his family ¨C to the borderline ostentatious, like eating at five-star restaurants in celebration of special asions, he¡¯d enjoyed some of the best Earth had to offer. None of it came close to what he tasted in Ironshore¡¯s best restaurant. With the grace of hindsight, Elijah could at least admit that his enjoyment was based at least partially on the fact that he¡¯d been eating charred crab and poorly-prepared fish stew for most of the past two years. But unbeknownst to him, it was also the effect someone with the Cook ss could have on food preparation. Either way, he would remember it as the best meal he¡¯d ever eaten, and it was almost enough to push him over the edge and into an alliance, if only it meant that he could enjoy their food a little more often. ¡°I think I might have to kidnap your Cook and put them to work on my ind,¡± he joked. The levity didn¡¯t quite make it through, though, and he got a couple of frightened looks before he pointed out that he was, in fact, joking. That got a couple of nervousughs, telling him in no uncertain terms how they saw him. To them, he was a dangerous and unpredictable force that was responsible for mass murder. Did it matter that he had no intention of attacking anyone who didn¡¯t try to attack him first? No. Nuance was easily outpaced by fear, and never was that more obvious than during that wonderful meal. As a result, Elijah was at least a little relieved when it came to an end. With a promise that he would give the alliance all due consideration, he and Ramik left the others behind. Without any other errands to run ¨C and with daylight already starting to fade ¨C Elijah and the goblin stopped by the clothier so he could pick up his clothes. Mari, the Tailor, handed him a fewrge parcels, telling him that she had put together three full outfits for him. He thanked her, paid the fee ¨C plus a bit extra for her trouble ¨C and then told Ramik that he was ready to return to his ind. The goblin took that in stride and escorted him through town and back to the dock. Once there, Ramik broached the subject of the alliance. ¡°We really could use your assistance,¡± he said. ¡°I know you are hesitant to ¨C¡± ¡°Look,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t want an alliance. I¡¯m not sure. But if you need me, just send someone to the ind. Don¡¯t stray from the beach, and I¡¯ll be there as soon as possible. As far as mutual defense ¨C I¡¯ll do what I can. I¡¯m not saying I¡¯lle to your rescue, but I¡¯m not saying I won¡¯t, either.¡± Ramik sighed. ¡°That will have to do, then.¡± Elijah climbed into the rowboat, then added, ¡°But I want to reiterate. Just because we¡¯re ying nice doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve forgotten that your people were the aggressors. I know you im not to have had anything to do with Cabbot and his mercenaries, and I¡¯m inclined to believe you. But if anyonees to my ind looking for trouble, trust me when I say that they¡¯ll get more than they want.¡± With that, he pushed off and started rowing across the strait. As he went, Elijah considered the alliance on offer. It seemed to him that Ironshore didn¡¯t really have much to offer that he couldn¡¯t get for himself. Sure, he liked having ess to a Branch, but he¡¯d exhausted the possibilities of the guides on offer. With the crystalline leaves in his pack, he had more information to study now than he could get through in a year. And he¡¯d gotten everything else he needed for the time being. So, why would he ally himself with them, except as an expression of social responsibility? Could he sit idly by and watch them overrun by some unnamed enemy? What if the Voxx attacked them? Or some pack of dangerously mutated animals? Or worse, another settlement? No. Elijah knew himself well enough to recognize that he couldn¡¯t do that. Did that make him some doomed white knight? Maybe. It certainly wasn¡¯t conducive to self-preservation. However, he simply didn¡¯t want to be the sort of person who could stand by and watch people being killed for no other reason than because he couldn¡¯t find any reason to intervene. If he could help, he would. Basic decency dictated at least that muchmitment. But he had no intention ofmitting to some sort of official alliance. More than anything, he wanted to be left alone ¨C at least until he didn¡¯t ¨C and the best way to do that was to keep to himself and maintain a sense of danger that would hopefully keep the people of Ironshore away. With that in mind, Elijah crossed the strait, arriving back on his ind just before the sun settled below the horizon. Book 2: Chapter 11: Exploration Book 2: Chapter 11: Exploration The crystalline leaf glittered in the faint light of Elijah¡¯s treehouse, but he was no longer fascinated by the thing¡¯s structure. It was just an information delivery device, little different from a book, and as such, he was far more interested in the knowledge it contained. Figuring out how to use the leaves had taken Elijah a few hours, and it was only when Nerthus stepped in to exin it that he¡¯d managed to unlock the information stored within. Looking back, Elijah should have figured it out on his own. The idea ¨C to simply inject a bit of Ethera into the item, much as he would with one of his spells ¨C wasn¡¯tplicated. However, after returning from Ironshore, he was emotionally exhausted, and he¡¯d let that affect his thought processes. Once Nerthus had stepped in, though, his mood improved, and he set about learning everything he could. Like everything else in the new world, the leaves were tied to the system, and as such, they sent information directly into his mind, opening windows not unlike his notifications, that he could read at his own pace. ¡°I might have overdone it with the guides,¡± he muttered to himself, tossing the glittering leaf onto his bed and lying back. So far, he¡¯d only made it through a single one, and even then, he hadn¡¯t absorbed half the information he probably should have. Despite his experience with academia, Elijah had never enjoyed studying. He could do it, as evidenced by the degrees he¡¯d earned, but it was always an exercise in frustration. The first leaf he¡¯d chosen to read was, predictably, the one dedicated to giving an overview of progression, and at the most basic level, he understood it well enough. Still, he looked at the page still hovering in his mind:
Whether they are warriors or crafters, schrs or mages, each person is subject to the Divine System, which eases the burden of progression and provides an easily quantifiable means of tracking and guiding an individual¡¯s strength. The generally epted tiers of power are as follows:
Level 1-125Mortal
Level 126-250 Ascendent
Level 251-500 Demigod
Level 501-1000 Deity
Level 1000+ Transcendent
As he¡¯d read the information on each individual tier, Elijah had learned that Mortals made up the vast majority of the poption. However, there was a huge difference between a level one and someone who¡¯d reached the peak of said tier. After a person progressed to Ascendent, they would be given the opportunity to choose a specialization. More importantly, the progression through the associated levels woulde with an even sharper increase in attributes and the power of skills, spells, and abilities. The same could be said for reaching Demigod status, though that was when a person¡¯s ss would go through its first evolution. Then, it would once again evolve upon progressing to the Deity tier. The information about bing a Transcendent was a little spotty,rgely because few people ever reached those heights. And the ones who did weren¡¯t contributing to guides. If they were, Elijah didn¡¯t have ess to that information, and even if he did, a fraction of the associated cost would be enough to bankrupt him many times over. In any case, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have to worry about that kind of thing anytime soon. Progressing through the Mortal Realm was supposed to take decades, but a single line had given Elijah hope that his ascent would be a little quicker: If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
On newly integrated worlds, progress may be elerated due to higher Ethera density and increased opportunity.
Basically, he interpreted that as meaning that he would have more foes to fight, and thus, more experience ¨C or kill energy ¨C to absorb. So far, that had proven to be the case, and he expected that when he set off to explore, it would be even more dramatic. The Ascendent Realm was known to take much longer to cross than the Mortal Realm, and even the talented often stumbled along the way. That wasn¡¯t surprising to Elijah. In a journey that would take multiple decades, people would inevitably lose motivation or exhaust their own talent. Even more would be distracted by more mundane concerns. Even the increase in longevity that came with reaching the Ascendent Realm wasn¡¯t enough tobat the many obstacles in the way of reaching Demigod status. The same could be said for the path to bing a Deity, though it was even more arduous and, outside of a few rare exceptions, always took centuries. As he¡¯d already noted, information on reaching the Transcendent Realm was thin on the ground, though the guide did note that, with everything after Ascendent, it wasn¡¯t enough to simply reach the appropriate level. There was some kind of trial required as well, and with each Realm of power, those trials grew more difficult. Basically, everything he¡¯d learned told Elijah that if he wanted to reach the peak, it was going to be the product of centuries. So, while it was interesting to contemte, he knew he¡¯d be better off focusing on the immediate future. To that end, he¡¯d continued his study, discovering the item grades, enchantment tiers, and, more importantly, information regarding cultivation. ording to the guide, there were nine levels of each facet of cultivation. For Mind, Soul, and Body, the levels were standardized, but with the Core, it was individualized. There were many types of Core cultivation ¨C somemon and others far rarer ¨C but nothing he¡¯d read indicated that anyone else had anything like his Dragon Core. Nerthus had indicated as much, but he¡¯d still half expected to see it listed among the examples in the guide. When it wasn¡¯t, it started to dawn on Elijah just how much of an advantage Sara¡¯s mother had bestowed upon him. In the end, he spent almost three days perusing the various guides, and he¡¯de away much less ignorant than he¡¯d been before going to Ironshore. And yet, he knew there was a nearly infinite amount of knowledge still out there. Some subjects, the guides had barely brushed on ¨C like the Voxx or the various races thatprised the universe¡¯s poption ¨C but Elijah felt certain that there was a lot more that wasn¡¯t even mentioned. In short, he couldn¡¯t learn everything in a day or two of intense study. Not surprising, really. Even on Earth, which was just a single, it was impossible to learn everything about everything. So, a universe made of hundreds ¨C if not thousands ¨C of inhabiteds was that much moreplex. Still, it was nice to have some of the most basic information at his disposal. However, he¡¯d reached the end of his patience. Before his visit to Ironshore, Elijah had made ns to explore the surrounding area and, hopefully, eventually reunite with his family. Those intentions hadn¡¯t changed. So, it was with some anticipation that he levered himself out of bed, gathered the scattered leaves, and reced them in a basket he¡¯d woven. Then, he shoved that into his pack. After that, he set about preparing provisions for a short journey. First, he went to the kitchen where he gathered some fish filets he¡¯d smoked, a bunch of berries from his garden, and an earthen jug full of water. Thest was a new addition and the result of histest project; it probably would have been easier to simply go back to Ironshore and buy the equivalent, but he¡¯d chosen not to, as much so that he wouldn¡¯t grow dependent on the small city as because he took pleasure in his own self-sufficiency. In the end, it was a satisfying project, even if the results weren¡¯t as sessful as some of his previous efforts. The jug, which was made from y he¡¯d harvested from near his stream, could hold liquid just fine, but due to a mishap with the baking process, it was a little misshapen. That didn¡¯t affect the usefulness, but the aesthetics left a lot to be desired. As he loaded the jug into the pack, Elijah was once again impressed by the pack¡¯s vast carrying capacity. It was at least twice the size its exterior suggested, which meant that he could carry plenty of supplies. And he did, packing it full of everything he thought he might need. Then, Elijah donned one of the outfits he¡¯d bought in Ironshore. The style of the clothing was uplicated and workmanlike, featuring a shirt thatced down to mid-chest and a pair of pants that didn¡¯t quite reach his ankles. Unsurprisingly, considering theplexity of themon zipper, the fastenings were limited toces and buttons. The fabric was soft enough to befortable, but tough enough that Elijah suspected the clothing would resist normal wear and tear. On top of that, the Tailor had specified that each piece was Simple grade, which he¡¯d since learned was the lowest level of magical equipment. Typically, the limited level of magic in those items only meant that it was more resistant to damage than it otherwise would be, but that was fine by Elijah. It wasn¡¯t as if he was going to run around in armor, after all. Once he was dressed and everything had been packed away, Elijah took onest look around the treehouse as he tried to remember anything he might¡¯ve forgotten. That effort didn¡¯t result in any epiphanies, so, after calling out to Nerthus ¨C and getting no response ¨C he decided to stop dying his departure. With that in mind, he climbed down the steps and took a look at the ancestral tree. Its color had continued to change over the previous weeks, and its bark had turned almostpletely white. In addition, the leaves had taken on a blue color, giving Elijah the impression that the Shard of the World Tree was still being absorbed. He spared a moment to wonder what would happen when it finished, but he had no real context to make predictions. He just knew that Nerthus had implied that it would be a fundamental transformation, which was exciting enough that Elijah was impatient to see results. In any case, he didn¡¯t remain long before he set off across the ind with the eventual destination of the beach where he¡¯d stashed his collection of rowboats. The trip only took a few minutes, and before he knew it, he was standing on the beach next to his rowboat. The sun had already risen high in the sky, which meant that he¡¯d reach the other shore by mid-afternoon at thetest. So, not wanting to put it off, he pushed the little boat out into the surf, hopped in, and started to row. The crossing went quickly, aided by Elijah¡¯s inted attributes, and he soon found himself pulling the rowboat onto shore. He¡¯d considered taking it into Ironshore and leaving it there for safekeeping. However, he¡¯d decided not to because he didn¡¯t really want them to know he wasn¡¯t on the ind. Sure, leaving it untended on the shore meant that it probably wouldn¡¯t be there when he returned ¨C unless he did so within a couple of days ¨C but that wasn¡¯t a huge deal. He had a multitude of other boats on the ind, and he could always use Ancestral Circle to return. And if push came to shove, he had no issue with swimming the distance, even if he didn¡¯t relish the notion. In any case, it was better to be safe than sorry. He wanted to trust Ramik and the others, but he¡¯d have to have been a fool to extend that trust so early in their rtionship. Once Elijah had pulled the rowboat ashore and stashed it past the tree line, he took a deep breath, then used Shape of the Predator. In a lot of ways, he was just asfortable in his scaled panther form as he was as a human ¨C and that was the problem. It was so easy to lose himself in the shape¡¯s wild instincts. After nearly doing so in the Primordial Forest, he¡¯d made a concerted effort to assert his humanity, but the animalistic mindset always hovered just out of sight, ready to pounce like the predator to which it belonged. However, as wary as he was of using the form too much, Elijah couldn¡¯t deny that it was unmatched for wilderness traversal. Even without Guise of the Unseen, he was difficult to track, and with that ability enhancing his stealth, he was all but impossible to perceive. Fortunately, his new clothing as well as his pack and staff transformed with him, which meant he could move light and fast as he embarked upon the initial stages of exploration. Hopefully, he would find something interesting and, perhaps, a few hints as to where to find his family. With that in mind, he set off, keeping his senses trained on the environment as he began. Book 2: Chapter 12: Spiders Book 2: Chapter 12: Spiders The rainstorm started only an hour after Elijah had begun his trek ind, though with the dense canopy of a temperate rainforest above, only scattered drops of precipitation made it to the ground. However, as wasmon to the region, humidity clouded the atmosphere, and dewy wetness clung to every leaf. Elijah was only barely affected, though; his scales weren¡¯t as warm as his old coat of fur had been, but they were stillrgely impervious to the elements. He slipped through the forest, keeping the awareness granted by One with Nature at the forefront of his mind. Back on the ind, where he knew everyst de of grass on an intimate level, such concentration wasn¡¯t necessary. But now that he was on the maind, he slipped back into the same frame of mind that had let him survive the most dangerous parts of the tower. At first, he circled Ironshore, as much to get back into the proper frame of mind as to check up on his would-be allies. Their efforts at deforestation had slowed to a crawl, probably because they¡¯d progressed past the need for wooden structures. Instead, they¡¯d begun to rece those with sturdier stone and what seemed like a magical form of concrete. There were still hunting parties out and about, but that wasn¡¯t surprising. Not only were most of the wildlife dangerous and territorial, but the animals were also ready sources of meat. Ironshore had no herd animals Elijah had seen, so they were still dependent on wild game for their protein. Likely, that would continue for some time, though fishing would probably overtake hunting as the primary source of meat going forward. Or at least that¡¯s how it usually worked with human coastal settlements. Perhaps other worlds had developed differently. After making certain that there were no real threats in the immediate area, Elijah started moving towards the only town he¡¯d seen on the Branch¡¯s map function. Without context, he knew it would still be difficult to find the settlement, but he figured it was the best ce to start his search for Seattle, which he hoped would lead him to Easton where he could find his sister. There was a problem, though. Ironshore abutted a sizable mountain range, so Elijah couldn¡¯t simply travel in a straight line. Instead, he had to search for a pass, which was exactly what he did for the next three days. Most of the time, he remained in his predator form and hunted whichever small animals he could find. However, he did make a point to resume his human form for at least an hour each day, lest he fall into the same trap that had threatened to rob him of his humanity back in the tower. For the most part, he went unmolested. He could¡¯ve fought a few dangerous-looking animals ¨C like a sizable boar that he found eating a giant stag it had killed ¨C but he chose to silence his more murderous impulses. That wasn¡¯t to say he didn¡¯t fight. He certainly did, though he confined his efforts to when he sensed a Voxxian trail. On three separate asions, he followed that acrid stench to its owner, and when he got close enough, he used Predator Strike to kill each reptilian monster.It wasn¡¯t so different from how he¡¯d hunted them on his ind, though it was more difficult in a couple of ways. First, each of them was stronger than any of the spontaneous manifestations he¡¯d seen on the ind. As a result, in all but one case, he was forced to follow up his initial attack with a second killing blow. In addition, they were slightly more difficult to track because he didn¡¯t have the benefit of his Locus to guide him. Still, he made do and aplished his goal. Eventually, Elijah found a pass that cut through the mountain range. It had clearly been used by a herd of some sort of animals, and it was only by following their trail that he was able to find the pass. However, they had used it long enough in the past that their scent had all but dissipated, and Elijah was incapable of identifying the animals by what was left. Still, he had no issues using their trail as a guide, and so, he continued along until he saw something that brought him up short. From a distance, it looked almost like the entire area had been covered by thick frost. The sudden change served to alert Elijah to the point that he pulled to a stop so he could study the phenomenon, and soon enough, he recognized it for what it was. Gossamer webs, thin and delicate, covered everything in front of him. More importantly, he saw a few dark shapes, each one the size of a golden retriever and with eight horrible legs, poised to pounce on anything stupid enough to wander into their domain. He looked past them and saw a few dozenrge cocoons that he suspected contained the herd animals that had preceded him. Setting up behind a boulder, Elijah crouched low, his thick, alligator-like tail sweeping back and forth in anticipation as he watched. For a long time, nothing changed, but then, a bird ¨C it looked like a sparrow, but it was quite a bitrger than any version of that bird Elijah had ever seen ¨Cnded. It grabbed at something on the ground, then tried to lift off, but its feet were caught in the web. It screeched and pped its wings, but no matter how much it struggled, it couldn¡¯t free itself. A momentter, a half-dozen spiders descended on it. The ill-fated avian stopped moving a few secondster, and the arachnids ¨C which resembled tarants, but with dark green instead of brown coloring ¨C quickly dragged it away, wrapped it in spider silk, then left it with the rest of their prey. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! Elijah continued to watch, and though he felt confident that he could pick his way through the webs, he wasn¡¯t absolutely certain he could do so while avoiding the spiders. Which meant that he had no intention of trying. He¡¯d long sincee to the conclusion that versatility was the hallmark of his archetype. He could heal passably well ¨C though with restrictions ¨C cast decently damaging spells, and through his two animal forms, either be a stealthy skirmisher or a stalwart defender. He didn¡¯t think he could do any of those things as well as a specialist might, but with his Dragon Core boosting his abilities by a significant degree, he could do well enough that it didn¡¯t matter. And that versatility gave him the ability to attack various situations with a wide variety of tactics. So, sure ¨C attacking the spider¡¯s nest in his predator form was too reckless to contemte. However, there was nothing that said he couldn¡¯t do so in his natural form. So, still crouched behind the boulder, he allowed himself to shift back into a human. Then, hefting his staff, he peeked out from behind the huge rock. The pass still looked the same, but without the enhanced senses of his predator form, he had difficulty picking out the motionless spiders. It didn¡¯t matter. For what he had nned, he wouldn¡¯t even need to aim. So, without further hesitation, Elijah dragged Ethera from his core, filtered it through his soul, and flooded Cmity with power.
Spell: Cmity Bury your enemies beneath the power of nature. Conjure a natural disaster appropriate to your environment. Only usable in caster forms.
He released it, letting the spell envelop the nest. The spiders reacted to the swirl of Ethera, but they were incapable of escaping theing cataclysm. The ground shook, and dark clouds swirled overhead, heralding the impending disaster. The earth opened, swallowing the nest even as lightning split the sky. The spiders went wild, screaming in pain and fury as they were caught in the storm of lightning, cutting wind, and roiling earth, but they couldn¡¯tbat the power of Elijah¡¯s spell, and one by one, they fell before its might. It onlysted a few seconds before the air cleared and the earth quieted, leaving only the smell of ozone and cooked spider behind. However, there were a few that managed to survive, though none were in good shape. So, Elijah stepped out from behind the boulder, took aim with his staff, and repeatedly cast Storm¡¯s Fury, killing the survivors. And just like that, the spider¡¯s nest went quiet. He should have known that it wouldn¡¯t stay that way, but he was too busy patting himself on the back for gaining a level to even see the shadow moving in the distance. Not at first, at least. But then, Elijah saw what was rapidly approaching, and he nearly copsed in fear. ¡°Spiders really aren¡¯t supposed to be that big,¡± he mumbled to himself. Indeed, the creature skittering toward him was far toorge and fearsome to be allowed, and from its bulbous and furry abdomen to the writhing chelicerae, it was at least ten feet long. With its sprawling legs, it seemed even more massive. Was it the mother, and all the smaller creatures were simply its offspring? Or was there something else going on? Elijah had no idea, and he didn¡¯t have the time to think it through because the creature was quickly closing the gap. His Mind spun as he sucked Ethera down into his Soul where it was redirected into his Core in an attempt to regenerate as much energy as possible. Meanwhile, he embraced Snaring Roots, loosing the spell as quickly as he could. At the spider¡¯s feet sprouted a multitude of roots that quickly wrapped themselves around the monster¡¯s feet. However, either the spell was too weak, or the spider was just too strong, because it quickly ripped free; those roots were soon reced by more, but Elijah recognized that the spell would do nothing more than slow it down for a few seconds. Hopefully, that would be enough. He didn¡¯t have enough Ethera to fuel Form of the Predator, which still took more than half of his Core¡¯s contents. But Shape of the Guardian took far less, and he had just enough to power the transformation. But he hesitated. The smart move probably would have been to run away, regenerate, ande back when he was more prepared. He was already thinking of how he could whittle the thing down with repeated uses of Storm¡¯s Fury or attack it with a stealth-boosted Predator Strike. And yet, Elijah held his ground. Partially, it was due to a need to test Shape of the Guardian¡¯s potential. He¡¯d spent some time working on maneuvering in that transformed state, and he hadn¡¯t had a chance to put all that training to work. But mostly, he chose to continue the engagement because he simply didn¡¯t want to back down. He felt confident that he could survive, given his ability to heal via Guardian¡¯s Renewal and the increased movement speed granted by Essence of the Wolf. Still, Elijah hoped it wouldn¡¯te to that. In the space of a second, he had fueled Shape of the Guardian and begun the transformation. Meanwhile, the spider ripped through Snaring Roots in its desperation to reach Elijah. Even as it continued to tear itself free of the constantly regrowing roots, Elijah¡¯s body transformed. By the time the arachnid reached him, Elijah had fully taken on the Shape of the Guardian, which presented as a strange amalgam of reptile and ape, though one with far more mass than should have been possible. Elijah loped forward, using his hands for bnce as he raced to meet the spider before it couldpletely recover from its entrapment. He hit it with the full weight of his massive body, knocking it backwards with a shoulder tackle that sent it tumbling across the rocky terrain. But a single blow ¨C even with his enhanced weight and strength ¨C wasn¡¯t enough to take out a monster so huge, and it quickly righted itself, screeched in fury, then skittered back into the fray. Elijah met it with a vicious uppercut with all his weight behind it. It flipped backward, but the creature wasn¡¯t without its own tricks. A thick strand of webbing shot out from the spinnerets attached to the back of its abdomen, hitting Elijah square in the chest. And then he was yanked from his feet by the spider¡¯s momentum. Before he could rise, the creature had righted course, bounding off the sloping boundary of the pass and directly at the recovering Elijah. He had only a moment¡¯s warning before he felt its teeth cut through his scaley armor and into his flesh, injecting him with its venom. Book 2: Chapter 13: Slugfest Book 2: Chapter 13: Slugfest Fire raced through Elijah¡¯s body, melting his muscles from the inside out. And on instinct, he very nearly used Guardian¡¯s Renewal.
Guardian¡¯s Renewal Instantly andpletely regenerate. Cooldown affected by Regeneration attribute. Current: Once Per Week
But he caught himself before he activated the ability. It had a lengthy cooldown, and so, needed to be saved for emergencies. And while he was in agony as the venom coursed through him, liquifying and necrotizing his flesh, he knew he could endure much more than that. So, he shoved the pain to the back of his mind and focused on the fight at hand. The decision was made in an instant, which meant that by the time he retook control, the spider¡¯s fangs were still buried in his meaty shoulder. Which was fortuitous, because that put it within reach of Elijah¡¯s ws. In his guardian form, his ws weren¡¯t nearly as sharp as they were as a predator. Nor could he activate Venom Strike, which meant he only had the strength of his limbs on which to rely. Fortunately, the form came with a significant boost to his Strength, and with the spider already in his grasp, he could leverage that attribute to its fullest capacity without having to worry about hiscking coordination. So, he reached out and grabbed the first thing he could, which happened to be the monster¡¯s chelicerae. Elijah¡¯s fingers wrapped around the meaty mouthparts, and with the other hand, he grasped the thing¡¯s foremost leg. It writhed in his hand, but his grip was like iron. Then, with all the power he could bring to bear, he pulled.The mouth parts came loose in a shower of thick, light blue blood and Elijah got a brief look at the pale flesh beneath the harder exoskeleton. The nce didn¡¯tst long, because only an instantter, itshed out with panicked fury that sent Elijah tumbling backward until he hit the boulder behind which he¡¯d recently hidden. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs, and he felt multiple ribs crack before he fell on his face. For a second, stars shed before his eyes, and he struggled to make sense of his situation, but his Regeneration, augmented by Aura of Renewal, quickly showed its worth, and it only took a few moments for the worst of the concussion to clear. When it did, he pushed himself to his feet ¨C wincing with the pain of his broken ribs ¨C and coughed up foamy blood. But as much as he wanted to use Guardian¡¯s Renewal, he held off. He could still function with what was obviously a punctured lung, and the spider¡¯s venom, while painful, wouldn¡¯t incapacitate him anytime soon. Even now, his natural Regeneration, which was augmented by Aura of Renewal, was hard at work counteracting it. He shook his head, clearing the cobwebs as he stared across the pass at the still panicking spider. For a moment, Elijah took pity on the creature. It hadn¡¯t really asked for the battle. In fact, the argument could be made that he was the aggressor. But whatever pity he felt was quickly quashed by the pain coursing through his muscles. On top of that, he¡¯d long since recognized that being part of the natural world didn¡¯t mean abstaining from killing. In fact, it meant the opposite. He would kill, just like any other animal. Sometimes for subsistence. Other times, for dominance. But regardless of the reason, he was no pacifist. Down that roady weakness and death. And yet, just because he was resigned to the necessity of killing, it didn¡¯t mean that he wanted to watch the creature suffer. So, it was with renewed determination that he stepped forward in an ape-like gait, though after the spider¡¯s venom had robbed him of most of the mobility in his right arm, it was a bit off-bnce. As he turned his approach into a charge, the spider mastered its panic and skittered forward to meet him. The resulting sh was titanic, and Elijah felt it rattle his teeth. Beneath its fur, the spider had the benefit of a chitinous exoskeleton protecting its most vital parts. Elijah still had his scales and high Constitution, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as durable as the spider¡¯s natural armor. But armor or no, the force eachbatant could bring to bear was monumental, and soon enough, the sound of cracking carapace filled the air as Elijah hammered his fist into the monster¡¯s head and thorax. Meanwhile, it used its own legs like spears, jabbing them into Elijah with ruthless precision. The first time Elijah had used Shape of the Guardian against Cabbot, the gnomish berserker had beenrgely incapable of prating his scales. That wasn¡¯t the case with the spider, which was far and away more powerful. Elijah had no capability of determining another entity¡¯s level, but he knew that, on the most basic of levels, the spider was more powerful than him. In fact, it reminded him of the guardian orca he¡¯d fought back in the Sea of Sorrows, though that context didn¡¯t really do it justice, given that Elijah himself had grown more powerful since then. In any case, he didn¡¯t have time to think about rtive power. Instead, it was all he could handle to simply endure the spider¡¯s attacks while trying to punish it with his own. But gradually, he found himself losing ground. Bit by bit, the venom,bined with the spider¡¯s persistent attacks, wore him down. However, Elijah did plenty of damage of his own, and though the spider was clearly winning the battle, doing so required that a steep price be paid. To Elijah, it felt like some of the old heavyweight boxing bouts he¡¯d seen growing up. Just two powerful fighters trading blows until one simply ousted the other. As a spectator, those sorts of bouts turned into gruesome, awe-inspiring disys of perseverance, and as a participant, it wasn¡¯t so different, save that he traded awe for exhaustion. Long minutes passed as the pair hammered one another with blows that would crack boulders, and yet, neither backed away. With the understanding that to lose was to die, neither even considered concession. Instead, they both threw everything they had into the fight, and soon enough, the minutes passed into more than an hour. On both sides, endurance began tog, and the blows lost some of their impact. And yet, they both persisted, harnessing every ounce of their waning strength in the effort to dispatch the other. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Blood ¨C red from Elijah, and light blue from the spider ¨C flew as flesh was rent, and slowly, the gap between the two widened. With fatigue mounting, Elijah found that he could avoid fewer and fewer blows. The spider slowed as well, but at a much more gradual pace. The writing was on the wall. Elijah had picked a fight he couldn¡¯t win. For a moment, he considered fleeing. If he used everything he had in an all-out assault, he could get enough room to dash away. The spider might follow, but Elijah was banking on it retaining some of its instincts. Spiders favored ambush as a hunting method, and as such, they were poor pursuers. Elijah could only hope that the mutated version before him was hampered by those same limitations. Yet, Elijah hesitated, and for one simple reason: he wanted to win. But was winning a battle worth the increasingly real risk of death? Sure, he could probably use Guardian¡¯s Renewal and win the fight. But was it worth using an ability with such a long cooldown? No. Despite his current form, Elijah wasn¡¯t some heavyweight brute meant to trade blows with enormous and powerful monsters. His strengths were rooted in his versatility. And he chastised himself for forgetting that. So, without further hesitation, he altered his strategy. Instead of returning the spider¡¯s assault with attacks of his own, he started looking for openings. And soon enough, one presented itself, and he pounced, grabbing hold of its legs and, harnessing every point of his Strength attribute, heaved it off the ground. Then, he spun like he was an Olympic hammer thrower, and tossed the spider into the distance. In the past, he might¡¯ve followed that attack up with a charge and a heavy blow. But with his new strategy in mind, Elijah did the opposite. He pivoted, then sprinted away. The off-bnce spider gathered itself for pursuit, but by that point, Elijah had already begun his descent down the pass. There was no way the monster could catch him, especially when, around thirty secondster, Essence of the Wolf kicked in, increasing his movement speed by twenty percent. Soon enough, the spider recognized the futility of its pursuit and gave up on the chase. Still, Elijah kept going for a little while longer until, atst, he switched back to his human form and cast Healing Rain. It soothed his injuries and served to counteract the venom coursing through his body, but the spell wasn¡¯t nearly strong enough to heal him in any reasonable amount of time. So, he used Touch of Nature, harnessing his Ethera to send life-giving vitality throughout his injured body. The first cast only served to stop the bleeding from the multitude of wounds Elijah had sustained. However, he had plenty of Ethera to keep going, and after the sixth cast, the spider¡¯s venom had been nullified. It took a few more to reverse the damage it had wrought, but Elijah kept at it until, with only a third of his Ethera remaining, he had brought himself back to perfect health. And this time, he hadn¡¯t even added any new scars to his collection, which was progress, as far as he was concerned. He sat near a scraggly tree and focused on his Mind, funneling Ethera into his Soul. As he always did, he pushed against the boundaries of his cultivation, forcing the aperture ever wider. ording to the basic guides he¡¯d read, that was the epted method to prepare the Mind for the next stage of cultivation. But while Elijah would take any improvement he could, he was more focused in regenerating the energy in his core a little more quickly. So, he cleared his thoughts and pulled as much Ethera into his system as he could, and over the next half hour, he regained enough energy to fuel Shape of the Predator. So, after only a few more minutes ¨C he wanted a little buffer in case he needed to shift back into his human form and cast a quick heal ¨C he embraced the spell and transformed himself into a scaled panther. Once he¡¯d assumed that form, Elijah used Guise of the Unseen, then stalked across the pass and returned to the battleground he¡¯d left behind a few hours before. After his use of Cmity, the earth had settled, but the smaller spiders¡¯ corpses ¨C as well as the remnants of their prey ¨C remained. Elijah spent the next few minutes watching for movement, but he saw no sign of therger spider. So, he padded forward on silent feet and sniffed at some of the drying blood it had left behind. That familiarized him with the scent, so he had no issues following the wounded spider¡¯s trail up the pass and into arge cave. There, he found the monster curled into a ball. Gossamer webs coated almost the entirety of the cave¡¯s interior, and Elijah knew enough about spiders to recognize the danger that represented. Even if it wouldn¡¯t catch him like it would smaller prey, if he stepped on that collection of webs, he would almost assuredly alert the spider. And that would ruin his ns. So, with slow and delicate steps, Elijah silently stalked through the cave. With his heightened Dexterity, he had almost perfect control of his body ¨C especially when it came to something that, from an instinctive perspective, came so easily to the scaled panther form ¨C so while it took time, Elijah¡¯s progress was never in question. Once he drew to within a few feet of the injured spider, Elijah took a few moments to simply admire the creature for what it was. He¡¯d never been much of an arachnologist, but he¡¯d have been a fool not to acknowledge how impressive spiders were. The one in front of him was even more so, and not just because of its size. It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine that it had ruled the pass ever since the world had been transformed, and it probably would have continued to do so if Elijah hadn¡¯te along. In a way, it was sad, the loss of such a magnificent creature. But such was thew of nature. Maybe he could have simply let it live. Certainly, now that Cmity had cleared the way of smaller spiders and their webs, he could keep going without much issue. But what about the next time? If the spider was allowed to recover, Elijah might not get another chance to kill it. And if he tried to use the pass again, who was to say that it wouldn¡¯t be the one toe out on top? After all, animals could progress, just like the sentient races. They didn¡¯t have the benefit of the system, but they could still grow stronger ¨C at least ording to Elijah¡¯s experiences as well as the basic information provided by his guides. No - he needed to kill it while he had the opportunity. So, after using Predator Strike and Venom Strike, he pounced. With his Strength and the enhancement provided by the first ability, his ws went through the creature¡¯s head withparative ease. Still, though, it didn¡¯t immediately die. Instead, it iled, nearly catching Elijah with one of its spear-like legs. He bounded out of the way, using the cave¡¯s wall to reverse course before hitting it again. This time, his ws weren¡¯t nearly as effective, but the attack still carried with it another dose of the neurotoxin associated with Venom Strike. Elijah kept moving, leaping off the spider¡¯s back and racing across the cave. Then, he reversed course, and crouched low, watching the spider¡¯s continued iling. It found him a momentter, then surged forward. But Elijah was too quick, and he easily dodged, returning the spider¡¯s attempted attack with one of his own. Like that, the fight continued. Each time Elijah¡¯s ws made contact with the monster¡¯s furry carapace, he delivered another dose of neurotoxin. However, even as injured as it was ¨C the result of the previous fight as well as Elijah¡¯s continued attacks ¨C the battle didn¡¯t end quickly. Instead, Elijah bnced on a knife¡¯s edge as he narrowly avoided one assault after another. Eventually, the spider¡¯s movements began to g, but Elijah continued his own efforts unchecked. It was then that Elijah realized that, back when he¡¯d been in his Guardian form, he hadn¡¯t been nearly as close to defeating the spider as he¡¯d thought. Even if he¡¯d used Guardian¡¯s Renewal, the rejuvenating effect likely wouldn¡¯t have been enough to fuel his survival. But now? He only had to keep going, and his scaled panther form would see him through to the end. Over the next half hour, Elijah persisted, and the spider slowly lost the battle to the neurotoxin. And, as fatigue started to work against Elijah, the spider finally sumbed to its wounds, copsing in a mass of legs and furry carapace. Elijah skidded to a stop, but he didn¡¯t immediately approach. He didn¡¯t think the monster was intelligent enough to y dead, but he didn¡¯t intend to take any chances. So, he waited until a wave of kill energy washed over him, confirming the monster¡¯s death, before he let himself rx.
Congrattions! You have reached level thirty-two. Attribute points allocated ording to your ss.
If Elijah hadn¡¯t been convinced of the monster¡¯s power, then the fact that it gave him most of a level on its own served to confirm that it was no run-of-the-mill animal. But for now, he was more interested in the next notification he expected. However, when it didn¡¯te, he realized that his assumption that he¡¯d get a new spell at level thirty-two clearly wasn¡¯t urate. So, it was with a little disappointment that he left the cave and continued on his way. Book 2: Chapter 14: A Dead Civilization Book 2: Chapter 14: A Dead Civilization The spiders weren¡¯t thest threat Elijah faced as he traversed the pass, but they were the deadliest. Along the way, he ran into a couple more Voxx, which he dealt with ordingly, but he avoided any other dangers, aside from those posed by the terrain itself. On more than one asion, he was forced to climb up or down steep cliffs or leap across gaping chasms, but in every instance, he proved up to the task. And then, dayster, he finally began his descent. It took a further couple of days to reach the other side of the mountain range, and when he did, he found himself back in the woods. However, instead of the temperate rainforest with which he¡¯d grown ustomed, he¡¯de to a boreal forest, with tall pine trees and rocky terrain peppered with a multitude of cidkes. The temperature also experienced a significant decline, though Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if that was due to the regional climate or if it was winter tightening its grip. Whatever the case, he keenly felt the cold, even with the advantage of his animalistic endurance and inted attributes. That prompted some experimentation with Ward of Seasons:
Spell: Ward of the Seasons Harness the power of the seasons, increasing resistance to elemental damage (Water, Earth, Fire, Air).
However, to his disappointment, the augmentation did nothing to cut the cold. ording to his guides, that sort of thing wasn¡¯t unnecessary, and the spell had never been meant to abate environmental effects. Instead, it was intended to protect him from hostile spells. Still, he¡¯d hoped that it would prove special, and he was sorely disappointed when it did nothing to protect him from the cold. Hopefully, it would prove useful in the future.The forest itself, which had distinctly less undergrowth than the tangled mess he¡¯d left behind, was much easier to traverse, though, so he made good time as he slowly left the mountains behind. The whole time, he kept a keen sense of his ind in the back of his mind; he was ready to teleport back via Ancestral Circle at a moment¡¯s notice. Fortunately, no such necessity presented itself, allowing him to continue his efforts at exploration. After another week, Elijah started to see signs of civilization. At first, it was only a few roads here and there, but soon enough, he came upon the first cluster of buildings alongside what had once been a stretch of interstate highway. The on- and off-ramp had survived, as had a gas station and a Burger King. Both were in a state of advanced disrepair, suggesting that it had been quite some time ¨C years, perhaps ¨C since they¡¯d been inhabited. Still, Elijah spent a few hours inspecting both, and he found precisely what he¡¯d feared when he stumbled upon a pile of old human bones. They bore deep grooves that were probably teeth marks, but beyond that, Elijah had no evidence to support any theories concerning how they had died. It was further confirmation that the world had not weathered the transformation very well. Of course, Elijah had expected as much. He¡¯d had to fight tooth and nail to survive, and though he acknowledged that his path was probably more difficult than most, it wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine that the rest of humanity hadn¡¯t escaped the end of the world as everyone knew it unscathed. Partially, it was a function of civilization. In the United States ¨C and most other developed countries as well ¨C the fact was that people had moved on from many of the skills they would need once everything stopped working. Survival skills had be a hobby, rather than a necessity, and as such, few people could call themselves experts. Sure, there were plenty of people out there who could adjust. But there were probably just as many who would¡¯ve starved to death once their local supermarket ran out of viable food. Many more would have died from avoidable diseases and, as sad as it was to say, the chaotic opportunism that came on the heels of any disaster. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the mutated wildlife, the other races who¡¯d chosen to descend upon Earth in hopes of building a better life, and the spontaneously manifesting Voxx. All of it coincided to create a world where survival was probably the exception to the rule rather than the default. Those thoughts apanied Elijah as he continued to encounter the remnants of a dead civilization. Sometimes, it was just a stray house or two ¨C clearly, the area had been rural ¨C but every now and then, he¡¯d find an entire deserted neighborhood. Where the people had gone was no mystery; he found their remains as well. Often, they were clustered together as if they¡¯d tried to take sce in numbers. Those were usually apanied by rudimentary attempts at defenses. Cars that had been pushed together, boxes, wooden pallets ¨C they¡¯d used everything they could to create walls. But it obviously hadn¡¯t worked, because each instance Elijah stumbled upon featured the remains of the would-be holdouts. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. At first, Elijah let it all send him spiraling into mncholy, but as the days wore on, he grew progressively more numb to it until he just epted that most of humanity had already died. There were clearly survivors. Thedder was proof enough of that, but Elijah kept going back to his previous supposition that the endurance of human life was, at best, rare. In any case, as he continued his increasingly depressing exploration, he found himself wondering if he¡¯d actually lucked out by being stranded on a deserted ind. The panther had protected him ¨C mostly ¨C from anything truly dangerous, which had allowed him to get a handle on the situation. Without that, he¡¯d have probably died fairly early on. Almost three weeks after he¡¯d left the pass behind, Elijah stumbled on something he never expected. He crouched behind a disused gas station pump as he looked across an overgrown street at the low-slung building that had, once upon a time, been a Wal-Mart. The sign had been ripped down, and trees ¨C still barely more than saplings ¨C sprouted from cracks in the parking lot¡¯s concrete. But that wasn¡¯t what drew his attention. He¡¯d seen a few such buildings, and he¡¯d even raided a couple, finding nothing that he could use. But what made this one unique was that it was clearly upied. Not by people, though. Instead, the residents were grey-skinned, tusked creatures that Elijah could only call orcs. They carried primitive weapons and wore very little in the way of clothing. Most were only d in loincloths, in fact. But there were hundreds of them engaged in what looked like a primitive sort of tribal life that reminded Elijah of the various races of proto-humans. He wasn¡¯t certain if that was an urate impression, but it was the first thing that came to mind when he saw their heavy brows, sloped foreheads, and jutting jaws. Cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, Elijah watched them for a few hours before he decided to move on. The orcs weren¡¯t hurting anyone, and though he knew from the guides he¡¯d read that they tended to be quite warlike, they were isted enough that he didn¡¯t think they would be a problem for anyone. Besides, what was he going to do? Fight an entire settlement on his own? The idea wasn¡¯t justughable ¨C it was suicidal. So, once he¡¯d confirmed that the orcs were just living their lives, Elijah moved on. And over the next couple of weeks, he continued to explore. Along the way, he saw more evidence of humanity¡¯s rapid fall. In one instance, he came across an abandoned settlement that had been built around an old prison. It was reasonably well-developed, suggesting that the upants had made it for a while, at least. But like everywhere else Elijah had found, it was entirely abandoned. Still, he spent a few days exploring the disused town, finding few clues as to why its people had left. Over time, he did find a few useful items, though. Like the collection of ss jugs that could hold a gallon of water each. His y version had already begun to fall apart, so he was extremely thankful for the new additions. Elijah had also raided an old hardware store, taking a wide variety of tools he thought would be valuable for his continued survival. The only limit was the room in his pack, and even though it was a little more than twice asrge as the exterior suggested, it still wouldn¡¯t hold everything he wanted to take. But mostly, he just continued to explore, killing Voxx whenever he came across one of their trails. As a scaled panther, he found dispatching most of them easy enough, though he did encounter a few that managed to survive his initial ambush long enough to pose a serious problem. Elijah still won those fights, but he didn¡¯t do so without incurring injuries himself. Fortunately, he had the tools to deal with that, and his healing spells got quite a workout. In a lot of ways, it reminded him of his first year on the ind. Technically, the wilderness was a good deal more dangerous. Everywhere he went, there were creatures that wanted to kill him. However, he had the ability to mitigate that danger ¨C either before or after it manifested ¨C and he soon found himself adapting to it. Just like he had adapted to the necessities of survival on the ind. Before Elijah knew it, winter had trulye, and with it came frequently inclement weather. Snowstorms, freezing rain, and miserably cold sleet were almost asmon as clear days, and often, the temperatures dipped well below freezing. He was somewhat protected from the elements by his high Constitution, but even with that, it got to the point where he considered going home and waiting the winter out. In fact, he was on the verge of making just such a decision when, atst, he reached the settlement that had been listed on the Branch¡¯s Regional Map. Called Norcastle, it had clearly gotten its name from the ancient castle at its center. However, even from a distance, Elijah could recognize the multitude of newer structures surrounding therge, stone fort. In addition, there was a sizable wall that looked like it had been constructed of cinderblocks encircling the entire town, which was evenrger than Ironshore, both in terms of area as well as apparent poption. As Elijah settled down to observe the city, he estimated that it was home to at least ten thousand people, but probably somewhere closer to twice that many. From an ethnic perspective, it was a bit of a melting pot, and Elijah saw people of all different skin tones. However, there were no non-humans in evidence, which suggested that everyone there was a native of Earth. In the distance, Elijah saw some cultivated fields and farmsteads, but they were too far away for him to see any details, even with Eyes of the Eagle. And there were people constantlying and going through therge main gate, many of whom carried game or gathered resources. For the most part, it looked like a thriving town. Except for all the bodies. Just outside of town, there were workers digging a huge hole in the ground. Elijah might¡¯ve discounted it as a well or something of the sort, but next to it was a huge pile of white-wrapped corpses. Maybe a hundred of them, all in various states of dposition. Clearly, there was something wrong with Norcastle. The question was whether or not Elijah wanted to get involved. He needed to get into the city; that much was certain. They had a Branch, and hopefully, it would lead him to more settlements. He certainly didn¡¯t think he¡¯d find Seattle so quickly, but if he kept going, he¡¯d eventually stumble across some information that might lead him in the right direction. It would probably take years, but he had to believe it was possible. However, as a healer, didn¡¯t he have some sort of responsibility to help people who needed it? He¡¯d done it in the tower, and without question, so why did he hesitate when it was in the real world? The answer, he realized, was simple. In the tower, he¡¯d known the rules. Or at least he¡¯d thought he did. But in the real world, there were no rules. The people down in Norcastle might meet his attempts at helping them with hostility. In the end, though, Elijah didn¡¯t want to live in fear. Even if those fears were valid, he couldn¡¯t let them dictate his actions. If, for whatever reason, the people of Norcastle chose to turn on him, he would react ordingly. But until then, he would do what he could to help. With that decided, he let his scaled panther form fall away, then strode toward the town. Book 2: Chapter 15: A New Purpose Book 2: Chapter 15: A New Purpose Carmen knelt next to her forge, staring at the smoldering coals. The apparatus was mostly enclosed, which meant that it was insanely hot, but due to her technique, Resist Fire, she barely felt it. She¡¯d yet to truly test the resistance to its fullest extent, but she suspected that she could shove her hand into a normal fire without any detriment. But inside her forge was no normal fire. Instead, the forge had been carefully assembled from blocks enchanted by a true Bricyer, and the fire itself burned Ethera soaked coal. It wasn¡¯t quite a graded item, in and of itself, but it wasn¡¯t truly mundane, either. As a result, the fire was more than just fire, and hopefully, that would help with the forging process. Once Carmen was satisfied with the state of the me, she pushed herself upright and grabbed a specially prepared bar of steel. It had been merged, via Meld Metals, with titanium she¡¯d harvested from a wrecked and abandoned sports car one of the scavenging teams had found, and then, she¡¯d mixed it with a bit of aluminum. The result was an alloy that shouldn¡¯t have been possible. She had further refined the resulting alloy by using Decontaminate and Refine Materials multiple times. Finally, she had used Ethereal Infusion for two hours a day for two weeks, bathing it in Ethera until it practically glowed with magic. Hopefully, it would be enough to take her crafting to the next level. The bar of metal had a silvery sheen, was almost ten feet long, two inches deep, and at least four inches wide, and if she hadn¡¯t invested so heavily in her Strength attribute, there was little chance she would have been able to lift it, much less work with the metal. For what she intended to create, that excess weight was more than appropriate. With a grunt, she shoved one end into the enchanted me. Then, she waited for it to heat up before removing it. After mming it onto her anvil, Carmen used her summoned hammer to fold a ten-inch piece over, then back again. Over and over, she repeated the process until, finally, it broke free. She set the smaller piece aside, then shoved the end of the bar back into the forge. Normally, Carmen would have just cut it with a saw, but the alloy was far too hard for any of her tools, so she¡¯d had to resort to more of a brute force method. And over the next few hours, she repeated the process until she had twelve identical pieces. She stacked the ingots on top of one another, then used Bond to bind them all together. ¡°Better than forge welding,¡± she muttered. But she wasn¡¯t done. So, grabbing the brick of dense alloy with a pair of heavy-duty tongs, she thrust it back into the forge. Once it had reached the proper temperature ¨C which took far longer than it should have, likely due to the innately magical material ¨C she pulled it out and started to hammer. Gradually, using various other summoned tools in conjunction with her hammer, she shaped the hunk of metal into a rough approximation of a war hammer. However, because of its size, Carmen knew that only someone with immense strength would ever be able to wield the massive weapon. Which was perfectly within her expectations. Once she¡¯d achieved the rough shape, she started in with smaller tools, giving the item a more refined appearance. One side was big, brutish, and aggressive, while the opposite bore a long, tapered spike. Meanwhile, the top looked almost like the tip of a spear. When she¡¯d finished with the hammer¡¯s head, she started in on the haft, which was also made of the same alloy. Finally, she attached the two via Bond, finishing the base weapon. But that was only the beginning, and after she heat-treated the entire thing ¨C in oil she¡¯d also treated with Ethereal Infusion ¨C Carmen started in on the engraving. At first, she¡¯d intended to do that before hardening the weapon, but ording to the guides she¡¯d bought from the Branch, that was a suboptimal path. So, even though it was much more difficult to carve embellishments into the hardened metal, Carmen was more than willing to endure the hardship if it meant a better result was possible. Gradually, the carving, which was nothing more than Celtic style whorls, took shape, and itplimented the Damascus-like pattern of the folded metal. Once that was finished, Carmen took the teeth of a Voxxian beast and used Bond to merge them in a ring around the base of the hammer head. With the two Embellishments finished ¨C her current limit ¨C Carmen started in on the enchantment. At present, she only had two avable. One for durability, and the other for power. She chose thetter, reasoning that the alloy and sturdy construction would make it functionally indestructible with her current strength. Finally, she wrapped the grip in supple leather she¡¯d gotten from a local Leatherworker, finishing the weapon.
Congrattions! You have created a unique item [Destroyer]. Overall Grade: Simple (Low) Enchantment Grade: F
¡°Finally!¡± Carmen sighed. She¡¯d made hundreds of weapons since she¡¯d created the [Spear of the Dragon Lancer], and she¡¯d yet to exceed its grade of Crude. ¡°Until now,¡± she amended. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. The weapon itself was impressive, but that wasrgely due to the Ethera wafting off of it. From a visual perspective, it was primitive and brutish. But that suited Carmen just fine. It was a weapon meant to kill, and in that endeavor, it would be very effective. ¡°I suppose congrattions are in order?¡± came a voice from the forge¡¯s door. Carmen whipped around, hefting the hammer in a fighter¡¯s stance. She was far from the most effectivebatant in Easton, but due to her high level, she could definitely hold her own. On top of that, she¡¯d spent quite a bit of time working on her ability to wield the hammer, so she thought she was a match for all but the city¡¯s elites. Not so with the man standing in her doorway. ¡°What do you want, Roman?¡± she asked. He sighed. ¡°Most people call me Chancellor, now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not most people, chief.¡± He ran his hand through his dark hair and said, ¡°You¡¯re definitely not. How have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting by.¡± Indeed, ever since her brief outburst of self-destruction following Alyssa¡¯s death, Carmen had thrown herself into her work. And that effort had paid off, sending her level skyrocketing past everyone else in town. She had even managed to reach thedder, which was something no one else in town had aplished. As a result, she had a waiting list for her services that was a mile long. Everyone in the city ¨C and even some of the nearby towns with whom they¡¯d established trade rtions ¨C wanted a weapon made by her. So, she had money, power, and the ability to advance her craft by experimenting with expensive materials. The only thing she didn¡¯t have was Alyssa. No. Aside from Miguel, who was increasingly busy with training for when he acquired an archetype of his own, she had no one. Whatever friendships she¡¯d managed to cultivate had fallen by the wayside, leaving her with nothing but her forge forpany. ¡°That¡¯s a nice weapon,¡± Roman said. ¡°Personal use?¡± She nodded. ¡°I still like to do my part on patrol.¡± The statement was a bit misleading. While she did participate in her fair share of patrols, her reasoning had nothing to do withmunal safety. Instead, she reveled in giving herself over to the violence. Without that release, she would have long since done something incredibly self-destructive. ¡°You don¡¯t have to, you know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± He sighed again. ¡°Carmen, I know I¡¯ve said this before, but ¨C¡± ¡°What do you want, chief?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just want to check on my friend?¡± ¡°Is that what we are?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike you, Roman. I really don¡¯t. But we were never close. At best, we were acquaintances, and we¡¯ve grown further apart since Alyssa died. I haven¡¯t seen you since her memorial. So, I¡¯ll ask again ¨C what do you want? And please, for both our sakes, stop bullshitting me.¡± ¡°I want to offer you a job.¡± ¡°I do consulting on potentialmissions every Thursday. You cane by the shop and ¨C¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t about you making weapons or armor,¡± he stated. ¡°This is about a unique opportunity. Last week, some of our scouts discovered an abandoned iron mine. It¡¯s about two-hundred miles south of here.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°The Ethera density there is like nothing we¡¯ve seen before. And they found this,¡± he said, tossing something underhanded to Carmen. She caught it easily, her Dexterity more than up to the task. But the moment it touched her skin, she let out a little gasp of surprise. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I was hoping you could tell me,¡± he said. Carmen opened her hand and gazed at the item resting on her palm. The bulk of the small ball of earth was just normal rock, but there was a vein of some sort of metal passing through the center. It pulsed with Ethera strong enough to make her carefully prepared steel-titanim-aluminum alloy seem mundane byparison. She used Tradesman¡¯s Appraisal, but because the bit of ore wasn¡¯t her creation, the technique did nothing. ¡°Give me a minute,¡± she said before crossing the forge to the bloomery she¡¯d built. ¡°What is that?¡± asked Roman, following her. ¡°It¡¯s a special furnace meant for smelting,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re in luck. I had to build this a few months ago so I could smelt copper more easily. Now shut up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remind you that I¡¯m the chancellor of this ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s my forge. Shut up, or get out. I don¡¯t care who you are.¡± Thankfully, he went silent, which let Carmen get to work. The process of smelting wasn¡¯t nearly asplicated as most people thought. It started with heating the ore up to an appropriate temperature, reducing it with something like charcoal along the way. Once it was hot enough, the cksmith simply needed to beat it with a hammer until there was only pure metal leftover. Of course, that was only if the ore behaved simrly to iron, which wasn¡¯t a guarantee. If it was more like gold or silver, she would have to add another couple of steps to the process. However, given that Roman had described it asing from an abandoned iron mine, Carmen was hopeful that it would react the same. Thankfully, that hope proved well-founded when she saw the bits of metal collecting at the bottom of the furnace. Soon enough, the process wasplete, and Carmen extracted the bloom ¨C which was abination of g, metal, and other impurities ¨C and put on the finishing touches via further refinement. That meant lots of heating and hammering, which she took to with gusto. Eventually, she had a little less than a pound of gleaming, green metal. She used Tradesman¡¯s Appraisal:
Cold Iron Overall Grade: Simple Enchantment Grade: N/A
¡°It¡¯s called cold iron,¡± Carmen said, holding the pierce of green metal with her tongs. ¡°And this little lump might just be worth more than this entire forge. If I had enough of it, I might even be able to make Complex items.¡± Roman nodded. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± he said. ¡°We must protect that mine at all costs.¡± ¡°Okay? What does that have to do with me. I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong ¨C I want to work with this stuff, but that mine isn¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°I want you to run it,¡± he said. ¡°I intend to spare no expense in getting that mine up and running. We have a few Schr archetypes we think might make good miners.¡± ¡°And they want that?¡± ¡°They want to eat. They want shelter. They want advancement. This is how they get it,¡± Roman stated. ¡°They¡¯re useless right now, and you know as well as anyone just how thin our margins are. We start letting people freeload, and ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this, Roman. I resigned from the council because I¡¯m not cut out for leadership. I just want to make my weapons in peace.¡± ¡°This is important. We secure this mine and use it to make weapons, and we¡¯ll have a leg up on everyone else in the region. Maybe the world,¡± he said. ¡°Or do you think people are just going to let us be? There are roving warbands out there. And we¡¯ve gotten word of budding kingdoms. If we don¡¯t do the same, they¡¯ll wash over us like a tidal wave.¡± Carmen didn¡¯t doubt him. She wasn¡¯t nearly as idealistic as Alyssa had been. She was a historian, and so, she knew just how ruthless people could be when it came to power. It wasn¡¯t a question of if someone would try to conquer everything, but rather when. Still, she had little interest in running anything, let alone a mine. ¡°I get ten percent,¡± she said. ¡°Of what?¡± ¡°The cold iron. I need materials.¡± ¡°Five.¡± ¡°Seven.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Roman said. ¡°And I want a full contingent of warriors. Real Carpenters, too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t intend to half-ass this, Carmen,¡± Roman stated with a wide smile that didn¡¯t really touch his eyes. But then again, most of his emotions never did. Not since Trish had died. ¡°You¡¯ll get everything you need to make this a sess. I guarantee it.¡± Book 2: Chapter 16: Plague Book 2: Chapter 16: gue Standing before the Norcastle main gate, Sam Harvin shifted ufortably as he tried to adjust his armor. It was a new addition, and he still hadn¡¯t grown ustomed to wearing it. But ording to his captain, it was strong enough to stand up to Voxxian ws and teeth, so Sam was more than willing to endure a little difort. ¡°Quit fidgeting,¡± said his partner, Lori. She was a middle-aged woman with grey-streaked, ck hair, and she reminded him of nothing so much as a middle school teacher. Not surprising, considering that it really hadn¡¯t been that long ago since he¡¯d been in one of those ssrooms. ¡°Nobody¡¯s going to take you seriously if you keep messing with your armor. And look alive. We have a job to do, in case you forgot.¡± He rolled his eyes, saying, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You say that, but the fact that I have to keep reminding you to pay attention tells me that you don¡¯t really take this seriously. We¡¯re the first line of defense if we see another attack.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he groaned. Indeed, that had been hammered into him during the six weeks of training he¡¯d endured after awakening his archetype. Not for the first time, he wished he¡¯d chosen one of the nonbat options, but he¡¯d been too enamored with the idea of bing a powerful warrior that he¡¯d never even considered anything but bing a Warrior, and then, upon reaching level ten, the Guard ss. He''d regretted it ever since. Sure, he was stronger, faster, and more durable than he¡¯d ever been, but his levels hadgged behind his peers¡¯ who¡¯d chosen nonbat archetypes. For instance, his older sister¡¯s friend, Jess, had been offered a Healer archetype, which she¡¯d payed into a powerful variant ss called Light Keeper. Since then, her levels had shot up ¨C but then again, that was true of all the town¡¯s Healers. ¡°You¡¯re doing it again,¡± cautioned Lori, jerking him back to attention. ¡°Pay attention, or I¡¯m going to rmend you for punishment duty.¡± ¡°I was paying attention,¡± he lied. The problem was that, while he knew the wilderness was dangerous, he didn¡¯t have the first-hand experience with it that most of the town¡¯s citizens did. After the world had been transformed, he, his sister, and his mother had taken shelter in the local church. So, while others were fighting for their lives against suddenly mutated animals or monstrous creatures from some other reality, he¡¯d been safe and sound in the ancient castle-turned-cathedral. Then, over the following couple of years, that church had be the centerpiece of what would be Norcastle. So, unlike most of the others, he¡¯d never had to deal with the dangers the new world represented. Sure, like everyone else, he knew what was out there. But knowing and experiencing were two different things, and Sam¡¯s first real brush with true danger had only urred after he¡¯d chosen his archetype and set himself down the path to bing a Guard.That hadn¡¯t ended well ¨C he¡¯d struggled to even hold his ground during the curated hunting expeditions the city¡¯s defense force used to trainbatants ¨C and he¡¯d been regretting his choices ever since. A p on the back of his head once again brought him back to reality. He was about to say something to Lori that he would no doubt regret when he caught sight of something moving near the tree line. He squinted, using Enhanced Sight to zoom in on the anomaly, and asked, ¡°Is that a person?¡± Lori, who¡¯d been ring at him, followed his line of sight and focused in on the person striding out of the forest. ¡°I think it is,¡± she said. ¡°Is it one of the gatherers? Or a hunter?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Sam said, tightening his grip on his spear. Outsiders weren¡¯tpletely unheard-of. There were a few small settlements in the region, and Norcastle had even yed host to an emissary from another city a few hundred miles away. However, almost no one was stupid enough to traipse around the wilderness alone. ¡°You don¡¯t recognize him, do you?¡± Lori said that she didn¡¯t, which worried Sam. She was annoying and a bit of a hard-ass, but Lori was very good at her job. And she had a great memory, especially when it came to people. Sam would have been surprised if she hadn¡¯t memorized the faces of every single hunter or gatherer who¡¯d left the city during her shift. Soon enough, the figure came close enough that Sam recognized him as a short, sandy-haired man wearing curiously anachronistic clothing and carrying a staff. But there was something about the way he carried himself that put Sam on edge. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what was bothering him until Lori said, ¡°He¡¯spletely rxed.¡± People didn¡¯t exactly avoid the wilderness. Plenty of locals still ventured outside the city¡¯s walls, and with some degree of regrity. However, when they did so, it was with significant caution. Sam had learned to recognize it. Shifting eyes. Tense shoulders. Careful steps. Everyone who left Norcastle knew that they were walking into danger. But this man? He waspletely at ease. As he drew closer, Sam took in more details. He had a beard, though it looked like it had been inexpertly hacked short. His blonde hair was curly, and had grown over his ears. And hisplexion was fair, but with just enough tint to suggest that he spent most of his life outdoors. He wore arge pack on his back, and his wooden staff looked more like a series of twisted roots than a straight shaft. ¡°He¡¯s not wearing shoes,¡± said Lori. Sam nced at the man¡¯s feet, and sure enough, his pants ended just above his ankles. Below that was nothing but bare skin. ¡°Weird.¡± ¡°Very.¡± The man finally got close enough that Sam could use Inspect, which was one of his Guard skills:
Name: Elijah Hart Archetype: Healer Level: 19
¡°A healer?¡± Sam muttered. ¡°By himself?¡± ¡°That name sounds vaguely familiar,¡± Lori remarked. ¡°You think he¡¯s from around here?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe he passed through, though. Look alive. He¡¯s almost here.¡± Almost as soon as she finished the sentence, the man raised a scarred hand in a friendly wave and said, ¡°Hello!¡± He stopped in front of them and gave Lori a weing smile. Then, he turned his attention on Sam, and with a nod, said, ¡°Sorry. Not from around here. This is Norcastle, right?¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences elsewhere. ¡°It is,¡± said Lori. ¡°Where did youe from?¡± asked Sam. ¡°Oh, here and there. Most recently from a town called Ironshore.¡± ¡°State your business,¡± said Lori. ¡°Well, two things. First, it looks like you¡¯ve got some issues here I can maybe help with,¡± he said, gesturing with his staff toward a passing corpse wagon. Sam had gotten so used to them that he barely even noticed theirings and goings. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is it some kind of sickness? Were you attacked?¡± ¡°gue,¡± Sam said. ¡°We don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°You said two things. What was the other?¡± asked Lori. ¡°Oh. Well, I¡¯m looking for Seattle. I have family there,¡± he said. ¡°Outside of it, if I¡¯m honest. And I¡¯m just trying to figure which way to go.¡± That was amon enough issue, and one with which Sam could readily rte. His own father had been away on business when the world changed, and he¡¯d often considered setting out to search for him. However, his good sense had always won out; after all, the world was an incredibly dangerous ce, and anyone who decided to trek across the wilderness was either stupid, suicidal, or incrediblypetent. Maybe all three. Lori said, ¡°Haven¡¯t heard anything about Seattle. A part of San Francisco ended up about five hundred miles from here, but we haven¡¯t really heard anything but rumors out of there.¡± Elijah¡¯s shoulders sagged as he shook his head and said, ¡°Kind of expected that. So, can Ie in? I¡¯m a healer, and like I said, I might be able to help with your gue problem. Plus, I definitely wouldn¡¯t say no to a nice meal and maybe a shower. If not, I¡¯ll just be on my way.¡± There were no restrictions on who could enter the city, so they really didn¡¯t have the authority to deny him entry. However, Sam couldn¡¯t help but be a bit suspicious of the man. Not just because of his odd attire ¨C his clothing definitely wasn¡¯t modern, and theck of footwear was even weirder ¨C but also because he¡¯d been wandering around the wilderness alone. Even the various Rangers and Scouts were required to adhere to a buddy system. So, even though Sam knew he didn¡¯t have much to fear from a Healer ¨C especially one that was only level neen ¨C he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of unease when he looked at the neer. Maybe it was the extensive scarring on his hand. How badly must he have been injured that, even as a Healer, it had left its mark? Even as Sam was considering stopping Elijah, Lori spoke up, ¡°Normally, there¡¯s a one copper fee for entering the city, but since you¡¯re a healer, we¡¯ll wave it.¡± ¡°No need,¡± said Elijah, slinging his pack off his shoulder and rummaging inside. He reached in all the way up to his shoulder, which given the size of the bag, didn¡¯t seem possible. There must¡¯ve been some sort of optical illusion at y. In any case, the Healer quickly withdrew a handful of copper coins and handed one each to Lori and Sam. ¡°So, can you point me at the nearest hospital or whatever? I really do think I can help out.¡± Lori gave him directions, even offering to have someone guide him there. However, Elijah insisted that he could find his own way. So, after only a couple more minutes, they sent him on his way. When he was gone, Sam asked, ¡°You sure that was a good idea? He seemed¡­I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Dangerous,¡± Lori said. ¡°You felt it, same as me.¡± ¡°Then why¡¯d you let him in?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Healer, and he wants to help,¡± the other guard stated. ¡°That¡¯s enough. If we don¡¯t stop this¡­gue, there won¡¯t be a Norcastle left in a year.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that bad?¡± ¡°You really should pay more attention, Sam,¡± she said, her expression far softer than usual. ¡°If you keep sticking your head in the sand, something is going to kill you. I won¡¯t always be here to protect you.¡± ¡°I know, Lori.¡± ¡°I think you believe that. Anyway, eyes forward. That big group of hunters that left this morning should start filing in soon.¡± And with that, Sam fixed his gaze on the surrounding wilderness, still wondering if they¡¯d made a mistake letting the scarred Healer into the city. * * * Elijah strolled through the gate, and the moment he turned a corner, he let out a massive sigh of relief. Until that moment, he¡¯d yet to trust the Ring of Anonymity to conceal his identity, so he had no idea if it would even work. Of course, he had no reason to doubt the ring¡¯s efficacy, but it was still a nerve-wracking experience. ording to the guides he¡¯d bought from the Branch, anyone with the Guard ss had the ability to discern someone¡¯s identity, including level and archetype. So, if anyone was going to see through his Ring of Anonymity, then the pair at the gate would have. That they hadn¡¯t was just further confirmation that the item was the real deal. Though he did btedly remember that, while toying with the ring, he¡¯d changed his surname back to his real name. Hopefully, that hadn¡¯t raised any gs, but in the interest of not taking any further chances, Elijah changed it back to Smith. Once that was done, he took another deep breath, then straightened back to his full height and looked around. The city was muchrger than he¡¯d initially suspected, and it sprawled for quite some distance in every direction. In addition, it seemed to have a poption to match its size, and even so close to the gate, Elijah saw more than a few pedestrians. He also saw carts carrying dozens of corpses, each wrapped in white cloth. The passersby gave the wagons a wide berth, but Elijah couldn¡¯t fail to notice the furtive nces they cast toward each passing cart. Otherwise, the city looked much as he¡¯d seen from afar. Which was to say that most of the buildings were clearly newly constructed. For a moment, Elijah considered trying to find a hotel in which to stay the night. Or maybe a restaurant. However, the sight of the bodies had reminded him that Norcastle had a deadly crisis on their hands, and there was a good chance that he could help. So, with that in mind, he strode down the street. Fortunately, it hadn¡¯t rained in some time, so the dirt streets were dry. He didn¡¯t usually mind walking around barefoot ¨C after two years, he was used to it ¨C but if the streets had been muddy, he might¡¯ve changed his tune. In any case, he got quite a few curious nces as he followed the guard¡¯s directions to arge, three-story building near the center of the city. The moment he caught sight of it, he knew he¡¯d reached the hospital. Part of that certainty was due to the big, red cross decorating a sign out front, but the steadily moving line of sick people gave it away as well. He advanced, stepping across the street and nimbly avoiding the passing hand-pulled carts ¨C most of these bearing mundane goods instead of bodies ¨C and pedestrians along the way. Soon enough, he found himself approaching the building¡¯s main entrance, where another pair of guards stood. Both wore makeshift masks over their haggard faces. ¡°Stop right there, buddy,¡± one of them said. She was actually taller than Elijah, which wasn¡¯t terribly umon. He¡¯d never been a big man, after all. ¡°Back of the line.¡± Elijah continued forward, saying, ¡°The Guard at the gate told me toe here. I¡¯m a ¨C¡± The other Guard, who was a square-jawed man wearing a spiteful expression, hefted his cudgel and swung it at Elijah. He didn¡¯t hesitate and parried the attack with his staff. Before the Guard could react, Elijah had turned the parry into a low swing that ended with the Guard¡¯s legs being swept out from under him. It happened in the space of an instant; Elijah hadn¡¯t even meant to react, but his instincts, earned after spending years in the wild, had won out. Seeing the other Guard preparing to attack, Elijah shoved his staff under her chin and said, ¡°I¡¯m not in the habit of letting people attack me. So, please ¨C let¡¯s just leave this here, okay? I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone.¡± By that point, the fallen Guard had scrambled to his feet. His face was red from clear embarrassment, and he spat, ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°Yeah. I took it easy on you. Now, before you two do something stupid, let me exin what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m a Healer. I was told toe here and help out. If you don¡¯t want it, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go on my way. But judging by everything I¡¯ve seen so far, you could definitely use my help.¡± ¡°Wait ¨C you¡¯re a healer?¡± the female Guard said. Then, her eyes briefly unfocused ¨C a sign that Elijah took as her using an ability, probably the one meant to identify him. The other one didn¡¯t have the presence of mind to even do that much. Instead, he looked like he was half a step away from attacking Elijah again. ¡°You are. And only neen? How did you put Garret down like that?¡± ¡°I know kung fu.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°Kung fu. Martial arts. I¡¯m a ck belt.¡± ¡°You are?¡± ¡°Sure. My hands are deadly weapons,¡± Elijah said. ¡°My feet too, but nobody ever asks about those.¡± She nced down at his bare feet and muttered, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Screw this guy, Holly. We don¡¯t have to ¨C¡± Holly rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Shut up, Garret.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my boss!¡± he growled. ¡°He¡¯s a healer, idiot. We need as many of those as we can get. Now, shut up. Or I¡¯m going to shut you up. Got it?¡± Holly said. Garret mped his mouth shut. He clearly didn¡¯t like it, but Holly just as clearly didn¡¯t care. To Elijah, she asked, ¡°Are you really a ck belt?¡± ¡°God, no. But I can handle myself okay,¡± he replied with a grin that he hoped was disarming. From experience, he recognized that probably came off as a bit cocky. Or maybe deranged, given hisck of social contact over the past couple of years. ¡°Anyway, is it alright if I go on in? And who do I talk to about what the situation is? I think we can maybe knock this gue thing out in an afternoon.¡± She cocked her head to the side and said, ¡°At level neen? Color me skeptical. But you¡¯re more than wee to give it a try. God knows we could use the help.¡± Then, she gave him directions on how to find Jess, the other Healer on duty. Elijah thanked her for her help, gave Garret a grin, then headed inside. The building wasrge, but it didn¡¯t have many twists or turns, so he quickly found his way to the appropriate room ¨C which was a huge, gymnasium-size space containing at least a hundred of upied beds. Elijah only got one step inside before a familiar smell wafted into his nose. ¡°Voxx,¡± he muttered to himself as he realized that he might¡¯ve just stepped into a situation he couldn¡¯t handle. Book 2: Chapter 17: Miracles Book 2: Chapter 17: Miracles The acrid stench Elijah associated with the Voxx filled his nostrils, reminding him of past battles. The smell of human misery reminded him that something else was at y, though. So, after only a few moments of hesitation, he pushed forward, his bare feet sounding loud against the cold tiles. ¡°Sir? Can I help you?¡± came a high-pitched voice. Elijah turned to see a pretty woman with dark skin. If he¡¯d had to guess, he would have said that she was in her mid-twenties, but long, stressful hours had robbed her of some of her vitality. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t be in here, especially dressed like that.¡± Elijah looked down at his attire. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with what I¡¯m wearing?¡± he asked. The woman wore purple scrubs that had been mended in a few spots and a pair offortable-looking sneakers. ¡°You¡¯re barefoot. In a hospital. Surely you can¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. I keep forgetting about that,¡± Elijah said, suddenly self-conscious. Unfortunately, his bare feet were a necessity. One with Nature required him to be in contact with the ground, and while being indoors didn¡¯t seem to deactivate it, for some reason, wearing shoes ¨C or any kind of foot coverings ¨C did. It was a quirk of the system, and one he¡¯d yet to find a way around. So, for now, he needed to remain barefoot, though he hoped to one day find a means of subverting the augmentation¡¯s requirements. Though he supposed he should count himself lucky that it didn¡¯t deactivate when he leaped into the air or stepped foot on man-made surfaces. Otherwise, the seesawing of his effective attributes would¡¯ve driven him insane. ¡°upational hazard, I¡¯m afraid,¡± he said. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m Elijah.¡± She frowned at him, then said, ¡°Jess. What are you doing here?¡± He ran his hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m a Healer.¡±¡°Seriously?¡± she asked dubiously. ¡°You don¡¯t look like any Healer I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve seen all sorts of Healers, have you?¡± ¡°Well, no. But none of them I know walk around barefoot. Or looking like they stepped out of a Renaissance Faire.¡± ¡°Ouch. My outfit¡¯s not that bad. The dwarvendy who made it was very skilled.¡± ¡°Dwarven?¡± ¡°Never mind that.¡± Letting his staff fall against his chest, he pped his hands together and said, ¡°Alright. I¡¯m full of Ethera and ready to heal. Where can I set up? Now, I feel obligated to inform you that my spells ¨C well, one of them at least ¨C can get a bit messy, so it¡¯s probably best if I set up somewhere with a drain in the floor. Like a locker room. Or maybe outside. I don¡¯t know. This is your turf, so I¡¯ll let you decide.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? How can a healing spell be messy?¡± she narrowed her big, brown eyes and crossed her arms. ¡°Wait. Are you messing with me? Did Sam send you here? This is a serious ce with seriously ill people. If you ¨C¡± Elijah gripped his staff and said, ¡°Woah. I really am a Healer. You people really are the suspicious sort. Makes a guy feel a little unwee, if I¡¯m honest.¡± ¡°Prove it.¡± Elijah rolled his eyes. ¡°So little trust,¡± he muttered. ¡°You could just get one of those Guards outside to identify me.¡± ¡°Or you could heal someone.¡± She looked back at the room full of patients, then pointed at one. ¡°That one. He¡¯s already been healed, but there¡¯s still a little bit of the gue left in him.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you heal it all?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Ethera. I¡¯m running on fumes here,¡± she said. ¡°Same as the other four Healers. If it wasn¡¯t for us, the gue would¡¯ve already killed everyone in town. But even with everything we¡¯ve done, there¡¯s a limit to our Ethera, and¡­well¡­we can¡¯t get to everyone in time. Not even close.¡± Elijah could hear the frustration in her voice, and what¡¯s more, he understood it. He¡¯d felt something simr when the panther had died. Despite all the power they¡¯d been given ¨C and it was miraculous what healing could do ¨C there were still limits. ¡°Do you care if I get the room wet?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Why would the room get wet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s part of my spell. Well, one of my spells.¡± ¡°Is it real water?¡± ¡°As opposed to fake water?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Some of our Mages can conjure ice,¡± she said. ¡°But it disappears after a few minutes. Same with rocks. We learned that the hard way when someone tried to build a wall out of conjured earth.¡± Elijah cocked his head to the side, then rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. ¡°You know what? I¡¯ve never even bothered to pay attention to whether or not the water sticks around,¡± he said, a little ashamed that he hadn¡¯t tested that facet of Healing Rain. But in his defense, the climate of the ind was that of a temperate rainforest, so it was almost always wet, raining, or both. And when he¡¯d used the spell in the tower, he¡¯d either been underwater, or he¡¯d had other things on his mind. ¡°Best assume it¡¯s real, I guess.¡± She let out a tired sigh, then said, ¡°Fine. Follow me.¡± Without another word, she turned around and strode away. Elijah followed, hurrying to catch up. With Essence of the Wolf active, he had no issues keeping pace as they crossed the room. Soon enough, she led him into another hallway, and he asked, ¡°Where¡¯re we headed? Somece special? I¡¯ve been ¨C¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Elijah¡¯s words died in his mouth the moment they passed into another room. The stench of the corruption was so strong that he very nearly gagged the moment he stepped over the threshold. But even then, the smell was nothingpared to the sight of three figures, each one looking as if they were rotting alive as theyy on soiled hospital beds. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°These are the worst,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve been trying our best to keep them alive, but¡­no matter what we do, the gue just keepsing back. If you want to prove you¡¯re a healer, then here¡¯s where you should start, because if you can¡¯t do anything for them, they¡¯re probably going to die within the next hour. When they get this bad, we just make themfortable because¡­because it would take too much Ethera to heal them. If we even can.¡± ¡°Jesus,¡± Elijah muttered, studying the unfortunate trio. Two of them were men, and thest was a woman. However, there was nothing to suggest that they were in any way connected. Indeed, if it wasn¡¯t for the thick ck tendrils spreading across their mostly naked skin, they would¡¯ve looked mostly normal. The only saving grace was that they were at least unconscious. But Elijah¡¯s every sense told him that they were anything but ordinary. Not only did the smell of the Voxxian corruption ¨C and Elijah was certain that¡¯s what it was ¨C hang thick in the air, but he could also feel it sliding across his skin like he¡¯d been dunked into a box of squirming maggots. The sour, acidic taste tickling his tongue was even worse, though. In short, being in that room ¨C which was only about fifteen feet across ¨C was one of the most unpleasant things Elijah had ever endured. And he¡¯d been digested in the stomach of a monstrous orca, so that was saying something. ¡°Go nuts,¡± Jess said, gesturing to the nest of corruption. Elijah shook his head, swallowed hard, then stepped forward. Without further hesitation, he ensured that Aura of Renewal was active so that he could be at peak Regeneration, then cast Healing Rain. Storm clouds gathered, wreathing the ceiling in dark fog. Then, the first drop of rain fell. Then another. Soon after, a deluge of water poured forth from the clouds, and each drop that hit one of the patients did so with a sizzle. Elijah stepped through the rain, thenid his hand on the first patient. She was older ¨C maybe forty or so ¨C and her body had clearly been ravaged by her illness. In a lot of ways, it reminded him of his time being treated for cancer. Back then, he¡¯d had to sit in his oncologist¡¯s office as they pumped him full of dangerous chemicals. But he hadn¡¯t done so alone. There were always one or two other people in there undergoing the same dubious treatment, and Elijah had watched as those familiar faces sumbed to the horrors of chemotherapy. The womanid out beneath him was little different, with sunken cheeks, pallid skin, and loose flesh that suggested rapid weight loss. And then there were the ck tendrils of corruption. It all made Elijah sick. But instead of vomiting like he wanted to, he swallowed his difort andid his hand on the woman¡¯s forearm. It was cold and mmy to the touch. She almost felt like she¡¯d already surrendered to death, but the shallow rise and fall of her chest told him differently. For a second, he just let himself feel her moist skin. Then, he drew Ethera from his core and funneled it into Touch of Nature. The healing power of the spell raced out of him and into the woman. The effect was immediate. She gasped, her eyes shooting open as her hand shot out. Elijah could have dodged ¨C the woman couldn¡¯t move very quickly, after all ¨C but he let her wrap her fingers around his forearm. Her eyes locked onto his, and she croaked, ¡°Kill¡­me¡­¡± Elijah ignored her. He could practically feel her pain, it was so palpable. Since the very beginning, Elijah had been using Touch of Nature to cure himself of various diseases. At first, the spell had been used to eradicate various parasites he¡¯d picked up from drinking tainted water, but he¡¯d used it to simr effect dozens of times throughout his time on the ind. So, if he knew nothing else about how the spell interacted with a patient, he knew precisely how it went about counteracting disease. For specific injuries, he had to guide the spell, but with disease ¨C especially one that suffused the entire patient¡¯s body ¨C it was more akin to flooding the recipient with ephemeral vitality and forcing the body¡¯s natural recovery into overdrive. Which was precisely what happened. The first cast didn¡¯t really do much. But under the effects of Healing Rain,bined with a second cast of Touch of Nature, he sent the ck tendrils into a retreat. The next cast pushed them back further. And the fourth banished them altogether. Elijah was fairly sure that the woman was cured ¨C though she was still disoriented ¨C but he cast Touch of Nature a final time before he pulled away. He nced back at Jess, who stood on the other side of the doorway, her mouth agape, and he said, ¡°I think that takes care of her. You might want to get her somewhere else so it doesn¡¯t reur.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked. ¡°Healed her,¡± he stated. ¡°Why? Can¡¯t you do the same thing?¡± ¡°Not like that.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, call me special, then. I¡¯ll take care of these others, then we can move to the big room. Unless you don¡¯t want me making it rain in there, in which case we probably need to set up some sort of ¨C¡± ¡°Wait ¨C you still have Ethera?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Elijah said, checking the state of his core. He could still cast Touch of nature a dozen more times before he ran dry, but his Regeneration was high enough ¨C especially with Aura of Renewal augmenting it ¨C that it wouldn¡¯t take that long to recover. Not for the first time, he wished that Touch of Nature was a little more potent. But then, he supposed that it would probably cost more Ethera, so it would almost assuredly even out. ¡°I can keep going for a while,¡± he said. ¡°And the rain is persistent, so it¡¯ll keeping down for¡­I don¡¯t know¡­ another hour, maybe? After that, I¡¯ll have to cast it again, but by then, I should have plenty of Ethera recovered.¡± ¡°But¡­but how do you have¡­if I did what you just did, I¡¯d be out for the rest of the day¡­¡± Elijah shrugged again, then gave her a grin before saying, ¡°Like I said ¨C I¡¯m special, I guess. Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m going to save a couple of lives.¡± He winked at her. ¡°Because that¡¯s what heroes do.¡± She snorted inughter. ¡°That¡­was terrible.¡± ¡°Really? It sounded cool in my head.¡± ¡°Did it?¡± ¡°No. Not really. But in my defense, I¡¯ve only really had gnomes and a tree to talk to for a while, so my conversational skills are a little out of practice. Oh, and a goblin. A few dwarves, too, but they¡¯re not great conversationalists.¡± ¡°You might be the oddest man I¡¯ve ever met,¡± Jess said as she positioned herself behind the healed woman¡¯s gurney. It was the sort that one would find in hospitals, so it was equipped with wheels. ¡°And I know actual wizards.¡± Elijah shrugged, then knelt beside the second patient. ¡°If you¡¯re going to be anything, be the best version of that you can be. That¡¯s what my dad used to tell me. So, I¡¯ll take that as thepliment it was obviously meant to be.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go out on a limb and guess that he probably wasn¡¯t talking about being weird,¡± she said, pushing the woman toward the door. Elijah cast Touch of Nature on histest patient, then nced at Jess and said, ¡°Maybe not, but I¡¯ve decided to embrace it anyway. Besides, who wants to be normal, right? Odd is so much better. Sexier, too, I¡¯m told.¡± She stopped. ¡°Did you just hit on me? Here?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Maybe. That all depends on your reaction. If it¡¯s disgust, then of course I wasn¡¯ting onto you. I¡¯m offended that you would even suggest such a thing. But if you¡¯re even mildly interested, then I¡¯m one-hundred percent flirting. Or trying to. Like I said, I¡¯m a bit out of practice.¡± She just shook her head and continued to wheel the woman away. Elijah nced at theatose man he intended to heal and said, ¡°That went well, right? I think it went well.¡± Then, heid his hand on the man¡¯s arm and cast Touch of Nature. Book 2: Chapter 18: Norcastle Book 2: Chapter 18: Norcastle Gentle drops of Healing Rain fell upon Elijah¡¯s head as he forced the aperture of his Mind ever wider. Ethera flooded through his Mind, cascading through his soul and into his Core. But he needed more, so he continued to pull against the ambient Ethera in an attempt to force the aperture wider; it was no use, though. There was something missing. A vitally important piece of the puzzle that he simply didn¡¯t possess. Still, he kept at it, steadily stretching the aperture as much as he could. It was only a miniscule improvement over his passive Regeneration, but over time, it made a significant difference. Besides, he felt like he was on the right track regarding the improvement of that facet of his cultivation. As for the others, he was still unsure how to progress. Hopefully, he would gain some insight in the near future, because he found himself itching for improvement. A touch on his shoulder jerked him from his meditative state, and his eyes fluttered open. It took a moment for them to refocus, but when they did, he saw the familiar confines of the hospital¡¯s main room. The beds had been arranged around him in an effort to maximize the number he could reach with Healing Rain, but even so, he and the other Healers had been forced to steadily cycle the patients. ¡°Is that all of them?¡± he asked. He¡¯d been at it for a few days, and in that time, he¡¯d lost count of the number of people he¡¯d healed. Hundreds, at the least. Maybe thousands. Most, he healed via Healing Rain, but some of the worst cases had required the application of Touch of Nature. The other Healers had done their part as well, but if Elijah had learned anything sinceing to Norcastle, it was that his spells were far and away more efficient than most. On top of that, his rtively high level ¨C hidden though it was by his Ring of Anonymity ¨C gave him far more Ethera with which to work. So, as a result, he¡¯d done the work of at least ten other Healers. But even that was insufficient to adequately exin his contribution. Because of his Dragon Core, his spells were almost twice as potent as they otherwise would be. On top of that, he gained a significant boost from his overall level of cultivation. So, a spell like Healing Rain, which had once struggled to mend even minor wounds, had be a powerful tool for healing. There was something else at y, too, though Elijah hesitated tomit to the idea. Still, he suspected that lower-level people were easier to heal than those who¡¯d progressed further. His efforts in healing his own wounds suggested as much, and that notion seemed to have been confirmed by the ease with which he¡¯d healed some of the less powerful people in the Norcastle hospital. It was a subject he would need to address next time he visited a Branch. Perhaps he could find a guide that would give him more definitive answers. And failing that, there was always Nerthus to ask. Jess, who was nked by another exhausted Healer, said, ¡°That¡¯s it. For now. They¡¯ll all be back, though.¡±¡°That sounds like first-hand experience talking.¡± ¡°It is,¡± she sighed. The other Healer ¨C an elderly man with nothing but a ring of grey fringe on his head ¨C said, ¡°At first, the number of patients ebbed and flowed. We would make progress and think we eradicated the disease altogether. Then, a few dayster, it would return worse than before.¡± ¡°Do you know what¡¯s causing it?¡± Jess shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ve looked, too. Combed the whole city. We¡¯ve exterminated all the pests, tested the water, even the food. But we haven¡¯t found anything that could be the cause.¡± Elijah nodded along. ¡°But we¡¯re done for a little while, right?¡± he asked. ¡°We are.¡± He felt his shoulders sag. Just because his Constitution and Regeneration gave him the ability to keep going for quite some time without rest didn¡¯t mean that it was pleasant. He felt just as exhausted as the others looked. ¡°Is there somece I can rest? Maybe get a good meal?¡± ¡°What kind of meal?¡± Elijah pushed himself to his feet, then ran his hand through his hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Not sure what choices there are. Like I said before, I¡¯ve been a little cut off from society for a while. Thest properly cooked meal I had was made by gnomes. Or was it goblins? I can¡¯t remember. Anyway¡­yeah¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re serious, joking, or a little crazy,¡± she said. ¡°Probably all three,¡± the older Healer groused. ¡°Lot of that going around since the world ended.¡± Elijah raised a finger and said, ¡°Pizza. That¡¯s what I want. Any suggestions? You have pizza here, right?¡± ¡°With goat cheese. All our cows got eaten,¡± Jess said. The older man just shook his head and left. ¡°What¡¯s his deal?¡± Elijah asked. Then, before Jess could answer, he said, ¡°You know what? Never mind. It¡¯s not hard to figure out. So, you want to have some pizza with me? Or are you going to leave me all alone to find my way in the big city?¡± He gave her his best fake pout, which drew augh. ¡°You are terrible at this,¡± Jess remarked with a shake of her head. ¡°But is it working? It might just be a pickup tactic. Kind of like negging. But, you know, reverse.¡± ¡°Self-negging.¡± ¡°Or I might just be terrible at flirting. You never know.¡± ¡°Plus, the setting really isn¡¯t doing you any favors,¡± she acknowledged. ¡°But you know what? Sure. I¡¯ll have some pizza with you. It¡¯s expensive, though.¡± This novel is published on a different tform. Support the original author by finding the official source. He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve got money.¡± Indeed, he¡¯d withdrawn enough etherium back in Ironshore that he shouldn¡¯t have to worry about whether or not he could afford a meal. Thankfully, Norcastle had adopted it as its basic currency,rgely because the city itself used it to buy various items through the Branch Market. The coins had other uses ¨C primarily in crafting ¨C but very few of the city¡¯s tradespeople had progressed to the point where they could use them. Or so Elijah assumed. Either way, he had money, and he wasn¡¯t opposed to using it to pay for a shared meal between him and Jess. He certainly wasn¡¯t interested in her in anything but a superficial way, but he had spent the majority of the past two years alone. So, herpany certainly looked enticing from where he was standing. In any case, after the pair took a few minutes to clean up in the hospital¡¯s bathrooms, Jess led him through the city and to Norcastle¡¯s only pizza joint. It wasn¡¯t much different from the surrounding buildings ¨C just a cube-like structure made of sturdy cinder blocks ¨C but the owner had made some attempts to differentiate it from all the rest. Beneath a red awning that stretched across the fa?ade were a series of wooden tables and crudely constructed chairs. It was also incredibly crowded, with every table upied. Fortunately, Jess knew the owner, who quickly made room for them in the back. At first, the conversation was confined to lighthearted banter, but eventually, Jess asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s your story, anyway? Where did you reallye from? And how did you survive the wilderness? I¡¯ve seen what¡¯s out there, and I can¡¯t imagine going more than a mile or two from the city, especially not alone.¡± For a moment, Elijah considered lying. Or simply refusing to answer. But despite Nerthus¡¯s warnings to keep his circumstances hidden, he decided that he didn¡¯t really want to live like that. Sure, he¡¯d keep some things under his belt. He had no intention of revealing his ability to shapeshift into powerful animal forms. However, he didn¡¯t see any issues with giving her the broad strokes. So, he said, ¡°When the World Tree touched Earth, I was flying home to die.¡± Then, he exined the basics of how he¡¯d spent the past couple of years. He omitted quite a few details ¨C like the specifics of his ss, the panther guardian, and the tower. He did mention Ironshore, though only in the vaguest of terms, and he exined that it was almost entirely popted by gnomes, dwarves, and goblins. ¡°Wait, are you serious?¡± she asked. ¡°There are actual gnomes?¡± ¡°All of that, and youtch onto the gnomes?¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re cool,¡± she said unapologetically. ¡°And cute. Back when we actually had video games, I used to always y as a gnome.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll appreciate fetishization of their entire race,¡± he said lightheartedly, which earned him a yful roll of Jess¡¯s eyes. ¡°But yeah ¨C there are gnomes, though I admit I¡¯m not a huge fan. I had a bad experience with one.¡± Indeed, Elijah¡¯s opinion of the little people would forever be tainted by Cabbot. His views on mohawks were simrly affected, though he didn¡¯t say that to Jess. After she asked a few more questions, it was his turn to throw some in her direction, so he asked, ¡°So, what did you do before this?¡± ¡°Medical school. I was almost finished, too. Then the world ended, and¡­well, you know the rest. Death, destruction, and eventually, survival. I lost¡­a lot of people.¡± Elijah reached across the table and gripped her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She shook her head, sniffed loudly, then wiped her eyes before saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯vee to terms with it. Everybody lost somebody, and we lose more every day. You know, it¡¯s funny. If you¡¯d have asked me before all this happened, I would¡¯ve probably thought it sounded kind of cool. Me and my friends used to joke about the zombie apocalypse and how we¡¯d survive, you know? But now? I would give just about anything to just go back to the way everything used to be. Back to my boring little life.¡± Elijah wanted to agree with her. He truly did. But he knew it would be a lie. For better or worse, now that he had tasted what the new world ¨C or universe, really ¨C had to offer, he wanted more. He didn¡¯t enjoy the pain he¡¯d had to endure. Nor was he looking forward to the inevitability of more. And yet, he was excited for the future in a way he¡¯d never been back in Hawai¡¯i. Then there was the fact that when Earth felt the World Tree¡¯s touch, it had given him a new life. Before, he¡¯d been dying of cancer. He¡¯d only had a few weeks to live. But now, he had a full life ahead of him. Maybe it was a selfish way to look at it, but he was strangely okay with how everything had turned out. Even if it meant that millions ¨C or billions ¨C had died. Tragic, sure. But what was done, was done. There was no going back. And Elijah intended to make the most out of the chance he¡¯d been given. But he didn¡¯t say that. Instead, he just nodded and muttered vaguelyforting things until their pizza arrived. That proved to be the highlight of the night. It was easy to forget just how perfect of a food pizza really was, but the moment he took that first bite, Elijah was reminded of that indisputable fact. ¡°That good, huh?¡± asked Jess after watching him devour the first piece. ¡°You have no idea. I spent most of thest two years surviving on mushrooms and badly cooked crab,¡± he said, stuffing another piece into his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t even mind the goat cheese. And what is this meat?¡± ¡°Venison sausage,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s a huge herd of deer that roam across the ins about forty miles south of here. We send hunters down there pretty consistently, though they have to be really careful because the deer are supposedly extremely dangerous now.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± he mumbled around a mouthful of glorious pizza. After that, the evening wore on. For his part, Elijah ate far more than his fair share of pizza, even insisting on meeting the owner, who he showered with effusive praise ¨C and a handful of etherium. Meanwhile, Jess lightened up, especially when Elijah started talking about his Grove. He didn¡¯t reveal its magical nature, but he still spoke of it with enough enthusiasm that Jess couldn¡¯t help but mirror it. Then, after a couple of hours of pizza and conversation, Elijah asked, ¡°So, your ce? Or am I staying in a hotel tonight?¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I think you know the answer to that.¡± ¡°Alright. But I have to warn you ¨C I have a tendency to snore. If you can ¨C¡± With a chuckle, she tossed a napkin at him. He caught it deftly. ¡°You know I¡¯m kidding, right? Unless you¡¯re interested. In which case¡­¡± Another amused roll of her eyes told him all he needed to know. Perhaps he was on the right track, but she wasn¡¯t interested in making a night out of it. Which was fine. But Elijah did have one other question. ¡°So, when did all of this gue stuff start, anyway? Nobody could ever give me a good answer.¡± ¡°About a month ago,¡± Jess answered. ¡°Was there anything about the days before that that stick out? Anything at all?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Not that I know about. But I¡¯m probably not the best person to answer that. You¡¯d probably need to ask Captain Essex. He¡¯s in charge of the city¡¯s defense and keeps order in town. If anyone knows about¡­strange urrences, it would be him. Why? Do you think you have an idea about what¡¯s causing the gue?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Nothing concrete. It¡¯s just that I smelled something familiar when I saw those first patients. But if anyone in this city had seen anything like what I¡¯m thinking of¡­well, everyone would know about it. In any case, I think I¡¯m going to find that hotel you mentioned and get some sleep. I might get you to introduce me to this Captain Essex in the morning, though. If you don¡¯t mind, I mean.¡± ¡°Sure. If you think you can help figure out the source, I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Whatever I want? Well, in that case ¨C¡± ¡°Get your mind out of the gutter.¡± She said it with a note of annoyance, but Elijah saw the interest in her eyes. That was enough to buoy his mood for the entire walk to the hotel. In fact, he was distracted enough that he briefly forgot about the horrible suffering he¡¯d witnessed over the past few days. Book 2: Chapter 19: Defining the Source Book 2: Chapter 19: Defining the Source That night, Elijah went to bed a little disappointed, and for a couple of reasons. Obviously, he would¡¯ve preferred it if Jess had joined him; herpany had only hammered home just how lonely he¡¯d been since washing ashore on his ind. And while he could ignore it most of the time, the connection he¡¯d forged with the former medical student was just electric enough to send his imagination running wild with possibilities. The other reason for his ill attitude was the inn room itself. Despite the fact that he¡¯d been camping in the wilderness for the past couple of months, he still remembered his mossy bed back on the ind, and the inn¡¯s mattress just couldn¡¯t measure up to Nerthus¡¯s work. Still, he was exhausted enough that it was only mildly disappointing, and, what¡¯s more, he¡¯d slept in worse. So, even though he wasn¡¯t asfortable ¨C or satisfied ¨C as he might¡¯ve hoped, Elijah spent a restful enough night, and, the next morning, he felt reenergized. When he awoke, he pushed himself upright and looked around. The room was spartan, with only a bed, a utilitarian nightstand, and a bathroom. However, Norcastle had running water ¨C apparently, Plumber was an actual ss, and the city had a couple who¡¯d managed to supply it with water via their creations ¨C so he quickly jumped in the shower, then changed into one of his spare outfits. As always, he had no shoes. Most of the time, Elijah barely noticed, but in the city, his unshod feet were noteworthy enough that other people definitely did. It didn¡¯t matter, though. If everything went ording to n, he wouldn¡¯t be staying much longer. So, after dressing, Elijah gathered his things and left the room behind. His bare feet pped against the wooden floor as he traversed the short hallway and entered the stairwell before descending a couple of flights of stairs and exiting into the hotel¡¯smon room. There, he found the proprietor standing behind a bar, where she was manning a griddle. The heavyset woman nced over her shoulder and asked, ¡°What can I get for you?¡± ¡°Whatever¡¯s easiest,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Just so long as it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Got sausage and pancakes. Even some real maple syrup.¡± ¡°That sounds great.¡±He watched as the woman got to work, and he sensed a barely-noticeable swirl of Ethera apanying her actions. Clearly, she had some sort of technique associated with cooking; perhaps she even had the Chef ss. If that was the case, Elijah was truly looking forward to breakfast. After all, he hadn¡¯t forgotten the meal he¡¯d enjoyed back in Ironshore. While the woman cooked, Elijah took a look at his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 34
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 35
Dexterity 34
Constitution 35
Ethera 43
Regeneration 37
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Hatchling Opal Neophyte
During his time healing the gue-stricken patients back in the hospital, Elijah had gained two more levels. Distressingly, though, he still hadn¡¯t been awarded another spell. Thest one he¡¯d gotten was at level thirty, and that was Shape of the Guardian. If he hadn¡¯t read guides that said that he would, indeed, get more spells going forward, he might¡¯ve been even more worried. However, he knew it was only a matter of time before he acquired some new tools for his tool kit. Still, he had high hopes for level thirty-five. In the beginning, he¡¯d gained spells every level, but after reaching the tenth, the frequency had been reduced by half. After he hadn¡¯t gotten a spell at thirty-two, he¡¯d hoped the pattern would continue, and he¡¯d get one at thirty-four. But now that that hadn¡¯t happened, he could only hope that it would happen at level thirty-five. For now, though, his attributes had continued to rise by one point each level. As the innkeeper continued to cook, a few other guests descended from their rooms above and took seats around themon room. Whoever had built the hotel had clearly taken inspiration from old school inns rather than modern hotels, because the business was clearly as much a tavern and restaurant as it was a lodging. As he waited, Elijah cast Essence of the Boar, increasing his Constitution attribute by ten points. The same for Essence of the Monkey, though it increased Dexterity instead. Finally, he topped it all off with Aura of Renewal, then Essence of the Wolf. He already had One with Nature active as well. Once he was fully enhanced, he looked at his status again, and he was pleased to see the state of his attributes. Elijah couldn¡¯t quantify the effect of each point, but after having reached such lofty heights, he knew he was approaching superhuman levels of strength, coordination, and durability. Still, he had no real context for how he might stack up against more focused individuals. Given that, ording to the guides he¡¯d read, each ss gave attribute bonuses ording to its nature, there was every chance that others might be quite a bit more powerful than him. As he saw it, that was the source of his greatest strength as well as his biggest weakness. On the one hand, he had the versatility to respond well to a wide variety of situations. However, on the other, hecked specialization, so he would be at a disadvantage against more focused sses. Still, he hoped that his cultivation and Dragon Core might prove the difference if it ever came down to that. Soon enough, the innkeeper served him, and Elijah proceeded to eat what felt like a mountain of pancakes and sausage before paying her a copper etherium and excusing himself. After that, he left the hotel ¨C or inn, really ¨C and headed toward the hospital where he was supposed to meet Jess. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. He arrived a little earlier than anticipated, so he spent the next half hour focusing on his Mind cultivation. It was still stubbornly resistant to his attempts at advancement, which served to solidify his certainty that he was missing something important. However, none of the guides he¡¯d bought from the Branch back in Ironshore had specified any viable cultivation techniques. ¡°What are you doing?¡± came Jess¡¯s voice. Elijah opened his eyes to see that she was, once again, wearing her purple scrubs and sneakers, and she looked just as good as she had the night before. ¡°Cultivating.¡± ¡°What? How?¡± Elijah exined what he knew, which was precious little, really. His own advancement had been contingent on a series of strange events, the unmatched Ethera density on his ind, and Nerthus¡¯s help. However, he told Jess what he could, ending with, ¡°I¡¯m still trying to figure it all out. There might be some guides avable at your Branch¡¯s Knowledge Base. I don¡¯t know how that works, though, because the only one I¡¯ve used was transnted here from somewhere else. So, it was probably more advanced than yours.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know anything about that. Branch ess is very tightly regted. Only the mayor¡¯s inner circle really use it, except to ess the Bank,¡± she said. ¡°Not even Captain Essex and his people get to, so I¡¯m pretty sure someone like me has no chance.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± That definitely threw a monkey wrench in Elijah¡¯s ns. He¡¯d intended to at least ess the Regional Map in the hopes of finding the next closest settlement, but now, he realized that that might not be possible. After that, Jess insisted on taking him to the barracks where Captain Essex and his people were housed. She wanted to get back to the hospital as soon as possible ¨C even if the gue had been taken care of for the time being, people got injured all the time, and she took her job very seriously. So, neither of them really spoke on the way. Which was fine with Elijah, because he quickly lost himself in thought. He didn¡¯t like the idea of Branch ess being restricted. The Knowledge Base alone held the keys to survival, and that wasn¡¯t even considering the things that could be bought in the Branch Market. That regr people couldn¡¯t use those functions was more than a little troubling. But Elijah couldn¡¯t really do anything to change that. For now, he had more than enough on his te, what with finding the source of the gue and searching out any hints as to the whereabouts of his sister. So, he had little interest in getting distracted trying to interfere in something he didn¡¯t really understand. For all he knew, the mayor had good reasons to restrict ess to the Branch. Still, he didn¡¯t like it, and that wasn¡¯t going to change just because he didn¡¯t want to dive into the deep end of Norcastle¡¯s problems. After about fifteen minutes of walking through the city ¨C during which time, Elijah confirmed his first impressions of the city and its poption ¨C they reached arge building attached to the wall. The gate was only a few hundred yards away, so the barracks were close enough that they could respond to any developing situations. ¡°Follow me. And don¡¯t say anything weird, okay? Captain Essex doesn¡¯t really put up with disrespect.¡± ¡°I never say anything weird. And stop looking at me like that. There, that raised eyebrow thing. Super disrespectful.¡± She sighed and rolled her eyes, muttering something that, to Elijah, sounded curiously like, ¡°This is a huge mistake.¡± But Elijah was certain that couldn¡¯t be the case. He followed her inside, and she spoke to a receptionist who, in turn, told them to wait while she presumably went to speak to the captain. A couple of minutester, the plump woman returned and told Jess to go ahead. Elijah followed in her wake, looking around as they passed through a bare hall. He also paid attention to One with Nature, though he felt nothing out of the ordinary. Not until the captain¡¯s office came within his range. At that moment, he felt the swirl of Ethera that suggested a powerful person was on the other side of that door. The feeling wasn¡¯t as powerful as he¡¯d felt from Ramik back in Ironshore, but it was potent enough to give Elijah pause. In any case, he stood to the side as Jess knocked on the door. A momentter, a rough voice bade her enter, which she did. Elijah followed into the office, and was unsurprised to see a pale, broad-shouldered man sitting behind an old metal desk reminiscent of the one his fourth-grade teacher had used. Elijah stood to the side as Jess introduced him, making certain to mention his efforts at healing the gue victims. ¡°Which is why I agreed to this meeting. Thank you, Mr. Hart. You saved a lot of lives over the past few days.¡± Elijah shrugged, leaning on his staff as he said, ¡°Least I could do. But I don¡¯t want it to all be for nothing. So, I¡¯ve decided to see if I can figure out the source.¡± ¡°You think you can?¡± Essex asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. ¡°I believe so, yes. But I need you to answer a couple of questions for me, if you can. It¡¯ll help me narrow things down.¡± Essex gestured for him to go on. Elijah asked, ¡°Have you or your people been in contact with the Voxx?¡± Even without One with Nature, Elijah couldn¡¯t have missed the sudden tension in the man¡¯s face. Or the fact that he nced at Jess, then said, ¡°Miss Roy, if you would please give us some privacy¡­¡± Jess said, ¡°What is the Voxx?¡± ¡°Please, Miss Roy. This is need-to-know information. I promise you will receive an exnation when appropriate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to tell her the moment I leave,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°So, you may as well let her stay.¡± Essex ground his teeth so hard that Elijah could hear it. Or maybe he¡¯d simply sensed it via One with Nature. Sometimes, it was difficult to tell the difference. In any case, the man didn¡¯t look happy to be pushed against a wall. He almost growled, ¡°And if I tell you that the consequences for doing so could be very detrimental to your health?¡± Elijah looked the man in the eye and said, ¡°I¡¯m unconcerned with what you deem dangerous.¡± For a long moment, the pair of men stared at one another, neither willing to back down. Finally, Essex deted and said, ¡°Fine. On your head be it, then. Just know that you¡¯re putting her in danger as well. Some knowledge is ¨C¡± ¡°Dangerous, sure,¡± Elijah stated. Then, he turned to Jess and said, ¡°The Voxx are interdimensional lizards who invade our world in one of three ways. Sometimes, they simply manifest as singr entities. Those are the least deadly. Basically pests. Most of the time. But they have the chance, albeit a small one, to manifest something much, much stronger. The most powerful creature I¡¯ve ever seen came from one of those. I think.¡± Essex seemed to take issue with that assessment, and he said, ¡°I beg to differ on that ount. They are dangerous creatures who can ¨C¡± ¡°Sure, they¡¯re dangerous. But nothingpared to the next ones. Thosee from dimensional rifts. Those are temporary rips in the fabric of our reality. If you can go in and defeat the monster inside, you¡¯ll close them. And get a reward. But the Voxxian creature inside can be pretty strong,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°If you don¡¯t close them, they corrupt the environment and drive the local wildlife crazy. I¡¯ve also read that they can burst, creating a mini-surge.¡± ¡°And where did you read this?¡± ¡°A guide I bought from the Branch Knowledge Base,¡± Elijah lied. In reality, it had been exined to him by Nerthus. ¡°Anyway, the third type is worse. If you¡¯ve got a tower around here, which is what I suspect, then it¡¯ll go a long way to exining things. So, please ¨C tell me the truth, Captain Essex ¨C are we dealing with a tower? Or is it just a dimensional rift?¡± ¡°What is a tower? I mean, I know what a tower is. But I feel like I¡¯m missing some context.¡± ¡°A tower is like a dimensional rift on steroids,¡± Elijah said. ¡°The system erects a tower around them which drains the Ethera by creating aplex environment that can be challenged by ¨C¡± ¡°Is it like a video game dungeon?¡± she asked, interrupting him. ¡°Uh¡­I guess? I was never much of a video game guy,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But the problem is that if those towers are left unattended, they will eventually burst into a surge. And they¡¯ll keep spilling more Voxxian monsters out until someone goes in, challenges the tower, and conquers it. That drains the Ethera ¨C at least for a while ¨C and keeps the Voxx from passing over.¡± He turned to the captain and asked, ¡°That about the shape of things?¡± Essex nodded. ¡°It is,¡± he said tersely. ¡°Tower or rift?¡± ¡°Tower,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve sent three teams inside. None havee back out.¡± Elijah groaned. ¡°And you¡¯ve been dealing with the surges, right? I¡¯m guessing some of your people got injured, and that¡¯s how they got infected with the gue, huh?¡± he guessed. Given what he knew, it was the only thing that made sense. Or rather, it was the only problem with a potential solution. If the Voxx weren¡¯t responsible, then the gue could¡¯ve almost literally been caused by anything. In that case, he¡¯d have to chalk it up as a loss and move on; at the same time, he¡¯d advise anyone healthy to do the same. But then Essex said, ¡°It only happened one time. Just a single injured warrior. Since then, we¡¯ve been careful. We don¡¯t get close to the monsters. But the gue keepsing back.¡± Elijah shook his head. There were a host of potential exnations, but it probably came down to magic. The Voxx spread corruption wherever they went, and this particr tower seemed to house a particr virulent version. ¡°Alright, then. I guess I know what I need to do.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Essex as Elijah turned to leave. Elijah nced back at the man and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to conquer the tower. Obviously.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for a response before he left the office and turned down the hall, his mind already whirling with potential ns for defeating the tower. It was only after he¡¯d gone a few steps when he realized that the downside of what he hoped was a cool exit meant that he¡¯d never actually gotten directions to the tower. He was just about turn around and sheepishly return to the captain¡¯s office when Jess caught up to him. Then, the captain followed soon after. ¡°Wait!¡± the man said, reaching out to grab Elijah¡¯s arm. Elijah didn¡¯t react well to that, and he quickly jerked away. In only a second, he had his staff in the man¡¯s face. ¡°Please don¡¯t grab me. I get jumpy,¡± he said. Essex backed away, raising his hands in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m not a threat to you.¡± ¡°Sure you¡¯re not,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But you know what? I don¡¯t care. Just tell me where to find this tower. I¡¯ll run on over, conquer it, then be on my way. The good thing is that it won¡¯t surge while I¡¯m inside, and after I beat it, you¡¯ll need to use that break to get stronger.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because even if I conquer it, it¡¯s not going to stop. It¡¯ll be a while before ites back, but you¡¯ll be right in this same situation in a few months. Maybe a year. But it¡¯s not a bad thing. Towers are great for levels. I¡¯ve read that, in other parts of the universe, they¡¯re seen as strategic resources.¡± Indeed, ever since Elijah had recovered from his previous tower run, he¡¯d thought about revisiting the challenge. He had expected that foray into another tower to be the one near his ind, but the thought process remained the same. In thest tower, he¡¯d gained ten levels. If he could repeat that feat in this current challenge, he¡¯d put himself at the top of the powerdder. That was enough of a reason on its own, but couple that with a good cause, and Elijah¡¯s decision was easy enough. ¡°We can send someone with you. There are a few talented ¨C¡± ¡°No, thanks. They¡¯ll just slow me down. All I need from you is some supplies and a map. Oh, and when I get back, I want ess to your Branch.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Non-negotiable, Cap¡¯n.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that. It¡¯s Captain Essex.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said. Cap¡¯n Essex.¡± The man groaned, massaging his forehead. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m skeptical you¡¯ll even survive, but if you happen to surprise me, I¡¯ll make sure you get ess. In the meantime, if you¡¯ll wait here, I¡¯ll get you everything else you¡¯ll need.¡± ¡°Sounds like we have a deal, Cap¡¯n.¡± Essex didn¡¯t respond. Aside from another groan, at least. But that surely had nothing to do with Elijah. Once Essex left, Elijah and Jess went back to the man¡¯s office, where they waited for him to make good on his promises. Once they were there, Jess remarked, ¡°Is that what you call respectful?¡± ¡°Sure. Why? Did it note off as respectful?¡± Book 2: Chapter 20: Different Paths Book 2: Chapter 20: Different Paths As the sun rose high into a cloudless winter sky, Elijah looked down on the corpse of small town Americana. A strip of a street, overgrown with weeds and other vegetation, sliced between two rows of abandoned businesses. From a distance, Elijah couldn¡¯t identify them all, but he recognized the striped pole of a barbershop, a few signs dering the names of the businesses, and a handful of rusting automobiles. The structures themselves were no more than two stories tall, many with ss fronts shaded by rotting cloth awnings, the remnants of which fluttered in the breeze. Once, it might have been a quaint little town, but now, it was nothing more than the crumbling ruins of a lost world. Elijah knelt by the tree line, hundreds of yards away, and used Eyes of the Eagle to study the ruins, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, he¡¯d passed through a handful of simrly abandoned towns on his journey from Ironshore to Norcastle, and he knew he¡¯d seen only a fraction of what was out there. Likely, whole cities had beenid to waste. If the transformed wildlife hadn¡¯t done the trick, then people certainly would have. Elijah had seen how people reacted in even mundane times of crisis. Looting. Murder. Tribalism. It was all somonce as to have be clich¨¦. And with something like what had happened after Earth had been touched by the World Tree, it would inevitably be worse. It didn¡¯t take much of an imagination to envisage a situation where a particrly strong despot came to power. And there wouldn¡¯t be anything to keep them from doing whatever they wanted to do. No government. Now enforcement. Just chaos and anarchy, which always favored the amoral. But there had to be some hope. As often as Elijah had seen evil rise up, he¡¯d also seen plenty of instances where people hade together to support one another. It had happened in Norcastle. Hopefully, that would prove to be the rule, rather than the exception. Still, Elijah couldn¡¯t look down at that snippet of a once-thriving town and feel anything but a sense of poignant loss. It wasn¡¯t just for the people who¡¯d died, though that was a significant part of it. Added to that was the cultural loss as well. Would it survive? What Elijah had seen in Norcastle suggested that it wouldn¡¯t ¨C at least not intact. Bits and pieces would persevere, but the world, as Elijah and everyone else had known it, was gone. Never was there a more apt representation of that fact than the ruins of the abandoned town in the distance. With a sigh, Elijah rose to his feet and ran his hand through his hair. It had been almost an entire day since he¡¯d left Norcastle behind, and ording to the map Essex had given him, he was incredibly close to the tower. Soon enough, he intended to enter it, and then, he¡¯d spend the next days or weeks fighting for his life. When he thought of it in those terms, he almost turned around and left it all behind. By all rights, he shouldn¡¯t havemitted himself to the quest. However, the fact remained that, over the course of the two-plus years since he¡¯d been stranded on that ind, he had changed. Not only had he gained magical powers and the ability to shapeshift into powerful animal forms, but he¡¯d also attained nearly superhuman strength, endurance, and coordination. But it was more than that. Those were important, but even more impactful was his shifting mindset.Things that should have terrified him, he simply took as a matter of course. He wanted to enter that tower in order to save Norcastle from the gued Voxx. That was a given. But his decision to challenge it was also seeded by a need to advance. He wanted to get stronger, and a tower was the best ce to do that. But more than that, even, was Elijah¡¯s need to seek a challenge. To bnce on the edge of life and death ande out on top. That was the real benefit of conquering the Keledge Tower near his ind. It had changed him, body, mind, and soul. And he wanted to experience that feeling, that sensation of oveing adversity and conquering what should have been unbeatable, again. Since then, he¡¯d learned that most towers were only challenged by groups of people. As many as six individuals could enter the same tower, which meant that most people wouldn¡¯t dare try with less. The notion of going alone was unthinkable except at the highest echelons of power when finding peers became nearly impossible. That he¡¯d managed to conquer the tower by himself was a feat worthy of praise. That he wanted to try to repeat that aplishment was a little insane, though he felt that there were two factors in his favor. First was his versatility. By virtue of his varied spellbook as well as his animal forms, he was suited tobat a wide variety of situations. So, going alone wasn¡¯t the detriment that it would be for, say, a Warrior whose ability to heal would be very limited. With his Dragon Core, he felt even more strongly about his chances. But the second factor was arguably more important. Nerthus had informed him that a tower¡¯s rtive strength was based on Ethera density. They were graded ording to the density, much like items. The lowest-ranked tower was simple-grade, but they could reach as high as miraculous-grade. And while Elijah didn¡¯t think that the tower he¡¯d conquered was the highest-grade possible, he knew it couldn¡¯t have been the lowest, either. That certainty was based primarily on the fact that the Ethera on and around his ind was far denser than what he felt in the Norcastle region. By extension, any tower that would have manifested would have to be much weaker than one near his ind. Or that was what he hoped. He was still a novice when it came to those sorts of things ¨C every human on Earth was ¨C but the theory fit together well enough, as far as he could tell. And given that there was no more information avable at Ironshore¡¯s Branch of the World Tree, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever learn the truth without copious experimentation. Basically, he needed to challenge and conquer a variety of towers before he coulde to any viable conclusions. But before that, he needed to find the Norcastle region¡¯s tower. So, to that end, Elijah strode forward with a confident gait. He crossed a wide meadow before reaching the outskirts of the ruined town. The moment he passed the first building, though, he felt a steep rise in the ambient Ethera. It didn¡¯t feel like a dimensional rift, though. There was no mistaking that much. Rifts ¨C and towers, to an extent ¨C felt wrong in a way nothing else really could. This, byparison, felt natural. But even though his senses told him to rx, Elijah kept his guard up as he progressed through the town. Originally, he¡¯d intended to scavenge anything useful, but he quickly saw that the stores on either side of the street had long since been picked clean. Likely, the people of Norcastle were responsible. Still, Elijah continued to check each building. He wasn¡¯t certain what he hoped to find ¨C in fact, he had almost everything he needed ¨C but he wasn¡¯t going to pass up a golden opportunity just because hecked imagination or foresight. So, he went through each abandoned store with a proverbial fine-toothedb. And he found nothing of note. But as he searched the small town, Elijah felt the density of the ambient Ethera continuously increase. Eventually, he was following that more than he was looking for anything useful, and after almost two hours, he finally found the source. He caught a quick glimpse of it through the broken windows of an old appliance store before he hastily ducked back out of sight, his heart beating out of his chest. In only a second, he¡¯d already channeled Ethera into Shape of the Predator, and it only took a few more moments before he once again assumed the form of a scaled panther. When he did, he embraced the Guise of the Unseen, hiding him from view. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Only then did he allow himself to rx. He waited for almost a minute before his heartbeat slowed down. Then, crouching low and trusting his ability to keep him hidden, he slithered out from cover and searched for the creature that, before, he¡¯d only glimpsed. And there it was, in the back of the store, looming over a broken washing machine. Most of the store itself was empty, obviously having been plundered by Norcastle¡¯s scavengers. They had electricity, even if it was obviously in short supply, so the appliances were still useful for them. In any case, Elijah wasn¡¯t even remotely concerned with those sorts of mundane thoughts. Because a bear had mistaken the appliance store for a cave. It wasn¡¯t just any bear, though. The thing was enormous ¨C at least the size of a pr bear ¨C with mottled ck-and-red fur. But Elijah¡¯s gaze quickly flicked past the creature, and he saw the reason the enormous ursine had settled in the store. At first nce, it was obviously a mushroom. Red-and-white, which a stereotypically thick stalk and a bulbous cap, it was easily identifiable as a fly amanita. However, with a diameter of at least six feet, it was many timesrger than any mushroom Elijah had ever seen. And it was clearly the source of the thickened Ethera. Elijah could feel it with every cell in his body. Nerthus had often spoken of natural treasures. The ancestral tree with which the spirit was linked was one such treasure, but he¡¯d also intimated that the transformed world would be full of them. Once, Elijah had wondered how he might identify such a treasure. Now, though? Looking at that enormous mushroom ¨C and more importantly, feeling the waves of dense Ethera pulsing off of it ¨C Elijah no longer wondered. But what was he supposed to do with it? More importantly, whatever he decided, how was he going to deal with the bear? Was it an intelligent guardian like the panther had been? Or was it just a mutated animal? More importantly, did it matter? Because, judging by the bear¡¯s size ¨C and more urgently, the feeling Elijah got when he looked at the thing ¨C it was just as powerful as the panther had been. So, the source of that power, or rather, its origin, was somewhat a moot point. Elijah settled back on his haunches and watched, though the bear seemed lethargic. Probably due to the winter¡¯s onset. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the blizzards swept through the region, and it didn¡¯t take a biologist to suppose that the bear was settling down for hibernation. Perhaps that would give Elijah an opportunity. At first, he considered attacking the creature with every weapon he had at his disposal. Perhaps he could even take it out before it had a chance to respond. However, even if that was possible ¨C which he doubted ¨C Elijah¡¯s thoughts traced a different path. The bear had done nothing to him, and he couldn¡¯t stomach the idea of killing it for the simple crime of existing. With the spiders, his hand had been forced. They were in the way, and he couldn¡¯t have gotten through the pass without dealing with them. But the situation with the bear was different. It had done nothing to him. It didn¡¯t really pose a threat to him, either. In fact, he could easily bypass the overgrown ursine and continue on his way. And he would have, if it wasn¡¯t for the call of that amanita. So, if he didn¡¯t want to kill the bear ¨C or couldn¡¯t ¨C Elijah needed to find a different path to getting what he wanted. And it didn¡¯t take him long to remember how he¡¯d originally befriended the panther. A little fish could go a long way toward building a friendship. With that in mind, Elijah retreated and quickly set off toward a stream he¡¯d passed a few hours before stumbling upon the ruins of the nameless town. By the time he reached the stream, though, night had begun to fall, so he chose to set up camp rather than approach the bear at night. So, he built a fire, then settled in to eat a supper of dried meat, a few berries and mushrooms he¡¯d gathered along the way, and a piece of tbread he¡¯d gotten back in Norcastle. It was not a pleasant dinner, and he was once again reminded of the meals he¡¯d eaten back in the city. Or of the berries he grew on his ind. It was at that moment that he realized just how much he missed his Grove. He wanted to sleep in his bed. He wanted to tend to his garden. To catch his fish. He even wanted to eat his crabs. At some point, it had gone from a ce where he¡¯d washed ashore to an actual home. Thoughts of his Grove settled onto his mind until, atst, he fell asleep. Somewhere around midnight, he was awoken by something tickling against One with Nature, but when he looked around, he saw that the culprit was just a racoon. Elijah didn¡¯t shoo it away, and the small creature approached cautiously. It sniffed his extended hand, then skittered backward a foot or so. But it didn¡¯t flee. Instead, it came back, a little more confidently than it had before. Over and over, it repeated the same motions until, atst, it seemed to ept that Elijah wasn¡¯t going to hurt it. Then, it settled down next to him, curled up at his hip, then promptly fell asleep. Elijah knew that was unnatural behavior for just about any wild animal, much less a roon. They were nocturnal, so the fact that it was sleeping at night was a bit of a red g. So, with as gentle a touch as he could manage, Elijah reached out and used Touch of Nature on the little ball of fur. Immediately, he felt a host of parasites in the thing¡¯s stomach. They might¡¯ve been worms. Or something else native to the new world. However, they were sucking the life right out of the little creature. So, Elijah used his healing ability to banish the parasites. Idly, he wondered how that worked. How did the spell know not to heal the parasites instead of the roon? Was it based on his perception? He¡¯d done something simr with himself on enough asions that that exnation made as much sense as any other, but he resolved to ask Nerthus when he returned to the Grove. In the meantime, he healed his new friend, and when he¡¯d finished, the little roon fell into an even deeper slumber. Elijah did as well, though he was careful to once again ensure that One with Nature was active so that the passive awareness it granted would alert him of any threats. That took him all the way until morning, when the roon stirred, waking him. Elijah opened his eyes and nced at the little critter, and with a yawn, asked, ¡°Feeling better?¡± It predictably didn¡¯t answer. Instead, it just scurried away, disappearing into a nearby bush. ¡°No ¨C don¡¯t thank me. It was the least I could do,¡± he muttered to himself. Then, he shook his head and let a wry smile y across his face as he said, ¡°What did I even expect? A talking roon? C¡¯mon, Elijah. You know better than that.¡± With that, he reached into his pack and retrieved his homemade fishing line. He¡¯d always intended to get some back in Ironshore, but in all the hustle and bustle of buying the rest of his supplies, he¡¯d forgotten. Still, his hand-made line and hooks were more than capable of doing the job. So, he got to his feet, then headed toward the stream. That¡¯s when he realized that his equipment was poorly suited for the job at hand. He saw the fish, but they simply weren¡¯t inclined to be caught. So, after spending almost an hour in a fruitless attempt at fishing, Elijah shifted into his Guardian form and channeled his inner bear. And with his incredible Strength pushing his body to ridiculous heights, he had no issues with pping the water so hard that it stunned the nimble fish. After that, it was simple to grab them and toss them onto shore. Before another hour had passed, he had almost two dozen silvery trout. Hopefully, that would be enough. However, before he headed back to the town with his intended offering, he gutted one of the fish, fileted it, then roasted the results over his fire. He still wasn¡¯t a good cook, but brook trout were difficult to screw up too badly. Once that was done, he broke his fast, then wove some cordage through the trouts¡¯ mouths before slinging the lot over his shoulder and heading back to town. His n was simple enough. Bears were already intelligent creatures, and they had a long history of peaceful coexistence with humans. Sure, they were wild animals, and they should always be treated as such, but so long as he yed his cards right, Elijah felt certain that his offering of food, coupled with the subtle pacifying effect of One with Nature, would see him through to an alliance with the hulking creature. Even so, he was more than a little nervous when the appliance store came into view. He could still see the bear ¨C or more, the shadow of the creature ¨C inside. But even when he approached, slowly and deliberately, the monstrous animal didn¡¯t respond. Then, suddenly, it lifted its massive head and sniffed the air. ¡°I¡¯m a friend,¡± Elijah said in an even tone. The bear sniffed again, then shifted its bulk. Elijah knew just how quickly bears could move, so he was on guard. As it turned out, it wasn¡¯t necessary. The bear eyed him for a long moment, then huffed and settled back down. Elijah rxed. A little. But he knew he was still on thin ice, so he pulled the bundle of fish off his back, then tossed it at the bear¡¯s front paws. ¡°All yours,¡± he said. The bear wasted no time before digging in and devouring one fish after another. Elijah sat down, his back to the wall, and crossed his legs. He could spring to his feet in less than an instant, and he had a full core of Ethera, so he felt confident that he could escape at a moment¡¯s notice. But he didn¡¯t want to. Instead, he waspelled to coexist with the creature. Whether it was by virtue of his archetype or something else, he wasn¡¯t sure. But it was there, all the same. More importantly, with the bear seemingly having epted his presence, Elijah could bask in the dense Ethera wafting off the giant mushroom. And the moment he let himself feel it ¨C really feel it ¨C he realized that it was the piece of the puzzle he¡¯d been missing in his attempts at advancing his Mind cultivation. Book 2: Chapter 21: Quartz Book 2: Chapter 21: Quartz Waves of dense Ethera crashed against Elijah¡¯s mind, threatening to envelop and overwhelm him, and yet, he endured, bracing himself for each impact. It was the only thing that kept him from beingpletely engulfed by the magical energy. Just before thetest wave mmed into him, he opened the aperture of his mind as wide as he could. The results were predictable, and yet, still surprising. The flow of dense Ethera threatened to rip him apart as it rushed through his mind and into his soul. There, most of it dissipated, evaporating into nothing before a trickle entered his core. He held the aperture open for only a second, but in that time, he very nearly tore his mind to pieces. When he closed his mind, he copsed into panting exhaustion as his hands mmed into the mud-covered floor of the appliance store. For a few seconds, he knelt there, his mind and body twisting into knots. Gradually, though, he mastered himself, and after a couple of minutes, he managed to force his eyes open. Elijah flinched back when he saw a wet snout and a pair of glistening brown eyes only a handful of inches from his face. The bear wasn¡¯t having it. Instead, it advanced, then snorted, sending a mist of mucus and other wet gooeyness to coat his face. ¡°Oh,e on, man¡­¡± It snorted again, then sat on its backside like a trained circus bear. ¡°Seriously? Again? I just fed you,¡± Elijahined. That got a low growl in response. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. You¡¯re perfectly capable of hunting your own food. I can¡¯t spend all my time fishing. I¡¯m on the clock here.¡± Indeed, he¡¯d been trying to cultivate his mind and reach the next stage for the past three days, and he knew that if he didn¡¯t make a breakthrough soon, he¡¯d need to move on without reaching his goal. The tower was still a threat, and if he didn¡¯t challenge it soon, another surge woulde. And then, more people would die. His cultivation wasn¡¯t worth that. Elijah told himself that he would¡¯ve already gotten to the next stage if it wasn¡¯t for the bear¡¯s greed. His n of offering it a meal had backfired, and now, it expected him to run off and catch some fish each time its stomach rumbled. And given its size, that was quite a frequent urrence. So far, he¡¯d acquiesced to the animal¡¯s demands, mostly because it was a bear the size of a Honda Civic. But he was nearing the end of his rope.Still, once he managed to get his body and mind under control, Elijah pushed himself to his feet, gathered his staff and pack, then shifted into his scaled panther form. He didn¡¯t do so for its stealth orbat capabilities; rather, he knew that, of his three forms ¨C human, scaled panther, and guardian ¨C the predator form was by far the fastest. That was because it increased both his Strength and Dexterity attributes by a significant amount. So, that form, coupled with his personal enhancements and Essence of the Wolf, gave him the ability to traverse the terrain with incredible crity. So, he reached the stream in only a few minutes. When he did, he quickly started swatting the fish out of the water. Fishing in his scaled panther form required a different strategy than doing so as a guardian, but it was at least as efficient. Soon enough, Elijah had caught almost thirty fish. Once he¡¯d gotten enough, he switched back to his human form, threw the fish into his pack ¨C he didn¡¯t like it, but that was the best and most efficient way to get a lot of fish to the bear ¨C then, shifted back into his predator form for the trip back. Predictably, he found the bear right where he¡¯d left him. ¡°This is it,¡± he said, resuming his human form and tossing the fish at the ursine. ¡°No more until I finish.¡± The bear snorted, then started to noisily devour the offered pile of fish. Not for the first time, Elijah considered shifting back into one of his animal forms and attacking the greedy, slothful beast. But he suspected that that wouldn¡¯t end well for either of them. So, he restrained himself, then crossed the abandoned appliance store and set himself atop a mostly destroyed dishwasher. That was as close as he could get to the amanita without actually touching it ¨C which would be a mistake, as he¡¯d found out on his first day in the appliance store. Even a tiny brush against the thing¡¯s cap had made Elijah so ill that it had taken so many casts of Touch of Nature to heal him that his core had gone dry. And in the interim, he¡¯d been miserable, spewing from both ends. It had taken every ounce of his self-control to keep himself casting. No ¨C he had no interest in repeating that, so he got as close as he dared, then settled back down to meditate. As it had every time in the vicinity of the enormous mushroom, the moment he opened the aperture of his mind, the Ethera came pouring in. Elijah¡¯s first instinct was to flinch away from the torrent ¨C he had the first few times ¨C but he shoved that instinct aside and forced the aperture of his mind to remain open. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The Ethera flooded his soul, then, slowly, began to seep through his pores before dissipating back into the air. Over and over, Elijah flexed the aperture, forcing it wider and wider until it became physically painful. Still, he kept going, and soon enough, he started to pull against the current. He needed more Ethera. So, with one half of his mind, he grabbed ahold of the torrent of Ethera, pulling it with all his might. And with the other half, he forced the aperture wider. The Ethera filled him, body, mind, and soul. And yet, he still didn¡¯t progress. He felt confident that the effect of his cultivation on his Regeneration had been increased, but it wasn¡¯t enough to push him over the edge to the next stage. Something was missing. With most of his conscious thought upied with the Mind exercises, Elijah had trouble focusing on the problem at hand. However, soon enough, an errant thought skittered across his mind. To achieve the Opal Mind, he¡¯d had to channel Ethera into the partition he¡¯d created so he could deal with the effects of his locus. So, what if that was what was missing? What if he needed to bolster that partition? Desperate to make progress, Elijah did just that, breaking the flow of Ethera into two. One went into his soul, then misted into the air. But the other went into the partition he¡¯d created. Most of the time, Elijah didn¡¯t even think about it. It was just there, and it kept him from being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information that came with his Domain. However, as he focused on it, he couldn¡¯t deny that it was a beautiful, almost tangible thing. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if he was simply imagining it, or if it truly was the webwork of Ethera that it seemed to be, but hetched onto the idea that it was thetter. And he used the onught of Ethera to enhance it. Soon enough, one strand of Ethera became two. And two became three. The web slowly transitioned into a three-dimensional thing that epassed his entire Mind. Before, it had simply separated it into two halves, but by the time Elijah was finished, it had be something far moreplex. Still, it wasn¡¯t until he received a notification that he recognized it for what it was:
Congrattions! You have cultivated a Quartz Mind!
Quartz. The ethereal structure in his mind looked like a faceted gem. A rough one, barely more than a natural stone, but it was unmistakable. On top of that, instead of two separate pieces, it had been divided into nine. And in the center of each one was a miniature aperture. None were asrge or as wide as their predecessor, but collectively, they could handle far more Ethera. Elijah couldn¡¯t be certain, but after a little testing, he guessed that the effect of his Regeneration on his ability to regain Ethera had been improved by at least twenty-five percent. It wasn¡¯t quite as dramatic as it had been when he¡¯d first cultivated the Opal Mind, but it was a sizable increase, nheless. He was tempted to stay and see if he could work on the rest of his cultivation, but there were two problems with that. The first was that he didn¡¯t really have any hints as to how he might go about it. He¡¯d tried to simply repeat the actions that had put him on the path of cultivation in the first ce, but he¡¯d had very limited sess. So, he would have to spend precious time figuring it out before he could even make any progress. It had taken months of practice ¨C every chance he¡¯d gotten, he had cultivated his Mind ¨C to prepare for the final push into Quartz. And he suspected it would be a simr path with the other facets of cultivation. However, more pressing was the simple fact that he needed to enter the tower sooner rather thanter or the people of Norcastle would suffer the consequences of his inaction. He couldn¡¯t stomach having that on his conscience, so, after he¡¯d gotten a handle on the new structure of his Quartz Mind, Elijah pushed himself to his feet. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it,¡± he said to the bear, who hadn¡¯t bothered to move. It had only opened a single eye. ¡°I guess¡­well, goodbye. No more free fish for you.¡± If the animal cared at all, it gave no indication. So, with a sigh and a shake of his head, Elijah slipped off the old dishwasher, gathered his things, then reapplied his various enhancements. Once Essence of the Monkey, Aura of Renewal, and Essence of the Boar had been activated, he embraced Essence of the Wolf, then slipped into the Shape of the Predator, and left the little town behind. Over the next day and a half, Elijah traversed the wilderness. As always, he killed any Voxx he found ¨C which was only two, but he exterminated both of them with extreme prejudice. And slowly, he homed in on the location of the tower. As it turned out, the map was a little off, but with Elijah¡¯s incredible traversal speed, he had little trouble finding the structure. Unlike the first tower Elijah had challenged, which presented as a giant, headless statue just offshore of his ind, thetest tower took the shape of a featureless green obelisk. Its sides were entirely smooth, to the point where Elijah couldn¡¯t even see the seams of whatever stone that had been used in its construction. At its base were four smaller pirs, each about twenty feet tall and ending in a tapered point. The tower itself was at least twenty times that height, and it reminded Elijah of nothing so much as the Washington Monument back in the District of Columbia. He¡¯d only been to Washington, D.C. once, and that was back when he was in high school, but he distinctly remembered how awe-inspiring the giant monument to America¡¯s first president was. The green obelisk definitely had that same aura about it, and Elijah couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit intimidated by the simple majesty on disy. And that feeling was further enhanced by the thick Ethera hanging in the air. It was nothingpared to the ind, but it was much denser than anywhere else in the region, save for the immediate area around the amanita. Even if he hadn¡¯t known what the obelisk represented, the density of the ambient Ethera would have screamed its importance. For the next hour, Elijah slowly circled the structure. He quickly found the door ¨C a simple, square opening that led into imprable darkness ¨C but he ignored it at first. Instead, he wanted to get they of thend so that when he managed to conquer the tower, he would know what he was exiting into. As it turned out, there wasn¡¯t anything notable about the area. A few scattered trees decorated the meadow in which it was located, but Elijah couldn¡¯t find any wildlife. Likely, they¡¯d all been scared away by the surges. So, after he¡¯d satisfied his curiosity, Elijah took a deep breath, checked his supplies for what felt like the hundredth time, then strode forward and into the tower. Book 2: Chapter 22: The Back Door Book 2: Chapter 22: The Back Door One moment, Elijah was striding across a meadow and through a big, blocky doorway, and the next, his bare foot touched down in something warm, wet, and squishy. That alone would have been bad enough ¨C especially when it got between his toes ¨C but what made it even worse was the horrid stench that suddenly enveloped him. ¡°Oh, God,¡± he muttered to himself as he tried not to gag. He was markedly unsessful, especially when he had the chance to truly take in his surroundings. Before him stretched a wide body of water, from the center of which rose a steep edifice topped by a menacing wall. The water itself wasn¡¯t an inviting or cidke. Instead, it was a seething moat, below the surface of which writhed something Elijah¡¯s instincts told him was absolutely deadly. That water was also the source of the horrible stench tickling his nostrils. For a moment, Elijah had difficulty cing it; it was like rotten eggs mixed with vomit and hot garbage. But after only a few seconds, he recognized the smell for what it was. ¡°Sulfur,¡± he sighed, though he knew there was more to the smell than that. It was an odor usually associated with swamps, but after a brief look around, he discounted that possibility. Theke ¨C or moat, really ¨C notwithstanding, the area was incredibly arid, with very little in the way of vegetation to be found. Instead,rge, rocky pirs jutted up from the ground, twisting high into the sky, which was discolored by a setting sun. Beneath Elijah¡¯s feet was mud, or at least he hoped that was all there was, considering that, across the expanse of roiling water, Elijah saw a wide grate from which flowed some sort of disgusting sludge. The moment he realized that the area was inhabited, he shifted into his scaled panther form, then embraced Guise of the Unseen. And it was just in time, too, because only a few secondster, a loud screech filled his ears before a wide shadow fell over him. He looked up to see an enormous, winged creature soaring a hundred or so feet above his position. At a nce, it looked like a bat, but there were two issues with that assessment. First, even if his perspective was a little skewed by the distance, he judged its wingspan to reach at least thirty feet. Maybe as much as fifty. And that would make it ten times the size of even thergest bat back on Earth.But that was within Elijah¡¯s experience. He¡¯d seen plenty of oversized animals, so he knew that his concept of proper size wasn¡¯t really relevant in terms of identifying creatures. After all, he only had to remember the size of the crabs on his ind to confirm just how muchrger things could get in his new world. In any case, he was far more concerned with the second problem with his initial identification. He was no chiropterologist, but he felt confident that bats weren¡¯t supposed to have horns. Of course, that could have been a mutation, too. He¡¯d seen hares with horns back on his ind, so who was to say that giant bats couldn¡¯t have them as well? Elijah watched as the enormous, horned bat glided toward one of the jutting towers along the wall, where itnded. Just before it passed out of view, he caught a glimpse of something big and bulky upon the creature¡¯s back, but he had neither the time nor the visual acuity to identify the rider. Only once he¡¯d gotten his bearings did Elijah bother to read the notification he¡¯d received upon entering the tower:
Wee to Reaver¡¯s Citadel, Level One. To advance to Level Two,plete the task before you.
The Reaver¡¯s Citadel was obviously the keep positioned at the top of the teau in the center of theke. Elijah read the next notification:
Task: Reach the dungeon and defeat the Warden. Optional: Rescue the prisoner.
The moment Elijah read that there was an optional goal, he knew he was going to try to aplish it. Largely, that was because he knew that the towers graded performance, and the system created rewards based on that. For instance, he¡¯d gotten an S grade forpleting the Keledge Tower, and his reward had been the Shard of the World Tree, which Nerthus had imed was a treasure the likes of which shouldn¡¯t have existed on such a newly integrated world. And Elijah certainly wasn¡¯t immune to the call of cool, new equipment. His rings had already proven useful ¨C though he¡¯d btedly realized that leaving his name the same on his false identity as the listing on the Ladder had probably been enough to out him as more than he appeared to be ¨C so he figured that any new rewards would probably be just as beneficial. And if he was going to get a reward, he preferred that it was as high quality as he could get, which meant that he needed to not only conquer the tower, but he needed to do so in a way that the system recognized as extraordinary. This story has been uwfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. So, he needed toplete the optional task. Of course, he¡¯d have probably done so anyway, just based on the way it was phrased. And the environment. He wasn¡¯t sure what sort of people might live in such a ce, but he suspected that they wouldn¡¯t be a weing bunch ¨C especially with a name like Reaver¡¯s Citadel, which was quite evocative in all the wrong ways. So, it stood to reason that any prisoner of theirs might just turn out to be Elijah¡¯s ally. Or maybe he waspletely off-base, in which case he¡¯d need to reevaluate as he progressed through the tower. In any case, he couldn¡¯t afford to stand around doing nothing. So, after getting his bearings, Elijah decided to circle the moat in order to further investigate the situation. A few feet from the water line, there was a sharp rise of about five feet, so Elijah crested that and looked around a little more. Most of the terrain was much the same as his first impressions had indicated. However, in the distance, he saw a few squat structures standing next to a long bridge that stretched across the water and to a yawning gate built into the base of the teau. Deciding that that was probably the easiest way in, Elijah stalked forward. Even with Guise of the Unseen masking his presence, he took great care to use the natural terrain to his advantage. He flitted from one rocky outcropping to the next, and as he did so, he was reminded of the American southwest. Specifically, he thought of the time he and his family had visited the Colorado teau when he was only a teenager. There, he¡¯d gotten his first taste of the desert, with its huge rock formations and arid climate. The area surrounding the Reaver¡¯s Citadel reminded him of that, though the terrain bore a deep red color he¡¯d never seen from an Earthlyndscape. As he slowly approached what he soon recognized as guard houses, the light began to fail. Dusk took hold, and Elijah got his first glimpse of the creatures who called the Reaver¡¯s Citadel home. The pair of humanoids guarding the bridge were both at least ten feet tall, and their body types were reminiscent of power lifters ¨C all solid, heavy muscle beneath ayer of fat. More importantly, they were clearly not human. With jutting tusks, bald heads, and huge, pointed ears, the creatures were most appropriatelybeled as ogres. Perhaps they were actually members of some other species, but Elijah could think of no name more suitable for the hulking humanoids. Both ogres wore pitch ck, metallic armor that looked more like cast iron than anything else. However, Elijah had enough sense to suppose that it was likely far more powerful than mundane iron. At the very least, it would be as strong as high-carbon steel, and that was if it wasn¡¯t magical in nature. If it was, Elijah really had no gauge for what to expect, except that he didn¡¯t want to find the limits of their equipment. Instead, he skirted around the guard houses, avoiding notice as he continued along the edge of the moat. The smell continued to be an issue, but he ignored it as he circled the moat. By the time he¡¯d reached his original position ¨C or a close approximation of it ¨C night had fallen, but he¡¯d found nothing else of note. So, as far as he could tell, he had two options. The first was to try to sneak past those two guards, cross the bridge, and enter the citadel that way. He had no idea what was on the other side of the bridge, but he suspected that he¡¯d find more ogres, at the very least. There was a good chance that there were other defenses as well, though he couldn¡¯t speak to what form they might take. Which led him to the other option, which centered on him crossing the moat and slipping through one of the grates and into what he hoped were drainage tunnels. They looked like they wererge enough to amodate even his guardian form, so Elijah didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have any issues fitting. But still, that wasn¡¯t his first objection to that option. No ¨C that distinction belonged to the smell. That, coupled with the sight of that sludge slowly oozing out of the tunnels, gave him a good idea what was going on, and he could confidently say that it was absolutely disgusting. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t meant for sewage. Maybe his nose had fooled him on that front. But he didn¡¯t think so, and for that reason, he shied away from what was obviously the optimal path. With that in mind, he found himself crouched approximately twenty feet from the two ogre guards. That close, they looked evenrger and far more menacing than they had from a distance, and Elijah¡¯s eyes kept flicking toward the huge battle axes they wore strapped to their backs. It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine that, with their obvious strength, the creatures were more than capable of bisecting him with a single blow. He crept close, taking one careful step at a time. With Guise of the Unseen, Elijah felt confident that he wouldn¡¯t be seen ¨C especially at night ¨C but he knew it was far from perfect. If he put one foot out of line, he would be seen. Fortunately, he had ample experience sneaking around. As it turned out, his confidence was entirely misced. The moment he came within ten feet of the guard house ¨C and the pair of ogres stationed on either side of the bridge¡¯s entrance ¨C a blindingly white light erupted into being. Suddenly, Elijah felt his stealth being stripped away and exposing him to the hulking ogres. For the longest of instants, he stared at them, and they stared right back at him. Then, confusion turned to rage, and without any more warning, the closest ogre ripped the axe off its back and leaped forward with a bestial roar. Elijah¡¯s instincts had been honed by much worse circumstances. In the Sea of Sorrows and the Primordial Jungle, he¡¯d often had to deal with ambush predators, so his reaction to the charging ogre waspletely intuitive. He crouched low, then dodged to the side just in time to avoid the descending de of the ogre¡¯s axe. The miss threw the creature off bnce, opening it up for a counterattack, but Elijah had no intention of getting into a straight fight. Instead, he used the opening to gather his wits and dash away. Both of the ogres roared angry challenges, but Elijah paid them no attention. Instead, he raced along the terrain, dodging behind rocky protrusions at every opportunity until, atst, the white light faded. But even then, he didn¡¯t slow. He kept running well after the reactivation of Essence of the Wolf told him that he¡¯d exitedbat. In fact, he circled the moat, racing across the terrain for miles along the circumference of the roiling body of water until, atst, he felt his safety was assured. Only then did he let himself slow to a stop. Elijah knew how fortunate he was to have escaped. Perhaps he could have defeated the ogres, but he knew it would have been a pyrrhic victory. Doubtless, that blindingly white light had been an rm, of sorts, and like all rms, it would have brought with it some sort of response. It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine that, if he¡¯d stayed and fought, he would have quickly been buried under a mountain of bulky ogres. No ¨C retreat had been the right choice. But now, if he was going to aplish his task, he only had one avable option. Once he¡¯d caught his breath, Elijah shifted back to his human form and, after using Eyes of the Eagle to look at the nearest grate, muttered, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to do this.¡± He didn¡¯t have much choice, though. So, he took a deep breath, getting a nose full of the foul odor in the process, then settled in to regenerate his Ethera. Once his core waspletely full, he renewed his enhancements, then switched to his guardian shape. What itcked in stealth, the form made up for in sheer durability. The scaled ape form had one other thing going for it, and that was the fact that it was much better suited to swimming than the predator form. Shaking his head, Elijah loped forward and waded into the water. Book 2: Chapter 23: Oozes of Indeterminate Origin Book 2: Chapter 23: Oozes of Indeterminate Origin The water was warm. And not the sort of warm one usually experienced in a bath, but rather, the kind that usually came when someone urinated in a pool. That was to say that it was absolutely disgusting, and it was made even more so by the stench invading Elijah¡¯s nostrils. It was so horrid that, for a brief moment, he considered going back. However, it only took the memory of those monstrous ogres ¨C or more importantly, the enormous weapons they wielded ¨C to keep Elijah paddling forward. Then, only twenty feet from shore, something brushed against his leg. It was only a tentative touch, but it was more than enough to hasten Elijah¡¯s stroke. Even as he put his immense strength to work, the water bubbled all around him. Suddenly, a hundred tentacles, each tipped with a hand of tinier and even more horrifying tendrils, burst from the water. Elijahshed out, shing the closest with his forews. They fell like wheat before a scythe, though with far more white, puss-like gore than woulde from any harvested nt, clearing his way. He didn¡¯t squander that brief opening, and with a mighty heave of his long arms, he cut through the water. Behind him, something roiled and sshed, but Elijah knew better than to look back. He had no interest in identifying whatever monster he¡¯d disturbed. One with Nature had already given him more information about the nigh-unidentifiable monstrosity than he ever wanted. He couldn¡¯t get a good picture, but he could sense a tangle of slimy tentacles and way too many eyes, which was more than enough to speed him along. The sound of sshing chased him through the water, but Elijah barely stayed ahead as he mbered toward the grate. His heart beat out of his chest as the tentacled creature tickled his heels, but he narrowly managed to reach the grate before it closed in on him. After grabbing hold of one of the bars, he levered himself out of the water and onto the thin ledge of the grate. Without hesitation, he yanked against the bar. And yet, it didn¡¯t move. With the tentacle monster bearing down on him, Elijah gripped the bar with both hands, then pulled with every point of his inted Strength attribute. It creaked under the stress, but still, it held fast. A tentacle whipped out of the water andshed his leg, then wrapped around his foot. It yanked.Elijah held onto the bar, and before the tentacle monster could pull him back into the water, he let out a grunt and summoned a level of power he didn¡¯t know he possessed. The bar screamed in protest, but Elijah kept pulling until, an momentter, it budged. It only moved half an inch, but it was like the breaking of a dam. With its integrity having been sundered, the bar quickly surrendered to his massive strength. However, it didn¡¯t break free. Instead, for all his efforts, it only bent just enough to widen the gap by a few extra inches. Elijah hoped it would be enough. So, he ripped his leg free of the tentacle ¨C which dislodged quite a few of his scales ¨C and before more could descended upon him, shifted back into his human form and narrowly squeezed between the bars. He barely made it before a dozen slimy tentacles fell upon the spot he¡¯d just vacated. Elijah rolled, then scrambled backwards as he beheld the monster he¡¯d only just escaped. And it was a true horror, with hundreds of bulbous eyes, a body that looked like a cross between a bullfrog and an octopus, and dozens of slimy, grasping tentacles. Suddenly, his decision to cross the moat seemed ill-advised. But in his defense, he¡¯d had no idea what horrors the water held, and he¡¯d been riding high on the seeming invincibility of his guardian form. But looking at that thing, Elijah knew that if he hadn¡¯t escaped its grasp, it was more than capable of killing him. That, more than anything else he¡¯d seen so far, hammered home just how much he had underestimated the tower. Certainly, he had every reason to think he could defeat it. However, he wouldn¡¯t do so easily, and if he didn¡¯t take just as much care as he had back in the Keledge Tower, he would end up just like the teams Captain Essex had sent into the Reaver Citadel. Elijah continued to back away, though the tentacle monster seemed incapable ¨C or at least unwilling ¨C to send its tendrils through the grate. For that, Elijah was grateful, but he wasn¡¯t going to trust it too far. So, he made certain to keep an eye on the creature until it retreated into the water. He still didn¡¯t rx, though. Instead, after seeing the shallow wound on his leg, Elijah cast Healing Rain and settled in to regenerate his Ethera. He wasn¡¯t missing much, but he didn¡¯t want to progress until he was at his best. A few minutester, the wound had healed, and he was in as good a condition as he could be. So, pushing himself to his feet, he took stock of his surroundings. The tunnel was made of well-worn stone, and it was absolutely covered in thick, green algae. Otherwise, it looked unremarkable, save for the stream of sludge flowing down its center. Elijah could see bits and pieces of bone in the bubbling goo, but otherwise, it was mostly unidentifiable. Or rather, he didn¡¯t want to think about what it probably was. Instead, he positioned himself on the edge of the tunnel where he could at least avoid stepping in it, then embraced Shape of the Predator. He shifted into a scaled panther, which, due to its horizontal posture, made the pipe seem far less confining. After he¡¯d assumed the proper form, he used Guise of the Unseen before setting off down the tunnel. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. For the first hundred feet, it was unremarkable and t, but soon enough, the passage took on a sharp incline. That was within Elijah¡¯s expectations, but what he hadn¡¯t counted on was the slick algae that made climbing that slope a pain. In the end, he had to deploy his ws and treat it like he was climbing a tree. Fortunately, his talons were sharp enough that they could gouge their way through stone, but that method meant his pace was much slower than it otherwise would¡¯ve been. In any case, Elijah chalked it up to the price he had to pay and continued on. For a while, nothing changed, and his path was entirely unobstructed, but then he reached arge, circr chamber positioned at the intersection of tunnels. Inside, the ground leveled off, but the interior of the circle was a wide cesspool. More importantly, there was a collection of gtinous creatures half submerged in that slurry of waste and water. Elijah hesitated at the tunnel¡¯s exit, remaining mostly hidden by the declining slope. He peeked over the lip and observed the amorphous blobs. Thergest was the size of a beachball, but the smallest Elijah could see was only about a foot across. The rest ¨C he counted ten of them, but he suspected there were many more beneath the surface of the cesspool ¨C were somewhere in between, with the majority skewing closer to thergest than the smallest. On the surface, they looked mostly harmless, but Elijah knew better than to trust that notion. Nothing in the tower was harmless. Even the mostly benign ulthrak on the first level of the Keledge Tower had been capable of killing him, and none of his experiences in either the Sea of Sorrows or the Primordial Jungle had suggested anything but more of the same. No - those harmless-looking balls of sludge were dangerous, even if Elijah had no idea how that danger might be presented. Still, he had no intention of finding out, so he continued to observe their behavior until he¡¯d established that the things didn¡¯t really do anything. Perhaps they fed on the miasma of water and waste. Or maybe they didn¡¯t eat at all. After all, there was nothing to suggest that the environments within towers had to be working ecosystems. For all Elijah knew, they were just there to hinder anyone who tried to enter the citadel by sewer. Fortunately, Guise of the Unseen seemed capable of hiding him from their senses, so he hoped that he would be able to bypass them altogether. With that in mind, he gradually padded forward until he¡¯d crested the lip dividing the chamber from the descending tunnel. There, he paused, ready to flee at a moment¡¯s notice. But the oozes didn¡¯t react to his presence at all. The closest was twenty feet away, so perhaps he was outside their sensory range. Once he¡¯d fully progressed into the chamber, he looked around, and it only took a few moments for him to work out how everything fit together. If he thought of the circr chamber as a clock, then at the twelve, three, six, and nine o¡¯clock positions, there were tunnels leading down, presumably to empty into the moat. Between each pair was another tunnel that sloped upward. Elijah felt certain that those would lead him into the citadel. That seemed to establish the route he needed to take, so, while keeping a close eye on the oozes, he carefully crept toward the closest tunnel that led upward. Thankfully, the room wasn¡¯t thatrge, and with the way everything was positioned, he didn¡¯t have far to go. Still, he had no interest in drawing the attention of the oozes, so he took his time as he covered that short distance. He was well-used to moving stealthily, but the rtively close proximity of the oozes ¨C as well as their indeterminate nature ¨C certainly ratcheted up the anxiety. So, Elijah was more than a little relieved when he finally reached his destination. Still, he didn¡¯t rx. Instead, he stopped at the mouth of the tunnel and settled in to observe. It was a good thing, too, because only a few momentster, a bulbous ooze came trundling down the tunnel, leaving a disgusting trail of slimy sludge in its wake. It moved deceptively fast, and its arrival was so surprising that Elijah almost found himself in a head-on collision. However, he sinuously dipped out of the way just in time for the thing to pass. Still, the thing sttered a bit of sludge on him with its passage, and Elijah had to suppress a pained yelp when it started eating through his scales. He suppressed it, then quickly scurried up the tunnel until he was out of range. Once he¡¯d reached the rtive safety, he shifted out of his predator form. Unsurprisingly, that only made things worse,rgely because he was no longer protected by his durable scales. Still, he pushed the pain aside just long enough to unsling his pack and retrieve one of his jugs of water. Then, biting his lip, he washed the ooze away before, atst, using Touch of Nature. Distressingly, it took three casts of the healing spell before the pain faded, and another couple before the damage was reversed. That, as much as anything, told Elijah that his choice to avoid those oozes was the correct one. But he knew he wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet. Thatst ooze hade from somewhere, and he had a feeling that it wasn¡¯t a one-time thing. So, as soon as he¡¯d healed, he only paused long enough to allow himself to regenerate enough Ethera to fuel Shape of the Predator. Once he had enough in his core, he cast the spell, resumed his scaled panther form, then embraced Guise of the Unseen. Thus hidden, he mounted the upward slope and continued on his way. It only took a couple of minutes of gradual progress before he saw another ooze sliding toward him. With no other way to avoid it, Elijah leaped, then used the side of the tunnel to vault over the thing. Still, he came close enough that he was sprayed by a few more drops of that caustic ooze. But this time, Elijah didn¡¯t intend to take the time to heal. Instead, as soon as his feet hit the ground, he raced up the incline. Moving as quickly as he could without discarding his stealth altogether, he quickly reached a switchback. There, he saw a couple more oozes, though these two were moving back and forth in the tiny, square space. Elijah paused only long enough to discern the pattern, then put that knowledge to good use as he timed his passage to narrowly miss them both. He did pick up a few more drops of caustic mucus, though; that just added to his mounting pain as he continued on his way. Over and over, he repeated the same steps until, atst, he passed beneath another iron grate. Looking up, it took him a few moments to discern that it was a drain that ran the length of the floor above. He followed it for a few seconds until he finally found the source of all those oozes. Just above was a huge, humanoid creature with toxic green skin and bulbous features. More distressingly, it was absolutely covered in what looked like pus-filled boils. Elijah watched as one burst, but instead of spewing liquid, it erupted with one of the familiar oozes. The thing quickly slipped through the grate and began its long trek toward the cesspool far below. For his part, Elijah easily avoided it as it went on its way, but his mind churned with questions. The most prevalent one, though, had to do with the fact that the huge monster ¨C which he¡¯d decided to think of as a troll ¨C was bound by thick, iron chains. Was this the prisoner he was meant to free? Book 2: Chapter 24: A Potential Ally Book 2: Chapter 24: A Potential Ally A steady flow of gtinous sludge dripped down into the drainage tunnel. The smell alone was enough to turn Elijah¡¯s stomach, but he was even more concerned with the persistent drops clinging to his scales. Most of them were confined to his upturned face, which made it all the worse. Furtherplicating his situation was the enduring pain of the caustic ooze still burning its way through his scales. It wasn¡¯t enough to derail his thoughts ¨C especially after he¡¯d spent so much time in the belly of an orca ¨C but it was just distracting enough to be a constant irritation. Elijah ignored it, though not without a significant expenditure of willpower. Thankfully, that was where his Mind cultivation came in handy. In addition to increasing the effect of his Regeneration attribute ¨C and by no small degree ¨C it had also further partitioned his mind into nine distinct sections. It wasn¡¯t quite like having nine brains working for him, but it did give him the ability to quarantine distractions in such a way as to let him focus on the task at hand. One of those sections was dedicated to the awareness of his Domain back on the ind, another focused on One with Nature, and a third housed the pain waging a steady war through his body. The other six were entirely focused on climbing the tunnel wall toward a shaft that would lead him to the floor above. Inch by inch, he climbed, moving so deliberately that it took him full minutes to move each foot. His caution wasn¡¯t unfounded, either. The troll, despite its clear captivity, was the size of a fully-grown bull elephant, and Elijah wanted nothing more than to avoid its notice. One slip-up, and the thing could tten him without even trying to. And if he actually drew the thing¡¯s ire? He didn¡¯t want to consider that. So, he climbed and he hid, cloaked by Guise of the Unseen, and he eventually, he reached the six-foot shaft that led topside. It was only about two feet wide, which meant that in his scaled panther form, it would be a tight fit. However, he didn¡¯t dare shift back into his smaller human form. Doing so would rob him of his stealth, and that would almost assuredly spell disaster. With that in mind, he resigned himself to a brief bout of ustrophobia as he wedged himself into ce. The going was tough, mostly because he couldn¡¯t extend his ws more than an inch or two. However, Elijah was nothing if not persistent, and he slowly covered the distance to the top of the shaft. Fortunately, the grate meant to cover the top had rusted away, meaning that he could barely fit through. Still, it was an even tighter fit than the shaft itself, and as he dragged himself through, the shards of rusted iron that had once been the grate scraped painfully against his scales. The remnants of the grate were incapable of piercing his natural armor, but it was still incredibly ufortable. He shifted that difort into another partition in his mind. Meanwhile, the troll¡¯s pustules continued to burst, sending a steady stream of oozes to collect in the cistern far below. And even though the massive creature was only ten feet away, Elijah forced himself to ignore it, save for a basic awareness of its position.In the end, that sliver of attention saved his life. Elijah had no idea what had alerted the troll, but one second, the thing was sitting and staring into nothing, and the next, an enormous fist was falling in Elijah¡¯s direction. He ripped himself free of the shaft, the sudden movement tearing one of his scales free, thenunched himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the descending fist. It hit with thunderous impact, shaking the floor and sending Elijah off-bnce. He quickly righted himself ¨C partially due to his inted Dexterity attribute, but also because of the instincts of the scaled panther whose form he¡¯d taken ¨C then bounded away. The troll roared in fury, erupting into violent motion as it dove for the intruder. Elijah used every point of Strength he possessed to propel himself forward, but the Troll¡¯s might clearly outstripped his own. The result was inevitable. Elijah knew it even as he felt the monster gaining on him with every passing millisecond. But just before it caught up, the sound of rattling chains heralded Elijah¡¯s saving grace. The bindings pulled taut, stopping the troll in its tracks. It roared in frustration, anger, and obvious agony as it reached out with dirty, meaty fingers, but by that point, Elijah was far out of range and sheltering on the other side of the room, where he turned to face the bound monster. It was entirely contained by the thick chains attached to the manacles on its wrists and ankles, but still, Elijah wasn¡¯t as worried about the metal as he was about the brickwork to which the bindings were attached. However, it quickly became clear that he was worried about nothing. Well ¨C not nothing. The troll was certainly worth every ounce of trepidation Elijah could muster. And yet, it was obviously incapable of attaining its freedom. Otherwise, it would have already done so. Even so, it certainly presented a problem in that it had clearly detected him. Until he lost its attention, he wouldn¡¯t be slipping back into the sheltering embrace of Guise of the Unseen. With that in mind, he reluctantly turned his back on the vering monster and took stock of his location. The good thing was that the room was plenty big enough for the both of them. Bound as it was, the troll couldn¡¯t reach past the room¡¯s halfway mark. But the good news came with a significant degree of ill tidings,rgely due to the fact that the room looked like nothing so much as a jail cell. Aside from the tentative confirmation that the troll was the prisoner his optional task had charged him with freeing, that meant that Elijah was trapped. The room¡¯s lone exit ¨C which wasrge enough to permit passage from something even asrge as the troll ¨C stood on the other side of the cell, and it was barred by a door made of ancient timbers bound by thick iron bands. Elijah finally let Shape of the Predator fall away and resumed his human form. His bare feet were silent against the cold and mmy stone floor as he crossed the intervening distance and grabbed hold of the door¡¯s ring-like handle. To Elijah¡¯s dismay, when he tried to push or pull it open, it remained steadfastly stuck in ce, assuredly due to a lock on the other side. ¡°Stuck,¡± he muttered to himself, confident that his voice wouldn¡¯t carry over the sound of the still-raging troll. He fell to his haunches, then began the arduous task of healing himself from his previous contact with the oozes. As before, the caustic burns stubbornly resisted his efforts, but he pushed through it, using far more Ethera than healing such small wounds should have required. Meanwhile, the troll continued to growl and spit, but Elijah mostly ignored it. Bound as it was, the monster posed little danger. However, he wasn¡¯t so arrogant that he didn¡¯t devote one of the nine facets of his Mind to keeping tabs on the creature. This novel is published on a different tform. Support the original author by finding the official source. It was due to this small bit of attention that he came to realize that the monster wasn¡¯t simply angry. Nor was it feral. It was in pain, a factor made obvious by its bloodshot eyes and the increased volume of its screams that apanied each popped pustule. Elijah crouched, his staff across his knees as he gave the situation some thought. The nature of towers was a little confusing. On the one hand, the environments were clearly manufactured, and that meant that there were intended paths to victory. However, on the other, there were less obvious ways to ovee each obstacle. So, he wasn¡¯t limited by the system¡¯s intentions. But the fact that his task had mentioned the prisoner meant that it might be the key to victory ¨C at least for the first task. Elijah was busy giving that some thought when the sound of a turning lock assaulted his ears. Or maybe he¡¯d felt the ogre on the other side via One with Nature. Sometimes, his senses mingled together, obscuring the actual source. Either way, he leaped to his feet and, at the same time, shifted into a scaled panther. It was just in time, too, because at that moment, the door swung open, admitting an ogre. However, this ogre wasn¡¯t like the others. It was just as tall, but instead of being built like a powerlifter, its body type could best be described as morbidly obese. Roles of fat cascaded down its body, squishing together until Elijah couldn¡¯t tell where one ended and another began. He just had time to note its attire ¨C a fur-covered loincloth held in ce by a thick, leather belt ¨C before he sprang into motion. His ws shed, ripping into the ogre¡¯s stomach. The flesh parted easily, spilling blood and fat onto the floor, but it wasn¡¯t the disemboweling blow Elijah had hoped it would be. More, the ogre responded far more quickly than its body type might¡¯ve suggested, and its fist smashed against a bounding Elijah mid-air, the impact hitting him in the ribs and sending him skidding across the jail cell¡¯s stone floor. He came to a sudden stop when he mmed into the wall. He felt his bones crack under the impact, but he shunted the agonizing pain into its own facet of his mind, and it was a good thing, too, because he needed all of his avable concentration to avoid the ogre¡¯s follow-up blow. He leaped to the side as its pudgy foot came crashing down, narrowly missing his darting form. But Elijah knew better than to fight an entirely defensive battle, so he dashed in, raking his ws across the back of the ogre¡¯s leg. Muscle split under the influence of Elijah¡¯s ws, and the ogre stumbled. That allowed him to leap upon its back, where he dug his ws into its bulbous flesh. Then, snapping out like a striking snake, hetched his jaws onto the base of its skull. Harnessing every point of Strength he could muster, he flexed the muscles of his jaws, and after a brief moment of resistance, he was rewarded with the sound ¨C and feel ¨C of crushing bone. The ogre iled as it desperately tried to dislodge him. However, the creature¡¯s pudgy arms were just inflexible enough to keep it from reaching him. So, even as Elijah mped down on its skull, it mmed its back against the wall. With the full weight of its massive body behind the blow, the force it brought to bear was enough to crush multiple of Elijah¡¯s bones. Still, he held on, knowing that if he let go, the creature would be free to finish him off. He was already too injured to continue the fight in any other way, he continued to flex his jaw even while the ogre crushed him against the wall. Gradually, those cracking bones began to shatter, and then, suddenly, the integrity of the skull copsed entirely, giving Elijah free ess to the brains they were meant to protect. The taste of iron and salt yed across his tongue as his teeth ripped apart the ogre¡¯s brain. Still, it remained upright for a few moments until, atst, it could go on no longer. It fell forward, hitting the ground with a thunderous crash that threw Elijah free. A second after he rolled to a stop, he tried to rise, but too many of his bones were broken. The partition in his mind was incapable of holding back the tide of pain, and for a brief second, it enveloped him. Ruthlessly, Elijah thrust it back where it belonged, and with the weight of his willpower holding it in ce, he let his body shift back to human form. The moment he did, he realized just how dire his situation was. He hadn¡¯t been so injured since being digested by the orca guardian back in the Sea of Sorrows. He forced himself to look down at his body; one of his legs had been turned the wrong way ¨C a sure sign of apound fracture and probably a dislocated knee as well. He knew that it was even more serious than it appeared because, left like that, the blood flow would likely be interrupted, and the leg would die out. In addition to that, he had multiple broken ribs as well as what felt like someone stabbing him in his lower back. Finally, there were multiple other contusions, each signaling another problem. The only sce was that, even with all of his broken ribs, it didn¡¯t feel like any had punctured his lungs. ¡°Silver linings,¡± he muttered to himself as he looked up at the still growling troll. At least he wasn¡¯t covered in a bunch of caustic blisters like his cellmate. With a pained breath, Elijah channeled Ethera from his core and through his soul, fueling a cast of Healing Rain. A wave of relief washed over him as the soothing precipitation fell on his injuries, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough to heal him. Indeed, even Touch of Nature wouldn¡¯t do anything until he embarked on the arduous task of setting his broken bones. So, that was what he did. Reaching down, he grabbed his lower leg, then gently twisted it. Painnced through his shin and up the entirety of his leg. Nausea followed soon after, making him feel like vomiting. However, he persisted, knowing that if he wanted to keep his leg, it had to be done. At first, it wouldn¡¯t move, though. A gentle tug wasn¡¯t enough. He needed something altogether more violent. So, taking a deep breath, and with tears in his eyes, Elijah wrenched it back into ce. He let out a loud, agonized cry, and for a moment, he cked out from sheer shock. But he recovered his wits soon after, then continued the agonizing task of setting his broken bones. Being melted by stomach acid was painful, but there was something altogether different ¨C and arguably worse ¨C about the pain he was forced to endure while setting those bones. Some of that was due to the fact that he was inplete control of it, which made things so much worse. But it was also the differing nature of the pain. Either way, he wouldn¡¯t have wished either situation on even his worst enemies. Even so, Elijah kept going until, atst, he¡¯d aplished the feat. After that, it was a simple task of continuously casting Touch of Nature until he ran low on Ethera. Then, he rested until he¡¯d regained enough to repeat the cycle. Over and over, he kept going until, atst, he managed to banish the pain altogether. Not long after that, he¡¯d healed himself entirely. Once that was done, he sagged against the wall and nced over at the troll. Over the hours ¨C or it might¡¯ve been as much as a day ¨C since Elijah had begun his healing, the creature had grown ustomed to his presence. It still wasn¡¯t in a good mood, but it had at least stopped growling. Elijah was staring vacantly at the creature when something urred to him. Healing Rain had a diameter of around thirty feet, which meant that its edge extended just enough to affect the troll¡¯s lower legs. And to Elijahs surprise, where the rejuvenating precipitation had fallen ¨C continuously over the past day ¨C the cysts had all but disappeared. Was that why the troll had calmed down? The rest of its body was still just as disgustingly infected as the rest, but those legs ¨C they almost looked healthy. Elijah nced at the door, then back at the troll. He still hadn¡¯t aplished the first task, which was to defeat the Warden. That meant that the ogre he¡¯d killed wasn¡¯t the guardian of the level ¨C which was troubling, given how close it hade to killing him. Certainly, it hadn¡¯t been an optimal fight; the monster hade upon him when he was incapable of using Guise of the Unseen ¨C or Predator Strike ¨C but it was still a healthy reminder that towers were meant to be challenged by entire groups, and the difficulty reflected that. So, it was entirely possible that the Warden ¨C wherever it was ¨C might be far too strong for Elijah to defeat alone. Still ¨C he didn¡¯t have to be alone, did he? There was a potential ally only a dozen or so feet away. Elijah nced back at the troll, and as he did, an idea began to take shape. Book 2: Chapter 25: On the Road Book 2: Chapter 25: On the Road Snow gently fell, drifting down from the te gray sky as Carmen steadily trudged alongside the pickup truck. As heavilyden as it was, the vehicle could barely move more than a few miles per hour, and even that was only possible because of the incredible aplishments of a few Engineers. Electric motors still worked after the apocalypse, but far less efficiently than they had in the past. As a result, even electric cars ¨C or trucks, in this case ¨C were vastly underpowered. Still, considering that they¡¯d yet to find any proper beasts of burden ¨C and if they did discover a herd of horses or oxen, they would probably be mutated and wild ¨C it was the best way to moverge quantities of gear, supplies, and goods. The truck itself was one of seven they¡¯dmandeered for the trip out to the mine, though even that number seemed inadequate, considering how much they needed to do to get the settlement up and running. Fortunately, Easton¡¯s scouts as well as the men and women who worked asborers had already cut a path through the wilderness. It wasn¡¯t a road ¨C not precisely ¨C but it would make resupply much easier. Of course, that wasn¡¯t why Roman and his cronies had been so adamant about its construction. They didn¡¯t care about what went to the mining settlement; instead, they were only concerned about what came out. Roman had big ns for how he intended to use the cold iron to catapult his budding kingdom to the top of the region¡¯s pecking order. That was fine by Carmen, because after Alyssa¡¯s death, she¡¯d begun to pull back from the settlement she¡¯d helped found. And in that time, things had changed so much that she barely recognized it anymore. By all ounts, it was a sessful city. They were well set up for security, and nobody really went hungry anymore. However, it was so far removed from the culture they¡¯d lost in the apocalypse that it felt like an entirely different world. Many of the freedoms modern society had taken for granted had been discarded. Any criticism of the city¡¯s leadership ¨C or of Roman himself ¨C was met with swift reprisal in the form of banishment. The logic was that if someone disagreed with the way things were run, they could try to make their own way. Some had left voluntarily, but even more had been cast out into the wilderness, kicking and screaming all the way. Carmen could understand it, too, and from both sides. In Roman¡¯s favor was that his methods had turned Easton into a safe haven amidst the chaos of a changed and much more dangerous world. He provided protection and stability when both were in short supply. From his perspective, they had only survived because of his efforts, so having the methods by which he provided that survival questioned was tantamount to a p in the face. Even so, the idea that someone could be sentenced to death ¨C because that¡¯s what banishment usually meant ¨C over spoken criticism was absolutely abhorrent. And making it even worse was that Carmen knew that if Alyssa had been there, she wouldn¡¯t have allowed it to happen. But at least Roman hade around on the subject of Schrs and the subset of sses that came from the archetype. In the beginning, the benefits those people offered were far outweighed by the cost of keeping them safe and fed while supporting their progression. Now, though, Easton had the resources to spare, and what¡¯s more, they¡¯d developed a need for the sort of people who could ease the burden of bureaucracy. They still weren¡¯t treated particrly well ¨C at least not inparison to crafters orbatants ¨C but at least they weren¡¯t refused entry altogether, which was a step up from the previous policy.Whatever the case, Carmen had no interest in politics. She just wanted to get to the mine, get it working properly, and then progress her own path while raising her son. However, she couldn¡¯t escape the reality that Roman¡¯s policies could very well affect Miguel, so she knew she didn¡¯t have the luxury of just ignoring it. For now, though, she could focus on the things she could control. To that end, she continued to walk aside the slow-moving truck. She was far from the first line of defense ¨C there were dozens of scouts and otherbatants traveling along with the convoy ¨C but she remained alert regardless. She had also been wearing her armor almost constantly since leaving Easton a week before, and even if it was well-fitted, she was eager to get to their destination so she could go back to normal attire. It wasn¡¯t that it was too heavy. Her Strength attribute was more than capable of bearing the weight. But wearing a full suit of te armor for twelve hours out of each day was incredibly ufortable. The only upside was that the experience had already prompted her to incorporate some changes into her designs. Just as she was solidifying some of her ns in her mind, one of the scouts burst through the dense foliage, skidding to a stop just in front of Carmen. ¡°What is it now?¡± she demanded. The scout ¨C a stout young man who¡¯d only just gained his ss ¨C said, ¡°Iing. Apes of some kind.¡± He pointed back the way he¡¯de, saying, ¡°The others are slowing them down.¡± ¡°How many?¡± asked Carmen, her grip tightening on Destroyer¡¯s haft. Over the weeks since she¡¯d finished forging it, the hammer had proved its worth a hundred times over. Crossing the threshold from Crude to Simple grade had been a qualitative leap forward, and one she was more than capable of exploiting in battle. ¡°Ten at least. Maybe as many as twenty.¡± ¡°Iing!¡± Carmen bellowed in warning. The response was well-practiced as the trucks ground to a halt and the members of the caravan readied themselves for battle. Because the threat was omni-directional, the bulk of the responding force joined Carmen and the scout, but they knew better than to leave the other directions undefended. The result was a lopsided deployment with Carmen at the head. There were a few decently strongbatants at her nks, but none were the cream of Easton¡¯s crop. Indeed, almost everyone she¡¯d been given were, at best, green. At worst, they were the sort of below-average specimens Roman would have been d to send away. Whatever the case, Carmen was by far the highest-leveled person in the entire caravan, and even as a crafter, that meant she could bring quite a bit of force to bear. With her high-quality armor and powerful weapon, she was the lynchpin of any defense effort. As such, she positioned herself to take the brunt of any attack. Behind her, the Schrs and children took up their bows, slings, and other ranged weapons. They wouldn¡¯t do much damage, but when everyone¡¯s lives were at stake, everything counted. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Over the week since they¡¯d been on the road, the convoy had been forced to respond to a multitude of attacks, and from a wide variety of sources including carnivorous deer, curiously aggressive beavers, and a few Voxx. So, their response was well-practiced. Still, they hadn¡¯t escaped unscathed, and even with the pair of Healers included within their number, they¡¯d lost a few people. Such was life in their new world. The iing threat was heralded by the sound of a fighting retreat. Men and women shouted, as much as a response to the battle as to announce their position to the waiting caravaners. Then, the first few burst from the dense foliage on the side of the path and took up positions among the defenders. Another dozen joined them before, atst, the enemy arrived. They looked like chimps, though as was the case with most wildlife, they¡¯d been mutated by the onset of Ethera that had transformed the world. Their already impressive muscture was denser and more prominent, and they had grown sharp tusks as well. But at least they were norger. The idea of a gori-sized chimp was a truly terrifying concept. In any case, Carmen didn¡¯t have much time to consider such things before the first screeching chimp threw itself at her. She met its charge with a herculean swing of her hammer. With her lopsided attributes, it would¡¯ve been easy to think that she couldn¡¯t move with crity. However, that simply wasn¡¯t true. Because of her high Strength, she was capable of momentous bursts of speed; the only downside was that, withoutparable Dexterity, those sorts of maneuvers were incredibly difficult to control. That was why she had chosen a broad-headed hammer as her personal weapon. Swinging Destroyer didn¡¯t really require fine motor control, after all. The head of the hammer took the overly muscr chimp directly in its tusked face, and the momentum of the blow sent it tumbling back the way it came. It didn¡¯t stop until it hit the trunk of a tall pine tree, the impact shaking loose a cascade of pinecones and needles. But the creature wasn¡¯t killed. In fact, it was only stunned. That was the problem with the mutated wildlife. They were dangerous, sure, but they were also incredibly durable. Even with everyone¡¯s increased attributes,bating those animals often took an application of force that, in the old world, would have easily killed any organic being unlucky enough to find itself on the wrong end of those attacks. After that first attack, the other chimps fell upon the defenders. All around, people activated various skills. Some were subtle ¨C like a gentle flow of Ethera around a weapon ¨C but others were a little more bombastic. However, Carmen hadn¡¯t been allowed any dedicated Mages or Sorcerers. Those, ording to Roman, were necessary for Easton¡¯s defense, and they were too vulnerable to send out into the wilderness. So, the fight took a lot longer than it otherwise would have if they¡¯d had ess to the sort of devastating spells a Wizard or Elementalist could bring to a fight. Still, Carmen fought on, wading into the battle secure in the knowledge that her armor would protect her. Others couldn¡¯t say as much, and the sounds of woundedbatants joined in with the chimps¡¯ screeches. She ignored that, though. At one point, she might¡¯ve tried to be everywhere at once, but that was a path to ruin. She wasn¡¯t a dedicatedbatant, and as such, she could only rely on her equipment and high attributes to see her through. Others weren¡¯t so limited, though no one was high enough level to truly affect the battle alone. As a result, teamwork and organized tactics proved to be the deciding factor. The chimps were powerful ¨C far more so than any individual in the convoy ¨C but they were also animals. As such, they didn¡¯t fight with anything approaching a cohesive strategy, and that difference saw the defenders through to victory. Still, it took hours until, atst, there were only a few left. Those were quickly dispatched until only a single wounded chimp faced off against Carmen. It was the biggest and strongest of the entire pack, and so, it would be thest to fall. Carmen stepped forward, mming her hammer into its side. It tried to dodge, but it could do nothing to avoid the follow up attack. With a sledgehammer strike that absolutely destroyed the skull of thest chimp, Carmen finished the battle. Looking around, she saw a few injured warriors, but miraculously, none had died. That was probably due to the Healers¡¯ intervention, but it may well have been because of the group¡¯s experience. They¡¯d fought quite a few battles along the way, so it would¡¯ve been odd if they didn¡¯t get better at it. She nced back toward the truck to see Miguel standing in the bed, bow in hand and mostly empty quiver at his hip. He didn¡¯t have an archetype yet, but he¡¯d already proven himself a talented archer ¨C which was just fine by Carmen. Anything that kept him out of the thick of battle was great, especially if it gave him the tools to survive when things inevitably went wrong. To that end, he¡¯d been training with the scouts and even taking lessons from some of the otherbatants. The problem was that most of them had, only a few years before, led absolutely ordinary lives doing mundane jobs. There was only so much Miguel could learn from construction workers or ountants. Even so, in the two-and-a-half years since the apocalypse had begun, Miguel had learned to handle himself with a handful of weapons. And he¡¯d continue to train with those until he was given the opportunity to choose an archetype when he turned fourteen. That was still a few years away, but Carmen hoped that he would learn enough to set himself apart and gain a host of solid options. She quickly found the man in charge of thebatants. Technically, he had equal standing with her, but Colt had made it clear from the very beginning that he saw her as the expedition¡¯s true leader. Largely, this was based on the immense respect with which he¡¯d held Alyssa, but it was also the result of his single-minded pursuit of personal strength. Either way, she appreciated it, if for no other reason than that she knew just how disastrous having two leaders could be. The man himself was a little over average height, with rtively narrow shoulders, a thick ck beard, and only stubble on his head. In his hand was a katana that Carmen had forged herself; it was still Crude grade, but it was still one of her better pieces, and she knew from experience that Colt was well-suited to using it. In terms of levels, he was in the top fivebatants in Easton, but in terms of actual skill, he was probably the most dangerous person in the settlement. Which was probably why Roman had sent him away. Like Alyssa before him, he¡¯d made a habit of throwing himself into the thick of things, and his reputation had seen quite a boost because of his penchant for saving people. Perhaps that was what would¡¯ve happened to Alyssa, if she had lived. Maybe Roman would have sent her away, too. Colt took off his wide-brimmed cowboy hat that was his personal affectation and wiped his forearm across his forehead before saying, ¡°Could¡¯ve been a lot worse.¡± ¡°Yeah. How far do we have until we get there?¡± she asked. ¡°Because we can¡¯t keep going like this indefinitely.¡± ¡°A day. Maybe two before the scouts get into range. Another couple of days for the rest of us.¡± Carmen shook her head. ¡°To think, there was a time when we would¡¯ve been able to cover this much ground in a day. Wish these hunks of junk could go a little faster.¡± Colt spat on the ground and said, ¡°Not really my department. You want someone or something cut in half, I¡¯m your guy. You want to figure out how to make cars run right? That¡¯s more like your thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no Engineer. I just smack hot metal with a hammer,¡± Carmen pointed out as she watched Colt use a spare bit of cloth to clean the blood and bits of chimp flesh from his de. ¡°If it was just a normal engine, I could maybe do something. But these electric motors?¡± She shook her head, then said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there are some Engineers back home who are trying to implement Ethera into the process. I¡¯m not sure how that works, but I think I speak for everyone when I say I hope they figure it out soon.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t get any argument from me.¡± With that, they began the process of tending to the wounded and getting moving again. Soon enough, the sun started to dip below the horizon, and Carmen called for a halt. After spending the next hour making camp, she settled in with Miguel next to a fire. After Alyssa¡¯s death, he barely spoke anymore. Hopefully, getting the mine set up would give them both a fresh start. Book 2: Chapter 26: Troll on the Loose Book 2: Chapter 26: Troll on the Loose The odious smell that permeated the dungeon had grown no less pervasive, but Elijah ignored it as he stalked forward. On either side of the hall were more cages not dissimr from the one in which he¡¯d left the troll. However, they were mostly empty, and the ones that were upied contained only corpses of fearsome beasts. The only ones Elijah recognized were smaller trolls, but even those were so gue-stricken that he could barely make the connection between them and the sole living monster within the dungeon. Certainly, he hadn¡¯t intended to empathize with that creature, but after seeing what had happened to the other prisoners within the dungeon, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for the troll. Whatever it had done to earn its captivity certainly wasn¡¯t enough to force it to endure the torturous existence with which it had been afflicted. Making it worse was that, ording to the Ulthraks back in the Kelledge Tower, there was a good chance that a real consciousness was buried somewhere inside that monstrous form. The thought sent a shiver up Elijah¡¯s spine. Gradually, he progressed through the dungeon, memorizing the twists and turns of its disgusting hallways along the way. He saw a few more ogre jailers, but there was nothing to indicate that any of them were the Warden he sought toplete his Task. Still, after exiting the troll¡¯s cell and leaving its curiously attentive gaze behind, Elijah had no issues hiding from the ogre jailers. But it only took the memory of his previous fight to tell him that attacking those bulky creatures was a mistake. Even with the benefit of Predator Strike on his side, getting through those thickyers of fat and muscle was a tall task. Perhaps he could kill them on his own, but there was enough doubt that he couldn¡¯tmit to that path. After all, if he failed to quickly kill one, his would-be victim would almost assuredly raise the rm. In that event, Elijah¡¯s chances of survival would fall to almost nothing. So, he chose caution instead. As he continued to stalk through the dungeon, he red One with Nature as often as possible. And he discovered something he¡¯d already suspected: it was far less effective indoors than it was out in nature. Back in Ironshore ¨C and then in Norcastle ¨C he¡¯d noticed as much, but being in the Reaver¡¯s Citadel confirmed that the spell worked much better in the untamed wilderness. Still, it wasn¡¯tpletely ineffective, and it still gave his attributes an invisible boost. Fortunately, his other enhancements worked the same as always, bolstering his Dexterity, Regeneration, and Constitution by a significant degree. That made his task much easier, and he managed to avoid detection until, atst, he¡¯d mapped the entire dungeon. And what he¡¯d discovered wasn¡¯t ideal.First, there was only one exit, and that was guarded by four ogres wearing ck iron armor like the ones he¡¯d seen near the gatehouses outside. Otherwise, there were four jailers scattered throughout the dungeon as well. But their presence wasn¡¯t what truly worried him. No ¨C that distinction belonged to his discovery of the Warden. He¡¯d expected another ogre, but what he¡¯d found was something altogether different. Elijah stood in the corner of what could only be called a torture room, where he stared at a ck-skinned elf. The man was short and slender, with prominently tapered ears and a mane of thick, white hair. Like many of the ogres Elijah had seen, he wore a suit of bulky, ck armor, though his had been embellished with a series of silver whorls that sparkled with stored ethera. Elijah didn¡¯t have to study it for long before he became convinced that it was magical in nature. So was the slender sword at his hip, which glimmered with the same silvery metal. However, Elijah was less concerned with his attire ¨C or race, for that matter ¨C than the fact that he was gleefully torturing what looked like a taller, bulkier goblin. Even more disturbingly, the elf wasn¡¯t asking any questions. He didn¡¯t seek information. Instead, he was clearly tormenting the creature for no more reason than because he wanted to hear it scream. Even if Elijah hadn¡¯t been tasked with killing the elf, he would havemitted himself to that endeavor right then and there. Killing was often necessary. That was the cost of survival. Even torture, for some misguided individuals, might hold some value as an interrogation method. He¡¯d heard that it didn¡¯t really work, but Elijah could at least follow the logic that would lead someone down that road. But torture for torture¡¯s sake was absolutely abhorrent, and Elijah had no intention of letting it continue. Still, he knew he couldn¡¯t attack without a n, so he retreated through those same halls and back to the jail cell where he¡¯d killed the ogre jailer. After he¡¯d in the creature, Elijah had shifted into his scaled ape form and tossed the heavy corpse to the troll as a distraction. As one monster fed on the remains of another, Elijah had resumed his human form, rushed forward, and cast Healing Rain. The troll had ignored him, and over the course of the spell¡¯s duration, those painfully popping pustules of caustic ooze had slowly shrunk. They weren¡¯t gone, but the troll looked as if it was in far less pain. Moreover, the formation of the cysts ¨C and the oozes that came from them ¨C had be less frequent, suggesting that Elijah¡¯s efforts hadn¡¯t been for naught. It also looked a good deal less infuriated, which was key for Elijah¡¯s n. After resuming his human form, he raised his hand in what he hoped was a cating gesture, then stepped forward. The troll shifted, obviously noticing Elijah¡¯s progress. But it didn¡¯t rush him, so he took another step. Then another when it showed no further reaction. Finally, Elijah was close enough that another cast of his spell would envelop the creature, so he used Healing Rain, then retreated. Even as heavy drops of rejuvenating precipitation fell, Elijah crouched on the other side of the cell. He knew better than to expect to have tamed the troll. A single meal and a little healing could only do so much, after all. So, he never allowed his awareness to waver. At the same time, he studied the cell itself ¨C a task only possible because of his faceted Quartz Mind. If he¡¯d tried to pay attention to so many things ¨C his Domain, One with Nature, the cell, and the troll ¨C before he¡¯d advanced his cultivation, he would¡¯ve no doubt been lost in the weeds. But now, it was a simple task topartmentalize the disparate thoughts. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. Still, he was pushing the limits of his Mind by fostering even those simple strains of thought. Perhaps once he advanced to the next stage, the facets would expand and allow for moreplex thinking. For now, though, anything more than cataloguing sensory input required the full weight of his Mind. The cell itself was a simple, rectangr room made of the same stonemon across the rest of the dungeon. Most of the floor was covered in a thickyer of algae that even crept a few feet up the walls. However, it was densest near the drainage grate ¨C and the shaft probably meant for waste disposal ¨C that split the cell in two. The troll was confined by manacles on its thick wrists and ankles, which were in turn attached to the wall via bulky, ck iron chains. Elijah only had eyes for the thick locks holding those manacles together,rgely because, after killing the jailer and looting the corpse, he had the means to free the creature. Or so he expected. He nced down at the key in his hand and contemted how he might aplish that feat. At first, he¡¯d hoped that healing and feeding the troll might engender some sense of cooperation, but that clearly wasn¡¯t going to happen. It would tolerate his presence only so long as it couldn¡¯t kill him. The moment it was freed, he would be its target. Was the optional part of the Task a fool¡¯s errand? Was there no way toplete it? Elijah knew that Towers could amodate up to six people, and that they were usually meant to be challenged by those groups. Entering into such a situation alone was regarded as only a step above suicidal,rgely because the challenges necessary forpletion not only required incredible strength, but they usually necessitated a wide variety of skills as well. So, he had no doubts that there were probably sses that could easilybat and conquer his current dilemma. But he just didn¡¯t have the necessary skills to pacify the monster. If it had been an animal, perhaps it would have been possible. He could have treated it like the bear guarding the amanita he¡¯d encountered. But the troll was clearly something else. It wasn¡¯t sapient, but it wasn¡¯t an animal, either. Or if it was, it was intelligent enough not to fall prey to the cating maniption of One with Nature. Elijah continued to ponder the problem as Healing Rain did its work. When the spell faded, he darted close and recast it. The troll tolerated him, and yet, Elijah knew that if he tarried for even a second too long, it would destroy him. After the third cast, he started to wonder why he was even bothering with healing the creature. It wasn¡¯t real. And as far as he knew, the moment he conquered the dungeon, the troll would reset just like everything else. Yet, he couldn¡¯t just ignore its suffering. So, he continued along, reapplying Healing Rain four more times over the next few hours. And in that way, the troll was healed. It was only when he saw the way the now-healthy troll strained the tes attaching the chains to the wall that a n began to take shape. It wasn¡¯t ideal. He knew that there were a host of ways it could go wrong. But he also suspected that, without the assistance the troll could provide, he stood little chance of bypassing the guards, much less killing the Warden. Was it possible? Certainly. But not probable. So hetched onto another, arguably just as dangerous, n. But given that it didn¡¯t involve him attacking an entity of entirely unknown strength, he preferred it over squaring off against the Warden in straight fight. As soon as Elijah saw that the troll had beenpletely healed, he settled down to renew his stores of Ethera. Flexing every facet of his Quartz Mind, he dragged nine streams of energy through his Soul and into his Core, enhancing his Regeneration by a good amount. It took no small degree of concentration, but it was effective, so long as he wasn¡¯t too distracted. Gradually, his Core refilled, and after he renewed his augmentations ¨C Essence of the Monkey, Essence of the Boar, Aura of Renewal, One with Nature, and, finally, Essence of the Wolf ¨C he embraced Shape of the Guardian and shifted into the scaled ape form. Without hesitation, heunched himself forward with every point of his enhanced Strength attribute. And considering the augmentation provided by the guardian form, he could bring quite a bit of power to bear. Heunched himself forward, elerating like a sports car before mming into the wall with incredible force. The troll, for all its wariness, never even had a chance to react before Elijah kicked off the wall and threw himself to the other side of the cell, where he skidded for a few feet before his momentum ended in a collision with the other wall. Shifting back into his human form, he immediately cast Touch of Nature as he shook his mangled hand. His Constitution attribute was incredible in his Guardian form, but the anatomy of whatever creature upon which it had been based was not suited for punching. Instead, it was meant to rip and tear with its ws. As a result, he¡¯d broken a couple of bones in his hand. But that was what his healing spells were for, and after two casts, he managed to mend his bones. At that point, he took a look at his handiwork, and when heid his eyes on the brickwork surrounding the anchor, he felt a mixture of disappointment and encouragement. The first was due to the fact that, for all the power he¡¯d managed to harness, the results were decidedly minor. A few tiny cracks, and that was it. However, he was also encouraged by that small effect, if only because it proved that his n was a viable one. Now, though, the troll was awake and aware, which made his job that much more difficult. He¡¯d surprised it once, but that seemed like¡­wait¡­what was it doing? The troll had shifted to the side. It could only move a few feet, but the meaning seemed clear. It was giving Elijah a free shot. Did it understand what he was doing? That seemed to be the case, but¡­ Well, Elijah wasn¡¯t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. So, after healing himself and regenerating the Ethera he¡¯d spent in the process, he shifted back to his guardian form and once againunched himself at the anchor. This time, he used his palm to strike the wall, which seemed to bear the impact much better than his delicate knuckles. It was also a little less effective, but that initial punch had served to weaken the brickwork enough that it didn¡¯t matter overmuch. Over and over, Elijah threw himself at the wall until he jarred the first anchor loose. And with that proof of concept buoying his efforts, he wasted no time before assaulting the other three. It took quite some time, and periodically, Elijah was forced to shift back into his human form in order to heal the damage he was doing to his own body. He also tried to use the key on the troll¡¯s manacles, but predictably, it pped him across the room the moment he started groping around its wrist. Still, he eventually managed to aplish his goal. It was just in time, too, because only a few moments after he¡¯d regenerated his ethera, the door to the cell screeched as someone opened it. Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate to enact the next part of his n, which began and ended with him diving down the descending shaft just in time to avoid being seen. He dug his fingers into the algae-covered walls, arresting his momentum as the sound of footsteps thundered in his ears. ¡°Look not sick no more,¡± came a deep baritone. ¡°Look same to me.¡± ¡°You no see good.¡± ¡°Yeah? You ugly!¡± ¡°You ugly!¡± A secondter, Elijah heard something that sounded like someone had pped a side of beef, which was followed by a noise not unlike a deting bellows. Then, the second ogre said, ¡°No call me ugly or you get more fist!¡± The other ogre began to offer a wheezing response when it was cut off by the sound of crumbling mortar, clinking chains, and cantankerous troll. It was music to Elijah¡¯s ears. Book 2: Chapter 27: Distraction Book 2: Chapter 27: Distraction The floor of the cell shook with titanic battle as the two ogres shed with the freed troll. Warbling screams filled the air, suggesting that things were not going well for the jailers. That was as expected; the troll wasn¡¯t justrger, but it had looked far sturdier, as well. Still, even if the winner had been assured ¨C which was no certain thing ¨C Elijah had no intentions of letting it y out. Not without having his say. So, wedged in the shaft, he shifted his way up until only his head poked above the floor. When he did, he saw precisely what he had expected. The massive troll had everything it could handle as it fended off the other two creatures, but it was clearly in control of the fight. The ogres were powerful enough to hold their own, though, and it looked like it was going to be a long, drawn-out fight. Elijah aimed to change that. So, without further hesitation, he gripped the Staff of Natural Harmony and channeled Ethera into Swarm.
Spell: Swarm Conjure a swarm of pests that infect your enemies with appropriate afflictions.
The spell wasn¡¯t as devastating as Cmity. However, it had the benefit of being far more subtle, which was precisely what he needed at the moment. He released the spell, and a few secondster, a few biting flies manifested beforending on the broad, naked back of one of the ogre jailers. A second or twoter, it was joined by a veritable horde ¨C or, appropriately, a swarm ¨C of flies. The bulk of the little insects attacked the same ogre, but the nature of a swarm meant that there were plenty of others for the other jailer as well as the troll. Now that the troll had been freed, and he¡¯d gotten the appropriate credit, he thought nothing of using it for his ends. Certainly, he didn¡¯t want to watch it suffer, but that didn¡¯t mean he would spare the aggressive creature out of some misguided sense of friendship. If it lived, that was fine. But if it ended up dying, Elijah wanted his afflictions to ensure that he got at least some kill energy from its passing. Besides, he needed it angry and raging, or it wouldn¡¯t be much of a distraction. The flies didn¡¯tst long, and by the time they dissipated into motes of Ethera, Elijah had already retreated into the shaft where he hoped to avoid notice long enough that he could exitbat. Meanwhile, the battle continued, and through the use of One with Nature, he kept track of the threebatants¡¯ conditions. The ogres had clearly gotten the worst of it, and the one who¡¯d shouldered the brunt of the impact looked like it was only a hair¡¯s breadth from passing out. Wet, mmy skin, splotchy cheeks, and unsteady legs were only the most apparent of its symptoms, and Elijah knew that it certainly wasn¡¯t fighting at full strength. The same could be said for the other ogre jailer as well as the troll, but there was enough of a difference that it was only a matter of time before the most affected ogre fell. It ended uping sooner rather thanter when the troll hammered the ogre with a giant, meaty fist that sent it sttering against the wall. Even as the masonry crumbled, the troll pounced, hammering the unfortunate ogre with all its might. Elijah only caught glimpses here and there ¨C all via One with Nature ¨C but he got the impression that the pummeling was simr to what one might see from a silverback gori. In any case, the ogre was done for, and though it continued to fend the troll off with everything it could muster, its fellow could read the writing on the wall. And when it did, the remaining ogre jailer didn¡¯t swoop in to save itsrade. Instead, he turned tail and ran, dashing through the door as quickly as its meaty proportions would allow. At first, the troll paid it no mind, but the moment it finally finished with its gruesome and single-minded task, it whirled around to look for another victim. When it didn¡¯t find one, the formerly imprisoned troll let out a frustrated roar, then squeezed through the cell door ¨C no small feat, given itsrger size ¨C and took off down the hall. Elijah waited a few moments before he climbed out of the shaft, and the moment he saw the devastation that had been wrought on the cell, his reticence to engage the ogres or the troll in battle was reaffirmed. The walls were cracked, with one of them covered in blood, andrge chunks of brick had been torn away. But that was nothingpared to the state of the ogre the troll had killed. From the shoulders down, it was much the same as Elijah had expected. Just arge, corpulent bodyposed of equal parts fat and muscle. However, from the neck up was just a mass of unidentifiable meat and exposed bone. The troll hadn¡¯t just beaten the thing to death. Indeed, he¡¯d rendered it entirely unrecognizable. Seeing that, it was easy for Elijah to imagine that the ogre jailer¡¯s death had been a mere byproduct of the troll venting its rage and frustration. Elijah wasted no more time inspecting the site of the battle. Instead, he quickly shifted into the Shape of the Predator and slipped into the Guise of the Unseen. Only then did the tension in his mind dissipate, and he slipped from the cell, secure in his own invisibility. As soon as he did, he saw more evidence of the troll¡¯s passage. Unlike the cell¡¯s door, the corridor was easilyrge enough to amodate even the enormous troll, and yet, it looked like the creature had gone out of its way to smash into everything it saw. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. More cracked walls were the most obvious sign of its ire, but it had also torn torches from their sconces and dented other cell doors. Elijah followed the trail of destruction as he made his way through the dungeon, his passage apanied by the echoing sounds an ongoing battle up ahead. Along the way, he saw the bodies of the remaining ogre jailers; the troll had clearly used the weight of surprise to ease the battle, and he¡¯d dispatched the unarmored creatures without even slowing down. Elijah padded forward, his feet silent as he crept from one flickering shadow to the next. He knew it wasn¡¯t strictly necessary ¨C Guise of the Unseen as well as his form¡¯s ability to change color was enough to render him nearly invisible ¨C but he didn¡¯t want to take any chances. As such, his progress was much slower than it likely should have been. Even so, he reached the source of the noise only a couple of minutester. By the time he caught sight of the troll, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but let out a silent gasp of horror. It bore hundreds of wounds. Some were small ¨C pinpricks for a creature of its size ¨C but some gaped open, with huge ps of skin flopping around with every movement. Its opponents hadn¡¯t fared any better, though. Four armored ogre guards encircled the troll, harrying it with their massive weapons. However, despite their brutish appearance, the ogres disyed no small degree of cooperation and finesse, hemming the creature in and slowly whittling it down with superior reach and the weight of numbers. That simply would not do. So, Elijah retreated to the chamber¡¯s door, then ducked out of sight before resuming his human form. Then, he once again used Swarm, sending a cascade of biting flies to inflict their afflictions on the ogre guards. Fortunately, their armor proved no obstacle to the tiny insects, and before the swarm dissipated, the four remaining guards ¨C one had beenpletely incapacitated, but it was still alive, while another slumped against the wall, its body misshapen and unmoving ¨C had been infected. And even in that short span, the effect had already made itself known. A woozy guard didn¡¯t move quite quickly enough to avoid the troll¡¯s sudden attack, and as a result, it ended up being mmed against the wall with the force of a runaway train. Predictably, it didn¡¯t survive intact, and even from so far away, Elijah could hear cracking bones over the sound of twisting metal. That was when Elijah shifted back into his scaled panther form, automatically embracing Guise of the Unseen the moment it was avable. Then, he settled in to wait. However, even with the numbers tilting slightly more in favor of the troll, it quickly became clear that it was destined to lose. The afflicted ogres couldn¡¯t move quite as quickly as before, but the troll hadn¡¯t escaped the swarm unscathed, either. So, while it wasn¡¯t quite as affected as the guards ¨C probably due to a better Constitution attribute or some inherent advantage of being a troll ¨C the gap hadn¡¯t widened enough to give it an appreciable advantage. So, the fight continued on, settling into a standstill, which meant that Elijah had little choice but to act. After all, it was only a matter of time before the Warden responded. And if that dark elf added its weight to the battle, the troll¡¯s fate would be sealed. Elijah knew he needed to act before then, because if he didn¡¯t have the troll as a distraction, he knew precisely how the fight would go. Perhaps he could use hit-and-run tactics to thin the ogres¡¯ numbers, but in a rtively small and enclosed space, he wasn¡¯t so sure that was a viable strategy. And that was saying nothing of whether or not they could implement an rm simr to the one that had outed him at the guardhouse outside. If that happened, he would surely die. So, with those issues pressing down on him, Elijah did the only thing he could. He attacked. Targeting the first ogre proved to be quite difficult,rgely because it never quit moving. Moreover, he wanted to time his attack such that he wouldn¡¯t be seen; to that end, he needed to use the troll as a shield from the other two ogres. So, he waited for the perfect moment, and when it presented itself, he pounced. Striking out like an ambushing crocodile, he used Predator Strike before shing his ws across the back of the ogre¡¯s ankle. Then, even as it wailed in anger and pain, he dashed away, slipping through the door before the thing could wheel around. There, he waited until, thirty secondster, he heard the sound of crunching metal before Essence of the Wolf kicked back in. Now that he was out ofbat, Elijah once again embraced Guise of the Unseen before creeping back into the chamber. True to his expectations, the troll had ovee the wounded guard, and the ogre nowy in a crumpled and motionless heap only a few feet from the other dead guard. There were only two remaining, and the troll seemed more than capable of oveing those odds. Still, Elijah wasn¡¯t going to leave that up to chance. So, he once again set himself up for another strategic attack, and when it presented itself, heunched himself forward and sliced through the ogre¡¯s hamstrings. However, it was only when he whipped around to dart back into the safety of the hallway that he realized that he¡¯d pushed his luck a little too far. The elf, its dull, ck iron armor glowing with Ethera, leveled its silver sword in his direction. It started to say something, but Elijah had no interest in hearing some viin¡¯s monologue. So, mid-stride, he shifted back into his human form and preemptively cast Healing Rain. The spell was wide enough to epass half the room, and even as the storm clouds gathered, Elijah embraced Form of the Guardian. The call for stealth had faded. Now was the time for unmitigated strength. As he felt his body shifting, Elijah mmed into the wide-eyed elf, but by the time he¡¯dpleted his transformation, the creature had recovered his wits enough to once again attempt to speak. And Elijah responded appropriately by harnessing every point of his inted Strength and ramming his open palm into the elf¡¯s chest. A sound like a gong announced contact, and a momentter, the slight creature rocketed backward, hitting the wall with bone-crunching force. Elijah wasted no time before bounding forward, grabbing the stunned elf around the waist, and spinning in ce like an Olympic hammer thrower beforeunching him down the hall. Elijah didn¡¯t wait for his opponent tond before he raced back into the room and threw himself at the injured ogre. His shoulder hit the monster in the hip, eliciting a howl of anger and pain. It hammered a fist against Elijah¡¯s back, knocking the breath from his lungs, but he was too close for the ogre to bring its massive weapon to bear. So, he bunched his legs and drove himself as well as the ogre into the wall. More bones broke, but more importantly, the guard was stunned by the sudden impact. That gave Elijah the chance he¡¯d been looking for, so he reared back, and brought his sped hands down on the monster with every ounce of power he could summon. Other than extending the ogre¡¯s dazed state, the blow did little good. However, Elijah persisted, repeating the attack. When that didn¡¯t finish the guard off, he did it again. And again after that. Over and over, he smashed his scaly fists into the ogre¡¯s exposed head. And after the sixth such attack, he was finally rewarded with the feel of a shattering skull beneath his ws. Stil, he gave it one more blow for good measure. That one cracked the ogre¡¯s skull open like an overripe melon, sttering brain, blood, and bone across the wall. Still, he seethed with a need to keep going. To rip that corpse to pieces with every ounce of his power. Yet, he pushed that aside and forced himself to disengage. He was just in time to see the elf¡¯s snarling face as it drove its silver sword into his chest. Book 2: Chapter 28: Showdown Book 2: Chapter 28: Showdown Painnced through Elijah¡¯s chest as the de parted his scales and drove deep into the meat of his torso only to erupt from his back an instantter. The sheer force of the attack drove him backward until he thudded against the wall, sending a spiderweb of cracks arcing out from the point of impact. Dust and debris rained down on his head as the sword pinned him in ce. Panicked, heshed out, his ws raking against the elf¡¯s face. But they never reached his dark skin. The creature smirked and leaned on the hilt of his de, twisting it cruelly. ¡°Beast,¡± he growled, his voice melodious yet menacing. ¡°You dare strike me?!¡± Elijah hissed and spat as he tried to escape, but the sword¡¯s grip was absolute. He couldn¡¯t wrench himself free, no matter how hard he pulled. But more distressingly, he felt something being dragged out of him. It wasn¡¯t just Ethera. It was something far more vital. His life force, perhaps. Certainly, he felt weaker with every passing second. Desperate to stop that pull, Elijah reached out, his long arms moving with incredible speed until he wrapped his ws around the elf¡¯s wrist. Then, he yanked. The elf clearly hadn¡¯t expected that, and the result was a slight stumble in Elijah¡¯s direction. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was just enough to put him in range of Elijah¡¯s sharp fangs. His jaws snapped shut with undeniable power, and the elf¡¯s invisible shield shattered. The Warden threw himself backward, mitigating some of the damage, but when he recovered only a momentter, long, jagged strips of flesh still hung from his ruined face. Elijah used that small opening to grab hold of the sword and pull. It took every ounce of strength he could bring to bear, but he still managed to yank it free. Then, he roared. At that very moment, the injured troll, having dispatched the final ogre with a thunderous punch, joined the battle. It rushed the still reeling elf, aiming a massive blow in his direction. However, just before it closed the distance, the Warden regained his wits and thrust his hand at the monster.Bands of red energy exploded from his fingertips, wrapping around the charging troll¡¯s limbs. Then, the elf yanked his arm back, sending the enormous creature flying across the room only to collide with the wall. It didn¡¯t stop there, though. Instead, it crashed through the wall, sending bricks flying in an explosion of momentum. Elijah raced forward, raising the sword in an attack. However, he was no swordsman, and his scaled ape form was ill-suited for using weapons. As a result, his intended blow was clumsy and fated for failure. Still, he had surprise on his side, and due to that, he very nearly made contact. The elf moved like a striking snake, though, and despite his heavy-looking armor, he managed to dodge Elijah¡¯s attack with inches to spare. But he could do nothing to ay Elijah¡¯s charging momentum, which took the form of a shoulder tackle that sent the slender elf flying backwards. He hit the ground a half dozen feet away, but he didn¡¯t skid to a stop until he hit the wall on the other side of the room. Elijah threw the sword aside, then pounced. He never reached his target. With a snarl, the Warden swept his hand out, and once again, red bands erupted from his fingers. This time, though, they were aimed at Elijah. For his part, he tried to dodge, but the ribbons of energy seemed to have a mind of their own, following his every move until they slithered around his limbs. And then he was flying through the air, just like the troll before him. He caromed off the remnants of the shattered wall, then cartwheeled across the neighboring cell until he came to rest two dozen feet into the room. The guardian shape was incredibly durable. Elijah knew from experience that he could endure all sorts of damage in the scaled ape form. With his hard scales, dense bones, and enhanced Constitution, he was like a living tank. However, the limits of his endurance had clearly met their match, because he could already feel multiple broken bones as well as a multitude of shattered scales. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the internal damage. He struggled to rise, but he let out a growl of pure agony as his leg copsed the moment he tried to put weight on it. It was broken in multiple ces, he was sure. Elijah looked up to see that the elf had recovered his sword and was hacking at the grievously wounded troll. The monster¡¯s battle with the ogres as well as the aftereffects of Swarm¡¯s afflictions had clearly put the creature at a vast disadvantage, and the elf was more than strong enough to exploit the effects of its many injuries. More troublingly, each fall of the Warden¡¯s sword came with a swirl of Ethera that snaked around his body before being absorbed. With every strike, the elf¡¯s wounds healed a little. Elijah knew that if he let that continue, he¡¯d never have a chance of winning the fight. Certainly, he could use Guardian¡¯s Renewal and heal himself before either resuming the battle or retreating long enough to reenter stealth. However, by that point, the Warden would havepletely healed. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the tform they originally published on. And even with an ambush, Elijah doubted his chances of defeating the elf if he had the chance to recover. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t sure if the elf would allow his retreat. Those red ribbons of energy ¨C a spell, obviously ¨C had been inescapable. Who was to say what other abilities the elf possessed? No ¨C Elijah needed to put everything on the line, and all at once, or he would never defeat the Warden, much less conquer the tower. With that in mind, he activated Guardian¡¯s Renewal. Instantly, his bones mended, and his flesh was renewed. In seconds, he was whole, hale, and ready to continue the fight. However, he had no intention of doing so in his scaled ape form. Its endurance and strength had already proven a poor match. So, he had other ns. Having regained his health, Elijah shifted back into his human form. The moment he did, he yanked Ethera from his core and cast Swarm. The spell took a decent portion of his avable Ethera, but due to his cultivation and ever-increasing core size ¨C which came with each point of the associated attribute ¨C it wasn¡¯t nearly as much as it once had been. So, even as the biting flies manifested, he embraced another spell.
Spell: Cmity Bury your enemies beneath the power of nature. Conjure a natural disaster appropriate to your environment. Only usable in caster forms.
The ethera drained out of his core at a rapid pace, flooding the spell with power. Then, Elijah released it, and all hell broke loose. The ground was sundered, the stale air suddenly broke into sharp gusts that would rend flesh, and lightning filled the air. Meanwhile, Elijah was already casting another spell. This time, he preemptively cast Healing Rain before using thest of his Ethera to shift into the Shape of the Predator. As his scaled panther shape reced his human form, Elijah raced toward the door. The elf ¨C and the troll, who still clung to life despite having its head mostly severed ¨C was too distracted to notice his departure. Fortunately, the system took that into ount, because the second he was out of view, he felt Essence of the Wolf increase his movement speed, which told him that he¡¯d leftbat. So, he wasted no time before slipping into the Guise of the Unseen and returning whence he hade. Neither Cmity nor Swarm were longsting spells, but only a few seconds had passed. So, the elf and the troll were still very much upied. The elf had redoubled his efforts at hacking through the troll, clearly hoping that the draining ability could outpace the damage of Elijah¡¯s spells. And it was mostly working. However, everything went wrong for the Warden when, atst, the troll sumbed to the cascade of damage and passed away. Suddenly, the elf¡¯s efforts were for naught ¨C obviously, his victim needed to be alive to facilitate his draining spell ¨C and it was at that moment that Elijah embraced Predator Strike and pounced. Instead of focusing on harrying attacks as he had against the ogres, Elijah leaped onto the elf¡¯s back,tched his powerful jaws onto the nape of his neck, then squeezed. Since the transformation ¨C or evolution, perhaps ¨C of the predator form, Elijah had spent quite a lot of time examining his physiology. In a lot of ways, it resembled the big cat it had once been, which was why he referred to it as a scaled panther. However, that characterization was a bit of a misnomer, especially when it came the structure of his head. Most big cats could only muster around a thousand pounds-per-square-inch of bite force. Even before the form¡¯s evolution, Elijah knew he far exceeded that, especially under the effect of Predator Strike. However, he still felt like that was just a multiplier on the limitations of basic physiology. The new scaled panther form had a jaw more like a crocodile, and as such, in that shape, he could bring an absolutely incredible amount of force to bear. With the modifier of Predator Strike working in his favor, that degree of pressure went from incredible to astounding. Elijah knew that. He hade to rely on it. And yet, he was still surprised when the elf¡¯s head popped like a grape. The Warden fell, copsing into a boneless heap atop the troll it had worked so hard to kill. Elijah leaped free, shocked at how easily the elf had died. He¡¯d been gearing up for a long, epic battle where he had to dart back and forth and wear the Warden down. And what he¡¯d gotten was a sudden and somewhat anticlimactic end. Not that he wasining. And after a few moments, he saw evidence of why the elf had sumbed so quickly when he noticed the dark tendrils tracing a spiderweb of discoloration up what was left of its neck. Clearly, the affliction of Swarm had weakened him. Cmity had contributed as well. Though Elijah had only intended the two spells as distractions, they were obviously more powerful than he¡¯d expected them to be. After letting out a hiss of relief, Elijah embraced Guise of the Unseen once again and turned to see if there were any other threats. He¡¯d already ounted for everyone in the dungeon, but there was nothing to say that they couldn¡¯t get reinforcements from the citadel above. When nothing came for another five minutes, he finally let himself rx. He¡¯d sustained no damage since using Guardian¡¯s Renewal, so he was still in perfect health. Still, he switched back to his caster form and spent some time in meditation so he could regain his spent Ethera. When that was done, he set about looting the ogres as well as the Warden. The ogre guards had very little Elijah could take with him. Their armor and weapons were far too bulky, and they¡¯d carried nothing but a couple of copper Ethereum in their belt pouches. He collected what loot he could, then turned his attention to the elf. Fortunately, the sword fit in his pack, though try as he might, he couldn¡¯t remove the Warden¡¯s armor. It was almost as if it was part of the elf¡¯s body. So, after spending far longer than he probably should have trying to pry it loose, he marked it up as a lost cause. However, he did retrieve another set of keys that he hoped woulde in handy going forward. He also looted a pair of silver Ethereum, which he added to his collection. With that, he felt that he was finished with the floor ¨C especially considering that he¡¯d finally aplished the Task. However, before he advanced and retrieved what he hoped would be a useful reward, he had to take care of something important. The kill energy ¨C or experience, which was a gaming term the people back in Norcastle had used ¨C had pushed him over the edge and into level thirty-five. And with that level, he had finally gotten his first spell in quite some time. As he looked at the resulting notification, he couldn¡¯t help but smile at the achievement. Book 2: Chapter 29: Brambles Book 2: Chapter 29: Brambles The smell of death and decay hung heavy in the air as Elijah crouched in the cell where he¡¯d defeated the Warden. The corpses of the troll, dark elf, and ogres were a long way from dposition, but to Elijah, they still smelled of rot. Perhaps that was just his imagination. Or given the things he¡¯d seen in the other cells, maybe not. Either way, he was eager to leave it all behind for more pleasant environs. However, before he could do that, he had a few tasks before him. The first concerned the fact that, by virtue of killing the Warden and the troll he¡¯d temporarily saved, he¡¯d finally reached level thirty-five. And that advancement hade with a host of advantages. As always, he¡¯d gained another point in each of his attributes, enhancing his already-impressive status further past the human standard:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 35
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 36
Dexterity 45 (35)
Constitution 46 (36)
Ethera 44
Regeneration 58 (38)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Hatchling Quartz Neophyte
Of course, his attributes didn¡¯t tell the full story of his advancement. Due to both One with Nature and his cultivation, his attributes all meant much more than the numbers might suggest. He still wasn¡¯t certain exactly how much those factors affected him, but he knew that it was significant. And if he managed to advance the rest of his cultivation, the gap between his apparent and effective attributes would only grow wider. However, to his annoyance, he still wasn¡¯t entirely sure how to go about furthering his cultivation. He¡¯d tried variations on the methods he¡¯d used to take the first step in each category, but those had so far yielded no results. He supposed he just needed to keep at it, and maybe he would unlock the secret. But in the back of his mind, he hoped that, eventually, Nerthus would be able to tell him more. Or perhaps he could purchase a guide from a more advanced Branch of the World Tree. Either way, he suspected that continuing to progress his cultivation would be a difficult road. If it was easy, then everyone would have done it. And though he couldn¡¯t be certain, he didn¡¯t think anyone in Ironshore had made strides in that department, supporting the notion that it would take more than a few lucky guesses to break through to the next cultivation stages. Still, there was hope. After all, he¡¯d already reached the second stage in the cultivation of his Mind. That was proof that he could do the same with the otherponents of cultivation. Even so, his attributes were still progressing nicely, especially when he was under the influence of his various enhancements. He shuddered to think of where he would be without them. ¡°Dead,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°I would be dead.¡± Ironically, the enhancement that had probably served him best during battle didn¡¯t even show up in his status. Essence of the Wolf had proven itself a vitalponent of his toolkit on so many asions that he knew that, without a shadow of a doubt, he would have died dozens of times over without it. Not only did it increase his movement speed ¨C which was incredibly valuable, as he¡¯d proven in the Primordial Maze as well as many other times since then ¨C but it also gave him an easily understood indicator of when he entered and dropped out ofbat. That was precisely the information he needed in order to properly time the use of Guise of the Unseen. For what felt like the thousandth time, he found himself grateful that he¡¯d been granted the druid archetype. Otherwise, there was no way he would have survived even a few weeks on the ind, much less everything that had happened since then. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Two-and-a-half years. At times, it certainly didn¡¯t seem like it had been that long. But at others, it felt like an eternity had passed since he¡¯d been on a ne and dying of cancer. He wasn¡¯t just a different person, now. He felt like an entirely different species. However, it was at times like these that he found himself ncing at the powerdder and wondering about his family. Carmen¡¯s name was still on there, giving himfort. Sure, he knew that Carmen Rodriguez wasn¡¯t a terribly umon name. There were probably thousands of women bearing that moniker. But Elijah knew in his gut that the one on thedder was his sister-inw. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s all just wishful thinking,¡± he acknowledged aloud. After all, he needed to believe that Alyssa and Miguel were okay, and clinging to the notion of Carmen¡¯s survival as an indicator that they were still alive satisfied that need in a way no self-assurance could. It was something tangible that he could point to as evidence, and until he discovered otherwise, he would choose to believe that everyone he loved was still out there living their lives in the transformed world. A pretty fantasy, perhaps, but it was one he needed to believe. Idly, he wondered if they¡¯d thought the same thing when seeing his name. Maybe they¡¯d thrown a party when he¡¯d popped onto thedder. Or perhaps they hadn¡¯t noticed at all. Surely they had their own problems to deal with, and Elijah was well aware that everyone wouldn¡¯t be quite as obsessed with thatdder as he¡¯d be. Whatever the case, he couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on it. Instead, he had a tower to conquer, and before he did that, he needed to examine histest spell:
Spell: Shield of Brambles Shelter beneath nature¡¯s embrace, protecting yourself and damaging any who attack you.
The description was a little ambiguous for Elijah¡¯s taste, but he could sense a few things about the spell. First, it was an enhancement not unlike Essence of the Boar or Monkey, meaning that it would take up one of his three slots. That alone soured him on it a little. He liked his extra attributes, and now that he could use all the relevant spells to enhance them, he was loathe to give them up. Second, he could sense that there were two benefits to the spell. For one, it would shield him from some degree of damage. How much was yet to be seen, but any extra protection would be wee. He hadn¡¯t forgotten how easily that magical sword had slid through his scales, after all. And that had been in his Guardian form, which increased his Constitution by a fair amount. He didn¡¯t want to think about the damage it would have done if he¡¯d been in his human form. So, he couldn¡¯t dismiss the spell altogether, especially when it had a secondary function, which would somehow inflict damage on anyone who attacked him. He had no idea what form that would take or how severely it would injure his attackers, and the only way he was going to find out was to test it. So, without further ado, Elijah cancelled Essence of the Monkey, then cast Shield of Brambles. As he did so, he looked at his arm, and what he saw was simultaneously awe-inspiring as well as troubling. His skin turned slightly green, taking on the texture of bark. At the same time, tiny thorns ¨C maybe a quarter of an inch long ¨C sprouted all over his body. Strangely enough, they positioned themselves atop his clothes, which made for an odd sight. Extending his index finger to one of the thorns, he was disappointed to find that it passed right through the protrusion. But then again, that shouldn¡¯t have been terribly surprising. The spell¡¯s description had specified that it only damaged those who attacked him, so it stood to reason that it would only be material in that event. Which was more than a little frustrating. In a tower, he didn¡¯t have much chance to test a new ability. The margins for error were so thin that he just couldn¡¯t afford to use a suboptimal enhancement. Perhaps that would change. Maybe he would find a good opportunity to find its limitations. But for now, he would keep going with the same approach he¡¯d used since the beginning of the tower. So, he canceled Shield of Brambles, then reapplied Essence of the Monkey. After ensuring that his other enhancements were active, he took the opportunity to explore the rest of the dungeon, paying close attention to the torture room. The giant goblin was exactly where Elijah hadst seen it ¨C which was to say that it was hanging from a torture rack ¨C but it had already surrendered to death. The room itself was a grotesquerie of torture equipment. Hooks, knives, and various other tools abounded; there was even something that looked suspiciously like an iron maiden in the corner. Despite the fact that some of the implements had the potential of being somewhat useful, Elijah declined to take them with him. He told himself that they were all too bulky and that they would take up too much room in his pack. But in the back of his mind, he knew the real reasony in their intended purpose. However, he did find a small chest containing a few gems, a handful of etherium ¨C both copper and silver ¨C and a shiny dagger with a ruby embedded in the pommel. Like the sword he¡¯d taken from the Warden, it felt magical, though Elijah had no idea what form that magic might take. Perhaps he could get one of those tablets that Mari, the Tailor back in Ironshore, had used to inspect his staff. She¡¯d said something about it utilizing her techniques, so he suspected he wouldn¡¯t be able to use it. Either way, he hoped to find someone who could help him out by identifying the weapons he¡¯d looted. Maybe he could even sell them for a decent number of coins. He wasn¡¯t hurting for money or anything, but he¡¯d seen the price of some of those guides. More, he wanted to be in position to buy things he might need in the future, and from his experience, one could never have enough money. That was true in the old world, and he suspected it would be the same moving forward. In any case, he finished his perusal of whatever the torture room had to offer, then left it behind as quickly as possible. Soon enough, he found himself standing before the gate leading up to the citadel above. He had no idea what to expect up there, but he knew it would tax his abilities. So, he took a deep breath, then used one of the keys from the Warden¡¯s keychain to unlock the gate. It swung open with an ominous creak, but as horror movie-esque as the sound was, nothing jumped out at him. Now that the need for thumbs had been obviated, he reced the keychain in his pack, took his staff in hand, and shifted into the Shape of the Predator. Then, after embracing Guise of the Unseen, he padded forward. The moment he passed through the gate, he felt himself shift slightly. It onlysted an instant, and when it passed, the stairwell beyond the gate looked no different than it had from the other side. Yet, he knew that he¡¯d passed into the next level of the tower. Hammering that home was a simple, silver box that had suddenly appeared before him. Almost as soon as he noticed his reward for defeating the previous floor, a notification shed before his eyes:
Congratluations! You havepleted Level One of Reaver Citadel. Grade: B To progress further,plete the Task before you and reach the Throne Room.
His grade was a little disappointing, especially after he¡¯d gone to such lengths toplete the optional Task. However, when he thought about it, Elijah could guess why he hadn¡¯t gotten full marks. After all, he¡¯d only killed a few of the monsters himself. That had to have counted against him. In any case, he moved on to the next notification that appeared before his inner eye:
Task: Defeat the Five Lieutenants.
That certainly didn¡¯t sound promising. If the five lieutenants were anything like the Warden, he had his work cut out for him. And this time, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have the benefit of a semi-friendly troll to act as a distraction. Still, he¡¯d gotten this far, and he had to believe he had what it took to conquer the tower. Hopefully, his reward would help with that. So, he quickly shifted back to human form, then bent down and utched the small chest. Inside was a simple red strip of cloth.
Reward forpleting Level One of Reaver Citadel: Sash of the Whirlwind
Elijah reached in and retrieved the strip of cloth. It was a little more than three feet long, so it could easily wrap it around his slim waist. But when he put it on, tying it in ce, he immediately felt the item¡¯s effect. A wide smile spread across his face. He couldn¡¯t deny the utility of his previous rewards. The Ring of Anonymity and the Ring of Aquatic Travel had both served him well enough. Though, by his own admission, thetter had proved far more useful than the former so far. The jury was still out on the Shard of the World Tree he¡¯d given to Nerthus, but given the tree spirit¡¯s reaction, it was probably the most valuable of his rewards. However, based on his initial impressions, the Sash of the Whirlwind would be even more immediately impactful. Book 2: Chapter 30: The Wrong End of a Swarm Book 2: Chapter 30: The Wrong End of a Swarm After Elijah tied the Sash of the Whirlwind around his waist, he looked at his status. What he saw was incredible ¨C a boost of three points to both Strength and Dexterity ¨C but what he felt was even more impressive. It was difficult to exin, but he felt faster and more energetic than even that small boost would have suggested. Indeed, the effect was so prominent that he felt almost as if the world was moving just a little bit slower than normal. His Predator and Guardian forms both came with significant attribute boosts, so he knew very well what those felt like. This was something entirely different, and unless he missed his guess, it would prove to be life-altering, at least in terms of hisbat ability. Once again, he cursed his inability to inspect his items. Sure, he knew the name, but unlike had been the case with the Ring of Anonymity and the Ring of Aquatic Travel, thebel did nothing to hint at its purpose. Even so, if that influx of speed that he felt was any indication, the name still felt appropriate enough. For a few minutes, Elijah practiced moving with the new sash, but he quickly tired of the game. He wouldn¡¯t be able to properly test it until he found some enemies. So, with that in mind, he once again shifted into his scaled panther form and set off up the moldy stairs and into the darkness beyond. With One with Nature, he could feel most of his surroundings, but even so, he kept his every sense trained on his immediate vicinity. Like that, he crested the first flight of stairs and reached a small rectangr tform. There was nothing there, so Elijah quickly mounted the set of stairs leading up and in the direction he¡¯d juste. Soon enough, he found another switchback. Then another until, finally, he reached a thick, wooden door banded with ck iron. Stepping close, he tried to extend his senses to the room beyond, but he felt nothing past the door. So, he adopted his human form, then retrieved the Warden¡¯s keyring from where he¡¯d stashed it in his pack. After that, it only took a few tries to find the proper key, which he used to unlock the door. Then, he pushed it open to reveal a dark room filled with crates and barrels. He stepped inside, and the door mmed shut behind him. The moment it did, Elijah felt a thousand presences re to life around him. One with Nature didn¡¯t tell him much about what they were, but he could feel their long, fat, and furry bodies. More importantly, he sensed that they were aggressive, and that they¡¯d targeted him as their potential prey. Without hesitation, Elijah preemptively cast Healing Rain, then canceled Essence of the Monkey before using Shield of Brambles. Finally, he cast Shape of the Guardian. Shape of the Predator was great for dealing damage, but with the size of the horde bearing down on him, Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t avoid taking damage himself. For that, the scaled ape form was far superior.Discarding Essence of the Monkey in favor of Shield of Brambles followed a simr logic. A few extra points of Dexterity weren¡¯t going to help him very much in his current situation, but a little extra mitigation and whatever reflective damage came with the spell would be far more useful. In fact, it was just such an asion ¨C an onught of smaller, numerous enemies ¨C for which he¡¯d preemptively decided to use Shield of Brambles. It was just a twist of fate that it hade so quickly after he¡¯d gotten the spell. Or maybe not. The towers were curated, after all, so there was a good chance that it had somehow noticed the acquisition of the spell and given him a perfect chance to use it. Elijah had no idea, and he was in no position to ponder a question to which he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever get an answer. Even as those thoughts crossed his mind, his transformation into a scaled apepleted, and just in time for him to meet his opponents. The first oneunched itself high into the air, clearly with the intention of wing out his eyes. However, with the seeming time dtion afforded by his new Sash of the Whirlwind, Elijah saw iting from a mile away. Still, his foresight was only enough to allow him to turn his head before the furry bullet hit him in the side of the head. Elijah¡¯s scales protected him from the thing¡¯s sharp teeth, but the sheer force of its impact sent him stumbling. The rodent ¨C and it was definitely a foot-long rat, bulging with muscle ¨C wasn¡¯t so lucky. The second it hit him, a giant thorn ejected from Elijah¡¯s scales, piercing it through the chest. It only went about an inch deep before breaking off, but that was more than enough to send the little monster to screeching in pain as it fell to the stone floor. A quick but vicious stomp ended that, and he felt the monster¡¯s bones crunching underfoot. He also felt its innards oozing between his talons, but thankfully, he didn¡¯t have any time to think about that before another little rodent hit him. Then another. Dozens came, all at once, but they met the same end as the first. Pierced through by thorns, they all fell to the floor, where Elijah stomped them to death. None of them were particrly dangerous. Not individually. However, that was mostly because they only got one bite in. However, Elijah knew that, without the extra armor provided by Shield of Brambles or his enhanced Constitution, he never could have withstood the onught. Even with all of his advantages ¨C and in his scaled ape form, he was almost perfectly suited for that kind of battle ¨C it was still an incredibly painful fight. The rodents were equipped with sharp teeth as well as enhanced strength, so, while they had trouble getting all the way through his scales, their bites were still anything butfortable. But as always, Elijah endured. The small wounds they did manage to inflict were healed quickly enough by Healing Rain, so he was never in much danger. That would have changed had he been in his human or scaled panther forms, though. It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine being ripped to shreds under that barrage of sharp teeth and ws. Even in his guardian form, the fight would have gone very differently if Shield of Brambles hadn¡¯t proved its worth by incapacitating the little beasts. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. By the time he squished thest one underfoot, Elijah had long since lost track of how many he¡¯d killed. Hundreds, surely, though he didn¡¯t think the number exceeded a thousand. Regardless, he slew so many that he actually gained another level, putting him at thirty-six. With thatst monster dead, he let his shoulders sag in relief and fatigue. He hadn¡¯t really had to put forth much effort. He wasn¡¯t that tired, either. However, there was just something about being constantly nibbled to death that brought with it an exhaustion all its own. Yet, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to rest for more than a couple of minutes before he moved on, exploring the room in which he¡¯d found himself. Remaining in his scaled ape form, Elijah loped from one end of the room to the other, surmising that it was a cer of sorts. He did discover that the crates were filled with foodstuffs ¨C mostly moldy bread and bits of dried meat ¨C and the barrels contained some foul-smelling liquid he took to be beer of a sort. He didn¡¯t taste it, though, so he couldn¡¯t be certain. Instead, after shifting back to his human form, he retrieved one of his jugs from his pack and drank deeply before satisfying his hunger by dipping into his own travel rations. They were mostly tasteless, but he did savor one of the berries he¡¯d brought from his grove. After almost two months of travel, he didn¡¯t have many left, so he¡¯d resolved to eat them sparingly. The tart vor reminded him of home, though, and more than ever, Elijah found himself missing his grove. Certainly, his thirst for adventure hadn¡¯t faded, but he couldn¡¯t deny that he also craved theforts and safety of home. Once he¡¯d satisfied his hunger and ked his thirst, Elijah rose from his haunches and headed toward a stairway he¡¯d found during his previous examination of the room. It was short, ending in a pair of doors embedded in the roof, confirming his deduction that he was in a cer. However, that presented a problem in that he was quite sure that, on the other side of those doors were enemies. And not the sort he could kill as easily as the rat swarm. Mentally preparing himself to respond to any threats, Elijah took a deep breath, then reached out to utch the doors before pushing one open. He poked his head out just enough to see the confines of a broad, empty hallway before scrambling through. After slowly letting the door close behind him, Elijah shifted into the Shape of the Predator, then adopted Guise of the Unseen before stepping into a deep shadow near the wall. It was just in time, too, because only a few secondster, he heard the heavy tromp of boots and the clinking sound of metal shing against metaling down the hallway. A momentter, another ogre ¨C this one d in ck armor ¨C appeared. He already had his weapon out, but he¡¯d nonchntly let the massive broadsword rest on his shoulder as he marched down the spacious hall. Elijah didn¡¯t dare move a muscle as he hid in the shadow of what he now recognized as a tall, narrow statue depicting another dark elf. This one had the same elven features that the Warden had possessed, but he wore an imperious scowl. Instinctively, Elijah knew that this elf was likely the final foe he¡¯d have to defeat if he wanted to conquer the tower. First, though, he needed to defeat five lieutenants. To that end, he waited ¨C holding his breath the whole time ¨C as the enormous ogre stomped down the hall. Guise of the Unseen had proven itself hundreds of times, and he trusted the ability implicitly. However, the close proximity of the gargantuan ¨C and deadly ¨C ogre was enough to send his heart to beating out of his chest. Yet the ability remained just as effective as ever, because the ogre never even nced in his direction. Still, Elijah didn¡¯t rx until it turned a corner and was out of sight for more than thirty seconds. For a few more seconds after that, he remained still as he let his heart rate normalize. When it did, he took another deep, hissing breath, then padded forward on silent feet. Staying low to the ground, he practically slithered to the end of the hall, then peaked around the corner. The coast was clear, so he continued on. As Elijah progressed, he studied his surroundings with a keen eye. The structure itself was much the same as he¡¯d encountered below. Just unadorned stone walls, without much in the way of decoration. However, it was free of the algae that pervaded the sewer and dungeon, which told him that the denizens at least understood the value of cleanliness. Every so often, he¡¯d pass by a tapestry depicting ogres in battle. The style was extremely primitive, but it was easy enough to make out the subjects. Then there were the statues, each one representing the same dark elf. Some had him standing stoic guard, a giant sword with its tip nted into the ground. Others showed him in the middle of battle, sword raised high and with a snarl on his sharp-featured face. It was a not-so-subtle hint of what was toe. Finally, after spending quite some time wandering the halls ¨C and seeing more than a dozen ogre guards along the way ¨C Elijah found an unlocked door. It wasn¡¯t the first he¡¯d encountered, but it was the only one that was upied. He crept through the door, seeing a tall, gangly man sitting behind a desk with his head in his hands. Elijah slipped around the edge of the room, preparing himself to attack. He used Predator Strike, then Venom Strike for good measure. However, just before he pounced, he noticed the heavy shackles on the man¡¯s ankles. From those iron cuffs stretched a pair of thick chains leashing him to a couple of rings beneath the desk. That¡¯s when Elijah stopped to really study the man. He was bald, and his skin held a waxy sheen. Upon his body were a collection of rags ¨C dirty, dusty, and frayed. But more than anything, Elijah noticed that the man was weeping. He was a prisoner, just like the troll had been. For a moment, Elijah considered attacking anyway, but he discarded that notion as disgusting. The man was clearly human, and the idea of killing an unarmed and helpless man crossed almost all of Elijah¡¯s lines. On top of that, he didn¡¯t sense that the prisoner was very powerful, so he wouldn¡¯t even get much experience for it. So, there was little to gain from killing the man, which gave Elijah two choices. One, he could simply leave the prisoner behind. Or two, he could free the man and use him as a source of information. The former was, on the surface, the smarter option. There were a ton of ways freeing the prisoner could backfire, and Elijah wasn¡¯t so certain of his own strength that he wanted to make the task before him more difficult. However, the second was appealing as well. The possibility of gaining the upper hand through information was enticing, all on its own. Ultimately, though, the decision came down to one thing. Elijah knew that towers were structured very deliberately. The presence of the prisoner was important, and he suspected that freeing the man would prove, if not necessary, then important going forward. That was enough to push Elijah into the second option. So, without further hesitation, Elijah backed away ¨C just out of reach of the man¡¯s chains ¨C then let his predator form fall away. With it went Guise of the Unseen, exposing himpletely. However, the prisoner was too engrossed in his own misery to even notice the sudden appearance of another human being. Elijah cast Healing Rain, which epassed the entire room. Then, even as the first drops fell and the man looked up, he said, ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Elijah. You look like you could use some help.¡± Book 2: Chapter 31: The Old Man and the Ogres Book 2: Chapter 31: The Old Man and the Ogres The prisoner looked up with heavy-lidded eyes, his face creased from advanced age, and locked his gaze onto Elijah. He opened his mouth as if to speak, revealing a mouth devoid of teeth, then let out a rasping cackle that quickly turned into a coughing fit. Elijah¡¯s instincts told him to step in, to offerfort to the elderly man, but he pushed that urge aside. Looks, he knew, could be deceptive, and he had no idea what capabilities the old prisoner possessed. ¡°Help?¡± the man croaked, disbelief evident in his rough voice. ¡°There is no help. Only the sweet release of death. Will you deliver me, stranger? I am willing. I will not resist.¡± His chains clinked as he held his hands out in submission, but still, Elijah was wary. So, he asked, ¡°Do you know that you¡¯re in a tower?¡± ¡°Tower? No. That is impossible. I remember¡­oh¡­Goddess and her Empire, I remember the Reavers descending upon my vige. They took us all. I resisted. I tried to save them. But I was powerless. I lived, even when I should have died. There¡­t-there is no one else left. Just me¡­¡± Elijah considered the cost of the man¡¯s endurance. His ordeal had clearly robbed him of the necessary faculties to see the truth of his circumstances. Briefly, Elijah wondered what that meant for when this fragment of his soul returned to the host ¨C if it ever would ¨C but he couldn¡¯t afford to ponder such things. Every moment he spent without the shelter of Guise of the Unseen was another opportunity for his enemies to find him. So, as much as he wanted to help the old man see the truth, he simply didn¡¯t have the time nor the opportunity. So, he moved on, asking, ¡°Why did they spare you? What do you do in here?¡± The man had already begun to babble about empires, curses, and goddesses, so Elijah had to snap his fingers in front his face before he looked up. When he did, no recognition was apparent on his face. Clearly, the elderly man¡¯s mind was gone. Deciding to use a familiar tactic, Elijah unslung his pack and retrieved a jug of water. He took a drink, then handed it over. ¡°Drink. It¡¯s safe,¡± he prompted. The old man didn¡¯t need any more prodding, and an instantter, he was sputtering under the onught of water as he tried to drink too much at once. Yet, the fact that he spilled more than actually went down his throat didn¡¯t seem to deter him one bit. Finally, after emptying the entire jug, the man seemed to remember that Elijah was there, and he narrowed his eyes, asking, ¡°Who are you?¡±¡°My name is Elijah.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I think you know,¡± Elijah guessed. When the old man didn¡¯t offer a response, Elijah went on, ¡°I¡¯m here to kill the lieutenants, and then the Reaver.¡± Once again, the elderly man¡¯s eyes narrowed to slits. Suddenly, he burst intoughter that soon became another coughing fit. This time, Elijah had no trouble ignoring his own helpful nature as the old man muttered, ¡°Kill the Reaver¡­as if¡­ha!¡± ¡°Are you finished? Because if you keep going on like this, the ogres are probably going toe investigate. I¡¯m pretty sure I can take at least a couple of them,¡± Elijah lied. ¡°But you? They¡¯ll smash you to bits. Maybe that¡¯s what you want. I don¡¯t know. But I need your help. A lot of people depend on my sess.¡± ¡°I did that once,¡± the man mused. ¡°Tried to take it all on my shoulders. I couldn¡¯t bear the weight. And¡­I¡­I don¡¯t remember much more than that. Isn¡¯t that odd?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re in a tower.¡± ¡°Not possible. If this were a tower, and you were a challenger, you would not be alone,¡± he said. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Maybe I do things a little differently. It doesn¡¯t matter, though. Look ¨C these ogres imprisoned you, right? They killed people you cared about, didn¡¯t they? Don¡¯t you want revenge?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then help me,¡± Elijah urgently insisted. ¡°Give me information, and maybe I can make them pay for what they did to you. I could even save you.¡± ¡°I am beyond saving, and there is no possibility of your sess. No ¨C better to just give in and beg for a quick death. No suffering.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll risk it. Tell me about the lieutenants.¡± ¡°Monsters, all. Tuk and Tok are mages, masters of fire and ice, and their domains reflect their chosen elements,¡± the old man stated. ¡°Domains? They have domains?¡± That got the prisoner¡¯s attention. ¡°No. The wings of the citadel in which they live and work. Not true Domains. I am surprised you know of such things,¡± he said. ¡°Where did you hear of them?¡± ¡°Here or there,¡± Elijah answered, already filing away the information. ¡°What about the others?¡± It didn¡¯t get any better from there. Now that the old man was talking, he was more than willing to give Elijah all the information he could desire. Each lieutenantmanded a separate wing of the citadel. To the north was Tuk, with his fire. Tok ¨C who was apparently Tuk¡¯s twin brother ¨Cmanded frost to the south. Meanwhile, to the east was a dark elf named Triel who held dominion over shadow. A high elf named Avasil, who was a master of light, was to the west. Finally, on the next floor up was a domineering ogre who was supposedly the strongest warrior the citadel had to offer. He was known only as the Champion. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. The ogre warrior guarded the way to the Reaver who was almost assuredly the final obstacle to conquering the tower. So, even if Elijah found a way to bypass his Task to y the other lieutenants, he would still have to defeat the Champion. Once the old man had finished his exnation ¨C which Elijah was convinced was the whole reason he existed within the tower ¨C he said, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve answered your questions, I have a request for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the keys I stole will work on those ¨C¡± ¡°Kill me.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Please. Kill me. If it is a tower, then I will be that much closer to having fulfilled my purpose. One day, I will be freed to rejoin myself in the outside world, and I will be all the richer for it. But if it is not a tower, I do not wish to live another day. It is¡­too painful, physically and emotionally. Please¡­I would do it myself, but¡­¡± He pulled the chains taut, showing that he only had a few extra inches of movement. ¡°Why do they keep you here?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I trante texts,¡± the man said. ¡°The¡­Reaver is something of a student of the ult. From time to time, she descends from her perch and requests a trantion of some obscure text. Yet another reason I must die. Those¡­books, nothing good cane of them. Fel rituals, soul magic, and daemonic pacts. You mustn¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Real demons? As in the elder race?¡± He gave a rasping chuckle. ¡°No. Someone like her, as powerful as she ispared to the likes of us, could nevermand one of the elders,¡± the man said. ¡°She makes pacts with beings from Alta Terra. The Underrealm. They use that pact as a tether to allow them to traverse the World Tree and enter this realm.¡± Elijah told the old man that he didn¡¯t understand. To that, the prisoner simply shook his head and said, ¡°The universe you know, the one in which we live, is called Mortalum. Above is Pruina, the Ice Fortress, Silvara, the Wilderness, and Aesira, also called the Realm of Sky. Below us is Ignis, Nilfara, The Umbra, and the Ethereum. And below even that is the Underrealm, located in the roots of the World Tree. It is there from which the Reaver¡¯s daemons hail. They are alien creatures with fel powers of corruption, and they can only pass into this realm by virtue of an invitation.¡± ¡°The pacts you mentioned,¡± Elijah reasoned. It didn¡¯t take a genius to make that connection. The old man nodded. ¡°You will likely never see the other nes,¡± he said. ¡°Few natives of Mortalum do. To even survive, you must be an Ascendent at the very least, though even then, it is dangerous to the extreme. Not that going to the other nes is ever safe. Even for Demigods.¡± ¡°What about Deities and Transcendents?¡± The man snorted. ¡°What do I know about those lofty existences, hmm?¡± he asked, a little more personality showing through. Was he gettingfortable? Or was it a ruse to get Elijah to do what he wanted? ¡°Probably more than me,¡± Elijah admitted deprecatingly. The old man snorted again, but he didn¡¯t extend the conversation. A few seconds passed before he asked, ¡°So, will you do it?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Suddenly, Elijah was reminded that it wouldn¡¯t be his first experience with mercy killing. Not only had he done so while hunting with his father throughout his childhood, but more memorably, he¡¯d killed the panther guardian he¡¯d been incapable of saving. More than once, he¡¯d reyed those events in his mind, and he knew precisely how many mistakes he¡¯d made that day. But this was different. He could save the old man. With a few casts of Touch of Nature, Elijah could heal him. Then, he could find some way to free the prisoner from those shackles. He was smart. Resourceful. He could figure it out. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°You can¡¯t free me.¡± ¡°Why? I¡¯ve done ¨C¡± ¡°If you do, I will kill you,¡± the old man said in a low voice. When he looked up and saw Elijah¡¯s puzzled expression, he went on, ¡°Oh ¨C this is not the real me. It is, but these chains, they weaken me. Drain my Ethera until there¡¯s nothing left. Freed, I would recover, and the beast would take over.¡± ¡°What beast?¡± ¡°One of those demons we were talking about,¡± he said. ¡°I was one of her first experiments. Her first sacrifice. She offered me up, and with these chains, I was incapable of resisting. The stupid creature never expected to take over a bound body, though. It was restricted and drained, just as I was. She lets it out from time to time, using it to trante demonic rituals. If it was at full strength, I would not be aware during those periods. But now? I know everything it does. I know how it thinks. I know its cravings as my own. The moment these chains are removed, it will take over, and it will wreak havoc on this entire Citadel. I am already dead. Finishing the job will be a mercy. It cannot survive without me to anchor it to this ne.¡± While listening, Elijah had felt his heart sink. He knew what he had to do. Certainly, the old man could be lying. But it didn¡¯t seem likely. Besides, Elijah kept reminding himself that killing the man wouldn¡¯t be permanent. He was just a sliver of a soul borrowed by the system and thrust into the tower so as to give it authenticity. Or variety. Regardless of the reason, it didn¡¯t really matter. The fact was that there was no good reason for Elijah to refuse the man¡¯s request. And there were plenty of reasons to do it. Except it felt wrong in ways logic and reasoning couldn¡¯t touch. For all his life, Elijah had been told killing another person was wrong. So, even with the mitigating factors of the situation, he couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. Sure, he had killed, and often. All those gnomes, goblins, and dwarves had fallen by his hand, and that wasn¡¯t even considering the things he¡¯d done in the tower. Yet, there was something entirely different about those, and Elijah was at least honest enough with himself to admit that it was based on the fact that they weren¡¯t human. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. When he opened them, he was resolved to do what was necessary. So, he said, ¡°I need you to close your eyes.¡± The old man looked a little surprised at the request, but then nodded, saying, ¡°I understand.¡± When his eyelids fell, Elijah used Shape of the Predator to adopt the scaled panther form. Then, because the old man¡¯s eyes were closed, it only took a few seconds for him to slip out ofbat. The moment he did, he let Guise of the Unseen envelop him. Thus cloaked in the stealth ability, he activated Predator Strike. He padded into position, his feet silent. The old man clearly didn¡¯t hear him. He had no idea what wasing. Once Elijah was behind the man, he cocked his w back, then swiped across the old prisoner¡¯s neck. The blow, which was augmented by Predator Strike, hit so swiftly and with such force that it decapitated the old man. Even as the prisoner¡¯s head fell free, Elijah felt a tiny trickle of experience, telling him that the man was dead. He let out a reptilian sigh, then noticed that the shackles had utched the moment the man died. Seeing that, Elijah wasted no time before gathering the chains, then shifting back to his human form so he could stow them away in his pack. With that done, he waited a few moments to let his Ethera regenerate, then shifted back into his scaled panther form before once again adopting the Guise of the Unseen. Without another look back, he padded out into the hall and continued on his way. Still, even if he didn¡¯t look back, he would never forget the sight of that old man¡¯s headless body. Book 2: Chapter 32: A Mercenary Mindset Book 2: Chapter 32: A Mercenary Mindset Roman stood on the balcony, his hands sped behind his back as he stared at the horizon. Below him, the city of Easton spread out for more than a mile. The old wall had been dismantled, and the area surrounding his pce ¨C the former police station ¨C had been meticulously redesigned. The Architects, Builders, and Sculptors had only had time to implement the new ns in an area of about two square blocks, but they covered more ground by the day. ¡°It truly is amazing how quickly people can work with these new sses,¡± he remarked, careful to measure his words. With his position, he needed to maintain a certain aura of authority, and speaking like a small-town police chief was no longer appropriate. Instead, he struggled to channel a more imperious personality ¨C even when he wasn¡¯t in public. He turned to Fiona, the Mage who had be his closest advisor, and asked, ¡°How long until theyplete the Royal District?¡± The mousey woman¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as she answered, ¡°Victor ims that it will beplete at the end of next month.¡± ¡°And the new wall?¡± asked Roman, squinting into the distance. The wall in question was located two miles away, but even from such a distance, it wasn¡¯t difficult to see. Roman had approved the ns himself, but it was still hard to believe such a thing was possible. Little more than the foundations had beenpleted, but when the wall was finished, it would stretch almost three-hundred feet into the air and encircle the entire city. Even the outskirts. ¡°That will take longer,¡± Fiona answered. ¡°Six months. Perhaps a year.¡± ¡°Uneptable.¡± Fiona said, ¡°We¡¯re pushing them, but the Arcane Researchers all agree that ¨C¡± Roman¡¯s re was enough to send her sputtering to make excuses, and each one angered him even more. His knuckles whitened as his fists tightened, but he refused to shout. He was better than that. He needed to be steady. Strong. Immovable. Otherwise, he couldn¡¯t be a proper leader. So, he listened as Fiona haltingly exined how theplexity of the wall¡¯s intended enchantments were slowing down its construction. The true issue was that he was dependent on a bunch of Schrs. Ever since Earth had felt the touch of the World Tree, their mere existence had been a thorn in his side.In the beginning, his annoyance with their archetype choice was born of simple practicality. When they lived in a world where every day was a struggle to survive, fighters and crafters were exponentially more useful than someone whose skills began and ended with the ability to remember things really well. That was an intentional oversimplification, but the fact remained that Roman regarded anyone who chose the path of a Schr as, at best, selfish. At worst, they were cowards. Most of them were idealistic idiots who refused to ept that the world had irrevocably changed and that their priorities should shift as well. Even if it was ufortable. Even if it meant they¡¯d have to do the sorts of things they often regarded as barbaric or beneath them. Of course, Roman was no idiot. He understood the value such people could bring to a society. However, he also knew that, when food and security were in such short supply, Schrs and Researchers were a luxury they couldn¡¯t afford to indulge. So, he¡¯d made a lot of difficult choices. He¡¯d indirectly killed thousands by refusing Schrs entry into Easton. Each one of those deaths weighed heavily on his shoulders, but that was what leadership often was ¨C choosing between a collection of terrible options. And now, the price of those choices hade due. It had been months since he¡¯d rescinded the moratorium on allowing new arrivals with Schr archetypes into the city, and though the poption of dedicated academics had grown significantly, few exceptional people had emerged. Some of his advisors had pointed out that some of that was due to the city¡¯s reputation. The world was disjointed and disconnected, but there was enough trade between Easton and a few other towns and cities that word of their discriminatory practices against Schrs had spread. Because of that, very few of those people even tried to enter the city anymore, opting for more epting environments. As a result, Easton¡¯s advancement had suffered, though Roman had some ideas on how to solve that problem. He only needed a little more time before he could implement those ns. In the meantime, they were forced to work with the tools they had on hand, which meant that development on a project like the wall was slow. Still, Roman hoped it would be worth it, especially considering the resources they¡¯d put into it. He¡¯d lost count of how many Ethereum they¡¯d spent ¨C not to mention the physical cost of all thebor that had gone into it ¨C to get even this far. And the price would only be more exorbitant before the project waspleted. ¡°It will be worth it, sir,¡± said Fiona. She was his right-hand woman, and as such, she knew him better than anyone else in Easton. Especially since Alyssa had met with her unavoidable fate. ¡°When the wall is finished, we won¡¯t have to worry about spontaneous Voxx manifestations anymore. Not to mention that it will keep out the monsters.¡± Indeed, even though the second was the traditional purpose of a wall ¨C especially one as formidable as what they were building ¨Cthe first benefit was the most important. Every week, Roman read reports about those spontaneous manifestations. Voxxian monsters suddenly appearing in people¡¯s homes, in businesses, and even in public squares. The city¡¯s guardsmen dealt with them as quickly as possible, but rare was the instance where one of the Voxx was killed without taking at least a couple of citizens with it. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I greenlit the project,¡± he said, turning away. Then, he looked at his watch and asked, ¡°Where is he? He should be here by now.¡± ¡°I am,¡± came a voice from nearby. The moment the sound hit Roman¡¯s ear, he had his sword out of the sheath at his waist and three temporary enhancements singing through his body as the weapon sliced through the air. With supernatural control, he halted the de¡¯s path as it touched Trace¡¯s throat. The Ouw didn¡¯t flinch. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He knew Roman well enough to trust the Assassin¡¯s control. Roman rewarded that trust by only nicking the man¡¯s neck. It was a testament to Roman¡¯s passive ability, Sharpened de, that even that was possible, given Trace¡¯s level and Constitution. The man¡¯s Ouw ss was more well-rounded than most, which meant that he could fill a wide variety of roles, though with a trend toward stealth and utility. That meant that, even though he wasn¡¯t overpowering, he was dangerous in almost every situation. He¡¯d proven that on many asions, and if Roman had his way, he¡¯d continue to do so in service of Easton¡¯s best interests. ¡°Not the wee I expected,¡± the man said, an air of nonchncecing his voice as he pushed the de away with one finger. He ran that same finger across the tiny cut on his neck, wiping the blood away. Notably, the nick healed only a secondter ¨C some ability at work, Roman knew ¨C and Trace grinned as he added, ¡°I thought we were friends.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to sneak up on me,¡± Roman responded. ¡°If you continue to flout my instructions, you might end up having an ident.¡± Trace chuckled. ¡°So you keep saying. But then, you keeping back to me. Some people might consider our rtionship a little toxic,¡± he said. ¡°Far be it from me to make that kind of judgement, though.¡± Roman sheathed his sword a bit more forcefully than he otherwise might have. It was a high-quality weapon ¨C one of the best avable in Easton ¨C but it was still only Crude. None of the other weaponsmiths in the city had managed to repeat Carmen¡¯s feat of creating a Simple-Grade item. It wasn¡¯t forck of trying, either. The highest-leveled of the bunch didn¡¯t have Carmen¡¯s knack, and the ones who had the knack had yet to attain the necessary techniques. And the couple who had both werezy, unmotivated, orcked follow-through. It was a good reminder that, by definition, most people were mediocre. Even in a world full of magic and wonder, that would remain true. That, more than anything, made him regret sending Carmen away. However, he knew that she was a ticking time bomb that, if she remained in Easton, would eventually explode. It was only a matter of time before she discovered the truth of what had happened in that tower. He¡¯d taken steps to mitigate the chances that someone would let the cat out of the bag, but Carmen was far too intelligent to ignore the obvious exnation for how Alyssa had died. All it would take would be a stray thought before her suspicions would begin to mount. From there, she¡¯d put it all together. Roman was certain of it. So, he¡¯d pushed her away from the city in the hopes that the distraction of running the mine would keep her from figuring things out, at least until he was ready to do what was necessary to deal with her. It would have been easier to simply kill her and everyone else who¡¯d been there. However, he hadn¡¯t quite reached the point where he¡¯d resort to wanton murder to solve all his problems. Alyssa¡¯s death had been necessary. She was too popr. People had already begun to rally behind her. And it was inevitable that, sooner rather thanter, they would decide that she¡¯d make for a better leader than Roman. Never mind that he was the only reason Easton had survived. He¡¯d made all the unpopr choices. He had owned the sacrifices necessary for the city to make it through the events that had killed so many others. Without him, people would have starved. Without him making the hard choices, they would have been incapable of defending themselves. They¡¯d have been weighed down by individual freedoms and freeloaders, and they¡¯d have met a simr fate as dozens of other prospective settlements. Byparison, Alyssa had set herself up as the hero. The person who leaped into battle, putting her own safety at risk to ensure the survival of others. She was the knight in shining armor who never had to make any of the unpopr choices. It would¡¯ve been so much easier if she¡¯d done so out of a desire to undermine him. But Roman knew that wasn¡¯t the case. She¡¯d simply acted ording to her nature, and she¡¯d never even realized that, whether she wanted it or not, she had set herself against him ¨C at least in the eyes of the people. The fact that she had often ¨C and publicly ¨C disagreed with him made the entire situation untenable. But if Roman was honest with himself, he knew that at least part of his decision to remove her was based on her failure to protect Trish. Because of Alyssa, his wife was gone, and even more than a yearter, he still felt the loss so keenly that, when he was alone, his grief sometimes sent him spiraling into a level of depression he couldn¡¯t afford to let anyone else see. Roman bore some responsibility as well. He should have insisted that Trish stay behind. Up until that point, he¡¯d sheltered her as closely as he was able. However, she¡¯d been adamant that she be allowed to do her part, and he had finally acquiesced to her demands. Largely, that decision was based on his trust in Alyssa. She would protect his wife. He¡¯d been so certain of it. And yet, Trish had died, setting Roman on a path that had ended with him ordering the death of his closest friend. His only friend, really. There were plenty of sycophants like Fiona, all scrambling for his approval in a selfish quest for more power and authority. He recognized them for what they were, but he also saw the benefits they could bring. So, he tolerated them. However, none could rece Alyssa, who¡¯d always spoken her mind, even when it put her at odds with him. There was value in that, but it also set a dangerous precedent. Opposition could not be allowed. Not yet. If they were divided, the city would fall. Roman knew that as surely as he¡¯d ever known anything. Which brought him to why he¡¯d summoned Trace to the pce. The man was uniquely qualified to do the job Roman had in mind. ¡°I have a proposal for you,¡± he said. ¡°No offense, chief, but I¡¯m not looking to get married,¡± Trace said with the same crooked grin he almost always bore. ¡°Nothing against you. You¡¯re great. Very handsome. I¡¯m just not interested in that kind of ¨C¡± ¡°Take this seriously,¡± Roman interrupted. ¡°The world ended. Magic and monsters exist. If you¡¯re taking this seriously, you¡¯re doing it wrong.¡± Roman¡¯s grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, the threat of which Trace did not miss. He held up his hands, saying, ¡°Fine. Putting on my serious face. What¡¯s up? What do you have for me?¡± ¡°Like I said ¨C a proposal. An opportunity. I want you to head up a new division of the government,¡± Roman said. ¡°Your focus will be information gathering and, if necessary, quiet removal of threats to themon good.¡± The decision had not been lightly made, but Roman felt confident that he¡¯d made the right choice. Not only did Trace¡¯s ss suit the role perfectly, but he also had a certain moral flexibility that would almost assuredly prove necessary. Couple that with his connections throughout the city ¨C the man seemed to know every low-life in Easton ¨C and he became the clear choice. ¡°That sounds an awful lot like a secret police, chief,¡± Trace said. ¡°Not a great track record for those, historically speaking.¡± Roman didn¡¯t dispute that. ¡°I will give you resources,¡± he stated. ¡°You will have top-tier equipment. Good people. Advancement opportunities. And, of course, you will be wellpensated.¡± Trace grinned. ¡°You had me at wellpensated.¡± ¡°That is literally thest thing he said,¡± Fiona pointed out, her first contribution to the conversation. ¡°And the only thing that mattered,¡± Trace pointed out. ¡°Look ¨C I¡¯m a simple man. Pay me what I¡¯m worth, and I¡¯ll do whatever job you¡¯ve got in mind.¡± ¡°A true mercenary,¡± Fiona said. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any civic pride? Don¡¯t you care about the greater good.¡± ¡°If the money¡¯s right, sure. I care about all sorts of things if you pay me enough.¡± ¡°Disgusting.¡± ¡°Practical.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Roman said before the two could further their argument. Then, to Trace, he asked, ¡°You¡¯ll take the job?¡± ¡°I will. And I promise I¡¯ll root out all the bad apples. Everyst one,¡± Trace said. ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk more about mypensation. I assume there¡¯s a bonus for every traitor I find¡­¡± Book 2: Chapter 33: Putting in the Work Book 2: Chapter 33: Putting in the Work As Elijah slipped from one shadow to the next, every exhale brought with it a cloud of mist. The temperature had been falling for a while, and with every step, it had grown ever colder until frost decorated the rough columns on either side of the hall. He nced up at the vaulted ceilings that had bemon in this wing of the citadel, and he saw that small icicles had formed. In addition, when he saw one of the armor-d ogre guards tromping down the hall, he noticed that the giant creature had donned a fur-lined cloak and heavy gloves. Elijah felt none of the cold, though. The moment the temperature had begun to drop, he¡¯d found an abandoned room where he¡¯d shifted into his human form and reced Essence of the Monkey with Ward of the Seasons.
Spell: Ward of the Seasons Harness the power of the seasons, increasing resistance to elemental damage (Water, Earth, Fire, Air).
The effects were immediate, shielding him from the increasingly frigid temperatures and confirming what he¡¯d already suspected. The frigid cold was magical in nature, so the enhancement had worked as an effective counter. That boded well for what he knew he would have to do in order to conquer the tower. Still, Elijah needed to scout things out before he made any firm ns. So, he continued on his way, noting the patrol path of the guards along the way. They were pretty well spaced out, which was a great sign, but he didn¡¯t want to act upon the strategy slowly forming in his mind. For now, he was only gathering information. Gradually, he passed through the halls. Every now and then, he would find branches, and he dedicated one facet of his Quartz Mind to keeping track of theyout as he explored the wing. And over time, Elijah noted the pattern, which roughly resembled a series of concentric hexagons with a circr chamber at the center. Eachyer was connected by fiverger halls that spread out from the center like spokes of a wheel. Elijah couldn¡¯t enter the room itself, as it was blocked by a thin sheet of ice. He could break through, but doing so would assuredly draw the attention of therge shape ¨C presumably, the ice ogre, Tuk ¨C he could just barely make out on the other side. He also noted that the ambient Ethera had grown much thicker as he¡¯d drawn closer to the creature¡¯s icy domain. In any case, he couldn¡¯t see how to get to the lieutenant without garnering the attention of every ogre in the wing, so he quickly retreated. Elijah remained in that wing long enough topletely map theyout and the pattern of the guards¡¯ patrols before he left it behind and headed to the northern section of the citadel. There, he found that the corridors followed a simr pattern, though instead of increasing cold, the temperatures quickly rose to sweltering levels. And when Elijah finally reached the lieutenant¡¯s chamber, the heat became visible, and the floor beneath his feet grew ufortably hot. And given the protection afforded by Ward of the Seasons, that was saying something. Without it, he felt positive that it would¡¯ve been hot enough to blister, even with his enhanced Constitution. However, just like had been the case with the Tuk¡¯s domain, visibility into Tok¡¯s chamber was blocked. This time, though, instead of a sheet of ice, a wall of fire obscured his vision. Fortunately, theyout of the wing was identical the one dedicated to ice, so once Elijah confirmed that, he focused his attention on other things. The guards in the area had eschewed their armorpletely, and they wore simr outfits ¨C if a loincloth qualified for thatbel ¨C as the more rotund jailers back in the dungeon. However, even without the protection the ck iron armor provided, they were still formidable foes. Each one was slick with sweat and obviously miserable, though the fact that they weren¡¯t burned, even when they passed by the central chamber, was a testament to their inted Constitution attribute. In any case, Elijah noted their patrol paths, then retreated to the milder environment surrounding the old prisoner¡¯s corpse. Once there, hemenced nning. The first obstacle was obviously the guards, and each one represented a potentially deadly battle. The troll had struggled with the ones down in the dungeon, but Elijah expected that that wasrgely due to the fact that it had been outnumbered. So, he reckoned that if he could get each of the guards alone, it would give him the best opportunity to defeat them. And given that there were twelve such guards in each of the two wings ¨C along with five patrolling his current location ¨C that strategy was probably going to be a lot trickier than it might seem at first nce. Each wing was an expansive maze of corridors, but they weren¡¯t so spread out that he could fight a battle without getting the attention of that area¡¯s guards. After giving the problem some thought, Elijah came up with a n he thought would work. However, the viability depended on the rtive intelligence of the ogres. If they were smart, there was no chance of it working. But if they were as dim as his experiences had led him to believe, then he had a chance. Without any other options ¨C that he could think of, at least ¨C Elijah retreated to the cer, where he took a few minutes to renew the appropriate enhancements before preemptively casting Healing Rain, regenerating his Ethera, and then shifting back into his scaled panther form. After applying Guise of the Unseen, he climbed the steps and positioned himself just outside the cer. Once there, he crouched in one of the shadows and waited for his first victim. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Fortunately, there wasn¡¯t much of a dy before the steady clink of armor and the heavy clomp of ogre footsteps announced the imminent arrival of one of the patrolling guards. Soon enough, the hulking creature stepped into view, but Elijah remainedpletely stationary as he waited on his victim to arrive at the appropriate location. One weighty stomp came after another until, atst, the monster drew even with Elijah¡¯s position. That¡¯s when he activated Venom Strike and Predator Strike before he pounced, savaging the unsuspecting ogre¡¯s right knee. His ws bit deep between armor tes, ripping through meat and ligaments. The guard let out a shout of surprise and tried to wheel around and bring its massive cudgel to bear. By that point, though, Elijah had already darted into the cer. He didn¡¯t descend the steps, though. Instead, he let out a low growl, just loud enough for the ogre to hear. As he crouched there, he knew that he¡¯d reached the moment of truth. If the ogre was smart, he would seek help. If he was as dumb as Elijah hoped, then the guard would follow the trail Elijah had left. He had ns for both scenarios, but he certainly preferred thetter. When it came to enemies, dumb was always better than smart. For a moment, the ogre seemed confused, but then he realized where the growl had originated. Once he did, he wasted no more time before pursuing Elijah into the cer. Unfortunately, the wound on its leg wasn¡¯t nearly as debilitating as Elijah had hoped, so he was caught by surprise by the ogre¡¯s rapid arrival. Still, the time dtion effect of his Sash of the Whirlwind came in handy, allowing him to move just quickly enough to avoid the charging ogre. Even as Elijah bounded away, it became clear that the ogre hadn¡¯t counted on the presence of steps. Overbnced, the guard couldn¡¯t halt his momentum before ttering down the stairs and into the cer. That¡¯s when Elijah pounced again, wing and biting a handful of times in quick session. He didn¡¯t care about doing immediate damage. Instead, he wanted to build up instances of Contagion. For that, fast, shallow cuts were the best. And given his advantages ¨C high Strength and Dexterity, coupled with the effects of his Sash of the Whirlwind ¨C he was capable of moving extremely quickly. Even so, he very nearly pushed his luck too far, and he was forced to narrowly dodge the recovering ogre¡¯s backhanded blow. Elijah raced away, shifting into his caster form before renewing Healing Rain. It drained only a tiny bit of Ethera, but with the extra potency provided by his Dragon Core, it could potentially save his life. So, he preferred to keep it active during every fight he could. Once that was done, he turned his attention to the ogre and saw that he¡¯d nearly recovered his feet. Elijah pushed Ethera from his Core, through his Soul, and into Snaring Roots. Thick vines erupted from the ground, tangling the ogre¡¯s massive feet. It tried to rip free, and it seeded in tearing through the first wave of roots. However, they were quickly reced by more. But even as one facet of his Quartz Mind kept an eye on his enemy, Elijah was pushing more Ethera into another spell. Leveling his staff at the ogre, he let loose with Swarm, manifesting hundreds of biting flies that descended upon the ogre. The creature¡¯s armor offered little protection against the tiny insects, and soon enough, they slipped beneath the tes and delivered their afflictions. The ogre bellowed, pping his meaty hands against his own body in an attempt to smash the little bugs. He got quite a few of them, too. Yet, there were plenty that survived to get the job done. As the ogre unsessfully attempted to deal with the insects, Elijah cast another spell. His Ethera was getting low, so he didn¡¯t use Cmity or Storm¡¯s Fury. Instead, he used Shape of the Guardian to shift into the scaled ape form, thenunched himself at the distracted ogre. He crashed into the monster in a vicious shoulder tackle before pummeling the prone creature with his fists. Between blows, he snapped out with his powerful jaws, and the sound of rending metal filled the air. It did little good, but Elijah was ying the long game. More evidence of that manifested when the ogre tried to fight back, wing and punching, but each attack only resulted in painful thorns being embedded in his hands. Elijah kept up the pressure, knowing good and well that if he let the ogre recover ¨C even for a second ¨C it would spell his doom. So, he continued to punch, bite, and kick ¨C each attack buoyed by his immense Strength. Still, it wasn¡¯t until thebined effects of Contagion, Venom Strike, and Swarm had taken hold that Elijah truly started to win the battle. The ogre¡¯s resistance weakened, and its bellowing cries turned into pained moans. And still, Elijah kept on. He didn¡¯t grow any stronger as the fight went on, but with the ogre¡¯s power being sapped by various afflictions, it certainly seemed like it. Finally, after a few minutes that felt like hours, Elijah finished the creature off with a mighty bite that crushed the ogre¡¯s skull. That didn¡¯t kill it. The ogre was too durable for that. But its body went mostly limp, save for a series of uncontrolled spasms. Elijahshed out again, and he felt more bones crunch beneath the might of his jaws. Still, he didn¡¯t feel an influx of kill energy, so he attacked again. And again after that. In all, it took five more bites before the skullpletely shattered like a melon. Finally, a flood of experience washed over him, and he let himself rx as he backed away. The fight had gone almost perfectly, and he had managed to keep the pressure up the entire time. The ogre had never had a chance to regain his bnce. Still, it had taken far more damage to put it down than he¡¯d ever expected. But he¡¯d done it. That was all that mattered. Now, though, he needed to repeat the process. So, after taking a few minutes to drag the body out of the way ¨C looting a pouch containing a couple of copper ethereum along the way ¨C he settled down to recover his Ethera and center his mind. A little less than an hourter, he headed out to repeat the process. His next victim went down a little easier, though he took a bit of damage because he stayed in predator form a little too long. Still, the few broken ribs he¡¯d sustained when the ogre caught him with a wild kick were nothing that a little Healing Rain couldn¡¯t mend. However, the third ogre very nearly killed him. Elijah didn¡¯t know if it was just a higher level than the others or some other facet he¡¯d overlooked, but it endured his initial barrage without flinching. Then, it ripped through the entanglement of Snaring Roots before Elijah had even finished casting Swarm. So, he¡¯d been forced to dodge while in caster form ¨C a losing strategy if ever there was one. Predictably, he¡¯d taken a hit, but fortunately, because he¡¯d had an entire facet of his Quartz Mind focused on casting Swarm, he managed toplete the spell as he flew across the cer and hit a cluster of barrels with bone crushing force. If Elijah hadn¡¯t had Shape of the Guardian ready with another facet of his mind, he would have died then and there. However, as it happened, he managed to shift into a scaled ape just in time to meet the ogre¡¯s charge. It still wasn¡¯t ideal, but after that, the stacked afflictionsbined with Shield of Brambles and the enhancements of his durable form was enough to tip the bnce in his favor. Even so, it was a long, hard-fought battle that pushed him to his limits. Afterwards, he was forced to spend nearly ten hours healing himself before he was ready for the fourth battle. That went much better ¨C in nearly perfect mimicry of the first fight ¨C and Elijah finished it off without issue. A couple of hourster, he managed to kill the sixth and final ogre guard in the area. Doing so pushed him to level thirty-seven, which, on the surface, wasn¡¯t nearly as beneficial as it might¡¯ve once been. However, it put him one step closer to gaining a new ability, which was what he truly considered important at the moment. Even more importantly, killing that sixth ogre meant that he could now focus on clearing the wings to the north and south. So, once he¡¯d healed from the final battle, he took a few minutes to eat and drink before setting off toward the fire wing. Hopefully, things would continue to go his way. Book 2: Chapter 34: That Burning Sensation Book 2: Chapter 34: That Burning Sensation The first time Elijah attacked one of the ogre guards in the fire wing, he got quite a surprise when it summoned a fireball and tossed it in his direction. Fortunately, he¡¯d kept one facet of his Mind focused on the monster, so he narrowly managed to leap aside before the ball of me swallowed him. Still, it represented a serious deviation from what he¡¯d found clearing the first half-dozen guards. Regardless, the addition of spellcasting ability didn¡¯t change his general strategy, so, even as his scales smoked from the near miss, he raced through the corridors to his carefully chosen battleground. He reached it after only half a minute, barreling through the door and slipping to the side just in time to avoid yet another arcing fireball. It sshed against the far wall as Elijah shifted into his human form and cocked back his staff. The moment he caught a hint of the ogre passing through the doorway, Elijah swung his weapon with all the might he could muster. It cracked against the guard¡¯s kneecaps hard enough that it would have shattered a lesser staff. However, the Staff of Natural Harmony was a Simple Grade item, and so it was unnaturally durable. Still, to Elijah, it felt like he¡¯d just hit a brick wall, and the impact sent incredibly painful vibrations through his hands and up his forearms. But the tactic proved its viability when the ogre lost his bnce and stumbled through door. Already off-bnce, the guard couldn¡¯t mitigate the effect of Elijah¡¯s next attack, which came via a blow across the creature¡¯s broad back that sent it into an even more exaggerated stumble. That, in turn, ended with the guard falling t on its face. Its momentum took it all the way to the far wall. Elijah leveled his staff at the monster, then cast Snaring Roots. The resulting eruption of vegetation wrapped around the ogre¡¯s entire body, encasing it in a cocoon of thorny vines. That was far more effective than if the creature had remained upright, because it robbed the ogre of any leverage. Even so, Elijah knew it would onlyst a few seconds, so he acted quickly, casting Swarm, then Healing Rain in quick session. He¡¯d shunted the pain from his burning scales into its own facet of his mind, so it didn¡¯t affect his cognitive abilities. However, he was still very much aware of it, so he was even more cognizant of the soothing precipitation that healed the damage. Elijah got his next surprise when he saw that Swarm hadn¡¯t summoned the biting flies it had in the previous area. Instead, it had manifested hundreds of glowing orange spiders, each one emitting visible heat. They descended upon the prone ogre, their obviously painful bites sending its struggles to a new level of panic. But Elijah barely noticed it. Instead, he was already shifting into the Shape of the Guardian. The transformation only took a second, but to his impatient mind, it was still too long. In the previous area, he¡¯de to enjoy the sense of power he felt in the scaled ape form, so he was eager to resume that mighty shape. The moment he felt his bodyplete its transformation, he loped forward, covering the ground in a couple of hopping steps before he descended upon the panicked and diseased ogre.However, the moment he reached the creature, he got his second shock when the guard erupted into mes hot enough to burn the vines to ash. Fortunately, the swarm of spiders were clearly resistant to the fire, because they were entirely unaffected. Unfortunately, Elijah was very much affected as the mes hit him like an exploding bomb. Even with Ward of the Seasons active, his scales proved to be little protection against the eruption of fire. All along his front, they melted, but his exposure was blessedly brief as he was quickly tossed backward by a shockwave that sent him on a collision course with the wall on the other side of the room. He hit with bone-crunching force, but his body held up surprisingly well to the blunt force impact. Still, when the back of his head hit the stone wall, he saw stars. Whether it was due to his high Constitution or the ongoing effects of Healing Rain, Elijah wasn¡¯t sure, but he recovered quickly and picked himself up just in time to see the ming ogre do the same. It bellowed a challenge, pping its chest with one fist. Then, it gave its bald head the same treatment, reminding Elijah of some of the more unhinged boxers he¡¯d seen during his years participating in the sport. Then it charged, once again taking Elijah by surprise, this time with how quickly it moved. But with the extra time afforded by the Sash of the Whirlwind, Elijah quickly got over his shock and reacted by dodging to the side. The ogre was afflicted with the same issues that affected Elijah when he was under the influence of Shape of the Guardian in that it had plenty of Strength to propel it forward at incredible speed butcked the Dexterity to control that power, meaning that he had no chance of changing direction. Or stopping. He hit the wall head-first, knocking himself for a loop. He bounced back, then stumbled, shaking its head. That¡¯s when Elijah leaped forward, his wsshing out with all the power he could muster. Fire licked at him as his short, stubby ws gouged into the guard¡¯s bare chest. Ward of the Seasons protected Elijah, though, allowing him to continue his attacks against the off-bnce creature. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. Once. Twice. Then three times. Each attack dug deeper into the ogre¡¯s flesh until Elijah felt bone. However, it was at that point that the guard regained his wits and, with extreme and explosive speed, he punched out. His meaty fist took Elijah in the stomach with an uppercut thatunched him toward the ceiling. In the air, hecked leverage to affect his own movement, so he could do nothing about his fall toward the ogre¡¯s follow-up attack that collided with his toothy snout. Once again, Elijah was sent flying across the room, stopping only when he collided with the wall with even more force than his first meeting with the barrier. His breath left his lungs in a rush, and it felt like iron bands wrapped around his chest. Fortunately, Healing Rain persisted, soothing his injuries just enough to let him quickly regain his faculties. When he did, he saw something that gave him hope. The ogre was clearly stronger than the guards he¡¯d previously fought. Probably due to that fiery corona surrounding its body. However, Elijah could also see that the ability was a double-edged sword. Blisters had already begun to spread across the ogre¡¯s bare skin, and they were worsening by the second. That meant that Elijah only had to endure. That, in turn, meant that he was in for a painful run. Yet, he didn¡¯t shy away. If he could deal with being eaten alive by an orca¡¯s stomach acid, then he could take whatever the fire ogres could dish out. In theory. In practice, the next few minutes were an exercise in torture as he and the ogre went back and forth. Elijah got in a few hits here and there, but most of the work was done by the still ongoing afflictions as well as the fire that was the origin of the guard¡¯s explosive power. Without any of his advantages ¨C whether it was Ward of the Seasons, his enhancements, or his inted Constitution ¨C Elijah would have fallen prey to the ogre¡¯s attacks. However, they proved just enough to endure the worst of it until, gradually, the guard wore down. As he did, Elijah¡¯s blowsnded a little more often until he felt like he was fighting a one-sided battle. Still, every time he drew close to the ogre, his body erupted into fiery agony. So, by the time he finally downed the monster, he was drowning in so much pain that he could barely think straight. Still, every second that passed after the ogre¡¯s mes winked out, he was healed a little more by Healing Rain. That, along with his Quartz Mind, allowed him to drag himself out of that painful abyss. When he did, he shifted back to his human form and started casting Touch of Nature. It took a few hours for him to return to normal, but he didn¡¯t immediately set off to pull another ogre to his chosen killing field. Instead, he took quite some time trying to center himself. In theory, enduring pain was just about willpower, but every person had limits. Eventually, enough agony would break anyone, and despite the fact that he¡¯d progressed past human limitations, Elijah was no different. But that wasn¡¯t necessarily true, either. By all rights, he should have been riddled with post-traumatic stress, and yet, once he¡¯d recovered, his mind just skated away from all the worst parts of his ordeal. It had been the same with his time in the first tower, which had been incredibly taxing on his psyche. Now, though, he almost looked back on it with fondness. Not the part where he¡¯d been eaten alive by a mutant orca. Or when he¡¯d almost lost himself to his feral side. Or when he¡¯d had a chunk of his side eaten by a giant snapping turtle. Or dozens of other life-or-death situations. When he looked at it like that, he should have been a mess. And yet, he didn¡¯t feel wracked with anxiety. In fact, even now, only a couple of hours after enduring the fire ogre¡¯s attacks, he felt positively optimistic. Clearly, there was something else at y, but he had no idea what that might be. Nor was Elijah terribly concerned with something that seemed helpful. He couldn¡¯t afford to deal with the psychological effects of his adventures, so it was probably better that something ¨C probably the system or the cultivation of his Mind and Soul ¨C had dulled it. In any case, once Elijah had recovered ¨C mentally and physically ¨C he embarked on a painful and necessary quest to exterminate the fire ogres. The second was just as difficult as the first, but over time, he developed a viable strategy. It was a little more dangerous, but he found that using his caster form a little more generously made things much less painful. So long as he continuously cast Snaring Roots, weaving Storm¡¯s Fury in, he could remain mostly out of range of the ogres¡¯ mes. Of course, he still made mistakes, and there were plenty of close calls. After those fights, he ended up looking a bit like Freddy Krueger. Fortunately, his healing spells kept him from scarring, but he did lose most of his hair. More distressingly, he once again ended up naked when his outfit caught fire and burned to crisp. After that, he stashed his pack in another room before resuming his quest in the nude. After all, he could easily repair his body. His expensive clothes were another story altogether. By the halfway point, Elijah was more than ready to move on. At first, the pain he¡¯d been forced to endure was counterbnced by the struggle. However, as it had gotten easier, the process had be an unexciting slog. Or as unexciting as being burned alive ever could be, he reasoned. Still, he had no choice but to finish it off, and for two reasons. First, he didn¡¯t dare fight the lieutenants while any of the guards still lived. He knew each one would strain his capabilities, so he didn¡¯t want toplicate matters by adding a few extra ogres to the mix. The second reason was just as practical, and it centered on the influx of kill energy he received with every in guard. He¡¯d already reached level thirty-seven, and he hoped that, by the time he finished off all the guards ¨C in every wing ¨C he would attain level forty and gain a new spell. But first, he needed to finish the fire ogres. So, once he¡¯d healed from thetest fight, he took a deep, steadying breath, and got back to work. Book 2: Chapter 35: Every Tool Book 2: Chapter 35: Every Tool Icicles hung from the ceiling, and thick frost coated every surface, but Elijah forced himself to ignore the biting cold as he raced through the corridor as quickly as he could manage. Behind him, two hulking ogres, both covered in icy spikes, followed with deceptive speed. Each stride of their long legs ate quite a bit of distance, and they had the Strength to propel their massive bodies forward with rming crity. Still, Elijah narrowly outpaced them. But he had no idea what to do next. Two facets of his mind whirled with one idea after another as he searched for some way to salvage the situation, but there were no clever tricks to be found. Especially when he turned a corner and ran headlong into two more icy ogres that should not have been there. He ducked, sliding across the icy-slick floor as he avoided a simrly coated axe as it descended on the spot he¡¯d just vacated. It sent shards of ice flying, but by that point, Elijah was already leaping high into the air. But not high enough. Thinking quickly, he used Venom Strike before raking his ws across the face of yet another ice ogre. As it reeled back in pain, Elijah kicked off the creature¡¯s shoulder, bounded off the wall, then hit the ground running. The whole thing had only taken little more than a second, but even that was enough to give the pursuing ogres the chance to catch up. Fortunately, they hadn¡¯t expected to run into their fellows either, and as a result, one pair collided with another, resulting in a tangled scrum of hulking monsters. That was the opportunity Elijah had been waiting for. He dug his ws into the floor, grinding to a stop. The moment his momentum had been arrested, he whipped around, shifting back to his human form. Even as his body morphed, he threw out his staff and shoved Ethera into Cmity. He released it only a momentter, and the fury of nature descended upon the fallen ogres. Lightning cracked. Thunder rolled. And the ground was rent asunder, ripping through the prone monsters without mercy. However, Elijah paid little attention to that. Instead, he was already casting a second spell. As he forced Ethera into Swarm, hundreds of crystalline rats formed from the ice on the walls, then scurried forward to fall on the reeling ogres.Even then, Elijah wasn¡¯t finished casting. With the influx of levels as well as his advancement in cultivation, his core had grown quite a bitrger than it had been in the beginning. That tranted into the ability to cast more spells before he ran dry. So, he had plenty of fuel to use in the attempt to salvage the situation his carelessness had foisted upon him. So, he channeled Storm¡¯s Fury through his staff, sending a thick bolt of lightning out to join the storm summoned by Cmity. It struck the closest ogre directly in the upturned face, sending a powerful electrical current arcing through the massive creature¡¯s body. But it didn¡¯t stop there. Because it was touching all the other ogres ¨C who were conveniently d in iron, which made for a great conductor ¨C the electrical current flowed from one to the other, effectively extending the single cast to four targets. So, seeing how effective it was, Elijah cast it again. Then, he went for a third cast, but by that point, he knew he was pushing his luck as well as his core¡¯s capacity. So, he stepped forward, cocked his staff back, and used Venom Strike before hitting the closest ogre in the face. The staff took the creature in the jaw, and Elijah was rewarded by the sound of breaking bones ¨C or cracking ice, perhaps. More importantly, he delivered the neurotoxin of Venom Strike.
Ability: Venom Strike Imbues an attack with fast-acting neurotoxin. Usable in all forms. Damage doubled when in Predator form.
He used it again before hitting the next closest ogre. However, the moment he connected, his good fortune truly did run out, and the first monster caught him with a wild backhand that sent him stumbling into the frosty wall. Elijah quickly recovered, but by that point, Cmity had ended, and despite the afflictions Swarm had delivered, the ogres had begun to pick themselves up from the floor. That was when Elijah decided to once again run. This time, though, he didn¡¯t switch into his Predator form. Because he had an idea. Dashing to the end of the hall, he turned around to see that the first ogre had climbed to his feet. He stumbled forward in pursuit of Elijah, but his bodycked the Strength it had once possessed. Elijah waited. The next ogre found his feet, too. Then, the third. Finally, the fourth lurched upright. By that point, the first creature had reached the halfway point, but still, Elijah held his ground. Just before thest monster resumed his own pursuit, Elijah cast Snaring Roots. The prickly vines exploded from the ground, eagerly wrapping around the already weakened ogre¡¯s legs. For a moment, it looked confused that its legs wouldn¡¯t move, and then, it tipped back over. The vines continued to snake out, wrapping the ogre in a prone cocoon, but Elijah didn¡¯t stick around to watch. Now that he¡¯d slowed one down, he needed to run. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. So, he took off down the corridor, turning down paths he¡¯d memorized. The ogres followed. Although, because they were fighting the afflictions of Swarm as well as the neurotoxin of Venom Strike, their steps were slow and plodding. Due to that, Elijah easily managed to outpace them. So, after a few more minutes dedicated to racing through the halls, he finally felt Essence of the Wolf take effect. When it did, he didn¡¯t hesitate to shift into his Predator Form, then adopt Guise of the Unseen. However, he didn¡¯t stop. Instead, he padded forward with as much speed as he could muster, then slipped into one of the empty side rooms. It was just in time, too, because the first Ogre thundered past the entrance only a secondter,pletely oblivious that he¡¯d lost Elijah¡¯s trail. Even so, he didn¡¯t rx. That was what had nearly gotten him killed the first time. But in his defense, how was he supposed to know that the ogres would be able to detect him? He still didn¡¯t even know what had prompted their discovery. One second, he¡¯d been sneaking along as he searched for a way to separate them and kill them one-by-one, and the next, one of the huge creatures had wheeled around and aimed a herculean kick in his direction. It was only due to his faceted Mind that he saw iting and managed to leap aside. What followed was a desperate chase through the corridors that had mercifully just ended. But Elijah wasn¡¯t finished. Throughout his flight through the tunnels, one facet of his Mind had been working overtime trying toe up with a n to make the best of the situation, and, through some good fortune and quick thinking, he¡¯d managed to engineer just such a chance. Now, he needed to follow through. So, after the second and third ogres rushed past, he crept out and sprinted down the hall to where he hoped to find the final ogre he¡¯d bound with Snaring Roots. Only a few momentster, he got his wish when he nearly ran into the creature. Without hesitation, Elijah leaped, opened his mouth wide, and used Predator Strike before mping down on the monster¡¯s head. The ogre was wholly unprepared for the attack, and weakened as he was, he had little chance of stopping Elijah¡¯s forceful bite. He flexed his jaw, and his teeth bit deep. When he yanked away, a chunk of flesh and bone came with him. The ogre lurched out of control, then crashed into the wall. Elijah bounded free, then darted back in to sh his ws across the creature¡¯s hamstrings. Then, he repeated the motion on the ogre¡¯s ankles. The creature tumbled to the floor, cracking the ice along the way. In a panic, the monster activated an ability that sent spikes of ice erupting from the ground, but they were unfocused and too slow to catch Elijah. He dodged around them, then leaped on the ogre¡¯s back. Digging his ws between the tes of armor, he once again reared back, then struck forward with snapping jaws that tore another chunk from the base of the creature¡¯s skull. Knowing what was about to happen, he repeated the action, though this time, he didn¡¯t let go or try to tear free. Instead, hetched on with everything he could muster. That¡¯s when the ogre managed to push himself to his knees, thenunch himself backwards, mming Elijah against the wall. Still, he didn¡¯t let go. Even as he felt his bones creak under the impact, he raked his ws across the monster¡¯s back, digging deep even as he continued to apply pressure on the ogre¡¯s skull. Letting out a hiss of mingled pain and fury, Elijah tapped into a well of Strength he didn¡¯t know he possessed, and he was rewarded a momentter with the sound of a skull cracking. A secondter, brains and sma squirted into his mouth as the creature finally sumbed to its many injuries. It copsed, pinning Elijah against the wall so thoroughly that he was forced to switch into his Guardian form to push it out of the way. After finally winning free, Elijah switched back to his caster form and ran back the way he¡¯de. As he did so, he channeled Touch of Nature in an attempt to heal his aching bones. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d broken anything, but it was close enough that he knew that ignoring the injuries would be a mistake. His bare feet pped against the icy floor, though he barely felt the cold. Ward of Seasons, which had taken the ce of Essence of the Monkey, had proven invaluable. Once, he¡¯d considered the enhancement to be mostly useless because it did nothing to block the weather. However, in the Ethera-induced cold of the citadel¡¯s ice and fire wings, it had be one of his most important spells. He quickly found his way to another side room ¨C they were all empty, and it felt almost like they¡¯d been included more to make the citadel seem like a real ce than to serve an actual purpose ¨C where he settled into a corner and continued his healing. Fortunately, his injuries were minorpared to some of the damage he¡¯d been forced to endure in the past, so it wasn¡¯t long before he was back to perfect condition. As soon as he¡¯d recovered his Ethera, Elijah shifted back into his Predator form, then set off through the corridors. After all, he still had quite a few ogres to hunt. Three of them were already wounded, and he hoped to take care of them first. However, he knew he couldn¡¯t afford to be picky. So, he stalked through the halls until, atst, he found his next victim. As it turned out, the ogre was not one of the ones he¡¯d already fought. What followed was a systematic dismantling of the force of ogres manning the frost wing of the citadel. Elijah was ruthless as he slowly picked them apart using simr tactics to the ns he¡¯d employed in the fire wing. However, unlike the fire ogres, the ice ogres¡¯ abilities tended more towards defense than doing extra damage, which yed right into Elijah¡¯s hands. So long as he only fought one at a time ¨C which wasn¡¯t easy to arrange, but he managed ¨C the ogres couldn¡¯t do much to harm him while in Guardian form. Of course, that also meant that each battle was a long, drawn-out affair where Elijah was forced to use every source of damage he could muster, including Shield of Brambles. Still, it was the safest way to proceed. Ironically, the quickest way to deal with the ice ogres was in his human form, when he could chain cast his spells. However, it was simultaneously the most dangerous as well as the least efficient. Each battle he tried to fight in that manner left his corepletely drained, and the margin for error was slim enough that if he made even the slightest mistake, he¡¯d end up sttered against the wall. Somewhere in the middle was his scaled panther form. Each fight began with him using Predator Strike and Venom Strike, but after that, he usually switched to one of his other forms for the rest of the battle. However, for a couple, he remained in his Predator form, which proved to be effective but ultimately exhausting. It also was almost as dangerous as fighting in his human form. But he knew it was important to familiarize himself with all the tools at his disposal, so he focused on making each form work in his favor. In that way, he slowly whittled the ogres down, one by one, until he finally killed thest ice ogre in the wing. Thatst kill came in his Guardian form, when he repeatedly mmed a weakened ogre¡¯s head against a wall until it finally sumbed to all the damage he¡¯d inflicted. He sagged against the wall, his hissing breathing in ragged gasps. He¡¯d pushed himself incredibly hard, and as a result, he¡¯d managed to not only clear thest of the ogres from the wing, but he¡¯d also progressed to level thirty-nine. One more, and he¡¯d get a new spell. But now he had a decision to make. Would he challenge the two lieutenants? Or would he assault the next two wings? The remaining two wings were located up a set of stairs, so they were slightly isted from his current position. That also suggested that the two elves ¨C one of light, and the other of shadow ¨C were slightly above the ogres in the citadel¡¯s hierarchy. In turn, that probably meant that their guards were a little more dangerous. In the end, it came down to one simple fact ¨C he wanted to be at his best when he fought the lieutenants, so that meant he needed to gain at least another level. And that, in turn, made his choice clear. He needed to clear the other wings first, and then he could assault the lieutenants. Hopefully, whatever spell he gained at level forty would be enough to catapult him to victory. Book 2: Chapter 36: Light and Shadow Book 2: Chapter 36: Light and Shadow ¡°Stay on your side, fiend!¡± bellowed the blonde elf. As he spoke, he brandished a long, slim sword that glinted in the flickering firelight. ¡°If you cross, we will be forced to take action!¡± The dark elf nted her hands on her hips and sneered, ¡°You haven¡¯t the power to threaten me, cur.¡± ¡°Call me cur once again, and I shall ¨C¡± ¡°Cur,¡± she purred. ¡°Filthy. Mangy. Obedient. Dog.¡± The blonde elf¡¯s face screwed up in a rictus of anger, and he took a step forward. However, he stopped just before he stepped across the silver line cutting across the floor and dividing the chamber into two halves. Instead, he spat, ¡°The Queen of Light shall hear of this, shadow!¡± The dark elf woman spread her arms out wide and bowed as she replied, ¡°By all means, tell your decrepit mistress that you are a mangy cur. I shall back up the im, should she seek a confirmation.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Elijah backed away, having seen enough of the exchange. It wasn¡¯t the first time the two had traded insults, and he suspected it would not be thest, either. During his previous reconnaissance, he¡¯d discovered a few key things. First, there was quite a lot of animosity between the two sets of elves. He had no idea if that was indicative of the rest of the universe, but light elves and dark elves very much hated one another. Second, the two sides simply refused to pass from one wing to the other, instead rigidly remaining in their territory. The exchanges he¡¯d overheard seemed to suggest that bad things would happen to whoever crossed that line, though he¡¯d yet to discover what form those repercussions might take. And finally, he had absolutely zero chance of using his previous strategy to take care of the two forces patrolling the Light and Shadow wings. For one, there were just too many elves, and each one was armed, armored, and felt far more powerful than the ogres Elijah had killed. For another, he strongly suspected that any hostile actions would have both sides bearing down on him, and with unknown abilities. No ¨C he needed a different strategy, so he¡¯d spent much of the past eight hours reconnoitering the area. During that time, the seeds of a proper n had begun to take root, and Elijah felt that it would only take a bit of cultivation ¨C the mundane sort ¨C to create an opportunity to destroy all of the elves in one go. He¡¯d probably lose out on some kill energy ¨C or experience, as they called it in Norcastle ¨C but if things went right, he wouldn¡¯t be in nearly as much danger as he¡¯d encountered while fighting the ogres. But first, Elijah needed the right opportunity. So, as he waited, he continued to explore the wings. Cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, he coulde and go as he pleased. Neither the light or dark elves seemed capable of detecting him. If they could, he would¡¯ve long since gotten their attention. As he explored, he came to appreciate the mirrored d¨¦cor. The shadow side was decorated all in ck, with silver ents to give it shape. Meanwhile, the light wing was the opposite, with white stone and tiles featuring gold ents. It made for an interesting study in contrasts, and an aesthetic that Elijah could very much appreciate. Still, the two wings were not without hidden dangers. In addition to the guards ¨C which were ubiquitous ¨C both wings featured themed traps. In the dark side, that meant shadows that often weren¡¯t shadows at all, but instead deep holes that ended in jagged spikes. The other wing had corridors crisscrossed with beams of light that Elijah suspected were capable of cutting a person in two. Both obstacles made traversal of the wings in question an extraordinary pain, and keeping himself from falling afoul of those traps had definitely kept Elijah on his toes. Still, his impatience to progress and gain enough kill energy to get level forty had almost gotten him killed a couple of times. Only his copious experience had kept him from making deadly mistakes. However, now that Elijah knew the dangers, he could avoid them easily enough. The biggest issue was that he was forced to go against his instincts and avoid the shadows. Fortunately, Guise of the Unseen as well as his chameleon-like natural camouge was enough to help him avoid detection. Otherwise, he found the chambers housing the two lieutenants, both of which were hidden by their native elements. For the shadow lieutenant Triel, that meant deep, imprable shadow. The light lieutenant was hidden by a sheet of white light. As usual, Elijah didn¡¯t dare cross the thresholds for fear of alerting the lieutenants as well as their underlings. With that suspicion in mind, Elijah knew he needed to take care of the guards before he engaged the lieutenants that were the subject of his Task. Eventually, he found himself following a lone dark elf as he approached the chamber at the center of the two wings. As normal, his patrol coincided with that of one of the light elves, and the pairmenced with their banter. Elijah ignored it, instead waiting for the perfect time to implement his n. * * * Par seethed at the mere sight of the uppity elven woman on the opposite side of the Sacred Line. She wore a contemptuous expression, and though that wasn¡¯t umon, it still set Par¡¯s blood to boiling. How dare she look at him like that? He had half a mind to leap across the line and show her the error of her ways. And then, he would teach her the meaning of respect. By the time he was finished, she would be begging him for the mercy of death. He wouldn¡¯t give it, though. Instead, he would keep her as a pet. A broken warning for anyone who dared to berate the servants of the one, true Mistress. Oh, yes. She would make quite the example. That pretty, little fantasyforted him right up until he heard the elven woman speak. And then reality came crashing down on him when he realized that he was powerless to do anything about her impudence. The Sacred Line existed for a reason, and to cross it was to surrender to death. Par was angry. Furious, really. However, he was not stupid, and he knew better than to give in to his instincts. He wasn¡¯t one of those fat ogres downstairs, after all. He could think, and more importantly, he was more than capable of self-restraint. However, the little light elf was trying his patience with every moment she remained among the living. ¡°I thought I smelled something awful,¡± she said, wrinkling her perfect nose. ¡°Clearly, His Dark Reverence prefers uncleanckeys. Unsurprising, given his own proclivities.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Par clenched his fists in fury. ¡°Your petty insults have no effect on me, wench.¡± ¡°Insults? Nay! I merely worry for your hygiene, cousin,¡± she said. ¡°It is unsanitary to walk around in such a state. Unseemly as well. Think of how your filth reflects upon your master¡¯s reputation. Though I suppose if he was worried for such things, he would not have set down his own path of decrepitude. Such a shame, for I hear he was once quite handsome. Now, though¡­well, to say that it is a great loss is an understatement. Still, he has my pity, cousin. As do you.¡± ¡°My Master is ¨C¡± ¡°You could convert,¡± she said brightly. ¡°Come to the light, cousin. We would wee you with open arms. After a shower, of course. We wouldn¡¯t want your filth to spread.¡± ¡°You are filthy!¡± he shouted. ¡°Such a pointed rejoinder. Surely, your wit knows no bounds.¡± Par stepped forward,ing right up to the sacred line. But he didn¡¯t dare cross. Not until his Masterpleted his cultivation and decided to take the citadel for his own. When he did, not only would the sphemous light elves fall, but so would that monstrous champion. The Reaver himself would find himself writhing beneath Triel¡¯s boot. The Reaver would beg for mercy, and yet, it would not be granted. Because The Dark One was not merciful. Nor was he cruel. He was simply unstoppable. Irresistible. He would one day rule the world. And after that, the universe. Eventually, he would go to the Abyss and challenge the Ravener himself for dominance. Par was so certain of it that he couldn¡¯t keep a smile from spreading across his dark face. ¡°Do you crave insults, then? Enjoy them, do you?¡± sneered the blonde elf from only a few feet away. ¡°If so, you will ¨C¡± ¡°Prattle on, little elf. I know that my Master will soon tear your entrails from your body and hold you up as an example of what happens when you follow the wrong path. You will be powerless to stop it. You will beg and plead, but it will do no good. When the Master is finished with you, he will put a stop to your disgusting Mistress¡¯s misdeeds. She will bow before him, or she will die like everyone else who has ever challenged my Master. That, I promise, cousin.¡± She looked as if she was about to respond, but she clearly thought better of it. Instead, she stamped her foot, let out a huff, and turned on her heel before striding away. Par was just feeling a sense of triumph when he felt something grab him around the waist. He didn¡¯t even have time to react before he found himself sailing through the air. Par windmilled his arms as he flew across the sacred line, only to collide with the retreating light elf woman. The pair of slender, armored figures ttered to the floor in a tangled heap. Before Par could extract himself, panic set in. He had crossed the line. His heart beat out of his chest as the realization took hold. He had done the unthinkable, putting himself at the mercy of the light elves. Panicked, he struggled to free himself and retreat, but he could not aplish that feat before he felt a vice-like grip around his throat. Fiery pain erupted from the light elf¡¯s touch, and an outraged shout tore free from her perfect lips. ¡°You dare?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean ¨C¡± He could choke out no further words because her grip tightened even further. More, he felt the strength draining from his body. That was why no one crossed the line. To do so was to put oneself at the mercy of the enemy. For every second he remained on the wrong side, he would grow weaker until nothing but a husk remained. The light elf was going to kill him far before that, though. He barely had an opportunity to wonder what had thrown him across the sacred line before the pain overtook all rational thought. However, he did catch sight of a pair of emerald eyes glinting from within the shadows of the connected hall. * * * Elijah watched as the dark elf died. He¡¯d barely managed to retreat into the rtive safety of the corridor before the two elves had collided, and it had been just in time to avoid the light elf¡¯s searching gaze. Now that the dark elf was dead, though, Elijah found himself once again nestled within the concealing embrace of Guise of the Unseen. The attack ¨C which had been undertaken in his Guardian form ¨C had gone off without a hitch, and though he¡¯d hoped for a longer fight, the results were eptable. The light elf pushed herself to her feet and, for a long moment, stared down at the withered elf in confusion. Clearly, she was having trouble figuring out why he¡¯d seemingly thrown himself at her. She was in the middle of trying to make sense of it all when the next part of Elijah¡¯s nmenced, and a pair of dark elves rounded the corridor¡¯s corner and caught sight of the scene. They erupted into motion a secondter, charging into the chamber and demanding answers. The light elf tried to exin, but the pair were having none of it. Without any further dy, the pairunched themselves across the line, grabbed the light elf, and dragged her back to their side. They hadn¡¯t stayed long enough for the drain to take effect. The light elf struggled. She screamed. But just as the dark elf had been weakened by being on the other side, so too was she diminished by the darkness. That,bined with the fact that she was outnumbered, sealed her doom. Elijah watched as the elf¡¯s screams drew more attention, and from both sides. Soon enough, two dozen light elves faced off against just as many dark elves. They screamed insults at one another, each more disgusting than thest. And yet, they restrained themselves. At first. Soon enough, though, the insults reached a crescendo, and an enraged light elf screamed bloody murder beforeunching himself across the line. His fellows followed, and the silver line dividing the two halves of the chamber shattered into a thousand splinters. After that, the fight descended into a bloody melee that provided the perfect backdrop for Elijah to work his magic. Still in the shadowy corridor, he shifted into his human form and cast two spells in quick session. First came Swarm, summoning a flock of bats that descended upon the warring elves. Each bite delivered a powerful affliction that would hasten their demise. Meanwhile, Elijah cast Cmity as well, adding to the chaos and delivering plenty of punishment all its own. The wind whipped into a frenzy, sending des of air arcing through the mass of warriors, and lightning split the sky, electrocuting the unsuspecting elves. Even as the two spells wrought havoc upon the warriors, Elijah slipped back into his Predator form, then retreated until he leftbat. Then, he embraced Guise of the Unseen and returned to the impromptu battlefield. There, he saw the fruits of hisbor. More than half the elves had already died, and the battle was still going strong. Idly, he marveled at how little of a spark it had taken to set everything aze. The elves clearly hated one another, and it hadn¡¯t taken much to send them into a battle lust. Still, Elijah knew that it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Some would survive, and he¡¯d have to finish the job himself. Gradually, the battle wore on, but Elijah didn¡¯t act until only one survivor remained. For the normally slim dark elves, he was quite bulky, and his armor was stained with fresh blood. He jammed his sword into a prone light elf, using the de to support his weight. Then, he let out a wheezing cackle of mingled incredulity and relief. He was so upied that he never even noticed Elijah¡¯s approach. However, he couldn¡¯t ignore it when the Druid leaped upon his back, dug his ws in, and mped his jaws down on the base of his skull. The dark elf tried to react, but he was so weakened that the force of Elijah¡¯s bite was enough to burst his skull. He fell dead without any further struggle, and Elijah leaped free,nding nimbly among the corpses. He¡¯d had a hand in killing each and every one of them, and yet, he¡¯d struck only one killing blow. Still, he¡¯d managed to aplish his goals ¨C to clear the wings while gaining enough experience to progress to level forty ¨C and that was what was truly important. Standing over the corpses of his enemies, he let himself return to his human form. Then, he inspected the results of his progression. He¡¯d gained a new ability, and he was eager to inspect it.
Ability: Iron Scales Harden your scales, temporarily reducing all damage by 90%. Usable in Guardian Form. Duration dependent on Constitution. Current Duration: 4.2 seconds.
Elijah read the ability¡¯s description with some degree of relief. He¡¯d been a little afraid that he¡¯d gain another enhancement. And while the increases to his attributes were helpful, they were not impactful enough to change a battle by themselves. However, if it worked the way he expected it to, Iron Scales was precisely what he thought he¡¯d need in theing battles. Book 2: Chapter 37: Of Two Minds Book 2: Chapter 37: Of Two Minds Ice tickled the pads of Elijah¡¯s feet as he stalked through the frost wing. On the surface, it looked little different than when he¡¯d left it behind the first time. However, the halls had grown even colder than before, and as a result, the ice coating the walls had thickened. The same esction had been present in the fire wing, though he¡¯d not investigated it very thoroughly because he intended to target the frost lieutenant first. With that in mind, he¡¯d set off through the worsening conditions, quickly finding the doorway that would lead to the lieutenant¡¯s chamber. He¡¯d checked it before, so he knew that the door led to a long, twisting hall that terminated in a thin and obscuring sheet of ice. Before, he¡¯d only given it a cursory inspection so he could verify the lieutenant¡¯s location before turning back, so he knew the way. However, when he finally reached the lieutenant¡¯s quarters, he discovered that the ice sheet that had once guarded the entrance was gone. And the moment he saw inside the chamber, he got quite a shock. Before, he¡¯d only caught a glimpse of the lieutenant blurry silhouette, and once he had confirmed that he was looking at another ogre, he¡¯d turned back. However, now, in the zing firelight, he could see that the creature was differentiated from the other ogres by one key characteristic. It had two heads sitting atop its broad shoulders. One was ice blue, while the other was a deep crimson. It wasn¡¯t until he looked across the room and saw the telltale glow of overheated stone that he realized what was going on. The twin lieutenants, Tuk and Tok, shared a body. Elijah had no idea how that was supposed to work, but he was fairly sure that was what was going on. Still, he took the time to retrace his steps, return to the fire wing, and follow the mirrored path that eventually led back to the same chamber. And the two-headed ogre that sat in what looked like a study. The bulky creature was at least twelve feet tall, and his body type was somewhere between that of the guards and jailers. However, it was hidden beneath heavy, purple robes that concealed more than they revealed.Leaning against the wall near where the ogre sat was a metallic staff etched with swirling lines that glowed slightly. One half was blue, while the other was orange. The study itself was exactly what Elijah would have suspected, with one wall dedicated to bookshelves that were packed full of huge, dusty tomes. The ogre himself sat in an oversized leather chair, with his feet propped on an equallyrge ottoman. In one hand was a mug of something steaming, while in the other, he held one of therge tomes. He looked almost peaceful, at least insofar as a twelve-foot monster with two heads could. ¡°Turn page. Done reading,¡± barked one head. ¡°Not done yet. You not read whole thing.¡± ¡°I skim. Read it before.¡± ¡°You not read before.¡± ¡°How you know?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You stupid.¡± ¡°You stupid!¡± Suddenly, a massive hand pped against the fire head. Tok, unless Elijah was mistaken. Then, the other hand hit Tuk in the face. After that, Elijah lost track of what was going on. It was an odd thing, watching a two-headed ogre punch and p itself in the face. Odder still was when the faces started biting back. Clearly, the pair of ogres didn¡¯t much care for one another. More importantly, Elijah couldn¡¯t resist the opening he¡¯d been afforded. So, he crept forward, activating both Venom Strike and Predator Strike along the way. He¡¯d checked his enhancements before he¡¯d entered the room, so he was entirely prepared for battle. Having no reason to dy ¨C and every reason to attack while he had the advantage of a distraction ¨C he pounced as soon as he was in range. However, he didn¡¯t bother with the hobbling attacks he so often employed. Instead, he went in for the kill shot. Leaping high into the air, he opened his mouth as wide as it could go, then mped down on Tok¡¯s head. Then, harnessing every muscle in his powerful jaw, he squeezed. With his cultivation, the natural bite force of the scaled panther form, and the inted attributes that came with Shape of the Predator, Elijah could bring quite a bit of force to bear. And it was downright terrifying when he used Predator Strike at the same time. He used the full extent of that horrifying might to absolutely crush the first ogre¡¯s head between his jaws. Then, he was bounding away before the other head even had a chance to react. Or so Elijah thought. A giant shard of ice hit him mid-air, scraping across his scales and sending him spinning until he collided with the bookshelf. Even as a cascade of tomes fell upon him, Tuk bellowed, ¡°Brother! Arggh!¡± Elijah shot to his feet, feeling more than a twinge of pain in his side as the books rolled off of him. He rose just in time to see Tuk stamp his foot on the ground, causing a series of icy stgmites to erupt from the ground. Tiles shattered, sending an explosion of frost-rimmed stone flying across the room. Elijah turned, tucking his head as he was pelted with hundreds of shards. But his scales protected him from the incidental damage. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. However, he had to bound out of the way in order to avoid the deadly spikes of ice. He narrowly dodged the spell, but he was sent crashing into the wall a secondter by yet another flying icicle. ¡°You kill Tok!¡± Elijah had felt his shoulder pop out of socket upon impact, but he was otherwise in fighting shape. However, he knew he couldn¡¯t remain in his Predator form. His speed was insufficient topletely dodge the flying ice spikes, and his defenses were incapable of standing up to the inevitable damage he would sustain. So, he shifted. But he didn¡¯t take on his Guardian form. Instead, he resumed his caster shape, leveling his staff at the panicked ogre before he¡¯d evenpleted the transformation. He let loose with Storm¡¯s Fury. The ogre was clearly surprised, because he remainedpletely motionless as the lightning bolt tore across the room and hit him square in the chest. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as the ogre was thrown from his feet. He didn¡¯t go far before hitting the ground on his back, but it was enough to give Elijah the opportunity to cast his next spell. Thorny vines burst from the ground, rapidly wrapping the ogre in writhing roots. The ogre wasn¡¯t nearly as strong as the guards had been ¨C apparently, its casting abilities hade at the expense of some Strength ¨C so it struggled to escape the thorny bonds. After casting Healing Rain, Elijah ran forward, using Venom Strike along the way, and brought his staff down on the prone ogre¡¯s face. The creature¡¯s nose exploded into a bloody ruin, but more importantly, Elijah delivered yet another instance of neurotoxin. He used it again, and again after that ¨C he wasn¡¯t worried about inflicting immediate damage. Rather, he only wanted to stack as much neurotoxin as he could. Meanwhile, the soothing rain went to work on his injuries even as he wailed on the fallen monster. With one facet of his mind, he kept track of how much time had passed, and just before Snaring Roots was scheduled to run its course, he leaped backward, casting Swarm along the way. By that point, his stores of Ethera had dipped past the halfway point, so he chose to use some of that to shift into his Guardian form. The rest, he would keep in reserve for an emergency. As Elijah took on the shape of a scaled ape, the ogre was beset by frost spiders. Each bite delivered yet more venomous damage, and though the creature had escaped the bonds of Snaring Roots, it waspletely incapable of stopping the swarm of spiders. Its panic gave Elijah plenty of time to finish his transformation, and by the time he loped forward, the creature was in sorry shape, indeed. But the ogre was anything but defeated, as he proved a momentter when he raised his staff high into the air and shouted, ¡°Blizz-ard!¡± Immediately, the air temperature plummeted well past freezing. Despite Ward of the Seasons, Elijah felt the icy cold down to his very bones. In fact, he could feel it sapping his strength with every second. And that was before the swirl of snow and ice began. The whirlwind cut through Elijah with frigid fury, but thebination of his high Constitution and powerful enhancements was just enough to keep him on his feet. He loped forward, hitting the ogre with a shoulder tackle that took the creature to the floor. Elijah heard a sharp exhale of rushing air leave the ogre¡¯s chest, and he knew he had only a handful of moments to finish the fight. So, he raised his hands high and channeled his inner ape as he brought his fists down like hammers. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to precision. Instead, Elijah only cared about harnessing as much of his Strength as possible as he repeatedly pummeled the monster into submission. The first few attacks were absorbed by the creature¡¯s copious flesh, but Elijah kept on until he felt bones crack beneath his balled fists. He kept going, knowing good and well that if he didn¡¯t keep the pressure up, the ogre would recover. Meanwhile, the frigid cold continued to assail him, threatening to undermine his vigor and vitality until the ogre could turn the tables. Elijah refused to let that happen. So, he gave himself over to the fury, letting it consume one facet of his Quartz Mind. He focused on that, leaving the rest to other tasks. Like pulling him back before he let the animalistic ragepletely overwhelm him. He¡¯de close before ¨C in a different way back in the Primordial Forest, but it was simr enough that he knew precisely how dangerous his feral instincts could be ¨C and he refused to let it happen again. Fortunately, with eight facets of his Mind on the job, he felt secure enough to give one over to the ferocious instincts that came with the Guardian form. Bones crunched, and organs burst beneath Elijah¡¯s fists. He knew it wasn¡¯t his sheer Strength at work. The creature had already been weakened by Swarm¡¯s afflictions, the neurotoxin of repeated instances of Venom Strike, and the gaping wound where his brother¡¯s head had once been. Still, Elijah was surprised at how easily the monster sumbed to his onught. But he knew it was a little misleading. Most people wouldn¡¯t have the protection of Ward of the Seasons, and he could feel that, without that enhancement, he would have already fallen to the intense cold. In addition, he had the advantage of versatility as well as his cultivation ¨C including the powerful Dragon Core ¨C on his side. With that providing context, his victory should not have been a surprise. And yet, it was. Elijah pummeled the monster until, atst, it perished. The icy storm persisted for a few moments after that, but it quickly dissipated. A secondter, the ice it left behind started to melt. Seeing that, Elijah picked himself up and watched as the storm continued to fade. The study was a mess, and most of the books had beenpletely destroyed. However, a few of them had managed to survive, so after resuming his human form, Elijah crossed the room and gathered them. In his hands, the tomes were absolutely enormous, and worse, they were in anguage he could not understand. Evidently, the universal trantion that hade with the system didn¡¯t include the written word. ¡°Or maybe just not this writing,¡± he muttered to himself. It was the first time he¡¯d spoken since killing the old prisoner. ¡°God,¡± he continued, running his hand through his hair. ¡°I really need somepany for this kind of thing.¡± Indeed, the constant solitude had begun to wear on him, and he hadn¡¯t realized how much it had affected him until he¡¯d met with the old man. In retrospect, it wasn¡¯t surprising. People were social animals, after all, and even the most solitary person needed some human contact. Maybe he should have invited Jess along. If she¡¯d seen him in action, perhaps she might¡¯ve been a bit more amenable to his advances. He swallowed hard, remembering all the killing he¡¯d done. ¡°Yeah, probably not.¡± Besides, she likely wouldn¡¯t have survived the tower anyway. There was a reason none of Norcastle¡¯s teams had conquered it, after all. Elijah shook his head and pushed past those thoughts. There was nothing to be gained from maudlin regrets or asking unanswerable questions. So, refocusing on his task, he crossed the room once again, and found the ogre¡¯s staff. The thing was at least as big around as Elijah¡¯s bicep, and almost twice his height. A suitable size for an ogre, but for Elijah, it was unwieldy and ultimately useless. However, he wasn¡¯t going to just leave it behind. The thing pulsed with power, suggesting that it would be valuable. Maybe not to a human, but surely there was someone who¡¯d want it. After all, there were plenty of other races on Earth, now. Maybe one of them was of a size to use a staff the size of a goal post. So, resolving to take it with him, Elijah hefted it onto one shoulder and took onest look around the room. There was nothing left that either hadn¡¯t been destroyed or simply wouldn¡¯t fit in his pack. Satisfied that he¡¯d taken everything he could, he left the study behind and went in search of the next two lieutenants. Book 2: Chapter 38: Illusions and Shadows Book 2: Chapter 38: Illusions and Shadows Finishing the two-headed ogre that was Tuk and Tok hade with a couple of benefits. The first was the enormous staff Elijah had thrown over his shoulder, but even more importantly, he¡¯d gained another level. Given that it had taken an entire wing of elves to progress to level forty, doing so from a single kill ¨C or two, if he counted the twin heads as separate entities ¨C was phenomenal efficiency. That gave Elijah a little more insight into how the system awarded kill energy, and he suspected that, even though the creatures were probably only a few levels higher than their guards, they awarded a lot more experience. Likely, it was something to do with Ethera density, which tranted into more power. That made sense, though Elijah was still trying to wrap his head around how everything worked. For instance, he knew he gained experience from healing, but he¡¯d also surmised that healing himself was useless for those purposes. In addition, the power of the entity he healed seemed to have some effect as well. Everything still didn¡¯t add up. Notpletely. But he didn¡¯t have the time nor the inclination to investigate. Instead, he headed toward the stairs that would lead him to the next lieutenants. Before he ascended, though, he dropped his pack and the ogre¡¯s staff in therge, central chamber. That way, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about lugging everything around or damaging his pack. Thus unburdened, Elijah checked his enhancements to ensure that everything he needed was active. At present, he was using Aura of Renewal, Essence of the Boar, and Shield of Brambles, as well as Essence of the Wolf and One with Nature. Once he was satisfied with everything, he shifted into the shape of the scaled panther, then proceeded up the steps before following a twisting hall that led to the light wing. Along the way, Elijah deftly avoided the slicing beams of light until he reached an intersection. Down one hall, he knew he would find the once-divided chamber that had be a graveyard for elves. He chose the other, which he¡¯d already established would lead him to the light lieutenant. That¡¯s when he embraced Guise of the Unseen, took a deep, steadying breath, then headed up. The path was fraught with even more beams of burning light, but Elijah¡¯s high Dexterity allowed him to maneuver his body well enough to easily avoid them. So, he reached the next lieutenant quickly and without issue. The elf inside was precisely what he¡¯d been led to expect. Avasil was beautiful, wearing a long, gossamer robe, and seemed entirely at peace. Except for the huge basin of blood in front of which she stood. At first, Elijah tried to convince himself that it was some other red liquid, but the smell ¨C which was augmented by his animalistic senses ¨C was absolutely unmistakable. After he allowed himself to ept the reality of the basin, which was at least four feet across and made of borately engraved stone, it didn¡¯t take long for him to look up and see the source of all that blood. Three bodies, allpletely devoid of skin and entirely unrecognizable, hung from the ceiling. Every few seconds, a few drops of blood would drip down tond in the basin. Avasil, meanwhile, paid them no heed. Instead, she upied herself in much the same way the twin ogres had, which was to say that she was reading a book. However, neither the nearly iprehensibly beautiful elf nor the bodies hanging from the ceiling were the most extraordinary details in Elijah¡¯s view. Instead, thatbel belonged to the fact that there were eight identical elves moving throughout the room. However, even their presence wasn¡¯t what rmed Elijah. No ¨C it was the fact that, despite their appearance, which was as solid-looking as anything else in the room, they were just as inly fake. It wasn¡¯t a single thing that told him they weren¡¯t real. Rather, it was a multitude of factors. The first that he¡¯d noticed was the most important, though. None of them showed up in the sense granted by One with Nature. At first, he hadn¡¯t really understood what had triggered his instincts, but the void was jarring enough to send a tingle of unease up his spine.But it was more than that. There was no smelling from any of them, save for the single elf standing near the basin, but other than that, they were perfectly realistic. They were copies. It only took Elijah a few seconds to make the connection. The lieutenant was a master of light, but instead of using the dangerous beams that existed throughout the rest of the wing, she had created illusions. But they weren¡¯t real. Elijah could feel that through One with Nature. He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on how he knew it, but hepletely discounted the possibility that they were corporeal. Instead, he feltpletely certain that they were like ghosts. For most people, they would make for a confusing mess, but Elijah could see through the deception. And as such, there was nothing keeping him from attacking the real lieutenant. There was a part of him that was curious about what she was doing with the bodies and the blood. However, he wasn¡¯t so interested that he would pass up a golden opportunity to attack an unwary enemy. So, without further hesitation, Elijah padded into the room, avoiding the illusions along the way, then positioned himself behind the elf. It was telling about how far he¡¯de down the path of a killer that he didn¡¯t hesitate before leaping into action. After engaging Predator Strike as well as Venom Strike, Elijah pounced. Even as his jaws closed around the elven woman¡¯s head, she let loose with a series of shing lights that had him seeing stars. The illusions all screamed, and Elijah felt the light burning holes through his scales. But it onlysted a second before he bit through Avasil¡¯s skull. After that, the illusions let out onest scream before dissipating into motes of light. Then, a ze of blinding light shed before everything went dark. Then, slowly, the mes flickered back to life, revealing a very different setting than the one he¡¯d seen before he¡¯d killed the elf. And she was definitely dead. He¡¯d felt the influx of energy that heralded her death. Plus, he¡¯d crushed her entire skull between his teeth, which was usually a good way to ensure something would cease living. However, when Elijah looked down, instead of the beautiful elf ¨C headless though she was ¨C he saw a decrepit creature with pallid, ky skin and a body that looked like it belonged to a desated corpse. The copies were predictably gone, but the illusion that had apparently extended to the entire room had disappeared as well. Now, Elijah saw a blood-stained torture chamber that would have been at home in the dungeon where he¡¯d killed the Warden. Elijah pushed his disgust aside, focusing on what was really important ¨C he¡¯d managed to kill the light lieutenant without a real fight. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible without the unique advantage of One with Nature, proving the necessity of bringing the right tool for the job. For most people, that meant having a diverse group, but Elijah had to lean on his personal versatility instead. It had worked so far, but he dreaded the day when he¡¯d encounter a situation he simply wasn¡¯t equipped to handle. That day had yet toe, but he knew it would. Hopefully, he¡¯d have even more skills and abilities when it did. For now, though, he needed to loot what he could, then head to the other wing where he would deal with Triel, the master of shadow. Over the next few minutes, Elijah scoured the area. However, other than a few extra copper Ethereum, he found nothing of value. Even the books he¡¯d seen had been illusory, so he quickly left the grisly chamber behind, retracing his steps as he headed toward the shadow wing. That necessitated the traversal of the battlefield, where he was confronted with the results of his actions. Dead elves, each wearing borate armor that was impossible to remove, carpeted the floor, though Elijah pushed past them without a second nce. In a few facets of his mind, though, he wondered if killing denizens of a tower counted as murder. On the surface, he was certain that it didn¡¯t. And yet, some vestiges of guilt remained, casting doubt on his certainty. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Fortunately, he quickly left that chamber behind and found his way through the shadow wing and to the room that housed Triel, the shadow lieutenant. In the Shape of the Predator, and with Guise of the Unseen cloaking his presence, Elijah observed the dark elf was in the middle of executing an borate sword kata. It was a truly impressive disy of grace, bnce, and skill, reminding Elijah of just how inadequate his efforts with the staff were. It also lit a fire beneath him. Once he conquered the tower, he resolved to devote himself to better learning the weapon he¡¯d adopted as his preference. At the moment, though, he had an elf to kill. There was no justification for it. As far as Elijah could see, Triel was simply minding his own business. Unlike Elijah¡¯s previous encounter with Avasil in the light wing, there were no basins of blood or skinned corpses. Still, he knew precisely what he had to do, and the fact that the elf didn¡¯t overtly deserve it was irrelevant. It was a fundamental aspect of nature¡¯s brutality that sometimes, some creatures needed to die so others could live. Elijah understood that better than most, and he refused to let himself get tangled in doubts. Instead, he focused on the obstacle in his way, on the death that would allow him to live. Heshed out like a striking snake, intending to end the fight the same way he¡¯d ovee thest lieutenant. However, at thest second, Triel¡¯s battle instincts kicked in, obviously telling him that he was in mortal danger. Just before Elijah¡¯s jaws closed in, the dark elf dove forward, moving so quickly that Elijah couldn¡¯t even redirect his course. After missing his target, he crashed into the floor, then dug his ws into the tiles, forcing himself to a stop just in time to see the dark elf dart in, shing his sword across Elijah¡¯s unprotected nk. He shifted, avoiding the brunt of the blow ¨C only possible because of the time dtion afforded by his Sash of the Whirlwind ¨C and his scales deflected the sharp de before it could prate too deeply. However, the message was clear. In the realm of speed, Elijah was woefully outmatched. The only sce was that, due to Shield of Brambles, Triel had been assaulted by a painful thorn for his trouble. ¡°A draconid? Here?¡± the elf breathed, yanking the thorn from his hand. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°No. You are more than a mere beast, are you not?¡± Elijah didn¡¯t answer. Instead, his mind whirled with potential strategies. The scaled panther ¨C or draconid, apparently ¨C form was ill-suited to a straight fight. It was deadly so long as he had the advantage of surprise and kept his opponents on the back foot, but its defenses were too soft to stand up to even ncing blows. No ¨C as much as he wished he could remain in his favored form, he couldn¡¯t do so. But that presented a problem all its own, chiefly that both of his other forms ¨C human and scaled ape had weaknesses of their own. As a human, he was wholly dependent on Ethera to do damage. However, that same pool of Ethera was the only way he could endure damage. Byparison, the scaled ape form was incapable of keeping up with the dark elf. Still, it was his best shot. So, without further ado, he initiated the shift from draconid to human. He only paused for a brief second before he cast Shape of the Guardian. ¡°What? A shapeshifter? What sort of monster are you?!¡± Triel didn¡¯t ask any other questions before heunched himself forward with blistering speed. Elijah tried to avoid it, but mid-transformation, he was incapable of doing much more than protecting his head. The sword sliced into his shoulder, stopping only when it hit the bone. However, by that point, Elijah¡¯s transformation into a scaled apepleted. He let out a roar, pping the sword away and throwing himself at the elf. Triel¡¯s reflexes were up to the challenge, though, and he nimbly danced away, aiming a backhanded blow at Elijah along the way. Fortunately, his scales were more than up to the task of deflecting the attack ¨Crgely because the elf was incapable of putting his full strength behind it ¨C but he couldn¡¯t stop himself before colliding with the wall. With a growl, Elijah tore himself away, then wheeled around to face the elf. ¡°Amer ape?¡± Apparently, that was the true name of his Guardian form, which would have been interesting if Elijah wasn¡¯t in a fight for his life against a superior and frustrating opponent. Suddenly, heunched himself forward, hoping to take the elf by surprise. With all his Strength, he could move incredibly quickly. However, because his attributes were lopsided, that Strength was incredibly difficult to control. And he didn¡¯t even have Essence of the Monkey to close some of the gap, either. So, the elf had little trouble spinning out of the way andnding yet another attack. This one cut a few inches into Elijah¡¯s hip, telling him that, despite what that first attack might have suggested, the elf was more than capable of harming him. It would take a while, but it was possible. Likely, even, considering that Elijah couldn¡¯t even catch the nimble swordsman, as became evident over the next few minutes of back and forth. Elijah¡¯s frustrations mounted as he missed the elf time and time again. Each charge was rewarded with yet another painful wound as well, which only exacerbated Elijah¡¯s rage. But he shunted that into one facet of his Mind, focusing the rest oning up with a n of attack. However, he kepting back to one simple reality: attacking was what was eventually going to get him killed. Instead, he needed to defend. So, instead of once again charging after the elf, he mmed his fists into the ground and waited. The elf, realizing that something was the matter, hesitated. However, he couldn¡¯t pass up an opportunity of attack, so he darted in, shing his sword across Elijah¡¯s shoulder. It nged against his scales, doing nothing.
Ability: Iron Scales Harden your scales, temporarily reducing all damage by 90%. Usable in Guardian Form. Duration dependent on Constitution. Current Duration: 4.2 seconds.
Using histest ability made his scales incredibly durable, but only for a few brief seconds. However, because of his inted Constitution, he felt that he could use it quite a few times before fatigue started to take hold. More importantly, he could counter the elf¡¯s attacks without even moving. Triel retreated, pulling another thorn out of his forearm. Already, his body was peppered with lightly bleeding wounds, and if he wanted to kill Elijah, there would be many more where they¡¯de from. All Elijah had to do was take damage, and the thorns from Shield of Brambles would eventually wear the elf down. And so the elf continued to attack. Elijah, for his part, practiced activating Iron Scales at thest second, and because of his Sash of the Whirlwind, he managed it well enough. Still, it was unsurprising when the elf had finally had enough. He retreated, then refused to attack further. ¡°It seems we are at an impasse,¡± Triel said. ¡°So we are,¡± Elijah growled. ¡°You can speak?¡± ¡°I can.¡± ¡°Are my subordinates dead?¡± was the elf¡¯s next question. ¡°They are,¡± Elijah said. Speaking in themer ape form was unnatural, but he could manage it. ¡°The light elves, too.¡± The elf cocked his head to the side, obviously surprised. Then, he grinned. ¡°Small rewards, I suppose. Why have you attacked us?¡± ¡°Because I must,¡± Elijah said. He knew better than to start going on about towers and tasks. It was unlikely that the elf would believe him, and even if he did, it would do little good. After all, it wasn¡¯t as if the creature intended to surrender. Nor could Elijah allow it. His Task had been clear on that count. Besides, Elijah had a n to finish things in a hurry. ¡°Why? I can give you ¨C¡± Elijah cancelled Shape of the Guardian, and before he¡¯d evenpleted his transformation, he¡¯d begun to cast a spell. Meanwhile, the elf recovered from his surprise and dashed in Elijah¡¯s direction. Still, the dy was just enough to allow the spell toplete. Snaring Roots leaped from Elijah¡¯s staff, prompting a surge ofshing vines to erupt from the floor and wrap themselves around the elf. It wouldn¡¯tst long. Elijah knew that. But he hoped it would be just enough to give him one shot. And he knew exactly how he was going to use that opening. He ran forward, casting another spell along the way. He didn¡¯t have time for Storm¡¯s Fury or Swarm, and he didn¡¯t want to spend the Ethera necessary to fuel Cmity. But that was fine. Long ago, he¡¯d chosen his path, and though he would utilize those attack spells when necessary, he preferred his animal shapes. So, he once again shifted into themer ape form, enhancing his Strength and Constitution to superhuman levels. The elf, trapped by the vines, tried to rip himself free and avoid the oing attack, but he was slowed just enough to allow Elijah one good attack. And he used it well. With his hands sped together, Elijah raised his arms, then brought his fists down with thunderous fury. The elfshed out with his sword, but it nged off of Iron Scales just before Elijah¡¯s own attack fell. The impact of his fists crushed the elf¡¯s corbone as well as a few ribs. It also sent him crashing to the ground where the remnants of Snaring Roots held him in ce for Elijah¡¯s next blow. It fell with inevitable force, crushing bones and rupturing flesh. He hit the elf again. And again after that. Over and over, he repaid the elf for every attack he¡¯dnded. And soon enough, the dark elf perished. Elijah stood over him, then let out a roar as he beat his chest with wild abandon. The lieutenants were all dead. Now, he only needed to challenge the Champion before defeating the Reaver himself. Hopefully, he would be up for the task. Book 2: Chapter 39: Place Your Bets Book 2: Chapter 39: ce Your Bets After examining the dark elf¡¯s corpse, Elijah came away with an extra sword and three silver Ethereum, which was the most he¡¯d gotten from any individual kill. Fortunately, when he returned to where he¡¯d left his equipment in the central chamber, he found that the de was just small enough to fit inside his pack. So, he added it to his collection before settling down to rest and recuperate. Because of his copious use of Iron Scales, he¡¯d sustained very little actual damage. However, that same strategy had drained his stamina more thoroughly than anything he¡¯d ever done. It felt like he¡¯d just run two marathons back-to-back while carrying a sack of rocks on his back, and he very much needed a few hours of downtime. It also didn¡¯t help that he hadn¡¯t really slept since entering the tower, which by his count, had been at least three days ago. Maybe as much as a week. Time felt a little squirrely when he had nothing to mark the passage of each day. He was also hungry and thirsty, so he spent a little time taking care of his biological necessities ¨C and eating hisst grove berry ¨C before heading to one of the most isted rooms he could find and settling down to take a nap. It was a testament to how tired he was that he was able to fall asleep at all, and for the next few hours, Elijah slept like a contented baby. So, when he awoke, he felt ready to defeat the Champion and progress to thest level of the dungeon. So, he pushed himself upright, ate some mostly tasteless travel rations and drained one of his jugs of water. If he didn¡¯t conquer the tower soon, he would have to start rationing his water. He¡¯d only brought a handful of ss jugs, and there were only a couple left. Pushing that out of his mind, Elijah climbed to his feet and went through a brief calisthenics routine so he could work out the kinks in his stiff muscles. He¡¯d healed all his injuries from the day before, but his body still paid the price. However, it only took a quick cast of Healing Rain and a little stretching to banish the resulting soreness. Once he¡¯d done that, Elijah set off through the Citadel and toward the stairs leading up to the Champion¡¯s wing. The old prisoner had pointed it out, but Elijah hadn¡¯t needed it because the broad stairs were obviously important. At least forty feet wide at the base, they narrowed to only ten feet across after a hundred or so yards. From what Elijah had seen of the Citadel¡¯s dimensions from the outside, the distances seemed impossible. But magic was involved, so possible only seemed like a suggestion rather than a rule. In any case, after getting himself into the right frame of mind, Elijah shouldered his two staves ¨C one, the enormous ogre¡¯s staff, and the other his Staff of Natural Harmony ¨C then shifted his pack before embracing Shape of the Predator and slipping into the draconid form. Fortunately, the magic took care of the staves and his pack, leaving him free to progress up that long flight of intimidating stairs. Once he reached the top, Elijah let Guise of the Predator settle across his shoulders before he approached the doors. To his surprise, the massive, gilded doors opened inwardly of their own volition. However, Elijah could see nothing but a ck field on the other side. So, he took a deep breath, then pushed through.Unlike when he¡¯d progressed from one level to the next, he felt no sense of discement. Instead, it was like walking through any other doorway. However, as he passed the threshold, his vision cleared and he saw arge expanse of glittering, grey sand. More distressingly, Guise of the Unseen was forcefully canceled, leaving him entirely exposed. Elijah didn¡¯t even have a chance to look around before a bellowing voice bounced off the walls to assail his ears. ¡°Little draconid!¡± it roared. ¡°I have watched you dismantle my would-be challengers, and I approve of your methods! However, if you wish to face me, you will need to prove yourself worthy against more varied opponents! Do you ept the challenge?¡± Elijah had only dedicated one facet of his mind to listening to the voice¡¯s deration. The other eight were upied with cataloguing his surroundings. The floor was grey sand that glittered in the firelight of a hundred surrounding torches. The walls were tall and featureless, save for a sturdy gate on the other side of the circr room. However, the most surprising aspect was the fact that he could hear the din of hundreds ¨C perhaps even thousands ¨C of conversations. ¡°You must answer!¡± Elijah finally found the source of the voice. He was an ogre, and yet, he was simultaneouslyrger and more muscr than any Elijah had seen below. Fifteen feet tall, with bulging muscles that made him look like a bodybuilder, the ogre wore nothing but a fur loincloth, hide boots that came up to mid-calf, and a leather harness crisscrossing his massive chest. Aside from a ragged scar that cut from his hairless scalp, diagonally across his face, and to the opposite jaw, his lumpy visage looked little different than the lesser ogres Elijah had so far encountered. But even from so far away, he radiated power and authority as he stood on a tform atop the wall. Three elven women, all d in gossamer robes, sat in borate chairs to either side of the massive ogre, and beyond the tform, Elijah saw the source of the din he¡¯d heard before. Hundreds of ogres and elves stood shoulder to shoulder in an enormous, bowl-shaped arena. That gave Elijah some insight into what sort of challenge the ogre offered. And given the point of the Task he¡¯d been given, it didn¡¯t take much for him to connect the dots. The path before him looked clear. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. He just didn¡¯t like where it would lead him. Elijah preferred to fight unfair battles. That was where he excelled. But with what wasing, he knew that wouldn¡¯t be possible. For the first time, he would be forced to fight on even terms. No tricks. No clever ns. Just him against whatever opponents the ogre sent his way. He didn¡¯t know if he could survive. Still, it wasn¡¯t as if he had a choice. The walls were too high to climb, and he couldn¡¯t go back the way he¡¯de. None of his spells could reach the ogre, either. So, he had no other option but to go along with the scenario. So, knowing what wasing, Elijah shifted into his human form. As he did, he was suddenly aware of his own nudity. He hadn¡¯t bothered dressing after defeating the ogres,rgely because he hadn¡¯t seen the point. Now, though, with thousands of ogres and elves looking down on him, he regretted the oversight. Pushing his embarrassment aside, he cast Healing Rain. Then, he ensured his enhancements were still active before raising his voice and shouting, ¡°I ept your challenge!¡± The crowd roared. The ogre pped. And the gate opened. A trio of tall, goblinoid creatures strode forward. ¡°The challenger versus the Hobgoblin Trio!¡± announced the giant ogre. ¡°Who will win? ce your bets now!¡± The hobgoblins looked like their smaller counterparts, and yet, they were muchrger. In addition, they had much more muscle and far more refined features. Still, each one wore a savage snarl on his face, and they all carried jagged and rusty swords. Elijah had no intention of letting them get close. So, he used Snaring Roots, aiming just in front of them. Normally, he used the spell on a single opponent. However, it wasn¡¯t really that limited. Instead, the vines that it manifested would attack any enemy that came too close. So, when the hobgoblins did just that, the thorny vinesshed out, tangling their legs. One tripped and fell on his face. Another was briefly immobilized. And thest attacked the vines with his jagged sword, hacking through the thick roots with savage ferocity. But it was just enough to allow enough time for Elijah to cast Swarm. Hundreds of hos, each the size of Elijah¡¯s thumb, swooped in, stinging the hobgoblins and delivering their afflictions. At the same time, he shifted into the Shape of the Guardian and raced forward. Using every point of Strength at his disposal, Elijah covered the ground in an instant. The immobilized hobgoblin that was his target stood no chance of dodging, and Elijah hit it like an out-of-control lotive. The impact broke theparatively slender hobgoblin¡¯s bones, and Elijah ended its life only a secondter when he grabbed its head like he was palming a basketball, and squeezed. It popped like an overfilled water balloon, surprising even Elijah with its fragility. However, he wasn¡¯t going to sit there and stare. Instead, he wheeled around, and with a roar, raced toward the hobgoblin who was still trying to cut himself loose. Elijah reached out, grabbed him by the waist, and spun around before tossing him into the crowd. He didn¡¯t see where the creaturended, but he felt the influx of kill energy that told him the hobgoblin was dead. That left only one. Elijah turned slowly before locking his eyes on his intended victim. These weren¡¯t enemies. They were prey. And Elijah intended to make that abundantly clear. Seeing the approach of a massivemer ape, the hobgoblin let out a terrified scream. For his savage side, the sound was music to Elijah¡¯s ears. Before the hobgoblin could scramble away, Elijah leaped, and his arcing path ended when hended upon the hobgoblin. Bones broke. Organs ruptured. And ultimately, the creature died an ignoble death. Elijah bent down, scooped up the hobgoblin¡¯s corpse, and tossed it at the ogre. It didn¡¯t quite make it up to the tform, but it came close enough that the elven women flinched. The Champion ¨C and that was who it had to be ¨C pointedly did not, though. ¡°Impressive!¡± the ogre bellowed with a heartyugh. ¡°Very impressive. But how will you do against the next opponent?¡± Elijah had no chance to answer before the gates opened once again, this time revealing arge, reptilian creature. Its torso was humanoid, but the bottom half resembled an enormous snake. Elijah didn¡¯t have much chance to study it, though, because the creature opened its mouth wide, then spat a glob of thick mucus in his direction. Elijah darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the projectile before rushing the snake-man. It moved as quick as its reptilian appearance would imply, and it managed to avoid Elijah¡¯s charge. Itshed out, raking its ws across his shoulder as he barreled past. However, Elijah used Iron Scales at thest second, and the snake-creature¡¯s ws nged harmlessly. ¡°The Naga are known for their speed and Dexterity as well as their potent venom. One nick can kill even the strongest warriors! Can our sturdy challengerpete with that? ce your bets!¡± Elijah paid the ogre¡¯smentary little heed as he dashed in, aiming to end the fight in only a second. However, the creature once again evaded him, though he did manage to activate Iron Scales before it raked its ws across his ribs. Like that, the fight went on, with neither side capable of gaining an advantage. At least that was the case until Elijah finally had enough and switched to his draconid form in mid-stride. The increased Dexterity was all he needed tond a solid blow, and with his ws, he ripped a long gash in the naga¡¯s abdomen. Intestines spilled out, though Elijah was incapable of avoiding a retaliatory swipe that opened up a gash in his hind leg. Fiery agony erupted from the wound, and his leg immediately spasmed. Yet, Elijah had endured pain before, and he managed to dash away before the naga warrior could follow it up. When he turned back to face the snake-like creature, he saw that it was struggling to gather its intestines. So, Elijah used that distraction to his advantage when he shifted into his human form, used Touch of Nature to counteract the monster¡¯s venom, then aimed Storm¡¯s Fury in the naga¡¯s direction. The creature had no chance of dodging, and it took the resulting lightning bolt square in the chest. It flew backwards,nding a few feetter in a coiled and twitching heap. Elijah didn¡¯t let up, though. Instead, he hit it with another Storm¡¯s Fury. And another after that. By the fourth, the creature¡¯s twitching had be a full-blown seizure, and it died only a few secondster. ¡°Incredible!¡± yelled the ogre. ¡°Absolutely astounding! But can the challenger stand up to the Forest King himself?¡± Something huge, green, and monstrous crashed through the gate, knocking the metal doors aside and letting out an immense roar. ¡°ce your bets now!¡± Book 2: Chapter 40: Challenging a Champion Book 2: Chapter 40: Challenging a Champion In most cases, a frog alternates between disgusting and cute, depending on who¡¯s looking at it. Rarely are they considered horrifying, and yet, that was precisely the thought that crossed Elijah¡¯s mind as he barely managed to dodge a thick, rubbery tongue. It pped against the body of one of his previous opponents ¨C a mantis-like creature with organic scythes for hands ¨C that he¡¯d narrowly defeated only a few minutes before. The frog¡¯s tongue stuck fast to the corpse¡¯s chitinous exoskeleton, but Elijah knew it would only be temporary. The tongues of amphibians ¨C and the saliva they secreted ¨C were a marvel of nature, and on Earth, frogs captured prey by covering them in said saliva, which was capable of transforming from liquid to solid and back, making for some of the stickiest substances in nature. That meant that it wouldn¡¯t stay stuck to the mantis¡¯s body for long, so Elijah needed to act quickly and decisively. With that in mind, he aimed his staff at the frog ¨C which was the size of a rhinoceros ¨C and let loose with Storm¡¯s Fury. The lightning tore across the arena, disappearing into the frog¡¯s gaping mouth. The creature let out a deep, croaking bellow of pain as its body was wracked with convulsions. As had been the case for the past ten fights, the giant ogre on the tform far abovemented on Elijah¡¯s progress. However, he didn¡¯t hear it. Instead, he sprinted forward, hoping to take advantage of the frog¡¯s electricity-induced seizure. As he did so, one facet of his mindpleted the casting of Shape of the Predator, and over the space of three steps, he shifted into the draconid form. He¡¯d shifted a dozen or more times since the gauntlet had begun, and he suspected histest transformation wouldn¡¯t be thest. Whatever the case, he crashed into the amphibian with snapping jaws and slicing talons that ripped into the creature¡¯s rubbery stomach with ease. Yet, he didn¡¯t get to anything important before the frog recovered and tried to hop away. But Elijah had already seen that tactic, so hetched on with ws meant for climbing trees and went along for a ride. The panicked frog sailed high into the air, its arc taking it on an inevitable collision course with the wall. It smashed into the barrier with a wet squelch, and the impact very nearly jostled Elijah loose. Nearly was notpletely, though, and Elijah managed to hang on. More importantly, his tenacity was rewarded with an opportunity to truly dig into the stunned monster¡¯s belly. He dug deep, raking his ws across the wet and pliable flesh until, atst, he hit organs. Without skipping a beat, Elijah continued to tear into frog¡¯s abdomen until he hadpletely submerged in its innards. That was when the real work started. Elijah didn¡¯t bother with trying to identify organs. Vaguely, he recognized some of them, but what they were was less important than inflicting as much damage as possible. So, he tore his way through the frog¡¯s guts one raking w a time. In the back of one facet of his mind, he was aware of how disgusting it was. However, he¡¯d long since moved past acknowledging that, adopting a philosophy of pragmatism.Besides, he¡¯d once been a biologist, so he could handle all sorts of grotesque sights, sounds, and, as it turned out, tastes. More importantly than that, though, by that point, Elijah was exhausted enough to not care about anything except killing the monster as quickly as he could. So, that was what he did. And eventually, he managed to finish it off, though it took far longer than Elijah would have expected. Like many of the other creatures he¡¯d fought since Earth had been touched by the World Tree, the frog was clearly far more durable than any animal should have been. However, he¡¯d long ago epted that most of the biological knowledge he had umted over years of study was now useless. After all, what use was any of that against dinosaurs made of roots? Or monstrous killer whales whose insides seemed to defy thews of physics? Or, as was the case with histest conquest, a giant frog who, ording to everything Elijah knew about biomechanics, was sorge that it should not have been able to bear its own weight. In any case, Elijah felt a deep sense of relief when he finally climbed out of the monster¡¯s slimy gut. Once he did, he summoned Healing Rain, as much to wash the remnants of the frog¡¯s innards away as to treat any injuries. Even as he basked in the rejuvenating precipitation, he heard the tenor of the crowd suddenly shift. For a moment, he didn¡¯t understand what was going on, but then Elijah picked up what they were saying. ¡°Champion! Champion!¡± they chanted, over and over, until the ogre finally bellowed for them to quiet down. ¡°This challenger has aplished something impressive. For that, he has our praise!¡± shouted the ogre. The crowd went wild. ¡°But! If he is to be called a champion, then he needs to do more than defeat a few hobgoblins. Indeed, he must be a challenger in truth. He must fight me!¡± The enormous ogre then stepped forward and leaped from the tform. Hended in a spray of glittering gray sand only a momentter. By that point, Elijah knew he was in trouble. The ogre was evenrger than his first assessment had suggested ¨C a trick of perspective, he was sure ¨C and what¡¯s more, he was far more muscr than any of the other ogres Elijah had fought. He looked like a perfect warrior. But the implications were clear. Elijah needed to kill the Champion if he wanted toplete the tower. There were no clever tricks to be yed. No sneaking. No ambushes. Just him and the opponent. If the fight had happened a few weeks before, he would have never had a chance. However, because he¡¯d spent the past few days ¨C or weeks, maybe ¨C learning to use every facet of his toolkit, Elijah didn¡¯t even flinch at the challenge before him. Instead, he remained in ce, letting the waters of Healing Rain wash away the remainder of his fatigue while he leveraged his Quartz Mind to increase his Ethera Regeneration as much as possible. The tiny vortexes at the center of each facet of his Mind eagerly drank the ambient Ethera, funneling it through his Soul and into his Dragon Core. Across the arena, the ogre beat his muscr chest and roared to the crowd. It was clear that the Champion was as much a showman as he was a fighter, especially considering that his bare chest had been oiled and his bald head shined to a dull gleam. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Not that that made him any less dangerous, of course. Elijah did find it amusing, though, and he was reminded of a professional wrestler. Perhaps that would change once the fight began. Elijah rolled his shoulders, then checked his enhancements. The ogre looked so muscr that if hended a single blow ¨C even a ncing one ¨C it would have dire consequences for Elijah, so he reced Shield of Brambles with Essence of the Monkey. Beyond that, he had Essence of the Wolf, One with Nature, Aura of Renewal, and Essence of the Boar active. With that, he was ready for the fight. He stepped forward, leveled his staff, and summoned Cmity. Thunder rolled, and lightning struck as des of wind swirled, kicking up sparkling grey dust and obscuring the ogre. Elijah couldn¡¯t see much, but he definitely noticed when the Champion came crashing through the maelstrom, his fists gleaming with purple energy. Elijah hurriedly cast Snaring Roots, but they did nothing to stop the enormous ogre¡¯s vast momentum. He ripped through them, barely even slowing down. And yet, even that small dy allowed Elijah enough time to cast Swarm. Hundreds of fist-sized mosquitoes manifested, then flocked onto the Champion¡¯s oil-slick back, where theytched on and started doing the job for which they had been summoned. Yet, few of those proboscises managed to prate the ogre¡¯s thick hide, and their inability mitigated the swarm¡¯s effect. Still, a few managed to break through, so the spell wasn¡¯t entirely useless. Elijah cast Storm¡¯s Fury, sending a bolt of crackling lightning to hit the creature in the chest. That definitely did something, sending the ogre¡¯s muscles into involuntary contractions. However, that only slowed the monstrous humanoid down a little more than the roots, so Elijah had no choice but to rapidly shift into hismer ape form. He managed toplete the transformation just in time to meet the ogre¡¯s charge. And get sent flying through the air to hit the wall hard enough to crack the bricks from which it had been constructed. Fortunately, he used Iron Scales just before the ogre made contact, but even ten percent of that punch was enough to make Elijah see stars. He was still within the effective radius of Healing Rain, though, so it cleared up quickly. That was just in time for him to see the ogre once again bearing down on him. Elijah used Iron Scales once again, then leaped at the creature. The two collided with a titanic impact that shook the very ground, but Elijah definitely got the worst of it. Even with the protection afforded by Iron Scales, he had the breath driven from his chest by a momentous uppercut that took him in the gut. That¡¯s when Elijah realized his mistake. He¡¯d gotten so used to fighting like a beast that he¡¯d forgotten the years¡¯ worth of lessons he¡¯d learned in the boxing gym. Themer ape form wasn¡¯t perfectly suited for most of his techniques, but the general principles remained just as valid as they ever were before. So, when he regained hisposure a secondter, he stepped back into the fight with renewed confidence. The ogre came in with a simple jab, but instead of simply taking the hit, Elijah shifted slightly to the side, letting it pass him by. Elijah returned the would-be blow with one of his own, whipping his own fist out to p against the ogre¡¯s hip. With the size difference, that was the best spot he could reach, and though it wasn¡¯t ideal, it certainly threw the ogre off bnce. Elijah followed it up by tapping into his bestial nature. His jaws snapped out,tching onto the ogre¡¯s exposed thigh, and ripping a chunk of his quadriceps muscle away. The Champion howled in pain and fury, but by the time he brought his own fists to bear, Elijah had danced away. Awkwardly, by his standards. But it was effective enough to let him avoid the ogre¡¯s furious and ill-aimed punch. That further overbnced the creature, which Elijah used to great advantage when he rushed in with a shoulder tackle that bent the Champion¡¯s knee the wrong way. Its sudden copse surprised Elijah, and that shock very nearly got him killed. Even as the ogre fell, it reached out, grabbed Elijah¡¯s shoulder, and yanked him off his feet. Before he knew what was happening, the creature had him pinned to the ground and was raining one herculean blow after another down on him. Elijah used Iron Scales, but it could only do so much against such a powerful opponent. However, that damage reduction was just enough to keep Elijah from being pummeled into unconsciousness. While one facet of his Quartz Mind focused on using Iron Scales at the appropriate time, another took care of keeping him moving just enough to avoid taking too solid of a blow. Still another housed his panic. The rest were wholly upied with trying to think of a way out of the dire situation. But as far as he could tell, there was only one shot. He just didn¡¯t want to take it because, if he was wrong, a bad situation would turn to worse, which would probably mean the end of his struggle, and not in a way that would see him traipsing into the next level of the tower. He didn¡¯t have much choice, though. The battle had turned in a hurry, and he had none of his usual tactics avable. The creature had escaped his Cmity without issue, and the Swarm had already dissipated without infecting the ogre with much in the way of afflictions. So, he shifted. Not because he wanted to take advantage of his draconid form. Rather, he transformed because that form was much, much smaller than themer ape. As such, when the ogre¡¯s fist descended, it found only sand where Elijah¡¯s head had once been. Meanwhile, the smaller size also gave him just enough wiggle room to escape the ogre¡¯s grasp. He slithered out from beneath the creature, then leaped onto the wall. Bounding off that surface, heunched himself at the slightly confused ogre. Hended lightly, then sank his ws into the monster¡¯s oiled back. The creature howled at the sudden pain, and he tried to dislodge the stubborn draconid, but to no effect. Because Elijah had learned something about his opponent. The ogre was strong. Far stronger than anything he¡¯d ever encountered, and that was including the very first encounter with one of the Voxx. However, the Champion¡¯s attributes were lopsided, but not in the way Elijah¡¯s Guardian form was. Instead of having a detriment of Dexterity, it insteadcked Constitution. Normally, that wouldn¡¯t have been such a debilitating weakness. The monster was still plenty durable, and with its extremely high Strength and Dexterity, it could probably end most fights before they had a chance to really begin. Yet, Elijah was just capable of avoiding that fate, and he¡¯d managed to find the ogre¡¯s weakness. And now, on the Champion¡¯s back, he could finally exploit it to the fullest extent. His ws bit deep, but his teeth went even deeper. He ripped into the monster¡¯s back, tearing it to ribbons even as he ripped huge chunks of muscle from its body. Bits of flesh flew through the air, and blood coated the grey sand, but Elijah refused to stop. He couldn¡¯t afford to rest. Even the slightest pause would lift the pressure and allow the ogre to regain his equilibrium. Elijah couldn¡¯t let that happen, so he ripped and tore, bit and wed until, atst, he found his way to the ogre¡¯s vulnerable organs. He started with the intestines, but those were shredded in seconds. A foul and acrid stench filled Elijah¡¯s nostrils as he dug into the chest cavity, piercing lungs and finally,tching onto the ogre¡¯s overge heart. He ripped it free, then, atst, bounded away. The ogre fell like a tree, hitting the ground with a massive impact that sent even more sand, blood, and guts into the air. He was dead before he hit the ground. Just like that, Elijah had won the battle and conquered the second floor of the tower. Book 2: Chapter 41: The Reaver Book 2: Chapter 41: The Reaver The crowd went silent, as if they were unsure how to react to the fall of the Champion. That silence stretched for what felt to Elijah like an eternity before, suddenly, they let out a collective roar that shook the very foundations of the arena. It wasn¡¯t simply deafening. Rather, it was a sound so loud ¨C so visceral ¨C that it was physically painful to endure. However, Elijah felt nothing but tion at his aplishment. He basked in the crowd¡¯s approval, his chest heaving with excitement. Then, he noticed a silver box glinting in the distance. It stood before the gate, his reward for another level conquered. The prideful satisfaction he felt was nothing new. He¡¯d felt the same way, though to a lesser extent, upon winning bouts in his boxing days. Or when ying other sports as a kid. It was always addictive, and yet, it was usually fleeting as well. Not so, this time. Elijah knew how umon his aplishments were. His first tower had been a series of misadventures he¡¯d survived through cunning, good fortune, and simple endurance. However, the gauntlet he¡¯d just run was no such thing. He¡¯d fought, not via tricks or subterfuge, but in an even match against impossible odds. And he hade out on top. That he¡¯d proven himself stronger than an entity like the Champion ¨C much less the ten encounters through which he¡¯d fought before facing off against the giant ogre ¨C was a heady realization. Yet, Elijah knew he wasn¡¯t finished. There was still one more level left in the tower, and if he was going to conquer it and survive, he would need every aspect of his unique abilities. So, with that sobering realization coursing through every facet of his mind, he summoned Healing Rain and set about scrubbing himself clean. The water wouldn¡¯t persist longer than the spell¡¯s duration, but it stillsted long enough for an impromptu shower. He¡¯d even packed a little of his homemade soap for just such an asion. He must¡¯ve made for an odd sight, showering with his summoned raincloud in the middle of an arena that, at present, housed quite a few dead bodies. But the crowd never stopped cheering, which told Elijah that they weren¡¯t even whatever passed for real people within a tower. Instead, they were just background noise. Meaningless, soulless, and inconsequential. ¡°I¡¯ll still take the cheers, though,¡± he said to himself as he finished washing the soap ¨C and all the viscera ¨C from his body. The shower also served the purpose of reinvigorating and healing much of the damage he¡¯d taken. However, he still had to use Touch of Nature to heal a few broken bones he¡¯d sustained. All in all, though, he managed to make it out of the arena with far fewer injuries than he¡¯d have suspected.It was a rarity for him to get through a fight without being beaten, bloody, and on the brink of death, so he chose to enjoy it while he could. After all, he still had the Reaver to defeat, and he wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to think it would be any easier than the gauntlet he¡¯d just endured. And given the fact that it would¡¯ve only taken a mistake or two to send the previous battle careening in an entirely different direction, Elijah was wary of what he might have to suffer on the next level of the tower. After he finished showering, he dressed in one of the outfits he¡¯d bought back in Ironshore. He still had one that was undamaged, but he chose one that had already been subjected to quite a bit of wear and tear. As usual, he wore no shoes, as much because he didn¡¯t have any as because his spells seemed to work better so long as his feet remained unshod. Clean and rejuvenated, he returned to the ogre¡¯s corpse and took the creature¡¯s money pouch, which he tossed into his pack. Then, he retrieved the giant staff he¡¯d lugged up from the other wings, then shouldered it before heading toward his reward. The chest was a lot bigger than the ones he¡¯d received in the past, and as he approached it, he noticed that it looked slightly more borate. He leaned down, then utched the sp that held it shut. The lid popped open of its own ord, revealing a leather bracer. The moment he opened the treasure chest, a notification popped up, too:
Congratluations! You havepleted Level Two of Reaver Citadel. Grade: A To progress further, go through the gate and reach the third and final level.
Elijah pumped his fist in celebration at his grade. He¡¯d only received a B for the previous level, but it seemed that he¡¯d performed far better in his most recent challenge. The question remained as to how that would trante to his reward. The Sash of the Whirlwind had been invaluable so far, allowing him to move more quickly than ever before. Often, he likened it to time dtion, but it was really that his increased speed was apanied by an adjusted perception of time. That gave him the opportunity to use his speed more efficiently. Still, it wasn¡¯t a huge difference, and he suspected that was because of his decidedly average performance in the previous level. Now that he¡¯d gotten a higher grade for the second, he hoped that the reward would be that much more powerful. So, it was with eager hands that he reached down and grabbed the leather bracer. When his fingers brushed against the item, an expected notification shed before his inner eye:
Reward forpleting Level Two of Reaver Citadel: Silver Bracer of Rage If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
As usual, it didn¡¯t give any indication as to what it would do. So, he picked the bracer up and turned it this way and that while inspecting it. As he¡¯d already seen, the item was primarily made of ck leather, but the back side, which was intended to protect his forearm, was ted silver. In addition, there were designs etched in silver thread across the whole thing. It reminded him of Celtic knots, but slightly off ¨C as if it was a simr concept, but developed by a different culture. But it was an interesting look, he couldn¡¯t deny. The inside of the bracer was lined with soft fur reminiscent of sheepskin, though with a silver sheen, and a leatherce on the bottom held the whole thing together. Elijah unfastened it, then slipped the bracer onto his right arm. Once he tied theces ¨C awkwardly, because he only had one hand to do it ¨C he felt a surge of power. When he opened his status, he saw that his Strength had improved by seven points. ¡°Nice,¡± he said to himself. Given that Strength was the only attribute that he couldn¡¯t directly boost via one of his enhancements, any help in that department was more than wee. Still, he¡¯d hoped for more. Even the Sash of the Whirlwind, which was supposed to be worse than the Silver Bracer of Rage ¨C if the grades were meant to indicate anything ¨C had an extra function in addition to the three points it gave him to both Strength and Dexterity. Sure, the attribute bonuses for the bracer was better by a point, but he¡¯d hoped for an extra function. Whatever the case, he intended to put the extra Strength to good use. After renewing his enhancements, he opened his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 41
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 53
Dexterity 55 (45)
Constitution 53 (43)
Ethera 51
Regeneration 65 (45)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Hatchling Quartz Neophyte
His attributes were really getting up there, especially since he¡¯d gained another level during the previous battle. One point per level in each category didn¡¯t seem like a lot, but it definitely added up. Getting extra attributes via his equipment was nice as well, especially when it gave him an extra ten points in Strength and three in Dexterity. Added to all of that were the effects of his enhancements. And when he shifted into his forms, the results were even more impressive. After all, Shape of the Guardian gave him thirty extra points in Strength and Constitution, which was an absolutely insane amount of power and durability. Simrly, Shape of the Predator gave bonuses to Strength and Dexterity as well, so when he was in either of his animal forms, he was an absolute terror. And even with all of that, he¡¯d struggled with the ogre Champion. That was a sobering thought, and it brought him back to the reality of his situation. He¡¯d done well so far, but when he progressed to the next level, he¡¯d be forced to fight the leader of the Citadel. And Elijah knew it wouldn¡¯t be an easy battle. So, he pushed his self-congrattory thoughts away and focused on the path ahead. The gate was open, but he couldn¡¯t see much beyond the entrance. He stepped forward into the darkness, but he didn¡¯t immediately progress to the next level. Instead, he followed a long, low-ceilinged hall for a few hundred feet before it doubled back and sloped upward. He kept going, hitting multiple switchbacks until, atst, he reached another door. He pushed it open, revealing a featureless ck in of imprable darkness. Knowing that it was the way to the next level, Elijah stepped through and felt the familiar discement that hade with progressing between previous tower levels. It onlysted a moment before his bare foot hit something soft. He looked down to see an borate rug. Another second, and he saw that he¡¯d stepped into a richly decorated corridor. Lined with doors, the corridor was lit by flickeringmps, and it featured a host of small statues, oil paintings, and tapestries. And that was just what Elijah saw at a nce. Before he could study it further, though, he heard voicesing from nearby. So, he shifted into the Shape of the Predator, then adopted Guise of the Unseen only a second before two elves came into view. One was a dark elf, with onyx skin and white hair, but the other was a light elf, with blonde hair and a fairplexion. Clearly, the enmities of the previous level meant nothing here. Fortunately, the elves were either too distracted to see him orpletely incapable of piercing his Guise of the Unseen, because they never even nced in Elijah¡¯s direction. That allowed him to get a good look at the pair, and he was a bit surprised to see that they were devoid of the armor every other elf he¡¯d seen within the tower wore. Instead, they were both dressed like they¡¯d stepped out of a period drama. The female elf with the blonde hair wore a gown of deep crimson, while the male dark elf was d in pantaloons, a blue tunic, and actual hose. Both wore copious amounts of jewelry and quite a bit of dark makeup around their eyes. Elijah waited for the pair to pass by, then followed at a discrete distance. He didn¡¯t know where he was going, so one direction was as good as any other. He trailed the two elves for a few minutes, listening to them chatter on about nothing as it became clear that they were a couple. Eventually, though, they led him to a pair of borately carved double doors, which they unhesitatingly stepped through. From his position a half dozen yards behind them, Elijah only caught a brief glimpse of the room on the other side of the doors. But the moment he did, he realized that he¡¯d found exactly what he was looking for. Still, he waited for another elf to wander into the room, and he slipped inside before the door could close. After positioning himself in an out-of-the-way corner, Elijah took stock of the situation. And it wasn¡¯t good. Around a vast tableden with a feast were seated two dozen elves. And at the head was a man ¨C not an elf ¨C that was clearly the Reaver. If Elijah hadn¡¯t known from the man¡¯smanding demeanor, he would have gotten the picture from the notification that popped up the moment heid eyes on the ck-d man.
Task: y the Reaver without alerting his subjects.
Book 2: Chapter 42: Gluttony Book 2: Chapter 42: Gluttony If Elijah hadn¡¯t been keenly aware of how close he was to the elves ¨C and more importantly, to the Reaver himself ¨C he would¡¯ve sworn that he was watching a high-budget fantasy movie. The table itself was polished wood, and it was piled high with so much food that Elijah questioned whether or not the elves could consume even a quarter of it. He saw whole roast pigs, tureens of buttery potatoes, and a host of other foods he couldn¡¯t identify but looked amazingly appetizing. Suddenly, he was reminded of how long it had been since he¡¯d had a proper meal. During his trek to the tower, he¡¯d eaten nothing but wild game and whatever edibles he could forage. He was used to that sort of diet, so he didn¡¯t mind, but it was woefullyckingpared to the feastid out before him. It was especially pointed because of the sheer delight shown by the elves each time they took a bite. More than once, he considered casting Cmity and clearing them out, just so he could take their meal. However, the Task set by the tower had specified that he should kill the Reaver without alerting his subjects. He didn¡¯t think that failing the second part would result in anything dire, but he was certain that it would at least affect his eventual grade. And he had no intention of taking a lesser reward if he could help it. So, he settled into a corner and watched the progression of the feast, and over time, the elves grew progressively drunker. The Reaver, though, abstained from alcohol. His cup ¨C which was a jeweled thing that looked more like a chalice ¨C only held water. He also didn¡¯t eat nearly as much as the elves, who were positively gluttonous with their consumption. For his part, Elijah held his own hunger at bay through a sheer expression of willpower. It wasn¡¯t until it had been gnawing at one facet of his mind for more than an hour that he realized just how unnatural it was. Elijah had always enjoyed food. Simple orplex, the product of home cooking or a five-star restaurant ¨C it didn¡¯t matter. He could always find something to appreciate. Even cooking wild game over an open fire was enough to get his salivary nds working overtime. And yet, he¡¯d never felt an urge to eat, to consume, that was nearly as strong as what he experienced watching those elves gorge themselves. Perhaps it was because of his cultivation, or maybe it was something else entirely. But he knew that the hunger was wrong. That it was alien. That it came from the Reaver. The moment that thought crossed Elijah¡¯s mind, he doubled down on his resistance. The challenge of the current level of the tower had already begun, and he¡¯d almost fallen prey to it without even realizing that he was in danger. Now that he knew what to look for, he could feel the tendrils of alien thoughts wrapping themselves around his mind. And once he was aware, it was much easier to resist the hunger that had, only a few minutes before, seemed so potent. He also saw the gluttonous elves for what they were. The slight crinkling around their eyes. The fearful nces toward the Reaver. The tears coating their cheeks. They weren¡¯t guests. They were prisoners, one and all. But Elijah wasn¡¯t there to free them. Instead, he watched as they continued to gorge themselves. The food gradually disappeared down their respective gullets until, atst, the first one passed out. Her stomach bulged obscenely, and using One with Nature, Elijah knew she was dead. She had literally eaten herself to death. And she wasn¡¯t thest. Over the next few hours, the elves dropped, one by one until only the Reaver remained. Still, he sat at the head of the table like nothing had changed. He sipped at his water with a mild expression that bordered on boredom. Then, finally, he stood. The legs of his chair scraped against the tile floor, loud in the silence the dead had left behind. He looked from one elf to the other, disappointment ying across his face. He ran his hand through his brown hair before letting out a tired sigh. Then, the air around him shimmered. So did the ambient Ethera. And before Elijah¡¯s eyes, the Reaver transformed. His arms and legs extended, growing longer and skeletally thin. The same could be said for his hands, and soon enough, the fingers had doubled in length. More, they were tipped in jagged ck ws. The man¡¯s skin took on a gray hue, and his face remolded itself into a visage out of a horror movie. Like a mixture of man and bat, with long incisors extending to at least a few inches long, he looked like someone¡¯s twisted interpretation of a vampire. However, when the man fell on the elves¡¯ corpses, Elijah found that the Reaver wasn¡¯t interested in blood. Or not only blood, Elijah amended. The ghoulish mockery of a man ate everything. It was a grotesque sight, watching that creature gorge itself, but Elijah didn¡¯t dare look away. Instead, he watched everyst bite. And it was nearly enough to send his stomach into rebellion. He kept himself from vomiting, but it was a close thing. Even so, Elijah¡¯s stomach twisted into knots as he watched the creature¡¯s macabre feast. The Reaver took special and obvious pleasure in consuming the elves¡¯ ruptured stomachs, but he seemed to quite enjoy every other bit of elf he consumed as well. Even the bones, which crunched loudly beneath his powerful jaws. Or the intestines, which went down with a wet slurp. Eventually, Elijah stopped trying to identify the bits and pieces, but unfortunately, his biology background came back to haunt him. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Whatever the case, the only sce was that it couldn¡¯tst forever. Eventually, the Reaverpleted its feast, leaving only bloody chairs behind. It shifted back into a human form and returned to its chair. A momentter, a pair of ogres stomped into the room. Their body types resembled the jailers, which was to say that they were built like sumo wrestlers, though even more obese. The pair waddled in, and without a word, started clearing the table. Very little food had survived the elves¡¯ forced gluttony, so they were mostly tasked with gathering used dishes. It took a few trips, but gradually, they aplished their task. In the meantime, the Reaver sat at the head of the table, with a bored expression ying across his face as he sipped at his water. Once everything had been cleared away, the Reaver pushed himself back to his feet and, without a word, left the dining room via a side door. A disgusted Elijah followed, intending to ambush the creature the moment he had a chance. However, even though he had already used Predator Strike as well as Venom Strike in preparation of the attack, he never got the chance. Most of the time, the hall was deserted. Yet, each time Elijah verged onmencing his attack, an elf or ogre would be there. Usually, they shuffled past the Reaver quickly ¨C obviously, they were engaged in their own tasks ¨C but they were frustratingly spaced in such a way as to ensure that Elijah never had a clear opportunity to do what he very much wanted to do. After a few minutes, during which the Reaver traversed the halls at an unhurried pace, he reached a pair of borate double doors. At first, Elijah thought he¡¯d stumbled upon some sort of ritual room or something else of importance. However, when the Reaver threw the doors open, he saw another long, straight hall. It was at least fifty yards long, and from what Elijah could see, it was entirely empty. Looking left, then right, Elijah ensured that no one else was around. Then, he crept forward, preparing to pounce. He knew precisely how he intended to attack; he only needed to do it. Just before he was going to leap upon the creature¡¯s back, heavy footsteps announced a new arrival. Frustrated, Elijah whipped around to see the secondrgest ogre he¡¯d ever beheld. The creature was tall and broad, and he was d in a full set of dark iron armor. Elijah could see nothing of the ogre¡¯s skin. Instead, he looked like a monstrous automaton. ¡°Remain in the hall,¡± the Reaver said. ¡°I feel something amiss, though I know not what it might be. Be wary.¡± The metal-d monster grunted an affirmation, the sound confirming that it was, indeed, a living creature. Elijah had enough experience with that armor to recognize the futility in attacking such a creature. He could get through it, perhaps, but not in his draconid form. Even with Predator Strike, he would fail. He knew that as well as he could sense that the creature was much, much higher level than him. Frustrated, Elijah slipped into the hall as he followed the Reaver. The corridor was nothing special, though Elijah felt curious abnormalities in the walls. Or rather, he felt the tiny organisms that lived in the pits and grooves that shouldn¡¯t have been present in a solid wall. He remained a few feet behind the Reaver as they traversed the hall until they reached another pair of double doors on the other end. There, the Reaver flung them open to reveal arge and richly furnished apartment. Velvet, thick carpets, and gold ornaments abounded, but the Reaver paid them no heed. Instead, the creature stepped inside, closing the door only an instant after Elijah had slipped in after his prey. Just like that, Elijah had a golden opportunity. He had the Reaver alone. He only needed to finish it off before it reached the end of the hallway and that massive, metal-d guard. Still, he didn¡¯t rush. Elijah had always been a patient person. So, he waited and watched as the Reaver went further into the apartment. After a few minutes of watching the monster go about its nightly routine, he finally got the opportunity he¡¯d been waiting for. With the additional power of Predator Strike as well as Venom Strike singing through his ws, he pounced. And missed entirely. His ws swiped through the creature¡¯s human head, but he hit nothing but air. In the meantime, the Reaver screeched. It was a sound no human had ever uttered, and Elijah likened it to something that should¡¯vee from an insect. At the same time, the thing transformed ¨C or perhaps it let the illusion of its human formpse ¨C showing Elijah his error. He¡¯d been using his eyes when he should¡¯ve relied on his other senses. As a result, he¡¯d been fooled by a formless illusion. But now that the monster was in its natural form, that would no longer be a problem. So, even as the thing panicked, Elijahshed out with his ws, using every point of Strength and Dexterity to get in as many attacks as possible before the monster reacted. When he finally bounded away, he left a ruin of bloody ribbons where the monster¡¯s emaciated thigh had once been. But Elijah had pushed it a little too long, and he was forced to leap over the creature¡¯s retaliatory counterattack. It swung its long, thin arm with wild abandon, clipping Elijah¡¯s tail and throwing him off-bnce. However, even though it sent him sliding across the bedroom, it wasn¡¯t enough to injure him. That had never been the point, though. When Elijah recovered, he saw that the Reaver had abandoned the fight altogether and was using its lengthy legs to sprint toward the apartment¡¯s exit. Elijah¡¯s heart jumped into his throat. If the creature reached the guard, he wouldn¡¯t have just failed his Task, which would end with him losing a potential reward. Instead, he¡¯d run the risk of losing his life. The guard was dangerous enough on his own, but if the Reaver made it to the end of the hall, more help would be on its way. It wouldn¡¯t be long after that that Elijah would be buried under the weight of the entirety of the level¡¯s defenses. He couldn¡¯t let that happen. So, heunched himself after the Reaver, moving with every ounce of speed he could muster. His ws dug into the tiles and ripped the rich carpets apart as he tore across the room. But despite its awkward appearance, the Reaver was deceptively fast, and it remained just ahead of Elijah¡¯s pursuit. When it reached the door, Elijah knew he had to change tactics. Fortunately, he had just the tool for the job. So, he initiated a transformation back into his human form without breaking stride. The Reaver threw the doors open, then started down the hall. But Elijah didn¡¯t let it get another step before he embraced Snaring Roots and cast the spell. Thick, thorny vines exploded from the floor, wrapping around the monster¡¯s thin legs. It ripped free, but for every vine it shredded, another took its ce. For a brief second, it was immobile. Elijah crashed into it, having initiated yet another transformation ¨C this time, taking on the shape of amer ape. The monster raked its ws across his chest, but Elijah had preemptively used Iron Scales, and the attack did nothing. The same couldn¡¯t be said for Elijah¡¯s own blows, which rained down on the monster¡¯s emaciated body with reckless and inevitable abandon. Bones cracked, and the monster screamed. Yet, despite the volume, no cavalry came running to the creature¡¯s rescue. For a second, Elijah thought he¡¯d won the battle. But then, he heard a metallic click, and an instantter, a line of fiery agony erupted in his side. Book 2: Chapter 43: Not so Simple Book 2: Chapter 43: Not so Simple Elijah twisted away from thecerating pain, trying at the same time to keep a grip on the monster¡¯s bony shoulder. But he couldn¡¯t do both at the same time, so his hind brain kicked in, forcing him to flee the agony cutting a long line into his scales. Against that, his Iron Scales were wholly insufficient, and he let out a roar of pain all his own. It joined the monster¡¯s anguished whimpers. No matter how quickly Elijah moved, though, the pain persisted, and soon enough, he saw why. A small dart ¨C no bigger than his human thumb ¨C was embedded in his scales, and when he yanked it free, he found that a series of long, writhing white tendrils came with it. As they left his body, they left behind a stinging pain that felt like the world¡¯s most painful jellyfish sting. From the inside. The second thest of the tendrils had left his body to dangle from the dart, Elijah tossed the projectile aside. Or at least he tried to. However, the tendrils had left his entire side so numb that the best he could do was a slight shrug as he dropped the thing onto the carpeted floor. The tingling numbness spread quickly, epassing the entire left side of his torso and all the way down his hip before, atst, slowing to a virtual stop. But the effects didn¡¯t stop with simple numbness. Instead, with the sensation having spread to his chest, he soon found that his breathing had shallowed to the point where he knew he wasn¡¯t getting enough oxygen. That, in turn, caused him to panic. In only a second, Elijah was panting with anxiety, with his mind whirling for a solution. Meanwhile, the injured Reaver had begun to recover, its shattered bones shifting grotesquely as they reset. As it pushed itself to unsteady feet, it let out a hiss of pain. Then, it cocked its arm before following it up with a backhanded blow aimed at Elijah¡¯s face. He tried to dodge, but with half his body not working properly, he only managed to shift enough to avoid taking the attack head-on. ¡°Pitiful beast,¡± the creature rasped as Elijah crashed to the floor. Then, it kicked him. ¡°You attack me? In my home?! How dare you?!¡± It kicked Elijah again. The blows didn¡¯t hurt. In fact, he couldn¡¯t even feel them, even if he knew they¡¯d left some damage behind. Instead, the pervasive numbness had started spreading again, telling him that he needed to do something to stop it, lest he lose all bodily control.So, between kicks, Elijah shifted back to his human form, then cast Touch of Nature, which pushed the numbness back just enough that he could roll out of the way of the next blow. He could do nothing about the follow up kick that took him in his side andunched his much lighter body into the wall. Once again, via One with Nature, he felt the odd grooves in the wall. Suddenly, one facet of his mind arrived at the answer. Traps. There were traps in the walls. How could he have missed that? Why hadn¡¯t he paid more attention? If he had¡­ No. He couldn¡¯t go down that road. Instead, he used Touch of Nature once again, though a good portion of the spell¡¯s power went to healing his ribs. Meanwhile, the Reaver continued to rant about intruders and trespassers, spitting out insults that made him sound like an indignant aristocrat who¡¯d stumbled upon a thief. Which wasn¡¯t so far from the truth, really. Except that the aristocrat in question was a monstrous creature with skin like a cadaver and arms and legs that were about two sizes too long for its skeletally slender body. As that useless thought skittered through one facet of Elijah¡¯s Quartz Mind, he used the others to search for a strategy to escape his dire situation. Because even with Touch of Nature, he was only barely able to push the numbness back. So, with the monstrous Reaver kicking him, he didn¡¯t have much opportunity to change his circumstances. Still, beingunched a few feet away had given him just enough time to attempt a gambit. So, he shifted his staff just enough to aim it at the Reaver¡¯s feet, then cast Storm¡¯s Fury. His aim left a lot to be desired, but he still managed to clip the monster¡¯s foot with his spell. That sent its leg into brief spasms, which gave Elijah an opening to cast Healing Rain. The nurturing precipitation fell from the sky, soothing Elijah¡¯s injuries and working toward pushing the numbness away. It was incapable of doing the job alone, but with another application of Touch of Nature, he gained even more ground. More importantly, when the Reaver recovered a secondter, the healing spells gave him the necessary control to avoid the worst part of the next kick. Though he did feel a rib shift a bit, even when he only took a ncing blow. It was healed a secondter, and he continued with that strategy. With another facet of his Mind, though, he started casting another spell. Even as he shifted and rolled around on the floor, trying his best to dodge the Reaver¡¯s swinging kicks and stomping feet, a swarm of blood-sucking mosquitoes manifested and swooped down on the unsuspecting monster. It was a testament to how worked up the thing was that, at first, it didn¡¯t even notice the summoned insects. Which made for a perfect scenario for the little creatures to do the maximum amount of damage. Or at least that was how Elijahforted himself as the reaver¡¯s uncoordinated barrage of attacks continued. He wasn¡¯t just getting the snot kicked out of him. He was distracting and dying the monster. It was strategy, not ipetence. Of course, he didn¡¯t quite believe that, even as one facet of his Mind tried to convince him of it. After a handful of seconds, the Reaver finally noticed the mosquitoes sucking its blood. However, by that point, it was toote for it to stop the cascade of afflictions they brought with them. Soon after, it abandoned its quest to kick Elijah into submission, opting instead to try to dislodge the pesky insects. It was mostly unsessful in that endeavor, but more importantly, the thing¡¯s antics gave Elijah some much-needed breathing room to cast Touch of Nature a couple more times. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. Soothing healing washed through him, banishing the numbness almost entirely. Tiny white tendrils were ejected from his body with every instance of the spell. If Elijah would have been a little less upied with his own survival, he certainly would have been disgusted at the things that had been in his body. As it was, though, he was far too focused on the task at hand. Because now that the numbness had been ovee, he felt like he finally had the upper hand. So, after casting Touch of Nature onest time and healing the damage he had left, he swept his staff out, catching the Reaver mid-kick. With Elijah¡¯s still impressive Strength working for him, he managed to knock the monster¡¯s leg out from under him. The Reaver tipped over, but before it fell, it caught itself with one of its enormously long arms. Then, it skittered backward in a crab-walk that took it further down the hall. Elijah tried to cast Snaring Roots again, but he didn¡¯t have enough Ethera to fuel the spell. In fact, the constant healing had sapped almost the entire contents of his core. He didn¡¯t remember spending so much Ethera, but he supposed he must have gone into a daze or something. Or maybe the numbing tendrils had had a secondary effect of draining his Ethera. In any case, the situation had changed, and he had no choice but to adapt. So, he used the one spell he could and once again shifted into the Shape of the Guardian. It had always been his least costly spell, and as such, it gave him the best chance to survive the encounter. As he threw himself to his feet, his body transformed, taking on the strange amalgamation of lizard and primate. Then, he raced after the Reaver. The first trap he triggered almost took him by surprise, but he¡¯d dedicated one facet of his mind to keeping track of the changing conditions, and as a result, he became aware of it just in time to avoid the debilitating dart. It was a close enough call that he shifted another three facets of his mind to that task. As he continued his pursuit of the monster, he was forced to react to more trap activations, twisting and turning his immense body as he sought to avoid a repeat of his first encounter with the darts. He managed it. Barely. But it slowed him down to the point where he only barely managed to keep pace with the Reaver. With the distance between his prey and the end of the long hall steadily shrinking, Elijah knew he needed to change tactics. So, he harnessed every point of Strength he possessed and flung himself down the hall. However, he didn¡¯t go directly at the monster. Instead, he bounded forward, bouncing from one wall to another and keeping just ahead of the traps. With his Strength, he could move incredibly quickly, but when he did that, he couldn¡¯t really control himself very well. So, he removed that part from the equation, just pointing himself in a direction and going. Like that, he stayed just ahead of the triggering traps, though he knew that if he slowed by even a millisecond, he would be peppered with darts. So, he didn¡¯t slow, and as a result, he crashed into the Reaver in barely a couple of seconds. The creature was more than a little surprised at Elijah¡¯s rapid pursuit, so it didn¡¯t even react before it was bowled over. Elijah knew the danger hadn¡¯t ended, though, so he wrapped his hand around the monster¡¯s slim waist, then used the monster¡¯s body as an impromptu shield against the closest trap. The darts thudded home in the Reaver¡¯s struggling body. It did not possess Elijah¡¯s high Constitution. Almost immediately, one of its arms went limp, quickly followed by the rest of its body. In only a few seconds, it was a dead weight, flopping around like a corpse. But it lived. Elijah could sense that much. Without knowing what else to do, Elijah returned the same way he¡¯de, traversing the hall on his way back to the Reaver¡¯s quarters. Along the way, he continued to use the monster as a shield, intercepting the darts as they came. With multiple facets of his mind focused on the traps, he could anticipate their activation well enough to facilitate his passage. By the time he reached the apartments, the Reaver had taken nine darts in various parts of its body, and as a result, it was only barely clinging to life. Elijah ended it by banging its head repeatedly against the ground. It took quite a few blows, but eventually, he managed to kill the thing. The resultant experience gave him another level, but more importantly, the monster¡¯s deathpleted the final level of the tower. He sighed, letting the creature fall from his ws. His shoulders slumped as he shifted back to his natural form and realized just how close he¡¯de to losing. He shuddered to think of what would have happened had he sumbed to those darts. A few secondster, a notification told him that he¡¯dpleted thest level:
Congratluations! You havepleted Level Three of Reaver Citadel. Grade: A Toplete the tower, progress to the exit.
He was a little disappointed he hadn¡¯t gotten the highest possible grade, but he was a little too relieved for that tost more than a second or two. He¡¯d conquered the Reaver¡¯s Citadel, and though it hadn¡¯t been quite as harrowing as the Keledge Tower, it certainly hadn¡¯t been easy, either. His abilities had been stretched to their limits, and as a result, he¡¯d been forced to learn how to use every tool in his kit. That was the true reward. Of course, there was a more tangible reward waiting for him as well, and it only took a second for him to find the silver box. It was lying next to the huge ogre staff he¡¯d dropped when he¡¯d been forced to transform to his human form after his failed attempt at an ambush. He bent down and opened the lid, resulting in another notification:
Reward forpleting Level Three of Reaver Citadel: ws of Gluttony
The item inside was a strange one. At first nce, it looked like a disparate pile of ck iron. However, when Elijah pulled it from the box, he realized that it was precisely what the name suggested. Composed of a single leather cuff that was connected to five distinct and hollow ws via a series of thin, ck chains ¨C it looked like an awkward thing to wear. That suspicion was confirmed when he tried it on as well. He checked his status, and once again, disappointment blossomed when the item didn¡¯t live up to his expectation. This time, he didn¡¯t even get any attribute bonuses. Indeed, the item seemed no more than ornamental in nature. So, he took it off and threw it into his pack. Hopefully, he would soon find someone who could help him identify the items he¡¯d acquired in the tower. And perhaps buy the ones he didn¡¯t need. If not, he would have to go back to Ironshore where he knew he could get that kind of information. Not that he wanted to do that just yet. He could travel between Ironshore and Norcastle much more quickly now that he knew where the second was located. However, it was still a long trip, and one he didn¡¯t want to reexperience just yet. In any case, he scoured the Reaver¡¯s quarters,ing away a little disappointed with his haul. There was very little in the apartments that wasn¡¯t nailed down, and what he could take probably wasn¡¯t worth it. Still, he found some tiny golden statues that looked like they might be valuable, so he figured that it wasn¡¯t a total loss. He tossed those into his pack as well, then set about searching for the exit. The search only took him a few minutes, and he found the exit in the bathroom of all ces. With a shrug, he stepped through the door and was transported back into the real world. Book 2: Chapter 44: The Conquering Hero Returns Book 2: Chapter 44: The Conquering Hero Returns It had been almost three weeks since the stranger hade out of nowhere, brought hundreds of people back from the brink of certain death, and then dered he would conquer the tower that had gued Norcastle for months. In that time, Captain Orville Essex had begun to doubt his initial impression of the man. ording to his Inspect ability, Elijah Smith was an unremarkable, level eighteen Healer. Yet, the way he¡¯d moved, not to mention his feats in the hospital, hade at odds with thatbel. Essex had chosen to trust his gut that something was amiss, and what¡¯s more, he had decided to trust the man. He¡¯de to regret that in the intervening weeks, when the mayor and the goons he¡¯d put on his council had taken issue with the fact that Essex hadn¡¯t let them know about the enigmatic Healer. More, they¡¯d called his qualifications into question, casting doubt on his assessment of Elijah. They had even spread rumors about his ineptitude. After all, if he thought a level eighteen Healer was special ¨C aside from his ability to work in the hospital ¨C then why would the citizens of Norcastle trust him with their security? But the captain had held fast in his assessment. Elijah Smith was not normal. In fact, Essex suspected that the Healer had some ability or item meant to obfuscate his true ss and level. That was the only exnation for his obviously high attributes. He¡¯d subdued one of Essex¡¯s guards without skipping a beat, and what¡¯s more, he clearly had the ability to traverse the wilderness alone. That,bined with the reportedly ridiculous Ethera pool that allowed him to heal far more than anyone else in the city, was enough to convince Essex that the man was special. Was he special enough to conquer a tower that had, so far, killed more than two dozen of Norcastle¡¯s strongest warriors? That was the question that had kept him up at night. ¡°I should have insisted on sending some of my people with him,¡± he muttered, staring at his desk. Jess Roy, the other Healer who¡¯d brought Elijah to Essex in the first ce, sat across from him. As she had done every day since his departure, she¡¯de by to ask after the man¡¯s well-being. And as always, Essex had no answers. The tower had yet to erupt into another surge, so they knew the other Healer was still alive. Beyond that, though, his fate was aplete mystery. ¡°You can¡¯t just send some people in to help him?¡± she asked. Essex shook his head, ¡°We¡¯ve been over this. Even if you don¡¯t send the maximum number of people into a tower ¨C which is six, apparently ¨C it locks others out after a few hours. Last week, I sent some people up there to check, and they were blocked from getting in. He¡¯s still alive, but we can¡¯t help him. As long as it doesn¡¯t send another surge out, we know he¡¯s still alive, though.¡± ¡°You still think he¡¯s that guy on thedder,¡± she said.¡°I do,¡± the captain responded, leaning back and running a hand through his hair. As he did, he pulled up the appropriate list:
1. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 46 2. Sadie Song ¨C Level 45 3. Hu Shui ¨C Level 44 4. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 44 5. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 44 6. Niko Song ¨C Level 43 7. Thor Gunderson ¨C Level 43 8. Kimberly Jackson ¨C Level 42 9. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 42 10. Michael King ¨C Level 41 11. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 38 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­ 14. ¡­
The power rankings kept going after that, but Essex wasn¡¯t concerned with any of those names. There were a few people within Norcastle who were knocking on the door of making it into the top one-hundred, but they were still a few levels away. For his part, Essex didn¡¯t think any of them would ever reach those lofty heights. Even the best of them were only a little above average, in terms of talent, and the gap between them and the best of the best kept growing wider. And the distance between the top ten and everyone else was a wide gulf that didn¡¯t look like it would ever be crossed. Essex himself was only level twenty-four, and he¡¯d had to make a concerted effort to get to that point. The same was true for his guards, and the only ones who¡¯d made it to a higher level had done so by spending every waking moment hunting in the wilderness alongside likeminded people. That sort of attitude came with issues all its own, and most nights saw the captain lying awake wondering what would happen when those people figured out that the only thing keeping them in check was a sense of morality. One day ¨C perhaps soon ¨C someone powerful would decide that they were tired of following rules. And when that day came, Essex could only hope to minimize the casualties. In any case, that was a problem for another day. Or hopefully, one that would never manifest. For now, he was focused on the ninth name on that list. Elijah Hart had gained a few levels over the past three weeks, and as a result, he¡¯d jumped into the top ten ¨C an impressive feat by any measure, given how set the general rankings usually were. Sure, the top ten jostled a ce or two pretty frequently, but the names had remained mostly the same since thedder had been introduced. That supported the captain¡¯s theory that Elijah Hart and Elijah Smith were one in the same. After all, what better way to rapidly progress than to challenge a tower meant to be conquered by an entire group of people? Doing so alone was bound to result in some impressive gains, assuming the solitary challenger managed to live through the attempt. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem like one of the top ten most powerful people in the world,¡± Jess stated. ¡°He was just kind of weird.¡± This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Essex shook his head, then looked around at his office. The world had changed so much, and he knew he was on the verge of being left behind. He was too old to change the way he thought. Too set in his ways to adjust to the new realities of their transformed world. He didn¡¯t intend to give up, but he could see the writing on the wall. But for now, he just wanted to protect the people who couldn¡¯t protect themselves. The innocents who¡¯d taken refuge in Norcastle deserved a life where they didn¡¯t have to worry about gues or monster attacks, and he¡¯d long since decided to devote his life to that endeavor. However, if someone like Elijah Hart decided the world would be better off if Norcastle was wiped from the map, then Essex didn¡¯t think he could do much to stop him. ¡°The sort of person who gets onto a list like that is bound to be abnormal by definition,¡± he stated. ¡°I just hope he¡¯s peaceful.¡± ¡°He was nice,¡± Jess said. ¡°Weird, but nice. Even when Mark attacked him, he didn¡¯t overreact. He just stopped him.¡± ¡°Because he was never in danger,¡± Essex stated. ¡°But what if someone who can actually hurt him does something stupid? What if he decides to get serious with us? It would probably take the whole guard to stop him. He¡¯s probably left hundreds of bodies in his wake.¡± ¡°He might¡¯ve just healed his way to his level.¡± Once again, Essex shook his head. ¡°I doubt that very much,¡± he responded. It was possible, certainly, but healing didn¡¯t work nearly as well for progression as killing. Largely, that was due to the fact that healing the same person over and over gave diminishing returns. There were ways around that, but the system was finnicky enough that their experiments had yet to yield concrete results as to what worked and what didn¡¯t. It was entirely possible that it wasn¡¯t a set of hard and fast rules, but rather a system of guidelines that were applied based on individual and unique situations. But the biggest reason Essex doubted that Elijah had reached his level via healing alone was the fact that he hadn¡¯t even hesitated to say that he could conquer the tower. That kind of confidence only came from experience. A terrifying prospect, given the difficulty even his best warriors had encountered with the surges of Voxx as well as the people who¡¯d already failed to conquer the tower. Just then, a knock on the open door announced the arrival of one of Essex¡¯s guards. When he looked up, the woman said, ¡°Captain. He¡¯s back. The Healer. And there¡¯s trouble.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Some of the mayor¡¯s men were at the gate when he arrived, and¡­¡± ¡°Oh, God,¡± Essex said, leaping to his feet. He was running down the hall before the guardswoman had even turned around. And he had good reason for his haste, too. If the mayor¡¯s men acted the way they normally did, then there was a good chance that someone was going to end up dead. And he couldn¡¯t allow that to happen, because once blood was shed, there was little he could do to stop it. So, he ran, praying that he wasn¡¯t toote to stop the seemingly inevitable sh. * * * Eljiah gripped his staff with white-knuckled fingers as he red at the four men who¡¯d chosen to bar his way. They were all burly, bearded, and armed, though Elijah didn¡¯t get the sense that they were terribly dangerous. It was only a vague feeling, but through his experiences, he¡¯d learned to judge that sort of thing with some degree of uracy. ¡°Look at ¡®im,¡± said one. ¡°Scared out of his mind, he is.¡± ¡°¡¯Bout to piss his pants, probably. You scared, little man?¡± The other two justughed. The first ¨C a balding man who looked like an NFL linebacker ¨C stepped forward and pushed Elijah. Or he tried to, at least. Elijah saw iting, but instead ofshing out with his staff ¨C or worse, shifting into one of his forms and killing all four of the men ¨C he just shifted slightly and avoided the man¡¯s hand. That overbnced the fellow, and he stumbled a little before getting his feet back under him. ¡°You think you¡¯re clever, huh? Well, you ain¡¯t gettin¡¯ in here without payin¡¯ the toll. Two silver coins, or you can walk back wherever you came from.¡± ¡°And that big stick. Looks expensive!¡± said one of the others. Elijah already had a single copper Ethereum gripped in his other hand, so he held it up and said, ¡°Last time I came here, this was the entry fee. Has that changed?¡± The guard, who Elijah recognized as the same one he¡¯d encountered the first time he had entered Norcastle, shook his head, though the burly bullies didn¡¯t see him. ¡°You pay us separate,¡± the leader spat. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I asked why I should pay you.¡± ¡°¡¯Cause we¡¯ll beat you if you don¡¯t!¡± the man growled. ¡°Then I¡¯m not paying for entry, right? I¡¯d be paying to avoid having to teach you a lesson. Is that right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t hear so well, do you? Or maybe you¡¯re just incapable of understanding. I don¡¯t know. The point is that I¡¯m not paying you just so I don¡¯t have to go through the trouble of beating you all within an inch of your lives. In fact, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s any trouble at all. You seem the types who need it, so I¡¯ll just consider it a public service.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You say that a lot.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Variation. Nice. Variety is the spice of life, I¡¯m told. So, we doing this thing? I need to meet with Captain Essex, and you¡¯re kind of in my way,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°But I¡¯ll warn you right now ¨C it¡¯s not going to be pleasant for you. I think I can hold back, but you¡¯re all kinds of weak, so I¡¯m not making any promises.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Jesus, man. You¡¯re backsliding now,¡± Elijah said to the clearly confused would-be bully. ¡°Look ¨C just let me past, and it¡¯ll save you a beating. And a little advice? Just stop. You¡¯re going to pick a fight with someone who¡¯s perfectly willing to teach you the lessons I¡¯m trying to avoid here.¡± That seemed to do it for the man. Clearly, his brain had short-circuited, because he didn¡¯t even repeat his favorite word again beforeunching himself at Elijah. However, because of his Sash of the Whirlwind, well-honed battle instincts, and his high attributes, to Elijah, the intended attack looked like it was moving in slow motion. So, he let the giant staff fall from where it was leaned against his shoulder, and before it even hit the ground, he sidestepped and swung his Staff of Natural Harmony. He didn¡¯t use all his Strength, but even so, the sound of a breaking bone echoed through the area as Elijah¡¯s staff hit the man¡¯s knee. It bent the wrong way, and the bully let out a scream of pure anguish as he lurched to the ground. He hit with a small cloud of dust and a pitiful whimper. Hisckeys, who¡¯d started forward at the same time, pulled to a stop a few feet away. Elijah raised his finger, saying, ¡°Not another step, or I won¡¯t heal him. If you still insist on fighting, things are going to get worse for all of you. A lot worse.¡± That ¨C along with how easily he¡¯d disabled their leader ¨C brought them up short. So, keeping one facet of his Quartz Mind trained on the trio, Elijah knelt beside the fallen bully. Then, he tapped him on the head, saying, ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s just a dislocated knee. And a broken kneecap. You¡¯ll be fine. Quit whining.¡± ¡°You¡­y-you asshole!¡± the man shouted, grabbing at Elijah. It was a weak attempt, and one that was easily pped it aside. ¡°Come on, man. Do you want me to heal you or not? If I leave you like this, I can guarantee you¡¯re going to walk with a limp the rest of your life. Maybe Jess and the other healers can fix you up. I don¡¯t know. But with your attitude, I¡¯m doubting it. So, this might be your best chance to avoid spending the rest of your days hobbling around.¡± That got through the man¡¯s thick skull, and he shut up after that. Elijah wasn¡¯t going to heal him outright, though. For one, he didn¡¯t want to waste the Ethera. For another, he didn¡¯t want to have to break more of the man¡¯s bones when he recovered. So, he used Healing Rain instead, then as the rain started to fall, he said, ¡°Stay in the storm. It¡¯ll be a little cold, but it should be enough to heal you.¡± With that, he pushed himself to his feet, grabbed the giant ogre staff from where it had fallen, then stepped forward. When he reached the stunned guardsman, he apologized for the mess, then handed him the copper Ethereum entry fee. After that, he strolled into the town. Just as he reached the first intersection and turned toward the hospital, he saw Captain Essex speeding in his direction. Jess followed a few dozen feet behind. When the older man reached him, Elijah said, ¡°Oh, nice to see you captain! I took care of your little tower issue. But you should probably keep sending people in there at regr intervals. It won¡¯t be quite as dangerous now that the Ethera¡¯s been drained, but it¡¯ll still be a pain, so don¡¯t send your rookies in there.¡± Then, he stepped past the stunned captain and smiled broadly as Jess finally caught up. He said, ¡°Hey! I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about you, and I¡¯ve decided to let you court me.¡± ¡°Huh? Court?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m speaking a differentnguagetely. Court. As in, attempt to date. I know, it¡¯s a stunning turn of events, but I think you¡¯ve got a good shot,¡± he said. She burst outughing. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit, have you?¡± ¡°You mean I¡¯m still ruggedly handsome and incredibly charismatic?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sure. Let¡¯s go with that.¡± ¡°I feel like you might be making fun of me.¡± ¡°Oh, no ¨C I would never do that.¡± ¡°Good. I don¡¯t deal well with teasing. I have very thin skin.¡± Book 2: Chapter 45: Consequences Book 2: Chapter 45: Consequences A nket of snow covered the roofs and collected in the shadowy alleys of Norcastle as Elijah was escorted through the town. From most of the eaves hung gands and flickering lights, and evergreen wreaths festooned most of the doors. Red and green ribbons and streamers abounded, lending the city a festive spirit that felt infectious, even after the encounter with the thugs at the gate. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was Christmas,¡± Elijah said softly as he took in the festive decorations. Indeed, his sense of time still hadn¡¯t recovered after his trips into towers and his long istion. At one point, he¡¯d tried to keep up with the passing months, but it had quickly grown impossible. Now, he usually only paid attention to the seasons, and that only for practical reasons. The idea of celebrating holidays ¨C especially ones with religious connotations ¨C hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind since the world had been transformed. Still, he wasn¡¯t immune to the Christmas spirit. Growing up, the holidays had always been a source of warm andforting memories, and even the end of the world as he¡¯d always known it hadn¡¯t changed that fact. ¡°The mayor thinks it¡¯s important to celebrate the holidays. He thinks we¡¯d lose sight of our past if we forget the things that used to be important,¡± Essex said. Jess pointed out, ¡°Plus, everyone likes Christmas.¡± ¡°That as well,¡± Essex stated. ¡°Neat,¡± was Elijah¡¯s response. He immediately regretted the word choice, but it was toote to change it, so he just let himself fall silent. Soon enough, they reached arge square, at the center of which was an enormous spruce tree that was at least forty feet tall and decorated with twinkling lights as well as red and green ornaments. ¡°Went all out, huh?¡± ¡°I love it,¡± Jess said, her bright smile showing off a pair of dimples Elijah hadn¡¯t noticed before. ¡°My favorite time of year.¡± After that, they left the square behind and headed in the direction of the guards¡¯ headquarters. Now that they¡¯d left the main thoroughfare behind, the decorations became less prominent, but they were still there, just more subdued. Even the building that was their destination bore a festive wreath on the door.They passed inside, then headed to the captain¡¯s office. Once the door was shut, Elijah leaned his massive ogre staff against the wall and let out a sigh. ¡°That thing is just too big,¡± he said. ¡°So, what¡¯s up? Who were those guys out front? And am I going to have to kill them?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± Essex said. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t want to, but¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re the mayor¡¯s men,¡± Jess said, flopping down in one of the chairs. ¡°Do you really think you could? Kill them, I mean.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Probably. If theye at me all at once, I might have to reveal some of my secrets, but¡­yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I think I could do it. Why? You need some bullies killed?¡± ¡°What? No!¡± she said. ¡°Of course not!¡± ¡°It probably wouldn¡¯t be much trouble. I could just nip on over, and ¨C¡± Essex interrupted, ¡°Please do not kill anyone in my city. It¡¯s going to be difficult enough exining what you just did as it is.¡± ¡°I was just kidding.¡± ¡°About murder,¡± Essex pointed out. ¡°Yeah. Probably bad taste,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Won¡¯t happen again, cap¡¯n.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t call me ¡®cap¡¯n¡¯.¡± ¡°Aye, aye,¡± Elijah said, giving the man a poorly received salute. However, before Essex could say anything else, Elijah went on, ¡°So, I guess you want to hear about the tower, huh? Turns out, it was a pain¡­¡± He went on to describe ¨C in detail ¨C everything he¡¯d seen inside. If Essex was going to send more people in, he needed to know everything. Perhaps that would give his subordinates ¨C or possibly even himself ¨C the opportunity to survive. For their part, both Jess and Essex listened intently, with thetter even going so far as to take copious notes and asking plenty of questions. Due to his advanced Mind cultivation, Elijah had no problems remembering everything, so he gave Essex all the information he could want and more. By the end, more than three hours had passed, and Elijah was even more exhausted than after his bout in the tower¡¯s arena. The problem was that he¡¯d barely had any social interaction over the past couple of years, so when he did talk to other people, it was an exciting and sometimes frustrating experience where he often went overboard one way or the other. Sometimes, that manifested in poorly conceived jokes, but his issues with talking to Jess were another symptom of his psychological trauma. Elijah knew that, and yet, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it except to try to work through those issues as best he could. And that was exhausting, if ultimately necessary. When he¡¯d finally finished, he said, ¡°And that¡¯s about it. Went in, killed some ogres and elves, fought a diator-style gauntlet, and killed this creepy Slenderman-sh-vampire knockoff. But it wasn¡¯t about the enemies I killed. The real reward was the loot I got along the way.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how the saying goes,¡± Jess interjected. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it should go. Anyway, do you need to know anything else about the tower? Because I¡¯ve been roughing it for a while now, and I¡¯d love to get a nice meal and a real shower. Oh, and is there anyone around here who can identify items? Because I got some stuff in there that I¡¯m not sure exactly what it does.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s all I need for now,¡± Essex said. ¡°But can I give you some advice?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°However it is that you¡¯re concealing your identity, you should probably choose a different name. If I made the connection between your assumed identity and the power rankings, then someone else will, too.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Elijah said. He¡¯d identally left his real name on his assumed identity when he¡¯d first arrived in Norcastle, but he¡¯d changed it before he had gotten too far into the city. He hadn¡¯t even considered changing his first name, though. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just not really cut out for that kind of thing.¡± ¡°You should probably learn to be,¡± Essex said. Elijah sighed. ¡°Probably right,¡± he said, running a hand through his hair. It was greasy and more than a little unkempt, reminding him of just how little good his impromptu shower back in the tower had been. He pulled his hand away, looking at a bit of gore that had stuck to his finger. He shook it, sending the chunk of grey skin to plop against a wall. ¡°Gross.¡± ¡°Is there anything else we should know?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Elijah said brightly. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s also a little, abandoned town a few miles away. Your people should probably avoid it unless you want to die. There¡¯s a big, grumpy bear there. He¡¯s kind of a friend, actually. Or at least he tolerates me. I think that was probably the fish, though. But I like to think my winning personality had something to do with it. In any case, he¡¯s probably way more than any of you can handle, and I¡¯d be very upset if someone took that as a challenge, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mess with my bear buddy is what I¡¯m saying. I can¡¯t stress this enough.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t. But I can¡¯t control everyone,¡± Essex stated. Elijah nodded. ¡°Alright. So, if there¡¯s nothing else?¡± There wasn¡¯t, so he grabbed both of his staves and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to get a shower and some rest. When can I visit the Branch of the World Tree?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll set it up. Juste back here when you¡¯re ready,¡± Essex said. With that, Elijah said goodbye to Jess, then headed back outside. By that point, the sun had begun to set, which made the holiday decorations that much more expressive. The sight brought with it a wave of nostalgia. In Hawaii, he hadn¡¯t been especially interested in Christmas. Certainly, he¡¯d celebrated ¨C everyone did ¨C but it didn¡¯t carry the same cachet that it had back home. But the holidays he¡¯d shared with his family before his parents had died were some of his best memories. Those memories came with a certain sadness, though. Not only were they a grim reminder of his parents¡¯ untimely deaths, but it also brought his separation from his sister and her family into focus. Before the world had transformed, he¡¯d always assumed he¡¯d have plenty of time to reconnect, and there was always technology to fill the gap left by physical distance. After nearly dying to cancer, though, he¡¯d been forced to confront the realities of his choice to move so far away from home. The istion was especially difficult when his illness had forced him to abandon work. His coworkers had tried to keep in touch, but they were always just that ¨C coworkers. Without the connective tissue of a shared career, they inevitably drifted away. He¡¯d even lost his girlfriend¡¯s support, though that was more his fault than hers. In any case, seeing the Christmas decorations of Norcastle brought with it a mixture of pain, nostalgia, and a littlefort. So, when he arrived at the hotel ¨C or inn, really ¨C Elijah wore a subdued smile. The innkeeper was just as brusque as before, but she remembered him, which made his renting a room a little easier. Soon enough, he found his way upstairs where he took a long shower before going to bed. He slept like a log, and when he awoke, he set about the task of emptying his pack and cataloguing his loot. The two most important pieces were the staff and the ws of Gluttony, though the sword he¡¯d taken from the Warden was probably quite valuable as well. Beyond that, he¡¯d taken a few smaller weapons from the elves he¡¯d set against one another. Finally, he had arge pile of loose copper coins as well as a few silver Ethereum. He still wasn¡¯t certain what the sword or staff did, and he felt sure that he was missing something with the ws of Gluttony as well. However, as he¡¯d told Essex, he had no way of figuring any of that out. So, that was at the top of his list regarding what to do for the rest of the day. After that, he needed to ess the Branch and deposit his Ethereum as well as try to find out if there were any other towns nearby. Because his resolution to find his sister hadn¡¯t faded. Sure, he¡¯d been derailed a bit by his recent tower excursion, but now that Norcastle was safe, he was even more dedicated to hunting her down than ever. So, after dressing in his cleanest clothes, he headed downstairs and settled in at the bar. The same cook greeted him, and he ordered a breakfast of sausage and oatmeal. While he waited for his food, Elijah nced around the room and, to his frustration, found that quite a few of the patrons were watching him. Sure, they tried to look like they weren¡¯t, but with his multi-faceted Mind as well as One with Nature, Elijah could see through their thin subterfuge. So, as he ate, he kept an eye on everyone. Most of the inn¡¯s diners were just normal people, but six people stood out. Elijah couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on what made them different, but he suspected that each one had a few levels under their belt. And it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out why they were there, especially after his actions the day before. It seemed that, despite his efforts to help the city¡¯s people, his peaceful stay in Norcastle hade to an end. But Elijah had no interest in going on a rampage, so even though he could tell that none of the watchers had good intentions, he still took the time to enjoy his breakfast before heading back upstairs. The moment he was in his room, he threw open the window, checked to make certain that he hadn¡¯t left anything behind, then shifted into his draconid form. Then, he embraced Guise of the Unseen before leaping through the window andnding in the alley beside the building. There, he settled into the shadows to wait. Only ten minutester, he heard a ruckus before the heavy tromp of boots announced that someone had entered his room up above. A few seconds after that, he saw one of the men from the inn¡¯smon room poke his head out the window and let out a curse. Elijah only had to wait a little longer before the hostile men and women stormed out of the inn and spread out, presumably to look for him. But he knew they wouldn¡¯t find him. So, he waited until their search took them down the street before he set off across the city. He didn¡¯t intend to stick around Norcastle for much longer, but he still needed some information before he set off back into the wilderness. More, he intended to check on Jess and Essex to make sure they were okay. Because if they weren¡¯t, bad things were going to happen to whoever had hurt them. Book 2: Chapter 46: The Right Direction Book 2: Chapter 46: The Right Direction The frigid air reminded Elijah of the recently departed tower, though there were enough differences that he didn¡¯t start experiencing shbacks. For one, he increasingly thought that he was immune to post-traumatic stress. Certainly, in the immediate aftermath of some horrible experience, he felt the full weight of his trauma. More than once, those instances had very nearly broken him ¨C at least temporarily. However, the more distance between him and what should have been life-altering trauma, the more he could look at it like from the perspective of an observer. He knew he should feel differently. Everything he¡¯d ever learned about human psychology told him as much. And yet, he didn¡¯t, lending weight to his budding theory that the influx of Ethera hade with some sort of inoction to the psychological impact of life-and-death struggle. Or maybe it was his cultivation. It might¡¯ve even been his archetype. As a steward of nature, he had a unique perspective on the struggle inherent in nature, so perhaps that insight was enough to alter the way he processed the things he¡¯d been forced to do. Either way, he was grateful for it. Without that ability to keep going in spite of everything he¡¯d been through, he would have long since sumbed. And if that had been the case, there¡¯s no chance he would have survived. In addition to that seeming inoction to the psychological consequences of his decisions, the other reason he didn¡¯t descend into shbacks was because of the clear, blue sky. It was the sort of morning that only seemed toe in winter, and freezing though it was, there was a certain crisp beauty to it that certainly had never been present in the tower. But the irritation and murderous thoughts were simr. In the tower, he¡¯d aimed those feelings at ogres and elves, but in Norcastle, the targetnded squarely on the backs of the mayor¡¯s men who¡¯d been sent to harass him. Or kill him. Maybe they even thought to kidnap him. Elijah had no idea what their goals were, but he had seen enough to recognize that the realization of those goals would be bad news for him. Not that they had any chance at all. They were weak, blundering idiots, and they posed no threat to him. Even in his human form, which was markedly weaker than either of his other shapes, he could tear them apart with ease. And he was sorely tempted to exercise his superiority, as well. The only thing holding him back was simple morality. Defending his grove was one thing. So was fighting his way through a tower. But when he had the option of simply leaving? No ¨C he couldn¡¯t make himself take lethal steps if he had that option in front of him. Of course, that wouldn¡¯t be the case if they¡¯d hurt Essex or Jess. Or any of the other Healers at the hospital. Elijah was hesitant to kill other human beings, but he wouldn¡¯t hold back if they were the first to cross those lines. So, he stalked through the town, and despite the city streets being bathed in bright sunlight, none of the other pedestrians could see him. They werepletely unaware of the predator in their midst, and that fact excited his draconid instincts like nothing else could.But he pushed those wild impulses aside and focused on the task at hand. At first, he¡¯d followed a few of the thugs who¡¯d meant to ambush him in the inn, but he¡¯d quickly lost interest when they gave up on the chase and returned to the castle in the center of the city. Elijah could have followed, but he thought another tactic was appropriate, which was why he found himself traversing the city on his way to the hospital. Once he reached the building in question, he waited a few minutes for an opportunity to slip inside. When one didn¡¯t present itself, he circled the structure until he found an open window on the second floor. Using his sharp ws like he was climbing a tree, he vaulted to the window and slipped inside. From there, it was easy enough to find Jess. She was perfectly fine, which was quite a relief. However, he didn¡¯t immediately confront her. Instead, he waited until she was alone until he shifted back to his human form and said, ¡°Don¡¯t scream.¡± Of course, she screamed. Or tried to. But before more than a peep could escape from between her lips, he had himself pressed against her, with his hand over her mouth. ¡°I said not to scream,¡± he repeated. ¡°I¡¯m going to let you go. Please, for the love of my friend Nerthus, don¡¯t scream. Okay?¡± She nodded. Elijah let her go and backed away. That moment of closeness had felt nice, though. Way nicer than he would have expected. But he had been alone for quite some time, so maybe he should have known how much a little human contact would mean to him. In any case, he pushed that aside and said, ¡°I saw you have some visitors in the hospital. Want to tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± Jess didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she punched him ¨C inexpertly ¨C in the chest. Then, she hit him again. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again!¡± she hissed. ¡°I thought I was about to die! And where did you evene from? How did you get in here? I swear, if you ¨C¡± Elijah took the first couple of hits, but then he caught her wrists as gently as he could. ¡°I came in through one of the windows, okay? And I couldn¡¯t very well use the front door, could I? I saw the goons out there,¡± he said. ¡°And the ones inside, too. What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°Let me go,¡± she said with a calm iciness that brooked no hesitation. Elijah pulled away and held his hands up in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just can¡¯t afford to let you take all your frustrations out on me. I¡¯m sure those idiots out there are going to notice if you¡¯re gone for too long,¡± he said, looking around the storage room. It wasrge enough to amodate the two of them, but only just. ¡°It¡¯s your fault.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°That they¡¯re here,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re the mayor¡¯s men.¡± ¡°I saw two women.¡± She rolled her big, brown eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a figure of speech,¡± Jess said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t literally mean that they¡¯re all male.¡± ¡°People. You should call them people so you can avoid these kinds of ¨C¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Fine! People!¡± she interrupted, and with some vehemence. ¡°You are so frustrating to talk to sometimes!¡± ¡°Just take a deep breath,¡± Elijah said, his hands still in the air. He had his staff in one of them, and the butt hovered dangerously close to what looked like a shelf full of cleaning chemicals. ¡°Woosah.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Thinking it was probably safe, he lowered his hands. Fortunately, Jess didn¡¯t react to that. ¡°I saw it in a movie once.¡± ¡°What does that have to do¡­you know what? Never mind. You need to get out of the city,¡± she said. ¡°The mayor is after you. I don¡¯t know exactly what he wants to do, but I can guarantee it won¡¯t be good.¡± ¡°I could just kill him.¡± ¡°What? No! You can¡¯t kill him. He¡¯s¡­it¡¯splicated, okay? I mean, he¡¯s an asshole, but he¡¯s also the reason a lot of people are still alive.¡± ¡°Counterpoint, he sent people to probably kill me. And it wouldn¡¯t even be that hard. Probably. I haven¡¯t really killed any humans though, so¡­yeah,¡± he said, trailing off when he saw the expression of horror on Jess¡¯s face. ¡°Not that I want to kill people. I just¡­I mean¡­okay. I won¡¯t kill anybody unless they deserve it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­a good policy.¡± ¡°And just so we¡¯re clear, the mayor and his goons don¡¯t deserve it, right?¡± ¡°They do not.¡± ¡°Alright. Noted. Just maiming and crippling. I can do that.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I was¡­I was mostly joking,¡± Elijah lied. ¡°I think you¡¯d better leave,¡± Jess said. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just that¡­I mean¡­with everything going on, it¡¯s probably best. Not that we don¡¯t appreciate what you did.¡± ¡°Sure seems like nobody appreciates it,¡± Elijah said, more than a little annoyed. He¡¯d done nothing but try to help the people of Norcastle, and now he was getting chased off? That wasn¡¯t right. ¡°We do. I swear, we do,¡± she said, stepping forward and gripping his arm. ¡°This is for your good as much as it is for anyone else¡¯s.¡± ¡°I promise you, it¡¯s not,¡± he said, gently pushing her hand away. All the yful quirkiness was gone from his voice as he continued, ¡°But I get it. I¡¯m dangerous, weird, and I scare people, right? Or maybe the mayor heard about what I did ¨C either in the tower or the hospital ¨C and he wants to use me. Either way, if I stay here, I¡¯m going to have to make it clear why that¡¯s a bad idea. So, you¡¯re right. I probably should leave. I just wish it would have ended differently.¡± She looked down. ¡°Me, too.¡± Elijah shook his head, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t freak out.¡± Without any more warning, he used Shape of the Predator, assuming his draconid form. To her credit, Jess didn¡¯t scream, but she definitely reacted with some rm, pushing herself against the wall in an effort to get as far away from him as she possibly could. Of course, that just highlighted an issue Elijah hadn¡¯t anticipated. So, he cancelled the transformation, shifting back to his human form. Then, he said, ¡°Okay, so I had this cool thing nned where I was just going to transform into a draconid, then disappear. But that¡¯s not possible, because apparently, you being all freaked out by it counted as me being inbat. Which¡­you know¡­ouch. That hurts. But whatever. I get it. Giant lizard dragon monster, right? Of course you¡¯d be scared. But it does raise an issue, chiefly that I need you to leave the room first so I can use my stealth ability.¡± ¡°What kind of a Healer are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m technically not one. I¡¯m a Druid. Totally different thing. Better, in my opinion, but your archetype is totally cool, too. So¡­unless you want to, you know, give me a proper goodbye¡­¡± ¡°Not going to happen,¡± she said, snorting a chuckle. He shrugged and grinned. ¡°Didn¡¯t really expect it, but you can¡¯t me a guy for trying. But I do need you to tear yourself away from me. I won¡¯t get past those thugs without going on a killing spree if I¡¯m unable to use my stealth.¡± ¡°Just take care of yourself, okay? Ande back. Maybe we can¡­you know¡­see what happens,¡± she said. Then, before he could respond, she left the room. The moment she did, he whispered to himself, ¡°That went really well.¡± Even as he said it, he shifted back into his draconid form and adopted Guise of the Unseen. A momentter, he was padding through the hospital toward the window he¡¯d used as an entrance. He took a few seconds to watch Jess, who was cut off by one of the goons, but her responses to his questions were eptable enough that he let her go a momentter. So, seeing that she was fine, Elijah left her and the hospital behind. One facet of his Mind paid attention to his surroundings as he traversed the city, but the majority of his thoughts were on the Healer. He¡¯d never really expected anything to happen. Maybe if he¡¯d stuck around a little longer, but he knew that, even in the best of times, he was an acquired taste. He¡¯d been a lot smoother before the world changed, but two solitary years had a way of affecting a man¡¯s personality. He still hadn¡¯t returned to what he¡¯d once considered his normal demeanor, and he wasn¡¯t certain that he ever would. But that was fine. It might make things a little lonely going forward, but hopefully, the more time he spent around people, the easier it would be. In any case, Elijah soon crossed the town, barely noticing the festive decorations along the way, and soon arrived at the guard¡¯s quarters. It only took a little patience to wait for an opportunity to enter and make his way to Essex¡¯s office. It was empty, but that didn¡¯t stop Elijah from heading inside and waiting on the captain. An hourter, the man himself showed up. Upon entering, he shut the door, then plopped down in the chair behind his desk. A secondter, he¡¯d opened the drawer to retrieve a bottle of whiskey. Elijah let Guise of the Unseen and Shape of the Predator drop at the same time. The captain reacted quickly, yanking a long dagger from his belt. But Elijah pped it away with one of his staves. The other, he bnced on his shoulder as he said, ¡°Calm down, captain. I¡¯m just here for a little information.¡± ¡°How did you get in here?¡± ¡°Just waltzed right in. Nobody even tried to stop me,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But never mind that. There are some things I need to know, and I think I¡¯m correct in assuming that I¡¯m not going to get the Branch ess you promised.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I did try to ¨C¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± Elijah said. ¡°In fact, it makes me feel like you took advantage of me. Here I was thinking we had a deal. Shame on me, I suppose. But here¡¯s the thing ¨C you still have information I need. Even if I can¡¯t ess the Branch, you can help me out.¡± ¡°What do you need to know?¡± ¡°Are there any other settlements nearby?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Ones with Branches, I mean.¡± ¡°No. Not that we¡¯re close enough to connect with, but there were some refugees that came from the east. They said that the poption is denser in that direction, but it¡¯s also more dangerous.¡± ¡°I can deal with danger,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Did they say anything about what towns or cities are there? I¡¯m looking for Seattle.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Oh, what?¡± ¡°I have heard some things about Seattle,¡± Essex stated. ¡°It¡¯s in that direction, but I don¡¯t know if you really want to go there.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a warzone,¡± Essex stated. ¡°Three different factions. I don¡¯t know much beyond that.¡± ¡°Who does?¡± ¡°Nobody here. The group who came from there died about four months ago,¡± the captain exined. ¡°They never integrated with the rest of the poption. They didn¡¯t trust us. They ended up being some of the first to die from the gue.¡± ¡°Crap,¡± Elijah said. Then, he sighed. He¡¯de in search of a direction, and he¡¯d gotten that much. Still, he¡¯d hoped for a little more. ¡°Any luck with item identification?¡± ¡°Sorry, no. All the crafters are loyal to the mayor, so¡­¡± ¡°So, if I go to them, they¡¯ll run to tell his people. Great. Well,¡± he sighed. ¡°I guess that¡¯s it, then. I wish I could say I¡¯ve enjoyed my stay in your town, but thest bit where people were trying to hunt me down and kill or capture me kind of soured me on Norcastle. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry it happened like this. If I was in charge, I would have done things very differently,¡± the captain responded. Then, he looked Elijah in the eyes. ¡°Take care of yourself, Mr. Hart. I have a feeling that things are going to get a lot worse for you before they get better.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Story of my life. I¡¯ll survive.¡± Book 2: Chapter 47: Bad Omens Book 2: Chapter 47: Bad Omens ¡°Don¡¯t like this one bit,¡± growled Kurik as he knelt next to the tracks. He looked around the pass, seeing a story that had yed out months before. There were hundreds of tiny arachnid corpses, all in various states of decay. He recognized the species, which on his home world, had been referred to as sovereign spiders. Typically, the creatures were incredibly territorial, and left unchecked, they were capable of approaching sapience. They had no natural predators,rgely due to the fact that their flesh was infused with poison that would painfully kill anyone or anything that ingested it. As a result, there was little reason for natural predators to have evolved. But something had killed the buddingmunity, as evidenced by the piles of corpses and half-rotted webs. ¡°We found somethin¡¯, boss!¡± came a shout from up the pass. The dwarf pushed himself to his feet, then knocked the dust from his pants before following the shout to its origin. The pass was narrow, but it was more thanrge enough to amodate Kurik and his team of scouts. They had been tasked with finding a way through the mountains, and it appeared that they had discovered just that. However, the spider corpses had brought them all up short. After a few moments, he found his way to a yawning cave. From experience, he knew it would have been a perfect location for a sovereign spider queen to nest. But judging by the smell, somethingrge was rotting inside. Kurik didn¡¯t need toy eyes on the corpse to know what he would find. But he¡¯d always been thorough, which was why he¡¯d been given leadership over the scouts of Ironshore. It was also why he¡¯d survived as long as he had. So, he squared his shoulders and headed through the mouth of the cave. Only a momentter, his dwarven eyes adjusted to theck of light, and he saw the rotting corpse of a full-grown sovereign spider queen. He also saw his subordinate, Rasana, kneeling next to the thing. She was short, even for a gnome, and her blue hair stood in stark contrast to the hulking monster¡¯s corpse in front of her. She looked back, her eyes shining, and grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a real queen, Kurik! Do you know what this means?¡± ¡°That somethin¡¯ even nastier is out here,¡± he muttered. ¡°No. I mean, yes. Of course that¡¯s a possibility. But I¡¯m talking about the venom!¡± she went on. ¡°Do you know what we could do with something that strong?¡±¡°Poison somethin¡¯?¡± ¡°No! Well, yes. But I talked to old Biggle ¨C you know, the alchemist ¨C and he said that a potent poison is the only thing he¡¯s missing for a body cultivation potion!¡± she said, her words spilling out in a rush. ¡°With the amount I could get from this big of a specimen, I bet he could make ten or maybe even fifteen doses! That¡¯s huge, Kurik! Like, super huge!¡± Kurik didn¡¯t need her to tell him the value of cultivation. Back home, his people would make pilgrimages to theva pits far below the city and use the dense, ambient ethera as well as theva itself to spark the evolution into the first stage. Of course, even that had required alchemical assistance for all but the most naturally gifted, so he was well aware of how valuable something like that could be. ¡°A poison based body cultivation? Seems less than optimal,¡± he muttered. He and the rest of his n had been exiled before he¡¯d ever had a chance to start his own cultivation, and he¡¯d all but given up on taking the first steps down that road. However, a newly integrated world offered many opportunities, which was why it was like a ma for outcasts like him. Like everyone in Ironshore, really. ¡°I think it would be brilliant!¡± she squeaked. Even after more than two years living side-by-side with gnomes, Kurik still wasn¡¯t quite used to them. None of them had proper beards, and they were far too excitable. Still, he didn¡¯t want to be prejudiced, so he¡¯d tried his best to be as epting of the other races as possible. Because of that, he had one of the most evenly integrated squads in the entire city. ¡°Imagine what that would do for your poison resistance. I heard it¡¯s great for hunters and alchemists.¡± Kurik wasn¡¯t so sure if he¡¯d ept a poison-based body cultivation even if it was avable. A proper dwarf had a fire constitution, after all. Any dwarf with anything else, regardless of how advanced their cultivation, was worthy of mistrust. Or at least that had been the case back home. But he wasn¡¯t back home anymore. He was on Earth, and he needed to adjust his expectations ordingly. ¡°What killed her?¡± he asked, wanting to change the subject. ¡°Looks like an animal of some sort,¡± the little gnome answered, pushing herself to her feet. ¡°But I don¡¯t think I¡¯d want to meet the sort of creature that could do this to a queen sovereign spider.¡± Kurik had some ideas about that, but he didn¡¯t give those thoughts voice. The entity who called the mist-wreathed Isle of ughter home was not to be mentioned, lest he visit some cmity upon their heads. Still, he¡¯d heard some stories from the goblin Callix who was the lone survivor of the expedition sent to that ind. Unless she¡¯d been drinking, she never spoke of the ughter she had seen, but that changed when she was in her cups. So, Kurik had made it his business to facilitate that by spending a few nights buying her one drink after another. After all, if there was some murderous monster living only a couple of miles away, he needed to know. He¡¯d rather take his chances in the wilderness than ignore that sort of threat. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. What he¡¯d learned had very nearly sent him running. But then the human had visited their city, and during that time, he¡¯d acted perfectly reasonable. So, Kurik had resolved to stay. However, he had also decided to take no chances at risking that man¡¯s ire. Whatever the case, he¡¯d learned enough to match the human¡¯s fighting style with the old wounds he saw on the spider¡¯s corpse. Certainly, it could have been his fears manifesting to make connections that weren¡¯t there, but Kurik had always prided himself on his ability to look at things objectively. More than that, he trusted the instincts that told him that he was looking at the aftermath of that man¡¯s passage. He was just about to order Rasana to organize the processing of the monster¡¯s corpse when another member of his team raced into the cave. Pavi was a goblin, but unlike his more urbane brethren, he¡¯d taken a liking to the outdoors. That had tranted into his joining Kurik¡¯s scouting team. Pavi bent down, catching his breath as he said, ¡°Boss. There¡¯s tracks up ahead. You need toe see.¡± ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but there a lot,¡± the goblin panted. ¡°I think¡­I know I¡¯m not the most experienced, but¡­¡± ¡°Spit it out.¡± ¡°Hundreds. Maybe thousands, boss. I don¡¯t know what made the tracks, but there were a lot of them.¡± ¡°Show me.¡± After that, Pavi led him outside and up the trail through the pass. After a few minutes, they came upon the tracks Pavi had mentioned, and Kurik saw precisely why the young goblin was so rmed. There weren¡¯t just hundreds of tracks. There were thousands leading to a rough path that ran perpendicr to the main trail. A few felled treesy nearby, telling Kurik yet another story. But most troubling of all was that he recognized the tracks. Not wanting to believe his own first impressions, he knelt at the edge of the trail and examined an isted footprint. That confirmed his fears. ¡°Orcs,¡± he said. ¡°Orcs?¡± Pavi echoed. ¡°Here? Where¡¯d theye from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kurik admitted, pushing himself back to his feet. He ran his hand through his vibrant red hair, then let out a sigh. ¡°Gather the other scouts.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°Now, Pavi. We might already be toote.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Do you know anything about orcs?¡± Kurik asked. The goblin admitted that he didn¡¯t, so Kurik went on, ¡°They have a very distinct cycle of social development. When they first appear, they¡¯re little more than intelligent beasts. Like the crag apes back home. But if a pack grows past a certain point, they start working together. Their society starts to evolve, bing a primitive tribe. For a while, that¡¯s how they stay. But if they¡¯re left alone for too long, they go to the next phase.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Conquest. Throughout the universe, on every connected to the World Tree, orcs are considered a menace that must be eradicated the moment they¡¯re found. Otherwise, they will rapidly grow into a force that will sweep across a, conquering everything in their path. Eventually, they will develop sapience. Do they not teach the story of the Dredlock Empire on your world?¡± ¡°Nobody taught us anything where I¡¯m from,¡± Pavi stated. ¡°Well, they should. This many orc tracks means only one thing,¡± Kurik said before pausing for a moment. When he continued, his voice was grim, ¡°Ironshore is in grave danger.¡± After that, the young goblin sped off to gather the others. Meanwhile, Kurik waited, his mind churning with a host of possibilities. Each one was worse than thest, so by the time his ten underlings joined him, he was on the verge of panic. Still, he kept his wits about him as he gave out his instructions. Two of his scouts, he sent back to Ironshore. Six were tasked with following the tracks to their origin. Meanwhile, he and Pavi ¨C who happened to be the stealthiest of all the scouts, save for Kurik himself ¨C would follow the tracks until they found the orcs who¡¯d used the pass. With any luck, they would have missed Ironshore altogether, but even as that thought crossed his mind, Kurik knew that it was a longshot. Once everyone had their orders, they set off into the wilderness. For his part, Kurik led Pavi along the alternate path for almost a mile until they reached another trail that led down the mountain. It showed plenty of signs of having been used, but not recently. That was somewhatforting, but Kurik knew enough about orcs to know that it wouldn¡¯tst. If they¡¯d sent a war party out, there was assuredly a vige in the other direction. Still, he didn¡¯t want to make any assumptions, so he continued to follow the tracks, using Camouge to mask his passage. Pavi did the same, though his ability wasn¡¯t as advanced as Kurik¡¯s. For the rest of the day, they descended the mountain on the crooked and winding path used by the orcs, and just before nightfall, they found their quarry. The orcs were big, with jutting brows, sloped foreheads, and jutting tusks. More distressingly, they were all wearing primitive clothing and carried stone-ded weapons. That suggested that they¡¯d reached a reasonably advanced stage of development. As he knelt in the bushes a few dozen yards away, Kurik could only take sce in the group¡¯s size. There were only twenty orcs there, which was far more than he could fight alone. But even with the bulk of Ironshore¡¯s defenders having been in by the man on the ind, they had enough capable warriors to fend off such a group. Still, after Kurik had seen everything there was to see, he and Pavi circled around the group of orcs and continued down the narrow pass. Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that the group they¡¯d encountered was only one among many. Over the next day, they found many more like it until, atst, they reached the base of the mountain. There, they encountered the bulk of the orcs¡¯ forces. A hundred or more fires burned among a forest of tents. But more distressing was the sheer number of orcs present. If there were less than five thousand, Kurik would have been incredibly surprised, and he suspected that the true number was probably twice that. After he¡¯d observed enough, Kurik grabbed the young goblin scout¡¯s arm and guided him away. He didn¡¯t rx until they were miles into the wilderness, and even then, only slightly. He said, ¡°Pavi, I want you to promise me something.¡± ¡°What is it, boss?¡± ¡°What¡¯s about to happen to Ironshore is going to be horrific. I intend to fight until the very end, but if ites down to it, I want you to promise me that you¡¯ll gather as many people as you can and flee.¡± ¡°But boss¡­¡± ¡°Those orcs there are more than we could¡¯ve handled before we lost the mercenaries,¡± he said. ¡°We have almost no chance of winning now. You owe it to yourself to escape what¡¯sing.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± He fingered the axe at his waist. ¡°Orcs are good for leveling, I¡¯m told. I intend to see for myself.¡± Book 2: Chapter 48: Unforgivable Book 2: Chapter 48: Unforgivable The smell of pine needles hung in the air, and regret danced in Elijah¡¯s mind as he padded through the forest. He¡¯d left Norcastle without making the mayor¡¯s guards pay for their transgressions, and he sorely wished he¡¯d taken a different tactic. However, as vicious as his need for justice was, they had done nothing more than inconvenience him. And by all ounts, the mayor was a big part of the reason the city¡¯s residents had survived. Elijah had no problem with killing. He¡¯d done it enough to get past anypunctions he might have had in that arena. However, he drew the line at senseless violence, which was how he would have categorized killing or maiming the mayor and the people sent to harass him. So, as much as it galled his pride to let them off without punishment, he pushed those thoughts away and focused on his surroundings. Fortunately, his draconid form wasn¡¯t cold-blooded, so he could easily endure the frigid temperatures. Yet, just because the weather wasn¡¯t harmful, it didn¡¯t mean it was particrly pleasant. At least he was used to it after spending most of the past two years outdoors. Still, as he traversed the forest, he was more than a little cranky, which was why he decided to go a little out of his way to revisit the guardian bear and the amanita that had facilitated his Mind cultivation. Perhaps he could spend a few days to see if it could do the same for the other parts of his cultivation. As powerful as his Quartz Mind was, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but believe that progressing to the next stage of Body would be even more impactful. And if he could do the same for his Dragon Core? That would be a game-changer for him. With those thoughts upying a few facets of his Mind, Elijah quickly covered the familiar ground between Norcastle and the small town he¡¯d visited on the way to the tower. Soon enough, he reached the stream where he¡¯d caught so many fish, but in the middle of winter, it had mostly frozen over ¨C a testament to the region¡¯s frigid climate. Leaving the frozen stream behind, Elijah kept going until he caught sight of the small town. It had snowed the night before, so the slice of long-lost Americana was covered in a white nket. Yet, it only took Elijah a few seconds to recognize that something was out of ce. He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on precisely what was wrong, but still, he couldn¡¯t escape the notion that something terrible had happened. So, after embracing Guise of the Unseen, he slipped down the slope and entered the city at a light trot. Along the way, he noticed a host of unfamiliar smells ¨C animals who¡¯de through the area, he was certain ¨C but there were two other easily identifiable scents present. The first was the acrid stench of decay that seemed to pervade everything in the area, but the second was the all-too-familiar smell of humans. Elijah¡¯s stomach tied itself into knots as he came to the most likely conclusion, and yet, he refused to acknowledge it. Instead, he explored the whole town, taking extra time in every building in a subconscious effort to avoid the inevitable. However, he could only dy so long before he found the old appliance store. Or what was left of it. The collection of washing machines, dish washers, ovens, and microwaves had spilled into the street as if they¡¯d been carried out on a tidal wave. Most bore some degree of damage, and a few had beenpletely ripped apart. Their innards had been scattered across the road and partially buried beneath the snow. Elijah knew what he would find, but he needed confirmation. His heart pounded in his chest as he crept forward, nimbly leaping from one fallen hunk of machinery to another. Meanwhile, the stomach-churning odor of oily decay clung to everything, growing more powerful with every step he took into the appliance store. And then, he saw what remained of the bear with which he¡¯d briefly coexisted. It was just a pile of offal and bone. The once mighty creature had been skinned, and half its body had been butchered. Whoever had killed it clearly hadn¡¯t had the ability to take everything, though, so quite a bit of the corpse remained intact. Though without the bear¡¯s glorious pelt, it made for a pitiful sight. Elijah stared at it for a long while, and with every passing moment, his pulse quickened. Rationally, he knew that the bear¡¯s death was no great tragedy. It was entirely possible that it had attacked someone who¡¯d stumbled upon itsir. Maybe the killers had been acting in self-defense. And yet, Elijah¡¯s anger continued to mount. Perhaps it was because, somewhere in the back of one facet of his Mind, he recognized the signs that someone had deliberately hunted the bear. Or maybe, after his period of peaceful coexistence with the beast, he simply couldn¡¯t look at its death objectively. Whatever the case, his anger reached a crescendo when he saw what had happened to the amanita. It had been hacked to pieces. What remained had rotted, so the pile of decaying fungus was barely recognizable. In addition, the aura that had surrounded it was almostpletely gone, leaving behind only a tiny surge in the density of the ambient Ethera. As he stared at the aftermath, Elijah seethed, especially when he saw the remnants of broken spears and arrows lying around. He turned away from the scene, letting his anger envelope him. It wasn¡¯t that they¡¯d killed the bear. Elijah had killed plenty of animals himself, so he didn¡¯t begrudge someone for hunting. However, what truly set him off was the waste. They¡¯d barely harvested a quarter of the animal, suggesting that the purpose of the kill hadn¡¯t been for food or resources. Rather, it had been an attempt to gain levels. Or maybe even for the challenge itself. Worse yet, there was a possibility that they had killed the bear just because they could. Because they enjoyed the act of killing. Perhaps they liked watching the bear suffer, then took joy in hacking the amanita to pieces. Elijah had no idea which camp the killers fell into, but in his anger, he had difficulty imagining that they were justified. In any case, he didn¡¯t waste much more time before setting off. But he didn¡¯t head in the direction of the next town. Instead, he looked for the killers¡¯ trail. Soon enough, he found precisely what he was looking for and proceeded to follow it out of town. Fortunately, the trail was still fresh enough that, through his heightened senses and the increased concentration afforded by his Quartz Mind, he had no difficulty following the tracks. Still, he didn¡¯t catch up to them until well past sunset. When he did, he approached under the concealment of Guise of the Unseen and watched the murderers who had killed the creature who, in Elijah¡¯s anger, he¡¯d begun to remember far more fondly than was probably warranted. * * * Rooker sat on the overturned log, staring at the flickering mes as a bit of bear roasted on a spit. The fat and juices trickled down the juicy hunk of meat, and when they hit the fire, they sizzled. It looked delicious, and it smelled even better. However, even if it was more nourishing than most meat, a couple of meals had never been the goal. Instead, he and his boys had been contracted by an elven alchemist named Breeze to harvest the giant mushroom that had very nearly killed all four of them. If they hadn¡¯t had the benefit of the poison resistance potion, they¡¯d have dropped dead before they even got close to the horrible thing. But they¡¯d persisted, and they¡¯d filled the specially prepared sacks with bits of mushroom flesh. They¡¯d even had to leave a little behind because they didn¡¯t have enough room. So, their job was done, and in only a few weeks, they¡¯d get the body cultivation potions they had been promised. Killing the bear had just been a well-deserved bonus. The dumb beast had put up quite a fight, too, and their Healer, Richard, still hadn¡¯t recovered enough Ethera topletely mend their wounds. Rooker was the only one who¡¯d managed to make it through entirely intact, but that was only because of his high Constitution as well as his Jerkin of Resilience that he¡¯d gotten as the reward for conquering the tower back home. He''d been the only survivor of that one, and yet, he¡¯de out on top. Like always. That was the key benefit of his Vanguard ss, after all. A tter yanked his attention away from the roasting meat to see the pair of damage dealers ¨C Tommy and Vic ¨C fooling around with the bear¡¯s pelt. Tommy, the spell-caster of the group, had the thing draped over his shoulders with its head functioning as a gruesome hood. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Knock it off, you two,¡± he growled. He was the highest level among them, so he had taken his position as their leader. And given that he was only a couple of levels from making it onto thedder, the others respected him in a way they wouldn¡¯t have with anyone else. Still, all three were young and immature, so he often felt like he was babysitting his sister¡¯s kids. Of course, Michelle hadn¡¯t made it through the apocalypse. Neither had his nieces or nephews. But he didn¡¯t like to think about that. No ¨C the world had changed, and if he wanted to survive more than a few more years, he needed to keep his eyes facing forward. That was why he¡¯d taken the job offered by the alchemist. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have even spoken to one of the elves. They mostly kept to themselves, but they¡¯d also refused to help when so many humans were reeling from the world¡¯s transformation. That was hard to forget. Not for Rooker, though. He was a pragmatist, through and through, and he¡¯d have done the same thing in the elves¡¯ ces. In fact, he had done exactly that when he¡¯d chosen to withhold his own assistance when it might¡¯ve saved some of his neighbors. If they couldn¡¯t survive on their own, then they didn¡¯t deserve his help. More, he couldn¡¯t afford to offer it ¨C not if he wanted to ensure his own survival. The moment the apocalypse had hit ¨C or the World Tree had touched Earth, as he¡¯d learned ¨C it had be an every man for himself sort of situation. That was especially true after he¡¯d lost his family. But Rooker didn¡¯t like to think about that, so he pushed the thought out of his mind. It was at that moment that he heard a rustle in the nearby bushes. Knowing precisely how dangerous the wilderness could be, he whipped around, yanking his axe from the loop on his belt. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± he demanded. At the same time, the two knuckleheads left their fooling around behind and leveled their own weapons in the direction Rooker was facing. For his part, Richard quickly retreated behind Rooker. As a Healer, the once-pudgy man was barely capable of defending himself, much less fighting anything more dangerous than a bunny, so he was almost entirely reliant on the others. For Rooker¡¯s part, he didn¡¯t care about the man at all. But he liked the idea of having a Healer in his pocket in case things got dicey. ¡°Ie in peace,¡± came a man¡¯s voice. It was a little rough, but clear as a bell. Then, the owner of that voice stepped out of the wilderness. He held a staff that looked like twined roots, and his clothes were oddly cut but unremarkable, save that the pants ended just above the man¡¯s ankles. He was handsome, though a little rough around the edges, with curly blonde hair and a beard that looked like it hadn¡¯t been trimmed in some time. However, there were two true oddities about him that made Rooker look twice. First, his feet were bare. What would drive someone to walk around the forest in the dead of night without any shoes, Rooker had no idea, but the characteristic was strange enough to make him do a double take. Second, the hand gripping the staff was scarred, and to Rooker, it looked as if he¡¯d been seriously burned. The scarring went past his wrist and disappeared beneath his sleeve. ¡°Stop right there,¡± Rooker growled, gesturing with his axe. The man did. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to sneak up on you. I just saw your fire and figured I¡¯d drop in and say hello,¡± he stated. Then, he gave a half-hearted wave and said, ¡°So, hello, I guess.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Rooker asked. ¡°I¡­I just told you?¡± Rooker blinked. ¡°What¡¯re you doing out here? It¡¯s not safe.¡± The scarred man gave a shrug. ¡°Kind of my thing. I¡¯m looking for my sister. You wouldn¡¯t know where Seattle ended up, would you? I think there¡¯s a city called Tom¡¯s Town a hundred miles or so south of here. I was thinking of heading there first, then seeing if I can find any more information on Seattle.¡± ¡°East,¡± Richard said from his position behind Rooker. He¡¯d rxed a little, and for good reason. It was just one man, after all. Of course, there could be others nearby, but Rooker didn¡¯t think so. If that was the case, they¡¯d have just attacked without bothering with a ruse. ¡°I heard Seattle ended up east of her. Not even next to the ocean anymore.¡± ¡°Really? Wasn¡¯t expecting that,¡± the neer said. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll probably still head south first since I¡¯m so close, but¡­yeah. That¡¯s helpful information.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Healer?¡± asked Vic. He was the only one in the group with the ability to identify people, though it only told him a person¡¯s archetype. How that rted to his Stalker ss, Rooker had no idea, but it was a useful enough ability to have. ¡°Oh. Yeah. Why? You need healing?¡± the man asked. ¡°You have spare Ethera?¡± asked Richard. The stranger shrugged. ¡°Depends on a few things. Like what¡¯s that on the spit right there?¡± he asked. ¡°Bear,¡± grunted Rooker. ¡°Killed this high-level fucker a couple days ago. This is thest of the meat we could take. Shame, too. He was big. Only reason we were able to kill him at all is because of this sleep poison we got from an alchemist. It was a pain getting in close enough to get it in him, but once we did, it knocked him right out.¡± ¡°Oh. So, were you just hunting, then?¡± ¡°No,¡± blurted Richard. ¡°We were hired to harvest this ¨C¡± Rooker cut the Healer off with a re. ¡°We were on a job,¡± he said slowly. ¡°That¡¯s it. Details aren¡¯t important.¡± The man shrugged again. ¡°Mind if I lower my arms? My Strength is a bitcking, so my shoulders are screaming at me right now.¡± Rooker nodded, and the man dropped his arms, then rolled his shoulders. ¡°You want some?¡± he asked the man, gesturing to the hunk of bear meat roasting over the fire. ¡°Plenty to go around. And Richard could use a little help with the healing. The boys over there are ¨C¡± Just then, the man pointed his staff at Richard ¨C who¡¯d moved out from behind Rooker. The Ethera in the area shuddered before a thick bolt of lightning erupted from the stranger¡¯s staff, then hit Richard directly in the chest. He was flung backwards with enough violence that, when he struck a nearby tree, the sound of cracking bones echoed through the campsite. For a brief moment, everyone was stunned by what had happened. And then, suddenly, everyone erupted into motion. Vic yanked his dagger from the sheath at his waist ¨C the idiot¡¯s bow wasn¡¯t even strung ¨C thenunched himself at the man. Meanwhile, Tommy raised his hands high into the air as he began casting a spell. He never got the chance. The Vanguard was already moving to intercept him, but he was far too slow. Rooker watched as the man transformed, taking on the form of some sort of scaled nightmare that looked as if someone had crossed a panther with a crocodile, but far sleeker than either of those descriptors would normally indicate. The man ¨C or creature ¨C hit Tommy like he was shot out of a cannon. With ws and teeth, the monster ripped through the spellcaster like he was made of paper. Blood and other viscera misted into the air, but the monster didn¡¯t stop. Instead, it disappeared into the darkness on the other side. ¡°What the fuck¡­w-what the fuck was that?!¡± Vic pleaded, sliding to a stop. He jerked around, looking this way and that, but he clearly didn¡¯t see anything. The creature¡¯s scales were dark, so it was perfectly suited to hide in the shadows. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rooker said, already using spells and abilities to entuate his already stout defenses. Some of them were intended to protectparatively more vulnerable teammates, and they had diminishing returns when he used them on himself. However, he almost never blessed anyone else with his defensive abilities. It was every man for himself, after all. He didn¡¯t care if his teammates survived so long as he walked away. In fact, he preferred it that way because, if he was the only one left, he wouldn¡¯t have to split any rewards. ¡°Is Richard still alive?¡± ¡°Fuck if I know, man!¡± Vic shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Pull yourself together.¡± ¡°You pull yourself together, asshole! It just went through Tommy like it was ¨C¡± He pped his hand against his neck, then tapered off. He was trying to look everywhere at once, but Rooker had already written the man off. So, he backed himself against a tree and set his feet. By that point, he¡¯dyered four defensive abilities, one atop the other to create a veritable cocoon of protection. So, he was ready for whatever that monster was. Meanwhile, Vic continued to panic, muttering to himself the whole while. Every now and again, he¡¯d p his hand against any bit of exposed skin, but Rooker wasn¡¯t certain if that was a nervous tick or if a swarm of mosquitoes had descended upon them. Whatever the case, he wasn¡¯t concerned with a few insects. Or at least, that was the case until Vic fell to his knees and vomited. In the firelight, it was difficult to tell, but Rooker thought he saw blood in the resultant puddle. He shouted for Vic, but the man pitched forward onto his face, copsing into convulsions. He went still a secondter. Suddenly, Rooker felt very alone. So very alone. And tired. He wanted nothing more than to go back in time and hold his daughter again. Or his wife. They¡¯d had their problems. He¡¯d been a terrible husband back then. But if he could just go back, he would change. No more drinking. No more cheating. He would nevery a hand on her again. He just wanted a second chance. ¡°Why?¡± came a deep, rumbling voice. Rooker looked up to see a monstrosity looming in the shadows. It was enormous, with hints of scales and a face like a spiny lizard. But it was shaped more like an ape, with long arms and squat legs. ¡°Show yourself, monster!¡± Rooker bellowed with all the false bravado he could muster. ¡°I¡¯m not hiding,¡± the creature growled, stepping into the firelight. It was just as awful and intimidating as Rooker¡¯s first impression had suggested. ¡°Tell me why you killed the bear. The mushroom, I understand. But the bear was innocent. Once it was unconscious, you could have left it.¡± ¡°Leave it? Why?¡± Rooker asked, confused. ¡°It was a monster. Monsters give experience. That¡¯s the world we live in.¡± ¡°And you? Will you give experience when I kill you?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± the Vanguard asked, his confident fa?ade breaking. ¡°I was going to let you live,¡± the monster stated, its gravelly voice rattling Rooker¡¯s bones. ¡°You just wanted the mushroom, and the bear was in the way. But you killed it when you didn¡¯t have to. I won¡¯t let that pass.¡± With that, the monster erupted into motion. Rooker used his final ability, manifesting an Ethereal shield a foot in front of him. The monster didn¡¯t even slow down as it shattered the ne of magical force, then crashed into its owner. Rooker¡¯s defenses were useless against the powerful monster, and it ripped through him with ease. Still, he managed to get a couple of blows in of his own, though they nged off the creature¡¯s skin with the sound of metal on metal. And then, the creature grabbed his head with one of its massive ws. That¡¯s when it started squeezing. At first Rooker¡¯s Constitution was up to the task, but the power the monster could bring to bear was absolutely overbearing. And soon enough, the integrity of his skull copsed, and he knew no more. Book 2: Chapter 49: Pests Book 2: Chapter 49: Pests With mixed feelings dancing in her heart, Carmen watched her son as he trained with the practice spear she had made for him. A few years before, she¡¯d have never condoned such a thing. Back then, evenbat sports like boxing or mixed martial arts had been off the table, and she had actively forbidden him from ying football. There was too much chance of permanent injury, especially to Miguel¡¯s all-important brain, for her to sign off on those sorts of things. But now, the world had irrevocably changed, and she knew better than most that if they didn¡¯t change with it, they would be fodder for those who had adapted more fully. Or for some sort of monster, of which there were plenty. The reality was that, if she wanted to prepare Miguel to thrive, she needed to ensure that he had the tools to do so. That meant training him with weapons as well as ensuring that his normal education continued apace. In addition, she¡¯d begun to teach him the rudiments of crafting ¨C at least as much as she had learned ¨C and bought plenty of guides so he would know as much about the system as possible. Still, it felt so odd, worrying about hisbat ability. That was a remnant of the old world, though, and Carmen had to remind herself to push it away so that it didn¡¯t infect her perception of reality. The moment the World Tree had touched Earth, the entire paradigm had shifted, and the world had be a ce where nothing was assured. A pang of regret sliced through her heart. She¡¯d learned that lesson the hard way. Alyssa had been the best person she¡¯d ever known, and yet, she¡¯d died anyway. Not for the first time, she wondered what had really happened in that tower. Roman¡¯s story made sense. It was a dangerous ce, and if anyone would have sacrificed herself so others would live, it was Alyssa. However, there was a degree of doubt she couldn¡¯t quite push aside. Roman had had every reason to get rid of Alyssa. His grip on Easton was stronger now than it had ever been while Alyssa was alive. Yet, there was one problem with that line of thinking. Roman had Alyssa had been friends for a long time even before the world had ended. And Alyssa had been convinced that Roman was a good man. She had thrown her support behind him at every turn. That kind of bond wasn¡¯t easily discarded. Besides, Carmen had seen Roman¡¯s face during Alyssa¡¯s memorial service. That kind of grief was difficult to fake, especially for a man like Roman. Even so, she¡¯d once warned Alyssa to remain wary of the man, and for good reason. So, she was of two minds on the subject of whether or not to trust Roman¡¯s version of events. Not that it mattered.She needed to move on, both for her sake and for her son¡¯s good. He hadn¡¯t taken Alyssa¡¯s death well, and if Carmen started wallowing in her own depression ¨C which was the inevitable path that would take ¨C it would only push Miguel to do the same. So, as much as she wanted to dwell on the death of her wife, being a responsible mother came first. With that in mind, Carmen watched Miguel sparring with one of the warriors who¡¯d been sent to protect the mine. The small town they¡¯d built around the mine had grown to include three main buildings as well as a handful of houses for the workers. And with what they¡¯d found so far, there was every reason to expect that growth to continue. Carmen suspected that, one day, it might be a full-blown city to rival Easton itself. But that hinged on the continued exploration of the mine. Almost as soon as that thought crossed Carmen¡¯s mind, she heard someone approach. ¡°What is it now?¡± she asked, ncing back to see Colt drawing closer. ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he said, removing his hat and wiping his forearm across his sweaty forehead. His other hand rested on the hilt of the katana at his hip. She knew from experience that he could have that de out in the blink of an eye, and he was quite adept at using it. The man characterized himself as a samurai, even iming to follow the bushido code ¨C which was a bit odd, considering that he looked every inch the cowboy, with his wide-brimmed hat and leather duster. But oddities had be the norm, and all Carmen really cared about was hispetence. In that arena, she couldn¡¯t have asked for a better second-inmand. ¡°Just one day,¡± she said, sighing as she pushed herself to her feet. She¡¯d been sitting on an old tree stump near the training grounds she¡¯d established. There, the warriors as well as any children who¡¯de along could practice their martial skills. She stretched her back with a groan. ¡°Just one day was all I wanted. Can¡¯t even give me that, can you?¡± ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am. But the miners ran into some problems,¡± he said with his characteristic drawl. ¡°Big problems or little problems?¡± ¡°I don¡¯te to you with the little ones, ma¡¯am.¡± She sighed in annoyance. ¡°Stop calling me ma¡¯am. You¡¯re making me feel like I¡¯m some old crone. You¡¯re older than I am, for God¡¯s sake,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Carmen just shook her head. That was the thing about Colt. He wouldn¡¯t change for anyone, which was probably why she appreciated him so much. It was also why he¡¯d been sent to the Silverswift Mine. Why it had been named that, Carmen had no idea, but she¡¯d discovered some documentation in an abandoned office near the entrance thatbeled it such. Odd, considering that it had been an iron mine, but Carmen had no interest in thinking of a name herself. So, she¡¯d kept the old name, as ill-fitting as it was. This story has been uwfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The budding settlement had taken a simrly silly ¨C but much more understandable ¨C name when someone had started referring to it as Silverado. ¡°I hate that our vige is named after a stupid pickup truck,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s where the name came from, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°I know that, Colt,¡± she said. ¡°Alright. Show me this problem.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± he drawled. Then, after Carmen waved at Miguel ¨C he was fine in the training ground, given that there were a few warriors with decent levels around ¨C the pair set off for the mine¡¯s entrance. It was less than a quarter mile away, so they covered the distance quickly enough, passing through the burgeoning settlement along the way. Carmen was pleased to see that everyone was busy either processing the little ore they¡¯d managed to mine or working on the town¡¯s infrastructure. If they¡¯d been cking off, she might¡¯ve had a few choice words for her people. Soon enough, they reached the mine¡¯s entrance. When they¡¯d first arrived, it was only a few feet wide, and it had experienced a cave-in sometime in the recent past. However, through arduousbor ¨C most of which had required Carmen¡¯s personal participation ¨C they had managed to clear the debris and widen the entrance by a considerable amount. But that wasn¡¯t what Carmen was focused on. Instead, her attentiony solely on the group of fighters and miners who were congregated at the entrance. A few of them showed clear signs of having recently engaged inbat, and one of the expedition¡¯s two Healers sat nearby, clearly exhausted. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked as they approached. ¡°Some critters attacked us, ma¡¯am,¡± Colt answered. ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know what they were, but they were small and vicious. Big, sharp teeth, too.¡± ¡°Like gremlins or goblins?¡± ¡°No. Critters,¡± he reiterated. ¡°Like the movie from the eighties.¡± ¡°Never saw it,¡± she stated. ¡°Well before my time.¡± ¡°Freaked me out as a kid,¡± Colt said. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why I thought of ¡®em when the miners described what they saw.¡± ¡°Probably. Unless eighties movie monsters are real, now,¡± she joked halfheartedly. ¡°If we encounter Freddy Krueger in there, I¡¯m done. We don¡¯t need the ore that badly.¡± ¡°I think everyone would agree with that one, ma¡¯am.¡± They reached the group a few momentster, and Carmen asked what had happened. The first to answer was a rawboned woman with high cheekbones that, if she wasn¡¯t covered in dirt and blood, would¡¯ve made her look like a runway model. Or that would have been the case if she wasn¡¯t so clearly used to hardbor, which was made evident by her well-defined muscles and callused hands. She said, ¡°We were expanding one of the new tunnels, following a thick strain of that cold iron. That¡¯s when they hit us, hard and fast. We killed a couple, but there were way too many. We had to retreat.¡± ¡°Laney, right?¡± asked Carmen. If she remembered correctly, the woman was in charge of the third shift of miners, but she¡¯d not learned much else about her. Or anyone else, really. She could put a few names to faces, but she had spent much of the trip from Easton to Silverado in the grip of depression. It wasn¡¯t until they¡¯d started work on the budding town that she had begun toe out of it. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said. ¡°Miner extraordinaire. Actually, I¡¯m a Schr. Haven¡¯t gotten my ss yet, though, so I ended up having to volunteer forbor to stay useful. You know how it goes.¡± A few others among the miners nodded along. Carmen knew just howmon that story was. It didn¡¯t make sense. Schrs were ill-suited to manual work, and yet, they formed the bulk of Easton¡¯sbor force. Like Laney, most of them hadn¡¯t had much of a choice. If they wanted to remain in Easton, let alone earn their keep, they needed to do whatever it was the city needed them to do. And given Roman¡¯s prejudice against Schrs, that usually meant that those with that archetype were relegated to all the worst job. It was a damned waste, but Carmen was in no position to do anything about that sort of ridiculous thinking. More, she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be very sessful in changing anyone¡¯s mind, given that the city owed its continued prosperity to Roman and his policies. The existence of the critters wasn¡¯t a surprise. Ever since they¡¯d first begun exploration of the mine, they¡¯d known that something had expanded the system of tunnels that had existed since before the touch of the World Tree had changed the world. So, having to clear the creatures out had always been an inevitability, though one she¡¯d hoped would wait until her people were a little better prepared. ¡°Alright. Here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do,¡± she said. ¡°I want a group of three warriors toe with me into the tunnels. We¡¯ll hunt down as many of these critters as we can, but our real objective is to find wherever they¡¯re nested and put them down. Sound good?¡± There was a murmur of agreement from the miners, but Carmen was only really interested in Colt¡¯s response. He said, ¡°It needs to be done, so we¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Gather two more. Best we¡¯ve got for close quarters,¡± Carmen said. ¡°I¡¯m going to get my armor.¡± She wasn¡¯t like the people withbat sses. Certainly, she could hang with them well enough, but only if she had proper equipment. Without her armor, she really only had her Strength to set her apart. The rest of her attributes were, at best, mediocre, and none of her skills tranted tobat. Still, she could hold her own, but she knew that the gap would continue to widen as humanity progressed. Eventually, she wouldn¡¯t even be in the same realm as people with actualbat skills. For now, though, she could handle herself well enough, so she headed back to her office-sh-home and donned her armor. Despite having been through quite a bit of fighting on the way to the mine, it didn¡¯t show any wear and tear. Once Carmen was wearing her armor, she nced at her massive hammer. However, she chose to leave it behind because, in the tunnels, she wouldn¡¯t have any room to swing it. Instead, she would rely on Summon Tool and use a cksmith¡¯s hammer. It wouldn¡¯t pack quite the punch of her Simple-Grade weapon, but it would still do the trick. Thus armed and armored, Carmen headed back to the entrance of the mine to await Colt and the two otherbatants that would apany them on their critter hunt. As it turned out, he chose a pair of Warrior archetypes. One had a Brawler ss and specialized in hand-to-hand fighting, while the other was a Vignte who favored a longsword. He also had an ability that allowed him to identify creatures, which Colt reasoned woulde in handy. ¡°Tiffany,¡± Colt said, nodding toward the Brawler. Then, he indicated the Vignte as he continued, ¡°And Brett have been with us for more than a year. I trust them.¡± ¡°Well, then I do too,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Let¡¯s do this thing.¡± Book 2: Chapter 50: Argos Book 2: Chapter 50: Argos The morning air held a distinct chill as Elijah leaped over a burbling stream. When he reached the other side, he slowed to a stop before shifting into his human form. With a sigh, he unshouldered his pack, setting his two staves aside as he squatted next to the stream. After dipping his hands into the water, he sshed his face. How long had it been since he¡¯d killed the group of hunters? Two days? Three? It might¡¯ve even been a week. After he¡¯d ughtered the leader, who¡¯d been a little more durable than Elijah had expected, he¡¯d taken the time to loot the corpses,ing away with nothing worthwhile besides a few extra Ethereum that he added to the pile at the bottom of his pack. Other than that, he¡¯d also taken the sack of mushroom flesh. Everything else, he¡¯d left behind, as much because he didn¡¯t want to strip the bodies as due to his limited carrying capacity. However, one thing he did carry with him was the guilt. Despite the justifications that kept ying through his mind, the fact was that he¡¯d unhesitatingly murdered four people. Certainly, he¡¯d killed before, and far more than he ever could have imagined possible in the years preceding the world¡¯s transformation. But they¡¯d all been gnomes and goblins and elves. Or they had been the pseudo-real people popting the towers. But thesest four were humans, just like him. And he wasn¡¯t so far removed from the civilized existence that had once characterized his life that he didn¡¯t find it at least somewhat repulsive. At the end of the day, he was a murderer. Sure, he had his reasons, and for the most part, he epted them as just. But most was not all, and Elijah was still trying to deal with the psychological ramifications of his actions. The worst part was that, given the same set of factors, he would make the same choice every single time. Those men had flippantly killed the bear for no more reason than that they could, and that was something he refused to ept. What that said about him and his ce in the new world, Elijah wasn¡¯t certain, but he knew his heart well enough to recognize that he would continue along that path, even if it one day made him a monster. Perhaps that was why he¡¯d be a Druid in the first ce, because he had the capacity to look at the world from that perspective. And because he had the wherewithal to act, even if it meant going ces most people would not. In any case, Elijah felt the stain of guilt ¨C faint though it was ¨C that would require some time to wash away. In the meantime, though, he felt a more immediate need to wash himself of the inevitable filth of more than a week living and hunting in the wilderness. So, without further ado, he quickly undressed, then retrieved the much-diminished bar of homemade soap from his pack before stepping into the frigid stream and taking an impromptu bath. He even cast Healing Rain to assist in the process. Even as dirt, mud, and congealed blood were washed from his body, so too were fatigue as well as the worst of the guilt clinging to his psyche. It didn¡¯t magically disappear, but the symbolic nature of his wilderness shower gave him both the context as well as the time toe to terms with his actions.And unsurprisingly, he was fine with what he¡¯d done. In a vacuum, murder was wrong. He knew that. But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to regret killing the hunters. From what he¡¯d seen, the world was a better ce without them. So, by the time he had finished, he was clean in body, mind, and spirit. In the aftermath, he propped himself against a boulder and let himself rx for the first time since the night he¡¯d rid the world of the hunters¡¯ stain. With the sun warming him, it was only a matter of time before he dozed off. He didn¡¯t dream, but when he awoke, a sense of contentment enveloped his mind. He also couldn¡¯t help but notice that he¡¯d attracted a small audience. A squirrel the size of a beaver sat on the limb of a nearby oak tree, chittering down at him with mingled annoyance, curiosity, and fear. Elijah sighed, then pushed himself to his feet. As he dusted himself off, the squirrel¡¯s chittering grew more urgent. Finally, Elijah said, ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯m getting out of your territory, you little tyrant.¡± That didn¡¯t cate the creature, and it didn¡¯t cease its tirade until Elijah retrieved his staves and pack, then took on his draconid form. The moment he did, the squirrel went silent before fleeing through the forest¡¯s canopy. Elijah just shook his scaley head before taking off in the opposite direction. As the days wore on, the forest thinned, and more evidence of a fallen civilization presented itself. The remnants of old roads bore dozens of abandoned automobiles. Some seemed mostly intact, but others had clearly been ripped apart by powerful beasts. Still others showed signs of salvage, having been dismantled for parts. That was an encouraging sign even if Elijah didn¡¯t see any evidence of current upation in the area. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. As he kept an easterly heading, he started seeing more and more proof of human habitation. However, he couldn¡¯t ignore one, simple fact ¨C the actual signs he saw were not in English. By virtue of the system¡¯s trantion feature, he could still read them, but he still recognized that they were written in anguage he shouldn¡¯t have been capable of understanding. He did know enough to recognize that it was Greek, though. Which made no sense, considering that his ind was in the American Pacific Northwest. But then again, the world had been transformed, and its geography had been rearranged. So, with that framing his expectations, it should not have been surprising to suddenly stumble upon a region that had once been located on the other side of the world. In any case, Elijah couldn¡¯tin with the steadily rising temperatures he¡¯d experienced since descending from the more mountainous region around Norcastle. It wasn¡¯t warm, per se. But it was much more temperate. Along the way, he ran into Voxx from time to time, but none of them were particrly strong. So, even though he killed each one that he found, they only provided a trickle of experience. He shook his head at that. Hanging out with actual human beings had resulted in him changing some of his terminology. Instead of referring to the influx of Ethera he received upon killing an enemy as kill energy, he had begun to think of it using a gaming term that was popr in Norcastle. Experience. It seemed fitting enough. In any case, the result was that he hadn¡¯t gained a single level since leaving the tower, and as a result, he found that he was a little irritable at theck of progress. That was odd, too. He¡¯d gone weeks between levels back on his ind, and that hadn¡¯t bothered him. Perhaps he was growing addicted to progression. Or more probably, it was an issue of mindset. Back home, he didn¡¯t feel the need to constantly progress because, well, it was home. But in the wilderness? Things were different. Regardless, he didn¡¯t intend to go out of his way to hunt powerful monsters just to gain a few levels here and there. If he did, he would be no better than the hunters he¡¯d found so disgusting. But killing Voxx ¨C even the weak versions he kept stumbling upon ¨C was always a nice distraction. He hoped it would prove profitable, too. He knew that each kill was recorded by the system, so he likely had quite a sizable reward waiting for him to visit a Branch. Not that he had much to spend it on, of course. There were a few things he wouldn¡¯t mind buying back in Ironshore, and he¡¯d foregone purchasing quite a few guides that looked useful because they were incredibly expensive, so there was always something he¡¯d need to buy. More than anything, though, he wanted to find someone ¨C anyone ¨C to identify the loot he¡¯d taken from the tower. He was still carrying the giant ogre staff, and he had a small arsenal of swords and daggers in his pack. Finally, there was the curious reward he¡¯d gotten upon defeating the Reaver and conquering the tower. The ws of Gluttony didn¡¯t have an overt purpose, but he was certain that they would be somehow useful. He just needed someone to help him discover what form that usefulness might take. Those thoughts upied one facet of Elijah¡¯s mind, while the others were free to focus on his environment. His diligence bore fruit as he hunted his way across the region, and eventually, he came upon a road that led into a moderate sized Greek town. From a distance, Elijah could see people going to and fro, but none of them strayed outside the city¡¯s stone wall without a couple of armed warriors to protect them. As Elijah drew closer ¨C under the Guise of the Unseen ¨C he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that the surrounding fields had been left untended. Moreover, there were a handful of empty paddocks that had clearly been used for livestock. And finally, he saw the locals¡¯ furtive nces and hurried gaits. Clearly, they were afraid of something, though Elijah couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. Because, other than the humans in and around the city, the immediate region was almost entirely deserted. There were birds and a few squirrels chittering and chattering in the trees, but on the ground, there was nothing. No hares. No deer. Elijah picked up the scent of a few Voxx, but after following those trails, he found that the monsters had long since been killed. As he explored, Elijah saw a couple of signs that dered the town to be Argos, which sounded vaguely familiar. In any case, he quickly exhausted the possibilities of the surrounding wilderness and fields, so he prepared himself to enter the city proper. Though, once he made that decision, he came upon a difficult choice. Did he want to enter the town as a human and risk something like what had happened back in Norcastle? Or would he prefer to slip in under the Guise of the Unseen, ess the Branch ¨C if there was one ¨C then slip back out without any of the residents, aside from whoever manned the Branch itself, being the wiser. In the end, though, Elijah¡¯s decision came down to two factors. First, he had no intention of slinking around like a thief for the rest of his life. His draconid form was powerful, and he would use it ordingly. However, letting himself fall into the habit of always being unseen was not healthy, and it held little appeal for him. He wanted to talk to actual people. He wanted to socialize. He wanted to drink and eat and do all the things he¡¯d missed during his solitary confinement on his ind. Second, Elijah didn¡¯t think he could aplish his goals while flying entirely under the radar. The Branch¡¯s attendant ¨C or Envoy of the Cult of the World Tree, he¡¯d learned back in Ironshore ¨C would doubtless know of his presence the moment he came into range of the Branch. But more, he wanted to identify his items ¨C and maybe even sell some of them ¨C resupply, get some information, and, perhaps most importantly of all, sleep in a real bed. He couldn¡¯t do any of those things while in his draconid form. So, without any further hesitation, Elijah retreated out of sight of the guards manning the gate, then let his draconid form slide away. After that, he took a deep breath, tried to smooth down his unkempt hair, then set off on a path that would take him to the city¡¯s entrance. Soon enough, the guards caught sight of him, but they didn¡¯t react with the hostility he might have expected. Instead, they simply watched his approach with grim resignation. Book 2: Chapter 51: Atticuss Arsenal Book 2: Chapter 51: Atticus''s Arsenal ¡°What are you doing out sote?!¡± the grizzled guard barked. He had an oliveplexion and a great, bushy, and ck beard. It was almost as if he¡¯d grown such magnificent facial hair in order to make up for theck of hair on his head. Otherwise, he was short and stocky, wearing a leather breastte and carrying a shield and spear. ¡°Do you have a death wish, boy? At your level, you¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t meet the beast!¡± ¡°The beast?¡± Elijah asked, adjusting the giant ogre staff he had propped over one shoulder. His other staff, he used as a walking stick. ¡°What kind of beast?¡± Indeed, he hadn¡¯t sensed any other creatures in the area, so the notion that there was some sort of beast around was something of a surprise. However, on second thought, it was entirely possible that some great predator had killed or scared off any other animals. ¡°The maneater,¡± the other guard said in a quiet voice. She was taller than her partner, with simrly dark hair and a nearly identicalplexion. However, she was wearing a helmet, so Elijah couldn¡¯t get a good look at her face. ¡°Now, in with you. You don¡¯t want to be out after dark. That¡¯s when it¡¯s most active.¡± Elijah asked, ¡°Do I need to pay or¡­¡± ¡°What? No. Of course not,¡± said the bearded guard. ¡°In with you, now. We¡¯re about to lock up.¡± Elijah knew better than to argue, so he thanked the pair, then stepped through the gate. As soon as he did, a horn sounded, loud enough to echo for miles, and behind him, the gate creaked closed. He did notice that there was a smaller door set into the gate, but it was barred shut as well. Soon, the entire city would be locked down, likely as a defense against the maneater the guards had mentioned. Pushing those thoughts to their own facet of his mind, Elijah looked around as he strode into Argos. The architecture was what he would have expected from a Mediterranean city, with red tiled roofs and sto walls. Yet, there were only a few remaining bits of evidence that it had once been a modern town. The streets were popted by pedestrians and hand carts, without a car in sight. However, there were still electrical lights, and Elijah even heard a few stereos ying music. The people themselves wore an odd collection of old and new. There were plenty of old sports jerseys, blue jeans, and tee-shirts, but there were also oddly cut trousers, shirts, skirts, and dresses as well. Elijah even saw a few robes that looked like they would¡¯ve been at home in a movie about fantastical wizards. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t the only one carrying a staff. In fact, the vast majority of the pedestrians were armed with at least a dagger. Quite a few had swords, axes, and spears. There were also plenty of guards present, and though they eyed everyone with stoic purpose, Elijah saw no evidence of overt corruption. It was a nice reminder that, sometimes, people could be good and effective at keeping order. He hoped that would turn out to be the rule, rather than the exception he¡¯d seen in Norcastle. Yet, for all that, Elijah saw anxiety etched on every face. Every furtive nce told him that the poption was uneasy. Elijah strolled through the city, the butt of his Staff of Natural Harmony thudding against the gged streets along the way. The architecture of the city was impressive in its diversity. From what he had seen from afar, he had expected a picturesque Mediterranean town, and there was certainly some of that present. However, there were plenty of modern, soulless buildings that would have been at home in any midwestern strip mall as well. The curse of modernity, he reasoned. In any case, Elijah spent the next few hours just wandering around. It was nice, just being around people for once. He¡¯d gotten a taste of it back in Norcastle, but he¡¯d jumped from one crisis to another without stepping back and letting himself enjoy the benefits of civilization. There was just somethingforting about being surrounded by other human beings. Most people took that for granted. Even those who preferred to stay away from crowds took sce in the knowledge that they weren¡¯t really alone. As isted as they were, they knew that, if they so chose, they could have a conversation with their neighbors. They could meet up with friends. They could go see family. Many chose to eschew those benefits of living in a connected society, but the fact that the option was there was more important than exercising it. The highlight was arge statue that, ording to an engraving on the plinth, was meant to depict Heracles. Further, it was supposed to be an exact copy of the famous Farnese Heracles statue. That it had survived the transformation of the world filled Elijah with a sense of gratitude. Even though it was a copy, its endurance felt like an assurance that Earth¡¯s culture and mythology wouldn¡¯t bepletely lost. Of course, billions of people had likely perished in the transition ¨C and thousands more probably died each day ¨C so there would be an undeniable effect going forward. Hopefully, humans would maintain some connection with the world they¡¯d lost. Eventually, Elijah¡¯s wandering took him to what looked like an armory. The sign out front dered it to be Atticus¡¯ Arsenal, which was perfect for ticking off one item on his to-do list. He still needed help identifying the items he¡¯d looted, and he expected that a weapons shop would be perfectly suited to such an endeavor. So, it was with some anticipation that he stepped through the front door of the shop. Inside, he found a dozen racks filled with weapons of every sort. Some were clearly low-quality, which meant that they were bad examples of even unranked items, but others were just as obviously higher grade. And there was one sword on disy that drew Elijah¡¯s eye like no other. It was situated in a ss cab, but even with that barrier blocking his senses, Elijah could feel the Ethera dancing around it. ¡°You¡¯ve got a good eye, friend,¡± came a male voice. Elijah nced over to see a man leaning against a doorframe. He was tall and well-muscled, with the build of an athlete. On his head was a mop of curly, ck hair, and he had the same oliveplexion that seemed somon amongst the town¡¯s residents. One thing that set him apart was arge, hawkish nose that gave his face an aggressive cast that it would¡¯ve otherwisecked. Other than that, Elijah noted that he was clean-shaven, with a strong jaw, and a slightly pointed chin. The man wiped his hands with a rag he then stuffed into his pocket, and continued, ¡°That¡¯s my baby. Came from an actual tower. It¡¯s the de of a true hero like Heracles himself.¡± ¡°You conquered a tower?¡± Elijah asked, surprised and awed. He¡¯d beaten two himself, but he¡¯d half expected that he was unique. It only took a moment¡¯s thought to realize how silly it was. The world didn¡¯t revolve around him, and while he was strong, there were probably plenty of people out there who could aplish simr feats. In fact, thest time he¡¯d looked at thedder, he¡¯d seen that there were at least eight other people who were higher-leveled than him, so the idea that his experiences were unique was ridiculous. The manughed jovially, then said, ¡°Me? No. I¡¯m just a humble merchant. The man who looted it died a few weeks after conquering the tower.¡± He sobered, then shook his head. ¡°Great man. A great loss.¡± ¡°How did he die?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not from around here, are you?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°What gave it away?¡± he asked. ¡°What didn¡¯t? Don¡¯t have many blondes in Argos. A few, but it¡¯s a small town, so I know most of them. Plus, I¡¯d have noticed a man walking around in the middle of winter without shoes.¡± ¡°Oh. That.¡± ¡°So, where¡¯d youe from?¡± ¡°Most recently, Norcastle,¡± Elijah said. He saw no reason to lie. Or maybe he just didn¡¯t like the idea of it. Either way, he wouldn¡¯t shy away from hiding his identity when necessary, but the notion of lying about every facet of his existence was so unappealing that he¡¯d rather deal with the consequences of having his every secret known than try to keep up with a web of lies that would inevitably unravel at all the wrong times. ¡°But before that, I was living just outside a town called Ironshore.¡± This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Norcastle. Heard that name once or twice. Never been, but¡­well, travel isn¡¯t as easy as it used to be, is it?¡± the man remarked. ¡°Wish it was different, though. Staying cooped up in a little town like this is not the life I¡¯d have envisioned. But enough about that. What can I do for you? No offense, but you don¡¯t look much like a sword-swinger, if you know what I mean. The Healer tag doesn¡¯t help, I¡¯ll grant, but I suppose it takes all kinds. For all I know, you¡¯re going for a Pdin ss or something.¡± ¡°Oh. Right.¡± Elijah hadpletely forgotten about his Ring of Anonymity. However, at least he hadn¡¯t made the same mistake he¡¯d made when he¡¯d first entered Norcastle. Back then, he¡¯d forgotten to change his surname, which had led Essex to guess his identity. Now, he wasfortably ensconced in the false identity of Elijah Smith, the level neen Healer. ¡°Yeah. des really aren¡¯t my thing. I just thought it felt powerful.¡± ¡°Getting a simr vibe from those two staves you¡¯re carrying. The big one¡¯s a bit weaker than the twisty one, but both are strong. High Crude, at least. Maybe even low Simple,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯d have to examine them properly to tell for sure, though.¡± He stepped forward, offering his hand. ¡°Sorry. Name¡¯s Atticus, just like on the sign out front. Atticus Ariti.¡± Elijah took the man¡¯s hand and gave it a firm squeeze. ¡°Elijah Smith.¡± ¡°Sure you are.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know how you¡¯re doing it, but I¡¯ll eat my socks if you¡¯re only level neen. And if that¡¯s false, I¡¯m willing to bet that the rest is, too. But it¡¯s fine, Elijah. I¡¯ll respect your privacy. Any merchant worth his salt would do the same,¡± Atticus said. Elijah¡¯s first instinct was to dispute the man¡¯s im. However, he¡¯d just finished acknowledging how much he hated dishonesty, so he said, ¡°How did you know? About my level, I mean?¡± ¡°Two things. Most people don¡¯t go waltzing through the wilderness without a few friends to watch their backs. Most don¡¯t go far from the city at all. So, that was the first clue. Second was that you¡¯re glowing with powerful items. Even your pants are Crude grade, and that¡¯s not considering the hot spots. Like those staves. The two rings on your fingers. That pack. The bracer there. Can¡¯t hide that kind of thing from somebody like me.¡± ¡°Like you?¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s my ss.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± The man gave him a crooked grin. ¡°We just met, friend. Not going to show you all my secrets, am I? So, let¡¯s get to why you wandered into my shop. You don¡¯t need weapons, so¡­¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I need some items identified. I¡¯m also looking to sell a few pieces. You in a position to help me with that?¡± ¡°Friend, you came to the right ce. Let me show you to my office,¡± Atticus said. If Elijah wasn¡¯tpletely certain that he could take the man out if necessary, he would¡¯ve been a bit more cautious. So, he followed the arms merchant through the doorway at the back of the building and into arge storage area. There were crates lining every wall, and in the center was a long, wooden table, upon which were a few curios and a giant ledger. Atticus nted himself on the other side of the table, then mmed the enormous book shut. Despite the surprising sound, Elijah didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°Nerves of steel on you, huh?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got,¡± Atticus said with a sweeping motion that indicated Elijah should ce whatever wares he possessed onto the table. So, he started with the giant ogre staff. It wouldn¡¯tpletely fit, so a foot or so of its length hung off the ends of the table in both directions. Atticus leaned forward and squinted before announcing, ¡°Staff of Twin Forms. Low Simple Grade. Enhances fire and ice spells by eighteen percent. Nice find. No bond necessary.¡± ¡°Bond?¡± ¡°Yes. You get the benefit without the necessity of bonding it. That makes it more valuable because the owner can just resell it once he outgrows it. Or she, I suppose. Equal opportunity and all that,¡± Atticus exined. ¡°Uh¡­how do you bond items?¡± For a moment, Atticus stared at him like he¡¯d asked the dumbest question imaginable. Then, heughed. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve just been walking around with unbound items!¡± he eximed, having figured Elijah out. ¡°No ¨C that other staff is definitely bound. So are the rings. I can see that much. But the other items you¡¯re wearing¡­oh, this isn¡¯t great, friend. Not great at all. Didn¡¯t you wonder why you weren¡¯t getting the full effects?¡± ¡°Just tell me how to bond them. Please.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to,¡± the arms dealer said. ¡°I¡¯m always ready to help my customers. You are a customer, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯d hate to give you all this vital information and have you leave without doing any business.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°I¡¯m definitely selling the staff. No question about that,¡± he stated. ¡°All I ask is that you give me a fair deal.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Atticus responded, leaning closer to the staff once again. ¡°I can give you two silver. It would be more, but the thing is too big for most people. I¡¯m sure if you bonded it, it would size to fit, but then you¡¯d lose the main selling point. In fact, I¡¯m not sure I even want it. Probably only useful to some of the crafters, and even then, only as scrap. Or as an example. Yes, I¡¯m certain. It¡¯s going to be taken apart for sure. Still, I offered already, so¡­yes. I can do two silver. Friend prices, of course.¡± Elijah knew he was being taken advantage of, but he wasn¡¯t really attached to the staff in the first ce. It was a nice curio, but ultimately, it wasn¡¯t something he could use. So, he said, ¡°Fine. Two silver ethereum. You have a folio?¡± ¡°Not sure what that is, friend, but we can settle up at the town Branch once we¡¯re done here,¡± Atticus said, already putting the staff away. ¡°Now, as promised, because we¡¯re such good friends and you¡¯re now a loyal customer, I¡¯ll let you in on the closely-guarded secret of bonding an item. Just drip a bit of blood on item in question, then run some Ethera through it.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, friend. Now, I¡¯m going to assume that none of the items you¡¯re actively wearing are for sale. That belt looks very interesting, though. Very interesting indeed.¡± ¡°No. But I do have these,¡± Elijah said, unshouldering his pack. He reached inside ¨C noting that the merchant was very interested in the pack itself ¨C then retrieved the weapons he¡¯d looted from the elves. He set them on the table, then ended with the sword he¡¯d taken from the Warden. ¡°All for sale.¡± Atticus¡¯ eyes widened at the treasure trove of weaponry. Each one of them was higher quality than most of his wares, so he stood to increase the value of his stock by quite a bit. ¡°Where did you get these?¡± the merchant asked, leaning close to one of the daggers. ¡°Here and there. You have your secrets, and I have mine. Anything notable about them?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all high Crude,¡± he said. ¡°On the edge of being Simple-grade. Just called crude steel daggers and swords. But they¡¯re all extremely durable. Better than most of what we have here in town. I¡¯ll give you one silver ethereum each.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Plus two copper for each.¡± ¡°Alright. But that doesn¡¯t include the sword here,¡± Elijah said, pointing to the weapon he¡¯d taken from the Warden. ¡°It¡¯s better than the rest.¡± ¡°Yes. Right. It¡¯s Simple Grade. Called the Punisher,¡± Atticus exined. ¡°When bonded, it provides an extra two points to Dexterity. It also has a secondary effect called Pain Spike. I¡¯m not certain what it does, but it sounds pretty self-exnatory to me. I can give you ten silver, but that¡¯s my hard cap on a single item. It¡¯s not quite as good as Challenger¡¯s Call out there, but that¡¯s probably a good thing.¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll add that to the tally. That¡¯s all I¡¯m selling, though,¡± he said. ¡°But I do need you to identify a couple of things.¡± Atticus agreed, though he said he would charge a nominal fee for each service. It only turned out to be a few coppers, so Elijah wasn¡¯t worried about that. The first item he had the merchant identify was the ws of Gluttony, which garnered quite a reaction. ¡°Simple-Grade again. Medium, though. This is the best weapon I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± Atticus said, his voice filled with awe. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it has a passive ability attached to it. Only activates when bonded. Oh¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, friend, but unless you¡¯re a bare-knuckle brawler, you¡¯re out of luck. And I can¡¯t afford to buy something like this unless you¡¯re willing to sell it for a fraction of its worth,¡± Atticus stated. ¡°What¡¯s the effect?¡± ¡°It increases all unarmed damage by nine percent,¡± he said. ¡°But it also has an effect called Anticoagnt. I¡¯m thinking it causes extra bleeding as a damage-over-time or weakening effect.¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°Seems powerful,¡± he said. ¡°For the right person, most certainly,¡± Atticus said. ¡°Not many people fighting with their hands, though. Almost everyone picks up a de or at least a club. Our guards favor the spear on ount of our heritage. But the hero doesn¡¯t need a weapon, I¡¯m told.¡± ¡°Hero?¡± ¡°Goes by As. Mightiest warrior in the vige. He¡¯s hunting the maneater right now. Sad, because he¡¯s surely going to die.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Because everyone else has,¡± Atticus said. ¡°But enough of that. Do you have anything else you need identified before we head to the Branch and settle up?¡± Elijah did. First came the Silver Bracer of Rage, which turned out to have an additional effect that was unsurprisingly called Rage. Elijah didn¡¯t know what it did, but Atticus had some insight into that sort of thing. ¡°It¡¯s probably a berserking ability,¡± he said. ¡°Increased attributes or damage at the cost of control. There are a few abilities like that.¡± The final item Elijah had Atticus identify was the Sash of the Whirlwind. It had no extra effects, but Elijah did learn that the time dtion was called Haste. However, it was limited to only two percent when unbonded. Once Elijah bonded the item, it would increase to five percent. The attribute bonuses would remain the same. ¡°Interesting,¡± Elijah said, retying the sash around his waist. ¡°I believe you might be the best equipped person I¡¯ve ever seen, and you¡¯re not even wearing any proper armor,¡± Atticus said with a shake of his head. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a story behind all of that.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I got stranded in the middle of nowhere when the world changed, so I had to fend for myself. I guess there are benefits to that,¡± he said. ¡°If you manage to survive.¡± Atticusughed, then pped Elijah on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, friend. The survival is the tricky part, I¡¯m sure. Now,e on. Let¡¯s get you paid.¡± Book 2: Chapter 52: Good Company Book 2: Chapter 52: Good Company Atticus pped Elijah on the back and proimed, ¡°You aren¡¯t so bad of a guy, friend. And best of all, you¡¯re rich! So you can buy dinner!¡± ¡°Uh¡­alright?¡± Elijah said, depositing a few crystalline leaves into his sack. They were guides that he¡¯d bought that would hopefully shed some light on a few topics that were still a mystery to him. Those same guides had been avable back in Ironshore, but they had been much more expensive. Vaguely, he remembered Ramik mentioning that Ironshore¡¯s Branch had been imported, so perhaps that had something to do with the increased cost. Whatever the case, with the prices of those guides, he felt like he was stealing. Unfortunately, there was almost nothing avable on the Market, and there was only one town listed on the map, and it was at the very edge of the range. Still, it would give Elijah a good starting point for his continued search for his sister. He had also added quite a few coins to his tally, especially after Atticus had paid him. He checked his folio:
Copper Silver Gold tinum
114 422 17 0
Even after buying the guides, Elijah was a lot richer than when he¡¯d left Ironshore. He supposed that conquering a tower alone was a good way to earn money, though he was still unsure of how he was intended to spend his wealth. He had everything he needed ¨C so far ¨C and he had a feeling that acquiring new equipment and supplies would only grow easier as he progressed in levels. ¡°What do you suggest?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about Greek food.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re in for a treat, friend!¡± said the jovial Atticus. Despite shelling out quite a few coins, he was in a great mood. That probably meant that he¡¯d gotten the better of Elijah in their dealings, but that wasn¡¯t so concerning. He had plenty of money, after all, and he was more concerned with getting the items off his hands ¨C especially the giant ogre staff ¨C than he was about getting the absolute most money he could out of selling them. Still, he intended to make an attempt at contextualizing prices going forward; that way, he could avoid getting ripped off by less reputable merchants. ¡°I know the best restaurant in Argo. The finest moussaka you¡¯ll ever taste. You¡¯ll see, friend. You will see.¡± Elijah just nodded, saying, ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ve never had moussaka.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re in for a treat!¡± After that, Atticus dragged him from the building containing the Branch. It was located in a central location, but the structure itself was little different from the rest of the city. By the time they stepped out into the street, night had begun to fall, and as they strode along, Elijah noticed the prevalence of elderly women sitting on the buildings¡¯ balconies. As they passed, they would lean in to one another, clearly gossiping about him. A few even pointed, making him feel incredibly self-conscious. Atticus assured him that it was nothing to worry about. Instead, it was just a characteristicmon among older Greek women. Even if he¡¯d been absolutely normal ¨C which he decidedly was not, considering his blonde hair and odd attire ¨C he would have be a source of gossip. Eventually, Atticus led him to a restaurant. In front of the building, there were a half dozen tables, at which various diners dug into their meals. Elijah didn¡¯t recognize many of the dishes served, but he was no expert on Greek cuisine, so that was unsurprising. Atticus obviously knew the owner, because he greeted the portly, heavily bearded man with a jovial hug. He introduced Elijah as a good friend. The owner ¨C who was named Niks ¨C escorted them to a private table in the back. There, Atticus and Elijah took seats on opposite sides. ¡°It¡¯s nice, yeah?¡± Atticus asked. ¡°Better than anyce I¡¯ve eatentely,¡± Elijah answered honestly. Thest time he¡¯d eaten a meal at a proper restaurant had been back in Norcastle, and even that had been the inn where he¡¯d stayed. Before that, he¡¯d had pizza with Jess the night before he¡¯d left for the tower. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. So, what¡¯s your story?¡± asked Atticus, leaning in eagerly. ¡°Who says I have a story?¡± ¡°Everyone has a story, friend. You¡¯re more powerful than you have any right to be, you have special treasures I¡¯ve never seen before, and you¡¯re walking around out in the wilderness alone. If anyone has a story, it¡¯s you,¡± he stated. If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Elijah sighed. ¡°The long and short of it is that I was stranded alone when the World Tree incorporated Earth. So, I ended up having to spend the next two years ¨C I think; time got a bit funny ¨C trying to survive. A couple of towerster, and I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°A couple of towers? Where¡¯s your team?¡± ¡°No team,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Just me.¡± ¡°Seems like there¡¯s a story there, too.¡± ¡°Not an interesting one,¡± Elijah lied. ¡°So, what about you? How¡¯d you end up here?¡± ¡°Born and raised in Argos. I moved to Athens a few years back, but I was back home visiting my mother when everything changed,¡± he said. Then, his face fell. ¡°She didn¡¯t make it. Giant rat creature. They were bad there for a while, but then they just¡­stopped. Most people think they went elsewhere, but I don¡¯t know. I think something killed them. Same with the cats.¡± ¡°The cats?¡± ¡°Argos used to be lousy with them. It was an issue in the first six months or so, but then, they started disappearing until there weren¡¯t any left. Dogs went next. Now, anything smaller than a mule disappears after a few days. Nobody knows what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Eh. Just life in the apocalypse, right? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen stranger things,¡± Atticus said. Just then, Niks arrived bearing two tes of what looked likesagna. However, the smells were all wrong, It was obviously the moussaka Atticus had mentioned, so once the owner left them alone, he wasted no time in digging in. And it was glorious. ¡°What is this, and why have I never had it? It¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°It¡¯s moussaka, friend. Eggntsagna withmb. The national dish of Greece.¡± ¡°Is it really?¡± asked Elijah around a mouthful of the delicious dish. Atticusughed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it should be. Now eat, friend. Eat and be merry!¡± After that invitation, Elijah had nopunctions about doing precisely that. Before he knew it, his te was clean. However, it didn¡¯t take long before Niks returned with another serving. In all, Elijah ate three helpings as well as a dessert of bava. Through it all, Atticus proved an amiablepanion, though he did continuously ask for details about Elijah¡¯s exploits. For his part, Elijah revealed a few more bits about what he¡¯d been through, including his misadventures in Norcastle. ¡°That¡¯s your problem, friend,¡± announced Atticus with augh. He gestured with a fork as he continued, ¡°You should have bowed to them. People like that, they expect subservience. When they don¡¯t get it, they react with violence.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t really argue with that,¡± Elijah acknowledged. ¡°So, where are you going after this? Do you seek another tower? Or are you here to hunt the maneater?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°No more towers.¡± ¡°The maneater, then.¡± ¡°Everyone keeps mentioning that. What is it?¡± Atticus leaned in, and in a stage whisper, said, ¡°There are two schools of thought on that, friend. Some people believe it¡¯s just some evolved beast. No different from any other. We had issues with wolves a few months back, for instance. But me? I think different.¡± Elijah raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? What do you think it is?¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of the Nemean lion?¡± ¡°One of the twelvebors of Hercules, right?¡± guessed Elijah, intrigued. ¡°Indeed, friend. Imprable hide. ws sharper than any mortal sword. Sprung from the moon goddess, Selene.¡± ¡°And you think this creature is here?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°We have history with the Nemean lion around here. Just north of here was the town of Cleonae, where the hero received his quest,¡± Atticus exined. ¡°This system made monsters real. The hero As slew a minotaur not three months past. Who says the system is not a tool of Olympus, eh? The gods are angry for moving on without them, and they sent their monsters to punish us.¡± ¡°You believe that?¡± asked Elijah, his dubiousness apparent. Atticus shrugged, then grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea, friend, but it¡¯s as good an exnation as any, eh? Besides, something is killing people out there. That¡¯s indisputable. So, the question remains ¨C are you here to hunt our monster? I fear As is already gone, and with him out of the picture¡­¡± Elijah didn¡¯t know how to respond. On the one hand, he had no issues hunting a monster. In fact, that seemed right up his alley. However, from his perspective, it was far more likely that the monster in question was just a guardian beast who was protecting its territory. In that case, there was no way Elijah would hunt it, even if it was killing people. But there was another possibility for handling the situation, wasn¡¯t there? What if he befriended the creature, then used Ancestral Circle to take it back to the grove? It would be difficult, but he¡¯d done it before with Sara the dragon. Besides, the creature would probably be much happier in his grove, right? It was certainly something to think about, and before Elijah even knew it, he had already decided to check it out. He was self-aware enough to know that part of that was due to what had happened to the bear. If he¡¯d done the same for that guardian beast, it would still be alive. ¡°I can look into it,¡± he said. ¡°But I can¡¯t really guarantee anything. Chances are I won¡¯t even find anything out there.¡± ¡°You will. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°What makes you so certain?¡± ¡°A good feeling. Now, let¡¯s drink!¡± he said, raising his mug of beer. Elijah tried to beg off, but in the end, the boisterous merchant insisted. Fortunately, Elijah¡¯s Constitution and Regeneration were high enough that beer really couldn¡¯t inebriate him unless he went seriously overboard. Just to be sure, though, he continuously healed himself via Touch of Nature. He wanted to trust Atticus, but getting drunk with a stranger seemed far too reckless, even for Elijah. So, he drank with the merchant, and as he did, he felt much of the tension he¡¯d carried melt away. It wasn¡¯t the alcohol, per se. Rather, it was just being around people who weren¡¯t looking to exploit or kill him. In fact, there were moments when he felt like he was back home with his friends and coworkers, just hanging out and having a good time. But before long, the night came to an end, and he helped a very unsteady Atticus back to his shop. Apparently, he lived on the floor above, so Elijah had no qualms about leaving the merchant to find his own way to bed. Meanwhile, he quickly found an inn where he rented a room from an annoyed innkeeper. ¡°Sorry about howte it is,¡± he said, sliding an extra couple of copper coins to the frowning woman. ¡°I got caught up with a friend.¡± She snorted. ¡°Lose your shoes, too?¡± ¡°Uh¡­I don¡¯t have any shoes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite an oversight.¡± Elijah looked down at his bare feet. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re probably right.¡± Then, he took the key from the crochety old woman and headed up the nearby stairs to the room he¡¯d rented. To his surprise, there were no viins there to ambush him. No sudden issues. Nothing but a bed, a nightstand, and a pitcher of water. Over the next few minutes, he undressed, then used the pitcher of water to wash himself as best he could. He knew it was inadequate, but the small inn was the only ce that was open sote. So, he figured that beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers, and he made do with what he had. Once he was done, he copsed onto the bed and fell asleep before more than a minute had passed. Book 2: Chapter 53: Ladenia Book 2: Chapter 53: Ladenia Elijah missed his own bed. And the tree house. The grove, too. Even Nerthus. When he¡¯d first washed ashore on that ind, he¡¯d have never expected to think of it as home, and yet, from the moment he¡¯d departed, he had begun to miss all the things that had grown so familiar. Certainly, he didn¡¯t miss the monster attacks or the starvation that had gued his first few weeks, but his grove hade a long way since then. It was easily asfortable as his apartment back in Hawaii. As hey in the hotel¡¯s thin-mattressed bed, he cast the whole of his Mind back to his Domain. Thanks to his Locus, he always knew what was going on back on the ind, but he usually kept that information sequestered in its own facet of his Mind. But every now and again, he liked to turn his full attention to the goings on back home. When he did, he was gratified to sense that it was much the same as always. His Domain had continued to grow, and it had even epassed the tower. However, the rate of growth had begun to slow, and he suspected that it would peter out within a hundred yards of the ind¡¯s shores. Even that was an incredible amount of territory, though, and what¡¯s more, he could sense the tower¡¯s excess Ethera draining into the grove itself. That was just as Nerthus had predicted, and he expected that it would keep the tower from overflowing in a surge of Voxx. ¡°That¡¯s a relief and a half,¡± he said to himself as he stared up at the ceiling, his hands behind his head. For a long time, he just enjoyed the safety and security of civilization while keeping his Mind focused on his Locus. It was oddlyforting, knowing everything that was happening back home. If Elijah was honest, he¡¯d half expected to have already been called home for one reason or another. But the people of Ironshore had remained on their side of the strait, seemingly content to live separately. A good thing, too, because as much as he craved theforts of home, he still had a goal ahead of him. Finding his sister remained at the top of his list. Fortunately, Carmen¡¯s name was still on the power rankings, and he took some sce in the implication that his sister, as well as Miguel, was still out there and safe. After all, there was no way that Carmen would let anything happen to Alyssa. Not so long as she was alive, which she clearly was because she¡¯d actually gained a couple of levels in the past few weeks. That was enough to put at least some of his anxiety to rest. With that thought, Elijah pushed himself out of bed and looked around the room. The night before, he¡¯d barely noticed his surroundings, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that the room was extremely clean, if a little sparse. As he¡¯d noted before going to sleep, there was no bathroom attached to the room, so he quickly went down the hall to take advantage of themunal toilet. Fortunately, he was an early riser, and so, he didn¡¯t have to wait his turn. Once he was finished, he went back to his room and took another birdbath with the provided pitcher of water, then headed downstairs. As was the case with thest hotel where he¡¯d stayed, the bottom floor functioned as a restaurant, but to his disdain, the surly innkeeper wasn¡¯t cooking to order. Instead, a few minutes after he sat down, she stopped in to serve him some tbread that had been topped with tomatoes and drizzled in olive oil.¡°What is this?¡± he asked, trying his best not to sound disappointed. He wanted bacon and eggs, or at least something a little heartier than a bit of bread. ¡°Ladenia,¡± the woman answered. ¡°Good. Eat.¡± Without further exnation, she left him to his meal. ¡°At least there¡¯s coffee,¡± he said, reaching out to grab the cup she¡¯d left behind. When he took a sip of the hot beverage, he was taken back to the world before everything had changed. It had been so long since he¡¯d enjoyed a real cup of coffee that he¡¯d almost forgotten how much he loved the bitter brew. Even without sugar, it was amazing, and he almost forgot about thedenia. But then his stomach started rumbling, and he gave it a shot. ¡°Oh, my god,¡± he muttered around his first bite. First of all, there was a lot more going on than simple bread and tomatoes. There were onions and herbs on the fluffy tbread, too. And of course, the olive oil set it all off. It was divine, and Elijah quickly forgot about his previous objections as he tore through the entire meal in what felt like seconds. As he swallowed thest bite, he signaled the innkeeper and asked for seconds. Strangely, his obvious enjoyment of the food cut through her surly demeanor, and she actually favored him with a smile. ¡°I have something else for you. Wait.¡± Before she left, she refilled his coffee cup and patted him on the head like he was a child. But given her advanced age, she was probably old enough to have been his grandmother, so he didn¡¯t take offense. Especially if she kept bringing him delicious food and coffee ¨C if she did that, he would take whatever she wanted to dish out. Soon after, she returned and set a te in front of him. He looked at the round, pancake-like dish in front of him and asked, ¡°What is this?¡± It certainly didn¡¯t smell like a pancake, and it had nuts sprinkled on top. There was also honey drizzled across the whole thing. ¡°It¡¯s called sfakianopita,¡± she said, beaming. She waved her hand, adding, ¡°Eat. It¡¯s good.¡± By that point, Elijah trusted the older woman¡¯s judgement, so he dug in. And predictably, it was amazing. It was soft and crispy and ky, all at once. And the cheese and honey and nuts all yed perfectly together. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°I think you¡¯re my new favorite person in the world,¡± he said, grinning at the woman as he continued to chew. Meanwhile, he was trying to think of a way to coax the woman back to his ind. He was top ten on the powerdder, wasn¡¯t he? That meant he was famous and powerful. Surely, he deserved a personal cook. For her part, the woman just smiled knowingly. There was no trace of the curmudgeonly innkeeper he¡¯d met the night before. Instead, she¡¯d been reced by a kindly, old grandmother. Elijah knew which one he preferred. Regrettably, by the time he finished the small pancake-like pie, he was absolutely stuffed. Still, before he left on the day¡¯s mission ¨C he still hadn¡¯t forgotten about the supposed maneater stalking the countryside ¨C the innkeeper thrust a basket into his hands, telling him, ¡°Egg muffins. Forter.¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t going to turn her down, so he took the basket with gratitude and handed her a couple more cooper ethereum. Of course, she tried to refuse, but he insisted, closing her fist around the coins and saying, ¡°That was the best breakfast I¡¯ve had in years. Thank you.¡± And he meant it, too. Of course, he could count on one hand the number of times he¡¯d eaten anything but leftover fish stew, crab, or a few berries, so that probably wasn¡¯t thepliment it seemed. Still, he was as satisfied with the meal as he¡¯d ever been. After that, Elijah grabbed his staff from where he¡¯d leaned it against the table and set off. As he started through the city, he once again noticed the prevalence of older women sitting on balconies and presumably gossiping about everything they saw. He gave one group a wave and a smile, which set them off into excited whispers. His contented grin widened at that, and he kept on going until he reached the gate. When he passed the guards, they reminded him to be back inside before nightfall. Otherwise, he would risk the ire of the maneater. Elijah assured them that he would do just that, then strode off toward the tree line in the distance. As he did, he saw an olive grove on the other side of town. That exined where all the olive oil hade from, at least. Once Elijah reached the concealment of the trees, he took a few minutes to find a secluded glen where he settled down on a fallen log. There, he started emptying his pack. After all, he now knew that, because he hadn¡¯t bonded his items, he wasn¡¯t getting their full use. So, he quickly got down to the business of doing just that, pricking his fingers and thrusting his ethera into his magical equipment. It was a bit embarrassing that he hadn¡¯t figured it out on his own, but it only took a moment for him to realize that it was nothing to be ashamed of. After all, it would¡¯ve taken quite an intuitive leap ¨C or some odd coincidence ¨C for him to figure the process out. ¡°I mean, who goes and smears blood on their fancy new sash, right?¡± he asked the forest. ¡°Nobody. That¡¯s who.¡± In any case, he quickly did just that, then shoved some ethera into the sash. A momentter, when he tied it around his waist, he felt the difference. It wasn¡¯t a huge difference, but the Haste effect was still more potent than it had been before. Next, he bonded the ws of Gluttony before slipping the awkward thing onto his hands. While he wasn¡¯t going to run around punching things in his human form, he fought unarmed in his other shapes. So, he expected that the effect would work just fine. And Elijah certainly wouldn¡¯t refuse a straight nine percent increase to his damage, let alone the Anticoagnt effect. Finally, he bound his bracer. When he did, he became immediately aware of the Rage effect. With a thought, he could activate it. However, he intuitively knew that once he did, the ability would go on cooldown for six hours. So, he needed to be careful about using it. With all that done, he embraced Shape of the Predator, and once he¡¯d assumed his draconid form, he looked down at his ws. The right set ¨C the ones that corresponded with the ws of Gluttony ¨C had taken on a distinctly metallic sheen. That seemed to confirm that, if he wanted to take advantage of the weapon, he¡¯d need to attack with that w ¨C not ideal, but still better than nothing. He suspected it would be more effective in hismer ape form,rgely because he was more dependent on his ws ¨C or hands, really ¨C in that shape. Still, he wasn¡¯t going to refuse any extra source of damage. Now that his items had been bound, and he was fighting at peak strength, Elijah decided to finally get started on the task at hand. So, he took on the Guise of the Unseen and set off through the woods. During his conversation with Atticus, he¡¯d discovered that thest recorded maneater attacks had been in the olive groves, so that was the direction Elijah headed. As he did, he kept an entire facet of his Quartz Mind dedicated to parsing the data he received from One with Nature. The effective radius still wasn¡¯t more than a dozen feet or so, but he¡¯d found the extrasensory perception to be invaluable nheless. Yet, even with that on his side, he found nothing until he reached the groves. There, he encountered plenty of twitchy and anxious workers. However, there was no sign of the maneater. So, Elijah kept going, slowly making his way through the olive groves until he reached the edge. That was where the hero As had gone hunting the monster, so Elijah had always figured that was where he would end up. Soon enough, he¡¯d left the olive groves behind, though even miles from the city, he still hadn¡¯t found any evidence of the monster. In fact, other than birds and a few tree-dwelling creatures, there were no animals at all. The day wore on, and as his search continued, he encountered more of the same. Until, atst, he smelled blood. One whiff, and he knew that it had originated with a human as well. He expected that he¡¯d finally found As¡¯ trail, and judging by the spatter of blood, it seemed that the hero was injured. So, Elijah followed the smell, pausing every now and again to make certain that he wasn¡¯t walking into a trap. However, he didn¡¯t sense anything amiss, so he continued to track the injured hero until, finally, he caught sight of him. And he was nothing like what Elijah had expected. When he¡¯d heard the name As, he¡¯d envisioned a huge, strapping man with bulging muscles capable of bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders. However, the person huddled against a boulder and sitting in a pool of his own blood looked little bigger than a child. Even to Elijah, who was below-average size, the boy looked slim to the point of malnutrition. He wore round spectacles and had a mop of curly, ck hair that made him look like a member of a boy band. He was clutching a long, thin stick, and his eyes flicked around as if he was expecting to be attacked at any moment. That was probably smart, because his bloody clothing and multitude of wounds suggested that he¡¯d already gotten the worst of some enemy. And judging by how twitchy he was, whatever had mauled him was still out there. For a moment, Elijah considered waiting to see if the enemy ¨C probably the maneater ¨C would show itself, but the idea of using a dying teenager as bait just didn¡¯t sit right with him. So, he let Shape of the Predator fall away, and he said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little young to be out here all by yourself?¡± ¡°No! You idiot! Run away! It¡¯s going to ¨C¡± Before Elijah could even cast Healing Rain or approach the young man, something mmed into his back, sending him pitching forward into the loamy forest turf. Book 2: Chapter 54: The Nemean Lion Book 2: Chapter 54: The Nemean Lion Pain erupted in Elijah¡¯s back as his attacker brought incredibly sharp ws to bear. Due to his high Constitution, he wasn¡¯t ripped to shreds, but the ws still scraped against his ribs. As the creature ¨C whatever it was ¨C tore his flesh to ribbons, one facet of Elijah¡¯s mind focused on casting Form of the Guardian. The second he finished the spell, his body started to morph. First, he grew scales. Then, his arms extended, his hands bing vicious ws. His legs didn¡¯t grow any shorter, but the effect was the same due to the lengthening of his torso and the sheer amount of muscle that came with the form of themer ape. The moment the transformation wasplete, Elijah used Iron Scales. It didn¡¯t do anything for the ruin that had already been wrought on his back, but it would hopefully prevent more damage in the immediate future. But only for a few seconds. Then, he would have to cast it again, which was not a viable strategy. Using the ability in quick session would drain his stamina very rapidly, and if he employed that approach, he would quickly wear himself out. As a result, he was on the clock. With that timer upying one facet of his mind, Elijah used the second of sce granted by his ability to shove himself to his feet. With his long arms, he tried to dislodge the creature on his back, but it was both too small and too awkwardly positioned. So, even with his extended reach, he couldn¡¯t get ahold of the thing. So, after spying the nearest tree, heunched himself backwards. Just before he crashed into the massive trunk, the little monster on his back leaped free. That was when Elijah got his first look at the thing. ¡°Is that a housecat?¡± he murmured, his transformed voiceing out as more of a growl. Indeed, the supposed monster was clearly a housecat, though Elijah wasn¡¯t certain of the breed. With an extraordinarily fluffy coat of tawny fur, it would¡¯ve looked like a stuffed animal if it wasn¡¯t for the blood sttered across its chest. The animal was also more than twice the size of any housecat Elijah had ever seen, which meant that its stature was simr to a mountain lion. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her!¡± screamed the boy, his voice cracking. Then, he added, ¡°No Artemis! Bad girl! Leave the man¡­er¡­monster alone!¡± The cat, which Elijah btedly recognized as a Maine Coon, briefly shifted its focus to the boy. That gave Elijah an opening he wasn¡¯t going to squander. So, heunched himself forward, intending to end the fight with a single blow. With the increased Haste effect from Sash of the Whirlwind, Elijah moved with incredible crity, and he managed to take the distracted cat by surprise.His ws glinted metallically as they swept out, but when he made contact with the little monster¡¯s tawny fur, he got the surprise of a lifetime. The sound of metal scratching against metal filled the air, and though the momentum of the blow sent the cat sailing through the air, the attack did not bear the results Elijah had anticipated. The little creature twisted, hitting a tree feet-first, thenunched itself back at Elijah. He barely had time to once again use Iron Scales before it hit him like aunched missile. Despite itsparatively small size ¨C after all, even a bobcat was tinypared to hismer ape form ¨C the impact of its attack sent him staggering backwards. Then, it savaged his chest with its sharp ws, though most of the damage was mitigated by the still-ongoing Iron Scales. But it was set to end soon. To avoid having his chest shredded as thoroughly as his back, Elijah mbered for a grip on the little creature, and to his surprise, he managed to grab ahold of its great, bushy tail. However, when he did, he felt something that, once again, filled him with surprise. Instead of fluffy fur, the cat was covered in something more akin to the bristles of a steel brush. When his ws closed around the tail, he felt those bristles painfully digging into his palm. Yet, he wasn¡¯t going to let such a perfect opportunity go to waste. So, despite the annoying pain, his grip tightened. And when he had a good hold of the tail, he ripped the creature away from his chest and mmed it against the ground. Once. Twice. Three times, channeling his inner Hulk. The little monster yowled in agony, but Elijah wasn¡¯t rewarded with the sound of breaking bones. Instead of being crippled by being mmed into the ground multiple times, the cat had gone wild, wing anything that came into range. That meant that, as soon as Iron Scales wore off, the creature tore into his wrist and forearm. Elijah¡¯s Constitution was high, so those ws didn¡¯t sever tendons, but even if it wasn¡¯t permanently damaging, it was more than enough to frustrate him. However, just before he took his anger out on the cat via another mming attack, something hit Elijah in his already wounded back. The smell of sizzling meat assailed his nose before the blistering agony reached his mind. And when it did, he reacted reflexively, loosening his grip just enough that the cat was able to wriggle free. ¡°Leave her alone!¡± screamed the boy. Elijah stumbled to his knees as the flesh of his back smoldered. Then, another attacknded, and the molten pain shot through the roof. He copsed onto his chest as another fireball sailed overhead, hitting a nearby tree and setting it alight. Elijah tried to rise, but with the muscles in his back having been destroyed, he couldn¡¯t move more than a few inches. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. His options were limited. Touch of Nature was powerful, but the healing it offered was far from instantaneous. Given that he could scarcely move, and he had two enemies bearing down on him, that just wouldn¡¯t work. So, without any other choices he could see, Elijah used Guardian¡¯s Renewal.
Guardian¡¯s Renewal Instantly andpletely regenerate. Cooldown affected by Regeneration attribute. Current: Once Per 6.7 Days.
The ability was instant, and his body immediately recovered. Muscles mended, flesh reformed, and his scales were quickly restored. Yet a lingering pain persisted, almost as if he had a pulled muscle. As far as Elijah knew, that shouldn¡¯t have been possible. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t enough to hinder him, but in one facet of his Mind, he was definitely concerned. More distressing was what he finally allowed himself to notice. The pervasive, sickly sweet scent of rot filled the air, and beneath the cat¡¯s fur was a series of familiar, ck tendrils. Now that he saw it ¨C albeit only barely ¨C Elijah knew the source. He¡¯d seen such a thing before, and the encounter had been significant and terrifying enough that he would never forget it. Clearly, the cat had run afoul of a dimensional rift, which had infected it with the madness Elijah had seen from the bear back on his ind. Back then, he¡¯d managed to close the rift before it had spread too much, but from the looks of it, wherever the cat had been infected had probably been there for quite some time. ¡°W-what? How?¡± breathed the boy. Elijah rose to his feet,pletely restored. That prompted another attack from the young man, who summoned a ball of blue-white fire and tossed it in Elijah¡¯s direction. Now that he could see iting, he had no issues dodging it, and when he did, Elijah darted forward to wrap his massive w around the young man¡¯s waist. At the same time, the cat managed to push itself to its feet and flee into the surrounding forest. It used some sort of ability, because it even disappeared from One with Nature far before it had time to leave the area of effect. So, with only one enemy left, Elijah turned his full attention to the young man. He squeezed, then growled, ¡°Why did you attack me?¡± ¡°Please¡­she¡¯s just sick¡­she¡¯s not¡­she¡¯s not bad! Don¡¯t hurt her!¡± The fury of themer ape threatened to overwhelm Elijah, but he shoved it aside in favor of human calm. Still, he was prepared to rip the young man in two if the situation called for it. In fact, he craved that oue in ways he didn¡¯t want to think about. ¡°Exin,¡± he growled. ¡°She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s my only friend! Please don¡¯t hurt her anymore!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Elijah snarled. He fully realized that the statement was entirely contrary to his tone, but he didn¡¯t dare switch back to his much more vulnerable human form. That fire would have eaten a hole through him in a second if he hadn¡¯t been in his Guardian shape. He unsessfully tried to soften his voice as he once again prompted, ¡°Exin. Now.¡± ¡°O-okay. Okay. Just¡­just don¡¯t hurt her¡­¡± Then, the young manunched into what sounded to Elijah like an unlikely tale. ording to As ¨C which Elijah surmised was the boy¡¯s name ¨C the animal was his cat, Artemis. Just after Earth had experienced the touch of the World Tree, the cat had started to level via hunting various pests in Argos. It had also be the young man¡¯s protector, keeping him safe until he was old enough to take an archetype. He¡¯d chosen the Sorcerer archetype, though he didn¡¯t specify his ss. Elijah got the feeling that most people kept that information to themselves, at least in Argos. ¡°Then, Artemis started hunting other cats. Even dogs,¡± As exined. ¡°She kept getting stronger, too. So did I. And when we found out about the tower, I was one of the people asked to go. I¡­I was the only one who made it back. When I did, Artemis was gone. And all the animals in the city had been killed. I don¡¯t know if that was before or after she got¡­infected.¡± Elijah sighed, which came out more like a growl. Then, he finally let the young man fall from his grip and made a choice that, in a vacuum, was probably stupid. However, the alternative was something he didn¡¯t want to consider. He shifted back to his human form, which caused As to scramble backwards in fear. Holding up a hand, Elijah said, ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m going to heal you, okay? And then you¡¯re going to show me where the rift is. Once I close it, we¡¯ll find your cat, and I¡¯ll try to remove the infection.¡± ¡°What? How? You¡¯re not a Healer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. But I¡¯m close enough,¡± Elijah responded, already casting Healing Rain. As the soothing precipitation started to fall, he added, ¡°See? Healing Rain. Feels good, right? I¡¯m here to help.¡± Elijah was well aware that his bedside manner left a little to be desired, but he hoped that his calm tone, human visage, and healing would bridge the gap and allow the young man to trust him ¨C at least enough that he wouldn¡¯t start tossing more of those blue-white fireballs at him. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± He didn¡¯t get anything else out before Elijah took a step forward andid his hand on the young man¡¯s shoulder. He wasn¡¯t going to push his luck by insisting on a proper examination, so he settled for the untargeted form of Touch of Nature. That was usually fine for self-healing, but when he was trying to mend someone else¡¯s injuries, it was decidedly less effective. Still, he made do, suffusing the young man¡¯s body with rejuvenating energy. As gasped and flinched before he was beset by a series of tremors as his body mended. In the end, it took six casts of Touch of Nature to heal the boy, which was a testament to As¡¯s level of power. ¡°That¡­most people have trouble healing me,¡± he muttered, looking down at his bloodstained clothes. ¡°Because of my ss¡­¡± Elijah could tell that the young man didn¡¯t want to talk about that, so he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your real name? And don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s really As. I know that¡¯s bullshit.¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s Isaak. The As thing wasn¡¯t my idea.¡± ¡°Well, Isaak,¡± Elijah said, holding out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Elijah.¡± When the young man grasped his hand, he pulled Isaak to his feet and added, ¡°Nice to meet you. Now, let¡¯s go find that rift. With any luck, we¡¯ll have your cat healed by the end of the day.¡± Book 2: Chapter 55: A Different Kind of Challenge Book 2: Chapter 55: A Different Kind of Challenge The forest was silent, but Elijah felt the corruption of the of the nearby dimensional rift. It was clearly higher grade than the one he¡¯d entered back on his ind, which didn¡¯t bode well for the difficulties ahead. Even as he focused on that with one facet of his mind, the other partitions in his Opal Mind monitored his surroundings. One facet was trained on Isaak, who walked beside him, but the rest were entirely focused on the environment. He didn¡¯t want to get ambushed again, and One with Nature seemed incapable of detecting the corrupted cat. ¡°So, why did Artemis attack you?¡± he asked, following the strengthening trail of corruption. Now that he was looking for it, it was easier to track, and he knew it was closer than expected. ¡°She was a good girl, at first,¡± he said. ¡°She even protected me. But¡­once she disappeared, and I figured out what was happening, I knew I needed to help her. Or stop her...¡± Elijah stopped, then turned to put his hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. He was taller than Elijah, but he held himself with a stoop. ¡°Listen. You need to ept that this might not turn out like you want it to,¡± he said, trying to be aspassionate as possible. The cat wasn¡¯t just the boy¡¯s pet. That was his friend. His guardian. Better than most, Elijah could understand how important that could be. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to heal her, and I think I have a good shot. But I¡¯ve never done this, and there¡¯s every chance that I won¡¯t be able to. If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± the boy said, his eyes adopting a steely glint that shed behind his round spectacles. In that moment, Elijah could see the determination that had allowed Isaak to survive the tower. ¡°I¡¯m prepared to do what¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°Good.¡± After that, Isaak exined how the cat had spent the past week toying with him. It wasn¡¯t simple cruelty, either, though that was part of Artemis¡¯s motivation. In addition, it had been using Isaak as bait, wounding him and waiting on other monsters or animals to investigate the smell of what they thought was a wounded animal. When they came around, Artemis pounced. It was a viable hunting method, though one that Elijah found disturbing for a number of reasons he didn¡¯t want to contemte. However, he did find himself wondering if it was an expression of the cat¡¯s natural cruelty or if the corruption had twisted it into something it never should have been. Whatever the case, he listened to Isaak¡¯s exnation with equanimity as they approached the rip in the dimensional membrane that connected their world with the Void. One of the guides he¡¯d bought back in Argos had borated on the nature of the universe, which he¡¯d added to the exnation he¡¯d gotten from Nerthus. He already knew that the World Tree connected multiple universes ¨C nine, in fact ¨C but the space between those universes was referred to as the Void. It was uncharted territory ruled by an entity called the Ravener. There wasn¡¯t much information on that creature ¨C or god, as it seemed ¨C but the guide wasn¡¯t shy about calling it the enemy. The space on the other side of the dimensional rift was, like the towers, a result of the system¡¯s intervention. So, instead of directly connecting the normal universes with the Void, it acted as both a barrier and a bridge between dimensions. In many ways, it was exactly the same as the towers, but on a much smaller scale. Even so, Elijah had also learned that they could be much more dangerous than towers, and for a variety of reasons. Mostly, though, it was due to the fact that people often underestimated those dangers, but also because the level of the creatures inside werepletely independent of the challenger. That was a departure from the nature of the towers, the levels of which scaled ording to the level of the people trying to conquer it. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that a level twenty could jump into a tower and defeat nothing but creatures of that level. Instead, the guide described the tower denizens as ¡°appropriately leveled to provide a difficult challenge to an entire group of would-be conquerors¡±. That was further muddled by the grades of towers, but that seemed to be less based on levels than on real power. It was all a little confusing to Elijah, but the gist of it was that most towers were theoretically surmountable by a well-tuned group. However, challenging and defeating the higher-grade towers was much more difficult and only appropriate for the best of the best. Every time he dug deeper into the universe ¨C or multi-verse, he amended ¨C the more he saw how little he understood. There were so manyyers that it would take a lifetime to explore them all. But that shouldn¡¯t have been surprising. Even before the touch of the World Tree, Earth had beenplex enough to take a lifetime to understand, and that was with the knowledge of all of human civilization to build upon. It only stood to reason that a multi-verse that wasposed of not just multiples, but multiple universes, would be infinitely moreplex. So, he¡¯d resolved to take things one step at a time and work with whatever snippets of information he could acquire. Anything else would be too overwhelming to contemte. With that in mind, he and Isaak continued to follow the trail until, atst, they discovered the tear in the dimensional fabric. It manifested as arge, ragged rip hanging in the air. Through it, Elijah could see nothing but darkness, though he knew what to expect on the other side. Spreading out from that rip were ck tendrils of corruption that looked like glistening vines. They reached about thirty feet in every direction, and the moment Elijah stepped within that circle, he felt the corruption skyrocket. Stolen story; please report. Isaak let out a gasp. ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t like it one bit.¡± ¡°You get used to it,¡± Elijah lied. ¡°Just try to ignore it.¡± He turned to the young man and continued, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. I can go in alone.¡± ¡°No. I need to help.¡± Elijah admired the boy¡¯s courage. ¡°Fine. You remember what I told you, right? We¡¯re going into a space between worlds where we¡¯ll have to fight something, just like in the tower, but on a smaller scale.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Okay ¨C you¡¯re a mage, right? Like, you sling fireballs.¡± ¡°Soulfire.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s soulfire. It eats away at a person¡¯s Ethera while doing¡­a lot of damage. I¡¯ve never seen anything survive after I hit it.¡± ¡°I survived.¡± ¡°I know,¡± the boy said with a visible tremor. ¡°I can also increase Ethera regeneration. And I have an ability called Soulfire Explosion. If I use it, everything dies, and I¡¯m out ofmission for the rest of the fight. Last time, I had to spend a week in recovery.¡± ¡°Do you have anything else noteworthy?¡± ¡°I have a couple of self-buffs,¡± he said. ¡°One called Arcane Shield that can block a few attacks. One called Shackle that kind of roots a bad guy in ce. There are a couple more, like Fireball and Ice Explosion that I don¡¯t use that much. I normally just use Soulfire Dart, like the one I hit you with.¡± ¡°Alright. So, I¡¯m going to try something, then,¡± Elijah said. Then, he cast Essence of the Boar, Essence of the Wolf, and Aura of Regeneration on the young man. The enhancements stuck, but when he tried to use Essence of the Monkey on Isaak, it wouldn¡¯t take hold. Still, that was enough to elicit a gasp of surprise from Isaak. ¡°What was that? I feel¡­better. Like, a lot better.¡± ¡°One increases your Constitution, another your movement speed, and thest is called Aura of Regeneration. It increases your Regeneration quite a bit,¡± Elijah exined. Then, he cast the enhancements on himself, though he added Essence of the Monkey to his own list. He still couldn¡¯t use everything all at once, but he hoped that when he got a few more levels, that would change. Of course, he also kept One with Nature active as well, but that was always the case. Isaak responded by casting an enhancement of his own, and when Elijah looked at his status, he saw that his Regeneration had increased by another fifteen points. That was incredible, considering that Isaak probably hadn¡¯t advanced his cultivation like Elijah had. And if he had, he certainly didn¡¯t have the benefit of the powerful Dragon Core. So, the base spell was definitely powerful. With that, the pair were ready for the challenge of the dimensional rift. So, without further hesitation, they stepped inside. For a brief instant, Elijah felt like he was being ripped into a million pieces. He¡¯d experienced much the same in his first trip into a dimensional rift, so he had expected it. However, Isaak clearly hadn¡¯t, and his response was predictable. He let out a long, piercing scream before falling to one knee and sobbing. Elijah left him there for a few seconds before kneeling beside the boy. He put his hand on Isaak¡¯s back and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s over. Now, eyes up. This isn¡¯t like thest time I was in one of these.¡± The setting was simr. Popted by jagged rocks that looked distressingly like obsidian, the ground was otherwise barren. In the distance, he could see huge peaks of grey stone, and just as before, there were a multitude of purple rivers of energy. A few dozen feet away, Elijah saw what looked like purple anemones waving in the motionless air. More importantly, he saw his opponent. The Voxxian monster was small. Maybe three feet tall, but built of solid muscle and coated in dark green scales. It cocked its head to the side, gazing at Elijah with obvious curiosity. ¡°On your feet, Isaak.¡± The moment he uttered those words, the little creature let out a screech, then charged Elijah. For his part, he immediately shifted into hismer ape form and leaped forward into battle. He met the monster¡¯s charge with a herculean punch that sent it skidding across the rocky ground. It shattered the jagged shards of obsidian with its passage, onlying to a stop thirty feet away when its momentum was met by arger ck edifice. But it wasn¡¯t dead. Not yet, at least. Isaak had recovered from the pain of passing through the dimensional rift, and he¡¯d already tossed a Soulfire Dart at the prone creature. The little ball of blue-and-white fire moved extremely slowly, but the fallen Voxx was too stunned to take advantage of that weakness. The Soulfire Dart hit it in the shoulder, then quickly enveloped the creature. It screeched again, but the sound quickly died away, reced by the sizzle of broiling flesh. Only a few momentster, it was dead, leaving behind only a charred and unrecognizable husk. ¡°Is that it?¡± the young man asked, panting with excitement and fear. Elijah looked back to see Isaak pushing his spectacles back into ce. ¡°I expected it to be harder.¡± ¡°No. We didn¡¯t get a notification.¡± Just then, the ground rumbled, and via One with Nature, Elijah felt two distinct presences re into existence. A momentter, two creatures erupted from the rocky ground. Both of them screeched, thenunched themselves into a charge that mirrored the previous monster¡¯s attack. However, these two Voxx were slightly different than the one that hade before. Not only were they noticeablyrger and more muscr, but they featured sharper-looking ws. ¡°Upgrades,¡± Elijah muttered before leaping forward. However, the creatures were smart enough not to meet his charge head-on. Instead, the second he moved in their direction, they split. One went for Isaak, while the other intended to confront Elijah. Knowing that the young man wasn¡¯t built to take hits, Elijah pivoted, springing sideways and tackling the other monster. However, the first quickly adjusted and darted toward Isaak. Even as Elijah grabbed hold of the monster and started pummeling it into submission, the other reached Isaak. But to his surprise, the young man¡¯s shield held through the monster¡¯s first blow, and he responded by hitting it with another Soulfire Dart. Just like that, the monster ended up like the first ¨C charred and crispy. Elijah¡¯s opponent died a few momentster. But almost as soon as it went down, he felt the next wave of monsters. Three more burst from the ground a secondter, confirming the nature of the rift¡¯s challenge. ¡°It¡¯s a gauntlet,¡± he shouted. ¡°Conserve your Ethera as best you can. I think we¡¯re going to be here for a while!¡± Book 2: Chapter 56: A Battle of Endurance Book 2: Chapter 56: A Battle of Endurance Three Voxxian monsters mbered across Elijah¡¯s broad back, biting and wing for purchase. He¡¯d just used Iron Scales, so they stood no chance of actually harming him. However, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Isaak, who was running in circles as he tried to avoid yet another creature. He was not doing a good job of it, either, because the thing kept catching up and biting him. The only reason he hadn¡¯t already fallen was the ethereal shield that protected his body. Eljiah couldn¡¯t worry about the boy, though. He had to trust that Isaak could take care of himself, because he was already starting to feel the strain of using Iron Scales too many times in quick session. If something didn¡¯t change ¨C and soon ¨C he would fall from sheer exhaustion. So, with that in mind, he reached back with one long arm, and snatched at the much-smaller Voxx. It dodged nimbly and continued its gnashing attack. So, he tipped over and mmed himself into the ground, back-first. Two of the monsters scattered, leaping from his back just in time to avoid being ttened. However, the third wasn¡¯t so lucky. Bones crunched as the full weight of Elijah¡¯s Guardian shape squashed the creature. It didn¡¯t die, but it certainly wasn¡¯t recovering from that anytime soon. More importantly, Elijah had a brief moment to enact the next part of his hastily-conceived n. Without hesitation, he shifted back into his human form and cast two spells. The first was Healing Rain, which he hoped would be enough to keep both himself and Isaak healed for the time being. The next was Snaring Roots, which he aimed at the boy¡¯s pursuer. Thick, thorny, and purple vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around the small creature and locking it into ce. Meanwhile, the remaining two Voxx reversed course and made a beeline toward the suddenly vulnerable Elijah. He met the first one with a baseball swing of his staff that sent it skidding to the side, but that opened him for the other¡¯s attack. Elijah raised his arm just in time to keep it from tearing into his torso, but when it crunched down on his forearm, he let out a cry of anger and agony. Without aiming, he used Storm¡¯s Fury, and a bolt of lightning descended from the sky. It hit the creature clinging to his arm, sending it into convulsions, and he used that brief opening to fling it away. The second it flew free, Elijah cancelled Essence of the Monkey and used Shield of Brambles. After that, he shifted back into hismer ape form; the transformationpleted just before the two creatures returned to the fight, but this time, Elijah was ready for them. He didn¡¯t even bother keeping them off him. Instead, he was perfectly willing to endure their attacks. With Iron Scales active, they did almost no damage, and every time they bit or wed ¨C which was quite a lot, considering their favored form of frenzied attacks ¨C they got a sharp thorn for their troubles. In seconds, they were coated in a dozen rivulets of blood. At the same time, Elijah stomped on the injured Voxx that was still struggling to rise despite its plethora of broken bones. He ended its life with a generous application of force directed at its vulnerable skull. It couldn¡¯t avoid the blow, so it died after only a few more seconds. That left three, two of which were covered in their own blood from a hundred reflective thorn attacks. The third was still struggling with the roots as Isaak finally realized that he was no longer being chased. To his credit, the second he had an opening, he took aim at the struggling monster and let loose with one of his balls of soulfire. Even with its limbs wrapped in writhing vines, the creature managed to dodge the oing spell.Mostly. It still took a ncing blow, which for any other spell, might have been an issue. With soulfire, though, it was more than enough. The monster howled in agony as, in the space of a second, its arm melted entirely. However, the remainder of the ball of soulfire hit the roots, burning them to a crisp and freeing the creature. It stumbled as it tore loose from the remaining tendrils of vegetation. For his part, Elijah couldn¡¯t afford to watch the unfolding battle between young man and Voxx. He was far too busy with his own opponents. Thankfully, the multitude of wounds ¨C small though they were ¨C had begun to take their toll, and the two Voxxian creatures had slowed considerably. That allowed Elijah to reach back and grab one of them by the loose skin on the back of its neck. His ws dug into its hide as it attempted to wriggle free, but he wasn¡¯t having that. Despite its efforts at escape, Elijah¡¯s grip held, and he proceeded to m the creature into the rocky ground. The first instance broke bones, but the second shattered them. The third ruptured organs, and the fourth took its life. He let out a roar as he tossed it away, turning his attention to his remaining attacker. It wasn¡¯t long before it went the way of its partner, broken and dead. At that moment, Isaak finally finished his target off as well, using a whip of pure soulfire to slice through the creature. It fell into two disgusting halves that squelched when they hit the ground. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Soul Whip,¡± he said. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not good with aiming it, so I can¡¯t use it unless they¡¯re close.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mention that before,¡± Elijah used, hismer ape voice low and growly. The young man shrugged. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I might need it against you,¡± he admitted self-consciously. ¡°That¡­makes a lot of sense.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not mad at me?¡± Isaak asked. Elijah shrugged his massive shoulders, saying, ¡°Can¡¯t me you. You don¡¯t know me. I don¡¯t know you. But I¡¯ll tell you this right now ¨C you use that thing on me, and we¡¯re going to have a big problem.¡± Isaak swallowed hard. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­I wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Look alive. Next wave ising soon.¡± Just then, a massive rumble shook the ground, and Elijah felt dozens of presences swimming through the earth toward the surface. He knew exactly how to deal with that, so before they couldplete their ascent, he shifted back to his human form and cast Cmity. Even as the wind began to blow, he shifted back to his guardian shape and readied himself for theing struggle. As it turned out, he needn¡¯t have worried. The second the creatures ¨C and there were more than ten ¨C surfaced, Cmity descended upon them in all its disastrous fury. The wind howled as it cut them to pieces, and the earth buckled beneath them. And all the while, Elijah stood back, using his massive form to shield the young man. In the end, all but three of the Voxxian monsters perished in the Cmity, and the trio of survivors were in no shape to fight back when Elijah went in to finish them off. They were much smaller than the previous wave ¨C maybe three feet tall, at most ¨C but they still looked extremely dangerous, with their sharp ws and biting teeth. Elijah pummeled them to death without hesitation. When he returned to his position in front of Isaak, the curly-haired young man was in awe. ¡°You just¡­how did you¡­what level are you?¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Elijah responded. ¡°Besides, levels aren¡¯t everything.¡± Before he could borate, a deep, resounding roar cut across thendscape, bouncing off the jagged obsidian rocks to make it seem like it wasing from everywhere all at once. But Elijah didn¡¯t need to rely on his aural senses to recognize the source. He could see iting right for him. It was big. Bigger even than the monster that had nearly killed the panther back on his ind. It also only had one set of arms, which somehow made it look even more fearsome. Elijah had just enough time to notice a huge sail-like set of spines on its back before it crashed into him. He met its charge with one of his own, though the impact with the twelve-foot tall monster sent him flying backwards like he¡¯d been hit by an eighteen wheeler. Isaakshed out with his Soul Whip, though to much lesser effect than against the other monsters. The tendril of blue-white fire wrapped around the Voxxian monster¡¯s leg, setting it to sizzling, yet that was where the damage ended. Still, it must have been quite painful, because the monster let out a shuddering scream of pure agony before it backhanded Isaak. Blood arced, and the young man went flying away. Elijah¡¯s mind went white with fury, and he sprang to his feet andunched himself at the monster. He hit with the force of a charging bull, knocking the Voxxian monster into a stumble. However, it recovered quickly, raking its ws across Elijah¡¯s back. Even with a hastily activated Iron Scales, Elijah felt his hide part beneath its sharp talons. But he wasn¡¯t without ws of his own. He snapped out his fists, ripping and tearing with all the fury he could muster. With the additional potency from his ws of Gluttony, he managed to do quite a bit of damage before the monstershed out with its foot, kicking him across thendscape. He tumbled, flipping over three times before hitting an escarpment of jagged, ck rock. It shattered, and a few bits lodged between his scales as his momentum took him a few feet further. Fortunately, he was durable enough that the damage was minor, and he recovered his feet only a secondter. As he did, he saw the huge monster¡¯s unhurried approach. It almost looked like it was enjoying it. Or perhaps Elijah was simply anthropomorphizing the macabre smile ying across its semi-reptilian face. Whatever the case, he wasn¡¯t going to waste the opportunity represented by the distance between them. So, without even pushing himself to his feet, Elijah once again shifted to his natural form and cast Swarm. Then, knowing that he needed all the damage he could get, he cast Essence of the Monkey, willing it to rece Shield of Brambles before he cast Shape of the Predator. Assuming his draconid form took a lot more mana than taking on the shape of themer ape, but he knew he couldn¡¯t win if he fought on the huge monster¡¯s terms. He needed to change the paradigm, and the Shape of the Predator offered the best chance to do that. The giant Voxxian monster reached him just as the transformationpleted, and he narrowly bounded out of the way of what would have been a devastating sh. Yet, because of Haste and his increased control, he easily dodged it before springing off a nearby shard of jagged stone and leaping onto the monster¡¯s back. There, he dug his forews into its shoulders and raked with his back ws. Elijah only managed a few good gouges before he saw another attacking his way. So, he leaped free and sprinted away. Meanwhile, as the monster followed with its lumbering steps, a swarm of tiny, glowing bugs descended on it, delivering a payload of afflictions as it loped after Elijah. He had no trouble keeping ahead of the creature, but when he got too far away, the scaley monster lost interest and started toward the still-prone Isaak. So, he darted back in, raking his ws across the Voxxian monster¡¯s legs ¨C as much to get the thing¡¯s attention as it was to do damage. It worked, and he slowly led the creature away from the hopefully recovering Isaak. Healing Rain was still going, so if he hadn¡¯t already sumbed to his injuries, there was a good chance that he would live. So long as Elijah dealt with the monster. So, he continued like that for a few minutes, darting in every so often to keep the creature¡¯s attention as well as to do whatever damage he could muster. Meanwhile, every time he attacked the monster, he stacked instances of Contagion as well as Anticoagnt from the ws of Gluttony. In addition, the afflictions from the Swarm were busy working on the monster as well. Gradually, Elijah whittled the monster down. It was slow, though. Very, very slow. And he got into trouble more than a few times when he underestimated the monster¡¯s speed. It was so easy to forget that massive Strength ¨C which the monster clearly possessed ¨C tranted into explosive, if often short-lived and barely controlled bursts of speed. So, on more than one asion, Elijah found himself on the wrong end of that equation. Still, each time, he managed to escape with only a few scrapes. Until, almost twenty minutester, it caught him with a backhand that crushed his ribs and sent him tumbling across thendscape. As it happened, he ended up near where the battle had begun, but to his shock, Isaak was nowhere to be seen. He couldn¡¯t give that much thought, though, because the moment the monster had sensed even a hint of weakness, it had be rejuvenated. The sluggishness of its many injuries briefly forgotten, it charged Elijah with renewed fury. Elijah forced himself to his feet, but one of his legs was broken, and Healing Rain had long since run its course. With his mobility cut to almost nothing, he had no choice but to initiate a shift into hismer ape form and hope he could endure whatever punishment the creature dished out. So, he did, noting that his ethera had gotten extremely low due to his constant shifting back and forth as well as the copious use of his spells. He would need to be more cognizant of that going forward. But for now, he had other things on his mind. Like the monster bearing down on him. His transformationpleted just in time for him to once again meet the charge. However, in this instance, he was at an even more distinct disadvantage due to his broken leg. Even so, Elijah took the hit as well as possible, rolling with the blow to dissipate the impact. The injured Voxx was still stronger than him, though, and he definitely got the worst of the sh. Hended t on his back, his head hitting with enough impact to make everything fuzzy. When he recovered his wits, he saw the massive monster looming over him. It once again wore the disgusting grin upon its face. Itughed, a sound like clinking ss. Elijah tried to pick himself up, but the creature stomped down on his chest with its entire weight. Elijah felt his ribs creak as he struggled to breathe. It cocked its arm back, clearly intending to level a fatal blow. Elijah struggled, his ws raking against the monster¡¯s ankle as he tried to free himself. It was useless. Every facet of Elijah¡¯s mind whirled with potential solutions. He considered shifting again. He could probably wiggle out from under the monster¡¯s foot if he took on his human form. Yet, with it so close, there was almost no chance he¡¯d win free. And without the increased Constitution that came with his guardian form, there was no way he could endure the monster¡¯s attacks. For simr reasons, he couldn¡¯t shift into his predator form, either. Those thoughts ¨C and a hundred others like it ¨C writhed in Elijah¡¯s mind, but he could think of nothing. No clever ns. No new powers. He was going to die. Then, a sh of white and blue light announced his salvation before a ball of soulfire hit the monster in the back. It sizzled, filling the air with the smell of charred meat. And for the briefest of moments it let up the pressure on Elijah¡¯s chest. He used that opening ¨C slim though it was ¨C to roll free. Then, with only one leg, he pushed off and threw himself at the off-bnce monster. He hit it with a shoulder tackle that drove it backwards. It tripped over the nearby escarpment, then tumbled to its back. Elijahtched onto its chest, riding it to the ground, and when it hit, he pummeled it with every point of Strength he could muster. Between blows, Isaak ¨C ragged and looking as if he was barely hanging onto life ¨C tossed another ball of soulfire at the monster¡¯s head. It hit the struggling creature and melted its scales. Elijah kept going, and Isaak refused to let up either, though one facet of his mind recognized that Isaak had fallen. Elijah feared the worst, though he couldn¡¯t spare the attention to worry about the young man¡¯s fate. When Elijah saw that his blows weren¡¯t doing enough damage, he activated the Rage ability of his Silver Bracer of Rage. His mind was flooded with fury as his attributes skyrocketed. He didn¡¯t have the presence of mind to check his Strength, but blows that had once feltpletely ineffective were suddenly dislodging scales and breaking bones. The Voxxian monster struggled, yet just as had been the case with Elijah only a few moments before, it couldn¡¯t escape. He roared in berserk fury as he continued to smash his fists into the monster, not stopping even after it had finally sumbed. In fact, Elijah didn¡¯t let up until, finally, the effect of Rage dissipated, leaving him feeling even more drained than if he¡¯d used Iron Scales a dozen times. His shoulders sagged as he looked up to see that Isaak¡¯s form had gone unnaturally still. That cut through thest vestiges of his enraged state, and with that rity, he forced himself back into his human form. Dragging his broken leg, he stumbled toward the fallen young man, hoping that he wasn¡¯t toote to save him. Book 2: Chapter 57: Futility Book 2: Chapter 57: Futility He was dead. ¡°Help him!¡± Carmen shouted, whipping her head around. But the Healer she had brought into the mines was busy performing triage on another Warrior. Meanwhile, Colt and Tiffany stood at the head of the tunnel, defending them against a tide of critters. There were hundreds of them, each the size of a basketball and with teeth like razors. Alone, they weren¡¯t that dangerous to anyone with a few levels under their belt. But in the numbers they¡¯d found within the mine¡¯s tunnels, they were like terrestrial piranha that could strip the meat from their prey¡¯s bones in a matter of minutes. At first, the expedition to exterminate the pests had been safe enough. For the first few days, the group, which consisted of Carmen, Colt, Tiffany, and Brett, had been more than enough to deal with the scattered creatures. However, after a week of constant exploration of the tunnels, which included constant backtracking and frequent trips back to the surface in order to rest, they had finally discovered the nest. And it was both awful and awe-inspiring. The cavern had contained thousands of the little monsters, each of which were capable of downing a level fifteen warrior. None of her group were that low of a level, but to Carmen, the second she¡¯did eyes on the colony of little terrors, she¡¯d known they weren¡¯t up to the task. So, like any goodmander, she¡¯d called for a retreat. That had gone well enough, and in the following days, she¡¯d begun to assemble an assault team. More, she¡¯d sent a runner back to Easton begging for more Healers. She had yet to hear back from Roman, which wasn¡¯t that surprising. It was an arduous journey made even worse by the onset of winter. So, it made perfect sense that no one had returned. Yet, Carmen¡¯s hand had been forced when groups of the critters ¨C they were actually called Terrestrial Mks, ording to Brett, whose Vignte ss gave him an ability to identify enemies ¨C started to surface. The first time they had, the critters had killed one of the guards and maimed a couple who¡¯d been on a walk through the town. That had necessitated a response. So, Carmen hadmandeered the services of one of the town¡¯s two Healers, gathered a handful of warriors, and set off to exterminate the pests. It had not gone well. The mistake was forging ahead and having their Elementalist set fire to the nest. Before they¡¯d done that, Carmen and the others had rigged the surrounding tunnels to copse, so they thought they could trap the creatures inside and burn them to death. And at first, it had worked well enough, with hundreds of the little monsters perishing in Logan¡¯s summoned mes. That was one thing that had changed with the apocalypse. Conventionalbustion was far less effective than it once had been, which was why gas cars and guns didn¡¯t really work as they once had. However, magical mes picked up the ck, and once set, they could use the ambient ethera as fuel. So, Logan¡¯s fires burned hot and fast, enveloping the entire cavern in seconds. The group was busy patting themselves on the back when a trio of muchrger mks came crashing through the debris blocking the tunnels and giving the rest of the critters an escape route. More distressingly, it gave them a free shot at the people who¡¯d attempted to engineer their deaths. Her people had fought valiantly, and yet, there had been far too many mks. So, Carmen had organized a fighting retreat, eventually taking shelter in a small cavern with a single narrow and easily defensible entrance. Since then, they¡¯d fought a steady stream of the critters, taking a plethora of wounds along the way. The Healer ¨C Keith ¨C had done everything he could, but it was obvious that it would only be a matter of time before he ran low on ethera. In the meantime, the wounded continued to pile up, overwhelming even his magic. Carmen checked the young man¡¯s pulse and found nothing. Still, she hoped that Keith could do something. So, she reached down and grabbed the body around the waist before throwing it ¨C no, him ¨C over her armored shoulder. He didn¡¯t react at all. As she ran across the small cavern, Carmen tried to convince herself that her burden was simply unconscious. Keith would save him. She just knew it. So, when she reached the Healer, who already had three patients, she gentlyid the body down and begged, ¡°Please¡­please tell me you can help him¡­¡± Keith took one look at the young man, his eyes flicking down to the gaping wound in his chest, then shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he croaked. ¡°He¡¯s already gone. Even if he wasn¡¯t, I don¡¯t have the ethera to¡­I can¡¯t do anything about that kind of injury.¡± He hung his head. Whether it was exhaustion or shame, Carmen had no idea, but for her part, she felt both. Everyone had put their faith in her, and she¡¯d rewarded that trust by getting people killed. Three were already dead, and she had no idea if the critters had made it outside. If they had¡­ No. She refused to go down that road. She¡¯d done everything she could, and at every turn, she¡¯d made the choices she thought appropriate. She couldn¡¯t let herself drown in self-pity or guilt. That didn¡¯t help anyone. So, she reached out and gripped Keith¡¯s bony shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He really was a thin man,rgely because he¡¯d been a member of one of the groups of refugees that had initially been denied entry into Easton; it was only recently that his people had been allowed in, and his condition reflected that. He wasn¡¯t precisely unhealthy, but he clearly hadn¡¯t been flourishing either. Carmen had hoped to provide him a fresh start. Now, he was watching the people who depended on his miraculous healing ability die. That was going to take a toll. ¡°You¡¯re doing everything you can,¡± she said. ¡°Keep it up.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Then, she ran a hand through her hair ¨C she had no idea where her helmet had gone ¨C and when she pulled her hand away, she saw that it was bloody. It didn¡¯t matter. She was still on her feet, and she wouldn¡¯t trouble the Healer for a mere scratch. Before Keith could notice, she stepped away and returned to the entrance. There, she saw Colt hard at work. Most of the time, he simply sliced the little monsters to ribbons with precise, perfectly-controlled attacks. However, from time to time, he would use one of his techniques, and one of therger critters would simply fall to chunks. He called it de Storm, and the way he described it, it manifested thirteen razor-sharp des of ethera that cut his target to pieces. It was expensive to use, but it was as sure of a kill as any ability could guarantee. Byparison, the rawboned Tiffany¡¯s knuckles were bloody and from her knuckles grew a series of ethereal ws. When she punched, they ripped jagged wounds in the creatures¡¯ coarse-furred hides. She had a few other abilities that she rarely used, which wasmon for thebatants. Most of them didn¡¯t have enough experience to use anything but their go-to skills, spells, and abilities, which was often enough to deal with the typical threats they saw during routine patrols. This was different, though, and it highlighted a huge issue with how they were training the potential fighters. But that was a concern for another day. For now, Carmen stepped up and shouldered the exhausted Tiffany aside. As she did, she growled, ¡°My turn.¡± Then, she manifested her cksmithing hammer with Summon Tool, and nted herself beside Colt. It wasn¡¯t long before she was forced to use the crafting tool for its adapted purpose when she crushed a critter¡¯s spine. The little round creatures had odd anatomy, but she¡¯d fought them enough by that point that she knew precisely where to hit them to do the most damage possible. She employed that knowledge to great effect as she stoically stood vigil, shoulder-to-shoulder with Colt. At some point, one of the other Warriors reced Colt, but Carmen barely noticed. Instead, she focused entirely on the task at hand, which meant using her immense Strength to pummel the monsters to death. Because she was used to long hours at the forge, she barely grew fatigued, and she didn¡¯t have anybat skills or abilities, so she never ran low on ethera. As a result, Carmen felt like she could keep going indefinitely. Of course, that wasn¡¯t true. Eventually, she would grow tired. But that point was a long way off. In addition, she took almost no damage due to the high quality of her armor. If the rest of her people had been wearing something simr, perhaps they could have avoided casualties altogether. But she¡¯d been too caught up in wanting to be properlypensated for her work. All the best crafters were,rgely because they all thought the danger had passed. Clearly, they were wrong, and they needed to get back to the basics of collective survival. When Easton had first been founded, everyone had contributed without thought for how it would personally benefit each one. And that was fine, in a vacuum. People deserved to earn a living. Yet, the world was still changing, and everyone¡¯s lives were still bnced on the edge of a knife. Carmen ¨C and the other crafters ¨C needed to do what they could to keep people from falling over that edge. Those thoughts flitted through Carmen¡¯s mind as she monotonously ughtered one critter after another. It wasn¡¯t until she realized that she stood alone against the tide that she began to realize how dire their situation was. She¡¯d been fighting for hours, and so had everyone else. They¡¯d picked up one wound after another until, one by one, they¡¯d fallen. She couldn¡¯t look back to check if they were dead or simply wounded, but she feared the worst. That thought crashed into her mind, and in that moment, something broke. She didn¡¯t grow any stronger. Her fatigue, thin though it was, didn¡¯t wash away. Instead, it was like she experienced a rush of adrenaline that,ter, she would liken to what a parent might feel when she saw her child being threatened. In those sorts of situations, people had been known to lift cars, and Carmen¡¯s physical abilities skyrocketed along those same lines. Suddenly, every fall of her hammer sent a critter sttering against the ground. At the same time, her fury ¨C or frustration, perhaps ¨C climbed to unprecedented levels. She took that out on the monsters before her. And for a while, it was enough to convince her that she was going to win. But reality came crashing down on her when that surge of adrenaline faded, and her arms started to feel like they were encased in lead. She slowed, and her blows lost their lethality. Still, she pushed on, trying to force the strength back into her muscles. It didn¡¯t work. A crittertched onto her arm. Then, as she was trying to dislodge it, another crunched down on her leg. She kicked it away, but another soon reced it. Then another after that. She kept swinging, screaming all the while. From somewhere behind her, she heard a scream, and she felt the weak activation of skills. Yet, she couldn¡¯t even turn to see what was going on, much less help the people who¡¯d chosen to put their faith in her. Just as she felt a monstertch onto her neck, sending a gout of blood gushing into its greedy mouth, she spared a thought for Alyssa. She wasn¡¯t sure if she believed in an afterlife, but in a world of magic and monsters, the idea didn¡¯t seem as silly as it once might have. And while she didn¡¯t want to leave Miguel, she couldn¡¯t deny that there was a part of her that weed death and the possibility of being reunited with the woman she loved. The moment that thought crossed her mind, she felt a surge of rotten guilt envelope her. She was better than that. She needed to be. Miguel needed her to be stronger. With a roar, she grabbed the critter and tossed it aside before ramming into the nearby wall and squashing the trio of monsters clinging to that side of her body. Then, she did the same to the other side. Over and over, she let the critterstch onto her, then she used her own body as a hammer, and the wall as an anvil. Like that, dozens died, but she certainly didn¡¯t escape unscathed. Her armor had limits, after all. And it couldn¡¯t cover everything. Her growing fatigue hadn¡¯t disappeared, either. No ¨C that brief surge had given her a few moments more, but it wasn¡¯t enough. It wasn¡¯t nearly enough. Still, Carmen fought on until she felt the effects of blood loss and exhaustion drive her to her knees. The first time it happened, she forced herself back to her feet with a swell of forced energy, but it didn¡¯tst long. It couldn¡¯t. Soon enough, she fell and couldn¡¯t regain her feet. Even so, she never stopped swinging her hammer. Even when her blows lost all strength, she refused to give in. Finally, she fell and couldn¡¯t force herself to rise. Briefly, Carmen felt sharp teeth on the back of her head, but then, there was something different. Blistering heat washed over her. Because of Resist Fire, which was no doubt intended to help her endure the heat associated with magical forges, she was unharmed. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the critters, and the smell of burning fur filled Carmen¡¯s nostrils. Once the confusion passed, she looked up to see a hellish scene. Monsters burned, some of them so hotly that they actually melted. Amidst that stood a man, tall and thin and wearing a red-and-white robe. Carmen recognized him from somewhere, but in her exhausted state, she couldn¡¯t quite ce him. However, she certainly remembered the person beside him. Or rather, the morningstar at the woman¡¯s waist. ¡°Verin,¡± she muttered. It was the Healer who¡¯d been with Alyssa when she¡¯d died. That probably meant something, but now that the threat was ended, even that mystery couldn¡¯t keep Carmen from slipping into unconsciousness. Book 2: Chapter 58: A Neglected Purpose Book 2: Chapter 58: A Neglected Purpose Purple lightning shed in the sky as the smell of death filled Elijah¡¯s nostrils. He stumbled toward the fallen Isaak, dread and despair mingling in his heart as he let his guardian form fall away. With each staggering step, painnced up his broken leg, but he forced himself to ignore it, and as soon as his transformationpleted, he summoned Healing Rain. A storm of soothing precipitation gathered, dumping its rejuvenating payload on Elijah and Isaak alike. But the young man wasn¡¯t moving, and when Elijah finally reached him, he found that Isaak¡¯s breathing had stalled. ¡°No¡­¡± He reached out and, as soon as heid his hand on the boy¡¯s chest, he used Touch of Nature. It pulsed, and Isaak¡¯s body seized at the injection of healing ethera. Yet, Elijah could tell that it hadn¡¯t worked. Forcing life into a corpse wouldn¡¯t do anything. Dead was, after all, dead. Yet Elijah refused to ept it. So, he channeled it again. And again after that. Each time, the boy¡¯s body jerked like he¡¯d just been subjected to the electrical current of a defibritor. However, the moment the flow of ethera ceased, he went limp. Elijah gritted his teeth and continued his efforts. Over and over, he kept going until there were only wisps of ethera left in his core. He pulled on more, flexing his Mind and Soul for all they were worth. But it wasn¡¯t enough. Tears traced lines through the dirt and dried blood on Elijahs cheeks as he tilted his head back and screamed. That didn¡¯t do any good, either.It just wasn¡¯t fair. Nothing was. The world had be a cruel ce where a young man like Isaak had been tasked with bing a hero. He was just a boy, and yet, he¡¯d marched into danger and answered the call of heroism. And then, he¡¯d died unceremoniously, and for no other reason than that Elijah was incapable of saving him. Of protecting him. Ever since he¡¯d killed those hunters, Elijah had felt that something was wrong. That everything was skewed. He¡¯d avenged the bear, killing people that, in his head, he¡¯d pegged as viins. But were they? Elijah really had no idea. The reality was that he¡¯d reacted based on frustration and, he could admit to himself, a false sense ofpanionship. For so long, he¡¯d been alone, and in retrospect, it was easy for him to anthropomorphize the creature. Yet, the bear would probably have tried to kill him if he hadn¡¯t continuously brought it food. The same was true of the panther he remembered far more fondly than reality suggested. More than once, Elijah had thought himself immune to the stress that came from his traumatic existence. But he wasn¡¯t. Not anymore than anyone else, at least. He¡¯d just processed it differently. And that wed method had led him down a road that eventually pushed him into killing a group of hunters that may or may not have deserved what he¡¯d done to them. Did he feel guilty about it? No. He did not. Not truly. Yet, he knew that, in the future, he needed to think things through, rather than react based on his ultimately wed feelings. He also needed to be cognizant of his tendency to lose context. Animals were animals, and people were people. And in the changed world, he couldn¡¯t me humanity ¨C or the various other sapient races ¨C for killing. That was probably the only way anyone was going to survive. What the hunters had done still didn¡¯t sit well with him, though. He didn¡¯t like it, and he suspected he never would. However, that didn¡¯t mean they had deserved to die. Thoughts like that flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind as he struggled to absorb enough ethera to fuel more attempts at healing the fallen Isaak. He knew it was useless. But just like with the bear, he hadtched onto the young man in a way that probably wasn¡¯t warranted by the situation. They barely knew one another, after all. But in Elijah¡¯s mind, the boy had taken on the role of a little brother. Or a nephew. Hopefully, if Miguel was in a simr situation, someone would try just as hard to help him. So, Elijah kept going well past the point when he should have stopped. Then, after some interminable time, Isaak¡¯s eyes shot open. His hand shot out, and Elijah only recognized the danger at thest second. He dove to the side just in time to avoid taking a ball of soulfire to the face. He didn¡¯t care, though. ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± ¡°What?¡± panted Isaak. ¡°How? Of course I¡¯m alive.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­um¡­it¡¯s an ability. A spell. It kind of keeps me alive. It¡¯s called Stored Soul. Think of it like a second life. So long as I cast it before a fight, I can survive fatal damage. I go into aa for a while, but¡­yeah. It¡¯s saved my life three times so far. It goes on cooldown after activation, though. It¡¯ll be a month before I can use it again,¡± Isaak said, the words spilling out all at once. ¡°You probably shouldn¡¯t tell strangers that,¡± Elijah pointed out. Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You¡¯re not a stranger, though. You saved me.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re even, then. You saved me, too.¡± ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I?¡± the young man said, grinning. He tried to get up, but winced. ¡°Oh. I guess I¡¯m notpletely healed, huh? How long have been here? It usually takes a week for me to wake up from thea.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been about an hour. Maybe two since the monster died,¡± Elijah said. It made sense. Likely, the influx of healing had shortened the duration of thea. He picked himself up, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t move. I want to finish healing you.¡± ¡°Uh¡­I think we should probably get out of here.¡± ¡°Why? There aren¡¯t any more monsters.¡± Isaak pointed at the sky. Elijah followed the gesture to see that it had broken into a million jagged pieces, revealing an abyssal ckness that did not look good. It was as if they were inside a broken snow globe, except that it was intended to keep something out rather than in. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re probably right¡­¡± With that, Elijah reached down and helped Isaak to his feet. Then, they hobbled back to the entrance, where a pair of white crystals floated in the air. Elijah touched one, and Isaak touched the other. That prompted a notification to appear before Elijah¡¯s mind¡¯s eye:
Congrattions! By closing a Minor Dimensional Rift, you have done a great service to your world. Thus, you have earned a reward. Lesser Rejuvenation Potion awarded.
¡°Whoa,¡± eximed Isaak, looking at the vial in his hand. ¡°This is¡­this is amazing.¡± Elijah was less enthused. ¡°Yippee,¡± he muttered to himself. He could already heal himself, so he didn¡¯t see a whole lot of use for a potion that would do the same thing. Others clearly didn¡¯t have that option, so it must have been very valuable. However, he would¡¯ve much preferred an attribute potion like he¡¯d gotten thest time he¡¯d closed a Minor Dimensional Rift. He sighed, pocketing the potion as he said, ¡°Beggars can¡¯t be choosers, I guess.¡± After that, the pair left the rift behind, and when they stepped back into the world, the rip in reality dissipated, and the ck tendrils of corruption dissolved. Elijah was less concerned about that than the giant cat barreling toward him. He pushed Isaak aside and took the furious feline¡¯s leaping charge right in the chest. It only managed to rake its ws across his unprotected skin a few times before Elijah managed to reposition his hands and shove the thing away. The cat was big, but Elijah¡¯s Strength attribute was well past the peak of humanity. As such, dislodging an eighty-pound cat wasn¡¯t nearly as difficult as it would have been before the world had changed. The creature went flying away, bounced off the trunk of a tree, then came rocketing back at Elijah. He met it with an overhand swing of his staff that ended with the cat hitting the ground with enough force to leave it stunned. That¡¯s when Elijah dropped his staff and pounced on the cat, wrapping his arms around its torso. He could feel the corruption pulsing through it. ¡°Don¡¯t kill her!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Elijah growled, struggling to hold the struggling cat still. He hadn¡¯t escaped its initial pounce unscathed, and he was bleeding pretty profusely. Even so, he had the animal at his mercy. ¡°I¡¯m going to heal it. Her. I¡¯m going to try to heal her. Just¡­just be prepared for if it doesn¡¯t work¡­¡± With that, Elijah cast Healing Rain. It barely cost any ethera, especially considering the sheer volume of healing it could offer. It was especially efficient, considering that the spell was healing him, the cat, and Isaak, all at the same time. But for now, he was mostly concerned with banishing the corruption from Artemis the cat. He focused as hard as he could, channeling Touch of Nature into the overgrown feline. It went wild, bucking and hissing and raking its ws across his arms. With Elijah holding it off the ground, it couldn¡¯t get any leverage, though. He cast the spell again, trying his best to guide it toward the corruption. But the moment the two shed, he knew it wouldn¡¯t do any good. The corruption wasn¡¯t a disease or a virus. Indeed, it didn¡¯t feel like anything else Elijah had ever experienced. Even calling it corruption felt wrong. It was so fundamentally different from anything else he¡¯d ever experienced, as a result, Elijah struggled to even contextualize it. Alien was the best he came up with, but even that implied that it was of their universe. It wasn¡¯t. It was from somewhere else ¨C whatever was on the other side of that rift. Not the ce where they¡¯d fought the Voxxian monsters. No ¨C that was just a bridge. Instead, the corruption was from wherever that bridge led. Still, he kept trying to heal, but to no effect. The cat wasn¡¯t diseased. It wasn¡¯t unhealthy. It was just different. Desperate to find something that worked, Elijah shouted, ¡°Isaak! Take the potion from my right pocket. I need you to pour that down Artemis¡¯ throat. Can you do that without getting cut to ribbons?¡± He nodded, saying something about his Ethereal Shield. Then, he followed Elijah¡¯s directions, finding the vial and uncorking it. The moment he did so, Elijah felt the power emitting from it. Then, Isaak reached in and awkwardly dragged the cat¡¯s mouth open. It hissed and spit and tried to w him, but each time it did, it was met with a shimmering blue shield. Eventually, Isaak managed to pour the concoction down Artemis¡¯s throat. Instantly, he felt the difference. The potion was more than simple healing. It exceeded what Elijah could do by a fair amount, adding some other characteristic that he simply couldn¡¯t identify. However, what he could tell was that the moment the potion went down Artemis¡¯s throat, the corruption had started to retreat. But it wasn¡¯t enough. Elijah felt the darkness rally as the effect of the potion started to dissipate. So, he spat, ¡°The other one!¡± To his credit, Isaak didn¡¯t hesitate, which told Elijah just how much the young man loved his cat. Isaak yanked his own potion from his pocket and added that to the mix as well. As he did so, Elijah forced as much ethera as he could muster into repeated castings of Touch of Nature. And finally, it worked. Slowly. The cat continued to struggle, but soon, its yowls weakened and its wriggling lost vigor. Elijah continued to pour ethera into his healing spells, and miraculously, the corruption retreated, then began to dissipate. Just as he was about to run out of energy, thest of the otherworldly taint dissolved, leaving only a healthy cat behind. But it was absolutely exhausted, and the creature immediately went limp, passing out. Elijah felt like doing the same, but instead, he gave Isaak a tired smile as he said, ¡°She¡¯s going to be okay. I think.¡± ¡°I hope so. Do you have any idea what those potions were?¡± Isaak asked, grinning like a giddy idiot. ¡°Uh¡­Rejuvenation Potions is what the notification said. Why? What¡¯s so special about them?¡± ¡°They¡¯re kind of like a cure-all. I think I remember someone who had an identification skill saying that the description imed that ¡®No affliction can endure a Rejuvenation Potion¡¯. Those things are priceless,¡± Isaak stated. Elijah shrugged and scratched behind the cat¡¯s ear. Even out cold, it let out a contented purr. ¡°Worth it,¡± he said, and he could tell that Isaakpletely agreed. Book 2: Chapter 59: Levels and Rewards Book 2: Chapter 59: Levels and Rewards ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked Isaak, looking around the darkening forest. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I sleep outside all the time,¡± Elijah said, sitting beside the small fire he¡¯d built. Artemis was draped over hisp, sound asleep. Because she was so muchrger than any housecat had a right to be, she didn¡¯t quite fit in hisp, but that clearly didn¡¯t bother her very much. And if Elijah was honest, he didn¡¯t mind, either. ¡°I spent an entire winter sleeping outside once. Don¡¯t rmend it one little bit. Of course, I¡¯ve got a pretty awesome treehouse now.¡± ¡°You live in a treehouse?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m selling it short here. Not a house in a tree. A house made out of a tree. That¡¯s a very important distinction, I¡¯m pretty sure,¡± Elijah pointed out. As he spoke, he idly scratched behind the cat¡¯s ear. ¡°What are you?¡± asked Isaak. ¡°Uh¡­a human being. Well, as much of a human as any of us are anymore,¡± Elijah answered. He tilted his head to the side and scratched his chin. ¡°Though with cultivation in the mix, I¡¯m not really sure how true that is. I mean, I feel human. But Body of Wood doesn¡¯t really sound like a very human thing to have. More tree territory, if I¡¯m honest. Or Pinhio. Pre-¡°real boy¡± shenanigans, of course.¡± ¡°I was¡­I was talking about your ss,¡± Isaak rified. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m a Druid. Well, technically, that¡¯s my archetype, but that¡¯s good enough.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re a protector of nature?¡± asked the young man. ¡°Or is it more like the Celtic druids?¡±¡°The first,¡± Elijah answered, reaching into his bag. He still had some travel rations in there, down near the bottom. So, he reached in almost up to his shoulder and grabbed the jerky wrapped in wax paper. When he pulled it out, he offered some to Isaak. ¡°Jerky? I¡¯m not sure what kind of animal it¡¯s from, but it¡¯s not bad. A bit peppery for my taste, but it¡¯s better than eating crab every day.¡± ¡°Crab?¡± ¡°Yeah. Used to love it. But fun fact about crab ¨C when you eat it every single day for more than a year, it kind of loses its luster, if you know what I mean. Maybe if I¡¯d had proper spices, but those are hard toe by out in the wilderness. Best I could do was some salt from boiling seawater, wild garlic, and a few odds and ends I gathered,¡± Elijah babbled. ¡°It was edible, but only just. Didn¡¯t really help that I¡¯ve never been much of a cook. My dad used to tell me I could burn water, and he wasn¡¯t that far off.¡± As Elijah spoke, Isaak tore a chunk of the jerky away and scooted a bit closer to the fire. It was still on the tail end of winter, and though the temperatures had begun to rise, nights remained quite chilly. ¡°I don¡¯t know anybody else who can do what you do. Are you on the power ranking list?¡± asked Isaak. Elijah considered lying, and his good sense told him to do just that. However, he¡¯d never been much for dishonesty, especially with someone who had saved his life earlier that day. Besides, the notion of constantly lying about who he was just left a bad taste in his mouth. So, he said, ¡°Yeah. Top ten, actually. What about you?¡± He hadn¡¯t even checked, but given the boy¡¯s obvious power, it seemed likely. ¡°I was in the nies for a little while after the tower,¡± he stated. ¡°But I haven¡¯t hunted that muchtely. I just¡­¡± The young man trailed off, and Elijah understood precisely why. It didn¡¯t take a psychiatrist to recognize the inevitable consequences of the trauma the boy had been through. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to talk about it,¡± Elijah said. For a long moment, Isaak just stared into the crackling fire. Then, in a low voice, he said, ¡°I was the only survivor. I shouldn¡¯t have made it, either. I was the first to go down. Too slow. My shield didn¡¯t hold. The monster¡­I think it was a werewolf or something¡­it was too fast, and it targeted me first. Stored Soul saved me, and when I woke up, everyone was already dead. But the monster, it was wounded. Barely alive. I killed it, and I got the rewards.¡± Heughed harshly. ¡°A stupid sword I couldn¡¯t even use.¡± ¡°I saw it.¡± ¡°Ridiculous thing, right?¡± Isaak said, shaking his head. ¡°After that, everyone started calling me a hero. Someone said I was like As, standing with the world on his shoulders, and it stuck. Me. A titan. Even stupider than the sword. Before the world changed, I was a nobody. Worse than nobody. I spent all my time ying online games and avoiding...everything. But now I¡¯m supposed to be a hero or something. I don¡¯t know how to do that.¡± ¡°Me neither,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°What? You saved me. You saved Artemis. You are a hero,¡± Isaak insisted, leaning forward, his eyes glistening. Elijah just shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m definitely not what you think I am, kid,¡± he said. Then, he stood, careful not to wake the cat cradled in his arms. He stepped toward Isaak and deposited Artemis beside him. The cat woke up and yowled in his direction, but he ignored it. ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk. I¡¯ll make sure nothing messes with you.¡± ¡°What? Did I say¡­¡± Elijah ignored the rest of the boy¡¯s question, instead slipping into the trees and shifting into his predator form. He had Guise of the Unseen wrapped around him within a couple of steps. But he didn¡¯t go anywhere. Instead, he just turned around and watched over Isaak, who looked incredibly small and young, sitting there beside the fire. The boy was also na?ve. The fact that he thought of Elijah as a hero wasughable, especially considering that not that long ago, he¡¯d killed four people for no more of a crime than hunting a bear and picking a mushroom. Uwfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. There was more to it than that, he knew. Far more. On top of his trauma and his tendency to anthropomorphize animals, he suspected that his attitude was being affected by something far greater than himself. Was that the effect of his archetype? Or was it something more ephemeral? Had he truly gone wild? Or was he simply making excuses for indulging in his most violent tendencies? The truth was that he didn¡¯t know, and that scared him. Because for better or worse, Elijah knew he had the power to be something incredibly scary. Without rules or restraint, he would be a monster not unlike the Voxx. Just pure destruction in human form. After leaving Norcastle, he¡¯d been patting himself on the back for taking Jess¡¯s advice and refusing to rise to the mayor¡¯s unspoken challenge. But in retrospect, it was easy to leave the town behind because he just didn¡¯t care enough to react. Pride wasn¡¯t Elijah¡¯s sin, after all. But his frustration had left him primed to react poorly when he¡¯de upon the bear¡¯s corpse, and he¡¯d given in to the anger. The rest was history, and not the sort any sane person would look upon favorably. As Elijah considered his actions ¨C and how to avoid falling into that trap again ¨C he watched the young man fall asleep. Artemis pretended like she was asleep as well, but in his draconid form, Elijah could tell that she was awake and alert, likely to guard Isaak from any potential predators. It made him think of the panther who¡¯d died what felt like a lifetime ago, which brought his thoughts back to the bear. Neither had deserved to die, but in retrospect, he could understand the motivation to hunt them. The world was a dangerous ce, and unless humanity grabbed at whatever power it could, people would die. If not to the dangerous wildlife, then to the non-human settlements like Ironshore. Some of those people were assuredly aggressive. Even so, Elijah couldn¡¯t stomach the idea of hunting something for no more reason than to gain experience. Doing so for food was eptable. For defense, too. Even for dominance. But just for experience? It just left him feeling queasy, and for reasons he couldn¡¯t quite articte. He only knew he didn¡¯t like it. To distract himself from that, Elijah focused on something he¡¯d not let himself acknowledge while with Isaak. Since leaving Norcastle, he¡¯d gained three more levels. The first was when he¡¯d killed the four hunters, and the other two hade in the dimensional rift. Normally, three levels wouldn¡¯t have excited him ¨C after all, it wasn¡¯t as if he needed to allocate his attribute points anymore ¨C but in this case, he¡¯d finally hit the level forty-five threshold. And that meant that he¡¯d gotten a new spell.
Essence of the Lion Channel the might of the lion, increasing Strength attribute by ten (10) points. Usable on allies.
It was a familiar format,rgely because he had simr enhancements meant to augment his other attributes. The lone holdout was ethera, and he wasn¡¯t certain if he¡¯d ever get something like that. However, he could already think of tons of situations where having the extra Strength that came with Essence of the Lion woulde in handy. The only drawback was that he couldn¡¯t use all of his enhancements at once. Yet, if he ever found himself fighting as a member of a group, he could pick and choose the enhancements he bestowed upon other people, tailoring the augmentations to the person¡¯s archetype, ss, or role. And who knew? Perhaps at level fifty he would gain another slot. Once he finished examining the new spell ¨C which didn¡¯t take long, considering how simr it was to the others in the Essence line ¨C Elijah decided to take a look at his full status for the first time in quite a while.
Name Elijah Hart
Level 45
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 67 (57)
Dexterity 79 (49)
Constitution 57 (47)
Ethera 55
Regeneration 69 (49)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Hatchling Quartz Neophyte
His attributes had continued to grow by one point for every level, andbined with his equipment and enhancement spells, he felt like he was in a good ce. And in his draconid form, it was even more dramatic. But he had to wonder about the other people on thedder. Were their attributes just as impressive? He knew his archetype was rare, and he believed his ss was as well. On top of that, with his Dragon Core, his enhancement spells were that much more effective. So, he felt confident that he could stand toe-to-toe with any of them, even the ones ahead of them on the list. Yet, it stood to reason that they¡¯d all experienced their own lucky encounters as well. Perhaps their cultivation was just as advanced as his. Or maybe more so. The reality was that he had no idea, and so far, he¡¯d yet to find an opportunity to answer the questions strangling his thoughts. And perhaps he never would. The world was a big ce, after all. What were the odds that he¡¯d actually run into another high ranker? Slim, Elijah knew. But still, he expected that it would eventually happen. Power drew power, and strength challenged strength. It was na?ve in the extreme to suspect that there wouldn¡¯t be friction between those high-ranking people. Competitive natures dictated as much, and that was discounting the possibility that someone might see their fellow people as a means of progression. No - he knew he would run into them at some point. He just needed to be ready for when the inevitable came to pass. Until then, though, he had other things on his mind. He still needed to find Alyssa, and despite having spent the past months exploring and fighting his way across hundreds of miles, he still didn¡¯t feel any closer to aplishing that goal. But he would. He believed that because he didn¡¯t want to contemte any other possibility. With that at the forefront of his mind, Elijah switched back to his human form and returned to the campsite. There, he settled down to watch over the now-sleeping young man and his cat. Book 2: Chapter 60: A Hearty Welcome and an Awkward Situation Book 2: Chapter 60: A Hearty Wee and an Awkward Situation Morning sunlight filtered through the forest¡¯s canopy as a dewy chill carpeted the forest floor. Somewhere up above, a bird chirped, and in the distance, a squirrel chittered, painting the morning with a cold, yet idyllic brush. Elijah sat with his back to the trunk of a tree, his head tilted upward as he enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere for what it represented. He looked across the campsite to see Artemis staring back at him from her position cuddled next to Isaak. She was a dangerous creature. He knew that down to his very core. Even without the corruption of the dimensional rift infecting her, Artemis was a peerless predator. Due to that undeniable fact, Elijah was hesitant to leave her behind. The chances that she would end up killing someone were high enough that taking her back to his ind was probably the most responsible path he could take. And yet, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to make that decision. For one, he didn¡¯t have the heart to separate Artemis from her owner. Or perhaps she was the owner in this situation. Regardless, it seemed that neither would ept being parted from the other¡¯spany. So, if Elijah took one, he¡¯d need to take the other. And he had no interest in doing that. Not only would having another person underfoot, trampling his grove, be far more trouble than it was worth, but the prudence of that course of action was extremely questionable. Elijah knew he wasn¡¯t greatpany, and sentencing someone else to the sort of solitude he¡¯d endured was a cruelty he refused to contemte. No ¨C that wasn¡¯t a path he intended to explore. Perhaps Artemis would hurt someone, but maybe not. Elijah couldn¡¯t be responsible for the whole world, after all. It wasn¡¯t his problem to solve. He¡¯d already done enough by saving her and Isaak, and, if he was honest, he was eager to get back on the proverbial road and hunt down his sister, Carmen, and Miguel. Because if nothing else, the bond between Isaak and Artemis had proven the value of having trustworthy people around. Even if those people happened to be overgrown and deadly housecats.More than anything, he wanted to just unload his problems onto someone, but he didn¡¯t think many therapists had survived the touch of the World Tree. Not many of anything had, as far as he could tell. But as a substitute, his sister would do just fine. Certainly, she¡¯d yed that role before, and he¡¯d done the same for her. But that was back before he¡¯d run away to Hawaii. Of course, he¡¯d never characterized it like that. On the surface, taking that job had made perfect sense. It was in his field, and it was paradise, after all. But in reality, Elijah could admit that he¡¯d just wanted to get as far away from all the trappings of familiarity that reminded him of the parents he¡¯d lost far too soon. It was a mistake, and one he¡¯d acknowledged on more than one asion. Being diagnosed with terminal cancer tended to prompt introspection, and as he was dying, he¡¯d most regretted losing touch with his sister. Now, he had a chance to rectify that mistake, and with all the things going through his mind, he needed the support of family more than ever. Finally, about an hour after dawn, Isaak¡¯s eyes fluttered open and he pushed himself upright. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I slept all night,¡± he muttered, stretching. He ran his hand through his curly, ck hair, smacking his lips as he yawned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you need to rest? I could have stood watch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Not the first all-nighter I¡¯ve ever pulled. At least I have the attributes to soften the blow, now.¡± He reached into his pack and retrieved one of his ss jugs, which he handed to Isaak. The boy took it gratefully, and after taking a long swig, wiped his arm across his mouth. ¡°We should head back to the city. My sister is probably worried sick.¡± ¡°Sister?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°You never mentioned a sister.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Must have slipped my mind,¡± the young man said. ¡°She didn¡¯t want me toe out here looking for Artemis. She¡¯s kind of protective like that.¡± ¡°This is an older sister, right?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t what?¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m grateful for what you did for me. But please don¡¯t go after my sister,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s¡­just don¡¯t, okay?¡± ¡°What makes you think ¨C¡± ¡°That look. I¡¯ve seen it enough to know exactly what it means. Delh was always popr.¡± ¡°Was that because of her looks or¡­¡± Isaak just shook his head. Elijah tried to babble an excuse ¨C his social graces might have been a bit rusty, but he was still aware that he¡¯d crossed a line ¨C but he ended up going off on a tangent about how big his grove was. It was not an effective conversational path, and by the time they started back to the city, Isaak was visibly annoyed. Artemis just followed along, but Elijah got the feeling she was judging him, too. But that might have just been the fact that she was still a cat, if an overgrown one. Still, Elijah wouldn¡¯t let that dampen his spirits. After all, he¡¯d sessfullypleted the mission he¡¯d set for himself, gained a couple of levels and a new spell, and, to top it all off, a beautiful woman was waiting back in Argos to show him how grateful she was that he¡¯d saved her little brother. And he¡¯d saved a couple of lives, which, now that it was done, didn¡¯t seem quite as important as all the rest. ¡°I hate how much you¡¯re smiling,¡± Isaak muttered as they drew within sight of the gate. Elijah pointedly ignored him. The same two guards were working the gate, and to Elijah¡¯s surprise, they recognized him straight away. They were far more excited about Isaak¡¯s return, which meant quite a lot of back-pping and jovial derations as to the hero¡¯s valor. Artemis hadn¡¯t even stopped. Instead, she¡¯d disappeared through the gate to wander the city. Hopefully, she wouldn¡¯t kill anyone. Or at least nobody that didn¡¯t deserve it. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Once they made it past the two enthusiastic guards, Elijah and Isaak made their way through the city. As they went, the same olddies sat on their balconies exchanging gossip. Meanwhile, Isaak received the celebrity treatment, which he endured with as much grace as could be expected. Still, Elijah could recognize the tightness of frustration in the young man¡¯s shoulders. One good thing was that, apparently, Greek people liked to show their appreciation with food, which meant that by the time they reached Isaak¡¯s home, they¡¯d been loaded down with various fruits and a couple of hearty meat pies. The smell alone was enough to set Elijah¡¯s mouth to watering, so when Isaak invited him inside, he was more than happy to take advantage of the young man¡¯s hospitality. It had nothing at all to do with the possibility of meeting the boy¡¯s goddess of a sister. Unfortunately, by the time he finished his meat pie, no such sister had presented herself. So, without any reason to hang around, he said his goodbyes and headed back into town. For a couple of hours, he just wandered around enjoying the atmosphere. He enjoyed the wilderness, and he was a bit solitary by nature, but Elijah could appreciate civilization as much as the next guy ¨C especially when everyone was so friendly. It was such a departure from what he''d experienced back in Norcastle that he couldn¡¯t help but make theparison. Where one town had responded to the world¡¯s transformation with petty cronyism and corruption, another had pulled together in solidarity. The existence of somewhere like Argos was enough to color Elijah¡¯s expectations with a fair amount of optimism. Eventually, he made his way to Atticus¡¯s shop, where he found the eponymous owner closing a deal with a man in a heavy, purple robe. Elijah recognized the ogre staff the man was in the process of buying, so he gave Atticus a quick thumbs up. He didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, but he definitely overheard the final price the two agreed upon, and it was quite a bit higher than what Atticus had paid. So, once the purple-robed would-be wizard departed the shop, he asked, ¡°Was everything you told me about that staff a lie?¡± ¡°Wee back, my friend!¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t ¡®my friend¡¯ me. You paid me two silvers for that stick, and you just charged him fourteen.¡± ¡°He overpaid, friend.¡± ¡°Or you underpaid.¡± ¡°I would never!¡± he said, clutching his chest as if stabbed. Elijah rolled his eyes and said, ¡°Whatever. What¡¯s a few silvers between friends, right? But maybe you can help me with identifying a couple of other items.¡± ¡°More treasure already? Did you go to the tower, then?¡± ¡°No,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Just some things I didn¡¯t know what to do with before. Still don¡¯t, honestly. But figuring out what they are is probably the first step.¡± With that, the two men headed into the back room. There, Elijah rummaged in his pack until he found the two items that were his goal. The first was the bear¡¯s pelt, which he set onto the table. ¡°Dire bear pelt,¡± Atticus stated, with a note of surprise. ¡°Simple-Grade. Where did you get this?¡± ¡°Oh, out and about. What about this?¡± he asked, setting the pack containing the amanita flesh onto the table. ¡°It¡¯s an enchanted sack, but inside is what¡¯s left of a natural treasure. I wouldn¡¯t open it if I were you, though. It¡¯ll almost certainly make you sick.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t identify it, then. The pack is Crude-Grade, though. Called a preservation sack. You might have more luck with an alchemist, but we don¡¯t have any living in the city limits.¡± ¡°Does that imply there¡¯s one outside the city?¡± Atticus nodded. ¡°There¡¯s one that lives in amune about forty miles to the south, on the edge of the swamp. I¡¯ve never met him, but I¡¯ve heard weird stories,¡± he said. ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°The cult-y kind. I don¡¯t know anything else, but people certainly don¡¯t hold him in high esteem, friend. Name is Konstantinos. Don¡¯t know any more, and I¡¯ll be honest ¨C I don¡¯t want to know.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Oh, took care of the maneater, by the way. Turns out, you had a dimensional rift. It¡¯s closed now.¡± After that statement, Atticus begged Elijah to tell him more. And for his part, Elijah payed that into a meal, which the two took at a local tavern. By the time he was done telling the story ¨C in as self-deprecating way as possible ¨C the pair had already finished their meals and were deep into a night of drinking. Which was why Elijah didn¡¯t even notice the neer until she tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around a little too quickly and almost stumbled directly into a woman¡¯s chest. He caught himself just in time, then pulsed Touch of Nature to rid himself of the effect of the alcohol. Then, he realized where he was staring, so he looked up and into the eyes of the goddess he¡¯d envisioned earlier. She looked a little like Isaak, though far more mature and infinitely more feminine. However, she was far from some dainty maid. Instead, she was a striking Amazon, with thick shoulders and a warrior¡¯s physique. ¡°You¡¯re smaller than I expected,¡± she said with a smirk. ¡°Cute, too. Isaak didn¡¯t mention that.¡± ¡°Uh¡­Delh?¡± ¡°Oh, so he mentioned me. Good.¡± Then, without further exnation, she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. His bones creaked under her high Strength, but with the orientation of his face ¨C which was positioned in the center of her chest ¨C he couldn¡¯t reallyin. When she finally released him, Atticus cleared his throat and slurred, ¡°I think I deserve a hug, too. Whatever he did, I did it twice as much.¡± Delh ignored him, which didn¡¯t seem to bother the weapons dealer at all. Or that was the impression Elijah got when Atticus turned his attention back to the mug of beer in front of him. Meanwhile, he got a good look at Delh. She wore a boiled leather cuirass and a skirtposed of leather strips. From the knees down, she wore brass greaves, which left her thighs on disy. And from Elijah¡¯s still slightly drunken perspective, they were great thighs. In fact, everything about her was great, even if she was almost a foot taller than him. She probably weighed more, too. But that didn¡¯t dissuade him at all. Instead, he found it quite interesting. But in his defense, outside of Jess, who¡¯d never really considered giving him the time of day, he¡¯d not had much of an opportunity to mingle with the opposite sex in more than two years. So, of course, he put his foot in his mouth. ¡°Yeah, I can see why you¡¯re popr.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, narrowing her eyes in confusion. ¡°What do you mean by popr?¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s something your brother said.¡± ¡°You were talking about me with my brother?¡± ¡°Of course. I think he meant to fix us up. I tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted. Said we¡¯d make a great couple.¡± ¡°Did he now?¡± ¡°More or less.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking it was less more than more,¡± she stated. ¡°I¡¯m far too drunk to make sense of what you just said. So, I don¡¯t have a room yet, but there¡¯s an inn around here where the owner loves me,¡± he went on. ¡°I¡¯m sure ¨C¡± ¡°You think you can handle me?¡± she asked, her eyes twinkling. ¡°Definitely,¡± Elijah said with a grin of his own. Then, without hesitation, she dipped down, wrapped her arms around his waist, and threw him over her shoulder. With his Sash of the Whirlwind, Elijah probably could have avoided it, but in his human form, his Strength and Dexterity weren¡¯t quite high enough to make use of the item¡¯s Haste. Besides, he wasn¡¯t all that displeased with the sudden shift because it at least gave him a nice view of her backside. Still, he made a show of resistance, iming, ¡°I was just joking!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± Then, she was marching outside and to the house where he¡¯d left Isaak earlier that day. Nobody in the streets batted an eysh at the clear abduction, which Elijah wouldter learn was due to Delh¡¯s well-known proclivities. She was a straightforward woman, and apparently, not averse to taking what she wanted. And at that moment, she wanted Elijah. Yet, despite theck of dignity in its beginning, Elijah couldn¡¯t think of any reason to object to what he hoped would prove to be a very eventful night and a much-needed release. Book 2: Chapter 61: The Morning After Book 2: Chapter 61: The Morning After Sunlight filtered through the curtains, illuminating the dancing dust motes in the air. For a moment, Carmen had no idea where she was, and she reached for a partner that wasn¡¯t there. Then, everything came crashing down on her like a tidal wave, and she suddenly felt very alone. Thatsted right up until she saw Miguel curled up in a chair, his mother¡¯s old spear leaning against the wall next to him. That brought all sorts of mixed feelings, but the most prevalent was that she couldn¡¯t afford to lose herself in the still-poignant grief that came every time she thought of Alyssa. She had a responsibility to the living, including Miguel and all the people of Silverado who¡¯d entrusted her with their safety as well as their potential prosperity. She shifted, and her muscles screamed at her for the mistake. Groaning, she persisted, propping herself up on the pillow. That noise woke Miguel, whose eyes fluttered open sleepily. Just like his mother, he took a moment to remember where he was, but when his eyes found Carmen, they widened in surprise. ¡°Mom! You¡¯re awake!¡± he shouted,unching himself from the chair. In less than a second, he crashed into her, burying his face in her shoulder as he hugged her as tightly as his little arms could allow. He¡¯d put on a bit of muscle since he¡¯d started training, but he still wasn¡¯t strong enough to really affect Carmen. Physically, at least. Emotionally, he had all the power in the world. Even though it caused some degree of pain, Carmen wrapped her arms around her son and returned his hug with one of her own. She didn¡¯t even realize she was crying until her tears started to drip onto his mop of ck hair. She sniffed loudly, then said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetie. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°For what?¡± he asked, pulling away. Carmen didn¡¯t want to release him, but she also didn¡¯t want to smother him. When they locked eyes, she saw the evident confusion implied by his question. ¡°I made a dumb decision. I shouldn¡¯t have gone into that mine,¡± she said. ¡°But I know my limits, now. I won¡¯t leave you ever again.¡± Then, she hugged him again. ¡°But mom, you saved all those people,¡± he said, his voice muffled by its close proximity to her chest. ¡°Everybody says you¡¯re a hero.¡± Hero. People had called Alyssa that, too. But that had gotten her killed. Carmen didn¡¯t care what people thought of her. In fact, a sudden epiphany told her that, in the grand scheme of things, she didn¡¯t care about anything nearly as much as providing Miguel with an opportunity to grow up in a safe environment. That meant that she couldn¡¯t just throw herself into dangerous situations, regardless of what she saw as her responsibility. Not only did that put her in unnecessary danger, which in turn increased the odds of turning Miguel into an orphan, but it was also a waste of her talents. She was strong, and she could hold her own in battle. Yet, if she had been focusing on the things she did best, then the people who¡¯d followed her into that mine would have been far better equipped to meet the dangers therein. As a result, as Carmen had fought what she thought was a fruitless battle, she¡¯d made the choice that, if she managed to survive, she would devote herself to giving her people the tools they needed to do the jobs for which they were suited. They were the Warriors. She was the crafter. And as much as she wanted to do her part as a fighter, she needed to remember that she¡¯d chosen her path long ago, and now she needed to walk it. All of that flitted through her mind as she held Miguel, and in that moment, she had to admit that her own selfish desire to protect her son yed a part in that resolution as well. Before she could respond to her son¡¯s remarks, the door to the room ¨C which Carmen btedly recognized as the town¡¯s infirmary ¨C to admit a familiar face. Verin looked much the same as she had when she¡¯d fetched Carmen so Roman could deliver the news of Alyssa¡¯s death, which meant that she was an older, matronly woman with a thick, gray braid and a stout figure. She was unarmored, and the morningstar she normally wore at her waist was nowhere to be seen. The woman gave Carmen a tight smile that didn¡¯t touch her eyes as she asked, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Like I was in an eighteen-car pileup,¡± Carmen admitted. ¡°I¡¯m sore all over.¡± ¡°That¡¯s normal.¡± ¡°Is everyone else okay?¡± Carmen asked, rather than talk about her own condition. She was alive, which meant that she would recover. In any case, she was far more worried about whether or not everyone had made it out alive. Verin shook her head. ¡°We saved as many as we could, but¡­¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Brett Thomas,¡± she said. ¡°He fought until the very end, but by the time we arrived, he was already dead.¡± Carmen¡¯s heart jumped into her throat. Over the course of the battle, the Vignte had proven himself a dozen times over. He was a talented fighter, and Carmen had thought he would be thest to sumb. Perhaps he wouldn¡¯t have died if he¡¯d had proper armor. ¡°Anyone else?¡± she asked. ¡°Nora Lassiter and Misha Addison.¡± ¡°I remember Nora, but the other¡­¡± ¡°She came with me,¡± Verin said. ¡°We were in such a hurry that some of my people were caught off-guard by the number of monsters. Misha was our Knight, and she¡¯s the only reason we arrived in time to save everyone else.¡± ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Carmen said, shaking her head. To Miguel, she said, ¡°Sweetie, why don¡¯t you go get me something to drink?¡± ¡°But mom¡­¡± Carmen knew he wanted to stay and listen in, but she didn¡¯t think it was appropriate for a boy his age to hear a casualty report. So, she gave him her best ¡°mom look,¡± cutting off any further objections. He did move extra slowly on his way out, though, just to make sure everyone knew he wasn¡¯t happy about being excluded. Once Miguel was out of the room, Carmen got the full report of the injured. A few people had lost limbs, but aside from Brett, Nora, and Misha, everyone else had survived. Verin credited Keith, the other Healer, for that. And Carmen herself, of course. The story of how she¡¯d single-handedly held the entrance had already begun to make the rounds. It was made even more usible by the tales of how, despite only being a crafter, she¡¯d fought side-by-side with thebatants on the trip from Easton to Silverado. That had done wonders for her reputation, and her status as a hero had been cemented by her exploits in the mine. And Carmen hated it. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. To move on, she asked Verin for the whole story of how she hade to arrive in the mines. And to her surprise, it was only partially as she expected. Apparently, the messenger she¡¯d sent back to Easton had never actually made it to the city. Instead, he had been intercepted by Verin¡¯s patrol, and the older woman had taken it upon herself to respond. After that, they¡¯de as quickly as possible, and when they had arrived, they had found a town in disarray and a few warriors holding off a tide of critters who were trying to spill out into Silverado. ¡°Then we fought our way through until we found you. We would have gotten there sooner, but Devin had to stop a few times to recover his Ethera,¡± Verin exined. ¡°So, Roman doesn¡¯t know what happened here?¡± Verin shook her head. ¡°I think it¡¯s best he doesn¡¯t know you and I met,¡± she said, looking away. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t talk about it here. But if I asked, would you meet me and some other people back in Easton? In a month or two, I mean. There are some things you need to know,¡± Verin said. ¡°What kinds of things?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°The kinds of things that will exin why Alyssa had to die.¡± At first, Carmen didn¡¯t react. But then, she threw herself from the bed with all the Strength she could muster. It was considerable, and as a result, she moved so quickly that Verin couldn¡¯t react before Carmen rammed into her, mping her hand around the older woman¡¯s throat. Carmen didn¡¯t stop until she¡¯d mmed Verin against the wall hard enough to shake the building. Leaning in, she growled, ¡°What did you just say?¡± The sound of a ss hitting the floor jerked Carmen¡¯s attention towards the door, where she saw Miguel staring at her, wide-eyed and in shock. ¡°Mom?¡± he breathed. ¡°Miguel, go get Colt. Now.¡± ¡°But mom, why ¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions. Just go. Now.¡± Miguel clearly wanted to disobey, but when he saw his mother¡¯s face, he thought better of it. The moment he raced from the room, Carmen turned her attention back to Verin, who¡¯d started to turn blue fromck of oxygen. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go until Colt¡¯s here to back me up,¡± she hissed. ¡°But if you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯d better think long and hard about telling me absolutely everything. You don¡¯t know me, so I¡¯ll exin it to you in the clearest way possible. I am usually an easygoing person. I don¡¯t get angry very quickly. But one thing sure to set me off is my family. So, if you know anything about how my wife died that you haven¡¯t told me, then I suggest you tell me the moment I let you go. Got it?¡± Verin tried to nod, but Carmen¡¯s vice-like grip prevented her head from moving more than an inch or two. Just then, Colt arrived, wearing a hospital gown, his hat, and with his sheathed sword in one hand. Miguel followed after him, out of breath. Colt took less than a moment to take stock of the situation before saying, ¡°Miggy, I¡¯m going to need you to do me a huge favor. You good with that, boss?¡± Miguel nodded, saying, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Close that door and guard it with your life,¡± he said. ¡°Anybody tries toe in here, I want you to scream bloody murder. Got that?¡± Miguel said that he understood, then hastened to obey the Samurai¡¯s orders. When the door mmed shut, Carmen said, ¡°Colt. If she tries anything, I want you to use de Storm and cut her into a hundred pieces.¡± He unsheathed his sword, saying, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Carmen released Verin, and the older woman fell to the ground, gasping for air. Clearly, she hadn¡¯t worked on her Constitution very much. A mistake, but an understandable one for someone who could heal herself from any injury. In any case, Carmen wasn¡¯t concerned with the woman¡¯s deficiencies. Instead, she¡¯dtched onto her words. Ever since the world had been transformed, Carmen had mistrusted Roman. She¡¯d tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, but thebination of his questionable policies as well as the way he¡¯d treated his wife had always left a bad taste in Carmen¡¯s mouth. Then, he¡¯d taken a hardline stance against Schrs, which, while better in the short run, was a surefire way to create a regressive society that would never meet its potential. But with monsters knocking on the door and issues like starvation bing a real threat, standing up for people who couldn¡¯t really pull their weight wasn¡¯t on anyone¡¯s mind. It wasn¡¯t until Easton had moved past the immediate survival stage that she¡¯d begun to advocate for the Schrs. It had been met with little sess, and that only because of Alyssa. It wasn¡¯t the only thing the two had disagreed on. But Alyssa had always trusted Roman. After all, they¡¯d been friends and coworkers for years before the apocalypse had reared its ugly head. So, while they were prone to animated disagreements, the two still trusted one another. Carmen had seen Roman in a different light, though, and she had even warned Alyssa of the dangers of going into the tower. Yet, when Roman had brought news of Alyssa¡¯s death, she¡¯d simply epted the story due to shock and a desperate need to believe that her wife had died for a purpose. In the back of her mind, though, she¡¯d never quite abandoned the notion that Roman had engineered it somehow. That he had betrayed Alyssa. So, when Verin had uttered those words, ¡°why Alyssa had to die¡±, something inside of Carmen had snapped into ce. Suddenly, Roman¡¯s story didn¡¯t seem so believable. ¡°Tell me everything,¡± she spat, ring down at the woman who she¡¯d already found guilty by association. And Verin did as she¡¯d been ordered, spilling the story with a mix of eagerness and shame that Carmen found repulsive. Or maybe that was due to what she had to say. Verin exined how Roman had approached her just before the trip into the tower, promising that her people would be given a ce in Easton if she went along with what he had nned. At the time, Verin didn¡¯t have any choice but to do it. She had more than a hundred people ¨C some of whom were friends and family ¨C depending on her. So, she went in, knowing that something bad would happen. ¡°I didn¡¯t think he was going to kill her,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I swear¡­I just thought¡­I don¡¯t know¡­¡± It was either a lie or naivete. ¡°Go on. Tell me how he did it.¡± Verin continued, exining in brutal detail how Trace had stabbed Alyssa in the back. ¡°He had this dagger that we¡¯d looted from the other level,¡± she said. ¡°But that just made it easier. He already had another n to make it happen. That dagger made her vulnerable, and then¡­then, Roman¡­did it.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°You¡­y-you don¡¯t want to know¡­¡± ¡°Tell me!¡± Carmen roared, kicking Verin in the side. She didn¡¯t hold back, either. In her state, she couldn¡¯t have, even if she¡¯d wanted to. And she did not want to. Verin coughed, spitting up blood, but she didn¡¯t dare embrace any skills. Not with Colt standing there ready to cut her to pieces. He would, too. Everyone knew how much he¡¯d idolized Alyssa, and he had transferred much of that devotion to Carmen in her stead. ¡°H-he¡­he beheaded her,¡± she said. Then, she looked up with tears in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so¡­s-so sorry. I didn¡¯t know he was going to¡­I thought¡­I thought I could maybe let him do it, then heal her, but¡­she¡­she was gone, and¡­¡± ¡°Kill her.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Kill her, Colt. Do it, or I¡¯m going to beat her to death with my bare hands. I don¡¯t want Miguel to see me like that.¡± ¡°With all due respect, ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Carmen said. ¡°If you can¡¯t stomach it, I can.¡± And then she embarked on a quest to do just that. She only got one good kick in before Colt wrapped his arms around her and pulled her away. Carmen was incredibly strong, but he had all the leverage. Still, she could have broken free, and she would have if she hadn¡¯t been interrupted by a garbled crying from the broken woman at her feet. ¡°I know how to get revenge on him!¡± Carmen tore free, but that sentence had torn a hole in her resolve. So, she growled, ¡°How?¡± She knew good and well that Roman¡¯s position was nearly unassable. Not only was he one of the highest levels in Easton ¨C he wasn¡¯t quite on the powerdder, but he was close ¨C but he also had the weight of the entire government on his side. That meant that to get to him, one needed to either be prepared for a suicide run, or¡­ ¡°There¡¯s a resistance,¡± Verin said. ¡°Mostly people who were loyal to your wife, but there are people who lost friends and loved ones to his policies. I can¡­I can put you in touch with them. I can help you! I¡¯m sorry! I just wanted to save ¨C¡± Carmen had heard enough. Or perhaps she¡¯d finally lost whatever thread of civility she had left. Whatever the case, she suddenly had her summoned cksmithing hammer in her hand. Even as it descended, Colt tried to stop her. He wasn¡¯t quick enough, though. Just before the blownded, Carmen caught sight of Verin¡¯s surprised face. Had she really expected to be forgiven? Had she truly thought Carmen could ignore that confession? If so, then she didn¡¯t know who she was dealing with. The hammer crushed the healer¡¯s skull with a sickening crunch that sent stters of brain and fragments of bone against the wall. Then, Carmen hit her again. Roaring in inarticte rage, she continued to pummel the woman¡¯s skull until it was little more than a slurry of blood, bone, and brain matter. By the time she¡¯d finished, she was hoarse. Pushing a bloody lock of hair out of her face, she turned to a stunned Colt and said, ¡°I need you to find out who these rebels are. I¡¯d very much like to meet them.¡± Colt swallowed hard, then said, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°And Colt.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let Miggy in here, okay. He doesn¡¯t need to see this.¡± ¡°Y-yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Book 2: Chapter 62: A One-Time Thing Book 2: Chapter 62: A One-Time Thing It was a good morning. That was the most prevalent thought in every facet of Elijah¡¯s mind as hey on his side, his head propped on one hand as he beheld the goddess he¡¯d met the night before. As she dressed, this time in normal clothes as opposed to the Wonder Woman get-up she¡¯d worn when she had osted him, she gave him a small smirk. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a prostitute ss?¡± he asked. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°Come again.¡± ¡°What?¡± he said. Then, it hit him what he¡¯d just suggested. ¡°No! I didn¡¯t mean you! It¡¯s just that I was thinking about itst night, and ¨C¡± ¡°And you think I¡¯m a whore? I¡¯ll have you know that I¡¯m a well-respected member of thismunity, and I do not have a prostitute ss!¡± she shouted. Her eyes went to the spear propped against the wall. Before she could take a step toward it, Elijah leaped to his feet, just in case he needed to defend himself. He didn¡¯t think getting stabbed would kill him, but he didn¡¯t want to experience it regardless. He held his hands out in surrender, ¡°Wait. That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± She stopped, put her hands on her hips, and demanded, ¡°Then exin it. If I don¡¯t like your exnation, there¡¯s always the spear. And believe me, I¡¯ve got a good measure of your attributes, so I¡¯m fairly sure you¡¯re not getting away if I don¡¯t want you to.¡± ¡°Do men run away from you often?¡± he couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking.¡°Not sessfully.¡± Elijah could believe it, too. While he had no idea what level Delh was, she¡¯d certainly proven that her physical attributes were up to just about any task. He¡¯d only spent one night with her ¨C and it was definitely a pleasurable one ¨C but he was sore in ces he didn¡¯t even know existed. To call her strong would have been an understatement. If he was in a bit less desperate of a situation, he might¡¯ve wondered why she wasn¡¯t on the powerdder, but as it was, he was far too concerned with exining himself. ¡°It was just an idle thought, okay? I¡¯m weird. We¡¯ve established that. I sometimes lose track of things,¡± he said. ¡°Do better,¡± she said, taking a step toward the spear. ¡°Okay! Okay,¡± he said. ¡°I spent a long time alone. Like, a long time. Longer than you can imagine. So, I sort of lost some of my¡­uh¡­social graces. I¡¯m trying to get them back, but it¡¯s a work in progress. What I meant when I asked about that¡­other ss was that there seem to be sses for all sorts of other professions. And that¡¯s supposed to be the oldest one, right? I¡¯m sure that wherever the system came from had lonely people who would pay forpanionship, right? It seems like there¡¯d be just as much call for someone with that kind of ss as there is for, say, a carpenter. Or an archivist. Or whatever other nonbat sses are out there.¡± ¡°Just idle curiosity, then. That¡¯s your final answer, huh?¡± ¡°I should warn you that I am a powerful warrior, and I will defend myself if necessary,¡± he said. That¡¯s when he realized that he was probably twenty pounds lighter than her, a couple of inches shorter, and as they¡¯d established the night before,cking more than a few points in Strength. He was also still naked, which he only realized when Delh¡¯s eyes flicked down to his most private bits. But he stubbornly refused to cover up. She¡¯d seen all there was to see, anyway. It wasn¡¯t as if he had anything to hide after the night they¡¯d spent together. ¡°You really believe that, huh?¡± she asked, cocking her head to the side. ¡°Scrawny thing like you.¡± ¡°Uh¡­I spent two years with barely enough food to survive,¡± he said. ¡°I think I¡¯m in pretty good shape, all things considered. And let¡¯s not even talk about when I got digested by a whale. Or whale monster, I guess. I was down to skin and bones after that.¡± ¡°A whale monster? Where in the world did you encounter a whale monster?¡± ¡°In the Sea of Sorrows. Or something like that. I forget the name, if I¡¯m honest,¡± he said, hopping off the bed. ¡°My point is that you shouldn¡¯t make light of someone who¡¯s been through what I¡¯ve been through. Bad form, and all that.¡± She narrowed her eyes again, and he added, ¡°My other point is that, in no way, shape, or form did I mean to impugn your reputation. If I did, I apologize wholeheartedly and throw myself upon your generous mercy.¡± He ended with as dramatic a bow as he could muster. ¡°You¡¯re not gettingid again.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me. It was fun. I had a great time,¡± she said. ¡°But this was always going to be a one-time thing.¡± ¡°Ugh. I feel used.¡± ¡°Because you were,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Look ¨C do you have any idea how few men my age are still around in Argos? Not many. Do you know why?¡± Elijah shook his head, though he did take a moment to find his underpants, which were hanging from a standingmp. ssy. ¡°Who do you think the first ones called to defend the city were? The young, healthy men. And who do you think were the first ones to die when the Voxx started surging? Yeah. You guessed it,¡± she said, her expression suddenly hard. ¡°It was almost overnight that the average age in Argos rose by fifteen years. So, when somebody newes in and saves my little brother, well¡­a girl has needs.¡± Elijah guessed, ¡°But a girl doesn¡¯t wantmitment.¡± ¡°Just so. I¡¯ve got ns,¡± she said. ¡°Me and Isaak are going to travel once we both get a few more levels under our belts. We want to see the world.¡± This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Elijah understood wanderlust better than most. He had no intention of sitting still, even after he found his family. Yet, he also didn¡¯t want to be responsible for two strangers, even if they were reasonably capable. Isaak had proven himself, and he suspected that Delh was nearly as strong in her own way. But Elijah was on a different level, and he didn¡¯t want to saddle himself with that kind of responsibility. ¡°It¡¯s not you,¡± Delh said. ¡°It¡¯s me. I don¡¯t want to have to carry anyone.¡± Elijah almostughed at that, but he remembered his manners well enough to keep that to himself. Instead, he just gave her a feigned sad smile and said, ¡°I understand. I hope you both find exactly what you¡¯re looking for.¡± After that, Delh finished dressing. When Elijah hesitated to do the same ¨C aside from his hastily donned underwear ¨C Delh cleared her throat pointedly. That¡¯s when he remembered that they were in her room. Clearly, she had no intention of leaving him behind, so he quickly apologized and dressed, gathering his things without much fanfare. Once that was done, they shared an awkward goodbye, then Delh led him downstairs and past Isaak, who was pointedly ignoring everything as he sat at the table eating a piece of fruit. Elijah had no intention of extending that awkwardness, so he just gave a half-hearted wave before Delh practically pushed him from the house. A couple of old women sitting on the neighboring front porch sniggered at his treatment, so he just gave them a shrug before heading on his way. It wasn¡¯t long before his path took him to the Branch, where he deposited his coins and spent a few minutes perusing the Knowledge Base as well as the Map. He bought a couple of extra guides ¨C one on crafting and the other called Guidelines for Entering a Newly Touched World, which he surmised was intended for people traveling from other worlds to ones that had been recently touched by the World Tree. He hoped that would give him some insight in case he encountered more off-worlders. On the Map, he found his next target, which was called Kjma. That didn¡¯t sound Greek, so he suspected that it hade from apletely different part of the world. Which was both exciting and daunting. Elijah hadn¡¯t experienced a lot of different cultures in his short life, but he knew just how easy it was to say or do the wrong thing when you didn¡¯t know the societal rules. Still, if it was half as friendly as Argos had been, then he expected he would enjoy the new town. Once he¡¯d copied a rough facsimile of the map into a notebook he¡¯d bought back in Ironshore, Elijah thanked the Envoy and went on his way. Before he decided what to do, Elijah stopped by a caf¨¦, where he enjoyed a cup of coffee. As he sat there, he became keenly aware that someone was watching him. So, he focused on One with Nature, and he found a familiar presence in the nearby alley. He didn¡¯t immediately go check it out, though. Instead, he continued to enjoy his coffee, chuckling softly when his visitor started pacing impatiently. However, Elijah didn¡¯t want to push things too far ¨C especially because he knew what his friend was capable of ¨C so instead of ordering another cup, he paid his bill, leaving an extra copper ethereum as a tip, then headed into the alley. ¡°What?¡± Predictably, his stalker didn¡¯t answer, but that was more due to the fact that cats typically couldn¡¯t speak, rather than any intention of rudeness. Artemis just stared at him tly, then approached. ¡°I¡¯m not taking you with me,¡± he said, kneeling down to pet the cat. When he did, he was reminded that her fur on her back felt like metal bristles, which sort of took the fun out of the whole thing. Still, he was careful to show her the positive attention she obviously craved as he said, ¡°You need to stay with Isaak. Protect him. He¡¯s strong, but he¡¯s vulnerable. If you ¨C¡± ¡°Are you giving my cat an exnation like she can actually understand you?¡± came Isaak¡¯s voice. ¡°Huh?¡± Elijah asked, forcing himself to calmly look back. ¡°No. You must have been hearing things. I wouldn¡¯t¡­you know what? Sure. I was exining to Artemis that she can¡¯te with me.¡± ¡°Pretty sure she doesn¡¯t want to go with you,¡± Isaak said, stepping forward. He seemed a lot more confident than he had in the woods. But that was probably because he was morefortable in the city where everyone saw him as a hero. Or maybe it was because Argos was only home to one monster, and now that Artemis had been cured of the corruption, she wasn¡¯t going to start attacking people. Probably. Cats being cats, one could never be sure, but Elijah felt reasonably confident that Artemis wouldn¡¯t just haul off and start hunting people. Especially so long as Isaak was around. In any case, Artemis raised her head primly and sashayed past Elijah to leap into Isaak¡¯s arms. Considering her size, that was quite a feat, but Isaak didn¡¯t seem to have much difficulty holding the cat. What was obvious was that Artemis didn¡¯t have any intention of leaving her friend, which just highlighted how silly Elijah felt. ¡°Just one of those days,¡± he sighed. ¡°What¡¯s up, then? Need me to save you from something else?¡± Isaak held his cat close as he said, ¡°No. I just¡­I just wanted to thank you again. I know you didn¡¯t have to help me. Most people wouldn¡¯t have, especially after I hit you with that soulfire ball. But you did. And¡­well¡­thanks. If you ever need me for anything, I¡¯ll be here.¡± Elijah nodded, but he really didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. ¡°Also, please stay away from my sister.¡± ¡°What? Why? I mean, she came for me!¡± ¡°Ugh. Please just¡­no. Just no.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± Isaak just shook his head. Then, he cleared his throat before asking, ¡°Where are you going to go?¡± Elijah was more than happy to move the conversational topic to something else, and he said, ¡°There¡¯s a town a few hundred miles from here. It¡¯s called Kjma. That¡¯s the next stop.¡± ¡°I thought you wanted to go to Seattle.¡± ¡°I do,¡± he said. ¡°And how do you know that?¡± Indeed, he¡¯d never revealed his ns to Isaak. Suddenly, he was suspicious. ¡°Delh told me. She said you told her about itst night.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t do much talkingst night.¡± ¡°Gross.¡± ¡°Where did you really hear it?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Fine. It was from Atticus. When we got back into town, someone told me that you two had gotten kind of friendly. So, I went over there today and asked about you,¡± Isaak said. ¡°He told me about Seattle.¡± ¡°What else did he tell you?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Isaak said, taking a step back. ¡°Easy, kid. I¡¯m not going to attack you. Jesus. People are so paranoid. Like I¡¯d just murder a kid in the middle of town,¡± he muttered. ¡°Just don¡¯t tell anybody else, okay? I¡¯m not exactly hiding here, but I don¡¯t need my business all over town.¡± ¡°You might¡¯ve made friends with the wrong person, then. Everybody knows Atticus is the town gossip,¡± Isaak revealed. ¡°Of course he is,¡± Elijah said, running his hand down his face in exasperation. In reality, it wasn¡¯t really that surprising. In retrospect, it wasn¡¯t even that frustrating. Atticus was just a friendly guy who was probably on good terms with everyone in town. Of course he¡¯d talk. Elijah could just hope that he hadn¡¯t revealed all of his secrets. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m leaving anyway, and I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll evere this way again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know where Seattle is? It¡¯s to the southeast. Close to five-hundred miles, though. At least ording to thest peddler that came through here,¡± Isaak exined. ¡°He seemed pretty sure about it, though, and from what I understand, it¡¯s not a good situation down there. But that was more than a year ago, so I¡¯m sure things have changed.¡± ¡°Do you know anything else about it?¡± Isaak shook his head. ¡°And that¡¯s second-hand information. For all I know, the peddler was lying. But he seemed sure that Seattle was in that direction, and I don¡¯t see why he would lie about that part.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± After that, the conversation went on for a few more minutes, but it was clear that Isaak didn¡¯t have any more information. So, Elijah said goodbye, patted the cat on its bristly head, then set off to the southeast. Hopefully, before too long, he would reach Seattle and find his sister. So, it was with some degree of optimism that he left Argos behind and set off into the wilderness. Book 2: Chapter 63: The Looming Threat Book 2: Chapter 63: The Looming Threat Kurik dove aside, rolling away just in time to avoid the orc¡¯s descending axe. The stone de thudded into the loamy turf, sending an explosion of ck soil and dead leaves into the air. The monster roared in frustration as it yanked the massive de out of the ground, but it had dug into the roots of a nearby oak tree, so the motion wasn¡¯t quite as smooth as it should have been. That was the only opening Kurik needed. The dwarf dashed in, drawing his one-handed axe from the loop at his belt. He swung, and, with a sickening thunk, the de bit deep into the off-bnce orc¡¯s knee. It was like hacking at an ancient tree, but Kurik ripped it away, keeping his momentum going as the orc finally retrieved his massive weapon from where it had be embedded in the ground. Kurik skidded to a stop, twisting back to face his opponent. The orc was almost twice as tall as him, and broader across the shoulders as well. The heavily muscled creature wore nothing but a loin cloth and the hide of some animal across its shoulders, and its weapon was about as primitive as any Kurik had ever seen. Stone-ded and with a haft made from the femur of a monstrous animal, it looked toorge even for the huge orc. And it was, often overbncing the monster. Though that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t deadly. If he found himself on the wrong end of that de, he knew he¡¯d end up bisected. No ¨C he had to fight smart. Fortunately, he was well-prepared for such a battle. Through his long years, he¡¯d fought so many oversized opponents that he¡¯d lost count. That was the life of a dwarf, after all. Or any of the shorter-statured races. He made up for it with sheer durability and, some would say, stubbornness. The real advantage was upstairs, though.So, with that in mind, Kurik slowly retreated, holding his axe in an easy grip he¡¯d learned from his long-dead father. Then, he crooked his finger at the hulking monster and said, ¡°C¡¯mon, you big idjit. I¡¯m right here waitin¡¯ fer ya.¡± The orc didn¡¯t need any further invitation, and with an echoing roar that Kurik hoped none of the other orcs in the area had heard, it threw himself forward. So, Kurik did the only sensible thing: he turned on his heel and ran, leaping over a fallen and rotted tree, then sliding down the dew-slick slope on the other side. The monster barreled through the tree, sending dposing splinters flying before realizing its mistake and tumbling down the slope after Kurik. That gave the dwarf a few extra seconds to stretch his lead, though he didn¡¯t dare nce back. That would only slow him down, and he knew that the huge creature was possessed of enough Strength to throw itself forward with incredible quickness. Certainly, it couldn¡¯t control that speed, but that wouldn¡¯t do much to help Kurik on a straightaway. So, he continued to sprint, nimbly avoiding the worst of the area¡¯s thick underbrush. It was like a tropical jungle, it was so dense. But Kurik was an experienced scout, and he knew how to move in all sorts of terrain. He was at home in the forest, so he didn¡¯t have any trouble keeping ahead of the orc. The chase continued for about thirty more seconds before he saw a small mark on one of the trees as he darted past. Grinning, leaped over a barely noticeable depression, then skidded to a stop. The orc came only a few secondster, roaring in bestial fury as it caromed off of trees and ripped its way through the dense foliage. Then, it hit the depression and disappeared. Less than an instantter, a pained yowl filled the air. But Kurik didn¡¯t immediately approach. Instead, he waited for a few more seconds to see if the creature was going to climb out of the trap. It didn¡¯t, but not forck of trying. Agonized screams, frustrated growls, and the sound of digging greeted Kurik¡¯s ears, but the monster seemed to have been confined to the pit. In most cases, Kurik would have waited a little longer. Many animals were more than capable of pretending they¡¯d been caught so that they could turn the situation around on a careless hunter. He¡¯d seen it happen, and more than once. But orcs were too stupid ¨C or perhaps single-minded ¨C for that kind of thing. At their current stage of development, they could barely even use tools, much less think strategically. Yet, they were dangerous monsters, and what¡¯s worse, Kurik knew that Ironshore wasn¡¯t prepared to meet such a threat. Not with most of their security forces having been killed in an ill-fated attempt to snatch some natural treasure out from under a powerful guardian. Kurik had seen the man for himself, and though he didn¡¯t think much of what he¡¯d seen, he knew well enough to respect his deeds. A full fifty people had gone to that ind, and only one had returned. Kurik knew better than to tempt those odds. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t have gone hunting on that ind anyway. Just wasn¡¯t worth it, as far as he was concerned. There were other ways to advance that didn¡¯t involve fighting a guardian on his own turf. Less deadly ways. Kurik wasn¡¯t a coward. He¡¯d fight when necessary, and if he thought the odds were in his favor. But trying to take more than a dwarf¡¯s share was what had gotten his n banished in the first ce. It was why he¡¯d spent his formative years without a father, and ultimately, it was why he¡¯d ended up in Ironshore looking for a fresh start. He crept forward, keeping on his toes as he approached the pit. And when he looked down, he saw precisely what he¡¯d expected. The pit itself was almost ten feet deep and lined with sharpened sticks. But it was more than just a hole in the ground. It was augmented by two of his abilities. The first was Conceal Trap, which was why the orc had never detected it.
Conceal Trap Create an illusion to hide a trap. Lasts thirty (30) minutes. Potency of the illusion is based on Dexterity.
Kurik¡¯s Dexterity was fairly high for his level, which meant that, when he used the technique, his traps were almost entirely undetectable for someone near his level. The orc had him by three levels, but it clearly hadn¡¯t the wits to see through Conceal Trap. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. The second ability was the one that really gave the trap some punch, though:
Venom Trap (augment) Augment an existing trap with potent venom. Choose type: Paralysis Neurotoxin Necrotic (CURRENT)
The ability was an incredible boon for any hunter. Normally, he used the Paralysis type of venom ¨C after all, he didn¡¯t want to ruin the meat of his prey. However, now that he was hunting orcs, he knew he needed to use the most powerful venom avable to him. When he¡¯d originally received the ability, it had been nearly useless. But over time, he¡¯d discovered that he could add potential types to the ability; the only caveat was that he had to experience it himself. The Necrotic Venom hade from a scorpion native to his home world called ava dredger. Normally, they were fairly peaceful creatures, but when agitated, they would strike. But it only took one hit, and their victims were goners. To endure it, Kurik had been forced tomission an expensive healing potion, but in the years since, it had proven invaluable. ¡°Hurts, don¡¯t it? I still remember that sting,¡± he said, looking down at the orc. Already, the venom had infected it, and because it¡¯d been stabbed by the stakes in multiple ces, the venomous skill had worked extremely quickly. The thing would be dead in less than a minute, unless it possessed some sort of healing ability. Which it almost certainly didn¡¯t. Kurik had killed enough orcs over the past few weeks to be as sure about that as he was about anything else in his new world. Ever since he¡¯d reported the orc invasion to the mayor as well as Ironshore¡¯s ruling council, he¡¯d been tasked with keeping an eye on the horde while killing as many as he could. The rest of his scouting team was doing the same, and to date, they¡¯d ughtered almost a hundred of the monsters. Yet, there were still plenty left. Their primary purpose wasn¡¯t fighting a war, though. Instead, they were meant to watch for signs that the orcs had detected Ironshore. The boundary field they¡¯d set up upon arrival kept the worst of the monster poption away, but it could only do so much against semi-sentient creatures like orcs. The moment the orcs got a whiff of such a juicy target ¨C even if it was rendered faint by the boundary field ¨C they¡¯de running, and in full force. And that eventuality, which they¡¯d hoped they could avoid, had clearlye. The orcish horde had shifted, and begun their march toward Ironshore. By Kurik¡¯s estimation, they were no more than two or three weeks away, which meant that he needed to hightail it back to the city and warn them. But what that would aplish, he didn¡¯t know. They couldn¡¯t stand up to the oing horde. Not even if the security forces were still intact. He knew that the city¡¯s leaders had pooled all their ethereum in order to hire more, but they could scarcely afford the teleportation fee for any force that would make a difference, much less enough to actually get them toe. No. Ironshore was doomed. Kurik knew it, and if he was a smart dwarf, he would have already fled into the wilderness. Yet, he hadn¡¯t because, if he was honest, he was tired of running away. That was what he¡¯d done when his people were exiled. And he¡¯d done it again when the opportunity toe to a new world had crossed his path. That wasn¡¯t how he wanted to spend the rest of his life. So, Kurik waited until the orc had sumbed to the venom of his trap, then headed back towards Ironshore. Along the way, he met up with his squad. Most of them had greatly benefited from the ongoing hunt ¨C so had Kurik ¨C which in normal circumstances, would have been cause for celebration. But now? None of them were thinking of anything but theing fight. As a result, it was a somber group that headed back to Ironshore. * * * Ramik nced up at the grey sky and watched the roiling clouds that heralded aing storm. He let out a sigh, then nced at his closest friend and said, ¡°Storm¡¯sing.¡± Carisa let out a snort. ¡°Storms¡¯re alwaysin¡¯,¡± she said in her characteristic brogue. ¡°Be a lot more interestin¡¯ if you said it wasn¡¯t ¡®bout to rain.¡± The goblin shook his head, then removed his sses. With a handkerchief he took from his pocket, he wiped the priceless lenses. They weren¡¯t intended to correct his vision ¨C he¡¯d had that fixed long ago ¨C but rather, to give him some insight into the flow of ambient ethera. For instance, when he looked across the strait at the guardian¡¯s ind, he could see just how special of a ce it really was. Through the lenses, the ind practically glowed with potential. It was nearly enough to awaken the avarice in his heart, but he only had to remember Eason Cabbot¡¯s fate to recognize just how bad of an idea it was to pursue that line of thought. ¡°It was meant to be a metaphor,¡± he exined. ¡°But I suppose it was a terrible one.¡± ¡°What do ye want to do?¡± she asked. ¡°Do we have any choice?¡± was his responding question. ¡°The guardian said ¨C¡± ¡°He said he might help. Not that he would.¡± ¡°But might is better than we¡¯ve gotten from anyone else,¡± Ramik stated. ¡°There are ten thousand bloodthirsty orcsing this way, Carisa. Do you know what an orc horde can do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read the same stories as you.¡± ¡°Then no. I¡¯ve seen it. On my home world. I was only a child, but I remember it so keenly. They swept across the countryside, conquering and devouring everything they could find. Some people say they are descended from the great Ravener himself.¡± He shook his head, continuing, ¡°But they¡¯re just monsters, Carisa. Deadly, dreadful monsters that only know aggression,¡± he exined. ¡°We stopped them. Barely. But a lot of good goblins lost their lives in that fight.¡± Indeed, his own family, once prominent members of a sessful merchant guild, had been devastated. From there, they¡¯d experienced a precipitous fall from grace, ending with Ramik leading what was left of his family into the new world. They weren¡¯t even part of the guild anymore. But Ramik had vowed to return the Lendar¡¯i family back to prominence if it was thest thing he did. The Green Mountain Mining Guild had given them the opportunity to do just that, and though they weren¡¯t members, that could change soon enough. He just had to defend the town from an orcish invasion. A tall task, especially given that his entire security force had been killed. Certainly, everyone in town had at least some ability inbat. Nobody came to a new world without that. However, those meager abilities wouldn¡¯t count for much against a ravening horde of orcs. Because of that, he¡¯d used the Branch¡¯s limitedmunication capability to ask for support, but the guild¡¯s hub had only told him that they would take it into consideration. That was code for, ¡°Fend for yourself.¡± The reality was that Ironshore was operating on a razor thin budget as it was, and because they¡¯d yet to find anything truly valuable, it was probably easier for the Green Mountain Mining Guild to cut ties and leave them to their own devices. If they managed to survive, then that was great. But if not, then they wouldn¡¯t have sunk any more ethereum into the venture. It was just good business. Terrible from apassion standpoint, of course, but that was normal. Guilds weren¡¯t charities, after all. ¡°You think he can stop ¡®em?¡± Ramik shrugged his shoulders, then reced his sses. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s strong. I felt it.¡± ¡°He also killed Cabbot and his folks.¡± ¡°Cabbot was an idiot who was convinced he was far more powerful than he actually was,¡± Ramik spat. ¡°When I saw who he was, I thought that we had lucked out. An Eason. Here. Yet, I quickly discovered why he¡¯d ended up on a frontier world with all the rest of us desperate people.¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t desperate. I just felt the call of adventure,¡± Carisa insisted. That was tantly untrue. Cabbot had seen her file. She was apetent enough miner and engineer, but the dwarven woman was anything but reliable. She¡¯d left a string of misdeeds in her past, the same as almost everyone in Ironshore. The same as anyone who chose toe to a newly touched world. They were wild,wless ces that catered to the desperate and depraved, and more often than not the dangers outweighed the potential rewards. But still, like Ramik, they came because they had no other options. For him, it was either take his chances on Earth, or spend the rest of his life wallowing in mediocrity. And thattter was the best-case scenario if he¡¯d stayed on his home world. ¡°I think we have to try,¡± he said, still gazing across the strait at the ind. ¡°He may not help us, but our backs are against the wall, Carisa. We need him.¡± ¡°Aight,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll fetch us a boat, and we¡¯ll go for a little visit. Let¡¯s just hope he don¡¯t kill us on sight.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You sure ¡®bout that?¡± she asked, raising one bushy eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m¡­not,¡± he admitted. But then, he straightened his coat, pushed his shoulders back, and said, ¡°But we can¡¯t let that dissuade us.¡± ¡°Aight,¡± she said again. ¡°Sounds good to me. He didn¡¯t kill usst time, so here¡¯s hopin¡¯ he¡¯ll keep to that.¡± Book 2: Chapter 64: A Man Needs a Code Book 2: Chapter 64: A Man Needs a Code Elijah knelt atop the hill, looking out across the valley. It was an idyllic scene, with lush vegetation and a gentle stream cutting through the center of the dell. Despite the drizzling rain that had pervaded the region since he¡¯d left Argos a couple of days before, sunlight still bathed the hollow, giving it a surreal, yetfortable atmosphere. The only thing marring thendscape was the crumbling skyscraper standing in an asphalt clearing on the eastern side of the valley. Ignoring the obvious damage, it would have been at home as part of any major city¡¯s skyline, though Elijah didn¡¯t recognize it. Still, it was so incongruous that it sparked his curiosity to the point that he felt obligated to check it out. Running his hand through his hair, he let out a low sigh. Every time he decided to investigate one oddity or another, he ended up getting sidetracked from his primary quest. It had happened in Norcastle with healing the gue-stricken townspeople and the tower, then again in Argos. He knew that if he kept giving into his wanderlust, he¡¯d never find his sister. And now that he knew where to find Seattle, he was more eager for a reunion than ever. After all, Easton had been just outside of the city, so hopefully finding Seattle would mean finding that small town as well. Even if the two locations had been separated by Earth¡¯s sudden transformation, it would at least give him some degree of verifiable progress. Because so far, he¡¯d felt like he was just wandering randomly and hoping for a clue to point him in the right direction. Which was precisely what he¡¯d gotten. Now, he just needed to not ignore it. Still, the mystery of the skyscraper called to him, and in the end, he decided that a quick look wouldn¡¯t hurt. So, Elijah shifted into his draconid form, then set off down the hill and into the valley. With Essence of the Wolf working in conjunction with his high attributes, he covered the ground incredibly quickly. He didn¡¯t have much context for his actual speed, but if he traveled any slower than a thirty mile-an-hour jog, he would have been surprised. He could go much faster if he fully exerted himself, though that was always a little disconcerting. It would also quickly exhaust him. In any case, he slowed down as he descended into the valley, if for no other reason than because it was a pleasant setting. So often, it was easy to forget just how miraculous nature could be. Once, it had beenmon for people to lock themselves in their homes and stare at one screen or another without ever enjoying what the Earth had to offer. Likely, people in cities were still unwilling to venture out into the wilderness, albeit for a different reason. Now, it was due to the dangers inherent in the wilds rather thanziness, depression, or the habits of a screen-addicted society. Those thoughts flitted through one facet of Elijah¡¯s mind as he beheld the wonders of the idyllic valley. Birds chirped, and small animals chittered. Meanwhile, he could feel everything all around him. Even the trees felt more alive and aware than normal, which was both wee and a little disconcerting. Eventually, he reached the stream, where he stopped to drink and wash. As he did so, he cast his mind back to the events of the past few weeks. It had begun with his flight from Norcastle, and it had ended with his night with Delh. Somewhere in the middle of it all, his awareness of his ce in the world had begun to coalesce.In hindsight, he wished he hadn¡¯t killed those hunters. Not because he didn¡¯t think they deserved it. He fully believed that they had. Yet, he also knew that his perspective was skewed by hispromised mental state. He¡¯d let that drive him to do something that he now regretted. From a philosophical perspective, Elijah knew he needed to ept that people would hunt the wildlife in order to advance. Progression was as necessary a part of survival as food or water, and without it, people would stagnate and eventually die when they encountered some hostile situation they couldn¡¯t handle. That was the world, now. And as much as it pained him to see something like the bear killed, it was a fact of life he would have to ept going forward. That didn¡¯t mean he had to do those sorts of things himself, but he could at least look the other way while others did. The same was true of natural treasures, though given what he¡¯d experienced so far, the idea of consuming something for a one-time benefit when you could instead bathe in the ethera it emitted indefinitely was the height of stupidity. Yet, Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t do anything about that. He could govern his own actions, but he would not run around some eco-police hell-bent on punishing people for their crimes against nature. Down that roady disaster, both for his own mental health as well as the likelihood he would be tolerated by the rest of the poption. But one thing Elijah did know was that he enjoyed helping people. That had begun with the ulthraks in the first level of his ind¡¯s tower, and it had only grown more prevalent when he¡¯d helped heal the people in Norcastle. The same could be said when he¡¯d fought his way through the Reaver¡¯s Citadel, and then saved Isaak and Artemis. In a world where so much had been destroyed and so many lives had been lost, he liked the idea that he could affect positive change. He could save people. He could rescue and heal them. With the power he¡¯d earned, he could do miraculous things, and he refused to let that go to waste. Did that make him na?ve? Perhaps. And maybe it would one daye back to bite him. But he wouldn¡¯t want to live with himself if he ever became the sort of person who could see a chance to save someone and simply turn away. It would take a truly damaged person to end up like that. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. He liked to think that his parents had raised him better than to let that sort of attitude take hold. Those thoughts and more upied Elijah¡¯s mind as he idled near the stream. Eventually, he caught a couple of fish, made camp, and had a peaceful meal, all thoughts of the nearby skyscraper briefly forgotten. As night began to take hold, he decided to tackle the skyscraper in the morning. For now, though, he was content. Which was why it took him a few moments to recognize the warning in his mind. The source wasn¡¯t his immediate surroundings. Rather, someone hadnded on his ind. Through his Locus, he could feel the familiar figures of Ramik and Carisa nting a white g on his beach. Elijah¡¯s initial reaction was one of annoyance. He¡¯d told them to stay away from his ind, and yet, there they were. However, that onlysted for a moment before he came to terms with the fact that his irritation was more about the fact that his foray into the wider world had been interrupted. Clearly, the people of Ironshore needed help, and they were willing to ask him to intervene in whatever problem they¡¯d found. Through his Domain, he watched the pair standing on the shore and waiting. They didn¡¯t stray from the beach where they¡¯dnded, which further reinforced Elijah¡¯s surety that they¡¯de in peace. So, he had an option to either ignore them and hope they simply went away, or he could use Ancestral Circle and teleport back to his grove so he could see what they wanted. But even before he¡¯d posed the question to himself, Elijah knew what he was going to do. So, it was with some residual irritation that he gathered his things, making sure that he smothered the fire before embracing Ancestral Circle and teleporting back to his grove. When he reappeared, he stumbled to his knees at the influx of dense ethera. It took him a few seconds of deep breathing to relimate. Had it grown thicker? Or had he simply grown ustomed to the thinner ambient ethera in other parts of the world? He resolved to ask Nerthus after seeing what Ramik and Carisa wanted. However, he did take a second to snatch a berry from one of the grove¡¯s bushes and popped it into his mouth. It was sweeter than ever, and he experienced a slight jolt of energy and vitality the moment he swallowed. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s good to be home,¡± he said. Despite his annoyance at having been called back, he couldn¡¯t deny that much. Even though his bed ¨C and the shower ¨C called to him, Elijah knew he needed to take care of business first. So, he shifted into his draconid form and took off across the ind at close to full speed. Anywhere else, he couldn¡¯t have traveled through such dense forest at top speed, but with the knowledge of the terrain he received from his Locus, he could have gone even faster. The result was that he arrived at the beach ¨C or rather, the tree line nearby ¨C only a few minutester. Predictably, Ramik and Carisa remained near their boat, nervously looking around. ¡°You think he¡¯sin¡¯?¡± asked the dwarven woman. The goblin shook his head, then straightened his coat. ¡°My answer is the same as thest ten times you have asked, Carisa,¡± he said in his prim voice. ¡°I have no idea. If he hasn¡¯t responded in the next hour, we will have to return to Ironshore and prepare to either flee or fight back.¡± ¡°If we fight, we die,¡± Carisa stated. ¡°We have no fighters, other than that squad of scouts. And they ain¡¯t much for a straight fight.¡± ¡°Again, I am aware.¡± ¡°Hope he shows up soon. I¡¯m hungry,¡± Carisa said, leaning against the rowboat they¡¯d used to reach the ind. That statement prompted Elijah to wonder if he should return to his grove and gather some more berries, but ultimately, he decided against it. The moment either of them tasted his berries, they¡¯d know just how special the ind was. As far as he was concerned, they didn¡¯t need any more incentive to visit, so he chose to simply shift into his human form and step out from the tree line, his Staff of Natural Harmony in hand. As he did, he asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± The pair flinched away from him, but both quickly mastered themselves. Ramik was the first to speak. ¡°Thank you foring,¡± he said with a bow of his head. ¡°Skip the pleasantries. I was busy. What do you want?¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Ramik said, adjusting his sses. ¡°As you are¡­ah¡­aware, our security force was¡­well, we no longer have a security force. We have attempted to hire more, but the teleportation fees to a newly touched world are exorbitant. The only reason any of us are here was because of the settlement incentive, which covered the fees for anyone who met the requirements. Otherwise, we ¨C¡± ¡°We can¡¯t hire nobody else,¡± Carisa interrupted. ¡°We got a few people who can fight, but not enough to do what needs doin¡¯.¡± Ramik cut his eyes at the muscr dwarf. ¡°Right. That is what I was saying,¡± he went on. Then, he looked back at Elijah and continued, ¡°We have been training people, but it¡¯s not enough.¡± ¡°Enough for what?¡± ¡°Orcs,¡± Ramik answered. ¡°A horde have invaded and areing for Ironshore.¡± Immediately, Elijah thought back to the tribe of orc-like creatures he¡¯d seen on the other side of the mountain range. They had settled in an abandoned Wal-Mart, but it didn¡¯t take an intuitive leap toe to the conclusion that those monsters were one in the same with the ones described by Ramik. The goblin went on to exin the nature of an orc horde and how it posed a unique threat to not just Ironshore, but to all surrounding areas. That included Elijah¡¯s ind, which meant that he really didn¡¯t have much of a choice but to help. Not that he would have refused, anyway. Certainly, the mohawked gnome and his warriors hade from Ironshore, but the rest of the poption had made it clear that he¡¯d been a rogue element. On top of that, they¡¯d been kind to him ¨C likely because they were terrified, but still, that mattered. And, of course, his previous resolution to help where he could loomedrge in his mind. So, he asked, ¡°How long until they reach Ironshore?¡± ¡°A couple of weeks. Perhaps three,¡± Ramik said. ¡°Bit could be as few as five days before we see their scouts.¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help,¡± he said. ¡°Just like that?¡± asked a surprised Ramik. ¡°I told you he¡¯d help,¡± Carisa said. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Feels like we¡¯re in this together, for now,¡± he said, wanting to maintain an air of mystery and danger. ¡°But I expect cooperation and some degree ofpensation. We¡¯ll discuss thatter.¡± Ramik nodded, and, after a few more awkward exchanges, the pair boarded their boat and rowed out into the strait. When Elijah lost sight of them, he let himself rx. A whole horde of orcs. He had his work cut out for him. But for now, he just wanted to go back to his grove, talk to Nerthus, and then sleep in his own bed. Tomorrow, he would worry about fighting what sounded like a war. Book 2: Chapter 65: Rebellion Book 2: Chapter 65: Rebellion ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked Carmen, looking around Easton. It had been months since thest time she had visited, and in that time, the city had once again transformed. It was difficult to believe that only a few years before, it had been nothing more than a sleepy suburb. Now, it was a walled city that had to house at least a hundred thousand people. Probably a lot more. ¡°Because if you¡¯re wrong¡­¡± Colt nodded. ¡°Sure as I can be,¡± he responded, his hand on the hilt of his katana. The duster he always wore had been pushed back to allow for easy ess to the sword. Underneath, he wore a set of chainmail Carmen had made herself. It wasn¡¯t her best work ¨C she still wasn¡¯t great with the delicate process of making that type of armor ¨C but, as a low Simple-Grade item, it was head and shoulders above average. ¡°Didn¡¯t have a ton of information to go on.¡± It would have been easy to take that statement as a reprimand for her actions regarding Verin, and in fact, she¡¯d admonished herself enough as it was. Colt knew that better than most, and Carmen was well aware that he didn¡¯t mean the statement as anything but informative. Not that Carmen regretted her actions, per se. Verin had deserved to die. So did Roman. However, the timing could have been better. As it happened, her rash reaction to learning what had really happened in that tower had robbed her of the opportunity to learn more about the so-called rebels. So, after interrogating Verin¡¯s squad ¨C and to no avail ¨C she¡¯d been forced to send Colt to search things out. Fortunately, he had a background as a bounty hunter, which he was quick to point out was not as exciting as it sounded, so he was a natural choice as an investigator. Still, she¡¯d spent the following weeks on pins and needles as he¡¯d gone back to Easton to investigate. When he¡¯d returned with the identities of the rebels, Carmen had been relieved. However, when he¡¯d revealed that he¡¯d already set up a meeting, she couldn¡¯t help but be a little suspicious. That had followed her all the way back to Easton and to the tavern door in front of her. It was located in what had once been the least developed part of the city, and in a lot of ways, it still was. But as much as she had grown to hate Roman, she couldn¡¯t deny that his policies were effective. Exclusionary and oppressive, but effective nheless. Because as far as she had seen, the city was incredibly clean, the people looked well-fed, and most of all, they were safe. Of course, there were guards on every street corner, each one wearing blue and white uniforms and sporting decent levels, and someone had decided to get the propaganda machine going. Even in the small portion of the city Carmen had seen, she¡¯d passed four statues in various stages of construction. Each one depicted Roman in some sort of heroic pose. More than that, she¡¯d seen a host of banners and gs that reminded her of Soviet era propaganda. And finally, she¡¯d noticed more than one poorly disguised member of a secret police. If she¡¯d seen that many, then she could extrapte that there were far more scattered throughout the poption. Easton had be a fascist police state in every way that mattered, but with that hade safety, which was likely the only reason anyone tolerated it. At least at first. But after years, the pervasive propaganda had assuredly done its work. Carmen hesitated to call the poption brainwashed, but they had certainly been manipted. Even without that, though, the world was such a dangerous ce that giving up freedom in favor of security was a valid option.So long as you weren¡¯t one of the undesirables. There were plenty of those, too. People who¡¯d only done the bare minimum. The ones who¡¯d chosen a less-than-optimal ss or archetype. The untalented. Thezy. The apathetic. The disabled. The list went on and on. For anyone who didn¡¯t fit Roman¡¯s narrow definition of usefulness, Easton was hell. But at least they were protected from the monsters on the other side of the walls. That was the first problem. The second was that anyone who was strong enough to be useful was well-treated and, as a result, had few reasons to buck Roman¡¯s authority. Sure, there were likely a few people here and there who would object based on empathy, but from everything she¡¯d ever seen of human nature, Carmen knew those would be the exception, rather than the rule. That meant that any potential rebellion would already start from well behind, making its viability that much less likely. Carmen knew these things, and yet, she didn¡¯t care. Roman needed to die. She wasmitted to that endeavor to such a degree that she was willing to ignore everything else if it gave her a chance to see it through. ¡°I wish I was wearing my armor,¡± she muttered. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t umon for people to walk around Easton wearing armor or carrying weapons, but it did tend to get the attention of the guards. As she was trying to avoid such notice, Carmen had left her armor and hammer back in Silverado. She sighed. ¡°You first. I¡¯ll follow.¡± Colt nodded, then opened the door. A cacophony of noise swept out of the building and overwhelmed Carmen. The tall Samurai stepped inside, and Carmen followed. Fortunately, the tavern, which was called the iling Fortune, was busy enough that two new entrants weren¡¯t enough to garner any undue attention. The pair went straight to the bar, where they ordered a pair of drinks. Then, once the bartender served them, Colt said, ¡°I¡¯m lookin¡¯ for somethin¡¯ special.¡± ¡°Brothel¡¯s down the street.¡± ¡°Not what I was talkin¡¯ about. I hear there¡¯s a special meeting downstairs. Real special, you hear? Be mighty obliged if you¡¯d let ¡®em know that Carmen Rodriguez is here, and she wants in.¡± If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The bartender, who Carmen noted was young enough that his poor excuse for a mustache hadn¡¯t really filled in yet, swallowed hard, then took a step back. A secondter, he nced at Carmen, and recognition dawned in his expression. His face went pale. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Carmen rolled her eyes and leaned forward. ¡°Listen. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Pete.¡± ¡°Look, Pete. I¡¯m pretty sure I already know where this little get-together is,¡± she stated. Her eyes flicked toward a door in the back that looked like it led downstairs. The bartender¡¯s eyes followed that small gesture, and he went even paler. ¡°So, here¡¯s the thing. I¡¯vee to help. So, run along down there and let them know I¡¯m here. That way, we can avoid them scattering across the city. I don¡¯t want to have to chase anyone down.¡± She gave him a smile that she was sure didn¡¯t touch her eyes and said, ¡°Short legs, you know. Not built for running people down.¡± A moment of indecision passed, followed by a pregnant silence. Then, finally, he let out a deep breath before saying, ¡°Fine. Alright. I¡¯ll go let them know.¡± ¡°S¡¯all we ask,¡± drawled Colt. Then, Pete took yet another steadying breath before heading toward the door. Colt said, ¡°You see the bouncer?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Carmen said, taking a drink of her beer. It was not the highest-quality stuff, but it was more than they had back in Silverado. ¡°Is heing this way?¡± ¡°Not yet. Think they¡¯ll rabbit?¡± Carmen shrugged. ¡°Dunno. Maybe. I was on the council.¡± As far as the public was concerned, she and Roman were thick as thieves. Of course, they had no idea that he was responsible for the murder of her wife, which was an important bit of context. ¡°Means you¡¯re valuable. If you wanted ¡®em gone, you wouldn¡¯t¡¯vee yourself. You¡¯d send those secret police.¡± ¡°You saw them too?¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t miss ¡®em. Lost ¡®em before we came, though. Sure of that much,¡± he said. As he did, his eyes flicked towards the door, and he said, ¡°Here we go.¡± Carmen tensed. She didn¡¯t have a bunch ofbat abilities or spells like real fighters, but she made up for it with her high level. That gap would close soon, she was sure, but for now, she could hold her own. As such, she was ready to use Summon Tool the moment she felt threatened. Pete came back to the bar, looking slightly more rxed. When he reached them, he said, ¡°You can go down. They said that you¡¯d¡­uh¡­better not be trying anything. ¡®Cause they got some powerful fighters down there. Real heavy hitters.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Colt.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± he said, sweeping his coat back and swaggering toward the door. To Carmen, he looked like a gunfighter from an old western, which should have been a little silly. Yet, he made it work, radiating an aura of pure danger that told anyone looking for trouble that he was ready for just that. Byparison, Carmen felt clunky and clumsy. Or like a little girl yacting as a dangerous fighter. Perhaps he felt like a little boy ying cowboys, but she doubted it. Colt was a lot of things, but unconfident was definitely not one of them. Either way, she followed him to the door, where they both descended a set of stairs that terminated in another door. Carmen could hear muffled conversation on the other side, but she couldn¡¯t make out any actual words. Colt led the way, pushing through the door. But the second he stepped through, he whipped his katana out and to the side. ¡°Easy there, fe,¡± he said, circling so that Carmen could get through. Just then, someone moved across the doorway, but Carmen had expected it. So, she barreled into him ¨C or her, she supposed ¨C mming them against the wall. Her hand found their throat. ¡°Like my friend said, easy. We¡¯re not here to fight,¡± she said, finally taking in the attacker. He was average height, but with heavy shoulders. Out of the corner of her eye, Carmen saw that Colt had his de against another, much taller would-be attacker¡¯s throat. Behind her were three other people. Presumably, they were who she¡¯de to see. So, she said, ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to let this guy go. If he tries to attack again, we¡¯re not holding back. Got it? We¡¯re just here to talk.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± came a strong voice. Carmen stepped back, releasing the attacker. He fell to the ground, gasping for air. Already, his neck had begun to purple. Meanwhile, Colt stepped away from his target as well, sheathing his sword so quickly that Carmen had trouble tracking the movement. Trusting that he would watch her back, she turned to face the three people. There was one man and two women, though she didn¡¯t recognize any of them. ¡°Are you here to kill us as you did Verin?¡± asked one of the women. She had close-cut gray hair and wore decidedly shabby clothing. ¡°Do I have a reason to want you dead?¡± she asked. Apparently word of Carmen¡¯s sh with the healer had somehow gotten back to the city. Hopefully, it had yet to reach Roman¡¯s ears. ¡°Perhaps,¡± the older woman stated, leaning forward. There was a table separating them from Carmen, but with her Strength, that wouldn¡¯t be much of a barrier. The room was lit by a series of candles on the table, casting the entire area in deep, flickering shadows. ¡°You are one of hisckeys, are you not? One of the founders of this city, in fact.¡± ¡°I am. A founder I mean. Makes it all the more difficult to see what it¡¯s be,¡± Carmen stated evenly. ¡°I¡¯ll juste out and say what I¡¯m here to say. I¡¯m not one to dance around the facts. So, here it is. I know you¡¯re nning some sort of rebellion or resistance. I want in. If you know who I am, then you know what I can offer.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked the lone male across the table. He was tall, with an acerbic appearance. More, he was missing an arm, suggesting some tragic story that Carmen didn¡¯t care about. ¡°Do I need a reason other than the obvious?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said the woman. ¡°The city isn¡¯t much different than when you were assigned to the mining colony. Worse, perhaps, but not much. What changed, to set you on this path? And why did you kill Verin, if not to punish her for fomenting rebellion?¡± ¡°Because she helped kill the woman I loved,¡± Carmen answered simply. ¡°Roman, too. And a guy named Trace. I don¡¯t care all that much about your rebellion, if I¡¯m honest. Sure, it¡¯s sad, and it all sucks. But I can¡¯t deny that Roman has given people safety when there wasn¡¯t much of that avable. I disagreed with some of his policies, and I argued against them when I was on the council. I was overruled, so I left it behind.¡± She leaned forward, her hands on the table. The two fighters tensed behind her. ¡°All I care about is killing Roman. And that little weasel Trace, too. You give me that, and I¡¯ll make sure you have the best equipped rebellion in the world. So long as I get a chance to stand over him as he¡¯s bleeding out on the ground, I¡¯ll give you the means to aplish your goals. That¡¯s what I offer, and that¡¯s what I want in return. So, are we on the same page?¡± The woman nced at herpanions, then back at Carmen. As she did, she said, ¡°I think we can work with that.¡± Book 2: Chapter 66: The Calm Before the Storm Book 2: Chapter 66: The Calm Before the Storm For a few minutes, Elijah stood on the beach watching the crashing waves as the storm rolled in, bathing him in a deluge of precipitation. Spring had already taken hold, but the rain still felt like frigid needles against his skin. However, some of that difort was mitigated by the nket of dense ethera that covered the ind. The difference between what he¡¯d felt in the valley he¡¯d recently left behind and the power emanating from his grove was so stark that he wondered how he could¡¯ve feltfortable in the former. But it didn¡¯t take him long to figure it out. The drop had been so gradual that he¡¯d barely noticed it in real time. It was like the old wives¡¯ tale of the boiling frog, and it really put his unique situation into perspective. Certainly, he could have simply left the grove behind and made his way through the world. But it was his home, and what¡¯s more, it was special in a way that he had yet to truly appreciate. So, even if he was willing to let the people or Ironshore fend for themselves ¨C and likely fail ¨C he couldn¡¯t stomach the thought of ceding his grove to the impending tide of vicious orcs. He remained in ce for a while, letting the cold rain soak him through. Then, he sighed and turned back to the tree line. Before he¡¯d taken two steps, Elijah had shifted back into his draconid form, after which he raced across the ind and to his grove. When he reached the circle of trees, he noticed that the ancestral tree at its center had continued its transformation. With stark blue leaves and bark of purest white, it looked both alien and familiar. However, it also felt like home in a way he couldn¡¯t quite exin. So, he stepped into the grove with gratitude in his heart. As he did, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the state of his garden, which had grown far more than he ever would have expected ¨C especially because it had done so in winter. He could suspect that it was feeding more off of the ambient ethera wafting from the ancestral tree than via normal biological processes. What that meant for the nts themselves, he had no idea. He plucked another berry, popping it into his mouth and savoring the tartly sweet taste as he pulsed Nature¡¯s Bounty. It didn¡¯t evene close to covering the entire garden of bushes and other nts, but it still felt like a return to normality. So, he took sce in that as he strode toward the tree. When he reached it, he called out, ¡°Nerthus? You in there, bud?¡± ¡°I told you before that I can leave the tree more frequently now,¡± came the tree spirit¡¯s familiar voice from behind. As Elijah turned, he couldn¡¯t help but notice that it had grown slightly deeper. The reason for that became apparent a momentter when he saw that the tiny tree spirit had nearly doubled in size, topping out at a little taller than Elijah¡¯s waist. ¡°I cannote and go as I please, but I have far more freedom now that the Ancestral Tree has reached early maturity.¡± ¡°Early maturity?¡± asked Elijah. Then, he said, ¡°Good to see you, by the way. I hope you¡¯re doing well?¡± ¡°I am, thank you for asking,¡± Nerthus answered with a bow of his head. Then, he exined, ¡°For an Ancestral Tree, maturity is a difficult thing to quantify. For some, that stage is reached very quickly. For others, it takes years. However, for all of them, stepping past that point to be an elder is a long and arduous process that most will never achieve. Most that do have the benefit of an ideal environment as well as the protection of a Druid. Or someone equivalent.¡± ¡°So, this tree will grow more powerful?¡± Elijah asked.¡°Indeed. Its progress will be much slower now, but it has finally borne a seed,¡± Nerthus said excitedly. ¡°There were seeds before, remember?¡± ¡°Those were mundane,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Unranked. This seed is much different. More powerful. It is difficult to tell, but it is at least Complex-Grade. Perhaps even Sophisticated. With a natural treasure such as the seed of an Ancestral Tree that has absorbed a Shard of the World Tree, the grading systemcks nuance.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah lied. As far as he knew, the grading system for items, towers, and natural treasures was well-established. ¡°You do not. The seed is connected to its progenitor. They are separate, but they are also a single entity,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°And that entity is connected to the World Tree in ways the Heavenly System is not meant to fully understand.¡± ¡°What does that mean from a practical perspective, though?¡± ¡°If you nt the seed, it will eventually connect to its progenitor through the World Tree, extending the boundaries of your Domain.¡± ¡°Oh. I like that,¡± was Elijah¡¯scking response. ¡°I suppose it¡¯ll raise the ethereal density in that area, too, huh?¡± ¡°It will, though not to the degree of the original grove,¡± Nerthus said. Elijah sat down and leaned his back against the tree. ¡°So,¡± he said. ¡°Theoretically, I could take that seed, nt it elsewhere, and eventually, get simr benefits to what I have here?¡± This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And what would happen if some disaster struck here?¡± Nerthus gasped. ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± Elijah sighed, then exined the situation with the orcs ¨C or at least what he knew of it. When he¡¯d finished, he said, ¡°I was just thinking that if things start looking really bad, I could grab the seed and run.¡± ¡°You cannot do that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t want to. Just to be clear, I intend to fight. But there¡¯s a good chance we¡¯re going to lose, and I want a backup n just in case.¡± ¡°That is understandable, but it is neither possible nor advisable,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°If this tree dies, then its progeny will lose the majority of its power. You will be incapable of creating another grove after that.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± For the first time ever, Nerthus interrupted Elijah, saying, ¡°The reason it is inadvisable has nothing to do with that, however. Instead, it concerns the nature of orcs. They are spawned from the system, usually using some local beast as a temte. They evolve quickly, bing intelligent enough to create a rudimentary society. From the very beginning, though, they have one goal ¨C to conquer. Some say they are a test created by the system. Others im that they are tainted by the Void. Regardless of their true origin, they are a gue that must be eradicated before it is toote.¡± ¡°Toote for what?¡± ¡°The survival of your,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°They will conquer and consume until there is nothing left. Then, once they¡¯ve grown strong enough, they will set off into the wider universe to do the same. By that point, only the truly powerful will be capable of dealing with them, and even then, it is no sure thing. You mustn¡¯t ignore this threat, or you could very well lose this before it is even fully developed.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°And I assume that nobody can help us, huh? Like the dragondy who gave me my core, maybe.¡± ¡°The system¡¯s restrictions cannot be ovee. Sending even one person here after the initial rush would cost many fortunes. Perhaps some powerful faction will respond to the threat when Earth is fully integrated, but by that point, the orcs will have already won,¡± Nerthus answered. Back in Argos, Elijah had bought a guide exining ¨C in broad terms ¨C what happened when the World Tree touched a new. For a short time, low-level people were permitted to travel to what the system called the frontier, and for a negligible cost. However, after that, the cost of doing so became exorbitant to the point that very few could afford it. On top of that, only people under level twenty-five coulde at all, and those over a certain level were too powerful to exist on a like Earth without destroying it with their mere presence. That wouldn¡¯tst, though. After the¡¯s ethereal density stabilized, a countdown would begin until it was opened up to the rest of the universes. Sometimes, that took a hundred years, but it wasn¡¯t umon to take much longer. Elijah had no idea how long it would be for Earth ¨C no one did ¨C but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be anytime soon. That was bothforting and distressing. The former, because it meant that some powerful despot couldn¡¯t descend on Earth and enve everyone. Thetter, because benevolent factions couldn¡¯t help with problems like the orcs. It was a double-edged system, and one Elijah in which couldn¡¯t decide whether he liked it or not. But the facts were clear ¨C he had no real choice but to fight. ¡°I have two other things you might be able to help me with,¡± he said. Then, he exined what had happened with the hunters. He did so as neutrally as he could, ending with his acquisition of the bear¡¯s pelt and the mushroom flesh. ¡°The mushroom is useless for us,¡± Nerthus said, shaking his head sadly. ¡°An alchemist may be able to make use of it, though. The pelt is a different case. May I see it?¡± Elijah nodded, then reached into his pack. The pelt was all the way at the bottom, so it took him a couple of minutes to remove everything. When he finally retrieved the item in question, heid it out before Nerthus. ¡°It was a powerful creature,¡± the tree spirit said. ¡°What do you intend to do with it?¡± ¡°I was going to ask you about that. I almost just buried it,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Kind of a memorial ¨C¡± ¡°You mustn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°What? I thought you¡¯d support that sort of thing.¡± Nerthus shook his head. ¡°The death of such a creature is a sad thing. However, nothing we can do will change that. There is no dishonor or shame in using its body or eating its flesh. Though if a weakling were to consume the meat from such a powerful beast, they would almost assuredly be negatively affected. Perhaps they would even perish due to the influx of potent ethera.¡± ¡°That can happen?¡± ¡°It can.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°So, if I¡¯m not going to bury it, maybe I should¡­make a cloak out of it,¡± he said. ¡°I see. If you choose that route, may I suggest that you leave it here for a few weeks?¡± Nerthus asked. ¡°Then, once it is saturated in potent ethera, treat the hide as you did your staff. In that way, any item created from it will be much more powerful and tailored to your needs.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Would that work with other items?¡± Nerthus shook his head. ¡°Only resources,¡± he answered. ¡°And then, only if those resources were once living.¡± Despite the restrictions, it still seemed like it could be a significant boon. However, like the creation of his Staff of Natural Harmony, preparing the hide would take time. It would also require materials that he didn¡¯t have. Fortunately, the hunters had done one thing right by already fleshing the hide, which meant that Elijah could get by with storing it in his tree house for now. So, after only a little more conversation with Nerthus, Elijah made his way to his home, climbed the stairs, and unpacked. After that, he gratefully took a shower before, atst, heading to bed. Yet, as tired as he was, he couldn¡¯t sleep. Instead, he justy in bed and stared at the lightly glowing flowers as he contemted theing fight. A hundred ideas on how to deal with the orcs flitted through each facet of his Quartz mind, but the fact was that he had too little information to create a proper strategy. Hopefully, he would address thatck tomorrow when he headed back to Ironshore. Eventually, thefortable bed did its job, and he finally let himself rx. Once he did, he drifted off to sleep. Book 2: Chapter 67: Errands Book 2: Chapter 67: Errands The next morning, Elijah¡¯s eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he forgot the weight of responsibility resting on his shoulders. In those brief few seconds, he raised one hand, letting the warm nket of dense ethera envelop him as he let the first rays of the morning sun dance across his fingers. But it couldn¡¯tst. He knew he was on the clock in terms of preparation for theing orc invasion, and as such, he didn¡¯t have time to lie abed. So, with some degree of frustration, he pushed himself out of bed and dressed for the day. He chose his least dirty outfit, which still wasn¡¯t precisely clean, and vowed to find some easy way to doundry in Ironshore. Once that was done, he gathered his things before heading downstairs and to his grove, where he enjoyed a breakfast of berries while walking through the garden and ring Nature¡¯s Bounty. It wasn¡¯t necessary. The bushes had already reached the point where they were self-sufficient, which meant that his efforts only had a limited effect on their growth. Yet it calmed him, bringing back memories of days he¡¯d spent trying to coax the bushes and other nts to fruition. He took a few minutes to converse with Nerthus as well, though he didn¡¯t broach any important subjects. Instead, he simply wanted to make the tree spirit feel better about their partnership because, during his travels, he¡¯de to the conclusion that he¡¯d treated Nerthus more as a means to an end than an actual friend. He aimed to change that going forward. Soon enough, when the sun had pushed fully above the horizon, Elijah gathered a bunch of berries in his pack, then bade Nerthus goodbye before heading to the beach where he¡¯d stored his collection of rowboats. Despite his neglect, the small vessels still looked in good repair, so he pushed one into the surf and began the journey across the strait. As he did so, he sensed a couple ofrge fish ¨C one that was muchrger than the boat ¨C swim by beneath him. Yet, none of them paid Elijah¡¯s passage any heed. They were too focused on their own lives, which presumably included hunting for preyrge enough to sustain them. Like that, Elijah covered the distance to Ironshore¡¯s dock, where he was greeted by more than a few hostile stares. The city itself hadn¡¯t changed all that much, save that it had developed a little more, with some of the buildings having grown, both in terms of size as well as architecturalplexity. Indeed, it looked like a proper city now instead of something that would have been at home in the wild west. But while there were plenty of fearful nces still directed his way, there was plenty of anger there as well. Fortunately, one of the dock guards recognized him ¨C after all, how could they mistake him for anyone else? ¨C and asked him to remain at the dock while she fetched Ramik. What followed was an awkward few minutes where Elijah tried not to notice all the aggressive res. To him, it looked like the dockworkers as well as the few sailors present were only a few inches from tossing rotten produce at him and running him out of town. Soon, Ramik arrived, though, and when the distinguished-looking goblin did, the people reluctantly went back to their business. ¡°What¡¯s going on with them?¡± Elijah asked.¡°They me you,¡± the goblin answered with a shake of his head. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t killed the mercenaries¡­¡± ¡°What was I supposed to do? Just let them kill me?¡± he asked. The question was a little misleading. For all he knew, Cabbot hadn¡¯te to the ind with murder on his mind. The presence of his private army seemed to counter that presumption, but Elijah had every reason to suspect that if he¡¯d simply run away, Cabbot would have let him. Still, there was no way he would have let the greedy gnome destroy his grove and use it for his own progression. So, the point was moot. ¡°No. Of course not. But the public, they don¡¯t know all the facts,¡± Ramik stated. ¡°Even though we¡¯ve spread the story, some disbelieve. Others give credence to rumors. The point is that the people are woefully misinformed, as well as frightened. They want to me someone, and you are the easiest target.¡± That made sense to Elijah, at least. Everything he¡¯d experienced, both before and after Earth experienced the touch of the World Tree, suggested that people were rarely great judges of where to ce me. Especially when there was someone as different as Elijah around. ¡°Is it going to be a problem?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ramik said firmly. ¡°We have enough guards to keep order.¡± ¡°Alright. I have a few errands I want to run,¡± he said. ¡°Then, I want to check out the horde myself. Once we do that, maybe we can develop a strategy.¡± ¡°Oh. I thought¡­¡± ¡°That I¡¯d just snap my fingers and make the problem disappear?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°No. Of course not. I¡­no. You are right. Expecting you to deal with them alone was wrong,¡± he said. ¡°I apologize. We will do our part.¡± The conversation went on for a few more moments, but nothing of import was said. So, it wasn¡¯t long before Elijah found himself heading into the city. Notably, there were a couple of guards trailing him. He didn¡¯t mind, though, because as he headed to his first destination, he became convinced that, without the guards, he would have been attacked. Or at least confronted. He had no desire to deal with that, so he was grateful for the guards¡¯ dissuading presence. In any case, he quickly found his way to Mari¡¯s tailoring shop. When he entered, the matronly dwarf looked up from where she was arranging some of her wares, gave him a short look, and said, ¡°Still haven¡¯t gotten any shoes, have you? Barbaric.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I thought about buying some in another town, but it just felt weird,¡± he admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m meant for footwear.¡± ¡°If you say so. What do you want? Perhaps some cleaning powder for your clothing? All the gods know you need it,¡± she stated. ¡°Uh¡­is that just soap? Because I have plenty of that, and ¨C¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s an alchemical solution. Sprinkle some on your clothes, and it¡¯ll clean them,¡± she stated. ¡°Not as good as a proper self-cleaning enchantment, but better than doing it the old-fashioned way. I suggest you go visit that crazy old coot of an alchemist if you¡¯re really interested in buying some. I have a few pouches in the back, but my prices won¡¯t be kind.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay. But no. I wasing here to ask if you know anything about tanning hides,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve done it without ethera before, but I¡¯m wondering if there¡¯s something else I should be doing.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Tanning solution is something Biggle can provide,¡± she said. ¡°I was more thinking of using natural methods.¡± ¡°Ah. Then you¡¯re going to want some brains,¡± she said. ¡°Preferably of a sentient creature. More ethera, you see.¡± Elijah was well aware of the brain-tanning method, and on top of that, he knew he was about to have to kill a lot of orcs, all of which satisfied the sentience requirement. It was a gruesome thought, especially considering that orcs so closely resembled people. Yet, Elijah couldn¡¯t allow himself to fall into the trap of looking at them like that. Instead, he intended to treat them much the same way he¡¯d treated the ogres and dark elves in his most recent tower run. Which was to say that he was going to try to see them as enemies, rather than people. It had worked for armies going back throughout all of human history, so Elijah hoped it would work for him as well. Otherwise, there was every chance he was going to add quite a lot of trauma to his already-significant psychological burden during theing conflict. ¡°Is there anything else I should know?¡± he asked. ¡°What do you n to do with this hide you¡¯re curing? I assume it¡¯s special, or you wouldn¡¯t bother.¡± This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. He shrugged. ¡°A cloak, maybe. I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°Maybe some bearskin pants or something.¡± ¡°No ¨C a cloak is good,¡± Mari said, tapping her finger against her chin. ¡°Yes, lots of possibilities there. I could even tailor it to your specific needs, provided we have the proper materials. Those wouldn¡¯t be difficult for someone like you to acquire, I¡¯m certain.¡± ¡°You want to make a cloak for me?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course. I could even tan it, if you like.¡± ¡°No. I need to do that myself,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°But no offense, why would you do that? I got the feeling that you didn¡¯t much care for me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. You¡¯re to be our great protector, are you not? What sort of citizen would I be if I didn¡¯t offer my services. Not for free, of course. Obviously. But I will make you a great deal,¡± she said. ¡°Is there anything else you need? Some new clothes, perhaps?¡± Eljiah shrugged. ¡°Unless you have something better than what I¡¯m wearing, probably not,¡± he responded. ¡°But thank you. I¡¯ll probably take you up on your offer. Probably not until after¡­you know¡­what¡¯sing.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be victorious.¡± Elijah definitely didn¡¯t like the dwarven woman¡¯s sudden change of tone. When he¡¯d visited before, her attitude was best described as terse. Still, she had a Tailor ss, which meant that she could probably do things with that bear hide that he could only dream of. He could stitch things together, but that was the extent of his talent in sewing. So, he already knew he would take advantage of Mari¡¯s offer. After only a little more conversation, he exited Mari¡¯s shop, promising to return with the hide when he¡¯d finished preparing it. His next stop was on the other side of town, so he, along with his guards, quickly set off. Along the way, Elijah couldn¡¯t ignore how unpopr he was. It also didn¡¯t help that he stuck out like a sore thumb, considering he was the only human in town. Fortunately, he reached his destination only fifteen minutester, though it was not what he¡¯d expected. Set at least a hundred yards away from the next closest building, the alchemist¡¯s shop ¨C or was it a home, perhaps? ¨C sat atop a low hill. A winding path led to a small fence, on the other side of which was an overgrown garden teeming with ethera. Elijah marched up the winding path, and when he reached the low gate that he could have stepped over if he so desired, he called out, ¡°Biggle? Can Ie in?¡± There was a small, muffled explosion, followed by a shouted expletive, after which a squeaky voice spat, ¡°Drat! I almost had it!¡± Then, Elijah heard the sound of clinking ssware and the thud of something extremely heavy before the door to the little cottage banged open, revealing a tiny gnome. He was maybe two feet tall and built like a toddler, yet he had a great, white beard, thick eyebrows that looked like pale caterpirs, and a bulbous nose. There wasn¡¯t a bit of hair on his head, and the tips of his beard smoldered as if they¡¯d just been on fire. He stomped out, demanding, ¡°What do you want? I swear by all the gods that ¨C¡± That¡¯s when he caught sight of Elijah. Recognition dawned, and the gnome went pale. ¡°W-what¡­what are you¡­please don¡¯t kill me! I got nothing against nature! All my ingredients are sourced from cruelty free ¨C¡± ¡°I need your help,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that. I just need some cleaning powder. I also have something that might interest you.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re a Druid, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious to anybody who¡¯s paying attention,¡± Biggle answered. ¡°Are you really not here to avenge the death of your floral friends?¡± Elijah rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not. I just told you why I¡¯m here.¡± Biggle narrowed his twinkling blue eyes. ¡°Hmm. A reasonable Druid. Never thought I¡¯d see the day. But it¡¯s a new world and a new attitude, I say,¡± he said. ¡°Well,e on in. Don¡¯t mind the tentac. It¡¯s just yful.¡± Elijah looked back at his guards, both of which took a step back and shook their heads. ¡°We¡¯ll stay out here,¡± the female dwarf said. ¡°Right, Marv?¡± ¡°Policy,¡± he grunted. Elijah nodded, saying, ¡°Sure. Policy. I understand.¡± Then, he opened the gate and marched through. As he did, he focused on One with Nature and discovered that most of the nts were mobile. He suspected that they were carnivorous as well, judging by the unique smell of predation. Still, none of them attacked him, which he counted as a lucky break. It unnerved Biggle, too, who said, ¡°Wish they¡¯d stop biting me like that¡­¡± In any case, Elijah quickly followed the gnome inside the cottage, which was absolutely strewn with what looked like chemistry equipment and cooking supplies. There were pots and pans, cauldrons, beakers, vials, and what looked like Bunsen burners. In addition, bundles of herbs hung from the beams on the ceiling, and there were huge barrels lining the walls. On the shelves were all sorts of jars bearingbels like, ¡°newt eyes¡± and ¡°giant¡¯s toes¡±. And it smelled like a wet foot. ¡°Sorry about the mess. And the smell. I¡¯ve been doing some experiments, hoping to make a breakthrough, and they have not been going well,¡± the little gnome said. ¡°You know how it is. One drop of basilisk saliva too many, and the whole things goes up in smoke.¡± As he spoke, he climbed atop a stool so he could more or less look Elijah in the eye, and he asked, ¡°So ¨C what can I do for you? You wanted cleaning powder, yeah? Can¡¯t me you on that one. No offense, but you smell worse than a three-day-old bobtik.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Right. You wouldn¡¯t know what that is, would you? A bobtik is a swamp monster with a curious life cycle where it starts to decay almost as soon as it hatches,¡± Biggle exined. ¡°By the third day, they have the most pungent aroma. But that¡¯s when you have to harvest them, or you¡¯ll miss peak efficiency. So ¨C you also said you had something for me? I¡¯m not interested in any more kelp. I have plenty.¡± It took Elijah a moment to catch up, but when he did, he unshouldered his pack and said, ¡°I have this mushroom. Well, most of it, at least. It¡¯s contained in a specially made satchel right now.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­I¡¯m always interested in mushrooms. Was quite a mycologist back in the day, you know? World-renowned, some might say. Not this world, though. Another world. You wouldn¡¯t know it.¡± Ignoring the gnome¡¯s babbling, Elijah reached into his pack and retrieved the sack containing the mushroom flesh. He set it before the alchemist, saying, ¡°That satchel is keeping its aura contained. Otherwise, it would¡¯ve probably killed a few people on the way here.¡± Biggel¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°And where did you get this sack?¡± he asked innocently. ¡°I killed the four hunters who had harvested the mushroom,¡± Elijah answered honestly. ¡°I don¡¯t know where they got it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Right. So, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got here,¡± the alchemist said. Then, he unbuckled the strap and flipped the top open. Immediately, the entire room was bathed in dense ethera. It wasn¡¯t quite as strong as it had been when the mushroom was still whole, but it was still enough to elicit a slight feeling of nausea. After using that same ethera to fuel his cultivation, Elijah was used to it, though. However, he did notice that with every passing instant, it felt noticeably weaker. Biggle mmed the bag shut. ¡°Is that something you can use?¡± Eljiah asked, already knowing the answer to that question. ¡°Of course it is. That¡¯s a high Simple-Grade natural treasure,¡± Biggle stated. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else like that in the surrounding area. And if there was, it won¡¯tst through the orcs¡¯ invasion.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s valuable.¡± ¡°Extremely. With this, I could create a powerful body cultivation potion. It might even be enough to push someone to the halfway mark.¡± ¡°Of the first stage?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course.¡± ¡°Alright. This is the deal. If you want to take it, great. If not, I¡¯ll go elsewhere. You give me half of what you make from it, and the mushroom¡¯s yours,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Half? I wouldn¡¯t make any profit! Best I could do is a quarter.¡± After that, the hagglingmenced, and it didn¡¯t end until they¡¯d settled on a third of what Biggle created from the mushroom, plus a ten-pound sack of cleaning powder. Elijah thought he got the better of the deal, but then again, it seemed that Biggle thought the same thing. So, who was to say who won the negotiation? In the end, though, Elijah was satisfied, and that was all that really mattered. After Biggle told him that the potion would be ready in a few weeks, Elijah departed and, along with his guards, headed to the center of the city. There, they led him to an administrative building, inside of which he met a surly-looking dwarf with spikey ck hair and a short beard. ¡°Name¡¯s Kurik,¡± the dwarf said, holding out a hand. ¡°Can¡¯t say as I me ya for killin¡¯ Cabbot. He was a right cunt.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Elijah said, taking Kurik¡¯s rough hand in his own. ¡°Yeah. I guess he was.¡± After that, Ramik exined that Kurik was the highest-levelbatant in the entire town. He was apparently some sort of Ranger variant, which meant he was more of a scout than a fighter. However, now that Elijah had killed their entire security force, Kurik had been forced into thetter role. ¡°I got thirty good scouts under me,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°Another ten that ain¡¯t worth spit, but they¡¯re still better than nothin¡¯.¡± ¡°And of the fifteen hundred residents of Ironshore, two-thirds arebat capable,¡± Ramik exined. ¡°Some to a lesser degree than others.¡± Elijah remembered the barbers he¡¯d met during his second visit to Ironshore, and nodded. He didn¡¯t think they¡¯d contribute much to a fight. ¡°Will they still contribute?¡± ¡°All but the little ones,¡± Ramik answered. ¡°The more mature among the children will be used as runners, both for messages as well as supplies. However, there are a few who are not old enough to do even that. We intend to house them here until the fighting is done.¡± Or until everyone was overrun by orcs. ¡°Alright,¡± Elijah said. He didn¡¯t know much about war, so he was prepared to bow to their judgement. ¡°I guess I need to see these orcs with my own two eyes.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯ll lead you,¡± Kurik said. And not long after that, the pair were traveling through the wilderness. As they went, Elijah refrained from using his draconid form. He was certain that Kurik and his squad of scouts knew about his ability to shapeshift, but he didn¡¯t want to give away any of his secrets, just in case they were leading him into an ambush. As it turned out, two dayster, he discovered that the residents of Ironshore had been entirely truthful as to the nature of the threat. He stood on a hill, crouching low at the tree line, and looking out at a camp containing thousands of orcs. ¡°God. This is going to get really ugly, isn¡¯t it?¡± he muttered, using Eyes of the Eagle to get a good look at the creatures. Beside him, Kurik said, ¡°Damn right it is. Damn right.¡± Book 2: Chapter 68: Escalation Book 2: Chapter 68: Esction Horns blew, and gs rippled in the wind of some officiant¡¯s spell. The richest and most influential people in Easton stood nearby, drinking and dancing,pletely unaware that the world ¨C indeed, the universe ¨C was passing them by. They all thought that the danger had passed, that they were safe. They believed that, after having survived the past few years, they could simply go back to old customs, as if the world would soon return to normal. But as Roman stared down at the Seal of Authority, he knew it was all a misguided fantasy. There was no such thing as normal. One could never stop striving. The days of humanity standing on the shoulders of past generations were long gone, and now, people needed to forge their own path through an unfamiliar and expansive universe. That was what drove him. That was the reason he couldn¡¯t rx. Theirs was a dangerous and deadly world filled with all the worst sorts of monsters. And he was the only one standing between his people and total annihtion. More than anything, he wished that Alyssa could have seen that. But she¡¯d insisted on questioning his authority, on pushing against his every decision. She had championed the weak and protected the insubordinate, and all the while, monsters were knocking at the door. It was madness that she couldn¡¯t see the danger she represented. She would have turned on him, Roman was certain of it, and when she did, she would have had enough support to get everyone in Easton killed. Her death had been necessary. Regrettable, certainly. It had been the hardest thing he¡¯d ever had to do. Even after the betrayal that was her inability to prevent Trish¡¯s death, he still cared deeply about Alyssa. She had been his only true friend. But that was a sacrifice he was willing to make. As a selfless leader, that was the burden he was forced to bear. All that and more washed through Roman¡¯s mind as he watched his people celebrate an aplishment that was not theirs. The wall had finally beenpleted, and as such, the city within was safe from the formation of minor rifts or spontaneous manifestations of Voxx. It was a tremendous feat of engineering, enchanting, and architecture. Yet, it could do nothing about the virus that had already begun to take root within his city. ¡°Congrattions, boss,¡± came a grating voice Roman did not want to hear. ¡°The sheep are safe, but what now?¡±Roman didn¡¯t turn. ¡°What do you want, Trace?¡± he asked, slipping the Seal of Authority into his vest pocket. ¡°Maybe I just wanted to make small talk with the big man in charge,¡± the Ouw said, stepping forward until he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his superior. Out of the corner of his eye, Roman saw Trace¡¯s garish attire. The man flouted the notion of a uniform, making alterations that made him stand out. It was still the same blue-and-white outfit, with ck boots and a badge of authority on the chest. However, the cut was anything but normal, with a long blue coat with a dragon stitched on the back. If it was anyone else, Roman would have had him whipped. Or killed. Yet Trace was valuable, and they both knew it. So, he got away with things no other person could. For now. Soon, there woulde a point when the man went too far. ¡°In that case, leave,¡± Roman stated. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for your foolishness.¡± ¡°You really take all this seriously, don¡¯t you? If you say that¡¯s how you¡¯ve always talked, I¡¯ll call you a liar.¡± ¡°Normally, people who say such things end up dead,¡± Roman said, refusing to rise to the Ouw¡¯s bait. He had changed his speech patterns, but that was a necessity. His people deserved more than the small-town sheriff he¡¯d been. They needed dignity. Respectability. They needed a king. ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth.¡± ¡°What do you want, Trace?¡± A surge of ethera announced the activation of some sort of ability, but Roman wasn¡¯t afraid. The Seal of Authority gave him plenty of leeway so he didn¡¯t have to react to every ripple in the ambient ethera. Still, he cut his eyes at Trace. ¡°Don¡¯t get all antsy,¡± the man said. ¡°I know better than to mess with you here. It¡¯s just an ability meant to prevent eavesdropping.¡± ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± ¡°Is it? Maybe I¡¯ve just kept it in reserve all this time.¡± That was the problem with Trace. He was an incredibly useful man to have around, ruthless and efficient in what he chose to do. However, he was untrustworthy as well as secretive, meaning that he was unpredictable. Roman hid his irritation by adopting an at-rest stance, with his hands behind his back. His eyes never wavered from the affluent people who¡¯d attended the party he never wanted to host. But Fiona had insisted, saying that it was a disy of power as well as a way to keep the idiots happy. He acknowledged that she had a much better head for such things, so he¡¯d chosen to trust her judgement. Still, he could barely hide his irritation. ¡°Speak your mind.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°You are absolutely no fun. You know that, right? Fine. I¡¯ve traced the traitors to a tavern in the southern district,¡± Trace stated. ¡°Mostly the usual suspects. You know the ones.¡± Indeed, even with Alyssa dead, he¡¯d had to deal with no shortage of naysayers and dissidents. Even as they sheltered beneath his wing, theyined about the manner in which he provided for their safety. It was maddening. He¡¯d given them everything. By all rights, their lives were his to do with as he pleased. Yet, treason had bloomed, vivid and poisonous. The only sce was that they were easy to keep track of. Roman already knew who the leaders were, even if he was unaware of the methods they intended to use. That was where Trace came in. ¡°That is not news,¡± he said. ¡°No,¡± Trace said, running his hand through his hair. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. But the people they¡¯re meeting with ¨C that might interest you quite a bit.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Who do you think? Who has more reason to hate you than anyone else?¡± Trace asked. ¡°Carmen.¡± ¡°Bingo,¡± Trace said. ¡°Does she know?¡± ¡°Does it matter?¡± the Ouw asked. ¡°She was always a loose end. We should¡¯ve clipped that thread a long time ago.¡± Roman finally turned away. He knew he should have killed Carmen the moment he came back from that tower. Yet, his soft heart had stayed his hand. It wasn¡¯t that he cared so much about the woman herself. He¡¯d never particrly liked her in the first ce. But he refused to orphan her child. Not unless he was forced to do so. ¡°What happened afterwards?¡± Roman asked. ¡°She left,¡± Trace answered. ¡°Headed out of the city, presumably back to Silverado.¡± ¡°Interesting. Did you have her followed?¡± Roman asked. ¡°Of course. Two of my best girls,¡± he said. Roman ground his teeth. Trace¡¯s depravities regarding his female underlings were well known, and they were a visible stain on the reputation of the government. And as the ultimate authority within Easton, the man¡¯s reputation was a blight on Roman¡¯s as well. Yet, he was too useful to hold ountable. For now. Eventually, Trace would outlive his usefulness. At that point, Roman would make him pay for every crime he¡¯dmitted. And he would enjoy it. ¡°I want you to go to Silverado and keep an eye on what she¡¯s up to,¡± Roman ordered. ¡°Want me to just kill her? Because I¡¯m assuming you don¡¯t want me to just waltz into that little mining camp and announce I¡¯m there on a mission of espionage.¡± ¡°You will remain unseen.¡± ¡°So, is that a no on the killing? Because if we¡¯re just going to put her down, I wouldn¡¯t mind trying my hand with her. She¡¯s a bit thick for my tastes. Too many muscles. But like I always say, I¡¯ll try anything once.¡± Roman¡¯s hand shot out, faster than most people could even track, and his fingers mped around Trace¡¯s throat. The Ouw tried to activate an ability, but Roman used one of the functions of the Seal of Authority, ending it immediately. He hated using the cooldown for something so mundane, but making a point was important. Besides, it would cycle in a week. He lifted Trace from the ground, and as the other man¡¯s feet dangled a few inches from the polished tile floor, Roman growled, ¡°You will not touch her. If you harm her without my say-so, I will make you wish for death. You know what I can do.¡± With that, he released the Ouw, who fell to the floor in a gasping heap. For his part, Roman returned to his previous stance, looking for all the world as if he¡¯d never even moved. ¡°Jesus fucking Christ, man,¡± Trace croaked, massaging his throat. ¡°I was just joking. You didn¡¯t have to go all evil emperor on me.¡± ¡°I am not evil. I am necessary.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Trace muttered. ¡°I believe you. But do they?¡± Roman had already seen precisely what Trace was referring to. A few of the guests had noticed his outburst, but the moment they realized that he was staring back at them, they hastily returned to their little bubble of affluent ignorance. ¡°They do not care,¡± he stated. Trace picked himself up off the floor, then dusted himself off as he said, ¡°Because they¡¯re terrified.¡± ¡°So long as they are obedient, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± Indeed, Roman had long since moved past the need to be loved by his people. Most of them would never see the things he did to ensure their lives continued. They were blissfully unaware of the sacrifices he¡¯d endured, the difficult decisions he¡¯d been forced to make. For someone like him, love had never been on the table. Fear, though ¨C that was attainable. Natural, even. And most importantly, fear kept people in line. He¡¯d learned that in his previous career, and it was a lesson that was still applicable in his current endeavor. ¡°Damn, man. They¡¯re well-trained,¡± remarked Trace with a shake of his head. ¡°Do you understand my instructions?¡± ¡°Yeah. I got it. But for the record, you could¡¯ve just told me to leave her be. You didn¡¯t have to do what you did.¡± ¡°Yes, I did. You may go. Now.¡± For a moment, Trace looked as if he was going to argue, but then thought better of it. Assuredly, the previous lesson was on his mind. In any case, the man turned on his heel and marched out of the ballroom. When he did, Roman went back to his stoic attendance of the celebratory party. Soon enough, he found the Seal of Authority back in his hand. On the surface, the pendant was nothing special. Just a few extra attribute points. However, when he¡¯d bound it, he¡¯d discovered two separate abilities. One, he¡¯d used on Trace, locking down the Ouw¡¯s abilities. It onlysted for a few seconds, but with that much time, Roman could do all sorts of damage. But the other ability it granted was far more important, as anyone who tried to attack him in his city would quickly discover. The thought had just crossed his mind when he saw Fiona approaching. She was dressed in an emerald dress that clung to her waifish body, entuating what few curves she possessed. More than once, she¡¯d made it clear that she was interested in more than a professional rtionship with Roman, but he¡¯d never even considered taking advantage of her in such a way. He was better than that. She asked, ¡°What did the weasel want?¡± ¡°He wished to congratte me on thepletion of the wall,¡± Roman lied easily. ¡°Huh. Unexpected, but I suppose it shouldn¡¯t be. It¡¯s a great aplishment,¡± she said. ¡°And just in time, too. That roaming warband is getting closer. Did you give any thought to their demands?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t pay a ransom for my city¡¯s protection. If they attack, we will defeat them,¡± Roman stated unequivocally. Indeed, the warband¡¯s leader, a man who called himself Laramie, had recently sent an emissary demanding that Easton pay a tithe. He referred to it as a protection fee, but the implication was clear. Pay willingly, or it would be taken. Roman hadn¡¯t even needed to consider it in order to refuse, which he did so by virtue of beheading the emissary andunching his body over the wall. ¡°The wall will protect us,¡± Fiona said, taking a sip. ¡°It will,¡± he said. And if it didn¡¯t, they had plenty of fighters. If they failed, then Roman would have to use the Seal¡¯s second ability. Either way, anyone who attacked Easton would quickly discover the error of their ways. Book 2: Chapter 69: Harassment Book 2: Chapter 69: Harassment The night hung heavy in the air as Kurik crouched atop a thick branch, looking down at the game trail. For the past day, he and his squad had steadily engaged in a campaign of guerri warfare against the orcs. They had killed dozens, and yet, their efforts paled inparison to their ally. At one point, Kurik had doubted that a single person could make enough difference to turn the tides of theing conflict. No longer did he harbor such doubt, because he¡¯d gotten a small peek at what the man was capable of, and he¡¯de away both impressed and horrified. Kurik pushed those thoughts aside. He couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted, because he heard his prey finallying into range. He¡¯d been stalking the orc for thest hour, and he¡¯d finally managed to bait the hulking creature into following him. Now, he only had to wait as the monster crept down the trail. It made an attempt at concealment, and it was clearly capable of moving through the thick terrain with some degree of stealth. However, to Kurik¡¯s keen eyes, it was entirely exposed. Just when it passed beneath him, Kurik leaped from his position on the branch. His axe shed with his Eagle¡¯s Talon ability, which augmented his melee damage by forty percent for a single strike. The caveat was that he could only use it while striking from above. It was a very limited ability, but under the right circumstances, it was devastating as well. Never was that clearer than when his axe cleaved through the orc¡¯s shoulder, cutting diagonally across its torso and digging deep into its chest. It would have gone further if it wasn¡¯t for the thing¡¯s dense bones and high Constitution. In any case, Kurik¡¯s momentum bore the monster to the ground, and he ended up on top of the bulky and bleeding monster. Orcs were notoriously hard to kill, and even the devastating attack he¡¯d just delivered wasn¡¯t enough to finish it off. So, he reared back, intending to deliver a killing blow. But before he could, he heard a twig snap behind him. Knowing what that signified, he dove forward in a roll that narrowly let him avoid a descending club. He came up running, recognizing that he¡¯d already lost the fight. A pair of orcs crashed through the underbrush behind him, both bellowing in rage as they left their fellow behind. Hopefully, it would bleed to death, but Kurik had fought enough orcs by that point to know how unlikely that was. If they weren¡¯t killed outright, they would recover. Not to full strength ¨C they weren¡¯t trolls, after all ¨C but enough that they could keep on fighting. Still, as much as he regretted the necessity of leaving the kill unfinished, Kurik knew his own abilities well enough to recognize that he couldn¡¯t stand up to a single orc in straightbat, much less two. So, he ran.As he did so, he ran through his options. He had a couple of traps nearby, and both had been enhanced with his ability. Yet, he didn¡¯t want to use them unless absolutely necessary. The fact was that each time he used the ability, it took a significant amount of ethera, so he¡¯d begun to ration his abilities. As a result, he was forced to rely on other tactics, which had further exposed what he already knew. He was no Warrior. Sure, he was a decent enough scout, and he could function as a fair archer while holding his own in hand-to-handbat. But against creatures like orcs, he was woefully outmatched. It was a reminder of his ce in the world. Perhaps one day he could rise above that position, but that day had yet toe. He could run, though, and with his Fleet-Footed enhancement, he could move incredibly quickly through rough terrain. The only person he¡¯d ever found who could rival him was his newest ally, which, as far as he was concerned, didn¡¯t really count. The human was clearly an outlier, soparing himself to Elijah wasn¡¯t a fair exercise. Just when Kurik was on the verge of veering toward one of his traps, he heard amotion behind him. Then, suddenly, there was only one orc following. Knowing what that meant, he kept running until, suddenly, the noise repeated. It was followed by silence. ¡°You¡¯re clear,¡± came a quiet voice. Kurik slowed to a stop, then turned around to see Elijah standing over a fallen orc. The creature had had its entire torso ripped open, and its head flopped to the side, its neck nearly severed. ¡°I was fine,¡± Kurik insisted. ¡°I know. Just helping where I can,¡± the man said. He made for a curious sight, with his odd collection of equipment and curios. Kurik knew enough to recognize that many of them were magical in nature, though he couldn¡¯t even begin to guess their purpose. However, he was well aware that anyone with that many magical items was either rich or dangerous. Elijah was probably both, at least in rtion to the rest of Earth. ¡°Did it work?¡± Kurk asked. Elijah stepped forward into the light and shrugged. ¡°Sort of, I guess,¡± he said. ¡°I got a few of them, but not as many as I would have liked.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°They have a couple of spellcasters,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°Stopped my spells from doing too much damage. I wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡± ¡°They¡¯re more advanced than we thought.¡± ¡°It looks that way,¡± said the man. He ran a hand through his curly blonde hair. ¡°You should go tell Ramik and the others. Take the rest of your squad, too. We¡¯re not going to win the fight like this.¡± ¡°You think we need toe up with another strategy?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay out here and slow them down.¡± ¡°By yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Elijah said. ¡°In the meantime, you need to make sure everyone¡¯s ready for what¡¯sing, because this isn¡¯t something we can stop before it gets to Ironshore. There¡¯s going to be a fight there, one way or another.¡± ¡°I think that was always the case,¡± Kurik admitted with a sigh. There was little chance of stopping the horde before it reached the budding settlement. Everyone had known that from the very beginning, but some had hoped that they could use Elijah¡¯s power to avoid that inevitable eventuality. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You should go. I¡¯m going to keep hunting.¡± Kurik nodded, and without another word, headed to the rendezvous point to reconnect with his people. As he did, he hoped that Elijah could work a miracle, because he expected that that was what it was going to take if they were going to survive. * * * As soon as Kurik was gone, Elijah shifted back into his draconid form and went on the hunt. The past day had been exhausting in a way he hadn¡¯t experienced since thest tower, but in a lot of ways, it was much worse. First of all, the orcs were far more attentive than the ogres had ever been, and if Elijah wasn¡¯t extremely careful about how he moved among them, they would detect his presence. Fortunately, he¡¯d gotten plenty of practice doing just that, so, for the most part, he was fine. Yet, he¡¯d still gotten into trouble a couple of times, and he¡¯d barely made it out of those instances alive. Second, while the orcs were disturbingly humanoid in appearance ¨C aside from their tusks, immense size, and grey skin ¨C they were just as obviously monsters. They had some semnce of a society, but it was a hollow thing, as if they were merely imitating something they had seen. Or, as Kurik had suggested, acting upon instincts they didn¡¯t understand. As a result, they seemed sapient at first nce, but they weren¡¯t. However, even that hint was enough to make killing them a difficult thing. Elijah had pushed the resultant guilt aside, but it was much harder to do so than he¡¯d expected. Not that it was going to stop him from doing what was necessary, but it definitely didn¡¯t help his mindset. And finally, there was the issue of their advancement. He¡¯d grown used to being able to use Swarm and Cmity whenever he wanted, and the first time he¡¯d done so against the orcs had gone off without a hitch. He¡¯d killed a couple dozen of them, even gaining a level in the process. Yet, when he¡¯d tried to do so a second time, one of the orcs had risen up and cast something to reduce the effect of the spells. Another had cast some sort of red globe of liquid in his direction. He¡¯d avoided it, but the fact that it had found him so quickly did not bode well for his chances of using his spells in the future. Which had been his primary strategy, so since then, Elijah had been forced to rethink things. He¡¯d also sent Kurik and his scouts back to Ironshore to help with the preparations. Though he didn¡¯t see how they could win. In the meantime, though, Elijah intended to keep fighting as best he could, and if the battle was hopeless, perhaps he could level enough to gain a new spell or ability that would make the difference they needed to survive. That made Elijah¡¯s goals clear. So, without any further ado, he set off through the underbrush, passing beneath the trees as he headed toward the location where he¡¯dst seen the orcs. Soon enough, he found their camp. It was still dark, so they had yet to begin their march, but Elijah had already witnessed their routine, so he knew what to expect. Still, he watched from the shadows, waiting for an opportunity. As he did, he studied the camp. There were hundreds of tents, dozens of fires, and thousands of grey-skinned orcs. How the tribe had expanded so rapidly, Elijah had no idea. Perhaps he¡¯d only seen a small portion back at that abandoned Wal-Mart. Or maybe they reproduced that quickly. Whatever the case, there were far more than Elijah could handle alone. In truth, even if he hadn¡¯t killed Ironshore¡¯s security force, the chances of repelling the invasion seemed incredibly slim ¨C unless they could figure out some way to even the odds. Being on the defense would help. So would the fact that the orcs were barely-thinking monsters. But that wasn¡¯t going to be enough. A few minutes after Elijah had begun his vigil, a trio of orcs broke away from the camp and tromped off into the woods. It was only then that Elijah realized something that had eluded him until that very moment. Orcs had to eat. That was an unavoidable fact of life. He¡¯d seen them hunting, cooking, and eating by their fires. Yet, he¡¯d not recognized the opportunity that held. Still, before he established a n, he wanted to confirm his suspicions. So, he followed the trio into the woods, and sure enough, twenty minutester, he saw them take down a wild hog the size of a hippopotamus. The three orcs expertly dressed the animal, then hauled the meat back to the camp before setting off for another hunting expedition. That¡¯s when Elijah struck, hitting the first one with an attack that utilized Predator Strike. He ripped through the creature with little difficulty, then bounded away into the underbrush. As soon as he was out of sight of the orcs, he bounded up a tree. By that point, the remaining two hunters were alert, but because they never bothered to look up, they had no idea where he was. Elijah dropped out ofbat a few momentster, then adopted Guise of the Unseen before repeating the process. Two more attacks, and the trio of hunters were dead. But that had never been the point. He¡¯d only killed them because it was a good opportunity to thin the horde. With the numbers arrayed against Elijah and Ironshore, he couldn¡¯t afford to let such a chance go to waste. However, he didn¡¯t linger after finishing them off. Instead, he took off across thendscape with as much speed as he could muster, and soon enough, he found Kurik and his squad of scouts. Before he approached, he shifted back into his human form and called out, ¡°It¡¯s me. Don¡¯t attack.¡± Then, he stepped out of the trees. Kurik said, ¡°Thought you were stayin¡¯ out here to hunt.¡± ¡°I was. I did,¡± Elijah said excitedly. ¡°But I figured something out.¡± ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s that?¡± Elijah told him, then borated on his n. ¡°You think we can do that? There are only ten of us here,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Twenty more back in Ironshore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re scouts and hunters, right? This is what you do,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°I think this is our best option.¡± Kurik shrugged. ¡°Better than any idea I got. Best we get to it, then.¡± Book 2: Chapter 70: Hunters Hunting Book 2: Chapter 70: Hunters Hunting Wearing Guise of the Unseen like a cloak, Elijah crept forward, his body low to the ground as he stalked the stag. It was an enormous deer, at least the size of a full-grown moose, which meant that it was a perfect target for his n. However, the creature was powerful ¨C he¡¯d known that from the moment he set eyes on it ¨C so he needed to take care in his approach. One wrong move, and he would end up with a set of sharp antlers in his chest. It had already happened once during an earlier hunt, and he didn¡¯t want to repeat that experience. He would survive, at least long enough to heal himself, but that would cost him hours of hunting. And considering the overall goal, that just wasn¡¯t an eptable price to pay. So, over the past two days, he had learned caution, and in a way he¡¯d rarely employed during his previous exploits. In those instances, he¡¯d always known that, even if he did make a mistake and was injured, he could always heal himself. And while that was still true, the time factor meant that any dy could prove a failure that could, in turn, doom the entirety of Ironshore. Elijah couldn¡¯t stomach that, so he¡¯d pushed himself to heights of stealthy hunting he¡¯d not thought possible. But it was too slow. Soon, he knew the time to institute his n would pass, and they would have to implement the next phase. Still, the more animals he and the other hunters killed, the less food there would be for the orcs. It didn¡¯t really fall in line with his protector of nature image, but he¡¯d pushed that sort of thing aside in favor of survival. So, the goal was to cut down the animal poption to the extent that the orcs would no longer have enough to sustain themselves. Sure, it wouldn¡¯t kill them. Elijah was certain of that. But it would weaken them, at least to some degree, and he hoped that would prove the difference in the inevitable battle toe. With that in mind, he silently slipped through the underbrush. Cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, he should have been undetectable for the stag. Yet, when he came within a few feet, the thing skittishly pranced away. However, by that point, Elijah was already close enough to pounce. He leaped high into the air,nding on the beast¡¯s broad back. Digging his ws into its hide for bnce, he struck like a crocodile,tching his powerful jaws on the stag¡¯s neck. He squeezed, ripping through the animal¡¯s flesh and feeling its bones crack beneath his mighty bite. It went limp, having never gotten the chance to resist, and it fell to the ground in a heap. Elijah sprang away, shifting back into his human form before his feet hit the ground. It was at that moment that the orc struck. Elijah had no idea the monster was even there, which meant that it had been using the stealth ability some of their hunters and scouts possessed. Still, it never should have happened. He¡¯d been too focused on the task at hand.Or too exhausted, after three days of constant hunting. Whatever the case, Elijah never had the opportunity to dodge the creature¡¯s thrusting spear. Its flint tip bit deep into his side before ripping a gaping wound in his flesh. He staggered away, but the orc followed close on his heels. Elijah whipped around, spraying the ground with blood as he smashed his staff against the pursuing orc¡¯s tusked face. Under the weight of the blow, the monster stumbled, and Elijah followed that attack up by sweeping his staff toward the orc¡¯s ankles. It tripped, tumbling to the ground. Before it had the chance to react, Elijah cast Snaring Roots, and thick, thorny vines snaked up from the ground to wrap around the monster¡¯s iling extremities. With a couple of moments to spare, he cast Healing Rain before shifting into hismer ape form. The second the spellpleted, and he transformed, his arms lengthening and scales sprouting across his increasingly muscr body. Finally, he loped forward, raising his clenched fists high into the sky before bringing them down with thunderous force. That brought a whimper of pain from the monster, but it was far from defeated. So, Elijah continued pummeling the creature until he felt bones break beneath his momentous blows. Finally, the thing went quiet and ceased drawing breath. Elijah didn¡¯t stop there, though. Instead, he reached down, grabbed the orc¡¯s head in his giant ws, and twisted. Its neck broke, but in his fury, Elijah didn¡¯t care. Instead, he wrenched it back and forth until the thick muscles in its neck tore. Once that happened, it only took a couple more twists before the thing¡¯s entire head ripped free. He wanted to roar triumphantly, but even with the bestial fury raging through him, Elijah knew better than to invite further orcish attention. So, he settled for tossing the head aside and beating his chest in victory. However, he only indulged his inner beast for a few moments before the urgency of the situation caught up to him. Usually, where there was one orc, there would be more soon to follow. So, he shifted back to his human form and examined his injury. Because the flint de of the orc¡¯s spear hadn¡¯t been particrly sharp, the wound was jagged and anything but surgical. Still, it hadn¡¯t hit anything vital ¨C aside from nicking his intestine, which had already mended from Healing Rain ¨C so he only took the time to pulse Touch of Nature a couple of times before turning his attention to the stag he¡¯d killed. He unslung the pack on his back, then opened it. The satchel was a special loan from the hunters, and it was one of the reasons they¡¯d been able to implement his n so wlessly. Like his normal pack, it was muchrger than it appeared from the outside, and it could amodate the meat from four deer the size of the one he¡¯d just killed. It would also keep that meat fresh. However, it could only be used for that very specific purpose. If he were to put anything but fresh meat inside, it would quickly break down. So, it was incredibly useful for a very specific purpose, but absolutely useless for anything that exceeded that function. In any case, the pack was nearly full, which meant that as soon as he processed his kill, Elijah would need to return to the forward camp and exchange it for an empty one. After that, he would return to the forest and continue his hunting efforts while someone else took the meat back to Ironshore. It had been going on for a few days by that point, so they had the process down to a science. But before he could do that, Elijah needed to skin the animal and process the carcass. So, he set to it, using one of the knives he¡¯d taken from the mercenaries who¡¯d invaded his ind what felt like a lifetime ago. Once, it might¡¯ve taken him hours to aplish the task, yet with so much practice and the indefatigable endurance of a man who was well past human limits, he aplished the task in about thirty minutes. After that, he gathered the pack, which was incredibly heavy because of how much meat he¡¯d packed away, shouldered the hide, and took off across the forest. Even in his human form, he was more than capable of moving quickly and quietly, and besides, he¡¯d been spending quite a lot of time in his bestial forms. Doing that was dangerous, as he¡¯d found in the jungles outside of the Primordial Maze. About an hourter, he finally arrived at the forward camp, where he was confronted with a blue-haired gnome who was part of Kurik¡¯s squad. ¡°Rasana,¡± he acknowledged with a nod. She grinned. ¡°What do you have for me this time?¡± she asked, pushing her spectacles up her nose. They weren¡¯t for correcting her vision. Instead, they helped her see tracks more easily. He shook his head, then said, ¡°Just meat. Two deer, a hog, and a couple of giant turkeys.¡± The two turkeys were closer to dinosaurs than any bird he¡¯d ever seen, and it had taken quite a bit of effort to take the pair of seven-foot-tall birds down. Still, they¡¯d had quite a lot of meat on them, which he supposed would be helpful for the town. More importantly, killing the beasts would deny the orcs any sustenance. ¡°The pickin¡¯s are gettin¡¯ pretty slim out there,¡± came Kurik¡¯s voice. Elijah turned to see the lead scout approaching from the right. He carried arge satchel as well, though he clearly struggled beneath its immense weight. That was the other detriment of the hunting sacks, as they were called. They could hold plenty, but they did nothing to alleviate the weight of whatever was put inside. As such, most of the hunters and scouts couldn¡¯t get the most out of them like Elijah could. ¡°Think we might need to start pullin¡¯ back.¡± Elijah sighed. He¡¯d seen much the same thing, but he knew they¡¯d missed quite a lot of animals. There just wasn¡¯t enough time to truly hunt every denizen of the forest. Yet, they¡¯d gotten the easy prey, which meant that the orcs would have to work that much harder to meet their consumptive needs. That was a small sce in an otherwise desperate situation. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. As he and Kurik stepped into the camp, Elijah asked, ¡°Phase two?¡± ¡°Probably the best chance we¡¯ll get. The others are still workin¡¯ on clearing the animals from here to Ironshore. We¡¯ll work backwards from here, and by the time we get to the city, we¡¯ll be as ready as we¡¯re gonna get,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°How should I contribute?¡± Elijah asked. The n was simple. Over the next few days, Kurik¡¯s scouts would riddle the forest with traps. Some, like the dwarven leader himself, had abilities rted to those traps. As a result, some of the orcs would die. Others would be injured. But no matter what, the traps would slow them down. Kurik shook his head, saying, ¡°Can you hit them with that big spell again?¡± ¡°No. Those shaman in there are too dangerous,¡± he answered. ¡°If I use Cmity or Swarm when they¡¯re paying attention, I¡¯ll have the whole horde after me in¡­wait¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I just had another idea.¡± ¡°Well, we ain¡¯t got all day,¡± Kurik responded. ¡°Spit it out.¡± ¡°Alright, so what if I do that and lead them back the other way,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That could give you some extra time toy traps. And the more we can dy them, the better prepared Ironshore will be, right?¡± ¡°Think you can do that without gettin¡¯ caught?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I think so. Probably. I can move pretty quickly when I want to.¡± ¡°Then do it,¡± Kurik advised. ¡°The more time we have, the better.¡± Elijah nodded, then said, ¡°I need a few minutes of rest, though. Any food here?¡± ¡°Not much. We¡¯ve been sendin¡¯ everything back home. ¡®sides, we can¡¯t really have a fire out here. But here,¡± he said, leading Elijah to a barrel. Inside were a bunch of wild edibles, including mushrooms and berries. ¡°Should be enough to keep you goin¡¯.¡± Elijah grabbed a handful, then sat on one of the nearby fallen logs. Kurik joined him as he ate. ¡°This takes me back,¡± he sighed. ¡°Living in the woods, eating mushrooms. It¡¯s like I¡¯m stuck right after the world changed.¡± ¡°Surprised you survived all by your lonesome,¡± Kurik remarked. Elijah had shared a little of his story with the dwarf, but he hadn¡¯t told him everything. ¡°Most people wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t alone. Not at first,¡± Elijah said, referring to the panther. ¡°Notpletely, at least.¡± ¡°I reckon it¡¯s always hard on the natives when the World Tree touches a new. Least there¡¯s not a lot of reason for the truly powerful to stick their noses into the situation,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Most of us are runnin¡¯ from somethin¡¯. Lookin¡¯ for a new life, you know? If any of us had any choice, we wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°Not sure how to take that,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Don¡¯t take it no way. New worlds, they¡¯re hard. Dangerous. And most of us won¡¯t get the chance to see our families or friends again for years. Decades, if ever. Teleporting off-world is expensive.¡± ¡°How expensive?¡± ¡°tinums. Plural.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Elijah said. So far, he¡¯d only amassed seventeen gold ethereum, and from what he remembered, it would take a million of those to equal a single tinum ethereum coin. There were guides in the Branch¡¯s Knowledge Base that cost as much, but the vast majority were far cheaper. That had led him to believe that he was fairly well off. Now, he knew that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Even teleportation within the world¡¯swork is prohibitively expensive. Hundreds of gold for the closest locations, and a lot more for ones further away,¡± Kurik exined. ¡°Not that it matters. The world¡¯s too new to have any connections right now. But it¡¯lle. Just wait. In a couple of decades, it won¡¯t even be umon.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Elijah said. He¡¯d seen the teleportation option at the various Branches he¡¯d visited, but they¡¯d all been greyed out, so he hadn¡¯t thought much more about it. After a few more minutes, during which the pair went silent as they ate their meager meal, Elijah pushed himself to his feet and said, ¡°I guess I need to get going if I¡¯m going to get this thing done.¡± With that, he headed out, shifting into the draconid form as soon as he was out of sight. Without using Guise of the Unseen ¨C or worrying about being detected ¨C Elijah could move incredibly quickly across even the most difficult terrain, so it only took him a few hours to reach the orcish horde. When he arrived, he took a few minutes to observe the enemy. They were on the move, though their progress less resembled an army on the march than a mass of individuals that happened to be going in the same direction. To Elijah, it reminded him of the crowds that came at the end of a football game when a hundred thousand people all tried to leave the stadium at once. There was nothing organized about it, though Elijah did give them a wide berth. At the same time, he used Guise of the Unseen, just to ensure that he remained undetected as he circled around to the backside. Once he reached that position, he knelt behind the thick brush, leveled his staff at the tail end of the horde, and used Swarm. Before the mass of insects even manifested, he was casting Cmity. And the moment the spell left his staff, he shifted back into his draconid form and took off into the forest. A momentter, a blob of red energy sshed down on the spot he¡¯d just vacated. Even from more than twenty feet away, Elijah could feel the sizzling power of the spell, which only reaffirmed his caution. If he hadn¡¯t already expected it, that manifestation of ethera would have hit him. And he didn¡¯t want to know what it did. As he raced through the forest, the tromp of hundreds of orcish feet followed. Elijah stayed ahead of them, but he was careful to let himself be seen more than once. And when he thought the pursuers were far enough away from the main horde, he turned and cast Swarm again. This time, the red ball came even more quickly, which meant that he couldn¡¯t follow it up with Cmity. But that was fine. He wasn¡¯t trying to kill anything. Instead, he only wanted to further separate the group and, eventually, slow down the entire horde. So, he kept going for miles more, narrowly staying ahead of his pursuers. Yet, after more than an hour, Elijah saw an opportunity when, atst, his conjured insects made it past whatever defenses the shaman had erected. He only realized it when he got an influx of experience that signaled a few deaths. More followed soon after, suggesting that, atst, he¡¯d run the shaman out of ethera. That meant the creature was vulnerable. And Elijah aimed to take advantage of that. So, he raced ahead, quickly outpacing the sub-horde, and the moment he felt Essence of the Wolf kick in, he used Guise of the Unseen. Once he¡¯d rendered himself undetectable, Elijah doubled back, and when he saw the shapes of the group of orcs who¡¯d chased him around the forest, a reptilian grin spread across his draconid face. The orcs who were still standing were clearly on theirst leg. Most could barely manage a stumble, no doubt because of Swarm¡¯s afflictions, and Elijah suspected that, left alone, they would soon sumb. However, the shaman ¨C identifiable by arge, feathery cloak and a skull-topped staff ¨C was busy trying to prevent that. Elijah had no idea what spells he was casting, but he could feel the swirl of ethera and see the effects. Each time the shaman cast a spell, one of the orcs straightened to its full height, reenergized and healed. Elijah couldn¡¯t let that stand. There were nearly twenty of them left, which was a testament to Elijah¡¯s efforts so far. But he didn¡¯t care about killing a few dozen regr orcs. He wanted to take out the shaman. So, the way was clear. He needed to continue to drain the creature¡¯s ethera by forcing it to continuously heal. With that in mind, Elijah found another bush, where he crouched and leveled his staff before casting Cmity. Clouds gathered, and thunder rolled while the wind whipped into a frenzy. In seconds, it had reached the height of its fury, sending violent bolts of lightning crashing down and des of wind slicing through the group of orcs. Meanwhile, the earth rumbled and shook, splitting open and throwing them off bnce. The shaman tried to counter by erecting a shield that looked like a giant, red bubble, but it popped after only a second. And Elijah recognized the sag of the creature¡¯s shoulders for what it meant. It was spent, and its charges paid the price. The Cmity tore through the already-damaged orcs, killing quite a few and injuring even more. That¡¯s when Elijah struck from afar, aiming his staff at the shaman and letting loose with Storm¡¯s Fury. In all themotion, none of the monsters even noticed the extra bolt of lightning that mmed into the shaman¡¯s chest, sending it flying backwards into a tree. Elijah heard the impact even from almost a hundred feet away. He cast Swarm, then conjured Healing Rain, positioning it above the orcs. Then, he shifted into themer ape form before rushing forward. He fell upon the monsters with all the furious Strength he could muster, slicing through flesh and breaking bones with wild abandon. It felt good to finally let loose. And with Shape of the Guardian active, he could truly appreciate the melee for what it represented. The orcs tried to resist, but after the deluge of damage he¡¯d already brought to bear, they were weak and powerless to fight back. As a result, it ended in glorious ughter, and when he finally reached the still stunned shaman, he fell upon the feather-cloaked monster without mercy. It was more of an execution than a fight, and by the time Elijah had finished, he¡¯d earned enough experience to push him to level fifty. Not only did that ce him in the top five on Earth¡¯s power rankings, but it also awarded him another ability:
Brand of the Stalker Sear a brand on an enemy, preventing all forms of stealth and increasing your damage against them by fourteen (14) percent.
¡°Nice,¡± Elijah said after he¡¯d shifted back into his human form. But it was difficult to feel too excited about his aplishment. Sure, he¡¯d killed a good number of orcs, but it was barely anything next to the full weight of the horde. Still, he¡¯d proven the viability of the strategy, so, after taking a few minutes to settle himself ¨C and finding that he now had room for another enhancement ¨C he used Essence of the Lion and took off across the wilderness to repeat his actions. He couldn¡¯t kill them all at once, but if he kept chipping away at them, he would aplish both of his goals. One, it would inevitably slow the horde to a crawl. And two, he¡¯d gain a few more levels while whittling away at the orcs¡¯ numbers. Perhaps he could even deprive them of shamans altogether. Only time would tell, so he bent his will toward the task at hand. Book 2: Chapter 71: Equipping an Army Book 2: Chapter 71: Equipping an Army Searing heat buffeted Carmen as she stepped into her newly expanded forge. Inside, there were seven apprentices working, and that wasn¡¯t even considering the number of people who¡¯d been tasked with smelting the freshly mined cold iron ore. After exterminating thest of the critters, Silverado¡¯s miners had found thick veins of the stuff, and ever since then, they¡¯d been steadily pulling it from the earth. And it was just as potent a resource as Carmen had expected. She crossed the forge, making her way to a pile of ingots waiting to be worked. She retrieved one, then used Tradesman¡¯s Appraisal, resulting in a notification shing before her inner eye:
Cold Iron Ingot Overall Grade: Simple (Medium)
It was already better than the metal she¡¯d used to create Destroyer, and that had been the product of weeks¡¯ worth of work and quite a lot of scavenging. It was no wonder Roman had been so adamant that the mine be tapped. Carmen spent the next few minutes searching for the perfect ingots. Most were on the low end of Simple-Grade, but there were a couple that were in the middle, like the one she¡¯d inspected. Those were her targets, and after a few more minutes, she found ten such ingots. Then, she carried them to her personal forge, which was separate from her apprentices. Normally, she didn¡¯t mind working among them, but sometimes, she needed full concentration. As such, she¡¯d had the separate area built to her exacting specifications, which included her own smelter as well as a forge that could handle the intense heat of a fire fueled by ethera-soaked coal. She was certain that there were better fuels out there, but she¡¯d yet to find any. Perhaps when she did, she¡¯d be able to take the next step in her progression as a cksmith. But that was a worry for another day. For now, she was only concerned withpleting the project before her. So, she took the first two ingots and used Meld Metals to merge them into one. Once she had, she used Refine Material. The results were mixed because the designated smelting crew all had the same technique avable to them. As such, the ingots had already been subjected to multiple instances of that, as well as Decontaminate. Still, her technique was a little more powerful than theirs, so she still managed to eke a little use out of it. In truth, it probably wasn¡¯t worth the ethera, but Carmen had ever been a perfectionist, and so, she intended to take every step possible to ensure the product was the peak of what she could achieve. Especially given its purpose. So, once she¡¯d prepared those two merged ingots, she thrust them into the mes and started working on the rest of her materials. And by the time she¡¯d finished, the metal was hot enough for her to work. So, using Summon Tool, she manifested a pair of tongs and dragged the molten metal ingots out of the fire. Once she¡¯d pped it onto an anvil, she conjured a hammer and started pounding the metal into submission. She only got a dozen good blows in before she had to shove it back into the forge. That was one of the problems with Cold Iron. As its name suggested, it was resistant to fire, and it dissipated heat remarkably quickly. Because of that, a smith who wanted to work with the metal needed to be incredibly cognizant of hammering cold metal, which would result in stress fractures that would, in turn, lower the grade of the item. Carmen had no intention of letting that happen. So, over the next few hours, she diligently worked, spending more time letting the forge heat the metal than she actually spent hammering. However, for a crafter, patience was a virtue. It was even more important to maintain focus when the natural inclination was to let her mind wander. Staying on task was an especially difficult thing, what with everything going on. After meeting with the rebel leaders, Carmen had agreed to provide high-quality armor and weapons to them and their allies. She wasn¡¯t sure about working with the roaming warband led by Laramie, but she had been assured that they were better than Roman. She hadn¡¯t needed much convincing, given the personal enmity she held for the man. If Carmen was honest with herself ¨C which was a rare thing ¨C she would have admitted that she didn¡¯t truly care about the fate of Easton. Instead, the only thing that concerned her was taking revenge on Roman. And as a cksmith, the best way she could do that was by providing powerful equipment to the fighters who could give her the opportunity to take her vengeance. Those thoughts flitted along the surface of Carmen¡¯s mind as she worked. If she could have stopped them from doing so, she would have, but that was almost impossible. As a result, her product probably suffered, at least a little. Still, the slow pace of the work did give her the opportunity to use one of hertest techniques:
Ethereal Fortification Infuse a single blow with ethera, injecting an in-progress item with additional power. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
It did precisely what the description said it would, and each time she struck the metal with it active, it sent a jolt of ethera into the material. However, it came with two issues. First, it was slow to activate, which meant that she had to work with a steady and deliberate pace. As such, using it with Cold Iron, whose rapid cooling meant that she had a very short amount of time to work with, slowed the work down considerably. The second issue was that it used an incredible amount of ethera, which served to highlight some of the issues with her attribute allocation. She was heavy on Strength and Constitution, but light on Ethera and Regeneration. The less said about her low Dexterity, the better. Still, each level she attained served as a course correction due to the automatic allocation that came with her ss. So, if she wanted to be better, she knew the course. In the meantime, though, she struggled to maintain enough ethera to consistently use her abilities, which slowed her down even more. Even so, Carmen was nothing if not patient, and she persisted through her own limitations. After nearly seven hours, she finally held up the product she had created. It was a breastte, sized to fit Colt. The man was her second-inmand, and yet, he wore no armor aside from that ridiculous coat of his. And it wasn¡¯t even Crude-Grade. No, if he was going to be effective, he needed better armor. Carmen aimed to satisfy that need. So, after setting the unfinished breastte aside, she grabbed another ingot and continued the process. Over the next two days, during which she fielded a few questions from her apprentices who¡¯d been tasked with forging the equipment for the rebels, but she also managed to hammer an entire set of armor into shape. A breastte, two bracers, and a pair of greaves. It wasn¡¯t ideal, and if she¡¯d had her way, she would have outfitted him in a full set of armor that covered his entire body. However, Colt had made it abundantly clear that he wanted no such thing. So, this was apromise. The metal itself was deep blue, with hints of pearlescent white. Hopefully, he would like that color. In any case, now that the base structure was done, Carmen needed to start with the embellishments. So, she used another new technique:
Ethereal Etching Use ethera to carve embellishments into metal. No tools required.
With that ability, she didn¡¯t need any tools to create ethera-infused embellishments on the armor. However, that was not the extent of what she had nned. Instead, she intended to adjust things a little more fully, using Shape.
Shape Reshape a material with raw ethera.
With that, she could make minor adjustments to the armor that would have otherwise required quite a bit more hammering or a grinder. However, using the two in conjunction was extremely ethera thirsty, which meant that she was in for a long haul. Still, she persisted, using her two techniques as often as she was able. And gradually, the armor took its final shape. She wasn¡¯t going for anything truly eye-catching. Just a mostly in breastte, with etched greaves and bracers. Still, there was beauty in subtle simplicity, and what¡¯s more, Carmen knew that Colt¡¯s taste trended toward the unassuming. Eventually, she finished, though she didn¡¯t dare use Tradesman¡¯s Appraisal yet. Just because the armor was forged, it didn¡¯t mean the project wasplete. So, she gathered the individual pieces and headed away from the forge. When she left the building, she couldn¡¯t help but blink as the sunlight of a new day assailed her eyes. Yet, she didn¡¯t wait around to let her sight adjust, instead heading to the neighboring building that housed Silverado¡¯s overworked Leatherworkers. There, she found the man she was looking for. ¡°You finish it?¡± she asked. ¡°I did,¡± the Leatherworker said. He wasn¡¯t particrly skilled, and he hadn¡¯t even reached level twenty yet. However, he was the best Silverado had to offer, so Carmen reasoned that beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers. After he retrieved the piece in question, she inspected it. When she was satisfied, she told him what she wanted. It was just one piece of the puzzle, so she wasn¡¯t terribly concerned with the quality of his work. Yet, she knew the end product would be better if she let a real Leatherworker do it rather than try to make it work on her own. So, after exining everything, she left the armor with him. With that done, she had a few hours to kill. So, she strode toward the training yard where she expected to find Miguel. Sure enough, he was there, practicing the sword with Colt. The two had a good rtionship, which Carmen appreciated. A young boy needed all the positive role models he could get, and Colt satisfied that requirement quite well. For a long time, she leaned against the fence that encircled the training ground, just watching her son go through his training. Some of it, she understood, but her approach to battle had always been more of a charge in and hit things really hard sort of method. So, the subtleties of swordfighting had never appealed to her. But watching Miguel, she could certainly see the draw. When he saw her, he gave her a subdued wave, but he knew better than to interrupt his lessons. So, that was all Carmen was going to get for now. After a couple of hours, she returned to the Leatherworker and inspected his work. It was adequate, so she handed him a handful of copper ethereum for his trouble. He tried to protest being paid, saying that he didn¡¯t mind, but Carmen knew just how much a few extra copper could help. So, she didn¡¯t mind. In any case, she quickly returned to the forge with the item, then, after taking a few minutes to center herself, used Bond to make the Leatherworker¡¯s work permanent. After that, she started the enchantment process. She still couldn¡¯t do anything more than a Minor Enchantment, but she had learned a few extra methods over the past few months. As such, she could imbue the item with a few extra attribute points. She still hadn¡¯t gotten the hang of adding an ability, and she suspected that would be the case until she managed to upgrade her Minor Enchantment technique. But that was fine. It would still be better than what anyone else in Easton wore. The process took many more hours ¨C so many, in fact, that Carmen grew dizzy fromck of food, which interrupted her efforts for a few hours ¨C but in the end, she aplished precisely what she¡¯d set out to do and created an item set in the middle of the Simple-Grade.
Congrattions! You have created a unique item set: [Warden¡¯s Armor]. Overall Grade: Simple (Middle) Enchantment Grade: F
The bracers had been seamlessly integrated into a new leather duster, which had been made from the hides of the highest level terrestrial mks. The Leatherworker had enchanted it for durability, though he was incapable of doing any more than that. Carmen hadn¡¯t expected the breastte or greaves to be included in the set, but she was more than happy with the results. Hopefully, it would be enough to protect the strongest fighter she had. Because she had a feeling that hard times wereing. Book 2: Chapter 72: The Importance of Ditches Book 2: Chapter 72: The Importance of Ditches Elijah sat on the edge of the ditch, his legs dangling nearly ten feet above the deepest portion. It was filled with sharpened stakes, many of which glistened with ethera from various skills. After his initial sess with the divide-and-conquer strategy, he¡¯d managed to use it one more time before the orcs ¨C or rather, the shamans ¨C wised up and refused to follow him into the wilderness. They still sent a few bands of orcs after him, but he quickly discovered that they weren¡¯t nearly as vulnerable to his spells as they¡¯d once been. It was only a dayter when he saw them performing some sort of ritual that he discovered the reason. Obviously, they¡¯d enacted some sort of defense against him. It wasn¡¯t really surprising; they¡¯d long proven that they were capable of mitigating his spells. Yet, this was the first time that they¡¯d developed a strategy to do so without the shamans being present. And Elijah didn¡¯t like what that represented, because it verified everything he¡¯d already learned about orcs. They were evolving more with every passing day. If he and his allies didn¡¯t do something soon, the creatures would grow too powerful tobat. So, he¡¯d retreated to the area around Ironshore, where he hoped to contribute to the preparations of their collective defense. When he¡¯d arrived, he had discovered that they had piled quite a lot of dirt into an edifice that surrounded the town, and they¡¯d built some siege engines as well. The alchemist, Biggle, had even lent his expertise to brewing a few dozen barrels of some sort of toxic concoction that he imed would ¡°make those orc-y bastards think twice abouting to Ironshore¡±. Elijah wasn¡¯t so sure of that, because if there was one thing he¡¯d confirmed, it was that orcs were single-minded in their pursuit of dominance. They¡¯d already swept through the area like a gue, consuming anything they hadn¡¯t destroyed. So, Elijah knew there was little chance of them giving up. Nothing short of total annihtion would stop the orcs. Which meant that the weight on his shoulders wasn¡¯t limited to theing conflict. There was every chance that if he and the other defenders of Ironshore failed, the orcs would rampage across the region and eventually grow too powerful to stop. If the situation got to that point, Earth would almost assuredly be doomed. And the only thing standing in the way of that was a few ditches, Elijah, and some nonbatants who¡¯d been thrust into a situation they were ill-prepared to confront. He sighed, reaching into his pack and retrieving a jug of water. He drank deeply from it, then set it on the ground. A momentter, the sound of soft footsteps announced the arrival of Kurik. ¡°Want a drink?¡± Elijah asked, holding up the jug. ¡°Water?¡± asked Kurik.¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± the dwarf said, settling in beside Elijah. He went on, ¡°Should be here in a day or two. We¡¯re not sure if they¡¯ll stop outside of our range and amass beforeing for us.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Elijah guessed. ¡°They¡¯re getting smarter.¡± ¡°Orcs do that.¡± ¡°Have you thought about what¡¯s going to happen if we¡¯re unsessful?¡± Elijah asked, ncing toward the dwarf. Kurik looked as exhausted as Elijah felt, withrge bags beneath his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll disappear into the wilderness. You should do the same.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m still alive, I¡¯ll be fighting.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Kurik. ¡°You don¡¯t owe nothin¡¯ to us. We attacked you in your home. By all rights, you ought to¡¯ve killed each and every one of us.¡± ¡°Cabbot was different,¡± Elijah reasoned. ¡°And honestly, he probably wouldn¡¯t have tried what he did if he knew what I could do. Definitely not if he knew the orcs wereing.¡± ¡°If he knew that, he¡¯d¡¯ve got mommy and daddy Eason to pay his way back home,¡± Kurik responded. ¡°They paid most of the fee to get them ritualists here. Like it wasn¡¯t nothin¡¯, too. I bet that idiot didn¡¯t even know they was subsidizin¡¯ his little dragon kidnappin¡¯ plot.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Elijah agreed half-heartedly. He never really knew Cabbot, so he couldn¡¯t speak to that. ¡°But you¡¯re asking me why I¡¯m doing this? Three reasons.¡± ¡°Yeah? What are they?¡± ¡°First, I¡¯m not the kind of guy to abandon people when they need help. I know that probably makes me a sucker, and I¡¯m sure someone will eventually take advantage of me,¡± he exined. ¡°But if that happens, that¡¯s on them. Someone else¡¯s dishonesty won¡¯t stop me from doing what I think is right.¡± ¡°Noble words. Maybe you¡¯ll change your tune when somebody crosses your lines.¡± Elijah shrugged, looking out over the array of ditches. There were twelve of them, each just as deep as thest. Hopefully, that would slow the orcs down. ¡°Maybe,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°But the second reason is a little more personal. I want to protect my home. I like my ind, and I can¡¯t imagine the orcs leaving me alone if they take Ironshore. So, protecting the city is a roundabout way of protecting myself.¡± ¡°And the third reason?¡± ¡°This is my,¡± Elijah said. ¡°If we don¡¯t stop them here, those orcs are going to spread. That¡¯s what they do, right? They¡¯re like a virus. And I¡¯ve got people out there I care about. Not anyce close, but they¡¯re out there. And if I don¡¯t do what I can right now, there¡¯s a good chance that they¡¯ll find themselves on the wrong end of that horde sometime in the near future. The orcs are vulnerable now. Beatable. That means I¡¯ve got to take my shot, here and now, because there¡¯s a high probability that humanity will never get another chance.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! For a few moments, Kurik didn¡¯t speak. Then, he took a deep breath before saying, ¡°Nobility and selfishness. I can get behind that.¡± ¡°Anyone who says they¡¯re doing something for purely altruistic reasons is lying,¡± Elijah said. ¡°There¡¯s always a little self-interest in there.¡± ¡°You ain¡¯t wrong,¡± Kurik agreed. Then, the two fell into an easy silence until, a few minutester, Kurik said, ¡°That sure is a lot of ditches.¡± ¡°Yeah. A friend of mine from college was on track to being a historian,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Specialized in ancient warfare. And every time we saw a movie or talked about a book that dealt with war or sieges, he would always criticize the tactics on disy. His favorite thing to say was that the best and most effective defense is a ditch. If you¡¯ve already got one ditch, then build another. You can fancy it up with stakes and walls or water, but the bottom line is that ditches are where it¡¯s at when ites to defense.¡± ¡°Sounds like a smart fe,¡± Kurik said. ¡°¡¯cept the parts of that I didn¡¯t understand at all, of course.¡± The pair shared augh, but then Elijah pushed himself to his feet before saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to get a shower and a real meal. You interested? Might be thest time we¡¯ll get the chance.¡± Kurik shook his head and nced back at Ironshore. ¡°Got aplicated rtionship with cities. Don¡¯t do so good with people, if you catch my meaning.¡± ¡°Yeah. I can understand that. But if you change your mind, you¡¯ll know where to find me.¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m sure I could just follow the angry res. Some folks still ain¡¯t forgiven you for killin¡¯ their so-called security force,¡± Kurik stated. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t me them for that, I guess. Anyway, I¡¯ll see youter.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After that, Elijah ambled toward Ironshore. When he entered the city proper, he was once again confronted by the same resentful res that had greeted him every other time that he¡¯d visited the city. There was fear there as well, but it was muted, probably because they were growing ustomed to his presence. Eventually, that would assuredlye to a head. When that inevitability came to pass, Elijah would have to make an example of someone, which was something he didn¡¯t want to have to do. In any case, they weren¡¯t quite there yet, so he traversed the small city without issue. He passed by a few familiar locations, like the barbershop, Mari¡¯s boutique, and the central building housing the Branch. In the distance, he saw the mines as well, though he hadn¡¯t visited them since rescuing Sara the dragon. For a moment, Elijah considered using Ancestral Circle to teleport back to his grove so he could spend the night there. However, he chose not to for one simple reason: he had no idea if he¡¯d have time to row his way back to the maind if the orcs attacked. No ¨C it was better to remain in town, even if it meant being a little lessfortable. ¡°Elijah!¡± came a shout from behind. He turned to see Ramik jogging in his direction. The prim and proper goblin was dressed in the same Victorian style he always did. That wasn¡¯t a precise description, considering that there were some subtle but ring differences, yet it was close enough that Elijah feltfortable with that descriptor. In any case, he stopped so that Ramik could catch up. The goblin doffed his bowler hat and asked, ¡°Can I interest you in a meal? I have a reservation at the Stuck Pig. I remember how much you enjoyed thatst time, and I thought you might like another visit.¡± Elijah looked down at his travel stained clothes and said, ¡°You know what? Sure. But I¡¯d prefer to get cleaned up a bit first. Give me about an hour?¡± ¡°Certainly!¡± said the excited goblin. ¡°Any suggestions on a hotel? Somewhere with a shower?¡± ¡°Oh ¨C a man of your means will want the Imperium.¡± ¡°Sounds expensive,¡± Elijah groused. ¡°It is. Yet, there is no finer amodation in the city. Indeed, it is the only true hotel in town. We don¡¯t get many visitors. Or any, point of fact. So, there hasn¡¯t been much use for the ce, if I¡¯m honest. However, that¡¯s sure to change as the world begins to open up,¡± Ramik insisted. Elijah shrugged. It wasn¡¯t as if he was short on money, so he said, ¡°Sure. So long as it has a shower and a soft bed, I¡¯ll be happy.¡± ¡°Oh, you will be quite satisfied. Allow me to lead the way.¡± After a nod from Elijah, Ramik led him through the city and to arge, three-story building with elegant architecture that put Elijah in mind of the Pce of Versailles, though on a much smaller scale. It also featured a sizable bronze dome, but the general theme was close enough that it made Elijah wonder about the simrities between the neers¡¯ culture and those native to Earth. As such questions crossed through a couple of facets of Elijah¡¯s mind, he followed Ramik into the Imperium. And when he stepped inside, he couldn¡¯t contain a slight gasp. To call the d¨¦cor rich would have been an understatement. Iid marble, gold trim, and borately carved moldings abounded, and the floor tiles were arranged in an artful and dizzyinglyplex geometric design. A goblin in a tuxedo greeted them. Aside from a brief nce at Elijah¡¯s bare feet, he gave no indication that he was put off by the sheer shabbiness on disy before him. ¡°Wee to the Imperium,¡± the goblin intoned. ¡°My name is Dakar, and I am the chief proprietor of this branch of the Imperium, the finest hotel in the universe. Please, may I ask what I can do for you?¡± ¡°My friend wishes a room,¡± Ramik said. ¡°Money is no object.¡± ¡°Uh¡­it¡¯s some object,¡± Elijah remarked. ¡°Trust me, my friend ¨C you won¡¯t regret spending a few ethereum on this,¡± Ramik stated. Elijah shrugged. He didn¡¯t really know what else to spend his money on, so he said, ¡°Sure. Whatever. Fair warning, though ¨C it¡¯s got a ways to go if it¡¯s going topete with my tree house.¡± ¡°I am certain that the Imperium willpare quite favorably to any¡­tree house,¡± said Dakar. And it did. Elijah spent the next hour being pampered in a way he never thought possible. Not only was he afforded the opportunity to finally take a shower, but the apartment he rented for the night was twice asrge as his tree house. On top of that, it was just as richly decorated as the rest of the hotel. That meant that it looked like it was fit for a literal king. On top of that, Elijah was also subjected to a massage administered by a skilled dwarven woman. So, when he finally returned to the lobby an hour or soter, he felt more refreshed than he had in months. The following meal was just as enjoyable, albeit in a different way. There was something somunal about eating a meal in goodpany. It seemed like such a simple thing, and though the food was good, it shouldn¡¯t have rxed him like it did. However, by the time Elijah finished with the Stuck Pig ¨C where he ate what felt like his weight in smoked meats and sides he couldn¡¯t identify ¨C he felt flush with contentment. A more cynical person would have expected something to interrupt that happiness, but nothing happened, and Elijah ended up settling into his huge bed and falling asleep with some degree of optimism in his heart. He almost managed to forget about the orcish horde knocking on the proverbial door. But not quite. Book 2: Chapter 73: An Unscrupulous Man Book 2: Chapter 73: An Unscrupulous Man Trace was bored out of his mind, and the worst part about it was that he didn¡¯t think there was any end to it in sight. It was his own fault, really. He knew it, too. He should have just killed the bitch and let the chips fall where they may. It was still on the table, as far as he was concerned, though if he went down that road, he¡¯d have to talk fast to keep Roman from gutting him. And he would, too. That cold bastard would ughter his own children if he thought it would further his goals. Trace had seen it y out in the tower, when he¡¯d watched the man decapitate a woman he¡¯d called his closest friend. And for what? So he could solidify his rule? It was madness of a sort Trace wanted nothing to do with. Yet, he¡¯d stuck around in Easton,rgely because, so long as he acted ording to Roman¡¯s will, he got to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. And since the world ended, that was all he cared about. There had been a time, and not so long ago, that he¡¯d have put his life on the line for family and friends. In fact, he¡¯d done just that right after the world had changed. He was good at it, too, and for a while, he had been sessful. But then Marly had died, killed by some sort of humanoid tree monster that had taken Trace nearly an hour to hack apart. She was the first, but she¡¯d been far from thest. One by one, everyone he¡¯d ever loved had been taken from him until he was the only one left. That¡¯s when he broke, when he had chosen to give up on the idea of being a hero. Of protecting people. Of looking out for anything but his own best interests. Since then, he¡¯d descended down a spiral of hedonism, theft, and murder, only surfacing when his benefactor gave him a task. Nearby, two of his girls ¨C cute little slips of femininity ¨C waited, watching for his signal. He couldn¡¯t see them, much to his dismay. Like him, they were equipped with potent stealth skills, so no one that wasn¡¯t at least ten levels their senior would be capable of detecting them. Unlike him, though, they were both gorgeous. It was practically a crime, covering that up with a skill. They were also oh-so-pliable. Trace had taken advantage of thatst trait on more than one asion. They were broken, too. But instead of throwing caution to the wind and trulymitting to the pursuit of pleasure in all its varied forms, they¡¯d simply given up. Most of the time, they didn¡¯t even say anything ¨C which was fine by him. Thest thing he wanted was to waste time listening to a teenage girl¡¯s inane chatter. However, they¡¯d also been trained well, so the pair were effective enough that he would have kept them around, even if they didn¡¯t satisfy his other, much more depraved requirements. In any case, Trace didn¡¯t have to worry about them, so he kept his attention squarely on the two figures in the middle of what looked like a paddock. The area was surrounded by a low fence, and it featured hard-packed dirt that spoke of many hours of trampling feet. The two people within its bounds were interesting enough that Trace barely noticed their surroundings, though. One was a boy with dark hair and a tanplexion, while the other was a tall, slim man who looked like he¡¯d stepped off the set of an old cowboy movie. However, instead of a six-shooter, he wielded a katana with a gleaming de and a worn hilt. Next to him, the boy looked even smaller than he truly was. But given his parentage, Miguel Rodriguez was bound to end up on the short side. Of course, Trace recognized the cowboy as well, and in truth, he had nothing against Colt Marsters. By all ounts, the man did his job and kept to himself. The only thing that annoyed Trace about him was his propensity to y the hero. The man had never met a dangerous situation he wouldn¡¯t throw himself against, which Trace found na?ve, performative, and a little sad. It was as if the man was trying to prove to everyone howpetent and heroic he was. It made Trace a little nauseous. The pair shed, their practice des cking as they went through a series of measured drills. For his part, Trace found the entire thing pointless. He¡¯d never practiced his dework, but he¡¯d done just fine for himself. After all, it wasn¡¯t so difficult to understand that the pointy end went into the other man. That was one lesson Trace had learned well, and he¡¯d put it into practice more times than he could count. Still, he could at least appreciate the dedication involved, especially considering he¡¯d seen Marsters in action. Even if he was nauseatingly heroic, the cowboy certainly knew his way around a fight, and he¡¯d proven his prowess on enough asions that nobody who wanted to live would underestimate him. Trace looked past the two fauxbatants and into the town beyond. All of the buildings were made of rough-hewn timber, giving them the appearance of log cabins. It cast the entire settlement in a rustic light that put Trace in mind of the vacations he¡¯d once taken with his family. Those had been good times, and he remembered them fondly. Yet, it also came with the same heart wrenching pain that apanied any memory of the past. So, he quickly pushed past it. His true target was in thergest building, probably forging armor for the enemies of Easton. Trace didn¡¯t care so much about a petty rebellion because he knew precisely how unsessful any attempt would be. Roman wasn¡¯t untouchable ¨C not quite ¨C but so long as he stayed inside those walls, he might as well have been. Trace had found himself the target of the man¡¯s ire on enough asions that he no longer held any interest in challenging him. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. In any case, armor or not, anyone who chose to attack Easton was going to get a rude awakening. So, Trace wasn¡¯t entirely certain why he was even there. He could have assassinated her on the road. Or in her sleep. And he already knew where to find the warband with whom the rebels had made an alliance. Watching Carmen was pointless. Yet, he was there, doing as he¡¯d been told, like a kept dog. It was infuriating. So, it wasn¡¯t surprising that his mind quickly turned to a different n to deal with the uppity cksmith and her little band of rebels. After all, if he had something she desperately wanted to keep safe, then it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to keep her in line. And Trace remembered his own children well enough to recognize the lengths a mother would go to keep harm from befalling her children. It took him a while to work himself up to it, but after a couple of hours, Trace had convinced himself that Roman would appreciate his initiative. He may even give him some sort of reward. No ¨C the n that had taken root in his mind was a good one. He just needed to make it work, and he¡¯d get whatever he wanted out of Roman. So, he knocked on the tree he¡¯d been hiding behind, which was the signal for the two girls. After that, he retreated twenty yards into the woods to a prearranged location and canceled Concealment. A momentter, the pair of girls removed their own camouging capabilities. They were simr in appearance, though one was dark of hair while the other was blonde. One day, Trace wanted to get a brte and a redhead toplete the set. With a slight smirk, he told them his n, and to their credit, they didn¡¯t argue. They¡¯d long since learned that he wouldn¡¯t react well to any questions. In any case, they listened, and when he¡¯d finished, all three adopted their stealth abilities before setting off for the training grounds. As they had been for hours, Colt and the boy continued to practice. Trace nimbly climbed over the fence, then padded across the training rounds until he was in perfect position. Then, he drew the Dagger of Sundering from the sheath at his waist and struck, using Armor Pierce. The de sliced through the thin protection of the man¡¯s shirt ¨C his duster hung over the fence in the other direction ¨C piercing Colt¡¯s kidney. The cowboy reacted instantly,shing out with a backhand that took Trace in the cheek and sent him spinning to the ground. Immediately, he embraced Vanish, hiding himself from view. As he did so, he turned his tumble into a dive, and it was just in time, too, because only a momentter, the ground erupted into a cloud of dirt and dust as a dozen invisible des tore through the earth. Trace looked back to see that Colt had stumbled. The Dagger of Sundering had done its job, robbing the man of his attributes. Even as Colt tried to get himself under control, the two girls struck. One high, and the other low. Their des bit into the man, but he wasn¡¯t considered one of Easton¡¯s bestbatants for nothing. In the blink of an eye, his sword shed out, and the blonde girl¡¯s head went flying through the air while her body crumpled to the ground. Colt paid no attention to his injuries. Instead, before the other girl could react, he kicked her in the chest, sending her falling backwards toward the ground. She never made it. Not in one piece, at least. Colt once again flicked his sword, activating his ability and she fell to the ground in pieces. Just like that, Trace was all alone and facing a furious Colt Marsters. He considered running. He was good at that. Yet, the blood pooling on the ground told Trace that Colt wasn¡¯t in the best shape. So, when he saw how wobbly Colt was, he decided to stick it out, circling around and looking for an opening. He didn¡¯t dare snatch the child, who stupidly hadn¡¯t run away, even when Colt shouted for him to do just that. Instead, Miguel stood his ground, hold his practice sword like it would do any good. To keep him around, Trace used Intimidate on Miguel. Most of the time, it wouldn¡¯t work on people, but the kid didn¡¯t even have an archetype yet, so he was entirely unprotected. As a result, he dropped his useless weapon, widened his eyes, and went stiff as all rational thought fled before the face of unmitigated terror. Meanwhile, Trace darted in, stabbing Colt in the stomach. However, the moment his de made contact, the wounded cowboy reacted with a lightning fast sh that nearly took Trace¡¯s head off. As it was, he bounded away just in time, picking up a gash on his cheek instead. But Trace knew he¡¯d been caught out in the open ¨C a fact that was confirmed by a twinge from his Danger Sense ¨C so he immediately activated Riposte. It was perfect timing, because Colt used his bread-and-butter attack a secondter.
Riposte For one-and-a-half (1.5) seconds, block any attack and return it to its origin at fifty (50) percent power.
It was the single most important ability Trace had, but it was also an extremely limited one. As such, he¡¯d trained himself to use it at the most opportune moment. In this case, it sent Colt¡¯s attack right back at him. The man never even saw iting. Unfortunately, even as it ripped the cowboy to shreds, Trace knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough to kill him. It was enough to send him toppling to the ground in a puddle of his own blood, though. Trace stalked forward, tossing his Dagger of Sundering from one hand to the next as he prepared to finish the job. Yet, the sudden banging of a door and a shout from within the mining town alerted him that he didn¡¯t have the time. So, he ran forward, grabbing the kid, and throwing him over a shoulder. As he did so, he used Stun to knock him out. Normally, it would onlyst an instant, which he usually used to give himself an edge in a fight. But with someone who hadn¡¯t even gotten his archetype, the ability was a lot more effective. The kid went out like a light, and Trace sprinted away from the training ground. After leaping over the fence, he used Light Step to increase his footspeed, leaving any pursuit behind. And just like that, he¡¯d aplished his goal. Now, he only needed to return to Easton, hand the kid over to Roman, and Carmen would fall into line. Book 2: Chapter 74: The Horde Arrives Book 2: Chapter 74: The Horde Arrives Elijah awoke to the gentle sound of a flute. As his eyes fluttered open, he nced around the enormous and garishly appointed room, but he couldn¡¯t find the origin of the music. Yet, even so, he found it enormously soothing, as if it was capable of washing all of his cares away. Of course, it only took a moment for him to remember the urgency of Ironshore¡¯s situation, and when he did, that dense brick of anxiety that had gued him for the past couple of weeks returned to the pit of his stomach. Tension tightened his muscles, ruining the restful night of sleep he¡¯d just enjoyed. For a long few minutes, Elijah wished he could just let unconsciousness return and carry him away into blissfully ignorant sleep. Yet, he knew he couldn¡¯t do that. Not only did he have responsibilities to tend to, but any possibility of rest had disappeared the moment reality had reasserted itself. Even if he¡¯d wanted to go back to sleep, he couldn¡¯t have managed it. So, with some regret, he threw his nkets aside and pushed himself upright. As he stretched, he noticed that the flute music had ceased, and in the back of his mind, he wondered if he was finally cracking under the pressure. After everything he¡¯d been through, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but think it was only a matter of time before his sanity slipped. Sighing, he nced toward the window. It was a huge, arched thing that stretched from the richly tiled floors to the molding near the ceiling, and ethera danced along the panes. He shook his head, ignoring the oddity as he looked out over the town. Despite being just past dawn, people were already up and about, moving with no small degree of urgency. And Elijah couldn¡¯t me them, either. Every report he¡¯d read suggested that the orcs were soon to arrive. Perhaps it would be today, or maybe it would be tomorrow. But there was no doubt that they wereing, and soon. The people of Ironshore might not have been ssed asbatants, but they intended to be ready to defend their new homes. What other choice did they have? None of them could afford the fee to teleport to another world, and fleeing into the wilderness was almost as dangerous as facing the orcs. It was especially so because the orcs certainly wouldn¡¯t stop at Ironshore. They would keep going, sweeping across thend until there was nothing left.With that fate before them, the idea of risking everything to cut the threat off before it could grow out of control was an attractive one. Still, some had already fled. Elijah had seen them leave during the night, and though he held no true grudge against them, he couldn¡¯t help but think of those people as cowards. They¡¯d been called to defend their homes, and they¡¯d responded by running way. As understandable as their response was, those were the actions of cowards. Elijah pushed those thoughts out of his mind. He had no right to judge them. Certainly, he had the ability to resist. He could fight back. But what was a Cobbler supposed to do against a horde of orcs? What of a Cook? Or a Fisherman? They simply weren¡¯t equipped to confront the threat, and so, they¡¯d taken the only path avable to them. Then again, they could still help, and that help could well prove the difference in theing battle. Elijah¡¯s own actions stood in stark contrast to theirs. He was no resident of Ironshore, but he hadn¡¯t truly hesitated toe when called. Sure, part of that was motivated by self-interest, but even so, he¡¯d shown up. That the same couldn¡¯t be said for every person who called Ironshore home was enough to turn Elijah¡¯s anxiety to simmering anger. He wondered if, when he and the city¡¯s other defenders defeated the orcs, the deserters would be weed back. Maybe. But he suspected not. For his part, Elijah had no idea what he would do if he was in charge, and he was d that was not a decision he¡¯d be forced to make. Whatever the case, he pushed himself to his feet and stretched. The bed had beenfortable, but after sleeping outside so often, it had been a little too soft. Still, he wasn¡¯t going toin. After that, he headed to the bathroom, where he took care of his business ¨C the presence of a toilet, even one with an odd design, was definitely an improvement over living outdoors ¨C and washed his face. With that done, he donned his clothing and equipment before checking himself in the mirror. He had changed so much over the past few years, but in a lot of ways, not at all. His hair was much longer than it had ever been before Earth had been touched by the World Tree, and his beard a bit scragglier. Yet, he looked younger and, if he was honest with himself, slightly more handsome than he had even before his cancer diagnosis. Slightly marring that effect were the scars that still hadn¡¯t faded. His right arm still bore the mark of his torturous time in the whale¡¯s physics-defying stomach, and the curious, crack-like evidence of his ill-advised misuse of Ancestral Circle remained on his chest and neck. Even so, he wasn¡¯t the disfigured abomination those features might have suggested. Instead, he felt they were just interesting rather than off-putting. But he could at least acknowledge that he was a little biased on that ount. Certainly, Delh hadn¡¯t minded, which he thought should have counted for something. Of course, given her insatiable enthusiasm, he didn¡¯t think she would have minded if he had been missing whole limbs. As he thought of her, he couldn¡¯t help but grin. It had been a long three years, and that night had been quite the stress reliever. Though it wasn¡¯t long before Elijah shook his head. He couldn¡¯t afford to just sit around and reminisce about a woman he would probably never see again. It had been fun and, in a lot of ways, necessary, but it was over. It was never going to be more than a one-night thing. Besides, he had other things he needed to focus on, like the impending orc invasion. So, he straightened his shirt, ran his fingers through his hair, then left the bathroom behind. On his way out, he grabbed his staff and pack before leaving the ridiculously opulent room behind. As he strode down the hall, his feet pped on the cold tile, the sound punctuated by the ck of his staff against the same. Soon, he reached the sweeping stairs that led down to the lobby, and after that short descent, he was greeted by the hotel¡¯s goblin manager, Dakar. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I trust everything was to your liking, sir?¡± ventured the short, green-skinned fellow. ¡°It was,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You guys do breakfast around here? Or should I go elsewhere?¡± ¡°s, but no,¡± said Dakar with an apologetic shake of his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid our cooks fled in the night. I hope you won¡¯t hold that against the Imperium.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Not your fault,¡± he said. Then, he reached into his pocket and retrieved his folio. ¡°What do I owe you?¡± Dakar answered, ¡°Nine silver.¡± Elijah nearly choked, but he¡¯d already been told it was expensive. So, he paid the fee and headed in search of some breakfast. To his distress, most of the city¡¯s buildings had been boarded up and were closed for business. So, he ended up wandering toward the southern side of town, where the defenses were the thickest. There, he found Kurik supervising yet more ditch digging. ¡°Get a good night¡¯s rest?¡± he asked the dwarven scout. ¡°Rest? What rest?¡± groused Kurik, running a hand through his coarse and spiky hair. ¡°Ain¡¯t nobody got time to rest with an orc horde on our doorstep. We ain¡¯t all fancy like you, stayin¡¯ at the Imperium.¡± ¡°It was a bit much,¡± Elijah said with augh. ¡°Even the toilet was gold.¡± ¡°A gold shitter? Ain¡¯t that a sight to see,¡± Kurikughed. Elijah doffed his pack, then reached inside. He grabbed a handful of berries and, after popping one in his mouth, asked, ¡°Want one?¡± Kurk took the offered berry, and when he ate it, his eyes lit up. ¡°What in all of Ignis was that?¡± ¡°Like it?¡± ¡°¡¯Course I like it! Where¡¯d you get those?¡± Elijah shrugged, popping another into his mouth. One was more than enough to sate his hunger, but he wanted to make a point. As he chewed, he said, ¡°Here and there. You know how it is. You¡¯re out adventuring, you find a bush full of pseudo natural treasures. May as well pick a few, right?¡± ¡°I hate you,¡± the dwarf muttered. ¡°So you don¡¯t want another?¡± asked Elijah. He¡¯d gone back to his ind a couple of days before, specifically to gather some of the miraculous berries. His reasoning was that they made for perfect travel rations, but in reality, he was just tired of eating dried and peppery meat. ¡°Gods damned right I want some more.¡± Elijah acted as if he wasn¡¯t certain about doing just that, but then knocked it off when the dwarf started looking a bit antsy. After that, he grabbed another handful and handed it over. To his credit, Kurik made sure all his men got a berry before eating his second one. After that, Elijah took a swig from one of his jugs of water and asked, ¡°So, you think they¡¯ll be here today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Kurik stated, staring off across the field. There were nearly a dozen ditches between him and the tree line, each one lined with sharpened stakes. Most had been modified with various abilities, as well. But to Elijah, it seemed a pitiful defense for what he knew wasing. As if he could read Elijah¡¯s mind, Kurik said, ¡°Ain¡¯t no shame in runnin¡¯. You don¡¯t owe us nothin¡¯.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± was all he said in response. Kurik knew better than to push, and the two fell silent. And before long, Elijah went to help the scouts as they continued to dig trenches and festoon them with stakes. Like that, the hours passed until, atst, someone raised the rm. The clear sound of a ringing bell swept across the would-be battlefield, letting everyone know that, finally, the orcs had arrived. Kurik asked him, ¡°You ready for this?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Elijah admitted. Over the past couple of years, he¡¯d fought quite a bit, but he¡¯d never been in a real battle. And he knew enough to recognize how different the two situations were. ¡°Me neither,¡± admitted Kurik. ¡°Is anyone ever?¡± Kurik shook his head, saying, ¡°Probably not. But ¨C¡± It was at that moment that the first orcs stepped out from the tree line. They were just as huge, muscr, and savage-looking as ever, which softened the psychological blow of what Elijah knew was about to happen. The orcs had overwhelming numbers on their side, but Elijah knew they were going to need those and more. The orcs kept piling out from within the forest as they amassed just outside of the city¡¯s defensive perimeter. There were thousands of them, and each one started howling for blood the moment they caught sight of the city and its defenders. Elijah nced to his side, and he saw that the townspeople had alle the moment the rm had been raised. Not only did he see hundreds of people he didn¡¯t recognize ¨C goblins in three-piece suits, dwarves wearing the heavy clothing of miners and wielding picks, as well as gnomes with oversized weapons ¨C but there were plenty he did know. Mari, the tailor, wielding a giant club. The trio of barbers, armed with shears. Ramik with an elegant rapier, and Carisa, who was armed with a pair of hand axes. Even Dakar, the proprietor of the swanky Imperium, had shown up, though he didn¡¯t appear to be armed. But rather than find itforting, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder how many of them would die before the day was done. He only had a few more moments to contemte the mortality of his allies before the orcs let out a collective roar, jerking his attention back to the uing battle. The grey-skinned monsters surged as one, elerating into a sprint before leaping clear over the first ditch. Then the next. And the next after that. However, they all didn¡¯t make it, and because of the nature of such a crowd, the ones in the back couldn¡¯t maintain the momentum necessary toplete the leap. They ended up impaled on the stakes, and their cries of pain were even louder than the enraged shouts of theirrades. Elijah ignored them all, his knuckles whitening as he tightened his grip on the Staff of Natural Harmony. He could feel the familiar carved roots digging into his palm as the orcs raced across the battlefield. Every ditch imed a few more casualties, and that number climbed as the rest of the orcish army flooded out of the trees. Then, when the orcs were only a few dozen feet away, Elijah raised his staff and cast Swarm. The now-familiar nimbus of red energy bloomed into being as one of the shaman ¨C unseen amidst the horde ¨C blocked the manifested insects from reaching the orcs. Yet, that was never Elijah¡¯s goal. Next, he cast Cmity. A natural disaster of myriad proportions erupted among the orcs. Slicing winds, rumbling earth, and sizzling lightning tore through them. But they were once again protected by the shaman. However, Elijah had been watching, and he pinpointed the origin of that red-tinted ethera. That¡¯s when he saw the shaman. Elijah cast Brand of the Stalker. The spell, which was usable in any of his forms, cut through the chaos as well as the shaman¡¯s attempt at a block, and it mmed into the creature¡¯s chest. The instant itnded, Elijah knew precisely where the monster was. He could have closed his eyes, and it wouldn¡¯t have made a bit of difference. He raised his staff high into the air, and the rest of the defenders cut loose with any ranged abilities they had at their disposal. For some, that meant loosing a barrage of arrows. For others, there were spells and skills. Fireballs and ice spikes, earthen spears and balls of roiling electricity fell among the horde, scorching, freezing, and impaling. Yet, on the swell of vering savages came. Elijah didn¡¯t waste his ethera on any more ranged attacks. Instead, he cast Healing Rain, then checked that his various enhancements were active. For this sort of battle, he¡¯d chosen Essence of the Boar, Essence of the Lion, Aura of Renewal, and Shield of Brambles. As always, One with Nature and Essence of the Wolf were active as well. However, he¡¯d made certain that his various enhancements weren¡¯t limited to himself. Instead, he¡¯d spent much of the morning making certain that each and every person he could see were augmented by appropriate spells. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep some of them alive. For now, though, as the orcs charged through Cmity and a hundred other spells and skills, he shifted into hismer ape form. It was the first time that most of the townspeople had seen it, and even in the chaos of an impending sh, the sight drew quite a few gasps. One overzealous ¨C or frightened ¨C person even hit him with a weak fireball. Elijah ignored it. Instead, he nted his feet, roared, and beat his chest as he prepared to meet the orcs¡¯ charge. Book 2: Chapter 75: The Battle of Ironshore Book 2: Chapter 75: The Battle of Ironshore The smell of charred flesh and the screams of dying orcs filled the air as Elijah let the rage of themer ape rush through him. All around him, gnomes, dwarves, goblins, and a scattered few elves screamed their various battlecries as the orcish horde bore down on them, leaping the final ditch before ramming into the defenders. For his part, Elijah threw himself into a trio of clustered orcs, his ws sweeping out to swat them aside. Another roar escaped his maw as he turned that into a shoulder tackle that bore his enormous and muscr target to the ground. He got one pummeling blow in before a flint-headed spear dug into his side. It did no good because he¡¯d activated Iron Scales, preventing any pration. The orc on the other end of the spear got the worst of the exchange as a wicked thorn from Shield of Brambles pierced its torso. Elijah paid it no heed, vaulting to his feet and leaping into the mass of orcs. With his overly long arms, he grabbed one around the ankle and swung the monster around like an impromptu weapon. He only got a few good hits in before he spun around like an Olympic hammer-tosser, then threw the orc over the heads of its fellows. That got the attention of the horde, and they copsed onto him like a wave of dull, grey muscle. They bit and wed, stabbed and shed, but Elijah kept Iron Scales active, and at great cost to his stamina. Yet, he had no choice. So long as they were focused on him, the orcs couldn¡¯t target his allies. And the Ironshore defenders used that distraction to great effect, raining destruction onto the throng of attackers. It took the form of a wide variety of spells, skills, and projectiles, but the end results were clear ¨C mass casualties. Most didn¡¯t die outright. The orcs were far too hardy for that. However, in a battle like the one before them, a grievous injury was just as good as a kill shot. Whatever took the orcs out of the battle, even for a few minutes, was a win. Elijah couldn¡¯t afford to pay much attention to his allies. Instead, every facet of his Quartz Mind was trained on his surroundings. One paid attention to his mundane senses, while another was focused on One with Nature. The rest, he employed to drive his reactions and counterattacks. The result was that, to his enemies, he likely seemed like he had eyes in the back of his head coupled with precognition. He didn¡¯t dodge blows, though. Instead, he merely shifted to protect his most vital areas. The hide of themer ape was as thick as armor, and even without Iron Scales sending his defenses through the roof, he had more than enough Constitution to protect him. He was especially difficult to harm if he never took a solid blow, so that was what he endeavored to ensure, and to some degree of sess. He still took plenty of hits that would have felled someone with lesser defenses. But ever since he¡¯d attained the Shape of the Guardian spell, he¡¯d trained himself to fight appropriately to the form¡¯s strengths and weaknesses. He still hadn¡¯t mastered it, but against theparatively crude orcs, it was enough.Yet, the sheer weight of numbers was an issue. There weren¡¯t merely hundreds of them. Instead, there were thousands, and it felt like every time Elijah took one out, another pair took its ce. Fortunately, his inted attributes served him well, and he managed to maintain his position at the center of the line, where he anchored the defenses. Every now and again, he caught sight of the region behind the orcs, and he saw that they¡¯d formed gruesome body bridges across the various ditches. The orcs who¡¯d been incapable of leaping over the obstacles, either due to injury or simple weakness, had simply piled up, creating an avenue for even more orcs to ovee the trenches. Still, the defenses had served their purpose by slowing the orcs, iming a few lives, and preventing the defenders from being overwhelmed straight away. The battle had be a brutal melee where, aside from Elijah and a few of the scouts, the defenders were more than outmatched. Fortunately, they were better equipped and stood atop a berm that had been constructed from the piled dirt that had once filled the trenches. It was only a few feet high, but it was enough to give them the advantage of positioning to couple with the benefit of superior equipment. It was barely sufficient to keep the defenders¡¯ casualties to a minimum ¨C for the time being. Yet Elijah knew it couldn¡¯tst, especially when a trio of red balls of energy sshed down in the middle of the defensive line. Before he could react, a half-dozen gnomes and goblins went down screaming, and even if they might¡¯ve recovered, they never had the chance because the orcs pounced on the opening. Chaos ensued. Elijah leaped backward, using his long arms to great effect as he pummeled the orcs in order to reestablish the defensive line. But by that point, ten defenders had died, and there were more of those red balls on the way. And Elijah knew their origins. The shamans needed to be dealt with, but he hesitated to leave the defenders. So far, he was the only reason they¡¯d maintained their line. But that wouldn¡¯tst long if he left the shamans to their own devices. So, without any more deliberation, he leaped forward, crashing into an orc, and shouldering it aside. It attempted an attack, but he used Iron Scales to avoid any damage. Then, he was among the orcs, swinging his arms like battering rams as he waded through the sea of grey flesh. After a few seconds, Iron Scales ran its course, but he didn¡¯t renew it. He had a long way to go, and he knew his endurance was finite. So, he put his head down and forged ahead, leaping over the first trench andnding among the surging sea of gray flesh. There were so many orcs that he was immediately surrounded, and the creatures wasted no time before trying to fill him full of holes. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. But Elijah¡¯s high attributes weren¡¯t just for show, and with the benefit of the Haste effect he got from his Sash of the Whirlwind, he was capable of avoiding the worst of the attacks. Slowly, he battered his way through. It helped that the single-minded orcs weren¡¯t willing to give up on their true goal, which was to conquer the town. As a result, they only attempted to attack him in passing instead of bearing down on him with the full weight of their effort. If they had, he never would have gotten much further than that first trench. However, with thebination of his high Constitution, Haste, and the orc¡¯s borderline indifference to his progress, he finally reached his destination. The Brand of the Stalker burned bright in his awareness, marking the shaman¡¯s location. In the sea of orcs, that was important, because he would have otherwise never found the creature. He barreled through thest few orcs andunched himself through the air at the shaman. It never even saw himing before he crashed into the creature, bearing it to the ground. It hit with a grunt, and to its credit, it started to cast some sort of spell, but Elijah already had the upper hand. The creature had no chance to recover before he grabbed its head in both of his wed hands and twisted. Even amidst the chaotic roar of battle, he heard the sound of snapping vertebrae. But he wasn¡¯t content with that. Instead, he let out a bestial yell as he wrenched the monsters head back and forth until, atst, it tore free. That¡¯s when a red ball of liquid agony hit him in the back. A scream of agony ripped its way from his mouth as he fell forward, mming face first into the ground. Orcs descended upon him, stabbing him mercilessly, but he couldn¡¯t spare any attention for that. Instead, there was only one thing on Elijah¡¯s mind ¨C the sheer, burning torment boring into his scaled back. On instinct, he activated Iron Scales, and though it blocked the spear strikes from the orcish warriors, it did nothing to alleviate the agony rampaging through his body. He flopped around on the ground, desperately trying to regain control of himself, but it was no use. His muscles seized in a full-body cramp as untenable pain swept through him. Then, another ball sshed into him. Elijah¡¯s vision went white with agony. Another came down, though he was in so much pain that he scarcely felt the difference. He couldn¡¯t think. He could barely breathe. Yet, utilizing the full force of his Quartz Mind, Elijah shoved the torment into its own facet. It spilled over into another. And another after that. But finally, it was contained, leaving the others to work on the problem. He couldn¡¯t move. His back was in ruins. And he felt positive that, in only moments, he was going to die. With One with Nature, he could feel the location of the other two shamans. They were behind him and to the left, nked on either side by a pair of enormous orcs that must¡¯ve been the most evolved warriors in the horde. But Elijah wasn¡¯t worried about them. He¡¯d killed bigger and stronger. What did worry him were the pair of shamans. He felt the ambient ethera swirl as they raised their feathered staves toward the sky, swirling them in some unknowable ritual. Elijah knew that another pair of attacks were iing. He had no choice. He used Guardian¡¯s Renewal. As his body mended, banishing the pain and healing his shredded back, Elijah regained control of his body. It was just in time, too, because the pair of shamans finished their spells. Twin balls of red agony tore across the space between them and Elijah, but by that point, he had already sprung to his feet andunched himself at the two orcish spellcasters. Their eyes widened in surprise, and the two guards attempted to intercept him. But with his high Strength, coupled with Haste, the monsters had no chance of stopping him. He hit the first shaman like a runaway train,unching him through the air and into a surging line or orcish warriors. Elijah skidded to a stop, gripping the ground with one wed hand to arrest his momentum as he pivoted andshed out. To its credit, the shaman managed to dodge backward just enough to avoid a lethal blow that would have ripped its throat out, but it could do nothing to keep Elijah from grabbing its staff and ripping it away. That¡¯s when he took it in two hands and swung it like a golf club, connecting with the shaman¡¯s chin andunching it into a backflip. But Elijah wasn¡¯t finished. He turned that swing into a low backhand that sent one of the guards sprawling across the ground. That gave him just enough space to pounce on the fallen shaman and crush its skull beneath a heavy, stomping foot. One facet of his Quartz Mind let him know that the other shaman had recovered, sending another ball of red energy screaming in his direction. But having seen iting, Elijah had no trouble dodging the rtively slow-moving projectile. He darted to the side, then loped forward. The shaman tried to block his descending w, yet it underestimated his immense strength. As a result, the staff broke, and Elijah¡¯s ws ripped through its face, sending a spray of blood sttering against the ground. It howled in agony as it stumbled backward, but Elijah didn¡¯t let it put any distance between them. Instead, he refused to allow that, grabbing the monster¡¯s shoulder and dragging him close. Then, he followed his instincts and struck. Not with his hands. Nor his feet. Instead, he snapped out like a crocodile, mping his jaws around the orc¡¯s head and crushing it like a melon. The taste of blood and brains filled Elijah¡¯s mouth as he flung the dead orc at one of the pursuing guards. The corpse functioned as a perfect distraction to mask Elijah¡¯s charge, which took the enormous orc in the midsection. His w dug deep into the monster¡¯s torso until he felt bone. Then, hetched onto the creature¡¯s spine and ripped. It did not go well for the massive orc, as more than a few vertebrae came free. It flopped to the ground, paralyzed by Elijah¡¯s unconventional attack. Meanwhile, armed with a new, bony weapon, he threw himself at the remaining guard. And miraculously, the monster turned and ran. That strategy earned it another few seconds of life as Elijah tore across the battlefield in a pursuit that ended when he tackled it to the ground and pummeled it into submission. He let out a roar of victory, losing himself in the heady sensation of sess. Yet, thatsted only a few seconds until he saw the sea of grey flesh and tusks all around him. The battle was yet to be won. He intended to change that. So, after checking his surroundings, he shifted into his human form, and the sudden cessation of his bestial rage nearly overwhelmed him. However, he¡¯d experienced it often enough that he quickly adjusted. Then, he cast Swarm, Healing Rain, and, targeting a few hundred feet away, Cmity. Then, before the spells even took hold, he rapidly cast Shape of the Guardian, retaking the form of themer ape. The rage returned, but it was apanied by a sense of immense satisfaction as he saw his spells crash into the horde, unfettered by the now-dead shamans¡¯ protective shield. Seeing that, Elijah threw himself back into battle, knowing that he had a long fight ahead of him. But in his mind, the odds had just tipped in the defenders¡¯ favor. Book 2: Chapter 76: The Warlord Book 2: Chapter 76: The Warlord With three orcs clinging to his exhausted body, Elijah struggled to stay upright as the monsters bit and wed, stabbed and scratched. Roaring, he tried to dislodge them, but the creatures were nothing if not tenacious, so his efforts were for naught. Still, he managed to grab hold of one with his free arm and rip it free. A secondter, it was sailing through the air to collide with another of its fellows. When it did, a handful of arrows fell upon that area, piercing through their durable bodies. At that sight, Elijah received a surge of energy and kicked out, sending another one of the orcs tumbling across the blood-soaked earth to bowl over another pair. But the moment he¡¯d freed himself from that set of grasping hands, another orc leaped to the fore to take the dislodged creature¡¯s ce. And then another after that. Before Elijah could bring his sluggish reflexes to bear, two more orcs hadtched onto him. So, when a sixth and final monster hit him with a shoulder tackle, it sent him staggering backwards and into one of the ditches he¡¯d soboriously helped to dig. For a second, he felt weightless, but then he mmed into the ground. Fortunately, he maintained just enough of his wits to activate Iron Scales before hended. Otherwise, he would have been impaled by the sharpened stakes that had already imed the lives of so many orcs. As it was, his scales were only nicked, but the orcs couldn¡¯t im such good fortune. Two of them were crushed beneath his massive weight, while two others werepletely pierced through by the sharpened stakes. That left only the two that had been clinging to his front, and in a daze, Elijah dealt with them the same way he¡¯d killed so many others. With either hand, he gripped a different monster¡¯s head, then squeezed. They screamed in protest, wing at his wrists, but they could do no good. No ¨C they were powerless to resist his immense Strength, and after only a few more seconds, their skulls shattered. Even as their brains oozed between Elijah¡¯s ws, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder at how perfectly sized the orc¡¯s heads were to fit in his guardian form¡¯s hands. But then a wave of nausea hit him, reminding him that he wasn¡¯t out of the woods. Not only was there a battle still raging all around him, but even the tiny scratches he¡¯d gotten from the stakes were enough to send the poison rampaging through his body. His muscles had already started to lock up, and he knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before it affected his heart. It wasn¡¯t enough to kill him outright. Not with his high Constitution. However, in his already depleted condition, it would be even more effective than normal. And in the ongoing battle, any decline in his abilities would probably end with him dead. So, with every ounce of willpower he possessed, Elijah forced himself to his feet and threw the orcish corpses aside. He tried not to notice the sheer carnage all around him, but even a nce was enough to horrify him. Elijah had never seen so many bodies in one ce. Blood and guts abounded, and grey corpses were piled high. It was a miracle that he¡¯d found an uncovered stake in the trench. All the rest of them had already imed more than one life, and they wore their trophies with however much pride a stake could disy.Which was none. But Elijah¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t in any ce to make that distinction. Already, his thoughts had grown just as sluggish as his heartbeat, and he knew he needed to get to safety, and soon. So, with his waning willpower pushing him forward, he climbed the steep slope of the trench, surfacing on the other side. Then, he loped in the direction of the defensive line, bowling orcs over with every passing moment. He didn¡¯t stop to attack any of them. He could barely keep his mind on the singr task of making it to the rtive safety of the defensive line. If he let himself get distracted, he would never survive. So it happened that around thirty secondster, and with the poison already beginning to shut down his organs, he made it. The moment he got there, the dwarves and gnomes in the area parted, allowing him passage. They¡¯d done it before during the battle, and Elijah suspected that they would have to do it again before it was all over. As he passed through, he shifted into his human form and stumbled to his knees. Then, he cast Healing Rain before pulsing Touch of Nature over and over again until, atst, the poison dissipated. Then, he promptly vomited. It was like that, on his hands and knees and with a trail of vomit connecting his lower lip to the suddenly muddy earth that Kurik found him. Elijah looked up and said, ¡°I think that was one of yours.¡± ¡°Stop gettin¡¯ stuck with ¡®em, and you won¡¯t have to deal with it anymore,¡± the dwarven scout said. Like Elijah, he looked worse for wear, with more than a few rips in his leather armor and a couple of chips in the de of his axe. The dwarf himself didn¡¯t look injured, but Elijah could see dark bags beneath his eyes, and his hair was missing in a jagged line that suggested he¡¯d recently been healed. ¡°You aight?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m healed. Just took a lot of ethera, and I had to get rid of the excess poison,¡± Elijah said, nodding at the puddle of vomit. After another moment, he rocked back on his heels and unslung his pack. Then, he retrieved a jug of water, which he used to swish the taste out of his mouth. Spitting, he asked, ¡°How is the battle going?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Better than expected,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°Probably thanks to you.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°More like the ditches and your traps,¡± he said. Indeed, they¡¯d been far more effective than even he had anticipated, and the traps had imed hundreds of orcish lives. He nced up at the sky and saw that the sun had risen to its zenith. Had it already been an entire day? He remembered fighting into the night, and dawn felt like it hade only minutes before. However, time was difficult to gauge in the middle of a battle, and it was doubly so when he was so exhausted. ¡°How many more are there?¡± ¡°A few thousand, at least.¡± ¡°So many?¡± Elijah asked, incredulous. He felt like he¡¯d killed that many on his own, and he¡¯d reaped the benefits, too. He was already level fifty-three, and he expected that he wasn¡¯t far from getting another level. Soon, he¡¯d gain a new ability at level fifty-five. ¡°Yeah,¡± said Kurik as he ran his hand through his wild hair. ¡°They just keepin¡¯. Good news is that our scouts say the end of the line is near. Won¡¯t be long ¡®fore they start gettin¡¯ desperate. They¡¯ll start going into a frenzy, then. And any big¡¯uns they got are gonnae out, then.¡± ¡°I already killed the shamans.¡± ¡°Bound to be some higher level ones in there, too. Can¡¯t underestimate those.¡± Elijah shook his head, then grabbed a bit of dried meat from his pack. He offered some to the dwarf, who took it. As he chewed on the tough rations, he said, ¡°May as well get back to it, then.¡± Before he could rise, Kurik put his hand on Elijah¡¯s shoulder, and he said, ¡°Stay. Rest for a few more minutes. Just keep that rain going, yeah? We¡¯ll set up triage right here for the time being.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more useful out there,¡± Elijah pointed out. He¡¯d seen the difference from when he was out there taking all the attention in hismer ape form and when he¡¯d retreated. And it wasn¡¯t a pretty sight, with the orcs pushing the rest of the defenders to their limits. They¡¯d held each time, but only just. However, Elijah was so exhausted that even he had to admit he couldn¡¯t simply hop back into battle. So, he nodded, then made sure that Healing Rain remained in effect before sitting back down. Soon enough, Kurik had brought a few of the wounded to within the area of effect of Healing Rain, though Elijah had already sunk within himself, dragging as much ethera into the nine vortexes of his Quartz Mind, pushing the flow into his Soul, and letting it settle into his Dragon Core. It wasn¡¯t real rest, but it was better than nothing. And after half an hour, he stood and refreshed Healing Rain before leaving the wounded behind. They would be tended to by Ironshore¡¯s other Healers who could tend to the wounded much more efficiently. Once he reached the defensive line, he looked out at the battlefield. In most ces, he couldn¡¯t even see the ground, the carpet of gray corpses was so dense. The orcs were pressing the defenders, but the front lines had employed long spears to keep them at bay while the ranged attackers brought their spells, skills, and projectiles to bear. It wasn¡¯t perfect, and there were more than a few instances where the orcs broke through. Yet, it was effective enough that Elijah felt free enough to use his spells. Specifically, he cast Swarm. Once. Twice. Three times, each subsequent instance targeted on a different portion of the remaining horde. It drained his ethera rapidly, but his Quartz Mind was already hard at work refilling his core. In seconds, the entire battlefield was subjected to an immense swarm of stinging insects that descended upon the orcs with ruthless fury. They bit and stung, often unseen and ignored, delivering their deadly payload of afflictions. Meanwhile, Elijah used Cmity the moment his ethera allowed it, and a disaster followed, ripping into the orcs with nature¡¯s wrath. Elijah cast it again after only a few seconds, draining his ethera down to the dregs. But it was worth it, judging by the sheer number of orcs that fell before his spellcasting might. He watched for a few long minutes as the horde¡¯s progress slowed to a crawl. That gave him enough time to continue regenerating his ethera. It was a good thing, too, because not long after, an orc that was at least nine feet tall stepped onto the field. Immediately, Elijah knew it was the orc¡¯s chief. Not because of the borate, leopard-skin wrap or the enormous b of metal it wielded as a sword. Rather, he knew because of the thing¡¯s aura, which swept out from its position, enveloping the orcish horde and sending them into a fury. They didn¡¯t care of they were injured. And any brief respite Elijah¡¯s spells had gained quickly dissipated before their rage. Glowing red with ethereal magic, they rushed forward with renewed vigor, and when they shed with the line of defenders, spears snapped and they fell upon the people of Ironshore with the ferocity of rabid animals. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out the causal effect. Nor did it take Elijah long to choose a course of action. So, he sighted in on the orc warlord and used Brand of the Stalker. The second itnded, he shifted into his guardian form and bounded forward, barreling through the horde of enraged orcs along the way. He could see the afflictions eating away at them, and more than a few sported grievous injures. However, the famous endurance of orcs was on full disy, and whatever the warlord had done had robbed them of even the most basic survival instincts. They didn¡¯t attempt to avoid Elijah¡¯s or the defenders¡¯ attacks. Instead, they just fell upon their chosen enemies, trading blow for blow. And they were winning. Elijah knew he needed to reach the warlord and neutralize it before the battle was lost. So, he leaped over trenches and swept the orcs aside as he used his immense Strength to cover as much ground as possible. Then, finally, he fell upon the massive orc, hitting with all the weight and rage he could muster. And for the first time since the battle had begun, he was rebuffed. He bounced off the orc like he¡¯d hit a brick wall, then staggered backwards, dizzy and dazed. Elijah barely regained his wits in time to dive aside and avoid the orc¡¯s descending b of a de. It hit the ground, cleaving an orcish corpse in two and spraying blood, dirt, and entrails in every direction. It recovered quickly, though, aiming a front kick at Elijah¡¯s chest. It connected, sending Elijah stumbling back. That kick, which felt like it had broken a couple of ribs, was evidence that Elijah was in over his head. Yet, he had no choice but to keep going. More than a thousand people were depending on him. So was Nerthus and his grove. And in a way, the rest of the world. He couldn¡¯t give up. He couldn¡¯t consider failure. So, with renewed resolve, heunched himself back into the fight. Book 2: Chapter 77: Blind Book 2: Chapter 77: Blind ¡°Bring her back,¡± growled Carmen, staring down at the woman in the chair. She couldn¡¯t have been more than twenty years old, and once upon a time, she¡¯d been quite lovely. And she would be again once Keith was done with her. She nced at the Healer, seeing hesitation on his face. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m notfortable with this,¡± he said, wringing his hands. He¡¯d already brought the woman back from near death a half-dozen times, and as far as Carmen was concerned, he would do so a half-dozen more before they were done. And a hundred more after that. It would keep going until she gave Carmen what she wanted. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Do it.¡± ¡°Carmen¡­¡± All it took was a scathing nce before he went silent. Then, he used his healing spell ¨C Carmen had no idea what it was called ¨C and the mostly-dead woman gasped in surprise. Keith kept channeling the spell until she was back to perfect health. ¡°Please¡­I didn¡¯t¡­I had no idea¡­I didn¡¯t want to ¨C¡± Carmen didn¡¯t care about the woman¡¯s excuses. She¡¯d never even asked for a name. All she knew was that after that despicable excuse for a human being had taken Miguel, they¡¯d lost him in the woods. However, their search had yielded some results when they¡¯d found two women trying to hide nearby. They¡¯d been cloaked in some sort of skill meant to camouge them, but all it took was the direct attention of one of Silverado¡¯s scouts to strip them of the effect. Laid bare, they¡¯d quickly surrendered. Since then, they¡¯d learned the error of that course of action. One was already dead, the result of Carmen letting her temper take over and push her much too far. And she¡¯de close on more than one asion with the other, which was the woman sitting right in front of her. That was where Keith hade in. Carmen had beaten the woman near to death so many times that her knuckles had cracked and broken under her own Strength. And yet, the ally of that monster had refused to reveal anything. It would have been admirable if Carmen wasn¡¯t so furious ¨C with herself as much as with the Ouw who¡¯d kidnapped her son. And with Roman, who¡¯d doubtless ordered it. With the world itself. So, she took it out on the helpless prisoner she¡¯d tied to a chair. At first, it had been an attempt to get information, but it had quickly devolved into something much worse. Something far more primal. Once, she¡¯d have looked down on anyone who used such methods, on those who would let their emotions get the better of them when confronted by evil. Now, she embodied that wrath more than she¡¯d have ever thought possible. It wasn¡¯t surprising. Alyssa¡¯s death had changed her, and in more ways than she wanted to contemte. Before, she¡¯d looked at the world with a fair amount of optimism. But now? That seemed like such an alien viewpoint that she couldn¡¯t understand how anyone could see the world through such rose-colored sses. And when she¡¯d seen Trace fleeing through the woods with her son thrown over his shoulder, Carmen had snapped. It had almost cost Colt his life. He¡¯d been so thoroughly injured that it took Keith and the town¡¯s other Healer nearly six hours to save him. Even then, he wasn¡¯t entirely whole. Meanwhile, Carmen had stomped through the woods in a vain attempt to catch a man whose very existence screamed of an ability to hide. He was a rodent. A pest that needed to be exterminated. Yet, like all pests, he was incredibly difficult to pin down. So, when the two aplices had been found, Carmen hadn¡¯t wasted any time before employing the worst of the worst interrogation tactics, and to almost no effect. Sure, she¡¯d discovered some pertinent information, like the fact that Trace was the head of some sort of secret police in Easton. Or that he¡¯d been sent ¨C along with what sounded like a harem of young and beautiful apprentices ¨C to spy on Carmen. What was unclear was whether or not he¡¯d chosen to kidnap Miguel on his own or if it had been part of the n. ¡°Where did he go?¡± she asked, pulling back her fist. She hit the woman again, breaking the delicate bones in her face. ¡°Where is he keeping my son?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t¡­know,¡± she muttered, spitting blood with every syble. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know¡­¡± Carmen hit her again. And again after that. It was the same answer, over and over again. So, she kept going until, atst, someone grabbed her arm. Then, when that wasn¡¯t enough, a second person joined in. And a third. In all, it took four people to restrain her, and even they were barely capable of the job. Colt, injured and pale, screamed, ¡°We know where he went! You don¡¯t have to do this!¡± That cut through her fury. ¡°What?¡± she spat, her eyes wild. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°We found a trail,¡± Colt stated. ¡°Heading toward Easton. That¡¯s where he¡¯s going. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°Kill her, then,¡± Carmen growled. ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± she demanded, still struggling against the people restraining her. She red at the tall, slim man. ¡°Do you know what she did? Do you understand ¨C¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Colt said, his voice calm. ¡°The one responsible is Trace. This girl is a victim, same as anyone else. You know that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Carmen responded. ¡°I won¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t¡­¡± She tried to pull away once again, but much of her fury had dissipated. Instead, it was reced by hopelessness. ¡°He can¡¯t be gone. I¡­I can¡¯t¡­I¡­I¡­¡± She copsed into sobs. Colt stepped forward, saying something Carmen didn¡¯t hear. Then, she was suddenly free. But she didn¡¯tunch herself at the bound woman, as she would have just moments before. Instead, she copsed to her knees. Colt knelt beside her, wincing in pain as he put his arm around her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. If they was gonna do somethin¡¯ to him, they already would¡¯ve,¡± he said. ¡°We have allies in Easton. We can use them to make Roman give ¡®im back.¡± Carmen barely heard him. Instead, she wept as she tried to process the chain of events that had led her to such dire straits. If she hadn¡¯t flown off the handle and killed Verin, things might have turned out differently. Yet, she knew that would never have been possible. The moment the Healer had revealed her part in Alyssa¡¯s death, her fate was sealed. Finally, Carmen wiped the tears from her eyes, sniffed loudly, then said, ¡°Then we need to go. Now. Get one of the trucks ready.¡± ¡°What about her?¡± asked Colt. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Carmen red at the injured woman. ¡°Heal her,¡± she told Keith. ¡°But we¡¯re not letting her go. Now, let¡¯s move.¡± Everyone in the room did just that, and Colt helped her to her feet. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± Carmen answered. Then, she said, ¡°Put on your armor. You¡¯re going to need it.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± the cowboy said before heading toward the door. ¡°And Colt?¡± she said. He turned back to face her. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± he repeated. From there the small town erupted into a whirlwind of activity as Carmen and her most loyal followers assembled. The civilians within the town were vulnerable, but the remainingbatants were more than capable of guarding them against all but the worst threats. That, Carmen reasoned, would have to do. After all, as much as she wanted to protect the people who had put their trust in her, she cared about her son infinitely more. Soon, she found herself leading a small caravan of trucks through the wilderness toward Easton. Fortunately, the road had been cleared, which allowed the electric trucks to make much better time than normal. However, there was no chance that they would catch Trace. By the time they¡¯d figured out which direction he was traveling ¨C which seemed obvious in retrospect ¨C he had almost a day as a head start. Still, Carmen and her people didn¡¯t waste any time, and over the next couple of days, they managed to reach the region surrounding Easton. But when they reached the gate, Carmen was met with an issue. ¡°Wait right here, ma¡¯am,¡± said the guard, who was dressed in the blue-and-white uniform of Easton¡¯s guards. The gate itself was massive, and though Carmen had seen it before, she found it extremely imposing. More troubling was the fact that she counted twenty guards nearby, which was more than normal. On top of that, they were more than enough to overwhelm Carmen¡¯s people. The guard disappeared into the gatehouse. The wall to which it was attached was nearly a hundred feet high and half as thick, but more distressingly, it pulsed with enough ethera to give Carmen pause. There was far more at y than simple bricks and mortar. ¡°Don¡¯t like this one bit,¡± said Colt, who sat in the passenger¡¯s seat. Three morebatants were in the bed of the truck, and just as many upied the following vehicle. ¡°Feels like an ambush.¡± Almost as soon as those words left Colt¡¯s mouth, a trio of high-level guards came out of the gatehouse. The moment they locked eyes on Carmen, she knew they hadn¡¯te to talk. That supposition was supported by the fact that one of them drew his sword. Carmen shouted, ¡°Go!¡± It was the signal Colt had been waiting for, but he was still toote. The second the truck surged forward, the portcullis of the gate fell. It nged to the ground before the truck¡¯s tires even got any traction. Seeing that, Colt did what they¡¯d discussed on the way to the city, and after spinning out for a brief moment, he whipped the truck around and fled. The other vehicle followed. Arrows and various spells fell upon them, but the guards¡¯ aim was inferior to the task of hitting a moving target, so both trucks escaped with only minor damage. Carmen swore as they tore off through the woods, going offroad to avoid pursuit. After thirty minutes, Colt said, ¡°I think we lost ¡®em. Where to?¡± ¡°I think you know.¡± ¡°The rebels aren¡¯t ready,¡± Colt said. ¡°And only about a third of the warband has any gear.¡± ¡°He has Miguel. We can¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t think ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you toe with me,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°I¡¯m just telling you what I¡¯m going to do. It has to be now, and for more than just Miguel. It won¡¯t be long before word gets back to Roman. He probably already knows what¡¯s going on. So, we need to strike now before he has a chance to prepare. You know that¡¯s the only y here.¡± ¡°Let me sneak in,¡± Colt said. ¡°I can ¨C¡± ¡°You can¡¯t sneak into the pce. You¡¯re a samurai, remember? Not a ninja.¡± Colt ground his teeth, clearly frustrated. Carmen could agree on that front. However, she also knew there wasn¡¯t much either of them could do about it. They only had one chance to get Miguel back, and that meant they needed to put everything on the line. ¡°You could send someone in to talk to him. Negotiate,¡± Colt suggested. ¡°You think he¡¯d listen?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°The only way to deal with somebody like Roman is from a position of strength. He doesn¡¯t understand anything else. Besides, he needs to die. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get Miggy back,¡± Colt insisted. ¡°I know. Or I¡¯ll tear Easton down to get him,¡± she said. However, in the back of her mind, Carmen knew that wasn¡¯t feasible. She had power, but it wasn¡¯t the sort of strength she would need to take on a whole city. Even in a one-on-one fight, without all the support that came with running a city, she woulde up short against someone like Roman. But that was why she¡¯d made allies. Now, it was time for them to live up to their side of the bargain. So, she directed Colt to move on. He didn¡¯t need directions because he knew as well as anyone where to find the warband. Everyone did, even Roman and his people. Yet, they maintained a tentative peace because neither side wanted to give up their advantage by pushing an attack. For Roman, that meant he and his forces remained in Easton where they could defend from a position of strength. Meanwhile, the warband ¨C which was called the Crimson Eagles ¨C stayed just close enough to the city to pose a credible threat. By any measure, it was a cold war. Carmen intended to apply some heat. With that in mind, they soon arrived at their destination, which was an old mall that had been converted into a veritable fortress. The alterations weren¡¯t pretty ¨C not like Easton ¨C but they were functional, with rough walls and towers made of timber. Guarding thepound were hundreds ofbatants, each with a raw and ragged look about them. Carmen understood it. These people had been fighting since the very beginning, and without much in the way of safety. But they weren¡¯t the viins Roman and Easton¡¯s council made them out to be. Instead, they wereposed of castoffs and undesirables as well as the people who¡¯d vowed to protect them. Quite a few had been turned away from Easton at one point or another because they didn¡¯t have useful sses. Most of the fighters were the men and women who refused to abandon family and friends who¡¯d been denied entry. There were also a few bandits in there. A couple of people who only wanted to murder, pige, and raid. Though Carmen had been assured that those were kept on a tight leash, their presence was still a point of contention. However, with what was on the line, she wasn¡¯t nearly as concerned as she might¡¯ve once been. ¡°Something is wrong,¡± Carmen muttered. ¡°What?¡± Colt asked. ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± Just then, a flight of arrows erupted from the surrounding woods. Some hit the trucks with the power of gunshots, but most targeted the tires. Colt mmed the truck in reverse, but it was no use because, only a momentter, someone leaped out from behind a rock. He was an enormous man, wielding a giant hammer that he sent on a collision course with the truck¡¯s front end. The head of the weapon hit with resounding force, tearing through the hood and destroying the engine. At the same time, a bunch of men and women wearing the armor Camen and her people had created descended on the other truck with merciless fury. Carmen¡¯s people tried to fight back, but against such a focused and sudden assault, they were powerless. Colt leaped from the truck¡¯s passenger seat, drawing his sword at the same time. Heshed out, slicing the giant, hammer-wielding man to pieces with de Storm, but a secondter, someone tackled him to the ground. Meanwhile, Carmen dove free of the trick, summoning her cksmithing hammer. But before she could bring it to bear, she had someone clinging to both arms. In a second, they had forced her arms behind her back and shoved her to the ground. Furious, Carmen looked up to see Laramie, the man behind the warband, looking down on her. He was a tall and muscr man with dark skin who favored armor that made him look like he¡¯d stepped out of a Mad Max movie. But he had clear, intelligent eyes that belied the barbaric appearance of his armor. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± she demanded, struggling to free herself. It was useless. Whatever they¡¯d used to bind her arms was stronger that steel. ¡°We¡¯re in this together!¡± He loomed over her, saying, ¡°We were. But things change, Carmen. We got a better offer.¡± He squatted down. ¡°I hate Roman. I want to see him dead for all the things he did. But I¡¯ve got people to feed. Civilians to protect. And he can give us that. You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°You asshole! He took my son!¡± ¡°He took a lot of sons. Daughters, too,¡± the leader of the warband said. ¡°But the reality of survival doesn¡¯t care about that. I¡¯d hoped you would understand, even if you didn¡¯t want to ept it.¡± Then, he pushed himself to his feet and called for the prisoners to be taken away. That included Carmen, and though she struggled, she was incapable of escape. Instead, she and Colt were half-dragged, half-escorted into the mall before someone shoved the both of them into a makeshift dungeon that had once been some long-closed clothing store. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Colt said. ¡°I keep failing you.¡± Carmen didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she turned her attention to their surroundings. The former store had been stripped of everything but a few mannequins, and the entrance was guarded by a roll-down cage. Moreover, both she and Colt ¨C the only two survivors ¨C were bound so tightly that neither could properly move. That¡¯s when the reality of her situation hit her. Her capture had probably sealed her son¡¯s fate. If he wasn¡¯t dead, he soon would be. And she wouldn¡¯t be far behind him. Colt hadn¡¯t been the only one to fail. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of that going around,¡± she muttered. Book 2: Chapter 78: Teamwork Book 2: Chapter 78: Teamwork The warlord roared, and the orcish horde responded to its call, mbering to cross the trench-strewn battlefield on their way to destroy Ironshore. The defenders attempted to fend them off with their long spears and copious use of their various abilities, but the frenzied orcs had no sense of self-preservation. As a result, they crashed into the defenses with reckless fury, nearly breaking the line with the sheer weight of their charge. Meanwhile, Elijah picked himself up just in time to avoid the warlord¡¯s descending de. He leaped backward, clearing nearly twenty feet in a single bound, but the warlord followed, screaming with fury that was only matched by his followers¡¯ collective rage. Elijah batted the t of the weapon, sending it just off course. As it hit the ground, heshed out with a hand d in the ws of Gluttony, ripping a chunk of flesh free. It was a superficial wound ¨C barely more than a scratch ¨C but the orcish warlord screamed like he¡¯d just taken a mortal injury. In a sudden move that took Elijah by surprise, it lowered its shoulder and hit him with a charge that knocked him from his feet. He hit the ground on his back, then rolled to a stop a few feetter to see the warlord¡¯s de once again descending in a quest to split him in two. Using the Haste of his Sash of the Whirlwind to great advantage, he again pped the t of the de. This time, however, it wasn¡¯t enough to send the depletely off-course, and it hit his shoulder, carving a massive b of flesh free. As the meat flopped to the ground, Elijah let out a roar and leaped at the monster¡¯s legs. He didn¡¯t attack with his ws. Instead, he snapped out with his powerful jaws, and when they closed around the monster¡¯s calf, he heard cracking bones. Then, channeling his inner alligator, he rolled, and the monster lost its bnce, falling atop Elijah in a heap. With every point of Strength he had at his disposal, Elijah shoved the monster away. But when he tried to find his feet, he realized that the orcish warlord hadtched onto his ankle. He yanked, trying to free it, but it was no use. Its grip was like iron. The only sce was that, in such close proximity, it couldn¡¯t bring its massive b of a sword to bear. Yet, its own two hands were plenty to do all sorts of damage. It demonstrated that fact when it wrenched Elijah¡¯s ankle to the side, breaking delicate bones. Howling in pain, he jerked free, but by that point, the damage had been done. Elijah stumbled to all fours which quickly turned into a three-legged retreat. The orc followed, screaming bloody murder as it limped in pursuit. But to Elijah¡¯s horror, the thing had the same famous durability of all orcs, and it was far better suited to dealing with a gimpy leg. So, it caught him after only a few seconds. As it reached for his thick tail, Elijah made a choice that he hoped wouldn¡¯te back to bite him. He shifted into his human form, casting Healing Rain the moment it became avable. At the same time, he reversed course and dove between the giant creature¡¯s legs. The moment he rolled to a stop, he pulsed Touch of Nature, sending regenerative ethera toward his ruined ankle. The orc whipped around, mistakenly trying to pivot on its own injured leg and paying the price. When it put weight on the limb, it stumbled slightly, giving Elijah the opportunity to put a few more feet worth of distance between himself and the monster. Then, he pulsed Touch of Nature again, healing his injury enough that he could put weight on that leg. One more, and it was entirely healed.And it was just in time, too, because the orcish warlord recovered extremely quickly. Itunched itself at him, drawing a machete-sized dagger from its hide belt. Even as it descended, Elijah was casting another spell. Swarmpleted just before the orc reached him, and Elijah aimed a baseball style swing at the creature¡¯s already-injured leg. He put every ounce of power he could summon behind it, and he was rewarded with the loud sound of cracking bone. Or that was what he thought, right up until he looked down at his staff and saw only a jagged wooden stake. He was so surprised that he didn¡¯t even see the orc¡¯s backhanded blow before it hit him in the stomach, sending his much lighter body flying across the battlefield. He hit the ground almost thirty feetter, collided with a screaming orc, and nearly rolled into one of the trenches. For a moment, his head swam with what he expected was a concussion, but a reflexive cast of Touch of Nature banished the wooziness. Then, he used it again to heal himself only to discover that he wasn¡¯t grievously injured. He thanked his smaller body for that. If he¡¯d been anchored by a lot more mass, he wouldn¡¯t have beenunched across the field, which had served to dissipate some of the force. Regardless, he knew he was in a rough state. His store of ethera was getting much lower, and he knew he couldn¡¯t continue the fight like he had so far. His guardian form had no advantages over the massive orc, and his human form was practically useless without ethera. So, Elijah reasoned that he only had one chance of winning the battle. Using a simr tactic to what he¡¯d employed against the ogre champion back in the tower, he shifted into his draconid form after using onest Touch of Nature. Then, he turned and ran. The orcish warlord followed, barreling through its own people as it chased him. Meanwhile, Elijah bounded from one to the other, using his superior speed and motor control to dodge any attacks they sent his way. At the same time, his ws shed every time he passed an orc, severing tendons and ripping through muscles. More importantly, though, he infected them with Contagion. That was only a side effect of his flight, though. Leading the orc away was the primary goal, and the monster, as single-minded as it was, never suspected that it was being manipted. Elijah leaped over trenches and wove between the orcsprising the horde, and though he experienced more than one close call, he narrowly avoided any attacks they sent his way. For a long few minutes, he utilized every facet of his Quartz Mind to keep track of the chaotic battlefield. But then, the warlord seemed to recognize that it was being led on a merry chase, and it turned to return to its original purpose. That was precisely what Elijah had been waiting on, and he leaped, hit an orc, to reverse course, and rocketed toward the warlord¡¯s back. He leaped upon it, using Venom Strike before savaging the monster a half-dozen times, then bounding away. It reacted with all the fury Elijah would have expected and abandoned its march toward Ironshore so it could chase Elijah¡¯s retreating form. The cycle repeated a few more times over the next hour, and every second felt like he was bnced on the edge of a knife. One tiny mistake, and he¡¯d have gotten pummeled by the warlord or its minions. Yet, Elijah had been through multiple crucibles since Earth had been touched by the World Tree, and through those experiences, he¡¯d been forged into the sort of person who could walk that tightrope and expect to maintain his footing. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences elsewhere. That was true right up until he made a fatal mistake. He¡¯d just dashed in for yet another hit-and-run attack on the warlord, but the monster surprised him with a sudden reversal. It might have been dense, but it had finally recognized its situation for what it was. And rather than perpetuating its own doom, it chose to turn the tables on Elijah. He was in mid-air when the monster whipped around and mped its fingers around his neck. He squirmed, scratching and wing at the creature¡¯s arm. It was under the effect of dozens of instances of Contagion as well as the afflictions of Swarm and Venom Strike, and yet, it looked only a little worse for wear. Byparison, the surrounding orcs almost all looked like they were dead on their feet. But Elijah wasn¡¯t worried about them. Indeed, he wasn¡¯t worried about anything but his own life. Panicked, he let his draconid form fall away and immediately initiated a transformation into amer ape. Before it could truly begin, though, the orcish warlord mmed him into the ground. Elijah felt his body crumple. Bones broke, and his organs felt like they ruptured. Yet, the monster wasn¡¯t finished. Instead, it lifted him in both hands and mmed him against the ground again. He¡¯d justpleted his transformation, though it felt like it did little good. Even though he managed to use Iron Scales, the ability did nothing to alleviate the damage that had already been done. He hit the ground again with thunderous impact. He kicked out blindly, connecting with the monster¡¯s thighs and digging deep grooves in the warlord¡¯s gray flesh. Yet, it did little good as the creature once again raised him high into the air. Elijah¡¯s mind whirled with strategies to avoid what he knew wasing. Iron Scales protected him a little, but even the ten percent of the damage that made it through was enough to push him closer to his body giving out. His situation was desperate, and despite using every facet of his mind to search for an answer, he found no solutions. In that moment, Elijah was certain he was going to die. Iron Scales gave out, and the monster let out a victorious roar as it mmed Elijah into the ground. The killing blow didn¡¯te, though. Instead, a dense bubble of blue energy bloomed into being around Elijah, softening the blow. The orcish warlord looked down on him with mingled confusion and surprise, which allowed Elijah to wriggle free. As he did, he activated Rage. Instantly, his body was flooded with renewed Strength, sending his physical attributes skyrocketing well past his normal limits. And when he hit the ground after having freed himself from the warlord¡¯s grip, Elijah used that additional power to great effect. He grabbed hold of the monster¡¯s ankle and yanked with all his might. The creature, weakened by various afflictions and blood loss from the ws of Gluttony¡¯s Anticoagnt effect, was incapable of remaining upright. It tipped over, hitting the turf hard. Elijah knew that wasn¡¯t enough to even the slow the monster down, much less put it out ofmission. However, he did have an idea. So, ignoring the pain of his injuries, Elijah thrust himself to his feet and dragged the struggling orc a few feet to the nearest trench. Because he recognized where on the battlefield he¡¯d ended up. After all, it wasn¡¯t that long ago that he¡¯d fallen afoul of the stakes at the bottom of that very ditch. With all the Strength granted by hismer ape form,bined with his natural attributes and the effects of Rage, Elijah heaved the orc over the edge. In mid-air, it iled for a few seconds before mming into the bare stakes. Of course, the monster tried to pull itself free, but Elijah wasn¡¯t going to allow that. As Rage dissipated, he switched to his human form. Rather than heal himself, which he desperately needed, Elijah cast Snaring Roots. Thick vines erupted from the ground, holding the monster in ce. Then, he cast Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightning descended from on high, smashing into the prone warlord. Without the enhancement of the ruined Staff of Natural Harmony, the spell did little damage. Yet, that was never the point. Instead, Elijah had cast Storm¡¯s Fury with one intention: to stun the creature. And in that endeavor, it was sessful. As the orc ripped itself free of the vines, Elijah cast Snaring Roots again, keeping it in ce. But to his horror, the warlord wasn¡¯t sumbing to the poison on the stakes as quickly as Elijah had expected. And he didn¡¯t have the ethera to keep going much longer. Indeed, if he didn¡¯t heal himself soon, he was going to die. He could feel fluid building in his lungs, and his insides hurt like never before. In that moment, Elijah made a decision to end it, one way or another. So, after pulsing Touch of Nature a single time to keep himself alive, he initiated a transformation back into hismer ape form, draining thest of his ethera. Before he¡¯dpleted the change, the orc ripped free of the vines, and it started to extract itself from the stakes. That¡¯s when Elijah fell upon it, raining a series of vicious blows onto the vulnerable monster. He pummeled the creature with every ounce of fury he could muster, and yet, he couldn¡¯t do so without taking plenty of hits himself. It was like two heavyweight boxers trading blows in the twelfth round of a championship fight. Neither was in any condition to continue, and yet, they both persisted well past the point of no return, hammering one another with heavy blows that could shake the world. Elijah knew what his decision entailed. He wasn¡¯t going to make it. Even if he managed to take the monster out, the damage was too severe. Without a full core of ethera, he couldn¡¯t heal himself quickly enough to recover. But he was okay with the choice he¡¯d made. Running had been an option, and he¡¯d considered it. Yet, that was just dying the inevitable. The monster had been vulnerable, and if he hadn¡¯t pounced when he had, it would have recovered andid waste to the remaining defenders as well as Ironshore. From there, the horde would sweep across the world. And though he hadn¡¯t seen them in a long time, Elijah had people he cared about out there. Not only were Alyssa, Carmen, and Miguel somewhere out in the world, but he¡¯d had friends back in Hawaii, too. Not to mention the friends he¡¯d made in Ironshore. Isaak and Delh back in Argos. Or Jess and Essex in Norcastle. Nerthus and his Grove. There were a lot of reasons he couldn¡¯t allow the orcs to live. Elijah channeled that while pummeling the warlord, and it gave him a burst of energy that, in turn, allowed him to, atst, finish the thing off with a massive blow that broke the creature¡¯s neck. He only had a brief moment to realize that he¡¯d won before the weight of injuries swept over him. Dizziness assailed every facet of his mind, but he managed to climb free of the trench before, atst, copsing. He crawled forward a few feet, but that was the extent of his ability. Faintly, he heard familiar voices, and he suddenly realized that he¡¯d shifted back to his human form. Someone shoved something into his mouth, and miraculously, he felt a brief surge of healing. More importantly, a drop of additional ethera hit his core a secondter. Something else hit his tongue, and he felt something tart and familiar. His eyes focused, and he realized that Kurik was standing over him and holding a handful of Elijah¡¯s grove berries. ¡°Open up, ya moron,¡± the dwarf growled. ¡°Not lettin¡¯ you die after all that.¡± Elijah¡¯s jaw fell open, and Kurk shoved another couple of berries into his mouth. That was enough to clear his head, at least a little, and though he had a host of questions, he knew he needed to cast Touch of Nature or he wouldn¡¯t survive much longer. So, he did, and soothing energy washed over him, mending his injuries. It was only a drop in the proverbial bucket, but it was enough to return him toplete awareness. He jerked, croaking, ¡°What happened? The orcs.¡± ¡°Dead,¡± Kurik said. ¡°When you finished the big¡¯un off, they lost that enhancement. Wasn¡¯t long after that that your afflictions took ¡®em down. With a little help from us, o¡¯ course.¡± ¡°Oh¡­so¡­it¡¯s over?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Everything but the clean-up,¡± Kurik said. Elijah finally rxed with a sigh of relief that sent an arc of pain tearing across his torso. ¡°Good,¡± he muttered. ¡°Oh¡­Kurik?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I need that orc¡¯s brains. The big one. Save those for me,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s very important.¡± Then, without further conversation, he let himself finally rx. That led to his consciousness slipping away. Before he went outpletely, he heard Kurik say, ¡°Brains? Never heard that¡¯n before.¡± Book 2: Chapter 79: Humanity Book 2: Chapter 79: Humanity Trace had screwed up. He knew it, too. Pacing back and forth, he periodically nced at the boy who¡¯d caused him so much trouble. Miguel was bound, hand and foot, like a trussed pig ¨C a necessity, after everything that had happened. Over the past few days, Trace had been forced to take a host of precautions against the troublesome child¡¯s persistent escape attempts. The moment Stun had worn off, the child had started kicking and screaming, necessitating that Trace chain the ability, over and over, while he fled toward Easton and what he¡¯d hoped was safety. Usually, Stun was a fairly cheap ability, costing only a touch of ethera and a bit of stamina. Yet, having to use it once every minute for days had taken its toll, so once Trace had reached Easton, he¡¯d quickly found one of his safehouses and tied the kid up. Surely, it wasn¡¯tfortable for the little demon of a child, but it allowed Trace some much needed rest. At some point, he¡¯d slipped into an exhausted sleep, which had cost him almost six hours. And perhaps his life. When he¡¯d awoken, he had quickly discovered that Easton had devolved into riotous chaos. Everywhere he¡¯d looked, there were hundreds ¨C perhaps even thousands ¨C of malcontents protesting and causing violent mischief. More than once during his first scouting expedition, he¡¯d seen guards being overwhelmed and beaten to death by rebels. Trace knew it was all pointless. While Roman might not hold every part of the city in quite as tight of a grip as others, that was by choice. He simply didn¡¯t care about the poorer parts of Easton, and so, the presence of his guards was minimal. But the moment the rebellion reached the core of the city, they would be dealt with appropriately. It would be a ughter of epic proportions, too. Trace had seen the nned responses. He¡¯d helped create some of them. Yet, just because the integrity of the city wasn¡¯t in question, that didn¡¯t mean much for his situation. Because crossing through the riots was still extraordinarily dangerous, and with much of his capability in stealth nullified by having to carry a child along, he knew it wouldn¡¯t end well for him. Because he was well-known in the seedier parts of the city, and after everything he¡¯d done, he was not exactly well-liked. Part of that was because of his actions as the head of Roman¡¯s secret police, but Trace could admit ¨C at least to himself ¨C that it was mostly due to his own less-than-reputable proclivities. After all, his girls hade from somewhere, and many of them had friends and family who didn¡¯t look upon Trace terribly kindly.And a riot was a perfect opportunity for some of them to exact revenge. So, he¡¯d spent the past few days holed up in his safehouse, only climbing out of the basement to steal provisions. Fortunately, the ce was secluded enough that the riots never came close enough to risk discovery. Still, despite his rtive safety, he was more than ready to head to the pce, present his prize, and get his reward. So, it was with some degree of excitement that, after pacing for a few more hours, he left the basement and went to scout the situation. And to his surprise, he found that the riots had been put down. Yet, the damage was extensive, with more than a few buildings having been destroyed by spreading fires. Trace also saw plenty of bodies as well, though those were in the process of being collected by the city¡¯s dedicated corpsemongers. Even Trace wasn¡¯t certain what those people did with the bodies they collected. Each time he¡¯d attempted to infiltrate their undergroundir ¨C because of course that was where they would set up shop ¨C he¡¯d been discovered via unknown means. It was one of Easton¡¯s burgeoning mysteries, and a reason that Trace intended to leave the city behind once he¡¯d extracted all the benefits he could from Roman. With that in mind, Trace went back to the safehouse and gathered the boy, tossing him over his shoulder. At first, he used Cloak of Skullduggery to mask his presence, but he quickly recognized that it was neither effective nor useful. There weren¡¯t enough people around to care about his nefarious-looking actions, and even if there were, they were upied with clean-up efforts. A few guards recognized him, though, so he felt confident that they woulde to his aid if anyone osted him. As he traversed the city, he saw more evidence of the riots of the past few nights. Whole buildings had been brought down, and one of the zas looked like it had seen a bloody battle. Some of the city¡¯s downtrodden maintenance workers were busy trying to clean up all the gore, but they had their work cut out for them. It was further evidence of just how far some of them had fallen. Trace knew for a fact that some of those workers had once held positions of authority and wealth, back in the old world. There were a couple of politicians and former CEOs among them. Yet, they¡¯d made the wrong choice regarding archetypes, and they¡¯d paid the price for that singr bad decision. Easton was no ce for Schrs, especially when their specialties weren¡¯t in the few areas Roman had deemed useful. Even Trace recognized that it was a regressive policy to push those Schrs into manualbor. But he was in no position to change any of it. Not that he would have tried, anyway. As far as he was concerned, the bunch of formerly rich and uppity politicians, CEOs,wyers, and the like had gotten what they deserved. Maybe they could now appreciate what it was like to live on the bottom rungs of society that Trace knew so well. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He remembered his old life well enough to take some sense of justice from that. As Trace drew closer to the city¡¯s core, the evidence of fighting grew more pronounced until every sessive block grew bloodier. Then, suddenly, it ceased. That wasn¡¯t surprising, given that the number of guards had grown right alongside the violent aftermath. A few times, Trace saw guards looting curiously well-provisioned corpses. More than once, he used Appraisal to determine that the most popr items were Simple-Grade. If all of the dissidents had been armed and armored with equipment like that, the results might¡¯ve been a little different. Yet, there were only a scattered few such instances that Trace could see, which meant that the effects were minimal. Still, the only times Trace saw any significant number of guards¡¯ corpses were around such well-armed bodies, suggesting that they¡¯d put up quite the fight. That just underscored how important good equipment really was. Not that Trace needed to be reminded of that, after he¡¯d used his Dagger of Sundering to such great effect. It had allowed Roman to kill Alyssa ¨C that uppity bitch ¨C and it had been at least as effective in every fight Trace had fought since then. It was a valuable piece of equipment, and he expected that he¡¯d get years of use out of it before he moved on to something better. More importantly, it was the lynchpin of any ns he¡¯d made to deal with people like Roman. Eventually, they¡¯de to an impasse ¨C it hade close to happening a few times already ¨C and when that time came, Trace intended toe out on top. Despite the disparity in power, especially in Easton, Trace liked his chances. Regardless, he put those thoughts aside as he entered the vicinity of the pce. Once there, he dropped any pretense at stealth and was greeted with a mixture of revulsion, respect, and curiosity by the pce guards. The structure itself was a disy of brutal opulence. Roman¡¯s Architects had done a phenomenal job of creating a beautiful, yet overbearing building that was dominated by straight lines, sharp angles, and Gothic flourishes that gave it a very distinct appearance. Trace saw it as needless posturing, but he supposed that Roman had his reasons for ordering such a building. The rest of the city would soon follow suit, he knew. That was how Roman thought. Everything had to be in its ce and conform to the collective. Otherwise, it would drive the man mad. After entering the pce, Trace made his way through the familiar halls until he reached the wing containing Roman¡¯s office. There was a throne room as well, though that was only for official duties, like hearing the petitions of the useless council. They held no real power, except to suggest things or request Roman¡¯s intervention. Ultimately, every major decision was made by the big man himself. As he swaggered up to the guards on duty, he said, ¡°Special delivery for the big guy. You want to sign for it?¡± At that, the kid squirmed a little more, so Trace reapplied Stun. He went blessedly limp, giving Trace a little peace. The guards looked at one another, then decided to pass the burden onto someone else. So, one of them disappeared through the doors, presumably to let Roman know what was going on. Meanwhile, Trace tried to make conversation with the remaining guard, asking, ¡°So, a bit of a scuffle out in the city, huh? What happened?¡± ¡°Rebel scum,¡± the man spat, his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist. ¡°Don¡¯t know what they expected to aplish. They never had a chance, the poor idiots.¡± ¡°Seems like they did a lot of damage,¡± Trace said. The guard shrugged. ¡°Burning down their own homes and businesses. Really smart,¡± he responded. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know what they expected that to do, except make their own lives harder. Guess there¡¯s a reason they are who they are, right? If they were smart orpetent, they wouldn¡¯t have anything to bitch about. It¡¯s like I was telling my wife ¨C they¡¯re just a bunch of useless malcontents who are upset with the way the world works. It¡¯s not enough that they¡¯re only alive because of the safety and security we provide. No ¨C they want all the benefits without any of the work.¡± Trace listened as the man went on about how the poor and less useful deserved everything they got, so he was grateful when the other guard returned and waved Trace through. He nodded at the pair of sentries and swaggered through the door and into a long hall. There were other guards posted at regr intervals, but they didn¡¯t move a muscle as he traversed the opulent corridor. Soon, he found himself at the door to Roman¡¯s office. He knocked and immediately received the go-ahead to enter. When he did, he saw the man himself sitting behind a massive, wooden desk. The walls were decorated with various trophies from Roman¡¯s kills. None of them had been truly impressive prey, and Trace suspected they were more for ambience than tomemorate any significant events. Yet, they did that job well, and when Trace looked at those monstrous heads, a chill went up his spine. He tossed the kid onto the sofa that stood against the wall ¨C it was upholstered in leather and looked extremelyfortable ¨C and said, ¡°So, I might¡¯ve took a bit of initiative with the whole Carmen problem.¡± Roman¡¯s eyes flicked to the child, but he didn¡¯t give any other reaction until he asked, ¡°Is that who I think it is?¡± ¡°If you think it¡¯s that bitch¡¯s brat, then yeah. I think I killed her second, too,¡± he said, plopping down in one of the chairs on his side of Roman¡¯s desk. He added, ¡°You¡¯re wee on that one.¡± ¡°I told you to watch her. Not to kill anyone.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, drawing a small knife from his belt. He picked at his fingernails. ¡°I like to go above and beyond the call of duty. One of my many positive traits. So, here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking ¨C you let the rebel bitch know that ¨C¡± In the blink of an eye, Roman was across the desk. If Trace hadn¡¯t been so exhausted, he might have responded. Yet, given where they were as well as Roman¡¯s advantage in levels, he would have still been overmatched. Still, he did manage to jab the small knife into Roman¡¯s shoulder as the taller man mmed him into the ground. ¡°What the ¨C¡± Trace didn¡¯t get a chance to finish his sentence before Roman¡¯s fist found his face. He tried to activate his abilities, but it was useless. Roman punched him again, growling, ¡°I told you to watch!¡± He smashed his fist into Trace¡¯s face again. ¡°Not to kidnap a child!¡± Again, he punched Trace. By that point, his mind had gone fuzzy, and though his abilities were suddenly avable, he was in no mindset to consciously use them. Especially when Roman hit him again. And again. Along the way, Roman kept growling about crossing lines, but Trace couldn¡¯t understand any of it. But one thing he did understand was when Roman yanked a dagger from his belt and rammed it into Trace¡¯s chest. Over and over again, he stabbed the Ouw until Trace managed to croak, ¡°W-why¡­¡± ¡°You disgust me,¡± Roman said, straightening his back. He pushed a lock of stray hair from his bloody face before adding, ¡°Every man has a line. You just crossed mine.¡± Then, he reached forward, grabbed Trace by the hair and sliced the Ouw¡¯s throat. Even as he bled out, Trace¡¯s mind whirled with questions. He didn¡¯t truly understand what he¡¯d done wrong. Which was precisely the problem, he btedly realized right before everything went dark. Book 2: Chapter 80: Bound Fate Book 2: Chapter 80: Bound Fate A new day dawned on a field strewn with corpses. Having recovered overnight, Elijah stood on the earthen bulwark where Ironshore¡¯s defenders had made theirst stand. It was little more than a slight rise next to a trench, but from a symbolic ¨C as well as a literal ¨C perspective, it had been incredibly important. To Elijah, it looked like an ind amidst a sea of grey bodies. ¡°How many, do ya think?¡± came Kurik¡¯s familiar and gruff voice. Elijah turned his head to see the broad-shouldered dwarf standing only a few feet behind him. He¡¯d also been injured in the battle, though not nearly as grievously as Elijah, who¡¯d only been a hair¡¯s breadth from death. The only reason he¡¯d survived was due to Kurik¡¯s quick thinking with Elijah¡¯s grove berries, which had given him a surge of vitality as well as ethera. In turn, that had given him the fuel he needed to enable his own recovery. Still, Elijah knew how close he¡¯de, and he was also well aware that Kurik had saved his life. That wasn¡¯t something he would soon forget. Nor would he quickly move on from the sacrifices endured by the people of Ironshore. They¡¯d been challenged by the orcish horde, and they¡¯d risen to the asion, emerging victorious. That meant something to Elijah, and he respected them all the more because they¡¯d refused to give up. He could empathize with that kind of attitude. ¡°At least ten thousand,¡± Elijah said, looking at the carpet of corpses. It was difficult to gauge just how many orcs had assailed the small city. Yet, one thing was certain ¨C it had been more than they¡¯d expected. ¡°Do you think there are more out there?¡± ¡°Probably. It¡¯s a big world.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Did you ask around about that shield?¡± he asked. In the immediate aftermath of the battle, Elijah had been in no position to remember things properly. However, since his recovery, he¡¯d recalled that someone had used a spell to shield him from the orcish warlord¡¯s onught. Likely, that had saved his life. So, he¡¯d asked Kurik to find out who he should thank for that intervention. ¡°Oh. That,¡± said the dwarf.¡°What?¡± ¡°I found out, though it¡¯s not the happy endin¡¯ you might want for,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°You remember Calix?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Elijah answered. Indeed, he¡¯d seen the little goblin who was the lone survivor of the ill-fated expedition to his ind on more than one asion. However, he hadn¡¯t really spoken to her,rgely because of the fear he had seen in her eyes. ¡°It was her,¡± Kurik exined. ¡°Took a spear to the gut for her trouble, too. Didn¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Elijah muttered, hanging his head. It wasn¡¯t as if he¡¯d really known the goblin. And his choice to let her live had been the result of a whim rather than an attempt at mercy. Yet, he didn¡¯t know how to react to the knowledge that she had not only saved his live, but she¡¯d died in the process. ¡°Wasn¡¯t for you,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°She knew you were the only one who could save us, so the girl made the only reasonable choice she could.¡± ¡°I suppose.¡± That statement, while probably true, still didn¡¯t help with Elijah¡¯s roiling emotions. ¡°Got any more of them berries?¡± Kurik asked. ¡°Oh,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Sure.¡± Then, he unshouldered his pack, reached inside, and handed Kurik a handful. The dwarf ate them appreciatively, then said, ¡°They ain¡¯t the best taste, and they¡¯re a mite too much for me. But damn if they ain¡¯t reinvigorating.¡± ¡°They are that,¡± Elijah stated. Then, he asked, ¡°What are they going to do with all the corpses?¡± ¡°Burn ¡®em, I suppose. Why?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re not useful?¡± ¡°Not anymore. ¡®cept the brains you asked for. We got to those in time. Most of the rest went bad too quick to harvest,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°Not that anybody was lookin¡¯ forward to using it, course. They look too close to people, see. Puts everyone off, even if we all know they¡¯re just monsters like any other.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Elijah said. There was a y full of the brains in question inside his bag, but he¡¯d yet to really look at them. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really feel like we won.¡± ¡°But we did,¡± Kurik said. ¡°And most of us got the levels to prove it. This little battle probably single-handedly ensured that Ironshore¡¯ll survive for years toe. Most of these people are used to levelin¡¯ from craftin¡¯ and such. That¡¯s slow, but it¡¯s steady. Killin¡¯ that many orcs was enough to push most of ¡®em to the next ability or technique threshold. That¡¯s big.¡± ¡°You get anything good?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Want to share?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°Fair enough,¡± he said. After that, the two remained silent for a few minutes until Elijah said, ¡°Thanks again for saving my life. I¡¯ll pay you back. I promise.¡± ¡°You saved my home,¡± Kurik said. ¡°That¡¯s payback enough.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¡®bout it,¡± the dwarf insisted. ¡°Friends don¡¯t keep score, right?¡± Elijah nodded. Until that moment, he hadn¡¯t really considered the idea that he and Kurik were friends, but in retrospect, it was obvious. After spending so much time together in the wilderness, he felt morefortable around the dwarf than he had with anyone since the world had ended. Perhaps even more than anyone from his old life, except Alyssa. Because there was something about going to war with someone that forged a much more meaningful bond. Next to that, his previous friendships felt shallow. ¡°You shoulde to my ind,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I think you¡¯d like it.¡± ¡°Last folks who went to your ind ended up pretty dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. Ramik and Carisa have visited twice.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t go no further than the beach,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°That don¡¯t count.¡± ¡°This is different. You¡¯re invited,¡± Elijah countered. ¡°But no worries if you¡¯re notfortable with it.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯lle. I just wanted to ruffle your feathers a bit s¡¯all,¡± the dwarf said with a chuckle. ¡°But for now, I got work to do. Me and some of the other scouts are goin¡¯ to make sure there ain¡¯t no more orcs out there. You want toe?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Not unless you need me,¡± he answered. He¡¯d had enough orc ughter for two lifetimes, and he wasn¡¯t eager to revisit that situation. He would if necessary, but so long as there was a choice, he knew which side of the fence he¡¯dnd on. ¡°Besides, I need to talk to Ramik about something.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Kurik said. He extended a hand, which Elijah grasped. ¡°See you soon, then.¡± ¡°See you soon.¡± With that, Kurik started to pick his way across the battlefield. Only then did it ur to Elijah that the dwarf had likely volunteered to search for any orcish stragglers in an effort to avoid the cleanup. Smiling wryly, Elijah turned and descended the berm and started back to the city. As he did, he checked his gains from the battle. First, he noted that he¡¯d gained level fifty-five, as denoted by his updated status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 55
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Strength 67
Dexterity 59
Constitution 57
Ethera 65
Regeneration 59
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Hatchling Quartz Neophyte
His attributes, even without the benefit of his many enhancements ¨C or buffs, as the people in Argos and Norcastle called them ¨C had be truly impressive. And he knew that with every level, they would be more so. He¡¯d already proven that, from a physical standpoint, he could stand against some incredibly powerful monsters, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the future would hold in that department. However, he was far more interested in the next notification he¡¯d received:
Congrattions! You have achieved the requirements for the evolution of the spell Ancestral Circle. Please choose a path:
Roots of the World Tree Protection of the World Tree Blessing of the World Tree
By creating additional circles, you may spread your roots to new locations. By expanding your circle, you may enhance the protection afforded by your grove. Through a nurturing touch, you may increase the power of your grove.
It was the first time he¡¯d been afforded the opportunity to evolve one of his spells or abilities, and it was far more involved than he¡¯d expected. So far, he¡¯d simply been awarded spells at specific intervals, but now, it seemed like his progression would require more input in the future. For now, though, he had a decision to make. Based on the descriptions, which seemed a little inadequate, the choices came down to whether or not he wanted to spread his influence or empower his grove, either via enhancing the protection it afforded or what sounded like increasing the ethera density. Before he made a decision, he needed to talk to Nerthus to see if the tree spirit could offer any insight. He¡¯d already checked the avable guides at the Branch of the World Tree, and he¡¯d found nothing that seemed like it would exin anything. There was precious little concerning Druids at all, and what little existed was incredibly expensive. Of course, it didn¡¯t help that none of it was organized in any way that Elijah could understand, so searching for applicable information was a pain. Apparently, there were sses that specialized in such things, but Ironshore wasn¡¯trge or important enough to warrant such people. In any case, Nerthus offered the best chance of solid information, so he embraced the teleportation portion of Ancestral Circle, and a momentter, he disappeared only to rematerialize in his grove. Once there, he called out for Nerthus. When he appeared, Elijah let him know what had happened in the battle with the orcs, then broached the subject of his evolutionary path. ¡°Interesting,¡± said Nerthus as he paced back and forth. As he scratched his chin, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but notice that the tree spirit¡¯s mannerisms ¨C and speech patterns ¨C had be quite a bit more human ofte. He wondered if that was his influence or if it was a normal development for tree spirits. ¡°The first will almost assuredly let you create a teleportationwork. The second will allow you to establish a defensive perimeter that will protect the ind from would be invaders. And the third will increase the ethereal density of the grove.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Reasonably so,¡± Nerthus said. Then, he admitted, ¡°However, I should point out that these are guesses. The reality could very well be quite different from what I¡¯ve inferred from those descriptions. That is unlikely, given the straightforwardnguage used.¡± ¡°The choice is obvious, then.¡± ¡°Is it? All three seem very useful,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Though there are some caveats to that sentiment.¡± ¡°Oh? It seems to me that we should increase the ethereal density,¡± Elijah said. His reasoning was simple ¨C ording to everything he¡¯d read, advancing his cultivation required incredibly dense ethera. If his grove could naturally provide that, then he would be halfway to reaching the next stages of his development. ¡°That is a mistake,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Really? I was thinking that my cultivation ¨C¡± ¡°It would be useful, but the timing is troubling,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°Unless I am wrong in my assessment, the increase in density will be multiplicative based on current levels. That means that it would be far more useful to wait until Earth¡¯s ethereal density settles. That will be years from now.¡± That made sense. If he were to do it now, then he¡¯d be giving up long-term benefits for a short-term boost in power. From Nethus¡¯s perspective, that probably seemed like an incredibly poor choice. However, Elijah also knew that that presupposed that he would survive long enough to take advantage of those long-term benefits, which was not guaranteed. Getting the boost that increasing his cultivation stage would provide would no doubt go a long way to ensuring his survival. ¡°What about the defense one?¡± Elijah asked, still mulling over the other option. ¡°Very helpful,¡± Nerthus admitted. ¡°It would have helped with the orcish invasion, certainly. The city on the shore would not benefit, but it might have been enough to let the grove endure.¡± That seemed straightforward enough, though Elijah wasn¡¯t sure what form that defense might take. So, he asked, ¡°And the other one?¡± ¡°Mobility will be very important. Teleportation is extremely expensive,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Prohibitively so. If you can move around the world without having to pay that, you will be able to afford many things you otherwise would not.¡± ¡°So, I could theoretically have a teleportation point that would let me cross the world in an instant?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Assuredly.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°It should also be noted that you will not evolve the spell immediately. These things require thepletion of a quest,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°The more powerful the spell, the more time-consuming the quest. You will also likely be afforded the opportunity to choose the other two options at some point in the future.¡± ¡°So, it makes sense to take the most immediately impactful.¡± ¡°Likely, with the aforementioned caveats.¡± That made Elijah¡¯s decision, so he made his choice.
Congrattions! You have chosen to evolve Ancestral Circle into Roots of the World Tree. Complete the following quest to finalize the evolution: Aplish Two Feats of Strength (COMPLETE) Conquer One Tower (COMPLETE) Build a Dolmen (INCOMPLETE)
¡°Oh. Nice,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Two steps already finished. Only one to go. Apparently, I need to build a dolmen.¡± From what Elijah remembered, a dolmen was something like Stonehenge. Which meant that he had his work cut out for him. He exined everything to Nerthus, who told him that those dolmens would likely constitute the teleportation points. So, he wouldn¡¯t be able to just build the dolmen anywhere he wanted. Instead, he needed to find a proper location first. And he had some ideas about where he wanted to put it. So, with that taken care of, Elijah collected his things, making sure to stock up on berries, and headed to his rowboat collection ¨C which was dwindling with each time he teleported back to his ind ¨C and paddled across the strait and into Ironshore. Once he reached the dock, he set off for the city¡¯s governmental building, where he hoped to find Ramik. Along the way, Elijah noticed two things. First, the residents of the city were incredibly busy in the aftermath of the battle. Some had been tasked with cleaning up the battlefield, while others were repairing damage wrought by a few orcs who¡¯d broken through the line and descended upon the city. Still others were organizing supplies for the survivors. It was a nice reminder that, when disaster struck, people tended to band together. That those people were gnomes, dwarves, and goblins ¨C as well as a few elves ¨C was immaterial, and it warmed Elijah¡¯s heart to see everyone working toward the greater good. Hopefully, that wouldst. The second thing he saw was more of an absence than anything else. Gone were the dirty looks and angry nces he¡¯d endured before. There was still fear there, but they didn¡¯t seem to hate him. That was progress, at least as far as Elijah was concerned. Eventually, Elijah reached the governmental headquarters and found Ramik, who looked as busy as anyone else Elijah had seen during his trek through the city. Still, the goblin was quick to greet him, asking, ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°I came for my payment,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Oh. That. What can we give you? Our ethereum ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want money,¡± Elijah interrupted. ¡°I want cooperation. A friendship, maybe. At least an alliance.¡± ¡°I¡­I think we can do that,¡± Ramik stated. ¡°So, here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking I want¡­¡± After Elijah exined his n, and Ramik agreed enthusiastically, he went in search of a perfect location. So it happened that the next day ¨C after Elijah had spent another night in the Imperium ¨C he found himself standing in the center of Ironshore. Ramik had held up his end of the bargain, clearing therge za and ripping up the gstones that had once covered the ground. Elijah stood in the center, alongside Ramik and Carisa, and looked at the gathered townspeople. Almost everyone was there, though there were some exceptions ¨C most notably, that some familiar faces were missing. Two of the three barbers had perished in the fight, as had Calix and a couple of the guards who¡¯d once escorted Elijah through town. Some, like the tailor Mari, bore visible scars, but most just looked exhausted. Ramik spoke, his voice loud and clear, ¡°People of Ironshore! We have endured a powerful cmity, and we have survived, not least because of the actions of our friend and ally, Elijah Hart. His benevolence does not end there, though. As a Druid, he has chosen to bless our city by nting a very special tree. Henceforth, this square shall be known as Druid¡¯s Park, and any who deface it shall be severely punished.¡± Elijah remained silent, though his gaze was enough to make some of the townspeople flinch. Hopefully, that would be enough to dissuade anyone who might harm the tree he intended to nt. If not, then there were more direct methods avable. With that, Elijah retrieved the seed he¡¯d taken from the ancestral tree, then nted it in the hole he¡¯d already dug. After covering it, he summoned Healing Rain, then sat cross-legged next to where he¡¯d nted the seed. Closing his eyes, he red Nature¡¯s Bounty. Like that, days passed, and Elijah healed in ways he didn¡¯t think possible. Because of One with Nature, he was aware of peopleing to take advantage of the rejuvenating properties of Healing Rain. That brought a smile to his face. After all, he¡¯d always liked healing people. On the fifth day, Elijah felt the seed sprout. And on the sixth, it had be a tiny seedling. That was when Elijah finally opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Already, the park had begun to flourish, with grass having sprouted. There were other small nts as well, but most importantly, the tree had taken root. Now, it didn¡¯t need his guidance, though he fully intended to usher it into the sapling stage. So, after eating a few berries, Elijah closed his eyes and continued the cycle. Book 2: Chapter 81: The Deal Book 2: Chapter 81: The Deal Carmen struggled against her bonds, though it was no good. She¡¯d tried to use her various techniques to escape, but they were all meant to bind things together, rather than to tear things apart. Her lone ability meant for that kind of thing was only useful on metal, so in her current situation, she had nothing. Perhaps one of her future abilities would fill that void. If there was a future. She was well aware of how dire her situation was, which made that a dubious prospect. After she and Colt had been captured, they¡¯d been thrust into a cage ¨C which had taken the form of an old clothing store ¨C where they¡¯d rotted for the past few days. It was only recently that they¡¯d been released from that prison, though freedom wasn¡¯t precisely what it was cracked up to be. One of their captors had put bags over their heads, then guided them outside before tossing them into what seemed like the bed of a pickup truck. That was where she still was, being jostled as the truck sped across what felt like the world¡¯s bumpiest road. Not that she was that concerned withfort at the moment. For three days, she¡¯d beaten herself up over her mistakes. The first was when she¡¯d tried to ally herself with the rebels, but in her anger and desperation, she had made plenty since then as well. It had all culminated in the kidnapping of her son as well as the deaths of the people who¡¯d followed her. The only survivor was Colt, and he wasn¡¯t doing so well. More than once, he¡¯d tried to escape, and they¡¯d beaten him bloody. If that was the extent of it, Carmen wouldn¡¯t have been so worried about him, but they¡¯d also taken his sword hand, lopping it off at the wrist, then having a Healer stop the bleeding. Even then, Colt had never stopped struggling for escape. Neither had Carmen, but they¡¯d treated her much more gently. So, she at least had all her limbs ¨C which was nofort, considering the worry she held for not only her own fate, but for her son¡¯s as well. There was no telling what Trace had done to the boy. Eventually, the truck pulled to a stop, and Carmen heard a muffled conversation that suggested they¡¯d arrived in Easton. That wasn¡¯t surprising. After all, Laramie and his warband had clearly made a deal with Roman. But rather than fury, Carmen just felt exhausted. If there was one thing she¡¯d discovered, it was that she wasn¡¯t cut out for leadership. She wanted to be, but she simply didn¡¯t have the temperament. She was too selfish. Too vtile. Those thoughts upied Carmen¡¯s mind as the truck entered the city. She knew from experience that vehicles weren¡¯t allowed far past the gates, so she wasn¡¯t surprised when they came to a stop only a few minutester. Then, one of Laramie¡¯s goons grabbed her and threw her over a shoulder. Presumably, Colt received simr treatment, and like that, they were taken through the city. More muffled conversation followed them along the way, but Carmen couldn¡¯t hear well enough to understand any of it. However, she did smell plenty of smoke as well as the unmistakable odor of blood and death. Something had happened in the city, she reasoned. Something terrible.It seemed that that was all the new world had to offer. Eventually, the smells faded, and the murmurs took on a much more aggressive tone. Carmen wasn¡¯t certain whether that was for her or for her barbaric captors, but she didn¡¯t think it mattered so much. The people of Easton weren¡¯t important. Only the man at the top. Still, it felt like an eternity before the cool and conditioned air of what Carmen assumed was Roman¡¯s ridiculous pce assailed her, but it wasn¡¯t long after that when she was unceremoniously dumped onto a tile floor. Someone ripped the ck hood from her head, and she blinked in the ring light. That¡¯s when she saw him. ¡°Miggy!¡± she shouted, struggling to go to her son. It was no good, though. With her hands and feet bound, she couldn¡¯t do anything more than flop over. For his part, Miguel raced to her side and buried his head in her shoulder, muttering one apology after another. She soothed him by saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good kid,¡± came the voice of the man who¡¯d been standing behind Miguel. Carmen looked up to see Roman staring down at her, his gaze intense and predatory. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened. If it makes any difference, the man who took your son is dead.¡± ¡°Fuck you,¡± Carmen growled. ¡°I know what you did.¡± ¡°I figured as much,¡± Roman said. ¡°You likely care nothing for apologies, but I am sorry. If there had been any other way, I would have taken it.¡± Then, he gestured toward Miguel, and one of hisckeys stepped forward to drag her son away. Carmen started to protest, but when Roman insisted that he wouldn¡¯t be harmed, she let it go, telling Miguel that everything would be okay. She didn¡¯t need to be told that Roman held all the cards. They werepletely at his mercy, and Carmen knew precisely how thin that could be. So, she chose to subdue her fury and y along. Once Miguel was out of the room, she said, ¡°What do you want? Why am I still alive?¡± ¡°Straight to the point.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Did you want to enjoy a beer together? Reminisce about old times? Like when you killed my fucking wife?¡± ¡°Fair,¡± Roman sighed. Then, he nced at anotherckey, saying, ¡°Stand her up, and put her in a chair. We can do that much, at least.¡± After that, the guard ¨C another man in blue and white ¨C dragged her to her feet before shoving her onto a leather couch. That¡¯s when Carmen took in her surroundings, and what she saw was a grotesquerie of ridiculous trophies. Stuffed heads of monsters Roman had presumably killed, skulls, and a few weapons adorned the walls, giving it the air of a man who was trying far too hard to appear strong and deadly. But Carmen didn¡¯t need convincing. She knew that Roman was a snake in a person suit, and though she didn¡¯t respect him as a man, she was more than wary of his lethality. Shifting, she asked, ¡°So, now that we¡¯refortable, what do you want?¡± Roman, who was leaning against the edge of a monstrous b of a desk, said, ¡°I want your services. You make me a weapon to the best of your abilities. I¡¯ll provide the materials. All I care about is the product.¡± ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll kill me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a monster, Carmen. I don¡¯t kill people unnecessarily. And the fact of the matter is that you are powerless, now. The rebels have pitched their fit, and they have been punished ordingly. Their leaders are dead. Laramie has agreed to a truce. And everyone loyal to you has been captured or killed. You are no longer a threat to me, so I see no reason to kill you. After this, I intend to let you go. We¡¯ll call it banishment. You will no longer be wee in Easton. But I won¡¯t kill you. And I certainly won¡¯t do anything to your son. You have my word on it. No matter what else happens here, he¡¯ll be safe.¡± ¡°Is this where you take him hostage or something?¡± Carmen asked, noting the ambiguous wording. ¡°Of course not. What do I want with a child? He¡¯ll go with you.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t heard the rest of it,¡± Roman said. ¡°You do want your people to survive, don¡¯t you? What about your friend there? He¡¯s a powerful fighter. Shame about his hand, but your captors had to take precautions.¡± Carmen nced at Colt, who hadn¡¯t moved since she¡¯d had her hood removed. He was still breathing, but he was clearly unconscious. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to kill a bunch of other people if I don¡¯t build you a weapon. Is that it?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°What kind of weapon? I don¡¯t know how to make a proper bow.¡± ¡°A longsword,¡± Roman answered. ¡°The specifications will be forting once you agree.¡± There really wasn¡¯t much of a choice. Even if he was lying, Carmen could never refuse, if only because of the possibility that Roman would make good on his promise. If he didn¡¯t, then Carmen was no better or worse off for having tried. Certainly, she didn¡¯t want to give him anything that would make him more powerful, but given the options before her, she didn¡¯t see as she could make any other decision. So, Carmen said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Really? Just like that?¡± Roman asked. ¡°There¡¯s not much choice, is there? You¡¯re going to kill a bunch of people if I don¡¯t. If you think I¡¯m going to make any other decision, you obviously don¡¯t know me.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± he allowed. ¡°Maybe I never did.¡± After that anticlimactic exchange, Roman called for a healer to take care of Colt. Then, he had someone show Carmen to a forge in the lower reaches of the pce. There, she was given ess to a pile of cold iron ingots and enough ethereal coal to run the forge for a month. She didn¡¯t think she¡¯d need that long, though. As she started working, she considered trying to build a w into the weapon or giving it less than her best effort. However, she ultimately chose not to for a couple of reasons. The first was that she wasn¡¯t certain how to do the former, and the second was that she was afraid that giving Roman an inferior product would result in the execution of the people she hoped to save. That would have negated the whole decision, so when she embarked on the question to forge the weapon, she did so with every ounce of skill she possessed. So, after using Decontaminate and Refine Material on the metal billets, she stacked them atop one another until she had a dozenyers. Then, she shoved the result into the forge so they would weld together. Normally, she would¡¯ve used Bond to shorten the process, but with the ethereal coal ¨C and so much of it that she didn¡¯t have to ration it ¨C she could afford to do it the old-fashioned way. That, in turn, meant that the resulting billet would have been exposed to more ethera, and theoretically, it would have a higher ceiling in terms of quality. Afterpleting the forge weld, Carmen started in on shaping the piece. The specifications she¡¯d received were simple. Just a typical longsword with a cruciform hilt and a two-inch wide de forty-two inches long. Completing the design was a fuller that ran along the length of the de. Shaping the piece took quite some time, due to the curious trait of cold iron to dissipate heat very quickly, but Carmen was used to working with it. So, she persisted until, what felt like a dayter, shepleted the de. However, that didn¡¯t mean the project was done. Instead, it was only the beginning. The next step was to create the cross guard, which required much the same technique, yet with a different aim. This time, after forging a bar in the right length, she used a drifting tool to hammer a hole in the center. Once that was done, Carmen used Summon Tool to manifest a file so she could shape the hole into a slot that would fit the de¡¯s tang. It was an arduous and tedious process, but she found the monotonous work soothing. Eventually, Carmen managed toplete the cross guard before slipping it into ce. It was close to a perfect fit, and she used Bond to weld the pair together. Just like that, she had a sword, though a crudely shaped and dull one without a proper hilt. After ensuring that everything fit together properly, Carmen used the forge¡¯s grinder to refine the de into its final shape. Sparks flew as she removed the unneeded metal until, hourster, she was left with a perfectly crafted sword de. Even the cross guard followed the specifications exactly. Next came the heat treat. So, Carmen shoved the entire de into the forge, then waited for it to reach the proper temperature before summoning a pair of tongs and removing the metal from the forge. Moving quickly, she dropped the de into a barrel of heated oil. mes shot toward the ceiling, but because of Resist Fire, Carmen ignored them. Instead, she listened for any tinging sounds that might indicate that the de had cracked. She heard nothing, and when she removed the de, she saw that it was entirely straight. That was a relief, because Carmen knew how easily such a long de could warp. After that, Carmen created a handle from a block of wood, then fitted it onto the tang. Using Bond, she then attached a pommel and wrapped the handle in soft leather that she then adhered to the wood using her ability. Thatpleted the sword, though Carmen still needed to add the embellishments as well as the enchantment. For the first embellishment, Carmen spent quite some time filing the likeness of a dragon¡¯s head onto the pommel. The second came when she embedded a pair of onyx gemstones on either end of the cross guard. To her, it looked a little ostentatious, but she was working from Roman¡¯s specifications. So, Carmen reasoned that if he wanted the weapon to look like some edgy teenager¡¯s idea of a perfect sword, then that was what he would get. The stakes were too high for her to ce artistic integrity over the lives of her people. Once that was finished, she used Bond to ensure the onyx gemstones would never move. Sighing, she looked at the weapon. She still hadn¡¯t sharpened the weapon, but it was already beautiful, with a Damascus pattern dancing along the blue-white steel. She hated that it was going to such a monster. Toplete the project, Carmen started in on the enchantment. On the surface, it was a simple task. She simply needed to carve a couple of symbols onto the weapon while using her Minor Enchantment technique. Yet, it required significant concentration as well as a steady flow of ethera. So, after taking a few deep breaths, Carmen got to work, bending her entire mind to the task. It took a lot longer than she would have preferred, but she wasn¡¯t one to cut corners. So, after etching one side of the de, she flipped it over and used a different symbol on the other. The enchantments themselves weren¡¯tplex. One was intended for durability, the other for sharpness. Yet, they were elegant in their own way, and when Carmen finished, she received the notification she¡¯d sought for all those long hours:
Congrattions! You have created a unique item [False Dragon¡¯s Fang]. Overall Grade: Simple (Peak) Enchantment Grade: F
She let out a long, slow sigh. It was the highest-graded item she¡¯d ever created, which came with mixed emotions. On the one hand, Carmen was proud of herself for the aplishment. It was the culmination of long hours¡¯ worth of work as well as years of training and practice. However, at the same time, she hated that it was going to someone like Roman, who would doubtless use it for detestable purposes. She took sce in the name, at least. While Carmen wasn¡¯t certain why the system hadbeled it false, she felt it was appropriate, given Alyssa¡¯s ss. To her, it said that Roman¡¯s entire position was a charade. That he was a fake. That gave her somefort, though it was still a bitter pill to swallow, considering how everything had gone ofte. There was a lesson there, and one that Carmen had only just begun to embrace. The first part was that she was no leader. She didn¡¯t want to be responsible for anyone but herself and Miguel. But the second bit was that she needed to keep her priorities straight. Sure, imagining vengeance on Roman was an enticing thought, and she still longed to plunge the False Dragon¡¯s Fang¡¯s de into the man¡¯s heart. Yet, she knew her priorities should be to protect Miguel and the people she¡¯d already put in danger. So, with some regret, she sheathed her desire for vengeance while doing the same for the de she had just created. Once that was done, she left the forge to find a pair of blue-and-white d guards standing outside. They escorted her to Roman¡¯s office, where she presented the de. He was impressed, though Carmen saw a slight tick of anger on the man¡¯s face when he was told the weapon¡¯s name. But miraculously, Roman was as good as his word, and soon enough, Carmen found herself standing between Miguel and Colt in front of Easton¡¯s gates. Fifteen people were to her rear, and each person had been given a small pack of supplies. It was only enough for a few days¡¯ survival, but it was more than Carmen had expected. Nobody had been allowed to take weapons or armor. ¡°I hate that it ended this way,¡± Roman stated from behind them. Carmen looked back to see that the man was wearing the armor she¡¯d made for Colt. He had the False Dragon¡¯s Fang in a scabbard at his hip. ¡°Me too,¡± Carmen said. Though, she was certain that they meant very different things. For his part, he probably regretted that she wasn¡¯t working for Easton anymore. But for Carmen¡¯s, she wished it would have ended with Roman dead at her feet. She had other priorities now, though, so she pushed those thoughts aside and told her people, ¡°Come on. We need to get moving.¡± Then, without another word, she set off into the wilderness, her son¡¯s hand clutched tightly in her own. Book 2: Chapter 82: Hunter Book 2: Chapter 82: Hunter Thor Gunderson knelt atop the hill, staring across the valley at the creature. The monster was huge, but then again, most of his prey had been ofte. It was the only way to get any sort of challenge. The animal was a little bigger than an African elephant, with a long shaggy coat of soft fur that hung down to its ankles. Its head was simrly elephant-like, with a long, tapered trunk, great floppy ears, and a pair of massive tusks that Thor had seen disembowel lesser creatures. But unlike an elephant, this monster was no quadruped. Instead, it stood on two feet like a man. It was intelligent, too, having shown the ability to utilize crude tools. At present, it wielded a giant tree-trunk like a club. For his part, Thor carried a much less impressive weapon. At least on the surface, it appeared that way. But he didn¡¯t need to look at his spear to know it was far from ordinary. The haft of the spear was made of bone, and it had been carved with fanciful designs that made it look like scrimshaw. The de was like ck ss, sharper than anything else Thor had ever seen, with blood red tassels tied just below its base. Thor himself was far more overtly exceptional. Standing at almost seven feet tall, he had once been a champion power lifter. After the world had been transformed, he¡¯d utilized his massive strength to his advantage, and in the years since, he¡¯d used that brief head start to keep himself ahead of everyone else. Or perhaps it was his taste for a great hunt that made him special. Since the very beginning, there had been no peak he didn¡¯t try to climb, no monster ¨C bestial or otherwise ¨C he didn¡¯t want to hunt. He¡¯d spent the intervening years stalking and killing one powerful creature after another, and he¡¯d reaped the rewards of sess, climbing the powerdder until he¡¯d found himself in the top five. Yet he¡¯d so far been unable to bridge the gap, even after using his talents to help various groups conquer multiple towers. He¡¯d fought in rifts. He¡¯d ughtered Voxx. And he¡¯d even worked a stint as a bounty hunter. Still, the top of thedder remained as distant as ever, and Thor¡¯s frustration had continued to mount. The result was that he¡¯d pushed himself into progressively more dangerous hunts, stalking prey that he should never have considered fighting. He¡¯d even ventured into the deadly Frozen Wastes, where he¡¯d hunted ice mammoths. He¡¯d only skirted the edges ¨C anything else would have killed even him ¨C but he¡¯d expected the lethality of the situation to work in his favor. And it had. Still, the gap between him and the people at the peak had remained just as wide as ever. Each time he gained a level, so did they. Sometimes, more than one. It was maddening.Yet, Thor persisted. He knew they would slip up. Those ahead of him would make mistakes and end up dead. Or worse, their pace of improvement would slow. And then, he would pass them by. It was only a matter of time. So, with that in mind, Thor tracked his target with a steady gaze, waiting for the opportune moment to move in. Meanwhile, the monster, which he¡¯d identified as a tiyeto, meandered around, periodically snatching leaves from nearby trees. It was mostly carnivorous, but the creature would also eat flora if it was hungry enough. Thor decided to make his move, descending the slope on silent feet. Before Earth had been touched by the World Tree, Thor hadn¡¯t been much of a hunter. He¡¯d been a few times growing up, but his training schedule hadn¡¯t left much time for anything else. However, soon after the world had changed, he¡¯d discovered the joy of stalking and killing prey. The more dangerous, the better. Gradually, he covered the distance between to the tiyeto, only stopping when he was a little more than ten feet away. Then, he forced ethera into his most important ability, Bite of the Hunter, and his spear erupted into green light. Just before the de pierced the tiyeto¡¯s chest, the monster reacted, darting to the side. It only moved a few inches before Thor¡¯s attacknded, ripping through its shoulder and sending chunks of meat and bone flying. But it was enough to save the monster from a one-shot kill. Annoyed, Thornded with a roll that a man of his size never should¡¯ve been capable of, then found his feet a moment before the tiyeto¡¯s counterattack found him. He leaped backward, barely avoiding the monster¡¯s sweeping tusks, then darted forward, using the butt of his spear to knock the natural weapons aside. Then, he dipped low, twirled his spear like a quarterstaff, then stabbed the monster through the trunk. Or that was what he¡¯d intended. Instead, the de skipped off the creature¡¯s tough skin, barely leaving a scratch. That was the issue with hunting monsters that were a higher level then him. Without powerful abilities like Bite of the Hunter, his weapon was incapable of piercing through their defenses. Still, it wasn¡¯t Thor¡¯s first hunt, and he had a few more tricks up his sleeve. However, he had to be alive to y those cards, so the moment his attack failed, he used Survival of the Fittest to briefly enhance his physical attributes. The surge of Strength and Dexterity allowed Thor to dodge the tiyeto¡¯s next attack, which came in the form of a sweeping tree trunk. Then, he used Fury of the Stalker, and his spear took on a red sheen. Enraged, the tiyeto trumpeted its anger before it leaped at him. Thor didn¡¯t immediately react. Instead, he waited patiently. However, when the monster¡¯s club descended, it found no resistance until mming into the ground and sending an eruption of dirt and leaves into the air. That¡¯s when Thor, having used Mirror Trap, attacked it from behind. This time, his spear, enhanced by Fury of the Stalker, bit deep into the monster¡¯s torso, ripping through its organs and sending an explosion of ethera to do even more damage. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The creature let out another trumpet of rage, but it quickly turned into agony. And finally, despair. Thor stabbed it again, this time in the small of its back. Its legs went limp, and it fell to the ground. The once-mighty monster flopped around, swinging its club ineffectually as Thor watched from just out of range. It was pitiful, how easily it had fallen. Only thirty seconds, and it was all but dead. He stood there for a long while, gazing upon the creature as it bled out. Finally, he tired of the show and stepped in, raking his spear across the tiyeto¡¯s throat. It finally died thirty secondster, giving Thor an influx of experience that pushed him to level sixty. Then, he let out a roar of exultation as he thrust his spear to the sky. Once he did, he looked at the power rankings:
1. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 61 2. Sadie Song ¨C Level 60 3. Thor Gunderson ¨C Level 60 4. Hu Shui ¨C Level 58 5. Niko Song ¨C Level 57 6. Hu Shui ¨C Level 56 7. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 55 8. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 53 9. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 52 10. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 49 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­
¡°Number three,¡± he said to himself. By all ounts, it had been an impressive climb, but to him, it was still inadequate. The only result that would satisfy him was to reach the very top and stay there. Anything less was failure. But Thor also knew that sess was not built by a single action. It was a winding road, and oneprised by many steps. He¡¯d just taken a big one, and as a result, he hade close to achieving his goals. Part of that was the next notification he received, which confirmed that he¡¯d gained another new ability:
Ancestor¡¯s Torpor Summon an ancestral spirit that saps the Strength and Dexterity of your enemy. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 19 seconds.
That had the potential to be a strong ability, though Thor would not make any determinations on its viability until he had the chance to test it out. Still, he¡¯d yet to be disappointed in the skills, spells, or abilities he¡¯d received so far, and he was fairly certain this would follow that same pattern. ¡°Impressive skill, young one,¡± came a voice from behind him. Thor wheeled around, identified his target, and leaped. His spear passed through the small creature¡¯s head, though he met no resistance whatsoever. He crashed into the ground, his spear sliding into the loamy turf. Expecting an attack, he dove forward, ripping the spear from the ground and whipped around. The enemy had not moved. ¡°Honestly, that¡¯s how you react? I didn¡¯t even ¨C oh, you¡¯re attacking again.¡± Indeed, Thor had just thrust his spear through the seemingly insubstantial little man, and it was just as effective as thest attack. Which was to say, not at all. A few more fruitless attacks, and Thor finally pulled back, breathing hard. ¡°What is going on?¡± he demanded. ¡°Are you a ghost?¡± ¡°That is an interesting question,¡± the little man said. He was no taller than three feet, and he was built like a child. However, he bore a thick, red beard and a truly impressive mustache. Coupled with the wrinkled face, bushy eyebrows, and bald head, and he looked like a tiny old man. ¡°I¡¯m not dead, but this is a projection of my spirit. Sadly, it¡¯s the only way I can visit your wonderfully wild.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Of course you don¡¯t,¡± the little man said, shaking his head. ¡°I am not of Earth. You have met offworlders before, yes?¡± Thor nodded. ¡°Not very verbose, are you? Oh well. I¡¯m not here for conversation,¡± he said. ¡°My name is Eason Edmund, n patriarch of¡­you know what? You don¡¯t know what any of that means, do you? Of course not. You¡¯re an unlearned and uninformed barbarian ¨C oh, you¡¯re attacking again.¡± Thor certainly didn¡¯t enjoy being called a barbarian, so he¡¯d done what he always did when he didn¡¯t like something ¨C attack. It did no more good than his previous attempts to teach the little man some manners. ¡°If you¡¯re done?¡± said Eason Edmund with a sigh. Thor backed away, still wary. ¡°Good. I am here with an opportunity.¡± He waved a hand, and a notification bloomed into being before Thor¡¯s inner eye:
A powerful entity has offered you a Task: Obejctive: Hunt the Druid (Elijah Hart) Reward: Blessing of the Gnome, Eason Edmund Do you ept?
¡°Blessing? What does that mean?¡± asked Thor. ¡°Oh, you can read. Good,¡± Eason Edmund said. ¡°The blessing will give you two options. Either a spell that mimics one of my own abilities or the advancement of your core.¡± ¡°And all I have to do is hunt someone?¡± Thor asked. He recognized the name from the seventh spot on the power rankings. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Thor. ¡°Call it family pride,¡± Eason Edmund said. ¡°He took something from me and mine. Now, we weren¡¯t exactly using it. Cast it aside, really. But it was still ours. So, he will be punished.¡± ¡°When you tell me to hunt him, do you mean¡­¡± ¡°Oh. Right. That wording is a bit ambiguous. You are the punishment. Kill him. Get a reward. That is the deal. Do you ept?¡± Thor didn¡¯t need to think about it before he nodded and affirmed it in his system notifications. ¡°Good. Very good. I can¡¯t risk telling you where he is, but you should find him in that direction.¡± The little creature pointed off to the southwest. ¡°That is all the help I can give you, so I hope you are as good of a hunter as I think you are,¡± Eason Edmund said. ¡°I am the best hunter in the world,¡± Thor said. Then, without another word, he set off through the woods. Somewhere behind him, a little gnome grinned broadly. Book 3: Chapter 1: A Second Wind Book 3: Chapter 1: A Second Wind As the noon sun shone down on Elijah¡¯s head and a gentle wind tousled his curly hair, he sat in the middle of the square known as Druid Park, wearing a mantle of contentment. After everything he had been through, he thought it was important to keep a positive mindset. When he¡¯d been diagnosed with terminal cancer, it would have been so easy to give in to despair. And in fact, he had, surrendering to what he thought was his inevitable death. Only after Earth had been touched by the World Tree had he been given a second chance at life. That hade with significant hardship as well, and for more than two years, he¡¯d struggled to survive alone on a deserted ind. But he had persevered, and eventually, he¡¯d begun to amass significant power. Yet, it seemed that every time he turned around, there was a new challenge meant to push him to even greater heights. More, it felt as if every step he took was beset by one distraction or another. The moment he¡¯d left his ind in search of his family, he¡¯d been sidetracked by a string of events that had conspired to keep him from focusing on his primary task. Certainly, he¡¯d done some good along the way. He¡¯d healed and saved plenty of people, though he was more focused on the ones he¡¯d killed. At the time, he¡¯d considered himself justified, but with the benefit of hindsight, he could recognize his mistakes. Even then, he didn¡¯t precisely feel bad about the things he¡¯d done. Rather, he only acknowledged that if he kept going down that road, he would be something he didn¡¯t want to be. So, he¡¯d resolved to keep his vengeful impulses to a minimum, establishing a code of conduct so he¡¯d know when he was about to step over the line. Hopefully, that would be enough, because he wasn¡¯t certain if he could trust himself to react appropriately in any given moment. Sure, he hoped so. And he strove to be as moral a person as the situation allowed. But Elijah could at least acknowledge that he had issues and that he couldn¡¯t always rely on his own judgement. That was where the code came in. It boiled down to a few simple ts, the first of which was that he wouldn¡¯t punish people for doing what they needed to do to survive. If that included killing powerful beasts or harvesting natural treasures, then so be it. As distasteful as he considered either activity, he couldn¡¯t judge people for them. It went against his instincts, but that was kind of the point. He was a human first, a Druid second. And that was how he needed to approach things. That was what had led him to help defend the people of Ironshore from the orcish horde. It had been a brutal battle, but he and the dwarves, goblins, and gnomes who¡¯de to Earth in search of a new beginning had eventually emerged victorious. With no false modesty, Elijah knew that he was the biggest reason for their sessful defense of Ironshore.But he didn¡¯t regret it. In fact, he reveled in what he considered a good deed, and the people of Ironshore had begun to tolerate him. They still didn¡¯t see Elijah as one of them, but even begrudging eptance was better than hostility. He hoped that his rtionship with them would continue to grow and evolve in a positive way. Finally, Elijah opened his eyes, and he flinched away when he saw a huge pair of eyes staring back at him. It took him a moment to realize that a gnomish child was sitting in front of him. She was tiny ¨C barely a foot tall, and sitting atop a giant toadstool that had grown in front of him. ¡°Hey,¡± she squeaked brightly. ¡°Mr. Biggle said these aren¡¯t poisonous and that you wouldn¡¯t mind letting them grow in your park. I don¡¯t believe him. Not about the poisonous thing, but about you not minding. You look kind of grumpy.¡± ¡°Uh¡­I¡¯m not grumpy,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That¡¯s what my mom always says when dad stays out toote andes home dizzy,¡± she said. ¡°But I know she¡¯s lying. I think you might be like that. Most grown-ups are liars.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Elijah lied. He¡¯d told plenty of fibs in his day. ¡°Well, I am. But I¡¯m not lying right now.¡± She cocked her head to the side, her pink pigtails swaying. ¡°That¡¯s what a liar would say,¡± she reasoned. ¡°True,¡± Elijah agreed, nodding sagely. ¡°But if I¡¯m not lying and said I was, then I¡¯d be a liar.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense, Mr. Druid.¡± ¡°Elijah.¡± ¡°Druid Elijah,¡± she said. ¡°Uh¡­what was it that you wanted? Or were you just watching me meditate?¡± he asked. ¡°I like watching the tree grow,¡± she said. ¡°It got bigger even since yesterday. Is that because of you?¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°I have a spell that helps nts grow,¡± he said. Then, he focused on the giant mushroom upon which the gnomish child sat. ¡°Mushrooms, too, apparently.¡± ¡°Mushrooms are nts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. They are fungi.¡± ¡°Fun guy? They¡¯re not guys. And they¡¯re not fun, either. I guess Mr. Biggle thinks they are, but everybody knows he¡¯s weird. Mom doesn¡¯t like me hanging around with him, but he makes the best candy. You¡¯re not supposed to know that, though. He told me not to tell anybody. I didn¡¯t, but all the other kids know anyway,¡± she said. ¡°I think he can¡¯t keep a secret.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Elijah said. Without his Quartz Mind, he might not have followed the conversation. ¡°So? You¡¯re just a fan of watching trees?¡± This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Oh. No. Uncle Ramik wants to see you. That¡¯s why I was here,¡± she said. ¡°He said he¡¯d buy me a new dress from Miss Mari if I told you. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s worth a dress, but he¡¯s always been a sucker. I just do my eyes at him, and he¡¯ll do whatever I want.¡± To punctuate that statement, she opened her eyes wide and adopted the most adorable expression Elijah had ever seen. He could certainly understand why Ramik let the little girl wrap him around her tiny finger. ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°Be careful not to abuse that power. There¡¯s a saying from this world. With great poweres great responsibility. Do you know what that means?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m ten. I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± ¡°Oh. Uh¡­¡± ¡°I told you,¡± she said, pushing herself to her feet. She put her hands on her hips and demanded, ¡°You need to go see Uncle Ramik so I can get my dress. Right now.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Elijah said, pushing himself to his feet. ¡°What¡¯s your name, anyway?¡± ¡°Rosabe.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Rosabe. I¡¯m Elijah,¡± he said, holding out his hand. She eyed it for a second, then said, ¡°What am I supposed to do with that?¡± ¡°You shake it. It¡¯s a custom on Earth.¡± She shrugged, then grabbed his wrist and wiggled it a bit. ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± Then, she hopped off the toadstool and walked away, leaving Elijah a little nonplussed. He felt certain that he¡¯d seen a handshake or two among the residents of Ironshore. Still, he gathered his wits quickly enough, then set off from the government building. Before he left the park, though, he looked back at the progress. He¡¯d only spent a couple of weeks bathing the park in Nature¡¯s Bounty, but the results spoke for themselves. The ancestral tree had grown into a six-foot sapling, and the surrounding square was now teeming with vegetation. Including a patch of mushrooms that Elijah knew weren¡¯t there when he¡¯d started his most recent bout of meditation. He''d have to talk to Biggle the alchemist about that. Elijah took one more look before letting out a sigh and heading down the connecting street toward the governmental building. It wasn¡¯t far ¨C only a few blocks ¨C but even in that short distance, Elijah saw that the people of Ironshore had taken to the city¡¯s repairs and upgrades with quite a bit of vigor. As such, the city had begun to transform, taking on a much more refined appearance. However, he did notice that there were a lot more trees present than there had been before, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if that was due to his influence. Perhaps. After all, the city and its residents did owe their survival to him, at least in part. Maybe they wanted to show their appreciation. Or they might have done it in an effort to stay on his good side. Either way, Elijah was grateful. The more trees there were, the better ¨C and that wasn¡¯t even his druid senses speaking. Indeed, that was justmon sense, as far as he was concerned. In any event, Elijah quickly made his way inside therge building and found his way to Ramik¡¯s office. An attendant greeted him, then let him in to see the goblin mayor of Ironshore. Ramik cut a prim, well-dressed figure, with a three-piece suit, a pair of stylish spectacles, and a pair of shiny shoes. Normally, he wore a bowler hat ¨C or at least an approximation of one ¨C but it hung from a low rack near the door. Overall, the goblin looked like a Victorian-era gentleman, albeit one with green skin, goblinoid features, and a height that couldn¡¯t have been more than three feet. Ramik looked up from where he¡¯d been writing a letter with an honest-to-goodness quill pen and said, ¡°Oh, Elijah. Thank you foring. I trust my¡­ah¡­niece didn¡¯t trouble you too much?¡± ¡°Niece?¡± Elijah asked, taking a seat across from the goblin. ¡°There a story there?¡± Indeed, the little girl had been a gnome. ¡°By marriage,¡± the goblin stated. ¡°My wife¡¯s a gnome, and that¡¯s her sister¡¯s child. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± ¡°Sure. What¡¯s up?¡± Elijah asked, draping his arm over the back of the chair. ¡°Something going on? The orcs aren¡¯t back, are they? I feel like someone a bit higher up than a gnomish child would havee for me if that was the case, but you all surprise me every time I turn around.¡± ¡°No, nothing like that,¡± Ramik said with a wave of his hand. He took his sses off, then wiped the lenses with a handkerchief he took from his vest pocket. ¡°ording to Kurik, the orcs werepletely wiped out. He found their origin, and there were none left.¡± ¡°Good riddance,¡± Elijah stated. It had been a costly war, and not just in terms of the people they¡¯d lost. They¡¯d also attempted to starve the orcs by hunting all the game in the area. It wouldn¡¯t likely have a permanent impact, but even though it had been Elijah¡¯s suggestion, it still filled him with unease. It would have been worse if it hadn¡¯t worked. ¡°Indeed,¡± Ramik said. ¡°The reason I asked you toe is twofold. First, there is a memorial service tonight, and I hoped you would make an appearance.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Elijah said without hesitation. Without those people, he wouldn¡¯t have survived. Specifically, there was a goblin mage who¡¯d saved his life at the end of the battle, so he thought he owed at least her the respect of showing up to her memorial. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°An official alliance, as we spoke of before. The terms are simple ¨C you help us if we¡¯re threatened, and we¡¯ll do the same, defending your territory as if it¡¯s our own,¡± he said. ¡°Of course, we will stay away otherwise. We have no desire to push that.¡± ¡°Ah. Yeah. I mean, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll have to look at the official terms, but¡­yeah. That sounds good.¡± Elijah recognized that he likely should have expected it. After all, even the temporary alliance they¡¯d established to deal with the orcs had been sessful, and considering their close proximity, it made sense to be allies. Before the fight against the orcs, Elijah might have refused, but now, he had few reservations about an official partnership. After that, the pair chatted a little, and when the time came, Ramik led him outside. Soon enough, they¡¯d crossed the city until they reached the outskirts. In the distance, Elijah saw arge pyramid of lumber. It took him a moment to realize that it was intended to be fuel for a funeral pyre. When they arrived, most of the city was already there. Still, the memorial service wasn¡¯t meant to start until after dark, so Elijah took the opportunity to study the pyre. It was constructed of raw lumber, and he noted that each small body that had been ced upon it was wrapped in pristine white cloth. ¡°Shame, ain¡¯t it?¡± came Kurik¡¯s voice. Elijah nced to his right to see that the dwarven scout, with his spiky ck hair and short beard, was standing next to him. He wore an unreadable expression upon his sharp-featured face. ¡°It is,¡± Elijah agreed. ¡°I wish we could have saved more.¡± ¡°Me, too.¡± After that, the pair went silent, and as the evening turned to night, the rest of the city turned out. Once the sun hadpletely set, Ramik stepped forward and gave a speech. It was short and to the point, detailing the noble sacrifices of each casualty of the battle. He also extolled the virtues of the defenders, giving them credit for what they¡¯d aplished, both for Ironshore and for the world atrge. For if they hadn¡¯t stopped the orcish horde, it would have swept across thends until it had conquered everything or someone else had stepped up to kill them. Finally, once Ramik had finished his speech, he stepped up to the pyre and summoned a fireball, which he cast into the dried lumber. It went up in mes a momentter, burning bright and fast as the city¡¯s residents said goodbye to their lost friends and family. It served as a reminder that Elijah still had a task before him. He wasn¡¯t ready to resume his search for his own family, but he certainly hadn¡¯t forgotten the personal quest. With that in mind, he watched the mes burn alongside everyone else. Book 3: Chapter 2: No Safety Net Book 3: Chapter 2: No Safety Net The wide world spread out before Carmen, and all she could think of was the city she¡¯d just left behind. However, as she clutched her son¡¯s hand, she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to look back. Even as she heard the guards of Easton chuckling and jeering, she refused to give them ¨C or Roman ¨C the satisfaction of appearing hesitant. So, with her shoulders straight and her back unbent, Carmen strode into the wilderness. Beside her, still trembling, was her son, Miguel. She could well understand his fear, after what he¡¯d been through. After being abducted by the viinous Ouw Trace, the boy had been dragged across miles of terrain then thrown at the feet of the man who¡¯d murdered his other mother, Alyssa. Due to reasons Carmen still hadn¡¯t wrapped her mind around, Roman had chosen to spare Miguel. What¡¯s more, he hadn¡¯t killed Carmen or Colt, either. Instead, he¡¯d merely exiled them. Yet, that was as good as a death sentence, especially given that none of them had any equipment. So, that was the first order of business. ¡°Do you know of anywhere that hasn¡¯t been picked clean?¡± she asked, turning to Colt Marsters, her loyal right-hand man. Somewhere during his own captivity, he¡¯d been stripped of his armor, duster, and the katana he normally wore on his hip. But the most striking difference ¨C even more than the hand they¡¯d taken ¨C was the absence of his cowboy hat. Without it, he looked almost naked. The man ran his remaining hand through his thinning hair and drawled, ¡°Might be something to the west. Back when I was still runnin¡¯ with the city¡¯s scavengers, most everybody avoided that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Carmen asked. Early on, she¡¯d participated in her fair share of patrols, but those had been focused on keeping the city clear of dangerous beasts. It had been years since she¡¯d actually gone scavenging, save for when she¡¯d helped harvest a Corvette¡¯s engine for a few bits of titanium she¡¯d used to construct her hammer. That had been lost, too. So had the forge she¡¯d worked so hard to build. All her other projects, as well. She felt lost, adrift in a sea of danger for which she was ill-prepared to confront. But as had been the case since Earth had been touched by the World Tree, she pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the path before her. They needed equipment. Food. Water. And shelter. Everything else ¨C including maudlin thoughts of everything she¡¯d lost in the past couple of weeks ¨C would have to wait forter.¡°There¡¯s a couple of territorial beasts in that direction,¡± Colt said. ¡°But it¡¯s mostly ¡®cause of the Marauders. They don¡¯t always set up shop out that way, but when they¡¯re there, they¡¯re nothin¡¯ to mess with.¡± Like everyone else in Easton, Carmen knew of the Marauders. They were a small gang who were reputed to make a living hijacking the few trade caravans that ran between the city and its allies. At one point, Carmen might have wondered why nobody had ever done anything about it, but now that she knew the depths Roman would sink to in order to protect his city ¨C or rather, his rule ¨C she suspected that they¡¯d made some sort of deal in exchange for virtual immunity. Or perhaps Roman simply didn¡¯t care enough about what amounted to a minor and easily avoidable inconvenience for his merchants and traders. Whatever the case, they were a persistent threat, and one that could work both in their favor and to endanger their quest to survive. ¡°Should we risk it?¡± she asked, well aware that there were nearly fifteen other people following her. That was all that was left of her followers. The rest had either been killed during the pitifully ineffective rebellion, or they¡¯d turned coat. Not that Carmen would me them for thetter. Everyone had to live in the real world, and that often meantpromising one¡¯s ideals in order to survive. If she had been given that same option, perhaps she would have taken it. Of course, Carmen was honest enough with herself to recognize the lie she¡¯d just tried to tell herself. No matter what rewards were on offer, she would never let Roman¡¯s actions go unaddressed. He had killed her wife, betrayed her in the most vile way possible. Carmen could not forgive or ignore that, even if it meant that she would end up on the wrong end of the sword she¡¯d been forced to forge. ¡°Mom¡­¡± Carmen looked to her son, asking, ¡°What is it, mijo?¡± ¡°Did he really¡­he really killed her, didn¡¯t he?¡± Carmen stopped. They were far enough from the gate by that point that the guards couldn¡¯t see her. Then, she knelt in front of him and looked up. ¡°When did you get so big?¡± she muttered. It was a good question. She¡¯d been so wrapped up in everything else ¨C from getting the Silverado mining operation off the ground to the nned rebellion ¨C that she hadn¡¯t paid nearly enough attention to the one member of her family that had survived. Well ¨C that wasn¡¯t necessarily true. Elijah was still out there, and while he wasn¡¯t her blood, he was still family. And for as long as she¡¯d known him, he¡¯d treated her like a sister. No ¨C he was as good as her blood, and judging by the power rankings, he was still alive and doing well enough. Regardless, she couldn¡¯t focus on a man she likely would never see again. With how Earth had grown and been rearranged, he could be on the other side of the world. Elijah was alive, but for now, that fact was irrelevant to her situation. By contrast, Miguel was right there in front of her. That was what mattered. That and the people who¡¯d put their trust in her, erroneous though that choice had proven. ¡°Did he?¡± Miguel persisted, ignoring her previous question. She sighed. ¡°He did,¡± Carmen stated. Miguel¡¯s face contorted with rage. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him,¡± he announced. ¡°I am. I don¡¯t know how, but I¡¯m gonna get a good ss and¡­and I¡¯m gonna kill him.¡± ¡°Mijo¡­¡± ¡°Kid, you ain¡¯t killin¡¯ nothin¡¯ right now,¡± Colt interjected. ¡°You remember what we talked about, right? Keep your eyes on what¡¯s in front of you. Do you know what that is right now?¡± Miguel shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Protectin¡¯ your mom,¡± the man interrupted. Then he gestured with his stump at the other people gathered all around. They were a ragged bunch, but at least they weren¡¯t injured. Roman had at least given them medical attention, which given the powers of the city¡¯s Healers, meant that they were in perfect health. ¡°All these people need you. So, keep your eyes on the prize, kid. Otherwise, you ain¡¯t never gonna survive long enough to kill nobody. You get me?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that. I asked if you got me, son.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Good. Now, go help Diana over there pool our supplies. We might need to ration.¡± Miguel quickly scurried to the indicated woman ¨C a redhead who¡¯d once been quite plump ¨C and did as he¡¯d been told. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Carmen said, ¡°Thanks. I don¡¯t know how we¡¯re going to deal with that.¡± ¡°Training.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how we deal with it. Look, boss ¨C the kid ain¡¯t gonna give up on his mission. We both know it. So, best we can do for him is to prepare him for it. That means training. That means equipment. That means gettin¡¯ him the best ss possible. Otherwise, we¡¯re just throwin¡¯ him to the butcher.¡± Carmen nodded. She didn¡¯t like that idea, but she also wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to think she could dissuade her son from trying to avenge his mother¡¯s murder. Only time could do that, and even then, it was no sure thing. For now, Colt¡¯s n seemed to be the best option. Besides, Carmen had no other ideas on how to curtail her son¡¯s vengeful impulses. It did put his trembling into context, though. He wasn¡¯t afraid. He was angry. Over the next few minutes, Carmen and Colt discussed their route while Miguel and Diana catalogued their supplies. Roman hadn¡¯t given them much ¨C just enough food and water for a day or two at most ¨C so they needed to figure out how to solve those immediate problems. Fortunately, there were more than a fewkes and streams nearby, so hydration wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue. Food, though, would be hard toe by. They could forage some, but given that winter had just broken, there wasn¡¯t much avable ¨C especially when they needed to feed so many. ¡°If we can get some metal, I can make us some weapons,¡± she said. They wouldn¡¯t be very good ¨C Crude-Grade, at best ¨C but that was better than nothing. Without a forge, she¡¯d have to rely on her abilities and techniques. Fortunately, they were well-suited to working without equipment, fire, or the best materials. ¡°Should be some to be found to the west, like I said,¡± Colt responded. ¡°Don¡¯t know much more than that, but we need to be ready to fight.¡± After that, Carmen took stock of the people there. Seventeen, total, and only she and Colt had any realbat experience. The rest were Schrs who¡¯d been masquerading asborers, and aside from a couple of identification abilities, they had no immediately useful abilities. Sure, Carmen knew that, in the long run, Schrs would be extremely valuable members of any society. Yet, in the short term, they were practically useless, which was why Roman had taken such a hard line against their initial inclusion in the city. Now, Carmen was saddled with a bunch of mouths to feed, and even if everyone there was well-meaning, they were incapable of pulling their own weight. So, as much as she hated agreeing with Roman, she understood his reasoning better than ever. However, she wouldn¡¯t let it change her attitude. They were still people, and they deserved to live just as much as anyone else. Even if they were practically useless for the current situation. Once she and Colt knew what they were dealing with, they led the group through the wilderness to the west as they made their way to the supplies they needed to survive. Hopefully. In all reality, nothing was guaranteed, and Carmen knew that they could very well be walking into a dangerous situation for which they were ill-prepared. As it turned out, though, they encountered nothing dangerous before stumbling upon an old gas station. Beside it was a wide highway that went on for miles in both directions, which Carmen expected would ease the burden of travel. More importantly, the abandoned business offered an opportunity for salvage. So, like a flock of vultures, the group descended upon the filling station to search for supplies. And their initial efforts found no rewards. The shelves had been picked clean, and there was nothing overtly useful inside. Colt held up one of the flimsy metal shelves. ¡°You think this will work?¡± Carmen shook her head. ¡°Too soft,¡± she stated. She needed metal. Iron or steel, preferably. Those would be the easiest to work. Anything else would either be too soft or too hard. ¡°I found something!¡± came Miguel¡¯s voice. Carmen rushed through the building, remembering a time when it would have been stocked with all sorts of convenient products. No more. Finally, she reached the storage room, where she found her son kneeling next to a box full of screws. ¡°Will this work?¡± Carmen nodded and praised her son for his find. Then, she picked up the box. It was only eight inches wide, but it was just as deep, and it was half full. So, there was enough metal in there to create a singlerge de, with enough left over for a couple of knives. But that didn¡¯t make sense. If she wanted to equip her people as quickly as possible ¨C and with weapons they could use more easily and efficiently ¨C spears were the better choice. Not only would they require much less metal, but the barrier for basic mastery was much lower than a sword or dagger. She looked up at the other gathered refugees. ¡°I need a bunch of sticks. About four to six feet long. As straight as you can find,¡± she said. ¡°Colt!¡± The man poked his head through the door, asking, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Do you know how to use a spear?¡± ¡°I know which end¡¯s deadly,¡± he answered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re in charge of teaching everyone the basics.¡± Then, she sent him to supervise the stick-gathering operation. Meanwhile, she used Bond to meld the screws, one after another, into a series of billets. Once that was done, she went outside and used hertest ability:
Smolder Use Ethera to heat metal when a forge is not avable.
Then, she ced the first billet on a rock, manifested a hammer with Summon Tool, and went to work shaping the first spearhead. It was quick work, especially with her Strength and the ability to keep the metal hot. Still, it wasn¡¯t ideal. Normally, she would have used Decontaminate as well as Refine Material to ensure the metal was perfect. Yet, if she did that, she would lose quite a bit of mass, and given that the box of screws wouldn¡¯t provide a surplus of raw metal, she needed those contaminates, if for no other reason than to ensure she had enough spearheads to arm everyone. For simr reasons, she chose not to use Shape, though that was a question of ethera rather than material. It was a very useful ability, but the ethera cost meant that it was best used for detail work rather than rough shaping. And considering that a simple spearhead only needed the rough work, she didn¡¯t think it was the best option. So, she continued on, refining the shape the old-fashioned way ¨C with hammer and heat ¨C until she¡¯d created a six¨Cinch, leaf-shaped spearhead. It was rough, and it wasn¡¯t sharp, but she had a n for that. First, though, she wanted to finish with the other des. Gradually, she did just that, creating more than a dozen nearly identical spearheads. By the time that was done, night had fallen and Colt and the others had returned with a bundle of appropriate shafts. So, they retreated inside, where they ate in rtive silence before Carmen went on to the next step. Using Shape, she ran the first de between her thumb and forefinger. She didn¡¯t remove any material. Instead, she applied pressure and her ability to narrow the metal until it was sharp. It wasn¡¯t a razor, but it was enough to kill. And that was the best she could do under the circumstances. After the first spearhead, the process was a little easier, and that pattern continued right until thest one. There was a point when she¡¯d have considered such a task beneath her. After all, she was the highest-level crafter in Easton. She was on the powerdder. She was special, and making spearheads failed to capitalize on her advantages. But now, she realized that there was no such thing as a mundane task. Not if she wanted to be the best crafter possible. If that was her goal, then she needed to approach each project ¨C regardless of how tedious ¨C like it was intended to be a masterpiece. Anything else, and she would stagnate. For now, though, she just needed to arm her people. So, once the des were finished, she manifested a knife with Summon Tool, which she used to shape the sticks into spear shafts. Half of them weren¡¯t appropriate for the job ¨C they were either too thin or bent ¨C but the others had gathered more than enough, so Carmen had plenty to work with. And over time, she managed to create fourteen shafts. After that, she notched one end of the shafts before shoving the des into ce. After that, she used abination of Bond and Shape to ensure that they wouldn¡¯t be dislodged. And just like that, she had fifteen spears. However, she did take a little extra time to add some rudimentary embellishments to each ¨C carving an artful whorl into the shafts ¨C before enchanting them by etching a symbol into each side of the de. As she did, she used Minor Enchantment, focusing on durability for one, then sharpness with the other. When she¡¯d finished the first, she received a surprising notification:
Congrattions! You have created a unique item [Simple Spear]. Overall Grade: Crude (Peak) Enchantment Grade: F
If Carmen had been honest with herself, she would have expected the spears to be ungraded. However, she wouldn¡¯t have been surprised to reach the lowest reaches of Crude-Grade. But toe so close to Simple-Grade was shocking, considering the poor quality of materials she¡¯d been forced to work with. She sighed. Perhaps they were just due some good fortune. It would be the first bit of good luck in a long time, but she hoped it would be a pattern. With that in mind, she went to work duplicating the feat. Book 3: Chapter 3: The Wall Book 3: Chapter 3: The Wall Elijah sat on the edge of the bed, trying desperately to get his thoughts in order. He had so many things to do, and it felt like the clock was ticking on his opportunity to do them. More than anything, though, he was eager to get back on the proverbial road. Now that he had a lead on where to find Seattle, he felt the call of family even more keenly than ever before. If he hadn¡¯t been called back to defend Ironshore from the orcish invasion, he would have almost assuredly already reached the city. Of course, that was no guarantee of finding them. Last he¡¯d spoken to Alyssa, they had been living just outside of Seattle in a sleepy town called Easton. And it was far enough away from the city proper that there was every chance it had ended up in a different part of the world. When the World Tree had touched Earth, the had been transformed. Those very first notifications had imed as much, saying that it had selectively randomized the while also increasing its mass. However, Elijah hadn¡¯t really realized what that meant until he¡¯d set off across the wilderness. Since then, he¡¯d spent months traveling through the wilds, and he knew he¡¯d barely scratched the surface of what Earth now had to offer. Never was that more obvious than when he¡¯d learned that the once-coastal city of Seattle was now nowhere near the ocean. He didn¡¯t know how that would have affected the ce, but he suspected it wouldn¡¯t be a positive change. More than that, he¡¯d also learned the scope of Earth¡¯s casualties. Millions, if not billions, of people had already died, and if the recent orcish invasion had taught him anything, it was that the dangers had yet to pass. If anything, things would get worse before humanity caught up with their new world¡¯s development. Which meant that Elijah needed to get to work. So, he pushed himself upright. He¡¯d once again chosen to stay in the Imperium,rgely because it was familiar, but he could admit ¨C at least to himself ¨C that he enjoyed the luxury. Before the world had been transformed, he¡¯d never had the opportunity to stay in a truly extravagant hotel, so now that he had some money, he wanted to take advantage. However, he knew he couldn¡¯t make a habit of it, because his funds had already begun to dwindle. Woefully, he looked at his folio:
CopperSilver Gold tinum
211 309 18 0
He still was far from destitute, but Elijah knew that if he continued to spend without thought, that could change in a hurry. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if the Imperium¡¯s rooms were any more luxurious than his tree house. The only difference was that if he¡¯d gone back home for the night, he¡¯d have had to paddle to shore in one of his rapidly dwindling supply of rowboats. Despite the fact that doing so would only take about an hour, Elijah had convinced himself that he couldn¡¯t afford such a dy. It was a lie. But it was one he¡¯d readily chosen to believe. Whatever the case, it was with some regret that he pushed himself to his feet and nced at his reflection in the gilded mirror on the wall. The person staring back at him was almost entirely unrecognizable from the man who¡¯d survived the ne crash. Though he¡¯d never be bulky, Elijah had put on quite a bit of muscle over the years since the world had transformed. However, due to his active lifestyle ¨C or perhaps his body cultivation ¨C he barely had any fat on him. As a result, his muscles looked like they¡¯d been chiseled from marble. Of course, that body was marred by plenty of scars, too. Most of his right arm bore the puckered scars he¡¯d gotten while being digested by a monstrous orca, and his torso was crisscrossed with the results of his many battles. He had not lived a peaceful life over the past few years, and he didn¡¯t expect that to change anytime soon. As he¡¯d acknowledged only a few minutes before, the world was a dangerous ce filled with powerful predators, and he had little choice but to be dangerous and powerful himself. He ran a hand through his curly, blonde hair and muttered to himself, ¡°God, I need a haircut.¡± The assessment was just as appropriate for his beard, which had grown out of control in the past few months. In his defense, though, there wasn¡¯t much call to trim a beard while in the wilderness. It was possible, but it was tedious enough that he¡¯d chosen to simply let it grow. Now he was regretting that. That just reaffirmed the first item on his list ¨C he would go the barbershop to get something done about his hair. But first, he needed to get a shower. So, he headed to the connected bathroom, where he enjoyed a long, hot shower that served to unkink his tense muscles. After spending a little more time in the shower than he¡¯d first intended, Elijah stepped out, dried off, then found his pack. It was a little worse for wear, with plenty of scuffs and minor tears, but he suspected it wouldst a good while longer. Reaching inside, he retrieved his clothes. The night before, he¡¯d used plenty of cleaning powder on his entire wardrobe, and to his surprise, it had worked exceedingly well, even leaving behind a pleasant floral scent that reminded him of freshundry. So, he dressed, ran his fingers through his hair ¨C he stillcked ab ¨C then popped a few berries into his mouth before heading out. As he had nned, the first stop was the barbershop, which served as another reminder of everything Ironshore had lost. Once, there had been three gnomish barbers, but now, there was only one. He made a show of joviality, channeling some of the trio¡¯s old banter, yet Elijah could tell that the barber¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t in it. And he didn¡¯t me him, either. After all, he¡¯d lost hispanions only a couple of weeks before. In the barber¡¯s ce, Elijah wouldn¡¯t have been up for genial conversation either. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. In any case, the barber made quick work of his hair, trimming it down to something far more manageable. He even took care of Elijah¡¯s beard, shaping it into some semnce of tidiness. Before he left, he bought a portable grooming kit that included a couple of brushes, ab, and some scissors that he shoved into his pack. Now that he was making a habit of visiting civilization, he needed to be more cognizant of his appearance. To that end, he stopped by Mari¡¯s shop, too, and purchased a few more sets of clothes. They were only a little nicer than his current wardrobe, but ording to her, they featured a minor self-cleaning enchantment as well as one for durability. ¡°Now, they won¡¯t clean major stains, so keep some cleaning powder handy,¡± she cautioned. ¡°I will,¡± he added. ¡°I¡¯m also going to bring that bear hide by here sometime soon. I still need to tan it, but once I do, I think we should go with a cloak.¡± ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll start preparing for it, then,¡± she stated. ¡°Once we settle on the price, of course.¡± ¡°How much?¡± he asked. ¡°How much are you willing to pay for a one-of-a-kind creation from the best tailor you¡¯re likely to meet on this baby world?¡± was her responding question. She asked it with a slight smirk ying across her face. After that, they went back and forth until they¡¯d settled on two whole gold ethereum coins for the project. Elijah transferred one to her folio as a deposit, promising to bring the hide as soon as possible. He could only hope that it would end up being worth it, though considering the quality of the materials ¨C and what he had nned for preparation ¨C Elijah expected it would be. In any case, the negotiation left him feeling like he¡¯d run a marathan, and he was more than happy to leave Mari¡¯s premises behind. Once that was done, Elijah swung by Druid¡¯s Park to check the ancestral tree sapling, and he was happy to find that there were a few children running around and enjoying the park. That felt appropriate, and he even recognized little Rosabe ying tag with her friends. When he waved, she just rolled her eyes before hesitantly waving back, as if doing so was so far beneath her that she had to force herself to be polite. After seeing that the tree was in good hands, Elijah went in search of Ramik, but his attendant ¨C or perhaps secretary was the proper term ¨C told him that the mayor was inspecting the site meant for the wall. That was interesting, so Elijah quickly found his way to the outer edge of town, where Ramik stood conversing with a few other gnomes, dwarves, and goblins. They all had a rough-and-tumble look about them, which suggested that they were builders. It also made Ramik look entirely out of ce, with his prim three-piece suit and bowler hat. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Elijah asked when he approached them. ¡°Up?¡± asked Ramik, ncing toward the sky. For once, it waspletely devoid of clouds, and the sun shone, bright and warm. ¡°Just an expression,¡± was Elijah¡¯s reply. ¡°It means what are you doing. So, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Ah. Human vernacr is odd,¡± Ramik said with a nod. ¡°The system¡¯s trantion feature helps, but for idioms it is often insufficient.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth,¡± Elijah agreed with a grin. ¡°So, I hear you¡¯re building a wall. Want some help?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± said one of the builders ¨C as surly a dwarf as Elijah had ever met. ¡°What if ¨C¡± ¡°Said we got this, Mr. High-and-Mighty druid,¡± he growled. ¡°And I meant it. So, why don¡¯t you go run off to your ¨C¡± Elijah stepped forward, and the dwarf cut himself off in a hurry when Elijah said, ¡°Let¡¯s get something straight here. Just because I helped with the orcs doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t rip you to pieces if you offend me. You were at the battle, weren¡¯t you?¡± He nodded. ¡°Then you know that¡¯s not an idle threat. So, I¡¯ll ask you to shut up while I¡¯m talking to my friend Ramik.¡± Then, he turned to the prim goblin and, using a much more genial voice, asked, ¡°So, do you want my help?¡± ¡°Ah, what sort of help?¡± he asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was thinking maybe a bramble wall? I¡¯ll have to think about it,¡± he admitted. If he was going to do something like that, he¡¯d need the proper types of nts, and that meant a significant timemitment. That wasn¡¯t even considering how long it would take to coax those nts into growth. Still, he did like the idea of surrounding Ironshore with a dense wall of brambles. If they¡¯d had something like that for the orcs, the invasion might¡¯ve gone a lot better. ¡°We will of course ept any help you might offer,¡± Ramik said. ¡°For now, though, we will proceed with our builders¡¯ ns. With the enhanced ethera density, we should be capable of supporting proper defenses.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°A stronger boundary, for one,¡± Ramik exined, referring to the aura that persuaded beasts to leave the city alone. The current version was enough to keep smaller animals away, but anything with even a smidgen of sentience would ignore it. ¡°And one can never underestimate the value of a proper bulwark.¡± Elijah knew there was probably more to it than that, but he didn¡¯t want to push. He didn¡¯t think of the people of Ironshore as enemies anymore, yet he knew how quickly that could turn around. They still didn¡¯tpletely trust him, and if he was honest, that feeling was mutual, though with a few exceptions like Ramik and Kurik. After only a little more conversation, Elijah bade them goodbye, then headed into the wilderness. The biggest task of the day was far closer to his heart than getting a haircut ormissioning a new piece of equipment. Instead, he intended to ascertain the cost the war had exacted on the environment. Most of that had been the result of the orcs¡¯ voracious appetite. However, Elijah had helped implement a n to deprive the horde of prey by hunting everything themselves. They hadn¡¯t gotten everything ¨C that was all but impossible ¨C but Elijah was worried that he¡¯d helped do irreparable harm to the local ecosystem. It was worth it. He didn¡¯t regret his actions. Without that, the orcs might have been far stronger than they had been when they¡¯d reached Ironshore. Or they might have approached with more caution. Either way, the n had been sessful, and by any measure. Yet Elijah had be a Druid for a reason. He hadn¡¯t been the one to pick his archetype, but hispatibility with it was well warranted. On top of that, he walked around with the One with Nature ability active at all times. As a result, he could feel every living thing in a way no one else could. And as a result, he couldn¡¯t remain unaffected. So, it was with some trepidation and anxiety that he entered the wilderness. Elijah didn¡¯t bother shifting into his draconid form. Instead, he remained a human, though he cast his awareness as far as possible as he strolled through the forest. And what he saw nearly brought tears to his eyes. The orcs had torn through the area as only a ten-thousand-strong band of voracious devourers could, and they¡¯d left few stones unturned. Trees had been ripped from the ground and knocked aside, and the underbrush had fared no better. It looked like a category-five hurricane had passed through the area, though with the added effect of most of the animal life having been killed. Elijah saw hundreds of rotting carcasses. Some were small, clearly having once been rats and squirrels. Other bodies belonged to half-eaten birds. There were a fewrger animals, too. And not just herbivores, either. Even mighty predators like birds and wolves had been killed by the insatiable horde. But there was cause for optimism, too. The area wasn¡¯t nearly as devoid of animal life as he¡¯d expected. In fact, if he hadn¡¯t known what had happened ¨C or seen the evidence every time he stumbled upon a corpse ¨C he would never have guessed that the area had been the site of a mass ughter of animal life. It was just further evidence that the local fauna was far more durable than he¡¯d ever suspected. If he¡¯d had to guess, he would have said that it would only take months for everything to return to normal. A year at most. That was aforting thought, and though his guilt still remained, it was somewhat assuaged by what he¡¯d found. So, it was with some degree of optimism that he engaged Ancestral Circle and returned to his grove. After all, he had a lot to do before he could resume his search for Alyssa and the rest of his family, and it wasn¡¯t going to get done until he settled in and did the work. Book 3: Chapter 4: Fat, Brains, and Bear Hides Book 3: Chapter 4: Fat, Brains, and Bear Hides Upon arrival in his grove, the first thing Elijah did was to return to his treehouse and collect a few things he knew he would need. The hide, which he¡¯d left there for the past few weeks, was the most important bit, but there was a sealed cask he¡¯d gotten from Kurik that was equally necessary for what he had nned. The rest of his materials could either be found in the forest of his ind or he¡¯d already collected them in his pack. So, gathering the massive pelt, he descended back into the grove, where Nerthus greeted him. ¡°Hey, Nerthus. Sorry I can¡¯t talk right now. Got a lot to do.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the tree spirit said. ¡°I am here to inform you that the sapling you nted across the strait is nearly connected to the grove. It will only be a few weeks more.¡± ¡°Oh, nice. I knew it was growing pretty quickly,¡± Elijah said, adjusting the huge hide on his shoulder. Even rolled up, it was enormous, but then again, its owner had been the size of a rhinoceros, so that shouldn¡¯t have been surprising. ¡°Anything else?¡± Nerthus shook his head, which looked disturbingly human. He¡¯d continued to grow and evolve during Elijah¡¯s search for his family, which meant that he¡¯d reached a height of almost four feet tall. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°But you should check your cave sometime soon.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elijah asked. He rummaged in the facet of his Quartz Mind that he¡¯d dedicated to monitoring his Domain, and he quickly found the underwater cave. To his surprise, it had developed quite a bit since thest time he was there. Before, it had been a hollow cave without any significant life, but now, it had already begun to develop its own ecosystem. It was still in its infancy, but Elijah suspected that it would be quite lush sometime in the future. ¡°That¡¯s awesome. I think I could transnt some sea nts down there, too. I bet it would really¡­no. Not right now. I¡¯ve got other things to do first.¡± He couldn¡¯t afford to get distracted, so after only a little more casual conversation with Nerthus ¨C about the grove, which was all the tree spirit seemed to care about ¨C Elijah left the area behind, making for the cabin that had once been his salvation and home. When he arrived, he found that it was just as overgrown and dpidated as it had been thest time he¡¯d visited, though that was no surprise, considering that it was missing a wall and half of its roof had been caved in. Yet, Elijah had little interest in the cabin itself. Rather, he only wanted the area surrounding it,rgely because it was clear of debris or vegetation. So, once he¡¯d arrived, he set the hide and his pack down before heading back into the woods to find some lumber he could use to build a frame from which he could stretch the hide. Considering the hide¡¯s size, it would have to be arge frame indeed, but Elijah had already identified the proper branches and limbs via his locus, which made the search feel unsatisfying and a little like cheating. Not that he was going toin. While he enjoyed the process of making things, he was more interested inpleting his projects efficiently and well. So, over the next hour, he gathered the appropriate branches, then carried them back to the cabin, where he deposited the bundle by the hide.After that, heid them out in a rough square, then notched the ends so they would fit together properly. Soon enough, he¡¯d tied everything together with cordage he¡¯d bought back in Ironshore. Standing back, he admired his work; he¡¯d always enjoyed building things, and that had grown even more poignant during his time stranded on the ind. A couple of minutester, Elijah retrieved the hide, thenid it out in the center of the square. Fortunately, he¡¯d remembered to take proper measurements, or he was certain that he would have misjudged the size. As it was, the hide ended up being almost fifteen feet long and almost as wide. ¡°You really were a big guy, weren¡¯t you? Wish I could have saved you,¡± Elijah muttered, imagining bringing the bear back to the ind. Would it have allowed that? Probably not. And it might¡¯ve created far more problems than it solved. Yet, it was a nice fantasy that upied his mind as he began the tedious process of tying the outer edges of the hide to the frame he¡¯d built. By the time he was finished, it was stretched taut. Luckily, the hunters had already done a tremendous job of fleshing the pelt, so that was a step Elijah didn¡¯t have to worry about. That allowed him to skip a few steps and jump right to salting the hide. So, he flipped the frame so that the fur faced down, then retrieved a huge, bup bag of salt from his pack. It was on the edge of what the container could handle, but Elijah hadn¡¯t wanted to underestimate just how much he would need. So, with that in mind, he started spreading the salt across the inner part of the hide. Once that was done, he stepped back and admired his work. The next step couldn¡¯t bepleted for around fifteen hours, so he had two other projects meant to upy him until then. The first was that he was starting to run low on soap, and he wanted to make some more. However, instead of using his previous method, he wanted to change things up a little in the hopes of making something that was slightly more magical than mundane soap. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. So, he set out to create some lye. With that goal at the forefront of his mind, he used the same method as before, which involved burning a lot of limbs, collecting the ashes, and running water through it multiple times until he¡¯d created an alkaline solution. The biggest difference was that his forest was subject to much denser ethera than ever before, so he had reason to expect that the ash would be a bit more magical in nature. Yet, he wasn¡¯t certain, so the only thing he could do was give it a try. And over the next fifteen hours, he did just that. Using the same hollowed out logs that he¡¯d made thest time, he repeatedly filtered water through the ashes until, atst, he had what he needed. But by the time that was finished, the hide was ready. So, Elijah turned his attention to that. Over the next few hours, he used arge stick to scrape the salt from the hide. It was stubborn, but he was persistent, and over that time, he finished that step of his project. That left him with the most important phase: the tanning. Elijah knew the theory behind brain tanning, and he¡¯d confirmed the steps with both Biggle and Mari. However, he¡¯d never done it before, so he was a little hesitant. Still, he forged ahead, hopeful that he wouldn¡¯t screw things up too much. Yet, he did consider paying Mari toe to the ind so she could supervise. Not that she would have consented toe, given the history of people who¡¯d visited his ind. Of the fifty-two people who¡¯d done so, only three had survived. So, Elijah chose to abandon that notion. Instead, he pushed ahead with what he knew. Fortunately, he was well-prepared, and he had everything he needed to make the solution. With that in mind, he gathered the sealed cask of brains that had been taken from the orc warlord, then emptied them into arge pot. They came out slimy and more than a little pungent, but he could tell they hadn¡¯t turned. Next, he spent a few frustrating minutes separating the yolks he¡¯d taken from a few dozen eggs he¡¯d found on the ind. He added those, then retrieved thest ingredient from his pack. Normally, Elijah would have preferred to make everything himself, but he simply didn¡¯t have ess to mineral oil. So, he¡¯d been forced to buy some from Biggle. Fortunately, the little gnome alchemist was predisposed to working with Elijah after buying the mushroom flesh that he was using to make cultivation potions. Because of that, he didn¡¯t rip Elijah off. Not too badly, at least. In any event, the mineral oil had been incredibly expensive, which meant that Elijah was very much invested in making certain that it was well used. So, once he¡¯d emptied the right amount into the huge pot, he started mixing it over a fire. He didn¡¯t intend to boil it, but instead, he just wanted it warm enough for all the ingredients to coalesce. Which they did, giving him a warm, white liquid that he hoped would do the job. Positioning himself on all fours atop the stretched hide, Elijah spread the concoction across the surface. He made certain that there wasn¡¯t an inch uncovered, and before long, he¡¯d finished. After that, he took a fewrge sheets of waterproof cloth he¡¯d gotten from Mari and covered the whole thing up. Needing to leave that overnight, Elijah turned his attention back to the soap. So, for that, he returned to his treehouse to gather another cask that Kurik had given him. This one contained fat harvested from the orc warlord. As his kill, Elijah was entitled to every part of the monster. Yet, he¡¯d only wanted the brains and fat. The rest, he wasn¡¯t certain he wanted to know where it went. Perhaps the bones would be good for weapons, but he didn¡¯t think the people of Ironshore would eat orcs. Yet, he wasn¡¯t certain of that, which made him rethink eating any meals there for some time. The creatures weren¡¯t really much more than animals, but they were far too human-like in appearance and intelligence for him topletely dissociate from the notion of cannibalism. That probably made no sense, but he¡¯d have felt the same way about eating an ape. Or a dolphin. Or any of a dozen of the more intelligent animal species. Stupid, probably. But that was where he drew the line. Though, if he was honest with himself, he would have admitted that that line would quickly be very blurry if he grew hungry enough. He didn¡¯t want to think about that, though. Instead, he started melting the fat over the fire, and once it was liquid, he strained it over and over again until all the impurities were gone. Then, he set it aside to harden. The next step was to gather some aromatics, for which he turned to his grove. Fortunately,vender grew naturally there, so he¡¯d picked some the week before and left it to dry. Now, he just needed to infuse it. So, Elijah took the driedvender and shoved it into a huge jar, then coated it with some oil he¡¯d bought from Biggle. Elijah had no idea what it was, but it had a simr consistency to coconut oil, and most importantly, it had no odor. So, it would have to do. Throughout the process, he¡¯d continuously red Nature¡¯s Bounty ¨C not to encourage nt growth, but rather, to nket the area in his personal ethera. Fortunately, the spell yed extremely well with the natural ethera ¨C probably because it was already infused with his own due to the Domain ¨C so it created a potent bubble of energy that he hoped would serve to augment everything he was trying to make. However, he¡¯d finally reached the point where he could only wait for the two projects to progress to the next step. The pelt needed time for the brain solution to tan it, and the ash needed to increase the alkalinity of the water in the lye hopper. Finally, thevender needed time to infuse the oil. But that was always going to be the case. His n wouldn¡¯t bepleted overnight, so he¡¯d alreadye up with another project to upy his time. In short, he needed to create another staff to rece the Staff of Natural Harmony that had been destroyed during the battle with the orcs. First, he wanted to go back to his treehouse and sleep a bit. He¡¯d been at it most of the day, and at some point, the sun had set without him even realizing it. So, with that in mind, he headed back to his grove, climbed into his treehouse, and into his bed. He was asleep in moments, and that night, he dreamed of soap and bear hides. Book 3: Chapter 5: A New Staff Book 3: Chapter 5: A New Staff The next morning dawned bright and cheerful, and Elijah rose to the sound of birdsong. For a few moments, he justy in bed, enjoying the morning for the peace it represented. It would have been so easy to let himself get wrapped up in all the terrible things he¡¯d seen and done. Yet, for all the danger of the new world, it was also incredibly beautiful. Remembering that was key, he was certain. After all, attitude was a choice. If he focused on nothing but the most negative things, then his outlook on life would be tainted as a result. Yet, if he chose positivity and optimism, it would infuse his life with the same. Certainly, Elijah knew he would descend into plenty of valleys ¨C he¡¯d been in quite a few already, and it would have been na?ve to believe that he wouldn¡¯t revisit them ¨C but he also recognized that he¡¯d seen a lot of peaks as well. Choosing where to ce his focus was what separated happiness from misery. And he knew which one he wanted to embrace. So, he rose with a smile on his face as he confronted the day¡¯s tasks. The first order of business was to enjoy breakfast. He didn¡¯t want to hunt or fish ¨C and he definitely didn¡¯t feel like going and killing a crab ¨C so Elijah decided to make a circuit of his grove, pulsing Nature¡¯s Bounty as he picked berries. From the outside looking in, the berries all looked simr, but to Elijah, each one tasted slightly different. It was like they were all sorts of berries in one, and as a result, there was plenty of variety to keep him on his toes. Once he¡¯d finished eating ¨C and putting his stamp on the grove ¨C Elijah headed back to the cabin where he investigated the results of the previous day¡¯s work. The hide wasn¡¯t quite ready yet, but that wasn¡¯t surprising. Mundane hides would take at least a day for the brain solution to seep in, but Elijah had fully expected the magical bear pelt to take much longer. The same was true of thevender infusion. It would likely take at least a week for it toplete, and in that time, Elijah had a major task to undertake ¨C he needed to carve a new staff. The Staff of Natural Harmony had been with him almost since the beginning. With it, he¡¯d aplished a host of miraculous deeds, ranging from conquering towers to defending his ind. It had been his constantpanion, and without thatforting staff, he felt almost naked. But he was also excited about the possibilities before him. When he¡¯d first created the Staff of Natural Harmony, he¡¯d had no idea what was going on. He hadn¡¯t even realized what he was doing when he¡¯d spent weeks pulsing Nature¡¯s Bounty and One with Nature. And almost by ident, he¡¯d created something that he now understood to be quite unique. Most people couldn¡¯t create a Simple-Grade item at all, much less by ident. The only downside ¨C if it could even be considered such ¨C was that the result had been bound to him from the moment of its creation. ¡°Guess I¡¯m not going to make a living as a staff-maker,¡± he said to himself with a grin as he set off into the forest in search of the perfect stick. But that grin quickly faded as he came to realize just how many choices there were. If all he cared about were dimensions, there were a near infinite number of solutions. So, he chose to focus on something else ¨C the ethereal signatures of each branch.That narrowed it down to three possibilities, each powerful in a subtly different way. The first was straight, and the tree from which it had grown had a powerful current of ethera running through it. However, when Elijah focused on it, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that it was a little too wild. It was hard to quantify, but it felt like someone had tried to bottle a storm. And to Elijah, that just didn¡¯t feel right. So, he moved on to the next, which felt more appropriate in temperament, but the current was much weaker. However, the third felt perfect, with a powerful but steady flow of ethera that put Elijah in mind of what he felt from the ancestral tree. The only issue was that it was anything but straight. Instead, it looked almost like a shepherd¡¯s crook, it was so bent. But when Elijah finally reached the tree, he couldn¡¯t deny that he felt a certain affinity for the branch. Sure, it was crooked, and if he wanted to, he could certainly straighten it out. However, he felt that it would have lost some of its uniqueness if he did that. In fact, the more he looked at it, high up in the tree, the more he forgot all about the other two options. So, without any further hesitation, Elijah climbed the tree and, with a heavy-ded axe, chopped the branch away from its tree. In the past, he might have chosen not to do such a thing ¨C his notion of what a Druid was had been skewed by Earthly ideas ¨C but now, he realized that it wasn¡¯t so much about preservation at all costs. Rather, it was about living with the environment without taking things too far. Or perhaps his current impression was wrong as well. He knew that it was a fluid thing, and, more importantly, he was still learning and adjusting. So, what he believed today wasn¡¯t necessary going to be true tomorrow. Or in a year. Certainly not in a decade. And that was fine. He intended to take things as they went, and if he discovered new information that necessitated an adjustment in philosophy, then that was what he would do. Anything less would be idiotic. If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. So, with the branch in hand, Elijah climbed down from the tree and set off across the ind toward the cabin. Once he arrived, he checked the hide and discovered that it was ready for the next stage. So, after scraping the hide clean, he gathered fourrge rocks, arranged them at the four corners of the frame where he¡¯d stretched the hide, then ced the frame atop them, suspending the hide almost a foot above the ground. Then, he climbed atop it, and stood in the center. As he did, the hide stretched, which was the point of the exercise. For the next hour or so, Elijah paced back and forth across the hide. A couple of times, the frame slipped, but for the most part, everything held together. More importantly, the hide stretched quite a bit, and when he was done, he tightened the twine holding it in ce, then applied another coating of the brain solution. Once again, he covered it, intending to leave it overnight. Then, Elijah headed back to the grove, where he started carving his staff using the same flint-ded knife he¡¯d used when making the Staff of Natural Harmony. His skills as a whittler still weren¡¯t perfect, but with his high Dexterity, the results were far better than they had been with hisst staff. Yet, he took his time, starting at the bottom and slowly progressing up the shaft. However, that first day, he only made it about a foot before the sun began to set. That was fine, though. A keyponent of the process ¨C at least ording to Nerthus as well as Elijah¡¯s experience with the Staff of Natural Harmony ¨C was time. His ethera needed the opportunity to infuse the staff. So, as impatient as he was to finish, Elijah forced himself to take his time. Anything less, and the results would be unimpressive. The next day, he made more progress, and he applied another coating of brain solution to the bear hide. And the third day was much the same. On it went for the next week, with Elijah spending every waking moment on his various projects. Finally, on the eighth day, he reached the point where another coating of the brain solution would render the hide unusable, so, he moved on to the next stage: smoking the hide. With that in mind, Elijah built arge teepee of sturdy branches, upon which he rested the hide, fur-side up. Then, he built a fire beneath it. Once that was done, he gathered a bunch of moss, which he used to cover it and keep the smoke from escaping. After that, he returned to his carving, which had progressed to the bend. When he¡¯d first begun, Elijah had had no direction, but over the course of the project, he¡¯d developed a good feel for what he wanted. Or perhaps it was what the branch wanted to be. Whatever the case, Elijah knew precisely where it was going; the only question was whether or not he had the skill to make it work. So, with his knife in hand, he set about carving one of the most intricate pieces he¡¯d ever whittled. The whole time, he continued to re Nature¡¯s Bounty and One with Nature, hoping to push as much ethera into the process as he could. It took four more days before he was satisfied. And when he finished, he received a notification:
Congrattions! You have created a unique item [Serpent Healer¡¯s Crook]! This item will serve to enhance any healing spells cast by the wielder. Grade: Simple
¡°Healer¡¯s Crook?¡± Elijah muttered. That didn¡¯t sound as useful as hisst staff. But then again, it was still Simple-Grade, so he expected it would be powerful. Even if the description said it would only enhance his healing spells, that was okay. He didn¡¯t really rely on his damage spells, anyway, and he suspected that the limitation would make the enhancement the Serpent Healer¡¯s Crook did possess that much stronger. He would have to test it out to make sure, though. More importantly, it felt appropriate. Perhaps he would create something better sometime in the near future, but for now, he was excited about the idea of being a more powerful healer. The ability to heal was one of the things that set him apart, and besides, he enjoyed making people better. So, he wasn¡¯t disappointed with the results of his hard work. Just surprised. But one thing he did like, and unequivocally, was the look. The shaft was carved to look like the scales of a great serpent, and the head followed the same motif, resembling a cobra. He had originally intended it to resemble a dragon, but as he¡¯d carved the curved branch, his movements had taken on a mind of their own, almost as if the staff had rejected his original n in favor of the snake motif. And Elijah was pleased with the result. So, armed with his new staff, he returned to the cabin where he found that the bear hide hadpleted the smoking process. And judging by how soft the leather felt, it had been incredibly sessful. Still, after going back to the treehouse, he used arge amount of cleansing powder to ensure the whole thing was perfectly clean. And he was pleasantly surprised by how soft and pleasant it felt. In fact, he was tempted to simply use it as a nket, but he ultimately decided that doing so would be quite a waste of effort. Because he could feel the ethera wafting off of it. If it had started off as a Simple-Grade material, Elijah knew it was now pushing the limits of the grade. By that point, hisvender oil was entirely infused as well, so he strained it, then, after ensuring that it smelled the way he wanted it to, Elijah proceeded with the final step of making his soap. Like before, the process was simple enough ¨C just mixing the fat and lye over heat, while adding in a bit of the aromatic oil ¨C but Elijah took his time, continuing to re One with Nature as well as Nature¡¯s Bounty along the way. And eventually, the substance reached a pudding-like texture, and he poured it into a series of molds he¡¯d created. It would take a couple of weeks to cure, but Elijah had high hopes for the soap. For now, though, he¡¯dpleted his tasks. So, he needed to return to Ironshore, then get ready for his next step. Before that, though, he had one more project he wanted to begin. That would have to wait until morning, though. Night had already fallen, and he needed some rest. So, after showering ¨C and using thest bar of soap from his previous batch ¨C Elijah went to bed. With any luck, the next day would work out the way he hoped. Book 3: Chapter 6: An Unwilling Warrior Book 3: Chapter 6: An Unwilling Warrior Even in the old world, badgers were fearsome creatures that no sane person would confront unless absolutely necessary. And since Earth had been transformed, they had grown even more terrifying ¨C a fact of which Carmen was intimately aware, considering she was facing one such monster armed only with her summoned cksmithing hammer. From its snout to the end of its tail, the low-slung creature was almost ten feet long, making it nearly the size of a grizzly bear. Yet, snarling and hissing, it was far more aggressive than even the most territorial bear. Carmen shouted, ¡°Now!¡± Then, pushing her understandable fear aside, she threw herself at the creature. It dipped to the side, then snapped out with its sharp teeth. They mped down on Carmen¡¯s torso, but they were incapable of piercing her makeshift chainmail armor. It had been hastily constructed from scrap metal only that morning, but even then, it had reached low Simple-Grade. As a result, it held. Barely. But it did nothing to dissipate the enormous biting force the monster could bring to bear. Nor did it protect her legs, which were suddenly vulnerable to the badger¡¯s sharp ws. Carmen let out another scream, though this time, it wasn¡¯t meant as a signal. Rather, it was one of pure pain as the ws tore through the thick leather pants she¡¯d made ¨C which weren¡¯t even Crude-Grade ¨C and bit into her soft flesh. Her Constitution, inted by her time at the forge as well as her automatic attribute allocation, mitigated some of the damage, but it was incapable of protecting herpletely. Yet, Carmen knew that she only had to hold on for a few more seconds. As she gritted her teeth, she brought her hammer down on the overgrown badger¡¯s head. It thudded as it connected with the monster¡¯s skull, but despite Carmen¡¯s immense Strength, the creature barely even reacted to the blow. So, she hit it again.All the while, it shredded Carmen¡¯s legs with its sharp ws while it attempted to shake her like a dog with a toy. She held her feet, but she knew it was only temporary. The beast was toorge and too strong to resist for much longer. Finally, the rest of her people arrived. Armed with the spears she¡¯d made soon after their exile, they descended on the badger, stabbing with the practiced precision of the experienced hunters they had been forced to be. Meanwhile, Colt shed with his own shortened spear, sending a de Storm at the monster. He followed it up with another ability that added quite a bit of momentum to a thrusting attack. It wasn¡¯t a fancy maneuver, but it was incredibly effective, especially with the aim of a veteran warrior like him. The de of the spear bit into the creature¡¯s throat, and when he ripped the weapon free, it came with a gout of blood. But badgers were well-known for their immense durability, and the touch of the World Tree hadn¡¯t robbed the mutated version of that trait. It fought on, even with a dozen spears repeatedly needling into its thick hide. Carmen bore the brunt of its thrashing, and it never released the vice-like grip of its jaws. However, the badger wasn¡¯t the only one with unnatural toughness. Indeed, if there ever was a person who personified the badger, it was Carmen, and she endured with all the resilience she¡¯d developed over the long and difficult years she¡¯d experienced since the touch of World Tree had descended upon Earth. And all the while, she repeated brought her hammer down on the monster¡¯s skull. One blow after another descended until she felt its skull crack. Then, it shattered. Still, it fought on, albeit with a drunken stagger that robbed it of much of its lethality. Even then, Carmen didn¡¯t let up until, atst, she felt an influx of experience that announced the creature¡¯s demise. As it copsed, so did she. Gasping for breath, she looked down at her legs. They weren¡¯t in great shape, though much of the damage was superficial. Still, she was d to see Miguel running in her direction and carrying their cobbled-together first aid kit. ¡°Don¡¯t cut them,¡± she muttered, already unfastening her pants. It was no time for modesty, so she agonizingly ripped the pants off ¨C taking blood and flesh with them ¨C and straightened her legs. That¡¯s when Miguel went to work, cleaning the wounds with water and an antiseptic that had been mixed by one of the other refugees. Theresa wasn¡¯t an alchemist ¨C that was a Tradesman ss ¨C but there was some ovep with her Chemist ss that made her a decent substitute. As such, she¡¯d been able to mix not only the antiseptic, but also a healing unguent that Miguel applied after cleaning the wounds. ¡°Did the teeth go through?¡± Miguel asked. Carmen shook her head. ¡°No. I think I broke a rib or two, though,¡± she said as he bandaged her legs. Already, she could feel the foul-smelling paste going to work. It didn¡¯t act as quickly or as well as a real Alchemist¡¯s concoction, but it still resulted in miraculous healing. In the old world, the gashes and w marks on her legs would have taken weeks ¨C or perhaps even months ¨C topletely heal. But with Theresa¡¯s unguent, she¡¯d be back on her feet in less than an hour, and the wounds would bepletely closed in a week. Without the woman¡¯s contribution, Carmen would have already been dead, and the same could be said for almost everyone else in the party of refugees. Even with that miraculous healing paste, they¡¯d had enough close calls over the past weeks that Carmen found herself dreading the dawn of each day. After all, if they could only look forward to more death, danger, and hardship, it was difficult to keep putting one foot in front of the other, especially when they weren¡¯t even certain of their destination. But one look at Miguel as he bandaged her wounds told Carmen that she had no choice. Even if she was on the verge of giving up on herself, she could never abandon him. That was what being a mother was. As Miguel applied first aid, the other refugees descended upon the enormous badger¡¯s corpse. Normally, processing such arge animal would have been a difficult and time-consuming process. However, when fifteen experienced people fell upon the task, it was quite a bit easier. As a result, by the time Miguel had finished bandaging Carmen¡¯s wounds, they¡¯d already skinned the creature. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Save that hide. We can make decent armor out of it,¡± she called. Colt responded with his customary, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± With that, Carmen reached out and tousled her son¡¯s hair. ¡°Thanks, mijo.¡± Of course, he pulled away from that show of affection with an annoyed, ¡°Mom¡­¡± That brought a rare smile to Carmen¡¯s face. The weeks since they¡¯d been banished from Easton had been wrought with difficulties, and, as a consequence, her attitude had suffered. Not since the weeks after Alyssa¡¯s death had she felt so defeated. Perhaps that feeling was even more appropriate, given her current situation. After all, Alyssa¡¯s death was less of a defeat than simple loss. However, the recent events could unequivocally be categorized as the former. She had chosen to rebel ¨C for good reason, she thought ¨C but that had led to quite a few deaths. Roman had beaten her, and not by a slim margin. That was difficult to ept. ¡°You okay?¡± asked Colt, looking down on her. Miguel had gone to help with processing the animal ¨C the meat was important for their survival, after all ¨C and she¡¯d been staring off into space. She shook her head, then extended her hand, ¡°Help me up?¡± He grasped her hand in his, then hauled her to her feet. Pointedly, his eyes never wavered from her face. But he did say, ¡°Might want to put on some pants, boss.¡± ¡°What? You don¡¯t like bandage chic?¡± she asked, trying to force some levity into the situation. ¡°I ¨C¡± At that very moment, an arrow thudded into Colt¡¯s shoulder. He stumbled, but to his credit, he maintained his feet, letting out a shout, ¡°Marauders!¡± Carmen whipped her head around, her injuries forgotten, and what she saw was not encouraging. Ten men, each armed with swords as well as bows, surrounded them. They¡¯d clearly been living in the wilderness, because they were dirty, and their equipment was in a state of disrepair. Yet, if they could survive the wilds, they were dangerous. The leader ¨C a dirty and thin-faced man with a ragged beard ¨C stepped forward, saying, ¡°Weapons down. We don¡¯t want to hurt nobody. Just give us your women, your gear, and your critter, and we¡¯ll leave on good terms. If you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll have to take it by force. You don¡¯t want that.¡± Carmen knew that even that offer wasn¡¯t genuine. The Marauders were well known to take ves, and when they got tired of them ¨C which didn¡¯t take long ¨C they ughtered them like animals. There were even rumors that the bandits were cannibals, though Carmen wasn¡¯t certain she believed those stories. Whatever the case, she recognized thatplying with the Marauders¡¯ orders was a good way to end up dead. And she didn¡¯t want to think about what would happen in the interim. So, rather than respond, she signaled Colt, who immediately used de Storm. Due to using a spear rather than a sword, the ability wasn¡¯t nearly as strong as normal, but it was still potentially deadly. However, the bandit leader wasn¡¯t without skills of his own, and the moment he felt Colt¡¯s ability activate, he summoned some sort of green shield. The de Storm ripped into it with the sound of metal shing with metal, but the shield did its job. ¡°Get ¡®em boys!¡± the leader screamed. Carmen spared a nce back to see that Miguel had taken cover, but to her horror, he¡¯d armed himself with a spear and nted himself in front of a cowering Theresa. That filled her with a brief surge of mingled terror and pride, but she didn¡¯t have time for anything else. Because one of the bandits was bearing down on her with what looked like arge. Clearly, they didn¡¯t want to damage her ¨C or the other women, likely ¨C which was why they hadn¡¯t simply filled them all full of arrows. That was their mistake. Using her massive Strength, Carmen threw herself to the side just in time to avoid the. When she nted her foot and reversed course, pain shot through her legs, but she ignored it. Instead, she once again used Summon Tool to manifest a heavy cksmithing hammer, and brought it down on the man¡¯s shoulder. She¡¯d been aiming for his head, but he dodged at thest moment. It didn¡¯t matter. A scream of pure agony filled the air as his shoulder crumpled. The rest of his body followed soon after when Carmen dipped low, shattering his knee with another sweeping attack. Even as he hit the ground, Carmen was charging the leader. He tried to summon another one of his green shields, but against Carmen¡¯s Strength, the ne of ethera was entirely insufficient to arrest her momentum. It shattered with a sound like tinkling ss, and she hit the leader with a shoulder charge that bore him to the ground. To his credit, he managed to wrest Carmen¡¯s hammer from her clutches, and it dissipated into motes of ethera the moment she lost her grip. As the pair grappled, the rest of the refugees responded to the threat. None of them were Warriors. They weren¡¯t even Rangers or Tradesmen. But what the group of Schrscked in spells and skills, they made up for in sheer determination, survival instinct, and experience. Over the past weeks, they¡¯d been pushed to their limits ¨C past them, really ¨C and the result was a disregard for their own safety that was shocking to behold. Even as the stunned bandits tried to respond with a volley of arrows, the group of Schrs let out a roar of wanton determination as they fell upon their attackers. And their deceptively high-quality spears were the perfect tool for the job. The des, wrought by one of the highest-level cksmiths in the world, sliced through the bandits¡¯ makeshift armor with ease, piercing organs and ripping gaping wounds in the Marauders¡¯ bodies. Meanwhile, Carmen¡¯s struggle continued until she finally managed to get her hands on the leaders¡¯ head. Then, she used Smolder. The ability was meant to heat metal, but it worked well enough against a skull. He screamed as his skin blistered, and he tried to escape. Yet, Carmen¡¯s grip was like iron, and she channeled as much ethera through the ability as she could manage, and the results were predictable. Even as the leader¡¯s brain boiled, she let out a scream of rage and pain until, atst, she experienced yet another wave of experience that announced his demise. When she finally let him go, his head was a ckened husk. Looking around, she saw that the vaunted Marauders had all been in by her refugees, proving that, even in a world of inted attributes and powerful skills, determination and desperation had their ce. Still, she knew that her people wouldn¡¯t survive long armed only with that and a few spears. So, as she pushed herself to her feet, she said, ¡°Strip them of anything useful. We¡¯re going to need this gear, I think.¡± Then, she reached down to the sword the leader had never even drawn. It wasn¡¯t a great de, but she didn¡¯t care about that. Instead, she was more interested in the metal. It was just normal steel, but that was better than a few nails she¡¯d melded. Finally, she nced back at Miguel, who still hadn¡¯t moved from in front of Theresa. He was safe and uninjured, which couldn¡¯t be said for the rest of her people. They¡¯d all picked up wounds, and though they were capable of ignoring those in the heat of battle, now that the adrenaline of the fight had faded, they needed treatment. So, she called out to Miguel and Theresa, telling them to get to work. On the one hand, she was furious that her son hadn¡¯t found cover. Instead, he¡¯d been fully prepared to defend Theresa. However, on the other, she couldn¡¯t help but see hints of his mother in his actions. Sure, Alyssa¡¯s blood didn¡¯t run through his veins, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t her son. As Miguel scurried to do as he¡¯d been ordered, Colt said, ¡°He¡¯s smart. Protected the only healer we have.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Carmen said. ¡°I just wish it wasn¡¯t necessary.¡± ¡°My dad used to have a sayin¡¯ for that kind of thing,¡± Colt stated. ¡°Shit in one hand and wish in the other, and see which hand fills up first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s gross.¡± ¡°Yep. urate, though.¡± Then, he set about helping everyone else gather gear and finish processing the badger. Carmen knew that if the Marauders had been intent on killing them, they would be dead. The only reason they¡¯d managed to survive was abination of underestimation and a desire to take some of them hostage. That just served to reiterate how thin the margins were out in the wilderness. So, Carmen let out a sigh, then found her pants. That was the first step. Whatever happened next, she wanted to be fully clothed. Book 3: Chapter 7: A Long-Term Plan Book 3: Chapter 7: A Long-Term n Elijah sat on his treehouse¡¯s balcony, his feet on the banister as he cradled an earthenware mug his hands. The sun had barely risen, so there was still a slight nip in the air, but he¡¯d decided to temporarily use the bearskin as a nket. He raised the mug to his lips and slurped at the tea. He didn¡¯t know precisely what the leaves were, but the drink bore a striking simrity to coffee. He¡¯d even managed to get some sugar in Ironshore, so he could make it precisely the way he liked it. He sighed. It was a peaceful morning, but the day¡¯s tasks loomed over him like an ominous specter. He¡¯dpleted his various projects ¨C though the soap was still in the process of curing, which would take a couple more weeks at least ¨C but he still had one thing he wanted to aplish before moving on. Yet, a niggling fear remained in his mind, and it centered on the fact that Ironshore was still all but defenseless. Certainly, they¡¯d managed to repel the orcs, but there were so many unique factors that had gone into the defense that Elijah knew it was unlikely to be replicated in the future. The nned wall was a good start, but there remained the issue of personnel. The city simply didn¡¯t have enoughbatants, and the ones it did have were woefully inadequate for the task. But was it his problem? That was the question that continued to assail his thoughts. By all rights, he¡¯d given them enough. And he¡¯d already agreed to help if they were ever under attack. On top of that, he¡¯d nted the ancestral tree sapling in the center of town, which would hopefully give them some reflection of the benefits he enjoyed in his grove. It would also prevent any spontaneous Voxx manifestations or the opening of any dimensional rifts. But could he do more? Could he put them in a position to defend themselves? Elijah wasn¡¯t sure if that was even possible, but the issue was certainly on his mind. However, he cast it aside as he finished his tea and pushed himself to his feet. After depositing the bear pelt on his bed, Elijah dressed, then gathered the Serpent Healer¡¯s Crook and his pack before descending from the treehouse to the grove below. For a few minutes, he walked among the flora as he pulsed Nature¡¯s Bounty. He didn¡¯t think it was strictly necessary ¨C ording to Nerthus, the grove was entirely self-sufficient, and it would continue to grow more powerful of its own ord ¨C but the process calmed him in a way little else could. Besides, he didn¡¯t think it could hurt.Like that, he spent the next couple of hours. In some ways, that was an evenrger part of recentering himself than his various projects. Elijah had very nearly died in the battle against the orcs, and though it wasn¡¯t his first brush with death, he hadn¡¯t escaped unscathed. The grove was important as a coping mechanism, and without it, he knew he¡¯d probably be much worse off, at least from a mental perspective. After he¡¯d been there for a few minutes, Nerthus made an appearance, but aside from expressing his admiration for Elijah¡¯s new staff, he didn¡¯t really have much to say. And given that Elijah wasn¡¯t really in the mood to talk, it wasn¡¯t long before Nerthus retreated to his tree. Elijah did take a moment to wonder what the tree spirit did with most of his day, but that didn¡¯t upy his mind for very long before he turned to one of the many other subjects he needed to address. The cave. Nerthus had indicated that he needed to check it out, and after using his locus to inspect it, he hade upon a n. ording to everything he¡¯d read so far about cultivation, it required incredible ethera density. The cave was a good start, as its ambient ethera was far thicker than it was even in his grove. However, Elijah expected that he could make it much better. And given that he had a little time until his soap cured, he figured he would use that to his advantage. So, without further ado, he gathered a few pounds of berries and a couple of jugs of water into his pack, then set off across his ind. He took his time, enjoying the forest for what it represented. Once, it had seemed so inhospitable ¨C and to outsiders, it probably was even more so now ¨C but to Elijah, it just felt like home. After a while, he reached the rocky shore closest to the cave¡¯s entrance, then shifted into hismer ape form. Of his two alternate forms, it was the best suited for swimming. So, once he¡¯d transformed, he waded into the surf and then dove into deeper water. With his Ring of Aquatic Travel, he wasn¡¯t forced to breathe, which was always a strange sensation that took significant adjustment. Though, after spending so much time in the Sea of Sorrows, he quickly adapted and embarked on his initial quest. The first step was to reach the cave and inspect it. So, after a couple of minutes of swimming, Elijah found the entrance, then squeezed through. However, he quickly discovered a serious issue ¨C hismer ape form was toorge to fit ¨C so he backed away before retreating to shore. Once there, he shifted back to his human form and deposited his things on the beach. It wasn¡¯t ideal for what he had nned, but he¡¯d just have to adjust going forward. So, he dove back into the surf and swam down to the entrance to the cave. Once there, he slowly followed the underwater tunnel, squeezing through a few truly narrow passages and using One with Nature in lieu of his other senses. And eventually, he reached his destination. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The density of the ethera hit him like a brick wall. If he were topare it to the ethera on the surface, he would have said that the cave was to the surface as the grove was to Ironshore. That was to say that it was more than twice as thick, which boded well for what he had nned. There was arge air pocket in the cave, which allowed Elijah to swim to the surface, where he saw the familiar green glow of the crystals embedded in the cave¡¯s walls. They seemed slightlyrger than thest time he¡¯d visited, but he wasn¡¯t certain if that was a faulty memory or if they¡¯d actually grown. Neither would have been terribly surprising. And in any case, the answer wouldn¡¯t change his ns. After swimming around for a bit and inspecting the cave, Elijah swam through the tunnel and back to the open ocean. It was a little odd, going back the other way ¨C thest time, he¡¯d used the teleportation function of Ancestral Circle to leave ¨C but he managed it all the same. And soon enough, he found himself back on the beach, where he sat down and drank deeply from his jug of water. He also ate a few berries. One thing was certain ¨C Elijah had his work cut out for him. Yet, he was so entranced with the idea in his head that he couldn¡¯t have stopped himself even if he found reasonable faults. So, after leaving everything on the beach, he swam back out into the ocean, keeping going for nearly a mile before diving down to the seafloor. There, he discovered the vibrant ecosystem he¡¯d hoped to find. Huge stalks of coral, colorful fish he couldn¡¯t identify, and waving kelp were only the beginning. He also saw many examples of the mutated purple shore crabs that seemed to love his beach so much, equally massive versions of other familiar marine life, and more than a few gigantic sharks. He even saw a couple of whales off in the distance. It was such a striking environment that Elijah very nearly forgot his task. By education and experience, he was a marine biologist ¨C if a somewhat apathetic one ¨C but that seafloor hammered home the notion that his education wasrgely useless in the new world. Certainly, the scientific methodology was still just as pertinent as ever, but the knowledge he¡¯d spent so long memorizing was woefully outdated. It was a little depressing, knowing he¡¯d wasted all that time in school. But it was also exciting because there was so much more to discover. Briefly, he considered returning to his habits as a biologist and starting a project to catalogue the changes. That onlysted a few moments, though, until he remembered how much he hated the tedium that came with any scientific endeavor. He¡¯d long regarded it as a necessary evil, and he had no desire to return to that hellish boredom. Still, he¡¯d always enjoyed the exploration aspect of the job. The discovery of new knowledge, seeing things no one else had seen ¨C that was the idealized version of marine biology that had pushed him into the field in the first ce. Now, he had an opportunity to do just that, but without the downsides that came with being an actual scientist. He wanted exploration and adventure, not charts and academic papers. So, after treading water for a few moments, he swam down to the seafloor, intent on collecting some nts. Because he had a theory that he wanted to test, and the only way he knew to do that was to transnt a few nts to the cave. So, he gathered a few streams of kelp, making sure to persevere every part of the sea nts, and then headed back to the cave. The following passage wasn¡¯t ideal, mostly because of the tight fit, but Elijah managed it well enough. Once he reached the chamber, he swam to the bottom where he spent quite a lot of time arranging his kelp so as to give it the best chance of survival. Of course, if his theory was invalid, it wouldn¡¯t matter. Once he¡¯d finished, he settled into the silt at the bottom of the cave and red both One with Nature as well as Nature¡¯s Bounty. Thetter was intended to help the nts take root, while the former was meant to help him ascertain whether or not the nts could survive. Normally, they couldn¡¯t ¨C not without sunlight. However, he theorized that the light from the green crystals would help fill the gap. Along with ethera, of course. With that ephemeral fuel, nearly anything was possible. If it could prompt such massive mutations in the animal ¨C and nt ¨C life, he felt certain that it could help a nt survive in a cave without sunlight. So, he continued to re his spells, settling into a meditative pattern that, if he was honest, was quite calming. It wasn¡¯t so different from what he¡¯d done in Druid¡¯s Park, though with the added oddity of being underwater. Hours passed into more than a day, and despite Elijah¡¯s growing hunger and thirst, he refused to retreat until he¡¯d given it his best shot. It was only after two days that he finally opened his eyes and let a smile spread across his face. He¡¯d done it. The kelp had taken root. Now, he needed to gather a few more varieties of nts, and he¡¯d have a working ecosystem. Then, the real work could begin. So, he quickly swam from the cave and back to shore, where he ked his thirst and sated his hunger before heading straight back out to sea. Once there, he engaged in the long and arduous task of slowly transnting nts to his sea cave. That took almost three more days before he judged that it was full enough. Then, he headed to shore and finished his berries, drank some water, and went back to his treehouse, where he spent the night sleeping. After that, Elijah returned to the sea cave and spent the next week ¨C periodically heading to shore to drink and eat ¨C enhancing the cave as much as possible. He knew it wasn¡¯t a finished product. It had taken years for the grove to fully develop. Yet, he knew that the ethera density would speed things up to some degree. So, he hoped it would soon be something he could use for cultivation. But unless he wanted to babysit it for a few more weeks, he¡¯d done all he could for the time being. Now that it had taken root, he felt that it was best to simply let it develop on its own. Besides, he¡¯d finally stumbled upon an answer to his question concerning the defense of Ironshore. It would require a little initial investment on his part, but it would hopefully save him a lot of headache in the future. So, without further ado, Elijah left the underwater cave behind and headed towardnd. He intended to spend the night in his own bed, but tomorrow, he would go to Ironshore to tell Ramik his n. Hopefully, the goblin mayor would agree that it was for the best. Book 3: Chapter 8: Putting Together a Team Book 3: Chapter 8: Putting Together a Team Elijah rowed across the strait, his strokes straining the integrity of the paddles as he crested one rolling wave after another. Normally, the strait was fairly calm, but as was the case far more often than not, a storm had rolled in overnight, and it had brought some rougher seas with it. As always, Elijah could feel what could only be called sea monsters swimming around beneath him. He¡¯d seen a few during his time transnting sea flora to the cave, and he was still in awe of those creatures. There were massive eels, sea snakes, and turtles aplenty, but there had also been monsters that defied any attempt at identification as well. One in particr looked like a cross between a shrimp the size of a Honda Civic and an octopus, which was unlike any sea creature Elijah had ever studied. Fortunately, they¡¯d all been uninterested in him, which he reasoned was due to his archetype. After seeing the violent war between the wildlife that seemedmonce on the seafloor, Elijah felt certain that most people would quickly find themselves targeted if they were to enter the ocean. It was one more reason to be grateful that the system had chosen the Druid archetype for him. If it hadn¡¯t, he might¡¯ve made the mistake of choosing something like the Ranger archetype, which would have surely ended with his death. Those thoughts upied Elijah¡¯s mind as he crossed the strait and, eventually arrived at the dock. When he had done so in the past, he¡¯d been beset by hostility, but now, the general vibe that greeted him was one of borderline indifference. People were still wary of him. However, they weren¡¯t outright terrified, which he counted as a win. Probably. In one facet of his mind, Elijah could easily imagine that thatck of fear might one day bite him in the backside. Hopefully, he would be able to counter it when that came to pass. After docking and tying off the rowboat ¨C which he intended to take back to the ind, because his collection was beginning to grow quite slim ¨C Elijah traversed the pier and headed toward his first stop. However, when he entered Mari¡¯s shop, he was a little surprised to see Rosabe there alongside a gnome who must¡¯ve been her mother. He gave a little wave, and the girl just rolled her eyes in annoyance. That certainly told Elijah where he stood in the little gnomish girl¡¯s estimation. So, he busied himself by perusing Mari¡¯s wares while she dealt with her other customers. Out of the corner of his eye, Elijah noticed that the two gnomes were buying a fancy dress. Finally, they finished, and when Rosabe¡¯s mother noticed him, she was quick to usher her child out of the shop. Mari said, ¡°You¡¯re bad for business.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Elijah apologized. ¡°I guess I¡¯m still not that popr around here.¡± ¡°They¡¯lle around. Just keep spending money, and they¡¯ll all wee you with open arms,¡± Mari advised. ¡°Now, what do you want? I can¡¯t stand around her chit-chatting all day, you know.¡± Elijah held up a finger, then dove into his pack to retrieve the tanned bear pelt, and he was more than a little satisfied when Mari¡¯s eyes widened the moment she saw it. ¡°I¡¯m guessing I did an okay job?¡± he asked. Mari didn¡¯t verbalize an answer. Instead, she reached into her pocket and retrieved a six-inch rectangle of ss. She held it up and let out a small gasp, but she quickly marshalled her control. Then, the dwarven tailor said, ¡°It¡¯ll do. Peak Simple. There¡¯s a chance I can push it to Complex-Grade. I¡¯m not guaranteeing anything, mind you, but with the right materials, I think I can manage.¡± ¡°What right materials?¡± Elijah asked, thinking she was angling for either more money or for him to cough up some other resources. He hadn¡¯t brought anything with him, but his ind was a treasure trove of ethera, so Elijah felt certain that he could find something appropriate. ¡°Oh, this and that. You don¡¯t have to worry about it. Everything¡¯s covered by the deposit. Now, let¡¯s get you measured and out of my shop. Bad for business, like I said,¡± she went on. After that, Mari took plenty of measurements. For some, she used a tape measure, though with odd and irregr units that Elijah didn¡¯t understand. For others, the tailor utilized various instruments that she imed were meant to test his attunement as well as ethera density. When she did that, she went briefly wide-eyed, once again, though she hid it quickly. All in all, it took about twenty minutes before she¡¯d finished, and once she had, she said, ¡°It¡¯s going to be at least two weeks before Iplete the item. Perhaps as much as a month. Don¡¯t bother me until then, or I¡¯ll add a penalty fee.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°No buts. Out with you, then!¡± Elijah let himself be shooed into the street, and once Mari had retreated into her shop, he let out a sigh. Someone chuckled behind him, but when Elijah turned around, he couldn¡¯t find the culprit amidst the other pedestrians. Either way, he next headed to Druid¡¯s Park, where he spent a couple of hours ring Nature¡¯s Bounty. The effect was minimal at this point in the tree¡¯s life cycle, but he found the process calming. And besides, it couldn¡¯t hurt. One thing he did notice was that the ethera density in the area had already begun to rise. He didn¡¯t expect that it would ever rival the ind, let alone the underwater cultivation cave he¡¯d begun to build, but it would be quite an improvement over what he¡¯d felt the first time he had visited the city. Hopefully, that would help them. In any case, once Elijah was finished, he strolled through the city in search of a proper meal. Inevitably, he ended up at the Stuck Pig, which wasn¡¯t the only restaurant in town, but it was his favorite. So, he went inside, found a ce at one of the long,munal tables in the center of therge main dining room, and before long, was tearing his way through a te of boar ribs. That was how Ramik found him, with sweet and tangy sauce all over his face and staining his beard as he tried to get everyst morsel of meat from the bone. ¡°Oh, hey,¡± Elijah said, gesturing with the almostpletely clean rib. ¡°I was going to stop by your officeter.¡± ¡°Is there an issue?¡± asked the goblin, sitting across from Elijah. ¡°No,¡± he answered. ¡°Well, there is. You¡¯re too weak. Like,ughably so.¡± The little green man went pale. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Oh ¨C not you specifically,¡± Elijah rified. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the collective you, as in all of Ironshore. A city this size should have been able to handle that orc invasion. But the problem is that you haven¡¯t had any opportunities to fight or earn experience.¡± ¡°Experience?¡± ¡°Kill energy. Whatever. My point is that I have a solution,¡± Elijah said, nibbling thest bit of meat from the bone. ¡°This is amazing, by the way.¡± ¡°Indeed. Orc is difficult to prepare properly, but ¨C¡± It was Elijah¡¯s turn to go pale. ¡°Orc?¡± ¡°Yes. They must dilute the ethera before serving it. Not for you, obviously, but they would quickly run out of business if they catered to people of your stature,¡± Ramik said. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me I¡¯m eating orc.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°As in the creatures we spent all that time killing a few weeks back.¡± ¡°Ah ¨C I see the issue. Rest assured that the Stuck Pig is well-versed in all thetest innovations and spells associated with food preservation. It is well-known that dry aging the orc is key to ¨C¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to be sick.¡± In truth, Elijah recognized that his reticence to eat orc was a little ridiculous. Despite the fact that the monsters were bipedal, they were no more sapient than apes. However, he had well-explored reservations regarding consumption of those creatures, too. Sure, he would do it if the choice was between that and starvation, but even then, he would investigate every other option before going down that road. Except he¡¯d just eaten an entire te full of juicy, meaty ribs that said otherwise. And the worst part was that he¡¯d enjoyed it quite a lot. ¡°Are you ill? Do you need a Healer? I think ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Elijah insisted, washing the taste out of his mouth with some sort of fruit punch the restaurant had served. ¡°Just a crisis of conscience. I¡¯ll be okay, though. Onward and upward, I always say.¡± He hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t actually say that.¡± ¡°I see. You had a point you intended to make?¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Sorry. I want to put together a team,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Your strongest people.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to run them through my tower.¡± ¡°Your tower?¡± ¡°Oh ¨C I never told you about that, did I? So, there¡¯s a tower just off the coast of my ind,¡± Elijah said. When Ramik¡¯s eyes widened in rm, he went on, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not about to surge. It did once, but I took care of it. Now, I¡¯m keeping it in check. The point is that I can take your people in there, they can get the rewards ¨C and the levels ¨C and that¡¯ll help you defend the city if something like that orc hordees again. I¡¯ll teach them how to beat it, then they can lead others to do the same thing. And soon enough, you¡¯ll have all yourbat-capable people getting all the experience you could ever want.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Ramik said, knuckling his chin. ¡°You have ess to a tower? Do you know what grade?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Elijah admitted. He had gotten some estimates from Nerthus, but none of it was certain. ¡°Pretty difficult, though. Took me months. But part of that was when I was swallowed by a whale, which wasn¡¯t as pleasant as Jonah made it out to be. Lots of acid. It should be a lot quicker this time, now that I know what I¡¯m doing. Not the whale digestion. I sort of just experienced that. Didn¡¯t require a lot of thought. The tower, though ¨C I know it like the back of my hand.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just a thought,¡± he said. ¡°No worries if you don¡¯t want to do it. I¡¯ll just head back to my ind. I¡¯ve got a couple of projects to tend to anyway.¡± ¡°No. Don¡¯t. I think the idea has merit. I simply need to speak to the others about it before I send anyone into such a dangerous situation,¡± Ramik said. ¡°No matter if the tower is well-documented, it will still be potentially deadly. And we cannot afford to lose any more people.¡± ¡°I get that,¡± Elijah said. ¡°If it matters, I¡¯ll do everything I can to keep them alive.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Give me a few hours, and I will have an answer.¡± After that Ramik excused himself, leaving Elijah to ruminate on the fact that he¡¯d been eating orc ribs. That didn¡¯t leave him in the best of moods, so he paid his bill by transferring a few copper ethereum from his folio, then headed out to wander the city. He knew that Ramik would find him when the time came, and if not, Elijah was more than capable of hunting the goblin down. The city was doing well, as far as he could see. Most of the buildings that had been damaged during the orcish invasion had been repaired, and there were efforts underway to improve everything. In addition, he caught sight of the site meant for the wall, and he was impressed to see that the foundation for arge portion had already beenid. In a couple of months, it would beplete. Eventually, his feet took him to Biggle¡¯s alchemy shop, which was situated on a hill on the edge of town. Once there, he pushed through the low gate and passed the curiously writhing nts to knock on the door. When he did, he called out for the Alchemist, which elicited a startled yelp and, predictably, a small explosion. ¡°What?¡± demanded the white-haired gnome as he slung open the door. Then, recognition dawned on his face, and his expression softened. ¡°Oh. You. Come in,e in. Don¡¯t mind the smoke.¡± When Elijah stepped inside, he caught a breath of the caustic smoke, which burned its way through his lungs, requiring him to pulse Touch of Nature to undo the damage. ¡°What is it that you want?¡± the gnome asked. ¡°Not that I mind a visit from a dear friend. Obviously. Just wasn¡¯t expectingpany is all.¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you about those body cultivation potions,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What do they do?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Biggle asked. ¡°Only a few years ago, my world waspletely different. No ethera. No magical spells or cultivation. So, no. I don¡¯t. That¡¯s why I asked,¡± Elijah said, letting a little of his annoyance peek through. He wasn¡¯t angry ¨C not precisely ¨C but he didn¡¯t like the implication that he was somehow at fault for not knowing the ins and outs of something that hadn¡¯t even existed on Earth before a few years ago. Biggle swallowed hard. ¡°Oh. Right. I sometimes forget about you natives,¡± the gnome said. ¡°So, body cultivation. Two ways you can do get past the first stage. You can ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to know about that. I want to know about the second one,¡± Elijah interrupted. ¡°You¡¯ve already passed the first stage, have you? Interesting. Well, whatever lucky encounter you experienced, just know that the second stage will be much more difficult,¡± Biggle said. ¡°The first step is to inocte yourself with increasingly powerful ethera. Most use potions, but I¡¯ve heard that there are those who use specially prepared foods as well. Baths, too, but those are usually fueled by some sort of aquatic natural treasure. The point is that you¡¯ll need to prepare yourself for the real test.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Surrounding yourself with incredibly dense ethera and torturing yourself,¡± Biggle said. ¡°Or that¡¯s the gist of it. The official exnation is that you¡¯re doing damage to yourself that¡¯s so extensive that it forces your body to react. If it¡¯s properly prepared, you will enter a chrysalis whereby your body will progress from one stage to another. Sometimes, these canst a week, but for some, it canst as much as a year.¡± ¡°Is thatmon?¡± ¡°Depends on how prepared your body is,¡± Biggle stated. ¡°So, those potions ¨C what do they do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the torture part. Lots of pain. Breaking down muscle tissue. It¡¯s designed specifically to elicit the proper reactions for cultivation,¡± Biggle exined. ¡°Though most people can¡¯t handle it all at once. You break it down, inject a bunch of ethera, then use another potion to keep yourself from dying. Then, a year or soter, you do it again once you¡¯ve fully recovered. On and on it goes until you tip over the edge.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And the effects of gaining the second tier?¡± ¡°Around the same as the first,¡± was the gnome¡¯s answer nomittally. Elijah got the impression that the vagueness was due to ignorance. ¡°Can you make the potions stronger?¡± ¡°I can if you think you can handle it. Don¡¯t go overstepping though. Lots of promising cultivators have killed themselves by doing that,¡± he said. Elijah said, ¡°Stronger. Strongest you can make. That¡¯s what I want.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Elijah stated. His reasoning was based on two things. First, Biggle¡¯s potions were almost assuredly designed to take someone to the first stage, rather than the second. As such, Elijah expected that he would need a much stronger push to send his body into the proper state. That meant a more potent potion. The second reason Elijah decided to go stronger was because of his ability to continuously heal himself. He¡¯d been through something simr in the whale¡¯s stomach, so he knew he could take quite a lot of punishment. And in the back of his mind, Elijah also had no interest in slowly progressing over the course of years. He wanted it done quickly, which meant putting his body through a lot more punishment. Though he was hesitant to acknowledge that facet of his reasoning because he knew it made him seem a bit na?ve and a lot impatient. ¡°Alright ¨C the next thing I want to know ¨C is there anything you can do with these?¡± Elijah asked, reaching into his pack and retrieving a berry. He handed it to the alchemist, who took it eagerly. ¡°This is a low Simple-Grade natural treasure!¡± ¡°Is that a yes?¡± Elijah asked, a little embarrassed that he¡¯d been eating the things like candy. ¡°Of course it¡¯s a yes!¡± the alchemist said. ¡°I can make restoration potions! Yes! Strong ones, too! How many of these berries do you have? Did you find an entire bush during your travels? How did you defeat the guardian?¡± ¡°Yeah. I found a bush. Someone else had¡­ah¡­injured the guardian, so I helped myself. So, I have about twenty of them,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Same deal as with the mushroom?¡± ¡°Of course, of course. Gimme!¡± Elijah did, and he had to stifle a bit of a chuckle when he saw how carefully the gnome handled the little berries. If he found out that Elijah had a few dozen bushes filled with the things back on his ind, Biggle might¡¯ve had a heart attack. After that, Elijah asked when his potions would be ready, and Biggle said that they¡¯d be finished in about three weeks. That lined up with Elijah¡¯s other deadlines, so that information was well-received. So, after only a little more conversation ¨C during which Biggle tried to acquire some more information as to the location of the fictional bush Elijah had plundered ¨C Elijah left. And he found Ramik in his office only a little whileter. ¡°So?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I agree with your n,¡± the goblin said, removing his sses and rubbing his eyes. ¡°But we can¡¯t pay you. It¡¯s not in the budget.¡± ¡°Pay me?¡± Elijah asked, a little confused. Then, he realized that what he was offering was extremely valuable. Still, he said, ¡°That¡¯s fine. We¡¯re in this together, right? My only requirement is that Kurikes.¡± ¡°That was always going to be the case. He¡¯s the highest-levelbatant in the city, and he just so happens to be back in town for the night. I¡¯ve already informed him that he¡¯s going.¡± ¡°Oh. Cool. When can I meet the others?¡± ¡°Tomorrow. I assumed you want to do this as soon as possible,¡± Ramik guessed. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll head over to my ind in the morning, spend the night there, and then hit the tower first thing,¡± Elijah stated. He knew he was extending quite a lot of trust by taking the others to his ind, but that was by design. He hadn¡¯t been lying when he said that he and the people of Ironshore were in it together. But still, he said, ¡°Oh, and Ramik ¨C if anyone messes with my ind at any time, I will destroy this town and kill everyone in it. I like you. I want to work together. But my priorities haven¡¯t changed. Do you understand?¡± Ramik swallowed hard. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯s good,¡± Elijah said with a smile. ¡°If you need me before the morning, I¡¯ll be in the Imperium trying to sleep. Oh ¨C you need to find something that¡¯ll let your people breathe underwater. I have something, and they might get a reward before it¡¯s necessary, but yeah ¨C if they don¡¯t have that, they¡¯re probably not going to make it.¡± With that, he left the goblin behind and headed to the ultra-expensive hotel. As he did, he muttered to himself that he needed to find a cheaper ce to sleep. But even as he grumbled about it, he made a beeline to the luxurious hotel. Book 3: Chapter 9: Meeting the Team Book 3: Chapter 9: Meeting the Team ¡°He¡¯s going to kill us,¡± said Nia, wringing her green, long-fingered hands as she stood on the dock. ¡°He¡¯s going to take us over there and sacrifice us for some sort of ritual, like he did with all those mercenaries from ck Sun.¡± ¡°If he wanted to kill us, he would have already done so,¡± pointed out Robolo. ¡°And that nightgown is ridiculous, by the way. We¡¯re going to a tower. Not a sleepover.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a nightgown!¡± she insisted, resisting the urge to flip her hood up over her head. It wasn¡¯t necessary, but she¡¯d always cherished the look of the mysterious sorcerer. That was why she carried a diamondain staff even when it was markedly worse ¨C and more expensive ¨C than the dagger she could¡¯ve gotten instead. ¡°It¡¯s a wizard¡¯s robe.¡± ¡°Looks like a nightgown to me,¡± the gnomish Confounder replied. He straightened his vest as if to highlight the difference between his attire and hers. Then, he said, ¡°At least you wore sensible shoes. I half expected you to show up in slippers or some such nonsense.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Kurik, the scout, said. ¡°And he ain¡¯t killin¡¯ nobody. He saved the city, in case any of you idjits forgot.¡± ¡°He saved himself,¡± Ssethik, the Rogue stated. Despite the fact that he was the only member of the party who was also a goblin, Nia didn¡¯t really trust him. Of course, that was probably due to prejudice rather than anything else. Rogues, like most stealthy sses, were not well-regarded in any civilizedpany. But that was the problem, wasn¡¯t it? Ironshore was not civilized. Instead, it was a frontier town on a newly touched world, and it was popted by cast-offs and ne¡¯er do wells. So, Nia fit in quite well, considering she was both ¨C at least ording to her father, who was quite upset that she¡¯d run away. It served him right for trying to make her wed that cad Benka. As if she would ever stoop so low, especially when she had an adventuring career ahead of her. No -ing to Earth was the right choice, even if it had nearly gotten her killed on multiple asions. The orcish horde had been a terrifying experience made even more so by the human shapeshifter who¡¯d ostensibly saved the entire city with his heroics. But for a chance illness, he¡¯d have killed her alongside all the rest of the city¡¯sbatants. She didn¡¯t belong to ck Sun like Eason Cabbot and the others ¨C she was independent ¨C but she would have gone right alongside them if she hadn¡¯t been sick. And now, she was willingly throwing herself into the clutches of the monstrous man who¡¯d already killed so many. It was idiotic.But it was also necessary. Someone had to go, and she was one of the best qualified in the city. On top of that, the chance to run a tower was one she couldn¡¯t pass up. Back home, she would have had to pay hundreds of silver ethereum for that opportunity, and even then, it would have been one of the carefully curated towers that barely gave any rewards. But this was a wild tower that, from what the mayor had told her, had only been conquered a single time. The rewards for defeating that challenge would be immense. So, Nia ¨C alongside Kurik, Robolo, and Ssethik ¨C had agreed to apany the so-called Protector of the Grove. Hopefully, she wouldn¡¯te to regret it. Kurik said, ¡°He could¡¯ve left. Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ could¡¯ve stopped him if he just picked up and left. I¡¯ve seen him move through the woods like it ain¡¯t nothin¡¯. He¡¯s better than any scout I got, my own self included.¡± Ssethik shook his head, but he didn¡¯t respond. For Nia¡¯s part, she didn¡¯t know what to think of the surly dwarf¡¯s deration. Kurik wasn¡¯t known to venture into hyperbole, so she had no reason to disbelieve his statement. Yet, the idea that someone could do the things she¡¯d seen in the battle and act as a scout as well ¨C that was terrifying. Sure, Nia knew that there were people with better sses out there. Better cultivation, too. And she was also aware that a newly touched world¡¯s natives were given many opportunities the wider universe never received ¨C not without significant cost, at least. The guides avable to their native branches cost a fraction of what they did on other worlds or, in Ironshore¡¯s case, via an imported Branch. But someone who could fill multiple roles was the epitome of rare. For her part, Nia was a heavy-hitting damage dealer. As a Lithomancer, she could manipte earth and stones to a high degree. And while she had sturdier defenses than most spellcasters, she could only take a couple of hits before herparatively frail body sumbed to any damage that might befall her. By contrast, Robolo was apletely different sort of Sorcerer known as a Confounder. Nia wasn¡¯t certain of the specifics, but the gnome could manipte the minds of his enemies, and ording to everything she had seen, he was best suited to controlling the battlefield. Meanwhile, Ssethik was a Rogue, which meant that he was great at sneaking around and ambushing his foes. Nia wasn¡¯t sure what ss Kurik had, but she knew he worked as a scout and that his traps were deadly. Aside from that, his abilities were a mystery. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. One thing she did know was that he was just as limited as everyone else. Most people ¨C at least as far as Nia had seen ¨C could only perform one function in a group. She and Ssethik were damage dealers, albeit both with a different focus, while Kurik and Robolo were meant for control. That left two major roles unfilled. And they were the most important to the sess of any endeavor ¨C the frontline fighter colloquially known as the defender who was meant to protect the rest of the group and the healer, who was there to mend any damage they sustained. Without those two roles being filled, there was almost no chance of sess. Yet, there they were, waiting to meet the human who intended to lead them into a wild tower. And what¡¯s more, ording to rumors, the man had already conquered it himself. Alone. That knowledge was enough to raise the hairs on the back of Nia¡¯s neck. ¡°If you say so,¡± Ssethik stated. ¡°For me, I¡¯ll be keeping my eye on him.¡± ¡°I would expect nothing less,¡± came a new voice. Nia whipped around to see that the man in question was standing behind her. She nearly fell over the hem of her robe trying to get away from him, but he reached out to steady her. ¡°Sorry, sorry. I sometimes get in the habit of not being seen. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± He gave her a smile that looked like it belonged to an insane person, but she supposed it was more likely meant to be reassuring. Or perhaps he truly was as crazy as the rumors suggested. Either way, she had no interest in offending someone like that, so she tried to smile back, but she feared it came across as more of a snarl. Or a grimace. Either way, he released his grip on her arm. ¡°I¡¯m Elijah, and I¡¯ll be leading this tour group. If you would, step into the rowboat, and we¡¯ll get moving. Our first stop is my ind. It doesn¡¯t look like much from here, but I can tell you right now, it¡¯ll knock your socks off.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not wearing socks,¡± said Ssethik, holding out his foot. Indeed, his foot was d only in what looked like a slipper. Nia had seen their like before, and she knew they were intended to aid his abilities in stealth. ¡°Is that what happened to your boots? Did something on this ind knock them off?¡± ¡°Perhaps there is a powerful monster that collects shoes,¡± suggested Robolo. ¡°I once knew of a gabernoak that liked to stealdies¡¯ underthings. When we finally hunted it down, we found that it had quite the collection. Disgusting creatures, gabernoaks. They live underground, where they¡¯re mostly sedentary. And when they¡¯re confronted, they resort to parroted insults. Mostly harmless, though they do ¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Kurik said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t meant to be literal.¡± The human said, ¡°Anyway¡­all aboard! Please keep your arms and legs inside the boat at all times. Out there be sea monsters.¡± He punctuated his excited shout by pumping his fist up and down. Nia had no idea what any of it meant, but thest thing she wanted to hear was a gnome going on about stealingdies¡¯ underwear. So, she hurried onto the rowboat. Ssethik followed, sitting beside her, and Robolo and the dwarven scout came next. Thest to board was Elijah, who sighed. ¡°Guess I¡¯m rowing,¡± he muttered, taking the oars. ¡°Should¡¯ve just teleported.¡± Then, he pulled the oars and the boat leaped forward. Over the next half hour, they cut across the strait. Kurik and the human made small talk, but Nia had a hard time following the conversation. After all, she had grown up on the coast of her homeworld, and so knew the sorts of monsters that dwelled within the sea. She also recognized how vulnerable the little boat could be. Certainly, it bore a basic enchantment meant to ward off the creatures of the deep, but those enchanments were weak enough as to be ineffectual. Still, nothing attacked them on the way, and soon enough, theynded on the shore. After everyone disembarked, Elijah pulled the boat onto the beach, all the while muttering about teleportation. In any event, it wasn¡¯t long before it was nestled next to a handful of other simr vessels. That¡¯s when Nia realized where they¡¯de from. In retrospect, it was obvious, but recognition hadn¡¯t dawned until she saw them all lined up next to the forest. Those were the row boats Eason Cabbot and his mercenaries had used. Elijah had taken possession of the vessels after killing the intruders. She swallowed hard. Almost on cue, Elijah pped his hands together, making everyone but Kurik flinch. ¡°Alright. We¡¯re going to be camping here for the night,¡± he said. ¡°Well, you are. I intend to sleep in my own bed tonight, thank you very much. Kurik¡¯sing with me.¡± ¡°I am?¡± the dwarf asked. ¡°You are,¡± Elijah said. Then, he turned and started walking towards the woods. However, before he reached them, he turned around and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t try to follow me. If you do, I¡¯ll know. Don¡¯t stray far from the beach, or I can¡¯t guarantee your safety.¡± With that cryptic statement, he strode into the forest. Kurik hurried to follow. When the two were gone, Robolo turned to Ssethik and asked, ¡°So what do we do now? Why did he want to bring us out here if we weren¡¯t going into the tower until tomorrow?¡± Nia finally found her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m doing what he said. I¡¯ll gather some wood for a fire,¡± she said. ¡°Then I intend to rest. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to have much of a chance once we¡¯re in the tower.¡± With that, she did just that, gathering sticks that had fallen to the forest floor. Robolo did the same, and soon enough, they had enough to start the fire. By that point, the sun had begun to fall toward the horizon. That¡¯s when she realized that Ssethik was nowhere to be found. She turned to Robolo, ¡°Did you see where he went?¡± The gnome understood her meaning and shook his head, ¡°No. But he¡¯s a Rogue. That¡¯s kind of the point of his ss.¡± It was at that point that Ssethik stepped out of the woods. Or stumbled, really. He wore an expression of terror on his face, and his normally deep-greenplexion had paled. Nia shot toward him, demanding to know if he was injured. For a moment, his eyes were unfocused until, atst, he snapped back to himself. When he did, he shook his head, saying, ¡°No. No. I¡¯m fine. I just¡­there¡¯s something out there. Something very dangerous.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good look,¡± Ssethik said. ¡°But it was there. It could have¡­it knew where I was. It growled at me.¡± ¡°He told us to stay on the beach. Maybe that wasn¡¯t for his protection. Maybe that was for ours,¡± Robolo guessed. ¡°He can shapeshift. Maybe it was him.¡± ¡°No human can see me when I use my abilities. I tested it when he first came to Ironshore. No ¨C this was something else. A guardian, maybe. I don¡¯t know. This ce gives me the creeps,¡± Ssethik said. ¡°It¡¯s only one night,¡± Robolo stated. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I¡­I hope so,¡± Nia stated. ¡°I hope so.¡± Book 3: Chapter 10: Inevitable Enmity Book 3: Chapter 10: Inevitable Enmity ¡°Ye didn¡¯t have to scare him so bad,¡± Kurik said, running a hand through his spiky hair. ¡°He was just curious.¡± ¡°Curiosity killed the cat,¡± Elijah replied, having just shifted back to his human form. ¡°What cat?¡± Kurik asked. Elijah sighed. ¡°I always forget that the system¡¯s trantion feature doesn¡¯t really do anything for idioms,¡± he muttered. ¡°But that one seems obvious if you take it into context.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± the dwarf replied. Elijah nced back toward where the others were camped. Even though they were only a couple hundred yards away, their campsite was impossible to see through the thick forest. Even before the World Tree had touched Earth, forests in the Pacific Northwest could get incredibly dense ¨C to the point where they could easily be ssified as jungles. And the introduction of ethera ¨C especially when it was as thick as it was on Elijah¡¯s ind ¨C had made it exponentially worse. Without his high Dexterity and the awareness that came with his Domain, it would have been hell trying to cross the ind. ¡°His stealth ability was good, though.¡± ¡°You found him,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°Yeah, but I have a lot of advantages most people don¡¯t,¡± Elijah pointed out. He trusted Kurik ¨C after fighting a war together, he felt justified in that attitude ¨C but he still didn¡¯t intend to reveal all of his secrets to the dwarven scout. ¡°Are the others any good?¡±¡°Best we have,¡± Kurik responded. ¡°That ain¡¯t sayin¡¯ much, if I¡¯m honest. We ain¡¯t got much to pick from. But that little goblin girl is a talented earth mage. You¡¯ve seen a little of what Ssethik can do. From what I understand, he packs a punch, too. And Robolo is a fair Confounder. Not great, mind you, but he can hold his own. What I¡¯m worried about is the healin¡¯ and the defendin¡¯.¡± ¡°My world refers to it as tanking,¡± Elijah said, referring to a gaming term he¡¯d heard in both Norcastle and Argos. ¡°But don¡¯t worry so much. I did this by myself not that long ago. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Hope you¡¯re right. Now, where¡¯re we goin¡¯? You live here, right? You got a cave or somethin¡¯ ¡®round here?¡± Kurik asked. ¡°Oh, I can do a lot better than a cave,¡± Elijah answered with a grin. ¡°Come on. There are some things I want you to see.¡± With that, he strode off through the brush, and Kurik followed. As they traversed the forest, they spoke sparingly, which was one of the things Elijah liked about Kurik. He wasn¡¯t averse to conversation, but after spending so much time alone, he had a tendency topse into long silences. As a scout ¨C and presumably, someone who¡¯d spent long stretches in the wilderness alone as well ¨C Kurik had a simr attitude. So, they could enjoy one another¡¯spany without having to fill it with needless chatter. That was rare, as far as Elijah had seen, and it predisposed him to liking the sometimes-surly dwarf. In any case, Elijah kept one facet of his Quartz Mind trained on the site where the other three had camped. He wanted to trust them, too, but they had yet to earn it. He didn¡¯t me Ssethik for trying to explore. He would have done the same thing, if their roles were reversed. Yet, he wasn¡¯t going to allow the goblin Rogue to wander around the ind unfettered. If the wrong people caught wind of what he had in his grove, then greed might ovee good sense, and Elijah would be forced to kill a bunch of people again. He certainly didn¡¯t want to be put into that situation, so he resolved to keep the ind¡¯s most special traits to himself. Except in specific circumstances, like with Kurik. As he¡¯d already established, he trusted the dwarf. Sure, they hadn¡¯t known one another long, but he already considered Kurik a friend. What¡¯s more, Elijah trusted the scout¡¯s personality, which seemed almost as important as their friendship. Of course, in the back of one facet of his mind, Elijah knew that his own psychological issues probably yed a factor. After all, he had been alone for a long time ¨C with only a few briefpses in that lonely existence ¨C so he was quick to grasp at anypanionship he could find. That had already prompted a few bad decisions ¨C most notably with how he¡¯d handled the death of the bear guardian ¨C so he forced himself to acknowledge what might be one more ill-conceived choice. Still, Elijah hoped that it wouldn¡¯te back to bite him. If it did, though, he was prepared to do what was necessary. Those thoughts flitted through his mind as he and Kurik crossed the ind, and after a half hour of slow progress, they finally reached the grove. ¡°What in the¡­¡± Elijah could understand Kurik¡¯s reaction. The grove wasn¡¯t just impressive. It was miraculous ¨C a fact which Elijah often forgot due to how ustomed he¡¯d grown to the ce. ¡°Nice, right? This is my grove,¡± Elijah said. Kurik didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he just stared at the grove, his mouth agape. Elijah understood it. Certainly, the entire ind was blessed with incredibly thick ethera, but it was a whole different level of density inside the grove proper. On top of that, though Elijah had never tried to curate the garden or force it to grow in any particr way, it still had a paradisical quality about it that was hard to articte. The colors were sharper, the bushes fuller, and, as Elijah had long known, the fruits and berries were far more vorful. In addition, his frequent strolls through the grove had created a series of paths that made it seem far less wild than it should have been. And then, at the center of it all, was the ancestral tree. With blue leaves and white bark, even a nce was enough tobel it miraculous. Yet, it also glowed with an ephemeral quality that wasn¡¯t quite visible to the naked eye. But Elijah felt it. Clearly, so did Kurik. Smaller, less obviously magical versions of the same tree sprouted in a perfect circle around the grove. They weren¡¯t as overtly impressive, but even those had an otherworldly aspect that Elijah rarely bothered to notice. If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Finally, to the left of the ancestral tree, near the edge of the grove itself, was Elijah¡¯s home. The three trees from which it had been grown were the same species ¨C if such a thing even applied ¨C as the ones on the grove¡¯s boundary, but they were markedly different as well. More obviously curated, though no less impressive for it. They twined together, then branched out into therge structure that was suspended nearly twenty feet from the ground. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Kurik admitted. ¡°I thought you were livin¡¯ in a cave out here. But this¡­I ain¡¯t never seen nothin¡¯ like this.¡± ¡°Thanks. I wish I could take credit for all of it, but mostly, it¡¯s Nerthus who does the work,¡± Elijah said, stepping across the boundary. Kurik hesitated, and Elijah asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories about groves like this,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°People step inside, then they ain¡¯t seen again for a hundred years, if at all.¡± ¡°Huh. We have stories like that, too,¡± Elijah said, thinking of fairy tales he¡¯d heard as a child. ¡°But I promise I won¡¯t abduct you or futz about with time.¡± He ended the statement with a reassuring grin. Though, he expected that it probably came off a bit manic. He was excited to finally show his grove to another person, so he had trouble containing his anticipation. Thankfully, Kurik didn¡¯t hesitate any further and stepped past the boundary. Once again, he let out a gasp after experiencing the even denser ethera inside the grove, but then he sighed. ¡°This is amazin¡¯.¡± ¡°Yeah. Wait until you meet Nerthus. He¡¯s a bit shy, but he¡¯s pretty awesome, too. Most of this is because of him,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Without his help, I never would have survived.¡± And that was the truth. Without the body cultivation Nerthus had guided him through, Elijah would have died to terminal cancer. And that wasn¡¯t even considering all the help the tree spirit had offered since then. Certainly, it was a symbiotic rtionship, and Elijah knew that Nerthus had gained almost as much as he had. Yet, that did nothing to diminish his appreciation. After that, Elijah led Kurik on a tour of the grove, culminating with the treehouse. Helpfully, Nerthus had expanded the house while Elijah had been searching for his sister, and so, there were a few guest rooms avable. They each were equipped withfortable beds and all the same amenities Elijah enjoyed. Though his room ¨C or the balcony outside of it ¨C had the best view of the ancestral tree and the garden. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Kurik said when they were finished. ¡°I thought you were out here livin¡¯ in a cave, but this ce is better than my house back in Ironshore. Hells, it¡¯s better than my family¡¯s home back on my old world. Smaller, sure, but you don¡¯t have a whole n to house.¡± The pair were sitting in the living area and enjoying a meal. Elijah hadn¡¯t hunted or fished in a while, so all they had were berries and other wild edibles from the grove. Not that either wereining, of course. It was still a fine supper. ¡°What was your world like?¡± Elijah asked. Kurik shrugged. ¡°Most of it wasn¡¯t so different from this world,¡± he answered. ¡°My people were originally subterranean, but we¡¯d been spreadin¡¯ across the surface for years. It was dangerous, though. Powerful beasts roamed my world, and there were plenty of Primal Realms, too. Thankfully, the beasts had reached the point where they fought the Voxx themselves, so there weren¡¯t many surges anymore. Some worlds ain¡¯t so lucky.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah responded. He¡¯d done a little research into the Voxx,rgely because the guides associated with them were the cheapest in any Branch¡¯s Knowledge Base. That made sense, considering that the World Tree and the Voxx were so opposed to one another. Whatever the case, he¡¯d often wondered about what would happen if towers and dimensional rifts were left unchecked. But ording to Kurik, the wildlife would eventually learn to fight the Voxx. Not always, though. Sometimes, wholes were consumed. After that, the pairpsed into an easy silence where they simply enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the meal. Eventually, Kurik excused himself, saying that he needed to get a good night¡¯s rest before challenging the tower. However, Elijah stayed up for a few hours after that, just thinking about what wasing. After a while, though, he took a cue from Kurik and headed to his own bed, where he enjoyed a fitful night¡¯s rest. When morning came, Elijah rose with a fair amount of anxiety. Though he¡¯d survived his first run through the tower, it hadn¡¯t been easy. And it had taken months. This time, he didn¡¯t have that to spare, so he hoped it would go much more smoothly. He had every reason to expect that it would, given how well he knew each level. After all, those months he¡¯d spent inside hadn¡¯t been idle. He¡¯d explored almost every inch, so he knew most of the Keledge Tower¡¯s secrets. He also had the benefit of an entire group, which should make things easier. So, it was with some optimism that hepleted his preparations, gathering his pack ¨C and the waterproof containers in which he¡¯d stored his food and water ¨C before he and Kurik set off to gather the other three members of their party. The trio they found a half hourter looked like they¡¯d had a rough night. Perhaps, Elijah thought, he¡¯d gone a bit too far scaring the goblin Rogue. Whatever the case, if they couldn¡¯t handle a night on the ind shore, then they were going to have quite a rough time inside the tower. Elijah could only hope that they¡¯d limate to the danger and stress. Otherwise, it wouldplicate things. With that in mind, Elijah led the group around the edge of the ind. He had no interest in letting them see any more of it than absolutely necessary, so he kept to the beaches whenever possible. That necessitated that they kill a couple of crabs, and Elijah was happy to see that the group was at leastpetent ¨C insofar as they had a chance to disy that trait while fighting the rtively weak and stupid crabs ¨C and an hour or twoter, they finally reached the cliff overlooking the tower. It looked the same as always ¨C the top of a statue depicting a figure armed with a decorative staff ¨C but it was still just as impressive as ever. ¡°We¡¯re going to swim from here,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Anyone have any issues climbing down the cliff?¡± Nia ¨C the goblin Lithomancer ¨C raised her green, long-fingered hand and said, ¡°I can do it, but I would need a rope.¡± ¡°Then climb on my back,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Anyone else?¡± None had any issues, and though she looked ufortable with the prospect, Nia quickly climbed onto Elijah¡¯s back. To amodate her, he¡¯d shifted his pack around to his chest. Then, he began his climb down, which went off without a hitch, though Nia¡¯s fingers dug painfully into his shoulders. Clearly, the little goblin didn¡¯t like heights. Whatever the case, they soon reached the surf, then swam to the pir of stone jutting up from the ocean. After that, Elijah dove, following it down for more than a hundred feet before he finally reached the base, which still looked like a Greek temple. Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate to lead the others through the tower¡¯s entrance, and when he did, he experienced a familiar shimmer of ethereal reality before falling through nothing. Darkness surrounded him, and for the briefest of instants, panic raged through one facet of his mind. It was an inevitable and instinctual reaction to the situation, but that made it no less powerful. However, less than a momentter, his rational mind took over, and he followed the bubbles toward the surface. His head broke through a few secondster, and he took a deep but ultimately unnecessary breath. Not long after, Kurik broke through with a gasp. Then Nia. Ssethik came next. And finally, Robolo breached the surface. They had finally entered the tower. Doing so came with a shift in attitude. In the outside world, there was room for aissez-faire demeanor. But in a tower ¨C even one he¡¯d already conquered once ¨C things were much more serious, and he instinctively adjusted his mind ordingly. In the distance, Elijah saw the shore as well as the familiar Ulthrak vige. Three massive warriors stood guard, though they were far enough away that they¡¯d yet to see the newly surfaced party. So, Elijah swam forward, hoping for a meeting simr to the one he¡¯d enjoyed during his first run through the tower. A couple of minutester, Elijah came within range, and he raised his hand in a wave. However, the reaction was not what he¡¯d expected. Their stances were too aggressive, and their walrus-like faces were contorted in rage. Then, Elijah discovered the reason, and he nearly kicked himself for overlooking the obvious issue. ¡°Goblins!¡± one of the guards shouted. And then, a war drum sounded, alerting the rest of the vige. Book 3: Chapter 11: Unavoidable Conflict Book 3: Chapter 11: Unavoidable Conflict Elijah knocked a thrown spear aside with his Crook of the Serpent Healer, then dove beneath the surface. The water wouldn¡¯tpletely mitigate the momentum of the missiles, but it would slow them down enough that his high Constitution could protect him properly. Once he was ten feet underwater, he shifted into hismer ape form, then used his long arms to propel himself forward. As he did, he cursed himself for his obvious oversight. He¡¯d known the ulthraks were at war with the goblins. That was the whole point of the first level. So, he should have expected that they wouldn¡¯t react positively to his party-mates. Yet, he¡¯d overlooked that key factor, and now, he found himself mired in apletely avoidable battle. People were going to die because of his mistake. Hopefully, it would be the ulthraks. He hated thinking of them like that, but the bottom line was that they weren¡¯t entirely real. Even if he killed them in this instance of the tower, they wouldn¡¯t really be dead. The same couldn¡¯t be said for hispanions. So, the moment the attackmenced, Elijah had chosen to fight without restriction. Not that he had much choice. Judging by the number of spears hitting the water, the ulthraks certainly weren¡¯t holding back, and he had no option but to match their ferocity with his own. With that at the forefront of his mind, Elijah cut through the cold water until he reached shore. Then, he sprang onto the rocky beach, a roar erupting from his throat. The first ulthrak fell in seconds, its blubbery body practically ripped in two. Spears descended upon Elijah, but he¡¯d used Iron Scales the moment he¡¯d left the water. So, they bounced off of him with a metallic clink. Even as Elijah garnered the most attention ¨C after all, he was a big, vicious monster and an obviously deadly threat ¨C hisrades swam to shore behind him. Using One with Nature, he kept track of each one, and as he did, Ssethik winked out of existence. Or that was how it seemed, but Elijah knew the truth. The goblin Rogue had engaged some form of stealth, which elicited a fair amount of envy in Elijah¡¯s heart. He couldn¡¯t use Guise of the Unseen unless he was out ofbat, but clearly, Ssethik had no such restrictions. Meanwhile, Kurik unlimbered his bow and started firing with deadly precision. Ethera swirled around Robolo and Nia as they prepared to cast their spells, but Elijah couldn¡¯t spare them more than a little attention as he crashed into his next target, who he recognized as the ulthrak leader, Raji. The huge walrus-man who¡¯d been so helpful during Elijah¡¯s first foray into the tower took the charge and responded with rabid fury, jabbing his spear at Elijah¡¯s torso. And even with Iron Scales blunting the damage, the impact tore through Elijah¡¯s chest, and when Raji yanked it free, it did so with a fountain of blood. Elijah didn¡¯t let it slow him down, though, and he crashed into the massive ulthrak, tackling him to the ground. A secondter, he was raking his ws, which glinted with the metallic enhancement provided by his ws of Gluttony, across Raji¡¯s blubbery stomach. Fat and blood flew free, but as was the case with most aquatic mammals, it looked a lot more traumatic than it really was. The thick skin and blubber served to inste those sorts of creatures, but they also functioned as a natural armor. After all, if a predator was forced to dig through half a foot of fat before getting to anything important, it would obviously protect those vitals from casual damage.Even as Elijah tore through all that fat, Raji bellowed in rage, pummeling his opponent with massive fists. Elijah felt every blow, each of which was powerful enough to bruise bones. Still, he couldn¡¯t spare that any attention because if he did, he¡¯d inevitably sumb to the powerful warrior¡¯s momentous blows. Even as Elijah rolled on the ground, grappling, biting, and wing at Raji, hispanions fought on. In one corner of his mind, he kept track of everyone, and every now and then, he¡¯d see Ssethik erupt out of stealth and bury a dagger in someone¡¯s back. A secondter, he¡¯d disappear from Elijah¡¯s senses. His foes rarely fell after a single attack, but a second was usually enough to take them down. However, one time he was a little too slow at reactivating his stealth, and he took a massive backhand that sent him skipping across the ground where he crumpled in a heap. Hopefully, he wasn¡¯t dead, but Elijah couldn¡¯t afford to disengage and cast Healing Rain. If he did, Raji would inevitably finish him off. Even as that thought skittered across Elijah¡¯s mind, Robolopleted his spell. Three walrus-men froze in ce. Then, their shoulders slumped as they stared at the ground, their eyes unseeing. It was almost as if they were asleep on their feet. For his part, the moment Robolopleted the spell, he went pale. Elijah recognized the exhaustion that came withpletely draining an ethereal core, and he was relieved to see the gnome backing away in an attempt to avoid any furtherbat. Suddenly, a pair of enormous bs of rock tore free from the shore, then mmed together, sending an explosive echo to bounce around the massive cavern. However, there was also a wet squelch riding along with the cking sound of rock colliding with rock as one of the ulthrak warriors found himself between the bs of stone. When they parted, wet strings of gore were all that was left. Then, the two hunks of rock flew toward their next victim, cking together with deadly force. However, now that the advantage of surprise had dissipated, the ulthrak warriors were able to avoid the worst of it. Still, a few were caught in the fury of Nia¡¯s spell, which resulted in a plethora of broken bones as well as a few more deaths. Finally, Kurik continued to pepper the ulthraks with arrows. Most did very little damage, but one out of every three or four arrows glistened with ethera, and it wasn¡¯t long before Elijah recognized their effect when he saw the ulthraks stumbling around, obviously weakened by whatever skill Kurik had empowered. Even so, there were far too many, and Elijah recognized the writing on the wall. If he didn¡¯t do something soon, the battle would be lost, and their short-lived tower run would end. So, with a mighty heave, he shoved Raji away. Then, Elijahunched himself in the opposite direction, shifting into his human form at the same time. As the transformationpleted, he hit the ground, rolling once before finding his feet. With another facet of his mind, he¡¯d already begun casting Healing Rain. Hopefully, that would save the fallen goblin Rogue, but if it wasn¡¯t enough, Elijah couldn¡¯t afford the time necessary to cross the battlefield so he could use Touch of Nature. In the meantime, another separate facet of his Quartz Mind started casting Swarm, while still another dragged ethera from his core in preparation of using Cmity. The moment the gue of tiny insects manifested, Elijah shifted to shoving that ethera into his most devastating spell. Stolen novel; please report. And just as hepleted the casting, Raji arrived, aiming to continue the fight they had already started. The giant ulthrak roared, and Elijah threw himself to the side. He was too slow, though, and the giant walrus-man clipped him. That sent his body cartwheeling across the battlefield. Fortunately, Elijah managed to avoid hitting his head, so hepleted the cast of Shape of the Predator, shifting into his draconid form. With the influx of Strength and Dexterity that came with the form, Elijah twisted his body tond on his feet. Then, he used Venom Strike before reversing course and pouncing on the still off-bnce Raji. His ws bit deep as he raked them across the back of the ulthrak¡¯s ankles, partially severing Raji¡¯s tendons. But it wasn¡¯t enough, and Elijah was forced to bound away in order to avoid the responding backhand. Then, Elijah elerated, using a simr tactic to what he¡¯d utilized against the orc horde. His draconid shape wasn¡¯t nearly as durable as hismer ape form, but it excelled in agility and coordination, which allowed Elijah to weave through the battling ulthraks, scratching and wing them along the way. Each wound he inflicted carried with it Contagion, and that, along with Swarm¡¯s afflictions, was enough to severely weaken ¨C and even kill ¨C most of the ulthraks. And all the while, Cmity raged. Without the enhancement of his Staff of Natural Harmony, it was far less damaging than it had been before. That wasn¡¯t to say that it did nothing. It was still a powerful spell that drew power from his unmatched Dragon Core, yet for the current fight, Elijah was more concerned with the chaos it caused. Sure, a few of the walrus people would perish in the resulting storm of lightning, wind, and earth. But it was hectic enough to provide him with all the cover he needed to inflict hundreds of instances of Contagion. So, by the time the storm of Cmity faded, the ulthraks were collectively on theirst leg. A few of the stronger members ¨C including Raji ¨C persisted, but even they had been affected. Elijah regretted that it was necessary, but he couldn¡¯t afford to restrain himself. The ulthraks were a powerful foe, and if he held back even a little, he and hisrades would die. He couldn¡¯t allow that, so after infecting most of the walrus people with Contagion, he shifted back to hismer ape form. Meanwhile, he was relieved to see that Ssethik had recovered and that none of his otherpanions had fallen. So, with that ying across his mind, Elijah fought on. He met little resistance as he tore through the weakened tribe of ulthraks, at least until he reached Raji. The weakened walrus man put up a respectable fight, but, in the end, he couldn¡¯t stand up to Elijah¡¯s onught. Still, Raji didn¡¯t fall until after a long and drawn-out slugfest thatsted until thest of the tribe had already sumbed. Broken and battered, the tribal leader resisted until the very end, when Elijah mmed his head against the rocky shore, shattering his skull and killing him. And then, everything was quiet. In that silence, regret bloomed anew in Elijah¡¯s mind, but he shoved it away. Raji would return. So would all the rest. That was how the towers worked. Even so, it still felt wrong, killing the tribe that had once treated him with so much kindness. The only sce was that the children as well as the elderly had retreated into a series of caves on the other side of therge cavern. Even though he knew they weren¡¯t real, Elijah wasn¡¯t sure he could stomach killing children. He looked back at his ownpanions, who¡¯d picked up a few more injuries. Healing Rain had long since dissipated, so those wounds persisted. Rising to his feet, Elijah rolled his shoulders before shifting back to his human form. Then he cast Healing Rain and basked in the regenerative precipitation. Hismer ape form was durable, but it wasn¡¯t invulnerable. As such, he¡¯d picked up quite a few wounds of his own. They healed at a remarkable rate ¨C far more quickly than they should have ¨C reminding Elijah of the effect of his new staff. It seemed that the enhancement to healing spells was far more potent than he¡¯d anticipated. He approached the others and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t even think about two of you being goblins. This level is all about a conflict between the ulthraks here and some goblins up above. I¡¯ll try to do better next time.¡± With that, he strode forward into the vige. He and the others swept through the vige, searching for any valuable loot, but there was nothing worthwhile to get them to use any of their limited storage space. So, it wasn¡¯t long before they ascended to the tundra and set off across the snow-coveredndscape. Kurik tried to talk to Elijah, but he was too distracted by what had happened in the ulthrak vige to be a decent conversational partner. So it happened that they arrived at the goblin vige. ¡°Disgusting,¡± spat Ssethik, who¡¯d remained visible throughout their trek across the tundra. ¡°A mimicry of goblinhood.¡± ¡°It is offensive,¡± agreed Nia. She didn¡¯t seem quite so fearful as she had been before the fight against the ulthraks, but she was still quite timid. ¡°Last time I was here, I just ambushed them,¡± Elijah said. The tower¡¯s first task remained the same as it had the first time, so he¡¯d barely even acknowledged it. Still, the first objective had been failed when they had killed the ulthraks instead of saving the vige. The moment thest one had died, the task had updated to the current objective:
Task: Destroy the goblin vige.
It was a simple enough task. ¡°Do you want to do the same thing? Or do you want a more direct assault?¡± Elijah asked. The others were perfectly fine with letting Elijah and Ssethik repeat the previous tactics, so after he shifted into his draconid form, Elijah and the Rogue swept through the vige, ughtering the primitive goblins with ruthless efficiency. It went off without a hitch, and soon enough, they hadpleted the first task. The group congregated at the bay, though Elijah was disappointed with the reward he received upon opening his small, silver chest:
Congratluations! You havepleted Level One of Keledge Tower. Grade: E To progress further, find the portal to Level Two.
It was a terrible grade, but Elijah expected that it was the result of their failure toplete the first task. It wasn¡¯t their fault ¨C after all, the ulthraks had attacked first ¨C but the tower didn¡¯t seem to care about excuses.
Reward forpleting Level One of Keledge Tower: Goblin Dagger
¡°Oh,e on. This thing is practically worthless,¡± Elijah said, looking down at the useless de. It was clearly low quality, though he suspected it was at least Crude-Grade. Even so, he had plenty of daggers. One was in his pack, while the other was sheathed at his waist. It also sported a jagged and poorly-forged de, making it seem even worse than it probably was. But even more annoying was the fact that it confirmed Elijah¡¯s suspicion that hispanions ¨C who¡¯d each received an identical dagger ¨C would be forced to use alternate means of underwater breathing if they wanted to survive the next level. After all, his own Ring of Aquatic Travel had been a reward from his first time through the level. ¡°Hope you all can breathe underwater,¡± Elijah remarked, ncing at the others. They responded by pulling potions from their pockets. Kurik said, ¡°Fish-lung Potions. Nasty, and they onlyst twelve hours. We each brought ten.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re on the clock,¡± Elijah reasoned. ¡°Alright. Drink up, then we¡¯re going to the next level. Follow me. Don¡¯t do anything I don¡¯t do.¡± Then, he waded into the bay before diving down to the entrance of the tower¡¯s second level. Hopefully, it would go better than the first. Book 3: Chapter 12: Breeze Book 3: Chapter 12: Breeze A cold wind swept across the open field, cutting through the warm spring air and heralding the storm toe. Thor red at the horizon as if he could intimidate the weather into a dy. But as powerful as he had be, that was still impossible. Though who knew what the future would bring? Godhood was on offer, and he wasn¡¯t going to fail in his quest to attain it. But the first step was toplete the quest given to him by the annoying little man. To that end, he pulled his attention from the storm in the distance and focused on his most useful ability:
Hunt of the Ancestors Summon an ancestral spirit to guide you toward worthy prey.
He flooded it with ethera, and a momentter, a wispy figure manifested before him. The spirit belonged to one of his ancestors, yet there was no resemnce apparent. Even if there had been, Thor knew it would have been impossible to detect. The shimmering spirit wasn¡¯t quite formless ¨C the pieces of a human figure were obvious ¨C but anything more detailed than basic shape had been obscured. Still, it spoke, ¡°You have summoned me again, disrespectful child. Have you not found your prey?¡± ¡°Respect is earned, old fool,¡± Thor spat, gesturing with his spear. ¡°Find the Druid I seek.¡± ¡°Very well, whelp,¡± the spirit intoned, obviously annoyed to have been given such a task. Then, it spun in ce before exploding into a hundred tendrils of ethera that sped off in every direction. A secondter, one winked out. Then the next. Over and over, they disappeared until only one remained, speeding off to the east. ¡°It is faint, but the Druid¡¯s ripples are in that direction. Summon me again when you fail to follow the trail on your own.¡±Then, the spirit disappeared, leaving only that thin thread of power behind. Thor¡¯s grip on his bone-hafted spear tightened in anger, but it was an impotent emotion. The spirit was immaterial, and as such, it was unassable. In truth, Thor had no idea if it even belonged to his actual ancestor or if it was just a trick of the spell. Whatever the case, it had proved invaluable as he¡¯d spent the past few years hunting progressively more powerful creatures. Without it, he would have been stuck killing whichever monsters he happened to stumble upon. And if that had been the case, there was no chance he could have progressed so high and so quickly. To reassure himself of his ce in the world, he once again summoned the power rankings:
1. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 63 2. Sadie Song ¨C Level 62 3. Thor Gunderson ¨C Level 61 4. Hu Shui ¨C Level 59 5. Niko Song ¨C Level 58 6. Hu Shui ¨C Level 56 7. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 56 8. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 53 9. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 52 10. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 49 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­
His frustration mounted. Both Oscar Ramirez and Sadie Song remained just ahead of him. No matter what he did, Thor couldn¡¯t quite pass them. More than once, he¡¯d considered hunting one of them instead. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time he¡¯d hunted a human; more than once, he¡¯d done so ¨C sometimes, for ethereum, but others because he thought it would be a challenge. None had been. Which was both disappointing and reassuring. Even when someone was a higher level than him, his powerful abilities as well as his secret weapon had been enough to see him through. When he¡¯d acquired his Body of Wood, he hadn¡¯t thought it would be so impactful, yet it had proven to be the difference between him and everyone else he¡¯d met. As far as Thor had seen, no one else had unlocked the secrets of cultivation. That gave him an advantage that he intended to use to catapult himself to the top. That was why he¡¯d epted the little man¡¯s quest:
A powerful entity has offered you a Task: Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. Obejctive: Hunt the Druid (Elijah Hart) Reward: Blessing of the Gnome, Eason Edmund
The first time he¡¯d received a task through the system, it had given him a potion that he¡¯d used to ease the cultivation of his body. The gnome, Eason Edmund had promised that his reward would be simr, which Thor hoped would propel him to even greater heights. He just needed to finish the hunt, kill the so-called Druid, then turn his sights on the people who were ahead of him on the power rankings. Perhaps Elijah Hart would provide him with a decent hunt, but that was a secondary concern. His primary objective was to be the best, to climb thedder to the top. Everything else came after that. So, with that in mind, Thor set off across thendscape as he followed the tendril of power the ancestral spirit left behind. It led him along for many miles, through forests and past mountains. Still, he kept going, killing anything that happened to be in his way. Most were worthless in terms of experience, but he killed them anyway. Some, he used for food, but most, he killed for no other reason than because he could. He reveled in the reality that they couldn¡¯t stop him. Just like the Druid that was his next target. For two more days, Thor traveled through the wilderness until, atst, he crested a hill and saw a town spread out before him. However, it only took one look for him to recognize that its residents were not human. Short and slim, with pointed ears and an ethereal beauty that even Thor couldn¡¯t deny, characterized them as elves. Which he found frustrating. He¡¯d run into a few elves during his travels, and after the initial shock of encountering non-humans, he¡¯d quickly found that they were aloof and judgmental, with an air of unearned superiority that he found extremely off-putting. There were multiple breeds of the creatures, though he¡¯d only met the ones on the lowest rungs of their hierarchy. He¡¯d killed thest group he¡¯d found, though he had no interest in fighting an entire town. Especially when most of them were likely weaklings that would offer more trouble than they were worth. Still, the thin line of ethera that had resulted from Hunt of the Ancestors was never wrong. Often, it was frustratingly vague. It didn¡¯t point him toward his actual prey, but rather the ripples of his passing. Thor often thought of it as a way to track the consequences of a person¡¯s existence. Those clues would then lead him to his quarry. So, he had no choice but to head into the elven town and ask a few questions, which was the part of the hunt he enjoyed the least. It was his only way forward, though, so he took a deep breath, then strode forward, using his red-tasseled spear like a walking stick. His arrival came with some degree of notice, though the elves had clearly had dealings with enough humans that they didn¡¯t give him more than a few disapproving looks. Despite the fact that he wanted to challenge each and every one of them, he ignored their expressions. Instead, he followed the thread of ethera through the town. As he did, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the architecture, which was oddly cozy, and it was also obvious that quite a lot of effort had gone into integrating the architecture with nature. The houses looked almost like they¡¯d been grown, rather than assembled, and most had roofs made of green sod. Trees dotted the town, and the people wore rough-spun clothing that gave them a rustic appearance that hadn¡¯t been present with the elves Thor had encountered in the past. Perhaps he¡¯d found a different breed that wasn¡¯t quite as high-and-mighty as their cousins. Whatever the case, Thor wasn¡¯t terribly interested in architecture or elven culture. Instead, he only cared about finding his prey, and with that in mind, he continued to follow the thread of Hunt of the Ancestors until it led him to a dwelling that was set a little apart from all the others, and in more way than one. First, the style was quite different than all the rest, and it looked almost like a miniature pce, with swooping arches and modest spires. It wasn¡¯t much bigger than a modern home ¨C or modern in terms of the old world ¨C but it was clearly meant to convey luxury. Or perhaps station. In any case, it was also separated by some distance from the rest of the town, which only served to highlight how different it was. The thread of ethera led directly to it. Thor strode forward, then banged on the door. A few momentster, an elf opened the door. She wore a grey dress that, to Thor, clearly marked her as a servant. Or maybe that was her subservient demeanor. Either way, he said, ¡°I demand to speak to the master of this house.¡± She blinked, then said, ¡°Do you have business with Master Breeze?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Of what sort?¡± ¡°The sort that will not be shared with a servant,¡± he stated. ¡°Now go. Fetch your master.¡± She blinked again, then said, ¡°Very well. Wait here.¡± Before he could reply, she mmed the door in his face, which irritated him to no end. However, he stifled his anger. Even if he intended to make the girl pay for her impudence ¨C after all, he was third on the power rankings, and he deserved respect ¨C he would not do so until he got the information he wanted. Thor was not so impulsive that he would hamstring his own quest to smother his own anger. That couldeter. For a few long minutes, he waited, not moving a muscle, until atst, the door swung open. The same servant bade him enter, then asked him to follow. Thor did, and he was led through the opulently decorated house to what was obviously an office of some sort. There, he encountered an elf. Though this elf was different from all the rest. Where they were short, he was tall. Where they wereely, he was acerbically beautiful. He was clearly a member of the aristocratic breed of high elves. ¡°A barbarian at the gates. To what do I owe this dubious honor, number three?¡± asked the elf. Thor very nearly struck, right then and there. But he wrangled his anger enough to ask, ¡°You know who I am?¡± ¡°Of course. We have an up-to-date power ranking list,¡± the elf stated, steepling his fingers. ¡°Again, I ask ¨C what can I do for you? I have a full line of potions avable. Healing. Ethera recovery. I even have a couple of weak potions meant for body cultivation, though I daresay they wouldn¡¯t do you much good at your stage.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want your potions,¡± Thor spat. ¡°I want information.¡± ¡°Ah. That is a product I can offer as well. What sort of information do you desire? Would you like to know about the budding kingdom to the southeast? What of the one thousands of miles from here? Do you wish to know tower locations? I have a map with six of them, though more are discovered each passing month.¡± ¡°No. I want to know about the Druid.¡± The elf went pale. ¡°Druid? I know of no Druid.¡± ¡°You would do well not to lie to me,¡± Thor growled. ¡°And you would do well to remember where you are. If you attack me, I can guarantee you will not survive the attempt.¡± ¡°Neither would you,¡± Thor said with all the confidence of a man who¡¯d not known defeat in quite a long time. ¡°Indeed,¡± the elf said. Then, he spread his long arms, saying, ¡°But I have no reason to lie. I have encountered no Druids. If I had, I would tell you everything you want to know.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Let us just say that alchemists and Druids are rarely allies. They stand in opposition to everything I do. More often than not, that results in irreconcble enmity. So, tell me ¨C why do you think I have had anything to do with a Druid?¡± Thor wasn¡¯t going to reveal the details of Hunt of the Ancestors, so he just said, ¡°I was led here.¡± ¡°Ah. A spell, then. Are you a seer? No ¨C not with that spear. Perhaps you were pointed in this direction by someone with the sight. Yes ¨C that makes sense,¡± the elf stated. Then, he tapped his chin. ¡°I have encountered spells of that sort. They track consequence, yes?¡± Thor nodded. That was as urate a way to describe what his spell did as he could envision. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°That means your Druid¡¯s actions touched me in some way,¡± the elf said. Then, after a second, he said, ¡°Ah. That would make sense.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I sent a team of adventurers out into the wilderness to acquire a powerful natural treasure,¡± the elf said. ¡°That was some time ago. I assumed they had been defeated by the treasure¡¯s guardian, but now¡­it is possible that they ran afoul of a Druid. If that was the case, then it is no wonder that they never returned.¡± That sounded like a good lead to Thor, especially considering that his spell would not have led him to the elf if he didn¡¯t have a clue. So, he asked, ¡°Where would I find this treasure?¡± It would have been easier if he could have used his spell more often, but it was extremely limited in that respect. At present, it took more than a month to recharge. ¡°That will cost you, my barbarian friend,¡± the elf said. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°The same thing I wanted from thest team I sent ¨C the treasure,¡± the elf stated. ¡°Agree to acquire it for me, and I will point you in the proper direction.¡± Thor grinned. ¡°I think I can work with that. Tell me where to go,¡± he said. ¡°And I¡¯ll fetch your treasure.¡± ¡°Fantastic. My name is Breeze, by the way.¡± ¡°Thor,¡± was his reply. ¡°Oh, I know precisely who you are, Mr. Gunderson.¡± Book 3: Chapter 13: The Power of Foreknowledge Book 3: Chapter 13: The Power of Foreknowledge Irritation bordering on anger coursed through every facet of Elijah¡¯s mind as he threw himself at the huge turtle. Its jagged-beaked head snapped out, its jaws mping down on his hastily-raised arm. He¡¯d used Iron Scales, but even then, he felt his bones creak under the enormous biting force the monster could bring to bear. Still, he only grunted, shunting the pain into its own facet of his Quartz Mind as he wrapped his other arm around its neck in a headlock. Then, he squeezed. ¡°Now!¡± he roared, his voiceing out with a multitude of bubbles, and the other members of his party rushed in to do their part. Kurik mmed the notched de of his axe into the turtle¡¯s enormous head, while Nia used a spell to send spears of stone into its underbelly. Most were deflected by its hard shell, but some managed to breach the creature¡¯s defenses. Finally, Ssethik leaped upon one of its legs, ramming both of his daggers through its pebbling skin. Meanwhile, Robolo was busy keeping two other monsters upied ¨C one was an eight-foot-long barracuda, while the other was a sea snake that failed to fit into any category Elijah knew. Even as the two monsters driftedzily in the current, the Confounder who¡¯d rendered them insensate struggled with the burden on his ethera. It wouldn¡¯t be long before his core waspletely spent, which meant that Elijah needed to end the fight. But he needed the others to get a few more good hits in because, as he¡¯d learned since entering the tower, the system distributed experience based on the efforts of everyone involved. In some cases, that meant the primary damage dealer got the lion¡¯s share, but there were plenty of exceptions ¨C like healing, controlling enemies, and shielding allies ¨C that the only thing clear about how experience was allocated was that it was aplex thing that only a Schr could fully understand. So, rather than try fruitlessly to manipte it, Elijah and hispanions had adopted a simple strategy ¨C everyone needed to contribute as much as possible, while Elijah kept them as safe as he could. In this instance, that meant holding the turtle in ce so the others could pile on as much damage as possible. However, they were so far beneath him ¨C with the exception of Kurik, whose skills were unsuited to direct confrontation ¨C that even that wouldn¡¯t be enough to kill this particr enemy. Still, he waited until they¡¯d gotten a few more attacks in before squeezing the turtle¡¯s neck so hard that bones cracked. A momentter, its struggling ceased, save for a few twitches from its jaw. A blow from Kurik¡¯s axe finished it off, and Elijah let it fall to the seafloor, where it settled into the silt. Meanwhile, he threw himself at the sea serpent, which he judged was the most dangerous of the remaining two enemies. The second he touched it, Robolo¡¯s spell broke, and the monster tried to slither away. Elijah caught it by the tail, and because it was unable to escape, the sea snake whipped around, baring a set of six-inch fangs. Elijah punched it in the back of the throat, then used Iron Scales as it mped down. The creature didn¡¯t have the biting power to even nick his scales, so long as he kept the ability going. By that point, the others knew the drill, and they shifted their attention to the serpent. That¡¯s when things went wrong, though. In his squeaky gnome voice, Robolo shouted, ¡°It¡¯s breaking loose!¡± At that moment, the spell holding the barracuda in ce shattered, sending a small pulse of ethera across the seafloor. Even as Elijah wrestled with the serpent, the overgrown fish sighted in on Robolo and tore through the water to attack what it saw as its tormentor.Fortunately, they were prepared for that, and when the fish darted toward the gnome, an earthen cage sprang up around the Confounder. The fish hit it going full speed, sending a cascade of stones to drift toward the seafloor as a cloud of silt billowed, obscuring everything. But the cage held, stymying the barracuda just long enough for Robolo to recast his spell. It went still again as the cage fell to pieces, and via One with Nature, Elijah saw Nia sag in exhaustion. Normally, summoning that cage wasn¡¯t that taxing for the little goblin Lithomancer. However, it was exacerbated by two factors. First, she was used to only using it on herself, and pushing it onto Robolo increased the ethera cost by a significant margin. Second, her Regeneration was absolutely horrible, which meant that since the very beginning, she¡¯d never actually regained much ethera. Aura of Renewal helped, but it wasn¡¯t enough to keep her going indefinitely. Yet, Elijah couldn¡¯t spare the attention for that kind of thing. Instead, he was too busy monitoring the totality of their circumstances. One slip in concentration, and one of the weaker members of his party could die. Elijah wouldn¡¯t allow that. Soon enough, the sea serpent died just like the turtle, and Elijah turned his attention to the lone remainingbatant. He fell on the barracuda, grabbing hold of its fins and ripping them free. After that, the fight went predictably. Even if the fish managed to break away from Elijah¡¯s grip ¨C which it did a couple of times ¨C it couldn¡¯t control itself without those pectoral fins. In the end, the monstrous fish went down when Ssethik gutted it from underneath, sending its intestines spilling across the ocean floor as blood clouded the surrounding water. When it went down, Elijah shifted into his human form, then cast Healing Rain. With the Crook of the Serpent Healer, the spell was almost three times as powerful as it had been when he was using the Staff of Natural Harmony. Sure, his old staff was a better all-around weapon, but for healing, his new weapon was far superior. This content has been uwfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Is anyone badly hurt?¡± he asked. They all shook their heads. For once, he¡¯d managed to shield them from any major damage. As a defender, he was growing morepetent with each fight. Certainly, hecked some of the abilities a more specialized Fighter might¡¯ve possessed ¨C he¡¯d learned a little about normal groupposition from Kurik ¨C but he was a passable substitute. Some of that was due to the fact that he was a higher level than the others, and that gap was further widened by his more advanced degree of cultivation. Still, it was a good learning experience. However, one thing was certain ¨C the others would have died a dozen times over without his presence. Yet, that wasn¡¯t as terrible as it sounded. Because he was the highest level of the group, the tower¡¯s level was determined by Elijah¡¯s. As such, most of the monsters they¡¯d fought were meant to be a challenge for someone of his advancement, and the others could barely even hurt them. The benefits were impressive, though. ¡°Got ¡®nother level,¡± Kurik said in the aftermath. ¡°That¡¯s seven since we came to this cursed sea. I ain¡¯t leveled like this since¡­well, ever. Not even when I was a little one.¡± ¡°It is nice,¡± agreed Nia. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ssethik stated, trying to sound unimpressed. Robolo remained silent, which suggested to Elijah that the gnome was busy reading a notification. After that, the group spent a few minutes recovering, but the potion situation put them on a timer. If they didn¡¯t finish the Sea of Sorrows in a total of five days, people would start to suffocate. So, considering that over half that allotted time had already passed, they didn¡¯t have leave to linger. With that in mind, the moment everyone had recovered ¨C both in terms of ethera as well as their injuries ¨C Elijah led them deeper into the Sea of Sorrows. Along the way, he pointed out any dangers he¡¯d discovered during his first run through the tower. The group proved to be attentive students, though that probably had a lot to do with the fact that nearly everything Elijah showed them was potentially deadly. Like the rock turtle they¡¯d just killed. Or the sea spiders who spun their gossamer webs across potential paths. Or any number of other predators. Slowly, they made their way across the seafloor. Their progress was much quicker than Elijah¡¯s initial run through the level,rgely because he was much better suited to meet the challenges that presented themselves. Back then, he¡¯d been forced into only using his human shape, and as such, the bulk of his power remained hidden for the majority of the level. With only a day to spare, they found the level¡¯s guardian. The monstrous orca was much as Elijah remembered it, which meant that it looked like a mutated version of a killer whale. The ck-and-white pattern was the same, but it was both muchrger, and its features looked far more aggressive. When he looked upon it, he still felt a sense of frustration and anger, but he supposed that was natural. Getting eaten and digested was bound to elicit some degree of enmity. This time, he wanted to ensure a better oue, so he consulted with his group before retreating about a quarter of a mile from where they saw the orca. There, they proceeded to set a trap. Nia used her earth maniption powers to hollow out a cave, while Kurik and Elijah set traps. The n was almost identical to the one Elijah had used to kill the giant isopod during his first run through the tower. He intended to bait the orca into the trap, then escape the other side. This time, however, he had plenty of help meant to ensure it was a much safer proposition. So, with that in mind, the group worked ¨C against the clock as much as the environment ¨C until, atst, Elijah set out to pull the orca into position. And for once, it went off without a hitch. The creature was fast, but in hismer ape form, Elijah could propel himself to incredible speeds ¨C at least so long as he didn¡¯t have to turn. Soon enough, he reached the prepared spot, then dove into the cave, where he shifted into his human form and turned to face the orca. Just as the giant whale entered, Elijah used Snaring Roots. Wiggling tendrils that looked like sea anemone appendages snaked up from the interior of the cave, wrapping themselves around the orca. Then, as Elijah dove through the exit, both Robolo and Ssethik brought their attack skills to bear. The gnomish Confounder sent small bolts of purple light at the orca. The primary purpose of that spell was to stun enemies, but they sizzled upon impact, doing a slight amount of damage. Meanwhile, Ssethik tossed a series of spectral throwing daggers at the monster. They didn¡¯t do much damage, but they were better than nothing. And besides, the Rogue wasn¡¯t about to get close to such a foe. Not without a defender to keep its attention. Even as theypleted their first volley from their position at the tunnel¡¯s entrance, Elijah shouted, ¡°Bring it down!¡± Nia did just that, leveraging what little ethera she had to copse the roof as well as the entrance. Stone fell upon the thrashing orca, but due to the nature of the cave, it counted as a trap. And that meant that Kurik could enhance it with his ability. Ethera swirled as the creature was infected with neurotoxin, and high-pitched cries of pain filled the water. Yet, it did not die. Not immediately, at least. Elijah added Swarm to the mix, knowing that he couldn¡¯t afford to hold back. The rocks were heavy, and the orca was wounded, but it was strong enough to tear free unless they continued to pile on the damage. So that¡¯s what they did. It didn¡¯t feel as much like a fight as it did an extermination, but after almost an hour of pouring every ounce of ethera they could into doing as much damage as possible to the orca, it finally sumbed. And though they wanted to celebrate, the group was far too exhausted for that. So, they simply gathered together to rest, then when everyone had recovered enough to move on, they did just that. Eventually, they reached the end of the second level, which presented as a massive hole in the ground. By that point, the others were down to theirst potion, so they couldn¡¯t afford to take any longer before diving in. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of aplishment. The first time through, it had taken him weeks to traverse the Sea of Sorrows. This time, though, he¡¯d managed it in less than five days. Sure, he¡¯d had help. But as much as he enjoyed having other people with him, their presence had slowed him down more than anything. Even so, it was a nice aplishment, and he¡¯d already met his goals of providing Ironshore with an opportunity to increase its people¡¯s power. Hopefully, they¡¯d gain a couple of good rewards along the way. With that in mind, he followed the others into the massive sinkhole and toward the tower¡¯s final level. Book 3: Chapter 14: A New Challenge Book 3: Chapter 14: A New Challenge ¡°How did we only get a C-Grade out of that?¡± Elijahined, looking at the item he¡¯d found in the silver reward box. It was a pair of boots, called Footpads of Silence. ¡°It was wless.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just d to be outta the water,¡± Kurik remarked, looking at his own set of footwear. He held them up. They were grey, with dark soles. ¡°Manta Ray Boots.¡± All the others had received simr items, though with different themes. None of them would share the names, though. Apparently, outworlders were prone to secrecy. Elijah tried his new shoes ¨C slippers, really ¨C on, and the moment he did, One with Nature winked out. ¡°Ugh. Useless,¡± he muttered. Apparently, the system wanted to keep him barefoot. Or maybe it was his Druid archetype. Whatever the case, he wasn¡¯t going to render One with Nature useless just for a pair of shoes. Besides, wearing them felt odd, after going so long without any shoes. So, he took them off and stored them in his pack. The others were quick to bind their new equipment, and rightly so. Any additional attributes or abilities would inevitably prove to be a boon. Hopefully, Elijah could find someone to buy his new and useless shoes, because he had no intention of wearing them. Kurik pointedly looked at Elijah¡¯s bare feet, then at the pack, and shook head. Elijah just grinned and shrugged, saying, ¡°Not my style.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this ce, then?¡± asked Ssethik, his hands on his hips as he gazed into the jungle. ¡°Well, there are a bunch of dinosaurs out there, for one.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a dinosaur?¡± asked the Rogue.¡°Giant lizard.¡± ¡°Like a dragon?¡± ¡°No. Sort of. I don¡¯t know. They¡¯re not intelligent, though. Just animals. Deadly ones, though. And then there are the sasquatches,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°They¡¯re tool-users, but I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re sapient or not. Probably best not to worry about it, though. They¡¯re aggressive, which means if we see them, we should probably treat them as enemies.¡± He stretched ¨C after spending so long in the sea, his body needed a little time to adjust; to aid that, Elijah summoned Healing Rain, which added rejuvenating precipitation to the storm assailing the beach where they¡¯de ashore. ¡°After thates a maze. That¡¯s what¡¯s going to take the longest,¡± he said. ¡°There are sasquatches in there, too. And these big, bipedal lizards made of roots and branches. I called them root raptors in my head, but I¡¯m now beginning to realize that that¡¯s kind of stupid,¡± Eliah said, raking his fingers through his wet hair. ¡°But that¡¯s about it. We just need to get to the maze¡¯s entrance, then find our way to the center. Once we do, we¡¯re done with the tower. Easy peasy, right?¡± It was not. Hourster, as Elijah and the others fled yet another group of sasquatches, he cursed his statement. The problem was that he¡¯d never even considered the reality that he¡¯d spent almost the entire time in the Primordial Jungle ¨C and the maze, afterwards ¨C in his draconid form. And as was the case more often than not, most of that span had been beneath the cloak of Guise of the Unseen. So, he¡¯d snuck past the vast majority of the dangerous monsters that lived in the Primordial Jungle. That was impossible now, what with him having to bring a few people with absolutely zero skill in stealth along for the ride. As a result, their little group had spent the past few hours either fighting or fleeing. Elijah ducked under a branch, narrowly avoiding an arrow that thudded into the trunk of a nearby tree. Then, he grabbed the branch, redirecting his momentum and sending him back in the other direction. As he did, he used Shape of the Guardian, assuming the form of amer ape as he crashed into the sasquatch that had been hunting them. The monster barely staggered, but that was enough to give Elijah the opportunity to bring his ws to bear. One swipe, then two, and he opened up a couple of gaping wounds that sent blood spraying across the jungle. But he wasn¡¯t done. Indeed ¨C he was only getting started. The sasquatch was enormous, durable, and faster than it had any right to be, but the moment Elijah had taken it by surprise, he¡¯d gained an advantage he refused to surrender. So, he kept the pressure up with continuous attacks that eventually sent the monster to the ground. It reacted with predictable fury, but its weapons had tumbled free when Elijah had crashed into it, and its hands and feet were poor recements. In that way, it was disturbingly human. Elijah didn¡¯t let that dissuade him from doing what was necessary, though, and he pummeled the thing with all the considerable Strength he could bring to bear. On top of that, his efforts were entuated by his equipment. The Sash of the Whirlwind lent him Haste, while the ws of Gluttony made any wound he inflected bleed more freely than normal. That, in turn, weakened the monster to a noticeable degree with every passing second. And in the end, it was enough to give Elijah the edge he needed to finally bring the fight to a close when he wrapped his arms around its neck and squeezed. Its bones didn¡¯t break, but with the blood flow to its brain suddenly ceasing, it died after only a few minutes. Apparently, its anatomy was disturbingly human as well. Once the monster was dead, Elijah fell to his back, his breathing in deep and ragged hisses. Like that, hey for a few moments before finally pushing the enormous creature off his body and rising to his feet. A nearbymotion was all the indication he needed to recognize that the battle wasn¡¯t finished, and he shifted into his draconid form before letting Guise of the Unseen envelop him. Then, he padded toward the noise, reaching the site of an ongoing battle. Kurik faced off against another sasquatch whose feet had sunk into forest¡¯s loamy ground. Nearby, Nia held her staff aloft as she chanted furiously. At the same time, Robolo crouched atop a limb, his hand outstretched toward a dinosaur that looked like a carnivorous version of a triceratops. It swayed on its feet, clearly bespelled. This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience. Ssethik was nowhere to be seen. Kurik tossed his axe at the sasquatch, hitting it in the thigh before running forward. The creature swiped at him, but he dropped to his knees, grasping the axe¡¯s handle as he skidded between its legs. Then, he bounded up the trunk of a tree, climbing it with the dexterity of a monkey beforeunching himself at the monster¡¯s back. Ethera swirled as he activated an ability, and he descended upon the sasquatch¡¯s back with undeniable force. The monster¡¯s back split beneath the axe¡¯s bite, and it howled in rage, turning far more quickly than its bulk would indicate was possible, and it took Kurik with a backhand that sent him flying across the jungle and into the brush. That was when Elijah struck, using Venom Strike as well as Predator Strike as he leaped upon the monster¡¯s back and mped his powerful jaws on its skull. It burst in only a second, and the monster fell limp. Elijah knew there was no time to waste, so he darted to the triceratops, embracing Guise of the Unseen before again using Predator Strike. His subsequent attack ripped through the creature¡¯s thick, pebbled hide, dragging a gapingceration in its belly. Intestines spilled out, spelling the beast¡¯s doom, but as Elijah had discovered on multiple asions, gut wounds were not quick killers. The triceratops went wild, bucking and biting anything close. Trees fell before the massive monster, but Elijah bounded free, shifting to his human form as he rolled to a stop. Then, he summoned Snaring Roots, binding the beast in ce. Healing Rain came next, and he hoped it would be wide enough to reach the fallen Kurik. That was when Ssethik struck. Not the beast, though. Instead, the goblin Rogue had finally chosen to attack Elijah. For his part, Elijah had known it wasing. The goblin didn¡¯t cut a trustworthy figure, and what¡¯s more, he¡¯d been warned more than once that Ssethik had been friendly with the fallen Eason Cabbot. As such, the attack didn¡¯t reallye as a surprise. But it dide at an incredibly inopportune moment. With his attention on the triceratops, he only noticed Ssethik at the veryst moment. That was probably what saved him, as the dagger meant to pierce his heart missed its target by only a couple of inches. However, even that was enough to send an eruption of blood and flesh to stter against the ground. What¡¯s more, Elijah fell to the ground, where he sprawled on his hands and knees for a split second before he swung his staff in a backhanded blow meant for the goblin. It hit nothing but air as Ssethik used his stealth ability to disappear. That was fine, though. Because Elijah followed that up with Cmity. The ground erupted as hundreds of bolts of lightning filled the suddenly deadly air. The triceratops took the brunt of the damage, but via One with Nature, Elijah found Ssethik when he caught a stray bolt of lightning. That was when Elijah used Brand of the Stalker. Once that was done, Elijah took his time finding his feet. Ssethik had fled the area, but that didn¡¯t matter. Wherever he went, Elijah would find him.
Brand of the Stalker Sear a brand on an enemy, preventing all forms of stealth and increasing your damage against them by fourteen (14) percent.
So, he aimed Storm¡¯s Fury at the triceratops. It fell twitching to the ground, which allowed Elijah to shift into hismer ape form and finish it off. As he did, he noticed that Ssethik¡¯s attack hade with a powerful poison, but it had been counteracted by Healing Rain, which, with the Serpent Healer¡¯s Crook, had been entuated far beyond normal. Still, the poison was still strong enough to send a wave of dizziness through Elijah¡¯s body. So, he took a moment to use Touch of Nature. That served to close the wound in his back as well. He turned to Nia, who hadn¡¯t moved from where she¡¯d hidden behind a bush, likely having spent the entirety of her core¡¯s contents. ¡°I¡¯m going to hunt down Ssethik. If you knew what he intended, you¡¯d better not be here when I get back,¡± he said. ¡°Because if I find out that you did and that you failed to warn me, I¡¯ll make sure you end up just like him.¡± Then, he strode off through the jungle. However, he didn¡¯t immediately chase Ssethik down. Instead, he found Kurik, who was just rising from presumed unconsciousness. Elijah quickly told him what had happened, which elicited a string of curses, then began healing the dwarf. It was remarkably easy, and it only took two casts of Touch of Nature. Another benefit of his new staff. Or perhaps it was due to Kurik being a lower level. Either way, Elijah was grateful for how quickly he ushered his friend to recovery. After that, he used Shape of the Predator, then Guise of the Unseen before stalking toward Ssethik. The goblin Rogue had taken refuge a few hundred yards away, where he waited ¨C presumably, hoping that Elijah would prove incapable of hunting him down. So, when Elijah pounced, the goblin disyed an expression of surprise. Elijah pinned him to the ground, his w digging into the goblin¡¯s chest as he demanded, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why? You killed my friends!¡± Ssethik hissed, dragging his dagger from his belt. He never got the chance to bring it to bear, as Elijah snapped out, crushing the goblin¡¯s skull with a single flex of his powerful jaws. The dagger fell to the ground, and Elijah pulled away. He¡¯d known for a long time that it wasing. The angry res of the people of Ironshore had mostly faded, but there were still plenty who regarded him as the enemy. Ssethik was clearly one of them. But he still didn¡¯t know what to do about it. He¡¯d hoped that saving the city would help. And it had. It wasn¡¯t enough, though. His only sce was that it didn¡¯t seem to be a pervasive attitude anymore, so Elijah figured that his only response was to grow strong enough that any attempts at revenge would be rendered useless. Whatever the case, he gathered the goblin¡¯s equipment, throwing it into his pack before returning to the others. When he reached them, they were all quick to assure him that they¡¯d had nothing to do with Ssethik¡¯s assassination attempt. Elijah chose to believe them, if for no other reason than because they hadn¡¯t actively tried to help the Rogue. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. Then, without another word, he shifted into his draconid form before stalking off into the jungle. From there on out, he didn¡¯t bother trying to include the others in his hunt. Instead, he simply cleared the way, escorting them to the maze¡¯s entrance. After that came the long and arduous process of finding their way through thebyrinth. It was easier than Elijah¡¯s first visit to the maze,rgely because One with Nature had expanded, and as a result, he could feel dead ends much more quickly. Still, finding their way through the maze was not the work of a day. Instead, it took nearly a week before they encountered the root raptors. Elijah killed the first few without the group even knowing they were there, and a few days after that when the alpha finally attacked, Elijah countered it with hismer ape form. What followed was a long and drawn-out fight that required Elijah to use Guardian¡¯s Renewal. But in the end, he emerged victorious. Kurik tried to speak to him about what had happened, but Elijah was in no mood. Instead, he silently led them to the exit, where they received an F-Grade, presumably because they¡¯d lost one of their group. Elijah didn¡¯t care. Nor was he concerned with the worthless sword he was awarded. Indeed, all he really wanted was to leave the tower behind, take care of the remainder of his errands, and leave Ironshore behind for a while. Perhaps when he returned sometime in the future, it would be on better terms. Book 3: Chapter 15: An Uneasy Feeling Book 3: Chapter 15: An Uneasy Feeling The smell of blooming flowers hung in the air, reminding Carmen that spring had well and truly arrived. In any other situation, she might have weed it. Indeed, even as a refugee who¡¯d been banished to wilderness, she appreciated the warmer weather. However, it also highlighted a series of issues, not least among them that with the passage of time came the increased risk of hunger. Her group had long since run out of rations, and though they¡¯d had some degree of good fortune hunting, they were only a couple of dry spells away from having to ration what they had left. But mostly, she was worried about the increased animal activity that would inevitably apany the warmer weather. Many predators either hibernated or at least slowed down during winter, but now that spring had arrived, they would be up and about. And they would see the ragged group of refugees as prey. Because for the most part, that was what they were. Certainly, they could hold their own if they caught a monster by surprise. And against desperate groups of bandits, they could survive well enough. Yet, Carmen knew exactly how close to the edge they were walking, and it was painfully obvious that it would only take a single push to send them all careening over a cliff and into oblivion. If it weren¡¯t for her responsibilities as a mother, she might have simply given in and let it happen. Increasingly, the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other had be draining in a way she could scarcely articte. It wasn¡¯t difficult to understand why, either. She¡¯d lost everything. Her wife. Her forge. Even her home. Miguel was the only thing left, and he was the lone thread keeping her from simply giving up. If she¡¯d been back in Easton, she might have lost herself at the bottom of a bottle. Or maybe she would have picked a few fights. Lost herself in her work, perhaps. However, none of those outlets were avable. Instead, they¡¯d been reced by the tedium of survival, and it had proven a poor substitute. Because as difficult as it was, survival was not exciting. Nor was it terribly distracting. Long periods passed where nothing happened, and in those moments, Carmen could only dwell on everything she¡¯d lost. On how thoroughly she had failed. People had died because of her. Others had been banished from the only viable life avable to them. As a result, they were out in the wilderness with no real civilization for a hundred miles in any direction. They needed rest. They needed somewhere they could settle in and collect themselves. Perhaps a ce where they could set a permanent life. Maybe they would choose to keep going and look for something more developed. Or not. But for the moment, everyone needed a break from the constant rigors of travel and survival. One was doable, but both at the same time came at the expense of one¡¯s sanity. Carmen felt it as keenly as anyone else.So, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of optimism when Colt returned to the column of refugees and said, ¡°There¡¯s a good spot up ahead. Water. Some wild edibles nearby. And a reasonably intact shelter.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± Carmen asked, still trudging along the highway. It made travel easier when they could find a stretch of road, but it was also a grim reminder of the world they¡¯d all lost. It was especially poignant when they stumbled upon an old roadside hotel or a gas station. They¡¯d seen fast food restaurants as well as a few abandoned rest centers, establishing that they were traveling in what had once been America. Every now and then, they¡¯d find something that clearly belonged to other countries as well, which served as another testament to how thoroughly Earth had changed. It was one thing to know that everything had been mixed up and randomized, but it was something else altogether to see a inly Russian business a mile away from a building from South Africa. ¡°A high school,¡± Colt said. ¡°There are a few cars in the parking lot, too. Nothing electric, but you could use the materials.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s a viable ce to settle?¡± The man shrugged, then reached up to his head, but as had been the case since they¡¯d been exiled from Easton, he was missing his customary hat. For some reason, that struck Carmen as sad. Or wrong. Theck of his right hand didn¡¯t help that sense. ¡°Dunno,¡± he admitted. ¡°Maybe, though. It¡¯s right next to ake, too. There¡¯s water and shelter, and we can potentially fish for food. Seems like a good start.¡± Indeed, it was. And over the past month or so, they¡¯d covered enough ground that they weren¡¯t looking over their shoulders expecting Roman¡¯s people to overtake them. So, they were far enough away from Easton that they could reasonably expect to be left alone. For now. Carmen suspected that Roman had ns for expansion, so who knew what the future might hold? ¡°Alright. Lead us there,¡± she said. Then, she turned to the others and let them know what was going on. That was met with no small amount of relief, and soon enough, they left the highway, following a small road until, about five milester, they came upon their destination. The school ¨C called Lincoln High School ¨C was nothing special. Just a low-slung series of unimaginative buildings. However, upon initial inspection, it seemed mostly intact. And it wasrge enough to amodate their group. Still, Carmen approached with all the caution of someone who knew just how dangerous their world had be. So, she summoned a pair of cksmithing hammers ¨C one in each hand ¨C and activated hertest ability: Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Augment Weapons In a twenty (20) yard radius, increase the durability of all weapons you have created. Also, add fire damage to each weapon. Temporary. Duration based on Strength. Current: 7 Minutes
It was Carmen¡¯s first truebat ability, which she¡¯d acquired at level thirty-five. And though it wasn¡¯t as shy as something a Warrior or Sorcerer might use, it had proven incredibly useful over the past couple of weeks. It was also helpful that her summoned hammers, which had been manifested with Summon Tool, counted as her creations. As she used Augment Weapons, her hammers took on a red sheen. So did the des of the spears each of the refugees carried. Most importantly, Colt¡¯s new sword did as well. Called Second Chance, it had been created using the metal from that first bandit leader¡¯s sword, and it was easily the best weapon anyone in the group had. However, it was a long way from the best Carmen could do. But without a proper forge and the right materials, it would have to do. Even with only one hand, he was still far and away the bestbatant among the refugees. Every now and then, Carmen would see him fumbling with something ¨C like the sp of a belt she¡¯d made to hold his sheathed sword ¨C but otherwise, he bore the loss stoically. Carmen wondered if she would have reacted the same. Probably not. Colt led the way through the school¡¯s front doors, and Carmen was happy to see that it was no different than a thousand schools across America. To her left, she saw a school office, and to the right, a trophy case meant tomemorate a bunch of academic or athletic achievements. But there were no flying monkeys or other unlikely monsters. So, they continued on, checking each ssroom along the way. To Carmen¡¯s surprise, they found nothing but desks, whiteboards, and a bunch of abandonedputers. Everything looked like it had been untouched since the world¡¯s transformation, which put Carmen¡¯s hackles up. Still, no matter how hard they looked ¨C and they searched every corner of the small school ¨C no dangers presented themselves. In fact, they found nothing but good fortune, even stumbling upon what had been the school¡¯s woodshop ssroom. ¡°This is all good steel,¡± Carmen said, inspecting a sawde. ¡°This can¡¯t be real¡­¡± ¡°We were due a little good luck,¡± said Theresa. The woman had huge bags beneath her eyes, and a sag to her shoulders. She¡¯d earned both. She was the closest thing they had to a healer, after all. Without her prowess as a Chemist, none of them ¨C including Carmen ¨C would have survived. Even with her efforts, they¡¯de close to losing multiple people. And Theresa wasn¡¯t the only one who needed a rest. They all did. Which was why the school was such an attractive option. Still, Carmen insisted on sweeping through the ce one final time before giving the order to settle in. That resulted in no new information, so the group took refuge in the school¡¯s cafeteria. Meanwhile, Carmen and Colt ¨C and Miguel, to Carmen¡¯s consternation ¨C scouted the surroundings. They were just as devoid of monster activity as the school. Even theke, which was nestled only a few hundred yards from the school, was incredibly peaceful. In fact, the whole area looked like paradise. That sent a chill up Carmen¡¯s spine, and as she stood on the shore, she said, ¡°This is too good to be true.¡± ¡°We¡¯re allowed to find peace,¡± Colt said from where he stood beside her. ¡°The world ain¡¯t all terrible, ya know. There¡¯s plenty of good out there. We just got dealt a raw hand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it,¡± she muttered. She ran her hand through her dirty hair. How long had it been since she¡¯d felt clean? Back in Silverado? Suddenly, she needed a long, hot shower. But that wasn¡¯t forting. The days of conveniences like that were long in the rearview. She settled down onto the ground and, as she clutched her knees to her chest, she looked out over theke. Before she knew it, tears were tracing lines down her dirty cheeks. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d wept since being exiled from Easton, but she never really allowed it to go past a few scattered tears. Yet, now that she was alone ¨C or mostly ¨C she couldn¡¯t stop them. Soon enough, the sobbing escted into the ugliest, sloppiest sort of crying. For his part, Colt remained nearby, but he didn¡¯t remark on what Carmen considered a disy of weakness. Miguel, on the other hand, sat next to her and leaned his head on her shoulder as he said, ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, mom. It¡¯ll all be okay.¡± As he spoke, he rubbed her back. It reminded her of how Alyssa had alwaysforted Miguel. Which only served to bring all of her deep-seated sadness bubbling to the fore. She wept, and not just for the losses she had endured. Indeed, she cried for everything she knew wasing. All the hardships she and all the other refugees would have to experience before they could even think about returning to normalcy. She wept for a boy who¡¯d have to grow up without one of his parents. But most of all, she wept because she missed Alyssa. She¡¯d always been the strong one. She had been the backbone of their rtionship, and always, Alyssa had been the shoulder Carmen had cried on. Now, she only had Miguel, and that was a burden she didn¡¯t want to put on her son. However, she couldn¡¯t stop. So, she wept. For how long Carmen sat there, she didn¡¯t know, but by the time she finally pulled herself together, her eyes had gone dry, and the sun had set. At some point, Colt had wandered off, but Miguel had remained by her side the entire time. Just like his mother would have done. Finally, she nced over and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± he asked, blinking his big, brown eyes. ¡°For being here,¡± Carmen answered. ¡°I¡¯ll be stronger from now on, but for now¡­thank you. Now, let¡¯s go back inside and see if we can make something of this ce.¡± After that, the pair rose and headed into the school, where they found Colt and the others. They¡¯d eachid out the nkets they¡¯d scavenged along the way, and they were all restingfortably. It was the first peace they¡¯d experienced since leaving Easton, and though they were still tense, every indication was that they could finally rx. But just because things appeared safe didn¡¯t mean Carmen could drop her guard. So, she drew Colt to the side and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take first watch. You take second. This ce seems peaceful, but¡­¡± ¡°I get it. But flip that,¡± Colt said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on things. You need your rest.¡± Carmen was going to argue, but then she just shook her head. Colt was right. If anyone in the group needed a peaceful night, it was her. So, she just said, ¡°Okay. Wake me when it¡¯s my turn.¡± Then, she headed to a corner where sheid out her own ratty nket, thenid down and, within only a few minutes, was asleep. That night, she dreamed of broken promises and shattered peace. They were not pleasant dreams. Book 3: Chapter 16: A Strained Relationship Book 3: Chapter 16: A Strained Rtionship It was a subdued group that left the tower behind and swam to the shore of Elijah¡¯s ind. For his part, he spoke little ¨C only as much as absolutely necessary to ensure the others knew what he needed them to do ¨C and what he did say was terse. Even with Kurik, who by all rights, had done nothing wrong. If Elijah was honest, he was angrier with himself than with the people of Ironshore. After all, he¡¯d known that there would be repercussions for killing Cabbot and his band of mercenaries. That they¡¯d taken so long to present themselves was only due to abination of necessity ¨C they knew they needed him tobat the orcs ¨C and circumstance. ¡°I hope you know Ssethik didn¡¯t represent the city,¡± said Kurik once they¡¯d reached the shore. Elijah had wasted no time in escorting the group to one of the rowboats. ¡°He wasn¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°I know,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I just need some time alone.¡± Indeed, there was a part of him that wanted to hold the entire city ountable and wipe them from the map. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult, either. He knew Ironshore well enough. He was intimately acquainted with what defenses they possessed. He could do it over the course of a couple of nights, and there wasn¡¯t much any of them could do to stop him. But would that solve the problem? Sure. It would assuage his anger, and temporarily, it would probably make him feel a little better. After all, he wasn¡¯t some saint who could brush off an assassination attempt. He was furious, and nothing that had happened since Ssethik¡¯s ill-fated attempt at murder had served to alleviate any of that rage. Yet, as attractive as going on a killing spree was, he knew that it would ultimately be counterproductive. He didn¡¯t need Ironshore ¨C not in a physical sense, at least. But from a social perspective, the idea of having civilization so close ¨C and all the benefits that came with it ¨C was an attractive prospect. On top of that, he would have been lying if he didn¡¯t admit that he¡¯d made a few friends among the goblins, gnomes, and dwarves. Kurik was one of them. So was Ramik. Biggle, the alchemist. He was even on friendly terms with the terse tailor Mari. And that wasn¡¯t even considering all the children in the city. The moment Elijah thought of orphaning little Rosabe ¨C or worse, her ending up on the wrong end of his ws ¨C his anger dissipated, and it was reced by disappointment. So, as he watched the scout climb into the rowboat next to Nia and Robolo, it was with a deep sense of mncholy. The problem was that he was an outsider. He had been from the very beginning, and as much as they¡¯d tried to amodate him, it only took a short walk through Ironshore to hammer home just how out-of-ce he was. Sure, he¡¯d made friends, but he was still a human. And among the short-statured goblins, gnomes, and dwarves, he was a clear outlier.He needed more of his kind. He needed his sister. Carmen. Miguel. And whoever else they wanted to bring with them. Elijah had no intention of ever leaving his grove behind. It was too safe and far too important to abandon. So, he assumed that Alyssa and her family would simplye to live with him. It just made sense. Though what if they were already established somewhere? What if they didn¡¯t want toe with him? What if something had happened to them? A thousand questions spiraled through his mind, sending him down roads he didn¡¯t want to contemte. Sure, he could see Carmen¡¯s name on the power rankings, and he¡¯d taken sce in that. However, he wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to truly believe that the Carmen Rodriguez on thedder was definitely his sister-inw. For all he knew, there were a million Carmen Rodriguezes out there. And if that wasn¡¯t Carmen, then he had no reason to suspect that his sister, out of all the billions of people who¡¯d died in the aftermath of Earth¡¯s transformation, had survived. It was even less likely that a child like Miguel had made it. If he looked at things realistically, no one he knew from his old life was still alive. Simple numbers suggested that he¡¯d never see any of them again. But for so long, Elijah had refused to look at things like that, so, even amidst the mncholy strangling his mind, he shoved those negative thoughts aside. If he dwelled on them for too long, he would sumb to depression. He¡¯d done it before, and for days at a time, especially during his first few months on the ind. He didn¡¯t like to think about that, though. Instead, he chose to look at the positive side of things. Like the fact that his soap was probably finished curing. So, Elijah grabbed hold of that thought and, once he saw that Kurik and the other two had passed the halfway point, he retreated across his ind and to his grove. He¡¯d left the soap to cure inside his treehouse¡¯s kitchen, so he climbed the stairs and found the series of molds. And it had cured well. It even smelled nice. ¡°Youpleted the tower more quickly than I expected,¡± came Nerthus¡¯ voice. ¡°And I noticed that you went in with fourpanions, but only three exited. Do you wish to speak of what happened?¡± Elijah turned to see the four-foot-tall tree spirit standing near the door. If he wasn¡¯t moving, it would have been easy to imagine that he was an expertly carved statue. But despite Nerthus¡¯ general stillness, he still moved like any other living thing. It would have been unnerving if Nerthus hadn¡¯t been the one person in the whole world that had earned Elijah¡¯s explicit trust. ¡°It was an ambush. The goblin Rogue,¡± Elijah exined with a sigh. ¡°I saw iting. Even if Kurik hadn¡¯t warned me, I could see it in Ssethik¡¯s eyes. He hated me. And what¡¯s more, he thought he could gain some sort of advantage by killing me. He never stood a chance.¡± That wasn¡¯t entirely true. Elijah had shifted at thest possible moment, which had forced the Rogue to miss a lethal strike. However, if Ssethik had been allowed a thousand chances, Elijah would have done the same thing nine-hundred-and-ny-nine times. The reality was that Ssethik had beenpletely outmatched, even if the goblin hadn¡¯t known it. ¡°What will you do?¡± asked Nerthus. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m going to bathe with my soap,¡± he said. ¡°I hope it¡¯ll have some positive effect. Other than cleaning me, I mean. After that, I¡¯m going to take a long nap. The rest, I¡¯ll figure out in the morning.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. After that, Elijah asked Nerthus how things were going in the grove, and he received a long dissertation on how the tree spirit was trying to guide the gardens into a specific formation. It was one of the few things that truly excited Nerthus, so Elijah was d to listen. ¡°And here I thought the paths and everything just naturally appeared because of the way I used Nature¡¯s Bounty,¡± he mused. ¡°Oh, no. The way you use that spell is effective, but it wreaks havoc on my designs,¡± Nerthus revealed. ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that?¡± ¡°Because you seem to enjoy it,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°And it is your grove.¡± ¡°It¡¯s as much yours as it is mine, Nerthus. I mean, if I¡¯m doing something you don¡¯t like, let me know,¡± he said. Nerthus looked away and asked, ¡°When will you be departing again?¡± ¡°Are you asking that because you want me to find my sister? Or because you want me to stop messing with your garden designs?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Which one¡­oh. I see,¡± Elijah said. He sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t use it unless you ask me to.¡± ¡°I could teach you tomand it better,¡± Nerthus offered. ¡°I have devised a twelve-year n meant to give you the control necessary to affect the changes you ¨C¡± ¡°Going to have to pass,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t have twelve years right now. Maybe after I find Alyssa and Carmen. And Miguel. Which reminds me ¨C do you think you could grow a new treehouse? Like, a separate one? With a few rooms. I want it to be ready for them when they get here.¡± ¡°Certainly. It will be grander than this hovel,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°Grander? I don¡¯t want it to be better than¡­oh, you¡¯re already gone. Great.¡± Indeed, Nerthus had slipped into the floor, disappearing eagerly. Hopefully, that meant he was excited about the task. Sighing, Elijah muttered, ¡°And my sister is going to have a better house than me.¡± Then, Elijah gathered his soap, cut it into easily usable blocks, then took one into the shower. Once he¡¯d let the water warm, he undressed and stepped under the stream. Then, hethered himself up. The moment the soap touched his skin, he let out a gasp of surprise. It didn¡¯t just feel rejuvenating, as he¡¯d hoped. It also imparted a degree of the ethera that surprised him. He couldn¡¯t quite tell where it went, but he felt sure that it was a good thing. Perhaps he¡¯d take some to Biggle and get an expert¡¯s opinion. In any case, he enjoyed his shower far more than any he¡¯d ever experienced, and he stayed beneath the warm stream of water for far longer than he had expected. By the time Elijah left the bathroom, his fingers and toes had turned pruny. ¡°Pruny?¡± he asked himself. ¡°Or is it with an -ie? Prune-like?¡± Shaking his head, he realized it didn¡¯t matter, and soon, he hopped into his extraordinarilyfortable bed, and for the first time since the night before he¡¯d entered the tower, he slept soundly. The next morning, he rose from bed with a significantly better attitude. So, it was with a spring in his step that Elijah headed down to the garden, where he picked a series of berries and other edible nts. Then, he gathered his things and headed to shore, where he boarded his rowboat and started toward Ironshore. Between strokes, he muttered, ¡°I would give anything for a fish form or something. Just something that would keep me from having to row these stupid boats.¡± But that didn¡¯t seem to be on offer, so he bent his back to the task. It wasn¡¯t that it was difficult. With his high attributes, propelling the little rowboat across the strait was easy enough. Yet, it was slower than he would have liked, and it was tedious enough to sour his attitude. Which was probably why, when he finally docked in Ironshore, he wore a grimace that sent a few people scurrying in the other direction. Word of Ssethik¡¯s betrayal, it seemed, had gotten back to the city. Case in point, Ramik soon appeared, hurrying across the dock to confront Elijah. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Ramik. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Elijah said as he tied the boat off. ¡°What?¡± asked the goblin as he slowed to a stop. ¡°I said it¡¯s fine,¡± Elijah reiterated. ¡°Ssethik was a bad apple, right? He acted alone. His attitude wasn¡¯t representative of Ironshore, who still wants to be my ally.¡± He looked up at the mayor. ¡°Is that what you were going to say?¡± ¡°More or less.¡± Elijah sighed, then pushed himself to his full height. Putting his hands at the small of his back, he stretched. ¡°Look ¨C I like you, Ramik. There are a few other people here I would consider friends, too. So, I¡¯ll tell it to you straight,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°This is your one mulligan.¡± ¡°Mulligan?¡± ¡°Free shot,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You get one free mistake. After that, if anything like that happens again, I¡¯m going to get angry. And you wouldn¡¯t like me when I¡¯m angry.¡± ¡°Ah¡­thatst part¡­was that supposed to be poignant? I don¡¯t like it when anyone¡¯s angry,¡± Ramik stated. ¡°If I had my way, no one would ever ¨C¡± ¡°I really need to show you guys some movies,¡± Elijah said with a shake of his head. ¡°My point is that I¡¯m willing to give you all the benefit of the doubt. But if you keep pushing me, I¡¯m going to have to reevaluate our friendship.¡± Ramik swallowed. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Good. d we had this little talk,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Now, I have a man to see about some soap.¡± With that, Elijah set off down the dock and into town. As he did, he was well aware of the furtive nces that came from the town¡¯s people. It seemed that word had spread even further than expected, and the residents of Ironshore were on pins and needles wondering what he was going to do. Fortunately for them, he¡¯d mostly moved on from the assassination attempt. As he¡¯d told the mayor, he was willing to give Ironshore the benefit of the doubt, but if they kept pushing his buttons, he was going to give in to his inner rage. They wouldn¡¯t survive that. Putting that out of his mind, Elijah¡¯s first stop was at Mari¡¯s shop, and the taciturn dwarven tailor informed him that his cloak wouldn¡¯t be ready for another two or three weeks. That wasn¡¯t what Elijah wanted to hear ¨C indeed, he was even more eager than ever to resume his search for his family ¨C but he reasoned that he didn¡¯t have much choice in the matter. Mari was a skilled crafter, and if she said she needed that much time, he would believe her. Besides, he had some ideas on how to spend the intervening days. His next ¨C and only other nned ¨C stop was Biggle¡¯sboratory-sh-home. As always, when he arrived, he interrupted some experiment that resulted in a crash and a muffled explosion, but the little alchemist was still happy enough to see Elijah ¨C especially when the gnome was introduced to Elijah¡¯s soap. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± demanded the alchemist with a fervor Elijah had never seen from him. ¡°Made it. Used fat from the orcs and wood ash from the trees on my ind,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°Plus somevender oil I made. Why? Is it good?¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how much something like this is worth?¡± ¡°¡¯bout tree-fiddy?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing. So ¨C tell me what I¡¯ve got.¡± Biggle raised an eyebrow, then said, ¡°This is a body fortifying soap. It doesn¡¯t result in increased attributes, but it will give you a temporary boost in defenses. In addition, it has slight healing properties. Better than anything else, it will prepare you for higher levels of body cultivation.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yes. It takes years of using something like this to get any results,¡± Biggle stated. ¡°But whenbined with a few other methods¡­yes, we could sell this for quite a lot. Not terribly useful at your level of cultivation, but for the people of Ironshore¡­¡± He tapped his lip as he studied the soap. Then, finally, he asked, ¡°How much do you want for it?¡± ¡°How much are you offering?¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s like that, is it? Well, I can¡¯t give more than six silver per bar. Take it or leave it.¡± Elijah shook his head and tried not to smile. That was far more than he¡¯d expected, but he knew it was far less than Biggle could afford. So began a back and forth that ended with Elijah getting more than ten silver per bar. He¡¯d packed five away, which he handed over to the alchemist. After he paid, Biggle said that the cultivation potions would be ready in a day or two. So, Elijah left the alchemist with the intention of returning in two days. After that, he went back to his ind, then dove down to the cave to check its progress. To his surprise, the ethera density had increased by a significant degree. However, he still spent the next couple of days ring Nature¡¯s Bounty within the cave¡¯s bounds. Because he wanted it to be at peak ethera density when the next part of his n dawned. Book 3: Chapter 17: The Lady of the Lake Book 3: Chapter 17: The Lady of the Lake Carmen wrenched the leaf spring of the vehicle free, then set it aside. The ends were still smoking from her use of Smolder, which she¡¯d utilized to weaken the steel so she could pull it away from the car. She could have used Fracture, but it required a lot more ethera than Smolder, making the choice easy even if it required a judicious application of her Strength. pping her hands together, she pushed herself to her feet and let out a sigh as she looked around. The parking lot of the school was much the same as it had been when they had first arrived, though with a couple of key differences. First, there were a couple of people standing guard against any intrusions. Nothing had attacked them yet, but Carmen and the others knew precisely how dangerous the wilderness was, so they didn¡¯t want to take any chances that something could sneak up on them. The second difference was that the few cars had all been taken apart so that Carmen could harvest the high-quality steel she found in the parts. Unfortunately, modern cars had much less steel in their makeup than they once might have, and as a result, her haul hadn¡¯t been quite as extensive as the number of cars might have suggested. Still, she¡¯d managed to gather enough that she hoped to outfit the entire group of refugees. And now that they¡¯d settled, she¡¯d had a chance to build a reasonable forge in which to do it. So, Carmen gathered the steel and headed around to the back of the school where she¡¯d built her forge. It was located beneath an awning outside of the cafeteria, and the presence of a few old cigarette butts suggested that it had once been used by the workers as a break area. Obviously, schools were intended to be smoke-free zones, but Carmen was familiar enough with human nature to know just how little that would matter to people who just wanted to enjoy a smoke in peace. She didn¡¯t exactly approve, but with everything that had happened over the past few years, it was difficult to begrudge anyone for taking what enjoyment they could from their lives. If that included stealing a few moments to smoke a cigarette, then so be it. In any case, Carmen wasn¡¯t worried about the self-destructive habits of the past. Instead, her mind was firmly on the present, with an asional nce toward the future. To that end, she needed toplete her first project, which was to arm her people so they had the best chance of survival in the event that something attacked them. Or someone. Carmen was well aware that it wasn¡¯t a matter of if that came to pass, but when. And she was determined to prepare the refugees for that inevitable eventuality. So, once they¡¯d settled in, she had wasted no time in building a forge.The bricks were rocks that had been mortared together with y she and Miguel had harvested from a nearby deposit. It had been messy work, but enjoyable enough, if only because it had allowed her the chance to spend time with her son. Ofte, those sorts of opportunities had been in short supply, and since nearly losing him, Carmen was more determined than ever to take advantage of any chances she could find. The forge itself wasn¡¯t aplex structure. Just a big, brick oven with a chimney. However, because of her abilities like Bond, the structure ¨C aside from the chimney ¨C was airtight and well insted. Attached to it was a bellows she¡¯d made from the enormous badger hide. The only issue was that with a paucity of coal, she was forced to use wood. That wasn¡¯t ideal, because coal tended to burn much more evenly. Yet, Carmen was well aware that beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers, so she would take whatever she could get. Hopefully, that would change as they settled in, though she knew they would have to get lucky to find a coal deposit anywhere close ¨C especially considering they didn¡¯t have anyone who knew anything about such things. In any case, wood would have to do for the time being. So, Carmen gathered her firewood, then spent the next few hours alternating between Decontaminate, Refine Material, and Ethereal Infusion. It was tedious work, but if she wanted to make the best of her situation, she needed every advantage she could get. So, she bent her will to removing the wood¡¯s impurities, then using Bond to fuse the results back together before repeating the process. All the while, she kept Ethereal Infusion going, making certain to flood the fuel with as much as possible. Doing so before burning the wood would impart some of that ethera into the fire. In turn, that would seep into the metal. As she worked, Carmen gazed out at the nearbyke. A few of the other refugees were lounging on the shore, their toes tickling the calm water. One of themughed at a joke. It was such a peaceful scene, and one that was desperately needed after their trek through the wilderness. Even a few days without their lives being constantly threatened was enough to raise everyone¡¯s spirits. Even Carmen¡¯s. Certainly, she hadn¡¯t forgotten all the blood on her hands. It would take years before she even began to forgive herself for the hubris she¡¯d disyed by trying to rebel against Roman. And she would never get over what that man had done to her wife. Yet, the school felt like it might be the second chance everyone so desperately needed. But danger was around every corner, and Carmen knew better than most how necessary good equipment could be. So, once she¡¯d finished with the wood, she set it aside and started in on the steel. Gradually, as the day went on, she processed the material, purifying and infusing it with ethera until it had practically be an entirely new metal. Of course, it wasn¡¯t on par with the cold iron they¡¯d mined in Silverado. There was a qualitative difference in the base material that no amount of refinement could rival. Yet, Carmen was still proud of the results, even if her constant and repeated use of Decontaminate and Refine Material had whittled the amount down by two-thirds. That was expected, which was why she¡¯d spent so much time pulling bits and pieces from the cars, but it was still a little disappointing when she looked at the twenty billets of steel. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°You can help if you want,¡± she said, ncing over at Miguel, who¡¯d been watching the whole time. ¡°I don¡¯t have any abilities,¡± he countered. ¡°You don¡¯t need abilities to pump the bellows,¡± she said. ¡°Besides, it builds muscle better than all that sword training you¡¯ve been doing with Colt. I don¡¯t know why you chose that weapon in the first ce.¡± ¡°I train with spears, too,¡± he argued, his voice cracking. He¡¯d started to hit puberty, and as a result, he was right in the middle of a growth spurt, which meant there was a few inches of ankle visible below the hem of his trousers. ¡°And Colt has been showing me how to use a quarterstaff, too. He told me that between warriors of equal skill, a quarterstaff expert can beat a swordsman every time.¡± ¡°And yet you still spend ny percent of your training time with the sword,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°Couldn¡¯t be because you think it¡¯s cool, right? It¡¯spletely practical, I¡¯m sure.¡± Miguel blushed. ¡°I can use a bow, too,¡± he said in a soft voice. ¡°Colt says it¡¯s smart to know as many weapons as possible so you¡¯re never without one.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a smart man,¡± Carmen agreed. ¡°Now,e here and ¨C¡± At that moment, a scream tore across the ground between the school and theke. Carmen jerked her head in the direction of its origin, and whatever aura of peace that had infused the areapletely shattered beneath the weight of what she saw. A thick and slimy tentacle had slithered out of theke and taken hold of one half of the couple who¡¯d been lounging on thekeshore. And that tentacle was pulling the screaming man into theke. He scratched and wed at the soft earth, but it was useless. The monster ¨C for that was the only thing it could have been ¨C was too strong, and its grip was far too sure. At that moment, the tentacle burst into a mist of blood and slimy chunks of flesh, and it went wild, releasing the man and rising high into the air. Blood fell like rain as it thrashed back and forth, but by then, Colt had arrived. He hacked into it with a horizontal strike that had all the elegance of a lumberjack going about his business. But for all its crudeness, the attack was sessful. Colt¡¯s sword ¨C called Second Chance ¨C bit deep, and when he pulled it free, it came with a wedge of blubbery meat. It mmed down into the ground like a falling tree, yet Colt dodged, diving to the side with a roll and then hacking again. And again after that. By the time he aimed another strike at the creature, Carmen had recovered her wits, screaming, ¡°Stay back!¡± as she sprinted toward theke. As she ran, she used Summon Tool, manifesting two cksmithing hammers and enhancing them with Augment Weapon. The ability swept through Colt, lighting his sword with orange mes. And when he aimed yet another strike at the tentacle, it hit with a distinct sizzle. Carmen slid to a stop next to the wounded man. His leg had obviously been crushed by the tentacle, and though he tried to pull himself to safety, his infirmity clearly limited his efforts. Meanwhile, his partner ¨C a thin woman who normally wore the haunted expression of someone who¡¯d lost far too much ¨C simply watched in horror, stunned by past traumas and fresh terror. And then, Miguel was beside the woman. He grabbed hold of her hand and yanked. At first, she did nothing. But she was too horrified to resist for long as he dragged her away. Carmen wanted to chastise her son for his disobedience, but there was no time. And besides, if she thought about it, she would have been proud. He was his mother¡¯s son, after all. Alyssa would have done the same thing, regardless of the danger to herself. Carmen dismissed her hammers, recognizing that it was not the time to fight. Rather, it was time to run. So, she screamed, ¡°Hold it off until we can get to safety!¡± Colt didn¡¯t acknowledge her orders. Instead, he continued his furious quest to chop the thick tendril in two. At the same time, Carmen hooked the wounded man under the armpits and dragged him backward. She could have carried him, and easily, but she didn¡¯t know if that would injure him further. So, she tried to be as gentle as possible while pulling him away from thekeshore. After twenty or thirty feet, she heard a loud ssh and looked up to see that the horrors of theke had only escted. Because where before there had only been a single tentacle, there were now ten. And they were all waving and writhing in obvious fury. That wasn¡¯t the truly disturbing part, though. Thatbel belonged to the thing rising from the depths. It looked like a woman, if said woman was twenty feet tall, naked, and with the skin of a shark. Its hair was made of water snakes, and sharp fins jutted from its forearms. The lower half of the monster¡¯s body was dedicated to the tentacles, all of which were hundreds of feet long and as thick as a telephone pole. The monster let out a shriek, and for a brief second, Carmen¡¯s mind went nk. She dropped the man to the ground as her muscles went ck. A secondter, she returned to herself, but when she looked around, she saw that the others ¨C Miguel, the haunted woman, and Colt ¨C were not so lucky. Carmen had no idea why she¡¯d endured better than the others, but she wasn¡¯t going to let that resistance go to waste. Miguel and his charge were out of range of the tentacles ¨C for now ¨C but Colt was right there, practically in their grasp. So Carmen dashed forward, resummoning her hammers andunching herself at the tentacle that had suddenly gone on the offensive. Just before it fell upon Colt, she rammed into it, leading the way with both of her cksmithing hammers. With her monumental Strength, Carmen packed quite a punch, and as a result, she knocked the thick tentacle aside. It fell upon the shore, kicking up mud and rocks upon impact. Carmen didn¡¯t pay much attention to that. Instead, she dipped down, grabbed Colt around the waist, and threw him over her shoulder. Then, she ran, propelling herself away from theke with all the speed she could muster. And given her Strength, she could move incredibly quickly, if only in short bursts and in a straight line. When she reached the injured man, she repeated her motions, throwing him over the other shoulder as she dashed toward the school. When she reached the safety of her open-air forge, Carmen looked back to see that the monster was crawling its way free of the water. The message was clear. This was that monster¡¯s territory, and they only had three choices. Give in, run away, or fight it for dominance. Thatst one might¡¯ve been the most attractive, but she knew from the brief fight that she and the others had no chance of winning that battle. So, the only real choice was to run. The brief bout of safety they¡¯d experienced had been an illusion. ¡°Put me down,¡± growled Colt. Carmen did just that, handing over the injured man. Then, she said, ¡°Gather everyone. Get as many supplies as you can carry. We can¡¯t stay here.¡± To his credit, Colt didn¡¯t argue. Instead, he just said, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Then, Carmen snatched the metal she¡¯d spent all day refining into her hands. So with regret and fear, they were forced to abandon the false sanctuary. As she prepared to leave, Carmen looked back to see that the monster hadn¡¯t slithered far from theke, but she knew it wouldn¡¯t stop so long as they remained in the area. It was just one more piece of evidence that peace was in short supply in the transformed world. Perhaps it was even nonexistent. Book 3: Chapter 18: Stone Book 3: Chapter 18: Stone The smell ofvender twisted in the air, fusing with the steam from the shower. Meanwhile, Elijah sang Tiffany¡¯s I Think We¡¯re Alone Now as he scrubbed the dirt, muck, and salt from his body. It wasn¡¯t his favorite song or anything ¨C though he did have a soft spot for eighties pop music ¨C but it was catchy, and for some reason or another, it had been in his head for the past week. So, as one did, the moment he¡¯d stepped into the shower, he had immediately burst into song. He med his sister. After all, she loved that sort of music, so growing up, it was always ying in the background. Back then, Elijah had made a show of hating it, but as he¡¯d gotten older, his little brother irritation had turned to nostalgia. Now, he remembered it all so fondly, especially because it reminded him of a time when family had been as close as the next room. He desperately wanted to get back to that. Looking back, leaving for Hawaii was one of the biggest regrets of his life. He¡¯d done it as much to run away from everything that reminded him of his parents¡¯ death as he had to pursue his career as a marine biologist. In retrospect, he should have stayed and leaned on the family he had left. But that revtion came as a benefit of perfect hindsight, and at the time, he¡¯d been in no state to be reasonable. In any case, he channeled some of that nostalgia as he sang in the shower, and when he finally stepped out, his mood was definitely buoyed. And why should it not be? He¡¯d spent the past two weeks working on his underwater cave, ushering it to unprecedented levels of vegetation. That, in turn, had served to thicken the ambient ethera to the point where it had actually be visible. At present, it hung in the air pocket like a thick fog, just begging to be used. On top of that, the nature of that ethera had changed as well, taking on a vor ¨C forck of a better descriptor ¨C simr to what he felt in his grove. And ording to Nerthus, it was perfect for what he had nned. So, he was in understandably good spirits as he left the bathroom and stepped out onto his balcony to dry. Winter had well and truly given way to spring, so the air only had a slight nip to it. To Elijah, whose elevated Constitution protected him from anything but frigid temperatures, it was quite pleasant.¡°Do your kind routinely walk around without clothing?¡± came a voice from behind him. Elijah turned his head to see Nerthus standing at the balcony door. The tree spirit looked no different than he had a few weeks before, but Elijah still felt that Nerthus had grown stronger. Denser, perhaps. He could only regard that as a good thing. ¡°Not really,¡± Elijah admitted, making no move to cover himself. It was his home and his grove. He could walk around nude if he damn well pleased. Besides, he didn¡¯t think Nerthus cared that much. Though, looking at the expression on the tree spirit¡¯s gnarled face, he began to wonder at that assumption. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t wear clothes,¡± Elijah used. ¡°I don¡¯t have any¡­dangly bits, either,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°For those who do, it is¡­customary to cover them up when in the presence of others.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°Fair enough,¡± he muttered. ¡°But if you¡¯re going to get all pearl-clutch-y, you should probably knock or something before youe into my house. Just saying.¡± Nerthus didn¡¯t respond, which Elijah wasn¡¯t sure how to take. Regardless, he quickly dipped back inside and dressed. When he¡¯d finished, he told Nerthus what he had nned, then asked, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s dense enough?¡± ¡°Yes. But I do not know if you are ready. It would be better if you used that soap of yours for another two or three years. Then you would be truly prepared to take the next step.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s the worst that can happen?¡± he asked, drying his hair with one of the towels he¡¯d bought back in Ironshore. No matter what else happened with the city, it was still good for filling the gaps in his supplies. After all, it wasn¡¯t as if he could just run out to the nearest big box store and buy bed linens or towels. But there were plenty of supplies like that avable in Ironshore. The only downside was that someone might try to assassinate him from time to time. And he had to row across the strait. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good exchange or not. ¡°You could die,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Elijah said. They had discussed it plenty of times, and they¡¯d both agreed that, theoretically speaking, he should have the healing power necessary to keep himself alive until he crossed the threshold and solidified the chrysalis that would usher him into the next stage of body cultivation. But theory and practice didn¡¯t always agree. So, there was some degree of uncertainty concerning the uing process. Still, Elijah was willing to take a chance because the alternative was to wait years to make the push. It wasn¡¯t just impatience that drove him ¨C though there was some of that ¨C but rather, a near certainty that he would need all the advantages he could get. After all, he¡¯d almost died against the orcs, and he wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to believe that they were a unique threat. For all he knew, there was another horde somewhere out there. Or something even worse. And that wasn¡¯t even considering that as the world¡¯s ethera density rose, so too would the power of the Voxx. No ¨C he needed to take chances, or he would never maintain his lead. And if he didn¡¯t have that on his side, he would lose his ability to traverse the wilderness unaided, and that would, in turn, make finding his family impossible. Besides, it felt like the right choice, and in a way Elijah didn¡¯t really understand. Was that intuition part of his cultivation? Was his body trying to tell him something? Or perhaps it was his ss. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Or maybe he was fooling himself and he¡¯d die a horrible death in an underwater cave. Whatever the case, he¡¯d made his choice. Good or bad, he was going to try. So, after a few more minutes of conversation with Nerthus, he went to bed, and the next morning, he rose with a mission on his mind. So, he gathered the three vials he¡¯d gotten from Biggle, then undressed and shifted into his draconid form. Before he knew it, he was racing across the ind and to the beach closest to the underwater cave. Before he dove into the water, he shifted back to his human form, then checked his bag to ensure that he¡¯d brought all of his supplies. Each item was packed away in waterproof containers, but everything was there. So, he wasted no more time before wading into the surf, then diving toward the cave. By that point, the trip had be routine, but when he started seeing the glowing crystals, he was still awestruck. The same could be said for the cave itself, though for a different reason. Certainly, the domed ceiling was festooned with the same green crystals as always, but Elijah was more concerned with the plethora of sea life that had taken hold. The various ocean flora he¡¯d transnted into the cave had thrived, growing rapidly under the influence of Nature¡¯s Bounty as well as the thick ethera. And that vegetation had attracted various creatures. Mostly, the poption was limited to insects, but there were a few reptiles, amphibians, and fish present as well. They all ignored him as he swam to the deepest point in the cave. Then, Elijah focused inward. On his heartbeat. On the gentle sway of the water against his skin. On the subtle sounds of the surrounding ecosystem. But most of all, he let himself truly feel everything around him via One with Nature. If he¡¯d tried that before he¡¯d achieved the Quartz Mind, he would have been overwhelmed. However, not only had it allowed him to break his mind into nine separate pieces, each with its own vortex through which he could siphon ambient ethera, but it also increased his ability to parserge quantities of information. It wasn¡¯t easy, and it required him to utilize every facet of his mind. But he managed it all the same. And the results were stunning. He could feel every single organism in the cave ¨C and not just the flora and fauna. The microbes, too. The bacteria. The algae floating in the water. Even with his Quartz Mind, it bordered on overwhelming. Yet, he¡¯d spent much of the past week preparing himself for it, so he managed to keep himself from copsing under the weight of so much input. Instead, he let it suffuse him in a way that made him truly feel like a part of something much greater. However, Elijah knew the risks before him, so he kept himself from fully giving himself over to that feeling, lest he lose his grip on his identity. It was a real danger, ording to Nerthus, so he was very cognizant of it. Still, he walked himself right up to the edge. Then, without opening his eyes, he reached into the bag he¡¯d brought along and retrieved the first vial. As he held it in his hand, he preemptively cast Healing Rain before shoving the vial into his mouth and uncorking it with his teeth. The liquid mmed into his mouth like it had a mind of its own, burning blisters in the tender skin as it washed down his throat. Elijah was ready for it, but still, he let out an impotent and garbled scream of pure agony. But with another facet of his Mind, he focused on the next task, which was to retrieve the second and third vials, which he raised above his head and popped open. The potions drifted down, enveloping his entire body in a cloud of diluted poison. It was pure torture. Yet, Elijah didn¡¯t use Touch of Nature to heal himself. Nor did he move away from that cloud of poison. Instead, he simply endured, focusing on the ethera all around him. The cloud of poison didn¡¯t dissipate. Nor did it fall to the cave¡¯s floor. It hung all around him, eating him alive even as the first potion assailed him from within. After thirty seconds, Elijah pulled a berry from his bag and tossed it into his mouth. He couldn¡¯t taste it. Nor could he chew. Swallowing was the extent of his ability, and even that was almost beyond him. Still, he persisted, and the berry went down, sending a spark of healing and ethera coursing through him. So, he ate another. Then another. Over and over, he ate the berries, and the ethera in his body continued to build. Even as he did that, he pulled with every vortex of his faceted Mind, flooding his soul with even more ethera. His core filled to bursting, but he kept going until the ethera was seeping from the wounds inflicted by the poison. But even then, it wasn¡¯t enough. His body hadn¡¯t reached the point of failure. The stress was still too faint to prompt the metamorphosis. So, he retrieved the final vial from his bag. This potion was the strongest yet, and Biggle had cautioned him not to use it. But Elijah had known, even then, that he wouldn¡¯t have a choice. For whatever reason, his body was too durable. He downed that potion as well. Indescribable pain tore through him, and without his Quartz Mind, he would have sumbed, then and there. However, he managed to barely shunt the pain into one facet after another until there was only one left. That, he kept free to guide the ethera into his body. And then, finally, it happened. Elijah couldn¡¯t tell what it was that he felt, but he knew that his body was ready. So, with onest heave, he shoved every bit of ethera out. And the results of that expulsion mingled with the incredibly dense ethera, solidifying a secondter. After that, Elijah¡¯s body was rebuilt, one cell at a time. The metamorphosis he¡¯d experienced upon reaching the Body of Wood stage had been transformative, curing him of his cancer and expelling all sorts of impurities. However, the next stage was a qualitative leap forward. It wasn¡¯t just perfecting what was already there. Instead, it was pushing past the limits of humanity and into something else. He knew all of this from the guides he¡¯d bought, but feeling it happening was something else altogether. Elijah had no idea how long he remained in that cocoon of solid ethera, and if he was honest, he didn¡¯t really care. He was too busy reveling in the process, which was agonizing, transformative, and edifying, all at once. It was as if he¡¯d reached physical enlightenment. Yet, as high of a peak as he¡¯d reached, he could now see just how far he had to go. Then, suddenly, it was over. The end began with a simple crack, no bigger than a hair, but it slowly spread until great sheets of solidified ethera sloughed off of the cocoon. They dissolved the moment they broke away, so when Elijah finally broke free, there was no evidence of the chrysalis. Except for the naked man floating in the center of the cave. Or the fact that all the vegetation and animal life that he¡¯d so arduously nurtured to fruition had died, dissolved and used for fuel. Now, all that remained of what had once been was a thickyer of silt at the bottom of the cave. However, Elijah was not distressed at that fact. Death was a part of any circle of life, and he could feel the dense life energy nketing the cave¡¯s floor. From that would spring a new cycle, stronger than ever before. But for now, Elijah was only concerned with the notification he¡¯d received:
Congrattions! You have cultivated a Body of Stone.
After reading that notification, he could only wonder how long he¡¯d been in the cave. It had felt like only a few minutes, but as he¡¯d discovered in the past, his perception was always a bit skewed while he cultivated. In any case, he¡¯d done it. He had achieved the next step. Now, he only needed to take care of a few errands, and he could finally get down topleting his quest to evolve Ancestral Circle. Then, he would resume his search for his sister. As he floated in that underwater cave, though, Elijah let himself bask in his achievement. Book 3: Chapter 19: The Importance of Goals Book 3: Chapter 19: The Importance of Goals For a long time, Elijah just floated in the cave. As he gently swayed back and forth with the weak current, he reveled in the feeling of his Body of Stone. He¡¯d only progressed an hour or so ago, and yet, he could already feel more of a difference than he¡¯d felt when he¡¯d taken the first step on the path of body cultivation. That initial stage had cured his cancer while also acting as a multiplier on his physical attributes. Progression to the Body of Stone stage came with a simr increase, though it was far more noticeable. Even when he was nearly weightless, he could feel the Strength surging through him. If he had described the previous stage¡¯s multiplicative effect as making him half-again as strong, then the second step doubled that. He was still dependent on his actual attributes, but those numbers now counted for even more. And ording to Nerthus, as well as the single guide to cultivation he¡¯d found, progression now increased his life span. Though the actual degree to which that was expressed was dependent on species as well as attributes and other categories of cultivation, it wasn¡¯t umon for Body of Stone toe with a lifespan that was twice as long as the base. Each subsequent step was supposed to be even more dramatic, meaning that if he could take a few more steps, he could live for thousands of years. Which was unfathomable. For all that he could understand those numbers, actually conceptualizing a life spanning for thousands of years was difficult. After all, the pace of human development meant that the entire world could be transformed in a few hundred years. So, what would Earth look like in a thousand? Two thousand? Elijah¡¯s imagination wasn¡¯t up to that sort of prediction. But as someone who¡¯d, only a few years before, made peace with the fact that he would soon die, Elijah would take any extra years he could get. And if that meant seeing a rapidly transformed world, then so be it. After all, Elijah had already seen how quickly Ironshore had developed, so he suspected that there were ces in other parts of the world that could match that pace. Maybe Seattle was one of them. Elijah could only hope. And now that he¡¯d aplished his goals for the moment, it was time to resume his long-dyed search for his sister. Of course, he¡¯d kept an eye on Carmen¡¯s name on the power rankings, and though he¡¯d watched it bounce on and off the list, Elijah took sce in the assumption that she was still alive.Because if she had survived, then so too had Alyssa. Elijah was well aware of the ws in his reasoning. There were a host of issues, and they weren¡¯t limited to the fact that Carmen Rodriguez was an incrediblymon name. There was no guarantee that the Carmen whose name he was tracking on the power rankings was even his sister-inw. But he chose to believe it was, just like he chose to focus on how that might rte to his sister¡¯s survival. And his nephew¡¯s. It was one of the only things keeping him sane. Eventually, Elijah moved on from that, then swam toward the tunnel. He intended to embark on his quest immediately, but he knew that after what he¡¯d done to the cave¡¯s environment, he needed to spend a little time setting things right. So, despite his desire to immediately set out for Seattle, he spent the next few hours transnting sea life into the cave. Then, he remained behind for an additional day while he continuously used Nature¡¯s Bounty. As he did, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from repeatedly checking his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 56
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 67
Dexterity 59
Constitution 57
Ethera 65
Regeneration 59
Attunement Nature Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition.
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Stone Hatchling Quartz Neophyte
If he hadn¡¯t been so hard on the cave, he might¡¯ve attempted to advance his Soul cultivation as well. He hadn¡¯t studied that very much, but he knew that it required him to reform the pathways of his soul in a very specific way. The problem was that that pattern was based on his archetype, which meant that he had no guidance in how to aplish that feat. He¡¯d asked Nerthus about it, but the tree spirit was just as ignorant. So, Elijah could only hope that he would muddle through it, find an appropriate guide in the Knowledge Base, or meet someone who could point him in the right direction. The first sounded like a disaster waiting to happen. The second seemed unlikely after Elijah¡¯s search had so far proved fruitless. And thest was just as imusible, given the paucity of Druids, much less Animists. So, he was at a bit of a loss on how to proceed. Yet, Elijah had done well enough so far, so he had to expect that he¡¯d eventually figure it out. Or not. In which case he would focus on other means of growing his power. Part of that was because he knew he¡¯d need as much strength as possible in the new world. He had no interest in ruling over anyone, but he also wanted to retain his own freedom. Elijah needed to believe that humanity would pull together and work toward amon benefit, but he was enough of a realist to understand that there would be those who chose to oppress anyone weaker than them. The solution to that ¨C at least in terms of Elijah¡¯s continued freedom ¨C was to be so strong that no one could force him to do anything. However, that was only part of why Elijah wanted to continue getting stronger. The second part was both more ephemeral and far more understandable. He enjoyed it. There was something about the continued ability to ovee obstacles in his path that had proved to be addictive. Meeting goals was simrly habit-forming. And the strength itself was addictive in its own right. Of course, there was a love of adventure and exploration that drove him as well. And finally, he couldn¡¯t deny the rush he felt when he saved someone. Whether it was via healing people like he had in Norcastle, saving someone like he had with Artemis outside Argos, oring to Ironshore¡¯s aid ¨C whether they appreciated it or not ¨C Elijah liked knowing that he¡¯d done the right thing. It was simr to why some people gave to charity. Sure, there was a selflessness to it, and that was to beuded. Yet, there was a selfishness there as well. People liked the feeling of helping others. And Elijah was no different. As far as he was concerned, that was the best expression of selfishness in which one could engage. In the end, it all coalesced into a reality where Elijah had no intention of stopping. In fact, everything he¡¯d read in his guides made him want to keep going as far as possible. He knew he wouldn¡¯t reach the top. Few did. In fact, that wasn¡¯t even adequate in expressing how rare it was. It wasn¡¯t one in a million. Or a billion. Even trillions. Quadrillions ¨C or more ¨C people attempted it, and only the best even made it to Ascendent. There were three more steps ¨C and almost nine-hundred levels ¨C just to reach Transcendent. And it didn¡¯t stop there, even if there was no information on it. So, Elijah knew he wouldn¡¯t get to that point. Still, if he could make it to Ascendent ¨C or Demigod, even ¨C he would count that as a worthy aplishment. Not that he could think of such things at the moment. He wasn¡¯t even halfway through the Mortal realm, so any thoughts of going higher than that were the epitome of prematurity. Still, goals were important. Some needed to be immediate ¨C like his resolution to repopte the cave. Others, like his quest to reunite with Alyssa, were more long-term. But it was nice to have an overarching and far-reaching goal towards which he could work. In any event, Elijah upied himself with those thoughts as he pushed the transnted flora to take root in the cave. And to his surprise, it did so quickly and with unexpected verve. Using One with Nature, Elijah discovered the reason ¨C the nts that had been destroyed during his push to Body of Stone hadn¡¯t just dissolved. Instead, they¡¯d been absorbed into the silt, which would provide an incredible base from which the nts could sprout. The result was that his cultivation cave would only grow stronger in theing months ¨C a good thing, considering his needs. So it happened that, a few days after he¡¯dpleted his cultivation goal, he emerged from the cave and headed ind. When he reached the grove, he found that Nerthus had already begun work on the house intended for his sister and her family. It still had a long way to go, but that was fine. Even if he found them sooner rather thanter, they could always stay in his house. He would even wee it, after a fashion. Once he¡¯d taken a few hours topose himself, Elijah set about testing his Body of Stone, and after spending a few hours lifting increasingly heavy rocks, he could only conclude that his previous estimates were in the right ballpark. Without measured weights, he couldn¡¯t be certain, but he did know that rocks that he¡¯d once struggled to lift were now a breeze to handle. If he had to guess, he would have put himself firmly in the superhuman territory. Sure, he wasn¡¯t Superman or the Hulk, but he felt certain that he could give someone like Spider-Man a run for his money. Or maybe not. It had been years since he¡¯d read anyic books, and the movies were all so inconsistent with character strength that using that as a measurement wasrgely pointless. Regardless, Elijah was stronger than any human had a right to be, and that was as satisfying a judgment as he could rightly give. After testing his endurance, speed, and coordination, he found simr results. Still, he continued like that well past dark as he ustomed himself to his newly inted power. Eventually, though, Elijah made his way back to the grove, where he once again bathed with his rejuvenating soap and went to sleep. It was thest time he would do so in a bed for a while, so he wanted to get his money¡¯s worth out of it. He slept well past sunrise, and when he rose, he took a while to enjoy a cup of tea and a breakfast of freshly caught fish. The meal took him back to the days when he¡¯d lived off crab and fish, which, through the lens of nostalgia, he looked upon far more favorably than he¡¯d have ever expected. Soon enough, though, he ran out of reasons to dy. So, after spending a little time talking with Nerthus ¨C after all, the tree spirit had to get lonely out there all by himself ¨C Elijah headed to the beach, hopped into one of hisst three remaining boats, and began the journey across the strait. The trip was uneventful, save for a brief brush with a curious whale. Elijah stopped for a while and patted the enormous creature¡¯s back. It liked that, and Elijah had to admit that he did as well. When he¡¯d first embarked on his career as a marine biologist, he¡¯d harbored expectations of working with whales and dolphins. In the end, he¡¯d studied marine bacteria, but he¡¯d never lost his fascination with the huge mammals. Eventually, though, the whale lost interest and headed to deeper waters. Elijah watched it go, feeling a deep sense of connection that he often ignored. From what he understood, most people thought of forests and furry animals when they heard the term Druid. Yet, he felt just as poignant a connection with the sea as he did with any forest. Maybe even more so. And after spending so much time underwater ofte, it had only grown stronger. One day, he would have to explore the deep ces of the world and see what wonders they had to offer. But not yet. He still needed to find Alyssa. And before that, he had to stop in Ironshore. So, with some regret, Elijah continued his trip across the strait, docking not muchter. When he did, he noticed that the fear had returned to the city. Despite everything he¡¯d done for the people of Ironshore, they were terrified of him. That was better than ire, he supposed, but he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they¡¯d ever ept him. Not that he could do anything about that. In any case, Elijah set off across the city, intending toplete his errands as quickly as possible before continuing his quest to find his sister. Book 3: Chapter 20: Cloak of the Iron Bear Book 3: Chapter 20: Cloak of the Iron Bear Ironshore was a bustling town, though its poption was low enough that it often seemed a lot sleepier than it really was. Still, there were enough wary nces aimed at Elijah that his trip through the city felt ustrophobic in a way that had nothing to do with tight quarters. So, he was more than a little relieved when he arrived at his first destination, which was the central government building where Ramik kept his office. The lobby was much the same as always, with a floor of white ceramic tiles, in the center of which was the crest of the Green Mountain Mining Guild that had apparently financed the operation. It consisted of a single peak, surrounded by a circle of iron. Elijah had seen it often enough that he barely paid it any heed as he crossed the lobby and mounted the stairs on his way to Ramik¡¯s office. When he arrived, he found that someone had preceded him with news that he wasing, because Ramik greeted him at the door, offering a long-fingered, green hand. Elijah took it, shaking it firmly as Ramik said, ¡°You seem different. You must have needed the rest your ind could provide.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Yeah. Something like that,¡± he said. ¡°Can we talk? In private, I mean.¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± Ramik said. ¡°I was just finishing up when a runner brought word of your arrival. Come in!¡± Elijah followed the dapper goblin inside, where he found Carisa, the dwarven leader of the mining expedition. Like all dwarves, she was around four feet tall and stout, with a blunt-featured face and a mane of red hair that set her apart from even her own people. She smiled broadly upon seeing Elijah, and she too offered her hand. When Elijah shook it, he couldn¡¯t help but note that her grip was far stronger ¨C and rougher ¨C than Ramik¡¯s. She was a woman who worked with her hands, while Ramik clearly specialized in administration. As befit their positions within the town, Elijah thought. ¡°Sit, sit!¡± Ramik said, gesturing to one of a pair of chairs on the near side of a big desk made of cherry wood. It was ornately carved, and even though it smacked of age, it smelled like the forest to Elijah. The chairs were made from the same material, though they sported colorful cushions. As Elijah took a seat, Ramik asked, ¡°Can I get you a drink? We¡¯ve made some headway in our distillery, and the results are quite good. Not the best, mind you. Even if we¡¯d nailed down the recipe, truly good whiskey requires quite a lot of aging. But in a few decades, we might be able to make something better than passable!¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You seem like you¡¯re in a good mood.¡±¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? The orcish horde has been defeated, and we¡¯reing back stronger than ever!¡± ¡°Plus, we found a deposit of blood tin in the mines,¡± said Carisa with a smug smile. ¡°Just like I predicted.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t predict blood tin,¡± said Ramik. ¡°Well, no. Not blood tin specifically. But I knew there was something down there!¡± Carisa countered. ¡°If we can find some sun copper, we can make vampiric bronze. Think of it! And you know sun copper is a lot moremon than blood tin.¡± ¡°Would be better if we found divine tin,¡± Ramik countered. ¡°On the frontier? There¡¯s no chance!¡± ¡°I¡¯m only teasing,¡± Ramik said with a subtle smile. ¡°You¡¯ve done a phenomenal job. Truly, this will be quite a boon to our economy. We may even want to branch out and send merchants to other cities.¡± ¡°I thought you had to send everything back to your guild or something,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Oh, no. Not at all. The fees for something like that would bankrupt this operation within a day! We¡¯re only taxed until we reach the end of our contract. After that, we will bepletely independent,¡± Ramik said. Then, he went on to exin that that was one of the benefits of a Branch ¨C and the reason they were given one to import. It gave them the ability to transfer ethereum to their sponsor¡¯s headquarters. In return, the Green Mountain Mining Guild financed the founding of the town. ¡°So far, we¡¯ve only barely kept our heads above water, but with this discovery, we should be able to start growing. Especially if we can establish trade rtions with other settlements.¡± ¡°I could probably help with that,¡± Elijah offered. ¡°Not with the people part. I can guide someone to the two other settlements I found.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve explored the region?¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah. Only a few hundred miles,¡± Elijah said. He might¡¯ve gone a bit further than that implied, but it was difficult to keep track of that kind of thing. ¡°I found two other cities. One¡¯s only a couple of weeks away, but the other is quite a lot further. Maybe two months? Distance is difficult to gauge.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± said the goblin, tapping his lip. ¡°We will have to do it eventually. Ironshore is self-sufficient, but we will never pay our debts unless we branch out.¡± After that, Elijah and Ramik established the groundwork for how they were going to tackle the issue. For Elijah, it wouldn¡¯t really put him out, so he had no objections to leading someone to Norcastle. After that, he intended to go much faster, so that was where his guidance would end. That was perfectly eptable to Ramik. ¡°So, do you expect me to do this for free?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Because I did that before, and it got me a knife in the back for my trouble.¡± ¡°Ssethik was not ¨C¡± ¡°I know you had nothing to do with it. But it put things into perspective,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t think the people here are ever going to really ept me. Hopefully I¡¯m wrong, but I just don¡¯t see it right now. So, I¡¯ve done everything I intend to do for free.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°What do you want?¡± Ramik asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Maybe some of that ore you were bragging about,¡± he said. ¡°Not much. Just enough for personal use.¡± Ramik hesitated for a moment, but Carisa cut him off. ¡°That ain¡¯t unreasonable,¡± she said. ¡°Say, a fifty pounds?¡± When Ramik objected ¨C more to Carisa¡¯s interjection to the content of the deal ¨C she pointed out that the mine and its output was within her purview. As such, she had the authority to make the deal. After that, it was just a matter of negotiation. Elijah had no context for what blood tin was worth, but he reasoned that more was better. So, he managed to increase his payment to sixty-five pounds, to be delivered after he led someone to Norcastle. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t required to make a return trip. ¡°And I don¡¯t think I need to point out that if someonends on my ind, they¡¯d better be ready for a fight,¡± he said once the negotiations had concluded. ¡°It is not undefended.¡± They both insisted that they had no intention of going there uninvited, and what¡¯s more, they assured Elijah that they wouldn¡¯t spread the news of his absence. That was just about as much as he could expect, so he left it at that. In the meantime, he went by the Branch to withdraw some ethereum for the trip, then headed to his most anticipated destination. He''d given Mari plenty of time toplete his cloak, and he was more than eager to see the result. So, it was with some degree of expectation that he entered her shop. Fortunately, there were no judgmental customers or precocious children around, so he was able to get Mari¡¯s attention straightaway. She greeted him with a subdued, ¡°Hello. I was beginning to wonder if you¡¯d forgotten about your order.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± Elijah said apologetically. ¡°Ind upkeep, you know? Anyone who tells you that owning an ind is hard work is probably trying to sell you something.¡± She didn¡¯t even crack a smile, prompting Elijah to mutter, ¡°Tough crowd.¡± ¡°In any event, Ipleted work on yourmission almost a week ago. Would you like to inspect the item?¡± Mari asked. ¡°Of course!¡± Elijah said a little too enthusiastically. She just looked at him with that same expression of tired disapproval. Pointedly, her eyes flicked to his bare feet, which only deepened that demeanor. Then, she just shook her head and disappeared through the door at the back of her shop. That left Elijah to peruse her other goods. As always, everything was sized to fit much smaller people, so he predictably found nothing that would work for him. Not that he needed arger wardrobe, of course. Fortunately, his clothes transformed right along with him when he took on one of his other shapes, which had saved him a lot of trouble. Briefly, he imagined Bruce Banner ripping through shirts as he transformed into the Incredible Hulk, which made him thankful that he didn¡¯t have to invest in imusibly stretchy purple shorts. He was admiring the stitching on a goblin-sized suit when Mari finally returned carrying what looked like a bundle of brown fur. She set it on the counter and announced, ¡°It turned out much better than I expected.¡± ¡°Grade?¡± asked Elijah, straightening to his full height. Thankfully, the ceilings were of a height to amodate his taller figure. If it had been dwarf ¨C or worse, goblin or gnome ¨C sized, he would¡¯ve had to stoop. ¡°Low Complex.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t lie, boy,¡± she said. ¡°The leap from Simple to Complex isn¡¯t as dramatic as it is from Complex to Sophisticated, but it is still the best item I have ever crafted.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Are you going to question my every statement?¡± ¡°Oh. Sorry. I¡¯m just surprised is all,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I thought you would have created much better items, for some reason.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t understand crafting,¡± she pointed out, which was a fair assessment. Elijah liked to dabble in item creation, but his archetype and ss were ill-suited to the endeavor. That he¡¯d had as much sess as he¡¯d enjoyed was due to a variety of factors, but mostly, it was because of the grove and its dense ethera. Without that, he wouldn¡¯t have been nearly so sessful. ¡°Do you think high-quality materials are made avable to someone like me? No. That¡¯s why I came here. On the frontier, there are far more opportunities.¡± ¡°I guess I could see that,¡± Elijah said. ¡°So¡­what¡¯s with the cloak? You said it¡¯s Complex-Grade? What does that mean in practical terms?¡± ¡°It is far more durable than a Simple-Grade item,¡± she said. ¡°It would take a concerted effort to destroy that cloak. In addition, it has two abilities associated with it. The first is called Temperate, and it will protect you from extreme temperatures. Wearing that cloak, you could be stranded in the most frigid tundra on this world, and you wouldn¡¯t feel more than slightly ufortable. The same goes for scorching deserts.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Elijah said, though he was a little disappointed. It was a useful trait, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as shy as some of his equipment. ¡°What¡¯s the other one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Cold-Blooded,¡± she answered. ¡°In normal temperatures, the cloak will provide a modest boost to your physical attributes. However, the colder it gets, the more dramatic the increase.¡± ¡°Where does it top out?¡± ¡°In temperatures native to this world? It could reach as high as fifteen points to each attribute. No more than twenty.¡± Elijah couldn¡¯t help but grin. Now that was more like what he had expected. ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡± ¡°Cloak of the Iron Bear,¡± Mari answered, handing him the bundle of fur. Elijah took it, then let it unfurl. For a moment, he was lost in nostalgia and grief as he looked at the soft, brown fur. That had once been a living creature. A noble animal that had only wanted to guard its natural treasure. And now it was a piece of clothing. ¡°Are you displeased?¡± asked Mari. Elijah shook his head. ¡°No. Just remembering a friend,¡± he said. The moment the words left his mouth, he had to remind himself that they were false. The bear hadn¡¯t been a friend. It had barely tolerated his presence. Any other impression was the result of his psychological issues as well as the rose-colored lens of nostalgia. ¡°Thanks, Mari. You outdid yourself.¡± With that, he drew his knife and pricked his finger. After smearing a bit of blood onto the fur, he injected some of his ethera into the cloak, binding it to him. Then, he slung it over his shoulders, fastening it into ce with a pair of silver sps that had been molded into the shape of a bear¡¯s head. After that, the two settled their ounts, and Mari told him not to hesitate before bringing him any other interesting bits of hide or cloth he found. He nodded along, then excused himself. With his new cloak draped over his shoulders, Elijah set aboutpleting his other tasks. First, he went to the town¡¯srgest general store, where he bought traveling supplies like rations, a couple of pots, and a sack of tea leaves so he could enjoy a taste of caffeine each morning. He also purchased some salt, pepper, and a couple of other interesting spices. Now that he had money and avability on his side, Elijah had no intentions of ever eating nd meals again. Next, he headed to the barber to get his hair and beard wrangled into something approaching order before finally sharing a meal with Ramik and Carissa. This time, they chose a more intimate dining experience at what seemed a much more upscale restaurant. Elijah ate venison that had been doused in some sort of spicy gravy, and for the first time in quite a while, he had some bread smeared with honey butter. That made the entire meal worth it. Finally, now that Elijah was as prepared as possible, he set out for where he was supposed to meet the person he was intended to lead to Norcastle. As it turned out, Elijah was happy to find that that person was Kurik. So, he was in good spirits as they set off for the pass that would allow them to bypass the towering mountains. Book 3: Chapter 21: On the Road Again Book 3: Chapter 21: On the Road Again ¡°Can¡¯t believe you fought that monster by yourself,¡± Kurik said, shaking his head as they strode through the pass where Elijah had once fought what he¡¯d since learned was a sovereign spider. Apparently, they were considered quite deadly, though Elijah was more concerned with the mixed feelings he¡¯d encountered upon seeing the aftermath of the battle. Most of it had grown over, and thergest spider had been harvested some time ago. Yet, the signs of the fight were still there in the overturned earth and the half-decayed webs that still coated much of the ground. Elijah¡¯s internal conflict originated with his own hypocrisy. He¡¯d once killed a group of hunters for murdering the bear whose very hide he now wore as a cloak, but not long before that, he¡¯d ughtered the sovereign spider without a hint of remorse or hesitation. At the time, he¡¯d fooled himself into believing it had been necessary, but he knew that wasn¡¯t true. After he¡¯d injured the spider and killed its children, he could have continued on his way unmolested. Instead, he¡¯d stalked it to a cave and finished it off. That, in turn, had allowed the orcs free passage through the mountains, which had not ended well for anyone involved. Elijah wasn¡¯t so deluded as to believe the invasion was his fault. It wasn¡¯t. The orcs would have killed the spider themselves if Elijah hadn¡¯t. But at the same time, that would have undoubtedly thinned the horde a little. So, at least some of Ironshore¡¯s blood was on his hands. ¡°What did you do with the body?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Butchered it. A good bit was already rotten, but we got a fair share,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°Biggle¡¯s puttin¡¯ together some body cultivation potions with it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said, wondering if the potions he¡¯d used had used the sovereign spider¡¯s corpse as one of their ingredients. After that, the pairpsed intofortable silence. Elijah wasn¡¯t antisocial by nature. Or he hadn¡¯t been before the world had changed. However, spending years alone on his ind had fostered a certain aversion to too much civilization, and he¡¯d yet to tear himself free of that attitude. Likely, he never would. So, as much as he enjoyed brief periods of socialization, it never took him long to reach the limits of his patience.When that happened, the wilderness seemed even more enticing than ever. So, Elijah appreciated the opportunity to travel to Norcastle with someone whose attitude mirrored his own. In any case, he and Kurik traveled inpanionable silence until they reached the termination of the pass. Once there, Elijah stopped and said, ¡°Do you want to swing by where I saw the orcs? Just to make sure they¡¯re not back?¡± Kurik shrugged. ¡°Might as well,¡± he drawled. ¡°We checked it before, but ain¡¯t no harm in doublin¡¯ up, if you know what I mean.¡± After that, the two headed towards the abandoned Wal-Mart where Elijah had first encountered the orcs. Back then, he¡¯d chosen to leave them be,pletely ignorant of how much of a problem they represented. Even then, they were too many for him to fight alone, but still, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he should have made an effort. After all, Elijah had proven that he was at least fairly skilled at gueri tactics, so it wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibility that he could have at least decreased their numbers enough to make the following invasion a much less serious issue. But hindsight was useless, except to learn from his mistakes and apply those lessons to future problems. So, he tucked that information away and focused on the present. Gradually, Elijah and Kurik made their way across thendscape. Each time they passed a relic of the old world ¨C whether it was an old gas station, someone¡¯s home, or some other abandoned building ¨C Elijah took the time to exin the history to Kurik. For his part, the dwarven scout seemed fairly interested, especially in cars. After seeing arge eighteen-wheeler that had been abandoned on the side of a strip of highway, Kurik said, ¡°We got transports back home, too. They use ethera, but I always found ¡®em interestin¡¯. My da always said I missed my true callin¡¯. Shoulda been a teamster, he¡¯d say. Noble profession, that. Requires quick reflexes.¡± ¡°The drivers were important here, too. Without them, the whole world would¡¯vee to a grinding halt. People would have starved.¡± ¡°Interestin¡¯.¡± Then, they moved on, though Kurik showed incredible interest in all the varieties of automobiles they passed. He also found the abandoned buildings intriguing, but only for whatever resources they might offer. Each time they found anyce that hadn¡¯t been picked clean, Kurik marked the location on the map he¡¯d started drawing the moment they¡¯d passed through to the other side of the mountains. They also encountered a few Voxx, though none so strong that the creatures would give either Elijah or Kurik any trouble. Still, it was a nice source of experience for the dwarven scout, who actually gained a level along the way. For his part, Elijah felt that it would take quite a bit more than a few scattered Voxx to send him to level fifty-seven. But that was fine ¨C he was still in the top ten on the power rankings, which meant that he was one of the strongest people on Earth. And given how difficult it had been to advance his cultivation ¨C especially attaining the Dragon Core as well as the Body of Stone ¨C he expected that he had a leg up on everyone else that had nothing to do with raw levels. Though, there was every chance that the top performers would have experienced simr advantageous encounters, so Elijah tried to keep those sorts of useless assumptions in the back of his mind where they wouldn¡¯t affect his actions. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. Eventually, they reached their first destination, which was the abandoned Wal-Mart. In some ways, it looked much the same as it had when he¡¯dst seen it. The structure was still intact, and the parking lot still hadn¡¯t been overtaken by the surrounding forest. However, a musty smell that Elijah had learned to associate with orcs hung over the entire area. ¡°Are you sure you got them all?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Pretty sure,¡± said the scout, unhooking his axe from the loop at his belt. ¡°Only way to be certain, though.¡± Elijah shrugged. Then, without any further hesitation, he embraced Shape of the Predator, adopting his draconid form. ¡°Won¡¯t never get used to that,¡± muttered Kurik with a shiver. ¡°What?¡± asked Elijah, his voiceing out in a low growl that gave anything he said an aggressive tilt. ¡°You don¡¯t know how unnervin¡¯ you look,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°Ain¡¯t nobody can see that and not think of dragons. And any thought that strays into that territory sends a shiver up even the bravest spine.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Elijah knew dragons were, in a lot of ways, at the top of the universal food chain. ording to everything he¡¯d learned from Nerthus ¨C as well as the few guides he¡¯d bought ¨C dragons were an elder race. However, seeing that in a guide was one thing. Seeing it in his friend¡¯s reaction was something else altogether. ¡°I¡¯ll go first. You want to stay out here? Or youing with?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. Don¡¯t go sneaky on me.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m not doing it in this form,¡± he said, embracing Shape of the Guardian and growing into the form of themer ape. ¡°There. Much safer.¡± Kurik just shook his head. Rather than repeat their previous conversation, Elijah loped ahead, crossing the parking lot and ducking through the opening that had once been the building¡¯s entrance. Before the world had transformed, it had been ss, but now, it was guarded only by a sheet of leather that had been stitched together from a dozen hides. The orcs were no leatherworkers, though, and the hides had not been cured. So, after months of neglect, they were mostly rotted and smelled terrible. Elijah ignored that as he pushed through the entrance and looked around. There were still plenty of remnants of the old world present. The checkout counters remained in ce, and Elijah recognized the produce section as well as what had once been a deli. However, the aisles had been dismantled and repurposed to create a series of primitive structures that must have been the orcs¡¯ domiciles. That suggested a level of development Elijah didn¡¯t want to consider. Instead, he preferred to think of them as animals who¡¯d piled together for warmth and security. That they¡¯d managed to build even the crude and primitive structures inside the Wal-Mart was enough to make Elijah nauseous. He¡¯d killed hundreds of them. If they were vering beasts, that was fine. He could ept that. But if they were people, even ones who¡¯d firmly established themselves as the enemy, it would necessitate apletely different sort of feeling. Was it guilt, precisely? No. But it wasn¡¯t not-guilt, either. Whatever it was, Elijah didn¡¯t want to think about it. So, he focused on the task at hand, and he led Kurik through the Wal-Mart as they searched for any remaining orcs. They found none, though Elijah did get an impromptu lesson on orcish reproduction. ¡°Theyy eggs?¡± ¡°Sort of. It¡¯s more like they have an ability that lets them manifest these pods. The orcs w their way out once they¡¯ve reached maturity,¡± Kurik exined, nodding to the still-gooey pods. To Elijah, they looked like terrestrial fish eggs, though that wasn¡¯t altogether urate, either. In fact, there was nothing Elijah had seen outside of a movie that could adequatelypare to the orc¡¯s reproduction pods. ¡°They look like the pods from the Matrixbined with the eggs from Alien,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°What?¡± Kurik asked. Then, Elijah went down a tangent where he tried to exin movies to Kurik. Apparently, the concept of ys was not alien to him or the rest of the universe, so he understood it well enough. Still, Elijah vowed to hunt down a television and DVD yer, as well as a means of producing electricity so he could show his friend the glory of film. ¡°I think we should burn it,¡± Elijah said after that conversation petered out. ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± Kurik agreed. After that, they spent far more time than either intended carting armfuls of wood into the building. It ended up taking nearly three days of constant work to finish, but when they did, they set the whole thing aze. Fortunately, there was little chance of the fire spreading, what with it being surrounded by acres of concrete, so they watched the orcish settlement burn without worry. And Elijah had to admit that he felt some degree of satisfaction that had nothing to do with orcs. After all, Wal-Mart, for all its convenience, was representative of everything that had been wrong with the old world. So, watching it burn felt cathartic in a way Elijah didn¡¯t really want to examine. A dayter, Elijah and Kurik were back on the proverbial road. Their journey continued unimpeded until, atst, they reached the edge of the forest. In the distance, Elijah could see the city of Norcastle, which looked much the same as it did thest time he¡¯d visited. ¡°Are youin¡¯?¡± asked Kurik. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it,¡± Elijah responded. ¡°Last time I was here, I didn¡¯t leave on the best terms. Probably best if I make myself scarce. When you get to the gate, ask for Captain Essex. He¡¯s a decent man, and he¡¯ll introduce you to whoever you need to see about a trade alliance.¡± ¡°Aight, then,¡± Kurik said. He extended his hand, and Elijah grasped it. As they shook, Kurik said, ¡°Easiest trip through the wilderness I ever had. Normally, beasts are more of a problem.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Guess I¡¯m a lucky charm. Be careful. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll attack you on sight, but you never know. Humans are touchy,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You say that like you ain¡¯t one.¡± ¡°What can I say? I know my people,¡± he said. After that, the pair parted ways, and Elijah shifted into his draconid form before setting off for Argos. He hadn¡¯t forgotten the spell evolution quest for Ancestral Circle, but he wasn¡¯t going to waste it by building a dolmen in Norcastle. For one, it was too close to his grove for what he had nned. For another, his experiences in Norcastle had left a bad taste in his mouth, and for now, he intended to avoid the ce. Perhaps that would change sometime in the future, but Elijah wasn¡¯t eager to reach that point. Argos, though, was far enough away that he wouldn¡¯t consider it a waste to create a dolmen there. Besides, he had a much better impression of the formerly Greek city. So, it was with some eagerness that he sped across the terrain. Book 3: Chapter 22: Breadcrumbs Book 3: Chapter 22: Breadcrumbs Thor leaped backwards, fending off the Voxxian monster with his spear. At the same time, he used Ancestor¡¯s Torpor, and a translucent spirit climbed out of the ground and wrapped itself around creature. From experience, he knew it was only visible to him, but the effects would be keenly felt by any enemy:
Ancestor¡¯s Torpor Summon an ancestral spirit that saps the Strength and Dexterity of your enemy. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 19 seconds.
The monster stumbled, giving Thor the distance he needed to bring his next ability to bear when he raised one hand and called down yet another ancestral spirit. This one was muchrger than the one associated with Ancestor¡¯s Torpor, and it was inly meant for battle.
Ancestral Champion Summon an ancestral spirit for a single mighty strike.
The spirit descended upon the monster¡¯s back, jabbing an borate spear through its body. It let out an unholy screech, but Thor knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. So, he directed his mana into Fury of the Stalker, and the de of his spear erupted into red energy. At the same time, he embraced Survival of the Fittest, enhancing his attributes far beyond his normal power.Then, while the monster was still reeling from Ancestral Torpor and the spiritual attack, Thor bounded forward ramming his tasseled spear into the creature¡¯s neck. Scales parted beneath the sharp de, and blood spurted. Still, the durable creature didn¡¯t die. Indeed, it mustered its remaining strength andunched itself at Thor. But he was already gone, having used Mirror Trap.
Mirror Trap Channel the power of your ancestors to create an illusory copy. At the same time, you will appear at the enemy¡¯s rear, unseen and unnoticed.
The monster never even realized that the spear in its neck had disappeared. Instead, it was too furious to realize that it had been duped. It shed forward with its ws, swiping ineffectually through Thor¡¯s illusion. It stumbled, off-bnce and wounded. That¡¯s when Thor struck, once again using Survival of the Fittest and Fury of the Stalker to enhance his next attack. It bit deep into the unbnced monster¡¯s spine, severing its connection to the lower half of its body. It flopped onto its belly, where it furiously wed against the unnatural ck rock in an attempt to flip itself around. Thor didn¡¯t immediately kill it, though with itsck of mobility, that would have been easy enough. Instead, he circled the monster, his spear held loosely in one bloody hand. The battle had stretched his capability, and he bore more than a few wounds. Yet, after fighting six waves of increasingly dangerous Voxxian monsters, he was the only one still standing. As was proper. ¡°You thought yourself my equal,¡± he said, looking down on the fallen creature. It truly was an ugly beast. All blue-green scales and ridges and too many limbs. Yet, there was a deadly grace to it, too. An efficiency of design that brought to mind true predation. It had been a worthy foe. Thor nced at the other monsters he¡¯d defeated. Tens of creatures, all dead. Just like every other enemy he¡¯d ever faced. Because Thor did not lose. That had been true before the world¡¯s transformation, and it remained the case after everything had changed. He¡¯d begun to wonder if there were any true challenges out there for him. But that was before he¡¯d been tasked with hunting the so-called Druid. Without any real information as to the man¡¯s location, he¡¯d been forced to rely on Hunt of the Ancestors, which was, even in the best-case scenario, vague. As a result, he felt like he was running in circles trying to track the Druid down. After leaving the elven town behind, he¡¯d trekked through the wilderness for weeks, enduring all the hardships that travel through the wild ces of the world entailed. Barely a day had gone by when he hadn¡¯t been attacked by one beast or another, and though he could endure such minor inconveniences, there had been a few times when he¡¯d been forced to use every tool in his kit to avoid bing some animal¡¯s supper. And though Thor reveled in winning each battle, he vastly preferred being the hunter as opposed to the hunted. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. So, it was with mixed feelings that he¡¯d entered the minor dimensional rift. There was a part of him that wanted to bypass the thing. Certainly, it would continue to corrupt the surrounding area, but that wasn¡¯t his problem to solve. Yet, he knew precisely how beneficial such circumstances could be. Not only would conquering such a rift give him experience ¨C which, at his level, was hard toe by ¨C but they routinely gave other benefits as well. In the end, that selfishness was what pushed him to enter the rift. And now, he only needed to finish the monster off, and he would be able to continue his quest to hunt the Druid. To that end, he stepped forward, raised his spear, and stabbed the struggling creature in the chest. For all that they were alien, the Voxx still had all the right organs and in all the proper ces. So, piercing its heart was easy enough for the experienced hunter. After that, the monster onlysted a few more seconds before its life faded. Only a moment after that, Thor found the reward box. He¡¯d conquered enough rifts that he wasn¡¯t surprised at the silver box¡¯s sudden appearance, and he wasted no time before opening it and collecting the reward ¨C an attribute potion that he downed only a momentter, giving him two extra points with which he could entuate his attributes. He chose to allocate them into Dexterity. Then, he looked to his wounds. He¡¯d bought some alchemically treated bandages back in what was left of Oslo, but they were only marginally better than his natural healing. Still, he wasn¡¯t about to traverse the wilderness with open wounds. So, he took quite some time to sew his wounds and wrap them in those treated bandages. Most of his injuries weren¡¯t serious, but there was a gash across his thigh that, in the old world, probably would have taken months topletely heal. However, with the bandages as well as his Regeneration, it would heal in a few days. Likely, it wouldn¡¯t even scar. Once Thor had finished treating his wounds, he left the rift behind. At one point, he¡¯d tried to harvest their tough scales with the intention of using the material for armor. However, the lifeless pieces began to decay the moment they interacted with Earth¡¯s atmosphere, making them worthless. The hulking man took a few minutes to settle himself, taking a couple of swigs of water from his Endless Canteen, then resumed his hunt as he followed the tendril of ethera associated with Ancestral Hunt. It was weak, but he could still follow it easily enough. So it went for the next two days, during which he was forced to fight a few more beasts. None of them gave more than a trickle of experience, but animal life in the new version of Earth was incredibly territorial. So, even if they had no chance of winning, they attacked without mercy. And if he wasn¡¯t careful, the collective weight of so many fights would eventually weigh him down. If that happened, he would eventually sumb. One fight wasn¡¯t dangerous. But twenty, all in a row? That was when things became much more serious. Still, Thor fought on, making steady but slow progress as he crossed the wilderness. And eventually, the tendril of ethera led him to a walled city. In the center was an ancient castle, but much of the surrounding architecture looked a little more modern. Regardless, all Thor was concerned with was the fact that Ancestral Hunt had led him directly to the city. So, he strode down to the town and to a gate he¡¯d spied from afar. When he reached it, his progress was blocked by two guards ¨C one a young male that looked like he still hadn¡¯t reached adulthood and a stout female wearing a helmet. The male said, ¡°State your business.¡± ¡°My name is Thor Gunderson. Remove yourself from my path or suffer the consequences.¡± ¡°Buddy, you¡¯re not ¨C¡± Thor struck, stabbing out with his spear so quickly that the young man never even had a chance to react. The woman, however, had quicker reflexes, and she responded by dragging her sword from the scabbard at her waist. But she was too slow to bring it to bear before Thor executed a thrust that took her in the chest. Her armor looked impressive enough, but it was entirely useless against Thor¡¯s Tribal Spear. The de cut through the metallic breastte with ease, piercing her chest and destroying her heart. Both guards fell. Thor took a quick look at their equipment, decided looting it was more trouble than it was worth, then strode into the city. As he did, a few of the townspeople looked at him with distinct fear, but no one else barred his path. Which was a good thing. Thor wasn¡¯t a monster. He didn¡¯t want to kill anyone unless it was necessary. However, his version of necessary was more than a little skewed. He refused to be dyed by some weakling. That was what Thor had discovered in the wake of Earth¡¯s transformation. Once, the world was ruled by institutional power that was backed up by military might. Those institutions took great pains to protect the weak. But now? The weak were even more useless than ever, and Thor had all the power. And without consequence to hinder him, he saw no reason to burden himself with their problems or cater to the demands they could never hope to enforce. Personal power was all that mattered. As he followed Ancestral Hunt through the city, people hurried out of his way. Some might have done so because they knew who he was. The power rankings were visible to everyone, after all. Or maybe they¡¯d heard what he had done to the guards. Whatever the case, no one seemed eager to get in his way. Even the other guards, who pretended they didn¡¯t even see him. They, better than anyone else, knew precisely how overmatched they would be in any fight. Eventually, Ancestral Hunt led Thor to arge, two-story building that was marked by a red cross. That meant it was likely a ce of healing. However, just before he stepped up to the door, someone called from behind, ¡°Perhaps I could help you find something.¡± A wave of irritation slid through Thor¡¯s mind. Yet, he restrained himself. Due to the nature of Ancestral Hunt, he knew that his prey was not in the city. It was more like following the Druid¡¯s tracks, which meant he was chasing the man¡¯s past impact, rather than following him to his current location. As such, he¡¯d found that supplementing the spell with interrogation was usually beneficial. So, when he turned to see a slim, dignified, and older man standing before him, he took a moment to identify him with Hunter¡¯s Eye.
Name: Orville Essex Archetype: Warrior Level: 38
The man was not quite strong enough to be on the powerdder, yet Essex was no weakling. By contrast, Thor would have been surprised if the guards had even reached level thirty. Still, Essex was no threat to someone like Thor. ¡°A Druid came through this town,¡± he said. ¡°A man named Elijah Hart. I am hunting him. You will tell me everything you know of him, or I willy waste to your town.¡± ¡°Do you believe you can do that?¡± asked Essex. Suddenly, Thor became aware of a dozen other guards, each with levels nearing Essex¡¯s. He dismissed them as inconsequential, saying, ¡°I do.¡± He could practically see the man¡¯s thought process. Even if they managed to subdue Thor ¨C practically an impossibility in and of itself ¨C they would not do so without significant casualties. That was the tyranny of personal strength. They could bring a hundred men, and Thor would almost assuredly stille out on top. And if he didn¡¯t, he would leave devastation in his wake. ¡°Very well. He came here and healed some of our citizens. Then, he conquered a nearby tower. After that, the mayor made the mistake of sending some people after him,¡± Essex exined. ¡°He killed them all?¡± ¡°No. He left in the night. I don¡¯t know which way he went.¡± ¡°He did not punish them?¡± asked Thor, incredulous. If it had been him in that situation, he would have in the attackers as well as the mayor. Probably a good many citizens as well, just for good measure. ¡°He just left.¡± Perhaps this Druid was not as worthy a foe as Thor had first thought. Certainly his actions ¨C healing people and running from danger ¨C didn¡¯t fit the image Thor had cultivated in his mind. Yet, he believed the guard. ¡°I will remain here for the night. In the morning, I expect supplies for a long journey. And ten gold ethereum.¡± ¡°The supplies we can do, but why would we give you our coins?¡± ¡°If you do not, I will kill everyone in this town,¡± said Thor. Then, he strode away, looking for somewhere to sleep. In the back of his mind, though, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his hunt was going to end in disappointment like all the rest. Book 3: Chapter 23: A Strong Ruler Book 3: Chapter 23: A Strong Ruler There were seven opponents, all of equal skill, though none had the benefit of Roman¡¯s attributes. Even without the enhancement provided by the Seal of Authority, his level far outstripped that of his opponents. But that didn¡¯t matter. He was better than them, and to a degree that made him almost a different species. Of course he would have the advantage of superior Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. Still, he didn¡¯t activate any of his spells or abilities, because that wasn¡¯t the point of the session. Instead, he was training his swordsmanship, and he couldn¡¯t do that if he ended the fight before it could ever start. That, and he didn¡¯t want to kill them. Doing so would only result in a slight trickle of experience, and they were far more useful as practice opponents. So, they circled him, their own swords held before them. Some had known something of sword fighting before the world had been touched by the World Tree, but others were more recent studies. Yet, Roman was enough of a realist to know that each and every one of them was his superior, at least in terms of pure technique. Fortunately, he did have the advantage of his attributes, which served to even the odds. A good thing, considering he couldn¡¯t countenance the notion of losing a fight in his own city. Not only would it affect his reputation ¨C and thus, invite challenge ¨C but it would also scrape against his ego in a way he never intended to analyze. Suddenly, the first sparring partner struck, her sword shing against the torchlight of the dojo. Roman reacted instantly, pping the sword away with enough force that it nearly went flying from the woman¡¯s grip, disying her weakness for everyone to see. It was a pitiful showing. But it also highlighted Roman¡¯s driving force. Only he was strong enough to save everyone. Only he had the power to ensure their safety. And if he wanted to continue rising to the challenge, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to let up.So, he trained. As soon as he¡¯d parried the first attack, the other six foes struck. Roman¡¯s sword became a whirlwind as his footwork struggled to keep pace. Fighting one of them was well within the bounds of his capability, but all six ¨C and with the first woman having just recovered ¨C was on the verge of pushing him too far. Still, as the ng of metal against metal continued, Roman fought on. And with every blocked attack, he grew stronger. It was reflected in his attributes, but that was the ability of his sword at work. The False Dragon¡¯s Fang had an insulting name, but its viability as a weapon was unquestionable. Not only was it incredibly sharp and durable, but it also came with enhancements to his attributes. But the ability, which was known simply as Esction, was what truly set it apart. And as his power climbed, Roman¡¯s tentative ability to defend against so many enemies grew sturdier until, atst, he began to ovee them with sheer Strength. Swords flew from their weak grips, and in one case, a hand followed suit ¨C it was that man¡¯s own fault for being too slow ¨C until, atst, they had been subdued. ¡°Do not bleed in my dojo,¡± Roman snarled at the wounded man who was clutching his stump to his chest, sullying his gi. He kicked the severed hand toward the man, growling, ¡°Go see a Healer.¡± Of course, a Healer was incapable of regrowing limbs. Perhaps it would be possible in the future, but for now, no one in Easton ¨C God, he hated that name; it sounded so pedestrian when it should be majestic ¨C had that kind of ability. Hopefully that would change going forward. Still, it was possible to reattach the limb, so long as he hurried. As ordered, the man fled the dojo in search of a Healer. Once he was out of the room, Roman red at the scattered drops of blood he¡¯d left behind. That was uneptable. But he didn¡¯t intend to cut the training session short just for a little blood. So, he said, ¡°Again.¡± This time, instead of the False Dragon¡¯s Fang, he used a training sword, but even then, only six of them couldn¡¯t hope to stand up to his might. Still, Roman continued his training for hours more until, atst, Fiona arrived. The tiny waif of a woman had made some attempts to entuate her boyish figure ¨C likely to get Roman¡¯s attention ¨C but to him, those attempts made her look more like a child wearing an inappropriate costume. Not like Trish. But Roman¡¯s wife had never been cut out for life in the apocalypse. Unlike him, she¡¯d had difficulty adjusting to the necessary mindset, and because he¡¯d sheltered her sopletely, she¡¯d been entirely unprepared for the brutality of the new world. He knew that, and yet, there was a part of him that still med Alyssa. Even dead, her mistakes still haunted him. If she hadn¡¯t forced his hand, he wouldn¡¯t have had to banish the best crafter in the city. Likely, he should have killed Carmen. The woman¡¯s crimes called for as much. But at the same time, he felt that he owed it to Alyssa not to orphan her son. Losing one mother was difficult, but losing a second parent was enough to ruin the child. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. And Roman was not such a monster that he could put Miguel on that path. No ¨C he was a hero. Perhaps not in the traditional sense. He didn¡¯t charge into battle wearing shining armor and physically protecting the weak. Yet, everything he did was meant to ensure that thergest number of people survived. That made him a hero, at least as far as he was concerned. If only the others would understand that, many of his problems would be solved. ¡°My lord,¡± Fiona said, bowing her head. She¡¯d begun to use the affectation sometime after he¡¯d banished Carmen, and Roman had to admit that he liked it. What was he, if not the Lord of Easton? ¡°Hello, Fiona. What news?¡± he asked, struggling to maintain a pattern of speech appropriate to his position. He was no actor, though, so he¡¯d had to spend countless hours forcing himself to drop his casual demeanor. It had worked, though. People respected and feared him. ¡°They are ready,¡± Fiona stated. ¡°Do you wish to proceed?¡± ¡°What level?¡± ¡°Thirty-five,¡± she answered. ¡°That will have to do,¡± he answered. Then, without even looking at his training partners, he set off from the dojo he¡¯d had built within the pce. He¡¯d taken great pains to make it as authentic as possible, which meant finding an architect who understood Japanese style. He had no illusions about bing a samurai ¨C not like the cowboy who followed Carmen around like a lost puppy ¨C but the discipline of that style of swordfighting certainly appealed to his straightforward sensibilities. The rest of the pce was decidedly more western in appearance, and the Architects and Interior Designers had chosen to channel Gothic design principles. Roman was unconcerned with the specific d¨¦cor, but what he did care about was the perception it dictated. And for that, the pce was perfect. Sharp, deadly, and beautiful ¨C it gave all the right impressions. Roman strode the halls without acknowledging any of the other people present, and soon enough, they reached a set of stairs that led down below. He didn¡¯t hesitate before descending, passing multiple checkpoints along the way. None of the guards present ¨C each in their blue-and-white uniforms ¨C dared try to stop him, and before long, he found himself in the dungeon. It was even more extensive than the pce. Part of that was due to the sheer number of detainees ¨C traitors, all ¨C but it was also because of the special project that was housed within. Many of the prisoners were rebels who¡¯d been captured during the recent bout of unrest, but others were petty criminals. Most were thieves who were toozy to contribute to the greater good; instead, they¡¯d chosen to prey off their fellow citizens. Others had been arrested for vandalism. Some were violent offenders. But one and all, they were the dregs of society, and as such, they represented an opportunity for Roman. After all, if they¡¯d already proven themselves useless in life, then perhaps their deaths could be of use to Easton. ¡°I would like to see the program in action,¡± he said. ¡°As you wish, my lord,¡± said Fiona. Then, she gestured to the warden ¨C a man whose name Roman didn¡¯t bother remembering ¨C who led them deeper into the facility until, atst, they reached arge warehouse. The first thing that hit Roman was the smell ¨C it had the odor of a kennel, and for good reason. It was popted with hundreds of cages, each one containing a monster. Or a beast, Roman supposed. He watched as a prisoner, naked but for a pair of sturdy manacles, was handed a dagger. Then, the emaciated woman was led to one of the cages, where she was forced to ughter the animal held within. It took a handful of thrusts, but it sumbed soon after. As soon as it was dead, someone wheeled the cage away and reced it with another. Then, the woman was directed to repeat the process. ¡°It ain¡¯t efficient,¡± said the warden. He was a thickset man with a huge gut, which disgusted Roman. It was almost enough to push him to action. ¡°Maybe a quarter of the experience per kill as if they were found in the wild. And it don¡¯t work after level thirty-five.¡± ¡°No experience at all?¡± asked Roman, surprised. ¡°Some of them schrs say it¡¯s ¡®cause the system measures effort, too. It¡¯ll give you some leeway early on, but therees a time when it ain¡¯t gonna work no more.¡± ¡°Does this affect the program¡¯s viability?¡± Roman asked, ncing at Fiona. ¡°No. It will work. We¡¯re almost certain.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get to it. Bring them forward,¡± Roman ordered. And only a few minutester, there were twenty prisoners before him. Each one was shackled and looked as if they hadn¡¯t eaten in weeks. Perhaps they hadn¡¯t. After all, they needed to be kept in a weakened state. Without hesitation, Roman drew the False Dragon¡¯s Fang, pulled it back, and lopped the head from the nearest prisoner¡¯s neck. As it flew free, he experienced an influx of experience. It wasn¡¯t nearly as much as he would¡¯ve gotten for killing a level thirty-five monster in the wild, but it was still enough to move the needle. ¡°Did it work?¡± asked Fiona, her eyes shining with excitement. ¡°It did. We will proceed,¡± he said. Then, he did just that, executing each of the criminals. It was a testament to how weakened they were that none of them even resisted. Likely, they counted death as a release. That served Roman¡¯s purposes, and by the time he¡¯d killed all twenty, he¡¯d crossed the threshold to another level. He¡¯d already been close, but even that much seemed like a confirmation that they were on the right track. After all, these people were drains on society, but he¡¯d finally found a way to make them useful. It felt good, solving such a problem. ¡°Good. Very good. How many are in this dungeon?¡± ¡°More than a thousand. And there are moreing each day. The issue is capturing the monsters, but we have dedicated teams scouring the countryside,¡± Fiona exined. ¡°We can provide twenty kills a day, at least for a few weeks. After that, we may have to reevaluate.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have your criminals,¡± Roman said. ¡°Inform Remus that he is to enforce the strictest letter of thew. That should get us a few more criminals. And if you run out of monsters, have them kill one another.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°What word of Arbor?¡± he asked, referring to the nearest city-state of any strength. In terms of poption, it was evenrger than Easton, though its military might left a lot to be desired. ¡°Primed for invasion.¡± ¡°Hold off, for now. We need to handle this delicately. In the meantime, we will continue to develop our strengths. Daily runs of the tower for our elites. And as many prisoners as you can find.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± With that, Roman turned away, secure in the knowledge that he was doing everything within his power to ensure that Easton rose to prominence. After all, without his guiding hand, the world would soon fall into chaos. It was his duty to bring everything under one banner, because he knew that things would grow more dangerous with every passing day. Book 3: Chapter 24: Increasing Sophistication Book 3: Chapter 24: Increasing Sophistication A gentle rain fell upon Elijah¡¯s upturned face as he floated on the surface of a small pond. He could feel fish and freshwater eels, turtles, and frogs among dozens of other aquatic creatures. Most wererger than they had been before the Earth was transformed by the touch of the World Tree, yet the difference wasn¡¯t nearly as dramatic as it had been in the ocean. Elijah could only suppose that was due to space, but it was just as possible that the area¡¯s ambient ethera wasn¡¯t strong enough to support that kind of life. Whatever the case, he couldn¡¯t deny that it made for a peaceful ce to rest. He''d been traveling for almost a week, and he still hadn¡¯t reached Argos. Part of that was due to the number of Voxx in the area, but it was also because he didn¡¯t rush himself. In the wake of everything that had happened in Ironshore ¨C and what had preceded those events ¨C he desperately needed to slow down and let the peace of the natural world envelop him. He had gotten some of what he needed on his ind, but increasingly, his home had begun to feel more curated than natural. Was it his influence? Nerthus¡¯s? He didn¡¯t know, but the ind felt distinct from the true wilderness in a way Elijah couldn¡¯t adequately exin. But he felt it, especially since leaving Norcastle and Kurik¡¯spany. While traveling, he¡¯d found a couple of natural treasures, as well, though he¡¯d left them alone when he¡¯d found that they were too weak to give him much benefit. Perhaps if he was willing to dig them up and take them with him, that might¡¯ve been different, but he refused to go down that road. He might¡¯ve epted that other people would make such use of those natural treasures ¨C and kill any powerful beasts they stumbled upon ¨C Elijah wasn¡¯t going to do the same. If he¡¯d learned nothing else, it was that he needed to be consistent, or he¡¯d lose track of his own morality. That was where his code came in. He would kill, either in self-defense or the defense of others. He also wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do whatever was necessary within a tower. Yet, he¡¯d decided not to seek out violence, even when his instincts screamed at him to punish those who approached the new world differently. Like with the hunters he¡¯d killed what felt like a lifetime ago. They might have deserved it, but Elijah wasn¡¯t an unbiased judge, and he didn¡¯t trust himself to make that determination. So, his code required him to stay out of such situations. Of course, he wasn¡¯t so deluded that he expected not to vite that code at some point. Was he strong enough to resist the urge to defend a guardian if he saw one being attacked? Maybe. Probably not, though. However, he intended to make a go of it, and if he failed, it would just serve as motivation to do better in the future.The world wasplicated, and his code was frighteningly simple. The two would eventuallye at odds. And when that happened, Elijah felt that his reaction woulde to define him. He could only hope that the result was a good definition. He sighed, feeling a tiny fish nipping at his feet. It tickled, but there wasn¡¯t anything in the pond that could really hurt him. And even if it did, he could always heal whatever damage that was done. He was so busy driftingzily in the pond that he didn¡¯t even feel the frog before it hopped out of the water and onto his chest. ¡°Hey bud,¡± Elijah said to the enormous bullfrog. It was slimy and the size of a basketball, but Elijah didn¡¯t mind. He¡¯d always had a certain affinity for the amphibians, so he had no issues letting it rest on his bare chest. Then, without warning, the giant frog let loose with its tongue. Elijah had left his Sash of the Whirlwind with all the rest of his clothes and equipment on the pond¡¯s shore, so he could barely even perceive the thing¡¯s tongue as it sped towards his head. So, he never had a chance to react. Fortunately, the fleshy projectile wasn¡¯t meant for him. Instead, it skated right past his ear and hit a massive mosquito that had been hovering nearby. Before Elijah could blink, the insect was in the frog¡¯s mouth, with a few of its spindly legs sticking out from the opening. ¡°Uh¡­thanks,¡± he muttered. It croaked in return, then hopped off his chest and swam away. The encounter had served to ruin the peaceful ambiance of the pond, so he flipped over and swam to shore. Fortunately, by that point, the gentle shower had ceased, and the sun had made a return. So, Elijah spent the next few minutes sunning on a rock, and when he was dry, he dressed, grabbed his crook and pack, and set off. Only a few hundred yards into the woods, he caught a whiff of corruption. Thinking it was just another Voxx, he shifted into his draconid form, then adopted the Guise of the Unseen before tracking the corruption to its source. Yet, after a few steps, he realized that he wasn¡¯t stalking a single monster. Instead, he¡¯d detected a minor dimensional rift. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. So, knowing the dangers of leaving one of those untended ¨C especially in the middle of the wilderness where no one was likely to find it ¨C Elijah continued to follow the scent of corruption until he found what he was looking for. The rip in reality was much the same as any of the others Elijah had encountered, and thick tendrils of ck corruption extended for a hundred feet all around. If it wasn¡¯t conquered and closed, those tendrils would continue to spread, and what¡¯s more, they would corrupt the local wildlife. Elijah had no idea how far such corruption would go ¨C perhaps indefinitely ¨C but he had no intention of finding out. So, after shifting back to his human form and checking his equipment, he looked at his enhancements. At level fifty, he¡¯d gained another slot. So, he cast Essence of the Boar, Essence of the Monkey, Aura of Renewal, and Essence of the Lion. The only one he left off was Shield of Brambles, and while it was useful, the others seemed more necessary. Topping it off were his enhancements that didn¡¯t take one of his slots: Essence of the Wolf and One with Nature, both of which he kept active at all times. Thus prepared, Elijah stepped into the rift, and after experiencing the same brief moment of discement, his feet pped down onto ck sand. The moment he reappeared, he recognized that the rift was different from the others he¡¯d conquered. For one, he was in a cave, rather than outdoors. For another, he could feel hundreds of creatures via One with Nature. None of them wererge, but they were all snaking through the sand in his direction. Having no interest in seeing what they were, Elijah immediately cast Cmity, then Swarm. Neither was as strong as they had been when channeled through his Staff of Natural Harmony, but they were still powerful spells that could do all sorts of damage. More importantly, among other effects, Cmity was characterized by shaking the earth. That, in turn, was deadly for the monsters under the ground. However, what Elijah hadn¡¯t banked on was the loose sand, which blew every which way with Cmity¡¯s des of wind. As those deadly gusts scoured the cave¡¯s floor, Elijah caught sight of the monsters. They were worms, maybe twenty inches long and as big around as his wrist. More disturbingly, they hadmprey mouths full of sharp teeth that Elijah suspected would be quite painful. Thankfully, his forethought bore fruit, keeping the little monsters from reaching him. At the same time, they were subjected to Cmity and a thousand biting locusts manifested by Swarm. But they didn¡¯t die. So, Elijah reced Essence of the Lion with Shield of Brambles, then shifted into hismer ape form. His scales formed just in time, too, because the first of the monsters reached him a secondter. In the past, he might have flinched away from thosemprey-like mouths ¨C or more importantly, the razor sharp teeth inside ¨C but by that point, he¡¯d experienced enough battle to trust his hastily activated Iron Scales. As the first worm tried totch on, it was assailed by a thick and damaging thorn. It screeched, but it didn¡¯t stop trying to bite him, which earned the monster a half-dozen more thorns. That,bined with the afflictions from his Swarm and the damage from Cmity, finished it off. Then, the rest of the monsters arrived, and they died just like the first. Elijah was forced to chain Iron Scales, which rapidly drained his stamina, but it was the only viable option of dealing with so many small and deadly monsters. At least for him. Others likely had different methods of dealing with such a threat. However, as passive as it felt, it was an effective strategy, and soon enough, Elijah was surrounded by a host of worm corpses. Yet, he knew that wouldn¡¯t be the end of it. So, the moment the monsters were dead, he shifted into his draconid form and took a look around the cave. It wasn¡¯t huge ¨C maybe forty feet wide and half-again as long, ending in a single tunnel that functioned as the exit. The message was clear. He was intended to go down the tunnel, which differed from previous rifts he¡¯d encountered. In fact, it reminded him of a tower, though a miniature version of one. That prospect was both exciting and daunting. The first, because it would almost assuredly give him enough experience to progress. In addition, with any challenge he could ovee, he would be rewarded by the system. Yet, it was also anxiety-inducing, because there was a chance that he¡¯d bitten off more than he could chew. Of course, he couldn¡¯t let that sort of thinking infect him. He was one of the strongest people in the world, a designation he¡¯d earned throughout countless battles, and he would do well to remember that fact. So, it was with that in mind that he progressed down the tunnel, and it wasn¡¯t long before he found the first foe. It was a normal Voxxian monster, maybe six-feet tall, and with two sets of arms. It was covered in a thick, scaly, viridian hide that shimmered in the darkness. Elijah wasted no time before embracing Venom Strike as well as Predator Strike. Then, he pounced, leaping upon the monster¡¯s back and mping his powerful jaws around its head. He flexed, and he felt the thing¡¯s skull copse. It fell to the sandy floor, limp and lifeless, a secondter. Elijah leaped free, immediately embracing Guise of the Unseen. For a long few moments, he waited in that tunnel for any response. However, no new threats presented themselves, so he eventually moved on. About a hundred feet away, he encountered another Voxx, and it died in almost identical fashion. Then a third. And a fourth after that. In all, he ended up killing ten of the creatures before he reached anotherrge chamber. Unlike the previous encounter, this one was upied by something more dangerous than a few bitey worms. Indeed, there were three full-grown Voxxian monsters in the chamber. One was a few feet taller than the others, but even the smallest towered eight feet above the floor. But they were all different, both in height as well as build, which seemed incredibly important to Elijah. He crept forward, studying the monsters. Thergest paced back and forth, growling and grunting aggressively, while the others stood mostly still. Elijah didn¡¯t know what any of it meant, but he was increasingly sure that it was all very important. So, he didn¡¯t immediately attack. Instead, he watched and waited, devising a n that he hoped would work. Then, he padded forward, embraced his abilities, then pounced. Book 3: Chapter 25: The Trinity Book 3: Chapter 25: The Trinity The moment Elijah leaped upon the Voxxian monster¡¯s back, he got a surprise as his ws failed to find purchase. Instead, they skated off of a shimmering purple shield, and when he snapped out a bite, his jaws were entirely rebuffed. Still, via one facet of his Quartz Mind, he noticed a series ofrge cracks spread across the purple surface of the shield before it faded from view. By that point, though, the monsters knew he was there, and they wasted no time before reacting. The big one stomped on the ground, and huge spikes of jagged ck rock erupted from the cave¡¯s sandy floor. Elijah shoved himself away from the monster he¡¯d attacked, then deftly maneuvered to avoid the explosion of spikes. A few nicked him, but those grazing attacks were incapable of doing any real damage. The same could not be said for the third creature, who descended upon Elijah with bestial fury. A purple light bloomed across its scales, and it exploded into a series of raking attacks that Elijah had no chance of avoiding. Not all of them, at least. Still, he managed to dodge more than half. It wasn¡¯t enough to save his body from being ravaged. The monster¡¯s vicious ws raked across hisparatively soft scales, ripping ragged gashes with every attack thatnded. Still, Elijah was no novice to battle, and he gave as good as he got, building instances of Contagion and even managing to empower a couple of Venom Strikes. But even so, Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t fight the monster toe-to-toe. Not only would he end up ripped to shreds, but the creature¡¯s allies would soon join the battle. To punctuate that eventuality, thergest of the trio barreled into him, hitting him with a bone-shaking tackle that sent him skidding across the room and thudding into the cave¡¯s wall. If he hadn¡¯t cultivated a Body of Stone, Elijah felt certain that he would have broken every bone in his body. With that advanced level of cultivation, it still hurt, but it didn¡¯t feel like anything broke. That was a good thing, too, because two of the three monsters were already bearing down on him, which meant that he didn¡¯t have time to deal with broken bones. So, seeing theming for him, Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t continue in his draconid form. It was great for one-on-one battle, and it was even better when he could get the jump on an enemy. But against multiple opponents all focused on ripping him to pieces, it was less than optimal. So, he shifted into his human form and cast Snaring Roots. As vines erupted from the ground to snake around the monsters¡¯ ankles, Elijah gained enough time to cast Healing Rain. With the Crook of the Serpent Healer, it was an exceedingly powerful heal over time that he hoped would keep him alive long enough to even the odds. The smaller monster was the first to break free of the roots, and it did so before Elijah had time to shift his shape. So, he had no option but to use his cloak to briefly shield him from the creature¡¯s flurry of ws. A secondter, he shifted into hismer ape form, and as soon as the transformationpleted, he reached out and grabbed the creature whose ws were suddenly finding no purchase.He wrapped his ws around the monster¡¯s waist, then he cocked his arm back and threw it with every ounce of Strength he could muster. It hit the opposite wall with the sound of cracking stone, and it crumpled to the ground. Yet, Elijah found his worst nightmareing true when the third monster ¨C all but forgotten ¨C bloomed with purple power, which it tossed at its fallen ally. That energynded upon the other Voxxian monster, and Elijah was horrified to see its injuries immediately begin to mend. That changed everything. He couldn¡¯t focus on the others. Not until the Healer was dead. So, heunched himself at the monster with all the fury and ferocity he could summon to his aid. It wasn¡¯t enough, and the creature managed to slip to the side just in time to avoid his charge. Elijah couldn¡¯t stop his momentum before thudding into the wall and sending a rain of pebbles onto his head. A secondter, the big monster tore free of Snaring Roots and barreled toward him. Elijah had no choice but to pick himself up and meet the charge with one of his own. The two collided with a titanic impact that shook the cave, but Elijah got the better of the sh, knocking the monster back a few feet. Until the recovered damage dealing monster rejoined the fight and ripped into him. Elijah managed to use Iron Scales, and his Shield of Brambles did some damage to the furious barrage of blows. Yet, he knew he couldn¡¯t keep it up. Iron Scales didn¡¯t cost ethera, but it definitely cut into the more ephemeral and harder to define stamina. So, if he tried to chain it, he would eventually grow too fatigued to fight. Which put him on a timer. Elijah desperately needed to change the paradigm before he reached that point. So, heshed out with a sudden backhand that clipped the smaller Voxx, then followed it up with a shoulder tackle that sent therger one to the ground. He stomped down on it, then threw himself across the cave. Not at an enemy. Instead, he needed to put some distance between him and his foes. As he flew across the room, he shifted into his human form, then used Cmity. He¡¯d just finished his casting when he hit the wall, but because of his Body of Stone, he managed to maintain focus long enough to chain that into Swarm. This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The familiar storm of lightning, wind, and earth enveloped the entire cave, and a thousand biting locusts manifested into being before descending upon the monsters. In the confusion, Elijah shifted into his draconid form and sprinted toward the tunnel. He was moving so fast that the Voxxian monsters had no chance of catching him, and he dipped into the tunnel before racing along its length. Hundreds of yardster, he leftbat and embraced Guise of the Unseen before returning to the cave where he¡¯d arrived. It was just in time, because only a secondter, the giant Voxxian monster charged into the passage behind him. Elijah ignored the monster and sprinted back the way he¡¯de. Using Guise of the Unseen, he was all but undetectable in the dark, and he reached the second chamber, where he found the other two Voxx. The damage dealer was roaming around the room, sweeping its arms as if it was looking for Elijah¡¯s hiding ce. Meanwhile, the healer remained in the center of the room. Elijah couldn¡¯t afford to wait. So, he embraced Predator Strike, then Venom Strike. And finally, used the Rage ability from his Silver Bracer of Rage. The moment it took effect, his Strength skyrocketed. He raced forward and pounced. Not on the Healer, who¡¯d proven it could resist his initial strike. Rather, he was banking on the damage dealercking the shield that protected the spellcaster. He hit the monster with ridiculous momentum, and tore into its chest with the sheer impact of his charge. The Healer tried to react, but Elijah followed it up with another snapping attack. He wrapped his jaws around one of the monster¡¯s arms and crushed its shoulder. Then, he bounded away, rocketing back toward the Healer. The monster¡¯s eyes widened the moment before Elijah hit. The same purple barrier bloomed into being, but this time, Elijah had a little extra time on his side. More, he saw that the cracks from his first attack hadn¡¯t mended. So, he hit that spot again. And again after that. Three more times, in rapid session, and the shield shattered. Elijah got two more attacks in before he heard a series of thudding footsteps that heralded the big Voxx¡¯s return. Elijah darted away, shifting into his human form and casting Cmity once again. Then, he followed it up with another Swarm. His ethera drained precipitously, but he had enough to finish the fight. So, Elijah shifted into hismer ape form before loping forward and leaping back into the fray. He hit the injured damage dealer a secondter, and he grabbed the thing by its legs before turning to meet the charging warrior Voxx. He swung the injured damage dealer like a club, hitting the neer in the face hard enough to send it staggering to the side. Elijah leaped, grabbing his living ¨C for a little while longer, at least ¨C weapon with both hands and bringing it down in a thunderous attack that rattled the cave. Even as he did, another set of summoned insects and the recently cast Cmity reached a furor, adding to the damage and chaos. Elijah¡¯s spell cut visibility down to almost nothing, but via One with Nature, he could feel everything in the cave. So, he wasted no more time bringing his massive Strength ¨C and his now-dead weapon ¨C to bear against the suddenly vulnerable healer. The creature let out a screech that cut off as Elijah pummeled it into the ground. He turned, tossing the dead Voxxian damage dealer at the rising warrior, then turned his attention back to the fallen healer. Elijah had long likened hismer ape form to a gori, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to see why. The general proportions were the same even if most of the details differed. However, at that moment, Elijah channeled an enraged silverback as he bombarded the fallen Healer with a barrage of furious fists. Bones broke beneath each blow, and it wasn¡¯t long before the monster¡¯s life winked out. That left only one. Elijah shifted into his draconid form, then padded forward under the cover of Cmity. When he struck, he didn¡¯t aim to kill the monster with a single blow. Instead, using Venom Strike and Contagion, he only wanted to administer as many wounds as he could possibly inflict. Because the warrior had already proven that it was durable. Moreover, it could very nearly match Elijah¡¯s Strength. But what it couldn¡¯t stand up to was a cascade of afflictions. So, Elijah aimed to overwhelm its Regeneration and Constitution with as many as he could bring to bear. It was a long, slow slog, but Elijah¡¯s n worked as well as could be expected. Fortunately, the monster had a simr problem to what he experienced in hismer ape form in that, because of its high Strength, it was capable of incredible feats of rapid movement. However, itcked Dexterity, which meant that it couldn¡¯t control its body well enough to harness that Strength in any meaningful way. For his part, though, Elijah had Dexterity to spare, and he danced around the monster, avoiding its clumsy ¨C but deadly ¨C blows with ease. Still, it required significant concentration, and if he lost focus for even a moment, he would have been sttered against the wall. That was where his Quartz Mind came into y. He constantly shifted those thoughts from one facet to the next. Each time one grew mentally fatigued, he would move it to the next one, and he repeated that more times than he could count, spreading the mental strain over nine facets as opposed to a single mind. And it worked. Eventually. By the time the monster finally fell, nearly an hour had passed, and the creature was riddled with open wounds, each one oozing ck poison. Elijah slowed to a stop and let out a hissing sigh of relief as reality ripped apart in the center of the room, providing an exit. But he was more concerned with his reward. The first was intangible ¨C he¡¯d crossed the threshold, passing the threshold into level fifty-seven. It was a small step, but it still felt good. The second reward was more solid, and it presented itself via a silver box that Elijah opened after he shifted back to his human form. That resulted in a notification:
Congrattions! By closing a Minor Dimensional Rift, you have done a great service to your world. Thus, you have earned a reward. Miracle Seed awarded.
Elijah picked up the Miracle Seed. It was about the size of a walnut, but otherwise, it looked like any other seed Elijah had ever seen. Still, if it was an item on par with the other rewards he¡¯d gotten from minor dimensional rifts, it would be valuable. So, he slipped it into his pack and exited the rift, happy with his performance as well as the reward. Book 3: Chapter 26: A Pleasant Night Book 3: Chapter 26: A Pleasant Night A fire flickered merrily in the shallow pit Elijah had dug. It wasn¡¯t strictly necessary, especially with his new Cloak of the Iron Bear protecting him from extreme temperatures. Yet, there was something undeniablyforting about a campfire, especially when there was a spit with a venison tenderloin roasting above it. Elijah watched as the juices dripped into the fire, sizzling upon impact. If someone had asked him before Earth had experienced the touch of the World Tree, he would have said that bing a guardian of nature would prohibit the consumption of meat. Back then, it would have just made sense. But part of being a Druid was understanding the circle of life, being a part of nature rather than apart from it. So, in that context, killing and eating other animals was perfectly in line with what Elijah had increasinglye to consider the purpose of his archetype. Yet, just because he was a Druid, it didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d ceased being a human being, either. And with that came an entirely different agenda. So, while he was cognizant of his purpose as a Druid, its importance did not exceed his human desires. Chiefly, if it came down to a choice between protecting the natural world or finding his family, he knew precisely which choice he would make. And that wasn¡¯t going to change. Perhaps that made him selfish. Or maybe it just made him human. Regardless, asplicated as his system of priorities was, Elijah wasfortable with it. One day, he might even write it down. He leaned back against the stump where he¡¯d made his camp and sighed. ¡°People will consider me a great philosopher,¡± he said with a wry smile at the absurdity of such a thing. The notion that anyone would give credence to his tangled knot of guiding principles was both horrifying and anxiety-inducing. Elijah wasn¡¯t smarter than most people. Nor was he some arbiter of justice. He was just a guy who¡¯d taken a bit of power for himself and was trying to make his way through the world. With that thought flitting through his mind, Elijah reached into his pack and retrieved the reward from the day before. The Miracle Seed was a curious thing. There was life in there, Elijah could feel, but it was amorphous in a way he couldn¡¯t quite exin. He¡¯d seen plenty of normal seeds since the world had ended. Felt them with One with Nature. And none of them had felt even close to what he experienced while examining the Miracle Seed. But more than anything else, when Elijah looked at it, he felt roiling potential. It was constrained by the seed, but only barely. What would happen if he nted it? If he used Nature¡¯s Bounty to elerate its growth? It didn¡¯t feel like the ancestral tree seed he¡¯d nted in Druid¡¯s Park, though it felt no less powerful for its differences. In fact, there was a part of him that wondered if it was an even stronger treasure. Not that he could figure it out anytime soon. He didn¡¯t intend to nt it anywhere but his ind, and he wasn¡¯t going to head back to his grove before he at least found Seattle. Doing so would be a huge waste of time.So, Elijah reced the seed and tilted his head toward the sky. His campsite was in a clearing, so he had a great view of the night sky, and as he always did when in the wilderness, he marveled at how expansive it seemed. In a way, it reminded him of night on the open ocean, but even that didn¡¯t do it justice. When Earth had been transformed, even the sky had changed. There were more stars, and they shined all the brighter. So did the moon, which seemedrger and clearer than ever before. Was that the effect of his enhanced senses? Or had even space been transformed? Elijah didn¡¯t know, and he¡¯d never even thought to investigate it through the guides avable in the Branch¡¯s Knowledge Base. Still, as he sat there waiting for his supper to cook, Elijah wondered if the touch of the World Tree had extended to others in the sr system. Had Mercury and Mars experienced an influx of ethera? What about the gas giants? Even now, was there life finding a way to exist out there? Elijah knew there were others ¨C thousands of them, in fact ¨C that had been touched by the World Tree. Indeed, there were nine separate universes, not including the abyssal space between the World Tree¡¯s branches. And each of those universes yed host to innumerable worlds. It was all dizzyinglyplex, and even considering just how vast the multiverse connected to the World Tree really was threatened to cause a headache. Whatever the case, it was a safe bet to assume that he would never see the majority of the worlds thatprised the universe. He let out another sigh. The idea that he would visit any other worlds would have felt insane only a few years before. But now? It was an actual possibility. In fact, it was a goal. In his old life before Earth¡¯s transformation, he¡¯d enjoyed traveling. But he¡¯d always made excuses to stay put. But if searching for his sister had confirmed anything for Elijah, it was that he was afflicted ¨C or blessed, depending on perspective ¨C with a serious case of wanderlust. He liked his grove. In a lot of ways, he needed it. Yet, he liked traveling across the world as well. Experiencing new cultures like he had in Argos was exciting, and if he was honest with himself, fighting new enemies and confronting different challenges was just as exhrating, though in a different way. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. In short, it wasn¡¯t a matter of if he¡¯d find a way off of Earth, but rather, when. So long as he managed to survive, at least. And find Alyssa. Once his family was safe and sound, he would be free to pursue those other goals without the specter of familial security hanging over his head. With that in mind, Elijah watched the stars until he felt a presence nearby. Turning his head, he saw a wolf. Not a mutated version of the notorious predators, but just a regr wolf. And then he felt a dozen more surrounding him. It was a testament to how efficient of hunters wolves were that the touch of the World Tree hadn¡¯t blessed them with increased size or extra appendages. Instead, the grey-furred wolf before him looked absolutely normal. Though Elijah knew it wasn¡¯t. No matter how proficient it was as a hunter, nothing could have survived in the wilderness without enhanced Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. That meant that the pack surrounding him was dangerous. Still, Elijah didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, he reached into his pack and removed the remainder of the meat he¡¯d harvested from the deer he¡¯d killed earlier. It was wrapped in wax paper that was meant to preserve meat and other perishables; he¡¯d bought it back in Ironshore, though this was the first time he¡¯d had asion to use it. The wolf crept closer, but the other members of its pack remained in the shadows. Presumably, they were ready to pounce at the first sign of weakness. Or perhaps they were frightened. After all, from Elijah¡¯s experience, beasts tended to have a subtle sense of how strong an opponent was. Otherwise, the predators would inevitably pick a fight with prey that was far stronger than it appeared. That rarely happened, at least as far as Elijah had seen, so he¡¯de to the conclusion that they could perceive rtive power. He envied them that. For his part, Elijah¡¯s sense of power was purely observational. He could tell when something had high Strength or Dexterity, but levels were a different thing altogether. Other people, like Kurik, had abilities that could gauge a creature¡¯s level, but Elijah had never been offered such a skill. In any case, he unwrapped the huge hunk of meat, then tossed it at the wolf. The canine sniffed it for a second, then took a bite. In only a second, it had devoured the whole thing. So, seeing that there was an entire pack to feed, Elijah emptied his stores. The deer he¡¯d killed was quiterge, so he hoped there would be enough to go around. Before long, the entire pack hade out into the open, where they were feasting on the fruits of Elijah¡¯sbor. He didn¡¯t mind, though. He could always hunt something else, and the wolves were clearly hungry. As the wolves ate, so did Elijah, tearing into the cooked b of venison as soon as it was finished. A couple of the wolves approached, low growls rumbling from their throats. But Elijah only had to look at them to send them backing away. That confirmed that the beasts knew he was stronger than them. Perhaps they still might¡¯ve attacked if the whole pack was willing, but after having been fed, most of the wolves were content to leave him be. As they shared their meals, Elijah felt an urge to reach out and pet one of the beasts that came too close, but he had to remind himself that these were wild animals. They weren¡¯t domesticated dogs. And if he made the wrong move ¨C which probably included petting them ¨C there was every chance he¡¯d lose a hand. Or at least a finger. So, he restrained his urges and simply enjoyed their close proximity. Once they¡¯d finished, one of the wolves ¨C it might¡¯ve been the first one to approach ¨C let out a low whine. Elijah held out his hands, saying, ¡°That¡¯s it. You¡¯ll have to hunt your own food if you want anymore.¡± The wolf cocked its head to the side as if it was considering what Elijah had just said. Then, without any other reaction, it turned and padded away, disappearing into the shadows. The other wolves followed, and a few secondster, they left the circle of awareness Elijah gained from One with Nature. ¡°Just eat my food and leave,¡± he muttered. Shaking his head, heined, ¡°No thank you or anything.¡± After that, Elijah spent a couple more hours just enjoying nature and letting his mind wander across a multitude of subjects. Some of those were memories from his past. Others were conjecture about the future. And still others were various bits of media that kept ying through his mind. It was only when he started humming Shaggy¡¯s It Wasn¡¯t Me that he decided to try to get some rest. So, using his pack as a pillow and the Cloak of the Iron Bear as a nket, he shut his eyes and passed into contented sleep. The next morning dawned cool and crisp, and after a night of pleasant dreams, Elijah rose with eagerness in his heart. Before he got moving, he enjoyed a breakfast of berries, then headed toward a nearby stream where he made use of his homemade rejuvenating soap. So, by the time he was finished, he was fully awake and ready for theing day. After drinking a cup of tea beside the remnants of his fire from the night before, Elijah set off toward Argos. By his reckoning, he was only a week or so away from the Greek city, and he was eager to reunite with his friends. Mostly Delh, though. Sure, she had said it was a one-time thing, but who was to say that they couldn¡¯t have another one-time rendezvous? Or maybe two. Elijah might even be persuaded to stay for a week, so long as herpany was on offer. And who knew? Maybe they¡¯d actually spare a few moments for a real conversation or two. Elijah¡¯s mind was firmly in that space when he felt something he very much didn¡¯t expect. He threw himself sideways as a spear crashed down in the spot he¡¯d just vacated. In the space of a second, he¡¯d searched One with Nature for his assant, and he very much did not like what he saw. Book 3: Chapter 27: Human Nature Book 3: Chapter 27: Human Nature Elijah cursed himself for not traveling in his draconid form. Not only would it have allowed him to cross the wilderness much more quickly ¨C even without the Dexterity and Strength boost it provided, the form was still much better suited for the task ¨C but it would have allowed him to avoid the current situation entirely. Because the men and women surrounding him were clearly not intent on hunting beasts. There were twelve of them, all armed with spears, axes, and swords and wearing leather armor that, even to Elijah¡¯s untrained eye, looked like it was poor quality. Still, there were enough of them that Elijah knew he needed to take them seriously, especially considering that he was caught out in the open. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this,¡± he said, pushing himself to his feet. ¡°We really do, mate,¡± said the one who¡¯d thrown his spear. He was a tall, whipcord thin man with cheekbones that could cut ss. He also wore his facial hair in a pointed goatee that really sold the evil bandit look. ¡°Now, give us your pack and whatever coins you got, and we¡¯ll let you be on your way.¡± ¡°I want the stick, too,¡± said the woman beside him. She was almost as tall as him, but even slimmer to the point of looking malnourished. A few dirty smudges on her cheeks and mussed blonde hair gave her an almost feral appearance. Otherwise, she was quite striking, to the point that Elijah wondered if she might¡¯ve been a fashion model in her old life. Perhaps that was why she¡¯d inly disregarded her hygiene and appearance. After all, that could be a defense mechanism while surrounded by unscrupulous men who faced no real societal consequences for giving in to the worst of the worst inhibitions. Elijah preferred not to assume the worst of anyone, but he knew there had to be some ovep between people who would resort to banditry and those who might choose to ignore the concept of consent. In that context, her appearance made a lot of sense. Or maybe Elijah was reading too much into it, and she was just a habitually dirty person. Regardless, he had no time to muse on the subject. Instead, he needed to focus on the people who were trying to rob him. So, he said, ¡°If you keep going like this, I¡¯m going to kill every one of you. It won¡¯t be quick, either. When you realize your mistake, you¡¯ll try to run, and I¡¯ll hunt you down.¡± He pointed his crook at the man who¡¯d thrown his spear. ¡°And you¡¯re going down first. I¡¯ll crush your skull with my bare hands.¡±¡°Think we¡¯re scared of you? You¡¯re only a Healer,¡± the two-bit viin spat. Then, he chuckled. ¡°And level neen, too? What are you even doin¡¯ out here?¡± ¡°Dammit,¡± Elijah muttered with a shake of his head. His Ring of Anonymity had caused more problems than it had potentially solved, and it was getting very close to the point where he was just going to discard it. ¡°Think about it, man. You find me out here all alone, and your first thought is that I¡¯m vulnerable? You know how hard it is to survive in the wilderness, right? You have to. And yet, here I am. All by myself and not worried at all. Why do you think that is?¡± ¡°He¡¯s crazy, Rolph. That¡¯s all it is,¡± the thin woman said. She was armed with a sword that she lookedfortable using. But then again, anyone who managed to survive in the new world was probably, at the bare minimum,petent. ¡°Fair warning, Rolph,¡± Elijah said, shifting his stance a little. ¡°I don¡¯t mind killing you all, if that¡¯s what ites to, but I¡¯d rather avoid it. Guilty conscience and all.¡± For a second, silence reigned. Then, Rolph extended his hand and the spear he¡¯d thrown jerked free of the loamy forest turf and returned to his hand. That was clearly the signal for the other bandits to attack, and before another second had passed, Elijah was buried beneath the weight of a dozen spells and skills. Some were simple projections of ethera that took the form of shing des, but there were bolts of energy, a couple of fireballs ¨C which seemed incredibly irresponsible to Elijah ¨C and even a flying icicle. For a few moments, the bandits threw everything they had at Elijah, and the ground kicked up into a cloud of dust. When it settled ¨C both literally and metaphorically ¨C the bandits were confronted with a monster. The moment Elijah had felt the bandits¡¯ attacks activate, he¡¯d shifted into hismer ape form and activated Iron Scales. For most attacks, that was sufficient to rob them of any effect, but for the fire and ice skills, it was almost useless. Thankfully, his Constitution was high enough to pick up the ck, so when the barrage ceased, Elijah was almost entirely unharmed, save for a few chunks of ice that had lodged between his scales and a little smoke curling toward the sky. ¡°What the ¨C¡± Rolph never got the chance to finish his exmation, because Elijah dashed forward almost too quickly for any of them to perceive. He crashed into the bandit leader with undeniable momentum that should have sent the man flying backwards into the trees. However, Elijah prevented that by wrapping his huge fingers around the man¡¯s head. He squeezed, and it shattered beneath the pressure he brought to bear. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Rolph fell to the ground in a heap, and for a few moments, the bandits just looked upon him with mingled awe and horror. Then, one of the women let out a scream, which functioned as yet another signal. But apparently that signal meant different things to different people, because a few of the bandits immediately turned tail and sprinted into the woods. Others decided to try their luck with a few more attacks. It went about as well as the first barrage, which was to say that it was entirely ineffective. Meanwhile, Elijah burst into motion, charging the next bandit on his list. In the past, he might have hesitated before attacking a woman. In the old world, that made sense. In fact, he would have avoided physical violence against anyone, with the caveat that they weren¡¯t in a boxing gym. Yet, that attitude was useless in the transformed world, especially in a kill or be killed sort of situation. Not that Elijah was in much danger. He¡¯d already established that he wasn¡¯t. But that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t going to follow through with his promise. He would leave people to their own devices right up until they attacked him. Then, all bets were off. That was exacerbated by the bestial rage that came with the guardian form. So, when he reached the woman, he didn¡¯t hesitate to snap out and mp his jaws around her head. It burst just as quickly as Rolph¡¯s, and as her now-headless corpse fell, Elijah turned his attention to the remaining assants. They didn¡¯tst long. In fact, at that moment, most of them decided that their fleeing allies had the right idea. They scattered, leaving only a couple to the fight. The remaining bandits put up a slightly better fight than their leaders, but in the end, they fell without even scratching Elijah¡¯s scales. Then, he began the hunt. Because Elijah hadn¡¯t been lying when he¡¯d said he would kill each and every one of them. Partly, it was because he saw them as a menace. It took a special kind of evil to prey on people during crisis ¨C and the world¡¯s transformation certainly qualified for that. In a perfect world, everyone would pull together and support one another. That was a pipe dream, though. Elijah knew it went against human nature. There would be exploitation, like what had happened in Norcastle. But at least the mayor of that town had given something in return. The bandits, by contrast, were a blight. A virus. They were no different from the Voxx who spilled out from the rifts. And just like those monsters, they needed to be exterminated. So, Elijah shifted into his draconid form and started his hunt. The first few were easy enough. They hadn¡¯t gotten far, and without the advantage of numbers or circumstance, they stood even less of a chance of surviving his attacks. Couple that with the nature of the draconid form ¨C it was called the Shape of the Predator for a reason, after all ¨C and the results were predictable. However, with every passing moment, the others drew further away. If he could have, he¡¯d have marked each and every one of them with the Brand of the Stalker, but the nature of the spell meant that it could only be used on a single enemy at any given time. So, he sometimes forgot to use it at all. It was an issue he needed to rectify, because the spell gave him a powerful boost to his damage. So, as he hunted each of the bandits down, he made an effort to use Brand of the Stalker before he pounced. And the results were encouraging, if only barely noticeable against such weak opponents. Over the next few hours, Elijah stalked everyst one of the bandits. When cornered, some begged for mercy, but most never even knew he was there before he fell upon them, ripping them to pieces with ws and fangs. Doing so gave him a heady sense of power that was, in a way, addictive. Sure, he enjoyed a challenge like he¡¯d experienced in the most recent rift. However, there was something to be said for dispensing justice against a weaker enemy that could never hope to stand up to him. By the end, though, it just felt tedious. Another item to tick off his to-do list. So, he ended it as quickly as he could, and when it was all over, he left them to rot. Their equipment was mostly worthless, and his bag space was limited. So, he only bothered to take the couple of ethereum coins they had on them before leaving the area behind. But upon resuming his human form, any satisfaction Elijah felt retreated before a feeling of guilt. It wasn¡¯t regret ¨C not precisely ¨C and his rationale remained just as valid as ever. Yet, in his natural shape, Elijah couldn¡¯t escape the reality of what he¡¯d done. He¡¯d ended a dozen lives, and without hesitation or, truthfully, any risk to himself. He could have escaped. He was stronger and faster, and he could have disappeared into the forest without any real difficulty. Sure, they were a menace, but was he truly meant to be the arbiter of justice? For all he knew, those people had chosen their path out of necessity. Life was difficult, and sometimes, people had to make tough choices. They had attacked him, though, andrgely because they thought he was a soft target. That he wasn¡¯t what he seemed was the only reason he wasn¡¯t dead with the vultures picking through his belongings. Still, Elijah knew the situation wasn¡¯t nearly as straightforward as it appeared to be. It stood in stark contrast to what had happened his first time in Norcastle. The mayor had sent people after him ¨C for some inexplicable reason ¨C but Elijah had allowed himself to be convinced by Jess to flee rather than fight. The resulting frustration had been a contributing factor to what hade next when he¡¯d ughtered the hunters who¡¯d killed the bear and harvested the mushroom natural treasure. Would he have done the same if he¡¯d allowed himself to respond to the mayor¡¯s aggression? Maybe. But perhaps not. It was a strange dichotomy, and it highlighted the fact that Elijah, for all the lip service he yed to pacificism, was a creature of violence. He could constrain it. And often, he left it behind for long stretches. However, it only took a slight threat to send him down that familiar path. And his bestial forms didn¡¯t help, either. If he¡¯d ever needed confirmation that they affected how he saw things, he only needed to turn his attention to the conflicting feelings he¡¯d felt during his most recent hunt. In his draconid form, he¡¯d felt fully justified. And to a degree, he still did. Yet, the moment he¡¯d returned to his human form, that certainty had chipped away beneath the weight of his human empathy. Such thoughts flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind as he left the area behind. Hopefully, he¡¯d feel better about it when he reached his destination. Book 3: Chapter 28: A Sad Reality Book 3: Chapter 28: A Sad Reality ¡°They won¡¯tst much longer without rest,¡± said Theresa, the Chemist who¡¯d so far kept everyone in Carmen¡¯s group on their feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know how they¡¯re still on their feet.¡± ¡°Constitution and Regeneration,¡± Carmen said, looking back at the ragged group of refugees who¡¯d been banished from Easton alongside her. To say they looked dejected was an understatement, and she knew that they were on the verge of simply giving up. It was a glimpse into the sad reality forced upon all the people Roman had turned away from Easton. At the time, Carmen had seen those rejections as necessary, but though she hated what they represented, she¡¯d never really put herself in their shoes. To think salvation was at hand for it to be suddenly snatched away ¨C it was cruel in a way Carmen had never considered. Not until she had experienced it. The school was supposed to be their shelter. A small pocket of peace amidst a dangerous and deadly world. But that peace had been shattered by the monstrous creature that lived in theke. The only saving grace was that it seemed incapable of traveling onnd for more than a few hundred yards. So, they¡¯d quickly left it behind. Even then, they hadn¡¯t allowed themselves to rest until a dayter when people started to copse. Since then, they¡¯d been forced to take shelter wherever it could be found. Usually, that meant hiding in whatever abandoned building they passed, but more often than not, they weren¡¯t safe. Monsters, it seemed, liked to have a roof over their heads as well, and so, it was a rare opportunity that saw them staying in one ce for more than a day. Even then, they seldom did so unmolested. That was where Carmen, Colt, and, to her horror, Miguel stepped up to protect everyone. He had no extra attributes, and he didn¡¯t have skills or spells to help him, but what Miguel did have was his mother¡¯s fighting spirit and penchant for heroism. Still, he didn¡¯t throw himself into the middle of things. Instead, he limited his contributions to keeping watch and using the bow Carmen had made for him to fill any monsters full of arrows. Typically, he didn¡¯t have much of an effect in battle, but he was a quick thinker, and he¡¯d learned to do what he could with his limited capability. When Carmen tried to get him to hold back, he agreed to do so. But the moment danger struck, he was right there trying to assist where he could. And he was effective. A few of the refugees owed their lives to his quick thinking. Much to Carmen¡¯s chagrin, he was as valuable a member of the group as anyone else besides Colt, Theresa the Chemist, or herself. Still, for all of their efforts, the end looked like it was on the horizon. Not because they would find safety, but rather because normal people could only maintain that constant state of readiness for so long before they started making mistakes. Or forgot why they were trying so hard to survive.Carmen had Miguel¡¯s survival to spur her on. A few of the refugees were couples, so they leaned on one another. And Colt had his duty. But everyone else? There was only so much misery a person could endure before they stopped caring whether they continued living. ¡°We still have a long way to go,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Do you have any more of that root? Can we brew some more tea?¡± Theresa shook her head. ¡°I think we were fortunate to find that much,¡± she admitted. ¡°Unless we get lucky again, we don¡¯t have anything else. Maybe if I were an Alchemist¡­¡± Carmen wanted tofort the woman, but realistically, she was right. Being a Chemist gave her a few of the same skills as an Alchemist, but the ss was clearly geared more towards research. She had the knowledge, and she could see things no Alchemist could, but Theresacked the abilities necessary to bring it all together. As a result, she could barely eke more than the base effect of her ingredients out of any given concoction. In a perfect world, teams of Chemists and Alchemists would work together. But as had been proven time and time again, theirs was no perfect world. Still, without Theresa¡¯s efforts, they would have already lost a few people. So, Carmen didn¡¯t have it in her to denigrate the Chemist, even in her mind. She said, ¡°You¡¯ve saved us more times than I can count. I don¡¯t know any Alchemists that could have done the same.¡± It was a lie, and they both knew it. But it was one no one in the group would even consider refuting. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to suck it up, then,¡± Carmen stated, ncing at the sky. There was a storm brewing on the horizon, which meant that finding shelter was of paramount importance. They could keep going in the rain, but doing so would likely sap whatever will the most vulnerable members of the group possessed. For the next couple of hours, they continued on until Colt returned from histest scouting expedition and told her that a potential sheltery ahead. He¡¯d checked it for monsters and found nothing. However, that was no guarantee that it was safe. More than once, they¡¯d thought the same thing only to find themselves facing off against one nightmare or another. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Still, they couldn¡¯t afford to be picky, so after she let everyone know where they were going, she led them down the stretch of highway, passing a crumbling overpass before finally reaching the destination Colt had described. It was an old Best Buy,plete with therge, yellow sign. It was also enormous. At one point, Carmen had just epted big box stores as a matter of course. However, since the apocalypse, she¡¯d begun to understand just how wasteful they were. She always knew, of course, but like most Americans, she¡¯d swept those concerns under the proverbial rug. But now, when she looked at the giant monument to excess, all she could think about was how pointless it had all been. Sure, she¡¯d liked her electronics as much as the next gal. Throughout college, she¡¯d been an avid gamer, and it was only after she¡¯d had Miguel that she¡¯d taken a step back from the hobby. However, like everyone else in the world, she¡¯d remained addicted to her screens. Still, having hundreds of thousands of square feet dedicated to electronics was absurd. More than anything, though, Carmen looked at that enormous building and wondered how they were going to defend such a space. Especially since one side hadpletely copsed. Hopefully, the rest of the building would be usable. Carmen and the others entered through the entrance, passing the long-shattered ss doors. The first thing Carmen noticed was the fact that they weren¡¯t the first people to have taken shelter inside the building. Someone had shifted some things around, and there was even an old fire pit. However, there were no people about, and even after they went through the ruined store, they found no inhabitants. After that, they engaged in the long-practiced process of making a camp deep in the back of the enormous store. Once everyone was settled in, Carmen scoured the area for usable materials, but there was a paucity of metal, suggesting that someone had already been through. What that meant, she wasn¡¯t sure, but considering that she was still toting the metal she¡¯d acquired back at the school, Carmen wasn¡¯t even sure that she needed more. Certainly, everyone could use some armor, but she had neither the time nor the equipment to make anything better than Crude-Grade. To do that, she needed a real forge, an anvil, and a variety of tools she couldn¡¯t manifest via Summon Tool. Armor ¨C whether it was te or mail ¨C was far moreplex than making a few spearheads or a sword, and she saw no reason to invest her time in creating a new forge when they would be moving on within the next day or so. Because the reality was that setting up camp on their own wasn¡¯t really a viable option. Not if everyone was going to survive. They needed civilization to ensure that, and Carmen had vowed to keep going until they found somewhere to settle. After Carmenpleted her survey of the surrounding area, she returned to the campsite to find almost everyone huddled together, their eyes either fearful or lifeless, with little in between. The few who didn¡¯t fall into those extremes were just exhausted. Carmen counted herself among that number. Without Crafter¡¯s Stamina, she would have long since given in to fatigue. So, she sat atop an old washing machine with a sigh. In a cleared area only a dozen or so feet away, Colt led Miguel through some sword drills. How either of them had found the energy, Carmen had no idea, and she was of mixed feelings concerning her son¡¯s fascination withbat. But she only had to remember how dangerous the world was to understand what drove Miguel. Because she felt it, too. More than once, she had cursed herself for taking Tradesman as her archetype. If she¡¯d taken Warrior or Sorceress, she would have been in a much better position to protect her son. But she hadn¡¯t. And now she was paying for that. The only solution was to keep going, to grow strong enough ¨C even as a crafter ¨C to aplish her goals. After a couple of hours, Colt and Miguel finished their drills. While the samurai headed in her direction, Miguel kept practicing. When Colt reached Carmen, he leaned against the washing machine. ¡°How is he?¡± she asked. Her son spent more time with Colt than with anyone else. ¡°Terrified,¡± Colt answered. ¡°Don¡¯t me him, neither. He¡¯s weak. Almost defenseless. That¡¯s a scary thing.¡± ¡°I hate it.¡± ¡°So does he,¡± Colt stated. ¡°That¡¯s why he trains like he does. He¡¯s driven. Reminds me of his mother.¡± ¡°Alyssa ¨C¡± ¡°No. His other mother,¡± Colt interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s more like you than you can see. Stubborn. Strong. Or he will be. He don¡¯t let nobody tell him no when there¡¯s somethin¡¯ he wants. Same as you.¡± ¡°Hopefully, he¡¯ll be more sessful,¡± Carmen said. ¡°You¡¯re doin¡¯ your best. Couldn¡¯t nobody do better,¡± Colt responded. ¡°My best might not be good enough,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re on the verge, Colt. You see it, right?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t find somewhere safe soon¡­¡± ¡°We will. You¡¯ve noticed it, right?¡± Colt said. ¡°People have been huntin¡¯ this area. And somebody stripped this store of anything useful. If I was a bettin¡¯ man, I¡¯d say there was a settlement ¡®round these parts. Maybe not a big one. We¡¯re still too close to Easton for a city to be here that we didn¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°How far do you think we¡¯ve gone?¡± she asked. ¡°A few hundred miles at least.¡± ¡°No more¡¯n six-hundred. No less than five, though.¡± ¡°So far?¡± ¡°We been followin¡¯ highways, mostly. Easy travel. Plus, everyone here¡¯s at least level ten. Doesn¡¯t seem like it, but we can cover some ground.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right,¡± Carmen said. ¡°I want to be as far away from thatke monster as we can get before we settle in.¡± After that, the two went silent. Eventually, even Miguel¡¯s seemingly inexhaustible fervor gave way to fatigue, and he settled in to sleep. For her part, Carmen stayed on watch untilte into the night, when she was relieved by Colt. Then, shey next to her son so she could get a few hours of rest. The next morning, everyone set about their various tasks. Colt went hunting, while everyone else converted the area to something a little more defensible. They piled appliances into a makeshift wall, and they cleared a living space. It wasn¡¯t perfect, and if they were attacked, the defenses would do little good. However, it was the best they could do for now. So it went for the next three days until, atst, Colt returned with the news he¡¯d anticipated that very first night. ¡°It¡¯s a vige,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe two-hundred people. The town¡¯s surrounded by a palisade, and it looks sturdy enough.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯ll take us in?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Colt said. ¡°They look peaceful, but who knows? The real question is whether we can afford not to try.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Carmen said. ¡°We¡¯ll try in the morning. For now, everyone could use a little more rest just in case we need to run again.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Book 3: Chapter 29: Fellowship Book 3: Chapter 29: Fellowship The wind whipped the trees with an unmatched frenzy that reminded Elijah of the strongest hurricanes. Yet, he was hundreds of miles from the shore, which meant that the storm shouldn¡¯t have been nearly so fearsome. Still, if the sustained winds were less than a hundred miles an hour, he would have been incredibly surprised. So, whether it made sense or not was irrelevant, and Elijah was forced to take sce in a cave that, judging by the smell, had only recently been upied by some sort of predator. Fortunately, that beast had long since abandoned it ¨C probably when winter had released its grip on the area ¨C so all that remained were a few scattered bones and the aforementioned smell. Even so, Elijah had quite a lot of trouble rxing, not least because of the howling wind, but also because the smell of a carnivore hung so thick in the air. His instincts told him to be on guard, either for something trying to kill him or for apetitor that needed to be put in its ce. It was one instance where he didn¡¯t try to ovee his bestial instincts. What followed was two long days of sheltering in ce. Fortunately, Elijah had plenty of food and water for a prolonged stay, but he quickly found that he was bored. So, he found the skeleton of some long-dead prey animal ¨C a moose, he thought ¨C and started carving the bones. In a lot of ways, it was no different from whittling wood, though it differed in enough ways that he ruined more than a few bones before he got the hang of it. Even then, Elijah was no expert carver, so the results were less than ideal. Looking at his Crook of the Serpent Healer, he wondered how he¡¯d managed to create something so lifelike. Perhaps his abilities or his connection to nature had bridged the gap that skill couldn¡¯t cross. Whatever the case, Elijah quickly tired of the exercise and abandoned it. Instead, he just closed his eyes and focused on his internal ethera. When he¡¯d established his Neophyte Soul, he¡¯dpletely broken his natural pathways, and that had allowed him to saturate his entire body with the ethera. However, while it was better than what he¡¯d started with, it was still limited. He suspected that if he received any new spells, they would take ages to cast until he figured out how to reform the pathways of his Soul. The problem was the amount. His current spells only took sips, which meant that the current form of his Soul had actually sped things up. Yet, if he wanted to take gulps ¨C as he suspected any new spells would ¨C it would be incredibly slow. That was the problem the next stage was meant to address by reforming the pathways, stronger, faster, and more extensively than ever before. But as much as Elijah tried, he couldn¡¯t figure out the method to reach that goal. He would either need a teacher or a guide if he was going to reach that point. The same was true of his Dragon Core. In a lot of ways, it was even worse, because, while there was some information on taking the next step in the cultivation of his Soul, there was absolutely nothing about Dragon Cores. Regardless, Elijah persisted until the storm broke. So, it was with some relief that Elijah set off through the wilderness, where he saw the aftermath of the storm. There were whole swaths of forest that looked like a bomb had gone off, and the atmosphere was eerily silent. The animals, birds, and insects had fled before the storm, and the absence of life ¨C other than the local flora ¨C was almost as disconcerting as the more overt devastation.Elijah continued on for a couple more days, and over the course of his trek, the evidence of the storm continued to be evident, suggesting that it had been at least as wide as a hurricane. But eventually, Elijah found his way to Argos. From a distance, it looked much the same as it always did, but when Elijah saw the olive groves, it became apparent that the city hadn¡¯t escaped the storm unscathed. The olive trees hadn¡¯t beenpletely destroyed, but many of them had been stripped bare by the harsh winds. No doubt, their fruit had been taken as well. Which didn¡¯t bode well for Argos. Elijah approached the gate warily, and he was unsurprised to see a couple of familiar faces standing guard. The same two sentries greeted him with characteristic eptance, then ushered him inside, with the bearded man saying, ¡°If you want to help, there¡¯s a triage center that¡¯s been set up at the center of town.¡± ¡°Triage? For what?¡± ¡°The storm. There were a few buildings that copsed,¡± they said. ¡°We tried to save as many as we could, but¡­¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Elijah said. Then, without any further hesitation, he hurried through town. Inside the city was a bustle of activity, with everyone pitching in as they repaired the extensive wind damage the city had experienced. Elijah saw a few familiar faces ¨C Atticus and Isaak among them ¨C but he didn¡¯t stop to help. Instead, he hurried toward the town¡¯s central square where he felt he could do the most good. When he reached the za, he saw hundreds of injured people, but only a couple of exhausted-looking Healers. So, Elijah found a man who looked like he was in charge and said, ¡°I have an area healing spell. It causes rain, but it¡¯s got a radius of about forty feet. How do you want me to use it?¡± After that, it wasn¡¯t long before they¡¯d packed as many people around Elijah as they could. Some were worse off than others, but they all sported serious wounds. Elijah used Healing Rain, which elicited a couple of cries of fear as some of the people clearly thought the vicious storm had returned. However, the moment those rain drops descended, their cries ceased. Until that moment, Elijah hadn¡¯t truly appreciated his new staff. The Crook of the Serpent Healer couldn¡¯t augment his damage spells, but what itcked in that department, it more than made up for with how much it boosted his healing spells. Using it, each passing second of Healing Rain was almost as powerful as his unmodified Touch of Nature. Sure, it had been augmented by the Dragon Core as well as his new staff, but it was an extremely powerful spell that could heal hundreds of people at once. That made it extraordinarily valuable. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. Still, Elijah knew he could do more. So, as people were healed, he sought out the most injured among them and used Touch of Nature. Just like Healing Rain, it was enhanced by his Crook of the Serpent Healer, so it was almost as powerful as a healing spell from a real Healer. The only difference was that his spells were extraordinarily efficient, and each boost he gave them only made them more so. Because they all still cost exactly the same amount of ethera as they had when he¡¯d first gotten them. As such, he felt like he could cast for days. He even took the time to cast Aura of Renewal on everyone he saw. It was especially helpful for the other healers, but that extra Regeneration was useful for everyone. In the end, it took almost five hours before Elijah ran out of ethera. By that point, he¡¯d healed all but the most persistent injuries, and though he wanted to stay and finish the job, the other Healers insisted they could handle it. It wasn¡¯t until he stepped out from under histest Healing Rain that he realized just how exhausted he was. Ethera clearly wasn¡¯t the only cost of constantly casting spells. Stamina was aponent as well, and though it was far less impactful ¨C especially with his many advantages ¨C healing for six straight hours left him feeling like he¡¯d gone twelve rounds with a professional heavyweight. Which was to say he was beat. So, with only a little regret, he made his way to his favorite inn, and when he stepped inside, he couldn¡¯t help but smile at the matronly innkeeper. He nted himself at the bar and said, ¡°You know, I never learned your name.¡± ¡°Agatha. Food?¡± ¡°You read my mind. Whatever you¡¯ve got. I trust your judgement,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Smart.¡± Then, the woman disappeared into the kitchen, allowing Elijah to look around at the other upants of themon room. There were only a few, and they looked just as tired as he felt. So, Elijah upied himself by staring nkly at the polished wood of the bar. He hadn¡¯t intended to space out like that, but that sort of thing tended to happen when someone was as exhausted as he was. He didn¡¯t break out of his reverie until Agatha set a shallow bowl in front of him. ¡°Giouvetsi. Good.¡± Elijah had no idea what that meant, but he recognized the smell of beef and tomatoes. Of course, there was pasta that almost looked like rice in the bowl as well. After his previous meals in the inn, he truly did trust Agatha¡¯s judgement, so he wasted no time before digging in. And of course it was amazing. ¡°Oh, God¡­¡± ¡°Is good, yes?¡± Elijah nodded enthusiastically. It tasted like nothing he¡¯d ever had before. There were elements of other things he¡¯d eaten, but thebination was something wholly new that defied his expectations. He tore through the entire casserole-sh-stew in record time, but Agatha was quick to offer a second helping, which he devoured almost as quickly. After stuffing himself ¨C to Agatha¡¯s delight ¨C he rented a room and passed out without even bothering to shower. The next morning, he rectified that mistake and apologized to Agatha for the mess. Then, he handed over a couple extra copper ethereum for her trouble. He half expected her to refuse, but she shoved the coins into her pocket so quickly that he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if a skill was involved. Either way, he left the inn on good terms and found his way to Atticus¡¯ Arsenal. The shop¡¯s owner was inside, and he greeted Elijah, ¡°I hear you have been busy, my friend! The whole town is talking about the mysterious and powerful Healer!¡± ¡°Just doing what I can,¡± Elijah said. ¡°So, what¡¯s new?¡± ¡°Other than the hell storm?¡± asked Atticus. ¡°It swept in without warning and nearly tore the whole town apart. Fortunately, we have a few buildings that were built by people with appropriate sses. Otherwise, no one would have survived.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Elijah said. He¡¯d known that there were sses for just about everything, but he hadn¡¯t considered what that really meant. Apparently, a building designed by an Architect and built by a Contractor would be much stronger than something from the old world. He wondered what the other innumerable sses could do. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. I didn¡¯t expect you back so soon,¡± Atticus admitted. ¡°No offense, and I¡¯m d you came when you did, but you have the look of a wanderer, my friend.¡± ¡°I get that.¡± After that, Atticus remarked on the two new pieces of equipment Elijah had obtained since they¡¯d seen one anotherst. Though Elijah didn¡¯t reveal much, except the two items¡¯ grades. Next, Elijah had Atticus appraise the three items he¡¯d acquired in his most recent tower run. First came the Footpads of Silence, which turned out to be Simple-Grade. Second was the Goblin Dagger ¨C a Low Simple-Grade item that Elijah chose to keep, if only because it had a self-sharpening function and increased durability. Finally, he sold the useless sword ¨C called a Gleaming de ¨C to the arms dealer. In the end, he sold the slippers and the sword for seven silver. He would have gone even lower,rgely because he just wanted them out of his pack, but Atticus didn¡¯t know that, so he¡¯d offered what Elijah thought was a fair deal. Then, theypsed into polite conversation until Elijah finally excused himself, saying that he might be around a little more often in the near future. Atticus greeted that news with some enthusiasm, and considering how helpful Elijah had been so far, it wasn¡¯t difficult to understand why. Once he¡¯d caught up with Atticus, he headed to Isaak¡¯s house. Or rather, Delh¡¯s. Unfortunately, when the young man answered the door, he said, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back. She¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My sister. She¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Uh¡­couldn¡¯t I just be here to see you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What about Artemis?¡± ¡°Drop the act. I know you came to see her. And I¡¯ll tell you like I¡¯ve told all the others. She¡¯s not here, and even if she was, she probably wouldn¡¯t want to see you again. She¡¯s not interested in rtionships.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not either,¡± Elijah insisted. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m certain that has nothing to do with why you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I thought we were friends.¡± ¡°Acquaintances.¡± ¡°I saved your life.¡± ¡°Then you slept with my sister. Very loudly.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault.¡± Isaak all but rolled his eyes. ¡°Okay, fine. It was at least fifty percent my fault. But she did abduct me ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear this,¡± Isaak said. Elijah sighed. ¡°Fine. How are you, then? What about Artemis? No more incidents?¡± he asked, each questioning in quick session. ¡°Depends on what you mean by incidents.¡± ¡°Has your cat attacked and killed anyone since thest time I was here?¡± ¡°Killed? No. Attacked? Sort of. But she had good intentions! She was protecting some kids and ¨C¡± Elijah raised his hands. ¡°Slow down, kid. As long as she didn¡¯t kill anybody, I don¡¯t care. And even if she had, I¡¯d probably assume they deserved it. Maybe,¡± he said. ¡°With her track record, though¡­no. I¡¯ll trust you. If you say she¡¯s been good, I believe you.¡± After that, Isaak invited him inside, and they talked over a cup of tea. Apparently, Isaak¡¯s development had stalled a little, and he was a little nervous about having to challenge the tower sometime in the near future. Elijah offered to help, but Isaak said, ¡°No. I appreciate it, but the town has already put together a team. ording to the guides we read, it should be easier now that it hasn¡¯t had time to build. So long as we keep clearing it, it should be manageable. And besides, we¡¯ll never gain levels just killing local beasts. That¡¯s one of the reasons the towers exist, right? So we can grow.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Elijah said with a shrug. He knew they were there as a means to drain ethera fromrge rifts, but he supposed they could have multiple purposes. After all, the entire system seemed to have been built to help people grow stronger. Why wouldn¡¯t the towers be the same? Over the next hour, Elijah overstayed his wee, hoping that Delh would magically return. But Isaak quickly wised up to that strategy and ushered him out of the house. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m eating alone,¡± he said to himself. Then, he headed back to his inn to see what Agatha would serve this time. Book 3: Chapter 30: Sanctioned Book 3: Chapter 30: Sanctioned A hundred guards, fifty to a side, lined the throne room. Each one was immactely dressed in their formal, blue-and-white uniforms. Their boots had been glossed to perfection, and there wasn¡¯t a thread out of ce. Their hair was all identical ¨C male and female alike ¨C and each was armed with a gleaming saber. Being assigned to the throne room was an honor, but one that came with a steep price: conformity and perfection. Anything else would invite the ire of the Lord of Easton. No one would wee that. For his part, Roman barely noticed the men and women who were tasked with keeping order. To him, they were little more than decorations, no different from the borate tapestries on the walls. Those bore the sigil of the city ¨C a lone, blue tower on a field of white ¨C and they represented the excellence Roman expected from everyone who served him. And they did serve him, one and all. He was not the sort of misguided monarch that pretended to serve the people. Instead, he had his position because by virtue of how much better than them he was, and he refused to act otherwise. Instead, he saw his power as an example for which everyone else could strive. He was the ideal. A subject of aspiration and admiration. A hero who deserved their worship. Roman took that responsibility very seriously, to the point that he despised even the appearance of imperfection. So, he held himself to the same standard as those who toiled at his feet. Never did he feel that weight more keenly than as he sat on his ufortable throne. It was made of cold iron, which in any other situation, would have been an absolute waste of such a valuable material. However, to Roman, it gave the perfect impression. His city was rich. They were powerful. And they could afford to use one of the most expensive materials anyone had discovered for something so useless as making a fancy chair. Of course, all that ethera made sitting in it even more ufortable than the t, metal seat would have otherwise suggested. But the dizziness that came from it was a price Roman was willing to endure. After all, image was everything. He could have all the power in the world, but if he didn¡¯t show it to the world, then his tenuous grip on authority would shatter. He¡¯d learned that early in his career as a police officer. Back then, he¡¯d often found himself outnumbered and, in certain ces, outgunned. And yet, he had an entire organization behind him. He had the illusion of power propping him up. And as such, he was allowed to do whatever was necessary to rein in the savages he routinely encountered.But that had been a long time ago. Even before the world had transformed, police authority had begun to degrade, and all because of a few bad apples. Certainly, most police had covered for those disgraceful members of the force, but that was more about self-preservation than any approval they might¡¯ve held for the idiots who routinely made mistakes. If they turned on their own, it was only a matter of time before it became eptable to nitpick every little interaction a cop had with the public. And that would be disastrous. A man couldn¡¯t do his job if he was constantly wondering if he was going to be vilified ¨C or worse, prosecuted ¨C for doing what was necessary. So, as soon as he hit twenty years in, he¡¯d moved to Easton and run for sheriff. With his pristine track record and experience, he won the election in andslide. After that, he¡¯d thought he was on easy street. He had authority, but in a town like Easton, any real issues were rare. As such, he¡¯d spent most of his time hunting or fishing. It was like a pseudo-retirement, but without the issue of losing his paycheck. In any case, his career had taught him the necessity of a strong reputation and the importance of public perception. So, he¡¯d used those lessons well when he¡¯d realized that he needed to step up and be the heroic leader the people of Easton deserved. He had internalized those lessons to the point where he couldn¡¯t imagine living any other way. And now, it was all about to pay off. ¡°You may approach your king,¡± said Fiona, who was standing to the right of the throne. She wore an elegant dress that befit her station as his chief advisor, but beyond noting that detail, Roman thought nothing of her. Instead, his focus was on the man striding pridefully down the center aisle of the throne room. All the nobles ¨C the rich and powerful of Easton ¨C were gathered in pews on either side, and each one was dressed in their most borate finery. To Roman, they looked like nothing so much as peacocks moring for attention. But he was sad to admit that he needed them. Not to rule. He had that handled. Rather, he required their cooperation if Easton was going to thrive. If it was going to grow, they ¨C or rather, their ethereum and influence ¨C would be key factors. The man before him was the lynchpin, though. With ck skin, thick dreadlocks that hung below his shoulders, and a physique that made him look like a former athlete, Laramie was the leader of the most powerful warband in the region. He¡¯d conquered dozens of smaller towns over the past couple of years, but when he¡¯d set his sights on Easton, he¡¯d quickly discovered that his people, while vicious and well-trained, were not up to the task. This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. After that, rtions had devolved into a cold war where neither side was willing to take the fight to the other, lest they lose their advantages. However, just before the rebellion, Fiona had brokered a deal with the group of warmongers and bandits. The terms were simple ¨C they would join forces under Easton¡¯s banner. In return, Laramie and his thugs would receive citizenship ¨C and all the benefits that entailed. For his part, Laramie himself would be appointed the general of Easton¡¯s armies. As a powerful warrior and a charismatic leader, he was well-suited to the position. However, Roman couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he had the brains for the operation. Leading a band of howling barbarians was one thing. Heading up a real army was something else entirely. Thetter required discipline and intelligence that Roman was skeptical Laramie possessed. Still, the man brought thousands of battle-hardened fighters with him, and they would follow no one else. So, the point was moot. At least he¡¯d cleaned himself up and donned proper armor instead of the Mad Max getup he usually favored. In fact, aside from the hair, he looked like a proper soldier, wearing gleaming armor and a tabard in Easton¡¯s colors. ¡°Your majesty,¡± he said, dropping to one knee and bowing his head. At least he could follow directions when it mattered, Roman thought. Getting the man to do that much had been a pain. ¡°Do you swear fealty to King Roman the Just?¡± intoned Fiona. ¡°With all my heart, I do,¡± Laramie responded in a clear voice. ¡°May Easton endure.¡± After that, the man rose and took two strides to the throne, then nted himself to Roman¡¯s left. There, he stood, his chin held high and his shoulders back as his lieutenants all came forth and swore fealty to Roman. When thest man did, Roman was about to give his speech when something interrupted him. No one in the throne room would be stupid enough for that, but the system itself didn¡¯t care about his budding kingdom. A notification shed before his eyes:
Congrattions! You have met the requirements to embark on a quest to be an official ruler under the system. Complete the following quests to solidify your rule: 1. Conquer an enemy and hear their oath of fealty. 2. Be an Arbiter of Justice. 3. Expand your territory until you rule over 1,000,000 people. 4. Reach the top ten on theary Power Rankings (Earth)
The moment Roman saw the first part of the message, his mind went wild with the possibilities. The very system had deemed him worthy of rule. That was confirmation that he was the one person who could usher Easton ¨C perhaps even Earth itself ¨C into a new age of prosperity and safety. Given the size of the universes attached to the World Tree, perhaps he could even conquer others. The sky was no longer the limit. But then he read the requirements. The first seemed easy enough. After all, he¡¯d already converted one enemy to a subject. But the second tripped him up. He¡¯d dispensed justice plenty of times. What, then, did it take to be an Arbiter of Justice? He had no idea, which frustrated and annoyed him. How was he supposed toplete a quest if he didn¡¯t know what the requirements meant? Even as his anger began to mount, he read the third requirement, and he nearly choked on the number. A million people was an intimidating figure. For context, Easton was one of thergest cities on Earth ¨C at least as far as Roman knew ¨C and it only housed a little more than a hundred thousand citizens. To reach a million people was a daunting task. But at least it was straightforward. And it wasn¡¯t as if he didn¡¯t already harbor ns of conquest. That was the entire reason he¡¯d epted Laramie¡¯s fealty. The fourth item on the list was even more unrealistic. At present, he wasn¡¯t even on the powerdder. He was close. He knew that much. But there were a hundred people and dozens of levels between him and thepletion of that goal. For a moment, it felt like the system was mocking him. It was as if it was dangling everything he wanted just out of reach, and when he grabbed for it, it yanked that reward away. He heard imaginaryughter in his mind, which sent him into a cold rage. However, Roman didn¡¯t let it touch his face. Instead, he merely stared out at the gathered nobles ¨C both old and new members of the aristocracy. Then, he pushed himself to his feet. With his hand resting on the hilt of the False Dragon Fang, he announced, ¡°Easton is still in its infancy, but we are strong. We have persevered through countless hardships. We have defeated the rebels. We have made friends of our enemies. And now, we will go to war. Because if we do not, the world will surely perish. We fight because we must. Otherwise, humanity will not survive.¡± With that, he descended from the throne¡¯s dais and marched down the aisle. No one uttered a single word as he made his way to the enormous and intimidating doors. When he reached them, a pair of guards pulled them open, which meant he didn¡¯t even have to break stride as he left the throne room. Two of his personal guards ¨C elite Warriors, both ¨C followed him silently as he left the throne room behind and headed toward his office. As he did, he barely noticed the majestic pce, the artwork, or the expensive d¨¦cor. Instead, his mind was squarely on his ns for thepletion of his quest. Clearly, the system wanted to push him, almost certainly because even it knew he was humanity¡¯s only hope. It saw potential, and it had set a challenge with the intention of forcing him to meet that promise. That meant that it knew he could aplish those seemingly impossible goals. By the time Roman arrived at his office, he was even more certain than ever before that he was Earth¡¯s chosen one. He merely needed to keep going, and he would save humanity. The system had practically sanctioned him already. If that wasn¡¯t a vote of confidence, Roman didn¡¯t know what would qualify for thatbel. Still, the system wasn¡¯t going to do the work for him. So, as he settled into his desk chair ¨C which was much morefortable than the throne ¨C he set his mind to how he was going to achieve his goals. Book 3: Chapter 31: The Dolmen Book 3: Chapter 31: The Dolmen In the wake of the hellish storm, the whole of Argos came together. In a way, it reminded Elijah of what he¡¯d seen in Ironshore, which further confirmed his judgment of the city. It was such a sharp contrast to Norcastle. The people who lived in that city hadn¡¯t been unhappy. Nor were they bad people. But they didn¡¯t share a sense ofmunity. Not like Argos. Over the next week, Elijah pitched in wherever he could. Much of his time was spent healing, but he also volunteered to help usher the olive groves and other farms back to health. It required him to reveal his archetype ¨C after all, what sort of healer also had nt magic? ¨C but once he demonstrated his abilities, he was given as much ess as he could have wanted. And for days, he spent every waking moment trying to help the groves heal. In a way, it reminded him of his earliest days on the ind, when he¡¯d spent so much of his time trying to get berries and other wild edibles to grow more quickly. However, since then, his version of Nature¡¯s Bounty had grown exponentially more powerful. Part of that was due to his Core, but he felt that there was more to it than that. Which was strange. None of his other spells ¨C save for One with Nature ¨C had changed. Perhaps it had to do with his connection with nature. Or maybe there was some other factor of which he wasn¡¯t aware. There was even a possibility that it was all in his head, though he hoped that wasn¡¯t the case. Regardless of the details, Elijah found that his efforts actually resulted in a trickle of experience. He¡¯d gotten a bit from healing, and even if it wasn¡¯t much, it was nice to see his work rewarded. Byparison, the experience he got from helping the nts grow was miniscule. However, he spent so much time doing it that it started to add up. He didn¡¯t gain enough to push him to an additional level, but the fact that he could notice the amount at all was surprising. After all, he¡¯d spent countless hours helping the nts in his grove grow. Why, then, hadn¡¯t he gotten experience from that? It was a mystery to which he didn¡¯t know the solution. Yet, it was barely enough to upy one facet of his Quartz Mind. The fact was that he wasn¡¯t doing it for experience. Or rewards of any kind, really. Instead, he was doing it because he could. The people of Argos had been kind to him. They¡¯d weed him. And sure, he¡¯d repaid that with his own efforts ¨C both in his first visit and his most recent stop ¨C but that was howmunity was supposed to work. Elijah reveled in that.Eventually, though, his job was finished. Sure, he could have kept going, and there would have been minimal benefits. But he¡¯d hit something of a wall, and any further efforts would show diminishing returns for the city. Besides, with the city¡¯s recovery well on its way, Elijah¡¯s original purpose was weighing on him. In the short-term, he still needed to establish a dolmen so he could upgrade his Ancestral Circle spell. That was vital and, perhaps more importantly, Elijah was impatient to see what that spell evolution would entail. He had some idea, but the description had been vague enough to leave more than a little mystery. So, once he¡¯d ensured that Argos was on the right track, he headed out into the wilderness to search for the perfect spot. He didn¡¯t really know what he was looking for, but he reasoned that he¡¯d know it when he saw it. For a long time, he just circled the city, steadily getting further away. But then, as his mind wandered, he began to veer off track. By the time he noticed it, he was already a few miles from Argos. And then, he found it. The de wasn¡¯t special. He knew that. But he was equally sure that it was perfect for what he had in mind. The only question was where he would find his building materials. So, after Elijah had established the location ¨C and mapped out the basic foundation ¨C he began his search for a series of huge rocks. When he thought of a dolmen, it immediately conjured images of Stonehenge. And as luck would have it, he¡¯d done a report on the collection of ancient standing stones as an undergraduate, and he remembered the basicyout of the famousndmark. More importantly, he wanted to get as close as possible to the original, which meant that he needed some truly huge boulders. Fortunately, there was a mountain range nearby ¨C or foothills, really ¨C so he knew where to look. The only issue was that he would almost certainly have to travel for miles both ways. Still, it was bound to be worth it. After all, thest thing he wanted was for his dolmen to be so small and flimsy that a strong gust would blow it over. And given the storm he¡¯d seen on his way into Argos, that seemed like a realistic worry. So, he set out, using his draconid form to speed across thendscape at absolutely ridiculous speeds. Soon enough, he reached his destination, but it still took him two more days before he found an appropriate collection of boulders. Then, he was forced to spend another three days scouring the side of the mountain for the exact right specimens. So, it was almost a week after he¡¯d left Argos before he started back to his chosen site, a huge boulder on his back. He didn¡¯t intend to build the entire circle as it had existed in ancient times. Instead, he only wanted to build the inner circle that remained mostly intact. Or at least, it had before the world had transformed. Who knew if it was still there? Regardless, his ns were such that he knew he wouldn¡¯t be entirely urate. He simply didn¡¯t have the materials. So, he¡¯d settled on building five arches, each with tworge heel stones and one smaller cap stone that was intended to sit on top. Of course, even that was an enormous project. Stonehenge¡¯s heel stones could weigh as much as thirty tons, which was far too heavy for Elijah to carry on his back. Still, he was surprised to find that in hismer ape form, he could carry what he estimated as a third of that. So, the boulders he¡¯d chosen reflected that. About halfway through the trip, he realized that just because he could lift something, that didn¡¯t mean it would befortable. In fact, it made for an arduous journey that took him far longer than he¡¯d expected. Yet, he persisted, and eventually, deposited the stone in ce. This novel''s true home is a different tform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Only nine more,¡± he growled, looking up at the sun. It was midday, meaning he could still make another trip before sunset. Not that he was looking forward to it, of course. He was definitely not. But Elijah wasn¡¯t one to shortchange his tasks, so he hesitantly returned to the foot of the mountains and collected another heel stone. Over the next week, he continued the task. After five days, he¡¯d had all of his heel stones, and the next two days were dedicated to finding and transporting the capstones. Despite their smaller size, it was no easier because those smaller boulders were located much higher up the mountain. Fortunately, it only required five more trips until he deposited thest stone in the de. Once that was finished, Elijah copsed onto the ground and promptly fell asleep, only to awake the next morning and get back to work. Most people weren¡¯t aware of it, but to make Stonehenge, the ancients hadn¡¯t simply piled rocks on top of one another. Building the monument had actually taken quite a lot of nning. Elijah endeavored to repeat their methods. The first step was to dig an appropriate set of holes to hold the heel stones in ce. That was the easy part. The more difficult task was to arduously carve the stones ¨C chipping bits and pieces away with great care ¨C creating mortice holes and tenons so that everything would fit together without moving. It was basically like Legos, though with stone instead of stic, and it was one of the most tedious processes Elijah had ever endeavored toplete. As he worked, he continuously red Nature¡¯s Bounty. At first, it was a reflex that came from the fact that he¡¯d done so every other time he¡¯d tried to craft anything, though when he realized what he was doing, he decided to keep going. After all, it couldn¡¯t hurt. Gradually, the stones began to take shape, and in the end, it required another week¡¯s worth of work before he was ready to fit everything together. That¡¯s when he shifted back into hismer ape form, then shoved the heel stones into ce. Next, he fitted the cap stones on top. And of course, nothing fit together properly. Not surprising, really. He was no builder. Still, he got things close enough that it only took a few more days¡¯ worth of tedious adjustments to get it right. And when he¡¯d finished, he stepped back and admired the fruits of hisbors. Yet, when he looked upon the circle, he realized that he wasn¡¯t satisfied. For one, it was missing an altar. That was an easy enough fix. Just a couple more trips to the mountain, and he¡¯d have his materials. But at the same time, he didn¡¯t like that idea. He was a Druid. And he felt that the circle needed to reflect that. So, he disappeared into the forest and quickly found an acorn. Using One with Nature, he searched out the one with the perfect ethereal signature, and when he found it, he quickly returned to the build site and nted it in the center of the stone circle. Then, Elijah recast Nature¡¯s Bounty, adding Healing Rain to the mix. He knew it would still take a while for the tree to grow, so he started in on the second facet of his n. Using the Goblin Dagger and arge rock, Elijah started carving his standing stones. He was no sculptor, but his experience with woodcarving certainly stood him in good stead. And besides, he didn¡¯t intend for anything to be lifelike, as his Crook of the Serpent Healer was. Instead, he chiseled a series of relief sculptures meant to represent dragons. They weren¡¯t as simple as cave drawings, but they certainly weren¡¯t photoreal. Still, it was the thought that counted. Or that was how he approached it. However, as he carved, his makeshift chisel took on a mind of its own. It was simr to what he¡¯d felt while carving his staves, only this time, Elijah could feel it happening in real time, rather than in retrospect. And he was certainly onboard. He let the inspiration take him to ces he never would have expected, and the results were absolutely beyond his meager skill. When he finally finished ten dayster, he stepped back and truly admired what he had created. For one, the tree had sprouted, reaching a height of fifteen feet. It also had an aura about it that suggested that it was more than what it appeared to be. The ethereal aura of a natural treasure was missing, but anyone with eyes ¨C or perhaps a soul ¨C could tell that it was special. Even so, it was easy to ignore the young tree next to the circle of standing stones. From top to bottom, the heel stones had been carved with fanciful depictions of dragons. The relief sculptures were shallow, but in the sunlight, they almost looked like they were moving. The effect was so distracting that Elijah almost didn¡¯t notice that he¡¯dpleted his quest.
Congrattions! You have created a unique structure: [Dragon Circle] Overall Grade: Growth (Current: Simple) Enchantment Grade: D
¡°Growth?¡± he wondered. ¡°What does that mean? And how did I enchant it?¡± Then, he saw the questpletion notification:
Congrattions! You have satisfied the requirements to evolve Ancestral Circle into Roots of the World Tree: Aplish Two Feats of Strength (COMPLETE) Conquer One Tower (COMPLETE) Build a Dolmen (COMPLETE)
Then, another notification followed:
Due to the nature of your dolmen [Dragon Circle], as well as the nature of your other aplishments, the spell has evolved at peak efficiency. As your dolmen(s) grow in number as well as grade, the spell will grow more powerful.
Finally, Elijah saw the listing in his spellbook change:
Roots of the World Tree Empower a dolmen, connecting it to your grove. Teleport to any circle in yourwork. Cooldown: 3 Days Additional Effect: When inside any circle, create a persistent gateway to any other circle. Duration: 1 Minute. Maximum Capacity: 3. Cooldown: 6 Days Possible number of circles dependent on core cultivation. Current: 5 (1 Used)
Elijah¡¯s jaw dropped. It was far beyond anything he¡¯d ever hoped to achieve. The first part ¨C the teleportation ¨C he¡¯d mostly expected, though the much shorter cooldown was a nice surprise. However, the real shock was the additional effect, which would allow him to transport other people without nearly killing himself. And finally, he could create four more Dragon Circles. He¡¯d really only expected one, so that was also a fantastic surprise that made all of his effort worth it. But now that he¡¯d finished his first Dragon Circle, Elijah didn¡¯t have any other excuses not to continue his search for his sister. So, he set off back to Argos to rest and check on the city. And in the morning, he would set off in search of Seattle. Book 3: Chapter 32: That Swamp Life Book 3: Chapter 32: That Swamp Life ¡°Are you sure Delh¡¯s not going to be back anytime soon?¡± Elijah pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m positive,¡± said Isaak. ¡°And you¡¯ve got sauce in your beard.¡± Elijah extended his tongue as he awkwardly tried to find whatever sauce Isaak was talking about, but he failed miserably. The result was that Elijah ended up looking quite silly, but in his defense, he¡¯d drunk far too much liquor at Atticus¡¯ insistence. The other man was like a bottomless pit of alcohol tolerance, and even Elijah¡¯s vaunted Constitution was incapable of keeping up with Atticus¡¯s capacity for strong alcohol. Sure, he could have used Touch of Nature to fix the issue, but getting drunk was kind of the point of drinking. And with every shot he¡¯d taken, that had seemed truer. Perhaps there was a connection there. Regardless, Elijah tried unsessfully to get the sauce from his gyro out of his beard for a few more seconds before he lost interest. For the next couple of hours, he enjoyed his time with Isaak and Atticus ¨C and a half-dozen other people whose names he didn¡¯t evene close to remembering ¨C until he staggered back to the inn and copsed into the bed he¡¯d rented for the night. He was out in only a few minutes, and he awoke the next morning with a distinct groan. His head was pounding, his mouth felt like it was full of sand, and for some reason, his ears were ringing. Compounding the issues was the fact that he felt absolutely grotesque, and one sniff of his armpits confirmed that he smelled like it, too. It was a mixture of body odor, alcohol, and something else indefinable but no less gross. So, after pulsing Touch of Nature to get rid of his headache, he staggered into the shower and put his soap to good use. That helped. A lot. In fact, when he left the shower, he felt like a new man. Idly, Elijah found himself wishing that he¡¯d had healing powers during college. But then again, it was probably better that he hadn¡¯t. After all, the threat of a powerful hangover was often the only thing that had curtailed his drinking. Without that, he might¡¯ve descended into full-blown alcoholism.Whatever the case, in the present, he was more than d for Touch of Nature, which trivialized the worst parts of his hangover. For the rest, there was coffee ¨C which Agatha actually had in stock ¨C a good breakfast, and lots of water. So, after draining two of his jugs, refilling them at the sink, then draining them again, Elijah left his room and descended the stairs in search of whatever magical morning meal Agatha had on offer. As it turned out, he was a tad disappointed when she served him oat porridge. It wasn¡¯t bad, but it was a long way from her usual fare. Still, he thanked her profusely and ate everything she put in front of him. That got a motherly smile from the woman which only grew wider when he handed over a couple of copper ethereum coins. After that, he spent almost an hour enjoying his coffee while engaging Agatha in idle conversation. As it turned out, she¡¯d lost her husband shortly after Earth had been touched by the World Tree. However, both of her sons had survived, though sheined that they didn¡¯t visit often enough. They considered themselves adventurers, and ording to Agatha, they were part of the patrol headed by Delh. ¡°So she is out of town,¡± Elijah said. Until that moment, he¡¯d thought Isaak was lying. Not that he¡¯d have med the young man if he had been. Having a sister like Delh had to be difficult, considering the number of suitors she must¡¯ve had. ¡°Yes. Corrupting my boys.¡± ¡°What do you ¨C¡± She interrupted, going on a barely understandable rant about how Delh had convinced her sons to join her in her quest to be an adventurer. Agatha went on toin about Delh filling their heads with notions of immortality and untold riches. Clearly, Agatha wanted her sons to find more local professions, but it seemed that they¡¯d already chosenbat sses, so that ship had sailed. Eventually, Elijah extracted himself from the rapidly devolving conversation and went to say goodbye to both Isaak and Atticus. As expected, the arms dealer was paying for the previous night¡¯s efforts to drink every bit of alcohol in town. So, he was in no mood to talk. Or be awake at all, it seemed. So, he waved Elijah on, telling him to stop by the next time he was in the area. Isaak was a little more acerbic in his greeting, and he clearly disapproved of Elijah¡¯s previous antics. And he just as obviously resented him for not being hungover. Regardless, Elijah needled him by saying, ¡°Tell your sister I stopped by, huh? I¡¯ll ¨C¡± Isaak mmed the door in his face, cutting him off. Elijah nced to the side, where Artemis had just stepped out of the alley. She fixed him with an expression of disapproval ¨C that shouldn¡¯t have been possible from a cat - then turned her nose up and pranced away. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Well, hello to you, too,¡± Elijah muttered with a shake of his head. And just like that, it was time to leave Argos behind for the time being. Certainly, he fully intended to return. Part of that was so he could see Delh, but he had to admit that he felt more like he belonged in the Greek city than he ever had in Ironshore. It wasn¡¯t home, but it managed a fair impression. In any case, Elijah set off without regret. It was tempting to swing by the Dragon Circle, but it was to the northeast. Meanwhile, he needed to go west. Perhaps he could even check out the skyscraper he¡¯d seen the first time he¡¯d set out from Argos looking for Seattle. He¡¯d been called back to Ironshore before he¡¯d had the chance, but he felt certain he¡¯d cross that area before it was all said and done. So, after leaving Argos ¨C and telling the guards he¡¯d be back sometime soon ¨C he set off to the west. Once he¡¯d gotten out of sight of the city gates, he shifted into his draconid form and let loose. He sped across thendscape, running at a pace of at least fifty miles an hour. Perhaps even faster. Exact speed was a little hard to judge without a speedometer, after all. Whatever the case, it was less than a day before he arrived in the vale where he¡¯d seen the skyscraper, but to his surprise, the structure had already copsed. Still, he took a few hours to examine it, but he found nothing out of the ordinary ¨C at least insomuch as a skyscraper in the middle of the wilderness could be normal. So, it wasn¡¯t long before he moved on. After another day, he ran into quite an obstacle when he arrived at a massive canyon. Elijah had never visited the Grand Canyon, but in his head, he imagined it like the ravine in front of him. It was at least a mile from one side to the other and it was more than five-hundred feet deep. More distressingly, it cut across thendscape as far as he could see in both directions. At the bottom of the canyon ran a rapidly moving river. But unlike the Grand Canyon, this ravine was absolutely lousy with vegetation and animal life. It looked like a jungle, with huge vines and other nt life covering both sides, with a forest covering the lowest points. Elijah was on the verge of climbing down ¨C after all, hismer ape form seemed perfectly suited for that kind of thing ¨C when he saw a huge birdnd on a tree that grew out of the side of the cliff. The bird looked like a hawk, though with a wingspan of at least twenty feet. However, that wasn¡¯t so abnormal. Elijah¡¯s first experience with mutated animal life hade only seconds after Earth had experienced the touch of the World Tree. Back then, a huge bird had literally ripped his airne apart. In the chaos, Elijah had been thrown free of the ne. He still had no idea how he¡¯d survived the fall, only to regain consciousness on his ind¡¯s shore. Whatever the case, the bird wasn¡¯t anything noteworthy. What was of note was the evenrger spider that suddenly sprang out of the vegetation, wrapped its legs around the stunned bird, then dragged the raptor back into the thick curtain of vines. A few rustles followed, but then everything went still. Elijah swallowed. He had no interest in dealing with that. Maybe he could beat such a creature. Or creatures. After all, there could have been hundreds of those giant spiders within the vines. But even if he could win such a fight, it wasn¡¯t worth the risk. Besides, he¡¯d decided not to just kill beasts for being in his way. It had nothing to do with fear. He definitely wasn¡¯t creeped out by how quickly that creature had attacked, snatched its prey, and disappeared. Not at all. He was just being sensible. He was only following his code. With his courage intact, Elijah turned from the canyon and followed it to the south. Eventually, he came across another river that emptied via a majestic waterfall that reminded Elijah of Niagara Falls. Where it fell, there was a hugeke at the bottom of the canyon, but the river kept going from the other side. In any case, Elijah shifted into hismer ape form, then fought the current as he crossed the river, and on the other side, he was greeted by the cry of a group of ducks. They quacked at him aggressively, and considering that they were the size ofbradors, he quickly moved on. From there, the ravine began to grow shallower, and the air became more humid. And soon enough, Elijah encountered another river. He crossed it, then found another one after only a few more miles. The whole time, he kept an eye on the canyon, looking for a ce to cross. But by the time it came to an end a few days after his first encounter with the canyon, he¡¯d reached a muggy swamp. ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned. ¡°I hate swamps.¡± And he did. They smelled bad, were difficult to traverse, and were home to some of the deadliest predators in the world. He¡¯d spent some time in mangrove swamps while working on his doctorate, and he¡¯d hated everyst moment. Yet, unless he wanted to backtrack and try the north, he had little choice in the matter. From there, Elijah tried to skirt the edges of the swamp. He was not sessful, and after only a couple of hours, he was forced to once again shift into hismer ape form, or he¡¯d have been wading in waist-deep water and mud. The guardian form also provided some protection against the biting insects that seemed so ubiquitous in swamps. And given how everything on Earth had grown more dangerous, he had no interest in experiencing whatever afflictions they might expose him to. He was already having waking nightmares about horse-sized mosquitos ¨C he hadn¡¯t seen anything like that, but he just knew it was only a matter of time ¨C so he didn¡¯t want to add to his psychological burden. So, it was a tired, annoyed, frustrated, and altogether miserable Elijah that came upon apound on the edge of the swamp. To him, it looked like it hade straight from the American Gulf Coast, with the main structure on slim pylons that looked like stilts. Otherwise, it was made of rough wood, with an unpainted tin roof, and it was surrounded by a dozen other buildings of simr design. More importantly, they had boats, which seemed to be just what Elijah needed to ease the burden of his trip across the swamp. So, he found a bit of dry-ishnd, then shifted into his human form. As he approached, he felt like he was forgetting something important, but no matter how he wracked his brain, he couldn¡¯t remember what it was. ¡°If it was important, I would¡¯ve remembered it,¡± he reasoned as he approached thepound. Book 3: Chapter 33: Eber Book 3: Chapter 33: Eber ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± said Carmen. ¡°Seems too¡­I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Gonna need a bit more¡¯n that, boss,¡± Colt said, kneeling beside her. His stump of a hand rested on his knee while he shielded his eyes with his one good hand. ¡°Looks like a normal town to me.¡± ¡°I know. I think that¡¯s what¡¯s bothering me. It just seems too peaceful.¡± ¡°It ain¡¯t like the school,¡± he said. Indeed, they¡¯d spent most of the past few days scouring the area for any major threats, and they¡¯d found nothing. In fact, it felt like they¡¯d found a pocket of peace that hadn¡¯t been touched by the apocalypse at all. And Carmen knew better than to ept that. It had been more than four years since the end of the world as they knew it, and though Carmen hadn¡¯t seen everything Earth had to offer, she¡¯d certainly seen enough to know that nobody had escaped unscathed. So, the peaceful vige at the edge of the forest sent up all sorts of red gs. However, no matter how she looked at it ¨C and she¡¯d studied the ce as closely as she¡¯d ever studied anything ¨C it was just a normal vige with a poption approaching two-hundred or so. The most unbelievable part of it was that they all looked so happy. Or at least content. Certainly, they didn¡¯t walk aroundughing like clowns or anything. Their emotions seemed normal enough. But there was none of the dejected misery that seemed somon in the wake of the World Tree¡¯s touch. Then again, Easton looked the same at first nce. It was only when one dug a little deeper that they would find the corruption below the surface. The inequality. The ssism. The fascist policies. The spineless dictator running it all. ¡°You¡¯re doin¡¯ it again, boss,¡± Colt said.¡°What?¡± ¡°The face,¡± he answered. Annoyed, Carmen forced the grimace to fall away. She¡¯d recently been warned ¨C by her number two, no less ¨C that the other refugees had begun to fear her. Part of that was because of her ferocity in battle that saw her charging any enemy with a berserker¡¯s fury. But the other part was that her resting expression suggested anger. It had gotten to the point where everyone thought she was perpetually on the verge of flying off into a rage. They didn¡¯t deserve to live in fear of the person leading them, so Carmen had vowed to fix the issue. The results were so far mixed. She nced at Colt, her eyes flicking to his missing hand. He rarely acknowledged the disabling injury, but every now and then, Carmen noticed him reaching for something with the stump. Or struggling with his sword belt. He¡¯d even asked her to make a slightly shorter sword ¨C called a wakizashi ¨C that was better suited for one-handed use. The result was Second Chance, which he¡¯d so far put to good use despite his infirmity. More than once, Carmen had overheard him telling Miguel that the sword wasn¡¯t important. Only the swordsman. He¡¯d even gone on to say that a proper fighter would be proficient with every weapon he might be forced to wield. Even his bare hands, if necessary. Carmen could get behind that attitude. She hoped to give Miguel a peaceful life, but that just didn¡¯t seem possible in their new world. So, if that was the case, then she intended to prepare him for a violent life as best she could. If the world was going to try to kill them, then she intended to give him the tools to survive. That was the biggest change from the old world, she thought. Not the monsters. Not the magic. Not even the non-human settlers she¡¯d heard about. Rather, the most impactful difference was the proliferation of violence. Before the World Tree had touched Earth, war and violence were far off concepts that she¡¯d never expected to experience. Sure, she had opinions, and lots of them. She routinely criticized the wars that were fought abroad. But she¡¯d never really conceptualized the idea that she might one day have to fight for her own life. Pacifism was an easy policy when no one threatened you. Now, she realized how na?ve she¡¯d been in her bubble of peace. The moment her life was ¨C or worse, Miguel¡¯s ¨C on the line, any notions of morality or rules of war disappeared. In those moments, it was kill or be killed, and brutality was the only proper response. Whether she liked it or not. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a choice,¡± she admitted, ncing back to where they¡¯d left the other refugees. They were more than a mile away, holed up in an old Dor General whose building was more or less intact, but Carmen could well remember how exhausted they were. ¡°They don¡¯t have much left in them. They need rest. Safety. They need to stop running, if only for a little while.¡± Indeed, ever since they¡¯d been chased from the school ¨C or really, since they¡¯d been exiled from Easton ¨C it had been one crisis after another. Carmen had lost count of how many battles they¡¯d fought. Most were against mutated animals who saw them as an easy meal, but there had been a couple of encounters with opportunistic bandits, as well. But the school had nearly broken them. This story has been uwfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. To think they¡¯d found somewhere safe only to have it snatched away? It was a wonder they hadn¡¯t already given up. ¡°And you, boss?¡± Carmen shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll keep going as long as I have to,¡± she said, though she felt just as exhausted as everyone else in the party. ¡°We need to do this, and if it turns bad, we¡¯ll just have to deal with it.¡± After that, she sent Colt back to fetch the others. In the meantime, Carmen continued to watch the small town. Nothing stood out to her as abnormal ¨C aside from the fact that they weren¡¯t miserable ¨C so when the others joined her, she led them down the slope of the hill and toward the main gate. The watchman on guard saw them well in advance, so when the group of refugees arrived, they were greeted by a trio of people. One was a woman with gray hair and a curiously unlined face. The second was a short, balding man with a bit of a paunch and a thin mustache. And the final member, who stood in the center, was a blonde woman who looked like she knew how to work for a living. She had a raw and unfiltered look about her that suggested that she was no stranger to hard living. ¡°What do you want?¡± the blonde woman asked, her tone neutral. ¡°Shelter. Even if it¡¯s only for a night or two,¡± Carmen answered. ¡°I¡¯m a high-level cksmith, and there are a few Schrs here with various skills. We¡¯ll work in exchange for shelter.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No? That¡¯s it?¡± The woman responded, ¡°You don¡¯t want ¨C¡± ¡°We could use a cksmith,¡± said the grey-haired woman. ¡°You can make weapons and armor, yes?¡± ¡°I can.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think this is a good idea,¡± said the first woman. ¡°Noted,¡± the paunchy man stated. Then, he grinned at Carmen. ¡°I think we¡¯vee to a consensus. Wee to Eber. Yes, I know ¨C an odd name, but it¡¯s the one we chose. I¡¯m Wendell. Come on in. We¡¯ll get you settled, and then you can show us your skills in the forge.¡± ¡°Uh¡­alright,¡± Carmen said. Her sense for danger was ringing loud and clear, but it was a testament to how much she and her group of refugees needed a few nights of safety that she pushed right past it, convincing herself it was paranoia. Still, she resolved to be on her guard. She didn¡¯t have an inspection ability like the guards back in Easton, but she was sensitive enough to ethera to have a sense if someone was far and away stronger than her. And from what she could tell, none of these people ¨C the watchman included ¨C were. So, if they wanted to cause trouble, she would be in a good position to respond. And that wasn¡¯t even considering Colt, who was significantly stronger than her inbat, even if he was a few levels lower. No ¨C despite the rm bells ringing in her mind, Carmen didn¡¯t see how they had much choice in the matter. So, without further ado, she let herself be led inside, and the other refugees followed. As they traversed the town, a few of the residents took notice. Most cast smiles in their direction and, overall, seemed happy to see the neers. In fact, quite a few offered them food or water, and they seemed eager to wee the refugees into their town. But there were a handful who stared at them, nk-faced. However, Carmen¡¯s curiosity at that only extended until they were escorted into a longhouse where they found that a feast had beenid out. The long, wooden table wasden with all sorts of food. There were vegetables of every type, venison, some sort of fowl, and even what looked like fresh-baked bread. Which was curious, because Carmen hadn¡¯t seen any wheat fields or vegetable gardens at all. Still, she didn¡¯t really make the connection,rgely because she was suddenly so ravenous that she could scarcely think. So, she and the others ¨C including Colt, who was uncharacteristically nonchnt about security ¨C dug in. Before long, they were allughing and enjoying what Carmen considered the best meal she¡¯d ever had. Soon enough, though, the meal was finished, and she leaned back and groaned contentedly. ¡°I think I ate too much,¡± she said. Then, looking around, she asked, ¡°Have you seen our hosts?¡± As Colt grabbed another piece of crusty bread that had been thered in butter, he said, ¡°No, boss. I think this is all for us.¡± Even though she was full, Carmen continued to eat. As she did, there was a part of her that screamed that something was wrong. However, with all the food so readily avable, she couldn¡¯t stop herself. And eventually, that voice grew thinner and thinner until she could scarcely hear it. Eventually, the grey-haired woman, who introduced herself as Wendy, came to collect them. Then, she showed them to another longhouse where they could sleep. The refugees all epted that with no small degree of gratitude, which they expressed vociferously. Atst, it felt like they¡¯d found somewhere safe. Somewhere they could finally rest. That night, everyone ¨C including Carmen ¨C slept like logs. It didn¡¯t hurt that the beds, which were arranged in two separate rows along either of the longest walls, were morefortable than anyce they¡¯d ever slept. So, when morning finally dawned, Carmen arose more refreshed than she¡¯d felt since Silverado. However, it seemed that everyone wasn¡¯t as content as they¡¯d appeared to be. ¡°Where is Diana?¡± she asked, referring to one of the other refugees. Colt looked around. ¡°I didn¡¯t even hear her leave,¡± he admitted. He shook his head and added, ¡°But I guess she wanted to keep goin¡¯. She said she had family out there somewhere. Probably went to find them.¡± Carmen narrowed her eyes. That didn¡¯t make much sense. None of them were in any condition to travel, especially alone. But she dismissed her concerns, saying, ¡°People aren¡¯t always rational, are they? You never know when someone¡¯s going to make a really bad decision.¡± Colt agreed with her, remarking that it was sad state of affairs when someone was so ustomed to misery that they couldn¡¯t ept sce when they found it. After that, Carmen was shown to her new forge. It wasn¡¯t in great condition, but it was much better than anything she¡¯d had avable to her since being banished from Easton. So, it wasn¡¯t long before she got to work. As she did, the other refugees all tried to make themselves useful as well. In the back of her mind, though, Carmen¡¯s doubts were screaming that she needed to escape. However, it only took the memory of the meal she¡¯d eaten the night before to banish those doubts. After all, she was full, and she was safe. What else did she need? Book 3: Chapter 34: The Missing Child Book 3: Chapter 34: The Missing Child All the worst sorts of insects buzzed around Elijah¡¯s head as he crouched beside a bald cypress tree whose roots and the lower reaches of its wide trunk were submerged in the murky water. Beneath his feet was mud, dposed organic matter, and quite a few creepy and crawly freshwater creatures. He could feel each and every one of them with One with Nature, so it wasn¡¯t nearly as nerve-wracking as it otherwise might have been. He¡¯d walked through a swamp before the world had changed, and back then, he¡¯d had no idea what was in the water, leaving him anxious and certain that any given moment would see him being bitten by something nasty and venomous. He didn¡¯t have to worry about that anymore, though. Even the few times those sorts of animals passed him by, they just ignored him. Still, it wasn¡¯t exactly pleasant, feeling the muck between his toes or the insects buzzing around his head. So, after watching thepound for a few more minutes, Elijah decided to stop procrastinating and waded forward. For most of his time on the edge of the swamp, he¡¯d remained in hismer ape form, but he didn¡¯t think the sight of an ten-foot-tall lizard-gori would make the best impression with the people who lived in thepound. So, when he approached the collection of raised buildings, he did so in his human form. And that meant that he was walking in water up to his waist, which he was sure would ruin his good pants. And his shirt. Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t hurt his Cloak of the Iron Bear or his Sash of the Whirlwind, though as Simple-Grade items, they were probably safe enough. Plus, he had a small bag of cleansing powder in his bag, so he was prepared to wage war against the swamp muck. As he approached, Elijah raised his hand, waving toward the structure as he shouted, ¡°Hello?! Anyone there?¡± Only then did he notice a pair of eyes peeking out from beneath thergest building. Elijah knew enough to recognize them for what they were, and he stopped in his tracks. The alligator swam forward, swishing its great, meaty tail back and forth as it slowly closed on him. Then, it passed within the boundary of One of with Nature, and Elijah got a sense for the thing¡¯s size. ¡°It¡¯s a damn dinosaur¡­¡± And it was. The huge reptile was at least thirty-five feet long, which meant that the beast assuredly weighed more than two-thousand pounds. Probably closer to three. But even as it swam closer, Elijah didn¡¯t react with rm.Because he could feel that it didn¡¯t mean him harm. Instead, it was just curious. It was also inly a guardian, just like the panther back on his ind or the bear whose hide he now wore as a cloak. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain precisely how he knew the difference, and in fact, he wasn¡¯t sure what separated a normal mutated beast from a true guardian. But he knew one when he saw it. And the alligator was definitely a guardian. Which made no sense to Elijah. The guardians he¡¯d encountered so far were tied to powerful natural treasures, and Elijah felt nothing of the sort in the general area. More, while guardians were typically stronger and smarter than normal beasts, they were still wild creatures. So, he had no idea why one would have been camped out beneath thepound. Still, Elijah didn¡¯t have much time to think about that, because the alligator was bearing down on him. So, he held a hand out and, using his most soothing voice, said, ¡°Whoa there big guy. I¡¯m a friend. Here.¡± Elijah reached into his pack and found a parcel of meat. He¡¯d hunted a little while traversing the wilderness and while building his Dragon Circle, so he had extra. He unwrapped the package and threw the chunk of still-bloody meat ¨C Elijah thought it was boar ¨C at the alligator. The monstrous guardian erupted from the swampy water, snapping its enormous jaws around the hunk of wild pork, sshing down after it caught it. ¡°Well, that¡¯ll ruin her appetite, for sure,¡± came a voice. ¡°Bessy, leave that dirty man alone!¡± Elijah looked up to the deck that ran along the front of the building to see an older, dark-skinned woman in a pair of overalls. Covering her ck, braided hair was a John Deere cap, and Elijah noticed that she was just as barefoot as him. More importantly, the giant alligator sshed around one more time before turning around and returning to its ce beneath the building. For some reason, Elijah interpreted the creature¡¯s bodynguage as petnt. Which made no sense for a thirty-five-foot reptile. ¡°Uh¡­hey,¡± Elijah said, giving the woman a small wave. ¡°I¡¯m Elijah.¡± ¡°You lost?¡± she asked with a slight smirk as she leaned on the balcony. ¡°You look lost. But Bessy likes you, so maybe you¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°Uh¡­Bessy¡¯s the alligator, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone else ¡®round here,¡± she said, her smirk turning into a wide grin. Though she was close enough that Elijah could see some tension around her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not slow, are you? My cousin¡¯s daughter was a bit like that. Sweetest kid you¡¯d ever meet, but¡­well¡­never mind that. Come on up, I s¡¯pose. Konnie ain¡¯t gonna be back for a few more hours. You can meet the family in the meantime.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. At that, a gaggle of children came storming onto the deck. Elijah counted ten, each one under the age of eight. And none of them looked remotely like the woman on the balcony. Or one another. One look, and Elijah knew that none of them were rted. They all looked excited to see him, though. That¡¯s when Elijah remembered what he never should have forgotten. Back in Argos, someone ¨C he couldn¡¯t remember who ¨C had mentioned an Alchemist who lived on the edge of a swamp to the south. And clearly, Elijah had stumbled upon that alchemist¡¯spound. That put him on his guard. He was friendly with Biggle, but Nerthus had been quite clear that Alchemists were typically Devourers, meaning that they made no efforts to live in harmony with their environments. They consumed everything they found without thought for long-term benefits or consequences. At the time, Elijah had considered it a ck-and-white sort of thing ¨C kind of an us-versus-them situation ¨C but since, he¡¯de to realize that there was a whole world of nuance between the extremes. Still, the tree spirit¡¯s words of caution when dealing with Alchemists had persisted. So, Elijah approached the dock where he saw four aluminum, t-bottom boats moored, with no small degree of caution. When he reached the floating dock, he pped his crook onto the wooden surface, then pulled himself up. Upon seeing all the muck and a handful of insect bites on his legs, Elijah made a choice to reveal one of his tricks. He used Healing Rain. Then, with the clean, fresh precipitation showering him, he scraped the worst of the mud and muck from his skin. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it kept him from tracking filth all across the dock. As he did his best to clean himself, the woman and the children descended from the deck via a set of stairs connecting the house to the dock. When she arrived, she looked at him, then up at the localized storm cloud, and said, ¡°Interesting. It heals?¡± ¡°It does,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It¡¯s pretty useful for showers, too.¡± ¡°Useful, he says,¡± she muttered, shaking her head. Then, she raised her voice and said, ¡°C¡¯mon, kids. Get yourselves into the rain!¡± The children descended, and soon, Elijah was surrounded by a bunch of dancing and ying kids. It was a little disconcerting. The woman extended her hand, and Elijah took it. She said, ¡°I¡¯m Marcy. Sorry ¡®bout the kids. Can¡¯t afford to pass up free healin¡¯. Usually, Konnie takes care of that sort of thing, but if we can save a few pots, it¡¯ll make everything easier.¡± ¡°I can do more focused healing if you need it,¡± he offered. ¡°I¡¯m Elijah, by the way.¡± ¡°Nice to meetcha, but the rain should be fine. Mostly just to take care of the different diseases the bugs carry ¡®round here,¡± she said with a shake of her head. ¡°It¡¯s crazy. Used to be all we had to worry ¡®bout was mria from mosquitoes. Now, without healin¡¯ or pots, anybody who ain¡¯t opened an archetype yet would die in a ce like this. I keep tellin¡¯ him we should move, but he just won¡¯t hear it. Says the swamp¡¯s the best ce to do his work. And now Bryce is missin¡¯ and¡­¡± That¡¯s when Elijah saw her puffy eyes. She¡¯d clearly been crying. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. ¡°Who¡¯s missing?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry ¡®bout that¡­¡± ¡°I kind of do. Come on. Tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± It took a little more prodding, but after Marcy sent the kids to the other side of the dock where they couldn¡¯t hear the exnation, she eventually told Elijah the story. Apparently, one of their daughters ¨C the eldest ¨C had recently gotten her archetype. And because of that, she thought she was strong enough to take some of the burden from her father by going out into the swamp to gather herbs herself. The whole exnation was couched in hints and sideways statements, probably to hide the severity of the situation from the children if they overheard. It worked, too. They had no idea that their father or sister was missing. ¡°And she never came back,¡± Elijah guessed. He nced at the kids, adding, ¡°Yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where Konnie went. He knows the swamp but...he¡¯s been gone almost a whole day,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯d¡¯ve gone after him myself, but then the kids would¡¯ve been alone.¡± Elijah sighed, then pushed himself to his feet. Leaning on his crook, he said, ¡°I guess I know what I have to do, then.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go find them,¡± he stated. Then, he slid back into the swamp water. ¡°Ugh. I just got out. No ¨C it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s a good cause.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to ¨C¡± ¡°Oh,e on. You don¡¯t really expect me not to go after them after all of that, do you?¡± he said. ¡°Obviously I¡¯m going to go. And don¡¯t think I¡¯m not onto you. You told me that whole story because you hoped I would go. Makes sense, I guess. I¡¯m a stranger, and I¡¯m obviously capable of traveling through the swamp without dying. But I¡¯ll tell you right now, you¡¯d better not be lying to me to set some kind of weird and convoluted trap. That¡¯ll annoy the hell out of me.¡± He looked up at Marcy, who was just staring at him in disbelief. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really going to go?¡± ¡°Obviously. I¡¯m not some kind of monstrous asshole.¡± A couple of the children pped their hands over their mouths, eyes wide at his swear. ¡°Oh. Sorry. Butthole.¡± They giggled. ¡°Jerk?¡± The giggles only increased. ¡°They¡¯re not worried about¡­uh¡­what¡¯s-his-name?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t really understand what¡¯s going on,¡± Marcy admitted. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time Konnie¡¯s been gone for a while. He alwayses back.¡± One of the children raised his little fist into the air and crowed, ¡°Daddy alwayses back!¡± And then, the children ran back up the stairs. Once they were gone, Marcy said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± he said. Then, he asked, ¡°Which way did they go?¡± ¡°Southeast,¡± Marcy answered. ¡°There¡¯s an area a few miles into the swamp where Konnie usually does his herbin¡¯. That¡¯s where Bryce would¡¯ve gone.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Elijah said with a shake of his head. He wasn¡¯t looking forward to walking through the swamp for untold miles, but he didn¡¯t want to take one of the boats, either. If something was out there hunting Alchemists and Alchemists¡¯ daughters, he didn¡¯t want to be stuck in a boat when it inevitably attacked him. As to his reasoning for choosing to help, that was even simpler. He¡¯d told the truth. He¡¯d have had to be an absolute monster not to help when he could. And while Elijah didn¡¯t consider himself a heroic knight in shining armor, he¡¯d long since chosen to help wherever he could. So, with that in mind, he set off into the swamp, hoping to save the Alchemist and his daughter quickly so he could continue on his quest to find Alyssa. Book 3: Chapter 35: Through the Swamp Book 3: Chapter 35: Through the Swamp Fireflies danced to the tune of croaking frogs as night descended on the swamp. In hismer ape form, Elijah waded forward, trailing his w along the wide trunk of a cypress tree. And as he did, only one thought upied his mind. ¡°I hate swamps,¡± he growled to himself. ¡°I hate swamps so damn much.¡± He cursed himself for not taking one of Marcy¡¯s boats. At the time, he¡¯d chosen to leave them behind because he wanted to be ready for anything that might attack him. However, after trudging through the questionably murky water, with the swamp muck oozing between his scaly toes, Elijah regretted that decision. But it was toote to go back. He¡¯de too far, by that point. So, as eerie darkness enveloped the hellish marsh, he continued along. In the distance, Elijah saw a series of tiny flickering lights, though he ignored them. They were what many Cajuns native to the Louisiana Bayou referred to as feu follet, and in their mythology, they were seen as supernatural in nature. Some people thought they represented thest vestiges of passing loved ones, while others attributed the flickering lights to evil spirits. In reality, they were simply the result of vtile gases released from dposing organic matter that had briefly caught fire. Though, if Elijah was honest with himself, he preferred the first exnation. It would be nice to think that those tiny, flickering lights ¨C so visible in the deep dark of the swamp ¨C were the spirits of his parents who just wanted onest opportunity to say goodbye. He sighed, trudging along. Fortunately, his thick scales proved a good deterrent to the biting insects that pervaded the environment, so he was only ufortable, rather than subject to whatever diseases they inevitably carried. As he slowly pushed deeper into the swamp, Elijah could feel everything via One with Nature. Snakes, monstrous catfish that lived in the tangled roots of cypress trees, and reptiles of every sort were the mostmon, but Elijah felt plenty of frogs swimming to and fro as well as birds nesting in the tops of the trees. There were even quite a few fiddler crabs, with their single oversized w, skittering along beneath the surface of the murky water, unseen despite growing to sizes that would¡¯ve dwarfed a ck bear. Most of the beasts in the swamp left him alone, but every now and then, one would dart close to inspect therge predator in their midst. That neversted long. The moment they caught a whiff of him ¨C or rather, hismer ape form ¨C they ran away. Elijah wondered if any had originally intended to attack, or if they were simply curious.There was no way to know for sure, but it was a good question that upied one facet of his mind for a little while. Like that, hours passed, and night truly enveloped the swamp. If he hadn¡¯t been mired in muck and filthy, stagnant water, Elijah might¡¯ve considered thendscape beautiful. There had always been something mystical and evocative about swamps, a trait that was only exacerbated by unique traits like the swamp lights. Or perhaps it was the simple mystery characteristic to truly wild ces that had remained untouched by human hands even before the world had been transformed by the touch of the World Tree. Swamps had always been dangerous ¨C partially because of the native wildlife, which trended towards the deadly, but also because of how easy it was to lose oneself within that watery maze of cypress trees ¨C and Elijah was well aware of just how true that still was. One bite from one of the obviously venomous snakes that slithered nearby, and most people would die in minutes. The same was true if they fell afoul of the alligators poised to ambush any prey that wandered nearby. Or the giant spiders whose gossamer webs nketed the entire canopy for whole acres. It was a deadly dangerous ce, and Elijah suspected he was one of the few people on Earth who could traverse it with any real expectation of survival. So, he continued on, keeping his senses trained on his surroundings as he searched for a sign of Konnie the Alchemist or the man¡¯s daughter, Bryce. But as he waded through the swamp, he caught the scent of something else. Something reptilian. But also alien. Elijah was busy trying to figure out what was different about it when he finally felt his quarry on a small ind amidst the stagnant water. Konnie was huddled beneath a boat that had been overturned. Normally, the t-bottomed vessel wouldn¡¯t have offered much protection, but against something asrge as the enormous fiddler crab snapping its single, overge w against the metal hull, the makeshift defense was just enough to stymie it. The crab was only a little smaller than the ones on Elijah¡¯s ind, though even from a distance, he could intuit that it was much more dangerous. Size wasn¡¯t the only measure of a creature¡¯s lethality, after all. In fact, it probably wasn¡¯t even the best way to judge any given opponent. In any case, Elijah knew he had to step in, or the overgrown crustacean would figure out how to flip theparatively light boat over. So, without any further rumination, Elijah charged forward, propelling himself through the stagnant water with his massive Strength. The crab was so determined to tear its way through the boat¡¯s hull that it never even saw Elijahing. With a grunt, he hit the beast with a shoulder charge, flipping it end over end as it skipped across the water. A momentter, it hit a cypress tree, then fell into the water with a ssh. Elijah spread his arms wide and dered his dominance via a massive roar. It was a challenge, and one the crab had no interest in meeting. After the creature righted itself, it skittered away, disappearing beneath the surface to bury itself in the muck. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators! Elijah didn¡¯t rx until the thing passed the outer boundary of his senses, disappearing from One with Nature. Only then did he let himself shift back to his human form. With one hand, he reached down, grabbed the edge of the boat, and flipped it over. Konnie, who turned out to be an incredibly thin, pale-skinned man wearing a straw hat and a great, bushy, and grey beard thanked him by trying to stab him with a trident. Or was it a pitchfork? Elijah pped the weak attack aside, saying, ¡°Stop that. I¡¯m here to help.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± the man asked, his voice carrying an ent that belonged to the American deep south. ¡°Name¡¯s Elijah. Marcy asked me to help, Konnie.¡± It only took a cursory look to see that Konnie was grievously wounded. Not only were his clothes stained red with blood, but he smelled of decay and disease. Couple that with the deep, ck bags beneath his eyes and his pallidplexion, and Elijah could intuit an infection of some sort. ¡°What got you?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Giant nutria,¡± Konnie grunted, referring to a breed of semi-aquatic and invasive rodents originally native to South America; they¡¯d long since spread far beyond their original ecosystems. ¡°Shoulda brought Bessy with me. Nothin¡¯ messes with me when she¡¯s ¡®round.¡± ¡°I could see how that would be the case. You mind if I heal you?¡± Elijah asked, already summoning Healing Rain. ¡°Or do you have a potion or something you¡¯re waiting to use?¡± ¡°Heals. Please.¡± Elijah raised his hand and approached slowly. He didn¡¯t want to get a pitchfork in the stomach, after all. Fortunately, Konnie was lucid enough to distinguish friend from foe, so he only flinched a little when Elijah ced his hand on the man¡¯s neck. And he almost recoiled at what he felt. ¡°How are you still alive?¡± Elijah wondered, already pulsing Touch of Nature. He also used Essence of the Boar and Aura of Renewal to augment the man¡¯s natural healing and defenses. ¡°You¡¯ve got more poison than blood in you.¡± ¡°Leeches,¡± Konnie said. ¡°You use leeches?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confused¡­¡± ¡°No. Leeches got me when the boat got flipped,¡± the Alchemist exined. ¡°They¡¯re not normal leeches. They got a bitta venom in ¡®em. And there was a lot of ¡®em.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Elijah muttered as he continued to heal Konnie. ¡°How ain¡¯t you the just as bad off?¡± he asked, obviously wondering why Elijah had been assailed by the same leeches. ¡°Special Druid secret,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Now, Marcy sent me out here to find you and a girl. You¡¯re the first part. Where¡¯s the other?¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you helpin¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a helpful guy.¡± ¡°Most ain¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not most,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s smart for you to be out here right now. There¡¯s something around here that doesn¡¯t really belong. I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s different. Alien.¡± At first, Elijah had thought there was a guardian around, but he felt that it was something else. At least it wasn¡¯t a Voxx. ¡°That¡¯s the hydra.¡± ¡°Hydra?¡± ¡°A mutated beast, I think. Buncha heads. Like a blend between a gator and a python. Or maybe a viper, considerin¡¯ its poison.¡± ¡°A hydra¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡± ¡°How big is it?¡± ¡°Bigger¡¯n Bessy. At least twice her size. We don¡¯t normally go anywhere near its territory, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettin¡¯ bigger,¡± Konnie said. ¡°The hydra is growing?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°No ¨C its territory. I¡¯m scared it¡¯s gonna attack the house. We got kids there.¡± ¡°Move,¡± Elijah suggested. ¡°Can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We was here first!¡± Konnie growled. ¡°Them kids need this.¡± ¡°Exin,¡± Elijah said, still healing the man. Konnie took a deep breath, then said, ¡°Them ain¡¯t our kids. Not by blood¡­¡± After that, he went on to exin the situation. Soon after the world¡¯s transformation, Konnie ¨C who insisted on being called Konstantino ¨C stumbled upon a half-submerged church van. The driver was already dead, but the children inside were still alive. ¡°I done what anybody would¡¯ve,¡± he said. ¡°Rescued ¡®em. Loaded ¡®em up in the boat. But their time in the swamp had changed ¡®em. That¡¯s why I took the Alchemist ss. I wanted to help ¡®em. And I figured it out.¡± Then, he exined the solution. As it turned out, the children were only healthy so long as they got a very specific potion twice a day. Otherwise, they would quickly grow ill and die. ¡°I¡¯m just tryin¡¯ to keep ¡®em goin¡¯ until they can get an archetype. A ss, maybe. If they get enough Constitution, they can survive. I know it. ¡®til then¡­¡± ¡°And the ingredients are native to this swamp, aren¡¯t they?¡± Elijah asked. Konstantinos nodded. ¡°Well, shit.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth.¡± Clearly, Konstantinos couldn¡¯t move his family. But if he was right about the hydra, they couldn¡¯t stay, either. Not so long as the hydra remained. The solution seemed simple. Killing the hydra would solve the problem. Yet, Elijah was conflicted. Still, he was a human first, and a Druid second. Besides, the lives of those children were at stake. Sure, he intended to approach the situation with as much tact as possible, but if it came down to a choice between the hydra and Konstantinos¡¯ family, he knew which one he¡¯d choose. But first, he needed to find the girl, Bryce. So, he asked, ¡°Your daughter. Do you know where she might have gone?¡± ¡°South. I can show you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You need to go back to yourpound.¡± He had a feeling it was going to end in a fight, and one Konstantinos was ill-suited to confront. Of course, the Alchemist argued. It was his daughter out there, and he had no intention of abandoning her. Yet, when Elijah pointed out that, even after being healed, he was in no condition for a trek through the swamp, Konstantinos backed down. After that, Konstantinos seemed to ept his limitations and described the area where Elijah might find the girl. He did add that Bryce might not actually be there, saying, ¡°But that¡¯s where the herbs we need are located, and she knows that. It¡¯s the best lead we got as to where she went.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find her,¡± Elijah promised. ¡°What about the hydra?¡± asked Konstantinos. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it,¡± he said. Then, after getting the Alchemist back in the boat and sending him off, Elijah shifted back into hismer ape form and once again set off across the swamp. And as he did, that reptilian smell ¨C he couldn¡¯t describe it any other way ¨C grew stronger until, atst, he caught sight of the hydra. The monster was much as Konstantinos had described it. Its three heads were like giant boa constrictors, though with a few extra ridges around the eyes, and its body was distinctly crocodilian, with green-brown scales and a thick, ridged tail. The moment Elijahid eyes on it, he knew it was no natural creature. Not to Earth, at least. In retrospect, he¡¯d felt the same about the sovereign spider that had guarded the pass through the mountains, though he¡¯d been incapable of understanding what it meant. To a lesser extent, he recognized it from the people of Ironshore, as well. Clearly, the hydra hadn¡¯t originated on Earth. Neither had the panther on his ind. Or the bear. But while those creatures had felt like they belonged, the hydra did not. To him, that confirmed that the hydra wasn¡¯t a guardian, either. Instead, it was something else. It was alien. It was a monster. Still, as distressing as that realization was, Elijah was more concerned with the girl who¡¯d climbed one of the cypress trees in an attempt to escape the monster. Book 3: Chapter 36: The Alchemists Daughter Book 3: Chapter 36: The Alchemist''s Daughter Elijah could scarcely see the girl, as she was hidden in the branches, but he certainly heard her scream. He also saw the small fireball she tossed down at the hydra. It hit with a ssh of mes, but the spell had very little effect on the monster. And it was a monster. Elijah was sure of that. He didn¡¯t know precisely what made it so different or why he recognized it, but he was absolutely certain that the hydra was not of Earth. Of course, given its appearance, that should have been obvious ¨C but the injection of ethera into the ecosystem had mutated much of the native fauna, rendering many creatures unrecognizable. Yet, it was obvious to Elijah ¨C for some inexplicable reason ¨C that that was not the case with the hydra. Regardless, he didn¡¯t have leave to ponder the situation, because the creature chose that moment to attack. Not the girl, who was out of reach. Rather, it targeted the tree itself, snapping out with its powerful jaws to chip away at the trunk. One head struck. Then the next. And finally, the third, digging deep into the tree, which shook with every impact. Given what Elijah saw, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before the tree fell. And then, the girl ¨C Bryce ¨C would be defenseless against such a powerful creature. Elijah represented her only chance at survival. He needed to act, and quickly. Whatever moral quandaries he¡¯d experienced concerning the fate of the hydra faded next to the immediate danger posed to the Alchemist¡¯s daughter. Fortunately, Elijah was in the proper form for a reckless charge. So, without giving it any more thought, he threw himself toward the hydra. In hismer ape form, he was not sneaky. Nor did he pretend to be. Still, the hydra was so focused on its intended prey ¨C and he moved so quickly ¨C that he managed to take it by surprise. He barreled into the monster, sending it tumbling into the water. But it recovered quickly, one of its heads snapping out totch onto Elijah¡¯s shoulder. He¡¯d used Iron Scales before impact, but the monster¡¯s fangs still managed to pierce his thick hide. He felt the injection of venom burn its way through his flesh, but he was more concerned with the fact that the other two necks had wrapped around him like constrictor snakes. The pair of struggling titans sshed into the water, where the hydra clearly had an advantage. Its heads continued to snake around him, and when they¡¯d wrapped around his torso a few times, they started biting. The first bite that managed to pierce his scales sent an injection of potent venom scorching through his muscles, eliciting a burbling gasp.Meanwhile, as they fought for leverage, Elijah struggled to free himself, and to little effect. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t need to breathe. Otherwise, he might¡¯ve drowned. Even so, he couldn¡¯t keep himself from experiencing a brief moment of panic that the monster continued to use to its advantage, snapping out a dozen times in the space of a few seconds. Some of its bites were turned away by Elijah¡¯s defenses, but more than enough made it through. He wrestled with the monster, rolling through the water as the increasing volume of poison coursing through his veins became an ever-more-urgent issue. It wasn¡¯t debilitating, but if the fight went on much longer, he knew it would be. Fortunately, Elijah wasn¡¯t without his own advantages. He used Rage. Then, he snapped out, wrapping his jaws around the hydra¡¯s nearest neck. Its flesh parted beneath the force of his mighty bite, and he ripped away a chunk of muscle and scales. The monster went wild, its heads writhing. That gave Elijah just enough room for a gambit. He transformed into his human form, giving himself more space, then kicked off one of the rapidly constricting necks andunched himself free just in time to avoid being crushed. He sailed through the air, then skipped across the water before thudding into another cypress tree. Most facets of his mind went fuzzy, but a couple remained clear enough to cast a pair of spells. The first was Healing Rain, which dumped rejuvenating precipitation on him. The second was Touch of Nature. Thebination of the two healing spells was enough to banish most of the poison, but it didn¡¯t get everything. Without the enhancement of his Crook of the Serpent Healer, even that would have been nearly impossible, especially in the short time he had avable. That highlighted just how useful the new staff was, though he had no time to appreciate his weapon. Once he was healed, Elijah shifted back to his guardian form. But he didn¡¯t charge the creature. That had proven a bad strategy. So, as the hydra righted itself and faced off against him, he approached carefully, his own tail swaying back and forth in the murky water. The monster hissed with all three heads, though the one from which he¡¯d taken a bite was clearly wobbly. That was the point of weakness. All he needed to do was finish the job he¡¯d started, and hopefully, the monster would bleed out. Already, it was pouring gallons of blood into the swamp. Elijah just needed to hasten its eventual demise. But he knew he needed a different strategy, especially when he saw that the blood loss had begun to peter out. He needed to act fast. So, he bent every facet of his Quartz Mind to thinking of a solution. And with all that brainpower working in his favor, it wasn¡¯t long before he chose a course of action. Once he did, he bunched his muscles, then once again threw himself at the monster. It cocked its heads back, ready to strike. Yet, when Elijah had made it halfway, he leaped high into the air, and the apex of his jump, he switched to his draconid form. Even as he fell, the creature struck. However, it was incapable of understanding why its formerly huge opponent was now a quarter of its size. So, its attacks were clumsy, ill-timed, and poorly aimed. Moreover, in his draconid form, Elijah was far more dexterous, so when the strikes dide, he had no issues with pping them aside and using his momentum tounch himself at his target. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the vition. But he didn¡¯t attack the hydra again. Instead, he kicked off the monster, marking it with Brand of the Stalker, then leaped in the direction of the girl. As he flew through the air, he switched back to hismer ape form. Hended only a few feet from the tree and shouted, ¡°Get on my back! Your dad sent me!¡± It came out in a roar. But to her credit, the girl didn¡¯t hesitate. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d seen his human form, and that was why she trusted him, or if she was just desperate enough to trust a lizard-ape. But she leaped from her branch without dy. Unfortunately, her aim was terrible, so Elijah was forced to catch her. He did, then threw her over his shoulder and beat a hasty retreat. The hydra followed. The girl screamed. She also cast a fireball in its direction, but as before, it was useless. Elijah wasn¡¯t counting on her help, anyway. Instead, he was wholly focused on running. His reasoning was twofold. First, he hadn¡¯te just to kill a hydra. His primary objective was to rescue the girl. Perhaps he¡¯de back and fight the monster, but not until Bryce was safe. Second, he¡¯d seen something during the brief standoff. The wound he¡¯d inflicted on the hydra was healing, and at a visible rate. Because that was what hydras did, wasn¡¯t it? In mythology, when one head was removed, two more would grow back in its ce. He didn¡¯t know if the real version of the creature was the same, but it was clearly capable of healing even from grievous wounds. That, in turn, meant that any fight against the monster would take some time, and given his most important goal, Elijah wasn¡¯t willing to do that. So, that only left retreat. Unfortunately, the hydra was more ustomed to its natural environment, so losing it ¨C even with his massive Strength to propel him at ridiculous speeds ¨C took quite a while. Elijah ran deeper into the swamp until he stopped even trying to wade through the water. Instead, he leaped to a cypress branch and channeled his inner monkey, using his long arms to throw himself across the canopy. After that, he quickly left the hydra behind. And even if he hadn¡¯t, it would have been incapable of reaching him. After all, as the girl had proven, the monster couldn¡¯t climb trees. Eventually, long after they¡¯d left the monster behind, Elijah spied a bit of dry ground. Hended with a thump, then lowered the girl to the ground. During their retreat, she¡¯d passed out, and it wasn¡¯t long before Elijah realized why. She¡¯d taken a couple of bites from the hydra, as evidenced by the three puncture wounds on one of her shoulders. They¡¯d already clotted, so the bleeding was minimal. However, one sniff told Elijah that she was under the effect of the monster¡¯s venom. So, he gently lowered her to the ground and shifted back to his human form. A secondter, he used Healing Rain, then started in on her with Touch of Nature. When he did, he couldn¡¯t help but recognize how severe the internal damage was. How she hadn¡¯t already died, he had no idea, but her organs had already begun to shut down. More, the muscle around the wounds had nearly liquified under the caustic venom. Hoping he wasn¡¯t toote, Elijah continuously cast Touch of Nature. Slowly, the venom retreated, but even after he¡¯d finished it off, the damage it had wrought still needed to be repaired. So, he kept going, one cast after another until, atst, the final wound closed. Only then did the girl¡¯s eyes flick open. And when they did, she hastily scrambled away in an awkward crab walk. For his part, Elijah held up his hands and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe.¡± He looked around at the inhospitable environment. ¡°Well, safe-ish.¡± ¡°Where am I? Who are you?¡± she demanded. Then, she looked down at her ripped shirt. She hadn¡¯t been exposed, but her tee-shirt was in tatters. So, she threw her arms over her chest and hugged herself tightly. Seeing how ufortable she was, Elijah unshouldered his pack, retrieved one of his shirts, and tossed it to her. She caught it. ¡°For your modesty,¡± he said. She quickly turned her back and donned it. As she did, Elijah asked, ¡°How did you get the attention of that monster, anyway?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t answer any of my questions.¡± ¡°I saved you.¡± ¡°You abducted me.¡± ¡°You jumped on my back! Or tried to. I ended up having to catch you, though. Your falling aim is terrible,¡± he insisted. ¡°Why would I abduct a skinny little¡­you know what? Fine. You¡¯re saved. Make your way back home on your own.¡± Elijah shifted back into his guardian form and started to leave. The girl cut him off by screaming, ¡°No! Don¡¯t go!¡± He turned back to her, asking, ¡°Seriously? Do you want me to stay? Or do you think I¡¯m some creepy kidnapper?¡± Elijah knew she was just a contrary and frightened child, but he definitely didn¡¯t like the implications of her usations. ¡°Stay. Please.¡± He¡¯d never really intended to leave. If he¡¯d had to, he would have thrown her over his shoulder and taken her back home, regardless of what she said about him. Yet, he preferred it if she went willingly. ¡°Fine.¡± With that, he resumed his human form. ¡°I¡¯m Elijah,¡± he said. ¡°And you¡¯re Bryce. Your mom sent me after you.¡± ¡°And dad?¡± ¡°Finest I saw him. Should be home by now,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Which is our next stop, by the way. Your turn.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How did you get treed by a hydra?¡± ¡°Oh. Well, I was trying to get these herbs and ¨C¡± ¡°I know why you came out into the swamp. I¡¯m asking why you picked a fight with that monster,¡± Elijah borated. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Sure. Then tell me what happened. Why did you go anywhere near it? And don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know it was there. I saw that thing well before it saw me, and I wasn¡¯t even trying to be sneaky.¡± ¡°I¡­uh¡­I tried to kill it,¡± she said. ¡°Really.¡± ¡°I thought I stood a chance! I have my archetype and everything!¡± ¡°That thing is probably level fifty. Wait. Do monsters have levels? Or just sapients? I mean, it makes sense that they would have levels,¡± Elijah said, tapping his chin. ¡°I guess I could ask Kurik. I think he intimated that animals did. The orcs definitely. But ¨C¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Bryce asked, her hands on her hips. The girl was tall ¨C even taller than Elijah himself, which really wasn¡¯t that big of an aplishment ¨C and had the gangly awkwardness of most tall teenagers. Otherwise, she was just a normal-looking kid, with blonde hair she wore in a single braid. ¡°Just saying that you had absolutely no chance of killing that monster,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you weren¡¯t immediately eaten. How are you alive, by the way? That poison should have killed you.¡± ¡°I had a potion.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good potion!¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure,¡± Elijah admitted. Anything that let someone as weak as her survive that venom was powerful. Perhaps Konstantinos was a higher-leveled Alchemist than Elijah had originally thought. ¡°But potion or not ¨C that was still stupid. You realize that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she said sullenly. ¡°But I didn¡¯t have a choice. It was¡­oh, God¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The reason I attacked it. It was heading toward the house¡­¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Elijah muttered. If it had been heading in that direction, it just confirmed that it intended to expand its territory. And Elijah wasn¡¯t willing to let it aplish that goal. Bessie the alligator was assuredly a great protector, but against the hydra, the beast had no chance. ¡°Guess we¡¯re doing this, then,¡± he said. ¡°I hope you¡¯re feeling better, because if that thing started back toward the house as soon as we lost it, I don¡¯t have time to drop you off. And I can¡¯t leave you here.¡± Thest thing he wanted was to bring a teenager along with him in a fight that would almost assuredly take everything he had. But as he¡¯d said, there wasn¡¯t much choice in the matter. So, after giving Bryce the benefit of two enhancements ¨C Aura of Renewal and Essence of the Boar ¨C he shifted back into hismer ape form and said, ¡°Hop on. We¡¯ve got a monster to kill.¡± Book 3: Chapter 37: Expansion Book 3: Chapter 37: Expansion ¡°Idiots,¡± said Roman with disgust as he looked out across the battlefield. The sun had long since set, and even though thousands of fighters had already fallen, the battle continued to rage. At one point, the sky had lit up with hundreds of spells, and of all sorts, but most of the Sorcerers and other casters had quickly run out of ethera. Now, the air was filled with the sh of metal on metal as the more physicalbatants fought a bloody and, ultimately, pointless fight. Roman had no idea why Arbor¡¯s leaders had been so resistant. They were clearly outmatched. The battle had been decided before it had even begun. And yet, those leaders had sent their army to die in the field against Easton¡¯s superior force. Certainly, Arbor had more people, but numbers werergely unimportant. When quantity and quality shed, thetter would win every time. Even so, Roman was anxious. It had been quite some time since he¡¯d left the friendly and empowering confines of Easton, and though he was one of the strongest people on the field, he didn¡¯t have the safety of the Seal of Authority to back him up. After all, aside from providing a few measly attribute points, it only worked in the city. So, if he were attacked, he would have to rely on his own abilities rather than the powerful item. Yet, he refused to show his anxiety. Instead, he stood, straight backed and wearing the armor Carmen had created for her second-inmand. As he gazed across the battlefield, he rested his hand on the False Dragon Fang. He knew he cut a striking figure, and one that his people could both respect and aspire to match. He was an inspiration. An example for all of the people who loved, respected, and admired him. A specter of fear for those who might harbor notions of opposing him, too. ¡°The battle is going well,¡± Fiona said. ¡°As always, your Majesty¡¯s leadership has seen us through to victory.¡± ¡°It is not won yet,¡± Roman stated, raising his chin at thepliment. Or Fiona¡¯s statement of fact. Theing end of the battle was a herald of his majesty and proof that he had been chosen by the system to usher humanity into a new age. It was practically divine right. ¡°True. But with your leadership, sess is inevitable.¡±Roman permitted himself a slight smile at that. Night hung over the battlefield, but with the stars and a full moon casting their light upon the shing warriors, everything was visible. Most of Arbor¡¯s forces had been defeated, but there were still a fewrge pockets of resistance. Most notably, at the center of their defensive line was their leader, Morgan. He was a hulking brute of a man, with a massive beard and more muscles than he knew what to do with. But more than anything, when Roman looked at the man, all he could think of was the brute¡¯s indignity. He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his lessers, risking his life like amon soldier. More, he¡¯d paid no attention to his grooming, and he wore armor that looked fit for the scrap heap. Byparison, even the lowliest of Roman¡¯s fighters wore better gear. That was due to the sheer volume of cold iron they¡¯d mined in the past few months. Carmen had done the lion¡¯s share of the work in getting Silverado established ¨C a task Roman had given her more to get her out of the way than because he cared about the potential benefits of such resources ¨C but since her ouster, he¡¯d sent almost a thousand people into the mines. The results were obvious. With their high-quality blue-and-white armor, his people fought better and were far more durable than any force Arbor could muster. The only reason the battle had gone on for so long was due to the fact that Easton¡¯s army had originally been outnumbered nearly two-to-one. In the center of it all was Laramie, his long dreadlocks flying as he whirled around like he¡¯d stepped out of aic book movie. There was so much wasted motion. So many unnecessary twirls and flourishes. Yet, even as distasteful as it was ¨C especially to someone like Roman, who had be something of an expert in the noble art of swordfighting ¨C it was effective enough. Roman could only think that the general¡¯s high attributes and useful skills were the reason. Certainly, it wasn¡¯t his swordfighting techniques. ¡°Does he believe he¡¯s attending a dance?¡± Roman groused. Fiona, who was the only one near enough to hear him, answered, ¡°He is a showboat. A selfishbatant who cares more about how he looks than the effectiveness of his abilities. I¡¯ve seen three people die while he twirls around like a ballerina. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± Roman couldn¡¯t disagree. But he wasn¡¯t surprised. The man was no soldier. Instead, he¡¯d relied solely on his personal prowess and charisma to lead his warband. And while they had been effective, against anyone with even a little discipline, they had been doomed to fail. More than once, Roman had wished he could have spared the time to wipe them out, but his ns required arger army than Easton could field. So, the warband was necessary. Even if using them and their shy general left a bad taste in his mouth. More worrying was the man¡¯s potential influence on the more disciplined soldiers native to Easton. Thest thing Roman wanted was for them to look at Laramie and try to copy his reckless and selfish style. He was no example, and the soldiers of Easton needed to be reminded of that. ¡°After this battle, make certain that our people spend the next few weeks drilling,¡± he said. ¡°Have the sergeants focus on discipline and conformity. We must present a unified front. I do not want any of our core soldiers infected by that man¡¯s influence.¡± ¡°So it will be,¡± Fiona intoned. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. After that, the two went silent, and Roman watched the battle continue to unfold. It went as well as he could have expected, though Easton¡¯s armies lost more people than he wanted to consider. Yet, Arbor¡¯s force was even harder hit, and after a few more hours, only one pocket of resistance remained. Morgan himself stood among a hundred of his strongest and deadliest fighters. Most wore simr armor to the man himself, which meant they were a lusterless bunch who looked like they¡¯d never given any thought to their appearance. They stood in stark contrast to Easton¡¯s fighters, whose armor still gleamed blue and white despite the blood and gore of the battle. Laramie stepped forward, calling out, ¡°Morgan! Face me yourself, and your people will live!¡± ¡°What is he doing?¡± Roman spat. That wasn¡¯t the n. There was no reason to face the dangerous leader of Arbor in singlebat. The battle was already won. Even if Laramie was victorious, there was nothing to be gained. But if he lost, Easton would be down a general. And while Roman didn¡¯t approve of the man¡¯s style, he knew that the warband¡¯s inclusion in the armies of Easton was still too new. Without Laramie, they would drift away. Or cause problems. The big leader of Arbor stepped forward, hefting his giant ive upon his shoulder. Such an inelegant weapon with aughably low bar for basicpetence. He bellowed, ¡°You want some of this?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Laramie replied, also stepping forward to stand before his people. The battle had all but stopped, the exhaustedbatants having stepped back for a brief respite. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal. You fight me. If I lose, you¡¯ll get to go back to your city where you can hole up and resist for as long as you want. But if I win, your people surrender. They¡¯ll be treated well. You have my word on that.¡± ¡°Your word means nothing, warlord,¡± growled Morgan, spitting on the ground. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re not in charge, are you? Where¡¯s your little king? If anyone should fight me, it¡¯s that coward.¡± Roman¡¯s grip on his sword¡¯s hilt tightened. ¡°Do not rise to his taunts, your majesty.¡± He barely heard Fiona¡¯s words, he was so angry. After everything he¡¯d done, after all that he¡¯d sacrificed, someone had the audacity to question his courage? He¡¯d fought and bled for Easton. He¡¯d conquered a tower. He¡¯d done things no man should be asked to do, and all so that they could have a chance at survival. And this barbarian insulted him? It was untenable. But it was also the reason he¡¯d never intended to give Morgan the chance to speak. The man was an uncouthmoner. Amon Warrior with more muscles than brains. And he needed to die. So, Roman strode forward, shouting, ¡°You wish to face me, Morgan? So be it!¡± Fiona said something to try to stop him, but Roman refused to hear her. Instead, he embraced Assassin¡¯s Vigor, which quickened his reactions. As he crossed the battlefield, he drew his sword. No one moved. They didn¡¯t dare. Even the enemy watched with anticipation as the King of Easton descended from on high to walk among them. When he reached his own soldiers, they parted before his passage, and soon enough, he stood next to Laramie, who wore a smirk upon his disrespectful face. ¡°Good of you to join us, your majesty,¡± the dreadlocked man said. ¡°Perhaps you can show us how it is done.¡± A hush fell over the battlefield as thousands of soldiers focused on the two men standing a few dozen feet from one another. ¡°Very well,¡± Roman said softly. Then, without warning, he used his newest ability, called Predation.
Predation Disappear from sight, teleporting behind your foe. Charge based on Dexterity. Current: 2. Cooldown based on Dexterity. Current: 7 Minutes
The moment the ability activated, he disappeared, and an instantter, he was behind Morgan. Then, his sword shed as he used Eviscerate. His single stroke, which Morgan had somehow managed to dodge, was followed by a dozen more, all in quick session. The big man couldn¡¯t stand up to all of them, and soon enough, his armor parted and blood flew. He used some sort of ability which cloaked him in green light, but it was useless, because Roman had followed it up with a spell.
Weaken Inflict your opponent with crippling weakness, cutting their attributes by 60%. Duration based on Dexterity. Current: 3 seconds.
Even as Morgan staggered, wounded and weakened, he swung his great halberd around. But by that point, Roman had already gotten too close. He used Murder:
Murder Instantly y anyone weaker than you. Viability based on total power. Cooldown based on cultivation level. Current: 7 Weeks
Roman buried his sword in the man¡¯s chest, concealing his use of the ability. Morgan, of course, was already dead. It was a shame, too, because Roman would have preferred to make some scathing and belittling remark. Still, the situation had worked out in his favor. So, he pushed the huge man away, letting him tter to the ground in his cheap armor. Then, Roman looked around and said, ¡°Take them all into custody. No one else dies unless absolutely necessary.¡± Then, as he strode back toward Laramie, the forces of Easton surged forward. With what they¡¯d just seen, Arbor¡¯s army was in no state to fight. After all, Morgan was the strongest among them, and he¡¯d single-handedly kept them from being routed. If he had fallen so easily, then what chance did they have? ¡°Impressive,¡± Laramie said with a smile that bordered on insolence. If Roman hadn¡¯t just used all of his most powerful abilities, he might¡¯ve killed Laramie, then and there. But with only his second tier of spells avable, he knew any ensuing fight would be annoyingly close. ¡°As befits your status, my king.¡± Of course, no one else knew just how limited he was. For a single fight against someone at or below his own power level, he was nearly invincible. Yet, if someone was much stronger than him, he would struggle. Or if he had to fight multiple people at once. Still, his skillset was perfect for reminding his underlings why he was the one in charge. Fortunately, Morgan had only been a couple of levels above Roman, so when he¡¯d used Weaken on the barbaric man, it had opened him up to Murder. The rest was just pantomime meant to disguise his true abilities. Still, as annoyed as he was at Laramie for putting him in such a position, Roman was satisfied with the way things had turned out. Not only had they defeated Arbor¡¯s forces, but he¡¯d gotten the chance to show how powerful he was. In addition, he¡¯d gained quite a few more prisoners, which he hoped to put to good use sooner rather thanter. After all, his strategy of leveling via the execution of prisoners was still ongoing. Yes ¨C he was well on his way to satisfying the requirements of his quest. More importantly, he was on the verge of bing the savior the people of Easton ¨C and perhaps Earth ¨C needed. Book 3: Chapter 38: Man or Monster Book 3: Chapter 38: Man or Monster ¡°What are you humming?¡± asked Bryce, who was perched on Elijah¡¯s shoulder as he made his way through the swamp. Because of her gangly height, she kept digging her knee into his neck, which was both annoying and awkward. So, he¡¯d distracted himself by dipping into the facet of his Quartz Mind dedicated to monitoring his Domain. There was something altogetherforting about focusing almost entirely on his ind, about knowing where everything was and where it was supposed to be. With every other facet of his mind, he concentrated on his surroundings. After all, the swamp was still a dangerous ce, and he didn¡¯t want to be caught unawares by a powerful beast with a grudge. And apparently, he¡¯dpsed into humming. ¡°Under Pressure,¡± he said. ¡°By Queen.¡± ¡°God. How old are you?¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m not¡­oh¡­oh, no¡­¡± ¡°What?!¡± she hissed, digging her fingers into his scales. Or trying to, at least. As she did, she whipped her head around, presumably searching for some attacker. ¡°I just realized that I¡¯m over thirty,¡± he groaned. In hismer ape form, it came out as a growl. In the Shape of the Guardian, everything did, really. ¡°It¡¯s official. I¡¯m ancient. It¡¯s all downhill from here.¡± Indeed, at some point during his tenure on the ind, he¡¯d left his twenties behind. He wasn¡¯t precisely sure exactly what date it was, but judging by the seasons, he¡¯d reached the ripe old age of thirty-two. That number had once seemed incredibly high. In a lot of ways, it still did.¡°You scared me to death. Don¡¯t do that,¡± the girl said, pping him on the side of the head. There wasn¡¯t much force behind it, but Elijah wasn¡¯t sure if that was because she was incapable of hitting him harder or if she had intended it yfully. Regardless, it was annoying, which was a good description of his every interaction with Bryce. ¡°I wonder if I was as annoying as you when I was a teenager. I don¡¯t think so. But I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t think of yourself like that, either,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not annoying!¡± ¡°You really are.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one growling something by the queen.¡± He let out a low, rumbling sigh. ¡°Not the queen. Just Queen. You know, Freddie Mercury? The best rock band to have ever existed? Bohemian Rhapsody. We Will Rock You. Under Pressure. You know, Queen?¡± ¡°Ugh. A dad band.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not a¡­you know what, never mind,¡± he muttered. ¡°They¡¯re too good for your ears anyway. You probably like some vapid Disney singer or something.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about me,¡± she argued. ¡°I¡¯m not like ¨C¡± ¡°Shh.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shh me!¡± ¡°I said shut up!¡± he hissed, forcefully lowering his voice. ¡°The hydra is up ahead. About a hundred yards away.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Bryce responded in a whisper. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n?¡± ¡°I was thinking of throwing you at it like a baseball.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m kidding. Shut up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to ¨C¡± ¡°In fact, here,¡± Elijah said, grabbing the girl around the waist and shoving her onto a nearby branch. He looked up at her, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t move. Unless I die horribly. I mean, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen, but who does, right? If I get ughtered by the mythical monster over there, you can move all you like. Probably in the other direction would be my suggestion, but that¡¯ll be up to you.¡± With that, Elijah turned back to the hydra in the distance. It didn¡¯t look like it was in a hurry, which was a good thing. If it had been, it would¡¯ve probably already reached the house. As it was, the thing was still almost a mile off ¨C at least as far as Elijah could figure. Distance and direction were, at times, difficult to gauge in the swamp, so there was every chance that his estimate was a little off. Regardless, he had his target in sight, and he had a couple of ideas about how to kill it. So, he shifted into his human form and waded forward as quietly as possible. He regretted it instantly. There was something altogether grotesque about the way the mud and muck squished between his toes that was so much worse when he wasn¡¯t covered in scales. On top of that, his clothes and equipment immediately soaked through. At least he didn¡¯t have to deal with the leeches, though. Using One with Nature, he felt a few nearby, but they didn¡¯t seem interested in him. Odd, but he wasn¡¯t going to argue with it. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Slowly, Elijah waded closer until he was only a dozen yards away. Then, he adroitly climbed one of the nearby cypress trees. And once he was nestled safely among the branches, he used Swarm. The murky water roiled as a thousand leeches manifested and immediately went for the hydra. Even as theytched onto the curious amalgamation of snake and crocodile, Elijah raised his hand and cast Cmity. Clouds formed overhead, and the wind quickly whipped into a frenzy. Meanwhile, as the ground shook, the hydra ¨C who was already under assault by the leeches ¨C sank into the mud. Waves of murky water crashed into the monster as it struggled to dislodge itself from the mire. At the same time, it aimed its ire at theparatively tiny leechestching onto its limbs. Each strike destroyed one of the leeches, but there were so many that the overall Swarm was barely impacted. Elijah cast Shape of the Predator, shifting into his draconid form. It was ill-suited to swimming, but it was perfectly at home among the tree branches. So, after using Guise of the Unseen ¨C the hydra still had no idea he was even there ¨C he dashed across the limb where he¡¯d been perched and leaped to another. His feet hit without even a whisper of sound, and he continued to race along the canopy until he was directly above the hydra. Then, he used Venom Strike and Predator strike before descending upon its bulky body. The moment hended, he snapped out, wrapping his jaws around one of the monster¡¯s necks, then squeezing with biting force that would turn a real alligator green with envy. And it was just as effective as he¡¯d hoped. He didn¡¯t just tear a chunk out of the thick and sinuous trunk of a neck. Instead, he snapped it into two, sending that head flopping into the water. Elijah didn¡¯t stick around to watch, though. Instead, even as the hydra bucked and twisted, sending its remaining two heads to attack him, he retreated along its spine, scratching and biting the whole way. Even the tiniest nicks in the monster¡¯s thick scales was enough to inflict an instance of Contagion, which Elijah hoped would add a significant burden on the creature¡¯s Regeneration. When he found the monster¡¯s tail, he marshalled his Strength and leaped, sailing high into the air until hetched onto another tree limb. The hydra, who¡¯d whipped around to follow him, mmed into the tree¡¯s trunk a secondter. Despite Elijah¡¯s high Dexterity, the sudden motionbined with his unsure footing to shake him free of the branch. He plummeted toward the murky water ¨C or more importantly, the increasingly enraged hydra. Knowing he didn¡¯t have much choice, Elijah shifted into his guardian form. The transformation didn¡¯tplete until after he¡¯d sshed into the murky water, but only a secondter, with the hydra bearing down on him, Elijah erupted from the mire and hit the monster in a thunderous tackle that smashed it into the nearby tree trunk. The cypress cracked under the herculean impact, but Elijah didn¡¯t see it fall. Instead, he was wholly focused on fending off the remaining two heads. As they had in their first fight, the necks wrapped around him like thergest anacondas in existence. In only a second, he was being squeezed with enough force to crush a boulder. However, Elijah was much sturdier than anyrge rock, so he bore the pressure with stoic resolve. Yet, he knew it wouldn¡¯tst. As strong as he was, and even with his massive Constitution, he had limits. And the hydra was capable of pushing him past them. On top of that, the fanged heads had already returned to their tried-and-true strategy of trying to fill him with holes. What¡¯s more, Elijah was horrified to see that the stump of the head he¡¯d severed had already sprouted two more heads. Earth¡¯s mythology had somehow gotten it right. For every head he removed, two more would take its ce. On top of that, its clearly superior regeneration had already worked to counteract the tidal wave of afflictions that hade via Contagion, the ws of Gluttony, and the army of leeches that had descended upon it. Elijah once again activated Rage, which had juste off cooldown. And thankfully, that sudden surge of Strength gave him just enough power to gain a little room from the constricting necks. He used that tosh out with his jaws, repeatedly ripping chunks away until the monster finally relented. Even as it reeled, Elijah burst free, grabbed it by the neck, and, with a mighty heave, started to spin. At first, the enormous monster refused to move. However, Elijah had spent more than a week toting multi-ton stones, and the hydra, as big as it was, didn¡¯tpare to those hunks of rock. So, after only a little struggle, he was sessful. He spun. The hydra hissed and spit and bit. Elijah had used Iron Scales, so the monster¡¯s fangs mostly skipped off his hide as he pivoted, dragging the creature through the water by its neck. The first revolution was slow. The second picked up some speed. And by the third, Elijah was moving fast enough to make himself dizzy. He kept going for three more revolutions until, atst, he released the hydra. It skipped across the water before mming into a tree. Even from dozens of yards away, Elijah could hear bones cracking from the impact. Or perhaps that was the cypress tree, because only a secondter, it tipped over to fall atop the fallen monster. Elijah loped in that direction, fully intending to rip the monster to pieces. Sure, its Regeneration was insane. It had proven that. And it could regrow its heads. But Elijah was willing to bet on his own power in a match with the hydra¡¯s regenerative abilities. So, he cut across the intervening distance, hellbent on finishing it off. However, just before he reached it, three serious problems presented themselves. First, the tree into which he¡¯d thrown the hydra just happened to be where he¡¯d left Bryce. She¡¯d tumbled free when it had fallen, and she seemed to have made it through okay. Except that she was distressingly close to one of the monster¡¯s heads, which had snaked out from beneath the tree, clearly intent on iming a victim. The second issue was the venom coursing through his body, burning its way through his muscles and veins. His own Regeneration was not up to the task of dealing with that much damage, and he knew he was only minutes away from death. His body would degenerate beyond his control well before that, though. Already, he could feel his muscles liquifying beneath the weight of so much venom. And finally, the third problem was that there was a new arrival to the battle that presented itself by erupting from the mud and muck to mp a giant, oversized w around his waist. Elijah had no idea why the fiddler crab had chosen that very moment to act, but it was the worst possible time. Even as the crab tried to snip him into two pieces, the hydra¡¯s head snapped out, intent on ending Bryce¡¯s life. She screamed. Elijah roared. And the hydra hissed in what sounded like glee. Yet, there was nothing Elijah could do. Book 3: Chapter 39: A Fathers Fury Book 3: Chapter 39: A Father''s Fury Time felt like it was moving in slow-motion as Elijah struggled against the fiddler crab¡¯s oversized w. Even as he levered it apart, he knew it was pointless. The girl, who was fiercely trying to scramble away from the hydra¡¯s snake-like head, was going to die. He could see that as in as day. Then, he felt somethinging. Something big. Something scaley. Something alligator-y. Bessy raced through the swamp with unmatched speed and barreled into the recovering hydra, jaws first. The monster reacted the same way it had against Elijah, by wrapping its necks around the neer. However, Bessie had note alone. Indeed, Konstaninos was perched on the giant alligator¡¯s back, a ss vial in either hand. Screaming a high-pitched warcry, he tossed the potions at the hydra, where they hit and shattered with an audible sizzle. The monster reeled, and Konstaninos ¨C wearing a massive straw hat and a pair of overalls ¨C reached down to his daughter. She grasped his hand, and he yanked her onto the alligator¡¯s back. But as bombastic as Konstantinos¡¯ entrance into the battle was, his potions werergely ineffective as anything but distractions. Fortunately, he recognized that, and Bessy ripped free of the hydra¡¯s attempts to constrict her, then swam away. The hydra tried to follow, but the swamp was the alligator¡¯s natural habitat, and if she didn¡¯t want to be caught, she wasn¡¯t going to be. That distraction gave Elijah the time he needed, and he used that to lever his hands beneath the fiddler crab¡¯s enormous w. With his massive Strength, he levered the w apart, then dove away just in time to avoid being snared again. But the crab was persistent, and it wasn¡¯t going to be ignored. So, rather than attack the hydra ¨C which was still trying to catch Bessy ¨C Elijah had to turn his attention to the giant crab that had interrupted the fight.Heunched himself at it with bestial fury, grabbing its eye stalks and yanking them free. The crab went wild, spinning around and snapping its huge w. But Elijah wasn¡¯t caught unaware, because if there was anything he knew, it was how to kill giant crabs. After all, he¡¯d hunted them enough on his ind that he could call himself an unmatched expert in crab ying. So, he dove beneath the beast, and when he reached the center of the crab, he pushed himself upward. A secondter, he pressed the van-sized creature above his head. It didn¡¯t go willingly, kicking its legs and snapping its w ineffectually. Elijah heaved it toward the hydra. Like a skipping stone, the monster bounced off the water, then hit the reptilian creature hard enough to send it pitching sideways. It didn¡¯t like that, and it reacted like any monster would to a new threat. For a second or two, the two enormous creatures engaged in a furious battle. The crab managed to snip a few chunks of flesh from the hydra¡¯s torso, but it was clearly incapable of standing up to the mightier monster¡¯s concerted attacks. As a result, it was only a few moments before its shell cracked beneath the hydra¡¯s powerfully constricting necks. It didn¡¯tst long after that. But it was the dy Elijah had needed to shift back to his human form and use Healing Rain. He also pulsed Touch of Nature a couple of times, bringing himself back to workable condition. He would have preferred a few more, but that just wasn¡¯t in the cards. As he cast, he yelled at Konstantinos, ¡°We need to stop it from regenerating!¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t got nothin¡¯ can do that!¡± the Alchemist yelled from where he¡¯d directed Bessy to stop. ¡°Shit,¡± growled Elijah. It was clear that he was going to have to do it the hard way, which meant wearing the hydra down, one bit at a time. There had to be a limit to its Regeneration, after all, and Elijah knew that the only chance for Konstantinos and his family to survive was to find that limit and push the monster past it. So, he once again used Swarm, then Cmity. Leeches surged all around the hydra,tching onto its legs and the lower half of its body. All the while, they administered their afflictions. In the meantime, the other spell went to work, causing chaos as well as minor damage against the powerful monster. But Elijah was more concerned with the distraction as he leaped up to a branch and pulled himself free of the muck. When he did, he shifted into his draconid form. In the chaos of Cmity, the hydra had lost track of him, so he had no issues with adopting the Guise of the Unseen. Under the cover of his stealth ability, he stalked forward, leaping from one branch to another until he was directly above the hydra. Then, as he had before, he pounced and bit. This time, he targeted the base of the neck, ripping through it with his powerful jaws. At the same time, hetched on with his front ws, digging in as he raked his back ws across its scaled hide. He ripped it to shreds, but more importantly, he administered a multitude of instances of Contagion. Without his Quartz Mind, he wouldn¡¯t have been capable of multi-tasking like that, but with itbined with his high Dexterity, he had no issues controlling each of his limbs independently. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. His opportunity was limited, though. So, as he felt the hydra recover, he bounded away, and another head flopped free. He knew it wasn¡¯t going to be enough. Already, there were two other heads growing from the stump of the other neck he¡¯d severed earlier in the battle. But he could only hope to overwhelm the monster¡¯s Regeneration. As he reached another limb, Elijah considered another solution. It was a long shot, but as he raced across the limbs, he wondered if it was precisely the strategy they needed to win the fight. So, after shifting back to his human form and once again using Swarm and Cmity ¨C which drained his ethera to a shocking degree ¨C Elijah shouted down to Konstantinos, ¡°I need fire!¡± ¡°Fire?¡± ¡°Burn the stumps!¡± Konstantinos yelled back, ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°I can do it!¡± Bryce interrupted, a fireball already blooming at her fingertips. Before anyone could stop her, she aimed that ball of fire at the hydra and tossed it. Of course, it went wide. Elijah could empathize. After all, he¡¯d been forced to spend countless hours practicing with Storm¡¯s Fury before he could even begin to rely on his aim. Yet, as understandable as her poor technique was, it had the unfortunate consequence of summoning the ire of the hydra. It raced forward, one full-sized head and two that were only half the normal size. Though that meant they were still as big as a normal anaconda. On top of that, Elijah could see a couple of much smaller snakes already wriggling free of the other stump. Instead of his various afflictions taxing the monster¡¯s Regeneration to failure, it seemed that its power of healing had only increased. But more distressingly, the hydra¡¯s sudden charge had taken Bessy by surprise. She dashed to the side, her meaty tail propelling her away with frightening speed. So, she wasn¡¯t in any danger of being caught. Yet, that sudden movement had sent the unbnced Bryce tumbling face-first into the water. With its other target having already dashed out of range, the hydra was quick to reorient on the fallen Bryce. Even as Konstantinos shouted and tried to redirect Bessy, the hydra bore down on the teenage girl. Elijah made a decision. He knew he didn¡¯t have much chance. Each time he¡¯d tried to fight the monster in hismer ape form, he¡¯d gotten the worst of the exchange. Sure, he¡¯d escaped a couple of times, but he¡¯d gotten to the point where if he took too many more hits from those venomous fangs, he would run dry of ethera. Yet, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from leaping to the girl¡¯s rescue. Shifting into his guardian form mid-air, he leaped upon the hydra¡¯s back. It reacted the same way it always did, by abandoning every other goal to wrap its necks around Elijah¡¯s body. It squeezed and bit. He returned that with a couple of bites of his own. However, with thebination of the monster¡¯s enormous regeneration and the fact that he didn¡¯t possess any venom of his own ¨C not in themer ape form, at least ¨C Elijah definitely got the worse of the exchange. The monster repeatedly struck, subjecting him to increasingly more venom. At the same time, it squeezed. Vaguely, Elijah was aware that the others were trying to help, but his every thought was focused on doing as much damage as he possibly could. Somewhere in the back of his mind ¨C beneath all the pain of having his bones crushed and the burning venom coursing through him ¨C he thought that if he did enough damage, it might give Konstantinos and Bryce a chance to survive. Yet, if he¡¯d have looked at it objectively, he¡¯d have recognized just how useless it was. However, he had one more card to y. One more ability to use. Guardian¡¯s Renewal beckoned. With a flick of his mind, Elijah couldpletely recover. But to what end? Even if he returned toplete health, he was still trapped. It would only prolong his life for a few more minutes. Fortunately, he was not alone. Bessy returned to the fight, Konstantinos roaring from her back as the alligator leaped free of the swampy water and snapped her jaws shut on the hydra¡¯s lone remaining full-sized head. With the famous biting power of her species, she ripped through the thick muscles and severed its spine. And just like that, Elijah was falling into the water. He still had the neck wrapped around him, but its muscles had lost all tension, so he had little trouble tearing free. Once he did, he was forced to use Guardian¡¯s Renewal tobat the venom melting through him. He threw himself free of the water, wrapped his ws around the half-grown heads, and used every point of Strength he could muster to wrench them free of the stump. They resisted for a brief moment, but after only a second, muscles tore and bones of the monster''s vertebrae broke. ¡°Burn it now!¡± he screamed. Bryce was close enough that her poor aim was inconsequential, and after she summoned her fireball, she tossed it at the monster¡¯s stumpy neck. Then, she did it again. And again after that. Flesh seared, sealing the monster¡¯s healing. But Elijah knew it was a long way from dead. So, leading the way with his ws, he leaped upon the monster¡¯s back and started digging into the wounds he¡¯d already inflicted. At first, it seemed ineffective, but after only a few moments, he began to make progress. A little while longer, and he¡¯d managed to reach its organs. Then, Elijah switched to his draconid form, using thest of his ethera in the process. But it was necessary. Not only did the forme with the passive enhancement of Contagion, but in that shape, he could also repeatedly use Venom Strike so long as he had plenty of stamina. And considering that Guardian¡¯s Renewal had returned his body to perfect condition, he had plenty of stamina to spare. So, without having to worry about retribution, he went to work, using Venom Strike with every single swipe of his ws. He quickly became fatigued, but the effects were noticeable as thick, ck tendrils of rot spread through the hydra¡¯s organs. But the monsters Regeneration was ridiculously powerful, and it waged quite a battle with Elijah¡¯s efforts. Still, after a few more minutes, it finally started to lose ground until, atst, the hydra perished. By that point, Elijah was running on empty. His ethera was gone. His stamina was depleted. And he¡¯d used every cooldown he had. Yet, the monster was dead. And he¡¯d received quite the reward for it as well. He looked at thest notification in a long list:
Congrattions! You have reached sixty-one. Attribute points allocated ording to your ss.
It was an incredible boost, and more levels than he¡¯d gotten at one time since he¡¯d been forced to mercy kill the panther. More importantly, he¡¯d passed level sixty, gaining a new ability. And it was a powerful one, too. Book 3: Chapter 40: A Debt Owed Book 3: Chapter 40: A Debt Owed Riding an alligator in the middle of a swamp was an odd sensation, but Elijah had to admit it wasn¡¯t even the strangest thing to have happened that day. Instead, thatbel belonged the fact that he had battled ¨C and defeated ¨C a literal hydra, not unlike the one from Earth¡¯s mythology only an hour before. It was just one more oddity to add to the list of curiosities he¡¯d experienced since Earth was touched by the World Tree. And he knew it wasn¡¯t going to be thest, either. The world had grown into something magical and often unrecognizable, so the existence of mythological beasts shouldn¡¯t have even moved his needle. Yet it had,rgely because the thing had been powerful enough to nearly kill him. In fact, if it hadn¡¯t been for the quick intervention of the other two people riding the alligator ¨C and Bessy herself ¨C he would have found his end at the bottom of the hydra¡¯s gullet. Of course, he never would have been in the swamp if it hadn¡¯t been for Konstantinos and his wayward daughter, Bryce. Still, seeing the father and daughter together, he considered hisbors to have been worth it. At that moment, Bryce nced back at him and frowned. ¡°Why are you grinning like that? It¡¯s creepy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re creepy,¡± Elijah countered. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± The teenage girl shook her head and rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to the swamp before them. Elijah needed to do no such thing. Or rather, he was already paying attention to everything around them via One with Nature. He didn¡¯t need his eyes to see everything in the general vicinity. So, he once again turned his attention to the day¡¯s gains. First, he looked at his updated status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 61
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 94 (72)
Dexterity 79 (64)
Constitution 72 (62)
Ethera 70
Regeneration 84 (64)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Stone Hatchling Quartz Neophyte
He still had his enhancements ¨C or buffs, as the people of Argos called them ¨C active, so his attributes were pretty well inted. It was especially noticeable because of his equipment, which added an extra twelve Strength and five Dexterity. It would have been even more if it had been a bit chillier. After all, because of the Cloak of the Iron Bear¡¯s Cold-Blooded ability, he would gain attributes as temperatures dropped. Not very useful in the hot and humid swamp, but at least Temperate still kept him from sweltering. In any case, his attributes had well and truly reached superhuman levels. Of course, he already knew that. It hadn¡¯t been that long ago that he¡¯d toted multi-ton rocks for miles in order to build his Dragon Circle. Still, it was nice to see his power quantified by hard numbers. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. However, Elijah was more interested in the new addition to his spellbook he¡¯d received after crossing the level sixty threshold:
Soothe Heal arge amount of damage over a short amount of time. Duration: 60 seconds.
He¡¯d already tried it out on Bryce and Konstantinos, both of whom had taken incidental damage during the fight, and he was pleasantly surprised by the effects. From what he could tell using that small sample size, the new spell worked like abination of Touch of Nature and Aura of Renewal. Itsted sixty seconds, but during that time, it injected a small amount of healing for every three seconds that passed. Altogether, those twenty pulses were slightly more effective than a single cast of Touch of Nature. Yet, it had both pros and cons. Due to the nature of the spell, it took sixty seconds to get the full effect. That meant that it wasn¡¯t sufficient tobat truly urgent needs. However, it made up for that with its efficiency as well as convenience. It cost a fraction of the ethera necessary to cast Touch of Nature, which meant that it was far and away the most efficient method of healing he had avable. And on top of that, it had one major benefit ¨C he could cast it from a short distance away ¨C no more than ten feet, he¡¯d found. That had always been the issue with Touch of Nature. As the name implied, it required that he touch his patient. Soothe solved that problem, though in a roundabout way. It wouldn¡¯t rece Touch of Nature, he was certain. But rather, it would be a nice addition to his spellbook. Already, Elijah was thinking of a hundred different situations where it would havee in handy, but the most recent battle against the hydra was the most ring among them. If he¡¯d had that avable, he might not have had to use Guardian¡¯s Renewal to curtail the effects of the monster¡¯s venom. But what was done was done. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t need the powerful restoration before the week-long cooldown was up. All of that went through Elijah¡¯s mind as they cut through the swamp. As it turned out, he¡¯d gotten turned around at some point, and they were much further away from Konstantinos¡¯ homestead than he¡¯d first expected. So, it took a couple of hours before they reached the collection of tin-roofed houses. When they did, they were greeted by the same gaggle of excited children and a very relieved-looking Marcy. It wasn¡¯t long before they climbed onto the dock, and Elijah was shown to an outdoor shower stall. Thankfully, it was enclosed, so he wasted no time before he stripped off and took a shower using his homemade soap. He also took some time to wash the muck from his clothes, though much of it persisted through his efforts. He could have used some of his cleansing powder, but he didn¡¯t have enough to just use it whenever he liked. Besides, he knew he still had some time left in the swamp ¨C after all, it was still between him and Seattle ¨C so he figured he¡¯d wait until he¡¯d left it behind before truly banishing the muck from his life. Still, he spent a good while making sure he got his clothes as clean as possible. Then, he donned a different ¨C and clean ¨C set of clothes so he wouldn¡¯t contaminate the house. Thus clean, he gathered his things and headed inside, where he found the chaotic situation he should have expected, given the number of children. ¡°Sorry,¡± said Marcy, looking up when he came into the living area. ¡°Bit of a madhouse, ain¡¯t it? Never thought I¡¯d have ten kids to care for at my age, but it is what it is, I guess. Wouldn¡¯t trade it for the world.¡± The interior of the house was cozy, with a rough-hewn look that matched the exterior. However, it had that ephemeral quality that was hard to pin down but marked it as a home, rather than simply a house. Part of it was atmosphere. Some of it was the presence of soft fabrics. Knickknacks. Memories. Pictures. Elijah hadn¡¯t felt anything like it since he¡¯d been in his childhood home. Sure, his treehouse on his ind was his home. But it certainly wasn¡¯t homey. After a few moments, Konstantinos led him out to the back deck, where they sat in a pair of chairs that overlooked the swamp. Night had begun to fall, which cast the mire in deep shadow. That same air of mystery Elijah had experienced before returned, and now that he wasn¡¯t waist-deep in murky water, he could truly appreciate it. Konstantinos offered him an unmarked, brown ss bottle, saying, ¡°My special brew.¡± ¡°Beer?¡± asked Elijah. The thin man nodded, then scratched his beard before taking off his cap and wiping the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t know how you stand wearin¡¯ that fur coat in this heat,¡± the man said before taking a sip of his own beer. Elijah did the same, then settled back in his chair with a sigh. ¡°Just part of my style,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal with the alligator? She¡¯s a guardian, right? Where¡¯s her natural treasure?¡± Konstantinos shook his head before taking another pull from the bottle. ¡°Some strangers came in and took it. Giant sunflower. It was at least four feet across,¡± he said. ¡°They came in, attacked ¡®er, then made off with the flower. She was too wounded to follow. That¡¯s how I found ¡®er. My pops used to work a gator farm down in the des, so I always had a soft spot for ¡®em. Anyway, I brewed up some potions and nursed ¡®er back to health. After that, she followed me home. Been with me ever since.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°Yep. Way I see it, she reced the treasure she lost with guardin¡¯ me and the kids,¡± he said. ¡°Normally, she don¡¯t take kindly to strangers. Makes it odd that she seemed so taken with you.¡± ¡°Not my first encounter with a guardian. They like me.¡± ¡°ss?¡± ¡°Archetype. Plus, I know how to treat them. Give them some food, and most of the time, theye around pretty quick.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth.¡± After that, the pairpsed into an easy silence thatsted until the sun had fully set. Then, Konstantinos said, ¡°I just want you to know how much I appreciate what you did. Not many folks would step out like that and risk theirself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. But I think more people than you think would¡¯ve done the same thing,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I know there are probably some rough people out there. Some bad ones. But I have to believe there are plenty of good ones, too. I¡¯ve run into a few.¡± ¡°Hope you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t want the kids to grow up in the kind of world where folks won¡¯t help one another out.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± That¡¯s when Marcy came outside to tell them that dinner was ready. She¡¯d made chili, which, as luck would have it, was one of Elijah¡¯s favorite foods. So, he ate it gratefully before turning his attention to the children. After a bit of prodding, he tried to address their issue, but it wasn¡¯t long before he recognized that there was nothing to heal. Not really. It was more like their bodies had changed. So, he had no choice but to assume that Konstantinos¡¯ assessment was correct. Hopefully, when they reached the age where they could choose an archetype and start leveling, they would get better. Until then, the potions were the only choice. ¡°I have another Alchemist friend how might be able to help,¡± Elijah said in the wake of his failure to fix the issue. He settled onto a couch with patterned upholstery that belonged in the early eighties. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll want toe all the way out here, but I¡¯d be happy to ask.¡± That offer was met with enthusiastic approval. Soon enough, the children were put to bed, leaving Elijah alone with the adults. And Bryce, who seemed a little less annoying than she had in the swamp. Apparently, her parents had made it abundantly clear how disappointed they were with her actions, which had subdued some of her spirit. Or perhaps that was the tant consequences of her actions, which had very nearly gotten them all killed. Contrition was probably a good reaction to that sort of thing. In any case, she soon disappeared into the back of the house as well, which gave Elijah the opportunity to tell Konstantinos and Marcy an abbreviated version of his story. He left out the more magical bits, only telling them that he¡¯d been stranded alone for quite some time. ¡°And now I¡¯m trying to get to Seattle to see if I can find my sister,¡± he said. Marcy shook her head, saying, ¡°To think that Seattle is as close as it is now. Before the world changed, this was Louisiana.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know how close it actually is,¡± Elijah countered. ¡°It could be a thousand miles away for all I know.¡± ¡°It ain¡¯t,¡± Konstantinos stated. ¡°That¡¯s where them men who took the sunflower came from. I heard ¡®em talkin¡¯ about it before I knew what they was about. It ain¡¯t close, but it ain¡¯t thousands of miles away, neither. They made that clear.¡± That was an encouraging statement. Soon, it was time to retire for the night. They didn¡¯t have an extra bed, but they gave Elijah some nkets and a pillow so he could sleep on the couch. He¡¯d certainly slept on worse, so he was grateful for their hospitality. It wasn¡¯t long before he¡¯d settled in. Before he sumbed to unconsciousness, he acknowledged that he felt good about his actions. Not only had he gained some levels, but he¡¯d also helped good people, which was equally important. So, he went to sleep satisfied with the day¡¯s work. Book 3: Chapter 41: Deserters Book 3: Chapter 41: Deserters Carmen was in her element. After spending so long away from the forge, she¡¯d nearly forgotten how much of her identity had be wrapped around being a cksmith. But now that she¡¯d been given ess to a smithy ¨C even if it was poorly equipped ¨C she was reminded why she¡¯d chosen the path of the crafter that first day of the apocalypse. At the time, she¡¯d thought it was because of her past working with primitive skills, but since then, she¡¯de to recognize the simple joy of creation that came from her work. That was why she did it. And more than anything, she wished Miguel would follow in her footsteps. Being able to hold his own in a fight was important. Necessary, even. However, she¡¯d never wanted him to devote his life to violence. Still, the boy had all but chosen his path. He worshipped Colt, and he spent the vast majority of his time training. She just hoped he wasn¡¯t doing it solely in pursuit of a revenge he would probably never get. Carmen had followed that path, albeit briefly, and she knew it was bound to end in ruin. She didn¡¯t want that for her son. Since her failures ¨C and there were so many of them that she¡¯d lost count ¨C she had vowed to leave that sort of thing behind. Instead, she would focus on survival. And once that was assured, she would rededicate her life to creation. Because that was infinitely better than pursuing violence. Of course, Carmen wasn¡¯t so deluded that she thought she¡¯d always feel the same. Anytime her mind fluttered past the memories of what Roman had done to Alyssa ¨C and to Colt, as well as all the people who¡¯d died in the rebellion ¨C her anger red. Working the forge was a useful coping mechanism for that. Nothing was quite as therapeutic as repeatedly banging her hammer into hot metal. Well, nothing except doing the same to a certain tyrant¡¯s head. Perhaps she hadn¡¯t moved quite as far past the notion of violence as she wanted to believe. In any case, she focused on the task at hand, which was to bring the town of Eber¡¯s smithy up to her standards. The first step was repairing the forge, which was little more than a fire pit surrounded by a few bricks. Such a design was serviceable, but it was better to build an actual furnace, if for no other reason than so that it could maintain heat for longer. In the back of her mind, though, Carmen could acknowledge that her insistence on building a proper forge was based at least partially on a sense ofpletion and order. Such a structure appealed to her perfectionism.With that in mind, she started in on the process. It wasn¡¯t difficult. There were plenty of bricks around. On top of that, she could spare the ethera to use Bond to create an airtight seal between bricks. It was time-consuming, though, and it took most of the day to finish the project to her standards. After returning to the longhouse to eat a hearty meal that tasted better than almost anything she¡¯d ever eaten, Carmen started in on creating a proper anvil. Once that was finished, she forged some tools. And finally, just before the end of the day, shepleted work on a pedal-operated grinder. As she stood at the entrance to the smithy, she put her hands on her hips and let out a relieved sigh. It hade together better and more quickly than she ever could have expected. Much of the burden had been eased by her various techniques and skills, but her inted Strength certainly came in handy as well. ¡°Oh, this is wonderful!¡± came Wendy¡¯s voice. Carmen turned to see the grey-haired woman grinning broadly as she beheld the remodeled smithy. So, she said, ¡°It¡¯s passable. I still need a proper smelter. And I¡¯d like to forge some good files for detail work. But for now, it¡¯ll do the job.¡± ¡°It is fantastic!¡± the woman insisted, clutching her hands before her. Carmen wiped her dirty hands on a rag, then wrapped it over her shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t believe none of you are crafters,¡± she said. ¡°How did that happen?¡± ¡°A quirk of coincidence,¡± Wendy answered. ¡°Some coincidence. What about the two missing people?¡± she asked. They¡¯d only been in Eber for three days, but each night had seen a single deserter. First, it had been Diana, but then Seth had disappeared during the second night. Now, Theresa, of all people, was missing. ¡°Our hunters tracked them for a few miles,¡± Wendy said. ¡°But we didn¡¯t dare go any further than that. The wilderness is dangerous.¡± Carmen sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that,¡± she acknowledged. It was terrible that the others hadn¡¯t even bothered to tell anyone they were leaving, but she understood it. They were probably resentful to have been banished like everyone else. Or that was how Carmen justified their sudden departure. In the back of her mind, though, doubts persisted. She chose not to pay attention to that sort of paranoia. Eber had turned out to be a paradise. The people were kind, there was plenty of food, and there was a chance for each of them to create a real life. Even more importantly, they didn¡¯t have to worry about monster attacks. The three days of safety they¡¯d experienced since their arrival had been enough to bring Carmen nearly to tears. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. No - if the deserters couldn¡¯t see what an opportunity the town represented, that was their problem. ¡°Can you make equipment, now? We do not have much steel, but we have done some scavenging,¡± Wendy stated. ¡°Yeah,¡± Carmen answered, looking at the scrap metal with which she had been provided. Most of it was rebar, but there were some old car parts and a lot of steel tools as well. In all, there was at least a few hundred pounds of usable material, which meant that it was enough to make plenty of equipment. ¡°What do you want me to work on? Armor or weapons?¡± ¡°Armor.¡± ¡°You know a good weapon can make ¨C¡± ¡°Armor, please. Especially breasttes. As sturdy as you can create,¡± Wendy stated. ¡°Alright¡­I can do that,¡± Carmen said. ¡°But I can¡¯t get started until tomorrow. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Wendy answered. ¡°You should work at your own pace. Obviously.¡± ¡°Oh. Good. I¡¯m starving.¡± Hearing that, Wendy smiled broadly and ushered Carmen through the town and to the longhouse, where everyone else had already begun to dig into the extravagant meal they¡¯d been provided. ¡°You really know how to put on a feast,¡± Carmen said, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. ¡°Indeed. It is the one thing we can do well,¡± she said. ¡°Go. Eat. We¡¯ll talk about your project in the morning.¡± Carmen didn¡¯t need any more encouragement, and she quickly found a spot at the table, where she started shoveling meat, potatoes, and vegetables onto her te. As she ate, she steadily lost all sense of decorum, and soon enough, she was using her bare hands to stuff as much food as she could into her mouth. Even after she¡¯d sated her hunger, she kept going. It wasn¡¯t until she felt like she was on the verge of bursting that she leaned back and really looked at the people who¡¯d followed her into exile. Each and every one of them had food and grease smeared all over their faces. They were all smiling, too. However, there were a couple with tears streaming down their cheeks. Clearly, they were overjoyed at the abundance before them. It was a testament to how much they¡¯d been through that a simple meal could bring them to tears. She was busy ruminating on that when someone grabbed her shoulder. Instincts born from weeks in the wilderness ¨C where every step brought new threats ¨C came to the fore. She whipped around and exploded out of her seat. Before she knew what she was doing, she had her assant by the throat and had mmed her against the wall. That¡¯s when her mind caught up to her instincts and she realized who it was. A blonde woman ¨C the same one who¡¯d greeted them on that first day ¨C stared back at her, clearly unimpressed. Carmen released the woman¡¯s neck, vaguely noticing that her fingers had left no marks. In fact, the blonde woman¡¯s skin hadn¡¯t felt quite right. Not nearly as stic as normal skin. Perhaps it was a skill. Or maybe her Constitution was just that high. In any case, Carmen was embarrassed to have reacted so violently, so she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Old habits.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said. Then, her eyes flicked to the others at the table. Carmen followed her gaze, but she was surprised to see that no one had reacted to her outburst. Instead, they continued to stuff their faces. The woman asked, ¡°May we speak in private? What I have to say is not for ¨C¡± ¡°Wi!¡± came a shout from the door. Carmen turned to see that Wendell was standing there, anger clearly etched on his face. ¡°Leave our guests alone. You have responsibilities.¡± Wi started to say something, but then thought better of it. With a sigh, her shoulders drooped, and she said, ¡°Yes. I was just here to ensure our¡­guests had everything they needed.¡± ¡°They do.¡± ¡°I see that now. I will take my leave,¡± Wi said. Then, to Carmen, and without moving her mouth, she whispered, ¡°Run.¡± After that, she slipped around Carmen and marched toward the door. Confused, Carmen watched the woman until she¡¯d left the longhouse behind. The moment she was gone, the kindly-looking Wendell grinned broadly and asked if everyone was enjoying their supper. When they said they were, he encouraged them to, ¡°Eat, eat! There¡¯s plenty more where that came from!¡± Then, he left everyone ¨C including a slightly confused Carmen ¨C behind. ¡°What¡¯s up, boss?¡± asked Colt, looking up from where he¡¯d been shoving food into his face. He looked so uncharacteristically enthusiastic. Normally, he was the epitome of stoicism. But now¡­ Carmen¡¯s issues melted away. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said, the incident all but forgotten. ¡°Just making sure we have everything we need.¡± Then, she sat down and continued to eat, not stopping until thest of the food was gone. Even then, everyone present looked for more, and when they didn¡¯t find it, they left disappointed. That night, Carmen slept poorly, so she was a little cranky ¨C and hungry ¨C when she woke up the next morning. Fortunately, there was another feast for breakfast, which everyone took to with gusto. But there was one person missing. ¡°Where¡¯s Charles?¡± she asked around a mouthful of porridge. Colt shrugged. ¡°Must¡¯ve wanted to move on,¡± he said. ¡°Same as the others.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Carmen muttered. Was she so terrible that the other refugees would leave such a paradisical town just to get away from her? Clearly, they¡¯d harbored quite a lot of enmity, if they¡¯d so readily leave safety, food, andmunity behind. And without even saying goodbye. She looked around. How many others were nning to leave? They all looked happy enough, but so had the others. Sighing, Carmen pushed away from the table. ¡°You¡¯re done? There¡¯s plenty left,¡± Colt said. He¡¯d already eaten what had to be his weight in porridge and fat, greasy sausages, but he¡¯d kept going all the same. There was something else off about him, though Carmen couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what it was. Still it was like a burr in her mind. ¡°Not hungry,¡± she answered, gripping his shoulder reassuringly. It was mmy and wet with sweat. ¡°I¡¯m going to get the forge up and running, see if I can start working on the armor Wendy asked me to make. I need to earn my keep, after all.¡± ¡°Suit yourself,¡± he said, going back to his meal. That¡¯s when she realized what was wrong. ¡°Where is your sword?¡± ¡°Oh, that? I didn¡¯t think I needed it ¡®round here,¡± he said. ¡°No monsters to fight, right? Why would I carry that useless thing around?¡± That made sense, though it still struck Carmen as wrong. But if he didn¡¯t want to carry a sword, she certainly wouldn¡¯t make him. The less violence in the world, the better, as far as she was concerned. So, with a shrug, she once again reiterated her n, then headed out to the forge to get to work. As she traversed the vige, she couldn¡¯t help but notice how many of the townspeople watched her, most of whom wore the same nk expressions that she¡¯d seen from a few people the first time she¡¯d led her people into town. ¡°Weird,¡± she muttered, wondering if she¡¯d done something wrong. Perhaps they were angry that she hadn¡¯t held up her end of the bargain. That made some sense. So, Carmen resolved to get a few pieces done, just to show that she was willing to work for all that amazing food she¡¯d been given. Book 3: Chapter 42: Valosta Book 3: Chapter 42: Valosta Elijah finally climbed free of the bog with a deep sense of relief that was so prevalent that it made him want to simply flop onto his back and rest. Yet, just because he¡¯d found the edge of the mire, that didn¡¯t mean he had fully left the swamp behind. The ground was still moist, and the same wildlife still pervaded the environment. So, he knew he still had miles to go before he could realistically put the swamp behind him. So, he continued to trudge along, one facet of his mind focused on his surroundings while the rest were dedicated to his wandering thoughts. He¡¯d left Konstantinos¡¯ homestead behind three days before, but he still couldn¡¯t escape idle spection as to their condition. The children, especially, worried him. Even so, there was nothing he could do for now, so he struggled to push them out of mind. Instead, he tried to focus on what was ahead. Chiefly, he thought about Seattle and what he hoped would be a reunion with his sister and the rest of her family. Alyssa had visited about a year before he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, but even before the world had been transformed, it had been years since he¡¯d seen Carmen or Miguel in person. Had they changed as much as he had? What archetypes and sses had they taken? He knew Alyssa well enough to expect her to have chosen something action-oriented. She was a fighter, and her archetype choice would have reflected that. As for Carmen, that was a bit more difficult to predict. From her physique, most would have anticipated a Warrior archetype for the stocky Latina. Yet, Elijah expected that she would have chosen something with more utility than that. As far as Miguel ¨C he wasn¡¯t even old enough to have been offered an archetype. From the guides Elijah had read, that usually didn¡¯t happen until a year or so after puberty, and for humans, that meant somewhere between fourteen and sixteen. For Bryce, she¡¯d gotten her Sorcerer archetype a few days after she¡¯d turned fourteen. Given that around four years had passed since Earth had been touched by the World Tree, Miguel would be twelve or thirteen. So, there was every chance that he was on the verge of receiving his archetype. Maybe he could be a Druid, too. It would be nice to pass his knowledge onto the younger generation. But then again, Elijah had been told that Druids were fairly rare. On top of that, they were generally considered a weak archetype, at least until they got a few levels under them. Versatility usually came with a distinct cost, bringing to mind the old saying about being a jack of all trades, but a master of none. Of course, there was more to that quote.¡°A jack of all trades is a master of none,¡± Elijah said aloud. ¡°But is oftentimes better than a master of one.¡± So, perhaps the real quote was even more applicable than the shortened and often mistaken version would suggest. In any case, he wasn¡¯t so sure that he had a lot of knowledge to pass on to any potential students like Miguel. More often than not, he flew by the seat of his pants, and while that had so far been sessful, it wasn¡¯t very helpful in a teaching endeavor. Elijah knew, because he¡¯d worked various stints as a teacher¡¯s assistant during graduate school. And to put it mildly, he was not good at it. Perhaps that had something to do with his general apathy towards his former field of study. Regardless, as he left the swamp behind, Elijah amused himself by imagining how he might impart his druidic knowledge to another generation. Like that, time passed and thendscape changed. Swamp gave way to londs, and those londs became a coastal in ¨C which was odd, considering that, as far as he could tell, there was no ocean nearby. Just more evidence of how the world had been transformed. None of the terrain made any sense, and the signs of former habitation were scattered. It wasn¡¯t umon to find bits of a suburban neighborhood right next to untapped wilderness, and Elijah even stumbled across the aftermath of a broken dam that had ended with an entire town flooded. He didn¡¯t have the fortitude to investigate further. But judging by the fact that only the tallest buildings were visible above the newke, Elijah expected that the death toll had been quite significant. He had no interest in seeing that, so he quickly left the site of that tragedy behind. There were also plenty of old businesses, strip malls, and big box stores. Elijah did take the time to investigate those, though he found nothing of worth aside from a few extra containers. Even if he¡¯d found something interesting, he wouldn¡¯t have had the space to take it with him. His pack was bigger on the inside than it appeared to be from without, but Elijah estimated its carrying capacity was only around three times that of a normal pack of its size. So, space was quite limited. The end result was that he passed up quite a few things he thought would be useful. Like when he found an intact electronics store stocked with all sorts of entertainment options. Sure, he didn¡¯t have ess to electricity ¨C the transformation of the world had ruined the power grid ¨C but he expected that sr panels might work. Not that he had any of those avable, and even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t really have the expertise necessary to get what he wanted out of them. Still, that small issue aside, and as eager as he was to introduce some of the people of Ironshore to the glories of the cinematic experience, he simply didn¡¯t have the means to tote a seventy-inch television around. But he did snag a small but nice collection of ssic DVDs and aptopputer, just in case he found what he needed to make them work. It was an odd feeling, walking through the ruins of a civilization he¡¯d once taken for granted. On the one hand, he was reminded of the sheer degree of consumerism that had infected Earth, but on the other, he also couldn¡¯t forget all the convenience he¡¯d once enjoyed. Never was that clearer than when he¡¯d pass a half-destroyed fast-food restaurant or an abandoned Starbucks, which inevitably prompted distinct cravings for a Big Mac or a cappino. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. But those cravings went unaddressed. Sure, he had his tea. And his berries. He¡¯d also developed at least some level of ability as a campfire cook. But there was just no substitute for the sugary drinks or greasy foods to which most of America had been addicted. Eventually, though, Elijah crested a low hill, and he saw a huge, white house surrounded by manicured grounds characterized by lines of ancient oak trees. Nearby, Elijah saw a small town of low buildings, and on the far side of the settlement, there were acres of corn stalks. For a long time, he just watched. There were probably two-hundred people dwelling in the town and around thirty or so that lived in what looked like a ntation house. The two poptions intermixed, though, and to Elijah, they looked fairly happy and prosperous. So, after making sure he wasn¡¯t about to walk into a dangerous environment, he descended the hill and approached the walled town. There, he saw a couple of men standing guard. Both carriedpound bows made of some sort ofposite and were dressed in blue jeans and tee-shirts dering their outdated loyalty to one sports team or another. ¡°Where¡¯d youe from?¡± asked one of the guards. He was middling height, with a slight paunch and a bald head beneath a red cap. The other man was dressed simrly, though with a ck cowboy hat. He was also a few inches taller and a lot more muscr, though Elijah thought there was enough resemnce between the pair that they could have been brothers. Or at least cousins. Whatever the case, he answered, ¡°Most recently, a swamp that I wouldn¡¯t wish on anybody. But before that, a town called Argos.¡± ¡°You American?¡± ask the muscle-bound guard. ¡°Of course he¡¯s American, idiot,¡± said the shorter man as he dismissively pped hisrade in the arm. ¡°You heard him, right?¡± ¡°The system trantes stuff.¡± ¡°ents, Bruce,¡± said the shorter man, shaking his head. ¡°The trantion doesn¡¯t do anything for ents. Use your brain, for God¡¯s sake.¡± Then, he turned his attention back to Elijah and said, ¡°You sound like a Yankee. Where are you from? Originally, I mean. Before everything got all jumbled up.¡± ¡°Hawaii.¡± ¡°Oh. Did that end up around here?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°I was on a ne that went down when everything happened,¡± he admitted. ¡°Oof. Must¡¯ve been rough.¡± Elijah shrugged, saying, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a pic, I can tell you that. But I survived.¡± ¡°Yep. That¡¯s all any of us can do. So, what brings you to our little town?¡± ¡°Looking for my sister. She lived near Seattle. I heard it was in this direction, so that¡¯s where I¡¯m headed.¡± ¡°Yep. It¡¯s about three- or four-hundred miles that-a-way,¡± the short man said, pointing to the southwest. ¡°Don¡¯t rmend you go there, though. Last I heard, things were bad around there. ss war. Poor folks fightin¡¯ the rich. Bad stuff. d we never had issues with that here in Valosta.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the name of the town?¡± ¡°ntation, really,¡± the guard answered, shifting ufortably. Elijah could understand that. Thebel definitely came with some undesirable connotations, especially given the guard¡¯s dark skin. ¡°Or it used to be, I guess. Now it¡¯s just a big house with good farnd all around. Only reason any of us survived. But enough about that. You looking to stay the night? Or were you wanting to keep going?¡± ¡°I could use a meal and a nice bed,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Well, then you¡¯re in luck. You want the Draymond house. Used to be a bed and breakfast. Now it¡¯s a tavern. But they still rent rooms when we have travelerse through here.¡± ¡°That sounds great,¡± Elijah said. And he meant it, too. He didn¡¯t mind sleeping outside, but he definitely preferred a bed when he could get one. After that, Elijah paid the one copper entry fee, then headed into town. As he walked down the main street, he was reminded of the area where he¡¯d found the bear and the mushroom natural treasure. There was just something unmistakable about small town America that made it instantly and recognizablyfortable. Valosta was small ¨C only about twenty total buildings ¨C but it hosted a few businesses. Elijah recognized a tailor, a cobbler, and even a couple of bars. In addition, there was a small diner that was calling his name. So, he stepped into a ce called Mel¡¯s, where he quickly nted himself at a long bar. As he unshouldered his pack, a man stepped out of a storage room and said, ¡°Ah. Don¡¯t recognize you.¡± ¡°Yeah. Just passing through. I had a craving for something greasy,¡± Elijah said with a grin. ¡°You help me out with that?¡± The man returned Elijah¡¯s grin with a smile of his own. ¡°I believe I can. We¡¯ve had good huntingtely. You like venison?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Venison patty meltin¡¯ right up, then,¡± said the man. After that, he went to work. As he did, he introduced himself as Mel ¨C which Elijah probably should have guessed. Soon enough, the smell of cooking meat and the sound of sizzling grease filled the air, and Elijah asked, ¡°You cooking with gas? Or is that griddle electric?¡± ¡°Electric. There¡¯s a bunch of wind turbines about two miles from here. Good bit of the grid survived, too. So, the town has power,¡± Mel answered, flipping a ground venison patty. ¡°Made survival a lot easier. Every now and again, we have to do maintenance, but we¡¯ve got a few folks around here who know a thing or two about it. So, it¡¯s all still in good workin¡¯ order.¡± ¡°Lucky.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth,¡± said Mel with a nod. ¡°We¡¯ve gotten our fair share of travelers. Seattle¡¯s not that far away. And there¡¯s some Turkish city off to the west. A Korean city to the north, too. None of ¡®em are in good shape, but there¡¯s a fair amount of trade between ¡®em. So, we get people from time to time.¡± ¡°Interesting. Have you done any traveling yourself?¡± ¡°Me? God, no. Not that brave. Our hunters range pretty far, though.¡± After that, Mel started talking about his son, who happened to be one of the town¡¯s dedicated hunters. Elijah could recognize fatherly pride when he heard it, which warmed his heart. Apparently, Valosta was one of the towns where people had banded together, which was always nice to find. Soon enough, Mel served Eljiah the best patty melt he¡¯d ever eaten. Sure, the bread was cornbread ¨C which gave it a bit of a crumbly consistency ¨C but it didn¡¯t hurt the taste. In fact, given the construction of the sandwich, it probably wasn¡¯t even a patty melt at all. But as Elijah ate it, he cared less about what it was called and more about the greasy, crumbly goodness he was stuffing into his mouth. After eating, Elijah paid Mel, then headed to the bed and breakfast the guard had mentioned. Once there, he met a thick-bodied and kindly woman who set him up with a room. Elijah was happy to find that it had an attached bathroom, so he wasted no time before stripping down and showering. He¡¯d bathed a few times in various streams and ponds along the way, but there was nothing quite like taking a long, hot shower. He also took the time to use a good portion of his cleaning powder on his clothes, gear, and, most importantly, his Cloak of the Iron Bear. Once that was done, he copsed onto the bed and promptly fell asleep. Book 3: Chapter 43: A Place of Power Book 3: Chapter 43: A ce of Power ¡°Can I help you, friend?¡± asked the man leaning against the door frame in the back of the shop. He was tall, though not nearly as tall as Thor, with a slender waist and wide shoulders. It was the build of a Warrior, yet Thor suspected that the man was no true fighter. However, there was a sense of menace about him that made Thor hesitate to force anything. ¡°I seek a Druid,¡± Thor stated. ¡°I¡¯m an arm¡¯s dealer, not a rumormonger,¡± he stated. ¡°You want weapons? I¡¯m your man. I even a few pieces of decent armor. Our adventuring team recentlypleted a run of the tower, so ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your trinkets.¡± ¡°Ah, see ¨C that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, friend. Everyone can use a solid weapon. Sure, you¡¯ve got that spear. Nice weapon. Probably suits you quite well. But everyone can use a backup, right? And a big fellow like you? With those arms? You seem like an axe-man,¡± the merchant said. ¡°I can ¨C¡± ¡°Enough of your babble!¡± Thor growled, his fingers tightening on the haft of his spear. ¡°Tell me about the Druid.¡± ¡°You should watch your tone, friend,¡± the arms dealer said, his demeanor shifting. ¡°You¡¯re number three on the list, but how do you think you¡¯d fare against an entire city? We only have one person on the power rankings, but I can tell you right now ¨C you cause trouble in Argos, and you¡¯ll not leave here alive.¡± At that moment, Thor sensed something strange. A weakness he couldn¡¯t exin. ¡°What did you do?¡± he demanded, stepping forward. His legs wobbled, and as a result, he nearly stumbled. ¡°Who are you?¡±¡°Name¡¯s Atticus, friend,¡± the merchant said, stepping forward. There was no kindness in his voice. ¡°And in here, I¡¯m basically a god. Zeus himself could walk in here, and he would tremble at my wrath.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only level thirty¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deal with many merchants, do you?¡± asked Atticus, approaching a ss case containing a golden short sword. His hand passed right through the ss pane, and he withdrew the weapon with nonchnce bordering on dismissiveness. Then, he pointed the weapon at Thor. ¡°Now, are you going to be a good boy while in my town? Or am I going to have to show you why nobody messes with a merchant in his own shop? Your choice, big guy.¡± Thor wanted nothing more than to put the man in his ce. Yet, he knew better than to fight a battle he didn¡¯t understand. That was underscored when his mind flicked to his status:
Name Thor Gunderson
Level 67
Archetype Ranger
ss Ancestral Hunter
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 10 (128)
Dexterity 10 (142)
Constitution 10 (101)
Ethera 10 (42)
Regeneration 10 (72)
Attunement Conflict
Cultivation Stage: N/A
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood N/A N/A Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. N/A
¡°What did you do?¡± Thor spat, steadying himself by grabbing hold of a nearby rack. The weapons upon it ttered to the shop¡¯s floor, but he paid no attention to it. Instead, he was too focused on the insidious weakness pervading his normally reliable body. He hadn¡¯t been so feeble even before the world¡¯s transformation. ¡°Evened the odds. Now, are you going to make me kill you? I¡¯d prefer if we parted friends, but that ship seems as if it¡¯s sailed. Perhaps it never even left port.¡± ¡°Fix it!¡± Thor yelled, even his voice sounding pitiful in his ears. ¡°Not going to happen,¡± Atticus said, stepping close. ¡°Since it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re going to buy anything, then I¡¯m going to have to ask you to leave. Now.¡± Thor started to respond, but Atticus wasn¡¯t having it. Instead, his hand shot out, mping around Thor¡¯s thick neck. It happened so quickly that Thor couldn¡¯t hope to respond, and before he knew it, he couldn¡¯t breathe. Panic ¨C hot and terrifying ¨C tore through his mind as, for the first time since the apocalypse, he truly found himself outmatched. He gripped Atticus¡¯ wrist, but it did no good. His eyes bulged as he fought for breath, but the merchant paid no mind to his victim¡¯s struggles. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t intend to kill Thor. Instead, he just pushed him through the door and shoved him hard enough that Thor stumbled into the street. A secondter, his power returned to full strength. Before he knew what he was doing, he¡¯d leaped to his feet and let out a roar as he threw his spear as hard as he could. It nged off a solid sheet of ethera covering the doorway, then fell to the ground. Thor gaped in surprise. Meanwhile, Atticus bent down and grabbed the bone-hafted spear. ¡°Bound, huh? Shame. It¡¯s a nice weapon,¡± he said. Then, he turned his attention to Thor. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal, friend.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t make deals with weaklings! You will ¨C¡± ¡°Come in here and call me a weakling.¡± Thor seethed. But as furious as he was, he could read the writing on the wall as well as anyone. The merchant had used some sort of spell on his shop, and the effect was that, so long as he remained inside, he was unassable. So, he knew better than to walk into that. Of course, there were hundreds of ways to get around that. He could wait for the merchant to leave. Or he could burn the building down. Maybe Atticus had friends or family somewhere nearby. If the cooldown for Ancestral Hunt hadn¡¯t been up, he might¡¯ve used them. But with the ability avable, he saw no reason to challenge the man. He didn¡¯t acknowledge that his fear, born of the previous encounter and that feeling of feebleness, probably yed an even bigger role in his decision-making. But that reality remained nestled in the back of his mind, reminding him of how easily all of his power could be snatched away. Atticus said, ¡°I¡¯ll give your little toy back. In return, you leave. No looking back. No campaign of vengeance. Just go away.¡± ¡°And if I refuse? What if I tear this town down around you?¡± ¡°You might find that a little more difficult than you expect,¡± Atticus said. Suddenly, Thor realized there were people all around him. Some, like the tall, muscr girl with a spear, looked like they could handle themselves. Others, like a matronly woman carrying a spat, of all things, were clearly weak. However, there was one that drew Thor¡¯s Hunter¡¯s Eye:
Name: Isaak Anthopoulos Archetype: Sorcerer Level: 51
He certainly didn¡¯t look very powerful. In fact, Isaak Anthopoulos was little more than a child, skinny and awkward. He wore a pair of round-rimmed spectacles, an affectation that sold his feeble appearance. Yet, at level fifty-one, he was in the middle of the top one-hundred, which meant he was an opponent who shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. Thor could defeat the boy. He was certain of that. But not with dozens of other people around. He also preferred to fight his battles with the advantage of surprise on his side. So, even though his mind roiled in anger and indignation, Thor knew better than to rise to the arms dealer¡¯s taunt. But he wanted to. Desperately. However, he hadn¡¯t climbed thedder by being stupid or impulsive. He knew when to pull back. And he was well aware that there were battles that couldn¡¯t be won. Or that weren¡¯t worth the cost of victory. So, he spat, ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°Good choice, friend,¡± Atticus said, casually tossing the spear to Thor. Even as Thor caught it, he became aware of a cat suddenly appearing at his feet. The creature was the size of a mountain lion, though it was clearly a housecat. More importantly, when he used Hunter¡¯s Eye, he found that the thing was the highest level he¡¯d seen in the city. That confirmed his decision, and with every eye on him, he quickly retreated from the town. The cat followed him all the way to the gate, but it didn¡¯t pursue any further. Only when he was out of sight of the guards, he finally let his anger out. He shouted, thrusting his spear into a nearby tree. It splintered beneath the blow, and a secondter, the tree tipped over and, with a thud, fell. Breathing hard ¨C from fury, rather than exertion ¨C he considered going back to the city and killing everyone there. He could do it. Especially since they wouldn¡¯t be expecting him. But he had to remind himself that the costs of doing so far outweighed any benefits he might gain. Except for banishing the shame of being run off, of being made to feel like a weakling. If it hadn¡¯t been for Isaak Anthopoulos or the cat, he would have done it, too. He¡¯d done more for less disrespect. Yet, those two filled him with wariness. He didn¡¯t acknowledge it as fear, but there was a thin line between the two. Whatever the case, Thor took a few moments to calm himself before using Ancestral Tracking. Soon enough, the ephemeral and mostly formless spirit appeared. It immediately filled the air with a cackle. ¡°So fearful!¡± itughed. ¡°So pitiful!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Thor growled, gesturing with his spear. ¡°Lead me to my quarry.¡± ¡°Oh, very well.¡± Then, the thing spun around before erupting into a hundred threads of ethera. They disappeared, one by one, until they pointed off to the north. As soon as the disrespectful spirit disappeared, he set off in that direction. As he did, he soothed his ego by reminding himself that his choice to leave Argos was rooted in practicality. Killing those people would have done nothing for him. Instead, he had a goal. A prey. And he refused to be distracted from that purpose. It was discipline that drove him. Not fear. An hourter, he found himself in an idyllic de, in the center of which was the strangest monument Thor had ever seen. In some ways, it reminded him of Stonehenge, yet the stones were unweathered and bore fanciful designs that further inspection told him were supposed to be dragons. More, there was a young tree in the center. The moment he¡¯d stepped into the de, Thor felt the power of the ce. Yet, when he looked closer, he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the origin. More, when he experimentally thrust his spear at one of the massive stones, he was surprised to find that it was protected by some sort of ethereal shield resting only an inch above the surface of the stones. The same was true of the tree, which he tried to cut down because he suspected it was a natural treasure. Once again frustrated, Thor tried to take it out on the monument, and to no effect. He used every ability at his disposal, and though he quickly ran himself out of ethera, the circle of stones and tree remainedpletely unmarked. A few hourster, after he¡¯d calmed himself, he followed some tracks to a nearby range of foothills where he quickly found where the stones had originated. But his prey remained atrge. So, he returned to the circle, where he tried to think of how to proceed. However, the fact was that he had no leads. No trail to follow. He was stuck. Which meant that he had little choice but to wait until Ancestral Hunt came off cooldown. In the meantime, he upied himself by hunting the local wildlife. It was unsatisfying and without challenge, but at least it allowed him to exorcise his frustrations. Soon enough, though, Thor¡¯s ability became avable, and it pointed him to the south. The moment he knew which way to go, he set off across the wilderness, eventually reaching a wide ravine, which he followed south to what appeared to be an endless swamp. There, Thor hesitated for a few minutes, wondering if there was another way. Yet, the thread of ethera was clear, and it directly into the mire. So, after taking a deep breath, Thor waded into the murky water. Immediately, he felt somethingtch onto his leg, and when he reached down to inspect the wound, he grabbed something thick and slimy. He yanked it free, and when he pulled it out of the water, he saw that it was a monstrous and disgusting leech. It was at that moment that he questioned his course. But the memory of what had happened in Argos still haunted him. The only way to prevent a reurrence was to get so strong that no one else could even hope to stand up to him. Next to that resolve, a few leeches was nothing more than an annoyance. So, he pressed on, looking forward to the day when he could take his frustrations out on the Druid. Book 3: Chapter 44: A Small Task Book 3: Chapter 44: A Small Task ¡°You ain¡¯t never heard of shoes?¡± Elijah looked up from his drink to see a burly man leaning against the bar next to him. Another one was on the other side, practically bouncing from foot to foot in anticipation. Elijah had been in enough bars to recognize when the local tough guys were spoiling for a fight. In truth, he was almost willing to oblige them. But given his Strength, he didn¡¯t think it would be satisfying. More importantly, there was every chance he¡¯d end up killing someone if he didn¡¯t remain under control. While he was thinking of what to say, the choice was taken out of his hands. The antsy one took his hesitation as an invitation, and he aimed a right hook at Elijah¡¯s temple. Of course, he didn¡¯t know that Elijah saw iting. Even a little tipsy, Elijah could easily keep track of everything around him. So, he ducked. As he did, he cast Soothe on himself and slipped from the stool. The antsy man¡¯s fist slid past Elijah¡¯s head and right into his friend¡¯s face. It broke, erupting into a spray of blood as the big guy staggered backward. Meanwhile, Elijah reached out with the crook of his staff, hooked it behind the puncher¡¯s ankle, and yanked. Already a little off-bnce, he had no chance of remaining upright, and only a secondter, his feet came flying forward while his body went backward. Then, he thudded against the bar¡¯s peanut-shell-covered floor, mming his head against a bar stool along the way. Elijah winced, muttering, ¡°Oh, that has to hurt.¡± When he saw the man wasn¡¯t moving, he added, ¡°Oh, shit. Please just be a concussion. Don¡¯t be dead¡­¡± He cast Soothe on the man, adding another instance of the spell to the man with the broken nose. Even as the two healed, he said, ¡°Look guys ¨C¡± Just then, a man in a white cowboy hat stepped inside and ripped his mirrored sunsses from his face before eximing, ¡°Goddammit, Derek. What the hell, boy? I told you a million times not to mess with visitors.¡±The big guy ¨C Derek, apparently ¨C said, ¡°We was just havin¡¯ fun, boss¡­¡± Elijah couldn¡¯t help but notice that, despite his nose having been healed by Soothe, the man¡¯s voice still had a nasal cast to it. There was every chance that the bone hadn¡¯t set properly and had healed wrong. Perhaps he should offer to break it again, just to reset it. ¡°And you!¡± the white-hatted man spat, pointing to Derek¡¯s fallen friend. He was still on the floor, though his eyes had fluttered open. ¡°Dors to donuts, you tried to sucker punch ¡®im, right? Goddammit. I¡¯m surrounded by idiots.¡± ¡°But boss, we wasn¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear it, Todd. You two git on up outta here. There¡¯s a huntin¡¯ up. Maybe a few days out in the woods¡¯ll straighten you out.¡± ¡°But boss, we wasn¡¯t s¡¯posed to have to go ¡®til next rotation!¡± eximed Derek. ¡°You arguin¡¯ with me, boy?¡± Derek swallowed, then sniffed before wiping his nose. ¡°N-no, sir.¡± ¡°Good. Now go on. Git.¡± The two men seemed to know better than to disobey, so they quickly picked themselves up and hurried through the door. Even as it swung back and forth with their passage, the neer took off his hat and, with a sigh, reached down to pick up the fallen bar stool. He straightened, then sat. As he did so, he set his hat on the counter, then signaled the barkeep. ¡°You gonna sit?¡± he asked without looking back at Elijah. ¡°I was actually about to leave.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon. Have a seat. Next drink¡¯s on me.¡± Elijah shrugged, then returned to his own seat. As he did, he said, ¡°Thanks for stepping in when you did.¡± ¡°Seemed like you had it handled.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Then why the gratitude?¡± ¡°Because those idiots might¡¯ve kepting at me. If that happened, I might have ended up killing them,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You kept that from happening. So, thanks.¡± At that point, the bartender pped a pair of shot sses on the table, then filled them with whiskey. Elijah took his drink and downed it, as did the other man. ¡°So, what¡¯re you doin¡¯ in a bar at ten in the morning?¡± Elijah shrugged again. ¡°It¡¯s an actual saloon, like in the movies. How could I not?¡± The man chuckled, then turned to Elijah. ¡°Name¡¯s Ray.¡± ¡°Elijah.¡± ¡°So, Elijah. What brings you ¡®round these parts?¡± If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°This and that.¡± ¡°Care to be a bit more specific?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Listen,¡± Ray said. ¡°We get visitors from time to time. Merchants, travelers, hunters and the like. But I gotta say ¨C you¡¯re probably the oddest one I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°Thanks?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t apliment.¡± Elijah chuckled, and he finally let himself acknowledge the man¡¯s appearance. He was tall ¨C probably well over six feet ¨C and slim, with a demeanor that said he knew his way around a fight. It was part confidence, part bravado, and all cool. It was like the Marlboro man had walked into a bar and sat next to him. ¡°So, is this where you tell me to get my stuff and move along?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°For my own good, obviously.¡± ¡°Hell no,¡± Ray said. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do, so long as you don¡¯t kill nobody. I¡¯m just curious. Man walks into town, no shoes and nothing but a shepherd¡¯s crook ¨C all alone, mind you, and when nobody goes into the woods by themselves ¨C without a care in the world. Can¡¯t me me for bein¡¯ a bit interested.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an interesting guy.¡± ¡°That you are,¡± the man said. He nodded at Elijah¡¯s empty ss and asked, ¡°Want another? Or you itchin¡¯ to get back on the road?¡± In truth, Elijah was ready to leave. There really wasn¡¯t much to the town ¨C aside from Mel¡¯s greasy spoon ¨C which meant that there wasn¡¯t much reason to stick around. His poor opinion of Valosta wasn¡¯t helped by the fact that he hadn¡¯t slept particrly well. The room wasfortable enough, but the walls were thin, and he couldn¡¯t help but hear the exploits of some of his more amorous neighbors. It was a good reminder of why he preferred his tree house. Then, the encounter with the two thugs, while not unexpected, had deepened his sour mood. ¡°I¡¯ve got time for a drink or two, so long as you¡¯re buying.¡± Ray chuckled again, then ordered another pair of drinks. As the barkeep poured, Elijah asked, ¡°So, you mentioned a hunt? Just for food? Or is there a monster around? Maybe a rift or a tower?¡± ¡°Ah. Makes sense. You¡¯re one of those, huh?¡± ¡°One of what?¡± ¡°Adventurers. Don¡¯t know where they got the idea that runnin¡¯ around and fightin¡¯ monsters for a livin¡¯ was viable career, but there¡¯s people that go from town to town, challengin¡¯ towers and closin¡¯ rifts.¡± He chuckled again and shook his head. ¡°Never thought anything like that¡¯de outta my mouth. Rifts and towers and monsters. Feels like I¡¯m in one of my kids¡¯ video games.¡± ¡°Kids?¡± Ray didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he went silent for a long moment before asking, ¡°So, you one of ¡®em?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°I¡¯m no stranger to those sorts of things. But I don¡¯t usually seek them out. They kind of find me instead.¡± ¡°So, what brings you into town?¡± ¡°You asked that already.¡± ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I?¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°I¡¯m heading to Seattle,¡± he said, not seeing a reason to conceal his purpose. ¡°Looking for my family. I was¡­elsewhere when the world changed. So, I¡¯m going to the nearest city to where they lived.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Not much to say. It¡¯s not an umon thing. Used to see people like you more often. They all wore shoes, though.¡± ¡°Any sess stories?¡± ¡°No. Better to move on,¡± he said with some degree of bitterness. ¡°The old world¡¯s gone. Whatever the hell this is is all that¡¯s left.¡± After that, theypsed into silence. Itsted for a couple of minutes as the two enjoyed another shot. Then, Elijah asked, ¡°So, are you the sheriff around here or something?¡± ¡°Sheriff? Me? Nah. Just a concerned citizen,¡± he said. ¡°Concerned about me?¡± ¡°About those boys. They¡¯re my idiot cousins,¡± Ray revealed. ¡°Always been stupid. Their momma let ¡®em get away with too much as kids. Now, they don¡¯t know when to stop.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re leavin¡¯ after this?¡± Ray asked. Elijah answered, ¡°I don¡¯t really see any reason to stick around. You¡¯ve got a nice town here, but it¡¯s not exactly a tourist trap.¡± Rayughed. ¡°It certainly is not. Mind if I ask a favor, then?¡± he asked. ¡°Shoot.¡± ¡°Those boys that just left, can you follow ¡®em? Without bein¡¯ seen, I mean.¡± ¡°What makes you think I can?¡± ¡°Intuition.¡± ¡°Hypothetically, let¡¯s say I could. Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the market for somebody as can keep ¡®em from bein¡¯ eaten. Like I said, the wilderness is dangerous,¡± Ray said. ¡°Pay¡¯s not great. Just a few silver ethereum. But I¡¯ll throw in a bottle of shine. Made by a man with the Distiller ss.¡± ¡°Is that what we¡¯ve been drinking?¡± ¡°Yep. Ol¡¯ Jeb¡¯s been makin¡¯ shine since before the world changed,¡± Ray answered. ¡°Now he¡¯s got the ss to back ¡®im up.¡± ¡°Five,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I can do five silver.¡± ¡°Five bottles,¡± Elijah said. He¡¯d tasted the moonshine already, and it packed quite a punch. More than anything he¡¯d had since rejoining civilization. So, he reasoned he could get a decent price for it back in Ironshore. After all, their distillery was only just getting going. It would be a while before they worked out the kinks. Ray¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Five? You don¡¯t strike me as an alcoholic.¡± ¡°Everyone has their vices,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°That¡¯s my price. But first, tell me about why you¡¯re worried about these hunters.¡± After that, Ray went on to exin that there had been two groups of hunters who¡¯d been killed in the past month. That wasn¡¯t so abnormal. The wilderness was dangerous. However, what was strange was that they hadn¡¯t been eaten. Instead, they were found a few days after they¡¯d died, their bodies more or less intact. ¡°Bandits, maybe?¡± Ray shook his head. ¡°Nothin¡¯ missin¡¯.¡± ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Elijah asked. Ray shrugged. ¡°I got no idea,¡± he admitted. ¡°If I did, I wouldn¡¯t need your help. Might be a beast. Could be some mythological creaturee to life. Whatever it is, it¡¯s killin¡¯ my people. And I¡¯d like it stopped.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s where Ie in,¡± Elijah reasoned. ¡°For five bottles of shine, you¡¯d better keep ¡®em alive.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°You get two days,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll follow them for two days. But then I¡¯m heading out. I¡¯ve already gotten distracted more times than I can count. It¡¯s time I focused on what¡¯s really important.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair enough.¡± Ray extended his hand, and Elijah took it. The pair shook, then Elijah downed histest drink before casting Soothe. ¡°Love that spell,¡± he said to himself as the effects of the alcohol faded. After that, he gathered his things and set off. The town was small enough that it didn¡¯t take him long before he left it behind. From Ray, he¡¯d learned the hunters¡¯ direction, so it was only a few minutes before he caught sight of them heading into the woods. So, Elijah shifted into his draconid form, then used Guise of the Unseen. So, under the cover of his stealth ability, he stalked the group. He could only hope that it would end much better than thest time he¡¯d found himself hunting a party of hunters. Back then, though, he¡¯d been hellbent on making his prey pay. This time, he was in a much better headspace. Or that¡¯s what he thought. Only time would tell. In any case, Elijah quickly caught up to the group, which consisted of ten members. Half were armed with spears, while the other half had giant boar spears with huge and heavy des coupled with a crossguard meant to keep a charging beast from slipping up the shaft and mauling the wielder. Fortunately, the hunterbel seemed more based on an activity than a ss, because the men ¨C and two women ¨C werepletely incapable of detecting Elijah. So, he followed them, hoping for the best. Book 3: Chapter 45: Moonlight Book 3: Chapter 45: Moonlight A gentle breeze rustled the forest canopy, and the smell of blooming flowers danced in the air. Even in the shade, it was hot, but the Cloak of the Iron Bear kept Elijah from bing ufortable as he followed his quarry. The hunters, for all their bluster, were terrible at their jobs. They moved with heavy-footed obliviousness, frightening any real game they might have targeted. In addition, they had yet to close their mouths long enough to look or listen. ¡°Shoulda smacked him for real,¡± said Todd. ¡°I was ¡®bout to really bring it when Ray stepped in.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± said the heavyset Derek. ¡°He was lucky. S¡¯all I¡¯m sayin¡¯. We woulda messed him up but good.¡± Elijah couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. It was clear that the two idiots were talking about him, but it was just as clear that their statements were entirely bluster. The other hunters recognized it, too, and one of the women actually did roll her eyes. In any case, Elijah continued to follow them, silent and unseen, as they traversed the forest. It was a wonder that the hunters had ever killed anything, as terrible as they were at the job. But Elijah guessed that most of the forest¡¯s game was aggressive enough that making a lot of noise could prove to be a viable hunting tactic. Of course, that was assuming that the hunters only attracted monsters they could reasonably defeat. There were plenty around that would rip through the group without expending any real effort. Elijah felt positive that if it came down to it, he could ughter all ten even more easily than he¡¯d killed the group of hunters who¡¯d killed the bear. A single round of Cmity and Swarm would probably do them in. So, considering that a stiff breeze could probably blow them over, Elijah knew he needed to be extra diligent. With that in mind, he stalked them even as they failed to find any meaningful prey. A few times, one would shoot an oversized squirrel or grouse, but for the most part, they seemed incapable ofpleting their task. Just before night fell, the group of hunters arrived at a disced trainyard. As they settled into a cargo car, Elijah took a few minutes to investigate the area, and he was unsurprised to find that the tracks ¨C of which there were a multitude ¨C ended only thirty or so yards into the forest. Otherwise, the yard was popted by quite a few lotives and box cars. At one end was the skeleton of a building, its structure rusted or crumbled, with every window having been shattered. The forest had reimed much of it, with vines snaking up any walls that hadn¡¯t already fallen.It was another reminder of how much Earth had changed in the past few years. At one point, the yard had probably been a hub of activity in the center of some city. But now, it was just an artifact of a world that no longer existed. As Elijah explored, he caught the scent of something interesting. After seeing that the hunters had closed themselves up in a box car ¨C for defense, it seemed ¨C Elijah decided to investigate the odor. It was an animal, he was certain. But there was blood there, too. And something else ¨C an ethereal trail Elijah couldn¡¯t quite ce. Gradually, he followed the trail as it circled the train yard. Sometimes, it doubled back on itself, and others, it meandered in an odd direction. Yet, it progressively got further and further away from the yard. Hours passed, and the night progressed. Still, Elijah couldn¡¯t find his quarry ¨C until, atst, he stumbled upon a small pond. The body of water was only a hundred yards across, but it glowed with silver luminescence. More importantly, it felt powerful, and in a familiar way. It reminded him of the ancestral tree. Or the mushroom. Even with so much simrity, there were enough differences that Elijah briefly doubted whether he¡¯d found a natural treasure. Until he saw the stag across the pond. Its snow-white coat glistened in the silver moonlight, marred only by a streak of deep red. In awe, Elijah stared at the majestic beast ¨C no, it was a guardian, just like the panther or the bear ¨C with glittering and crystalline antlers that spread out from its massive head. Elijah watched. And he knew, beyond a shadow of any doubt, that the guardian knew he was there. Despite the fact that he was cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, the stag was aware of his presence. He slowly approached, circling the pond with deliberate caution. As he did, he let Guise of the Unseen fall away. Then, he shifted into his human form. The stag nearly bolted, then and there, but it settled after only a moment. Elijah held his hand out as he took one slow step after another. And then he saw why the stag hadn¡¯t run. Behind it were two fawns. They looked so tiny, nestled against the huge stag¡¯s white coat. Btedly, Elijah also saw a doe, this one with no antlers but no less majestic, lying near the stag. She was covered in blood. Instantly, Elijah chose to cast Healing Rain. Then Soothe. The stag flinched, and the fawns trembled. But the doe remained still. Elijah felt it in his heart, but he refused to ept it. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. He rushed forward for thest few steps, sliding to a stop near the fallen doe. He saw a trio ofrge arrows protruding from her body. One had hit her in the neck. Another, in her nk. But the worst had taken her in the chest. It clearly hadn¡¯t hit her heart, but judging from the bubbles in the still-wet blood, the lung had been pierced. She was dying. Despite his efforts, she wasn¡¯t long for the world. Via One with Nature, Elijah felt three corpses nearby, but he knew they weren¡¯t human. Their pointed ears, slim figures, and otherworldly beauty marked them as elves. He wasn¡¯t worried about a few corpses, no matter what species, though. Instead, Elijah was wholly focused on the family of deer. Reaching out with a tentative hand, he slowly inched toward the fallen doe. She was still breathing, though it was shallow. Rapid. She was dying. She flinched when his fingers brushed against her soft fur, and the stag snorted. Elijah felt ethera gathering, but he ignored it. Instead, he channeled ethera through Touch of Nature. The life-giving ethera flowed into her, guided by his knowledge of biology as well as his innate understanding of living things. So often, Elijah was forced to simply flood the spell through his patients¡¯ bodies. But he knew precisely what her injuries meant. He was no veterinarian, but he was well-versed in animal physiology. So, he used that to inform his efforts. And slowly, she healed ¨C just enough to ensure that she would survive for a little while longer. However, just before he got ready to pull the arrows free, he felt something that he knew had the potential to mess everything up. He erupted into motion, using every point of Strength at his disposal to interpose himself between the deer and the idiotic hunters who¡¯d suddenly arrived. An arrow thudded into his shoulder. Then, another hit him in the leg. Still a third took him directly in the chest, where it lodged in his sternum. That¡¯s when he looked up to see four more arrows in flight, all aimed at the stag who refused to abandon its mate. Elijah¡¯s hands shed out, and he snatched one out of the air. The next one clipped his arm, while thest two flew wide, one thudding into a tree while the other was lost in the underbrush. ¡°Stop!¡± he roared. But it was toote. The stag had had enough. Its crystalline antlers lit up with silver light, and a secondter, a beam of energy erupted from between them, burning through one of the hunters. The others scattered. But Elijah knew they weren¡¯t gone. He wheeled around and pped the stag in the face, screaming, ¡°No!¡± Elijah knew precisely how silly it must¡¯ve looked, but against all odds, it worked. The deer¡¯s antlers went dark ¨C or as dark as glittering crystal could get ¨C and it actually managed to look chastised. Or maybe that was Elijah¡¯s propensity to anthropomorphize animals. Either way, it was no longer attacking anyone, which he counted as a win. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to save your friend!¡± he shouted to the hunters who¡¯d scattered into the forest. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, let me do it. If you attack these animals, I will kill everyst one of you. Do you understand?¡± There was no answer. But Elijah was banking on the hunters recognizing how ineffective their arrows had been. Hopefully, that would give them some hints as to how much more powerful than them he was. So, with that, Elijah quickly circled the pond and found the woman who¡¯d nearly been cut in two by the deer¡¯s retaliatory attack. But thankfully, she was still alive. So, Elijah pressed her flesh back together, then used Soothe. He was prepared to use Touch of Nature as well, but as it turned out, the heal-over-time was enough to knit her back together. She healed in seconds, telling Elijah just how weak she was. As he¡¯d discovered, healing wasn¡¯t so different from fighting. The more powerful a creature ¨C or a person ¨C was, the more effort it would take to heal them. And vice versa, a characteristic he¡¯d just seen in action. The woman gasped, shooting upright and trying to ram a hunting knife into his side. Elijah knocked it away disdainfully, saying, ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­you have arrows in you,¡± she breathed. ¡°Oh. Right,¡± Elijah said. Then, he proceeded to snatch the projectiles out of his flesh. None had gone more than a quarter of an inch in, so the damage was negligible. Then, he raised his voice, saying, ¡°If you all know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll leave right now. I¡¯m going to save these deer. I know you¡¯re busy imagining what kind of benefits you could get from killing them. Put that out of mind, because I can guarantee you ¨C if you try it, you¡¯ll never live to see any benefits. Don¡¯t push me.¡± Then, Elijah returned to the family of deer and went back to treating their wounds. As he tore the arrows out of the doe, he continuously pulsed Touch of Nature. After four or five casts, the chances of her death grew negligible. However, Elijah didn¡¯t intend to leave her side until she was back to perfect health. As he worked, the hunters gathered together, then came to some consensus and left. Elijah knew they would be back. At best, they would wait until he was gone. At worst, they¡¯d gather everyone in town toe hunt the beasts. The benefits were too attractive, especially considering there was a natural treasure nearby. So, as Elijah worked, eventually moving to the fawns, then the stag, he developed a n. It would require yet another dy to his primary goals, but he couldn¡¯t in good conscience leave the deer to fend for themselves. Once he¡¯d finished, he sighed. The first step was done. Now, the real work could begin. So, Elijah stripped down, leaving his gear on the shore before diving into the pond. As soon as he hit the water, he knew he¡¯d made a mistake. The ethera wasn¡¯t just thick. In felt almost solid, like he was swimming through pudding. And for the first time since he¡¯d gotten his Ring of Aquatic Travel, the fact that he couldn¡¯t breathe actually mattered. He still didn¡¯t need to fill his lungs with air, but the thickness of the ethera was enough that he felt like an overfilled balloon. Panicked, he backstroked, then, mercifully found his way to shore. Once there, he knelt on his hands and knees, panting to catch his breath. After a few minutes he looked up to see the stag staring at him, and even though Elijah knew it was in his imagination, he could have sworn it was smirking in his direction. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m an idiot. Got it.¡± Originally, he¡¯d intended to take whatever the natural treasure was and relocate it. However, now he was forced to rethink things. Only after a few more minutes did he realize the obvious answer to the issue at hand. But as obvious as it was, Elijah didn¡¯t really want to do it. Still, he didn¡¯t see any other solutions, so he resolved to get started. ¡°As soon as I feel a little better,¡± he muttered, rolling over onto his back. A secondter, one of the fawns approached and licked his forehead. ¡°Yeah. Big fan of yours, too little guy. Just give me a minute to rest my eyes¡­¡± Book 3: Chapter 46: Necessity Book 3: Chapter 46: Necessity Roman¡¯s face twisted in disgust as the stink of the unwashed mass of prisoners wafted into his nose. He asked, ¡°Can we not wash them, at least?¡± ¡°We could hose ¡®em down,¡± offered the warden. The fat man had somehow gained weight since thest time Roman had seen him, which only added to the air of disgust that pervaded the lowest reaches of the pce dungeon. ¡°But they¡¯d just get dirty again. Ain¡¯t much reason for them to care about hygiene, as such. Most don¡¯t think they¡¯re ever gettin¡¯ outta here.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not,¡± snickered Fiona. ¡°Right you are, High Magister,¡± the fat man said. ¡°But if they don¡¯t have no hope, then they don¡¯t care about nothin¡¯. Not much we can do about that, neither.¡± ¡°Start cutting things off,¡± Roman suggested. ¡°If they refuse to adhere to basic standards of hygiene, then they don¡¯t need toes. Or fingers. Or any number of other appendages.¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty. We¡¯ll get right on that after today¡¯s session,¡± the warden agreed. Roman didn¡¯t respond. He¡¯d found that keeping hismunications with his underlings to a bare minimum served to motivate them. It was something he¡¯d learned at his father¡¯s knee. The man had never been effusive with praise ¨C or any feedback at all, really ¨C so Roman had spent much of his early years striving for his approval. It was only after decades that he¡¯de to realize that it never would havee, regardless of what he aplished. Still, the lessons stuck. And what was Roman, if not the father of Easton? So, he channeled his own past, though with the roles reversed, and his people had responded appropriately. Most tripped over themselves in an attempt to garner even the slightest praise.But the other side of that was that he met failure with unmitigated ire. Some of the people who¡¯d managed to disappoint him were in this very dungeon. All of that flitted through Roman¡¯s mind as he traversed the disgusting space. Cages lined the walls, most of which held naked and dirty people. None were in good shape, but that was by design. Even if he preferred not to be exposed their stench, Roman didn¡¯t care about their actual physical condition. Instead, he only took their levels into context. Eventually, they reached the open space where the sacrifice would be performed. In the beginning, it hadn¡¯t been anything more than a bit of bare floor. Yet, the warden ¨C in an effort to please Roman ¨C had gone to great lengths to dress it up. Standing torches had been arranged in a wide circle, and ten men and women had been shackled to a series of stone altars. Each of the sacrifices had been scoured clean, their hair shorn down to the scalp, and given pristine white robes to wear. More importantly, they¡¯d all reached the level limit of thirty-five. Reaching any higher would require actual danger that the dungeon could not provide. But that was expected. Even though Roman would have preferred to push them to even higher levels, the cost of doing so would have been extravagant. Roman regarded it as a blessing that the system, in all its wisdom and glory, had cut them off at level thirty-five. In a speech he¡¯d already given countless times, Roman stepped up and said, ¡°You have all been chosen. Your sacrifice will go toward strengthening the city. In that way, you can pay for your previous failures.¡± One of the women looked up. Her eyes were deeply sunken into their sockets, and her skin was waxy, giving her a cadaverous appearance. Then, she spat, ¡°Fuck you.¡± Suddenly, the air came alive with ethera, though it never coalesced into a spell. The warden, who had the Jailer ss, mped down on her. So long as the prisoners were within his dungeon, they werergely impotent ¨C at least in terms of using spells and abilities. ¡°Her first,¡± Roman said, stepping forward and drawing his sword, False Dragon Fang. It shimmered in the torchlight. He brought it back, then let it fall upon her neck. It sliced through flesh and bone with frightening ease, and the woman¡¯s head fell free. It bounced slightly, then rolled for a brief moment beforeing to a stop. Roman stepped up to the next, though this man epted his fate withoutint. The next one after that growled more profanities, and the next didn¡¯t move. Each one died the same as thest, and Roman continued on until twenty sacrifices had been made. The influx of experience only barely progressed him, but that was normal. It was not a sprint. Instead, it was intended to be a marathon. Hundreds had already been sacrificed, and thousands more would follow that same path ¨C all for the greater good. Because as Roman grew stronger, so did Easton. But he could admit that he wanted more. He needed more power, and not just inside of his city. However, with unquestionable willpower, he shoved those selfish desires aside. He could go out and hunt monsters. He could have joined his people as they worked to conquer towers and close rifts. Yet, he knew that Easton was better served with him remaining within the city. He was the one person holding everything together. Not only that, but he was a symbol. He was an example, an ideal for which his people could strive. So, he pushed his self-interest aside and focused on what was truly important. ¡°When will the next sacrifices be prepared?¡± he asked. The warden rubbed the back of his neck, answering, ¡°Could be as soon as next week. If you wanted, we got some higher level monsters. We was gonna use ¡®em to push the sacrifices to level a bit faster, but if you want ¨C¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I will not sully my de with dirty beasts.¡± ¡°Of course. I know. It¡¯s just that we could push you higher faster if you just killed a couple here and there.¡± ¡°No.¡± The refusal hit the warden like a ton of bricks. In reality, the man was right. Or he would have been if he understood Roman¡¯s ss at all.
Manhunter Embrace the path of murder. When you kill a sapient entity, gain twenty-five (25) percent more kill energy. All other sources will be reduced by the same amount.
The ability was a passive enhancement that remained active at all times. He couldn¡¯t cancel it, even if he wanted to. And when Roman had first received the ability, he¡¯d been quite angry, even taking it out on a few nearby soldiers. However, it wasn¡¯t long until he saw the system¡¯s wisdom. It had seen his plight and given him the tools to ovee it. But its blessing hade with amiserate curse. After all, it seemed intent on testing his resolve. It was only when he recognized that reality that he¡¯d fullymitted to his path. Whatever obstacles it set before him, he would ovee. Because he had to, and not only because he refused to fall short of the system¡¯s lofty expectations. No ¨C he did it because he was the only one who could. He was mankind¡¯s savior. Or at least he had that potential. If he fell short, then everyone would be doomed. He didn¡¯t know what form humanity¡¯s fate would take, but he could sense that something terrible wasing. Some challenge only he could meet. With humanity¡¯s survival at stake, was there any line he couldn¡¯t cross? No. So, with that surety of purpose coursing through him, Roman passed his sword to Fiona, who wiped the blood from the shining, blue-and-white de. Then, she sheathed it at his hip. After that, Roman took a few minutes to tour the facilities. They¡¯d spent quite a bit of ethereum and man-hours to continue to develop it. Yet, it was only one piece of the strategy of empowerment they had devised. The next stop on his tour highlighted the other side of the coin. Located even deeper beneath the pce was a maze-like series of ever-expanding tunnels. The entrance was guarded by a massive iron door and an entire garrison of soldiers. Themander in charge greeted him with a salute, saying, ¡°Your majesty. We are grateful for the grace of your presence.¡± Roman dispensed with any niceties, saying, ¡°How is it? Are the preparationsplete?¡± The man smiled broadly. ¡°We believe so. The Necromancer has done phenomenal work,¡± themander stated. ¡°Would you like to see?¡± Roman nodded, and a momentter, he was led into the next room, then up a set of stairs. After that, he followed themander down a connected hall. The entire way, Roman could smell the stench of death ¨C all rot and blood ¨C but more importantly, he could feel the cold and unnatural ethera. ¡°Has anyone spoken to the Necromancer?¡± he asked. ¡°Not in the past week, your majesty. We used to see him once a week, but he stopped responding. His minions get stronger by the day.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Roman answered, approaching a grate in the floor. He leaned over, and for a moment, saw nothing. Then, suddenly, something shed in the hall beneath. Another figure came a secondter. Then another. ¡°What level are they?¡± ¡°Almost level forty.¡± ¡°And they keep rising? Without killing one another?¡± ¡°They do.¡± The entire n hinged on the Necromancer, a former gravedigger who¡¯d somehow gotten the most disgusting ss imaginable. Yet, as grotesque as it was, it was also uniquely suited for their purposes. Because the Necromancer was not only capable of raising the dead into minions, but each one of those creatures progressed in levels based on the power of the Necromancer. And he, in turn, gained energy from simply maintaining andmanding his horde. The only limitation ¨C as far as Roman could tell ¨C were the number of avable corpses. From the guides Roman had seen, Necromancy was entirely forbidden, and the reason for that hardline stance was obvious. Yet, that didn¡¯t mean Roman was willing to put aside such a potential advantage. He also had no intention of letting the Necromancer have his way. Not unfettered, at least. ¡°How goes the culling?¡± Themander said, ¡°We ughter them once a week. Our men usually gain at least one level each time.¡± ¡°Fantastic,¡± Roman said. Roman was never going to let the Necromancer and his horde of ambtory corpses loose. That could go wrong too quickly. However, he had no issues with using the undead monsters to level his men in rtive safety. The only issue was that the zombies didn¡¯t count as sapient entities, meaning that Roman couldn¡¯t take advantage of the program himself. Still, he didn¡¯t begrudge his loyal men such a powerful opportunity. Their progression reflected his own glory, after all. So long as they didn¡¯t rise too high. But that was what the dungeons were for. After his inspection, Roman listened to another report, but his attention quickly began to slip. So, he once again checked the progress of the quest given to him by the system:
Congrattions! You have met the requirements to embark on a quest to be an official ruler under the system. Complete the following quests to solidify your rule: 1. Conquer an enemy and hear their oath of fealty. (COMPLETE) 2. Be an Arbiter of Justice. 3. Expand your territory until you rule over 1,000,000 people. 4. Reach the top ten on theary Power Rankings (Earth)
He¡¯dpleted the first part after conquering Arbor. Once he¡¯d defeated Morgan so soundly, the man¡¯s second had been forced to surrender the city and swear fealty. Since then, he¡¯d been a model citizen of Roman¡¯s growing empire. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the rest of the people in that city, a full tenth of which had ended up in Easton¡¯s dungeons. The rest had fallen into line. By all rights, Roman should have been happy with his progress. Upon conquering Arbor, the poption of his territory had grown by nearly a hundred thousand. In addition, he¡¯d made progress in his quest to climb theary Power Rankings. Soon, he would enter the top one-hundred, he was certain. However, as much progress as he¡¯d made, it seemed insufficient. Because the specter of some nameless threat loomed in the future. Roman had no idea why he was so certain disaster wasing, but he was sure, all the same. And he needed to be stronger if he was going to save everyone. ¡°Keep it up,mander. You are building the hope of humanity,¡± Roman said to the man in charge of the undead meat grinder. Then, he turned and headed back to the surface where he would continue to guide Easton toward supremacy. Because if he didn¡¯t, Earth would surely fall. Book 3: Chapter 47: The Next Circle Book 3: Chapter 47: The Next Circle Elijah mmed his fist into the concrete foundation. The impact hit with massive force, sending deep cracks to spread across the area. Then, Elijah scooped the pieces up, throwing them into a stic, fifty-five-gallon drum he¡¯d found in the disced railyard. It was that discovery that had given him the idea that he¡¯d begun to implement. Whether or not it would work was still a mystery. Because for all Elijah¡¯s knowledge, he only knew the basics of making homemade concrete. And what he did know relied on the ability to run down to the local hardware store and buy the materials. For obvious reasons, that was no longer possible, so Elijah had been forced to improvise. Typically, making concrete required three parts sand, two parts aggregate, and one part cement. The first part was easy enough to gather from a nearby train car that had been filled with sand. The second part was just rocks, of which there were plenty. But the final part was much more difficult, considering that cement was made via aplex process that required heating a mixture of limestone and y, letting it cool, grinding the result down to a powder, and adding extra materials he didn¡¯t have, Elijah was forced to improvise. He was aware that, before Earth had experienced the touch of the World Tree, the process he had in mind would almost assuredly fail. Yet, he was banking on the presence of ethera to bridge the gap. If it failed, he would be forced to go to n B, which would require him to somehow retrieve the natural treasure at the bottom of the pond, then relocate to somewhere else. Elijah wasn¡¯t even sure he could do that first part, much less get the family of deer to follow him across the wilderness. So, he was pretty well invested in making the first n work. With that in mind, he continued the first part of his process ¨C gathering concrete. He¡¯d already filled twelve barrels, and he still had eight more to go before he would be satisfied. So, over the next day, he engaged in the arduous process of breaking apart the foundation of the railyard¡¯s lone building. All the while, the deer remained nearby. The doe still hadn¡¯tpletely recovered, so she wouldn¡¯t stray far from Elijah¡¯s Healing Rain. Which was fine by him, considering he didn¡¯t know how long it would take for the Valosta hunters to marshal their courage and return to the pond. If they did and found the deer, they would inevitably attack. And in that event, people were going to die, either by his hand or at the end of those light beams the stag could utilize. Elijah wanted to avoid that, so he channeled that attitude into his work.Fortunately, with his guardian form¡¯s enormous Strength, Elijah could aplish quite a bit of destruction, and in a short amount of time. So, by the end of that first day, he¡¯d managed to fill his barrels. However, he didn¡¯t stop there. Instead, he spent that entire night pummeling the shards into powder. It was a tedious process,rgely because he wanted to avoid bursting his drums. But as was the case anytime Elijah had an established process with a verifiable endpoint before him, it was oddly therapeutic. He sank into the task, and by the time the sun rose, he¡¯d managed to reduce the gathered concrete shards into twenty barrels of fine powder. Only then did he allow himself to rest. Of course, the moment he retrieved a couple of his berries from his pack, the deer came sniffing around. Sighing, he tossed one to each, saying, ¡°You only get one apiece.¡± The two adults caught the thrown berries, but the pair of fauns missed. Elijah let out a chuckle as they scrambled to recover the fallen morsels. After that, the animals warmed up to him, and by no small degree. Once he¡¯d rested for a while ¨C he didn¡¯t dare let himself sleep, for fear that everything would go wrong while he was unconscious ¨C Elijah began to gather the other ingredients. Fortunately, he had plenty of drums ¨C he¡¯d counted almost a hundred of them in one corner of the building ¨C so he had no issues gathering the sand for the first ten batches. Then, he collected two empty barrels and headed back to the pond, where he retrieved some water before turning to the railyard. As far as he could tell, he had enough materials for five batches, and once confirming the process in his mind, he started forward. Only to stop a momentter. He was no expert builder, but he did know that rebar was typically used to give support to concrete. Fortunately, there was plenty of that within the foundation. So, he began the arduous task of gathering enough for his purposes, which was much more difficult than it probably should have been. Not for the first time, he wished he had modern tools, because repeatedly bending rebar back and forth until it weakened enough to snap was the epitome of tedium. Once Elijah had managed to gather enough, he took a few minutes to rest. Predictably, the deer saw that as an opportunity to get more berries, and Elijah didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse. Despite his fatigue, he couldn¡¯t help but grin a little as he saw the fauns prancing about excitedly afterwards. But that onlysted as long as it took him to remember that he was on a timer. Eventually, the people of Valosta woulde. He was certain of it. And while Elijah didn¡¯t me them for trying to take whatever advantages they could, he certainly wasn¡¯t going to make it easy for them. So, he got back to work. Mixing the concrete was even more tedious that gathering the rebar, but he persisted until he¡¯d created a gray slop consisting of the now-powdered pieces of the foundation, some rocks he¡¯d gathered, quite a lot of sand, and just enough water to mix it all together. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Even so, the first batch was ruined when he added too much water. The second was better. But the third was when he managed to dial it in. So, after shoving pieces of rebar into the barrel where he¡¯d mixed everything together, he left it to cure. Meanwhile, he started in on the other batches. For his ns, he needed three barrels for each pir. And it would take eighteen pirs ¨C as well as a different,rger piece for the capstone ¨C toplete his design. So, Elijah got to work. As he did, he made certain to re Nature¡¯s Bounty. He wasn¡¯t certain if it would have any effect on the inorganic matter, but he wasn¡¯t going to take the chance that things wouldn¡¯t work by varying his methods. As it turned out, the drums made perfect molds, so after four days, Elijah managed toplete the sixty-fourth pir piece. After that, he began the demanding process of moving them from his workspace in the railyard to the pond. That harkened back to his days carrying multi-ton rocks from the mountains to the site of his Dragon Circle, though instead of carrying only one at a time, he now carried two. Still, it took some time to get everything from one spot to another. Once that was aplished, he arranged the baseyer around the pond. Fortunately, the small body of water was perfectly circr, so it was easy enough to position the cylinders of concrete appropriately. As always, he continuously red Nature¡¯s Bounty when possible throughout the whole process. Fortunately, it was usable in all forms. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve had toplete his tasks in his human form, which, while strong enough to aplish his goals,cked the long arms that made everything easier. Once everything was arranged into nine groupings of two cylinders, he began the secondyer, cing one piece atop another. Of course, he was forced to carve tenons and mortice holes, but fortunately, Elijah had plenty of experience with that. Still, he made certain to take his time so he wouldn¡¯t run the risk of cracking the pirs. He didn¡¯t think it was necessary, though. Despite cutting a couple of corners while mixing the concrete, it had turned out to be far more solid than he could have expected. It might¡¯ve been Nature¡¯s Bounty that had given it the extra strength, but he suspected that it was the addition of the ethera-infused pond water. Whatever the case, aside from being a bit time-consuming, carving the tenons and mortice holes wasn¡¯t difficult, and hepleted that part of the project in good time. Finally, he repeated the process with the thirdyer. In the end, it took another entire week before he finished the collection of twin pirs. Throughout the process, he¡¯d been forced to take a few breathers. When he did, he retreated to the railyard. But he still kept breaks to a minimum. He knew he couldn¡¯t keep going like that, though. So, once he¡¯d finished the pirs, he retreated deep into the woods before settling in to sleep. It was not a peaceful rest, mostly because he expected disaster to strike at any moment. However, when he awoke the next morning, he found that nothing had changed during the night. Of course, that was probably because of the powerful guardians ¨C both the stag and the doe were at least as strong as the bear had been. Whatever the case, he enjoyed a cup of tea, then a couple of berries before heading back to the railyard. Once there, he took a few hours to construct the first mold for his capstones. It had been constructed from a pair of drums which had been cut in half. Then, he¡¯did three halves, end to end, like a trough. It wasn¡¯t perfect. He¡¯d used some y harvested from near the pond to bind everything together, but Elijah was certain that some of it would inevitably leak. Yet, it was the best Elijah could do. So, he mixed some more concrete, then carefully poured it into his makeshift mold. It worked, more or less, though when it dried, Elijah was forced to chip away some excess bits where it had leaked through. Still, it was good enough, so he quickly proceeded to make the other nine. That took two more days. When he¡¯d finished, Elijah carried the capstones to the pirs where he took another day to carve the appropriate mortice holes and tenons before piecing everything together. After that, Elijah stepped back to admire his handiwork. ¡°Impressive,¡± came a familiar voice. Elijah whipped around, Storm¡¯s Fury ready. However, when he saw who¡¯de to visit, he rxed. A little. He and Ray had had a friendly conversation, but that didn¡¯t mean they were friends. And Elijah expected that the man in the white cowboy hat was probably the most powerful person in the entirety of Valosta. ¡°Thanks,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It took a lot of work.¡± ¡°I know. Been watchin¡¯,¡± the man said. ¡°From a distance. Didn¡¯t want to interrupt.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Curiosity, mostly. But I gotta admit, seeing those monsters right behind you and feelin¡¯ whatever that is in the pond has got me a bit antsy,¡± Ray stated. ¡°What do you intend to do with it?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not monsters.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°The deer. They¡¯re guardians.¡± ¡°That s¡¯posed to mean somethin¡¯ to me?¡± Ray asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Guardians are supposed to be here. Monsters aren¡¯t,¡± he said. ¡°But that¡¯s just a working theory. I n on investigating it next time I visit a Branch. Or I¡¯ll ask my tree spirit.¡± ¡°Tree spirit?¡± ¡°His name¡¯s Nerthus. Good guy. Getting a little uppitytely, though. Especially when I mess with his garden. Which is technically mine, but it¡¯s also his home. So,¡± Elijah babbled, holding his hands up as if he were weighing two options. ¡°My point is that these are good guys.¡± He nced back at the family of deer. ¡°Plus, look at those fauns. You ever see anything that cute?¡± Of course, with the stag standing over his progeny, cute probably wasn¡¯t how anyone would describe the scene. After all, the deer was the size of a moose, with crystalline antlers that could shoot weaponized moonlight. So, Elijah supposed that the word intimidating would be a better descriptor. ¡°Didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± ¡°Relocation,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And this circle?¡± ¡°The means by which I will relocate them.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± ¡°None of your business,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Look ¨C this conversation is a courtesy. I don¡¯t want this to get ugly, so I¡¯m trying my best to keep it from going in that direction. But make no mistake ¨C I¡¯m not asking permission. If ites down to you or these four,¡± he said, gesturing to the family of deer. ¡°I¡¯ll choose them every single time. So, don¡¯t push it.¡± ¡°That sounds a little like a threat.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Just the way it is,¡± he stated tiredly. ¡°Was a time I¡¯d have just killed everyone involved and got on with my life. But I¡¯m trying to turn over a new leaf. Be a better person, you know? I¡¯m holding onto that, but if people start pushing, I¡¯m going to let my instincts take over. You probably wouldn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°You sound pretty confident,¡± Ray remarked. ¡°Just experienced.¡± The man stared at Elijah for a long moment, then sighed. ¡°Goddamn. You don¡¯t flinch, do you?¡± ¡°Not where anybody can see.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll keep them away,¡± Ray said. ¡°At least for another week. After that, you¡¯re on your own.¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°For your town¡¯s sake, let¡¯s hope that¡¯s all I need.¡± Ray just shook his head. Then, he unshouldered a satchel and dropped it to the ground. Elijah heard the clink of bottles. ¡°Your payment.¡± Elijah almost refused. But then, he remembered that he¡¯d actually done the job he¡¯d been asked to do. So, it was only fair that he be paid. ¡°Thanks.¡± After that, Ray turned and left. Once he was gone, Elijah went back to work. Book 3: Chapter 48: The Moon Well Book 3: Chapter 48: The Moon Well Lightning cracked, and thunder rolled as a summer storm swept through the area, dumping a deluge of rain along the way. Elijah sat back, leaning against the trunk of an oak tree as he enjoyed the ambiance. To him, there was somethingforting about a proper rainstorm ¨C abination of all five senses that coalesced to remind him of home. Not the ind, though considering its climate, that was probably urate as well. Instead, he thought of his childhood, when he and his family would spend long weekends camping out in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. So, he watched the rain fall upon the pond, leaving ripples with every drop. An earthy scent pervaded the air, calming Elijah in a way little else could. He sighed, breathing deeply as, for the first time in weeks, he let himself rx. Because he¡¯d finallypleted the heavy lifting involved in creating histest dolmen. The results were distinctly different than the Dragon Circle, but no less impressive for it. In any case, everything hade together far better than Elijah could have hoped, though not without significant effort. Not unsurprisingly, he¡¯d been forced to adapt to a host of problems, and he¡¯d even had to rece a couple of pir pieces when they¡¯d cracked under the weight of the capstones. Yet, Elijah had persisted, and now he saw nine monuments, each almost ten feet tall. They seemed evenrger, though, looming as they did at equidistant points around the pond. At present, the concrete structures had a distinctly brutalist cast, which felt oddly appropriate. However, Elijah wasn¡¯t finished. He still had two more steps toplete before he would count the projectplete. Only when he was satisfied would he use Roots of the World Tree to christen his new circle. But he knew he was on a timer. In less than a week, it would be open season. Perhaps the hunters of Valosta would wait a little longer than that, but that was when Ray¡¯s influence would end. And Elijah expected that curiosity and greed would bring quite a few visitors, each one intent on killing his new friends and stealing the natural treasure at the bottom of the pond. Neither endeavor would be sessful.Now that the deer werepletely healed, they were more than capable of protecting themselves. The same could be said about the natural treasure. If Elijah couldn¡¯t even get close enough to it to determine its nature, then theparative weaklings of Valosta had no chance. Indeed, Elijah¡¯s haste was more about protecting those idiots than anything else. And as much as he wanted to let them reap the seeds of destruction they were so intent on sowing, his conscience wouldn¡¯t allow that. So, with another grunt, he pushed himself upright and stretched his tired muscles. Toting the cylinders of concrete hadn¡¯t been as taxing as carrying multi-ton rocks from the foothills to his Dragon Circle, but it had still left him feeling like he¡¯d just endured a long and arduous workout. Which wasn¡¯t so far from the truth. His efforts over the past couple of months had evented him a couple of extra attributes points ¨C one in Strength, and the other in Constitution ¨C underscoring just how much he¡¯d exerted himself. It also confirmed that, even though it was obviously possible to gain attribute points through training, it was incredibly difficult. But Elijah wasn¡¯t concerned with his attributes for the moment. Instead, he needed toplete the project. So, after stretching a little, then using Soothe before pulsing Touch of Nature a single time, he crossed the clearing and reached the first monument. Kneeling, he inspected the vine he¡¯d nted the day before. Already, it had sprouted a few inches from the ground, courtesy of his continuous use of Nature¡¯s Bounty. So, he guided the vine, adjusting it so that it would grow in the proper direction, before moving on to the next. Then the next after that. He¡¯d nted dozens of vines, and each one needed guidance. Yet, it only took him a few minutes to ensure they would keep growing in the right direction. So, once that was done, Elijah shifted into the form of themer ape then used his ws to scratch various designs into the cement pirs. He had no illusions of covering them with relief ¨C he was no sculptor, after all ¨C but his instincts dictated that he should make some efforts at embellishment. Still, he was incredibly careful so that he wouldn¡¯t inadvertently crack the pirs. As he worked, he continuously red Nature¡¯s Bounty, stopping ever so often to ensure the vines continued to grow appropriately. Like that, he continued for the next five days, resting only when absolutely necessary. Fortunately, with his high attributes as well as his healing spells, he could go for quite some time without sleep. Besides, he wasn¡¯t exactly exerting himself. The work was time-consuming and tedious, but it was not physically difficult. And by the fifth day, he¡¯dpleted his task. Stepping back, he admired the fruits of his efforts. The general shapes of the nine monuments were unchanged. Yet, the relief carvings had altered the entire vibe. Some of the brutalist cast remained, but it was softened by the carvings he¡¯d so painstakingly created. Instead of dragons, he¡¯d gone with a subtle moon motif. In addition, the vines had snaked around the pirs. Back on Earth, designing something like that would have doomed it to a short life. Vines didn¡¯t seem overtly destructive, but they could tear a structure down in a matter of years. However, with the addition of ethera, Elijah felt certain that his monuments would remain standing for decades ¨C maybe even centuries ¨C toe. The entire area had been flooded with Elijah¡¯s personal ethera via One with Nature as well as Nature¡¯s bounty, and it had mixed with the energy wafting off the pond. Thebination was heady and powerful, a mixture of wild and cultivated that left Elijah in awe. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. Once he¡¯d ensured that the circle had taken the exact shape he desired, he used Roots of the World Tree, further infusing it with his essence. The moment the spellpleted ¨C which took almost an hour to charge ¨C a notification shed before his inner eye:
Congrattions! You have created a unique structure: [Moon Well] Overall Grade: Growth (Current: Simple) Enchantment Grade: E
Moon Well. That fit, both in terms of the aesthetic as well as the feeling of the ambient ethera. However, he was a little disappointed that the enchantment grade of histest circle was lower than it had been with the Dragon Circle.
Roots of the World Tree Empower a dolmen, connecting it to your grove. Teleport to any circle in yourwork. Cooldown: 3 Days Additional Effect: When inside any circle, create a persistent gateway to any other circle. Duration: 1 Minute. Maximum Capacity: 4. Cooldown: 6 Days Possible number of circles dependent on core cultivation. Current: 5 (2 Used)
Elijah saw two differences when he checked the description of Roots of the World Tree. First, the maximum capacity for his gateways had increased to four, which was a good thing because it would simplify the nned relocation of the family of deer. Until that moment, Elijah hadn¡¯t been certain how he intended to temporarily separate them. Now, he didn¡¯t have to worry about that issue, though he was still a bit unsure how he intended to get them onboard with his n. He''d have to ovee that obstacle when it presented itself. The next difference he saw concerning his spell¡¯s description was an expected change. The possible number of dolmens he could empower ¨C for now ¨C remained at five. Yet, he¡¯d used two, giving him only three more opportunities to expand his teleportationwork. Originally, he¡¯d intended to ce the second circle much further from the Dragon Circle, but his ns had been altered the moment he¡¯d seen the danger presented to the deer. Or more urately, to the people of Valosta who would inevitably bite off far more than they could chew. As Elijah was admiring his hard work, he felt a nearby presence that he¡¯de to recognize. Over the past week, elves had flitted past on more than one asion. Like the corpses he¡¯d detected on his first day near the pond, they were small ¨C no more than five feet tall ¨C with pointed ears and a perfect sort of beauty that marked them as inhuman. Yet, they felt no more powerful than the humans back in Valosta. Until now. The one standing at the very edge of One with Nature was outwardly little different from the others. But Elijah was more concerned with the feeling of power wafting off of her. She remained in ce, standing as still as a statue, and watching Elijah with the ferocious intent of a hunting predator. Elijah ignored her. If she wanted to talk, she could. But he didn¡¯t intend to change his ns just because a slightly-more-powerful-than-normal elf was curious. So, he took a moment to steady himself, then cast Roots of the World Tree. For the first time ever, he focused on the portion of the spell meant to open a gateway to his grove, and after about thirty seconds of constantly feeding it ethera from his Dragon Core, the spellpleted. When it did, a series of vines ¨C not unlike those summoned by Snaring Roots ¨C snaked up from the ground, intertwining and growing upward until they came together in an arch. When those vines connected, the interior of the arch shimmered before pulsing with powerful ethera. A momentter, the view shifted. Instead of looking through and seeing the Moon Well, Elijah saw his grove on the other side. Thick ethera wafted out of the opening, mingling with the dense energies hanging around the pool. Elijah turned to the deer, who¡¯d backed away from the sudden expression of Elijah¡¯s spell, and said, ¡°Alright. In you go.¡± The stag shook his great head, then let out a slight snort. Meanwhile, the doe and two fauns cowered behind the patriarch of their small family. Elijah had expected some hesitation, so he unshouldered his pack, then retrieved a few of his remaining grove berries. Over the past couple of weeks, Elijah had fed the deer plenty of the little fruits, and that practice had seriously cut into his supply. Yet, it wasn¡¯t without purpose. It was like training a dog with treats, though in this case, the trainees intelligence was more like that of dolphins. Still, it inly worked, because the moment he held one of the berries aloft, the gathered family of deer perked up. ¡°So, here¡¯s the deal,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can understand me. Probably not. But if you go through that gate, you¡¯ll be safe. You¡¯ll also get more berries.¡± As he spoke, the deer¡¯s eyes never left the berries. ¡°Yeah, you only care about thatst part, right? Of course you do.¡± Then, he tossed the berries into the gate. The stag took a tentative step forward. But the fauns were not nearly so cautious. They darted out, passing through the gate before their parents could stop them. That was as effective of bait as Elijah could conjure, and the two deer passed through only a secondter. It was heartwarming, seeing that the family of guardians were unwilling to be separated, even when they had no idea what was on the other side of that gate. The moment the doe passed through the portal, it shimmered again before the view to the grove disappeared. A secondter, the vines retracted. Once they were gone, Elijah sighed in relief. He could feel them in his domain, which confirmed they were safe. That was definitely a load off of his shoulders. So, without further dy, he used Roots of the World Tree once again. This time, he didn¡¯t concentrate on the gate-summoning portion of the spell. Instead, he focused on teleporting himself. The two were on separate cooldowns, but when he returned to the Grove, it would be another three days until he could return to the Moon Well. Just before hepleted the spell¡¯s casting, his elven audience stepped forward and began to speak. She said, ¡°You are ¨C¡± When Elijahid his eyes on her, his breath caught in his chest. It was one thing to sense her with One with Nature. In a lot of ways, it was more intimate than using his eyes. But still, Elijah was human, and like almost every other person in the world, he¡¯d spent most of his life relying on his vision. So, it provided a very different ¨C and arguably more affecting ¨C view of the elf. She wasn¡¯t just beautiful. Her appearance was otherworldly. Alien. And no less enticing for it. Elijah only got a brief glimpse before he was whisked away and back to his grove. But that was more than enough. As his feet dug into the soil of his domain, the three days before he could return to the Moon Well seemed like an eternity. Book 3: Chapter 49: The Miracle Seed Book 3: Chapter 49: The Miracle Seed ¡°No!¡± eximed Nerthus. ¡°Cease that behavior at once! That is not for eating!¡± Elijah broke out of his brief musings on elven beauty to see that in the couple of short minutes since the deer had passed through his summoned gate and into his grove, they¡¯d made themselves at home. And considering they were voracious eaters with a taste for Elijah¡¯s grove berries, the results were predictable. And in truth, so was Nerthus¡¯ obvious exasperation. The little tree spirit interposed himself between the stag and the nearest berry bush, but he was incapable of stopping the doe and the two fauns from dashing past to run unrestrained through the garden. Elijah couldn¡¯t help but chuckle a little at his friend¡¯s antics. But then Nerthus pleaded, ¡°Please stop them!¡± Elijah sighed. The deer hadn¡¯t actually done any damage to the garden ¨C yet ¨C but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before they did. So, he stepped forward and grabbed the stag¡¯s antlers. ¡°No.¡± The deer tried to pull away, but Elijah wouldn¡¯t allow it. His grip was like iron, and as he stared the guardian in the eyes, he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t control yourself, I will take you back. Your children and mate will be in danger. Do you understand?¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t sure if the creature couldprehend the words, but the meaning behind them definitely got through. Sure, the powerful stag could pretend he was just some ordinary deer, but Elijah knew differently. He was an intelligent creature that could understand far more than he let on.Or that was what Elijah was banking on. If the deer proved uncontroble, he would gather them up and take them across the strait. It would not be afortable trip, and Elijah wasn¡¯t certain how he would aplish the feat, but he wasn¡¯t willing to let the creatures ruin all of Nerthus¡¯ hard work. He released the deer¡¯s crystalline antler, then pointed off into the nearby forest. ¡°Go,¡± he said. ¡°And take your family with you. There are no predators here. No danger. You¡¯ll be safe.¡± The stag cocked his head to the side, then, miraculously, let out what sounded like a high-pitched barkbined with the bleating of a sheep. The other three deer ¨C the fauns and the doe ¨C immediately stopped in their tracks, then jerked their heads around to the patriarch. When he had their attention, he turned and bounded off into the forest. His family followed. Elijah let out a sigh of relief as he monitored their passage through the ind¡¯s forest. They were not native to the thick forest, but they made their way through the dense undergrowth remarkably well. More importantly, they didn¡¯t even look back at the grove, which told Elijah that they understood that it was off-limits. ¡°Thank you,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°I did not want to be forced to hurt such magnificent creatures.¡± ¡°You think you could?¡± Elijah asked. Until then, Nerthus had never disyed anybat capability. ¡°Of course. In this grove, I could defeat them with little difficulty,¡± he answered. ¡°I am to a normal guardian as you are to other humans.¡± ¡°Are you a guardian, too?¡± Elijah asked, realizing that he had no idea how to ssify the tree spirit. ¡°I am the tree. In most ways, I am abination of natural treasure and guardian. My species lives in harmony with an ancestral tree, which means that as it grows stronger, so do I. We are one, and in most ways that matter.¡± ¡°What species are you? What do your people call themselves?¡± Elijah asked, realizing once again that he hadn¡¯t really treated Nerthus as a friend. Rather, he¡¯d treated the tree spirit as a means to an end. Sometimes, that end was information, and at others, it was tending to Elijah¡¯s grove. And while Nerthus had certainly neverined, Elijah knew he¡¯d been a bad friend. ¡°I am a spryggent.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Spryggents are the offspring of hamadryads and dryads,¡± Nerthus responded. ¡°I remained dormant in this tree until my parents sent me here in the hopes that we could take root.¡± ¡°Do you miss them?¡± ¡°I never knew them. But I know more of them than I could ever quantify. While dormant, I was connected to them, and I saw through their eyes,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°I was only barely aware, but much of that knowledge remains with me. I was separated from them when they sent me here, but the memories remain.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said. However, even though he understood Nerthus¡¯ words, he was not certain that he truly grasped the spryggent¡¯s full meaning. He simply didn¡¯t have the context for fullprehension. Still, he felt the necessity to say, ¡°Well, you¡¯re my family now.¡± And he meant it, too. Nerthus wasn¡¯t just the person who tended his grove. Nor was he simply a friend. They were connected in an inextricable way, and over the years of theirpanionship, they¡¯d grown into something far deeper than mere friendship. ¡°Thank you. I¡­I do not know how to respond to that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just wanted you to know,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But this conversation does remind me of a couple of questions I had. I¡¯ve told you about the bear guardian I met, right?¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°You have,¡± Nerthus said, gesturing to Elijah¡¯s cloak. ¡°You wear its pelt.¡¯ ¡°Oh. Right. Well, I ran into another one,¡± he said. ¡°An alligator whose natural treasure had been harvested. It was protecting a family instead.¡± ¡°Interesting. Guardians are powerfully nature-attuned creatures,¡± the spryggent exined. ¡°Because of that, they are strong. I don¡¯t know how the system chooses them toe to a new world, but it¡¯s always consensual. They have to agree, and when they do, theye to a new with a natural treasure. The panther who came to this ind was paired with this tree, for instance.¡± ¡°Where do you fit into that?¡± ¡°I am part of the tree, and it is part of me.¡± That was as good of an exnation as he was likely to get,rgely because it seemed that Nerthus didn¡¯t entirely understand the distinction. To him, he and the tree were so intertwined that he likely wasn¡¯t sure where one ended and the other began. So, Elijah moved on to the topic he¡¯d most wanted to address. ¡°What about the deer I brought here?¡± Elijah asked. Then, he exined the way Roots of the World Tree worked. ¡°They can¡¯t guard their natural treasure from here, right?¡± ¡°From what I understand, your circle will provide adequate protection. The moment you finished it, the connection between guardian and treasure was severed,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°In a way. It isplex. A guardian can exist without its treasure, but it is rare. Normally, they would die to protect it. In return, it strengthens them.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°Others?¡± ¡°The other animals that are as powerful as guardians, but they¡¯re not of this world,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°Ah. The estranged.¡± ¡°That sounds ominous,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It is. Sometimes, creatures from other worlds are identally imported into newly toucheds,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°Many times, they are ipatible with the environment, and as a result, they die in agony. But other times, they flourish.¡± ¡°Why, though? Is the system prone to mistakes?¡± ¡°Not as such. When this was touched by the World Tree, it was forcibly expanded. That, in turn, randomized the terrain,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°But that mass came from others, usually ones that were doomed to be overrun by Voxx and dragged into the void. The World Tree saved them, but in doing so, it doomed some to a short life in an environment for which they were ill-suited.¡± Elijah nodded. So, basically, creatures like the hydra or the sovereign spider were rescues. Unsuited additions to the newly touched world. That exined why they felt so out of ce. In many ways, it was sad. The creatures had never asked to be relocated, after all. Even if being moved to Earth had saved them, it had to be difficult for those creatures to adjust. But it also brought to mind another issue. ¡°Are any of them invasive?¡± he asked. History was full of species that had been introduced to new ecosystems only to take over. ¡°Some,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°It is yet one more danger of a newly touched world.¡± ¡°Fantastic,¡± Elijah said with a shake of his head. It didn¡¯t really change anything, though. He asked, ¡°So, anything happening here? How is the grove?¡± After that, he received a long and enthusiastic exnation of Nerthus¡¯ efforts and ns regarding the grove. Elijah nodded along, and though he enjoyed horticulture as much as the next guy, he didn¡¯t think anyone liked it as much as Nerthus. Still, he owed it to the spryggent to at least listen. So, that was how Elijah spent the next twenty minutes until he remembered another topic. ¡°Oh,¡± he said, rummaging in his pack. ¡°I got something else that might interest you. Hold on a sec while I find it. Ah, here it is.¡± Then, he retrieved the Miracle Seed he¡¯d gotten for closing the most recent minor dimensional rift. ¡°That is a Miracle Seed!¡± ¡°I know,¡± Elijah said, tossing the walnut-sized seed up and down in his palm. Nerthus¡¯ eyes never left it. ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± ¡°It will be whatever you want it to be,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Within reason.¡± ¡°There it is,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You have a better exnation?¡± Nerthus did, and he was more than happy to talk about it. As it turned out, the Miracle Seed was capable of bing any sort of nt native to the world where it had originated. That didn¡¯t sound particrly exciting, but Nerthus pointed out two things that changed that. First, many nts on Earth had been transformed by the injection of ethera that came with the touch of the World Tree. As a result, they had developed a host of interesting characteristics, from new defense mechanisms to actual mobility. That was interesting enough, but the second part was what really excited Elijah. The nt that grew from the miracle seed was absolutely natural, meaning that reproduction was not only possible, but almost inevitable. So, one nt could be many, many more ¨C especially with Elijah¡¯s influence. The possibilities were endless. Yet, there was one thing he wanted more than anything else. ¡°You think it could be a coffee nt?¡± ¡°It can be anything.¡± Elijah squatted. There were probably better uses of the Miracle Seed. He¡¯d considered trying to grow a briar wall for Ironshore. There were plenty of vegetables that would probably be useful as well. However, the fact was that Ironshore wasn¡¯t really his responsibility. Sure, he¡¯d nted the ancestral tree seed there, but that was more symbolic of their alliance than anything else. Ironshore needed to care for itself because, if they continued to lean on him, then they¡¯d never grow into their own strength. As for vegetables ¨C while that would be helpful, he was honest enough with himself to recognize that he¡¯d never get as much use out of a vegetable garden as he did out of some coffee. On top of that ¨C and almost as if he was trying to justify what he¡¯d already decided to do ¨C Elijah considered the fact that there were a host of medicinal uses for teas. Surely coffee would be the same way, especially with the benefit of being cultivated within his grove. ¡°I think we need about a twenty-by-twenty-foot space,¡± Elijah said. Upon hearing what Elijah had nned, Nerthus grew even more excited. He imed to have the perfect location, as well, and he quickly led Elijah to the other side of the grove where there was about fifty square feet of opennd. Nerthus said that he¡¯d had another project in mind for that area, but the cultivation of a Miracle Seed was far more exciting. So, they spent the rest of the afternoon marking out the nting grid before Elijah dug a hole and nted the seed. That gave him a prompt:
You have nted a Miracle Seed. Please choose which nt you would like to grow.
After that, Elijah saw an overwhelming deluge of choices. Some of them, like an apple tree, were sorely tempting, but he had his n. So, he arduously searched through the list until he found the one he wanted:
You have chosen coffea arabica.
After that, Elijah felt ¨C through One with Nature ¨C the seed transform and begin to sprout. Fortunately, the Miracle Seed was as good as its name suggested, and in seconds, the stalk broke through the surface of the rich soil, and the root system began to develop. By the time it stopped, the nt was around six inches tall. ¡°Nice,¡± Elijah said, summoning Healing Rain and ring Nature¡¯s Bounty. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing until my cooldown resets.¡± Book 3: Chapter 50: Catching Up Book 3: Chapter 50: Catching Up Healing Rain mixed with normal precipitation as a storm gripped the ind, bathing Elijah and his coffee tree in ethera as well as life-giving water. There was a time when he might not have remained outdoors in such a storm, yet he found itforting and rejuvenating in a way that had nothing to do with the effects of his spell. It helped that the seasons had once again turned, with spring giving way to summer. With that, the temperatures had risen, giving the rain a soothing cast that paired well with Elijah¡¯s memories. But he knew it couldn¡¯tst. Nor did he want it to. Because soon, his cooldown would be up, and he would be able to return to the Moon de and resume his search for his sister. Four years ¨C give or take ¨C had passed since he¡¯dst spoken to her, and though he clung to the idea that she and her family had survived, he knew that the odds were not in their favor. And even if they were still alive ¨C as he fervently hoped ¨C his reunion with them was not urgent. If they¡¯d made it this long, then they would persevere for weeks ¨C or even months ¨C longer, and without his input. He knew that. Yet, that knowledge was not thefort it should have been. Anxiety gripped his mind, telling him that he needed to find them as quickly as possible. He had no idea where that feeling came from, but from a psychological perspective, it was understandable. Until recently, he¡¯d had other things on his mind. But now, finding Alyssa, Carmen, and Miguel was the most important task on his list. As such, for the past months, it had drawn the vast majority of his attention. And he was impatient toplete the search. The first step was to finally reach Seattle. From there, he hoped he could find something that would point him in the right direction. Perhaps he could even find them, safe and sound, living in the city.Given where they lived, it wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibility. It was unlikely, though. For all he knew, Easton had ended up on the other side of the world. If that was the case, Elijah had no idea how he was going to find the town Alyssa called home. He sighed, cutting that line of thought off before it could gain any momentum. He knew the odds. He¡¯d examined all the terrible possibilities that threatened to stymie his reunion with his family. Yet, dwelling on those would do no good for anyone. Indeed, it would send him spiraling into abination of panic, anxiety, and mncholy. Elijah refused to let that take hold of his mind. Instead, he focused on the product of the Miracle Seed. The coffee tree he¡¯d grown had sprouted in record time. Even when Nature¡¯s Bounty was taken into ount, it had reached maturity far more quickly than he ever could have expected. Already, the tree had bloomed into white flowers. From there, the petals had fallen free, leaving nubs called carpels behind. Those, in turn, would be the coffee cherries. Normally, those flowers wouldn¡¯t have appeared for years, but clearly, the tree that hade from the Miracle Seed was special. And that trait was only enhanced by Elijah¡¯s copious use of Nature¡¯s Bounty. He opened his eyes to see Nerthus standing next to the six-foot-tall tree, his hand on the trunk. Elijah asked, ¡°How is it?¡± Apparently, Nerthus had an ability simr to Nature¡¯s Bounty. It was only usable within the general vicinity of his ancestral tree ¨C or of what he referred to as the daughter tree in Ironshore ¨C but it was almost as powerful as Elijah¡¯s own ability. That was a good thing, considering that without it, the subsequent trees they¡¯d nted from cuttings that originated with the eldest coffee tree, it would be quite some time before there were any viable coffee cherries. Even with Nerthus¡¯ help, it would be a month or two before there was anything worthwhile. But that was fine. If nothing else, the world¡¯s transformation had taught Elijah patience. Things tended to happen when they were ready to happen, and not a moment before that. Of course, the addition of human interaction definitely threatened to shatter thatissez-faire attitude toward time. But Elijah wasn¡¯t ready to think about that. Instead, he pushed himself to his feet, then stretched his stiff muscles. As he did, Nerthus answered, ¡°The tree is healthy.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°What else is there?¡± ¡°That¡­is a good point,¡± was Elijah¡¯s response. Indeed, for a tree, the only thing that really mattered was if it was healthy or not. Everything else would be weathered in due time. ¡°I think I need to run over to Ironshore before I head back out. Do you need anything?¡± ¡°Seeds.¡± ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°All kinds.¡± ¡°Oh. Alright. I¡¯ll see what¡¯s avable,¡± Elijah promised. He wasn¡¯t very optimistic about it, though. Last time he¡¯d asked around about seeds, he¡¯d been told that there were none avable. Maybe Biggle had some. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. After that, Elijah ran his hand through his rain-slicked hair, then returned to the treehouse where he took a quick shower, dressed, then gathered his things. Once he¡¯d thrown his cloak over his shoulders, he left the grove behind. As he crossed the ind, he swung by a small meadow where the deer had taken up residence. He¡¯d been keeping track of their adjustment via his locus, but it was nice toy eyes on them. They greeted him warmly ¨C probably because he¡¯d approached carrying a few grove berries, but Elijah told himself it was because they were truly happy to see him. He didn¡¯t really believe it for a second, though. He spent the next half hour ying with the fauns before leaving them behind and finding his way to his collection of rowboats. There were only three left, which meant that he¡¯d soon need to spend some time retrieving the couple he¡¯d left on the other shore and bringing them back to the ind. He desperately wanted to avoid that, but it seemed inevitable. Still, he wasn¡¯t going to engage in that particrbor until absolutely necessary. So, he pushed it out of mind for the time being. With that, it wasn¡¯t long before he pushed one of hisst three boats into the surf, hopped in, and started rowing across. The trip was easier than ever, partially due to his increasingly powerful body, but also because, in the wake of the storm, the strait was like ss. So, the boat easily glided across the cid surface of the water. As he went, he was, as always, aware of the creatures beneath the surface. However, unlike previous trips, he took the time to identify the estranged that should have been obvious. There were only a few ¨C like a giant turtle with tentacles growing out of its shell ¨C but they were there, all the same. Yet, as obviously out-of-ce as they were, they felt more at home than the hydra had. Perhaps they would eventually limate and be epted into the environment. Or maybe that was his preference for optimism at work. In any case, it didn¡¯t take Elijah long to reach the docks of Ironshore, and when he did, he was greeted by the customary nces of distrust. They didn¡¯t veer into hatred as they once might have, but eptance still seemed a little ways off. Perhaps it would never arrive. Putting that out of mind, Elijah tied the boat off, thenmenced with his errands. Not only did he buy supplies to rece those he¡¯d already used, but he also swung by Biggle¡¯s shop to find some seeds. The Alchemist didn¡¯t have any, but he did direct Elijah to a worn-looking elf who lived on the other side of town. That elf ¨C named Rega ¨C was in charge of Ironshore¡¯s farming efforts, and they parted with a variety of seeds that ended up costing Elijah a small fortune. He paid it willingly, though, knowing that Nerthus would use them well. Besides, the spryggent had never really asked for anything else, so buying a few seeds was the least Elijah could do for his friend. Next, Elijah took the time to visit Ramik in his office, where he was informed that the city had progressed considerably. Not only had work on the wall reached the halfway point, but the weekly runs through the tower had gone incredibly well. Their people were leveling steadily, with Kurik maintaining his lead as the strongest person in town. ¡°I even conquered it once myself,¡± Ramik said proudly. ¡°You? I didn¡¯t think you were abatant,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°I¡¯m a Sorcerer by archetype,¡± he stated. ¡°A Sage by ss. No real attack options, I¡¯m afraid. More of an enhancement specialist.¡± ¡°That sounds useful,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Howe you never enhanced me?¡± ¡°Ah. I tried,¡± Ramik said. ¡°But the spells were ineffective, I believe because you were already under the effect of a more powerful version of my spells.¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not a Sage.¡± ¡°Yes. But take my spell, Sage¡¯s Fortitude. It increases the recipient¡¯s Constitution by eight points,¡± the dapper goblin exined. ¡°If you have a Constitution enhancement that is stronger than that, mine will not take effect. One can only have a single enhancement that affects any given attribute. With some exceptions, of course. With the system, there are always those to worry about.¡± Elijah nodded. That made sense, though it did highlight the need to coordinate with any allies in the future. ¡°So, everything¡¯s going well?¡± ¡°Exceedingly so. Biggle is on the verge of finishing some body cultivation potions, and with the increased ethera density, we can likely utilize them to a high degree of efficiency,¡± he said excitedly. ¡°If we had more fighters, we could be a true power on this.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Elijah said, of two minds about that. He wanted Ironshore to be secure. After all, he had friends in the city. Ramik was among them. Yet, he couldn¡¯t quite forget the enmity with which some of the citizens held him. On top of that, it really hadn¡¯t been that long ago that Ssethik had tried to kill him. And before that, fifty mercenaries had invaded his ind. That led Elijah to wonder if the collection of gnomes, goblins, and dwarves were truly his allies, or if they were simply too afraid of the consequences of being his enemy. Would they remain his friends if they had enough people to defend themselves? Or if they had the power to defeat him? Those were good questions. But for the time being, he chose to trust Ramik because the goblin mayor had yet to give him reason not to. So far, all of Elijah¡¯s dealings with him had been above board. With that in mind, the meeting with Ramik went on with only a small degree of tension between them. Finally, Elijah excused himself and visited Druid¡¯s Park. As was the case every other time he¡¯d visited, he saw children ying in the area. That gave him some hope, at least. After he¡¯d ensured that the tree was healthy, Elijah returned to his ind. Once there, he gave the seeds over to Nerthus ¨C who became visibly excited by the gift ¨C then retreated to the treehouse where he decided to call it a night. After all, he intended to return to the wilderness in the morning when his cooldown was up. So, he wanted to spend onest night in his own bed. However, as hey abed, sleep was not forting. After lying there for a couple of hours, Elijah pushed upright and climbed out of hisfortable bed. A few momentster, he was sitting on his balcony, which gave him a great view of the ancestral tree and the open sky above it. Stars twinkled down on him, and not for the first time, he found himself wondering if his sister was looking at that same sky. If so, what was she thinking? Did she know he was alive? Was she searching for him, too? Questions like that assailed his mind until, wrapped in his Cloak of the Iron Bear, Elijah nodded off, only to awaken at sunrise. After taking a few minutes to stretch ¨C sleeping in that awkward position still resulted in more than a few aches and pains ¨C Elijah took a shower, gathered everything he needed, then let Nerthus know he was departing. Then, atst, Elijah cast Roots of the World Tree, focusing on the personal teleportation function. A secondter, his feet settled into the soft earth surrounding the pond. But he wasn¡¯t alone. Indeed, he was surrounded. Book 3: Chapter 51: The Breaking Point Book 3: Chapter 51: The Breaking Point Sparks flew as Carmen hammered the red-hot billet of steel, and as she worked, she left her worries behind. Yet, even as the metal began to take shape, she couldn¡¯t escape the reality of her failures. Over the past week, two more people had deserted in the dead of night without even bothering to say goodbye. If ever there was a judgement on her leadership, it was that the people who¡¯d followed her out of Easton refused to even remain in the same town she upied. Her hammer fell, filling the forge with the sound of metal against metal. Frustration mounted as she dwelled on her shorings until each hammerfall began to descend with ever increasing force. One after another, she mmed the summoned hammer against the metal, ttening it until it was paper thin. And then, she shattered it. With a growl, she kicked the pieces away, then hurled the hammer at the wall. It never reached its destination, dissipating into motes of ethera the moment it left her hand. Still, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from smashing her fist into the anvil. She didn¡¯t use all of her vaunted Strength, but it was enough to send a stab of pain up her forearm. Which only added to her irritation. She sank to her knees and hung her head. Eber was supposed to have been the answer. A safe space where they could recover. A town they could hopefully call home. And yet, as perfect as it was, her people had slowly chosen to abandon its friendly confines in favor of the devastatingly dangerous wilderness. It was madness, and the only viable exnation was that they simply couldn¡¯t stomach sharing a town with the person who¡¯d ruined their lives. Carmen thought she¡¯d epted her faults and failures. Clearly, she was mistaken.Sometimeter, Wi found her on her knees, with tears tracing tracks through the soot on her cheeks. Carmen looked up and said, ¡°What? I¡¯m almost done with the ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. I need you toe with me. Now. We don¡¯t have much time, and I need to show you something,¡± Wi said. ¡°Huh?¡± The other woman snapped her fingers in front of Carmen¡¯s face. ¡°Wake up! I know it¡¯s difficult, and I don¡¯t want to be insensitive here, but I need you to¡­you¡¯re not even listening,¡± Wi said with a sigh. Then, she stepped forward, cocked her arm back, and pped Carmen across the face. ¡°What the hell was that for?!¡± Carmen demanded, her mncholy briefly forgotten as she threw herself to her feet and summoned another hammer. It erupted into fire as she used Augment Weapons. She had no idea why the other woman had attacked her, and her mind swam in a sea of confusion, but she knew precisely how to react to threats. Or at least her body did. Wi raised her hands, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy. Or I don¡¯t want to be.¡± ¡°Why did you p me?¡± Carmen asked, trying her best to keep her voice even. But anger roiled in the back of her mind, mingling with the frustration of only moments before to create a vtile and violent brew that could erupt at any moment. ¡°Talk quick, because I¡¯m on the verge here.¡± ¡°You have been manipted,¡± Wi said, taking a step backward. She nced at the door. ¡°The others are distracted right now. I need you toe with me so I can show you what¡¯s really going on here.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t do any good. You have to see it.¡± Carmen cocked her head to the side. ¡°That sounds a lot like you¡¯re trying to lead me into a trap or something,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not. I tried to warn you before. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t¡­¡± A piercing pain jabbed its way through Carmen¡¯s brain, and for a moment, her vision went white. It onlysted for an instant, but when it faded, she remembered when Wi had confronted her in the longhouse. ¡°What did you do to me?¡± she rasped. ¡°Nothing. I haven¡¯t¡­but¡­it¡¯s difficult to exin,¡± Wi said. ¡°Please. I need to show you. Put this on.¡± She shoved arge cloth into Carmen¡¯s hands. When she looked down, she saw that it shimmered like silver, but it felt like a thick, wet nket. At Wi¡¯s insistence, Carmen slipped it over her head. Surprisingly, even when she waspletely covered, it didn¡¯t impede her vision except to cast everything in a slight fog. Wi said, ¡°Follow me. Do not make any undue noise.¡± Carmen did as she was told, letting the other woman lead her out of the smithy and into the waning sunlight. She hadn¡¯t realized that she¡¯d been inside the building all day; she hadn¡¯t even stopped for lunch. Suddenly, her stomach rumbled. Will whipped around, hissing, ¡°Marshal your hunger! Do not give in!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m so¡­hungry¡­¡± And she was. Ravenous, in fact. It was as if she hadn¡¯t eaten for weeks. Yet, she could distinctly remember feasting only that morning. But the memory was blurry. Ill-defined. Carmen couldn¡¯t make sense of it. Fortunately, the hunger faded a momentter, reced by thick nausea. She pushed that aside as well, and a few secondster, she was once again following Wi through town. This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Oddly enough, as she walked through the town, it was like no one could see her. The townspeople who would usually re at her with nk expressions simply stared through her as if she wasn¡¯t even there. It wasn¡¯t just unnerving. It was rming in a way Carmen couldn¡¯t adequately exin. Slowly, they made their way through the town, turning away from the main street on their way to the town¡¯s small cemetery. Carmen had never visited it, but she¡¯d seen the collection of tombstones from afar. However, what she now saw was very different from what she¡¯d observed in the past. The tombstones were the same, but in the center of the small, fenced graveyard was a mausoleum fit for a king. ¡°What¡­what is that?¡± ¡°Our temple.¡± ¡°Temple?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± After that, Wi led her forward. With every step, Carmen¡¯s dread grew more poignant until she could scarcely put one foot in front of the other. Without Wi dragging her forward, she never would have made it to the cemetery¡¯s gate. As it was, her stomach tightened with fierce anxiety that she couldn¡¯t quite understand. Before they reached the door to the mausoleum, Wi whispered, ¡°When we get to the bottom, do not react. Do not speak. Simply watch. When I leave, follow. Do you understand?¡± Carmen said that she did, albeit in a barely audible voice. It was all she could muster with the way her insides had been twisted with formless fear. Slowly, she followed Wi through the open door, then down a set of stone steps. Each footfall came with an increasingly foul smell. It wasn¡¯t quite decay, but that was thergest part of it. Lacing it was something else Carmen couldn¡¯t quite identify. It was sickly sweet, reminding her of rotten fruit mixed with sulfur. The odor was nearly enough to push her stomach into full rebellion. But she shoved that down, swallowing hard as she followed Wi down the stairs and to a long hall lined with flickering torches. It seemed far toorge for the vige¡¯s needs, and after the first ten feet, they passed a set of doors on either side. Constructed of steel, they were closed, but Carmen was tempted to investigate them further. Remembering Wi¡¯s warning, she chose not to. Slowly, they kept going until they passed another set. Then another after that. Ten more sets came and went until a realization dawned on Carmen. It was not a mausoleum. It was a dungeon. Carmen¡¯s muscles tightened in anticipation. Wi continued on, though, so she didn¡¯t have any time to investigate things before, atst, they reached the end of the hall. A quick nce backward told her they¡¯de nearly five hundred feet. But she was far more interested in what was ahead. A door loomed before her,rger and more borate than any she¡¯d passed in the hall. Wi pushed it open, then stepped inside. Carmen followed, and she had to force herself not to gasp at what she saw on the other side. Remembering Wi¡¯s warning, Carmen ground her teeth together and dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands. She didn¡¯t feel the pain, though. Instead, the whole of her attention was on the scene before her. Three people ¨C all of which she¡¯d thought were deserters who¡¯d fled into the wildernesss ¨C knelt in the center of the room, though Carmen could scarcely see them. Not with five vigers surrounding each one. None of them moved. The deserters all just stared ahead, expressions of full contentment ying across their faces. It wasn¡¯t until Carmen nced at the far wall that she realized what was happening. Still, she wished she hadn¡¯t. The walls were lined with mirrors, and the scenes reflected in those silvery surfaces were not the same as what Carmen saw in the center of the room. Because the vigers were not people at all. Not as reflected in those mirrors, at least. Instead, the reflected figures were exceedingly tall, skeletally thin, and wrinkly creatures with grey skin and tiny heads. Upon those heads were huge, pointed ears and faces that looked like they belonged to humanoid bats. Yet, even more disturbing were the proboscises extending from within their open mouths and connecting to the members of Carmen¡¯s party. At a rhythmic pace, glowing bulges would travel from the far end of each proboscis and into a creature¡¯s mouth. Finally, Carmen noticed the crates piled against the wall nearest the door. Wi didn¡¯t hesitate to reach down and grab a crate before leaving the room. Carmen almost forgot to follow her but remembered at thest second. So she hurried to catch up, desperate to find out what, precisely was going on. However, there was one obstacle in their way. ¡°Wi,¡± said Wendy. ¡°Have you settled your misgivings?¡± ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Wi said with a dip of her head. ¡°I am still growing ustomed to our new ce in this world.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± said Wendy, reaching out to run her fingers along the other woman¡¯s cheek. ¡°It does take some adjustment. It is for the best, though. Soon, we will have the equipment we need to venture out into the wilderness and spread our influence. The world will be ours. You will see.¡± ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Wi said. ¡°I look forward to when we no longer have to hide.¡± ¡°Of course. You are ill-used to such necessity. You did not live in the old world, before it was taken over,¡± Wendy stated. Then, she looked down at the crate in Wi¡¯s hands. ¡°Ah ¨C I am keeping you from your task. Go. Feed our guests.¡± ¡°As you say, mother.¡± With that, Wi hurried past the other woman. Carmen followed, narrowly avoiding Wendy in the tight tunnel. Her heart beat out of her chest as she followed Wi through the tunnel and up the stairs. She barely even breathed until they returned to her smithy. The moment the door shut, she ripped the concealing cloth away and demanded, ¡°What the ever-loving fuck was that?!¡± ¡°Please be calm.¡± ¡°Calm? You want me to be calm? Those monsters ¨C¡± ¡°I am not a monster.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re one of them?¡± Carmen asked, suddenly putting two and two together. She backed away, summoning a hammer. It burst into mes a secondter. ¡°You needn¡¯t fear me,¡± Wi said, holding up her hands. She certainly looked just as human as ever, yet Carmen could now sense that something was wrong. ¡°We didn¡¯t ask toe here to this world. We were snatched away from our homes along with this entire region.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Then, Wi exined that her people were known as sidhe, and they were not native to Earth. Somehow, when the World Tree had touched the, it had transferred Wi and her people to Earth. Since then, they¡¯d been struggling to survive. ¡°What do you mean? You have food. Safety. You have ¨C¡± ¡°We do not eat as you know it,¡± Wi said. ¡°We feed off of others¡¯ memories, carried to us via a natural ability through a transfer of ethera. It is not immediately fatal, but after a few feedings¡­our¡­prey will never recover.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying¡­¡± ¡°That you must escape if you wish to survive,¡± Wi stated. ¡°My people will try to stop you. We are stronger and faster than anyone in your party, save for you or the swordsman. If you wish to live, you must create weapons specifically tobat my people.¡± Wi handed Carmen a piece of paper. ¡°That is an enchantment. It makes any weapons brittle, but it is also deadly to the sidhe.¡± ¡°What? Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Because I would rather die than kill innocent people. On our world, our prey were deadly creatures called orcs,¡± she said. ¡°They were only sapient by the most basic of measures. They were also warlike monsters who only thought of conquest. Killing them was no great tragedy. But this? I cannot support it. I would rather perish.¡± Carmen wanted to ask more questions, but she never got the chance. Wi¡¯s head whipped toward the door, and she said, ¡°I must go. Your people must be fed. Do not eat the food. It is conjured via a skill, and it muddles the mind.¡± And then, she disappeared through the door, leaving Carmen confused, furious, and terrified, all in equal measure. Book 3: Chapter 52: A Soft Heart Book 3: Chapter 52: A Soft Heart A dozen elves, each no more than five feet tall, surrounded Elijah. None looked particrly aggressive, but they were all armed with bows, spears, or wide-ded scimitars with curved hilts. Though, as peaceful as they seemed at first nce, Elijah was very aware that they were clearly waiting for him. And given that they¡¯d surrounded him, he didn¡¯t think they were there on a social call. ¡°Whoa, guys,¡± he said, raising one hand toward the beautiful elf who¡¯d tried to speak to him before he¡¯d teleported back to his grove. She was just as striking as ever, with wide eyes, a perky nose, and full lips. Framing her face was a curtain of glossy, white hair that fell to her shoulders. She wore an earth-toned tunic fastened at the waist with a wide, leather belt and a pair of voluminous pants that were tucked into her knee-high boots. A matching scarf encircled her neck, and she had some sort of symbol Elijah didn¡¯t recognize tattooed between her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t want to mess with me. I¡¯m very dangerous.¡± She cocked her head to the side. ¡°You are a Healer, yes?¡± ¡°Uh¡­sure. But a dangerous Healer,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Wait. That didn¡¯te out right. Makes me seem like I¡¯m kind of bad at my job. I¡¯m not. But I am dangerous. My point is that you should definitely not attack me. For your own good.¡± ¡°We have no intention of attacking you, Healer.¡± Not for the first time, Elijah wished he had never acquired his Ring of Anonymity. It had caused nothing but trouble so far, and right then and there, he decided to do something about that the moment he figured out what the elves wanted. ¡°Then what do you want? You tried to kill the deer, right? Who¡¯s to say you won¡¯t try to do the same to me?¡± ¡°The perpetrators of that heinous act were desperate youths who made a terrible choice,¡± the elven woman said. Btedly, Elijah noticed that she, too, carried a staff. However, hers looked like it was made of frosted ss, reminding him of the ogre staff he¡¯d looted in the Reaver¡¯s Citadel. The one she carried was engraved with myriad symbols, though. ¡°What followed was a tragedy, and on both sides. However, it does not represent our values. We revere guardians.¡± ¡°And yet your people tried to kill them.¡±¡°As I said, a mistake born of desperation.¡± ¡°Why were they desperate?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°And can you guys not surround me like this? I really don¡¯t like people being behind me like that.¡± ¡°Do you pledge not to flee?¡± ¡°Definitely not. I¡¯ll run if I think it¡¯s necessary.¡± She sighed. ¡°Very well.¡± Then, she gestured, and the elves backed away before circling around to join the elven woman. Like that, they looked even more intimidating, but at least they were all in his line of sight. More importantly, without a gaggle of elves behind him, Elijah felt certain that he could escape at a moment¡¯s notice. He was experienced enough with moving through the forest that he felt confident that if it came to that, they would never catch him. Moreover, he saw that each of the elves was dressed almost identically to the woman. However, none of the others had a tattoo in the center of their foreheads. ¡°Are you pleased?¡± came the elven woman¡¯s voice. It was high-pitched, but slightly raspy, and with an ent that Elijah couldn¡¯t quite ce. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± he asked. ¡°And what¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Elijah, by the way.¡± ¡°K¡¯hana Tamira.¡± ¡°K?¡± ¡°K¡¯hana.¡± ¡°That¡¯s literally what I just said.¡± For the first time, there was a crack in her cid expression. It onlysted a moment, but Elijah was d to see that she wasn¡¯t as robotic as she seemed. Still, he wasn¡¯t precisely happy with drawing her annoyance, so before she could say anything else, he asked, ¡°You waited here for three days, right? You didn¡¯t do that unless there¡¯s something you want from me.¡± ¡°On behalf of the elves of Arvandor, I wish to offer you a bargain.¡± ¡°Arvandor? Is that your home world? Or is that a town?¡± ¡°It is our city,¡± she stated. ¡°Do you wish to hear the terms of our bargain?¡± ¡°Sure. Shoot.¡± ¡°Shoot you?¡± ¡°What? No. It¡¯s an expression,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°Damn my overreliance on idioms,¡± he said, dramatically shaking his fist toward the sky. The elves didn¡¯t like that, and they looked like they were on the verge of responding with all the sharp things in their possession. Elijah sighed. ¡°Just tell me the terms.¡± ¡°Curious,¡± K¡¯hana responded. ¡°Your ways are strange. You mean to travel north and east, do you not?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Have you scouted the route?¡± ¡°Nope. I usually just wing it,¡± Elijah admitted. After all, it couldn¡¯t be that difficult if other people had managed it. And he knew they had. Ray had said that Valosta had yed host to many traders over the years. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Without our help, you will perish in the Twilight Clefts.¡± ¡°That sounds ominous. What are the Twilight Clefts?¡± K¡¯hana then proceeded to exin that the region directly to the north was a maze of canyons and ravines popted by a host of deadly predators. More importantly, it was nearly impossible to find a route through without the elves as guides. She imed that anyone who refused their help ¨C which they normally offered for a price ¨C died in the canyons. ¡°We wish to guide you through.¡± ¡°Okay? How much?¡± ¡°We do not want your ethereum,¡± K¡¯hana said. ¡°Instead, we wish your services as a Healer.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any of your own?¡± ¡°We¡­recently went to war with a tribe of rock gnolls. Though we were victorious, the war was not without cost. Treacherous creatures. They knew to target our Healers, first. Many perished,¡± she exined. ¡°We work to replenish our numbers, but for now, we are vulnerable.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind healing a little.¡± Indeed, he quite enjoyed it. Curiously, he found quite a lot of joy in using every facet of his power set. He loved the freedom and power inherent in his draconic bestial forms, the utility of his spells, and the sheer satisfaction of healing people. So, he had no troublemitting to thetter, especially if it got him to Seattle a little more quickly. Because he was certain that he could traverse the Twilight Clefts without the elves¡¯ help. If he could get through the Primordial Maze, a few canyons and ravines didn¡¯t scare him. Yet, from the way K¡¯hana spoke, doing so would be quite difficult. More, it would almost assuredly be time-consuming. So, healing a few elves was a nice exchange if it saved him a little time. Besides, he¡¯d be kicking himself for weeks if he refused to heal people who needed it. ¡°I believe you misunderstand. While we will ept any healing you wish to give, the bargain is contingent on you apanying us in our efforts to conquer a tower,¡± she stated. ¡°What?¡± Elijah asked. He had no intention of heading into another tower. Doing so would be another dy he had no interest in enduring. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s¡­uh¡­I¡¯m not really doing towers. Thanks for the offer, though? I¡¯ll just make my own way.¡± ¡°Please,¡± she said, bowing her head. ¡°If we cannot do this, we will be forced to flee. There is nowhere else for us to go. The tower already overflows and ¨C¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°Do you know anything about this tower?¡± he asked. ¡°How long does it take to conquer? Have you run it before?¡± ¡°We have not,¡± she admitted. Then she exined that, until recently, there was a human settlement that had taken responsibility for the tower. However, the gnolls had grown bold enough to attack the town, killing most of the residents. The ones that had survived chose to retreat to Seattle. Since then, the tower had been building ethera until, atst, it had burst, surging with Voxx. ¡°We hold our own against the Voxxian monsters. Yet, we do not have the Healers to attempt to conquer the tower. If we go in there as we are, we will all perish.¡± Elijah ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°Jesus. No pressure, right?¡± he muttered. He truly did not want to get involved in another tower. Yet, could he really live with himself if he chose not to help them, then came back at someter date to find that their town had been overrun by Voxx? No. That was the answer he didn¡¯t want to admit to himself. Elijah was a lot of things ¨C a murderer, among others ¨C but he couldn¡¯t rightly stand to the side while innocent people suffered. Did that make him a na?ve white knight? Maybe. Probably. But he didn¡¯t want to know the sort of person who could see other people in trouble and turn his back. And certainly, he couldn¡¯t stomach the idea of bing that person. The very notion was revolting. So, he said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± K¡¯hana said, bowing at the waist. ¡°But I need more than just a guide through the Twilight Clefts,¡± he said. ¡°I want one extra reward. I get to pick, too.¡± ¡°Any but thest,¡± K¡¯hana said without hesitation. Clearly, she¡¯d expected such a caveat. ¡°Fine,¡± Elijah said, pping his hands together. ¡°So ¨C where is this tower, anyway? Let¡¯s get this thing done.¡± As it turned out, the tower was on the other side of the Twilight Clefts. However, K¡¯hana had no issues with setting out right then. Soon enough, they were trekking across the wilderness, and to Elijah¡¯s surprise, it only took half a day for the terrain to change. The first thing he noticed was the dropping humidity, but it wasn¡¯t long before the forest gave way to scrubby bushes and otherwise barren and rocky soil. It reminded Elijah quite a bit of the American southwest, with mesas, buttes, and twisted, scraggly trees. As they went on, traveling through the night, the terrain grew rockier until, by morning, Elijah found himself overlooking a series of canyons that stretched on for miles in every direction. At first, he thought he could simply leap across them, remaining on top, but K¡¯hana quickly disabused him of that notion by revealing that, in a lot of ces, the canyons were nearly a quarter of a mile wide and twice as deep. From a geological perspective, none of it made sense. There was nothing to have carved such a wide variety of ravines. But there they were, all the same, reminding Elijah that the transformed Earth did not follow the same rules it once had. The elves led him forward, sure of their route as they took one turn or the next, and gradually, they made their way through the canyons. As they did, Elijah discovered that the elves who¡¯d attempted to kill the deer were youths who¡¯d been led astray by a human traveler¡¯s stories of powerful beasts and natural treasures. By the time K¡¯hana and the others had discovered they were gone, it was toote to save them. It was a difficult story to hear, and one that visibly saddened K¡¯hana. Yet, Elijah had difficulty sympathizing with the dead elves. After all, they¡¯d set out to kill the deer. He¡¯d vowed not to punish people for hunting powerful guardians and looting natural treasures, but that did nothing for the way he felt about those who would choose that route. Eventually, they turned a corner, and Arvandor wasid bare before him. The elvish city was unlike any Elijah had ever seen. From the canyon floor, all that was visible were a series of rope bridges stretching from one side of the ravine to the other. However, further inspection revealed more than a hundred caves on either side. Elijah followed K¡¯hana and the other elves to a nearby earthen ramp that led to one such cave, and once he was inside, Elijah was shocked to find that all the caves were connected. More, there were hundreds of chambers inside, each with walls carved with some script Elijah couldn¡¯t read. Some of the chambers wererge and served asmunal spaces where elves congregated for mercantile or social reasons, while others were small and were clearly intended as sleeping quarters. He was not afforded the opportunity to explore, because K¡¯hana led him to one of the sleeping chambers, where she insisted that he get some rest. After all, they were going to attempt to conquer a tower in the morning, and they all needed to be as fresh as possible. Elijah wholeheartedly agreed, and he was happy to find that the chamber, while small, seemed to be equipped with all the necessary amenities. It even had a small bathroom, though there was no shower. Not surprising, given the scarcity of water in the surrounding desert. Still, Elijah stripped down in the bathroom and summoned Healing Rain, which served the same purpose as any shower. Once that was done, he finallyy down in the room¡¯s hammock, where he quickly fell asleep. Book 3: Chapter 53: An Oddity Book 3: Chapter 53: An Oddity Sitting cross-legged in the center of the ritual circle, K¡¯hana Tamira stared into the flickering candle me. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not concentrate on her meditation. So, with an exasperated sigh, she let her shoulders slump in frustration and exhaustion. ¡°You fail because youck focus,¡± said elder Hama. K¡¯hana nced at the older elf, but bit back the scathing retort she so wished she could level at her unforgiving master. Like most elves lucky enough to reach any significant years, Hama showed only a few signs of her advanced age. Her face wasrgely unlined ¨C save for a few crow¡¯s feet at the corners of her eyes and a slightly more acerbic visage ¨C but her hair was te gray. As was the case with every other elf in Arvandor ¨C and on the homeworld they¡¯d been forced to leave behind ¨C Hama wore the kushti. It was as much a ceremonial outfit as it was practical, created to help the sand elves of Erag weather the intense heat of their natural environment. It wasposed of a tight-fitting top with loose, billowing pants that had been tucked into soft, leather boots created from the hide of a bilo lizard. Completing the outfit was the akah, a long, flowing scarf meant to be wrapped around an elf¡¯s head, protecting her from the harsh sun. ¡°Ick focus because I am anxious for what it is toe,¡± she stated. ¡°If we are unsessful¡­¡± ¡°Life will continue. We will find another solution. You are a Water Witch. Learn to swim with the current, or you will be washed away.¡± K¡¯hana dug her fingernails into her palms. She¡¯d heard much the same from Hama, and on so many asions that she could recite her master¡¯s lessons verbatim. Yet, knowing them was not enough. She needed to internalize them. To live them. To be like water. She suddenly pushed herself to her feet, then said, ¡°I am done meditating. I must ensure our guest has what he requires for theing trials.¡± Without waiting for a response, she left the ritual circle behind. As she traversed Arvandor, she marveled at the moisture in the air. Even in what the natives considered a desert, there was far more water avable than nearly anywhere on Erag. Though it was often disconcerting, that trait was one of the few differences she appreciated.However, there were a considerable number of other changes to which she had struggled to limate. Adapting to the presence of only one sun, instead of the three that popted the skies of Erag, the local poption with their odd customs, and the threat of Voxx were among the most difficult adjustments. On Erag, they never had to worry about monsters of any sort, which was, in a way, the reason so many had chosen to relocate to Earth. They never could have anticipated how difficult it was, constantly struggling for survival, fighting monsters, and with the threat of a Voxxian invasion always hovering over their heads. Many had died. Almost everyone else had regretted their choice toe to Earth. There was no going back, though. Not unless they became much wealthier. It was possible. Newly touched worlds were often treasure troves, both in terms of leveling opportunities and natural treasures. But those advancement prospects came with proportionate danger. Once she was a good distance away from the ritual circle ¨C or more appropriately, Hama ¨C K¡¯hana found an unused corner of the city, where she sank to her haunches and ran her hand through her silky hair. With a sigh, she used Water Body, then stared at her skin as she twisted her hand back and forth. It shimmered in the city¡¯s blue-tinted ethereal lights.
Water Body Transform all or part of your body into water, negating most physical damage. Duration contingent on Ethera and percentage of body transformed.
When she had first received the spell, she¡¯d been incapable of limiting its effects. Back then, it was all or nothing, with no in-between. Yet, in the years since, she¡¯d learned to control it with perfect aptitude. That wasforting. It proved that, despite her failures, she had the capacity for sess. If she could learn to control the notoriously difficult Water Body, then she could do anything she set her mind toward. But as reassuring as the fruits of her longbors were, the reality of her failures remained. Not only had she failed to protect her people, which, as Arvandor¡¯s resident Priestess of the Rains, was her chief responsibility, but she¡¯d also failed to advance her ss, Water Witch. Hopefully, she could make good on both failures in the uing tower run. Without the stranger they¡¯d stumbled upon near the natural treasure, she would never have attempted it. Indeed, when the tower had surged, they¡¯d made preparations to abandon the territory they had imed. However, as a high-level Healer ¨C much higher than the level her scouts had imed he disyed ¨C he was capable of dragging them toward sess. And once they¡¯d conquered the tower once, they could bring that information back to the others and, with that in hand, the city could be saved. Or that was the n. The reality had yet to be written, and there were quite a few issues with her expectations. Chief among them was that, once the stranger was gone, they would still be without a viable Healer. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the vition. That was why she wanted to level so badly. Water Witch traced its roots to the Sorceress archetype, but it was a true hybrid ss. Yet, it did not show that until after level fifty, when the first healing spell, Waters of Renewal, would be granted. Until then, a Water Witch¡¯s only healing ability was Spring of Rebirth, which was too unwieldy to rely upon in a tower. Thus, if they were going to survive ¨C and hopefully thrive ¨C she needed toplete the tower, gain enough levels to acquire Waters of Renewal, and lead her people to prosperity. But to do that, she required the help of the strange human with a host of inexplicable abilities. Not only could he heal ¨C as he¡¯d demonstrated by nurturing the doe back to health ¨C but he could also transform into a hulking reptilian monster that, to anyone who knew what to look for, screamed of an origin within the Empire of Scale. When K¡¯hana had firstid eyes on that monstrous creature, she¡¯d thought an actual dragon had descended upon Earth. Of course, that was silly. She¡¯d been taught all the forms the elder race could take. Everyone was, lest they risk offending one of those powerful beings through ignorance. Yet, the creature had radiated such power that she¡¯d briefly lost touch with her education. And when she recovered from that initial shock, K¡¯hana had been left with a mystery. Then, just when she had decided to approach, he had disappeared for three whole days. By the time he¡¯d finally returned ¨C simply appearing from thin air ¨C she¡¯d been on the verge of returning to Arvandor in failure. Because in addition to proving incapable of tracking down the two young elves who¡¯d followed the deer before they ran afoul of the powerful guardians, she would have lost the one chance of survival they¡¯d found. But miraculously, he¡¯d returned, and even more surprisingly, he¡¯d agreed to the bargain she had offered. He¡¯d barely even negotiated, though giving up one extra reward was still a steep price. Even so, K¡¯hana didn¡¯t really know what to think of him. He was clearly mightier than his level indicated, and judging by what she¡¯d seen, there was little chance that he was a true Healer. He was powerful, though. He¡¯d proven that through the feats she¡¯d observed. And she knew that, in her situation, she didn¡¯t have the leeway to be picky. He could do the job, and that would have to be all that mattered. For now. Perhaps that would change after the tower. In any case, once she¡¯d calmed herself, she canceled her spell and continued on her way. As she passed various members of hermunity, she received customary greetings of respect. Normally, that consisted of each elf touching their forehead, then their lips, and gesturing outward. It was meant to be symbolic of her power and her standing within themunity, the pir upon which it rested was to find water and share it with the n. In Erag, it was a position of no small necessity. Water Witches were figures of great respect, and without them, water was virtually impossible to find. Not so on Earth, where lifegiving water practically gushed from the ground. There were even ces ¨C like the pond where they¡¯d discovered the stranger ¨C where water was so profuse that it collected in every depression. K¡¯hana didn¡¯t trust such abundance. By Erag¡¯s standards, the Twilight Clefts were paradisical, which was more than enough for her. Anything lusher would be too much. Eventually, K¡¯hana reached the domicile assigned to the stranger. To her surprise, when she pressed her hand against the door, activating the enchantment meant to announce her presence, he was quick to answer. With a blush, she averted her eyes from his naked torso, but thankfully, he quickly saw to hisck of modesty by tugging on a clean, white shirt. However, K¡¯hana had been incapable of stopping herself from seeing the huge number of scars on his chest. They weren¡¯t as severe as the ones covering his right arm, but they were noticeable all the same. Clearly, this human was no stranger to battle. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked with a cheerful grin. ¡°Is it time to go? Give me like¡­two seconds, and I¡¯ll have everything ready.¡± As he spoke, he retreated into the room he¡¯d been given. Even from where she stood in the doorway, she could see that dozens of itemsy on the bed next to a tattered pack. There were containers of every sort. Some were made from materials she recognized, but others were a mystery. She did notice quite a lot of food, though. She smelled meat that had been wrapped in some sort of preserving packaging, fruit, and even some tea leaves. There were jugs containing liquids ¨C likely water ¨C and more than a few sets of clothing. ¡°Come in,¡± he said, looking back as he stuffed things into his pack. Then, he reached into one of the containers and retrieved a berry unlike any she¡¯d ever seen. It wasrge, knobby, and purple. He asked, ¡°Oh ¨C want a berry? They¡¯re pretty good.¡± With that, he tossed one in her direction. She caught it, almost on instinct. But if she hadn¡¯t seen him popping another into his mouth, she might¡¯ve avoided the projectile. However, trusting that it was safe ¨C after all, he¡¯d shown no reasons for distrust ¨C she took a dainty bite of the tiny fruit. vor exploded in her mouth. It was tart and sweet, and more importantly, it sent a ripple of vitality coursing through her body. Riding in the wake of that vitality was a tiny surge of ethera that made her briefly forget the amazing taste. ¡°W-what¡­what is this?¡± ¡°I call them grove berries,¡± the man said, still grinning. K¡¯hana saw that the berry had briefly stained his teeth purple. ¡°But now that I say it out loud, that seems¡­I don¡¯t know. It sounds a little dirty, right? No? Well, I still feel like it should have a more distinguished name. Like king berries or something. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m still kind of workshopping it.¡± He paused. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s a lie. I haven¡¯t even thought of it before now. But I will!¡± ¡°What¡­what are you talking about?¡± she asked, a little taken aback. ¡°Oh. Sorry. I tend to ramble a bit around pretty girls. I me the fact that I was an awkward kid. Late bloomer, you know? Plus, spending a couple of years with only a spryggen forpany will drive anybody a little weird. Oh, there were crabs there, too. Lots of crabs.¡± ¡°What is a crab?¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Guess you don¡¯t have crabs where youe from. So, crabs are like sea spiders. You have spiders, right?¡± he said. She nodded, though the idea of a sea seemed incredibly unnatural. ¡°So, I have those on my ind. Big and with a hard shell. They actually taste pretty good. Or they used to, at least. I spent like two years eating almost nothing else, so I kind of lost my taste for it. Plus, I think when they mutated, they lost whatever made them tasty.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But I guess that might be because they were originally purple shore crabs. People didn¡¯t usually eat those before. So, that might be an exnation. The point is that I don¡¯t want to eat crab. I can¡¯t stress that enough.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± He finished shoving everything into his pack, then donned his heavy, fur cloak. After grabbing his hooked staff ¨C it was carved to look like a serpent, and it radiated an umon level of power ¨C he pped his hands together and said, ¡°So, let¡¯s go do this thing. I¡¯m on a schedule. Hopefully, we can knock this tower out in a few hours. In and out, no big deal, right? Beat some monsters, collect our prizes, and win. Easy peasy.¡± ¡°We have a few more hours before everyone will be ready. I simply came here to ensure that you had everything you needed,¡± she said. ¡°What? Then why¡¯d you tell me it was time to leave? I got packed and everything.¡± ¡°I did not ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just explore a little. Want to be my tour guide? Or do you expect me to make my own way? You know what ¨C never mind. I can see from your expression that you¡¯ve got other things on your mind. Hopefully I don¡¯t get lost. If you need me, just holler.¡± And then, without another word, he pushed past her and jauntily strode down the hall, whistling an oddly catchy tune. More importantly, he left K¡¯hanapletely nonplussed. ¡°What have we gotten ourselves into?¡± she muttered to herself as she watched him turn a corner. Book 3: Chapter 54: The Lighthouse Book 3: Chapter 54: The Lighthouse Elijah held his hand out in a gesture of greeting, introduced himself, then added, ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± The male elf, who looked a lot like K¡¯hana, though with ck hair instead of white, eyed his hand warily, then turned his nose up at the offering. Elijah winced. ¡°Ah, leaving me hanging. This is getting off to a great start.¡± ¡°Badu,¡± said K¡¯hana admonishingly. ¡°Be respectful.¡± Badu grunted, then turned his back and headed toward the tunnel that would take him out of the city. ¡°Ouch. Guess I¡¯m not well-liked, huh? I¡¯ve been there before. Didn¡¯t end well,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°What do you mean?¡± K¡¯hana asked, a little morefortable around him than she had been when she¡¯d barged into his room. A good sign, as far as Elijah was concerned. ¡°Oh, it was this whole thing. A goblin tried to stab me in the back. Well, he did actually stab me. But he missed the important bits.¡± ¡°What happened to him?¡± Elijah massaged the back of his neck. ¡°Nothing good. So, where¡¯s this tower we¡¯re meant to run? And where¡¯s the rest of the crew?¡± he asked. ¡°Crew? Ah. Yes. The party,¡± she said. ¡°You have met Badu.¡±¡°If you call that a meeting, sure. He didn¡¯t seem to like me much,¡± Elijah stated. Indeed, the elf¡¯s expression had made it abundantly clear how he felt about Elijah. ¡°No clue why. I¡¯ve only ever met one other elf before today, and she didn¡¯t have any issues with me.¡± ¡°Another elf? Where? Which tribe?¡± ¡°Not sure. She was a little taller than you. Blonde hair. Not nearly as pale.¡± ¡°Hm¡­a forest elf, most likely,¡± K¡¯hana said. ¡°Or a hybrid. There are many of those.¡± ¡°Right. Anyway ¨C what about your friend over there? Why was he so angry with me? Usually, people need to talk to me for at least a few minutes before they start getting annoyed,¡± Elijah said self-deprecatingly. ¡°His sister was one of the elves killed by the stag,¡± K¡¯hana informed him. ¡°He likely thinks you robbed him of a chance of vengeance.¡± ¡°Vengeance? On a deer?¡± ¡°Indeed. In our culture, guardians are considered much like any sapient race. With thates respect, but it alsoes with ountability.¡± ¡°Yet your people hunted them like normal beasts,¡± Elijah pointed out, letting a little of his anger out. ¡°Doesn¡¯t feel like respect to me.¡± ¡°It is not. They were wrong.¡± Elijah sighed, running a hand through his curly, blonde hair. It had once again grown much longer than he preferred. ¡°So ¨C what about that team, huh? There¡¯s Badu, right? Can¡¯t say I¡¯m happy about him having my life in his hands, but whatever. What about the rest?¡± ¡°Formal introductions are forting,¡± she said. And indeed, they were. Once Elijah followed her out of the tunnel and into the neighboring ravine, they met with three other elves. Predictably, one was the surly Badu, whose default expression seemed to be a sneer. ording to K¡¯hana, he was a Wind Whisperer, which meant that he specialized in air-based attacks. What form that would take, Elijah didn¡¯t know, but he assumed it would be simr to the des of wind that apanied his Cmity spell. The next elf was even shorter than K¡¯hana. She gave Elijah a respectful bow and said, ¡°My name is Syka. I am a Golemancer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Elijah asked. As it turned out, Golemancers were Sorceresses who specialized in summoning earthen creatures. Syka demonstrated that by casting a spell that caused a blocky creature to climb out of the ground. It was at least seven feet tall and made entirely of rock. ¡°Gbartik will be our defender,¡± Syka said, pping the creature on a boulder-like leg. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure how that would work, but they all seemed perfectly happy with that arrangement. So, he¡¯d decided to take a wait-and-see sort of attitude. At the end of the day, if it didn¡¯t work, he felt confident that he could do things on his own, even if it turned out to be less than optimal. The final elf introduced herself as Nimana, and she was a Sand Mage that specialized in impeding enemies. Alone, she wasrgely incapable of killing anything, but K¡¯hana pointed out that she was a vital member of any team that would make everyone better. Elijah could understand that, and he looked forward to seeing what she could do. ¡°And you?¡± he asked K¡¯hana. Even next to the other elves, who all wore identical clothing and had simr features, she was strikingly beautiful. Yet, there was enough of a cultural distance between them ¨C never mind the intimidatingly alien beauty ¨C that he never even considered trying for anything more than a professional arrangement. Well, he considered it. Because he obviously had. He¡¯d just dismissed those sorts of feelings. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°I am a Water Witch,¡± she said. ¡°What does that mean?¡± he asked. K¡¯hana went on to exin that, in addition to providing the absolutely necessary ability to locate water in a desert, she had the ability to use spells associated with water. She went on to exin that she, as well as Badu were tasked with doing damage. Syka and her golem filled the role of the defender. And Nimana¡¯s job was controlling the battlefield. Meanwhile, Elijah was expected to heal. It was a good n, though Elijah knew better than to expect things to work out exactly as they¡¯d arranged. If he¡¯d learned nothing else in his life, it was that ns rarelysted long in a fight. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t have to take matters into his own hands. Or ws, as it were. In any case, as the sun rose, casting the Twilight Clefts in deep shadow, the group set off through the maze of ravines. They moved quickly, but Elijah had no trouble keeping up ¨C much to the chagrin of Badu, who¡¯d set the pace. Fortunately, the other elves weren¡¯t nearly as surly as the Wind Whisperer, and they weren¡¯t shy about asking him questions. ¡°And these¡­televisions ¨C they showed ys?¡± asked Syka, who was riding on her golem¡¯s shoulder. Each step sounded like a miniature earthquake, which meant that any notions of stealth had long since gone out the window. ¡°Sort of. We also watched sports and the news, though the second one was more performative than informative there in the end,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°But everyone loved movies.¡± ¡°I would like to see one of these¡­movies,¡± Syka said. The other elves agreed. Except Badu, who seemed to take the entire conversation as an affront to his honor. Hopefully, that wouldn¡¯t end up being an issue. ¡°Have you all been to many towers?¡± Elijah asked a whileter. ¡°No. On our world, the only people permitted to conquer towers are the rich. Or the elite fighters,¡± said K¡¯hana. ¡°That is one of the reasons we came here. On Erag, opportunities are very limited.¡± ¡°Seems a bit shortsighted. But you don¡¯t have to worry about surges? What about monsters? We had an orc issue back home.¡± ¡°Orcs? Here?¡± asked Nimana, obviously rmed. ¡°Not anymore.¡± ¡°But you got them all?¡± Elijah insisted that they had, saying that he knew exactly how dangerous they were. Then, he asked about the surges again. ¡°No. On Erag, everything is well controlled. From time to time, a particrly powerful rift opens in the wilderness, and it manages to fester. However, for the most part, everything is kept under control. It will one day be the same here.¡± Elijah nodded. That was a good thing, as far as he could see. Certainly, it would stifle growth and progression, but that was better than letting Voxx run rampant, wasn¡¯t it? In any case, he didn¡¯t have to worry about that from his tower. Even if the people of Ironshore hadn¡¯t beenmitted to running it once a week, his grove drained any excess ethera it produced, meaning that it would never surge. The elves¡¯ situation wasn¡¯t really all that different from any group that braved the dangers of any frontier. All they wanted was opportunity. So, when the chance toe to Earth was presented to them, they jumped on it. Elijah could respect that. Over the next day-and-a-half, the group made their way through the Twilight Clefts, and during that time, Elijah learned two things. First, the elves were very odd. They had a plethora of strange customs, and the cultural differences made for some awkward situations. Like when Syka eagerly offered him a bag full of live crickets as a snack. He¡¯d refused, saying that he preferred his grove berries. The elves were also incredibly cognizant of their water usage, and they survived off only two or three sips a day. Byparison, Elijah¡¯s consumption was downright decadent, and each time he gulped water from one of his jugs, they gave him looks of incredulity. Or anger, as was the case with Badu. The second thing he¡¯d recognized was that he did not care for the canyons at all. Not only were they incredibly confusing to navigate, but with those walls on either side, Elijah had shbacks of his time in the Primordial Maze which left him feeling ustrophobic and ufortable. So, he was more than a little relieved when they finally left the canyons behind. His relief was doubly noticeable, because, for all that he liked havingpany, it was exhausting having to be around people for so long. Especially when those people were sand elves. ¡°Is that it?¡± asked Elijah, shading his eyes as he looked off into the distance where he saw a steep mesa topped by what looked like an abandoned lighthouse. ¡°It is,¡± said K¡¯hana. ¡°We must scale the cliffs. Can you climb?¡± ¡°I can manage,¡± Elijah said. After another forty-five minutes, they reached the rock face in question. The summit of the teau was at least a thousand feet up, with nearly sheer sides popted by a few craggy cliffs and scrubby trees. ¡°So, don¡¯t freak out,¡± Elijah said. He knew that K¡¯hana had seen hismer ape form, but he had no idea if the others knew the extent of his capabilities. So, he thought it best to warn them. Even so, when he shifted, there were a couple of gasps of surprise. And Badu red even harder, if such a thing was possible. ¡°Dude, you really need toy off the stink eye there,¡± Elijah growled, his voice the sort of deep rumble a person could feel in their chest. ¡°Getting really old. That¡¯s all I¡¯m saying. Anyone need a ride?¡± Badu¡¯s expression darkened, which couldn¡¯t have been a good sign. Whatever the case, no one took Elijah up on his generous offer, so, using his long arms and ape-like power, he quickly scaled the cliff. At the same time, Syka continued to ride on her golem¡¯s shoulder as it nearly kept pace with Elijah¡¯s ascent. Badu was the next fastest, nimbly gliding from one outcropping to another like an elf-shaped kite. Nimana followed, and though she didn¡¯t use any obvious spells or abilities, her progress was impressive. Bringing up the rear was K¡¯hana, who clearly had not invested heavily in her physical attributes. Elijah¡¯s instincts told him to help her, but he knew enough about people to recognize just how bad of an idea that was. If she¡¯d wanted assistance, she would have taken him up on his first offer. Trying again would only make her seem weak. Which she was. But it was polite to pretend otherwise. Besides, she probably had other talents. In any case, Elijah was the first to reach the top, and by a wide margin. That gave him the opportunity to meet a recently spawned Voxxian monster, face-to-face. The reptilian creature looked a bit different than the ones he¡¯d encountered in more verdant territory, which was to say that instead of glistening viridian scales, its hide was leathery, ridged, and incredibly rough. Fortunately, it was not very strong, so when it threw itself at Elijah, he caught the monster by its shoulders, did a pirouette, then tossed it over the cliff. It sailed through the air for nearly forty yards before it started its descent. And when it hit the ground a couple of secondster, it sttered across the barren desert. Which was a good thing, because Elijah didn¡¯t want to be forced to go down there and finish it off. As he knocked the dirt from his massive ws, the others crested the edge of the cliff. He shifted back into his human form as he said, ¡°Who¡¯s ready for a tower run? Should be fun, right?¡± Book 3: Chapter 55: An Estate of Unrest Book 3: Chapter 55: An Estate of Unrest Cool night air tickled Elijah¡¯s skin as he stepped through the portal and into the lighthouse tower. For a moment, he ignored the notifications announcing his entrance and informing him of the task he was meant to aplish, instead focusing on his surroundings. The air wasn¡¯t just cold. It carried with it a mostly unidentifiable odor that reminded him of a long-neglected basement. Yet, the environment didn¡¯t support that imagined scenario, because he found himself in the middle of a forest popted by gnarled trees. Fog clung to the ground, obscuring the underbrush from sight. Elijah could feel it via One with Nature, but nothing about it was abnormal. However, he couldn¡¯t escape the tendril of unease that gripped his spine. As the others materialized beside him, he acknowledged his notifications. The first was:
Wee to The Magister¡¯s Estate, Level One. To advance to Level Two,plete the task before you.
It was simr to every other notification he¡¯d received upon entering a tower, and the name didn¡¯t give him any information as to the nature of the challenge. So, Elijah moved on to the next notification.
Task: Discover the source and take the first step to destroying it.
¡°That¡¯s vague,¡± he muttered. He turned to K¡¯hana and continued, ¡°Find the source. What do you think it means?¡± ¡°We do not know, outsider,¡± Badu growled, pushing past Elijah and looking around. ¡°We must explore the area and find ¨C¡±Just then, a screech filled the air, cutting him off. It was a long way off, but it still sent another chill up Elijah¡¯s spine. More importantly, it clearly frightened Badu. The elf took a step back, a ripple of air surrounding his body. It was all Elijah could do not to sigh in frustration. Over the course of the journey to the lighthouse, he¡¯d learned a few things about the elves. Their personalities were still something of a mystery ¨C they weren¡¯t eager to reveal too much to him, after all ¨C but one thing was obvious: they were even more inexperienced than he was. Sure, they¡¯de from a long-developed world where the touch of the World Tree had been present for millennia. However, the nature of their society was such that none of them had ever even sniffed a tower. On their world of Erag, that privilege was reserved for the aristocracy or their forces. And the elves who¡¯de to Earth came from the elven equivalent of the ghetto. Or a trailer park. They were the poorest of the poor. The desperate masses whose only hope for any future was to pick up everything, travel across multiple universes, and settle in a dangerous world full of the unknown. Because of that, Elijah was far and away the most experienced among the party, at least when it came to towers. ¡°Okay, so as far as I can tell, each of you can take three buffs from me,¡± Elijah said, using one of the gaming terms he¡¯d learned in cities like Argos and Norcastle. They just felt less awkward. ¡°So, what do you want? I can do everything but Ethera.¡± After he was forced to exin what he meant, they each told him their preferences. And understandably, they all asked for Aura of Renewal, Essence of the Boar, and Essence of the Monkey. In addition, they received Essence of the Wolf, which didn¡¯t take up any of their slots. For his part, Elijah added Essence of the Lion, intending to switch it out for Shield of Brambles if the situation called for it. For now, though, he reasoned that, as the group¡¯s designated Healer, he wasn¡¯t supposed to take any damage. So, he applied his buffs ordingly. Syka added a spell which coated their bodies in barely-visible armor that looked like it was made of rock. ording to her, it wasn¡¯t meant to increase any attributes. Rather, it blunted any damage they might have to endure. Although the spell could only take so much damage before it fell away, Elijah was happy for the extra protection. None of the others had any buffs to apply, which Elijah found odd. He had so many that he¡¯d just assumed that everyone else had ess to simr enhancements. Obviously not, though. Once everyone was buffed, the group set out through the trees. As they did, the screeching grew ever louder. To Elijah, the cries sounded like nothing he¡¯d ever heard before ¨C abination of a birdcall and a human¡¯s screams, with a little extra reverberation thrown in for good measure. Either way, it was wholly unnerving ¨C a state that affected the elves just as much as it did him. If it had been up to Elijah, he would have shifted into his draconid form and remained under the cover of Guise of the Unseen. However, that would have exposed the other members of the party. He forced himself to remember that, unlike in the previous towers he¡¯d conquered, his job wasn¡¯t to do everything. In fact, his only task was to keep everyone alive. To that end, he remained in his human form, alert and ready for any dangers that might present themselves. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Or that was what he thought. The reality was that he very much was not prepared for the monsters that came screeching through the trees. They were humanoid. In fact, they seemed like they might¡¯ve once been actual humans. Yet, they were green- or grey-skinned, wearing ripped and ragged remnants of clothing that barely covered anything. On top of that, their arms were slightly too long, their ws far too sharp, and their faces a massacre of scars, pustules, and mucus. Oh, and they were clearly feral, disying the sort of unflinchingmitment to attack usually reserved for the unliving in zombie movies. Using One with Nature, Elijah was the first to detect the horde of creatures as they cut through the foggy forest, and he shouted, ¡°Ready yourselves! Monstersing!¡± He recoiled from what he felt through One with Nature. The monsters were anything but natural. In fact, they felt like abominations ¨C mixtures of death and life and something else Elijah couldn¡¯t identify. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it before the fast-moving monsters showed themselves. The elves recoiled, but to their credit, they reacted quickly. Gbartik, the earthen golem, rumbled forward to meet them, and with a roar that sounded like andslide, activated some sort of ability that drew the attention of the enemies. The ghouls ¨C because they couldn¡¯t be anything else, from Elijah¡¯s perspective ¨C copsed onto the golem with a cloud of dust. Chips of rock flew as the sound of ws on earth filled the air. Elijah cast Soothe on the giant earthen creature, and the damage inflicted by the monsters started to heal. But it wasn¡¯t enough, so he used Healing Rain as well. That kept pace, but Elijah knew it wouldn¡¯tst. Eventually, the golem would fall before the tide of monsters. Fortunately, the elves had already responded, filling the atmosphere with various spells. K¡¯hana wielded a whip of water, which she used to repeatedlysh the ghouls. Where that spellnded, flesh parted, and in some cases, limbs flew free. At the same time, Nimana cast a spell that turned the ground to quicksand. The ghouls sank to their knees, impeding their movement. The golem¡¯s footing, though, remained sure. But the real star was Badu, who twirled and gestured like a kung fu master, sending out des of wind that cut the ghouls to pieces. Before long, the area had be a charnel house for oddly colored flesh as the elves brought their powerful spells to bear. Meanwhile, Elijah struggled to mend any damage his party members sustained. Most of that damage was directed at the golem, but every now and then, one of the ghouls would break free of the horde and fall upon one of the elves. In those instances, the party redirected their fire, ughtering the offending ghoul, yet there was always some damage. In response, Elijah made a habit of darting forward to use Touch of Nature. However, for each member of the party, Soothe remained active. Thebination of that heal-over-time spell and Healing Rain was enough to keep up with any incidental damage ¨C at least to the point where it would allow enough time for Elijah to apply Touch of Nature. Like that, the group fought. But it quickly became apparent that, unless something changed, Elijah would run out of ethera. So, he slowly adjusted his tactics. Instead of ying it safe by keeping Soothe active on each of his group members, he used it more reactively. It was more dangerous, but it was also the only way he could aplish his goal of keeping everyone upright until the horde was defeated. More than anything, though, he began to understand the limitations of his ss. Other Healers, he knew, could use powerful spells from afar. Meanwhile, to utilize his most powerful healing ability, Elijah had toy hands on the spell¡¯s recipient. Soothe and Healing Rain were extremely efficient, but to heal lethal damage, they were both far too slow-acting. Regardless, Elijah kept pace ¨C probably because of thebined influences of his powerful Dragon Core and the Crook of the Serpent Healer. Without either, he would have failed. Of course, the moment Elijah felt like he¡¯d managed to get a handle on things, it all went wrong. Part of it was the simple progression of the tower, which was expected. What Elijah didn¡¯t expect was for stupidity to rear its ugly head ¨C though, in hindsight, that particr inevitability should have been obvious as well. The first part came when arger, burlier, and significantly more powerful ghoul crashed through the trees and fell upon Gbartik. The golem responded with a massive backhand that sent the neer staggering away, but no one could afford to pull their attention from the main horde. So, Elijah chose to act. He shouted, ¡°I¡¯m going to stall the big one! Don¡¯t attack it!¡± A secondter, he finished casting his spell, and thick vines erupted from the ground, tangling themselves around the alpha ghoul¡¯s legs. It tried to rip free, but they held. It was only temporary, but it would allow the others to refocus. Even as he resumed healing, Elijah saw something that, if he wasn¡¯t so busy, would have elicited a groan. Badu twirled, aiming a round kick at the hulking ghoul. He was nearly a dozen feet away, but the ability sent a series of wickedly sharp air des at the ghoul. They hit with a shower of dull blood, but they also severed the roots keeping the ghoul in ce. And that was more than enough to ruin everything. The monster ripped its legs free of Elijah¡¯s immobilizing spell, then sighted in on Badu. Even as the elfnded, the creature stomped forward and mped its ws around him. Gbartik let out its taunting yell, but it was no good. There was no diluting the alpha ghoul¡¯s ire for the elf who¡¯d injured it. Elijah cast Soothe on Badu, then renewed Healing Rain. But those spells were incapable of keeping up with the monster¡¯s might. Badu screamed as his bones were crushed beneath the creature¡¯s grip, but even with Elijah¡¯s efforts mending the worst of the damage, he was incapable of stopping the monster¡¯s jaws from closing around his neck. His screams turned to gurgles as the ghoul ripped his throat out. That¡¯s when Elijah arrived, pping his hand on Badu¡¯s leg and channeling Touch of Nature through his body. His flesh mended, and the gurgling scream turned to cries of agony. That just invited the ghoul to try again. However, Elijah wasn¡¯t going to alloy that. He aimed his staff at the monster¡¯s legs in a sweeping attack that ripped its feet out from under it. Badu scrambled free as the alpha ghoul fell, and Elijah shoved him away. Then, he reared back and brought his staff down in a sledgehammer strike that shattered the creature¡¯s face. It wasn¡¯t enough to disable the monster, but it still provided a great distraction until, atst, Gbartik arrived. Smaller ghouls crawled all over the golem¡¯s back, ripping its rocky flesh free in a shower of pebbles and dust. Elijah reapplied Soothe, but even when he dashed forward and used Touch of Nature, it was clear that his efforts woulde up short. He looked back to see that his party was on the verge of being overwhelmed. None were down, yet, but that didn¡¯t look like it was going tost long. Elijah knew what he had to do. ¡°Retreat!¡± he shouted. ¡°I can¡¯t keep up with the damage!¡± To their credit, the elves did just that. And with Syka¡¯s quicksand spell, the ghouls were slowed just enough to give them an opportunity to get away. Which left Elijah alone. That was fine, though. He was a Druid. More, he was an Animist. And if there was one thing he was good at, it was going solo. Even as his party members escaped, Elijah shifted into hismer ape form. Then, he unleashed bestial hell. Book 3: Chapter 56: The Curse and the Cure Book 3: Chapter 56: The Curse and the Cure Anger coursed through Elijah¡¯s entire body, gripping his mind with imcable fury as heid waste to the monsters mbering across his scaley body. They bit, and they wed, and despite his high Constitution and the durable nature of his Shape of the Guardian, they left him in ruins. Yet, Elijah was no stranger to pain. He could endure whatever the ghouls dished out. Not so for hispanions. Fortunately, with every passing moment, they drew closer to safety. He hoped. They¡¯d passed out of his detection range, so he couldn¡¯t be sure. Elijah had lost track of how long it had been since that idiot Badu had ruined everything with his misguided attempt at heroics. But it had been at least an hour. Maybe much longer. In any case, he didn¡¯t have much opportunity to focus on anything else, because the horde of ghouls just kepting. At first, he¡¯d expected to finish the alpha off ¨C which he had with no difficulty ¨C and rejoin his party members. However, by the time he¡¯d broken free, even more ghouls had arrived, and they stood between him and wherever the elves had taken shelter. He didn¡¯t know if they were alive or dead. In fact, all Elijah really knew was that he was furious. With the ghouls. With the tower. With the system that had created it. But most of all, his fury was directed at Badu, who¡¯d started the cascade of misfortune that had seen Elijah surrounded by hellish ghouls. He channeled that anger into his attacks. In themer ape form, he didn¡¯t bother with fancy maneuvers. Most of the time, he simply bashed his enemies with his superior Strength and the leverage of his long arms. Sometimes, he ripped them to pieces. Other times, he used an unlucky ghoul as a temporary weapon, battering its fellows to death with a green-skinned cudgel. But there was no grace to it.Simple power and durability. Still, he took plenty of damage. The monsters¡¯ ws were sharp, and what¡¯s more, they had some sort of ability that made them even more lethal. And finally, there was an unidentifiable affliction buried in each attack, and as it built up, Elijah found himself growing weaker. He had Strength to spare, though. So, he continued his massacre. Even when alpha ghouls showed up, he barely slowed. They couldn¡¯t stand up to his might. Elijah knew he was on a timer, though. The affliction continuously built, sapping his Strength. Eventually, it would push past the point of no return and weaken him enough that the endless tide of ghouls overcame even his vaunted Constitution. So, he slowly followed the path of hispanions, hoping that they¡¯d found somewhere to hole up. And to his surprise, Elijah found just that an hour or soter when he spied a mausoleum. It was made all of ck marble decorated with sharp points that reminded Elijah of Gothic architecture. But it had a sturdy door protected by a shield of shimmering ethera. More importantly, when he drew closer, he could sense hispanions inside. The elves were all prone, clearly injured, and surrounded by other people who seemed to be tending them. By the time he reached the door, Elijah was on hisst legs. The insidious affliction had sapped his Strength to almost nothing, and his hide hung from his body in tatters. He shouted, ¡°Let me in!¡± He heard Badu weakly mumble something about leaving him out there, but he was overruled by K¡¯hana, who begged the other people to let him inside. Theyplied, and the shield of ethera flickered, then disappeared. After that, a group of people ¨C humans, by the look ¨C poured out, burying the ghouls in a series of spells. They weren¡¯t powerful, but each spell had an added effect of repelling the monsters. Elijah dashed past them, stumbling through the door. A momentter, the mausoleum¡¯s defenders copsed back through the entrance, restoring the shield. Then, they mmed the door, sealing the ghoulish horde outside. Elijah dropped to his knees, his scales in tatters. Pain and weakness coursed through his entire body, drowning his mind in confusion. His vision began to darken, and he verged on losing consciousness. However, one facet of his Quartz Mind managed to maintain enough focus for him to use Guardian¡¯s Renewal. As the ability took hold, his body mended. But the weakness persisted. The ethera that drove the ability fought against it, going back and forth until, atst, it came through. The weakness disappeared and, as Elijah¡¯s body finished its healing, he let out a sigh of relief. Then, he shifted back to his human form. For a long moment, he remained on his hands and knees. His crook remained on the floor of the mausoleum as he tried to catch his breath. But he wasn¡¯t focused on any of that. Instead, the whole of his attention was on the fact that Guardian¡¯s Renewal had, for the very first time, struggled to heal him. And that wasn¡¯t supposed to happen.
Guardian¡¯s Renewal Instantly andpletely regenerate. Cooldown affected by Regeneration attribute. Current: Once Per 6.65 Days.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Instantly andpletely regenerate, the description said. There were no caveats. No addendums to its power. And Elijah had assumed it was entirely unlimited. Clearly, though, there were some things that could challenge it. And presumably, there were afflictions or levels of damage that would defeat it, as well. The struggle between the ghouls¡¯ afflictions had stretched its limits, and if it had been any worse, Guardian¡¯s Renewal would have failed. Which did not bode well for hispanions. He looked up to see the elves lying nearby. Their clothes were bloody, and they had clearly suffered plenty of wounds. Due to his efforts in healing, many of those injuries had mended. However, it was clear that they suffered from the same afflictions that his Guardian¡¯s Renewal had struggled to banish. Elijah pushed himself to his feet and immediately summoned Healing Rain. Then, he cast Soothe on each elf. As he moved to K¡¯hana¡¯s side, he said, ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡± With some effort, she managed to say, ¡°Weakness. My stomach is twisted in cramps. My mind is¡­foggy.¡± ¡°Heal us!¡± rasped Badu. ¡°Show you¡¯re not worthless!¡± Elijah wanted tosh out and silence the elf. But he restrained himself. Instead, he said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who went off-script. If you wouldn¡¯t have ruined my spell¡­you know what? I don¡¯t need to prove myself to you. You¡¯re a moron, and as far as I¡¯m concerned, you can die.¡± K¡¯hana said, ¡°Please, Elijah¡­¡± He sighed, preparing to respond. However, before he could speak, one of the tower¡¯s natives said, ¡°You will not be able to heal them. You are no Priest.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elijah asked, looking up. The people were all human, though with slightly exaggerated features. But they wore tall hats with short brims, pants that only came down to their knees, and buckled shoes. Each one wore a long coat, held closed by silver toggles. ¡°You may heal the wounds, but the curse will remain. If it is not banished within a day, your friends will join the Magister. We will y them before we allow that.¡± Elijah¡¯s fingers tightened around his Crook of the Serpent Healer. He took a step forward and said, ¡°Don¡¯t threaten my allies.¡± ¡°It is no threat,¡± said the man. ¡°It is a kindness. The curse will change them, and in ways they will not want to endure. They will be monsters.¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t going to take the man¡¯s word for it. So, he knelt next to K¡¯hana,id his hand on her shoulder, then flooded her with Touch of Nature. For nearly five minutes, he continuously cast the spell. All the while, he kept Soothe and Healing Rain going as well. But despite all that, she did not recover. In fact, she grew worse. Finally, when his core was empty, Elijah pulled away. As he did, he turned on the tower native and demanded, ¡°How do I fix it?¡± ¡°You must find the source and y it.¡± ¡°Where is it? What is it?¡± ¡°In the manor,¡± the native said. ¡°Lord Lothgal is the source of the curse. He must be destroyed, and the curse will be lifted.¡± That reminded him of his task. Discover the source and take the first step in destroying it, the notification said. It didn¡¯t take a leap of logic for Elijah to see how it all tied together. The first step was likely to gain ess to the manor, which meant crossing the ghoul-infested grounds. Perhaps if he was a true healer, he would have some means of removing the curse, but as it stood, none of his spells did any good. That meant he had only one option. He needed to conquer the tower in order to save the elves, and he would have to do so alone. More, he didn¡¯t have the leeway to tarry as he had in his first run through the Keledge Tower. He¡¯d taken his time in the Reaver¡¯s Citadel as well. Now, though, he couldn¡¯t do that. Sighing, he rolled his shoulders and asked, ¡°Is that door the only way out?¡± The native said, ¡°No. There is a back door that exits slightly closer to the manor. But that area is infested with servitors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Elijah said. Then, he knelt next to K¡¯hana and, in as soothing a voice as he could manage, said, ¡°I¡¯ll fix this. Just hang on.¡± He gripped her shoulder again, but she didn¡¯t give any signs that she¡¯d heard him. None of the others were conscious, either. So, after ensuring that the natives would care for hispanions, Elijah followed the leader to the back exit, which required traversing a series of catbs until they reached a ramp that led to a hatch. Elijah said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back when I¡¯m done dealing with Lord Lothgal.¡± ¡°I wish you luck, friend.¡± Elijah just shook his head, then shifted into his draconid form. In the shape¡¯s growly voice, he said, ¡°Turn around. I need to stealth.¡± To his credit, after telling Elijah the appropriate direction, the man didn¡¯t ask any questions. Nor did he disy any real degree of rm. Instead, he just did as he was asked, and once Elijah was cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, he opened the hatch. Under the influence of Essence of the Wolf, Elijah dashed through. At first, he didn¡¯t see any ghouls ¨C or servitors, as the man had called them ¨C but as soon as the hatch nged shut, the creatures made their presence known. They rushed toward the closed hatch, scratching and wing at an ethereal shield. Meanwhile, Elijah stalked away, weaving between the twisted trees as he made his way in the direction of the manor. As he went, he was astounded by the sheer number of servitors. At rest, they barely moved, and without One with Nature, he might not have noticed them at all. Yet, with his spell, he could feel just how unnatural they were. Elijah¡¯s instincts screamed at him to kill as many as he could, but he knew that was a path to ruin. After all, Guardian¡¯s Renewal wouldn¡¯t be avable for more than six days, so he had no way of removing the curse. So, he couldn¡¯t simply fight his way into the manor ¨C not so long as the servitors were around, at least. Instead, he needed to sneak through the forest, enter the manor, and kill Lord Lothgal, whoever that was. After a little more than an hour, he finally caught sight of the manor, and as the tower¡¯s ambience might suggest, the building was an exaggerated caricature of gothic architecture that looked like it would have been at home in a video game. Dark spires jutted toward the sky, and detailed statues depicting agonized figures were the most obvious characteristics, but the other hallmarks of gothic architecture were there as well. Flying buttresses, pointed arches, and grotesque gargoyles abounded, and the entire thing was built out of dark stone. With the everpresent fog and silvery moonlight, it made for an incredibly imposing structure. Elijah only took a few minutes to study it before he set off to find a way inside. The moment he reached the entrance, he found himself rebuffed by a dense horde of servitors, each one an alpha, that was so thick that it made sneaking inside an impossibility. There simply wasn¡¯t room. And even if there had been, when Elijah looked at the doors, he saw a blood red shimmer that reminded him of the shields erected by the natives, though in a different color. Abandoning that entrance, Elijah circled the manor, looking for other possibilities. He found a few, but each one was guarded by that same red shield. He was just getting ready to test his mettle against the manor¡¯s defenses when he stumbled upon a battle in progress. There were a dozen of the tall-hatted natives fighting against a small group of servitor alphas. And they were losing. Elijah would have left them to die, but he was brought up short by two factors. First, the natives clearly knew more about the manor than he could discover in the short time allotted. So, perhaps they could direct him to an unguarded entrance. Or failing that, maybe they could at least tell him what the defenses entailed. Otherwise, he¡¯d have to test them himself, and he didn¡¯t think that would end well. The second reason was rooted in the fact that they ¨C or at least their allies ¨C had already helped him and his party members. But would they continue to do so if the ones back in the mausoleum discovered that he chose not to help their fellows? Probably not. So, with a draconic sigh, he prepared himself for battle. Book 3: Chapter 57: The Creator Book 3: Chapter 57: The Creator Elijah had no intention of engaging the servitors in a straight fight. There were only ten of them, so he felt reasonably sure that, using Iron Scales, he could endure whatever they could dish out. Yet, if he missed even one attack, he ran the risk of bing infected. And if that happened, he had nothing to stop it. In other words, infection meant death. So, with that in mind, he positioned himself at the edge of his range ¨C which was around twenty yards. Then, he ducked behind a spiny hedgerow and cast Swarm. He desperately wished he hadn¡¯t. Hundreds of maggoty white grubs climbed out of the ground totch onto the servitors¡¯ bare legs. None of them even recognized the danger, and Elijah wasn¡¯t going to put himself at risk just to save some people whose help was not guaranteed. Instead, as soon as the first Swarm dissipated, he cast it again. And again after that. With every passing second, the servitors grew weaker until they were incapable of standing up to the tower natives. After that, the battle wound down fairly quickly, with Elijah¡¯s potential allies ruthlessly finishing the monsters off. Once they did, Elijah pushed himself to his feet and waved at the men and women who¡¯d been fighting the servitors. They didn¡¯t seem surprised. In fact, they were relieved to see him, for some reason. As Elijah approached, he saw that each one wore thick chainmail beneath their ripped clothing. ¡°Are you all okay? Do you need healing?¡± ¡°We are uninjured, stranger,¡± said a woman as she stepped forward. She was blonde, with a thick braid, but otherwise unremarkable features. ¡°Are you here to y the Creator?¡±¡°Uh¡­maybe? Is that Lothgar?¡± ¡°No. That fell being is far beyond any of us. The Creator is vulnerable, though. We have sundered his defenses. His horde has abandoned him. If you y him, the servitors shall lose all power.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that if I kill this Creator, the ghouls will die?¡± ¡°They will.¡± ¡°Okay. That¡¯s added to the list, then,¡± Elijah said. Indeed, if he could kill the ghouls, getting into the manor would be much easier. ¡°Is there another entrance besides the main one? I need to get inside.¡± ¡°The Creator has a key,¡± the woman answered. ¡°If you y him, you can take the key and enter the mansion through any of the entrances.¡± ¡°And those red shields?¡± ¡°They will drain your blood from your body if you pass through them without a key,¡± she stated. ¡°Fantastic. Guess it¡¯s time to kill a Creator, then. What can you tell me about him?¡± he asked. As it turned out, the answer to that question left a lot to be desired. Other than giving him directions to the Creator¡¯s Crypt ¨C because of course it had set up shop in a crypt ¨C the woman could offer no more information. She did reiterate the dangers inherent in being injured by the servitors, but she also noted that the Creator and its closest abominations were incapable of inflicting such an affliction. She also refused to apany Elijah, iming that she had another mission. When he asked about that, she went silent, choosing not to borate. Obviously, Elijah would have to assail the Creator on his own. So, after thanking the woman for the information, he shifted back into his draconic form and headed off into the forest, following the woman¡¯s directions. After thirty minutes, he reached his destination. The entrance to the crypt was another mausoleum, though instead of ck marble, this one was constructed of white stone trimmed all in gold. A fortune had to have been spent just on the decorations, which trended toward art deco, but with more of a gothic ir. In any case, the door was open, so after spending a little time searching the surrounding area ¨C which was entirely free of servitors ¨C Elijah headed inside. On the other side of the door was a steep set of stairs, and with every step, Elijah felt the temperature drop. More, when he reached the bottom, he saw glowing green liquid flowing on either side of the connected hall. It bubbled and sloshed, though Elijah wasn¡¯t brave enough to touch it. In any case, he continued on, padding down the corridor, which was about ten feet wide, until he reached arge chamber a few hundred feet in. That¡¯s when he received his first sight of the Creator. It was about nine feet tall, and unnaturally thin. For clothing, it wore a thick, ck robe trimmed in yellow stars, and otherwise, it was covered in dirty bandages. In the few spots where its skin was exposed, thick scabs were visible. When Elijah entered the chamber, the creature was bent over a cauldron, stirring it with a giantdle. Lining either side of the room were six ¨C three to a side ¨C bulbous abominations that took the basic shape of people, but were clearly pieced together from some other, farrger type of creature. The disparate pieces had been sewn together with thick wire, and they had only nk skin where their faces should have been. The floor was made of iron grates, below which was that same bubbling green liquid. Every now and then, the Creator would bend down, dip hisdle into the green substance, and add it to the cauldron. As it worked, it hummed tunelessly. As horrifying as the scene was, the smell made everything infinitely worse. A mixture of methane, rot, and something sickly sweet made Elijah¡¯s stomach turn. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. But he ignored it. Instead, he focused on the presence of the amulet around the Creator¡¯s neck. It matched the description he¡¯d been given, so he felt confident in marking it as the key to entering the manor. The way Elijah saw it, he had three options. First, he could simply pounce on the Creator and hope he could kill the creature before it had a chance to react. Something told him that was a long shot, though. This wasn¡¯t just some random servitor, but a creature of some importance to the tower. And from his experience, that meant it would be difficult to kill. The second option was to engage in hit-and-run tactics. The corridor was long enough that using that strategy might be possible. He could attack the Creator, then dart back up the corridor and use his spells to keep his distance. Slowly, that would whittle the monster down. But that risked bringing the servitors into the mix. They weren¡¯t in the area at present, but who was to say that would continue to be the case? Surely, the Creator could call its creations into battle. And if that happened, Elijah would certainly die ¨C either from the onught of ghoulish monsters or via the curse they carried. The third option was to ambush, then switch into hismer ape form and take whatever punishment they could dish out. That was an all-or-nothing tactic, though, without much in the way of margin for error. In the end, Elijah decided on abination of the first and third option. He would ambush, then adjust from there. So, with that in mind, he stalked forward, the iron grates beneath his feet cold. The green liquid bubbled and popped, adding its ambience to the Creator¡¯s strange humming. Elijah leaped, pouncing on the monster¡¯s back and aiming a vicious bite at its skull. However, the moment his jawstched onto the thing¡¯s head, it let out an unholy screech, then copsed into a pile of bandages. Elijah hit the floor with a metallic ng, then wheeled around, looking for a creature that was not there. The bandages snaked across the floor, unraveling as they went in different directions. Elijah pounced on one, ripping it to shreds, but the others were too quick. They reached their destinations, wrapping around the abominations and climbing their stocky torsos until they wrapped around their heads like blindfolds. That¡¯s when five monsters shuddered to life. The sixth remained stationary as the others rumbled forward. Elijah knew better than to remain motionless, so he dashed toward one, using Venom Strike before raking his ws across its leg. He kept going, bounding off the wall to change direction before aiming another strike at the next monster. Without stopping, he dashed toward the next in line. Then, everything went wrong. The grates opened, and a series of tentacle-like bandages erupted from the bubbling green liquid, wrapping themselves around Elijah¡¯s form before he realized what was happening. He thrashed, ripping himself free, but even more bandages emerged to rece them. Meanwhile, the abominations dropped into the pool of liquid, but rather than being melted by acid or poisoned, their skin took on a shimmering green tint as they were obviously empowered. Elijah only noticed that much because of One with Nature, but he didn¡¯t have any time to do anything with that information. Instead, the entirety of his attention was required to keep himself from being yanked into the green liquid. While it might have been empowering for the abominations, it certainly wouldn¡¯t have that effect on Elijah. Fortunately, the entire floor didn¡¯t disappear. Instead, there remained a grid of two-inch wide beams, to which the grates had been attached. That didn¡¯t seem like much to work with ¨C and it wasn¡¯t ¨C but it was enough for Elijah. But hecked the Strength to break free of the bandages. So, he engaged Shape of the Guardian, transforming into amer ape and ripping them apart with ease. In that form, his Dexterity was distinctly lower than his Strength or Constitution, but it was still high enough to let him bnce on the thin beam. Elijah leaped at the nearest abomination, colliding with the creature with all the force he could muster. The impact sent the thing staggering, but it was not nearly as devastating as he had expected. Still, it was something, and Elijahtched onto that thin opportunity ¨C as well as the monster ¨C and began pummeling its faceless head with everything he could bring to bear. Bones cracked beneath his fists, but he only had a few seconds before the other abominations closed. As they did, Elijah noticed that the beams upon which he¡¯d been bnced had begun to retract, leaving only a pool of green. More, the bandages clearly weren¡¯t going to remain idle. So, he did the only thing he could do. As the abomination reeled from his assault, Elijah shifted back to his human form and started casting. He first used Soothe, then Healing Rain, and Swarm. As a series of tiny hands manifested, each one with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth in its palm, Elijah cast Cmity. The moment he finished, he used Shape of the Predator. Chaos reigned as he took on the form of a draconid, and he used it to great advantage, aiming one Venom Strike after another at the abominations as he leaped from one to the next, wing and biting as often as he could manage. In seconds, he¡¯d loaded each one with enough afflictions to fell an elephant. But they showed no signs of slowing down. Indeed, they almost looked like they were growing stronger. As the winds of Cmity sloshed the green liquid, Elijah caught sight of the Creator. The creature was huddled near its still-standing cauldron, but it had folded itself sopletely that, until Cmity had exposed it, the monster had remained hidden. And if it was hiding, that meant it was vulnerable. Elijah could use that. So, he leaped. As he sailed through the air, the Creator clearly sensed him. It tried to skitter away ¨C without its bandages or robes, it was a mass of leaking pustules and scabs, skeletally thin and unnaturally long-limbed. But when it lurched to the side, the monster was ungainly. Elijah hit it like a missile, tearing into its sore-stricken flesh with reckless abandon. It screeched, and the abominations lumbered in for a rescue. It was toote. Elijah snapped out, mping his jaws around the monster¡¯s thin neck. He flexed, and his teeth closed with irresistible force. Flesh parted, and bones snapped as all sorts of bodily fluids ¨C blood and pus among them ¨C squirted into Elijah¡¯s mouth. He ignored it. Instead, he shook his head back and forth, rending the flesh until it could hold on no longer. The monster¡¯s body crumpled to the ground as Elijah killed it. The moment it died, the abominations fell inert. At the same time, the green liquid drained away, revealing an entire floor full of soggy bandages. But Elijah hadn¡¯t escaped unscathed. The green liquid had been an incredibly powerful acid that, even in that brief few seconds of contact, had eaten through Elijah¡¯s feet almost to the bone. But now that it was gone, thebined power of Soothe and Healing Rain washed the damage away. Still for good measure, he shifted back to his human form and used Touch of Nature until he returned to perfect condition. Only then did he reach down and snatch the amulet from where it had fallen from the Creator¡¯s neck when it had been decapitated. He took a deep breath. The source was dead, which meant that he had assuredly defeated the first floor of the tower. Now, he just needed to progress to the second, and he would gain a reward. More importantly, he would be that much closer to conquering the tower and saving the elves. With that in mind, Elijah shifted back to his draconid form, let Guise of the Unseen settle onto his shoulders, and padded back the way he¡¯de. Book 3: Chapter 58: The Concubine Book 3: Chapter 58: The Concubine The smell of decay mixed with moist odor of drifting fog as Elijah approached the pile of servitors. None of them even twitched, and as he drew closer, he verified that they were dead. Perhaps they¡¯d never truly been alive, though he suspected that he¡¯d gained some experience from each one, because his levels had skyrocketed after killing the Creator. He looked at his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 66
Archetype Druid
ssAnimist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 99 (77)
Dexterity 84 (69)
Constitution 77 (67)
Ethera 75
Regeneration 89(69)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Stone Hatchling Quartz Neophyte
While five points in each attribute wasn¡¯t the huge boon that it had been when he¡¯d first washed ashore on his ind, it was still arge enough increase that he could feel the difference. He felt stronger, more coordinated, and far tougher. Most importantly, his pool of avable Ethera continued to increase in size, enabling more casts. But Elijah was even more interested in the new ability he¡¯d gotten at level sixty-five. He looked at its listing in his spellbook:
Nature¡¯s Rebuke Curse an entity to endure the power of nature, doing damage over time. Triple damage against unnatural creatures. Lasts two minutes.
It was exactly what Elijah needed, as far as he was concerned. In his caster form, his damage capabilities trended more toward area than single target, which in a lot of cases, was great. However, aside from Storm¡¯s Fury, which was underwhelming without his old Staff of Natural Harmony to increase its damage, he had nothing meant for a single entity. So, he hoped that Nature¡¯s Rebuke would fill that niche. It was especially nice because he could cast it, then switch into one of his other forms while it did its damage. It was just one more affliction he could pile on, and he was eager to see how well it worked against monsters like the servitors, which definitely would have qualified as unnatural. In any case, there was nothing around that needed killing, so he continued on his way until he reached the manor. Once he did, he saw hundreds more servitor corpses, each one looking as if it had simply dropped dead mid-stride. Perhaps they had. Still, as he circled therge building, he couldn¡¯t escape just how eerie it all felt. He almost preferred the unrelenting hordes of monsters to the silence hanging over the grounds. Eventually, Elijah reached his destination. He could have entered the manor via the front door, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to be that brazen. Instead, he¡¯d chosen one of the side doors intended for servants. Of course, Elijah didn¡¯t think the tower¡¯s scenario actually included a domestic staff, but the architecturalyout still clung to that illusion. This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. After ensuring that there were no threats in the vicinity, Elijah shifted back into his human form, then reached for the door. The red shield rippled like he¡¯d just plunged his hand underwater, but he felt nothing until he grasped the door¡¯s handle. It felt strikingly normal, and he pushed it open before stepping inside. And he was confronted with a normal-looking kitchen. Sure, there were no modern appliances, and there was an enormous firece in the center of the room, which hosted an equallyrge cauldron, but it didn¡¯t really seem abnormal. There were no cooks, though. No scullery maids. The firece was cold, and ording to One with Nature, the cupboards werepletely empty. But Elijah was more interested in the silver box he found at his feet and the notifications that shed before his eyes.
Congratluations! You havepleted Level One of The Magister¡¯s Estate. Grade: B To progress further,plete your Task.
That was expected, though he thought the system was generous with its grading scale. Certainly, after how wrong everything had gone because of Badu, he¡¯d expected a much worse score. However, the rtively high grade suggested that the reward would be better than Elijah expected. So, it was with some eagerness that he reached down and opened the silver box. Inside was arge parcel of grey leather. When he touched it, he received another notification:
Reward forpleting Level One of Magister¡¯s Estate: Ghoul-Hide Satchel
¡°Ew,¡± he muttered to himself, resisting the urge to drop the disgusting thing. The notion that it was made of the skins of those creatures outside was troubling. Yet, Elijah knew that any item he received from conquering a tower level was bound to be useful. Doubly so, considering the high grade. So, he resolved to ignore the satchel¡¯s dubiousposition. Instead, he took a few moments to inspect its dimensions. And to his vast surprise, the inside was at least twice asrge as his current pack. More, as a satchel whose strap could be worn across his torso, it was much more convenient. Finally, he could tell that it had some degree of weight reduction, because after he transferred his belongings from his old pack to the new satchel, he could feel the difference in the burden. All in all, it was a huge upgrade, even if it wasn¡¯t quite what he¡¯d expected. Thankfully, now that it was empty, he could throw his old pack inside the Ghoul-Hide Satchel, so he could travel much more lightly. After that, he took a while to inspect the kitchen, but his first impressions turned out to be urate. It was empty, both of people and of any goods. Even the pots and pans were gone. Or perhaps they¡¯d never existed. Whatever the case, it didn¡¯t take him much longer to move on. Of course, he did so in his draconid form and under the influence of Guise of the Unseen. As it turned out, it was almost entirely unnecessary, because the manor waspletely deserted. Still, he could smell the odor of people, so he followed that trail through expansive building. However, he didn¡¯t do so without checking every room right down to the closets. And he found nothing, save for a huge set of locked doors that shimmered with the same protective barrier as the entrances. Elijah expected that it was the way ahead, which meant that he needed to find another key. After leaving that behind in search of such a key, he reached what seemed like living quarters fit for a princess. Ignoring the rich d¨¦cor, which trended toward velvet and silk amidst wrought iron and dark wood, Elijah stalked forward. And that¡¯s when the trail he¡¯d been following ended in the scene of a massacre. A blonde woman, all in white, knelt amidst a dozen bodies. Her porcin skin was marred by blood that coated her dainty chin, while tears flowed freely down her cheeks. The corpses around her were dressed like all the other natives Elijah had seen, but it didn¡¯t take him long to recognize the woman who¡¯d helped him only a couple of hours before. Her throat had been ripped out. The blonde woman quivered with her tears. But then, she leaned forward and licked the congealed blood that had pooled beneath her. As she did, she muttered, ¡°So hungry. S-so¡­hungry.¡± For a long time, Elijah just watched the woman feasting upon the pool of blood, and though he was disgusted, he couldn¡¯t help but feel pity. Clearly, she was in no small degree of distress. She obviously hated what she was doing. But she couldn¡¯t resist. She couldn¡¯t stop herself. It didn¡¯t take a huge leap of logic toe to the conclusion that she was a vampire, and not a willing one. But as much as he pitied the girl, he knew he couldn¡¯t afford to try to help her. Perhaps the natives had tried that route, and they¡¯d paid the price for their sense of mercy. Elijah wanted to let her live, the signs were too obvious to ignore. Perhaps someone else could have saved her. Maybe there was something he¡¯d missed. For all Elijah knew, there was some cure for her condition somewhere else in the house. But the fact was that he didn¡¯t have the time to search the entire manor. As such, he had one option, even he hesitated to exercise it. But hesitation wasn¡¯t refusal, and he slowly crept forward until he was only a couple of feet behind the weeping vampire. Then, after using Predator Strike and Venom Strike, he struck, snapping out with his powerful jaws. They closed around her head, mping down with tens of thousands of pounds of pressure. She reacted just before his teeth connected with her skull, but by that point, it was toote. Her head burst in a fountain of blood. A secondter, her entire body melted into crimson liquid that, in turn, evaporated after a few more moments. And just like that, she was dead. But standing in the center of all those corpses, Elijah was a little disappointed. She had fallen too easily. Of course, he didn¡¯t crave a life-or-death fight. However, there was a part of him that had expected his opening salvo to be just that ¨C the beginning of a back-and-forth fight. He knew it wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t know his own strength. He was well aware of how powerful he could be. Instead, he suspected that the vampire girl simply wasn¡¯t that strong. So, she¡¯d never really been meant to be an obstacle. So, after making certain that the rest of the natives were dead, Elijah moved further into the living quarters. Soon enough, he found his way to a bedroom, and after a little searching, he found two items. The first was a diary, and looking at the first few pages told Elijah that it belonged to the vampiric girl he¡¯d just killed. He continued to read ¨C or skim, really, given the time constraints ¨C and he found himself engrossed in her story. Predictably, she hadn¡¯t always been a vampire. Instead, she¡¯d been abducted from a nearby vige, and when she was brought to the manor, Lord Lothgal had taken her to his bed. At first, even though she wasn¡¯t willing, she had not resisted, thinking that he would tire of herpany and let her go. That had never happened. Instead, he somehow converted her to vampirism and forced her to feed on her former neighbors. But the girl ¨C whose name was Sharath ¨C hadn¡¯t given up. Instead, she¡¯d plotted to kill Lothgal, persuading a local wizard to create an item that would allow her to infiltrate the lord¡¯s chambers and kill him in his sleep. That was the second item Elijah had found. He turned the locket over in his hands. He knew how it worked, and he knew what it would do, too. The diary had been clear on both counts. Yet, Elijah hesitated. Surely, there was a better solution to his issues than to use some untested magical device. However, his hesitation onlysted as long as it took for him to hear a scratching at the bedroom door. Using One with Nature, he sensed that the corpses he¡¯d left behind had risen as vampires, and they¡¯d followed his scent to the bedroom. Soon enough, they would break down the door, and after that, it woulde down to another fight. But it wouldn¡¯t get him any closer to the lord¡¯s quarters. So, Elijah took a deep breath, then slipped the locket around his neck. As he stepped forward to the spot described by the diary, the vampires burst through the door. He opened the locket, and the item activated. Instantly, Elijah felt his body contract, and the item¡¯s effect was not a painless experience. Instead of shrinking down, like he¡¯d seen in so many movies growing up, it was more like his body imploded, copsing in on itself. Which presented a problem, because when the effectpleted, he was only about a quarter of an inch tall. And he was hundreds of body lengths above the floor. As the vampires burst into the room, vering for blood, he fell. During the fall, he cast Soothe, then shifted into hismer ape form just before he hit the floor with a thud. Thankfully, he was more than durable enough to survive such a fall, and nothing broke. But that extreme of blunt-force impact definitely wasn¡¯t pleasant. Soothe helped, though, and he pushed himself upright before taking stock. He¡¯d positioned himself ording to the diary¡¯s description, so he wasn¡¯t far from his destination, which was a crack in the baseboard. From there, he didn¡¯t know what to expect. Indeed, all he knew was that it would lead him to Lord Lothgal, which was the ultimate goal. Most importantly, Elijah knew that the item¡¯s effect would onlyst for a little more than thirty minutes. Which meant that he was on an even tighter timer. So, he set off, passing through the crack and leaving the vampires behind. Book 3: Chapter 59: Vermin Book 3: Chapter 59: Vermin Elijah shifted into his draconid form and attempted to adopt Guise of the Unseen. However, when he tried, the ability refused to cooperate. That told him two things. First, he was not alone. And second, they were watching him. ring One with Nature, he tried to find his hidden observers, but even though the cavernous crack in the wall was only a dozen or so inches across, his ability couldn¡¯t touch the sides. Apparently, it had scaled right alongside his decreased size. In some ways, he felt no different than he usually did. The effects of his attributes had kept pace with his shrunken size. ¡°Guess I won¡¯t go full Mighty Mouse,¡± he mused. Shaking his head, he quickly moved. He had no idea how long the tunnel ¨C or crack in the wall ¨C really was, and he was on a timer. After all, the half hour duration of the locket¡¯s effect had already begun to tick down. So, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste any further time. With that in mind, he pushed forward, shifting into hismer ape form after a few steps. If he couldn¡¯t use Guise of the Unseen, then he would take advantage of his guardian form¡¯s much higher defenses. For the first few hundred subjective feet, Elijah encountered no issues. He could feel something watching every step he took, though. He didn¡¯t know what form his watchers might take, but his mind went wild with possibilities. Without wasting any time, Elijah was capable of fairly rapid movement, and with his unseen watchers following his every movement, he pushed himself into a loping jog that covered ground quickly. It wasn¡¯t enough, though. The moment he increased his pace, a sickly-sweet smell filled the entire area. And, atst, he looked up and caught sight of his would-be foes. Elijah recognized them immediately, and he was not happy about what he saw. Long, with huge, bulbous heads equipped with enormous mandibles, the termites were more than five times his small size. Analytically, he knew that meant they were abnormallyrge ¨C even considering his shrunken stature ¨C but he chalked it up to the effects of magic. After all, he was still in a tower popted by vampires and ghouls. Encountering slightlyrger termites shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise.At first, they didn¡¯t attack. Instead, they just hung upside down from the ceiling, looking down on him. He sped up, knowing what that smell was. Termite soldiers like the ones on the ceiling used pheromones to alert their colony of intruders. Normally, that meant going to war with ants, but Elijah supposed that he was sufficiently ant-like for the termites to treat him as an enemy. After only a couple of seconds, one of the termites reared back, then shot something viscous and shiny from the center of its bulbous head. Elijah was so surprised that he didn¡¯t try to dodge until it was toote. The substance hit him in the shoulder a momentter, knocking him sideways. More disturbingly, when he tried to lift the attached limb, he found that the goo was sticky, pinning his arm to his side. A momentter, he saw hundreds of other termite soldiers copy the first, and a second after that, the air was full of those globs of sticky stuff. Elijah pushed himself to go even faster, ripping his arm from his side along the way. It took almost all of his considerable Strength to do so, but he managed it. Barely. If he let even a dozen of those globs hit him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to move. Then, he¡¯d be a sitting duck for the termites. Elijah pushed himself to his top speed, which, considering his Strength, was impressive. He had no way of gauging it, but if he was going slower than seventy miles-per-hour ¨C subjectively, of course ¨C he would have been incredibly surprised. Even so, the termites almost got him. More than anything, he wished he could simply fight them on even ground. However, they refused toe down from their perches, and though he could probably reach them if he leaped, that strategy would probably get him hit by more goo. So, he¡¯d chosen to run. After all, termites were territorial. Generally speaking, they wouldn¡¯t leave the vicinity of their colony. So, he just needed to outrun them ¨C which was easier said than done. Elijah dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding thetest volley, then continued to spring through the cave-like crack in the wall. His Sash of the Whirlwind stood him in good stead, the Haste effect giving him just enough time to react. But each volley was a close call. Until, atst, he managed to tumble free of the tunnel. He kept going for a few hundred more yards before he dared to look back. The termites were still there, angrily ring at him from the opening. But they hadn¡¯t pursued him any further. He sighed, resuming his human form. Once he had, he used abination of Healing Rain and his soap to scrub the goo free. He was so engrossed in the task that he never even saw his next foe¡¯s approach until it entered the range of One with Nature. When it did, he wheeled around to see an absolutely enormous rat staring back at him. Or perhaps it was a normal-sized rodent, and it just seemedrgepared it his current size. But it was also no normal rat. Huge chunks of its flesh were missing, exposing bits of bone. Most of the fur on its left side was gone, and one of its eyes hung from the socket on a fleshy string. By all ounts, there was no way the thing should have been ambtory, given its decrepit condition. And judging by the smelling from it, its insides were no better than the features Elijah could see. Yet, on it came, and moving with an crity that belied its state of clear decay. Elijah reacted quickly, casting Snaring Roots, then, for the first time ever, using Nature¡¯s Rebuke. The creature stumbled as thorny vines erupted from the floor, cracking tiles as they snaked around the rat¡¯s legs. When Nature¡¯s Rebukended, it reared back, letting loose an unholy screech that sent a chill up Elijah¡¯s spine. He followed that up with Swarm. Then Cmity. Finally, he used Storm¡¯s Fury, and even as a thousand tiny mites manifested, the world erupted into chaosprised of vicious wind des, rumbling earth, and lightning. Thergest bolt came from Storm¡¯s Fury, hitting the rat directly in the forehead. Stolen novel; please report. But the rat paid no attention to any of that chaos. Instead, it continued to screech, twitching and shaking from the effects of Nature¡¯s Rebuke. Clearly, it was no natural creature, and that meant the spell was triply effective. More, it was just as obviously painful. As Elijah watched the rat, listening to its agonized screams, he couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly guilty. However, that onlysted until he truly focused on it via One with Nature. Upon brushing that facet of his mind, he recoiled. Anger welled inside of him, and he added another Storm¡¯s Fury to mix. Then another. It was only because the monster finally died that he backed away, panting. At first, he had no idea what hade over him, but it only took a bit of inward focus to recognize that it originated with his archetype. Druids were the stewards of nature, andmitment to that endeavor came with a slightly adjusted mindset. Before Earth had been touched by the World Tree, Elijah had been closer to nature than most. Indeed, growing up, he¡¯d spent more time outdoors than under a roof, and when he¡¯d decided to pursue his degree in biology, focusing on marine life, he¡¯d spent countless hours out on the open ocean. But back then, he¡¯d never felt nearly as close to nature as he did after attaining his archetype. And that connection had only grown stronger in the time since. That was helped along by his constant use of One with Nature, which served to give him insight into everything around him. Most of the time, that was a good thing. Yet, when he focused on the rat, his mind reeled the sheer unnaturalness of its body, of its very being. And the abomination of it made him angry. To a lesser extent, he¡¯d felt something simr with the ghouls, but for one reason or another, the situation was far worse with the rat. Probably because it had once been a normal creature, whereas the ghouls and the Creator¡¯s other minions had been manufactured. Either way, he wanted nothing more than to banish the rat¡¯s corpse. A skittering sounding from nearby told Elijah that he was the only one who felt that way. He whipped around to see a dozen monstrous cockroaches bearing down on him. Uponying eyes on histest attackers, Elijah saw that the word cockroach was a bit of a misnomer. They were that, sure, but they seemed like they had some ant in them, too. Whatever the case, the hybrid was horrifying, huge, and clearly intent on killing him. But they were natural creatures, which was something of a relief. Still, he took the time to use Nature¡¯s Rebuke on each one. They let out a collective roar when the cursended, but they didn¡¯t start twitching uncontrobly like the rat had. Elijah took a moment to use Brand of the Stalker on thergest one, too. It was at least twice the size of the rest, so he figured it was the strongest of the bunch. Then, he shifted into his draconid form. It was just in time, too, because the ant-roaches reached him only a secondter. Elijah leaped over the first low-slung monster, and he nearly got a mandible to the stomach for his trouble. The monster reacted quickly, only missing by inches. Elijahnded, thenshed out with his ws, embracing Venom Strike a second before his ws raked across the ant-roach¡¯s natural armor. But he didn¡¯t stop. Without the protection of Guise of the Unseen, Shape of the Predator was extremely vulnerable. However, it could also put out quite a lot of damage, especially against heavily armored monsters like the ant-roaches ¨Crgely because he could bypass their chitinous exoskeleton by administering his various afflictions. Because Venom Strike, Nature¡¯s Rebuke, and Contagion didn¡¯t care about armor. Once the enemy was infected, Elijah just needed to wait for them to go to work. With that in mind, he dashed from one ant-roach to the next, using his high Dexterity and respectable Strength to help him avoid any retaliatory strikes. And it worked ¨C for a while. But because he was walking a tight rope between sess and disaster, it was inevitable that he would eventually slip up and make a mistake. There were just too many variables and unpredictable factors for it to be otherwise. So, he wasn¡¯t really surprised when one of the ants suddenly reversed its course, pivoting on three of its six legs, then taking a chunk out of his vulnerable side. Elijah stumbled ¨C only for a second ¨C but that was enough for the rest of the monsters to pile on. In moments, he was buried beneath a small mountain of chitin, skittering legs, and biting mouthparts he couldn¡¯t really identify. When he saw the writing on the wall, Elijah initiated a shift to hismer ape form, but the nature of the transformation meant that it took a couple of seconds toplete. And in that time, the ant-roaches ripped him to pieces. So, when he finally took on the Shape of the Guardian, he did so with a momentous roar. He thrust himself upright, throwing a couple of the insects free. Then, heshed out, battering the monstrous creatures with a series of hard strikes. Yet, even as he cracked their chitin, the monsters kepting. Then, Elijah caught wind of a second wave that was evenrger than thest. He grabbed one of the insects, hooking his ws under a pair of ridges in its exoskeleton, then ripped it apart in a shower of orange meat and fluid. But as he let out a massive roar, he knew it was a pyrrhic victory. Because behind the second wave was a third. Hundreds of monsters wereing his way, and there was nothing he could do to survive it. He pushed away, intending to run, but by that point, so many of the monsters hadtched onto his legs that he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to outpace the neers. Nor could he switch out of themer ape form, because without Iron Scales blunting the monsters¡¯ bites, he¡¯d probably start losing limbs. He ripped another monster away, mming it into a third. Chitin cracked, and he ripped the legs from still another. Then, the second wave hit, and he was buried beneath a pile of insects. He didn¡¯t stop fighting, though. He wouldn¡¯t. But in a couple of facets of his mind, he knew he was doomed. Then, suddenly, the effect associated with the locket ended, and he rapidly grew into his normal size. The ant-roaches did not, though, and after a brief period of surprise, Elijah brushed them from his scales and viciously stomped them all to death. Still, even after they were all dead, he couldn¡¯t forget that he¡¯d very nearly been killed by a bunch of insects. Clearly, he should have taken his chances with the vampires. He had underestimated the dangers, and because of that, his journey had almost ended. So, after shifting back to his human form, Elijah took a few minutes to heal. As he did so, he took the break as an opportunity to calm his nerves. Then, he finally looked around. The crack ¨C which looked so tiny from his current perspective ¨C had terminated in a small sitting room. It was richly decorated, with velvet covered furniture and d¨¦cor of dark wood. But more importantly, Elijah had gotten a notification upon exiting the crack.
Congratluations! You havepleted Level Two of The Magister¡¯s Estate. Grade: C To progress further,plete your Task.
At first, despite his close brush with death, he thought it was a curiously easy level. Yet, in retrospect, he thought he might have bypassed some difficult challenges. After all, there was a chance that others might not have found the vampire¡¯s diary. Or the locket. And even if they had, the effect only affected one person. So, it was possible for him to take advantage of the shortcut, but if he¡¯d have had the elves with him, it would have been useless. Unfortunately, the locket had dissipated into motes of ethera the moment he¡¯d returned to normal size, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to take it with him. Regardless, a C-Grade wasn¡¯t ideal. He just hoped it wouldn¡¯t affect his reward too much. After looking around and failing to see his reward, he decided to move on. There was only one exit and Elijah suspected that going through it would him his reward. So, with determination, he strode forward, opened the door, and stepped through. Book 3: Chapter 60: The Slow Clap Book 3: Chapter 60: The Slow p A slight breeze flowed through the opulently decorated hall, fluttering the tapestries decorating the walls. Elijah only had to look at the end of the corridor to see the open window which was the culprit. Could he have entered through that opening? Or was it only there for ambiance? He had no idea, but it highlighted the fact that towers were far moreplex than he¡¯d first expected. His first time through one, he¡¯d thought the experience was fairly linear, but each subsequent run through a tower had hammered home that each task could bepleted in a wide variety of ways. Some of those options would only be open to people with a few specific abilities, yet others were based on the way people thought. Perhaps a more straightforward person would have simply led his group through the front door. Or a thief might¡¯ve found his way to the open window Elijah had just found. There were likely dozens of ways to ovee each obstacle, which made each tower a dizzyinglyplex set of branching possibilities. His previous task had been to reach the lord¡¯s quarters, which he¡¯d clearly aplished, because his new goal had been updated:
Task: Defeat Lord Lothgal.
At least it was uplicated. Elijah looked down to see that a silver box had predictably manifested. He knelt down and opened it, retrieving the items inside. When he did, another notification shed before his inner eye:
Reward forpleting Level Two of Magister¡¯s Estate: Weighted Gloves
At first nce, they looked like MMA gloves, with padding along the knuckles and bare fingers. Yet, when Elijah picked them up, he couldn¡¯t deny that they fit their name. ¡°Weighted gloves indeed,¡± he muttered. Even with his Strength, their weight was noticeable. More, he could feel hard protrusions in the knuckles that would functionally be simr to using brass knuckles. Finally, they were made of almost identical grey leather to his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, which meant that he had no interest in investigating theirposition. Elijah had something of a choice to make. He couldn¡¯t wear his ws of Gluttony at the same time as the Weighted Gloves. So, he needed to decide whether or not to rece the older piece of equipment. His first instinct was to keep what he had. The ws of Gluttony were a little limited, especially given that their effect only worked when he wed his opponents. Yet, Anticoagnt was a powerful ability that, though it wasn¡¯t shy, had definitely made plenty of difference. But the Weighted Gloves called to him,rgely because of his past. He¡¯d spent a lot of time in the boxing gym, and though the gloves were a inly different design, they still reminded him of those days. So, his choice was probably inevitable. Wasting no time, Elijah nicked his finger, bleeding on the Weighted Gloves before shoving some ethera into the items. Then, he exchanged the gloves for the ws of Gluttony and checked his status, noting that he¡¯d gained an additional five Strength and Dexterity. More importantly, he sensed that the item came with an ability. He didn¡¯t know what it was called, but when Elijah mentally flicked its switch, the gloves disappeared. He activated it again, and the gloves came back. He did it a few more times, noting a couple of things. First, the additional attributes he¡¯d gained remained in both states. Second, there was no limit to how often he could use the ability. That meant he wouldn¡¯t have to walk around wearing a pair of fingerless leather gloves, which was strangelyforting to his vanity. He already had to deal with everyone noticing his bare feet. Complicating that with a pair of weird gloves was probably pushing the entric image a bit too far. Regardless, he was happy with his choice, so he ced his ws of Gluttony into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, then turned his attention to the notification he was most interested in.
Congrattions! You have reached level seventy. Attribute points allocated ording to your ss.
¡°Towers really are great for leveling,¡± he said to himself. Of course, Elijah knew his actions weren¡¯t really repeatable. Not for most people, at least. He had a unique set of spells and abilities that made him almost entirely self-sufficient. That meant that he didn¡¯t have to split his experience ¨C each kill gave a set amount, which was split between whoever had contributed to its defeat, ording to how the system interpreted their efforts. So, the result was that, so long as he had plenty of high-leveled monsters, he could achieve a truly frightening leveling speed. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. He knew it would slow down, though. His first levels had been achieved by killing dozens of crabs and fish, each of which was barely even recognized by the system at that time. Back then, anything powerful enough to give him any levels had been killed by the panther. But since then, he¡¯d noticed that each level he¡¯d achieved had been the result of more effort than thest. And things would soon get out of control. Still, he suspected that he would need all the levels he could get if he was going to keep going, so he wasn¡¯t going to argue with the system that, for now, seemed to favor him. Regardless, he was eager to look at his new ability:
Flicker Step Slip into the shadows, emerging behind your opponent. Only usable while under the influence of Shape of the Predator. Cooldown based on Dexterity. Current: 61.2 Seconds.
There was a lot to unpack with that description. First off ¨C it was a potentially amazing ability. Elijah could already think of quite a few situations where it would have been incredibly useful. In his draconid form, mobility was essential, so anything that could help in that area was a boon. The second thing Elijah noted was that the cooldown would decrease based on his Dexterity. In one of the guides he¡¯d purchased, he¡¯d discovered that most skills whose cooldowns were based on a specific attribute ¨C rather than being static ¨C had a minimum cooldown. Still, it was nice to know that Flicker Step¡¯s cooldown would decrease each time he leveled. It was an interesting ability, and he knew it woulde in handy. But he didn¡¯t have time to truly investigate or test it. After all, he was still on a timer. By his reckoning, he¡¯d already used up half of his allotted time. Through the window, he could see the evidence of the sunrise. And if he failed toplete the tower before the twenty-four hours had passed, the elves were doomed. So, with that in mind, he shifted back into his draconid form, adopted Guise of the Unseen, then padded down the corridor. There were only a few ways to go, so it didn¡¯t take Elijah long to establish that the wing was vacant. But it was obvious from the sheer wealth on disy that it was meant for the lord of the manor. Or perhaps gaudiness was the better word. The decorator had clearly spent quite a lot of money on the d¨¦cor, and they obviously had a preference for gold, silver, and red velvet. In addition, the resident was obviously something of a narcissist, because there were dozens ofrge paintings depicting a handsome, white-haired man with ivory skin. He looked like the epitome of aristocratic ss,plete with a velvet cape, pantaloons, and a haughty expression that made Elijah feel like even the paintings were looking down on him. However, there was no evidence of the man himself. So, Elijah quickly left that wing behind and found his way to a wide, central corridor. He spent a little more time exploring the next wing over, but it was empty as well, though it had clearly housed one or more women, judging by the dresses in the closets he found. With those two avenues having been exhausted, Elijah found his way back to the main corridor, then backtracked to arge, locked door. If his sense of direction was correct, it would lead him back to where he¡¯d found the vampire girl and the people she had killed. So, there was only one other way to go. It was the obvious one. Elijah padded down the center of the corridor, keeping One with Nature red as he looked for any traps. There were none, and eventually, the hall ended in a set of open doors. Both were borately carved with symbols Elijah didn¡¯t recognize and trimmed with red gold. Elijah slipped inside, and he very nearly gasped at what he saw. It was an enormous cathedral. The vaulted ceiling soared high above, and the walls were lined with pointed arches, inside of which were stained ss windows depicting the man from the paintings. That same figure was seated before a giant pipe organ on the other end of the chamber. It was obviously Lothgal. Even if Elijah hadn¡¯t recognized him from all the paintings, he could feel the power wafting off the man. And judging by what he felt, Lothgal was the most powerful creature he¡¯d ever encountered. As Elijah watched, the man began to y the organ, which erupted into what sounded curiously like Bach¡¯s Tata and Fugue. It was a little too on the nose to bepletely coincidental, but Elijah wasn¡¯t terribly concerned with how a magical tower had manifested a famous piece of Earthen music typically associated with vampires. If it could create ogres, trolls, and ghouls, anything was possible. Regardless, Elijah settled in to wait, intending to implement the vampire girl¡¯s n of killing Lothgal in his sleep. However, as the minutes stretched into more than an hour, he began to feel the timer ticking down. After two more hours, it was clear that Lothgal had no intention of slowing down. He¡¯d switched to another piece of organ music that Elijah didn¡¯t recognize, but was equally haunting. Judging by his theatrical and enthusiastic organ ying, it didn¡¯t seem that Lothgal was eager to return to his chambers for some well-earned rest. So, Elijah decided to act before it was toote. He padded forward on silent feet, passing one pew after another until, atst, he reached the dais upon which the organ had been ced. In the back of one facet of his Quartz Mind, Elijah felt that something was wrong, but no matter how he looked at the scenario, he couldn¡¯t quite figure out what that was. So, he pushed his misgivings aside, positioned himself behind Lothgal, and, after using Venom Strike and Predator Strike, pounced. And he found nothing but air before crashing into the pipe organ. The instrument let out a loud tter as pipes were knocked aside and sent to fall onto the floor. Meanwhile, Elijah struggled to extricate himself from the wreckage. It wasn¡¯t until a few secondster that he managed to free himself that he saw what had happened. Lothgal was still sitting exactly where he¡¯d been before Elijah had pounced. In fact, he was still enthusiastically ying the organ that was no longer in front of him. The illusion flickered, then disappeared. That¡¯s when Elijah heard a slow, methodical ppinging from the central path through the cathedral. He turned to see the real Lothgal¡¯s measured approach. The man looked exactly as he had on the dais ¨C which, in retrospect, was clearly an illusion ¨C though he wore a broad, yet condescending smile as he slowly pped. ¡°Bravo! Bravo, beast!¡± he said jovially. ¡°You are quite entertaining. Perhaps when my pretties are done with you, you can be my jester. I have always wanted one.¡± Then, Elijah became aware of five more presences flickering into being. It only took a nce to put two and two together. Each neer was a woman dressed all in white, and beautiful ones at that. But they were all pale-skinned, with the same indefinable aura of hunger hanging from their shoulders that Elijah had sensed from the vampire girl. Moreover, he could feel that same sense of wrongness he¡¯d experienced from the gue rat. They were vampires. Obviously. As a Druid, it was his duty to rid the world of unnatural things. So, despite his surprise, Elijah calmly shifted into his human form. Then, he aimed his mind at the closest vampire bride and used Nature¡¯s Rebuke. She screamed in agony, and the final battle of the Magister¡¯s Estate began. Book 3: Chapter 61: Cleansing the Unnatural Book 3: Chapter 61: Cleansing the Unnatural Four vampire brides glided across the tiles, screeching with fury. Meanwhile, a fifth had fallen to the floor, where she screamed in agony as she raked her long nails across her beautiful, pale face. And finally, Lothgal looked on like a child who¡¯d just gotten the Christmas gift he¡¯d wanted all along. Targeting one of the other vampire women, Elijah once again cast Nature¡¯s Rebuke. However, when he did, he felt something slice through his mind, mming the door shut on his ethera. Panicked, he was thrown off his intended casting sequence, and it was only due to the Haste from Sash of the Whirlwind that he managed to duck under a set of blood-red ws that would have ripped his throat out. He dove forward in a roll, scrambling to understand what had just happened. At the same time, Lothgal let out a haughtyugh. He wagged his finger, saying, ¡°Nuh-uh-uh. No more of that, now!¡± Elijah had no idea how the vampire lord had managed to block his casting, but after only a moment, he sensed two things. First, the wall between his ethera and the ability to cast Nature¡¯s Rebuke was gradually growing thinner, suggesting that it would onlyst for a handful of seconds. Maybe a minute. But that was still too long. Second, he realized that it didn¡¯t just block Nature¡¯s Rebuke. Rather, it prevented him from casting Swarm, Cmity, and Storm¡¯s Fury as well. It didn¡¯t take a genius to understand that Lothgal had somehow silenced his ability to cast damage spells. However, a quick cast of Healing Rain told him that his other spells and abilities were avable. That meant he had a chance. Because without the ability to shapeshift or heal, he would have been dead in the water and had no choice but to flee. All of that shed through Elijah¡¯s mind in the space of a moment, but even that small dy very nearly got him killed when another of the brides closed on him. Sheunched herself at him, her ws glistening with that same red enamel. Meanwhile, her sister-brides followed close on her heels. Elijah cast Soothe as he reared back and aimed a baseball style swing at the vampire¡¯s face. She was mid-air, so she had no chance of dodging the blow, and she took it right in the mouth. However, two issues presented themselves after that.First, Elijah heard the distinct sound of cracking wood. The staff hadn¡¯t shattered ¨C notpletely ¨C but he knew it wasn¡¯t long for the world. Hopefully, it would still work as intended, but he had no guarantees. Whatever the case, he didn¡¯t dare use it as a pummeling weapon again. The second major problem was that, even though the leaping bride was knocked aside, his attack had done nothing for the others. And they were almost upon him. So, without further dy, Elijah initiated a shift into his guardian form. As Shape of the Guardian transformed his body, elongating his arms and adding hundreds of pounds of muscle, Elijah leaped backwards to give himself a little extra time. His tactic worked, and by the time the three vampire women closed the gap, the change hadpleted. So, he met them with the fury of themer ape, using his long arms to batter them aside. But to Elijah¡¯s immense surprise, each attack did a lot more damage than he would have expected. Bones broke beneath his heavy blows, and the vampire women went flying backwards. Thest, he grabbed around the head like he was palming a basketball, then squeezed. She screamed in pain, but her skull proved unnaturally sturdy. She raked her ws against his scales, and even though he¡¯d preemptively used Iron Scales, she left grooves in his flesh. But Elijah could take that. He lifted her from the ground, and though she kicked and struggled, she could do nothing to stop him from mming her against the tiles hard enough that they shattered. Her body followed suit, but she didn¡¯t die. So, he did it again. That did the trick, and once he felt that trickle of experience enter his body, he picked the corpse up and threw it at Lothgal. The vampire lord nimbly danced to the side with a yful pirouette and a heartyugh, filling Elijah with rage. But he couldn¡¯t spare any attention for Lothgal, because the other three vampire brides were bearing down on him. The fourth remained in agony as she writhed on the ground trying to rip her own skin off. Clearly, Nature¡¯s Rebuke was not a painless curse, but seeing her reaction did beg the question of what, precisely, it felt like. Elijah hoped he would never know. Pushing that to its own facet of his Quartz Mind, Elijah threw himself at the other three vampire brides. They reacted in kind, attacking with the reckless ferocity of rabid beasts, and what followed was a knock-down, drag-out fight where those three women gave as good as they got. However, where each of their raking attacks were mitigated by thebination of Elijah¡¯s thick hide, Iron Scales, and his umonly high Constitution, his own blows were met with almost no resistance. And each time he hit one of them, he was once again astounded by how much damage he did. There were only two possible exnations. Either they were incredibly fragile, or the Weighted Gloves had a trait meant to increase his damage in some way. And given their construction, he expected thetter was the cause of the potency of his attacks. In any case, Elijah put everything he had into the fight, and the vampire brides paid the price. At first, he only broke bones. But soon enough, those broken bones became much more serious injuries. And finally, they were in, one by one until only the one Elijah had disabled with Nature¡¯s Rebuke remained. Calmly, he walked toward the woman, and even though the curse had long since worn off, she still hadn¡¯t moved. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. And it wasn¡¯t difficult to see why. The pale skin on her once beautiful face had been scraped clean from her skull. Most of it was under her nails, but there was a decent amount piled nearby. Green veins of something that felt like nature¡¯s fury were visible even through her white dress. She was still in agony. Elijah raised his foot, then brought it down on her head. His heel thudded into her skull, crushing it like a melon. It burst. And then, he turned his attention on Lothgal. From the other vampire girl¡¯s diary, he knew that none of the women had been willing. If he could have managed it, he would have spared them. However, the moment they gave into their hunger, they were lost. That much had been clear in the text, and it was the girl¡¯s most fervent fear. So, as much as Elijah regretted the necessity of killing them, he knew that he¡¯d had no choice. It didn¡¯t matter that they weren¡¯t real. He still felt it, deep in his heart. He was a killer, and many times over. But he wasn¡¯t so hard-hearted that he could ughter a group of victimized women and not feel some measure of guilt. Even if it was necessary, regret was inevitable. Elijah fed that emotion into the bonfire of rage burning in his heart. And that ire was directed at one person. The still-amused Lord Lothgal who was now the focus of the entirety of Elijah¡¯s attention. ¡°Very impressive. You truly are a savage beast. I could use ¨C¡± Elijah bounded forward, but not at the vampire. Instead, he targeted a seemingly empty pew. When he crashed into it, shattering the wood into splinters, he felt something much softer beneath him. That something hissed and tried to bite him, but Elijah ignored the real Lothgal¡¯s pitiful attempts at an attack and wrapped his hands around the creature. Then, he heaved the vampire lord across the cathedral. The pale-skinned creature hit one of the columns, which sent him cartwheeling across the room until he finally crashed into the mostly destroyed organ. The pipes that hadn¡¯t already fallen ttered down atop Lothgal, burying him under a ton of brass. The first time he¡¯d tried to attack the vampire lord, Elijah had sensed that something was amiss. He had ignored it. This time, though, he paid attention to the rm in his mind, and it wasn¡¯t long before he recognized that it was One with Nature screaming at him that what it sensed didn¡¯t match up to what he saw before him. So, when he wanted to target Lothgal, he¡¯d focused on One with Nature, and he¡¯d found a curious absence sitting on the pew. He¡¯d interpreted that as the creature¡¯s true location. From there, it was simple. Which was why he was surprised when the illusion stabbed him in the back. He felt it flicker into existence a second before the de bit into his back, which allowed him to twist just enough to avoid having his spine severed. Still, the de ripped through his Iron Scales and into his kidney. He reacted instantly, aiming a backhand at the vampire lord. Lothgal danced backward, ending with a back handspring apanied by a ringingugh. That¡¯s when Elijah caught sight of his foe¡¯s state. The creature was more than a little worse for wear, with ripped and tattered clothing, a couple of bones jutting at all the wrong angles, and a jaw that looked as if it was hanging on by a thread. But even as Elijah clutched the freely bleeding wound in his back, the vampire adjusted his shattered jaw, and before Elijah¡¯s eyes, it healed. The same was true of his broken bones. Even his clothing reformed. Within a few seconds, Lothgal was whole and, once again, looking as if he was ready to attend a ball. He raised a long dirk to his lips. His tongue snaked out, and he licked Elijah¡¯s blood. Then, with a theatrical shiver, he said, ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you delicious. A nice little appetizer before the main course.¡± Elijah¡¯s chest tightened in fear, and for the first time ever, he understood what his own foes must¡¯ve felt when he¡¯d used Guardian¡¯. It was not a pleasant sensation. With the vampire so far away, Elijah took a moment to shift back to his human form and cast Soothe on himself. As his back healed, he cast Healing Rain as well. Finally, he targeted the vampire and cast Nature¡¯s Rebuke. Before he couldplete the cast, though, the vampire gestured with his dagger, and Elijah¡¯s spell mmed into another barrier. This one, though, seemed like it was going tost much longer. ¡°Keep that nasty little curse of yours to yourself,¡± spat the vampire lord, showing anger for the very first time. It was gone a secondter, reced by the same flippant attitude he¡¯d worn during the entire fight. Elijah¡¯s mind whirled. He didn¡¯t want to prolong the fight. The vampire was too tricky, and he knew he was up against his deadline. If he took much longer, the elves would die. Or be transformed. Or whatever it was that the curse¡¯s effect turned out to be. And though he didn¡¯t think he owed the elves anything ¨C indeed, he had found the entire affair much easier without their interference ¨C he didn¡¯t want them to die. Well, none of them but Badu. But even that idiot didn¡¯t deserve to perish. So, Elijah leveraged every facet of his mind toward figuring out how to kill the vampire as quickly as possible. And looking around the cathedral, he quickly came up with a n. So, he slowly backed away ¨C apanied by the vampire lord¡¯s insults ¨C until he reached the pile of brass pipes that had once been the organ. Then, he reached down, picked one up, and threw it as hard as he could. The vampire dodged easily, mocking Elijah¡¯s technique. ¡°I did not expect you to be a coward!¡± he shouted with augh. Elijah ignored him. Instead, he threw another of the brass pipes. Once again, the vampire lord easily dodged. The next one was simrly avoided. ¡°Honestly, you should ¨C¡± Elijah suddenly rushed the vampire lord. Once again, he¡¯d used that illusion ability, but as he had before, Elijah saw right through it via One with Nature. So, he crashed into the invisible Lothgal. The vampire lord slithered away, stabbing Elijah three times in quick session, then darting forward to bite him. Elijah took it. Even as the creature¡¯s fangs pierced his Iron Scales, he grabbed Lothgal around the waist and charged forward. Because he¡¯d never meant to hit the vampire with the brass pipes. Instead, he¡¯d been aiming at something else. The stained ss had proven to be far more durable than he¡¯d expected, but three heavy metal pipes thrown with all the force Elijah could muster had done the trick, shattering the window and allowing the morning sunlight to peak through. Elijah didn¡¯t know much about vampires. He¡¯d never been into monster movies or tween romances with glittery heartthrobs. But everyone knew that vampires didn¡¯t mix well with sunlight. And that knowledge proved true when he thrust the vampire into the beam of light. It didn¡¯t just blister him. Nor did it turn Lothgal into ash. Instead, it melted him. The heat did blister Elijah¡¯s scales, but he¡¯d endured worse. Lothgal tried to squirm free, but the sunlight had robbed him of all power. So, he died only a few secondster, and just like that, Elijah had conquered the final level of the Magister¡¯s Estate. Book 3: Chapter 62: Bane Book 3: Chapter 62: Bane A chilling scream echoed across the town, sending a tremor up Carmen¡¯s spine. She shoved the hastily constructed spear into Miguel¡¯s hands, saying, ¡°Stay in the back. Don¡¯t try to save anyone.¡± ¡°I know, mom,¡± he said in an obvious attempt to appear courageous. Carmen could see his knuckles whiten as he gripped the spear haft far more tightly than normal. But just because he was frightened, that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t brave. If anything, the fact that he was ready to meet the challenge despite the fact that he was weak and afraid said the opposite. If the situation weren¡¯t so dire, Carmen would have reveled in the pride of having raised someone with that kind of backbone. But as it stood, she didn¡¯t have the time to do so. Because in the day-and-a-half since she¡¯d learned of their hosts¡¯ true nature, another of her party of refugees had gone missing. She knew where Bruce had disappeared to, as well. The monsters that lived in the town looked human, but they were, in fact, horrible and predatory creatures called sidhe. And they existed by sucking the life out of their human victims. Upon learning that, Carmen had attempted to leave the town ¨C surreptitiously ¨C but she¡¯d found her way blocked at every turn. So, she¡¯d gotten to work creating the bane weapons by using the enchantments Wi had given her. Since then, she¡¯d forged eight spearheads, attaching them to shafts, and a sword for Colt. For her own use, she intended to use a heavy cksmithing hammer she¡¯d created and engraved with the appropriate enchantments. But now they were ready. Of the people who¡¯d been banished from Easton, only seven remained, including Miguel, Colt, and herself. However, she didn¡¯t me herself as much as she had when she thought everyone was simply going their own ways. So, in a way, finding out that they¡¯d been magically manipted by monsters wasforting. Or it would have been if she could wipe the image of those creatures from her memories. Every few minutes, her mind would wander, and it would return. Those bat-like faces. The grotesque proboscises. The elongated limbs. It all coalesced into something horrifying that she hoped she could one day forget. Still, it made the notion that they would soon be tasked with killing the monsters that much easier to swallow.Awakening the others from their food-induced, borderline hypnotic state had been difficult, but Carmen had discovered that intense pain was enough to wake them up. So, she¡¯d burned each and every one of them with a hot brand. Even though it had left them initially angry, it had done the trick. So, after that, it was a simple task of arming them. Now, they stood in her forge, each one carrying a spear and looking ready to use those weapons. After all, they were survivors. They¡¯d each one gone to great lengths during their trek through the wilderness. And so, they were ready to do what was necessary. Even Miguel. Especially him. The young man had moved past his initial anger, and with his back straight and with his spear in his hands, he looked so much like his mother. They hadn¡¯t shared blood. Biologically, Miguel wasn¡¯t even rted to Alyssa. But that didn¡¯t matter. Miguel had idolized her, and even without trying, he channeled her essence. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t meet the same end, though Carmen knew that was out of her control. He was on the verge of adulthood. Certainly, in the old world, he¡¯d have had a few years yet before he had to worry about that sort of thing. But in the apocalypse, getting an archetype was the mark of maturity. And he wasn¡¯t far away from that. A year, at most. Carmen wasn¡¯t certain what to think of that, but she knew it was neither the time nor the ce to explore those sorts of feelings. So, she pushed them aside, praying that there would be a future where she¡¯d have a chance to truly investigate the way she felt about her son growing up. ¡°Is everyone ready?¡± she asked, looking from one person to the next. They all nodded resolutely. Colt said, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± He still didn¡¯t look right without his hat. Carmen vowed to find him a new one as soon as they made it out of Eber. Nodding, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡± Resolutely, she led them outside. As horrible luck would have it, she hadn¡¯t finished the weapons until after sunset, and given the mostly overcast night, the vige outside was cast in deep shadows. Carmen knew better than to believe there was nothing hidden in the darkness. In fact, the moment she stepped out of the smithy, she saw movement as something skittered across the street. There were no lights, though. No nk-faced vigers. Indeed, it looked like a ghost town. Yet, Carmen could sense ¨C or possibly imagine ¨C the dangers lurking nearby. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! She gestured for her people toe with her, and as she did, she used Augment Weapons. Each of the weapons she¡¯d created bloomed with blistering fire, illuminating the area. And the surrounding sidhe. They hissed at the group, but Carmen wasn¡¯t going to let them take the initiative. Instead, she rushed forward, swinging her hammer with all her Strength. It took the sidhe ¨C who wore the nk face of an average-looking man ¨C directly in the chest. The thing never even tried to avoid it, almost as if it didn¡¯t fear such a blow. So, when the hammer caved its sternum in, it briefly wore an expression of the purest shock. Then, it copsed, the illusion it wore falling away before it hit the ground. Carmen bulled past him, swinging the hammer at the next closest sidhe. But it danced aside, avoiding the attack. Coltshed out with his new sword, its bane de cutting through its neck like it was made of paper. No blood came from the resultant wound. Instead, thick, white pus bubbled up from the thing¡¯s stump. Carmen kicked it in the chest, sending the de-illusioned creature flying into its fellows. But even kicking its dead body felt like trying to move a brick wall. While she was capable of moving it, it was only just. And there had been no give beneath her foot. That hammered home the reality of their situation. If it weren¡¯t for their bane weapons, that seemed to do far more damage than they otherwise would have, even her vaunted Strength would have been insufficient. And that was saying nothing of the rest of her party, which, aside from Colt, wasposed of low-level nonbat Schrs. They did have those weapons, though. And as she pushed forward, leading the way with her enchanted hammer, the others attacked with their bane spears. They were barely Simple-Grade weapons, and yet, they sliced through the sidhe with ease. Before long, the monsters wised up to the danger and backed away. Carmen didn¡¯t let them regroup. Instead, she plowed ahead, swinging her hammer with ruthless efficiency. Her Crafter¡¯s Endurance stood her in good stead, but her Strength served her purposes even better. Finally, Augment Weapons enhanced the already-deadly bane weapons, and even the slightest touch of the enchanted hammer was enough to send one of the sidhe reeling. Until, atst, the gates came into view. ording to Wi ¨C who was curiously absent ¨C the sidhe were tied to the vige in some way. Because of that, they were vulnerable outside its walls. So, there was almost no chance they would pursue Carmen and her people into the wilderness. However, there were two people standing before the gate. Wendy and Wendell stood shoulder-to-shoulder. Every once in a while, their illusions would flicker, revealing their true appearances. And they wererger, with even longer limbs, than any of the other sidhe. The challenge was clear. If Carmen and the others expected to escape, they would have to do so by going through the pair of sidhe leaders. With the other sidhe pouring out of their houses to join the horde, Carmen knew there wasn¡¯t time to strategize. Instead, she charged, hammer held high. And when she reached the creatures, she came to understand why Wendy and Wendell were in charge. They moved so quickly that she couldn¡¯t even track it, and before she could register what was happening, she found herself skidding across the ground at the end of a backhanded blow that had dislocated one of her shoulders. And given her Constitution, that was a testament to how much power the creatures held. Fortunately, Colt was a much betterbatant than she could ever be, and his loyal nature dictated that when Carmen had charged, so did he. As she picked herself up, heunched a de Storm at the pair, but to both of their surprise, the ability had almost no effect. Aside from a few small cuts that seeped white pus, the creatures were entirely unharmed. But Colt refused to be dissuaded. However, where Carmen had engaged in a reckless charge, the one-handed swordsman took a measured approach. Wendell snapped out, his illusion flickering to reveal a grotesquely long arm. Yet, Colt had no issues sidestepping it. Then, he thrust. Wendell¡¯s eyes widened, and he shifted slightly. However, he was off-bnce, so he was incapable of avoiding the stab that took him in the hip. He screamed ¨C an unholy shriek that sounded like a thousand dying crows ¨C and tried once again to strike Colt. The samurai didn¡¯t move much, but it was just enough to elicit a narrow miss. Yet, Wendell wasn¡¯t alone. Wendy blurred forward, solidifying her status as the town¡¯s true alpha, and before Colt could react, she snapped out a blow that took him in the head. Despite being taken by surprise, the samurai rolled with the blow, and that was likely the only reason he managed to survive. Still, even getting clipped was enough to send him stumbling to the ground. The sidhe woman pounced. That¡¯s when two things happened. First, Carmen returned to battle, swinging her hammer in a wide arc meant to cave in the woman¡¯s head. But she hadn¡¯t forgotten the wounded Wendell, who¡¯d somehow superimposed himself between Carmen and Wendy. As a result, he took the blow mean to kill the other sidhe, adopting her fate as his own. Carmen¡¯s hammer crashed through his upraised arms with enough force to crush his skull, sending a gtinous white goop flying through the gate. Yet, as satisfying as the kill was, it meant that Wendy had a free shot at the stunned Colt. But Miguel had no intention of letting that happen. The boy ¨C no, the young man ¨C nted himself between the two, bracing the bane spear with his foot. Like a charging boar, Wendy couldn¡¯t stop herself before being impaled on the weapon. She slid down to the shaft, pus dripping from her mouth as she grasped for Miguel. A recovered Colt shed, and the sidhe¡¯s hands went flying. A momentter, she perished. Seeing that, Carmen shouted, ¡°Everyone through the gate!¡± The rest of the group, who¡¯d been holding the other sidhe off, slowly backed through the gate. The sidhe refused to pass through, which seemed to confirm Wi¡¯s information that said the creatures were weakened outside of their territory. Not that the refugees could spare the time to confirm that. Indeed, the only person that bothered looking back was Carmen, and she saw a smiling Wi standing behind the horde of sidhe, her arms crossed. She raised a hand to her brow and gave Carmen a salute. The meaning was clear. Wi hadn¡¯t helped Carmen and the others out of the goodness of her heart ¨C if the sidhe even had those organs. Instead, she was motivated by simple greed. She wanted power, and she saw a way to rid herself of her rivals. Or superiors. But as much as Carmen found the whole concept disgusting, she¡¯d still benefited from it. Shaking her head, Carmen turned and followed her people into the wilderness. As she passed the tree line, she wondered what else they would be forced to endure before they reached some semnce of safety. Book 3: Chapter 63: The Librarian Book 3: Chapter 63: The Librarian ¡°Why sunlight?¡± asked K¡¯hana, leaning against the lighthouse wall. The other elves were there as well, all wearing somber expressions. They had conquered the tower, but through little in the way of their own efforts. As such, they clearly felt it was a hollow victory. Sure, they¡¯d gained some experience and a few items apiece, but their time in the tower had shown them that they weren¡¯t ready for such a challenge. Elijah understood it, too. It was easy to look at the concept of a tower as an opportunity ¨C and it was ¨C but it was also a deadly scenario meant to push a well-prepared group to its limits. Ensuring that was the fact that the level of the creatures inside ¨C and their power ¨C was scaled based on the highest member of the would-be conquerors. The only reason Elijah was capable of oveing those challenges alone was abination of his high-quality gear, the versatility of his ss and archetype, and, most importantly, his potent Dragon Core. Without any of those things, he would¡¯ve been destined to lose. Of course, he didn¡¯t acknowledge that he¡¯d managed to conquer his first tower without the benefit of his Dragon Core. Yet, that experience had been a defining moment for him. A crucible that reforged him, body and mind. And he¡¯d beaten it not through skill, but through a sheer application of willpower. Most people would have failed. Elijah knew that. Certainly, the elves would have fallen. Together or alone, they were simply ill-suited to the task. Which meant that he felt a little bad about insisting they should hold up their end of the bargain they¡¯d struck. None of the items they¡¯d been awarded sounded particrly interesting. Elijah didn¡¯t think he would actually use any of them, but he also had no intention of letting the elves off without paying for his services. By all ounts, they¡¯d each gotten the easier end of the deal. They¡¯d nearly died, sure. But they¡¯d done almost nothing, and they¡¯d gotten rewards for each level he¡¯d ovee. Still, even though he only intended to sell it to someone like Atticus, he wasn¡¯t sure which item he was going to take. So, after leaving the tower, the group had settled in to rest ¨C they still weren¡¯t entirely recovered ¨C while Elijah had told them everything he could about the tower. That included his method of ying the vampiric Lord Lothgar. ¡°You guys don¡¯t have vampires?¡± he asked. ¡°You know, blood suckers that are allergic to crosses, garlic, and sunlight?¡±K¡¯hana shook her head. ¡°We¡­do not. Are these monsters native to Earth?¡± Elijah answered, ¡°No. More like myths. Just stories we would tell one another. But I can guarantee that anyone from Earth would have figured it out.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± It really was. Until that moment, Elijah had never considered that it would be possible for the system to draw inspiration from Earth¡¯s mythology. And given humanity¡¯s obsession with entertainment and storytelling, there was a lot of material out there. Perhaps someone else would run a tower and have to fight the system¡¯s version of Freddy Krueger. Or the Power Rangers. Who knew what the limitations might be? Or if there were any. Elijah said, ¡°So, I¡¯m having a little trouble figuring out which item I want.¡± Badu¡¯s expression darkened. Or perhaps that was his resting expression. Either way, at least he didn¡¯t speak. Elijah was tempted to just take whichever reward the idiotic Wind Whisperer cherished most, but he wasn¡¯t quite that vindictive. ¡°Is there nothing else we can offer you?¡± asked K¡¯hana. He shrugged. ¡°Unless you can direct me to some good guides on cultivation, no,¡± he said, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯ve tried looking through the Knowledge Base, but¡­well, it¡¯s not easy to sort through all that stuff. I swear,st time I tried, I spent like two hours searching and I found almost nothing worthwhile.¡± ¡°Did you consult a Librarian?¡± ¡°A what?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I mean, I know what a librarian is. Obviously. We had them in our libraries. You know, big collections of books. But the way you said that made me think you¡¯re talking about somethingpletely different.¡± ¡°A Librarian is a ss derived from the Schr archetype. Those with that ss often work to help people find specific information in a Branch¡¯s Knowledge Base,¡± said K¡¯hana. ¡°Of course, they also work with private knowledge bases as well. The Blue Water sect employs many such Librarians in our¡­their own knowledge repositories.¡± Elijah ran his hand through his hair, then admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t think there were any Librarians attached to any of the Branches I¡¯ve visited. None that I saw, anyway. Just Envoys.¡± ¡°We have a Librarian in Avandor.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t need her to spell it out for him. They owed him a tower reward that he clearly didn¡¯t need. Or want, really. But he could think of a hundred ways a Librarian could help him. So far, he¡¯d just snatched any guide that he could afford and seemed interesting. As a result, he¡¯d expanded the breadth of his knowledge of his new universe, at least to some degree. However, he hadn¡¯t gotten any information specific to his needs. But one subject interested him more than any other. Cultivation ¨C specifically, for his Soul, which had so far proven a fruitless pursuit. It wasn¡¯t like cultivating his Mind or Body, where he¡¯d managed to stumble his way to sess. Reaching the next stage of Soul cultivation would require him to redraw the pathways through which ethera infused his body. Until he did that, he would be stuck at his current stage. ¡°Just so we¡¯re clear, what are you offering?¡± he asked. ¡°One subject,¡± K¡¯hana answered. ¡°Our Librarian will help you answer one question. In exchange, you will forego the additional reward for conquering the tower.¡± ¡°Two.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°What? Why? It¡¯s just ¨C¡± ¡°Faran¡¯s level is low,¡± she said. ¡°His cooldown is expansive. He can answer one question per week.¡± ¡°Ugh. Seriously? That must make leveling slow,¡± Elijah remarked. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°It is. However, he is a diligent worker, and a Librarian¡¯s task extends further than mere research. He will go far, so long as our people survive,¡± K¡¯hana said with some pride. ¡°She¡¯s just saying that because he¡¯s her brother,¡± Syka said with a grin. ¡°That is untrue,¡± K¡¯hana retorted, her cheeks reddening. ¡°Alright,¡± Elijah said. ¡°How about this? One question now. Another the next time I visit.¡± ¡°That is eptable,¡± K¡¯hana said, clearly relieved. After that, the rest of the elves rxed a little. It seemed that they had expected him to react poorly to the restriction. Perhaps they even thought he would simply kill them and take their rewards. Maybe some people would have. After all, he¡¯d conquered a tower on his own. It didn¡¯t seem impossible that he could kill them just as easily. A silly notion, from Elijah¡¯s perspective. Not only did he value life more than that, but he stood to gain much more from keeping them alive. Knowledge was more valuable than a few trinkets. Speaking of trinkets, Elijah looked down at his new staff. As he did, he recalled the notification he¡¯d gotten afterpleting the tower with a B-Grade:
Reward for conquering the Magister¡¯s Estate: Dragon-Touched Staff
It was not a remarkable-looking weapon. Just a six-foot-tall staff of polished, ck wood. When Elijah looked closely, he could see a slight scale pattern along the shaft, but beyond that, the only decoration was on the metallic caps on either end. They bore twin sigils that looked like stylized dragons that had been etched into the metal. However, considering that he¡¯d cracked his Crook of the Serpent Healer, Elijah had epted the reward eagerly. Like his other staves, using it didn¡¯t give him any additional attributes, but he knew it would have other benefits. He just needed to visit a merchant like Atticus so he could identify it properly. In addition to the Dragon-Touched Staff, Elijah had benefited from thest level of the tower by gaining another two levels. At present, he was level seventy-two, which meant he¡¯d finally reached the top five on the powerdder:
1. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 75 2. Thor Gunderson ¨C Level 74 3. Sadie Song ¨C Level 73 4. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 72 5. Hu Shui ¨C Level 71 6. Niko Song ¨C Level 66 7. Davu Adebowale¨C Level 64 8. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 61 9. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 59 10. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 57 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­
Elijah couldn¡¯t believe he hadn¡¯t reached the top spot. As quickly as he¡¯d leveled in the tower, the top three had managed to stay ahead. Clearly, they¡¯d found some very unique situations to ovee. Perhaps they¡¯d even challenged towers themselves. However, judging by the names, it seemed likely that Sadie Song and Niko Song were rted. Sure, Song wasn¡¯t an umon surname, but the fact that they were so close together on the powerdder was enough of a coincidence for Elijah to feel certain of his intuition. But more than anything, Elijah was most impressed with Oscar Ramirez and Thor Gunderson. He knew precisely how difficult it was to level, and those two stood above everyone else. It was remarkable, and Elijah hoped he could someday meet them andpare notes. Perhaps they could even work together. Of course, as always, he searched the list for Carmen¡¯s name, finding her just outside the top fifty. Her progression was impressive, too, but Elijah was more interested in confirming that she was still alive. That provided him with a level offort that made it easier to keep going. By the time Elijah had finished with his various notifications, the elves were ready to move out. So, they set off across the aridndscape, eventually entering the Twilight Clefts. After a few more hours, they arrived back at Arvandor, where K¡¯hana led him to the city¡¯s Branch. As they walked, Elijah asked, ¡°How many elves live here?¡± ¡°Fourteen thousand, three-hundred, and twelve,¡± she answered. ¡°So many? Was your world so bad that you would risking here? I mean, don¡¯t get me wrong ¨C I love Earth. It¡¯s my home. But even you have to admit that it¡¯s a difficult ce to survive, what with the monsters and towers and Voxx.¡± ¡°With dangeres opportunity,¡± she answered. ¡°On Erag, my lifespan would have been no more than a century. Here, I have the opportunity to live for millennia. I can achieve power unlike anyone in my family. Perhaps I can even reach immortality. Certainly, my world was safe. We were well-protected. But without risk, I could never hope to rise above the circumstances of my birth. I was born a Tteset, and I would have died a Tteset. Now, I can rise above that.¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t sure what a Tteset was, but he assumed it was the caste the elf had belonged to. He understood her reasoning, too. Just like the people back in Ironshore, she¡¯de to Earth for opportunity. Eventually, they reached the Branch, which was manned by a single elven Envoy. K¡¯hana spoke to that attendant, and Elijah was allowed to ess the Branch. As he took care of some housekeeping ¨C checking his stock of Ethereum as well as studying the map to see if there were any towns nearby. As it turned out, there was. And it was his goal. Seattle was only a few hundred miles away to the northeast. It took all of Elijah¡¯s self-control not to leave right then. However, he restrained himself, and soon enough, K¡¯hana returned with a young boy in tow. If he was more than fifteen, Elijah would have been surprised, but he definitely saw the resemnce between the two siblings. Once Elijah told Faran what he wanted, the boy touched the crystalline Branch, then used some sort of ability. It lit up with inner light, then grew a crystal leaf. He handed it over to Elijah, saying, ¡°It is called An Introduction to Druidic Cultivation, and it covers the first three stages.¡± ¡°Druid?¡± asked K¡¯hana, having overheard. ¡°Yep. That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°You are a Druid.¡± ¡°Uh¡­yeah. I just said that.¡± ¡°But in the tower, you were effective¡­¡± ¡°I know. I was there.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Talent?¡± ¡°I do not jest. Druids are known to be weak inbat. Useful, certainly, but they are not capable of what you did,¡± she insisted. ¡°Ouch. Tell me how you really feel,¡± he muttered. Her perception of his archetype wasn¡¯t really a surprise. He¡¯d known all along that Druids traded potency for versatility. But he hadn¡¯t thought their ¨C or by extension, his ¨C reputation was that poor. To hear Nerthus talk about it, Druids were the most powerful archetype in existence. Then again, he was a tree spirit, so perhaps he wasn¡¯t particrly unbiased on the subject. ¡°How?¡± she asked again, stepping closer. Elijah took a step back. He certainly appreciated the elf¡¯s looks, but he wasn¡¯t quite ready to contemte interspecies rtions. And given her appearance, that would inevitably be where his mind went if she remained in such close proximity. ¡°I¡¯m super special,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Well, now that I¡¯ve got what I wanted, I suppose it¡¯s time for me to mosey on along. Hit the ol¡¯ dusty train, so to speak.¡± He gave her an awkward salute that he immediately regretted, then said, ¡°Off I go before I truly humiliate myself. I¡¯ll see myself out.¡± And he did, regretting more than just his silly salute. Perhaps he should go back to see if K¡¯hana had any interest in humans. But by the time he¡¯d reached the city¡¯s exit, he still hadn¡¯te to any decision, so he thought it best if he just moved along. After all, he still had one question to ask, so he intended toe back. Maybe by then, he would know whether or not he wanted to pursue a human-elf rtionship. Book 3: Chapter 64: Battlefield Book 3: Chapter 64: Battlefield A summer wind skated across the in, rustling the sparse vegetation before tousling Elijah¡¯s hair. He sighed, propping his forearms on his knees as he stared at the dancing me of his campfire. Nearby, he could feel various skittering insects as well as a few lizards who fed on them. In turn, he knew there was a nearby snake waiting to ambush any lizard who happened to cross its path. Above, a hawk screeched, ready to swoop in and capture the snake. And somewhere, something assuredly hunted the hawk as well. That was nature. A constant cycle of conflict and death from which life was both sustained and renewed. Idly, he wondered where he fit in that circle. But one look at the hunk of snake roasting over his fire told him precisely where he stood. For better or worse, he was at the top of the food chain. An alpha predator with few real threats. Yet, Elijah didn¡¯t really take joy in his ce above the other animals. Instead, he just felt a sense of belonging. He was as much a part of the ecosystem as any other beast. He was just self-aware enough to recognize it. He did wonder about the wider universes, though. There were nine realms attached to the World Tree. And those realms were each host to innumerable universes that, in turn, contained a bevy ofs, many of which were popted. The vastness of those connected universes beggared Elijah¡¯s imagination to the point where he couldn¡¯t reallyprehend it. All he knew was that he was small. Very, very small. Never did he feel that more acutely than when he nced up at the night sky and saw a nket of uncountable stars. He sighed, leaning back as he waited for the snake cook. There was peace in knowing his ce, even if he was no more important than a single grain of sand. Those thoughts and more flitted through his mind as he stared up at the stars and listened to the sizzling sound of searing meat. The serpent had been arge creature ¨C some form of mutated rattle snake, he thought ¨C but it had died easily enough to a single swipe from a Predator Strike-enhanced w. It had barely even awarded any experience. But that didn¡¯t matter. He¡¯d hunted it for food. Not for progression.In any case, it had weighed almost a hundred pounds, so, even though he didn¡¯t particrly like snake, he had no issues with using the meat to augment his dwindling supplies. Eventually, the snake finished cooking, and he tore through the gamey meat, pairing it with a couple of grove berries and a jug of fresh water. It was a bit wasteful, but he¡¯d grown so attached to the taste of those berries that he often ate more than he should. Soon enough, though, he¡¯d finished his meal. After that, he wrapped the remaining meat in wax paper he¡¯d gotten back in Ironshore, then shoved the parcels into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. Finally, he retrieved the glittering leaf he¡¯d gotten from the Branch back in Arvandor. It was called Druidic Cultivation, and he hoped it would be precisely what he needed. The Librarian had imed as much, but Elijah wasn¡¯t so sure. His ss was supposed to be rare, and his archetype even more so. So, finding a means of cultivating his Soul ¨C which required him to rebuild the pathways that had been dissolved during the initial stage ¨C was something he considered a long shot. When he opened the guide, he realized that his doubt was misced. The first bits recounted methods of reaching the first stage of cultivation. However, he was a bit surprised to learn that he¡¯d had it quite a bit easier than most people. Apparently, his grove had assisted him quite a bit.
A druid¡¯s grove is an incalcble benefit to their cultivation. With it, many of the typical requirements, which can include expensive potions and rare natural treasures are unnecessary. However, the true benefit of a grove lies with inspiration. Normally, cultivation requires an epiphany. An understanding of the world and one¡¯s ce in it. Yet, for the first three stages of cultivation, a druid needs no such thing, so long as they have their grove. After that, understanding is necessary.
It went on to exin that a sufficiently powerful grove could y host to hundreds of druids. Apparently, as the sole Druid bonded to the grove ¨C indeed, the progenitor of such ¨C he gained significantly more powerful benefits than was typically seen. It wasn¡¯t multiplicative. In fact, much of that power went to waste. Yet, it still put him in a far better situation than any other cultivator, ording to the guide. That made sense. Elijah had long wondered why everyone hadn¡¯t reached the first stage of cultivation, at least in one category. Now, he understood it. Everyone else needed expensive potions or natural treasures, incredibly dense ethera, and, worst of all, some mentalponent that Elijah didn¡¯t truly understand. As a Druid, he needed none of those things ¨C for now. He went on to read that the grove was only one part of that. Indeed, the mere fact that he¡¯d been offered the Druid archetype in the first ce meant that he was more capable of understanding his ce in the world than most. Then, the addition of One with Nature had hammered that home. Repeatedly. The bond with the grove had sealed those lessons in his mind, internalizing insight on an instinctual level. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. That advantage would dissipate after the third stage, though that was a long way off, as far as he could tell. ording to the guide, after a certain point in their progression, people¡¯s priorities tended to shift from gaining levels to seeking insight and proper environments for cultivation. Levels, it said, woulde during that journey. Elijah read it all with no small degree of anticipation. The notion of going to wonderous ces in pursuit of opportunities certainly appealed to his sense of wanderlust. But he had a long way to go before that would be necessary. For now, he needed to focus on cultivating his Soul. And despite his advantages, it looked incrediblyplex. The pattern was there, but it wasn¡¯t as simple as memorization. Even with his multi-faceted Quartz Mind, it was a daunting prospect. Not only did the pattern look like the world¡¯s mostplex root system, with microscopic strands twined around one another, but it was also three-dimensional. Because of that, Elijah knew that learning it would be the product of months, rather than the few hours he had originally suspected. In addition, the guide also imed that some archetypes may require the cultivator to make slight adjustments based on the way everything felt. To put it mildly, it was a much more difficult process than anything else he¡¯d endured. But it was nice to have a goal. So, Elijah spent a few hours studying the guide¡¯s example until, atst, he decided to get some rest. As he fell unconscious, images of branching root systems upied his mind. Thankfully, his dreams didn¡¯t follow suit, and he awoke the next morning feeling as refreshed as ever. After stripping down and stepping away from his campfire, he cast Healing Rain and took a shower. In the wilderness, the avability of a shower ¨C even if it was rainwater that would disappear soon after the spellpleted ¨C was a nice convenience, and the process of bathing left him feeling even better. So, once he¡¯d finished and dressed, he enjoyed a breakfast of leftover snake meat, and set off in the appropriate direction. As he did, one facet of his mind remained upied by the root pattern. Even with constant thought, Elijah knew it would take quite a lot of time before he would befortable enough to try to force himself to take the next step in Soul cultivation. But that was okay. There were no timers, after all. He could take however long he needed. Slowly, he covered the ground, his new staff cking against the dry earth as the hours passed into a few days. His routine remained the same, and though the way was nominally difficult, Elijah had to admit that he enjoyed himself. On the surface, the desert looked lifeless. However, via One with Nature, he could tell that that impression couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. He felt every insect, every reptile, and every hardy nt he passed. And it gave him more than a small sense of appreciation for how fervently they clung to survival. To him, it felt appropriate. That was the ultimate goal of everything in nature, after all. Survival, both on an individual and a species-wide level, was the most potent driving force behind every creature¡¯s behavior. Elijah was so caught up in it that, when he crested a hill and the area changed, it hit him like a ton of bricks. Suddenly, it felt like he was swimming in a pool of death. He stumbled slightly, then looked around. Everywhere his eyes went, there were corpses, and in an advanced state of decay. Most were naked, but quite a few wore damaged bits of armor. Broken weapons ¨C swords and spears, mostly ¨C were scattered all around. Clearly, a battle had been fought in the area. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain how long had passed. A week or two, at most. Not more than that, he suspected. And clearly, there were thousands of casualties. As far as he could see, there were dead bodies. Crows and other carrion eaters feasted on the corpses, cawing loudly at one another. It was a disturbing sight, but when Elijah focused on One with Nature, he was even more horrified. The level of carnage in the area had stained the verynd. If the ambient ethera in his grove represented nature, then the battlefield was dedicated to death. To conflict. War. Elijah had felt various other vors of ethera ¨C especially in the Reaver¡¯s Citadel, where two wings had been dedicated to the opposing forces of fire and ice ¨C but nothing could have prepared him for what he experienced standing on the edge of the battlefield. It made his skin crawl, but it also got his blood pumping as his heart raced under the influence of a burst of adrenaline. He could easily imagine that aura pushing other people to greater heights of aggression. One spark, and conflict would ignite. Elijah didn¡¯t like that one bit. So, he crouched, holding his staff upright as he let the ambient ethera waft over him. It felt wrong. Unnatural. And Elijah knew that, as a Druid, he needed to set things right. However, at first, he had no idea how he was meant to do that. Then, it dawned on him. If he removed the evidence of the battle, then perhaps it would curtail the aura from growing even denser. After all, when he focused on each one, they felt like miniature natural treasures, though not the sort that anyone would want to use. They were tainted. Corrupted. They were grotesque. But once the idea had flitted across Elijah¡¯s mind, he couldn¡¯t abandon it. Besides ¨C people deserved proper burials, didn¡¯t they? That was normal. Noble, even. So, Elijah girded his loins and gathered his mettle before wading in and getting to work. He didn¡¯t dare shift into the form of themer ape. It already came with rage issues, and he didn¡¯t want to exacerbate that with the aura of conflict. Besides, it felt more respectful to embark on the task as a human. Over the next three days, Elijah engaged in the task. He dug a huge, mass grave in the center of the battlefield, then dragged each of the dposing bodies to the site, then tossed them into the pit. It was traumatizing, and Elijah hated what he was forced to do. However, with every passing hour, he grew more convinced that it was necessary. Eventually, seven facets of his Quartz Mind were upied with preparation for his Soul cultivation, while the remaining two respectively focused on his environment and the task. Eventually, though, hepleted the task, covering hundreds of gathered corpses with the previously excavated dirt. But once it was finished, Elijah knew it wasn¡¯t enough. So, he went in search of some appropriate seeds. What he found was a Joshua tree only about a mile away, which he thought fit what he had in mind. So, seeds in hand, Elijah retreated back to the grave site, where he nted the seeds in a wide circle. He had no intention of using it as a teleportation point. Rather, he simply wanted to overwhelm the aura of conflict and death with one of nature. So, in that pursuit, Elijah cast Healing Rain, then red Nature¡¯s Bounty. Over the next few days, he continuously coaxed the seeds to sprout into saplings. As he bathed the area in his own ethera, which was further reinforced by the juvenile trees, the aura left behind by the battle retreated until it was barely even noticeable. Only then did Elijah step back and consider it a job well done. So, once he was certain that his efforts would kick off a cycle of renewal, he moved on, satisfied with his efforts. Book 3: Chapter 65: Fighting Against Nature Book 3: Chapter 65: Fighting Against Nature With a wet squelch, Thor yanked a monstrous leach from his side, then crushed it in his grip. It was both satisfying and grotesque, the way the thing¡¯s insides ¨C and the blood it had sucked from him ¨C oozed between his fingers. He tossed the pest aside, where its remains were immediately set upon by the biting fish that were so prevalent within the mire. How anything managed to survive the swamp was a mystery. Only a couple of days after he¡¯d entered the swamp, he¡¯de upon a helpful alchemist. Well, helpful after he realized that Thor wasn¡¯t going to take no for an answer. Regardless, the thin, bearded man with the curious ent had provided him with potions meant to cure him of the myriad ailments that came from trekking through the marsh, and he¡¯d even ryed information that had pointed Thor in the direction of his intended prey. Of course, that meant trudging for long miles to the center of the swamp. Each step was a battle, and when he¡¯d reached the deepest parts of the mire, he¡¯d found nothing but more disease, pain, and battle. But no Druid. Only when he¡¯d resorted to using Ancestral Hunt did hee to realize that the alchemist had purposefully led him astray. The tendril of ethera pointed in the opposite direction, which meant that he had a long way yet to go. Fortunately, the alchemist¡¯s potions worked to rid Thor of the worst of the swamp¡¯s ailments, though the side effects included a torturously twisted gut and loose bowels. So, when he finally set foot on dry ground, he did so with more than a little relief. Since the world had transformed, Thor had been in all sorts of deadly environments, but none had been nearly as frustrating as the swamp. That was the biggest reason he hadn¡¯t gone back to teach the alchemist a lesson. The mere notion of trudging back the way he¡¯de twisted his stomach into knots, and he hadn¡¯t had to think about it long before leaving the swamp behind. Perhaps the swamp wasn¡¯t as dangerous as some areas he¡¯d visited. He never felt on the verge of death. But every step was exhausting in a way Thor had never experienced. He was d to leave it behind. He was even happier to find a stream where he could clean himself. As he washed the muck of weeks¡¯ worth of travel ¨C and everything else he¡¯d endured at the end of that insidious potion ¨C away, Thor found a host of smaller leeches, plenty of biting insects, and even a snake that had wrapped around his ankle. He executed them all with ruthless prejudice, and atst, he was rid of the swamp. One of the other issues he¡¯d faced was that, in the swamp, there was nowhere to rest. As a result, he¡¯d been awake for more than a week. So, the moment he found a bit of dry, protected ground, he curled up and slept for what felt like an eternity. When he finally woke more than twenty-four hourster, he felt even groggier than before. More, he was stiff to the point of barely being able to move. Finally, his brow was wet with sweat, and the apanying chills that wracked his body told Thor that he was suffering from a fever. So, he downed thest of the potion provided by the alchemist and fell asleep.For three days, he endured the sickness. Days and nights blurred together, and for a while, he was certain he was going to die. Yet, finally, on the fourth morning, the fever broke. By that point, he felt like a shadow of his former self, and it took a further day before he felt up to trekking back to the stream and, once again, washing the filth from his body. That helped. A little. But with the breaking fever came lucidity, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the Druid had managed to cross the swamp. Elijah Hart was below him on the power rankings, so he should have been markedly weaker. It didn¡¯t make sense that he could go somewhere Thor could not. Yet, he had. The only sce Thor could muster in his heart was that there was a good chance that Elijah Hart had suffered just as much as he. And now, atst, he was free to continue his hunt. So, after bathing, Thor found a different area in which to rest, and a couple of dayster, he finally set off across thendscape. The ground was still spongy in ces, and he had to watch out for bogs, but he made his way much more quickly than he¡¯d traveled through the swamp. And eventually, he fully left the mire behind. Ancestral Hunt had alreadye off cooldown, but he didn¡¯t use it yet. Instead, he followed thendscape in what felt like a natural direction. Surely, if the Druid hade through the area, he wouldn¡¯t have veered off the easy path. So it went for quite a few days, and gradually, the terrain transformed into a forested in. As he traveled, Thor slowly recovered. He killed everything he saw, and even managed to stumble upon a rift, which he conquered. Along the way, he gained levels, passing the threshold into level seventy-four. For all that it frustrated him, the constant war with nature he¡¯d experienced in the swamp had done wonders for Thor¡¯s progression. But each time he gained a level, one thing became absolutely certain ¨C if he was going to continue to progress, he would need to find stronger prey. The local wildlife was periodically powerful. Every now and then, he¡¯d stumble upon a stronger-than-normal monster. Yet, he knew that if he wanted to continue at his pace, he would need to enter towers and rifts. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Perhaps, he would even visit one of the embattled areas like the Frozen Wastes. He¡¯d even heard of a region in what was formerly China that had be mired in death and monsters. Or he could simply hunt powerful people. He¡¯d done so before, and the benefits were always astounding. Not only would he gain experiencemensurate with their levels, but he¡¯d also get to take whatever treasures they had in their possession. Certainly, it wasn¡¯t the traditionally moral thing to do, but in his experience, morality didn¡¯t truly exist. It was all rtive. One man¡¯s atrocity was another man¡¯s necessity. So, he didn¡¯t concern himself with such inconsequential things. Eventually, Thor reached a settlementposed of a huge, white house surrounded by fields of what looked like soybeans, and a nearby collection of quaint buildings. Thor had seen many such settlements before, though most had been abandoned, their former inhabitants either killed by the encroaching wildlife or scattered to the wind. It was further evidence that most of humanity was too weak to survive the new world. Still, he wasn¡¯t so disconnected from his roots that he couldn¡¯t appreciate a little civilization. Especially because it would give him an opportunity to resupply as well as to sleep in an actual bed, for once. Thor prided himself on his ability to survive and even thrive in the harsh wilderness. Yet, he did enjoy the amenities of civilization whenever they were avable. Especially after the ordeal he¡¯d endured in the swamp. So, it was with some degree of relief that he trekked toward the vige. However, when he finally reached the collection of buildings, he was confronted by a tall man, who said, ¡°Howdy, stranger. What can we do for ya?¡± The fellow wore a white cowboy hat and mirrored sunsses, but the first thing Thor noticed was a leather holster at his hip. In the old world, it might¡¯ve held a pistol, but now, it yed host to a twisted metal rod that Thor recognized as a wand. He shifted slightly, putting his weight on his back food. He was ready to spring into motion at the slightest provocation. His experience with the merchant had reminded him that, even if he was more powerful than his opponent, that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t dangerous. For all he knew, the man in the mirrored sunsses had a supremely deadly skill that he could only use once a year. If that was the case, Thor would be in trouble. That was the thing he¡¯d let himself forget. The world was full of innumerable sses, some of which were incredibly powerful in very specific situations. Certainly, levels and cultivation could ovee that, but the fact remained that if he wanted to survive, he needed to be wary of putting himself in disadvantageous circumstances. So, instead of bulling into the town as he had in the past, he said, ¡°I need a ce to rest and resupply. I also require information.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind helpin¡¯ with the first two. For a price, of course. With thest, that depends on what sort of information you¡¯ll be wantin¡¯,¡± the man said, shifting a bit so as to prevent a slimmer profile. He looked like a gunfighter from a western, and Thor very nearly challenged the man, then and there. But he used Hunter¡¯s Eye instead:
Name: Rand Timmons Archetype: Sorcerer Level: 47
By Thor¡¯s count, the man¡¯s level put him just outside the top one-hundred. But in reality, he was only ten levels from cracking the top ten. Most of the powerdder was bunched between levels fifty and sixty, so just because the man wasn¡¯t one of the world¡¯s most powerful people, that didn¡¯t mean he was a weakling. And Thor had seen the dangers of fighting people on their own turf. Likely, the town had a few otherbatants around who could make his life difficult. So, despite the fact that he had almost thirty levels on Rand Timmons, Thor chose a non-violent path. Besides, he preferred attacking his prey from the shadows. He could fight in a straight battle, but that was a good way to get killed. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a Druid,¡± Thor stated. ¡°Elijah Hart. I believe he passed through this town recently.¡± The man took off his hat, then wiped his sleeve across his forehead. Then, he nced up at the sun before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t ring any bells. We get a lotta travelersin¡¯ through here, though. Feel free to ask around. But I¡¯ll tell you this once. You cause trouble, and you better be ready to take on everybody here. Big boy like you, with all them levels ¨C you can probably put up a good fight. But you won¡¯t win. I can promise you that.¡± ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± Thor asked, tightening his grip on the spear in his hand. He refused to be talked down to by someone so much weaker than him. ¡°Just a promise. Law and order, son. That¡¯s the name of the game. Without that, we¡¯re no better¡¯n beasts.¡± Thor wanted to show the man what a beast he could be, though his previous caution was warranted. So, he marshaled his self-control and said, ¡°I agree. I will cause no trouble unless someone forces me to do so.¡± ¡°Fair ¡®nuff. In that case, you probably want to stay at the Draymond House. Feel free to wander, but keep my promise in mind,¡± Rand Timmons said. After that, Thor moved on. However, as he did so, he felt the man¡¯s eyes following his every move. More than that, it felt like wherever he went inside the town ¨C whose name he¡¯d never sought ¨C other people watched him. Clearly, they knew what it meant to host powerful strangers. So, he only stayed in the town for one night, though even that was refreshing. At the same time, he had asked around until he found a few disgruntled men in the local saloon. They told him about a curious monument in the forest, so Thor considered that the next stop. Still, when the next morning saw him leaving the town behind, he considered turning back around andying waste to everything he saw. They had insulted him with their suspicions, and as such, he thought they deserved to be taught a permanent lesson. Yet, the memory of his encounter with the merchant brought him up short. That feeling of weakness he¡¯d experienced in the man¡¯s shop still clung to his mind, pushing him toward caution. So, with no small degree of displeasure constricting his thoughts, Thor set off back into the wilderness. As he did so, he couldn¡¯t help but hope that he¡¯d finally tracked his prey. Originally, he had nothing against the Druid. However, with every passing day and with each hardship he¡¯d endured, he¡¯d grown to hate the man. Killing him, he reasoned, would go a long way toward rectifying those feelings. Book 3: Chapter 66: Seattle Book 3: Chapter 66: Seattle Elijah slithered forward, staying low to the ground. It wasn¡¯t strictly necessary. Guise of the Unseen was more than sufficient to keep him hidden. Yet, he felt that it helped relieve the burden on the ability. Perhaps it did, but Elijah chose not to y with proverbial fire. After all, he¡¯d been doing things the same way since the very beginning, and he didn¡¯t see any reason to try to fix something that wasn¡¯t broken. Regardless, neither of the Voxx he¡¯d been stalking were aware of his presence. So, once he was close enough to the first, he used Predator Strike, thenunched himself at the misshapen, red-scaled creature with all the fury he could muster. His jaws mped down on the monster¡¯s neck, crushing it in a single bite. The monster went limp, but before it could fall to the ground, Elijah was already moving. Not with his feet, though. Instead, he used Flicker Step.
Flicker Step Slip into the shadows, emerging behind your opponent. Only usable while under the influence of Shape of the Predator. Cooldown based on Dexterity. Current: 61.2 Seconds.
He disappeared just before the monster¡¯s fellow closed in on him. Then, he appeared directly behind the creature. He used Venom Strike, then leaped upon the creature¡¯s back. His forews dug into the thing¡¯s shoulders, while his back ws cut the monster¡¯s lower back to ribbons. Meanwhile, he mped his jaws around its shoulder ¨C he¡¯d been aiming for the head, but it moved at thest second ¨C crushing bone as his mouth closed on the hunk of meaty flesh. Then, he ripped it all free before bounding away. Elijah hit a nearby rock, which he used to change direction as the monster sloppily pursued him. It hit the earthen bulwark with a crash, and Elijah darted in, shing his ws across its legs before he once again broke away. It staggered after him, though with the effects of Contagion and Venom Strike, it was barely capable of maintaining its feet.It would have bled out in a few more minutes, so the smart ¨C and safe ¨C strategy would have been to continue to run circles around the creature. Yet, his attack had more than one goal. In addition to ridding the world of the taint of the Voxx¡¯s existence, Elijah had set out to test his newest skill. He¡¯d already done so almost a dozen times, but he¡¯d found that it was far more difficult to use than many of his other abilities. The sudden teleportation was disorienting, and it required a very different sort of mindset to use it properly. So, while trekking through the desert wilderness, Elijah had searched for opportunities to practice. That meant he made slower progress in terms of distance traveled each day, but in his opinion, it was worth it. Not regarding experience. He barely got any from these low-level Voxx. Instead, he knew he would need to be able to use Flicker Step as well as he used all of his other spells and abilities. And that meant practice. Besides, every day he killed a few of the horrid Voxx was a good day. Regardless, he wasn¡¯t interested in letting the monster bleed out. Instead, he waited the sixty seconds necessary for Flicker Step to reset, then used it again. He didn¡¯t subject it to the same volume of attacks as his first pass, but he did sh his ws across the backs of its legs a few times before darting away. The creature continued to stumble mindlessly after him. He knew it wouldn¡¯tst much longer. A minute or so, at most. Still, Elijah managed to get one more Flicker Step in before the monster keeled over. With that, he settled down and examined the way his body felt. Using Flicker Step was taxing to his stamina. It wasn¡¯t quite as bad as using Iron Scales ¨C which had grown easier as he¡¯d leveled and gained attributes ¨C but it was definitely noticeable. As a result, even if the cooldown allowed for it, he couldn¡¯t use it without cost. But that was fine. Elijah had long since epted that nothing was free. Each of his abilities had a cost that was usually bnced against its cooldown and power. So, the fact that Flicker Step was limited was nothing unexpected. And it was powerful. The key to making his draconid form work for him was mobility. Otherwise, the shape simply wasn¡¯t capable of mitigating damage. Sure, it was slightly more durable than his human form, but that was just because of its scales. And given the power of some of the monsters he routinely fought ¨C in rifts and towers, if not in the wilderness ¨C meant that the difference counted for nothing. If he was consistently getting hit in either form, he was probably going to die. So, having what was effectively a teleport ¨C albeit one with limitations ¨C was a game changer that he hoped would help him further develop his fighting abilities. At worst, it would allow him to load his enemies with even more afflictions. As he shifted back into his human form, he had to admit that he was very happy with his new ability. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but look ahead. Getting new spells was addictive, and though he expected them to be more infrequent at some point, he still very much looked forward to whatever he would get at level seventy-five. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. And it was just around the corner, too. While he might not have gotten much experience for any individual kill, there were enough of them that thest Voxx had given him enough to push him over the edge to level seventy-three. Two more levels, and he would gain a new spell. It was easy to understand how some people fell into the trap of pursuing progression above all else. He certainly didn¡¯t condone killing the wildlife just for a bit of experience, but with every passing level, he¡¯d begun to understand the mindset better. Still, that wasn¡¯t a path he could ever walk ¨C not with a clean conscience, at least. Pushing that aside, he continued on his way, leaving the pair of rapidly rotting corpses behind. As he did, most of his Mind ¨C six of the nine facets ¨C was focused on memorizing the pattern he intended to use for his Soul cultivation. Even after a week, it was still a long way off, but now that he had a goal in mind, it wasn¡¯t nearly as frustrating. It did highlight the other issue, though: there was nothing in the guide he¡¯d bought concerning the cultivation of his Dragon Core. Certainly, there were sections that concerned generic Core cultivation. There was even a missive containing information on a Nature Core. But there was nothing about dragons. Still, he did get some insight that he thought might help. The first step to any Core cultivation was cycling. Or, to put it more simply, dragging ethera into his core until he could hold no more, swirling it around, before expelling it. Over and over, thousands ¨C if not millions ¨C of times until, the quality began to improve. However, it would never do that unless the process waspleted in an area with incredibly dense ethera. Like his cultivation cave. Even his grove might suffice. But regardless, that was only the first step. There was nothing about how to push to the next, either. So, he resolved to ask for that specific bit of information when he returned to the leven city of Arvandor sometime in the future. For now, though, it was all he could handle to focus on traveling through the wilderness while working on memorizing the pattern for his cultivated Soul. But it was certainly something to consider. The biggest issue, as far as Elijah was concerned, was ignorance, but not in the way one would think. Instead, he was ignorant of what he didn¡¯t know. Often, he was just stumbling around, grasping in the dark. Sometimes, he¡¯d managed to grab hold of something worthwhile, but the fact was that, even with a resource like a Branch¡¯s Knowledge Base, he needed to be pointed in the right direction. There were a host of questions he didn¡¯t even know to ask. That was where the rest of humanity was supposed to pick up the ck. With thousands of people in one ce, surely some of them would stumble upon some necessary bit of information. Thew of averages basically demanded it, the presence of Librarians notwithstanding. It made one thing abundantly clear ¨C he needed to branch out. He needed to socialize. He neededmunity. Otherwise, he would always be groping around in the dark. At some point, his ignorance woulde back to bite him, he was certain. He needed to get serious about heading that off at the pass. To that end, he finally remembered to turn his attention to the Ring of Anonymity. More than once, it had gotten him into trouble. So, he¡¯d chosen to do something about that. He didn¡¯t want to discard the item altogether. It was still potentially useful. And he also didn¡¯t want to walk around advertising that he was one of the top five most powerful people in the world. That would invite challenge, and it would bring unwanted attention. Elijah intended to avoid that. Fortunately, there was a happy medium that he thought would satisfy his requirements. He¡¯d learned in Valosta that there were some sses that could hide their information, even from people with appropriate skills. In that small town, which saw plenty of travelers, it wasn¡¯t even umon. So, Elijah figured that he could simply use the anonymous option on his ring. He also shorted the disyed name to simply Eli. That would hopefully keep people out of his business. And if not, he had plenty of ways to respond to any challenge. So, he continued on through the desert, surprised that the terrain hadn¡¯t changed. By his reckoning, he shouldn¡¯t have been far from Seattle. And yet, the region was as arid as any desert. In fact, it still looked a lot like the American southwest, which shouldn¡¯t have been possible. Of course, it was explicable the same way everything else was ¨C magic. Or ethera, to be more urate. The world had transformed, and the terrain had been randomized. As a result, many regions had been set down inpletely different environments. But did the area immediately turn to desert? Or did the vegetation slowly die, giving in to the arid climate? Thetter didn¡¯t seem possible, given that only four years had passed. Yet, the former wasn¡¯t either. So, Elijah kept turning back to magic. Without having lived through it, there was no way to know. Perhaps the natives would. Those thoughts upied him over the next couple of days until, atst, he crested a hill and saw his destination. Elijah had grown up near Seattle, so he knew the skyline extremely well. Even though he hadn¡¯t seen the city in years ¨C the time since the world¡¯s transformation notwithstanding ¨C he should have recognized everything. But he didn¡¯t. There werendmarks he recognized. The Space Needle still stood. So did a few of the skyscrapers. He even saw Lumen Field, where the Seahawks had once yed. But so many other familiar buildings had clearly fallen. And in the center of the city rose a giant mesa. As expected, there was no shoreline in the area. In fact, the humidity had dropped precipitously with every day over the past week. And it had already been a desert. So, it was easily the dryest ce Elijah had ever been. Still, in the area surrounding the city, there were dozens of huge container ships that had fallen onto their sides. It looked as if the water had simply disappeared, leaving the ships behind. On bare feet, he continued forward at a slight incline of what had once been the seafloor, passing the graveyard of ships with no small degree of caution. But the derelict vessels were clearly abandoned, and the hulls had been used for salvage, withrge portions of the thick steel having been cut free. It was an odd sight, though one Elijah should have expected. Ships were treasure troves of salvageable material, and the people of Seattle had had plenty of time to take whatever they needed. Soon, he¡¯d passed through the collection of ships, and he saw arge wall, which had clearly been built from the wreckage of the fallen buildings. About a mile from the city, he found a wide highway which was mostly intact. As Elijah followed it, he saw plenty of abandoned cars. They¡¯d all been stripped of anything worthwhile, as far as he could tell. But he was no mechanic, so he didn¡¯t know enough to say for sure. However, as shocking as the area was, Elijah was even more surprised when he saw a ck shape zooming toward him. Initially, he thought it was a bird or some other sort of animal, but as it came closer, he saw it for what it was ¨C amercial drone. His first instinct was to tear it out of the sky with a well-aimed cast of Storm¡¯s Fury, but he restrained himself. The thing didn¡¯t seem dangerous, and as he¡¯d already established, he didn¡¯t want to draw too much attention. So, he gave the drone azy wave as he continued toward the city. It turned around a few momentster, heading back toward the city. Elijah followed it. Book 3: Chapter 67: The Lay of the Land Book 3: Chapter 67: The Lay of the Land ¡°You¡¯re anonymous,¡± said the guard, who was wearing all ck fatigues that reminded Elijah of S.W.A.T. gear he had seen on television. The man even had kneepads, elbow guards, and fingerless gloves, which Elijah thought was a little much. Of course, he was currently wearing a pair of fingerless gloves himself, so he didn¡¯t feel like he had a lot of room to criticize other people¡¯s fashion choices. At least he had the good sense to keep his hidden, though. The man looked at his partner and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°Uh¡­me neither,¡± the other stated. ¡°Look, guys ¨C I just want to see my friends in the city,¡± Elijah said with an easy smile that he hoped didn¡¯te off as disingenuous. Or deranged. ¡°My name is Eli Summerall. I¡¯m level thirty-eight.¡± As he spoke, he switched his Ring of Anonymity to the second option, altering his apparent level as well as his name. Apparently, walking around with an anonymous identity was just as much of a red g as doing so with his real name visible. He also changed his archetype to show that he was a Ranger, which he thought would be more believable than Healer. ¡°There. Removed the skill that hid my level and stuff,¡± he said. ¡°Why were you using that?¡± one of the guards demanded. The only thing he was missing was an automatic rifle. Instead, he wore a sword at his hip, though it looked like it had been made of some sort of oddposite, rather than steel. ¡°Seems suspicious.¡± ¡°You know how it is. You¡¯re walking around out in the wilderness. Bandits see you¡¯re level thirty-eight, and they think they can take you, right?¡± Elijah lied. ¡°Well, they think twice about that kind of thing if they don¡¯t know your level. Little travel tip, if you ever want to go venturing out into the forest.¡± Elijah looked back at the barrenndscape. ¡°Or desert, I guess. Not the Seattle I remember, I¡¯ll tell you that much.¡± ¡°You from here?¡± asked the first guard. He was young, maybe twenty years old, and built like he knew where to find the nearest gym. ¡°Originally, yeah. Or Easton, I guess. Doesn¡¯t seem like it ended up here,¡± Elijah said. It was a lie. He¡¯d grown up a few hours from Seattle, but he figured it was the easiest way to get information out of the guard without asking overt questions about his sister. After all, he was a powerful person, and given what he saw of the city, he didn¡¯t think Seattle was run by the best sort of people. And those types might use his family to try to manipte him in some way.¡°Never heard of it,¡± the man said. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t here when the apocalypse started. My family wandered in after ¨C¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to know that, Tommy.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. I guess you can go on through,¡± the guard said, waving him inside, much to the relief of the other people waiting to get in. There weren¡¯t many, and most of them looked like they¡¯d been living rough out in the wilderness. So had Elijah, but he had a lot of advantages they clearly didn¡¯t, so he looked like he¡¯d been out for a Sunday stroll. ¡°Thanks. Any suggestions where I might find a room to rent for a few days? And a drink, maybe?¡± ¡°Sure. Try the Dirty Cactus for drinks. Best bar in town. Mostly the right sort of people, too, if you know what I mean. As far as a room, there¡¯s a couple of hotels in that area. Best one¡¯s probably the Holiday Inn,¡± the second guard said. Byparison to his partner, he was tall, with wide shoulders and a bit of a paunch. But he looked like he knew how to handle himself. After getting directions, Elijah thanked the pair, then moved on. However, he did wonder what the guard meant by the ¡°right sort of people¡±. He figured he¡¯d find out soon enough. Regardless, as Elijah walked through the town, he was struck by how many modern conveniences there were. The other cities he¡¯d visited had had ess to electricity in some form or another, though it was heavily rationed. However, after only a few steps into Seattle, Elijah knew that it was different. There were drones flying around everywhere, and when they drew within range of Elijah¡¯s One with Nature, he could tell that they were powered by a mixture of ethera and electricity. The few cars he saw were all electric, and there were quite a lot of electric scooters, bikes, and motorcycles around as well. And there were phones in every hand, just like before Earth experienced the touch of the World Tree. It made the city seem almost normal, though that illusion was shattered by the ruins he passed as he entered the city. Buildings had fallen, streets had been destroyed, and there was even a fifty-foot-wide sinkhole that he had to cross a rope bridge to bypass. It was clear that Seattle had not recovered from the cmity of the World Tree¡¯s touch. Elijah didn¡¯t know why, either. The other cities and towns he¡¯d seen had all showed that people had the ability to rapidly repair and build sturdy structures. He¡¯d even seen many of those crafters in action when Argos was being repaired in the wake of the tempest. Surely, with their poption, Seattle had plenty of people with that same capability. As he traversed the city, following the guard¡¯s directions, Elijah saw plenty of other guards, each one wearing what looked like surplus police or military gear. It was such a strange sight, especially given that other cities seemed to have embraced a much more medieval mindset, at least regarding weaponry and armor. Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Ker would stand up to his ws. Eventually, he passed Lumen Stadium, and he was surprised to find that only half of the massive building had survived. The other half was simply gone. Elijah didn¡¯t know if it had fallen from some structural damage or if it had been sent somewhere else when the world was transformed. Whatever the case, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but stare at the massive monument to humanity¡¯s excesses. If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. It was a great example of the lengths to which people had once gone to distract themselves from the world¡¯s ills. And he was no different. He¡¯d attended football games in that very stadium, and he¡¯d screamed for the Seahawks alongside all the other fans. There was nothing wrong with that, but even acknowledging that, Elijah wondered where humanity might¡¯ve turned to rece those distractions. In any case, he eventually moved on, and after a few more blocks, found his way to the appropriate area, which was popted by a half-dozen hotels, at least twice as many bars and nightclubs, and quite a few general stores. Clearly, it was where most travelers were directed, which gave Elijah leave to rx. He obviously didn¡¯t belong. Anyone who looked at him would know that. But amidst a crowd of other visitors to the city, he didn¡¯t stick out quite as much. Except for his bare feet, which got more than a few curious nces. Still, he found his way to the bar mentioned by the guard ¨C it was called the Dirty Cactus ¨C and stepped inside. The interior was much as one might expect of a dive bar, but Elijah was more than a little excited that it had an actual jukebox. So, before he did anything else, he headed over and, to his dismay, saw that it still took actual quarters. With a disappointed sigh, he headed to the bar and sat on one of the stools. A redheaded bartender wearing pair of jeans and a white tee-shirt that was two sizes too small asked, ¡°What can I get for you?¡± Elijah asked, ¡°Have any quarters?¡± ¡°For what?¡± she asked, giving him a crooked smile. She was pretty, though on the edge of middle age. She wore it well, though. ¡°The jukebox.¡± ¡°Ah, sure,¡± she said, reaching into her pocket. She slid a couple of quarters across the polished wooden surface of the bar, adding, ¡°Pick something good.¡± He gave her a wink, then retreated to the jukebox. He¡¯d already seen the song he wanted to hear, so he made his selection. The machine came to life, then red the song. ¡°She¡¯s a good girl,¡± Tom Petty sang. ¡°Loves her mama. Loves Jesus, and her boyfriend, too¡­¡± When Elijah returned to the bar, the woman said, ¡°That¡¯s certainly a choice. You look a bit young for Tom Petty.¡± ¡°And the Heartbreakers.¡± ¡°And the Heartbreakers,¡± she agreed. ¡°There a story there?¡± ¡°Do I need one to enjoy Free Fallin¡¯?¡± he asked with a grin. In reality, it had been in a key scene in one of his father¡¯s favorite movies, and Elijah had sort of absorbed the song by osmosis. So, every time he heard it, he experienced a wave of nostalgia, both for the film as well as all the times he¡¯d watched it with his family. ¡°I suppose not. What can I get you?¡± she asked. ¡°Beer?¡± ¡°That I can do,¡± she said, reaching down and grabbing arge, ss mug. She put it under a tap, and as it filled, she remarked, ¡°You¡¯re not from around here, are you?¡± ¡°Grew up close to here, believe it or not. Easton. You ever heard of it?¡± She nodded. ¡°Of course. My first boyfriend¡¯s family lived there,¡± she said with a wistful sigh. ¡°But it¡¯s gone. Haven¡¯t heard anything about it since the world ended, either.¡± ¡°Changed.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The world changed. It didn¡¯t end. We¡¯re still around, right?¡± he said. ¡°Tell that to all the people who didn¡¯t make it,¡± she said sourly. Elijah ran his hand through his hair, then took a sip of his beer. It wasn¡¯t good, but it was better than he¡¯d expected. He asked, ¡°Lose people?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we all.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s sorry. Doesn¡¯t change anything, though,¡± she stated. ¡°So, what brings you here? Riches? Adventure? Get lost in the desert?¡± ¡°Little bit of everything, honestly. What¡¯s the deal with this city, anyway? I¡¯ve noticed a little tension,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°Same as ever. Powerful people fighting other powerful people and using all of us as pawns,¡± she stated. ¡°Even the apocalypse won¡¯t stop them. Noticed you didn¡¯t really answer my question, though. What brings you to Seattle.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Looking for family, mostly. But I¡¯m also looking for opportunity,¡± he said with far more honesty than he¡¯d originally intended. She leaned forward. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re one of those, are you?¡± ¡°One of whats?¡± ¡°Adventurers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that is.¡± ¡°People who go around trying to beat towers and rifts,¡± she said. ¡°The ones who want to get stronger. The ones who think they can fight their way to immortality.¡± Elijah was about to deny it, but then he thought better of it. That really did describe him. Sure, his overarching goal was to find his family, and he wanted power for his own reasons. But he¡¯d have been lying if he said that he wasn¡¯t at least partially driven by the idea of growing stronger. ¡°I guess that pretty much describes me, then,¡± he said. ¡°Well, I hope you have a good team, then. And money. Because the government doesn¡¯t let just anyone run their tower,¡± she said. Someone else signaled her, and she said, ¡°Let me know if you need anything else.¡± Elijah nodded, then finished his beer. After that, he didn¡¯t feel much like drinking, so heid a couple of copper ethereum on the bar, thanked the woman, then headed back into the city. He stopped by a few more bars, gathering information all the while. And he learned a few more things about the state of Seattle. The biggest discovery was that it was a city in constant conflict. At present, there was something of a tentative truce, but most of the residents expected the fight to resume at any moment. That exined theck of development, too. There were four major factions vying for control. The first were the remnants of the old government, which were headquartered in and around the old capitol. The former Mercer Ind ¨C now called Mercer Mesa ¨C was the giant teau at the center of the city, and most of that ind¡¯s former residents had formed a second faction, though they mostly kept to themselves. The third faction were located in Lake City, where the tower had risen. They¡¯d used it to develop the most powerfulbatants in the city, and from all ounts, they were the strongest fighters around. Thest faction were mostly headquartered in Ranier, and they werergely hunters and scavengers who ventured out into the wilderness to close Rifts, fight spontaneously manifesting Voxx, and provide the city with meat. Because of that, they were the second strongest fighters, and they controlled most of Seattle¡¯s food supply. They also yed host to a figure known as the Gardener, who operated what sounded like a huge greenhouse where most of the city¡¯s vegetables and fruits were grown. That was interesting enough, and Elijah intended to investigate that situation. However, by the time he finished gathering information, night had fallen, and, after spending so long in the desert, he wanted nothing more than to sleep in an actual bed. So, he headed to one of the hotels ¨C an old Hilton that was still standing and had electricity ¨C where he rented a room for almost as much as he¡¯d spent in the Imperium. A little whileter, Elijah had taken a shower and copsed into his bed for a good night¡¯s rest. Book 3: Chapter 68: Buying a Life Book 3: Chapter 68: Buying a Life The mattress was lumpy. None of the plumbing worked. And the whole room somehow managed to smell like bleach and mildew, both at the same time. On top of that, Elijah could feel every creeping, crawling insect in the walls, and he could hear everything that happened in the next room over. Yet, for some reason, he¡¯d slept incredibly well, and when it came time for a shower, he just stepped into the bathroom and summoned Healing Rain. So, as far as he was concerned, things were looking up. Except for the fact that Easton, ording to an overheard conversation between the proprietor of the hotel and a guest, was more than a thousand miles away. How much more was a bit of a mystery, and even the city¡¯s presence was little more than rumor. Still, Elijah would take even the smallest clue that would lead him in his sister¡¯s direction. Because as much as he enjoyed trekking through the wilderness and seeing different ces, when he thought of his sister, the weight or urgency had settled firmly onto his shoulders. And he knew why, too. Life in their new world was cheap. Even before Earth had felt the touch of the World Tree, people died every day. Sometimes, it was because of disease. Others, because of idents like the one that had taken his parents. And in other parts of the world, conflict and hunger imed even more lives. However, the increased danger of the world, coupled with the fact that civilization seemed to have taken a step backward, meant that people had died at a much higher rate. Billions had perished. And Elijah knew that there was more death toe. If the environment didn¡¯t do it, people would pick up the ck. The situation in Seattle had made that abundantly clear. So, who knew what perils Alyssa, Carmen, and Miguel had faced? And who was to say that they wouldn¡¯t find themselves up against a foe they couldn¡¯t ovee? Elijah was one of the strongest people in the world, and he¡¯d nearly died more than once. No ¨C life didn¡¯t hold the sanctity it once had, and he felt more driven than ever to find his family. That was why he didn¡¯t n on staying in Seattle for very long. A couple of days, at most. And then, he¡¯d set out for Easton.In the meantime, though, he had a few things he wanted to investigate. The first item on the list was personal. Seattle seemed to have a better handle on how to integrate ethera and electronics than anywhere he¡¯d yet seen. So, he intended to do some shopping so he could bring some modern conveniences back to his grove. Even something as simple as a workingputer would do wonders for his organizational skills. His notebook was great, but he couldn¡¯t help but think that being able to properly organize all his notes would be beneficial to his ns for cultivation as well as for the development of his ind. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the potential entertainment options. E-Readers, video yers, and phones held endless possibilities, and he was eager to see what had survived. As for some of the other potentially useful technology, like drones and cars, he held little interest. He could move through the rough terrain of the expanded wilderness at least as quickly as all but the most rugged vehicles, so he didn¡¯t have much use for that sort of thing. And drones just seemed like more trouble than they were worth. Perhaps he would grow to regret that attitude, but for now, he had no desire for such things. The second order of business regarded information. He was woefully ignorant of the rest of humanity, and he wanted to know how everything stood. Seattle was a big ce, and from what he¡¯d heard in his previous exploration of the city, it yed host to plenty of travelers. As such, they would have a better sense of the world than anywhere else he¡¯d been. And finally, he wanted to visit the so-called Gardener. Everything he¡¯d heard pointed to them having some sort of nature-based ss, and Elijah had some hopes that he might finally meet another Druid. Regardless, his first stop was to get breakfast, so he found a nearby restaurant where he ordered a couple of breakfast burritos. As it turned out, the meat was all soy-based, which didn¡¯t really affect the taste so much. Even if it had, the peppers and onions definitely made up for it. It wasn¡¯t the best Elijah had ever tasted, but it was far better than any attempt he¡¯d made at cooking, so of course he had seconds. Unfortunately, the restaurant had no coffee, and he was only given a single bottle of water to drink, and even that cost more than the entire meal. When he asked about it, the server told him that water was scarce, and that the only reliable source was a series of water umtors the government had bought from the Branch¡¯s Market. That highlighted another item on Elijah¡¯s list. He needed to visit the local Branch as well. Hopefully, given that it was under government control, that wouldn¡¯t prove to be too much of a hassle. After breakfast, Elijah set off through the city. As soon as he left what he¡¯d dubbed Seattle¡¯s foreign quarter, he started to notice the divisions he¡¯d heard so much about. Not in the civilians, most of whom looked like normal people, albeit ones who¡¯d been through rough times. Rather, Elijah focused on the clearbatants. The ones associated with the government all wore variations of the gear Elijah had seen from the guards, which meant ck fatigues and modern body armor. Most carried swords, but he saw a few crossbows and wands ¨C worn on the hip like pistols ¨C as well. By contrast, the Lake City militants wore far more eclectic gear in line with what Elijah had seen in other ces. te armor, chainmail, robes ¨C in the old world, they might¡¯ve looked like cosyers. However, Elijah recognized that many of those pieces were Crude- or even Simple-Grade, just from the aura of power they emitted. From what Elijah understood, that equipment had likelye from the tower. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The final set of people Elijah saw wore far rougher gear. Most of it looked handmade, but some of the pieces were decent-enough quality that Elijah could feel the ethera running through it. Those were the Ranier hunters, whose territory also yed host to the city¡¯srgest craftingmunity. It was a symbiotic rtionship. The hunters provided materials, and the crafters created equipment. As he explored, Elijah discovered that much of the city had been destroyed, and other buildings had been constructed on the rubble. So, he couldn¡¯t recognize much of what he saw, and he ended up getting turned around on more than one asion. Thankfully, there were enough people around that he could simply follow the flow of pedestrians. Eventually, Elijah found his way to arge za containing an open-air market, where they sold all the electronics he could ever want. Much of it was broken, and none of it was charged, but Elijah still found a tablet as well as aptopputer. He also bought an E-Reader the merchant imed held more than a thousand books. And finally, he spent four silver ethereum coins on a small generator that converted ethera to electricity. The conversion rate was terrible, but it would serve to charge the electronics he¡¯d bought, so long as he only did one at a time. Even so, it would take days for it to do the trick, though he supposed that beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers. Once all of that was done, Elijah continued on through the city until he reached what was once arge department store. There were four burly guards outside, but Elijah suspected they were just for show. None seemed to have particrly high attributes, at least, and they didn¡¯t pay much attention to him as he stepped inside. ¡°Wee to my shop,¡± a woman said with an urbane voice. She sounded like she was trying to emte the old trans-Antic ent that was once so prevalent in Hollywood movies, which immediately put Elijah off. Nobody really talked like that anymore, which meant that the woman ¨C who was in her fifties, with white-streaked ck hair ¨C was putting on a show. ¡°The Covington Emporium has equipment for all archetypes. From martial gear to jewelry, we are ¨C¡± At that very moment, someone bulled past Elijah. Or they tried. With his Constitution, it would take quite a bit more force to knock him aside, so the person caromed away before hitting the tile floor and skidding to a stop. A secondter, three fighters followed, though they didn¡¯t hit Elijah. ¡°You little shit!¡± growled one. ¡°You know who you tried to steal from?¡± The man ¨C he was middle-aged, and looked like he was ready for a trip to the country club, though his clothing was ripped and stained ¨C flipped over and tried to scramble away. Meanwhile, one of the burly warriors descended upon him, grabbed him by the cor, and hoisted him aloft. ¡°Penalty for theft is execution,¡± the big, dark-skinned man spat. ¡°May as well do it here. More witnesses. People need to know not to mess with us,¡± said the second fighter. They were all clearly hunters from Ranier, judging by their rough gear that looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie. ¡°Seems that some lessons are hard for these idiots to learn.¡± The old man clutched a bag to his chest, pleading, ¡°We¡¯re starving! We just need ¨C¡± At that point, the man holding him aloft spat in his face. ¡°Rich asshole. You think we care if you starve? You all never cared about us, did you? Well, now the shoe¡¯s on the other foot, eh?¡± ¡°You will not dispense justice in this store!¡± shouted the proprietor. Elijah just watched, and even though he knew it was probably smarter to just stay out of it, he really didn¡¯t want to watch someone get executed just because they stole a bit of food. The aggrieved man threw the thief onto the ground, and the impact was enough to daze him. Then, the the would-be dispenser of justice mmed his foot onto the man¡¯s back and drew a sword from his waist. It was a heavy-ded thing, the sort most people would use to hack their way through a jungle. He hefted it. But before he could let it fall, Elijah stepped forward and grabbed the man¡¯s wrist. ¡°Sorry. I can¡¯t let you do this,¡± he said. ¡°The guy¡¯s just hungry. Maybe I can pay for whatever he stole, huh? Nobody needs to die here.¡± The man tried to yank his hand free, but Elijah¡¯s grip was like iron. So, he said, ¡°This isn¡¯t your business.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all forw and order, but killing someone for theft just feels excessive to me. I don¡¯t think I could live with myself if I let it happen right in front of me,¡± Elijah responded, his voice calm. He¡¯d felt the man¡¯s Strength, and it was nothing special. Likely, his other attributes followed suit, so he didn¡¯t think he had much to worry about. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m willing to pay if it means everyone walks away from this.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t want your money,¡± growled one of the others. The remaining two had already nked Elijah, clearly meaning to surround him. ¡°Shut up, Robbie,¡± said the man whose wrist Elijah had in a vice grip. He had some inkling of what Elijah was capable of. ¡°Maybe we can just take his stuff, too. Serves him right for ¨C¡± ¡°I said to shut up, Robbie!¡± the first man growled. Then, he addressed Elijah, ¡°Two silver.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Elijah said. Then, he rolled his eyes and fished in his satchel for the right coins. It took an awkward second, considering he only had one hand to do the trick, and that had been dedicated to holding his staff. Still, after leaning the Dragon-Touched Staff against the crook of his arm, he managed it. He handed the pair of coins over, then released the man. ¡°Are we good?¡± He nodded, pocketing the coins. Then, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but if you run around making trouble on ount of this trash, expect to make a lot of enemies.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± Elijah said. Then, the three men backed away. The two subordinates were obviously upset at having to forego a public execution, but the man in charge silenced them. Elijah kept track of the trio until they¡¯d left the effective radius of One with Nature. Then, he turned to the older man and helped him up. ¡°You have my gratitude, stranger,¡± the man stated, knocking the dust from his front. ¡°Those thugs are a menace, but they¡¯re strong enough that civilized people can¡¯t do anything about them.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Elijah said nomittally. He didn¡¯t know if ¡°thug¡± was the right word, especially given some of the connotations that came with it. Regardless, he was okay with how things had turned out. A couple of silver coins wasn¡¯t a high price to pay if it meant saving someone¡¯s life. ¡°How can I repay you?¡± the man asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Not sure I feel right about taking a reward from someone who has to steal food,¡± he said truthfully. ¡°How about we put you up for the night at least?¡± the man asked. ¡°Safest ce in all of Seattle. Please. I insist on paying my debts.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, remembering the terrible conditions of the hotel room. ¡°I mean, sure. That would be great. Thanks.¡± By that point, it was already gettingte, so Elijah and the man set off in the direction of Mercer Mesa. Book 3: Chapter 69: Mercer Mesa Book 3: Chapter 69: Mercer Mesa Mercer Mesa loomed above Elijah, soaring to a height of almost a thousand feet. From afar, he¡¯d estimated that it only reached an elevation of a few hundred feet ¨C which was huge, considering that the surroundingnd was almost perfectly t ¨C but the closer they came to the enormous edifice, the more he realized how mistaken he had been. ¡°This used to be Mercer Ind, right?¡± Elijah asked his guide. The man grinned broadly, asking, ¡°Ah ¨C a local, I see? Do you have family on the ind?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°No. I grew up a little northeast of the city. Near Mt. Baker,¡± he admitted. ¡°Though I was living in Hawaii when the world changed.¡± ¡°Are the inds near here, then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I was actually visiting family when it all happened,¡± Elijah stated, not wanting to give too much away. ¡°Or I was headed that way, at least. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know where Easton ended up, do you?¡± ¡°Easton? I¡¯ve actually heard stories about it,¡± the man stated. ¡°Supposed to be far to the east. A bastion of civility, from all ounts. They¡¯ve managed to preserve a proper society. Some of our people considered setting out in that direction, but, s, there are too many among us who would never survive the journey. The wilds are not safe.¡± Elijah nodded. Then, as they circled the giant teau, he realized that he hadn¡¯t even introduced himself to his guide. ¡°My name¡¯s Eli, by the way,¡± he said. Then, looking at the state of the man, he added, ¡°If anyone in yourmunity needs healing, I have a few spells that might help.¡± ¡°A good Samaritan, then?¡±¡°Something like that,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°I was once quite the phnthropist myself. Contributed to a host of charities designed to uplift the less fortunate,¡± the older man exined. ¡°Of course, do they remember that when the tables are turned? No. Of course not. Bunch of savages. Oh ¨C I¡¯m Barry. Barry Brockerton.¡± ¡°Good to meet you, Barry,¡± Elijah said, seeing all the red gs the man was waving. Clearly, he¡¯d been quite wealthy before Earth was touched by the World Tree, but just as obviously, his wealth had counted for very little since everything had changed. Even so, seeing the man¡¯s age, Elijah was surprised at how nimbly he picked his way among the rubble. He was likely healthier than he¡¯d been in decades, though his face still bore the weight of his years. Slowly, they circled the mesa until they came to a stop in a seemingly innocuous area. It looked no different from anywhere else, with a wide, empty space that Elijah suspected had once been covered by water. Now, it was just parched earth. A couple hundred feet distant was a berm, atop which were crumbling buildings. Barry pulled a mirror from his pocket, then tilted it so that it would catch the sun. Then, he waved his hand before the reflective surface. It took Elijah a moment to recognize what he was doing, but when he did, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Morse code,¡± he remarked. ¡°Yes,¡± Barry said with another wide smile, disying blisteringly white teeth that were far too straight to be real. When he grinned like that, thebination of his tan skin and aristocratic demeanor made Elijah think of country clubs and yachts. ¡°Do you understand it?¡± That elicited a shake of Elijah¡¯s head. ¡°No. My dad taught me and my sister some when we were kids, but the lessons never really stuck,¡± he lied. He remembered it all well enough to know that Barry¡¯s message was simply a means of identificationbined with a code word. Broli. Elijah vowed to remember it in case he needed it for some reason. Once Barry hadpleted the signal, a few seconds passed before a thick rope descended from above. Initially, Elijah was surprised that they¡¯d found so much cordage, but then he remembered that Seattle had been a port town. That meant there had likely been quite a lot of rope lying around. ¡°That¡¯s a long way up.¡± ¡°George will take care of it. Strong as an ox,¡± said Barry, grabbing the rope. It was as big around as his wrist, but there were a couple of harnesses braided onto the end. He stepped into one, then offered another to Elijah. For his part, Elijah had no interest in leashing himself to anyone, so he declined. ¡°I can make my own way up,¡± he said. ¡°Are you certain?¡± Barry asked, clipping himself into ce with a series of metal carabiners. Elijah nodded, then slipped his staff into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. That elicited a wide-eyed nce that Barry tried to hide a secondter, but Elijah wasn¡¯t worried about the man¡¯s greed. He expected it. If Barry thought he could take Elijah¡¯s stuff, then he¡¯d discover the error of his assumptions shortly. Besides, just because the man admired Elijah¡¯s satchel, that didn¡¯t mean he was going to try to take it. In either case, Elijah pped his hands together, then did a couple of stretches before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll see you up there.¡± Then, he set off, using the mesa¡¯s many handholds to easily propel himself forward. With his Strength and Constitution, not to mention his Dexterity, Elijah was capable of a far faster pace than he showed. However, he made sure to keep pace with Barry, who, after hooking himself into the harness, allowed himself to simply be dragged up the face of the cliff. That struck Elijah as a bit humiliating, but he vowed to keep those thoughts to himself. He needed to remember that everyone wasn¡¯t blessed with the attributes he took for granted. Either way, the trip only took about thirty minutes, and by the time he crested the lip of the mesa, Elijah could recognize why Barry had said that the top of the teau was the safest ce in Seattle. The trip was trivial with his attributes, but it was easy to see how the steep cliff would prove a sturdy defense against normal people. Stolen story; please report. When he pulled himself over the edge, Elijah was surprised find arge, dark-skinned man in a pair of overalls waiting for him. The man was at least six-and-a-half feet tall, bald, and built like an NFL lineman. And he was busy turning a crank, which was attached to a pulley system meant to haul the rope to the top. It reminded Elijah of the old-fashioned systems that had once been used to load ships before mechanized cranes had be widespread. ¡°Hey,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Need some help?¡± ¡°Nah, boss. I got this,¡± the man said in a deep voice as he continued to turn the crank. Soon enough, Barry was dragged over the lip of the cliff, and as he unfastened the harness, he said, ¡°Thank you, George. Keep an eye out, will you? I was osted in the city, and those thugs might have followed me.¡± ¡°Aight, boss.¡± After that, Barry led Elijah away from the edge. As he did, Elijah looked back at George, who had assumed a position at the edge of the teau, where he stood watch. Nearby was arge cudgel that was clearly intended as a weapon. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± said Barry, pulling Elijah¡¯s attention away. ¡°But George is one of the good ones. His family¡¯s been with mine for decades. He knows where his bread¡¯s buttered, let me assure you.¡± Elijah remained silent, disliking the vibes he¡¯d gotten from the exchange. Still, he wasn¡¯t going to pass judgment based on a single interaction. For all he knew, George was perfectly happy and wellpensated for his role, but Barry¡¯s demeanor certainly didn¡¯t suggest as much. In any case, Elijah wasn¡¯t there to right the wrongs of oppression and prejudice. So, he pushed that out of mind, instead focusing on the environment. And he had to admit, he was impressed ¨C not by the massive mansions, which he¡¯d expected, but rather by the sheer amount of greenery in evidence. There wasn¡¯t a singlewn that wasn¡¯t covered in thick grass, and there wererge oak trees all around. It was such a departure from the surrounding desert that Elijah was temporarily struck speechless. As he followed Barry, eventually stepping onto a paved road that showed only a few signs of wear and tear, Elijah saw that every garden seemed to be in bloom, and some of the houses even hosted fountains and pools in their back yards. The denizens were all clean, wearing lightweight linens, khaki pants, and colorful polo-style shirts. It all struck Elijah as so wrong that he initially didn¡¯t know what to say. Finally, though, his mind caught up to the situation, and he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s all the watering from?¡± ¡°Ah ¨C I knew you were observant,¡± Barry said, walking toward a golf cart. ¡°We have the only permanent source of water in the entire city. It¡¯s why everyone attacks us when we go down below.¡± He slipped into the driver¡¯s seat, gesturing for Elijah to mount the passenger¡¯s seat of the golf cart. He did, and Barry took off, apanied by the hum of an electric engine. Over the next few minutes, Elijah saw more of the same until, atst, they reached a massive mansion that could have amodated dozens of people. It was built in the style of an English manor house,plete with ivy covering the brick walls and an expansive estate that looked like it had never missed a watering session. Like everywhere else on the teau, every flower was in bloom, filling the air with sweet smells and attracting fat honeybees. ¡°We have a deal with the Gardener. We give her water, and she provides one of her acolytes to help us with our horticultural pursuits,¡± Barry exined over the crunch of gravel as they progressed up the long driveway. ¡°We¡¯ve repeatedly tried to get the other so-called factions onboard, but they seem incredibly resistant. They¡¯re all plotting against us, you see. Trying to take what¡¯s rightfully ours. Even the government ¨C or what¡¯s left of it ¨C thinks they¡¯re entitled to steal from us. Well, we won¡¯t have it. If they want our water, then they need toe to the table with something of value. Like the Gardener. She understands.¡± Elijah let the man rant, but he¡¯d already begun to form his opinion of the people atop Mercer Mesa. Perhaps that was colored by Barry¡¯s attitude of obvious superiority, or maybe it came from having dealt with people like him back in Hawaii. After all, the inds yed host to plenty of wealthy and entitled assholes. Because of those past experiences, Elijah wasn¡¯t really willing to give Barry and his people the benefit of the doubt. Still, just because he likely wasn¡¯t going to associate with them anymore didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t take advantage of their hospitality. After all, he¡¯d paid two silver ethereum to save Barry. It was only right that he get something to show for his expenditure. ¡°It was that damned, jumped-upmunity manager that ruined everything,¡± Barry went on to say as he pulled the golf cart around behind the mansion. ¡°Isaiah Roberts. Guess he saw a chance to take advantage of the situation. Organized a militia and tried to municipalize necessities. He already took over the electrical grid. Now he wants to take our water.¡± ¡°Was he going to pay you for it?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°A pittance! Not even enough to consider it a real payment, I say. So, we shut everything down. See how they like paying three times what we were charging to get water from those inefficient water umtors,¡± Barry answered as he guided the golf cart to a bay next to a half-dozen others just like it. Inside, there were three Hispanic men wearing coveralls. Barry didn¡¯t even acknowledge them before hopping out of the cart and saying, ¡°Enough about that. Let me introduce you to the family. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll love to meet a fine, upstanding young man like yourself.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Elijah said, disembarking from the golf cart and following Barry. As he did, he nced back to see one of the men in coveralls hooking a cord into the cart¡¯s battery, obviously recharging it. There was a subtle sense of ethera wafting about the area, though Elijah assumed that was simply part of the technology that blended electricity and ethera. The pair circled the house until they reached a wide, open area containing a pool that looked like it belonged in an upscale resort. Not only were there tiers to it, each one connected by a waterfall that flowed into the next, but there were a bevy of women lounging around wearing bikinis. A few minutester, Elijah was introduced to all four women, and he learned that the eldest ¨C who was only a few years older than him ¨C was Barry¡¯s wife. She looked like she¡¯d been on the receiving end of quite a lot of stic surgery. The other three were beautiful women, though they were all a bit younger than Elijah. They were Barry¡¯s daughters, though he could infer enough to recognize that they were not children of the man¡¯s current marriage. In any case, Elijah struggled to be polite until, atst, he was shown inside. Not by Barry, of course. By a woman in a shapeless gray dress. She didn¡¯t even introduce herself, though she did look disapprovingly at Elijah¡¯s feet. Not that he cared about that sort of thing anymore. He¡¯d grown mostly immune to people¡¯s judgements on his habitually unshod feet. In any case, he was shown to an expansive suite with a massive bedroom that rivaled the Imperium for opulence. It was equipped with a television ¨C that actually worked ¨C and a stereo system with a collection of CDs. But for the moment, Elijah was more concerned with the shower. He''d bathed only the night before, but the day¡¯s exploits ¨C trekking through a dusty desert town and climbing a cliff ¨C had left him coated in grime. So, he headed into the shower, stripped down, and got to work ridding himself of reddish dirt and body odor. Book 3: Chapter 70: Dinner and a Movie Book 3: Chapter 70: Dinner and a Movie Elijah felt his muscles unkink beneath the blisteringly hot stream of water. He hadn¡¯t had a proper shower since he¡¯d left Valosta, and even then, the water pressure had left a lot to be desired. However, the mansion¡¯s water pressure was just fine, and though Elijah hade to judge the inhabitants of Mercer Mesa poorly, he certainly wasn¡¯t above taking advantage of the luxuries they¡¯d amassed. Perhaps he could convince Nerthus to increase the temperature in his shower back home. Or better yet, he could get him to somehow create a hot tub. Maybe he could invite Delh over. Or Jess. Or perhaps even K¡¯hana, if he felt that adventurous. Sighing, he realized that wasn¡¯t going to happen. Not only was he aware that he¡¯d most likely assigned far more importance to those meetings than was probably appropriate, he woulde off a bit creepy if he suddenly popped back into their lives and invited them to see his cool hot tub. Still, it was a nice fantasy. Eventually, Elijah tired of the steaming hot shower and stepped out, refreshed and ready for whatever came next. So, he was a little surprised to find a woman standing in his room. Specifically, one of Barry¡¯s daughters. Victoria, if he remembered right. Fortunately, Elijah had thought to wrap a towel around his waist, which preserved his modesty. For her part, Victoria seemed a bit disappointed about thatst part, though that could very well have been Elijah¡¯s own vanity intruding on the situation. ¡°Ah, father wanted me to invite you to supper,¡± she said in a chirping voice that was just on the edge of annoying. Her eyes yed over the scars decorating his torso, then settled onto his right arm. That scarring had grown slightly less pronounced when he¡¯d progressed to the Body of Stone stage of his cultivation, but it was also somehow more well-defined, and in a way Elijah couldn¡¯t quite exin. It was as if the scarring was part of him, and though the marks had faded somewhat, the echo remained, drawing attention from anyone whoid eyes upon them. Right now, that was Victoria.And it made Elijah a little ufortable, so he cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Are you going to keep staring while I get dressed? I don¡¯t mind an audience. I¡¯d just like to know if you¡¯re expecting a show.¡± ¡°Depends on the show,¡± she said without a hint of propriety. It sounded silly in thatically high-pitched voice. ¡°I can moonwalk,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Not well, but I can do it. When I was a kid, I could do the Macarena, too. But that gets kind of difficult without the song.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a dance. Poprized in the nies. I know, that¡¯s probably before your time. Before mine, too, if I¡¯m honest. But my sister was into all sorts of older music, and she went through a¡­well, a phase. It wasn¡¯t pretty, made even less so by the fact that her annoying little brother copied her dance moves,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°In my defense, though¡­well, I don¡¯t have much of a defense, other than that I was a stupid kid. Andter, a stupid teenager. A dumb twenty-something, too. Now that I think about it, revealing the depths of my stupidity is not the defense I thought it was.¡± ¡°What?¡± she repeated, cocking her head to the side. She also gave a little bounce that brought Elijah¡¯s attention to the fact that she was still d in a skimpy, yellow bikini, with only sheer wrap around her hips to preserve her modesty. Obviously, that was by design. Elijah had never been a lothario. In fact, he¡¯d always been a bit awkward around women, but he¡¯d participated in enough bar crawls to know when a woman was hitting on him. However, Elijah wasn¡¯t so foolish not to recognize her ulterior motives. He wasn¡¯t bad looking, but he was no male model, either. And while he thought of himself as quite a catch, the chances of a beautiful girl he¡¯d only just met throwing herself at him was a bit too far-fetched for him to ept. Especially when it was fairly obvious that she was only doing so at her father¡¯s behest. Maybe Barry had sent his daughter in the hopes that she could get her hooks into him. The man was savvy enough to know that Elijah was strong. And rich, given that he¡¯d dropped two silver ethereum like it was nothing. No ¨C Victoria was a ploy, and not one Elijah intended to fall for. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, you know,¡± he said. ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Act like you¡¯re interested in me. I know you¡¯re not,¡± he said, running his hand through his wet hair. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re beautiful. I won¡¯t deny that. And I¡¯m sure you¡¯re perfectly pleasant. But whatever you have in mind here, it isn¡¯t going to happen.¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± she said in a more normal tone of voice. ¡°Haven¡¯t been rejected like that in¡­well, in forever. Stings a little.¡± Elijah said, ¡°I got used to rejection a long time ago. My personality can be a bit grating. It used to be not so bad, but, well, years alone can kind of expose the edges, if you know what I mean. But it¡¯s not you. It¡¯s definitely me.¡± ¡°Again, ouch,¡± Victoria said, sitting on the bed. Elijah couldn¡¯t tell if she was actually upset or if she was still ying a role. ¡°Turned down by a barefoot man who carries a purse. If my friends knew¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a satchel.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°It¡¯s not a purse. It¡¯s a satchel. Indiana Jones carries one.¡± ¡°It looks like a purse to me. I mean, back before the world ended, men carrying purses was kind ofing into style, so I guess that¡¯s okay. The material is a little odd, though. What is that, sharkskin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a purse,¡± Elijah insisted, skating right over her question about the satchel¡¯sposition. He didn¡¯t think she wanted to hear that it was made from ghoul skin. Or servitor, he supposed. Either way, it was a bit gross, so he decided to keep that information to himself. ¡°Sure, sure. A satchel. Right,¡± she said with a sigh. Then, she flopped backward, exposing herself in all sorts of interesting ways. As she ran raised her hands to her head, she said, ¡°Dad¡¯s going to be disappointed. He wanted me to bring you into the fold, so to speak. You did something to impress him down there. Frankly, I don¡¯t see it, but he¡¯s a pretty good judge of character. Wait ¨C where are you going?¡± ¡°To get dressed,¡± Elijah said, reaching down to grab the Ghoul-Hide Satchel, then his Cloak of the Iron Bear. Everything else was in the bag. Then, he disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. After that, he tossed everything onto the floor and sshed some cold water on his face. That refocused him. A little. At least enough to get dressed in his cleanest set of clothes. The rest, he coated in Cleansing Powder before shoving everything back into his satchel. Once he¡¯d settled his cloak over his shoulders and grabbed his staff, he opened the door. Thankfully, Victoria had given up by that point, which was both disappointing and a relief. The woman made him ufortable, and not in a good way. She wasn¡¯t really interested in him, so that made the whole exchange suspect. Regardless, once Elijah was dressed, he headed out of the room and downstairs, where he found the entire family ¨C and staff, it appeared ¨C waiting for him. ¡°Ah, all cleaned up, I see!¡± Barry eximed with feigned exuberance. ¡°We were just about to have supper. I have to apologize, though ¨C we¡¯re on a bit of a vegan diet these days. Courtesy of the Gardener.¡± ¡°I have meat,¡± he said. ¡°Lots of it. I killed a boar just a couple of days ago, so I¡¯ve got about a hundred pounds of pork in my satchel.¡± Barry asked, ¡°Uh¡­in your¡­satchel?¡± ¡°Or purse. Whatever. I¡¯d be happy to share,¡± he said. ¡°Is it safe?¡± Barry asked. That¡¯s when Elijah realized that the objection wasn¡¯t to the categorization of his bag. Rather, Barry was worried about food spoge. So, he quickly disabused the man of that notion, telling him that his bag ¨C as well as the wax paper he used to wrap it ¨C had been created to prevent spoge. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it extended the shelf life of raw meat by at least a few weeks. Normally, that was plenty for Elijah¡¯s purposes, though he had to admit that he¡¯d have rather pawned the snake off on them. The meat wasn¡¯t bad. It just wasn¡¯t his favorite. Still, he wanted to make a good impression on his hosts, so when he was directed toward the kitchen ¨C which was popted by more servants ¨C he retrieved his wild boar meat andid it on the counter. The cook, who was arge Pacific inder, was ecstatic for such a bounty, and he assured Elijah that he knew exactly how to prepare it. After having lived in Hawaii for a few years, Elijah had no doubts about that. So, once he¡¯d asked if he could help ¨C getting a firm no in response ¨C Elijah returned to the house¡¯s living area, where Barry handed him a ss containing expensive-smelling liquor. ¡°So, you¡¯ve mentioned this Gardener a couple of times,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Any chance I can meet them?¡± ¡°Her. And what¡¯s your interest in her? She¡¯s talented enough, but quite in. Dirt always under her fingernails, smudges on her cheeks ¨C she looks like the help,¡± Barry said haughtily. His wife, who was sitting beside him on the couch, elbowed him in the ribs. He grunted, then asked, ¡°What? I¡¯m only telling the truth. If she wanted people to take her more seriously, she would at least clean up a bit. Positively barbaric, the way she traipses around that little garden of hers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the size of a football field and ten stories tall, dad,¡± the other daughter, whose name Elijah couldn¡¯t remember, said. She was practically a clone of her sister, though. Same perfect nose. Same delicate features. It was only when Elijah saw the pair together that he recognized the telltale signs of stic surgery. It wasn¡¯t surprising, really. Lots of young women of a certain ie bracket had gone down that route, and though Elijah had nothing against it, he¡¯d never found that sort of artificialness to be attractive. However, it did beg the question of how all those changes would react under the effects of healing or body cultivation. For whatever reason, Elijah didn¡¯t think they¡¯d mix all that well. ¡°Mr. Eli?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± he said, realizing that he¡¯d let his mind ¨C all nine facets ¨C wander. ¡°Oh, sorry. My mind went a bit nk there for a second. Long day, I guess. What was the question?¡± ¡°I asked what your interest in horticulture is,¡± said Victoria. ¡°Mostly berry-rted.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Berries. You know, little fruits that grow on bushes. I grow them back home, and I¡¯m always looking to improve the product. Also coffee trees, though those are berries, too. Or cherries, I guess. Either way, they¡¯re close to maturity by this point,¡± he remarked, casting one facet of his mind back to his domain and seeing that the coffee trees were almost to the stage of bearing fruit. Which meant his coffee-making operation was about to take off. ¡°My point is that I have agricultural interests, and I¡¯d love to talk shop.¡± Barry said, ¡°I don¡¯t see why we couldn¡¯t make an introduction. After what you did today, it¡¯s the least I could do.¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± Elijah said, thinking that his foray into what counted for high society after the apocalypse was going to bear some fruit. After that, the family continued to pepper him with questions, and Elijah answered as vaguely or in as convoluted a manner as possible. Eventually, they started to lose the thread, so it was a good thing that dinner was soon served. The chef apologized that he hadn¡¯t been able to slow-cook it, but Barry tersely said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you did your best, Marcus.¡± Clearly, he didn¡¯t mean it. In fact, it was meant as an insult, which rubbed Elijah the wrong way. That kind of followed the pattern he¡¯d noticed since meeting Barry, and he¡¯d long since begun to wonder if he¡¯d made the right choice in saving the man. Still, he kept his mouth shut ¨C mostly ¨C as they settled in for the meal. After everyone had eaten, Barry announced that it was time for a movie. Elijah was excited about it until he saw that the film chosen was The Wolf of Wall Street. It wasn¡¯t a bad film ¨C in fact, on every technical level, it was great ¨C but he¡¯d found that many people got all the wrong lessons from it. Barry and his family definitely did, seeming to idolize the main character who¡¯d defrauded thousands of people out of millions of dors. But Elijah watched the film in silence, constantly shifting away from Victoria, who seemed incapable of taking no for an answer. So, it was with no small degree of relief that he headed upstairs and went to bed. He made certain to lock the door, though. A good thing, too, because, via One with Nature, he felt Victoria¡¯s presence when she tried to sneak into his room. She even had a key, which made his decision to block the door with a chair seem all the smarter. After that, sleep was slow ining, and when it did, it was much lighter than normal. So, when he woke the next morning, he wasn¡¯t in a particrly good mood. Book 3: Chapter 71: The Gardener Book 3: Chapter 71: The Gardener Tart vor burst in Elijah¡¯s mouth as he bit down on one of his grove berries. Fortunately, he¡¯d resupplied in his most recent trip back to his ind, but still, he¡¯d been gone long enough that his stores were running a little low. That brought to mind the question of his future. Certainly, he knew he was going to set out for Easton, soon. The stories he¡¯d heard, which had painted Easton as much more civilized than Seattle, were a greatfort. If it was safe, then so too was his family. Still, it was some distance away, which meant that he had weeks of travel in front of him. So, he wondered if he should build a dolmen to create a teleportation point near Seattle. It would certainly give him a little flexibility going forward, and the city wasrge enough to warrant staying in touch. Yet, he hesitated,rgely because he only had three remaining opportunities to create circles. He¡¯d already put two of them incredibly close together, and he wanted to spread them out a little more in the future. In fact, his original n was to put at least a thousand miles between each one. Otherwise, it felt like a waste. However, his needs were a little moreplex than that, and the presence of the Twilight Clefts furtherplicated the issue. He¡¯d yet to make a final decision, but so far, Elijah was leaning toward creating a circle nearby. If he found the right location in the next few days, then he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to get to work. In the meantime, though, he needed to deal with Barry and his daughter, Victoria, at least long enough to get an introduction to the mysterious Gardener. In addition, Elijah wanted to ess the local Branch of the World Tree in the hopes that he could see the local map. It was a good n, so after swallowing his berry, Elijah pushed himself to his feet and headed to the bathroom, where he took care of his business, washed his face, and evenbed his unruly hair. It didn¡¯t do much good, but it didn¡¯t look horrible, either. ¡°It¡¯s my hobbit look,¡± he muttered to himself. Indeed, it did quite resemble the hair of the short race of people from Lord of the Rings. Adding to that impression was his bare feet. Even his clothing was somewhat simr to the style he¡¯d seen in the movies. But at least he was slightly taller than those heroic, if unassuming, characters. Once Elijah judged himself to be presentable, he removed the heavy chair he¡¯d propped against the door, then headed out. Only a minute or soter, he found himself in the kitchen, where Barry was already up and about. The man offered him a cup of tea, saying, ¡°I do apologize. No coffee. The Gardener has a few trees, but it¡¯s ungodly expensive, and we can¡¯t afford to waste our capital on something so trivial. The tea is nice, though. Bought it from one of the Ranier scavengers.¡± Elijah considered refusing, but after a moment¡¯s thought, he took the offered cup. Not only would it have been slightly rude to turn it down, but Elijah felt that he was owed something for having to physically block Victoria from osting him in the night. However, there was a part of him that had considered letting it happen. He was human, after all, and it had been a while since he¡¯d felt that sort of release. Still, she wasn¡¯t precisely willing. Or rather, her motivations were anything but pure. So, Elijah felt ufortable with the whole situation, and he wanted nothing more than to extricate himself as soon as possible. So, he asked Barry about the introduction the older man had promised the night before.¡°Ah, yes. The Gardener. She¡¯s quite odd,¡± Barry said. ¡°An academic, by all ounts. Nasty ce academia. So much misinformation and maniption, all to get the masses riled up. Of course, we donated to the university, but that¡¯s just the sort of thing one does. They turned on us the moment the world changed, though.¡± He shook his head sadly. ¡°Just like everyone else.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said, deciding not to reveal the fact that he¡¯d once been an academic as well. Of course, he barely considered himself to qualify, what with how apathetic he¡¯d been about the actual science of it all. Still, he didn¡¯t like the sound of Barry¡¯s views. Or maybe it was just Elijah putting everything he knew about the man into context. Whatever the case, he was eager to go his own way and leave Barry and his family behind. So, he drank his tea quickly ¨C it was weak and a little vorless ¨C then followed Barry out of the house. Thankfully, Victoria seemed to have gotten the picture, because she was nowhere to be seen. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the truth, Eli. I wouldn¡¯t mind if you stuck around,¡± Barry said as he drove the golf cart down the driveway. ¡°Tori¡¯s taken quite a liking to you, and you seem to be quite a capable fellow. We could use someone like you.¡± Elijah said, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m ttered. But I¡¯m¡­ah¡­attached. My girlfriend lives in Argos. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever heard of it, but I don¡¯t think she would be too keen on me entertaining offers from other women.¡± It was a lie, of course. Elijah had simply chosen Delh as his fictional girlfriend because she was the first person toe to mind. But he thought it was as good an excuse as any for why he didn¡¯t want anything to do with Victoria. Maybe if herpany wasn¡¯t clearly a means of manipting him, he might¡¯ve felt differently, but with the situation the way it was, that didn¡¯t bear thinking about. ¡°Ah, I see,¡± said Barry. ¡°Tori will be devastated, I¡¯m sure. In any case, you are still wee to stay. We need the right sorts of people. Like yourself.¡± Elijah just nodded along, more than ready to simply leave without the promised introduction. But thankfully, Barry was easy enough to tune out. It would be different if the man ever actually said anything worthwhile, but as it turned out, he didn¡¯t. So, Elijah¡¯s contribution to the conversation was limited to nods and the asional, ¡°Uh huh.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Like that, the time passed as Barry guided the golf cart through the neighborhoods of Mercer Mesa. Instead of heading toward the southern tip of the teau, they ended up going in the opposite direction, eventually reaching another pulley operated by yet another burly man. Soon enough, Barry was being lowered to the ground while Elijah climbed down under his own power. He reached the bottom well before his host. Looking around, he saw that it was more of the same. A wide, open area stretched for a few hundred feet before terminating in a rising berm, from which a series of dry and abandoned docks stretched. When Barry joined him, the pair set off to the northwest, eventually climbing the slope and into the ruins of the city. This portion of Seattle was even worse off than the parts Elijah had seen, and it looked like a warzone. Still, even with the apparent destruction, Elijah was surprised to find a huge skeleton that was almost two-hundred feet long. ¡°Is this a crocodile?¡± he asked, recognizing the structure. It was missing quite a few bones, but it was still more or less intact. ¡°Ah, yes. When that beast burst forth from the surrounding desert, every avable warrior responded,¡± Barry exined. ¡°Thousands of people, all working toward one goal. It was the only time they all worked together. We were safe atop the mesa, of course. Most defensible ce in the city.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t doubt that. However, he had serious issues with the fact that the people of Mercer Mesa didn¡¯t seem to care much about anyone else. They¡¯d proven that by hoarding water, and their actions against the giant creature whose skeleton Elijah was staring at was further evidence. If the mesa was truly safe, then they should have offered shelter to the rest of the city¡¯s residents. Yet, they clearly had not. ¡°Did a lot of people die?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°Yes. Thousands, at least. This was a densely popted area,¡± Barry stated. ¡°Mostly vagabonds and ne¡¯er do wells. A tragic loss, but most wouldn¡¯t have made it much longer anyway.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After that, Elijah didn¡¯t really contribute to the conversation. Barry didn¡¯t seem to notice much, he was so focused on traversing thendscape. He was clearly more capable than his age would suggest, but he still struggled climbing over some of therger obstacles. Even so, it was only an hour or so before they finally passed into upied territory. Judging by the people and their attire, it was not the best part of town. No one looked malnourished, but the residents were dirty, and with ragged clothing. Not surprising, really. Life in the desert was harsh, and water was too precious to use on something so trivial as taking a shower. Even so, Elijah longed to share his jugs of water with the first group of dirty children he saw. They were ying ser in the street, so they weren¡¯t in poor condition. Still, he could imagine how tough their lives were. Elijah and Barry didn¡¯t pass unnoticed, and along the way, they garnered plenty of attention ¨C usually from rough-looking men and women wearing leather armor that looked like it hade from some sort of reptile. It wasn¡¯t until Elijah looked closer that he made the connection between the giant crocodile skeleton he¡¯d seen and the scaley armor. Still, none of those people osted them, so they made their way without dy. And eventually, Elijah saw their destination. ¡°Wow,¡± he said aloud as he looked at the structure. It was at least ten stories tall, and it was all made of ss. Inside, Elijah could see row upon row of greenery. ¡°How big is it?¡± ¡°Big enough that it¡¯s the singlergest contributor to Seattle¡¯s food supply,¡± Barry said. ¡°The Gardener¡¯s political stance might be a bit suspect, but no one can deny the effectiveness of her methods.¡± Elijah couldn¡¯t disagree with thest part. Indeed, he could feel the ethera wafting off of the building. It wasn¡¯t nearly as dense as the atmosphere on his ind or in Ironshore, but it was at least as thick as anywhere else he¡¯d been. He didn¡¯t wait on Barry to lead him forward. Instead, Elijah continued on, with the older man hurrying to catch up. Finally, he reached the front gate, which was huge, metal, and guarded by a dozen armed warriors. Judging by what Elijah felt, they were decently strong, too, though he couldn¡¯t tell their exact levels. ¡°You¡¯re not on the schedule,¡± said the leader. He was middling height, but with the kind of muscr physique that suggested a history of athletics. ¡°I brought someone to meet the Gardener,¡± Barry stated. ¡°This isn¡¯t the botanical gardens,¡± the man responded. ¡°We¡¯re not giving tours.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Barry said. ¡°But I¡¯m certain that the Gardener would want to meet this young man. He is well-traveled.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The man didn¡¯t immediately say anything else. Instead, he pulled a radio receiver, which was attached to a block of electronics at his waist, from his shoulder, then said, ¡°Got a visitor that wants to see her.¡± ¡°Ten-four,¡± came the crackling reply. Elijah looked at the radio. For some reason, he¡¯d assumed that such means ofmunication wouldn¡¯t remain operational. However, upon further thought, he couldn¡¯t see any reason they wouldn¡¯t. Internalbustion engines didn¡¯t work, but that was only because fuels like gasoline were no longer as vtile as they¡¯d once been. They still burned, just not as violently as they once had. As a result, they were incapable of doing the job of pushing pistons. But electronics were fine. Suddenly, Elijah wanted to check to see if he could get any use out of a CB radio. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how they worked, but there was a chance they could still be useful. In any case, he gave it some thought as they waited. It only took a couple of minutes before the gate opened, revealing a woman in a pair of coveralls. She was nked by a man wearing scaled armor and carrying a sword. Their guide and a guard, it seemed. The woman, who was brte and mostly unremarkable, save for sharp chin, asked, ¡°This the guy?¡± The outside guard confirmed that Elijah was, indeed, the guy. Then, the woman motioned for him to follow. So, he and Barry did, and when Elijah stepped inside the giant greenhouse, he couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath of the thick ethera. And the sense of nature. However, when he passed the nts, Elijah thought they seemed perfectly normal. Maybe a little bigger than they should have been ¨C especially the ones bearing fruit ¨C but they clearly weren¡¯t on the same level as the flora on his ind. Still, it was impressive. After a couple of minutes, Elijah and Barry were escorted to the center of a field of wheat, where they found a tall, slender woman wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. Upon her head was a wide-brimmed straw hat, and she wore a pair of thick sses. At the moment, she was kneeling next to a curious contraption that looked like a tall, metal cylinder. She didn¡¯t look up when they approached. Instead, she leaned closer to the machine, which was open, as she said, ¡°You¡¯re not on the schedule, Barry. If you need more food, you know the deal.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not that. I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Eli.¡± She looked up, then. That¡¯s when she said, ¡°Elijah? What are you doing here?¡± Book 3: Chapter 72: Trust Book 3: Chapter 72: Trust ¡°Ah, shit,¡± Elijah said, rubbing the back of his neck. He had no idea how he hadn¡¯t recognized her. In retrospect, he should have. It wasn¡¯t as if she¡¯d really changed that much since high school. In fact, she looked remarkably simr, given that it had been nearly ten years and an apocalypse since thest time he¡¯d seen her. Still, Elijah knew he should have recognized his first serious girlfriend. ¡°Wow. That happy to see me, huh?¡± ¡°Shit. Sorry. Hey, Lucy. How have you been? Apocalypse treating you alright?¡± Sheughed, letting out a small snort that she tried to cut short. It didn¡¯t work, which clearly distressed her. ¡°You really haven¡¯t changed, have you?¡± she said, pushing herself to her full height. She was about an inch taller than Elijah, which meant that she was reasonable tall for a woman. And in those shorts, she looked like she was ny-percent leg. ¡°More than you can imagine,¡± he said. ¡°I heard you had cancer,¡± she stated. ¡°Didn¡¯t really take. Saved by the apocalypse,¡± he admitted. ¡°How about you? Last I checked, you were an engineer, not a botanist.¡± Whatever the case, he felt certain that she wasn¡¯t a fellow Druid. He didn¡¯t know how he knew that, but every fiber of his being told him that he would know for certain if he met another person of his archetype. ¡°How do you think I made all this work? Engineering¡¯s all about solving problems, even when we¡¯re using ethera instead of electricity,¡± she said. Then, she nced toward Barry and said, ¡°You can go. You¡¯ll get your shipment on time.¡±¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°Come with me,¡± Lucy said, grabbing Elijah¡¯s upper arm. She tugged on him, but he didn¡¯t move at first. That brought a curious nce, but Elijah didn¡¯t resist further. Instead, he let himself be dragged away from Barry. Once they were out of earshot, Lucy said, ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you hanging out with the likes of Barry Brockerton.¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t hanging out. I happened to help him out, and he offered to put me up for the night,¡± Elijah said. ¡°He try to push one of his daughters on you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Which one? I bet it was Tori. She¡¯s the eldest. Of course, he¡¯s tried that with every man of intermediate power in the city. Some of them have even fallen for it,¡± Lucy said, leading him through the giant greenhouse. ¡°Super sleezy, but I guess he¡¯s working with the tools he has.¡± ¡°Did you just refer to a person as a tool?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I could use worse words,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Like slut. Or whore. Harlot¡¯s a good one, too. And believe me, those girls have earned that and worse. Even before the world changed, they were¡­ah¡­social climbers. Dana, the youngest, slept with half the Seahawks¡¯ defensive backfield. Including the backups.¡± That¡¯s when they reached a door that led to a small office. Upon entry, Elijah noted that it looked just like any other blue-cor office he¡¯d ever seen. There were tools lying on the metal desk, and the entire back wall was filled with a series of wooden cubbies that held rolled-up blueprints. She sat on the edge of the desk, saying, ¡°Alright. Spill it. What are you doing here? Last I heard, you were dying in Hawaii.¡± ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s kind of a tactless way of putting it.¡± Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°Like you care. C¡¯mon. Tell me why you¡¯re here,¡± she said. With anyone else ¨C except for Alyssa or Carmen, maybe ¨C Elijah would have been hesitant to reveal too much. However, he and Lucy had too much history for him to treat her like anybody else. They¡¯d started going out in middle school, and that rtionship hadsted all the way until Elijah¡¯s senior year in high school. The only reason it hadn¡¯t continued was because, after his parents¡¯ death, he¡¯d pulled away from everyone. Lucy had tried to make it work, but back then, Elijah was far more interested in wallowing in self-pity to let her be there for him. As a result, they¡¯d broken up, he¡¯d left for Hawaii the next fall, and he hadn¡¯t spoken to her since then. But the bond remained. Just seeing her alive had filled him with such potent relief that it was hard to even quantify it. So, without hesitation, Elijah told Lucy everything. He didn¡¯t hold anything back. Not his archetype. Not his ss. He even told her about his grove and the panther, which turned out to elicit a lot more of an emotional response than he¡¯d thought possible. Clearly, he¡¯d kept things bottled up, and now that he had the benefit of a listener he trusted, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from letting loose with his burdens. For her part, Lucy listened with an imcable expression. She didn¡¯t judge him, however, and when he finally admitted to what he¡¯d done upon finding the hunters, she frowned. Elijah quickly moved on, telling her about his code, then exined everything that had happened since then. ¡°And here I am,¡± he said. The exnation had taken more than an hour, but Lucy hadn¡¯t really moved. Byparison, Elijah had paced back and forth, gesturing as he told the story. Once he was finished, he stopped and asked, ¡°Thoughts?¡± ¡°Top five.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re in the top five. You know, I never even look at the rankings. Most people don¡¯t,¡± Lucy admitted. ¡°I knew they were there, but I¡¯ve always had way too much going on to pay attention to it. But if I¡¯d just looked, I would have known you were alive.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Elijah fidgeted a bit as he said, ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t even on the list for the longest time. The first year on the ind was just me trying to survive. You know, only killing things when I needed food. The panther killed anything strong enough to actually hurt me, so it took a long time for me to even get a level. It wasn¡¯t until I started hunting Voxx that I started really leveling. Since then, I¡¯ve run multiple towers, and I¡¯m still losing ground on the top people.¡± ¡°And your sister¡¯s wife is on the power rankings, too?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°That¡¯s quite a coincidence.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Carmen was always exceptional. More than me. I just got lucky,¡± he admitted. ¡°Good ss. A powerful guardian to protect me while I got my feet under me. That sort of thing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short,¡± Lucy said, pushing her sses up the her nose. ¡°I doubt most people would have survived what you¡¯ve described.¡± ¡°Maybe. What about you?¡± he asked. ¡°The mysterious and powerful Gardener. I expected another Druid.¡± ¡°Nope. I took Tradesman,¡± she said. ¡°Then Ethereal Engineer. I wouldn¡¯t have gotten nearly as far if it wasn¡¯t for my husband, though. He took Schr, which didn¡¯t seem all that useful at first. But then he got a ss called Etheracist. It let him map the flow of ethera and predict how it would react to certain stimuli. Together, and with the help of a bunch of other Tradesmen, we built the Garden.¡± ¡°I notice a lot of past tense there. What happened?¡± ¡°Same thing that happened to most of the world. A lot of people died,¡± she said. ¡°But Sean passed after a freak ident. A beam copsed on top of him. There weren¡¯t any Healers around, so¡­¡± She sniffed, wiping a tear from her cheek. ¡°How long ago?¡± ¡°Two yearsst month.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Elijah said, stepping forward. He wrapped his arms around her, saying, ¡°I wish I was here.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The pair remained like that for a few more minutes until, finally, Lucy pulled away, wiped her eyes, and said, ¡°You¡¯re looking for Easton, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s to the east.¡± ¡°It is. I¡¯ve had that confirmed. Somewhere between seven-hundred and a thousand miles away,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it on maps.¡± Then, she went on to reveal that the people of Seattle hadn¡¯t beenpletely idle. Instead, they¡¯d spent thest few years steadily exploring the area around the city andpiling maps. More, there were apparently some efforts underway to create a new worldwide government, though distance and theplications ofmunication had stymied those efforts. Still, it was nice to know that people hadn¡¯tpletely descended into anarchy. ¡°So, do you want me to help out? I can probably spend a week or so in here and triple your output,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Maybe even more. I don¡¯t know. With the framework you have in ce, it might be a lot more.¡± ¡°I think ¨C¡± A knock at the door cut her off. Before she could respond, the door swung open. At the same time, Elijah stepped in front of Lucy, shielding her from danger. It was a good thing, too, because three armored fighters stepped through a secondter. The one in the center was a dark-skinned man with a military haircut and the crisp mannerisms that went with it. He wore the same ck fatigues Elijah had seen from the guards at the city¡¯s gates. The other two ¨C a man and a woman ¨C were dressed in identical gear. ¡°When most people knock on a door, they wait for an answer before they barge in,¡± Elijah said, nting the butt of his staff on the floor. It hit with a metallic ng. ¡°Kind of rude. A bit dangerous, too. That¡¯s the kind of thing that causes all sorts of idents.¡± ¡°This the guy?¡± the man in the middle asked. ¡°Matches the description,¡± said the woman. ¡°Taller than they said, though. Not much, but still¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking for me?¡± Elijah asked, ignoring the quip about his height. He was average. Not short. He just wished people would recognize that. ¡°We are,¡± said the man. ¡°My name is Isaiah Roberts, and I¡¯m the Lord of this city.¡± ¡°Kind of presumptuous to call yourself that,¡± Elijah remarked. ¡°Boys. Stop,¡± Lucy said, grabbing Elijah¡¯s shoulder. He very nearly reacted to that, and not in a way that would make him any friends. However, he managed to corral his instincts just enough to keep himself in check. Still, it was evidence of how tightly he was wound. Lucy noticed, probably because every muscle in his body had contracted the second she¡¯d touched him. ¡°Rx, Elijah. Isaiah is a good man.¡± ¡°I am rxed,¡± Elijah lied, his eyes never leaving Isaiah. ¡°What do you want from me? I haven¡¯t killed anyone sinceing into town. In fact, I wasted two silver to keep from having to do that. So, I can¡¯t imagine why you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re top five. I¡¯d have to be an idiot not to want to meet you,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°I¡¯m just a level thirty ¨C¡± ¡°Your skill or item doesn¡¯t work on a Lord.¡± ¡°You keep saying that like I know what it means. Not that I care much about titles,¡± Elijah was quick to add. ¡°I¡¯m a system sanctioned Lord,¡± Isaiah revealed. ¡°One of the benefits of the path I rook is that I can see through most identity obfuscating skills and items. It doesn¡¯te for free, but you were odd enough that I thought it was warranted.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that odd.¡± ¡°You came strolling out of the desert like you didn¡¯t have a care in the world. You¡¯re wearing no less than four items that are at least Simple-Grade. Including your purse, of all things. And ¨C¡± ¡°Satchel.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have to keep pointing this out. It¡¯s a satchel. Not a purse. Indiana Jones uses one,¡± Elijah said. It seemed like an important distinction, and he didn¡¯t understand why people kept making the same mistake. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve heard that before,¡± one of Isaiah¡¯s guards said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± the Lord said. ¡°My point is that you were clearly powerful. So, I used an ability, and I found out who you are. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t exin anything. Do you want my help with something? Or is this just a meet-n-greet? Because I was trying to catch up with an old friend,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m concerned. What rtionship do you have with Mercer Mesa?¡± ¡°None that matters.¡± ¡°Would you be willing to work against them?¡± asked Isaiah. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t particrly like them, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. But I¡¯m not staying in this city for much longer. So, I have no intention of getting involved in your¡­whatever it is you¡¯re about to propose.¡± As far as Elijah was concerned, there was only one reason a city¡¯s leader would approach him. He needed Elijah¡¯s strength, probably to get a leg up on hispetition. And while Elijah wasn¡¯t necessarily opposed to putting someone like Barry in his ce, he was more concerned with getting to Easton. ¡°I see. And what if we gave you unfettered ess to our Branch? And the tower we have under our control?¡± Isaiah asked. ¡°Do you happen to have a Librarian?¡± ¡°We do. She¡¯s low leveled, but we could make her services avable to you.¡± That was even more tempting. Still, Elijah said, ¡°I can¡¯t get tied up here. I¡¯m searching for something. When I find it, I maye back. If I do, there¡¯s a chance I might help. Assuming you¡¯re not some sort of tyrant. You¡¯re not, are you?¡± ¡°I just want to help the people of this city,¡± the man stated. ¡°That¡¯s why your answer is so disappointing.¡± ¡°Is this where you try to force my hand?¡± ¡°Of course not. We aren¡¯t the bad guys here. If you change your mind,e to the Capitol. Chances are, this conflict won¡¯t soon end.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Then, the man turned on his heel and marched away. His flunkies followed, thest one out closing the door with some degree of force. ¡°That went well,¡± Elijah said, ncing back at Lucy. ¡°So, what¡¯s his deal?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good man,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Former marine. Before the world changed, he won an election as a city councilman. He ended up taking everything over after everyone else died or shrank away from the challenge. Thousands of people owe their lives to Isaiah Roberts.¡± ¡°Ah. Then I¡¯m d we didn¡¯t get into a fight,¡± Elijah said. ¡°So, those maps you were talking about? You happen to have one you can lend me?¡± Book 3: Chapter 73: Necessary Adjustments Book 3: Chapter 73: Necessary Adjustments The wind whipped the dust storm into a frenzy, but Miguel just wrapped the cloth more tightly around his face and hunched his shoulders against the furious windstorm. Using his spear as a walking stick, he followed Miss Teresa, doing his best to keep an eye on everything around him. There was nothing visible but a thick wall of dust, but he wasn¡¯t going to let that stop him. After everything he¡¯d seen in his young life, he knew just how quickly the world could turn on him. He¡¯d learned that lesson the day after the world had transformed, and each day since then had served to hammer home that lesson. Idly, he found himself wondering about his old friends. Had any of them made it far into the apocalypse? He didn¡¯t think so. If they had, someone would have found them. But it was easy to forget about them, to see those days like they¡¯d been nothing but a dream. The new world seemed far more real. More consequential. Certainly, more dangerous. His mother¡¯s death had served to highlight that, and the years had been filled with furious training, bouts of anger, and more tears than he wanted to admit. Colt always cautioned him to feel those emotions, but not to let them rule his life. And Miguel tried. He truly did. Some things just seemed impossible. The sadness was easy to ignore. All he needed to do was keep busy, and his devotion to training satisfied that requirement. But the rage? That was far more difficult to abandon. It was with him at all times, pushing him forward at a frightening rate. In that way, it was easy to look at it as a benefit, but that was just an illusion. It held him back in ways he wasn¡¯t quite ready to confront. That didn¡¯t mean he should abandon the idea of killing Roman. It remained a worthy goal. But he needed to be cold. Detached. He needed to focus on the task at hand, not the fury that seemed to hang from his shoulders like a thick cloak. So, tobat that, he had turned to the meditative exercises Colt had taught him. Those worked. What¡¯s more, they were necessary to bing the best swordsman ¨C or any other sort of fighter ¨C he could be. The trick was remaining aware of his surroundings while he entered what Colt referred to as the sword trance.He wasn¡¯t perfect at it, but it helped center his thoughts. Like that, he continued on until, suddenly, Miss Theresa stopped. He stepped up and shouted over the wind, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She shook her head, then shrugged. They¡¯d left the forest behind almost a week before, and they¡¯d been traveling through the desert ever since. However, it wasn¡¯t until the past couple of days that the storm hade, and in the wide-open desert, there hadn¡¯t been anywhere to take shelter. Like Theresa, he waited until the next person in line signaled for them to follow. And soon, it became clear why they¡¯d briefly stopped. Someone ¨C probably Colt ¨C had found a cave where they could find sce from the howling wind and abrasive sand. Once inside, Miguel let his face-covering fall away, then nted himself at the mouth of the cave. He couldn¡¯t see anything, but he wasn¡¯t going to let that stop him from guarding the lone point of entry. If something wanted to get to his mom ¨C or the others ¨C it would have to go through him. Like that, he stood sentry until, a half hourter, he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder. ¡°Go get some food and water,¡± Colt said. ¡°I got this for now, kid.¡± Miguel looked back at his mentor. He looked much the same as always, though like everyone else in the party, he¡¯d made a few concessions to the desert climate and the sandstorm. The most notable among those was that he¡¯d wrapped a cloth around his head, thest bit of which he¡¯d been using as a mask. It now hung free, revealing a week¡¯s worth of salt-and-pepper stubble. Nodding, Miguel assured the man that he would be back. Then, he stepped deeper into the cave where the others were huddled around a small fire. A spit was suspended over the mes, spearing through one of the desert lizards that seemed so pervasive. They were venomous, but everyone in the party aside from Miguel had enough Constitution to endure it. That highlighted how ready he was to get his archetype. Then, he could begin to develop himself in earnest. Until then, the effects of his training were minimal. He could practice with weapons all day, but if he fought someone with even a few levels, he would stand no chance. He couldn¡¯t even use anything better than Crude-Grade equipment to narrow the gap. No ¨C he¡¯d learned his lesson the day Trace had taken him, and he¡¯d taken it to heart. Theirs was a world of levels, and without power, he would inevitably be a victim. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The next few minutes saw him taking a hunk of lizard ¨C the tail alone had nearly ten pounds of meat, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about rationing ¨C and settling in to eat. Not long after he sat, his mother joined him. ¡°Are you okay, mijo?¡± she asked. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. It makes me seem like a little kid.¡± She sighed, then leaned her head against the rocky wall. Facing him, she said, ¡°Nice deflection. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he stated, tearing a piece of gamey meat with his teeth. And he was. Compared to the people they¡¯d already lost, at least. So many had fallen prey to the sidhe. Miss Reba. Mr. Amons. Leif. Miss Michaels. J. And that wasn¡¯t even considering all the people who¡¯d died before reaching Eber. Or the ones who¡¯d been killed during the rebellion. Miguel hadn¡¯t seen all of them fall, but he knew they were gone. ¡°We¡¯re going to find somewhere safe,¡± she said. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Does anywhere like that exist?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. I think so. There has to be somewhere.¡± He shrugged, then went back to his meal. For her part, his mother fell into silence before she stood and walked toward Colt, who stood guard at the cave¡¯s entrance. Miguel truly didn¡¯t believe anywhere was safe. So, he vowed to create his own safety. Before he could do that, though, he needed to get stronger. He needed to gain an archetype. And then, the work would really begin. * * * ¡°He¡¯s holdin¡¯ up,¡± Colt said, not looking back as Carmen approached. ¡°I know you hate how this is now. You want to let him be a kid. But that ain¡¯t possible anymore. Best we can do for him is give him the tools to seed.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± she said, eyeing the sandstorm. Night had begun to fall, cutting visibility down to nothing. ¡°When do you think he¡¯ll get an archetype?¡± ¡°Soon. If it¡¯s more than six months, I¡¯ll be surprised.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± she said. Regardless of what he picked, the chance to level and gain attributes would give him the tools to survive. At present, that was all she could hope to achieve. ¡°When the storm dies, I¡¯ll start scouting,¡± Colt said. ¡°Katie find any water?¡± Katie was one of the surviving members of the party, and she had the Geologist ss. As such, she had an ability that had proven useful in finding water ¨C a necessity in the desert. Without her, they never would have chanced the terrain. Instead, they would have followed the forest. Even with that ability to help out, Carmen had wondered if they¡¯d made the right choice. But it was toote to turn back now. ¡°A little,¡± she said. ¡°Enough for a couple of days.¡± Over the next few hours, the storm continued to rage until, suddenly, the wind fell away. The sudden cessation of noise was odd. Eerie. But true to his word, Colt immediately set out to see if he could find some sort of civilization. While he was gone, Carmen took his ce at the head of the cave, with Miguel joining her sometime around midnight. They didn¡¯t speak. Instead, they simply watched. That was how, just before dawn, Colt found them. ¡°There¡¯s a town about two miles away,¡± he said. ¡°Decent size. Maybe big enough for a few thousand people.¡± ¡°The residents?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°None.¡± ¡°None?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ghost town,¡± Colt stated. ¡°Not a bit of movement. I looked around a bit, and there¡¯s nobody there. But I think we should search the ce, see if there¡¯s anything there we can use.¡± ¡°You think we could settle there?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think so. There¡¯s a reason it¡¯s abandoned. I found a few bodies. They¡¯re old. Months dead. Lots of w marks.¡± He didn¡¯t need to say anything else. Carmen knew what he meant. If there was something around that could cause a thousand or more people to desert a town, then they wouldn¡¯t stand any chance against it. But as he¡¯d said, they could scavenge for supplies. After that, they established a n to shelter in ce for a day. They¡¯d been going nonstop for some time, and even with augmented attributes, they were all exhausted. So, they rested for the rest of the day, recovering their strength until the next morning, when they set out just before dawn. The desert sky waspletely clear, and the illumination from the moon and stars was more than enough to light their way. Still, they were all on guard for any threats. The desert seemed empty, but there were thousands of deadly animals, ranging from reptiles to massive scorpions, that posed plenty of threat. As luck would have it, they made it to the town without issue. And it was much as Colt had described, though Carmen suspected that it had housed quite a few more people than he¡¯d originally estimated. Without hesitation, they set about searching the area. By that point, they were all expert scavengers, so they made good time as they scoured one building after another. Still, there were more than a hundred structures, so it waste afternoon before they found something worthwhile. ¡°Maps,¡± Carmen said to herself, sorting through the scattered papers. Some of them had deteriorated a little, but they were still legible. ¡°I think this ce is called Farwood,¡± she mumbled, pointing to what she suspected was their current location. Then, her breath caught in her throat. ¡°Seattle.¡± Indeed, it was clearlybeled on the map, and if her estimates were correct, the city was only a hundred or so miles away. She looked up as Colt walked in, but before she could speak, he said, ¡°We need to get out of here. Now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Monsters,¡± he said. ¡°Saw them from the wall. Maybe two miles away. Group of ten. They¡¯re some kind of bipedal creatures with dog-like heads. They weren¡¯t wearing clothes or armor, but they carried primitive weapons.¡± ¡°Do you think that¡¯s what drove the local poption away?¡± ¡°If I was a bettin¡¯ man, I¡¯d say yes.¡± ¡°Shit. Gather everyone.¡± ¡°Find anything?¡± ¡°I hope so. Seattle¡¯s northwest of here. I think that¡¯s our best bet. If it¡¯s still standing¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s our best shot,¡± he said. Then, he set off. As he left, Carmen gathered the maps, as well as the few bits of supplies she¡¯d scavenged. After that, she joined Colt and the others outside. They¡¯d found precious little; the people who¡¯d once lived there had taken nearly everything of value. But they¡¯d still scavenged a couple of weapons, a few sacks, and even a leather breastte that had been given to Miguel. Carmen told everyone what was going on, and to their credit, they didn¡¯t even bat an eysh at the threat posed by the nearby monsters. After everything they¡¯d experienced, that wasn¡¯t enough to rm them. They epted the danger as a matter of course. After that, they set off toward the city they hoped would be their salvation. Book 3: Chapter 74: Leaving Seattle Book 3: Chapter 74: Leaving Seattle ¡°Fried squash?¡± Elijah asked, gazing at the meal with no small degree of appreciation. ¡°And fried chicken? Mashed potatoes? Wow. Just wow. Tell me again why we didn¡¯t get married?¡± Lucy rolled her eyes, saying, ¡°Because we were barely more than children.¡± ¡°Yeah. I know. Other than that, though.¡± ¡°You disappeared and ran away to Hawaii to y with fish.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Not my best decision,¡± Elijah said with a grin. He knew Lucy didn¡¯t take him seriously. If anyone knew his odd sense of humor, it was her. ¡°I should¡¯ve put a ring on it. Is that what the kids say these days? I¡¯m over thirty now, so I¡¯m way out of touch.¡± Sheughed. ¡°You were always out of touch. And nobody¡¯s said that for two decades,¡± she said, grabbing the spoon and serving herself a helping of squash. ¡°But no. Not fried chicken.¡± ¡°What is it, then?¡± Elijah asked, helping himself. It certainly looked like fried chicken. ¡°We call them sand monitors,¡± Lucy said. ¡°They taste a bit like chicken, especially fried by a decent Cook. But more importantly, they¡¯re everywhere out in the desert.¡± ¡°Huh. I didn¡¯t see any. I did eat a snake the other day, though.¡±¡°How in the world did you not see any sand monitors? They¡¯re incredibly aggressive and very territorial. And like I said ¨C they¡¯re everywhere in the desert.¡± Elijah took a bite. It did taste a bit like chicken, though with a bit more tang to it. It was also slightly fattier. Whatever the case, it tasted fine, so he didn¡¯t think twice about digging in. As he chewed, he said, ¡°Most animals leave me alone.¡± He swallowed, then continued, ¡°Monsters are different, though. And how Guardians react is based on how much of a threat you are to their treasure. I think. I¡¯m still trying to figure out how all of it works, honestly.¡± ¡°Is it your ss?¡± ¡°My archetype, I think. I¡¯m pretty close to nature.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± she said. ¡°Do you think you can stay for a couple of days? I can set up a greenhouse where we can test your spell out. Maybe it won¡¯t affect the bnce too much. And there¡¯s a chance I can figure out how it works and ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told you. I need to find Alyssa. I¡¯ve already gotten distracted way too many times,¡± he said. ¡°But once I find them and make sure they¡¯re safe, sure. I¡¯lle back and you can have me for however long you want me.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Was that innuendo?¡± ¡°Do you want it to be?¡± he asked. ¡°You drop into town and you immediately want to jump into bed?¡± she asked. ¡°What kind of girl do you think I am?¡± ¡°The kind who can use a friend?¡± Elijah guessed. He hadn¡¯t missed the tension in her eyes. The tightness in her shoulders. ¡°Look ¨C I¡¯m going to be serious for a second. If you need a friend, I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll listen. I¡¯ll be a shoulder for you to cry on. You know that, right? I might joke about the other thing, but at the end of the day, we¡¯re friends. There¡¯s too much history here for anything else.¡± ¡°Elijah Hart. Being serious. I never thought I¡¯d see the day.¡± ¡°I can be serious when I need to be,¡± he said. Before the world had changed ¨C or really, before his cancer diagnosis ¨C that was probably a lie. But things were different now. He¡¯d learned to be the person he needed to be when necessary. ¡°I guess everyone¡¯s changed, huh.¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Elijah agreed. ¡°So? You want to talk?¡± And she did. As they shared a meal, Elijah listened to Lucy¡¯s story. It wasn¡¯t really much different from so many he¡¯d already heard in other ces, but it hit harder when it was someone he¡¯d grown up with. Someone he¡¯d once loved, at least as much as an awkward teenager with no life experience could love anyone. In the end, nothing happened except for two friends catching up. Perhaps they could take things further when they met again. In any case, Elijah went to bed alone, and despite thefortable amodations of Lucy¡¯s guest bedroom, he slept poorly. The next morning, Elijah broke his fast with a couple of pears grown in Lucy¡¯s greenhouse, then set out for the capital. He didn¡¯t like how things had ended between him and Isaiah, so he wanted to mend that rtionship. Soon after arriving at therge building, which looked almost the same as it had before Earth was touched by the World Tree. Certainly, the grounds were no longer green, and the fountain was dry, but the rest looked undamaged. At least that was the case with the domed Legitive Building. However, most of the structures on the rest of the campus had been destroyed, and their rubble cleared away. The air above the building was abuzz with drones. Most looked just like the one Elijah had seen just outside the city, but there were a few muchrger machines that emitted far stronger ethereal signatures. Elijah guessed they were weaponized in some way ¨C a frightening proposition, but one he felt he couldbat fairly easily. One cast of Storm¡¯s Fury could bring them down, and if he used Cmity, they¡¯d all fall. Regardless, he wasn¡¯t there to pick a fight. Instead, he wanted to meet the man in charge, so he pushed forward, and after climbing the stairs, entered the building. There, he found himself facing a trio of guards. ¡°Hey, fes. Is the boss in?¡± he asked with a little wave. ¡°And who are you?¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°A friend?¡± Elijah replied. ¡°No? I guess Isaiah doesn¡¯t have a lot of those, right? No, probably not. Either way, he¡¯ll want to see me.¡± ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Oh. Shit. Sorry. I just figured all of you had those weird identification skills. My name is Elijah. Tell him I want to see him. He¡¯ll know what it means.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. That probably doesn¡¯t really fit there. But I always wanted to say it, you know? Like I know an inside joke. I don¡¯t, though. Barely know the guy. But he really will want to see me.¡± That seemed to confuse two of the three guards, but the other followed just fine. His radio crackled, and he exined the situation. Someone on the other side told him to escort Elijah inside. ¡°See? Told you,¡± Elijah gloated as he followed the man into the building. As he did, he was impressed by the appearance of so much activity. The ce was a hive of productivity, though Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder how many of them were actually busy, as opposed to simply appearing to be so. From his experience, a government building was probably host to more of thetter than the former. In any event, Elijah soon found himself being led into an office. Inside was arge desk, but the office was otherwise unadorned, save for a couple ofndscape paintings and a huge map on the wall. Thetter was even more detailed than one he¡¯d gotten from Lucy. Behind the desk was Isaiah, who was staring at aputer screen. ¡°You can leave him here,¡± the man said. The guard saluted, then turned on his heel and strode away. Elijah started to speak, but Isaiah held up a single finger, asking him to wait. He typed for a few more moments, then let out a tired sigh before closing theptop. Looking up, he asked, ¡°What can I do for you, Mr. Hart?¡± ¡°I wanted to let you know that I¡¯m going to help you,¡± Elijah stated without preamble. ¡°I don¡¯t know the whole situation here, but from what I¡¯ve seen, those people up on Mercer Mesa are the bad guys. If it was any othermodity, I probably wouldn¡¯t care, but it¡¯s water. People are dying because of their greed. I won¡¯t stand aside and let that continue.¡± ¡°I see. What changed your mind?¡± ¡°Mostly a whim,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But also, I¡¯m not aplete dick. That said, I can¡¯t help you right now. I know you have a responsibility to your people, and I respect that. But I have family out there. I can¡¯t afford to get distracted here. If it came down to it, I¡¯d let everyone in Seattle die if it was them or my family. They¡¯re all I have left.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°I do. We¡¯ve all lost people, Mr. Hart. I can respect a man who wants to protect his family.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t like it,¡± Elijah guessed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I like,¡± Isaiah stated. ¡°You know good and well that I can¡¯t make you help me. So, I have no choice but to take whatever assistance you are willing to give. I just hope it doesn¡¯te toote. This city is a powder keg. It will explode. The only questions are when and who will survive the conflict. You should know that your friend will be one of the first targets. Anyone who wants to rule this city will need to control the Gardener.¡± ¡°That crossed my mind.¡± ¡°And yet, you still intend to leave.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Isaiah sighed, then reached into one of his desk drawers. He ced an item on the desk, then slid it forward. ¡°Is that a walkie talkie?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°A radio powered by ethera,¡± Isaiah answered. ¡°It¡¯s good within a thousand miles of Seattle. It would go a long way toward engendering trust if you took this radio with you. And perhaps, when our time of need arises, you will respond to our call.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make any promises. I want to help, but¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already established your priorities. I would still like for you to take the radio.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, looking forward to examining the machine. Perhaps he could take it back to Ironshore and let some of the Tradesmen inspect it. He retrieved the item, then shoved it in his satchel. ¡°I¡¯m heading toward Easton. Hopefully, I¡¯ll find my family there, thene back this way.¡± ¡°I understand. Good luck.¡± After that, Elijah saw no reason to stick around. So, he turned and left the office, looking forward to continuing what he hoped would turn out to be thest leg of his journey. * * * With mixed emotions gripping his heart, Isaiah watched the strange man leave his office. On the one hand Elijah Hart was clearly trouble. He disyed issues with authority, a flippant attitude, and an unpredictable nature. However, he was just as obviously powerful. He could face down some of the most powerful warriors in the city and feel no fear. As was appropriate for someone in the top five most powerful people in the world. But even that designation didn¡¯t tell the whole story. Thedder only measured levels. Isaiah knew there was far more to a person¡¯s power than the number in their status. Cultivation and ss were just as important, and in those realms, Elijah Hart was head and shoulders above anyone Isaiah had ever seen. He opened hisptop, studying the readout on the screen. It was the result of his drone¡¯s scan, and itid bare Hart¡¯s entire status. Including his advanced progression on the path of cultivation. More, though, it told him how rare the man¡¯s ss was. And on Earth, it was unique, which meant that it was probably powerful. Thebination of his levels, cultivation, and ss meant that Elijah Hart was incredibly dangerous, which was why Isaiah wanted the man on his side. He sighed, leaning back in his chair. The world was so different. It felt like only yesterday that he¡¯d been separated from the Air Force, where he¡¯d served as a drone pilot. Having done his duty, he¡¯d fully intended to serve hismunity as well. That was how his political career had started, and, to his surprise, his sess had garnered quite a lot of attention from national power brokers. They¡¯d been grooming him for a congressional run when the world had changed. After that, he¡¯d taken the Schr archetype, thinking he could leverage his brain to help people survive. Initially, that had seemed like a mistake. The new world was not a peaceful one, and as a result, he was at a disadvantage. Still, his military training served him well, and he managed to survive. Many had not. Then, everything had changed when he received his ss, Technomancer. ording to all the guides he¡¯d seen, it was a rare ss, and a hybrid between three archetypes. Schr, for the knowledge he¡¯d need. Tradesman, to put that knowledge into action. And Sorcerer, for ethereal control. It allowed him to integrate ethera into drones ¨C or other machine-based golems ¨C giving him the ability to enforce order on Seattle. But there was resistance, and he was still fighting to get everything under control. With another sigh, he leaned forward, massaging his thigh. That was the other benefit of his ss. It had given him the tools to rece his normal prosthetic with something far more durable, powerful, and useful. Unless he pulled the hem of his pants up, most people couldn¡¯t even tell that it wasn¡¯t flesh and bone. As miraculous as his creation was, it still ached, though. He¡¯d lost his leg in a car ident during his time in the Air Force. It was funny, actually. He¡¯d chosen the Air Force at least in part because of how often he¡¯d seen soldiers and marinesing back from the front lines missing limbs. He didn¡¯t want to experience that, so he¡¯d gone the safe route. And then, he¡¯d gotten into a normal car ident that had ended with his leg needing to be amputated. But at least he¡¯d managed to survive, and there were quite a few other people who wouldn¡¯t have without his efforts. That was gratifying, even if he knew the entire city was poised on the brink. Unless something changed soon, things were going to descend into anarchy, and he felt that Hart represented the only real chance to avoid that fate. For the time being, though, Isaiah intended to keep doing his best. In his experience, the answer to any problem was hard work. So, with that in mind, he called his assistant in and said, ¡°Set up a meeting with Rogers. We need to continue the dialogue.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the man ¨C boy, really ¨C said. And just like that, Isaiah pushed Hart from his mind and focused on doing his job. Book 3: Chapter 75: Got You Book 3: Chapter 75: Got You Thor yanked his spear from the Voxxian monster¡¯s body, sending a spray of ck blood to stter on his pants. He frowned, then spat on the creature. Then, he looked around at the other corpses. There were five of them, a full three of which were capable of healing. The other two had been durable, with thick scales and a dearth of Dexterity. The result was that it had taken Thor many frustrating hours to finish them off. But he had won. As was right and proper. And he¡¯d already gained the reward he¡¯d sought ever since he¡¯d left those hellish canyons behind. He looked at his status with no small degree of pride:
Name Thor Gunderson
Level 75
Archetype Ranger
ss Ancestral Hunter
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 144
Dexterity 158
Constitution 109
Ethera 44
Regeneration 78
Attunement Conflict
Cultivation Stage: N/A
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood N/A N/A N/A
As always, the bulk of his attributes had been automatically assigned to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. From what he¡¯d seen, the sheer number he was awarded for each level was umon, with two being allocated into Strength and Dexterity, while one went into Constitution. In addition, he received four free points each level. Though he wanted to believe that his talent was responsible for his rapid rise ¨C and he would tell anyone who¡¯d listen that that was the case ¨C Thor was well aware that his rare ss was thergest contributor to his power. Without it, he wouldn¡¯t have had such a wide range of useful skills or the weight of his attributes on his side. It was why he was always so frustrated with towers and rifts. They scaled to his level, which sometimes made him feel like he¡¯d actually lost ground with every step forward on his path. However, when he encountered other people or wild beasts, he was reassured of his own power. He was one of the strongest people in the world, and he didn¡¯t like to be made to feel inferior, even if he knew it was a contrived scenario meant to push him to his limits. A silver box appeared before him, and when he opened it, he saw a shimmering vial full of yellow liquid. The notification that came with it told him what it was:
Congrattions! By closing a Minor Dimensional Rift, you have done a great service to your world. Thus, you have earned a reward. Lesser Cleansing Potion awarded. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°Where was this when I was going through that damnable swamp?¡± he demanded, grabbing hold of the potion. It was a powerful concoction that had three functions. The first was that it immediately cured the imbiber of most ongoing ailments. That alone was extremely useful, but the second feature, which was to apply a low-level heal over time, really separated it from any Alchemist-created potion. But the third function made it an invaluable part of any toolkit. Once he drank it, the potion would remain in his system for the next half hour, pulsing every thirty seconds to cleanse him of any afflictions. He''d received such a potion once before, and he¡¯d been forced to use it in his very first tower. Otherwise, he would have ended up like hispanions ¨C a withered husk, defenseless against the spider monsters who inhabited that tower. As it happened, he was the only survivor, which meant that he¡¯d received quite a lot of experience for clearing the nest of monstrous arachnids. So, he knew the value of what he held, and he suddenly felt much better about the Rift. But more importantly, Thor was interested in his newest ability:
Ancestral Clone Create an independent clone to act ording to your will. Level of clone dependent on Dexterity. Current: 58. Duration dependent on Ethera. Current: 1.23 minutes. Cooldown dependent on Regeneration. Current: 7.3 days.
¡°Interesting,¡± he said, though he was a little irritated at the restrictions. Not only did it have a low duration, but the potential clone was only going to be level fifty-eight. Presumably, that would affect its attributes as well. However, the real irritant was that it had such a long cooldown. More than a week meant that it was only usable in emergencies. That also meant that he couldn¡¯t afford to test it out, because as he stepped out of the Rift, he knew he was getting close to his prey. The surrounding desert was much the same as it had been when he¡¯d found the Rift, though night had fallen. He didn¡¯t care about that. He could push forward without rest easily enough, and as he¡¯d found throughout his time in the canyons ¨C as well as the desert beyond ¨C finding somewhere safe was almost impossible. More than once, he¡¯d gone to sleep in a cave only to awake to find some venomous monster mping down on one of his limbs. In a lot of ways, it was just as bad as the swamp that had driven him to his absolute limits. Though at least he didn¡¯t have to worry about those damnable leeches. Regardless, Thor wouldn¡¯t dare to rest for more than an hour or two every couple of days, and it would remain that way until he reached civilization. So, after sitting down and eating a meal of dried meat that hade from some sort of enormous lizard that had made the mistake of trying to attack him on his first day in the desert, he rested for about an hour. Then, he pushed himself to his feet and set off in the direction that had been revealed thest time he had used Ancestral Hunt. Since leaving thest town, he¡¯d found a strange pond that was surrounded by immense concrete statues. Like the other circle he¡¯d found outside of Argos, it waspletely impervious to his every attack. So, he¡¯d moved on, following Ancestral Hunt until he found an area marred by hundreds of deep canyons. He¡¯d spent weeks wandering through them, even having to battle some primitive, dog-headed humanoids. They had not been powerful, but there were quite a lot of them. As a result, he¡¯d spent a long time fighting the creatures, and for very little in the way of reward. So, he was grateful when they finally gave up and fled his presence. After that, though, Thor had been incredibly aware that eyes were upon him. He couldn¡¯t see any of the watchers, but he knew they were there. As a result, his trip through the canyons was one characterized by unease. So, when he finally found his way through, Thor was very grateful. Nearly a weekter, he had found the Rift, which he¡¯d challenged eagerly, if only for an opportunity to see something other than the bleak desertndscape. Through the night, he progressed through the waterless wastes until he saw something on the horizon. At first, he thought it was an oasis, but when he finally reached it, he found no water. Instead, it was just a circle of oddly twisted trees. But that wasn¡¯t what concerned him. Instead, an irrational anger suffused his mind. He wanted nothing more than to rip those trees out of the ground, but he mastered his fury long enough to examine the origin of the emotion. And what he found was as troubling as it was surprising. A nket of nature hung over the area, thick and seemingly imprable. However, as Thor stood there, he felt something else far beneath it. Thor¡¯s first impression was as if someone had painted over a masterpiece, covering it with a child¡¯s fingerpainting. Beneath that cloyingly profane nket of nature was a roiling pit of conflict and rage that, at first, he couldn¡¯t identify. Then, he remembered the line on his status:
Attunement Conflict
For the longest time, he¡¯d ignored it. As far as he could tell, it was useless. Or merely informative, like his name. Yet, with what he felt beneath that thin veneer of nature, he suddenly understood that it was far more important than he¡¯d ever realized. Instinctively, he mentally reached out for whatever he felt, but he found himselfing up short. No matter how he tried, it was impossible to grasp. And that made him angry. Heshed out with his spear, cutting through the first tree. It splintered pleasingly, which only spurred his anger. So, Thor continued his tirade, ripping the trees apart with every swing. And each attack pushed him further until his mind went white with fury. When he finally came back to himself some indeterminate timeter, he was surrounded by a series of low stumps and splintered tree trunks. That felt good, even if it didn¡¯t solve the problem. That aura of conflict remained out of reach. But at least he¡¯d tipped the bnce a little. Perhaps one day, conflict would ovee the disgustingly wholesome aura of nature. Soon after, Thor moved on, crossing the desert with renewed purpose. Destroying the trees had been therapeutic, after a fashion. However, it was a poor salve. He needed to vent his anger on something that could feel it. He needed to find his prey. So, it was with conflict roiling in his heart that, four dayster, Thor finally came into sight of a city. From the maps he possessed, he expected it to be the formerly American city of Seattle. Surely, given the transient nature of humanity after the world¡¯s transformation, there were plenty of other nationalities that now called it home, though. It still bore the stink of the former superpower. Never was that more apparent than when he saw a mechanical drone cutting through the sky in his direction. For some reason, that angered him even further, and when it came close, he reared back and threw his spear at the thing. The weapon flew through the air with deadly precision, and when it hit the drone, a brief blue light shed before the thing exploded into a hundred pieces. Thor used the weapon¡¯s ability, which allowed him to return it to his hand, so long as it was within a few hundred feet. Then, re-armed, he proceeded toward the city¡¯s gates. The guards didn¡¯t dare impede his entry, and as he strode into the city, he was appalled by the decrepit state of the once-mighty metropolis. Crumbling buildings abounded, the ce smelled like a sewer, and worst of all, the people were all low-leveled trash. ¡°Animals,¡± he muttered, feeling an urge to simply enve the lot of them. They would at least serve a purpose, then. However, that thought onlysted for a moment before he realized that it would be more trouble than it was worth. Let lesser men corral the unwashed masses. He had better things to do. With that, he found a secluded alley ¨C where he was forced to ignore the smells emanating from the trash heaped on the other end ¨C and used Ancestral Hunt. Predictably, the spirit that responded to his call made a snide remark about the filth, but when it became clear that Thor had no intention of rising to the insulting tone, the thing sent its tendrils of ethera in every direction. A few momentster, all but one had dissipated, and judging by the solidity of it, his prey was close. So, it was with no small degree of anticipation that Thor set off through the city. Fortunately, the path led him to another gate, and back into the desert. As much as he hated the arid terrain, he was grateful to be away from such a filthy ce. He set off, following the trail for another hour until he saw a speck on the horizon. He didn¡¯t even need to use Hunter¡¯s Eye. He knew he¡¯d finally found his prey. The man was still more than a mile distant, and he clearly hadn¡¯t noticed Thor. So, he took a circuitous route, which sent him around a great hulk of a container ship and to a rock formation in the distance. The Druid was taking his time, looking around like a tourist, so it wasn¡¯t difficult for Thor to get ahead of him. As he waited, poised to attack, he couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Got you.¡± Book 3: Chapter 76: Hunter and Beast Book 3: Chapter 76: Hunter and Beast Elijah leaned forward, sniffing the air as he stuck his head through the huge gash in the ship¡¯s hull. The air inside was musty and, odd as it seemed in the middle of a desert, almost humid. He knew it was an illusion. He could feel the colony of snakes inside, and he could intuit that they were the source of the strange feeling. It was a potent hunting method, waving a moist environment in front of the parched desert denizens, but it wasn¡¯t one Elijah would fall for. But if he hadn¡¯t had One with Nature on his side, he might¡¯ve gone exploring. And while he hoped he could stand up to whatever other deadly hunting techniques the snakes could bring to bear, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure that would be the case. So, after assuring himself that there wasn¡¯t anything more interesting than a clever predator inside, he pulled away. The snakes shifted a little, probably in annoyance that their potential prey hadn¡¯t fallen for their trap, but otherwise, they didn¡¯t react. Elijah sighed, then stepped away from the hulking container ship. He¡¯d already inspected a few of them, and unsurprisingly, they¡¯d all been picked clean. Sure, there was plenty of metal inside, but it probably was too mundane to be truly valuable. Still, he marked the graveyard of ships in his mind, just in case he ever needed a ready source of thousands of tons of steel. Thetest ship was no different than the rest, though, so he felt content to leave it alone. Besides, he had somewhere he needed to be. He¡¯d only just begun thest leg of his journey, and already, he¡¯d allowed himself to grow distracted. Hopefully, his will would prove stronger the next time he encountered something moderately interesting. Or someone in trouble, which seemed the more likely possibility, given his past experiences. He stretched a bit, then looked at the sky. It wasn¡¯t much past midday, so he still had plenty of time to cover ground before nightfall. Still, he was tempted to shift into his draconid form to speed his progress, but ultimately, he made the same choice he usually did and remained in his human form. His bestial shapes were incredibly useful and extremely powerful, but they both came with a shift of mindset that would overwhelm him if he wasn¡¯t careful. It had nearly happened in the Primordial Forest, and since then, Elijah had vowed not to lean too heavily on his animal forms. Certainly, they were his most potent weapon inbat, but for something as simple as travel, they were only slightly better than his natural form. And that minor improvement in speed wasn¡¯t worth risking a descent into a more primitive mindset. So, on his own two feet, he set forward, using his staff as a walking stick. Thankfully, his Cloak of the Iron Bear prevented him from growing overheated, but the attributes it provided were minimal. One day, he¡¯d find his way to a much colder environment where the item could really shine. But for now, he was grateful for the Temperate trait, which kept him cool even in the blisteringly hot desert sun. Leaving the ship behind, he strode through the desert. His gait was that of a determined walk, though he moved at a speed appropriate for an Olympic sprinter. That pace was evidence of just howrge the world was. Even as quickly as he could cover ground, he¡¯d barely seen a fraction of a percent of the new and improved Earth. In a way, it was intimidating, but it was also incredibly exciting. With how much everything had changed, there were untold wonders out there for him to explore. He only had to find them, which he intended to do once he¡¯d found his family and ushered them to safety. Those thoughts upied his mind as he passed arge pir of rock. It was only at thest second that he recognized the danger bearing down on him, and even that was only because he could see his attacker via One with Nature. However, the man was moving so quickly that the spell ¨C and the Haste from Sash of the Whirlwind ¨C only gave Elijah a moment¡¯s worth of warning.That was barely enough to give him the opportunity to fling himself to the side, narrowly avoiding a descending spear. He rolled to his feet, leveling his staff in the man¡¯s direction. And he was more than a little surprised at what he saw. His attacker was enormous. At least seven feet tall, and with the body of an elite athlete, he had long, blonde hair and a matching beard. His facial hair had been braided and tied off with a leather thong, giving him the appearance of a fierce Viking. His armor followed the same theme and wasposed of chainmail and hardened leather. The spear that had nearly impaled Elijah was more primal in appearance, with a white haft and red tassels just below the long, leaf-shaped de. ¡°You forgot the horned helmet,¡± Elijah said, pushing himself to his feet as his opponent yanked his spear from where it had be embedded in the ground. ¡°What?¡± the man asked in a curiously ented voice. ¡°You¡¯re a Viking, right? You need a horny helmet,¡± Elijah stated, using the man¡¯s confusion to adjust his buffs. At level seventy, he¡¯d gained yet another slot, so he used Essence of the Boar, Aura of Renewal, Essence of the Monkey, Essence of the Lion, as well as Essence of the Wolf and One with Nature. Thest two didn¡¯t take up his buff slots, which he suspected was due to the fact that they were impossible to cast on anyone else. ¡°That is a myth,¡± the man growled, stepping forward. Elijah mirrored his movement, taking a step backward. ¡°Only ignorant Americans believe Vikings actually wore horned helmets.¡± ¡°Guilty, I guess,¡± Elijah said. ¡°The American part, I mean. Though I guess ignorant applies, too. We¡¯re all ignorant about something. For instance, did you know that sharks are covered in tiny teeth called dermal denticles? That¡¯s why their skin feels like sandpaper.¡± By that point, Elijah had finished adjusting his buffs, so he held his opening salvo just on the edge of casting. It took quite a lot of concentration to do so, but he had Mind facets to spare. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°What are you babbling about?¡± demanded the Viking. ¡°Why did you attack me?¡± Elijah asked, wanting to avoid a fight if he could. The man was obviously powerful, with high attributes. More, Elijah could feel the ethera wafting off of him. Given that, he wasn¡¯t certain he could win any ensuing battle. But more than that, he didn¡¯t want to kill anyone unless there was no other choice. ¡°I am a hunter,¡± the man spat. ¡°And you are prey.¡± A slight twitch was the only warning Elijah got before the man exploded into motion. Fortunately, that was all he needed. The first spell he cast ¨C as he dove to the side ¨C was Snaring Roots. Then, he followed it up with Storm¡¯s Fury. Neither worked as well as he¡¯d hoped. Brown roots erupted from the ground, wrapping around the Viking¡¯s legs. However, the man was far too strong for them to do more than slow him down. Still, that was enough to ease Elijah¡¯s aim, and a bolt of lightning descended from above, mming into his chest. For a brief moment, his muscles went out of control, and he stumbled slightly. That allowed the roots to snake around him, wrapping around his arms, legs, and torso a dozen times in the space of a second. Elijah cast Cmity. The sky broke apart, and the earth trembled as sharp des of wind descended upon the prone giant. Sand rode upon the wave of wind, obscuring all vision. Elijah used that to his advantage, casting Swarm. A thousand scarabs burst forth from the sand, burying the man beneath a tide of tiny, biting beetles. Elijah was just patting himself on the back when he sensed another presence nearby. He whipped around to see another identical Viking descending upon him. His spear glowed with menacing red light that elicited a flinch from Elijah. Fortunately, he had plenty of time to p the weapon aside with his staff. He cast Soothe, anticipating that he wasn¡¯t going to make it through the fight without being injured. Then, finally, he shifted into themer ape form. It was just in time, too, because the warrior that had been tangled in the roots finally recovered enough to rip free of the bindings. And with a roar, he threw himself at Elijah, his own spear shimmering with identical red energy. Elijah snapped out a backhand that, shockingly, the man managed to block. Then, in a deft bit of spear work, he reversed the weapon and swept Elijah¡¯s feet out from under him. Even as he felt, Elijah knew he¡¯d found a deadly foe. The only question was whether or not he could endure what wasing. * * * Thor¡¯s insides were on fire. The biting insects had inflicted upon him some sort of caustic venom that he suspected would have turned his muscles to mush if it weren¡¯t for his incredible Constitution. But he was far too strong to sumb to mere insects, and he¡¯d shrugged the attacks off. Still, he knew that if the fight went on for too long, he¡¯d have to do something about it. Which was why he¡¯d used Ancestral Clone to turn the tide of battle. It had worked incredibly well, too, distracting the Druid long enough for Thor to tear free of the frustratingly restrictive vines. Now, he aimed to end the fight quickly and efficiently, charging forward with his spear held before him. However, he nearly nched when he saw the man transform into some sort of creature from nightmare. At first, Thor thought he faced one of the Voxx, but he quickly noticed a few major differences. First, while the Druid¡¯s new form was reptilian, it wasn¡¯t, forck of a better word, wrong. The Voxx were alien, and that was always evident from their appearance. The new form of the Druid felt far more natural. Still, it was clearly not of Earth. In a way, it resembled a gori, though with ck scales instead of fur, and a head like a spiny lizard. Its teeth were sharp and plentiful, and its thick, stubby ws seemed perfect for ripping. In short, it was a monster built for murder, not unlike hundreds of others Thor had hunted. All of that shed through his mind as he bore down on the man-turned-monster. Heshed out with his spear, using Fury of the Stalker to augment his attack. His clone did the same, though the other figure moved much more slowly than the real thing. That was fine, though. It had already served its primary purpose, and anything else it could offer was a bonus. The Druid tried to react, backhanding the clone. However, the doppelganger managed to raise his spear, pping the attack aside. By that point, Thor arrived, thrusting his spear at the monstrous figure. It hit the thing in the ribs, though the sound of metal on metal announced the futility of the strike. Thor panicked, bounding backward in shock. The clone wasn¡¯t so quick, and the monster grabbed hold of the fake Thor¡¯s arm and wrenched it out of socket. The clone managed to slip away, but not before his arm was rendered useless. Thor recovered his wits and used Bite of the Hunter. It was a limited ability, and one that had a significant cooldown. Usually, he used it as an opener, taking advantage of surprise to guarantee a hit. He¡¯d suspected that the Druid had some way of detecting his presence, though, so he¡¯d foregone its use in the initial ambush. That had turned out to be a smart choice, because Elijah Hart had managed to avoid the blow entirely. He wouldn¡¯t this time, though. The de of Thor¡¯s spear zed with green light as he shoved Ethera into the ability.
Bite of the Hunter Infuse a weapon with ethera, bypassing defensive abilities for a single strike. Efficacy and cooldown based on Dexterity. Current: 7.3 hours.
Thor knew that the ability was contingent on his Dexterity being higher than his foe¡¯s. Otherwise, it would have poorer returns, based on the gap. That was why he¡¯d spent so many of his free points augmenting that attribute. It was one of the major reasons he¡¯d been able to kill so many powerful enemies, and he knew it wouldn¡¯t fail him in this instance. He¡¯d seen the monstrous Druid move, and there was no chance that he was equipped with Dexterity on the level of Thor¡¯s. More than that, he had no chance of dodging the blow. The spear¡¯s de hit the Druid in the chest, biting deep as it parted the monstrous man¡¯s scales. Less than an instantter, the clone¡¯s own version of Bite of the Hunter rammed into the Druid¡¯s back, though to far less effect than Thor¡¯s. The man-monster howled in pain as Thor ripped his spear free. Blood gushed from the wound, telling the hunter that he¡¯d hit either an artery or the creature¡¯s overge heart. The man-creature stumbled to his knees, but before Thor¡¯s eyes, the wound ceased bleeding. Then, the scales grew back together. And the monster shook its head, refocusing. It was at that moment that Thor felt a tremble of fear coursing up his spine. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± the monstrous Druid growled. Then, with bestial fury shing in those reptilian eyes, it threw itself in his direction. Book 3: Chapter 77: The Battle Continues Book 3: Chapter 77: The Battle Continues Even as Elijah felt Guardian¡¯s Renewal mend his broken body, he growled, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Then, he threw himself at the Viking who¡¯d injured him. The spear strike had cut right through Iron Scales and Elijah¡¯s dense Constitution, ripping his heart to shreds. Even Soothe, which was still active, was incapable of healing it before he bled out. So, without any other choice, he¡¯d used Guardian¡¯s Renewal. It had worked, though for the second time since gaining the ability, it had struggled with the task. Clearly, the ability¡¯s description wasn¡¯t meant to be taken literally:
Guardian¡¯s Renewal Instantly andpletely regenerate. Cooldown affected by Regeneration attribute. Current: Once Per 6.65 Days.
Elijah could only think that the Viking had used some sort of skill that limited his healing. Guardian¡¯s Renewal had overpowered it, but only just. It was just further confirmation that he couldn¡¯t allow himself to becent. Even his most powerful ability could be ovee, given the right counter. But for now, he couldn¡¯t afford to give it any further thought. Instead, the fight before him required the entirety of his focus. He crashed into the Viking like an out-of-control train, but to his absolute surprise, he didn¡¯t trample the enormous man. Instead, the hunter caught him, skidding backward across the desert for a few yards before leveraging his own Strength to bring Elijah¡¯s momentum to a stop. His hands mped around Elijah¡¯s wrists, squeezing with iparable might. In response, Elijah snapped out with his jaws, but the Viking managed to shift just enough to avoid having his face ripped off. So, Elijah kept going, over and over as he attempted to overpower the man. Like that, they struggled to a stalemate for a few tense seconds.Until the second, weaker version of the Viking stabbed him in the back. His spear didn¡¯t get far past Elijah¡¯s thick scales, but it was enough of a distraction to give the stronger doppelganger an advantage. And the man was more than capable of exploiting any advantage he found. Suddenly, Elijah found himself being shoved backward and into the other twin¡¯s spear. It pushed further into his lower back. He growled, continuing to snap at the man. But it was useless. He¡¯d lost the advantage of leverage, and now, it was only a matter of time before he was ovee. He needed to change the paradigm, or he stood a good chance of dying. So, he made a sacrifice. He let his limbs go limp, and the big man was briefly overbnced. Elijah ripped his wrists free of the man¡¯s grip, but his maneuver meant that the other spear went even deeper into his back, nicking his kidney before scraping against his spine. Pain erupted inside of him, but he shunted it into its own facet of his Quartz Mind. With rity of thought that belied his delicate condition, Elijah rolled away, using the brief opening to shift into his draconid form. As soon as four feet hit the ground, he sprinted away. The Viking tried to follow, and for a few moments, he kept pace. However, when Elijah reached the nearby container ship, he slipped inside the rent in the hull. A dozen snakes snapped out in an attempt to inject their venom, but his sudden arrival had surprised them. As a result, they were incapable of bringing their fangs to bear. Elijah bounded past the snakes and through an open hatch. He hit the painted steel floor, sliding past on legs weakened by blood loss, and colliding with the bulkhead. He righted himself, then sprinted down the corridor. Just before he turned a corner, the Viking entered the range of One with Nature, which meant he¡¯d just arrived in the room with the snakes. This time, they were not surprised. Before Elijah went out of range, he was happy to see that at least one of the creatures hadtched onto his attacker and injected its venom. But as much as Elijah wanted to go back and continue the fight, he knew that was the worst choice. So, after turning a few more corners, he shifted into his human form and cast Soothe. Then, he used Touch of Nature, channeling as much ethera as he could to quickly heal the wound. It took almost a minute, during which he continued through the maze-like halls of the ship. However, the bleeding stopped after the first fifteen seconds, which meant he wasn¡¯t leaving such an easy trail to follow. He used that to his advantage, varying his pattern, doubling back, and doing whatever he could toy a false trail. In the meantime, he continued to heal himself until the wound finally closed. That highlighted an issue he¡¯de to recognize. As he grew more powerful, his healing spells had be less effective. It was moreplicated than that, but he suspected that it had to do with the fact that it took far stronger attacks to hurt him. It was almost like his life was a bucket full of water. As he leveled, the bucket grewrger. Each attack against him took some of the water, which he could restore with healing spells. Yet, his healing spells could only restore a certain amount. So, even though they continued to heal the same as always, they felt rtively weaker. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. Or something like that. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure how to adequately describe it except to say that stronger people took more healing than weaker people. Perhaps there was a better exnation out there, but he was in no position to ponder that position. Maybe he could find another Librarian and ask sometime in the future. In the meantime, once he¡¯d healed himself, Elijah shifted into his draconid form, then used Guise of the Unseen. Only then did he allow himself to rx. It was the first alternate shape he¡¯d gained, and inbat, the predator form was still his mostfortable. And because of that, he knew precisely how to proceed. With that in mind, he slipped into the shadows and stalked the hunter. * * * Thor gripped his spear with white knuckles, resisting the urge to let out a frustrated roar. He¡¯d had the Druid! He was stronger! Faster! He could kill him! But somehow, the slippery drittsekk had managed to turn the tables and escape. Then, the coward had disappeared into the bowels of a ship. Still, Thor would have caught up if it hadn¡¯t been for that nest of desert vipers. He¡¯d killed them all, but not before they had injected him with potent venom. That hadbined with the afflictions inflicted by the Druid to slow him considerably. As a result, he¡¯d had no choice but to imbibe his recently acquired Lesser Cleansing Potion. It had done its job, removing the ailments while healing the damage they¡¯d already wrought. Meanwhile, it would protect him from any future afflictions, though only for a short time. That meant he was on a timer. So, he forged ahead, ready to finish the monstrous man off. Seeing him shift into a scaley beast had been a surprise, to be sure, but Thor wouldn¡¯t let himself be deterred. Instead, he stalked forward, hunching his great form beneath the ship¡¯s low ceilings as he followed the trail of blood. Suddenly, something shed out of the darkness, slicing through his hamstring before disappearing. Thor had never even heard it. Nor was he certain where it had gone. More importantly, even as he stumbled, he felt an affliction take hold. It wasn¡¯t powerful, but the brief moment it existed before being cured by the potion¡¯s ongoing effect told him that it would be a problem. Fortunately, Thor¡¯s Constitution was high enough that the attack wasn¡¯t much more than a scratch. Once he regained his bnce, he wheeled around, searching for his attacker. But he found nothing. Then, something hit him again, targeting his ankle. The thing¡¯s w sliced through his boot with ease, then into his Achilles tendon. It didn¡¯t rip through it, but it definitely did more damage than the previous attack. He stumbled again. Then another attack hit him from behind. Thor swept his spear in a backhanded attack, but he found nothing but air. His potion only had a few more seconds left on it. Then, he¡¯d be far more vulnerable. He knew he needed to act decisively. So, without further hesitation, he used Mirror Trap:
Mirror Trap Channel the power of your ancestors to create an illusory copy. At the same time, you will appear at the enemy¡¯s rear, unseen and unnoticed.
Without a visible target, Thor simply faded from sight. Meanwhile, he saw his copy, which was indistinguishable from his own form. His clone had already fallen apart back in the room with the snakes, so he was starting to run low on cards to y. In fact, he only had one more before things would begin to grow desperate. Hopefully, he could fool his attacker. He backed away, still unseen and ready to ughter the foolish creature. He suspected it was the Druid, but it could have just as easily been some other monster. Regardless, he intended to destroy them. As he crouched, coiled like a serpent, he could practically taste the experience. * * * From the shadows, and cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, Elijah studied the odd scene before him. In the center of the corridor was the Viking, his eyes darting around in terror as he stabbed at the darkness. It was a convincing illusion, and Elijah would have been fooled if it wasn¡¯t for one, simple factor: Using One with Nature, he could sense the true hunter only a dozen feet away, his muscles tense as he prepared to spring the trap. It was almostical ¨C or it would have been if Elijah hadn¡¯t already seen the man¡¯s resilience. Not only had he shrugged off Elijah¡¯s attacks, but he¡¯d also ignored the host of afflictions ¨C both from the previous Swarm as well as Contagion and Venom Strike ¨C that had been inflicted upon him. He was an absolute tank. Which meant that Elijah needed to adjust his method of attack. Hit and run tactics wouldn¡¯t work. Instead, he needed to bring his considerable Strength to bear. Even in his draconid form, it had reached an impressive level, and that was further magnified by his crocodilian jaws. Elijah knew he wouldn¡¯t get a better chance. The man waspletely stationary. So, if he wanted to decisively end the fight, then he knew what he had to do. With that in mind, he stalked forward, staying low to the ground. The illusion continued its pantomime, which Elijah ignored as he positioned himself behind the hunter. Then, after using Predator Strike and Venom Strike, he pounced. The Viking sensed his presence at thest possible moment, so instead of mping his jaws on the man¡¯s skull, he wrapped his teeth around the hunter¡¯s thick shoulder. Knowing he needed to make the most of even that, Elijah flexed his jaw. Bones crunched, and blood gushed. The spear ttered to the floor while the hunter shouted in pain. To Elijah¡¯s surprise, the man grabbed hold of his snout, then wrenched his jaws apart. Then, before Elijah could react, he threw Elijah down the hall. He flew through the illusion, making it flicker. But before he hit the wall, which would have almost assuredly broken bones, he initiated a transformation into hismer ape form. Then, at thest second, he embraced Iron Scales, lessening the damage of the impact by ny percent. Still, when he hit, the metal bulkhead dented, and the ship creaked in protest as he caromed off the wall and hit the floor with a deep thud. Elijah was only stunned for a brief moment before he shook his head and pushed himself to his feet. Across the corridor, maybe forty feet away, was the hunter. The man tipped the contents of a shimmering red vial into his mouth before he tossed the ss tube aside. It shattered. But Elijah was more concerned with the fact that the man¡¯s wound had already stopped bleeding. Clearly, as grisly as the wound was, the fight was far from over. Book 3: Chapter 78: Back and Forth Book 3: Chapter 78: Back and Forth In the Shape of the Guardian, Elijah faced off against the hunter. He still didn¡¯t know the Viking¡¯s identity, so he grunted, ¡°Who are you? Why did you attack me?¡± ¡°I am Thor Gunderson, the most powerful man in the world, and you are the fuel of my ascension,¡± the blonde giant spat. Suddenly, it made perfect sense why the fight had been so difficult. Thest time Elijah had checked, he was number two on the power rankings. In the past, Elijah had expected that his advanced progress along the path of cultivation would have given him an advantage against anyone near his level. However, that clearly wasn¡¯t true. He could hold his own against Thor, and he might¡¯ve even been a bit stronger in the form of themer ape. But it was close enough that they might as well have been in a dead heat. Clearly, Elijah¡¯s ss ¨C and the versatility it offered ¨C meant that he couldn¡¯t stand toe-to-toe with other, more specializedbatants. It was only because of his cultivation that he¡¯d even managed to stand on the same stage. Which was a little frustrating until he realized that it was also a strength. After all, Thor might¡¯ve been stronger in terms of pure attributes. But he couldn¡¯t heal. And Elijah could bring all sorts of abilities to bear. Most importantly, he could heal himself. Thor could not, aside from the potion he¡¯d just imbibed. And those were limited, Elijah knew. If someone took more than one in close session, each subsequent potion would be far less effective until, eventually, they wouldn¡¯t work at all. After that, they would actively poison the user. So, Thor had taken one potion already. Maybe more than that, given his ability to endure Elijah¡¯s afflictions. Because of that, Elijah knew he had the upper hand. He merely had to take advantage of his unique abilities. For now, though, that meant pummeling the man like an angry gori-lizard. Without further conversation, Elijah threw himself forward in a loping, leaping sprint that let him cover the ground between him and his foe in an instant. Thor was ready for it, though, nting his recovered spear in the ground in an effort to impale Elijah like a charging boar. However, Elijah was no dumb beast, and he twisted at thest second, hitting the wall and using it to redirect himself.With a leaping strike, he brought his hand down on Thor¡¯s shoulder. The wound had healed, but notpletely. As a result, the Viking was a little slow to respond. Elijah¡¯s balled fist fell upon the man¡¯s arm with bone-breaking force. Thor screamed in agony as his shoulder was wrenched out of socket. But he was a veteran warrior, and he used his experience to great effect, ignoring his pain as he twisted away. Elijah stumbled past, and a secondter, felt the bite of the hunter¡¯s spear. It slipped into his flesh, parting his scales. However, itcked the effect it had before, so it didn¡¯t go much deeper than an inch or two. A secondter, Elijah felt an icy handtch onto his leg. A secondter, that frigid cold went up his limb to pervade his entire body. And with it came a weakness Elijah could not exin. It was as if he¡¯d lost dozens of attribute points in the space of a moment. It was so shocking that he only narrowly managed to dodge the hunter¡¯s next attack. Though that might have been a mischaracterization of his actual response. He didn¡¯t truly dodge. Instead, he flopped to the ground, struggling to move his own weight. Everything felt wrong. He wasn¡¯t just weak. He was also uncoordinated. A brief look at his attributes told him that he¡¯d lost nearly fifty Strength and Dexterity. He scrambled away, unsure of what was happening. Clearly, the hunter had used some sort of ability. But Elijah had no idea how long it wouldst. He needed to stall for time. So, he shifted into his human form and flipped over to find a spear descending in his direction. Panicked, he knocked it aside just before it could stab him through the chest. Instead, it hit his shoulder, shaving a chunk of meat away before the de cut into the metal floor. Roaring, the hunter kicked Elijah in the ribs, sending him skidding away. Thankfully, Elijah¡¯s Constitution hadn¡¯t been affected by the depowering skill. Otherwise, his chest would¡¯ve been caved in. As it was, the impact broke a few ribs. Elijah cast Soothe on himself as he slid across the floor. Then, before Thor could follow, he used Snaring Roots, tripping the man up. A quick pulse of Touch of Nature brought Elijah back to perfect health, but by that point, Thor was ripping free of the roots. So, Elijah cast Storm¡¯s Fury. A bolt of lightning descended from the ceiling, striking his raised spear and sending his body into convulsions. It was only temporary, Elijah knew. But he just needed to buy time, which meant he quickly cast Snaring Roots once again. As he did, he backed away, summoning Healing Rain to apany Soothe. Fortunately, he¡¯d long since learned that the efficacy of his spells was based on perception. If he viewed someone as an enemy, then they would be unaffected by beneficial spells. The same could be said for allies and detrimental abilities. Because he wanted to keep plenty of ethera in reserve for healing and transformations, Elijah chose not to use Swarm. After all, he¡¯d used it once before, and it had been entirely ineffective. So, he didn¡¯t want to waste his energy. Instead, he continued to back away, peppering the Viking with Snaring Roots and Storm¡¯s Fury. It slowed the man down, but it also infuriated him. And that, in turn, lent him strength. Certainly, it wasn¡¯t quantified in attributes. Rather, it was the sort of power that came from raging adrenaline, and the hunter used it well, ripping free of the thorny vines almost the moment Elijah conjured them. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! It also made him reckless, though, which Elijah intended to use to his advantage. So it went for a long couple of minutes, with Elijah frustrating the barbaric hunter as much as he could manage. Thor shouted insults, roared, and even threw his spear a few times. But Elijah had taken the man¡¯s measure, so he was ready for whatever he could bring to the table. The same wasn¡¯t true of Thor, though Elijah was certain the hunter expected that to be the case. Gradually, Elijah slowed his casting, wanting to give the impression that he was running low on ethera. That wasn¡¯t so far from the truth, but his Quartz Mind was hard at work dragging plenty of energy back into his soul, then sending it into his core. As a result, he could keep going for some time. But he needed Thor to think he had the upper hand. He wanted him to believe he could win. Which he could. But not if he reacted the way Elijah expected. The man charged, and, with his back against a wall, Elijah smiled. He shifted into his draconid form. It almost took him too long. But he managed it just before Thor reached him. He used Flicker Step, disappearing and reappearing behind the hunter. Thor smashed into the wall, embedding his spear up to the shaft in the metal bulkhead. Elijah used Venom Strike, then leaped upon Thor¡¯s back. His wstched onto the man¡¯s shoulders, and his head darted forward. Even as his jaws mped onto Thor¡¯s skull, the man went wild. But the weakness had already run its course, and Elijah¡¯s Strength and Dexterity had returned to normal. He flexed his jaw, bringing tons of pressure to bear on the Viking¡¯s skull. It resisted, but Elijah persisted. Meanwhile, his back ws raked against Thor¡¯s flesh, ripping it to ribbons. The wounds were superficial, but every attack brought with it another instance of Contagion. He also continuously used Ve Strike, stringing it together, one after another, inflicting even more afflictions upon the man. In seconds, they had begun to pile up. Yet, Thor was sturdy enough that he didn¡¯t immediately give in. In fact, his skull remained stubbornly unbroken, and he recovered enough to throw himself backward into another wall, breaking a few of Elijah¡¯sparatively delicate bones. However, he was still under the effect of Soothe and Healing Rain, so while the damage wasn¡¯t immediately mended, the worst of it was healed almost as soon as it was inflicted. Meanwhile, Elijah continued to flex his jaws and rake his ws across the man¡¯s increasingly vulnerable flesh. Thor reached back, trying to wrench Elijah loose, but his fingers had already begun to tremble, and his muscles had started to weaken. ck goo leaked from his ears and mouth, and his eyes had turned bloodshot. Still, he fought on. So did Elijah. Even after Soothe and Healing Rain had run their course, and his broken bones ceased to mend, he kept it up. He knew that he needed to finish the fight, or he would never get another chance. The man would down a potion. Or use some other ability. Elijah had no idea what Thor could do, but it was safe to assume that the second-highest person on the power rankings had a few unyed aces up his sleeve. Elijah refused to let him turn to those. And after another few minutes, during which Elijah endured a dozen broken bones ¨C many of which were in his back legs, preventing him from continuing that method of attack ¨C Thor¡¯s skull finally gave way. At first, it was only a small crack that presented as a slight give in the bone, but after only a second, it shatteredpletely. Brain and bone gushed into Elijah¡¯s mouth, but miraculously, Thor fought on for a second or two before his body realized that it no longer had an intact brain. Then, the man copsed, and Elijah was flooded with experience. Despite the notifications he received in the wake of that wave of kill energy, Elijah couldn¡¯t focus on that. Instead, he arduously shifted to his human form, then spat out a mouthful of gore. He pulsed Touch of Nature, but he quickly found a serious issue. His legs weren¡¯t just broken. They¡¯d been shattered. Normally, if the breaks weren¡¯t too bad, a simple use of his spells, and they would set themselves. But it wasn¡¯t unprecedented for him to have to set the bones. Now, though, the issue was that his femur had been broken in six ces, with shards of the bone having erupted from the skin. And his ankle ¨C with all those delicate bones ¨C was in even worse condition. In that case, there was nothing to set. It was just a collection of pieces that he wasn¡¯t certain he could ever piece back together. It was an overwhelming task, and one that he knew would end up being one of the most agonizing experiences he¡¯d ever endured. Yet, there was nothing for it but to do it. So, after pulling a bit of leather from his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, Elijah shoved it between his teeth, bit down, and got to work. And it was worse than he could have imagined. For the femur, it was a simple act of shifting the bones into the proper position, then healing them. However, because it was apound fracture, with the bone exposed, that meant getting his hands bloody and jamming things back where they belonged. Once that was aplished, Elijah used Touch of Nature to get the healing started. Yet, he didn¡¯t dare finish the task, lest the residual healing make the rest of it harder. Thest thing he wanted was for the bones to heal out of ce. If that happened, he¡¯d have to break them again, then start the process back over. So, with tears in his eyes, Elijah continued to work. And after a few agonizing minutes, he slumped against the wall, his breathing in ragged gasps. He¡¯d managed toplete the task with the femur, but it was still incredibly weak. He doubted it would even hold his weight. But for now, everything was where it was supposed to be. Which meant that the real work was still ahead. His ankle ¨C and the attached foot ¨C was a mess. But he remembered enough of anatomy that he knew where all those tiny bones were supposed to be. So, he used that knowledge ¨C along with an incredible tolerance for torment ¨C to slowly piece that portion of his lower leg back together. To call it an arduous process would have been an understatement. And without ethera, Elijah knew the foot would¡¯ve needed to be amputated. However, with his magical abilities bridging the gap, he saved the foot. It took him an agonizing hour of torturous tedium, but he did it. And when he finally slumped against the wall and used Soothe as well as Healing Rain, he could force himself to remain conscious no longer. So, he slipped into that weing darkness, hopeful that nothing would attack him while his recoverymenced. As luck would have it, he remainedpletely unmolested. Either there were no scavengers around, or they simplycked a taste for half-dead Druid or in hunter. Whatever the case, over the next three days, Elijah slowly recovered. More than once, he had to reset his bones. The job he¡¯d initially done was good enough, but it wasn¡¯t perfect. So, to keep things from healing out of ce, he was forced to adjust. And it hurt enough that he considered simply going through life with a limp. Yet, he persisted, and by the time the third night fell, he was as healthy as he¡¯d been before the fight with the hunter. Only then did he allow himself to check his notifications. And when he did, he couldn¡¯t keep the smile from his face. Book 3: Chapter 79: Control Book 3: Chapter 79: Control Roman stood on the balcony, looking out over the city. In the wake of his campaign of conquest, which had swept through seven city-states over the past year, Easton had changed so much as to be almost unrecognizable. There was nothing left of its humble origins. No more hastily-constructed buildings. No eyesore of a wall made of random debris. And no more rebels. No - the city was a metropolis that blended both old and new, with a loyal poption that knew precisely how lucky they really were. There were a few pockets of dissidence, but they were rare. More importantly, Roman¡¯s people knew exactly where to find them. If they progressed past a few mutteredints, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use them as fuel for his army¡¯s progression. In any case, Roman wasn¡¯t concerned with that. The system currently ran like a well-oiled machine, churning through those malcontents to push his loyal soldiers to new heights of power. Of course, there were limits. Killing prisoners, no matter how strong they were, wouldn¡¯t help any of them progress past level thirty-five. Fighting the undead minions of the Necromancer was a little better in that ughtering those abominations came with no arbitrary limitations. Yet, even that wasn¡¯t a perfect situation. Each kill only gave a whisper of experience, which meant that thousands needed to be ughtered for every potential level. Most of the time, it would be more trouble than it was worth, but there were two reasons the program continued. First, the situation down there had gotten a little out of control. Unless they continuously culled the creatures, there was a chance that the Necromancer¡¯s minions would break free and overrun the city. They¡¯d even stopped throwing bodies down there for a while, but the man simply reanimated the in creatures that were already down there. Roman had considered sending his people in to kill the vile former gravedigger, but the tunnels were far too dangerous for that. It would require thousands of men, and even that could prove insufficient. So, in the end, he¡¯d chosen to forego that strategy. The second reason he hadn¡¯t stopped the program was that it still provided a steady trickle of experience that he hoped, over time, would set his people apart. It wasn¡¯t the backbone of his training program, but it provided his people with experience ¨C and not the kind that came from killing monsters ¨C which was invaluable. After all, if they could stand up to an undead horde, they wouldn¡¯t flinch before living soldiers. Still, he had ns in ce to deal with the Necromancer if he ever escaped hisir. Most of it hinged on the authority that he hoped woulde with his ascension into Lordship. He¡¯d had one of the Schrs do some research for him, so he knew that it woulde with what it referred to as a limited Sphere of Authority. At the lowest level of Lordship, it would only give him the ability to enforce his will in his capitol city, and even that was limited based on the rtive power ¨C if someone was stronger than him, then it wouldn¡¯t be nearly as effective ¨C as well as time. Thetter was there because the system seemed uninterested in letting a weakling with a title bully a truly powerful person. Still, the nature of the title was such that it would help even against some of the monsters at the top of the powerdder. Plus, by the time Roman actually acquired the title, he would be strong enough to stand among them. After all, the quest required it.
Congrattions! You have met the requirements to embark on a quest to be an official ruler under the system. Complete the following quests to solidify your rule: 1. Conquer an enemy and hear their oath of fealty. (COMPLETE) 2. Be an Arbiter of Justice. (COMPLETE) 3. Expand your territory until you rule over 1,000,000 people. (CURRENT: 723,411) 4. Reach the top ten on theary Power Rankings (Earth) (CURRENT RANK: 98)
The first step had been the easiest step toplete, and he¡¯d managed it after defeating Arbor¡¯s army. The second had urred after his first public execution, a performance he¡¯d repeated each week over the past few months. Aside from satisfying the terms of his quest, it was also a great reminder that Easton was a city ofw and order, and one where dissention would not be tolerated. And it worked. People not only aceepted it, but they showed up in droves to see justice meted out. They jeered and insulted the prisoners, and they cheered when Roman killed them. It was a grim reminder of how barbaric and tribal people could be, but it served Roman¡¯s purposes quite well. Even if he no longer got experience from the executions. No ¨C if he wanted to continue his progression, he¡¯d need to venture into the local tower and put his skills to use. He¡¯d even put together a team of some of the most powerful ¨C and loyal ¨C members of his army to do just that. However, he¡¯d so far found himself hesitating because he knew from experience just how quickly loyalty could be turned on its head. After all, Alyssa had been loyal right up until she¡¯d made it clear that she opposed him. Sure, she pretended she was his friend. But he knew the truth. Without her, the rebellion had been mostly toothless, which only proved that he¡¯d made the right choice. He pushed those thoughts out of mind. The poption under his control had grown by leaps and bounds, but he knew that continued expansion was contingent on further conquest. There were plenty of options, too. The only issue was that his army was bing quite spread out. Trying to rule an empire that spanned thousands of miles ¨C even with some of the transportation advances his Tradesmen hade up with ¨C was incredibly difficult. At present, he was dependent on much of those city-states¡¯ old power structure to run the cities. And he knew how dangerous that was. At any moment, they could turn on him. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. But for now, they were under control, and he could only hope to hold on long enough to meet the terms of his quest. Thankfully, his policies usually resulted in a better life for the poption. Food was no longer an issue. Safety ceased to be a concern. And he gave the local fighters a means of growing stronger. Certainly, it came with harsh penalties for anyone who rebelled, and the situation wasn¡¯t great for the worthless vagabonds whocked drive. Those people gave nothing to society, so they got nothing in return. But they didn¡¯t matter. Anyone with power looked upon his system with favor, and theirs were the only opinions that Roman truly cared about. Although, even that was only true insofar as they yed their roles and submitted to his authority. ¡°What do you want?¡± Roman asked, sensing Fiona behind him. That was histest ability, called Assassin¡¯s Awareness, and it gave him some sense of his surroundings up to a radius of around ten feet. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was useful enough that he didn¡¯t feel it was a wasted ability. ¡°The name change has been approved by the council,¡± she said. At least she had ceased trying to climb into his bed. ¡°Good,¡± Roman said, not bothering to face the woman. Instead, he remained standing on the balcony, his hands behind his back as he stared out at his city. The notion that the council could have refused his motion wasughable. They knew better than to oppose his wishes. ¡°What do you think of the city¡¯s new name?¡± ¡°It is proper. The city deserves a majestic name.¡± Roman agreed. Easton had always been a small name for a small town. So, now that his kingdom had grown to epass a huge poption across multiple cities, he¡¯d taken that as an opportunity to adopt a more fitting moniker for the capital of his budding empire. ¡°Valoria,¡± he said. That was the name he¡¯d chosen for the city ¨C and his kingdom ¨C and he felt that it fit well. It had gravitas that Easton never would. ¡°Inform the council that I approve. Then, make ns for a celebration of the formation of our new kingdom. We need games. Feasts. We need the people to feel pride in their homes.¡± ¡°Yes, your majesty,¡± Fiona said. ¡°It will be as youmand.¡± Indeed it would. As was proper for a man who¡¯d been chosen by the divine system as Earth¡¯s savior. * * * The smell of death filled the air, pervading Benedict Emerson¡¯s nostrils, but it was a smell he preferred to the rotting aroma of the city above. Certainly, it wasn¡¯t literal. By all ounts, Easton was a clean enough city. Yet, he could smell the societal and cultural rot all the same. He was used to it, though. It had been present in the old world, and nothing had really changed in the wake of the apocalypse. Sure, the setting was different. Monsters and magic now existed. But for him? It was just more of the same. That was why he¡¯d always preferred thepany of corpses. After medical school, he¡¯d taken a job as a medical examiner so that he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the living. He¡¯d even worked the night shift to avoid social interaction as much as possible. Not because he had some psychological issue that made him ufortable. No ¨C he was fine withpany. His issue was that other people were all so disappointingly petty, judgmental, and small. For most of his life, he¡¯d been the victim of bullying,rgely because he didn¡¯t fit the mold of what they deemed eptable. It had only gotten worse as he grew older, culminating in him bing an outcast. He didn¡¯t mind it, either. In fact, he preferred to simply be left alone. So, his status as a social pariah had be a boon. Even so, he didn¡¯t forget his history, and his heart was filled with hatred he rarely acknowledged. So, when the apocalypse hit, he saw his opportunity to take revenge ¨C especially when his Sorcerer archetype had led to his powerful ss:
Name Benedict Emerson
Level 51
Archetype Sorcerer
ss Warlock
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 22
Dexterity 29
Constitution 70 (25)
Ethera 144
Regeneration 21 (122)
Attunement Control
Cultivation Stage: N/A
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood N/A Opal Neophyte
Those first few levels had been difficult, especially when he was forced to lob Ethereal Bolts at monsters in order to level. However, he¡¯d made it work, and he¡¯d taken revenge on more than a few of his old bullies. And their families. Some neighbors, too. When he¡¯d finally acquired his Warlock ss ¨C and the signature ability, which was called Animate ¨C those bullies had joined his army. He gained experience just by keeping them around. However, doing so came at the cost of his Regeneration. The more he maintained, the bigger the detriment. It had taken him a long time to establish the form for cost versus reward, but he¡¯d figured out the optimal bnce. That had been further changed when he¡¯d found the natural treasure ¨C a hunk of rock that radiated ethera. The guardian that had stood sentry over it had ughtered all but one of Benedict¡¯s army, but in the end, he¡¯d been victorious. And he¡¯d used that natural treasure to fuel his first steps along the path of cultivation, establishing his Opal Mind. In his moment of weakness, though, he¡¯d been osted and captured by Easton¡¯s soldiers. He¡¯d been incapable of resisting, and having seen him in action, they knew the scope of his abilities. After that, they¡¯d thrown him in a dungeon to take advantage of his unique skills. He could have escaped. He intended to once he¡¯d met his goals. But for now, he was content with biding his time and growing stronger. Because for his purposes, there wasn¡¯t a better situation. The mere act of keeping his minions empowered gave him a trickle of experience, and he got even more on the asions when they managed to kill one of the soldiers. The only issue was that he felt every blow against his minions. Each death felt like his own. And every wound came with significant pain. Over the months since his imprisonment had begun, he had learned to endure, though. And just as he¡¯d taken revenge on his bullies, he intended to make his tormentors pay. That would wait until he¡¯d wrung every level he could out of them, though. Book 3: Chapter 80: Freedom Book 3: Chapter 80: Freedom Elijah sat cross-legged on the desert floor, staring at the items arrayed in front of him. There were three of them, though the most outwardly impressive was Thor¡¯s spear, which was scaled to fit the man¡¯s immense frame, with a haft of carved bone, and a sizable de that could have doubled as a dwarf¡¯s shortsword. However, looks could be deceptive, and he was far more interested in the other two items. One was a simple ne made of twine from which dangled threerge fangs. Elijah had no idea what it did, but he could sense that it was no ordinary item. Maybe it would be useful, but even if it wasn¡¯t something he would use, it would at least him a few extra coins. Magical gear was always in demand, and Elijah had expenses. He wasn¡¯t poor by any stretch of the imagination, but with how much information he intended to extract from the Knowledge Base, he knew he would need as much money as he could acquire. More than that, though, he felt that Earth¡¯s economy would eventually normalize. When that happened, more luxuries would be avable. And though Elijah had never considered himself to be particrly materialistic, he wasn¡¯t above treating himself, either. So, while he didn¡¯t really need much money as of yet, he expected that to change as Earth developed. As a result, he wouldn¡¯t turn down any source of wealth. In any case, the third item was the most immediately useful. He had no idea what it was called, but the canteen was unique in that it didn¡¯t require binding. More, despite being a normal-looking container, it held hundreds of gallons of pure, clean water. Thankfully, it worked differently than his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, because even with his bag¡¯s weight reduction ¨C which was around ten percent, if he had to guess ¨C that much water would have been incredibly heavy. However, the canteen weighed no more than any other container its size. So, even if it wasn¡¯t particrly shy, the item was far more useful than any new weapon could be. But as excited as he was about his loot, Elijah was far more interested in the other rewards from his fight with Thor. So, he finally allowed himself to look at his status:
NameElijah Hart
Level 76
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 87
Dexterity 79
Constitution 87
Ethera 85
Regeneration 99 (79)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Stone Hatchling Quartz Neophyte
He¡¯d shot past the level seventy-five threshold, which, on the surface, didn¡¯t make a lot of sense. Back in the Battle of Ironshore, he¡¯d killed hundreds of orcs, all of which carried with them a decent level, and he¡¯d only leveled a couple of times. One kill shouldn¡¯t have been so impactful. Yet, it had been, which led Elijah to believe that the system took more into ount than simple levels. But he hadn¡¯t understood how it all worked, even from the very beginning. That made trying to optimize leveling a pain. So, it was a good thing that Elijah had never really focused on leveling, per se. Rather, he tended to concentrate on other goals. Likepleting a tower. Or protecting Ironshore. Killing Voxx. It wasn¡¯t like he had much room topletely curate his experience, so he rarely thought about it. Perhaps a Schr could make sense of how it all worked. Regardless, the levels themselves, while useful because of the extra attribute points they brought with them, weren¡¯t nearly as important as the next two notifications he¡¯d received after killing Thor. In some ways, the first was predictable. Yet, it was even more impactful than seeing the numbers on his status:
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. 1. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 76 2. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 76 3. Sadie Song ¨C Level 74 4. Hu Shui ¨C Level 72 5. Niko Song ¨C Level 67 6. Davu Adebowale¨C Level 65 7. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 62 8. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 59 9. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 58 10. ¡­ 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­
¡°Numero uno,¡± he said to himself. He and Oscar Ramirez, who¡¯d been at the top since the very beginning, were the same level. Yet, Elijah had taken the position of primacy. He could only assume that it was because of his advanced level of cultivation. However, it could have been alphabetical, too. Either way, Elijah would take it as an immense victory. When the power rankings had first appeared, Elijah hadn¡¯t even been on the list. Yet, now he was on top. The most powerful person in the world. It was a good feeling, and one that came with more satisfaction than he would have expected. Elijah wasn¡¯t really dependent on outside approval, but it was impossible to look at that and not feel a sense of gratification for all the breaks that had gone his way. For all the lucky encounters. For meeting Nerthus. For washing ashore on his ind. For the panther. There were so many coincidences that if even one would have gone in a different direction, he would have died. Only a handful of years before, he¡¯d made peace with his own impending death. That familiarity with his own mortality had persisted, but he no longer expected to die at any moment. In fact, ording to everything he knew, he now stood to live longer than anyone on Earth ever had. There were hundreds of years stretched out before him. Maybe even millennia, if he managed to continue his progression. And avoid getting killed by hulking Vikings. Though Elijah had won the fight, it had pushed him as far as anything since the orcish warlord. Maybe even further. Certainly, it had been more painful, and without any of his advantages, he would have failed. His survival was the culmination of a thousand other decisions and victories, so he knew that if he intended to make it through the next challenge, he would need to continue along his path, wherever it might take him. Thankfully, he had a brand-new tool to help speed him along his way. Elijah looked at his newest spell:
Shape of the Sky Take on the form of an airborne hunter, increasing Dexterity attribute. Spellcasting is suspended while Shape of the Sky is active.
Elijah stared at the spell. On the surface, it didn¡¯t seem as impactful as Shape of the Guardian or Shape of the Predator. There were no vast attribute increases. And it didn¡¯te with a passive ability like Shape of the Predator. Yet, Elijah didn¡¯t care about any of that, because he was too focused on one word: airborne. It seemed that he¡¯d finally received the ability to fly. Upon seeing that notification for the first time, Elijah had wanted to leap to his feet and immediately try it out. However, he¡¯d forced himself to save the best forst. Otherwise, he had a feeling that he¡¯d have ignored everything else. Even his healing and gathering loot, thetter of which was usually his favorite part of post-fight activities, even if he never actually knew what he was looting until he had it appraised. Butpared to the ability to fly? None of that really mattered. It was one thing to shift into a terrestrial animal. As magical as that was, it was easy to ept. After all, he¡¯d spent his whole life on the ground. However, the notion that he could transform into a flying creature was truly miraculous, and he couldn¡¯t wait to try it out. And now that he¡¯d taken care of everything else he needed to do, there was no more reason to dy. So, after shoving everything into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, Elijah took a deep breath, then cast Shape of the Sky. As always, the transformation took a second or so, but soon enough, he¡¯d shifted. His arms transformed, growing much longer, with a thin membrane stretching into leathery wings. The rest of his body remained much the same size, but the shape was quite different, though he couldn¡¯t really inspect himself properly. As was the case with all of his transformations, he was, of course, quite scaley. Once the transformation hadpleted, Elijah waddled ¨C that was the only way he could describe it ¨C toward therge pool of water he¡¯d poured into a depression while testing the canteen. There, he saw his blurry reflection. His head looked a lot like it did in his draconid form, though his neck was quite a bit longer. Maybe three feet, total, and around a foot in diameter, ending in a sinuous body. A long, snake-like tail extended for a dozen feet behind him. In short, he was shaped like a mixture of a bat, a lizard, and a snake, and when he stretched his wings to their full extent, they reached a span of more than two-dozen feet, which was probably twice his total length. However, he was a little surprised to see how colorful his scales were. Both the draconid andmer ape forms were slightly subdued in terms of coloration. That could not be said of the Shape of the Sky. It was as colorful as any tropical bird, with a body of forest green and wings that transitioned to blue, then deep red at the tips. The tail followed a simr pattern, though with hints of yellow thrown in for good measure. To Elijah, the effect was mesmerizing. But it highlighted one thing ¨C the form wasn¡¯t meant to be a stealthy hunter. He could feel the strength in his ws, which told him that if he was going to hunt in that form, he would need to use simr tactics to an eagle. Dive, snatch, and carry away. And given his size, he suspected that he could hunt some veryrge beasts in that manner. After all, some species of eagle had been known to carry away livestock and children. Given that his wingspan was at least double that of thergest eagle to ever live ¨C not to mention his inted attributes ¨C Elijah thought it was reasonable to expect quite a bit better performance from the Shape of the Sky. But before he could get to that point, Elijah needed to test his wings out. After all, his instincts were sufficient to make running on four legs easy enough, but that was probably due to the fact that it wasn¡¯t a huge deviation from things he¡¯d done in the past. Crawling around wasn¡¯t so different from moving around on four legs. The same could not be said for flying. Still, Elijah was more than eager to give it a shot. So, without further ado, heunched himself into the air and pped his wings. And for a moment, it worked. He soared into the sky without much difficulty. But that didn¡¯tst long, and he quickly lost his rhythm and plummeted right back to the parched ground of the desert, kicking up quite a lot of dust in the process. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t break anything. So, he tried again. And again after that. Elijah kept going until, hourster, he had mastered the art of taking off. He knew that without the instincts that hade with the form, it would have taken months to even get that far. Regardless, he spent another few hours learning to glide, to climb, and to dive. However, the biggest hurdle was learning how tond. The first attempt actually broke one of his legs. The second attempt ¨C undertaken after using Sooth to heal the fracture ¨C went slightly better, but he still ended up twisting his knee out of socket. The third time was not the charm, and he experienced much the same result. In the end, it took him more than a week to reach even intermediate mastery of flight, but even then, hisndings were more than a little rough. He could only resolve to get better. Practice, as they said, made perfect, and Elijah was determined to reach that level. Because flying was intoxicating. More than once, he found himself simply reveling in the act of soaring high above the¡¯s surface. And then there was the speed. Elijah had no real way to gauge, but he suspected that his top airspeed was at least a hundred-and-fifty miles an hour, which meant that he could cover some serious ground. That practical detail was secondary to the sensation of flying, though, and his focus on thetter was what got him into trouble. He was approaching one of therge pirs of rock that stood near the Twilight Clefts when he heard a voluminous screech. A secondter, something enormous hit him in the back, ripping through his scales and sending him plummeting toward the ground. He twisted,shing out with his ws as he used everything he¡¯d learned to correct his flight path. He managed to level out just before he would have hit the ground, and as he skimmed across the rocky terrain, he craned his long neck backward to see an enormous raptor ¨C it looked a bit like an eagle, but with a bright red coloring that marked it as unique ¨C circling the pir. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t pursue, hinting to Elijah that its intention was to protect what was probably its nest. So, he flew away,nding after a couple of miles to see to his wounds. He was just healing when something interrupted his intended flying practice. The radio in his Ghoul-Hide Satchel crackled to life. He could barely hear it, but when he retrieved the contraption, a familiar voice came through, ¡°Elijah Hart. If you can hear me, please respond.¡± It was Lucy. He pressed the button, then said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Uh¡­over?¡± ¡°Oh, thank God. I¡¯ve been trying to contact you for over a day,¡± she said breathlessly. ¡°Sorry. I was busy. Do you need something?¡± ¡°You need to get back to Seattle. Someone¡¯s here looking for you.¡± Elijah immediately thought about Thor. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t alone. So, he asked, ¡°Who is it? And who even knows I was in Seattle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but it¡¯s Carmen. Your sister-inw is here.¡± That was all Elijah needed to hear. He told Lucy that he was on his way, then shoved the radio back into his satchel before shifting into Shape of the Sky. He was speeding toward Seattle a momentter. Book 3: Chapter 81: A Rescue Book 3: Chapter 81: A Rescue Carmen paced back and forth, keenly aware of the three guards standing near the door. More importantly, she could feel the cameras pointed at her, and she knew the dangers they represented. After all, it had only been a day since she¡¯d felt the bite of Seattle¡¯s war machinery. Upon reaching the city, she and herpanions had been so relieved. Atst, they¡¯d reached civilization, and not a moment too soon. Their water reserves had run out the day before, and they¡¯d exhausted the majority of the medicinal flesh of the cacti that Theresa had gathered. Without them, they would have long since sumbed to the bites from the huge lizards that seemed somon in the desert. In short, they were on theirst legs, and if they hadn¡¯t spotted the enormous mesa in the distance, the weaker members of the group ¨C including Miguel ¨C would have fallen. So, they¡¯d approached the city with no small degree of relief, only to be osted by a group of hunters. The men and women had seen them as easy prey ¨C not the battle-hardened survivors the refugees had be ¨C and they¡¯d quickly shown the hunters the error of their ways. Even with their thirst-induced weakness, the survivors had managed to fight the bandits to a standstill that was only broken up by a swarm of weaponized drones swooping in and firing a barrage of stunnings upon thebatants. Carmen had fought free, but that only brought more attention from the flying menaces. And eventually, she¡¯d been captured, just like all the rest. That should have been the end of it. If there was any justice in the world, at least. But as it turned out, it was her word against that of the attackers, and, on top of that, there were some sort of politics at y. So, it was far moreplicated than it should have been, and even though they¡¯d been the victims, Carmen and herpanions had been detained. That¡¯s when Lucy hade into the picture. She barely knew the woman, except from Alyssa¡¯s stories of her childhood. However, Lucy somehow knew Carmen, and, after a brief meeting, she¡¯d been working on the group¡¯s behalf. That was probably the only reason they hadn¡¯t been executed. Carmen knew that. It would have been much easier for the city¡¯s leadership to simply rid themselves of the problem. And in a lot of ways, Carmen wished they would get on with it. She was tired. Exhausted, really. And she was fed up with living minute-to-minute, assailed by one horror after another, with no sce on the horizon. So, she preferred for something to happen, rather than waiting, stuck in limbo while the powers-that-be figured out what to do.Of course, on the heels of that came guilt. She knew that desire was false. She would keep going through however many hardships she was forced to endure, so long as her son survived. She¡¯d already tried to talk her way free, but that hadn¡¯t worked. So, she had no other option but to wait. And she¡¯d never been great at that. So, when the door finally opened, Carmen¡¯s mood had long since soured. But it all disappeared the moment she saw the person in the doorway. ¡°Elijah?¡± He looked different. Thest time Carmen had seen her brother-inw, he¡¯d been knocking on death¡¯s door as he battled terminal cancer. It was only a video call on Alyssa¡¯sptop, but even then, he¡¯d been a shadow of his former self. Now, he looked like he was on theplete opposite end of the spectrum. He wasn¡¯t just healthy. He was strong, with an aura of vitality and ethera wafting off of him with every breath. It was like standing in the presence of a natural treasure, and his mere presence took her breath away. As Carmen took a deep breath, she catalogued his other features. He hadn¡¯t shaved in months, and his blonde beard was both bushy and unkempt, like he¡¯d spent all that time in the wilderness. His curly hair wasn¡¯t all that better, though it looked like he¡¯d at least run ab through it sometime in the past week or two. He wore oddly-cut clothing that reminded Carmen of a Renaissance faire, though her experience with crafting told her that they were at least Crude-Grade. Maybe even better. His other equipment ¨C a red sash around his waist, a couple of rings on his fingers, an iron-shod staff, and even the purse at his waist ¨C glowed with far more power. He was as well-geared as anyone she had ever seen. But that was probably appropriate, given his cement on the power rankings. Being in the top three obviously came with many opportunities for loot. Then there were the scars. The most obvious were located on his hand, and those looked like the result of severe burns. They were a little faded, but still extremely obvious. Carmen only saw hints of other scars ¨C like a pair that peeked out from beneath his tunic or a few that were visible below the mid-calf hem of his pants ¨C but they all coalesced to suggest that her hardships were not unique. In fact, it was obvious that Elijah had endured plenty of his own. ¡°Camen,¡± he said, his voice cracking with emotion. He stepped forward ¨C notably, the guards didn¡¯t even try to stop him ¨C and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. ¡°You have no idea how long I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. For her part, Carmen couldn¡¯t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks as she buried her face in his shoulder. Part of it was simple relief. She¡¯d never fancied herself a damsel in distress, but Elijah¡¯s sudden presence felt like a rescue, and in all the best ways. After a long embrace, Elijah pulled away, and he asked the obvious question, ¡°Where¡¯s Alyssa? And Miguel?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s a long story,¡± Carmen said, noticing that Elijah had shed a few tears of his own. She nced at the guards, then at the camera, saying, ¡°And not one I¡¯m going to tell here.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± he said. After that, he turned to the guards and stated, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Don¡¯t try to stop me.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re taking the others with us,¡± Carmen said. She and the rest of the refugees had been separated and ced in different cells. Carmen didn¡¯t even know where the others were being held. She then exined as much to Elijah. He reacted predictably, telling the guards, ¡°Get her friends. Now.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°Do it,¡± came a voice over an unseen inte system. ¡°Give him what he wants. Except the swordsman. He stays.¡± That was just as predictable as Elijah¡¯s reaction. Colt had killed three men, and in full view of the drones. Clearly, that came with consequences. Carmen didn¡¯t intend to abandon her friend, but she could read the room well enough to recognize that arguing would do nothing to help Colt. Instead, she wanted to get Miguel to safety before she worried about Colt¡¯s situation. He would do the same thing if their situations were reversed. So, over the next few minutes, Carmen and Elijah waited as one of the guards went to fetch the others. When the remaining refugees ¨C including Miguel ¨C arrived, Camen was happy to see that they were in decent condition, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself from ensuring that Miguel was unhurt. They¡¯d been fed and watered, at least. That was as good of treatment as she could have expected. Upon seeing Miguel, Elijah smiled wryly and said, ¡°Last time I saw you, you were only this tall.¡± To entuate his point, he held his hand at about waist height. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Miguel gave him a firm nod, but refrained from speaking. It wasn¡¯t the time for a family reunion, after all, and Miguel was aware enough to recognize that. After that, the guards escorted them out of the building, which turned out to be some sort ofw enforcement hub. Along the way, she saw plenty of ck-d guards, each one looking overworked and more than a little fed up with their situations. Keeping the peace in a city popted by people with superhuman powers had to be a thankless proposition. Regardless, no one stopped them as they were shown to the door and freed. Elijah told the guard, ¡°Inform your boss that we¡¯re not done. I appreciate him amodating me, but I intend to see the other one freed as well. So, after I get these people settled, Isaiah and I are going to have a long conversation.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± came a male voice from overhead. Carmen looked up to see a drone hovering silently above them. Other than a simple nod, Elijah didn¡¯t acknowledge the statement. Instead, he turned and led Carmen and the others through the city. Her first trip into the city had been short ¨C the building where they¡¯d been housed was right next to the wall ¨C so Carmen hadn¡¯t had the chance to see much of Seattle. Because of that, she was more than a little surprised at the state of the city. It looked nothing like Easton. Roman¡¯s city was clean, with mostly new buildings that wereid out in a perfectly organized grid. Seattle, on the other hand, was haphazard, and many of the buildings had clearly been constructed from the remnants of the old city. Some of thendmarks remained, but for the most part, it looked as if the city was in the midst of a post-war rebuild. The people were an odd collection of old and new, with various ethera-fueled electronics right alongside swords, staves, and axes. Most of the people wore modern clothing in various states of degradation, but there were plenty of residents wearing armor and robes. It made for a unique atmosphere that wasn¡¯t present somewhere like Easton, where people had fully embraced the differences that hade with Earth¡¯s transformation. Carmen wasn¡¯t certain which way was better. On the one hand, Easton was clearly more advanced in terms of quality of life. However, Seattle¡¯s use of electronics seemed like a worthy route to integrating Earth¡¯s past into its future. Regardless, that wasn¡¯t really what upied most of Carmen¡¯s thoughts. Instead, she was almost entirely focused on how she was going to tell Elijah that his sister was gone. It wasn¡¯t an easy conversation, made even more difficult by the circumstances surrounding Alyssa¡¯s death. And Carmen knew that if she told Elijah everything at once, he would tear off across the world and kill Roman. Because that¡¯s what she wanted to do. If it was just her, she¡¯d have done as much the moment she¡¯d discovered the truth. Certainly, she would have failed. She couldn¡¯t stand up to Roman and the institutions of power with which he¡¯d surrounded himself. She would have thrown her life away, and, at the time, she would have been fine with that. However, she¡¯d reined herself in because she didn¡¯t only have her own life to protect. Miguel depended on her. So did Colt. And the other refugees. Due to that, she couldn¡¯t afford to act selfishly. And Elijah was in the same situation. Perhaps he had a better chance of sess. Carmen had no idea how much power he held. Yet, she needed him. So did Miguel. He obviously held sway with the Seattle government, and more, he knew how to survive. If her exile had taught her anything, it was that that was the most important thing in the new world. She and the others wouldn¡¯t make it much longer on their own. Finally, with those thoughts dancing in her mind, Carmen and the others followed Elijah to a huge, ss building. They didn¡¯t go inside, though. Instead, they found their way to a nearby structure that had once been a small apartment building. There were men in leather armor standing outside, but Elijah paid them no mind as he entered. That¡¯s when Carmen saw Lucy. The leggy and bespectacled blonde weed them to her home, and another woman escorted the others further inside, presumably so they could get cleaned up, fed, and settled in to sleep. Meanwhile, Lucy herself led Elijah, Carmen, and Miguel to the second floor, which had been set up as an enormous suite that was clearly Lucy¡¯s private residence. ¡°Nice ce,¡± Carmen said, impressed as she looked around. Like the rest of the city, it was a mix of old and new, though the ce had all the amenities of a stylish modern apartment. Lucy thanked her for thepliment, then offered them food and drink. Elijah epted the offer, so Carmen and Miguel did the same. Soon enough, they each had tes of fresh fruit and vegetables along with huge bottles of water. Finally, once they were settled and Lucy had left them alone ¡°to get reacquainted¡±, Elijah said, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for that long story.¡± Carmen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not a good one,¡± she warned. ¡°I figured that out. Where¡¯s my sister?¡± ¡°She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s gone,¡± Carmen said. ¡°She died more than two years ago.¡± Book 3: Chapter 82: Strength by Selfless Necessity Book 3: Chapter 82: Strength by Selfless Necessity The armrest of the couch shattered under Elijah¡¯s grip. The moment he had seen that Carmen was alone, he knew what she would say. But some part of him had refused to ept it until those fatal words left his sister-inw¡¯s mouth. ¡°She¡¯s¡­she¡¯s gone,¡± Carmen¡¯s words echoed in every facet of Elijah¡¯s mind, ying over and over again. For once, he regretted his cultivation. ¡°She died almost two years ago.¡± A hundred regrets washed over Elijah, and they went back to the very beginning. Upon washing ashore, he had been content to simply survive. Gaining levels had been a side effect of continuing to live another day. He¡¯d only killed when absolutely necessary, and even then, only the weakest creatures around. That meant that, when he finally started to take leveling seriously, he¡¯d been fighting from behind. Since then, he¡¯d let one distraction after another direct his course. If he¡¯d been more focused, perhaps he could have found Alyssa in time. ¡°How?¡± he asked, his voice barely audible as he stared at the floor,pletely unseeing. ¡°A tower,¡± Carmen answered, her own voice quivering with emotion. ¡°She went in so she could protect Easton, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± he asked. People dying in towers wasn¡¯t umon. It took preparation as well as a very specific mindset for most people to survive the system¡¯s challenges. Elijah had managed it, but he knew that few others would have the skillset necessary to repeat his feat. He¡¯d learned that from escorting Ironshore¡¯s fighters through the tower in his Domain, and that reality had been further established when the elves had nearly died in his most recent run through the Magister¡¯s Estate. Still, Elijah felt that there was more to the story. Carmen shook her head and asked, ¡°Do you really want to know? It¡¯s going to change everything. We need you right now, Elijah. I don¡¯t know your story. I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ve survived. But you¡¯re decked out in a fortune¡¯s worth of gear, and you¡¯re in the top five on the power rankings. I need you. Miguel needs you.¡±¡°Not top five. Top one,¡± came a voice from nearby. ¡°He¡¯s the most powerful person in the world, now.¡± Elijah nced toward Lucy, who¡¯d brought another tter of fruit with her. She didn¡¯t stand around, though. Instead, she left the fruit behind and vacated the room, giving Elijah¡¯s shoulder a squeeze on her way out. ¡°Someone killed her, didn¡¯t they?¡± Elijah asked, trying to keep his tone even. But inside, it felt like someone had wrapped barbed wire around his heart. His insides had twisted into knots, and his mind roiled with the reality of his sister¡¯s demise. It had always been a possibility. In the most rational parts of his mind, he¡¯d known that from the very beginning. There was a reason many people referred to Earth being touched by the World Tree as the apocalypse. Billions had died, and that death toll continued to rise each day. But he¡¯d never even considered that Alyssa might have fallen. Not consciously, at least. ¡°Yes,¡± Carmen answered. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Someone she thought was a friend,¡± Carmen said. ¡°You know how she was. She always gave people the benefit of the doubt.¡± Then, she told Elijah everything she knew about Alyssa¡¯s death. About how they¡¯d struggled to survive in the wake of the World Tree¡¯s touch, how Roman had risen to a position of leadership within the buddingmunity, and how Alyssa had opposed the man¡¯s potentially disastrous policies. ¡°When it came time tobat the tower,¡± Carmen went on. ¡°There was never any question of whether or not Alyssa would go. She was the strongest person in town, and she felt that it was her duty to protect everyone. I warned her against it. I tried to get her to see the dangers Roman represented. But she trusted him. All she saw was the friend he¡¯d been before the apocalypse. I knew what kind of person he was, though. I saw it before, and it only got worse the more power he attained.¡± ¡°So, he killed her in the tower,¡± Elijah guessed, a numb rage pervading his mind. The only reason he hadn¡¯t immediately set off to kill the man was because of the words that had preceded Carmen¡¯s exnation. She needed him. So did Miguel. And they were the only family he had left. He wouldn¡¯t abandon them on a quest for revenge ¨C not until he could guarantee their safety. ¡°Not alone,¡± Carmen answered. ¡°He had help. They¡¯re all dead, now.¡± ¡°You killed them?¡± ¡°One of them. I¡­I lost control when I found out,¡± Carmen said, clenching her fist and looking down at her knuckles. ¡°What happened after?¡± he asked, keeping his rage from his voice. Still, there was a slight quiver. A tremble that betrayed the fact that he was barely holding on. Finding out that Alyssa was gone was bad enough, but discovering that she had been killed by some would-be despot? It very nearly pushed him over the edge. As images of ripping some faceless man limb from limb danced in Elijah¡¯s mind, Carmen exined the failed rebellion that sounded like it had never really gotten off the ground. Then, she told him the story of Miguel¡¯s kidnapping, then the warlord¡¯s betrayal, before ending with the deal Roman had offered. Carmen continued to look down at her hands as she said, ¡°I should have tried to kill him. I wanted to. But Miggy was right there. I couldn¡¯t run the risk that he¡¯d get caught in the crossfire. So, I took his deal. I made his sword, and we were exiled.¡± Then, she went on to recount their harrowing journey through the wilderness, telling him about their encounters with bandits, life-sucking sidhe, andke monsters, in addition to more mundane creatures that had tried to kill them. Finally, she exined how they¡¯d ended up in the holding cells in which he¡¯d found them. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Thest part he already knew from his conversation with Isaiah, who very much hadn¡¯t wanted to give up his prisoners. Elijah had been forced to make some promises about rendering aid in theing conflict with the people of Mercer Mesa, though he¡¯d already resolved to do that, so he didn¡¯t feel as if he¡¯d really given anything up. Regardless, he wasn¡¯t thinking about that. Instead, in the wake of Carmen¡¯s tale, Elijah found himself staring at his sister-inw. She had changed. Once, she¡¯d been quite bulky, owing to many hours in the gym. However, now she looked like she¡¯d lost at least twenty pounds, probably due to ack of proper nutrition and the rigors of traveling through such hostile territory. That, as much as anything, cooled his ire. It didn¡¯t obliterate it. He was still just as angry as ever. Yet, Elijah knew that he needed to adopt a less reactive attitude, if for no other reason than because his only remaining family needed that from him. He would have been a terrible person indeed if he ignored those responsibilities in favor of seeking revenge. ¡°What do you intend to do?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°In the long-term? Or right now?¡± he asked, far more calmly than he truly felt. His tears had dried, leaving behind only a numb realization that he would never see his sister again. ¡°Both?¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m going to kill him. I know that. I¡¯m still debating whether or not I want to kill everyone else in that city, too,¡± he admitted. ¡°There are also questions of how much I want him to suffer. That¡¯s the thing about healing. I can take a leg off, then heal him to keep him from bleeding out. I could take him apart, piece by piece. I know all the ways to make it hurt, too.¡± He stood, feeling a frigidck of remorse spreading through his mind. ¡°But this guy really loves his position, right? He likes being in charge. Maybe I¡¯ll just take that apart, first. From what you¡¯ve said, that would probably hurt more than losing a few limbs, right?¡± Elijah said. Turning back to Carmen, who was looking at him like she had no idea who he was. She was right to think that. Elijah had changed. At times, he still felt like the easy-going, often-cking, and always apathetic biologist. But he was a killer. He¡¯d proven that so many times that he¡¯d lost count of all the ways he¡¯d be a different person. ¡°Once, I let a bully stay in power. He sent some people after me, and I let a friend convince me to just leave, rather than show that man the error of his ways. I regret that, now, but at the time, I thought that keeping him in charge was better for the people who lived in his city. That¡¯s not true, though, is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Carmen admitted. ¡°Without Roman, a lot of people would have died.¡± ¡°Because of him, one person who didn¡¯t deserve it did die.¡± ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that? I¡¯ve lived with that every day for the past two years,¡± Carmen spat. Then, she nced at Miguel, who¡¯d remained silent the entire time. ¡°I know,¡± Elijah said. ¡°My point is that I can¡¯t afford to act without thinking. I want this man to suffer. And he will. The only question is how many people get caught in the crossfire.¡± ¡°And what about the short-term?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°Do you live around here?¡± ¡°No,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I live a long way from here. Thousands of miles, I think. But that¡¯s not important. As soon as we get your friend released, I intend to take you all home with me. Or those that want toe, at least. I won¡¯t force anybody to do anything they don¡¯t want to do.¡± ¡°We just spent months in the wilderness,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone will want to spend months more in the ¨C¡± ¡°They won¡¯t have to. I need a couple of weeks. Maybe a month. Then, we¡¯ll be in my Grove. Nobody will have to spend more than a few days outside this city,¡± he said. ¡°How?¡± He forced a smile he didn¡¯t feel. He feared that it came off more as a snarl. Or at best, a grimace. Regardless, he answered with as truthful an exnation as he was willing to give outside of his own grove. He trusted Lucy, but Isaiah had proven that he had ears everywhere in Seattle. So, he said, ¡°Teleportation. It¡¯s a bit limited, but I can manage to get you all back home. I have some other cities I could take your friends ¨C one in particr ¨C but I want you and Miguel toe home with me. It¡¯s safe.¡± Indeed, he didn¡¯t mind bringing Carmen¡¯s otherpanions to his Grove, but he didn¡¯t intend to let anyone but family live there. They could settle in Ironshore, though. After that, he excused himself, swinging by the kitchen to ask Lucy to help get Carmen and Miguel settled. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± she asked. ¡°I know how close you and Alyssa were.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Not now. Maybe not for a while,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­I still haven¡¯t processed it, yet.¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m here for you, right?¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to confront this alone.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve tried that before, remember?¡± she went on. ¡°I do,¡± he said. ¡°And I know better, now. But I¡¯ll tell you right now, I¡¯m going to get Carmen and Miguel somewhere safe, then I¡¯m going after her killer. So, I probably won¡¯t be around for a while.¡± ¡°Just so you don¡¯t withdrawpletely,¡± Lucy responded. ¡°I am here for you, but all I really care about is that you have someone. If it¡¯s Carmen, that¡¯s fine. Or someone else, if you have friends that can fill that role. I don¡¯t know. But no man is an ind, Elijah. We all need other people. I can be that for you. We¡¯ve always been friends, right?¡± ¡°I¡­I know,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°And I appreciate it, Lucy. Once I wrap my head around it, I might take you up on the offer. For now, though, I need to talk to Isaiah and get him to release Carmen¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°He killed three men,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I¡¯ve killed a lot more than that,¡± Elijah said. It was only partially true. He hadn¡¯t killed many actual people. Only a handful. But if he counted orcs and tower denizens, that number skyrocketed. ¡°Nobody¡¯s trying to put me in jail. If Isaiah knows what¡¯s best for him, he¡¯ll let the guy go. If he doesn¡¯t, then¡­well¡­I don¡¯t want to think about that.¡± After that, Elijah left Lucy¡¯s quarters, then the building where they were housed. Soon enough, he¡¯d crossed the city and found himself standing before the capitol building. He didn¡¯t get past the fountain in the center of the grounds before he saw Isaiah limping in his direction. The man¡¯s infirmity wasn¡¯t immediately noticeable, but to Elijah, who¡¯d felt the curious amalgamation of ethera and machinery in Isaiah¡¯s leg, it was obvious. ¡°I know what you want,¡± Isaiah stated when he reached Elijah, who¡¯d stopped beside the dry fountain. It was filled with sand and old coins. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just let him go. He killed three people,¡± the leader of Seattle said. ¡°He¡¯s going free,¡± Elijah stated evenly without looking at Isaiah. ¡°The question is whether or not I be an enemy in the process.¡± ¡°You¡¯d go back on the deal? For one man? Who is he to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never even met him,¡± Elijah answered, turning his gaze on Isaiah. ¡°But he¡¯s important to someone I care about. I don¡¯t have many of those. People I care about, I mean. And I just found out that one less made it through the apocalypse. So, you can imagine that I¡¯m prettymitted to helping the ones I have left. That means you need to release the man you have in custody. Or I¡¯ll take him. It¡¯s your choice.¡± A clearly unhappy Isaiah sighed. ¡°Fine. He¡¯ll be at the Gardener¡¯spound in an hour,¡± he said. ¡°Good. And Isaiah? I hope he¡¯s not hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the Healers look him over.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Elijah said. Then, without another word, he strode away, only one facet of his Mind on the conversation he¡¯d just carried out. The rest was still wrestling with the fact that his sister was gone. He felt that wouldn¡¯t change anytime soon. Book 3: Chapter 83: The Fallibility of Memory Book 3: Chapter 83: The Fallibility of Memory Elijah sat next to a fire, sipping water from his new canteen. It hadn¡¯t even urred to him to have his loot identified back in Seattle. He had far too much on his mind. Even after his previous resolution to keep his priorities in order, it had taken every bit of self-control he possessed to keep himself from taking on the Shape of the Sky and flying toward Easton. He could have reached the city in a couple of days, and then, he could get on with the business of exacting revenge for his sister¡¯s murder. Yet, the moment he¡¯did eyes on Miguel and Carmen, he¡¯d remembered why he had made the choices he had made. First, he needed to get them to safety. Then, he would help them to get their lives back on track. Maybe that meant settling them into Ironshore. Carmen was a cksmith, after all. She could surely find a ce in the mining town. And there were other children in Ironshore. Miguel could make friends his own age. It was a good n, though Elijah wasn¡¯t certain that Miguel would ever fully recover from the things he¡¯d experienced. They had changed him, and irrevocably. The only question was whether or not he would embrace that change and use it to his advantage or if he would let it cripple him. It wasn¡¯t that simple, Elijah knew. The human psyche was a fragile thing, and healing it wasn¡¯t as simple as mending broken bones. At best, Miguel would be scarred for years toe. At worst, he would have post-traumatic stress disorder. As callous as it was, Elijah hoped for the former, if only because those scars could be potent armor for life in a world that was as far from safe as humanity had ever experienced. In any case, Elijah felt obligated to keep the only family he had left as safe as he could manage. So, he hadn¡¯t taken off for Easton. Not immediately. Though his rage remained just as potent as ever, he¡¯d shunted it into its own facet of his Quartz Mind, where it could roil as much as it needed. Every now and then, he focused on it. It was almost a form of torture, and it kept the pain fresh, but he felt that he needed that reminder. It was a means to keep him from forgetting that he had another duty. Because eventually, vengeance woulde. Elijah didn¡¯t look over as Carmen settled in beside him. She, Miguel, and the tall, slender swordsman whose freedom Elijah had negotiated, had insisted oning with him as he scouted out a new location for a dolmen. It slowed him down considerably, but he didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse them. The other refugees had remained with Lucy to recover before embarking on their new lives. ¡°You know what¡¯s weird?¡± he said, still staring at the fire. ¡°I don¡¯t remember her face. Not really. I remember events. I remember that stupid sweater she wore thest time I came home for Christmas. But I can¡¯t remember her face.¡±¡°I do,¡± Carmen said, sitting with her forearms on her knees. ¡°I remember all those best memories in perfect detail. I even remember thest time I saw her. She was wearing the armor I made for her. Carrying the spear I¡¯d forged. And she seemed so hopeful, like she intended to use the time in the tower to mend the breaking rtionship she had with the man who¡¯d once been her friend. Her mentor, really. I sometimes wonder if she had that attitude right up until they murdered her.¡± ¡°I wish I had memories like that,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°I was talking to her on a video call when the world changed. I had no idea that would be thest time I¡¯d ever see her.¡± Then, he nced at Carmen, asking, ¡°You don¡¯t have any pictures or anything, do you?¡± Carmen shook her head, her face illuminated by the firelight. Elijah could see tears glistening from her cheeks. She did that a lot,tely. It was as if finally finding Elijah had reignited her grief. For his part, he¡¯d shed plenty of his own tears, though most of them hade in seclusion. He wasn¡¯t ashamed of it or anything. Crying was a normal reaction to loss. However, he wasn¡¯t the sort of person who took sce inpany. For better or worse, he was a loner, and his time since the World Tree¡¯s touch had descended upon Earth had only entuated that. So, he usually wept alone, just like he did everything else with only himself forpany. ¡°No,¡± Carmen answered. ¡°Before everything happened, most everything was digital. We had some family photos in the house, but when we left, we prioritized supplies. By the time we came back, everything had been destroyed. After that, I just never thought to get anything new made. There were a couple of artists in Easton but¡­I guess I just thought we had more time.¡± She sighed. ¡°I thought I saw iting,¡± she admitted. ¡°I even warned her. But I didn¡¯t really think he¡¯d go that far. We were all friends. We had neighborhood barbecues. They worked together for years. In retrospect, I should have seen the signs. His wife was terrified of him. I don¡¯t think he was ever abusive ¨C not physically, at least ¨C but¡­well, knowing what I know now, it should have been obvious that he¡¯d go down this road.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯ve killed people, you know. Not many, but there was one just a few days ago. I don¡¯t know why he attacked me, either. He was at the top of the power rankings. Higher level than me. But when it came time, I didn¡¯t hesitate to do what needed to be done.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°Because I want you to understand that that was me when I didn¡¯t really have anything against the guy, other than that he attacked me,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I crushed his skull. But this? This is going to be different.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°I know,¡± she said softly. It was telling that she didn¡¯t try to dissuade him. Carmen wanted Roman dead as much as anyone, but it seemed that she had epted her own limitations. For the next hour, they both remained in ce, staring at the fire. As they did, the sun slowly rose above the horizon, casting the sky in blue and orange. It was a beautiful sight, but neither were in the right frame of mind to appreciate it. Still, the rising sun brought with it a pair of wakefulpanions. Colt pushed himself to his feet, then stretched a few times before silently joining them by the fire. Miguel mimicked the swordsman. ¡°What are we doing out here?¡± asked Carmen. Elijah answered, ¡°I need to find an appropriate spot for a dolmen.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± asked Miguel. ¡°It¡¯s like a monument. Think of Stonehenge,¡± Carmen answered, clearly putting her educational background as a historian to good use. Then, she asked, ¡°Why, though? Is it¡­like, a memorial site?¡± Elijah shook his head, saying, ¡°No. Not really. I assume there¡¯s one of those back in Easton, right?¡± ¡°There is. No body, though,¡± Carmen said. Then, she quietly added, ¡°Just a marker.¡± Elijah¡¯s fingers tightened into a fist, but he didn¡¯t immediately respond to that piece of information. Instead, he took a deep breath, before saying, ¡°This dolmen is special. It¡¯s part of a spell. Once I¡¯ve finished it, I¡¯ll be able to teleport back¡­home. There are limitations, so it might take an extra week after that, but that¡¯s something we¡¯ll figure outter. For now, though, we¡¯re searching for the perfect spot.¡± ¡°How will you know it?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s more of a feeling than anything. Or if I find a natural treasure,¡± he said. ¡°But this close to Seattle, I doubt there¡¯s anything around.¡± After that, he shared some of his grove berries among the group, but he got a bit of a shock when Miguel passed out after a single bite. It onlysted a few frantic seconds, and when he rose, he eagerly asked for more while wearing a mile-wide grin across his face. Carmen nixed that idea, and Elijah tended to agree. From what he¡¯d felt, the boy hadn¡¯t actually been hurt by the berry. He¡¯d just been overloaded by ethera and vitality, which both seemed like good things. Regardless, he wasn¡¯t going to go against a mother¡¯s wishes regarding her child, so he handed over some dried meat instead. Carmen and Colt had no issues with the berries, though. It was, in fact, the opposite, and even that small meal left the both of them looking a little healthier and far more energetic. That left Elijah to look forward to what his coffee would do, once he got around to harvesting his trees and roasting the beans. In any case, after they finished their breakfast, they smothered the fire and set off across the desert. To Elijah¡¯s surprise, the others were decent enough with their woodcraft, but he found plenty of opportunities to point out one thing or another, especially to Miguel, who took to the lessons with verve. He seemed especially interested when Elijah grabbed one of the big desert monitors and let the boy touch it. The reptile wasn¡¯t particrly happy about being manhandled, but because of Elijah¡¯s long experience in the wilderness and, most likely, his archetype, the creature tolerated it. Still, when Elijah released the four-foot-long lizard, it scurried away and disappeared into the desert. Like that, they continued for three more days until, atst, Elijah sensed something nearby. He couldn¡¯t figure out what, precisely, it was, but he recognized the feeling as simr to what he felt outside of Argos. Before, that sensation had led him to the site of the Dragon Circle, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to follow the ephemeral trail. When it ended, he couldn¡¯t help but gasp at what he found. It was a small pond, maybe a hundred feet across and surrounded by greenery. More importantly, when Elijah approached ¨C alone ¨C he sensed that the pond yed host to a guardian. He pulled a hunk of meat from his satchel as he stepped into the tiny oasis, and at first, he didn¡¯t see the creature he sensed. However, it only took a moment before he saw the bulge of a giant shell cutting through the water. Elijah tossed the still-bloody hunk of meat into the water. Or at least that was where its arc should have taken it. Instead, a giant turtle snapped out, catching the chunk in its beak. ¡°Easy there,¡± Elijah said, his voice steady as he held out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you or take your treasure.¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t even certain there was a treasure to take. He didn¡¯t feel one. But in his experience, one usually came with the other. It didn¡¯t matter, though. He wasn¡¯t some ravening devourer hellbent on harvesting everything that could be of use. He only wanted to build his dolmen, though he needed to make peace with the giant turtle before hemitted to that. Thankfully, animals were fairly predictable. Part of that was clearly his archetype¡¯s influence. One with Nature could be taken literally, and wildlife ¨C whether that meant animals or the more advanced guardians ¨C tended to ept him far more easily than they did other people. So, the creature was already predisposed to epting him, which meant that it only took a few hours of feeding to get it on his side. Still, when Carmen, Miguel, and Colt finally approached to see him scratching the creature¡¯s chin ¨C its head was at least two feet across, and the rest of its body matched that size ¨C it let out a low rumble. To which Elijah responded with a simple, ¡°No.¡± Its growl didn¡¯t cease until Elijah fed it another hunk of meat. After that, it went silent, even allowing Miguel to approach. He seemed to delight in the turtle¡¯s presence, which the thing picked up on. Apparently, giant oasis turtles could read a person¡¯s mood. Either way, thatsted a few more hours before Elijah was willing to leave the others in the oasis while he searched the area for proper materials. At first Carmen insisted on apanying him, but he only responded by saying, ¡°You¡¯ll just slow me down. I need to cover a lot of ground. You can help when I¡¯m toting rocks across the desert, though.¡± After that, he cast Shape of the Sky, eliciting three gasps of surprise. He said, ¡°Rx. It¡¯s still me. This is my secret. Just go with it.¡± Then, heunched himself into the air, and though he wobbled a bit ¨C he still wasn¡¯tpletely ustomed to the mechanics of flight ¨C he quickly found himself soaring high into the skies. Once there, he circled a few times before activating Eyes of the Eagle. From so high up, and with his vision magnified, he could see for dozens of miles in every direction. Still, it took a few more hours before he found a sandstone pir that was surrounded by dozens of appropriately sized boulders. It was almost forty miles away from the oasis, which meant that he was in for a significant hardship, getting everything into ce. However, if there was one thing he was ustomed to, it was hard work. So, hended, shifted into the form of themer ape, then hefted thergest stone. A momentter, he was trudging across the desert, once again carrying a multi-ton boulder on his back. Book 3: Chapter 84: Circle of Spears Book 3: Chapter 84: Circle of Spears ¡°See, I have to carve these little holes in the stone so the structure won¡¯t tip over the first time a stormes through,¡± Elijah said, pointing to the intended location of the first of many mortice holes. ¡°And the piece that goes on top will have protrusions that fit into the holes.¡± ¡°Like Legos,¡± Miguel responded with a nod. ¡°Exactly. I thought the same thing,¡± Elijah said. Then, he shifted into hismer ape form, adding in his growly voice, ¡°I have to have nine sets of two heel stones. Those are the bases. Then, I¡¯ll fit nine capstones on top of them.¡± As Elijah got to work carving the first mortice hole, Miguel narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier if you had some tools? I bet mom could make you a real chisel.¡± ¡°Uh¡­maybe?¡± Indeed, that made a lot of sense. With each of his other dolmens, he¡¯d worked almost exclusively with his own ws. They were as hard as any metal he¡¯d found, and the increased attributes that came with them made everything that much easier. Still, he felt a little silly that he¡¯d never even thought of buying a proper chisel. ¡°It would have to be at least Crude-Grade, though,¡± Miguel guessed, running his hand along the sandstone. To the young man¡¯s credit, he hadn¡¯t reacted with horror upon seeing Elijah transform into his other forms. In fact, he¡¯d taken it in stride, which Elijah attributed to a host of traumas that had numbed Miguel to magical things. Still, it was gratifying that his nephew was actually impressed by Elijah¡¯s bestial forms. The same couldn¡¯t be said for Carmen or Colt, who, even after a couple of days, looked at those shapes with narrow-eyed suspicion. They had epted him, but it was clear that they were conflicted about it. Hopefully, they woulde around. Even so, they¡¯d both proved helpful with the construction of the dolmen. As he¡¯d toted the boulders back to the oasis, they ¨C along with Miguel ¨C had dug the holes that would amodate the structures¡¯ foundations. And they¡¯d done a better job than Elijah ever could have, owing to Carmen¡¯s archetype as a Tradesman. It was a good thing, too, because with the pond so close, and with the porous nature of the earth surrounding the oasis, water had a habit of seeping through. Carmen had fixed that with a generous application of her skills as a crafter.That was when she was at her best. Because when Carmen wasn¡¯t busy, the weight of everything she¡¯d been through settled onto her shoulders. And as strong as she was, it was more than she could bear. Often, those times would find her simply staring off toward the horizon, looking for something that clearly wasn¡¯t there. Elijah could sympathize, though with his Quartz Mind, he could shunt those unhelpful emotions into their own facet where he could ignore them. Mostly. He knew it wasn¡¯t entirely healthy, just as he recognized that keeping the fires of his rage stoked in another facet was a bad coping mechanism. But he couldn¡¯t afford to deal with those problems at present. Because he needed to ensure his family¡¯s safety. That was the responsibility that superseded everything else, even if he was forced to constantly remind himself to adhere to his n instead of flying off toward Easton to exact revenge. So, he worked. And he tried to convey his process to Miguel. Much of it was instinctive. In the past, outside of building the basic structure of his dolmens, he hadn¡¯t consciously guided the process. However, now that he tried to teach Miguel what he was doing, it was like a door had opened in Elijah¡¯s mind. Suddenly, he paid attention to the swirls of ethera all around him. They¡¯d been there before, but it took conscious thought to acknowledge them. ¡°I guess it¡¯s part of my archetype,¡± he admitted when Miguel asked about it. ¡°I¡¯m a Druid, and I have a spell called One with Nature. Up until now, I just thought it gave me a small boost to my attributes and let me feel everything around me. But I think it might be a lot more than that.¡± ¡°What does it feel like?¡± asked the boy. No ¨C young man. He was only an inch shorter than Elijah, which meant that he would almost assuredly grow even taller than his uncle. Given Carmen¡¯s short stature, Elijah could only assume that Miguel got his height from his biological sire. Or maybe Carmen had some taller ancestors, and the genes had simply skipped her generation. It was even possible that the influx of ethera was responsible. After all, it had influenced everything else about Earth¡¯s environment. From the flora to the fauna, and even the very sandstone with which he was currently working, the entire had been changed. Who was to say that ethera wouldn¡¯t affect human development, too? Perhaps a Schr would know. Regardless, Elijah sensed nothing amiss with the young man. He was perfectly healthy, even if he hadn¡¯t quite recovered from the rigors of trekking through the wilderness without proper nutrition. But those hardships had also shaped him into something far more resilient than any fourteen-year-old had a right to be. All of that shed through one facet of Elijah¡¯s mind before he said, ¡°It¡¯s overwhelming. Without my Mind cultivation, there¡¯s no way I could handle it all. I can sense all the life around me, right down to the tiniest organism. That gives me a picture of the inorganic world, too. And some sense of the ethera. I think that connection influences me. It makes me more sympathetic to wildlife. They feel more real. And I believe animals can sense that. Especially guardians like the tortoise.¡± ¡°Snappy.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°His name is Snappy.¡± ¡°Uh¡­did he tell you that?¡± asked Elijah, looking up from his work. Miguel rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course not,¡± he stated. ¡°I had a pet turtle when I was little. That was his name.¡± ¡°And the new Snappy reminds you of your pet?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Miguel admitted. ¡°I mean, look at him. I don¡¯t think turtles are supposed to have shells that sparkly.¡± Indeed, Snappy was a clearly magical creature, with a shell that looked like it was made of jagged quartz that sparkled with ethera. He was alsorger even than the giant tortoises on the Gpagos Inds. In fact, Snappy was the size of a Toyota Camry, and probably significantly heavier. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I once had most of my side bitten off by a sea turtle. I¡¯m pretty sure Snappy is a tortoise, though. Mostlynd-based. Turtles generally have much sleeker shells and are primarily aquatic. Technically, all tortoises are turtles, though all turtles aren¡¯t tortoises, so unless someone is being incredibly pedantic, you can refer to Snappy as either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magic turtle. I don¡¯t think it matters.¡± Elijah started to respond, but then thought better of it. The reality was that old ssifications didn¡¯t really matter anymore. After all, they didn¡¯t ount for the rapid transformation of most creatures. Idly, Elijah wondered if someone would embark on an effort to adjust science to the new reality. It probably wouldn¡¯t be very useful in the short term ¨C after all, everything was still changing as Earth¡¯s ethera levels continued to rise ¨C but eventually, someone could probably make a good living ssifying beasts, monsters, and guardians into a bestiary that included known weaknesses and abilities. That could prove invaluable to anyone who ventured into the wilderness. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. That seemed like the job for a Schr, though, and one with far more patience than Elijah could muster. He loved experiencing nature, but he¡¯d grown far too restless to spend days cataloguing wild creatures. Even before the world had changed, he¡¯d found that part of his job to be tedious ¨C which was probably why he¡¯de to realize how ill-suited he was to his former profession. Deep down, he¡¯d always known he was no true scientist. He didn¡¯t have the proper temperament. But Earth¡¯s transformation had mercilessly hammered that knowledge home. He had the curiosity, but not the patience to see it through to anything useful. In any case, he said, ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re probably right.¡± After that, he turned the majority of his attention to the task at hand. He could finish the project without full focus, but he knew the product would suffer. As he worked, Elijah continuously red Nature¡¯s Bounty, which was a great boon for the oasis¡¯ flora, for which Snappy seemed incredibly happy. He was clearly an omnivore, because he would greedily chomp down on any bits of meat Elijah threw his way, but his diet consisted primarily of the vegetation around the oasis. Though he also seemed to love eating the birds that would periodicallynd near the pond. And insects. A fewrge frogs. Basically anything that came into his territory was fair game. Except Elijah. And Miguel, oddly enough. Once the young man had been introduced to therge tortoise, Snappy had be more than tolerant of his presence. The same couldn¡¯t be said for Carmen or Colt, both of which drew low growls when they ventured too close to the pond. Thankfully, Elijah¡¯s dolmen ringed the oasis, which meant that none of them had to get too close to the water. Gradually, the structure began to take shape, and Elijah was more than a little impressed with Carmen¡¯s great Strength. She wasn¡¯t as strong as he was in hismer ape form, but she was nearly his human shape¡¯s equal. Though her other attributes clearlygged far behind, as far as Elijah could tell. In any case, she was very helpful when it came to arranging therge stones. She also proved incredibly useful when it came time to cing the capstones. The system of mortice holes and tenons was sufficient to hold everything in ce, but she had an ability that fused the sandstone together, making it far sturdier than it otherwise would have been. In addition, she used an ability that she called Strengthen to augment the durability of the normally brittle sandstone. When she was done, it was harder than limestone. But as had been the case with his previous dolmens, simply assembling the monuments wasn¡¯t the end of the work. Instead, Elijah focused his continued efforts on carving designs into the sandstone. At first, he just let his imagination drive his creativity, but over that first day, the designs began to take what, in hindsight, was a predictable shape. After their reunion, Elijah had asked Carmen a host of questions about his sister, and over time, he¡¯d developed some idea as to how she had reacted to the touch of the World Tree. She had be a protector and a hero, with a spear as her preferred weapon. Even her ss ¨C Dragon Lancer ¨C had reflected that. And that knowledge ¨C along with his grief for his sister ¨C shaped his designs. Slowly, the first one took its final form, and Elijah stepped back to see the results. It was a spear, following the description Carmen had given him of his sister¡¯s favored weapon. Snaking around the weapon was a serpentine, Chinese-style dragon. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were an artist,¡± Carmen remarked, clearly impressed. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Elijah said, his hands on his hips. ¡°Seventeen more.¡± ¡°Those are powerful enchantments,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°But they¡¯re different than anything I¡¯ve seen so far.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Every time I think I¡¯ve got a handle on how everything works, this system throws me a curve ball. Seeing this, it tells me how much I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Enchantments aren¡¯t constrained by the simple designs I know,¡± she answered. ¡°Until now, I thought they had to use the symbols I¡¯ve found in guides. But that¡¯s not the case. Or not the whole case, at least. I feel like¡­meaning and belief y a part. I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s moreplex than that. Form matters. But so do the other pieces. Though I think your ss lets you skip some steps with this.¡± Elijah¡¯s hand found his chin. ¡°Interesting.¡± He didn¡¯t really know much about crafting. He waspletely beholden to his instincts when it came to creating anything like his dolmens, staves, or soap. Carmen clearly had more control over her creations, though she didn¡¯t have the benefits that let him craft things far beyond his meager skills. Those creations usually came with restrictions. For instance, his staves turned out however they wanted ¨C regardless of his intent ¨C and were only usable by him. So, Carmen had far more freedom ¨C and likely, potential ¨C while Elijah¡¯s methods were more intuitive and unpredictable. ¡°Can I add something?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°Just some enchantments of my own. It should help.¡± Normally, Elijah would have refused. He knew the dolmens required a delicate bnce, even if he didn¡¯t quite understand what that truly meant. However, given the subject of the carvings and Carmen¡¯s earnest request, Elijah could not refuse. So, he just nodded. After that, Elijah continued with his task, carving the dragon spears into each heel stone. Every now and again, he¡¯d nce toward Carmen, who was hard at work with a chisel she¡¯d somehow manifested. Ethera swirled around her, suggesting that she was using more than one ability as well. The product was clearly far more borate than a few simple enchantments, though, even when her additions covered the rest of the heel stone, Elijah didn¡¯t object. It wasn¡¯t just art. Nor was it only an expression of practical necessity. The act was therapeutic. And as they worked, Elijah recognized that it was, at its core, necessary. Not just for the dolmen, but also as a monument to his sister¡¯s life. To the life of Carmen¡¯s partner. As they worked, Miguel worked with Colt, practicing swordy with a pair of sticks carmen had shaped into practice weapons. From time to time, Miguel would approach the pond and feed Snappy. A few times, he even climbed atop the giant tortoise¡¯s shell and rode the creature as it circled the pond. Snappy seemed to enjoy it almost as much as it delighted Miguel. Elijah could feel that much, which was just a reminder of how intelligent guardians could be. As therapeutic as the act of carving the dolmens was for Carmen and Elijah, the budding rtionship between boy and tortoise was just as important for Miguel. Over the next week, the dolmen took shape, and the nearby oasis grew ever more verdant. More animals arrived. Birds. Insects. Reptiles. Even a few desert rodents Elijah couldn¡¯t identify. By the time they¡¯d finished the project, the oasis had be truly paradisical. Finally, once Elijah and Carmenpleted their carvings, he received a notification that was both surprising and expected:
Congrattions! You have created a unique structure: [Circle of Spears] Overall Grade: Growth (Current: Complex) Enchantment Grade: C
The dolmen¡¯s name was appropriate, given the spear motif. More, it felt right in a way Elijah couldn¡¯t quite identify. However, the surprises came from the overall grade, which was Complex, making it the most advanced dolmen he¡¯d ever created. Yet, given Carmen¡¯s contribution, it probably shouldn¡¯t have been terribly surprising. After all, she was a proper crafter. That clearly counted for something with the system. The same could be said for the enchantment grade, which was the highest he¡¯d seen. ¡°I got two levels for that,¡± Carmen said. ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s incredible¡­¡± For his part, Elijah had gotten a little experience. Every act rted to his ss gave him a trickle of progression. But it was barely enough to move the needle. Obviously, he was no crafter, and while the system acknowledged his efforts, that was clearly a sub-optimal way to push forward. Still, Elijah hadn¡¯t created the dolmen for experience. He¡¯d started it so he¡¯d have another teleportation point, but slowly, the project had morphed into a memorial for his fallen sister. And in both endeavors, it had been an unmitigated sess. The next notification was evidence of the first:
Roots of the World Tree Empower a dolmen, connecting it to your grove. Teleport to any circle in yourwork. Cooldown: 3 Days Additional Effect: When inside any circle, create a persistent gateway to any other circle. Duration: 1 Minute. Maximum Capacity: 4. Cooldown: 6 Days Possible number of circles dependent on core cultivation. Current: 5 (3 Used)
¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Elijah said. Now, they just needed to gather the others, then get everyone relocated. After that, he would embark on his quest for revenge. Book 3: Chapter 85: Relocation Book 3: Chapter 85: Relocation ¡°What are you going to do?¡± asked Lucy. Elijah leaned forward, his elbows on his knees as he stared at the floor. He and the others had returned to Seattle to find it unchanged. Palpable tension still hung in the air, and everywhere Elijah looked, he saw drones, cameras, or ck-d guards who looked like they were wearing police-issue riot gear. More than once on his way to Lucy¡¯s apartment, he¡¯d seen those tensions erupt into brief spurts of violence. Sometimes, the fights were between the hunters of Ranier and the residents of Mercer Mesa. Other times, the guards fought against the well-equipped warriors from Lake City, which was where the local tower was located. None of the battlessted long before they were broken up, but to Elijah, it was clear that the city was on the verge of exploding. And it wasn¡¯t difficult to see why, either. Water ¨C and many other supplies ¨C were scarce, and each faction contributed something vital to the city. As a result, they had no choice but to work together, even if they hated one another. The only thing holding it all together was Isaiah and his government, though they were only so effective as each faction¡¯s willingness to listen to reason. In short, Elijah did not envy Isaiah the task before him. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°In the short term, all I care about is the safety of my family. After that¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re still going to kill the guy, right? This leader of Easton,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Definitely.¡± ¡°Have you thought about the ramifications of his death?¡± she asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Not really,¡± he lied. Indeed, he knew that killing the man who¡¯d helped create a safe haven for thousands of people would have consequences. At best, someone else would rise up and take his ce. Perhaps they would be better, but there was just as much chance that they¡¯d be worse. And in the worst-case scenario, a bloody struggle woulde, leaving everyone vulnerable to the very real threat represented by the environment.Or other people. ¡°I know you¡¯re smarter than that,¡± Lucy said, practically reading his mind. ¡°There¡¯s a chance that he¡¯s the best of a bunch of bad options.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± That was true enough. When weighed against his desire for vengeance, the fate of a bunch of strangers was inconsequential. He would let a thousand people die if it meant making his sister¡¯s killer pay for his betrayal. ¡°What if he was right?¡± she asked. ¡°He wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°ording to Carmen, who¡¯s not exactly impartial.¡± ¡°I believe her,¡± Elijah said, looking up to see Lucy wringing her hands. ¡°What if Alyssa really did pose a threat to him? What if she truly was putting everyone in danger? What if ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Elijah repeated. ¡°If Alyssa intentionally challenged his rule, then she had a good reason. If she murdered a bunch of people, I would assume that she did so because they were a threat. She has¡­had my full trust.¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t infallible.¡± ¡°Close enough for me,¡± Elijah said. ¡°She was my sister. Family means that she gets the benefit of the doubt in every situation. It¡¯s the same with Carmen and Miguel. If they kill someone, I¡¯ll say, ¡®They probably had iting.¡¯ Maybe that makes me a bad person, but I don¡¯t care. That¡¯s who I am.¡± Lucy just shook her head, clearly unsure how to respond to that kind of certainty. ¡°What about me? Would you support me like that, too?¡± she asked. ¡°Once? Definitely. I probably still would, but I¡¯d be lying if I said it was unconditional,¡± he answered. She sighed, then tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. ¡°I guess that¡¯s better than nothing. It¡¯s been a long time since we were together.¡± ¡°It has. I used to think about you, you know,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°I almost quit school and came home. It was my sophomore year in college, and I was having a rough time. Too much drinking. Too little school. You know how it goes. I knew I needed to make some changes, and I thought you¡¯d be a part of that.¡± ¡°What stopped you?¡± ¡°I got on Facebook and saw that you were with someone else. I guess I should be happy. I mean, if you were going to move on with anybody, I¡¯m d it was with the man you eventually married,¡± Elijah admitted. He sighed and leaned back in the chair, looking around the room. ¡°Kind of like losing to the eventual winner of the Super Bowl. You¡¯re upset, sure. But if you¡¯re going to lose, at least you lost to the best.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t apetition, Elijah,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I know that now. I¡¯ve matured.¡± ¡°Have you?¡± ¡°Some.¡± Sheughed. ¡°So, what happened when you realized that you couldn¡¯t swoop back into my life?¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°I dedicated myself to school. I stopped drinking so much. I got back in the gym. You know, normal self-improvement stuff. And it would¡¯ve worked, too, if it wasn¡¯t for that dastardly cancer!¡± he said, shaking his fist dramatically. ¡°Or, you know, the apocalypse.¡± Elijah knew he was all over the ce, emotionally speaking, but that was by design. If he let himself wallow in his own grief ¨C or his pending vengeance ¨C he would make some seriously unhealthy decisions. He was self-aware enough to recognize that that wouldn¡¯t end well. And he had responsibilities, after all. To that end, he nced back toward where Carmen, Miguel, and Colt had gone to meet with the others. ¡°What is taking them so long?¡± he wondered. ¡°They might not want to go,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Seattle isn¡¯t perfect, but it¡¯s rtively safe. After what those people have been through, that¡¯s much better than going off with a mysterious stranger who doesn¡¯t wear shoes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­fair.¡± Truthfully, Elijah didn¡¯t care much if the rest of the refugees came to Ironshore. The only reason he¡¯d even offered was because Carmen cared about them. Perhaps they would be morefortable in Argos, which was the third option he¡¯d given them. It was much smaller than Seattle, but the Greek city wasn¡¯t nearly as vtile, either. Elijah and Lucy continued to catch up on old times ¨C notably avoiding any serious topics ¨C until, atst, Carmen returned from where she¡¯d been speaking to her people. ¡°Most of them want to stay here,¡± she said. ¡°So, it¡¯s just me, Colt, Miguel, Theresa, and Byron.¡± ¡°Five,¡± Elijah said, scratching his beard. ¡°Less than expected, but more than ideal.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°It¡¯ll just take longer,¡± he said. ¡°An extra six days.¡± Lucy asked why that number made a difference, but Elijah didn¡¯t borate. As much as he wanted to trust Lucy ¨C and he did ¨C he also knew that she had her own situation to worry about. Her fate was intertwined with Seattle¡¯s, and there was a good chance that she could reveal Elijah¡¯s secrets to people like Isaiah or whoever was in charge of the hunters. And that wasn¡¯t a danger Elijah was willing to ept, so he didn¡¯t tell her the details of his teleportation abilities. Even though she clearly wasn¡¯t happy about him keeping his cards close to his chest, she epted it. As it turned out, Carmen volunteered to stay behind at the oasis with Elijah and Miguel. So, when they set out for the Circle of Spears, they did so with the n of splitting the group into two. Both Theresa and Byron ¨C the first of which was a Chemist, while Byron was a Geologist ¨C would go ahead with Colt, while Elijah and his family remained in the oasis until the cooldown was up. When they reached the oasis, the two neers were awestruck by the circle of sandstone monuments as well as the verdant oasis. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t have the chance to meet Snappy, which probably would have been quite rming. Once everyone was gathered, Elijah said, ¡°Alright, so ¨C my grove is a little different than anywhere else you¡¯ve been. The first thing you¡¯re going to notice is that the ethera is unimaginably dense. I¡¯m told that it takes a few days to get used to it. Otherwise, it¡¯s like walking around in a hundred-percent humidity, but with the added effect of being extremely magical. ¡°The second thing you¡¯ll see is that my grove makes this oasis look like the desert,¡± he went on. ¡°You might see my deer there, as well. They¡¯re not exactly friendly, but they won¡¯t bother you if you don¡¯t bother them. But stay in the grove, just in case. ¡°And finally, there¡¯s Nerthus. He¡¯s kind of like my groundskeeper,¡± Elijah exined as he ran his hand through his hair. ¡°He¡¯s a tree-man, so don¡¯t be too rmed by his appearance. He¡¯s a good guy, and very polite. He¡¯s also the person who¡¯ll show you where you can stay until we get there.¡± ¡°A tree-man?¡± asked Theresa, suddenly nervous. ¡°Well, a spryggent. Looks like he¡¯s made of roots and branches. Huh. I just realized that he might know where the root raptors came from. Or the idea of them, at least. Maybe the system just thought them up from scratch, but I think it usually takes inspiration from real things. And those monsters looked a lot like Nerthus.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°Oh. Sorry. I sometimes go off on tangents. upational hazard. Spend a few years alone, and it takes its toll on your conversational skills,¡± he answered. ¡°Anyway ¨C my point is that Nerthus is a cool dude.¡± ¡°A cool dude?¡± asked Miguel, trying not to giggle. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± the young man said innocently. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone talks like that where you¡¯re from.¡± ¡°I think you just called me old and out of touch,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Ouch.¡± With a shrug, Miguel pointed out, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± It was good to see him joking around. Upon their reunion, the young man had been extremely reserved. He still was, but the two weeks in the oasis had helped hime out of his shell. Of course, he¡¯d had years to deal with his mother¡¯s death, while Elijah¡¯s loss still felt fresh. Either way, the attitude was infectious and at least diverting, which was something Elijah desperately needed. ¡°My point is that Nerthus is in charge of the grove if I¡¯m not there. So, you need to do what he says until I get back,¡± Elijah stated. Then, he handed a note to Colt, adding, ¡°Give that to the tree-man. He¡¯ll get you sorted out until I get there.¡± ¡°Gotcha, chief,¡± Colt said, taking the note in his lone hand. ¡°Anything else we need to know?¡± ¡°Not that I can think of. Other than the fact that I can sense everything that happens on my ind. So, don¡¯t do anything you wouldn¡¯t do right in front of me,¡± Elijah said cheerfully. Then, he cast Roots of the World Tree. As soon as the spellpleted, sucking almost half of his core dry of ethera, a series of vines grew out of the ground, snaking together until they¡¯d created an arch. When it wasplete, the air inside the gate shimmered, and the view shifted. Suddenly, he could see through to his grove, which looked little different than before. Still, the people gathered around him gasped ¨C at least as much because of the sudden appearance of a gateway to what looked like another world as it was due to the verdant grove on the other side. That put on a smile on Elijah¡¯s face, and he gestured toward it, saying, ¡°Go on through. We¡¯ll be there in six days.¡± Colt immediately led the way, not hesitating as he covered thousands of miles in a single step. The other two nced at Carmen, who gave them a reassuring nod. To their credit, they both marshaled their courage and followed the slim swordsman into Elijah¡¯s grove. Elijah let the spell wink out, though he kept an eye on things. Sure enough, Nerthus quickly responded to their presence, but he clearly knew what the gate meant, because he wasted no time in getting the three settled. That gave Elijah an opportunity to spend some more time with his family. The next six days passed without incident. For a few hours each day, Elijah worked on the intended map of his Soul, but for the most part, he simply enjoyed Carmen¡¯s and Miguel¡¯spany. It was a rxing week, and one they clearly needed. They¡¯d been through an awful lot, and they obviously needed a break. Especially Carmen, who, by the end of the cooldown period, had begun to resemble her old self. Finally, six days after he¡¯d first opened the gate, Elijah cast Roots of the World Tree once again, and after the arch formed, led his family through to his grove. Nerthus greeted them a momentter, and Elijah said, ¡°Nerthus, this is my family. Carmen, Miguel ¨C this is Nerthus. He¡¯s family, too.¡± And though he hadn¡¯t realized how he felt about Nerthus until he¡¯d described the spryggen to the refugees, he meant it. The tree spirit wasn¡¯t just the casten of his grove. Nor was he simply a friend. Nerthus was family, and in all the best ways. Book 3: Chapter 86: Diplomacy Book 3: Chapter 86: Diplomacy The sun shone bright on Valoria, a sign from the Divine System that it was a truly favored city. More importantly, as Roman looked out over the city he¡¯d only recently renamed, a notification superimposed itself across his inner eye.
Congrattions! You have met the requirements to embark on a quest to be an official ruler under the system. Complete the following quests to solidify your rule: 1. Conquer an enemy and hear their oath of fealty. (COMPLETE) 2. Be an Arbiter of Justice. 3. Expand your territory until you rule over 1,000,000 people. (COMPLETE) 4. Reach the top ten on theary Power Rankings (Earth) (COMPLETE)
Thest domino to fall was his ascension to the top ten of the power rankings, but through arduous effort, he¡¯d finally managed to reach his goal. The ughter of prisoners had long since ceased giving him experience, so he¡¯d been forced to turn to other measures. The first step he¡¯d taken was to apany his men in the culling of the undead hordes beneath the city. That was the backbone of his leveling strategy, and in that endeavor, it had proved extremely effective. It wasn¡¯t fast, but it was steady. And Roman was nothing if notmitted to improvement.It wasn¡¯t enough, though. The elites at the top of the power rankings actively sought improvement as well, and so, their levels continued to climb. So, if all Roman did was ughter mindless zombies, he would never have reached his current pinnacle. Fortunately, he had three towers to augment his leveling speed. The first was the one in his original territory, and he and his hand-picked team had gotten the process of conquering that zombie-infested cityscape down to a science. It was still difficult, and if any of them made a mistake, they would have fallen. Yet, that was why he had chosen his team so carefully. They were men who didn¡¯t make mistakes. All former military, all withplimentary sses. In theirpany, all Roman had to do was stay out of the way. Of course, he didn¡¯t do that. He contributed as much ¨C or more ¨C than anyone. And he knew that, despite their well-practiced teamwork, without his efforts, the team would have fallen many times over. But that was true in almost every situation. After all, Roman was destined to save Earth. How could he not do the same for his team? The other two towers ¨C one near Arbor, and another next to a town called Bristane ¨C were more difficult, but they went into each with as much information as the locals could provide. The Arbor tower was a massive jungle where the goal was to interrupt a series of sacrifices. There were other details, of course. Two other distinct steps that constituted the two lower levels of the tower. Yet, it was straightforward enough. The third tower was the reason Roman had managed to level so quickly, though. The scenario was a war between four factions, and the tower¡¯s challengers were meant to pick a side and usher their allies to victory. Roman didn¡¯t do that, though. Instead, he directed his team to ughter everyone they found. It resulted in a terrible rating for the run ¨C and horrible rewards ¨C but a few minor trinkets didn¡¯t matter to Roman. Only levels were important. Even then, he hadn¡¯t quite reached the top fifty. Competition for those spots was fierce, so he¡¯d been forced to cycle through the towers three more times over the past months until, atst, he¡¯d satisfied the terms of his quest. He hadn¡¯t even opened the notification that he hoped would grant him official Lordship sanctioned by the Divine System. Savoring the anticipation, he checked the power rankings:
1. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 76 2. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 76 3. Sadie Song ¨C Level 74 4. Hu Shui ¨C Level 72 5. Niko Song ¨C Level 67 6. Davu Adebowale¨C Level 65 7. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 62 8. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 59 9. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 59 10. Roman Cain ¨C Level 57 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­
Only a few weeks before, he¡¯d expected that he would be forced to take another round in the towers. That meant spending weeks on the road, then another few days in each tower. However, he¡¯d satisfied the terms of his quest when, suddenly, the top man on the list had disappeared. Clearly, he had died, and given that Elijah Hart, whose name sounded vaguely familiar for some reason, had jumped to the top spot, it was probably reasonable to expect that the two had fought. And the lower-leveled man had won. That had vaulted Roman from the thirteenth spot and into the top twelve. After that, he¡¯d spent nearly a week ughtering zombies beneath the city, finally climbing to level fifty-seven andpleting his final quest objective when he reached the top ten on the power rankings. It was satisfying, seeing the results of all his work. He¡¯d put in years of tediousbor to get where he was, and he felt certain that he¡¯d been forced to work harder than everyone else. After all, he had a city to look after. A people to protect. The others assuredly were off galivanting through the world, selfishly pursuing their own power. They had no purpose. Not like him. So, it was even more satisfying when Roman finally opened the other notification:
Congrattions! You have satisfied the requirements for sanctioned Lordship. Please choose a path:
Defender Conqueror Benefactor
Designate a capitol city to receive defensive benefits. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the tform they originally published on. Receive powerful tools to assist in gaining new territory. Give your people the tools to prosper.
Roman frowned. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that he would have to make a choice. However, he supposed it made sense. Perhaps there were further steps he could take that would allow him to gain all three benefits. Or maybe the choice would establish his specialization going forward. Either way, the next notification told him that he only had twelve hours to make a choice. The first move, which was to eliminate the Benefactor option, was easy enough. He expected his people to earn their keep, after all. From his perspective, it wasn¡¯t his responsibility to ensure prosperity. Rather, he was responsible for security. So, he moved to the next two choices, which were equally attractive. Making Valoria more secure was a goal toward which he¡¯d been working for years. It had started with defending the old police station, but it was the driving force behind most of his decisions. Yet, he¡¯d already seeded, hadn¡¯t he? Valoria was safe. With that in mind, he turned his attention to thest choice ¨C the Conqueror option. What better way to advance his cause than to bring more people under the umbre of his protection? He didn¡¯t even see it as conquest. Rather, he viewed it as outreach. As spreading his influence to envelope the rest of the world. Roman was, after all, Earth¡¯s savior. And though it would have been nice to believe that everyone would stand aside while he gave the¡¯s poption the benefit of his rule, he knew that would not happen. He would have to free the rest of the world from the clutches of despots, tyrants, and, worst of all, the ipetent. No ¨C when he looked at it that way, the choice was obvious. He selected Conqueror, resulting in yet another notification:
You have chosen the Conqueror path. To im your title, absorb your Seal of Authority.
Roman had expected as much, as he¡¯d actually done some research on system-granted titles. At first, he had been quite frustrated by the search for information, but he¡¯d lucked out when Fiona found someone with a Librarian ss in Arbor. Still, Roman was incredibly disappointed when the woman in question could only help him find information on one subject each week. In any case, he got the information he needed, which told him what to expect and how to proceed. So, he pulled the Seal of Authority from his jacket pocket, then concentrated on its activation. That resulted in another notification:
Would you like to absorb the Seal of Authority? Doing so will destroy the item. Warning: absorbing the Seal of Authority beforepleting the requirements will result in crippling pain and possible death.
Roman checked his previous notifications once again, just to ensure that he hadn¡¯t been mistaken. As before, the requirements had been met. So, after taking a deep breath, he affirmed themand to absorb the Seal of Authority, cing it on his chest. At first, nothing happened, making him feel incredibly silly. However, after only a handful of seconds, the Seal of Authoritypletely dissipated, dissolving through his shirt and into his skin. That¡¯s when a deep, blinding pain erupted in his chest. He let out a scream, but the agony onlysted a split second before fading away. Roman slumped, gasping for air, but he quickly got ahold of himself when he heard someone entering the foyer on the other side of his office door. So, he steadied himself, then turned, leaning against the balcony to wait. A secondter, via Assassin¡¯s Awareness, he felt Fiona enter the office. She looked around, then saw him standing on the balcony overlooking the city. She approached. ¡°Your majesty,¡± she said with a deep bow. ¡°I regret the necessity of interrupting you.¡± ¡°Not enough to abstain, it seems. What do you want?¡± ¡°You have a visitor,¡± she stated. ¡°A woman who represents a settlement that once was Hong Kong.¡± ¡°I am no diplomat. Let the council speak to her,¡± Roman stated. Indeed, he didn¡¯t have time to meet with the ambassador of every tinymunity. ¡°She is powerful. On the power rankings, in fact,¡± Fiona stated. ¡°Oh? What rank?¡± ¡°Number three.¡± ¡°Sadie Song?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± was Fiona¡¯s eager response. ¡°And she mentioned an alliance.¡± ¡°Did she, now?¡± Roman responded. ¡°Well, we mustn¡¯t keep her waiting. Full honor guard. And contact my team. I want them with me.¡± ¡°As you say, your majesty.¡± * * * ¡°This ce stinks, bro,¡± said Dat Bao, his ent strange, even to Sadie¡¯s ustomed ears. It was abination of Vietnamese and American that soundedpletely unique and distinctly out of ce. ¡°Feels evil.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me bro,¡± she admonished. It was one of the affectations he¡¯d picked up while attending university in the United States, and one he still hadn¡¯t discarded even yearster. For her part, Sadie¡¯s ent was equally discordant. Despite being a Chinese citizen, she spoke with a British ent, on ount of spending most of her formative years in London. After that, she¡¯d attended Harvard, where she¡¯d met Dat Bao. The pair had been friends ever since, so when she returned home to Hong Kong during the winter break before the world¡¯s transformation, he¡¯de with her. It was a lucky break, too, because he¡¯d proven a stalwartpanion through all the troubles. Just as fortunately, her brother had risen to great heights and had taken on the responsibilities of leading their forces while she sought help against the undead blight that threatened to overwhelm their settlement and sweep across the world. It was that experience with the unliving that gave her ¨C and Dat Bao ¨C insight into what they both felt. ¡°Sorry, bro. You feel it, right?¡± Dat asked. ¡°Do you think they are near a Primal Realm too?¡± ¡°No,¡± Sadie stated, looking around the rooms where they¡¯d been left. They were luxurious ¨C far more so than anywhere else they¡¯d been ¨C but Sadie wasn¡¯t impressed by wealth. ¡°The ethera density is far too low.¡± ¡°And no vampires walking around, either. No zombies. I haven¡¯t seen any ghouls.¡± ¡°There is that to consider as well,¡± she admitted. ¡°I believe there may be a necromancer around.¡± Sadie hated that she knew so much about the various vors of undead. However, it was inevitable, considering how she¡¯d spent most of the past three years. Soon after Earth had been touched by the World Tree, she had epted the responsibilities thrust upon her by her grandfather. He¡¯d known, even then, that Hong Kong would need to be guided by a strong hand, and he¡¯d pushed her and her siblings, Niko and Lisa, to meet that need. They¡¯d fought and leveled, and when they¡¯d found the nearby Primal Realm, they¡¯dbated the forces spilling out of it. From the very beginning, they¡¯d been among the strongest people in the world. That was because of the teamwork andplimentary sses she and her siblings had taken. For her part, she had chosen the Warrior archetype, which had be the Crusader ss. Lisa had been their Sorcerer, taking the Inquisitor ss. And Niko was their Healer, taking the Bishop ss. And for a while, they held their own. Until Lisa had been killed during an undead offensive. Then, everything had started to fall apart. They¡¯d been steadily pushed back ever since, taking refuge in the ruins of Hong Kong while the various undead forces surged around them. Dat, with his Witch Hunter ss, had been invaluable. So were the rest of their thousands of soldiers. Yet, it wasn¡¯t enough. Not until Sadie, Dat, and Niko had been given a quest. She still remembered the notification:
A powerful entity has offered you a Task: Obejctive: Destroy the Summoning Ritual Reward: Blessing of the Angel, Gabriel Do you ept?
At first, she¡¯d been hesitant to ept. However, once Dat had found the ritual, all hesitation vanished. Through one of his ss skills, he had discovered that the purpose of the ritual was to summon a demonic monster to Earth. And given the number of sacrifices that had gone into powering it, Sadie had known it would be a powerful creature indeed. And besides, she wasn¡¯t so jaded that she wouldn¡¯t ept a task from an actual angel. So, she and the other two had epted the quest, and through great hardship, had managed toplete it, sundering the undead force¡¯s efforts. The potential rewards had exceeded anything Sadie had ever expected. However, one stood above all else: core advancement. They each chose that option, and they had developed Angelic Cores, which had given them power none of them could have imagined. As a result, their spells were more potent than ever before. More,ter, when they finally figured out how to advance their bodies, minds, and souls, they had reached the first stage of cultivation. But it wasn¡¯t enough. Even with all that extra power, they still hadn¡¯t been able to defeat the undead forces. Their numbers were inexhaustible, and they continuously grew in power. So, while Niko and the rest of their army held the undead to a stalemate, she and Dat had set out on a pilgrimage to seek help against the invasion of the unliving. So far, they¡¯d met no one who could help. Everyone in the new world had problems, and few were willing to weaken their own defenses to help a bunch of strangers. Still, she held out hope for the newly renamed Valoria. Now, though, with the scent of undeath hanging in the air, Sadie had her doubts. Finally, after hours of waiting ¨C which Sadie spent pacing back and forth across the plush carpet ¨C someone came through the door. The small, waifish woman wore far too much makeup, and her dress was untteringly tight. The four men who followed had the bearing of experienced soldiers. Finally, a man with dark hair and a condescending expression came in. ¡°Wee to Valoria,¡± the woman said. ¡°May I have the pleasure of introducing his majesty, King Roman Cain.¡± Sadie nearly rolled her eyes at that title. There was so much wrong with the introduction that it felt like a child¡¯s y. However, the name did ring a bell, and after only a moment, she recalled that she¡¯dst seen it on the tenth spot of the power rankings. In fact, she¡¯d watched the name¡¯s steady rise over the past few months. So, either the man stood on a mountain of recently killed bodies, or he¡¯d found some loophole in progression. Whatever the case, he had at least some power, though Sadie knew from experience that levels were less a mark of power and more an indicator of a person¡¯s progress. Certainly, some degree of might came with each level, but it was only one of many factors that contributed to a person¡¯s strength. ¡°Thank you for seeing me, your majesty,¡± Sadie said, bowing in respect. Whatever the man¡¯s story, he had a powerful force behind him. Millions of people owed him their allegiance, which meant that he stood to help her cause. That deserved acknowledgement. ¡°Not at all,¡± the man said, affecting a strangely formal tone that bore a hint of an ent that she knew wasn¡¯t real. ¡°It is the least I could do for a fellow ranker.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± she said. ¡°May I speak bluntly and without preamble?¡± ¡°You may.¡± ¡°We need help,¡± Sadie stated. Then, sheunched into an exnation of the situation, ending with a plea for assistance. ¡°If we do not gather a powerful force, we will fall, and the undead menace will spread across the world.¡± The self-styled king frowned. Then, he said, ¡°I apologize, but as of now, we cannot afford to send help. However, if you can hold the line for a few more months, there is a chance that I could send a few battalions.¡± ¡°A few months, bro? We¡¯ll be dead by then.¡± Sadie saw the king¡¯s knuckles whiten as he clutched his fists. His voice was calm when he said, ¡°It is the best I can offer. We have our own problems. Our own battles to fight. My first priority is to keep my people safe. Fighting your battles for you would jeopardize that endeavor. I am sorry.¡± Sadie just shook her head in disappointment, but she didn¡¯t push. It would do no good. So, after a few more minutes, during which she discussed local events ¨C getting ay of thend was incredibly important ¨C Sadie and Dat left the depressingly gothic pce behind. ¡°Seattle?¡± she asked, looking at the map she had brought along. Dat said, ¡°Sure, bro. I¡¯ve always wanted to see the Space Needle.¡± Book 3: Chapter 87: A Dragons Command Book 3: Chapter 87: A Dragon''s Command Eason Edmund sat at his desk, examining a crystal. It was a synthetic treasure created in one of his mineral gardens, and even though it was barely more than Simple-Grade ¨C as such things were measured ¨C it emitted a power that would nearly rival that of a wild natural treasure. Still, he wasn¡¯t happy with the result. He knew his people could do better. With how many coins he¡¯d sunk into the project, they needed to ¨C or he would lose everything. Not soon. It would take centuries before the bill woulde due. But it woulde eventually. ¡°It is passable,¡± he said, looking up at the Minerologists. He¡¯d raised the pair from childhood ¨C not personally, obviously ¨C ushering them to the Schr archetype, then pushing them into the rare Minerologist ss, all in the hopes that they could help the Eason family climb to new heights. Most factions did so by colonizing newly integrated worlds, but that was a time-consuming and financially debilitating tactic. For one, simply reaching those new worlds was expensive, but sending a forcerge enough to make a difference would bankrupt all but the wealthiest families in the empire. That was why most turned to mercenarypanies like ck Sky, who had been granted special dispensations by the Cult of the World Tree. Or they sent their least talented youths, a tactic which was rarely sessful enough to rely upon. Still, if a settlement gained a foothold in such worlds, the benefits could be vast. Of course, those worlds faced many challenges of their own. Most ended up being excised from the World Tree¡¯s influence and left to drift into the void. Or they were converted into Ancestral Realms. But the ones that survived the trials before them yed host to powerful natives with many advantages that made them difficult to dislodge, even when so many rewards were on offer. To Edmund, it had always seemed incredibly unfair. Artificially propping up the weak until they could stand up to their betters benefited no one. Better that those natives bend the knee to someone who could protect them, who could usher them to true power, who could show them how the multi-verse worked. The World Tree and its damnable cult had other ideas, though, and just like everyone else, Edmund had no choice but to abide by their rules. So, without the wealth necessary to send multiple expeditions to newly touched worlds, all in the slim hope that they could survive, he¡¯d turned to the idea of creating his own treasures. It wasn¡¯t an unheard-of method. In fact, it was quitemon. That was what sses like the various vors of Farmers and Horticulturists did, albeit on a broad andparatively weak scale. Yet, those synthetic treasures could never benefit anyone above the Mortal rank.And who cared about them? Sure, that was the beginning, but there were countless means of progressing through those levels and preparing to be one of the Ascended. Yet, after that was the true bottleneck, and the difficulty of progressing after that point was why the order of the universe rarely changed. The powerful remained powerful, and the weak continued to muck through whatever scraps they could find. Anyone with the ability to grow synthetic treasures that could rival the power of equivalently graded natural treasures would upset that bnce. They would rise to the top and carve out a ce for their followers. For those on the bottom rung of the multiversal power scale, it was the only way forward. ¡°What level have you reached?¡± he asked. ¡°One-hundred and two,¡± said the one on the right. Edmund had never bothered learning their names. He rarely did, even with his own family, much less a pair of orphans with potential. Once they Ascended and realized some of that potential, he might deign to learn their names. Maybe. Definitely, once they reached the Demigod stage. He might even invite them to supper if they matched his own Deity stage. But he wouldn¡¯t serve them anything remarkable. They were meremoners, after all. ¡°Twenty-three more levels,¡± Edmund said, tossing the valuable gem onto his desk. It slid across, then came to a stop only an inch from the edge. The two Minerologists both had to suppress gasps. To Edmund, it was trash, but for them, it represented the culmination of years¡¯ worth ofbor. Such small dreams. ¡°Report to Elder Rahm. She will create a training n to push the both of you to Ascendency. After that, perhaps you will be able to create something worthwhile.¡± ¡°Pardon, Grand Master¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°Will we be required to enter¡­a tower?¡± asked the gnome on the left. She was pretty enough, and once she reached a proper stage of development, she might even be beautiful. He would keep an eye on her. ¡°Of course. Killing those monsters in the tower is the most efficient means of leveling,¡± Edmund stated. ¡°I will ¨C¡± The world shook, cutting him off. The two weaklings screamed in unmitigated fear, clutching one another as if it would do any good. For his part, Edmund spun up three spells, adding a defensive ability to the mix. Ice encased his body, forming into a suit of armor that tripled his size. Then, he dragged a wand from the storage pouch at his belt, ready to respond to anyone who would dare threaten his world. Not so much because he cared about the ce. Or certainly not the people who called it home. Rather, because he could not be seen to allow such an affront to his authority. That would invite challenge, and after spending so much of his power to offer that oaf a quest to avenge his idiot great grandson¡¯s death, he was disgustingly vulnerable. Cabbot had been a moron. He¡¯d thrown a century¡¯s worth of nning aside in an effort to forge his own path. Edmund could have respected that if the idiot hadn¡¯t gotten himself killed. And as with a threat to his, Edmund couldn¡¯t allow the murder of a member of his family to go unanswered. But then the barbarian had actually failed, creating a bacsh that worsened Edmund¡¯s weakness. As a result, he was weaker than he¡¯d been since he¡¯d reached the Deity stage more than a century past. Still, he could deal with some uppity¡­ The shaking abruptly ceased. The pair of unbnced Minerologists fell to the floor, scuffing the tiles. Edmund had obliterated people for less, but he stayed his hand. Instead, he cast his senses across hisnds, finding a disturbing absence. It was one thing if a fight was imminent. Edmund hade up the hard way, scratching and wing for every level he gained. So, he was prepared for a battle. However, theck of any obvious threat was disturbing in a way that no enemy could be. Because it represented two options, both of which were terrifying. While Edmund tried to wrap his mind around what either of those possibilities might mean, the door to his office swung open. He was about to tell his servants off for interrupting him when a vision of beauty glided through the door. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators! She looked human. Mostly. And while Edmund wasn¡¯t normally attracted to such gangly creatures ¨C give him a proper gnomish wench any night of the week ¨C he could not deny the woman¡¯s striking appearance. It was real, too. No illusions. No mours. Just simple perfection. Golden hair fell upon slim shoulders, framing a visage that was both delicate andmanding, in equal measure. Her eyes were lined in what looked like golden makeup, but upon further inspection, Edmund realized that it was decorated with tiny, glittering scales. He whispered, ¡°Oh, gods¡­¡± Simr scales created a pattern on her neck that fell down to her breastbone. And though Edmund suspected that they continued across her torso, the woman¡¯s white robes prevented him from confirming those suspicions. She stepped forward, her movement somehow sinuous, and gave him a slight, knowing smile, ¡°I do not require your worship, Eason Edmund. Just your obedience.¡± ¡°Transcendent.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± was her reply. ¡°I apologize for any disruption my arrival might have caused. Veiling my presence is impossible while traveling through the World Tree. A hint of my power peeked through before I could corral it. I will, of course, pay appropriate reparations, should you so require.¡± ¡°Ah¡­that is not necessary, your eminence,¡± he said after finding his voice. He let his Ice Armor fall away, lest he offend the powerful visitor. ¡°Nonsense. Have your ountants send a bill to my seneschal on Sethik,¡± she said. ¡°That is inside the Empire of Scale, of course. Certainly, you will have no trouble finding it.¡± Edmund dipped his head in subservience. ¡°As you wish, your eminence,¡± he breathed as confidently as he could manage. However, his heart beat out of control as he faced someone who had reached the pinnacle of measurable progression. How far behind that she¡¯d manage to climb was anyone¡¯s guess. Certainly, hecked the ability to discern the details. Still, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from using Icy Gaze. The results were disturbing:
Name: Kirlissa Archetype: Sorcerer Level: 1000+
It had been some time since Edmund¡¯s identification spell had failed so spectacrly. And given that it had only provided basic information, and ipletely at that, that was the only way tobel it. However, even that tiny bit of information was enough to give a lesser gnome a heart attack. He¡¯d known she had reached the Transcendent stage. That was obvious from the moment he¡¯did eyes on the woman. Or dragon. He¡¯d never met one in person, but everyone had heard the stories. And Edmund was no exception. Now that he¡¯d seen one, he felt that the descriptions were woefully inadequate. Rumor said that, as they progressed, they gained the ability to refine their secondary form. Clearly, this Kirlissa had a soft spot for humans, and had chosen her form ordingly, though with some nods to her draconic race. ¡°Tell me, Eason Edmund,¡± she said, her voice losing that small hint of kindness it had possessed only a moment before. ¡°Are all gnomes afflicted with such a tant disregard formon courtesy? Or is it just you?¡± It took him a moment to recognize his error. For so long, he¡¯d been at the top of the heap. The king of the hill, so to speak. That meant that he could examine anyone he wished to inspect, and with as much scrutiny as he liked. However, doing so in the wider multi-verse was generally frowned upon. He prostrated himself, apologizing profusely. ¡°I meant no disrespect, revered elder,¡± he pleaded. ¡°A bad habit, nothing more.¡± ¡°Arise, gnome. You mustn¡¯t lose face in front of your¡­subjects,¡± she said, ncing at the pair of cowering Minerologists with a sh of disapproval. Edmund understood that much, at least. They were truly disgusting things, wearing no better than Simple-Grade clothing. He pushed himself to his feet, dusting off his own Sacred-Grade robes. They would have been Deific, but finding a Deity-Stage crafter was almost impossible among his allies, and none existed within his realm. It was one more reason he needed to create more growth. ¡°May I offer you some refreshments? A ve or two? We are ¨C¡± ¡°I need nothing from you, gnome,¡± she said. Her eyes shed reptilian for the briefest of moments, then returned to a more normal human appearance. ¡°Save for one thing.¡± ¡°Say it, and I shall endeavor to make it a reality.¡± ¡°Good. I am pleased that you are so eager to make amends.¡± ¡°Amends? What have I done to offend you, Transcendent one?¡± he asked, his mouth going dry. ¡°You do not know?¡± she asked. ¡°Did you not wonder why your great grandson spent a small fortune to hire ritualists from a group of known adherents to the Church of the Ravener?¡± ¡°Devourers?¡± ¡°The worst sort,¡± she answered. ¡°I knew nothing of this. The boy was headstrong and stubborn. He left the family years ago. Last I checked, he¡¯d joined a mercenary group and headed to some backwater world on the frontier.¡± Suddenly, all the air left the room, and an immeasurable pressure descended on Edmund. ¡°Do not lie to me, child,¡± she said evenly. Then, the pressure disappeared, and the air returned as if it had never been gone. It had onlysted an instant, which normally would have been no threat to Edmund¡¯s endurance. Yet, he found himself gasping for breath. It didn¡¯t help. The monster before him wasn¡¯t simply one step ahead of him. She was practically a different species. Often, his people referred to him as a god, but Kirlissa was as far ahead of him as he stood above even the lowest peasant who¡¯d barely begun on the path of cultivation. ¡°By the time I found out, he was already dead,¡± he admitted. ¡°Yet, you intervened on a newly touched world. You offered a quest.¡± ¡°It is my right to avenge my descendant¡¯s death,¡± he said quietly. It was barely more than a whisper, but it was backed up by his considerable will. He looked up and into the dragon¡¯s eyes. ¡°That is the way it has always been done. I broke no precepts. I did not descend upon the myself. I did everything by the book.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± she said, stepping forward. She was only a couple of feet taller than him ¨C short by human standards ¨C but with that footfall, she seemed to grow. ¡°I must ask you, then, how I should respond to the ancestor of the gnome who abducted my daughter and attempted to drain her essence as if she was a natural treasure?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Kirlissa¡¯s hand shot out, faster even than Edmund could track. Before he knew it, she had him by the throat and held him aloft. He didn¡¯t need to breathe much, but having her hand ¨C no, it had be a w, golden scaled and powerful beyond measure ¨C around his neck was nearly enough to elicit panic. ¡°My. Daughter,¡± she growled, enunciating the words very carefully. ¡°A mere child, barely more than a hatchling. The Druid you attempted to have killed saved her from that fate. Then, he killed your pitiful descendant like the affront to nature he was. He was acting on my behalf. If you take issue with that, then you are more than wee to address your concerns with me. Would you like to do that, Eason Edmund? I am here to meet your challenge, should that be the path you desire.¡± ¡°N-no¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hear you,¡± she said, pulling him closer. ¡°I do not!¡± She dropped him. ¡°That is good,¡± Kirlissa said, the feeling of looming power falling away. When it did, she felt norger than when she¡¯d first entered the office. ¡°Then I must request that you push your grudge against the Druid aside.¡± The threat in thatmand was clear. If he attempted to harm the Druid again ¨C even by proxy ¨C he would incur the wrath of a Transcendent. Which was suicide. If Kirlissa was truly angry, she would destroy the whole. Perhaps the entire system. And no one would step up to stop her. Because no one who cared about him, his, or the system to which they were attached was powerful enough. As unfair as it was, Kirlissa could do whatever she liked, and no one would challenge her. So, he bowed his head and said, ¡°As you say, honored dragon. I will leave my grudge, here and now.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°Then I shall take my leave.¡± With that, she simply disappeared as if she¡¯d never even existed. Panting, Edmund struggled to calm himself until he noticed the pair of Minerologists still cowering on the floor. They both looked at him with wide, tearful eyes. They had seen everything. His weakness. Tales of his own cowardice, understandable though it was, could not spread. ¡°Pity,¡± he said. ¡°I had such high hopes for the two of you.¡± ¡°Master, I ¨C¡± The once-promising Minerologist never got the chance to utter a full sentence. Instead, her head was pierced through by a spear of ice. Then, her partner¡¯s head exploded under simr force. With a sigh, he just shook his head. Now, he would have to start all over. No matter ¨C he¡¯d lived for thousands of years. What was a few decades¡¯ dy, really? On the scale of one who¡¯d reached the Deity stage, it was no more than the blink of an eye. Book 4: Chapter 1: Showing Off Book 4: Chapter 1: Showing Off ¡°This is amazing,¡± said Miguel, his mouth hanging open as he stared at the verdantndscape of Elijah¡¯s grove. They had only just arrived, having been teleported thousands of miles in an instant via Elijah¡¯s Roots of the World Tree spell. But neither Carmen nor Miguel had any means of knowing just how vast the distance between his most recent dolmen, the Circle of Spears, and his grove really was. Byparison, Elijah knew precisely how far they¡¯de. After all, he¡¯d spent the better part of two years trekking across the wilderness ¨C albeit with a few distractions along the way ¨C in an effort to reunite with his sister. However, when he¡¯d finally found his nephew and sister-inw, he¡¯d been horrified to learn that Alyssa had been killed long ago. Perhaps it had happened before he¡¯d even left his ind. Whatever the case, that discovery hade with a healthy dose of rage, guilt, and grief. The first came because his sister hadn¡¯t been in by happenstance. No monster ¨C at least not of the normal variety ¨C had killed her. Instead, she had been murdered by a power-mad despot she¡¯d once considered a friend. That betrayal was foremost in the most prominent facet of Elijah¡¯s Quartz Mind, though he couldn¡¯t allow himself to embark on his nned quest for vengeance. Not yet, at least. He needed to get his family ¨C and the other refugees who¡¯de to the grove almost a week before ¨C settled. After that, he would give himself fully to revenge. The second emotion ¨C guilt ¨C was twofold. Most prominently, he¡¯d taken his sweet time adjusting to the new world. After Earth had experienced the touch of the World Tree ¨C and been transformed ¨C he¡¯d spent months simply surviving. He hadn¡¯t been driven by a need to grow stronger. Instead, he¡¯d focused almost entirely on satisfying the necessary requirements to continue living. However, that had all changed after his protector ¨C a powerful mist panther guardian ¨C had been killed, and he¡¯d been forced to see to his own safety. A few months ¨C and a life-altering tower run ¨Cter, and he¡¯d be a different person. Yet, he still wondered what might have happened if he¡¯d taken responsibility for his own progression sooner. Would it have been enough? Maybe not. But the mere possibility that it would have let him find his sister before she was killed haunted him. The same could be said about his habit of giving in to every distraction he found in his travels. Whether it was healing the gue-stricken residents of the first human settlement he¡¯d found or one of the superfluous tower runs he¡¯d embarked upon, Elijah knew he¡¯d wasted a lot of time. Certainly, he¡¯d also grown more powerful, but he¡¯d trade any number of levels ¨C or strangers¡¯ lives ¨C if he could get just a few more days with his sister. The second facet of that guilt came from before Earth¡¯s transformation. Just before Elijah had graduated high school, he¡¯d lost both of his parents. That had sent him down a spiral of grief where he¡¯d pushed everyone away, and it had culminated in his jetting off to Hawaii for college, where he¡¯d studied to be a marine biologist. And while his pursuit of a degree ¨C and employment afterwards ¨C had been reasonably sessful, it had also put thousands of miles, both figuratively as well as literally, between him and the only family he had left.Before, he¡¯d thought he had plenty of time to reconnect, but being diagnosed with terminal cancer had thrown those ns aside. That was how he¡¯d ended up on his ind in the first ce. Knowing he was dying, Elijah had decided to live hisst days with his sister ¨C mostly at her insistence. But the world¡¯s transformation ¨C and the subsequent crash of his ne ¨C had seen him stranded on a deserted ind. Loneliness had taught him just how deep his regrets went. Sure, he didn¡¯t immediately set off to find his sister and her family, and even when he had, he¡¯d taken his time. From his perspective, there had been no urgency. More, simply finding them when the entire world had been randomized and transformed made the task almost impossible. It was like finding a needle in a haystack, and it was only through coincidence ¨C and a little nning ¨C that he¡¯d found Carmen and Miguel. Or maybe he was just making excuses. Perhaps his guilt was warranted. Either way, there was nothing he could do to change the past. What he could do, however, was to ensure his family¡¯s safety. Carmen and Miguel weren¡¯t rted to him by blood, but then again, neither was his spryggent friend, Nerthus. That didn¡¯t change the fact that all three were family. ¡°I thought you might like it,¡± Elijah said to his nephew. He reached out and gripped the boy¡¯s ¨C no, the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It wasn¡¯t always like this. When I first got here, it was just a big meadow with the ancestral tree in the center. It looked different back then, too.¡± ¡°Different how?¡± ¡°Well, it was more like a normal tree,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°But when Nerthus absorbed a Shard of the World Tree, it started to change. So did he,e to that.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± said Nerthus, who had a habit of standing so still that one could almost mistake him for a tree himself, albeit an oddly shaped one with only a few leaves. Or perhaps an expertly carved sculpture. However, Nerthus was as distinct an individual as anyone else Elijah had ever met, and he was powerful in his own right. The grove was as much his as it was Elijah¡¯s. Perhaps moreso, considering how much time and effort the spryggent had spent guiding its growth. More than that, though, Elijah owed the tree spirit his life. Without him, he¡¯d have never embarked down the path of cultivation, and without those advantages, he had no doubt that he would have long since perished. Most recently, he¡¯d have been in by one of the most powerful people in the world. Even then, Elijah had been forced to use his entire toolkit to survive Thor Gunderson¡¯s ambush. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°The ethera here is so dense,¡± Carmen said, almost as impressed as her son. She was a short woman ¨C evenpared to Elijah, who, in his more honest moments, would have admitted that he was a little below average in the height department ¨C and even though she¡¯d clearly lost weight during her travels, she was still quite muscr. Otherwise, she and Miguel shared the same tan skin, dark hair, and brown eyes. She asked, ¡°How is this possible?¡± ¡°The ancestral tree is a natural treasure,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°A powerful one, too. All ancestral trees are strong, influencing their environments more broadly than most treasures. My tree is far more powerful than most, especially after absorbing the Shard of the World Tree.¡± ¡°Making it the center of the grove didn¡¯t hurt, either,¡± Elijah supplied. He and Nerthus had spoken on the subject at length, so he knew just how special his situation was. Most natural treasures didn¡¯tst long. Even if they were protected by powerful guardians, they were usually consumed by natives or even opportunistic wildlife. Not only had Elijah foregone consuming the tree, he¡¯d also actively reinforced and empowered it. The results had been impressive, growing its influence to epass the entire ind. Indeed, when Elijah had established his grove ¨C via one of the first spells his Druid archetype had granted ¨C it hade with a Domain, inside of which was a Locus of awareness. It had since grown a little past the ind¡¯s boundaries, so the result was that he could sense everything about the ind, regardless of his own location. Fortunately, he had his Quartz Mind to deal with the overwhelming amount of information. ¡°Do you guys want a tour?¡± Elijah asked. Miguel eagerly said that he did, while Carmen¡¯s agreement was a little more subdued. So, after they gathered the other three who¡¯d preceded them a week before ¨C they¡¯d been holed up in the treehouse intended to be Carmen¡¯s living quarters since they¡¯d arrived ¨C Elijah set out to show them the highlights of his ind. Fittingly, the first location was the grove itself. It was the beating heart of Elijah¡¯s Domain, and it was easily the most important part of the ind. Everyone was suitably impressed by the varied vegetation and the stand of coffee trees Elijah had most recently nted. Nerthus had also nted a wide variety of other nts, from herbs to sunflowers and everything in between. ¡°d to see the seeds I got for you didn¡¯t go to waste,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Amazing work, Nerthus. Really. You¡¯ve outdone yourself.¡± The spryggent beamed at thepliment. It was in moments like that that Elijah remembered that, though Nerthus looked like a weathered collection of twisted roots, he was in fact, little more than an adolescent. Even since their first meeting, Nerthus¡¯ personality had developed considerably, and Elijah expected that trend to continue going forward. After the grove, Elijah took the group to the ruined cabin that had provided sce and protection from the elements for the first few months after the world had transformed. Then, he took the group to the beach, where he introduced them to the giant crabs that seemed to love his ind so much. They didn¡¯t get close enough to get the huge crustaceans¡¯ attention, but Elijah did describe his first few encounters with the creatures. ¡°I woke up to them nibbling on my legs,¡± he said. ¡°They weren¡¯t bigger than a cocker spaniel back then, but they grew to this size within a year. Thank God they leveled off. Otherwise, we might be in danger of living in a world ravaged by huge crabs,¡± he joked. Once they were suitably impressed by the crabs, Elijah showed off his dwindling collection of rowboats, then pointed out Ironshore across the strait. ¡°That¡¯s where most of you are going,¡± he said. ¡°The people there are mostly okay. Goblins, dwarves, and gnomes. Oh, and a couple of elves. But they¡¯re nice enough, now that¡­well, Ramik keeps them in line.¡± He''d almost let loose with the tale of how he¡¯d ughtered fifty Ironshore residents who¡¯d attempted to invade his ind, but it didn¡¯t take a genius to guess that that wouldn¡¯t have ended well. Carmen, Miguel, and Colt would be fine. But the other two? They were clearly terrified of him, and he wanted to avoid spooking them any further. Besides, they¡¯d find out the truth soon enough, anyway. But by then, they¡¯d be on the other side of the strait where he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with it. The finalndmark he wanted to show them was the tower, which took a couple of hours to reach. It would have taken longer, but Elijah knew the optimal path. And the others ¨C aside from Miguel ¨C all had a few levels under their belts. For his part, the young man didn¡¯tin; instead, he endeavored to keep pace, and though he couldn¡¯t do so, he kept up a lot better than Elijah would have predicted. It was impressive, and it boded well for when the young man gained ess to the system and actually started gaining attribute points. ¡°Wow,¡± Carmen said. ¡°I¡¯ve never actually seen a tower.¡± ¡°I have,¡± Colt said. ¡°I was with the second group who went through the one near Easton. It was not a pleasant experience.¡± ¡°They usually aren¡¯t,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But if you want to get stronger, Ironshore sends a group through there once a week. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll let you in. They have a shortage ofbatants.¡± ¡°I¡­may just do that,¡± Colt stated. ¡°When can I do it?¡± asked Miguel. ¡°Not until you have a ss,¡± Carmen said. ¡°And if I hear about you going anywhere close to that tower¡­¡± ¡°I know, mom. I¡¯m not stupid,¡± heined. Carmen just shook her head. After that, Elijah led the others back to the grove. By that point, it was time for supper, so he shared a bit of meat he had stored in his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, which they cooked in his kitchen. However, retrieving it highlighted the fact that Elijah had picked up a lot of stuff recently. So, he knew he would need to stop by Atticus¡¯ shop soon, not only to identify the items, but also to unload anything he didn¡¯t need. After the meal, everyone but Carmen headed to the other treehouse. Once they were gone, Elijah and his sister-inw sat on his balcony, which overlooked the grove. Both clutched steaming mugs full of the tea he¡¯d bought back in Ironshore, and for the longest time, neither spoke. Finally, though, Carmen said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For this. It¡¯s exactly what we need,¡± she said. ¡°When you told me about this ce, I thought you were exaggerating. But now¡­I think you might have been underselling it. It¡¯s paradise.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t always like this. My first year was incredibly difficult.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it.¡± They both went silent for a little while longer until, once again, Carmen broke the silence and asked, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Elijah didn¡¯t need her to borate. He knew what she was asking. ¡°I¡¯ve got some things I need to take care of,¡± he said. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to Easton. I intend to kill him. That¡¯s certain. Other than that, I don¡¯t know. I still haven¡¯t decided.¡± For a moment, Elijah thought his sister-inw was going to argue. But then, she just gave him a curt nod and said, ¡°Good. If anyone in this world deserves the worst you can dish out, it¡¯s Roman Cain.¡± Book 4: Chapter 2: Getting Settled Book 4: Chapter 2: Getting Settled The next morning, Elijah awoke feeling refreshed, and it actually took him a few moments to remember the burden of vengeance he¡¯d taken upon himself. The moment he settled into those thoughts, his mood darkened, but he forced the roiling emotions into their own facet, where he could ignore them at least long enough to do what needed to be done. Because as much as he wanted to simply rush off to Easton, he knew he had a lot to aplish before he could do so without worry. For one, he needed to finish getting Carmen and the others settled, and that meant introducing them to Ironshore. Then, he had a few other minor tasks to aplish before he could, in good conscience, fully embrace his new mission. And onerger task, though that would have to wait until after a visit to Ironshore. To that end, he pushed himself out of bed, then took care of his business in the bathroom before taking a long, hot shower. To his delight, Nerthus had adjusted both the water pressure as well as the temperature, so even with his high Constitution, Elijah could feel the change. In the days before Earth¡¯s transformation, it might¡¯ve felt like he was being pressure washed by near-boiling water, but now? It was soothing. So, Elijah took a little longer than absolutely necessary before he stepped out of the shower and dressed. After that, hepletely emptied his satchel, cing everything in separate piles, depending on their type. Magical items went in one section, while leftover meat went into another. The few berries he had left found their way into another section, while his clothing ¨C which was universally soiled ¨C was in another pile. There were bits and pieces of animal hide, a few teeth, and some wooden trinkets he¡¯d carved during his downtime. It was shocking, how much would fit into the Ghoul-Hide Satchel, and looking at his umted possessions, Elijah had no choice but toe to one, simple conclusion: he¡¯d be a bit of a packrat. With that in mind, he set upon the items, earmarking much of it for disposal. He didn¡¯t need a half-dozen poorly preserved rabbit furs, after all. Nor did he need a collection of snake fangs. The same could be said for Thor¡¯s clothing, which Elijah had looted. The cloth was nothing special, and it was all sized to fit a giant. Besides, it was all bloodstained and had been ripped to pieces by the battle. So, it went into the heap of items meant to be discarded. The man¡¯s armor was a different story. It was mundane. Not even Crude-Grade. And Elijah questioned why such a powerful fighter had bothered wearing armor that was, by every metric Elijah could use, inferior to the man¡¯s bare skin. Perhaps it was meant to assuage the Thor¡¯s vanity. After all, he¡¯d seemed to have chosen his attire to portray a specific aesthetic. Or maybe it had held sentimental value, though from what he knew of the former high-ranker, that didn¡¯t seem likely. Either way, Elijah wasn¡¯t in the habit of discarding good metal or cured leather. So, he kept that. As for the magical items, there were a few that had yet to be identified. Like the fanged ne. Or even Elijah¡¯s new staff. He suspected that it would help his shapeshifting in some way, but he couldn¡¯t be certain of anything until he had Atticus identify it. The Ghoul-Hide Satchel¡¯s functions were easier to discern, but Elijah wanted to get it appraised as well. The same was true of his Weighted Gloves. The canteen, too. Finally, the meat went into his cold storage. It would keep for a while in there, and though Elijah knew he wouldn¡¯t remain on the ind long, he intended to leave it there for Carmen and Miguel. They couldn¡¯t hunt as easily as he could, so that seemed the most prudent course of action. The pile of clothes ¨C as well as his Cloak of the Iron Bear ¨C got a generous dusting of cleansing powder. It would take a couple of hours for that to work, so he donned his lone clean pair of pants before heading out to the grove to refamiliarize himself with everything. He could, of course, sense the entire ind right down to the tiniest insect, but there was something about actuallyying eyes on the flora that made all the difference. For a while, he just walked among the bushes and flowers, delighting in the aromas as well as the fat honeybees buzzing about. Thankfully, those insects hadn¡¯t been changed by the touch of the World Tree. Upon finding his patch ofvender, he picked some so that he could get another batch of infused oil going. And of course, as he walked through the grove, he didn¡¯t hesitate to grab a couple of berries here and there. But eventually, his path took him to his coffee trees. Each one had reached almost twenty feet in height, which was abnormallyrge for that species. However, Elijah chalked that increased size up to the presence of ethera that had grown so many other things out of proportion. The cherries were still green, which meant that they weren¡¯t yet ripe. But he could sense that it wouldn¡¯t be long before they were ready to be plucked. Then, he¡¯d have all the coffee he could drink. And hopefully, it would have some special effects, just like his berries. He was inspecting his trees when Carmen approached. He¡¯d felt her awaken nearly forty-five minutes before, but he¡¯d pointedly not paid much attention to the facet of his Mind that was dedicated to monitoring his Domain. Everyone deserved at least a little privacy, after all. ¡°Sleep well?¡± he asked, resting his hand on one of the trees¡¯ branches. He held out his other hand, asking, ¡°Berry?¡± ¡°I did. That moss bed was probably the mostfortable ce I¡¯ve ever slept,¡± she admitted, taking one of the berries. She let out an audible sigh upon popping it into her mouth. ¡°Why does every one of these taste different?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Ethera is weird.¡± ¡°You can say that again. Are these coffee trees?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Elijah answered, finally looking back at her with a grin. He almost felt it, too, but he knew he was forcing it. Perhaps the day woulde when every thought wasn¡¯t apanied by pangs of loss, but for now, he would just have to fake emotions other than grief or anger. To distract himself, Elijah exined how he¡¯d gotten the Miracle Seed. ¡°And after that, Nerthus helped me turn one tree into a whole grove. Though when I made my calctions, I only made enough for personal use. I guess I¡¯m lucky they¡¯re a lot bigger than I expected.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°What are we nning for today?¡± she asked. ¡°Well, I¡¯m about to train a little,¡± Elijah said. ¡°About an hour or so. By the time I¡¯m done, everyone over in Ironshore should be awake. So, we¡¯re going over there so I can get your friends settled. You and Miguel are wee to live here on the ind, but I don¡¯t want the others here.¡± Then, his hand found the back of his neck and he added, ¡°Uh¡­if you want to live here, I mean. Totally get it if you don¡¯t want to, what with my localized omnipotence. Well, omniscience, at least.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not all-powerful, but I am all-knowing.¡± ¡°I know what the two words mean, Elijah. What are you talking about?¡± she asked, annoyed. ¡°Well, I kind of know everything that happens here on the ind. Everything.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­disturbing,¡± she said. ¡°Try living with it. Not that I¡¯mining, mind you, but if I didn¡¯t have a Quartz Mind, I¡¯d have already gone nuts, I¡¯m sure. But Opal kind of kept it in check too, so who knows.¡± ¡°It would be silly not to live here. For Miguel, at least ¨C the increased ethera density has to be beneificial,¡± she said. ¡°And I¡¯d love to know more about cultivation. I haven¡¯t stepped on that path yet, but I¡¯m beginning to think that I need to remedy that. I don¡¯t intend to fight, but I¡¯m certain that it will help me with smithing.¡± ¡°Oh ¨C yeah. Speaking of that, the town over there across the strait? They have a mine where they¡¯ve found some sort of special metal,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t remember what it was called, but Carisa ¨C she¡¯s the dwarf in charge ¨C seemed really excited about it. So did Ramik,e to think of it.¡± After that, Carmen seemed a lot more excited about visiting Ironshore. However, Elijah meant to keep to his n, not least because he didn¡¯t want to barge in on Ramik before the goblin even had a chance to properly wake up. So, after extricating himself from Carmen¡¯s interrogation on magical ores, he retreated to the beach, where he restarted the training routine he followed each time he was home. And he was more than a little surprised to find that everything was quite a bit easier than it had ever been. To make things more productive, he found a couple of huge rocks to carry around while he swam, ran, and did various acrobatics. Still, it was only marginally taxing, at least until he went through his yoga routine in hismer ape form. That was still just as challenging as ever. About halfway through, he felt Colt approach. The slim swordsman asked if he wanted to spar a bit, and Elijah consented. That¡¯s when he discovered just howcking his staff-fighting technique was. Even though he knew he should have had a host of advantages on his side ¨C regarding attributes, cultivation, and the general superiority of his chosen weapon ¨C he found himself being soundly beaten by the one-armed man. Of course, in a real fight, Elijah would have simply switched to one of his bestial forms and ripped Colt to shreds. But that wasn¡¯t the point, and it drove home the notion that he needed quite a lot of practice before he could ever consider himselfpetent with his staff. Fortunately, Colt was willing to give him plenty of pointers, so Elijah felt that he made decent progress, even though their practice session onlysted for an hour. After that, he resolved to continue training with the man for as long as he remained on the ind. Part of that was simple necessity. He couldn¡¯t afford to be so vulnerable in his caster form, and his fight with Thor had hammered that into him. In that battle, Elijah could only retreat and hope to dy the man long enough to pounce on any weakness. Hopefully, with enough practice, he could fix that deficiency, because if Colt had proven anything, it was that attributes weren¡¯t everything. Technique counted for quite a lot. Elijah would have been lying to himself if he didn¡¯t admit that hispetitive spirit was responsible for the rest of that resolution. He¡¯d never taken losing well. Usually, his response was to train harder, and this situation was no different. After that, the pair returned to the grove, where they found everyone else up and about. The spares ¨C as Elijah referred to Theresa and Byron ¨C remained in the treehouse, obviously afraid to offend him by venturing out of bounds. Elijah hadn¡¯t gone out of his way to disabuse them of that notion,rgely because he wasn¡¯tfortable with strangers wandering around his ind. In any case, he returned to his own treehouse, took a blisteringly quick shower, then dressed in his now-clean clothes. He was certain to don his normal magical kit as well. That included his two rings ¨C the Ring of Aquatic Travel that would let him breathe underwater and the often-useless Ring of Anonymity that would give the ability to disguise his identity. Next came his Weighted Gloves, which he willed to disappear a moment after slipping them onto his hands. After that, he tied his Sash of the Whirlwind in ce before wrapping the Silver Bracer of Rage around his forearm. Finally, he slipped the Ghoul-Hide Satchel on, settled the Cloak of the Iron Bear over his shoulders, fastened it in ce with the silver toggles, then took up his Dragon-Touched Staff. Thus equipped, he descended from his treehouse and joined the others before leading them to his collection of rowboats. It was then that he remembered just how much he hated rowing across the strait. At first, he was tempted to simply shift into the Shape of the Sky and fly across, but that could very well cause issues with his neighbors. On top of that, it wouldn¡¯t really save any time because Camen and the others would still have to paddle across. So, it was with some regret that, after everyone was onboard, he shoved the rowboat into the water, leaped aboard, and began the arduous task of rowing everyone across. Of course, some of the others ¨C including the one-armed Colt ¨C offered to help, but he insisted he was fine with it. He even said he enjoyed it, for some indefinable reason. Regardless, he guided the small boat across the strait with ease, and only twenty minutester, they arrived at the dock. Of course, suspicious nces from the residents of Ironshore soon found them. Elijah was used to that, though. So, he wasted no time in tying the boat off and helping everyone onshore. After that, they headed to Ramik¡¯s office. For his part, the dapper goblin mayor was happy to see Elijah, and he was eager to share that they¡¯d established trade rtions with Norcastle on the other side of the mountain range. ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Elijah said, forcing a smile. He hadn¡¯t even remembered that they were trying to liaise with the human city, but he was d of any sess Ironshore could find. He had long suspected that their fate would be tied to his, after all. As they rose, so too would he. Especially since humans were integrating into the town. ¡°There are only a few so far, but we expect more toe from Norcastle,¡± Ramik said proudly. ¡°We¡¯re growing, Elijah. In a few years, we may even turn a profit!¡± Soon after, Elijah had made arrangements for Theresa and Byron to stay in the city. Both had a few levels under their belts, and Ramik seemed thrilled by their sses. Next, Elijah took Carmen to see the mine foreman, Carisa. The dwarven woman was even happier to meet Carmen ¨C after discovering she was a cksmith ¨C than Ramik had been about the pair of Schrs, and before long, the dwarf and his sister-inw had forgotten he was even there. So, Elijah, Colt, and Miguel went to the Stuck Pig, where they enjoyed a nice meal. It was a bit early for lunch, but it only took a whiff of the sulent smells of roasting meat to get the other two onboard. After that, Elijah ran some errands ¨C buying some supplies for soapmaking, more cleansing powder, and rations ¨C before finally going back to fetch Carmen. She had somehow found an anvil, and was deep into a demonstration for Carissa. ¡°I¡¯ll return to the ind once I¡¯m done,¡± Carmen said. ¡°You go ahead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting dark soon,¡± Elijah responded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay the night here. I¡¯m sure Carissa can find a ce for me to bunk,¡± Carmen stated dismissively. After the dwarven foreman eagerly agreed to that, the pair practically pushed Elijah out of the mining office. ¡°It wasn¡¯t so long ago that I was sneaking through town and murdering ritualists,¡± he mused. ¡°What was that, hoss?¡± asked Colt. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Somethin¡¯ ¡®bout murderin¡¯ ritualists?¡± ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m sure you misheard. Let¡¯s go,¡± Elijah said, already walking toward the dock. Book 4: Chapter 3: Good for the Soul Book 4: Chapter 3: Good for the Soul Normally, Elijah enjoyed the sound of birds chirping in the morning. However, after a night of heavy drinking until he cked out, he found the cacophony to be the height of annoyance. For a long time, he justy there, reveling in his own misery until he finally pushed himself upright and cast Soothe. It helped, though it took almost the entire runtime of the spell before his headache faded and his stomach stopped roiling. He almost regretted it. After all, he¡¯d consumed nearly five gallons of the potent liquor he¡¯d gotten back in Valosta. He should have spent the entire day paying for his excess. Without those consequences hanging over his head, Elijah knew how easy it would be to turn back to the bottle. He¡¯d never been one to try to drown his sorrows, but then again, he¡¯d never lost a sister, either. And now that he didn¡¯t have the dolmen¡¯s construction or getting everyone settled to distract him, he could give himself fully to the grief. And the anger. That was there, too ¨C inescapable and inexorable. Swinging his legs off the bed, Elijah bent over, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at the floor. At least drinking the night away had given him some reprieve. But he knew he couldn¡¯t do that every time he didn¡¯t want to deal with his emotions. Not only was it unhealthy, but it was also more expensive than he could manage. Alcohol wasn¡¯t cheap in Ironshore, and his free supply was now gone. Perhaps he could learn to ferment his berries into wine. Shaking his head, Elijah ran his handd through his hair and let out a long sigh. Alyssa wouldn¡¯t have approved of any of it. She would have scolded him like she had when he¡¯d gone down a simr route right after their parents had died. She was right, too. Elijah was an adult, now. Not only did he have responsibilities, but he also had goals. More importantly, Miguel had begun to look up to him. It hadn¡¯t been long since they¡¯d been reunited, but the young man clearly craved examples to emte. He had Colt, and that was great. From what Elijah could tell, Miguel couldn¡¯t have picked a better man to model himself after. But he¡¯dtched onto Elijah as well, which came with a responsibility to put his own self-pity aside and be there for the young man. They all had to do that. Carmen had managed it, and so could Elijah. With that in mind, he climbed to his feet with another sigh, but the next intake of breath nearly made him gag. Drinking himself into a stupor was messy work, and the smell of his strenuousbor hung off him like a cloak. That cemented Elijah¡¯s first order of business, and he wasted no more time before taking a shower. His homemade soap made a world of difference, picking up the ck where his spell had left off, and when he exited the bathroom, he felt like a new man. However, he couldn¡¯t escape the reality of the night¡¯s excesses, so he spent a little time gathering bottles and cleaning the bedding. Finally, a little more than half an hourter, he was ready to start his day. Like always when he was home, he spent the next couple of hours training, though he wasn¡¯t afforded the opportunity of another sparring session with Colt. That wasn¡¯t to say that the other man wasn¡¯t training on his own. He was, and Miguel was with him, but they were doing their own thing, practicing sword katas in the grove. So, Elijah focused on his own routine, and after the previous day¡¯s efforts, he managed to alter his regimen to push even his massive attributes to their limits. Around three hours after he¡¯d begun, he felt a rowboat enter his domain, and a secondter, he recognized that Carmen had finally returned. He left her to her own devices for another hour, and in that time, she arrived back at the grove, where she watched her son¡¯s training. Elijah found her sitting on the roots of one of the trees thatprised the outer ring of his grove, and he joined her. The first few minutes, they simply watched, but then, Elijah asked, ¡°Did you have a productive introduction to Ironshore?¡± ¡°I did,¡± she said. ¡°You know they don¡¯t have a proper cksmith? They have some people with sses specializing in processing ore ¨C making alloys and such ¨C but no one to work with the final product.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re going to fill that role?¡± She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m building my own smithy,¡± Carmen answered. ¡°A proper forge, like I had back in Silverado.¡± Elijah winced. ¡°That name¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said with a wry smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t name it, though.¡± ¡°Do you know what happened to it?¡± She shook her head, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sure Roman wouldn¡¯t have abandoned it. That Cold Iron is too useful. Though they don¡¯t have any smiths worth a damn, now. Not unless someone stepped up, and I know everyone who might¡¯ve. They¡¯re all average at best. Lazy, unmotivated, and untalented, at worst.¡± ¡°Ouch. Tell me how you really feel.¡± Carmen shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t know how it is in a city like that,¡± she responded. ¡°By andrge, people aren¡¯t really built to excel. They do what they have to do to get what they want. Most of the time, that means survival with a few conveniences. Some distractions. And for a crafter in Easton, the bar is incredibly low. You can get pretty rich just making run-of-the-mill equipment. The incentive to push higher just isn¡¯t there, except for personal motivation. They think they¡¯re safe. They believe the danger has passed.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t,¡± Elijah said. ¡°There are more than towers out there.¡± He¡¯d read a couple of guides about the progression of dimensional rifts. The mostmon expression of those anomalies was spontaneous manifestation. A powerful Voxx would simply tear through the membrane between universes and enter one of thes connected to the World Tree. In a lot of ways, these were the most dangerous, because they could be far more powerful than the Voxx attached to dimensional rifts and towers. Above those were primal realms, which, as Elijah understood them, were like towers on steroids. They were bigger, moreplex, and far deadlier than towers. As a result, they could amodate up to twenty people, as opposed to theparatively smaller groups that could challenge a tower. But even more troubling, those primal realms could exert influence on the world, transforming the terrain to fit their theme. The guide he¡¯d read used a magmatic cave as an example, exining that in such a scenario, thend surrounding the primal realm would take on the fiery traits of the realm. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. But there were bigger threats out there, too. Ancient realms. Battle worlds. Trials. The list went on and on. The fact was that they¡¯d joined an extremely dangerous multiverse, and even if the people of Easton had attained some semnce of safety, that would not remain the case for all eternity. Eventually, they would be threatened, and if they didn¡¯t have the strength to stand up to those threats, they would die. Elijah couldn¡¯t worry about that, though. Especially considering that he had yet to decide whether or not Easton needed to share its leader¡¯s fate. His instincts told him to simply remove the city from the map, but his sense of morality ¨C as sometimes skewed as it was ¨C wouldn¡¯t let him do so without significant consideration. ¡°I¡¯m going to be gone for a couple of weeks,¡± he said. ¡°Is it¡­is it time?¡± ¡°No,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯m not going to Easton yet. I¡¯ll be close, but I would rather not be disturbed unless absolutely necessary.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elijah said, ¡°I¡¯ve been working on my Soul cultivation for a while. If I don¡¯t finalize it now, I¡¯ll have to spend a little time each day keeping it fresh. I don¡¯t want to be distracted while I do what I need to do in Easton, so I need to push through to the next step.¡± ¡°Cultivation. Alyssa had started working on her Body before she passed.¡± ¡°Ask Nerthus about it if you want some help. He¡¯s the one who put me on the right path,¡± Elijah suggested. ¡°If he can¡¯t help, I could give it a shot. I¡¯ll be honest, though ¨C most of what I¡¯ve done probably isn¡¯t replicable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask him. If not for me, then definitely for Miguel. He¡¯ll be getting his archetype soon, and I know how powerful cultivation can be.¡± ¡°Anything that gives him a better chance of survival,¡± Elijah agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll help where I can, but¡­after¡­after I do what I need to do.¡± After that, Elijah left Carmen to her own devices as he prepared for what he intended. Once he¡¯d left his valuables behind in the treehouse, he set off across the ind and, upon reaching the beach, he disrobed and waded into the cold water. Soon enough, he dove beneath the waves and was swimming toward the crevice that would lead him to the cultivation cave. He took his time, slowly making his way as he mentally prepared. He couldn¡¯t afford to let extraneous thoughts pollute his mind, so even after he reached the cave, he spent nearly three hours forcing himself into the right headspace. He did notice that the ethera density had risen to unprecedented levels, and the flora had responded in kind. It was a practical jungle of kelp and other sea nts, with plenty of small fish, water bugs, and other marine creatures having arrived to take advantage of the thick energy. If Elijah had to guess, the ethera in the cave was at least twice as dense as it was in the heart of his grove. The rest of the ind was even thinner, thoughpared to the outside world, it was an ethereal paradise. For cultivation purposes, all of which required extremely dense ethera, there probably wasn¡¯t a better location in the world. Even if there were a few ces that could rival it ¨C the world was huge now, after all ¨C Elijah¡¯s cave was entirely sustainable. He could use it over and over again, and from what he could tell, it would just keep growing stronger. A good thing, too, because the requirements to reach the next levels of cultivation would assuredly be quite steep. In any case, Elijah swam to the center of the cave, then focused on his task. He didn¡¯t start the process yet. Instead, he continued to meditate as he established the right frame of mind. Hourster, he felt he was ready. The first step was to swirl the ethera in his Core, which wasn¡¯t particrly difficult. He¡¯d already started cycling the energy in preparation for taking the next step in his Core cultivation, so he¡¯d learned the basics of moving ethera. Still, it took time and the focus of all but a few of his Mind facets. Elijah fell into a rhythm, pushing and pulling the ethera to create a whirlpool of energy that stretched his core to its limits. The pressure continued to build until, atst, he gave it an outlet, guiding the gathered ethera to a single point that marked the genesis of his first channel ¨C and the system of channels he intended to build. It was like an explosion going off inside his body, and Elijah had to harness every ounce of his willpower just to keep from gasping at the sudden spike of pain. Cultivation, it seemed, required significant pain tolerance. But that single explosion was only the beginning, and over the next few hours, he continued to swirl his ethera, then focus its pressure toward that same point. And slowly, the channel began to take shape, snaking out from his core and up his torso, forming the main trunk of the intended pattern. Not coincidentally, the pattern he¡¯d memorized looked very much like a tree. That pattern was a long way off, though. He¡¯d allocated two weeks for the process, but after excavating that single channel, he knew it would likely take even longer than his initial estimate. Still, once begun, stopping short ofpletion was not an option. It was possible to resume the process, but that would affect the result. And Elijah wasn¡¯t willing to take anything but the best. So, he leveraged his Mind as well as his considerable willpower ¨C and tolerance for pain ¨C to continue on. After the first trunk, he used the same method to carve the branches which would take ethera throughout his body. The first step of Soul cultivation, which he¡¯d taken what felt like a lifetime ago, had decentralized his pathways, but that was only preparation for the second step. One had to break the system down before it could be rebuilt, better and more efficient ¨C and more personally meaningful ¨C than ever. Gradually, Elijah forced the channels into being. The trunk was first, then the limbs. And finally, the branches. Later stages would build upon those efforts, creating a more borate system, but for now, the rudimentary design was enough. Throughout the process, Elijah was keenly aware of the cost of any potential mistakes. He wouldn¡¯t die. Nor would he lose the ability to use ethera. Rather, the system would simply be less efficient. And given that every subsequent step built off the initial foundation, getting it right was an absolute necessity. Days passed into more than a week, and eventually, he passed the bounds of his estimated time ofpletion. Yet, on he went, digging the channels through his body. At some point, he stopped processing the pain. He was aware of it, but it was distant. Unimportant. However, he grew ever more exhausted until manipting his ethera felt like trying to stir msses. Even so, he pushed on. And finally, after he¡¯d long since lost track of time, the task was done ¨C a fact that was verified by a sh of ethera that hardened the walls of each channel. That was expected, but in his state of intense fatigue, Elijah was still startled. Suddenly, all the ethera in his body dissipated. For a moment, he was drowning in nothingness. Then, the apertures in his Mind opened up, and ethera flooded back in. However, unlike before, it didn¡¯t simply diffuse into his body. Rather, it followed the well-defined channels he¡¯d spent so long carving. And it moved so quickly that Elijah had difficulty tracking it. The Soul wasn¡¯t some ephemeral thing. In a very real way, it connected everything about his ethereal system, and those channels concentrated the ethera, keeping it under pressure to force it to go much faster than ever before. Elijah let out a watery gasp that sent bubbles toward the cave¡¯s air pocket above. Then, he read the notification he¡¯d expected:
Congrattions! You have cultivated a Novice Soul.
For a while, he just floated there, satisfied with his progress. Then, he looked down to see that the process had drained the cave of most of its ethera. Fortunately, the nt life hadn¡¯t died, as it had when he¡¯d cultivated his Body of Stone. That was a relief, at least. But more than anything, Elijah was d to have taken one of the necessary steps before he could embark on his quest for revenge. Book 4: Chapter 4: Doing Things Right Book 4: Chapter 4: Doing Things Right The water inside the cave was deathly still, evidence that his actions had driven the sea life away. Likely, it was a defense mechanism meant to ensure that they didn¡¯t get caught in the dangerous flows of ethera. After all, when Elijah had cultivated his Body of Stone, it had killed everything in the cave. And while death was an inevitable part of life, he didn¡¯t relish the notion of killing anything unnecessarily. The trick was deciding when it was needed. Regardless, after floating in the cave for a few more minutes, Elijah turned his attention to his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 76
ArchetypeDruid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 87
Dexterity 79
Constitution 87
Ethera 85
Regeneration 79
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Stone Hatchling Quartz Novice
His attributes hadn¡¯t changed since he¡¯d killed Thor, but he could feel the difference in his casting speed. The benefits were more than that, though. Initially, he¡¯d thought the different categories of cultivation coincided with specific benefits. Back then, it had seemed so clear. The stage of his Body affected the expression of his physical attributes. It didn¡¯t raise his Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Regeneration. Instead, it made each point count for more. Meanwhile, his Mind gave him the ability to regenerate ethera more quickly with each higher stage. And his Soul affected the application speed of that ethera. The Core was the odd one out, and in addition to affecting the potency of his spells, it also changed their vor. For him, that meant his alternative shapes had taken on draconic characteristics, but for others, it would probably have quite a different effect. In any case, Elijah now saw how nothing was quite as separate as it had once seemed. In fact, it was all intertwined in a way that meant that a step forward in any category would mean an overall benefit. So, when he¡¯d reached the Novice Soul stage, it had also removed something of a bottleneck for his ability to regenerate ethera. Before, his Mind was capable of pulling in far more energy than he could process. Now, though, his Soul could finally keep up. The only piecegging behind was his Core, and he¡¯d already begun to work on that. Thankfully, Elijah didn¡¯t have to repopte the cave this time. However, he did spend most of a day pulsing Nature¡¯s Bounty, and to his surprise, the spell¡¯s effective radius had nearly doubled. He could only guess that was his Novice Soul¡¯s effect at y. Once he was assured that the cave¡¯s ethera density would recover, he swam free of the cave, breaking into the ocean sometimeter. After that, it only took him a few minutes to reach the shore, where he quickly dressed in the clothes he¡¯d left there weeks before, then headed back to the grove. Carmen wasn¡¯t there, which he reasoned was due to her having gone to Ironshore. Idly, Elijah wondered how her forge wasing along, but he had no interest in crossing the strait to find out. She would exin everything when she returned. Neither Miguel nor Colt were on the ind either, which felt a bit like old times. Until that moment, he hadn¡¯t really acknowledged what a lonely existence he¡¯d led in the wake of washing ashore, but after having his family around for a few days, theck was extremely noticeable. But at least Nerthus was there. Elijah busied himself by preparing for hising trip, but there was only so much to do, so he eventually ended up wandering the grove and inspecting all the different flora Nerthus had nted. There were so many varieties, many of which Elijah had never seen before, that he quickly lost count. In addition, there were plenty of mushrooms, hundreds of species of insects and spiders, and quite a few rodents as well. Elijah even felt a few snakes who would inevitably feed on those rats. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the tform they originally published on. It was a thriving ecosystem, though a curated one that somehow conveyed a sense of wilderness as well. It was a unique ce, and though Elijah often took it for granted, he couldn¡¯t have been more appreciative for the wondrous grove. Eventually, he found Nerthus tending to the coffee trees, which had grown evenrger in his absence. ¡°These were only supposed to grow to around fifteen feet tall,¡± he remarked, resting his hand on one of the branches. It was incredibly healthy, with dense veins of ethera pulsing through it. ¡°They¡¯ve grown almost twice that height, and they¡¯re still not entirely mature.¡± ¡°I suspect you are correct,¡± said Nerthus. The spryggent had also grown a bit, too, reaching a height of around five feet. It wouldn¡¯t be long before he was taller than Elijah. ¡°The cherries will ripen soon.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m very much looking forward to it,¡± Elijah said, already imagining his first cup of coffee. ¡°Which reminds me ¨C sugar.¡± ¡°What would you like to know about it?¡± asked the tree spirit. ¡°Well, I was wondering if I should try to grow sugar cane or sugar beets,¡± Elijah said. He knew that the process of making granted sugar wasn¡¯t aplicated one. Generally, the idea was to simply squeeze the liquid out of either source, then heat the product until it crystallized. After that, a centrifuge was used to separate it. However, the problem was that sugar cane generally favored tropical environments, and sugar beets were far less efficient. More, the process was time consuming as well as wasteful. That¡¯s when he considered another alternative. ¡°What do you know about apiculture?¡± he asked. ¡°Bees?¡± ¡°For their honey,¡± Elijah said. He preferred sugar in his coffee, and lots of it. However, he knew for a fact that his ind had plenty of bees. It wouldn¡¯t take much to create an apiary that could satisfy his sweet tooth. Then, he exined the idea behind it to Nerthus, finishing with, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the honey will have the same effects of other things grown here, right?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Nerthus admitted. ¡°I can start the project if you wish. Bees are an integral part of any grove.¡± ¡°I think that would be best,¡± Elijah said, already imagining enjoying a honey-sweetened cup of coffee. ¡°But for now¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Nerthus when Elijah trailed off. ¡°Oh. Nothing. Carmen and Miguel just got back to the ind.¡± After that, the pair waited on the others to reach the grove, and when they did, Elijah approached. They exchanged greetings, after which he broke the news, ¡°I managed to get to the second stage of Soul cultivation. But now, I have a couple of errands I need to run that are going to take me at least a week.¡± ¡°You like to stay busy, don¡¯t you?¡± Carmen responded. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Not usually. I mean, normally I take my time with everything. It took me almost two years before I even crossed the strait. But I can¡¯t do that now. You know why.¡± Miguel blurted, ¡°You¡¯re going to kill him.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Elijah said. The young man deserved to know the truth. Besides, it would help no one if Elijah shielded him. After everything Miguel had seen, it would be pointless, too. Brutal honesty was the better path. ¡°But not yet. I¡¯m going to Argos, first. I have a friend there who can identify my excess gear, and if it¡¯s not useful, he¡¯ll buy it. On top of that, I made a promise to another friend, and I intend to make good on it.¡± He¡¯d almost forgotten to enlist Biggle¡¯s help with Konstantinos and the sickness affecting his children, but now that he had the ability to teleport to the area, he could see no reason not to get it out of the way. After all, Elijah hadn¡¯t forgotten the price he¡¯d already paid for procrastination. Time was not promised, and every passing day meant that those children would run the risk of sumbing to their issues. ¡°Can Ie?¡± asked Miguel. Elijah was about to refuse, but then he thought better of it. Argos was the only ce he¡¯d found where he felt almost asfortable as in his own grove. And if Miguel wanted to see it, Elijah wasn¡¯t going to turn him down. The only question was whether or not Carmen would allow it. ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with that,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What about you Carmen? You want to go?¡± Carmen shook her head. ¡°No. I can¡¯t. I¡¯m still getting the smithy set up,¡± she said. Then, she revealed how much work had gone into the site. It seemed that Ironshore was just as eager as she was, and they¡¯d fullymitted to putting her to work. On top of that, she exined that the other two ¨C Theresa and Byron ¨C had found work as well. The former was working with Biggle, while thetter had gone to work in the mines ¨C not as a miner, but rather, utilizing his Geologist skills in some way. Elijah didn¡¯t probe further; as interesting as he found the myriad sses, he was more concerned with aplishing his goals. ¡°But Miggy can go.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Elijah and Miguel both said at the same time. She narrowed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not a helicopter mom,¡± she muttered. ¡°Miggy needs to see the world, and not just the parts that are going to try to kill him. Argos sounds like the sort of ce he needs to visit.¡± ¡°Oh. That makes sense,¡± Elijah said, and it did. Miguel had been through a lot, and it was important for him to see that everything about their new world wasn¡¯t terrible. In fact, it was filled with miracles. ¡°You make it sound boring,¡± Miguel mumbled under his breath. Elijah heard it just fine, though. Elijah skated right past that, saying, ¡°Alright, then. We¡¯re going back to Ironshore to pick up a friend. Then, we¡¯ll go to Argos.¡± ¡°So soon?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to prepare?¡± Elijah pped his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, saying, ¡°Got everything I need right here.¡± Of course, Carmen had other ideas, reminding him that Miguel didn¡¯t have a magical satchel. So, after enduring her chastisement, Elijah set off for Ironshore while Miguel went to pack his clothes. He didn¡¯t have much, which was something that would soon need to change. Perhaps he could get Mari to make him a set of clothes, too. In any case, Elijah wasn¡¯t going to sit around and wait for Miguel, so he took on the Shape of the Sky and quicklyunched himself high into the air. The trip across the strait was much quicker in that form, and in only around thirty seconds, he thudded down on the path just outside of Biggle¡¯s yard. He¡¯d just taken on his human form when the guards arrived, reminding Elijah that he hadn¡¯t told anyone in the town about his new form. So, he spent the next few minutes assuring the pair of guards that there was no monster around. Everyone in town knew about his ability to shapeshift, so it didn¡¯t take that long to convince the two dwarves. By that point, though, Biggle had taken notice of them. ¡°What in all the hells is going on out here? Elijah? What are you doing here?¡± the gnome demanded. ¡°Get packed. We¡¯re going on a trip.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay you. You¡¯re going to consult with another Alchemist about some sick kids,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I am?¡± Elijah pped his hands. ¡°Chop chop, man. I want to be there before nightfall,¡± he said. ¡°Where are we going?¡± the bushy-eyebrowed gnome asked. ¡°And you mentioned pay? How much?¡± Elijah sighed. Then, he exined the situation, ending with, ¡°We¡¯ll be gone for no more than a week.¡± After that, they negotiated the price of the gnome¡¯s assistance. It was far more expensive than Elijah would have preferred, but he had no leverage in the situation. More, he wanted Biggle to just drop everything. So, a little extra was warranted, even if Elijah found it slightly irritating. Regardless, it only took Biggle thirty minutes to pack everything he would need, and then, the pair returned to Elijah¡¯s ind. This time, they took one of the rowboats he¡¯d left behind, much to his chagrin. He¡¯d have much preferred to fly, but he didn¡¯t think Biggle would appreciate being carried around in his talons, and Elijah certainly wasn¡¯t going to let the gnome ride on his back. In any case, they made decent time crossing the strait, and Elijah beached the rowboat after only thirty minutes. When he noticed Biggle¡¯s hesitation to step one foot onto the shore, Elijah let out a sigh. ¡°Nothing is going to hurt you so long as you stay on the beach,¡± he said. Perhaps he¡¯d done too good of a job making the ind seem dangerous. It was. Immensely so, when he was around. But the look on Biggle¡¯s face was one of abject terror. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories.¡± ¡°And they¡¯ll tell you that everything was fine until people left the beach,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Remember that.¡± He wanted to trust the Alchemist, but his grove was a treasure trove to someone with that ss. So, he had no intention of showing Biggle anything interesting. Besides, he¡¯d already established the rules for the people of Ironshore. They weren¡¯t permitted to travel ind. And Elijah wasn¡¯t going to change those rules for anyone but his most trusted friends. At present, that list only contained one name from Ironshore: Kurik. As it turned out, Elijah didn¡¯t have to worry about Biggle wandering around. The gnomish Alchemist remained in the boat while he went to fetch Miguel. When Elijah arrived in the grove, he found Carmen fussing over her son, drilling him about behaving himself while he was with ¡°Uncle Elijah.¡± She also grilled him about things he might¡¯ve left behind. Finally, Miguel hefted his backpack and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got everything I need, mom. Rx.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare tell me to rx, mijo,¡± she said. He held up his hands. ¡°Sorry, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it. Well, I did. But you know what I mean.¡± Elijah cut in, saying, ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time to hit the ol¡¯ dusty trail¡­¡± Punctuating that, he grabbed Miguel by the upper arm and dragged him away, waving at Carmen as he pulled Miguel from the grove. ¡°We¡¯ll be back before you know it. Trust me!¡± Soon enough, they¡¯d progressed through the forest and reached the boat to find Biggle huddled in the corner. ¡°I heard something,¡± he said. Elijah knew good and well that there was nothing to hear, but he just nodded sagely. ¡°That¡¯s the guardian spirit. Extremely powerful. Eats gnomes for every meal.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± asked the terrified Alchemist. ¡°No. There¡¯s nothing there. Besides, we¡¯re leaving.¡± Then, Elijah cast Roots of the World Tree. Itpleted far more quickly than it ever had before, and in only around fifteen seconds, the gate of roots and vines had formed. A momentter, the interior of the arch shimmered, then solidified into a view of the Dragon Circle. ¡°After you,¡± Elijah said, gesturing to the gate. To his credit, Miguel didn¡¯t hesitate to stride through. Biggle was a lot more circumspect. Though, at Elijah¡¯s urging, he went through as well. Then, finally, Elijah did, too. Book 4: Chapter 5: Responsibilities Book 4: Chapter 5: Responsibilities Beneath his palm, the first menhir Elijah had created pulsed with power. It was one of nine thatprised the dolmen that had unlocked so much potential, transforming Ancestral Circle into Roots of the World Tree, giving him the ability to teleport across the world, so long as he¡¯d created a circle to receive him. But it felt different than it had before. Stronger. The ethereal flows that coursed from one menhir to the next hadn¡¯t been nearly as obvious before, but now, Elijah felt that he could practically see the web of ethera connecting the entire thing. And in the center of that circle was a level of power Elijah hadn¡¯t seen anywhere but his grove. There was something beneath it, too. Something he couldn¡¯t even begin to understand. Had the flows grown stronger? Or was Elijah simply more attuned to the ethera, now that he¡¯d reached the second stage of Soul cultivation? He had no idea, though the guide he¡¯d bought had suggested that progression through the stages of cultivation often came with increased perception. At the time, he¡¯d thought that it only meant that his senses would grow sharper. That had been the case so far, with his visual acuity and hearing having progressed far past human norms, especially in his bestial shapes. Yet, he suspected that there was far more to it than that. Perhaps one day he would be able to sense ethera as clearly as he could see the leaves on a tree. There were Schrs who specialized in studying ethera, after all. So, such a thing was almost assuredly possible. He just wasn¡¯t certain if he would ever reach that point. ¡°This is incredible,¡± muttered Biggle, his mouth agape. ¡°How far have wee? Who built this? Is it some relic of the past? I¡¯ve heard about transportationworks before, but this is different than any stories I have heard.¡± ¡°Transportationworks?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Like the teleportation feature associated with the Branch?¡± Biggle shook his head. ¡°No. That is often far too expensive forary travel. Normally, there are mages who specialize in such things,¡± he said. ¡°On my home world, it is still too expensive for the likes of me, but for¡­ah¡­more prosperous people, using thatwork is no great burden. I have never seen such things, though. My vige was too remote and far too poor to qualify for a hub.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the point of Branch teleportation?¡± Elijah asked.¡°Inteary transport,¡± Biggle stated. ¡°There are ships capable of moving between worlds and universes, but that is only viable on arge scale. Or if someone is obscenely wealthy. Or powerful, though the two normallye hand-in-hand, from my experience.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said. ¡°This is so cool,¡± Miguel said, having circled the dolmen, running his hands over each heel stone. ¡°It¡¯s like the one outside of Seattle, right? Except it¡¯s different. The rocks are different, but the carvings are, too. Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the nature of inspiration,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°What is a Seattle?¡± asked Biggle, struggling to wrap his name around the city¡¯s name. Clearly, he had no idea what it was. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. C¡¯mon. We¡¯re on the clock here,¡± Elijah said. They had six days to aplish his goals, and given that one of those goals involved trekking into a swamp, he knew they¡¯d be pushing it to get everything done in time. So, he led his small group away from the Dragon Circle and toward Argos. ¡°How far have wee?¡± Biggle asked, struggling to keep up. His short legs were definitely a weakness when it came to trekking across the wilderness. Though it had never seemed to bother Kurik, who was only a bit taller than the gnome. So, maybe it was more to say that the Alchemist¡¯s ss didn¡¯t give him the tools to ovee the shorings of his race. ¡°About a thousand miles? Maybe. I didn¡¯t exactly keep track when I was traveling,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°It could be closer to two-thousand, but I don¡¯t think so. I ended up backtracking a lot in the more mountainous regions.¡± ¡°Impressive,¡± Biggle said, ncing back the way they¡¯de. They were well away from the Dragon Circle, so he couldn¡¯t see the dolmen. Still, Elijah thought he knew what the Alchemist was thinking. So, he decided to cut any issues off at the pass, saying, ¡°You will not visit one of my circles without my permission or apaniment.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me, Biggle. I¡¯ve been told to watch out for Alchemists. I¡¯ve heard that people like you can get a bit greedy. I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re one of those sorts of Alchemists, but I am cautioning you to leave my things alone.¡± ¡°I¡­see,¡± Biggle said. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I was only curious about how it all worked. I had no intention of doing whatever it is you¡¯re afraid I would do. I prefer to grow my own ingredients, not harvest them from nature.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Elijah said. After that, the trio trekked across the terrain until, atst, they reached Argos. It had fully recovered from the tempest that had swept through the area, which only highlighted how impressive construction sses were and how quickly they couldplete a project. Eventually, they would reach a point where they could easily build structures to rival anything from the old world. And they would assuredly be equipped with all the modern amenities. It was only a matter of time. This book is hosted on another tform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. And survival. In any case, the two guards on duty recognized Elijah, so after only a few moments¡¯ worth of polite conversation, they waved him through. Elijah found it notable that they¡¯d barely even looked at Biggle, indicating that they had encountered non-humans before. Soon enough, he found himself walking into Atticus¡¯ shop. ¡°Ah, good to see you, friend!¡± the tall, hawk-nosed merchant said. ¡°I was just thinking of you. And you brought guests! Any friend of Elijah¡¯s is a friend of Atticus. I will even give you a discount. Two percent off any weapon in my shop. Quality guaranteed, of course!¡± Elijah grinned at his friend. Even with his morose tendencies ofte, he couldn¡¯t help but smile when seeing Atticus. The man was so full of joy for life that it became infectious. ¡°I have some things I¡¯d like appraised. And I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll want to sell some, too.¡± With that, Atticus led them into the back, where they stated the process of identifying each item. The first was the Ghoul-Hide Satchel, which turned out to feature a fifteen-percent weight reduction and a trait called Preservation, which, true to the name, kept any perishable goods fresh for twice the duration as normal. ¡°A great item,¡± Atticus said. ¡°I would offer to purchase it, but it appears you have grown quite attached to it. A good call, my friend. One can never carry enough goods.¡± Next came the Weighted Gloves, which, ording to Atticus, would increase his unarmed damage by twenty percent. Elijah had expected something like that, but he was impressed with the degree to which it would augment his attacks. The canteen was, predictably, called an Evesting Canteen, but to Elijah¡¯s surprise, it hadn¡¯t originated with a tower or Rift. Instead, Atticus informed him that it had a creator¡¯s name attached to it: Rajesh Bedi. There was no more information, though Elijah was definitely interested in finding the maker. After all, with something like that, Seattle¡¯s water supply issues could be solved much more easily. The spear Thor had used was called Ancestor¡¯s Spear, and it had an ability that allowed the wielder to recall it once thrown. Elijah had seen that in action during his fight with the Viking, so he knew precisely how useful such an ability would be. However, he still had no intention of using it himself; he¡¯d grown ustomed to his staves, and he had no desire to change what had worked so far. Neither had Miguel expressed any interested in the weapon ¨C he seemed to prefer swords, from what Elijah could tell ¨C so he intended to sell it to Atticus. Fortunately, the merchant was willing to pay good coins for the item, probably because Argos had a culture of spear use. ¡°I me Delh. All the young men want to impress her with their spear work. Most of the young women, too,¡± Atticus said with a shake of his head. ¡°Too bad most are too weak to use this monster. Still, I know of a few strong fighters who would pay a premium for a High-Simple-Grade weapon with such a useful ability.¡± After that, they set it aside until they got to the negotiation part. There were still a few items left to go, and Elijah preferred to sell everything together. There were only two other items for which Elijah had high hopes, and he wanted to save the most interesting one forst. So, he ended up having quite a few daggers and a few Crude-Grade swords appraised ¨C none of which were nice enough to pass on to Miguel, considering that his mother could make him better weapons when he came of age ¨C before finally arriving at the penultimate item ¨C the fanged ne he¡¯d taken from Thor. ¡°Interesting,¡± Atticus said. ¡°It¡¯s called a Wolf Totem. I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s the origin of the teeth, though it¡¯s clearly a system reward.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± ¡°Plus three to all attributes,¡± the merchant answered. ¡°Powerful. But it¡¯s a Complex-Grade item, so that¡¯s to be expected. The trait attached to it is even more interesting, though. Adds fifteen percent duration to all afflictions.¡± ¡°Oh. Nice,¡± Elijah said. That was as good as a fifteen percent increase to the damage of Swarm, Contagion, and Venom Strike, which meant he was definitely going to wear it. It also exined why the hunter¡¯s debuff hadsted so long. ¡°That should help.¡± ¡°Very good indeed, my friend!¡± ¡°Alright. I only have onest item to check,¡± Elijah said, handing over his staff. He¡¯d yet to bond it,rgely because, on the off chance that it was unsuitable, binding it to himself would render it worthless. Still, he thought that unlikely, given the name. ¡°Dragon-Touched Staff,¡± Atticus said. ¡°Adds fifteen points to Strength and Dexterity, with five to Constitution. It also has a trait that increases the power of all enhancements by a t five points. That¡­that is unheard of. Do you know how valuable this is?¡± ¡°Priceless,¡± Elijah said. ¡°A less honest merchant would steal this from you,¡± Atticus said, handing it back to Elijah without hesitation. ¡°But they don¡¯t call me Honest Atticus for nothing.¡± ¡°No one calls you that.¡± ¡°They might.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard it.¡± ¡°Neither have I, but I assume that¡¯s only because they don¡¯t want to stroke my ego. Everyone knows how humble I am,¡± Atticus said without a hint of humor. ¡°Right. You¡¯re the humblest man I know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I keep telling people!¡± Elijah just smiled wryly and shook his head. ¡°Alright ¨C so how much for the pile?¡± he asked. The collection of items included the nearly worthless ¨C to Elijah, at least ¨C weapons, as well as the Ancestor¡¯s Spear. Elijah also threw in Thor¡¯s armor, though Atticus confirmed that even the best piece was only Low-Crude-Grade, which meant that the set was almost useless for anything but disassembling it for parts. Still, Elijah wanted it out of his satchel, so he insisted that Atticus include it. The bickering was a long and arduous, though good-natured, process. Every now and then, Miguel would break in to ask a question about something he¡¯d found in Atticus¡¯ storeroom, but the merchant didn¡¯t mind it at all. Eventually, they came to an agreement, with the entire collection bringing Elijah almost fifty silver coins. Once they exchanged the sum ¨C via folios, which was a new addition on Atticus¡¯ part ¨C Elijah said, ¡°Oh. I meant to tell you this earlier. My sister-inw is a cksmith, and she¡¯s going to be making some new equipment sometime soon. She¡¯s getting her forge set up right now, but I expect her to get to work within a few weeks. I might bring some of her products around, once she¡¯s up and running.¡± ¡°Ah¡­I don¡¯t know, my friend. This is not a ce for amateur work¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s on the power rankings,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And I think she¡¯s capable of creating Complex items under the right circumstances.¡± ¡°Which is why someone of her stature, skill, and no doubt, beauty will be more than wee to disy her wares in my shop,¡± the merchant said, switching gears without missing a beat. Though Miguel mouthed the word ¡°gross¡± when Atticus mentioned Carmen¡¯s beauty. ¡°Thought that might interest you,¡± Elijah said with a grin. ¡°Just wanted to let you know so you¡¯ll have enough money to make some purchases. Wouldn¡¯t want you to miss out.¡± After that, Atticus told Elijah about Thor¡¯s visit to Argos, which elicited quite a lot of genuineughter from everyone in the storeroom. But in the end, it was soon time for them to get going. Not only did Elijah want to introduce Miguel to the glories of Greek food, but he also wanted to visit Isaak ¨C and maybe Delh, if she was in town ¨C before turning in for the night. Because in the morning, they would set off for the swamp, where they would hopefully save some children. Book 4: Chapter 6: A Lot to Learn Book 4: Chapter 6: A Lot to Learn After visiting Isaac¡¯s house and catching up over a cup of tea ¨C during which Artemis jumped in Miguel¡¯sp, where she remained the entire time ¨C they went to dinner, where they were served spanakopita. Everyone enjoyed it at least as much as Elijah, which was gratifying. After that, they headed to the inn, where they rented a pair of rooms ¨C one to be shared by Elijah and Miguel, and another for Biggle ¨C from Agatha, who seemed delighted to see Elijah. ¡°Everyone seems to like you here,¡± Biggle remarked as they climbed the stairs. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have any issues with that, despite his size. ¡°Surprising.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t give off the most approachable aura,¡± the gnomish Alchemist stated. ¡°Most people in Ironshore are terrified of you, and for good reason.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only because I killed a few people.¡± ¡°As I said ¨C a good reason,¡± the gnome stated. ¡°In any case, I look forward to meeting this other Alchemist. I have had few opportunities to discuss my craft with someone with the same ss, though that Chemist has all sorts of delightful ideas. I look forward to working with her as well. You humans are full of surprises.¡± After that, the group separated, and once Miguel was settled and asleep, Elijah silently left the room and headed back to Atticus¡¯ shop. For his part, the weapons dealer seemed surprised to see Elijah. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my friend. I am not up for celebrations tonight,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not about that. I wanted to ask for you to keep an eye out for a couple of things,¡± Elijah said. Then, he told Atticus what he was looking for. Afterwards, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll find what I want, but I¡¯m throwing out a pretty wide. Hopefully, someone will find something suitable.¡±¡°Indeed. I¡¯ll keep watch for anything that might work, my friend.¡± Then, seeing that Atticus was in no mood to entertain guests, Elijah said his goodbyes and headed back to the inn. He¡¯d already found that Delh was once again out of town ¨C this time, running the local tower with her team ¨C so he had nowhere else he wanted to visit. Except maybe the tavern, though he resisted that urge. He had no wish to be an alcoholic, after all, so even if it might¡¯ve felt temporarily good to once again drown his sorrows in an ocean of alcohol, he knew it was a bad idea. Still, it was difficult. After returning to the inn, he slept poorly, and when he rose the next morning, he felt even more anxious to get on with the task at hand. He¡¯d spent most of the night lying awake and thinking about his sister ¨C or more urately, her death ¨C which did not put him in the best frame of mind. If the lives of children weren¡¯t at stake, he might¡¯ve abandoned everything else and flown off to Easton at that very moment. But he¡¯d promised Konstantinos that he would help, so help, he would. Elijah rose before dawn, and he was happy to see that Miguel did the same, though he did grumble a little about how early it was. Soon enough, the pair had taken care of morning necessities, and even as the sun had begun to rise, they went to fetch Biggle. The gnome was clearly not an early riser by habit, but when he saw Elijah¡¯s no-nonsense expression, he hurried to ready himself for the day¡¯s travel. Only a few minutester, he joined Elijah and Miguel as they ate a breakfast of fat sausages and fluffy eggs as prepared by Agatha. The meal was just as amazing as always, and all three ate with the gusto of starving men. Miguel put away enough for three people, reminding Elijah what it was like to have once been that age. Back then, he¡¯d eaten his parents out of house and home, and he hadn¡¯t slowed down until after college. That was the joy of a youthful metabolism. Though, that prompted the realization that Elijah probably didn¡¯t have to worry too much about overconsumption anymore. Even if he wasn¡¯t so active, he suspected that it would take a truly impressive degree of sloth for his body to degrade on its own. And besides ¨C he was only thirty-one years old. With his cultivation and attributes, that meant that he was less than ten percent into his expected life span. In any event, they finished their meal and, after Elijah paid, they set off, leaving Argos behind and heading in the direction of the swamp. In the past, Elijah had taken a roundabout path, only turning south when he hit the ravine that cut across the terrain. However, he expected that the trip would be much faster this time around,rgely because they intended to travel directly toward the swamp. The issue with that assumption soon became apparent, though. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you¡¯re giants!¡± Biggleined, pumping his legs to keep up. ¡°Even with my pep-it-up potion, I can¡¯t ¨C wait, what are you doing? Stop that! Stop that this instant!¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Elijah said, having ced Biggle on his shoulders like a toddler. He could remember doing the same for his nephew when Miguel was only a couple of years old. Elijah hade home for the holidays, and they¡¯d gone to visit the local botanical gardens that had been decorated with colorful Christmas lights. But predictably, the much younger Miguel had been incapable of keeping up, so Elijah had put the boy on his shoulders, where he¡¯d remained for most of the outing. ¡°I¡¯m not going to slow down just to amodate you. This is faster.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also humiliating!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one out here to judge you,¡± Elijah reminded him. ¡°I mean, we could fly, I guess. But I¡¯m thinking you might enjoy that even less.¡± That shut the gnome up. He didn¡¯t want to travel in the talons of Elijah¡¯s Shape of the Sky, after all. For his part, Elijah would have preferred to avoid that, too. As convenient as flight was, he wasn¡¯t quite ready to transport passengers any meaningful distance. For one,nding was still an issue that had yet to be resolved. He could manage it, but he knew that if he didn¡¯t possess superhuman durability, he¡¯d have already broken his legs many times over. It would be markedly worse if he was carrying someone. So, they strode through the wilderness, with Biggle on his shoulders. As they did, Elijah held a conversation with his nephew, and eventually, the topic turned to the boy¡¯s future. ¡°So, have you figured out what you want to do?¡± he asked. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Miguel shook his head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t even know what archetypes I¡¯ll be offered. I just don¡¯t want to be a Schr?¡± he said. Surprised, Biggle asked, ¡°Why ever not? Schrs lead to some incredibly valuable sses!¡± Miguel shrugged. ¡°But they seem so useless.¡± ¡°That¡¯s untrue,¡± Biggle stated. ¡°Every archetype has the potential for immortality. They all perform valuable and necessary functions as well. Warriors fight. Rangers scout. Schrs learn. Without Merchants, fair trade would be impossible. Without Administrators, our cities would not function. There is no useless archetype. Only useless people.¡± ¡°How many archetypes are there?¡± Miguel asked. ¡°Twelve.¡± ¡°So many?¡± asked Elijah. He¡¯d only encountered a fraction of that number. After that, Biggle listed the archetypes. Warrior, Ranger, Druid, Sorcerer, and Healer, Elijah already knew. However, there were still quite a few others. Schrs, for one. Tradesmen, who became various crafters. Merchants like Atticus. Entertainers, many of which had powerful abilities to increase the power of those who enjoyed their performances. Then there were Administrators, Tacticians, and Explorers, as well. ¡°And from there, we have innumerable sses. Most are hybrids, taking bits from archetypes other than the root,¡± Biggle exined. ¡°My point is that there are many choices, and while the archetype is incredibly important, choosing the wrong option is something that can be rectified through progression. The ss choice is one opportunity, but then there are specializations at level one-hundred. After that, each time a person enters a new realm of power, they have the opportunity to evolve their ss. Most will simply take a more powerful version of their own. However, there are those who choose to correct past mistakes by slowly shifting their path to one they deem more appropriate. It is a fascinating subject, really.¡± ¡°How do you know all this?¡± asked Miguel. ¡°Ah ¨C my mother was a Schr. She studied sses and advised the local lord on how to guide his children in the proper direction,¡± he admitted. ¡°He didn¡¯t like it when his firstborn son was only offered nonbat archetypes, though. So, we were forced to flee.¡± ¡°Everyone in Ironshore seems to have a simr story. Not the specifics. Just that they all seem to be running from something. It was the same with the elves.¡± ¡°Elves?¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah. There¡¯s a city of elves living in a desert a little ways away. They sounded more like pioneers, though. Like, they came here for opportunity that didn¡¯t exist on their world.¡± ¡°I see. That is usually the case with people whoe to a newly touched world. It is the frontier, without much in the way of safety. However, there is opportunity to forge your own path, which attracts a certain type of person,¡± Biggle exined. ¡°Though I would be willing to wager that there are a couple of advanced settlements here. They may be talented junior members of a sect meant to fuel their progression in an unsettled world. Or they could represent various other interests. Those are the ones you need to watch out for. They¡¯ll be well-equipped, knowledgeable, and driven. In a world like this, that can be a dangerousbination.¡± Elijah nodded, continuing on with his conversation with Miguel. The young man had no idea what direction his development might take, but Elijah didn¡¯t me him for that. After all, he was still a child. It would have been odd if he¡¯d known those sorts of things with any certainty, and the fact that he was still unsure meant that he was at least giving it some thought, rather than simply going for whatever sounded coolest. Eventually, almost two dayster, they reached the swamp, after which Elijah was forced to transform into amer ape so that his twopanions could climb atop his shoulders and avoid the many dangers of walking through the murky water. For his part, Elijah seemed to avoid the worst of it, just as he had during his first trip through the swamp. Still, because of where they¡¯d entered, it took an extra day for them to reach Konstantinos¡¯pound, and when they did, they were greeted by Bessie, the guardian alligator. Elijah responded to her charge by tossing her thest hunk of desert snake he still had in his satchel. She gobbled it up, returning to her position beneath thepound¡¯srgest building. ¡°¡¯lo there!¡± yelled Konstantinos from the deck. He was wearing a pair of overalls and nothing else, which put his incredibly skinny torso on full disy. He didn¡¯t seem self-conscious about it, though. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back!¡± Elijah climbed onto the floating dock, and after Miguel and Biggle descended from his shoulders, he took on his human form. Then, he began the arduous process of cleaning the muck from his lower body while plucking any pesky leeches free. Fortunately, he¡¯d only picked up a few small ones, and it only took a quick pulse of Soothe to get rid of the afflictions they¡¯d carried. Once he was done, he shook Konstantinos¡¯ hand, saying, ¡°I said I had a friend who might be able to help.¡± He nodded at Biggle, adding, ¡°This is that friend. He¡¯s an Alchemist, just like you, but he might have some knowledge you don¡¯t.¡± After that, Biggle and Konstantinos started a conversation that lost Elijah after only a few moments. Luckily, they were quickly rescued by Marcy, who escorted them inside ¨C after Elijah showered the rest of the muck off ¨C where she served them mugs of tea. Then, she told the story of how a giant man hade by only a couple of months before. ¡°He stormed up, half dead from all the leeches,¡± Marcy exined. ¡°Said he was lookin¡¯ for a Druid or some such. Konnie sent him traipsing off into the swamp, but his soft heart got the better of him, so he gave ¡®im some potions. I wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve done that. But I¡¯m not as nice as Konnie.¡± ¡°Where are the kids?¡± Elijah asked, looking around. ¡°In the other buildin¡¯,¡± she said. ¡°Bryce¡¯s teachin¡¯ ¡®em their numbers and such. You alright in here by yourselves? I got dinner to tend to.¡± Elijah said that he was, while Miguel was still entranced by his surroundings. Despite everything he¡¯d been through, he¡¯d lived a pretty sheltered, suburban life before the world had been transformed. As such, he had never been exposed to much in the way of other cultures. Sure, he¡¯d visited some of Carmen¡¯s family, though only a couple of times because they didn¡¯t precisely approve of her sexuality. Elijah didn¡¯t know the whole story, but he did know that the resulting falling out was why she¡¯d left southern California for Washington state. Either way, Miguel certainly had never seen anything like thepound. It was cozy in a way that only a true home could be, which clearly reminded the young man of everything he¡¯d lost. So, Elijah decided to distract him. ¡°So, I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± he said. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°About your future. I know you¡¯ve been working with Colt,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And he speaks highly of your skills. But I think it would be a shame if you let yourself be pigeonholed like that. You need more than just the ability to swing a sword.¡± ¡°I can use a spear, too. And an axe, but I¡¯m not that good yet. I¡¯m a good shot with a bow, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about weapons¡¯ training. I want you to train with a friend of mine,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to him about it, but I think I know him well enough to know what he¡¯ll say.¡± ¡°What kind of friend? And training in what?¡± ¡°A dwarven friend. He¡¯s a scout for Ironshore, and he¡¯s probably the highest-level fighter they have.¡± ¡°Higher than you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not part of Ironshore. So, no. Not even close.¡± ¡°What if I want to train with you instead?¡± Elijah sighed, leaning back into the couch. It was upholstered in a truly garish fabric, but it was extremely soft andfortable. ¡°You don¡¯t want to train with me,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°Most of what I know isn¡¯t really transferable. If you end up with the Druid archetype, I won¡¯t hesitate to teach you. But I hope you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Miguel asked, a little hurt. ¡°Because it¡¯s not a strong archetype. Not right off, at least. It¡¯s a blend of Schr, Healer, and Sorcerer. So, I can do a lot of things, but until I got my ss, I couldn¡¯t do any of them well. Even now, strength to strength, I can¡¯t stand against someone with a more focused ss. My cultivation helps, and I intend to put you on the right path with that. But being a Druid isn¡¯t about learning fancy techniques or doing sword katas. It¡¯s about connection. Instinct. It¡¯s a mindset more than an archetype. So, unless you decided to follow me down this road, there¡¯s nothing I can teach you better than someone like Kurik or Colt. Not about fighting, at least.¡± That wasn¡¯t what Miguel wanted to hear, and as a result, he went quiet. Elijah tried to reengage, but after a few one-word answers, he gave up. Clearly, he had a lot to learn about dealing with kids. Book 4: Chapter 7: A Natural Balance Book 4: Chapter 7: A Natural Bnce ¡°These children are remarkable,¡± said Biggle. ¡°I wish I had ess to a Physician to understand precisely what¡¯s happening here.¡± The kids ¨C who were all lined up in front of the gnome ¨C were mostly taller than Biggle, but they all beamed at the apparentpliment. One even threw his hands into the air in celebration. However, Elijah knew that none of them ¨C save for Bryce, perhaps ¨C had any clue what he was talking about. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between a Healer and a Physician?¡± asked Bryce, who looked ufortable at the scrutiny she¡¯d just endured. Biggle didn¡¯t have much use for boundaries, so after feeding each of the children some concoction that he imed would make things clearer for him, he¡¯d leaned in close enough that his overge nose touched her cheek. ¡°I thought they were the same thing.¡± ¡°Ah ¨C that¡¯s amon mistake. A Physician is a Schr ss. While a Healer specializes in fixing problems, a Physician¡¯s main purpose is diagnosis. They endeavor to understand, rather than heal. Though many of them possess some ability in thetter,¡± Biggle said. ¡°Tell me, child ¨C you weren¡¯t with these other children in the beginning, were you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­no. I was adopted before the apocalypse.¡± ¡°Apocalypse?¡± Biggle asked, clearly confused. Then, his eyes widened in understanding. ¡°Ah. I can see why you humans would see the touch of the World Tree in such a light. But this is no apocalypse. It is an opportunity. Think of it like the great forest moths. They begin life as the spotted caterpir, norger than you are now, but then they undergo a transformation that lets them take to the skies. They grow sorge that they can block the smallsun.¡± ¡°A caterpir as big as me?¡± she gasped. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have those here?¡± asked Biggle. ¡°No, we don¡¯t,¡± Elijah said, smiling slightly. ¡°Our caterpirs are usually smaller than a finger.¡±¡°What? That makes no sense. How would the moth grow sorge, then?¡± ¡°Moths are tiny,¡± Bryce said. ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Miguel pointed out, staring at the girl. If she¡¯d noticed the intensity of his gaze, she might¡¯ve been a bit ufortable. Thankfully, she hadn¡¯t recognized the young man¡¯s clear infatuation. In retrospect, it should have been predictable. They weren¡¯t far off in age, and Miguel clearly hadn¡¯t encountered many girls over the past couple of years. ¡°Moths are really small.¡± Elijah nearly chuckled at Miguel¡¯s pointless contribution to the conversation, but instead, kept his mouth shut as Biggle said, ¡°That¡­is troubling.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But never mind your oddly sized moths. My point is that you didn¡¯t endure the same transformation that blessed these children. When theye of age ¨C provided they survive that long ¨C they will be well on their way to the first stage of body cultivation. I have never seen something so remarkable.¡± ¡°What does it mean?¡± asked Konstantinos. ¡°Two things,¡± Biggle said, holding up two tiny fingers. ¡°First, you saved these children¡¯s lives. That concoction you¡¯ve been feeding them is primitive but inspired. That¡¯s the difference between a passable Tradesman and an exceptional one. Creativity. It¡¯s what separates us from those less talented.¡± ¡°Humility, too,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°Bah. Humility. What use is it? If you¡¯re good, let the world know!¡± Biggle insisted, emphatically thrusting his finger toward the ceiling. Elijah rolled his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the other thing?¡± ¡°The second is that I know how to help them,¡± Biggle stated, puffing out his chest. He addressed Konstantinos, who still wore a pair of denim overalls with no shirt. Otherwise, he had on a straw hat, with what looked like a piece of swamp grass sticking out from between his lips. ¡°It¡¯s a pill meant to do the same thing your little potions have done. The difference is that it¡¯llst a lot longer.¡± ¡°How much longer?¡± asked the other Alchemist. ¡°Well, you¡¯re getting a day or two out of your version, right?¡± ¡°They get dosed every day,¡± Konstantinos answered. ¡°And it¡¯s yucky!¡± one of the children shouted. Another mimed like she was vomiting, while yet another pointed at his open mouth while he wore a grimace. ¡°This pill willst at least a month. Maybe two. And it uses ingredients that grow all over the ce. Not just this damnable swamp,¡± Biggle said, punctuating that statement by pping his hand against his neck, killing a mundane mosquito. There were much bigger ones out in the swamp. ¡°That¡¯s if you don¡¯t want me to cure them.¡± ¡°Course we want you to cure ¡®em,¡± said Marcy. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°It¡¯splicated, but the gist of it is that these kids¡¯ bodies are being tempered, much like what¡¯s required for body cultivation,¡± Biggle said. ¡°It¡¯s a dangerous practice, but it¡¯s not entirely unheard of. The problem is that if the mix is wrong ¨C even by a little bit ¨C it¡¯ll kill the subjects.¡± ¡°Are they in danger?¡± ¡°Left untreated? Absolutely. They would die within a few days,¡± Biggle said. ¡°But because of your¡­husband¡¯s efforts, cmity has be an advantage. The conditions in the swamp struck the perfect bnce, naturally creating a situation that would require an Alchemist far more skilled than me to engineer. But I can cure them. I can turn them back to normal. I know a potion that would do the trick. However, that would squander the opportunity in front of them. A Body of Wood? Before they even begin their path of progression? It would be an immense advantage, and one that would set them up for sess.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition. ¡°But we¡¯d have to leave the poison,¡± guessed Konstantinos. ¡°And if they miss one dose¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous,¡± said Marcy. Konstantinos was obviously less convinced. Perhaps he knew how much of an advantage Body cultivation could prove to be. Or maybe he simply took Biggle at his word. Either way, the decision was far moreplicated than it might seem. Sure, there was danger. But if that danger was properly managed, the potential rewards could be incredible. After that, Konstantinos and Marcy sent the children away while they retreated into a back room to discuss the issue. For his part, Elijah hoped they would take the path Biggle described, but he could understand their hesitation. When a child¡¯s life hung in the bnce, risks were difficult to embrace, even if logic dictated that one should do so. In the end, they did not reach a decision before Elijah, Biggle, and Miguel ¨C much to thest one¡¯s regret ¨C left. However, Biggle did give Konstantinos the recipe for the pill meant to manage the poison as well as the concoction that would cure them. That gave them the tools to make whatever choice they felt mostfortable with. Meanwhile, Miguel had mustered his courage and asked Bryce to visit him in his magical grove. The girl clearly didn¡¯t believe the following description, but she half-heartedly promised that she would try to visit if she ever got the chance. That put Miguel on cloud nine, even though, to Elijah, it seemed pretty obvious that she was just being polite. He had no intention of telling the young man, though. In any case, both Miguel and Biggle were in great moods as they returned the way they¡¯de. What made it even better was the fact that Konstantinos consented to usher them to the edge of the swamp on one of his boats. So, Elijah didn¡¯t even need to get his scales wet. The trip back to Argos was equally uneventful, save for the fact that Elijah took the two by the ravine, where they saw one of the massive spiders ambush another bird. That delighted Miguel, but Biggle found it horrifying, prompting a discussion on how the gnomish Alchemist could find giant moths so normal, while an enormous spider terrified him. Elijah barely listened as the pair bickered. His obligations were nearly satisfied, which meant that he was on the verge of setting out for Easton. When he got there, he would exact his revenge. At present, the only question was whether or not he intended to hold the whole city ountable for his sister¡¯s death ¨C and Carmen¡¯s as well as Miguel¡¯s exile ¨C or if he would only take vengeance on Roman. He had yet to decide, but Elijah knew the time woulde when the choice was forced upon him, one way or another. In any case, they arrived in Argos a couple of dayster, which meant that they had a free day. So, Elijah allowed Miguel to wander the town alone while he stopped by Atticus¡¯ shop to see if the merchant had had any luck filling his requests. ¡°No luck, my friend. I have some items that would fit,¡± Atticus answered with a shake of his head. ¡°But they¡¯re nothing special. I feel certain that I will have a chance to obtain the equipment you require in a month or so. There are a few scheduled tower runs uing, which usually results in an influx of inventory. We have also been getting more traders ofte.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. From a wide variety of ces, too. I¡¯m told there is a tribe of nomadic hunters who reside on the ins past the swamp to the south. Some of my productse from their forays into that region¡¯s towers. We¡¯ve seen quite a few traveling merchants as well,¡± Atticus exined. ¡°I only wish Argos had more dedicated crafters. We¡¯ve a few decent Leatherworkers, Builders, and quite a lot of Farmers. No cksmiths or Tailors, though.¡± ¡°Once Carmen gets settled, hopefully we can figure something out,¡± Elijah said. ¡°If she¡¯s as good as you say, we will all get very rich!¡± he eximed. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m told she¡¯s good, but I¡¯ve never seen her products,¡± he said honestly. ¡°In any case, I¡¯ll be heading back home tomorrow, but I¡¯ll try to stop by here sometime soon.¡± With that, Elijah returned to his hotel room, where he got started on the next phase of his cultivation. He knew the basics of how to take the next step with his Core, but he¡¯d only spent a little time practicing the technique. It required him to take in as much ethera as he could ¨C enough to make him feel like he was going to burst ¨C then swirl it around before expelling it as slowly as possible. To Elijah, it was a little like taking a long, deep breath, then holding it in, though with the added difficulty of doing some calisthenics along the way. It wasn¡¯t a perfect analogy, but it described the process well enough for him. Regardless, he quickly found the first issue. The ethera density in Argos was severelycking, and as a result, it took almost ten minutes for his Core to reachplete saturation. Then, another ten to push it to its ufortable limit. But even then, it felt hollow. Like he should have been filling a balloon with water, but all he had was air. It was the best he could do, though, and he spent the next half hour swirling the ethera around until he could hold it no longer. Then, he let it out. Almost an hour, and he¡¯d done very little good. He couldn¡¯t even notice any difference, even though he knew it should have expanded ever so slightly. To him, the activity seemed a lot like working out. It was meant to be a long process, and he wouldn¡¯t notice improvement for a while. He kept going, though, repeating the cycle a few more times before he started to lose focus. He probably would have continued, but Miguel¡¯s return was distracting enough to throw a wrench into those ns. So, after his nephew excitedly described his foray into Argos, Elijah broached the subject they¡¯d begun to discuss on the way to the swamp. ¡°Would you like to train with Kurik? If so, I can set it up when we get back,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Don¡¯t feel obligated to agree, though. If you have no interest in learning the skills he can teach, then it would just be a waste of time.¡± Miguel narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I want to do it? I would have given anything to have those skills after we were exiled,¡± he said. ¡°Alright, then. I guess that settles that,¡± Elijah said. He nced at the window, seeing that darkness hadpletely settled over Argos. ¡°Get some sleep. We¡¯re going to leave early in the morning.¡± Miguel quickly agreed, but even after the lights were extinguished, sleep was elusive, and for both of them. Miguel was clearly too excited for slumber, but Elijah had other things on his mind. Because now that he¡¯d met his obligations with Konstantinos, he only had one more task to aplish before setting off for Easton. Once he¡¯d introduced Miguel to Kurik ¨C who he still hadn¡¯t asked to mentor the kid ¨C there would be nothing else, aside from a few preparations for the journey, to dy his departure. And now that it was so close, Elijah was eager to get started. Excitement wasn¡¯t the right word. Nor was anxiety. Instead, it was a mixture of both, with a healthy dose of dread thrown in. Some righteous indignation, too. A sense of serving justice, as well. To put it mildly, he was beset by a snarl of varied emotions that were extremely difficult to identify. The end result, though, was that he looked forward to looking his sister¡¯s murderer in the face and watching the light life leave his eyes. That, at least, was aforting thought that ushered him into sleep. Book 4: Chapter 8: Final Preparations Book 4: Chapter 8: Final Preparations Elijah awoke a little before dawn, but he didn¡¯t immediately rise. For one, he didn¡¯t want to wake Miguel, but for another, he wanted to spend an hour cycling ethera through his Core. He wanted to create a routine that would, over time, better prepare him for sess. So, he pushed himself to a seated position, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes before getting down to the task at hand. This time, it took him a little longer to saturate his Core, which he took as a good sign, but he cut himself off after only one cycle. The rising sun told him that it was time to get on with the primary objective. With that in mind, he woke Miguel, who rose and turned an usatory, bleary-eyed gaze in Elijah¡¯s direction. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? We could sleep in,¡± heined. ¡°Sleeping in is how everyone else gets ahead of you,¡± Elijah cautioned. ¡°That¡¯s what my dad used to tell me. When I was your age, I didn¡¯t really believe him, but now, I realize he was a lot smarter than I ever gave him credit for back then.¡± Miguel asked, ¡°What was he like?¡± ¡°Old and wise.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon. Be serious.¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± Elijah muttered, running his hand through his hair. Having a thirteen-year-old chastise him for not being serious was a bit of a blow to the concept of his own maturity. ¡°Fine. He was about my height. Maybe a little taller. And he had the kind of tan you only get from spending years outside. He never wanted to be indoors. Whenever he wasn¡¯t working, he wanted to be camping. Or fishing. Hunting, maybe. Sometimes, he just went hiking. Your mom and I used to go with him all the time. So did mom. She liked to gather herbs and stuff. Mushrooms, too. Those were good times.¡± ¡°They got in a car wreck, right?¡± Miguel asked, his voice small. Elijah nodded. ¡°Yeah. One day, they were there. Happy. Healthy. Like two monuments that I thought would never disappear. But then, the next day, I was standing outside as your mom identified their bodies,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It didn¡¯t feel real. Not to me. Not until the funeral. But even after that, for years, I would turn around and half expect them to be there.¡±That was why he ran away after high school. Sure, he usually categorized it as going off to college, but in reality, he¡¯d done it to escape the memory of his dead parents. It hadn¡¯t really worked. Only time could do that. But he¡¯d been a stupid kid with equally dumb ideas. ¡°But without the things they taught me, I never would have survived the touch of the World Tree,¡± Elijah said, surprised that, even after all this time, no tears came. Usually, they did when he really thought about his parents. ¡°Though I thought I was a better campfire cook before everything happened. I mean, I wasn¡¯t good. I used to joke that I could burn water. But it wasn¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t have a cooking skill,¡± Miguel said. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°What? A cooking skill?¡± ¡°Yeah. Lots of people have them,¡± his nephew exined. ¡°It¡¯s part of one of the archetypes. Maybe a couple of them. But without it, food just kind of tastes nd. Before¡­everything happened with mom, we went to school, and my teacher, Mr. Gary, said that it was because of ethera. Like, our bodies need it, so if food doesn¡¯t have enough of it or something, it ends up tasting nd. That¡¯s where the different cooking skillse in. They inject ethera into normal food.¡± Elijah just stared at him. It exined so much. Maybe the problem wasn¡¯t that the crabs on his ind didn¡¯t taste good. The issue was with him and hisck of cooking skills. Perhaps those same crabs, cooked by someone with actual ability, would taste amazing. It also put some of his other experiences into perspective. Like how every time he visited a new town, he found someone whose cooking was even better than what one would expect in a five-star restaurant. ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked Miguel. ¡°You just blew my mind.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I need to hire someone that can cook,¡± Elijah said, his mind already going to his coffee project. What would happen if he roasted the beans himself? Would the product be inferior? He hoped not, but he wasn¡¯t willing to take that chance. Sure, now that the trees were approaching maturity, they would bear fruit far more often, but he didn¡¯t want to waste his precious coffee cherries on a failed endeavor. After all, the whole point was to make delicious coffee that had beneficial properties like his grove berries. If he ruined that by roasting his own beans, he¡¯d never forgive himself. He shook his head. ¡°You just added an item to my to-do list,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Thankfully, it can wait.¡± ¡°Until after you kill Roman?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°He saved my life, you know. Why would he do that? He barely knew me. When that other guy took me, I thought I was going to die. Then, when he gave me to Roman, I thought he¡¯d use me against mom. But he didn¡¯t. He was furious. Killed the kidnapper in like a second. And I still don¡¯t know why,¡± Miguel said. Elijah didn¡¯t know either, and he said as much. However, he added, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. From the situation your mom described, I think it¡¯s safe to say that he¡¯s at least deluded. Maybe he had a psychotic break. Or he might¡¯ve just always been an asshole that draws the line at messing with kids. I really don¡¯t know. He is going to die, though. Probably painfully.¡± He¡¯d considered sugarcoating the reality of what wasing, but he figured Miguel deserved to know the unfettered truth. To that end, he¡¯d vowed to bepletely honest with his nephew. But that didn¡¯t mean he reveled in that conversation, so it wasn¡¯t long after that statement before he rose and headed to the bathroom. Less than an hourter, he, Miguel, and Biggle were marching toward Argos¡¯ gate. Elijah had hoped that a visit to the city would help him to deal with his sister¡¯s death ¨C and the anger that hade with it ¨C but if anything, it had only made things worse. It only took a few hours to reach the Dragon Circle, so they were forced to sit around for another hour before Elijah¡¯s cooldown ran out. When it did, he opened a gate, and everyone stepped through and into Elijah¡¯s grove. That was when he realized the issue. Biggle stumbled, staring around the grove, wide-eyed. ¡°Shit,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°What is this ce? The ethera density¡­those berries¡­¡± Elijah grabbed the Alchemist by the cor before he could run off. Then, he knelt beside the gnome and said, ¡°This is my grove, Biggle. I like you. I think we¡¯re on the verge of being friends. But if youe to this grove without my permission, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you. The same goes for anyone else in Ironshore.¡± ¡°I would never!¡± Biggle insisted, struggling to free himself. It didn¡¯t work. ¡°Sure. I know that. I¡¯m just letting you know the rules. You¡¯re the only Ironshore resident other than Kurik and the human refugees who¡¯ve seen this grove,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯ll caution you not to spread any information about what you¡¯ve seen here. I don¡¯t want to have to kill a bunch of people just to make a point.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea what you have here?¡± Biggle asked, looking around. ¡°This grove could fuel the progression of a hundred fighters. Maybe a thousand. The potions I could make¡­the pills I could create¡­¡± He trailed off, then sighed. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s for the best. I don¡¯t have the expertise to utilize ingredients of this quality,¡± he admitted. ¡°I can¡¯t even identify most of these things.¡± ¡°Even if you could¡­¡± ¡°Hands off,¡± Biggle said, raising his tiny hands. ¡°You have my word.¡± ¡°I knew I could count on you,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°And if it turns out I can¡¯t¡­well, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve killed a gnome.¡± Biggle swallowed hard, then said, ¡°You truly are a violent person. You know that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m whatever I need to be,¡± Elijah countered, releasing the gnome. Biggle straightened his cor, but he didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he seemed eager to leave the grove behind, which Elijah thought was for the best. In truth, he had never seen himself as a violent person. However, some things were worth protecting, and sometimes, that meant letting the more feral side of himself out. Besides, a few threats were preferable to having to ughter a bunch of unwee visitors, which he would unhesitatingly do if they invaded his grove. Or threatened his family. In any case, he led Biggle to the beach, then used one of the rowboats to return him to Ironshore. Meanwhile, Miguel went to train near the old cabin. He only paid attention to the young man for long enough to know that he was in no danger before turning his attention to other matters. While he was in Ironshore, Elijah spent some time topping off his supplies before returning to his ind. He hated using the rowboat, but if he didn¡¯t take it back, no one else would pick up the ck. So, he got to rowing, and when he reached the ind, he retrieved his old jars, filled them with a scentless oil he¡¯d bought in Ironshore, then stuffed a bunch ofvender into each one. By the time he finished taking his revenge, the infused oil would be ready for another batch of soap. He¡¯d just finished that task when Carmen returned to the ind. He¡¯d considered stopping by her new smithy, but he hadn¡¯t wanted to disturb her. So, he waited until she got back to the grove before heading out to meet her. ¡°It¡¯s time, isn¡¯t it?¡± she guessed. Elijah nodded. ¡°I¡¯m leaving in the morning.¡± Then, he described his n. His intention was to use the individual teleportation function of Roots of the World Tree, which worked on a different cooldown than the gate portion, to travel to the Circle of Spears outside of Seattle. Then, he would use Shape of Air to fly to Easton. Hopefully, he could reach the city in a day or two. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll stay there. It depends on if I want to destroy the city,¡± he remarked. ¡°You think you can do that?¡± she asked, her face smudged with soot. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Maybe. Not quickly, though,¡± he said. Cmity could do a lot of damage, and in a wide area, but it was not strong enough to tear down buildings. ¡°It would take a while.¡± He expected Carmen to argue on behalf of Easton, but she didn¡¯t. Instead, she said, ¡°Make him suffer.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Elijah promised. Indeed, that was one of the reasons he was even considering the city¡¯s total destruction. From what Carmen had said, Roman valued that city more than anything, so its destruction would assuredly cause him more pain than anything else Elijah could do. ¡°But more than anything, I need you to survive,¡± Carmen stated, reaching out to grip his arm. ¡°Miguel is safe here. It¡¯s been so long since we had that. And without you, that all disappears. So, survive.¡± Elijah intended to do that, too. But if it came down to a choice between taking his revenge and his own death, Elijah wasn¡¯t certain which route he would choose. Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯te down to that. ¡°I talked to a friend while I was in Ironshore. Kurik. He¡¯s a scout,¡± Elijah said. ¡°He¡¯sing by tomorrow to pick Miguel up. It¡¯s not quite an apprenticeship ¨C that won¡¯te unless Miggy gets the right archetype and ss. But it¡¯s training. Kurik¡¯s going to show him woodcraft, trapping, and hunting. I told him that it was all subject to your approval, though, so if you don¡¯t want it to happen, just tell Kurik when hees by.¡± ¡°You¡¯re willing to let him into the grove?¡± asked Carmen. Elijah nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a friend,¡± he said. ¡°I trust him.¡± ¡°Then so do I,¡± Carmen stated, adding that the n had her approval. ¡°Well, since I¡¯m not leaving until the morning, do you and Miggy want to go have ast meal at the Stuck Pig? Hopefully, they¡¯re not still serving orc ribs,¡± he said. Book 4: Chapter 9: A New Perspective Book 4: Chapter 9: A New Perspective After saying his goodbyes and cautioning Miguel to heed Kurik¡¯smands, Elijah gathered his things, double-checked that he had everything he would need, then used Shape of the Sky. The transformation came much more quickly, barely taking a second when, before, it had taken a couple. Soon enough, he¡¯dunched himself toward the sky. He beat his powerful wings, rising above the grove as he quickly gained altitude. There was something undeniably addictive about flight, about defying gravity to soar through the air. Not only was it a much quicker means of travel than going on foot, but it represented a degree of freedom that few humans had ever enjoyed. In his flight form, he could go almost anywhere, do almost anything. And that was a heady notion, especially given the breadth of miracles waiting to be discovered. He¡¯d seen a few such miracles since Earth had been touched by the World Tree. Some wererge, like the presence of a skyscraper in the middle of an untouched and pristine valley. Or the deep ravine that rivaled ¨C or perhaps even exceeded ¨C the Grand Canyon in scope. But there were plenty of small miracles as well. The peaceful des, the curious wildlife, the streams and waterfalls ¨C the whole world was magical and miraculous, and though Elijah was wholeheartedlymitted to his quest for vengeance, he couldn¡¯t deny that a good part of him desperately wanted to fly off toward the horizon on a different sort of quest ¨C one of discovery. Elijah circled his ind at an altitude of thousands of feet, and from that vantage, the entirendscape wasid out before him. He could see his ind, smallpared to the massive maind. Ironshore looked tiny as well. A fairly well contained collection of buildings that seemed far too small to house the few thousand people Elijah knew lived there. Then there were the looming mountains just beyond the town. The range stretched as far as Elijah could see, jutting much higher than his current altitude. At present, the peaks were wreathed in clouds and nketed in white snow, making him feel even smaller than he really was. Elijah had be powerful. ording to the power rankings, he was the strongest person on Earth. However, when he looked upon those mountains, he knew just how little that title counted. Before experiencing the touch of the World Tree and being transformed, Earth had seemed a lot smaller than it really was. Elijah med globalmunication, the ease of travel, and the inte for that perception. However, the moment all of that quit working, that view had shifted. Suddenly, a few hundred miles was a long way to travel ¨C let alone thousands. Before, Elijah could have gone on the inte to see what was happening on the other side of the world. Now, he didn¡¯t even know what was going on in Ironshore unless he physically went there and asked around. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the world¡¯s transformation, which, ording to everything he¡¯d heard, was rumored to be asrge as Saturn. Elijah had barely paid attention during lessons that covered astronomy, but he had some idea of the scope that size represented. The was at least ten times its former size, and filled with wonders and dangers to match its new stature. Those thoughts flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind as he circled his ind. Then, he turned his attention to the ocean. From so high up, he could see dozens of miles, and when he used Eyes of the Eagle, he could see much, much further. And under the effects of that augmentation, he could see darkness on the horizon. It was hundreds of miles away, he knew, but he could see enough to suspect that that smudge in the distance represented an enormous storm.Was iting toward his ind? Elijah couldn¡¯t know. However, despite the rain-soaked climate of his region, the ind had never experienced hurricanes or the like. So, he felt reasonably certain that they were safe from truly inclement weather. Besides, he also expected that the grove would survive any storm the world could throw its way. Sure, there would almost assuredly be damage. Maybe his coffee trees would be uprooted. But the ancestral tree would be fine. So would his and his sister¡¯s treehouses. For a while, he continued to circle until, atst, he decided to get a move on. Initially, he¡¯d intended to use Roots of the World Tree to instantly teleport to Seattle, but overnight, he¡¯d decided against that tactic. The ability to immediately jump thousands of miles was too valuable to use it just to save a couple of days. Thest thing he wanted was for the spell to be on cooldown when he needed it most ¨C like if he needed a quick escape. Another part of the choice to forego the use of Roots of the World Tree was based on his burgeoning skill at flying. He hadn¡¯t used the form nearly enough for flight to feel instinctive, so he intended to use the trip to simultaneously work on his skills while also putting himself in the right mindset for theing trials. Because Elijah didn¡¯t think getting revenge on Roman would be easy. Perhaps from a physical standpoint, he could manage it well enough. After all, he was the strongest person in the world, ording to the powerdder. That had to mean something. On top of that, he had a wealth ofbat experience, and in a wide variety of situations, to draw upon. He¡¯d recently killed one of the top three most powerful people in the world, too. So, Elijah knew he had the ability to do what needed to be done. But killing someone in cold blood required a different frame of mind. That was especially true if he intended to bring down the city, too. Which was still up in the air, if he was honest with himself. On the one hand, from what Carmen had described, the entire city of Easton was rotten to the core, and the world would be a better ce if that city no longer existed. However, on the other hand, Elijah knew that Carmen¡¯s perception was tainted by her own mindset. Inevitably, there were still innocent people in that city. And even if there weren¡¯t, there were degrees of guilt. Some people doubtless deserved execution. But others, even if they were in some wayplicit in Alyssa¡¯s murder, hadn¡¯t earned that fate. It was aplex situation, and one Elijah intended to ponder as he flew toward the city in question. He beat his wings against the air, climbing ever higher until he passed through the clouds and into an entirely new world. Via One with Nature, he could feel things he couldn¡¯t identify in and above the clouds. However, he saw nothing but a few shimmers in the air. It reminded him of what he thought of as the Predator effect, derived from the titr movie alien who could camouge itself almostpletely. However, when it moved, it created a barely visible shimmer. The same was true of the things Elijah sensed through One with Nature. They represented a wide variety of shapes. There were things that felt like serpents, a few amorphous blobs, and humanoid variants, among many others. It took Elijah a few minutes to recognize that they were made of air, putting him in mind of spirits. Or elementals, perhaps. This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Fortunately, they were not aggressive. Indeed, they ignored him altogether, even when he came close. Still, it was an interesting discovery, and one Elijah would have studied closer if he didn¡¯t have his mission to worry about. As it was, he quickly left the clouds behind as he soared toward the mountains. As he drew closer, he recognized many other flying creatures. Some were recognizable species of birds, though they were typically muchrger than they had been before Earth¡¯s transformation. Yet, there were other beasts that could only be described as magical in nature. Elijah saw a flock of winged serpents in the distance, as well as an animal that looked strikingly like a griffon, though he couldn¡¯t be sure, considering that it dove into the forested mountainside before he had a chance to study it. Eventually, Elijah found the path through the mountains. He didn¡¯t try to fly over them, instead targeting the pass he¡¯d used before. As he flew through it, he saw that the remnants of the spiders had begun to fade. Atst, the gossamer webs that had once coated the entire area had started to dissolve. There were other animals about, too, which boded well for the ecosystem¡¯s recovery from the invasive monster¡¯s presence. He covered ground much more quickly than he had in his first few trips, and after only a few hours ¨C some of which, he spent practicing flying through narrow valleys ¨C he began his descent into the foothills. On a whim, Elijah decided to stop by Norcastle. Mostly, he wanted to check on Jess and Essex, but he also wanted to make certain that Ironshore¡¯s interests were protected. After all, they were his allies, and their fate affected his own. The stronger they were, the better they would be able to protect their territory, which was a good thing for him. So long as they didn¡¯t get any ideas about invading his ind, that is. But they¡¯d stayed away so far, and Elijah could only hope that that pattern would continue. After a while, he saw Norcastle in the distance, so hended ¨C badly ¨C and, after using Touch of Nature to heal the resulting injuries, he shifted into his draconid form and continued on to the tree line closest to the city. Once there, he settled down to study the situation. The city itself looked much the same as it always had. The gate was guarded, but not by either of the people Elijah remembered. That didn¡¯t mean anything, though. Perhaps it was just a different shift. Either way, Elijah couldn¡¯t tell much from afar, so he embraced Guise of the Unseen before padding across therge, open field until he reached the wall. Once there, heunched himself upward, using his ws to grab hold of the uneven stones so he could climb to the top. He reached his goal unseen, then crossed the four-foot-wide wall walk before leaping down to the ground on the other side. And just like that, he was inside Norcastle. After looking around a bit, Elijah could confirm that not much had really changed. Some of the people seemed to have higher levels, and the stench of corruption was gone. There also weren¡¯t any corpse wagons to be found, so he felt confident that the gue had not returned. That meant that Essex and his people ¨C or perhaps the mayor¡¯s men ¨C were doing their duty by periodically running the tower. Hopefully, the Reaver¡¯s Citadel hadn¡¯t resulted in too many deaths, though Elijah expected that there would be a few, regardless of his efforts. He''d detailed the tower¡¯syout ¨C at least what he¡¯d seen ¨C for Essex before leaving the first time, but even then, people would still have to do the work. And with the unforgiving nature of each tower¡¯s challenges, it was inevitable that some casualties would ur. Regardless, Elijah was satisfied that his efforts hadn¡¯t been wasted, so he moved on with the first task, which was to ensure that Essex was still around. A quick trip to the man¡¯s office told Elijah that he was fine ¨C if a little overworked ¨C but he didn¡¯t bother emerging from stealth. That would only cause the man problems. So, he moved on to the next ¨C and more important ¨C task. The hospital was a lot less crowded this time around, so it didn¡¯t take Elijah long to find Jess. She looked much the same as always, wearing purple scrubs and a pair of sneakers, though she felt a little stronger than before. That was probably inevitable. After all, she gained experience through healing, which was her job. Elijah followed her for about an hour until she went to an office that would provide a bit of privacy. Once inside, he dropped Shape of the Predator and, even as he resumed his human form, asked, ¡°Miss me?¡± She gave a start, nearly falling out of her chair. Then, she patted her chest, saying, ¡°Jesus ¨C you scared the hell out of me, Elijah!¡± ¡°Sorry. I was trying to be spontaneous and romantic.¡± ¡°By popping up out of nowhere? You have a weird idea of romance.¡± ¡°Mostly derived from romanticedies. So¡­yeah. You¡¯re probably right. But I was just kidding. Sort of,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t leave under the best of circumstances, so I figured it wasn¡¯t a great idea to juste strolling in here. Hence the stealth.¡± She let out a deep breath. ¡°That was probably a good idea. There was someone looking for you a couple of months back,¡± she said. ¡°Big guy. Really strong. I don¡¯t think you want to let him find you.¡± ¡°Oh, him? I crushed his skull,¡± Elijah said, picking up a knickknack off the desk. It was a little bobble-head of a baseball yer. ¡°But in my defense, he didn¡¯t give me much choice. He stabbed me in the heart. And in the back. A couple of times, if I remember right. Plus, he was all like, ¡®I¡¯m a mighty Viking hunter, and you are my prey! Raa!¡¯. Or something like that. He wasn¡¯t a nice guy is what I¡¯m saying. Had a nice water bottle, though. Really useful.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jess asked, clearly struggling to follow Elijah¡¯s interpretation of the fight. After only a second, she just shook her head and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°More than it seems,¡± Elijah said, his tone suddenly serious. ¡°Probably not as much as I should, though.¡± Indeed, most of the time, Elijah felt like the same person he¡¯d been thest time he¡¯d visited Norcastle. But so much had changed that he knew that wasn¡¯t the case. Even his conversation with Jess felt forced, and not in his normal, nervous way. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked, reaching out to touch his arm. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, honestly,¡± he admitted. ¡°I found out my sister died. It¡­I haven¡¯t taken it well. It happened years ago. But¡­I still feel guilty that I wasn¡¯t there for her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Elijah gave her a small, sad smile. ¡°You don¡¯t know that. Neither do I. Chances are, I¡¯d have ended up the same as her, even if I had been there. But the not knowing ¨C that¡¯s the worst,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, though. I just thought I¡¯d stop by to see if everything was okay here.¡± After that, Jess exined that Essex had made a deal with the mayor to send joint teams into the tower. That had proven a sess, and since then, the captain of the guard had worked to gradually gain more freedoms for the people. The mayor had acquiesced, especially when Kurik had appeared and offered an ongoing trade deal. After that, his attitude had shifted, and the corruption that had been so prevalent thest time Elijah had visited had faded into the background. ¡°I mean, he¡¯s still a shady figure, but it¡¯s a lot better now,¡± Jess stated. ¡°We all have full ess to the branch too. So long as we pay a few copper ethereum, we can use it as much as we want.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, Jess. I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t kill himst time,¡± Elijah said. He¡¯d considered it after the man had sent some thugs to his inn. Back then, he hadn¡¯t known if their intention was to simply collect him, rob him, or murder him, but he¡¯d chosen to interpret it in the worst way. As such, the only reason he hadn¡¯t gone to teach the mayor a lesson was because Jess had asked him not to. Plus, back then, he¡¯d maintained an aversion to kill humans. That still persisted to a certain extent, but if Elijah felt justified, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Either way, I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay. That¡¯s a load off my mind,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯m going to be on my way.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to stick around? Maybe have a meal?¡± she asked, hopeful. Elijah was tempted to take her up on it, but he shook his head and said, ¡°No. Rain check, maybe.¡± Then, he left the room, shifting into his draconid form the moment he entered the hall. Once he was out of sight, he once again adopted Guise of the Unseen before heading toward the wall. Book 4: Chapter 10: Migration Book 4: Chapter 10: Migration Elijah sat cross-legged on a boulder, his eyes closed and focused almost entirely on One with Nature. During his previous attempts at cycling his ethera in an effort to begin the process of advancing his Core to the next stage, he had begun to feel something that he¡¯d never felt before. Or rather, that he¡¯d only experienced a single time, when he¡¯d first tried his hand at cultivation and very nearly sumbed to what Nerthus had referred to as the Call. Back then, the spryggent had described it as giving himselfpletely to the Mother. Or to nature itself. Though, Elijah hadn¡¯t understood it at the time. Now, he was beginning to. Because nature wasn¡¯t just some ephemeral concept. Certainly, it could be referred to in that way, but there was an underlying structure. Not an awareness, per se, but a desire. A need. An influence that Elijah couldn¡¯t quite categorize or understand. But it was powerful, he knew, and he expected that it was partially responsible for some of his more questionable decisions. Like when he¡¯d killed those hunters. Or when he¡¯d nearly lost himself to his animalistic instincts during his first tower run. As he sat there, he traced that influence back to the very first time he¡¯did eyes on Ironshore. Back then, he¡¯d felt outraged at the deforestation and the billowing clouds of smoke that hade from the budding town. It wasn¡¯t untilter that he¡¯d moved away from that snap judgement and to something more reasonable. But he hadn¡¯t forgotten his initial anger. That, he attributed to his connection to nature making itself known. It should have been obvious that his ss would influence the way he saw the world. Or maybe it was his attunement. After all, nature was listed right there on his status. Regardless of the origin, Elijah felt that he couldn¡¯t truly progress until he understood the influences working to dictate his actions. In a few years, he didn¡¯t want to look back and realize that he¡¯d begun to walk the path of some lunatic eco-terrorist. Nor did he want to lose his connection with something so powerful,rgely because he felt it would prove necessary in the future. He didn¡¯t know how.Nor did he know why he believed it to be true. Yet, he did believe it, and that meant that he needed to understand what was going on. So, he meditated, focusing his attention on One with Nature. He felt everyst detail of his surroundings, and for a fifty-foot radius. When he truly concentrated on that deluge of information, Elijah felt overwhelmed by the sheer scope. Billions of microbes. Thousands of insects. A few animals. A host of vegetation. The list went on and on. However, beneath it all was what Elijah was looking for. There was an order to things. It felt clich¨¦ to think of it in such a way, but it felt like a circle of subsistence. An ongoing battle for survival that somehow fit perfectly together in a way where every individual organism got what it needed. Where did he fit into that? He felt simultaneously like an outsider, a part of the ecosystem, and a steward. A guardian of the delicate bnce of life that was epted, but never truly a part of that world. Unless he gave in. He felt the pull. The Call. He could leave everything behind and join with nature. Like that, he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about things like vengeance. Instead, he would merely be part of the cycle, and when his time came, he would die, only to fuel someone else¡¯s survival. In that way, he would live on. It was beautiful. But it was also antithetical to everything it meant to be sapient. That subversion of the self was entirely unnatural, which was ironic, given that it would allow him to truly be One with Nature. Elijah sighed, then opened his eyes to see a sun dappled glen. He was a few hours away from Norcastle, where he¡¯d stopped for the night. His morning cycling practice had somehow turned into a meditation on nature, but he didn¡¯t regret the loss of a few cycles of Core cultivation. On the contrary, he felt that he¡¯d made progress on a path he¡¯d yet to truly recognize. Still, he¡¯d already spent enough time idling in the dell. So, he unfolded his legs and reached into his satchel, retrieving a hunk of dried meat. As he chewed on that, he hefted his Endless Canteen to wash it down. After breaking his fast, Elijah spent a few minutes stretching stiff muscles before using Shape of the Sky and taking to the skies. His takeoff was much better than it had been only a couple of days before, and he hoped his improvement would continue, at least until he couldnd without risk of breaking his bones. He pped his wings, gaining a little altitude before speeding on his way. Elijah was tempted to stop by Argos, but he¡¯d just left the city a few days before. So, it wasn¡¯t that difficult to ignore that temptation. Instead, he flew toward the ravine, hoping to cut the swamp out of his journey. Yet, when he reached the area, he discovered that thoserge birds that were the frequent prey of the canyon spiders were quite territorial. They didn¡¯t appreciate his intrusion, and Elijah had no intention of fighting an aerial battle ¨C after all, his current form wasn¡¯t meant for fighting ¨C so he reluctantly veered south. Soon after, he found himself flying over the swamp. Even at an altitude of a few hundred feet, the insects were maddening. But at least he didn¡¯t have to wade through tepid, waist-deep water. It took Elijah the rest of the day to reach the outer reaches of the swamp, but as night fell, hended on one of the infrequent inds, where he spent a fitful night sleeping. He¡¯d done the same during previous trips into the swamp, but that didn¡¯t mean it was any less nerve-wracking. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Still, Elijah endured the rigors of swamp life for the span of a night, and the next morning, he left it entirely behind. If he kept his pace, he would reach Easton in only a few days. A week-and-a-half, at most. No sooner had that thought entered his mind than he noticed a dark splotch on the horizon. At first, Elijah thought it was another storm, but if that was the case, it was evenrger than the one off the coast of his ind. As Elijah continued to fly north, the cloud resolved itself into thousands ¨C maybe hundreds of thousands ¨C of tiny shapes. It was only when he got much closer and used Eyes of the Eagle that he got a good look at the creatures, confirming that they weren¡¯t tiny at all. They were also nightmarish. With bodies that mostly resembled birds, they had all the requisite pieces. Wings. Feathers. Enormous talons that wererger even than Elijah¡¯s own. But instead of the expected raptor¡¯s head, they had the faces of women. However, they weren¡¯t ordinary women. Nor were they beautiful. They were, instead, horrifying mixtures of bird and woman that sent a shiver of unease coursing up Elijah¡¯s spine. Instantly, he knew these were no natural beasts. They weren¡¯t guardians, either. Rather, they were monsters ¨C those unfortunate creatures that had been snatched up almost by ident and deposited in an unfamiliar world. They did not belong, and yet, there they were ¨C an affront to nature that Elijah was loathe to let stand. But good sense won out over his outrage, and he recognized that he couldn¡¯t fight tens of thousands of migrating harpies. That mythological moniker was the only way Elijah could describe them, and it felt appropriate, even if it was more than a little unnerving. He dove, hoping to avoid the swarm. Yet, he¡¯d gotten close enough that the monsters had seen him, so a few hundred of the creatures mirrored his move. He crashed down into the lond forest, shifting into his draconid form before he hit the ground. That softened the blow, though the impact still rattled his teeth. But Elijah didn¡¯t have time to consider that, because the first of the harpies arrived only a few secondster. And they were even more grotesque than he¡¯d first thought, with huge, fleshy noses that resembled beaks. The first to attack was huge ¨C at least as big as his predator form, which was the size of a tiger ¨C and with a wingspan to match. It crashed into him before he could dodge, though he used Flicker Step before the momentum could take him more than a few inches. He disappeared, reappearing behind the monster, and after the single instant it took to reorient himself, Elijah pounced, using Venom Strike for good measure. Fortunately, the monster possessed no great defensive abilities, and Elijah¡¯s ws bit deep, ripping into its delicate wings with ease. The creature screeched in pain, the sound cutting through every facet of Elijah¡¯s mind and stunning him. He staggered, recovering after a second or two. However, by that point, it was toote. A dozen more harpies had arrived. And one of them hadtched onto his back with its enormous talons. In only a moment, it was dragging him back into the sky. He shifted into hisrgest shape, transforming into amer ape. The sudden influx of weight threw the harpy slightly off, which was enough for Elijah totch onto the creature¡¯s talons ¨C one in each hand ¨C and wrench them apart. He put everything he had into the move, and it was more sessful than he expected, going far past the point of pulling them apart and into the territory of breaking the bones. Once again, Elijah was assailed by the monster¡¯s debilitating screeches, but that was only a minor concern, considering that he was falling directly into a mass of hungry harpies. With the instincts of themer ape raging through him, Elijah let out a challenging roar as he fell. He hit with a thunderous impact that broke the unlucky harpy that was directly beneath him, but Elijah gave that monster¡¯s fate no thought. Instead, heshed out with a backhanded blow that sent another harpy flying backward until it hit a nearby tree trunk. The sound of broken bones joined the cacophony of birdcalls that had apanied the flock of harpies. Elijah loped after it, leaping in to ensure that it was dead. As he did, he used his upgraded Soul to fuel another transformation, this time back into his draconid shape. He hissed before mping his jaws around the monster¡¯s body, crushing it even further. Though, he didn¡¯t stick around to finish it. Instead, he raced along, dodging talons and, to his surprise, barbed tails, along the way. In his draconid form, he had the Dexterity to manage the feat, though even then, he knew that the mass of harpies would eventually overwhelm him. So, the goal wasn¡¯t to kill them. Rather, he only wanted to escape long enough to engage Guise of the Unseen. With that in mind, Elijah raced along, taking the hits he couldn¡¯t avoid. He could have easily endured them in themer ape shape, but it was ill-suited for escape. Certainly, in that form, Elijah could move incredibly quickly, but if he tried that in the middle of a forest, he would have hit so many trees that any extra speed he could put on would have beenpletely negated. No - the draconid form was his best shot, even if it left his scales in tatters. Never was that clearer than when he sensed even more harpies hovering just overhead. Some descended through the trees, turning hundreds into thousands as the ferocious monsters continued to hunt him. Elijah ran, bounding over the terrain with well-practiced agility. It took almost an hour, during which he was further injured, before he managed to lose them for long enough to engage Guise of the Unseen. Still, even though he was cloaked in stealth, Elijah didn¡¯t slow down. Instead, he kept running for hours more until he stumbled upon an abandoned convenience store. Such buildings were not umon, but this one was mostly intact, so he hoped it would provide him shelter until the flock of harpies moved on. So, he padded inside, and even though his wounds screamed at him for attention, he took the time to ensure that no other creatures had imed the location as their own den. Even with his natural affinity for animals, no creature would take an invasion of their home lightly. Thankfully, the building was empty, so Elijah found his way to a back office, where he finally shifted into his human form and saw to his wounds. They were extensive, with bits and pieces of his skin hanging off in ribbons. Blood coated his clothes, and half his scalp had been torn away. Even more distressingly, the moment he stopped moving, he let himself acknowledge the debilitating venom coursing through his veins. Those barbed tails hadn¡¯t simply been for show. Instead, they¡¯d delivered one injection of venom after another. It wasn¡¯t as deadly as his own Venom Strike, and it didn¡¯t have anything on the afflictions delivered by Swarm. Yet, it was still enough to muddle his thoughts and make him cough up blood. Or maybe that was the result of numerous internal injuries. Regardless, Elijah quickly got to work healing, stacking Healing Rain, Soothe, and multiple casts of Touch of Nature. He only got the first cycle out before his injuries ¨C blood loss and a debilitating venom among them ¨C took their toll. He didn¡¯t pass out, but he might as well have, for all he was able to move. Or think. Instead, he sank into a foggy, mostly paralyzed state where he could do nothing but wait for Healing Rain and Soothe to counteract his conditions. Book 4: Chapter 11: The Importance of Dental Hygiene Book 4: Chapter 11: The Importance of Dental Hygiene Even as Elijah drifted in and out of semi-consciousness, his mind seemed determined to settle on his past and how it might affect his future. At times, he¡¯d find himself daydreaming about growing up with Alyssa, and only minutester, his thoughts would turn to what he intended to do to Roman. Back and forth, over and over, seeming to go on for an eternity. It was not a pleasant way to spend the couple of days it took him to recover from the harpies¡¯ attacks and their insidious venom that stubbornly resisted his efforts at curing himself. In the end, Elijah wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d simply ousted it or if he¡¯d finally overwhelmed it. Either way, though, he returned toplete lucidity after a long two days, during which he used every ounce of ethera in his core, and multiple times. By the time he regained his wits, Elijah knew well enough to recognize how lucky he¡¯d gotten. Individually, the harpies weren¡¯t terribly strong. He could kill them easily enough. However, when their flock numbered in the many tens of thousands, and with the potent venom they could inject, their lethality was nearly absolute. Few people would have managed to survive such an onught. Even two dayster, Elijah could sense that they were still in the area. Every now and again, he would feel one of them swoop into range of One with Nature. Fortunately, though, they seemed unwilling tond for more than a second or two, so his hiding ce remained as viable as it had been when he¡¯d found the abandoned convenience store. That meant that he didn¡¯t dare take to the skies for now. Still, he decided to take shelter in the old gas station for another day, at least. As he did, he alternated his time between healing ¨C his wounds had proven extremely stubborn, so long as the venom remained in his system ¨C and cycling his Core. He still hadn¡¯t made much progress, but Elijah expected that his failure was due to the low ethera density. After all, Nerthus had told him multiple times that even reaching the first stage of Core cultivation was incredibly difficult ¨C to the point that it would require outside assistance ¨C on Earth. And it would remain that way until the density of the¡¯s ethera reached a certain point. It had definitely risen over the past couple of years, but Elijah expected that it still had a long way yet to go. However, he also had a bit of a secret weapon in the form of his grove and, more importantly, his cultivation cave. With the advantage that those spots¡¯ high ethera density represented, he hoped to make some strides in Core cultivation once he returned home. His stomach twisted at the thought. For some reason, it felt almost like a betrayal to think of anything other than avenging Alyssa¡¯s death. And it was even worse to make ns for the future, as if his current quest was just an item to be checked off a list. It was so much more than that, and rationally, he knew that fact, but his grief and guilt had no need for logic. So, it was with renewed focus that, three days after first taking shelter in the convenience store, Elijah shifted into his draconid form, then adopted Guise of the Unseen before leaving it behind. Sure enough, his suspicions about the harpies proved correct, and the entire area was lousy with them. Most nested high in the tops of trees, but Elijah caught sight of a few as they swooped down to kill some unsuspecting beast. When they did, every harpy in the area would descend upon the in animal, where the entire group would rip and tear the poor creature to shreds. Sometimes, the more vtile harpies would take things too far and attack one another, resulting in a bloodbath. Elijah kept a close eye on every monster he could sense, either with his mundane senses or via One with Nature. He didn¡¯t think they could see through his ability¡¯s camouge ¨C especially in the forest ¨C but he also didn¡¯t want to take any chances, either. After all, he¡¯d seen what those creatures could do to their chosen prey, and he wanted nothing to do with them. Or the nasty venom they could inflict upon him. With that in mind, Elijah padded through the forest, careful and hidden beneath the Guise of the Unseen. It was slow, but it was safe. Like that, he gradually covered ground. Miles melted before him until night began to fall, and he found shelter in an old, abandoned mobile home. There were a dozen more in the area, suggesting that the area had once been a trailer park, but most of the other structures had fallen before the rigors of time. After all, those sorts of homes had never been built tost. Still, the one where Elijah sheltered was mostly intact, though he did get a bit of a surprise when he found the previous owner¡¯s remains. The bones had been picked clean of any flesh, so only a skeleton was left. A woman, from what Elijah could tell from the pelvis. In the next room, he found a few much smaller skeletons. Children. Humanity had been hit hard by what many referred to as the apocalypse. Billions had died. But the hardest hit had been the children who didn¡¯t even have the benefit of the system to ease the transition. All around them, creatures ¨C and monsters in human skin, like Roman ¨C developed unnatural abilities, and they had no way to defend themselves. It was a miracle any had survived. Though there was some hope. Miguel had made it. So had plenty of children in Norcastle and Argos ¨C more in thetter than the former, but there was no shortage of young people in either. Elijah felt some optimism at that thought. Even as he stared at the remains of the children who¡¯d once called the trailer home, he could find some room for hope. Stolen from its rightful ce, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Though it was tempered by reality. Humanity had suffered many losses, and Elijah suspected that more were toe. It was while he was clearing another of the rooms of any debris that a notification shed before Elijah¡¯s mind¡¯s eye:
Four years have passed since your (Earth) felt the transformative touch of the World Tree. In one year, the top five-thousand (5000) humans and top five-hundred (500) settlers will be afforded the opportunity to endure the Trial of Primacy. Participation is not mandatory, though it is encouraged. In one (1) year, present yourself at any Branch of the World Tree, and you will be teleported to the Trial Grounds. Prepare yourselves ordingly.
¡°The Trial of Primacy?¡± Elijah muttered aloud. His voice was barely a whisper,rgely because the harpies were still about. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± But as always, there was no answer. The system seemed hell-bent on forcing everyone to consult the Knowledge Base for answers. When he went back to the elven city of Arvandor, he intended to use the Librarian to get at least one answer. Maybe he would ask about the Trial of Primacy. More than that, though, Elijah was surprised that his estimate of time had been a little off. Until that point, he¡¯d thought that they¡¯d passed the four-year mark months past. However, unless the system used some other calendar, he¡¯d been mistaken. Still, four years was a long time, and it felt even longer than it really was. Simultaneously, though, it was like he¡¯d washed ashore on the ind only recently. Much had happened since then. He was an entirely different person, and not just because he¡¯d beaten cancer that should have been terminal. Not only were his prioritiespletely different now, but he was also the most powerful person in the world. That came with responsibilities. Expectations. He sighed, shaking his head as he sat in the corner of the room. He leaned against the wall and tilted his head toward the half-rotted ceiling. He wasn¡¯t as strong as he seemed. Elijah knew that better than most. Despite having a head-start on almost everyone in the world ¨C in the form of his cultivation, which was assuredly more advanced than almost anyone else¡¯s ¨C he had struggled in his fight against Thor. Certainly, he¡¯d won ¨C and that was what ultimately mattered ¨C but it had highlighted the issues he would face going forward. On paper, he was strong. But his archetype, which was a hybrid that took pieces from a bunch of different disciplines, was never meant to be a front-linebatant. Sure, his ss helped. So did his cultivation. But it wasn¡¯t enough to let him stand toe-to-toe with truebatants of simr level. He could do wondrous things. As far as he knew, nobody else had the ability to teleport across thousands of miles. He could create his own equipment, at least to a certain extent, and he could grow some truly remarkable things in his gardens. Yet, those things didn¡¯t help in a fight. Not for the first time, Elijah thought back to K¡¯hana¡¯s shock when she¡¯d discovered that he was a Druid. It was warranted, too. From the guide he¡¯d recently read, the archetype was heavily implied to be a mostly nonbat ss that focused on nurturing their grove. That wasn¡¯t Elijah¡¯s path, though. He liked fighting. He enjoyed exploration. And while he also liked tending to his grove, the reality was that he would go insane if that was the entire scope of his future. So, he had no choice but to push ahead with his cultivation, and hopefully, when it came time to choose his specialization, he could further adapt his archetype to his purposes. After that, there was an evolution to anticipate, too. Equipment would help as well. No ¨C Elijah¡¯s path was clear. He needed to scratch and w for every advantage he could find, lest he be held back by his archetype¡¯s nonbat nature. In the meantime, he would lean on his versatility as he continued to gain levels. With that in mind, he settled in to rest as he ate a couple of grove berries. Without those little fruits, his recovery would have taken much longer, which just solidified another one of Elijah¡¯s advantages. Everything grown in his grove was infused with dense ethera. As such, it often had special properties, like the restorative traits of his grove berries. Hopefully, his coffee would be even better. And he still intended to make another staff once he finished his quest. The Dragon-touched Staff was great. Better than he could have expected. Yet, it still didn¡¯t feel as natural as either of his other two staves had. His mind whirled with ns for the future as he rested, and eventually, he settled in to sleep. Thankfully, his dreams were of the normal, nonsensical variety, so he ended up resting well before rising the next morning and continuing on his way. Gradually, he made his way across thendscape. He was tempted to take the same path he¡¯d taken on his way to Seattle ¨C after all, he could swing by Arvandor to use his question ¨C but ultimately, he chose not to do so. Largely, that decision was based on simple expedience. Easton was located to the northeast, while Seattle was almost due north. So, it made sense to cut diagonally across the terrain, even if it meant exploring new territory. Eventually, Elijah¡¯s path took him by a ruinedmercial park located on either side of a three-mile stretch of interstate. The highway was packed with abandoned automobiles, most of which bore some degree of damage. Some looked like they¡¯d been stripped for parts, but judging by the rust, that had urred some time ago. There were no signs that the region was popted. As Elijah progressed along the highway, he saw a few car dealerships, then a couple of big box stores ¨C the sort that sold everything in ridiculous bulk, like gallon jugs of mayonnaise. Elijah inspected a couple of those, but other than picking up a couple ofputers, a few giant packages of underwear, and a dozen tubes of toothpaste. He knew thest would¡¯ve already passed their expiration date, which meant that the paste inside would be a little less effective. However, Elijah was counting on the fact that the tubes were unopened to have extended their shelf life a bit. Besides, even then, it would be better than the charcoal he normally used to clean his teeth. He also grabbed a box full of toothbrushes. With ethera and healing, he didn¡¯t think he needed to worry about cavities. However, those two factors did nothing for bad breath. Whatever the case, his scouring of the big box stores took half a day before he decided to move on. Even then, the harpies were still around, which meant that he would need to continue on foot. So, that¡¯s what he did, shifting back into his draconid form and using his stealth ability to remain undetected as he drew ever closer to Easton, where he would exact his revenge. Book 4: Chapter 12: Avoiding Distractions Book 4: Chapter 12: Avoiding Distractions A gentle rain fell, each drop flowing off Elijah¡¯s sleek scales as he leaped from one rock to the next. Beneath him, a river raged, spraying a mist into the air as the swift-moving water crashed into the boulders. Elijah had spent hours trying to find a crossing ¨C the current was far too strong to safely swim across the wide river ¨C and not for the first time, he cursed the harpies that prevented him from taking flight. Their numbers had begun to thin, but he couldn¡¯t help but liken them to a swarm of locusts. Except these particr pests were asrge as a lion, and with a wingspan to match, rather than the size of a thumb. Regardless, so long as he was careful, they didn¡¯t pose much of a threat. That would change if he failed to use Guise of the Unseen, though, so he remained cloaked in his camouging skill. Still, despite the rtive safety he enjoyed, Elijah couldn¡¯t help butment the slow pace of travel. When he¡¯d set out, he¡¯d hoped to be in Easton in a couple of days. And that would have been a viable expectation, given the speed he could achieve with Shape of the Sky. However, traveling ovend was much slower, especially when he had to do so under the effect of Guise of the Unseen. It didn¡¯t prevent him from running t out, but moving that quickly would strain the ability, which would chance exposing him to the harpies. So, as frustrating as it was, Elijah exercised every ounce of his patience to maintain his pace. He leaped from the final boulder and to the riverbank, then left the river behind. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if the river had originated with Earth, but he doubted it. The thing was half a mile wide, a size that wasn¡¯t usually conducive to such a rapid current, but he didn¡¯t know enough about rivers to say for certain if such a body of water had existed before Earth¡¯s transformation. What certainly hadn¡¯t existed back then were the creatures that called the river home. They could only be described as monsters, though for once, Elijah chose discretion rather than confrontation. Not only would a fight bring the harpies down on his head, but he also had no interest in letting himself get distracted by one side quest or another, as he had throughout his travels before discovering his sister¡¯s fate. With that in mind, he continued on, crossing a few other, smaller rivers along the way. He also saw a couple of settlements in various states of development. One had high walls and seemed well-protected, while another was open to attack and was barely holding on. The residents of thetter looked like they could use Elijah¡¯s help, but as was the case with the river monsters, he chose to ignore them. Perhaps that made him selfish, but with every step closer to Easton, his mindset focused on the conflict toe. He refused to dilute that by getting sidetracked. Days passed until, atst, he left the harpies behind. Or put more urately, they chose to continue on,unching themselves into the sky and flying off as one ridiculously huge flock. In the beginning, he¡¯d estimated that they numbered in the tens of thousands, but after traveling beneath them for more than a week, Elijah amended that estimate to millions. One day, that might prove to be an issue, especially for any settlements in their path. Fortunately, the harpies seemed willing to avoid the popted towns and viges Elijah had passed along the way, which engendered hope that harmony was possible. If not, then someone would have their hands full with dealing with the monsters. But not him. Not now. Elijah didn¡¯t immediately take to the skies. Instead, he remained with his feet nted firmly on the ground, though he did abandon Guise of the Unseen. After a day of traveling out in the open, he judged it safe and used Shape of the Sky, and once again, flew high above thendscape. From that vantage point, he saw the terrain far more clearly. It wasn¡¯t particrly mountainous, but it wasn¡¯t t, either. More importantly, the area was absolutely littered with remnants of Earth¡¯s fallen civilization. He saw overgrown subdivisions, stores, and even a couple ofplexes that looked like they¡¯d once served as schools. He also saw people. Not a lot of them, but there were enough small groups out and about that Elijah expected he was getting close to a sizable poption center. Still, it wasn¡¯t until he saw the tall wall brimming with ethera that he realized that he¡¯d arrived in Easton. Carmen had spent some time describing it, so he knew precisely what he was looking at. Still, Elijah didn¡¯t immediately head into the city. Instead, he circled for a couple of hours until he saw a familiar sight. Hended in the center of the street that cut through his sister¡¯s old neighborhood. The surrounding homes looked little different than any other ce Elijah had visited. A few of the houses remained intact, but most had been subjected to catastrophic damage. That had been exacerbated by time and the weather, which had copsed most of the structures. This novel is published on a different tform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Elijah remembered thest time he¡¯d visited. Back then, Miguel had only been four or five years old. Just about to start kindergarten. Carmen had been working on her dissertation, while Alyssa had just started her career as a police officer a couple of years before. For his part, Elijah had just gotten a job after finishing his doctorate, and he¡¯d decided to visit his sister before starting. In those days, the apathy concerning his chosen field hadn¡¯t truly set in, and he¡¯d been eager to do important research that he¡¯d hoped would change the world. ¡°I was so na?ve,¡± he muttered to himself, having shifted back to his human form. They all were. Alyssa thought she was going to help hermunity and change police practices for the better. She¡¯d tried. For a while. But eventually, she¡¯de to realize that there was only so much a single police officer could do, and she¡¯d shifted her focus toward the pursuit of aw degree. Carmen might¡¯ve been the most realistic of them. She knew her chosen field wasn¡¯t particrly important, but she was no less enthusiastic for it. Who could have predicted that she would use those skills to be one of the strongest crafters in the world? Certainly not Elijah. For what felt like the thousandth time, Elijah wished he¡¯d chosen toe back home sooner. If he¡¯d taken a flight even a day earlier, he would have been in Easton when the world had transformed. But would that have helped? Without Nerthus¡¯ guidance in cultivating his Body, the cancer would have remained. And he¡¯d been close enough to death that there was almost no chance that he would have discovered the means to cure himself without the spryggent¡¯s help. So, as easy as it was to second guess the past, Elijah knew that it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. There was nothing he could have done to prevent Alyssa¡¯s death. In fact, his presence would have been a hindrance. With that in mind, Elijah continued down the street, the iron cap on the butt of his staff clicking against the pavement. Most of the street was covered by ayer of dirt or vegetation, but there were still a few bare patches. There were animals all around, many of them having created nests inside the houses, but none of them bothered Elijah as he strode toward his sister¡¯s house. His path unimpeded, he reached the site only a few minutester. The low-slung, single-story house was just as overgrown as all the rest, and half of it had been entirely destroyed. The other half remained strikingly intact, though, so Elijah hoped that his reasons for visiting the house would bear fruit. He stepped forward, and an audible pping sound announced the sudden ascent of a giant bird that had nested atop the house. shing back to his ordeal with the harpies, Elijah immediately shifted into hismer ape form. His heart pounding, he wheeled around, ready to fight. However, the bird was just a normal, if overgrown, crow. It circled a couple of times, cawing loudly, but it clearly had no intention of picking a fight. His heart beating out of his chest, Elijah steadied himself before shifting back to his human form. The experience with the harpies had clearly taken their toll. It took a few moments for his heartbeat to normalize, and when it did, he continued forward. The door had been knocked from its hinges, and ity to the side, half on the porch and the other half tangled in the overgrown topiary that hid most of the house¡¯s fa?ade. Elijah stepped inside. The sun was still high in the sky, but the interior of the house was mired in darkness. As a result, it took a few moments for Elijah¡¯s eyesight to adjust to the gloom. While he waited, he focused on One with Nature, cataloguing the various organisms in the house. There were a few rodents, plenty of reptiles like lizards and snakes, and more insects than Elijah wanted to count. He did make note of arge colony of termites that reminded him of his experiences in the Magister¡¯s Estate. But there was nothing inside that would threaten his life. So, when his eyes adjusted, Elijah set about his task without fear. The first ce he visited was the kitchen, where he found a bunch of rusted pots and a host of empty cabs. After the world¡¯s transformation, Easton¡¯s residents had survived in no small part due to extensive scavenging efforts. So, the fact that the house had been picked clean of immediately useful things ¨C which included the cabs¡¯ contents ¨C wasn¡¯t particrly surprising. Still, Elijah did find a huge cast iron pan that he thought would be useful. It was marred by a patina of rust, but he knew that wasn¡¯t enough to ruin such a sturdy pan. Not that he could use it for its intended purpose. After all, he didn¡¯t have a cooking skill, which meant that anything he prepared would be nd and tasteless. Maybe he could gift it to someone. Or perhaps his packrat tendencies were making themselves known. In any case, it didn¡¯t take him long to move on from his sister¡¯s kitchen. The next stop was the living room, where he¡¯d hoped to find some photos. However, that hope was quickly dashed when he saw that anything that hadn¡¯t been taken was rotted, probably due to the area¡¯s humid climate. Still, Elijah spent a while sifting through the ruins, hoping to get lucky. He did not. And after some time, he moved on to what had to be Miguel¡¯s room. There, he found much of the same. The bed had been stripped of its mattress, and the chest of drawers was entirely empty. The television remained, as well as an old gaming system. However, Elijah knew that neither would work, even if he managed to provide electricity. In its ruined state, the house offered minimal protection against the elements, which didn¡¯t mix well with electronics. Elijah did find a few shirts hanging in the closet, though they were far too small for the current Miguel. So, it wasn¡¯t long before he moved to the master bedroom, where he found more of the same. Decayed photos. Inactive electronics. And rotted clothes. However, he did find a pistol in a case under the bed. ¡°Useless hunk of metal,¡± he said aloud, tossing it back to the floor. The other discovery was in that same case, and for a long moment, Elijah stared at the wad of cash. He knew it was an emergency fun, intended for use if the electrical grid went offline and cards stopped working. A reasonable thing to have, but ultimately, it had proven entirely useless. What use was a few bills when monsters were trying to rip your face off? The rest of Elijah¡¯s search bore no fruit, so when he found the basement, he didn¡¯t have high hopes. He descended the steps, his shoulders slumping in both fatigue and frustration. Yet, that all disappeared when heid eyes on an item in the corner. Book 4: Chapter 13: Memories and Tears Book 4: Chapter 13: Memories and Tears Tiny clouds of dust kicked up with each of Elijah¡¯s steps as he shuffled forward, lost amidst the roiling memories of days long past. Just like the rest of the house, the basement had been ransacked. Boxes had been overturned to spill their contents over the concrete floor. Most of it was useless. One had contained old winter wear, another had been filled with tangled Christmas lights. There was a disassembled fake Christmas tree as well as a few old, festive wreaths. Elijah saw a couple of bicycles, their tires having dry rotted. And a host of other bits and pieces that were all that remained of the lives Alyssa and her family had once led. But Elijah only had eyes for one item, as well as the wooden crate beside it. He approached, thenid his hand on the old record yer. The fa?ade was brushed aluminum, with sides ofminated particle board and a clear, stic hood that had been so discolored by age that it obscured the inner workings of the yer itself. On either side of the machine were matching speakers, maybe six or seven inches tall. With bated breath, Elijah reached out and touched the stic hood, feeling the rough surface that had been through so much over the years. Like everything else in the basement, it was covered in a thickyer of dust, which took a couple of swipes from Elijah¡¯s hand to remove. And there on the top was the Nirvana sticker he expected. He stared at the simple, ck-and-yellow decal as he remembered the day his sister had gotten it. She hadn¡¯t even been a teenager when she went through her grunge phase. Of course, they were both at least a decade too old to have lived through the genre¡¯s heyday, but Alyssa had never cared about following trends. Indeed ¨C she¡¯d reveled in eschewing the sorts of things all her peers seemed to hold in such high esteem. And because Elijah had idolized his older sister, he had as well. At least when it came to entertainment. The sticker was surrounded by a dozen others, all representing various bands. In a lot of ways, it was a timeline of her evolving tastes. She had never cared about consistency, putting hip hop artists right next to death metal, and with everything in between. It was a perfect representation of who Alyssa had been in her youth. A girl searching for something ¨C anything ¨C that spoke to her. And when she found it, shetched on with both hands. It didn¡¯t matter if it matched her perceived persona. She¡¯d never cared about fitting in. Instead, as clich¨¦ as it was to think of it in such terms, she had always walked to the beat of her own drum.And she¡¯d paid for it, too. On top of being tall, awkward, and lesbian, she¡¯d made no efforts to be like all the other girls. That had made her something of a loner. Sure ¨C she¡¯d had a few friends, but they were rtionships of circumstance, rather than true affection. But Elijah had always been there, a few years younger, but still, they were incredibly close. And now she was gone. Forever. He would never listen to music with her again. He¡¯d never hear her talk about the girls she liked. The obscure movies she always overanalyzed. Her ns to lead the way in changingw enforcement. The list went on and on. If there was one word that could describe Alyssa, it was that she wasmitted. It didn¡¯t matter the subject. If shetched onto something, she embraced itpletely, and to a nearly obsessive degree. And Elijah missed that. Tears carving a path down his cheeks, he opened the record yer¡¯s lid, exposing the interior. It all looked to be in good order. No missing pieces, and the hood had protected it from the dust. It was a shame, then, that there was no electricity. Still, Elijah hefted it and slipped it into his satchel. It was almost too wide to fit, but he managed it. And once it was inside the bag, it settled in next to all of his other supplies. The speakers came next, after he¡¯d wrapped the wires around them. Finally, Elijah turned his attention to the wooden crate. Leaning forward, he pursed his lips and blew. With his Strength, it was like using a can ofpressed air, and the dust billowed before him. Not having expected that, Elijah pulled away, coughing as he waved his hand in front of his face. Once the dust settled, though, he saw the crate¡¯s contents. His sister¡¯s collection of records had never beenrge. Often, she traded them in at a local second-hand store so she could satisfy the terms of whatever hertest obsession might have been. Her fixations were powerful but flighty, and when she was done with something, she moved on quickly. Even so, like the stickers, the crate¡¯s contents were akin to a timeline of her tastes. The first record was, predictably, Nirvana¡¯s Nevermind ¨C the one with the underwater baby on the cover ¨C and though the iconic photo was faded with age, it was still more than recognizable. Elijah flipped to the next, which was a record by Aerosmith. The next after that was Blind Melon. And then things took a hard left turn when he found a record from the eighties. This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The cover featured a simple portrait of a pretty, teenage girl with red hair and a single word. Tiffany. It was the pop star¡¯s first album, and the one thatunched her to stardom in thete eighties. Of course, if Nirvana was before Alyssa¡¯s and Elijah¡¯s time, then that album ¨C which was the sort of vapid teen pop of the era ¨C certainly was. However, it also featured some themes that resonated with Alyssa in a way that none of the current music of the time ever did. More than that, though, it was special because it was the album Alyssa had been listening to the night she hade out to Elijah. That year, Elijah had just started to get serious about boxing, and he¡¯d spent most afternoons after school at the gym. So, he didn¡¯t get home until a few hours after his sister, and when he did, he arrived to find her crying in bed while listening to ¡°I Think We¡¯re Alone Now.¡± He remembered it so vividly. Almost twenty years had passed since that day, but the memory was still so fresh in his mind. He sat on the end of her bed and awkwardly patted her on the foot, telling her that it would be okay. At the time, he¡¯d had no clue what had made her so distraught, but he knew enough to offer whateverfort he could muster. Of course, Alyssa had insisted that it wouldn¡¯t. That¡¯s when Elijah asked what had happened, and she just blurted out that she was a freak. She¡¯d practically screamed that everyone at school was going to find out about it, too. And in true dramatic teenager fashion, she¡¯d copsed onto the bed in a fit of tears. Elijah had continued to try tofort her, but he had no clue what was really the matter. Alyssa had never cared about fitting in, after all. So, if someone thought she was a freak, she¡¯d have borne thatbel with pride. Finally, she¡¯d let the proverbial cat out of the bag, revealing that she was, in fact, a lesbian. More, she¡¯d confessed her love to one of the other girls on her track team. Those feelings were not reciprocated, and Alyssa had retreated in horror, leaving track practice early. At the time, Elijah had had no idea how to respond. He didn¡¯t really understand the gravity of her revtion until muchter, but he definitely understood that Alyssa was hurting. So, he did his best tofort her. It didn¡¯t really work, though. Still, she eventually got over the rejection, and when Elijah finally realized what it really meant that she¡¯d chosen toe out to him before she¡¯d even done so with their parents, it brought them closer than ever before. And since that day, Elijah had always associated that song with his rtionship with his sister. There were other songs they enjoyed together, too. Lots of other albums, many of which were represented in that crate. As Elijah flipped through them, his grief continued to mount with every memory they brought to the forefront of his mind. The time she¡¯d helped him get ready for his junior prom. The day of her graduation. The night she got home from her first real date with a girl. Long conversations about their ns for the future. The night their parents had died. The day Elijah had left for Hawaii. Alyssa¡¯s old music had even been ying in the background when Elijah had let her know ¨C in a phone call ¨C that he had been diagnosed with cancer. She hadn¡¯t believed him, at first. Denial was often the first phase in those sorts of situations. For a while, she had even insisted oning to Hawaii to support him. Elijah wished he¡¯d let her. He wished he¡¯d done so many things. Made so many changes. Those feelings of grief and guilt wrapped even more tightly around his heart, constricting his mind and soul to the point where he could scarcely think. And then there was the rage burning everything else for fuel. He would never again see his sister. Never hear her voice. They would never sit and listen to music again. They wouldn¡¯t watch movies together. They wouldn¡¯t reconnect after Elijah¡¯s ill-conceived flight to Hawaii. She would never see her son grow into a man. She would never get to grow old with the love of her life. She would never see the miracles Elijah sometimes took for granted. And it was all because of one deluded and self-absorbed man. Elijah wanted tosh out, then and there. He needed to destroy something. To tear the house down. Yet, he kept himself under control, slipping the records ¨C one by one ¨C into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel for safekeeping. He spent a little more time looking through the basement, but he found nothing else of sentimental value. So, a couple of hourster, he regretfully climbed the stairs and traversed the interior of the house until he¡¯d left it behind. After a single look back, Elijah adopted the Shape of the Sky, transforming over the course of a second or two, thenunched himself toward the nket of gloomy clouds above. Only a few minutester, hended in a copse of trees just outside Easton, then used Shape of the Predator. As was the case in Norcastle, Elijah had no interest in announcing his presence to the residents ¨C or more importantly, the guards ¨C of Easton. Instead, he chose to enter under the Guise of the Unseen. However, when he found his way to the wall, he discovered that it was far too sheer to climb the hundred-foot edifice. So, after seeing that, Elijah slowly padded along the length of the wall until he reached a gate. It was guarded by a half-dozen men wearing blue and white uniforms. Each one felt reasonably strong, though Elijah had no notion of their levels. But judging by the ethera wafting off of them, they were at least high enough to give him pause. More importantly, when he came into view, one of the guards¡¯ eyes settled on him for the briefest of seconds before moving on. Elijah didn¡¯t know if the man had seen him. Probably not, or he would have attacked. After all, he was in his terrifying draconid form, which would certainly elicit some reaction. More likely, the guard had only noticed something out of the ordinary. Or he¡¯d gotten a feeling. And Elijah suspected that if he tried to walk through the gate in broad daylight, he¡¯d be detected. So, without further hesitation, Elijah retreated a few hundred yards and settled behind a tree, where he intended to wait until nightfall to enter the city. Impatience gripped him, but he pushed past it, focusing on the impending task. Book 4: Chapter 14: The Lay of the Land Book 4: Chapter 14: The Lay of the Land Flickering ethereal lights cast the gate in wavering shadows, which proved to be perfect cover for Elijah¡¯s ingress. He slipped past one of the guards, narrowly avoiding her by a scant handful of inches. She started, looking around in shock, but when she saw nothing, she muttered, ¡°Must¡¯ve been the wind.¡± Her partner said, ¡°Storm¡¯sin¡¯, I think. Saw it on the horizon earlier.¡± The woman shook her head. ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t give to still be able to check my phone for the forecast,¡± she sighed. ¡°The things we miss, huh?¡± ¡°Netflix.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I miss Netflix,¡± the man borated. ¡°Not just the good stuff, either. Those cheap, cash-grab, one-big-star movies they used to pump out. I would get some beer and pizza, and just turn one of those silly things on.¡± ¡°If they were silly, then why did you watch them?¡± she asked. He shrugged. ¡°Guess we all need a little silliness sometimes,¡± he answered. ¡°Call it a release. I don¡¯t know. But I miss it.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense. I liked¡­¡±Elijah passed out of earshot as he stepped into the city,pletely unnoticed by the guards. Even when he was well out of sight, he didn¡¯t bother shifting back to his human form. He knew his appearance was distinct, and his experiences in Seattle told him that he only had a vague idea of what kind of identification abilities people could aim at him. Isaiah had known his whole status, and Elijah couldn¡¯t chance someone with simr abilities recognizing who he was and inferring with his ns for Easton. Or, as he discovered a few minutester, Valoria. He¡¯d overheard that bit of information by eavesdropping on a conversation between two pedestrians who were more than a little critical of the name change. Unbeknownst to them, not only did Elijah overhear them, but their conversation didn¡¯t go unnoticed by a few other pedestrians. Most notably, there was a man with shifty eyes who seemed extremely interested, and he followed the pair as they turned a corner. Elijah let them be, but he suspected that he¡¯d just discovered the presence of the secret police Carmen had described. How fascist had the government be if people couldn¡¯t even criticize something as innocuous as a name change without incurring the city-state¡¯s wrath? Shaking his draconic head, Elijah moved on, wandering through the city. A couple of times, he bumped into one of the many pedestrians, but there were enough people in the area that no one suspected that an invisible predator moved among them. However, as the night wore on, the traffic slowly dwindled, and Elijah let himself truly take everything in. And he had to admit that the city represented an impressive achievement. It was clean, orderly, and far more structurally advanced than ces like Seattle. There was no obvious crime, and certainly, it didn¡¯t feel like every alley might be the site of a murder. There were blue-and-white d guards on nearly every corner, though, and plenty of in-clothes watchers were out and about as well. Elijah recognized them easily enough, and he suspected that the citizens did as well. However, the residents clearly chose to ignore the obvious. Still, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but offer his begrudging respect for what Roman had aplished. Sure, it was built on a foundation of evil, but there was no denying that the city was a safe ce to live. Eventually, Elijah passed through arge square. At first, he didn¡¯t understand the purpose of the tform in its center, but after inspecting it more closely, he smelled the unmistakable scent of blood. Then, recognition dawned in his mind, and he saw it for what it was. A stage for execution. A series of blocks ¨C ten ¨C stood in a line on the stage. Each one was missing a rounded chunk, and the resulting divot was stained with the blood Elijah smelled. Seeing that, it wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine a row of prisoners strapped to the blocks and being beheaded by an axe-wielding executioner. And given the prevalence of the iron-rich scent that pervaded everything, the edifice had seen quite a lot of use. Elijah moved on, his anger mounting. Sometimes, executions were necessary, especially in a situation where you couldn¡¯t afford to jail a dangerous prisoner. When you were struggling to provide forw-abiding citizens, it was an easy decision to rid yourself of that sort of burden. Yet, that situation didn¡¯t describe Valoria. More, from Elijah¡¯s perspective, that sort of circumstance was, by definition, rare. The fact that executions in Valoria clearly weren¡¯t umon told Elijah that there was more at y than simple expedience or the public good. Moving on from the square did nothing to assuage Elijah¡¯s outrage, especially when he wandered into a less affluent portion of the city. There was a clear line of demarcation, beyond which were simple, unadorned, and unimaginative buildings that looked like cubes made of lifeless brick. A few bore graffiti, some of which were messages that insulted Roman or his government, and the residents were poorly fed, dirty, and cloaked in rags. Obviously, all was not well in Valoria. Over time, Elijah overheard enough to recognize that the majority of the poorest caste were Schrs, which because of Carmen¡¯s descriptions, he knew were second-ss citizens in the city. Roman didn¡¯t value their potential contributions, and as such, even being permitted to live in Valoria was a rtively new development. For the first couple of years, they were routinely turned away unless they could prove themselves immediately valuable. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Most couldn¡¯t. Elijah wondered how many had died because Roman saw no value in Schrs? Thousands, at the very least. Certainly, overextending the city¡¯s resources might have destroyed everything they had built. But Elijah found it distasteful that they hadn¡¯t even tried to find a solution that didn¡¯t involve turning a bunch of people away to survive in the hostile wilderness. But at the end of the day, Elijah hadn¡¯te to Valoria to judge the city based on its policies. Instead, as distressing as the situation was, he only really cared about holding Roman ¨C and hisrades ¨C ountable. And that meant he needed to gather some information. So, he found his way to the back of a secluded alley, where he assumed his human form. Regrettably, he donned a pair of boots,rgely because, for once, he didn¡¯t want to stand out. In addition, he focused on his Ring of Anonymity:
Ring of Anonymity Equipped. Choose Mode: Anonymous Robert Thane ¨C Level 41 Warrior (Currently Active) Deactivated
Hopefully, no one would be able to see through the subterfuge. Often, he forgot about the Ring of Anonymity, but in this instance, he was totally focused, and he had no room for mistakes. So, once he¡¯d hidden his Sash of the Whirlwind under his shirt, he checked himself over. His disguise wasn¡¯t perfect, but he expected it would be enough. The only issue was that, while wearing the boots, One with Nature winked out. That left Elijah feeling a little blind, but he¡¯d expected it, so he didn¡¯t panic. Regardless, he applied his various buffs, took a deep breath, then headed out of the alley. He kept his staff out, mostly because there were few people who traveled the citypletely unarmed. It would have been stranger if he was one of those few. Besides, he didn¡¯t have far to go. He joined the sparse flow of pedestrians, keeping his head down as he made his way to his destination, which turned out to be a tavern called The Swift Hup. It was a rowdy ce ¨C not quite low-ss, but not exactly swanky, either ¨C which was perfect for what Elijah had nned. He stepped into the building, and he was immediately assaulted by a wall of noise. Raucousughter mingled with a bawdy song sung by a scantily d woman on the other side of the room, and an undercurrent of conversation filled the air. Elijah staggered a bit as he crossed to the bar, then unsteadily sat on a stool. ¡°What¡¯s your poison?¡± asked a gaunt-faced barman. ¡°Whisky, if ya got it,¡± Elijah slurred dramatically. The bartender nodded, then went to fetch the drink. By the time he returned with a shot ss and a bottle, another man sidled up to sit next to Elijah. The barman filled the ss, then slid it toward Elijah. ¡°You new here, buddy?¡± Elijah downed the drink. ¡°New-ish,¡± he admitted. ¡°Been out in Silverado for the past few months. Just got back this afternoon.¡± ¡°Ah, you work for the government?¡± the man asked. Elijah nced at the fellow. He was average height, with only a bit of fringe on his head and quite arge paunch around his middle. Elijah nodded, saying, ¡°That obvious?¡± ¡°Not really, in that getup. But most everybody with your level works for the government in some way or the other. Especially Warriors.¡± Elijah saw an opportunity. ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth,¡± he said, tapping the bar. As the barman refilled his shot ss, Elijah said, ¡°How¡¯re things ¡®round ¡®ere?¡± The man spat on the floor. ¡°That jumped-up thug is causin¡¯ trouble again,¡± he said. ¡°Actin¡¯ like he runs the joint. He¡¯s holed up in that hotel over on the other side of Justice Square. Some folks say he¡¯s on the verge of rebellion. Uppity asshole. His kind should know their ce. King Roman will deal with that, though. Everybody knows what happens to anybody who messes with the king.¡± Elijah raised his ss, ¡°Long live the king.¡± That, more than anything, loosened the man¡¯s lips, and he went on to describe the situation in great detail. Laramie, the warlord who¡¯d betrayed Carmen, had been rewarded with a very important position within the city. At present, he was Roman¡¯s most senior general, and he¡¯d spent the past year fighting Easton¡¯s ¨C or Valoria¡¯s ¨C wars. The rumor was that, as a result of his sess, he¡¯d begun to get ideas about his ce in everything. ¡°Ain¡¯t like he¡¯s gonna actually rebel, though. He¡¯s just posturin¡¯ so the king¡¯ll give him somethin¡¯ or nother,¡± Elijah¡¯s new ¡°friend¡± said. ¡°You know how it is. He wants ethereum, probably. Natural treasures. That sorta thing.¡± ¡°The rich get richer,¡± Elijah said sagely. ¡°If that ain¡¯t the truth, I don¡¯t know what is!¡± the paunch man eximed before pping Elijah on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re built like a brick shithouse, kid. How high is your Strength?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°High enough to survive, not high enough to thrive.¡± That brought augh from the increasingly drunk man. For his part, Elijah had already gotten what he wanted. The Swift Hup had been chosen for a reason. From what he¡¯d overheard while exploring the city, it was frequented by low-level guards and other government officials. And in Elijah¡¯s experience, those were the sorts of people with the loosest lips. They had enough authority to take pride in it, but they were weak enough to feel a need to prove themselves to strangers. And in a bar, that usually meant spreading gossip and rumors. It just so happened that Elijah had found exactly what he sought from the first person he met. He¡¯d expected to spend most of the night hanging out in the bar, but now, he felt that he had everything he needed to do what was necessary. ¡°Well, it¡¯s gettin¡¯te,¡± slurred Elijah. ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna get home and see my wife. Maybe we¡¯ll meet again, friend.¡± Elijah followed that up by gripping the drunken man¡¯s shoulder. For his part, the bald fellow asked Elijah to stick around for another drink, but Elijah wasn¡¯t having that. Instead, he paid his bill, then headed out. He didn¡¯t intend to hit Laramie yet. It was toote to start that kind of mission, and he was tired ¨C both mentally and physically ¨C after the day¡¯s travails. So, after wandering around a little more, he found a mid-tier hotel where he rented a bed for the night. Once inside the third-story room, he removed his shoes with a long sight of relief. He could function without One with Nature, but not having it was disconcerting in a way he hadn¡¯t expected. Perhaps he needed to work on that, because he expected it wouldn¡¯t be thest time he¡¯d be forced to travel incognito. Regardless, Elijah cast Soothe on himself, then found the basin on the nightstand. There was no bathroom, so he just used the ceramic bowl to wash his face. He¡¯d just rinsed the soap away when he felt someone in the hall outside. No ¨C not one someone. Many people. Ten, to be exact. Elijah calmly crossed to the window, then looked outside. There were dozens of men standing in the street, but he only had eyes for one of them. Pacing back and forth was a tall, athletic, and armored man who wore his hair in thick dreadlocks. ¡°Laramie,¡± Elijah whispered. Then, he made a decision. He was tired of sneaking around and asking questions like he was some sort of spy. He wanted to get on with the task he¡¯de to Valoria to aplish. And the first step was to rid the world of the man who¡¯d betrayed his sister-inw. So, with fury dancing in his heart, Elijah grabbed his staff, took a deep breath, then strode toward the door. Book 4: Chapter 15: Prey Book 4: Chapter 15: Prey For the first time in his human form, Elijah let his fury truly envelope every facet of his mind. It sharpened his focus to a knife¡¯s edge, and as he arranged his enhancements appropriately ¨C using his attribute enhancements and foregoing Essence of the Lion for Shield of Brambles ¨C his grip tightened on his Dragon-Touched Staff. There were two men on the other side of the door, then eight more arrayed across the hall. However, while they had numbers on their side ¨C ten on one was definitely an advantage ¨C they didn¡¯t feel all that strong. Indeed, Elijah had gotten used to inferring people¡¯s attributes by monitoring their movements. And these men were nothing special. So, Elijah didn¡¯t even bother shifting,rgely because he didn¡¯t think he needed it. Instead, he wanted to keep that in his back pocket, just in case someone else was watching. With that in mind, he reached out and opened the door. The would-be assant¡¯s eyes widened in shock, but Elijah didn¡¯t let him react. His hand shot out, faster and more urately than the man could even track. And in an instant, Elijah¡¯s fingers wrapped around his target¡¯s exposed throat, mped down, and ripped the man¡¯s windpipe free. Blood spurted as he tried to react, but by that point, it was toote. He hit Elijah with his sword, but the blowcked the power necessary to bypass his enhanced Constitution. Because, with the Dragon-Touched Staff, his buffs had grown by an extra five points each. With that, plus the extra five points in the attribute he¡¯d gained just be using the weapon, his Constitution had been inted even further than normal. But Elijah wasn¡¯t worried about that. Instead, before the first man even fell, he was already swinging his staff in wide arc that took the other nearby foe in the hip. When it connected, it did so with the sound of crunching bone. The man howled in agony as his leg copsed beneath him, and he tipped over. Elijah stomped down on his head. When that didn¡¯t kill him, he did it again, which did the trick by shattering the fellow¡¯s skull. That¡¯s when the other eight people finally reacted. Fortunately, the hall was narrow, only allowing two people to attack him at once. Unfortunately, even that was more than Elijah could handle. His staff work hadn¡¯t had the chance to improve, and so, even with his advantage in attributes, he quickly found himself on the back foot as he desperately attempted to parry one attack after another. The guards were all dressed identically, in blue-and-white uniforms and sturdy, chainmail armor. More, they each wielded swords, and they obviously knew how to use them. Yet, Elijah was surprised that he¡¯d managed to hold his own for as long as he had. They weren¡¯t weaklings, but they didn¡¯t fight like powerful warriors, either. The fact that they hadn¡¯t used any real skills or spells was a good indication that they really didn¡¯t know what they were doing. It was almost as if they¡¯d spent all their time drilling with their weapons, rather than incorporating their ss-given abilities into a coherent fighting style. Still, Elijah¡¯s own rtive ipetence as well as the sheer disadvantage of numbers eventually bore out, and he felt a de bite deep into his stomach, only to erupt out the other side. Elijah coughed, coating his bearded chin in bright, red blood. The guard who¡¯d managed to impale him seemed almost surprised at the development. He was even more shocked when Elijah grinned, then pushed him away. The sword slid free, and another spurt of blood came with it. Elijah used Soothe. Then, Healing Rain. Finally, he pulsed Touch of Nature. The sequence yed out over the course of only a few seconds ¨C far more quickly than he¡¯d ever cast them before. As he cast, the guards stared at him in horror. That was a mistake. Elijah grinned, his teeth coated in blood as his wound healed. ¡°Nice shot,¡± he growled, his voice low and raspy. Then, he initiated the transformation into themer ape. * * * Laramie paced back and forth, resisting the urge to adjust his restrictive uniform. He¡¯d worn it almost every day for the past year, and he still wasn¡¯t ustomed to the way it fit. He had never been much for formality ¨C before or after the apocalypse ¨C but his station required a certain image. And given that he wanted to keep his position as general of Valoria¡¯s army, he would do whatever was required. Even wear an ill-fitting uniform. ¡°Are you certain he was in there?¡± he demanded, affecting the same sort of speech pattern used by Roman. Ever since he¡¯d altered his manner of speaking, he¡¯d noticed that people gave him the benefit of the doubt. His uniform helped, but his demeanor truly sold the fact that he was a man of power. Eugene ¨C one of the secret police ¨C was a balding, overweight man and a talented actor. No one ever suspected that he was gathering information on everyone he met. Most recently, that included the stranger who¡¯de into town asking pointed questions about people far beyond him. People like Laramie himself. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! More importantly, the stranger was strong. Even Eugene¡¯s skills were incapable of measuring precisely how powerful he was, which was a red g in and of itself. That was why Laramie had sent ten men into the hotel to detain the man. ¡°He¡¯s in there. Saw him go in my ownself,¡± the spy said, his words slurred. It was an act, Laramie knew, but a convincing one. ¡°And the clerk was keepin¡¯ a lookout for if he left. He didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Laramie muttered. Just then, the building shook. And given that it was four-stories tall, that was a quite a feat. A momentter, something came crashing through the wall, scattering bricks and dust into the air. A body thudded into the ground only a few feet from Laramie. He danced backward, but he couldn¡¯t avoid the blood and viscera as it sttered him. ¡°What the ¨C¡± A roar cut him off, and then Laramie heard the screams of terror. He looked up to see a shape sh past the brand-new hole in the wall, and he got the impression of scales and immense size before it disappeared. Even as more screams assailed his ears, Laramie demanded, ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± No one had any answers. So, he turned to Eugene, only to see the fat man sprinting away. Laramie very much considered joining him. Whatever was in there, it was dangerous. Perhaps a powerful Voxx had bypassed the wall¡¯s defenses. Or maybe the man inside had some sort of demonic pet to do his bidding. Even as those thoughts skated through Laramie¡¯s mind, the screams abruptly ceased. For a brief moment, his men stared at the hole in the wall, unsure of what to do. This was his time to step up, to takemand. Just like he¡¯d done after the apocalypse when everyone else was gripped by panic. He¡¯d led his people to survival. Just when he was about to do just that, a huge, hulking, and ck-scaled creature stepped up to the gaping hole. In the scant light, it was barely visible, but what Laramie saw was enough to send a tremor of fear up his spine. And then it leaped free. People shouted. A few screamed in abject terror. But most stood their ground as the thingnded amidst them, cracking the stone street upon impact. It shot forward, raking its thick, stubby ws across a man¡¯s territory. His armor proved entirely useless against the attack, and chainmail parted before spurts of blood filled the air. The man never even got the chance to scream before the monster snapped out, decapitating him with a single bite. A moment of silence followed the ghastly act before one of the guards let out a roar and attacked. The other forty-plus men followed, burying the creature beneath dozens of hacking attacks. The sound of metal on metal filled the air, apanied by shouts of surprise. Laramie had no idea what was happening until he added his own attacks to the mix. He thrust his sword forward, but when the tip made contact, it felt like he¡¯d tried to stab a brick wall. The ng of metal assaulted his ears before he felt a sting in his arm. He looked down to see a thick thorn buried in his forearm. When he stabbed again, he felt another. Meanwhile, the creature was not idle. With every passing second, itshed out with one sweeping attack after another. And where those wsnded, men were torn to bloody tatters. It was a massacre. And what was worse, when Laramie got a look at the creature, he saw that it was entirely unhurt. Even more disturbingly, it seemed to take pleasure in the ughter. One after another, the men fell before its wrath. Laramie backed away. He couldn¡¯t fight something like that. If he did, he¡¯d end up just like his friends. And then, where would everyone be? His people needed him. It was better if he ran, sacrificing the few for the good of the many. Yes ¨C that was the only answer. It didn¡¯t take him long to convince himself before he was sprinting away, his footsteps apanied by the sound of dying guards. He turned the corner, continuing to sprint down the center of the street. People watched, perplexed to see one of their defenders ¨C especially one as recognizable as him ¨C running as though his life depended on it. Part of him wanted to warn the residents of the danger the monster¡¯s presence represented, but something in the back of his mind kept him from doing so. Because if he truly wanted to escape, any dy would be beneficial. Even if it meant that each of the residents he passed needed to be sacrificed. So, he ran. He wasn¡¯t certain how long his flightsted, but eventually, he slowed to a walk. His head whipped back and forth as he searched for any indication that the monster had followed, but there was nothing there. However, in his panicked state, he¡¯d gotten turned around. Valoria was quiterge, and though much of the city wasid out in a perfect and easily navigable grid, that wasn¡¯t the case in the less affluent districts like the one in which he¡¯d found himself. That was how he ended up at a dead end. And when he turned, he saw something horrifying walking toward him. It was a reptile, but one that moved like a hunting cat. With ck scales and a long snout filled with razor sharp teeth, the creature looked even more intimidating than the scaled horror that had killed his men. It wasing right at him, too. Slowly, and with deadly grace, it padded forward. Laramie drew his sword and held it before him. Btedly, he remembered to cast his spells, but they were only useful for enhancement. That was part of his ss, Fighter. He had a couple of attack skills, but to use them, he needed to satisfy certain requirements that just weren¡¯t possible before the fight began. ¡°Come on, you fucking monster!¡± he growled, waving his sword like he was trying to fend off an aggressive dog. The monsterughed. It actuallyughed! The sound was like a chuckling hiss, but it was unmistakable. ¡°Are you¡­are you aware?¡± ¡°Are you?¡± it rasped, stopping ten feet away. Then, it struck. Laramie tried to react, but he was far too slow. His sword nged against the ground as he missed the retreating creature. It actually took him a moment before he realized that it had wounded him. He didn¡¯t dare take his eyes off his enemy, but he could feel a tiny nick ¨C barely more than a paper cut ¨C on his thigh. Was that the extent of its power? It struck again, raking its ws against the other leg, retreating before he could counterattack. Once it reached the ten-foot mark, it sank down to its haunches. Then, it hissed, ¡°You feel it, don¡¯t you? I¡¯ve never asked if it¡¯s painful, but I suspect it is.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The afflictions,¡± it answered, staring at him with cold, reptilian eyes. ¡°Contagion is pure rot, but Venom Strike causes necrosis. Two instances of each is probably enough to incapacitate you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± Laramie fell to his knees as one of his legs gave out. Then the next followed. ¡°W-what do you want?¡± he spat. ¡°I want to know everything about your¡­king,¡± the monster said. ¡°Give me what I want, and I will spare you quite a lot of pain.¡± With his legs having already be useless, it didn¡¯t take much to convince Laramie to talk. He was a survivor, after all, and he wouldtch onto any hope that might see him through to another day. So, he spilled his guts, telling the monster everything it wanted to know. When he was done, he coughed, ¡°Now, spare me. I told you what you wanted to know!¡± The monster disappeared. And then, an immense pressure gripped his skull from behind before everything went dark. Book 4: Chapter 16: Consequences Book 4: Chapter 16: Consequences Fiona strode through the lobby of her apartment building, her heels clicking against the marble tile. She hardly noticed the grand entryway or the stunning artwork. Instead, she took it all for granted, as if it was no less than someone like her deserved. After all, she was the king¡¯s closest advisor and ¨C if she had her way ¨C his soon-to-be lover. Perhaps his queen. That very day, she had taken the first steps along that path by visiting a woman with a very interesting ss. Once a stic surgeon, she¡¯d taken the Healer archetype. However, instead of bing a Cleric or a Priest like so many others, she had taken apletely different approach by taking a ss dependent on her very specific background. Fiona didn¡¯t know the name of the ss. Nor did she really need to, really. All she needed to know was that the woman could solve her issue. And after seeing a demonstration, Fiona was certain that she could do just that. Simr to her old profession, the woman¡¯s new ss was focused on fixing imperfections. She could mold flesh, shaping it to her desires. Of course, judging by the patient¡¯s screams, it was quite painful, but Fiona could endure that if she could make herself more attractive to the subject of her infatuation. It would have been much easier if Roman¡¯s tastes hadn¡¯t been so specific. Histe wife had been a perfect example of what he preferred. The woman had looked like a suburban version of a yboy bunny, with all the stic parts that would imply. Fiona, by contrast, had always been petite. But that was going to change, and soon. The doctor would give her the bait she needed to get Roman on the hook. Then, she would reel him in. From there, they would rule Valoria and create an empire that would stand for millennia. It was practically foretold, a fact that had been revealed when Roman had told her about the quest the system had given him. And he¡¯dpleted it, cementing her belief that he was special. Certainly, she didn¡¯t believe he was destined to be humanity¡¯s savior, as he often imed. However, she couldn¡¯t really think of anyone better, either. And besides, savior or not, he was one of the most powerful men in the world. That was all that really mattered. Because she never wanted to feel weak again. If she couldn¡¯t have the power herself ¨C and she didn¡¯t, really ¨C she would find someone strong to protect her. She refused to get into another situation like she¡¯d experienced in the wake of the apocalypse. Back then, her husband had shown his true colors, proving himself too weak to be anything but monster fodder. Sure, David had tried to protect her. He¡¯d fought. And he had died on the very first day, leaving her alone and at the mercy of the world. How she¡¯d managed to w her way to safety was still a source of bewilderment. But that was the past. Now, she had a real man to protect her. To keep her safe no matter what happened. She just needed him to realize that she was the best partner he could ever find. Thus, the visit to the doctor. Those thoughts upied her mind as she made her way through the lobby and into the elevator. It was an ingenious contraption powered by ethera, rather than electricity, but she took it for granted. So long as it went up and down without too much fuss, she was content to let the marvel of ethereal engineering fade into the background. It rose from one floor to the next until, atst, she reached the penthouse. The doors opened, and she stepped inside. The moment she was alone and out of the potential public eye, she sighed, removing one shoe after another and padding toward her kitchen, where she poured herself a huge ss of wine. However, she never got to enjoy it, because when she turned around, she saw something truly disturbing. The ss fell from her hand as she reached to her hip, grabbing at the wand at her waist. She was too slow, though. Even as the ss hit the floor, sttering the burgundy liquid across the floor, the stranger in the corner shed forward. He didn¡¯t use an ability. Instead, he moved under the influence of his attributes. Before she could bring her wand to bear, his hand mped around her wrist. He squeezed. And her wrist broke. The wand ¨C a twisted rod of some unidentifiable metal ¨C ttered to the floor, and she let out a scream that was cut off when he pped his other hand over her mouth and shoved her against the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to kill you.¡± She tried to scream again, but the sound was muffled by his hand. As tears traced lines of mascara down her cheeks, she stopped struggling. Then, she forced a nod. He cocked his head to the side, studying her face before suddenly removing his hands and backing away. She slumped to the floor with a whimper. This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience. Fiona had thought herself ustomed to pain. She¡¯d been through quite a lot of it since the apocalypse. However, her broken wrist had proven that she wasn¡¯t quite as used to it as she¡¯d thought. ¡°W-what do you want?¡± she sobbed. ¡°I want to show you something,¡± the man said, reaching into the gray purse at his side. That gave her an opportunity to memorize her attacker¡¯s features. He was a short man ¨C maybe an inch or so shy of average ¨C but somewhat stocky. His face was handsome enough, in an unrefined sort of way, though his looks weren¡¯t helped by the scraggly beard and unruly blonde hair. Still, there was something about him that she could at least acknowledge might attract a certain type of woman. Not her, though. The man wore anachronistic and oddly cut clothing, including arge fur coat. In truth, that wasn¡¯t really out of the ordinary in a city like Valoria, which was on the cutting edge of craftsmanship. Those sorts of people were always trying new things, which meant that plenty of strange fashion trends had swept through the city over the past year. However, Fiona¡¯s eyes were drawn to two features more than anything else. First, the man¡¯s feet were unshod, with his pants ending a bit above his ankles. Strange, that, and more than a little remarkable. The second thing ¨C or things, really ¨C that stood out were the scars marring his body. One of his hands bore the evidence of a long-healed burn, while there were plenty of other scars decorating his neck and disappearing beneath his shirt. By the time Fiona had catalogued those features, he¡¯d retrieved something from his bag. And it wasn¡¯t until it thudded onto the floor, then rolled to a stop next to her that she realized what it was. Of course, she screamed. Because that was the only logical reaction to seeing a severed head, especially when it had belonged to someone she knew. Laramie¡¯s long dreadlocks were unmistakable, and when she looked down into the dead general¡¯s cold, lifeless eyes, she couldn¡¯t contain her shock. The intruder pped her with enough force to nearly dislocate her jaw. ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered, not seeming as if he meant it as he loomed over her. He straightened to his full height. ¡°Don¡¯t scream.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± she demanded again, forcing some degree of defiance into her voice. ¡°I want to know how to get into the pce,¡± he said simply. ¡°I¡¯m told you can do that.¡± ¡°Told by whom?¡± The man¡¯s eyes flicked toward the severed head. ¡°He was very talkative, there in the end,¡± the intruder said. ¡°Why do you want to get into the pce?¡± she asked, mustering some of her courage. Her wrist was still useless, but if she could get the man talking, perhaps she could hit him with one of her spells. She hadn¡¯t been keeping up with her leveling ofte, but that didn¡¯t mean she waspletely helpless. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Gathering ethera. If you keep going, I¡¯m going to rip your arms off,¡± he said calmly. ¡°If you do that, you won¡¯t get the information you want.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It won¡¯t kill you. I¡¯ve thought about it a lot. I can¡¯t regrow limbs, but I can stop bleeding pretty easily. Especially for someone as low-leveled as you,¡± he said, his voice almost conversational. ¡°And that means you won¡¯t die. I don¡¯t think it would do much for the pain, though.¡± ¡°Y-you would ¨C¡± ¡°Stop stalling,¡± he said. ¡°Your security people are already dead. You will be soon, too.¡± ¡°Unless I give you a way into the pce?¡± He didn¡¯t answer, but she didn¡¯t need him to, either. Fiona could read the situation. The man was dangerous. A killer. He wouldn¡¯t hesitate to murder her if she didn¡¯t provide what he wanted. She took a deep breath, knowing how big of a betrayal she was about tomit. Would Roman forgive her? Maybe. He understood survival better than most. And there was a chance that she could warn him once the intruder left. She had an ethereal construct for just such an asion. It ran on silver coins, but that was nothing considering the situation. So, Fiona reached up to the delicate chain around her neck, then dragged it over her head. The pendant was a simple ruby in a silver setting, but that ne was the most meaningful gift she had ever received. Not because it was valuable. It was, but Fiona was more concerned with what it represented ¨C Roman¡¯s trust. With that pendant, she could bypass most of the pce¡¯s security features. The implications of that weren¡¯t lost on her, so she valued the pendant quite highly. She tossed it to the man, who deftly caught it. That¡¯s when Fiona struck, aiming a Greater Ethereal Bolt at his chest.
Greater Ethereal Bolt Conjure arge ball of destructive ethera, casting it at a target. Sshes in a three-yard radius. Briefly stuns on impact. Duration of stun dependent on Ethera attribute. Current: 1.2 Seconds. Victim¡¯s Ethera and Constitution attributes determines resistance.
The blue ball of roiling ethera snapped into being instantly. Then, it was sailing through the air in the intruder¡¯s direction. Fiona was already casting another when it hit him. She knew she would need to pile on the damage if she wanted to defeat the man, and that meant casting as many times as she could before the stun ran its course. However, before she couldplete her second spell, the man was only inches away, his clothes smoking but otherwise unharmed. He did look angry, though. His hand snapped out, his fingers wrapping around her throat. Before Fiona could react, he had lifted her off the ground, pinning her against the wall. ¡°I wish you wouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± he said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to kill you. I really wasn¡¯t. I was just going to tie you up, leaving you for someone else to find. But now¡­¡± ¡°N-no!¡± she croaked, trying to cast a spell ¨C anything would do. But as panicked as she was by the situation, she couldn¡¯t focus well enough to do so. She kicked and scratched, writhing as she tried to escape. Eventually, she managed to utter a single word. ¡°Why?¡± she rasped. ¡°Because you helped kill an innocent woman!¡± he spat. Before she could really process it, she muttered, ¡°Which one?¡± It was barely more than a whisper, but it seemed to work. The man¡¯s fingers loosened. Then, he shook his head, echoing her own question, ¡°Which one? Which one?¡± He gave a harshugh, then shook his head. ¡°Rotten to the core,¡± he muttered. Then, he reached back, and before Fiona knew what was happening, she saw a fist descending toward her face. It connected with skull-shattering force. The wall cracked behind her, but she was high enough of a level that the blow didn¡¯t kill her. The second one did. Limp, she fell to the floor, unthinking and unseeing. Book 4: Chapter 17: Infiltration Book 4: Chapter 17: Infiltration Shame mingled with guilt to create a confusing miasma of emotions that Elijah struggled to reconcile with the bonfire of rage still zing within his heart. He hadn¡¯t set out to kill Fiona. Instead, when he¡¯d infiltrated her apartment, he¡¯d only intended to intimidate her into giving him ess to the pce. Once that was done, his n was to tie her up and imprison her within her own home. By the time she worked her way free, his mission would have been finished. But then she had revealed the depths of her own depravity. Of her ownplicity in the cesspool that was Easton. Or Valoria, as the locals called it. ¡°Which one?¡± she¡¯d blurted. Which one. Elijah had snapped, letting his rage overwhelm him, and by the time he¡¯d regained control, she was dead. However, as shameful as the act of killing a prisoner was, he didn¡¯t regret it. She had earned her punishment. But even that fact ¨C and it was an indisputable reality ¨C did nothing to assuage his guilt. That emotional confusion apanied Elijah as he padded out of the apartment building and into the street beyond. There were few pedestrians about, and the ones that were around wore expensive clothing and copious jewelry. To Elijah, they looked like they were cosying aristocrats from a bygone era, and after some of what he¡¯d seen in the less affluent areas, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a note of irritation. The wealth inequality was disgusting. Even more infuriating was the regressive attitude that pervaded much of Valoria¡¯s poption. They considered Schrs to be second-ss citizens, and those people were treated ordingly. Many were not even afforded an opportunity to work in their own fields. Instead, they were used as manualborers, paid a pittance to do the jobs the other citizens deemed beneath them. That was Roman¡¯s other sin. Certainly, Elijah hade to punish the man for killing Alyssa. Without that act, he would never have considered acting. However, now that he wasmitted to taking his vengeance, everything Elijah saw seemed to support it. Was there ever a situation where murder ¨C or assassination, he supposed ¨C was moral? Maybe. Maybe not. But Elijah was sure of one thing ¨C the world would be a much better ce without Roman taking up space. So, despite the swirl of guilt and shame ¨C and rage ¨C circling his mind, Elijah¡¯smitment never wavered. In fact, with every person he passed, it felt stronger than ever before. In his draconid form and cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, he continued down the street,pletely undetected by the pedestrians or the blue-and-white d guards. A few of thetter seemed to have some inkling of his presence, recognizable when Elijah¡¯s passage elicited an attentive scan of their surroundings. However, it was just as obvious that, despite their suspicions, they couldn¡¯t see him. So, Elijah progressed through the city unmolested, eventually arriving at the pce grounds. They were expansive, with a perfectly coifedwn, manicured trees, and burbling fountains. However, to Elijah, it was all hollow. The trees felt like they¡¯d been enved and pruned into specific and unnatural shapes that had nothing to do with their true forms. They were treated like essories, rather than living things. Which just added fuel to the fire of Elijah¡¯s fury. He struggled to ignore it as he stalked through the grounds. The pce itself was a ridiculously over-the-top exaggeration of gothic architecture that reminded Elijah of the Magister¡¯s Estate. Which was saying something, considering that the entire vibe of that tower had been meant to be creepy. Tall, aggressive spires, flying buttresses, and pointed arches were in abundance, and Elijah saw dozens of guards patrolling the grounds. The first group he passed gave him a bit of a start, though. ¡°You don¡¯t feel that?¡± asked one of the men. A woman who¡¯d been walking beside him answered, ¡°Yeah. My Guard Sense is going crazy, but I don¡¯t see anything.¡± Elijah quickly vacated the area, interpreting the mentioned Guard Sense to be an ability like One with Nature that would give them extrasensory perception. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but then again, neither was One with Nature. When someone was using some sort of obscuring skill ¨C like the vampire back in the tower ¨C he couldn¡¯t precisely sense them. Instead, he could sense something of an absence that took a certain mindset to notice. The same was probably true of the soldiers¡¯ Guard Sense. And Elijah didn¡¯t want to push his luck by sticking too close to the guards. Gradually, he padded through the grounds, staying to the shadows as often as possible. Only a few times was he forced to veer close to the patrolling guards, and each time, the sentries went on alert. Fortunately, he moved quickly enough that they never had an opportunity to figure out what was going on. Eventually, Elijah found his way to an open door that led beneath the pce. At first, he thought he¡¯d found the outside entrance to a storeroom, but the smells assaulting his nose quickly disabused him of that notion. It was the unmistakable odor of unwashed humanity. Pungent body odor, the acrid scent of human waste, and the smell of blood grew stronger with every step. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But there was more to it, too. A scent Elijah could only call rot, almost like roadkill, flowed beneath the other smells, hinting that something was amiss. Perhaps they buried their dead beneath the pce, he guessed. But that made no sense. Nobody would design their home to include that sort of thing. A mausoleum or crypt, perhaps, but those usually featured embalmed bodies, so they weren¡¯t pervaded by the smell of rot. Elijah didn¡¯t know what was going on. So, he kept going, looking for a means of ingress into the pce. The other doors he¡¯d found had been guarded by many powerful-feeling sentries. If it came down to a fight, he felt like he could take them, but not without kicking up a fuss. He wasn¡¯t ready to engage in all-out battle though. If he did, he¡¯d bring the entirety of Valoria¡¯s defenses down upon his head. That wouldn¡¯t work for what he had nned, so stealth remained the best way forward. The passage continued to slope downward at an easy decline, doubling back and forth as it progressed ever deeper. Then, it leveled out, ending in arge chamber lit by wall-mounted sconces filled with flickering torches. There were three guards on duty, and they stood sentry before a massive, iron-bound door. Elijah considered simply going back. There had to be another entrance. Yet, he suspected that he would need to kill if he wanted to enter the pce. And given the isted nature of the chamber ¨C as well as the light guard presence ¨C he expected that this would be the best chance he would get. So, without further hesitation, Elijah slithered forward, circling around the edge of the room until he found himself facing the back of one of the guards. He stood before the door, while the other two sat on a pair of stools nearby, where they were ying cards. Even as the pair bantered back and forth, Elijah embraced Predator Strike and pounced, decapitating the upright guard with a single bite of his powerful jaws. Then, he used Flicker Step, disappearing and reappearing behind one of the other guards. He struck again. This time, there was more resistance ¨C without Predator Strike to augment his attack, he only had his Strength on his side ¨C but it wasn¡¯t enough. The man¡¯s skull shattered beneath his forceful bite. Before he fell, Elijahunched himself forward, attempting to rip into the third man¡¯s face. The sentry scrambled backward, tipping over his stool and letting out a scream that was cut short by Elijah¡¯s attack. The guard used some sort of shield skill, fouling Elijah¡¯s initial strike. However, the second attack ¨C a swipe from his ws ¨C shattered the ne of ethera, allowing Elijah free ess to the man¡¯s delicate throat. He ripped it out with a second swipe of his ws, sending an arc of blood to stter across the wall. Only three seconds had passed, and the guards were all dead. Elijah stood over his final kill, looking down at the man with no emotion. It wasn¡¯t so different a mindset from what he usually adopted in towers. They weren¡¯t people. Just enemies. Obstacles that needed to be ovee. It was a dangerous frame of mind. And he rejected it. They were people. They probably had families. Friends. Hopes and dreams. But they had chosen the wrong side. They had supported Roman. There was an argument that they¡¯d only done what they needed to do to survive, and while urate, that didn¡¯t excuse the horrors in which they had engaged. Because the guards had done plenty of horrible things, too. During his exploration of the city and the conversation with the man in the tavern, Elijah had learned a bit about the men and women who wore the blue-and-white uniforms. And what he¡¯d learned was enough to assuage any guilt he might¡¯ve felt. They¡¯d engaged in wholesale ughter during the failed rebellion, an act which most citizens considered excessive. But they hadn¡¯t stopped there, either. They never missed an opportunity to bully the poption ¨C especially those who the city¡¯s leaders deemed expendable. Or worthless. As a result, some truly despicable acts ¨C ranging from sexual assault to extortion and murder ¨C had been swept under the table. No ¨C Elijah might¡¯ve felt guilty about killing Fiona, but that was as much to do with the fact that she was a mostly helpless woman as anything else. The soldiers couldn¡¯t im innocence. The moment they¡¯d donned their uniforms, they¡¯d established themselves asbatants. And with them, anything would go. Elijah shifted into his human form, then searched the guards. Their armor was nothing special, so he didn¡¯t bother taking it. His Ghoul-Hide Satchel held far more than its appearance would suggest, but its capacity wasn¡¯t infinite. So, he needed to be selective about what he looted, and given that the armor didn¡¯t seem valuable, Elijah left it on their bodies. However, he did take a couple of decent daggers that felt more powerful than normal. Both were cool to the touch, suggesting that they had been made from the Cold Iron Carmen had mentioned. Still, they seemed poorly constructed, which probably affected their grade. Whatever the case, he could never have enough knives, and they didn¡¯t take up much room. He also found a ring of keys, which he expected would unlock the gate ¨C and any others past it. So, once he¡¯d ensured that they had nothing else of value, he piled the corpses near the door, unlocked it, then pushed it open, revealing another corridor. However, this one was slightly different in that, only a dozen feet in, there were two doors ¨C one on either side of the hall. Elijah stalked forward, then checked inside the first. It was empty, which gave him a perfect location to stash the bodies. It only took a couple of minutes to carry them to what looked like a jail cell, then deposit them inside before moving on. He did so after having switched back to his draconid form and under Guise of the Unseen. Like that, he continued on until, atst, the torch-lit tunnel terminated in a huge chamber. It was hundreds of yards across and just as deep. But Elijah wasn¡¯t concerned with the dimensions. Instead, he was only concerned with the cages, each one containing naked people, that lined the walls. Stacked three high, there must¡¯ve been hundreds of them, and they all held at least a few prisoners. They were all dirty, emaciated, and on the edge of death. That left Elijah with a choice. He could free them, taking precious time to heal them. Given their condition, that might take a while. Or he could ignore the issue and continue on with his task. He nced toward the center of the room, where he saw a raised circle decorated with chains and a series of square plinths. Each one was stained with blood, telling Elijah that he¡¯d found another execution site. The fires of his rage reignited. Elijah stalked through the prison, ignoring the pitiful people in the cages. He still hadn¡¯t decided what to do with them, but whichever path he chose, he needed to scout things out. After all, who knew what horrors the dungeon held? The answer to that question came soon after, when he found another room. It was much smaller, and inside there was a corpulent man who Elijah¡¯s instincts told him was someone important. Not that it mattered. With what he saw, Elijah¡¯s conscience wouldn¡¯t allow him to ignore the monster in human form. So, without further ado, he stepped through the open door and prepared for battle. Book 4: Chapter 18: The Wardens Domain Book 4: Chapter 18: The Warden''s Domain ¡°Don¡¯t struggle,¡± growled Waldo, unbuckling his belt. ¡°You want your parents freed, don¡¯t you?¡± The girl shrank against the wall ¨C as if he was some sort of despicable monster. After everything he¡¯d done for her, she had the audacity to look at him like he was beneath her? The girl ¨C he didn¡¯t even remember her name ¨C was the daughter of one of the prisoners outside. If he remembered correctly, they had been executed a few days before ¨C but that didn¡¯t matter. The girl didn¡¯t know, which was all that was important. He stepped forward, intending to grab her by the hair and show her precisely who was in charge. She needed to be put back in her ce. She needed to understand who she was dealing with. So many people regarded the apocalypse as some terrible cmity that had befallen humanity. But Waldo McArthur wasn¡¯t one of them. Before, he¡¯d been a powerless security guard. A loser who couldn¡¯t even be trusted to carry a gun on the job. Now, though? He was a man of consequence and power. He was important. The king himself had said so, and his word wasw. Everywhere but in Waldo¡¯s prison, at least. In there, he was the Warden. It was his domain, which meant that, in that expansive facility, even the king couldn¡¯t rival his authority. Which made the little slip of a girl ¨C barely more than sixteen years old ¨C and her revulsion so much more irritating. But that was fine. He would show her. He would show them all. Or that was the n right up until a monster out of nightmares erupted out of the shadows, burying its ws in his shoulder and aiming a horrifyingly swift bite at Waldo¡¯s head. He shifted far more quickly than a man of his size should¡¯ve been capable of moving, narrowly avoiding the creature¡¯s razor-sharp teeth as they snapped shut with the force of finality. Only then did Waldo remember that, in the prison, his authority was absolute. After all, he was the Warden. The Divine System had given him that ss, and he¡¯d used it as it was intended to be used. Utilizing Strength of the Jailer, he wrapped his meaty hands around the monster, then levered it free. It left more than a few wounds behind, but he had potions for that. Ignoring his blood-soaked shirt, he heaved the monster across the room. It hit with bone-crunching force, copsing to the ground a secondter. Waldo advanced, intending to finish the creature off. But then, it shifted, transforming before his very eyes. The thing¡¯s scales melted away, and its body morphed into thest thing he expected. ¡°You¡¯re human?¡± he muttered. Then, as a short, bearded man with blonde hair pushed himself to his feet, Waldo grinned. ¡°You¡¯re human.¡± ¡°Good eye, asshole,¡± the man growled, ethera swirling all around him. That would not do at all. Waldo used Warden¡¯s Shackles:
Warden¡¯s Shackles Create an affliction that rapidly drains a prisoner¡¯s store of ethera. Only usable inside the Warden¡¯s jail. Rate of drain based on caster¡¯s level, Core cultivation, and Ethera attribute.
The man gasped, and Waldo¡¯s grin widened. ¡°You don¡¯t like that one little bit, do you?¡± he taunted. ¡°I¡¯m told it¡¯s quite painful, having the magic sucked right out of you.¡± That¡¯s when someone whacked him in the back of the head. It wasn¡¯t enough to even stagger Waldo, but it did elicit quite a response. He whipped around, aiming a backhanded blow at the girl who dared to attack him. She held a candlestick like a weapon, as if she expected it to do any good. She didn¡¯t even have a ss yet. Which meant that, because of Waldo¡¯s enhanced Strength, the chances the girl would survive were precisely zero. Oh well ¨C he would find another one soon enough. He had a lot of prisoners, after all. And many of them had family that were desperate enough to do anything to save them. But then something stopped his hand. He nced in that direction to see that the man¡¯s fingers wrapped around his wrist. Waldo tried to yank his arm free, but the disheveled man¡¯s grip was like iron. Well, he had something to deal with that, too. He used Fetters of Domination.
Fetters of Domination Create an affliction that weakens a prisoner by 75%. Only usable inside the Warden¡¯s Jail. Affliction is less effective on those with higher effective attributes than the caster. Resistance based on rtive Strength. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The moment the ability fell upon the interloper, Waldo yanked his arm free. Even then, it was difficult, and it threw him off-bnce. He tripped and fell, bouncing a little because of his girth. It didn¡¯t hurt, but the embarrassment of it sent him into a rage. He wheeled around, growling, ¡°You¡¯re going to pay for that! I¡¯ll ¨C¡± Something bit him, cutting off his tirade. He looked down to see a tiny millipedetched onto his ankle. Its pincers had gone right through his trousers, drawing blood. More distressingly, it was not alone. A hundred of the little monsters hade from nowhere, and they seemed hell-bent on swarming him. He screamed, pping the little creatures and sttering their guts across the floor. He got most of them fairly easily ¨C they couldn¡¯t stand before his enhanced attributes ¨C but there were so many that he still picked up a few bites. That was fine, though. Once he was done with the intruder and the girl, he would take a potion ¨C made by the best alchemist in the city, no less ¨C and he would be fine. It was his ace in the hole. For all his powers, especially within his domain, idents still happened. And he¡¯d never been afforded the use of a Healer. So, he¡¯d made do by contracting the local alchemist. It had saved him no less than three times already, and he expected it would prove to be just as useful in the future. But first, he needed to deal with the man who¡¯d barged into his office and assaulted him. Now that Fetters of Domination was active, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult. He only¡­ He tried to rise, but a wave of dizziness washed over him. * * * Elijah spared one facet of his Quartz mind to look at his status, and he didn¡¯t like what he saw. His physical attributes had been reduced by more than half, which was a debilitating level of weakness that even exceeded what he¡¯d experienced at the hands of Thor. Without that, though, Elijah would never have been prepared for whatever ability the disgusting Warden had cast on him. So, even though he was much weaker, he didn¡¯t let itpletely incapacitate him. Instead, he focused on what he could do, rather than what he couldn¡¯t. That had led him to casting Swarm. It was only barely possible. Another of the man¡¯s abilities had drained Elijah¡¯s ethera so quickly that he could only use Soothe and a single cast of Touch of Nature before his Core had been drained. However, even as his body healed, his Quartz Mind and his newly upgraded Novice Soul went to work, restoring what had been lost. It had drained almost as quickly as he could recover ethera, but he¡¯d managed to build just enough to cast Swarm. He couldn¡¯t keep that up, though. So, he knew he¡¯d need to finish the Warden without the advantage of most of his physical attributes or spells. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t entirely weakened. So, as the fat man struggled to rise, Elijah leveled his staff in his foe¡¯s direction. At the same time, he sidestepped to put himself between the Warden and his victim. The girl was young. Very, very young. She wore a simple, white dress and was clearly terrified. Still, she¡¯d distracted the Warden for a precious few seconds that had allowed Elijah to adjust. Not that he was keeping score. The moment he¡¯d recognized the situation, he¡¯d resolved to save her. And that resolution hadn¡¯t changed. The Warden reached into his pocket, though his fingers didn¡¯t seem to work as well as they should, which made him fumble the task. The dy was only a couple of seconds, but that allowed Elijah to close on him just as he pulled a small bottle free. It looked like it would only hold about eight ounces, and it was filled with vibrant green liquid. To Elijah it felt both full of life and somehow artificial, at the same time. Sort of like artificial sweetener, though far fouler. Regardless, he could read the situation ¨C and the Warden¡¯s desperation ¨C well enough to recognize that he didn¡¯t want the man to drink it. Likely, it was a potion not dissimr from the one Thor had used to prolong their fight. So, Elijah acted quickly, aiming the butt of his staff at the Warden¡¯s wrist. He connected, but as weakened as he was, it did little good, other than once again dy the man¡¯s relief. So, Elijah hit it again. This time, the Warden tried to avoid the blow, but if Elijah was weakened, then the fat man was on hisst leg. Elijah intended to keep him there as he continued to aim one blow after another at the bottle. And eventually, he seeded in loosening the Warden¡¯s grip. However, when the bottle crashed to the ground, cracking at the point of impact and spilling its contents all over the floor, the Warden turned his attention on Elijah. Even in his afflicted state, the man was powerful enough to muster a spell. Immediately, thick, ethereal chains erupted from his bulbous stomach and darted at Elijah. He tried to dodge, but his low attributes failed him. He stumbled, which was all the opening the Warden¡¯s chains needed to wrap around him. They continued to grow, one link at a time as they encircled him a half dozen times. ¡°Cure!¡± the man coughed, clenching his fist. The chains tightened. Elijah struggled, but there was nothing he could do. He could feel his bones creaking under the pressure. He wriggled, straining every muscle in his body. It was useless, though. A hundred thoughts raced through Elijah¡¯s mind, but none were more prevalent than regret. For everything he¡¯d done wrong, for all the times he¡¯d lost track of his priorities ¨C because in that moment, he knew he was going to die. The Warden had robbed him of his attributes as well as his ability to heal. There was no chance he would survive. And yet, there was some sce in knowing that the grotesque man would soon perish as well. Already, the afflictions from Swarm and the Contagion from Elijah¡¯s flurry of attacks that had also beenced with Venom Strike had nearly killed the man. He still had some ways to go, but it was only a matter of time before he sumbed. That was good to know. Elijah¡¯s vision began to darken as the Warden continued his unhinged and panicked demands. And all of his thoughts coalesced into a single one. He was sorry that he hadn¡¯t avenged his sister¡¯s death, but at least he¡¯d fallen trying to save someone else. She would have approved of that, at least. Abruptly, the grip of the chains weakened. Then, they fell away, dissipating into ethereal motes. Elijah copsed, more than a few of his bones broken. It certainly wasn¡¯t as bad as it had been after his fight with Thor ¨C they were all clean breaks, as far as he could tell ¨C but there was nothing good about having multiple fractures. He gasped for breath, but soon, his recovery was interrupted by a repeated thumping sound. Elijah looked up to see the girl repeatedly beating the Warden over the head with the candlestick. He was already dead, a good portion of his skull having been caved in. And yet, the girl ¨C weeping profusely ¨C continued her assault. That¡¯s when Elijah felt the weakening afflictions ¨C the one that reduced his attributes as well as the one that constantly drained his ethera ¨C fall away. Flexing every aperture in his Mind, Elijah dragged as much ethera through the channels of his Novice Soul and into his Core, keeping going until he had enough energy to fuel Soothe. Then, he kept going until he could use Touch of Nature. And Healing Rain, which affected the girl as well. She¡¯d had quite a few bruises and scratches ¨C the man clearly hadn¡¯t been gentle with her ¨C so the nourishing precipitation had some work to do. Finally, Elijah tried to speak to the girl, but she clearly couldn¡¯t hear him. Instead, she¡¯d copsed atop the man, and even though she¡¯d exhausted her strength, she continued to weakly rap the candlestick against his skull. Once he was healed, Elijah pushed himself to his feet, then grabbed ahold of her arm. She whipped her head around, ring at him with wild eyes, and he said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s dead, now. You¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°N-nobody is safe in this city,¡± she breathed, her voice hoarse. ¡°They will be,¡± Elijah said with no small degree of resolve. ¡°They will be.¡± Book 4: Chapter 19: The Curse of Empathy Book 4: Chapter 19: The Curse of Empathy ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Elijah asked, releasing the girl¡¯s wrist. ¡°I¡­I twisted my ankle,¡± she mumbled between sobs. ¡°But¡­but it¡¯s fine now. How is it fine now?¡± Elijah pointed to the ceiling, where clouds had gathered, dumping Healing Rain on them both. ¡°Spell,¡± he said. ¡°But how?¡± she asked. ¡°He drains ethera. That¡¯s why nobody can resist once they¡¯re in here.¡± Elijah had certainly felt the bite of that ability, but he¡¯d ovee it ¨C at least temporarily ¨C via his cultivation. However, even that wasn¡¯t enough to resist for long, and he¡¯d only managed a few casts before he¡¯d lost ess to his own spells. However, since the Warden had been in, the detrimental effect had faded away. The same was true of the one that limited his attributes. ¡°I¡¯m special,¡± he said. ¡°Are you here to save us?¡± the girl asked, her eyes wide with hope. The answer to that question was a definitive no. He hade to the city to kill Roman and anyone else who¡¯d had a hand in his sister¡¯s death. However, he couldn¡¯t ignore the plight of so many. He didn¡¯t know if the people in the cages he¡¯d seen were there for legitimate reasons, but he suspected that that wasn¡¯t the case. Valoria was a cesspool of corruption, inequality, and oppression, which didn¡¯t give Elijah any confidence concerning the legitimacy of their actions. And the presence of the disgusting Warden had only sullied Elijah¡¯s opinion of the city even further. It took a truly horrible person to do what that man had intended, so Elijah didn¡¯t feel even remotely guilty about his death.¡°That wasn¡¯t why I came here, but yes,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll help you escape.¡± ¡°And what about the guards? What about the rest of army?¡± she asked. ¡°I intend to kill them all,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°And the leader, as well as anyone who else tries to stop me. You¡¯re wee to help. Or you can sit it out. It makes no difference in what I¡¯m going to do, though.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Just a person who has a bone to pick with Roman Cain,¡± Elijah answered. Then, he sighed, before kneeling beside the Warden¡¯s body. He began to rummage through the man¡¯s pockets. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Leslie,¡± the girl answered. ¡°Leslie Manning. M-my parents are out there. Are you going to free them?¡± At first, Elijah didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he continued looking through the Warden¡¯s pockets. He found a folio, but when he tried to ess it, he got no response. Other than that, the Warden only had some mundane clothing, a sk full of some truly foul-smelling alcohol, and a Rolex watch that no longer kept time. Elijah took it all, moving to another pocket. ¡°Jackpot,¡± he said when he found what he was looking for. He hefted the keyring, saying, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure this will open the cages.¡± He tossed it to Leslie, who caught it after a brief fumble. ¡°Go start unlocking cages. If people are hurt, send them in here. I¡¯ll heal them.¡± After that, Elijah settled in to wait, summoning Healing Rain the second one of the naked prisoners stumbled in. There were no clothes around, and it seemed that the man was ustomed to his own nudity. He didn¡¯t seem self-conscious, which was probably due as much to his poor condition as his mental state. Still, as soon as the regenerative precipitation hit him, the man let out a sigh of relief and gave Elijah a nod. Over the next hour, more people came into the room. When one was healed, another would take their ce until, atst, Eljiah had healed nearly a thousand people. And to his surprise, he gained another level, bringing him to seventy-eight. That, more than anything, told him just how close to death the prisoners had been. Finally, a man and a woman approached, introducing themselves. Elijah barely registered their names, but he did notice that they had scrounged up some rags to cover their nudity. Many others had as well. ¡°Thank you,¡± the woman said. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Our daughter said you intend to kill the guards. We want to help,¡± the man said before Elijah could answer. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help,¡± Elijah stated. He¡¯d thought about it long and hard, eventuallying to the conclusion that bringing a thousand half-starved prisoners with him would do more harm than good. ¡°But I do intend to kill the guards. And anyone else in my way. Once I¡¯m finished, you can take their gear. In fact, there are three bodies down the hall over that way.¡± Elijah pointed in the direction he¡¯d arrived. ¡°Take their armor and weapons.¡± ¡°What else should we do? If we go back out there, we¡¯ll be captured and imprisoned. The Warden is dead, but they have other means of keeping us powerless.¡± Elijah answered, ¡°I don¡¯t really care what you do. Like I said, I¡¯m here on my own mission. I¡¯ve already deviated by freeing you. I¡¯ve wasted more than an hour healing you. I don¡¯t regret those actions, but if I do anything else, it will interrupt my task. At best, it¡¯ll make it more difficult. At worst, it¡¯ll mean they¡¯re ready for me.¡± With that, he stood. He¡¯dpletely healed from the injuries he¡¯d incurred, so he was back to full strength. However, when he made to leave, he felt a wave of guilt. He couldn¡¯t leave them like this. No matter what he said, his empathy wouldn¡¯t allow him to ignore their plight. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it So, before he left, Elijah reached into his bag and retrieved a handful of berries. Each one was around the size of a strawberry, but more importantly, he knew that even a quarter of a grove berry would do wonders for the prisoners¡¯ state. So, he retrieved one of his knives, then started cutting the berries into quarters. It would take almost his entire supply, but that was a small price to pay to help the innocent people. ¡°Here,¡± Elijah said, handing the woman one of the quarter slices. ¡°Eat this. It¡¯ll help.¡± She took it into her dirty fingers, then hesitantly popped it into her mouth. A momentter, she gasped, ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Grove berry,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°I have enough for everyone to get a slice like that. So, get people organized while I cut them up.¡± The woman was quick to respond, and Elijah got to work. With his high Dexterity, he aplished his task quickly, and before he knew it, he was handing out slices of grove berry to each of the prisoners. Within moments of ingesting the magical fruits, each of the prisoners started to look healthier. Color bloomed in their cheeks, and they noticeably filled out. They were all still clearly malnourished, but it helped. More importantly, the grove berries gave a sorely needed burst of energy. Seeing the prisoners smiling was almost enough to distract Elijah from his mission. However, all he had to do was focus on the facet of his Quartz Mind where he¡¯d quarantined his seething anger to reaffirm his attention. Still, he made certain that everyone was as well-recovered as they could be before he told the two leaders that he was moving on. ¡°We don¡¯t know how to thank you,¡± said the man. ¡°We don¡¯t even know your name,¡± the woman added. ¡°I know,¡± Elijah said. Then, he turned and left, taking the only other exit he¡¯d found. It sloped upward, so he expected that it would lead to the pce. Once he was out of sight, he shifted into his draconid form and let Guise of the Unseen envelop him. As soon as it did, he let out a subtle sigh of relief. He liked helping people. Probably a little too much, if he was honest. And it had taken every ounce of his willpower to abandon the prisoners. He¡¯d aided them enough that there was some hope for survival, but it was far from guaranteed. That was especially true, given the situation in the city. Without armor or weapons, there was every chance that they would only be recaptured or killed. Elijah pushed those thoughts from his mind as he continued upward, eventually reaching an intersection manned by another trio of guards. Using a simr tactic to the one he¡¯d used against the previous guards, he snuck up behind one, used Predator Strike to ensure an easy kill, then Flicker Step to take out another before they had a chance to react. The final kill came easily enough,rgely because the remaining guard never got past fumbling with his sword. It was all the dy Elijah needed to gain the advantage and kill him with a swipe of his ws across the man¡¯s throat. Once they were dead, he dragged the bodies back the way he¡¯de, depositing them inside the prison. The former captives quickly fell upon the guards looting their gear. But Elijah didn¡¯t see anything else, because he moved on without a word. Four more times, he repeated the actions. At one intersection, he did find something interesting, though. That same odd smell of death wafted out of one passage. Elijah wanted to investigate, but he pulled himself up short. That would almost assuredly prove to be one more distraction that he couldn¡¯t afford. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the missing guards would be discovered, so he needed to get a move on, lest he run the chance of being found. So, as much as his instincts screamed at him to investigate, he refused to acknowledge them. With that in mind, he continued on, climbing ever higher until, atst, he reached the pce proper. The tunnel ended in a heavy door, beyond which was a much more opulent hall. So, Elijah ughtered the two soldiers on guard, dragged them back to the prison, then returned to the pce entrance. Shifting back to his human form, he opened the door and slipped through it before once again adopting his stealthy draconid shape. After pulling the door closed, he continued on. Vaguely, Elijah acknowledged the rich d¨¦cor. The dungeons had featured bare, utilitarian walls and flickering torches, but the pce corridors were the exact opposite. Everywhere he looked, there was marble, gold, and silver. Masterful paintings decorated the walls, and statues were disyed in alcoves. It was as if someone had seen examples of aristocratic wealth on television and endeavored to copy what they had seen on screen. As a result, everything looked incredibly impressive, so long as it was beheld at a distance. Anyone familiar with the aped styles on disy would know the difference the moment they noticed the sloppy details. Elijah was no expert. Nor was he some great appreciator of art. However, he knew enough and cared enough to recognize the mockery such tantly poor facsimiles represented. If his opinion of Roman could get any worse, it would have at that point. Keeping going, Elijah found a multitude of guards barring his way. However, instead of using his previous strategy, which would leave plenty of evidence behind, he chose a more subtle tactic. Soon enough, he¡¯d found his way to a side room that was close enough that he could sense the collection of men and women guarding what Elijah thought was the entrance to Roman¡¯s personal quarters. He resumed his human form, then cast Swarm, targeting it via One with Nature. The spell manifested in the form of a thousand biting fleas. They descended upon the guards,pletely undetected before they started biting. Even then, the guards¡¯ reactions were subdued, and the fleas disappeared before they grew truly distressed. Elijah waited a few minutes, then used Swarm again. And again after that. Without the enhancement provided by his old Staff of Natural Harmony, the afflictions they delivered weren¡¯t nearly as overwhelming as they once had been. That situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the guards had a decent number of levels under their belt. However, they weren¡¯t invulnerable. And three casts of Swarm meant that the sheer weight of afflictions eventually showed their worth. The first guard abruptly fell to her knees. The next followed soon after. By the time the first had fallen to all fours, another three had copsed. The leader ¨C who was, presumably, the highest level ¨C maintained his feet the longest. While hisrades copsed all around him, he panicked, demanding to know what was wrong. The others were in no condition to answer, and now that the afflictions had reached a crescendo, there was no stopping what wasing. By the time he finally copsed, the first two had fallen unconscious. They died only thirty secondster. The rest followed soon enough until, atst, they were all dead. After that, Elijah took a few minutes to stash the bodies in the side room. He gathered anything he thought was useful, including a few pouches full of ethereum. Most of the coins were copper, but there were a few silver ones in there as well. And one gold ethereum, which was quite a haul, all things considered. He also added a few knives and a sword to his collection, but the armor didn¡¯t seem very high quality, so he left that. Once all of that was finished, he shifted back into his draconid form, used Guise of the Unseen, and entered what he suspected was Roman¡¯s quarters. Atst, he¡¯d reached his goal. Soon enough, he would kill the man who¡¯d murdered his sister. That thought, while somewhat disturbing,forted Elijah in a way nothing else had since he¡¯d discovered Alyssa¡¯s fate. Book 4: Chapter 20: Ambush Book 4: Chapter 20: Ambush The moment Elijah stepped into the room, his instincts went wild. Without thought, he threw himself to the side. Still, he felt something pierce his scales, embedding in his back hip. Still, he didn¡¯t let a single sound emerge from his mouth. Instead, he skidded to a stop, slipping a little on the now-bloody tile floor before turning to face his attacker. He¡¯d been exploring the wing for what felt like hours, and the whole time, he¡¯d found no inhabitants. So, he was more than a little surprised to see four men on the other side of the room. Each one was wearing ck fatigues, reminding Elijah of Isaiah¡¯s men back in Seattle. However, Elijah could tell from their stances alone that these new foes were far more capable than those men and women. More, he suspected that they were all former military. Living in Hawaii, Elijah had encountered plenty of Navy personnel, so he¡¯d learned to identify them just by their bearing. It was simr to how some people could recognize police, even when they were off-duty. Regardless, Elijah felt almost certain that he was facing a quartet of hardened soldiers. One held a crossbow, telling him what he had embedded in his hip. Another had a sword and shield. The third carried a staff. And the fourth was armed with a mace. Elijah didn¡¯t need to see them use any abilities to recognize their identities. The shield-bearer was a protector, the staff-wielder was a Sorcerer, and the man with the mace was probably the Healer. The soldier with the crossbow was a Ranger. As Elijah had learned from the elves as well as his dealings in Seattle and Argos, it was the preferred partyposition for those who made a living running towers. ¡°Reloading,¡± the man with the crossbow said, dragging another bolt out of the quiver at his waist. ¡°Advancing,¡± said the defender, stepping forward, his shield held in front of him. Then, he let out a shout that cut right through every facet of Elijah¡¯s mind. Suddenly, all he could think about was attacking the man with the shield. It wasn¡¯t until a secondter, when he instinctively shunted that anger to its own facet, where he quarantined it, that he realized what had happened. The man had tried to force him to attack the least vulnerable among them, which was the absolute worst strategy for anyone who wanted to win. Still, it represented an opportunity. So, he stepped toward the man, a low growl emitting from his throat. He could sense the others preparing attacks. Still, Elijah didn¡¯t alter course. Ethera swirled around the Sorcerer, while the Ranger finished reloading. Meanwhile, the protector prepared to meet Elijah. Just as everything reached a crescendo, he used Flicker Step, disappearing at the same moment a ball of fire and another crossbow bolt tore across the room. But Elijah was gone, and less than an instantter, he appeared behind the Healer. Using Venom Strike, heunched himself at the man. He didn¡¯t go for the head, though. Instead, he raked his ws across the man¡¯s leg, amputating it in a single swipe. Then, he bounded away, and it was just in time, too, because the defender hadn¡¯t been idle. Even as the Healer copsed, the shield-bearer charged. But he was too slow, because Elijah had already changed direction, darting at the Sorcerer. The man swung his staff, but Elijah ducked low, avoiding the attack before throwing himself at the man¡¯s chest. He hit with enough force to knock the Sorcerer from his feet. Elijah ripped through an ethereal shield ¨C all Sorcerers seemed to have that spell ¨C and into his chest, eviscerating his flesh with a half-dozen gouging attacks, each one delivering Contagion and Venom Strike. The defender followed Elijah, though his movements were too clumsy. He let out another shout, but it was just as useless as before. Leaping high into the air, Elijah kicked off the wall to change direction, then descended upon the Ranger. To his credit, the man reacted quickly, throwing out his hand and producing an ethereal. However, Elijah had the benefit of high Dexterity as well as the Haste from the Sash of the Whirlwind, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to dodge the skill. He hit the ground, then pounced on the Ranger, treating him much the same as he had the Sorcerer. Yet, the new target was much stronger than the spellcaster, and he only staggered a bit, rather than being knocked to his back. Elijah didn¡¯t care; he only needed to scratch the man a few times, and when he did, he kicked away, returning to the door. The defender didn¡¯t follow. That¡¯s when Elijah heard the screams. ¡°Heal me!¡± growled the Ranger through gritted teeth. His face was pale, and it was already wet with sweat. The Healer was worse, but then again, he¡¯d had a leg amputated, and he was trying to reattach it to the stump. Ethera swirled around him as he desperately tried to heal the damage well enough that the loss wasn¡¯t permanent. Because of that, he was too distracted to heal the Ranger or the Sorcerer, both of whom were in dire straits. The defender stomped on the ground, and to Elijah¡¯s surprise, a dome of pure ethera bloomed into being. He swiped at it, but he was shocked to find that it remained entirely solid. The defender shouted, ¡°See to the others, Mark!¡± ¡°Trying to reattach my goddamn leg, Bill!¡± ¡°And they¡¯re dying, and my Barrier won¡¯tst forever!¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Mark waved his mace, and immediately, the Sorcerer started to look a bit better. He repeated the motion, and the Ranger began to recover, too. However, Elijah knew from experience that a simple healing spell wouldn¡¯t do much for those afflictions. As far as he¡¯d seen, it was incredibly difficult to remove them. Sure, he¡¯d read a few guides that suggested that such afflictions were removable via specific spells, but otherwise, they would have to run their course. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The Sorcerer vomited, spewing blood on the floor. ¡°What¡¯s going on with them?!¡± demanded the defender, still facing Elijah. ¡°I thought you could heal anything!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know! What the hell is that thing?¡± Elijah sighed, then shifted into his human form. That drew a few gasps, but before any of them could say anything, he stated, ¡°I¡¯m not a thing. I¡¯m human, same as you.¡± ¡°What? Is that some kind of shapeshifter?¡± spat the defender. ¡°Something like that,¡± Elijah said, pacing back and forth. He was ready to switch to hismer ape form the moment the shield went down. ¡°Why are you dressed differently than all the other guards I¡¯ve killed?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not guards,¡± the defender said. He turned his head, checking the others out of the corner of his eye. The healer still hadn¡¯t been sessful in reattaching his leg, and though he¡¯d continued to heal the others, the afflictions continued unabated. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°This and that.¡± ¡°You killed the other guards?¡± the defender asked. Elijah nodded. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They deserved it. So do you,¡± Elijah said. ¡°The second this shield drops, I¡¯m going to rip you all to pieces. Your healer¡¯s running low on ethera, right? He won¡¯t have enough to keep you alive through what I¡¯m about to do.¡± ¡°Why? We¡¯ve done nothing to you!¡± ¡°Not directly. But the man in charge of this city took someone very dear to me,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°He¡¯s going to die. And so is everyone who ¨C¡± ¡°Are you talking about that putz who keeps calling himself a king?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Kill him, then! We don¡¯t care! We¡¯re just mercenaries, man. He hired us to help him run through some towers. That¡¯s all we¡¯ve done. We haven¡¯t killed any people. We don¡¯t participate in his little schemes. We haven¡¯t fought in his wars. We¡¯ve only killed monsters, man ¨C I swear!¡± To Elijah, that had the ring of truth, but he knew that desperation could drive people to be very convincing in their lies. More, from everything he knew about Roman, it tracked. The stories he¡¯d heard had painted the man as a hands-off sort of leader. A lead-from-the-back type. The only reason it had worked was because of the results. From the very beginning, Easton had been a safe haven for the survivors. People would ignore a lot of character ws if it meant they were safe from the literal monsters roaming the wilderness. ¡°You attacked me.¡± ¡°We thought you were a Voxx!¡± That took Elijah aback. ¡°How could you think that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re big, scary, and scaley. That sounds like Voxx to me, man.¡± Elijah was about to respond, but he thought better of it. Sure, the Voxx were easily recognizable to him, but much of that was due to the fact that he could sense the wrongness within them. It wasn¡¯t so different from when he encountered monsters, though it was far stronger. However, without that to clue him in, he had to admit that, at a nce, his bestial forms could be mistaken for Voxx. And that irritated him. Still, Elijah took control of himself, asking, ¡°What do you propose?¡± ¡°Let us go. We¡¯ll be out of this city before sunrise. Never looking back. Just gone. You can do what you need to do,¡± Bill, the defender stated. ¡°And I¡¯m just supposed to trust you?¡± Elijah asked. The man cocked his head to the side and raised his hand with two fingers extended. ¡°Scout¡¯s honor?¡± ¡°Wrong salute, Bill,¡± coughed the Ranger. ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts,¡± Bill insisted. Then, he looked at Elijah, venturing, ¡°Right?¡± It was probably smarter to just kill them. However, Elijah was brought up short by two things. First, they¡¯d actually put up a decent fight, and now that they¡¯d had a chance to regroup, there was a good chance that they¡¯d be even more difficult to dispatch. Second, he actually believed the defender¡¯s story. They weren¡¯t wearing the same gear as all the rest of the guards, which suggested they were outsiders like Bill had imed. And in the back of Elijah¡¯s mind, there was a thought he didn¡¯t really want to acknowledge. He¡¯d already killed a lot of people. Adding to that body count was inevitable. In addition to killing Roman ¨C which was non-negotiable ¨C he would almost assuredly be forced to fight on his way out. He epted that, and he¡¯d already painted the blue-and-white d guards with the same brush he¡¯d used with Roman and his closest allies. But he didn¡¯t want to be the sort of person who¡¯d ughter people just for being in the wrong ce at the wrong time. There had to be a line. It was only when he examined those thoughts that he realized that he¡¯d already made his choice. Perhaps it woulde back to bite him, but that was a risk he intended to ept. Besides, they¡¯d already tried to ambush him and failed miserably. If they tried again, he¡¯d do what was necessary. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Fine?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill you,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Not now. But if you get in my way¡­¡± The man held up his hand, saying, ¡°I get it. Believe me, we just want out of here. Been wanting that for a while, actually. That guy is insane.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a believer,¡± said Bill. ¡°A true believer. He thinks he¡¯s going to save the world or some shit.¡± ¡°Fucking lunatic,¡± added the Ranger. ¡°Good goddamn riddance.¡± The others voiced their agreement. Elijah asked, ¡°Where is he?¡± Bill shrugged. ¡°Not sure. But here¡¯s how you get to his rooms,¡± the defender answered. Then, he described the path Elijah would need to take. It was a good thing, too, because it would have taken a while for Elijah to figure it out. The route featured more than a few switchbacks and a couple of half-hidden passages. ¡°He¡¯s paranoid as shit, man. Thinks everyone¡¯s out to get him. They probably are, but still¡­¡± Elijah gave the man a nod of thanks, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way.¡± Without another word, he shifted back into his draconid form and left the room. The moment he was out of sight, he used Guise of the Unseen. He could still sense the men behind him, so he watched them for long enough to establish that they were going to make good on their promise. As soon as the shield dropped, they started to pack. Or Bill did. The others were too busy trying to counteract Elijah¡¯s ongoing afflictions. With the Wolf Totem, theysted quite a long time, after all. Satisfied that they would do as they¡¯d said, Elijah followed the man¡¯s directions through the wing until, atst, he arrived in a well-appointed suite. It reminded him a little of the Reaver¡¯s quarters in the second tower he¡¯d conquered, though there were a few modern conveniences that set it apart. In addition, it featured a wide balcony that overlooked the city. That¡¯s where Elijah waited for Roman. It took almost an hour before the man showed up. Elijah watched his sister¡¯s murderer, idly cataloguing his features. He was a tall man, broad-shouldered and with salt-and-pepper hair. He wore the armor Carmen had made, and at his hip was the sword she¡¯d been forced to create. False Dragon Fang, it was called. That both annoyed and amused him. The former because he hated the notion of associating dragons with someone as despicable as Roman. However, his amusement came because the system had intended the name mockingly. Or that was how Elijah saw it, at least. But Elijah wasn¡¯t concerned with the man¡¯s equipment, especially once he removed it, hanging the armor on a dressing mannequin in the closet and propping the still-sheathed sword by the bed. Elijah watched as his sister¡¯s murderer entered the bathroom, emerging only twenty minutester, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. Then, Roman enjoyed a ss of some sort of liquor before, atst, climbing into bed. Elijah waited until, via One with Nature, he sensed that the man¡¯s breathing had evened out, indicating that he was asleep. His first instinct was to kill Roman slowly. To dismember him piece by piece, all the while ignoring the inevitable pleas for mercy. Yet, Elijah pushed that desire aside in favor of expedience. He just wanted Roman dead. He wanted it to be over. Perhaps then he could move on, secure in the knowledge that he¡¯d avenged Alyssa¡¯s murder. Did Roman deserve a clean death? No. Emphatically. However, Elijah knew that, if he went down that road, there was a good chance that he¡¯d regret staining his soul in such a way. Better to simply kill the man and be done. So, he padded into the room, used Venom Strike as well as Predator Strike, then pounced. Book 4: Chapter 21: Complications Book 4: Chapter 21: Complications As Elijah descended upon the sleeping man, a thousand emotions shed through his mind. Guilt. Shame. Regret. But overwhelming them all was the rage that had been simmering within him for weeks since discovering his sister¡¯s fate. He hit the unconscious figure with predictable fury, his jaws mping down on the man¡¯s head. He squeezed, and it burst like a watermelon. However, Elijah¡¯s first clue that things were not as they seemed came from the taste. For better or worse, he¡¯d be quite limated to the way blood yed across his tongue. Yet, when Roman¡¯s skull burst, he wasn¡¯t rewarded with the iron-rich taste he expected. Instead, it was a vorless gel that threw Elijah¡¯s mind into turmoil. A secondter, he felt a projectile moving toward him with the speed of a bullet. He leaped, kicking off the nearby wall andnding on the other side of the bed. The projectile had clipped him, but it had done no real damage. Not at first, at least. That didn¡¯tst, though. The moment hended, he felt a searing pain shooting through his leg, rendering his back w useless. Elijah responded by crouching behind the bed, shifting into his human form, and casting Soothe before using Touch of Nature. The shooting pain slowed, but it didn¡¯t stop. So, Elijah used Healing Rain as well before chaining Touch of Nature as many times as he could over the course of the next ten seconds. Meanwhile, via another facet of his mind, Elijah felt his attacker cautiously approaching from the other side of the room. By the time he¡¯d managed to corral the venom coursing through his body, the man had winked out of sight. Yet, Elijah could still feel the tiny organisms clinging to his skin. More, he could detect his footfalls as well. If he hadn¡¯t had so much experience with illusions ¨C his fight against Thor and the battle against the vampire in the Magister¡¯s Estate ¨C he never would have noticed. But now? He¡¯d trained himself to recognize it. So, when the man finally rounded the corner of the enormous, four-poster bed, Elijah met him with a sweeping staff strike that knocked him from his feet. Elijah then followed it up with an overhand attack that should have crushed his attacker¡¯s skull. Yet, when the staff descended, it found no target to receive the blow. Instead, it crashed into the floor, the metal cap pping against the tiles. Then, Elijah felt someone behind him, and he dove forward. Another attack nicked him, and like the other, it delivered another dose of venom. Fortunately, Soothe and Healing Rain persisted, so it was healed before it had the chance to get going. Elijah rolled to his feet, facing his opponent. Predictably, it was Roman. The man looked identical to the one from the bed, save that he was fully dressed and wearing all of his equipment. In addition to the sword in his hand, Roman carried a dagger at his belt. There was a bow nearby as well, exining the origin of that first projectile. ¡°Good,¡± Elijah said, leveling his staff at the man. ¡°When I hit your clone, I thought you might run. I¡¯m d you stayed to fight.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± growled the self-styled king. ¡°My name is Elijah Hart.¡± ¡°Is that supposed to mean something to me?¡± Roman asked. Then, recognition dawned in the expression on his face. ¡°You¡¯re number one.¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯ll give you anything,¡± he said, taking a step back. ¡°What do you want? Money? I have thousands of ethereum. I have equipment, too. The best in the empire. Girls, too. As many as you want. Boys, if that¡¯s your preference. I can give you anything you want.¡± ¡°I want my sister back.¡± * * * For the first time since bing a system-sanctioned Lord, Roman regretted his chosen path of conquest. Not only had it robbed him of the Seal of Authority, which would have doubtlesse in handy against the powerful enemy before him, but his choice had also shifted his power away from the city and into his armies. Now, even in his own city, he was only a little more powerful than a normal person of his level. Hart. The name was etched into Roman¡¯s mind. It represented the turning point where he¡¯d gone from a man who was simply reacting to the world¡¯s transformation to one that stood a chance of saving what was left of humanity. ¡°Alyssa,¡± he whispered. But the odd man who¡¯d invaded his bedroom did not respond. Instead, he leveled his staff at Roman, and a secondter, a bolt of lightning descended from the ceiling, striking Roman in the chest. It sent him flying across the room, but fortunately, he had Assassin¡¯s Calm to keep him from losing consciousness.
Assassin¡¯s Calm A passive enhancement that allows the caster to maintain cognitive ability even when enduring attacks that would otherwise render them unconscious. Number of charges based on Ethera attribute. Current: 2 (3) Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
When he¡¯d first received the ability, he¡¯d considered it a waste. However, it had since proven to be the difference between life and death, and on more than one asion. Unfortunately, while Assassin¡¯s Calm kept him conscious, it did nothing tobat the involuntary contractions of his muscles that came with the intense electrical current he¡¯d just endured. So, Roman hit the wall a secondter, cracking the ster and knocking one of the paintings loose. He only remained there for a split second before he saw a beast out of nightmare rushing in his direction. It was like someone had crossed a sasquatch with dinosaur, then packed on a ton of muscle to boot. The monster covered the ground in an instant, and when it came into range, it swung its long arms like siege weapons tipped with massive ws. But by that point, Roman had regained control of his body, and he used Predation again.
Predation Disappear from sight, teleporting behind your foe. Charge based on Dexterity. Current: 1 (2). Cooldown based on Dexterity. Current: 7 Minutes
He only had two charges, and he¡¯d already wasted one of them after the assassin had destroyed his Decoy. Still, as he teleported behind the monster, he hoped it would be enough. The moment he reappeared, Roman dragged the Dagger of Sundering from its sheath at his belt and used Weaken:
Weaken Inflict your opponent with crippling weakness, cutting their attributes by 60%. Duration based on Dexterity. Current: 3.3 seconds.
The creature tried to respond to the attack, but Roman had surprised it. So, the de shed forward. Yet, to his surprise, it didn¡¯t slice through the monster¡¯s thick scales. Instead, the sound of metal on metal echoed through the room, and he was rewarded with only a single scratch. But the ability ¨C both his own as well as the one attached to the Dagger of Sundering ¨C worked. Roman saw the monster stumble as its attributes were ripped away. He permitted himself a grin as he followed it up with his finisher:
Murder Instantly y anyone weaker than you. Viability based on total power. Cooldown based on cultivation level. Current: 7 Weeks
It was fortunate that he hadn¡¯t had to use it for some time. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been avable. If it hadn¡¯t been, he suspected that he¡¯d have no chance of defeating the hulking brute of a monster. Roman¡¯s sword shed forward in a one-handed attack, biting deep into the off-bnce monster¡¯s shoulder. However, instead of the expected influx of kill energy, he received nothing but a backhanded attack that sent him sprawling across the room. Because of Assassin¡¯s Calm, he didn¡¯t lose consciousness when his head hit one of the posts, snapping it in two from the sheer force of his flight. He looked up to see the creature turning to face him. The Dagger of Sundering ¨C the very weapon that had allowed him to kill Alyssa ¨C was sticking out of his side. The monster yanked it free with a spurt of blood. Then, it growled, ¡°Nice try.¡± After that, the ethera in the room swirled, and the monster¡¯s woundpletely closed. * * * Elijah felt Guardian¡¯s Renewal fight a war against the raging energy inside him. It was aided by Healing Rain as well as Soothe, but still, it felt like it was on the verge of failure. He had no idea what kind of ability Roman had used on him, but he suspected that it was contingent on the weakness he¡¯d felt at the end of the dagger attack. The moment it had scratched him, his attributes had dropped precipitously, leveling off at only forty percent of their normal values. He knew that if he hadn¡¯t immediately activated Guardian¡¯s Renewal, he would have been in by the follow-up. But because of the powerful healing spell ¨C as well as his other two spells ¨C he¡¯d barely managed tost long enough for his attributes to return to normal. Then, Guardian¡¯s Renewal had finished its job, returning him to perfect health. He stepped forward, and Roman tried to scramble away. Elijah didn¡¯t rush. He didn¡¯t need to. He felt certain that he¡¯d just taken the man¡¯s best shot and survived. Likely, Roman didn¡¯t have anything left. Of course, the man wasn¡¯t going to simply surrender. Instead, he finally pushed himself to his feet and aimed his sword at Elijah. As he did, he exasperatedly spat, ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°An angry brother,¡± Elijah growled, stepping toward Roman. He didn¡¯t intend to finish the fight just yet, so he didn¡¯t throw himself at his foe. Instead, he approached slowly. Almost gently. And Roman responded by trying to skewer him with his sword. The weapon moved blisteringly fast, suggesting that it was under the influence of some other ability. And its edge glistened with red light, confirming the presence of another. However, Elijah didn¡¯t bother trying to dodge. Instead, he only embraced Iron Scales, which resulted in the satisfying clink of metal against metal. The attack also elicited a response from Shield of Brambles, piercing Roman¡¯s chest with a sharp thorn. The man danced back, then attempted to flee. Elijah wasn¡¯t going to allow that, though. So, he rushed sideways, nting himself in front of the door. Roman surprised him by diving onto the bed, where he¡¯d dropped his bow, and in less than a second, he¡¯d conjured an arrow from nothing and fired it at Elijah. It hit him in the shoulder, digging through Elijah¡¯s scales despite his active ability. But it was no real use. It didn¡¯t bear any afflictions. Nor did it go deeper than the muscle. It was a flesh wound, nothing more. Elijah continued toward his sister¡¯s murderer, vengeance gripping his heart and mind. He saw the fear dancing on Roman¡¯s face. The terror. The knowledge that he couldn¡¯t escape what wasing. Elijah drank it in, savoring the man¡¯s psychological turmoil. Roman tried to dart around Elijah, but his attributes were too low, and he was caught in mid-stride as Elijah mped his giant w around the man¡¯s neck. Then, he raised him high into the air. Roman¡¯s legs kicked like he was in the middle of a child¡¯s tantrum, which Elijah thought was appropriate. From everything he had seen, Roman was a small, selfish man. A child who could only see things from his own distorted perspective. A nuisance that needed to be destroyed. Roman tried to speak, but it only came out in an unintelligible rasp as Elijah calmly strode toward the balcony. Once they were there, he let his transformation drop away. For what he was going to do, he wanted to be in his human form. He¡¯d taken the man¡¯s measure, and he knew that his natural shape was more than enough to deal with Roman. In a way, it was slightly disappointing. He¡¯de into the pce expecting a grand fight. A true battle to shake the heavens. But, aside from that one sequence, all Elijah had gotten was the weak attacks of an overconfident man who thought his position and authority could save him. But it couldn¡¯t. Not from Elijah. Not from a brother¡¯s fury. Book 4: Chapter 22: Closing a Door Book 4: Chapter 22: Closing a Door The night air was pleasant, ying against Elijah¡¯s skin with the cool breath of impending autumn. Yet, he didn¡¯t really allow himself to feel it. Instead, he focused on the cityid out before him. Even in the depths of night, there were plenty of people out and about. The city itself was lit by a thousand torches and etherealmps. But there were a few other fires, too. Great zes that swept across the city, devouring everything Roman had built. ¡°You know it¡¯s all doomed, don¡¯t you?¡± Elijah whispered. ¡°This whole city is going to burn, and everyone who ever pledged loyalty to you will fall.¡± ¡°I¡­am¡­humanity¡¯s only¡­hope¡­¡± It took Elijah a moment toprehend what the man had said, but when he finally wrapped his mind around it, he barked a harshugh. ¡°You?¡± he spat with no small degree of incredulity. ¡°You¡¯re barely in the top ten, and it doesn¡¯t feel like you spent any time working on your cultivation. You¡¯re too weak to be anyone¡¯s hope.¡± Roman tried to argue, but Elijah had no interest in hearing it. So, he squeezed Roman¡¯s throat with a little more force, then, atst, mmed him against the ground. The force shook the balcony, and Elijah knelt atop the self-styled king. He leaned close, whispering, ¡°You are a small, pathetic, little man who murdered his only friend for nothing. If there is a hell, that¡¯s where you¡¯re going. No one will ever remember you, and if they do, it will only be to curse your name. I promise you that much.¡± Then, Elijah picked the man up by his neck before once again mming him against the floor. He did it again after that. And another four times. By that point, the back of Roman¡¯s head was a mass of blood and shattered skull, but that didn¡¯t stop Elijah from keeping going. Again and again, he bashed Roman¡¯s head against the ground, not even stopping when he felt the experience from the man¡¯s death entering his body. Over and over, he continued to batter the skull of his sister¡¯s murderer against the ground until, atst, he was holding nothing but a handful of skin. He hadn¡¯t just decapitated the man. He¡¯d removed his head by way of blunt force trauma. For a long moment, Elijah just stared ahead, and for once, his mind was nk. He was empty.Exhausted. He¡¯d achieved his goal, but rather than feeling a sense of aplishment, he just felt nothing. Then, suddenly, there came an onught of grief and anger. Frustration. Guilt. A thousand other, subtler emotions contributed to his state of mind, and before he could get ahold of himself, he had begun to weep. He knew he was behind enemy lines, and that he should leave the area. However, in his current mindset, he couldn¡¯t force himself to move. He¡¯d expected to feel better about it all once he killed Roman. But he didn¡¯t. The pain he¡¯d felt upon hearing the news of Alyssa¡¯s death was even stronger now. And Elijah couldn¡¯t take it. He wanted tosh out, to go on a rampage that wouldn¡¯t be sated until he¡¯d killed everyone and everything. Or retreat to a cave in the middle of nowhere. Or return to the grove and takefort in his family¡¯s presence. A hundred other ns flitted through his mind, but he knew that none would help. Only time would do that. After a few minutes, he mechanically pushed himself to his feet and took notice of histest notification. He¡¯d gained another level. Not surprising, given that Roman had been in the top ten. That, plus all the others he¡¯d killed sinceing into Valoria, had been quite a boon to his levels, pushing him to seventy-nine. One more, and he¡¯d get a new spell. But at the moment, he didn¡¯t really care about that. Indeed, he found it difficult to care about anything, with all the emotions flowing through him. Still, he went about the process of collecting loot with all the efficiency he could muster. He gave Roman¡¯s dignity no consideration, stripping him down to his underwear and shoving anything that seemed worthwhile into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. That included his armor as well as his sword and dagger. But there were also a couple of rings and a curious pendant that seemed to emit a decent amount of ethera. When Elijah touched it, he received a notificatiton:
You have in a sanctioned city Lord (Valoria). Bond the Seal of Authority to embark on a quest to rece him.
Elijah stared down at the item in his hand. But it didn¡¯t take even a moment for him to reject the offer. Thest thing he wanted was to rule over a city, and even if the position did appeal to him, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have chosen Valoria. So, without giving it any more thought, he shoved it into his satchel next to all the rest of his loot. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Beyond that, the former Lord had nothing of consequence, so Elijah moved to the rest of the room, looking for something very specific. It wasn¡¯t long before he found a disy case featuring a half-dozen weapons. Each one had a que, identifying them as belonging to warriors Roman had conquered. And then, there was the one at the top. An borately carved spear that he recognized from Carmen¡¯s descriptions. He didn¡¯t need to read the que beneath it, but he did. Spear of the Dragon Lancer, wielded by the hero Alyssa Hart, it said. Elijah broke the ss door, shattering it with a single blow. Then, he threw the other weapons into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel before hefting his sister¡¯s weapon. It was light, but then again, it had been made for someone without the benefit of his cultivation or levels. Still, he felt a connection to it, and not one based on the system. Instead, it was like looking upon thest remnant of his sister. He stared at it, taking in each detail as he studied every inch of the spear. It was a good weapon, and he knew Alyssa had used it well. She¡¯d tried to save people. She¡¯d stood up for innocents. And it had gotten her killed. Perhaps there was a lesson there, but it was one Elijah refused to learn. After all, he and Alyssa hade from the same ce. They¡¯d been raised by the same parents. And they were more alike ¨C at least regarding morals ¨C than they weren¡¯t. As a result, Elijah knew that, if they had switched ces, he would have made many of the same choices. Perhaps, in that case, Alyssa would have been the one avenging him. But that wasn¡¯t how things had worked out. Elijah sighed, then pushed the spear into his satchel as well. It had gotten quite full, so he was d that he¡¯d be going home soon. Still, as he stood there in Roman¡¯s quarters, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but feel that he hadn¡¯t done enough, that his vengeance had been cut short. He¡¯d aplished his mission, but it had just felt so unsatisfying. More of an extermination than a dispensation of justice. Then, he remembered the fires he¡¯d seen in the city, and it didn¡¯t take him long to connect their presence with the people he¡¯d set free. Maybe they had chosen to rebel against their former captors. If that was the case, then they would need help. The thought only had to cross Elijah¡¯s mind before he shifted into his draconid form, adopted Guise of the Unseen, then left Roman¡¯s rooms behind. As he moved through the pce, he found that, like an anthill that had been kicked, it had erupted into activity. Guards and governmental officials raced through the halls. Some were clearly on their way into the city, but many others had begun to muster inside arge chamber. Elijah saw his opportunity. So, once he¡¯d found his way to an adjacent and abandoned hall, he once again embraced Swarm, aiming it with One with Nature. Because of how the ability worked, it could easily bypass walls. That meant that Elijah could remain in rtive safety while he inflicted his Swarm upon the gathered soldiers. Biting flies flew across the chamber, delivering their afflictions unto the unsuspecting crowd, and when those flies dissipated into motes of ethera, Elijah summoned another set. And another after that. By the third, half the guards had already begun to show signs of sickness, but Eliijah refused to stop. Indeed, he kept going until his entire store of ethera had been used. By that point, everyone inside had felt the effects of his afflictions. Of course, they¡¯d begun to panic, as well. But they¡¯d already grown too weak. In fact, they were already dead ¨C they just didn¡¯t know it yet. Elijah focused on recovering his ethera as he watched the soldiers die. None of them managed to resist for long. They wereughably weak, and Swarm, when used properly, was incredibly powerful ¨C so long as it had plenty of time to work. Still, it left Elijah with a bad taste in his mouth. Killing needed to be more difficult than that. But then again, would the result have been any different if he¡¯d gone in there in his guardian form? No. With his attributes alone, he was all but untouchable against people like that. Regardless, he couldn¡¯t let that stop him from doing what was necessary. These soldiers were tools of oppression, and even though he hadn¡¯t, until that very moment, realized that he¡¯dmitted himself to freeing the city from their clutches, he¡¯d already chosen not to disregard their plight. So, the moment Elijah recovered his ethera, he moved on to the next gathering point, where he repeated his actions from before. As he did, he paced himself better, letting Swarm¡¯s afflictions work rather than rushing to pile them on as quickly as possible. It was much more efficient, and by the time they sumbed, he had only used half of his ethera. Over the course of the rest of the night, Elijah kept going, killing thousands of people. Along the way, he gained level eighty, but he didn¡¯t bother checking his notifications. Even though he knew he had gotten another spell, he didn¡¯t intend to use it yet. After all, trying out a new ability without testing it extensively was a good way to get killed. Besides, what he was doing was working. By the time morning came around, Elijah had ughtered everyone in the pce. Some might have been rtively innocent. He couldn¡¯t know one way or the other. However, the moment he had chosen a side, they had all be enemybatants. And there was only one way to deal with those. Elijah wasn¡¯t interested in keeping his enemies alive, after all. Once he¡¯d finished his deadly trek through the pce, he progressed into the grounds. Along the way, he killed any guards he found, though it was much more difficult because, out in the open, he couldn¡¯t rely entirely on Swarm. Instead, he was forced to use his bestial forms, which were just as effective, but required more effort. With his battle experience, high attributes, advanced cultivation, and powerful spells, he was never in any true danger, though. Not unless he made some serious mistakes, which he did not. Eventually he reached the city proper, where he had an even easier time. Troops were everywhere, arranged in groups of five. Most had the benefit of a Healer, defender, and a trio of damage-dealing sses including Sorcerers and Rangers. But so long as Elijah took out the Healers quickly, the rest went down without much difficulty. Each of the archetypes were good at what they did. The defenders were difficult to permanently put down, the Rangers and Sorcerers could output quite a lot of damage, and the Healers could keep a group alive through all manner of attacks. Yet, they were incapable of dealing with someone like Elijah ¨C an intelligent and superior opponent who could fill all roles at once. The results were predictable. And Elijah slowly made his way through the city until he was brought up short by a surprising development. He stopped in his tracks as he studied the scene, the anger and grief that had faded into the background returning tenfold. Book 4: Chapter 23: Crossing Lines Book 4: Chapter 23: Crossing Lines A bonfire zed, casting the entire square in flickering light as the amassed people ¨C each attired in high-quality clothing that marked them as members of the upper ss ¨C roared their approval. In the center of the za were a group of soldiers, each d in blue-and-white, and at their feet were dozens of corpses. The autumn pre-dawn morning was cool enough that Elijah could see steam rising from their still-warm bodies. ¡°The traitor does not deserve a statue!¡± yelled a man in a slightly more borate uniform. ¡°She fostered rebellion in our midst, undermining the king and putting us all in danger!¡± That brought another cheer from the gathered aristocrats and soldiers. Each and every one of them bore the signs of battle. Or ughter, given the clear number disparity. It wasn¡¯t surprising. As Elijah had made his way through the city, he¡¯d seen guards and their wealthy supporters ganging up on much weaker and less numerous groups of people they clearly marked as inferior. Though he¡¯d noticed that they only did so when they had an advantage, either in power or numbers. In any even battle ¨C which were rare, given the soldiers¡¯ obviously higher level of progression ¨C they were far less aggressive, often fleeing to join one of therger groups. Retreat was not a bad strategy. Indeed, it was intelligent. Still, it struck Elijah as cowardly, though that could have been the result of the opinions he¡¯d formed in his short time within the city. Of course, he¡¯d killed many such groups, but he couldn¡¯t get them all. None of that was on his mind, though. Instead, he only had eyes for the situation at the center of the square. Dozens of guards had thrown ropes over the statue of a heroic woman d in heavy armor and carrying a spear. It wasn¡¯t a perfect likeness, but the artist had been talented enough to capture Alyssa¡¯s spirit. So, Elijah had no trouble recognizing his sister. More, Carmen had told him of the existence of such a statue, which had been built after she¡¯d heroically sacrificed her life in the tower. Or at least that was the story Roman and his flunkies had told the poption. Carmen had a different impression, though. Once she¡¯d learned the truth, she hade to the opinion that the monument¡¯s construction had been rooted in Roman¡¯s guilt. Elijah wasn¡¯t so sure that was the case. For a man who could murder his own friend, and for no reason but to increase his own power, guilt was assuredly an alien concept. Either way, Elijah didn¡¯t care about the origin of the statue. Instead, he was far more concerned with the fact that the aristocrats and guards seemed hellbent on tearing it down. In the corner of one facet of Elijah¡¯s Quartz Mind, he could see the logic that had led them to that action. Before her death, Alyssa had been a rallying point for those who didn¡¯t like the way Roman had run the city, and afterwards, she had be a martyr. Even though most never knew the truth of how she¡¯d died, her opinions had continued to hold sway among the downtrodden, and she had be a symbol of the rebellion. Even putting that insurrection down hadn¡¯t changed how they saw her. That was why the aristocrats and guards wanted to destroy the statue. The action was as much a symbol as a representation of aristocratic frustration that hade to a head in the ongoing unrest Elijah had begun by freeing the prisoners. He¡¯d seen plenty of familiar faces during the fighting, so it was no secret what had started thetest revolt. But all of that meant nothing to Elijah when he saw what those people were going to do to his sister. His mind went white with rage, and before he knew what he was doing, he¡¯d dropped his draconid form ¨C it was terrible for dealing with multiple opponents, anyway ¨C and resumed his natural shape. Then, he cast Cmity. The spell was unique in that, originally, he¡¯d thought it had a cooldown. However, as his store of ethera grew, he discovered the truth. That was reflected in the spell¡¯s description:
Spell: Cmity Bury your enemies beneath the power of nature. Conjure a natural disaster appropriate to your environment. Only usable in caster forms. Each cast requires more ethera than thest. Reset based on Regeneration attribute. Current: 2.3 hours.
When he had first gotten ess to the spell, it had taken more than half of his ethera, so he could only use it a single time. However, as his pool of energy grew, the system¡¯s description had borated on the soft cooldown. The end result was that, now that he had the ethera to support it, Elijah could cast the spell a handful of times before he ran dry of energy. It was a little frustrating that the system had waited so long to reveal that to him, but in retrospect, it didn¡¯t matter that much. By the time it became relevant back in the Reaver¡¯s Citadel, he¡¯d already seen the difference, and he¡¯d long since adjusted his expectations. All of that flitted through one, isted facet of Eliijah¡¯s mind as he leveled his most devastating spell at the crowd. There were no innocents there. To him, they all deserved precisely what wasing to them. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. And given that most of them were low-level, what wasing was a degree of destruction they¡¯d never experienced and were ill-equipped to endure. Even over the howling winds and thunder, Elijah could hear their collected screams. That only spurred him on, and the moment the spell yed out, he cast it again. Then, a third time, draining his ethera by a significant amount. One part of Elijah simply didn¡¯t care about those sorts of details. With so much anger coursing through him, he couldn¡¯t be bothered with simple details like the amount of ethera in his core. However, he retained enough capability for rational thought that he cut himself off from casting a fourth instance of the spell. By that point, the guards had mustered their response. Some had fallen, but they possessed enough Constitution to endure Cmity, albeit not without some injuries. There were a few Healers that had begun the recovery process, though. The healthy guards quickly sighted in on Elijah as the originator of their suffering, and they charged ¨C defenders in the front, with the melee damage dealers following soon after. Only a few Sorcerers had made it through the barrage of Cmity unscathed, but they were the most powerful among the group. And they quickly leveled their power at Eliijah. He weed the challenge by shifting into hismer ape form. The transformation caught the charging defenders by surprise, and a few stumbled to a stop. That only stoked the fires of Elijah¡¯s bestial instincts, and he let loose with a massive roar that shook every loose stone in the square. Then, he charged, catching them by surprise. The first swipe of Elijah¡¯s ws was rebuffed by stalwart armor that, upon impact, sent a jolt of cold up his arm. It was ufortable, but it did very little damage. More importantly, while the armor negated the slicing attack of his ws, it did nothing for the immense momentum he could bring to bear. The impact sent his first victim rocketing into another guard, and the pair ended up getting tangled with a third. Elijah leaped upon them, smashing his fists against their armored forms. That armor protected them for a few moments, but eventually, Elijah¡¯s assault found the limits of whatever protection it could provide. First, it only dented, but soon enough, those dents became cracks. And before long, Elijah hadpletely destroyed the metal tes. Once that happened, the guards were defenseless before his fury. In only a handful of seconds, he crushed them beneath his fists, shattering bones and rupturing organs. That¡¯s when the others finally fell upon him, pelting him with a hundred different attacks. A few managed to bypass the defenses offered by his thick scales. Fireballs burned him, ice missiles tore into him, as did arrows and des. Most were rebuffed by Iron Scales, which cut their damage by ny percent. Still, the sheer volume of attacks meant that some were going to get through, and even the ones that didn¡¯t bypass his defenses added to the aggregate damage he was forced to endure. But Elijah had been through it all before. If nothing else, he could withstand pain like few others on Earth. And even as he was buried beneath a barrage of attacks, Elijah didn¡¯t remain still. Instead, he marked his first target with Brand of the Stalker before gathering himself and leaping across the square.
Brand of the Stalker Sear a brand on an enemy, preventing all forms of stealth and increasing your damage against them by fourteen (14) percent.
Often, he used the ability without thought, marking his foes simply to get the boost to his damage. However, there were also times when he used it to keep tabs on his intended prey. Most recently, he¡¯d done so while tracking Laramie. Otherwise, he would never have found the man. In the middle of a battle, it served a simr ¨C albeit still different ¨C purpose, letting him keep tabs on a single individual who needed to die before all the others. Elijahnded atop the woman, crushing her to the ground. She¡¯d used some sort of shielding ability at thest second, but the ne of ethera had shattered under Elijah¡¯s massive weight. That exposed her to his ensuing attacks. She died after only two swipes of his ws. The first ripped into her face, but the second tore out her throat. A few healing spellsnded upon her after the first, but Elijah knew she would bleed out before they could finish the job. Still, he took a moment to crush her skull, just to make sure. Then, he turned his attention to the other Healers. What followed was a massacre, both bloody and horrifying, as Elijah let the full weight of his savage instincts take over. Usually, he kept them in check, shunting them off to their own facet. Yet, that was impossible when every part of his mind shuddered under the effects of his unbridled rage. He leaned into it, letting it envelope him as it never had before. No longer was he a man inhabiting the body of a beast. Instead, he was fully an enraged animal. Suddenly, his body moved with coordination it had never before possessed, his attacks bing both more brutal and graceful at the same time. Elijah reveled in the bloodlust as well as the power, creating a level of carnage most people could scarcely imagine, much less endure. It wasn¡¯t enough, though. His ire could not be sated. His hunger for death could never be satisfied. Yet, he kept going, moving from the Healers to the Sorcerers and Rangers in turn. The defenders attempted to redirect him, using a few skills and abilities to hem him in and block his efforts. Elijah barely noticed them, barreling through each attempt with unfathomable fury. A few times, they managed to draw his focus via one ability or another. Some were simr to the one the mercenary had used in Roman¡¯s quarters, but others were more subtle. The most effective was an ability that incited an obsession within Elijah. His every thought centered on one man, and everything else seemed inconsequential. As a result, Elijah rushed him, feeling as if there was no one else on the battlefield. Even as a hundred other attacks fell upon his back, Elijah kept going. He never escaped that ability. Instead, it only ended when he killed the defender. If Elijah hadn¡¯t already killed all the Healers, he might¡¯ve been in trouble, but without their influence, the defender couldn¡¯t keep up with the level of damage Elijah could bring to bear. After Eliijah broke free of that ability, his fury mounted to unprecedented levels, and any subsequent attempts to manipte him broke upon the bulwark of his unfettered rage. In the end, he found himself alone amidst a sea of corpses. With his breathing in ragged gasps, Elijah took a few minutes to regain his tenuous grip on his sanity. When he did, he saw that his hide had been torn to tatters. Even with copious use of Iron Scales, he¡¯d taken enough damage that, without significant healing, he would be incapable of going on. But he wasn¡¯t concerned with that at the moment. Instead, he only had eyes for the state of his sister¡¯s statue. Because the efforts to topple it had been sessful. Alyssa¡¯s stone form had fallen, and upon impact, it had shattered into four distinct pieces. Elijah let the form of themer ape fall away, and he knelt beside her dislodged head, tears of frustration, pain, and grief once again falling down his cheeks. Book 4: Chapter 24: Demon Core Book 4: Chapter 24: Demon Core The smell of rot pervaded Benedict¡¯s nostrils, cloaking him in a nket of death from which there was no escape. It was difficult to remember a time when that smell didn¡¯t cling to everything he touched. Even before the world had transformed, he was familiar with it, and he¡¯d be even more so since everything had changed. However, there was a part of him that tired of that cloying, sickly sweet smell, making him regret the ss he¡¯d chosen. It gave him power, and it had allowed him to steadily progress, especially since that lunatic king had locked him in the dungeon that had been his home for more than a year. It may have been even longer; time was difficult to gauge when one never saw the sun, after all. Benedict could have escaped. His minions were strong enough to rip his shackles from their anchors on the wall. But then what? The men who routinely ughtered his minions were strong enough to give him trouble, which was an untenable risk that he refused to take. After all, why would he, aside from the ability to live somewhere morefortable? He had everything he needed in thebyrinthine dungeon, and he¡¯d reaped the benefits of his situation, progressing to level fifty-nine, which had put him into the top ten. It was during his most recent inspection of the power rankings that he¡¯d discovered something incredibly interesting, though:
1. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 81 2. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 77 3. Sadie Song ¨C Level 754. Hu Shui ¨C Level 73 5. Niko Song ¨C Level 72 6. Davu Adebowale¨C Level 68 7. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 65 8. Benedict Emerson ¨C Level 59 9. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 59 10. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 59 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­
In a raspy voice, he croaked, ¡°It seems our dear king has run afoul of something he couldn¡¯t handle.¡± His chains clinked as he reached out to stroke the cheek of histest creation ¨C a mostly intact woman whose only real w was a deeply bruised throat. ¡°What do you think, my beauty?¡± he asked. ¡°Is it time?¡± Predictably, she didn¡¯t answer. But then again, she never did. Even though she had a body, there was nothing in her mind. He controlled her every movement. Not down to thest twitch, but rather the general shape of her actions. It was the same with all his other minions, and he had the ability to either micro- or macro-manage them. Even as he considered it, two things happened. First, he achieved level sixty, but before he could check his new ability, another notification shifted before his inner eye:
A powerful entity has offered you a Task: Obejctive: Escape Reward: Blessing of the Archdemon, Thakon Kilzean Do you ept?
¡°What?¡± rasped Benedict, his voice still unused to speaking. Then, something flickered into being a secondter. Before the image coalesced into anything recognizable, a silky voice echoed in Benedict¡¯s ears. ¡°Apologies,¡± it said. ¡°Normally, there is an order to these sorts of things, but your world is so weak that my projection was dyed. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.¡± By the time the voice finished, the shimmering flicker had resolved itself into a tall, slim man. He wore a simple, ck toga that had been sped into ce by a golden pin in the shape of a fist. On his feet were delicate sandals thatced up to his knees, but there was nothing else to his outfit. Not that he needed clothing to be impressive. The man was nearly six-and-a-half feet tall, with glistening ck curls and a paleplexion unmarred by a single blemish. The only oddity ¨C aside from his striking beauty ¨C was a pair of glittering green horns standing out from his forehead. And despite the incongruity they represented, Benedict couldn¡¯t help but feel that they only added to the man ¨C no, the creature¡¯s ¨C perfect appearance. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°You are a demon?¡± Benedict asked, marshalling hisposure. ¡°Archdemon. But yes, I am a member of the demonic race. As you can be, as well,¡± the demon said, turning and giving Benedict a view of the leathery wings folded against his back. ¡°Your low birth need not hold you back. All elder races can induct worthy candidates.¡± ¡°And you wish to¡­induct me? Why?¡± asked Benedict. ¡°Why else? War.¡± ¡°With whom?¡± ¡°The angels, of course,¡± said Thakon Kilzean as he circled the room. He reached out, running a finger along the shoulder of one of Benedict¡¯s minions. And to the Warlock¡¯s surprise, he felt it. That meant that the demon was no mere illusion. Nor was he a figment of Benedict¡¯s imagination. It had been some time since he¡¯d experienced hallucinations, but even in the depths of his¡­delusions, he¡¯d never once felt their touch. ¡°May I ask why?¡± he asked. ¡°They are self-righteous hypocrites who deserve to be wiped from memory,¡± Thakon said with a note of amusement. ¡°More importantly, they have chosen to meddle in this world. As have the dragons. Even the mechaniques have their eyes on this unremarkable ce. So, of course we demons must have our piece of the pie as well.¡± He cocked his head to the side. ¡°That is an expression here, correct? Piece of the pie.¡± Benedict had no idea what the archdemon was talking about, though he could infer that angels, dragons, and mechaniques were powerful races of people. Demons, as well. ¡°What does¡­bing a demon entail?¡± ¡°Do you ept the quest?¡± ¡°Not until I get an exnation.¡± ¡°Smart. Very demonic of you. Cunning and unfettered self-reliance. That is why I chose you,¡± Thakon stated. ¡°And ruthlessness, of course. That is a trait held in high esteem by all of the elder races, though. Even those self-righteous hypocrites, the angels. They may pretend otherwise. The dragons go on and on about the bnce, while the mechaniques only care for their self-muttion. And the angels pretend they are driven by morality. It¡¯s all a smokescreen, though. A disguise for their true motivations. They are no better than us, even if they pretend otherwise.¡± ¡°That does not answer my question,¡± Benedict stated evenly. His voice was still raspy, but even that small amount of speaking had loosened his vocal cords. ¡°What does bing a demon entail?¡± ¡°Nothing, as of now. You get a fancy new core that¡¯s better than anything you could achieve on your own. There are only a handful of people on this world who could rival its power,¡± said Thakon. ¡°Other than increasing your power, you will see no real transformation until you reach the fourth stage.¡± ¡°And after that?¡± ¡°You will grow closer to the ideal form until you attain perfection in the seventh stage.¡± ¡°By perfection, you mean¡­¡± ¡°Wings, tail, horns ¨C I believe your legends are quite clear on what to expect,¡± the archdemon stated. ¡°Of course, you can suppress those features if you wish, though I can¡¯t fathom why anyone would.¡± ¡°What are the detriments?¡± ¡°Why would those exist?¡± ¡°Nothing is free. If something seems too good to be true, then it is likely a lie.¡± Thakon rolled his eyes, then let out a dramatic sigh. ¡°I¡¯m trying to pull you up from the mud, and you keep pping my hand away. Do you want to y with corpses for the rest of your life? If so, refuse. If not, then I offer you the means to change your circumstances. Make no mistake ¨C I will not beg. I have other candidates. Do not test my patience, mortal.¡± ¡°So there are detriments.¡± ¡°I did not say that!¡± Thakon rumbled. The dungeon shook, albeit barely noticeably and for only an instant. In addition, Thakon¡¯s form flickered until he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°Apologies. It has been an eternity since I¡¯ve had to control my power so firmly. The only detriment is that you will make an enemy of the angels. Traveling to their worlds will prove deadly for anyone with a Demon Core. But you don¡¯t want to go there, anyway. So boring. Sure, it¡¯s technically paradise, but at what cost? They have plenty of skeletons in their closets as well. Oh, that¡¯s a delightful turn of phrase. It loses a bit of impact when tranted to my native tongue, but it¡¯s still quite colorful.¡± The archdemon pointedly looked Benedict up and down, then said, ¡°It will also do wonders for yourplexion.¡± Benedict frowned. He tried not to think about it, but because his Regeneration had been so terribly affected by maintaining such arge horde of minions, he had struggled to maintain his health. Most of the damage was cosmetic, but he currently had seeping sores all over his body. At times, he could ignore it, but at others, he thought that he had begun to look like his unliving minions. He was not a particrly vain man. Indeed, he¡¯d rarely given much thought to his appearance, other than to make certain that he was at least presentable. However, he couldn¡¯t ignore his gue-stricken skin. That, as well as the promise of power, made his choice an easy one. To date, he¡¯d not seen any information on how to increase his Core cultivation, so the value of the demon¡¯s offer was undeniable. With that in mind, Benedict mentally gave his confirmation of the quest. Then, without further discussion, he directed his strongest minions to break his chains free. The moment they seeded, he received a notification that he¡¯dpleted the quest:
Congrattions! You havepleted a Task. Standby for reward¡­
He tapped his foot impatiently, which elicited another dramatic roll of Thakon¡¯s eyes. A momentter, he received another notification:
Blessing of the Archdemon received. Please choose which form it takes: Core Advancement Item (Heart of the Demon) Spell (Hell¡¯s Fury)
¡°Pick the core advancement,¡± Thakon stated. ¡°The other options are powerful. They had to be to be included as a reward forpleting the task. However, as strong as they are, none will bear the continued power of advancing your core.¡± Benedict was of a mind to agree, though he was intrigued by the other two options. Any item that could rival core advancement in power would surely be useful. By that same logic, the spell would surely be formidable as well. Still, not only would core advancement impact every other facet of his power, but it also had the potential to continue growing stronger. So, he followed the archdemon¡¯s advice and chose the first option without any regret. The moment he made the choice, power erupted inside him. He was used to pain ¨C after all, he felt every blow leveled against his minions ¨C but even he couldn¡¯t stand before the onught of agony that came with his core advancement. ¡°It actually isn¡¯t the advancement that you¡¯re feeling. Everyone receives a rudimentary core when they choose an archetype, but it is a tiny, pitiful thing,¡± said Thakon, suddenly looming over Benedict. ¡°This is a proper core. But forming such a thing does note without pain. Normally, that would be spread across years. We don¡¯t have time for that, though. The only sce I can offer you is to grant you unconsciousness until the processpletes.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Leave me be,¡± Benedict growled, having fallen to his knees. His fingers dug into the dirty floor as power raged through him. He could feel his core shattering, then reforming, then shattering once again. At the center of it burned an evesting me that constantly pulsed, over and over. Pain didn¡¯t begin to describe it. Not adequately, at least. But Benedict was set on enduring the process without sumbing to unconsciousness. He wanted to feel it. He wanted to know what was happening. All so, when the time came, he could replicate it. So, he held on through the agony until, what felt like an eternityter, it settled. A notification soon followed:
Congrattions! You have cultivated a Demon Core. Current stage: Imp
As sweat dripped from his forehead to puddle beneath him, he let out a sigh of relief. Another notification followed thest:
You have reached the first threshold. Current stage: Cultivator
Then, Thakon¡¯s silky voice echoed in his ears, ¡°Rise, brother. Wee to the Legion.¡± Benedict felt a smile spread across his face as he looked up to see the archdemon¡¯s extended hand. He took it, once again surprised to feel that Thakon was not an illusion, and allowed himself to be dragged to his feet. Already, he could feel the power coursing through him. However, he was disturbed to note that his minions ¨C everyst one ¨C had fallen. He could no longer feel them, either. ¡°My minions¡­¡± Thakon said, ¡°Your ss remains the same, but the expression of it has now been altered. Warlock, you remain, but you no longer need to muck about with corpses. Let me show you¡­¡± Book 4: Chapter 25: Exodus Book 4: Chapter 25: Exodus Tears fell upon the upturned stone face, then traced lines down the misshapen cheeks to disappear from Elijah¡¯s sight. He knew it wasn¡¯t his sister. In truth, it barely even resembled her. But in his fragile state, it felt like he was holding the real thing. Like he¡¯d never left home. Like he¡¯d never let her die. ¡°It should have been me,¡± he muttered, guilt washing over him. With grief ¨C fresh and hot ¨C twisting his thoughts, it felt like he¡¯d traded his death for hers, all those months ago. And he desperately wished it were otherwise. She was the better person. She was stronger, more empathetic. She¡¯d tried to change the world for the better. Meanwhile, Elijah had spent years ying with fish. Perhaps it would have been different if he¡¯d done so in an effort to achieve some goal, but with the benefit of hindsight, he knew that was never the case. Back then, he was just passing the time, riding the wave of momentum as he waited for something to happen. For something to change. And it had. He¡¯d managed to not only survive, but also thrive. But at the same time, Alyssa had done what she¡¯d always done ¨C stand up for people who couldn¡¯t stand up for themselves. And she¡¯d been killed for it. It just wasn¡¯t fair. For a long time, those thoughts gripped Elijah as he knelt in the center of that square, surrounded by the ghastly fruits of hisbor. Dead bodies ¨C ripped and torn and dismembered ¨C carpeted the paving stones, proof of his lost restraint. He¡¯d always intended to kill them. They deserved it, as far as he was concerned. However, he hadn¡¯t meant to lose himself in the process. But with his roiling emotions, his savage instincts had taken over, and he hadn¡¯t even tried to hold them back. The results were obvious. Finally, Elijah picked himself up. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t care about Valoria¡¯s fate. Even as dawn approached, the battle still raged. Despite his efforts, thousands of soldiers remained atrge, and they were stronger and better equipped than the rebels. More, they were apanied by the aristocratic sycophants who¡¯d enabled the entire government.Maybe they would fend off the rebels. Or perhaps those insurrectionists would win the day. Elijah simply didn¡¯t care anymore. His battle lust had been sated, and now, he only wanted to leave the cesspool that represented everything that was wrong with humanity behind. But he didn¡¯t intend to abandon his sister. So, he gathered the ropes that had been used to topple the statue, then spent a little more than an hour weaving together a. He¡¯d done much the same hundreds of times back on his ind, both withs and baskets, so he had plenty of experience to see him through to the end. And with his high Dexterity, the task was trivial. Once he¡¯d finished the process, heid it out and lined it with clothes he stripped from the bodies all around him. All were soaked in blood, but Elijah didn¡¯t care. As he worked, plenty of people stumbled upon the site, but they kept their distance. No one ¨C be they rebels or soldiers ¨C wanted anything to do with what had happened in that square. There was nothing to suggest that Elijah was the author of so much carnage, but none were willing to chance it. So, he was left alone to finish his work. After the had been lined with clothes, Elijah embarked upon the task of gathering the remains of the statue and loading the pieces onto the. Then, when that was finished, he tied it all together before hefting it onto his shoulder. The entire thing weighed more than a ton, which wouldn¡¯t have been so arduous a weight in his Guardian form. Yet, he refused to shift. Partially, that was because he was afraid of revisiting the savage fury that had engulfed him, but it was also a self-imposed penance. Deserved it or not, Elijah still felt guilty for everything that had happened, and in the back of his mind, he felt that the hardship represented by remaining in his human form would somehow atone for his perceived failures. Of course, Elijah knew ¨C somewhere deep down ¨C that it was not warranted. Yet, he was in no frame of mind to acknowledge that reality. So, once he¡¯d hefted the makeshift bundle onto his back, he began his journey out of the city. As he walked the streets, he passed many ongoing battles. Most ignored him, but every now and then, someone would try to attack. Elijah was ruthless in his responses, aiming Storm¡¯s Fury at anyone he drew close. It was the very first spell he¡¯d ever gotten, and often, he neglected its use because, against anything that was near his level, the damage it could do was negligible. But when aimed at people less than half his level, and without the benefit of strong cultivation? It was deadly. More importantly, he could cast it hundreds of times before running low on ethera, and even then, he could nearly keep up with that strain if he flexed his Mind. So, as he traversed the streets of the city, Elijah became a walking thunderstorm of death. Often, he took hits, but he ignored them as he used Healing Rain and Sooth to mend his injuries. That, as much as the lightning, deterred most would-be assants. Elijah knew from experience how disorienting it was to see someone¡¯s mortal wounds mend in seconds. All the while, he never stopped moving forward. At some point, he left the city behind. He wasn¡¯t certain when he¡¯d made the choice not to use any of his unique advantages, but he was more than five miles outside of Valoria when he realized that he had no intention of flying, teleporting, or shifting into his other forms that might ease the burden of travel. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Instead, Elijah¡¯s penance had be something of a pilgrimage. An exodus meant to assuage his guilt while honoring his sister. More of the former than thetter, if he was honest with himself. Alyssa would have likely called him a dramatic idiot. She was always more level-headed than he was, anyway. Practical in a way that he could never match. And the world was a worse ce now that she was gone. As Elijah trudged through the wilderness, he ignored all distractions. He also refused to stop, even for a moment, to rest. Instead, he continued to put one foot in front of the other, and when he grew too fatigued to take another step, he ate one of his grove berries to recover his energy. With every step, Elijah conjured a new memory of his sister. Some were good, like when she¡¯d helped him choose an outfit for his first date with Lucy. He¡¯d never been particrly adept when it came to style, so she¡¯d taken pity on him, ensuring that he put his best foot forward in his first forays into love. Some were bad, like one of the many times they¡¯d argued over some triviality that, in retrospect, hadn¡¯t mattered at all. But they were all part of who Alyssa had been. A part of the rtionship they¡¯d shared. For most of their childhood, they¡¯d been close, and Elijah had a wealth of memories to draw upon. And as he strode across the wilderness, he sank into an almost meditative trance, remembering everything in the most vivid details. As the days went by, he often found tears streaming down his cheeks. They seemed appropriate. At times, he encountered a few Voxx trails that he expected would either lead to spontaneously manifesting invaders or even interdimensional rifts. Yet, for the first time ever, he ignored them. As usual, the wildlife left him alone. He even sensed a few nearby monsters at one point, but they were content to let him continue on his way. Days turned into a week, and eventually, Eliijah lost track of time. Passing time blended together until he could barely discern one from the next. He never stopped ¨C even at night ¨C and more than once, he was forced to cross rivers or canyons. Those were difficult, though with his high attributes and equipment like the Ring of Aquatic Travel, he managed it just the same. Until, atst, he reached the destination he didn¡¯t even know he was traveling toward. The Circle of Spears loomed before him, surrounding a verdant oasis that teemed with the sense of nature. He¡¯d been in the desert for a while, though he barely took notice of the aridndscape. The only concession he made to the terrain was that he was forced to ke his thirst a little more often. Fortunately, the Evesting Canteen held hundreds of gallons of water, which meant that he had plenty. When he reached the dolmen, passing between the monuments he¡¯d built, he finally let his burden fall away. It thudded to the ground, and Elijah fell soon after. After weeks on his feet, he could no longer stand. Even with his inted attributes, his body had distinct limits, and he¡¯d far exceeded them. Now that he¡¯d found his destination, though, he let the impact of the journey fall upon his shoulders. He didn¡¯t precisely pass into unconsciousness. Instead, for the longest time, his state stood somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, daydreaming about the memories he¡¯d examined along the way. In addition, an idea began to take shape. A way to honor his sister¡¯s memory and her intent at the same time. It was only the seed of a notion, but as Elijahy there, it began to sprout into something far more substantial. In a lot of ways, it was a fever dream brought on by extreme exhaustion and borderline malnutrition. But there was inspiration there, too. A desire to get things right. To make up for all the things he¡¯d gotten wrong in his life. For a while, he dipped in and out of unconsciousness. In a lot of ways, he was lucky he hadn¡¯t copsed sooner. If he had, he probably would not have survived. However, the thick ethera ¨C and vitality ¨C of the oasis nourished him. It didn¡¯t precisely heal him, but it was distinctly better than anywhere else outside of his ind. At one point, he imagined Alyssa there with him,forting him as she always had. He tried to return the favor, but she dissipated the moment he attempted to focus on her. Even at the height of his exhaustion-based delusion, Elijah knew it wasn¡¯t real. But there was a chance, wasn¡¯t there? Magic existed. So, why couldn¡¯t ghosts? Perhaps she had even ended up as one of the tower denizens? What if she could earn her way to resurrection? A thousand possibilities ¨C each less likely than the next ¨C flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind. And even though he knew none of them were real ¨C dead was dead, even with the existence of magic; every guide he¡¯d read was adamant about that reality ¨C he clung to those dreams. Then, atst, he regained his full faculties. Sitting up, he looked around the oasis. It was even more verdant than it had been when he and Carmen had built the dolmen, and it was packed full of so much life that it almost seemed a tangible thing. That had attracted plenty of animals as well. From fat insects to reptiles, and everything in between. And of course, Snappy remained in the pond at its center, happily living his life,pletely uprehending of the internal crisis Elijah had just experienced. In a way, it wasforting, knowing that no matter what hardships or tragedies he went through, nature would continue on. Over the next few minutes, Elijiah took stock of his body. He¡¯d lost weight. Maybe fifteen pounds, which didn¡¯t seem like a lot, but considering that he hadn¡¯t exactly been heavy to begin with, it made quite a difference in his body. More, he was covered in the consequences of his trek across hundreds of miles, with half-healed wounds from his time in Valoria marring his form. There were sores along his shoulders where the ropes had dug into his flesh, too. So, Elijah cast Soothe on himself before summoning Healing Rain. Then, for good measure, he red Nature¡¯s Bounty as he undressed. The clothes were ruined. Despite being Simple-Grade, their materials weren¡¯t up to the rigors he¡¯d endured, so he¡¯d decided to exchange them for a different set. After that, he retrieved his homemade restorative soap from his satchel and began to bathe. Where the soap went, healthy skin followed until, nearly twenty minutester, Elijah was more refreshed than he¡¯d been since leaving his grove. Once he was clean and in much better condition, Elijah once again took up his burden, then used Roots of the World Tree to teleport to the Dragon Circle. Of all the cities he¡¯d visited, Argos was the only ce that deserved what he had nned. Elijah knew that he could have simply teleported straight from Valoria to his ultimate destination. However, the journey had been important. A necessary thing meant for self-reflection and remembrance. And penance. It was a pilgrimage, though not in service of any god. Instead, it was meant to honor the sister he¡¯d lost. Now, he intended to create a moresting monument to the person she had been. So, after adjusting the awkward burden he¡¯d carried for countless miles, he set off for Argos, hoping that he could find what he needed in the city. Book 4: Chapter 26: Easing the Burden Book 4: Chapter 26: Easing the Burden Thest few miles of Elijah¡¯s journey were the most difficult. Despite having traveled beneath his burden for weeks, once again resuming the weight of the statue left his back bent. Still, as he had from the very beginning, Elijah continued to put one foot in front of the other without dy or dissent. But he didn¡¯t go into that same trance that had carried him so far. Instead, he was painfully aware of his surroundings. During his self-imposed pilgrimage, autumn had tightened its grip on the region. The leaves had begun to change colors, painting the forest in deep browns and vivid oranges. In addition, the wildlife had started preparing for winter, hoarding food and storing fat for hibernation. Finally, the air had taken on a chilly bite, hinting that a frigid winter was just around the corner. Hopefully, Argos was ready for what wasing, because Elijah suspected it would be far colder than normal. Still, despite his task, now that Elijah had submersed himself in nature¡¯s influence, he couldn¡¯t deny that it wasforting in a way nothing else could be. He basked in it, letting it soothe his soul. After a few hours, he arrived at the city¡¯s gates. The two guards recognized him, and what¡¯s more, they could see the size of his burden. So, they didn¡¯t dy him. Instead, they just waved him through, and from there, Elijah made his way to Atticus shop. As he walked through the city, he saw a host of familiar sights. They were almost asforting as being inundated by the aura of nature that had apanied him from the Dragon Circle. It only took Elijah about twenty minutes to reach Atticus¡¯ shop, and when he did, he gently dropped his burden. Then, he stepped inside. Atticus looked up from where he¡¯d been cleaning one of the ss cases, and when he saw Elijah, his smiling face turned serious. ¡°What happened to you, my friend?¡± he asked. ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Elijah asked in response. He¡¯d known that the journey had taken its toll, but he had thought his experience in the oasis had reversed some of that damage. Clearly, that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°You look like you haven¡¯t eaten in weeks,¡± Atticus said, rushing over. ¡°What happened?¡±As the merchant asked the question, he reached out as if he intended to help steady Elijah. But it was unnecessary, which he quickly made clear. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, backing away. ¡°Just had a long journey.¡± ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Not really. Not yet,¡± he admitted. ¡°I really came here for two reasons. First, I have a lot of equipment I need identified. I¡¯ll probably sell some of it, assuming you¡¯re buying.¡± Despite his obvious concern, Atticus shed a bright smile. It was forced, and they both knew it, but Elijah appreciated that his friend had chosen to approach the situation like it was a normal transaction. That helped. Atticus spread his long arms, saying, ¡°Of course, my friend. Atticus¡¯ Arsenal is always in the market for high-quality items.¡± With that, he led Elijah to the back where theymenced with the appraisal process. Atticus¡¯ particr ability required the use of the table, so Elijah first ced the series of weapons he¡¯d taken from the various guards in Valoria atop the surface. ¡°Nothing special. Mostly Middle Crude Grade. One is High Crude,¡± Atticus said. ¡°The materials are good, though. Poorly constructed. If I sell these, it will be to someone who has a disassembly skill. The materials are worth more than the weapons, I¡¯m sorry to say.¡± ¡°Disassembly skill?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Yes. Some Tradesmen have an ability where they can salvage the materials from crafted items. Some of the efficacy of those materials is lost in the process, and there are conditions that must be met, but it is a very useful skill for those who wish to waste as little as possible.¡± ¡°Do you think my sister-inw might have that kind of skill? She¡¯s a cksmith.¡± ¡°And on the power rankings, if I remember correctly?¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°She is.¡± ¡°Then almost definitely. I don¡¯t know any real cksmiths. Just a couple of Tinkerers. But if they have that kind of skill, then she will as well.¡± ¡°Then, I probably shouldn¡¯t sell these,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That would be my advice. However, if she cannot use the materials, then I will by them, of course.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Even so, Elijah did end up selling the few higher-grade pieces to Atticus. Those, he judged were worth more in their current form than they would be after being broken down into their base parts. After that, Elijah got to the pieces he¡¯d taken from Roman¡¯s disy case. Those were all a little disappointing. Each piece was at least Simple-Grade, but their traits and abilities were nothing useful for Elijah. Besides, he liked using staves, and as far as he could tell, the swords weren¡¯t in the style Colt or Miguel preferred. So, he was better served just selling them. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. However, he did keep the suit of armor ¨C which wasposed of multiple pieces that included a long duster with built-in bracers, a chainmail coat, and greaves. After all, it had been created for Colt, and as far as Elijah was concerned, it would be most useful in the Samurai¡¯s possession. Next, they moved on to Roman¡¯s Bow, which was called Blindeye. ¡°Adds five to Dexterity and Strength,¡± Atticus exined. ¡°The Trait increases the effectiveness of all ambush skills by five percent. It also has an ability called Conjure Arrow which is pretty self-exnatory. A very good weapon, my friend. I know of a dozen Rangers who would kill for such a weapon.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll keep that one,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Miguel hasn¡¯t gotten his archetype yet, so if he gets Ranger, this woulde in handy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of weapon for someone without a ss,¡± Atticus stated. ¡°Heavy draw. I suspect it takes at least thirty Strength just to draw the string.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll grow into it,¡± Elijah responded. ¡°But if he doesn¡¯t, I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Fair enough, my friend. Anything else?¡± ¡°A sword,¡± Elijah said, reaching into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and retrieving the False Dragon Fang. He set it on Atticus¡¯ table, which immediately drew a reaction. Yet, it was not the one Elijah had expected. Instead of being awed by the admittedly impressive weapon, Atticus took a step back, demanding, ¡°You haven¡¯t bonded that thing, have you?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t use swords.¡± ¡°Good. Very good.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? It¡¯s a Complex-Grade weapon. My sister-inw made it.¡± ¡°Did she do so under duress?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I guess. Why does that matter?¡± he asked. Carmen had created the weapon in order to avoid having her people killed. If that didn¡¯t count as duress, he didn¡¯t know what would. ¡°It is cursed.¡± ¡°Cursed? What does that mean?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I mean, I understand the definition of the word. But what does it mean in the context of this item?¡± ¡°A cursed item has a hidden ability. In this case, it¡¯s called Arrogance of the False Dragon. Here,¡± Atticus said, waving his hand. Above the table, a box simr to the ones containing the notifications appeared:
Arrogance of the False Dragon Positive: Assert influence over a captive poption more easily. Negative: Be overconfident to the point of ruin. May include delusions of grandeur.
¡°Every curse will have two sides,¡± Atticus exined. ¡°A positive and a negative. Normally, the negative will outweigh the positive, but from what I¡¯ve read, that is not always the case. Some cursed items are so powerful that people willingly ept the cost. That normally only happens with much higher-grade items, though. The example I read about in the guide was a scepter taken up by a temple priestess. Its ability was an aura that ensured prosperity for those in the city surrounding her. However, the negative aspect was that it caused rapid aging. She epted it willingly, and over the millennia, her sessors have as well.¡± Elijah said, ¡°I see.¡± But even as he spoke, he wondered if the curse was the cause of the state of Valoria. Perhaps, but he reminded himself that Roman¡¯s crimes preceded the creation of the False Dragon Fang. That assuaged any crisis of conscience he might have experienced. ¡°I would destroy it,¡± Atticus advised. ¡°The weapon is a nice piece, but that curse will doubtless prove to be insidious, my friend. You are lucky that you had it appraised before using it. Otherwise, you might never have known.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t use swords,¡± Elijah reiterated. However, in the past, he had bonded items before getting them appraised. That would have to stop. Regardless, now that he¡¯d had all of his loot appraised, Elijah could get to the true reason he¡¯de to Argos. So, he asked, ¡°Do you know any architects? Perhaps a sculptor?¡± ¡°For what purpose, my friend?¡± Elijah told him what he had in mind, then said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to pay whatever it takes. I guess I also need to finally meet whoever¡¯s in charge of this town so I can work out where to put it. My first instinct is to put it near the statue of Heracles, but¡­I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think it matters so much where it is. I just want it to be essible.¡± After that, Atticus exined that Argos was ruled by a council, and as it turned out, Elijah was actually acquainted with one of the six members. ¡°Agatha¡¯s a councilor?¡± he asked, thinking of the once-surly innkeeper who¡¯d eventually taken a liking to Elijah. ¡°Likely the most important member,¡± Atticus revealed. ¡°She tends to browbeat anyone who doesn¡¯t get in line behind her.¡± ¡°Interesting. Do you think she¡¯ll have an issue with my ns?¡± Atticus was adamant that no one would have a problem with it, which was reassuring. After that came a whirlwind of activity. First, Atticus led Elijah to a woman he imed was the best Architect in town. It only took a few minutes to get her onboard,rgely because Elijah didn¡¯t haggle on the price. Next, Elijah was introduced to Argos¡¯ highest-level Builder. Because of his efforts during Argos¡¯ rebuild in the wake of the tempest that had swept through the area months before, Elijah already knew of the great bear of a man. However, he¡¯d never met him. As it turned out, Dion ¨C the Builder¡¯s name ¨C took to the idea with great fervor, promising to put his best crew on the project the moment everything was ready. The following step was to get the project approved by the council, which turned out to be even easier than Elijah could have expected. When he told Agatha what he wanted to do, she said, ¡°Then we will amodate you. There is a plot only three blocks away that will be perfect.¡± As it turned out, the plot, which stood atop a low hill overlooking the city, had once held arge mosque that had copsed soon after the world¡¯s transformation. Since then, it had been empty, save for the foundations. Elijah first thought it would be a little too big, but Atticus insisted, ¡°Larger is better, my friend. Remember that always.¡± Once Elijah had bought the lot from the city, the final item on his to-do list was to meet with a sculptor. Oddly enough, the best artist in town was not a single person, but rather a pair of siblings ¨C Penelope and Iason ¨C who worked in tandem. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t seem to like one another very much, so, even though they had enthusiastically embraced the project, talking to them proved to be quite abor. Yet, Elijah endured, and after leaving Alyssa¡¯s statue with them and exining what he wanted, he set off toward the mountains. For one, he had a few days before the ns could be finalized, and for another, he had a very specific material he wanted to use for the project. So, Elijah once again found himself trekking across the wilderness. However, his psychological burden felt much lighter than it had during his previous travels,rgely because he felt secure in the knowledge that he was finally doing something worthwhile. And he was eager toplete the project that he hoped would adequately honor his sister¡¯s memory. Book 4: Chapter 27: First Steps Book 4: Chapter 27: First Steps A cool rain fell upon Elijah¡¯s shoulders as he trekked toward the mountains. Without the multi-ton burden of his sister¡¯s statue on his back, he felt physically unburdened. However, the weight of his own expectations for his chosen task still weighed heavily upon him. He wasn¡¯t certain when he had chosen to remain in his human form, but it felt appropriate. After all, using his bestial forms, he could have satisfied the terms of his self-imposed quest much more quickly and far more easily. Yet, that facilitation would have robbed it of much of its meaning. Or that was his justification. In reality, Elijah could acknowledge that part of his reasoning came down to a simple fact. He thought he needed to suffer in order to give the act more significance. In a lot of ways, it truly was a self-inflicted penance. But by that point, Elijah had grown ustomed to it, so he let purpose fuel his journey as he trudged through the forest. As he did, he refused to let himself slip back into the trance-like state that had seen him through from Valoria to the Circle of Spears. Instead, he focused on three things. First, he continuously pushed his cultivation exercises, constantly cycling ethera through his core in order to expand his capacity. It wasn¡¯t very effective, but he felt it was good ¨C and necessary ¨C practice. After all, he couldn¡¯t afford to just sit around his grove, or in his cultivation cave, for months while he worked on the process. Nor could he let himself neglect his progression. The battles in Valoria had pushed him past level eighty, but he knew that levels were not the only facet of progression. The next subject of his focus concerned his ns for his sister¡¯s memorial. The Architect would take care of the building, and the Sculptor siblings would do their part as well. But Elijah was more concerned with what came after the project waspleted. And finally, he let himself feel his surroundings in a deep and meaningful way. Every tiny organism. Every rock and tree. Every animal, small andrge. He immersed himself in nature, once again letting it soothe him. It didn¡¯t banish his grief. It did nothing to rid him of the guilt he still carried. Nor did it assuage his pain. However, it did bolster his ability to deal with all the issues he¡¯d taken upon his shoulders. Every now and again, Elijah would check his Domain as well. He observed as Colt continued to train Miguel, incorporating grueling physical activities as well as constant weapons instruction. But it didn¡¯t end there. Every other day saw Kuriknding on the ind and taking Miguel with him, presumably to venture out into the wilderness and train him as a scout. On those days, the boy¡¯s enthusiasm was difficult to miss.Elijah also saw something that had initially worried him. At longst, Miguel had finally met the ind¡¯s other guardians, stumbling onto the family of deer during one of his forest runs. It was rming enough that Elijiah almost abandoned his task altogether and returned to the ind. After all, those deer were incredibly dangerous. If he made the wrong move, the stag would disintegrate him with those powerful beams of light it could create. Yet, Elijah¡¯s rm seemed unwarranted. The two adult deer were a bit skittish around him, but the pair of juveniles ¨C they¡¯d grown slightlyrger ¨C were more than eager to approach. It wasn¡¯t long before they were chasing one another through the meadow where the deer had made their home. It reminded Elijah of how easily Miguel had befriended the giant turtle, Snappy. Or how quickly Artemis had taken to him. Perhaps the young man had a gift for such things. Or maybe the creatures could sense that he was no threat to them. One way or another, it was nice to see that, after everything Miguel had been through, he was still capable of having fun. The other facets of Elijah¡¯s mind drifted through his memories. Most centered around his sister, but he also thought of other people he¡¯d lost. Like his parents. Or his ex-girlfriend back in Hawaii. He rarely thought of Nina anymore,rgely because, with the benefit of space, he¡¯de to realize that their rtionship had never been anything truly special. Just a pair of people who¡¯d gotten together out of shared loneliness, then stayed together because they actually enjoyed one another¡¯spany. But it wasn¡¯t love. There had never been a spark. Not like with Lucy. More than once, Elijah had regretted how his first real rtionship had ended. And he was ashamed of how he¡¯d treated Lucy back then. In the summer after their breakup, he¡¯d foundfort with other women ¨C a few of which had treated him extremely poorly ¨C so it was a miracle that she would even tolerate his presence anymore. Yet, when they¡¯d reunited only a few months past, she¡¯d given her support without hesitation. Perhaps he needed to take that rtionship ¨C be it friendship or something more ¨C more seriously. That reminded him of his obligation regarding Seattle. He still intended to help, just on his own terms and timeline. Eventually, Elijah reached the mountains, where he embarked on a quest to find the perfect stone. He¡¯d felt it once before ¨C or its aura of ethera, at least ¨C but back then, he¡¯d had no need or ability to quarry it. This time, though, he was prepared. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Slowly, Elijah scoured the mountains until, after three more days, he found what he was looking for. The cliff face was tall. Perhaps two hundred feet, and extending for a quarter of a mile in either direction. The size of the cliff was immaterial, though. What truly drew Elijah¡¯s eye was theposition. In most ways, it looked like marble, predominantly white, but with highlights of deep green. Even just looking at it, Elijah knew it was special ¨C a supposition supported by the dense aura of ethera it emitted as well. It was almost as strong as a natural treasure, though without the sense of vitality that came with them. It reminded Elijah of the ore that came from Ironshore¡¯s mine. That prompted a thread of thought questioning what really made a natural treasure. Was it the life they tended to emit? Or was it something else? Elijah could feel the difference, though he wasn¡¯t capable of pinpointing exactly what separated natural treasures from other powerful resources. In any case, while Elijah wouldn¡¯t have harvested a natural treasure, he had no issues with taking the stone. So, without further hesitation, he drew arge pickaxe from his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, climbed to the top of the cliff, and got to work. He¡¯d acquired the tool from Dion, the Builder he¡¯d contracted, and it was reputed to be a Simple-Grade item. However, when Elijah swung the pickaxe at the cliff, he was surprised to find that it didn¡¯t even chip the durable stone. So, after a few more attempts, Elijah shifted into hismer ape form and brought his ws to bear. That was better, giving him some insight into how his wspared to high-grade items. Over the next few hours, Elijah worked to carve a huge block from the stone. Then, once it had been cutpletely free, heboriously wrapped it in rope he¡¯d bought in Argos before lowering it to the ground. There wereplications, of course. The process was awkward, made even more difficult by the fact that Elijah really didn¡¯t know much about quarrying stone. Yet, he was a quick study with incredible attributes that were perfectly suited to the task. So, he pushed through, managing to set the stone at the bottom of the cliff before moving on to the next block. That one went much more quickly, and after that, Elijah settled into a groove. The process wasbor-intensive, but by that point, Elijah was well ustomed to such hardship. So, he persisted, and over the next few days, he harvested nearly a hundred such blocks. On the trip back to Argos, by necessity, he was forced to abandon his pervious decision to remain in his human form. Instead, he used hismer ape form, bncing one block on each shoulder as he set off toward Argos. It was still a ridiculous amount of weight to carry, far exceeding that of the heel stones he¡¯d used in his dolmens. However, because his Strength had increased ¨C both by virtue of his levels and because of his equipment ¨C he managed it. Still, when he reached Argos and deposited the blocks just outside the city, he was exhausted. But he didn¡¯t stop to rest. Instead, he shifted to the Shape of the Sky and set off toward his makeshift quarry. When hended, he ate one of his few remaining grove berries, slept for a couple of hours, then continued his task. Each trip took about twelve hours, which meant that he could only make a couple a day. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t forced to do everything himself, because, on the fifth such day, Dios and his crew arrived with a pair of huge wagons. The barrel-chested Builder and his team quickly got to work, stacking twenty blocks onto each wagon. Once they were fully loaded, Elijah asked, ¡°Is that going to hold? It looks like it¡¯s going to topple over.¡± Dion pped Elijah on his shoulder and let out an abruptugh. ¡°Ah, so you have never worked with a true Builder, eh?¡± the man asked. ¡°It is a skill called Teamster¡¯s Bnce. We¡¯ll keep those blocks in the wagons, don¡¯t you worry.¡± Elijah took the man at his word, though he still eyed the precariously piled blocks with some unease. Still, he chose to trust Dion,rgely because he¡¯de so highly rmended by Atticus. In either case, the addition of the Builders¡¯ efforts turned a project that should have taken six weeks into one that they managed toplete in only two. Even as they drove their wagons ¨C which were pulled by the crew ¨C across the terrain, Elijah continued with his own efforts, trudging across thendscape and carrying two at a time. When they finally finished, Elijah once again met with the people he¡¯d contracted. The two sculptors had finalized their ns, while the architect gave Elijah three options from which to choose. To him, the decision seemed obvious, and he picked the one that called to him mostly strongly. Then, atst, everyone got to work. As they did, Elijah finally took the time to rest, though he didn¡¯t head to an inn to sleep. Instead, he nted himself in the center of the build site, where he continuously red Nature¡¯s Bounty as well as One with Nature. However, because there were no nts around, the former ability didn¡¯t really result in much in the way of growth. That wasn¡¯t Elijah¡¯s purpose. Instead, he wanted to suffuse the intended memorial with his power. Because, if the construction of the dolmens had proven anything, it was that construction wasn¡¯t just about piling materials into a recognizable shape. There was far more to it than that. Ethera changed everything, after all. More days passed, and the workers continued with their task. Often, they took advantage of Elijah¡¯s healing abilities, as well, and after that first day, he¡¯d resigned himself to continuously keeping Healing Rain active. That attracted many of Argos¡¯ residents, too. There were quite a few Healers in the city, though they were often overworked. So, most people only visited a Healer when their lives were in danger. That was where Healing Rain came in. It was an easy spell to maintain, and it worked wonders on minor ailments. So, most days saw Elijah surrounded by a dozen or so people. That was fine with him, too. He didn¡¯t get much in the way of experience for healing them, but they often brought him food, which seemed a good trade. More importantly, doing good and helping people nourished him in an entirely different way. That was the first of many steps toward healing his wounded psyche. It would be a long journey, but to Elijah, it felt that the first part of any voyage was always the most difficult. In any case, it took a little more than a week before the building took shape. There was still quite a lot of detail work to be done, but Elijah was more than happy with the results so far. And now that he had verified that everything wasing together, he felt free to embark on the final addition for the project. So, after letting everyone know that he would be back in a couple of weeks, Elijah used Roots of the World Tree and, for the first time in more than two months, returned to his grove. Book 4: Chapter 28: The Nature of Restraint Book 4: Chapter 28: The Nature of Restraint The dense ethera of the grove washed over Elijah as he reappeared on his ind. Sometimes, it was easy to forget just how thick it waspared to the rest of the world. When he was elsewhere, he barely even noticed theck. However, the moment he returned to the grove, it was like swimming in a soothing ocean of vital energy. He let out a sigh as he looked around the grove. Much of it was the same, though his eyes were drawn to the area dedicated to his coffee trees. They¡¯d continued to grow, reaching a height of almost fifty feet, which was enormous for that species of tree. That didn¡¯t seem out of the ordinary, though. Elijah¡¯s grove berries had started off as bunchberries, but the thick ethera and both his and Nerthus¡¯ ministrations had transformed them into something else entirely. The same was true of all the other nts in the grove as well. Some had simply grown muchrger than normal, but others had mutated even more than the berries. Either way, it all felt appropriate. Natural. And that was what truly mattered. Sensing Nerthus on the other side of the grove, Elijah crossed the intervening space to find the spryggent tending to a dozen artificial beehives. They resembled the hives he¡¯d seen before Earth¡¯s transformation, though instead of being made of unimaginative particle board or the like, these new hives had been grown much like Elijah¡¯s treehouse. Shaped like acorns, they looked like functional works of art, especially with tens of thousands of fat honeybees swarming the area. Onended on Elijah¡¯s outstretched hand, and he was surprised to see that it was around fifty percentrger than a normal honeybee, which meant it was about an inch-and-a-half long. In fact, with its fuzzy body and curious nature, it looked almost like a cartoon version of the familiar insects. ¡°They are quite friendly,¡± Nerthus said without looking up. ¡°I chose these hives specifically for that reason.¡± ¡°Nerthus, this is amazing,¡± Elijah responded with no small degree of awe. ¡°You¡¯ve outdone yourself. Really.¡± ¡°The child likes the bees as well,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°He has an incredible affinity for animals.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that they tolerate him a lot more than they do with most people,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°I thought it had to do with him not having an archetype yet. Maybe they can sense that he isn¡¯t a threat to them or something.¡±¡°Perhaps,¡± Nerthus conceded. ¡°Yet, I think it is more than that. It will be interesting to see what archetypes and sses he is offered. He may even have the chance to be a Druid as well.¡± ¡°Do you think that would be wise?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nerthus said, finally looking back at Elijah. ¡°Druids are the most powerful archetype in existence.¡± ¡°Uh¡­not everybody thinks that,¡± Elijah said, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve met a few people who think the opposite. Well, that¡¯s not exactly true. Nobody thinks Druids aren¡¯t strong. It¡¯s just that I get the impression that most Druids are borderline nonbatants.¡± ¡°Ah. That is true. Strengthes in many forms, though. There are whole worlds tended to by Druids. Beautiful ces where everything exists in perfect harmony. Anything that threatens that bnce is eradicated. Is that not power?¡± Elijah nodded. He knew that his archetype was not meant to be the strongest inbat. Even his attribute bonuses were not on par with some others, and his repertoire of spellscked focus. That wasn¡¯t difficult to understand, given that a good portion of the archetype seemed focused on nonbat abilities like healing, Nature¡¯s Bounty, or One with Nature. Though the third had somebat applications, it was clearly meant to help a Druid to connect with the source of his power. Or the bnce he was meant to protect. Regardless, Elijah had circumvented many of those inadequacies by choosing a distinctlybat-focused ss. And he¡¯d managed to shore up his attribute deficiencies with cultivation. However, he did realize that those were only band-aids that didn¡¯t truly fix the problem. So, he asked, ¡°What does progression look like for me? I know that I¡¯ll have a chance for specialization in a few levels. Then, I¡¯ll get to evolve my ss, too. But what does that mean?¡± ¡°It means that you will be able to correct your path to better align with your goals,¡± Nerthus stated. ¡°If you wish for morebat power, that will be avable via an evolution. Or if you want to focus more on the grove, that will be as well. The system will provide options based on your actions as well as how it interprets your suitability.¡± ¡°Will I lose any of my current abilities?¡± ¡°No. When those abilities evolve, the options will align with your new direction, though. For instance, if you were to choose to focus on healing, then some of yourbat spells might develop an additional effect that assists in that function,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°Though it should be said that no spell, even after many evolutions, willpletely change its nature. A damaging spell will always be a damaging spell.¡± ¡°Soundsplicated.¡± ¡°Of course. The system was created by the twelve most powerful beings to have ever existed, all working in concert to ease the burden of progression. It is not self-aware, but it is reactive andplex beyond ourprehension,¡± Nerthus stated. If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°What was it like before?¡± ¡°Those days are lost in darkness. Only vague stories remain, and the truth is obscured by time.¡± Elijah nodded. Even humanitycked a true vision of the past, and that history was far shorter than the scale of what Nerthus had described. Elijah asked, ¡°And this system is benevolent?¡± ¡°It is neutral. It does not judge. Instead, it only guides. The purpose is benevolent, though.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said, though he had difficulty wrapping his thoughts around the sheer scope of it all. Regardless, he didn¡¯t have the free time to spend contemting the nature of the multi-verse or the system. Instead, he had more grounded issues to worry about. So, after only a few more minutes, during which he let Nerthus exin the progress of the rest of the grove, Elijah exined what he wanted from Nerthus. ¡°Has the tree produced any other seeds?¡± he asked. ¡°Three others. Though more should grow over the next few years,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I need one.¡± Then, Elijah exined why he wanted one of the ancestral tree¡¯s seeds. Once he understood what Elijah had nned, Nerthus gave his approval and gathered the seed in question. After that, Elijah set off for Ironshore, using Shape of the Sky to cover the distance in a little more than a minute. Hended in Druid¡¯s Park, startling a few children. Oddly enough, though, they did not fear him. Rather, they were simply shocked by his suddennding. Apparently, news of his new form had spread through the town. Elijah took a few minutes to ensure that the tree was healthy, and once he was satisfied, he started toward Carmen¡¯s forge, arriving after only a few more minutes. When he stepped inside, he saw her hammering away at a bar of glowing metal. For the first time since their reunion, she wore a genuine smile upon her face. There were a few other people around. Most were dwarves, but Elijah saw a couple of gnomes and a single goblin as well. The smithy itself was quite impressive, with enough room to amodate a few dozen cksmiths. However, Elijah quickly noticed a couple of things about the workers. First, they were all incredibly young, probably having only attained their archetypes recently. Second, none of them were actually forging anything. Instead, they were helping with the smelting process, working bellows, or doing other grunt work. ¡°You can¡¯t be in here, fe,¡± said one of the dwarves. His red beard was only an inch long, but his shoulders were wide and muscr. ¡°If you¡¯re wantin¡¯ tamission somethin¡¯, you¡¯ll have to talk to Miss Corie down at the shop.¡± Elijah just stared at the young dwarf, then shook his head before continuing into the building. ¡°Hey! I said you can¡¯t ¨C¡± Someone reached over to grab the would-be smith, whispering something rendered unintelligible by the activity within the smithy. Elijah was both pleased and a little saddened when the dwarf¡¯s face paled before he took a step back. Apparently, Elijah¡¯s reputation had preceded him. With a sigh, he continued on until he reached Carmen. ¡°Whatcha makin¡¯?¡± he asked, leaning forward. She started, clearly surprised to find Elijah standing next to her. Patting her chest, she breathed, ¡°You scared the hell out of me. What are you doing here? Is it done?¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°It¡¯s done. Do you want to hear the whole story?¡± he asked. Carmen said that she did, and after that, they retreated to the small office she¡¯d attached to the smithy. Once there, Elijahid out the whole story, including running into the harpies, finding the records, and killing both Laramie and Fiona. When he described the fight with Roman, he only hit the high points, ending with, ¡°After that, I¡­I went on a rampage. I killed hundreds of guards.¡± That was a bit of a lie. In reality, he¡¯d ughtered more than a thousand. But Carmen didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°When I left the city, the battle was still going on. I don¡¯t know who won.¡± ¡°Nobody,¡± Carmen said with a shake of her head. She slumped in her chair, adding, ¡°So, it¡¯s over?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯m done killing, but there¡¯s one more thing we need to do.¡± Then, he told her about the project he¡¯d begun. For the most part, Carmen took to the idea pretty well, though it clearly made her a little ufortable. Still, when Elijiah asked her toe with him back to Argos, she agreed. ¡°I need to go find Miguel,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Do you know where he is?¡± ¡°Off in the wilderness with Kurik,¡± Carmen answered. ¡°Colt¡¯s with them, too. He said he wanted to shore up his own woodcraft, but I think he just wants to make sure Miguel doesn¡¯t forget his sword training. If you ask me, he and the dwarf arepeting to see who can pass more knowledge onto my son.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing, right?¡± Carmen shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I worry about him being stretched too thin. But he enjoys all of it. You should hear him going on and on about all the things he¡¯s seen,¡± she said. ¡°Or about sword forms. God. If I have to hear him exin the minute differences between stances one more time¡­¡± Elijah forced augh. That was one of the more rtable aspects of Miguel¡¯s training. ¡°When I used to box, I¡¯d talk my dad¡¯s ear off about everything I learned,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing. It means he¡¯s engaged.¡± ¡°I hope so. I still don¡¯t know what to think about all of this,¡± she admitted. ¡°I know he needs to be able to take care of himself. I know he wants power. And I know why. But every time I see him learning how to kill, I feel like a failure as a parent. I mean, it really wasn¡¯t that long ago that we were telling him that violence never solved anything. So na?ve.¡± ¡°It was a different world, Carmen,¡± Elijah said, reaching out to grip her shoulder. She flinched a little at his touch, evidence that she hadn¡¯tpletely recovered from her own ordeal. ¡°But just because he can kill doesn¡¯t mean he will. Restraint is what separates the good ones from the bad.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± she asked. ¡°Does that apply to you?¡± ¡°It does,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Which side do you fall on?¡± she persisted. Clearly, she thought she knew the answer. ¡°You didn¡¯t practice much restraint in Easton, did you?¡± ¡°I asked myself that same question,¡± Elijah admitted, pulling away and pacing to the other side of the room. ¡°And the only answer I came up with was that yes, I restrained myself. Do you know how I know that?¡± Carmen shook her head. ¡°Because there were survivors,¡± Elijah stated. Indeed, he¡¯d wanted to kill every person in the city. His instincts screamed at him to do so. And failing that, at least everyone associated with the corrupt government Roman had created. But he hadn¡¯t. Sure, he¡¯d killed thousands, but if he¡¯d given in to his instincts, that number would have been in the tens of thousands. To him, that felt like restraint. Still, that did nothing to assuage his guilt. So, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to find Miguel. I hope to leave tomorrow morning, if that¡¯s okay with you.¡± Then, without another word, he strode toward the door. He could feel Carmen¡¯s gaze following him the whole way, though. Book 4: Chapter 29: A Fitting Memorial Book 4: Chapter 29: A Fitting Memorial That night, Elijah didn¡¯t sleep much. Instead, hey awake in his incrediblyfortable bed of moss, just staring up at the gently glowing flowers on his ceiling. Bioluminescence had always fascinated Elijah, but he knew that these particr flowers were powered not by a biological process, but rather, by ethera. Still, they were an interesting case that reminded him of just how magical his world had be. But he wasn¡¯t thinking about that. Instead, he found himself contemting the future. Soon, he wouldpletelyy Alyssa to rest. Her memory would remain with him always, but he expected that the project¡¯spletion would feel like shutting a door. After that, he would need to move on, both because he had other obligations as well as for his own mental well-being. It wouldn¡¯t do to dwell any longer. What did the future hold, though? Would he immediately set off for Seattle to uphold his end of the bargain he¡¯d struck with Isaiah? Perhaps. Already, he¡¯d dyed it for months, so there was no telling what he¡¯d find when he returned to the embattled city. Hopefully, Lucy wouldn¡¯t pay the price for his procrastination. In addition, he had other goals on his mind. First, he¡¯d already resolved to investigate the storm that still persisted far out to sea. Something told him that it was important, though he didn¡¯t know precisely what form that importance might take. Then, he also needed to take care of his coffee, the cherries of which would ripen soon enough. That was probably the project he most looked forward to, but he also wanted to begin work on a new staff sometime in the near future. The Dragon-Touched Staff was a powerful piece of equipment, but it was incredibly one-dimensional. He expected he could do better, so long as he approached the project with the right attitude. After that, he needed to test out histest ability:
Debilitating RoarLet out an enraged bellow that sends all nearby targets fleeing in fear, decreasing their damage by 15%. Increases caster¡¯s footspeed by 10%. Only usable when caster is under the influence of Shape of the Guardian. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 9.2 seconds. Resistance based on target¡¯s Constitution attribute.
It was the ability he¡¯d received at level eighty, and if Elijah was honest, he found the description a little disappointing. It was easy to conjure situations where it would be useful, but he¡¯d hoped for something direct. Perhaps that woulde at level eighty-five. He also hoped to start receiving some upgrades to his current spells sometime soon, because abilities like Cmity and Storm¡¯s Fury had started to lose some of their efficacy, especially against anything his level. Even the attribute bonuses of his bestial transformations had begun to feel underwhelming. Whatever the case, he needed a low-danger situation in which to test the new ability. Finally, he knew that Miguel was quickly approaching the point where he would need to choose an archetype. When his nephew reached that stage, Elijah intended to make certain that the young man had every advantage he could provide, including help with his cultivation, high-grade equipment, and whatever guidance he could offer. But underlying everything else was the knowledge that he needed to continue to progress. Lying in bed, he looked at his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 81
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 94
Dexterity 84
Constitution 93
Ethera 90
Regeneration 84
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. Core Mind Soul
Stone Hatchling Quartz Novice
In addition to the normal attributes he gained with each level, Elijah¡¯s arduous journey had also resulted in an additional two-point gain in both Strength and Constitution. That was a testament to what he¡¯d put himself through. Given his already-high attributes, gaining anything outside of his automatic level allocation was incredibly difficult. ¡°Carrying tons of rock across hundreds of miles has its benefits, I guess,¡± he muttered to himself before checking the power rankings:
1. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 81 2. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 79 3. Sadie Song ¨C Level 76 4. Hu Shui ¨C Level 74 5. Niko Song ¨C Level 74 6. Davu Adebowale¨C Level 69 7. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 67 8. Benedict Emerson ¨C Level 61 9. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 60 10. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 59 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­ 100. Khadija Yatib ¨C Level 51
Already, the other people at the top of the list had begun to close in on him, but that wasn¡¯t unexpected. They were all clearly driven, and just as obviously, they¡¯d found favorable circumstances for leveling. However, what worried Elijah was the rest of the list. The person at the hundredth spot was level fifty-one, which was only eight levels from the top ten. Over the past couple of months, the average level of the top one hundred had risen quite a bit, indicating that the gap was beginning to close between those at the top and the ones at the bottom. If Elijah didn¡¯t continue to progress, he could easily find himself in the bottom half of the list by the time the Trial of Primacy came. He still didn¡¯t know much about what it represented, but, given that name, he suspected it would bepetitive. As such, he needed to take his own progression seriously, lest he pay for it when ¨C or if ¨C he participated in that event. He made a mental note to investigate the Trial of Primacy as soon as he found an avable Librarian who could guide his research. It joined a few other questions he intended to ask at some point. With everything going on, he didn¡¯t know when he¡¯d get the opportunity to do what needed to be done. He was owed questions in Seattle and the elven city of Arvandor, so he just needed to take the time to travel to those locations and ask. Another item to add to his list, he supposed. Regardless, he had a full te, and that wouldn¡¯t soon change. So, with that in mind, Elijah rose before the sun had even risen and went through his normal training routine. By the time he¡¯d finished, morning had dawned, and he returned to the grove to find that Miguel, Carmen, and Colt were already prepared for theing day. All three wore packs not dissimr from the first one he¡¯d gotten back in Ironshore. ¡°All packed?¡± Elijah asked, using his staff as a walking stick as he approached. ¡°How long do you expect we¡¯ll be gone?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°At least a week. Probably closer to a month,¡± he admitted. ¡°You¡¯re all free to skip this part, but I thought it would be best if Carmen and Miguel had a hand in it.¡± Nobody even questioned why Colt woulde along. He rarely ventured far from either Carmen or Miguel¡¯s side. Likely, part of that was for protection, but Elijah could tell that the man considered them family. ¡°We¡¯re going,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Alright. Give me a few minutes to shower and change. Then, we¡¯ll head out,¡± he said. After that, he did as he¡¯d said, going to his treehouse to shower, change, and grab everything he thought he might need. Once he¡¯d stuffed it all into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, he called out for Nerthus. ¡°You have those seeds we talked about earlier?¡± he asked. Nerthus handed over a pouch, saying, ¡°There is no guarantee that these will take root. The vines are a finnicky sort.¡± ¡°All I can do is try. This is important, though.¡± And it was. Once the seed was nestled safely in his satchel, Elijah returned to collect his family before once again asking if they were ready to go. Of course, Miguel had forgotten something, which he rushed off to gather, eliciting a groan from Carmen. When he returned, Elijah used Roots of the World Tree, opening a gate to the Dragon Circle outside of Argos. After that, they made their way to the city. Miguel and Colt were both familiar enough with Argos, but Carmen had never been. As a result, she was suitably impressed by what she saw. ¡°Everyone here is so friendly¡­¡± ¡°Part of that is because of me,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯ve spent a lot of time here, so most everyone recognizes me. But I also think it¡¯s because they¡¯re just good people.¡± ¡°I was beginning to think that ces like this couldn¡¯t survive in this new world,¡± she said as they walked through the city. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true. I visited another couple of ces that were mostly okay,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I think that, for the most part, people are good. It¡¯s just that sometimes they run into a bad apple like Roman. Or those rich, water-hoarding assholes in Seattle.¡± ¡°So you think those ces are the exception to the rule? Or is this the exception?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elijah admitted, running his hand through his hair. ¡°Maybe the answer is that there isn¡¯t a rule. Maybe it¡¯s just a take-it-as-you-find-it sort of situation. Either way, Argos is a good ce full of good people. That¡¯s why I chose to put the memorial here.¡± ¡°Why not Ironshore?¡± ¡°We¡¯re human. Alyssa deserves to be remembered in a human settlement.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because they tried to kill you?¡± asked Carmen. Elijah stopped. ¡°You heard about that, huh?¡± he asked. ¡°Which time?¡± ¡°Both. I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t burn it all down,¡± she said. ¡°So were most of the people who live there.¡± ¡°I thought about it,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°But both times it was an isted thing. I trust Ramik, but I still wonder what will happen when they figure out what¡¯s on my ind. It¡¯s a tempting target.¡± ¡°It is. But for what it¡¯s worth, I don¡¯t think any of them will invade your grove anytime soon. They¡¯re terrified.¡± ¡°They should be.¡± After that, they continued on, and after Elijah rented rooms for them at Agatha¡¯s hotel, they headed to the site of the monument. And it looked much as it had when Elijah had left it. ¡°It¡¯s huge,¡± Carmen breathed. Indeed, it was the size of a full-blown mansion, and it was made almost entirely from the stone Elijah had quarried. To him, it looked a lot like the Temple of Athena Nike in Athens, though with a few caveats. For one, the columns were carved in a spiral shape, with unadorned capitals. That would change as Elijah, Carmen, and the twin sculptors went to work, but even now, the effect was elegant and straightforward in its simplicity. The other major difference was the statue at the top of the building. Based on and incorporating pieces of the statue Elijah had carried out of Valoria, it was meant to depict and idealized version of Alyssa. The figure stood in a heroic pose, with her spear raised high and pointing toward the sky. The final difference between the monument to Alyssa¡¯s memory and the ancient Athenian temple was that the new version had an expansive, open-air courtyard in its center. That was where Elijah intended to nt the ancestral tree seed. ¡°Are you ready to get to work?¡± Elijah asked. Carmen nodded. ¡°I am.¡± To Miguel and Colt, Elijah said, ¡°You¡¯re wee to stick around, but you may get bored. Maybe explore the town a little. Meet some people. Eat some good food. I¡¯m sure if you ask nicely, Isaak would show you around.¡± ¡°I want to watch,¡± Miguel said. ¡°At least for today.¡± ¡°Fine by me,¡± Elijah said. Then, he and the others climbed the steps ¨C also made of that same white-and-green marble ¨C to the monument. Once inside, Elijah spoke to Dion, the builder, who told him that everything went exactly as nned. He eagerly took Elijah on a short tour, narrating as he went. ¡°The temple is a true marvel. Do you feel the ethera wafting off the Dragonstone?¡± ¡°Is that what it¡¯s called?¡± Elijah asked, surprised. ¡°Indeed. Very rare, the guides say. That we have a vein nearby bodes well for the city¡¯s future prosperity,¡± Dion answered. ¡°Ah ¨C here are the rooms you asked for.¡± There were seven rooms in the building, all meant for housing. Other than that, there was anotherrge chamber housing the unused remnants of Alyssa¡¯s statue. But Elijah didn¡¯t need to see that again, so he forewent visiting. Instead, he made his way to the central courtyard, where he nted the ancestral tree seed. Once he¡¯d covered it up and summoned Healing Rain, he used Nature¡¯s Bounty. Then, to Carmen, he said, ¡°You should go find the Sculptors. Penelope and Iason. Just look for two siblings who won¡¯t stop arguing, and you¡¯ll find them.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Grow a very special tree,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Then, we¡¯re going to have a party.¡± Book 4: Chapter 30: The Importance of a Good Hat Book 4: Chapter 30: The Importance of a Good Hat ¡°Come on! Why can¡¯t I go with you?¡± demanded Miguel. ¡°You always said that having someone to watch your back is important.¡± ¡°This ain¡¯t that kinda city, kid,¡± Colt said, running his hand through his short hair. He¡¯d had the barber back in Ironshore cut it down to little more than a fringe, which was his preferred style. Easier to handle, that way. ¡°You heard your uncle. It¡¯s ¡®bout as safe a spot as there is. ¡®sides ¨C you need to venture out on your own a bit. Havin¡¯ me or your uncle hoverin¡¯ over your shoulder won¡¯t do you a bit of good. A boy needs his independence as much as he needs guidance.¡± Miguel looked like he was going to argue, but then the boy thought better of it. That was as expected. When Colt had first taken the young man under his wing, he¡¯d been a bit unruly and very undisciplined. But he¡¯dtched onto the structure Colt provided, his grip tightening even more after their exile. That wasn¡¯t to say that Miguel never acted like the teenage boy he was. He certainly did, and often. But he¡¯d learned that when Colt gave instructions, he expected them to be followed, and withoutint. ¡°Fine. Whatever,¡± Miguel said. ¡°Maybe Isaak can show me around.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Colt allowed. ¡°But that ain¡¯t much different than havin¡¯ me or your uncle ¡®round.¡± Miguel red at him. Colt didn¡¯t waver, though. ¡°And don¡¯t leave the city.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡±¡°No buts, kid. It¡¯s dangerous out there. I heard stories about some kinda maneater from a while back. Nobody ever killed it, either. It ain¡¯t hit nobody in a while, but that don¡¯t mean it ain¡¯t still out there. And somebody like you? Without levels? You make a juicy target for a monster like that.¡± ¡°We should go back to the swamp,¡± Miguel said. His cheeks reddened. ¡°To check on the kids. You know, to make sure they¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°The kids, huh.¡± ¡°Yeah. I thought we should¡¯ve stayed until they had everything they needed. But Uncle Elijah said that he didn¡¯t want to influence their decision,¡± the young man persisted. ¡°By now, they had to¡¯ve made a choice, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the only reason you wanna go? To check on the kids.¡± ¡°Uh¡­no. I think the swamp is¡­uh¡­cool. With all the mud and¡­leeches¡­¡± ¡°Right. Leeches. That¡¯s what all the kids¡¯re into these days, eh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid,¡± Miguel insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll get my archetype any day now.¡± ¡°Well, ¡®til you do, you¡¯re a kid,¡± he said. Then, he shook his head and said, ¡°Now go on. Git. Don¡¯t wanna see you ¡®til sunset at least. Go get into some trouble. Have a rock fight. Explore. Just be a kid. You ain¡¯t had much opportunity for that kinda thing since¡­well, since forever.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Miguel huffed. ¡°Can I at least take a sword, though?¡± ¡°Spear.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t like the spear!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you get ¡®til you prove you can handle the sword,¡± Colt said. In truth, Miguel had progressed exceedingly well with his swordsmanship, but Colt had high standards that the young man had yet to meet. After that, Miguel only argued for a little longer before taking up the spear they¡¯d brought with them, then leaving the hotel¡¯smon room behind. For his part, Colt nced at the innkeeper, Agatha, and shrugged, saying, ¡°Kids, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have to tell me. My boys were a lot worse. At least he listens.¡± ¡°Most of the time,¡± Colt said with a chuckle as he leaned against the bar. Then, he reached up, intending to tip his hat to the elderly woman, but brought himself up short when he remembered that he still hadn¡¯t reced the one he¡¯d lost back in Easton. ¡°Say, you don¡¯t know of a decent haberdasher ¡®round here, do you?¡± ¡°Haberdasher?¡± ¡°Hat maker,¡± Colt exined. He gave her a tight smile, adding, ¡°I seem to¡¯ve misced my bo.¡± She answered, ¡°Old Markakis is your best bet. He¡¯s got a fair few hats. Not sure if he makes them, but he¡¯s a Tailor.¡± After she gave him directions, Colt said, ¡°Much obliged, ma¡¯am.¡± Then, he left the hotel behind. Vaguely, he was aware of Miguel following him for a bit, but eventually, he left the boy behind. As he walked through the town, Colt was amazed at how normal it all seemed. There were plenty of cultural differences from any other ce he¡¯d ever been, but aside from those, it was remarkably simr to his hometown back in Ohoma. Or, presumably, hundreds of other mid-sized towns throughout the world. Argos was too big to be considered a town, though. If he¡¯d had to guess, he would have said that it yed host to at least a hundred thousand people. Maybe more. That was how most towns were, from what he could tell. Anywhere that offered a modicum of safety attracted refugees like moths to a me. The settlements that didn¡¯t grow usually ended up getting overrun. This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Colt had seen plenty of evidence of that during their exile. And he suspected that more would fall everyday until everything normalized. But one thing was certain ¨C the world wasn¡¯t getting any safer, and humanity needed to take its own progression seriously or there would be another culling not dissimr from what had happened directly after Earth experienced the touch of the World Tree. For his part, Colt was lucky. He¡¯d always been a man of action. As a former soldier, he felt he was well-suited to the new world, and his lifelong fascination with the art of Bushido had served him well with his Warrior archetype and the Samurai ss that had followed. However, he hadn¡¯t had a purpose until he¡¯d reached Easton and found Alyssa. She¡¯d shown him the good people were capable of, and he¡¯d followed her willingly. After her death, he¡¯d pledged himself to Carmen. And now, she¡¯d be something of a little sister to him. After everything they¡¯d experienced together, they were practically family. But Colt knew that he needed to keep pushing forward. He was just outside the top one-hundred, but that could be said for thousands of people. Maybe tens of thousands. It was especially necessary because, like everyone else, he¡¯d gotten a notification a couple of months before:
Four years have passed since your (Earth) felt the transformative touch of the World Tree. In one year, the top five-thousand (5000) humans and top five-hundred (500) settlers will be afforded the opportunity to endure the Trial of Primacy. Participation is not mandatory, though it is encouraged. In one (1) year, present yourself at any Branch of the World Tree, and you will be teleported to the Trial Grounds. Prepare yourselves ordingly.
He had a little less than ten more months to ensure that he would be eligible to go, and he intended to use every day to aplish that goal. But first, he needed a proper hat. So, he followed Agatha¡¯s directions, eventually arriving at a small shop faced byrge windows that disyed a series of mannequins dressed in all thetest fashions. Colt wasn¡¯t in the market for clothes, but he could admire the cut of the two suits on disy. He adjusted his coat, then stepped inside, his entry announced by the tinkling of a bell. The interior of the shop was much as he would have expected. There were dozens of mannequins lining the wall, each one disying the Tailor¡¯s wares. Colt also saw a few tables upon which were folded cheaper, less formal clothing like tee-shirts and blue jeans. Though his senses told him that, despite their modern appearance, the pieces were not mundane. ¡°How might I help you?¡± came a nasally voice from the back of the room. Colt¡¯s eyes quickly found the owner, who was a short, thin, and bespectacled man with a mop of brown hair. ¡°I¡¯d be much obliged if you¡¯d point me to your finest hats,¡± Colt said with a crooked smile that he hoped was charming. ¡°Hats? I don¡¯t sell hats. Do you see any hats?¡± ¡°I do not,¡± Colt admitted. ¡°Bit new in town, if I¡¯m honest. I was told you were my best bet.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have any hats. Please leave.¡± ¡°Surely the finest Tailor in the city could make one, measly hat.¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t¡­wait, who said I was the finest Tailor in the city?¡± ¡°Everyone says so,¡± Colt stated. ¡°Perhaps I could be persuaded to take on a custom job,¡± Markakis said. Colt gave the man his warmest smile. Then, he retrieved a few silver coins from his pouch, saying, ¡°Will this be persuasion enough?¡± Markakis cleared his throat, then said, ¡°Yes. I believe it will. Tell me, Mr¡­¡± ¡°Colt.¡± ¡°Mr. Colt, tell me ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s just Colt. Ain¡¯t no Mister attached.¡± ¡°Right. Colt. Tell me what you require.¡± * * * Miguel sat on the stoop, idly petting Artemis. The cat had found him the moment he¡¯d left the inn, and she had followed him all the way to Isaak¡¯s house. Of course, the other young man wasn¡¯t around, which had thrown a bit of a wet nket on Miguel¡¯s ns to enlist Isaak¡¯s help in finding something interesting to do. So, without any other ideas, Miguel had sat on the stoop in an effort to figure things out. ¡°He lost me on purpose,¡± he said to the purring cat. The thing was the size of a Siberian husky, which made it the biggest cat Miguel had ever seen. However, the beast acted just like every other cat he¡¯d ever met. ¡°I know he did.¡± The cat purred in solidarity. Or probably because she enjoyed the attention. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have been able to if I had an archetype,¡± he went on. ¡°I saw the stuff Uncle Elijah could do, too. If I had those kinds of abilities, nobody would stop me from doing what I wanted.¡± But what did he want? That was a question that had gued him ever since he had met his uncle. Sure ¨C Elijah had visited years ago, but those memories were hazy. By contrast, everything that had happened since Seattle was extremely vivid. Elijah was one of the most powerful people in the world. Everyone said that he was at the top of the power rankings that Miguel had never seen. And he¡¯d gone to Easton and killed Roman. Nobody had said it outright, but Miguel could read between the lines. Elijah had set out to get revenge, and when he¡¯d returned, the results were obvious. That had robbed Miguel of purpose. For the entirety of their voyage across the wilderness, he¡¯d imagined himself making Roman pay for what he¡¯d done. He had dreamed of doing so in a thousand different ways, too. But now? That door was closed to him. So, where did that leave him? What purpose did he have? Colt always said that a man needed a purpose, and now, Miguel had none. He sighed, leaning back on the stoop, propping himself up with one elbow as he looked at the spear he held in his other hand. It wasn¡¯t even a Crude-Grade weapon, which meant that it was next to useless against anything with any degree of power. However, it did have a durability enchantment on it, so at least it wouldn¡¯t snap at the first sign of strain. ¡°Mom used a spear,¡± he said to the cat. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a good weapon. That¡¯s what Colt says. Better reach than a sword. Easier to use, too. It¡¯s what most armies used before guns and stuff. But it just doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± Or notpletely right, he had to amend. He enjoyed training with all sorts of weapons, but none of them had really grabbed ahold of him. Miguel was at least self-aware enough to recognize that much of the reason he wanted to use a sword was because Colt used one. Otherwise, he felt no real connection to the weapon. The same was true of spears and axes, daggers and bows. But he needed to learn to focus. Otherwise, he would never be a master with any particr weapon. Just as he was starting to get lost in thought, he heard a scream from nearby. Instinctively, he shot to his feet and looked around for the source. He saw nothing, but another shout gave him some direction. So, without further thought, he grabbed his spear and sprinted toward the sound. Book 4: Chapter 31: Alyssas Son Book 4: Chapter 31: Alyssa''s Son Miguel raced down the empty street, spear in hand, as he heard another scream emanate from within the alley ahead. He skidded to a stop, turning to see three burly young men surrounding a small figure curled on the ground. Thergest of the attackers aimed a kick at the victim, but he never had the chance to connect. Instead, Miguel barreled into him. To Miguel, it felt like he¡¯d just collided with a brick wall, but he was moving fast enough that he managed to send the unsuspecting young man stumbling into a nearby trash can. The impact sent garbage scattering across the alley. The would-be attacker tripped over the can, ending up sprawled on the trash strewn ground. Meanwhile, Miguel nted, then swept his spear around to trip the next nearest young man. Once again, it felt like he¡¯d hit a telephone pole, but the inertia of his swing knocked the feet out from under the young man. Finally, Miguel aimed a front-kick at the final assant, who turned out to be tall, rangy girl. The blow took her in the stomach, and she stumbled backward, gasping for air. Miguel set his feet over the fallen figure, then leveled his spear, shifting it from one opponent to the next. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he spat, the deadly de hovering only a few inches from the first bully¡¯s face. ¡°I swear to God, if you do what I think you¡¯re about to do, I¡¯ll rip out your throat. You¡¯re a Warrior, right? That means you probably have Heavy Blow active. That means you¡¯re getting ready to activate Shockwave. Don¡¯t. I¡¯ll kill you before it charges up.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t get us all,¡± said the girl. ¡°I¡¯ll roast you before you ¨C¡± ¡°That makes you a Sorcerer, then. Ethereal Bolt, right? You know how quickly I can impale you with this spear? Less than a second. I know because it wouldn¡¯t be my first time. Your little spell won¡¯t mean much when you¡¯ve got a foot of steel in your belly,¡± Miguel stated, his voice calm despite the hammering of his heartbeat. He flicked his eyes toward the young man who¡¯d been his second victim. He¡¯dnded hard, banging his head on the ground. It hadn¡¯t knocked him unconscious, but it had clearly dazed him. That meant he was a low-Constitution archetype. Probably a Ranger, but he could just as easily have been a nonbatant. Maybe one of the rare ones. Miguel didn¡¯t think he was a Healer, though. If he was, then he¡¯d have already mended his budding concussion. ¡°This doesn¡¯t have anything to do with you!¡± growled the Warrior.¡°Seems like it has plenty to do with me,¡± Miguel said, staying on the balls of his feet, just like he¡¯d been taught. It wasn¡¯t so different from when he¡¯d yed ser before Earth had been touched by the World Tree. He needed to be ready to move at the slightest provocation. ¡°I can¡¯t stand by and let you beat someone up three-on-one.¡± ¡°We got a hero over here,¡± said the girl with a snort. ¡°You think you¡¯re some kind of fairy tale knight? Prince Charming, maybe?¡± Miguel didn¡¯t rise to the taunt, instead keeping himself ready for battle. He didn¡¯t want to kill anyone, but if it came down to it, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate. While some of his sharp edges had been filed down over the past few months of rtive peace, the mindset that had seen him through the journey across the wilderness wasn¡¯t buried so deep that it wouldn¡¯t return at the slightest provocation. ¡°Just leave,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°Call it a draw. You go your way, I¡¯ll go mine.¡± ¡°That little bitch deserves to ¨C¡± Just then, a loud meow came from the head of the alley. Miguel¡¯s eyes flicked in that direction, and he almost grinned when he saw Artemis standing there. She didn¡¯t look particrly intimidating ¨C not to Miguel at least ¨C but he knew she was a deadly predator. Clearly, the trio of bullies knew that as well, because the moment theyid eyes on the giant Maine coon, they paled. ¡°W-what¡­the¡­is that your cat?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a friend,¡± Miguel said. ¡°Just leave. She won¡¯t attack. Not unless she has to.¡± That did the trick. The three bullies quickly regained their feet and raced out of the alley. Miguel found it amusing how they pressed their backs against the wall so they wouldn¡¯t have to get any closer to Artemis than absolutely necessary. Once they were gone, the cat sat and started grooming herself. She¡¯d never even made a threatening move, but the danger she represented was enough to send those bullies running. Elijah could do the same when he wanted. Sure ¨C he usually didn¡¯t, instead preferring to wear a friendly mask. But Miguel had seen a few shes of the man beneath. The same was true of Colt. And his mother. Both of them, really. Carmen was only a cksmith, but she was made of sterner stuff than most Warriors. That was what Miguel wanted. Not because he intended to bully people into submission, but rather because he knew he¡¯d need the power it represented. If he was strong enough, then nobody would dare mess with him or his family. Once he was sure the bullies were gone, Miguel finally turned around to get a good luck at the person he¡¯d saved. She was tiny ¨C well under a hundred pounds ¨C and looked like she was made of skin and bones. What¡¯s more, a good chunk of her ck hair had been ripped out, leaving only a bloody scalp behind, and most of the skin Miguel could see was purpled with bruising. He knelt beside her, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. They¡¯re gone.¡± Stolen novel; please report. Suddenly, her eyes opened, and she lunged at him. Miguel managed to fend her off, mostly because her outburst onlysted a second before her strength gave out. But even as she copsed to the ground, he knew he needed to help her. So, he tossed his spear aside, scooped her in his arms, and lifted. After that, Miguel turned and strode out of the alley. His burden wasn¡¯t particrly heavy, so he managed a decent enough pace as he headed toward the temple ¨C or monument ¨C Elijah had built for Alyssa. As he did, he got more than a few odd looks from the few people he passed along the way. He had no idea why none of them bothered to help, but he couldn¡¯t let that distract him. * * * With her eyes closed, Carmen ran her hand over the surface of the column, feeling for any imperfections. She didn¡¯t particrly care for working with stone, but she¡¯d taken to the project with gusto. After all, the entire building was meant to honor her wife. What sort of person would she be if she didn¡¯t give it her all? Idly, she nced toward the courtyard. There, Elijah sat cross-legged beside a sapling. It looked little different from any other juvenile oak tree she¡¯d ever seen. However, even she could feel the deeply powerful ethera coursing through its thin branches. Would it end up being a natural treasure? Or was it something else entirely? She had seen the other tree in Druid¡¯s Park, and she was very familiar with their progenitor in Elijah¡¯s grove. Yet, she still had difficulty understanding how they were all connected. But she knew they were. She could feel it as well as she could feel the enchantments in her own creations. And then there was the stone Elijah had found. Fittingly, given his core, it was called Dragonstone, and it seemed just as perfect for a monument meant tomemorate Alyssa¡¯s life. Sighing, she focused on the structure itself. The inner courtyard was lined with columns, which she had spent the past day carving. The two sculptors, Penelope and Iason, had initially objected to her participation, but then they had discovered her level. They¡¯de around pretty quickly after that, and Carmen had endeavored to justify their acquiescence ever since. She leaned in with her summoned chisel, continuing her work. The design was simple enough, meant to represent a dragon coiled around each column, but that simplicity didn¡¯t make it any easier to carve. Everything needed to be perfect, which necessitated a certain degree of focus. On top of that, she had to continuously re her technique, Imbue Enchantment the entire time. Otherwise, the product would suffer. More than once, she¡¯d wished the columns had been made of some sort of high-quality metal. It would have made for an inferior building, but it would have been much easier for her to work. ¡°Can¡¯t have everything, I suppose,¡± she mumbled to herself, continuing her exhausting work. Just as she¡¯d finished carving the scales on one coil, Carmen heard a disturbance near the entrance of the temple. Immediately, she cut off the ability and summoned her hammer. It wasn¡¯t meant to be a weapon of war, but her summoned cksmithing hammer did the job well enough that she hadn¡¯t bothered creating another weapon. After it manifested, she used Augment Weapons, and it burst into me. ¡°Just let me through!¡± she heard Miguel¡¯s voice. ¡°Uncle Elijah! I need your help!¡± Before Carmen could even respond, Elijah was moving. He raced across the courtyard, and when he hit the steps leading to the exit, his feet pped against the Dragonstone floor. Carmen followed close behind him, and when she saw her son, she let out a sigh of relief. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Carmen demanded as she closed in on the young man. He was holding a child in his arms. ¡°Set her down,¡± Elijah said, noticing what it took Carmen another moment to recognize. The child was battered and malnourished, and to a degree that pulled at Carmen¡¯s heartstrings. Elijah knelt beside her, thenid his hand on her shoulder. A secondter, she gasped, bolting upright. Or she tried to. Elijah¡¯s hand kept her in ce as he said, ¡°Stay still. I¡¯m not done healing you.¡± ¡°W-what¡­where am I? What is this ce?¡± she gasped in a surprisingly deep voice. It was still feminine, but the raspy sound seemed out of ce for such a young girl. ¡°Never mind that. How about you tell me what happened?¡± Elijah coaxed. ¡°She was getting beaten up by three people who had archetypes,¡± Miguel provided. ¡°I saw¡­and¡­well, I couldn¡¯t just let them keep going.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said. Carmen focused on the girl and asked, ¡°Why did they attack you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± the girl said, trying to rise. ¡°I just ¨C¡± ¡°Answer the question,¡± Elijah stated. He reached into his satchel and retrieved one of his miraculous berries. ¡°And I¡¯ll give you one of these.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t eat it all at once, or it¡¯ll knock you out,¡± Miguel supplied. ¡°Right. Low attributes,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°Better make it a half, then. That should be enough.¡± The girl clearly didn¡¯t know what to do, and her eyes flicked back and forth from Elijah to Miguel, then to Carmen and the pair of men who¡¯d been tasked with standing guard at the entrance. They were part of Dion¡¯s Builder crew, and they were meant to prevent any of the local poption from walking off with the valuable Dragonstone. ¡°I¡­I tried to take¡­uh¡­something that wasn¡¯t quite mine,¡± the girl admitted with a defeated sigh. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t my fault. They took it first.¡± ¡°Took what?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°My dad¡¯s ring. I told them it wasn¡¯t valuable, but they didn¡¯t care. They took everything else, too,¡± the girl breathed. ¡°It wasn¡¯t much. But if it¡¯s gone when my brother gets back¡­¡± ¡°Where is your brother?¡± ¡°Running the tower,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s an adventurer. He keeps saying that he¡¯s going to strike it rich, but I think he¡¯s just looking for a way out of Argos. He wants to get strong enough to go to a bigger city and¡­and¡­every time he leaves, people like Niks and Gabbye around. I tried to fight them, but¡­but I don¡¯t have an archetype yet. And¡­and¡­¡± By that point, she¡¯d started sobbing. Elijah awkwardly patted her on the head, saying, ¡°There, there.¡± ¡°Elijah.¡± ¡°What?¡± Carmen shook her head, saying, ¡°You¡¯re terrible at this. Are you done healing her?¡± ¡°Sure. She¡¯s pretty malnourished, though.¡± ¡°Well, give her the berry, then,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Then let me take over.¡± Elijah shrugged, saying, ¡°Be my guest. I have a tree to tend to anyway.¡± Then, he muttered something about trees being easier. Whatever the case, he handed the berry over, then left the area. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Carmen asked, helping the girl to her feet. She was skin and bones, evidence of the hard life she had led. Whoever her brother was, he had failed to do his job of providing for his sister. ¡°And where are your parents?¡± ¡°Dead.¡± ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Carmen said with a shake of her head. ¡°Happened a while ago,¡± the girl answered, her shoulders drooping dramatically. Then, without warning, she disappeared. It actually took Carmen a moment to recognize that she¡¯d used some sort of ability. And that the coin purse she kept tied to her belt was missing. ¡°What the¡­what the hell just happened?¡± she muttered. ¡°That was so cool,¡± Miguel breathed, looking around as if he was going to find the girl. But Carmen felt certain that she was long gone. How she¡¯d done it was a bit of a mystery ¨C clearly, she was a little more developed than she seemed ¨C but beyond that, Carmen had no idea what had happened. She sighed. ¡°That was definitely not cool,¡± she said. ¡°Not cool at all.¡± Book 4: Chapter 32: Completion Book 4: Chapter 32: Completion ¡°Better hope he doesn¡¯t find that little girl,¡± Elijah said with a shake of his head. ¡°That¡¯s trouble if I¡¯ve ever seen it.¡± ¡°Not really a little girl, is she? She¡¯s old enough to have an archetype. And a ss. None of the archetypes I know of have skills that help people steal,¡± Carmen said. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have been more than fourteen or fifteen,¡± Elijah countered. ¡°Plus, you saw her, right? I think little girl is an appropriate description.¡± After the thief had disappeared, Miguel had left the build site to hunt the girl down. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure if he was driven by admiration, attraction, or anger ¨C all three were valid emotions for the boy ¨C but he could tell that Miguel wasn¡¯t going to give up until he¡¯d searched every corner of Argos. It was almost endearing, how enthusiastically he¡¯d taken to his chosen task. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a Thief ss?¡± Carmen asked, standing beside Elijah and staring down the small hill upon which the would-be temple sat. ¡°That¡¯s kind of scary, if you think about it. People who specialize in taking things that don¡¯t belong to them? What if someone chose that ss just because it was the best they had avable? Are they doomed to go down that path?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°No. Everything I¡¯ve heard says that we get multiple chances to correct our progression,¡± he said. ¡°Like you, for instance. I¡¯d be willing to bet that you¡¯ll get a chance to evolve your cksmith ss into something else. Maybe a more generic crafter. You don¡¯t have to take it. There¡¯ll be more direct evolutions, too. But those are all meant to help you refine and customize your ss to something that fits what you want to be.¡± ¡°Interesting. You know, when we first started, I thought this system was kind of simple. But then I started to see just how many sses there were,¡± Carmen mused. ¡°Now, even those seemingly infinite sses will have multiple off-shoots. And I¡¯m guessing even more than that the higher people go.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not even considering Specializations,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about them, but I think that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to ask about the next time I get to a Branch.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one here,¡± Carmen reminded him.¡°But no Librarian. Looking for information in that Knowledge Base without any guidance is like¡­¡± ¡°Finding a needle in a haystack while blindfolded.¡± ¡°And wearing gloves,¡± Elijah added. ¡°With a time limit.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± he said with a chuckle. It felt good, just having a normal conversation that didn¡¯t revolve around Alyssa¡¯s death or what he¡¯d done in Valoria. It was almost normal. But in the back of his mind, his guilt continued to roil. Hopefully,pleting the temple ¨C because that was what it had turned out to be, regardless of his initial intention ¨C would help him move on. Because he knew just how unhealthy it was to constantly dwell on the past. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll be okay?¡± Carmen asked. Elijah didn¡¯t need her to specify the subject. In truth, he didn¡¯t know the answer to her question. The world was a dangerous ce, and one where even thepetent could fall at any given moment. Elijah intended to give his nephew every opportunity he could, though. ¡°I hope so,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to Nerthus about guiding Miggy¡¯s cultivation, at least for the first step. It¡¯ll take a lot of energy, especially if he¡¯s not Nature attuned. But he¡¯ll reach the first step in Body, Mind, and Soul cultivation before he gets a single level. The Core will be more difficult, and it¡¯ll take a lot of time.¡± Indeed, Elijah had skipped a step by having his Core advanced by the quest to rescue Sara the dragon. Most people had to engage in some variant of his current cycling. The first step was much easier than the second, but it was still a process that usually took months. On top of that, its efficacy would be much lower than his own Dragon Core ¨C unless a member of some other elder race descended and gave Miguel a simr opportunity, which didn¡¯t seem likely. He asked, ¡°How are you doing with cultivation?¡± Carmen shook her head. ¡°Poorly. My attunement is Creation. I haven¡¯t found an appropriate environment yet.¡± ¡°Have you thought about making one?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean, take this temple, for instance,¡± he said. ¡°You feel how thick the ethera is in here, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah. It feels a lot like your ind. Or more like Druid¡¯s Park.¡± ¡°But what if it didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Not following.¡± ¡°Imagine this. You get a bunch of this Dragonstone. Like, enough to build a whole smithy. You gather a ton of that metal Carissa and her dwarves are pulling out of that mine,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Then, you refine it all before building that forge. Something big and impressive, with all the best materials you can find. Put your stamp on everything. Enchant every block. Make it yours. I¡¯m willing to bet that will give you the environment you need to advance your cultivation.¡± Then, he added, ¡°Probably your apprentices, too.¡± He gestured to the half-finished building behind them. ¡°This ce is meant to be a monument to Alyssa. But what if it was dedicated to smithing? Crafting? I¡¯ve thought a lot about this, and I think that¡¯s how people normally do it. Like, if your attunement is Conflict, maybe you go to a battlefield. If it¡¯s Nature, you go to a natural treasure or something like my grove. That sort of thing.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Carmen was silent for a moment before she said, ¡°That makes a lot of sense.¡± Elijah grinned. ¡°I do that sometimes. Make sense, I mean. It¡¯s not just all crazy ramblings all the time for me,¡± he said. ¡°I can be serious, too. Once upon a time, I was a scientist, you know.¡± ¡°A bad one, from what I hear.¡± ¡°Well, yes. But I did do science. That has to count for something.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Do science? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the right way to say it.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It gets the point across. Anyway ¨C I need to get back to the tree. It¡¯s not quite at the point where it can thrive on its own,¡± he said. ¡°Plus, I want to make sure everything grows the way I want it to grow.¡± ¡°Can you guide it like that?¡± Carmen asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Sort of. I¡¯m getting better at controlling things,¡± he said. Indeed, his time spent in the courtyard hadn¡¯t been idly spent. In the past, he¡¯d simply sat in the middle of his grove and red Nature¡¯s Bounty as well as One with Nature. However, with the temple courtyard, he¡¯d chosen to experiment a little while he tried to encourage some aspects of growth while discouraging others. His inspiration was, of course, Nerthus. The spyrggen could guide growth in the grove right down to thest detail. It wasn¡¯t artificial like a man-made garden, but it certainly wasn¡¯t wild, either. Elijah felt that figuring all of that out was the key to understanding the nurturing aspect of his archetype. So far, his efforts in the temple had felt clumsy, but they had borne some small fruit as well. Of course, he knew he still had a long way to go, but so long as he made some progress, he was happy. With that in mind, hepleted his conversation with Carmen and returned to the courtyard. It looked very different than it had in the beginning. Instead of bare ground, it now sported thick grass, juvenile bushes, and vines ¨C which had sprouted from the seeds Elijah had gotten from Nerthus ¨C that had begun to snake around the finished columns. However, instead of hiding the results of Carmen¡¯s efforts, those vines entuated the serpentine nature of her carved dragons, making them look alive. But that was only the beginning. Elijah had taken more than a few cues from Nerthus¡¯ design sensibilities, and he¡¯d incorporated them into the project. Hopefully, it would turn out like the picture he held in his imagination. Or failing that, at least it woulde close. The tree in the center of the courtyard was only a sapling, but he knew from experience just how quickly it could grow to maturity. Eventually, it would tower above the building, covering the roof with its branches. But that would take months. Perhaps years. The ancestral tree in his grove hadn¡¯t reached that point until after he¡¯d made contact with Ironshore, and that was with the benefit of the thick ethera in the grove. The off-shoots would take longer. That was okay, though. Trees functioned on their own timelines, after all. So, Elijah paced around the courtyard, constantly ring his abilities as he physically guided the growth of the vines. In the past, he might have considered it tedious, but there was a certainfort in gardening that he¡¯d never before felt. Perhaps that was his archetype at work. Or his attunement. But it could just as easily be the personality changes he¡¯d experienced over the past few years. Some of that was prompted by Earth¡¯s transformation, but a lot could be chalked up to simple maturity. Back in Hawaii, he¡¯d yet to fully embrace adulthood. But he¡¯d grown quite a lot since then. ¡°Over thirty years old, and I¡¯m just now considering myself an adult,¡± he muttered to himself with a shake of his head. Like that, days passed. When he needed rest, Elijah slept. When he needed to eat, he descended into the city and found something delicious. At times, he reminisced with Carmen or spoke with Miguel about his future. He even got to know Colt, who seemed to have, at some point, picked up a truly impressive cowboy hat. It fit him well, especially with the armor Elijah had returned to him. But most of all, Elijah focused on guiding the courtyard¡¯s and the tree¡¯s growth. Meanwhile, Carmen bent the whole of her focus toward carving each of the columns. Sometimes, Elijah heard her muttering about enchantments and intent, but he only understood about half of what she said. And even that didn¡¯t make a lot of sense to him. Regardless, she seemedpletely engrossed in the project, which he considered a very good thing. And finally, Miguel continued to search for the little thief. On a few asions, Elijah noticed that the young man had picked up a few scrapes or bruises, but he¡¯d pointedly looked the other way on those asions. So did Carmen, recognizing that Miguel wasn¡¯t truly injured. More, she clearly knew that the search was good for him, even if she and Elijah both knew that it would likely end in frustration. Still, Elijah would only worry about that if it proved necessary. For now, Miguel wasn¡¯t in any real danger, so Elijah focused on his task. And slowly, things took shape. Even as Elijah and Carmen worked on courtyard, the Builders and Sculptors hammered the rest of the temple into shape. Once the structure itself was finished, they started working on the hill, creating a terraced slope through which a set of broad steps cut. Those terraces bore more flora, though not of the sort that Elijah would grow. Instead, thendscaping was mostly mundane, though Elijah did take a day or two to ensure that everything took root before returning to his true project. And after almost three weeks of work, once Carmen had finished her carvings, Elijah deemed the courtyard to be finished. With a sigh, he took a step back and looked everything over. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s done?¡± asked Carmen, standing next to him. Elijah closed his eyes and felt the ambient ethera. It was thick, though not nearly as dense as what he¡¯d find even in Ironshore. But that was predictable. Once the ancestral tree sapling connected to its progenitor, the ethera would grow denser. Either way, Elijah was more concerned with how it felt. There was plenty of nature there. But there was something else that he couldn¡¯t quite identify. Something that felt, forck of a better way to put it, like Alyssa. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on exactly what that meant, but he knew it to be true. ¡°I think so,¡± he said, opening his eyes. The moment the words left his mouth, a new notification shed before his inner eye. When he read it, he couldn¡¯t stop the sad smile from turning up the corners of his mouth. ¡°You got it, too, didn¡¯t you?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°This is what you had in mind, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is. She deserves it,¡± Elijah said. ¡°There¡¯s more to it, though. Now that the temple is finished, I intend to make an announcement to the people of Argos.¡± ¡°We should throw a party,¡± Carmen said. ¡°A feast. A huge banquet.¡± ¡°That was kind of what I had in mind,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Alyssa always hated parties, though.¡± Carmen shook her head. ¡°You didn¡¯t know her as well as you thought you did. Or maybe she just grew up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­fair. I wish I had spent more time with her. But ¨C¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for regrets,¡± Carmen said. ¡°This is a time for celebration. Of her life. Of what she stood for. That¡¯s what this is all about, right? Honoring the person she was. Don¡¯t let your regrets stain it.¡± Elijah wanted to argue that he had every right to give voice to his issues. However, it only took one look at the notification for him to swallow his selfish words. Instead, he just said, ¡°You¡¯re right. A party would be nice.¡± Book 4: Chapter 33: Dedication Book 4: Chapter 33: Dedication Elijah stepped up to the edge of the stairs and looked down at the crowd that had gathered at the base of the terraced hill. There were more than a thousand people present, many of whom were Argos¡¯ most influential leaders. The council was there, as were the most prominent merchants, tradespeople, and farmers. He cleared his throat, then once again nced at the notification he¡¯d received upon the temple¡¯spletion:
Congrattions! You have created a unique structure: [Temple of Virtue] Overall Grade: Complex Enchantment Grade: D
Temple of Virtue. A fitting name if Elijah had ever seen one. Certainly, that exemplified the life Alyssa had tried to lead. She was as moral a person as any Elijah had ever met, and she¡¯d died because she had refused to remain quiet while others suffered. She had stood for justice andpassion, which made the monument they¡¯d created in her honor feel appropriate. Finally, Elijah raised his voice, using his immense attributes to augment his voice, ¡°Thank you all foring. It means a lot to see so many people here.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I know none of you knew Alyssa, but I chose Argos for this temple because, in my experience, the people of this city exemplify the same traits she held dear. You treated me well even though I was a stranger, and when disaster struck, you banded together to help one another. My sister would have felt at home here, and so do I.¡± He looked from one face to another. Each and every person there had lost people. Everyone on Earth had. Whether it was family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers, few had managed to pass through the crucible that was Earth¡¯s transformation unscathed. So, they could all sympathize with his loss. As such, Elijah saw more than a few wet cheeks. ¡°But this temple isn¡¯t just about Alyssa. It¡¯s about everyone we¡¯ve lost. A celebration of their lives that will endure long after we¡¯re all gone,¡± Elijah went on. ¡°For now, though, let it be a ce of healing. From now on, I¡¯ll do everything I can to visit every four weeks, and I¡¯ll remain here for a day while I heal anyone whoes to this temple. I invite other Healers to do the same. There will be no charge. No donations epted. This is a service provided so that we can honor the friends and family we¡¯ve all lost.¡±Elijah pointed to the temple, adding, ¡°In there, we¡¯re all equal. I don¡¯t care about status, strength, or social standing. I won¡¯t ask questions how you were injured. I will simply heal you, and with a smile on my face. ¡°But for now, I will be hosting a celebration of my sister¡¯s life. Food. Music. A good time,¡± he went on. ¡°That¡¯s it. Let¡¯s have a party.¡± For a moment, no one responded, but thankfully, someone took pity on him and started pping. That turned into a smattering of apuse, which in turn fostered cheers. For his part, Elijah just sighed and nced at Carmen. ¡°Good speech,¡± she said. ¡°Up until the end, at least. How did you screw up telling people that you were paying for an enormous banquet? Usually, announcing that you¡¯re giving away food and alcohol for free gets a better response.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t like public speaking,¡± he said, which was true. The only reason he¡¯d agreed to speak at all was because he felt that he owed it to his sister. And because the people of Argos knew him. ¡°Was it really that bad?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t good,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°But it¡¯s fine. By the time people get into that alcohol you brought, nobody will remember your horrible speech.¡± ¡°Horrible? I thought you said it just wasn¡¯t good.¡± ¡°Horrible isn¡¯t good.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s implied that ¨C¡± ¡°It was eptable. Just leave it at that, Elijah.¡± Elijah sighed, but he chose not to press the point. Instead, he scanned the crowd. A few people had stepped forward to be healed, so he wasted no time before tending to them. Meanwhile, the rest of the crowd descended upon the town¡¯s central square, where all the food and alcohol Elijah had furnished had been set up. The food wasn¡¯t difficult. All he¡¯d had to do was spend a couple of days hunting, and he had enough meat to feed the entire town. It was amazing just how efficiently he could stalk and killrge prey animals, and in fact, it was so easy that he almost felt guilty about the act. The only sce was that he knew that nothing would go to waste. The alcohol had been a bit more difficult to source, and it had required him to teleport to the Moon de and meet with the Distiller in Valosta. He¡¯d proceeded to overpay for the man¡¯s entire stock of beer and whiskey. It had cost Elijah far more than he wanted to think about, but he knew better than most just how essential a little booze was for a decent party. Even with those efforts, it hadn¡¯t been enough, so he¡¯d also bought everything he could from Argos¡¯ local Brewers. They were low-level, and their products weren¡¯t great, but Elijah didn¡¯t think anyone would care so much, considering it was free. In addition, the locals chose to pitch in with a host of vegetables that rounded out the food offerings. A handful of people with cooking skills had offered their services as well, which held no small degree of importance. After all, without those skills, even the highest quality ingredients would bergely tasteless to anyone with a ss. This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience. Finally, Elijah had hired some people with Entertainer archetypes to y music in the square. It wasn¡¯t really to his taste, trending more toward twangy acoustic sets, but the upbeat music definitely gave the event a festive atmosphere. After healing the petitioners, Elijah and Carmen led a few of Argos¡¯ leaders through the temple, showing them the highlights. The first one they saw was the building itself, which still bore the signs of its inspiration. At the most basic level, it looked like an erged version of the Temple of Athena Nike, though the exterior columns had been decorated with fanciful carvings of noble warrior women. In addition, the pediment bore a relief sculpture of a winged angel fighting against a host of demons. The exterior carvings were all the products of Iason and Penelope, and though they¡¯d gone in a different direction than Elijah would have chosen, he couldn¡¯t argue with the effectiveness of their work. Bringing it all together was the huge statue at the peak of the roof. In a lot of ways, it looked like Alyssa. Or perhaps the idealized version of her that Elijah remembered. It had been based on the broken statue he¡¯d brought back from Valoria, though every aspect had been improved. From the material ¨C it was made of Dragonstone ¨C to the workmanship itself, it was a far superior piece, depicting an armored woman, armed with a spear and standing vigil over everything beneath her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really look like her,¡± Carmen said. ¡°But it still feels like her.¡± ¡°I know. I was just thinking the same thing,¡± Elijah said, looking up at the statue. ¡°Do you think she would have approved?¡± Carmen snorted. ¡°God, no. She would have been embarrassed by the kind of adtion that statue implies.¡± Elijah¡¯s heart briefly jumped into his throat, but then he let out a chuckle himself. ¡°Yeah. She would have been, wouldn¡¯t she?¡± he agreed. After that, they continued into the building, showing the Argos natives the series of rooms arranged throughout the temple. They were intended for healing, but they could be used for other purposes as well. Elijah hadn¡¯t thought too much about what those other purposes might end up being, but thankfully, no one put him on the spot by asking that most obvious of questions. Finally, they reached the open-air courtyard, which drew quite a few gasps. That was definitely satisfying, especially given how much work had gone into the project. The centerpiece was the ancestral tree, which had grown to a little over ten feet tall. It was barely more than a sapling, but even then, it radiated a sense of calm and power that could not be denied. Even if that was the end of the wonders, it would have been quite effective. However, it was only the beginning. Surrounding that juvenile tree was a carpet of clovers, broken up by periodic bushes from which blossomed aromatic flowers that gave the whole courtyard an exceedingly sweet smell. Elijah had intended to put a fountain in, but he hadn¡¯t really thought about it until the Builders had already finalized the structure. So, instead of forcing them to re-do their work, he¡¯d adjusted his ns. And the results were just as stunning as he¡¯d hoped, with the courtyard radiating unmatched serenity. However, what made the whole thing seem truly magical were the columns lining the square space. They were around twenty feet tall, and Carmen had carved each one with subtly different coiling dragons. More, Elijah had guided a series of vines to grow along the same pattern, giving the columns depth they otherwise would havecked. The final detail, though, was the one that pushed it to another level. From those vines sprouted gently glowing flowers ¨C the same kind that provided illumination in his and his sister-inw¡¯s treehouse ¨C casting the whole courtyard in ethereal light that made the Dragonstone columns look alive. ¡°This is unlike anything I have ever witnessed, my friend,¡± said Atticus. ¡°Beautiful,¡± agreed Agatha, and a chorus of simrments followed. ¡°Thank you. The Temple of Virtue will be open to anyone who wants to use it,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°But I¡¯ll say this ¨C if Ie back here and find that it has been vandalized in any way, I won¡¯t spare the perpetrators my wrath. I don¡¯t want to have to do that, so please, try to protect this ce when I¡¯m not here.¡± After that, the group of leaders all agreed to do just that. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure how they all knew just how dangerous he was, but they seemed to take his words very seriously. Either way, it wasn¡¯t long after that that everyone descended from the temple and headed to the town¡¯srge square to take part in the party. For a while, Elijah walked among them. He ate a little, drank a bit, and even danced. But as much as he wanted the festival to be a celebration of his sister¡¯s life ¨C and it was ¨C his heart wasn¡¯t really in it. He wanted to be happy, to remember all the good times he¡¯d shared with his sister, but the reality of it was that grief didn¡¯t always cooperate with those sorts of desires. So, he eventually found himself sitting on an isted bench, well away from all the rowdy merrymakers, and thinking about the past, the present, and the future. Until, via One with Nature, he felt a familiar presence nearby. He didn¡¯t even look up as he said, ¡°Hey there, Delh.¡± She didn¡¯t immediately respond. Instead, she just sat beside him, and for a while, remained silent. Out of the corner of his eye, Elijah saw that she¡¯d foregone her normal armor. Instead, she wore a simple pair of blue jeans and a tee-shirt. He wasn¡¯t sure which one he preferred. Perhaps the answer was that it didn¡¯t matter what she was wearing. She made anything look good. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked. Elijah considered making a joke. Or going off on some tangentden response. But for once, he marshaled his self-control and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe. Probably not.¡± ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Elijah leaned against the bench, tilting his head back with a sigh. ¡°Not really,¡± he admitted. ¡°There¡¯s not much to say. I¡¯m sad, and I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything I can do to change that. And I don¡¯t really want to, either. That¡¯s normal, right? I should be upset that my sister¡¯s dead.¡± Thest word was difficult to force out. It was like saying it aloud made it feel more real. Of course, he knew Alyssa wasn¡¯t just going to magically show up and tell everyone that she¡¯d never really been dead. But that wasn¡¯t how the world worked. Dead was dead. But grief and reason didn¡¯t always y well together. ¡°Being sad is normal, yes,¡± Delh said. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to go through it alone.¡± ¡°You know ¨C I kind of hoped that building that temple would make me feel better,¡± he said. ¡°Like, it would let me turn a corner and go back to normal. That¡¯s not how it works, though. I look at that thing, and even though I still believe in its purpose, it¡¯s just a reminder of what I¡¯ve lost. Of what Carmen has lost. And Miggy. ¡°What¡¯s even worse is that I¡¯ve been through all this before,¡± he went on, finally turning to face Delh. ¡°Like, I lost my parents a while back. I didn¡¯t react well to that, either. I hoped that maybe I learned my lesson. Practice is supposed to make perfect, right? I guess it just doesn¡¯t work that way with grief.¡± For her part, Delh could read the situation well enough that she didn¡¯t respond. Elijah didn¡¯t want someone to rationalize his feelings. He didn¡¯t want someone to make it better. He just needed someone to listen to it all. And Delh did. For more than an hour, Elijah just let off a stream-of-consciousness style rundown of everything on his mind. It ranged from grief to depression and back to hope, with everything in between. And to her credit, Delh listened. Eventually, Elijah pushed himself to his feet and said, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go for a long walk.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want toe back to my ce?¡± she asked. Elijah shook his head. ¡°Not that kind of night,¡± he said. Then, he shed a smile and added, ¡°Rain check, though. If you¡¯re lucky, I might even take you back to my magic ind one day.¡± Without another word, he padded away, his thoughts swirling with a myriad of emotions he didn¡¯t know what to do with. Book 4: Chapter 34: Become Useful Book 4: Chapter 34: Be Useful Miguel slipped between two revelers, keeping his hand on his dagger. He really wished he¡¯d brought his spear, but ording to his mother, that wasn¡¯t appropriate for a festival. As if half the people in the square weren¡¯t armed. Even Colt had his sword in the scabbard at his hip, and nobody had tried to convince him to leave the weapon back in the hotel room. As those thoughts shifted through his mind, Miguel¡¯s eyes flicked back and forth at the merrymakers. Most of Argos had turned out for the festival, which wasn¡¯t surprising, given the fact that there was free food avable. And alcohol, though Miguel didn¡¯t care about that. He¡¯d tasted beer a couple of times, and the taste had left him wondering why adults seemed so enamored with the stuff. The food did smell amazing, though, and Miguel¡¯s feet followed his nose to a table where a bunch of skewers were on offer. He took one, thanking the woman behind the table, and wandered away before she could make conversation. However, after taking his first bite, he very nearly turned around and went back for seconds. The skewer featured roasted pork and peppers, and it was one of the tastiest things he¡¯d ever eaten. The meat was juicy, the peppers were crisp, and everything had that something extra that Miguel could identify as the result of someone¡¯s use of a cooking skill. Still, he kept going, eating his meal as he went. Along the way, he watched the crowd of Argos residents. They all looked so happy. So content. Meanwhile, Miguel felt the opposite. He¡¯d thought that he¡¯d gotten over his mother¡¯s death, but the reality was that he¡¯d simply distracted himself from those feelings. Now, though, he had plenty of opportunity to examine his emotions, and that act had pushed him into a mncholy mood. He had to admit that part of it was due to the revelers themselves. He was old enough to recognize his mother¡¯s and uncle¡¯s intent. They wanted to celebrate Alyssa¡¯s life. Yet, Miguel found the party somewhat offensive, and he felt ¨C erroneously, he knew ¨C that the people were celebrating his mother¡¯s death. That was a big distinction, and one he couldn¡¯t really ignore, even if he knew it was an unfair assessment. After he¡¯d finished the skewer, Miguel found another table manned by the old innkeeper, Agatha. She waved him over and said, ¡°I have something special for you. Just wait.¡± Then, she reached under the table ¨C which wasden with fruit ¨C and retrieved a small, wrapped package. She handed it to Miguel. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Open,¡± Agatha answered with an impatient gesture. She grinned. ¡°It is good.¡±Miguel did as she asked, revealing a small, rectangr pastry. Upon inspection, he saw that it featured many kyyers, and it smelled of chocte. ¡°This looks amazing. What is it called?¡± he asked, genuinely interested. He hadn¡¯t had many opportunitiestely to eat sweets, so he wasn¡¯t going to waste one that presented itself so willingly. ¡°Chocte mascarpone bava,¡± she answered with a grin. ¡°Very rich. Very good. Eat.¡± Miguel nodded, then took a bite. Immediately, vors he thought he¡¯d forgotten burst in his mouth. It had been years since he¡¯d had chocte, but even then, he¡¯d never had anything like the bava. ¡°Oh my God,¡± he mumbled around the mouthful of key goodness. ¡°So good.¡± ¡°Yes. Very good,¡± she said, her grin widening. ¡°Send your uncle to me. I have more.¡± Miguel promised that he would, though he had no idea where Elijah was. Even if he did know of his uncle¡¯s whereabouts, he wasn¡¯t willing to go hunt him down ¨Crgely because, as he ate the bava, he saw a familiar figure slipping through the crowd. She was even shorter than him, and because of how thin she was, the girl looked even younger than he was. But she already had ess to her archetype, which meant that she was probably at least a year or so older. More importantly, Miguel had be a little obsessed with her, mostly due to the fact that he¡¯d saved her from being beaten, and she¡¯d repaid that kindness by stealing his mother¡¯s coin purse and disappearing. At the very least, Miguel thought he deserved an exnation. So, he bade farewell to Agatha, then started following the girl. As he did, he was careful to stay well back so as to keep her from noticing his presence. A few times, she nced in his direction, but he¡¯d managed to avoid her searching gaze by slipping behind one reveler or another. In the chaos of the festival, remaining unseen wasn¡¯t that difficult. So, over the next few minutes, he watched the girl as she made her way through the crowd, bumping into people every few steps. At first, Miguel didn¡¯t recognize what she was doing, but then he caught sight of a darting hand, and it dawned on him. She was working the crowd, stealing from people even as they celebrated his mother¡¯s life. It was galling. But it was also a little impressive. She was stealing from people, and right out in the open. That had to be difficult. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. A few times, Miguel thought he noticed her use a skill or spell, but he couldn¡¯t be sure. He had no idea what archetype she was, and it was obvious that she had a ss he¡¯d never encountered as well. Still, it was clear that she was using something to remain undetected. It was fascinating, watching her. And before he realized what he was doing, he¡¯d followed her from the square. The surrounding streets had plenty of traffic, which he used to his advantage as he continued to tail the girl. However, after around fifteen minutes, she led him into what was inly a bad part of town. Nowhere in Argos could truly be ssified as a slum. Yet, human nature seemed to dictate that some people would have it better than others, and those prosperous few didn¡¯t like to live next to the ones who struggled a little more. In Argos, the poorer part of town was characterized by less borate buildings that were far closer together. The streets were a little narrower, and the pedestrians were more shabbily dressed. Still, no one looked malnourished or overly dirty. Well, nobody but the girl Miguel was following. However, he¡¯d begun to suspect that she looked the way she did by design. Maybe she used her small stature to make people believe she was younger ¨C and less powerful ¨C than she was. Either way, Miguel continued to follow her until, atst, she entered an old warehouse that looked long abandoned. The building abutted the town¡¯s wall, and it was around fifty yards wide. Perhaps it had once been a true warehouse or a department store. Miguel had no idea, because it bore no signage or any other indication as to its nature, current or former. As Miguel leaned out from behind a building, studying the warehouse, he felt something press against his back. ¡°Don¡¯t move, kid,¡± came a gruff voice. Of course, Miguel moved. He dove forward, yanking his dagger from its sheath at his waist as he rolled to his feet. That¡¯s when he realized he was surrounded. Three figures, all of which wererger than he was, encircled him. Each one had weapons drawn. One wielded a sword, another a staff, and a third had leveled a wand in his direction. ¡°What do you want?¡± Miguel demanded. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Is this private property? I didn¡¯t see any signs.¡± ¡°Signs?¡± ¡°Like ¡®Beware of petty thugs¡¯ or something,¡± Miguel said. It took the sword-wielder a moment to wrap his mind around the obvious insult, and when he did, he snarled and stepped forward. ¡°Stop!¡± said the girl with the wand. ¡°We¡¯re not here to beat up little kids, no matter how smart their mouths are.¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± asked the fellow with the staff. ¡°Not our call. Let Zoe decide.¡± ¡°Zoe¡¯s not our leader,¡± said the one with the sword. ¡°You could just let me go.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying. Nobody¡¯s crossed any lines yet,¡± Miguel stated with some degree of false bravado. If it came down to a fight, he intended to put everything into an all-out attack so he might have a shot at escape. Because from the way these three moved, they had the benefit of enhanced attributes. That meant he had no chance in a fair fight. ¡°Come with us. I promise, nobody will hurt you, kid,¡± said the girl. Miguel bristled at being referred to as if he was a child, but he suppressed his anger. Did they know what he¡¯d been through? That he¡¯d killed monsters? That he had crossed the wilderness? No. If they did, they wouldn¡¯t dismiss him so easily. He held up his hands. ¡°Fine,¡± he said with forced affability. ¡°But I¡¯ll warn you right now. If you do anything to me, someone will make sure you pay.¡± ¡°Think you¡¯re some kind of big shot?¡± snorted the young man with the sword. He stepped forward, and before Miguel could react, he¡¯d snatched the dagger away. The sword-wielder only looked to be a couple of years older than Miguel, but those were important years. He was at least a foot taller, with a wispy mustache decorating his upper lip. Miguel nced at the other two. The one with the staff was a little shorter, though he looked to be at least fifty pounds heavier. And not with muscle. The girl was somewhere in between, though with a pleasant look about her. Whatever the case, they didn¡¯t look like hardened criminals. Hopefully, that impression would prove urate. Soon enough, they were escorting Miguel into the warehouse. Once inside, he saw that it was arge, open space, though there were a few crates piled on the other side of the expansive room. There, a familiar figure sat next to an etherealmp. As the trio guided Miguel closer, he saw a pile of coins scattered across a makeshift table made from an old door that stood atop a barrel. She looked up, then frowned. ¡°Seriously? Him? What are you doing here, kid?¡± she demanded. ¡°You know him?¡± asked the wand-wielding girl. ¡°He¡¯s the one who saved me from those idiots that jumped me the other day,¡± she answered. ¡°Him? He doesn¡¯t even have an archetype.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how he did it, but ¨C¡± ¡°Attributes aren¡¯t everything,¡± Miguel said. ¡°And you just disappeared. Are you a thief? Why did those guys attack you?¡± ¡°Just get him out of here,¡± said the thief. At her order, the two boys grabbed Miguel¡¯s arms. ¡°What? After I saved you? Come on!¡± Miguel demanded, fruitlessly attempting to escape. But their attributes were too high. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what,¡± she said, standing. ¡°Get an archetype. Maybe a ss. Thene back here, and I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know. But until then, you¡¯re just an annoying kid who happened to be in the right ce at the wrong time.¡± ¡°I saved you,¡± he spat. ¡°Thanks for that. But every good deed doesn¡¯t deserve a reward,¡± she said. Then, she nodded toward the door. As the two boys dragged Miguel away, he shouted, ¡°At least tell me your name!¡± ¡°Stop.¡± The two did. The girl approached. She still looked painfully thin, but at least she wasn¡¯t covered in bruises. ¡°Name¡¯s Zoe. Best thief in Argos. Probably the world,¡± she boasted. Then, she kissed her fingers before cing them on his lips. ¡°Come back and see me when you¡¯re useful.¡± Without another word, she turned on her heel and returned to her seat. As she did, the two boys dragged Miguel away. He¡¯d stopped resisting, stunned by her brazen actions. Even when they pushed him out the door and told him not toe back, he just stood there, staring forward. Eventually, though, he let out a long sigh and returned to the square. As he traversed the city, though, he could only think of the fact that he now had a goal. ¡°Be useful,¡± she¡¯d said. And Miguel intended to do just that. Book 4: Chapter 35: Moving On Book 4: Chapter 35: Moving On Elijahy on his back atop the temple, his head resting against the statue of his sister as he stared up at the night sky. When he¡¯d set the festival into motion, he¡¯d hoped it would help him move on. A celebration of Alyssa¡¯s life had seemed like such a good idea at the time. Yet, when the time came to actually participate in the party, the situation had left him sick to his stomach. The conversation with Delh had helped a little, but he¡¯d been in no mood to beforted. So, he¡¯d spent thest few hours wandering through the town. Most of the residents recognized him, so he¡¯d been forced to endure condolences, well-wishes, and overzealous invitations alike. It had gotten so onerous that he¡¯d had no choice but to return to the temple and retreat to where nobody else would find him. That was how he¡¯d found himself next to the Alyssa¡¯s statue. Up close, it didn¡¯t really look like her. Without any real examples, the sculptors had done what they could. But the resemnce was limited, though to Elijah, the tone of the piece was what was truly important. It felt like Alyssa, which was all he really cared about. As hey there, he felt someone standing below. When he realized who it was, Elijah levered himself upright, then leaped down to the ground. His attributes were high enough that such a fall wouldn¡¯t permanently hurt him, but the sudden stop he experienced uponnding was still a little jarring. He yed it off, asking, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you down there celebrating? I saw a few girls your age when I was walking through town. I¡¯m sure one of them would agree to dance if you asked.¡± Miguel didn¡¯t respond. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Elijah asked. The boy shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just ready to get my archetype, I guess,¡± he admitted. That surprised Elijah. He¡¯d expected the issue to revolve around Alyssa¡¯s death, so the answer offered by Miguel left him a little disconcerted.¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Miguel badly lied. ¡°I¡¯m just tired of being weak. If a level five attacked me right now, I couldn¡¯t do anything to stop them. I don¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯d be surprised. You could probably hold your own.¡± ¡°You know what I mean,¡± Miguel said, sitting on the top step of the stairs leading down to the town. ¡°Nobody messes with you. You walk around like you own the whole world. You can go ces even Colt is afraid to go. Like that swamp. Or the desert. Do you know how often we were attacked before we got to Seattle? Every day. Sometimes, every hour. But you just walk around without a care in the world.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not because I¡¯m strong. It¡¯s because¡­¡± Elijah trailed off. He¡¯d rarely considered how his archetype ¨C or perhaps his attunement ¨C affected his surroundings. But looking back, it was so obvious that being attuned to nature made the wildlife more amenable to his presence. Most of the time, they ignored him. Others clearly didn¡¯t have that benefit. ¡°I want to be like you,¡± Miguel said. ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You said that before. You said that your archetype is weak. But do you know how crazy that sounds? You¡¯re the strongest person in the world, and ¨C¡± ¡°I have the highest level. That doesn¡¯t make me the strongest,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°Levels aren¡¯t a gauge of power. They¡¯re a mark of progression, and not even the only one,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°There are three pirs of power. The first is levels. The second is cultivation. And the third is equipment. One isn¡¯t more important than the others.¡± ¡°So, a level one with great gear could beat you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But you said ¨C¡± ¡°Great gear is a part of the equation. I have good equipment. I have better cultivation than most. And I have high levels. You can¡¯t neglect one if you expect to be the best you can be.¡± That was a reminder that Elijah had done just that. He had a few good items, but he knew he could have been more diligent with his equipment. He didn¡¯t even have any proper armor. And while he didn¡¯t think he would ever run around in a full set of te mail, he knew that his oversight had put him at a disadvantage. The same was true with his staff, which was decent, but not ideal. He would have preferred to use something he made himself, but that was a time-consuming process that he¡¯d neglected because his priority was to kill Roman as quickly as possible. Now that his sister¡¯s murderer had paid for his crimes, Elijah needed to rethink his strategy. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. But first, he wanted to do something else. So, he reached out, offering his hand to Miguel. The young man took it, and Elijah helped his nephew to his feet. ¡°Come on. I want to show you something,¡± he said. ¡°Right now? At night?¡± ¡°Night isn¡¯t so scary, so long as you know what to expect,¡± Elijah said. Indeed, there was a certain peace that could only be experienced in the deepest part of the night. For Elijah, the darkness held no mystery. He could feel everything around him. But for others who had to worry about nocturnal predators ¨C of which there were plenty ¨C it was probably horrifying. ¡°Just trust me.¡± Then, Elijah led his nephew down the steps and through the city. Soon enough, they¡¯d passed through the gate and entered the forest. Elijah continued on for more than an hour until he reached a familiar spot. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Miguel, his voice low. ¡°You don¡¯t have to whisper.¡± ¡°O-oh. Yeah. So¡­uh¡­what is this ce?¡± he asked. Elijah looked around. The area didn¡¯t look much different than anywhere else in the forest. However, for Elijah, it held special meaning. It was there that he¡¯d chosen to help Isaak. It felt like a turning point for him. At the time, he¡¯d been warring with his actions against the hunters, and he knew that if he¡¯d taken a different route, if he hadn¡¯t healed Isaak and helped him in the Rift, he likely would have gone down apletely different road. It was one he didn¡¯t want to consider. Still, he exined what had happened, pulling no punches. He didn¡¯t sugarcoat what he¡¯d done to those hunters. Nor did he downy how conflicted he was about helping Isaak. ¡°I think I would¡¯ve be a monster,¡± he mused. ¡°I would have killed people without thought, and for no other reason than because they vited my personal code of ethics. I still might. That¡¯s what being me is like. I don¡¯t know if it was always in me, that violence. Or maybe it¡¯s my archetype influencing me. I think that¡¯s something that happens, but it could just as easily be my personality. My point is that once you get power, you need to use it responsibly. You can¡¯t just kill everyone you disagree with.¡± ¡°You do.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t. I¡¯ve restrained my instincts more often than you could know.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± asked Miguel. ¡°Honestly? Because you¡¯re a good listener who can¡¯t run away,¡± Elijah admitted with a chuckle. ¡°Plus, I think we¡¯re more alike than either of us knows. You feel it, don¡¯t you? That connection? It¡¯s why animals like you so much. I¡¯d be surprised if you didn¡¯t have a nature attunement, just like me.¡± ¡°You think so? Could I be a Druid, too?¡± ¡°Maybe. If that¡¯s what you want. But I¡¯ll only say this one more time ¨C most Druids aren¡¯t fighters. They tend to their groves, kind of like Nerthus. Or they heal people. Some help Farmers. I¡¯m the ck sheep of Druids, I think,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But I¡¯m constantly working against that unsuitability forbat. My ss helps. And I¡¯ll keep shifting my path toward battle. But it¡¯s a long journey, and if you¡¯re the fighter I think you are, you may want to consider a different route.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Miguel said, incapable of hiding his disappointment. ¡°You know what? How about I get a guide about sses avable for people with nature attunements?¡± he suggested. There were a thousand other things he would have preferred to research, but they were of much less importancepared to preparing Miguel for the most important decision in his life. ¡°We could figure out what to expect. That way, you can go into it with your eyes wide open.¡± ¡°I¡­I would like that,¡± Miguel said. ¡°That settles it. I¡¯ll fly to Arvandor soon. They owe me a question,¡± he said. After that, he and Miguel continued to discuss the topic, and though it was entirely spective in nature, it was an interesting conversation. Finally, Miguel asked, ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± ¡°I need to get some more levels,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°And I need to familiarize myself with an ability I got recently. The Trial of Primacy ising up, and I feel pretty sure that I¡¯ll need to be at my best if I want to survive.¡± ¡°What then?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I have no idea. I want to keep exploring the world. Helping people is nice, too,¡± he said. ¡°I want to keep progressing. Maybe visit other worlds.¡± He let out a small chuckle and shook his head. ¡°Visit other worlds. That would¡¯ve sounded crazy even a few years ago. But now? It¡¯s a real possibility. Did you know there¡¯s a ce called the Empire of Scale? It¡¯s ruled by dragons. Do you realize how insane that is?¡± ¡°You can transform into a giant scaled sasquatch monster. Dragons doesn¡¯t seem that weird.¡± Elijah was about to refute that im, but then he realized that Miguel was right. He¡¯d internalized his ability to transform to such an extent that it didn¡¯t even seem odd anymore. However, upon a few seconds¡¯ worth of introspection, he recognized just how magical it must have seemed from everyone else¡¯s perspective. After all, he¡¯d yet to find anyone else who could shapeshift. That didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t out there, but it did suggest that it was an umon ability, at least at their current stage. Perhaps it would grow moremon in the future, though. ¡°What about us?¡± asked Miguel. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Are you just going to leave us behind?¡± ¡°What? No!¡± Elijah insisted. ¡°I intend to help you find your path. And your mom and I have been talking about her next project. She¡¯s about to set down roots in Ironshore. I don¡¯t know whates next, but whatever it is, we¡¯ll confront it as a family.¡± ¡°Except for the Trial of Primacy. That requires you to leave, right? I heard mom talking about it¡­¡± ¡°Nerthus will be here to take care of you and your mom.¡± Elijah had already spoken to Carmen about it, and she had been adamant that, despite the fact that she¡¯d earned a spot, she had no intention of participating in the Trial. She¡¯d had enough adventure for two lifetimes. ¡°I guess,¡± Miguel said. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started, then,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Here?¡± asked Miguel, looking around nervously. He clearly wasn¡¯tfortable in the woods at night. That was probably a good attitude to have, given the inherently dangerous wilderness. ¡°Yes, here. Sit.¡± Miguel did, crossing his legs. ¡°Now, close your eyes. Good. Listen. Feel. Have you ever meditated before?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Colt¡¯s been teaching me a little.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Focus on that, then,¡± Elijah said. As he sat in front of his nephew, he red One with Nature and Nature¡¯s Bounty. ¡°Do you feel anything different?¡± Migue didn¡¯t speak for a moment, but then, he let out a disappointed sigh. ¡°No. Nothing. Just a little cold.¡± ¡°Keep trying,¡± Elijah ordered. He had no idea if it was even possible for someone without an archetype to sense the underlying structure of nature, but if it was, he intended for Miguel to do it. Perhaps then he¡¯d be a step ahead once he began the path of his own progression. Book 4: Chapter 36: The Tower Book 4: Chapter 36: The Tower Elijah ducked under the long arm of the sasquatch, following that up with a vicious uppercut from his staff. The blow connected with the monster¡¯s chin, and the impact sent the huge creature flipping backward. Elijah spun, and before the first sasquatch hit the ground, he¡¯d already aimed Storm¡¯s Fury at thest monster in the pack. It was busy trying to extricate itself from the thorny vines that had encased its legs, so it never got the chance to react to the thick bolt of blue lightning that descended from above. It hit the monster square in the chest, sending it into convulsions. Meanwhile, Elijah could sense the first creature picking itself up from the ground, so he wheeled around, leaped high into the air, and brought the Dragon-Touched Staff down on the thing¡¯s overge head. The sound of cracking bone filled the air as Elijah brough his enhanced Strength to bear, shattering the monster¡¯s skull. It spasmed, but it didn¡¯t immediately die. Instead, a seizure gripped the creature, and it windmilled its arms. That took Elijah by surprise, and one of its thick limbs knocked his feet out from under him. As he fell, he tried to right himself, but it was useless. He ended up copsing atop the monster¡¯s bulging chest, and the smell of wet fur filled his nostrils. But more distressingly, the other sasquatch had recovered from the lightning-induced spasm and was well on its way to freeing itself from Elijah¡¯s Snaring Roots. He rolled free of the dying sasquatch just in time to see the other dashing in his direction. Elijah had very little leverage, but still, he managed to throw himself across the ground and avoid the worst of the monster¡¯s charge. Even so, he took a vicious kick in the leg that sent him spinning around like a top. His motion only ceased when he rammed into the maze¡¯s wall with a thud. His head spun, but he kept his wits about him enough to remember to cast Soothe. Then, as his thoughts sharpened, he kicked off the wall and charged the remaining sasquatch. Once again, his staff arced out, this time, colliding with the monster¡¯s shin. The creature saw iting, so the blow didn¡¯t sweep its leg out from under it, but it still elicited a slight stumble. Elijah pounced on that small opening, jabbing the other end of his staff into the monster¡¯s stomach, then following that up with a blisteringly fastbo that cracked bones in its ribs. The monster howled in pain,shing out. However, with Soothe coursing through him, Elijah didn¡¯t bother ying it safe. Instead, he bulled his way into the sasquatch, knocking it further off-bnce with a shoulder tackle. Then, he stomped on the thing¡¯s instep before dipping low, grabbing its nt leg, then lifting. The move sent the monster toppling over his back, where itnded in a heaping sprawl of too-long arms and legs. Elijah leaped upon the opportunity that represented, pelting the creature with one attack after another until hended a series of attacks on its skull, cracking it just like he had the previous creature¡¯s. Then, atst, the area went quiet, save for Elijah¡¯s panting breaths. Despite his sess, it had not gone nearly as well as he¡¯d hoped. For one, he¡¯d been forced to heal, which was one of the restrictions he¡¯d imposed upon himself. For another, his staff-work was sloppy, and he still failed to truly incorporate his spells into his fighting style. His casting speed was just too slow to be instant, which meant that each time he wanted to use a spell, he was forced to pause for at least a second or two. ¡°Still a long way to go,¡± he muttered to himself, looking around at the fallen sasquatches. He¡¯d been in the tower for a little more than a week, and in that time, he¡¯d quickly discovered that it was too easy to challenge him. The first level was easy enough the first time through, and it was even easier now that he knew precisely how to get the most out of it. Even killing the goblins hadn¡¯t taxed him, though he¡¯d noticed that they were a far higher level than thest time he¡¯de through the tower. The Sea of Sorrows had been the most challenging, but it wasn¡¯t even as difficult as his first time through. However, traversing the seafloor had given him an idea of how to make things even more difficult. A handicap meant to even the odds and push him to his limits. So, since then, he¡¯d remained in his human form, only using his healing spells when absolutely necessary. And his growth had been incredible. Not in terms of levels, though he¡¯d made some progress there as well. Rather, his true gains had to do with his fighting style. For some time, he¡¯d made a concerted effort in learning to use his staves properly, but that had just been training. Real fighting had forced those lessons to coalesce into a practical fighting style. Yet, as he¡¯d just said, he still had a long way to go. That was one of the reasons he¡¯d entered the tower in the first ce, and in that endeavor, it had been a sess. The other reason was less productive. He had hoped that challenging the tower would give him an opportunity to determine his path going forward, but he still had no idea what to do next. After spending another week in Argos, he and his family had returned to the ind. There, Elijah had spent a few days doing next to nothing before finally deciding to enter the tower. He told himself it was so that he could continue to progress, but in reality, it was a stalling tactic. He had plenty on his te. He knew that. But after Valoria and Argos, he was having difficulty mustering the motivation to do any of the things he knew he needed to do. It was easy enough to say that he wanted to prepare for the Trial of Primacy, but it was something else altogether to actually do so. He¡¯d hoped the run through the Keledge Tower would put him on the right track. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. But now that he was close topleting it ¨C he¡¯d already killed the root raptors, and after taking care of the sasquatch camp, there was nothing really left ¨C he was back at square one. At least he¡¯d gotten a few rewards along the way. The first was a wicked looking axe called a Polished Obsidian Hatchet that felt like it was at least Simple-Grade. The second was a pair of Sealskin Slippers that were decently graded as well. He hoped that his performance would him something good when he finally left the tower behind. However, the most overtly beneficial aspect of the tower run was the fact that he¡¯d gained two more levels, pushing him to level eighty-three. He knew it should have been more, but apparently, running the same towers over and over againted less experience each time. Eventually, the amount of experience would level out ¨C at least ording to Kurik ¨C but that wasn¡¯t until at least the twentieth run. That told Elijah just how difficult leveling was going to be. The whole system seemed to reward exploration, and it was easy to imagine going from one tower to another just to keep the experience rewards high. Perhaps that would be an advantage for him. After all, he was more mobile than most, what with Shape of the Sky as well as his ability to teleport across great distances. With that in mind, Elijah progressed through the maze. The various tower challengers from Ironshore had gone to great lengths in order to map it out, and Elijah had acquired one of those maps before heading inside. It was invaluable, and it had made the level much easier than either of the other two times he¡¯d challenged it. Still, there were a few stray root raptors out and about, so Elijah dealt with them along the way. Eventually, though, he reached the exit.
Congrattions! You havepleted Level Three of Keledge Tower. Grade: A To exit the tower, step through the portal.
Satisfied with his grade, he reached down and retrieved his reward from the silver box that had manifested at his feet. And for a long moment, he just stared at the item, which turned out to be a b of rough wood. He nced at the notification:
Reward forpleting Level Three of Keledge Tower: Bark of the Mother Tree
Unsure of what to do with it, Elijah shoved it into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and stepped through the exit. A momentter, he found himself swimming toward the surface. When he crested the waves, he leaped free, transforming via Shape of the Sky, and flew toward the grove. He still hadn¡¯t quite gotten the hang ofnding, but at least he didn¡¯t break anything this time. Predictably, no one else was around. Miguel was off traipsing through the wilderness with Kurik, while Carmen and Colt were in Ironshore. That left him all alone in the grove. Except for Nerthus, of course. So, Elijah crossed the grove and found the spryggent tending to a stand of bushes. Once he reached Nerthus, Elijah asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± That elicited an excited exnation from the spryggent about how those particr bushes would increase the ethera density in the grove by as much as three-tenths of a percent while also emitting a pleasant smell. It was nice to see Nerthus so happy that it almost made Elijah forget his own issues. Finally, he retrieved the b of wood from his satchel and showed it to his friend. ¡°Any idea what this is for? It¡¯s called Bark of the Mother Tree.¡± ¡°Where did you get this?¡± demanded Nerthus. ¡°Uh¡­reward from the tower. Why?¡± ¡°A mother tree is nearly as sacred as an ancestral tree,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°They grow muchrger, though they are not nearly as spiritual. Their bark is prized for its durability, though. In most ces, that piece of bark is as good as a natural treasure. Perhaps better, for some applications.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Elijah looked at the piece. It was perhaps three feet wide, and maybe a foot longer than that. So, he couldn¡¯t use it for a staff. And even if he could, it just felt wrong in a way he couldn¡¯t quite articte. Perhaps it was because it hadn¡¯te from his grove. Whatever the case, he expected that Carmen could give him some advice on what to do with it. Next, he showed Nerthus the other rewards he¡¯d gotten, but the spryggent wasn¡¯t terribly interested in them. If it didn¡¯t have to do with the grove or trees, Nerthus just couldn¡¯t be bothered to care. So, once he¡¯d finished catching up with the keeper of his grove, Elijah once again adopted Shape of the Sky, thenunched himself toward the clouds above. In seconds, he was hundreds of feet into the air and staring toward the open ocean. Without Eyes of the Eagle active, he could only barely see the dark smudge on the horizon, but he knew it was there all the same. For a moment, he circled his ind, hesitant to give in to his adventurous spirit. He had so many other things he should have been doing that simple exploration felt like a bit of a waste. However, most of his best memories hade on the heels of wanderlust, and he was desperately curious what sort of storm would be visible from so far away. So, without further hesitation, he pped his wings and sped toward the tempest. He raced across the sky, keeping an eye on his destination as well as the waves below. Down there, he could see shadows of enormous sea creatures, though their true nature was obscured by the ocean water. Were they whales? Sea monsters from myth? Perhaps there was even a kraken down there. But for now, Elijah was more concerned with what was in front of him. As he sped toward the storm, he became increasingly worried. The clouds roiled, dark and ominous, and lightning shed. The height of the waves beneath him steadily increased until it was like Elijah was looking down at an oceanic mountain range with towering peaks and deep valleys. And by his estimation, the storm was still more than a hundred miles away. He pushed on, both eager and more than a little frightened. And in his mental state, where he¡¯d felt more than a little apathetic ever since he¡¯d left Argos, that jolt of adrenaline only served to spur him forward. Book 4: Chapter 37: The Storm Book 4: Chapter 37: The Storm Wind whipped against Elijah¡¯s wings, threatening to send him plummeting to the roiling sea below. However, he¡¯d spent enough time practicing flight to adjust ordingly. Still, he knew that if he got much closer, he¡¯d be in danger of being tossed from the sky. But he kept going. The enormous storm was still at least fifty miles away, but it stretched from one end of the horizon to another, looking like an enormous, ck wall. Periodically, lightning arced through it, illuminating those swirling clouds, but that only made the sight that much more ominous. Because there were things in there. Elijah could only see shapes and shadows, but what he could see was enough to make any sane person turn around. Huge forms slithered from one end to another, putting him in mind of flying serpents. But there were other, much smaller shapes as well ¨C and those were even more concerning, because they didn¡¯t confine their movements to the clouds. More importantly, as Elijah drew closer, he recognized them. It had been more than four years since his ne had been ripped to pieces by some sort of giant bird, but Elijah knew he¡¯d never forget that brief glimpse he¡¯d experienced as he fell toward the ocean. And that memory confirmed that he now beheld the same species. And there were hundreds of them, all riding the wind like fish swimming through the ocean. Elijah could only hope that, one day, he could emte their grace. At least that was the most pervasive thought in his mind right up until he felt something rocket into range of One with Nature. That brief warning was barely enough to allow him to tuck his wings close to his body and begin a dive that narrowly let him avoid the outstretched talons of one of those immense birds. Elijah nced up to see a mass of te grey feathers. The thing¡¯s wingspan was more than twice Elijah¡¯s own, and its talons wererger than his entire torso. More importantly, he could see light glinting off those feathers, implying that they were metallic. So were its ws and beak, though that was as much as Elijah saw before the thing wheeled around and began another attack.He dove, gaining speed with every foot of lost altitude, but the huge raptor had gravity on its side as well. The towering waves drew ever closer, and the wind threatened to rip Elijah to pieces. Yet, he waited until the veryst second ¨C when he was only a few feet above the water ¨C to throw his wings out wide and level out. He glided through the trough between two waves, and over the wind, he heard a loud ssh as his pursuer hit the water. But Elijah¡¯s victory was short-lived, as a momentter, with a few furious ps of its great wings, the creature threw itself back into the air. Thankfully, though, Elijah¡¯s maneuver had bought him a little time, and he used that to great advantage as he stuck dangerously close to the sea¡¯s surface. He kept just ahead of the giant bird, though the thing was clearly bigger, faster, and more coordinated than he was, so it was only a matter of time before it caught him. So, Elijah reluctantly pushed his adventurous spirit aside and turned his thoughts toward escape. He¡¯d just begun to speed back toward his ind when another bird appeared. Then another. Before Elijah knew what was going on, he was surrounded by a flock of those feathery monsters. Desperately, he dodged one while pping his wings to gain altitude in order to avoid another darting attack that would have ripped him to pieces. He used every point of his Dexterity attribute to his advantage, and for the first time, he truly let his instincts take over. And it was glorious. For a few scant seconds, Elijah was untouchable. Even as a dozen birds the size of fighter jets attacked, he twirled, climbed, and dodged. But it couldn¡¯tst. There were too many. And they were far too skilled. Elijah knew that, but he was too caught up in the high brought on by his avian instincts to heed the warning in his mind. And in the end, it cost him. It was a small mistake ¨C barely a few inches off in one of his maneuvers ¨C but it was enough to allow one of the raptors to clip Elijah¡¯s wing. That, in turn, slowed him just enough that he couldn¡¯t avoid the next attack. Or the next one after that. Even as they ripped him to shreds, Elijah shifted back into his human form, intending to use Roots of the World Tree to teleport back to his ind. However, two things prevented that. First, the concentration necessary to cast that spell was impossible in his current situation. And second, he didn¡¯t have time, because the moment his bodypleted the transformation, he was whisked away by a strong gust of wind. Then another took him in the opposite direction. Over and over, the swirling winds pushed him back and forth. The erratic nature of his fall was the only thing that saved him from the birds, though they still got in a few good hits, even if they failed to snatch him up into their enormous talons. The wind also served to slow his fall just enough that when he hit the water, he didn¡¯t do so with terminal velocity. It still hurt, but he managed to avoid breaking anything terribly important. Only a few ribs and what felt like a small fracture in his ankle. More distressingly, just because he¡¯d fallen into the sea didn¡¯t mean he was out of the proverbial woods. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. Indeed, there were three issues with his current predicament. First, the birds had already proven they had precisely zero problems with diving into the ocean to get to their prey, and it was only a matter of seconds before they resumed their assault. Second, the rolling waves were the size of skyscrapers, which was enough to strike fear even into his heart. Facing down monsters was one thing. But looking up at a wall of seawater was something else entirely. And finally, he could sense gargantuan beasts swimming beneath him as well. Elijah didn¡¯t think he was lucky enough that they would prove peaceful. So, he furiously cast Roots of the World Tree, hoping toplete it before the myriad dangers of his circumstances asserted their im on his life. But as he¡¯d expected, he just didn¡¯t have enough time to finish the cast before one of the birds came screaming down out of the sky. Elijah dove, twisting and pushing himself through the water as quickly as he could manage. It wasn¡¯t enough, though. The bird hit the water like a missile, the shockwave alone enough to stun him. And when its talons wrapped around his waist, Elijah knew he had no choice but to act, and decisively so. He initiated the much quicker transformation into themer ape form, and the second itpleted, he let out a roar and mmed his fists into the bird¡¯s talons. It screeched, and by reflex ¨C or perhaps because Elijah¡¯s blow had broken some bones ¨C it released him. By that point, the creature had already climbed dozens of feet into the air, and when Elijah fell, he did so in such a way that he was mmed by one of the massive waves as it rolled past. It was like getting hit by a moving brick wall, and for a moment, Elijah was disoriented. However, because he still had the Ring of Aquatic Travel equipped, at least he didn¡¯t have to breathe. More importantly, the birds seemed to have either written him off or decided he wasn¡¯t worth the trouble, because when he finally surfaced, they¡¯d begun to fly away. For Elijah¡¯s part, he had more important issues on his mind. Because there was something speeding toward him from the depths. And it was enormous. Elijah braced himself for another fight, but it was one that never manifested. A dolphin the size of a mini-van burst through the water, did a somersault, then dove back into the side of the wave. Then, it returned and, before Elijah could react, started nudging him away from the storm. It wasn¡¯t until a few momentster that Elijah made the connection. There were many instances of dolphins having saved humans in the pre-World Tree past, and it seemed that this mutated version hadn¡¯tpletely discarded those instincts. On top of that, Elijah¡¯s experiences suggested an exnation for how he¡¯d survived the ne crash four-plus years before. After all, he¡¯d fallen from an altitude of thousands of feet. There was no way that, in his condition at the time, he should have lived through such a fall. Yet he had. That led him to believe that, perhaps, his fall had been arrested by the chaotic gusts of wind. Then, maybe he¡¯d been saved by a dolphin or some other helpful beast. Strange things had happened, and given his nature attunement, that seemed a far better exnation than a one-in-a-billion chance that he¡¯d fallen in just such a way to avoid having all of his bones broken and then miraculously drifted hundreds of miles to the ind. Or maybe he was just grasping at straws. Either way, the exnation was good enough for him. Not that it mattered overmuch. The past was the past, and though he was grateful for his own survival, he didn¡¯t have the leeway to give it much thought. Once the dolphin had guided him a couple of miles away from where he¡¯d been attacked, Elijah managed to say, ¡°You probably can¡¯t even understand me, can you? Well, on the off chance that you can, thank you.¡± The dolphin did not answer. Because it was a dolphin. In any case, the creature seemed to sense that Elijah was out of danger, so it gave him onest nudge, then dove beneath the waves. After that, Elijah finallypleted his cast of Roots of the World Tree, teleporting back to his grove. Once he was back on solid ground, he fell to his knees and vomited a gallon of seawater. Of course, that brought Nerthus¡¯ ire as well as an exnation for how bad saltwater was for nts. Elijah didn¡¯t need the spryggent¡¯s admonishment, but as he copsed onto his back, he gratefully endured it. Because his brush with death had banished the thread of apathy from his heart. He had a lot to do before the Trial of Primacy, and he couldn¡¯t afford to waste more time challenging the tower. So, after lying there for a few minutes, Elijah pushed himself to a sitting position and looked inward. For the past months, each time he¡¯d had a few extra minutes, he¡¯d spent it cycling his core. However, just because he had plenty of practice didn¡¯t make the process any easier. At times in the past, he¡¯d likened it to having his spirit waterboarded. But he persisted, and he managed three cycles ¨C each one like trying to stir msses ¨C before he felt Carmen arrive on the ind. More and more, she spent her nights in Ironshore, presumably working. When she returned to the grove, Elijah opened his eyes and said, ¡°You¡¯re quite a workaholic. Working on a new project?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± she admitted, holding out her hand. Elijah took it, and she hauled him to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m preparing to start that project you suggested back in Argos. Right now, I¡¯m just calling it The Forge. A bit early to start naming things, considering we haven¡¯t evenid the foundation yet. But it feels right.¡± ¡°What kind of preparations do you have to make?¡± Elijah asked. To answer that question, Carmen eagerly exined that they were currently gathering enough blood tin ¨C which was the ore they¡¯d found in the mines ¨C for the structure, but also for any tools they might need. ¡°It¡¯s all going to work together,¡± Carmen said. ¡°It has to. I¡¯m also going to need some help getting enough of that Dragonstone back here. It¡¯s the most powerful stone I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°Just let me know when, and I¡¯ll help. It just needs to be done soon, because I have a promise to keep back in Seattle,¡± he said. Then, after a second, he reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and pulled the Bark of the Mother Tree out. As he did, he said, ¡°Oh ¨C I also got this from the tower.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°That good?¡± he asked as Carmen took it. ¡°Can I buy this from you?¡± she asked without answering his question. ¡°You can have it. What do you have nned?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she answered. ¡°Something for Miggy, though. It feels like him. Like you, too, but you don¡¯t need anything I can make.¡± Elijah said, ¡°That¡¯s probably true.¡± He¡¯d rather Miguel have something special than to take it for himself. After that, he discussed his ns with Carmen. She only made a fewments, but she did ask a couple of poignant questions that helped him solidify his intentions. So, once the conversation was over, Elijah felt a lot better about the future. Book 4: Chapter 38: An Issue of Transportation Book 4: Chapter 38: An Issue of Transportation For the first time sincepleting the Temple of Virtue in Argos, Elijah awoke with a sense of purpose. Nearly dying to a few overgrown birds was enough to cement his need to grow stronger. After all, if he couldn¡¯t protect his family and his grove ¨C or guide Miguel ¨C then what did his position atop the power rankings really mean? It was just a number on a list. Power was meaningless if it didn¡¯t have a purpose. So, Elijah pushed himself out of his mossy bed and thrust his arms toward the flowery ceiling as he stretched. He didn¡¯t really need it. His Regeneration was so high that his every muscle was in peak condition at all times. Yet, old habits tended to a die a slow death, and he¡¯d yet to move so far from his humanity that he could neglect something as simple loosening tight muscles. Nor could he neglect his dder, so after he took care of that, he headed to his kitchen and gathered the ingredients for tea. As he did, he turned his attention to the coffee trees within his grove. They were finally ready for harvest, but there were many steps he needed to take before he could enjoy the fruits of their growth. At the same time, he was aware that Carmen had risen as well, so he gathered enough ingredients for a second mug of tea. By the time it was ready, Carmen had descended from her own treehouse and was crossing the grove. That¡¯s where Elijah met her. As he offered her the steaming mug, he said, ¡°Good morning.¡± She let out a sigh, then shook her head. ¡°Sometimes I wonder how we made it,¡± she admitted. ¡°It wasn¡¯t so long ago that we were being picked off, one by one, by those sidhe monsters. And now I¡¯m in paradise enjoying a cup of tea that has no business being this good. I have friends again. A job. It almost feels like all that horribleness never even happened.¡± She took a sip, then continued, ¡°But I know better. Just because this ce is safe, it doesn¡¯t mean everywhere is.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t know how to respond to that, save to assure her that he would do everything he could to protect her. That just elicited a small smile as she said, ¡°You¡¯re a lot like Alyssa. She wanted to protect everyone, too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about everyone. I care about you and Miggy. A few others, too. But everybody else can ¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie, and you know it,¡± Carmen definitively stated. ¡°From everything you¡¯ve said, and based on what I saw in Argos, you care as much as anyone can. You¡¯re pathologically incapable of not helping people. Like I said ¨C just like Alyssa. The difference is that you don¡¯t trust as easily as she did.¡±Elijah didn¡¯t bother disputing that assertion. Instead, he changed the subject, saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to investigate ways to get the Dragonstone you need back here. I¡¯m not sure what the answer is, but I intend to ask Ramik. If he doesn¡¯t know ¨C or if there¡¯s no easy way to do it ¨C I¡¯ll just tote it myself. It¡¯ll take a few trips, but I¡¯ll do what needs to be done.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. There¡¯s some decent stone nearby. I can make do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as good as Dragonstone, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Like you just said, I¡¯m incapable of not helping, right? You and Miggy deserve the best. Otherwise, what¡¯s the point of having the most powerful person in the world as your patron?¡± he asked. ¡°Patron? Ugh. Don¡¯t ever refer to yourself that way again.¡± ¡°Sponsor?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Benefactor?¡± ¡°Still no,¡± she said with a tight smile. ¡°Well, there¡¯s just no pleasing you,¡± he replied with a grin of his own. After that, the pair drank their tea and discussed less serious things. Carmen spoke of her ns for her forge, while Elijah talked about his coffee. It was a decidedly normal conversation, given the circumstances, and as such, Elijah found it extremelyforting. Still, all good things inevitablye to an end, and so it was with his pleasant conversation with Carmen. She needed to get to Ironshore for work, while Elijah needed to speak to Ramik. The only difference was that Carmen had a bit of amute ahead of her, while Elijah simply had to shift into Shape of the Sky andunch himself into the air. Only a couple of minutester, hended just outside of town and strode past the wall. As he did so, he gave the guards a small wave, which they nervously returned. Upon entering the city, it became immediately apparent that Ironshore was growing. He¡¯d been back a few times in the previous few months, but he¡¯d not paid much attention to the state of the city. Now, though, he let himself take it all in, and he was incredibly impressed by the progress on disy. The overall tone of the architecture remained the same as always, reminding Elijah of Victorian London, but everything was bigger, grander, and more solid. In addition, Elijah saw a few humans here and there, none of which he recognized. Clearly, the trade alliance with Norcastle had continued to bear fruit. A good thing, so long as Ramik and his people kept an eye on the neers. Elijah was well-acquainted with human curiosity, and ignorance was no excuse for anyone trespassing on his ind. He took his time as he strode through the city, greeting those he knew while politely nodding at those he didn¡¯t. The residents of the city seemed a lot less overtly hostile, but there were still plenty of nervous nces following him around. Perhaps that was a good thing, though. After all, if they were frightened, then they wouldn¡¯t dare invade his grove. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Soon, Elijah reached his destination, which had received quite an upgrade over the past few months. The government building had beenpletely overhauled, and it looked more like a pce than it resembled the old, mostly unadorned building that had been its previous incarnation. Looking upon it, Elijah got the impression of wealth, power, and, most of all, authority. Hopefully, that would keep any neers under control. Elijah climbed the steps that ran along the entire front of the building, entering through a pair of enormous, brass double doors. The two guards ¨C a goblin and a dwarf ¨C watched him, but they didn¡¯t even considering barring his way. Upon entering the building, Elijah was confronted with a huge lobby that wouldn¡¯t have been out of ce in the Imperium. In the center was a massive desk manned by a trio of figures. A goblin, a gnome, and a dwarf ¨C each one wore the sort of clothes Elijah usually associated with Ramik, which meant that they were dressed in dark, tailored suits. Elijah approached. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve done some renovations,¡± he remarked. ¡°Is Ramik around?¡± ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± asked the goblin, her voice conveying both boredom and annoyance. ¡°Nope!¡± Elijah said cheerfully. ¡°Then the mayor is unavable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll find him myself,¡± Elijah said, still smiling as he walked past the kiosk. The goblin tried to object, but her coworkers quickly stepped in, whispering his identity. Her green skin went pale, but by that point, Elijah was already a few feet away. He wasn¡¯t sure where Ramik¡¯s office was, but given theyout of the building, he expected that the huge set of stairs in the center of the lobby probably led in the right direction. So, that¡¯s where he went, his bare feet pping against the cold tile of the floor. Upon mounting the steps, Elijah became aware of a panting figure running in his direction. At first, he thought the little gnome meant to attack, but his true intention became apparent as he slowed to a stop. ¡°Let me lead you to the mayor¡¯s office, honored Druid,¡± he said, still trying to catch his breath. Elijah nced at him, taking in his appearance in the space of an instant. And he was more than a little unimpressed. The gnome was a little taller than normal ¨C almost dwarf-sized ¨C but he had quite a paunch around his middle. More importantly, he looked incredibly young. ¡°Alright,¡± Elijah said. Then, the young gnome led him up the stairs ¨Cboring the whole way ¨C before circling along a balcony toward what looked like a normal and nondescript office door. He knocked, and Ramik¡¯s familiar voice bade him enter. The office on the other side was neither opulent nor unadorned, though there were a few nods to Ramik¡¯s tastes. A few tasteful paintings decorated the walls, and the same monstrosity of a desk dominated the room. A few leather chairspleted the d¨¦cor. ¡°Hey, Ramik,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What¡¯s new?¡± Ramik smiled, saying, ¡°Good to see you, Elijah. The city is booming, just like I predicted.¡± After that, he dismissed the young gnome before excitedly detailing Ironshore¡¯s progress. The trade alliance with Norcastle had brought in a nice trickle of wealth, and there were even ns to branch out to other cities like Argos. More importantly, the increased ethera density had given his people quite a boon in terms of cultivation, which allowed them to take advantage of Biggle¡¯s powerful potions. That,bined with the influx of levels they¡¯d received after the failed orc invasion, and they were in much better shape than they could have reasonable expected. ¡°And Carissa¡¯s people are strong enough to push deeper into the earth,¡± he finished. ¡°That mine could be our ticket to true prosperity.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome, Ramik. I¡¯m d everything is going well,¡± he said. ¡°But there are two things I wanted to discuss. The first is just that I feel the need to reiterate that no one should set foot on my ind without my permission. I know there are some new people here. I trust that you¡¯ve let them all know the rules.¡± ¡°It is part of our orientation,¡± Ramik stated. ¡°Combined with the stories of what happened to the Cabbot and his people, that¡¯s enough to keep them all away. Most people aren¡¯t terribly brave when certain death is on offer.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Now ¨C the real issue is that I need a way to transport a few dozen tons of rock.¡± Then, he described his issue, letting Ramik know that the stone was intended for Carmen¡¯s forge. ¡°Do you know a way around the problem?¡± he asked. Ramik tapped this pointed chin. After a moment, he answered, ¡°There are two options. The first is tomission one of our Carpenters ¨C we have three that could manage the job ¨C to create a series of crates. So long as they are limited to stone, they will amodate up to five times their normal volume. However, weight would only be cut in half, which could prove to be an issue, even with your Strength.¡± Elijah had tested it extensively, and he was only capable of carrying two blocks at a time. That meant that, regardless of the crates¡¯ capacity, his limitations would dictate that he could only carry four. In turn, that would necessitate multiple trips, so that was not an ideal solution. ¡°What¡¯s the other option?¡± ¡°It is extremely expensive.¡± ¡°I have money,¡± Elijah said. Indeed, he barely used his funds anyway, so he¡¯d amassed a small fortune in coins. He knew that wouldn¡¯t count much in the wider multi-verse, but on Earth, he was considered quite wealthy, even after the expenditure with the Temple of Virtue. After that, Ramik exined the other solution. It was actually a system that, due to its cost, was not very popr except in very specific circumstances. The first part was a ring that acted as a key to an interdimensional space that could hold a vast volume of goods. However, the only way to withdraw those goods was tobine the ring with the second part, which was a stationary anchor. ¡°So, what makes it so expensive?¡± ¡°The rings are single-use,¡± Ramik exined. ¡°They be useless after that. Even the materials are impossible to recycle. But the ring-storage system can hold more than ten times what the crates can hold.¡± He went on to exin that even the anchor had limitations ¨C chiefly that it could only be used once a month. ¡°It¡¯s almost as expensive as transporting goods via the Branch,¡± Ramik said. ¡°Most people just use one of the Teamster¡¯s guilds. That is not an option here, though.¡± In the end, Elijah¡¯s decision was an easy one. After all, what was money for if not to be spent? So, armed with Ramik¡¯s exnation, he headed to the Branch and bought the system for fifteen gold ethereum, which was nearly three-quarters of his total wealth. The only sce to such an expenditure was that if he wanted to purchase another ring, he could do so for a little less than five gold. However, even then, he could easily see why it wasn¡¯t a popr method of transporting goods. Still, he felt good about the purchase. Before he teleported to the Dragon Circle, though, he had a couple more tasks toplete. Book 4: Chapter 39: Sun Copper Book 4: Chapter 39: Sun Copper ¡°I need a wok,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What?¡± asked Carmen, looking up from her anvil. She¡¯d spent the past hour trying to hammer a piece of armor into shape, and despite her best efforts, the sheet of metal was not cooperating. Part of the problem was that it was mundane steel, and as such, it could only be pushed so far, but the bigger issue was that her attention kept wandering to much more interesting projects. Like the forge she was going to build, which was such a huge project that anytime she thought about it, she felt more than a little overwhelmed. Or the armor she wanted to forge for when Miguel finally gained his archetype. She also wanted to do something special for Elijah, though she¡¯d yet to think of anything he might need. Either way, byparison, her normal work that would end up being sold to people in Norcastle or equipping the Ironshore¡¯s fighters was downright boring. Still, she endeavored to give each piece the entirety of her focus. That was one of the things she¡¯d learned during her exile. Every project deserved her best efforts. It didn¡¯t matter if she was working with mundane steel or some magical alloy ¨C none of her creations would be shortchanged. Easier said than done, but she was determined to do her best. ¡°A wok. Like, this big around,¡± Elijah said, holding his hands around two feet apart. ¡°Maybe smaller. I don¡¯t know. The point is that I need a wok.¡± ¡°And why do you need a wok?¡± ¡°I feel like we¡¯re saying ¡®wok¡¯ a lot,¡± he said, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°But it¡¯s for my coffee.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t make coffee in a wok.¡±¡°No ¨C the wok is for the roasting. I shoplifted a French press in a Wal-Mart I visited a couple of months ago. I also got, like, an entire buggy full of underwear. And toothpaste. My breath is minty fresh now,¡± Elijah exined. He pped his hand over his mouth and exhaled, sniffing the result a secondter. ¡°Well, sort of. Did you know that toothpaste has an expiration date? It doesn¡¯t, like, be poisonous or anything, but it loses quite a lot of its minty goodness. I should probably make my own. You wouldn¡¯t know how to make toothpaste, would you?¡± ¡°Baking soda, salt, essential oils, and water.¡± ¡°Wait, really? That seems easy.¡± Carmen shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s the basic recipe. You could add other things like turmeric or ¨C¡± ¡°Never mind. I¡¯m sure somebody else has figured it out,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Plus, you¡¯re getting off topic. The wok. I want it to be made from as high-quality material as you can find. I can pay whatever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to charge you, and you know it,¡± Carmen said, shaking her head at his slightly manic demeanor. She¡¯d heard enough stories from Alyssa to know that meant that he hadtched onto something he thought was important. Maybe multiple things. But that didn¡¯t matter for the time being, because his request had sparked her imagination. A wok wasn¡¯t particrly difficult to make, and it didn¡¯t require a lot of material. That opened up a lot of possibilities, but one in particr was more exciting than all the rest. ¡°I think I have an idea. When do you need this wok?¡± ¡°Uh¡­as soon as possible? I still need to pick the cherries and begin the process of separating the pulp from the bean,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m going to use the wet method, which involves¡­¡± Carmen only half listened to Elijah¡¯s exnation of the practice. She was already vaguely familiar with it, and much less excited about the process than he clearly was. Regardless, it would take at least a week, and probably a bit more than that, before the beans were ready to be roasted. So, Carmen had plenty of time for her own part, which was to forge a wok. ¡°So, can you do it?¡± he asked. ¡°Way ahead of you,¡± she answered. Then, she tapped her temple, saying, ¡°Already nning it. It¡¯ll be ready in a couple of days.¡± ¡°Really? What are you going to use as the base? And ¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see. But I do need some wood from the grove. I¡¯m sure Nerthus could find something,¡± she said. ¡°Now go. You¡¯re in the way.¡± ¡°Wow. Rude,¡± Elijah muttered in a dramatic stage whisper that he certainly meant for her to hear. Carmen ignored it because she was already wholly focused on the new project. The first step was to gather materials, and for that, she needed to visit Carissa. So, she left the now-temporary smithy behind and headed toward the offices on the outskirts of town. It was the middle of the day, so the mine was a hive of activity, and rightly so. Not only had they tapped into arge vein of blood tin, but they¡¯d also found a few other decent-quality sources of ore. However, Carmen was only really interested in one. So, with that in mind, she found her way to Carissa¡¯s office. The door was open, but Carmen still knocked, eliciting a grunted, ¡°Come in.¡± Carmen did just that, stepping inside to see the dwarven foreman hunched over her desk and studying a map of the mine. It was far more borate than the one in Silverado, and it was already almost a mile deep in some ces. But Carissa had ns for expansion. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Carmen asked. She and the dwarven woman had be quite friendly over the past few months,rgely because they shared a love of all things metal. ¡°Follow the ore,¡± Carissa said, looking up. ¡°That¡¯s what my pa used ta tell me. Always follow the ore. Meant to remind me ta keep my mind focused on what¡¯s important, but in this case, it¡¯s literal. Got to follow that ore, no matter where it goes. And it¡¯s goin¡¯ deep, too. Gettin¡¯ thicker as we go. I think we¡¯re on the verge of findin¡¯ somethin¡¯ big.¡± ¡°Watch out for critters,¡± Carmen said. ¡°What in the hells are critters?¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Carmen exined what she meant, describing the monsters she and the other people from Silverado had fought in its mine. ¡°We called them critters because they looked like movie monsters. Movies are ¨C¡± ¡°I know what movies are. Got me a yer a few weeks ago from one of them Norcastleds. It¡¯s interestin¡¯, that¡¯s for sure. Not too certain what the purple lizard monster is meant to represent, but I find it very unsettlin¡¯.¡± ¡°Purple lizard¡­oh. That,¡± Carmen said, realizing that Carissa had been watching programs intended for children. It was all she could do not to chuckle. ¡°Anyway. I want some of that sun copper you foundst week.¡± ¡°There ain¡¯t much of it.¡± ¡°I know. I don¡¯t need much. I intend to mix it with that blood tin. Before the World Tree, copper and tin made bronze. I¡¯m hoping for something like that.¡± ¡°Interesting. I think I can spare a few pounds, provided you can make a cou more of them pickaxes you made for mest week. They¡¯re better¡¯n anything we have,¡± Carissa said. ¡°Deal. I¡¯ll get on that as soon as I¡¯m done with the project for Elijah,¡± Carmen said with a grin. ¡°For¡­Elijah¡­you know what, no charge. Just ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Carissa. He¡¯s not as scary as you think he is,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Tell that to the fifty people he killed. Or the orcs he ughtered.¡± Carmen had heard the story already, and from both sides. Elijah had revealed his sins as some sort of self-imposed penance ¨C or maybe he just wanted Carmen to know what she was dealing with. Meanwhile, Carissa hadn¡¯t spoken of it until she¡¯d gotten drunk a few nights after Carmen had gotten to Ironshore. ¡°Fair enough,¡± she said. Sometimes, it was hard to reconcile the Elijah she knew with the sort of man who could so easily kill people. But everyone had changed after the world¡¯s transformation, and he was no exception. After that, she collected the ore and headed back to the forge. Technically, the ore wasn¡¯t called sun copper. It was sr mchite. However, it was colloquially referred to as the former. Carmen didn¡¯t care one way or the other, so she quickly got down to the business at hand. The first part was to crush the ore into a powder ¨C the finer the better ¨C which she aplished by running it through a crusher she¡¯d gotten from the mining operation. They had plenty of people who specialized in smelting, so they had all the proper equipment. That meant that Carmen did as well. Once the ore had been crushed into powder, she poured it into a giant crucible along with a load of infused charcoal she¡¯d already prepared. Then, it was a simple process of heating the crucible. Normally, copper melted at around a thousand degrees, but apparently, sun copper was a different story altogether, and it took quite a bit more before it melted. Once it did, Carmen dumped the crucible into a nearby pan before separating the copper from the charcoal. Then, it went back into the crucible to be rendered into a liquid. That took infused coal as well as Carmen¡¯s ability, Melt, and even then, it was only barely enough. Still, she managed it, then poured the contents of the crucible into a series of molds. If she was working with normal copper, without the addition of ethera, she would¡¯ve skipped that step, jumping right to the final mold. However, she had ns for the ingots. Once they¡¯d cooled, she did the same with a much smaller amount of blood tin. The ratio was meant to be around ny percent copper and ten percent tin, a form to which she intended to adhere as closely as possible. Finally, she had her ingots ready. It was at that point that Elijah returned with arge branch that he said came from his grove, but aside from waving him to put it aside, she couldn¡¯t afford to pay him any attention. Instead, she was entirely focused on using her various abilities to reduce impurities and infuse the resulting ingots with as much as ethera as they could handle. It was a long and tedious process, but one that Carmen refused to shortchange. She knew precisely how important it was to the final product, so she swallowed her frustrations andmitted to the work. Eventually, she¡¯d finished. That was when she threw all the copper ingots into the crucible and melted it. Once it had liquified, she added the tin, and when it had all mixed together, she poured it into a different, muchrger mold. As it cooled, she took a short break, during which she went to a nearby restaurant where she ate a meal that she barely paid attention to. Instead, her mind was entirely on the project. Perhaps Elijah wasn¡¯t the only one to get a little manic when he was working on something he cared about. In any case, Carmen finished her meal, then returned to the smithy. Once there, she inspected the cooled bar, and once she found nothing amiss, used Refine Material as well as Decontaminate, reducing the bar as she removed impurities. It wasn¡¯t strictly necessary ¨C surely, a wok made of that material would suffice to roast a few coffee beans ¨C but Carmen had always believed that if something was worth doing, it was worth doing to the best of her abilities. And in this case, that meant refining the metal until it was absolutely pure. Of course, that meant that she had a lot less to work with, which in turn necessitated the creation of another few bars. At each juncture, she used Ethereal Infusion to ensure that it was absolutely saturated with energy. And after two days, she had achieved a product as close to perfection as her skills and the materials allowed. That was supported by the notification she received:
Faythium Ingot Overall Grade: Complex (Low)
¡°Yes!¡± she shouted, only then realizing that she was absolutely alone in the smithy. She nced at the nearby window, seeing that it was the dead of night. Perhaps she¡¯d grown a little too focused on the project. At least she hadn¡¯t neglected Miguel, though. He was traipsing through the wilderness with Colt and Kurik, so he wouldn¡¯t even know that she was pushing herself so hard. For a moment, she considered returning to the grove ¨C or at least to the bed she kept in her office near the forge ¨C but she ultimately decided against it. After her sess, there was almost no chance that she could sleep anyway. Not until the project was finished, at least. So, Carmen looked down at the ingot. It looked like bronze, but there was a blue shimmer to it that marked it as magical. Plus, she could feel the energy coursing through it. That was as befitted a Complex-Grade material. She reluctantly set it aside, knowing that the metal behaved simrly to bronze. That meant it wasn¡¯t meant to be forged. Instead, it was more suited to casting. So, Carmen found a piece of wood meant for the creation of molds, then got to work carving the basic shape of a wok. The idea was to create a wooden facsimile of the intended product, then ce that piece into a receptacle filled with packed sand. Once the wooden piece was removed, then the resulting cavity would be in the appropriate shape. After that, molten metal would be poured into the cast, and when it cooled, a rough piece would be created. Or that was what was supposed to happen. In reality, the process was finnicky, and Carmen found it even more tedious than it really was. Getting the sand packed just right was the worst part, and it made her long for the moments when she could simply pound metal into shape. Yet, she persisted, adjusting along the way until she got the result she wanted. It took nearly ten tries before that happened, and by that point, she was absolutely exhausted. Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but smile as she held the rough version of the wok aloft. It was a little more than two feet across, with steeply sloped sides and a rounded bottom. She hadn¡¯t affixed a handle yet ¨C that was what the grove wood was for ¨C and the piece needed a lot of refinement. But the hours¡¯ worth of tedious work had pushed her past the mania associated with sess and into exhaustion. So, she set the wok aside and retreated to her office, where she copsed onto the cot she kept for just that purpose. When she fell asleep, she dreamed of uncooperative sand and blended metals. Book 4: Chapter 40: Wok Book 4: Chapter 40: Wok ¡°Okay, so this is a problem,¡± Elijah said, looking at the spatial anchor, then across the grove and to the dense forest surrounding it. The anchor itself was just a rod that had been driven into the ground, though now that it had been activated, it was impossible to move without ruining his previous efforts. He¡¯d spent the past few days loading the ring with fifty multi-ton rocks. Hopefully, that would be enough for Carmen¡¯s project. However, his current issue was that he couldn¡¯t unload the ring without crushing a quarter of his grove. It just highlighted the fact that he hadn¡¯t quite thought things through when he¡¯d ced the anchor, but if he deactivated and tried to move it now, he¡¯d lose the attached interdimensional space and all the stone in it. ¡°Uh¡­Nerthus? Little help here?¡± he called. ¡°You around, man?¡± ¡°I am not a man,¡± Nerthus stated, having climbed out of a nearby tree. He leaped down. ¡°I am a spryggent.¡± ¡°Right. It¡¯s a colloquialism. So, here¡¯s the deal,¡± Elijah started before exining the situation. He ended it with, ¡°And now I need to get the blocks from here to at least the beach without tearing anything up.¡± ¡°You have two issues. First, you need a path.¡± ¡°But what about emptying the ring?¡± ¡°One at a time.¡± Elijah started to say something, then stopped. ¡°I¡¯m so stupid,¡± he muttered. Indeed, he¡¯d lost the forest for the trees as he focused on the problem. He¡¯d never even considered not emptying the ring all at once. But there was nothing stopping him from withdrawing each stone individually and carrying it to where it was supposed to go. As Nerthus had said, though, he needed a path through the forest. So, that was task number one on his list.¡°What¡¯s the second thing?¡± he asked. ¡°Getting the blocks across the strait,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°The people of Ironshore have ships, but you have no apparatus through which to load them. The shallows cannot amodate suchrge ships, either. So, you need to build a dock.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± That was something Elijah very much wanted to avoid. However, he didn¡¯t really see any way around it. That didn¡¯t mean he needed to build it himself, though, so without emptying the ring, Elijah shifted into the Shape of the Sky and flew to Ironshore, where he met with Ramik and enlisted the goblin¡¯s help to hire a couple of Builders who would be willing to construct a dock. As it turned out, the process was easy enough, and before long, the group of goblins, gnomes, and dwarves had sailed across the strait armed with a bevy of materials from which they began to build the requested dock. Elijah didn¡¯t miss the fact that they were all terrified, but that was unavoidable. So long as they did the job, he wouldn¡¯t interfere. Meanwhile, he left them to their task and got to work clearing a viable path through the forest. At first, he tried to work with thendscape, but soon enough, he grew too frustrated with the process and just started ripping trees out of the ground. It wasn¡¯t exactly druidic of him, but it was his ind. He would do what he wanted, regardless of how loudly his instincts screamed at him to stop. Eventually, he¡¯d ripped his way across the ind until, atst, he reached the beach, where he saw that the Builder crew had nearlypleted his new dock. It was an impressive wooden structure that jutted out from the beach for nearly two-hundred feet. ¡°Maybe I need to get a yacht,¡± Elijah said to himself. Or at least something better than a rowboat so that Miguel and Carmen could cross the strait more easily. Whatever the case, he only had to wait another hour before the Builder foreman approached and announced that they were finished. As Elijah paid the goblin, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how productive people could be, given the right skills. In addition to the dock, the Builders had cleared arge area of the beach that would serve perfectly for his blocks. So, once they were gone, Elijah wasted no more time before returning to the grove, where he began the process of transporting the blocks to the dock, one giant hunk of stone at a time. Even though Elijah¡¯s attributes were more than up to the task, the whole ordeal took far longer than he would have liked, and it was well into night before he¡¯d finished. Still, he was no stranger to work, and there was a certain satisfaction he experienced upon seeing the white-and-green Dragonstone stacked upon his beach. But he didn¡¯t intend to move it until morning. While he had no issues personally crossing the strait at night, something told him that it would be inadvisable for Ironshore¡¯s boats. So, with that in mind, he retreated to his grove, where he checked on his coffee. The cherries were currently soaking in a vat of water, where they would ferment over the course of the next week before he removed the pulp and set the beans out to dry. It was one of two methods of processing coffee cherries, but from what he understood from his limited knowledge of coffee, it was the one that resulted in the highest-quality coffee beans. It also took advantage of the dense ethera in his grove, which created all sorts of interesting situations when it came to bacterial growth. Regardless, it would be another couple of days before it was read for the next step, so Elijah spent the next few hours cycling the ethera in his Core. Then, he went to bed, where, for the first time in a while, he sleptpletely soundly all through the night. The next morning, he awoke feeling refreshed and ready for theing day. So, after engaging in his normal morning routine, he flew across the strait and hired one of the ships to bring the Dragonstone across. This story has been uwfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Once he¡¯d taken care of that, he headed to Carmen¡¯s forge, hoping that she hadpleted work on his wok. When he reached the building, he was a little surprised to find that Miguel was there, and he was actually engaged in an argument with his mother. ¡°You can¡¯t keep doing this, mom,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m your mother. You don¡¯t get to tell me ¨C¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, guys?¡± Elijah asked on approach. That earned him a re from Carmen and a pleading expression from Miguel. His nephew said, ¡°You need to tell her to stop, Uncle Elijah. She hasn¡¯t been home in three days. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s slept more than a few hours in that time, either.¡± ¡°I slept,¡± she argued with a roll of her eyes. ¡°Please, mom ¨C¡± As they continued their discussion, Elijah backed away and pretended he couldn¡¯t hear them. Thest thing he wanted was to get involved in that sort of argument, so he busied himself by engaging in a thorough inspection of a nearby furnace. His head was deep inside the apparatus when he heard Carmen clear her throat behind him. ¡°Uh¡­sorry? I¡¯m just really into furnaces,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You have soot on your face.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­how I like it?¡± Carmen shook her head. ¡°Go ahead. Say it.¡± ¡°Say what? You have a nice furnace. A little cold right now, but I¡¯m sure it gets really hot when you ¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me that Miggy is right and that I¡¯m working too hard,¡± she said. ¡°Well, you¡¯re right. I get so obsessed when I get into a project that I sort of just lose track of time.¡± ¡°What project?¡± Elijah asked, neglecting to point out that he hadn¡¯t actually said anything about her work habits. In his experience, it was better to just stay out of it. ¡°Your wok, of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been working on the wok for four days?¡± he asked. ¡°Sort of,¡± she said with a slight shrug. ¡°Most of the first day was spent creating the alloy. It¡¯s called faythium, by the way.¡± ¡°Sounds fancy.¡± ¡°Fancy?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± She shook her head. ¡°But it has to be cast instead of forged. No beating it with a hammer, you know? Instead, it works off molds. Anyway, I don¡¯t have as much experience with that, so I screwed up the first try. I thought it was pretty good when I first saw it, but¡­well, it wasn¡¯t. I was half asleep at the time, and I made a lot of mistakes. So, I had to melt it all down, make a new mold, then try again. And another ten times after that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a wok.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never just a wok,¡± Carmen said. ¡°If I¡¯m going to make something, I¡¯m going to do it to the best of my abilities. Nobody tells you how to tend to your grove, right? So, I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t remark on my process.¡± Elijah nodded earnestly, knowing that he had no interest in getting on Carmen¡¯s bad side. So, he said, ¡°Sure. But you¡¯re finished?¡± ¡°Just,¡± she admitted. ¡°I was just polishing it when Miggy came by.¡± After that, she headed to the back of the smithy. Elijah followed, his eyes locking onto what looked like a bundle of rags. Carmen reached it, then uncovered a huge wok. It was bronze in color, though with an azure shimmer. There were two wooden handles ¨C one on each side ¨C as well. ¡°Looks nice,¡± Elijah said. ¡°May I?¡± Carmen handed it to him, and he nearly dropped it. ¡°Wow. Heavy.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the issue I¡¯ve been working on. The first attempt was at least five times as heavy, and each version after that was the result of me trying to lighten the load,¡± Carmen said. ¡°It¡¯s way thinner than any normal wok, but that material is functionally indestructible unless you¡¯re trying to wear it as armor. Even then, it would take quite a shot to even scratch it.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of making armor out of it? For Miggy, maybe?¡± Carmen shook her head again. ¡°Not a chance. He¡¯s getting something better than this,¡± she said. ¡°Plus, a full set of this stuff would be too heavy for him until he gained quite a few attributes. And I hate working with it.¡± ¡°That bad?¡± She shrugged. ¡°It was a fun experiment, but it¡¯s not my thing,¡± she said. ¡°I prefer banging metals with my hammer, not creating casts and molds.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Elijah said. ¡°So, what¡¯s the end result? Is it Simple-Grade, at least?¡± ¡°Mid-Complex.¡± ¡°What? Seriously?¡± Elijah asked, looking at the wok in a new light. ¡°The alloy alone was Low-Complex. The end result is actually a little disappointing, given that. But I¡¯m going to chalk it up to my inexperience with the process,¡± she said. ¡°I bet if I started over, I could get it to High-Complex.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Elijah said, stepping back when he saw the gleam in Carmen¡¯s eye. Her perfectionist nature was probably why she¡¯d had so many sleepless nights since he¡¯d given her the project. ¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± ¡°Other than being almost indestructible? It has a trait called Savory. Helps preserve vors and provides a constant stream of ethera to anything cooked in that little pan,¡± she said. ¡°Amazing. This is exactly what I was hoping for. But it does bring to mind something I forgot,¡± he said, setting the wok down. Then, he reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and, over the next minute or so, retrieved the collection of low-quality weapons he¡¯d looted back in Valoria. ¡°Atticus said that some crafters have a skill that lets them disassemble finished products. So, as the highest-level crafter I know, these are probably best in your hands.¡± Carmen let him know that she had ess to just such an ability, but added, ¡°It¡¯s not as good as it would be for someone who specializes in that kind of thing, but I can get something out of these, assuming you don¡¯t want to just sell them or give them away.¡± Elijah said, ¡°Do what you want with them. Also, I have this.¡± Then, he pulled the cursed False Dragon Fang out of his satchel. He hadn¡¯t forgotten about it. Rather, he¡¯d hesitated to give it back to Carmen because he knew it would elicit an emotional reaction. And he was right to expect that. Carmen¡¯s eyes went wide, and he could see her muscles trembling as she said, ¡°I hoped to never see that again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cursed, you know,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Anyone who binds it will experience delusions of grandeur, ording to Atticus¡¯ appraisal.¡± Then, he went on to exin that curses were something of a safeguard against forcing crafters into servitude against their will. ¡°If you do that, you might get a cursed item,¡± he finished. ¡°Kind of keeps people from being taken advantage of.¡± ¡°What are you going to do with it?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°That¡¯s up to you. It¡¯s yours, as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡± ¡°Get rid of it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to ¨C¡± ¡°Just bury it. Or toss it into the ocean. Or a volcano. I never want to see it again,¡± she said. Elijah agreed, shoving the sword back into his satchel. Finally, in an attempt to change the subject, he said, ¡°I got the Dragonstone back. I hired a boat to bring it over from the ind. They¡¯re going to deposit it near the town, so you can do what you want with it.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, her voice subdued. Clearly, she was still wrestling with what had happened. ¡°I¡­uh¡­I was thinking. I have a couple of days before my coffee is ready for roasting,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Do you mind if I take Miguel somewhere? Just out into the wilderness a little. I think he¡¯s got a nature attunement, just like me, and I think it¡¯ll be good for him to connect, you know? I wanted to show him something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s fine,¡± she said. ¡°Just¡­be careful.¡± ¡°Are you okay? I didn¡¯t mean to upset you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just a lot of emotions right now. But go ahead. Miguel would probably love to go on an adventure with you,¡± she said. After that, Elijah backed out of the forge and went in search of his nephew. Book 4: Chapter 41: Classes Book 4: Chapter 41: sses ¡°Where are we going?¡± asked Miguel, following Elijah through the woods outside Ironshore. ¡°Does it matter? The journey is more important than the destination,¡± Elijah said, doing his best to seem wise. ¡°Worry less about where we¡¯re going and more about how we¡¯re going to get there. Or why we continue on.¡± Miguel rolled his eyes, and Elijah¡¯s aura of stoic pseud-intellectualism broke as he gave a little chuckle. ¡°Seriously, though ¨C where are we going?¡± the young man asked. ¡°A ce called Arvandor,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°It¡¯s a city popted by elves. Then, we¡¯re going to cross the desert to the Circle of Spears.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I said so.¡± That elicited a narrowing of Miguel¡¯s eyes. ¡°C¡¯mon. Be serious.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Elijah said with a long-suffering sigh. ¡°What do you know about the Branches of the World Tree? Or the Knowledge Base, more specifically.¡± ¡°Uh¡­it has guides. Kind of like Wikipedia.¡±¡°Except there¡¯s no way to really search it,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°All the information in the multi-verse, but no way to find what you¡¯re really looking for. Sometimes, it¡¯s easy to hunt answers down. I think that¡¯s one of the benefits of being recently touched by the World Tree. We need to know the basics, so it puts those front-and-center. But what do you think we do when we need to find more specific information?¡± ¡°Somebody could search it. Make a job out of it, like a professor or something.¡± ¡°Kind of. But it¡¯s more than that. There¡¯s a ss called Librarian that can find things. They¡¯re like personified search engines. You give them a question, and they find the answer via one of their abilities. But like a lot of abilities and spells, those skills have cooldowns. So, they can only answer questions so often, which makes it valuable.¡± ¡°Supply and demand. We learned about it in school,¡± Miguel revealed. ¡°In school? You were in what? Fourth grade? Seems a little early to learn about that kind of thing.¡± That¡¯s when Miguel revealed that he¡¯d been enrolled in something of a special school meant for advanced students. ¡°Your mom was a gifted student, too,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Both of them, I expect. But our parents wanted Alyssa to skip grades, she was so smart.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Elijah chuckled. ¡°I was above average,¡± he said. ¡°Never really had a drive for academics, if I¡¯m honest. I liked the idea of learning all those wonderful things, but the reality turned out to be too tedious for my taste. Probably why I made for a terrible biologist.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with this ce we¡¯re going?¡± ¡°They have a Librarian there that owes me a question,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And I¡¯m going to use it for you. Also, elves.¡± ¡°Elves? Like, real elves? Kurik said there was one in Ironshore, but ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met her. Nicedy. But no ¨C these are sand elves. I helped them out once before, so like I said, they owe me. Plus, I¡¯m on a bit of a diplomatic mission,¡± he said. Then, he exined what he meant to Miguel. The young man had alreadytched onto the idea of a city filled with elves, which meant he only barely listened to Elijah¡¯s exnation. In any case, when Elijah asked him if he wanted toe, Miguel gave an enthusiastic agreement. So, only a couple of hourster, they returned to the grove, where Elijah made sure his nephew had everything he needed ¨C including his weapons ¨C before opening a gate to the Moon de. The two stepped through a momentter. The pond, the dolmen, and the surrounding de was much the same as thest time Elijah had been there, though he did notice that the ambient ethera had experienced an uptick in density. It wasn¡¯t as noticeable as in the areas where he¡¯d nted the ancestral tree saplings, but it was still hard to miss. ¡°This is where Trevor and his family lived?¡± ¡°Trevor?¡± ¡°The moon deer. There¡¯s Trevor and Susan, then their parents Bubba and Annabelle,¡± Miguel said. ¡°Those are some¡­interesting names.¡± ¡°They like them,¡± Miguel said with a shrug. ¡°Right. But yes, this is where I found them,¡± Elijah said. Then, he exined that the deer had been injured. ¡°I healed them, and then when I saw they were still in danger, I brought them back to the ind.¡± ¡°You should do that more. We could have a whole bunch of powerful animals living there,¡± Miguel suggested. ¡°The ind is too small for that,¡± Elijah replied. ¡°The ecosystem won¡¯t handle it. Besides, most guardians are predators. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they started fighting one another.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah. That makes sense, I guess. But can you imagine a lion guardian? Or a walrus?¡± Elijah chuckled. ¡°I met a bear guardian once,¡± he said, leading Miguel away from the dolmen. The undergrowth wasn¡¯t very dense, so the way was easy enough. ¡°Really surly character. Only reason he tolerated me was because I fed him a ton of fish.¡± As they traveled, Elijah recounted a few more of his adventures. He tried to veer away from the more harrowing parts, instead focusing on his connection with nature and the miraculous things he¡¯d seen. There were plenty, so he didn¡¯t have any issues finding appropriate topics. For his part, Miguel proved an attentive and enthusiastic listener, asking poignant questions that would have been more appropriateing from someone much older. It prompted some interesting discussions, mostly about the nature of the world, but also about things Miguel found interesting. Unsurprisingly, most of it had to do with nature. Curiously, though, Miguel didn¡¯t really care much about nt life. Instead, hetched onto animals, growing excited when they saw anything furry, feathery, or scaley. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°I think you might¡¯ve ended up as a zoologist or something,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Maybe a veterinarian.¡± Miguel said, ¡°I like animals, so maybe. But I once read on the inte that a lot of veterinarians ended up having to put a bunch of animals down. I don¡¯t¡¯ know if I could handle that.¡± ¡°Everything dies eventually,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That¡¯s part of life.¡± After a while, they reached the end of the forest and started across the ins. If it was just Elijah, he would have kept going ¨C or probably have flown ¨C but he wanted Miguel to see the world from a different perspective. His experience during their exodus had not been pleasant, and Elijah thought it was important for the young man to see that their new world wasn¡¯t all danger and death. There was beauty there, too. That seemed like an important distinction, given the shape Elijah expected for Miguel¡¯s development to take. In any case, they continued on, and thendscape slowly transformed from a lond forest to a prairie, and then to a desert. It wasn¡¯t as arid as the one surrounding Seattle, but aside from a few scrubby bushes and some hardy grass, it was almost entirely devoid of vegetation. There was plenty of animal life, though, and as they trekked through the area, Elijah kept a runningmentary on what he sensed via One with Nature. Overall, it took almost three days of travel ¨C stopping each night ¨C before they reached the Twilight Clefts. There, they were met by a troop of elves, one of which was familiar. ¡°Long time no see, Syka,¡± Elijah said, grinning at the golemancer. She was nked by a pair of other elves on one side and her earth golem on the other. Syka returned his smile with one of her own, saying, ¡°Wee back! Are you here to challenge the tower again? And who¡¯s this? He¡¯s cute!¡± ¡°He¡¯s thirteen.¡± ¡°Almost fourteen,¡± Miguel interjected, though he did so with a bit of a stammer. ¡°Which is still thirteen,¡± Elijah insisted. ¡°Miguel, this is Syka. And her boulder-y buddy there is Gbartik.¡± ¡°Uh¡­actually, this is Jibann. Gbartik was destroyed,¡± Syka said with a shake of her head. ¡°Weird names,¡± Miguel remarked. ¡°Miggy. That¡¯s rude.¡± ¡°They are!¡± ¡°Think nothing of it. They¡¯re randomly named,¡± Syka said. ¡°They¡¯re not real. No soul. No mind. Just hunks of rock.¡± Jibann shifted slightly. After that, Syka introduced the other two elves, then offered to take them to Arvandor. Elijah agreed, and after that, they were led through the huge canyons and to the elven city. Along the way, Miguel kept his eyes firmly trained on Syka, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to see why. The Golemancer was possessed of the same ethereal beauty characteristic of every other elf, which, for a rtively sheltered young man like Miguel, was too much to ignore. Elijah tried to drag the boy¡¯s attention to other sights, but it just didn¡¯t seem to be in the cards. So, he was d when they finally reached the city, which finally dragged Miguel out of his infatuated stupor. ¡°Wow,¡± he said as they passed through the first tunnel. ¡°You didn¡¯t say it was all underground.¡± In fact, Elijah had. Miguel was just too distracted by elven beauty to hear it. But he didn¡¯t make a big deal out of it, and eventually, they were escorted to the Branch chamber. There, K¡¯hana awaited alongside her little brother the Librarian. ¡°Greetings, Druid,¡± she said with a bow. ¡°Oh, we don¡¯t have to stand on ceremony,¡± Elijah said. ¡°We¡¯re friends, right? Let¡¯s get to the question because I have a proposition I want to discuss with you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After that, Elijah asked her brother ¨C whose name he¡¯d actually forgotten ¨C his question, ¡°I¡¯m looking for information on potential sses for people with nature attunements.¡± The young elf nodded, then closed his eyes before cing his hand against the Branch. Nearby, the Envoy¡¯s eyes narrowed. From what Elijah understood, the rtionship between Envoys and the area around their Branches was something like what existed between the Warden and his jail. They were supposed to be the ultimate power, so long as they remained in that clearly defined area. Of course, as Elijah had proven with the Warden, that wasn¡¯t exactly foolproof, so he didn¡¯t know how the limits were determined. He¡¯d only guessed the nature of the Warden¡¯s power based on a discussion with Nerthus. Either way, he didn¡¯t have any intention of testing those limits with the Envoy. As those thoughts flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind, the Librarian used his skill, resulting in the Branch lighting up with ethereal power. Next, a leaf appeared in his hand. He handed it over to Elijah, saying, ¡°This is called Nature sses ¨C a Sample. I hope it¡¯s what you wanted.¡± After thanking the Librarian, Elijah set up a meeting with K¡¯hana in a couple of hours, then dragged Miguel back to a set of rooms they were provided. Then, he settled down to read the guide. That¡¯s when he discovered that, because he¡¯d yet to receive an archetype, Miguel couldn¡¯t read the guide. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that, if I¡¯m honest. A little frustrating,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Tell me about it. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t wait to get my archetype.¡± So, Elijah settled in to interpret the information for his nephew. And to his surprise, there were hundreds of ss options for each archetype. ¡°How about we narrow it down. What archetypes interest you the most?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Um¡­mostly Warrior, Ranger, and¡­uh¡­Druid,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe Sorcerer, but I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°So, thebat archetypes,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the Warrior stuff right now, then we¡¯ll progress through the others.¡± After that, they went through the options associated with the stated archetype. Many were not dependent on attunements, and they fell into three categories. The defender-style sses, which were suited for durability and were often used for protection, were the most numerous. But then, there were the melee-focused damage dealers ¨C one of which was the Berserker ss that he recognized from his fight with Cabbot. And finally, there were the hybrids that traded suitability in a single purpose for versatility. Elijah was familiar with that. However, there were dozens of ways each purpose was achieved. Some used a wide variety of weapons, while others focused on a single tool. It was easy to dismiss those differences as mere vor, but one line stuck out to Elijah more than any other. He read it aloud, ¡°At first nce, ss choices may not seem impactful. A Fighter seems little different from a Knight. Yet, despite ovep, progression will always mean differentiation. The gaps between sses grow wider as one gains levels, engages in cultivation, chooses specializations, and evolves. So, choose wisely.¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t help at all,¡± Miguel said. ¡°I know,¡± was Elijah¡¯s response, sitting on the bed beside his nephew. ¡°Ramik once told me that established societies usually have Schrs that specialize in ss information. They¡¯re meant to help people make the perfect choices. We don¡¯t have any of that.¡± ¡°So, what am I supposed to do?¡± Miguel asked, looking over at his uncle. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°I didn¡¯t even choose my archetype. The system chose for me.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I was on a ne, remember? The lights went out, and before I could wrap my head around what was going on, a giant bird ripped a hole in the fusge,¡± he exined. ¡°I fell into the ocean, and I didn¡¯t wake up until a whileter. By that point, the choice had been made for me. But it was a good thing. If I¡¯d have gotten anything but Druid, I probably wouldn¡¯t have survived. And besides ¨C I had a ridiculouspatibility with the archetype, so it seems pretty clear that I was destined for it.¡± ¡°Is that what I should do? Just pick the one with the bestpatibility?¡± ¡°Maybe. Do you trust the system?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Yeah, me neither. It seems like it wants to help, but I like the idea of having choice, too,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°Like, what if it told me I was suited to be a trash collector? Would I have picked whatever archetype led to the Trash Man ss?¡± ¡°Is that a thing?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°No clue. My point is that you should take the system¡¯spatibility rating into ount, but ultimately, I think you should go with your heart. I¡¯ve told you that you don¡¯t want to be a Druid, but if that¡¯s where your heart leads you, I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you be the best Druid you can be.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. Now, here¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do ¨C during my meeting with K¡¯hana, I¡¯m going to ask if she has anyone who can transcribe the information in this guide to a book or something. That way, you can look through it yourself. Sound good?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Alright then. Don¡¯t get into any trouble while I¡¯m gone,¡± Elijah said before pushing himself to his feet and heading out of the room. Hopefully, his conversation with K¡¯hana would be more definitively fruitful than the guide had been. Book 4: Chapter 42: A Whole New Warlock Book 4: Chapter 42: A Whole New Warlock Benedict Emerson leaned forward, checking his reflection in the shattered mirror. Even though cracks marred the silvery surface, he could still see his features clearly enough. And the sight was pleasing. In the past, Benedict had never been referred to as handsome. His skin was too sallow, his body was thin to the point of looking malnourished, and hisplexion had long been marred by e scars. Now, though, when he looked upon his own reflection, he could see none of that. His skin was still pale, but rather than looking like a waxy corpse, he resembled a vampire ¨C the sexy sort usually yed by a teen heartthrob. That impression was supported by his glistening ck hair and sharp cheekbones. Of his e scars, there was nothing left. Just smooth skin. And his body had filled out quite a bit since he¡¯d escaped that dungeon beneath Easton. Apparently, getting a Demon Core did the body good. He took a step back, adjusting his long, leather coat. Beneath it, he wore a simple, white shirt and a pair of ck pants ¨C all Simple-Grade, if he had to guess, and elegantly cut. They were the sort of clothes worn by a young and eligible aristocrat. Like Mr. Darcy in the Pride and Prejudice movie, though without all that English reserve. ¡°Looking good, master,¡± hissed a voice beside him. ¡°Very dapper.¡± Benedict took a deep breath through his nose, then nced at the imp. It was tiny ¨C barely bigger than a hare ¨C with huge, bat-like ears, a forked tail, and wickedly sharp teeth. At first, Benedict had considered it a poor substitute for the hordes of undead minions he¡¯d once possessed. However, there were two key differences that had convinced him otherwise. First, and perhaps most importantly, the imp didn¡¯t lower his Regeneration. Instead, summoning it and binding it to his service had required certain reagents and reserved a defined portion of his Ethera. One was barely even noticeable, but the more imps ¨C or other demonic entities ¨C he bound to his service, the more onerous the burden would be. The only problem was the talking. Rarely did a moment go by when the stupid thing didn¡¯t have somement or other. Most were sycophantic, but in the sort of way that Benedict just knew the imp was being sarcastic. Other times, it gave backhandedpliments. Or whispered insults under its breath that were only loud enough for Benedict to hear a word here or there. But what he did hear was enough that he¡¯d actually kicked the little creature across the room on more than one asion. ¡°Shut up,¡± Benedict said. ¡°Or I¡¯ll kick you again.¡± ¡°Master is the best at kicking,¡± the imp said. ¡°Truly a prodigy of the foot.¡± Benedict kicked the thing, sending it sailing across the room before it hit a mannequin. It toppled over with a tter, and despite the noise, he smiled with no small degree of satisfaction. Until the stupid imp climbed out of the wreckage and gave him a thumbs up. After that, Benedict had to take a deep breath to keep himself from crossing the room and kicking it again. Once he¡¯d calmed himself, he turned his attention from the imp and looked over the shop. It had once been one of Easton¡¯s most prestigious, and the wares were truly impressive. Or they had been before all the looting. Now, ball gowns, tuxedos, and expensive hatsy trampled on the floor. Most had been burned in the fire that had gutted the ce, too. That his current outfit had survived was a minor miracle. So, Benedict straightened his coat, then stepped through the shattered window and into the street beyond. He nced up at the night sky, and in the moonlight, he could see circling carrion birds. They were high enough level that if their intended prey had yet to die, they were more than capable of correcting that issue. More than once, Benedict had been forced to exercise his power to drive them off. Fortunately, they seemed to have learned to leave him be. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the other survivors. There weren¡¯t many left. Apparently, when people had the power of superheroes ¨C even if they were C- and D-Team superheroes ¨C mortality rates of any conflict went through the roof. Especially for the nobatants who had so few protections against those with martial sses. Benedict had missed the worst of the fighting, but even what he¡¯d seen had been brutal. Of course, he¡¯d added his own brand of chaos to the mix, using abilities like Heat Blood and Infection to whittle enemies down. By the time they recognized the issue, they were too far gone to recover. That was Benedict¡¯s preference. For all that he was a willing killer, he didn¡¯t like direct confrontation. That was the advantage of his minions. He could send a horde of undead at the problem and never be forced to get his own hands dirty. Yet, with his new Demon Core, that tactic had been taken from him. And he¡¯d gotten an imp instead. Despite the other advantages, he wasn¡¯t certain if it was a good trade. Sure, he was stronger, faster, and more durable than ever before. In addition, his spells were far more potent as well. Yet, the loss of what he considered his ss-defining ability was difficult to see as a positive. ording to the demon Thakon, a single imp was more powerful than a hundred undead minions. And it was only the beginning. Eventually, not only would he be able to summon multiple imps, but he would also be able to add other, more powerful demonic creatures to his budding army. For now, though, he was vulnerable. So, when he set out from the ruined clothing shop, he did so with no small degree of caution. As he walked through the city, he was absolutely aghast at how quickly it had fallen. It had been some time since he¡¯d walked the streets of Easton ¨C and even then, it was under guard ¨C but he still remembered the majestic pce, the orderly streets, and the well-built structures. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Most of those had fallen. Many had burned, and plenty of others had been torn to pieces by battles between powerfulbatants. Even the wall had been breached, and any protections it offered had been sundered. Every now and then, Benedict saw hints that there were survivors, but he knew that they would be few and far between. Because when the wall had fallen, it had let in the monsters. Without the guards or hunters keeping them at bay, the wildlife had quicklye to reim the city as their own. It had been a ughter of many sides. Some people had made it, but most had already abandoned the city after taking whatever they could. He didn¡¯t know where they intended to go. Nor did Bendict really care. He just wasn¡¯t in the habit of helping the same sort of people who would have bullied him in the past. No ¨C they could fend for themselves. ¡°Well, well, well,¡± a rough voice echoed from behind him. ¡°What¡¯s a pretty boy like you doing in a ce like this? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s dangerous?¡± Benedict stopped in his tracks and turned ¨C just his head ¨C to see a burly man wearing a charred blue-and-white tabard over chainmail armor. He carried a shining, silvery halberd. Bendict¡¯s eyes flicked across the street, where he saw a slender man with a bow. Footsteps from the other direction told him that at least two others had joined them. ¡°You think I¡¯m pretty?¡± he asked. ¡°How kind.¡± ¡°Not apliment, man,¡± said the thug. ¡°Go on now. Take that coat off. Give us whatever else you got on you, and we¡¯ll let you go.¡± ¡°But boss, you said we would get to ¨C¡± ¡°Shut up, Jerry.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°I said to shut your mouth!¡± growled the leader, gesturing angrily at the archer. ¡°Or I¡¯ll shut it for you!¡± ¡°Fine. Whatever.¡± ¡°I swear to God, Jerry ¨C if you weren¡¯t my brother-inw¡­¡± The man took a deep breath, then said, ¡°Your stuff, man. Give it over, and you get to go on your merry way. If you ¨C¡± Suddenly a massive column of roiling fire engulfed the man. For a long few seconds, it burned, hot and bright enough to illuminate the entire road. Then, as abruptly as it had appeared, the fire winked out, leaving only a human-shaped pile of ashes behind. A cool breeze swept through, scattering the ashes across the street. Then, someone screamed. ¡°It burns!¡± the imp shouted in glee, pping its hands like a child. ¡°Did I do good, master? Do you like the fire?¡± ¡°Yes. I believe I do,¡± Benedict admitted. That was the other benefit of the imp. While it was no more durable than a child, the creature had an innate talent for fire that manifested in the form of an ability called Pyre. The results of said ability were obvious as Benedict watched the remainder of the ashes scatter across the cobblestones. ¡°What did you do?!¡± demanded Jerry, aiming an arrow in Benedict¡¯s direction. ¡°I did nothing to him. But you? That is a different story altogether. Do you feel it, Jerry? That burning in your veins? It will get worse,¡± Benedict promised. Then, he finally nced at the other two bandits. One had already fallen. ¡°Oh, dear. I do believe it¡¯s toote for her.¡± The other fell a secondter. That only left Jerry. ¡°Can I burn him, master? Please? I will be good!¡± Benedict nced at the imp. ¡°No. I have a use for him,¡± he said. By that point, poor Jerry had already copsed. However, Heat Blood alone didn¡¯t work nearly as quickly as when it wasbined with Infection and Empowered Affliction, which he¡¯d used on the other two would-be bandits. So, even if Jerry was on the verge of incapacitation, he wouldst a while longer. Hopefully, it would be enough time to aplish his goal. Benedict approached the agonized man, whose entire body had locked up. He knelt beside the trembling figure, then tapped him in the head. ¡°I know it hurts. I can stop it. I can make it end. Do you want that?¡± Jerry summoned his courage and spat, ¡°Fuck you!¡± ¡°No, thank you,¡± he said politely. The very idea of letting anyone touch him in that way was abhorrent. ¡°You will suffer for quite some time. Hours, at least. Your death will not be quick. As I said, I can end it. I can give you sce. I only need your permission.¡± To his credit, Jerrysted for nearly five minutes before he was begging for mercy. Soon after that, Benedict cast Demonic Pact, and thrust the deal upon the man. ¡°Do you, of free will and without dishonesty, ept my terms?¡± he asked. ¡°The terms being that I will take your spirit in exchange for ending your suffering.¡± Jerry screamed something unintelligible. Apparently, having one¡¯s blood on the verge of boiling was quite painful, even when one took enhanced Constitution and Regeneration into ount. ¡°I need your agreement, Jerry. Please. I want to help you.¡± Finally, Jerry shouted, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± Benedict breathed, smiling as he felt the spellplete its cast. The moment it did, a blinding light erupted from Jerry¡¯s chest. Benedict blinked, and when his vision cleared, he saw a tiny, purple crystal hovering a few inches above the now-dead bandit. Benedict grabbed it, and when his fingers wrapped around the crystal, he felt a torrent of energy envelope him. He struggled against the power of Jerry¡¯s spirit, using every ounce of willpower he possessed to keep it contained in the gem. His struggle onlysted a few seconds, but to him, it felt like an eternity. Once he¡¯d forced it under his control, he used another ability:
Summon: Ritual Dagger Manifest a dagger used in demonic rituals.
It was a simple but necessary spell, because without it, he would be incapable of casting the second most important spell in his repertoire:
Empower Summoning Circle Use a contracted spirit to empower a ritual circle drawn with the blood of an enemy.
He could have used a normal de to cut into Jerry¡¯s corpse, but ording to Thakon, the ritual circle would be far more powerful ¨C and more likely to be sessful ¨C if he used the summoned Ritual Dagger. Not one to gainsay a clear expert in all things demonic, Benedict had taken the powerful archdemon at his word. Over the next few minutes, Benedict hacked into Jerry¡¯s corpse, eliciting a spurt of blood that he used to draw a very precise rune upon the ground. Thakon had cautioned him against making any mistakes, so he drew the circle as perfectly as possible. Fortunately, he had enough Dexterity to steady his hands to a supernatural degree. Once he was finished with the circle, Benedict ced the spirit gem in the center and cast Empower Summoning Circle. The purples crystal once again zed with light, but it only took a second for that glow to transfer to the circle itself. That¡¯s when he finally cast the final spell:
Summon Demonling Using an empowered summoning circle, summon a Tier-1 fel servant and bind the creature to your will. Cooldown based on Ethera attribute. Current: 18.6 Days.
The circle erupted into mes, and the imp pped in glee. Then, abruptly, the mes petered out, revealing another imp. ¡°Master,¡± it said in its rough but high-pitched voice. ¡°I serve.¡± ¡°I serve, too!¡± said the first imp. And so, Benedict¡¯s demonic army had begun to take shape. The only question was what he intended to do with it. For now, he only wanted to leave Easton behind. But the future? He wasn¡¯t sure. He supposed he would have to take that as it came. So, he rose to his feet, motioned for the imps to follow him, then strode down the street, silently hoping that someone else might try to rob him. Book 4: Chapter 43: Alliances Book 4: Chapter 43: Alliances ¡°Why would I do that?¡± asked K¡¯hana, sitting primly on an borately colored cushion. ¡°Because you need people,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Your city here is not as isted as you think. You can¡¯t even run your tower, can you? Or did something change while I was gone?¡± ¡°We feel confident that, with your notes, we can ovee our deficiencies,¡± she imed. But even Elijah, who sometimes missed social cues, could tell that she was exaggerating. He said as much, which elicited a frown from the beautiful elf before he added, ¡°But if you ally yourselves with Seattle, you will have all the help you could want.¡± ¡°And in return, I will help them find water,¡± she said. To Elijah, it seemed like a perfectly good deal. She had an ability that the people of Seattle sorely needed, and the elves of Arvandor had a need that Seattle¡¯s muchrger poption could help fill. So, he was a little confused as to why K¡¯hana would object to the proposed alliance. ¡°I don¡¯t get what the issue is,¡± he admitted, leaning back on his own cushion. He looked around. There were a few other elves there, each one sitting on their own unique cushions, but they all clearly deferred to K¡¯hana. Elijah reached down and took a loud, slurping sip of the tea he¡¯d been provided. It was vorful, with a hint of something fruity, but he couldn¡¯t identify it. ¡°Good tea. Seriously, though ¨C what¡¯s going on? Why wouldn¡¯t you want to form an alliance?¡± ¡°We have heard of this city,¡± she answered with a sigh. ¡°It is a ce of chaos. War. Theirws are not followed, and they do not care for their people. It is a shameful ce, and I do not wish to associate with the people who would create such a city.¡± ¡°Ouch. Tell me how you really feel,¡± Elijah muttered to himself. ¡°Would it help if I told you that the man I want you to meet is a good guy?¡±¡°If he was a good person, he would have put a stop to the injustice so prevalent in his city,¡± K¡¯hana pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s kind of what I¡¯m trying to facilitate,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°Water is the problem. It¡¯splicated, but for most people in Seattle, there¡¯s not enough of it. If you can help them solve that issue, it will save a lot of lives. And it will give Isaiah the leverage he needs to take firmer control. Peace is what¡¯s at stake here. You can help with that.¡± There was a chance it would prevent Elijah from having to kill a lot of people on Mercer Mesa, too. After Valoria, his bloodlust had been sated. He would kill if he had to, but if he could avoid it, he would. ¡°More importantly, it helps you,¡± Elijah said. ¡°How long until the tower surges? A month? Maybe two? You¡¯ll be overrun by Voxx.¡± ¡°You could help us conquer it,¡± she suggested. ¡°I have other things to do,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And even if I didn¡¯t, relying on me is not a viable long-term solution. I won¡¯t always be around.¡± ¡°You could be,¡± came a voice from nearby. Elijah nced in that direction, and he saw that the sentence had originated with an older elf. The only real nods to age were a couple of lines at the corners of her eyes and gray hair, but Elijah could tell she was much older than she appeared. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°You are young, fit, and powerful. I propose a joining with our Water Witch,¡± she said. For a second, Elijah struggled to wrap his mind around what the elf had said, but when he did, his eyes flicked toward K¡¯hana. Her expression was stoic, but there was a blush of embarrassment on her cheeks. He coughed. ¡°Uh¡­no, thanks,¡± he said. K¡¯hana blurted, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked the older elf at the same time. ¡°Um¡­right. That probably sounded rude. In my culture, people¡­um¡­join together as a couple because they¡¯re in love. Not to cement an alliance.¡± Of course, that wasn¡¯t necessarily true. Throughout history, marriage ¨C which was what he assumed they were talking about ¨C had been used as a diplomatic tool. Yet, that had fallen out of favor long ago, and Elijah was anything butfortable with it. In addition, despite K¡¯hana¡¯s obvious beauty, he just didn¡¯t find her all that appealing. Perhaps it was her personality, which was a little too reserved for his taste, or the alien nature of her looks, but when he looked at her, he just didn¡¯t feel those sorts of feelings. Or maybe he just preferred humans. He didn¡¯t think of himself as that picky regarding looks. However, there was a cultural gulf between them that would almost assuredly be difficult to bridge. But maybe that was just his excuse. Regardless, he couldn¡¯t help his tastes. And that was only considering it from a personal standpoint. It was even less appealing from a political perspective. The elves just didn¡¯t have much that he wanted, so even if he was willing to leave his grove ¨C which he definitely was not ¨C there wasn¡¯t a lot of reason for him totch himself to Arvandor. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Well, this is awkward,¡± he muttered as the elves stared at him in disbelief. Clearly, they thought he would fall all over himself to take them up on the offer. He massaged the back of his neck, saying, ¡°It¡¯s¡­um¡­it¡¯s not you. It¡¯s totally me.¡± By that point, they were all staring daggers at him. ¡°Did I justmit a social faux pas? If it makes any difference, I kind of do that a lot. I spent a long time alone, and I still haven¡¯t really recovered my social graces,¡± he babbled. ¡°God. Social graces. I sound like a southern beauty queen or something. My point is that I¡¯m not good with these kinds of things. But I really do think this alliance between Arvandor and Seattle is a good idea. That said, I can see that I¡¯ve overstayed my wee. So¡­um¡­bye, I guess? Catch you on the flip side.¡± Then, he gave them an awkward finger gun salute, which he immediately regretted. Either way, he pushed himself to his feet and backed away, mumbling to himself, ¡°Finger gun? When is it ever a good idea to unironically give someone the finger gun? And the flip side? Ugh.¡± Thankfully, the elves only stared at him like he¡¯d grown horns. That was better than the alternative, which involved attacking him for his affront to good manners. He didn¡¯t think they were particrly violent, but he also suspected that even elves would react poorly to such a blunt rejection. For better or worse, none of them tried to stop him, and Elijah decided that it was high time he and Miguel left the elven city behind. So, he quickly returned to the rooms they had been given and told his nephew, ¡°Time to go. Get your stuff together, big guy. We need to vamanos.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± Miguel asked. ¡°Huh? Who said I did anything? It¡¯s just time to leave,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night.¡± ¡°Night walks are the best. Stars and moons and all that. Plus, the best predatorse out at night.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound ¨C¡± There was a knock at the door, which cut Miguel off. Elijah sighed. ¡°Okay, so whatever happens here, just don¡¯t freak out,¡± he said. Then, before Miguel could respond, Elijah opened the door to see K¡¯hana standing there. ¡°Hey. Long time, no see.¡± ¡°You saw me ten minutes ago,¡± she said, cocking her head to the side. ¡°Right. Just an expression. What¡¯s up? Please tell me you¡¯re not going to make another marriage proposal. I¡¯m ttered, but ¨C¡± ¡°I aming with you,¡± she said. Elijah narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going to change my mind,¡± he said. ¡°Nor would I want you to. Elder Hama did not ask for my input before suggesting that¡­partnership,¡± K¡¯hana stated. ¡°If she had, I would have refused.¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not good enough for you, then?¡± Elijah asked, slightly offended. ¡°You just said the same thing about me.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­wow. So, that doesn¡¯t feel so great. I know it¡¯s silly, but I still kind of go through life thinking everyone loves me.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t,¡± Miguel said. ¡°In Ironshore especially. Most of them¡­well, hate is a strong word, but ¨C¡± ¡°Zip it.¡± ¡°What does ¡®zip it¡¯ mean?¡± asked K¡¯hana. ¡°That my uncle likes to ignore things he doesn¡¯t like,¡± Miguel supplied cheerfully. With a grin, he added, ¡°I¡¯m Miggy, by the way.¡± ¡°I am K¡¯hana.¡± ¡°Great. We¡¯re all acquainted. Now, what changed?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Because back there, you were all like, ¡®No, I won¡¯t ally with a bunch of backwards thugs who can¡¯t keep the peace in their own city.¡¯ And now you¡¯re begging me to take you with me? I need a bit of an exnation here.¡± ¡°Very well. I was always going to go,¡± she said. ¡°The alliance makes sense. My people wished for me extract more benefits before I agreed. I do not wish to do so.¡± ¡°What sort of benefits?¡± ¡°You are a Druid. Your abilities could assist our farming efforts,¡± she said. ¡°We have no food shortages now, but our poption has seen a significant increase over the past few years. Soon, our farms will not be enough.¡± ¡°I think I need to introduce you to a friend,¡± Elijah said. Then, he exined how Lucy¡¯s greenhouse worked, finishing with, ¡°I¡¯m sure that if you help them, she¡¯ll be willing to help you. Maybe she could even help you set up a greenhouse of your own. I don¡¯t want to speak for her, but just knowing what¡¯s possible could help. And if not, I¡¯d be happy to assist. You could have just asked, though. No need for the subterfuge.¡± ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°I apologize if I offended you.¡± Then, she bowed. Elijah let out another sigh. ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. Don¡¯t do that. Let¡¯s just¡­let¡¯s just go,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of ground to cover, and we¡¯re on a timer.¡± Indeed, Elijah hadn¡¯t really thought his little excursion through. For one, while he thought his own presence was necessary, he had no intention of taking Miguel back into Seattle. The whole point was to help the young man tomune with nature, and that part of the journey would be finished once they reached the Circle of Spears, where Elijah intended to send Miguel back home. But he¡¯d forgotten one major thing before setting out. His coffee. The cherries were assuredly ready to be separated from the beans by now, which meant that he needed to do that as soon as possible or he would lose the whole batch. After that, he only needed to wait a day or so for them to dry, then enlist the help of a Cook to roast them. Regardless ¨C the point was that he needed to head back to the ind for a few days before continuing on to Seattle. Which presented a problem, if K¡¯hana wanted to tag along. It had been his idea, but one he¡¯d barely thought through. ¡°Also, and don¡¯t freak out, but I¡¯m going to take you to my ind for a couple of days. We¡¯ll be back on track soon after that,¡± he said. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Magic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s his answer to everything,¡± Miguel said. ¡°You get used to it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± K¡¯hana said. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Do you trust me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that answer, did you?¡± Miguelughed. ¡°I did not,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°But I guess we¡¯ve got a few days. Hopefully, I will have earned her trust by then. And if not¡­well, we¡¯ll figure it out. Onward and upward, I always say.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard you say that,¡± Miguel pointed out. ¡°Shut up. And respect your elders,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Now finish packing. We¡¯re on the clock here.¡± To drive the point home, he tapped his finger against his wrist. Clearly, K¡¯hana didn¡¯t understand the gesture, which just as obviously had her rethinking her decision to apany him to Seattle. But at least Miguel made the connection, because he spent the next couple of minutes thrusting his belongings into his pack. ¡°Why did you take all of that out?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Because you said we were going to be here for a little while.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Keep things in your pack until you need it,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You should write that down.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a pen or paper.¡± ¡°Then remember it.¡± ¡°I probably won¡¯t,¡± Miguel admitted. Elijah sighed, then nced at K¡¯hana. ¡°Young people, right? So disrespectful.¡± She didn¡¯t answer, which Elijah chose to take as agreement. In any case, once Miguel was packed, the trio set off through the city, eventually exiting into the Twilight Clefts and beginning their journey to the Circle of Spears. Book 4: Chapter 44: Visitor Book 4: Chapter 44: Visitor ¡°He¡¯s a cute little guy, right?¡± asked Elijah, which caused K¡¯hana to recoil. That certainly wasn¡¯t the reaction he¡¯d intended to elicit. Though, that was probably due to the creature he held in his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t think she likes Lizardface,¡± Miguel remarked, scratching the creature¡¯s scaley ribs. ¡°They are incredibly venomous!¡± she hissed, taking a step back to put some distance between herself and the giant desert monitor Elijah held in his arms. The thing was asrge as a Komodo dragon, so without his enhanced Strength, he never would¡¯ve been capable of holding it aloft. Or at least not easily. ¡°Lizardface?¡± asked Elijah. Miguel shrugged. ¡°He needed a name.¡± ¡°That¡¯s worse than Snappy.¡± ¡°Snappy is a good name!¡± Miguel insisted. ¡°And Trevor? What about Susan, Annabelle, and Bubba?¡± Elijah asked with a small smirk. As he spoke, the desert monitor tasted the air, then closed its eyes and rested its head on Elijah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Those are good names, too!¡±¡°Giving animals people names is weird,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°Whatever. Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall,¡± Miguel muttered. ¡°Nobody else is ever right.¡± ¡°In this case, I am objectively right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what objectively means.¡± ¡°It is if I say so,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°Respect your elders.¡± ¡°Is¡­that thinging with us?¡± asked K¡¯hana, cutting in. Elijah suspected she¡¯d done so to put a stop to the bickering. Both he and Miguel knew it didn¡¯t mean anything. It was good-natured. But it was clear that K¡¯hana¡¯s culture didn¡¯t really include things like that. Or perhaps she was just as uptight as she seemed. ¡°Oh, no. I just thought you¡¯d want to meet him,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You know, a lot of people in Seattle eat these fellows. They taste a bit like chicken, especially when they¡¯re fried.¡± With that, he set the monitor down, and it waddled off. Normally, they moved pretty slowly, but when they were threatened, the lizards could move like lightning. Elijah watched it with some admiration as it dipped behind a low rise and disappeared. It wasn¡¯t a skill or anything. Their hides were simply perfect for camouging them in the desert. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll get moving again,¡± Elijah said, setting off. The other two followed, with Miguel hurrying to catch up. ¡°You think we¡¯ll get there today?¡± he asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Probably,¡± he said. Only a few days before, they¡¯d passed the copse of Joshua trees he¡¯d nted the first time he¡¯d been in the desert. And to his horror, he¡¯d found that most of them had been chopped down. That had infuriated and saddened Elijah to the point where he¡¯d spent a couple of days renting the trees and helping them take root. But now, they were closing in on the Circle of Spears, which meant he had a choice to make. To that end, he asked K¡¯hana, ¡°Can I trust you?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± she said without hesitation. Elijah stopped, and the other two stopped as well. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the answer I expected.¡± ¡°I suspected as much,¡± she admitted. ¡°But I feel that I must be honest. If breaking your trust will help my people survive, then I will do so without hesitation. They are my first priority. However, I will not break your trust unless it is absolutely necessary.¡± That boration made Elijah feel a little better, but it wasn¡¯t really what he¡¯d wanted to hear. It meant that it would be a little irresponsible to take K¡¯hana to his ind. So, that left him with a few choices, none of which were ideal. First, he could simply go straight to Seattle and drop the elf off with Lucy or Isaiah. That ran the risk of taking longer than he could afford, but it was probably the safest option. Yet, it would also necessitate taking Miguel into the city, which he had no intention of doing. It wasn¡¯t the cesspool that Valoria had been, but it was perhaps much more dangerous. And given that Miguel didn¡¯t have an archetype yet, it would be even worse for him. So, he wanted to avoid that route if possible. The other option was to take Miguel home while leaving K¡¯hana in the oasis. But that was just as dangerous for her, because without Elijah around, the wildlife would prove much deadlier. There was every chance that Snappy might react poorly to the intrusion into his territory, and if that happened, either the turtle or K¡¯hana would end up gravely injured. Finally, there was the option that made the most sense, but also yed host to the most risk. Taking K¡¯hana back to the ind would only dy him a little, but it would be much safer for everyone involved. Yet, it dide with the risk involved in showing anyone ¨C especially someone like K¡¯hana, who knew the value of a ce like the grove ¨C his ind. If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. It seemed like a lose-lose sort of situation, and not for the first time, Elijah wished he¡¯d thought things through before setting off. But the past was the past, and as such, he couldn¡¯t change his circumstances. So, he needed to work with what he had. And looking at his options, everything pointed to taking K¡¯hana to the ind. Hopefully, the fact that it was thousands of miles away from her home would keep her from being able to determine the location of his grove. Besides, he knew he couldn¡¯t keep it a secret indefinitely. Eventually, the people of Ironshore would let it be known that something interesting was on his ind. Perhaps they already had. The only answer to that sort of threat was to simply be stronger than anyone who might try to invade his domain. So, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve got two choices for you, K¡¯hana.¡± ¡°Does one of them involve killing me?¡± she asked, and Elijah felt ethera swirling around her. ¡°What? No! Jesus¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she knows who Jesus was,¡± supplied Miguel. ¡°No. The choice is more of an invitation. I was going to ask if you wanted toe back to my ind,¡± he said. ¡°The alternative is to hang out in an oasis with an ornery turtle. So¡­up to you.¡± ¡°Snappy isn¡¯t ornery,¡± Miguel said. ¡°He¡¯s just a little shy around strangers.¡± ¡°He tried to eat Colt the first time he wandered near the pond,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°And there¡¯s a reason birds don¡¯tnd there anymore.¡± ¡°Just shy, like I said. And he didn¡¯t eat Colt. That has to count for something.¡± Elijah rolled his eyes, then turned his focus back to K¡¯hana, who was clearly having second thoughts about her decision to apany him. ¡°So, what¡¯s it going to be? We¡¯ll be gone for about a week, then we¡¯lle back here,¡± he said. ¡°I promise you¡¯ll be unharmed.¡± She took a deep breath, then said, ¡°I will apany you to this¡­ind.¡± Letting out a sigh of relief, Elijah said, ¡°Awesome. Then, on we go as we try to forget this awkward interaction ever happened.¡± After that, he did just as he¡¯d described, marching off across the desert. The other two struggled to keep up at first ¨C he often forgot that others weren¡¯t equipped with his level of physical attributes ¨C so he slowed to what felt like a cial pace. To distract himself, he upied one facet of his mind with cycling his Core while with another, he focused on maintaining a steady conversation with Miguel. Throughout their journey, he¡¯d endeavored to help the young man connect with nature, and one of the best ways of doing that was to describe all the different forms of life. And even in the desert, there were plenty of living creatures ranging from spiders to reptiles torge worms that lived below the surface. It may have looked deste, but that appearance was far from reality. For his part, Miguel soaked in the information like a sponge. He had his mothers¡¯ intellectual curiosity, which told Elijah that his nephew would probably make a fair Schr, if that was the route he chose. Finally, though, they reached the Circle of Spears. While Miguel dashed toward the pond to reacquaint himself with his favorite turtle, Elijah watched K¡¯hana¡¯s reaction as she circled the dolmen. ¡°Who made this?¡± she asked atst. ¡°Me and my sister-inw. Pretty awesome, right? Getting those monuments just right was a pain, but the carvings turned out really well, I think,¡± Elijah said. Then, he went on to describe the process, exining where he¡¯d gotten the stones and how he and Carmen had put everything together. ¡°But it¡¯s more than just a monument. It¡¯s tied to one of my spells. I won¡¯t go into how it all works, but from here, I can open a gate to a few different ces. One of those is my ind, which is where we¡¯re headed.¡± After that, Elijah yelled for Miguel. Predictably, the boy was loathe to leave the turtle behind, but he came anyway. And then, Elijah used Roots of the World Tree, creating a gate made of vines that snaked up from the ground. Then, the air inside shimmered into a portal to the grove. Elijah gestured, ¡°After you.¡± Miguel was the first to step through. Then, K¡¯hana hesitantly followed. And finally, Elijah brought up the rear, letting the gate fade away the moment he was through. The dense ethera of the ind enveloped him like a warm nket, and he took a deep, rxing breath before saying, ¡°Ah. That feels good.¡± ¡°W-what is this ce?¡± K¡¯hana whispered, looking around in obvious wonder. ¡°My ind,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Well, my grove to be more urate. But the grove is on my ind, so I guess I was right the first time. Regardless, wee ¨C let me show you to where you¡¯ll be staying for the next few days.¡± Elijah had considered sending K¡¯hana to Ironshore, but he¡¯d thought better of letting her wander too far. Instead, he wanted to keep her on the ind where he could keep an eye on her. So, with that in mind, he escorted her to his treehouse and showed her to the guest room. Once she was on her way to getting settled in, Elijah turned his attention to the biggest reason he¡¯d returned to the ind. His coffee cherries were ready to be removed from the water, then separated from their beans. So, he headed to therge trough where he¡¯d submerged them and got to work plucking them from the liquid. Once that was done, he removed the beans from the flesh, tossing them into a separate basket. It was a tedious process, but Elijah found that it was strangely calming. More, it gave him an opportunity to continue his core cultivation. And atst, he felt that he was finally starting to make progress. Though, even as his core felt like it was expanding, he couldn¡¯t deny that cycling became even more difficult. However, that was as expected, based on everything he¡¯d learned. So, he kept at it, and over the next eight hours, he finished his task. Once the beans had been separated, Nerthus took the discarded flesh away, saying that it would make a great addition to hispost heap. Meanwhile, Elijahid the beans out to dry. Night had already fallen, but he hoped the process would beplete by the middle of the next day. As he worked, Elijah also kept one facet of his mind trained on K¡¯hana. She didn¡¯t stray far from the treehouse, instead confining her movements to the grove. Yet, it was clear that she was impressed ¨C and a little frightened ¨C by what she saw. Never was that more apparent than when she spent an entire hour standing at the base of the ancestral tree and just staring up at its branches. That¡¯s where Elijah joined her. ¡°This tree is not normal,¡± she said after a few moments. ¡°It¡¯s not. Even among others of its species, it¡¯s special,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I think you can understand why I was hesitant to bring you here. If the wrong sort of person sees this tree ¨C or the rest of this grove ¨C everything will be in danger. I hope you¡¯re not that kind of person.¡± ¡°I would never vite a druid¡¯s grove,¡± she said. ¡°Those of us who came to this are not as well-learned as some, but we hold nature¡¯s protectors in high esteem.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t feel like it before when you first found out I was a Druid,¡± Elijah remarked. She nced at him, saying, ¡°I was merely surprised. Druids are not normallybatants.¡± ¡°Well, I am,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But I¡¯m still a Druid, and this grove is everything to me. So, please respect it while you¡¯re here. And I¡¯ll ask that you not reveal anything about this ce when you return to your people.¡± ¡°I will not. You have my word.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Elijah said. Then, he pped his hands together and asked, ¡°So, how would you like to see the ocean?¡± Book 4: Chapter 45: Seattle Book 4: Chapter 45: Seattle Dappled sunlight fell upon Elijah¡¯s face, eliciting a feeling of peace that he¡¯d so seldom experienced. Sometimes, it felt like he was being pulled in a thousand different directions. In most cases, it was his own fault. He¡¯d taken so many things onto his shoulders that thebined weight of his responsibilities ¨C self-imposed or externally motivated ¨C was almost enough to crush him. But he endeavored to persevere, continuing on to the best of his abilities. That wasn¡¯t to say that he hadn¡¯t made mistakes. He had, and plenty of them. So many, in fact, that he had no interest in enumerating them. The most recent was the apathy that had enveloped him afterpleting the Temple of Virtue, an attitude which had wasted precious time that he couldn¡¯t get back. But there were smaller mistakes as well, like his failure in scheduling that had cost him more time. Now, though, he was on the verge of getting everything back on track. But first, he wanted to taste the fruits of hisbor. To that end, he¡¯d spent part of the previous day hiring a Chef in Ironshore to roast his coffee beans. The haughty goblin ¨C Moag was his name ¨C hadn¡¯te cheaply, but ording to Ramik, he was the most effective cook in the city. Luckily, the goblin was as efficient as he was expensive to hiire, and he¡¯d finished the project in only a couple of hours. Before Earth had been touched by the World Tree, roasting coffee beans typically took no more than fifteen minutes, but apparently, things changed once ethera was added to the mix. Elijah wasn¡¯t so bold as to try to tell a Chef how to do his job. So, he¡¯d resolved to trust the goblin to do the task he¡¯d been hired to do. And the moment Elijah had smelled the product ¨C which Moag had ground for him as well ¨C he knew that the goblin had hit a homerun. Even a whiff of the stuff gave him a jolt of energy and vitality, which boded well for the future effects. Still, Elijah had forced himself to wait until the next morning to sample it,rgely because he wanted to share the experience with Carmen and K¡¯hana, who remained on the ind. After gathering the pair and boiling some water in his kitchen, Elijah put his looted French press to good use. He¡¯d never used one before ¨C all of his coffee hade from electric coffee makers in the past ¨C but it wasn¡¯t a terriblyplicated apparatus. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t long before he¡¯d managed to make three cups, which he¡¯d liberally sweetened with honey provided by Nerthus¡¯ apiary. Thus armed, he¡¯d headed out to the balcony, where the two women waited. Carmen and K¡¯hana had taken to one another quite well, which was nice, considering how Elijah had basically ignored the elf since returning to the ind. He hadn¡¯t meant to, but he¡¯d been a little preupied with his Core cultivation, getting his coffee taken care of, and training with Miguel.As it turned out, both Colt and Kurik had entered the tower the day before Elijah returned to the grove, so he¡¯d taken it upon himself to keep his nephew upied. He wasn¡¯t the outdoorsman that Kurik was, and he certainly couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Colt¡¯s expertise with weaponry. However, Elijah was light years beyond either one when it came to cultivation. So, with Nerthus¡¯ help, he¡¯d begun to train Miguel so the young man would be ready to take the leap with his Body, Mind, and Soul as soon as he gained his archetype. The spryggent had even offered to help in a simr ¨C if less powerful ¨C way to how he¡¯d assisted Elijah. Apparently, doing so required Nerthus to sacrifice some of his own power. It was a temporary impairment, and when Elijah found out about it, he¡¯d told Nerthus to save his strength. However, the spryggent had insisted, saying that his power was meant to be used in such a way. Doing so would only be possible if Miguel ended up with a nature attunement, though. Even so, Elijah¡¯s lessons would help the young man regardless of his attunement, so the lessons persisted ¨C despite Miguel¡¯s disdain. He was an active young man, and at present, he didn¡¯t have the temperament to enjoy sitting in a de for hours on end. He¡¯d have much preferred to be practicing his sword skills, traipsing about the wilderness, or ying with whichever animal he¡¯d happened upon that day. Still, he was his mothers¡¯ son, and he possessed the willpower to move past his personal feelings andmit to doing what was necessary. Miguel¡¯s attitude reminded Elijah of Alyssa. At present, the young man was sitting next to the ancestral tree as he attempted to meditate. But Elijah could tell that it wasn¡¯t really working. He was too twitchy. Elijah sighed. He knew it wasn¡¯t the process of a day, teaching Miguel to connect with nature. For his part, Elijah had something of a cheat with One with Nature, which, in addition to letting him feel everything in the effect¡¯s radius, also allowed him to connect with that ephemeral structure that undey everything. For Elijah, it was like looking at ake. Most people only ever saw the surface, and even if they appreciated it, didn¡¯t truly perceive everything below. Elijah¡¯s own perception didn¡¯t extend to the bottom ¨C in the analogy, he could barely see a foot past the surface ¨C but even that was impactful on his psyche to the point where he sometimes questioned if he would have taken the same actions if he hadn¡¯t felt that influence. In any case, when Elijah found his way to the balcony, he said, ¡°Ladies. Coffee is served.¡± Then, he handed the steaming mugs to their recipients. K¡¯hana asked, ¡°This coffee - is it like tea? We do not have it on my world.¡± ¡°Better,¡± Carmen said with a grin as she sniffed the mug. Elijah had done the same, verifying that there just wasn¡¯t anything like the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Perhaps it was a learned response, but the smell always brought a smile to his face. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m pretty sure this is going to be special. What quality did Moag say it was?¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°He said, and I quote, ¡®Food and drink is not meant to be graded, only enjoyed.¡¯ I pressed him, too. He wouldn¡¯t give it up,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°Don¡¯t you have an identification skill?¡± ¡°Only works to full effect on things I¡¯ve made myself,¡± Carmen answered. ¡°I can usually get a name from stuff rted to cksmithing, but with this? I get nothing.¡± ¡°Pity,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll just have to wing it. Cheers.¡± Elijah brought the cup to his lips, then took a sip. vor erupted across his tongue. The normal tastes were all there. It was a bit nutty. Bitter, too. But it was more than that, and in a simr way to how his grove berries differed from normal berries. He took another sip, enjoying the way the vors yed across his tongue. ¡°Yep. That¡¯s the best coffee I¡¯ve ever tasted,¡± he said. The honey gave it a slightly different vor than if he¡¯d used sugar, but even that was somehow more ¨C and in every way ¨C than typical honey. He took another sip, then asked Carmen, ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s good, right?¡± ¡°You have no idea how much I¡¯ve missed this,¡± she answered. Elijah then asked K¡¯hana the same question. But the elf didn¡¯t have the same reaction. She said, ¡°It is¡­good.¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± Elijah said, clutching at a mock wound in his chest. ¡°That bad, huh?¡± ¡°Ah¡­no¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t like it,¡± Carmen said. ¡°Coffee isn¡¯t for everyone. I wasn¡¯t an immediate convert, but Alyssa¡­well, she always loved the stuff. So, eventually, I did too.¡± Over the next quarter hour, Elijah and Carmen finished their coffee. So did K¡¯hana, who¡¯d asked for more honey so she could choke it down. But it was only after they¡¯d finished the contents of their mugs that they got a shock. ¡°You¡¯re seeing this, right?¡± Elijah breathed, looking at his notification.
You have consumed a Complex-Grade beverage. The following benefits will be applied: +5 Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Ethera. +10 Regeneration. Duration: 24.2 Hours
¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± Carmen muttered. ¡°I never¡­I thought it would be like your grove berries. But this is so much better.¡± Elijah couldn¡¯t disagree. And even K¡¯hana was impressed, iming that attribute-enhancing food and drink was incredibly rare. She¡¯d never consumed anything with those effects, and she admitted, ¡°I have always thought the stories of such foods were myths. This is a great boon.¡± ¡°I wonder what the limits are. Like, could I feed this to Miggy?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Maybe once he gets his archetype,¡± Carmen said. ¡°But I suspect it¡¯s simr to equipment. He can barely even lift Crude-Grade gear right now. Anything higher, and it¡¯s too much for him. The same is probably true for this coffee.¡± ¡°Do you think I could make something with my berries, then?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°And what happens if you drink two different types in a row? Do you get two buffs? I assume that if you drink a second cup of coffee, it¡¯ll just reset the timer or something.¡± ¡°One drink and one food enhancement at a time,¡± K¡¯hana said. ¡°That is how it was in the stories we were told.¡± ¡°Ah. I¡¯ll have to test it out at some point,¡± Elijah said. Though he knew that, with the amount of effort that had gone into his coffee, there was little chance of stumbling across something simr, at least in the short term. Perhaps as the ambient ethera on Earth continued to climb and those with appropriate skills gained levels, it would be moremon. Either way, he was more than satisfied with his choice to use the Miracle Seed to satisfy his long-gestating caffeine addiction. After a little while longer ¨C during which he enjoyed a second cup of coffee, iming that he wanted to test the resulting buff ¨C he said, ¡°Well, I think this little vacation is done. My spell is going to reset in a couple of hours, so get your things together. I¡¯m going to say goodbye to Miguel, and as soon as the spell¡¯s off cooldown, we¡¯re headed back to the Circle of Spears and then to Seattle.¡± The next two hours went by without incident, except that Miguel expressed ¨C and in quite a fervent manner ¨C that he wished to apany Elijah to Seattle. However, Elijah¡¯s reasoning remained just as valid as ever, and he refused to take his nephew into such a dangerous city. For all he knew, the situation there had devolved into open warfare, and no matter Miguel¡¯s skills with weapons, he still didn¡¯t have an archetype. As such, he was incredibly vulnerable. Despite that wless reasoning, Miguel wasn¡¯t happy about Elijiah¡¯s refusal, and he stormed off into the woods. ¡°He¡¯ll get over it,¡± Carmen said when Elijah expressed some concern over the exchange. ¡°He¡¯s a kid. I know he¡¯s been through a lot, and most of the time, he acts more mature than his age. But he¡¯s still a child in a lot of ways.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Elijah said. But he didn¡¯t enjoy being cast as the bad guy in anyone¡¯s story, much less his nephew¡¯s. Soon, his cooldown was up, and he once again cast Roots of the World Tree. After the gate manifested, he and K¡¯hana stepped through and into the oasis. The heat of the desert hit them both like a solid wall, and in seconds, Elijah felt sweat trickling down his back. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. The two covered the distance between the Circle of Spears and Seattle much more quickly than they would have if Miguel hade along. K¡¯hana didn¡¯t have high Strength or Dexterity, but she had enough of both to allow her to move through the desert at superhuman speeds. So, it was only half a day before Seattle came into view. As they passed thendlocked ships, K¡¯hana stared at them in awe. She¡¯d only gotten a brief glimpse of the ocean back on Elijah¡¯s ind, but even that had been enough to elicit no small degree of anxiety in the elf. And seeing the ships ¨C along with Elijah¡¯s exnation of how they worked ¨C brought some of that back to the fore. She said, ¡°My world has no oceans. Even that oasis would have been considered a great treasure. To see suchrge vessels that can cross thousands of miles of ocean¡­it is hard to imagine such a world.¡± They only paused for a few minutes so the curious ¨C and anxious ¨C elf could inspect the hulking derelicts before they moved on. As they drew closer to Seattle¡¯s gates, Elijah suggested that K¡¯hana wear a headscarf so that her ears were hidden. Her incredible beauty would still be on disy, but without the tapered ears of her race being visible, the hope was that she could avoid undue notice. K¡¯hana consented to follow Elijah¡¯s lead, so when they finally reached the city, she¡¯d covered her head and ears. In addition, she¡¯d wrapped the same scarf around the lower half of her face. However, that proved unnecessary, because the gates were entirely unguarded. Even as they cautiously passed through, Elijah heard a massive explosioning from the area on the other side of Mercer Mesa. Clearly, the tentative peace of Seattle had already been broken. Book 4: Chapter 46: Making an Example Book 4: Chapter 46: Making an Example ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± asked Elijah, grabbing a pedestrian¡¯s arm. The man tried to jerk free, but he was entirely unsessful. ¡°I don¡¯t want any trouble. I just want to know what to expect.¡± ¡°War,¡± the man spat. ¡°Those assholes on Mercer Mesa allied with the Lake City Adventurers and attacked the government. Or what¡¯s left of it. They won¡¯tst long, though. They don¡¯t have the power.¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Elijah breathed, releasing the man. As the fellow ran off, joining the flow of other pedestrians, Elijah turned to K¡¯hana and said, ¡°This visit might be short-lived. If ites down to it, we¡¯re just going to leave, alright? I don¡¯t want to fight a war if there¡¯s no chance of our side winning.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± she said, though Elijah felt ethera whirling around her. It was subtle, but it was there nheless. After that, the pair traversed the city. Along the way, Elijah saw that, in a lot of ways, Seattle was exactly as he¡¯d left it. Most of the residents were clearly trying to go about their lives, the same as always. But periodic explosions from the other side of the city had put everyone on edge. They didn¡¯t know what would happen when the fighting was finished, and they were obviously nervous about what the future might hold. K¡¯hana tried not to gape at the technology on disy, but her efforts yielded mixed results. Most of the time, she remained stoic and stone-faced, though there were a few bits of technology ¨C like phones andputers ¨C that elicited a wide-eyed gasp once Elijah exined their nature. ¡°These devices allowed you to ess information so easily?¡± she wondered. ¡°Yeah,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°It was a very useful tool, but most of us took it for granted. More often than not, we used it for entertainment, usually the silly sort.¡± Because of how steep the cost of targeted research was in the new world, Elijah hade to value information a lot more than in the past. On quite a few asions, he¡¯d found himself wishing the inte still worked. If it did, finding information about sses, cultivation, and just about everything else would have been much easier. Even his search for his family would have ended much more quickly. But that was a uselessmentation. The world was the way it was, and all they could do was adjust ordingly to the changed reality. With that in mind, Elijah and K¡¯hana trekked across the city. A few times, they passed old battlegrounds where the local buildings bore the brunt of the destruction. Husks of cars and piles of near-molten g were in abundance as well. And then there were the bodies. They weren¡¯t thatmon, but a couple of times, Elijah looked down an alley to see dozens of corpses heaped intorge piles. They were all naked, having been stripped of anything even remotely valuable, and they¡¯d been treated with absolutely no dignity. In the past, such tant disregard for the dead would have transformed Seattle into a hotbed of disease. Yet, most people were hardy enough to withstand those sorts of sicknesses. Elijah did wonder what would happen if microbes started to evolve. Would that result in super-infections? Viruses that even healing spells couldn¡¯tbat? It was a troubling though, especially when he thought about how incredibly deadly some diseases had been even before the world had been transformed. Hopefully, he would never have to deal with that sort of thing. Regardless, they made their way through the eastern half of the city without much issue. It wasn¡¯t until they had passed Mercer Mesa, which acted as something of a dividing line between the peaceful portion and the warzone, that they began to have issues. At first, they were merely watched ¨C and by both sides of the conflict ¨C but inevitably, they found a squad barring their path. There were two men and three women, all wearing an eclectic collection of gear that marked them as Lake City adventurers. The leader, who was a tall, dark-skinned woman with short hair, called out, ¡°You two are going to want to stop right there.¡± Elijah considered simply taking on the Shape of the Guardian and massacring the people. Something told him that route would end up being easier. However, after losing control in Valoria, he¡¯d resolved to avoid killing unless it proved absolutely necessary. It wasn¡¯t guilt, precisely, but rather, an acknowledgement that there was usually a better way to solve issues. Besides, even as misguided as they might be, they were still people. And without his grief-induced rage obscuring his good sense, he held that human life was worth a little inconvenience. So, he slowed to a stop, then leaned on his staff as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s up? Is this area off-limits or something?¡± ¡°For you? Absolutely,¡± she answered. Elijah sighed. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll just turn back, then,¡± he said, ncing around. There were a few bodies nearby, most of which wore the ck Ker armor of the local government. Elijah hadn¡¯t exactlymitted to fighting a war, but he had agreed to help Isaiah. That made them, at the very least, temporary allies. Which meant that the people in front of him were probably his enemies. ¡°Not so fast, friend,¡± the woman said. She held a long, wicked-ded spear and wore chainmail armor that clinked when she stepped forward. ¡°Our time is valuable, you see. And the war effort requires funding. Our soldiers need food. Equipment. Surely, you¡¯d like to donate a bit to a good cause. Ethereum or equipment ¨C it¡¯ll all go to good use.¡± Elijah asked, ¡°And if we don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t want to go down that road,¡± she answered with a shake of her head. ¡°Nothing good in that direction. You¡¯re not so stingy as to deny us what¡¯s fair, are you?¡± ¡°Seems like what¡¯s fair to you might feel a bit like a boot on my neck,¡± Elijah remarked. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°You¡¯re looking at this all wrong.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elijah asked, shifting slightly. He¡¯d already dedicated one facet of his Quartz Mind to casting Soothe, while another was upied by an impending transformation into hismer ape form. ¡°Enlighten me, then. How should I be looking at this? Because it looks a bit like a shakedown to me.¡± ¡°Ah. Well, I can¡¯t really deny that. A girl¡¯s got to eat, if you know what I mean,¡± she said with an affable smile. ¡°So, since we¡¯re both on the same page here, let¡¯s cut right to it. You hand over your valuables, and we¡¯ll let you leave. Can¡¯t let youe this way, though. Not safe for nobatants.¡± ¡°Who said we¡¯re nobatants?¡± asked Elijah, realizing that the woman didn¡¯t intend to let them leave. Even if they paid, they would be attacked. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain how he knew that, but he was certain it was the truth. The cast of Soothe he¡¯d held on the cusp ofpletion finished, and he immediately moved to Shape of the Guardian. Having obviously felt Elijah¡¯s cast, K¡¯hana erupted into motion, summoning her Water Whip. At the same time, she enveloped herself in a thinyer of water that slightly distorted her appearance. Elijah raced forward, transforming a little with each step. It only took a moment or two for the shift toplete, but in that time, he¡¯d already covered most of the ground between him and the woman. She recoiled, but otherwise, reacted quickly, stomping on the ground and manifesting arge, metal shield. Elijah crashed into it, but to his surprise, the thing didn¡¯t shatter. Nor did it move. Instead, it merely dented. At the same time, the rest of the woman¡¯s squad closed in, two of them aiming sword blows at his side. When they connected, they did so with a metallic ng as Elijah used Iron Scales. As their des rebounded, a roiling ball of shadow mmed into him, sshing across his torso like a wave of tar that restricted his movements, though only slightly. He hit the shield again, deepening the dent. ¡°Take it out!¡± shouted the woman, clearly straining. ¡°We¡¯re trying!¡± came an answering call as an arrow nced off of Elijah¡¯s scales. Elijah was about to hit the shield again when he recognized that he¡¯d once again been manipted by a protector-style ss. He¡¯d encountered such an ability when he¡¯d fought the team of mercenaries in Valoria, but that variety had been far less subtle. Perhaps it was an inferior version. Or maybe the woman was higher leveled. Yet, Elijah couldn¡¯t be bothered to care. Now that he knew what was going on, he had no difficulty ripping his attention away from the shield and bounding toward one of the less protected members of the group. ¡°Resist!¡± the shielded woman barked. ¡°Adjust-¡± The next man never got the chance to finish his statement, as Elijah barreled into him before he could get the words out. He was a melee fighter, armored in chainmail, but he clearly didn¡¯t have the benefit of much in the way of Constitution. As a result, he practically exploded from Elijah¡¯s charge. Bones crunched, and blood erupted from his every orifice before he went tumbling across the street and into a pile of rubble. He was dead before his momentum was spent. At the same time, K¡¯hana¡¯s Water Whip arced out, severing the arm of a woman who looked like a Sorcerer. The disarmed mage screamed in pain, but it cut off only a secondter when Elijah used his newest ability.
Debilitating Roar Let out an enraged bellow that sends all nearby targets fleeing in fear, decreasing their damage by 15%. Increases caster¡¯s footspeed by 10%. Only usable when caster is under the influence of Shape of the Guardian. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 9.2 seconds. Resistance based on target¡¯s Constitution attribute.
He¡¯d tried it out a few times in the tower, so he knew what to expect. Still, he¡¯d only used it against non-sapient creatures, so when he opened his mouth and let out a primal shout, he was a little surprised at the remainingbatants¡¯ reactions. The now one-armed woman cut her agonized scream off, turned, and ran away. The other just stared at Elijah in horror, his face pale, as he dropped his weapon. Then, he too fled, scrambling into the ruins of a building without looking back. The only one who managed to resist was the leader, and Elijiah saw that her resistance wasn¡¯tplete. A puddle of urine collected beneath her feet, and she shook in abject terror. But she held her ground. It onlysted a moment before K¡¯hana¡¯s Water Whip shed out, decapitating her. She had been frozen in fear, and even though she¡¯d managed to regain control just before the serpentine stream of water connected with her neck, it was far toote to erect any defenses. Her head tumbled free, and as she copsed, the world went silent, but for the tter of her chainmail-d body hitting the ground. ¡°Dammit,¡± Elijah said, shifting back into his human form. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to have to kill them.¡± ¡°They attempted to rob us,¡± K¡¯hana said. ¡°They deserved to die.¡± Elijah wanted to argue, but he held his tongue. Not only did he suspect that it would do little good ¨C cultural differences being what they were ¨C but he also didn¡¯t really disagree. While he wished he could have ended the situation nonviolently, the reality was that if he¡¯d done things differently, there was a chance that he or K¡¯hana would have been injured. Or killed. For better or worse, the world had turned ruthless. There was room for peace, but when someone broke it, the response needed to be swift and merciless. ¡°Check the bodies,¡± he said. ¡°Take anything useful. We¡¯ll get the items appraisedter.¡± K¡¯hana knelt beside the leader¡¯s corpse while Elijah searched the rubble for the one he¡¯d crushed. As it turned out, their armor was of decent quality, but their weapons were nothing special. Elijah did find a few vials that K¡¯hana said looked like healing potions. So, he pocketed those as well. Fortunately, the ones who¡¯d run off hadn¡¯te back, even though the effects of Demoralizing Roar had faded after only a handful of seconds. But that didn¡¯t mean they wouldn¡¯t return, so Elijah and K¡¯hana quickly moved on. As they traversed the city, Elijah sensed that they were being watched, but no one osted them, and it wasn¡¯t long before they arrived at their destination ¨C the Capitol building. And it was in much worse shape than it had been during Elijah¡¯sst visit. The grounds had been ripped to shreds, and the dry fountain at the center had been reduced to rubble. The building itself was still intact, but there were plenty of signs that it had endured a number of powerful attacks. In all, it looked as if a battle had been fought on Isaiah¡¯s doorstep. The whole area was encircled by a makeshift wall of sandbags and piled rubble, with rough towers jutting above the man-made edifice. Elijah¡¯s and K¡¯hana¡¯s arrival didn¡¯t go unnoticed, either, and he could see that plenty of ranged weapons ¨C from bows to wands ¨C were aimed in their direction. Seeing that, he didn¡¯t bother with a stealthy approach. Instead, he led K¡¯hana to the only gap in the wall, which was manned by a squad of men and women in ck fatigues. ¡°Stop there. What do you want?¡± asked a man in the back. He was stocky, with salt-and-pepper hair that had been cut into a military style. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Isaiah. I owe him a favor.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll ¨C¡± ¡°Let him in,¡± came a voice over the man¡¯s radio. That reminded Elijah that he still had the radio Isaiah had given him in his pocket. He just hadn¡¯t thought to use it. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± said the guard. After that, his underlings parted, letting Elijah through. However, the man still sent one of the others to escort them to the capitol. Book 4: Chapter 47: Seattles Plight Book 4: Chapter 47: Seattle''s Plight ¡°I¡¯m Elijah, by the way,¡± he said to the woman who¡¯d been assigned to escort them. She was pretty, maybe twenty years old if he had to guess. But Elijah acknowledged that his perception of age might be a little off. After all, with high attributes and a Body of Wood, the effects of aging really took a backseat. Even he looked a few years younger than he really was, though much of it was hidden by hiscking grooming habits and scraggly appearance. Perhaps he should have gotten a haircut before heading out on what amounted to a diplomatic mission. When the woman didn¡¯t respond, he said, ¡°Nice to meet you. Hot day today, isn¡¯t it? Oh, yeah ¨C I¡¯m very much enjoying my time in Seattle, thank you for asking.¡± ¡°Abigail,¡± she muttered. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°My name is Abigail. And I have a boyfriend,¡± she said. ¡°Uh¡­good for you?¡± he responded. Then, he realized what she must¡¯ve thought, and he shook his head. Why did everyone always think the worst of his intentions? ¡°This is K¡¯hana. I don¡¯t know if she has a boyfriend or not.¡± ¡°I do not have a life partner.¡± ¡°Samesies,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It¡¯s rough going out there, you know? Not like it used to be. But I¡¯ll bepletely honest ¨C I¡¯m d the dating apps are a thing of the past. I didn¡¯t have a lot of experience with Tinder and the like, but what I saw was not good. You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t have to go through that, K¡¯hana. Back me up here, Abby. It was terrible, right?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°But then again, I don¡¯t think K¡¯hana would¡¯ve had much trouble, all things considered. The pointed ears might turn some people the other way, but I¡¯m sure most would be more than willing to ignore that. Of course, there¡¯s no ounting for cultural differences. I don¡¯t know much about the mating habits of elves.¡±¡°You¡¯re an elf?¡± asked Abigail. Then, she told Elijah, ¡°And my name is Abigail. Not Abby.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± At the same time, K¡¯hana unfurled her scarf, revealing the rest of her face as well as her tapered ears. That elicited a gasp from their escort, who actually stumbled as she climbed a set of steps leading to the front doors of the capitol building. She caught herself on a handrail, but her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an elf before. There was a gnome that came through here a few months back, and I¡¯ve heard of dwarves. But no elves.¡± ¡°Well, if all goes well, you¡¯ll see some more in theing months,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But don¡¯t tell anyone. I¡¯m sure Isaiah will want to take credit.¡± After that, they went silent as they were led through the building and to Isaiah¡¯s office. The interior of the capitol didn¡¯t look any different than it had thest time Elijah had visited, which was a little surprising, given the degree of damage outside. Perhaps the attackers had been rebuffed before reaching the building itself. Regardless, they arrived at the office a few minutester, where they were handed off to another set of guards ¨C both of which were burly men who seemed a little stronger than the average riffraff ¨C who let them inside. There, Isaiah was sitting behind his desk. ¡°About time,¡± he said. ¡°I was beginning to think you weren¡¯t going to hold up your end of our bargain.¡± Elijah frowned. ¡°I never said when I would help. Just that I would,¡± he stated. ¡°Any assumption otherwise was your fault.¡± ¡°It was implied. Our situation is dire. People died while you were galivanting around doing whatever it is you do. I ¨C¡± ¡°Be careful what you say next. I¡¯m here to help, and in more ways than you expect. But I¡¯m not going to stand here and let you browbeat me because I refuse to operate on your schedule,¡± Elijah said, his tone suddenly icy. And given that he was the highest-level person among humanity¡¯s remaining poption, his ire was best avoided. It wasn¡¯t as if Elijah could rip the building down around Isaiah ¨C especially when the man had some levels under his belt ¨C but he could cause a lot of damage if so inclined. Valoria was evidence of that. To his credit, Isaiah took a deep breath and said, ¡°Fine. Tell me what you have in mind.¡± * * * Isaiah tightened his fist as he sat behind his desk. He was already dealing with a crisis that could tear everything down, and now he had to deal with a primadonna like Elijah Hart? The man acted as if the entire world revolved around him. Meanwhile, Isaiah had been fighting tooth and nail to try to preserve as much of Seattle as he could manage. Even while multiple groups had risen to oppose him, he¡¯d kept order, negotiated peace deals, and prevented the weak from sumbing to the dangers of the new world. So, seeing someone like Elijah, who only seemed to care about himself, was galling ¨C a situation that was exacerbated by the fact that Isaiah needed the man¡¯s help. Otherwise, the militants of Lakeshore and the water-hoarders of Mercer Mesa would slowly overwhelm him and his allies. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. But he didn¡¯t have enough power. For what felt like the thousandth time, he wished he¡¯d chosen a different option when he¡¯d achieved Lordship. The quest to do so had been onerous, requiring him to consolidate his power and reach a specific spot on the power rankings. That hadn¡¯tsted much past attaining his title as a Lord, but it still represented a sizable aplishment. More, the path he had chosen ¨C that of the Watcher ¨C had worked hand-in-glove with his ss¡¯s power set, allowing him to keep an eye on everything in his city. Yet, as powerful as information often was, it usually proved useless in a direct confrontation. The reality of Isaiah¡¯s path was that it was never meant for fighting. He¡¯d hoped to field a force of powerfulbatants to fill that void, but Bruce Garret had used his ess to the tower to pull most of the truly promising fighters into the Lakeshore faction. It wasn¡¯t difficult to see why they went that way, either. The tower offered a chance to grow stronger via a mostly set path. There were whole books that had been written about the best ways to challenge it. So, there wasn¡¯t much in the way of danger, so long as the challenging party didn¡¯t make any egregious mistakes in their groupposition or within the tower itself. So, the strong kept getting stronger, and they¡¯d begun to wonder why they allowed someone like Isaiah to maintain power. And then, the Mercers had stepped in, promising unfettered ess to their water source. From there, the two factions had slowly begun to overwhelm Isaiah and his tentative allies, the Hunters of Ranier. The tensions had grown even more onerous until, atst, open battle had erupted. Hundreds had already died, and more deaths would follow unless Isaiah put an end to the conflict. If he could guarantee that it would work, he would have already surrendered his position. He didn¡¯t care about being in charge. However, he¡¯d seen the way the Mercers treated their underlings. He¡¯d watched as the so-called adventurers of Lakeshore took what they wanted, daring anyone to oppose them. No ¨C if he surrendered, not only would he be giving up his own life, but also the lives of many others who depended on him to protect them. Even so, Isaiah had sought a truce, which had been summarily rejected. Bruce had responded with a simple question, ¡°Why would we negotiate with you when we¡¯re winning?¡± It was a good question, and one to which Isaiah had no answers. But now that Elijah Hart had returned to Seattle, there was a chance of turning things around. Isaiah might have once doubted the man¡¯s power, but only that day, he¡¯d watched via one of his drones as Elijah had ripped a group of adventurers to pieces. It was as horrifying as it was hope-inducing. ¡°So, I think I might have a fix for your water problem that doesn¡¯t involve me flying up to Mercer Mesa and ughtering a bunch of rich assholes,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Fly?¡± ¡°Yeah. I can fly. The point is that this woman is the answer to your problems,¡± Elijah said, gesturing to the woman who¡¯d apanied him into Seattle. Isaiah had watched her decapitate a seasoned adventurer with a whip that looked like it was made of semi-sold water, so he knew she was dangerous. More, he also knew that she was an elf. Seattle had yed host to a few non-humans over the years, and there was even a smallmunity of dwarves ¨C only about two-dozen of them ¨C who ran a traveling caravan that passed through every month or so. But Isaiah had never seen an elf before, and he was unsurprised to see that the myths had gotten it mostly right. The woman ¨C her name was K¡¯hana Tamira ¨C was a level fifty Water Witch, ording to Isaiah¡¯s All-Seeing Eye skill, and she was an absolute vision of perfection. ¡°I¡¯m going to need more than that if you expect me to understand what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Isaiah said to the infuriating man. ¡°She¡¯s strong, but she won¡¯t make much of a difference in a pitched battle. Lakeshore has a hundred people that are close to her level. No offense, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°None taken, my lord.¡± Elijah rolled his eyes at that, which only irritated Isaiah even further. Then, he said, ¡°She¡¯s not here to fight. She¡¯s here to help you find water.¡± Then, the elven woman exined that she came from a world even more arid than the Seattle desert, and as such, her people had long leaned on those with sses that could find water in even the dryest deserts. K¡¯hana was one of those people, and she said that, via a series of skills, she could locate enough water to support even a city the size of Seattle. ¡°And you would do this out of the goodness of your heart?¡± he asked in disbelief. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I will not. I wish to ally my people with yours. You gain ess to water, while we use your people to help us keep our tower from overflowing. In addition, we would like to create a trade alliance as well as an agreement for mutual defense. Our people do not have a history of battle. Wee from a peaceful world. As such, we have only a fewbatants.¡± ¡°Pending the details, I think that sounds reasonable,¡± Isaiah said, struggling to believe his good fortune. In one fell swoop, the elf¡¯s arrival had given him hope that two of the city¡¯s most pressing needs would be solved. However, that still left the issue of the ongoing war. ¡°But it won¡¯t mean anything if Mercer and Lakeshore have their way. They¡¯ve already expanded their territories, and they threaten to take the whole city.¡± ¡°Perhaps we should be talking to one of them, then,¡± suggested the elf. ¡°I thought you were the Lord of this city.¡± Isaiah didn¡¯t rise to thatment. Instead, he focused on Elijah, saying, ¡°You agreed to help.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Are you backing out of that agreement? This helps. I won¡¯t deny that. And I¡¯m grateful. However, you agreed to help us take care of Mercer and Lakeshore,¡± Isaiah stated evenly. ¡°I took you to be a man of honor.¡± Elijahughed at that. ¡°Honor? Not much use for that. I help people that need it. I protect what I care about,¡± he said. ¡°And I try to maintain the bnce of nature. Honor doesn¡¯te into that equation. But I still intend to help. You seem better than the Mercers, at least. And given that I¡¯ve already been attacked by those others, you¡¯re our best bet.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Because one of those things ¨C or people, I suppose ¨C that you care about is about to be attacked by Lakeshore. My information tells me that they intend to take the Garden in three days.¡± Book 4: Chapter 48: Raid Book 4: Chapter 48: Raid Elijah¡¯s heart nearly stopped as the memory of a hundred little dys came rushing to mind. Perhaps his reaction to Alyssa¡¯s death was understandable, but he¡¯d wasted a lot of time pointlessly trekking across the wilderness. In the aftermath, he¡¯d spent weeks wallowing in apathy that still hadn¡¯t entirely lifted. And as a result, he¡¯d put one of the few people he actually cared about in danger. Lucy wasn¡¯t usually at the forefront of his mind. She wasn¡¯t family. But he¡¯d loved her once, and those feelings hadn¡¯tpletely faded. At worst, she was a friend, and at best, she might one day be something more. However, over the years, he¡¯d adopted the habit of pushing her from his thoughts, and because of that, her situation ¨C and that of Seattle ¨C was thest thing on his mind. Now, he was going to have to deal with the consequences. Even as he pushed himself to his feet, his thoughts drifted into a dark ce that he¡¯d most recently visited in Valoria. If something had happened to Lucy, he was going to tear the ones responsible to pieces. Isaiah rose, urgently saying, ¡°She¡¯s fine. I should have led with that. They haven¡¯t attacked yet.¡± ¡°But they are, right? How do we stop it? When are they doing it? And ¨C¡± ¡°Right now, they¡¯re holed up in their headquarters,¡± Isaiah answered. ¡°Or the important ones are, at least. They call it the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± ¡°If you know where they are, then why haven¡¯t you already taken care of it?¡± ¡°They¡¯re too strong,¡± the man answered, standing and cing his hands on the edge of the desk. He leaned forward, continuing, ¡°We¡¯re not all as powerful as you are. We can¡¯t just walk into a city and destroy a group of seasoned adventurers. My people had all they could handle just defending this ce. Assaulting their headquarters will be much more difficult.¡± ¡°You know their levels? Do they have anyone on thedder?¡± asked Elijah.¡°No. The core group ¨C five people, plus the leader, Bruce Garret ¨C are only a level away, though. They¡¯ve each cultivated their bodies to the first stage as well. Bruce has everything but the core at the first stage,¡± Isaiah exined. ¡°You sure do know a lot about them,¡± Elijah noted. Although, that should not have been terribly surprising. After all, Isaiah had already demonstrated that he could read Elijah¡¯s status like a book. It stood to reason that he could do the same with the other people in the city. ¡°My entire ss revolves around information gathering,¡± Isaiah responded. ¡°I have very limitedbat capability.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Elijah¡¯s initial reaction was to simply head to this Adventurer¡¯s Guild headquarters and start killing people. However, if Isaiah was as good at gathering information as he imed, perhaps there was an advantage there. So, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the n, then? Do you have ayout of the building? What about defenses? Detailed information about the enemies?¡± As it turned out, Isaiah had all of that and more. He produced a list of the fighters inside the building ¨C most were in their forties, but there were a few on the verge of entering the power rankings ¨C as well as a map, which detailed potential points of ingress. On top of that, he said, ¡°I can disable their defenses, too.¡± ¡°What kind of defenses are we talking about?¡± ¡°They call it an array,¡± Isaiah exined. ¡°It¡¯s like an artificial domain. If you have the key ¨C one of the pendants they give to members once they satisfy certain requirements ¨C you¡¯ll be unaffected. However, if you don¡¯t, it¡¯ll decrease your physical attributes by as much as twenty-five percent. Less based on the Ethera attribute.¡± That didn¡¯t seem so bad, but Elijah had no interest in losing that many attributes. So, he was more than willing to let Isaiah do his thing. ¡°More importantly, I can guide you,¡± Isaiah stated. ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t step into a situation you can¡¯t control. They have a few stealth operators, and some of their guards can avoid detection as well.¡± ¡°But not from you?¡± ¡°I see everything,¡± Isaiah responded. To Elijah, that sounded a bit like his domain. Perhaps that was the benefit of Isaiah¡¯s ss, like he¡¯d imed, but Elijah expected that there was something else at work. After all, it had taken quite a lot of work before Elijah¡¯s domain had taken hold. Regardless, with what he¡¯d seen, he didn¡¯t have any trouble believing Isaiah¡¯s ims. ¡°Here,¡± Isaiah said, pulling a small device from his pocket. ¡°Put that in your ear, and I¡¯ll be able to talk to you.¡± ¡°Uh¡­there might be a problem with that,¡± Elijah said, noting that, in his bestial forms, he didn¡¯t really have ears ¨C at least not in the shape that could amodate the tiny earwig Isaiah had offered. Instead, in his draconid form, his ears were nothing more than small pits on the side of his head. In hismer ape form, they were muchrger. He¡¯d not noticed the orientation of his ears in his Shape of the Sky form. But then again, perhaps it would work like his clothing or other equipment and transform with him, so, he just took the earwig and said, ¡°But let¡¯s hope not.¡± Then, he slipped it into his ear. ¡°Would you like my assistance?¡± asked K¡¯hana. Elijah shook his head. ¡°No. The alliance is too important,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk you getting injured.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. That was only part of the reason. Elijah intended to use Guise of the Unseen, which would be impossible of K¡¯hana was tagging along. Also, when he was inevitably discovered, he didn¡¯t want to have to worry about keeping her safe. For better or worse, he didn¡¯t really fit into most groups. Instead, he was far morefortable fighting alone. One day, he¡¯d have to work on changing that. At some point, he knew he¡¯d encounter a situation he couldn¡¯t tackle alone. The issue was that his ss was built on versatility. What made him special was the fact that he could fill multiple roles at once. Groups, though, were built to take advantage of highly specializedbatants. So, if he ended up in one of those parties, he¡¯d be relegated to being a worse version of whichever role he was assigned. It would take time and training to ovee those issues. But it was neither the time nor the ce of that. After getting a brief rundown from Isaiah ¨C and refusing to let one of his teams apany him ¨C Elijah set off. Most of the journey was undertaken in his human form, but when he approached the territory imed by the Lakeshore Adventurers, he ducked into an abandoned building, ensured that no one was looking, and shifted into his draconid form. He''d considered simply flying in and dropping onto the roof of the building, but he chose the less bombastic path. As satisfying as it would have been to take that route, stealth was both safer and more tactically sound. Once he was cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, Elijah crept out of the abandoned building and crossed the block or so to the territory controlled by the Adventurers. Once, the region had been on the waterfront, but now that everything was desert, new buildings spilled out into the area that had once been Puget Sound. Encircling the territory was a concrete wall that reached fifteen feet in height. That was new. Elijah had only seen the area from afar, but he felt certain that he would have noticed such an obstacle. Regardless, with his attributes, it was easy enough to vault to the top the edifice, though he did feel a slight tingle as he crossed the wall walk and leaped down to the other side. That was the defensive array, he knew. Thankfully, he was immune to its effects due to the pendant he¡¯d gotten from Isaiah. So, he continued forward, passing between buildings and keeping to the shadows as much as possible. He knew that wasn¡¯t strictly necessary ¨C Guise of the Unseen was more than enough to hide him from most people ¨C but old habits died hard. Like that, he slowly made his way through the district, noticing that there were quite a few nobatants in the area. Night had already fallen, but it wasn¡¯t sote that the streets had emptied. There were children about as well, suggesting that at least some of the so-called Adventurers had families. What about the men and women he intended to kill? Did they have husbands and wives waiting for them at home? Children? Brothers and sisters? Often, Elijah skated past the implications of all the deaths he¡¯d caused. It was easy to cast them as faceless enemies. But the reality was that the impact of those deaths didn¡¯t end when Elijah had moved on. They all had people that cared about them. People who depended on them. Their lives would be changed, and probably for the worse, because of Elijah¡¯s actions. It cemented the notion that he needed to be more judicious with his power. Killing people was easy. Sometimes incredibly so. Restraining himself would be much more difficult, especially when he felt justified. Of course, reality didn¡¯t care about moral quandaries, and the fact of the matter was that if he didn¡¯t do something about Bruce Garet and his Adventurers ¨C and the people of Mercer Mesa ¨C they would hurt someone he cared about. And Elijah¡¯s brand of ¡°doing something¡± usually involved copious violence. He simply wasn¡¯t equipped for political maneuvering or the like, and even if he was, that had already proven ineffective. After all, that was supposed to be Isaiah¡¯s area of expertise, and he¡¯d already admitted that he couldn¡¯t do what needed to be done. No - Elijah knew he was going to have to kill a lot of people. And as a result, he would create widows, widowers, and orphans. It was an unavoidable aspect of any battle, and as unptable as it was to consider, Elijah knew it was necessary. So, it was with a murky conscience that he arrived at the Adventurer Guild¡¯s Headquarters. It was arge, squarish building that was a few blocks away from the old shoreline. At five stories tall, and constructed of brick, it was a remnant of the old world that had somehow survived events that had torn most of the other buildings within the city down. More importantly, it was guarded by dozens ofbatants, all arranged in groups of five, with most of them patrolling the surrounding area. Elijah watched from the shadows, observing the patterns. All the while, Isaiah spoke in his ear, ¡°There are two points of ingress you can use. The first is the side door. It is guarded, but only lightly. It¡¯s the riskier of the two options. The second entrance is on the roof, and it would require you to climb the fire escape. That route has been rigged with traps that I can¡¯t deactivate from afar.¡± ¡°What kind of traps?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°They¡¯re called ethereal ymores. Just like ymores from the old world, they explode, sending shrapnel to tear the victim to pieces. However, instead of being powered bybustion, they¡¯re powered by ethera. We think someone in there has a skill to make them deadlier, too,¡± Isaiah exined. ¡°What about the walls?¡± Elijah hissed. He didn¡¯t even know where the device¡¯s microphone was, but Isaiah had already proven that he could hear him just fine. ¡°What about them?¡± ¡°What if I climb them?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Uh¡­one second. Yeah. That should work,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°If you can do it.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Elijah said. Like his old mist panther form, the draconid shape was made for climbing, but even as a human, he wouldn¡¯t have had any difficulty. That was the benefit of his high attributes. With that n in mind, he stalked forward, and with the assistance of Isaiah¡¯s constant input, was able to avoid the patrols. ording to him, they each had at least one member with a skill simr to the Guard Sense referenced by the soldiers in Valoria. It wasn¡¯t enough to see through Guise of the Unseen ¨C so long as he was careful, at least ¨C but he didn¡¯t want to push his luck. As a result, covering those hundred-or-so yards took about twenty minutes, but eventually, Elijah reached the building¡¯s far wall. The night was overcast, so it stood in dark shadow that he hoped would keep him concealed. So, without further ado, he leaped, digging his ws into the brick and vaulting from one handhold to the next as he climbed the building. Unfortunately, it made a little noise, but he¡¯d timed his climb so that no one was close enough to hear it. And just like that, he reached the top and climbed onto the t roof. There were four guards up there, too. Positioned one to a side, each was armed with binocrs and heavy crossbows, but their attention was entirely focused on the area around the building. Elijah stalked forward, and when he approached the first, he used Predator Strike before attacking. However, he didn¡¯t use his normal skull-bite attack. Instead, his ws found the woman¡¯s throat, silently ripping through the tender flesh. He caught her as she fell, then lowered her to the ground before going after the second. That man fell, just like the first sentry. It was the same with the remaining two, though with thest, he indulged his instincts and crushed the man¡¯s skull. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going in,¡± Elijah said, approaching the door that would lead him into the building below. But just as he opened the door, Isaiah shouted something that was quickly lost in the sound of an explosion. Elijah¡¯s vision turned white as he was hit by a shockwave that sent him tumbling across the roof. Book 4: Chapter 49: Cooler Heads Will Prevail Book 4: Chapter 49: Cooler Heads Will Prevail Elijah cartwheeled, skipping across the roof as his scales melted from the intense heat of the explosion. However, at least one facet of his Quartz Mind remained aware enough that he initiated a transformation into the Shape of the Sky, whichpleted as he went over the edge and began a plummet to the ground below. He beat his wings, pain arcing through him with every motion. The membranous material thatprised the appendages was ripped in ces, scattering blood across the ground below, but they were still capable of holding him aloft. And in his state, if he¡¯d let himself fall from that roof, he might never have risen. Still, flight was only barely possible, and he ended up expending far more energy than normal before he crashed into another nearby building. The moment he was back on solid ground, he initiated another transformation into his human form. Only then did he look at the state of his body. Groaning, he took in what looked like third-degree burns that covered most of his skin. On top of that, he could feel multiple broken bones as well as what he took to be some sort of affliction coursing through his body and weakening him. But it wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d been so grievously injured, and one facet of his Mind had already begun to cast Soothe, Healing Rain, and Touch of Nature. Completely healing would not be a quick process, but he felt confident that he could regain functionality in short order. It wouldn¡¯t be pretty, though. ¡°Elijah!¡± shouted Isaiah through the earpiece. That was when Elijah realized that the man had been yelling for some time. He just hadn¡¯t quite heard it because his eardrums had burst from the cacophonous explosion. ¡°You don¡¯t have to shout.¡± ¡°Are you okay? Do you need an extraction?¡±¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Elijah said, having already healed most of the fractures. A few still persisted, but they weren¡¯t so serious that they¡¯d slow him down. More concerning were the burns. And the affliction, which had stubbornly hung on, weakening him. ¡°Just need to heal for a second.¡± ¡°You may not have that long,¡± Isaiah stated. ¡°Every Adventurer in Lakeshore is converging on your location.¡± ¡°What hit me?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°One of the ymores.¡± ¡°And what happened to ¡®I see everything¡¯, huh?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I missed it. I don¡¯t know how,¡± Isaiah admitted. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You look¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. This isn¡¯t as bad as getting digested by a whale,¡± Elijah muttered. Already, the burns had begun to scab over. It would take a few more minutes before it waspletely healed, though. ¡°Honestly, it looks worse than it is. And how do you know how I look, anyway?¡± Then, he focused on a gap in his awareness. It was only about six inches wide, but he¡¯d encountered stealth skills on enough asions that he knew what that absence meant. ¡°Oh. Drones, right? How long do I have?¡± ¡°Six minutes,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°Based on their normal response times, at least. They¡¯re being careful as they surround the building you¡¯re in.¡± ¡°Should be enough,¡± Elijah mumbled to himself. He could have used Guardian¡¯s Renewal to instantly recover, but he wanted to keep that in reserve. It was too powerful, with too long of a cooldown to use when his normal healing spells would suffice. ¡°Just keep me updated on their movements.¡± After that, Elijah focused on healing, flooding his body with Touch of Nature as often as he could. The spell had once been quite powerful, but ofte, he¡¯d noticed that its rtive potency had really begun tog behind. As a result, it took more casts to heal from simr amounts of damage. From what he understood, that was normal. Healing spells typically restored a static amount of life ¨C or vitality, as the guides referred to it ¨C but each person gained arger pool of that life force as they progressed through levels and benefited from increased attributes. Because of that, people were harder to injure, but they were also more difficult to heal, requiring evolved spells to heal the same amount of rtive damage. Or in Elijah¡¯s case, more casts. Fortunately, his pool of avable ethera had grown quite a bitrger than it had been when he¡¯d first acquired the spell, so he could effectively cast it without ceasing. His potent Regeneration could easily keep pace with any ethera he used. The only issue was that it took more time. Either way, he kept at it until almost ten minutester, Isaiah said, ¡°They¡¯reing in. I tried to dy them a little with a couple of my drones, but they didn¡¯tst long.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Elijah said, standing. He wished his Crook of the Serpent Healer hadn¡¯t been damaged. Otherwise, his healing spells would have been far more potent. As it was, his skin was still beet red where the damaged skin had ked away, but there were a few spots that were still scabbed over. His bones were in better shape, having mended almostpletely. His right forearm still bore a fracture, and he suspected that the ipital bone below his right eye was chipped. However, neither injury was so severe that he couldn¡¯t ignore them. He stretched a bit, then said, ¡°Just keep me updated on what to expect. My detection radius is around fifty feet. So, let me know about whatever¡¯s going on outside of that.¡± With that, Elijah went silent and, once again, adopted the Shape of the Predator. Then, he let Guise of the Unseen settle upon him, and he disappeared into stealth. Before he¡¯d transformed, he¡¯d checked his buffs, and for one of the first times ever, he used Ward of the Seasons in abat situation. There were Sorcerers among the Adventurers, and he wanted as much protection as possible from their spells. To make room, he forewent Aura of Renewal,rgely because he intended to remain in his bestial forms, where the enhanced Regeneration attribute was only marginally effective. He stalked forward, ready to ughter everyone who¡¯de after him. The building itself was the sort of officeplex that were somon in any American city of sufficient size. Ten stories tall, mostly metal and ss, andpletely unimaginative in its architecture. Just a giant rectangle that could efficiently and cheaply house all sorts of offices. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. Elijah had ended up on the sixth floor, which turned out to be the sort of cubicle farm in which he¡¯d never wanted to find himself. The idea of ving away in that kind of environment was one of his worst nightmares. The partitions were partially rotted away, and many had fallen, but the overallyout remained in ce. All of the electronics were gone, presumably having been scrapped for materials or sold in one of Seattle¡¯s many markets. But thebination of features made the cubicle farm a perfect setting for Elijiah¡¯s preferred style of fighting. As much as he liked Shape of the Guardian or his natural form, Shape of the Predator would always have a special ce in his heart. Some of that was due to his rtionship with the mist panther that had inspired his ss, but it was also because it was the safest way for him to fight. Until it wasn¡¯t. That was where themer ape form came into y, though. In any case, Elijah crept through the area, staying low to the ground like the stalking predator he was. So, when he sensed someone reach the floor, he was ready to pounce. There were five of them ¨C a mostly full group, from what he understood. Six was the maximum that could enter a tower, but most people considered five to be the core of any good group, with the final member being considered ¡°extra¡± ¨C at least in Seattle and Argos. Perhaps things were different in other parts of the world. Their roles were easily identifiable. The defender wore thick te armor the color of blood and carried arge shield that looked like a repurposed car door. There was a robed Sorcerer carrying a staff, a pair of men in leather armor and wielding daggers, and a woman whogged behind the rest. That final member carried a scepter made of twisted silver and topped with a giant emerald. Her armor was chainmail, and by process of elimination, Elijah marked her as the group¡¯s Healer. And his first target. ¡°See anything?¡± asked the Sorcerer. The defender said, ¡°Negative. Stay frosty.¡± It was only after she spoke that Elijah could identify her as a woman. Apparently, real armor didn¡¯t make many allowances for feminine shape, and her head was encased by arge helmet that looked like a metal bucket. ¡°What do you think it is?¡± asked one of the dagger wielders. ¡°No idea. Somebody said it looked like a dragon,¡± answered the other. ¡°Dragons aren¡¯t real.¡± ¡°They are so. I read about ¡®em in a guide. Supposed to be really strong, too. God, I hope we¡¯re not fighting a dragon.¡± It was at that moment that Elijah pounced, barreling into the Healer, the momentum enough to throw her back through the door and knocking it from its hinges. Even as it splintered, Elijah bit, though his attack was stymied by a thick, golden, spell-wrought barriier that encased the woman¡¯s entire body. She screamed as his ws raked the ne of solid light, the sound of his talons against the spell like scratching ss. But it didn¡¯t immediately shatter, which told Elijah that she had some power under her belt. That was okay, though, because he wasted no time before biting it again. And when that failed, again after that. Over and over, his jaws snapped shut with enough force to shatter stone. And after only a few seconds, the shield ran out of energy, exposing the woman to his natural weapons. By that point, the others had responded, rushing back through the door. Elijah bit down on her hastily raised arms, crushing the bone before he was forced to flee into the shadows. A secondter, the defender lumbered into the hall to stand over the fallen Healer. She shouted, asking the woman if she was okay, but the answer to that question was obvious, considering that both of her arms were only hanging on by a few strips of sinew. Without her shield spell, she¡¯d stood no chance of resisting the power of Elijah¡¯s jaws. She made her difort known by screaming in agony. The defender yelled out orders, but Elijah had already rushed around a corner, avoiding a clump of roiling earth that hit the wall with the force of a cannonball. No one immediately followed, which, after a couple of moments, allowed him to slip into a different room and adopt Guise of the Unseen. Then, when he spied a missing ceiling tile, he got the idea to use that to his advantage. After all, people rarely looked up. So, he shifted into his human form ¨C there was no way the flimsy roof could amodate his huge draconid shape ¨C and pulled himself into the crawl space above the tiles. Once there, it didn¡¯t take him long to creep forward until he felt the five fighters directly below him. That¡¯s when he used Swarm. A bunch of tiny gnats manifested,nding on the men and women who were hunting him. The manifested insects were so small, and their bites were so light that no one in the group even knew they were being loaded with afflictions. Of course, the Healer was still whimpering about her nearly missing arms. She was trying to heal herself, but apparently, the spell took concentration she could not muster. So, it kept fizzling out. Then, the Sorcerer coughed, spitting up blood. One of the melee fighters did the same, while the Healer wept. ¡°Disease! Cure us!¡± shouted the defender. ¡°My arms¡­¡± ¡°Concentrate, woman! If you don¡¯t, we¡¯re going to die!¡± That snapped the Healer out of her misery, and Elijah felt her cast a spell. A golden globe manifested, pulsing once every second. Each one sent a ripple of ethera through their surroundings. It only extended for about ten feet, but that was enough to epass the entire group. When Elijah saw the Sorcerer¡¯s change in posture, it was confirmation that the Healer had cured Swarm¡¯s afflictions. So, when the globe winked out, he cast the spell again. For now, that was his limit. He had enough ethera to cast it again ¨C a few more times, actually ¨C but he couldn¡¯t afford to use the entire contents of his Core on one group. Because there were more out there. Besides ¨C he had a n to finish them off. To that end, the moment the group began to once again manifest symptoms, Elijah made his move, shifting into his draconid form, then using Guise of the Unseen before embracing Predator Strike and Venom Strike. Before the ceiling could copse, heunched himself through the flimsy tile and hit the Healer like a runaway train. She¡¯d used her shield again, which was as expected. So, the moment he hit, he used Flicker Step, teleporting behind the next-most-vulnerable person. The Sorcerer never saw himing, and his ethereal shield was far thinner than the Healer¡¯s. More importantly, he was already under the effects of Swarm¡¯s afflictions, which meant that he was slow to respond. And finally, the Healer had proven that she was prone to panic, so whatever abilities she might¡¯ve brought to bear in defense of herpanion were forgotten after being knocked to the floor. So, Elijah bit through the Sorcerer¡¯s ethereal shield, then mped his jaws around the man¡¯s head and squeezed. His skull popped like a melon, which only elicited more panic from the Healer. She tried to cast a heal on the sorcerer, but there was no spell that could regrow a head. Her frantic efforts gave Elijah the opportunity to dart toward one of the melee fighters and rake his ws across the man¡¯s leg, delivering Venom Strike as well as Contagion before, once again, rushing down the hall. The frustrated defender followed, shouting for the others to join her, but she was too slow to catch him. Or that¡¯s what Elijah thought until she used some sort of ability and leaped in his direction. He tried to dodge, but his feet were suddenly rooted in ce, so he couldn¡¯t avoid her descending shield m as it crashed into him. What he could do was initiate a transformation into hismer ape form, though. It took a second, which meant that the shield hit him mid-transformation, but as he was knocked down the hall, he finished shifting. And when he rose, the defender took an involuntary step back. Elijah could feel that a couple more of his bones had nearly been broken by the attack, but it was nothing vital. He could still exert the majority of his Strength. And now that he was in his guardian form, the pain only fueled his instinctive rage. He didn¡¯t give himself over to it ¨C notpletely ¨C but he did use that to numb the effect of the pain on his mind. With a roar, he threw himself at the defender, ready to rip her limb from limb. Book 4: Chapter 50: Terrifying Book 4: Chapter 50: Terrifying Florescent lights flickered as Elijah charged down the hall, intent on tearing through the defender. She held her ground, setting her feet and raising her shield. It did no good. He hit with the force of a runaway train, eliciting a loud ng as the shield split in two. However, Elijah kept his wits about him enough to recognize that she was not his primary target. Instead, unless he was forced to act otherwise, he would focus on that womanst. Others in the group were simultaneously more dangerous and far more vulnerable, and he wanted to take them out before they had a chance to bring their full abilities to bear. So, Elijah continued his charge, using his immense Strength to power a backhand that sent the woman stumbling to the side. The impact dazed the woman, but he didn¡¯t stop to finish her off. No matter how much he overpowered her, she would be a tough nut to crack. The others were far easier targets. With the rage of the Shape of the Guardian rushing through him, Elijah didn¡¯t even think about hisparativeck of Dexterity, so when he reached the corner, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from skidding into the wall and breaking through the drywall. It didn¡¯t slow him down much, though, and soon enough, heunched himself at the pair of meleebatants. The first leather-d man raised his swords and used some sort of ability, though Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate before crashing into him. He quickly discovered that he should have been far more cautious, though. The fighter¡¯s des moved like lightning, knocking Elijah¡¯s ws aside and returning a riposte that would have gored him if he hadn¡¯t had Iron Scales active. As it was, he still took a deep gouge that spurted blood. ¡°Riposte down!¡± the man shouted, backpedaling. He turned that into a somersault that yed out far more quickly than should have been possible, given his suspected attributes. Clearly, it was another ability. ¡°Heartseeker!¡± shouted the other, throwing a dagger in his direction. The de glinted with ck energy, and before Elijah could react, it hit him in the chest. Once again, Iron Scales saved him, but the weapon still embedded itself more than an inch deep in his hide. ¡°Shit! It didn¡¯t work!¡±¡°What do we ¨C¡± Elijah finally reached his target. He wrapped his ws around the man¡¯s arms and pulled them in opposite directions. The fighter kicked and screamed as he tried to resist, but his Strength was far inferior to Elijah¡¯s. The results were predictable. Elijah roared as he tore the man¡¯s arms off. They came free with a shower of blood and meat, and the fighter fell to the ground where Elijah stomped on his head with all the might he could muster. That¡¯s when the remaining fighter realized just how outmatched he was. He used some ability, disappearing from Elijah¡¯s sight. But that didn¡¯t matter, because he was still visible via One with Nature. Elijah kicked the dead body near his feet, sending it spinning through the air to collide with the man who¡¯d suddenly gone invisible. That interrupted the ability, and he flickered back into view just in time for Elijah to use Brand of the Stalker and pounce on him. It was just as Elijah snapped out, wrapping his jaws around the unfortunate man¡¯s shoulder, that the defender finally returned. More importantly, the Healer had made it, too, though her arms were still ruined. She cast a heal on Elijah¡¯s current opponent, but there was no way she could keep up with the damage he caused. The man dropped dead a momentter, his chest caved in and his heart destroyed. Just as Elijah whipped around to confront the defender, the woman rammed her shield into his side, sending him skidding backward. When heshed out a counterattack, he found himself hitting only a familiar golden ne of ethera. It even dissipated the momentum of his strike, allowing the defender to use her sword to strike with absolute impunity. In response, Elijah jerked his attention away from the nearly-impervious defender and threw himself at the Healer. Or at least that was what he tried to do. In reality, his feet remained stuck to the ground, obviously under the effect of some sort of spell. ¡°I can¡¯t hold it long!¡± screamed the Healer. ¡°Immobilize onlysts thirty seconds, and that¡¯s if it¡¯s not partially resisted!¡± ¡°Run!¡± screamed the defender. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you ¨C¡± Elijah let out a roar of frustration as he tried to jerk his feet from the floor. It didn¡¯t work, but the tiles began to break, which spurred on his efforts. ¡°The other team is down a floor!¡± shouted the defender. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine! Just go!¡± Elijah backhanded the defender, and he was rewarded with a slight crack in the ethereal shield. However, the defender remained upright and alive, a fact which infuriated Elijah. Finally convinced, the Healer turned and ran. Her gait was unbnced ¨C likely because of her useless arms, which were hanging by a few ligaments and a couple of strips of skin ¨C and she stumbled into the wall. Still, she kept going, turning a corner just as Elijah felt the tiles at his feet break free. That was all he needed, and he threw himself down the hall. Yet, he once again found himself stymied when he hit another ne of force. This one shimmered with silver energy, and though he smashed through it only a couple of secondster, he knew the dy was enough of a headstart to ensure the Healer¡¯s escape. ¡°Just you and me, monster.¡± Elijah turned, his frustration having long since turned to rage. ¡°Monster? Do you want to see how monstrous I can be? Do you? Fine.¡± Then, he used the Silver Bracer of Rage, augmenting his already-monstrous Strength as he bounded toward the defender. So far, he¡¯d only tried to bypass the woman because she didn¡¯t really pose much of a threat. But now? She was the only one left, and so, she drew the entirety of his attention. She took the first blow on her shield, counterattacking with a low sweep of her sword. The de hit Elijah in the shin, but he ignored it. She didn¡¯t have much in the way of offensive power. Only defense. In a lot of ways, she was simr to what he expected hismer ape form should have been. The only difference was that he had quite a few more levels, better cultivation, and much higher Strength. The results of thatbination were predictable. His first attack dented her shield, and his second ripped it from her grip. She continued to back away as he pummeled her, but she couldn¡¯t escape his wrath. She also activated one ability after another. Most were variations of shields, but there were a few attacks in there as well. None of them were capable of inflicting serious harm upon Elijah, though one caused a persistent bleeding effect even though it barely pierced his scales. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. It didn¡¯t matter. Elijah pummeled the woman until she was battered and broken. He wanted to kill her. With so much rage coursing through him, there was a part of him that actually needed it. But at thest moment, he pulled back and forced himself to return to his human form. Breathing hard ¨C and not because of exertion ¨C Elijah stared at the woman¡¯s twisted form. She had multiple broken bones, more than a few dislocated joints, and she was barely conscious. In short ¨C she was no threat. Not anymore. He didn¡¯t need to kill her. Sure, someone could heal herter. And they probably would. But for now? In order to aplish his goals? It just wasn¡¯t necessary. And besides, he didn¡¯t want to be the sort of person who resorted to murder at every turn. Often, it was warranted. But in this instance? There was no reason to take that next step. So, without further thought, he turned, shifted into his draconid form, and disappeared around the corner. The moment he did, he used Guise of the Unseen and found the staircase he needed to descend to the next floor down. * * * Bruce Garet paced back and forth, staring at the old office building. Nobody had bothered to disconnect it from the electrical grid, so there were a few flickering lights shining through the windows. Most of it was dark, though. Three full groups of his adventurers surrounded him, each member nearly high enough level to ce themselves on the powerdder. He¡¯d sent three more such groups into the building to find and kill the monster that had set off the Guild Hall¡¯s defenses. ¡°Lost contact with Blue Team,¡± said his second-inmand, Mariah. She was much stronger than he was inbat, but shecked his vision. And besides, his archetype and ss weren¡¯t intended to personally fight any battles. He was a Tactician by archetype and a Guild Leader by ss. As such, nearly every aspect of his power set was devoted to leading, managing, and augmenting the members of the guild. Certainly, they had to swear an oath to his organization, but for what he had to offer, many were willing to do whatever it took. ¡°Three dead. Two are alive, but one unconscious.¡± Bruce nced at Mariah, who was looking at a tablet. She had a Warrior archetype, with the War Captain ss. It hadbat abilities ¨C and solid attribute bonuses as well ¨C but the true value of the ss was that it gave her skills that eased the burden of managing battles. She could keep track of up to six teams at once, and each of those were given a buff that increased their Constitution by a significant amount. That,bined with Bruce¡¯s own buffs, had given them a distinct advantage in any conflict. Until now. ¡°What ¨C¡± ¡°Red team disabled. Two dead. Three unconscious.¡± ¡°What the hell is in there?!¡± demanded Bruce. ¡°Unclear,¡± Mariah answered in her characteristically monotone voice. The woman was invaluable, but a people person, she was not. Just then, a figure came running out of the front door, her arms pping at her sides. It took Bruce a moment to recognize her as the Blue team Healer, though he couldn¡¯t remember her name. Only when she drew closer and he saw the severity of her wounds as well as the sheer panic on her face did he snap back to attention. When she reached the group of men and women, she fell to her knees as she sobbed uncontrobly. ¡°M-monster. Worse than anything I saw in the tower. I¡­I don¡¯t know¡­I don¡¯t know what it is¡­it¡¯s¡­the devil¡­¡± Just then, something crashed through the sixth floor window,nding only a dozen feet in front of the building¡¯s front door. It was a body. ¡°Green team has engaged,¡± Mariah said as two other Healers copsed onto the fallen woman. But one look was all it took for Bruce to write her off. The damage to her arms was too severe, but even worse was her demeanor. He¡¯d seen it before. She would never willingly fight again. ¡°One dead. Two still fighting. One missing. Thest is unconscious.¡± ¡°Stabilize her. We need answers,¡± Bruce said. At that moment, he wished he had more abilities to keep track of his people, but that wasn¡¯t the focus of his ss. He could augment them, so long as they were in range, and he could even offer quests, though they were limited both in scope as well as reward. But it was that ability that had given him so much power. After all, running towers was already lucrative. Doing so with a quest resulted in even more wealth. The same was true for mundane tasks associated with running the guild. If someone wanted to hire them as guards, he could offer a quest to his people in order to augment their pay. Or if some monster needed to be hunted. Bruce knew he¡¯d only scratched the surface of what was possible, and he envisioned a day when he had a globalwork of adventurers working for him. Not only would it help keep the world free from tower surges, but it would be incredibly lucrative for him as well ¨C both in terms of ethereum as well as experience. Because therger his guild, the more experience he got. If he kept going like he was, he would be at the top of the powerdder in no time. But none of that would happen if he couldn¡¯t take the city. Or if all his people died at the hands ¨C or ws ¨C of whatever monster had tried to invade the headquarters. The two Healers did as they¡¯d been asked, and though the girl was still crippled, she was at least coherent. So, he knelt beside her and asked, ¡°What happened? What was it?¡± ¡°Monster. Man. I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. Then, she went on to describe being attacked by some sort of lizard creature, then another, muchrger scaled monster. There was a human somewhere in the mix as well. Bruce didn¡¯t know what to make of it, and he didn¡¯t have time to think it through before Mariah announced, ¡°Green team is down. All dead. Purple team down as well.¡± ¡°Someone¡¯sing out!¡± shouted one member of the team. Bruce looked up to see a man push through the front door. From a distance, his features were difficult to make out, but Bruce could see the basics well enough. He was short ¨C maybe five and a half feet all ¨C and wiry, with a mop of curly blonde hair and a full beard to match. He carried a staff that was about the same length as he was tall, and his clothes were unremarkable, though he wore a bright red sash, a magnificent fur cloak, and a grey leather purse at his waist. All in all, Bruce recognized the eclectic attire for what it was. The man was wearing a treasure trove of high-quality equipment that had clearly originated in a tower. That meant he was dangerous. ¡°Stop!¡± Bruce shouted. To his surprise, the man did just that. ¡°I guess you¡¯re the big man in charge, huh?¡± came a slightly raspy voice. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to request that you surrender immediately. Otherwise, I¡¯ll end up killing everyone here. I¡¯m trying to be less of a murder-hobotely, but people keep attacking me, which makes it a lot more difficult. I never was good at self-improvement, though. But it¡¯s not a journey of a day, right? The goal is to be a little less murder-hobo-y each day. And given that I killed a city only a couple of months ago, I think I¡¯m making progress.¡± ¡°Killed a city¡­¡± ¡°Oh, right. You all probably don¡¯t know about that. Forget I said anything. Now, are you going to surrender? Or am I going to have to backslide on the murder-hobo thing?¡± ¡°Kill this clown,¡± Bruce said, embracing Strength in Numbers:
Strength in Numbers Empower your official guild members, increasing each of their physical attributes by twenty (20) points. Range dependent on Ethera attribute. Current: 100 yards. Out of range guild members will be unaffected.
He also used Haste of the Guild:
Haste of the Guild Empower your official guild members, increasing their haste by 3%. Range dependent on Ethera attribute. Current: 100 yards. Out of range guild members will be unaffected.
Finally, he used Tactical Superiority, which was actually an ability from his archetype, rather than his ss:
Tactical Superiority Empower your army, lessening damage taken by 5%. Also increases their damage by 3%. Range dependent on Ethera attribute. Current: 50 yards.
Thus empowered, three groups of adventurers attacked the lone figure. And though they had the advantage of numbers, Bruce backed away, ready to use the ace up his sleeve if it looked like they were going to lose. Book 4: Chapter 51: Sacrifice Book 4: Chapter 51: Sacrifice Silvery light shone down on the street between the guild headquarters and the abandoned building as Bruce eagerly watched three groups of seasoned adventurers rush toward the lone figure. Their defenders led the way ¨C two of which held shields, while the other was armed only with a massive sword ¨C while the melee fighters fanned out to surround the man. All three Sorcerers began the process of casting their most potent spells, while the Healersgged behind. Finally, the two Rangers were the furthest away, ready to pepper the man with arrows the moment the defenders engaged. It was a standard formation for fighting through the tower, and even if it wasn¡¯t ideal against an intelligent opponent, it had be habit for the members of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Meanwhile, Bruce and Mariah stayed far enough behind that they would be able to avoid any stray attacks. And if it came down to it, Bruce would have time to do what needed to be done. But he wouldn¡¯tmit to that path just yet. He had faith in his people, especially against a singr opponent. Often, he¡¯d imed that his adventurers could hold up even against those monsters at the top of the power rankings, so he had every reason to believe they could hold their own against the man standing so nonchntly in front of the building. ¡°Murder-hobo-ing it is, then,¡± the fellow said. Then, Bruce felt the ambient ethera swirl. ¡°Shields!¡± he shouted. The Healers responded to his order with drilled quickness, and a series of shields sprang up around them. Then, another set enveloped the Sorcerers, who were the second-most-vulnerable members of the force. The next target would be the Rangers, though they never got the chance for that before the sky opened and lightning forked down from suddenly manifested clouds. des of wind cut through his people, kicking up dust and debris even as the earth roiled and broke beneath them. Shouts of panic filled the air, but Bruce was happy to see that his people kept their wits about them. A fly bit him in the neck, and he pped the tiny insect, killing it. ¡°What do you think ¨C¡± Another bite. Then another. It was only after the fourth that he looked inward and shouted, ¡°Watch for afflictions!¡±As the Healers responded, nketing the area with curing spells, he drank a potion. Mariah did the same, though she still seemed as calm as ever. ¡°The affliction is not initially life-threatening for anyone above fifty Constitution,¡± she intoned, still reading from the tablet she¡¯d somehow linked to her powers. Luckily, they were far enough from the localized storm that she didn¡¯t have to shout. ¡°But itpounds. Each instance will do five percent more damage and be slightly more difficult to cure.¡± ¡°Monstrous flies?¡± ¡°Conjured,¡± Mariah answered. ¡°More powerful than they should be.¡± ¡°Equipment?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± she acknowledged. ¡°It is difficult to say for sure.¡± Bruce shook his head and focused on the battle. He was horrified to see that the man was gone, and in his ce was some sort of scaled monstrosity that looked like someone had crossed a lizard and a sasquatch, with a little bit of gori thrown in for good measure. The monster was enormous, and judging by the way it sent his highest-level tanks staggering with every blow, it was ridiculously strong. More distressingly, when the Rangers¡¯ arrows hit its hide ¨C along with the melee fighters weapons ¨C it resulted in very little damage. ¡°What is going on there? Is that some sort of pet? Where did ite from?¡± ¡°That is the man,¡± Mariah said. ¡°He has a transformation ability, likely associated with his ss. By my calctions, he is capable of mitigating up to ny percent of all iing physical damage ¨C less if his Constitution is lower than his opponent¡¯s highest attribute ¨C at the cost of stamina.¡± A fireball from one of the Sorcerers hit him. ¡°And the damage from elemental spells seems to have been cut significantly as well. That, I believe is due to a buff of some sort, though without further observation, I can not say for certain.¡± ¡°Dammit,¡± growled Bruce, watching the man-creature leap over one of the tanks and grab hold of a Healer. Before anyone could react, the foe spun like a hammer-thrower, thenunched the healer down the street. The woman flew for nearly fifty yards before hitting the pavement, bouncing a couple of times, and then rolling to a stop. She didn¡¯t move after that. ¡°What are you orders, sir?¡± asked Mariah. ¡°There is time to retreat. We can bunker down in the Headquarters. Thad¡¯s traps are still active.¡± ¡°The one on the roof was the strongest he could create,¡± Bruce said. Indeed, the Trapper was one of the highest-leveled members of the guild, and his traps were legendary for their potency. ¡°If that couldn¡¯t take this guy out, then what makes you think any of the others will?¡± ¡°We could engage in a fighting retreat,¡± she suggested. ¡°Perhaps we can exhaust him. Stamina is a finite resource, even if it is not as quantifiable as ethera.¡± Bruce ignored her. Instead, he was doing the calctions in his head. Even if they managed to defeat the creature, what good would it do? The guild¡¯s most powerful members would be killed, which would make the guild vulnerable to a takeover by that idealist idiot Isaiah and hisckeys from Ranier. And they would win, too. Sure, the Adventurers had the advantage now, but it was tenuous. Any losses would affect their ability to maintain control. But losses didn¡¯t seem avoidable in this instance. Was it time? If he took the final step, he¡¯d lose everything. However, he would survive. More, he would kill the man who¡¯d ruined everything. And Isaiah, too, if he was lucky. Maybe that stubborn Gardener as well. All of that raced through Bruce¡¯s mind as he watched yet another one of his guild members die ¨C this time, a Sorcerer was crushed to paste by a series of pounding strikes that looked strikingly like a gori attack. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He nced at Mariah, saying, ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I didn¡¯t want to do this.¡± ¡°What was that, sir?¡± she asked, not looking up from her tablet. ¡°Nothing.¡± Then, he used Dissolution.
Dissolution Sacrifice your entire guild, gaining power ording to the number of underlings killed. Gain 5 Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution for every sacrifice. Bonus increases by 35% for every minute active. Maximum effect based on Ethera Attribute. Current: 196 Attribute points in each category. Duration based on Regeneration Attribute. Current: 6.2 Minutes
Bruce had more than five thousand guild members ¨C most of which wereparatively low-leveled ¨C under him, but he would only gain power from twenty of them. Yet, the ability had no degrees. It was all or nothing. Either he sacrificed every member of the guild, all at once, or none of them. There was no in-between. No half-measures. And while so many of those deaths would be wasted, the ones who did count toward the buff would give him the power to ovee the enemy. All around him, his people fell. Dissolution didn¡¯t instantly kill, so the monster-man finished a few off before the rest lost their lives. As they did, Bruce stepped forward, an influx of attributes crashing into him like a runaway truck. He staggered under the increased power, but more distressingly, he felt his muscles bulge to ridiculous proportions. His clothes ripped to pieces as he grew, both in bulk as well as height, until he was evenrger than his chosen enemy. He flexed his fist. ¡°I could get used to this,¡± he rumbled as his tattered clothing fell away. Then, naked as the day he was born, he stepped forward, his footfall loud in the suddenly silent street. * * * Elijah stared in horror at the transformed man. He was enormous ¨C at least fifteen feet tall, and as muscr as any bodybuilder ¨C but his body was asymmetrical. One arm was almost a foot longer and far bulkier than the other, and he moved with a limp because his legs followed the same pattern. A huge lump of muscle grew from his back, looking like a tumor and giving him the appearance of a hunchback. He was also quite hirsute, putting Elijah in mind of the missing link between humanity and its prehistoric predecessors. But Elijah was more concerned with the fact that the entire group of Adventurers ¨C eleven that were left ¨C had simply keeled over and died. He knew it wasn¡¯t the effect of his Swarm, either. As powerful as his afflictions were, there was no evidence that they¡¯d had a chance to build so effectively. That meant something else had happened. ¡°He used an ability,¡± came Isaiah¡¯s voice. ¡°We knew Bruce had it, but I never thought¡­¡± The man stepped forward, and Elijah asked, ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°Increases his attributes¡­by¡­a lot. ording to my surveince, he sacrificed every single guild member for a temporary boost in power. They¡¯re all dead. Almost five thousand adventurers,¡± Elijah heard through the earpiece. ¡°You should probably run.¡± Elijah had no intention of doing that. He¡¯d fought people with high attributes before, and he knew he¡¯d have to do so again. So, without further hesitation, he charged the transformed man. He hit the monstrosity with a shoulder tackle that knocked him back a few feet. However, for Elijah, it felt like he¡¯d just rammed an immovable rampart. Despite his momentum, size, and incredible Strength, the maneuver waspletely ineffective. Bruce shouted something unintelligible, then snapped out a punch that sent Elijah skidding backward. Because he¡¯d had Iron Scales active, it was only marginally effective. Yet, Elijah had discovered a few things about the ability. It was incredible against piercing and shing attacks, but it was less effective against blunt force. It still stopped plenty of damage, but some of that momentum still went through his hide to wreak havoc on the more vulnerable bits beneath his scales. Regardless, Elijah took the blow in stride, then leaped back into the fray. As he did, he saw that a thorn had pierced Bruce¡¯s forearm. It hadn¡¯t gone more than a quarter of an inch deep, which told him that Bruce¡¯s Constitution was at least as high as his Strength. For the next minute, they traded blows, and Elijah felt confident that they were fairly equal in terms of power ¨C which was frightening enough ¨C but just as the fight passed the one-minute mark, Elijah started to get the worst of each exchange. The fight continued, and the thunderous punches began to take a toll. Finally, a hitnded that sent him tumbling backward into the remnants of a wall. When he crashed into it, he was buried in dislodged bricks and mortar. ¡°What the hell?¡± he muttered, climbing free from the pile of rubble. ¡°Is he getting stronger?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°Like I already told you ¨C you should¡¯ve just run.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± Elijah said, already initiating a shift into Shape of the Sky. The man was strong, but he couldn¡¯t fly. That gave Elijah the escape route he needed. Once Bruce saw Elijah¡¯s transformation, he charged, but the metamorphosispleted before the giant, misshapen man arrived. So, without hesitation, Elijah leaped into the air. Bruce roared, picked up a giant hunk of cement, and threw it at Elijah. By that point, he was a few dozen feet above the ground, but he was incapable of dodging the boulder that moved at the speed of a bullet. It hit him in the leg, throwing him off bnce and sending him plummeting back toward the ground. Where Bruce waited. Eliijah knew he had not chance of survival if the monstrous man managed to get his grubby hands on him while he was using Shape of the Sky. It had no real defenses, and given that even when using Iron Scales in the Shape of the Guardian, he¡¯d taken damage, he knew precisely what would happen. So, he beat his wings to slow his fall, then initiated another shift. Not into themer ape form. Nor did he adopt the draconid form. Instead, he returned to his human shape and cast Storm¡¯s Fury. The lightning bolt descended, hitting the giant man directly in the forehead. It didn¡¯t do much, but it stunned Bruce for just long enough to keep him fromtching onto Elijah. He hit the ground hard, his already-injured leg crumpling under him. But he didn¡¯t let that stop him. Using one facet of his Quartz Mind to cast Soothe, he used another to prepare Snaring Roots. One cast followed the other, and even as blessed relief flowed through him, his other spell erupted into being, manifesting a tangle of thorny vines that wrapped around Bruce¡¯s legs. Elijah leaped away ¨C mostly one-legged ¨C and cast Healing Rain. But Bruce was already ripping free. Snaring Roots had rarely functioned as more than a dying tactic, and with the man¡¯s augmented power, it was barely even that. But it did give Elijah the chance to cast two more spells. Touch of Nature added its effect to Soothe and Healing Rain, while Shape of the Predator transformed him into a draconid. If he couldn¡¯t outmuscle the man, then he hoped to outmaneuver him. Nothing was better for that than Shape of the Predator. Once it took hold, he darted to the side, ready to fight the battle onpletely different terms. Book 4: Chapter 52: The Weight of Reality Book 4: Chapter 52: The Weight of Reality Elijah dashed to the side, then immediately changed directions. The transformed Bruce thundered past him, incapable of changing directions so quickly. He tripped over a pile of rubble, and though he managed to right himself only a momentter, it gave Elijah just enough time to dart in, sh his ws across the man¡¯s calf, then retreat. To his horror, though, he barely even made a scratch. By that point, they¡¯d been going back and forth for a couple of minutes, and Elijah could tell that he was outssed in terms of sheer power. It was an unfamiliar experience ¨C even against Thor, the two had fought on mostly even terms regarding attributes ¨C and it nullified many of Elijah¡¯s normal strategies. However, he¡¯d discovered a couple of things which had kept him from sumbing. First, running was useless. He¡¯d tried on multiple asions, but Bruce had more than enough Strength to catch him. So, his only real option was to stand and fight ¨C which wasn¡¯t going well ¨C but at least he hadn¡¯t taken more than a few grazing blows along the way. The second thing he¡¯d figured out was that Bruce was incredibly clumsy. That was almost assuredly due to the fact that he was new to his increased attributes. ording to Carmen, that wasmon. After she¡¯d tossed all of her starting attributes into Strength, it had taken her a few minutes to adjust to all the extra power. And that was only couple of handfuls of points. Bruce¡¯s situation was much more extreme. That was the only factor that kept Elijah from being overwhelmed. He was weaker, slower, and far more vulnerable than the transformed man. But he¡¯de upon his attributes the natural way, and as such, he was far more ustomed to how everything worked. By Isaiah¡¯s estimate, Bruce could only disy about seventy percent of his attributes. It would have been higher, but it seemed that each passing minute increased his power, which in turn negated his efforts at adjustment. Still, throwing himself at Elijah wasn¡¯t so difficult, even if controlling that charge was. So, for the past couple of minutes, Elijah had been ying a game of cat and mouse as he attempted to build afflictions in the man. Fortunately, his Soothe and Healing Rain had already mended his damaged leg, so he wasn¡¯t hobbled by any injuries. If he had been, he¡¯d have already lost the battle and his life. Bruce let out a roar, leaping to his feet and throwing an old car door at Elijah. He leaped over it, but even that temporary distraction gave Bruce the opening he needed to hit Elijah with a vicious backhand that sent him bouncing across the road. He came to a rest in a pile of bodies that had once been a group of adventurers. He tried to rise, but his leg copsed beneath him. It wasn¡¯t broken, but it had been twisted out of joint.And with Bruce bearing down on him, he only had one choice. Elijah shifted back to his human form and cast Soothe, then Touch of Nature. He barely had a chance to shove his dislocated knee back into ce before Bruce reached him. The man reached down with one enormous hand. Elijah tried to knock that grabbing fingers away, but they were undeniable. Suddenly, Bruce had his hand around Elijah¡¯s waist. He lifted him. And Elijah shoved his staff into the man¡¯s eye. Garet reeled, loosening his grip only slightly, which Elijah used to wriggle his way free. But his escape was only temporary, because almost as soon as he hit the ground, he felt arge foot connect with his ribs. Abruptly, Elijah found himself sailing through the air like a punted football, and a momentter, he thudded into the side of a building. The impact cracked a couple of ribs and at least one of his vertebrae, but Elijah was more concerned with the uing fall. He thrust his hand out, grabbing a metal windowsill, arresting his descent. But his respite onlysted a split second before he felt something rushing in his direction. He turned to see that Bruce had leaped toward him, likely thinking he could finally finish Elijah off. So, Elijah let go. As he did, he shifted back into his Shape of the Sky, and before he hit the ground, the transformation hadpleted. He beat his wings, leveling off and gliding away. As he did, Bruce kicked off the building and rocketed in Elijah¡¯s direction. To counter, Elijah tried to gain altitude, but he was too slow. Bruce clipped his wing, cracking the delicate bones and sending Elijah twirling back toward the ground. He hit, cartwheeling over a pile of rubble anding to a rest only a momentter. About thirty yards away, Brucended, cracking the pavement with the impact. Then, he picked up another rock and threw it in Elijah¡¯s direction. The Shape of the Sky wasn¡¯t meant for ground travel, so he only barely managed to skitter out of the way. As he did, he initiated another transformation into his human form so he could heal. He never got the chance, because by the time hepletely shifted, Bruce was back on top of him. His enormous fist fell with inevitability, and though Elijah tried to escape its path, he was hemmed in by the rubble and his injured arm. Even so, every facet of his Quartz Mind was working on his situation. One was casting Soothe again. Another held Healing Rain just on the edge of activation. And still another was ready to use Touch of Nature. Finally, he had Shape of the Guardian queued up, though he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever get the chance to use it. His Constitution was high, but against the monstrous man¡¯s ever-rising Strength, it was nothing. Even so, Elijahshed out with his staff, and he was lucky enough to clip Bruce¡¯s most vulnerable bits. It was little more than a graze, but as any man could attest, that was enough to at least foster a distraction. And as it happened, that tiny hitch in Bruce¡¯s attack gave Elijah the time he needed toplete the cast of Soothe. More importantly, it allowed him to scramble backward over the rubble and escape the descending fist. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. It thundered into the pile of cement, crushing it to dust as Elijah rolled free. Healing Rainpleted casting at that moment, bathing him rejuvenating precipitation. And finally, he managed to channel Touch of Nature, mending his wounded arm enough that when he sprang to his feet, he did so with much more verve and plenty of vigor. That¡¯s when he caught a front kick to the chest that nearly caved his ribs in. Itunched him backward like he¡¯d beenunched from the world¡¯srgest slingshot, and he didn¡¯tnd for almost an entire second. When he did, he skipped across the ground, narrowly managing toplete the cast of Shape of the Guardian beforeing to a stop nearly a hundred-and-fifty yards away from where he¡¯d started. He picked himself up. Even with Soothe and Touch of Nature, he was still very injured. And he was well out of range of Healing Rain. But with every passing second, Soothe helped mend his wounds. The problem was that with all his shapeshifting and casting, he knew he was on the verge of being out of ethera. More troubling, he had no idea how to win the fight. And given how quickly Bruce was covering the ground between them, he couldn¡¯t escape, either. Because not only had the man gotten even stronger and faster, but he seemed to be adjusting to his attributes, too. Soon, Elijah would be outssed in every department. His mind raced as he tried to think of a n. He¡¯d tried to fly away, and to no avail. Every time he¡¯dunched himself into the sky, Bruce had brought him down with thrown boulders. He¡¯d tried to escape on foot, but that had been even less effective. And fighting seemed to be a dead end as well. But there had to be a way. Elijah braced for impact, seeing that his Silver Bracer of Rage hade off cooldown. He used the ability, adding more Strength to his total. Then, he met the enraged and erged man, Strength to Strength, and he was horrified to find that he wasn¡¯t even close to a match. He was thrown to the ground as if he was nothing more than a child¡¯s toy, and then Bruce started to get serious. Elijah tried to fight back, using his boxing background to parry punches and block kicks. But he was so far outssed that even those efforts resulted in injuries. In moments, he¡¯d felt more bones break, and he knew he would be forced to use Guardian¡¯s Renewal soon if he wanted to survive. But then what? He couldn¡¯t keep up. And the man was getting stronger all the time. Each facet of Elijah¡¯s mind whirled as it tried to find an answer, but in the end, there was none to be found. Against such superior power, none of his versatility mattered. He just didn¡¯t have the ability to win the fight. He couldn¡¯t give up, though. So, he fought on, eventually using Guardian¡¯s Renewal as ast-ditch gambit to escape. His body mended, and he kicked out. Miraculously, his foot connected with Bruce¡¯s knee, buckling it slightly. That was the opening Elijah needed, and he threw himself to his feet, bowling the off-bnce man to the ground. In the past, he would have fallen upon his enemy with a flurry of powerful blows. But in this case, he knew it would do no good. Even catching the manpletely off-guard, he¡¯d done nosting damage. He was too durable. His Constitution was too high. So, Elijah ran. He poured every ounce of Strength he could muster into a straightway spring, and he elerated with the speed of a sportscar. Yet, he could feel the recovered guild leader hot on his heels. Elijah tried to corner, kicking off a destroyed semi-truck to facilitate a turn. That¡¯s when Bruce caught up, hitting him with a shoulder tackle that knocked him back into the truck. The vehicle flipped three times, and Elijah barely managed to avoid being crushed beneath the thing. Bruce caught him by the neck and lifted him off his feet. ¡°You cost me everything!¡± he rumbled his voice distorted and cracking. Elijah didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he scratched and wed, but he knew it would do no good. His efforts only left a few red marks on the man¡¯s hirsute skin. But he refused to give in. He refused to go down without fighting to thest moment. One blow after another rained down on Elijah, and eventually, he stopped blocking. Not by choice. But because each one fell with the weight of an industrial power hammer, pushing him to the verge of unconsciousness. Then, just before Elijah¡¯s body reached the end of its endurance, something changed. The sound of gunshots echoed in his ears, but it took a moment for Elijah¡¯s head to clear. When it did, he saw that a swarm of drones hovered nearby, and each one sported a cannon beneath its fusge. However, instead of shooting bullets, they fired balls of ethera that reminded Elijah of Ethereal Bolt. When they hit Bruce¡¯s giant form, they elicited a brief instant of a stun. Normally, that wouldn¡¯t have mattered. But with more than a hundred of the things firing one after another, it chained into something effective. Elijah stared, dumbfounded by the situation until Isaiah screamed in his ear, ¡°Run! I can¡¯t keep this up much longer! I¡¯m almost out of ethera!¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Whaa¡­¡± Then, the weight of Isaiah¡¯s words hit him, and he awkwardly crawled to his feet. After that, with the backdrop of all of those blue ethereal bolts, he staggered away. His entire body was in agony, but still, he pushed on. Until the drones went quiet. It didn¡¯t take Bruce long to recover after that, and when he did, he let out a roar and quickly caught up to Elijah, knocking him over and sending him skidding across the ground on his stomach. He screamed something Elijah didn¡¯t hear, then rolled him over. Elijah tried to resist, but his body was limp. His energy was gone. And his consciousness was barely hanging on. Bruce towered over him, a menacing re twisting his misshapen features as he announced his superiority. Then, he reached back, preparing to deliver what they both knew would be the final blow. Elijah closed his eyes, waiting for the proverbial hammer to fall. It never did. But a secondter, something else fell atop him. It writhed for a second, then went still. Elijah opened his eyes to see that Bruce¡¯s naked body ¨C which had gone back to his normal size ¨C lying atop him. He pushed it off. The man tried to fend him off, but his hands were weak. Barely better than someone without an archetype. Elijah awkwardly reached out, his ws wrapping around Bruce¡¯s head. The man screamed. Elijah ignored it. And then, atst, he squeezed with all the strength he had left. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough that he soon felt brains and skull oozing between his fingers. Then, he fell backward, his breathing in ragged gasps as he struggled to remain conscious. Book 4: Chapter 53: One Down, One to Go Book 4: Chapter 53: One Down, One to Go Elijahy there, staring up at the twinkling stars. One thing he¡¯d noticed about the desert was just how clear the nights were. He could see so much, which elicited so many questions about therger universe. How many of those stars hosteds? Was K¡¯hana¡¯s home up there? What about Ramik¡¯s? Kurik¡¯s? Would he one day visit those ces? Not if he ran into another monster like the guild master, Bruce Garet. The man had been much more powerful than Elijah had been led to believe, and because of that, he¡¯d beenpletely outssed. If the man¡¯s transformation hadn¡¯t run its course, the battle would have ended much differently. He sighed. It had been a while since he¡¯d been made to feel so weak. So ineffectual. It was like he¡¯d gone back to his first days after washing ashore on his ind, when even the crabs were capable of killing him. Despite all the work he¡¯d put into his cultivation, all the levels he¡¯d gained, he was not invincible. Even someone like Garet, in the right situation, could defeat him. It was a lesson he should have learned after his fight with the Warden, but back then, he¡¯d been a little too preupied to properly internalize anything of the sort. Now, though, he had that luxury. And the lesson was a simple one: context mattered. The world wasn¡¯t simple. Levels mattered ¨C and so did cultivation ¨C but neither was a guarantee of victory. The most powerful person didn¡¯t always win. There were other factors that contributed to every set of circumstances. One of those was equipment ¨C with the right set of gear, a person could far outperform his level ¨C but even more impactful was context. In a vacuum, Garet couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Elijah. But after whatever ability he¡¯d used? He disyed a level of power that far exceeded anything Elijah had ever fought. That meant that Elijah couldn¡¯t keep going through the world like he was unassable. He¡¯d gotten a bit cocky after attaining the top spot on the power rankings. But while that was quite an achievement, it wasn¡¯t the guarantee of superiority he¡¯d once thought it would be. After all, there weren¡¯t that many levels separating the ones at the top of thedder from the people who weren¡¯t even on it. On top of that, he often punched above his weight, and that meant that others could do so as well. All they needed was the right circumstance. It seemed obvious in retrospect, but Elijah had been riding high off of his own sesses, and he¡¯d ignoredmon sense. Just because he had power, it didn¡¯t mean that he was omnipotent. And he would do well to remember that, or he would end up biting off more than he could chew.Again. As those thoughts gripped him, Elijah heard Isaiah¡¯s voice through his earpiece asking, ¡°Do you require a Healer? We don¡¯t have many, but ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just give me a minute,¡± Elijah groaned, sitting up. He¡¯d let his bestial form fall away, and he could see just how much damage he¡¯d taken. It wasn¡¯t pretty, either. Multiple broken bones, but fortunately, none were severe. Manycerations. A body that was already turning ck and blue from all of the contusions. A slight concussion that he¡¯d isted into one facet of his Mind. And he felt certain that there was at least a little internal bleeding. But the most serious issue was that his sternum had been cracked, which made breathing difficult ¨C to say the least. So, that was his first target for healing. As soon as he¡¯d gained enough ethera to cast, he used Soothe and Healing Rain before channeling Touch of Nature. After his sternum was healed, Elijah stopped focusing on any particr injury. Instead, he let the healing suffuse his entire body. It was slower for specific wounds, but it would bring him to full health much more quickly. In the end, he managed to get back on his feet after only an hour. During that time, he noticed Isaiah¡¯s drones buzzing around and looting the bodies of the adventurers. At first, Elijah had hoped that they¡¯d only been knocked unconscious, but it quickly became clear that Garet¡¯s ability ¨C whatever it was called ¨C had killed them. ¡°Such a waste,¡± he muttered. And it was. All those people dead because they couldn¡¯t coexist with their neighbors. It was moreplicated than that ¨C because it always was ¨C but that was the underlying theme. They wanted power and control, and they were willing to take it by force. ¡°Do you know how he did it?¡± ¡°I have my suspicions,¡± Isaiah answered. Then, he described the situation as he understood it. Garet had sacrificed everyone in his guild for temporary power. ¡°I think most of that sacrifice went to waste, or you wouldn¡¯t have survived as long as you did.¡± Elijah sighed. There were an infinite number of abilities out there that he didn¡¯t understand, and he suspected that one day, hisck of knowledge woulde back and bite him. In the fight against Garet, it almost had. ¡°You know I¡¯m entitled to that gear,¡± Elijah said. ¡°My kills, my loot.¡± ¡°I am aware,¡± Isaiah stated. ¡°Perhaps we can work out a deal where I can purchase everything. And I think it is fair to split the contents of the guild hall.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Elijah didn¡¯t like that idea. He¡¯d done most of the work, after all. But he wasn¡¯t so greedy that he intended to cut Isaiah off altogether. ¡°Seems more like a seventy-thirty kind of thing.¡± After that, they began their negotiations. It didn¡¯t take long,rgely because Elijah wasn¡¯t really all that interested, aside from a desire not to roll over. His funds had taken quite a hit after his most recent expenditures, but he knew he could always earn more ethereum. By the time they were finished, he just said, ¡°How about you just pay me for anything I don¡¯t want to personally use? Give me fifty gold, and you can have it all.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± By that point, Elijah had finished recuperating to the point where he felt confident in flying back to the capitol, where he intended to pick K¡¯hana up and head to Lucy¡¯s. So, he used Shape of the Sky, thenunched himself into the air. After pping his wings a few times, he gained enough altitude that he could glide to his destination. However, even that small amount of movement told him that he wasn¡¯t quite as healed as he¡¯d thought. He would need a little more time before he was back to normal. So, as gingerly as he could, hended near the capitol¡¯s makeshift wall. He¡¯d made sure not to drop down on top of the guards, but he was still close enough that they were forced to react. Thankfully, Isaiah had already let them know what was going on, so they didn¡¯tunch any attacks, and after Elijah shifted back to his human form, they allowed him inside, albeit with an escort that led him across the grounds and into the building. He didn¡¯t end up back in Isaiah¡¯s office, though. Instead, he was led deeper into the capitol building and to arge chamber that looked like every militarymand center he¡¯d seen in movies. Large screens decorated the walls, while dozens of people in ck fatigues worked at variousputers. Isaiah stood in the center, with K¡¯hana primly seated nearby. Elijah approached. ¡°So, this is the heart of your operation, huh?¡± he asked. Hands clutched behind his back, Isaiah didn¡¯t even nce away from the screen as he said, ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m the heart of the operation. Everything here is so others can do their jobs.¡± ¡°I see. So, what¡¯s the n? I took care of your adventurer problem, and I¡¯m guessing you still want me to do something about Mercer Mesa,¡± Elijah guessed. ¡°I do. A frontal assault on the Mesa is suicide. They have multiple people with sses meant for defense,¡± Isaiah exined as a map of the teau shed on the screen. ¡°Anyone who tries to climb those cliffs is going to get a deadly surprise. I¡¯ve seen it happen, and it¡¯s not pretty.¡± ¡°Nature of the defenses?¡± ¡°Traps, mostly. But they also have a small army to protect the settlement,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°They are controlled by someone you know.¡± A photograph of an older man with blindingly white teeth and a boater¡¯s tan reced the map of Mercer Mesa. ¡°Barry?¡± ¡°He took Administrator as an archetype,¡± Isaiah exined. ¡°That became a ss called Demagogue. The people who work for him are loyal to a fault.¡± ¡°He maniptes them with a skill?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more like his arguments are more persuasive,¡± Isaiah answered. ¡°He also has an ability called Incite which will whip them into a frenzy, increasing their attributes.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Why was he stealing when I ran into him in my first time in town? Those people had him cornered. They were going to kill him.¡± ¡°Were they?¡± ¡°Yes. They were. I was there.¡± ¡°But did you see what you thought you saw? This man¡¯s stock and trade is maniption. He was doing it decades before the world changed, and he certainly didn¡¯t stop afterwards,¡± Isaiah said. That¡¯s when Elijah figured it out. ¡°Those men were never going to hurt him,¡± he guessed. ¡°They probably worked for him. It was all a setup to get me onto the Mesa so he could try to rope me in by dangling his daughter in front of me.¡± ¡°That is my suspicion.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything before?¡± Elijah asked. Isaiah answered, ¡°Because it didn¡¯t matter then. It does now.¡± Elijah gritted his teeth, growling, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the n.¡± After that, Elijah listened as Isaiah went over his proposal for assaulting the Mesa. It wasn¡¯tplex, but it required precise timing and a giant distraction. When they were finished, Elijah excused himself and left the capitol. K¡¯hana stayed behind to work out the details of Arvandor¡¯s alliance with Seattle, though she would join him at Lucy¡¯s when she was done. He didn¡¯t fly to Lucy¡¯s apartment building. Rather, he just walked, which gave him plenty of time to continue healing. So, when he finally reached her building, he was feeling much better than before. Not perfect, but still better. Hopefully, he would bepletely healed by morning, because that was when they nned to attack. Still, he hesitated before approaching the building. There were a couple of guards out front ¨C both of whom were wearing crafted gear ¨C so he couldn¡¯t just walk in and knock on the door. But that wasn¡¯t why he hesitated. Instead, he was worried about what Lucy would think of him. For one, despite knowing of Seattle¡¯s situation, he¡¯d ignored it for months. And he¡¯d only barely arrived in time to keep her from being attacked. If the shoe was on the other foot, he¡¯d at least be irritated about that. More than anything, though, he couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious that Lucy would look at him differently once she knew what he¡¯d done in Valoria. Once she knew how many people he¡¯d killed. Would she judge him? Almost certainly. But how harshly was a different question altogether. Oddly, he never considered simply keeping it to himself. He and Lucy had never lied to one another, and he didn¡¯t intend to start now. If that meant she was disgusted by his actions, then so be it. So, with a sigh, he stepped forward and, after getting cleared by the guards, he found his way to Lucy¡¯s apartment. He hesitated for only a few moments before knocking on the door. Lucy ¨C wearing a pair of cotton shorts and a tee-shirt ¨C answered a secondter. Her hair was a mess, and her sses had fallen halfway down her nose, but she still looked just as attractive as ever. ¡°Hey,¡± he said with a forced smile. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing. Well, not nothing. The adventurers are kind of gone now. But ¨C¡± ¡°I already knew that. Isaiah let me know. I¡¯m talking about the other thing.¡± ¡°What other thing?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Even after all these years, I know you and your looks. And this one,¡± she said, gesturing to his face. ¡°That¡¯s the same as after your parents died. So, what happened?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Can I juste in? It¡¯s kind of a long story.¡± She acquiesced, and after he insisted upon brewing her a cup of his coffee, they settled in. Then, Elijah told her everything. Book 4: Chapter 54: Dive Bomb Book 4: Chapter 54: Dive Bomb ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop myself,¡± Elijah said, staring at his cup of coffee. He hadn¡¯t taken a single sip, and by now, it had gonepletely cold. ¡°I was just so angry. Everywhere I looked, I saw a reminder of how broken that city was. It looked nice. It kept people safe. But it was a cesspool that fed all of humanity¡¯s worst instincts.¡± He looked up. ¡°I killed hundreds of them, Lucy. Thousands, probably. And the worst part of it is that I don¡¯t really regret it,¡± he admitted. ¡°I mean, I feel guilty about losing control. But that guilt ¨C it¡¯s not really strong enough to make me regret it. What I do feel guilty about is that I didn¡¯t do it sooner, that I spent all that time doing nothing, wandering around the world and getting distracted by things that didn¡¯t really matter. I know it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference. If I¡¯d have set out from my ind sooner, I probably would have died before I ever got to Easton. And I saved a lot of lives by giving in to those distractions. But still¡­I¡¯d give them all up if it meant I could have saved Alyssa. ¡°Does that make me a bad person? I think that makes me a bad person.¡± ¡°It makes you human,¡± Lucy said, leaning forward as she gripped her own mug in two hands. She¡¯d long since finished her cup of coffee. That wasn¡¯t surprising, though ¨C Elijah had spent the past forty-five minutes rambling about what he¡¯d done after leaving Seattle thest time. Unsurprisingly, the bulk of that had centered on his actions in Valoria, though he did spend a fair amount of time reminiscing with Lucy about fond memories they¡¯d both shared with Alyssa. Elijah had done the same with Carmen, but with Lucy, it was different. Like Elijah, she¡¯d grown up around Alyssa. They had both seen her at her best, at her teenage worst, and everything in between. Byparison, Carmen had only seen the finished product. A fully formed adult woman who knew who she was and what she wanted from the world. ¡°Sometimes, I don¡¯t feel so human anymore,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°I mean, I spend a lot of my time running around on four legs. Or flying. I can do that now, by the way. I can actually fly. Do you realize how crazy that sounds?¡± She shook her head, saying, ¡°It wasn¡¯t that long ago that I saw an alligator the size of a passenger ne. In the desert, which doesn¡¯t make sense at all. Oh, and Seattle is now a desert. The world is a crazy ce. You flying is the least of it.¡± ¡°I can see down your shirt, by the way. Nice.¡± She sighed, then gave him a small smile. ¡°You always do that.¡±¡°Look down your shirt? In my defense, it¡¯s like, right there. And I happen to like ¨C¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± she interrupted. ¡°You undercut any emotional moment by diverting the conversation into something else, then make a joke.¡± ¡°What I¡¯m looking at is no joke,¡± Elijah insisted. ¡°Do you want to have a real discussion? Or are you going to keep doing this?¡± she asked, obviously frustrated as she set her mug down on the coffee table. Then, she leaned back. ¡°Because if you don¡¯t want to talk about it, all you have to do is say so. I¡¯m not going to push. You don¡¯t have to divert.¡± Elijah let out a long breath, then said, ¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t want to talk about it. I know I probably need to, but¡­¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not ready.¡± ¡°Something like that. I¡¯m still working through some things.¡± And he was. It wasn¡¯t at the forefront of his mind, but Elijah did worry about what all the killing was doing to him. It felt easier every time he did it, which was more than a little troubling. As he¡¯d noted in the fight against the adventurers, he was trying to move away from killing as his first response to any conflict, but it seemed that the world was conspiring against that endeavor. Perhaps that was the nature of the multi-verse. Maybe killing was just how problems got solved. But he had no intention of letting those thoughts take over his mind. He had other things that needed his attention. So, he moved the conversation along, exining what had happened at the guild hall. ¡°He was strong, Lucy. It cost him, though. It¡¯s terrifying, thinking of all the possibilities with certain sses,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I mean, I still don¡¯t know how all of that worked, but he sacrificed those people for a temporary boost in power.¡± ¡°Oaths.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Every member of his adventurer¡¯s guild had to give an oath. It¡¯s why they didn¡¯t have more people,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Lots of the hunters had opportunities to join, but they chose not to because Garet made everyone give some sort of oath. It was backed up by ethera, too. They made a big ceremony out of it as well. I¡¯m willing to bet that part of that oath was an agreement to be sacrificed.¡± ¡°That¡­that makes it a little less frightening,¡± Elijah admitted. If people had to consent to something like that, then its power was limited. However, it wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine that, in some ces, someone with a simr ss might force the issue. Roman certainly would have if such a thing had been avable to him. But it was good that there were limits. ¡°But we don¡¯t need to worry about them anymore. The entire guild is dead. Now, I just have to deal with Mercer Mesa.¡± ¡°How are you going to do it?¡± she asked. ¡°Violently.¡± ¡°You just said ¨C¡± ¡°Those people are trash,¡± Elijah said. ¡°If they were hoarding a luxury, it would be different. But they¡¯re monopolizing a necessity. Without that water, people die. They already have, from what I understand. This whole thing can beid at their feet. Am I wrong about that?¡± He¡¯d thought about it a lot, and as far as he could tell, the people of Mercer were responsible for Seattle¡¯s instability. Perhaps there still would have been issues between Isaiah and the adventurers, but Elijah expected that the situation would have been far less vtile if water shortages wouldn¡¯t have been part of the equation. On top of that, he¡¯d learned that the people of Mercer had refused to help with the attack of the giant alligator monster that had destroyed part of the city. They were selfish, and their goals ran counter to a productive, safe society. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I just wish it was better. I wish people were better.¡± ¡°Some are. It¡¯s not like this everywhere.¡± ¡°Really?¡± she asked. ¡°Argos is mostly peaceful. There¡¯s a ce on the other side of the Twilight Clefts that is, too. Same with the elves of Arvandor,¡± he exined. ¡°The town near my ind is peaceful, as well. Even Norcastle is better now, and it¡¯s governed by a bit of a dick. I think it¡¯s because even with more power, this system gives people the ability to fight back against oppression if they want to. I mean, if someone tries to mess with my friend in his shop, they¡¯re going to lose. I think a lot of nobatants are going to get abilities like that.¡± ¡°Is that a rational conclusion? Or just hope?¡± ¡°Maybe a little of both.¡± After that, the twopsed into silence, but it onlysted a few minutes before K¡¯hana arrived. Elijah introduced the two to one another, and they almost immediately started to discuss all the ways they could help one another. He had little interest in that, so he excused himself and went to the apartment¡¯s guest bedroom. There, he concentrated on healing himself and cycling his core. More of the former than thetter, but he¡¯d taken to working on his cultivation as often as possible. Outside of when he was fighting, he kept it going at all times, and he¡¯d slowly made progress. He still felt that he was a long way from his efforts bearing fruit, but the fact that he had made verifiable progress was encouraging. That night, he didn¡¯t sleep. Instead, he focused entirely on preparing himself for what he expected to be a difficult battle. Part of that was getting himself back to peak condition, but he also pulled out his long-ignoredptop, plugged in a USB drive containing all the information Isaiah had given him, and memorized the map as well as everything else that seemed useful. With his Quartz Mind, it wasn¡¯t even difficult, which prompted him to wish he¡¯d had ess to cultivation back in college. It would have trivialized all of the rote memorization required by any advanced degree. But if he¡¯d had those advantages back then, there was no way he¡¯d have followed the path of an academic, so it was a bit of a moot point. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like anyone could change the past. The rest of the night and most of the following morning was busy but tedious, though by mid-afternoon, he felt as prepared as he could be. By that point, K¡¯hana and Lucy had reached an agreement, though Elijah didn¡¯t really concern himself with the details. All he cared about was that they would help one another, and given how friendly they were acting, that seemed to be the case. ¡°Do you wish for me to help?¡± asked K¡¯hana when Elijah let them know that he would be leaving on his mission as soon as the sun set. ¡°If I had been there before, you might not have been so grievously injured.¡± ¡°You¡¯d have probably died,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I am no helpless damsel.¡± ¡°Never said you were. But the fact of the matter is that I¡¯m more durable than you,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°And that guild leader seemed like the kind of guy who¡¯d target the most vulnerable first. Maybe that would have given me the chance to take him out before he grew so strong, but I don¡¯t think you would have survived. With how strong he was¡­¡± ¡°Is that kind of thingmon?¡± Lucy asked K¡¯hana. The elven woman didn¡¯t look terribly happy to have her own weakness pointed out. It was an unassable fact, though, and Elijah didn¡¯t regret saying it, especially if it kept her alive. Tersely, she said, ¡°I do not know. I have heard of sses that form a symbiotic rtionship with their people. Most are Tacticians or Administrators. The Noble ss is the mostmon. They increase productivity and experience for nonbat sses, but they have abilities that can enhance their own power at the expense of their citizens¡¯. Some variants even have the ability to control the way their people see them, though that is rare from what I understand. I am no expert, though. On my world, we were too isted for those sorts of sses to manifest.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± said Elijah. He knew that each archetype had its own purpose, but he¡¯d never really thought about what kind of abilities they might have. Sure, Tacticians would probably get abilities that would help them organize and empower armies, but beyond that, Elijah had never thought about what else they could do. The same was true of Administrators like Barry. Isaiah had given him some information on the man¡¯s suspected capabilities, but Elijah knew that there was a chance that he was walking into another very dangerous set of circumstances. Whatever the case, it was a situation he couldn¡¯t ignore. Even if he didn¡¯t feel a moral obligation to do something about their water hoarding ¨C which he definitely felt ¨C he¡¯d also made a promise to Isaiah, and he intended to keep his word. So, when the sun set, Elijah went to the roof of Lucy¡¯s building, transformed into the Shape of the Sky, then flew to the capitol. Hended inside the walls, then made his way toward Isaiah¡¯smand center. Once he arrived, he was surprised to find that Isaiah had gathered a group of soldiers. ¡°What¡¯s with these guys?¡± he asked. Each of the men wore ck fatigues, just like everyone else in Isaiah¡¯s army. However, these soldiers felt far more powerful. If they weren¡¯t on the verge of entering the ranks of top one-hundred, Elijah would have been surprised. ¡°Former SEALs,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°In training, sir,¡± said one of the men. ¡°We never finished.¡± Elijah was aware that the SEALs had a history of training in Washington State Parks, but that had supposedly ended when a judge banned them from doing so. Apparently, they had ignored that ban. Before the world¡¯s transformation, Elijah might¡¯ve found that unconscionable, but right now, he was grateful for their presence. Perhaps there was a lesson there, but it was one Elijah didn¡¯t have time to examine. Isaiah then exined that the former SEALs-in-training were his special operations team. Elijah didn¡¯t know how effective they would be, but he expected that their pre-World Tree training would serve them well. After all, it took quite a lot of grit and determination to be a Navy SEAL, and that would trante well to the new world. Regardless, the n was for Elijah to attack from the air while the team scaled the cliff. Meanwhile, Isaiah would send use his drones to disarm the traps. He knew he wouldn¡¯t get them all, and without the distraction provided by Elijah and the SEALs, it would be a useless endeavor. They would just rece the traps before anyone could take advantage of the vulnerability. Yet, having to deal with an attack would hopefully prevent that. Elijah agreed to the n, and once everyone was ready, the SEALs left. An hourter, they were in position. ¡°You¡¯re up. Good luck,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°Yeah. Sure.¡± Then, Elijah left the building, adopted the Shape of the Sky, then took off. He didn¡¯t bother hiding his presence. Instead, when he reached Mercer Mesa, he flew around for a few minutes, ensuring that everyone who lived there saw his rainbow scales. Predictably, they panicked, gathering to deal with what they thought was a monster attack. ¡°Now,¡± Isaiah said through the earpiece Elijah had once again donned. Elijah dove, and when he came within a few hundred yards of the teau¡¯s surface, he initiated the transformation into Shape of the Guardian. The gathered crowd aimed various spells and projectiles in his direction, but their aim was terrible. Only a few hit him, and those were rendered ineffective by his high Constitution, Ward of the Seasons, and Iron Scales. He hit the crowd with thunderous impact, the shockwave sending three people flying away tond on their backs. ¡°I want to speak to Barry,¡± he growled. ¡°Right now. Or everyone here is going to die a horrible, horrible death.¡± Book 4: Chapter 55: Demagogue Book 4: Chapter 55: Demagogue Elijah¡¯s knees were killing him. It was understandable, too. After falling for a few hundred feet andnding in the middle of Mercer Mesa, he was a little surprised that he hadn¡¯t broken anything. Byparison, a couple of sore joints was a small price to pay for his bombastic entrance. Still, he was continuously surprised by how durable his body was. Sure, he could look at the numbers in his status and recognize that they were high. But that didn¡¯t tell the same story that lifting tons of rock, outrunning a car, or remaining mostly unharmed by a fall that would have easily killed him before the World Tree had transformed Earth. ¡°Barry,¡± he growled again at the stunned crowd. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°You can talk?¡± asked one of the men. To his credit, he¡¯d positioned himself in front of a woman, clearly ready to protect her. It was a reminder that, despite their evil actions, not everyone who lived on the mesa was irredeemable. They were just people, albeit greedy ones whose actions had resulted in a multitude of deaths. Did that make them evil? Or was that just one bad tally mark on the ledger of their actions? Surely, they had good traits as well. Perhaps they¡¯d spent their lives feeding the homeless. Or volunteering at hospitals. Maybe some had even donated organs. There was also the chance that they¡¯d been manipted. Or they might have chosen to go along in order to protect themselves and their families from the retribution that would surely follow any resistance. But regardless of the philosophy surrounding the perception of good and evil, Elijah knew that his mission was just. The people of Mercer Mesa needed to be stopped. ¡°Of course I can talk. And I want to exercise that ability by speaking to Barry. Now. Or I start killing,¡± Elijah growled. As conflicted as he was, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do what was necessary. Besides ¨C if he didn¡¯t, the team creeping up the sides of the teau would. ording to Isaiah¡¯s voice in his ear, the traps had all been deactivated, and the team of SEALs were already near the top. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they arrived. So, Elijah needed to make his offer before they got there, and for that, he needed to speak to the leader, Barry. ¡°What do you want?¡± asked the man in question, shouldering his way through the crowd. ¡°Come to take your pound of flesh, monster? We know what you did to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Killing all of those poor people, and for no other reason than to put the rest of us beneath your boot! Thug, I call you. Criminal! Tyrant!¡± It was almost like looking at ¨C and hearing ¨C a different man, and for a brief moment, Elijah even questioned his own actions. Was he justified in attacking the guild? He¡¯d thought so. After all, he¡¯d seen evidence that they were preparing to mount an attack on the Garden. And yet, a seed of doubt blossomed into a flower of hesitation. ¡°Speechless!¡± Barry bellowed. He wore white linen pants and a colorful shirt that made him look like an upper-ss man on vacation in the Caribbean. ¡°Proof of his guilt! Begone, monster! Begone and never return!¡± At that moment, Elijah realized that Barry was using some sort of ability. He had no idea what it was called or how it worked, but he knew that he was being manipted. So, with all but two facets of his Quartz Mind, he searched for answers. With that much brainpower ¨C or perhaps because of his attributes ¨C he quickly discovered a thread of ethera in his mind. He isted it, then quarantined it in one facet of his mind. It all happened in the blink of an eye, but to Elijah, it was like suddenly opening a door and letting fresh air into a smokey kitchen. His thoughts focused, and he saw Barry as the man he was. A small and pitiful person who lorded himself over anyone he could dominate. And by virtue of his Demagogue ss, that meant everyone on the Mesa. Did that mean they couldn¡¯t be held ountable for their actions? After what Elijah had just felt, he wasn¡¯t so sure. Thankfully, his Mind cultivation helped to mitigate the ability. But what would happen if he met someone who could ovee that defense? Suddenly, Elijah felt very vulnerable. And angry. It was one thing to attack him physically, but trying to manipte his thoughts was crossing a line he¡¯d never expected anyone to be able to pass. So, without further debate, he leaped forward, shouldering the remaining Mercer Mesa residents out of the way before grabbing Barry around the waist. Everyone gasped. Barry tried to resist, using some sort of ability that created a hazy, gray shield around him, but it only took a slight flex of Elijah¡¯s fist to shatter it. Then came Barry¡¯s bones. The man screamed in agony, ¡°You can¡¯t do this! Do you know who I am?!¡± Elijah growled, ¡°I do.¡± Then, he bashed Barry against the ground. The first blow killed the man, showing just how weak he really was, but Elijah mmed him down again for good measure. Then, he reached back and threw Barry¡¯s corpse as far as he could. And given his Strength as well as the man¡¯sparatively miniscule weight, the throw ended up sending that body arcing over the surrounding mansions and past the edge of the teau. Where hended, Elijah had no idea. Nor did he really care. He turned to the people and said, ¡°You will open the mesa up to ¨C¡± It was at that point that the SEALs arrived, though they didn¡¯t hit with a hail of gunfire, as they might¡¯ve in the old world. Instead, they had adapted just like everyone else. There was a protector, a Sorcerer, a Healer, a meleebatant, and a Ranger. But that was where the simrities between them and any other group Elijah had seen ended. They moved with efficiency and precision, killing four people before anyone could even react. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition. That had always been the n. As far as Isaiah and the other residents of Seattle were concerned, the people of Mercer Mesa had long since established themselves as the enemy. And for better or worse, military men and women only had one reaction to finding themselves in thepany of an enemy. That was what drove Isaiah, and it was definitely the attitude held by the SEALs. They executed three more people before everyone threw their hands up in surrender. To their credit, the SEALs stopped at that point. They weren¡¯t interested in needless ughter, especially when the enemy had surrendered. After that, Elijah let himself return to his human form. ¡°You!¡± came a feminine voice. Elijah nced over to see Victoria kneeling on the ground in all her stic glory. Her hands were on her head, but if looks could have killed, Elijah would have already been dead. ¡°How could you?! We weed you into our home, and this is how you repay us? Trash!¡± ¡°You did this to yourself,¡± Eliijah said with a shake of his head. ¡°Hoarding water while the city dies of thirst? What did you think would happen? You call me trash? I say you¡¯re worse than that. You¡¯re actively evil.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t know anything about that,¡± she insisted. ¡°Your ignorance is not an excuse,¡± Elijah said with a tired sigh. He¡¯d recovered from the previous night¡¯s ordeal, but he was still exhausted. As much as he felt for the people of Seattle, he couldn¡¯t help but realize that he hated the ce. There was no sense ofmunity, little in the way ofw and order, and everyone in the city felt like they were on edge. That, in turn, left Elijah feeling like an exposed nerve. He watched as the SEALs restrained the gathered people. By the time they¡¯d finished, more of Isaiah¡¯s people had arrived, and they were currently moving from house to house, looking for stragglers. They found a few, but the majority of the residents were already in custody. Some shouted about who they were ¨C or who they used to be. Others offeredrgely worthless bribes. And still others tried to escape. Yet, none won free. A few fights broke out ¨C there were enoughbatants on the mesa to put up a decent resistance ¨C but they were quickly ovee. Without Barry to incite them, their will quickly broke. To Elijah, it felt like he was watching the death of an era. The former elites of the world were finally giving way to new power structures. Would anything really change, though? New wealth would rise. And inevitably, they would eventuallye to treat poorer people as lesser. He sighed. Those sorts of issues were beyond him. He just wanted to go back to his grove and rest for a couple of days. After that? He wasn¡¯t sure. All he really knew was that he didn¡¯t want to be in Seattle anymore. First, though, he had a few things to take care of. So, after he made certain that everything was in hand, he used Shape of the Sky, thenunched himself into the air. A few momentster, he was flying toward the capitol, where hended soon after. After that, he made his way to Isaiah¡¯smand center. Notably, no one tried to stop him. Either word of what he¡¯d done the night before had already gotten around, or the fact that he¡¯d arrived in a form that looked curiously like a dragon forced the government employees to keep their distance. For his part, Elijah was happy with that arrangement. He was in no mood to deal with people. However, he couldn¡¯t avoid Isaiah. So, when he reached themand center and found the man, Elijah asked, ¡°Does that satisfy my part of the agreement?¡± ¡°It does,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°And for what it¡¯s worth, you did a good thing. Those people would have run Seattle into the ground.¡± ¡°And you won¡¯t?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°My goal is to make this ce into a utopia. With ethera, I think we can do it, too. You¡¯ll see,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°In a couple of years, you won¡¯t be able to recognize this city. Everyone will be safe. They¡¯ll all have what they need. It¡¯ll be paradise.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a noble goal,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I hope you reach it.¡± ¡°You could help.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Not my ce,¡± he stated. ¡°But before I go, I think you owe me a couple of questions at the Branch. It¡¯s time for you to pay up.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t convince you to stick around?¡± Isaiah asked again. ¡°Not a chance. This ce makes me feel dirty,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t havee back if it wasn¡¯t for Lucy. Or our agreement, I suppose.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Isaiah said. And it looked for a moment like he was going to say something further. Elijah didn¡¯t miss the fact that everyone in the room was looking at him. But then, the Lord of Seattle let out a sigh. ¡°This world can be so much more than it is. We just need to get over the hump of survival, and we can have paradise on Earth. But I understand.¡± He signaled to one of the guards, saying, ¡°Lead Mr. Hart to the Branch. He is entitled to our Librarian¡¯s help with two topics. And fifty gold from the city¡¯s coffers.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the woman said with a salute. After shaking Isaiah¡¯s hand, Elijah was escorted to the other side of the building, where he saw the city¡¯s Branch. It was slightlyrger than the other Branches he¡¯d seen, and it looked like a small sapling with expansive, crystalline limbs. There were three people nearby. One was clearly the Envoy attached to the Branch, but the other two were introduced as Librarians. After that, he asked his questions. First, he requested information on specializations. He knew he wasing up on one, and he wanted to be as prepared as possible for whatever choices he was given. Next, he asked about ss evolutions for Animists. The first question yielded results after only a few seconds, but the second took almost five minutes, during which the Librarian ¨C a plump young woman who wore round spectacles ¨C was forced to expend quite a bit of effort. Elijah suspected that she had to use her entire repertoire of abilities to finally get an answer. When the leaf grew, she let out a sigh of relief before handing it to Elijah. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°That was difficult to find.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I thought it was as simple as just asking a question and getting an answer.¡± ¡°Some topics are far beyond us,¡± she said. ¡°We get a lot of skills, just like everybody else, but some questions require higher level attributes and evolved skills. That was almost more than I could handle. But I got a ton of experience!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. And ¨C¡± ¡°Oh, did you get the free leaf?¡± she asked. ¡°Uh¡­not sure what you mean,¡± Elijah said. ¡°About the Trial of Primacy. Everyone who qualifies gets a free information packet exining what it is, how it works, and what you¡¯re supposed to do when the dayes,¡± she said. ¡°Just touch the Branch, and you¡¯ll get it.¡± Elijah looked at the Branch Envoy questioningly, then got a nod to go ahead. He touched the Branch, and immediately, another leaf grew. He took it, adding it to his collection, and after that, he had no more reason to remain in the capitol. So, he thanked them, bade them farewell, and left to return to Lucy¡¯s so he could see the fruits of the Librarians¡¯bor. Book 4: Chapter 56: Knowledge Book 4: Chapter 56: Knowledge Elijahy on the bed, and for a long while, stared at the ceiling. A fan twirledzily above him, but otherwise, it was nk. It was such a stark difference from the ces he usually slept. There were no stars twinkling above him. No subtle sounds of nature. No glowing flowers. Just nk drywall. He sighed, already wishing he was back home. Or out in the forest. Even a tower would have felt more normal, if only because he wouldn¡¯t have time to sit around and think about the unnaturalness of human habitation. People did everything they could to separate themselves from nature, to surround themselves with concrete and steel, all in the pursuit offort and safety. They achieved those goals, and yet, they lost something as well. Some ineffable connection with the natural world whose absence few even noticed, let alonemented. But Elijah felt it, and right down to his bones, and he could only feel that humanity was worse off for how firmly they¡¯d embraced civilization. To distract himself from that depressive feeling, he focused on the first of his guides:
Official Notice: The Trial of Primacy
The Trial of Primacy is a benefit and challenge offered on newly touched worlds. The number of participants depends on the poption of the world in question, but it has rarely exceeded ten thousand participants. Normally, it is much lower. The Trial itself can bepared to a tower or Primal Realm. However, it differs in a number of ways. The most obvious is that the space where the Trial takes ce is only temporarily connected to these newly touched worlds. In addition, the Trial of Primacy can be held in an Ancestral Realm, Trial, Battle World, or even an excised world. These are muchrger than towers or Primal Realms, and they often have unique histories. However, the primary goal of a Trial of Primacy is to help establish a hierarchy on newly toucheds. Secondarily, it will allow for some unique benefits, including prime cultivation environments, leveling opportunities, equipment, and Feats of Strength to be added to your Legacy. Thirdly, at thepletion of the Trial of Primacy, many of the system¡¯stent features, including the World Tree¡¯smunication system, local market, and long-distance (but still global) teleportationwork will be unlocked. And finally, when the Trial of Primacy ispleted and everyone has returned to their world, ambient levels of ethera will receive a boost, reaching the density necessary for core cultivation. Please note that if, at any time, participants wish to leave, they will be provided the means to do so. All tower surges and Primal Realm advancement will be halted during this time, though they will remain open for anyone who wishes to challenge them. Good luck, and may you take advantage of this opportunity.
Even though it was not terriblyplicated, Elijah took the time to read the guide ¨C or notice ¨C thrice. Yet, he saw nothing that he didn¡¯t notice on the first read-through. The idea was simple, he supposed. Anyone who qualified for the Trial of Primacy would be transferred to a special space ¨C not dissimr from a tower ¨C where they would face challenges. Thepletion of those challenges would result in advancement. Yet, there were a few new pieces of information that stood out to Elijah. The first was the mention of Feats of Strength, which would be added to his Legacy. When he¡¯d evolved Ancestral Circle into Roots of the World Tree, Feats of Strength had been mentioned, though at the time, Elijah hadn¡¯t considered them to be anything official. However, the notice he¡¯d just read seemed to imply that it was an official ¨C if hidden ¨C aspect of the system. And the Trial of Primacy offered an opportunity to add to that. The second bit of information that seemed important was that, at the conclusion of the Trial, more Branch features would be unlocked, includingmunication and worldwide teleportation. While searching for his family, Elijah had checked on thetter, but he¡¯d been disappointed to find that, while the teleportationwork was technically avable, most settlements were out of range from one another. Yet, Elijah wasn¡¯t that excited about that feature,rgely because he¡¯d already been told that it was far too pricey to use except in emergencies. But for Elijah, it might be worth it. He could use that system once, then create a dolmen on the other side of the world. That way, he could expand his ownwork much further than would normally be possible. From what he¡¯d been told, Earth was now the size of Saturn, which meant that, even though its diameter was only ten times its old size, that meant that the surface area was almost a hundred timesrger than before the had been touched by the World Tree. Covering that much ground, even in his flight form, was not feasible, at least in the short term. It was something to think about, for sure. The most important part of that section concerned the world¡¯s ambient ethera. Elijah had felt its rise over the past four-and-a-half years, and he¡¯d always expected it to eventually reach the point where it could support core cultivation. His grove and especially his cave had long since gotten to that level, but the rest of the worldgged far behind. It was one of the reasons he¡¯d had so much trouble pushing himself to the next stage. Yet, the fact that the system would enhance Earth¡¯s ethera density meant that it wouldn¡¯t be long before others caught up to him. In turn, that meant that if he wanted to maintain his advantages, he had something of a time limit. As he thought about it, Elijah decided to set himself a goal. He would do everything he could to advance his core to the second stage before the Trial of Primacy. Finally, Elijah took note of thest paragraph. If people wanted to leave the Trial of Primacy, they could. However, even as he re-read that statement, he felt that doing so would result in some sort of detriment that exceeded the loss of benefits. The system didn¡¯t like failure, and he expected that wouldn¡¯t cease to be the case in the Trial of Primacy. If there were Feats of Strength attached to his official Legacy, then were there Feats of Weakness, as well? Maybe. In any case, the notice about the Trial of Primacy held quite a lot of useful information. Some of it was explicit, but there was plenty between the lines as well. Hopefully, the other two guides Elijah had gotten would prove just as helpful. He moved on to the first, which was called A Primer on Specializations:
Stolen story; please report. Guide: A Primer on Specializations
Specializations are avable at levels 100, 225, 450, and 900. There are rumors about further Specializations that may be developed in the Transcendent Realm, but they are unconfirmed. Generally, each Specialization opportunity results in three choices, each intended to enhance an aspect of a ss¡¯s abilities. For example, a Warmaster may be given the following three choices: ¡¤ Defense ¨C Enhances the Warmaster¡¯s defensive capabilities by a percentage based on Legacy. ¡¤ Damage ¨C Enhances the Warmaster¡¯s damage abilities by a percentage based on Legacy. ¡¤ Bnce ¨C Gives a smaller enhancement to all of the Warmaster¡¯s abilities. Also based on Legacy. It should be noted that not all Warmasters will receive the same Specialization choices. Much is determined by Legacy, yet most will see simr options.
After that, the guide gave a few more examples, but they all followed the same pattern. Then, there were hundreds of pages containing other known specializations for various sses. And while Animist was not represented, there were a few for other Druid sses. The first one Elijah saw was called Preserver:
Archetype: Druid ss: Preserver
Common Specialization Options (increases represent the average, individual results will vary based on Legacy)
Growth Healing Connection
Increase the potency of abilities that affect nt growth by 5%. Increase the potency of healing abilities by 10%. Transform One with Nature into a more powerful variant. Future evolutions will be reflected.
Another variant of the Druid archetype seemed to focus on various forms of damage spells, with one branch increasing damage-over-time abilities, another affecting direct damage spells like Storm¡¯s Fury, and the final focusing on ying unnatural entities with spells like Nature¡¯s Rebuke. It was one of the spells that Elijah often neglected,rgely because it wasn¡¯t that damaging against anything the system considered natural. And he¡¯d discovered that that definition was extremely narrow. So far, the only creatures he¡¯d seen that qualified were the vampires ¨C and presumably, the ghouls ¨C in the Magister¡¯s Estate and Voxx. Either way, it was a rtively cheap spell to cast, and he knew he needed to get into the habit of using it as often as possible. Perhaps it would have helped against the monster Bruce Garet had be. It was just another reminder that he was far from perfect. Like most people, he developed habits, and because his ss tended to focus on his animal forms, he sometimes neglected his other spells. That needed to change, and soon. He spent another couple of hours perusing A Primer on Specializations, but eventually, he moved on to the final guide he¡¯d acquired, which was called Evolutions of the Animist:
Guide: Evolutions of the Animist
The Animist is a Rare ss associated with the Druid archetype, and it focuses on shapeshifting into bestial forms. Shape of the Predator specializes in stealth and assassination, Shape of the Guardian is a fair defender and meleebatant, and Shape of the Sky allows for rapid travel. Shape of Mastery is the final form before evolution, and it focuses on singlebat. The evolutions associated with the ss generally follow this theme, though most focus on making one form more powerful than the others. In addition, there are evolutions meant to adjust the Animist¡¯s path to one more appropriate for a traditional Druid. Finally, there are evolutions which will permanently transform the Animist into a more powerful bestial form. Avability of evolutions is based on Legacy.
After that, Elijah read a list of fifteen possible ss evolutions. As the blurb had suggested, they each had a very specific focus that would shift his ss into a narrower focus. For some, it would enhance hismer ape form. For others, his predator shape. There was even one that would augment Shape of the Sky. But as interesting as they were, Elijah quickly realized that there was too much variation based on his Legacy for him to make any ns. However, that didn¡¯t mean that the guide was useless. Far from it. It established a pattern for the choices he might be given. Like the Specializations, evolutions served to narrow the focus of his sses. Yet, unlike Specializations, there were a few that would change his direction altogether. Like the evolutions that would effectively turn him into a beast. Or a Guardian, more urately. What would drive an Animist in that direction? He knew from experience just how easily one could be overwhelmed by the instincts that came with their bestial forms. It had almost happened to him. Elijah knew he¡¯d never allow himself to go down that road, but perhaps others wouldn¡¯t be so reticent. The biggest benefit of that guide also highlighted another oversight. Spells and abilities in the Mortal Realm ¨C which was from level one to one-twenty-five ¨C followed a set path. That meant that his future abilities were predetermined. Every Animist would get the same spells. As such, it would have made sense for Elijah to find a guide that would let him know what wasing. But he was out of questions. Thankfully, Evolutions of the Animist did reveal the existence of one: Shape of the Master. He had no idea what form it would take, but it was said to focus on one-on-onebat. That was interesting, and it would definitely fill a niche. Yet, that wouldn¡¯te until the peak of the realm, so it would likely be some time before he would know more. Unless he could enlist the services of another Librarian, which didn¡¯t seem likely. Finally, Elijah checked his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 84
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 99
Dexterity 88
Constitution 97
Ethera 93
Regeneration 88
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Stone Hatchling Quartz Novice
He¡¯d only gained one level from the fighting in Seattle,rgely because he hadn¡¯t really killed that many people. Most of the Adventurers had been sacrificed by Bruce, and the leader himself wasn¡¯t actually that high of a level. Instead, his incredible power had been temporarily boosted by that sacrifice ability. So, he hadn¡¯t awarded much in the way of experience. The same could be said for killing Barry. He hung his head. He hated thinking of killing people in those terms. They were more than just bags of experience. They were living, breathing human beings,plete with hopes and dreams and people who cared about them. Even Barry, as detestable as he was, had a family. Elijah needed to remember that, or he¡¯d end up going to an extremely dark ce. In any case, he focused on his gains, which exceeded the one point per attribute he was awarded for each level. He¡¯d gained extra points in everything but Ethera. Some hade from his efforts constructing the temple. Toting enormous stone blocks was great for building Strength and Constitution, apparently. But he¡¯d also gained a couple of points from other activities, like fighting and cycling his Core. Although, Elijah was less interested in the individual points than he was in the fact that he had a couple of attributes that were on the verge of crossing the one-hundred point threshold. It was an important mark, and not just because he suspected it would be more impactful than normal. Rather, it was a mark of how far Elijah hade. After all, he hadn¡¯t forgotten that, only a little more than four years before, his physical attributes had been pathetic. Back then, his body had been ravaged by chemotherapy and cancer, which had left his strength at a mere three points. His Constitution had been even lower. And now, he was close to reaching triple digits. It was a good reminder of just how far he¡¯de. And how far he had yet to go. With that in mind, he settled back into the bed and, for once, fell asleep quickly and slept soundly. Book 4: Chapter 57: Other Priorities Book 4: Chapter 57: Other Priorities He had won. As Isaiah stared at the huge screen, which was divided into a dozen squares, that simple fact was abundantly apparent. Everywhere he looked, he saw dead bodies. Most of the corpses belonged to members of the Adventurers Guild. Apparently, Bruce Garet had an ability associated with his Guild Leader ss that allowed him to magically enforce certain conditions upon people who¡¯d sworn oaths to his guild. Given that one of the requirements to join had been a pledge to defend it unto death gave Garet all the leeway he needed to sacrifice everyone in the guild. From what Isaiah could tell, most of the resultant energy had gone to waste. And as inefficient as the act was, it was also the only reason Elijah Hart had managed to survive. If Garet had absorbed all of the energy, he wouldn¡¯t have simply been unstoppable. He could have squashed the Druid like a bug. But Isaiah couldn¡¯t concern himself with Garet any longer. He and his guild were dead. Mercer was under control, with some of the worst residents having been confined to jail. It wasn¡¯t asting solution, but Isaiah hoped something more permanent would present itself soon. Because the alternative was to execute them, and that was a step he didn¡¯t want to take. It was a slippery slope, after all. If he could justify killing imprisoned enemies, where would it stop? He had very few checks on his power, now. And he knew that, if he allowed himself to solve his problems that way, he would end up doing so for every issue he encountered. Before long, he would start killing people for disagreeing with him too vehemently, which would turn him into a tyrant. Isaiah wouldn¡¯t allow himself to descend to those depths, so he¡¯d long since vowed to find other ways. That wasn¡¯t to say that he wouldn¡¯t engage in violence if necessary. It only meant that he would try everything else ¨C as he had with both the Adventurer¡¯s Guild as well as Mercer Mesa ¨C before going down that road. He took a deep breath, then turned to his people. Everyone in the room had the Schr archetype, which meant they were perfectly suited for gathering and parsing information. But none of them were fighters, and he could see how much the battles had affected them. ¡°We have won a great victory,¡± he said. ¡°Because of the people in this room, Seattle has a chance to once again be the great city it used to be. People will no longer have to worry about whether or not they¡¯ll get a cup of water for the day. Our gardens will flourish, and our people will survive. That¡¯s the first step before we can regain all that we¡¯ve lost, and due to the sacrifices of the people in this room ¨C and our soldiers out there ¨C we have that opportunity. ¡°You should all be proud of what we aplished. You¡¯ve saved lives today,¡± he said. Someone pped, but it was clearly premature because nobody else joined in. Finally, Isaiah said, ¡°Thank you, and keep up the good work.¡±After that, he turned away from the screen and fled themand center. Not long after, he reached his office. Only after the door had closed did he let out a long sigh and copse into his chair. Absently, he rubbed his chest. A wound he¡¯d received shortly after the world had been transformed continued to bother him. Back then, he¡¯d taken a spear to the chest ¨C courtesy of a would-be bandit ¨C and the injury had never fully healed. Even now, yearster, his heart regrly skipped a beat, and he sometimes had trouble breathing. Of course, he hid the infirmity from everyone else. A leader needed to project strength. Any perceived weakness would invite challenge and suggest to his followers that he wasn¡¯t the man for the job. The only person who knew of the injury was the Healer he saw once a week, and ording to her, it would be years before she progressed to the point where she couldpletely rid him of the aftereffects. So, Isaiah had resolved himself to simply dealing with it. Increased attributes helped. So did reaching the Body of Wood stage of his cultivation. And yet, there were times when it felt like he was having a heart attack. Stress made it worse, too. Which meant that his chest currently felt like he had an elephant sitting on it. Perhaps it was time to call for the Healer again. That usually alleviated the symptoms for a few days, at least. But before he could do so, Isaiah abruptly realized that he was not alone. There was a statue of a rabbit sitting on his desk. Or he assumed it was a rabbit. The thing was nearly two feet tall, with giant ears that stood straight up, and a body that seemed somewhat sturdier than any hare Isaiah had ever seen. And it was made of what looked like faceted diamond. Not a series of gems, either. Instead, it looked as if it had been carved from a single stone. So, when it moved, turning its head toward Isaiah, he couldn¡¯t help but flinch. It flickered and then, an instantter, projected a beam of light onto the surface of the desk. Over the next few moments, a figure slowly appeared. To Isaiah, it looked a lot like something being 3D printed, but with light instead of stic. As he watched, Isaiah slowly embraced the couple ofbat skills he possessed, and he mentally activated his most powerfulbat drone. It was strong, but because it required a ridiculous amount of ethera to operate, he usually kept it in reserve as his personal guard. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± said the figure, which looked like a man made of the same diamond as the bunny. ¡°Do not waste your ethera, young man.¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± Isaiah asked, embracing cid Mind to divorce himself from his emotions. Clearly, the figure didn¡¯t mean him harm. And judging by the amount of ethera wafting off the bunny, it could hurt him if it chose to do so. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Good. Straight to the point. No point in dealing with superfluous emotions and details. I am here to offer you an opportunity, my boy,¡± the figure said, gesturing animatedly. ¡°Here. One second. I think I remember how to do this¡­ah. There it is.¡± At that moment, a notification appeared before Isaiah¡¯s inner eye:
A powerful entity has offered you a Task: Obejctive: Rece a major organ with an artificial version. Reward: Blessing of the Mechanique, Delp Dariq Do you ept?
Isaiah read the notification, then asked, ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you, my boy. Ingenious, what you¡¯ve done with so little ethera. That leg of yours is quite an impressive feat of engineering, if I do say so myself! And the heart? You¡¯ve a little way to go before it¡¯s usable, but you are on the right track. It takes me back to when I first started recing my organic bits. Ah ¨C good times,¡± Delp said. Of course, Isaiah knew about the mechaniques. They were one of the few surviving elder races, though the most reclusive. The guide he¡¯d read said that they were living golems who cared for nothing but their machines and recing bits of their bodies. When he¡¯d read the description, Isaiah had assumed they would all be emotionless robots, and yet, Delp was quite animated. ¡°Your blessing. What does it entail?¡± ¡°Ah ¨C that. I¡¯m supposed to tell you that you will get three options of equal value,¡± the mechanique said via his projection. ¡°Hogwash! Oh, I like that word. We had a simr word in my originalnguage. No one left who speaks it, though. Just me¡­¡± After a moment of silence, during which the projection hung his head, Isaiah asked, ¡°Three options?¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Only one is worth taking. Core advancement. Not possible on this yet, except in very special circumstances. If you had a nature attunement, perhaps you could take advantage of those, but you don¡¯t. In any case, this is no ordinary core. You¡¯ll have a Mechanique Core. Far more powerful than anything you¡¯d get through natural cultivation.¡± Isaiah didn¡¯t need to be told about special cores. He¡¯d already met three people with such advantages. Elijah Hart was one, and ording to everything he¡¯d seen, the Druid¡¯s Dragon Core was the most powerful. However, the two visitors he¡¯d received a little more than a month before had both possessed Angel Cores that could, in most ways, rival Elijah¡¯s. ¡°And all I need to do is finish my project,¡± Isaiah stated. The artificial heart he¡¯d been building was not really his project alone. Instead, it was a cooperative effort between himself, a former heart surgeon turned Healer, and an Engineer who¡¯d once built robots for a living. Between them, they¡¯d almost finished the prototype, which used all sorts of rare and powerful materials, though Isaiah was still hesitant to shove that thing into his chest. ¡°If it makes any difference, you won¡¯t live more than six more months without it,¡± the mechanique said via his projection. ¡°There are no Healers on this with high enough levels to repair a heart that has been damaged so severely. If you¡¯d had ess to a high-level Healer with the right ss, perhaps they could have fixed it at the time. But by now, too long has passed. Healing an old injury is far different than mending a fresh one. It should have been a death sentence.¡± ¡°Kind of sounds like that¡¯s exactly what it is,¡± Isaiah said. ¡°Just a dyed one.¡± Delp Dariq let out a boomingugh that rattled the desk. ¡°That it is, my boy. That it is. But as I said, this is an opportunity. Take it,¡± he said. ¡°Imnt that heart, and all your problems will be solved.¡± ¡°All of them?¡± ¡°Well, most. Some, probably. One, at the very least!¡± Isaiah didn¡¯t hesitate before epting the task. In a lot of ways, he didn¡¯t have much choice in the matter, but he also knew that it was an opportunity that most people would not receive. He knew about special cores, and he recognized just how powerful they could be. For instance, Elijah Hart had an archetype that wasn¡¯t exactly suited forbat, and even though his ss worked to correct that, he still should have been weaker than even-leveled foes. Yet, because of his core cultivation, he could not only hold his own, but also defeat enemies that would have otherwise killed him with little trouble. Isaiah hoped for simr benefits. ¡°Good!¡± said the mechanique after Isaiah epted the Task. ¡°I¡¯ll see you again when you start to advance your core!¡± Then, without any warning, the rabbit turned and hopped away. It disappeared into a rift in space before it hit the ground, which left Isaiah with a host of questions that he knew wouldn¡¯t soon be answered. In any case, he had a goal now. All he needed was to shove an artificial heart into his chest ¨C and somehow survive ¨C and he¡¯d gain a significant boon. He was tempted to leave his office right at that moment, but he knew that would be a mistake. Not only did he have a hundred tasks pulling him in as many directions, but he could sense a visitoring his way. So, he took a few minutes topose himself before Elijah Hart knocked on his door. ¡°Enter,¡± he announced, standing as he adjusted his shirt. He wore the same ck fatigues as his underlings, though his had been made from sterner stuff than the standard issue uniform. There were increased dangers to being the leader, and so, he needed increased protections, too. The door opened, admitting the Druid. The man hadn¡¯t made any concessions to civility. His beard was still wild and untrimmed, his hair was shaggy, and his clothes ¨C while high-quality ¨C looked unremarkable. Most of all, though, Isaiah found himself annoyed by the man¡¯s bare feet. He didn¡¯t care if it was, as his information suggested, tied to an ability. It was just bad manners. Of course, he didn¡¯t expect more from someone like Elijah Hart. The man was powerful, but he was reckless, selfish, and, worst of all, unpredictable. One day, those traits would get the Druid killed, and Isaiah wasn¡¯t certain if he would celebrate or mourn the man¡¯s passing. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Isaiah asked. ¡°I¡¯m just here to let you know that I¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow,¡± he said, uncharacteristically thinking of how his actions might affect other people. ¡°Just wanted to make sure we¡¯re square before I leave. K¡¯hana is going to stay behind. I guess she wants to get started on the exchange of services.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason to wait,¡± Isaiah admitted. Indeed, the elven woman had already started the process of finding water, and the initial results were promising. When she left, she would lead a team of his fighters to her tower. ¡°Right. So, is there anything else we need to discuss? Because I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m tired of city life.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± Isaiah said after only a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°There¡¯s a situation in Hong Kong. I promised I would spread the word to any powerful people I might encounter. You qualify.¡± ¡°Alright? Lay it on me.¡± Book 4: Chapter 58: Structure Book 4: Chapter 58: Structure As he left Isaiah¡¯s office, Elijah had no idea what to do. The situation in Hong Kong sounded dire, but Elijah was in no position to help. He only had six months before the Trial of Primacy, and he had a lot of work to do before he would feel ready for whatever challenges it would present. On top of that, he only had a vague direction ¨C east ¨C to go on, meaning that finding the city would be incredibly difficult. Perhaps things would be different if he¡¯d personally met the two emissaries, but that just wasn¡¯t the case. They¡¯d left Seattle over a month before he¡¯d arrived, and there was no telling where they¡¯d ended up. Even Isaiah wasn¡¯t sure. So, as concerned as Elijah was ¨C the way it was described, the undead were a grave threat ¨C there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it. The rest of the meeting had been productive. Elijah had looked through a report on the items looted from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and he¡¯d seen nothing that fit him. There were a couple of unarmed weapons, but neither were better than his Weighted Gloves. He saw a couple of Rings of Anonymity, too. And a few pieces of armor that gave minor attribute increases. However, nothing really caught his eye. Besides ¨C Isaiah¡¯s people would need all the help they could get. And while Elijah wasn¡¯t particrly selfless, he felt that it was best if he left that low-quality gear to Isaiah and his army. So, he collected his payment ¨C fifty gold was no small sum ¨C and told Isaiah that he¡¯d return sometime in the future before heading out of the capitol, shifting into Shape of the Sky, and taking off. A few minutester, hended outside the giant greenhouse that was the Garden, shifted back to his human form, and headed inside. He found Lucy not long after, where she was busy showing K¡¯hana around. ¡°This ce is quite impressive,¡± the elf was saying as Elijah approached. Lucy responded, ¡°And we¡¯re nning an expansion soon, too. Seattle¡¯s poption is mostly stable, but we still get a trickle of refugees each month. My dream is to grow enough food that nobody ever has to go without.¡± ¡°You think you can do that?¡± asked Elijah as he approached, his tone a bit skeptic. ¡°There are a lot of people who live here.¡± Lucy gave him a small smile before she answered, ¡°I think so. Eventually. Isaiah¡¯s agreed to subsidize my costs. He wants the same thing I want.¡± ¡°Easier to control people if you¡¯re the one handing out food,¡± Elijah stated. He still didn¡¯t trust Isaiah ¨C notpletely. Maybe the man¡¯s heart was in the right ce, but from Elijah¡¯s perspective, people in power usually only cared about keeping it. And on top of that, the notion that Isaiah could easily spy on the entire city made him feel vited in a way he couldn¡¯t really exin. Benevolent or not, Isaiah¡¯s abilities made Elijah ufortable.¡°He¡¯s a good man, Elijah,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Good men can be corrupted,¡± Elijah said with a shrug. ¡°Lots of dictators start off with the best of intentions.¡± That much was certainly true. History was full of people who¡¯d gained power with the hopes of changing things for the better. But bit by bit, they were corrupted by that power until its pursuit was all that was left. Sure, they had excuses. They believed that whatever moral sacrifices they had to make were justified. Even someone like Roman, who¡¯d killed hundreds, if not thousands of his citizens, had clearly felt that he was doing the right thing. So, how long would it be before Isaiah sumbed to that same way of thinking? The path to Hell was paved with good intentions, after all. When utopia was at stake, was there anything a leader wouldn¡¯t do? If he could remove that one bad apple to save the bunch, would he hesitate? What if there were two bad apples? A hundred? A thousand? Where was the line, when perfection was seen as an achievable goal? Elijah shook his head, saying, ¡°I hope he¡¯s as good of a person as you say. And I hope he maintains perspective. If he doesn¡¯t¡­well, you can alwayse and live in my ind paradise.¡± ¡°Did you just invite me to move in?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Maybe. As friends,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Open invitation and all that. Did I mention it was an ind paradise? I mean, my beaches are infested with giant crabs, but they¡¯re not that strong. I like to think of them as mascots.¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m not going with you, right?¡± Lucy answered. ¡°I have my Garden. There are people here I care about. I can¡¯t just abandon my home.¡± ¡°Oh. Right,¡± Elijah said, running his hand through his hair. ¡°I was only joking.¡± He hadn¡¯t been. If he¡¯d had his way, he would¡¯ve moved everyone he cared about ¨C which was a short list ¨C to his ind. Or at least to Ironshore. The rest of the world just seemed far too dangerous, and not just because of the wildlife. Monsters being monsters, Elijah understood, but when people descended into despotism, it just felt worse. Hopefully, Isaiah would prove immune to the temptation of tyranny, but Elijah wasn¡¯t going to bet on it. After all, there was a very famous saying about power and corruption that seemed very appropriate to Elijah¡¯s experiences with civilization in the new version of Earth. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°You weren¡¯t, but that¡¯s okay,¡± Lucy said, reaching out to put her hand on his. ¡°Maybe I can visit someday. You¡¯ve made it sound like a wonderful ce.¡± Her familiar touch brought up a host of memories Elijah wasn¡¯t really prepared to confront. Once upon a time, he¡¯d loved Lucy. He still did, even though it had faded from a teenager¡¯s fiery obsession to something far more sustainable. He wasn¡¯t even sure if it was a romantic love anymore. Perhaps they were only meant to be friends. Elijah sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s probably not as great as I make it seem. Like I said, it is infested with giant crabs. And it rains a lot. Plus, we¡¯re pretty isted. But my treehouse is pretty cool, if I say so myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see it someday.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a date,¡± Elijah said with a smile. After that, there really wasn¡¯t much else to say. So, after a couple of goodbyes, Elijah left the Garden behind. He didn¡¯t immediately take to the air, but instead walked through Seattle for what he hoped would be thest time for a long while. He didn¡¯t outright hate civilization, but spending any time in a ce like Seattle ¨C or Valoria before it ¨C left him feeling like he was coated in slime. He would be d to leave it behind. But still, he forced himself to walk through some of the more popted areas, just to ensure that things were better than when he¡¯d arrived. That was when he finally caught sight of the city¡¯s tower. It was a twisted structure that looked like a funhouse mirror version of a castle¡¯s parapet. Isaiah had given him a USB drive with all the information they¡¯d gathered on the tower, which was quite a lot, all things considered. With only a few days¡¯ worth of study, he would know everything there was to know about it. From enemies to strategies andyouts, it was everything he would need to challenge the tower in rtive safety. On top of that, as part of the deal he¡¯d made with Isaiah, he had the right to do so, even if he¡¯d have to wait until a slot opened up. And yet, he had no interest in running through a tower at the moment. Not only did he have other things he wanted to do, but risking his life for a couple of levels and a few trinkets just wasn¡¯t appealing so soon after everything that had happened in Seattle. For better or worse, Elijah had begun to sour on towers. They were a good way to advance, and he knew he¡¯d have to run them if he wanted to keep up with everyone else. However, they also seemed so pointless ¨C assuming that there were others around who could keep them from overflowing. Using his power to fight in the real world was much more preferable, as far as he was concerned. In any case, he had no intention of challenging the tower at this point. Perhaps he would have time for itter. So, after he¡¯d wandered around Seattle for another couple of hours, he threw himself into the air and flew to the Circle of Spears. His passage didn¡¯t go unnoticed ¨C a huge, rainbow-colored reptile flying across the sky was unignorable ¨C but he was gone before he could cause too muchmotion. As soon as he reached the dolmen, he opened a gate to the Dragon Circle and stepped through. Not long after, he returned to Argos ¨C or more specifically, to the Temple of Virtue ¨C to keep his promise of healing. To let everyone know that he was around, he climbed to the roof, then channeled a little ethera into the statue atop the temple. The spear in the warrior¡¯s hand lit up, bing a beacon that could be seen throughout the town. It was the agreed upon signal that he was around, and soon enough, injured and sick people had begun to climb the steps toward the temple. By the time they reached the top, Elijah had already summoned Healing Rain, and the first person to step into the rejuvenating cascade of precipitation let out a gasp. The same ¨C or simr ¨C scenes presented themselves each time someone arrived. Only a few injuries were bad enough that Elijah needed to use Soothe or Touch of Nature, but one was particrly serious. The woman in question had a wound on her arm that had been so thoroughly infected that, in the old world, it would have necessitated amputation. It fell before nearly a dozen casts of Touch of Nature, and the woman dropped to her knees and thanked him profusely. Elijah didn¡¯t much care for that attention, but he knew it came with the territory. If he was going to help people, then he needed to grow ustomed to praise. He stayed at the temple for the next twelve hours, and in that time, he lost count of how many people he¡¯d healed. It was almost as cathartic for him as it was for his patients. If everything else went to Hell, at least Elijah could always take sce in the act of healing. Finally, he healed thest of them, and once he sent the man on his way, Elijah deactivated the beacon and, atst, headed home via the Roots of the World Tree. Thankfully, using it to teleport himself back to the grove could be activated from anywhere, though it still took quite some time to activate the spell. Regardless, he soon arrived back in his grove, and when he did, he couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath and bask in the dense ethera of his ind. After speaking to Nerthus for a few minutes ¨C the spryggent was quite proud of some of his gardening aplishments ¨C Elijah retired to his treehouse, where he took a long, scalding shower. Even as he rxed, and his muscles unkinked, he found himself pondering the future. He only had about six months to go before the Trial of Primacy. Six months to push himself as high as he could go. He needed to train, as well. To take his equipment more seriously, too. And he needed to prepare Carmen and Miguel for his absence. Thankfully, six months was a decent span of time, so he felt sure that he could aplish his goals. After his shower, he pulled hisptop out of his satchel and started making ns. He was capable of keeping it all in his head, but there was something about putting it all down in a word processor that made things so much more concrete. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to worry too much about power. With the converter he¡¯d bought in Seattle, as well as the high density of ambient ethera, theptop had all the electricity it would need. Perhaps that meant he could power all sorts of electronics. Maybe a giant television. Or an electric coffee maker. Any number of small appliances woulde in handy. He suspected that obtaining those would require a trip back to Seattle, though, and he didn¡¯t really have any desire to return to that ce. So, he focused on the task at hand, making ns not just for himself but for Miguel, too. After all, the boy¡¯s training had been a bit haphazard ofte. Elijah aimed to fix that. The key to improvement was consistency, which was a lesson Miguel needed to learn. Book 4: Chapter 59: Brick by Brick Book 4: Chapter 59: Brick by Brick Carmen¡¯s file scraped against the block of dragonstone, removing only the tiniest bit of material. In a lot of cases, it would have been frustrating, but Carmen had long since fallen into what she referred to as a worker¡¯s trance. It wasn¡¯t a skill or anything ¨C just a tendency to dive so deeply into a task that everything else sort of faded away. She¡¯d done it often enough before the world¡¯s transformation, and it had be moremon in the wake of the World Tree¡¯s touch. She could have used her abilities to make it easier, but that would take attention away from Ethereal Infusion, which she¡¯d resolved to maintain at all times while working on what she¡¯d begun referring to as The Great Forge. Even onepse, and she felt that she¡¯d create a weak link. And while that might notpletely ruin the final product ¨C or even be noticeable to most people ¨C when she had taken on the project, she had told herself that she would cut no corners. So, Carmen kept to the original n, regardless of how tedious it was. Gradually, the carving began to take shape. She¡¯d roughed it out with a chisel, but refining it required a much defter tool, which was where the file came into y. It had been made with sun copper and enchanted to be much harder than even the magical metal would normally be. As a result, it was on the verge of being Complex-Grade, and like all the other tools she''d made over the past few months, it possessed an ability.
Crafter¡¯s Imbuement Using this tool upon raw materials imbues it with a small trickle of ethera.
When she¡¯d created the first tool in the set ¨C which was a hammer ¨C Carmen had been ecstatic. Until that point, she hadn¡¯t been able to focus the ability of any items she¡¯d created. Instead, the system seemed to assign them at random. However, while helping Elijiah with the Circle of Spears and creating the Temple of Virtue, she had learned that her intent while crafting could guide the final product in certain ways. It wasn¡¯t foolproof, and there was still some variance ¨C especially with weapons and armor ¨C but tools were simple enough that she could get the result she wanted. It wasn¡¯t easy, though. One stray thought while crafting, and she might¡¯ve ruined it. Still, throughout all her experiences, Carmen had learned to focus, and the results were precisely what she¡¯d intended. But those were just the tools. A means to an end. The real work came when she¡¯d started to work on the dragonstone. She was no stonemason, but like every other crafter ¨C aside from people like Elijah, whose abilities in the field were very limited ¨C she¡¯d begun her journey as a Tradesman. As such, she could achieve passable results with a wide variety of materials. So, Carmen had spent days carving the huge dragonstone blocks intorge bricks. Then, she¡¯d begun the purification cycle, which included using Decontaminate and Refine Materials. Over and over, a dozen times for each brick, she broke those pieces down until they werepletely uncontaminated by anything that wasn¡¯t dragonstone. Thankfully, she¡¯d had plenty of help with that ¨C mostly from the town¡¯s Stonemason, who was a dwarf named Boryn. Otherwise, Carmen wouldn¡¯t havepleted more than one of the blocks a week. But with Boryn¡¯s ¨C and his apprentices¡¯ ¨C help, they¡¯d managed to purify and shape a third of the dragonstone into usable bricks. The rest was up to Carmen. She could have pawned the carving off on someone else, but she felt in her soul that doing so would weaken the personalized effect of the Great Forge. She¡¯d thought a lot about her conversation with Elijah, about how to create a cultivation environment dedicated to her attunement of Creation. And she¡¯d gotten it into her head that, in order for it to resonate most strongly with her, she needed to be the one to do the bulk of the work. Carmen wasn¡¯t certain why she felt that way, but she did all the same. And she¡¯d learned to trust those instincts. Finally, she finished the carving, then leaned forward to blow the dust away. One of her helpers woulde in and sweep the detritus up. It was still useful for other crafters, after all, though Carmen wasn¡¯t sure where it would end up. In any case, the carving was only one more step. There was one more stage to copmlete before she¡¯d count the brick finished. So, without further hesitation, Carmen retrieved a long rod of blood tin. It was silver, but with a slight red shimmer. More importantly, it too had been through multiple rounds of purification, so it practically glowed with ethereal potential. Carmen set the thin rod on the first carving, then ced her finger on the end before activating Smolder. The blood tin melted, filling the carved recess and spilling over the edge. That was perfectly normal, so she ignored it as she slowly moved the rod along, iying the ethereal metal into the brick. Without her abilities, it would have been useless. The moment the tin cooled, it would detach from the brock. However, once she¡¯dpleted the process, which took almost half the rod, she used Bond to fuse the two materials. It took an incredible amount of ethera, which nearly drained her. However, that was expected. The next step was a lot touchier, and it would require every point of her Dexterity attribute. Thankfully, her ss had enhanced it quite a bit, but more importantly, she¡¯d alreadypleted the process a dozen times. So, by that point, she was an expert. Still, it required a steady hand and as much focus as she could manage. Brick in hand, she approached the grinder. It was a contraption she¡¯d built herself, though the belt had been created by a local Tinkerer. Carmen didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d used for the abrasive belt, but it worked well enough to grind even the excess tin ¨C which was unnaturally durable ¨C from the surface of the brick. The only issue was that it would also cut into the dragonstone if Carmen wasn¡¯t careful. And given that the bricks needed to be absolutely identical, any variance created by the grinder would render the brick unusable. Too much effort and too many expensive materials had been used for her to let that happen. The good thing was that using the grinder, which consisted of a series of wheels, around which the belt had been strung, was almost meditative. Sure, she had to operate the thing with a pedal, but with her stamina ¨C and Crafter¡¯s Endurance ¨C it was no great strain. Indeed, it was extremely satisfying, seeing the rough belt grind the metal away, bit by bit. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. It was time-consuming, though. So, it was hourster before, atst, Carmen had finished. She held the brick out, inspecting it closely. The designs ¨C which were all symbols associated with enchantments meant to condense ethera. She hoped it would result in much thicker ethera inside the forge, which would simultaneously enhance any item created within and provide an appropriate setting for cultivation.
Congrattions! You have created a uniqueponent [Enchanted Dragonstone Brick]. Overall Grade: Complex (Low) Enchantment Grade: D
¡°Yes!¡± she breathed, pumping her fist in celebration. It was the thirteenth time she¡¯d created one of the enchanted bricks, but each sess came with a burst of experience as well as satisfaction. When she turned to set the block aside, she saw that someone had invaded her smithy and gave a start. ¡°What are you doing here?! How long have you been sitting there?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elijah asked from where he was sitting on the pile of other, raw blocks that were waiting to be enchanted. ¡°Oh, about two hours or so? I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m guessing you decided to take my advice and run with it, huh? Doing everything yourself?¡± She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s easier forbat sses,¡± she said. ¡°All they need to do is find a battlefield or something. Maybe a dojo? I don¡¯t know. But with crafters, it¡¯s harder. Nerthus¡¯ advice has been helpful.¡± In truth, she probably could have cultivated in her current smithy. It would just take a while, and it would have dubious usefulness after she reached the first stage. Of course, Core cultivation was stillrgely impossible on Earth ¨C except for people like Elijah, she amended. Perhaps she would be able to clear that hurdle once she¡¯d finished the Great Forge. ¡°Do you need any help?¡± he asked. Setting thepleted brick down next to its identical siblings, she answered, ¡°No. I need to do as much of this as possible myself. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be diluted. I think.¡± She wiped the sweat from her brow. ¡°I¡¯m kind of just ying it by ear right now, but my instincts tell me that the more help I get with this, the less it will help me with my cultivation.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Carmen crossed to where Elijah was sitting, then joined him atop the stacked bricks. With her legs dangling, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s up? Are you back? Or is this temporary?¡± Elijah answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know. With the Trial of Primacying up, I know I have a lot of preparation ahead of me. This can¡¯t just be like a tower run. If I go in unprepared, I¡¯ll end up dead.¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°Levels. Cultivation. Equipment. I¡¯ve been thinking about armor. I mean, when I¡¯m in my bestial forms, I have scales, but I can¡¯t help but think that I¡¯m missing the boat with armor. Even if it doesn¡¯t make me more durable, a lot of it still has abilities that would help me, right? I don¡¯t know. I have Atticus keeping an eye out for a good Leatherworker, but he hasn¡¯t found anyone yet. So, I might just use that gnome that works across town. I can¡¯t remember his name.¡± ¡°Rikin,¡± Carmen provided. She¡¯d met most of the higher-leveled crafters in Ironshore,rgely because most worthwhile projects required cooperation between a wide variety of professions. For instance, when she made armor, it would turn out better if the padding was made by someone used to working with textiles or leather. ¡°Yeah. Him. Is he any good?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°He¡¯s in his forties,¡± she answered, referring to the gnome¡¯s level. It wasn¡¯t as impressive as it sounded. He was more than sixty years old, and he looked it, too. The only reason he¡¯de to Earth in the first ce was because he wanted to help his daughter ¨C who was a farmer ¨C develop. However, his advanced age as well as his low level, which had been under twenty-five beforeing to Earth, showed that he wasn¡¯t terribly talented. But he was the highest level leatherworker in the city. ¡°Personally, I¡¯d use Gavina. She¡¯s lower-leveled, but she¡¯s not even twenty-years-old yet. Much more talented. I don¡¯t know if that would trante into the final product, but it¡¯d pay off by helping her gain some levels so that next time you need her, she can do something even better.¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°Not sure if I can afford to make a choice based on developing someone I don¡¯t even know,¡± he admitted. ¡°This trial is going to be extremely dangerous.¡± ¡°Even for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not invincible, Carmen. I almost died only a few days ago,¡± he admitted, which surprised her. Then, he told her what had happened in Seattle, ending with, ¡°It just highlights that we can¡¯t rest on oururels. Even if people are lower-leveled, there are so many different abilities out there that could make them even more dangerous. I mean, I¡¯ve spent most of the past four years punching up. There¡¯s nothing to say that other people can¡¯t do the same thing. Which brings me to Miggy.¡± ¡°What about him?¡± she asked. ¡°I came up with a training program for him,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°He already trains every day.¡± ¡°He does,¡± her brother-inw agreed. ¡°But it¡¯s not focused. I know he doesn¡¯t have an archetype yet, but it¡¯sing any day now. He needs to decide what he wants to do. For instance, if he¡¯s going to be a Warrior, then all of his training with Kurik will be useless. And if he wants to be a Druid ¨C¡± ¡°I thought you said that was a bad idea.¡± ¡°It is. Probably. It¡¯s not an archetype meant for fighting. Maybe that¡¯s a good thing, but I think we both know that Miggy will never be happy sitting in the grove and gardening with Nerthus,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± she agreed. Even if she wished it was otherwise, Carmen knew her son well enough to recognize that the life Elijah described would be hell for Miguel. ¡°What do you suggest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to him. Ask him what he really wants.¡± ¡°Good luck with that.¡± Carmen had tried to talk to her son about his impending archetype choice, and on dozens of asions. To date, he¡¯d been nomittal. ¡°But maybe you can get through to him,¡± she conceded. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re going to structure his training based on what he says?¡± ¡°I have a generic schedule, but that¡¯s the n,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Plus, I think Nerthus might have some methods to prepare him for cultivation. But I didn¡¯t want to overstep, so I thought I¡¯d ask you before I did anything.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she said. With anyone else ¨C except maybe Colt ¨C she might have refused. But she trusted Elijah, and what¡¯s more, she knew that he had Miguel¡¯s best interests at heart. Besides, he was the most powerful person in the world. If he wasn¡¯t an expert, then nobody was. ¡°Alright then,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What about you? Are you okay?¡± She answered honestly, saying, ¡°This is the most at peace I¡¯ve been since Alyssa died. Maybe since before that. I¡¯m not saying Ironshore is perfect. It¡¯s not. There are still people here who don¡¯t trust humans. But it¡¯s so much better than what I left behind. I think I¡¯ve found a ce here.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said, reaching around and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He pulled her close, saying, ¡°You and Miggy are the only family I have left. And Nerthus, but he can take care of himself. I need you two to be okay.¡± ¡°You know that goes both ways, right? You¡¯re all we have, too. So don¡¯t go and do anything to get yourself killed. It would break Miggy.¡± ¡°Just Miggy?¡± ¡°Me too, idiot,¡± she said with a smile. Her own family ¨C from before she met Alyssa, at least ¨C had mostly abandoned her after she¡¯de out. Partially as a result of that, she¡¯dtched onto Elijah as something of a little brother. And though her instincts told her to protect him, she knew that he was so far beyond her in terms of power that such efforts would be useless. All she could do was offer her support, which she wholeheartedly did. Then, she said, ¡°You want to get a drink? Talk things out?¡± ¡°Wish I could,¡± he said, sliding off of the stacked bricks. ¡°But I¡¯ve got a lot to do. Plus, Miggy just got back to the ind, and I want to get that done. Tomorrow¡¯s going to be the start of something important, I think.¡± With that, Carmen said goodbye, and he left the smithy behind. After, Carmen went back to work. She¡¯dpleted thirteen bricks, and she had thousands more ahead of her. Book 4: Chapter 60: Training Book 4: Chapter 60: Training With the light of a gibbous moon shining down on him, Elijahnded in a clearing near the grove. When he hit the ground, it still sent a shock through his legs and up his spine, but the impact was far less severe than it had been even six weeks before. All of his practice, it seemed, hade in handy. Still, he knew he had a long way to go before he could approach the natural grace of a true avian predator like the birds who inhabited the storm to the west of his ind. But where they had reached the peak, Elijah had only begun to glimpse what was possible with Shape of the Sky, so he hoped to one day surpass them. For now, though, he had other things on his mind. Without hesitation, he resumed his human shape, then used Soothe to mend any damage he might have incurred before setting off toward the coast where he knew he¡¯d find Miguel. When the young man had returned to the ind, he hadn¡¯t gone straight back to the grove. Instead, he¡¯d meandered through the ind¡¯s forest, ending up on the very same promontory where Elijah had first encountered the Voxx. The sight of that rock jutting out over a deep and protected fishing hole brought back quite a few memories. Some of them ¨C like catching fish which were then confiscated by the panther ¨C were good. Others, like the aforementioned encounter with the Voxxian monster that had nearly killed him and the ind¡¯s guardian, were decidedly less so. With a sigh, he leaped over a fallen tree, then climbed the angled rock to the t peak. There, he found Miguel sitting with his legs dangling over the edge. The young man tossed a loose stone into the water. ¡°You know,¡± Elijah said, sitting beside his nephew. ¡°I almost died here once.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know about the Voxx, right?¡± Elijah asked. Miguel nodded, and he went on, ¡°Well, this was my favorite fishing spot for the first six months after the world transformed. There are some huge steelhead trout down there. A lot bigger than they were before everything changed. More dangerous, too. I almost lost a fingers on more than one asion. ¡°But there I was, just minding my own business with this huge Voxxian monster ¨C it was bigger than mymer ape form ¨C burst out of the water,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°I was only level two at the time, so I knew there was no chance I could take it.¡± ¡°Only level two? Six months in? How?¡±Elijah shrugged. ¡°When I first washed ashore, I was barely alive,¡± he said. ¡°Cancer, you know? And chemotherapy. I think my Strength attribute was only at three points. And my Constitution was a one. So, it was all I could do to just survive. Even then, I probably wouldn¡¯t have made it with my buddy.¡± ¡°The guardian.¡± ¡°Yep. He was a mist panther. Or I think that¡¯s what he was called. Either way, I think he took pity on me. So, I gave him some of my food, and he looked out for me,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That¡¯s how I survived the Voxx attack. I managed to dy it for a few seconds, which gave me a chance to run away. Just as it caught up, the panther found me. They fought, going back and forth until, atst, the panther won. I¡¯ll never forget that. No matter what else happens, I¡¯ll always remember that day because it was then that I fully realized how much the world had changed. There¡¯s no room for weakness in this world. Maybe if we¡¯d been born somece that was touched by the World Tree centuries ago, we could afford a little weakness. I don¡¯t know. But Earth? Right now, it¡¯s a battlefield out there. I think you understand that better than most, after everything you¡¯ve been through. ¡°But that panther saved me. He gave me a chance to survive, and I took it. I¡¯ve been fighting ¨C off and on ¨C ever since then,¡± Elijiah stated. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± asked Miguel. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe to give you context,¡± he said. ¡°I almost died a few days ago. I was strutting around like I was Earth¡¯s top dog, and I almost got killed by someone thirty levels lower than me.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s unique,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°His ss was rare, I¡¯m sure. But something I¡¯vee to realize is that we¡¯re all vulnerable. Even when we¡¯re stronger than everyone else, we can¡¯t stop. We can¡¯t hold back. If we do, we¡¯ll end up in the ground.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Miguel said. Elijah didn¡¯t doubt it. The young man had been through so much that there was no way he wasn¡¯t just as aware of the world¡¯s dangers as Elijah was. Still, it bore mentioning, if only because returning to the scene of his first brush with the Voxx had brought it to mind. ¡°Have you had a chance to look through the nature-attuned sses?¡± Elijah asked. He¡¯d been gone for a while, which should have given Miguel plenty of opportunity to study the guide. ¡°Yeah. A bunch of times,¡± Miguel answered. ¡°And?¡± ¡°There are a lot of them that sound good,¡± he hedged. ¡°Colt says the ss doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s the man behind the ss that makes the difference.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Elijah nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true enough,¡± he agreed. ¡°But let me tell you another story.¡± Then, he recounted his encounter with Thor. Elijah knew that the other high-ranker hadn¡¯t approached his cultivation level ¨C which had been confirmed by Isaiah, who¡¯d scanned him when he passed through Seattle ¨C but due to his high-grade,bat-focused ss, he was able to stand toe-to-toe with Elijah. ¡°Our sses matter,¡± he said. ¡°So does cultivation. Our abilities. Our cores. It¡¯s all part of it. If you want to fight, then you need to pick a ss meant for it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think my mom wants that.¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± Elijah allowed. ¡°But it¡¯s not her life. It¡¯s yours. So, I¡¯ll ask you this ¨C who are you? Are you the type of man who can sit in the back and craft? Are you the sort who can spend his life tending to a garden? Can you spend your days running a shop? If so, that¡¯s great. Be the best damned shopkeeper you can be. Or crafter. Or gardener. We will support your choices no matter what.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t want that,¡± Miguel said. ¡°I want to fight.¡± ¡°There you have it, then. This is about you. Not me. Not your mom. Not Colt. You. Going through life making your choices based on whether or not you¡¯ll please everyone else is a good way to end up with a lot of regrets,¡± Elijah advised. ¡°Next question ¨C how do you want to fight? With magic, maybe? Do you want to ¨C¡± ¡°No,¡± Miguel answered. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m going to be a Warrior like mom. Or a Ranger.¡± ¡°Exin why.¡± Without hesitation, Miguel said, ¡°I feel like Sorcerers are too limited. They can do a lot of damage, but the second somebody breaks through their shields, they¡¯re vulnerable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s mostly true. But you remember Isaak, right? You met him in Argos,¡± Elijah said. Miguel nodded. ¡°He has this skill where he basically gets a second life. It has a cooldown, and he¡¯s vulnerable while it¡¯s active. But it¡¯ll let him survive a fatal wound.¡± ¡°Are you supposed to be telling people that?¡± Most people liked to keep the details of their abilities secret, so it was a bit of a faux pas to reveal Isaak¡¯s secrets. That was unimportant next to guiding Miguel forward, though. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Probably not. You won¡¯t tell on me, will you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Miguel said quickly. Then, he went on, ¡°But it¡¯s more than survivability. I just¡­I like fighting with weapons. They¡¯re more solid. They¡¯re dependable. And I want to be able to take a hit if everything goes wrong.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not just saying that because your mom was a Warrior, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he insisted. ¡°I doubt I¡¯d get her ss anyway. I asked Nerthus about it, and he¡¯d never even heard of a Dragon Lancer. I think it was pretty rare.¡± ¡°Maybe. But Nerthus isn¡¯t much older than you, rtively speaking. He doesn¡¯t know everything.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he said. When I first met him, he was barely more than a foot tall,¡± Eliijah said, ncing at his nephew. The young man had continued to grow, and he expected that it wouldn¡¯t be that long before Miguel was taller than him. Not that that was a huge aplishment. Elijah was a lot of things, but he¡¯d never been blessed with great height. ¡°If you took Warrior, what kind of ss would you hope for?¡± ¡°Some kind of hybrid,¡± Miguel answered, again without hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a protector. I want to have options.¡± ¡°You know that versatilityes at a cost, right? If you go that route, you¡¯ll never be as good at a particr task as someone who specialized,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°I know. Like I said, I want options. And I want something that will take advantage of my attunement.¡± ¡°What if it isn¡¯t nature?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°You seem sure.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Miguel said. ¡°I feel it sometimes. It took a while before I recognized what it was, but now that Nerthus told me what to look for, I can feel it. Especially when I¡¯m around animals like Trevor and his family.¡± ¡°And if you be a Ranger?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Same thoughts, I guess. Is that wrong?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. But now that we¡¯re sure you want to be a fighter of some sort, we need to start taking your training seriously,¡± he said. ¡°What I have in mind is more geared toward after you get your archetype, but it¡¯ll be fine to get started before.¡± Then, he exined what he¡¯d nned. At first, Miguel seemed eager, but as Elijah went on, detailing every minute of every day, his enthusiasm waned a little. Still, by the time Elijah finished, Miguel maintained the same steely-eyed determination he¡¯d worn like a cloak since the beginning. The next morning, they began his training. For the most part, Elijah apanied him, but he also enlisted Colt¡¯s help, especially for the weapons training. Finally, he¡¯d asked Nerthus to do everything he could to prepare Miguel to step into the world of cultivation as soon as he obtained an archetype. The training itself was nothing groundbreaking. Lots of running, swimming, and lifting heavy things. The difference was that, with Elijah there, Miguel¡¯s recovery time was cut down to almost nothing. He could train longer and harder before exhaustion finally pushed him over the edge. That was where Nerthus came in, guiding Miguel through hours of meditation that seemed far more effective than Elijah¡¯s attempts at teaching his nephew to connect with nature. Finally, at the end of each day, Elijah gave Miguel a quarter of one of his grove berries. ording to Nerthus, they were pseudo natural treasures, and as such, they were capable of ¨C over time ¨C creating a build-up of ethera that would help in Body cultivation. Elijah was counting on the berries helping when the time came to push himself to the next stage, and he hoped that their addition to his nephew¡¯s diet would work toward preparing Miguel for what came next. It was an absolutely brutal regimen, and one that Miguel had no chance of maintaining without Elijah¡¯s help. However, he got quite a surprise when Nerthus revealed that he had limited healing capabilities within the grove. Those abilities manifested simrly to Elijah¡¯s Healing Rain, though Nerthus insisted, ¡°The rain itself is not capable of healing. It is just rain. The interaction between it and the high density of ethera within the grove creates a rejuvenating effect that is approximately a quarter as powerful as your unenhanced spell.¡± That meant that Elijah could afford to leave the ind withoutpletely derailing Miguel¡¯s training. That was a definitely a relief, because after a week, he¡¯d begun to grow restless. His natural wanderlust was part of it, but Elijah also had a host of tasks begging for his attention. With one of those tasks, he¡¯d already begun to work towardpletion. Though it would be some time before those efforts reached fruition. The rest would require some travel. Still, he put it off, watching as Miguel benefited from the copious training. He¡¯d gained two months¡¯ worth of benefits in only ten days, and they were just getting started. But finally, with the clock steadily ticking down until the Trial of Primacy, Elijah knew he could dy no longer. So, even as he watched Miguel meditate with Nerthus, he decided that the time hade for him to leave. Book 4: Chapter 61: Preparation Book 4: Chapter 61: Preparation Elijah awoke to the feeling of someone climbing the steps to his treehouse. Even in his drowsy state, it only took a moment for him to focus on that facet of his Quartz Mind and identify Carmen. And she didn¡¯t seem happy, judging by the set of her shoulders and the scowl on her face. ¡°Damn,¡± he muttered, throwing his nket aside. He pushed himself upright, then ran his hand through his hair before swinging his legs over the side. Then, he staggered across the room and into the short hall, arriving in the entryway as Carmen knocked on the door. He opened it with a smile. ¡°Good morning. Want some coffee?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she said, pushing past him. ¡°Plus, you can exin to me where you¡¯re going.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t immediatelyunch into an exnation. Instead, he made good on his promise of glorious caffeine, boiling some water in the kitchen before using his French press to make the coffee. Idly, he wondered if he was losing some of the beverage¡¯s efficacy by preparing the coffee himself. Without any cooking abilities, he knew that some of the ethera would be lost, so it made sense that it would be less powerful than if an actual Cook ¨C or maybe someone who had a Barista ss ¨C prepared it. In any case, he didn¡¯t have a Barista handy, so he resolved himself to making do with what he could make. That wasn¡¯t so bad, considering that it was still quite effective. After brewing the coffee, then dousing both cups in honey, he crossed the kitchen and handed Carmen a steaming mug. She took a sip, then let out a sigh of contentment, some of the tension draining out of her. ¡°You could probably sell this,¡± she remarked. ¡°I bet people would pay silvers for it.¡± ¡°And share my coffee? No, thanks,¡± Elijah said with a shudder. ¡°It¡¯s all mine. Except when I have guests, I guess. Besides, it¡¯s not like I need money. I made like fifty gold in Seattle.¡± ¡°Seriously? Just like that?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡­uh¡­I defeated a lot of enemies,¡± he muttered, preferring not to go into details. It would just upset her. ¡°So, what¡¯s up? You came storming in here like you¡¯re on a mission.¡±¡°I didn¡¯t storm.¡± ¡°Tell that to your face,¡± he said. She rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re leaving,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°I have to,¡± he responded, sitting in one of the chairs. ¡°The Trial of Primacy ising up, and I¡¯m not even close to prepared. I need supplies. Armor, too. And I need to get stronger. The people in there will be no joke, and that¡¯s not even considering whatever challenges the system¡¯s going to throw at us. It¡¯s going to be more difficult than a tower. Maybe worse than a Primal Realm, which is still more than I can handle. If I¡¯m going to survive that, much less pass the trial, I¡¯m going to need to be at my best.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to participate in the trial, though. Miggy could use your help. Now that he¡¯s got it in his head that he¡¯s going to take one of the directbat archetypes, he needs to be as strong as possible. His training is a lot more effective when you¡¯re around,¡± she said. Carmen was no stranger to physical training. She hadn¡¯t been a true bodybuilder before the World Tree¡¯s touch, but she¡¯d been an habitual weightlifter since college. As such, she knew just how helpful Elijah¡¯s healing spells really were when it came to recovery. ¡°I know. Nerthus is going to pick up the ck while I¡¯m gone,¡± he said. ¡°His spell isn¡¯t quite as potent, but it¡¯s good enough to maximize Miggy¡¯s gains. But even if that wasn¡¯t the case, I have to go. I recently had a fight that didn¡¯t really go my way. It was a good reminder that being at the top of the power rankings doesn¡¯t really guarantee anything. If we want to be safe ¨C¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t about our safety,¡± Carmen interrupted. She pointed at him, continuing, ¡°This is about you. Alyssa was the same way. She didn¡¯t admit it, but she was driven to be the best. The strongest. And look how that turned out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not her.¡± ¡°You may as well be,¡± Carmen argued. ¡°You hide it behind all your personality quirks, but you can¡¯t standing in second. Which you are, by the way.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Look at the power rankings,¡± Carmen replied. Elijah did.
1. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 85 2. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 84 3. Sadie Song ¨C Level 79 4. Hu Shui ¨C Level 76 5. Niko Song ¨C Level 76 6. Davu Adebowale¨C Level 70 7. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 69 8. Benedict Emerson ¨C Level 66 9. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 63 10. Gunnar Lindstrom ¨C Level 61 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°What the hell? Last I looked, he was a few levels behind,¡± Elijah said. Admittedly, he didn¡¯t typically keep a close eye on the power rankings, but he hadn¡¯t expected Oscar Ramirez ¨C wherever he was ¨C to have jumped him. After all, Elijah hadn¡¯t been idle. Certainly, he hadn¡¯t been actively looking for levels, but he¡¯d still gained a few over the past months. ¡°What is he doing to level so fast?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my point,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°You¡¯re not going to stay on top forever. You can¡¯t define yourself by being the strongest person in the world.¡± ¡°Highest level.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really a ranking of the most powerful people,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s just levels. That¡¯s only a part of what makes someone strong.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be pedantic. The point is that you¡¯re needed here. This grove is a treasure trove. If you¡¯re not around, who¡¯s going to protect it?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Nerthus stated, stepping out of one of the branches that made up the wall. ¡°I apologize for eavesdropping, but it is difficult for me not to hear everything in the grove. Normally, I ignore it. However, I felt inclined to offer my input. I am now capable of protecting the grove ¨C and the ind ¨C from all but the most powerful of intruders. In addition, the family of guardian deer have taken this as their home, and they will defend it. This ind is no fortress, but for now, we are more than able to protect it and anyone who resides here. In addition, I am eager to help young master Miguel however I can.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Carmen. ¡°Because he¡¯s my nephew, right?¡± Elijah guessed. ¡°No. He has the seed of a nature attunement. That is not somon that it should be ignored,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°It is my duty to nurture that seed just as I tend to the rest of the grove.¡± ¡°Oh. See?¡± Elijah said. ¡°Miggy will be fine.¡± Carmen sighed, then took another sip of her coffee. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not going to be fine,¡± she said. ¡°I know this is all just a normal day for you, but I can¡¯t help but draw some parallels between Alyssa going to that tower and you participating in this Trial of Primacy.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t immediately answer. Instead, he just stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded that he hadn¡¯t made the connection. Of course Carmen would be concerned. Her family had been torn apart by that tower run. And now that she and Miguel were just getting settled, Elijah was going to leave on a simr task. How could she not have reservations? ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said, reaching out to put his hand on hers. She flinched at his touch, but it onlysted a moment. ¡°You know that, right? I¡¯ve run multiple towers. I can handle myself.¡± ¡°You just said that you recently lost a fight,¡± Carmen pointed out. ¡°And there are going to be five-thousand people in this trial.¡± ¡°More than that, actually. That¡¯s just the humans. There are spots for the non-humans, too,¡± Elijah corrected her. Then, he saw her face and said, ¡°Which is a totally not the point.¡± ¡°Good save,¡± she said sarcastically. ¡°You know I consistently put my foot in my mouth. It¡¯s part of my charm,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But seriously, Carmen. The whole point of me taking off is so that I can be as prepared as possible for the trial. And besides ¨C this isn¡¯t like a tower. If things get too hairy, I can just leave. That¡¯s what the notice said, at least, and I don¡¯t think the system needs to lie to us.¡± ¡°Just promise you¡¯ll be careful. In your preparations and in the trial.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± he said, though he wasn¡¯t necessarily sure he couldmit to that. Progression required a certain amount of risk, so he knew he¡¯d be forced to put his life on the line. Hopefully, he could manage it, though. ¡°What are you going to do? Run some towers?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Probably,¡± he answered. ¡°I need to do some other stuff first, though. I need to talk to Atticus about some of my ns, plus I want to find out if anyone from Argos is nning on participating in the trial. What about you? How is your projecting along?¡± ¡°Slowly,¡± she sighed. ¡°I¡¯m enchanting every single brick, which you can guess is a bit time-consuming.¡± Once Carmen exined the process, Elijah admitted, ¡°Sounds tedious.¡± ¡°It can be, but it¡¯s also satisfying. I¡¯m learning a lot, too. Getting a little experience as well,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯ll be d when it¡¯s finished. Then I can start working on my cultivation. I think it¡¯ll really help me once I start pushing for quality again.¡± After that, their conversation turned to more mundane subjects, like the gossip in Ironshore. Carmen hadn¡¯t been there long, but her knowledge of the goings on in the town was light years beyond Elijah¡¯s. When he pointed that out, she just frowned and said, ¡°Well, you have a habit of threatening everyone every time youe into town. Of course they wouldn¡¯t befortable around you. Plus, you¡¯re never around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± Then, Carmen went on to exin that the trade alliance with Norcastle had been even more sessful than expected, which had brought a flood of ethereum into the town. More, there was a smallmunity of humans that had migrated to Ironshore. Most were Miners, but their families hade as well. ¡°And don¡¯t worry. They know this ind is off-limits. Everyone in Ironshore is quick to tell any visitors that everyone whoes here ends up dead,¡± Carmen stated. ¡°It¡¯s a bit silly, honestly. I thought they should downy the uniqueness, but I was overruled.¡± By the time they finished their second cup of coffee, they¡¯d exhausted most topics of conversation. More, Elijah didn¡¯t think he could put off his departure much longer. So, he bade Carmen goodbye and went to find Miguel. The young man was already deep into his training, which met with Elijah approval. After telling Miguel that he¡¯d be checking back in soon, he used Roots of the World Tree and teleported to Argos. A few minutester, he arrived at the gates, then made his way to Atticus¡¯ shop. As soon as he entered, the merchant looked up from where he was studying a pair of metal greaves, and when he recognized Elijah, a smile spread across his face. ¡°Wee back, my friend! I did not expect you so soon,¡± he said. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Time¡¯s ticking away,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m starting to prepare for the Trial of Primacy, and I hoped you¡¯d have some good news for me. Any luck with the search?¡± While building the Temple of Virtue, Elijah had asked Atticus to remain on the lookout for talented Leatherworkers and a Bowyer. At the time, he¡¯d intended to find gear for Miguel, but now it seemed that he might find uses for those crafters himself. ¡°Regrettably, no,¡± Atticus admitted. ¡°But if you¡¯re just looking for armor, I have some decent options.¡± ¡°Only leather,¡± Elijah stated. Indeed, he¡¯d given it a lot of thought, and the idea of using anything else just didn¡¯t feel right to him. Perhaps it was that metal armor was inorganic, or maybe it was all in his head, but he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d get the most out of it unless he confined his choices to leather or cloth ¨C and thetter, only if he couldn¡¯t find the former. ¡°In that case, I have nothing worthwhile,¡± Atticus said. ¡°However, I do have good news!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°There is an Artificer in Argos. He¡¯s low-leveled. Just got his ss a couple of weeks ago. But I¡¯ve seen some of his work, and I¡¯m very impressed,¡± Atticus exined. ¡°What does an Artificer do, exactly?¡± ¡°Think of a Tinkerer, but with a bit more focus on ethereal contraptions. As soon as I heard about young Lars, I looked it up in a guide I bought months ago,¡± he said. Then, he went on, ¡°An Artificer can enchant tools that mimic ss abilities. For instance, he made an engraving tool for me that allows me to empower very basic enchantments. I still need to study the designs, and even if I get it right, it will be quite limited. However, it will allow me to do a fair imitation of an Enchanter, which is far more than I would¡¯ve been able to do without that tool.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Atticusughed. ¡°That is an understatement, my friend! I heard that his most popr tools are cooking implements,¡± he stated. ¡°Imagine being able to cook your own food again ¨C and actually enjoy the product! It¡¯s revolutionary.¡± Elijah scratched his chin. ¡°That could be helpful,¡± he said. Indeed, he¡¯d longmented his inability to cook anything properly, but he was more concerned with coffee at the moment. If his coffee already gave such a fantastic buff, then what would it give if it was brewed by someone with a cooking skill? Or, in this case, by someone with a French press enchanted to mimic one of those skills? The idea was more than intriguing. ¡°Just keep an eye out for a high level Leatherworker,¡± Elijah said. ¡°The level to beat is thirty-five.¡± That was the level of the girl back in Ironshore. Elijah would use her if necessary, but he wanted something better. ¡°Will do, my friend.¡± ¡°What about the nearby tower? Is there anyone running it right now?¡± Elijah asked. That was the problem with the towers to which Elijah had ess. With the exception of the Magister¡¯s Estate near Arvandor, they were all in a constant rotation as the local forces took advantage of the leveling opportunities they represented. So, if Elijah wanted to run them, he needed to get in line. ¡°Regrettably, Delh led her team inside only this morning. They won¡¯t return for a few days,¡± Atticus answered. ¡°But I do know of one that might be abandoned. Here ¨C let me get a map.¡± He did just that, then showed Elijah where it was said to be. The tower was to the south, well past the swamp, and Atticus¡¯ knowledge was based on hearsay. But it seemed like as good an opportunity as any. So, Elijah decided that, once he found the Artificer andmissioned a French Press, he would go check it out. Book 4: Chapter 62: Artificers Goods Book 4: Chapter 62: Artificer''s Goods The city of Argos looked much the same as it always did, though Elijah still felt warmed by the general aura of eptance he felt while walking its streets. Everywhere else he went, it seemed as if everyone was waiting for him to snap and start killing people. They either walked on eggshells around him ¨C as they did in Ironshore ¨C or responded with outright hostility, like in Seattle. He had passed through other ces where the poption was neutral, but those never really sprang to mind when he thought about his reception in the various locales he¡¯d visited. Either way, every smile he saw, every wave directed in his direction, and each time he saw a group of elderly women excitedly gossiping about him filled Elijah with much-needed joy. It was telling that he¡¯d had to travel hundreds of miles from his home just to be epted. Of course, the reactions of Ironshore¡¯s residents weren¡¯t unjustified. They¡¯d seen just what he could do if pushed in the wrong direction ¨C not only with the invaders he¡¯d killed, but also in the battle against the orcs. So, their fear was as understandable as it was disappointing. Would the people of Argos react simrly if they saw what he could do? Perhaps. Elijah hoped he¡¯d never find out, though. A gentle but cold rain began to fall as he made his way through the streets. Many of the city¡¯s residents dashed inside at the first few drops, but Elijah enjoyed it. With his Cloak of the Iron Bear, he didn¡¯t have to worry about the temperature. So, he had few reasons not to bask in the impromptu shower. Whatever the case, by the time he reached the Artificer¡¯s shop, his clothes were soaked through ¨C which suggested he should have probably been a bit more cognizant of the weather. He pushed through the door, which resulted in a deafening whistle that echoed through the shop. Elijah pped his hands over his ears, letting out a gasp. The sound was so loud and shrill that it was physically painful, and with the ringing in his ears that followed in its wake, it took him a moment to recognize that the sound had stopped. He pulled his hand away, half expecting it to be bloody. ¡°Sorry,¡± came a voice from nearby. ¡°I¡¯m still working on the bell.¡± Elijah looked toward the voice, seeing a slight, pale-skinned young man. His face was dusted with freckles, and he wore his hair with the sides shaved clean but a mop of curls on top. Otherwise, the most curious thing about him was that he wore what looked like a pair of welder¡¯s goggles atop his head. ¡°Lars?¡± Elijah asked, ncing around the room. To him, it looked like a pawn shop, with all sorts of items ¨C some of which were recognizable, but others that weren¡¯t ¨C piled onto shelves. Apparently, organization wasn¡¯t Lars¡¯ strongest suit, because there didn¡¯t appear to be any rhyme or reason to how everything had been arranged. Next to an old microwave was a Swiss Army knife, and next to that was a leather apron. There were gloves, various other articles of clothing, and plenty of appliances as well. ¡°I am,¡± said the young man. He certainly didn¡¯t look or sound Greek. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re an Artificer. What exactly is that?¡± Elijah asked, picking up an old Gameboy. He flipped the switch, and surprisingly, a surge of ethera passed through it. However, instead of a video game, the screen showed a top-down map that it only took Elijah a second to recognize as the surrounding area. ¡°This is a map¡­¡± ¡°It is!¡± Lars eximed. ¡°One of a kind, too. I think the Gameboy screen gives it a kind of retro look that you won¡¯t find anywhere else! Barely requires any charging, either. Super efficient. I¡¯m calling it a Map Boy.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t find the device nearly as exciting as Lars clearly did ¨Crgely because, with the size of the screen, it was difficult to make anything out. ¡°How does it work?¡± he asked, turning it over. There was a silver te covering the backside. ¡°It¡¯s how my ss works,¡± Lars answered. ¡°I copy skills ¨C that one is based on an Explorer skill, and it not only maps the area, but also shows points of interest. Then, I add them to devices. The trick is finding the right skills for the job. And getting people to let me copy them. And I guess it¡¯s not so easy making them interface with the item, either. The whole thing is difficult is what I¡¯m getting at. But my prices are very reasonable considering how much work goes into each item!¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Elijah said, setting the item down. He liked the notion of the skill, but he didn¡¯t think the Gameboy screen was best suited for it. In any case, he had a couple of other ideas for equipment. The first was obvious. He reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, retrieving his French press. Upon pulling it out, he asked, ¡°Can you put a cooking skill on this? Nothing fancy. Just make it maintain ethera or something when I¡¯m brewing.¡± ¡°Hmm. Give me a second,¡± Lars said, tapping his sharp chin. Then, he held up his finger and said, ¡°Be right back.¡± He turned to rush to the other end of the shop, but before he dipped into the back room, he said, ¡°If you¡¯re going to shoplift, let me know.¡± Before Elijah could respond ¨C he felt like he¡¯d heard that line before ¨C Lars was gone. That left Elijah to peruse the goods, but the problem was that he had no idea where to begin. The items were all clearly enchanted ¨C judging by the ethera wafting off of them, at least ¨C but there was no indication as to what any of them actually did. Did that chainsaw have a logcutting skill? Or was it meant for dismemberment? Or something else entirely? What about that television? Or the vacuum cleaner? To say the selection was eclectic was an understatement, though from Lars¡¯ description of the Gameboy, the possibilities of getting something useful were nearly endless. By the time those thoughts had flitted through Eliijah¡¯s head, Lars returned carrying a giant, three-ring binder. It was decorated with a bunch of semi-anthropomorphic cartoon horses. ¡°Uh¡­My Little Pony?¡± asked Elijah. Lars blushed. ¡°It was the only notebook I could find when I got the Skill Catalogue skill,¡± he said. ¡°Belonged to my little sister. I tried covering it up with something else, but¡­it won¡¯t work. It¡¯s a magical item, so it resists damage. And apparently covering those ponies up with duct tape or marker counts as damage.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Elijah breathed, not willing to extend that topic of conversation. The characteristics of the skill were interesting, but he didn¡¯t want to broach the subject of the young man¡¯s sister. With everything that had happened, talking about people¡¯s loved ones was a touchy subject,rgely because so many of them were no longer among the living. It was much safer not to ask questions about that kind of thing. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition. Lars flipped open the book, turning to a page somewhere in the middle before he said, ¡°Aha! Here it is. Percte. Tradesman archetype. Cook ss. Allows for the infusion of ethera while filtering a liquid through a porous substance or surface. Should work for your little coffee thingy.¡± ¡°French press.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I meant. So, let¡¯s talk about cost. One skill or spell ought to do it,¡± Lars said, stepping forward. ¡°Just put your hand on this and ¨C urk ¨C¡± Elijah had reacted on instinct, his hand snapping out to wrap around the Artificer¡¯s neck. In his defense, he¡¯d felt a swirl of foreign ethera like Lars was activating an ability. Usually ¨C at least in his experience ¨C that meant someone was about to attack him. And given how dangerous people could be, Eliijah wasn¡¯t going to take any chances. It was only after he saw the horrified look on Lars¡¯ face that he realized that he¡¯d made an error. He released the young man, but he also took a step back. Just in case. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been¡­attacked a lot recently.¡± Lars bent over and coughed a couple of times, and then, with one hand resting on his knee, held up one finger. ¡°Can¡¯t imagine why people would attack you. You seem so nice¡­¡± His binder hadpletely disappeared. Finally, Lars caught his breath and straightened to his full height. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I should have warned you,¡± he said. ¡°My price for doingmissions is that I need you to donate one skill.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather pay ethereum.¡± ¡°No thanks. Only skills.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°My ss doesn¡¯t advance unless I make stuff. Now, I could keep making the same things over and over again, which is super boring. Or I could make new stuff. But to do that, I need new skills to add to my Skill Catalogue. I¡¯d rather have that than a few extra coins.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Elijah said with a shake of his head. ¡°How does it work?¡± ¡°You put your hand in the book, I activate a skill, then you consent to having an ability of your choice copied,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not really a big deal.¡± Elijah scratched his chin. ¡°Three items,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two skills.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Elijah almost groaned at how quickly Lars had agreed. It was just further evidence that negotiation was not one of his strengths. But he¡¯d known that since he¡¯d bought his first car, when the saleswoman had beguiled him with a pretty face, a little flirting, and a whole lot of lying. He¡¯d ended up overpaying by thousands of dors. His second time buying a car hadn¡¯t gone any better, even if instead of being hoodwinked by a good-looking woman, he¡¯d been ripped off by a fast-talking grifter of a used car salesman. And he hadn¡¯t gotten any better at it in the years since. The transformation of the world hadn¡¯t changed that, either. Whatever the case, he felt certain that he could have gotten all three items for one skill, but it was a littlete to change the terms. So, he followed Lars¡¯ instructions andid his hand on the suddenly-reappeared binder. Even though he knew it wasing, when Lars used his skill, Elijah flinched, but he maintained contact with the binder. Then, a notification shed before his inner eye:
Lars And would like to copy one of your abilities. Do you consent?
Elijah selected the affirmative option, which resulted in another notification.
Please choose an ability to be copied.
After that, his spellbook opened. It was much longer than thest time he¡¯d looked at the entire thing, but that was to be expected. He hadn¡¯t opened it in years, preferring instead to look at his individual spell descriptions. In any case, he didn¡¯t need to look at it long before he found the one he wished to offer.
Nature¡¯s Bounty Encourage the growth of nts.
¡°This one makes nts grow more quickly,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I figure you could make something that they can put in farms and the like.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Interesting,¡± Lars said as his ethera surged. Elijah felt nothing, but a momentter, he received confirmation that his spell had been copied. After that, he offered Eyes of the Eagle, which Lars seemed very excited about. ¡°How about I give you one more ability, and you use it for an item specifically for me?¡± he asked. It wasn¡¯t really part of his original n, but the possibilities of Lars¡¯ abilities were so broad that he kept getting ideas. ¡°That is eptable,¡± Lars said. Then, Elijah let him copy Healing Rain. The idea was that he could heal himself and others with it if, for whatever reason, he ran out of ethera. It would be like having a free but low-powered heal. ¡°I think I can put that on a sprinkler,¡± Lars stated after studying the spell in his binder. When Elijah got a peek at it, he just saw unintelligible scribbles that looked like they were the product of an unmedicated schizophrenic. If he hadn¡¯t already seen some of the products of Lars¡¯ skills, that might¡¯ve scared him off. ¡°Should work at around half-powerpared to the spell. Now, what else do you want? You have three more items.¡± Elijah told him. The first was the enchanted French press that he hoped would make his coffee better, but he also wanted an enchanted pan ¨C he¡¯d left the wok back home because he couldn¡¯t really make use of its special properties ¨C that would make his cooking more edible. Then, he wanted a version of the mapping enchantment he¡¯d seen on the Gameboy, but with arger screen. Finally, he bought a checkered g,plete with a pole that was meant to be stuck into the ground, that would increase his Regeneration attribute for a few hours. The buff wasn¡¯t huge ¨C only fifteen points ¨C but it didn¡¯t conflict with his own buffs, so it would be a benefit. In addition, Elijah¡¯s perusal of the shop gave him a couple more useful items. The first was a skinning knife that borrowed a Hunter¡¯s skill to dress animals more efficiently. The next was a firestarter that would work even underwater. And finally, he bought a small A-frame tent that would discourage detection. ¡°It¡¯s based on a skill I got from an elf that was passing through town a few months ago,¡± Lars stated. ¡°He called the skill Tracker¡¯s Protection.¡± Then, he read the description from his book, ¡°Discourages detection from hostile entities. I thought it fit the tent idea, and it uses so little ethera that it¡¯llst all night on one charge.¡± ¡°Perfect. How much do I owe you?¡± he asked. That¡¯s when the dickering started. This time, Elijah felt that he got the better of Lars, but he had no real idea of what the enchanted items were worth. If they¡¯d been normal items, he¡¯d have had more of an idea, but Lars¡¯ products differed from those of other Tradesmen in a couple of key ways. First, the copied skills were far less powerful than the originals, and as such, the items Lars could create weren¡¯t on the same tier as something someone like the weapons and armor Carmen could make. The tradeoff was that Lars didn¡¯t have to build anything from scratch. He didn¡¯t need special materials or weeks of work. He just had to have the right copied skill, which he could p onto an appropriate item. The second issue was that they would need to be recharged. Somested longer than others, but they would all run out of ethera after a while. And finally, they were temporary. After a while, they would start to lose efficacy until they stopped working altogether. That wasn¡¯t ideal, but Lars assured Elijah that they wouldst at least a couple of months¡¯ worth of heavy use. So, once Lars had the details of Elijah¡¯s order, he said, ¡°I can have this done by tomorrow mid-day.¡± That worked for Elijah, so he left the young man behind and headed toward Agatha¡¯s inn where he hoped to get a good meal. Book 4: Chapter 63: Khotont Book 4: Chapter 63: Khotont Elijah soared through the air above the swamp, his thoughts centered on the items he¡¯d gotten from Lars. To most people, a pan, a mapping tablet, a g of regeneration, and an enchanted French press wouldn¡¯t be that huge of a deal, but for him, they were absolute game changers. The pan would allow him to cook his meals without losing any of the ethera that gave it taste, and the French press would give his coffee a little ¨C or perhaps a lot of ¨C extra kick. He hadn¡¯t used it yet, but he hoped that it would manifest in a more potent buff. And the mapping tablet would prove invaluable once he was in the Trial of Primacy. To test it out, he¡¯d taken it out into the wilderness around Argos, and to his surprise, it not only gave him a moderately detailed map of an area in a half-mile radius of his location, but for about half that distance, it actually highlighted points of interest. He¡¯d used it to find a weak natural treasure. Even though he¡¯d left the fern where he found it, the fact that the the map showed it was a great sign of things toe. The Firestarter he had bought, which was a convertedser pointer, was less impressive but no less effective. Elijah had tried it underwater, and it had worked fantastically well. The fire it conjured onlysted a couple of minutes, but that was probably enough for his purposes. The memory of dozens of cold, wet nights were enough to make him appreciate the little device. Elijah had yet to try the tent, skinning knife, or g out, but the other items had performed their functions well enough that he didn¡¯t think it necessary. He trusted that when the time came, each would y its role as well as the others. The only issue with Lars¡¯ products was that they required recharging. That meant that Elijah would need to push his ethera into a small rune the Artificer had drawn on each item, channeling his energy for at least a few minutes for each item. If hepletely used their stored ethera, it would take much longer to recharge them. They also didn¡¯t have fancy names like the Cloak of the Iron Bear or any of his other equipment. That highlighted their temporary nature, at least to Elijah. Perhaps as Lars gained levels, he would be able to make longersting items. For now, though, Elijah was d that he¡¯d stuck around for the extra day, even if he could feel his avable time ticking down. Fortunately, there hadn¡¯t been any aerial predators to hinder his path, so as he flew over the swamp, he did so at the speed of a Cessna. He couldn¡¯t quite rival passenger jets or fighter nes, but he expected that, as his attributes grew, so too would his top speed. The only thing that slowed him down was the asional updraft, which would throw him off course if he wasn¡¯t careful. Gradually, he crossed the immense swamp, and as he did so, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sheer scope of the area. Distance was a little hard to judge without much context, but he suspected that the swamp could rival a state like Texas in size ¨C which meant that it was absolutely enormous. However, it only took a day-and-a-half before he found the edge, and when he did, he observed the reemergence of the ruins that dotted the rest of the region. It was so difficult to think of the remnants of pre-transformation Earth¡¯s civilization as such, but given that they were abandoned and crumbling, there really was no other viable term. Still, each time Elijah saw a half-destroyed suburban neighborhood or crumbling store, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sadness. Apanying that was a note of satisfaction, though. While he took no joy in the knowledge that so many people had died, nature¡¯s ongoing remation of those areas elicited some degree of serenity. Was that his attunement at work? Or was it the simple result of knowing that Earth had been on a collision course with disaster, all at the hands of industrialization? Maybe it was both. Whatever the case, the touch of the World Tree had brought that to a halt, and the wild ces of the world had begun to resume their rightful stature. After another day, Elijah spotted something troubling down below, and hended just outside of what looked like a destroyed town. Unlike the other ruins he¡¯d seen, these fallen buildings had been constructed much more recently. Elijah resumed his human form and strode forward, his Dragon-Touched Staff thudding against the ground with every step. Threerge buildings ¨C huge yurts, he thought ¨C hadprised the vige, and they looked like they¡¯d been trampled by a herd of elephants. The wood from which they¡¯d been made had been snapped like bundles of twigs, and people¡¯s belongings were scattered across the whole vige. Elijah saw old clothes ¨C ripped and torn ¨C leather harnesses, and even a few makeshift children¡¯s dolls in the ruins, but he found no bodies, which garnered hope that the people who¡¯d lived there had managed to survive. However, as he looked at the remains of the settlement, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had managed to destroy it so thoroughly. A monster, perhaps. It didn¡¯t look like the work of people,rgely because nothing had been taken. The leather, at the very least, was valuable enough that it wouldn¡¯t have been left behind. Still, even though Elijah spent a couple of hours investigating the scene, he found no evidence to suggest the cause of the destruction. So, after checking his map tablet and finding nothing of note, he set off in the direction of the tower Atticus had mentioned. The merchant¡¯s directions hadn¡¯t been perfect, but Elijah hoped that they would at least put him in the right area. Finding it after that wouldn¡¯t be terribly difficult. Because of his resolution not to spend too much time in any of his bestial forms, Elijah set off on foot. As he did so, he observed the territory. The swamp had long since given way to an expansive prairie. Parts of the ins were verdant with lush grasses, but the region through which he now passed was more like a savannah with thick clumps of yellow grass, the stark and unforgivingndscape periodically broken up by multicolored flowers and other vegetation. More than once, Elijah just stopped to appreciate the scenery. It was so different from the forests to which he¡¯d grown so ustomed, but there was certainly something about the vast savannah that spoke to him. With all the open space and huge, blue sky, it felt like freedom. As Elijah progressed through the savannah, he saw a half-dozen other trampled settlements, some of which would qualify as small cities. If he¡¯d had to guess, some of them would have held at least a few thousand people, though when Elijah passed through, they were all deserted. Most of those were surrounded by fields that had once held crops, but those too had been trampled, and any evidence of what produce had once grown there was gone amidst the turned earth. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Finally, Elijah caught sight of a plume of smoke on the horizon. It was miles away, but after taking off at a light jog, he covered enough distance that before nightfall, he saw the source. It was another town, though this one was thergest he¡¯d yet seen in the steppes. As he drew closer, he saw that it was surrounded by arge, sturdy wall that practically glowed with ethera. Otherwise, it looked extremely primitive ¨C more of a huge berm of piled dirt than a wall ¨C and behind that earthen bulwark peeked a few sturdy-looking buildings. Atticus hadn¡¯t known much about the people who lived on the ins, so Elijah didn¡¯t know what to expect as he approached a small opening ¨C it was barely a few feet wide ¨C in the berm. He was greeted by a pair of men, and to his surprise, they were both shorter than him. Moreover, they wore leather armor trimmed in fur and wielded short recurve bows. Both men were of east Asian descent. ¡°Where¡¯d youe from?¡± demanded one, fingering an axe at his waist. ¡°Why are you here? Did you lead the monster to us?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no?¡± ¡°Do you see a monster, Baatar?¡± asked the other, gesturing with his bow. The other man squinted into the dusky evening. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Believe me ¨C you¡¯d see it if it was here,¡± said the smarter of the two. ¡°Oh. Yeah. Doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not tracking him, though!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t track. It just tramples.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see any monster,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Ie from Argos, past the swamp. What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Past the swamp? Nobody crosses the swamp,¡± said Baatar. ¡°I did,¡± Elijah said. ¡°People used to cross. But that was before the monster came,¡± said the smart one. ¡°Why did you travel here?¡± ¡°Exploring. I¡¯m a Cartographer. I get experience for seeing new things and mapping them,¡± he said. ¡°Ouch,¡± said the guard. ¡°You have my sympathies.¡± Elijah had had the presence of mind to use the Ring of Anonymity to create a new identity. This time, he was Abraham Sykes, a level forty-one Explorer. Cartographer was one of the mostmon sses associated with the archetype, a fact whichpleted his disguise. ¡°Yeah,¡± Elijah said. ¡°When I chose it, I didn¡¯t expect travel to be so difficult. I have a few abilities that make me less conspicuous in the wilderness, but I¡¯ve had more close calls than I¡¯d like. Still, someone needs to map the world, right? People will thank me one day!¡± ¡°Sure, bud,¡± was the reply to Elijah¡¯s enthusiasm. Left unsaid was the caveat that he needed to survive first, which for most people was a dubious prospect. ¡°Can I enter? I was kind of looking forward to sleeping in a bed tonight,¡± Elijah said. Baatar quickly answered, ¡°No entry. The town¡¯s full, what with all the refugees from the monster.¡± ¡°Oh. Then, a meal? I have money.¡± ¡°Dammit Baatar,¡± said the other guard. ¡°Just keep your lips together, will you?¡± Then, to Elijah, he said, ¡°Of course you can enter. There probably aren¡¯t any beds, but I¡¯m sure somebody¡¯ll let you sleep in the stables.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just want to get a roof over my head. Plus, some decent food. Sometimes, I wish I¡¯d have taken a Cook ss.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I know it,¡± Baatar said, his first reasonable contribution to the conversation. After that, the helpful guard directed Elijah toward arge building at the center of the town, called Khotont, which he discovered was a Mongolian town. That exined the steppes, at least. The first thing Elijah noticed upon entering the town was that there were horses inside. Lots and lots of horses. In fact, he suspected that there were more horses than people, which was a little disconcerting, especially considering that Elijah could feel the power wafting off of the beasts. Clearly, many of them had leveled at least as much as the people of Khotont. The residents wore simple clothing, though in a wide variety of colors ranging from various shades of red to blues and greens and everything in between. Most of the people were of Asian descent, but there were a couple of darker and lighter skinned folks around as well. The architecture was fairly simple, and like Argos, it was a blend of old and new, though there was very little wood in evidence. Instead, they preferred stone and brick, which didn¡¯t surprise Elijah, considering that he¡¯d only seen a few scattered trees since he¡¯d left the swamp behind. Finally, he reached the building that was his destination. It wasrge ¨C probably fifty yards across ¨C and circr, looking like the world¡¯s biggest yurt. However, it was made of stone, and when Elijah stepped inside, he saw dozens of long tables upied by hundreds of people. Elijiah followed a line of people to what looked like a cafeteria-style serving table, where he helped himself to as much food as he could heap upon a te he picked up along the way. In addition, someone that looked like they must¡¯ve worked there shoved a mug of beer into his hand, then demanded two copper. Elijah paid it dly, then retreated to one of the tables. He got more than a few looks from the locals, but they were far more interested in their food and their own conversations to care about him too much. So, when he sat and started to dig in, he overheard a bit of gossip. ¡°Wait, did you say the monster is a boar?¡± Elijah asked around a mouthful of red meat. The local looked at him and said, ¡°Of course. Have you been living under a rock? My team and I are going to hunt it tomorrow morning.¡± Elijah asked a few more questions of the man, who was happy to brag about how he and his friends were going to y the great monster and bring peace to the steppes. And he learned that the monster in question was no ordinary pig. Instead, it was a giant boar that was said to berger than an African elephant. When he asked why they hadn¡¯t killed it yet, he learned that the beast¡¯s hide was said to be imprable. ¡°But I just got a new skill,¡± the man boasted. ¡°Armor Piercing. With that on my side, I¡¯ll get through. Might have to hit it a few times, but it¡¯ll eventually bleed out.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Elijah said, genuinely hoping the man would survive. He hadn¡¯t even learned the hunter¡¯s name, but he was an affable sort who was easy to root for. ¡°If you need help, let me know. I don¡¯t have a lot ofbat skills, but I can heal a bit.¡± ¡°Ha! Thank you, but no. Our Healer is more than up to the task,¡± he said with utmost confidence. Elijah hoped he was right. ¡°I have to say, you¡¯re much better than the other stranger who came here the other day. He racked up a huge gambling debt that he couldn¡¯t pay. Poor sap. He¡¯ll be lucky if he isn¡¯t executed.¡± Elijah nodded, barely listening. Instead, he decided to say, ¡°I¡¯m told you have a tower around here. Can you point me in the right direction? I want to add it to my map.¡± ¡°Of course. Northwest. But don¡¯t think about going in there.¡± ¡°Why? Is it more dangerous than normal towers?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s just that the waiting list is a mile long. My team and I are scheduled for three months from now. That¡¯s why we¡¯re hunting the monster. It¡¯ll give us a chance to level a bit without the tower.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said, disappointed. Perhaps he should just go back to Seattle and hope that Isaiah could squeeze him in. With the adventurers dead, there had to be a few open slots. But then again, he didn¡¯t want to do that,rgely because he didn¡¯t like the idea of being watched every time he stepped foot into the city. He believed that Isaiah had Seattle¡¯s best interests at heart, but that didn¡¯t make the Big Brother aspect of the man¡¯s powers any easier to endure. But it seemed that he might not have much choice. Elijah finished his meal, said goodbye to his new acquaintance, then headed to find somewhere to sleep. Hopefully, tomorrow would be a little more fruitful. Book 4: Chapter 64: The Hunt Book 4: Chapter 64: The Hunt Elijah awoke to a wet nose in his face. For a brief instant, he panicked. Suddenly, the instincts he¡¯d developed living in the wilderness and running towers came to the fore, and he scrambled backwards through the hay that had been his bed for the night. As he did so, his ethera swirled with Soothe, the preemptive cast having be a necessary habit. However, after only a moment, he realized that he was in no danger. The horse cocked its head to the side, looking at him like he¡¯d grown horns. Elijah let out a nervous chuckle. The ck stallion was a beautiful animal, though it differed from most horses he¡¯d ever seen. That was characteristic of the Mongolian breed. They were stockypared to other equine variants, and rarely exceeded five feet in height. The breed was interesting in that it hadrgely remained unchanged since the time of Genghis Khan, when they had enabled the Mongolian hordes to conquer much of the known world. During the previous day, Elijah had learned that part of the reason the city of Khotont was so crowded was that they¡¯d had to make room for vast herds of horses. Normally, Mongolian horses were left outdoors, where they were expected to fend for themselves ¨C within reason, at least. But with the stampeding boar trampling everything in its path, the residents had brought their valuable herds within the city¡¯s walls, constructingrge paddocks and stables to house them. That was lucky for Elijah, because otherwise, he¡¯d have been forced to bed down under the stars. It was not a new experience for him, but he¡¯d been looking forward to getting out of the weather, which had turned to snow and biting wind. With his Cloak of the Iron Bear, the cold didn¡¯t bother him ¨C in fact, he¡¯d gained a couple of attribute points due to the ability attached to it ¨C but the wet was annoying. In any case, he hadn¡¯t expected to wake up with a snout in his face. He reached out,ying his hand on the animal¡¯s nose. It epted his touch without issue, and Elijah felt the beast¡¯s strength at his fingertips. He¡¯d known since entering Khotont that the horses were no ordinary creatures. They¡¯d progressed quite a lot, with many reaching levels high enough that they would have been on the power rankings if they¡¯d been human. Or that was what his senses told him. In truth, Elijah wasn¡¯t even sure if beasts had levels. Logic suggested they did, but non-sapient creatures could havepletely different systems of progression than their sapient counterparts. Not that it really mattered. Power was power, regardless of how it was quantified, and these horses definitely had plenty. The people of the steppes ¨C who were mostly Mongolian, but included a few African and South American settlements as well ¨C depended on the horses for so much. They not only used them for battle, transportation, and as beasts of burden, but they also milked the mares and, at times, ughtered them for their meat. The entire Mongolian culture had once revolved around horses, and the touch of the World Tree ¨C or more appropriately, the decline in modernity that came with it ¨C had brought the creatures back to prominence. Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there were sses that revolved around having apanion beast. Did the horses have any say in the matter? Or would such a bond be forced upon them? The stallion that woken him up didn¡¯t seem unhappy, but Elijah couldn¡¯t be certain if that was the result of the creature¡¯s actual feelings or whether it was a state forced upon the beast by the system. Maybe it didn¡¯t really matter when dealing with non-sapient animals. Elijah sighed. No ¨C it definitely mattered. His instincts told him that much. The only real question was whether he¡¯d let those feelings influence him. That was the danger of his attunement, especially considering that he kept One with Nature active at all times. It wasn¡¯t umon for him to wonder if his emotions were his or if he¡¯d been influenced by an outside force he didn¡¯t truly understand. Nerthus had referred to it as the Mother, warning against letting the Call overwhelm him. At the time, Elijah had resisted, giving himself a false sense of security. However, since then, he¡¯d learned that he¡¯d only managed to ovee the first wave. Now, the Call was more subtle but no less dangerous, and Elijah needed to be cognizant of the danger it posed to his personality. Being around people helped with that. So, without further ado, Elijah pushed himself to his feet and cast Healing Rain before tilting his head to the stable¡¯s ceiling and letting the rejuvenating shower envelope him. He wasn¡¯t injured, but it did wonders to loosen tight muscles and, most importantly, wash away the stink of sleeping in a stable. On top of that, the water would disappear only a few minutes after the Healing Rain ceased, so he didn¡¯t even have to worry about getting his clothes wet. Once he was fully awake and dry, Elijah ate one of his grove berries, receiving a jolt of energy as soon as he swallowed the miraculous fruit. Then, he gathered his satchel and staff and left the stable behind. When he stepped outside, he saw that the city was even busier than it had been the day before, which meant that the streets were crowded with people and horses. The pedestrians were so tightly packed that the closeness made Elijah ufortable. He wasn¡¯t ustrophobic or anti-social, but this crowd was on an entirely different level from anything he¡¯d ever experienced. So, he had to stop himself from shifting into Shape of the Sky and flying away. Thankfully, the pack of pedestrians thinned a bit as he left the city behind. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Originally, he¡¯d intended to wander the town and learn more about it ¨C while perhaps seeing if they had anything worthwhile to purchase ¨C but the crowd had cemented his desire to leave. Still, it had taken almost two hours to cross from the stable to the exit, so by that point, mid-morning hade and gone. There were plenty of other people who were leaving the city as well, though none of them looked like they were prepared for a long journey. Instead, they were heading out to farm, hunt, or gather. With the monstrous boar out there, it was dangerous, but starvation didn¡¯t make any concessions to that sort of thing. People needed to eat, and the presence of a monster wasn¡¯t going to change that simple fact of life. Elijah separated from the group and wandered away. Some people noticed, but they were far too focused on their own tasks to care much about one stranger heading off alone. In any case, he only continued for an hour or so before he settled down to think of his next move. The tower was out for now, which meant that if Elijah wanted to progress, he needed to find another. Perhaps the one next to his ind would have to suffice. Or maybe he should return to Seattle and work his way into the rotation. Regardless, it was a disappointing turn of events that cemented the towers as strategic resources that could determine the viability of Earth¡¯s future leaders. Without them, gaining experience was difficult. Certainly, people could just wander off into the wilderness looking for dimensional rifts or powerful beasts ¨C be they guardians, monsters, or just normal animals who¡¯d gained a few levels ¨C but that brought with it significant danger. Unlike towers, the wilderness was unregted. As such, people never knew what they would encounter. Maybe they¡¯d find a creature like the hydra that would easily kill them. Or they might find nothing but weak beasts that gave miniscule levels of experience. That was the true benefit of the towers. Because they scaled with the level of the challengers, they always offered an appropriate challenge that would give noticeable levels of experience. To a lesser extent, rifts were the same way, but because they were random ¨C and limited, as they disappeared once conquered ¨C they didn¡¯t offer a viable leveling strategy. As he sat there, Elijah realized why people desperate to progress might pick up everything and head to a newly-touched world like Earth. Sure, nonbat sses could gain experience by doing their jobs, but the system didn¡¯t reward repetitive tasks very well. Without danger or novelty, progress was extraordinarily slow. For instance, if a cksmith wanted to gain levels, they would need to constantly innovate, either via using rare materials or new methods. They could progress by making the same things over and over, but it would take exponentially longer to do so. But a like Earth offered incredible opportunities for novelty and danger, which made it a great environment for progression ¨C at leastpared to other, more established worlds where opportunities were closely guarded resources. It wouldn¡¯tst, though. As humanity continued to tame the, progression would be more and more difficult. Perhaps it would take a century or more, but eventually, it would be no different than thes left behind by the dwarves, gnomes, and elves Elijah had met. Elijah was still giving it some thought when he felt a subtle rumble in the earth. At first, it skated past his notice, but he started to pay attention when the wildlife in the area ¨C ranging from snakes to insects to small varmints ¨C started running. That¡¯s when Elijah looked up and saw a cloud of dust in the distance. After close to a minute, he saw the culprit. Or culprits. There were dozens of people on horseback, each one armed with bows or spears. The mounted archers kept up a steady stream of arrows as they raced across the grasnd, while the spearmen sliced toward their prey likencers. It was an impressive disy of horsemanship and skill, but Elijah only barely noticed. Instead, his attention was on the creature that had drawn their ire. In the city, Elijah had heard that the monster was a boar the size of an elephant. However, those rumors paled before reality. The creature was a wild pig, with short, bristly fur and sharp tusks, but the reported size was clearly the result of an obvious underestimation. The thing wasn¡¯t the size of an elephant. Instead, it wasrger even than the extinct wooly mammoths. Perhaps even twice their size. The distance obscured exact measurements, but based on theparison between the horses and the creature in question, he estimated that it was at least twenty feet at the shoulder. Maybe even a little bigger. For a long few moments, Elijah just stared at the scene, and he only broke out of his reverie when the great boar swept its head to the side, connecting with a hunter who failed to react in time. The nimble horse attempted to dance aside, but it was too slow. Therger beast¡¯s enormous tusk pierced its side before the momentum of its attack sent the smaller animal ¨C and its rider ¨C rocketing away to tumble across the prairie. It was too much to hope either man or animal had survived. To their credit, the hunters didn¡¯t panic. Instead, they encircled the creature, continuing to pepper it with attacks that, from Elijah¡¯s perspective, did almost no good. Arrows nced off of its hide, and even the spears ¨C which had the momentum of a horseman¡¯s charge behind them ¨C failed to do any damage. The beast snorted and bucked, never slowing its charge. When it drew closer, Elijah saw that the boar was evenrger than he¡¯d first thought. More, its wild, shaggy hide glistened with ethera, and its tusks gleamed with a deadly aura. Foam spewed forth from its gaping maw, and its beady eyes twitched with terror and madness. That was all Elijah saw before disaster once again struck. Despite their clear skill, the hunters were no match for the beast. And on top of that, they had just as obviously been taxed by the pursuit to the point where a mistake was inevitable. When it happened, three more hunters fell. Two of them were ripped to pieces by the boar¡¯s sharp tusks, but the other only took a ncing blow. Even that was enough to send the two ¨C rider and moutn ¨C to ragdoll across the grasnd. He ran forward, watching in horror as the creature wheeled on the other hunters and charged. Another two got trampled, and by the time Elijah reached the scene, panic suffused their ranks. So, he shouted, ¡°Scatter!¡± Then, without further thought, cast Storm¡¯s Fury at the enraged beast. Lightning arced down from the cloudless sky, pping the boar in the head. Despite the fact that the bolt came from above, the beast quickly zeroed in on Elijah and charged him. Getting the creature¡¯s attention had been the goal, but now, Elijah found himself on the wrong end of a furious, multi-ton living tank. Book 4: Chapter 65: Unassailable Truth Book 4: Chapter 65: Unassable Truth A thousand insects manifested by Swarm descended upon the boar, but to Elijah¡¯s horror, their bites proved entirely incapable of prating the creature¡¯s hide. However, he didn¡¯t have the chance toment the conjured insects¡¯ impotency before he was forced to flee before its thundering charge. Before he turned to flee, he used Snaring Roots, then Brand of the Stalker, and Nature¡¯s Rebuke. The results were mixed. Brand of the Stalkernded, and the creature¡¯s location blossomed in his mind. However, Nature¡¯s Rebuke was entirely resisted, refusing to take hold. Was that because it was a natural beast? Or was it simply too powerful? Perhaps a countering skill was at work. Whatever the case, Snaring Roots was at least effective, the resulting vines snaking out from the earth and wrapping around its hooves. The dy caused by the spell was only temporary, though, and the creature quickly ripped itself free to continue its charge. By that point, Elijah was already running. He could have shifted into Shape of the Sky, but that wouldn¡¯t have aplished the goal. The moment he lost the creature¡¯s attention, it would turn on the fallen hunters, trampling them beneath its hooves. They couldn¡¯t kill it. And if they were forced to outrun it, they would leave their fallen brethren behind. No ¨C they needed time, and Elijah was the only one who could provide them with the room they required to survive. So, when he was a little less than a hundred yards away, he once again used Storm¡¯s Fury. The spell wasn¡¯t very effective, but it certainly maintained the creature¡¯s attention, which was the overall goal. Could Elijah have fought the beast? Perhaps. But while he didn¡¯t have ess to an inspection ability like so many others seemed to possess, he had developed some ability to recognize a foe¡¯s rtive power. At the most basic level, he confined those instincts into four categories. First, there were those who were so far below him that their power was trivial to him. Second came the category into which most people fit ¨C strong enough that they could pose a threat, but still below him. Then, there were those who were of a level ¨C or slightly above ¨C him. And finally, he could recognize when something was so far beyond him that fighting the threat would put him at an extreme disadvantage. The boar fell into the final category. He knew it was stronger than him, which meant that fighting it wasn¡¯t really an option ¨C at least not until he got it away from the fallen hunters. So, for now, Elijah only needed to lead it on a chase. For that, he intended to utilize a simr strategy to what he¡¯d employed in the Sea of Sorrows when he¡¯d led the giant isopod into a trap. This time, though, the chase was much more harrowing. Even though his attributes had increased quite a bit, and he had plenty of abilities to help him, the boar was many times stronger than him. The isopod had been as well, but not to the same degree. It was a grim reminder that the world was filled with a wide range of dangers, many of which could stomp him into oblivion. Those thoughts flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind as he ran, leading the enormous boar away from the hunters. As he did so, he felt the ethera shift as the creature engaged another ability. Instead of swirling all around it like a protective coat, it coalesced around the monster¡¯s legs, spurring it forward in an incredible charge. It barreled toward him with the speed of a bullet train, and Elijah was forced to dodge to the side, narrowly avoiding the monster¡¯s razor sharp tusks and thudding hooves. As he dove aside, he shifted into his draconid form. The increased Dexterity let him quickly regain his feet, and the added Strength that came with the predator shape gave him the power he needed to put some distance between himself and the enraged boar. He raced away, finally outpacing the monster. However, he never let it get so far behind that it would lose interest. Like that, he traveled for dozens of miles until he reached one of the destroyed towns. Once there, he decided to try his luck against the powerful creature. So, he dipped behind a pile of rubble, then used that to hide his retreat. The moment he leftbat, Elijah slipped into Guise of the Unseen before doubling back. The boar, having lost track of him, had decided to take out its frustrations on the fallen town, attacking rubble and trampling any structures that remained standing. Not for the first time, Elijah watched it in awe. The creature was incredibly powerful ¨C stronger even than the hydra, if he had to guess ¨C and explosions of debris followed it wherever it went. It was no wonder it had made such easy work of the hunters. However, as Elijah observed the creature, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of loss. This was no monster. He was certain of it. Nor was it an ordinary beast. It was a guardian, not so different from the bear or the panther ¨C or even Snappy the tortoise. And yet, it was clearly mad. There was only one thing that could have driven it to that state. Elijah had long known that guardians were inextricably tied to their natural treasures, and in a way that he couldn¡¯t really understand. When Bessy ¨C the alligator guardian back in the swamp ¨C had lost her natural treasure, she¡¯d been lucky totch onto Konstantinos, Marcy, and their family of adopted children. Was madness what would have awaited if she hadn¡¯t found something to rece her treasure? The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The more Elijah thought about it, the more he settled into the idea. The boar was a menace. It had killed hundreds of people and destroyed a dozen towns ¨C an act which would likely result in even more deaths before everything was said and done. Yet, could it be held ountable when it had clearly been driven insane? But more importantly, could Elijah save it? He knew it was a lost cause, but still, he had to try. He wouldn¡¯t have been much of a druid if he didn¡¯t. The problem was that the boar hadn¡¯t stopped, not even for a second. Instead, it seemed hellbent on causing as much destruction as possible. Like a child throwing a tantrum. Or a psychopath who only wanted to watch the world burn, to tear apart the world that had failed them. Elijah continued to watch, waiting for an opening until, finally, he saw an opportunity. The creature had gotten one of its tusks hung in the rubble of arge building, and though Elijah knew it wouldn¡¯tst long, he chose to use that brief moment of idle distraction to his advantage. He pounced ¨C not to kill, but rather, to simply let him get closer. He leaped upon the monster¡¯s back, and the moment hended, the thing went wild. Fortunately, with his Dexterity, remaining atop the beast was possible, even with its wild bucking. He shifted into his human form and grabbed hold of the monster¡¯s bristly fur. It felt like it would have been at home on a wire brush, and if Elijah hadn¡¯t possessed significant Constitution, he was certain that his hands would have been cut to pieces. However, as it stood, he only felt a mild difort. In any case, he channeled Soothe, then Touch of Nature while ring One with Nature and Nature¡¯s Bounty. He had no ability tomune with animals, so he used everything at his disposal. At first, it did nothing, but after a moment, Elijah felt everything click together. And a world of madness opened up to him. Loss. Grief. Confusion. A hundred emotions, each one powerful enough to bring tears to Elijah¡¯s eyes, roiled. But over everything else was the fury of one who had been wronged. The impotent rage of someone who¡¯d lost everything they held dear. The potent frustration of a creature who didn¡¯t know what else to do. Elijah had felt such a connection once before, but the mist panther who¡¯d guarded his ind had been serene. epting. It had known it was dying, and it had made its choice. The boar was the opposite. It would have preferred to die. Perhaps there was a part of it ¨C the only sliver of sanity that remained ¨C that hoped someone would put it out of its misery. When the connection broke only a few secondster, Elijah nearly fell from the boar¡¯s broad back. But at thest second, he reaffirmed his grip. Tears in his eyes, Elijah knew the guardian was too far gone to save. He could heal physical injuries, but none of his spells could do anything for psychological trauma. Even if they could, he questioned whether or not they would prove effective. The wounds went so deep that they¡¯d destroyedrge swathes of the boar¡¯s mind. The guardian was gone. Only a monster remained. And Elijah knew what to do with those. With a sad sigh, he shifted back into his draconid form, then tested the creature¡¯s defenses. To his shock, his ws did no damage at all to the monster¡¯s hide. Just like when he¡¯d used Swarm, it was entirely ineffective. The same was true even when he used Venom Strike; without pration, the necrotic venom had no way of getting into the beast¡¯s system. Elijah tried a few other attacks, even switching to hismer ape form to test blunt force, but the boar was entirely unassable. However, his attacks were obviously irritating, and with each blow, the monster¡¯s wild bucking grew more pronounced until, atst, Elijah¡¯s grip started to loosen. It was then that he realized he had no other choice but to flee. This time, though, he didn¡¯t need to lead the creature on a chase. So, he shifted into the Shape of the Sky, thenunched himself into the sky. The boar didn¡¯t like that, and it whipped around with far more quickness than a beast of its size should have possessed. As Elijah pped his wings, the monster leaped, aiming to impale him with its sharp tusks. He furiously climbed, but the boar¡¯s Strength was immense, and it shot through the air like a rocket. Elijah beat his wings against the air, climbing higher and higher until, after almost two-hundred feet, the boar reached the apex of its leap. Then, even as Elijah continued to climb, it fell to the ground with the force of a meteor. When it hit, a shockwave spread through the area destroying anything the monster¡¯s rampage hadn¡¯t already imed. Elijah felt the impact even hundreds of feet toward the sky, and the updraft threw him off course, sending him spinning through the air until he regained control a few secondster. By that point, the boar had already recovered, and its fury reached new heights. Thankfully, its path took it in the opposite direction of the Khotont, which meant that disaster had been averted. Because even with its enchanted earthen wall, the city could not stand before the boar¡¯s fury. It was too strong. Too durable. The people of Khotont didn¡¯t stand a chance against such a foe. From hundreds of feet in the air, Elijah followed the creature, watching it for any signs of weakness. For a long time, he saw nothing, but after a few more hours, it slowed to a trot, showing that it was not entirely inexhaustible. The beast still randomly torerge furrows in the ins, though its ire had clearly waned. So, after following it for a couple more hours, Elijah decided to head back to the site of the battle. Many of the hunters had been injured, and though it would ruin his disguise as a Cartographer, he was willing to make that sacrifice in the name of saving a few lives. Once he was within a mile or two, hended and shifted back to his human form before taking off at a trot. He arrived to find that the hunters had established a temporary camp a mile or two away from the scene of the battle. There, they were busy tending to their wounded ¨C who were clearly too injured to move. When Elijah approached, he got more than a few surprised looks, but after he exined that he could heal, they put their shock on the backburner. Not surprisingly, Elijah recognized one of the injured men as the one who¡¯d boasted about his new Armor Piercing ability. He¡¯d lost an arm in the battle. Without dy, Elijah went to work healing the injured, but the whole time, his mind whirled with the events of the day. Not only was it impossible to get the ruined state of the guardian¡¯s mind out of his thoughts, but he couldn¡¯t escape the unassable fact that something needed to be done about the rampaging creature. Left to its own devices, it would continue to kill, growing stronger with every person ¨C or beast ¨C it trampled. It needed to be put down. Elijah knew that down to his very core. But the question that dominated his thoughts more than any other was how he was going to kill such an invulnerable beast. Book 4: Chapter 66: Wilhelm Book 4: Chapter 66: Wilhelm ¡°We can¡¯t thank you enough,¡± said T?m?rbaatar, passing Elijah a cup. One whiff was all it took for him to identify the milky, white liquid as something alcoholic, but it was unlike anything Elijah had ever seen before. So, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Airag. Fermented mare¡¯s milk,¡± the short leader of the hunters said. He¡¯d been one of Eliijah¡¯s first patients, and though he¡¯d received the most healing, he still had a long scar across his face. There was another one that stretched from his right shoulder to his left hip, though that was hidden beneath his rough tunic. T?m?rbaatar had been the most injured among the survivors, but three men and one woman had died in the battle. Six horses ¨C including T?m?rbaatar¡¯s own mount ¨C had fallen as well. Not wanting the animals¡¯ sacrifice to go to waste, the remaining hunters had quickly processed the beasts, and Elijah had already eaten some of their flesh. Consuming horsemeat had never been on his bucket list, but he¡¯d expected that if he¡¯d refused, it would have been considered rude. The meat itself wasn¡¯t terrible. A little like extremely lean beef, though with a bit of a sweet undercurrent. Elijah had expected the Mongolian group to apany the meal with some sort of ceremony ¨C they practically revered their horses ¨C but nothing of the sort happened. They mourned the loss of theirpanions ¨C both bestial and human ¨C but they hadn¡¯t attached any extra significance to consuming the meat of their mounts. It was just another meal. Elijah brought the cup to his lips and took a sip. The first thing he noticed was the texture, which was surprisingly fizzy. And when it hit his tongue, he was immediately reminded of yoghurt, though with a slight sweetness to it. He could also taste the alcohol, though it wasn¡¯t overwhelming. There was a sourness to it as well, but as with the alcohol, it wasn¡¯t enough to overpower the rest of the vor. In short, it was unlike anything he¡¯d ever had, and after taking another sip, Elijah decided it would certainly never make it on his list of favorite beverages. It wasn¡¯t bad, but it definitely wasn¡¯t something he intended to seek out in the future. ¡°Good,¡± he lied. T?m?rbaatarughed heartily, then pped Elijah¡¯s shoulder. The blow was much more solid than the small man should¡¯ve been capable of producing, which told Elijah that the hunter was a little higher level than most. He¡¯d checked, and T?m?rbaatar wasn¡¯t on the power rankings, but Elijah expected that he wasn¡¯t far off. The other hunters gathered around the fire weren¡¯t much lower, either, which meant that the team had been quite a formidable one. And yet, they hadn¡¯t stood a chance against the boar. If Elijah had needed a reminder of just how dangerous the world was, the existence of the boar definitely satisfied that requirement. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of an acquired taste,¡± admitted T?m?rbaatar, echoing Elijah¡¯s sentiments concerning the beverage. ¡°It¡¯s not bad. Just¡­different,¡± Elijah maintained, forcing himself to take another sip. It was worse than the first, and he nearly choked on the stuff. He gave his new friend a thumbs up. ¡°Tasty. But I don¡¯t want to take it all for myself¡­¡± T?m?rbaatarughed again as Elijah offered to return the cup. Then, the hunter downed the entire thing in one huge gulp. It stained his voluminous mustache white. Elijah chuckled as well, resting his forearms on his knees as he nced at the fire. The camp wasn¡¯trge, but it was protected by one of T?m?rbaatar¡¯s skills. The hunter hadn¡¯t revealed the ability¡¯s name, but he had described its effects, which were simr to the one Lars had used to enchant Elijah¡¯s new tent. The basic idea was that it would discourage the wildlife froming within range of the camp, much like the array around Ironshore that did the same. The difference was that T?m?rbaatar¡¯s skill waspletely mobile. If he could build a fire, then he was mostly protected, at least from anything within a certain attribute range. The array around Ironshore was stronger and less dependent on attributes, but it was also stationary. Regardless, the Mongolian hunter seemed to take its efficacy for granted, so Elijah chose to follow his lead. It wasn¡¯t as if he had much to fear from the wilderness, anyway. Over the past few years, he¡¯d slept outdoors more often than he¡¯d had a roof over his head, and he¡¯d had few difficulties. He nced around at the surviving hunters. Only a couple had been uninjured by the fight, so Elijah had had his work cut out for him when it came to healing. Luckily, Soothe and Healing Rain were both incredibly efficient, and Touch of Nature was good at filling in the gaps. However, he couldn¡¯t help once again notice that his healing spells were far less effective than they¡¯d once been. It took more casts to get the same results he¡¯d once taken for granted. Hopefully, he would get an upgrade sometime soon. If he got the chance to enlist the services of a Librarian, he fully intended to get a full spell list for his ss. It would be useless after he reached the first threshold, but for now, it would be nice to know what he could expect. Would he get the chance to upgrade his spells like he had with Ancestral Circle? Or would he just keep getting more abilities? He already struggled to use all the spells he had avable, so even if he wanted new toys with which to y, he recognized that more wasn¡¯t necessarily better. It would probably be more beneficial to focus on the spells he already had, empowering them so that they were even more useful. Even if he didn¡¯t receive the opportunity to evolve his spells, Elijah still had another chance to strengthen them. His ongoing Core cultivation had continued to show results, and he suspected that it would only be a couple more months before he reached the point where he would need to make the final push. For that, he had his cultivation cave which, ording to his locus, had grown even stronger than before he¡¯d progressed to the Novice tier of Soul cultivation. Still, even as he sat by that campfire, sharing small talk with T?m?rbaatar, Elijah continued to cycle his core, pushing his boundaries with every rotation. Eventually, though, the others retired for the night. In the morning, they would trek back to Khotont and report their failure. For his part, Elijah couldn¡¯t sleep. He was tired, but with his high attributes ¨C and the addition of one of his berries ¨C he had no trouble staying awake. Instead, as he watched over the camp, he continued to cycle his core. More importantly, he thought about the boar. It was a guardian. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. He was certain of that much. However, when he asked the hunters about natural treasures, he¡¯d gotten no information. There was a clear link between the power of a guardian and its treasure, and if something strong enough to need the protection of something like the unstoppable boar had been found, then the hunters would have heard about it. So, there was likely a third party at work, though that information didn¡¯t help Elijah solve the problem. More, it brought to mind his judgement of the hunters who¡¯d killed the bear near Norcastle. At the time, he¡¯d considered it pointlessly cruel to have ughtered the guardian. However, after seeing what had happened to the boar, he wasn¡¯t so sure. Would the bear have gone mad if he¡¯d awoken to find his treasure gone? Perhaps. And in that case, maybe it was mercy to have killed him. In a perfect world, both would have been left alone, but Elijah knew that wasn¡¯t realistic. People craved power. In a lot of cases, they needed it to survive. And they would leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of that strength. It was human nature. Elijah didn¡¯t know the solution. His instincts told him to protect natural treasures and their guardians, but he couldn¡¯t me people for looking after their own needs. Perhaps the answer was that there was no one-size-fits-all solution and that he¡¯d need to take each situation as it came. For most of the night, he pondered the questions guing him, but by dawn, nothing had changed. So, he boiled some water before making some coffee. Using his newly enchanted French press for the first time yielded significant results:
You have consumed a Complex-Grade beverage. The following benefits will be applied: +5 Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Ethera. +10 Regeneration. Duration: 37.1 Hours
At first, Elijah thought it was the same notification he¡¯d received each time he drank a cup of his coffee. However, when his focus settled on thest line, he saw the benefit of Lars¡¯ work. The duration had increased to more than thirty-seven hours, which was half-again as long as it had been before. So, while the benefits were the same ¨C at least in terms of attributes ¨C the fact that theysted so much longer would be a great boon, especially in the Trial, where he knew he would have to make his supplies stretch a little further than normal. By the time the hunters arose, Elijah had already finished his coffee and was breaking his fast on some rations he¡¯d brought with him from Argos. The dried meat was tough and gamey, but it had been prepared by a real Cook, so it tasted better than most of what he could prepare for himself. Certainly, it was better than leftover horse. After the sun rose, T?m?rbaatar and the hunters efficiently broke camp, so only an hourter, they were already on their way back to the city. Most rode the remaining horses, but Elijah had no issues keeping up on foot. So, by mid-afternoon, they found themselves striding back into Khotont. At first, people looked at them with no small degree of expectation. However, it only took a nce before they realized that the hunt had been unsessful. For his part, T?m?rbaatar took the attention stoically, asking Eliijah to apany him to the town hall, which T?m?rbaatar referred to as the zahiral ger. As it turned out, the building looked little different from any of the others in the city, save that it was slightlyrger and stood at five stories tall. It was there that the hunter reported the results of their expedition to a council made up of three women and two men. They took the news calmly, but when T?m?rbaatar exined that he didn¡¯t think it was possible to kill the boar, they showed some desperation. That¡¯s when Elijah spoke up. He said, ¡°I think I might have a solution, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll work or not.¡± That much was true. Elijah had pondered the issue for hours, and though he thought his n would work, there were no guarantees that he¡¯d read the situation correctly. Still, as heid out the details of his idea, it was met with some degree of enthusiasm. He ended the exnation with, ¡°And that¡¯s pretty much it. I think it will work, but there are no guarantees.¡± ¡°Do you truly believe you can do this? An Explorer?¡± one of the women asked. She was old. Probably close to seventy, if Elijah had to guess, with white hair and a face creased with wrinkles. ¡°Oh. Sorry,¡± Elijah said, remembering he¡¯d left his Ring of Anonymity active. The moment he¡¯d chosen to heal the hunters, he¡¯d thrown aside any notion of keeping his disguise. So, he deactivated it. ¡°My real name is Elijah Hart, and I¡¯m a Druid. You might see my name on the power rankings. Sorry about the deception, but I¡¯ve found that it¡¯s a lot easier to keep my identity secret when I¡¯m traveling.¡± There was a gasp, but after a couple of them used their skills to identify him, they epted that his identity was genuine. It helped that T?m?rbaatar vouched for his abilities, recounting how he¡¯d already saved lives with his healing spells. In the end, though, Elijah didn¡¯t need their permission or help. His n only relied on his own abilities. Finally, he asked if there was anyone in town that needed healing. He had ethera to spare, and he¡¯d chosen to bnce some of the terrible things he¡¯d done with helping people. And it was rare that nobody needed healing. ¡°Khotont has been blessed with a number of Healers, but if you would like to take some of that burden, you may do so in our jail,¡± she said. ¡°There are a few dursamj there that most of our people avoid.¡± Elijiah interpreted that word as outcast, but there seemed to be other connotations there as well. However, the trantion feature that came with the system sometimescked nuance, so it didn¡¯t give him a firm idea of what to expect. Given that she had used the word to refer to prisoners connected some dots, though. In any case, Elijah didn¡¯t care about social status. So, he agreed to heal the prisoners and was quickly escorted to another nearby building. There, he found a few strong-looking guards who let him and T?m?rbaatar inside. The first thing Elijah noticed was the antiseptic smell. It reminded him of a hospital, where all sorts of horrible odors were covered up by harsh cleaners. The floors were cheap, white tile, and the walls were made of painted cinder blocks. But at least everything was clean. If he was honest with himself, Elijah had expected much worse conditions, but maybe that was his bias showing itself. Regardless, he was soon led down a hall and to the first holding cell. There, he announced his intentions before summoning Healing Rain that covered the entire cell. The prisoners were morose, but they didn¡¯t look as if they¡¯d been ill-treated, though quite a few seemed to be suffering from one ailment or another. Elijah¡¯s spell took care of that, and when itpleted, he moved on to the next, where he repeated the cast. Finally, he came to the third and final cell, which only held one prisoner. And unlike the majority of people in the Mongolian town, this man was pale-skinned, with thin blonde hair and a short, slender frame. That¡¯s when Elijah remembered being told about another stranger that hade to town and racked up a gambling debt. ¡°Oh! Did the Conve send you to rescue me?¡± the man asked, his voice brimming with hope. Elijah also heard a German ent. ¡°I assure you, I have executed my duties faithfully! This is just a little hup, I swear it.¡± ¡°Conve? What¡¯s that?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°And what¡¯s your name?¡± The man deted. ¡°Ah. I see. Just leave me here to rot, then. I¡¯ll not be bullied!¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to bully you. I¡¯m here to heal you.¡± ¡°I have no ailments,¡± he said. ¡°But my name is Wilhelm. Perhaps we cane to some amodation? I can guarantee that if you help me, the Conve will pay you back tenfold!¡± ¡°Wilhelm, huh?¡± Elijah echoed. ¡°Well, Will ¨C I¡¯ve got a lot on my te, here. But if you¡¯re still around when I get done with my current task, I just might take you up on that.¡± Having said what he needed to say, Elijah let the guard escort him back outside. As much as the mention of a Conve intrigued him, he had no intention of letting himself get distracted. He had a boar to deal with, after all. Book 4: Chapter 67: The Boar Book 4: Chapter 67: The Boar ¡°That guy¡¯s not going to get executed or anything, is he?¡± asked Elijah, sitting at one of the long tables in themunal dining area. After his first visit, he¡¯d learned that the locals referred to it as zuushny gazar, which fittingly tranted to ¡°eating ce.¡± However, he¡¯d also heard the word ¡°xopxor¡± thrown around, which he¡¯d also learned referred to more of a dining experience, rather than a ce. In this case, the experience centered around cooking various meats ¨C usually involving hot stones ¨C in amunal setting. That description certainly fit what Elijah had experienced, though he was still a little fuzzy about the details. How the system¡¯s trantion feature worked was still a bit of a mystery. In some cases, it would trante everything, but in others, it was quite selective, allowing for certain words toe through. The only thing Elijah could think was that the terms it left untranted had some sort of cultural significance beyond the English meaning, though he wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if there was more to it than that. Regardless, he¡¯d resolved to simply take things as they went. ¡°The gambler? No,¡± replied T?m?rbaatar as he speared a hunk of meat with his dagger and dragged it out of the central tter. He took a huge bite, adding, ¡°He will likely be required to work off his debt. It is a shame his ss is not physically gifted, or he would be capable of paying it off much more quickly.¡± ¡°How much does he owe?¡± asked Elijah. His initial thought was to simply break the man out ¨C assuming his n with the boar worked out ¨C but that was needlessly confrontational. Instead, he wondered if he could pay the man¡¯s debts, then recoup that investment ¨C and then some ¨C when his so-called Conve paid him back ¡°ten-fold¡±. He knew there was risk in that, but something about the pasty man told Elijah that he was important. Or that he could be, given the right circumstances. Plus, he wanted to know more about the organization to which he belonged. ¡°No more than a gold,¡± T?m?rbaatar answered. ¡°Enough to matter, but not enough to kill over. For most people.¡± Elijah nodded and ate his meal. Upon leaving the jail, he¡¯d fully intended to head out right then, but he¡¯d been persuaded by the grateful hunter to join him for a meal. Mostly, the supper wasposed of meat, but there were a few vegetables and mushrooms here and there. More importantly, it had clearly been prepared by someone with a cooking ability, which meant that it tasted much better than anything Elijah could prepare. Even with his new pan ¨C which he still hadn¡¯t used ¨C he would only be able to mimic the real thing. So, it truly didn¡¯t take much to convince him to share a meal with T?m?rbaatar. However, it wasn¡¯t long before he was stuffed, and after saying goodbye to his new friend, Elijah left the zuushny gazar behind. As he did, he caught a few stray nces that lingered a little longer than he would have preferred, but he knew that was because word of his ss and level had already begun to spread. That was precisely the sort of attention he¡¯d hoped to avoid, but that really hadn¡¯t been possible after what he¡¯d done. Perhaps some people would have been slow on the uptake, but for anyone who was paying attention, his disguise would have been useless in the face of his abilities. Regardless, after leaving the building behind, he joined the flow of pedestrians and horse-mounted residents as he made his way out of Khotont. The pace was cial but consistent, so he made it to the gates before the sun had begun to dip toward the horizon. He got more looks ¨C most of concern ¨C as he separated from the parade of pedestrians, left the safety of the city behind and set off into the grasnd alone. After a couple of miles, when he was out of sight, he shifted into the Shape of the Sky and took to the air. The hunters had seen his flight form, so it wouldn¡¯t be long before the entire city knew about the colorful, reptilian shape. However, Elijah wasn¡¯t willing to unt his abilities. Rumors were one thing, but seeing it with their own two eyes would bring more attention than Elijah wanted to endure. He glided through the air, reveling in the freedom flight gave him. In his other forms ¨C even as a human ¨C he could go most ces without issue. But there was something about being capable of flight that felt less restrictive than anything else. In that form, with his wings outstretched, he felt that he could go anywhere, that he could do anything. At times, that freedom made it difficult to focus, but with a mission in mind, Elijah managed it all the same. After a little less than an hour of flight, during which he kept an eye out for the boar, Elijah reached the site of his previous encounter. The town was no less ruined than when he¡¯d left it behind, but there were a few areas where the destruction was far more recent. It would have been nice if Brand of the Stalker had remained active, but after he¡¯d gotten a couple of miles away from the creature, it deactivated. So, he followed the trail of destruction to the outer reaches of the town, where he found a distinct path through the grasnd. Mostly, the trail was characterized by trampled grass, but there were also areas where the boar had attacked the ground, ripping through the earth with its tusks and hooves. It was such pointless destruction, but ultimately, it was unsurprising. Elijah had already established that the boar was mad, that it would turn its ire on the prairie itself was well within Elijah¡¯s expectations. Fortunately, that also resulted in an easily followed trail, so Elijah had no issues tracking the mad boar. Gradually, he covered the ground, marveling at how far the beast had gone in such a short amount of time. The miles melted beneath him until, atst, just as the sun had begun to peek over the horizon, he caught sight of the creature. It had slowed down a little, but periodically, it would randomly charge in one direction, dip its head, and drag its tusks through the soft earth. In those cases, dirt and grass would erupt into a cloud dozens of feet high, and the beast would jerk around, looking this way and that before continuing on its way. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Each time that scene repeated, Elijah felt his heart break. Certainly, the beast was powerful. And deadly. It needed to be stopped. Yet, seeing that its mind had been so thoroughly broken was nauseating. Even as he watched, Elijah¡¯s resolve to end the boar¡¯s suffering reestablished itself. He knew it needed to be done, and what¡¯s more, he suspected that he was the only person who could make it happen. As a Druid, it was his responsibility. However, he also knew that making good on that responsibility would not be easy. The creature wasrgely invulnerable. He had seen that the first time he¡¯d attacked the beast. So, given that he couldn¡¯t even prate its hide ¨C much less deal with its immense Strength ¨C he¡¯d had to get creative with his ns. At first, he¡¯d considered a trap. It was a simple enough idea, and he had a little experience with using traps against creatures more powerful than him. He¡¯d employed that strategy in the Sea of Sorrows as well as against the horde of orcs that had assaulted Ironshore. But he didn¡¯t believe he could build a trap the boar couldn¡¯t break out of. It might take the creature days or weeks to do so, but it would eventually dig its way out, putting him right back at square one. So, he considered the trap to be n B. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t need it. n A was a little different, and it hinged on his observations having been urate. Or perhaps the assumptions that followed those observations. Whatever the case, because of the swirling ethera that surrounded the creature, Elijah suspected that its imprable hide wasn¡¯t the result of an incredibly high Constitution attribute. Certainly, the creature was naturally durable. But Elijah was banking the viability of n A on the suspicion that much of its invulnerability was based on a skill. And the thing about skills was that they needed fuel. Whether it consumed ethera or stamina, no ability was free. That was an unassable fact of the multiverse, and one Elijah was reminded of every time he used Iron Scales. As his attributes increased, he could use the ability more often, but even with that increased power, there were limits. He was banking on the boar¡¯s ability functioning ording to the same paradigm. But he couldn¡¯t just p the creature with one of his spells, then lead it on a merry chase. The moment the creature realized that it wasn¡¯t in any danger, it would stop using the ability and recover its stamina or ethera. No ¨C Elijah needed to put it in a heightened state. Fortunately, he had the perfect ability to do just that:
Debilitating Roar Let out an enraged bellow that sends all nearby targets fleeing in fear, decreasing their damage by 15%. Increases caster¡¯s footspeed by 10%. Only usable when caster is under the influence of Shape of the Guardian. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 9.2 seconds. Resistance based on target¡¯s Constitution attribute.
When he¡¯d first gotten the skill, Elijah had been a little disappointed with it. However, after using it in Seattle, he¡¯de around to how useful it was. And in his current situation, he knew it would be ideal. Assuming that it took hold, at least. If it did, Elijah would only need to keep the effect active ¨C which would necessitate using quite a lot of his own stamina ¨C until the monster ran out of fuel. Then, it would be vulnerable. With that n in mind, Elijah circled until the boar started attacking a lonely tree in the middle of the in. It rammed the thing, over and over without any hesitation between. Elijah saw his opportunity, so as he dropped from the sky, he shifted into hismer ape form, hitting the ground only a few dozen feet away from the creature. His arrival didn¡¯t go unnoticed, and the boar whipped around. For a moment, it was like time slowed. Elijah saw madness in the beast¡¯s wild eyes. In the thick foam coating its mouth. In the tension in its every bunched muscle. Then, the moment passed, and the boar¡¯s hooves dug into the soft soil, propelling it forward in a reckless charge. Elijah let out a bellow, embracing Debilitating Roar. The sound hit the creature like a sledgehammer, and it skidded to a stop before its charge could truly begin. Elijah beat his chest, then charged the beast. For a moment, it looked confused, but only a second after the effects of the ability hit it, the boar whipped around and fled. It moved with the jittery abruptness of a terrified animal, and with its clearly superior Strength, it could cover some serious ground. Fortunately, Elijah¡¯s hesitation to follow onlysted an instant before he loped forward in pursuit. Even more thankfully, the ability included an increase to his footspeed, which was more than valuable against the hard-charging beast. Seven seconds after he¡¯d used the ability the first time, Elijah let loose with another instance of the ability. As he did, he felt himself weaken by a miniscule amount. That was his stamina draining away. It was barely noticeable, but he knew the exhaustible, yet hidden resource was the key to whether or not his n would work. If his store of stamina held up, then he would win. If not, then he¡¯d be forced to retreat. So, Elijah remained hot on the creature¡¯s heels, bellowing his ability every seven or eight seconds. Eventually, he realized that he wouldn¡¯t be capable of keeping it up if he used it that often, so he started to experiment. While the ability-induced fear onlysted a little more than nine seconds, it still took longer for the echoes to fade. For a sane and sapient enemy, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. They would see through it. But with the mad boar? It could scarcely distinguish reality, much less whether its fear was genuine or not. So, even after Elijah let the ability fade, the creature continued to flee, ring its own protective ability the whole time. It was a domino effect. Every instance of Debilitating Roar sent it careening further into fearful madness. It went on for hours, and eventually, Elijah only had to reapply the effect every ten minutes or so. The boar¡¯s madness took care of the rest. Then, suddenly, when most of the day was gone, the ethera swirling around the beast winked out. A few stepster, it copsed in a cloud of dust. The sudden stop shocked Elijah, and he very nearly ran into the fallen boar. Yet, he stopped just in time. As he circled around, the creature continued to shudder, though it was entirely incapable of rising. It had run itself to exhaustion. Elijah¡¯s n had worked. Now, he only needed to follow through with the final act. Book 4: Chapter 68: A Druids Duty Book 4: Chapter 68: A Druid''s Duty The mighty boary on its side, its chest heaving with panic. Eyes bigger than volleyballs twitched back and forth, evidence of the animal¡¯s ongoing terror. Foam collected at the corner of its gaping mouth as it hyperventted, letting out rumbling snorts with every breath. Laying his hand on the enormous beast¡¯s side, Elijah felt its knotted and cramped muscles. But within the oppressive grip of exhaustion, it couldn¡¯t move more than a few inches. Every second or two, tiny collections of diffuse ethera swirled as it attempted to reactivate its protective ability. But there wasn¡¯t enough to fuel the skill. That had always been the n, but there was a distinct difference between what he¡¯d imagined and what he now saw before him. The terrified and terrifying beast was helpless. And when Elijah looked at it, he couldn¡¯t prevent tears from gathering at the corners of his eyes as his thoughts surrendered to pity and guilt. The first, because of how far the creature had fallen. It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine that, before it had lost its treasure, the guardian had been a noble and mighty protector not unlike the panther that had saved Eliijah¡¯s life so many times. That one event could send it careening into madness, subverting its nature so thoroughly that it was indistinguishable from a monster, was horrifying. It was also a grim reminder of Elijah¡¯s own past. He hadn¡¯t been so different after discovering his sister¡¯s death. He¡¯d ughtered hundreds. Perhaps thousands. And he didn¡¯t even have the excuse of madness. He had been fully in control. Or he should have been. Yet, he¡¯d let his anger and grief drive him forward until he became a monster in human ¨C or draconic, given the nature of his transformative shapes ¨C form. Would someone have been justified in putting him out of his misery? Maybe. Valoria was a cesspool of all the worst facets of humanity, but did that give him the right to ughter so many? He wasn¡¯t sure. And that retrospective uncertainty fueled his doubts that had given way to shame. He was too strong to give in to those sorts of impulses. He needed to be better. Under more control. Otherwise, he would end up just like the boar. The shame of his past mingled with the guilt he felt for effectively torturing the beast before him. Elijah didn¡¯t know what people felt under the influence of Debilitating Roar. Was it a formless fear? Or was it more specific? Did it dredge up memories? Or was itpletely arcane in nature? He wasn¡¯t sure, but regardless of how it presented its effects, the ability had pushed the boar into a ce of undiluted terror so potent that, in trying to escape, it had run itself to exhaustion.He sighed. There was nothing else to be done. There hadn¡¯t been much of a choice. If the beast had been allowed to continue its rampage, thousands of people would have died. What¡¯s more, animals ¨C be they guardians, monsters, or normal beasts ¨C could gain experience as well. So, with every death, it would have grown stronger, making it even more invulnerable. On top of that, putting the boar out of its misery was the right thing to do. It was necessary. It was just. It was mercy. Yet, it was a joyless act. A necessary but repulsive action that could not be avoided. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it had to be this way,¡± he said. The creature flinched at the sound of his words, but it was too exhausted to do more than tremble a bit. Still, Elijah tensed as well, ready to spring away at the first sign of recovery. He knew he was on a timer. With every passing moment, the boar would recover some of its energy. But more than that, Elijah didn¡¯t want to prolong the beast¡¯s suffering any longer than necessary. So, without further hesitation, he drew the knife he¡¯d gotten from Lars and leaped upon the creature¡¯s shoulder. The weapon had been enchanted with a Hunter¡¯s skill that was supposed to make it better for dressing animals. Elijah hoped that would be enough to allow it to get through the beast¡¯s thick hide. When he reached the boar¡¯s thick neck, Elijah knelt. And without further dy, he reared back and plunged the de into the creature¡¯s bristly hide. It parted the skin, but only went an inch deep. That was within Elijah¡¯s expectations, and he once again stabbed into the same wound. The dagger bit a little deeper, this time, eliciting a trickle of blood. That trickle became a river with the next stab, though Elijah knew it was nothingpared to what flowed through the beast¡¯s enormous body. So, he kept at it. The process was not pretty. Nor was it heroic. It was messy and traumatizing, eliciting a stream of tears and coating Elijah in dark red blood. Yet, he continued. Even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t stop. Once begun, he had no choice but to keep going. And he did. Over and over, he hacked into the creature¡¯s neck until, atst, he found an artery. It spurted pressurized blood in a fountain of red, the intensity of the flood increasing with each pump of the boar¡¯s enormous heart. Only then did Elijah stop. The mighty boar was already dead. It just hadn¡¯t realized it yet. Elijah stood, his cheeks stained with blood and tears. Even then, he could have saved the beast. A few casts of Touch of Nature, and the bleeding would slow. He could have healed the rest of the damage, though he suspected it would take almost all of his ethera. And for a brief moment, he considered it. Perhaps he could heal its mind, too. Maybe he could banish the madness that had gripped it. But he knew that was a pipe dream. The beast was too far gone. And the price of failure was too high. So, climbing down, he circled the boar until he reached its head. Once there, heid his hand between its eyes and used red One with Nature. Just as had happened with the panther, he formed a connection with the beast. However, unlike the ind¡¯s guardian, the boar¡¯s thoughts ¨C which Elijah could only feel in the form of impressions ¨C had been shattered into a million pieces. None of them were pleasant. Instead, there was loss. Confusion. Fear that had nothing to do with Debilitating Roar. And anger. It all coalesced into something Elijah could only call madness. There would be no recovery for this beast. Touching its mind was just confirmation of what he had known from the very beginning. But Elijah still maintained the connection, trying to convey calm thoughts to the animal as blood gushed from the wound in its neck. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright,¡± he said in a soothing voice. ¡°It¡¯s over. You can rest now.¡± The boar didn¡¯t hear him. It was too far gone, its mind too broken. The words were as much for Elijah¡¯s benefit as tofort the beast. Minutes passed, and the creature¡¯s stamina returned enough for it to briefly resume its shielding ability. However, itsted only a few moments, and it did nothing for the continued blood loss. Finally, after half an hour, the boar¡¯s eyes zed over. Its muscles went ck, and its jaw fell open. Atst, its struggle was over. With dried boar¡¯s blood covering him, Elijah copsed to the trampled grasnd and spent the next few minutes just staring at the ground. He¡¯d killed so often that he thought himself ustomed to taking lives. That was true in the heat of battle, but executing the boar was different. He knew it would stick with him for years toe. After a little while, Elijah pushed himself back to his feet and steeled himself for the next step in the process. The boar was the highest-level creature he¡¯d ever seen, which meant that it was a treasure trove of usable materials. Its meat alone was enough to feed a vige for months, and that was saying nothing for its durable hide, dense bones, and useful organs. Some people might¡¯ve considered harvesting the animal to be distasteful, but Elijah saw it as the height of respect. The Mongolian hunters had reaffirmed that when they¡¯d done the same with their fallen horses. Killing a creature and not using it was wasteful. Honoring the beast by putting its body to use was better. So, armed with his skinning knife, Elijah went to work. Now that the boar was dead, its hide was a little easier to cut, though he wasn¡¯t certain if that was because the effect of the boar¡¯s Constitution was less efficacious or if the knife, being put to its intended use, was more effective. Either way, easier didn¡¯t mean easy, and skinning the beast proved to be the work of an entire day. Then, he started to butcher the body. Thankfully, Elijah had plenty of experience processing various animals, so his work was efficient, withrge hunks of meat being piled onto the overturned hide. Still, the beast was sorge that the process took another day. Being in the middle of winter, it was well below freezing, so there was no chance of spoge. Next came the bones. Elijah didn¡¯t take all of those. Instead, he only took thergest pieces. He didn¡¯t know what good they would do, but he felt certain that a crafter like Carmen could make use of the powerfully dense material. And finally, Elijah took the brains and fat. The process had taken nearly four days, but atst, he was finished. The carcass that was left was a pitiful thing. There was still some meat left. The same was true of some of the less useful organs. Looking upon it once again made Elijah¡¯s eyes water, but he quickly dried them. The deed was finished, and there was nothing else to be done. So, he tied the hide into a huge sack he could carry ¨C the bundle wasicallyrge, but it didn¡¯t weigh as much as some of the stones he¡¯d toted. Then, Elijah stripped off his soiled clothes, sprinkled them with some cleansing powder and set them aside. After that, he summoned Healing Rain, and, using his soap, washed the dried blood away. The shower was cathartic, though without his Cloak of the Iron Bear, he keenly felt the bite of the winter morning. That felt appropriate as well, almost as if he didn¡¯t deservefort after such a distasteful act. The idea that he needed to endure a penance was ridiculous. He¡¯d only done what was necessary. Yet, reason and emotions rarely mixed, so he reveled in his tiny punishment. He didn¡¯t wallow in it, though, and once he was clean, Elijah gathered his bundle and heaved the burden upon his back. It was almost enough to overbnce him, but he managed it well enough, using some rope he had in his satchel to facilitate it. Then, he began the long walk back to Khotont. As he did, he finally allowed himself to acknowledge his reward for killing such a powerful beast.
Congrattions! You have reached level eighty-seven. Attribute points allocated ording to ss.
He¡¯d gained three levels, which was confirmation of the boar¡¯s might. However, despite the fact that those levels had allowed him to reim his ce at the top of the power rankings ¨C one level higher than Oscar Ramirez ¨C he had difficulty taking joy in his progress. To distract himself from his guilt, Elijah looked at his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 87
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 140 (102)
Dexterity 122 (91)
Constitution 123 (100)
Ethera 99 (96)
Regeneration 124 (91)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Stone Hatchling Quartz Novice
With his gear and buffs, Elijah¡¯s attributes had gotten pretty impressive. However, he was a little annoyed that his ethera attribute was only one point from reaching triple digits. That was because only one piece of his equipment ¨C the Wolf Totem he¡¯d looted from Thor ¨C added any extra points. Byparison, the rest of his attributes were inted by buffs and equipment. He could further enhance those with his forms, but at present, that was unnecessary. So, he remained in his human shape as he trudged across the prairie. As satisfied as he was with his improved attributes, Elijah was more concerned with the other benefit of passing level eighty-five. He¡¯d gained another opportunity to upgrade an ability, and it was one he¡¯d been waiting on for quite some time. Book 4: Chapter 69: A Question of Priorities Book 4: Chapter 69: A Question of Priorities The winter sun hung high in the expansive blue sky, unobscured by even the wisp of a cloud. A hawk cried overhead, and a cold breeze cut across the grasnds. Elijah didn¡¯t feel it. Even without his Cloak of the Iron Bear, which protected him from the cold, he wouldn¡¯t have paid much attention to his surroundings. Instead, the whole of his focus was on the notification he¡¯d received after killing the guardian boar. Not only had he reached level eighty-seven, but he¡¯d also gained the opportunity to evolve one of his spells. He''d done so once before, so he¡¯d been looking forward to upgrading the rest of his spellbook. Still, it wasn¡¯t as simple as gaining more power. It would be that. But it also represented a choice, and one that he knew would prove difficult. It was that decision which upied the bulk of his attention. He focused on the notification:
Congrattions! You have satisfied the requirements for the evolution of the spell Touch of Nature. Please choose a path:
Mother¡¯s Embrace Nature¡¯s Bloom Spreading Roots
Through the Mother¡¯s embrace, heal yourself far more efficiently than you heal others. Each cast will nt the seed of regrowth. When that seed sprouts, additional healing will follow.Each cast will cause an ethereal root to spread to an ally, casting a wide of rejuvenation.
The options seemed pretty straightforward to Elijah. The first choice would make Touch of Nature more powerful when he cast it on himself, while Nature¡¯s Bloom and Spreading Roots would give his heal extra effects. In the case of Nature¡¯s Bloom, it seemed like each heal would have a secondary heal associated with it. By contrast, Spreading Roots would have an area of effectponent. The question was what sort of power increase he should expect. Each evolution meant that the primary effect of the spell would grow stronger. Every guide he¡¯d read was adamant about that. However, the additional effects were based on his Legacy, which was something of a record of his actions. Some people would only receive one choice, and in those cases, it was almost always just a mundane increase in power. Often, the name of the spell didn¡¯t even change, and it gained no extra effects. Three choices was the maximum number the system would offer, which meant that Elijah had been doing something right in his progression. He¡¯d never made choices based on augmenting his Legacy ¨C in fact, he¡¯d never even heard the word, at least in reference to the system, until quite recently ¨C but it seemed that he¡¯d done so anyway. Regardless, he had an interesting choice before him. The first option was clearly the best, so long as he only considered his own needs. Having a potent self-heal would help him survive against tough opponents. Elijah only had to think about Guardian¡¯s Renewal to recognize that as a fact. However, it felt wrong to only think of himself. What would happen if Miguel was injured and, because he¡¯d taken Mother¡¯s Embrace over the other two options, she perished? What about Carmen or Nerthus? The others he cared about? He would be emotionally destroyed. Was a better chance at survival the right decision? Maybe. Then again, without knowing exactly what the difference was, he couldn¡¯t be certain. What if it was only ten percent better than the other two? Logic suggested that, because it was more limited, it would be far better, but he simply couldn¡¯t be sure. The other two choices were assuredly better for healing other people, but in different ways. The second, called Nature¡¯s Bloom, seemed to specialize in healing a single target, while the third¡¯s description implied that it would be good for arge group. As Elijah trudged through the ins, he discarded the third option. He had yet to encounter a situation where he needed to heal arge group of people quickly. Normally, when he was responsible for that kind of healing, there was no time limit. So, as much as he liked the idea behind the Spreading Roots evolution, he didn¡¯t see very many situations where it would be required. That left the first two. Mother¡¯s Embrace was more than tempting. Normally, he fought alone, and an ability to heal himself more quickly was very attractive. However, he¡¯d survived as long as he had with the old version of Touch of Nature, hadn¡¯t he? And he had Guardian¡¯s Renewal to pick up the ck. Besides, couldn¡¯t Nature¡¯s Bloom serve a simr function, but without the drawback of only really helping himself? Looking at itpletely logically ¨C or from his perspective, at least ¨C Elijah¡¯s choice seemed clear. After all, his archetype ¨C and to a lesser extent, his ss ¨C was based on versatility. So, pigeonholing himself by limiting his options was antithetical to the idea behind his archetype. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the vition. Plus, he kept thinking of situations where the lives of his loved ones might hinge on his ability to heal them, and in those cases, failure simply wasn¡¯t an option. He¡¯d rather put himself in a little more danger than fall short when his family or friends needed him most. So, without further hesitation, he made his decision. When he chose Nature¡¯s Bloom, another notification appeared before his inner eye:
Congrattions! You have chosen to evolve Touch of Nature into Nature¡¯s Bloom. Complete the following quest to finalize the evolution: Aplish Three Feats of Strength (COMPLETE) Heal 1000 People (COMPLETE) Self-Heal From the Edge of Death (COMPLETTE)
Elijah felt the questplete, which was something of a surprise. Obviously, his previous actions had already satisfied the requirements, which shouldn¡¯t have been that shocking. Yet, he had expected to have at least one task toplete, much as he had when he¡¯d evolved Ancestral Circle into Roots of the World Tree. In any case, he checked the new spell¡¯s description:
Nature¡¯s Bloom Harness the power of nature to heal yourself or an ally. Upon thepletion of the cast, nt the seed of renewal. After twenty seconds, the Seed of Renewal will sprout, resulting in another, less powerful heal. Rtive potency of Seed of Renewal is based on Ethera attribute. Current: 35.2% of original cast.
It was better than Elijah had hoped, especially if the base spell ¨C even without Seed of Renewal ¨C had improved as much as he expected. He wouldn¡¯t know for sure until he tested it out, though. That made him a bit nervous ¨C testing a new spell in a tense situation always left him wrought with anxiety ¨C but he couldn¡¯t properly gauge the efficacy of the spell until he tried to heal some damage. Perhaps he should find some more people in town to test it on. Or head back to Argos. Regardless, Elijah was happy with his choice. As he continued his trek, Elijah used his spell, but considering he was entirely undamaged, it was difficult to determine its potency. It did help to stave off his fatigue, so that was helpful. It was near sunset when Khotont came into view, and by the time he reached the formerly Mongolian city, darkness had fallen. Still, he was allowed through the gap in the berm, which actually took a bit of doing, since his bundle was so enormous. With the help of the two guards, he managed to squeeze through, though they were amazed that he was able to carry such a huge burden. The streets were still packed with people, but the crowd of pedestrians parted easily before him. Some even recognized the hide for what it was, and gasps followed Elijah all the way to the zahiral ger, where he found that only a few administrators were present. When he announced that he had killed the boar that had terrorized the region for weeks, he got their attention. And when he asked to make a deal, someone hurried off to fetch a member of the council. Soon enough, two council members arrived. Both bore the signs of enormous stress, but they still looked hardy enough. Elijah told them that he¡¯d killed the boar, then proved it by setting his burden down and untying the rope that had kept the collection of meat, bones, and other pieces of the boar together. Thankfully, the cold climate had kept it all preserved. ¡°I can¡¯t use all this meat,¡± he said. ¡°Nor do I want all the bones. So, here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. I¡¯ll take what I want, then you can buy the rest.¡± Elijah had done a little window shopping thest time he¡¯d been in town, so he knew roughly what that much high-quality meat would be worth. The bones, though, were a mystery, so he decided to treat those like other natural resources he¡¯d seen in his travels. Bones were probably not quite as popr of a material for creating weapons as high-grade metals, but given the power of the boar, it would be very useful for the right crafters. The negotiation went far better than Elijah expected, and he ended up epting sixty gold for the materials. In addition, they¡¯d chosen to throw in a bag where he could store his portion of the meat and brains. ¡°It will keep everything fresh for at least a month,¡± the councilman said. ¡°Up to five-hundred pounds. After that, the bag will be no more useful than a normal bag of its size.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Elijah answered. It clearly worked simrly to the bags he¡¯d used before the orc invasion, so he was familiar enough with what to expect. ¡°Do you need someone to prepare the hide? We have a couple of good Leatherworkers here,¡± the other councilwoman said. She was the same older woman Elijah had seen the first time. ¡°Tsas is nearly strong enough to reach the power rankings.¡± That was true of half the poption, it seemed. There were so many people on the verge of reaching thedder that the distinction only meant that they werepetent. Still, that meant that this Tsas ¨C which the system tranted to mean Snow ¨C was a viable option for his project. However, Elijah intended to prepare the hide himself, much as he had with the bear hide that had be his Cloak of the Iron Bear. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± he said. ¡°I would also like to free the gambler in your custody.¡± That decision wasn¡¯t made on a whim. Elijah wanted to know more about the man¡¯s organization. Was it a powerful group? Or was it only the possessor of an ostentatious name? He intended to find out. ¡°That¡­can be arranged,¡± she agreed. Likely, her quick agreement meant that he¡¯d epted less than the meat and bones were worth, but Elijah couldn¡¯t take them all with him. So, he¡¯d resolved to only take the best pieces, including most of the fat, the choicest cuts of meat, and the most intact bones. And, of course, the hide, which was the most useful part for him. In any case, once the deal was done, he epted a transfer to his folio, and someone fetched the pack that would keep his portion of the meat fresh. After that, he supervised the loading of the pack while a small army of workers descended upon the rest of the pile of pork. They¡¯d finished loading it in only a few minutes, and Elijah started rolling the hide up. It only barely fit into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, but that was alright. He intended to take it back to the grove soon enough. Finally, the gambler ¨C Wilhelm ¨C arrived. Elijah shoved the Preservation Pack into the man¡¯s hands, saying, ¡°Carry this. You¡¯reing with me.¡± The pack was filled with five-hundred pounds of meat and fat, and even though it cut that weight by a significant amount, it was still quite heavy. And Wilhelm clearly hadn¡¯t worked on his physical attributes. He tipped over, with the packnding on his chest. Elijah rolled his eyes. ¡°Seriously? Come on, man¡­¡± Wilhelm grunted, kicking his legs as he tried to push the pack aside. Elijah took pity on him, reaching down to lift the pack himself. When he was freed, Wilhelm gasped for breath, saying, ¡°I¡­I do not have much Strength¡­¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Perhaps you didn¡¯t see, but night has already fallen,¡± Wilhelm said, pushing himself to his feet. Though he held himself with prim propriety, his stay in the jail had clearly taken its toll. His clothes were torn and dirty, and judging by the odor wafting Elijah¡¯s way, his clothes weren¡¯t the only thing in need of a good cleaning. Finally, his thin blonde hair was in disarray, and he bore a wisp of facial hair that made him look like a teenager who had yet to be taught to shave. ¡°We should stay here. I know a fantastic inn next to the best gambling hall in town. And ¨C¡± ¡°No. Come with me, or you can go back to jail.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°I swear I won¡¯t hurt you. In fact, I just want to know more about your organization.¡± ¡°Ah. I see,¡± the man said. Then, he looked at the two guards who¡¯d brought him to the zahiral ger, and hisplexion paled. ¡°Right. I think I will take you up on your generous offer.¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s go,¡± Elijah said. Then, he bade goodbye to the councilors before striding out of the building. Wilhelm hurried to follow. Book 4: Chapter 70: Ley Lines and Conclaves Book 4: Chapter 70: Ley Lines and Conves The night was cold, and Wilhelm definitely wasn¡¯t dressed for it. So, Elijah only led him a couple miles out of town before he stopped and made camp. There weren¡¯t many trees in the steppes, so wood was at a premium. That meant that he was forced to use alternate fuel for his fire. Thankfully, he¡¯d stocked up on coal and dried grass during his previous stint in Khotont. And with hisser pointer firestarter, it was a breeze to get a nice me going. Elijah even dragged a couple of copsable camp chairs from his satchel,pleting the cozy scene. ¡°What happened to your clothes?¡± he asked as Wilhelm leaned close to the flickering mes. ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯te here wearing that.¡± ¡°I¡­I regret to say that I experienced a bit of bad luck,¡± the German man said. His ent wasn¡¯t thick, but Elijah had recognized it all the same. ¡°Ah, I miss my coat. It was Simple-Grade, you know. Waterproof. Very durable. Practically armor in and of itself. Now, who knows where it ended up? If they had just given me a little more credit, I could have won it back. I¡¯m certain of it.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t miss the hint in that statement, but he had no intention of giving Wilhelm any money with which he could gamble. Clearly, the man had a problem, and Elijah wasn¡¯t going to contribute to it. ¡°Here,¡± he said, reaching into his satchel and retrieving a set of warmer clothing and a thick coat he¡¯d used before getting his Cloak of the Iron Bear. They¡¯d been sitting in the bottom of his Ghoul-Hide Satchel since then, forgotten and unused. Wilhelm took the offering with no small degree of gratitude,yering the clothes over his own pitiful outfit ¨C which consisted of a pair of thin pants, a cotton shirt, and a pair of cheap sandals. Elijah also gave him a nket, admitting, ¡°Probably should have stayed in town.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not toote to return,¡± ventured Wilhelm, clutching the nket around his shoulders. It was cold enough that his breath misted with each word. Elijah considered it for a moment, but then he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± he stated. Part of it was that he just didn¡¯t like staying in cities anymore. It was a bit of an odd situation. Usually, he looked forward to visiting new settlements, and he loved the idea of sleeping in a bed or enjoying novel foods while meeting new people. However, he¡¯d be increasingly ufortable with dense civilization, meaning that after the initial burst of excitement that came with new experiences, he usually found himself wanting to head back into the wilderness where he was much morefortable. But the other reason Elijah didn¡¯t want to go back into Khotont came down to Wilhelm. The man clearly had a potent gambling problem, and the city¡¯s residents were more than willing to take advantage of that. He¡¯d even gambled away his clothing. So, it wasn¡¯t a big stretch to think that if Elijah let Wilhelm stay in Khotont for even a day more that the man would end up on the wrong side of more gambling debt. Elijah didn¡¯t so much care about the man¡¯s well-being ¨C outside of what normal humanpassion dictated ¨C but he did want to know about the so-called Conve. And if it was an organization of import, perhaps he could garner some goodwill by helping their member. There were a lot of assumptions at y, but it wasn¡¯t as if Elijah had gone out of his way to help the man. His release hadn¡¯t cost much, and Elijah hadn¡¯t really changed his ns to cater to Wilhelm¡¯sfort. So, if the Conve turned out to be a grandiose name for a weak organization ¨C or worse, a fabrication on the part of Wilhelm ¨C Elijah wouldn¡¯t have lost much. Still, he was eager to know more, so he broached the subject, saying, ¡°You mentioned a Conve. What is it? And why are you in the steppes? Are you an Explorer?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± Wilhelm answered nomittally. ¡°Do you have any food? Water, perhaps? They didn¡¯t treat me poorly while I was in custody, but they were not terribly considerate of my needs, either.¡± Elijah sighed, then reached into his satchel and retrieved a strip of dried meat ¨C it hade from one of the lizards around Seattle ¨C as well as arge tin cup, into which he poured some water from his Evesting Canteen. He handed both to the slight man, who took it with no small amount of gratitude. Wilhelm ate with gusto, tearing into his meal with a fervor that suggested he hadn¡¯t eaten well in days. Maybe the Mongolians hadn¡¯t treated him as well as Elijah had expected. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t long before Wilhelm answered ¨C around a mouthful of food ¨C saying, ¡°The Conve of Travel is an organization of Schrs, Sorcerers, and Tradesmen who have begun to delve into the secrets of long-distance travel via teleportation. I am one of the founding members, and my job is to find appropriate locations and establish anchors so that our Ethereal Artificers can create portal locations.¡± His exnation wasced with pride, and to Elijah, it seemed well-deserved. There was already a teleportation feature inherent in the system of Branches scattered throughout the world ¨C and the wider multi-verse, he assumed ¨C but those had a significant downside in that using them was incredibly expensive. Elijah was likely one of the richest individuals in the region, and the price of using Branch teleportation even a single time would have bankrupted him a hundred times over. So, the notion that someone would have taken it upon themselves to create their own teleportationwork was unsurprising. ording to everything Elijah had learned, that was amon response to the terrible expense of the Branch¡¯s version. Still, Elijah hadn¡¯t expected it to have gotten very far. After all, Earth was still in its infancy, so he expected it to be quite some time before it caught up to the rest of the multi-verse¡¯s level of progress. This story has been uwfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°How does it work?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°How is your grasp of mathematics?¡± was Wilhelm¡¯s responding question. Then, with a grin, heunched into a mathematical exnation that reminded Elijah just how much he hated the subject. Finally, after a few minutes of Wilhelm¡¯s excited recitation of advanced equations, Elijah cut him off, saying, ¡°The basics. I don¡¯t need to know the numbers.¡± ¡°Ah. Right. I sometimes forget that others don¡¯t share my¡­enthusiasm for mathematics,¡± he said with an embarrassed smile. ¡°In the simplest terms I can manage, we tap into the world¡¯s ambient ley lines. Some people call them roots of the World Tree, but we prefer a more neutral term. Regardless, Earth is covered in a dense web of these ley lines, and usually, the locations where they intersect are ces of immense power. Normally, that¡¯s where natural treasures appear. My job is to find these ces, create an anchor so that our Ethereal Researchers and Tradesmen can travel to those locations and establish a portal apparatus.¡± For a moment, Elijah was speechless. The revtion that they were so close to creating a teleportationwork was quite the bombshell, and it left Elijah with a host of questions. But one rose above them all, and he asked, ¡°How many have you found? And how close are you to getting it up and running?¡± ¡°Ah, there¡¯s the rub,¡± answered Wilhelm. ¡°I¡¯m one of the only people capable of traveling through the wilderness with any reliability. Of course, without my bicycle, I will move more slowly, but my feet were, as they say, made for walking. I will manage to find one at some point.¡± ¡°One? So you haven¡¯t found an intersection yet?¡± Elijah asked with disappointment. Then, he continued, ¡°You have a bike?¡± ¡°I do! My pride and joy. When I was young, I would make up all these apocalyptic scenarios in my head,¡± the man eagerly exined, skipping over the first question. That told Elijah the answer. Wilhelm continued, ¡°Zombie invasions and the like. I loved watching those sorts of films. But over time, I came to see all the mistakes they made. For instance, why does everyone go after automobiles? Why do they want to use motorized transport at all? Bicycles are verymon, are suitable for all sorts of terrain, rtively easy to maintain, and, most importantly, only require an able-bodied person to operate. So, the moment the world changed, I found a bicycle shop and took my pick.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah mused. It made sense, but for his part, Elijah would always prefer his own two feet ¨C or wings, as it happened ¨C over any wheeled contraption. ¡°And that¡¯s why you can travel through the wilderness? Is it a special bike? Do you have a ss that uses it or something?¡± ¡°Oh, no. It is just a normal, albeit high-quality bicycle. I¡¯m an Explorer by archetype, and while my ss incorporates some Schr-type abilities, I remain an Explorer,¡± Wilhelm said. ¡°As I said, my job is to find the ley line intersections. I couldn¡¯t do that very well if I had to worry about monster attacks every few kilometers.¡± ¡°Have you found many intersections, then?¡± Elijah asked, returning to his previous question. Wilhelm sighed. ¡°Regrettably, no. The intersections are difficult for me to perceive, even with my abilities,¡± he admitted. ¡°I can only sense them from a maximum distance of a hundred meters. However, there is hope!¡± the man said, thrusting his finger into the air. ¡°With every point of ethera I gain, my detection radius increases by half a meter! I merely need to gain levels in order to aplish my mission.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Elijah said, one facet of his Quartz Mind whirling with the possibilities. Suddenly, a few things clicked into ce. Perhaps the feelings he got when he was looking for ces to build his dolmens had nothing to do with the natural treasures he usually found, but rather, it was possible that he could sense the intersecting ley lines. His very first dolmen hadn¡¯t been built around a natural treasure, but he had still known precisely where to put it. So, after a moment, he asked, ¡°What if I were to lead you to one of these intersections? What would that be worth to you?¡± Wilhelm¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You know of one?¡± ¡°I feel pretty confident that I can find something like you described. So, what kind of a reward are we looking at? Also, how long does it take for your Conve to build the portal apparatus? You said you¡¯re the only one who can travel safely, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­well¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When I left a few months ago, they had yet to crack the code, so to speak,¡± Wilhelm sighed. ¡°They were close. The math all adds up. However, we are missing the key to bring it all together. If we could see an actual teleportation, I feel certain that we could finish the project. The entire Conve is working towards earning enough ethereum to pay for a teleportation via the Branch so that we can study the process.¡± Elijah felt a smile spreading across his face. He didn¡¯t know if Roots of the World Tree functioned on the same principles as the Branches¡¯ teleportation feature, but he was willing to bet they were simr enough to give the Conve some insight into their own research. ¡°And what if I could show you a teleportation? What about multiples? Could you do something then?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Are you so wealthy?¡± ¡°I get by. But that¡¯s not really the point. Do you have the skills necessary to use that information?¡± ¡°I do not. But I do have equipment meant to record any spatial anomalies. I¡¯ve yet to see one, but theoretically, they should exist. With that equipment¡­ah¡­there¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°You gambled your equipment away.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it back,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Now, what do I get if I help you?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Elijah narrowed his eyes. It was a good question. He was capable of traveling very quickly, but a teleportationwork would still be very useful, especially considering that his dolmens were limited in number. Hopefully, that would increase when he upgraded his core ¨C which was still an ongoing process ¨C but he didn¡¯t know by how much. If it was only one extra dolmen, then the teleportationwork would be far more valuable to him than if it was ten more. Regardless, it would be helpful. ¡°Free teleportation once you get yourwork up and running. Also, I want to dictate where the first apparatus goes,¡± Elijah said. ¡°For that, I¡¯ll get your equipment back, and I¡¯ll provide a demonstration of teleportation.¡± Of course, Wilhelm tried to negotiate, but he had no leverage at all. So, he ended up caving to Elijah¡¯s demands. With that, the deal was struck, and Elijah resolved to return to Khotont in the morning so he could recover Wilhelm¡¯s equipment. Then, he would get to work on holding up his end of the bargain. Book 4: Chapter 71: Multi-Tasking Book 4: Chapter 71: Multi-Tasking Surprisingly, getting Wilhelm¡¯s equipment back wasn¡¯t difficult. It helped that word of Elijah¡¯s deeds had already spread throughout the city of Khotont, but he suspected that the gambling den let the items go mostly because they had no use for the esoteric equipment. They were bound to Wilhelm, so even if someone else could figure out what they did, no one else could even use the pieces ¨C at least until he was dead. Because of that, Elijah only had to pay a couple of silver ethereum to obtain the bundle of items. He also recovered the Explorer¡¯s bicycle, which cost a few more coins. The whole ordeal waspleted while Wilhelm slept near the fire. To ensure the man¡¯s safety, Elijah had deployed the tent he¡¯d gotten from Lars, and when he got back, he was reassured to find that it had worked as advertised. Only then did Elijah climb inside and allow himself a little rest. He could keep going for quite some time without eating or sleeping, but it was neverfortable. So, the night¡¯s rest ¨C even if it was only for a few hours ¨C was definitely beneficial. The next morning, Elijah awoke just after dawn and quickly boiled some water for his daily cup of coffee. He had no intention of sharing with Wilhelm, though. Coffee was a limited resource, and Elijah knew he¡¯d need the buff it provided when he participated in the Trial of Primacy. Perhaps there would be another harvest before it began, but until he was certain, he intended to preserve his store as much as possible. Thankfully, he finished the cup before Wilhelm even awoke, so there were no awkward conversations about hospitality. When the Explorer finally did wake up, he was more than surprised to find that his equipment ¨C and more importantly to him, his bicycle ¨C were back. He thanked Elijah profusely, and soon enough, they broke camp, smothered the fire, and set off across the prairie. As he had done outside Argos when he was searching for an appropriate ce to build his first dolmen, Elijah followed his instincts. He couldn¡¯t perceive ley lines, but he could feel the subtle variations in ambient ethera well enough that, at least subconsciously, he stood a good chance of finding the intersections. Still, it took almost the entire day before he felt something ¨C just a twinge ¨C that guided him toward the east. After that, it was only one more day before he reached the confluence of energy that came from intersecting ley lines. Or the World Tree¡¯s roots, as he preferred to think of them. ¡°What does your skill tell you?¡± Elijah asked, ncing at Wilhelm, who¡¯d been riding his bicycle the whole time. The Explorer closed his eyes, clearly focusing as he said, ¡°This is close. Not ideal, but¡­it is worth marking.¡± ¡°No.¡±¡°What?¡± ¡°Not here. I¡¯ll help you find another spot,¡± Elijah said. ¡°This one¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Wilhelm admitted. ¡°You will.¡± While it might make some sense for Wilhelm to mark the spot and move on, Elijah had other ns for the location. It might not be strong enough for the Conve¡¯s purposes, but for Elijah, it was more than adequate to power one of his dolmens. And while it was a bit frustrating that it would leave him with only one more potential dolmen ¨C at least until he upgraded his core ¨C it would give him the ability to bypass the swamp and ess Khotont, which was thergest settlement in the expansive steppes. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t regret it. After exining what he intended to do, he shifted into the Shape of the Sky ¨C which garnered quite a bit of shock from Wilhelm ¨C then set off in search of appropriate materials for the structures. At first, he worried that there would be nothing avable. After all, the region wasn¡¯t particrly rocky. However, he only had to fly south for a few hours before the territory became a bit hillier. It wasn¡¯t a huge change, but it wasn¡¯t long after that that Elijah found a lonely butte formation that towered over the surrounding area. Upon further inspection, he found that it wasposed of sandstone, limestone, and some sort of igneous rock he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Perfect,¡± Elijah said, having shifted back to his human form. He ran a hand along the wall of limestone. It wasn¡¯t a high-grade material like the dragonstone, but he didn¡¯t need it to be, either. The dolmens drew their power from the ley lines, so the materials were far less important than with other important structures. So, while it was mundane, limestone was indeed perfect for his purposes. So, he got to work quarrying appropriately sized blocks. Fortunately, it was a far less difficult process than it had been with the dragonstone, so it only took a couple of days ¨C during which he periodically returned to the camp site to check on Wilhelm, who was perfectly content to monitor the ley line intersection with his equipment. Meanwhile, Elijah quarried the stone he needed, then proceeded to carry them across the in. That took a further few days, but that couldn¡¯t be helped. The distance between the intended dolmen site and the butte formation was close to a hundred miles, so even with Elijah¡¯s travel speed, which was enhanced by Essence of the Wolf, he could only cover the ground so quickly. Thankfully, as he could carry enough limestone for two pieces at a time, he only needed to make fifteen trips. ¡°How does this work, exactly?¡± asked Wilhelm once all the stones had been gathered. Elijah told him, emphasizing that none of it would function properly without his skill. ¡°But the structure of the dolmen affects the quality, though I¡¯m not sure what the result will be,¡± he admitted. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any changes to how my spell works.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Perhaps it will be part of your Legacy. Or maybe it is improving, but at too slow of a rate for you to observe without specialized equipment,¡± Wilhelm suggested. Elijah could already see that the Explorer wanted to start running experiments. Apparently, the man had a background as a scientist, though he was a little cagey about precisely what field of study. Elijah could have probably pushed, but he chose not to. If Wilhelm wanted to reveal details about his past, then he had the right to do so on his own schedule. Regardless, Elijah quickly moved to the next stage of his n, which had nothing to do with the dolmen. Instead, he intended to multi-task by preparing the boar¡¯s hide to the best of his abilities. Ideally, he would do so in his grove, where the ambient ethera was much higher, but he didn¡¯t want to take the extra couple of weeks that would require. Hopefully, flooding the area with One with Nature, Healing Rain, and Nature¡¯s Bounty would suffice. So, ring all three skills, Elijah set about fleshing the enormous hide. The boar had been huge, so the hide was nearly thirty feet wide and about half again as long. That meant that working with the piece was extremely time-consuming and more than a little taxing. Thankfully, Elijah¡¯s endurance was nearly inexhaustible, and he filled the time with working on his core cultivation as well. It took an entire day of strenuous work toplete the task of stripping the excess fat, flesh, and membrane from the hide, but when he was done, he felt quite satisfied. The next step was salting the hide in order to dry it out. Fortunately, Elijah had thought ahead and purchased quite a lot of salt in his most recent trip back to Khotont. He put it good use, generously covering the underside of the piece. He knew that it would take a few days for the salt to dry out the hide, so when he¡¯d finished with that step, he shifted his attention back to the dolmen. Elijah fell into the work, roughly carving the intended shapes. He went with a cuboid shape, with the heel stones being about ten feet tall and four feet wide. The capstones were a little narrower, but at least as long. By the time Elijah had finished carving the rough shapes, three days had passed, and the boar¡¯s hide waspletely dry. So, leaving the dolmen¡¯sponents behind, he started on the next step, which was to remove the hair. With the bear hide, he hadn¡¯t bothered, but for the boar hide, it was necessary for what he intended. Thankfully, he had enough knowledge to manage it well enough. Traditionally, soaking the hide in urine was how people loosened the hair from hides, but for a hide sorge, that just wasn¡¯t possible. So, he chose to employ a slightly more modern approach and used some of his discarded limestone to create lime. Doing so required him to heat the rocks to an incredibly high temperature, then mix it with water. That necessitated another trip back to Khotont so he could buy a kiln. Armed with that, the process went off without a hitch, and he soon had enough lime to do the job. So, he mixed the substance with water, then soaked the hide in arge basin he¡¯d dug. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it worked well enough for Elijah¡¯s purposes. While the hide soaked, he went back to the dolmen, arranging the roughly carved stones into a circle he meticulouslyid out. As he did so, he paid attention to the ambient flow of ethera, and he was happy to see that it adjusted to the new structure, flowing in and around it. That inspection told him that theyout wasn¡¯t perfect, though, so he spent an extra day arranging the stones in such a way that wouldn¡¯t impede the flow of ethera. Unsurprisingly, that meant that the dolmen was a perfect circle. By that point, the lime solution had done its work loosening the tough hairs, allowing Elijah to remove them. It was monotonous work, but he managed it all the same. And after another day¡¯s worth of work, he had finished. That was when the time came to actually tan the hide. Using the same method he¡¯d used with the bear skin that had be his Cloak of the Iron Bear, Elijah concocted the tanning solution using the boar¡¯s brains and some mineral oil he had acquired in Khotont. As before, it was a tedious process, made even more so by the sheer size of the hide. He¡¯d thought about cutting it to pieces and tanning each one individually, but he felt that wouldpromise the integrity of the finished product. Perhaps he was only imagining it, but he didn¡¯t want to take any chances. In any case, once he¡¯d applied a generous coating to the huge piece of leather, he went back to the dolmen and started to refine the shapes. Not only did they need to be as perfect as he could manage, but he also intended to add a host of embellishments that, when he got to that step, took the form of relief carvings of the mighty boar. Back and forth Eliijah went, reapplying the tanning solution to the hide and carving the dolmen¡¯sponents until, atst, he¡¯d finished. Overall, it had taken him over two weeks toplete the entire project, but he felt that it was time well spent. Wilhelm agreed, and he¡¯d filled the hours by taking hundreds of measurements. He had found the process fascinating, and he was almost as eager for the final product as Elijah was. In the end, Elijah gathered everything he¡¯d used and shoved it in his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. It barely fit, which just told him that he needed to return home sooner rather thanter. Once everything was ounted for and camp had been broken, hepleted the dolmen by using Roots of the World Tree. The cast took quite some time, but when it finished, he got the expected notification.
Congrattions! You have created a unique structure: [Circle of the Boar King] Overall Grade: Growth (Current: Complex) Enchantment Grade: D
Then, the next notification came:
Roots of the World Tree Empower a dolmen, connecting it to your grove. Teleport to any circle in yourwork. Cooldown: 3 Days Additional Effect: When inside any circle, create a persistent gateway to any other circle. Duration: 1 Minute. Maximum Capacity: 4. Cooldown: 6 Days Possible number of circles dependent on core cultivation. Current: 5 (4 Used)
The name of the circle wasn¡¯t surprising, but he was a little disappointed that the enchantment grade was lower than the Circle of Spears. Obviously, Carmen¡¯s contribution had helped quite a bit. As soon as the circle waspleted, Wilhelm let out a yelp and stumbled to his backside. ¡°What was that?!¡± he cried, staring at his equipment. ¡°My spell.¡± ¡°Can you do it again?¡± he demanded. ¡°Not here. Did your equipment get your measurements?¡± ¡°It¡­it will take some time to go through the data, but I think so¡­¡± ¡°Awesome. Now, do you want to try it out?¡± Predictably, Wilhelm¡¯s answer was an enthusiastic affirmative. Book 4: Chapter 72: A Thousand Miles in an Instant Book 4: Chapter 72: A Thousand Miles in an Instant Before Elijah activated the gate, he inspected the other notification he¡¯d received afterpleting the preparation of the hide.
Congrattions! You have created a unique item: [Tanned Steelskin Boar Leather] Overall Grade: Complex (mid) Enchantment Grade: n/a
¡°Why are you smiling?¡± asked Wilhelm. ¡°Oh. The hide turned out to be Complex-Grade,¡± he said. ¡°I was worried that it wouldn¡¯t get there because of the low density of ethera around here.¡± ¡°Low?¡± Wilhelm asked. ¡°It is higher than anyce I¡¯ve ever been.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been everywhere,¡± Elijah said, pping the slim man on his shoulder. Despite the fact that Elijah had withheld most of his Strength, Wilhelm still stumbled a little. The man really hadn¡¯t bothered investing in his physical attributes at all. ¡°If you stay out of trouble, I might just show you some new ces.¡±After that, they did onest sweep of the area, just to make sure they hadn¡¯t forgotten to gather anything. Elijah had already dismantled the kiln ¨C it was just a y oven, really ¨C since he didn¡¯t have anywhere to put it, and all of his other possessions remained safely tucked away in his satchel. The Preservation Pack full of meat hadn¡¯t even been opened, save to retrieve the brains Elijah had used to tan the boar¡¯s hide. As far as Wilhelm¡¯s gear, it was in its own box, which the German man wore on his back where it was secured in ce by a pair of leather straps. In short, they hadn¡¯t left anything behind other than therge basin Elijah had dug, but that wouldn¡¯t have much of an impact on the environment. So, without further dy, Elijah used Roots of the World Tree, and when he finally finished the cast, a series of vines snaked out of the ground, weaving together until they formed the familiar portal. The interior shimmered with grey light before revealing a view of the Dragon Circle¡¯s surroundings. ¡°After you,¡± Elijah offered, gesturing to the gate. ¡°You wanted to see teleportation? Well, here it is.¡± Wilhelm was speechless and more than a little frightened. However, his curiosity got the better of him, and he cautiously approached. Then, he reached out to touch the portal, but his hand passed through without issue. After Elijah assured him that it was harmless, the man mustered his courage and stepped through. With a roll of his eyes, Elijah followed. Other than a slight tremor through his Soul channels and an increase in the ambient ethera, stepping across a thousand miles was a bit anticlimactic. One moment, he was in the frigid steppes, and the next he found himself in the much more temperate climate surrounding Argos. Wilhelm fell to his knees. rmed, Elijah knelt beside him, asking, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I am¡­I am fine,¡± the man said, looking around in wonder. ¡°This is amazing. It is everything I¡¯ve ever hoped to achieve.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Elijah responded, feeling a little awkward as he stood and stepped back. ¡°I see.¡± After collecting himself, Wilhelm asked, ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Near a town called Argos,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Greek?¡± ¡°Used to be, I guess. It mostly still is, but they¡¯ve got a decent poption of other nationalities now,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°It¡¯s a nice town. No gambling.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to ¨C¡± ¡°What you do in this town will reflect on me,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret bringing you here.¡± He hadn¡¯t intended to threaten the man ¨C not originally, at least. Rather, Elijah had only wanted to make certain that Wilhelm knew the stakes. However, his intentions were irrelevant to what actually came out. He almost apologized, but in the end, thought better of it. If a threatening demeanor kept Wilhelm in line, then results were all that mattered. After Wilhelm assured Elijah that he would be on his best behavior, the two set off for Argos. It was only after a few hundred feet that Elijah sensed something he didn¡¯t expect. ¡°Stay behind me. Don¡¯t speak unless I give you the go-ahead,¡± he ordered, stepping in front of much more vulnerable Wilhelm. There was a camp up ahead. Two people. One heavily armored, and the other ¨C well, Elijah couldn¡¯t get a good sense of the second person, indicating that some skill was at y. He couldn¡¯t sense any details about the second figure. The pair sat on opposite sides of a small fire, with two tents that stood next to one another a few feet away. The area around them indicated that they¡¯d been there for a few days. Maybe as much as a week, judging by the neatly piled refuse nearby. More concerningly, he sensed that the armored figure was quite strong. She ¨C and it was definitely a woman ¨C radiated a decent amount of power. Less than the boar, but enough to put her on the level of someone like Thor. That put Elijiah¡¯s hackles up, because there were only a few reasons someone like that would be camped so close to his dolmen. And none of them were good. For a second, Elijah considered shifting into his draconid form and ambushing them, but in the end, he thought better of it. There was a chance that he was walking into a trap, but he refused to approach every encounter as if the other party intended to attack him. After telling Wilhelm to head back to the dolmen and giving the German man instructions to flee to Argos if there was trouble, Elijah approached the campsite in his natural form. Even as a human, he could move quite stealthily, so when he stepped into the small clearing, the two people reacted with no small degree of surprise. This content has been uwfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The woman shot to her feet, drawing arge sword from a nearby scabbard that she tossed aside as soon the de was bared. The sword wasrge enough that it was clearly meant to be sheathed on her back, but being in the camp, she¡¯d likely removed it in the name offort. That she hadn¡¯t done so with her armor said something about the sort of woman she was. Regardless, the only bit of skin that wasn¡¯t covered by shining metal was her face. She was quite striking with features that marked her as someone of east Asian descent. Her hair was long, though it had been gathered in a bun atop her head, and herplexion was like ivory. In many ways, the man was the woman¡¯splete opposite. Where she was lithe ¨C even in her armor, which had been made in the European style ¨C the man was quite stocky, with a bit of roundness around the middle. He wore leather armor, a long coat in the same ck material, and a matching hat that reminded Elijah of the people from the Magister¡¯s Estate tower. He was armed with a crossbow, with a pair of shortswords at his waist. Elijah suspected that he carried many more weapons, though. Hisplexion was much darker than that of hispanion, though he was of the same general ethnicity. ¡°Hello. Is it presumptuous to think you¡¯re waiting for me?¡± Elijah asked in a mild voice. The assumption was based on the fact that, in all the time he¡¯d spent around Argos, he¡¯d rarely seen other people traipsing about the wilderness, much less camping there for days at a time. Why would they, when Argos was so close? Most people didn¡¯t relish spending the night outside,rgely because there were so many dangers in the wilds. So, Elijah hade to the conclusion that they were probably waiting for him. ¡°Are you Elijah Hart?¡± asked the woman, her voice a little deeper than he expected. It was still well within the range of femininity, but there was a breathiness to it that was quite unexpected. The other surprise was that she spoke with a posh British ent. Perhaps it was his America-centric upbringing, but he had expected her to have an American ent. Or failing that, then one of the Asian countries. ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± he asked. He¡¯d reengaged his Ring of Anonymity before stepping through the gate, but he didn¡¯t think it would do much good. Still, he didn¡¯t want to volunteer any information. ¡°My name is Sadie Song. This is Dat Bao,¡± she answered, sounding like she¡¯d stepped out of a period drama. ¡°We havee seeking help.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Elijah said, remembering Isaiah¡¯s description of the emissaries who¡¯d visited Seattle looking for help with some sort of situation in Hong Kong. The word ¡°undead¡± had been thrown around. More, Elijah recognized the woman¡¯s name from the power rankings, and he felt certain that, even though he wasn¡¯t in the top ten, the man was in the top one-hundred. ¡°What¡¯s up, bro? You aren¡¯t wearing any shoes,¡± the leather-d Dat Bao stated. His ent was much closer to Elijah¡¯s expectations, but it wasn¡¯t very thick. ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Elijah said with a slight smile. ¡°And you¡¯re dressed like a character from one of those vampire-hunting video games.¡± ¡°I know, bro,¡± Dat said, grinning. ¡°I¡¯m a Witch Hunter.¡± ¡°Dat.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not a secret, bro,¡± he said, shrugging his shoulders at Sadie¡¯s admonishing re. She just shook her head, then turned back to Elijah asking, ¡°You know about our situation?¡± ¡°Some of it. Isaiah Roberts up in Seattle told me a little. You have a zombie problem, right?¡± ¡°Undead. Zombies¡­are the least of our worries. There are many other types, including vampires. And there are demonic creatures.¡± Elijah frowned. Nerthus had once mentioned that demons were one of the elder races, on par with dragons. ¡°Are there actual demons there?¡± he asked, stepping forward. Pointedly, Sadie hadn¡¯t sheathed her sword. She shook her head. ¡°Just beasts. Or the equivalent. The more intelligent undead summon them from hell,¡± she stated. ¡°We typically manage to interrupt those rituals, but we don¡¯t have the means to find them all.¡± Then, she went on to describe the situation in more detail. They had been fighting the undead almost from the very beginning of what she referred to as the apocalypse. Elijah didn¡¯t correct her terminology,rgely because what she described sounded like it qualified for thebel. She went on to exin how they¡¯d managed to fight the undead to a standstill, but added, ¡°We know it won¡¯tst. They will keeping until we conquer the Primal Realm from which they spawn.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t know that much about Primal Realms. Certainly, he was aware that they were like more borate versions of towers and that they could affect the surrounding areas. However, he hadn¡¯t realized that that meant creatures could spill out. Did that mean those creatures were real? Or was there some sort of limiter? Elijah vowed not to specte until he could do some research on the subject. Perhaps Nerthus would know. ¡°And you want my help in the Primal Realm, right?¡± he asked. ¡°We do,¡± she said. ¡°Have you managed to convince anyone else?¡± Sadie¡¯s face remained impassive, but her shoulders slumped slightly. ¡°No,¡± she admitted. ¡°Most are preparing for the uing Trials.¡± ¡°So am I,¡± Elijah admitted. There was less than four months until the Trial of Primacy, which meant that he was going to be cutting it close with his preparations. Stepping forward, he said, ¡°But I will help. I don¡¯t know about the timing or how it¡¯s all going to work out, but I can¡¯t ¨C¡± Sadie took a step back, her face abruptly twisting into a grimace. ¡°Stop.¡± The sudden change surprised Elijah. He asked, ¡°Seriously? You came here to ask for my help. That won¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°You stink of murder,¡± she stated. Elijah could feel her disdain cutting through him like a sharp knife. ¡°How many have you killed? Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands?¡± Elijah¡¯s expression turned to stone. ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡± ¡°Answer the question.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯m not sure. Multiple thousands. I don¡¯t know after that. It depends on what you¡¯re counting.¡± She took another step back, leveling her sword at him. ¡°It¡¯s going to be like that, then?¡± Elijah asked. He knew his kill count was quite extensive, especially if creatures like the orcs or tower denizens were included. In the old world, he would have been considered a monster. Perhaps in the new world as well. But aside from what he¡¯d done to Easton ¨C which still brought up mixed feelings ¨C Elijah was at peace with his actions. Mostly. In pleading tone, Dat addressed hispanion, ¡°Bro¡­¡± ¡°He is a murderer, Dat.¡± ¡°We need murderers, Sadie,¡± Dat responded, the yful tone in his voice gone. ¡°We need killers. He can help us. He wants to help us. Let him.¡± Sadie frowned. ¡°I do not approve,¡± she said. ¡°But we cannot afford to turn down help.¡± ¡°Just the ringing endorsement every man wants to hear when he offers to put his life on the line for perfect strangers,¡± he said. Then, the resentment hit home. He¡¯d agreed to help them, and without hesitation. Yet, the woman had the audacity to judge him without even knowing the circumstances. He didn¡¯t have to deal with that. So, he added, ¡°You know what? Fuck you. Deal with it on your own.¡± He wanted to help, but he wasn¡¯t in the mood to be talked down to our judged. If that was what they wanted to do, then they couldbat their undead invasion without him. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°Dat, we ¨C¡± ¡°No, bro,¡± he said, reaching out to grab her arm. She tried to flinch away, but his hand was a little too quick. He gave her a pointed look. ¡°This isn¡¯t how this was supposed to go.¡± Some unspokenmunication passed between the two, and then Sadie pulled away. Her expression softened, and to Elijah, she said, ¡°I apologize. One of my skills affects my¡­judgement. I am still trying to control it properly. When I sensed the number of people you have¡­in, I overreacted. Please. Forgive me.¡± The apology came through metaphorically gritted teeth, but Elijah could well understand how a person¡¯s perspective could be skewed by an ability. He¡¯d struggled with that ever since he¡¯d started using One with Nature. Still, he wasn¡¯t too keen on helping someone who clearly hated him. The possibility of a betrayal aside, it just didn¡¯t make him feel great. Even so, he forced a smile he didn¡¯t really feel, then said, ¡°No biggy. We all make mistakes and threaten people we just met while using them of being murderers without knowing any context. It¡¯s practically a stereotype, right? In any case, I¡¯ve got business to take care of in Argos. Meet me at Agatha¡¯s inn if you want to discuss it further.¡± With that, Elijah turned around and strode away, intent on doing exactly what he¡¯d said. Regardless of what happened with the curious pair, he still had things he needed to do, and they wouldn¡¯t get done until he went into Argos. Before he¡¯d taken more than a few steps, he stopped and turned back to the twopanions. He said, ¡°Oh. If you ever threaten me again, you¡¯d better be ready for a fight. I won¡¯t let it slide next time.¡± Book 4: Chapter 73: Sins Book 4: Chapter 73: Sins As the infuriating man turned away, Sadie seethed. When she felt ethera start to swirl, she embraced Consecrated Shield. It was an upgrade of the basic Warrior ability, Bulwark, but it was far more powerful.
Consecrated Shield Summon a shield of ethera to protect allies. When it breaks, it releases a wave of healing. In addition, that wave will damage unholy creatures.
When she¡¯d upgraded it, she¡¯d only had two options, and the other choice was a much sturdier shield that was nearly impossible to break ¨C at least under normal circumstances. But Sadie had nevercked for defensive measures, so she¡¯d chosen the option that would allow her to better protect her allies as well asbat the unliving monstrosities that had overrun Hong Kong. Ever since leaving Hong Kong, though, she¡¯d begun to rethink her decision. Against hordes of undead and demonic creatures, Consecrated Shield was a great boon ¨C especially when she was fighting alongside less powerful allies. However, traveling alone in the wider world, it wasn¡¯t all that more useful than its predecessor, Bulwark. Yet, she hoped it would be enough against whatever spell the Druid was casting. The spellpleted after a couple of seconds, and the results were shocking. He didn¡¯t direct some deadly ability her way. Instead, he transformed, his body morphing into a winged, reptilian creature with bright, multi-colored scales. That monsterunched itself into the air and flew away. ¡°Dragon,¡± she muttered. ¡°More of a wyvern, bro,¡± Dat said. She nced over to see that herpanion was staring at the sky ¨C or rather, the rapidly disappearing shape of the winged monster. ¡°Dragons have four legs. Wyverns are more like birds. Might be an amphiptere, though. Maybe a lindworm. But not a dragon.¡±¡°What difference does it make?¡± Sadie asked, letting her own ability fall away. She hadn¡¯tpleted the cast, so it wouldn¡¯t take much ethera or stamina. That was the problem with her Ardent Crusader ss. It was a hybrid, and as such, many of her abilities used abination of ethera and stamina, which meant that her attribute points were more spread out than typical meleebatants. Even so, she wouldn¡¯t have traded it for anything. Without those abilities ¨C regardless of the cost ¨C they would have already lost Hong Kong to the undead. For years, she¡¯d been fighting tooth and nail against those disgusting creatures, and yet, they¡¯d made no real progress. The best they could do was hold the line, and even that stretched her abilities. Without help, she knew that the creatures pouring out of the Primal Realm would overrun the strongholds Sadie and her family ¨C her n ¨C had built. ¡°Well, dragons are kind of a big deal, bro,¡± answered Dat. ¡°Elder race, just like the angels. I don¡¯t think we want to start calling wyverns dragons. Seems like it might be offensive.¡± Sadie¡¯s face remained impassive, but her heart skipped a beat. She knew good and well just how powerful the elder races were. The angel Gabriel had revealed that much, as well as the reality that Earth was under the watchful eye of many powerful entities. Was it unrealistic to think that a true dragon was watching? That they might take offense to her mischaracterization of what she had just seen? ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°I know, bro. What do you think of him?¡± Dat asked. ¡°Never seen a shapeshifter before.¡± ¡°It might be an item,¡± Sadie suggested. ¡°Nah. That¡¯s a spell. Called Shape of the Sky.¡± Sadie shook her head. With a Ranger archetype, Dat was a capable fighter, but he truly excelled in information gathering. He¡¯d saved thousands of lives ¨C and on more than one asion ¨C by predicting their enemies¡¯ movements. Without him, the defense of Hong Kong would have been doomed before it had even started. ¡°You used Eye of the Chosen?¡± she asked. That particr ability allowed Dat to identify a spell, so long as he saw it being cast. It gave him information on the spell¡¯s strengths and weaknesses, but at the cost of a rtively long cooldown. After nodding, he said, ¡°Shape of the sky. Transforms the caster into an airborne hunter. Not great forbat, but good for travel.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Sadie said. She still didn¡¯t like it. If he could transform into a nonbat form that looked like that, it was possible that he could be something much more terrifying. ¡°What do you want to do, bro?¡± Dat asked. ¡°We should head into town,¡± she answered, finally sheathing her sword. As she buckled the strap that held the scabbard on her back, she thought back to their first visit to Argos. It had only been a week before, but it stuck with her,rgely because of how normal the city was. The people there were thriving, and as far as she could tell, they hadn¡¯t had to resort to tyranny to do it. Based on her travels, that was something of a rarity. Most of the leaders she¡¯d met weren¡¯t overtly evil, but in such a dangerous world, personal freedoms were easily sacrificed in the name of security. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. Argos hadn¡¯t gone down that road. And what¡¯s more, the stain of sin didn¡¯t pervade the town, much as it had nearly everywhere else.
Sense of Sin A passive enhancement that allows the Crusader to sense misdeeds.
In many ways, the presence of that ability ¨C which she couldn¡¯t just turn off ¨C was the source of her biggest regret. If she¡¯d known that was what awaited her for choosing the Ardent Crusader ss, she might have picked something else. It had caused so many problems, and it made being around groups of people especially difficult. After all, who was without sin? Who hadn¡¯tmitted some misdeed? It was one thing to know that no person was without sin. Something else entirely to have it shoved in her face every time she met someone new. Normally, it only manifested as a slightly noxious odor, but in some cases, there was a visualponent as well. With Elijah Hart, it looked like he was walking around cloaked in a cloud of smog. The only reason she hadn¡¯t immediately attacked him was because the enhancement ¨C or curse, as she sometimes thought of it ¨C wasn¡¯t foolproof. Just because it said that Hart was guilty of murder, that didn¡¯t mean he actually was. All it meant was that he was a killer. And it made no determination as to whether or not he was justified, which made it fundamentally useless, as far as she was concerned. The world wasn¡¯t ck and white. Rather, it wasposed of shades of gray, whether the ability wanted to acknowledge it or not. Still, Sadie couldn¡¯t help but be influenced by it, and because of her disgust, she had very nearly ruined her chances of getting help from the only person who¡¯d actually agreed to assist her people. Herpse in self-control was as maddening as it was humiliating. Her parents would have been appalled. ¡°What do you think of him?¡± she asked. ¡°He seems cool,¡± Dat answered with a shrug. ¡°Won¡¯t know anything else ¡®til we get to know him. But I have a good feeling.¡± ¡°You always have a good feeling,¡± Sadie said. And it was true. Dat rarely met anyone he didn¡¯t immediately like, and when he did find someone who drew his ire, the reasons were obvious. ¡°Do you think he will help us? Do you think he can?¡± ¡°That depends on you, bro,¡± Dat responded. ¡°He¡¯s stronger than either of us. I¡¯ve never even met a Druid before, and I think his ss is a rare variant. Plus, his cultivation is advanced.¡± That raised an eyebrow. ¡°More than mine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was no hesitation in Dat¡¯s answer, but that didn¡¯t tell the whole story. Dat¡¯s abilities gave him some insight into a person¡¯s cultivation, but it wasn¡¯t as if a person¡¯s entire status wasid bare. ¡°How is that possible?¡± was her next question. She¡¯d thought her cultivation was more advanced than anyone else¡¯s. After all, she¡¯d had the benefit of living most of the past four years in close proximity to a Primal Realm, where ethera density was incredibly thick. ¡°Do you think he has ess to another Primal Realm? Maybe natural treasures?¡± ¡°Druids don¡¯t use natural treasures like that.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re an expert?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done research,¡± he answered. ¡°Druids are a weird archetype. They¡¯re rare, for one. And they don¡¯t consume natural treasures. They protect them. Sure, they¡¯ll cultivate around one if they find it in the wild, but they wouldn¡¯t destroy one.¡± ¡°But that would only be marginally better than not using one at all.¡± ¡°I know, bro. It¡¯s crazy. Druids are crazy. At least that¡¯s what everybody out there thinks,¡± he said, gesturing vaguely toward the sky. Clearly, he meant it to mean the multi-verse. ¡°So, you think he could beat us?¡± Dat shrugged. ¡°Maybe. Better to just not pick a fight for no reason,¡± he said. ¡°That way we don¡¯t have to find out.¡± She didn¡¯t respond, but her mind whirled as she tried to get her feelings under control. She hadn¡¯t liked Elijah Hart from the very first moment she had met him, but that was likely due to Sense of Sin, rather than any reasonable judgement. And that disapproval had forced a negative reaction, which had spiraled. Then, he¡¯d threatened her, the implications of which had rankled her pride. But had he truly done anything to warrant her hatred? No. So, she pushed that feeling aside and focused on what was at stake. She couldn¡¯t let her own weakness take over. She needed to be strong, or her people would be consumed by the undead menace that gued Hong Kong. That meant putting aside her personal feelings and working with the man, even if his very existence made her want to retch. With that in mind, she and Dat broke their camp, packing everything away before heading toward the nearby town. The walk through the wilderness was oddly pleasant, and no wild beasts attacked them. That had been the case since they¡¯d first arrived, though on the second day, Sadie had caught sight of thergest domestic cat she¡¯d ever encountered. When it watched her, she got the feeling that it was at least part of the reason she hadn¡¯t seen any other animal life in the area. In any case, she and Dat soon reached Argos, but when they arrived, she was surprised to see that the odd temple situated atop a hill on the other side of the town had been lit up with ethereal light. ¡°I thought that was just another Greek temple,¡± she said to herself. Once, she¡¯d visited the Parthenon in Athens, so she thought the building up ahead was a recreation of a simr temple. A tourist attraction like the statue of Heracles she¡¯d seen in Argos¡¯ main square. But now, she wasn¡¯t so sure. The statue at the top ¨C which depicted a victorious female warrior ¨C glowed like a beacon. After seeing that, she led Dat through the city, but the streets were far less popted than they had been before. Or at least that was the case until they reached the square at the base of the temple¡¯s hill. There, Sadie saw a crowd of hundreds of people gathered at the base of the stairs. And atop those stairs was a familiar figure. ¡°What is he doing?¡± she asked, taking note of localized rainstorm that extended almost twenty steps from the top of the stairs. To her senses, it glistened with ethera. ¡°Healing, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°I told you ¨C Druids are weird. But they¡¯re usually good guys.¡± ¡°Usually isn¡¯t always.¡± ¡°They can sometimes go full eco-terrorist,¡± said Dat. ¡°I read about one that killed every sapient creature on her because they kept killing guardians and stripping the world of natural treasures. So¡­yeah, bro. Not always, I guess.¡± ¡°Every sapient creature? How?¡± ¡°nts, bro. nts. They¡¯re everywhere.¡± Sadie felt a shudder of fear flow up her spine. She didn¡¯t think Hart was powerful enough to do that, but it did highlight that, despite not being a full-fledgedbat ss, Druids were capable of doing a lot of damage. ¡°But he¡¯s healing people. He can¡¯t be all bad, right? Reminds me of Niko.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed. Her brother spent every waking hour healing the people of Hong Kong. Part of that was due to necessity, but Niko¡¯s personality yed a big part as well. He¡¯d always been selfless, and that trait had only grown stronger after the world had changed. Channeling a bit of Niko¡¯s personality, she started up the steps. She had to shoulder her way through the crowd, but being as how she was obviously powerful and wearing full armor, the gathering parted before her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± asked Dat as he tried to keep up. ¡°Niko¡¯s not the only one who can heal,¡± she answered. Book 4: Chapter 74: A Sleeping Spryggent Book 4: Chapter 74: A Sleeping Spryggent Nerthus sat on the branch of the juvenile ancestral tree, basking in the potent life coursing through its limbs. The tree wasn¡¯t nearly as powerful as its forebear, but then again, Nerthus had never expected it to be. It was still young, and it hadn¡¯t been afforded the same opportunities for growth. Even so, it was maturing well, and now that it had finally connected to its progenitor, Nerthus could atst visit it in person. However, for once, he was less interested in the tree than in the curious creatures scurrying around its base. Nerthus had never had much opportunity to observe other people. Before he¡¯de to Earth, he had been barely more than a seedling, and his sapience was almost entirely undeveloped. Of his old life, he mostly only remembered emotions. Warmth. Love. Comfort. And of course, safety. He had an image of his progenitors, but it was blurry, and at times, he thought that those memories were a figment of his imagination. So, everything he¡¯d witnessed since awakening inside the ancestral tree that had brought him to Earth had been new for him. More than four-and-a-half yearster, the novelty of it all still hadn¡¯t worn off. From Elijah¡¯s stories, Nerthus knew that the was a wild, unforgiving, and violent ce. He¡¯d lost count of how many times Elijah had nearly been killed ¨C which would have been a disaster, both emotionally as well as from a practical standpoint. Until now, though, Nerthus had only known peace. Certainly, there had been the incident with the Voxx surging out of the tower, but Elijah had dealt with that before it had affected Nerthus or the grove. The same was true with the invaders who¡¯de from Ironshore, intent on either vengeance or greed. So, given that, as well as the fact that he¡¯d spent his pervious years safe in his progenitors¡¯ embrace, Nerthus had lived quite a sheltered life, short though it had been. Which was why he found the little creatures below him so fascinating. In most ways, they looked a lot like the dwarves and gnomes who¡¯d skirted the ind on their way to the tower. They were tiny, with slightly stubbier proportions and an exuberance for life that surprised Nerthus. That was on disy as they chased one another through the area known as Druid¡¯s Park. Theyughed and screamed as they ran among giant mushrooms and the vibrant flora that had grown amidst the ever-increasingly dense ethera surrounding the juvenile tree. At first, Nerthus thought the little creatures were engaged in a battle, and he¡¯d very nearly intervened. After all, the off-shoot of the grove was no ce for fighting. Yet, as he watched, he hade to realize that the aim was not to hurt one another. It was apetition, and one whose rules were nebulous at best. The tiny people shouted at one another, making rules up as they went, and Nerthus found himself smiling at their antics. They were all so innocent,pletely unaware of the issues of the wider world. Elijah had given them that. Without him, the entire city would have been overrun with orcs. Or subjected to the dangers of a surging tower. But with his help, they were now safe. The city prospered. And the grove remained safe from outside interference. As he watched, Nerthus channeled nt Authority:
nt Authority Manipte nt life to encourage or discourage growth and cause minor mutations.
It was the signature ability of his ss, Forest Prince, though he enjoyed various other spells and abilities as well. Shifting his attention from the ying children ¨C yes, that was the word; he was certain of it ¨C he looked at his list of abilities. Elijah referred to it as a spellbook, which Nerthus thought was an aptbel:
Archetype: Administrator A nonbat archetype, proficient with organizational skills that can be used to empower and enhance. Features bonuses to Ethera and Regeneration, as well as memory and calction speed. Required Aspect: [Schr], [Memory], [Knowledge]
Abilities
Ethereal Mind Passive ability that organizes thoughts, memories, and new information into an easily searchable database.
Serenity of the Forest Omit all external stimuli in order to improve speed of thought.
Organized Mind Further improve the organization of the mind.
nt Authority Manipte nt life to encourage or discourage growth and cause minor mutations.
nt Prosperity Focus your ethera, creating a perfect environment for nt growth. This story has been uwfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Germination Improve the speed with which nt life will mature.
Rain of Regeneration Summon a gentle rain that will increase an entity¡¯s Regeneration by one-hundred (100) points. Only usable in areas with high ethera density.
ss: Forest Prince The Forest Prince is a hybrid ss derived from the Sorcerer, Druid, and Administrator archetypes. It is meant to protect nature and nurture growth.
Establish Realm Create a bond with the forest over which you will rule. Size of the realm determined by ethera, stage of core cultivation, and time. Current: 20.3 Square Miles.
Animate nts Within your Realm,mand nt life to be your minions. Number based on ethera attribute. Current: 6
Empower Guardian Nurture a guardian beast, empowering them to better protect your forest.
Forest Protector Greatly improve all attributes, dependent on ethera density. Duration based on strength of the bond. Current: 7.9 minutes.
As a spyrggent, Nerthus did not get quite as many abilities as most others. His memories were fuzzy on the subject, but he thought that had something to do with his race¡¯s origins. Though even with abilities like Ethereal Mind and Improved Memory, he couldn¡¯t quite remember why that would have anything to do with it, and it wasn¡¯t as if he could visit a Branch to find out. Not yet, at least. Perhaps one day Elijah¡¯s grove would growrge enough to earn an existing Branch. For most groves, that wasn¡¯t an issue. They were collectives popted by not just Druids, but by nature-attuned Warriors, Rangers, Tradesmen, and every other archetype. But Elijah was something of a loner, and it didn¡¯t seem likely that would change anytime soon. But maybe the very children chasing one another around the park would end up with a nature attunement. Or Miguel would choose to form a bond with his uncle¡¯s grove. The opportunities to expand would present themselves, Nerthus was certain. He need only wait. After a few more minutes of watching the children, Nerthus noticed that the person on whom he¡¯d been waiting had arrived in the park. The gnome stayed to the edges, obviously hesitant, but the entire park was within Nerthus¡¯ purview. So, he had no issues slipping into the tree, following its widespread roots to a location just a few feet away from the gnome, and rising from the ground. ¡°Hello, Biggle,¡± he said. ¡°Have youe to agree to my terms?¡± The little Alchemist whipped around, startled by Nerthus¡¯ sudden appearance. That was gratifying to the spryggent, but Nerthus wasn¡¯t certain why it amused him. ¡°Gods below, you scared me out of my skin!¡± Biggle said in a squeaky voice. ¡°Don¡¯t sneak up on me like that!¡± ¡°My apologies,¡± Nerthus said with an acquiescent bow. However, he did allow himself a slight smile that he was sure Biggle wouldn¡¯t recognize. When he rose to his full height, his face was once again unreadable. ¡°Do you agree?¡± ¡°Nice to see you, too,¡± Biggle grumbled, unshouldering his pack. He reached inside and retrieved a small pouch. ¡°This is what you wanted, right?¡± As he asked the question, Nerthus cast his awareness to the seeds in the pouch. ¡°Cascading briar,¡± Nerthus identified them. ¡°Poor specimens, but that is no matter. What of the others?¡± ¡°All here,¡± Biggle answered, patting therger pack. And indeed, Nerthus could feel the wide variety of seeds inside. Some were meant to increase the density of the ambient ethera within the grove, but others would be foodstuffs to rece the inefficient berry bushes that took up so much room. As much as Elijah liked those fruits, they used an inordinate amount of ethera, at leastpared to the effects they provided. There were many other fruits that would provide simr ¨C or better ¨C results while absorbing a fraction of the ambient ethera. The rest were meant for a project concerning the rest of the ind, and they would either provide defensive measures or further raise the density of the local ethera. Nerthus¡¯ instincts told him that he¡¯d only barely managed to scratch the surface of what was possible, and from the guides he¡¯d had Miguel or Carmen purchase, he knew it wasn¡¯t umon for a true Druids¡¯ grove to possess an ethera density hundreds of times thicker than the surrounding area. As it was, the ind fell far short of that mark, and Nerthus wanted to change that. Part of that determination was based on his instincts. He wanted the area to thrive. However, it was also because his ss ¨C as well as his race ¨C was inextricably tied to the grove. As it grew stronger, so too would he. ¡°Good. Then I will allow you to grow your little fungi here,¡± said Nerthus. He had initially nned to destroy the invasive mushrooms, but had instead chosen to use their presence to his advantage. They were even more ethera-hungry than the berry bushes, but it wasn¡¯t such a big deal outside the true grove. He could work around it in Druid¡¯s Park. ¡°You will leave the pack on the beach before tomorrow morning. Until then¡­¡± Nerthus trailed off. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Biggle, for once reading the spryggent¡¯s expression. ¡°I must go,¡± Nerthus answered. Then, without warning, he slipped through the ground and into the ancestral tree¡¯s roots. Without hesitation, he sped along the ethereal connection between it and its progenitor. He moved far more quickly than normal, but he didn¡¯t stop once he reached the grove. Instead, he raced along the roots of therger ancestral tree, aiming for the edge of the ind. Because a watercraft he didn¡¯t recognize had juste into range. * * * Guinevere Mcintosh gripped the aluminum edge of the raft, crouching low as they approached the rocky shore of the ind. It looked inhospitable, but it was still better than the ind that had been her home for the past four-and-a-half years. The mere fact that the local airspacecked giant, predatory birds or monsters was enough to make her feel safer than she¡¯d felt since the world had ended. Still, the vegetation only a few feet from the shore was as dense as any jungle she had ever seen, and as such, she was well aware of just how many dangers it could hide. That was how the new world worked. Everything ¨C even the flora ¨C was capable of killing them. She¡¯d learned that lesson the hard way. ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked, ncing at John. The man didn¡¯t look away from the shore. His appearance was nothing like it¡¯d been when she had first met him. Back then, he was clean-cut, with a square jaw and a face that wouldn¡¯t have been out-of-ce in aic book. Now, he wore a great, bushy beard, his hair was long and unkempt, and he bore arge, puckered scar that cut diagonally across his face from his right temple all the way to his jaw. In addition, he was missing all bout four fingers, and she knew for a fact that he walked with a limp. Guinevere had plenty of her own scars to show for their hardships, but none were as visible as his. And she was one of the few survivors who had managed to keep all her digits. ¡°It¡¯snd. We don¡¯t have much of a choice,¡± John said, finally pulling his gaze from the beach. ¡°The others are depending on us to find help, and this is our only chance.¡± Indeed, the raft they¡¯d built was barely holding itself together. That wasn¡¯t surprising, given the punishment it had endured. John and Guinevere weren¡¯t the only ones onboard, but they were the only two in any condition to make decisions. Rajesh, Leo, and Ada had been knocked unconscious by some tentacled nightmare they¡¯d encountered on the open ocean. The only reason they hadn¡¯t been shipwrecked was because of an enormous dolphin that had attacked the monster. Even then, the damage had been done, and the raft they¡¯d spent so long building had been reduced to little more than flotsam. The ones who¡¯d been stung by those tentacles had slipped intoas from which they¡¯d yet to recover even a weekter. But if there was one thing they were ustomed to, it was hardship. They had learned to endure well past what could be expected of any reasonable human being. And they would continue to do so because they were survivors. ¡°Nothing else for it,¡± John said, paddling them forward. Once, the raft had been a true boat, with three banks of oars and the benefit of the most powerful enchantments their Tradesmen could imbue into its hull. But the rough seas and the tentacle monster from the deep had changed that. Gwenivere was used to making do, though. It was the same for the rest as well. Soon enough, the raft crunched into the pebbly shore. A few hundred yards away, Guinevere saw a huge crab scuttling along, but it hadn¡¯t noticed them. It looked fearsome, but her Eyes of the Sentinel ability told her that it was far less dangerous than its size would suggest. Durable, sure. And potentially annoying to kill. But itcked intelligence and offensive prowess. Besides, she and the rest of the survivors were used to much deadlier monsters than an overgrown crab. Still, she kept an eye on it as she dismounted the raft. The moment her feet hit dry ground, she wobbled, then stumbled to her knees. They¡¯d been at sea for too long, and theck of rocking back and forth made her dizzy. She pulsed Recovery, increasing her Regeneration as she looked around. The forest was thicker than anything she¡¯d ever experienced, but that wasn¡¯t saying anything, really. She wasn¡¯t that well-traveled, and before recently, she¡¯d only ever been to her home country of Irnd. That felt like a lifetime ago, though. She had been so na?ve. So soft. She barely recognized the woman in her memories. Once she¡¯d gotten her feet under her, she reached down and helped John to drag the raft fully ashore. However, they¡¯d only just managed it when a rustle in the nearby forest drew her attention. She whipped around, hefting her axe. By that point, it was toote, though. A creature made of roots and branches burst forth from the trees, roaring in fury. Before Guinevere could react, six ambtory trees threw themselves from the forest and surrounded them. She shouted, embracing Flowing de as she leaped forward, intending to hack the root monster apart with her rough-ded machete, but before she could do anything, vines erupted from the forest and snaked around her, John, and the three unconscious bodies. They moved so quickly that she hadn¡¯t even had a chance to react. Then, as if being trussed up wasn¡¯t enough, a quartet of deer ¨C one with a giant rack of crystalline antlers ¨C charged through the brush, joining the monstrous trees. It was then that Guinevere realized that her journey hade to an end. She had been through so much, had endured so many hardships ¨C it was galling that when she and the others had finally escaped that terrible atoll, they¡¯d meet such an ignominious fate. Book 4: Chapter 75: Survivors Book 4: Chapter 75: Survivors ¡°If you keep making that face, it¡¯ll freeze like that,¡± said Elijah, looking up from his meal of searedmb chops and spanakorizo. Themb chops were well-seasoned and vorful, with a hint of lemony zest, but the real star of the meal was the spanakorizo, which was a dishposed of spinach and rice. For Elijah, it was a nice change from the rtively nd dried meat that made up most of the meals he¡¯d eaten while traveling. And while he¡¯d enjoyed the Mongolian fare, he had to admit that there was a special ce in his heart ¨C or perhaps his stomach ¨C for Greek food. Especially when it was made by Agatha, who clearly had a potent cooking skill. But the deliciousness of the meal seemingly had no effect on Sadie Song, who sat across from him. Her food remainedrgely untouched, and her resting expression seemed to be one of mingled disgust and disdain. The only time it had changed was when she had joined him at the Temple of Virtue, where she¡¯d contributed to healing the people of Argos. And there were plenty of takers, too. More than Elijah would have expected, if he was honest. Argos had grown, but they were still afflicted with a dearth of Healers. As such, only the most egregious wounds were treated with any regrity. Beyond that, the poption had to rely on mundane cures and tonics made by Tradesmen dedicated to alchemy-rted fields. Even those were rare, which meant that unless their illnesses or injuries were life-threatening, the only healing avable was what Elijah offered at the Temple. The only issue with that was that he was rapidly bing something of a folk hero for the people of Argos. It wasn¡¯t difficult to understand why, either. With a backdrop of the grandiose Temple of Virtue, he cured their illnesses and mended their injuries without question or demands. In their eyes, that made him a saint. So, he¡¯d been d to see that Sadie had chosen to join in, if only because the act shifted some of the attention from him. It was also a little surprising. When Elijah first met her, he¡¯d taken the armor and giant sword to mean that she was a Warrior. However, she was capable of healing as well, which meant that she was, at the very least, some sort of hybrid, just like him. That was where the simrities ended, though. Elijah¡¯s brand of healing was gentle, and in a lot of ways, it functioned by injecting vitality into a person and letting their body take over, healing via its own natural processes. From the outside looking in, it looked miraculous ¨C and it was ¨C but Elijah knew that it was just a sped-up version of what would normally ur. Mostly. But Sadie¡¯s healing was very different, involving beams of light descending from above. Elijah wasn¡¯t capable of tracking it as well as he could his own healing, but Sadie¡¯s spells seemed far closer to miracles than his own. Still, her spells were no more effective than his. In fact, he suspected that they were a little more limited in efficacy, especially after he¡¯d evolved Touch of Nature into Nature¡¯s Bloom, which had performed above expectations. The initial effect was at least twice as powerful as Touch of Nature, and the bloom effect was as advertised, adding a second bout of healing twenty secondster. However, the best part was that, finally, Elijah could cast the spell from afar. The range was still short ¨C maybe ten feet ¨C but even that small distance was a good deal more convenient than having toy his hands on someone in order to heal them.It wasn¡¯t all good news, though. With that increased power came an increase in cost as well. Before, he could cast Touch of Nature almost indefinitely without draining his ethera. But now, Nature¡¯s Bloom took so much energy that he could only cast it fifteen times before exhausting the contents of his core. So, he knew he would need to be judicious with his use of the spell going forward. Fortunately, Soothe and Healing Rain were still just as efficient as ever, and for the most part, they were sufficient for his purposes. Having Nature¡¯s Bloom in his back pocket for when he needed rapid healing was nice, though. In any case, as eager as he was to test his new spell a little more, he was more concerned with the pair sitting across from him. Barely a moment passed that Sadie wasn¡¯t ring at him, but at least Dat seemed amiable enough. ¡°What?¡± she asked, responding to his previous statement. ¡°That¡¯s what my mom used to tell me,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°If you keep making that face, it¡¯ll freeze like that. I¡¯m pretty sure she wasn¡¯t being serious, but I think the sentiment still applies.¡± Her jaw flexed, and it was clear that she was grinding her teeth. Elijah¡¯s mother would¡¯ve had something to say about that, too, but in this instance, he chose discretion. ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sadie asked. If Elijah hadn¡¯t already heard her exnation of the situation back in Hong Kong, he might¡¯ve thought that single word was the extent of her vocabry. ¡°We talked about this,¡± Dat said with a sigh. ¡°Be nice.¡± She red at him, too. ¡°I once saw a movie where a guy said that massaging his earlobes and saying ¡®woosah¡¯ helped with anger management,¡± Elijah offered. ¡°Maybe do that?¡± ¡°Did you just give her advice from Bad Boys 2?¡± Dat asked. ¡°Bro. That¡¯s my favorite movie, bro!¡± ¡°You are an idiot,¡± Said sighed, dipping her head and massaging her temples. When she looked up, her face was almostpletely impassive. There was still a slight wrinkling of her nose when she looked at Elijah that suggested she¡¯d smelled something off-putting, but it was markedly better. ¡°I apologize for my behavior. I will try to do better.¡± If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Elijah gave her his best grin. ¡°Water under the bridge. I¡¯m just ¨C¡± Just then, he heard the inn¡¯s door open, and a familiar figure strode in. Delh wore her adventuring get-up, which meant that she looked a bit like Wonder Woman, but with a bit more muscle than in the movies. She didn¡¯t hesitate to cross themon room, then slide onto the bench next to Elijah. ¡°I heard you were back in town,¡± she said, putting her hand on his back. ¡°But here you are having dinner with another woman. Color me jealous.¡± She said it as a joke, but Elijah knew Delh well enough to recognize that there was more than a little truth to the remark. ¡°Whoa, bro. Your girlfriend is yoked,¡± Dat said. Then, to Delh, he asked, ¡°Do you lift? What¡¯s your routine?¡± ¡°Not my girlfriend,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Just a friend.¡± ¡°Well, not just a friend,¡± Delh added, shifting closer. ¡°Right,¡± he said, feeling just how ufortable everyone was. ¡°But ¨C¡± Suddenly, the facet of Elijah¡¯s mind that was dedicated to monitoring his locus went off. Normally, he barely even paid attention to it, but he¡¯d long since managed to establish a mindset where he would be aware of any major changes. And strangersnding on the shores of his ind definitely qualified for thatbel. There were five of them. Three men, two women. All but a single man and woman were unconscious, but the two that remained active seemed strong enough to cause trouble. Anger erupted in Elijah¡¯s mind. He had told them. He had made it abundantly clear that no one was allowed on his ind without permission. And yet, there they were, acting as if they belonged. As if hismands didn¡¯t matter. They were human, which suggested that they were neers to Ironshore. Imports from Norcastle that hade along with the trade deal. He¡¯d expected it to happen eventually, but he¡¯d hoped to avoid what would almost assuredly be an unpleasant situation. ¡°I have to go,¡± he said, already casting Roots of the World Tree. Thankfully, the function that would return him to his ind wasn¡¯t on cooldown, which just further emphasized that he needed to be careful with how he used the spell. The worst thing that could happen would be if someone or something invaded his ind and he couldn¡¯t immediately teleport back. ¡°What? Why?¡± demanded Sadie. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you!¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, bro?¡± ¡°Is everything okay?¡± asked Delh, clearly intending to help. It was a nice gesture, but Delh was barely level fifty. Anything that could hurt Elijah would obliterate her, regardless of howbat-focused her ss was. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be back in a week or so,¡± Elijah said. Then, without further dy, he finished the casting of his spell and disappeared. Only a momentter, he reappeared in the center of his grove. As he did, he saw through his locus that Nerthus had already responded to the intrusion, and in an unexpected way. There were six ambtory trees already surrounding a makeshift raft, and the people who¡¯de onshore were wrapped in twisting vines. Elijah¡¯s original n for a response was to fly to the beach in question, but seeing that Nerthus had the invaders well in hand, he chose to run instead. And given his attributes and Essence of the Wolf, he could cover quite a lot of ground in a hurry. So, he arrived after only a couple of minutes. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you had this in you, buddy,¡± he said, approaching Nerthus. The spryggent had once again grown, reaching a height that exceeded Elijah¡¯s own, if only by an inch or so. He nced at the ambtory trees. ¡°You have control of those?¡± ¡°Of the trees, yes. It is a skill. The guardians, no.¡± Elijah had noticed the family of deer nearby, but he¡¯d thought nothing of it. They often roamed across the whole ind, so he hadn¡¯t thought that they were responding to a threat. That they had was a great source offort. The two adults could pack quite a punch, which would probably help to dissuade any unwanted visitors. ¡°Have you spoken to them?¡± he asked, ncing past the tree line and to the surrounded watercraft. The raft was in an advanced state of disrepair, and it looked like it would fall apart at the first sign of rough seas. The people weren¡¯t in much better condition, with three of them being unconscious and the other two looking like they¡¯d just stepped off the set of the movie Waterworld. The woman did spark some degree of recognition, though Elijah wasn¡¯t certain why that would be. As far as he could remember, he¡¯d never seen her before in his life. And with her mane of red hair and striking appearance, he thought he would remember someone like that. Perhaps he was just predisposed to looking at pretty women in a favorable light, because the man who¡¯d apanied her waspletely unfamiliar to Elijah. Aside from looking like he needed a trip to the barbershop ¨C or a nice, hot shower ¨C the only remarkable thing about him was a long scar that ran diagonally across his face. And he was missing quite a few fingers, Elijah noted. There was something else going on. These people didn¡¯t look like they¡¯de looking for a fight, and if they¡¯d originated in Ironshore, then surely they would have used a proper boat, rather than something that looked like it had been assembled from discarded flotsam. Elijah stepped out of the trees, his staff clicking against the rocky shore as he approached the captive invaders. He asked, ¡°Who are you, and why have youe to my ind?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes widened as she dered, ¡°Please, we need your help!¡± The moment she spoke, Elijah remembered a frightened, red-haired woman with an Irish ent. More than four years ago, he¡¯d been seated next to her when the ne had been torn to pieces by a giant bird. He didn¡¯t remember her name, though. ¡°You were on the ne with me, weren¡¯t you?¡± he blurted. Then, he nced at the scarred man. His memory of that flight was more than a little fuzzy. After all, he¡¯d still been reeling from chemotherapy and preparing himself to die. So, he had missed quite a few details. However, he thought the man tangled in Nerthus¡¯ roots could have been the pilot he¡¯d seen upon boarding. The woman¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you another survivor?¡± she asked. ¡°I am. I think¡­I think we need to have a little talk,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Nerthus, let them go.¡± The spryggent didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he simplyplied. The roots retracted, and the two conscious survivors copsed to the ground. Elijah didn¡¯t immediately approach, but he did summon Healing Rain and cast Soothe on each of the castaways. The healing wouldn¡¯t do much for the three unconscious people. They had more issues than a simple heal would fix. Namely, they were starved, dehydrated, and exhausted. But the healing would help. As those heals took effect, Elijah reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and retrieved a handful of his grove berries. Then, he offered the little fruits to the conscious couple. They took them eagerly, ingesting them without hesitation, and immediately, they began to recover their lost energy. Once they looked like they weren¡¯t about to keel over, Elijah said, ¡°Now, I think it¡¯s time you tell me your story. I¡¯ll help however I can.¡± Book 4: Chapter 76: A Familiar Face Book 4: Chapter 76: A Familiar Face It quickly became apparent that none of the people aboard the boat were in any condition to tell a story. The redheaded woman was mostly healthy, but her demeanor was akin to what Elijah would have expected from a cornered animal. Her eyes darted back and forth, and she tensed at every stray sound. It didn¡¯t help that Nerthus¡¯ trees were still there. Nor did the presence of the stag help. The other deer had already lost interest, but the giant hart, with its crystalline antlers glowing with moonlight, refused to go anywhere. So, Elijah said, ¡°You know what? I think we¡¯d all be morefortable if I took you somewhere a little more civilized.¡± ¡°W-where?¡± the woman demanded. ¡°There¡¯s a town a couple of miles that way,¡± Elijah said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to go by boat, but¡­well, they¡¯re a lot better equipped to help you and your friends than I am.¡± ¡°A town?¡± ¡°Ironshore. It¡¯s new,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°Nerthus, help me with the unconscious ones.¡± In his absence, Carmen had moved the rowboats to the dock, so that was Elijah¡¯s intended destination. The boat in which the castaways had arrived didn¡¯t look very seaworthy, and thest thing Elijah wanted to do was rescue a bunch of drowning people in the event their makeshift vessel broke apart. ¡°What¡¯s your name, by the way? I¡¯m sorry that I don¡¯t remember, but it was more than four years ago,¡± he said. ¡°A lot has happened since then.¡± ¡°Guinevere,¡± the redheaded woman answered. ¡°And that¡¯s John. The three in the boat are Rajesh, Leo, and Ada.¡±Those three still hadn¡¯t awoken, but Elijah¡¯s efforts in healing had at least dragged them away from the brink of death. He would have settled down to do more, but he was more than eager to get them away from his ind. It wasn¡¯t a ce for strangers, and the only way he intended to tolerate their presence was if there was absolutely no other option. If it was a choice between revealing his secrets and letting them die, he would certainly do whatever was necessary to keep them from that fate. But now that they weren¡¯t in danger of passing away from exposure ¨C or whatever had knocked them unconscious ¨C he had the option of protecting the knowledge of his grove. Besides, after the reception Nerthus had given them, they didn¡¯t seem particrlyfortable on the ind. Still, it took some convincing to get them to follow him. Elijah understood it ¨C they looked like they¡¯d been through a lot ¨C but in the end, his help was contingent on them following his lead. If they chose not to ¨C or if they showed violent tendencies ¨C he would do what needed to be done. Fortunately, they were too exhausted to put up much resistance, and soon enough, they were following him along the shore toward the dock. Elijah had to deal with one of the crabs along the way, but by that point, the crustaceans were so weak ¨C inparison to him ¨C that he only had to use Snaring Roots to immobilize the creature while they moved on. By the time the spell wore off, the party had gotten far enough away that the intellectually limited crab had forgotten about them. After only half an hour, the group reached the dock Elijah had had built to amodate the dragonstone blocks. It was a sturdy thing, muchrger than he now needed, and the construction certainly suggested a level of development Guinevere and John hadn¡¯t expected. It was surprising enough that it actually took them a few moments to notice Ironshore a couple of miles away. Often, Elijah took the city¡¯s growth for granted. Part of it was that he just didn¡¯t care all that much about a few extra buildings or the wall they¡¯d built for protection. However, that attitude was also the result of how gradually it had expanded. Yet, when he thought back to his first visit, when Ironshore had been only a little better than a mining camp, he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the urbanity now on disy. The average building hadn¡¯t grown appreciablyrger, but there were a few that towered more than ten stories tall. But thergest difference was the architecture,yout, and the density of development. It looked a lot like an idealized version of Victorian London, though with a lot more trees ¨C at Elijah¡¯s insistence ¨C andcking the pall of smog that such a city might¡¯ve had in the past. One thing Elijah would say about the changed world ¨C withbustion having been so negatively affected, people had been forced to turn to cleaner forms of energy. In some ces like Easton or Argos, that meant using sr and wind power, but in Seattle, they¡¯d incorporated ethera into the mix. Ironshore exclusively used ethera to power lights and the few mechanical devices they habitually used. So, the atmosphere surrounding it was much cleaner than any city of its size would have been before Earth had transformed. It took some doing to get everyone back in the boat. Clearly, both John and Guinevere had some serious trauma rted to the ocean, and the fact that the strait was mostly protected from the true behemoths of the sea did little to assuage those issues. Regardless, the draw of civilization was too great for them to resist, and eventually, they climbed aboard. Once they did, Elijah started rowing. Which reminded him of how grateful he was that he could now fly. He certainly hadn¡¯t missed paddling across the strait. Regardless, with his attributes, it didn¡¯t take very long to cover the distance and arrive at the Ironshore docks. That¡¯s when the castaways got their next shock. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± asked John, staring at a goblin fisherman. ¡°Is that a¡­little person?¡± asked Gwenivere. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Oh. Shit. I forgot to tell you that Ironshore was founded by gnomes, dwarves, and goblins,¡± Elijah said. ¡°For the most part, they¡¯re decent people who are just trying to survive.¡± Of course, they didn¡¯t take Elijah at his word, and when they climbed onto the docks, they did so with no small degree of caution. Fortunately, another familiar face was in the area. ¡°Colt!¡± Elijah half shouted. ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, hoss?¡± asked the cowboy as he sauntered down the dock. He had reced his missing hand with a solid, metal facsimile. It didn¡¯t move ¨C not like Isaiah¡¯s mechanical leg ¨C but Colt didn¡¯t let that affect him. He was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and his armor, and the dust coating everything suggested that he¡¯d just gotten back to the city. ¡°I was ¡®bout to head over to the ind.¡± He tipped his hat to Gwenivere, adding, ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± Elijah exined what had happened, and Colt helped him gather the still-unconscious people. A few dwarves pitched in, and soon enough, they were nestled snuggly in the healing house, as the locals referred to it. Elijah couldn¡¯t think of it as a hospital,rgely because they didn¡¯t practice medicine as he knew it. Instead, they were wholly reliant on magical healing and alchemical solutions provided by Biggle¡¯s operation. Once they were settled in ¨C and Gwenivere and John were satisfied that they were being cared for ¨C Elijah escorted them to the Imperium, where he rented them a multi-bedroom suite. The pair were more than a little impressed with the d¨¦cor, and Elijah wasn¡¯t particrly happy about the cost, but he felt the castaways deserved a little pampering after what they¡¯d been through. When they went upstairs to get cleaned up, Eliijah also went to Mari¡¯s shop and bought them some basic clothes to rece the rags they were wearing. After that, he had one of the Imperium¡¯s employees take the clothes to the suite while Elijah settled in to wait in the lobby. ¡°Where do you think they¡¯ve been?¡± asked Colt, sitting in a chair near Elijah. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. ¡°They looked like they¡¯ve had a pretty rough go of it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elijah said truthfully. He hadn¡¯t gotten any details, but there was a suspicion tickling the back of his mind. ¡°They were on the same ne as me, though. Ripped apart like two seconds after Earth was touched by the World Tree. I guess I was the lucky one, even if it didn¡¯t feel like it at the time.¡± ¡°How many survived?¡± Elijah shrugged again. ¡°At least these five, I guess. I don¡¯t know anymore,¡± he admitted. ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Elijah agreed. After that, they fell into afortable silence. That was one thing he liked about Colt. The man didn¡¯t speak unless he had something to say. Eventually, a much cleaner pair emerged from upstairs. They¡¯d still clearly been through the wringer, but they seemed much more energetic than before. Elijah hoped that a good meal would help them recover, so he took them to a small restaurant that could offer both privacy and generous portions. It wasn¡¯t as good as the Stuck Pig, and it certainly wasn¡¯t as fancy as what they could¡¯ve gotten in the Imperium, but it was still better than most. At first, Gwenivere and John were a bit reticent, but once the food started flowing, they loosened up. And eventually, they told him of the events they had experienced over the past four years. ¡°The ne crashed in the middle of an ind,¡± Gwenivere said after stuffing herself. ¡°It was a volcanic ind surrounded by an enormous atoll. That, in turn, is surrounded by an eternal storm that¡¯srger than any cyclone I¡¯ve ever heard about. We were in the eye of the storm. But so were the harpies.¡± Elijah paled as she went on to describe the creatures and exin that a year before, the harpies had blessedly disappeared, flying through the storm and giving the survivors peace. Until that point, they¡¯d had no choice but to hide in an extensive cave system that was popted by all sorts of dangerous monsters. Butpared to the harpies, shing with the cave monsters was far more preferable. With the harpies gone, though, they had finally gotten up the courage to leave the caves, and they¡¯d even scavenged enough material to build a boat that they hoped could survive the storm. ¡°Then, the harpies came back,¡± John said, his voice grave. ¡°We lost almost half our people before we could get back to the caves. That¡¯s when we knew we had no choice but to leave. They¡¯d never give us peace. The others ¨C about fifty are left, now ¨C are still there, hiding in the caves. We started off with almost two-hundred. I don¡¯t know how so many survived the crash. But it won¡¯t be long until they¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need help,¡± Gwenivere said. ¡°Otherwise, they¡¯re all going to die.¡± It was not the exnation Elijah had expected, but after having experienced the wrath of the harpies, he knew just how deadly those creatures could be. He was one of the strongest people in the world, and they¡¯d nearly killed him once before, so he expected that they could rip through normal people without issue. That the ne crash survivors had been forced to hide underground was not surprising, given what Elijah knew. He''d wondered where the harpies hade from as well as where they¡¯d ended up. Now he knew. Or at least he hoped that was the case. The alternative ¨C that there were two flocks of those monsters flying around out there ¨C was enough to send a shiver of fear up his spine. But he knew he couldn¡¯t help. Not immediately, at least. Not only was the Trial of Primacy on the horizon, but he¡¯d alreadymitted to assisting Sadie Song in Hong Kong. And between helping tens of thousands of people and saving fifty, he knew which way he¡¯d go. More, Elijah had seen the storm Gwenivere had referenced. He¡¯d experienced the outskirts, and he knew that he wouldn¡¯t easily make it through, even if he chose that route. As the woman looked at him expectantly, he asked, ¡°How long can they survive underground?¡± John was the one to answer. ¡°As long as necessary. They have orders not to go topside unless there¡¯s no other choice,¡± the scarred man said. ¡°The caves are dangerous, but it¡¯s a danger they know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to help,¡± guessed Gwenivere. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Not immediately, at least. I¡¯ve encountered those harpies once before. I can¡¯t beat them alone. I barely survivedst time. I need to get stronger, or I need help. I have ns for both, but they¡¯re going to take some time.¡± ¡°How long?¡± she demanded. ¡°The Trial of Primacy is in four months,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe a little less ¨C I sometimes lose track of time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s closer to three,¡± supplied Colt. ¡°Right. That,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to help Hong Kong, which has been overrun by undead and demons. Hopefully, that will solve my issues. I¡¯ll get stronger, and I¡¯ll secure the help of my allies from Hong Kong. Then, we can go after your people.¡± Gwenivere clearly wasn¡¯t happy about that, but she held her tongue. Byparison, John seemed a little more understanding, though disappointment was still etched on his scarred face. However, Elijah had been entirely truthful with them. Even if he could help them ¨C which, given the power of the harpy flock, wasn¡¯t possible ¨C he still had obligations elsewhere. It wasn¡¯t what either of the two castaways wanted to hear, but it was all Elijah had to offer. Book 4: Chapter 77: Coming of Age Book 4: Chapter 77: Coming of Age Miguel sat in the center of the grove, his legs crossed as he meditated. A gentle rain fell upon his head, soothing his tired muscles. He had been training for hours, running, swimming, and lifting various rocks before spending even more hours working on his weapons forms. It was an exhausting regimen, but one to which he¡¯d remainedmitted for weeks. Because he knew the cost of weakness. He had seen it with his own two eyes. He had felt it as he was rendered helpless by the man who¡¯d kidnapped him and as he¡¯d trekked across the wilderness,pletely incapable of contributing his fair share. Certainly, he¡¯d made himself as useful as he could, but he had been severely limited by his age andck of archetype. But he¡¯d also seen how the Schrs had held the group back, and in the end, that experience had been a formative one for the young man. He refused to be weak. And so, without the benefit of his archetype, he¡¯d taken to his uncle¡¯s training regimen with the full weight of hismitment, pushing himself well past the point of exhaustion. The only time he rested was when his body gave out, and even then, while Nerthus used his healing skill to assist recovery, Miguel worked on preparing the more esoteric facets of development for the moment when he would eventually awaken his archetype. At first, meditation had been difficult. When Elijah had tried to guide him, Miguel had only felt a faint whisper from the natural world. However, with Nerthus taking the reins, things had gone much more smoothly. Part of that was the environment. The grove was thick with ethera, to the point where it had initially felt suffocating. Now, though, Miguel used that dense energy to his advantage. He couldn¡¯t really use it ¨C not to fuel abilities or anything. Nor could he guide it the same way that others could. But living in that environment brought him even closer to nature, affirming his attunement in his mind. He didn¡¯t need a line on a status to tell him that he was nature attuned. He knew it in his heart. Perhaps he always had. Even before the world had changed, he¡¯d been fascinated with animals ¨C what young boy wasn¡¯t? ¨C but he¡¯d also spent more time in the wilderness than most of his friends. Both of his mothers thought it was important, and though his experiences hadn¡¯t been quite as extensive as his uncle¡¯s, it hadid the foundation for who he was. And everything he¡¯d been through since then had built upon that framework to be what he hoped was a strong attunement. ording to Nerthus, they weren¡¯t all equal. One person¡¯s nature attunement was not the same as another¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t graded by the system, but it was an undeniable truth of the multi-verse. And Miguel¡¯s attunement was very strong. Not quite as powerful as Elijah¡¯s, but that was expected. Again, based on what the spryggent said, the power Elijah¡¯s attunement was at the peak of what was possible, which was one of the reasons he¡¯d been so sessful in his chosen archetype. Miguel hoped it would be indicative of his own impending sess. Suddenly, he felt a wet nose nudging against his neck. He tried to ignore it, but that only made it more insistent. Finally, he let out a sigh and opened his eyes to see Trevor gazing at him expectantly. The fawn had grown to the size of a normal doe, and his antlers ¨C crystalline, just like his father¡¯s ¨C had begun to grow. At present, they were barely more than a pair of nubs on his head, but one day, they would be just as impressive as Bubba¡¯s. ¡°Fine,¡± Miguel said, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a small pouch that was filled with grove berries. He¡¯d been on a steady diet of the things sinceing to live in the grove, but he could still only handle about half a berry before being overwhelmed by ethera and passing out. Still, he¡¯d been told that they were good for him, and because even one bite gave him the nutrients of a full meal, he¡¯d continued to eat them most days. It was much easier than having to prepare food or worry about what he wanted, which gave him even more time to train. He tossed one to the juvenile deer, who snapped it out of the air, then turned a circle in excitement. Sometimes, Trevor reminded Miguel of a puppy, which never failed to bring a smile to his face. The entire family of guardians loved those berries, but Nerthus had wasted no time in training them not to just help themselves. If there was one rule on the ind, it was that nobody should encroach on Nerthus¡¯ garden. In a lot of ways, the grove was more his domain than Elijah¡¯s. Miguel took a deep breath and, as he felt the dense ethera permeate his body, he took a moment to appreciate his surroundings. During the journey from Easton to Seattle, he¡¯d often felt that he would never be safe again. Yet, here he was,pletely and unequivocally safe from any real danger. And all he wanted was to run off into the real wilderness and regain that feeling of danger that had once pervaded his life. There was something about spending his days bnced on the edge of a knife that made him feel more alive. Training ¨C especially sparring with Colt or Kurik ¨C went a long way toward filling that void, but it just wasn¡¯t the same. He wanted to fight. He wanted to scratch and w for the smallest advantage that would allow him to survive. It wasn¡¯t the adrenaline he craved. Rather, he wanted to matter. He wanted to make a difference. He wanted power, and not just so he could protect the people he cared about. That was a big part of it, but there was also a need to rise above hardship, to endure what others could not. To stand up against whatever the world could throw at him ande out on top. In short, he wanted to be challenged. To fight for fighting¡¯s sake. And he wanted to win. He needed it, and not just for the confirmation that he was better than the obstacles ¨C be they natural or otherwise ¨C arrayed against him. That was why Miguel trained so much. He never again wanted to be found wanting. To be too weak to ovee adversity. He knew that wasn¡¯t realistic. He couldn¡¯t always win. Everyone lost. But that wasn¡¯t the point. Striving for that goal was all that really mattered. Those thoughts were racing through his mind while he scratched the fawn between his eyes. Then, suddenly, words appeared before his inner eye:
Scanning human [Miguel Rodriguez] for aspects. [Nature] aspect found. [Martial] aspect found. [Faith] aspect found. [Exploration] aspect found. Generating ss choices¡­
¡°It¡¯s happening¡­¡± The aspects were not surprising. He¡¯d expected both of the first two, even if he¡¯d hoped to receive the [Sage] aspect as well. If he¡¯d still held out hopes of bing a Druid like his uncle, they were dashed against the reality of his aspects. Without the [Sage] aspect, it just wasn¡¯t possible. What surprised Miguel was the [Faith] aspect, mostly because he¡¯d never been particrly religious. He knew that his mother had grown up Catholic, but when she¡¯d left southern California, she¡¯d also moved away from that religion. Byparison, his other mother had maintained her faith, but she¡¯d kept it mostly to herself, letting Miguel decide his own path. The world had changed before he¡¯d ever had the chance, and as far as he could see, finding God didn¡¯t make a lot of sense in the new version of Earth. Others, he knew, disagreed. So, the addition of the [Faith] aspect was a little shocking. Perhaps it didn¡¯t refer to a faith in God or religion, but rather in something else. Like family. Or the grove. Whatever the case, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d get a proper exnation anytime soon. The Branch¡¯s Knowledge Base was apparently difficult to navigate, so he¡¯d need to find a Librarian to search out a guide that might exin it. And that just didn¡¯t seem all that important at present. That thought had just crossed his mind when the next notification appeared:
You have been awarded four choices of ss archetypes. Choose well, because this decision will forever affect your path.
Miguel had barely finished reading the message when the next appeared:
Archetype: Warrior A versatile melee archetype, proficient with most weaponry. Features bonuses to durability, Strength, and learning martial techniques. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Required Aspect: [Martial] Sample ss Choices: {Berserker}, {Guardian}, {Knight}, {Brawler}, {diator} First Skill: Heavy Strikes Compatibility: 91%
Close on that description was the next:
Archetype: Explorer The Explorer is a hybrid between the Ranger and the Warrior, with some traits of various other archetypes. Focuses on experiencing new things and discovering new ces. Features bonuses to travel speed, memory, and stealth. Required Aspects: [Nature], [Martial], [Exploration] Sample ss Choices: {Scout}, {Cartographer}, {Treasure Hunter} First Skill: Wanderlust Compatibility: 74%
Then came:
Archetype: Ranger The ranger is a hybrid between the Explorer and Warrior archetypes, with strong ties to both the martial and natural paths. Gives up true mastery of either path in favor of versatility. Features bonuses to durability, Regeneration, and One With Nature. Required Aspects: [Nature], [Martial] Sample ss Choices: {Predator}, {Tamer}, {Trapper} First Skill: Instincts Compatibility: 91%
And finally, he saw thest option:
Archetype: Priest (H) The Priest is a hidden archetype only avable to those of strong Faith. It is abination of Healer and Tactician, with a focus on leading a group of believers. Required Aspects: [Faith] Sample ss Choices: {Preacher}, {Inquisitor}, {Ritualist} First Skill: Preach Compatibility: 51%
The only surprise was the final option, the Priest, which was apparently a hidden archetype that wasn¡¯t part of the foundational twelve. He¡¯d never heard anything about the existence of such an archetype, but it was right there in the notification. ¡°Did it happen?¡± came Elijah¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°How did you know?¡± asked Miguel, ncing back to see his uncle¡¯s expectant expression. ¡°I felt a surge of ethera. I didn¡¯t know what it was until I realized it wasing from you,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Any surprises?¡± ¡°Warrior, Explorer, Ranger, and Priest,¡± Miguel read. ¡°Thest one is¡­special. It says it¡¯s a hidden archetype.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Elijah said, striding forward and nting himself directly across from Miguel. ¡°Read me the description?¡± Miguel did, realizing that Nerthus hade to observe as well. When he¡¯d finished, Elijah announced that he was going to get Miguel¡¯s mother and Colt, cautioning him to wait until everyone was there before he made any decisions. As Elijah transformed and flew away, Miguel asked Nerthus, ¡°Do you know anything about hidden archetypes?¡± ¡°No. I only know of the foundational twelve,¡± Nerthus admitted. ¡°But do not mistake its hidden status for power. No archetype is better than the others. Just different.¡± Miguel wasn¡¯t so sure about that. Schrs were markedly weaker than everyone else, at least from his experience. Sure, he recognized that they had their ce in society, but that position was dependent on other people to protect it. Without Warriors and Sorcerers, Schrs were extraordinarily vulnerable. Perhaps that was why he hadn¡¯t been offered the archetype. It was fine for others, but he never would have chosen it. ¡°I won¡¯t choose it,¡± Miguel said after thinking about it for a couple of minutes. He had no interest in leading followers, and he certainly didn¡¯t like the religious connotations of the terminology used in the description of the Priest archetype. Otherwise, he was a bit torn. He¡¯d expected to get the Warrior and Ranger archetypes as choices, but the addition of the Explorer option was a smalls urprise. Certainly, the Treasure Hunter ss that was used as an example in the description awakened something in him. The idea of being rewarded for experiencing new ces and things was attractive as well. But some of that enthusiasm might¡¯ve been due to the fact that it was new. He¡¯d never even considered it as an option, while he¡¯d been thinking about the Warrior and Ranger archetypes for months. As a result, the novelty certainly contributed to his excitement. As he gave it some thought, the others arrived, and they began a discussion about his future. Miguel knew that it was ultimately his decision, but he would¡¯ve been a fool not to consider their more experienced opinions. Elijah put a lot of stock in how the system interpreted hispatibility, while Carmen was more concerned with how he felt. Meanwhile, Colt mostly kept his input to factual statements about what to expect, clearly not wanting to offer undue influence over whatever choice Miguel might make. For his part, Miguel¡¯s decision came down to two options. The Explorer archetype was interesting and novel, but it only took a few minutes¡¯ worth of thought for him to discard it. The Priest archetype, he¡¯d immediately pushed aside. That left Warrior or Ranger, both of which had extremely highpatibility. So, the choice was one of preference. Did he want to face his enemies head-on? Or did he want to use subterfuge, range, or circumstances? When he thought of it like that, the decision was easy. He chose Warrior. Notably, it was the same archetype his mother had picked. And it wasn¡¯t the one her murderer had chosen. He¡¯d have been a bit deluded to think that those facts hadn¡¯t affected his own decision. He felt an influx of ethera that felt like electricity racing through his body. It wasn¡¯t unpleasant, but he could feel the surge of power. More, because of his extensive efforts in meditation, he immediately felt the flow of ethera that would allow him to use abilities and, one day, cast spells. Then, with a thought, he opened his status for the first ever:
Name Miguel Rodriguez
Level 1
Archetype Warrior
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 8
Dexterity 8
Constitution 10
Ethera 9
Regeneration 7
Attunement Nature
Cultivation
Body Core Mind Soul
Unformed Unformed Unformed Unformed
¡°Which one did you pick?¡± asked his mother. ¡°Warrior,¡± he said. Then, he exined his reasoning before reading his status to everyone. His mother seemed a little disappointed ¨C or saddened, perhaps ¨C but she tried to hide it. So, Miguel pretended not to notice. Byparison, Colt and Elijah ¨C and even Nerthus ¨C were all smiles. ¡°Well, you know what this means, right?¡± asked a grinning Elijah. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Now, you get to start the real work.¡± Book 4: Chapter 78: On the Horizon Book 4: Chapter 78: On the Horizon ¡°You know we can¡¯t just babysit him, right?¡± Elijah nced at Carmen, unsure of how to respond. One thing that had almost immediately be clear after Earth had been touched by the World Tree was that leveling was weird. Some things that seemed like they should have given multiple levels barely gave a trickle of experience, while other actions resulted in a flood of progress. He was aware that there were whole sses dedicated to charting the most efficient leveling path, but he¡¯d never actually met anyone like that. Probably because Schrs, by their very nature, tended to be quite vulnerable, and the situation on Earth wasn¡¯t settled enough to guarantee their safety. As a result,pared to most other archetypes, few Schrs had survived. Whatever the case, he¡¯d learned that watching over Miguel while he tried to level would result in quite a bit less experience than if the young man acted alone or with a group of simrly leveled people. It brought to mind how slowly he had progressed when he¡¯d first been stranded on the ind. Over the first few months, he¡¯d killed dozens of crabs, and while they weren¡¯t particrly high-leveled, they should have given much more experience than they had. Except that, the entire time, he¡¯d had the panther watching over him, providing him with a safe environment and ready to step in if it looked like Elijah was going to die. Maybe. Elijah wasn¡¯t entirely certain how it all worked, and he didn¡¯t think that would change anytime soon. All he could do was keep going and hope things became clearer as he gained power. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t as if gaining levels had ever been the goal. Sure, he liked the way progression felt. He liked getting stronger. But the vast majority of his choices were based on other factors, and leveling had usually been a byproduct of seeking out other goals. ¡°I know,¡± he said, knowing that Miguel would never progress if he had Elijah as his guardian angel. ¡°It just sucks.¡± ¡°It does,¡± agreed Carmen, taking a sip of coffee. ¡°I wish he would have chosen something nonbat.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he had the option.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t, but that¡¯s my fault, too,¡± Carmen said, ncing at Elijah. ¡°Ever since the world changed, I¡¯ve let him pursue a future as a fighter. At first, I just looked at it like it was a new sport, like he¡¯d taken up football or something, but with the added bonus of letting him protect himself. Then, everything with Alyssa happened¡­¡±¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It really is,¡± she argued. ¡°I could have brought him into the forge with me. He might have enjoyed making things. But I was so scared. So focused on everything else. And I just pushed him off to Colt. That sealed it.¡± ¡°I could see that,¡± Elijah contributed. For better or worse, Colt was invariably cool. He wasn¡¯t the most powerful person in the world ¨C far from it ¨C but few children could look at a cowboy samurai and not want to emte him. That waspounded by the fact that Colt was a good, loyal person who took to the mentor role quite well. It was inevitable that Miguel would end up idolizing him. Carmen leaned back in the chair and gazed across the grove toward where Miguel was going through guided meditation with Nerthus. It was the first step in preparing the young man for cultivation, which would take up the next month of his life. Only then would Miguel step out into the world and start leveling. Thankfully, there was arge enough poption of children in Ironshore who¡¯d recentlye of age that there was an opportunity to form parties. Once they did, they would venture out into the local wilderness and hunt the rtively weak beasts in the region. Then, after they¡¯d gained their sses and established teamwork with a static team, they would be given a slot to run the local tower. Elijah wished he could just take Miguel in and escort him through the tower, but the level difference was far too great, and as a result, Miguel would never survive the run. ¡°It really is frustrating, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said. The system seemed to want people to rise or fall on their own merits. Sure, there were exceptions. They could load Miguel up with high-grade equipment, but even that wasn¡¯t foolproof. If the gear was too powerful, he wouldn¡¯t be able to support it. So, the help they could offer was limited, mostly to training and preparation, but that could only go so far. ¡°More than you can know.¡± ¡°Are you going to make him some armor? A weapon, maybe?¡± he asked. Thinking that Miguel would eventually choose to be a Ranger, Elijah had been on the lookout for a good bowyer, but those ns seemed a bit silly now that the young man had chosen to be a Warrior. ¡°You know I still have the spear you made for Alyssa.¡± It had been incorporated into the statue back in Argos, but it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to rece it. ¡°No. Leave it where it is. I intend to make something special.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your forge project going?¡± he asked, changing the subject. They would get nowhere by going in circles about their impotency concerning Miguel¡¯s development. This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Carmen answered, ¡°It¡¯s going. I¡¯m about a third of the way finished with the bricks, but there¡¯s a lot more to it than something like the Temple of Virtue.¡± Then, she went on to describe the process, which involved incorporating the high-grade sun copper and blood tin, as well as their alloys ¨C into the entire building. Moreover, the structure would take on the shape of a series of enchanting runes Carmen had learned via a guide. And finally, she intended to make every smithing tool from those high-grade metals. The project wasn¡¯t something that could be finished in a few weeks, so Carmen expected to be working on it for quite some time. Months, at the very least. However, given the high density of the ethera in Ironshore ¨C due to the ancestral tree in Druid¡¯s Park ¨C Carmen thought the final result would be quite powerful for both cultivation and for crafting purposes. ¡°What about you?¡± she asked. Elijah just leaned back with a sigh. Sitting on his balcony overlooking the grove, it was easy to forget how much work he had ahead of him. Three issues demanded his attention, and he didn¡¯t know which one he¡¯d focus on first. First, there was the situation in Hong Kong. Elijah still intended to help rid the city of undead, but given that the source was a Primal Realm, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be the work of a few days. Instead, it would likely take weeks just to fight their way to the Primal Realm, then an unpredictable amount of time to conquer it. Likely, it would be a dangerous and deadly months-long endeavor. Then, he needed to help the survivors of the ne crash, though that presented a host of issues as well. Thergest problem was reaching the atoll, but Elijah had fought ¨C or run from ¨C the harpies, so he knew precisely how much danger their presence added to the mix. Exterminating those monsters would be at least as difficult as conquering the Primal Realm in Hong Kong. And finally, he needed to prepare for the Trial of Primacy. He¡¯d never considered not going, though he suspected that eschewing the Trial was probably the most prudent course. But Elijah knew it was important. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how, but he was certain that it would be a formative experience for Earth¡¯s future elites. Not going would cripple his position. Fortunately, the only time-sensitive issue was the Trial,rgely because the most recent visit to a Branch resulted in yet another announcement from the system. It read:
The Trial of Primacy is ny-six days away. To assist with preparation and to offer peace of mind for the participants, surges from towers will be halted until the Trial ispleted. In addition, forces from Primal Realms will be quarantined during that time frame. Prepare yourselves in peace.
That solved the Hong Kong problem, at least for the time being. And ording to John and Gwenivere, the crash survivors could survive indefinitely. They¡¯d have to do so underground, but they¡¯d managed it for more than four years, which meant that their plight wasn¡¯t nearly as urgent as it seemed at first nce. ¡°I think I need to get ready for the Trial,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It feels important.¡± Carmen agreed, though she still refused to participate. ording to her, she had more than enough on her te, what with the construction of the Great Forge, equipping her son with as high-grade gear as he could handle, and satisfying the terms of her obligations to Ironshore. But Elijah knew that much of her reticence was due to simple fatigue. She¡¯d had enough danger for a lifetime, and she wanted nothing more than to remain safe and sound in her smithy. Elijah understood that sentiment. For many people, challenging towers and fighting powerful monsters seemed like an adventure, but that onlysted until they actually had to confront those dangerous situations. That was usually when they started to see the value in a safer existence. He wasn¡¯t like that, but he recognized that his attitude probably made him a bit of an anomaly. Sure, there were plenty of other people like him, but they were the clear minority. Normal people didn¡¯t relish repeatedly risking their lives, even when that path had the potential to lead to immense power. Regardless, Elijah understood Carmen¡¯s perspective. He even agreed that it was probably best for her. But it didn¡¯t apply to him. With that in mind, he itemized his ns for his preparation. The first step was one he¡¯d been working on for quite some time. He knew he was close to progressing his Core to the next stage of development, and the ambient ethera in his cultivation cave had grown so dense that he thought it would be enough to push him over the edge. That was the first ¨C and by far, the most important ¨C step, but it wasn¡¯t the only one. He wanted to prepare some more soap. He also needed tomission a cook to make rations out of the meat he¡¯d gotten from the boar. In addition, he intended to hire a leatherworker to create some armor. And finally, his preparations for creating a new staff had reached an eptable point, so he needed to do that as well. Once he¡¯d exined all of that to Carmen, she asked, ¡°Have you told the castaways yet?¡± Elijah shook his head. He also needed to let Sadie Song know about his ns, and he wanted to help Wilhelm find a powerful intersection of ley lines so the German Explorer ¨C who he¡¯d left in Argos without an exnation ¨C could take the first steps toward building a teleportation apparatus near Argos. That wasn¡¯t quite as important as the other tasks on his list of priorities, but he knew just how beneficial it would be for the city. Perhaps it would one day be something of a trade hub. A crossroads, so to speak. That was a long way down the road, though. But the first step was easy enough to take, and if Elijah nned everything properly, it would only be the work of a day or so. That was a small price to pay to ensure the prosperity of the people of Argos who¡¯d been so weing to him. And finally, there was a party on the horizon. After all, a young man only came of age one time in his life, and it was an event worthy of celebration. So, with that in mind, Elijah headed to Ironshore to buy some supplies. He didn¡¯t intend it to be a city-wide carnival like what had happened in Argos at thepletion of the Temple of Virtue; instead, he knew Miguel would prefer something with just family and close friends. Elijah could handle that, but afterwards, it would be time to get to work. Book 4: Chapter 79: Over the Edge Book 4: Chapter 79: Over the Edge ¡°I¡¯m never drinking again,¡± Elijah muttered to himself as hey in his bed of moss. Massaging his temples, he refused to open his eyes. He¡¯d made that mistake once already, and even the gentle light from the glowing flowers on the ceiling was enough to send spikes through his hungover brain. Taking a deep breath, he used Soothe, but even that was only marginally effective. So, he cast Nature¡¯s Bloom, and, atst, his roiling stomach and the pounding pain behind his eyes subsided. He took a deep breath, then sat up. He felt gross. And lethargic, despite his efforts at healing himself. That was the problem with drinking high-grade liquor. It cut right through his enhanced Constitution, even resisting his healing spells. By any measure, it was a poison ¨C just one whose effects were slightly more enjoyable than most. At least in the moment. The aftereffects were markedly less pleasant. If most people drank what he¡¯d drunk, they would¡¯ve had to deal with more than simple inebriation. Someone like Miguel would have died in minutes. Smacking his dry mouth, he reached over to his Endless Canteen and took a sip ¨C an effort to wash the disgusting taste out of his mouth. He was unsessful, but with every pulse of Soothe, Elijah felt a bit better. So, he dragged himself out of bed and immediately went to his shower, where he let the scalding water as well as his rejuvenating soap do its work. When he finally stepped from the bathroom, he almost felt human again. After dressing, he headed into the kitchen, where he immediately got to work on the most important cure for his hangover ¨C coffee. By the time he nted himself in his favorite chair on the balcony and took the first sip, most of the aftereffects of the party had faded. In their ce was mingled determination and embarrassment at the night¡¯s antics. There was a reason that, after college, he¡¯d mostly given up on serious drinking. Multiple reasons, in fact. The first was the simple knowledge that it wasn¡¯t good for him. Back then, he¡¯d used alcohol ¨C and other inebriants ¨C to mask the lingering issues that had cropped up from his parents¡¯ deaths. The responsible and oft-ignored well-adjusted part of him knew that wasn¡¯t healthy, so he¡¯d moved on from that phase of his life. But more importantly, drinking always brought out the worst parts of his personality. Even in the best of times, Elijah was a quirky and acquired taste. When he drank, though? He was much worse, and more than anything, embarrassment loomedrge in his memories of those days. So, it was a bit surprising that he¡¯d gone so hard during Miguel¡¯sing-of-age celebration. He¡¯d refrained from drinking too much while his nephew was still around, but the moment Miguel had wandered off ¨C either to train or sleep ¨C Elijah had started drinking far more heavily. Thankfully, the rest was a blur. Hopefully, he hadn¡¯t made too much of an ass of himself, though he didn¡¯t much stock in that hope. Over the next half hour, Elijah enjoyed two cups of coffee as he sat back and appreciated the early morning atmosphere of the grove. Nerthus was already up and about, working on the garden. He¡¯d expressed to Elijah his ns to rework the grove, and while Elijah would miss the rows of bushes he¡¯d nted in the very beginning, he¡¯d been convinced of the potential benefits the change could bring. The same was true of the rest of the ind, which would be far less cultivated, but still be structured ording to Nerthus¡¯ n. ording to the spryggent, that would hasten the process of increasing the ethereal density ¨C which Elijah could certainly get behind. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of loss when he considered the nned changes. Perhaps Nerthus would manage to retain the ce¡¯s wild aura. In any case, Elijah couldn¡¯t afford to add micromanagement of the grove to his list of tasks. He already had plenty on his te as it was, so he¡¯d decided to give Nerthus free rein when it came to the grove and the surrounding ind. He trusted the spryggent, after all. By the time Elijah had finished his coffee, the other residents of the grove were up and about, though, thankfully, no one was in the mood for socializing. That wasn¡¯t surprising, given that, aside from Miguel, they¡¯d all had far too much to drink. Even Nerthus had tried a sip of some sort of liquor Colt had acquired. It had not gone well, with the spyrggent immediately passing out. More distressingly, quite a few of the nts in the area had reacted to the event by quivering out of control. Fortunately, that had onlysted a couple of minutes until Elijah had healed Nerthus ¨C which sort of defeated the purpose of drinking, but in that situation, he thought that was a good thing. With those memories in mind, Elijah started on his errands. The first stop was to start the process of creating lye, which only took about half an hour before he was forced to wait while the ash soaked. After that, Elijah flew to Ironshore, where he took Carmen¡¯s advice and hired the goblin Leatherworker, Gavina. She¡¯d actually gained a few levels since hisst conversation with his sister-inw, so Gavina was the same level as the other Leatherworker in town. ¡°Are you sure you want me to work with this?¡± Gavina asked, her voice a bit raspy due to her goblin heritage. She was short, even for her race, with huge, bat-like ears and a surprisingly dainty nose. Unlike most goblins, herplexion trended more toward blue than green. She ran her hand along the rolled-up boar hide, adding, ¡°This is better than any material I¡¯ve ever worked with. I might ruin it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of leather there,¡± Elijah said. The boar had been enormous, after all. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should waste it, but maybe you should start with armor padding. I think Carmen¡¯s going to being to you in the next day or so. Use the excess for that.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°And there¡¯s enough material for a few attempts. Don¡¯t sweat it,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know me.¡± ¡°Right. Well¡­that¡¯s true. But I still believe you can do the job!¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard good things. You¡¯re an up-ander.¡± She sighed. ¡°This is a lot of pressure.¡± ¡°Pressure makes diamonds.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s heat and pressure and ¨C¡± ¡°My point is that you¡¯ve got this,¡± Elijah interrupted. ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill me if I fail, right?¡± she asked. ¡°I mean to say ¨C I appreciate the work. It¡¯s a great opportunity. But there¡¯s a chance I¡¯ll fail, and I don¡¯t want you to eat me if I do. Respectfully. I¡¯d rather just not take the job. But then again, maybe refusing themission will also get me eaten. I¡¯m in a tight spot, I guess is what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°Eat you?¡± Elijah asked, his jaw dropping. ¡°I don¡¯t eat people!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I heard. Respectfully.¡± ¡°Respectfully,¡± he echoed, annoyed. ¡°You heard wrong.¡± He shook his head. It almost felt like his hangover wasing back, even though he knew that wasn¡¯t possible. ¡°I swear to you ¨C I don¡¯t just kill people for that kind of thing. And I don¡¯t eat people.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­¡± After that, Elijah managed to persuade the goblin Leatherworker to take on the job, paying her far more than he probably should have. Was it a negotiation tactic, then? Or was she truly frightened? Elijah had no idea, but if it meant being done with the ufortable conversation, he had no issues with throwing money at the problem. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. In any case, he¡¯d managed to aplish the first goal. He knew the next step was going to be even more ufortable. Still, it had to be done, so he returned to the Imperium and let Gwenivere and John know that he wasn¡¯t going to be able to help their people anytime soon. He¡¯d already said as much, but he wanted there to be no confusion about his priorities going forward. Surprisingly, though they were obviously disappointed, they took the news well enough. So, once all of that was finished, Elijah headed for the next item on his to-do list. He needed to get stronger, and there was only one way to aplish that goal. He had ess to a tower ¨C and it just so happened that there was no one inside at the moment, so it was time he used it. With that in mind, he headed into the Keledge Tower. Fortunately, he was intimately aware of the tower¡¯s ins and outs, and given that he didn¡¯t care about his grade, the run was both brutal and efficient. He killed everything, soaking in the experience as he ughtered his way through the tower. The tower still scaled to his level, so the enemies inside were powerful enough to give him a challenging fight. However, he knew precisely how to attack each level, so he had few issues with finishing it in only a few days. And though thebination of escting experience requirements and the decreasing rewards for running a tower multiple times minimized his gains, Elijah still managed to reach his goal. Level ny. Which gave him a new ability:
Bestial Charge Charge an opponent. Shielded from harm while charging. Maximum distance based on Strength. Current: 138 feet. Shield efficacy based on Constitution. Only usable while under the influence of Shape of the Guardian.
It wasn¡¯t a shy ability, but it was useful. He¡¯d long hoped for some way to close distance with his opponents ¨C especially in hismer ape form ¨C so it definitely filled a gap in his toolkit. Upon testing Bestial Charge, Elijah had found that it worked precisely as he¡¯d hoped, and though it was a little difficult to control, he felt confident that once he got the hang of it, it would be a vital part of his tactics. After he left the tower, he was happy to find that Miguel¡¯s efforts in cultivation had proceeded well. The young man still hadn¡¯t actually taken the first steps, but ording to Nerthus, he was close to that point. Elijah spent a bit of time making more lye for his soap before using Roots of the World Tree to head back to Argos. Once there, he found a very irritated Sadie Song waiting for him at the Temple of Virtue, where he quickly learned she¡¯d spent most of the past week healing anyone who visited. Upon retreating into one of the rooms they¡¯d set up for more intense healing sessions, he apologized for leaving on such short notice. ¡°I had some issues at home that I needed to take care of,¡± he said. ¡°I panicked a little, and I¡¯m sorry. I hope you¡¯ll forgive me.¡± She responded, ¡°Do I have a choice? We need your help. There¡¯s not much we won¡¯t put up with if it means you¡¯ll assist us in saving Hong Kong.¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Elijah went on to exin that he wouldn¡¯t be able to help until after the Trial of Primacy, which was met with exactly the sort of response he¡¯d expected. Sadie was not happy with him, but given that the situation would get no worse until after the Trial, she wasn¡¯t as upset as she might have been. So, she epted his excuses, saying that she intended to participate in the Trial as well. ¡°You seem surprised.¡± Elijah admitted that he was, adding, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be¡­I don¡¯t know¡­I guess I¡¯m not sure what I thought.¡± ¡°The Trial of Primacy will be a good ce to make contact with powerful people,¡± she exined. ¡°Also, I need to be stronger. Already, I feel like I¡¯m being left behind, now that I¡¯m not fighting zombies every day.¡± It was a surprisingly open moment from her, and Elijah didn¡¯t know how to respond to theck of overt animosity. So, he just nodded, saying, ¡°We all need to get stronger. I don¡¯t know whates after this Trial of Primacy, but I¡¯d be willing to bet things are going to get worse before they get better. We¡¯re building toward something. I just don¡¯t know what. In any case, I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you and Dat during the Trial.¡± She promised to do the same, and after that, the conversation petered out into awkward silence. Elijah excused himself soon after that and went in search of two people. First was Agatha, who he hired to prepare his rations. She was the best cook he knew, and what¡¯s more, she seemed to like him. So, he wasn¡¯t averse to paying her quite a lot of money to create pork jerky from the boar¡¯s meat. She was happy to do it, too, saying that it would help her level. Elijah found his next target in a nearby gambling establishment. Predictably, Wilhelm had used his newfound freedom to embark on a quest to lose whatever money he¡¯d managed to stash away. Elijah had seen the man pocketing a few bits and pieces from the boar, which he¡¯d presumably sold as soon as Elijah¡¯s back was turned. Surprisingly, Wilhelm had actually hit a bit of a winning streak, multiplying those few silvers into quite a stockpile of gold. So, he was very upset when Elijah dragged him from the gambling hall and into the wilderness. He was less upset when they found a powerful intersection of ley lines that would serve as an appropriate location for a teleportation apparatus. So, Wilhelm marked it with an anchor, then activated some sort of ethereal beacon that would guide the construction team there. They couldn¡¯t actually build the apparatus yet ¨C they didn¡¯t have everything worked out ¨C but Wilhelm hadn¡¯t gambled all his time away. Instead, he¡¯d been working on a report based on watching Elijah¡¯s Roots of the World Tree spell that he hoped would be the missing link for the teleportation process. Elijah hoped so, too. His ns to position Argos as a trade hub depended on it. Either way, that satisfied thest item on his to-do list, so Elijah returned to the grove so he could embark on the next ¨C and most time intensive ¨C part of his preparations. He needed to push his core to the next level of advancement. That would require him to be at his best, so he spent the next day secluded in his treehouse, cycling his core while eating as many grove berries as he could handle. That influx of ethera pushed his core to unprecedented density, which he held in ce as he headed toward the cultivation cave. It wasn¡¯t easy. In fact, holding that much ethera in ce was incredibly painful, and it made him feel like he was on the verge of bursting like an overfilled balloon. Yet, Elijah hoped it would make the next part more effective, so he endured the bloated agony as he swam through the underwater cave. Along the way, he noticed the steadily rising ethereal density until, when he reached the cave itself, it felt almost suffocating. Even though he didn¡¯t need to breathe ¨C courtesy of the Ring of Aquatic Travel ¨C Elijah still felt like he was drowning. It was precisely what he needed, though. For the past couple of weeks, he had felt like he¡¯d reached the absolute limit of what his core could handle. Cycling in a normal environment wouldn¡¯t do much good anymore. Indeed, even the ethereal density of his grove was insufficient. Thankfully, though, the ambient ethera of the cave was much thicker. Hopefully, it would be enough. So, as he floated in the center of the cave, he closed his eyes and began to cycle. At first, it felt like trying to work out after running a marathon, and it only got more difficult from there. One rotation after another, he stirred his ethera, pulling even more into his core. It was like trying to mix msses, it was so difficult to move, and in the beginning, he felt that he¡¯d made a mistake, that he wasn¡¯t ready. But Elijah persisted, sinking into the meditative state he¡¯d practiced so often. And though the process didn¡¯t get any easier, his persistence paid off by helping him cope with the hardship. After the first day, Elijah recognized that, as powerfully dense as the ethera in his cultivation cave was, there was a good chance that it wouldn¡¯t be enough. The requirements to push his core to the next level were unreal, telling him that it would be quite some time before anyone else on Earth reached the second stage of core cultivation. One day turned into two, and two into three. And by the time the first week had passed, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯d allocated enough time toplete the process. He couldn¡¯t worry about that, though. Instead, he continued to eat the berries, which wasn¡¯t nearly as appetizing as it normally was, given that he got some saltwater along with each bite. They did provide nourishment and, perhaps more importantly, sent even more ethera surging through him. By the end of the second week, Elijah was nearing the end of his endurance. Or that was what he thought until that week turned into another. Each moment inched him closer to his goal. His core continued to expand, bit by bit, and despite his exhaustion, he knew he couldn¡¯t afford to stop. If he did, he would lose most of his progress, and he didn¡¯t relish the notion of starting over. More importantly, he didn¡¯t have that kind of time. So, he continued to cycle his core, drinking in the ambient ethera along the way. Fortunately, the cave had reached the point where it created a perpetuating cycle of ethereal renewal, and it reced most of the energy he absorbed. Finally, at the beginning of Elijah¡¯s fourth week of cycling his core, he felt it shift. Suddenly, it expanded of its own volition. It felt like he was on the verge of exploding, the energy inside of him was so intense. He screamed in pain as it tried to rip him into a thousand pieces. And then, just as the pain reached a crescendo, everything ¨C his senses as well as his mind ¨C went dark. It onlysted a moment before his perception returned. He fell to the ground, his body pping against what felt like cold tile. That¡¯s when he opened his eyes. His jaw dropped as he looked around, but he didn¡¯t get a chance to take it all in before a voice drew his attention. ¡°I thought it would take you longer to reach this point,¡± it intoned. ¡°I suppose congrattions are in order. Wee to the Empire of Scale, whelp.¡± Book 4: Chapter 80: The Path Less Traveled Book 4: Chapter 80: The Path Less Traveled Elijah couldn¡¯t speak. Instead, his breath caught in his chest as he stared at the woman in front of him. She was gorgeous, though that was the least impactful characteristic on disy. Power, closely controlled, swirled around her, nearly overwhelming Elijah, body, mind, and soul. Even his core went quiet, almost as if it sensed a much greater power and was trying to make itself smaller so it could avoid notice. Golden hair ¨C and he was close enough to recognize that it was actual gold, and not just gold-colored hair ¨C fell upon her slim shoulders. Tiny, gold, and glittering scales surrounded her eyes like makeup, and slightlyrger scales patterned her neck, disappearing beneath the white, toga-like garment she wore. Finally, Elijah regained his voice and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± She smiled slightly. ¡°Your patron,¡± she answered, reaching down to stroke his cheek. ¡°You have done well since being granted the dragon core, but it is time for you to take your first step on the path. Until now, you have been aimless. A hatchling without purpose living a life without meaning. That must change, and the first step is one every dragon must take. You will live the tale of the first dragon. If you survive, your core will evolve to the next stage.¡± ¡°If I survive?¡± he asked. Until that moment, he¡¯d expected the evolution of his core to work simrly to the other aspects of his cultivation. Indeed, everything he¡¯d read suggested as much. Clearly, the reality of his situation was quite different, though. Was it because he had the core of an elder race? ¡°A small detail,¡± she said. ¡°We do not have much time. Remember, the dragon endures.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t under-¡± Before Elijah could get the rest of his sentence out, his mind once again went ck. This time, itsted much longer than an instant, but he had difficulty marking time. It might¡¯ve been a minute, but it could have been hours. Regardless, he eventually became aware of his changed surroundings.And his changed body. At first, he thought he¡¯d had one of his forms forced upon him, but it only took a few moments to recognize that he was in apletely different body. Hecked the strength of his guardian form, and he certainly didn¡¯t feel the unmatched coordination of his draconid shape. Then, there was the size to consider. Looking around at his surroundings, Elijah couldn¡¯t avoid the notion that either he was inside a cavern whose size dwarfed any other he¡¯d ever experienced or heard about ¨C not impossible, but unlikely ¨C or he was much smaller than he¡¯d been before. In addition, his mind felt strangely limited, and it only took him a few more seconds to recognize that hecked cultivation. He only had one strain of thought instead of nine distinct facets. Casting his perception inward, he was distraught to find that his ethereal channels were much thinner and far less extensive than they had been before. And finally, his core was tiny. It was little more than a spark of ethera, barely even noticeable within his torso. A nearby sound jerked his attention to his left, and he saw a skittering bug. Before he could even process what was happening, he pounced, snapping his jaws around the insect and swallowing it whole. In his shock, Elijah took a moment to truly take stock of his changed form. He was small. Very, very small. Maybe a foot long at most, and that was including his tail. Looking down at his forelegs, he saw pebbled red scales and a set of wicked ws. So, at least he wasn¡¯tpletely defenseless, though he knew that if he was forced to fight anything truly strong, he¡¯d be better off fleeing than engaging. More, a sense of being exposed gripped his mind, and he followed his instincts that pushed him to find shelter. When he slipped into a crack between a pair of ck rocks, the panic in his mind subsided ¨C only a little, but enough to give him leave to investigate his surroundings. The cave was enormous, and his small size made it seem like a world unto itself. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t unpopted. As Elijah stuck his serpentine head out of the crevice, he saw dozens of other beasts. Some wererge ¨C like the turtle-like creature sitting next to ava flow ¨C while others were even smaller than him. Trees unlike anything he¡¯d ever seen sprouted here and there, alien in their form as well as their coloring. Distressingly, Elijah alsocked One with Nature, and judging by the fact that he felt no connection to the wildlife, his attunement had disappeared as well, reced by animalistic instinct. Panic once again suffused Elijah¡¯s being until he forced himself to remember his patron¡¯s description, that he would live the tale of the first dragon. Was that what had happened? Was that whose body he inhabited? It wasn¡¯t what he might have expected from his impression of dragons. Every story he¡¯d ever heard ¨C both before and after the World Tree had touched Earth ¨C painted dragons as immensely powerful entities. Clearly, that wasn¡¯t always the case. Humble origins aside, he couldn¡¯t just hide between rocks. His patron ¨C who was obviously a dragon, though in a humanoid form ¨C had said that he needed to live the life of the first dragon. So, he suspected that he would fail this¡­test if he didn¡¯t do something. With that in mind, he crouched low to the ground, then slithered out of the crevice. Almost immediately, a sense of rm suffused his mind, and he dashed to the side. Something crashed into the rocky ground beside him, and following instincts whose origin he didn¡¯t question, Elijah pounced on his would-be attacker, using his wickedly sharp ws and teeth to rip it to shreds like he was the reptilian equivalent of a honey badger. If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. As it turned out, the beast that had attacked him was some sort of odd bird, though not of a sort that Elijah had ever seen. Its wings were toorge, its body too sleek. And its beak was far too sharp. Sensing that it wouldn¡¯t be smart to stick around the kill site, Elijah took a few bites of the beast¡¯s flesh, then raced away. Dodging from one rock to the next, he blended into thendscape, while behind him, more beasts descended upon the in bird. A fight broke out between two heavily armored creatures, but by that point, Elijah was already gone. Still, the sound of their sh ¨C which was characterized by smashing bodies and deafening growls ¨C followed him as he skated along. As he did, he examined the feelings in his body. He didn¡¯t have spells. Nor did he have skills. There was no spellbook, and he didn¡¯t have a status. However, he had enough experience with using ethera that he could recognize the framework of a skill within him. It was unlike anything he¡¯d ever used, though, so he had no idea how it worked. There was something else inside of him, too. A spark of energy he couldn¡¯t identify. It was weak, but it was still there, just powerful to taunt him with his ignorance. Elijah tried to ignore it as he moved on. Soon enough, he reached one of theva flows. It cut through the underground forest of odd trees like it was a river, but as he approached the flow of molten rock, he felt oddlyforted. Following his instincts ¨C they were so powerful that he could scarcely resist them ¨C he dove into the fiery flow. It was only when he was burrowing through the thick and superheated substance that he realized what he¡¯d done. He¡¯d just dove headfirst into a river ofva. If he¡¯d been back on Earth, perhaps he could have survived by virtue of his high Constitution, but this body didn¡¯t have the benefit of enhanced durability. By all rights, he should have melted the moment he got close. But he didn¡¯t. Instead, he felt empowered, as if theva was his natural habitat. It was only in retrospect that he realized that, before, he¡¯d been like a fish out of water. Now, he was in his element. Yet, he couldn¡¯t let his guard down, as he discovered when what looked like a giant alligator gar with mes for fins tried to eat him. He dated out of the way just in time to avoid its enormous jaws ¨C or more appropriately, its mouth full of jagged teeth ¨C then burrowed through theva to hide in the rocks on the riverbed until the thing lost interest. As it happened, a muchrger creature that looked like a bulky hybrid between a crocodile and a manatee bit the gar in half. Despite the heat permeating his body, Elijah felt a chill race up his spine. The environment reminded him a little of the Sea of Sorrows or the Primordial Jungle, both of which were floors in the Keledge Tower. They weren¡¯t really all that simr to his current location, but the primordial, survival-of-the-fittest aura was close enough to bring those two to mind. It gave Elijah some more insight into the constant conflict that pervaded any natural environment. Every organism had a drive to survive, and that took precedence over everything else. They didn¡¯t care about morality. They didn¡¯t feel empathy or hate. They battled one another because that was the only way they could meet the conditions of their primary mandate. Survival was the name of the game, and everything else was irrelevant. Elijah remained nestled in the rocks at the bottom of theva flow until the current took the remains of the gar away. The other beast went with it, swimming away without even realizing ¨C or perhaps caring ¨C that he was there. Finally, Elijah slipped from his hiding spot, then burrowed his way through the flow until he reached the other side. It wasn¡¯t swimming ¨C not really. The substance was far too dense for that, and the ease with which he moved in the substance defied physics in a way Elijah didn¡¯t really want to think about. Either way, he reached the other side easily enough, then climbed free. A few bits of magma clung to his red scales, but they fell away after they cooled. Creeping through the brush ¨C which, to his eyes, was a mixture of purples, blues, and oranges ¨C Elijah kept moving. He ate a few insects here and there, but he¡¯d been moving for more than an hour before he recognized what drove him. The ambient ethera in the cavern was already dense, but with every step he took, that density rose. And his instincts pushed him toward the increasingly thick ethera. Was there a source? Maybe. Elijah needed to find out. Days passed as he continued to live the life of the small lizard whose body he¡¯de to inhabit, and in that time, a few things became abundantly clear. First, he was far from weak, and he¡¯d often found that he could stand up to creatures muchrger than himself. It was never easy, and there had been more than a few close calls, but he¡¯d even managed to take out beasts three times his size. The only issue with that was the fact that, aside from the insects, he was just about the smallest creature in the cavern. From his perspective, it felt as if he¡¯d stepped foot into a world of giants. Everything towered over him, dwarfing his tiny size. That brought with it both advantages and disadvantages. The former, in that he often escaped notice from the muchrger beasts. Thetter, because if they knew he was there, he had very little defense except running and hiding. It was a valuable learning experience. Ofte, Elijah had adopted some bad habits, most stemming from the fact that he was the highest-leveled person in the world. That had led him to believe he was more powerful than anything he encountered. It wasn¡¯t true, as he¡¯d discovered with his recent encounter with the boar, but habits weren¡¯t easy to discard. He¡¯d been in need of a reality check, and his time as a lizard was perfect for that, even if he felt like he was bnced on the edge of a cliff, just waiting for something to stter him like a bug. Regardless, as he crossed the subterranean jungle, Elijah¡¯s own experiences from his first couple of years after Earth¡¯s transformationbined with the lizard¡¯s natural instincts to keep him out of harm¡¯s way. More than once, he was forced to traverse moreva flows, but those instances were moreforting than not, even if those rivers of molten rock were home to some of the most powerful creatures. Finally, though, Elijah reached his destination when he arrived at the edge of an enormous crater. For the first time, he could look up and see the sky through the huge mouth of the cave. Predictably, it was not a sky he recognized. Instead of seeing a starry expanse popted by a single moon, Elijah saw colorful bands that it took him a moment to recognize asary rings. More concerningly, he also saw huge shapes flitting about the sky. Some dwarfed even the massive cave, casting everything in shadow for a few seconds before they flew away. But Elijah was more interested in whaty at the center of the crater. It was a flower the size of a cottage. A lotus, if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, and it was wreathed in orange me. Clearly, he¡¯d found the source of the increased ethera. Unfortunately, Elijah wasn¡¯t the only one, because the entire surface of the crater was packed full of every sort of beast he¡¯d seen since beginning his trek across therge cavern. He hissed in annoyance as he began to ponder just how he was going to get closer to that flower. Book 4: Chapter 81: Cunning Book 4: Chapter 81: Cunning Elijah crouched on the tree limb, using his long tail for bnce as he watched the creature down below. At the most basic level, it looked a little like a rhinoceros, though with scales instead of a thick, leathery hide. It also had seven horns jutting from its densely armored head and a series of spikes flowing down its spine. So, perhaps it was more like a dinosaur than a rhino. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter. The creature was precisely what he¡¯d been looking for over the past few days. Its suitability for his n was based on three things. First, it wasn¡¯t just huge. The thing was the size of a brontosaurus, with a stout, low-slung body that would make it a nightmare to fight. Second, it was incredibly territorial, and Elijah had watched it ughter more than a couple of other beasts that had wandered nearby. It had also chased a sleek, wolf-like creature for more than a mile. And finally, it swirled with ethera strongly enough that Elijah could feel it, even in his much less-sensitive form. That told him that it was powerful ¨C perhaps even more so than all the creatures in the crater, which was perfect for his n. The idea was simple enough. He wanted to pick a fight with the enormous creature, then lead it on a merry chase into the crater, where he hoped the other beasts would respond to the neer with violent intentions. A fight would ensue, and if everything went ording to his ns, they would finish each other off. However, simple didn¡¯t mean easy, and the anticipation kept Elijah glued to the branch. That monster wasrge enough that even a ncing blow would tten him. There would be no margin of error. No room for mistakes. He would have to be perfect. To that end, he¡¯d already mapped out his path. The crater was more than a mile away, which was an incredible distance for his small form. Still, he¡¯d practiced running back and forth so often that he knew he could make the trip without missing a beat. The only variable was the giant beast¡¯s reaction. In the back of his mind, Elijah knew that he was driven by instinct as much as by his own brain. He was reliving a real event, and as such, the whole experience was on rails. That didn¡¯t remove the danger, though. He could still die. And he could certainly fail. But the path to victory seemed clear. It was an odd feeling, knowing that he was in control, yet not, and rather than trying to grow ustomed to it, Elijah had chosen to simply ept it, then move on. Already, he¡¯d spent days on this endeavor, and aside from not wanting to spend any longer than absolutely necessary, his ever-more-insistent instincts told him that he was on the clock. So, without further hesitation, he leaped from the branch,nding on the rhino-lizard¡¯s armored head. A secondter, and he was burying his ws into one of the thing¡¯s many eyes. The orbs wererger even than Elijah¡¯s entire body, but they were curiously vulnerable. His ws bit deep, and an eruption of vitreous gel coated his body. Yet, even as the creature bucked and trumpeted its ire, Elijah moved on to the next eye. Then the next after that. In all, he savaged four eyes before leaping free and racing away. Predictably, the beast followed, driven by the pain of the attack as well as its territorial nature. Elijah leaped from one fallen branch to the next, dipping in and out of various depressions as the beast stomped its way through the forest, plowing through trees, uprooting them as it went. Apparently, Elijah hadpromised the beast¡¯s depth perception, and so, it found it difficult to avoid trees it would have otherwise dodged. That was the only reason he stayed ahead of it, confirming that his instincts had put him on the right path. On and on he raced, and the mile or so he had to travel felt like ten times that. Still, when he finally reached the crater, he knew that his task was just beginning. He skidded down the slope, aiming for the hiding ce he¡¯d found the day before. Just as Elijah slid under the rock and into the small space underneath, his enormous pursuer thundered out of the forest and, without hesitation, barreled into the mass of beasts surrounding the flower. The enraged creature spared nothing in its path, ripping into them with its horns as itpletely forgot about the pest that had started it all. The other animals didn¡¯t go down without a fight, and they dished out hundreds of wounds in the space of a few minutes. But where they could only barely get through its thick armor, the rhino-saur killed with ever twitch of its head. It was a massacre, but not one without cost. Elijah crouched in his hiding ce, thankful for his tiny size, as the beast rampaged through the crater. Of course, it was not the only powerful monster in the area. Far from it. The closer it came to the flower, the stronger its opponents were. And given the sheer numbers arrayed against it, its wounds soon grew more numerous and far more grievous. Still, it fought on, well past the point where it would even consider retreat. Besides, it was a king of the forest. Running away had never been an option. The battle raged on for hours as one beast after another fell until, atst, there were only three left. Predictably, the rhino-lizard was one of the survivors. It was barely capable of remaining upright, but as it stood over the other survivor ¨C a beast that looked like a tyrannosaurus rex, but with fur instead of scales ¨C it let out a roar of victory. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Just as it speared its opponent through the chest, the third survivor ¨C Elijah ¨C struck. Once again, he went for the vulnerable eyes, tearing the remaining four orbs to pieces before the creature could even react. Then, he bounded free, feeling ethera gathering in his chest. He had felt the skill since the very beginning, but it had taken him quite some time to figure out how it worked. Now, he knew. He felt it. He only needed to push things a little more before he could activate it. The beast reacted predictably, swinging its great, armored head like a spiked battering ram. Elijah leaped over the first attack, twisting in the air beforending lightly. The power built a little more. But it wasn¡¯t enough. A second attack came whistling toward him. This time, he ttened himself to the ground, then vaulted over a third attack. The fourth came straight at him like a spear intent on piercing his heart. So, Elijah twisted away, narrowly avoiding having his body obliterated. On and on it went. The blinded creature tried to trample him. It attempted to spear him. It kept aiming one sweeping attack after another at him. If Elijah had had a moment to consider it, he would have been impressed by the beast¡¯s unerring aim. However, he had no chance to think about anything but avoiding the next attack. And with each avoided blow, Elijah felt the power build a little more. Then, finally, it was like a switch had flipped inside his mind. The skill was ready. And what¡¯s more, he could feel what it would do. The power of a dragon welled up within him, and when he released it, it was just as devastating as he could have hoped. His mouth yawned open, and a gout of pure, red me erupted from his throat. It was so hot that it blistered his own forked tongue, and yet, it continued to pour out, hotter with every passing second. The fire gouged into the beast¡¯s face, carving a blistering gash from one side to another. It reeled in obvious agony, but Elijah kept going, embracing the skill to the fullest extent of his abilities. Red turned white, and the mes graduated to a new level of destruction. Instead of blistering and burning, it simply obliterated anything its way. The ability onlysted a few seconds before Elijah¡¯s tiny store of ethera was spent, but in that time, the fire had burned a hole right through the king of the cavern. Elijah had been aiming for its brain, but the stream of fire had gone far past that, melting through its skull and digging through its body, boiling its internal organs along the way. It tried to step forward, but all it could do was copse. Elijah stared at it for a long few seconds, shocked at the power he¡¯d brought to bear. Before that moment, he¡¯d wondered how such a small lizard could have ever been linked to a dragon. Now, he understood. He swayed drunkenly as he struggled to remain upright. Using the skill had pushed him well past the point of exhaustion. But still, he staggered toward the lotus. It pulsed with thick ethera, promising power and, Elijah hoped, recovery. Besides, it was his prize, wasn¡¯t it? He¡¯d engineered the deaths of every beast in the crater. By all rights, he deserved his reward. Even as those thoughts danced in his mind, Elijah put one foot before the other. Only a hundred or so yards separated him from the lotus, but that short distance felt like a thousand miles. He continued forward, feeling his body breaking down with every step. He¡¯d gone too far. He had pushed himself too much. But he would not be defeated. He couldn¡¯t let himself give in. He would im his treasure. Gradually, he staggered forward, and after what felt like an eternity, Elijah reached the lotus. He could feel the power wafting off of it, nearly strong enough to destroy him just as surely as the bacsh from his skill had. It didn¡¯t matter. It was his. Reward? Trophy? Treasure? Or salvation? Maybe it was all four. Regardless, every one of Elijah¡¯s instincts told him to climb to the top of the lotus. There, he would finally be able to rest. So, he did, using his sharp ws to dig into the nt¡¯s rubbery stalk. His body was tiny. He barely weighed more than a few pounds. But it felt like he had the weight of the world on his back. He could feel his scales sloughing off, revealing blistered flesh. He ignored it. He was in so much pain that it had long since lost meaning. There was power within him, though. A bright sun had bloomed stronger with every step. He¡¯d felt it inside of him, and that feeling drove him just as surely as his instinct. Finally, he reached the blue petals. The fire burned him, yet the pain was nothingpared to the agony already coursing through him. Or that was what he told himself. In reality, he was on the verge of surrendering to unconsciousness. If he¡¯d been in control, he would have. But his instincts had taken over, and he had be a passenger in his own body. It didn¡¯t matter. He wanted the same thing his instincts wanted. He only had to hold on. To endure. To persist. So, that was what he did, and after a few moments, it felt like he was watching himself from afar. He finally saw the lizard¡¯s body. It resembled a smander, though with a crested mane and fire dancing along its scales. He watched. He felt. The duality of his existence was difficult to track. He was Elijah, a witness. But he was also the smander, driven forward by instinct and fate as it embarked on a task that would change the multiverse. Atst, the little lizard crested the petal and tumbled forth, passing the collection of stamens anding to rest on the carpal. For a moment, Elijah thought that it ¨C no, he ¨C had died. But with a twitch, it rolled back to its feet. Then, miraculously, it released the power within it. Though it did not send out arge gout of superheated me. Instead, the power came out the other end, taking the form of arge, golden egg. Only once the egg had pushed free did the lizard finally give in to death. For a few seconds, Elijah felt as if he was hovering over the entire scene, and he watched as the world sped up. His heart caught in his throat when the egg hatched, but instead of another smander, the first dragon was born. That¡¯s when Elijah¡¯s mind went nk, and after a couple of moments, he once again appeared on the cold tiles within the Empire of Scale. His patron knelt beside him as he wept, her warm hand on his back. He knew he¡¯d just seen something quite profound. The beginning of real power. But all he could think about was the smander¡¯s sacrifice. Its suffering. Its perseverance. It might not have been a dragon, but it had certainly possessed the spirit of one. Going forward, he could only hope to emte its example. Book 4: Chapter 82: Path of Dragons Book 4: Chapter 82: Path of Dragons Elijahy on the cold floor, ovee with emotion as the memory of what he¡¯d just seen ¨C of what he had just experienced ¨C engulfed his thoughts. ¡°It truly is overwhelming, is it not?¡± came a voice from above. Elijah recognized it asing from his patron ¨C the beautiful woman who¡¯d greeted him before he¡¯d been thrust into another life. ¡°I sill remember when I saw it. Tens of thousands of years, and that memory is still as fresh as it was when I was a hatchling.¡± Her voice was wistful. Motherly. Comforting in a way Elijah couldn¡¯t quite articte. After a moment, he felt her standing over him. Heat radiated from her body, far hotter than a person should be. Finally, he looked up to see her smiling face, and he reveled in her approval. In that instant, Elijah wanted nothing more than to please the dragon woman. That feeling passed quickly, but the echoes remained long after, influencing his thoughts like nothing else could. ¡°Arise. We haven¡¯t much time.¡± Elijah pushed himself to all fours, then rose to his feet. ncing down, he realized that he looked the same as he had before being pushed into that memory. The same could be said of the dragon woman that was his patron, though even if nothing had changed about her appearance, to Elijah, she looked even more striking than ever before. It was as if, until that very moment, he¡¯d never seen true beauty, and now that he had, nothing else couldpare. He wanted to drop to his knees and worship her like that goddess she clearly was. And he didn¡¯t like that one bit. ¡°Stop doing that,¡± he muttered. ¡°What?¡± she asked innocently.¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing to my mind,¡± he answered. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. So, stop.¡± Btedly, he added, ¡°Please.¡± That brought a studious gaze followed by a tinklingugh. A secondter, the enchantment of her presence faded. After it did, Elijah could still tell that she was gorgeous, and in a way that defied the notion of imperfection. However, it was a distant thing. Alien in its wlessness. He¡¯d once thought the same about elves, but inparison, they were warm and approachable. ¡°Most whelps have difficulty seeing through my Presence,¡± she said with another smile. ¡°I am pleased that you managed it. I knew you were special the moment youpleted the quest and saved my daughter.¡± ¡°Sara? Wait¡­you¡¯re¡­¡± Elijah was loathe to admit it, but he¡¯d actually forgotten the name of the dragon who¡¯d given him the quest that had changed his life. Saraalinisa was far more memorable in his mind,rgely because he¡¯d actually met her. By contrast, her mother who¡¯d given Elijah the quest was just a line on a notification. ¡°I am Kirlissa, third elder of the Golden Flight,¡± she announced. ¡°And your patron.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on. Why am I here?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°You are not here, strictly speaking,¡± she exined. ¡°Your spirit is. Each step you take on the Path of Dragons will be progressively more physical. In addition, you will gain more control over the memories until, in the end, you will write the story yourself.¡± Elijah nodded, though he wasn¡¯t entirely sure what she meant, save that he was having some sort of out-of-body experience. ¡°Was this a test, then?¡± ¡°In a sense,¡± she answered. ¡°It is also necessary for each dragon to understand our history. Without the context of our origin, dragons tend to grow¡­arrogant. When I feel myself bing overbearing, I remember that my race began with a simple fire smander.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Eliijah lied. ¡°No. You do not. But you are no true dragon ¨C not yet ¨C so yourck of perspective is forgivable,¡± she said, her smile widening slightly. It was the sort of expression a mother would bestow upon a troublesome child who¡¯d somehow managed to make her proud. It made Elijah want to squirm away. ¡°How did the smander do it?¡± he asked. He suspected the dragon wouldn¡¯t reveal much more about his circumstances, so he chose to move on to the purpose of the entire vision. ¡°I felt her falling apart after using that fire-breathing ability. She shouldn¡¯t have made it to the top of the lotus. And when she got there, she justid an egg and died? How was it fertilized? How did the baby dragon survive?¡± ¡°So many questions,¡± Kirlissa said. ¡°The answer to most is that we do not know. The Mother of Dragons was an enigmatic creature, and the Dream was pieced together from thousands of scattered sources. We have no insight into why she sought the Fire Lotus. Nor do we know how the egg was fertilized. The First Dragon¡¯s path is lost to time. The only thing we know for certain is that it survived and thrived, and our race was born. Some of our most talented Schrs suppose that the egg was fertilized by the Fire Lotus itself, giving birth to a creature of mingled magic and flesh, though other factions refute that im. Wars have been fought over the details.¡± Elijah could understand that. On Earth, people killed one another over religion all the time, and the origin of dragons seemed like the same sort of thing. So, Elijah decided to push his curiosity aside and focus on what really mattered. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°What will happen next?¡± he asked, ncing around at his surroundings. He stood in the center of a grand hall that was lined with white marble pirs capped with gold. In the distance, he saw a massive throne that stood before an evenrger pile of treasure. Elijah could feel ethera wafting from the collected mass of gold ethereum, and he even saw quite a few coins that were probably tinum. It was the dragon¡¯s hoard. ¡°In a moment, you will return to your body andplete your cultivation. Most of it is finished, but you still need to push your core to the next stage,¡± she exined. ¡°It will be painful, but if you could endure the Origin of Dragons, you are more than capable of withstanding the transition from the first stage to the second.¡± ¡°And after that?¡± he asked. ¡°Am I going to grow scales or something?¡± Sheughed again. ¡°No,¡± she answered. ¡°Not unless you wish to, and not until muchter in the cultivation process. You have taken the first step on the Path of Dragons, but you have a long way to go before you can truly call yourself one of us. That is how it is with dragonkin like yourself.¡± Her face turned serious. ¡°I will warn you now. There are those in the Empire of Scale who will treat you as lesser because you are not a natural dragon. These¡­people are wrong. If you reach the right stage of cultivation, you will be as much a dragon as anyone in the empire,¡± she exined. ¡°Perhaps more so. Until then, you will need to remain on guard for those who would look down on you for your humble origins.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°Dragon racism,¡± he muttered. ¡°Great.¡± ¡°Do not worry yourself. You will not soon reach the empire, and by the time you do, I will have prepared the way,¡± she said. ¡°You did not hatch from one of my eggs, but you are still one of my children. And I will brook no disrespect against my family. My protection will only go so far, though. You must learn to fly on your own merit.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Elijah said. And he meant it, too. He would take any help he was offered, but he¡¯d been on his own for long enough that he was more thanfortable with that. ¡°I believe you,¡± said Kirlissa, reaching out to stroke his cheek. Her touch felt like being hit my a tiny bolt of lightning. ¡°I am forbidden from giving too much information concerning what ising. Even I am subordinate to the system. However, I will offer you this advice. Do not underestimate the benefits of conquering Primal Realms. The fate of your world will depend on it.¡± ¡°How ¨C¡± Elijah never got the chance to finish his question. Instead, his mind once again went nk, whichsted for a few moments before he once again found himself within his cultivation cave. All around him, the water roiled with kic energy as well as ethera, and his core felt as if it was going to burst. It had grown farrger than before he¡¯d been whisked away, and the ethera inside had be much denser, reaching the point where it felt like he held a bowling ball in his chest. He grabbed the ethera, wresting it under control. Agony erupted inside of him as the core grewrger with every passing second. He mped down on it,pressing it with every ounce of resolve he possessed. At first, it barely responded, but after a few agonizing moments, it responded to his will. Enduring the pain of so much power rushing through him, Elijah focused on the final step he needed to take before progressing to the next stage. Leveraging every facet of his Quartz Mind, he took hold of the ethera raging throughout his body and forced it all into his core. However, he didn¡¯t do it without direction. Instead, he used that ethera to progressively,yer byyer, reinforce the structure of the core. Adding eachyer felt like moving a mountain. But he persisted in his efforts, and he endured the agony. Minute by minute, he shoved more ethera into the core¡¯s structure until he felt like it was on the verge of going supernova. Without the advanced stage of his cultivation, Elijah never would have managed it. His Mind let him control the flows of ethera while quarantining the pain into its own facet. Meanwhile, if his Quartz Mind gave him the ability to control it all, then his Novice Soul provided the means by which that control could be exerted. Without those reinforced channels, the process would have backed up. Ethera was the source of everything, but too much of even a good thing was tantamount to poison. The immense flows of energy racing through him was no different, and it required significant durability to withstand so much ethera. That was where the Body of Stone came into y. Without reaching the second stage of body cultivation, the powerful flows of energy would have dissolved the flesh from his bones. Even with the advantage of his cultivation, Elijah struggled to endure the power of progressing his core. That, he¡¯d learned, was one of the issues with something like a Dragon Core. It was far more powerful than other, more normal cores, but that power came at a cost. One of those was that they often had special requirements attached to their progression. Elijah had just experienced that for himself, and he expected those conditions would only grow more onerous with each step he took on the so-called Path of Dragons. In addition, even when those requirements were met, actually progressing a special core required far more effort and ethera. Doing so before advancing the other aspects of cultivation was generally viewed as suicidal. Fortunately, Elijah¡¯s Body, Mind, and Soul had already reached the second stage, which gave him just enough of an edge to manage his powerful core. Still, it was as exhausting as it was agonizing, but he endured until, atst, his Dragon Core started to absorb everyst drop of ethera in the area. At first, he tried to corral it, but it quickly became apparent that the process had progressed far beyond his ability to control it. He could only endure and hope that he¡¯d done enough. Power on a level he¡¯d never experienced raced into the vortexes in his mind, scorching its way through the pathways of his soul, and into his bloated core. Even as the ambient ethera flooded into him, the surrounding water evaporated. As he fell to the cave¡¯s floor, the flora and fauna disintegrated, providing even more fuel for the transition. Elijah barely noticed it. Instead, the whole of his attention was on the expanding globe of power at the center of his being. He leveraged everyst ounce of his willpower intopressing it. One heave after another, it shrank, and inch by inch, relief flooded Elijah¡¯s mind, body, and soul. Then, just as his exhaustion bypassed the boundaries of what he could endure, the processpleted, and he received a notification:
Congrattions! Your Dragon Core has reached the Whelp Stage.
Just before Elijah¡¯s body gave out, he let out a dry chuckle. Whelp. It sounded almost derogatory, and it didn¡¯t indicate the level of power he¡¯d just felt racing through his body. But before he could contemte the irony of that name any further, he lost consciousness. Book 4: Chapter 83: Final Preparations Book 4: Chapter 83: Final Preparations Elijah awoke to the sensation of something nibbling on his toe. At first, he barely even noticed it, but then consciousness fully took hold, and he jerked his foot away. The moment he moved, the fish darted away, frightened by the sudden motion. Elijah blinked his eyes open, and his memories came flooding back. At some point, seawater hade rushing back into the cave, so he found himself floating just above the cave¡¯s floor. Thest phase of pushing his Dragon Core to the Whelp stage had killed everything within the cavern, but enough time had passed that a few fish hade to investigate. In addition, a couple of tiny strands of kelp had managed to take hold, telling Elijah that at least a few days had passed while he was unconscious. Otherwise, he had no idea how much time had psed since he¡¯d begun the process of taking the next step in his core cultivation. He remembered that, even before reliving the tale of the birth of the first dragon, he¡¯d spent almost a month cycling. So, given that he¡¯d spent at least a few more days unconscious, he felt impatient to determine precisely how much time had passed. With that in mind, he swam to the cave¡¯s exit and pushed himself through the tunnel until he reached open water. Normally, he would have taken a few hours to repopte the cave, but for now, he needed to take stock of his situation. Before isting himself in the cultivation cave, he¡¯d had about three months left before the Trial of Primacy began, so he knew he didn¡¯t have much room for error. Kicking to the surface, he leaped free of the water, then cast Shape of the Sky, transforming in mid-air. He pped his wings, gaining altitude before racing across the sky toward his grove. Hended in a small open space Nerthus had created as a bit of anding pad, then called out for his spyggent friend. Nerthus appeared after only a few moments, and Elijah asked, ¡°How long have I been gone?¡± ¡°Forty-eight days,¡± Nerthus answered. Elijah frowned. That meant he only had about six weeks left before the Trial of Primacy. He thought that would be enough time, but there was a small chance that he¡¯d have to make some cuts to his schedule. Originally, he¡¯d intended to run the tower a few more times in the hopes of gaining a couple more levels. However, with how much time his core cultivation had required, that just wouldn¡¯t be possible. So, he¡¯d have to be satisfied with being level ny. After having reached the second stage in every aspect of his cultivation, he hoped that would be enough. ¡°You reached the second stage,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°Congrattions. Many people consider that the true beginning of cultivation.¡±That made some sense. It had certainly been much more difficult than taking the first step, though Elijah had no real context for what that first stage of core cultivation usually looked like. After all, he¡¯d aplished it via thepletion of a Kirlissa¡¯s quest, so he¡¯d never experienced doing it on his own. However, he expected that it would have been much easier than what he¡¯d just put himself through. ¡°I think I have enough time,¡± he said, rubbing his bearded chin. ¡°It¡¯s going to be close, though.¡± ¡°If I may offer a suggestion?¡± Nerthus ventured. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Perhaps a nice meal and a shower will help,¡± he said. ¡°Are you saying that I stink?¡± ¡°Like a dead fish,¡± Nerthus answered without hesitation. ¡°Ouch,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°Message received.¡± After that, he asked about Miguel¡¯s progress, and to Elijah¡¯s surprise, he discovered that his nephew had already reached the first stage in everything but his core cultivation. On top of that, he was well on his way to preparing himself to take that step as well. Most of it was due to Nerthus¡¯ help. Much as he¡¯d done for Elijah, Nerthus had sacrificed a good deal of his own power to ease Miguel¡¯s cultivation. It wouldn¡¯t have been possible if the young man hadn¡¯t possessed a strong nature attunement, and ording to the spryggent, his race ¨C or others like them ¨C often performed simr functions in themunities that grew around Druid groves. Seemingly, Nerthus regarded it as part of his duty, and though Elijah worried about the spyrggent overextending himself, he elected to trust his judgement. Other than that, Nerthus let him know that his ns for the garden were well underway. Soon, he would rece the grove berry bushes with better alternatives, and the defenses he¡¯d begun to grow had already taken root and were thriving. In short, everything was going ording to n. So, it was with a slightly lighter heart that Elijah retreated to his treehouse to follow Nerthus¡¯ advice. He wasn¡¯t certain which was more beneficial ¨C the shower or the meal ¨C but when he finally emerged, he was ready to finish his preparations for the Trial of Primacy. The first step was toplete his soap-making project. He wasn¡¯t sure if it truly hadsting effects, but he¡¯d grown used to the jolt of energy he received when using it. The notion of going without while he was in the Trial was an unattractive one, so he made enough soap tost him for more than a year. After that, he headed into Ironshore and visited a couple of shops. His first stop was Biggle¡¯sboratory, where he picked up a few sacks of cleansing powder. Then, he visited the Tailor Mari, who sold him a few new outfits. They were cut in the same style he was used to, but they had the benefit of having a durability enchantment that would hopefully preserve them during the Trial. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. He also visited the general store, where he stocked up on odds and ends that he thought might prove useful. None of it was of graded quality, but things like rope, bandages, and waterproof bedding didn¡¯t need to be, either. Finally, he found himself in Gavina¡¯s workshop. To his surprise, the little goblin Leatherworker was actually happy to see him, which was a huge departure from their previous meeting. ¡°Thank goodness you came back,¡± she greeted him, relief in her voice. ¡°Having that armor here put a target on my back.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s mid-Complex!¡± she practically shouted. ¡°Do you know what people would do for that kind of armor? And it¡¯s the whole set, too! I¡¯m surprised someone hasn¡¯t already killed me for it!¡± ¡°Do you really think somebody would do that?¡± Elijah asked skeptically. Ironshore probably had some criminal element ¨C every settlement of any size did ¨C but he¡¯d heard nothing of open murder. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Maybe,¡± Gavina answered with exasperation. ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough to fight them if they did, though. Better that you take it now.¡± After that, she shoved arge bundle into his hands. It was heavier than Elijiah had expected, though given the materials, that was expected. ¡°I need a description of what it does.¡± The goblin Leatherworker rolled her eyes and massaged her forehead. ¡°Ugh. Of course you do. Here,¡± she said, handing him a piece of paper. ¡°That¡¯s what it is. Now go! Before someone attacks!¡± Elijah didn¡¯t think it was reasonable to expect an attack, but he got the sense that Gavina was the paranoid sort. She¡¯d been worried about him killing her during their first meeting, but it seemed she¡¯d graduated to suspecting an external threat. Still, there might¡¯ve been some merit to her suspicions, especially if the armor was as high-quality as she¡¯d said. Before he left, Elijah took a look at the description on the piece of paper:
Armor of the Boar King (set) Composed of eight pieces (Bracers x2, Gauntlets, Chestguard, Pants, Footwraps x2, Headband). Total attribute bonuses (from individual pieces): +15 Strength +25 Dexterity +15 Constitution +10 Ethera +20 Regeneration When wearing the entire set, gain the ability Bulwark of the Boar King: Wrap the wearer in an imprable shield. Duration: 30 seconds. Cooldown: 15 days.
¡°This is¡­this is amazing,¡± Elijah said. But then he saw a problem. ¡°These footwraps¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I noticed that you walk around barefoot like a savage, so I figured there must be some reason,¡± Gavina said. ¡°Those footwraps don¡¯t really cover much of the foot. I think they should be fine for your¡­whatever it is that keeps you from wearing shoes. And don¡¯t tell me. Nobody can torture information out of me if I don¡¯t know it!¡± Elijah just shook his head at the little Leatherworker¡¯s enthusiastic paranoia. There was nothing he could do about it, though, so he just paid what he owed and left the shop behind. However, he did stop by Ramik¡¯s office to ask the mayor if he could periodically send someone by Gavina¡¯s shop to ensure that she was okay. ¡°I will, but you should know that this is nothing new for Gavina,¡± Ramik said, sipping a cup of tea while he sat behind his desk. ¡°She is a talented Leatherworker, but she came from a city ruled by an authoritarian regime. Her paranoia is well-earned, and despite my insistence that she doesn¡¯t have to worry about those things anymore, old habits are difficult to discard.¡± ¡°It would still give me some peace of mind if you¡¯d keep an eye on her. If you can¡¯t, I understand. I¡¯ll just get Colt to do it.¡± ¡°No ¨C it¡¯s fine. It will be no trouble to send someone by every few days,¡± Ramik stated. After that, Elijah asked if anyone else from Ironshore intended to participate in the Trial of Primacy, and Ramik answered, ¡°We are sending one team. Kurik is leading it.¡± ¡°Can you afford to lose him? Or anyone else, for that matter?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°He¡¯s the onlybatant. The others are Tradesmen or Merchants. We intend to use this Trial to make some trade alliances,¡± Ramik announced. ¡°Our mine has proven quite productive, but that potential is being squandered by the fact that we only have one trading partner. Hopefully, this Trial will give us a chance to make some connections.¡± That was a bit of a surprise for Elijah, but he supposed it made sense. So far, he¡¯d thought of the Trial of Primacy as a test ofbat potential, but there was nothing to suggest that it wouldn¡¯t offer opportunities for nonbat archetypes as well. With that in mind, he offered to help the team from Ironshore in whatever way he could, though he wasn¡¯t certain what form that help might take. After that, his meeting with Ramik ended, and he returned to his grove. By that point, night had fallen, and with it came Carmen, who let him know everything that had been going on during his time in the cultivation cave. Apparently, Miguel was itching to level, but he¡¯d so far agreed to forego doing so until he¡¯d reached the first stage of every aspect of cultivation. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like it, though,¡± Carmen admitted. ¡°Have you finished his equipment?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Still a work in progress. The problem is that he can¡¯t really use Complex-Grade items. They¡¯re too powerful. So, I have to find a way to make something weaker, which means that I can¡¯t use the best materials. I¡¯ll figure it out before he starts leveling, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± ¡°No,¡± she admitted. ¡°What about you? Is everything ready?¡± ¡°Not yet. I still have one project left before I go, and it¡¯s going to take a while. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll have enough time to finish.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯d better get started, right?¡± she asked. ¡°What¡¯s the project?¡± ¡°New staff,¡± Elijah said. ¡°The Dragon-Touched Staff is nice, and I¡¯ll keep it as a backup, but it doesn¡¯t really do much for my damage or healing.¡± The staff gave him a lot of attributes, including increasing the efficacy of his buffs by five points each, but he was more interested in direct enhancements to his abilities. And besides, he had the freedom to swing for the fences. If he failed, he still had the Dragon-Touched Staff to fall back on. ¡°Can I help?¡± Carmen asked. Elijah shook his head. ¡°I think I get better results if I do it all myself,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯ll let you know if that changes.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± With that, the conversation moved on to other things ¨C like local gossip. None of it was really all that interesting to Elijah, but he listened as Carmen exined who was courting whom, which families were feuding, and what she expected toe from the Norcastle alliance going forward. The discussion seemedfortably normal, which was all Elijah really wanted. Because tomorrow, he would start the final project before he embarked upon the Trial of Primacy. Given that, a little normalcy was precisely what he needed. Book 4: Chapter 84: Masterpiece Book 4: Chapter 84: Masterpiece Elijah stood in front of the tree, unsure about his n. In his head, it all made sense, but now that he was looking at the thing, he doubted it. Not the viability of the intended product ¨C he felt certain he could do something worthwhile ¨C but rather, his doubts centered on whether or not he had the right to destroy something so vibrant. He wasn¡¯t so deluded that he equated killing a tree to murdering a person, but there were notes of that line of thinking in his mind. It would be so easy to ignore them, but he was a Druid, wasn¡¯t he? Didn¡¯t that mean he had a duty not to do that? ¡°This is eptable,¡± said Nerthus. ¡°Huh?¡± asked Elijah turning to see the spryggent standing behind him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I can sense your doubt. These trees were created for this purpose. There is no shame in using them,¡± he stated. Indeed, Elijah had asked Nerthus to grow the trees to his specifications, using acorns from the trees that ringed the grove. They¡¯d marked the original boundaries of his Ancestral Circle, and as such, they were infused with more potential than any other trees on his ind ¨C excepting the ancestral tree itself. And their progeny was almost as special. ¡°If it still worries you, know that this will not kill them. So long as their roots remain, they will grow once again.¡± Elijah sighed. That was true, too. Still, his doubts remained. He¡¯d once grown angry just looking at the deforestation associated with Ironshore, and now he couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was on the verge of doing the same thing. It should have disgusted him. And yet, it didn¡¯t. And that was worrying,rgely because it signified that he wasn¡¯t really sure what being a Druid meant. Maybe the answer was that it didn¡¯t mean anything. Perhaps all the influences he thought he¡¯d felt in the past few years were in his head. That frightened him. But the reality was that the moment he¡¯d asked Nerthus to nurture the trees, he¡¯d bemitted to using them. Because if he didn¡¯t, Nerthus would doubtless rip them up by the roots just because they didn¡¯t follow the pattern he wanted the grove to follow.So, without further dy, he knelt before the trees and got to work cutting them down. The trio had grown around one another, their white-barked trunks inextricably intertwined and nurtured on a steady diet of ethera. As a result, they pulsed with energy that exceeded that of any other tree in his grove ¨C again, excepting the ancestral tree at its center. The trunks themselves weren¡¯trge, only reaching a diameter of a few inches. Yet, they were harder than they had any right to be, so it took Elijah nearly an hour to fell them. When he finally did, he saw the thin, blue veins running through them, linking each of the three trunks in a way he didn¡¯t truly understand. But he knew enough that he could work with it. The trees were somewhere between being saplings and reaching maturity, so they were around eight feet tall. That would be enough for Elijah to work with. So, once he had them in hand, he headed to a spot within the grove that Nerthus had made for him. The spryggent was nothing if not anal about what grew within the grove, so given that Elijah meant to consistently re One with Nature as well as Nature¡¯s Bounty, he¡¯d made a ce just for that. Settling in, Elijah got to work. The first step was to remove the limbs, which he set aside forter. One day, he¡¯d use them to create lye, which he hoped would make for better soap. But for now, he only wanted them out of the way. Gradually, Elijah kept working, stripping the bark, then sanding the intertwined trees smooth. Altogether, they were more than six inches in diameter, so he had a lot of work ahead of him to pare it down to size. Days passed as Elijah sanded and whittled, eventuallying up with a straight, white staff that was about two inches thick and six feet long. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to go through the effort of straightening the shaft, so the next step was carving it. Using a series of small knives and files he¡¯d bought for just that purpose, Elijah did just that. Along the way, he lost track of time, though on more than one asion, he took breaks to either repopte the cultivation cave or help Miguel with his training. Eventually, Miguel took the next step in cultivation, attaining what Nerthus referred to as a Guardian Core. It wasn¡¯t as powerful as Elijah¡¯s Dragon Core, but it was one of the best paths Miguel could hope to take without getting outside help from an elder race. After that, Miguel headed to the maind to begin his leveling process. Meanwhile, Carmen kept at it with the Great Forge, throwing herself into her work in order to distract herself from the fact that Miguel was going off into the wilderness where he would be forced to risk his life. That wasn¡¯t what any mother wanted to deal with, but knowing that she couldn¡¯t stop it, she had chosen to focus on her work. Judging by the conversations she and Elijah shared during that time, it didn¡¯t work. Day by day, Eliijah¡¯s staff took shape. He didn¡¯t dare think too much about what he was carving, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the designs that took hold at the end of his knives. Still, he did everything he could to keep his influence out of it. It was better to let the process dictate what it would be. In the end, it took five weeks for Elijah to finish the carving, and even then, he thought he¡¯d rushed it. If he¡¯d had another couple of months, he would have not only been much more meticulous in his efforts, but he would have further infused it with his ethera. Still, he was happy with the design. The staff was straight, ending up at a little less than two inches thick. The design made it look like a Celtic weave, which bared the glowing ethereal veins. At the top was a coiled dragon, with an intricately carved head that was as detailed a piece as any Elijah had ever created. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. But the staff wasn¡¯t finished. He still needed to seal it. Fortunately, he had plenty of wax from Nerthus¡¯ apiary, so after cutting it with some mineral oil he¡¯d bought in Ironshore, he went to work sealing the staff. The process wasn¡¯t a short one, and it required him to leave the staff for as much as twenty-four hours while each coat of the sent soaked in and dried. During those times, he finalized his preparations for the Trial. He visited Argos to collect his pork jerky, and while he was there, he met with Sadie and Dat. They both had been upied with their own preparations, but Elijah was surprised to find that Sadie had spent quite a lot of time healing people at the Temple of Virtue. He also stopped by to talk to Delh, where he learned that both she and Isaak intended to participate in the Trial as well. Elijah didn¡¯t much care for that, but he knew better than to try to talk them out of it. As it turned out, Atticus was going, too, though he made it clear that he had no intention of fighting. ¡°If things get rough, I¡¯ll be out of there in a hurry, my friend,¡± he assured Elijah, pping him on the shoulder with augh. Soon enough, though, Elijah had done all there was to do. He had all the supplies he could carry, and he¡¯d even broken in his new armor. All that was left was toplete the staff, but even as the day of the Trial crept closer, Elijah refused to shortchange the project. It was only on the day before the Trial was supposed tomence that he finally finished it, getting the following notification:
Congrattions! You have created a unique item [Staff of the First Dragon]. This item will serve to enhance all spells by significant degree. Overall Grade: Complex (High) Enchantment Grade: C
Elijah pumped his fist in celebration. The staff had turned out better than he could have hoped, though he still wasn¡¯t certain what it would do, exactly. He¡¯d need someone to analyze it for that. Thankfully, he knew a dwarven Tailor who had an item that would allow for just that. So, he took on the Shape of the Sky and flew to Ironshore. Hended in the middle of the street outside Mari¡¯s shop, which caused a bit of a ruckus. He was too excited to worry about that, though, and he quickly hurried inside. Of course, Mari wasn¡¯t one to be rushed, and she red at him with disapproval before agreeing to let him borrow her analysis apparatus. Once she did, Elijah wasted no time before holding up the small piece of what looked like ordinary ss and channeling some ethera through it. That was when he got a little more information:
[Staff of the First Dragon] A staff created by the Druid Elijah Hart from the trunk of a juvenile ancestral tree. It is infused with his ethera, binding it to him the moment it was created. +20 Strengh, Dexterity, Constitution, Ethera, and Reneration Effect: Enhances all spells by 25% Effect: Increases the effective radius of One with Nature by 70% Ability: Rejuvenation ¨C Use stored ethera to fuel a single cast of Soothe. Cooldown: 1 day. Usable in all forms.
It was beyond anything Elijah could¡¯ve hoped to create, and as he read one benefit after another, he very nearly dropped Mari¡¯s analysis ss. The attribute bonuses alone were extremely powerful, but then it also increased the effect of all of his spells by twenty-five percent? And it nearly doubled the radius of One with Nature? And that ability? It was a perfect addition to his toolkit. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said to Mari, handing the ss back to her. ¡°I hope you got good news. That Trial sounds a bit dodgy. Mark my words ¨C people are going to die in there,¡± she said. ¡°And for what it¡¯s worth, I hope it isn¡¯t you.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t think you cared about me at all.¡± ¡°Of course I do. You¡¯re my best customer,¡± she said. ¡°Now, get out of my shop. You¡¯re scaring everyone off.¡± ¡°A. I¡¯m touched,¡± he replied with a grin. But at her re, he quickly ducked out of the shop. After that, Elijah made the rounds, saying goodbye to everyone he was close to in town. That included Ramik, Carissa, Biggle, and even Gavina ¨C who wouldn¡¯t even answer her door. Instead, she just pretended like she didn¡¯t hear his knock, even going so far as to innocently whistle. Finally, he bought a veritable feast from the Stuck Pig, which he brought back to the grove for the evening meal. That night, he and his family ¨C including Nerthus and Colt ¨C had something of a going away party. Miguel had already progressed to level eight, so he would be getting his ss within a couple of weeks, which was the source of some excitement. The possibilities dominated their discussion for quite some time as Miguel animatedly detailed everything he¡¯d been doing since being let off his leash. He clearly took quite a bit of joy in the retelling, though Carmen didn¡¯t seem too enthused to hear that her son had been risking his life. In Elijah¡¯s case, he wasn¡¯t certain how he felt. On the one hand, it was good that Miguel was gaining enough power to protect himself, but Elijah would have been lying if he said he wasn¡¯t worried about his nephew. In the end, he could only trust that the young man would be smart about the risks he took. Before Elijah knew it, everyone had gone to bed, leaving only him and Nerthus sitting in the grove. ¡°You¡¯ll take care of things while I¡¯m gone, right?¡± he asked. ¡°I will,¡± Nerthus assured him. ¡°Anyone whoes to this ind with malice in their hearts will rue the day they chose their path.¡± Elijah believed the spryggent. So, without further ado, he retreated to his treehouse, where he checked and rechecked his supplies. He didn¡¯t intend to leave anything behind, so he spent hours going through his lists. He didn¡¯t bother sleeping that night. Instead, when dawn came, he gathered his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, said his final goodbyes to Carmen, Miguel, and Nerthus, then headed toward the Branch in Ironshore. There, he waited alongside Kurik, a few Tradesmen and Merchants he didn¡¯t know, as well as Nia and Robolo. Thetter two couldn¡¯t meet Elijah¡¯s gaze, probably because they remembered what had happened thest time they had grouped up with him. Hopefully, this time would be better. The timer ticked down until, atst, the Branch began to glow. Then, a notification shed before Elijah¡¯s inner eye:
You have been invited to attend the Trial of Primacy. Please report to your local Branch of the World Tree if you would like to participate. Invite expires in twelve minutes.
Elijah wasted no time before cing his hand on the Branch. The moment his fingers made contact, his senses went dark as he was whisked away to the Trial of Primacy. Book 4: Chapter 85: The Best of the Best Book 4: Chapter 85: The Best of the Best Sadie Song stared at the Branch, waiting for the seconds to tick away until she could enter the Trial of Primacy. Even though everything pointed to it being the right choice, she still felt guilty about her choice to attend. There was a niggling thought in the back of her mind that she should have simply gone home. After all, with the corrupted forces of the Primal Realm having been quarantined, the survivors of Hong Kong would have a perfect opportunity to solidify their grip on the region and retake lost territory. She should have been spearheading that instead of preparing to participate in some sort of contest. ¡°You okay, bro?¡± asked Dat, standing on her right side. She nced toward her friend, seeing that he¡¯d taken the impending Trial very seriously. He¡¯d spent weeks in preparation, buying useful items and plenty of supplies. Most of those supplies were nestled snuggly inside the backpack he¡¯d been awarded for conquering the local tower with a few friends he¡¯d made in town. That was the thing about Dat, and the trait that made Sadie more than a little envious. He¡¯d always been good at making friends. Part of that was due to his easygoing demeanor, but it could also be chalked up to his nonjudgemental nature. He epted people as they were, even going so far as to show enthusiasm about their interests. Sadie had never been able to do that. Charitably, she could have been called cold, but there were less generousbels that had been thrown her way, many of which were quite vulgar. It had been that way since childhood, and things had only gotten worse after she¡¯d grown up and acquired her ss. She wanted to be different. She¡¯d tried to be like Dat. But her attempts at connecting with other people usually came off awkward or condescending, neither of which were endearing qualities But at least she had Dat. And her family, though she wasn¡¯t sure how much thetter actually liked her. Her family loved her, certainly, but even Niko avoided her unless they pursued mutual goals. Most of all, though, keeping herpany were Sadie¡¯s obligations. Others could worry about friendship and being liked. She concerned herself with more important things ¨C like survival. Even if they often called her unttering names, she would still save as many people as she could. For her part, she¡¯d spent most of her time in Argos at the Temple of Virtue. It was aforting ce with dense ethera ¨C probably due to the natural treasure that grew at its center ¨C but more importantly, it gave her the opportunity to help people. Because, for all of her cold demeanor, that was all she wanted out of life. Every step she¡¯d taken had been in pursuit of that goal, and standing before that temple and healing people was the purest expression of those desires. Unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t received the same sort of adtion as that infuriating Druid. When he visited Argos, it was like a parade. And the worst part was that he didn¡¯t even notice it. Nor did he seem to care. Byparison, she¡¯d only gotten looks of suspicion and begrudging eptance of the help she offered.And it bothered her more than she wanted to admit. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she lied, shifting her own pack on her shoulder. It was smaller than Dat¡¯s, but because of the spatial enchantment, it held even more supplies. But even if she lost it, she felt confident that she could survive with nothing but the enormous sword on her back. The weapon ¨C which she¡¯d received as a reward from a system task associated with the Primal Realm ¨C was called the Sword of the Morning, and it had been her constantpanion for the past year. Byparison, her armor ¨C called Silverine Battlegear ¨C had been crafted by her n¡¯s most advanced cksmith from the best materials they could find, and the results had been a revtion. Hopefully, it would be enough to protect her. She didn¡¯t fear death, but if she fell, Hong Kong would be destroyed. Thousands of lives would be lost. And the undead scourge would spread across the world. Pushing that pressure from her mind, she nced back at the others who would participate in the Trial. One of them was a Merchant, while the tall woman who¡¯dtched onto Elijah Hart led a group of fighters. The odd one out was a pretty young man with curly hair. Despite his slight frame and bookish demeanor, he was the only one who felt strong enough to threaten her. Suddenly, the Branch lit up with blue ethera, and she received a notification informing her that the Trial was ready. So, she reached out and touched the closest crystalline limb, and a momentter, her mind went dark. Thest thing she thought was that she hoped she had made the right decision. * * * Benedict Emerson tried to ignore the agonized moans of all the people around him. Why couldn¡¯t they simply remain silent and ept their fates? They were already dead. Their fate had been established the moment they had attacked him, and it had been sealed when they had been impaled by Ritual Spike.
Ritual Spike Summon a spear that erupts from the ground to impale a victim. Functions in conjunction with Ritual Circle to channel powerful flows of ethera into a summoning spell.
He nced up, seeing a perfect circle of ck spikes, onto which the bandits had been impaled. Thirteen of them, in fact. An ideal number for his new ritual. One for each of the foundational twelve, then another to represent all the hidden powers of the multi-verse. Ten more bodiesy in a nearby heap, discarded and forgotten. The spikes had been arranged equidistant from one another, and they surrounded four chained imps. They chattered excitedly,pletely uprehending what wasing. That was the issue with the demonlings. They weren¡¯tpletely stupid, but Benedict would describe them more as cunning than intelligent. Whatever the case, the moment he¡¯d evolved Summon Demonling into Summon Malicious Guard, he had chosen to sacrifice them.
Summon Malicious Guard Using an empowered summoning circle, summon a Tier-2 fel servant and bind the creature to your will. Cooldown based on Ethera attribute. Current: 18.6 Days.
The description hadn¡¯t changed much from its previous incarnation, but the ritual¡¯s requirements were quite a bit steeper. Not only did those conditions necessitate using Ritual Spikes, but they also included sacrificing his previously summoned servants. That was okay, though. Imps were useful, but Benedict believed that one powerful servant would be better than four weaker demonlings. He''d been quite upset when he¡¯d discovered that four was his current limit. He had plenty of ethera to support more, but that didn¡¯t seem to matter. More than once, he¡¯d found himself wishing he¡¯d refused Thakon¡¯s offer and continued on as a necromancer. Of course, that onlysted a few moments ¨C long enough for the self-pity to give way to the realization of his increased power ¨C but in his weaker moments, he found himself railing at the circumstances. He had adjusted, though. Where he¡¯d once specialized in controlling a great horde of zombies, he would now focus on enving the strongest minions he could summon. Quality over quantity ¨C a t he could get behind. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Gradually, Benedictpleted his Ritual Circle. After six months, his mastery had be instinctive. He¡¯d always had an eye for detail, and that perfectionism was evident when he stood up and looked at the Ritual Circle he¡¯d drawn with his victims¡¯ blood. He dismissed his Ritual Dagger, then stepped out of the bloody circle. Once he did, he took a moment to nce around at his surroundings. He¡¯d stumbled upon the town while seeking a tower to challenge, and to his dismay, they¡¯d reacted poorly to his arrival. It was the same all over the world. Bandits and malcontents, all. It wasn¡¯t surprising. Benedict had always known that the world was full of bullies. He¡¯d felt their wrath often enough, especially in his youth. The only difference was that now, he had the ability to resist. He¡¯d exercised that ability without hesitation, and the results were all around him. There might¡¯ve been a few survivors hiding in the town, but his imps had been thorough enough in their quest of extermination. The only issue was that, when they killed without his input, Benedict only received a fraction of the experience. A small price to pay, but an annoying one. Regardless, the reward for the imps¡¯ efforts was that they were given the chance to fuel histest summoning. They should have been happy to serve such an undertaking. They weren¡¯t, though. Instead, as they began to realize what was happening, they filled the air with their inane chatter, begging him to reconsider. Ungrateful creatures. Hopefully, the Malicious Guard would be better. He pulled his attention away from the smoking ruins of the town and focused on the circle. Then, he used Empower Summoning Circle, shoving ethera into the ritual. The blood with which he¡¯d drawn the runes lit up with glimmering power. Then, finally, he cast Summon Malicious Guard. The Ritual Spikes red with blinding light as they drained not just ethera, but also vital energy, from the thirteen impaled viins. That power rushed into the circle and to the chained imps. They exploded into a rainbow of light, cutting off their incessant screeching. Finally, the atmosphere ripped apart, revealing a world of fire and brimstone. A huge creature stepped through. All glistening ck muscle and horns, it looked like a proper demon. It was a quadruped, looking like the unholiest of centaurs, though instead of the body of a horse, the origin of the bottom half was clearly that of a predator, with raking ws, armored tes, and a forked tail. What would have been a human half on a centaur came from a hulking primate, though one with thick, rhinoceros-like skin instead of fur. A crown of six horns decorated its tusked, simian face. It roared, shaking the very foundations of the town¡¯s still smoldering buildings. And Benedict smiled. Yes ¨C quality over quantity was the right strategy. ¡°Master,¡± it rumbled, bowing its head. Before Benedict could respond, he received a notification:
You have been invited to attend the Trial of Primacy. Please report to your local Branch of the World Tree if you would like to participate. Invite expires in twelve minutes.
¡°Oh,¡± he mused. ¡°That was today?¡± He¡¯d totally forgotten about the system¡¯s littlepetition. Though he had to admit that such a Trial might be a perfect proving ground for his newly summoned Malicious Guard. And as luck would have it, the town he¡¯d so fortuitously visited yed host to a Branch. So, without giving it too much thought, he gestured for his minion to follow as he stepped past the bodies and headed toward the Branch. * * * Oscar Rodriguez was confused. But that was nothing new. He couldn¡¯t count how many times he¡¯d dragged himself out of the struggle to survive and found a new setting. Usually, that meant different variations of the wilderness ¨C or the ruins of civilization ¨C but in this case, he was standing outside of a functional town. Nearby were thepanions who¡¯d been with him since the very beginning. One of them ¨C Escobar ¨C barked. ¡°I know,¡± he grunted, ncing at the chihuahua. He wore a spiked cor, but even though Oscar knew just how powerful the little dog was, Escobar looked no different than in the beginning. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the case with all the rest. Seven dogs, mostly stay mutts who¡¯d been brought to the shelter where Oscar had once worked, each one bigger and stronger than any dog had been before the world had changed. Oscar had seen them take down enormous monsters, ripping through them without issue. He''d done plenty of killing as well, using the abilities he¡¯d gained from his Pack Leader ss to empower, heal, and direct hispanions. But none of them were even close to as strong as little Escobar. Oscar turned his attention back to the town. It was surrounded by arge wall, which was guarded by a trio of sentries. In his experience, towns were ces to be avoided. That was why he spent so much time in the wilderness. At least that was what he told himself in his more lucid moments. The forests were wild and dangerous ces, but he felt more at home away from so-called civilization. Happier, even though it was usually a difficult life filled with violence. But that was what survival meant. He¡¯d learned that within hours of the world¡¯s transformation, when a giant rat-like creature had invaded the animal shelter where he used to work. He¡¯d narrowly managed to survive with the help of hispanions, but most of the other animals ¨C as well as his coworkers ¨C had been killed. Since then, he¡¯d encountered one deadly hardship after another, but with the assistance of his pack, he¡¯d ovee them all. Now, though, he had a choice to make. The nearby town yed host to a Branch. Normally, he didn¡¯t care about those curious crystalline trees. He preferred the wilderness, after all. But the Trial of Primacy was important. He wasn¡¯t sure why. He just knew it was. Escobar agreed, an opinion he made known with another serious of yapping barks. Oscar sighed. ¡°I know,¡± he repeated. ¡°We need to go into town.¡± He turned to his otherpanions and said, ¡°Be on your best behavior.¡± Two of them ¨C Jackson and Sophie, both of whom were rottweiler mixes ¨C snorted. Gabby let out an excited bark. And Jojo ¨C a tiny shih tzu who could move too fast for Oscar to even track ¨C wagged her tail. The rest took the order stoically, just staring at him with undiluted trust. With that, Oscar strode forward. He had to force himself to move like the person he¡¯d once been. In the wilderness, he¡¯d gotten into the habit of moving like a wild predator, and pushing those learned tendencies aside was more difficult than he had expected. Still, he managed all the same. When he reached the guards, they were understandably rmed by the pack of dogs following him. However, he put on his most soothing voice ¨C the one he used when the members of his pack was upset about something ¨C as he said, ¡°They¡¯re with me. Don¡¯t worry. They don¡¯t bite or anything.¡± Thankfully, hispanions were far more amenable to civilization than he was, and they put on quite a show of wagging tails as they charmed the sentries. It was odd, knowing that the animals were better with people than he was. That had probably always been the case, but increasingly, Oscar found it difficult to remember what his life was like before the world¡¯s transformation. That should have been a little rming, but he found it easier to ept everything that had happened if he didn¡¯t have to think about all of that. Regardless, once the guards had fallen under the dogs¡¯ spell, they let him through, even telling him where to find the Branch. He made his way there without dy, though he did buy hispanions some meat from a street vendor. Over the past few years, he¡¯d earned a lot of coins, which he didn¡¯t hesitate to use to make his pack happy. Soon enough, he reached the Branch, and it was just in time too. Almost as soon as he entered the building, he received a notification telling him that the Trial had begun. There were a few people waiting to enter, just like him, and one by one, they touched the Branch and disappeared. When it came to Oscar¡¯s turn, he directed the members of his pack to touch the Branch, and they too disappeared. Escobar was thest to go, and when he did, a deep sense of sorrow enveloped Oscar. He hated being alone. So, he didn¡¯t waste any time before touching the Branch as well. And when he did, he was whisked away to the Trial. * * * Emperor Yloa K¡¯hnam sat on his throne, one set of arms folded in front of his muscr chest as the other gripped the armrests. The ostentatious chair had been carved from the bone of his first Deific conquest ¨C a leviathan that had descended upon his city with ill intent ¨C but it had lost much of its inherent power. It was the same with the entire realm, which the system had dubbed The Last Bastion of the Fallen. It was a fitting name, but when Yloa considered it, cracks spread across the armrest. Even with the shackles imposed by the system, his Strength was monumental, and his anger was even more powerful. Woe be unto those who chose to participate in this sham of a Trial. Primacy? He almostughed at the ill-fitting word. They were fuel. A means for Yloa to drag his people back to relevance. That was what the system had promised.
Excised world has been temporarily reconnected to the World Tree. To make this connection permanent, y the participants in the Trial of Primacy before theyplete the Trial of Primacy. eptance of this Task is contingent on the application of Shackles that will reduce your power to that of a peak Mortal.
Yloa had epted without question. His world had long since been excised from the World Tree. It was only through his valiant efforts that they¡¯d managed to resist falling under the influence of the abyss. But now, they had a chance to rejoin the World Tree. And he only had to kill a few thousand people to do so. It was a gift. A reward for his long dedication to ensuring the survival of his people. Resisting the Ravener had not been easy. Even now, he could feel the great entity pressing against the quarantine instituted by the system. It would find no weaknesses, but its nature dictated that it would never stop trying. Just as Yloa would never cease in his attempts to save his people. They had already sacrificed so much, and that was before the Excision. Now, they had a chance for redemption. And he wouldn¡¯t let them squander it. As those thoughts flitted through his mind, he felt thousands of surges of power. They were like pinpricks in his mind, each one representing another invader into his world. They were all so pitiful. So weak. If it weren¡¯t for the Shackles, he could have destroyed them without ever leaving his throne. With those system-imposed restraints, he would need to be a little more hands-on, though. Or his people would. Turning to his advisor, he said, ¡°Ready the hunters. Our visitors have arrived.¡± The woman nodded, her ivory skin glistening in the ethereal light of the throne room. ¡°As you say, Emperor.¡± Book 5: Chapter 1: Prejudice Book 5: Chapter 1: Prejudice Elijah only knew peace. He didn¡¯t know how long itsted. Nor was he in any condition to question it. Instead, he basked in the quiet. For the longest time, he¡¯d been forced to limate to a cascade of stimuli ¨C from his enhanced senses to the input from One with Nature ¨C and he hadn¡¯t realized how much that tidal wave of information had weighed on his shoulders. Now, though ¨C he felt only blissful silence, and to such a degree that he could, atst, rx. Then, without warning, his senses screamed at him as he reappeared in an entirely different world. He had expected it. nned for it. But the notion that he¡¯d crossed untold lightyears ¨C perhaps even dimensions ¨C was almost too much for him to bear, at least in the short term. Still, he¡¯d long since grown ustomed to pushing those distractions aside so he could focus on what was important. Like his surroundings. He didn¡¯t think the system would immediately throw him to the proverbial ¨C or perhaps literal, considering he didn¡¯t know what sort of world yed host to the Trial of Primacy ¨C wolves. So, he opened his eyes as well as his senses and inspected the ruins in which he¡¯d found himself. The first thing he noticed was that he was inside what had once been a grand structure with eye-catching architecture. Fluted columns ringed the circr chamber, each one bearing borately carved capitols, though they were far too worn for Elijah to determine the subjects of those sculptures. The chamber itself was a little more than a hundred yards across, with a cracked dome overhead. It glimmered with a dull shine, but Elijah couldn¡¯t tell what metal had been used in its construction. Arge rift ¨C maybe five feet across at its widest point ¨C stretched from the center of the dome all the way to the edge, allowing a shaft of sunlight into the chamber. It was the only source of light. And then there were the people, none of whom he recognized. He¡¯d hoped that he would enter the Trial alongside the people from Ironshore. He didn¡¯t trust Robolo or Nia, but they were familiar. That was much better than trying to rely on strangers. Besides, Kurik was with them, and over the years, the dwarven scout certainly had earned Elijah¡¯s trust. Before he could say anything to the strangers ¨C none of whom were human ¨C a notification appeared before Elijah¡¯s inner eye:
Wee to the Trial of Primacy. The Excised world known as Ka¡¯arath has been temporarily reconnected to the World Tree and terraformed for the purpose of this Trial. It will be your home for the next year. To leave, you must reach the Nexus Town, where you will find a World Tree Branch as well as safety from the local dangers. The rules of the Trial are thus: There are ten challenges scattered throughout the Trial Grounds. They represent the nine realms connected to the World Tree, with the tenth representing the Abyss. Defeat them, and you will be rewarded with powerful items. In addition, everything you do within the Trial will carry with it a point total. At the end of the Trial, these points will be added together to determine Primacy. The rewards for Primacy are as follows: First ce ¨C 10 Levels (plus all rewards earned by those beneath) Second ce ¨C 5 Levels (plus all rewards earned by those beneath) Third ce ¨C 3 Levels (plus all rewards earned by those beneath) In addition, there are rewards for the top 100. They are as follows: 1-10 ¨C Will of Iron 1-50 ¨C Minor Potion of Mind 1-100 ¨C Minor Potion of Body Finally, all experience awarded in the Trial will be enhanced. The Trial of Primacy is a sacred opportunity only given to those who will be the leaders of your world. Do not take it lightly, though. The Challenges are not the only dangers. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Good luck.
That was all there was to see, and Elijah had to admit that he was a bit disappointed in theck of information. He¡¯d hoped to learn something about the challenges mentioned in the notification, but given howcking information had been since Earth had been touched by the World Tree, he couldn¡¯t say he was surprised. Still, there were some helpful nuggets of information there. Like the nature of the challenges, which were meant to mirror the nine realms connected to the World Tree. It wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d heard before, but it bore a passing resemnce to Norse mythology. So, perhaps that was a hint as to what was toe. Unfortunately, Elijah¡¯s experiences with those stories were limited to watching Marvel movies, so he probably wasn¡¯t the best prepared to make predictions as to what was toe. And besides, it wasn¡¯t as if thatmonality was assured. For all he knew, only the terminology was simr. So, he intended to reserve judgement until he had more to go on. Instead, he turned to inspect the people who¡¯d arrived in the domed chamber with him, and what he saw was a little shocking,rgely because only about half were human. The rest represented the other races that hade to Earth in search of opportunities. He saw goblins, elves, a couple of dwarves, and even a few creatures he could only ssify as ogres. Once, Elijah had been told there were only a handful of races in the known multi-verse, but that characterization was a bit misleading. Due to interbreeding, especially with semi-sapient races like orcs, that handful had be nearly infinite with variations. For instance, Elijah had learned that Nerthus¡¯ race ¨C the spryggents ¨C were the result of ancient cross-breeding with elves and dryads, whose progeny had learned to procreate with sentient trees. It was all a bit confusing, and upon learning of so many possibilities, Elijah had decided to simply take things as they came. But the wide variety of races on disy stretched that resolution, especially when arge ogre, apanied by a goblin that was even taller than Elijah, approached him. He turned to face them, expecting trouble. So, he was a little surprised when the ogre broke into a wide, uneven-toothed grin. ¡°Hey. You strong. Want to group?¡± he asked in a deep, gravelly voice that sounded like it came from a walking mountain. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Dammit, Grod,¡± said the unusuallyrge goblin, massaging his brow in annoyance. He wasn¡¯t just taller than the other members of his race that Elijah knew. He was much more muscr, with thick shoulders and a neck that seemed to disappear into his trapezius muscles. A couple of stumpy tusks stuck out from his bottom lip. ¡°You gotta be more subtle than that.¡± Then, to Elijah, the goblin said, ¡°Name¡¯s Venka. Way I figure it, we got two choices here. We can all go our separate ways and get killed, or we can band together ¡®til we find the Nexus Town. What d¡¯ya say? Grod¡¯s strong. I¡¯m a fair Hunter. We probably stand a better chance together than alone.¡± Elijah nced around, though One with Nature told a better story. Since upgrading his Core ¨C and with the bonus from his equipment ¨C the effective radius had widened quite a bit. So, he could feel most of the people in the general area. And what he sensed wasn¡¯t encouraging. Most of the humans had separated from the other races, and they red at them with undisguised enmity. The non-natives of Earth returned those looks with equal distrust and, in some cases, undiluted hatred. Clearly, there were some conflicts back on Earth between the natives and the neers. Then, a woman raised her voice, saying, ¡°There¡¯s no reason to battle! We only need to ¨C¡± ¡°She¡¯s using a skill!¡± shouted a short creature with hairy feet. He looked like a blend between a dwarf and an elf. Elijah had recognized the skill as well, and the ability in question reminded him of Barry back in Seattle. Clearly, she had a simr ss. And even if she had tried to exercise her abilities in the hopes of avoiding conflict, nobody liked it when someone yed with their minds. So, once the skill was discovered, the results were predictable. Some people scattered. Others embraced spells and skills. And a few even threw themselves at their perceived enemies. For Elijah¡¯s part, he backed away, ducking a blow from a nearby elf. He didn¡¯t return the favor. Instead, he was intent on extricating himself from the situation. After all, he didn¡¯t have any reason to fight. Luckily, Venka, Grod, and a few others were thinking the same thing. With a nod from Elijah, they all took off across the chamber toward the only exit, which presented itself as a yawning crack in one of the walls. Elijah led the way, leaping over a pile of rubble, intent on putting as much distance between himself and the battle as he could manage. Behind him, he could hear spells going off, though he didn¡¯t look back to see how things were going. After a few more steps, he stumbled free of the domed chamber and got an eyeful of his surroundings. The area was dominated by the massive ruins of a city. Even crumbling and covered by dense vegetation, it was impressively sized. Here and there, Elijah saw some of the fanciful architecture that had survived what appeared to be thousands of years of erosion, and he was taken aback at the artistry involved. With only a short inspection, Elijah was reminded of Mayan architecture, though it was far more refined, as if that culture had survived and been allowed to evolve over thousands of years. It wasn¡¯t a one-to-oneparison. In addition to a clear preference for stepped pyramids, the builders of the city were also fond of huge domes and stone spires. Further muddling Elijahs impressions was the fact that a jungle was well on its way to overtaking the area. That, in turn, had brought many buildings to ruin. Those thoughts passed through one facet of Elijah¡¯s mind as he ran through the ruins, turning at random until the sounds of the battle faded. Once they¡¯d reached temporary safety, Elijah slowed to a stop. Venka skidded to a halt right behind him, and a few secondster, a huffing and puffing Grod arrived. Six others ¨C two elves, one portly human man, and a trio of women with feathers instead of hair ¨C followed. ¡°You run too fast,¡± Grod muttered. Once before, Elijah had referred to the residents of the Citadel of the Reaver as ogres, and at the time, he¡¯d thought it an uratebel. Grod looked a lot like them, though, at only seven feet tall, he was a bit shorter and slightly less muscr. However, his features were more refined, and his eyes held a note of intelligence that the tower¡¯s creatures had never possessed. ¡°Grod barely keeps up.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Figured it was best to get out of there as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± agreed Venka, his eyes methodically darting around as if he was trying to look everywhere at once. ¡°Don¡¯t want to kill anyone unnecessarily. We might need themter.¡± The other six looked at the goblin a little warily at that justification. ¡°A hill goblin with restraint,¡± said one of the elves. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see that.¡± ¡°Mai,¡± said one of herpanions. ¡°We don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll take our leave, then,¡± Mai stated. ¡°I would appreciate it if you ruffians didn¡¯t follow. Otherwise, things will get very nasty.¡± Then, without hesitation, the elf ¨C she was taller and possessed an even more refined appearance than someone like K¡¯hana ¨C turned and strode off. The two other elves followed, and so did the stragglers. One of the humans gave Elijah an apologetic shrug before leaving. ¡°Wow,¡± Elijah said as they disappeared around a corner. He shook his head. ¡°That¡­I don¡¯t even know what to say about that.¡± Elijah preferred to travel alone, but he had the benefit of a nature attunement, One with Nature, and a host of abilities that let him thrive in the wilderness. Most other people only survived by working together, so it was more than a little surprising that they¡¯d left so readily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± said Venka. ¡°Lots of people have prejudices associated with hill goblins. Even more have issues with ogres like Grod.¡± ¡°Grod don¡¯t care. Grod friendsly.¡± ¡°Sure you are, buddy,¡± said Venka. ¡°That¡¯s why we stick together, right? Us against the world, I always say.¡± Before Elijah could respond, he heard screamsing from the direction the others had gone. He nced at Venka, who shrugged. But Grod was already stomping through the ruins, yelling, ¡°Grod will save you!¡± Elijah had to keep himself from rolling his eyes as he followed. Book 5: Chapter 2: Native Dangers Book 5: Chapter 2: Native Dangers Screams of agony and fear echoed off the walls of the ruined buildings, apanied by the thudding sound of Grod¡¯s heavy boots hitting the remnants of the gstone street. The big ogre had already disappeared around a corner, heedlessly charging into danger. Elijah and Venka were far more cautious. ¡°He always does this,¡± the hill goblin breathed. ¡°I think he forgets he¡¯s not a Warrior.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Jeweler, believe it or not. I guess some stereotypes are there for a reason, though. He never met a battle he didn¡¯t want to participate in,¡± Venka said as the pair trotted around the corner. What they saw was both expected and not ¨C the former, because the people who¡¯d just broken away from their impromptu party had been attacked and were in the middle of losing a fight. Thetter, due to the form of their attackers. There were ten creatures, vaguely humanoid in shape, but with marbled blue-and-white skin, four spindly arms, and skeletally thin bodies. One of them had already wrapped its limbs around the lead elf, but aside from restricting her movement, there was something else going on. Ethera swirled around the two, misting into a visible cloud. The other five weren¡¯t doing much better, though they¡¯d at least managed a token resistance. However, Elijah quickly discovered that they were far from strong, which probably exined why they were so quick to flee the battle that had erupted back in the domed chamber. The avoidance of conflict came from the knowledge that they would¡¯ve probably lost. Not so with Grod, who barreled into a trio of those spindly-armed monsters, swinging his huge fists like battering rams. The first went flying into a nearby wall with enough force that it should¡¯ve toppled the ruined edifice. Yet, it held firm ¨C as did the monster, who rose only a momentter to throw itself around one of the other elves. That was when Venka arrived, suddenly producing a pair of long knives and falling upon the remaining pair of monsters assaulting Grod. Those were far more effective than blunt force, and in the space of only a moment, the air was filled with oddly glowing white blood.Not wanting to show all of his cards, Elijah cast Healing Rain, then started throwing out instances of Soothe. His first target was Grod, who¡¯d already taken some damage from the enraged monsters. Unlike the method of attack they¡¯d employed with the others, they didn¡¯t try to wrap themselves around him. Instead, they fell upon him, biting and wing like rabid animals. Despite hisrge size and durable appearance, Grod was a Tradesman, and as such, he didn¡¯t have the Constitution one might expect from a being his size. So, the monsters ripped into him without issue, rending his meaty flesh with every attack. Fortunately, his low Constitution also meant that,paratively, Elijah¡¯s healing spells did more for him than they would have for a Warrior his level. Because of that, he was able to keep up with the damage, especially with the addition of Nature¡¯s Bloom, as well as the enhancement provided by his new staff. And it was clear that the monsters weren¡¯t entirely unintelligent, because they quickly identified the reason the big ogre remained upright. Two of them raced toward Elijah, reaching him before he could blink. Fortunately, he¡¯d spent quite a lot of time drilling with his chosen weapon, so when he reacted on instinct, his efforts were effective. His staff swept out, cracking one of the monsters in the hip and sending it stumbling away. Then, he thrust the weapon at the other creature, taking it in its emaciated chest and stopping it cold. That¡¯s when he let loose with Storm¡¯s fury at point-nk range. The spell, channeled through his staff, hit the monster with the force of a sledgehammer, scorching its chest before sending it arcing through the air. Itnded, digging a groove in the loamy turf that covered most of the street beforeing to a stop only a momentter, where ity twitching as lightning forced its muscles into involuntary convulsions. For Elijah, the sight of the seizing monster was enough evidence of the efficacy of his spells, so he aimed another bolt of lightning at his other attacker as it tried to climb to its feet. It never made it, taking a cast of Storm¡¯s Fury in the face. It flipped, end over end, beforeing to a rest at the base of a pile of moss-covered rubble. But none of the creatures had died yet. Venka was busy ripping into his own opponent, each swipe of his des tearing vicious wounds in the spindly monster¡¯s body. It proved surprisingly durable, though, and despite bearing a dozen deepcerations, it still managed to put up a decent fight. Meanwhile, Grodid about him with fists the size of bowling balls, each blow sending a monster flying away. However, his efforts weren¡¯t very effective, and the creatures recovered from the attacks quickly, rejoining the fight in a matter of moments. Byparison, though, the ogre and hill goblin were doing far better than the other six. Elijah suspected the lead elf was already dead, and the portly human man leaned against a wall, his entrails spilling out. Meanwhile, the feather-haired women darted around in an effort to avoid the rest of the monsters. Despite Elijah¡¯s efforts in healing, everyone but Venka and him sported grievous wounds. And though his heals were powerful, Elijah knew that he couldn¡¯t keep up. Not so long as he was trying to heal everyone. Already, casting multiple instances of Nature¡¯s Bloom had taken a bite out of his pool of ethera, and it would only take a few more before he needed to start rationing his energy. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. So, he made a choice. Or rather, a list of priorities. His own health came first, but then came Grod and Venka. A long way after that were the others. They¡¯d made their choice when they had decided to go off on their own, and while Elijah wasn¡¯t quite so petty as topletely refuse to help them, they came in at a distant fourth-ce in his list of priorities. As Elijah healed, he defended himself with his staff. Fortunately, Storm¡¯s Fury didn¡¯t take a lot of ethera ¨Cparatively speaking ¨C so he made liberal use of the spell, sending bolts of lightning arcing out each time he saw an opening. The first to die was the portly human. Elijah suspected he possessed a nonbat archetype, because he didn¡¯t seem to have much in the way of defense. Perhaps he¡¯de with a group, thinking that he could rely on hispanions to defend him. However, with the randomness of their entry locations ¨C after all, none of the people from Ironshore had been in that domed chamber with Elijah ¨C the pudgy man¡¯s fate was sealed. After that came two of the feathered women, both of whom died with their throats ripped out. Then, the elven leader finally gave in to the monster wrapped around her. And the final three died just as unceremoniously, leaving only Elijah, Grod, and Venka to battle the remaining monsters. Six of those creatures had already died, but the four that were left were clearly the most powerful. More disturbingly, the one that had killed the elven leader was among them, and it looked stronger than ever, with its spindly arms and legs having grown a bit of muscle since the battle¡¯s beginning. Elijah batted one of the monsters aside, then retreated a few feet. He knew they weren¡¯t going to win if he didn¡¯t show at least one more of his abilities. So, he embraced Swarm, and after a few moments, let loose the spell that manifested hundreds of glowing insects. To Elijah, they looked a little like fireflies, though emitting blue light instead of the more natural bioluminescence he was used to. They did not act like the mundane insects with which Elijah was ustomed, though. Instead of flitting around aimlessly, they immediately targeted the blue-and-white creatures and dove. The little insects didn¡¯t bite or sting. Instead, when they sttered on their targets, they did so with an explosion of caustic goo that delivered their afflictions. In seconds, the swarm was gone, but they left a host of painful damage in their wake. The four-limbed monsters howled in pain, but they didn¡¯t cease their attacks. Yet, with every passing second, they slowed a bit, leaving themselves vulnerable to reprisal. Venka and Grod took advantage of the provided openings, renewing their attacks with even more fervor. Meanwhile, Elijah continued to heal while using his weapon¡¯s advantage in reach to stave off any enemies that targeted him. Like that, the battle shifted, and all but one monster ¨C the most powerful among them ¨C perished. That was when that lone survivor grew desperate and threw itself at Elijah. Of course, he wasn¡¯t taken off guard. Instead, he met it with a baseball swing that hit its surprisingly solid shins. As he made contact with the creature, he used Storm¡¯s Fury, effectively electrifying his blow. Even as the current arced through the creature¡¯s body, its momentum sent it flipping, end-over-end, and into a wall. Elijah followed it up with Snaring Roots. Thorny, white vines erupted from the ground, wrapping themselves around the prone monster. It tried to break free, but with the increase in efficacy provided by his Staff of the First Dragon and advanced Core cultivation, Elijah knew the spell would hold for a few seconds longer than normal. That was all the opening Venka needed. He dashed forward, his knives glowing with ck luminescence as he fell upon the helpless creature. Even as it thrashed and tried to rip itself free, Venka shed into its marbled blue-and-white flesh, sending arcs of pale blood to stter the nearby ruins. Still, it took more than a minute before the monster finally gave in, its death filling the air with unnatural silence. Venka¡¯s chest heaved as white blood dripped from his face. Then, he looked back at Elijah and nodded. Upon scanning the bodies all around, he grinned. ¡°We should take their stuff,¡± the hill goblin said. ¡°Waste not, right?¡± Elijah just shook his head, then ran his hand through his unruly hair, his fingers catching slightly on the headband that was part of his Armor of the Boar King set. He didn¡¯t particrly like the addition, but he¡¯d convinced himself that it made him look a bit like Conan the Barbarian. That was enough to assuage any lingering doubts about wearing the piece. Besides, its inclusion was necessary toplete the set. ¡°I guess,¡± he said, ncing back at the scene of the battle. They¡¯d been in the Trial grounds for less than an hour, and already, six people were dead. Were they just unlucky to have been attacked so quickly? Or was it truly as dangerous as it seemed? Only time would tell. He nced at Grod, who was just staring at the dead bodies. To Venka, he asked, ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡± ¡°Grod has aplicated rtionship with fighting,¡± the hill goblin said, already kneeling beside one of the in elves. He unceremoniously stripped her of any valuables, which included a pouch at her waist that clinked with coins, as well as a few rings. He held one of those up to the sun, inspecting it as he exined, ¡°Ogres aren¡¯t known as the most peaceful race, and rightly so. They tend to fight first and ask questionster, if you catch my drift. Grod is different, but he¡¯s not that different. He still feels the urge of his instincts, but he usually feels guilty after he gives in to them. I tried to tell him this ce wouldn¡¯t be good for him, but he insisted oning.¡± ¡°You two came here together?¡± Venka nodded. ¡°Been friends for as long as I can remember,¡± the hill goblin said. ¡°We¡¯re a team.¡± Elijah nodded, though he didn¡¯t know how a Jeweler and a Hunter might help one another. More importantly, he wanted to know how the two managed to end up in the same ce. So, he asked, and Venka gave a simple shrug before saying, ¡°No idea. This whole Trial of Primacy thing was difficult to research. It¡¯s something of a rite of passage for newly touched worlds, but each one is different. So, we didn¡¯t know what to expect. Just got lucky we ended up together. And with you. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t appreciate all that healing.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But I think we need to get this done as quickly as possible, because I can¡¯t imagine we¡¯ll want to be here when more of these creaturese around.¡± ¡°Not going to argue with that,¡± Venka agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll pool all the loot and divide it when we find safety. Agreed?¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Elijah said. Then, he got down to the business of looting the corpses. Book 5: Chapter 3: Bearings Book 5: Chapter 3: Bearings Elijah closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the sky, basking in the sunlight as he focused on One with Nature. He could feel everything for almost a hundred yards, and he was both awed and disturbed at the results. There were hundreds of the blue-and-white skinned, four-armed creatures all around him, yet most were underground. The ones that weren¡¯t seemed to be in some sort of hibernation, their breathing rapid as they twitched with every passing second. That was the source of his disturbance. By contrast, he was ovee by the breadth of life stretched out all around him. He¡¯d been in a few jungles over the course of his life ¨C especially in Hawaii ¨C and his ind could best be described as a temperate rainforest. Yet, he¡¯d never experienced vitality on par with what he sensed in the surrounding jungle. There was so much life, ranging from the tiniest microorganisms to muchrger animals, most of which werepletely unfamiliar to him. Elijah was nearly overwhelmed by what he felt. Fortunately, he had the benefit of his Quartz Mind to deal with the onught of information, so rather than being ovee, he could properly appreciate the novelty of the setting. The remnants of a mighty city were in evidence as well, though the further they¡¯d traveled from the domed building, the more obvious the copse had be. And after traveling more than ten miles away from the site of the battle, most of the walls had long since been torn down by thebination of erosion and creeping vines. Even the foundations were gone, giving way to dense vegetation that either covered or cracked the sturdy stone. Every now and again, Elijah had caught sight of a standing tower or wall, but those instances had be increasingly rare with every step. Soon, Elijah expected they wouldpletely give way to unbroken jungle. He opened his eyes, and he couldn¡¯t help but appreciate the sky. In a lot of ways, it resembled Earth¡¯s atmosphere. Predominantly, it was still blue, though the clouds were cast in muted hues of the rainbow. He took a deep breath, then let out a sigh as he studied the alien expanse. If he hadn¡¯t already been convinced he¡¯d traveled to a different world, the sight of the sky above certainly drove that reality home. The same was true of the surrounding jungle. The general structures were simr to what might be found on Earth, but all the details were off. For instance, many of the trees¡¯ leaves were the wrong shapes. Or they tended toward blue-green, rather than the verdant vegetation with which Elijah was familiar. The bark was mostly the same, at least, which Elijah found oddlyforting. Still, every now and again, he¡¯d caught sight of glowing nts or he¡¯d sensed vegetation that was clearly a lot more mobile than anything he¡¯d seen on Earth.To put it mildly, the parts were simr, but to Elijah, it felt as if the entire environment had experienced a violent evolutionary shift, creating something wholly unique. To the biologist in him, it was fascinating, but he was more concerned about the unknown dangers thaty ahead. After a few more minutes, he took a deep breath, then descended from his perch atop one of the towering trees. Within seconds, he was mired in darkness created via the shade of the jungle¡¯s dense canopy. Some light peeked through, but it was only enough to establish a twilight-like atmosphere. Fortunately, there were a few glowing nts, moss, and fungi that alleviated some of the gloom. The tree was more than two-hundred yards tall, so Eliijah¡¯s descent took a couple of minutes¡¯ worth of hopping from one knobby branch to another before he finally alighted to the soft ground. Venka looked up at his arrival, asking, ¡°See anything?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Nothing but more jungle,¡± he admitted, taking his tablet from his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. He nced at the map readout, seeing a couple of points-of-interest, but nothing to indicate which direction they needed to travel. ¡°I think this ce is a lot bigger than we first thought.¡± Indeed, with Eyes of the Eagle, he could see incredibly far ¨C hundreds of miles, at least ¨C and he¡¯d seen no indication of the Nexus Town mentioned in the initial notification. It shouldn¡¯t have been surprising. There were more than five thousand participants in the Trial, so without arge enough ying field, they would spend more time fighting one another than attempting to conquer the challenges. Still, Elijah was a bit put off by the fact that, to leave, one had to reach the promised safety of Nexus Town ¨C a fact that would probably trip more than a few people up. Clearly, the system didn¡¯t intend to coddle anyone. ¡°We should probably just keep going east,¡± Elijah added. He and Venka had decided to use Earth¡¯s celestial patterns ¨C meaning that the sun rose in the east and set in the west ¨C to establish directions. That seemed easier than considering that they really didn¡¯t know anything about the¡¯s rotation, so it was possible that it rotated on apletely different axis. Venka grunted, then nced at Grod, who¡¯d remained almostpletely silent since the battle. Elijah recognized the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, though he had no idea how tobat it. The ogre was clearly bothered by what he¡¯d had to do ¨C as well as the deaths of the others ¨C and he didn¡¯t seem capable of dealing with the aftermath. ¡°How¡¯re you doing, Grod?¡± Elijah asked, trying to get through to the ogre. In response, Grod only shook his head and said, ¡°Grod fine.¡± At the same time, he held a small, red gem ¨C made to look even smaller in hisrge hands ¨C turning it between his fingers as he stared at it. He seemed to take some sce in the depths of the faceted shape, so Elijah left him to it. Instead, he focused on what he could control. Like his own status, which he hadn¡¯t inspected in quite some time. Afterpleting his core cultivation, he¡¯d given it a quick peek, but he¡¯d quickly be distracted by crafting his Staff of the First Dragon. So, he¡¯d not had the opportunity to look at everything now that he was fully equipped andpletely buffed. Now that he had a few spare minutes, he decided to do just that. And he was more than a little surprised at what he found:
Name If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Elijah Hart
Level 90
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 171 (105)
Dexterity 170 (94)
Constitution 163 (103)
Ethera 137 (99)
Regeneration 172 (94)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Adept
Body Core Mind Soul
Stone Whelp Quartz Novice
Elijah enjoyed the sight of those massive numbers associated with his attributes. With thebination of his equipment and buffs, they had reached truly impressive proportions, and he¡¯d seen that at y in the fight against the native creatures. He didn¡¯t think he was quite on the same tier as a dedicated fighter of his level, but the equipment, buffs from the coffee as well as the pork jerky, and his essence line of spells would hopefully go a long way toward letting him stand on the same stage. His attributes would have been a good bit higher, too, if it wasn¡¯t for one factor he hadn¡¯t considered. Apparently, there was a limit to how many pieces of equipment a person could wear, and it seemed to be tied to types. For instance, he couldn¡¯t equip the Gauntlets of the Boar King and the Weighted Gloves at the same time. Nor could he pile three pairs of pants on. In addition, he¡¯d recently learned that he could only get the benefits from two rings and one ne-type item at a time. So, he¡¯d had to discard some of his old equipment in favor of keeping his set bonus from the Armor of the Boar King active. Regardless, he couldn¡¯t feel too upset about the tradeoff. Especially considering that, with his Dragon Core reaching the Whelp stage, his essence buffs had received another boost. So, they were currently three times as effective as they had been in the beginning, which made for a fifty percent increase over their potency at the Hatchling stage. In addition, his shapes had received a simr enhancement, with the draconid shapeing with a thirty-point increase to both Strength and Dexterity, with a much smaller nine point buff to constitution. Simrly, Shape of the Guardian resulted in a massive buff of forty-five points to Strength and forty points to Constitution. Finally, Shape of the Sky gave him a slightly more modest boost of thirty Dexterity. None of those increases were currently evident in his Status, but he knew they would make a huge difference when he decided to go all out. The same was true of his other spells, which, though they were much more difficult to measure, had received simr increases to their potency. Without that, he might not have been capable of keeping up with the damage done to his new allies. Finally, Elijah had also reached the second stage of overall cultivation, progressing from being a Cultivator to an Adept. That, in turn, had served to increase his total power as well, though it wasn¡¯t reflected in his attributes. As a result, he felt stronger and more coordinated than ever before. In addition, his pool of ethera had grown muchrger, and it filled far more quickly than it had before reaching the second stage. In short, he was in the best shape of his life, which he expected he would need if he was going to not only survive the Trial of Primacy, but also gain as many benefits as possible. He wasn¡¯t so arrogant that he thought he would walk away with the top spot ¨C there were some true monsters out there, and he had to believe that many woulde with the benefit of some sort of support system ¨C but he did think he had a good chance of getting into the top ten. And who knew? Maybe he would climb to the top, just as he¡¯d ascended to the pinnacle of Earth¡¯s progressiondder. He certainly intended to find out, though he wouldn¡¯t make the mistake of tackling the challenges without a good deal of caution. That was how people got killed. Once the trio had gathered their wits about them, they set off toward the east, with Venka leading the way. To Elijah¡¯s surprise, the hill goblin was a terrible outdoorsman, and he failed to live up to the standards Elijah hade to expect during his time traveling with Kurik. When Elijah asked about it, Venka only grinned and stated, ¡°Never said I was a beast hunter. I¡¯ve always made my living as a bounty hunter. More of a rogue by ss, though. Hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Elijah just shrugged. He didn¡¯t care what Venka¡¯s ss or upation was. Instead, he was far more concerned with whether or not the hill goblin was a trustworthy ally. And so far, he¡¯d proven to be just that. So, even if Elijah still nned to keep an eye on Venka ¨C and Grod,e to that ¨C it wasn¡¯t so different than how he approached most new rtionships. He was willing to trust, but that didn¡¯t mean he was going to drop his guard. With that in mind, they continued along, covering one mile after the next as they carved their way through the dense jungle. Every now and again, Elijah sensed one predator or another stalking them, but none of them chose to attack. Likely, that was because they could tell that the group was more trouble than they were worth. But just as the sun began to set, and the shadows beneath the dense canopy deepened, everything changed. A piercing scream echoed through the jungle, followed by the sound of an explosion in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s not far,¡± Venka said, already drawing his long knives. They quivered with ck energy as he embraced a skill. ¡°Investigate? Might be we can find a little more loot.¡± ¡°Save people,¡± Grod rumbled. ¡°Not loot.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Venka said. ¡°We¡¯ll try to save them first. But if they fall¡­loot.¡± Elijah nodded, giving his consent. Then, the threepanions took off through the jungle. Venka must¡¯ve used another ability, because his clumsy traversal suddenly smoothed out, and he practically glided through the underbrush. Grod followed, his thick legs clearing the way for Elijah to follow at an easy trot. When they finally reached the site of the explosion, though, Elijah found something he didn¡¯t expect. Book 5: Chapter 4: Hunters and Hunted Book 5: Chapter 4: Hunters and Hunted Elijah clutched his staff in a white-knuckled grip as he tried to make sense of what he saw. Dozens of people ¨C most of which were human ¨C stood with their backs against a natural edificeposed of loose dirt held together by massive roots. It was around thirty feet tall, and the top was dominated by a huge tree with red-flecked leaves. At first nce, it was an intriguing specimen that differed greatly from its surroundings. He had no time to appreciate it, though. Because the group had taken a defensive position for a reason. They were surrounded by hulking monsters. Some of them resembled the creatures Elijah and hispanions had already fought, though instead of marbled blue-and-white skin, these new foes¡¯ hides were entirely pale to the point of looking chalky. The other differences were even more obvious. Where the previous monsters were so thin as to look extremely malnourished, these new creatures¡¯ physiques were not deficient in any way. Moreover, they actually wore clothing ¨C if embroidered loincloths qualified ¨C and carried long spears. Three of the pale monsters ¨C or people, perhaps ¨C sported burns so serious that Elijah questioned how they were still standing. One dashed in, its spear nging against a hastily raised shield. The wielder staggered backward, though despite the massive force of the monster¡¯s charge, she didn¡¯t fall. However, the next attack ¨C perpetrated by one of the other monsters ¨C made it through, scraping across her chainmail armor. The third,ing like lightning, impaled her through the stomach. When the monster ripped its spear free, it came with a shower of blood. Still, the woman remained on her feet, and the only signs that she¡¯d been wounded came from the gushing blood and a pained grunt. Someone within the group shot an arrow at the monster as it pulled away, but it nced off an ethereal shield. ¡°We help?¡± Grod asked. He¡¯d learned his lesson about racing into battle without properly thinking things through, but his huge muscles were tense as he resisted the urge to charge. ¡°Better to leave them be,¡± Venka answered. ¡°We got enough to worry about taking care of ourselves.¡±¡°We help,¡± Grod growled. This time, it was not a question. Venka looked as if he was going to argue, but then, he just shook his head and said, ¡°Maybe there¡¯ll be a reward. That¡¯s the kind of thing people do, right?¡± Elijah didn¡¯t contribute to the exchange. Instead, he was already casting. Regardless of how his newpanions felt about altruism, he had no intention of leaving people to be ughtered by monsters. He wasn¡¯t the most moral of people ¨C his body count made that clear ¨C but he wasn¡¯t so heartless that he would refuse to help people who needed it so obviously. Hepleted the cast of Healing Rain only a momentter, then immediately started casting Soothe. The defender wasn¡¯t the only one in the group who¡¯d been wounded, so Elijah made the rounds, casting one spell after another until he felt his ethera begin to dip. That took care of the most egregious wounds, so even as Grod charged in, Elijah cast Cmity. The spell took effect, far more furious than ever before. The step up in Elijah¡¯s core cultivation clearly affected it, though the enhancement provided by his staff added a significant amount of impact as well. The results were explosive, with a huge storm suddenly manifesting above the battle. The surrounding jungle protested as winds exceeding those of the most powerful hurricane whipped through their branches, and the ground trembled with a massive earthquake. The conjured storm wasn¡¯t enough to do much damage on its own ¨C at least not to the clearly powerful creatures attacking the group ¨C but the biting winds whipped debris into the white-skinned foes with significant momentum. The true benefit of the storm was in its ability to provide a distraction, though. Elijah used that opening to cast Swarm. Those same flickering insects manifested a secondter, then dive-bombed their targets, spreading their afflictions to the monsters. That¡¯s when Grod crashed into them, swinging his wrecking-ball fists with enough force to send them staggering. Venka was right behind him, too, shing in with his ck-glowing knives. Elijah added a few casts of Storm¡¯s Fury and Snaring Roots, but he didn¡¯t reveal any of his other abilities. After all, he had no clue who the cornered people were. For all he knew, they would prove to be enemies, and he wanted to keep his most powerful advantages hidden until he needed them. It was a bncing act between helping and looking after his own safety, and Elijah found it incredibly difficult to hold back from using the full suite of his capabilities. Perhaps that made him paranoid, but he figured it was better to be unnecessarily cautious than to regret revealing too much when it came back to bite him. Regardless, Elijah kept casting as the fight yed out. With the monsters having been takenpletely by surprise ¨C and with the backdrop of Cmity offering further confusion ¨C Elijah and his allies quickly turned the tide of the battle. Suddenly, the cornered people surged forward, using the weight of their numbers to press their enemies from the other side. It wasn¡¯t a ughter, though. This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience. In fact, the outnumbered creatures put up a fantastic fight, and Elijah suspected that if he hadn¡¯t put his thumb on the scale via another cast of Swarm as well as multiple instances of Storm¡¯s Fury, the battle would have turned out very differently. Still, the first monster¡¯s fall kicked off a chain reaction of death, and it wasn¡¯t long before there was only one creature left. It was clearly the strongest, and it bore multiple wounds ¨C burns and shes from various skills and spells that had been hurled its way ¨C but it was too stubborn to fall without taking its due rpense. A surge of ethera was the only warning before it suddenly raced forward, faster even than Elijah could track. Then, it hit Grod ¨C who presented thergest target ¨C like a bullet. Suddenly, a de of pure ethera appeared in its hand. The skill shone even brighter than the sun, casting the entire area in deep azure. Itshed out with a horizontal strike, and its de shed with blinding light. Elijah blinked, and at first, he didn¡¯t think anything had changed. Then, with sickening slowness, Grod¡¯s head slid free of his body, thudding against the soft loam an instantter. For a moment, silence reigned through the jungle. It was broken a secondter when Venka let out a blood-curdling scream. It was a wordless expression of unadulterated grief, and a preamble to a reckless charge. The hill goblin charged forward, his stepspletely devoid of their former smoothness. When he crashed into the white-skinned monster, the thing met him with a contemptuous backhand that sent him crashing into the bushes. Then, it barked a harshugh before saying, ¡°Pitiful.¡± As it turned to run away, Elijah snapped. Before he knew what he was doing, he¡¯d embraced Shape of the Guardian. He didn¡¯t care about concealing his abilities anymore. Instead, he only wanted to make the viin pay. One facet of his mind shed back to how he imagined his sister had died. Anothernded on the memory of a remorseful Grod, fiddling with his gem as he attempted to cope with what he¡¯d had to do. But mostly, his thoughts were filled with the monster¡¯s viinousugh. It was enough to send him into a blind rage that was only enhanced by his transformation into the furious form of themer ape. He used Bestial Charge.
Bestial Charge Charge an opponent. Shielded from harm while charging. Maximum distance based on Strength. Current: 138 feet. Shield efficacy based on Constitution. Only usable while under the influence of Shape of the Guardian.
It was a curious ability in that, while it had been affected by his core advancement, the resulting enhancement wasn¡¯t in the area Elijah had expected. He couldn¡¯t charge any further. Instead, the speed of the dash increased. And given just how close he was to the monster, he hit it with the speed of a bullet train. The shield associated with the abilitysted just long enough to protect him from the impact. The same could not be said for the monster. When he hit the creature, the sound of shattering bones filled the air just before it wasunched backward to smash against a tree. That trunk shattered, too, just like the monster. So did the next tree in line. And the next after that. The creature didn¡¯t roll to a stop for another hundred feet. But surprisingly, it was not dead. In fact, when Elijah recovered from the disorientation of the charge, the monster had begun to pick itself up. Or at least it tried. The best it could manage was to drag itself a few feet before Elijah closed the gap and leaped atop it. His fists fell as he battered the monster like an enraged gori. The thing attempted to shield itself from his blows. It tried to wriggle away. But it was all for naught. Elijah¡¯s wrath was inescapable. It was unclear when the thing actually died, but by the time the red haze of Elijah¡¯s rage faded, the monster had been reduced to a bloody pulp of pale flesh. He leaned back, his breathing in ragged gasps. Not from the exertion, but rather, the emotion. He¡¯d only known Grod for a few hours, but he¡¯d liked the ogre. And now he was dead. The mere thought of it was almost enough to send Elijiah careening off an emotional cliff and back into the sea of rage he¡¯d only just escaped. But with an effort of will, he forced that anger aside and shifted back to his human form. He took a deep breath, then ran his hand through his hair. It was drenched in blood. So was the rest of him. Idly, he realized that he might not have brought enough cleansing powder. Killing was often messy, after all. ¡°S-stay back,¡± came a quivering voice. Elijah turned to see the shield-bearing woman ¨C backed up by three men carrying various weapons ¨C standing behind him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± he promised. ¡°You¡­you¡¯re Elijah Hart. Number one,¡± she said. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°On the power rankings.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah. I guess I am.¡± That was when he realized that he hadn¡¯t bothered to adjust his identity with his Ring of Anonymity. The thing was more trouble than it was worth, and he¡¯d vowed to rece it as soon as he found something actually useful. Maybe the ability to hide his identity woulde in handy for some people, but for him, it wasrgely useless. His skillset was too distinctive, and the moment he started a fight, his power became clear. ¡°Are you going to kill us?¡± she asked. ¡°I just saved you. Me and Venka and Grod,¡± he stated, pushing himself to his feet. The motion caused everyone to flinch, but Elijah paid that reaction very little mind. The mention of the fallen ogre was enough to elicit another sharp stab of anger, though it felt much more muted than it had while he was in his guardian form. He pushed it aside. ¡°What were those things?¡± ¡°They¡­they were hunters,¡± the woman answered. ¡°Really high level, too. Not as high as you¡­¡± ¡°They were people. Not monsters,¡± he guessed. The fact that the creature had spoken seemed to verify that fact, but the orcs had been capable of rudimentary speech, too. So, the lines were usually a little blurry. She shrugged. ¡°I think so?¡± Elijah said, ¡°You can rx. I¡¯m not going to hurt any of you.¡± Then, he started back toward the scene of the battle. A few momentster, he found Venka kneeling beside the in ogre. Tears fell down his green-skinned cheeks as he held his hand over Grod¡¯s chest. Elijah knelt on the other side and said, ¡°I¡­he was gone before I could heal. It was instant.¡± Venka sniffed loudly. ¡°I told the big idiot we didn¡¯t belong here,¡± he muttered. ¡°But he thought it would be an adventure. I never could say no to him.¡± He nced back toward the hunter¡¯s corpse. ¡°You got it?¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°It¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Good.¡± For his part, Elijah didn¡¯t think that word applied to the situation, but he didn¡¯t contradict the hill goblin. Instead, he just knelt there, grieving a fallenpanion. Book 5: Chapter 5: Answers Book 5: Chapter 5: Answers Elijah crouched, his ws digging into the bark as he bnced atop a tree branch. Far below, he saw a lone hunter. The creature was much like the others he¡¯d already fought ¨C four arms, chalky skin, and with a pseudo-reptilian face ¨C but it had the distinction of being alone. Elijah had been following it for some time after he¡¯d stumbled upon another site of battle, though this one wasn¡¯t between the hunters and the Trial-takers. Instead, the group of natives had been attacked by the marble-skinned monsters. Upon seeing the aftermath, Elijah had gotten a better idea of how it all worked. The monsters drained ethera and life force, as evidenced by the dried husks that were the corpses of their most recent victims. Elijah had tracked the lone survivor of the most recent attack, and he intended to use its solitude to get a few more answers. So, he crept forward, instinctively bncing on the branch until he was directly above the native. Then, he used Predator Strike before leaping free. To its credit, the hunter sensed his presence a moment before impact, but that didn¡¯t give the creature enough time to react appropriately. Elijah hit it in the back, his ws ripping through its flesh and destroying its spine. The momentum of the attack drove it to the ground as its legs copsed underneath it. It growled in pain as it iled its four arms, yet Elijah refused to let it regain any semnce of an advantage. His jaws closed around one of its shoulders, and he was rewarded by the sound of crunching bone. And more screams, though he tuned those out. He snapped out again, the force of his bite crushing more bone. Two more times, he repeated the action, disabling the creature¡¯s other two arms. It still tried to wriggle free, but with none of its limbs in working order, its efforts were useless. That¡¯s when Elijah shifted back to his human form, then used his staff as a lever to turn it over. He crouched beside it, saying, ¡°Answer my questions, and I¡¯ll heal you.¡± It hissed and spat, growling, ¡°I would rather die!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to kill you.¡±That caught its attention. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop the bleeding. Just enough to keep you alive. Then, I¡¯ll leave you here for those other things to find. What they do looks painful,¡± Elijah remarked coldly. ¡°As far as I can tell, they suck the ethera right out of you, right? Life, too. That can¡¯t be fun.¡± ¡°Just¡­just kill me¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± ¡°I told you the deal. Answer my questions, and you can go traipsing off wherever you came from,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Don¡¯t, and you¡¯ll be food for those things. Now, you should probably make a choice pretty soon, because I¡¯m pretty sure they can sense our presence. There are fifteen of them about thirty yards that way, just sleeping away. I think I could probably wake them up, though¡­¡± The hunter answered, ¡°Ask your questions.¡± ¡°What are those things?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°And why are you here?¡± ¡°This is my home. My world. Where else would I be? You are invaders, ves to the heartless system, and you deserve to be eradicated,¡± hissed the creature. The answer wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. Elijah had already figured out that the hunters were natives of what the system called an excised world, though he didn¡¯t know what that meant. So, that was his next question. ¡°Long ago, we faced an invasion from the Abyss. We fought back with everything we had, and the system punished us for it. That punishment took the form of permanent Excisement from the World Tree. We should have fallen to the Abyss, but the Transcendent kept the Ravener at bay. Now, we have earned the opportunity to once again connect to the World Tree, and we will not fail.¡± That was a lot to take in, but Elijah followed the chain of events well enough. ¡°And the other creatures? The blue-and-white monsters?¡± ¡°Wraiths. They are part of our punishment. As you say, they are fiends who live off of stolen ethera and vitality.¡± ¡°And your people? What do you call yourselves?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°We are the chosen ones. The kri.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said. Via One with Nature, he felt the slumbering wraiths stir. It seemed that his interrogation had been detected. So, he said, ¡°Thank you for your cooperation.¡± Then, without further discussion, he shifted back into his draconid form andshed out with his ws. They sliced through the kri hunter¡¯s neck, and after only a moment, the native¡¯s neck erupted into a fountain of white blood. As it died, Elijah leaped toward a nearby tree, using his ws to ease his ascent as he made his way toward his previous perch. He¡¯d just embraced Guise of the Unseen when the wraiths closed in on the corpse and fell upon it with ravenous fury. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Elijah watched as they drained what little life and ethera remained. It only took a few moments before the body was entirely drained. Afterwards, the wraiths milled around for a few minutes, looking entirely confused by thecking sustenance, then wandered away to settle back into hibernation. In some ways, Elijah felt a bit guilty about lying to the kri. However, he only had to remember theughing cruelty of the hunter who¡¯d killed Grod to banish any remorse. The hunters had already established themselves as the enemy, and Elijah refused to give them the benefit of his sympathy. Still, he¡¯d learned what he wanted to know. The previous encounter hadn¡¯t been one of chance. Instead, the kri had been tasked with hunting them. Probably by the system itself, which promised to reward their whole society with a new connection to the World Tree. With that as the prize, it was no great mystery why they wouldmit themselves to the task. But Elijah suspected that there was more to the story. He felt that the kri captive had been truthful enough, but his answers smacked of indoctrination, as if he¡¯d been reciting facts he¡¯d been forced to learn. Or maybe Elijah was just reading into it. They were an alien species, so there was a good chance that his interpretation waspletely off base. Either way, the interrogation ¨C short as it was ¨C had given him some context for what to expect going forward. Not only would they need to deal with the local wildlife and the Trial¡¯s challenges, but they would also have to find a way tobat the wraiths as well as the kri hunters. Were those the only issues they might face? Elijah had no way of knowing. With that in mind, he set off through the jungle. He did so beneath the concealment of Guise of the Unseen, so he wasn¡¯t forced into battle. However, he did sense quite a few deadly predators about. Some seemed simr to those he might find on Earth, but others were wholly alien, with far too many limbs and often brimming with ethera. Oddly, there were few creatures he would ssify as herbivores. Instead, the closest the local wildlife came was with the scavengers, most of which seemed vicious in their own right. That made the entire ecosystem feel off-bnce, as if there was a giant hole in the so-called circle of life. Elijah reasoned that the wraiths were responsible, though that suggested that the infestation was far more prevalent than he¡¯d first suspected. Certainly, there were thousands of the monsters out there, and fortunately, most were in deep hibernation, but even that high number seemed insufficient topletely derailing the natural order. Was it possible that they¡¯d driven all the prey animals to extinction? Maybe. They certainly seemed voracious enough. However, such a shift ¨C even on a regional scale ¨C carried with it terrifying connotations. Those thoughts flitted through one facet of Elijah¡¯s mind as he carefully picked his way through the trees until, atst, he found his way back to the group. Most of them were still asleep, having taken shelter in a deep cavern that he and Venka had subjected to intense scrutiny to ensure there were no prior imants to the territory. It was safe, which gave the beleaguered group leave to rest. For his part, Elijah wasn¡¯t very tired, so he¡¯d set off to find some answers while the others rested. He shifted back to his human form, then leaped to the ground,nding lightly. He strode forward, passing through the underbrush for a few dozen yards before arriving at the mouth of the cave. It was guarded by one of the shield-bearers. He gave a start at Elijah¡¯s sudden appearance, but he quickly mastered himself. He asked, ¡°Anything out there?¡± ¡°More than you want to know,¡± Elijah answered, pushing past the man. ¡°Just keep your guard up.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the shield-bearer said. Elijah hadn¡¯t even bothered to learn any of their names. In fact, he probably would have left them behind if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that they had something he needed. One of their number had an Explorer ss that gave him some insight into which direction they needed to go in order to find the Nexus Town. And as it turned out, he and hispanions had been traveling in the wrong direction, which just highlighted the man¡¯s usefulness. So, in exchange for his services, Elijah had agreed to help protect the group until they reached the Nexus Town. Upon entering the cave, he quickly found Venka. For some reason, Elijah was much morefortable with the hill goblin than with the humans. Perhaps it was because Venka didn¡¯t look at him like he was some sort of monster. The humans were willing to take his help, but they were clearly terrified of him. ¡°You¡¯ve got blood on you,¡± Venka stated without looking up. He held Grod¡¯s gem, between his long fingers. The rest of the ogre¡¯s equipment had been buried with him ¨C at Venka¡¯s insistence. The humans had been unwilling to argue with his wishes, though Elijah had heard a few people grumbling about good gear going to waste. ¡°I found one of the hunters and asked it a few questions.¡± ¡°Him, I think. They¡¯re all male. It implies that they¡¯re unthinking animals. They aren¡¯t. I could see it in their beady little eyes. They¡¯re malicious and cruel,¡± said Venka. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure how much of that assessment was based on the fact that one of those hunters had killed the hill goblin¡¯s friend, but he didn¡¯t really dispute it, either. After all, he¡¯d heard the venom in the captured native¡¯s voice. The hate. And the arrogance. Maybe a hateful heart was warranted, given that their had been excised from the World Tree, which, as far as Elijah could tell, was like throwing an entire world to the wolves. After Elijah exined what he¡¯d learned, he said, ¡°I think this Trial is going to be moreplicated than we thought. A lot of people are going to die.¡± ¡°Not me,¡± Venka stated. ¡°The second we get to that Nexus Town, I¡¯m going home.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Venka shrugged. ¡°I know when I¡¯m outmatched,¡± the hill goblin said. ¡°Only reason I came was because of Grod, anyway. Now that he¡¯s gone¡­¡± He trailed off as he once again locked his eyes onto the red gem. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know if I told you that. If I could have stopped it¡­¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t your job to protect him. That was on me.¡± While that statement was, on its surface, true, it didn¡¯t make Elijah feel any better about the situation. Instead, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the battle might have gone if he¡¯d used the full suite of his abilities sooner. If he¡¯d used Shape of the Guardian in the beginning ¨C rather than holding back ¨C Grod might have survived. ¡°It¡¯s on both of us,¡± Elijah said quietly. Venka said nothing in return. Instead, he continued to stare at the gem, clearly lost in the memories of his friend. So, Elijah left him to it, retreating into his own mind as he considered the way forward. Book 5: Chapter 6: Class Book 5: Chapter 6: ss Miguel tried to dodge the oing attack, but he was too slow. Always too slow. The voxxian monster¡¯s w ripped into his side, ncing off his ribs and showering his surroundings in blood and bits of his flesh. His breastte had offered no protection,rgely because half of it had already been destroyed, leaving arge opening for the voxx to attack. And it had. Repeatedly. As a result, his entire left side looked like minced meat with a generous helping of exposed ribs. However, for all he was injured, Miguel was unfazed by what should have been a serious collection of wounds. After all of his drilling, he¡¯d learned to separate himself from the unavoidable consequences of a life of battle. He¡¯d always known he would get hurt. He would fail. Be knocked down. The measure of a real Warrior was in how he responded. So, as the monster ¨C it was a littlerger than him, with a sleek body type that only hinted at its incredible speed ¨C shed by, he used Enrage.
Enrage Channel Ethera into rage, increasing all physical attributes.
He felt a surge of power, and he used those increased attributes well. His armored hand darted out, grabbing hold of one of the creature¡¯s prominent spines, then wrenched it aside. The thing¡¯s momentum halted, but its legs kept going, overbncing it to such a degree that its feet went out from under it. Miguel used that to his advantage, hacking down with his hatchet and scoring a brutal wound in the monster¡¯s shoulder. The de of the small axe cut deep, stopping only when it hit bone. The monster went wild, tearing itself free of Miguel¡¯s grip and rolling along the rockyndscape until it managed to recover its stance. Miguel never let up, though. Instead, he used Champion¡¯s Shout:
Champion¡¯s Shout Strike fear into your enemies¡¯ hearts, weakening their resolve.
The skill staggered the monster, but it didn¡¯t send it scurrying away as one might have expected from the description. Still, Miguel had used the ability often enough to know what would happen. With a wince, he crouched to retrieve what was left of his spear. It had already broken, which left him with a three-foot section of wood capped by a chipped de. He hoped it would be enough. After hefting the broken weapon, he used Charge.
Charge Dash forward at 200% your normal speed for three seconds. Your next attack will do 30% more damage.
The skill was difficult to control, but since getting it at level two, he¡¯d spent countless hours drilling with the ability. It remained difficult, but with his rising Dexterity, he could harness the ability well enough to get some use out of it. Even so, it still felt like he was going downhill in a car with no brakes. As a result, his aim was a little off, and even though he¡¯d been aiming for the monster¡¯s heaving chest, he hit its right hip. That was the bad news. The good news was that the spear held up, ripping through not only the monster¡¯s durable scales but the flesh beneath, also well. The voxxian monster¡¯s pelvis shattered, visibly copsing its hip. It hissed in pain,shing out with a backhand that took Miguel in the shoulder. He went tumbling to the ground, his skid embedding quite a lot of sharp, ck rock in his already-injured side. He¡¯d already used Recovery, but its effect would onlyst so long. The moment it ran its course, his Regeneration would plummet. And when that happened, there was a good chance that he would bleed out. Fortunately, the voxxian monster was even worse off than he was. Early on, Miguel had used Impale, which caused a persistent bleeding effect that took time to really show its worth. That, coupled with the half-dozen smaller wounds as well as the two muchrger injuries Miguel had recently inflicted, meant that the creature was on the verge of copse. Miguel just had to oust it. No small feat, considering how powerful the vaguely reptilian monsters were. In the past, he¡¯d thought they were just ordinary creatures. Now, though, on the verge ofpleting his first Rift, Miguel had amended that assessment. They were clearly on a different level, perfectly suited to pushing people to their limits. And Miguel was close to his. The creature knew it, too. It clutched the wound at its hip, shifting the bulk of its weight to its left leg. The other arm hung limp, disabled by Miguel¡¯s hatchet strike. Blood, thick and nearly ck, covered its blue-green scales. Miguel wasn¡¯t much better off than the monster. In addition to the wound on his side, he¡¯d twisted his knee all out of shape. He also bore the signs of a concussion, and one of his eyes had swollen shut. After Miguel rose, the pair ofbatants ¨C one monster, one Warrior ¨C faced off, both wounded and neither willing to surrender. Even if it had been an option, neither would have been willing to back down. It had always been a fight to the death. He dropped his spear. The head had already been chipped, even before his Charge, and it had fracturedpletely upon impact with the creature¡¯s durable body. The weapon ttered to the obsidian ground, broken and useless. His hatchet wasn¡¯t much better off. The handle had splintered, and the de had long since fractured. Both were Crude-Grade weapons, just like his armor, which was all he could handle without putting undue stress on his pool of ethera. That would change when he attained a ss. But he had to make it through the rift before he could think about that sort of thing. In any case, Miguel drew hisst avable weapon ¨C a long dagger, perfect for stabbing ¨C and crouched in a knife-fighting stance. The pain of his wounds screamed at him, but he ignored their cries. His training ¨C as well as the life he¡¯d led before getting to his uncle¡¯s ind ¨C had prepared him well. The voxxian monster stepped forward. Miguel sidestepped, never crossing his feet, as he awaited an opening. The creature was smarter than any beast, but even if it was stronger and faster than him, it hadn¡¯t disyed any understanding of strategy. It simply attacked, using its instincts as a guidepost. Miguel was better than that. Colt had drilled it into him so many times that the lesson had be internalized. Battles were not won by muscle. The mind was his greatest weapon, and he¡¯d honed it to a sharp edge. But there was no great strategy to employ. No fancy ns to think up. There were just two enemies, both at the end of their ropes. And only one would leave the fight alive. It had be a battle of wills. The monster staggered forward in a fast, but uncoordinated charge. Miguel danced backward, his knee screeching at him the moment he put weight on it. It held, though. Barely. He avoided the creature¡¯s ungainly charge, rewarding it with a thrust of his dagger. The de bit deep, slipping between its ribs and hitting its lungs. He withdrew it in the same motion, stumbling to the side as his leg buckled. He fell, the sharp obsidian cutting into his back as he hit the ground. The monster followed, its ws ncing off of Miguel¡¯s hastily raised arm. His bracer held, filling the air with the unholy screech of scratching metal. Miguel thrust his dagger forward again, the movement short and rapid. Once. Twice. Three times, all in the space of a second. It was like a sewing machine needle, puncturing the creature¡¯s scales with ease. The monster couldn¡¯t avoid Miguel¡¯s attacks. It didn¡¯t even try. Instead, it snapped with its jaws, biting down on Miguel¡¯s head. It squeezed. And Miguel kept stabbing. The pair rolled along the ground, their blood mingling and pooling on the ground as they tried to end one another. Monster. Man. ws and teeth and a dagger. Miguel screamed as he felt his skull beingpressed. The pain pushed his efforts to new heights, and yet, he could only stab so quickly. He rammed that dagger into the creature¡¯s side, into its chest, and through its arms. All the while, the thing wed and scratched and mped its jaws shut with enough force to crumple steel. But Miguel was strong. He was durable. And most of all, he was persistent. He lost track of how many times he stabbed the monster, but he felt every single gouge of its ws. Every extra pound of force it employed as it tried to crush his skull. Every bruise. Every drop of blood that fell from his body. And yet, he endured. At some point, he realized that he was stabbing a corpse, the sound of his hoarse screaming apanying the wet squelch of the many wounds he inflicted. With great difficulty, he pushed the creature off, and for a few moments, simplyy there, his breathing in ragged, painful gasps. A notification appeared before him:
Congrattions! You have reached level ten, earning two free attribute points. Would you like to allocate free attribute points? Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
The next notification was the one he¡¯d awaited since well before he¡¯d even picked his archetype:
Congrattions! Upon reaching level ten, you are eligible to choose a ss. Keep in mind that this decision will define your future. Choose wisely.
He knew he couldn¡¯t take the time to choose his ss just yet, though. He was in the middle of a rift, and if he didn¡¯t get some sort of treatment soon, he would bleed out. So, he didn¡¯t acknowledge the choice before him. Instead, he arduously climbed to his feet and took stock of his body. It was both better and worse than he¡¯d expected. He was not in good shape. In fact, he looked like he¡¯d just been through a car crash before meeting an angry grizzly bear. But he was alive, and he didn¡¯t think his condition was critical. Bad, certainly. He wouldn¡¯t die within the next day or so, provided he received some treatment. To do that, though, he needed to exit the Rift. With that in mind, Miguel nced around, quickly finding the exit, which presented itself as a floating white crystal. He limped toward it, cing his hand on its smooth surface. That resulted in another notification:
Congrattions! By closing a Minor Dimensional Rift, you have done a great service to your world. Thus, you have earned a reward. Lesser Attribute Potion awarded.
If he¡¯d had the energy, he would have celebrated, but he was too fatigued to do anything but smile. Still, it was the best reward possible. Sure, there were a few others that would prove useful ¨C especially in his current situation ¨C but permanent benefits were always better than temporary effects. The only issue was that there was a limit to how many attributes he could gain via potions. It was different for every person, and it reset upon reaching the next realm of development, but he couldn¡¯t just go around conquering rifts and push his attributes to obscene levels. Still, every point would help for now, so when he reappeared on the other side of the dimensional rift, he found a blue potion in his hand. He uncorked the vial, then downed the liquid, receiving another notification asking him to allocate the three free points. That made for five gained from the rift, though he kept them in the same pool as all the rest he¡¯d been saving. The idea behind it was simple. He had no idea what ss he would get, and he wanted to save his free points until he could devise the best strategy. Instead, he¡¯d relied only on his training to push him to the peak of what was possible without the points awarded by the system. It had been difficult, though. With all those points, he could¡¯ve increased his attributes by a significant degree. But he¡¯d stayed strong and stuck to his proverbial guns. Hopefully, it would prove the right choice. For now, though, he was struggling to stay on his feet, so, after exiting the rift, he staggered forward. Or at least, that was what he tried to do. Instead, his knee finally gave out, and he fell, only to be caught by Colt. ¡°Whoa there,¡± the man said. ¡°That rift tore you up good, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Miguel groaned. ¡°I won, though.¡± Colt didn¡¯t respond to the statement of the obvious. Of course he¡¯d won. If he hadn¡¯t, he would never have left the rift at all. Colt lowered him to the forest floor, then retrieved a potion from the pouch at his belt before pouring it into Miguel¡¯s mouth. The young Warrior swallowed on instinct, barely tasting the mint-vored Recovery Potion. Instantly, he felt the effects. Most potions ¨C at least the ones avable in Ironshore ¨C were fairly weak, and as such, they were not the miraculous healing potions Miguel had once imagined. Instead, they simply provided a boost to the Regeneration attribute and let the body take care of its own healing. In this case, the Recovery Potion was the highest-grade Miguel could handle, and it increased his Regeneration by almost sixty points. It wouldn¡¯t do much to mend his wounds ¨C at least not in the short term ¨C but it would keep him alive until they returned to the ind, where Nerthus would take over. Still, even after Miguel had regained his feet, the pain was nearly overwhelming. That made the trek through the forest excruciatingly difficult. Fortunately, they only needed to travel around ten miles before they reached Ironshore, and in that time, Miguel distracted himself by studying his ss choices. There were five of them, and the first was:
ss: Vanguard Specializing in defense, the Vanguard is the front line of any battle. Required Archetype: Warrior Required Achievements: Be proficient with heavy armor while showing expertise with weapons. First Ability: Hold the Line Attribute Allocation: Constitution, Strength Compatibility: 91%
It was a disappointingly generic option, though Miguel didn¡¯t necessarily consider that a bad thing. From his research, he knew that Vanguards were well-respected, especially among the sorts who routinely challenged towers. In addition, at higher levels ¨C or with the right ss evolution ¨C they could be unmatched leaders on any battlefield. So, as simple of a ss as it was, Miguel didn¡¯t look down on it. There was only one major problem ¨C it didn¡¯t say anything about his nature attunement. Certainly, that wouldn¡¯t prevent him from using it to his advantage ¨C especially when it came to cultivation, specializations, or evolutions, but he¡¯d hoped for a ss that took his attunement into ount. So, it was with some anticipation that he moved on to the next option:
ss: Man-at-Arms Versatility is its own reward. The Man-at-Arms is proficient with any weapon or armor type and can function well in nearly any situation. Required Archetype: Warrior Required Achievements: Be proficient with heavy armor while showing expertise with a wide variety of weapons. Attain at least one Feat of Strength before gaining a ss. First Ability: Battleborn Attribute Allocation: Strength, Constitution, Dexterity Compatibility: 94%
Miguel liked the look of Man-at-Arms a lot more than Vanguard,rgely because of the mention of a Feat of Strength. From his research, he knew that the system kept a record of everyone¡¯s achievements, and even if those were normally hidden from anyone without the proper ss, they affected the quality of sses and specializations ¨C even skill evolutions ¨C a person would receive. Because of thatm Miguel expected that Man-at-Arms was a higher quality ss than Vanguard. More, he liked the idea of versatility, and Man-at-Arms just felt like it fit his personality better. He¡¯d started off training with the sword, but he¡¯d be more than familiar with a multitude of weapons. That had proved invaluable in the rift, when he¡¯d been forced to go through all four weapons in his main arsenal before falling back on his dagger. Still, he was disappointed at thecking mention of his attunement. So, while he put Man-at-Arms far ahead of Vanguard, he was still hoping for something better among his next three choices. He moved on to the third notification:
ss: Green Warden The Green Warden is a Knight that specializes in using wooden weapons and armor while employing nature spells. Required Archetype: Warrior Required Achievements: Proficiency with weapons and heavy armor. Three Feats of Strength before choosing a ss. Nature Attunement. First Ability: Wood Armor Affinity Attribute Allocation: Strength, Constitution, Ethera, Regeneration Compatibility: 99%
Miguel very nearly chose the Green Warden ss without even looking at the final two options. It seemed like a blend between a Druid and Warrior, which was everything he¡¯d hoped for. The only issue was the mention of wooden armor. Until that point, Miguel had been banking on using his mother¡¯s expertise as a cksmith to give him a leg up. But she had no skill with woodcrafting, and so, he¡¯d have to find an alternate means of arming and armoring himself. Even so, it seemed perfect, a factor that was reflected in the highpatibility. Still, he reluctantly put it aside so he could inspect his other options. The fourth ss avable to him was called a Sentinel, though it sounded quite simr to Vanguard. The biggest difference was that it seemed to focus a little more on guarding things, rather than leading the way in battle. It also required two Feats of Strength, which told him that it was a high-grade ss. Either way, it was not the choice for him, and for the same reasons he¡¯d already moved away from Vanguard. Finally, he was confronted with his fifth choice:
ss: Champion The Champion is the pinnacle of first-realm Warrior sses. Proficient with weapons as well as the use of armor, the Champion is a versatile ss that can hold its own in any situation. Required Archetype: Warrior Required Achievements: One Feat of Strength before awakening an Archetype. Three total Feats of Strength. Reach the first stage of overall cultivation before attaining a ss. Proficiency with weapons. First Ability: Virtuous Strike Attribute Allocation: Bnced Compatibility: 99%
It was not what Miguel had expected, though he was familiar with the ss. In fact, it was the one at the top of every list he¡¯d read. ¡°You alright, hoss?¡± Miguel looked up at Colt, who was walking beside him along one of the trails that led to Ironshore. ¡°I was offered the Champion ss.¡± Colt let out a low whistle. ¡°Damn. Guess you¡¯re takin¡¯ it, then?¡± Miguel wanted to say that he was. The ss featured incredible attribute bonuses, and its abilities were quite potent as well. However, there was one ring issue with it. ¡°It¡¯ll mean abandoning the nature attunement,¡± he said. It was one of the few sses that required such a sacrifice. In reality, it shouldn¡¯t have been a huge issue. Anyone who was offered the Champion ss would have at least a secondary battle attunement, and Miguel was certain that, even though his nature attunement was more prominent, it couldn¡¯t have been much better than the battle attunement. Yet, the idea of moving away from nature just felt wrong. Perhaps that was the attunement itself speaking to him. Or maybe he was caught up in emting his uncle. It was also possible that he didn¡¯t want to abandon the advantages of the grove, which were mostly contingent on his retaining his nature attunement. ¡°What¡¯re your other options?¡± Colt asked. As he hobbled along, using an extra spear as a walking stick, Miguel described his ss choices. He exined the suspected benefits and weaknesses, ending with, ¡°I think it¡¯s down to Green Warden or Champion, but I¡¯m not sure how I can turn down the second one.¡± ¡°Is that the only reason it¡¯s still in the runnin¡¯?¡± asked Colt. Miguel shrugged, which sent a wave of agony through his side. ¡°Maybe? I don¡¯t know. I just want to be strong,¡± he said. ¡°You already are, kid, and neither of those choices is gonna change that overmuch,¡± Colt stated. ¡°The next step is to choose the one that feels right. The one that will make you happy. Which one do you think that is?¡± Miguel responded, ¡°The Green Warden.¡± That answer wasn¡¯t a flippant one. He¡¯d never been happier than when traveling through the wilderness with his uncle. In addition, Nerthus had often spoken of building amunity dependent on the grove, and Miguel expected that a Green Warden would fit right into those ns. But was that reason enough to choose a ss? Especially if it was inferior to the other choice? Once, Miguel would have answered in the negative. Beforeing to the grove, he was entirely wrapped up in bing as strong as possible. And he still wanted that. But he wanted more, too. ¡°We should always strive to be the best we can be,¡± Colt said. ¡°Work hard. Be strong. But don¡¯t forget to be happy, too.¡± Miguel nodded. Then, he chose Green Warden. Book 5: Chapter 7: Escort Book 5: Chapter 7: Escort Elijah ran his hand along the frieze, feeling the subtle rise and fall of the surface of the eroded sculpture. It belonged to one of the few standing structures he¡¯d seen over the past two days, and it was surprisingly intact. That wasn¡¯t to say that it hadn¡¯t borne the effects of the passage of time. It had. However, due to some unknown reason, the temple ¨C as he¡¯d decided to think of it ¨C was mostly unbroken. The frieze itself was a different story. Due to its nature, any erosion it had endured was bound to sully the sculpture, andrge swathes of the piece had been worn entirely smooth. It was not surprising, but Elijah couldn¡¯t help but think that if he found a better-preserved sculpture, he might learn something new about the civilization that had once dominated the excised world. But that was a question for another day. So, without further inspection, Elijah leaped free of the entature,nding lightly on the soft turf a secondter. After ncing at the stone building, he marveled at the distance he¡¯d just fallen. Forty feet, and he hadn¡¯t even jarred his knees. He¡¯d long since considered himself superhuman, but after the recent influx of attributes and the effects of his cultivation reaching the Adept stage, he truly felt it. He hadn¡¯t measured his Strength, but he suspected that the next time he built a dolmen, toting the stones would prove trivial. He shook his head in disbelief, wondering how much more he would change. It had been five years since Earth had been connected to the World Tree, and already, he was considering the triviality of lifting multi-ton rocks. What would happen in another five? Or ten? A hundred? His lifespan had already been extended a considerable amount, and he knew it wouldn¡¯t be out of the question for him to count it in terms of millennia. If he made it that far. Those five years had been filled with one deadly hardship after another, and though he felt like he was starting to get his bearings, Elijah still had very little idea of what to expect. Case in point ¨C the excised world which yed host to the Trial of Primacy. What if something like that happened to Earth? It was not a situation he really wanted to consider, but still, as he returned to thetest camp site, he couldn¡¯t help but give it some thought. The others had chosen to rest in a small dell where they¡¯d used some sort of boundary formation to dissuade intruders. Of course, Elijah knew from experience how fallible those were, so he¡¯d taken to keeping watch as the others rested. He could handle going without, after all. They could not. So, the responsibility fell to him. However, as he approached, he couldn¡¯t help but hear a heated exchange between the two factions that had formed. Apparently, there was some enmity stemming from a conflict on Earth, though Elijah hadn¡¯t bothered to learn the details. They didn¡¯t matter, so long as the group kept the issues in the background. Upon his approach, Venka stepped out from behind a pile of moss-covered rubble, saying, ¡°They¡¯re at it again.¡± ¡°I heard,¡± Elijah said with a sigh. ¡°The whole jungle probably heard,¡± the hill goblin remarked, referring to all the shouting. Ever since Grod¡¯s death, Venka had adopted a subdued demeanor. Thankfully, his grief had only sharpened his instincts, making him an invaluable resource when it came to protecting the others. Not that they appreciated it. Even in times of peace, humans had a tendency toward prejudice. Some of it was based on evolutionary instincts ¨C after all, not trusting things that didn¡¯t look like you was, at one point, a perfectly logical practice ¨C but the majority was just learned bigotry. So, when confronted by a creature that looked as alien as Venka, the possibility of trust went out the window. They treated him with grudging respect ¨C likely born of fear ¨C but they certainly hadn¡¯t warmed to his presence. Thankfully, everyone shut up when Elijah strolled into camp. They were well aware of his cement on the power rankings, so they knew precisely how strong he was. It wasn¡¯t as if Elijah intended to hurt any of them ¨C regardless of how much they annoyed him ¨C but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t use his reputation as a shield against the annoyances they represented. With a sigh, he sat down at the edge of the camp. He didn¡¯t need to face outward to know what was going on all around them. One with Nature took care of that. So, he just stared at the ground as he pulled a hunk of pork jerky from his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. It gave him a simr buff to his coffee, though it didn¡¯tst quite as long. Regardless, it made for satisfying rations. ¡°Mr. Hart?¡± came a timid voice. Elijah looked up to see the Cartographer. He was a small man, and his appearance was reminiscent of Rick Moranis¡¯ character in Ghostbusters. The same sses. Simr short stature. And his demeanor wasn¡¯t all that far off, either. There were only two major differences, as far as Elijah could tell. For one, the man was of South Asian descent, and for another, he bore some of the signs of once being quite heavy. Elijah expected that the man had lost a lot of weight after the world had changed. ¡°What¡¯s up, Sanjay?¡± He adjusted his sses. ¡°Can you spare some food? Some of the others were ill-prepared for this expedition,¡± Sanjay answered. ¡°Most expected something more civilized, and if they encountered anything else, they intended to leave. That is not possible, as you know. Not until we reach the Nexus Town. I came prepared, of course, but others did not.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. Elijah understood the issue well enough. He hadn¡¯t expected such a harsh situation, either. However, he was ustomed to living in the wilderness and surviving alone in dangerous towers. So, his perspective wasn¡¯t shared by most of the impromptu party. He took another bite. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, pushing himself to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll go hunting.¡± ¡°W-what? Alone?¡± Sanjay asked. ¡°What about¡­you know¡­the meat in your purse?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± Elijah didn¡¯t bother exining himself. He didn¡¯t dislike Sanjay, but he wasn¡¯t particrly attached to him, either. Moreover, he didn¡¯t see anything to be gained by furthering the conversation. It reminded him that he only really enjoyedpany in small doses. For better or worse, he¡¯d be something of a solitary creature, and while he didn¡¯t overtly avoidpanionship, he¡¯d begun to find people exhausting. ¡°Maybe I need to work on that,¡± he muttered to himself as he stepped outside the boundary formation. Notably, Sanjay stopped a few feet short,pletely unwilling to brave the wilderness. As he passed Venka, Elijah said, ¡°I¡¯m going to hunt a little. Keep an eye on things?¡± ¡°Always,¡± the hill goblin said from his ce beside the pile of rubble. It didn¡¯t take long before Elijah was back in the jungle, and the pressures ofpany faded away the moment he felt the humid embrace of the alien forest. He shifted into his draconid form, adopting Guise of the Unseen as soon as the transformation took hold. Then, he put the well-named Shape of the Predator to its intended use, stalking through the dense wilderness in search of prey. There were myriad smells in the area, most of which were entirely unfamiliar. Yet, he¡¯de to recognize a few that were best avoided. Like jungles back on Earth, the excised world¡¯s forest yed host to plenty of dangerous predators. Many were venomous, and Elijah had no intention of testing his Constitution and Regeneration against alien afflictions. So, even though he was well-camouged by Guise of the Unseen ¨C which had reached new levels of effectiveness after he¡¯d taken the second step in Core cultivation ¨C he moved cautiously. All around him, he could feel hibernating wraiths. Most were buried dozens of feet beneath the surface, but there were a few that were much closer. Elijah took great pains not to disturb them. For hundreds of yards, he stalked through the jungle, enjoying the freedom the wilderness represented. It was no simple ce, with more dangers than he could count, but it was far lessplicated than dealing with the people back in camp. But after a little more than half a mile, Elijah caught a whiff of something he hoped would prove the subject of a fruitful hunt. He followed the scent, though the trail the massive beast had carved through the forest could have been followed by a novice woodsman. It wasn¡¯t particrly surprising. Such arge animal would have few natural predators, so it simply wasn¡¯t built for stealth. Instead, it was the sort of creature that went where it pleased, challenging any would-be predators to take their shot. Like an elephant or giraffe. Elijah intended to take up that challenge, as much for novelty as because he knew that the creature¡¯srge size meant it would provide all the meat the people back in camp could ever eat. Gradually, he closed in on the animal, and its musky scent grew progressively stronger. Then, finally, he caught sight of the beast. It was huge ¨C at least the size of rhinoceros ¨C with great, floppy ears and a snout like an aardvark. Its hide was bright red and slick with moisture, while a quartet of horns grew from its head. Spines flowed down its back, ending in a tail not unlike a stegosaurus. It was obviously herbivorous, judging by its t teeth and the fact that it was happily munching on a blue-leafed fern. Elijah watched, looking for obvious weaknesses. The beast¡¯s hide was thick, meaning that it would likely take more than one blow to reach anything vital. Moreover, those spikes on its tail were clearly dangerous. Finally, the beast¡¯s enormous size would likely prove an issue. Fortunately, the creature didn¡¯t feel like it was a higher level than Elijah. If it had, he might¡¯ve been forced to employ simr tactics to what he¡¯d used against the boar. Or more likely, given that he didn¡¯t have time to chase the creature around the jungle ¨C let alone deal with the attention that would invariably bring ¨C he would simply leave it be and choose different prey. Still, because of what he felt, Elijah expected that he could dispatch the creature in short order. He only needed to approach it cautiously. With that in mind, he continued to observe until he thought he saw an opening. A small bit of vulnerability that he hoped to exploit. So, without further hesitation, he stalked forward, used Predator Strike, then pounced. Upontching onto the base of the creature¡¯s skull, Elijah realized two things. First, the beast was extremely slow, likely depending on its high durability instead of speed to stave off predators. The second thing he discovered was that taking the next step in his core cultivation had done wonders for his draconid form. Not only had it enhanced the attribute bonuses he received while using Shape of the Predator, but it had also subtly transformed the form itself. His teeth were longer and sharper, his ws much more lethal, and his scales both more durable as well as more capable of blending into his environment. But in that moment, as his jaws mped down, Elijah was far more concerned with the traits that had increased his lethality. The crunch of shattering bone filled the air as his long fangs pierced the beast¡¯s skull and ravaged its brain. For a moment, it bucked ¨C or at least it tried to ¨C but that quickly became a seizure that then transformed into a drunken stumble. It fell only a momentter, leaving Elijah stunned. Before Earth had been transformed by the touch of the World Tree, jaguars had been known to hunt by using their sizable canines to pierce their prey¡¯s skulls. Elijah had copied that,rgely because of the mist panther upon which his original Shape of the Predator had been based. But he¡¯d never had such an easy kill before. Clearly, there were quite a few more benefits to attaining the Whelp stage of Core Cultivation. Once Elijah had wrapped his brain around the ease of his kill, he took stock of the situation. And he quickly discarded the notion of dressing the corpse himself. Instead, he shifted to hismer ape form, noting that it had be a littlerger and, likely, deadlier as well, and heaved the body onto his back. Then, he began the trek back to the campsite. Before he arrived, he resumed his human form, which made carrying therge beast much more difficult. The weight wasn¡¯t an issue, but rather, it made for an awkward burden. Still, he managed well enough, and when he reached camp, he did so to the apaniment of shocked gasps. He tossed the giant corpse into the center of camp and said, ¡°Dinner is served.¡± Book 5: Chapter 8: Nexus Town Book 5: Chapter 8: Nexus Town Sadie Song stood stiffly, her back against the wall as she scanned her surroundings. The so-called Nexus Town was not what she had expected, and the people who¡¯d steadily trickled into the settlement were disappointments as well. Many of them were ragged, clearly having been unprepared for the dangers represented by the Trial of Primacy. ¡°Did they think this would be easy?¡± she asked, not bothering to nce at the man by her side. Fortunately, she and Dat had taken the possibility of being separated into ount during their own preparations, and she¡¯d purchased a pair of items from Argos¡¯ Artificer that would allow them to find one another. The range was only a few hundred miles, but it had proved sufficient to guide her to herpanion. Clearly, others had not thought so far ahead. ¡°I don¡¯t think they knew what to expect,¡± Dat answered, his voice carrying with it a tone of pity. He¡¯d already seen a few people die, and though it wasn¡¯t the first time, he never took such things well. Neither did Sadie. She keenly felt every innocent death. Even the ones who died due to their own stupidity earned herpassion. Yet, she hid it much better, mostly behind a mask of learned frigidity. Dat had led a group of forty back to the Nexus Town, and many of those followers had immediately gone to the Branch at the center of the settlement, going home the moment they were given the opportunity. It had been less than a week, and already, hundreds had done the same. For her part, Sadie had arrived amidst a group of non-humans who had no interest in her help. So, she¡¯d set off across the jungle alone, braving the dangers without the benefit of anyone to watch her back. More importantly, she¡¯d had no one to slow her down, so she¡¯d made good time as she had searched for the Nexus Town. Finding the right path had been the most difficult part of the journey, but fortunately, she had Path of the Faithful to guide her.
Path of the Faithful Increase nonbat movement speed by 5%. Also, provides direction in times of need.
On the surface, it seemed like such a simple ability, and in the beginning, she was far more concerned with the ability to move through the wilderness a little more quickly. However, ever since being granted the ability at level seventy, she¡¯d learned that the second function was far more important. When active, Path of the Faithful gave her direction, usually towards some location she would be needed. It was how she had found the Druid¡¯s ring of stones, and it had given her some insight into how to reach the Nexus Town. That insight was frustrating, though. She couldn¡¯t control it. Nor was it always apparent. Instead, it manifested in the form of a subtle feeling that if she wasn¡¯t attentive, wouldpletely escape her notice. Ever since gaining the ability, she¡¯d learned to pay attention to those feelings, but the situation was still far from ideal. Truthfully, as grateful as she was for the ability, she was also frustrated by it. As a financial analyst, Sadie hade from a world of numbers and concrete facts, and so it was quite difficult for her to rely on ephemeral feelings that she couldn¡¯t quite quantify. Flexing her jaw, she nced around at the town. Unlike most of the ruins she¡¯d encountered, the small city was well-preserved and mostly intact. It would have no difficulty housing the Trial of Primacy¡¯s participants. ¡°Don¡¯t grind your teeth, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said, refusing to dispute her im. She rxed her jaw, repeating, ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I believe you, bro,¡± he said. ¡°Oh ¨C look who¡¯s here.¡± For a moment, Sadie thought he was just trying to change the subject, but when she looked in the direction of his pointed finger, she saw something she hadn¡¯t expected. That Elijah Hart had survived and reached the Nexus Town was not surprising. He was an extremely resourceful and quite powerful individual who¡¯d spent years traveling alone through the wilderness. If anyone was capable of trekking across the jungle, it was him. However, she had not expected him to be leading a group of a dozen people into town. In fact, that was the exact opposite of what she would¡¯ve anticipated from him. Outside of healing people in Argos ¨C which Sadie suspected was motivated by some ulterior goal ¨C he¡¯d established himself as entirely rude and extremely self-interested. After all, he¡¯d disappeared in the middle of an important meeting, only to return a weekter without so much as a proper apology. Sure ¨C he¡¯d imed to be sorry, but it was a hollow gesture meant to assuage her ire. And that wasn¡¯t even considering the results of their first meeting, when he¡¯d thrown foulnguage her way. Maybe his anger was warranted, but civilized people didn¡¯t speak to one another in such a manner. But Elijah Hart was not civilized. He was a wild creature living in a man¡¯s skin, and she¡¯d resolved to treat him as such. So, it was difficult to imagine a scenario where Hart would save anyone. Perhaps they offered him some sort of reward. Or maybe he¡¯d intended to use them as human shields. That seemed the sort of thing he might do, and the wilderness was certainly dangerous enough to warrant the thought. No ¨C he couldn¡¯t have helped those people out of kindness. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Because that wasn¡¯t the sort of thing someone like him would do. Not with the stink of death billowing off of him like he was a smokestack. ¡°He got new armor,¡± said Dat. Indeed, the Druid was wearing a set of leather equipment that he hadn¡¯t been wearing before. It was difficult to judge its quality, but Sadie had difficulty imagining it wouldn¡¯t be top-tier. He¡¯d probably hunted some ultra-powerful beast just to get the materials. The cut was utilitarian, with the only ornamentation being on the chestpiece. There were two etchings that looked like intersecting crescent moons stretching from the center toward the shoulders. Otherwise, the rust-colored leather was simple to the point of austerity, though it did make him look a bit bulkier than normal. Of course, he also wore that ridiculous fur cloak, even despite the hot and humid weather of the jungle. In his hand was a white staff, around six feet in length and with a subtle ethereal glowing from beneath a carved representation of a Celtic braid. The top was carved with some sort of reptile ¨C perhaps a dragon ¨C though she couldn¡¯t be certain without closer inspection. Finally, the man had taken the time to visit a barber, cleaning up his curly head of hair and trimming some of the bushiness from his beard. She could acknowledge ¨C at least in her mind ¨C that it was a definite improvement. If it wasn¡¯t for the effects of Sense of Sin, she might¡¯ve found him quite attractive, in a rugged, mountain-man sort of way. Beside him strode some sort of goblinoid creature, and a dozen humans followed behind. When he inevitably caught sight of Sadie and Dat, a smile spread across his face and he adjusted his route. With his staff cking against the gstone street, he approached, and when he arrived, his grin widened. ¡°Sadie. Dat. Fancy meeting you here,¡± he said. * * * ¡°You look good,¡± Elijah said, looking the pair up and down. They both wore the same armor they¡¯d worn when he first met them, which meant that Sadie was d in an borate suit of heavy te, while Dat looked like he¡¯d stepped out of an anime about vampire hunters. Notably, Sadie had added a pair of new weapons to her arsenal. In addition to the greatsword on her back, she carried a much shorter de at her right hip and a hatchet on the other. Likely, she had a couple of daggers secreted across her body as well. He asked, ¡°Any trouble reaching town?¡± Sadie shook her head. ¡°No. There were monsters, but I was able to avoid the worst of their wrath,¡± she stated. Dat said, ¡°We had it worse. Those blue-and-white creature were freaky.¡± ¡°They¡¯re called wraiths. And I can¡¯t really argue with that,¡± Elijah agreed. Then, he gestured toward Venka and introduced the hill goblin. ¡°You¡¯re a big goblin, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°You work out?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Lift weights.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°You should, bro. You¡¯d get yoked,¡± Dat stated. Before a confused Venka could respond, Sadie scrunched her nose and said, ¡°Dat. Not the time.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°Not. The. Time.¡± Dat deted, mumbling something about crossfit and weightlifting under his breath. Without Elijah¡¯s enhanced senses, he wouldn¡¯t have heard any of it, so he decided to pretend that it escaped his notice. ¡°What¡¯s the situation here?¡± he asked, pushing past the exchange. ¡°Not great, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± It was Sadie who answered, ¡°Three things. First, everyone is terrified. A quarter of the people who¡¯ve made it here immediately found the Branch and went home. A lot more would have left if they weren¡¯t waiting on allies to reach town. Based on that, I expect only half the original number will be left when the dust settles.¡± ¡°That few?¡± Elijah asked, disappointed. It should not have been surprising. With what he¡¯d seen from the people who¡¯d followed him into town, Sadie¡¯s estimate might¡¯ve even been quite conservative. After he¡¯d hunted the beast, those followers had grown even more frightened than before. Not of the dangers living in the wilderness, but of him. It had made the journey that much more annoying, and he was hopeful that they would go their own way. Perhaps it would be better for everyone involved if they just left. Dat nodded, echoing Elijah¡¯s thoughts by saying, ¡°It¡¯s probably for the best.¡± Then, Sadie described the second issue, which was the clear divisions between some of the factions represented. Mostly, that divisiveness was based on race. Humans and the settlers who¡¯de to Earth from others often found themselves at odds, and much of that enmity came with them to the Trial of Primacy. ¡°The worst is this group of half-elves. They¡¯re bigger and stronger than most elves, and they¡¯re a lot more aggressive. They¡¯ve been waging war against what used to be Moscow,¡± Sadie exined. ¡°What kind of half-elves?¡± asked Venka, his first contribution to the conversation. ¡°They¡¯re tall, with slightly grey skin,¡± she answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they call themselves, though.¡± ¡°War elves,¡± Venka stated. ¡°They have orc blood in them.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± he said. ¡°Good soldiers. Bad for everything else,¡± Venka responded. ¡°Wherever this Moscow is, they¡¯re lucky they haven¡¯t already been overrun. Must be a small settlement of war elves.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But they¡¯re walking around like they own the ce. It¡¯ll make Nexus Town a lot more dangerous.¡± Elijah narrowed his eyes, saying, ¡°I thought it was supposed to be safe here.¡± ¡°From the natives,¡± Sadie pointed out. ¡°We can kill one another as much as we like.¡± Finally, Sadie described the third problem ¨C that there was another group vying for supremacy within Nexus Town. Nobody knew who they were or where they came from, but they were instantly recognizable by their ck clothes as well as the demonic masks they wore. ¡°They look like ninjas, bro,¡± Dat provided. He had some sort of inspection ability, so he had more insight into who they really were. ¡°No race. No names. Just one identifier. Immortal. The only way I can tell them apart is by looking at their levels.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not ominous at all,¡± Elijah said. So, there were two major yers vying for control of the town ¨C the Immortals and the war elves. On top of that, the surrounding jungle was incredibly dangerous to the point that it had already driven the unprepared to leave what would undoubtedly prove to be a great opportunity to grow stronger. And finally, there were the challenges to consider. Ten of them, all representing the various realms attached to the World Tree. Or in the case of the Abyss, surrounding it. ¡°This is going to be a lot moreplicated than I expected,¡± Elijah acknowledged. ¡°It¡¯s not all bad, bro. At least we¡¯ll only be gone from Earth for a few months,¡± Dat said. ¡°What?¡± Elijah asked. The Trial was supposed tost a year, and he¡¯d prepared ordingly. If its duration was only a few months, then he needed to be a lot more focused in his efforts to conquer the challenges. ¡°Time dtion,¡± Sadie answered. ¡°A year passes on this, but only eighty-eight days on Earth. Give or take a few hours.¡± ¡°And we know this how?¡± ¡°The Branch, bro. There¡¯s a Guide exining it,¡± Dat responded with a grin. ¡°Well, that¡¯s my first stop, then. Plus, I think these guys are ready to get out of here,¡± Elijah said, hiking his thumb behind him. The others were about ten feet away in a tightly clumped group, as if they were terrified of being alone, but too afraid toe any closer. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you in a bit. I want to see if any of my friends have shown up.¡± ¡°You? Friends?¡± asked Sadie, clearly surprised. ¡°Yes. I have friends. A lot of them. I¡¯m very popr.¡± The words had spilled out, almost as if he was trying to justify himself to the armored woman. ¡°Anyway. Off I go. To see my friends. That totally exist.¡± Then, before he could embarrass himself any further, he turned and strode toward the Branch. It stood in the center of a huge, open za, and it was farrger than any Branch he¡¯d ever seen. He focused on that, rather than the tightening knot in his stomach. Book 5: Chapter 9: Immortals Book 5: Chapter 9: Immortals Elijah slipped the crystalline leaf into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and shook his head. The guide hadn¡¯t been particrly informative, merely confirming what Dat had already told him. However, it had given him a little more insight into how everything was meant to work. The ten challenges were not permanent obstacles. Instead, they would periodically repopte, giving everyone the opportunity to earn their ces. So, while it wasforting to know that he wouldn¡¯t have to race against everyone else in order to get the most out of the Trial, it still struck him as contrived. Yet, the guide had made it clear that the challenges were based on the history of the host, so even with their manufactured nature, Elijah reasoned that, perhaps, some additional information could be gleaned from the details. Because as he¡¯d crossed the jungle and inspected the ruins, he had be increasingly interested in how a world could fall. The notion was so fascinating that he¡¯d often found himself using his scouting expeditions as an excuse to inspect the ruins, all the while hoping he could gain some nugget of information that would make it all make sense. He had yet to find anything of the sort, but there was a chance the challenges would provide where the ruins had not. Most of the people who¡¯d followed him to the Nexus Town had used the Branch to go home the moment they reached it. Elijah understood it, too. Not only were they traumatized by the trek across the jungle, but they¡¯d also discovered that they were in no way prepared for what the Trial of Primacy entailed. A few had remained, though. Sanjay had decided to stick around, as had Venka, though thetter imed he had no intention of venturing back out into the wilderness anytime soon. Before he¡¯d wandered off the explore the Nexus Town, Venka gave Elijah the details of the settlement where he lived. It was apparently nestled amongst the Himyas ¨C which were evenrger and more imposing than they had been before Earth had been transformed ¨C so Elijah wasn¡¯t certain when he¡¯d get the chance to visit. Pointedly, he did not reveal Ironshore¡¯s location. Once Elijah was alone, he set off in search of his friends. Atticus, Delh, and Isaak had entered the Trial from Argos, while Kurik, Robolo, and Nia hade from Ironshore. Both groups had been apanied by a few others Elijah didn¡¯t know, and he hoped that everyone had survived. However, after the first couple of hours, he found no trace of his friends, which definitely didn¡¯t help his mood. As he explored the Nexus Town, he saw that it followed many of the same architectural patterns he¡¯de to expect after his investigation of the ruins. Yet, there was something off about it, as well. It took him an embarrassingly long time to figure out that the issue was with how new everything was. Sure, it looked weathered, but it was more like set dressing than the true results of age and erosion. That suggested that the Nexus Town had been created specifically for the Trial. On the other side of the Branch, a sprawling market had sprung up. There were only a couple hundred tents, but Elijah suspected that there would be far more in the near future. After all, five thousand humans had been offered the opportunity to enter the Trial of Primacy ¨C not even considering the other races ¨C so, even if many of them chose to return to Earth, there would still be a sizable poption remaining. Many of those were likely to be nonbat sses who saw the Trial as a way to make money, advance their crafts, or to progress their sses. While he walked around, Elijah saw merchants and crafters, as well as a few fighters who were looking to augment their arsenals. It made sense. Most people didn¡¯t have ess to the best craftsmanship, and given that the Trial only invited the highest level people, it stood to reason that the crafters who¡¯d chosen to participate would be capable of producing high-tier wares. So, those fighters had chosen to take advantage of the opportunity so they could get things they couldn¡¯t back on Earth. Hopefully, everyone would find what they were looking for. As Elijah was inspecting a Chandler¡¯s wares, he felt two ck-d figures enter into range of One with Nature. It only took a moment for him to recognize that they were the Immortals Dat had described, especially when they swaggered up to a Cobbler¡¯s tent and started to harass the poor woman. There were a few fighters nearby, but they quickly vacated the area. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if that was due to fear or if they simply didn¡¯t want to get involved with other people¡¯s problems, but the moment one of them pulled a machete from his belt and started waving it around, Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t afford not to step in. But he didn¡¯t intend to do so with his identity bare for anyone with the right skills to see. Instead, as he ducked into an alley, he activated his Ring of Anonymity, establishing his fake persona as a level sixty-one named Draconid. He hoped that anyone who inspected him would see that and assume he was a beast. Once he¡¯d taken care of his identity, he used Shape of the Predator, then let Guise of the Unseen fall upon him. Only then did Elijah leave the alley and stalk toward the pair of Immortals. He intended to put their name to the test. After all, he had seen the entire exchange. They were bullies and petty criminals who would prey on anyone they deemed weaker. As far as he was concerned, they had no ce in the Trial. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Weaving through the sparse crowd wasn¡¯t difficult, though Elijah did notice that a few of the stronger-looking people could clearly sense his presence. It wasn¡¯t enough to put them on guard, but they knew something was amiss. So, he wasted no time in pushing through to his destination, not giving those people any time to figure things out. As Dat had described, the two Immortals looked nearly identical, with pitch-ck clothing and ck, metallic masks that concealed any identifying features. Though, via One with Nature, Elijah could tell that one was male, while the other was female. Both had short hair beneath their demonic masks, and their features were simr enough to mark them as rted, and perhaps of Middle Eastern descent. Brother and sister, perhaps. Otherwise, they were of average size. Was that their origin, then? Maybe. Elijah would need to find other Immortals to be certain one way or another. In any case, he wasn¡¯t there to y detective with their genealogy. Instead, he only needed to solve the problem. And with the female Immortal erratically waving her knife around, Elijah would need to act soon, or things would get bloody. So, without further ado, Elijah embraced Predator Strike. Then, for good measure, he used Venom Strike, too. He pounced. Since his core advancement, Elijah¡¯s draconid form had grown by at least ten percent. So, when he pounced on theparatively small woman, his jawspletely enveloped her skull. He bit down, his long incisors piercing through the bone with a disgustingly wet crunch. Then, the pressure of his bite shattered her head altogether. Brain and other viscera sttered his tongue, but by that point, Elijah had moved far past any disgust he might¡¯ve once felt. Instead, he focused on the next move. To his credit, the shocked Immortal reacted quickly, and for a brief moment, ethera swirled. But Elijah was too fast. Having once again embraced Venom Strike, heshed out with his ws, raking them across the ck-d man¡¯s chest. The Immortal went tumbling backward through the flimsy wall of the tent, taking the cloth with him. The Cobbler screamed. The man thrashed about, crying in pain as he tangled himself in the tent. It copsed, and Elijah pounced once again. His ws arced out. Once. Twice. Three times. Each attack eviscerated the Immortal, eliciting renewed cries of agony. But before Elijah could finish the man off, he felt a dozen powerful fighters descending upon the area. It was time to go. So, he ripped his way through what remained of the tent, then raced away, leaving a few stters of blood to mark his passage. Even that ceased after only a few more feet, and Elijah ducked into an alley. After another fifteen feet, he turned again. Then again, as soon as he could. Before long, he¡¯d left the budding market ¨C and his stalkers ¨C behind. The moment he felt that he was safe from pursuit, he shifted back into his human form and deactivated his Ring of Anonymity. Topletely ovee any suspicion, Elijah took another few seconds to summon Healing Rain and use his soap to wash the blood from his mouth and hands. It was just after he¡¯d finished that job that a few fighters with decent levels under their belts thundered into the alley, weapons bared. ¡°You there ¨C did you see a reptilian monster?!¡± the first demanded. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Nothing came this way,¡± he said. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± asked the second. He carried an axe and looked like he knew how to use it. Still, Elijah was far from frightened of the man, who seemed more lumberjack thanbatant. ¡°Exploring,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°This architecture is fascinating. Did you notice the Mayan influences? And some of the friezes tell a story that I think will be incredibly impactful on the ¨C¡± ¡°Friezes? What are you talking about? There¡¯s a monster on the loose, man!¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense. This ce is supposed to be safe, right?¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°Are you sure you weren¡¯t seeing things? I had a friend who ate some magic mushrooms in college. He spent the next forty-eight hours convinced he was being chased by a demon. Well, a subus, I guess, but that¡¯s a demon, right? Anyway, as it turned out, it was just his girlfriend. And he was running through the quad naked when she found him. A chase ensued and¡­well, never mind that. My point is that people often think they see things that aren¡¯t really there. Like you and your monsters. You didn¡¯t eat any bad mushrooms, did you? ¡°Because I¡¯ll tell you right now ¨C you should not eat anything from that jungle without proper inspection,¡± Elijah went on. ¡°I counted forty-seven poisonous varieties of fungi, and that was just in the time it took me to get here. Fascinating subjects that ¨C¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± demanded the lumberjack. ¡°Mushrooms, man. Were you not listening at all?¡± Elijah said with enthusiasm. ¡°Look ¨C I¡¯m not saying don¡¯t eat them. I¡¯m definitely thest guy to tell anyone what kind of drugs to take. But I am saying that you should use caution. So, just show me what you took, and I¡¯ll tell you if you should immediately seek healing. Hint ¨C you probably should, though. You¡¯re looking a little pale.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°Confusion. That¡¯s the first sign that you took something toxic. Here, let me get my kit out¡­¡± With that, Elijah started pulling things out of his satchel. He only got the second item ¨C which was a bar of soap ¨C out before the first fighter said, ¡°This guy¡¯s insane. Come on, Josh. The trail¡¯s getting cold.¡± ¡°But he said I look pale. What if I did eat something toxic?¡± ¡°You probably did,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Do you feel nauseous? Do you remember your name? Do you see any fiendishly attractive subi around?¡± ¡°Uh¡­I think I¡¯m a little nauseous.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not good. Not good at all. Better get you all sorted out. I have to warn you, though, flushing your system won¡¯t be pleasant. You¡¯re going to be leaking at both ends. But it¡¯s all for the best. I have just the thing to ¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re fine, Josh!¡± said the first fighter. ¡°Come on!¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°Now.¡± Then, he dragged the lumberjack away. Josh certainly didn¡¯t seem eager to go. Regardless, Elijah¡¯s strategy of confusion had worked like a charm, though he suspected that if he kept it up, he might develop a bit of a reputation. Whatever the case, he was more concerned with two things. First, he¡¯d clearly gotten away with the attack, which was the more pleasant of the two. Second ¨C and far more distressingly ¨C he hadn¡¯t gotten any experience. That meant one of two things. Either killing the Immortals didn¡¯t garner any rewards. Or more likely, Elijah hadn¡¯t killed either of the two he¡¯d attacked. And considering that he¡¯d crushed the female Immortal¡¯s skull in his jaws, that was an incredibly disturbing thing to consider. Book 5: Chapter 10: Scars Book 5: Chapter 10: Scars When Elijah returned to the market, he found an oddbination of chaos and business as usual. Clearly, the elites of the world ¨C which, for all that many of them hade unprepared, was precisely who¡¯d been invited to participate in the Trial of Primacy ¨C were ustomed to death, and in a way that few people had experienced before Earth¡¯s transformation. Most had assuredly seen loved ones die horrible deaths, and more than a few had witnessed whole cities being destroyed. So, an attack in a temporary market was not something to get worked up over. However, for all that they were ustomed to the dangers that had haunted their steps ever since the World Tree had touched their, those people still had to deal with the aftermath. That¡¯s where the chaos came in, with quite a few people working to find the monster in their midst. Oddly, no one seemed to care overly much about the pair of Immortals who¡¯d started it all. Nobody but Eliijah, at least. He approached the Cobbler¡¯s tent to find her sitting on a crate and staring at the bloodstained ground. That was where Eliijah had crushed the Immortal¡¯s skull. The woman herself was a little past middle aged, though fit enough that she seemed more than capable of taking care of herself. That was the thing about the influx of attributes that hade with levels. The detriments of age were no match for enhanced Constitution or high levels of Regeneration. Still, the signs of her years remained in the crow¡¯s feet at the corners of her eyes. ¡°I thought it would be an adventure,¡± she muttered without looking up. ¡°It said we could leave at any time, so I figured I could test the waters, get some benefits while making a little money. I didn¡¯t think it would be like this, though.¡± Then, she looked up and wiped some tears from her eyes before offering him a fake smile. ¡°You look like you could use some shoes,¡± she said in an entirely different tone. ¡°Let me tell you, walking around barefoot like that is a bad idea. Who knows what you might step on?¡± Elijah nced down at his feet. The Footwraps of the Boar King covered very little of his foot, leaving his heels and toespletely bare. That was necessary for One with Nature to remain effective, and even though he¡¯d grown ustomed to walking around without shoes, there had been plenty of times he¡¯dmented theck. But if that was the only price he had to pay for such a powerful ability, he was more than willing to do so. ¡°I just came to check on you,¡± he said. ¡°Some people tried to attack you, right?¡± ¡°Attack is a strong word,¡± she said. ¡°Those people were just going to rob me. Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t dealt with that kind of thing before.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m a nonbat ss. Do you think that¡¯s the first time someone with a fancy martial ss tried to shake me down and steal my stuff? I have ways of dealing with that,¡± she stated, seeming a little annoyed that he would assume that she was helpless. ¡°I can take care of myself just fine. I¡¯m just a little shaken up because there¡¯s a monster loose in the city. It¡¯s not supposed to be like that.¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°What happened to the people it killed?¡± he asked. She snorted. ¡°Those Immortals don¡¯t get killed,¡± she said. ¡°Some sort of ability or something. I don¡¯t know much about that kind of thing. But I saw that girl¡¯s skull piece itself back together before she picked herself back up and walked off. Don¡¯t think that¡¯s something somebody¡¯s supposed to be able to do. Seems a bit like a cheat to me, but what do I know? Maybe you fighters know better what¡¯s possible and what¡¯s not.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. I¡¯m more of a Healer myself. It¡¯s why I came in here. I wanted to make sure you weren¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Oh. Bless your heart,¡± she breathed. ¡°But I¡¯m fine. Nothing a few drinks won¡¯t fix, at least. I¡¯ve seen worse than that.¡± Elijah nodded before asking a couple more questions. However, it quickly became apparent that the woman didn¡¯t know anything else. So, after making sure that she didn¡¯t need any healing, he excused himself. For a few minutes, he wandered around the market, and he was surprised to find that things had already settled down. People ¨C especially ones who¡¯d survived Earth¡¯s transformation ¨C were resilient, and they disyed that adaptability in their response to Elijah¡¯s fight against the Immortals. Fortunately, no one seemed to suspect that the monster was actually a shapeshifted Druid, so it looked like he was in the clear. After confirming that, Elijah focused on One with Nature and looked for the Immortals. Some of it was born of pure curiosity ¨C after all, he¡¯d killed enough people to recognize what should have been a fatal blow ¨C but there was responsibility driving him as well. Those people were up to no good, and as the highest leveled person in the world, he had a duty to investigate the situation. That didn¡¯t necessarily mean he would do anything about it. In fact, he probably wouldn¡¯t, so long as they didn¡¯t repeat their actions. He was no white knight looking to protect the innocent and y the evildoers. But he suspected he would need stability in Nexus Town going forward, and the Immortals threatened that. So, Elijah searched the market for them. As he did so, he couldn¡¯t help but notice that even more tents had sprung up. How many nonbat sses had entered the Trial, anyway? In the beginning, he¡¯d expected that most of the top five-thousand would be fighters, but it seemed that his estimate was quite a bit off. Perhaps that was a good thing. While he walked around, Elijah gave it some thought, and he soon came to the realization that it made perfect sense. After all,batants had a tendency to throw themselves into dangerous situations. In most cases, that was the only way they could level, and as such, their rates of attrition were probably much higher than those associated with nobatants, who could progress much more safely. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition. Sure, that was probably mitigated somewhat by the fact that, in the beginning, non-fighters were at an extreme disadvantage when it came to survival. However, once things had settled down and some semnce of security was achieved, those nobatants were probably in a much better position to safely progress than those who needed to venture out into the wilderness or into towers to gain levels. Those thoughts upied one facet of Elijah¡¯s mind as he searched the area for the Immortals, but even though his range with One with Nature had increased to a ridiculous degree, it still took almost an hour before he found his prey. And it was incredibly disturbing. There were thirteen Immortals, all wearing identical clothing, gathered in one of the empty buildings thatprised Nexus Town. The structure in question was far away from any other upation ¨C almost to the edge of the town¡¯s boundaries ¨C and it seemed that the Immortals had taken that istion as an opportunity to let their guard down. As such, they¡¯d all removed their masks as they went about strikingly normal tasks associated with building a camp. One was cooking a meal in the firece, another was washing her clothing, and a couple were ying cards. One man was reading a book, while a couple were having a conversation. Sound didn¡¯t trante to One with Nature, so Elijah had no idea what they were talking about, but he judged by their rxed postures that it wasn¡¯t anything serious. In short, it seemed like a normal camp. Yet, there was one thing that sullied that impression. Every single one of the Immortals bore brutal scars that made it look like they¡¯d been ripped to pieces, then hastily put back together. Some of those scars were old and faded, but others were new, red, and puffy. None were fresher than those marking two familiar Immortals. The young woman whose skull he had crushed was missing half of her hair, revealing a misshapen cranium bearing twin depressions where his fangs had pierced the bone. The man ¨C who might¡¯ve once been handsome ¨C was missing half of his nose, one of his eyes, and wore a host of puckered scars across his torso where Elijah had savaged him. They crossed dozens of others, making it clear that the man was no stranger to evisceration. Elijah crept closer, shifting into his draconid form and using Guise of the Unseen. Clearly, the people inside that building were moreplex than he had expected, and he didn¡¯t want to be noticed. When he drew within range, he heard some snippets of their conversations, and the theme mostly boiled down to questions about the ¡°monster¡± in the city. There were other topics, but they were mundane andpletely inconsequential, though Elijah did learn that the group had originated in Iran. After half an hour, Elijah sensed a neer heading toward the building. He was tall, with an athletic build, and a well-trimmed beard decorating his handsome face. His confidence was clear from his gait, and he didn¡¯t hesitate upon reaching the building. Instead, he strode in like he owned the ce. However, when Elijah tried to focus on further details, his mind frustratingly slid away from the topic. Perhaps there was some sort of ability at work. The Immortals shot to their feet, abandoning their tasks as they bowed to the neer. ¡°Wee back, master,¡± said the woman whose skull Elijah had crushed. The leader sighed, stepping closer. Reaching out, he grabbed her jaw and tilted her head so he could inspect the angry scars. ¡°Disgusting,¡± he said, releasing her. His voice was deep and authoritative. ¡°This is what you do with the gifts I have given you? How will we rule if you cannot go a single day without being maimed? I should cut ties now and find disciples who will make appropriate use of my guidance.¡± ¡°C-can you fix it?¡± she asked. He tilted his head to the side, then asked, ¡°Why would I? Every scar makes you stronger. Perhaps this one will push you over the edge and into bing something worthwhile. Take pride in your scars. Use them to your advantage.¡± ¡°I¡­I will.¡± After that, the man nced in Elijah¡¯s direction and said, ¡°Perhaps we should greet our visitor, then. There is something watching us.¡± He raised his finger. Elijah¡¯s heart jumped into his throat as the manmanded, ¡°Kill it.¡± The Immortals reacted instantly, gathering weapons Elijah had barely noticed ¨C after all, they were inanimate, and as such, werergely invisible to One with Nature, save for any microbial life that clung to them ¨C and raced out of the building. For his part, Elijah had seen enough to tell him that a battle was inadvisable. So, he turned and ran, quickly outpacing the Immortals before returning to the market. There, he found an out-of-the-way alley and shifted back into his natural form. A momentter, he strode back into the scattered crowd of people. That¡¯s when he noticed a familiar figure on the other side of the market. It seemed that Atticus had arrived. Still, Elijah didn¡¯t immediately approach his friend. Instead, he stayed back for a few more minutes as he waited to see if the Immortals would be able to find him. He didn¡¯t think so, but then again, he hadn¡¯t expected the leader to sense his presence, either. So, caution was warranted. After a couple more minutes, a pair of Immortals arrived. They¡¯d once again d themselves in the same concealing ck outfits, casting their presence with an intimidating pall. The crowd sensed it, giving the two a wide berth. However, from Elijah¡¯s standpoint, he could immediately tell that they had no idea who ¨C or what ¨C they were looking for, and after sweeping through the Market, the two Immortals left it behind. Leaning against one of the buildings, Elijah let out a small sigh of relief. He knew he could defeat the pair, but were they truly immortal? If so, they represented a dangerous threat that he needed to understand before their next confrontation. With that in mind, he shook his head, then set off across the market za to where Atticus was setting up a tent. When the Merchant recognized him, a broad smile spread across his face. ¡°My friend! I knew that if anyone could survive that jungle, it was you,¡± he said. Elijah returned the smile with one of his own, responding, ¡°d you made it. Did you have any issues?¡± ¡°A few,¡± Atticus admitted. ¡°But I survived, which is all that truly matters. And look at what I find ¨C a new world of customers, waiting to be served. It is heaven!¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Elijah said, massaging the back of his neck. Then, he asked about the others from Argos. That was when things turned sour. Apparently, Delh and her team had miraculously appeared at the same entry point. However, when they were attacked by a group of wraiths, everyone but Delh and Isaak had fallen. ¡°She was injured, too. Nearly lost her leg,¡± Atticus said. ¡°Where is she?¡± he asked. ¡°There¡¯s an infirmary set up a few blocks away,¡± Atticus answered. ¡°But I¡¯ll warn you, my friend ¨C she is in no mood for friendly faces.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just heal her, then,¡± Elijah said. And perhaps there were others that needed it as well. ¡°Good. Before you go, you should know that there is a meeting scheduled forter today. By then, most of the participants should have made it to Nexus Town.¡± ¡°A meeting about what?¡± ¡°An exchange of information. Some people have sses that give them insight. Others bought more specific guides. Regardless, I think the extra information will be worthwhile,¡± Atticus said. ¡°You should be there.¡± Elijah nodded. That made perfect sense, though he wondered who had arranged such a meeting. Still, he had more important things on his mind, what with Delh being injured. So, after telling Atticus that they would catch upter, he headed toward the infirmary where he hoped to do whatever he could to help. What he found was even more depressing than he¡¯d expected. Book 5: Chapter 11: Playing a Role Book 5: Chapter 11: ying a Role Elijah stood in the doorway, staring ahead at a mass of human misery. Dozens of peopley on the ground, being tended to by a harried man wearing a sparkly robe. He rushed from one person to the next, barely stopping long enough to cast a spell before moving on. It was clear that the man was the only Healer around. What was less clear was why he¡¯d chosen to wear a sparkly robe that would¡¯ve made most sequined dresses look mundane byparison. He also carried a small wand, which was topped by a blue gem that had been cut to resemble a star. After taking a moment to assess the situation, Elijah stepped inside and approached the busy Healer. The man was so distracted that he didn¡¯t even notice he hadpany until Elijah reached out and grabbed his arm. The Healer¡¯s bicep was surprisingly firm, and when he tried to jerk away, he disyed a decent degree of Strength. But Elijah¡¯s own grip was far stronger. ¡°Let me go!¡± growled the bearded fellow as he red at Elijah. Upon closer inspection, the sequined robe was even more out-of-ce than Elijah had first judged,rgely because the Healer was big and burly, towering at least a head taller than Elijah, with enough muscles to make a professional athlete jealous. He also wore a great, bushy beard, with eyebrows like caterpirs and a ttop hairstyle that reminded Elijah of Ivan Drago. In short, he didn¡¯t look like the sort of man who habitually wore sequins. Instead, he seemed like the kind of guy who would¡¯ve habitually wore nnel and carried a sizable axe. ¡°I¡¯m here to help,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°You a Healer?¡± ¡°Close enough,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to step on anyone¡¯s toes.¡±¡°Need all the help I can get,¡± the man said with a shake of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t have enough ethera to keep up. Blew it all healing somedy with a busted leg. Didn¡¯t expect there to be a flood of injured people only thirty minutester. So, if you have ethera, heal as much as you want. I¡¯ve been doing everything I can to keep people stable, healing as I waited for enough juice to do something worthwhile.¡± ¡°All I needed to know,¡± Elijah said. One good thing about his brand of healing was that it was incredibly efficient. He couldn¡¯t do some of the things dedicated Healers could do. Until recently, that included the bursty sort of healing that most groups required. When a teammate was getting ripped to shreds by a monster, something like Healing Rain or Soothe just wasn¡¯t going to cut it. Sure, he made up for that with his core cultivation and equipment ¨C his new staff enhanced all of his spells, after all ¨C but if all things were equal, he was just a pale imitation of a true healer. But one thing he had in his favor as efficiency, which was precisely what the situation required. So, he immediately cast Healing Rain, which covered most of the infirmary, dumping regenerative precipitation on the patients. Then, he went, one by one, and cast Soothe. The sparkly-robed healer cautioned him to take it easy and to not make the same mistake he¡¯d made himself, but Elijah just waved his concerns away. Once Soothe had settled onto everyone, Elijah¡¯s pool of ethera had dipped below the halfway mark. So, he settled in to regenerate, using his cultivated Mind to funnel great quantities of ethera through the vortexes and into his Soul. Then, it went to his Core, where it worked to regenerate his supply of ethera. It was the first time he¡¯d really taxed his system since upgrading his core ¨C and subsequently, his tier of cultivation ¨C and the results were impressive. The pieces were the same as always, but now that the core had caught up, everything just fit together so perfectly that the whole of his regenerative capability had taken a huge step forward. Because of that, he regained his ethera at a frighteningly quick pace, allowing him to keep casting Soothe as soon as the spells ran their course. For the next hour, wounds mended, and people regained consciousness. The Healer turned his focus to the more grievously injured, using his more focused spells to mend the serious mdies that persisted even with Soothe and Healing Rain working against them. And like that, the pair worked together for hours until, atst, they¡¯d done all they could. One patient passed away under the influence of some sort of ailment neither Elijah nor the other Healer could counteract. It was abination of the poison¡¯s strength and the woman¡¯sparatively weak resistances that made the situation impossible to recover. Elijah knew he¡¯d done nothing wrong ¨C in fact, he¡¯d used far more ethera repeatedly casting Nature¡¯s Bloom than he probably should have ¨C but that woman¡¯s death still hit him harder than he expected. ¡°It happens,¡± said the Healer. ¡°God knows I¡¯ve had to watch too many people die over the past few years.¡± Elijah ran his hand through his rain-slick hair, saying, ¡°Seems wrong. This is magical healing, right? How does it fail?¡± ¡°Do you want to know the real answer? Or do you want the bullshit I tell patients?¡± the Healer asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Give me both, and I¡¯ll decide which one I want to believe.¡± ¡°Our spells aren¡¯t miracles,¡± the Healer stated. ¡°They have limits, same as anything else. Sometimes, it just doesn¡¯t work out. It isn¡¯t like a video game where you just have to refill a health bar.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Is that the bullshit answer? Or the real one?¡± The man shrugged his heavy shoulders, saying, ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s just someone¡¯s time.¡± ¡°That sounds like the bullshit one.¡± The Healer shook his head. ¡°Just telling you what I¡¯ve learned after thirty years as a surgeon,¡± the man said. ¡°And five years as a magical Healer. Not sure which one was more valuable, if I¡¯m honest. But one thing is certain, you did good here. Thank you. A lot of people would¡¯ve died without your help.¡± ¡°Maybe. I¡¯m sure someone else would¡¯vee along,¡± Elijah responded. The man barked a humorlessugh. ¡°Fat chance of that. You think there¡¯s a shortage of Healers out there? Of course not. Every team brought one along,¡± he said. ¡°The problem is that they¡¯re all selfish assholes. Or they¡¯re controlled by selfish assholes. Either way, none of them wanted toe help. But you did. That says a lot about you.¡± Elijah extended his hand, ¡°Name¡¯s Elijah.¡± The Healer took it, introducing himself, ¡°Ron.¡± ¡°Well, Ron ¨C any chance you¡¯d like to exin why you¡¯re wearing sequins? I didn¡¯t ask before because there were more important issues afoot¡­¡± ¡°Right,¡± Ron said a bit sheepishly. He pinched the sparkly robe between his thumb and forefinger. ¡°Sometimes I forget about this thing. Truth is, it¡¯s the best damn piece of equipment I could find. Same with the wand. It¡¯s my little girl, you see? She always loved ying dress-up with her dolls, and so did I. We used to have these tea parties, even after the world changed. So, when she got her archetype, then her ss, she chose to be a Tailor. This was the first thing she made after getting her ss.¡± ¡°And the wand?¡± ¡°The first thing she made when she took the Tradesman archetype,¡± Ron answered. ¡°I bet there¡¯s not a better set for healing in this entire Trial. But, you know, sparkles. So, it¡¯s a tradeoff. I don¡¯t mind though. Every time I see the shimmer, I think of her back home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­sweet.¡± Ron shrugged his sizable shoulders. ¡°Maybe the world needs a little more sweetness these days.¡± ¡°That reminds me. There was a woman here,¡± Elijah said before describing Delh. ¡°Any idea where she went?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one I spent all my ethera healing. She just wandered off,¡± Ron said. ¡°Was in a bit of a daze, if I had to guess. I don¡¯t think things went well for her when she arrived.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°Seems to be going around.¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Elijah said. So many people hade to the Trial expecting it to be like a tower, but so far, it had proved much more dangerous. After a moment, Elijah looked around at the empty room, then asked, ¡°You think you got this? Not trying to be selfish or anything, but I¡¯m not really a Healer. If I want to get anything out of this Trial, I can¡¯t spend too much of my time here.¡± Ron understood, though he did profess to a little disappointment. Elijah felt bad enough that he promised toe by as often as he could so he could lend a head, and that seemed to satisfy the man. With that, Elijah took his leave and went in search of Delh. As it turned out, he didn¡¯t find her before the time of the meeting dawned, and Elijah soon found himself sitting next to Atticus in arge amphitheater. It seemed that when the system created the Nexus Town, it had thought of everything. As people filtered into the area, Elijah was once again reminded of why he tended to avoid dense crowds. With so many people around, One with Nature was practically useless ¨C especially after it had recently expanded. He could have focused a few more facets of his mind on interpreting the tidal wave of data he received, but he just didn¡¯t think it was worth it at the moment. So, he mostly just ignored the skill, instead turning the bulk of his attention to the small stage at the center of the arena. There were a few men standing there, locked in conversation, though one stood out above all the others. He was tall and slim, with elegant features that made Elijah think of the aristocracy. Or maybe that was his well-cut suit that would have seemed entirely out of ce in the jungle, but was oddly appropriate for standing in the center of an amphitheater. Elijah kept his eyes on the man as people slowly filed into the arena until, atst, the time for themencement of the meeting hade. Predictably, the man who¡¯d drawn Elijah¡¯s attention was the one to call for silence beforeunching into what sounded like a rehearsed speech. ¡°You are the best Earth has to offer,¡± he said. ¡°I see elves sitting next to humans. Goblins and dwarves. I even see a few kysar. And everything in between. However, if any of us are to be the future of our shared, we must learn to work together. I am not so presumptuous as to ask any of you to leave your ancestral enmity behind. I do request that you not fight within the Nexus Town. Should you do so, you will incur my wrath.¡± Elijah felt a chill travel up his spine, telling him that the man had used some sort of skill. So, was he like Barry, back in Seattle? Or was he something else? Elijah wasn¡¯t sure, but if all the man wanted was to keep the peace, he could get behind that. Still, he didn¡¯t like the idea of anyone messing with his mind, so he vowed to keep an eye on the man, who then introduced himself as Nasir. Something about him seemed familiar, though Elijah couldn¡¯t quite ce it. Regardless, the rest of the meeting was upied by the man revealing everything they knew about the challenges associated with the Trial. As the notification had indicated, they were representative of the nine realms attached to the World Tree. The first was Aesira, which was colloquially known as the Realm of Air. The second was Silvara, which was known as The Forest. The Mortal Realm ¨C or Mortalum ¨C was the third, with Alta Terra being the fourth. The former also yed host to Earth and most of the universes Elijah could ever want to visit, including the Empire of Scale. Fifth came Nira, or the Sea. Ignis came sixth, and as the name implied, it was the Realm of Fire. The Umbra was the ne of Shadows, and the Ethereum was the Realm of Magic. Finally, there was Pruina, or the Ice Fortress. ¡°And there is a tenth realm, though it is not connected to the World Tree at all. The Abbys, from which the Voxx originate. It is the realm of the Ravener, and the tenth and final challenge is representative of that ne,¡± Nasir exined. ¡°We have not mapped out the entire Trial, but we do know the location of the first challenge. So, if you wish to purchase a map, copies will be made avable to all, starting tomorrow. My only wish is to avoid conflict and to usher Earth into a golden age of development. I hope you all share my goals.¡± With that, the man opened the floor for questions. Mostly, people asked about the nature of the Trial, but Nasir was unable to provide many answers he hadn¡¯t already covered. So, the meeting ended on a bit of a sour note. However, Elijah did finally catch sight of some familiar faces, which was the primary reason he¡¯d agreed to attend the meeting in the first ce. So, once everyone filed out, Elijah made his way toward Kurik. But when he drew within a few feet, he saw the grave sadness on the dwarf¡¯s face. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked when he got close enough. ¡°Nothing good,¡± Kurik answered in his gravelly voice. ¡°This ce is cursed. I¡¯m thinkin¡¯ ¡®bout goin¡¯ home, and you should too.¡± Book 5: Chapter 12: Packs and Demons Book 5: Chapter 12: Packs and Demons Benedict was nervous, and rightly so. For whatever reason, when he¡¯d been transported into the Trial of Primacy, his newly summoned Malicious Guard had been left behind. He had no idea why that was the case, and he feared what such a creature would do, having been freed of his control. However, he¡¯d had very little time to worry about such things, mostly because he¡¯d been plopped down in the middle of a godforsaken jungle. And deprived of the focus of his ss, he¡¯d been at a disadvantage from the very beginning. The people who¡¯de with him hadn¡¯t helped. They¡¯d taken one look at him, judged him to be too weak to matter, then attacked. Of course, they had screamed about vanquishing evil, but Benedict¡¯s experiences had taught him that those were just excuses. He could recognize bullies when he saw them. Unfortunately, he was not equipped to face those men and women in a straight-on fight. After all, they had the benefit of shining armor and high-quality weapons, while, because of his overreliance on his minions, Benedict had neglected his equipment. Of course, that wasn¡¯t that surprising, either. He¡¯d spent the bulk of the years after the world¡¯s transformation locked in a dungeon. Other people had leveled by conquering towers and gaining the rewards that came from that. Benedict had progressed by virtue of his undead horde, and then, after he¡¯d received the Demon Core, by killing the opportunistic survivors of the unrest in Easton. So, even though he wasn¡¯t as well-equipped as his attackers, Benedict had enough experience with fighting people that he¡¯d managed to survive their first salvo. That was the only opening he¡¯d needed, and for days, he¡¯d yed a game of cat-and-mouse, stalking the would-be bullies as they trekked through the jungle. They tried to hunt him in return, but their efforts wereughable. None of them were suited to guerri warfare. Benedict was, though. He only had a few abilities that weren¡¯t associated with summoning, controlling, and empowering demons, and even those involved slow-acting afflictions. Against the rabble in Easton, they¡¯d killed quite quickly, but these were ¨C for better or worse ¨C the elites of the world. They had Constitution enough to withstand spells like Heat Blood and Infection, at least for a while. Thankfully, Benedict had always been a patient man, and one-by-one, the bullies had fallen. There were only two issues. Well, three, if he considered his own unsuitability for his current situation. First, they were not alone in the wilderness. Gangly, spindle-limbed creatures with marbled, blue-and-white skin were everywhere, and they reacted to any disturbance with single-minded rage. They either killed their prey, draining them of life and ethera, or they were in. There was no in-between. In addition, there were plenty of wild predators that could attack at any moment, making traversal through the jungle a nightmare. More than a few of the armored bullies fell to the native threats.Second, the environment itself seemed intent on killing them. The jungle was full of pitfalls, canyons disguised by the dense underbrush, and raging rivers that were home to a host of dangers. The terrain went further than simply slowing them down. It often proved deadly of its own ord. And the final problem was that, for all that Benedict was well-ustomed to hunting humans, he had no skills or abilities to aid him. So, it was inevitable that he would make some mistakes, some of which had proved extremely problematic. For instance, when he¡¯d gotten too close to one of the group¡¯s sentries, he¡¯d very nearly lost a leg before the woman had sumbed to his afflictions. And that was only one incident. Over the course of that week, Benedict had taken a half-dozen injuries that, if he wasn¡¯t as high of a level as he was, would have killed him outright. That wasn¡¯t even considering the infection, either. Or his stupidck of preparation. He¡¯d entered the Trial almost on a whim, and as such, he¡¯d carried with him nothing but the most basic supplies. He¡¯d only had enough food or water for a couple of days, so upon arriving in the jungle, he had been forced to ration. That left him in less than his best condition. But the infection was what almost did him in. Even after he¡¯d finished the bullies off and taken their supplies as his own, he¡¯d contracted a fever that only escted as he wandered toward a destination marked on a map one of the armored men had carried. Those few days had been the worst, and Benedict grew delirious before finally stumbling into the Nexus Town. How he¡¯d ended up in the infirmary, he had no idea, but when he finally came to, he was surprised to find that he¡¯d been healed by a man in impressive leather armor. Another man stood nearby, wearing what looked like a sequined dress. Benedict was not one to judge a man¡¯s fashion sense, but he did question the suitability of the man¡¯s attire. After all, a sequined gown that looked like someone¡¯s best-forgotten prom dress was not the best option for jungle survival. But at least the man wore a pair of sturdy hiking boots. Regardless, when Benedict had asked what had happened, he was informed that he¡¯d been found wandering around Nexus Town, lost and in a daze. Someone had brought him to the infirmary, though it had taken quite a lot of ethera to heal him. The bedazzled man gave most of the credit to the other one, who introduced himself as Elijah. The name sounded vaguely familiar to the Warlock, but he was in no condition to investigate that familiarity. Because he was overwhelmed with gratitude. He couldn¡¯t remember thest time someone had actually helped him, and not out of some concept of reciprocity. These people ¨C and the nameless person who¡¯d dragged him into the infirmary ¨C had saved him. And it threw his entire worldview into chaos. Three people, without whom he would have been dead. What did that mean for his philosophy that people were inherently selfish creatures? Was that single event enough to derail his entire worldview? No. But it did tell him that there were good people out there. They were just rare. Once he¡¯d recovered, Benedict thanked them, and like all the others who¡¯d been healed, he left the infirmary. As he wandered around, he took stock of his belongings, and he was unsurprised to find that, at some point, he¡¯d been robbed. Obviously, the healers ¨C or the good Samaritan who¡¯d brought him to the infirmary ¨C weren¡¯t thieves, but the notion that someone had robbed him during his time of weaknessforted him with the reaffirmation of his outlook on the human condition. But that was fine. Now that he had some time to safely take stock, he could make the preparations he should¡¯ve taken care of before being transported into the Trial. The real issue was his power, which was tied to his minions. However, that was easy to take care of, too. There were plenty of bad people out there, after all. He wouldn¡¯t sacrifice the few good ones, but he had no issues using the others to fuel his summons. The big question was whether he would summon a quartet of imps or a single Malicious Guard. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the vition. The demonlings were less powerful, even in aggregate. However, they had something the Malicious Guard did not ¨C subtlety. While imps were tiny and easily hidden, the other demonic creature was enormous and extremely obvious. And he knew it would invite challenge. So, even if summoning imps was not ideal, he decided that discretion was the better path. With that in mind, the only thing left to do was to find some appropriate fuel, then cast the rituals. As Benedict set off in search of just that, he felt a lot better about his situation. * * * Oscar stalked through the jungle, his mind going in worrisome circles. He could feel thest of hispanions out there, and he knew the little chihuahua was safe. But he also knew just how dangerous the environment was. It was no ce for such a small dog. Fanning out all around him were the rest of his family. Sophie and Jackson led the way, with Jojo racing all around, killing any of the smaller threats that might impede their path. Meanwhile, the other four stayed close, forming a protective ring around their Pack Leader. It was a strategy they¡¯d developed early on, and it hinged on the two bigger dogs using their size, Strength, and Constitution to upy the attention of powerful enemies, while Oscar worked to empower and protect his packmates. At the same time, the other five dogs would surround and whittle down the foe. But as well as the strategy worked ¨C and it had from the very beginning ¨C Oscar was far more concerned with Escobar¡¯s fate. He¡¯d been fortunate enough to have arrived with Jackson and Jojo, and he¡¯d found Maymay and Digby only a few hourster. Sophie came next, then Rey and Freddy. The only one left was Escobar, and he was still hours away. Who knew what kind of trouble the little chihuahua would get up to before Oscar could find him? It was enough to drive him insane with worry. Fortunately, he had little difficulty moving through the jungle. The terrain was harsh, but it was nothing he hadn¡¯t grown ustomed to. Besides, he had Canine Senses and Wild Steps to assist him. Hispanions had simr ¨C or in some cases, far superior ¨C abilities, which meant that they swept through the region with unsurpassed ease. That wasn¡¯t to say that they met no resistance. They certainly did ¨C in the form of those strange and unnatural creatures with too many arms and mottled blue-and-white skin ¨C but Oscar and his pack knew how to deal with hostile entities. Though without Escobar there, the victories rang hollow, even when they managed to take down a giant bird that ended up tasting a bit like turkey. Oscar ate alongside his pack, but he took no joy in it. Not with one of their number still alone and in danger. Dogs weren¡¯t meant to be alone, after all. They needed their pack. Theirpanions. And not just for hunting efficacy. They were social animals, and without their family, they were prone to despondency. Or in Escobar¡¯s case, near-suicidal recklessness. With that in mind, Oscar raced through the jungle, pushing himself as hard as his attributes would allow. The dogs easily kept up. After all, they were stronger and more coordinated than he could ever be. It was a symbiotic rtionship that benefited them all. Without him, they would never have survived, but the same could be said for Oscar ¨C and not just in the death-defying sense. Certainly, they had protected one another. They¡¯d helped each other hunt down dangerous prey, and they had all grown strong because of that. However, the true value in their rtionshipy in thepanionship they shared. And no one cherished that more than Oscar, who knew the dangers of loneliness more than most. Finally, after two more hours, Oscar heard an explosion from up ahead. He poured on the speed, leaping over a rotten tree trunk that was at least five feet thick. His feet hit the spongey ground, and he rolled to alleviate the momentum before springing upright at a dead sprint. Then, only a minuteter, he skidded to a stop amidst a collection of ruins not unlike many others he¡¯d passed ¨C and ignored ¨C over the past couple of days. It took a moment to find Escobar amidst the collection of charred bodies, but when he did so, Oscar let out a sigh of relief. The little dog was perfectly healthy, though Oscar could sense that Escobar was running low on ethera. And rightly so, considering the sheer amount of fiery destruction he¡¯d caused. Dozens of corpses surrounded him, each one scorched and smoking. And those were just the ones who were dead. Almost a dozen others had somehow survived Escobar¡¯s explosive spells, and they were closing in on the little dog. That¡¯s when the rest of the pack arrived. Jackson and Sophie led the way, barreling into the mass of blue-and-white creatures without regard for their own safety. Meanwhile, Jojo whipped around, nipping at their most vulnerable spots. Against weaker enemies, the shih tzu would simply leap at her enemies, piercing them through by virtue of her momentum. Yet, that just wasn¡¯t possible with these foes, so she focused on slowing them down. Finally, the others ¨C Meymey, Digby, Freddy, and Rey ¨C fell upon the creatures with characteristic ferocity. Oscar knew there were abilities and skills at work, but he¡¯d never bothered to name them. He just epted that the dogs had grown far deadlier than even their inted attributes would suggest. As the dogs fought, Oscar focused on his own abilities. He only had a couple of directly damaging skills of his own. Instead, as befitted his Tactician archetype, his own skillset tended toward providing buffs and healing his pack. Still, he was not entirely withoutbat abilities of his own, and he utilized just such a skill when one of the monsters raced in his direction. Drawing his Polished Flint Hatchet from the loop at his belt, he leaped forward, embracing his unnaturally high Strength as he used Wolf¡¯s Bite.
Wolf¡¯s Bite Enhance a single attack with the power of your pack, increasing damage by 250%. Cooldown based on Ethera attribute. Current: 211 seconds.
The small axe hit the blue-and-white creature in the sternum, and the results were predictable. The de bit deep, shattering the bone and carving a giant cavity in the thing¡¯s chest. Oscar had no notion of the monster¡¯s anatomy, but he suspected he destroyed quite a few important organs with the attack. It flew backwards, its momentum entirely reversed by Oscar¡¯s powerful strike. But it was dead before it hit the ground. The rest of the battle went mostly ording to expectation, though Jackson managed to take a few serious wounds that Oscar was forced to heal with Compassion of the Pack. The spell was limited to members of Oscar¡¯s pack, but it was also restricted by his ethera attribute. Early on, he¡¯d used every free attribute point he had to enhance it, and since then, he¡¯d found a few items as well as a couple of minor attribute potions to further those efforts. As a result, it was just enough to keep up with the damage his pack incurred. And in the end, they won. As they always did. Oscar had spent almost every waking moment fighting various monsters in the wilderness. He¡¯d even wandered into a gloomy forest with extremely thick ethera that yed host to powerful monsters that seemed to flit from shadow to shadow. Thankfully, Canine Senses as well as his pack¡¯s natural abilities allowed them to survive ¨C and even thrive ¨C for a while. Though the danger eventually reached a level Oscar had deemed untenable, so he and his pack had moved on to easier challenges ¨C like the few towers he¡¯d stumbled upon. Regardless, the moment the battle had ended, he raced toward Escobar. The little chihuahua let out his yapping bark as he leaped into Oscar¡¯s arms. He hugged the dog close to his chest, tears in his eyes as he muttered, ¡°I was so worried.¡± Escobar barked. ¡°I know you can take care of yourself,¡± Oscar said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t need us.¡± Predictably, Escobar didn¡¯t acknowledge that he needed anyone else. However, Oscar could feel the relief flooding through the bond they shared. It was the same with all the dogs. Because, after all, a pack was meant to be together. The reunion onlysted for a few more minutes ¨C during which the dogs sniffed the corpses of the fallen monsters, then disdainfully turned their noses up at the toxic stuff ¨C before Oscar announced that it was time they set off to find the Nexus Town mentioned in the system notification. As much as he usually disdained human society, he knew his pack would not survive for much longer without information. He and his pack were perfectly suited to living in the wilderness, but if they wanted to get the most out of this Trial, they needed direction. Thankfully, he¡¯d stumbled upon a few groups of people during his trek through the jungle, and he¡¯d spent some time eavesdropping on them. That had given him a little insight into the Nexus Town¡¯s location. So, without further ado, they set off through the jungle, once again aplete pack. Book 5: Chapter 13: Meetings and Plans Book 5: Chapter 13: Meetings and ns As Elijah followed Kurik from the amphitheater, he caught sight of one of the men he¡¯d healed in the infirmary. Normally, when he engaged in mass healing as he had alongside Rob, the patients¡¯ identities tended to devolve into blurs. However, he remembered this man for two reasons. First, he was painfully handsome, with almost pale, elven features framed by ck ringlets that spilled down to his shoulders. Upon seeing him, Elijah¡¯s first thought was that he would have been perfectly at home in an Anne Rice vampire story. His attire did nothing to mitigate that impression, either. Though his clothing was torn and dirty, he¡¯d clearly yed into that stereotype. Most notably, with his long, leather coat, flowing, blouse-like shirt, and ck leather pants. That appearance definitely made him stand out from the crowd. But the second reason factored more into Elijah¡¯s notice than the first. He was strong. Very, very strong. Elijah was incapable of perfectly gauging someone¡¯s level, but he had noted that the more powerful someone was, the more effort it took to heal them. And the dark-haired man had required more casts than any other three peoplebined. Part of that was due to a nasty infection he¡¯d incurred, but that only supported Elijah¡¯s supposition that he was strong. Most other people would have sumbed well before even reaching the Nexus. The pair exchanged a nod before the man disappeared into the crowd. However, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but notice that quite a few people gave the man a wide berth as well as more than couple of suspicious looks. Elijah pushed that out of mind as he followed Kurik out of the arena and to a building nearby. As was the case with every other structure in the Nexus, it was entirely devoid of furnishings, save for what the group of people inside had brought with them. Elijah recognized some of them as people from Ironshore, but there were a couple that he didn¡¯t know, even in passing. However, he couldn¡¯t help but notice a few missing faces. ¡°Robolo? Nia?¡± he asked. Kurik shook his head. ¡°The girl didn¡¯t make it,¡± he said. ¡°She appeared with a group of nobatants. Only one made it to the Nexus. Robolo made it back, but he was¡­he decided to go home. I¡¯m strongly considerin¡¯ it, too. We all are.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Elijah said.In truth, he understood the reasoning behind it. The Trial was far more dangerous than any of them had expected. Even Elijah had underestimated it, and he¡¯d spent months specifically preparing. So, for those people whocked his power, it probably seemed like a hellish risk to remain. The Nexus wasn¡¯tpletely safe, either. The natives weren¡¯t supposed to threaten them within the town, but that said nothing about the Trial-takers. As proven by the presence of the Immortals and war elves, there were plenty of people in the Trial who wouldn¡¯t think twice about asserting their dominance over others. ¡°What if we teamed up?¡± Elijah asked. Normally, he went solo, but the dangers of the Trial had made him rethink that policy. Already, he¡¯d promised cooperation with Sadie and Dat, so bringing Kurik along made some sense. Besides, he wanted to help his friend get stronger, partially due to that rtionship, but also because he was the strongest fighter in Ironshore ¨C other than Colt, at least. His power would help protect the city and, in turn, the grove as well. Kurik tapped his bearded chin. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°You ain¡¯t exactly known for bein¡¯ a team yer.¡± ¡°What? I did fine during the orc invasion!¡± ¡°Orc invasion?¡± asked Atticus, who¡¯d tagged along. ¡°You never mentioned that.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± ¡°It was,¡± said Kurik. ¡°Could¡¯ve been a killer.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t havee to that,¡± Elijah insisted. ¡°They were a long way from getting to that point.¡± ¡°Not that long of a way,¡± Kurik deadpanned. ¡°But that ain¡¯t the point. The point is that you tend to go off traipsin¡¯ through the wilderness all alone, doin¡¯ whatever takes your fancy.¡± ¡°Uh¡­and?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t do that if you¡¯re with other folks,¡± Kurik pointed out. ¡°You gotta be part of a team. That means we¡¯ll probably slow you down. You good with that?¡± Elijah hadn¡¯t thought of it like that. Instead, he¡¯d only considered the benefits, chiefly that he could have someone to watch his back while he helped them improve. But looking back, he¡¯d only really teamed up with other people a pair of times. First, in the aforementioned orc invasion, which wasn¡¯t so much functioning as a group as it was him doing his own thing in conjunction with others going their own way. The second time was when he¡¯d tried to help the elves in their tower. That had not ended well, though in his defense, he¡¯d been saddled with an idiot of a sand elf who didn¡¯t know how to stick to his job. Elijah had tried to y his own role, but he¡¯d had to go off alone when all the others were incapacitated. Regardless of the reasons, Elijah¡¯s experiences with grouping had not gone well, so he understood Kurik¡¯s hesitation. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine with it. I promise.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Kurik nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to my people about it. They came expectin¡¯ my protection,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t want to abandon them.¡± ¡°Ah ¨C I might be able to help with that, my new friend,¡± Atticus piped up. ¡°Before embarking on this Trial, I was toying with creating an alliance of Merchants and Tradesmen. For our protection, of course. I¡¯ve made some headway in doing just that, but the addition of your people will surely go a long way to solidifying the arrangement. I¡¯ve already picked out a venue, and now, we just need to popte it with likeminded individuals.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Kurik said. ¡°That just might work.¡± Then, the pair descended into negotiations concerning the particrs of the alliance. That bored Elijah to tears, so he excused himself and went in search of the other two members of his potential party. Along the way, he saw a curious man surrounded by dogs. The man wandered through town, looking both lost and as if he was on a mission. It was a curious mixture, characterized by a distracted expression and a purposeful gait. The fellow was also dressed in what looked like rags, with a few odds and ends that pulsed with powerful ethera. More importantly, Elijah felt something of an affinity with the man ¨C or more urately, with his dogs. So, when he saw the group stop for a few moments, Elijah approached, then knelt next to thergest dog. He was huge and rippling with muscle, with markings reminiscent of a rottweiler, though with a slightly shaggier coat. Elijah held out his hand to the animal, saying, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a big boy. There we go. Who¡¯s a good boy?¡± The dog was very excited to see Elijah, and he turned a couple of circles before letting out an enthusiastic bark. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy,¡± Elijah said. The man just stared at Elijah like he¡¯d grown a third eye. The other dogs reacted just like the rottweiler mix, and they quickly surrounded Elijah as they vied for his attention. Elijah couldn¡¯t contain his own glee, and he grinned as he let out a relievedugh. There was nothing quite like a dog¡¯s attention to improve a person¡¯s mood. Finally, the man asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Uh¡­sorry,¡± Elijah said, pushing himself to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ve always loved dogs, I guess. And I couldn¡¯t resist. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I¡­no. It¡¯s not¡­we need to go,¡± the fellow stated awkwardly. Then, without further discussion, he strode away. The dogs did not follow ¨C not until the man let out a low growl. That got their attention, and they sunk their heads to the ground and, somewhat regretfully, padded after the man. The curious group disappeared around a corner a couple of secondster, though Elijah kept track of them via One with Nature for almost another minute. ¡°What a weird guy,¡± he said to himself before continuing on his way. ¡°Nice dogs, though.¡± Eventually, he found Sadie and Dat in a restaurant that had sprung up seemingly overnight. Judging by the ethera wafting off of the food on offer, there was at least one Cook who¡¯d decided to participate in the Trials. Elijah grabbed a chair from a nearby table ¨C where the furniture hade from, he didn¡¯t know, but he didn¡¯t question it too much ¨C and sat down perpendicr to the pair. ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°Ouch. I thought we were past the animosity. But that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll grow on you eventually,¡± he said without pause. ¡°Anyway, I thought we could team up. You know, support one another.¡± ¡°Sounds good, bro.¡± ¡°It does not sound good, Dat,¡± Sadie interjected. Then, to Elijah, she asked, ¡°Why would we want to group up with you? We¡¯re perfectly capable of tackling the challenges of this Trial alone.¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Think about it. This ce was designed to push the best of the best to their limits. Even if you¡¯re strong enough to tackle it alone, why would you chance it? I think if we¡¯re going to stand any chance of getting the top spots, we need to work together. But that¡¯s only one of the reasons.¡± ¡°And the others?¡± ¡°Well, if I¡¯m going to help you in Hong Kong when we get back, I want to be at my best. That means we need to get to know one another. Our strengths and weaknesses,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°And there¡¯s no better way to do that than to fight together.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, bro. It¡¯s like when we first started,¡± Dat said. ¡°You remember how that went.¡± Sadie clearly didn¡¯t like hearing that, but after a moment, she said, ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± Elijah said, reaching out to pluck a steaming vegetable from her te. He popped it into his mouth before she could object. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. Let me get my own te. Meal¡¯s on me.¡± Before either Sadie or Dat could say anything, he was up and crossing the room. A momentter, he was in deep conversation with the Cook, who turned out to be a huge Russian man who clearly knew his way around the cleaver he waved around as he spoke. Elijah almost took a de to the face, but he justughed it off as heplimented the man¡¯s cooking. When he returned to the table, he saw the dichotomy of a frowning Sadie and a grinning Dat. So, he turned his attention to the one who seemed far more amenable to his presence. As they ate, their conversation wandered in a host of different directions ¨C from their adventures since the world¡¯s transformation to life before everything had changed. ¡°I was a music minor,¡± Dat said. ¡°I wanted to be a producer, but my mom put the stop to that. Wanted me to take over the family seafood business. But I had feelers out. My dad always supported me, though. After he died, mom was a little more epting of my goals. When I took my archetype, I hoped I would get a Bard ss. But Witch Hunter¡¯s almost as good.¡± ¡°I was a biologist,¡± Elijah said, popping a fried mushroom into his mouth. He recognized it as a variety he¡¯d seen during his time in the jungle, and it had a pleasant earthy vor that mingled perfectly with whatever the Russian cook had used for the breading. ¡°Not a good one, mind you. Kind of apathetic about it all, if I¡¯m honest. I guess I expected it to be more like a National Geographic documentary than me sitting in ab and looking at microbes.¡± ¡°The Indiana Jones effect,¡± supplied Sadie, primly pushing her own food around with a silver fork. It was her first contribution to the conversation. ¡°Huh?¡± asked Dat. ¡°After Indiana Jones came out in the eighties, there was an influx of archeology majors,¡± she said. ¡°But they expected it to be something it never was ¨C like the movies. In reality, it¡¯s a lot more boring.¡± ¡°Ah. Less whips, too. I think I¡¯d like a whip. That seems like it would fit the Witch Hunter thing, right?¡± Dat remarked. ¡°Maybe,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Anyway, what do you guys think? You want to be on my team?¡± Sadie sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a choice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the enthusiasm I wanted to hear,¡± Elijah said. Then, he told them where to find him and Kurik before adding, ¡°I¡¯ll see you there.¡± Finally, he paid their bill before heading back into the Nexus town. Along the way, he once again saw the man with the dogs, but he restrained his impulse to go and pet the good boys and girls. Instead, he headed back to where Kurik and the others had set up camp. Fortunately, he and his charges had reached an agreement with Atticus, so Kurik was free to join the team as well. ¡°It¡¯s all set, then. I have a good feeling about this,¡± he said with a grin. Book 5: Chapter 14: Guard Duty Book 5: Chapter 14: Guard Duty As Miguel walked beside theden wagon, he couldn¡¯t keep himself from gaping at his surroundings. Mountains,rger than any had been before the world¡¯s transformation, towered all around, reaching toward the blue sky and piercing the clouds. A gentle wind blew, carrying with it the unmistakable chill ofte winter, which was exacerbated by the heightened elevation. A few dwarves sat on the wagon, which was pulled by beasts of burden that before his recent stint as a caravan guard, Miguel had only seen from afar. The creatures ¨C which were called carak and were native to one n of the Ironshore dwarves¡¯ homeworld ¨C looked like a cross between oxen and bears, with shaggy coats that tickled the ground. They were incredibly strong, though, and they disyed that power by pulling wagons that each weighed as much as a fully loaded trailer from an eighteen-wheeler. The wagons were spatially enchanted, which meant that they mitigated the weight and space of the goods they carried, though Miguel had been told that they weren¡¯t even close to perfectly efficient. Thus, the immense weight, which was only about half of what it would¡¯ve been outside the wagons. Either way, there was an enormous number of processed ingots of high-quality ore in there. Enough to make quite a lot of profit, ording to the Teamster in charge of the procession of six such wagons. They were bound for Norcastle, which meant that the trip was meant to take about three weeks. ording to everyone involved, it was normally a quick and easy trip. The well-traveled trail wasn¡¯tpletely devoid of danger ¨C nowhere in the world was, Miguel knew ¨C but most of the beasts in the area preferred to avoid people rather than attack them. So, there was a good chance that Miguel and the other guards ¨C mostly young fighters without much experience ¨C wouldn¡¯t be needed. Still, Miguel was well aware of just how dangerous the wilderness could be, so he focused on the task at hand, scanning his surroundings with as much attention as he could manage. And eventually, as the sun began to set, they reached the highest point of the pass through the mountains. Once, it had been the site of a battle between Miguel¡¯s uncle and some sort of fearsome spider monster, though any evidence of that fight had long since faded. Now, it just looked like a bare strip of mountainous terrain popted only by a few lonely trees. The Teamsters circled the wagons, then activated an enchantment meant to dissuade the wildlife froming near during the night. Meanwhile, Miguel and the other young fighters stood guard. It usually proved unnecessary, because throughout the first leg of their journey, nothing had ever attacked. Miguel almost wished that weren¡¯t the case. He was itching to test out his new ss and increased attributes. But he only had to delve into his own memories to retract that flippant thought. If something attacked, there was a good chance that people would die. He¡¯d lived through that sort of thing, and though he was prepared for it, he didn¡¯t want to see the consequences. Once the wagons had been circled and the enchantment had been activated, the captain of the guards ¨C a dwarf named Beni ¨C established the schedule for the night¡¯s watch. Miguel took the first one, which turned out to be entirely uneventful, and a few hours after nightfall, he was relieved by another member of the guard. One nce at the others, some of whom were ying cards or conversing around the fire at the center of the camp, and Miguel felt like more of an outsider than ever before. He was the only human in the entire caravan, and as such, he knew he didn¡¯t really belong. On top of that, everyone was painfully aware of whose nephew he was, and Elijah¡¯s reputation went a long way toward keeping Miguel separate from the people of Ironshore. So, rather than join the other off-duty guards or Teamsters, Miguel found a spot under one of the wagons, retrieved his bedding from his pack, then removed his armor. It was crude-grade stuff ¨C the same set he¡¯d worn before choosing his ss ¨C but it was good enough for now. His mother had offered him a new set, but he¡¯d refused. The same was true of weapons. It just seemed like such a waste,rgely because of two abilities he¡¯d received from his ss. The first was called Wood Armor Affinity:
Wood Armor Affinity Increase the benefits gained from wearing armor made of wood by 200%. Any other armor will only have 75% effectiveness.
The second was fittingly called Wood Weapon Affinity:
Wood Weapon Affinity Increase the benefits gained from using weapons made of wood by 200%. Any other weapons will only have 75% effectiveness.
It was obvious from those two abilities which direction his ss was meant to take, and that was confirmed by Nerthus. The spryggent was not familiar with Green Warden specifically, but from the ss¡¯s description, he¡¯d helped Miguel to figure out the basics. In essence, the idea was that it would be a sort of nature knight, which apparently included eschewing weapons and armor made from anything but wood. At first, Miguel had been a bit disappointed with that, but after asking around in Ironshore, he¡¯d discovered that there were quite a few types of wood that matched or exceeded the characteristics of metal. They just took specialized sses ¨C or circumstances ¨C to work. The biggest detriment was that his mother¡¯s expertise as a cksmith was now useless for him. Still, he hoped to find someone with a Woodworker or Carpenter ss who could help him figure things out. Until then, though, metal equipment would be wasted on him. Fortunately, his old armor and weapons were high enough quality that they wouldn¡¯t break anytime soon. Nor did they grant any benefits like attribute gains or abilities, so their effectiveness hadn¡¯t been affected by the detriments of his abilities. Either way, he still looked forward to rounding out his equipment sometime soon. In the meantime, though, he took a moment to look at his status:
Name Miguel Rodriguez Stolen story; please report.
Level 13
Archetype Warrior
ss Green Warden
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 21
Dexterity 21
Constitution 28 (21)
Ethera 17
Regeneration 16
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Recruit Opal Neophyte
Miguel knew that his ss was extremely rare, and when he¡¯d revealed to Nerthus that he gained eight total attribute points for each level, the spryggent was briefly struck dumb. That was an unheard-of number of attributes, especially for a base ss, and, as he leveled, it would put him on an entirely different tier than most people. The allocation was bnced, with two points each to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution being awarded for each level. With Ethera and Regeneration, only one point was given, though even that was more than most. It was just further evidence that the multi-verse was never meant to be a fair ce. Some sses were simply better than others. However, Nerthus had pointed out that attributes weren¡¯t everything. There were some sses that granted incredible attributes for each level, but severelycked in terms of abilities. By contrast, there were many sses with low attributes but powerful skills. Then there was cultivation to consider, which, with every subsequent stage, would be more and more important. Finally, good equipment could change everything. So, even if Miguel had something of a head start on other people his level, his ss would not be enough to set him apart. That was especially true if he didn¡¯t put the work in to push himself to master his weapons and the abilities that came with his ss. The other skill he¡¯d received ¨C at level twelve ¨C was called Woodsman¡¯s Constitution:
Woodsman¡¯s Constitution Increase Constitution attribute by 6 points. Bonus increases by 1 point for every consecutive day spent in a forest, up to 12 total.
It was a powerful buff, and one that he did not take for granted. However, he knew that some of its efficacy was due to his Guardian Core¡¯s advancement to the first stage. It wasn¡¯t as powerful of a core as his uncle¡¯s, but ording to Nerthus, it was still close to the peak of what was possible without getting into Elder Cores. At present, it provided something like a forty percent increase to his abilities, which was a huge boon. It was difficult to know for certain without finding a Librarian who could direct him to the right guide, but he didn¡¯t need exact numbers to know it would be very helpful going forward. And besides, it wasn¡¯t as if he could change it now. Regardless, Miguel was happy with his progress so far, but he also craved progression in a way that bordered on obsession. Some of it was based on the need to grow stronger in order to protect himself, but as his uncle had once hinted to him, it was also addictive, seeing the quantifiable progress of his training. Watching those numbers go up ¨C and feeling stronger with each added attribute point ¨C was more satisfying than anything Miguel had ever experienced. But he also had other motives. Like protecting the people he cared about. And being useful, as the thief back in Argos had charged him to be. Or the simple satisfaction of meeting goals he¡¯d set for himself. Finally, he knew the world wouldn¡¯t soon stop its own progression, and if he wanted to carve out a ce for himself, he needed to keep moving forward. Otherwise, he¡¯d be left behind, and he¡¯d end up ordinary like so many others. That just wasn¡¯t the path he wanted for himself. Because Miguel knew that he wouldn¡¯t be happy with a normal life. He was lost in such thoughts when he heard a shout from one of the guards. Without skipping a beat, Miguel grabbed his spear and rolled out from under the wagon. A dozen other guards were already moving to their assigned positions, and even the Teamsters had taken up weapons. For his part, Miguel tossed his spear atop one of the wagons, then leaped, grabbing hold of the edge and dragging himself to the top. It was twelve feet off the ground, so from that position, he could see the reason the rm had been raised. Dozens of monsters surrounded the circled wagons. They were vaguely humanoid, with the right number of arms and legs. But that was where the simrities ended. The creatures sported hyena-like heads, spotted, fur-covered bodies, and wicked ws that looked perfect for slicing through flesh. ¡°Gnolls!¡± shouted one of the Teamsters. One of the monsters let out a cackling howl that sent a shiver of fear up Miguel¡¯s spine. And when the other monsters responded with howls of their own, his chest tightened in mingled anticipation and terror. He pushed thetter aside, gripping his spear in both hands as he nted his feet. More than anything, he wished he¡¯d thought to bring his bow. Or that he hadn¡¯t removed his armor. That was a mistake he didn¡¯t intend to repeat in the future. Miguel didn¡¯t have long to regret his choices before the creatures surged forward with frightening speed. He and hispanions were outnumbered ten to one, but they had the advantage of skills as well as the defensive position provided by the circled wagons. Still, he knew it would be a tough fight. However, he was still more than a little surprised when the first monster leaped against the wagon, dug its ws into the sides, and vaulted to the top. The thing moved like a gymnast on steroids, so Miguel was shocked when he found himself suddenly facing off against the fur-covered creature. But his training hadn¡¯t been for nothing, and his learned instincts took over as the battlemenced. He thrust forward with the spear, but the monster nimbly danced to the side, darting in to eviscerate Miguel¡¯s torso. Yet, it clearly hadn¡¯t expected to face off against someone with the young Green Warden¡¯s effective stats, because it let out a bark of surprise when it found nothing but air. That turned into a pained help as Miguel plunged his rapidly drawn dagger into the creature¡¯s back. He wrenched it out, sheathing it in the same motion before regaining his two-handed grip on his spear. He followed that up with a powerful kick that sent the monster back the way it hade. It crashed into another gnoll, sending them both toppling to the ground. But there were more to take their ce, and before Miguel knew it, he was surrounded by gnashing teeth, sharp ws, and spotted fur. With the sound of cackling howls in his ears, Miguel fought, using every ounce of training he¡¯d received. His attributes stood him in good stead, and he took quite a few wounds during the course of battle. They were mitigated by hisparatively high Constitution, though that did little to stop the pain. Even so, he managed to fight on, eventually clearing his side of the circled wagons before moving from one wagon to the next as he lent his efforts to help hispanions. When the dust settled, he¡¯d lost count of how many gnolls he¡¯d killed. He was covered in blood, sported a half-dozen shallow wounds, and was more fatigued than he¡¯d ever been in his life. Yet, Miguel was far more worried about the two guards they¡¯d lost in the battle. He¡¯d not bothered to learn their names, but he would forever remember their faces. With the moon still bright in the night sky, another set of howling cackles filled the air as the second wave of gnolls descended upon the circled wagons. From his perch, he could see theming. He could almost feel them. The wrongness of their very existence. But Miguel ignored that. As the battle rmenced, there was no room for such extraneous thoughts. Book 5: Chapter 15: A Life of Battle Book 5: Chapter 15: A Life of Battle ¡°How did you find me?¡± asked Delh, sitting atop one of the buildings within the Nexus. Her toned legs dangled off the edge as she peered out at the people gathered around the market. Elijah couldn¡¯t help but notice the long, puckered scar that ran from beneath her armored skirt ¨C called a pteruges, if Elijah remembered his history ¨C past her knee, and well into her calf. ¡°I found Isaak first,¡± he said, settling in beside her. He nced up at the night sky, seeing that it was just as alien as it had been during the day. It was filled with a kaleidoscope of colors, reminding Elijah of the aurora borealis, but far more expansive than the northern lights back on Earth. Finally, after a few moments, he said, ¡°He¡¯s worried about you, you know.¡± ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be. I¡¯m fine. Great, even. This is an opportunity that only the strongest people on the get,¡± she said. ¡°Why would anyone worry about me?¡± Elijah sighed. ording to Isaak, Delh and her team had been hit hard only moments after arriving on the excised, and they¡¯d been forced to battle their way through the jungle, with little rest between fights. Two of herpanions had died, and she¡¯d been grievously injured. Her leg was the worst of it, but she had taken quite a few other wounds as well. ¡°I cried after my first tower,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Just tears of relief. Did I ever tell you about it?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t told me anything about yourself,¡± she pointed out. Elijah realized that was true. He hadn¡¯t treated her like a potential partner. He hadn¡¯t even approached her like she was a friend. Instead, they¡¯d used one another, without thought for anything but immediate release. She¡¯d tried to be there for him after he¡¯d built the Temple of Virtue, but he¡¯d refused that connection. Now, there was a wide gulf between them that had be all but impossible to bridge. ¡°I haven¡¯t been a very good friend to you, have I?¡± he asked. She let out a harsh and humorlessugh. ¡°We¡¯re not friends, Elijah,¡± she said. ¡°Acquaintances at best.¡± She nced at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you were at the top of the power rankings until like two months ago. Everyone else did, but not me. Do you know how that made me feel? Do you know how people must¡¯ve looked at me when I talked about you?¡±Elijah shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s like we¡¯re strangers,¡± she answered her own question. ¡°Which I guess we are. Then, you disappear without warning, and you onlye back for a few minutes before leaving again? You barely offered an exnation before you were gone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I can¡­I can be pretty selfish sometimes.¡± That much was true. It always had been, too. He¡¯d never really been a great partner to any of the women in his life. Even with his search for his sister, it had often felt less like a purpose and more like a side quest. Sure, he loved his sister. He also loved Lucy and Nina, his ex-girlfriend back in Hawaii, as well. He liked Delh, too. But as wrapped up as he always was in his own issues, he rarely gave anyone else the attention they deserved. Did that make him a bad person? Seeing the way Delh looked at him certainly made him feel like it. ¡°What do you want to know about me?¡± he asked, hoping to make up for his mistakes. She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not always about you, Elijah.¡± ¡°What can I do, then? I want to help.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. Not unless you can bring people back from the dead. You can¡¯t do that, can you? No. Nobody can. We run around acting like we can all perform miracles. That¡¯s not true, though. We¡¯re just strong enough to make us feel like we¡¯re invincible. We¡¯re not. We¡¯re so, so far from that. I just got reminded of how the world works. So, I know your heart¡¯s in the right ce. I know you want to help. But you can¡¯t. So, please ¨C just stop. We¡¯re not close enough to start having heart-to-hearts about dead friends.¡± Elijah¡¯s first impulse was to argue that she needed to talk about what had happened in the jungle. He knew she had lost people, and probably in horrifying circumstances, and he had been to therapy often enough to recognize the need to talk that sort of thing out. However, he could tell that if he kept pushing, she was going to run off. Or hit him. Maybe both. So, he just sighed and nodded, saying, ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m still going to sit here with you.¡± ¡°Suit yourself. Just shut up for once.¡± Elijah did, though he had some difficulty, knowing that Delh was in pain and that there was nothing he could do about it. Still, he pushed his own desire to help aside and just sat next to her. Eventually, he ventured out and took hold of her hand. She flinched slightly at his touch, but she didn¡¯t pull away. Neither did she tell him off. Instead, she just returned his grip with her own. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition. Like that they sat for hours until, atst, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should stay.¡± ¡°Do you want my opinion?¡± he asked. She shrugged, which Elijah took as the go-ahead to offer his thoughts. So, he continued, ¡°You should stick around. You came here for a reason, right? You wanted to get stronger. So, this ce will offer you the opportunity to do just that. Even if you¡¯re not going to work on the challenges, the jungle offers plenty of chances to gain experience, and at a better pace than anywhere you have ess to back home.¡± She sighed and slumped her shoulders. ¡°You know, for the first time since all this started, I¡¯ve started to regret my decision to be a fighter,¡± she said. ¡°When I first chose my archetype, Warrior sounded so awesome. I thought it would be like a game, that I would rise to the top. Same when I picked my ss. But I¡¯m barely in my sixties now. I¡¯ve got a long road ahead of me. I¡¯m looking at it, and all I can see is endless fighting. I lost Theresa and Gil a couple of days ago. Micah right after. It hurt, Elijah. Like, really hurt. They¡¯re not the first people I¡¯ve seen die, either. But they did everything right. They were strong. We thought¡­we thought we were all invincible.¡± ¡°Nobody is.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s my point. Even if I make it, and I get to be level five-hundred or some ridiculous thing, how many of my friends am I going to watch die? How many people am I going to have to kill? It¡¯s¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± she said with a shake of her head. ¡°Right now, I wish I would have picked that Tradesman archetype I was offered. Or even the Schr. I could progress without having to put my life in danger. Without having to watch my friends die.¡± After that, a long silence stretched between them before Elijah finally said, ¡°You know you can steer your ss away from that, right? That¡¯s what evolutions are for.¡± ¡°I¡¯m barely halfway to that point. And I have no idea what else I want,¡± she said. She ran her hand through her thick, ck hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know. There is a chance that I¡¯ll feel differently in a few days. It¡¯s all just a little raw right now.¡± ¡°I definitely understand that,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m here, you know. Maybe I¡¯m not the best person in the world. I¡¯m selfish, rude, and more antisocial than I care to admit on my most days. I do care about you, though, and I want to help as much as I can.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. ¡°But I think I need to work this out on my own.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± In the end, the rendezvous did not go as Elijah had expected it to y out. He¡¯d wanted to give Delh some measure of hope. He¡¯d even intended to invite her to join the team he¡¯d formed with Sadie, Dat, and Kurik. However, that idea went out the window the moment he¡¯d seen her mental state. She was in the wrong frame of mind to make an attempt at conquering the Trial¡¯s first challenge. If she went out there right then, she¡¯d likely end up dead or grievously wounded. No ¨C she needed time to find her own path, and until she did, taking her into a fight meant bringing a liability along. She wouldn¡¯t thank him for that, so he¡¯d abandoned that notion the moment he found her. Finally, just as the sun was beginning to peek above the horizon, Elijah bade Delh goodbye, then slipped from the roof. Hended with barely a sound before heading off toward the infirmary. Once he arrived, he unsurprisingly found the sparkly-robed Rob healing a few new patients. Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate to lend his assistance, relieving some of the man¡¯s burden for around an hour before heading back to the building Atticus and his alliance of Merchants and Tradesmen had set up shop. That¡¯s where he found Sadie, already up and about and eating a bowl full of what looked like gruel. There wasn¡¯t much in terms of furnishings ¨C just a couple of wooden tables and a handful of chairs ¨C but Eliijah expected that Atticus and his alliance would change that soon enough. Wanting to bridge the wide gulf that had sprung up between Sadie and himself, Elijah offered, ¡°I¡¯m going to make some coffee. You want some?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink coffee.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± he asked, his jaw dropping. Obviously, Elijah was aware that there existed people who didn¡¯t enjoy the most perfect beverage in existence, but he was still more than a little shocked every time he met one. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. It¡¯s too bitter.¡± ¡°It¡­uh¡­gives a longsting buff,¡± he said, unsure why he wanted to convince her to try his coffee. ¡°Extra attributes.¡± ¡°Pass.¡± Deciding to switch gears, he asked, ¡°Pork jerky? It might go well with your¡­uh¡­gruel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a vegetarian,¡± she said. ¡°And it¡¯s not gruel. It¡¯s porridge.¡± ¡°Fun fact ¨C technically, porridge is ssified as gruel. So are oatmeal, grits ¨C it¡¯s a thing in the southern U.S. ¨C and most other ground oat slop.¡± ¡°Slop?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t make the rules.¡± ¡°First of all, what you just said is not true at all,¡± she said. ¡°Gruel is distinguished by being thinner than porridge and oatmeal. And¡­you know what? I¡¯m not justifying my food to you. I won¡¯t criticize your carnivorous tendencies, and I would appreciate if you didn¡¯t judge my diet.¡± Elijah knew he¡¯d messed up, so he just nodded and went back to making his coffee. Fortunately, there was a firece nearby where he could boil water for his coffee, and he did just that before making the beverage in his French press. Secretly, he expected that Sadie woulde over to the right side of the coffee divide when she smelled it, but to his immense shock, she just turned her nose up and pretended like he ¨C and the delicious coffee ¨C didn¡¯t exist. Finally, he offered her a bit of his honey, saying, ¡°It¡¯s ethically sourced. The bees in my apiary are perfectly happy and very healthy.¡± ¡°You have an apiary?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. I have a whole ind. Kind of a paradise, if I say so myself. It wasn¡¯t always like that, but it¡¯s definitely my happy ce,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°My friend Nerthus is taking care of it right now.¡± She just stared at him. ¡°You live in paradise?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Pretty much,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°Most of the time, I¡¯m not even there, though. Like I said, it¡¯s as much Nerthus¡¯ ind as it is mine.¡± That¡¯s when he noticed her dark expression. ¡°What? How did I offend you this time?¡± Sadie just shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡± Then, she quickly ate thest bite of her porridge, pushed away from the table, and strode away. ¡°What did I say?¡± Elijah muttered to himself. Book 5: Chapter 16: Very Different Circumstances Book 5: Chapter 16: Very Different Circumstances ¡°Paradise. That¡¯s what he said,¡± Sadie spat. ¡°He¡¯s been living on some ind sipping mojitos while we¡¯ve been fighting for our lives against nightmare monsters!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the whole story, bro,¡± said Dat, adjusting a harness that held a brace of throwing knives. Concealed beneath his long, leather coat was an arsenal of weapons for every asion, and impressively, he knew how to employ each and every one of them to great effect. Sadie had seen him training, but more importantly, she had seen him in a fight. Despite his easygoing demeanor, he was as ruthless abatant as anyone she¡¯d known. Which had been more than necessary back home. ¡°It¡¯s what he said, Dat,¡± she insisted, seeing to her own preparations. They were set to leave as soon as the Druid returned from the infirmary, where he said he was once again healing people. But Sadie had seen his true nature, and so, she knew he had to have ulterior motives. Perhaps that was how he had progressed. Maybe that was the source of all his levels. Either way, she knew it was no selfless act. Someone like him was incapable of that. Not with that cloud of sin that followed him around. Dat shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, except that nobody had it easy,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Especially someone his level. Maybe you¡¯re being too hard on him, bro. He seems like a good guy.¡± ¡°Looks often deceive.¡± That was a popr axiom even before the world had transformed, but Sadie had never realized how factual it was. With Sense of Sin, she was exposed to the truth every single minute of each day. If anything, themon adage understated the situation. Human beings were, at their very core, evil. There was so much filth clinging to even the most innocent-looking person that it was difficult to look past. Sadie tried. And often, she failed.Thankfully, her closestpanion wasn¡¯t as stained as most others, which gave her a little peace. Dat was no innocent, but he was a better man than anyone else she¡¯d met. The conversationpsed as the pair continued their preparations. Sadie had an enchanted backpack that would hold about a month¡¯s worth of supplies, and she¡¯d spent a few hours of the previous day restocking what she¡¯d used on her trek to the Nexus. So, she had plenty of food and water, a couple of camping implements, and the tools necessary to maintain her armor and weapons. Because of their high grade, they didn¡¯t need much maintenance, but out of habit, she still went through the motions. It did little good, but she found somefort in the daily task of polishing her armor and sharpening her des. When there were no more preparations, they were forced to wait almost half an hour until the Druid returned. When he finally did, he did so in thepany of the dwarf who would be thest member of their party. Like all dwarves, he was short, stout, and bearded. He was d in worn leather armor, and he carried a couple of hatchets at his belt. In addition, he had quite a few other knives sheathed across his body. And finally, he carried a bow, with a quiver or arrows at his hip. Surprisingly, Sense of Sin was mostly quiet concerning the dwarf. His misdeeds caused a slight haze that clung to him, but it was far more diffuse than anyone else she¡¯d met, save for Dat. Instantly, Sadie liked him. ¡°This is Kurik,¡± Elijah said, gripping the dwarf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hunter extraordinaire.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know nothin¡¯ ¡®bout no ¡®extraordinaire¡¯,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°But I¡¯m a fair trapper, a decent woodsman, and a good tracker. Hope that makes me useful to this expedition.¡± ¡°He¡¯s being modest,¡± Elijah insisted. ¡°I ain¡¯t. Don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m here. ¡®Tween you three, you can do anythin¡¯ I can do and probably better,¡± the dwarf grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m Dat, bro. You look pretty swole. You work out? What¡¯s your routine?¡± ¡°Routine?¡± ¡°Lifting, bro,¡± Dat said, miming doing an overhead press. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he works out, Dat,¡± Elijah pointed out with an infuriating grin. ¡°Ah. All natural, then. Farm strong.¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t never worked on no farm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what that means,¡± Elijah said. ¡°He¡¯s saying ¨C¡± ¡°Can we please move on?¡± interjected Sadie, tiring of the exchange. ¡°We have a long way to go, and though it seems like we have a lot of time to aplish our goals, I suspect that we will need every hour.¡± Elijah said, ¡°She¡¯s right. Best that we hit the ol¡¯ dusty trail.¡± Sadie red at him, but she didn¡¯t respond to his ridiculously hokey idiom. Instead, she just grabbed her backpack and the Sword of Morning from where it was leaning against the wall before she turned on her heel and marched out the door. In the background, she heard the Druid ask, ¡°What did I say?¡± She didn¡¯t stick around long enough to listen to anyone¡¯s answer. It was early enough that the streets of the Nexus were mostly empty, which meant that she had a clear path all the way to the edge of town. Sadie didn¡¯t break her stride. Nor did she look back. But soon enough, the others joined her,gging only a little behind. Once they were at the edge of the jungle, Elijah caught up to her and said, ¡°You need to let us do our job.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± she asked. ¡°It means that if you go marching into the jungle without letting us scout the way, you¡¯re going to end up fighting for every step you take,¡± he pointed out. ¡°You can probably handle it, but like you said, we¡¯re on the clock here.¡± Sadie very much wanted to argue, but not because of what he said. Rather, it was that annoying tone of voice that suggested he took nothing seriously. And of course, the cloud of sin billowing off of him, filling her nostrils with its stink. ¡°Very well,¡± she said. After that, they established a pattern. For the most part, they would rely on Dat and Kurik as scouts, leaving Sadie and Elijah together. That strategy made sense, too, what with Elijah being the strongest healer and Sadie having no skill in stealth or wilderness traversal. But that didn¡¯t mean she liked it. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Oddly, though, it was Elijah who objected, saying that he could cover more ground than any of them. Eventually, he was overruled, which clearly affected his mood. The strategy worked well, though, and over the first day of travel, they weren¡¯t forced to fight anything they couldn¡¯t handle. They all yed their parts, with Sadie taking on the role of the defender, with Kurik and Dat adding damage while Elijah focused on healing and controlling the battlefield with his restrictive roots spell. On the second day, they seemed to cross a line into much more dangerous territory. And on the third, they found themselves embroiled in a battle against almost two dozen wraiths. Sadie rushed forward, using Call of the Crusader to capture the horde¡¯s attention. They abandoned any notion of attacking anyone else, and instead, rushed toward her. She activated Consecrated Shield, then Bulwark of the Faithful. The first was an ethereal shield meant for allies, which she ced on Dat, while the second was a simr concept that was only usable on herself.
Bulwark of the Faithful Create a barrier of faith to shield yourself from damage. When it is broken, it empowers the Crusader, increasing physical attributes by a significant amount. Damage absorbed dependent on Ethera attribute.
It was her bread-and-butter ability, and the one that allowed her to effectively do her job. She had a host of offensive skills she could use against undead and demons, but they were entirely ineffective against the living. But with Bulwark of the Faithful,bined with Call of the Crusader and Consecrated Shield, she could effectively y the role of a frontline defender. She also brought non-insignificant healing abilities to the table, as well as a couple of buffs that would enhance her allies¡¯ durability. But for now, she could only rely on her attributes, equipment, and expertise to see her through. Fortunately, Sadie was well-versed in battle, and she swept the Sword of Morning out in a wide arc, slicing through the first line of wraiths. It wasn¡¯t enough to kill them, but it did send a spray of white blood to stter her immediate surroundings. More importantly, it maintained her advantage of reach. For their part, the monsters were still under the influence of Call of the Crusader, and they never even considered employing anything but swarm tactics. Unfortunately, there were enough of them to make that an effective strategy. They rushed past her guard, taking quite a few wounds along the way, before piling atop her. Bulwark of the Faithful proved a perfect shield against their attacks, but Sadie was forced to abandon her greatsword in favor of much smaller des. Even as they bit and wed at the shield, her arm pumped, repeatedly stabbing into the mass of monsters with her dagger. The slim de easily pierced their skin, but they were durable enough that it would take hundreds of such attacks to finish them off. Thankfully, she was not alone. Even as she was buried beneath a veritable mountain of blue-and-white monsters, her allies fell upon them. Dat employed his own skills, ripping into the creatures¡¯ backs with characteristic brutality. Most of his abilities were focused on scouting, but he was far from defenseless. More importantly, from an offensive standpoint, he wasn¡¯t nearly as limited as she was, and he could kill living creatures just as easily as he could tear through undead. Kurik was less effective, though that was expected, given his focus as a trapper. He had a few abilities that made him a passable hunter, but they were far from powerful. Still, he was a solidbatant who could hold his own. It was not enough, though, and after only a few more moments, Bulwark of the Faithful shattered. When it did, Sadie felt an influx of Strength and Dexterity. She heaved, and the pile of monsters shifted. Pushing even harder, she exploded from the pile, her breathing in ragged gasps. The creatures recovered quickly, bounding off the surrounding trees and resuming their swarming tactics. However, Call of the Crusader ran its course a secondter, releasing them from its ethereal pull. At first, the monsters didn¡¯t alter their course. However, after only a couple more seconds, the echoes of the skill faded and they began to turn their attention on the more vulnerable members of the party. Sadie roared,shing out with her sword. But the monsters were quick and coordinated, and one leaped upon Kurik, wrapping the dwarf in its deadly and draining embrace. She used Consecrated Shield upon him, but it burst after only a second. And to Sadie¡¯s horror, the ethera that should have converted into a wave of healing was absorbed by the wraith, nullifying the ability. She stumbled in shock, which was all the opening her enemies needed. Three more wraiths charged, and before she could respond, they wrapped themselves around her. Without Bulwark of the Faithful protecting her, the monsters could finally employ their most devastating ability against her. Sadie gasped as she felt an unholy pull on her core. Ethera rushed out of her in a torrent, seeping through her pores and filling the air with a blue cloud. The wraiths chittered in glee while she screamed. Her Strength faded a little with every passing second. There was only one choice. One option loomedrge in her mind. If she was to win the battle, she would be forced to employ her most powerful ability. She needed a Miracle. But would it be enough? Even if it was, using it so soon after arrival did not bode well for the rest of the Trial. As she felt her power draining away, Sadie continued to fight, using every tool at her disposal. She stabbed and kicked, and she even used her healing abilities. But it was all useless. Just as she was on the verge of using her Miracle, everything changed. Suddenly, there was another monster in their midst, and this one was muchrger, stronger, and more savage than the wraiths. Vaguely, it was shaped like a primate, but instead of fur, it was covered in thick, ck-and-red scales. Jagged spikes grew from its shoulders and formed a crown upon its reptilian head. The thing was absolutely enormous and densely packed with bulging muscles. If it weighed less than a thousand kilograms, Sadie would have been incredibly surprised. She could feel the primal power wafting off of the beast as it ripped one of the wraiths away from her body and heaved it into a tree. It shattered the trunk, and when the monster fell to the ground, broken and bleeding, it did not rise. It was the opening Sadie needed, and she managed to stab down at the wraith clinging to her leg. Meanwhile, the scaled creature shimmered with ethera, then transformed into another horrifying monster. This one was much sleeker, quadruped, and with a long snout that resembled a crocodile¡¯s. And when it moved, it did so with feline grace, snapping its jaws around the final wraith clinging to Sadie¡¯s body and ripping an enormous chunk from its torso. Sadie followed the monster¡¯s attack up with a stab from her dagger. The de pierced the wraith¡¯s head, and as it seized, she kicked it away. Free from the drain, she was free toy into the remaining wraiths with all her might. More, Call of the Crusader came off cooldown, and she once again let it loose. The wraiths responded, and the others tore through them without further issue. But the shapeshifting monster was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Elijah had taken its ce, casting out heals with every passing second. Even though she hadn¡¯t seen it for herself, the implications were clear. The shapeshifting monster hadn¡¯t disappeared. Indeed ¨C it remained in their midst, having only taken on a different form. Finally, Sadie ended the final wraith¡¯s life by hacking through its neck and sending its head rolling free. Then, there was only silence. Elijah approached, asking, ¡°Are you injured?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Never mind,¡± he said, casting a spell. A momentter, she felt it fall upon her, sending a pulsing jolt of healing through her. Twenty seconds after that, she felt another. ¡°Feel better?¡± ¡°I¡­I do.¡± ¡°Great. That was a pretty close call. Those things are like ethera vampires. If you let them in, they¡¯re going to drain you,¡± he said. ¡°Alone, they¡¯re not that dangerous, but they also tend toe in packs. So, keep an eye out for that.¡± ¡°You saved me,¡± she said. He shrugged. ¡°Surprising, I know,¡± he said, giving her that same infuriating grin he seemed to wear so often. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d do the same for me, though.¡± Sadie didn¡¯t respond, mostly because she wasn¡¯t entirely certain that his statement was true. On the surface, she wanted to believe she would do whatever she had to do to keep her allies alive. But her disdain for the Druid was so powerful that she wasn¡¯t certain what she would do if she was the only thing standing between his life and death. Sighing, she said, ¡°Let us see to the others.¡± Book 5: Chapter 17: The Singing Cliffs Book 5: Chapter 17: The Singing Cliffs Elijah mmed the butt of his staff into a wraith¡¯s skull, using Storm¡¯s Fury to finish it off. The creature absorbed some of the ethera from the spell, but it was incapable ofpletely negating it. Because, as with all things, their ability to drain ethera had limits. The key to beating them ¨C aside from physical damage, at least ¨C was to overload them to the point where they could no longer take any more energy. After that, any spells aimed in their direction hit them with close to full power. For his part, Elijah preferred just ripping them to pieces, but he couldn¡¯t abandon his healing responsibilities and shift into one of his other forms. Instead, he was forced to remain in his natural shape and use his other abilities to supplement and support, rather than take center stage. It reminded him a little of his time in the Sea of Sorrows. There, he¡¯d been forced to employ a simr strategy. However, in the jungles of the excised world, he had to worry about a lot more than his own safety. To that end, he cast Nature¡¯s Bloom, letting the healing ability settle onto Sadie. She used the rejuvenation to good effect,shing out with her massive sword and nearly cutting a wraith in two. But she didn¡¯t stop there. Instead, she moved like a whirlwind, slicing through any wraith dumb enough to get in her way. Fortunately, the creatures were not known for their intelligence, and as a result, she mowed them down with little issue. Meanwhile, the others used their own abilities to dispatch the remaining wraiths. Dat flitted around the battlefield, riddling the creatures with stab wounds as he moved among them with impunity. For his part, Kurik was obviously the weakest of them, but he¡¯d proved his worth before the battle had even begun, using his traps to separate the horde into more manageable groups, wounding them along the way. That strategy required forethought, but fortunately, he and Dat had established themselves as capable scouts. So, aside from that first encounter with one of therger groups of wraiths, they had yet to be caught unaware. Regardless, even with how effective the strategy was, Elijah found the whole battle a little tedious. After spending much of the past five years fighting alone, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed with his limited role. Sure, he could heal passably well ¨C especially when hispanions were as capable as they had shown themselves to be. However, that didn¡¯t mean he preferred that role in a fight. Instead, he wanted to use his full suite of abilities, including his various shapes, to put his thumb on the scale of battle. But if he did that, people might die. And as much as he wished the situation was otherwise, he¡¯d taken the role of the group¡¯s healer, and he intended to fulfill those responsibilities regardless of how tedious he found it to be. So, he healed. And he defended himself with his staff, augmenting his damage with Storm¡¯s Fury. He didn¡¯t even dare to use Swarm or Cmity for fear that they would take too much of the ethera he needed to reserve for healing.Finally, they finished the battle off, and the best Elijah could say about it was that he¡¯d kept everyone alive, he¡¯d gotten a bit of experience, and best of all, it was over. Afterwards, they regrouped, and he healed any remaining damage before they set off once again. Over the previous week, they had learned not to linger after a fight. If they did, they¡¯d soon find themselves embroiled in another conflict. ¡°How close are we, Dat?¡± asked Sadie, following the Witch Hunter. ¡°A few miles,¡± he answered. ¡°Maybe a little more.¡± He¡¯d been saying the same thing for the past few hours. It wasn¡¯t his failure, but rather, the map¡¯s shoring. The thing was not even close to scale, so they had been forced to rely on the changing terrain for hints as to their rtive position. More than once, Elijah had offered to fly above the jungle¡¯s canopy and scout things out properly, but he¡¯d been refused. And he understood why, too. The skies were certainly not safe, as he¡¯d discovered on the third day of their journey. Fed up with theck of information, he¡¯d used Shape of the Sky and thrown himself into the air. He was immediately attacked by a flock of birds that tried to rip him to shreds, forcing him tond. He¡¯d tried twice more, but with the same results, proving that taking to the sky was not an option. Which left him frustratingly bound to the ground, ying a stifling role, and in thepany of a woman who clearly hated him. She even resented when he healed her, as if the touch of his spells was somehow unclean. It was nearly enough to make him go his own way, and if Kurik hadn¡¯t been part of the group, he might have done just that and damn the consequences. But he had decided to be the bigger person, to turn the other cheek when it came to Sadie¡¯s open hostility. He was just congratting himself on his maturity when he heard a whistling sound. ¡°What is that?¡± asked Kurik. ¡°You hear it, too?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°I think we all do,¡± Elijah pointed out. That earned him another re. They continued forward, and Dat returned from his most recent scouting expedition. He said, ¡°I think we¡¯re here. Only a two-hundred meters up ahead.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Sadie asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± With that, they followed him through the jungle. The vegetation quickly turned much sparser until, finally, they reached a barren stretch that had been scoured clean by high winds. But that wasn¡¯t the first thing Elijah noticed. Instead, his eyes were locked on the enormous butte formation looming over them. Aside from a few hardy bushes that dotted the surface of its cliffs, it was entirely free of flora. Around the summit, thousands of birds not unlike the ones that had previously torn him from the sky circled, filling the air with their raucous cries. ¡°How tall do you think it is?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°A few thousand feet,¡± Kurik answered from beside him. ¡°Maybe as much as ten. Depth perception gets a bit tricky at that kind of elevation.¡± The wind picked up, filling the air with a whistling sound. That¡¯s when Elijah noticed that the cliffs were pocked with holes, through which danced ethera. He could only barely see it, even with Eyes of the Eagle active, but he knew there was something there he was missing. He took an inadvertent step forward, and a notification appeared before his inner eye:
You have reached the Singing Cliffs. To conquer the Challenge of Aesira, reach the top of the cliffs, find the Ivory Egg, and destroy it. Reward: Seed of the Whistling Wind
Elijah read the notification a second time. On the surface, it seemed a simple enough task, but he reasoned that there would be far more to it than he saw at first nce. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he might be able to mitigate some of the challenge by using his unique capabilities. ¡°Should I try to fly up there?¡± he asked, ncing back to see hispanions¡¯ ssy-eyed expressions. It was rare that he¡¯d gotten the opportunity to see someone reading a system notification, but he recognized it nheless. Sadie was the first to refocus, but the others followed suit fairly quickly. ¡°What¡¯d you say, bro?¡± asked Dat. ¡°You all know I can fly. Should I change and try to reach the top?¡± he asked. ¡°Those birds ain¡¯t gonna let you do that,¡± said Kurik. ¡°I say we should let him try,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Let me?¡± Elijah asked, narrowing his eyes. He didn¡¯t like the implication of that. No one let him do anything. ¡°You know what I meant.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t start with the bickerin¡¯ again,¡± said Kurik. Then, to Elijah, he said, ¡°If you think you can make it, go ahead. I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea, but I ain¡¯t here to tell you what to do.¡± When Elijah looked at Dat, the Witch Hunter just shrugged and said, ¡°You do you, bro.¡± Sighing, Elijah nced up at the cliffs. He didn¡¯t think he could make it all the way to the top. Those birds certainly wouldn¡¯t allow it. However, he did believe he could probably make it a few hundred yards up. Maybe as far as halfway before the birds even noticed him. That would make things far easier. So, without further debate, Elijah transformed via Shape of the Sky, and as soon as his wings had fully developed, heunched himself into the air. At first, he made great progress, beating his wings to gain altitude. And then the wind started up. The first gust hit him like a cannon ball, sending him cartwheeling across the sky. The next gust didn¡¯t give him a chance to recover before it smashed into him. Then, the next came. And the next after that. The gusts ¨C which were more like bursts of air ¨C kepting, pushing his Constitution to its limit. More, he was thrown further and further off course until he found himself plummeting into the jungle. He righted himself just in time to slow his fall, and he managed to tuck his wings close to his body as he tore through the canopy. He hit dozens of limbs on his way down, then mmed into the ground hard enough to fracture one of his ankles. He transformed immediately, casting Soothe the second he regained his human form. But even as his ankle ¨C and a couple of other injuries he¡¯d incurred ¨C healed, he examined what had happened. Those wind gusts carried with them an intense re of ethera that felt vaguely familiar. Hey there as his wounds mended, using every avable facet of his mind to search his memories for anything relevant. And then it hit him. Just after finishing the Temple of Virtue, he¡¯d flown high above his ind, where he felt something flitting about the clouds. At the time, he hadn¡¯t truly understood what it was that he¡¯d felt, but as hey there in the jungle, he began to understand it. ¡°Air spirits,¡± he said to himself. Or perhaps they were spirits. He wasn¡¯t sure what to call them, but their nature seemed obvious now that he¡¯d been exposed to them on two different asions. And they packed quite a punch, making it impossible to fly in the vicinity of the cliffs. Moreover, he suspected that they wouldplicate any potential climb as well. Elijah was still considering it when Kurik found him lying on the ground. The dwarf helped him to his feet, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the sorta dwarf to say I told you so, but¡­¡± ¡°Just say it.¡± ¡°I did tell you it wasn¡¯t gonna end well.¡± ¡°You did.¡± ¡°Good thing you¡¯re so durable.¡± ¡°Yeah. But I did find something out,¡± Elijah added. ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll make it worth it.¡± Kurik shrugged, reaching out to help Elijah to his feet. ¡°Whatever you need to tell yourself. C¡¯mon. The others¡¯re waitin¡¯.¡± With that, Elijah and Kurik returned to the rest of the group, where he went on to tell them what he felt. ¡°I think they¡¯re spirit spirits that represent air or wind,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve felt them before, but they weren¡¯t so hostile then.¡± ¡°How does this change things?¡± asked Sadie. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I have no idea. Knowing our enemy can¡¯t be a bad thing, right?¡± ¡°Even if that enemy is incorporeal and probably immune to physical attacks?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re probably less of an enemy we¡¯re supposed to fight, and more of an obstacle we¡¯re meant to ovee,¡± she suggested. ¡°That makes sense,¡± Kurik said. Dat remained silent, tilting his head to the side as he listened to the whistling of the wind. ¡°It seems that we only have one way forward,¡± Sadie said, looking at the cliffs. ¡°We must climb.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s going to get moreplicated than that,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°Then we will ovee,¡± she countered. ¡°We have no other choice, unless you wish to turn back.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, striding forward across the wind-strippednd and toward the butte formation. The others followed. Elijah wasn¡¯t worried about himself. He was a survivor in every sense of the word. Even if he failed to conquer the challenge, he would probably be fine. The others, he wasn¡¯t so sure about. But they were all adults, and they¡¯d chosen their paths. Now, they all had to walk them. Book 5: Chapter 18: The Climb Book 5: Chapter 18: The Climb ¡°It urs to me that I¡¯m not invincible,¡± said Elijah, looking up at the massive Singing Cliffs. Then, he nced at Kurik and asked, ¡°Do you ever feel that way?¡± ¡°All the damn time. Like a normal person,¡± the dwarf grumbled. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare tell me you ain¡¯t never considered it,¡± Kurik said. ¡°I mean, obviously I have,¡± Elijah admitted. He¡¯d spent far too much time ¨C especially right before the world had changed ¨C thinking about his inevitable death. However, ofte, he¡¯d lost sight of the notion that he might pay the price for his overconfidence. Even after seeing how many people had already died in the Trial, he¡¯dcked a certain context. Instead, he¡¯d kept going, thinking that there was no way he could possibly bite the bucket. ¡°It¡¯s just thattely I¡¯ve been thinking more about how these death-defying circumstances can benefit me. That doesn¡¯t leave much room for thoughts on mortality.¡± ¡°Level-blind,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we called it back home. Level-blind. You get so focused on progression that you forget about everything else,¡± Kurik exined. ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s just that people don¡¯t see the mine for all the rocks. They miss important details. That sort of thing. Other times, they forget about the people that care about them. Loved ones and such. And then there are the ones like you.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Elijah asked, d that neither Sadie nor Dat were close enough to hear the answer he expected from Kurik. Dat would probably justugh it off, but that damnable woman would use it as fuel for her inexplicable hatred for him. She already loathed him, so it was best if he didn¡¯t do anything to make it worse. ¡°You forget you can die, same as anybody else,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°Now sure ¨C you think about it, you know you ain¡¯t immortal. But in the heat of the moment, in a battle or some such, you don¡¯t act like you really think you¡¯re in danger. Lots of people have died for thinkin¡¯ like that. You gotta be careful you don¡¯t end up lettin¡¯ it get too far.¡± Elijah wanted to argue, but then he thought better of it. Largely because Kurik was right. Ever sinceing into the Trial, he¡¯d treated it as nothing more than a means to an end. It was his opportunity to progress. And he was right to think of it in those terms. However, he also needed to remember that it was a deadly challenge meant to push the most powerful people on Earth past their limits. Hundreds had already discovered that for themselves. Elijah was just a little slower on the uptake, apparently. He sighed, then ran his hand through his hair. His fingers snagged on his headband, reminding him just how ridiculous he must¡¯ve looked. No wonder Sadie didn¡¯t take him seriously. Finally, he said, ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Going forward, I need to remember that.¡± ¡°See that you do. I don¡¯t think Carmen or Miggy can take it if you don¡¯t make it back,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Anyone ever tell you you¡¯re pretty insightful for a surly dwarf?¡± Elijah asked with a sideways look and a crooked grin. ¡°All the time,¡± Kurik stated with a perfectly straight face. ¡°Now, we gonna climb this mountain? Or are we gonna just stare at it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s actually a mountain. More like a butte formation. Or a mesa, maybe. A teau, definitely,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Don¡¯t none of that matter. It¡¯s an overgrown rock.¡± ¡°It does to me,¡± Elijah countered. ¡°Words matter, right?¡± ¡°Not when they all mean the same damn thing.¡± Elijah just shook his head in disbelief and said, ¡°Whatever. I think it matters. If they weren¡¯t any different, then ¨C¡± ¡°Youing, bro?¡± called Dat from a few dozen feet away. He pped his hands together in anticipation. ¡°I think I see a way up. There aredders about a hundred meters up.¡± Elijah nced at Sadie, who was staring up at the cliff in intense concentration. Was she avoiding looking at him? Or was she just that interested in the cliff¡¯s face? He chose to ignore the disy of hostility, and instead, offered Dat his most winning smile as he said, ¡°I¡¯m ready when you are.¡± After his resolution to take the situation a little more seriously, Elijah forced himself to study the cliff face in earnest. To do so, he used Eyes of the Eagle, and sure enough, he saw the series of ropedders Dat described. They were around a hundred yards up, and they extended as far as he could see. The reason no one had noticed them before was because they were almost identical in color to the rest of the cliff face. More, they were irregrly spaced, which made them even more difficult to see. Seeing that, Elijah started to see the issue in greater detail. Thedders might help them ¨C assuming they were stable ¨C but to go from onedder to the next, they would need to traverse the cliff face horizontally. It would be quite precarious, especially considering the howling winds, the spirits, and whatever other dangers the system had in store for them. Still, they¡¯d all chosen to challenge the Trial for valid reasons. In Elijah¡¯s case, he wanted to both satisfy his own adventurous spirit as well as take the opportunity to grow stronger. But Dat¡¯s and Sadie¡¯s situations were far more serious. They wanted to grow more powerful as well, but their reasons were less about personal strength and more to do with saving their people from inevitable death. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! That left Kurik, whose reasons for participating were his own. Though Elijah suspected that the dwarf hade to the Trial of Primacy because he¡¯d experienced true weakness back on his own, and he wanted to avoid that if he could. Or maybe there was something else going on. Elijah counted Kurik as one of his few friends, but that didn¡¯t mean he had any true insight into the dwarf¡¯s innermost thoughts. His own mortality wasn¡¯t the only thing he¡¯d begun to ignore ofte. He¡¯d also neglected his rtionships with his friends and loved ones. Aside from Miguel and Carmen, he¡¯d rarely given much thought to anyone else¡¯s goals. Or their plight. That included Kurik, who Elijah had begun to think of as more of a prop than an actual person with hopes, insecurities, and dreams, along with everything else that came with life. But that was nothing new. Elijah had always been a little self-interested and very much obsessive. Those two traits intersected with his pursuit of power. Now was not the time to start making overtures of friendship, though. The Singing Cliffs would no doubt prove to be quite dangerous, and Elijah needed to be at the top of his game if he wanted to survive. They all did. So, he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand. The others did as well, and they spent the next few minutes discussing the most obvious path. There were two issues with that, though. First, they could only see so far, and as such, their ns would end after a couple hundred yards. The second problem was that they all knew the Trial would throw them a few curveballs before they managed to defeat the challenge. Nobody expected it to be easy, either. ¡°Nothing for it but to do it,¡± Elijah said, stepping forward with the intention of getting things started. However, Sadie cut him off with a re. ¡°I go first.¡± Elijah wanted to argue, if only because the woman truly got under his skin. However, in this instance, he chose to be the bigger person. So, he gave her his best smile, gestured at the cliff, and said, ¡°After you, then.¡± That was obviously the wrong thing to have said, because her re only intensified. But she didn¡¯t say anything else, instead choosing to take a deep breath, exhaling through her nose before turning back to face the cliff. Then, without further hesitation, she grabbed hold of a rocky protrusion, and began her climb. ¡°Ain¡¯t gonna be easy, climbin¡¯ in armor,¡± Kurik said. ¡°I know, bro. She said she wanted to be ready for a fight,¡± Dat stated. Elijah chose to remain silent,rgely because he knew Sadie was more than capable of hearing everything they said. He had no intention of prostrating himself before her ¨C as she seemed to obviously want ¨C but he didn¡¯t want to antagonize the woman either. With that in mind, he thought silence was the best policy. Once Sadie had made it about ten feet up, she dropped a rope that she¡¯d tied around her hips and legs. It hit the ground, and Elijah stepped forward to leash himself to her before beginning his own ascent. For all their preparations, they hadn¡¯t expected to have to climb mountains. So, aside from bringing plenty of rope, none of them were prepared for the task at hand. That meant they had to make do, creating a makeshift harness to distribute the weight properly. For real mountaineers, the whole thing would¡¯ve been made of nylon and clipped together with heavy duty carabiners, but they had to work with the supplies they¡¯d brought. Still, everyone there possessed superhuman ¨C or in Kurik¡¯s case, superdwarven ¨C physiology, so they had good reason to hope that it would work. Over the next fifteen minutes, the process repeated itself until they were all clinging to the cliff. The wind wasn¡¯t pleasant, but so long as they were careful, it was manageable enough. However, the constant whistling was more than a little annoying, and not only because the sound gave him a headache. Also, it mademunication with the others almost impossible. Still, they reached the first ledge after a little more than half an hour. The ridge was only a couple of feet deep and around ten feet wide, but that was enough to give them a little respite. To ease their nascent fatigue, Elijah cast Healing Rain as they rested. Both the pause and the healing werergely unnecessary so early in the climb, but they had no idea how far they still had to go. And so, they¡¯d chosen to take every precaution on their way up. As it turned out, that was a good idea, because after that short rest, things got significantly more difficult. Not only did the wind pick up, with the gusts reaching a velocity usually reserved for tropical storms, but the handholds they relied upon became more infrequent and much more difficult to grasp. But the real problem was the spirits. The invisible bullies never missed a chance to cannonball into the members of the party. The first time had taken thempletely unaware, and the only reason Dat didn¡¯t end up plummeting to his death was their use of the connecting rope. Even with the Witch Hunter¡¯s weight spread between them all, it was a close thing. Still, they managed to recover. More importantly, they were much more conscious of the dangerous wind spirits after that. So long as they maintained their focus, the spirits¡¯ attacks weren¡¯t enough to dislodge them. However, the constant threat left them all feeling quite harried. Atst, they reached the first ropedder. It did not give them the respite they¡¯d hoped to find, though. The material was sturdy enough, but thedder itself only extended a few dozen feet before ending at another ledge. This one was even narrower than thest, and the group was forced to shuffle sideways for another hundred feet before ascending an even shorterdder that ended in yet another ledge that was only six inches deep. Furtherplicating matters was the continuous wind, which, once they reached the fifth ledge, climbed past hurricane velocities. And always, the spirits were there, hitting them at the most inopportune times. The moment any of them looked vulnerable, the ephemeral creatures would strike. More than once, they were all knocked free of their precarious positions. Except Elijah. Over time, he¡¯d learned to feel theming via One with Nature. Even that powerful skill didn¡¯t offer much in the way of warning, but it was enough to keep him from being taken entirely unaware. The others weren¡¯t so lucky. On and on, they went, and after a thousand feet, they were all exhausted. It wasn¡¯t just physical, though that was part of it ¨C especially for the physically weaker Dat and Kurik. Instead, their fatigue was more mental than anything else. For his part, Elijah tried to help via copious use of his various healing spells. But there was only so much he could do. Sadie yelled, ¡°Ledge up ahead! There¡¯s a cave, I think!¡± That was all any of them needed to hear. At their wits¡¯ end, they all mbered over the ledge and, sure enough, there was a shallow cave. From below, they¡¯d all seen the cavities that pockmarked the cliff¡¯s face. However, they hadn¡¯t expected the first they encountered to be so deep. Kurik sagged to the ground, panting with exhaustion. Dat joined him, but both Elijah and Sadie remained alert. ¡°This cave isn¡¯t empty,¡± Elijah said, gripping his staff. ¡°I know,¡± Sadie muttered. Just then, a screech echoed from the back of the cave, confirming what Elijah had already felt via One with Nature. Book 5: Chapter 19: Creature of the Wind Book 5: Chapter 19: Creature of the Wind Elijah¡¯s sense of danger, born from One with Nature as well as other, more mundane senses, screamed at him, and he¡¯d experienced enough that he wouldn¡¯t even considering ignoring them. So, even as the screech echoed off the cave walls, he used Shape of the Guardian. As he transformed, something hit him like a bullet, carving a hole right through his thick scales and burying itself in his shoulder. It would have been his chest, but he¡¯d flinched away at thest instant, probably saving his life. Pain shot through him, racing down his arm and spreading numbness in its wake. Then, something else came screaming in his direction, moving even more quickly than thest attack. However, this time, Elijah was ready for it. He couldn¡¯t avoid the damage, but he could activate Iron Scales at the speed of thought. But even that powerful ability, which could mitigate up to ny percent of the damage from any attack, wasn¡¯t enough topletely save him. The projectile hit him in the ribs, bouncing away with a tter of stone on metal. But even though it didn¡¯t prate, it did leave a wicked gash along Elijah¡¯s ribs. By that point, though, Elijah recognized the situation for what it was. His first clue was the haft of the short, bone-handled spear jutting out of his shoulder, but that turned out to be of secondary importance to the sudden appearance of the creature who¡¯d thrown it. It was shaped like a human, with the right number of limbs, a torso, and a head. However, the details were all wrong. For instance, its legs ¨C which ended in wicked talons not unlike those usually associated with birds ¨C were short, stubby, and covered in mottled, white-and-brown feathers. The rest of its body was simrly plumy, and its arms doubled asrge wings, which were equipped with three-taloned ws. Somewhat predictably, given the rest of its appearance, the creature¡¯s head was entirely avian, with a sharp beak and predatory, raptor-like features. And it was carrying two more spears in one hand, while the other drew back as if to throw another. Elijah wasn¡¯t going to allow that. He threw himself forward, intending to crush the creature beneath the massive fists of hismer ape form. However, he¡¯d entirely forgotten about the numbness spreading through his body, so his charge turned into a stumble, and he ended up pitching forward to hit the cave floor. And to his horror, he couldn¡¯t move more than a few inches. He strained, but his muscles were entirely unresponsive. Another spear hit him, but Iron Scales turned it away. Elijah barely heard the tter as it fell to the ground. Instead, the whole of his attention was on trying to force his body to obey hismands. It would not.Another spear hit him, though this one wasn¡¯t thrown. Instead, the avian monster fell upon him,ncing the weapon into his thick scales. It was more forceful than a throw, but even then, it only made it an inch or two into his body before losing its momentum. The monster let out another screech, but Elijah didn¡¯t hear it. Because he was currently on the verge of activating Guardian¡¯s Renewal. It was a shame to use it so soon into their quest, but with his current options, it was probably the only way he was going to recover from the paralytic poison. Perhaps he could have healed it with Nature¡¯s Bloom, but that would have required him to shift back into his human form. In turn, that would mean that he would lose the protection of Iron Scales, which was the only thing preventing the avian monster from tearing him to pieces. As those thoughts raced through one facet of his mind, he felt the warm embrace of some power that he couldn¡¯t quite describe. It was like someone had blended hope and courage and goodness, distilled the result into pure energy, and poured it into his body. More importantly, as that feeling washed over him, he felt the tingle of feeling return to his limbs. It wasn¡¯t a powerful heal. Elijah suspected that it was far inferior to what he could aplish with Soothe and Nature¡¯s Bloom. However, it was enough to counteract the paralytic ¨C after a few seconds, at least ¨C and allow him to move. He used that returned ability to throw himself upward with all of his might. The avian creature was caught entirely unaware, and when Elijah¡¯s back hit the cave¡¯s ceiling, the sound of crunching bones filled the air. More importantly, an influx of experience announced that he¡¯d killed the creature. However, when he cast his attention back to his surroundings, he saw that the battle had just begun. There were six more avian monsters attacking the others, though hispanions had fared quite a bit better than he had,rgely because they depended on one another, rather than rushing out to meet the threat as individuals. Dat and Kurik sheltered behind Sadie, who upied the bulk of the monsters¡¯ attention. That allowed them to pepper the creatures with ranged attacks. Kurik used his bow, while Dat fired his crossbow with more speed and precision than Elijah would have thought possible. Theparatively fragile monsters countered by harnessing the wind to knock the projectiles off course while throwing their own spears at the others. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Sadie intercepted those. Sometimes, she physically threw herself in their paths, but others, she conjured ethereal barriers to shield her allies. At the same time, she summoned a pir of golden light that shined down on Elijah, banishing the paralytic and healing the wounds that had been inflicted upon him. In short, she was doing her job while filling in for Elijah, who was supposed to be their Healer. Meanwhile, he¡¯d entirely forgotten that he was part of a team, throwing himself into battle as if he only had himself to worry about. As a result, he¡¯d put everyone else in danger and made the fight far more difficult than it should have been. In fact, he was reminded of the reckless elf who¡¯d very nearly gotten Elijah and the rest of his team killed back in the Magister¡¯s Estate tower. He¡¯d tried to do everything himself, too, and everyone else had paid the price. Now that Elijah was mostly out of danger, he raced back to the group, then shifted into his human form. After that, he cast Healing Rain, using Soothe on Sadie, who¡¯d taken a couple of wounds from the venomous spears. So far, she¡¯d kept herself alive, but Elijah knew that healing was not her strong suit. Once he was back with the group, the fight went like clockwork. Everyone did their jobs, and after only a couple more minutes ¨C most of which was due to trying to pin down the final monster ¨C they won the battle. Elijah looked around at the carnage, and he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Then, he nced from one member of his group to another. ¡°I¡¯ve mostly fought alone for the past few years, and I guess I got caught up in old habits. Thank you for picking up the ck. Especially you, Sadie. For the healing.¡± She narrowed her eyes, then opened her mouth as if she was going to say something biting. Then, she closed it, took a deep breath through her nose, then said, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± That, as far as he was concerned, was progress. Certainly, Elijah felt confident that he could have figured out how to win the battle alone ¨C probably on the back of Guardian¡¯s Renewal ¨C but if the way it had worked out meant that Sadie warmed up to him, even a little, it was a good tradeoff. ¡°What were those things?¡± asked Kurik, breaking the awkward tension. ¡°Called aviaks, bro,¡± Dat answered. ¡°Low Constitution. High Dexterity. Middling Strength.¡± ¡°Skirmishers,¡± Sadie provided. ¡°Fast and deadly, especially with that poison, but they¡¯re fragile.¡± ¡°Reminds me of the harpies,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°Harpies?¡± asked Dat. ¡°Yeah. Just like the creatures out of mythology. They¡¯re simr to these things, but less humanoid. Like birds with hideously ugly human faces. I got caught in a flock of them a little west of Seattle. Millions of the things. It took me a week or so to get through them. Almost died the first time I saw them, so I was forced to sneak past.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me ¡®bout that,¡± said Kurik. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I meant to,¡± he responded. ¡°Especially considering they happen to roost near Ironshore. Going to have to deal with that sooner orter. Plus, there are people there. And ¨C¡± ¡°This is not relevant,¡± Sadie interrupted. ¡°Does this new threat change anyone¡¯s intentions?¡± Elijah shook his head, and Kurik shrugged. Dat stated that he¡¯d always expectedplications, so it was ¡°all good, bro.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± the armored woman said. ¡°We need to rest and regain our ethera. Once we are at full strength, we will resume our climb.¡± That sounded good to Elijah, who was craving a cup of coffee anyway. So, he made a small fire, over which he boiled some water before using his enchanted French press to brew a batch. Unlike Sadie, his other twopanions had good taste, so he made them cups as well. Like that, they passed the next couple of hours, with the three men drinking coffee and discussing mundane subjects. As it turned out, Dat had been quite a gamer before Earth¡¯s transformation, and he¡¯d used some of that knowledge to get a leg up on the system. It didn¡¯t offer a huge advantage, but it was better than going in blind. Kurik was a little more reticent to share stories of his own past, but he did reveal that his n had been the subject of banishment, which was why he¡¯d chosen to brave the dangers of a newly touched world and settle on Earth. Sadie remained silent through the entire conversation, but at least she epted one of Elijah¡¯s grove berries. He had hundreds of them in his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, so he didn¡¯t mind sharing ¨C at least for now. With almost a year left in the Trial, he knew his supply wouldn¡¯tst forever. The same was true of his coffee, though he¡¯d brought enough that he didn¡¯t feel the need to ration. Regardless, those few hours were almost pleasant ¨C or they would have been if it hadn¡¯t been for Sadie, who seemed to hate him regardless of what he did or said. At least she hadn¡¯t judged him too harshly for his previous mistake, though. ¡°Silver linings,¡± he mumbled to himself as he smothered the fire. After that, he stowed his staff in his satchel, before returning to the cliffs, where the group resumed their journey up the series ofdders and ledges. The whistling continued, as did the attacks from the spirits. The wind picked up, reaching new velocities that would rival even the most powerful tornado back on Earth. It mademunication almost impossible, not to mention the more obvious issue that each gust threatened to rip them from the cliff¡¯s face. So, it wasn¡¯t until hourster that Elijah realized that the spirits¡¯ attacks had ceased. A few moments after that, he nced back and saw that Dat¡¯s lips were pursed. He couldn¡¯t quite understand what was going on until, atst, it dawned on him. He was whistling. Not long after that, they found another cave that was, predictably, upied by even more of the aviaks. This time, though, they were ready for the threat the bird-people represented, and the group took care of the monsters without much issue. That was when Elijah asked Dat about the whistling. The Witch Hunter massaged the back of his neck, then said, ¡°Sorry, bro. Been doing that since I was little, you know? When I get nervous, I make noise. When I was a kid, I used to drum my fingers against my desk, making a beat. So, when I heard the whistling from the cliffs, I just sort of mimicked the pitch. I didn¡¯t know anyone could hear me, though.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t. But I think you might¡¯ve figured out this challenge,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Or at least part of it. I think the whistling is helping to keep the wind spirits at bay. So, keep it up, and we might have a much easier time getting to the top.¡± Book 5: Chapter 20: Dangling Book 5: Chapter 20: Dangling Desperately hanging by his fingertips, Elijah looked down, where he saw Kurik and Dat dangling in the air. The rope barely held, swaying back and forth as a giant, golden-feathered eagle swooped in, raking its talons across Dat¡¯s hastily upraised arm. The Witch Hunter let out a scream as the razor-sharp ws tore through his leather sleeve, biting deep into his forearm and sending a spray of blood misting into the air. Elijah clenched his free hand into a fist, casting Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightningnced down from a cloudless sky, hitting the bird directly in its feathered back. The thing convulsed, its every muscle locking up as it dropped like a rock. But there were so many more to take its ce. For the first time in a while, Elijah used Nature¡¯s Rebuke. The spell was quick-casting and very efficient, but he often neglected it for one simple reason. The damage it could do was extremely limited, except in very specific circumstances.
Nature¡¯s Rebuke Curse an entity to endure the power of nature, doing damage over time. Triple damage against unnatural creatures. Lasts two minutes.
As it turned out, very few creatures qualified as unnatural, and to date, the only ones he¡¯d found that met whatever criteria the system had assigned to thebel were the vampires back in the Magister¡¯s Estate. He¡¯d harbored some hope that the wraiths would count as unnatural, but he had been disappointed to find that they assuredly did not. Perhaps there was a lesson there about the scope of the natural world, but Elijah was far too distracted by his and his allies¡¯ precarious position to give the thought its due. Instead, he focused on the fight at hand. Normally, the unenhanced version of Nature¡¯s Rebuke was nearly useless against natural creatures. However, there were two things working in its favor. The first was the effect of his twice-evolved Dragon Core, which nearly tripled its normal effectiveness. That was enough to give it at least a little kick. But the real reason Elijah had bothered to cast it at all was the fact that the birds ¨C not unlike his own Shape of the Sky ¨C were quite fragile. Certainly, they were dangerous and deadly,rgely because of their mobility and the superiority of being able to maneuver in three dimensions. In addition, there were so many of them that even if a couple didn¡¯t make it, the flock were more than capable of ripping their prey to shreds. Elijah couldn¡¯t let that happen. So, he cast Nature¡¯s Rebuke, over and over again, hitting as many of the eagles with the spell as he could manage. At the same time, he utilized another facet of his mind to maintain Soothe on his allies. And finally, he applied Shield of Brambles ¨C another oft-neglected ability ¨C so that when the birds did attack, they would feel the quick reprisal of Elijah¡¯s thorns. At the same time, he fended off any birds that chose to target him rather than the other, more vulnerable members of his party. It wasn¡¯t easy while holding onto the ledge, but with his attributes, he managed to make do. Still, in his human form, he was far less capable in a melee, especially one suspended thousands of feet above the ground. Making matters even more difficult was the fact that he was unarmed, having secured his staff to his back via a bit of rope so that he could free his hands for climbing. One eagle swooped in, ready to take advantage of his seeming vulnerability. But Elijah reacted far more quickly than it could have expected, and when it drew near, heshed out with a fist that crushed one of its fragile wings. Like the ones he¡¯d electrocuted with Storm¡¯s Fury, thetest avian assant fell, twirling and lopsided until it passed out of the radius of One with Nature. Just then, a particrly clever eagle recognized the party¡¯s true vulnerability ¨C the tenuous connection provided by the already-frayed rope. It darted in, raking its unfathomably sharp ws through the mundane material, slicing it apart with ease. It felt like time had stopped as Elijah felt the weight of his allies suddenly disappear from the rope. He watched as the severed end snapped back, and more importantly, he saw Dat¡¯s shocked face as he and Kurik began the long plummet to the earth far, far below. Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate. He cast Shape of the Predator, snapping out his ws before he even finished the transformation. The rope connecting him to Sadie parted even more easily beneath his efforts than it had from the bird¡¯s. And in only a moment, he too was plummeting toward the ground. However, there was one key difference between him and hispanions. He could fly. Even as he used Shape of the Sky, Elijah felt another bird swoop in, raking its ws across his back. Caught mid-transformation, he didn¡¯t have the natural protection of his draconid scales, but the Breastte of the Boar King held up remarkably well. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the vition. And then, his arms grew into wings, his body slimmed out, and his neck elongated into the familiar serpentine shape. He snapped out his wings turning his fall into a dive as he zeroed in on Dat and Kurik. For his part, the Witch Hunter had kept his wits about him, throwing his own arms out wide to increase his air resistance. Meanwhile, Kurik iled in terror, paying no attention to the continuing attacks from opportunistic eagles. Elijah dove, extending his own massive-inparison talons. They ripped through one eagle, while he snapped out with his jaws. Two more birds fell, but there were many more to take their ce, and he felt more ws raking across his vulnerable wings and biting into his back. He ignored them, gaining on Dat and Kurik until, after another thousand feet, he mped one w around Dat¡¯s middle. But he didn¡¯t stop there. Instead, he kept going, and only a hundred feetter, found his jaws closing around Kurik¡¯s leather jerkin. The dwarf panicked, stabbing out with a hunting knife that nced off Elijah¡¯s scales. But it was the distraction the flock of birds had been waiting on. The creatures struck en masse, ripping into Elijah¡¯s most fragile ces. His scales tore free beneath their beaks and talons, but he didn¡¯t cry out. Nor did he try to fight back. He couldn¡¯t afford to panic. Not with Dat in his talons and Kurik hanging from his mouth. Knowing he had no chance of winning the lopsided fight, Elijah beat his wings and, out of the side of his mouth, growled, ¡°Keep them off me!¡± To his credit, that got through to the panicked dwarf. Dat, presumably, was already on the same page. And together, the pair brought their weapons to bear on the fight. Dat had somehow managed to hold onto his crossbow as well as his quiver of bolts. Kurik hadn¡¯t had the chance to unlimber his bow, but he did have a pair of hatchets with which he could do quite a lot of damage. More importantly, he managed to vault himself to the top of Elijah¡¯s head, then climb onto his back. With his clearly high Dexterity, Kurik was able to bnce just fine, even as Elijah climbed. And from there, the trapper showed the eagles a prime example dwarven fury,shing out with those hatchets with reckless abandon. The dwarf took plenty of hits along the way, but that only seemed to fuel his rage. Meanwhile, Dat, dangling from Elijah¡¯s talons, loaded and shot his crossbow with ruthless efficiency, taking out an eagle with every loosed bolt. The in creatures fell, presumably to litter the ground with their corpses far below. Elijah couldn¡¯t spare any attention for that, though. He had all he could handle simply remaining aloft, much less fighting back. However, he did manage to snap out at an eagle or two, though it was clear that the Shape of the Sky was not meant forbat. Perhaps if he ever had the opportunity to evolve it, he would take it in that direction. Though, at the moment, he would trade any amount ofbat ability if he could simply move faster and fly more smoothly. He didn¡¯t get his wish, and eventually, the sheer weight of the eagles¡¯ numbers overwhelmed him and hispanions. And when they did, it was all Elijah could manage to aim them at one of the many caves hosted by the cliffs. They crashed into it, and Elijah felt delicate bones breaking as he, Kurik, and Dat tumbled deep within the shelter of the cave. A few eagles followed, but Dat and Kurik quickly recovered, sprang to their feet, and made easy work of the birds. It was amazing what having their feet nted on solid ground could do for theirbat ability. Elijah wasn¡¯t so quick to recover, though. When he shifted back into his human form, he was horrified to see that one of his shoulders had been dislocated and that his arm and both his legs had been broken. And that was saying nothing about the myriadcerations decorating his body. The only thing that had saved his life was the Armor of the Boar King, the defensive properties of which had tranted to the durability of his scales. ¡°You okay, bro?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elijah asked, realizing that he¡¯d been staring at his misshapen leg for a little too long. It was odd, how detached he¡¯d grown from pain. He felt it, but he automatically shunted the results of his injuries into their own facet of his Mind. He wasn¡¯t even sure how he did it, but quarantining the pain was possible. Mostly. ¡°It¡¯s just that your leg¡¯s probably not supposed to go that way,¡± Dat helpfully supplied. ¡°Yeah. Kind of figured that out on my own,¡± Elijah muttered sarcastically. Just because he¡¯d pushed that pain into its own little corner of his mind didn¡¯t mean he couldpletely ignore it. He took hold of his shoulder, then wrenched it back into socket. Before Dat or Kurik could say anything else, grabbed of the shattered pieces of his leg and set the first break. ¡°Bro. That¡¯s hardcore,¡± Dat said in awe. ¡°I break a lot of bones,¡± Elijah replied through gritted teeth. ¡°I had to get used to this kind of thing.¡± Then, he did the same to the other leg before casting Nature¡¯s Bloom. As the spell washed over him, he used Soothe on himself, Dat, and Kurik before, atst, casting Healing Rain. ¡°What about Sadie?¡± he asked after his wounds had begun to heal. It would take a few hours at least until his bones had mended, and that was an optimistic estimate. There was every chance that they would heal wrong, and he¡¯d be forced to break them again and put himself back together properly. It had happened before, and he suspected that it would happen again. If he kept going as he was, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he became as proficient at setting bones as an actual doctor. ¡°We passed her, bro.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°She¡¯s below us. Maybe a few hundred feet,¡± Kurik said. rmed, Elijah tried to push himself upright, but the moment he put any weight on his leg, it copsed beneath him. He hissed in pain. ¡°I¡¯ll go, bro. Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll get her,¡± Dat said. He nced at Kurik. ¡°Right?¡± Kurik swallowed hard, but said, ¡°Right. Ain¡¯t gonna let one of my teammates fight those demon birds alone, am I? Course not.¡± Satisfied with that, Elijah cast a couple more heals on the pair before they climbed free of the cave. Outside, the steady cry of the circling flock of eagles sounded, overwhelming even the whistling wind. It had all been going so well before they crossed some ephemeral line into the eagles¡¯ territory. Up until that point, Dat¡¯s whistling had kept the wind spirits at bay, but the moment they drew within a thousand feet of the summit, they¡¯d drawn the ire of the birds. After that, it had been one long battle until, atst, Dat and Kurik had been torn free of the tether. And now Elijah was alone and feeling useless while the rest of his team went to assist Sadie. It was not a great feeling, so to distract himself, he focused on healing himself. It didn¡¯t really work, but being as how he was incapable of walking, he had little choice in the matter. Finally, after almost twenty minutes, he saw someone crawl into the cave. Then, a second figure followed. And atst, Sadie brought up the rear. She marched toward Elijah, and he braced for one of her disdainful tirades. So, when she knelt beside him and put her hand on his shoulder, he couldn¡¯t help but flinch a little. She ignored it as she locked her eyes on his and said, ¡°Thank you. I can¡¯t tell you how much Dat means to me. If I¡¯d lost him¡­¡± Her eyes went ssy. ¡°I just can¡¯t. I won¡¯t lose anyone again. Thank you for saving him.¡± ¡°Uh¡­you¡¯re wee,¡± was all Elijah could think to say. Book 5: Chapter 21: Good Things Book 5: Chapter 21: Good Things Sadie stared at the Druid with unbelieving eyes. That disbelief was partially clouded by the man¡¯s gruesome injuries. Despite spending more than an hour constantly healing, one of Elijah¡¯s legs had still been quite crooked, so he¡¯d had to re-break it before setting it properly. That had not been a pretty scene, and Sadie was certain that the sound of the man¡¯s bones breaking would haunt her nightmares. In addition, he¡¯d been forced to remove his armor in order to treat his wounds ¨C or to remove the blood and gore beneath ¨C and when he¡¯d bared his torso, Sadie had gotten a glimpse of the full extent of his previous injuries. Not only was his right arm covered in rippling burn scars, but his chest and back were crisscrossed with fainter, paler evidence of old wounds. Clearly, he hadn¡¯t spent the past few years strolling across a paradisical ind, as she had imagined. In fact, the scars were so extensive that she couldn¡¯t help but wonder how he¡¯d gotten them. With magical healing, most injuries were mended before they had a chance to mar a person¡¯s body. So, he¡¯d have had to have experienced some truly horrific wounds to disfigure his body so thoroughly. They were badges of his struggle, and Sadie knew she would be stupid to dismiss what they signified. The matter-of-fact way he endured his most recent injuries said a lot about him as well. He was not some untested fighter who¡¯d lucked out and found a cheap and easy means of progression. Indeed, his scars, as well as his stoicism told an entirely different story altogether. But most of all, Sadie remembered seeing how unhesitantly he had acted, severing the rope connecting them together, then throwing himself after Dat and Kurik. That was not the action of the selfish man his aura of sin suggested him to be. A man with that cloud of darkness clinging to him should have taken one look at his fallingpanions, then moved on with seeing to his own safety. Instead, Elijah had leaped after them, and what¡¯s more, he¡¯d managed to save them ¨C at great risk to himself no less. That risk had been borne out via a series of gruesome injuries. But he had seeded. He had saved them both, even climbing higher so they didn¡¯t lose any ground. It was maddening. From where he sat beside her, Dat nudged her with his shoulder. It was a gesture of familiarity that highlighted how close she hade to losing the only true friend she¡¯d ever had. Optimistically, Sadie knew that she was an acquired taste. She didn¡¯t want to be cold. She didn¡¯t try to be judgemental. But that was how she came off. Even when she attempted kindness, her abrupt nature tended to turn people away. But not Dat.Maybe it was due to their simr circumstances. He was Vietnamese, and she was Chinese, though most westerners looked at them the same. That had created a bond between them that was only strengthened by homesickness, istion, and shared difficulties with fitting into a world that marked them as different. That rtionship had been further fortified when the world had been transformed. Since then, Sadie had lost count of how many times they¡¯d saved one another¡¯s lives. How many cold nights they¡¯d shared behind enemy lines. He was more of a brother to her even than Niko. So, if she¡¯d lost Dat ¨C like she¡¯d lost her sister, Lisa ¨C Sadie knew she would have spiraled down a destructive path. But Elijah had saved Dat, and in turn, he had saved her, too. For that, she would be eternally grateful. ¡°You okay, bro?¡± Dat asked when she just continued to stare ahead, pointedly trying not to look at the still mending Druid. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t.¡± She sighed. ¡°Do you know what it feels like to figure out you¡¯ve been an idiot?¡± Sadie asked, finally ncing at Dat. He bore no signs of his own struggles, instead looking just as content as always. It was a gift that she greatly admired, but could not emte. ¡°All the time, bro. Did I tell you about the time I mixed up Star Wars and Star Trek? I was only four, but it still haunts ¨C¡± ¡°This is a little more serious than science fiction stories,¡± she said with a small smile. ¡°Tell that to Trekkies, bro. Or Star Wars nerds.¡± ¡°You are a Star Wars nerd,¡± she pointed out. Indeed, he¡¯d dragged her to every single one of the most recent films, much to her distress. ¡°Trekkie, too. I¡¯m ying both sides so I alwayse out on top,¡± he said, tapping his temple with his index finger. ¡°Smart.¡± Sadie sighed, then leaned back against the cave wall. For only the third time since they¡¯d set out, she had removed her armor, and she had finally allowed herself to luxuriate in theck. She could wear it without much issue, but no armor was made forfort. She had gotten used to it, but she could at least admit that it had probably contributed to her frequently foul mood. ¡°I¡¯m talking about him,¡± she said, gesturing across the cave. Elijah had finished setting his bones, so he sat on the floor, his eyes closed as ethera ¨C and rain ¨C swirled all around him. Frustratingly, he was still shirtless. Either way, he was far enough from where she sat that she was confident he couldn¡¯t overhear. ¡°Do you know what I see when I look at him?¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°A dashingly handsome murderhobo?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°I mean, the beard and the uneven hair don¡¯t do him any favors. He¡¯s kind of weird, too. But he reminds me a little of that actor. The one that married the actress from that movie you like so much,¡± he said. ¡°The one with the woman from the American south who pretends she¡¯s a fashion designer or something.¡± Sadie blushed. She knew that liking romanticedies was no source of shame, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little embarrassment about her movie tastes. They just seemed so stereotypical ¨C something she¡¯d always struggled to avoid ¨C that she felt as if she was betraying her principles by enjoying them. But she couldn¡¯t help what she liked, and the movie in question ¨C Sweet Home bama ¨C was, hands-down, her favorite. However, she drew the line at following celebrity rtionships, so she had no idea who Dat was talking about. Though there was enough context to infer that the actor in question was considered quite handsome. ¡°That is definitely not what I see,¡± she countered. In fact, she¡¯d barely noticed Elijah¡¯s appearance. Instead, Sadie had trouble looking past the cloud of sin that clung to him like a ck, foul-smelling aura. ¡°You know about my ability, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, bro. You see all the bad stuff people do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it,¡± she admitted, running her hand through her admittedly greasy hair. She hadn¡¯t had a proper shower in what felt like ages, and she felt absolutely disgusting. ¡°With most people, I can ignore it. It¡¯s just a vague stench. But with him? It¡¯s hard to see anything but that cloud. And I can smell him from here. I know he¡¯s killed hundreds. Perhaps thousands.¡± ¡°Maybe they were justified,¡± Dat suggested. Sadie shook her head. ¡°Sense of Sin wouldn¡¯t react so strongly if that were the case,¡± she said, though she wasn¡¯t certain of that. ¡°I know all the terrible things he¡¯s done. Not the details, perhaps, but ¨C¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t know anything about the good stuff,¡± Dat pointed out. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The good things. Does your ability give equal weight to good deeds? Or is it just about the bad stuff? Like, it¡¯s not a scale, right? It only measures sin,¡± he said. ¡°I mean, we won¡¯t even get into what constitutes sin, but seeing only the bad¡­I don¡¯t like that, bro. Seems like the ability is trying to push you into fanaticism.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how the system works.¡± Dat shrugged. ¡°You don¡¯t know that, bro. But you have to admit that it doesn¡¯t show you anything about the good people do. Like, he saved me. He¡¯s been a good guy this whole time,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to give you the benefit of the doubt so that you coulde to your own conclusions, but what you¡¯re doing ¨C how you¡¯re treating him ¨C it isn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been personable.¡± Dat gave her another small smile. ¡°That¡¯s true, but this is worse. Even you have to know that.¡± Sadie did, and she also recognized that Dat was right. In her experience, he usually was ¨C atst so long as one ignored the man¡¯s idiosyncrasies. Yet, it was so difficult to look past what her Sense of Sin told her about Elijah. It wasn¡¯t just the stench. Nor was it only limited to the cloud of evil surrounding him. She felt in her bones ¨C perhaps even in her very soul ¨C the surety that that aura was the sum total of who he was. And yet, her rational mind told her that Dat was probably right, that her own ability was manipting her, driving her toward bing someone she wouldn¡¯t even recognize. There was potential for true evil there. She was certain of it, which terrified her as much as anything. Because Sadie was well aware that real wickedness didn¡¯te from people who knew they were wrong. Instead, it was characteristic of those who knew ¨C beyond the shadow of any doubt or question ¨C that they were in the right. Sense of Sin gave her that, and in a tangible way that was almost impossible to ignore. If she wasn¡¯t careful, she would descend into upromising zealotry. Sadie refused to let that happen, and her resistance would begin with the way she treated Elijah. Despite the cloud of sin clinging to him, she resolved to judge him based on what she saw with her own two eyes, rather than an ability that may very well bepromised. Tilting her head back, she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to have to make it up to him, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Probably, bro. But maybe not. He seems like a reasonable guy,¡± Dat said. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that because he saved your life,¡± Sadie muttered. ¡°That¡¯s true. Hard to hate someone who does stuff like that.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed. It truly was difficult to aim her ire at the person who was responsible for saving her best friend¡¯s life, and in a way she couldn¡¯t ignore. After that, they both settled in to rest and recover from the climb. There wasn¡¯t much further to go, and Sadie found herself dreading whatever she might find at the peak. It wouldn¡¯t be as simple as the task made it about to be. There would beplications, and if the climb had been as difficult as it had, then she fully expected thepletion of the task to be far more difficult than any of them expected. The hours passed peacefully until, a dayter, Elijah opened his eyes and tested his mended limbs. ¡°Not bad. Still a bit of a twinge,¡± he said. ¡°But not bad. I can work with this.¡± ¡°You can take more time if you need it,¡± Sadie offered. ¡°It is no problem.¡± He cocked his head to the side, not unlike a curious bird, then said, ¡°No. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve walked on worse. We¡¯ve already wasted enough time waiting for me to recover.¡± Sadie looked around, and seeing that the other two had retreated out of earshot, she decided that now was as good a time as any to offer her apology. So, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and said, ¡°I apologize for my demeanor. I¡¯ve treated you unfairly, and for that, I am sorry. From now on, I will endeavor to do better.¡± She¡¯d rehearsed the short speech in her head dozens of times, and it hade off far more smoothly than she could have hoped. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Oh. Sorry. Just unexpected is all. But it¡¯s cool,¡± he said, reaching out to pat her on the shoulder. She resisted the urge to flinch away from his touch. ¡°We¡¯re all good.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± she asked, confused. She¡¯d expected indignation. Or anger. Or some other reaction. What she hadn¡¯t anticipated was borderline indifference. And that definitely annoyed her. ¡°That¡¯s it. I try not to dwell on these kinds of things,¡± he said. ¡°Anyway, I think it¡¯s past time we got out of this cave. It¡¯s starting to smell, if you know what I mean. Small space. Unwashed people. You get it.¡± With that, he held up his hand, a gesture that took Sadie a few seconds to understand. When she did, she reluctantly raised her own hand, pping her palm against his. ¡°Awesome. Everything¡¯s better with a crisp high-five,¡± he said. Then, he strode toward the entrance, his staff cking against the ground with every step. ¡°That was brutally awkward, bro.¡± Sadie didn¡¯t even look at Dat before she said, ¡°Shut up.¡± Then, she followed Elijah, grateful for the increasingly loud wind and the distraction provided by the deadly cliffs. Without it, she might¡¯ve had to consider how embarrassed she was. Book 5: Chapter 22: The Peak Book 5: Chapter 22: The Peak The wind whipped against Elijah¡¯s body, threatening to rip him from the cliff face and send him sailing to the ground far, far below. Only an hour or so before, he¡¯d made the mistake of looking down, which resulted in a wave of vertigo that nearly caused him to lose his grip. Their initial impression ¨C that the peak was a mile or so up ¨C had been a gross underestimation, and when Elijah looked down, he was reminded of those videos he¡¯d once seen where people skydived from a position in the upper atmosphere. In short, it made him nervous in a way that had nothing to do with the consequences of such a fall. It didn¡¯t matter that he could simply shift into the Shape of the Sky ¨C not to the most primitive parts of his brain, at least. That was the thing with fear ¨C it was often irrational, and in this case, it took Elijah nearly half an hour before the pace of his heart rate decreased to normal levels. He nced up at Sadie¡¯s armored from. Since her apology a couple of days before, her treatment of him had bordered on cordiality, which was a huge improvement over the open hostility she¡¯d harbored in the past. Still, it was clear that she didn¡¯t like him much. Elijah didn¡¯t miss the slight crinkling of her nose ¨C as if she smelled something horrible ¨C or the narrowing of her eyes that often apanied any nce his way. Yet, if it meant that she didn¡¯t re at him in undisguised hatred, he was satisfied. He continued his climb, pulling himself up to thetest ridge. It was barely a couple of inches deep, and even though the howling wind, which far exceeded tornado velocities, was an issue, it was one to which he¡¯d grown ustomed. After spending more than a week climbing the Singing Cliffs, that was inevitable. As had been the case with every other ridge, he shuffled sideways until, almost a hundred yardster, he reached another ropedder. This one was constructed slightly differently than the rest, and it wasposed of a single rope to which a series of horizontal rods had been attached at various intervals. The thing strained against the wind, but Elijah paid it no heed. The ropedders had been sturdy enough throughout their climb, and he didn¡¯t think that would change. But then again, he hadn¡¯t expected any of the otherplications, either. From the birds that so often harassed them to the increasingly powerful aviaks that made their homes in the shallow caves pockmarking the cliff¡¯s face, Elijah had been surprised at every turn. The only reason they¡¯d survived was by leaning on one another¡¯s strengths and covering for each other¡¯s weaknesses. Still, the climb had been incredibly taxing, both mentally and physically, and Elijah had often found himself wondering if any of the less powerful people back in the Nexus would have any chance at conquering the challenge. Perhaps. People had a wide variety of skills, and if they worked together properly, the limits of what they could aplish were far less restrictive. That had been an issue for Elijah and hispanions. For all that they could each hold their own, they were not an established team. As such, they often under- or overestimated one another, which had created a host of problems along the way. Regardless, Elijah and hispanions had persisted and endured, and now, they found themselves approaching the peak. And whatever dangers they would find at the culmination of the challenge. They had discussed it a few hours before, when they¡¯d gained a degree of respite within the final cave, but without more information, they could only make the most basic of ns. So, as was often the case, Elijah knew they would simply have to wing it and hope to adapt to the changing nature of the dangers they faced. Following Sadie, he continued to climb hand-over-hand until he reached the end of thedder. However, in this instance, there was no ridge. Instead, there was just an unbroken expanse of rock. The wind had worn it mostly smooth, so it offered few usable handholds. But they would have to make do. After a few feet, two things became abundantly clear. First, the task would best be undertaken in the form of themer ape. As the name implied, the shape ¨C with its disproportionately long arms ¨C was built for climbing. So far, Elijah had used it sparingly,rgely because it shed with the nature of his role. He was the group¡¯s healer, and as such, he needed to be ready to do his job at a moment¡¯s notice. Often, that meant he wouldn¡¯t have time to wait for his transformation toplete. But as they¡¯d climbed, the bird attacks had tapered off, and so, he felt confident that he could afford the transformation. The second and more pressing issue was that Kurik¡¯s small size worked against him. He simply couldn¡¯t reach the handholds, and so, without help, he would be stuck. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain, but he suspected that the same would be true for Sadie as well, though Dat was quite a bit taller than anyone else in the group ¨C save Elijah when he was in his guardian form ¨C so he would likely have the easiest time. Regardless, Kurik was the first to fall prey to the obvious problem of his size. So, Elijah called back for the dwarf to jump on his back. For his part, Kurik obviously didn¡¯t like the idea, but he liked the notion of going back without conquering the challenge even less. With a grimace, he climbed past Dat, stepping on the Witch Hunter¡¯s head along the way, and shimmied up the recement rope and onto Elijah¡¯s spiny back. Then, he wrapped the remnants of the old rope around Elijah¡¯s shoulder, affixing himself in ce. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± he called. Elijah nodded, then continued on. With his long arms and incredible Strength, the way was much easier. Even the howling wind was less impactful, making him wish he¡¯d let himself use the transformation sooner. Yet, heforted himself with the knowledge that it would never have worked. For all the versatility of his ss, when he shifted into one of his forms, the scope of its power was very limited. With Kurik on his back, Elijah ascended, and eventually, it became clear that even Dat was struggling. So, the Witch Hunter followed Kurik¡¯s example and climbed onto Elijah¡¯s back. For his part, the Druid barely noticed the extra weight. Disaster struck when Sadie, attempting to reach a distant and tiny outcropping of rock, was hit by a particrly powerful gust of wind. Normally, she could endure something like that with ease, but it hit at exactly the wrong time. Already unbnced, she was thrown free of cliff. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Fortunately, Elijah had already noticed her struggles, and he was quick to react. One of his long arms darted out, grabbing her around her leg as she fell past him. She jerked to a stop, her arms still iling as she dangled from his grasp. Then, he pulled her close. From such an awkward position, it took a few seconds for her to join the others on Elijah¡¯s back, but she managed all the same. After that, Elijah continued his climb, and for thest thousand feet, he was forced to leap from one outcropping to the next in a series of maneuvers he knew none of the others could have managed. It wasn¡¯t just that he was stronger than them ¨C which, in hismer ape form, he certainly was ¨C but rather, that his instincts seemed perfectly suited to the task. If his draconid form was good for stalking prey, then the Shape of the Guardian seemed built for climbing rock walls. Perhaps that had been the creature¡¯s native habitat. Throughout thest stretch of the climb, it became clear that Sadie was not happy with the situation. Not surprising, given her personality. Elijah suspected that she didn¡¯t deal well with anything out of her control. He knew because he recognized that trait in himself. In any case, with the help of themer ape form, Elijah managed the climb well enough, though he would never have categorized it as easy. And the veryst step ¨C which required him to leap almost thirty feet straight up ¨C was more than a little harrowing. Dat let out a curiously high-pitched scream as they sailed through the air, and he felt more than one set of fingers digging into his scales. He grabbed hold of the ledge, and despite the powerful wind, managed to pull himself ¨C and his passengers ¨C over the lip. Finally, they had reached the peak. Elijah flopped onto his belly, the fatigue that hade from their week-long climb having finally pushed him over the edge. Until that moment, he hadn¡¯t let himself acknowledge it, but more than anything, he needed a good, long rest. As hey there, luxuriating in the few moments of respite, the others extricated themselves from his back. It wasn¡¯t until Dat said something ¨C Elijah wasn¡¯t paying much attention ¨C that he realized what else had changed. ¡°The wind,¡± he muttered, his voiceing out in a low growl. ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± Indeed, he¡¯d grown so used to it that the sudden silence of the peak seemed odd in a way he couldn¡¯t really exin. Elijah finally pushed his exhaustion aside and focused on the facet of his mind associated with One with Nature. During their moments of rest, he¡¯d begun to work on the next phase of his cultivation. And as he had in the previous step, he chose to work on his Mind first. He knew he wasn¡¯t getting the most out of One with Nature or his Domain back home, and his Mind was the weak link. He wanted to shore up that weakness, and he¡¯d begun working towards that goal. His efforts hadn¡¯t been terribly impactful so far, but he had noticed a minute difference in how quickly he could interpret the wealth of information avable to him. So, he was satisfied with his progress. In any case, when he focused on One with Nature, he came to realize that instead of the barren expanse he¡¯d expected at the top of the teau, he¡¯d found a paradisical ¨C if small ¨C stretch of forest. It reminded him of the oasis surrounding the Circle of Spears, though this one was obviously quite a bitrger. The teau itself was around five miles wide, and the forest extended almost to the edge. But thankfully, there were no dangers afoot. After a few minutes, Elijah let himself return to his human form, then cast Healing Rain. He rolled over, basking in the rejuvenating precipitation. Hispanions did the same, and slowly, their fatigue washed away. It wasn¡¯t a perfect solution. The only true cure for exhaustion was rest. However, it did allow them to return to fighting shape far more quickly than would have otherwise been possible. Eventually, Elijah sat up, taking stock of his allies¡¯ conditions. Everyone looked fine, but then again, they hadn¡¯t been forced to carry the load for thest leg of the trip, either. Once it was clear that Elijah was well on his way to recovery, Dat and Kurik took up their mantle as scouts and disappeared into the forest. It was no jungle like below, and instead of the dense tangle of vegetation, the trees were well spaced, with minimal underbrush. Still, there was plenty of opportunity for a stealthy predator to lurk, so the caution of the two scouts was warranted. Unfortunately, their departure left Elijah alone with Sadie, who wore aplicated expression. Finally, she took a deep breath, looked Elijah in the eye, and said, ¡°You have saved my life again.¡± He shrugged, nervously reaching down to toy with a tuft of grass. ¡°Kind ofes with the territory,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯d have done the same for me. You have done the same.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± ¡°How?¡± he asked, cocking his head to the side. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s so wrong with me?¡± She looked away, then said in a low voice, ¡°Everything.¡± ¡°Damn. I guess I should¡¯ve expected it, given the way you look at me. But still, that hits me right where it hurts. What makes you so sure I¡¯m such a terrible person? Why do you hate me so much? I know my personality can be a little grating. I say all the wrong things at all the wrong times. But this is much deeper than that. Did I wrong you in another life? Do I look like a cheating ex or something? The guy who bullied you in school, maybe? I¡¯m really trying to understand this, and I¡¯ming up empty.¡± Sadie didn¡¯t immediately answer, and for a few seconds, Elijah thought she wouldn¡¯t. But then, she finally said, ¡°I can see the weight of your sins. I can smell the stench of evil on you, like the rotting carcass of your misdeeds. That is what I see when I look at you. That is what I feel when I¡¯m in your presence. It¡¯s like maggots crawling all over my skin.¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± Elijah said, trying to wrap his mind around how her ability must have made her feel. The closestparison he¡¯d felt was when his shapes entuated certain emotions. Or the subtle influence he felt from One with Nature. ¡°You can¡¯t turn it off?¡± ¡°I cannot.¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯ve made mistakes. A lot of them, and I have more guilt than you can imagine. I don¡¯t regret most of my actions. I was justified in¡­most of the things I did, I think. But I¡¯m sorry you have to feel the aftermath. You shouldn¡¯t have to deal with the consequences of the things I¡¯ve done. When we get back to the Nexus, we can go our separate ways.¡± ¡°Perhaps that is best,¡± she said. ¡°For what it is worth, I don¡¯t think you are as evil as Sense of Sin says you are. You¡¯ve saved my life on multiple asions. Dat¡¯s too. And while the cynical side of me says that you did so for your own reasons, I choose to believe that there is good buried beneath that cloud of evil.¡± ¡°You make me sound like a monster.¡± She shrugged and looked way. ¡°That is what you feel like to me.¡± After that, Elijah just shook his head, and the conversation ended. Instead of dwelling on her perception of him, he focused on the things he could control. Like his Mind cultivation. Or his surroundings. But despite his efforts, his thoughts kept wandering back to her situation. To live with that every day? It must have been hellish, especially for someone who seemed to value logic and reasoning over emotions. All power came with a cost, though. How they went about paying that price was what truly mattered. Book 5: Chapter 23: Cenote Book 5: Chapter 23: Cenote ¡°You have to see this, bro.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t look up from the hunk of wood he¡¯d been whittling. It had yet to take shape, and even though he¡¯d originally set out to carve a facsimile of his old dog, it had turned out looking more like a child¡¯s depiction of a camel. Since leaving Earth, he¡¯d discovered that the carving skills he¡¯d developed had now deserted him. He still knew his way around a knife and a block of wood, but there was no artistry or depth to his creations. There was no exnation for his regression. ¡°He ain¡¯t lyin¡¯,¡± said Kurik. Finally, Elijah sighed, then tossed the misbegotten creation aside. He looked up to see that both scouts wore the same beleaguered expressions they¡¯d adopted since reaching the summit three days before. In that time, they¡¯d endeavored to explore the entire forested teau, but they had yet to aplish that goal. Their failure grated on Elijah¡¯s mind,rgely because he knew he could have done a better job. Probably. Maybe. Even if it wasn¡¯t strictly true, he would never know, because he¡¯d resolved not to step on anyone else¡¯s toes. That meant letting the trapper and Witch Hunter do the jobs for which they were best suited. Included in that category was being the party¡¯s primary damage dealers while also functioning as scouts. In addition, Kurik had deployed a host of traps around their camp that would hopefully deter any would be predators from descending upon their ce of safety. In addition, Elijah had unpacked his tent, and once it was set up, its enchantment ¨C created by the artificer back in Argos ¨C would dissuade beasts and monsters from straying too close. That made their camp about as safe as the Nexus.And in turn, that was why Elijah was so annoyed. Or bored, rather. He could appreciate a little rest and rxation as much as the next guy, but doing so while others took on a more active role in thepletion of their quest was enough to put him on edge. The only sce was that Sadie obviously felt the same way, as evidenced by a recent screaming match between her and Dat. That had happened on the first day, and since then, the two had onlymunicated when absolutely necessary, and even then, only in terse sentences. For his part, Elijah wanted nothing to do with their spat. He¡¯d seen enough from the both of them to recognize that they had a bond not unlike a pair of siblings, and his own rtionship with his sister told him not to get in between them. He and Alyssa had loved one another, but that didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t fight like cats and dogs. Indeed, some of the worst battles of his life had been with Alyssa. They always made amends, but it had never been quick or easy. Regardless, his own feelings mirrored Sadie¡¯s, though he hadn¡¯t gone so far as to berate their teammates over it. It was one of the few times in his life that Elijah had been the reasonable member of a group, and he had to admit that he didn¡¯t like it. But he knew he needed to be a team yer. To that end, Elijah pushed himself to his feet, dusted off his pants, then said, ¡°Fine. Is Sadieing?¡± Dat nodded. ¡°Soon as she finishes her meditation,¡± he said. The woman had been aghast to discover just how far ahead Elijah was in terms of cultivation, and she¡¯d spent every spare moment working toward remedying that situation. And she had not been happy with her progress. Pointedly, she also refused Elijah¡¯s help. After a few minutes, the knight emerged from her own tent, already armored and ready for battle. Byparison, Elijah felt entirely undergeared. Though he had to admit that, with all the equipment he¡¯d gotten in various towers, he likely had better gear than the rest of the partybined. Once Sadie had joined them, Dat and Kurik led the way into the forest. They¡¯d made camp only a few hundred feet from the edge of the teau, but since their arrival, the two scouts had explored most of the forest. However, they¡¯d yet to find an egg. Or any wildlife, really. Thergest animal they¡¯d discovered was something like a squirrel, and even those were fairly rare. And Elijah was quick to figure out why. ¡°You know they¡¯re there, don¡¯t you?¡± he whispered. ¡°What?¡± asked Dat. ¡°About ten feet down, there are thousands of wraiths. Maybe tens of thousands. They¡¯re stacked ten and fifteen deep in ces,¡± he said. Indeed, he had felt the creatures the moment One with Nature brushed against the mass of mottled white-and-blue monsters. Everyone froze. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Hibernating, just like all the rest,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It¡¯s not that umon. We passed tons of them on our way here. The difference is that down there, they¡¯re in pockets. Clumps, you know? But here? They¡¯re almost literally everywhere. They¡¯re just buried far enough down that it would take something really big to wake them up.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°So, we¡¯re not in any danger?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°I definitely didn¡¯t say that,¡± he answered. ¡°This whole ce makes my skin crawl.¡± ¡°The teau?¡± Dat asked. ¡°No. The. It feels so disconnected. I mean, it¡¯s still nature, but it¡¯s not really natural. Like a photograph taken with a fish-eye lens.¡± That was the best description Elijah coulde up with, but it was still insufficient. He¡¯d felt distinctly ufortable since starting the Trial of Primacy, and it had only gotten worse when they¡¯d arrived at the Singing Cliffs. That difort had climbed to a new height when they had reached the summit. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me,¡± he said, massaging the back of his neck. ¡°I think it¡¯s a Druid thing.¡± ¡°No ¨C I feel it too,¡± Sadie countered. ¡°Maybe not as strongly, but I do feel it.¡± The others agreed, but then Kurik asked, ¡°So, what do we do about them wraiths down there?¡± ¡°Do? We can¡¯t really do anything,¡± Elijah said. ¡°If those things wake up, we¡¯re going to die.¡± He frowned. ¡°Well, probably not me. I¡¯ll fly away. But definitely you three.¡± ¡°You would abandon us?¡± asked Sadie, narrowing her eyes. Elijah shrugged. ¡°If it was hopeless? Probably. And there are so many of those things piled underneath us that that¡¯s exactly what it would be. Make no mistake, guys ¨C I like you all. I want to be friends, and I want to be sessful. But I¡¯m not going to needlessly throw my life away. Nor do I expect any of you to sacrifice yourselves for me.¡± Kurik nodded, Dat looked a little confused, and Sadie just looked on impassively. It was a better reaction than he might¡¯ve expected, though he¡¯d never intended to mince words with the group. They weren¡¯t really friends. They were just allies of circumstance. Maybe that would change, but as far as ns went, Elijah fully intended to leave the group once they got back to Nexus. He and Sadie hade to a sort of truce, but they would never really get along. So, it was better that they minimize their exposure to one another, lest they do or say things they¡¯d both regret. ¡°Are we in immediate danger from the wraiths?¡± Sadie asked. Elijah shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. But there¡¯s a reason we haven¡¯t seen much wildlife up here,¡± he said. ¡°My guess? They only wake up at certain times. Otherwise, they hibernate.¡± ¡°And if we¡¯re here when one of those timeses?¡± Elijah fixed Sadie with his most upromising stare. ¡°Run. As fast and as far as you can.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± she said. ¡°This changes nothing about our task.¡± Then, to Dat, she continued, ¡°Lead on.¡± No one seemed deterred by Elijah¡¯s revtion, so they continued to follow Dat and Kurik through the forest. As they did, Elijah once again marveled at the differences between the arborealndscape and the jungle miles below. The trees were well spaced apart, and the undergrowth was minimal. Seeing that, Elijah might¡¯ve thought he was back on Earth in the forests north of Norcastle. However, there were enough differences ¨C a glowing bit of moss, trees he didn¡¯t recognize, and, most of all, a set of ephemeral details he couldn¡¯t quite identify ¨C that he could see the alien terrain for what it was. So, the trek was easy going, but wrought with enough tension that no one there was able to enjoy it. Then, a half hourter, Dat signaled for everyone to go silent. After that, they crept forward, moving in the shadows of the enormous oak-like trees. Only a few minutester, they arrived at their destination. Predictably, it was a cave. Or more urately, a cenote, and via One with Nature, Elijah could feel just how deep it went. More importantly, he could sense an entire nest of aviaks inside. There were hundreds ¨C maybe thousands ¨C of the bird-like humanoids, all nestled in their own cubbies inside the cenote. Elijah couldn¡¯t sense the bottom of the pit, the opening of which was only around a hundred feet wide and obscured by ayer of vines, but he imagined it was quite deep. He signaled to the others, then shifted into his draconid form before adopting Guise of the Unseen. Once he was camouged by his ability, he crept forward, stopping at the edge of the cenote. Then, he ducked his head through a small gap in the vines. That¡¯s when he saw their goal. Arge, ivory egg the size of an NFL lineman, it glistened with vitality so strong that, for a moment, Elijah didn¡¯t even see its guardian. But when he did, he nearly let out a gasp. The aviak lurking in the shadow of the egg was huge, and unlike its brethren, it wore clothing. d in a simple leather kilt, it also wielded a pair of long javelins. Elijah pulled away slowly, then retreated to hispanions¡¯ position. After resuming his human form, he and the others backed away to a safe distance. ¡°Do you know its level?¡± Elijah asked Dat. ¡°What did you see?¡± asked before Dat could answer. ¡°Higher than yours, bro. Maybe as high as a hundred,¡± Dat said. ¡°The others in there aren¡¯t much lower, either. I don¡¯t think we want to pick a fight with them.¡± Sadie opened her mouth to ask again what he¡¯d seen, but Elijah preempted the question by exining everything. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s not the only one down there,¡± he said. ¡°The big aviak is dangerous, though. I could sense that much from up here.¡± ¡°What do you suggest?¡± she asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Normally, I¡¯d just sneak down there and y it by ear,¡± he said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think that would work in this situation. You saw how sensitive those aviaks are. The moment we set one foot into their caves, they went nuts. I¡¯d be willing to bet that they¡¯ll do the same if we try to climb down into that cenote.¡± ¡°Full frontal assault?¡± Kurik asked. ¡°The bird-people ain¡¯t that strong. I could rig up some traps that would make getting¡¯ outta that hole mighty hard.¡± ¡°I could keep the attention of a few dozen at most,¡± Sadie offered. ¡°But more than that, and we¡¯d be in trouble.¡± Dat shrugged. ¡°I think that¡¯s a bad n, bro. We need to be smarter.¡± ¡°Any suggestions?¡± she asked her friend. He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re the brains of this operation. I¡¯m just here to look cool.¡± Elijah chuckled, which earned a re from Sadie, so he cut it off. ¡°Sorry. Serious face.¡± ¡°Did you just say ¡®serious face¡¯ out loud?¡± she asked incredulously. ¡°Did I? I thought that was in my head.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡± Elijah nced at Dat, who just shook his head. ¡°Damn. Okay, so my point is that I¡¯m taking this super seriously. And that we need a n. Mostly the second part, given the way you¡¯re all looking at me.¡± Ignoring his rambling, Sadie asked, ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡± ¡°I was kind of hoping you would,¡± he admitted. ¡°I mean, I came up with the n to make a n, right? That¡¯s half the battle right there.¡± ¡°I thought knowing was half the battle, bro.¡± ¡°Really? G.I. Joe?¡± ¡°I loved that cartoon when I was little. My uncle had all of the episodes recorded,¡± Dat said. ¡°Dat.¡± ¡°What, bro?¡± ¡°I have a serious question for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Did we just be best friends? Because it seems like we just became best friends,¡± Elijah said. Book 5: Chapter 24: Killin Field Book 5: Chapter 24: Killin'' Field ¡°I want to go on record as saying that this is a stupid n,¡± Sadie said, looking up at Elijah. ¡°You¡¯re going to end up dead.¡± ¡°Aww. I didn¡¯t know you cared,¡± he said, stretching like he was getting ready to run a marathon. He didn¡¯t really need it. As far as he could tell, he physically couldn¡¯t pull a muscle. But it was more the principle of the thing. ¡°If you die, it will makepleting the task more difficult,¡± she said without hesitation. ¡°That¡¯s¡­very pragmatic.¡± ¡°I care, bro,¡± Dat said, ducking under one of Elijah¡¯s outstretched arms. ¡°But she is kind of right. If this goes wrong, we¡¯re going to need to find a new healer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a Healer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re our healer,¡± Dat said with a grin. ¡°Little ¡®h¡¯.¡± Elijah ruefully shook his head, but he didn¡¯t bother arguing ¨Crgely because they were right. There was every chance that his n would go wrong, and if it did, it wasn¡¯t out of the question that he¡¯d end up dead. But in his defense, he truly believed he could pull it off. ¡°If I do die, Kurik gets my stuff,¡± Elijah stated.¡°That¡¯s a bit grim,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°Give it to Carmen. She¡¯ll know what to do with it,¡± he insisted. ¡°Not that I intend on dying.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think most people intend to die, bro.¡± ¡°Technically, everyone intends to die eventually. That¡¯s kind of a constant,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But I get what you mean. If it makes you feel any better, I¡¯m pretty hard to kill. I once got digested by a whale, and I¡¯m still here. So, I think I can handle this.¡± And he truly did. However, he was self-aware enough to recognize the role bravado yed in that assessment. He needed to believe his n would work, mostly because, after spending the past couple of days trying to figure out a n, it was the best they coulde up with. Which probably said more about their avable options than about the n itself. Regardless, Elijah felt confident that he could at least escape if things went sideways. And that would have to do. To move the conversation away from his possible death, he asked, ¡°Does everyone know their roles?¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s set up,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking. I should be the one to do it, bro. I¡¯m fast, especially with your speed buff. And you might be needed back here,¡± Dat said. ¡°What if they catch you?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°You know they¡¯d rip you to shreds. Same with Kurik. The only one who would stand a chance against them is Sadie, and ¨C¡± ¡°She¡¯s too slow,¡± Dat said. ¡°I was going to say that we need her to y a different role. I think she has a perfect amount of speed,¡± Elijah said diplomatically. Sadie rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not so fragile that I need you to stroke my ego. I can move quickly when necessary, but evading a multitude of enemies is not my forte,¡± she said. ¡°I know my limits.¡± That was more than a little surprising to Elijah, but he wasn¡¯t going to argue. Regardless, the n had already been made, and everyone had agreed to it. So, there was no point in discussing it further. With that in mind, Elijah said, ¡°We all believed this to be our best n, and so long as everyone does what they¡¯re supposed to do, we¡¯ll be fine.¡± Of course, there was quite a bit more pressure on Elijah than on anyone else, but that seemed fitting, considering he was the party¡¯s highest level. More importantly, he had plenty of experience engaging in ns precisely like the oneid out before them. But at least this time he had a little backup and the expert assistance of a dwarf who really enjoyed his traps. A little too much, if Elijah was honest. After only a few more minutes, Elijah finished his preparations, then shifted into his draconid form. The transformation still brought a gasp from Dat, though Sadie and Kurik maintained stoic expressions. ¡°So cool, bro.¡± Elijah ignored him. Instead, he took a deep breath before setting off across the forest. The first leg took a few minutes to traverse,rgely because if he stepped off the established path, his n would have been over before it even began. In any case, Elijah took his time, and eventually, he reached the safety of the untouched forest. That¡¯s when he engaged Guise of the Unseen, and a few minutester, the reason became obvious when he passed the cenote full of aviaks. The creatures were still blissfully unaware that Elijah and his party were so close. That would soon change. But not yet. Elijah passed the huge sinkhole without pausing to investigate. He knew what was down there, as he¡¯d spent a good portion of thest couple of days observing the creatures. They weren¡¯t quite to the point where Elijah would have called them civilized, but they weremunal. If he¡¯d had to ce their level of societal development, he would have said they were somewhere between primates like goris and the earliest ancestors of humanity. But he knew they were monsters. He¡¯d felt that back in the caves, and looking into the cenote had served to confirm that impression. If they¡¯d been beasts ¨C or worse, a collection of guardians ¨C he might¡¯ve hesitated before killing them. Knowing that they were monsters freed his conscience, even if he wasn¡¯t entirely sure what differentiated between them and natural beasts. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators! Back on Earth, he¡¯d learned that the creatures he referred to as monsters ¨C like the swamp hydra or the harpies ¨C were never intended to end up there. They were like guardians without a natural treasure to protect, though everything Elijah had learned felt like an iplete exnation. Perhaps the difference was simply that they weren¡¯t natural creatures. Be that because they weren¡¯t supposed to be there ¨C like on Earth ¨C or some other reason, what Elijah felt was the discordance between what they were and what was natural. It was also possible that Elijah was missing something obvious. There was so much out there that he didn¡¯t understand, so he was used to carrying on in ignorance. Besides, he couldn¡¯t afford to think too hard on it, and definitely not for very long. The fact was that the aviaks just felt wrong, they were in his way, and they¡¯d already tried to kill him. Those factors made his path pretty clear, so far as he was concerned. He¡¯d already selected the spot where he would kick the n off, and now, he just needed to get there, then set everything into motion. With that in mind, he gradually crossed the teau until, atst, he reached his destination. It was a seemingly inconspicuous dell, barely thirty feet across, but it was distinguished by one, simple trait ¨C the wraiths were particrly close to the surface. They were only about five feet down, which meant that they wouldn¡¯t be difficult to awaken. In fact, one of the big reasons Elijah had chosen to employ Guise of the Unseen was so that he could avoid just that. At least until it was time to get things going. For a few moments, Elijah remained in the center of that clearing, where he forced himself to reconsider his n. Because once he made his move, there would be no going back. He would need to keep moving until he saw it through to the end. But they¡¯d been over it. They¡¯d considered a hundred different ns, and none of them stood even the slightest chance of sess. Perhaps things would be different if they had a different skillset avable. Maybe if he had been a proper Healer, or if Dat had been a dedicated damage dealer rather than a scout. The same was true of Kurik, whose skillset was key to the n¡¯s sess. The only one who seemed to fit into a traditional role was Sadie. In any case, there wasn¡¯t another viable option ¨C at least not that they could think of. So, Elijah reaffirmed hismitment to the n, then shifted into hismer ape form. After taking a deep breath, he sped his ws above his head, then brought them down with every point of Strength he possessed. And considering he could easily lift multi-ton boulders, that was quite a lot of force indeed. His fists hit the ground like a meteor, digging a huge crater into the ground and absolutely destroying the first few wraiths slumbering below. But there were a lot more to take their ce. The monsters awoke immediately, then started digging their way out of the ground. Elijah was already moving, though. He¡¯dunched himself away from the point of impact, transforming into a draconid along the way. He didn¡¯t pause long ¨C just enough to recognize the chain reaction that came from disturbing the wraiths ¨C before he raced away. Normally, he would have found a safe spot to drop out ofbat, then reengage Guise of the Unseen. However, that was the furthest thing from what he wanted, and he made just enough noise, digging into the ground along the way, so that the wraiths would know precisely who was responsible for disturbing their hibernation. Predictably, the creatures erupted from the ground in a wave that expanded from the original point of impact. Dozens of the monsters hurled themselves after Elijah, waking more with every step they took. Soon, those dozens became hundreds, and in turn, those hundreds became thousands. Elijah lost count after that. Even with One with Nature, he could scarcely differentiate between individuals among the mass of bodies following him. He only knew there were a lot, and that if they caught him out in the open, he¡¯d be done for. So, he ran, pushing his quadruped body to the limit as he raced between the trees. For their part, the wraiths moved less like a group of individuals and more like a tidal wave of spindly, blue-and-white limbs. More than once, they uprooted trees in their fervor to catch Elijah. However, in his draconid form, he could move extremely swiftly, so he had no issues staying ahead of them. Though the situation still unnerved him, and rightly so. One wrong step, and they would wash over him. If that happened, he would die. He dashed among the trees until, atst, he reached his first destination. The cenote. Without skipping a beat, heunched himself high into the air. As he ascended, the first of the wraiths followed suit, leaping after him. But Elijah had already begun another transformation ¨C this time, using Shape of the Sky ¨C and the moment his wings developed, he beat them against the air, climbing even higher. Predictably, the wingless wraiths plummeted, crashing through the flimsy weave of grass and vines covering the pit. They fell gracelessly, alerting the entire settlement of aviaks along the way. It didn¡¯t end there, though. The wraiths were so determined to catch Elijah that the mass couldn¡¯t halt its momentum in time. And they too plunged into the depths. But Elijah had his own issues to worry about, because even if he had wings, the sky was not his territory. The eagles had left them alone for the final part of the climb, but Elijah had soon learned that they roosted at the tops of those tall trees. And the moment anything went higher than a few dozen feet, the golden raptors reacted with characteristic violence. Eagles swooped in, tearing into his vulnerable body. Not wanting a repeat of hisst encounter with those murderous birds, he quickly dove, hitting the ground on the other side of the cenote. Once he hit, all but one of the eagles broke off the chase. The lone holdout found death at the end of Elijah¡¯s snapping jaws. After that, he didn¡¯t hesitate to shift back into his draconid form and begin the final phase of his n. He ran away from the pit, his ears filled with the sound of aviaks battling against wraiths, with a number of the smarter ¨C or perhaps luckier ¨C blue-and-white creatures in hot pursuit. That was part of the n, though there were quite a few more than he¡¯d expected. At least a couple hundred. Maybe as many as a thousand. An intimidating force, though one he had some confidence they could handle. Soon enough, Elijah reached what Kurik affectionately called the Killin¡¯ Field. It had been chosen because it was the only ce on the entire teau that wasn¡¯t littered with wraiths beneath the surface. And because of that, the group had been free to spend the past two days digging dozens of trenches, and at the bottom of each one were plenty of sharpened stakes, upon which Kurik had used his skills. Optimisticaly, they¡¯d hoped to thin the herd of wraiths, but more realistically, they knew the traps would at the very least slow them down. More importantly, assuming the creatures wised up to the presence of the situation, the traps would serve to funnel the monsters into a narrow corridor where their numbers would count for very little. To aid that, they¡¯d also built a series of earthen bulwarks, each one lined with more sharpened stakes and bearing the power of Kurik¡¯s skills. Any monster that came into contact with those would end up having a very bad day. Or that was the idea. As Elijah picked his way through Kurik¡¯s Killin¡¯ Field, he heard the monsters¡¯ gleeful yells turn into agonized screams. Then, finally, he caught sight of Sadie, who had nted herself between two earthworks, her sword gleaming with power. Elijah barreled past her, then immediately shifted into his caster form. He whipped around, staff at the ready, just in time for the first monsters to crash into Sadie. She met them with her sword, and like that, the battle was on. Book 5: Chapter 25: The Protector Book 5: Chapter 25: The Protector A wraith bounced off Sadie¡¯s ethereal barrier, its forward momentum sending it skipping off the surface. Itnded just past her, and though the gangly creature was dazed, Elijah and his otherpanions recognized the danger it still represented. So, they all focused their fire ¨C Dat with his crossbow, Kurik leaping onto the thing with his hatchets, and Elijah with a hastily cast Storm¡¯s Fury. Miraculously, the durable monster survived that first volley of attacks, but a secondter, Kurik ended the wraith¡¯s life by hacking through its spindly neck. No one could afford to rest, though. Not with hundreds more only a few feet away, held back by the earthworks they¡¯d built as well as Sadie¡¯s efforts. The monsters could have easily leaped over the mounds of dirt. Yet, they were single-minded creatures who only had eyes for the fourpanions. And they seemingly were incapable of considering any other route but the straightest line. That meant rushing at Sadie in a frontal assault. It was a fortunate weakness, though one of which they were all aware. That was the key to their strategy, after all. For all that they were incredibly dangerous, the wraithscked even the most basic animalistic cunning. They only knew how to attack, and usually in the most obvious way. Elijah¡¯s n aimed to take advantage of that. After leading them to the cenote, where the bulk of the wraiths were still shing with the aviaks, he¡¯d led the remainder into a series of traps. Hundreds had already died, but there were dozens who¡¯d made it through ¨C likely through sheer luck ¨C which put Elijah and the others in quite a precarious position. The only solution was to fight it out, and though they¡¯d done everything they could to tip the odds in their favor, the reality was that any fight, no matter how well-prepared the battlefield, could go wrong at a moment¡¯s notice. If Sadie made a mistake, they would likely fall. If Elijah failed to heal, they would die. If Dat and Kurik employed the wrong skills at the wrong time, the group would be overwhelmed. And if there was one thing Elijah knew, it was that no one was perfect. Everyone made mistakes ¨C a truism that was even more appropriate in battle. The only solution was to work together. When one member faltered, everyone else needed to pick up the ck. That was how being part of a team worked. Which was why Elijah had always preferred being alone. Even going back to when he was choosing athletic activities as a child, he had picked boxing,rgely because it didn¡¯t force him to rely on other people. Perhaps there was a reason he¡¯d fared so well after being stranded alone on the ind. He¡¯d gone a bit weird, but most people would have descended into madness. But Elijah, as a habitual loner in the first ce, took to it quite well. Regardless, the fact remained that he was not well-suited to fighting alongside others. With every passing moment, he wanted to shift into one of his forms and take the battle to the wraiths. His every instinct screamed at him to abandon their makeshift fortification and fight the way he¡¯d always fought. He could use hit-and-run tactics, whittling them down until there was nothing left.If he¡¯d been alone, that was precisely what he would have done. And if things got a little too hairy? He¡¯d just fly away. Sure, he¡¯d take some damage from the eagles ¨C and maybe from the wind spirits ¨C but that wouldn¡¯tst long. And besides, that was what healing was for, wasn¡¯t it? But he¡¯dmitted to working with the others, and as much as he would¡¯ve preferred to fight alone, he wouldn¡¯t abandon them. So, with that in mind, Elijah cast Soothe on Sadie, then focused on running interference on the other monsters. To that end, he conjured a Swarm of biting insects that descended upon the horde of wraiths, where they delivered their dangerous afflictions. Ever since upgrading his Core ¨C and finishing the Staff of the First Dragon ¨C the spell had truly taken a step forward in terms of potency. It wasn¡¯t enough to down the wraiths on its own, but it definitely slowed them down. He kept Cmity in his back pocket, though. The spell still took a load of ethera, and he wanted to keep it in reserve until it could make the most difference. Besides, it didn¡¯t seem necessary. With Sadie blocking the narrow gap between the two earthen bulwarks, the situation was well in hand. Every now and again, one would slip past her, but Elijah and the two others reacted to any such incursion with no small degree of crity. Dat acquitted himself well, cycling between using his crossbow and his long daggers, while Kurik performed admirably, considering that his ss was mostly meant to focus on trapping his foes. Still, he managed to employ his skills to good effect, even throwing a couple of grenades he¡¯d built himself. They weren¡¯t really intended to do damage, but rather, they exploded into a mass of stick webbing that held the wraiths in ce. The monsters could tear free, given enough time, but for the situation, the grenades were a perfect addition to the dwarf¡¯s arsenal. For his part, Elijah focused on healing. Sadie was well-armored, and she was extremely skilled with her sword. However, the wraiths were so numerous that some injuries were inevitable. That¡¯s where Elijah stepped in, making liberal use of Soothe and Healing Rain. Only when Sadie took grievous wounds did he use the much more powerful ¨C and costly ¨C Nature¡¯s Bloom. It was not a sprint, after all. The battle was a marathon, and he knew that even with most facets of his Mind focusing on regenerating his ethera as quickly as possible, his Core would quickly run dry if he wasn¡¯t careful. So, he measured his casts, only using the bare minimum to keep everyone upright. Meanwhile, he employed Storm¡¯s Fury sparingly, and only when the others needed an extra second or two to respond. The same was true of Snaring Roots, which took more ethera, but dyed the wraiths for far longer. ying at being a pure caster was a bncing act, Elijah realized. He could flood the area with spells, draining his ethera in a couple of heartbeats. And in that time, he would do immense damage. Yet, once he was spent, everything would grind to a halt. So, knowing that the battle would be ongoing for quite some time, he elected a conservative approach. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. But all the while, he wished he could simply shift into his guardian form andy waste to the detestable monsters. That would have been a mistake, though. Not only would it have put his allies in danger ¨C after all, they were dependent on his healing, as well as the control he offered via Storm¡¯s Fury and Snaring Roots ¨C but it would have gotten him killed as well. Because as much as he wanted to believe he could take them, he¡¯d received enough reminders of his own fallibility that he knew how acting on his overconfidence would end up. So, he healed while the others fought the wraiths, and he was a little surprised to see how well the strategy worked. Maybe there was a reason most people fought in groups. Sadieid about her with her greatsword, and periodically, pirs of light would erupt amidst the wraiths a dozen feet away, searing the monsters. Meanwhile, Elijah got a good look at a few of Dat¡¯s abilities as well. His projectiles carried with them a distinct air of ethera, glowing slightly red in the process, but the most overt skill he used was an ability that multiplied each bolt he fired. When they hit, they did so with a localized explosion of ethera that dug huge craters in the monsters¡¯ torsos. Not to be outdone, Kurik¡¯s attacks were equally devastating. When he used his bow, his arrows also exploded upon impact, but they didn¡¯t tear holes in the creatures. Instead, they cast out a fine mist that made the monsters stumble, clearly weakening them. And when he hacked into the wraiths with his hatchets, the attacks cut far deeper than they should have. Once everyone found a rhythm, the fight went like clockwork, and as it progressed, Elijah found that his efforts were less and less necessary. Still, he forced himself not to overreach by using too many offensive spells. Otherwise, he might not have enough ethera to respond to a shift in the battle. But after an hour, the tide of wraiths showed no sign of stopping. They¡¯d already killed far more than the hundred or so Elijah had anticipated. He¡¯d underestimated the number of enemies, but because of his constant diligence with his ethera, he was still in good shape. That was not the case with the others. Sadie seemed fine, but Elijah had difficulty reading her. For all he knew, she was on the verge of copsing from ethera deprivation. But what he did know was that Kurik and Dat had both stopped using their abilities so much, instead relying on their naked weapons to do damage. It was markedly less effective, and because of that, the monsters started pushing them back ¨C only a few inches at first, but soon enough, they¡¯d been shoved backward more than a foot. That was when Elijah stepped up. He wasn¡¯t fresh, butpared to the others, he might as well have been. And even as Dat and Kurik struggled to empower even a single ability, Elijah let loose with Cmity. It drained a distressing amount of his ethera, but the conjured storm ¨C or the confusion that came with the cutting winds and shaking earth ¨C was enough to allow Sadie to push against the swell of monsters and recover her former position. Elijah yelled, ¡°Dat. Kurik. Rest and recover. Sadie and I will hold the line!¡± The two scouts looked as if they wanted to argue, but with their shoulders lumped in exhaustion, they had little choice in the matter. Elijah couldn¡¯t afford to shift into one of his other forms, but that didn¡¯t mean he waspletely without fangs. He stepped forward, aimed his staff at the nearest monster, and let loose with Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightning erupted from the Staff of the First Dragon, hitting one of the wraiths in the chest. The creatures were so closely packed together that the electrical current leaped from one to the next, losing only a little of its punch along the way. The spell did only marginal damage, but that was never the goal. Instead, he used it like a taser, stunning the creatures so that Sadie could bring her white-glowing sword to bear. She sliced through the seizing monsters with a massive, horizontal strike that left the smell of cooked flesh in its wake. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t have employed such a wide swing,rgely because it would have left her open for reprisal. However, with the monsters having been stunned by Elijah¡¯s Storm¡¯s Fury, she needn¡¯t fear dropping her guard. Elijah aimed another instance of the spell, and when it hit, it did so with simr results. This one was less effective, which told Elijah something he¡¯d suspected from the very beginning. The wraiths were unique in that they absorbed ethera, but he¡¯d witnessed something else during his encounters with the creatures. They limated to any spells thrown their way, and eventually, with enough exposure, they would surely be immune. So far, it hadn¡¯t been a problem,rgely because no individual monstersted long enough for it to matter. Yet, with Storm¡¯s Furycking in the lethality department, the monsters were well equipped to resist its effects. Which meant that he couldn¡¯t just keep shocking them ¨C not unless he was certain it would open them up for one of Sadie¡¯s attacks. So, frustrated, he stepped forward, ready to use his attributes and his staff to fill in for the sidelined damage dealers. It was an inelegant solution to the problem at hand, but as he brained one of the monsters that slipped past Sadie¡¯s guard, he couldn¡¯t argue with its effectiveness. Over the next half hour, he swung his staff like a club, only asionally using spells like Storm¡¯s Fury to supplement his damage. Meanwhile, he continued to heal ¨C both Sadie and himself ¨C as they incurred one injury after another. But they held the line until, atst, Dat and Kurik had recovered enough to retake their own positions. That let Elijah take a step back and focus on healing. Pointedly, Sadie never stopped hacking and shing, as she made copious use of her own abilities. They were meant mostly to protect her and others, and in that endeavor, they excelled. For offense, she relied on her glowing sword. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if the illumination was the result of a spell or if the weapon itself was responsible, but whichever was the case, he couldn¡¯t argue with its effectiveness. So it went, and soon enough, minutes became hours, but still the monsters kepting. Until, atst, after nearly five hours of fighting, thest wraith fell. The moment the threat had ended, Sadie looked around, panting and wild eyed. And once she was satisfied there were no more enemies, she copsed into a heap. Elijah rushed forward, casting Nature¡¯s Bloom. ¡°She¡¯s fine, bro¡± a panting Dat said. ¡°She just pushed herself too far. Again. She¡¯ll be okay in a few hours.¡± No sooner had those words left the Witch Hunter¡¯s mouth than the sound of a bird call swept across their defensive position. Then another came in answer, though the second was slightly different from the first. ¡°What was that, bro?¡± asked Dat, looking around, his eyes wide. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kurik answered. Before Elijah could say something simr, he felt something enter into range of One with Nature. It was only a few dozen feet away anding fast. Then, a second something, evenrger and more menacing, came from above. Elijah couldn¡¯t react before an eagle ¨C at least five times the size of any of the other monsters ¨C burst through the trees,tched onto Sadie¡¯s prone form, andunched itself back into the sky. Elijah only took a moment to watch its path before he whipped around and said, ¡°Hold the line. Something big ising from that direction.¡± After gesturing in the direction of the cenote, he initiated a transformation into Shape of the Sky, and as soon as his wings developed, he threw himself after Sadie. Book 5: Chapter 26: Aerial Battle Book 5: Chapter 26: Aerial Battle Elijah broke through the canopy and into bright sunlight, only to see a dozen golden eagles barreling toward him. But he only had eyes for the one flying in the other direction. The huge bird had Sadie¡¯s unconscious form clutched in its talons, and it flew further away with every passing second. He tilted his wings, banking just out of reach of one of the smaller oing creatures, snapping out with his long neck and crushing its delicate wing bones. That opened him for reprisal ¨C not from that foe, which plummeted toward the forest below, but instead, to the other vengeful members of its flock. Elijah tucked his own wings close, protecting them as he dove, which saved him from the worst of the attacks. However, nothing could keep them from raking their wicked talons across his back. He stifled a scream as he fell through the canopy, hitting multiple branches along the way. His pursuers pulled up short, unwilling to brave the injuries that woulde from following. That gave Elijah a moment to take stock, which he used totch onto a particrly thick branch, then initiate another transformation. This time, he took on his natural form, which he used to immediately cast Soothe on himself. The gashes across his back mended, but he didn¡¯t dare wait any longer. Because with every passing second, Sadie was getting further away. So, even as his flesh knitted back together, he once again adopted his flight form, then threw himself into the sky. For a while, he¡¯dmented the shape¡¯sbat inadequacies, most of which stemmed from the fact that it wasn¡¯t very durable. Like most creatures of the air, the Shape of the Sky was a fragile thing, and it sometimes felt that his Constitution counted for less in that form. With that in mind, Elijah chose to shore up that weakness with one of his other advantages. That decision took the form of Soothe, which was still singing through his body as he broke through the canopy, ready to do engage in an aerial battle. The eagles responded immediately, descending upon him with all the grace their natural instincts could dictate. Byparison, Elijah was still a novice flier, though he made up for that deficiency in skill by relying on two things. First, he was muchrger than the eagles, with a long neck that only entuated his advantage in reach. He disyed this by snapping out and crushing the first avian body that came into range. When the rest of the flock attacked, Elijah¡¯s second advantage came to the fore. He might not have been durable, but who needed toughness when he had Soothe on his side? The wounds inflicted by his airborne foes were painful, and they didn¡¯t immediately mend, but Elijah had taken worse. And what¡¯s more, the ongoing heal kept him in the sky long enough to engage in the otherwise foolhardy tactic that left his body ripped to ribbons. But he gave as good as he got, returning the flurry of attacks with much deadlier reprisal. He raked with his talons, bit with his serpentine jaws, and even managed to destroy one of the eagles with a kamikaze dive that was rewarded with a burst of blood and feathers.He also incurred a couple of broken bones from the maneuver, which wasn¡¯t surprising, considering that he suspected the shape¡¯s skeleton wasprised of hollow bones, much like the hated birds. He took more injuries from the rest of the battle, but those were healed almost as soon as they were incurred. Elijah knew he was going at it all wrong. He should have been fast, graceful, and nimble. Instead, he went at the fight like he was a flying version of his guardian form. Perhaps that was what it meant to be a dragon. But even as hetched onto the final eagle with his talons, then ripped its wings from its body, Elijah¡¯s thoughts were elsewhere. Only a minute or so had passed ¨C long enough for Soothe to run its course ¨C but even then, the giant eagle that had taken Sadie had reached the edge of the teau. Fortunately, he¡¯d had the forethought to use Eyes of the Eagle, so he could keep track of where it hadnded. Even though he still felt the urgency of the situation, Elijah took a moment tond amidst the branches, casting Soothe to take care of any injuries that had persisted before he once again took to the skies in pursuit of the eagle. Or rather, Sadie. He tore through the sky, moving faster than he¡¯d ever flown before as he skimmed just over the canopy. If the stakes hadn¡¯t been so dire, he might¡¯ve enjoyed the feeling. It had been so infrequent that he¡¯d had the opportunity to simply let loose and push himself to the limits. But the situation being what it was, he couldn¡¯t enjoy it properly. Instead, the entirety of his thoughts centered on rescuing Sadie. He couldn¡¯t say why he¡¯dtched onto to that task so strongly. Maybe it was as simple as one human being helping another. He wasn¡¯t above that sort of thing. Yet, he knew ¨C at least in the back of his mind ¨C that it went deeper than that. Although he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to consider just how much he wanted to prove her assessment of him as a monster wrong. In any case, he covered the couple of miles in what felt like an instant, and when he flew over the edge of the teau, he saw his quarry. The giant eagle had made its roost on a particrlyrge ledge, and it was only by happenstance that Elijah and hispanions had chosen to ascend on the other side of the butte formation. If they had done so on this side, their way would have been much more difficult, because it was absolutely lousy with birds. None were asrge as the eagle that had taken Sadie, though, and its purpose seemed clear, because there were a bunch of younger birds in its nest. It meant to feed its young. And Elijah¡¯s job was to stop that. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. With that endeavor in mind, he tucked his wings close to his body and dove. The eagle saw himing from a mile away, and it dropped Sadie before throwing itself into the air, clearly intending to meet Elijah on its own terms. They hit with a mighty sh, but Elijah wasn¡¯t so deluded as to think he could win against such a mighty foe ¨C especially on its own turf. So, just before they hit, he initiated a transformation into his guardian form. That clearly surprised the eagle, but it was far toote to avoid his now-falling form. Lamer ape met eagle, and thetter clearly lost the exchange. Elijah hit it with all the momentum of a runaway train, but he was surprised to find that it didn¡¯t crumple like the others. Instead, it used some sort of ability, shielding itself from the worst of the impact. Yet, even if it was protected from the collision itself, it could do nothing about two other factors. First, momentum still existed, and given that Elijah¡¯s guardian form¡¯s weight exceeded a ton, the raptor was forced to absorb quite a lot of force. Second, Elijah really, really hated birds. His ire had steadily mounted during the climb, but it had reached a rousing crescendo the moment he¡¯d taken on his most vtile form. And a pissed-off ape-lizard could do no small degree of damage. Elijahtched onto the bird, wrapping his long arms around it, and digging into its surprisingly tough skin. Then, he started biting, ripping through the eagle¡¯s feathers with every ounce of ferocity he could muster. From his position on its back, Elijah was safe from reprisal, but that said nothing about the rest of the flock. Hundreds of birds went wild, taking to the air and raking their talons across his body. Fortunately, he¡¯d had the presence of mind to employ Shield of Brambles before engaging. And of course, he was protected by Iron Scales, though he could feel his energy draining with every passing second. He couldn¡¯t keep it up indefinitely, and already, the sheer volume of attacks had begun to affect him. Even ten percent of their damage tended to add up, and as a result, his inted Constitution was put to the test. Meanwhile, Elijah focused on dismantling the giant eagle. His momentum had already sent it plummeting from the sky, and fortunately, they¡¯d ended up on the surface of the teau, rather than falling for miles to the ground far, far below. However, if he¡¯d expected the creature to be defenseless on the ground, he had another thinging. It erupted with enough force to throw Elijah from its back, and it wasn¡¯t until hended a few dozen yards away that he realized that he had a hundred golden feathers sticking out of his torso. They¡¯d only prated an inch or so, but that was enough to enact their true purpose. Elijah felt his energy draining out of him with every passing second. And it was only a few moments until he could no longer keep Iron Scales active. He levered himself to his feet, raking his arm across his chest and dislodging the golden feathers. They fell to the ground, dissipating into motes of ethera. He pped his chest in pain-filled rage, and the eagle climbed to its feet. It cawed with simr fury, then threw itself into the air. However, it had no intention of abandoning the fight. Instead, it swooped in, attempting to rake its talons across Elijah¡¯s face. He took it without consideration for the injury, using the opportunity to snap out his jaws and bite into one of its feet. The creature tried to rip the limb free, beating its wings furiously along the way. But Elijah¡¯s bite strength was absolute, and he refused to let go, even as the bird wed him with its other foot. When that didn¡¯t work, it brought its sharp beak to bear, tearing chunks out of Elijah¡¯s shoulders. But he didn¡¯t let that go without retaliation. The bird was more durable than most of its kind, and it was quite a bitrger, as well. Yet, it was still just a bird. And what was a bird without its wings? Elijah intended to find out. So, ignoring the monster¡¯s screeching attempts at dislodging itself from Elijah¡¯s upromising jaws, he reached up, grabbed ahold of those wing joints, then yanked his arms apart. At first, nothing happened. The monster was strong enough to resist his pull, if only for a moment. And in that instant, Elijah felt a seed of doubt. Had he bitten off more than he could chew? Maybe. But then, the eagle¡¯s strength gave way to the superior might of the guardian form, and its wings jerked wide. That wasn¡¯t enough, though. He didn¡¯t just want the thing¡¯s wings spread. He wanted them to break. And as the monster let out a cacophonous cry, those wings did just that. They snapped like wishbones, and once they lost that stability, it was only a matter of moments before the flesh gave way. Elijah ripped its wings off, showering the area in avian blood. He exulted in it. But he couldn¡¯t enjoy it, because there were a hundred other eagles ready to pick up where the best among them left off. And though individual might was important, quantity had a power all its own, and Elijah was forced to deal with that as dozens of the birds flocked to him. Heshed out, attacking as much as he could, but with so many strikesing from so many different sources, there was nothing left but to endure and hope that the thorny counterattacks from Shield of Brambles could wear them down. Long minutes passed, with eagles raking through his thick scales and getting pierced by thorns in turn. Elijah swept his arms, and every now and again, he would catch one of the monsters with his ws. However, the guardian form had never been very dexterous, and with his stamina having been drained, he wasn¡¯t at his best. He did manage to kill a few, though. And once, he even chomped down on one. But air superiority was a thing for a reason, and Elijah¡¯s efforts were hampered by his ground-bound state. Still, he didn¡¯t dare switch to Shape of the Sky. Given that he was being steadily whittled down in his much more durable guardian form, assuming his flight form would have gotten him ripped to shreds. Even so, Shield of Brambles put in great work, and eventually ¨C what felt like an eternity of pain ¨C thest of the birds flew away, having been pierced through a by a hundred thorns. Many morey dead, but more than a few had fled. Regardless, it gave Elijah an opportunity to switch into his caster form and start the process of healing. More importantly, he could now rescue Sadie. So, once he¡¯d cast a few heals on himself, he shifted back into Shape of the Sky, then flew to the nest. Once there, he was horrified to see that the juvenile eagles had already started trying to eat her. The only thing preventing that was her armor, which had so far stymied the little birds¡¯ efforts. So, Elijah descended upon them, and though he hadn¡¯t intended to kill the creatures ¨C as he had their mother ¨C the things immediately proved that notion hopeless. Like all the other eagles, they attacked the second he came into range of their blunted beaks, and he was forced to exterminate the pests. They probably wouldn¡¯t have lived much longer anyway. Not without someone to take care of them. Still, it was not a joyful asion, but, rather, a necessary one. With the threats dealt with, Elijah snatched the still-unconscious Sadie into his talons and took off. Hopefully, Dat and Kurik were okay, though he had good reason to think that they would be. His choice to go after Sadie had not been undertaken without thought. Dat and Kurik had the benefit of a defensible position, and they were more than capable of holding their own. Still, Elijah¡¯s stomach remained clenched with worry as he soared over the forest canopy. Book 5: Chapter 27: Battle of the Beasts Book 5: Chapter 27: Battle of the Beasts Even at the best of times,nding was the most difficult part of flying, and Elijah had still yet to master it. So, trying tond with Sadie clutched in his talons was a recipe for disaster. That was why he didn¡¯t even bother. Instead, when he reached Kurik¡¯s Killin¡¯ Field, he used Shape of the Guardian, shifting his form in mid-air while transferring Sadie¡¯s unconscious form from his talons to his arms. By the time he hit the ground in an eruption of dirt, she was safe. And just as importantly, the durable form was more than capable of taking the impact of the fall. Setting her down, Elijah turned his attention to his otherpanions, who were still fighting against an onught of aviaks. The flood Elijah had expected had slowed a little, and the bodies were piled high, but both Dat and Kurik were still standing. Though Elijah couldn¡¯t help but note that they both bore the evidence of multiple injuries. Kurik in particr had taken the worst of it, and his entire body was coated in blood. That wasn¡¯t surprising, given that his was the lowest level. But the dwarf still fought with characteristic stoicism. Elijah ran to them, already having transformed back into his caster form. In seconds, he¡¯d summoned a Healing Rain, and as it dumped its rejuvenating payload on the pair ofbatants, he also cast Soothe on them both. He had plenty of ethera, too, so he made liberal use of Nature¡¯s Bloom as well, and before long, they¡¯d recovered. It would take a lot more to get them back to peak fighting strength, but for now, they were as close as they would get. And it showed. Suddenly, they surged forward, regaining their lost ground and plugging the gap between the two earthen bulwarks. Dat in particr disyed fighting prowess Elijah hadn¡¯t expected, using his long daggers ¨C or were they shortswords? ¨C with ruthless efficiency. In addition, he¡¯d activated some sort of ability that allowed him to counter every single attack. At first, Elijah didn¡¯t even recognize it as a ss technique, thinking that Dat was just more skilled than the bestial wraiths. However, after only a few moments, he sensed the swirl of ethera and saw the slight halo of green light surrounding the Witch Hunter. Then, after another few moments, that shroud of energy winked out, and Dat returned to his normal level of prowess. Predictably, that¡¯s when he started taking more wounds, but that was what Elijah was there for. He continued to heal, resuming the role he¡¯d abandoned to rescue Sadie. This time, though, things were a little more precarious. The enemies were fewer, but without Sadie standing between the enemy and the much less durable members of the party, things frequently got dicey. But Elijah poured ethera out, keeping his allies as healthy as the situation would allow, and at the same time, set his Quartz Mind to working overtime. Nine distinct apertures swirled, drawing ethera in, pushing it through his Soul and into his Core. Elijah couldn¡¯t quantify just how much it affected his ability to replenish his ethereal stores, but he knew it was significant. It was also the only way he could keep up. Never before was he more grateful for his advantages in cultivation and levels, because there was no chance he could have effectively filled his role without the additional power they gave him. As it was, even Elijah¡¯s power was taxed by the task at hand, and he went to the well a few too many times. His pool of ethera dipped to dangerous levels, and at times, he struggled to cast even Soothe, much less the much more powerful Nature¡¯s Bloom. But at least Healing Rain was there to fill in the gaps.Eventually, even the trickle of aviaks slowed to a much slower pace. Then, in what felt like a sudden turn after spending so long engaged in constant battle, the world went silent. It was over. There were hundreds of corpses before the group. Most were wraiths, having withered to almost nothing after their deaths. But there were plenty of aviaks as well. As for Dat and Kurik, they were both on theirst legs. Their shoulders drooped in fatigue, and Elijah could see the signs of ethereal exhaustion. If they had more than a few more skills in them, Elijah would have been incredibly surprised. Which was why, when a final foe emerged from the forest, Elijah knew that he would need to shoulder the bulk of the burden. ¡°Aviak champion,¡± Dat said, his hands trembling as he gripped his weapons. His leather coat had been ripped to shreds, and he didn¡¯t even have the energy to smile. ¡°Not sure on the level, but it¡¯s high. Higher than me.¡± The aviak champion, which was the one Elijah had seen guarding the egg at the bottom of the cenote, lived up to its name. The creature looked simr to the others, though it was more than twice their height. It was also quite a bit bulkier, with sharper talons, a more aggressive beak, and much longer spears. It also wore a leather kilt, the only instance of the creatures wearing any sort of clothing. It stopped a few dozen feet from the bulwark, raised its spears, and let loose a challenging screech. It cked the two wooden poles together and screeched again. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± asked an exhausted Kurik. ¡°I got this,¡± Elijah said, stepping forward. ¡°Alone?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not stupid. If you see an opening, take it. But neither of you are in any condition for a prolonged fight,¡± he exined. ¡°I am.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Can you take it?¡± Dat asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°No clue. It feels¡­it¡¯s strong. I can tell you that. But I¡¯ve killed strong enemies before,¡± he said. And that was true. There had been quite a few of his foes that were, at least at the time, stronger than him. The spider that had set up its nest in the pass through the mountain range next to Ironshore, for one. The hydra, for another. And many of the monsters he¡¯d fought in various towers, too. Even Thor had been stronger than him. Yet, he¡¯d alwayse out on top. Regardless, he had a couple of tricks up his sleeve that he hoped would make all the difference. After all, Guardian¡¯s Renewal was a powerful ability that could turn the tide of any battle. So, without further deliberation, Elijah used Shape of the Guardian. Itcked Dexterity, which meant that it wasn¡¯t an ideal form. Yet, it was much better for one-on-one fighting than Shape of the Predator, which was far better suited to ambush or hit-and-run tactics. Besides, after the long battle, he¡¯d gotten low on ethera, so shifting back and forth probably wouldn¡¯t be possible. His body transformed, his arms lengthening as his postured changed. ck and red scales sprouted across his body, and Strength suffused his limbs. He had a feeling he would need it, going by the aviak champion¡¯s rippling muscles. The monster screeched at him, its fury evident. Elijah roared back, his own boundless rage singing through his mind. And then, as if they¡¯d both heard the same starting bell, they charged. The two hulkingbatants thundered toward one another, covering the ground between them in an instant. And when they shed, a shockwave spread across the area, sending withered wraith corpses rolling away. Elijah hit the creature in a shoulder tackle, wrapping his arms around its waist and driving it backward. As he did, he activated Iron Scales, but even that powerfully defensive ability was incapable of stopping the aviak¡¯s spear from stabbing through the scales on his back. Numbing poison spread from the wound, telling Elijah he was on a timer. But even as the monster continuously stabbed him, he lifted and twisted, body mming the thing into the ground. It tried to cushion its fall with an outstretched wing, but that limb was inferior to the task at hand. Perhaps if it had been a proper arm, it might have worked. But wings were fragile by nature, and even though the aviak was clearly far more durable than its counterparts, it was still bird-like enough that it shared that weakness with other avian creatures. Bones shattered, erupting into an explosion of feathers, flesh, and blood. Once again filling the air with its screeching, the creature repeatedly stabbed Elijah¡¯s back. It received quite a few small, thorny injuries in reprisal, but those were no match for the thing¡¯s constitution. More importantly, the numbness continued to spread through Elijah¡¯s body, already affecting his lungs. But he kept going, snapping out with his jaws and taking a chunk out of the aviak¡¯s shoulder. It returned the favor by stabbing its beak into his face. Fortunately, his brow ridge took the brunt of the impact, preventing him from losing the eye. Yet, it was enough to blur his vision on that side. Like that, the two sides continued the battle, with Elijah snapping out and wrapping his jaws around the haft of the aviak¡¯s spear. He bit down, shattering it into splinters. The bird-like humanoid responded by jabbing the broken shaft into Elijah¡¯s side. The second spear was broken only a few momentster, leaving bothbatants unarmed. So, they fought. Tooth and w. Beak and talon. There was no grace to it. Perhaps if the aviak had been in better shape ¨C it had clearly been injured and drained by its own battle against the wraiths Elijah had led into the cenote ¨C it may have gone differently. Despite its size, the creature was clearly built for speed. And it likely had ess to at least one skill to entuate it. But it barely had enough ethera to keep from copsing, much less enough to power any skills. So, they fought like beasts, tearing into one another with no thought for defense, save for Elijah¡¯s Iron Scales. The results were horrific, with bothbatants taking a dozen wounds before the first thirty seconds were gone. Elijah¡¯s attacks were more savage, but the aviak champion had already given itself an advantage with the progressive effect of its poisoned spears. The weapons themselves had been destroyed, but the paralytic remained. Elijahbored, struggling to breathe as his muscles refused to cooperate. Meanwhile, the aviak recognized his weakness and renewed the fury of its attacks, eviscerating Elijah with every swipe of its talons. He tried to block. He attempted to fight back. And his Iron Scales continued to show their worth. However, with the paralytic coursing through his veins, it was only a matter of time before he sumbed. The solution was simple, though he didn¡¯t activate Guardian¡¯s Renewal straight away. Instead, he took every bit of punishment the monster could dish out. With everynded attack, painnced through his body ¨C apparently, the paralytic didn¡¯t shield him from that, which meant that it was likely magical in nature ¨C but still, Elijah held out. Then, suddenly, there was a dagger sticking out of the thing¡¯s side. An arrow followed, taking it in its beady eye. The monster screeched, but if Dat and Kurik expected a couple of small wounds to take the creature out, they were sorely mistaken. It responded with predictable crity, throwing its lone working wing out wide. Its legs bunched as it readied itself to pounce. But Elijah hadn¡¯t remained idle during the brief distraction. Instead, he¡¯d finally used Guardian¡¯s Renewal, and even as the powerful ability beat back the paralytic, he shot to his feet and threw his repaired body at the distracted creature. The results were predictable. The aviak champion hadn¡¯t been in peak condition when it had arrived, and that had only gotten worse as it traded blows with Elijah. So, as his ability finally banished the paralytic and his body mended itself, the creature was at a distinct disadvantage. Elijah took that and ran with it, tackling the weakened and injured monster to the ground. It tried to fend him off, but due to its injuries and theck of its weapons, it couldn¡¯t stand up to Elijah¡¯s fury. He rained one blow after another down on the monster, breaking bones with each falling fist. It screeched in pain, but after only a few seconds, those sounds turned to warbling whimpers. A couple of momentster, they became gurgling gasps. And finally, only the sound of Elijah¡¯s fists hammering into its increasingly ruptured body filled the air. He didn¡¯t stop until it had been pulverized beyond all recognition, and a flood of experience flowed into him. Even then, his rage-fueled thoughts spurred him to continue, to make an example of any creature dumb enough to challenge him. With some effort, Elijah pushed those thoughts aside and forced himself to return to his caster form. Like that, he straddled the fallen monster. Covered in blood and panting from the effort, he looked back to see his wide-eyedpanions. ¡°I think it¡¯s dead, bro.¡± Elijah¡¯s shoulders sagged. ¡°Yeah. I think so, too.¡± Book 5: Chapter 28: The Egg Book 5: Chapter 28: The Egg ¡°Is this true?¡± Sadie asked. Elijah looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. The sight of the battlefield didn¡¯t make him feel any better. There were hundreds of corpses littering that stretch of the forest, and there were even more that had fallen prey to Kurik¡¯s traps. The dwarf had revealed that he¡¯d gotten four levels during the fight, which was an unheard-of degree of progression. Everyone else had leveled at least once, including Elijah, who was on the verge of reaching level ny-three. Only seven more, and he would get to choose his initial specialization ¨C an exciting and somewhat daunting prospect. The first, because it represented an increase in power that wasn¡¯t measured by levels. Elijah only had the most basic information on how it would work, but from what he¡¯d discovered, he would receive the opportunity to enhance one aspect of his ss¡¯s abilities, the degree of which would be based on his umted Feats of Strength. The example he¡¯d seen would give him a boost to various categories of power. Whatever form the specialization took, Elijah felt confident that it would be a huge step forward. He didn¡¯t possess a list of his Feats of Strength ¨C apparently, it took a very specialized ss to do that ¨C but he felt certain that his were impressive enough to earn a very favorable set of options. But that opportunity came with a degree of anxiety. Often, Elijah hadmented the fact that he couldn¡¯t guide the abilities associated with his ss. Nor could he allocate his own attributes, as he had for the first ten levels. Indeed, it sometimes felt like he was living his life ¨C at least in terms of his progression ¨C on rails. Of course, he¡¯d gotten a couple of chances to evolve his spells and abilities, so there was some personalization there. Yet, at times, he¡¯d found himself wishing he could have made a few more choices. Now, though, he worried about picking the wrong path. What if he chose a specialization, andter, found that he needed a different one to ovee some obstacle? Or worse yet, what if he picked an inferior option? He didn¡¯t know everything about the world or how his ss worked, so making a bad decision was a distinct possibility. Perhaps a near certainty, given the breadth of his ignorance. However, that was a problem for another day. At the moment, he was a little more concerned with the fact that Dat had just regaled a recently awakened Sadie with a tale of Elijah¡¯s daring rescue. The Witch Hunter¡¯s story had been quite embellished, and it made Elijah sound a lot more heroic than he really was. Indeed, he wasn¡¯t even sure why he¡¯d reacted so immediately, abandoning Kurik and Dat to take care of themselves. Fortunately, they both agreed that he¡¯d made the right choice, with Kurik even saying that he would have done the same if he¡¯d reacted a little more quickly. So, at least they didn¡¯t me him for leaving them in the middle of a battle. ¡°He got the basics right,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°But I definitely didn¡¯t challenge the eagle to a duel or stand over it in heroic victory ¨C whatever Dat might im.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called creative license, bro. Everyone loves a hero.¡±¡°I¡¯m not a hero.¡± ¡°Sure, bro. I know that. And you do, too. But when I tell this story, that¡¯s what they¡¯ll want to hear,¡± Dat said with an aura of sagacity. ¡°Is there any chance of you not telling the story?¡± Elijah ventured. ¡°I agree that this is not something people need to hear,¡± Sadie said. ¡°It makes me sound like a fainting damsel in distress.¡± ¡°You kind of were, bro. A damsel, I mean. And you did faint. You were definitely in distress, too. That big bird was going to feed you to its babies.¡± ¡°I would have awoken the moment they ¨C¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t getting us anywhere,¡± Elijah interrupted, which earned him a re from Sadie. It didn¡¯t faze him, though. He already knew she hated him, and besides ¨C he agreed with Dat. If Sadie hadn¡¯t woken up during the battle, then a few young eagles gnawing on her wasn¡¯t going to do the trick either. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t productive to point that out, so he kept it to himself. Like a responsible adult. ¡°We need to go to that cenote and destroy the egg so we can put this challenge behind us.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Sadie stated. Kurik asked, ¡°What do you think the reward will be? Seed of the Whistling Wind sounds fancy.¡± ¡°It does,¡± Elijah admitted, and the others agreed. But for Elijah, whose stock and trade was dealing with trees and forests, any sort of seed seemed like a great boon. At least that was the case until Kurik pointed out that it might not be an actual seed, but rather a metaphorical name. ¡°You ought to see how some o¡¯ these sects and guilds and other organizations name their treasures. Heaven¡¯s Path Rejuvenation Pill and other such ridiculousness. It¡¯s more than silly,¡± Kurik said. ¡°So who knows what this Seed of the Whistling Wind is?¡± ¡°I feel like for what we just did, it¡¯ll probably be pretty good, bro. The question is who gets it,¡± Dat pointed out. ¡°We get one reward, and there are four of us.¡± ¡°Well spotted, Dat,¡± Sadie said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a valid concern,¡± Elijah said. ¡°How about if someone can use it for an immediate power-up, then that person gets it? Otherwise, Sadie can hold onto everything until we get done here, and then we can divvy everything up.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Why me?¡± she asked. Elijah shrugged. The reality was that it was intended as a bit of ttery. She clearly fancied herself an honest person, so in an effort to bridge the gap between them, he¡¯d chosen to y off of her self-perception. In any case, he said, ¡°Because, of the four of us, you¡¯re probably the most trustworthy.¡± ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°Sorry, Dat. You have a shifty look about you.¡± ¡°And Kurik?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°Good guy, but he¡¯ll run away if he thinks that¡¯s his best chance of survival.¡± ¡°He ain¡¯t lyin¡¯,¡± the dwarf stated. He¡¯d mentioned as much during their first extended period together. Back then, they¡¯d been facing down an orc invasion, and Kurik had made no bones about abandoning Ironshore if the situation called for it. He was a pragmatic sort who wouldn¡¯t risk his life without good reason. And while that didn¡¯t make him particrly untrustworthy, it definitely made his morals a little clearer. If he thought he woulde out better by taking everything for himself, then that was what he¡¯d do. Within reason. Of course, he also knew better than anyone else just the sort of person Elijah was, which would hopefully keep him in check. ¡°Fine,¡± Dat said. ¡°Regardless, we need to actuallyplete the challenge before we start dividing the rewards,¡± Elijah said. They all agreed, and to that end, the group set off through the forest. On their way back to the cenote, they saw Kurik¡¯s handiwork. His traps had been incredibly effective, and to the point where the wraiths had used the dead bodies of their fellow monsters to traverse the various pits. ¡°Remind me never to get on your bad side,¡± Elijah muttered to the dwarf, who took thement with some equanimity. Despite gaining quite a few levels, Kurik didn¡¯t seem to revel in the ughter. Instead, he looked a little conflicted. When Elijah asked about that, Kurik said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just feels wrong, killin¡¯ so many. My ss has a history that I¡¯m just startin¡¯ to understand.¡± Elijah had at least enough social skills to not ask for an boration. If the dwarf wanted to talk about it, he would. And if not, he would keep it all to himself. In any case, they traversed the Killin¡¯ Field, then passed through the forest to get to the cenote where the aviaks rested. There, they found an absolute massacre on both sides. Hundreds of withered wraith corpses littered the area around the pit, and there were even more that had thrown themselves into the cenote. And judging by the number of aviak corpses, plenty had lived through the fall long enough to wreak havoc on the upants. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Sadie, standing beside him as they looked over the edge and at the devastation below. ¡°Your n worked, right?¡± ¡°It did,¡± Elijah admitted. None of the aviaks had survived, but they¡¯d taken their pound of flesh from the wraiths. It was only because of their efforts that Elijah and hispanions had survived. If they¡¯d have had to deal with any more enemies, they would have been pushed past their limits. ¡°And yet, you¡¯re not happy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Want to borate on why that would be?¡± asked Sadie. She¡¯d made some efforts to be, if not pleasant, then not overly hostile. Apparently, that strategy included asking him to exin why he wasn¡¯t happy about indirectly killing hundreds of near-sapient creatures. And that wasn¡¯t even considering whatever the wraiths were. ¡°Not especially.¡± ¡°It might help,¡± she said. Elijah sighed, then turned to face the woman. ¡°What do you want me to say? That I regret that this was necessary? I do. For all we know, these creatures aren¡¯t even real. They might be like the things we fight in towers. But I don¡¯t think so. Contrary to what you might think of me, I don¡¯t enjoy killing things. If it was up to me, I¡¯d just sit on my ind and tend to my grove. But it¡¯s not. There are so many things out there trying to kill us. And I think we¡¯ve only scratched the surface of what¡¯sing to Earth. So, I¡¯ll do what needs to be done, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to enjoy it.¡± It was the most Elijah had said on that subject since the world had changed, but he meant every word of it, even if he knew it wasn¡¯t entirely true. He wasn¡¯t so self-deluded as to think that he didn¡¯t enjoy fighting. He always had, even going back to his boxing days, and the touch of the World Tree hadn¡¯t changed that. However, there was a distinct difference between enjoying a good fight, as well as the progression that came with it, and killing an entire colony of semi-sapient creatures. But it was necessary. ¡°Do you want me to do it?¡± Elijah asked. He could see the egg down below, and it made sense for him to destroy it. After all, he could easily fly back to the top. ¡°I think we should all go,¡± Sadie answered, staring intently at the carnage they had caused. For someone like her, it had to be even more difficult to see than it was for Elijah. Everyone began the climb down. By that point, they were all seasoned climbers, and that expertise, coupled with their high attributes, made the way easy enough. Still, they were forced to go around a host of bodies during the climb, so it took a little longer than it probably should have. In the end, though, they reached the bottom of the cenote with little trouble. That¡¯s when they found themselves staring at the object of the challenge. In a lot of ways, it looked just like any other egg, though it was at least eight feet tall and half as wide. ¡°It¡¯s too big to be an aviak,¡± Elijah said. Even the champion wouldn¡¯t have needed an egg that size, especially as an infant. ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± said Dat. ¡°Well? What is it?¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not sure,¡± Dat said. ¡°But I do know the aviaks aren¡¯t natural.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Sadie. He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but they¡¯re not meant to be here. They¡¯re monsters.¡± ¡°I feel the same thing,¡± Elijah agreed. ¡°One of my abilities gives me hints as to something¡¯s nature,¡± Dat said. ¡°And the notification I got when I used it on the aviaks was that they¡¯re hybrids. Not people. Not animals. But something in between.¡± ¡°Like Druids who abandoned their humanity? Or whatever. I know this wasn¡¯t popted by humans.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°Apparently so. I read it in a guide. Something to do with giving in to your attunement.¡± ¡°Does that affect¡­other attunements?¡± she asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°No idea,¡± he admitted. Then, he asked Dat, ¡°So is that what this is?¡± ¡°No. This was more¡­they were created via magic. I don¡¯t know anything else, but the word abomination came up in the notification. I think this egg is the next step.¡± ¡°Then we have to destroy it,¡± Elijah stated, unsure if his attunement drove him to say as much or if it was his own thought. He reached out to touch it. ¡°That¡¯s what the challenge said to do,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°I can whack it if you¡­oh. That definitely changes things.¡± When Elijah had touched the surface of the egg, a series of cracks spread from that point all the way across the egg. He knew he¡¯d barely grazed it, so he expected that it had been damaged during the battle. It just hadn¡¯t sumbed until Elijah touched it. The thing broke apart, the shell shattering into a thousand pieces. Thick, clear mucus spilled out, spreading across the cenote floor and revealing a vaguely humanoid shape. Whatever it was ¨C or was going to be ¨C it had yet to take its form, save for a vaguely humanoid appearance. And it was very clearly dead. More importantly, Elijah ¨C as well as the others, going by their ssy-eyed expressions ¨C received a notification saying that they hadpleted the challenge. Book 5: Chapter 29: Complications Book 5: Chapter 29: Complications Elijah looked at the silver box hovering over the remains of the egg and asked, ¡°Who wants to do the honors?¡± Dat nced at Sadie. So did Kurik. It made sense, given that she was the one who¡¯d hold onto the reward, at least until they could have it identified. Hopefully, Atticus could take care of that. Either way, Elijah gave the armored woman a nod before saying, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Sadie squared her shoulders, then approached the box. Or chest, really. In the old version of Earth, it would¡¯ve been considered an artistic masterpiece. The design was simple enough, with only a little decorative trim on the lid, but it wasrge enough that the sheer amount of silver used in the chest¡¯s construction would have been quite valuable. She reached out, her fingers briefly brushing against the surface, and where they touched, a trail of blue light followed. It was teeming with dense ethera, a fact that set it apart from the reward boxes Elijah had gotten in various towers. Sadie unhooked the delicatetch before pushing the lid open,ying bare the contents with a sh of blue light. It was a white pill, albeit arge one that looked like it was streaked through with blue lightning. When Sadie touched it, Elijah received a notification:
Congrattions for conquering the Challenge of the Singing Cliffs. Progress: 1/9 Reward: Seed of the Whistling Wind
¡°One out of nine,¡± said Kurik. ¡°This Trial ain¡¯t jokin¡¯ around, is it? Completin¡¯ eight more of those won¡¯t be easy.¡±¡°I was thinking the same thing,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Won¡¯t be so bad, bro. We got through this one, didn¡¯t we?¡± Dat added. Elijah didn¡¯t respond, and pointedly, neither did Sadie. After all, they¡¯d already decided to go their separate ways once they reached the Nexus Town. So, making ns for future challenges seemed pointless. Elijah was very interested in the Seed of the Whistling Wind, though. He¡¯d expected it to be an actual seed, so he was surprised when they¡¯d gotten a pill. What it would do was anyone¡¯s guess, though he suspected that it was something like the alchemical cultivation aids he¡¯d heard about from Biggle. Those often took the form of pills. Or maybe he waspletely off-base. As he was so often reminded, he had a lot to learn about the multi-verse, so there was every chance that it would do something that countered all of his expectations. One thing was certain, though ¨C it would almost assuredly be powerful. The Trial was intended to help them grow, and at an elerated pace from what was possible on Earth. As such, it stood to reason that the rewards would be quite useful. The nature of the pill was still a mystery, though one Elijah was eager to solve. That would have to wait, considering that they still needed to descend from the teau and cross a week¡¯s worth of jungle before they could have someone identify its properties. First, though, they all needed a good rest. To that end, after collecting their reward and climbing free of the cenote, they made their way to the edge of the teau where they made camp. What followed was two days of peace and quiet, with everyone taking the time to sleep and regain their various energies. For his part, Elijah spent much of the time in meditation and healing. His injuries hadn¡¯t been quite as severe as they had been after his some of his more harrowing fights, some of which had required him to reset his broken bones multiple times, but he was far from unscathed. Fortunately, healing didn¡¯t require much input, save to re-cast Healing Rain or Soothe when they¡¯d yed themselves out. The rest of his attention was spent on meditation. Because he¡¯d once again been reminded of the benefits of advanced cultivation, and he knew that if he let up, he would fall behind. So, he spent most of his time exploring the limits of his Quartz Mind and using that information to develop a n to take the next step. There were two obstacles in his way, though. First, while the density of the ethera in the Trial was much higher than anywhere on Earth ¨C save for his grove or the cultivation cave ¨C it was still insufficient for his purposes. The method for advancing each category of cultivation varied, but there was one throughline between them all. Whether it was his Mind, Body, Soul, or Core, they all required exceedingly thick ethera, and the density on the teau just didn¡¯t meet those requirements. Second, he wasn¡¯t entirely certain how to push his Mind to the next tier. The guides he¡¯d purchased were very vague, especially after the first step. So, Elijah was almost entirely on his own, save for the most basic information. Apparently, the third step was the final stage of what was considered the mortal realm of cultivation, and it was intended to allow the Mind to function at a higher level. If progressing to Quartz gave him the ability to process multiple threads of thought at any given time, then reaching Jade would deepen those thoughts, improving the quality. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain about that. He didn¡¯t think it would make him any more intelligent, so he wasn¡¯t really sure how it would really work. But he supposed he would eventually find out. In any case, Elijah had no expectation of takingrge strides forward ¨C at least not in the space of a day or two, especially given the distraction of having to use some of that time casting his various heals. Regardless, he hoped that his efforts would add up over time so that when he finally did find an appropriate environment, he could make the leap with some confidence. This novel''s true home is a different tform. Support the author by finding it there. After two days, everyone had returned to full health, and so, they returned the way they¡¯d originallye. Climbing down the Singing Cliffs was simultaneously more difficult and, in some ways, easier. The climb itself was a little more precarious, but the pesky birds and wind spirits mostly left them alone. Still, climbing down a miles-long vertical cliff was no easy feat, even with their inted attributes, and it ended up taking most of a day to reach the ground. When they did, Dat said, ¡°I used to think rock climbing was cool. No more, bro. No more.¡± Everyone wholeheartedly agreed with that assessment. After resting for the night, the group set off through the jungle. At first, the going was easy enough, with no real threats presenting themselves. But soon, the dangers of the excised world showed themselves. Not only were they osted by awakened wraiths, but they also had to deal with the local wildlife, which proved to be almost as dangerous as the ethera-draining and four-armed humanoids. Still, by that point, the group had learned one another¡¯s strengths and weaknesses, so while the battles still held some degree of difficulty, they fought though them without any major setbacks. Until, on the third day, Elijah sensed something he hadn¡¯t expected. From where Elijah sat next to the campfire, he could feel them closing in. They moved like shadows, flitting from one instance of cover to the next. What¡¯s more, he recognized them. ¡°We¡¯re surrounded,¡± Elijah said, his voice casual. ¡°Wraiths?¡± asked Kurik, tossing a stick into the mes. Elijah shook his head. Dat¡¯s eyes flicked from one shadow to the next. ¡°Immortals,¡± he said. ¡°Coming in fast.¡± ¡°Kill them?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°If we can,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Agreed,¡± Dat said. Kurik nodded. Sadie¡¯s face remained impassive, but it was clear that she had no objections. Just then, the Immortals struck like lightning. If Elijah hadn¡¯t already felt them, the attack would have been devastating, but readiness was a perfect counter to an ambush. Elijah aimed his staff at the first one to appear, then cast Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightningnced out from the end of the Staff of the First Dragon, briefly banishing the darkness of night and stripping the other Immortals of their concealment. There were ten of them, all predictably wearing the same ck outfits they¡¯d worn back in Nexus Town, and they wielded identical swords. In that moment of visibility, Elijah couldn¡¯t identify any more before the lightning faded. However, he did see Storm¡¯s Fury m into an Immortal¡¯s chest, sending the slim figure crashing into a tree. As that Immortal slumped to the ground, the others closed in. But Elijah¡¯s allies hadn¡¯t been idle, and already, they had used a variety of abilities. Sadie enveloped herself in white light, while Dat raised his crossbow, sending a volley of bolts to m into a pair of Immortals. Meanwhile, another fell prey to one of Kurik¡¯s cleverly concealed traps, their foot crashing through a thin covering and into a small hole filled with venomous caltrops. Sadie used what Dat referred to as her taunting ability, and the Immortals all turned their attention in her direction. One of them managed to pull away, but most of them rushed her. Surrounded by a bulwark of white light, she was well positioned to take their attacks head-on. One thing became immediately clear. The Immortals were not great fighters. Certainly, they had some skill with their des, which they used to great effect. However, either their sses didn¡¯t give them many active abilities, or they weren¡¯t ustomed to using them. Either way, the result was the same. Judging by the way they moved, they had decent attributes, but without skills to back them up, they were clearly inferior. They fell upon Sadie¡¯s barrier with a barrage of rapid strikes. However, those attacks did nothing to shatter the sturdy ethereal shield. And her counterattacks were vicious and efficient. In one case, she nearly cut one Immortal in half with a brutal horizontal strike that hit the figure¡¯s waist with explosive might. But miraculously, aside from a single, high-pitched cry, the Immortal gave no indication that she¡¯d been nearly bisected. In fact, she continued to fight with a gaping wound in her side that exposed quite a few ruptured organs. The other Immortals fought with simr single-minded fervor, and though Elijah and hispanions were clearly superior, in terms of both attributes and skills, the fact that the Immortals refused to die made the fight far more even than it probably should have been. After realizing that they couldn¡¯t win, the Immortals turned their attention to flight. As one, they turned to flee. But Elijah had other ns. So, he singled one of them out, then cast Snaring Roots. Thick and thorny vines erupted from the ground wrapping around the Immortal¡¯s legs. Mid-stride, they fell, hitting the ground face-first. One of their fellows briefly tried to hack through the vines, but they were incapable of cutting through them. More importantly, the vines kepting, wrapping the prone figure in a cocoon. Seeing that, the other Immortals abandoned theirpanion. And in seconds, they passed out of range of One with Nature, disappearing into the forest. Elijah could have pursued, but given their incapability of killing the Immortals, it seemed a fruitless endeavor. Besides, he had a prisoner to interrogate. ¡°You saw that, right?¡± Sadie asked, her armor sttered with blood. Simr gore dripped from her greatsword. ¡°Immortal, bro. It¡¯s right there in the name.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe anyone is truly immortal,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Me neither,¡± Elijiah admitted. ¡°But let¡¯s put that to the test.¡± When Snaring Roots ran its course, the vines retreated, revealing a slight figure. In the heat of battle, it was easy to see the Immortals as identical. However, with peace came a greater attention to detail, and it immediately became apparent that the Immortal they¡¯d captured was a woman. In fact, she was the same woman whose head Elijah had crushed back in Nexus Town. Elijah reached down, grabbed her silver mask, and yanked it away. That revealed her scarred face and the haughty expression she wore. ¡°You will pay for this,¡± she said. ¡°Our Lord will see to it.¡± ¡°Who are you? And why did you attack us?¡± ¡°It is our right as the Immortals chosen by God Himself. He shields us from death, and in turn, we serve Him.¡± ¡°You are a murderer wreathed in sin,¡± Sadie growled. ¡°So I am.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deny it?¡± ¡°My actions are righteous. I am justified by Hismand.¡± ¡°How does this immortality thing work?¡± asked Elijah, squatting next to her. ¡°What if I hacked you to pieces? Would you still be alive? Decapitation might work, too.¡± That got through to her. ¡°I live as long as our Lord deems me useful.¡± Dat cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s a skill, bro. Or a spell. I¡¯m not sure about how it all works, but it¡¯s tied to this Lord of theirs.¡± ¡°He is your Lord too,¡± the Immortal, her eyes shining with zealotry. ¡°You just don¡¯t know it yet.¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± asked Kurik, ncing from Elijah to Dat, and then to Sadie. Elijah answered immediately, ¡°Experiment.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°It means that this is going to get really unpleasant,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t approve. I don¡¯t like it either. But this is the best way to figure out what we¡¯re up against.¡± Then, Sadie surprised Elijah by saying, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°The Lord will shelter me,¡± the prone woman said. After that, he looked at the Immortal and responded, ¡°You say that now, but I¡¯m thinking you¡¯ll change your tune in a few minutes.¡± Book 5: Chapter 30: In Service of the Greater Good Book 5: Chapter 30: In Service of the Greater Good Elijah forced himself to watch, but all the while, he found himself wishing he hadn¡¯t. Still, he didn¡¯t look away while Sadie cut the woman to pieces. She started small, just removing a single finger, but over the course of the next few hours, the wounds grew steadily worse until the woman had be a mass of wounds, the sight of which finally forced Elijah to look away. ¡°Interesting,¡± Sadie said. ¡°What?¡± Elijah asked, feeling sick to his stomach. He had few issues with killing, but torture was something altogether different. Unlike most instances of torture, at least this had a viable purpose, though. They had never intended to enhance an interrogation, but rather, to see how the Immortals¡¯ power worked. And in that endeavor, they were sessful. ¡°As far as I can tell, they truly are immortal. When I cut pieces off, they juste back. She¡¯s scarred by it, and there¡¯s aponent of pain as well, but we can¡¯t dismantle them,¡± Sadie answered. ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna be sick, bro,¡± Dat said from nearby. He¡¯d watched the whole thing too, growing increasingly pale the entire time. Elijah sympathized with how the Witch Hunter clearly felt,rgely because he¡¯d experienced simr difort. ¡°Do you think I enjoy this?¡± Sadie demanded. ¡°I don¡¯t. It is necessary, and I will not shy away from that.¡± ¡°I know.¡± For his part, Elijah didn¡¯t intend to contribute to that conversation. He¡¯d thought he was asmitted as anyone else, but seeing what he¡¯d just seen had put the lie to that way of thinking. He had lines he wouldn¡¯t cross, and he had just found one. Making it worse that it had been done at his suggestion, though he suspected that Sadie would havee to a simr conclusion. Still, he was grateful that Sadie could do the deed because, as she¡¯d just said, it had needed to be done.¡°What about drowning them?¡± he asked. ¡°I suspect it wouldn¡¯t work,¡± Sadie answered. ¡°I¡¯m certain it wouldn¡¯t be pleasant. Like water boarding. But ¨C¡± ¡°What ¡®bout tyin¡¯ ¡®em up and throwin¡¯ ¡®em in a barrel before tossin¡¯ ¡®em into the deepest part of the sea?¡± Kurik asked. ¡°Might not kill ¡®em, but it¡¯d put ¡®em outtamission, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s cold, bro.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t say I¡¯d like it,¡± Kurik countered. ¡°Just sayin¡¯ I¡¯d like that a fair bit more than gettin¡¯ killed by unkible assassins.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Sadie? Would it work?¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d just encase them in cement,¡± she said. ¡°But yeah.¡± Throughout the frank discussion, the scarred Immortal¡¯s eyes had widened in horror. Clearly, she hadn¡¯t considered the implications of being incapable of dying. Would she starve to death? Or perish due to dehydration? Both were terrible ways to go, but living through that without end would assuredly be quite traumatizing. And the woman knew it. Still, she¡¯d refused to say a single word throughout Sadie¡¯s experiments in dismemberment. That wasn¡¯t to say that she was silent. She most certainly had not been, filling the air with a cacophony of agonized screams. Sadie had calmly remarked that it proved they were capable of feeling pain, at least. But in the end, they¡¯d discovered what they could, and it came time to make some hard choices. Elijah gave that predicament voice when he asked, ¡°What do we do with her?¡± ¡°Feed ¡®er to something nasty,¡± suggested Kurik without hesitation. When everyone looked at him, he just shrugged. ¡°Won¡¯t kill ¡®er, but it might put ¡®er outta the fight for a bit. Added bonus, she suffers a little more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bonus?¡± asked Dat. ¡°When somebody tries to kill me? Sure. I ain¡¯t in the business of forgivin¡¯ that kinda thing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about punishment, bro. It¡¯s only about ¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s not relevant,¡± Sadie interrupted. ¡°We¡¯re not here to debate the merits of vengeance. We need her out of the way. That¡¯s it. So, what can we do to make sure she stays gone for as long as possible?¡± ¡°Kurik¡¯s idea is probably best. And we passed plenty of beasts along the way who could make a quick meal out of her,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Not that I wish being digested on anyone. It¡¯s probably the most effective way to get what we want, though.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Dat said with a shake of his head. Then, he ran his hand through his hair. ¡°But I don¡¯t know any other way. We can¡¯t take her prisoner, right?¡± ¡°Where would we keep her? And if we had a jail, what¡¯s to keep her friends from rescuing her? This is the best way, Dat. I don¡¯t like it any more than you do, but I don¡¯t want to put anyone else in danger,¡± Elijah said. No one else had any objections. Well, no one but the Immortal woman, who finally voiced her own opinions by alternating between begging them not to do it and vowing eternal vengeance at the hands of her Lord if they did. Elijah ignored her pleas as well as her promises of reprisal. The reality was that the Immortals ¨C presumably at the insistence of their Lord ¨C had made the first move. So, if anyone was to me for what was about to happen, it was her. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the tform they originally published on. Elijah shifted into themer ape form, then grabbed the woman around the waist, and took off across the jungle. Without the others around, the beasts were unlikely to bother him, an expectation that remained true as he made his way to where he¡¯dst seen arge, reptilian animal that looked big enough to swallow the Immortal whole. As it turned out, the creature ¨C which looked like a giant toad crossed with a lizard the size of a pickup truck ¨C took a little coaxing to eat the Immortal, but Elijah solved that issue by drawing blood. That perked the beast right up, and it gulped her down in the space of a moment. She didn¡¯t stop screaming the entire time. Unsettled, Elijah returned to the group, and with the weight of what they had just done settling on their shoulders, they set off for Nexus Town. The next couple of days were filled with silence as they all wrestled with their actions. They¡¯d just sentenced a woman to a life of torture. Even if she was rescued, it would still be a traumatizing experience that no one truly deserved. But as they kept telling themselves, it had been necessary. Finally, Elijah found the distraction he needed when they stumbled upon a raised aqueduct. Standing upon pirs hundreds of feet tall, it cut through the jungle for miles in both directions. Pieces of it had been torn down by creeping undergrowth, but what was left over had been fairly well preserved, revealing the architecture as well as the artistry of the structure. ¡°You find this so interesting?¡± asked Sadie, interrupting Elijah¡¯s study of the ruined aqueduct. Elijah nced back and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you? I mean, this is evidence of an entirely different civilization. What I find really fascinating is that it actually resembles Roman aqueducts. Not exactly. Obviously. But there are enough simrities that you have to wonder if there¡¯s a connection.¡± ¡°There can¡¯t be that many ways to build raised ditches.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be surprised.¡± ¡°So, what are you saying? That this ce and Earth are connected?¡± she asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I have no idea. But it¡¯s definitely neat.¡± ¡°Neat?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a valid word.¡± ¡°Sure it is,¡± she said, ncing back to where Dat and Kurik were resting. They¡¯d decided to make camp near the aqueduct, mostly because Elijah had insisted. ¡°You really get into this sort of thing, don¡¯t you? Were you an architect or something?¡± ¡°What? No. And you say that like being interested is bad.¡± ¡°Not bad. Useless,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re here to do a job, lest you forget. I have thousands of people depending on me. I must grow stronger, or people will die.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Elijah acknowledged. ¡°You say that, and yet, you¡¯re here admiring pretty architecture. We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± ¡°And what else should I be doing?¡± ¡°Cultivating. We could have kept going for another hour or two as well.¡± ¡°I am cultivating,¡± Elijah stated. Indeed, three facets were working on a technique he hoped would work for taking the next step toward a Jade Mind. He hadn¡¯t gotten any results yet, but he had good reason to think that he soon would. ¡°And life is about more than obligations.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say when your people aren¡¯t dying.¡± Elijah was about to respond, but then he thought better of it. The fact was that he had no room to judge her. She was dealing with problems that he¡¯d never had to consider, much less solve. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t his ce to tell her how to live her life. Especially when it came to responsibility, which Elijah had been trying to avoid for quite some time. Even before the world had been transformed, he¡¯d put more stock in doing what he wanted than in achieving goals. Of course, he¡¯d changed a little over the years since Earth had experienced the touch of the World Tree. But perhaps not as much as he¡¯d thought. At least he wasn¡¯t just going through the motions anymore, though. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Elijah said. He sighed. ¡°Sometimes it feels like we live inpletely different worlds. Maybe we do.¡± He shook his head, then after a few moments, announced, ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk.¡± With that, he turned and left her behind. It wasn¡¯t until he¡¯d gone about a hundred feet that he realized that he was following the aqueduct. That seemed as good a direction as any, and he spent the next hour ¨C in the dead of night, no less ¨C strolling through the jungle. After a couple of miles, the structure hit a sharp decline, and a hundred yardster, the trough disappeared underground. ¡°Should I do it?¡± Elijah asked the jungle, looking at the gaping hole in the ground. He didn¡¯t sense anything dangerous about it, but that didn¡¯t mean it was safe. ¡°Oh, who am I asking. Of course I¡¯m going to do it.¡± Then, without further thought, he leaped into the huge, stone trough and descended into the darkness. The first thing he noticed once he waspletely underground was the musty smell. It was mildew and algae and rot, all rolled into one. The trough had be a tunnel, dark and dank. A trickle of water flowed down the center, hinting at its former majesty. Elijah shifted into his draconid form,rgely because its night vision was superior to that of his natural shape, and he spent the next few minutes padding down the tunnel. Some of it had partially copsed, though there was still plenty of room for Elijah to squeeze through, and eventually, he reached a giant cistern that was filled with sparkling water. And miraculously, it was illuminated by a series of torches mounted on the walls. At first, Elijah thought that it hadn¡¯t been as abandoned as he¡¯d expected, but when he tried ¨C and failed ¨C to extinguish one of the torches, he reasoned that they were magical in nature. The circr space was at least two hundred feet wide and likely twice as tall, with a coffered ceiling that reminded Elijah of Renaissance architecture. Moreover, there existed a series of frescoes that had been painted between the richly carved edges. To get a better look, Elijah transformed into the Shape of the Sky, then flew toward the ceiling. When he got there, hetched onto the raised edges, then leaned closer. For a couple of hours, he studied the paintings, which depicted a battle between three mighty warlords, each with their own sizable army. The species reminded Elijah of the wraiths, with their four arms and ivory skin, though the ones in the frescoes were far more muscr. Many of the details had been lost to time, but Elijah was still awed by the ruins of what had once been a mighty civilization. He¡¯d already seen plenty of evidence to suggest as much, but every new experience in the excised world hammered it home. The natives had been quite advanced, which made him wonder just what had happened to result in their separation from the World Tree. Perhaps he would find out before the Trial was finished. As much as he wished he could stay and study the frescoes, Elijah knew he needed to get back to hispanions. So, he reluctantly returned the way he came, with musings on the fall of mighty worlds dancing through his mind. Book 5: Chapter 31: Sticking It Out Book 5: Chapter 31: Sticking It Out ¡°This is a great treasure, my friends,¡± said Atticus, staring at the Seed of the Whistling Wind with an awestruck expression. ¡°Truly a miraculous reward. Where did you get it?¡± Elijah answered, ¡°It was the reward for defeating one of the challenges.¡± Briefly, he had considered keeping that information to himself ¨C and clearly, Sadie preferred that route, judging by the look on her face ¨C but he trusted Atticus as much as anyone else in the Trial. So, he¡¯d chosen the path of honesty. ¡°What¡¯s it do, bro?¡± asked Dat, standing beside Elijah. ¡°Twenty-five Dexterity. Permanent. Here,¡± Atticus continued, holding out a pane of ss. It looked simr to the one used by Mari the Tailor back in Ironshore, but it was framed with borately worked silver. Disyed upon it was a notification that looked like it had been ripped from Elijah¡¯s inner eye.
Seed of the Whistling Wind Grade: Complex (high) An alchemical concoction created with a variety of Complex ingredients, then aged in a location teeming with Wind-attuned ethera. When consumed, permanently increases Dexterity attribute by 15-25 points, depending onpatibility of attunement.
¡°That¡¯s¡­I don¡¯t know what to say about that,¡± Elijah stated truthfully. The attribute bonus was both over- and underwhelming. The first, because it was currently an incredible increase that nearly doubled the efficacy of his own buffs like Essence of the Monkey. That was an impressive feat, given that those enhancements had seen quite an increase from his twice-advanced Core cultivation. However, there was also some disappointment there, and from two sources. For one, an increase of twenty-five points to any attribute was a life-changing boon for the current poption of Earth. But would that still be the case in a year? Or ten? At some point, it would be a negligible amount. So, while the permanent increase was impressive, it would soon be no more than a drop in a veryrge bucket of attributes. For another, Elijah had hoped for a more exciting effect. Maybe a special ability. Or seeing the name, a unique nt he could cultivate within his grove. So, seeing that it only gave a few attribute points was a bit of a letdown. It did bring an issue to the forefront, though. When they¡¯d first gotten together, the group had decided to hoard the rewards and split them up once the Trial was finished or they reached the end of what they could conquer. Yet, there were a couple of issues with that n. Not only had the first challenge opened their eyes to how difficult the Trial would be, which meant that they couldn¡¯t afford to leave any advantage unused, but Elijah and Sadie had already agreed to go their separate ways. So, the previous n simply wouldn¡¯t work anymore. After everyone got to see the item¡¯s description, they thanked Atticus and headed out of the premises he¡¯d set up for the various crafters and merchants he¡¯d allied himself with. Already, their efforts had yielded quite a brisk business, but more importantly, they¡¯d established rtionships that would hopefully carry them past the Trial and into Earth¡¯s future. They were the best and brightest, after all, and Elijah suspected that if the was going to survive, Tradesmen and Merchants would prove to be extremely important. The rest of Nexus Town wasrgely unchanged. The market was still there, as was the huge Branch at its center. However, many of therger and more borate buildings had been imed by various groups who¡¯de to the Trial together. For their part, Elijah and hispanions were happy setting up in one of the buildings on the outskirts of town where they would be left to themselves. Once there, Elijah took one of the rooms for himself, then made a pallet on the ground. Some of the crafters back in the market had already begun making furniture, but for someone who was ustomed to sleeping on the ground, a pallet was more than enough. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but miss his mossy bed back in the grove. After he¡¯d set everything up, Elijah headed downstairs to what they¡¯d designated as their kitchen. As they¡¯d passed through the market, Elijah had purchased a few bs of meat that looked a lot like beef. The seller imed that it hade from a beast that resembled an ox, so Elijah hoped it would taste simr. Regardless, he quickly sparked a fire in the cooking pit at the center of the room, then got to work preparing the meat as best he could. Fortunately, he had a stash of spices as well as a pan he¡¯d purchased from the Artificer that was supposed to mimic a cooking skill. He didn¡¯t do anything fancy, though. Just seared steaks, seasoned with salt and pepper. But simple was often better in those situations, so he hoped the results tracked with his expectations. Once he¡¯d finished, Elijah called, ¡°Dinner is served!¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Everyone had their own tes and utensils, so he pped the bs of meat onto their tin tes and told them to dig in. And everyone did. To Elijah¡¯s enormous satisfaction, they all seemed to enjoy the meal quite a bit. Except Sadie, who looked at the meat with undisguised disgust. Around a mouthful of food, Elijah asked, ¡°So, is it an environmental thing? Or is it just that you don¡¯t like meat? I tried vegetarianism myself a couple of times. You know, before, raising livestock was terrible for the environment. A lot of people don¡¯t realize it, but we actually had to grow more crops to feed the ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s abination of things,¡± Sadie admitted, picking at a te full of wild greens she¡¯d harvested along the way. Some of them looked a bit dicey to Elijah, but she didn¡¯t seem to fear that any of them were poisonous, so he kept his objections to himself. ¡°But mostly, it¡¯s just habit now. I stopped eating meat when I was a child, so I suppose my tastes changed. I was forced to eat meat after the world transformed, and it was terrible.¡± ¡°It was bad meat, bro.¡± ¡°No one else got sick, Dat,¡± she said. ¡°The meat was fine. It was my system that didn¡¯t agree with it.¡± ¡°You could probably train yourself to enjoy it if you wanted to,¡± Elijah offered. ¡°Who says I want to? I¡¯m perfectly happy with my dietary choices,¡± she said. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Elijah said, cutting another piece of his steak and popping it into his mouth. It was a little tougher than beef, and it had a bit of a tangy aftertaste, but it was still quite good. Not the best he¡¯d ever had, but not the worst, either. In any case, the pan had worked exceedingly well, evidenced by the fact that he could taste the meat at all. Without the proper skill, his meals were often quite nd. ¡°So,¡± he continued. ¡°I think we need to talk about the elephant in the room.¡± ¡°What is an elephant?¡± asked Kurik. He¡¯d already finished his first steak, and he¡¯d started in on his second. ¡°Huge animal native to Earth. But it¡¯s an expression,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Meant to refer to an issue that nobody can really ignore. In this case, what are we going to do about this group?¡± ¡°What do you mean, bro?¡± asked Dat. ¡°He means that we decided to go our separate ways,¡± Sadie answered. Before the other two could respond, she continued, ¡°But in light of recent events, I think it prudent that we reconsider.¡± ¡°Recent events?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°You may not be the person I thought you were,¡± she admitted. ¡°That is my fault, and I am sorry. My only excuse is that my ability colors my perception in ways I didn¡¯t expect. It is a fairly new addition, and I am still learning how to mitigate the effects. As I said, you have my apology. I should not have judged you based on a skill I neither understood nor could properly control.¡± That was not what Elijah had expected. Indeed, he¡¯d have put money on Sadie being the sort of person who would cling to her original judgement out of pride, regardless of any new evidence she might find. So, clearly, he was just as guilty as she was, at least when it came to making snap judgements concerning someone¡¯s character. ¡°You want to stick together?¡± he asked. ¡°I do. And I think everyone else does as well,¡± Sadie answered. The other two agreed. Elijah grinned. ¡°Then I guess that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡± Realistically, he¡¯d already had second thoughts about the idea of going it alone. His pride told him that he could aplish just as much without the others as with them, but he wasn¡¯t so deluded that hepletely believed that. If he hadn¡¯t had them during the first challenge, things would have turned out a lot differently. Maybe he would have emerged victorious, but there was just as much of a chance that he¡¯d have been overwhelmed and killed. Or injured so badly that it would have taken weeks to recover. Besides, he liked the idea having other people around. Most of the time, at least. And often, the reality of havingpany fell short of what was in his mind. But as they shared a meal, he decided that his current situation definitely qualified as one of the former. ¡°So, what are we going to do about the Seed?¡± he asked. ¡°It would be dumb to just leave it unused. It could help us going forward.¡± ¡°I suppose you want it, then?¡± Sadie asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°If nobody else does, sure. But it¡¯s not ideal for me,¡± he said. That wasn¡¯t necessarily true. Because of the versatility of his ss, he used every attribute, and he could only imagine the benefit of having an extra twenty-five points added to his Dexterity attribute. It would be especially helpful for themer ape form, which had a distinct weakness when it came to coordination, but it would be impactful for the others as well. However, as far as he knew, both Kurik and Dat used Dexterity as their primary attribute and they had multiple skills that depended on it. As such, the Seed would be far more immediately beneficial for them. Besides, there were eight more rewards out there, and he didn¡¯t want to waste his chance on something that was only marginally beneficial. ¡°I think it should go to Kurik or Dat,¡± Elijah said. Sadie agreed, though the Witch Hunter and trapper insisted that it should go to one of the two most powerful members of the group. Apparently, that was how it was done on other worlds. The strong got stronger, all in the hopes that they would protect everyone else. In the end, Dat was the one who got the Seed of the Whistling Wind, and though he was happy for the boost, he still grumbled a bit about how things had worked out. When he took the pill, it gave him twenty-six additional Dexterity, which just proved that it was the right choice. Later, Dat revealed, ¡°I used to dream about this, you know.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elijah asked. The pair were the only members of the group who were still awake. Sadie had retired first, but Kurik hadn¡¯t been far behind. For his part, Elijah couldn¡¯t sleep, and Dat imed to be a night owl. ¡°About being magically transported into a game world. I read books about it. It all seemed so cool,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about the downsides, though. I¡¯ve watched thousands die. Tens of thousands. And I¡¯m here, getting excited about gaining a little extra Dexterity while everyone back in Hong Kong is struggling to survive. I don¡¯t even know what happened to my parents. My little brothers. My aunts and uncles.¡± ¡°Where were they when it happened?¡± Dat shrugged. ¡°All over,¡± he answered. ¡°My parents and brothers moved to Seoul when I was young. My uncle lives in New Orleans, and I have a bunch of cousins scattered across Europe.¡± ¡°Nobody still in Vietnam?¡± ¡°A few. I lived there until I was nine, but after that, we moved a lot. Then, I went to boarding school. You?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Grew up in Washington state, then moved to Hawaii for college. Ended up on an ind in what used to be the Pacific Northwest when the world changed. It was pretty rough for the first year or so, but I survived. My¡­my sister didn¡¯t. She was killed. But my sister-inw and nephew made it.¡± He ran his fingers through his hair, adding, ¡°My point is that just because you don¡¯t know what happened to them doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re gone. There are a lot of survivors out there. Plenty of ces where people banded together and protected one another.¡± Dat nodded, and for a long few moments, neither of them said anything. Finally, Dat said, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to get some sleep. Good night.¡± ¡°Night.¡± Dat rose, but before he left the room, he said, ¡°Thanks, bro.¡± Book 5: Chapter 32: Ice Book 5: Chapter 32: Ice ¡°How the hell¡¯re you not cold?¡± demanded Kurik as he rubbed his arms. He was wearing a thick leather coat, gloves, and sturdy boots, but he clearly wished he¡¯d packed something even warmer. Elijah grinned. ¡°A guy needs his secrets, right?¡± he replied with a wink. ¡°He ain¡¯t even wearin¡¯ any shoes!¡± the dwarf growled, gesturing at Elijah¡¯s bare feet. Indeed, Elijah hadn¡¯t made any concessions to the inexplicably cold weather they¡¯d encountered about a week after setting out for the recently discovered second challenge. One moment, they¡¯d been trekking through a sweltering jungle, and the next, the temperature had dropped to something more appropriate for a Canadian winter. That had happened two days ago, and it had grown progressively colder since. In addition, the jungle had given way to a barren tundra only popted by giant mammoths with blue skin, dangerous-looking walrus creatures that hung out near frozen ponds and streams, and a species of winged snake that spewed what appeared to be blue fire. It had the opposite effect, though. Instead of burning, it froze whatever it touched. Clearly there was a theme that hinted at what they might expect in the next challenge. Aside from Elijah, everyone in the party was miserable. Even the ever-stoic Sadie hadined about the cold on a couple of asions, and every passing minute saw Kurik grumbling about the weather. ¡°I thought dwarves were supposed to be cold-weather creatures. You know, mountaineers and all that,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Where¡¯d you hear a fool thing like that? We stay underground, where it¡¯s cozy and warm,¡± Kurik insisted.¡°Lot of trapping to be done underground?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Ain¡¯t nowhere that trappin¡¯ ain¡¯t a useful skill to have,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°Whole ecosystems down there. Not sure ¡®bout this, but back home, we had entire societies that ain¡¯t never saw the light of day.¡± ¡°Mole men, bro.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t no mole men!¡± ¡°Mole people. I¡¯m sure there were women, too,¡± Elijah provided. ¡°Weren¡¯t no moles!¡± ¡°If you say so, bro,¡± Dat muttered. Elijah only grinned. The lone benefit of the conversation was that it had distracted Kurik from hisints, if only for a few moments. But the second the conversationpsed, the dwarf started mumbling under his breath. For Elijah¡¯s part, he took a moment to look around, and he saw precisely the same thing he¡¯d seen every day sinceing upon the tundra. It was a t, white expanse of ice and snow. Every now and then, they¡¯d pass a lone, scraggly evergeen, but for the most part, it was as empty as any desert. In the distance, though, Elijah saw something looming on the horizon. ¡°Are those mountains?¡± he wondered, pointing. He used Eyes of the Eagle, and his vision telescoped. It was always an odd feeling, though one he¡¯d forced himself to limate to. Regardless, it gave him a good look at a range of mountains. They were still at least a hundred miles away, but with the enhancement to his vision, he could just make out some of the details. ¡°Maybe,¡± Dat answered. ¡°It is,¡± Elijah confirmed. ¡°If you already knew, why¡¯d you ask?¡± grumbled the dwarf, barely loudly enough for Elijah to hear. ¡°The report mentioned mountains,¡± Sadie pointed out. Elijah had read the same report, though it had been extremely light on details. Apparently, the scout who¡¯d made it had barely survived, and he¡¯d only given the most basic details before he had used the Branch to return to Earth. No one had had a chance to investigate further, which meant that, aside from a direction, Elijah and hispanions were going in mostly blind. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I believe these reports,¡± Elijah said. The scout had returned to Nexus Town only a few days after Elijah and his party had set out for the Singing Cliffs. So, there had been plenty of time for someone to have discovered more details. Yet, there was nothing, which suggested one of two things. Either no one had survived ¨C an unlikely exnation ¨C or people were hoarding information. Whichever was the case, it didn¡¯t bode well for their chances. ¡°Trust but verify, right?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°I was thinking the same thing,¡± Elijah agreed. It truly didn¡¯t need to be said. They were already on edge, and they all knew better than to take the situation for granted. The second challenge ¨C which seemed to be associated with Pruina, the realm of ice ¨C would assuredly prove to be just as dangerous as the Singing Cliffs. Perhaps more so. So, every member of the party progressed with due caution. Over the next two days, they drew closer to the mountains. As it turned out, they were even further away than Elijah had estimated. But in his defense, that mistake was due to the sheer size of the range. Each mountain was thousands of feet tall, and the range itself stretched along the horizon for as far as Elijah could see. By the time they reached the foothills nearly four dayster, the mountains loomed over them, casting them in shadow and filling all of their hearts with unease. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The cold climate remained the same, though the t tundra had given way to something much rockier. As they progressed into the foothills, Elijah noticed a few different species of mountain goat, which he found odd. ¡°There are always goats in the mountains, bro.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand. Have you seen any other animals that looked exactly like a species on Earth?¡± he asked. ¡°We¡¯ve seen a few that were close. But there¡¯s always something off about them. Or they¡¯repletely different in so many ways they don¡¯t resemble anything back home. These goats, though ¨C they look exactly like the ones we¡¯d find on Earth.¡± ¡°We had goats on my, too,¡± Kurik said. ¡°They breathe fire, though. They¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°Fire-breathing goats are cute?¡± Sadie asked incredulously. ¡°When they¡¯re little, sure. I ain¡¯t talkin¡¯ ¡®bout a full-grown goat. Them things are ornery.¡± ¡°The Universal Goat Principal, bro.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Every world has goats. It ties everything together,¡± Dat said sagely. ¡°Like a good rug.¡± ¡°A rug?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°Bro. I thought you¡¯d get that joke.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so lost,¡± she said. ¡°Uncultured.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Do you have any idea what they¡¯re talking about?¡± Sadie asked Kurik. ¡°I don¡¯t ever know what anyone¡¯s talkin¡¯ ¡®bout on this world. You Earth humans are crazy.¡± ¡°Or maybe the rest of the multi-verse is crazy,¡± Elijah suggested with a waggle of his frost-covered eyebrows. ¡°At the very least, they don¡¯t have our vast collection of movies to reference. Which reminds me ¨C when we get home, I¡¯m having Nerthus build a theater room on the ind. I bet I can find a projector somewhere in Seattle, and then it¡¯s movie night, every night.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say about that,¡± Kurik admitted. Elijah ignored him. Instead, he nced at Sadie and said, ¡°You¡¯re invited, of course. Once we deal with your little undead problem, I mean. You¡¯d probably get along with Nerthus, and you¡¯d definitely like Carmen. Her re of disapproval is almost as good as yours. And Dat, you know you¡¯re invited. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll enjoy ¨C¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s enough,¡± Sadie said, though there was a hint of a smile on her face. Elijah counted that as a win, even if he¡¯d had to lean into his manic side to get it. Then, to Dat, she asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you found a cave nearby?¡± The Witch Hunter nodded, saying, ¡°But don¡¯t get too excited. It¡¯s pretty shallow, so it won¡¯t do much for the cold.¡± Elijah nced at the sky and when he saw that the sun was almost below the horizon, he said, ¡°Better than nothing.¡± Indeed, they¡¯d spent the past week sleeping on the tundra, where they¡¯d had no protection from the wind. And while the cold didn¡¯t affect Elijah, courtesy of his Cloak of the Iron Bear, he couldn¡¯t say the same for the biting gusts that routinely swept across the expanse. It was even less pleasant than Elijah would have anticipated, and for reasons that he hadn¡¯t expected. The cold wasn¡¯t an issue, but the persistent howling of the wind had kept him awake at night. So, hopefully a nice night in a cave would be just what they all needed. So, they followed Dat as he led them past one of therger foothills and to a boulder-strewn valley. The ground was covered in shale that made traversal incredibly treacherous, and even with their inted Dexterity attributes, they slipped and fell more than once. Elijah was tempted to simply shift into one of his other forms ¨C like Shape of the Sky or the draconid ¨C but he wanted to be ready in case they were attacked. Because as uninviting as the area was, what wildlife existed in the area was sparse. Even the wraiths that were so prevalent elsewhere were nowhere to be seen or felt, making the entire region feel even more deste. After crossing the shale-covered valley, they reached the cave, and it was just as inadequate as Dat had described. Barely ten feet deep and half as wide, it was more of a depression in the side of a hill than it was a cave. However, it was positioned in such a way as to provide some sce from the wind, which was the most important thing. So, after building a fire and deploying their defenses ¨C which centered on Elijah¡¯s beast-dissuading tent ¨C they settled in for a cold night. To perk everyone up, Elijah offered to make coffee, and miraculously, even Sadie-the-coffee-hater decided to partake. ¡°It¡¯s¡­uh¡­it¡¯s good,¡± she said, cradling a mug in both hands and holding the steaming beverage as close to her face as she could manage. She forced a smile that looked more like a grimace before adding, ¡°Very warm.¡± ¡°You hate it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just thought¡­¡± ¡°What? That I¡¯d only had bad coffee before and that was why I didn¡¯t like it? If only I tried your special coffee, I¡¯d ¨C wait, what is that?¡± she gasped. Elijah whipped around to stare at the mouth of the cave, but there was nothing there. ¡°What is it? Did you sense something?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Elijah asked, confused. ¡°This coffee gives a buff.¡± ¡°Um¡­yeah? I told you that before.¡± ¡°You did? I must not have heard.¡± Or she probably hadn¡¯t been listening to a word Elijah had said back then. He knew she had an ability that made him unappealing to be around, but that was just rude. ¡°It¡¯s quite a good buff, too. Did you make this yourself?¡± she asked, clearly trying to move on. Fortunately, Elijah was more than willing to describe ¨C in detail ¨C his coffee-making process. He even told her about Carmen¡¯s work on the wok. ¡°Aren¡¯t woks usually made from iron?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°It sounds like bronze, but these are magical metals here. Who knows what properties they have? Carmen¡¯s probably the highest-level cksmith in the world, so I trust that she knows what she¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°Does anyone really?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s easy to trust Carmen. She¡¯s had a rough go of it, but she¡¯s one of the strongest people I¡¯ve ever known.¡± Sadie nodded. ¡°Sounds like my sister.¡± Elijah recognized the name as the lone Song that had disappeared from the power rankings. That implied that the woman had died. ¡°Wait, so you did all of that just for coffee?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°You used something called a Miracle Seed. And that¡¯s what you did with it? Why not food? Or ¨C¡± ¡°I really wanted coffee, and I didn¡¯t think there was any other way I was going to get it anytime soon. It was probably a waste. I get that. But it seemed like a good idea at the time.¡± It really had, and like all his other projects, it had given him something to distract him from the realities of life on their transformed. Perhaps that wasn¡¯t worth much to someone like Sadie, but it was incredibly important to Elijah. Small pleasures like a good cup of coffee made everything easier. ¡°At least it gives a good buff,¡± Sadie said in what was probably as close to a ringing endorsement as she was likely to give. Elijah was just about to respond when he heard something that sent a chill up his spine. He¡¯d heard the same noise a hundred times as they¡¯d traversed the valley, so he easily recognized the sound of cascading shale. ¡°Something is out there,¡± he said, setting his own mug down and taking up his staff. Just then, there was an explosion of rock and gravel that nearly burst Elijah¡¯s eardrums. Book 5: Chapter 33: Down Below Book 5: Chapter 33: Down Below ¡°Behind me!¡± shouted Sadie, nting herself at the mouth of the cave. As the words left her mouth, she used her shielding ability, wrapping a glowing bulwark around her form. Her greatsword and armor gleamed in the light, though the illumination dissipated after only a few feet. Beyond that, only oppressive darknessy. Dat and Kurik shot to their feet and took up their positions, ready to deal ranged damage to whatever had caused the eruption. For his part, Elijah readied his staff and prepared a couple of heals. Meanwhile, he focused on the facet of his mind dedicated to One with Nature. However, despite feeling the site of the explosion, there was no culprit in evidence. All he felt was inanimate rock and ice. Then, what he¡¯d assumed was inanimate moved. Coils of ice and stone shifted, and a great worm burst forth from the ground. The explosion sent a shockwave tearing across the valley and into the cave, with sharp shards of shale riding alongside the ripple of air. Elijah flinched, hiding his exposed face from the projectiles, saving him from a few minor wounds. The same couldn¡¯t be said of Dat and Kurik, who were caughtpletely unaware. Sadie was predictably fine, with the rocks nging off her armor without causing any harm. Elijah cast Healing Rain, not willing to waste ethera on anything more powerful. ¡°It¡¯s a worm!¡± he yelled. ¡°Made of rock and ice.¡± That¡¯s when it struck, crashing into the cave with enough force to crack boulders. However, they were saved by theparatively small size of the cave. The rock worm¡¯s mouth was at least twenty feet across, so it couldn¡¯t get to them. Yet. But judging by the way the cave had shaken, it was only a matter of time before the monster tore through the suddenly flimsy-seeming rock. Moreover, Elijah finally got a good look at their assant. Or its circr mouth, at least. Lined with teeth that glittered like gemstones, it was quite an imposing sight. ¡°I am not getting digested again!¡± he growled, aiming his staff at the deepest part of the creature¡¯s mouth. Then, he let loose with Storm¡¯s Fury, sending a bolt of lightning out. It hit with the sound of cracking stone, showering Elijah and hispanions with a cascade of pebbles. But when the dust settled, his efforts had done little good. As far as he could tell, the worm¡¯s craggy mouth was entirely unharmed.The same was true after Dat and Kurik employed their own attacks, shooting crossbow bolts and arrows its way. They did less than Elijah¡¯s lightning, ttering off the rocky surface of the inside of the monster¡¯s mouth with no discernible effect. Sadie¡¯s sword did a little more damage, dislodging one of the glittering teeth, but that wasn¡¯t nearly as encouraging as it probably should have been. Because the monster had not remained idle. Instead, its teeth began to rotate, chipping the rock of the cave mouth away like the world¡¯srgest saw. ¡°This isn¡¯t working!¡± Elijah shouted after a couple of seconds of simrly terrible results. No one seemed to hear him over the cacophonous sound of rock grating against rock, but they¡¯d all seen the same thing. None of their abilities were suited to destroying stone. Perhaps if they¡¯d had ess to someone with fire abilities, they might¡¯ve melted the ice that seemed to hold the whole thing together. But they didn¡¯t, one of the downsides of having a less well-rounded group. The moment that realization hit him was when things got immeasurably worse. It exhaled, peppering them with a cloud of icicles that hit like bullets, digging into their flesh. Dat gasped in pain as one nced off his skull, while Kurik took a few in the chest. The sturdy dwarf remained on his feet, but Elijah could see blood gushing from the wounds. He used Soothe on the less-protected members of the party, ignoring the cuts he¡¯d sustained on his own face. Sadie had escaped mostly unscathed, though her armor bore a dozen new dents and scratches, hinting that it wouldn¡¯t hold up indefinitely. Byparison, Elijah¡¯s Armor of the Boar King was almost entirely unmarred, save for a couple of shallow grooves along the chest. Seeing that Soothe wasn¡¯t going to cut it, Elijah cast Nature¡¯s Bloom on Dat and Kurik, bringing them closer to full healthiness. Yet, the problem persisted. The worm hadn¡¯t gone anywhere, and judging by the increased fury of its efforts at sawing through the hill, it wasn¡¯t going to give up. So, Elijah cycled through his abilities, one by one. First, he used Swarm, but to no effect. The little tick-like insects he conjured were incapable of piercing through the monster¡¯s rocky flesh. Simrly, Cmity was ineffective, save for a spreading a few tiny cracks, simr to the results of Sadie¡¯s attacks. But then he used Nature¡¯s Rebuke.
Nature¡¯s Rebuke The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. Curse an entity to endure the power of nature, doing damage over time. Triple damage against unnatural creatures. Lasts two minutes.
The monster shuddered as the spell hit it, and to Elijah¡¯s surprise, it let out a screeching scream that spoke of pure agony. As the spell ripped through the apparently-unnatural creature, the ice holding it together melted. The rocks that formed the bulk of its body loosened, and bits stared to fall off. Obviously troubled by that ¨C at least inasmuch as something like that could be troubled ¨C the monster tried to retreat, pulling away from the cave and sliding beneath the ground. A few momentster, Elijah felt the telltale influx of experience that told him that they¡¯d managed to kill it. Elijah let out a deep breath. ¡°What happened? Why did it leave? How did it die?¡± demanded Sadie. ¡°That was me,¡± he answered. ¡°You killed that thing? Nothing we were doing even scratched it,¡± she countered. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Specialized spell.¡± Her eyes narrowed, clearly indicating that she wanted a more borate exnation. However, Elijah wasn¡¯t willing to give her one. She¡¯d gotten better ofte, but Elijah hadn¡¯t forgotten the way she had treated him in the beginning. Revealing all of his secrets to someone whose abilities screamed at her to hate him seemed like a stupid idea. ¡°What was that thing?¡± asked Dat. ¡°It seemed ¨C¡± At that moment, the cost of their victory became apparent when the ground copsed beneath them. One second, it was there, and the next, it all went tumbling down. If Elijah had had even a moment¡¯s warning, he would have shifted into Shape of the Sky, but as it was, he found himself falling before he could process what was happening. As it turned out, it was probably for the best that he didn¡¯t try to use his flight form, because even as he fell, the entire hill fell with him. For a second, Elijah fell through open air, but after only a few moments, he hit a sloped surface. As he skidded down the steep decline, huge rocks and clumps of dirt hit all around him. It was only by the grace of sheer luck that he wasn¡¯t immediately crushed. The same couldn¡¯t be said for hispanions. Sadie took a boulder head-on, and for the briefest of instants, Elijah thought she¡¯d died. But relief flooded through one facet of his mind as he realized ¨C via One with Nature ¨C that she¡¯d managed to activate a skill to protect her. Dat was clipped by a few rocks, but he seemed okay. Strangely, the one who was least impacted by thendslide was Kurik, who seemed to dance between the rocks as if he was a balletic geomancer. The awareness of his allies flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind as he fell down the slope. He could have stopped himself, but that would have let the wave of earth and rock catch up to him. So, he rode the momentum until he reached a yawning crevice, which he slipped through. That crack in the earth narrowed significantly, funneling him into a vertical shaft that eventually led to an expansive cave. Elijah fell through open air for a handful of seconds before, atst, he hit solid ground. He rolled, trying to avoid thendslide, but the funnel had prevented all but the smallest rocks. So, while getting hit by those shards of rock hurt, it wasn¡¯t life-threatening. Picking himself up from the ground, Elijah looked around for hispanions. He¡¯d felt them with One with Nature, but he wanted to see with his own two eyes that they were okay. Sadie was the first one he saw, but she was clearly the least injured. Her ss seemed to focus on Strength and Constitution, so if anyone was going to survive, it was her. Byparison, Dat was the worst off, having sustained a broken leg, a couple of shattered ribs, and a lung that had been punctured three times. Kurik had a couple of scrapes and some serious contusions, but he¡¯d survived intact as well. ¡°We¡¯re lucky,¡± Elijah said when the dust settled. He¡¯d gathered everyone into a tight clump so they could benefit from Healing Rain while he saw to Dat¡¯s more severe injuries. ¡°Do we know what happened?¡± ¡°Cave-in,¡± Kurik said. ¡°My has these big, burrowing insects. And every now and then, their tunnels get out of hand. Nobody knows they¡¯re even there until the ground falls out from under ¡®em. Looks like that¡¯s what happened here. That big worm¡¯s been digging ¡®round here for years. But when it came up to try to eat us, it probably upset the bnce. Then, it tried to go down too quick and everything fell apart.¡± That exnation made as much sense as anything else, though when Elijah looked around, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. The cave they¡¯d fallen into just didn¡¯t look right to him. too many straight lines. ¡°This isn¡¯t natural,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Something built this cave.¡± ¡°It may be the monsters the report spoke of,¡± Sadie pointed out. That was a distinct possibility. The scout had mentioned some giant, hairy bipeds, but from what Elijah had gathered, they were not sophisticated enough to have built any infrastructure. At best, they were like the orcs, who used tools and had a basic idea of a society, but were not advanced in any way. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but I don¡¯t have any other exnations.¡± While Elijah focused on healing, Sadie stood guard. Meanwhile, Kurik set out to scout the area. When he returned a few hourster, he looked troubled. ¡°It ain¡¯t good. It ain¡¯t good at all.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? What is it?¡± ¡°More of them worms, for one. Yetis, too, all marchin¡¯ ¡®round like they ain¡¯t monsters. Some of ¡®em are even wearin¡¯ armor and such. But that ain¡¯t the worst of it.¡± ¡°What is it? More monsters?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°It gets gods bedamned colder down there.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It ain¡¯t natural! It ought not be cold underground! It¡¯s a ce of fire and coziness!¡± Elijah grinned as he shook his head, and Dat let out a chuckle. Even Sadie snorted, though she tried to cover it up with a cough. ¡°You surface people don¡¯t know how it¡¯s s¡¯posed to work. That¡¯s all I¡¯ll say about that,¡± he growled, crossing his arms. After that, they continued to recuperate until, atst, Dat was entirely healed. That was when Elijah suggested that he check things out himself, saying that he had some experience with that sort of thing. ¡°In my second tower, I had to sneak around and kill a bunch of ogres. This might be simr.¡± The reality was that he wanted to get a better look at things so he could determine how tobat the situation. ¡°What about us?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°Trap up. Use my tent. Just stay safe for a couple of hours while I check things out.¡± ¡°You are not a scout,¡± Sadie stated. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m close enough. Remember ¨C I mostly fight alone. I¡¯ve been doing everything for a while now. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± She obviously wasn¡¯t thrilled about it, but for whatever reason, she chose not to make a big deal out of it. Elijah told himself that it was because she trusted his judgement. Whatever the case, when he got no further pushback, Elijah shifted into his draconid form and took off across the cavern. Once he was out of sight for a few seconds, he used Guise of the Unseen, then headed down the connecting tunnel. Book 5: Chapter 34: The Consequences of Hubris Book 5: Chapter 34: The Consequences of Hubris For Elijah, being underground was always a unique experience. He¡¯d visited a few caves before the World Tree had connected with Earth, and he¡¯d found that each time had filled him with a formless sense of unease. Mostly, his difort came from generalized ustrophobia, but it went a little deeper than that. More than once, Elijah had heard about people ¨C usually divers ¨C getting lost in caves and dying. Spelunking was a dangerous pastime, and one that Elijah had tried but never reallytched onto. Certainly, he¡¯d given it a try with his cultivation cave back home, but that was because Roots of the World Tree gave him a way out. If he hadn¡¯t had that teleportation spell at his disposal, he would have been far more cautious, and to the point where he likely wouldn¡¯t have tried it at all. There was more to it than simple fear of enclosed spaces, though. It was the istion of it all. The echoing sounds. The alien nature of the wildlife that called any cave home. That all coalesced into a general sense of foreboding that, with every step that separated him from the others, sent a new tremor of unease racing down his spine. Yet, he continued on, at least in part to prove to himself that he wasn¡¯t afraid. He also wanted to show the others that he was more than capable of doing things on his own. He was no Healer that needed to be protected. He was the highest-level person on Earth, and he desperately wanted to remind himself that he was more than just his team. That desire hadn¡¯te out of nowhere, either. He¡¯d felt it building ¨C alongside his frustration ¨C as he yed Healer. For a man who was ustomed to doing things on his own, being tied to a group and forced to pretend he was less capable than he was, pushed him into recklessness. So, even though it probably made more tactical sense for him to stay behind and let the dedicated scouts ¨C or rather, the less integral members of the party ¨C do their job, he¡¯d pushed to do it himself. Which was how Elijah had found himself trekking through an enormous cavern with no backup. He¡¯d already gone a couple of miles, but he had no intention of returning until he had something vital to report, some direction to provide. The caves beneath the tundra were even more frigid than the surface, but where it had been tantamount to a desert, the system of tunnels and caverns held a vibrant, if alien ecosystem that any biologist would find intriguing. Even Elijah, whose scientific curiosity was usually ovee by the apathy toward the minutiae associated with the profession, was incredibly interested. With that at the forefront of his mind, he leaned close to a delicate, blue-petaled flower that had a series of ice crystals at its center. It smelled like wintergreen, though with a tingling bite to the odor that was far stronger than the artificial scents with which Elijah was ustomed. There were hundreds of the flowers dotting the cavern he¡¯d only recently entered, and the trees ¨C as well as giant mushrooms ¨C were made primarily of ice. One with Nature told Elijah that they weren¡¯t actually trees, as he knew them. Rather, they were a series of vines that had formed a symbiotic rtionship with what he could only call living ice. Like that, they grew together to resemble the trees on the surface. Elijah had no idea how it all worked. There was no chance of photosynthesis, so he knew it was a wholly unique situation that would probably take years to fully understand. But one thing that was immediately apparent was that the forest of ice was absolutely breathtaking, and in a way few sights ever could be.The local beasts were odd, too. Most seemed to have formed simr rtionships with the living ice, giving the creatures a crystalline armor that gave off an aura of absolute cold. If he hadn¡¯t been wearing his Cloak of the Iron Bear, Elijah felt certain that he would have been driven to hypothermia, regardless of his high Constitution. So, perhaps it was best that the others hadn¡¯t apanied him on the scouting expedition. Gradually, he traversed the cavern, stopping more than once to inspect some marvel or another more closely. He didn¡¯t dare take too long, though. After all, he knew that the others were waiting on him. And if he didn¡¯t return in a reasonable amount of time, they would either write him off ore looking for him. Either one would assuredly result in someone getting hurt. Once he¡¯d satisfied his own curiosity, Elijah moved on, and for the next few hours, he saw simr sights as he explored the series of caves. In his draconid shape and with Essence of the Wolf spurring him on, he moved incredibly quickly. Even so, it took quite some time before he finally reached what looked like civilization. And he got his first look at the yeti. The creatures were tall ¨C averaging around nine feet, but ranging all the way up to fifteen ¨C with long limbs and gangly bodies that reminded Elijah of people with extreme cases of Marfan syndrome. They were also covered in shaggy white fur, with faces somewhere between what one would expect of a bear and a monkey. Most carriedrge clubs and wore poorly made chainmail shirts, coupled with kilts of thick leather. And they didn¡¯t lookfortable with it, either. But that might¡¯ve been their task at y, which included guarding a massive gate barring the mouth of another tunnel. As they stood before those huge, stone doors, which were carved with fanciful designs Elijah didn¡¯t recognize, the yetis fidgeted, scratched, and barked at one another. In short, they acted like easily distractible children who¡¯d been given a job they neither wanted nor cared about. The ones who came through that gate were far more troubling, though. They were the same species, though they held themselves with far more discipline. Their armor was higher quality, too, and it reminded Elijah of the ogre guards back in the Reaver¡¯s Citadel. However, where the ogres¡¯ equipment was made of lusterless ck metal that looked like cast iron, the yetis wore silvery gear that shone with white light. They carried no weapons, though. Elijah followed the silver-armored yetis through the cavern abutting the gate, but he quickly surmised that they were tasked with patrolling the area, which was far more extensive than he could have guessed. The patrol eventually led Elijah to the most expansive cavern yet, and when he beheld it, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a small gasp of awe. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Fields stretched as far as he could see. He didn¡¯t recognize the crops, but they followed the same theme he¡¯d seen in the subterranean forests. Because of that, the fields glittered blue and white, and what¡¯s more, the ambient ethera in the area was the densest he¡¯d felt since leaving the grove. The crops were natural treasures, each and every one of them. Not high-grade, to be sure. In fact, they were simr to his grove berries. However, Elijah would never mistake the way they made him feel. Yet, they stillcked some ineffable something that he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on. It was like they were natural treasures, and yet, they weren¡¯t at the same time. Regardless, the fields were an absolute gold mine, and one that, by its artificial nature, Elijah had no issues in stripping bare. He would leave naturally urring treasures alone, save to cultivate in their presence. But these? They had clearly been nted, and so, he had no qualms with using them for his own purposes. Complicating that resolution was the presence of dozens of armed and armored yetis, not including the patrol. So, he couldn¡¯t do it alone. Nor would it be an easy project, even with the others. Still, it was a grand discovery, and one he was eager to exploit for his own gain. So, it was a little difficult to tear himself away and return to what he was certain was the true goal of the challenge. The gate. Getting through there was the first task, he was sure. After that, who knew what the challenge would entail? For a moment, Elijah considered going back and making a n of attack. There were only four guards, and they weren¡¯t the most intimidating sort. Sure, they were powerful enough. Elijah could see that much. But they could be manipted and ovee. So, getting past them didn¡¯t seem all that difficult. Which meant that it was only a few seconds before Elijah decided that if it wasn¡¯t that hard, then he should just do it himself. The more information he brought back to his allies, the better. He crept closer, moving an inch at a time. Even though he trusted his draconid form¡¯s camouging trait as well as Guise of the Unseen, he stayed low to the ground. Slithering ever closer, he strained his senses to keep track of the yetis. They didn¡¯t even seem to be paying attention, but that didn¡¯t mean they were entirely unaware. So, he took every caution as he positioned himself to dart through the gate the next time it opened. He only had to wait about thirty more minutes until one of the patrols returned. Elijah had counted four that had left, but he couldn¡¯t distinguish well enough between the yetis to recognize if it was one of the groups he¡¯d seen or if it was one that had already been out and about. Regardless, their return represented a perfect chance to slip inside. So, once they passed him by, Elijah followed. That was his first mistake, though he didn¡¯t know it. His second was forgetting a lesson he¡¯d learned in the Reaver¡¯s Citadel. Just because there were no defenses he could see didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t there. And finally, he made the error of overconfidence. All three mistakes coalesced into a single moment as he crossed the threshold of the gate and Guise of the Unseen was stripped away. More distressingly, the patrol reacted with what had to be a practiced maneuver, spreading out and surrounding him even as the gate nged shut to Elijah¡¯s rear. He was trapped. Exposed. And staring at a half-dozen armored yetis. Elijah reacted instantly, and in a way he hoped would surprise the patrol. He rushed forward, pushing himself to speeds he rarely reached. He was on the closest yeti in an instant, and after activating Venom Strike, he raked his ws across the creature¡¯s exposed face. The attacknded, and even as his weight bore the yeti to the ground, he dashed past it. Or at least he tried to. The yetis had something to say about that, as evidenced by the enormous icicles that erupted from the ground and pierced Elijah through the stomach. He hissed in agony as it ripped through his organs, but if a little pain ¨C or grievous injury ¨C was enough to stop him, he¡¯d have long since died. He tore himself free, injuring himself further along the way, and sprinted down the spacious hall. Blood flowed freely as more icicles sprouted in his wake. But as surprised as they clearly were, the yetis were unprepared for his speed. He barreled down the hall, then, as he turned a corner, he slid across the floor and crashed into the wall. Quickly righting himself, he used his ws for traction as he continued to flee. The yetis mbered after him, their footsteps heavy and the rattle of their armor echoing through the hall. Elijah paid it no heed as he continued to sprint away. He was losing a lot of blood, though. And he knew he was leaving a trail a child could follow. So, the first task on his to-do list was to find somewhere he shift into his human form and heal. After that, he could slip back into Guise of the Unseen and, hopefully, find a way to escape. n in mind, he continued down the hall, barely seeing the in, brutalist architecture. He turned at random, trusting his faceted mind to keep track of the area. But for the longest time, he found nothing. Just an endlessbyrinth of identical halls. However, when he outpaced the yeti patrol, he took a moment to stop, shift back into his caster form, and mend the wounds he¡¯d sustained. Or at least stop the bleeding. Full healing would take a little more time than he could afford. For now, getting rid of the blood trail was the most important aspect. Once that was done, he resumed his flight, sprinting down the halls until, atst, he felt Essence of the Wolf kick in. That told him that Guise of the Unseen was once again avable, so he embraced it. But nothing happened. It was only the third time the ability had failed him, and it was a perfect example of just how much he didn¡¯t know about the multi-verse. Clearly, some ability or enchantment was at y, though he had no idea which. Nor did he know how it must have worked. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was absolutely out of his depth. Not for the first time, he came to realize just how dangerous hubris could be. Such thoughts were not productive, though. He would remember them in the future, but for now, he needed to figure out how to survive his current situation. With that goal in mind, he came to the conclusion that he only had two options, neither of which were optimal. First, he could try to find somewhere to hide. Eventually, the patrol would lose interest, and he¡¯d be free to explore a little more freely. That came with the obvious issue that he¡¯d have to do so without Guise of the Unseen to mask his presence. Which led him to the second option ¨C fighting his way free, then returning to the gate with hispanions and mounting a full, frontal assault. Because one thing was made clear by the notification he¡¯d received the moment he¡¯d crossed the threshold:
You have reached the The Frozen Fortress. To conquer the Challenge of Pruina, destroy the betrayer. Reward: Trunk of the Frozen Oak
Elijah nced around, then shifted back into his human form beforepleting the healing process. After that, he rolled his shoulders and braced himself to meet the yeti patrol. Book 5: Chapter 35: Yeti Patrol Book 5: Chapter 35: Yeti Patrol Elijah loped through the halls without even attempting to conceal his presence. With the restrictions upon Guise of the Unseen, it wouldn¡¯t have done any good, which meant that he had no choice but to meet the challenge head-on. However, that didn¡¯t mean he intended to rampage through the lower levels of the Ice Fortress like some mad beast. No ¨C his goal was simple. He needed to escape through the gate, and once he was outside the fortress, reestablish his stealth before returning to hispanions. Because as strong as he thought he was, Elijah¡¯s situation made him well aware of his own limitations. He¡¯d fought ¨C and lost ¨C enough battles to recognize that he couldn¡¯t face off against an army of armored yetis. He could make a good showing, and he¡¯d definitely take his pound of flesh along the way. But he would eventually lose. That was one of his issues. He was self-sustaining enough for most situations, and if he was free to use all of his abilities, he could aplish miraculous things. However, he couldn¡¯t do everything at once. For instance, he could take quite a lot of damage ¨C and dish it out ¨C in hismer ape form, but outside of Guardian¡¯s Renewal, with its oppressive cooldown, he waspletely incapable of healing himself. Simr limitations gued his other forms, like the draconid¡¯s inability to take a hit or the Shape of the Sky¡¯s generalck ofbat ability. Ironically, his most well-rounded form was his natural one. As a human, he could cast damaging spells, heal, and help control the battlefield. Yet, itcked the punch of more focused purpose. All of that was a long way of saying that, with proper preparation, Elijah could meet a wide variety of needs. However, that didn¡¯t make him invincible ¨C a fact of which he had be very much aware. So, as he stomped through the halls in hismer ape form, his intentions were not to fight. Rather, his n came down to the simple strategy of rushing his enemies and relying on surprise, ferocity, and his immense durability so he could burst through their lines and escape. If his n failed, he would readjust and adapt to whatever situation presented itself. With that in mind, he ran down the wide hall, barely noticing the ice gathered where wall met ceiling. There wasn¡¯t much to say about the architecture. It was square and brutal, with little attention paid to artistic flourish. It was fitting for a facility with the word fortress in its name. Even though Elijah made no further attempts at stealth, he didn¡¯t run headlong into danger. Instead, he kept an eye on One with Nature, hoping that he would get a small warning before he shed with the enemy. That caution yed out well when he sensed the patroling from around a corner hundreds of feet away. Elijah stopped, shifted back into his human form, then cast Swarm. One thing he¡¯d discovered over the years was that One with Nature gave him a distinct advantage when it came to casting. He didn¡¯t need to see his enemies in order to aim, instead relying on the sense granted by that ability to guide his spells. Even as Swarm manifested a horde of small, glittering insects that looked like wasps, Elijah cast Cmity. Wind rushed down the hall, howling like a freight train. The yetis braced for impact, but their footing was entirely spoiled by the shaking earth. They shed and nged against one another, and Elijah added to that confusion by casting a couple of instances of Storm¡¯s Fury. He didn¡¯t channel it through his staff, which was impossible from his position of concealment, so itcked the punch it usually did. However, with the creatures all wearing silvery metal ¨C which turned out to be a great conductor ¨C the lightning pushed the yetis¡¯ panic to new levels.That was when Elijah cast Soothe before returning to hismer ape form. The moment the transformationpleted, he bunched his legs, extended his long arms, then sprang into an easy, four-limbed lope. As soon as he turned the corner, he employed every point of Strength he had at his disposal, charging forward with all the speed he could muster. Distracted by Elijah¡¯s other spells, the yetis never had a chance to prepare for the collision. He crashed into the first, hitting it with a shoulder tackle that mmed it against a wall. It was a great start, and Elijah followed it up with a vicious overhand blow that managed to dent the creature¡¯s silver helmet. But that was when his luck ran out. The second he made contact, the creature sprouted a thousand jagged ridges of ice that were sharp enough to cut through even Elijah¡¯s durable scales. The resultantcerations were shallow, and they certainly wouldn¡¯t slow Elijah down. But the implications were clear. The yetis were powerful enough to hurt him, even in hismer ape form. That fact became even more apparent when something ¨C he btedly realized it was a club ¨C crashed into his ribs. More, he felt something else digging into him. Something that spread numbing cold wherever it touched. And given that Elijah had made sure to keep Ward of the Elements active, the fact that he could feel that much of an effect told him just how powerful his opponents were. If he hadcked that increased resistance, he had no doubts that it would have been crippling. Even with it, the numbing cold made him feel lethargic and slow, which was far more concerning than a couple of bruised ribs. Heshed out with a backhand that smashed into the ice-covered club that had hit him, sending it wide and knocking its owner off-bnce. Elijah used that momentum to whip around and throw himself into the line of yetis that had recovered enough to surround him. They howled as one, closing in for an attack. A secondter, ice erupted from the ground, mming into Elijah¡¯s feet and lower legs. However, hismer ape form was far more durable than the draconid shape, so the jagged shards of ice only scratched his scales. He was more concerned with the series of clubs screaming at him from every direction. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Elijah¡¯s mind cleared. He¡¯d once again let his bestial instincts take over, and because of that, he¡¯d almost forgotten his n, abandoning it in favor of battling it out with the yeti patrol. It was a losing strategy, even with Guardian¡¯s Renewal. Making that absolutely clear was the fact that, despite his first attack harnessing every ounce of power he could muster, he¡¯d done little more than stun the armored yeti. Even after only a second, it had already begun to recover. That, coupled with the fact that there were five other creatures howling for his blood, and Elijah knew he¡¯d worn out his wee. More, he¡¯d lost the element of surprise, which would make his escape that much more difficult. Pushing his boiling rage to its own facet, Elijah focused on what mattered. And that wasn¡¯t the fury that came from being challenged. Quarantined in that facet, his anger mounted, railing against the audacity of any creature who challenged his dominance. Elijah ignored it. Instead, he let loose a mighty roar, then leaped toward the ceiling, avoiding the clubsing his way. Thirty feet up, he mmed his w into the icy stone, carving a tenuous handhold. It wouldn¡¯tst for very long. Instantly, the stone beneath his grip had begun to crumble. Yet, that was enough. Elijah used Shape of the Sky. The hall was only barely wide enough to amodate his wingspan, but that was all he needed. The idea was simple, and it was based on the lesson in air superiority he¡¯d learned from those nasty birds who lived around the Singing Cliffs. Besides, the Shape of the Sky was his fastest form, and he needed to beat a quick retreat if he intended to survive. With that in mind, he felt his body shift its shape, and just before the transformationpleted, he let go of his precarious handhold. He dropped only a couple of inches before he let loose a powerful beat of his wings, keeping him aloft. The yetis were too stunned to react quickly, and so, Elijah had a moment to m his talons into the wall andunch himself down the hall. It was close. But the hall was just wide and tall enough to let him use flight to his advantage, and he screamed down the corridor, quickly leaving the stunned yeti patrol behind. When he reached a corner, the only way he could turn without losing too much speed was to m into the wall, talons-first, then use it to redirect. The maneuver was painful, but no more so thannding. Over the next few minutes, he sped through the halls, passing three more patrols along the way. But thanks to his studious mapping of his route, which he¡¯d pushed into one facet of his mind, Elijah had no issues finding the right path. And thest thing any of the patrols expected was an enormous dragon-bird flying through their halls. So, Elijah soon found himself approaching the gate. But that presented its own problem, chiefly that the aforementioned dragon-bird probably wouldn¡¯t be able to open a gate the normal way. And indeed, there were assuredly guards in ce to prevent him from simply walking up and leaving the fortress behind. So, in characteristically bombastic fashion, Elijah pushed himself to speeds that, if his body wasn¡¯t perfectly equipped for the stress, would have turned his stomach. Fortunately, the final stretch of hall featured a long straightaway, which allowed Elijah to reach something approaching his top velocity. And as he¡¯d expected, there were guards there. He¡¯d noticed a few on his way in, but it seemed that they¡¯d increased the number to an even dozen. Two squads. Fortunately, they weren¡¯t the heavily armored yetis thatprised the patrols. Instead, they were the chainmail-wearing variants, which suggested that they were both lower level and far less durable. Elijah meant to put that to the test. Mid-air, and moving faster than he wanted to consider, Elijah initiated the transformation into hismer ape form. He lost a bit of speed, but that was to be expected. Regardless, inertia existed even on an excised world, and Elijah¡¯s velocity only dipped a little before he hit the gate with all the force a couple thousands pounds of dragon-ape-lizard moving at more than a hundred miles an hour could bring to bear. One of the guards was unlucky enough to find himself in Elijah¡¯s path, and its eyes widened only slightly before it was crushed. Bones shattered, and blood spurted from a hundred spontaneously appearing wounds. But Elijah didn¡¯t have any time to notice that. Instead, the whole of his attention was upied by the horrendous pain of mming into the gate. A cacophonous sound erupted from the point of impact as the heavy stone doors were wrenched from their hinges. But it was a testament to their construction that they didn¡¯t shatter. Nor did they explode into a million shards of stone. Instead, they only moved a few feet, and even that was like shoving against a mountain. Elijah, byparison, was in much worse shape. Perhaps he¡¯d been going much faster than he¡¯d thought. Or maybe hismer ape from wasn¡¯t quite as durable as he¡¯d been led to believe. Whatever the case, even with Iron Scales active, he felt his shoulder wrench out of socket and his cor bone shatter. More importantly, he felt a couple of his internal organs rupture under the immense impact. But that should have been the expectation, given that he¡¯d just turned himself into a living wrecking ball. That had also resulted in quite the concussion, and his mind struggled to catch up to the situation. Even as Elijah rolled to a stop outside the gate, the yetis recovered their wits and closed in on him. And there were even more outside. Knowing that there was no chance of outrunning them if he didn¡¯t take advantage of the brief surprise of his exit, Elijah used Guardian¡¯s Renewal. It wasn¡¯t ideal. As his body repaired itself, he knew that much. However, he just didn¡¯t have time to shift into his human form and wait for his healing spells to take effect. Even Nature¡¯s Bloom wouldn¡¯t be instant, and anything less than that would probably get him killed. Hammering that home was another eruption of icy spikes that managed to pierce his scales from below. The slight injuries they left behind were quickly taken care of by the ongoing healing from Guardian¡¯s Renewal, and a momentter, Elijah was as good as new. He used that to fuel a great leap that took him over the yetis¡¯ heads and saw himnding a dozen feet behind the closing ring of guards. He hit the ground running, and given that he only had to go in a straight line, the incredibly strong guardian form could propel him to great speeds. Not as fast as the Shape of the Sky, which moved even more quickly than its attributes would suggest, but still very fast. Elijah left the yetis behind, racing through the tunnels and caverns as he made his way back to where he¡¯d left hispanions. Once he was out of sight, he shifted into his draconid form and adopted Guise of the Unseen. It had worked perfectly well outside of the fortress, so he had every reason to once again rely upon it. And his faith in the skill was well-founded, because he remained undetected as he crossed miles of tunnels until, atst, he reached their campsite. So, even though he appeared unharmed, Elijah returned with his tail tucked between his legs. He¡¯d made a fool of himself. He¡¯d been far too confident, and that had nearly gotten him killed. What¡¯s worse, he¡¯d been forced to use the ace up his sleeve, and as a result, Guardian¡¯s Renewal wouldn¡¯t be avable again for almost a week. But he was alive. And he¡¯d learned a lesson about humility. Hopefully, it would stick. Book 5: Chapter 36: A More Measured Approach Book 5: Chapter 36: A More Measured Approach ¡°Yeti patrol sounds like a sick band name, bro,¡± Dat said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. ¡°Like death metal or something.¡± ¡°After everything I just said, that¡¯s your takeaway? I just admitted to doing something incredibly stupid,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I could have gotten everyone here killed. And you¡¯re talking about band names?¡± Dat shrugged. ¡°Seems like the most important part,¡± he answered. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re friends. When friends make mistakes, we don¡¯t browbeat them into submission. We listen. We acknowledge it. And if that friend doesn¡¯t take steps to mitigate those mistakes in the future, then we start getting a little more insistent.¡± Coming from Dat, it was a surprisingly insightfulment. Though Elijah had begun to suspect that Dat wasn¡¯t quite as simple as he seemed at first nce. From his conversations, he knew that the Witch Hunter had gone to a fairly prestigious university, getting great marks along the way. Perhaps he should have refrained from judging the proverbial book by its cover. ¡°And you?¡± Elijah asked, looking at Sadie. ¡°People make mistakes. Just don¡¯t make the same ones over and over again.¡± ¡°To err is human, bro.¡± ¡°Bein¡¯ damn stupid is human too, apparently,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again.¡± Elijah sighed, then rubbed the back of his neck. He had expected them to be a lot angrier ¨C or at least less forgiving of his blunder. Yet, they¡¯d all chosen to take the high road. It was more surprising than he expected it to be. Maybe it was because they truly did need him, and they didn¡¯t want topromise their chances of gaining more rewards from the challenges. After all, they probably couldn¡¯t ovee the obstacles in their way without his help.But maybe they truly were developing a friendship. Given the way things had started, Elijah wouldn¡¯t have thought it was possible. Clearly, they were far more understanding than most would have been in their situation. In any case, Elijah had neither the time nor the inclination to examine it further. Instead, he wanted to concentrate on the task at hand. Getting into the fortress would doubtless prove incredibly difficult, and that was nothingpared to what he expected to encounter once they were inside. ¡°There are hundreds of yetis in there,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And they¡¯re powerful, too. The lower-level ones are dangerous, but the ones we¡¯re really going to have to worry about are the ones wearing te armor. They¡¯re strong enough to do some real damage, and they can take my best shot and keep on going. On top of that, they have this ability that spreads cold on every attack. I could handle it, but I think Ward of the Seasons and my equipment helped mitigate the effect.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have fancy equipment like that,¡± said Kurik. ¡°I¡¯m more durable than you are,¡± Sadie said. ¡°So, I can take whatever they have to dish out. For the others, we¡¯ll just have to y our roles and avoid getting hit.¡± With that, she fixed her gaze on Dat, of all people. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, bro. I don¡¯t pull aggro.¡± ¡°I hate it when you use those gaming terms,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Even if they are appropriate. And yes, you do. Did you forget about that time with the rot abomination?¡± ¡°Uh¡­that was a one-time thing.¡± ¡°And the spindle golem?¡± ¡°A two-time thing?¡± She sighed. ¡°My point is that you need to watch it. That¡¯s it. Be careful. You know my abilities only go so far, and Elijah¡¯s healing isn¡¯t instant. One wrong move, and¡­I just¡­just be careful, okay? Don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Dat said. ¡°I think we might have another option,¡± Elijah said. He¡¯d been thinking about their predicament quite a lot, and he thought he¡¯d stumbled upon an approach that would prove a lot safer than a frontal assault. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°It¡¯s pretty simple, really,¡± Elijah began. Then, he went on to exin everything he¡¯d found along the way. Most importantly, he focused on the fields of natural treasures he¡¯d stumbled upon. ¡°I think they¡¯re pretty valuable ¨C enough so that if we start messing with them, the yetis will be forced to respond.¡± That supposition was based on two things. First was the feeling Elijah got from the treasures, which were strong enough to suggest immense cumtive value. Anyone who had gone to all the trouble of cultivating such crops would surely go to great lengths to protect them. That brought Elijah to the second reason, which was based on a more observable fact. The yetis routinely sent their most powerful warriors to patrol the area surrounding the fields, a fact which supported the idea that they wanted to keep those crops safe. So, putting them in danger would surely elicit a strong response. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°That seems logical,¡± Sadie said. ¡°But what do you want to do?¡± ¡°Traps,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Lots and lots of traps. I think we should kill all the yetis in the area, then put traps at all the entrances. And in the fields. Everywhere we can, actually. When those armored yetise to investigate, they¡¯ll get a big surprise.¡± ¡°This ain¡¯t what bein¡¯ a trapper is s¡¯posed to be about,¡± Kurik grumbled. ¡°What? This is exactly what it¡¯s about,¡± Elijah said. Dat agreed, adding, ¡°It might be the only way, bro.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t like it. Not one bit,¡± Kurik said, rolling a pebble between his fingers. ¡°You all don¡¯t know it, but my ss has a bit of a history to it.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t even know the name of your ss,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ve just been thinking of you as a trapper.¡± Kurik let out a harshugh. ¡°Would that was true,¡± he said with a shake of his head. ¡°But no. I ain¡¯t no true trapper. My ss is called Sapper, and it ain¡¯t meant for huntin¡¯ and wilderness survival. It¡¯s meant for war, and not the noble sort. When a Sapperes ¡®round, that¡¯s when things start gettin¡¯ messy. Which is why I don¡¯t go ¡®round crowin¡¯ about it. We ain¡¯t got the best reputations.¡± ¡°Then why¡¯d you take it?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Best option I had. Sappers ain¡¯t well-liked, but they are respected. If my n hadn¡¯t been banished, I would¡¯ve had a good life. Lots of opportunities. Lots of death. I was okay with that when I picked the ss, but afterin¡¯ here, I thought I¡¯d get the chance to do somethin¡¯ else. Maybe move my ss away from the war part and into somethin¡¯¡­I don¡¯t know. Guess that pit¡¯s been dug, though.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between what your ss does and a trapper?¡± ¡°Trappers ain¡¯t tryin¡¯ to kill so much as catch. Some of ¡®em are even gentle ¡®bout it. They want the pelts intact, right? So they trap. Then, they kill without leavin¡¯ a mark. Don¡¯t work so well on smart creatures like dwarves and such. But a Sapper? We ain¡¯t s¡¯posed to care ¡®bout none of that. We kill in as efficient a way as possible, no matter how gruesome. We¡¯re there to ughter whole armies,¡± Kurik exined. ¡°And if there ain¡¯t another Sapper ¨C or worse, a gods bedamned War Engineer ¨C to counter us, we¡¯ll do just that. The only problem is that we need protection. We ain¡¯t built for fightin¡¯ as such.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen you fight, bro.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡®cause I¡¯m special,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°I don¡¯t get to just sit back and let an army protect me, do I? No I don¡¯t. I got to get in there and y Ranger, too.¡± He scratched his beard. ¡°The point is that I ain¡¯t too happy ¡®bout this n. But I don¡¯t see no other way, either. We¡¯re here, and we ain¡¯t gettin¡¯ back topside without goin¡¯ through that fortress. So, if killin¡¯ is what we need, then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. Just don¡¯te cryin¡¯ at me when you see what that means.¡± Elijah nodded, and though Dat clearly wanted to know more, he remained silent as well. Sadie just narrowed her eyes, though she didn¡¯t voice her disapproval. Despite Kurik¡¯s mixed feelings about his ss ¨C or the sort of carnage it could create ¨C Elijah couldn¡¯t help but think that the Sapper sounded like precisely what they needed. What¡¯s more, Kurik had gained more levels than anyone else since the Trial began, so he had a couple of new abilities he could bring to bear. Regardless, as Kurik had pointed out, moral quandaries aside, they didn¡¯t have much of a choice in the matter. They couldn¡¯t fight an army head-on, especially when said force wasposed of such powerful members. They needed to use every tool at their disposal, and it just so happened that Kurik¡¯s skillset was exactly what they required. But even then, it was no easy task ahead of them. Simple, sure. But easy? Definitely not. Still, it was nice to have some notion of how they were going to ovee the challenges ahead of them. So, they resolved to rest for another day ¨C letting themotion Elijah had already caused fade from the yetis¡¯ minds ¨C while they prepared for the task at hand. Kurik, in particr, spent a lot of time sketching traps in a small notebook he kept with him. All the while, he kept muttering about ack of proper tools. Even so, when the next day dawned ¨C at least as far as they could tell without a means of telling time ¨C they were all as prepared as they were going to get. For his part, Elijah spent most of the time cultivating ¨C because, after feeling the dense ethera surrounding those natural treasures, he felt positive that he could use them to create something akin to his cultivation cave back home. Perhaps it would even be better, though he doubted that much. In any case, he was eager to get started, and he hoped that by the time he finished making a proper space, he would have some insight into how to push himself to the next tier of Mind cultivation. Soon enough, they found themselves trekking through the various tunnels and caverns. When the others saw the forests of ice trees and other vegetation, they were suitably impressed. However, tempering that excitement was the biting cold for which none of them had any real defense, aside from Ward of the Seasons, which only served to somewhat mitigate it. It slowed their reflexes and made them lethargic, but a steady dose of Soothe helped to keep the worst of it at bay. Regardless, everyone in the party was eager to finish the challenge and move on to the next. Except Elijah, of course. He could have spent weeks in those caves trying to figure out how the various pieces of the ecosystem fit together. The ice that suffused everything was a curious material. It wasn¡¯t alive, and yet, it had some characteristics that said it was. It didn¡¯t make sense, but Elijah didn¡¯t have time to study it. And even if he had, he was self-aware enough to recognize that he didn¡¯t have the patience for true experimentation or observation. He¡¯d inevitably lose interest after a short while, so it was probably best that there were more pressing concerns. Eventually, they reached the fields and, predictably, had their first sh with the armored yeti patrols. It went much better than Elijah¡¯s first encounter, but that wasn¡¯t to say that it was entirely smooth, either. If anything, the creatures were even stronger than he¡¯d first suspected, and the patrol pushed Elijah and his group to the brink of what they could handle. But they emerged victorious, and once the threat had been seen to, they got to work implementing the n. Kurik was the keyponent, but everyone pitched in, digging pits and gathering materials meant to construct the traps. Along the way, they were forced to fight two more patrols. ¡°It¡¯s getting shorter,¡± Elijah said, wiping his arm across his forehead. ¡°The intervals between patrols, I mean. I think they know something¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°Then work faster,¡± Kurik growled. Sadie added, ¡°He¡¯s right. We need to get this done far more quickly.¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re telling you to shut up and work, bro.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°Yeah. I caught that.¡± Then, he went back to digging a trench, a process that wasplicated by the fact that the ground was mostlyposed of stone. Fortunately, his Strength was up to the task, even if the pickaxe Kurik had given him was wearing out at a rapid pace. In any case, they¡¯d aplished so much already, and they only had a little more to go before they created yet another Killin¡¯ Field. Hopefully, they¡¯d get everything done before the yetis truly descended upon them. Book 5: Chapter 37: A Sappers Burden Book 5: Chapter 37: A Sapper''s Burden ¡°I wish it didn¡¯t have to be this way,¡± said Kurik, his eyes downcast. Elijah understood the dwarf¡¯s emotions,rgely because he had aplicated rtionship with killing as well. He¡¯d wrestled with the realities of his own actions often enough to know that he couldn¡¯t really say much that Kurik probably hadn¡¯t told himself a hundred times over. Still, he owed it to the dwarf to try. After all, they werepanions, weren¡¯t they? On the verge of bing friends. That came with certain responsibilities. ¡°It¡¯s necessary,¡± he said, gazing out over the fields. It was easy to see those crops asmodities ¨C which they were ¨C but Elijah saw them as more than that. They¡¯d been grown with the purpose of being consumed, but that didn¡¯t make them any less deserving of life than any other natural creature. It reminded him a bit of how livestock was treated before Earth had been touched by the World Tree, save that he knew those nts were incapable of feeling pain. If they had been, he might have found himself unable to go through with his n of harvesting everyst crop. ¡°We came here,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Not the other way ¡®round. We¡¯re the aggressors. They was just sittin¡¯ here mindin¡¯ their own business until we came along.¡± ¡°I¡­I know.¡± Elijah wanted to believe they were in the right, and in that desire, his mind kept ying tricks on him. There was a sliver of thought telling him that the yetis had made the first move, but that just wasn¡¯t true, was it? He¡¯de barreling into their fortress, and they¡¯d reacted. Would things have turned out differently if he¡¯d approached in peace? Probably not. They didn¡¯t seem like the weing types, and what¡¯s more, the challenge assigned to them was very clear about the terms ofpletion.
You have reached the The Frozen Fortress. To conquer the Challenge of Pruina, destroy the betrayer. Reward: Trunk of the Frozen Oak
As he hadn¡¯t gotten the notification until entering the fortress, Elijah was the only one to have seen that they were tasked with destroying the betrayer. That didn¡¯t seem like a peaceful mission to him. ¡°I ain¡¯t losin¡¯ my nerve,¡± Kurik said. ¡°But just ¡®cause I know it¡¯s necessary don¡¯t mean I have to be happy ¡®bout it.¡± Elijah nodded, though he didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he remembered that when they¡¯d first met, Kurik was fairly low-leveled. That wasn¡¯t umon in Ironshore, which was home to a bunch of desperate castoffs who had, for various reasons, been denied opportunities elsewhere. But with Kurik¡¯s skills, he should have had aparatively easy time leveling. It would have been difficult getting started, but with the skills he had disyed sinceing to the Trial, he could have engaged in mass ughter. That he hadn¡¯t said a lot about who he was. ¡°Do you regret taking that ss?¡± Elijah asked. Kurik shrugged his broad shoulders. ¡°Dunno. Sometimes,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°A lot of times, if I¡¯m honest with myself. Killin¡¯ shouldn¡¯t be so easy.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The dwarf let out a rumbling sigh. ¡°I ain¡¯t gonna dwell on it, though. I got a strong ss. Ain¡¯t everybody can say as much. And I can do some good, too. Me ¡®n some of the crafters back in Ironshore are workin¡¯ together to make sure nothin¡¯ like the battle with the orcs ever happens again. I can save folks. That¡¯s better¡¯n most can say.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t think we¡¯d have a chance here without you,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That ain¡¯t true. You three are different. You¡¯d have found a way,¡± Kurik responded with a shake of his head. ¡°And ¡®sides, who else gets to see stuff like this, eh? How much do ya think it¡¯s all worth?¡± Elijah nced around. ¡°I have no idea. My concept of prices is shaky at best,¡± he admitted. ¡°But a lot. I¡¯m not thinking about it like that, though. I want to create a cultivation cave here. Maybe I can take a few home, too. Nerthus can probably do some amazing things with these nts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably true.¡± After that, the two went silent. Presumably, Kurik was still wrestling with what was about to happen, while Elijah was focused on his ns for future cultivation. He still hadn¡¯t figured out how to push his Mind to Jade, but he felt like he was getting closer. It was just a matter of trying different methods ¨C like splitting his Mind into even more facets, which had predictably resulted in a blinding headache ¨C before he came upon one with promise. Idly, he found himself wondering if the people in other parts of the multi-verse had simr issues. Or was their cultivation guided every step of the way? A little information went a long way, and even a hint or two would have made all the difference for Elijah. However, because of the dearth of Librarians back on Earth ¨C as well as their low level ¨C information was at a premium. Maybe it was a good thing, though. Finding his own way gave him a level of insight he never would have gotten if someone had just mapped it out for him. He felt that he knew his Mind better now than he had even a few weeks before, which he hoped would prove invaluable going forward. ¡°Know thyself,¡± he muttered under his breath. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. After a few more minutes, Dat jogged to their position at the center of the fields. They¡¯d killed the handful of yeti farmers that had been tasked with tending to the crops ¨C only after the creatures had proved too dangerous to simply restrain ¨C and Dat had been sent to scout the locations of the inevitable yeti patrols. ¡°They¡¯reing,¡± he said, slowing to a stop. Despite being such a big guy, Dat was incredibly light on his feet, and he¡¯d be even more so after taking the Seed of the Whistling Wind. The increase in Dexterity had definitely gone to good use. ¡°A lot of them, too. I stopped counting after the tenth group.¡± That meant there were more than sixty powerful yetis, each one armored in extremely durable te,ing their way. If Kurik¡¯s traps didn¡¯t thin their numbers ¨C or at least injure them ¨C then they would be in big trouble. Sadie, who¡¯d been meditating nearby, suddenly rose and said, ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I agree with Elijah. This is necessary. There is no evil in what we n to do.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need nobody to tell me what¡¯s evil and what ain¡¯t,¡± Kurik said. ¡°I¡¯ve squared it with myself. Just a bit ofinin¡¯ is all. Pay it no mind.¡± That wasn¡¯t necessarily true. It wasn¡¯t as simple as Kurik imed, and Elijah knew that the dwarf was in the middle of an existential criss. But Elijah had no intentions of arguing about someone else¡¯s feelings. If Kurik wanted to minimize it, then that was his prerogative. Regardless, the others epted the Sapper¡¯s exnation at face value, and the group moved to the prepared position. They didn¡¯t have the numbers to guard every entrance to the cavern, so after building enough traps to kill an army, they¡¯d prepared a location where they would make theirst stand. If everything went well, then only a few yetis would ever make it there, but that didn¡¯t mean they¡¯d skimped on the preparations. As they¡¯d done atop the Singing Cliffs, they¡¯d built a series of earthen bulwarks. This time, though, they¡¯d also created a raised position within that ring of piled dirt, all with the hopes of maintaining the high ground. And given the size of the yetis, they¡¯d had to build their defenses to match. The result was a thirty-foot-high pyramid standing in the middle of the fields. It was rough, and it certainly wouldn¡¯t rival the pyramids of Giza, but they all hoped that the crude structure would provide the defense they needed toe out on top. Of course, Kurik had prepared traps all around, further fortifying the position. After that, it was down to waiting. In a perfect world, they would have had people positioned at each of the six entrances. From there, they could rain destruction upon their enemies even as the yetis had to deal with the traps, which were, once again, mostlyprised of a series of pit traps and ditches, each one lined with stakes bearing the power of Kurik¡¯s skills. That would hopefully make them deadly, but even if none of the yetis died, the traps would at least weaken them. Regardless, instead of an army ¨C or even a full group ¨C they only had four people. So, the n had been made ording to that weakness. Even as the enemy approached, that left Elijah and hispanions with only one thing to do ¨C wait. If he¡¯d been alone, Elijah would have spent the time engaging in hit-and-run tactics. He still thought that would have been better than just sitting and waiting. However, his previous sh with his own hubris told him that he was better off depending on his group. They¡¯d gone to all the trouble of building their defenses, after all, and it would have been silly not to use them. Still, the waiting definitely rubbed Elijah the wrong way. ¡°You get used to it,¡± Sadie said, standing tall, her armor gleaming. She didn¡¯t look back at Elijah as she spoke. Instead, she kept her gaze in the direction of the enemy¡¯s approach as she said, ¡°The waiting, I mean. That¡¯s what war is. Hours and hours of waiting just for a few minutes of horror.¡± ¡°It was like this when the orcs came,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Worse. And better,¡± Kurik added. ¡°We all thought we were done for. Weren¡¯t none of us prepared for that.¡± With his crossbow out, Dat added, ¡°My first battle was bad. I was on a first date. Drinks and everything, you know? It wasn¡¯t going well, and ¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you used to date nothing but Instagram models,¡± Sadie pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m sure some of them are perfectly good people, but there¡¯s a reason they¡¯re not doctors andwyers.¡± Dat rolled his eyes. ¡°I told you, bro. That¡¯s ssist or something. I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s wrong to judge people like that. But anyway ¨C she was a good person, just boring. We holed up in this restaurant because we didn¡¯t know what else to do. A few dayster, the undead came out. I thought it was a zombie apocalypse, you know? We put up a good fight. Barricaded the doors and windows. But they got through, and¡­¡± Before Dat could continue his story, the sound of an explosion echoed through the cavern. It was loud enough that, for a moment, the only sound Elijah could hear was a ringing in his ears. Then, a momentter, his hearing returned courtesy of a quick cast of Healing Rain. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± he demanded. ¡°New trap,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Called a Combustion Mine. Figured it¡¯d be good against monsters with ice attunements. Killed three of ¡®em by the way.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see youy those traps.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t see everything.¡± Elijah was about to respond when another explosion echoed through the cave. This one hade from apletely different entrance. ¡°Two more.¡± ¡°Did you put those at all the entrances?¡± asked Sadie, her voice much louder than it needed to be. ¡°I did,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Figured they¡¯d try ¡®em all once they felt the first one. But there¡¯s a few more right after the trenches. I want ¡®em to think they got through it, only to step on another Combustion Mine when they think they¡¯re safe.¡± After that, a couple of long minutes passed before another series of explosions echoed through the cavern. Before Elijah and the others caught sight of the first group of armored yetis, fifteen more had died, giving them all some hints at the kind of power Kurik could bring to the table. He was only a passable scout, but when he was allowed to use his ss the way it was meant to be used, he could be an absolute game changer. But as dozens of yetis amassed before the pyramid, it became clear that Kurik¡¯s time to shine had passed. The enemy had been weakened. Even the ones that hadn¡¯t been killed bore plenty of injuries, and that was just what Elijah could see. Some of the effects of Kurik¡¯s traps weren¡¯t quite as overt as giant explosions, though. Instead, he also dealt with poisons that sapped an enemy¡¯s strengths and restricted the flow of ethera within their bodies. Still, even knowing that the yetis were weakened, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of nervousness when the creatures surged forward into a charge. The moment they came into range, Dat and Kurik let loose with their ranged attacks. Thetter¡¯s arrows nged off the yetis¡¯ durable armor, but Dat¡¯s crossbow bolts pierced through. Meanwhile, Elijah cast Swarm, then Cmity, then leveraged his Quartz Mind to regenerate the spent ethera. The spells were effective, with the confusion of Cmity slowing the creatures down and the delicate mosquito-like insects conjured by Swarm delivering their afflictions. At the same time, Dat and Kurik continued to fire as quickly as they could, while Sadie nted herself at the forefront, waiting for the monsters to mount the sloped sides of the pyramid. Of course, Kurik¡¯s traps continued to be an issue for the charging yetis. Instead of ditches lined with spikes, he¡¯d opted for a series of small, foot-sized holes in the ground. When the yetis stepped in them, they were not only slowed by twisted joints, but they also were subjected to yet more spikes that would deliver whatever poisons Kurik¡¯s skills could conjure. In short, everything went ording to n. But there were so many yetis that, eventually, they made it to the top of the slope. That was when Sadie met them with her gleaming de. And just like that, the battle had begun. Book 5: Chapter 38: King of the Hill Book 5: Chapter 38: King of the Hill Sadie ducked beneath a horizontal club strike, then kicked out, crumpling the yeti¡¯s leg at the knee. It howled in pain, copsing sideways and directly into the path of her oing de. The silvery metal of its armor ¨C now dented and scratched ¨C screeched as the Sword of the Morning bit into it, cutting through flesh and erupting in a spurt of pale blood. But the monster did not die. Despite Sadie¡¯s exceptional Strength ¨C it was the secondary focus of her ss, after all ¨C she found cutting into the yetis simr to hacking at a block of wood. It was possible to cut through, but only with great effort and proper technique. After drilling with the sword every day for the past five years ¨C and learning jianshu as a child ¨C she had the second part covered. And spending effort had never been a question for her. She turned hertest attack into a shoulder tackle that sent the off-bnce monster tumbling down the slope of their pyramid of gathered dirt. It hit one of its fellows, creating a domino effect that took another two temporarily out of the fight. But Sadie couldn¡¯t afford to watch them fall. Instead, the whole of her attention was upied by the horde of yetis howling for her ¨C and her charges¡¯ ¨C blood. It wasn¡¯t like the fight against the wraiths. There was no convenient funnel to minimize the yetis¡¯ advantage in numbers. Having the high ground helped, but with the monsters¡¯ superior intelligence ¨C to the wraiths, at least ¨C the groups¡¯ previous tactics simply would not work. If they created a funnel, the yetis would simply go around or over. The wraiths, bestial as they were, hadn¡¯t been capable of even that level of adjustment. So, different enemies required different tactics, but no matter how they¡¯d adapted their ns, Sadie knew that the yetis were a different level of threat altogether. Making that clear was that herpanions ¨C specifically Dat ¨C had been forced to step up to the front lines and protect the others. He was a capable melee fighter, having spent some time training in vovinam before being sent to boarding school as a child, but he only had a couple of appropriate skills to back him up. Seeing that her friend was on the verge of being overwhelmed, Sadie used Consecrated Shield.
Consecrated Shield Create a barrier of faith to shield an ally from damage. When it is broken, the ally¡¯s Constitution attribute will be increased by forty (40) points. Duration based on caster¡¯s Ethera attribute. Current duration of shield: 48.3 seconds. Current duration of enhancement: 68.1 seconds.
It was the first spell she¡¯d attained after gaining her Ardent Crusader ss, and it had saved the lives of friends, family, and allies on multiple asions. However, given their ballooning attributes, the forty-point increase in Constitution was beginning to be outdated. Perhaps if she could once again upgrade her Core ¨C or evolve the spell ¨C it would solve the issue. But for now, that wasn¡¯t a possibility, so, as she had since the very beginning of the apocalypse, she used the tools she had at her disposal. The shield she¡¯d conjured around Dat manifested in a sh of golden light, blocking a club-strike a momentter. Ripples of ethera spread from the point of impact, but Consecrated Shield held, absorbing the momentum of the blow. Stunned by the ineffectiveness of its attack, the yeti waspletely caught off-guard when Dat returned the blow with a lightning-fast series of strikes at the ends of his twin shortswords. Sadie knew a skill was at y, but she didn¡¯t know the name. In any case, the results were immediate. Where Sadie¡¯s attacks were met with plenty of resistance, Dat¡¯s swift sword strikes sliced through the yeti¡¯s armor with ease, eviscerating the creature¡¯s armor as well as its flesh, spilling its intestines along the way. The Witch Hunter ducked beneath a blow from another yeti attacker, but he couldn¡¯t avoid the next one. It was a solid hit, and the club shattered Consecrated Shield, proving just how strong the creatures were. However, by that point, Sadie had reached Dat¡¯s position, and she parried the next blow intended for her friend. Still another came only a momentter, and this time, Sadie could only interpose herself between the Dat and the Yeti. The club hit her in the shoulder, ring Bulwark of the Faithful.
Bulwark of the Faithful Create a barrier of faith to shield yourself from damage. When it is broken, it empowers the Crusader, increasing physical attributes by a significant amount. Damage absorbed dependent on Ethera attribute.
Her personal shield held, but she knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before it shattered as well. She almost weed it, looking forward to the increase in attributes that would hopefully put her on equal footing with the yetis. For now, though, her only recourse was to protect herpanions at all costs. Her most recent attacker took an arrow to the eye, courtesy of the dwarven Sapper, before being hit by a bolt of lightning. A secondter, she felt raindrops ¨C a curious sensation, considering they were underground ¨C that sent jolts of rejuvenation through her body. Clearly, the Druid had not remained idle. Not wanting to be seen to ck, Sadie dipped into her own Core and activated her second most powerful ability.
de of the Avenger Summon an ethereal de beneath an enemy, piercing them through and searing them with the power of Faith. Potency dependent on rtive Ethera attribute and Core cultivation level.
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. It was a new ability ¨C earned after the fight with the wraiths ¨C and she¡¯d only tested it on a few asions, and not against any powerful foes. Instead, she¡¯d used it on a few stray beasts that were clearly too low of a level to threaten her. So, she was eager to learn how effective it would be against real enemies. Her eagerness was not misced. She¡¯d aimed the ability at one of the nearest yetis, so she had a great view of the enormous de ¨C it was at lest three feet across and, when itpletely emerged from the ground, three times as long ¨C as it torepletely through one of the yetis. The monster never even had a chance to dodge before it was bisected. Its two sides slid apart a secondter, flopping to the ground with a wet and disgusting sound. For a moment, Sadie was stunned, and if she hadn¡¯t had Bulwark of the Faithful active, she might¡¯ve been clubbed to death. But it only took a sh of light from her most important skill to banish her shock. She returned the attack with another cast of de of the Avenger, and to simr results. She almostughed at how easily she¡¯d killed the powerful monsters. But when she used it again, she realized that no skill came without a cost. The first two had dragged the exact same amount of ethera from her Core, and though it was not a negligible sum, it was one she could endure. However, the third time through tripled thebined amount of both of the previous casts. The meaning was clear. The spell didn¡¯t have a cooldown, per se. But using it over and over again without ceasing would continue to escte the cost, draining her Core quickly andpletely. Sadie had heard of such soft cooldowns, and she knew that it would eventually reset. But how long would it take? Without experimentation, she had no idea. So, she resolved to only use the ability in emergencies, at least until she had a better handle on how it all worked. Yet, the three she¡¯d killed ¨C one with each cast of de of the Avenger ¨C had shifted the momentum of the battle, allowing Dat and Kurik to use the brief period of shock to y two other yetis. That was enough for Sadie to regain her footing and turn the tide of battle. Even so, there were still dozens of the monsters left, and each one was capable ofying waste to her entire party. The yetis fought savagely, and without much in the way of technique. But where their expertise fell short, their armor picked up the ck. It protected them from attacks that would have otherwise killed them, shoring up their weaknesses without affecting their strengths. For her part, Sadie continued to fight, using most of her toolkit to shield her allies and put down her enemies. However, her own deficiencies soon became apparent. Despite the name of her most recently acquired ability, she wasn¡¯t meant to be some avenging angel. Instead, she was an ideal defender, and though she could leverage her high Strength to do some degree of damage, that definitely didn¡¯t allow her to veer out of herne. If only Lisa had survived, then she would have the purest sort of damage dealer on her side. But her sister¡¯s own deficiencies had been just as prominent as Sadie¡¯s own, and they¡¯d gotten her killed before anyone ¨C even Nico ¨C could save her. Not even Miracles could have helped. Because that was the reality with most sses. Power came at a price. For her, it meant that her highly defensive abilities and powerful Constitution were bnced by the generalck of high damage spells. For Lisa, it had been the opposite. She could output an enormous amount of damage, but aside from the basic Ethereal Shield spell awarded to most mages, shecked even the most basic defenses. But for better or worse, everyone had to work with the tools they¡¯d been given. Perhaps one day she could repair some of the ring weaknesses in her skillset, but for now, she had few choices but to lean into her strengths and hope that everyone else did their jobs. Fortunately, herpanions had learned that same lesson. Even Elijah yed his role, repairing any wounds the group incurred. He¡¯d done the same during the battle atop the Singing Cliffs, but Sadie had wrongly assumed that it had been a one-time thing. Because if there was one thing she knew, it was that the Druid was no team yer. With his situation, which included being stranded alone on a deserted ind, he¡¯d likely never had to be. Or maybe that was his personality. Regardless, he¡¯d clearly resolved to stay in his definedne, keeping everyone as close to peak health as he could manage. It was far from perfect, owing to the general weakness of his healing abilities ¨C after all, Nico could do with one spell what it took Elijah three to aplish ¨C but he got the job done. That, in turn, allowed Sadie to forego using her own healing abilities, which were incredibly inefficient. And of course, she didn¡¯t have to tap into the well of power that was her Miracle. She would use it if necessary, but the insanely long cooldown meant that she wouldn¡¯t get another chance anytime soon. So, she had resolved to hold it in reserve as ast resort. The battle wore on, growing more hectic by the passing minute. Yet, there was an order to it, as well. To Sadie, it made sense. She saw the patterns of the yetis¡¯ preferred attacks, as well as the flow of the battle. And as she fought, she subtly applied her thumb to the scale. A Consecrated Shield here. A shoulder charge there. A vicious rush, where she fought like a berserk barbarian. She varied her attacks, adopting different tactics to manipte the battlefield to her whims. And for a while, it worked. The yetis remained off-bnce, stymied at every turn by Sadie¡¯s efforts. What wounds they inflicted were quickly healed by the Druid, and through it all, they incurred heavy damage from Kurik¡¯s and Dat¡¯s attacks. They¡¯d already been weakened by the traps ¨C as well as Elijah¡¯s conjured insect swarm ¨C so, for a while, Sadie thought the battle would go their way withoutplications. But that was never possible. There were too many yetis, and they were far too strong. Gradually, the group got pushed back until they were fighting shoulder to shoulder as the monsters closed in. Dat was the first to fall. Having been forced into a melee where he could only use a third of his skills, he was ill-equipped for protracted hand-to-hand fighting. When a club took him in the head, he crumpled to the ground, unmoving. Sadie¡¯s heart seized, but she couldn¡¯t spare any attention for her friend. Whether he was alive or dead wouldn¡¯t make any difference. She didn¡¯t have the ethera to heal him, and even if she did, the line had been broken. As a result, Kurik fell only a secondter, his leg snapped in two by a vicious club strike he couldn¡¯t dodge. From the ground, he fought on, but it was useless. Sadie was just about to use her Miracle when Elijah shouted, ¡°Sadie ¨C I know you can heal. Keep me alive.¡± She didn¡¯t have a chance to respond before she felt ethera stir, and the Druid shifted into that hulking lizard-ape monstrosity he seemed to favor. She knew it was ast-ditch effort, but still, she resented that he would so tantly deviate from the n. Even so, Sadie prided herself on her adaptability ¨C something that, when she said as much, always drew augh from Dat ¨C so she used another of her long-cooldown abilities.
Bell of Faith Let your Faith echo across any battlefield, stunning enemies and empowering allies. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 6 seconds.
An image of a bell ¨C barely visible ¨C appeared above Sadie¡¯s head. A momentter, it rang, the sound carrying with it more meaning than she could fathom. It was as if the cry of the gods themselves ¨C if they existed ¨C had fallen upon the mortal world. Sadie felt a jolt of energy, but more importantly, the yetis fell backward as if struck. Six seconds. That was how long it wouldst. After that, the creatures would recover. Sadie was about to use her Miracle ¨C it would doubtless turn the tide ¨C but before she could, she felt a giant hand wrap around her waist. Something lifted her from her feet, and just like that, she found herself sailing through the air. A secondter, she realized that Elijah ¨C in his huge form ¨C had picked her up and bounded away. ncing to the side, she saw that Dat¡¯s limp form had been thrown over the Druid¡¯s shoulder, and Kurik was gripped in Elijah¡¯s other hand. Theynded a momentter, but they didn¡¯t stop there. Instead, Elijah raced across the fields, aiming for their fallback location. It was a cave Dat had found, unsuitable for any extended defense, but good enough for ast stand. They¡¯d hoped not to be forced to use it, but in the end, they¡¯d all known it was more than a possibility. The trip took only a couple of minutes, and in that time, Elijah clearly pushed himself to the peak of his capabilities, racing across the fields faster than she thought possible. When they finally reached thest bastion of their defense, he gently set his burden down and said, ¡°Hold the line. Heal them if you can. I¡¯ve already got Soothe on Dat, so he¡¯s out of the woods. I can¡¯t fix Kurik¡¯s leg until we have time to set the bone. So, they¡¯re both out of the fight.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re supposed to be the Healer.¡± ¡°Not anymore,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m going back out there to try to thin the pack. If I don¡¯te back¡­well, it was good knowing you, Sadie Song.¡± With that, he left the cave behind, already shifting into apletely different form. This one looked like someone had crossed a great hunting cat with a chameleon, with a little bit of dragon thrown in for good measure. To call it an intimidating creature would have been a vast understatement. Then, Elijah was gone. She wondered if he intended to abandon them. Perhaps, but as irritating as the Druid was, she didn¡¯t think he would do that. Regardless, it couldn¡¯t change anything about what she needed to do. So, without further thought, she turned to her woundedpanions and used Blessing of Light, healing them as much as she could. Book 5: Chapter 39: Guerrilla Tactics Book 5: Chapter 39: Guerri Tactics As Elijah stalked through the fields, he was tempted to believe he was repeating the mistakes of the past. Only recently, he¡¯d nearly been killed because, in his hubris, he¡¯d tried to take on too much responsibility. But was that true? Or had the incident in the ice fortress happened as a result of ignorance? Perhaps the answer was tied to both. In any case, there was a key difference between the two situations. Before, he¡¯d had no real reason to enter the fortress alone. Now, circumstances had pushed him to act, to use the versatility of his ss to make the difference his group needed in order to survive. Because what they¡¯d been doing was not working. That was the hard truth that had be clear almost from the moment they had engaged the enemy. As many yetis as they¡¯d killed, they had still been overwhelmed. Retreat had been the only option. But it was not the answer. Elijah had known that even as he¡¯d grabbed his unconscious and dyingpanions and taken them to the final bastion they¡¯d prepared. Its defenses were temporary, though. They couldn¡¯t simply hole up and wait out the threat. Instead, Elijah knew that, if they were going to win the battle, he would need to change the paradigm. It had always been in the back of his mind, even from the very beginning. He knew that, by ying the good little healer, he was neglecting most of what made him special. But realistically, he had so little experience fighting as part of a group that he¡¯d hesitated to pull his attention from his primary task. In a perfect world, he would have healed, cast damaging spells, and used his forms to fill in for hispanions¡¯ deficiencies. He had the skillset to be a secondary defender, a decent scout, and a damage dealer, but he¡¯d limited himself to healing. It was all because shifting between his various forms and ying a host of different roles was an incredibly difficult undertaking. If he made one little mistake, people would die. They were depending on him to keep them alive, and if he lingered in one of his other forms for even a second too long, everything would fall apart. And given that he could still scarcely control the rage of hismer ape form, it was almost inevitable that he¡¯d get carried away. No ¨C trying to y every role at once would lead him down the rocky path of defeat. All that flitted through one facet of Elijah¡¯s mind as he stalked through the fields. He usually trusted Guise of the Unseen as well as his draconid form¡¯s chameleon-like ability to adopt the colors of its environment, but he¡¯d learned the error of that habit. So, he stayed low, slinking among the icy crops as he stalked toward the yetis.He met them only a minute or soter, and he was unsurprised to see that none of them had escaped the battle ¨C or Kurik¡¯s traps ¨C unscathed. In many cases, their armor had been all but destroyed. Most bore great gashes in the silvery metal, and there were plenty of dents as well. In addition, they had clearly been affected by the various afflictions ¨C from the aforementioned traps as well as Elijah¡¯s Swarm ¨C asrge clumps of white fur had fallen out, revealing discolored blue skin beneath. They were weakened, but they were not defeated. Moreover, every passing moment saw the progression of their recovery. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure if they had powerfully regenerative skills or were entirely reliant on their attributes, but the implications were clear. If they were allowed a few hours to rest, the yetis would be well on their way to a full recovery. Elijah refused to allow that. So, tapping into the instincts of his predator form, he stalked among the monsters, taking note of their numbers along the way. There were more than thirty left, and a couple had clearly been left in reserve, as they bore very few injuries or other signs of participation in the battle. Elijah intended to leave them forst, and not just because they would be the most difficult to take down. They also led the way, with the weakened members of the horde stretching out behind them in a long line. Which was perfect for what Elijah had in mind. He circled around, staying low and remaining cloaked in Guise of the Unseen until he zeroed in on a group of three stragglers. The trio of yetis were the most injured among the entire horde, representing the easiest targets. Elijah took advantage of that, embracing Venom Strike and Predator Strike before pouncing on the healthiest of the three, targeting its bloody right leg. His ws ripped through the back of the monster¡¯s knee, shredding tendons and copsing the joint. Even as it fell, Elijah once again embraced Venom Strike and hit the next one in line, leaping upon its back and biting into its neck. He¡¯d have bitten down on its skull, but that was protected by a dented helmet. Whatever the case, there was nothing protecting the creature¡¯s neck, and Elijah bit into without issue. The damage caused by his fangs wasn¡¯t ineffective, sending spurts of cold and pale blood gushing into his mouth. But as satisfying as the sessful attack was, Elijah only cared about delivering the neurotoxin of Venom Strike. And once that was done, he forewent the opportunity to finish his enemy off ¨C it would take too long ¨C and leaped away. In the space of two seconds, he¡¯d injured two yetis before disappearing into the fields. A momentter, he was out of sight and once again cloaked in Guise of the Unseen. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Meanwhile, the yetis ¨C especially the ones he¡¯d attacked ¨C panicked, yowling in pain as Venom Strike took hold. Elijah knew it wouldn¡¯t put them entirely out ofmission, but that was never his goal. While he felt confident that he could kill the yetis if he¡¯d stuck around for a few more attacks, that would have put him in quite a precarious position. So, he¡¯d resolved to use gueri tactics to whittle the monsters down. Hopefully, by the time they reached the cave where Sadie and the others had taken refuge, the yetis would be weak enough for the group to finish them off. It was a good n, but its sess hinged on Elijah¡¯s restraint. If he overstepped and tried to do too much damage, he would be defenseless against the rest of the responding yetis. Hammering that fact home was the next sequence of events. Even as Elijah doubled back under a cloak of stealth, he saw the yetis¡¯ reactions. All thirty of them circled the wounded members, each one howling for blood. Yet, with Elijah hidden, there was no enemy to fight. Importantly, he knew that every minute he could dy the yetis¡¯ pursuit, hispanions would have that much more time to recover. So, even if he felt impatient to continue the fight, Elijah remained among the crops as he watched the yetis¡¯ impotent rage y out. Eventually, even the limited intelligence of the monsters made the uselessness of their angry vigil apparent. That moment was characterized by a few of the healthier monsters growling and shouting at the others before, atst, they moved on. Pointedly, they left the grievously wounded behind. Once he knew they were out of range, Elijah pounced, finally finishing the two stragglers off. He targeted the healthiest of the two, using Predator Strike to rip through its neck and sever its spine. The more injured of the pair fell only a momentter when Elijah gutted it. Within twenty seconds, he¡¯d resumed his hunt. Over the next half hour, he repeated his actions, even summoning a Swarm to hasten the group¡¯s demise, and by the time they reached the cave, only fifteen were left. His tactics weren¡¯t as sessful as he¡¯d hoped, but if he was honest with himself, he didn¡¯t think he could have done any better. Killing half the remaining yetis was a great victory, especially considering that he¡¯d wounded a handful of others. If he¡¯d had a few more miles to work with, he could have finished them off entirely. Perhaps. But toward the end, he¡¯d noticed that the yetis had begun to adjust. Losing half their number had made them far more wary, and the ones that had survived were the healthiest among them. So, assuming that it would just keep going the same way was likely an error in judgement. At least that was what Elijah told himself. Regardless, when the remaining yetis reached the cave, they found a surprise they could never have anticipated. About a hundred feet from the cave¡¯s entrance, a congration of fire and rock erupted, engulfing two yetis and burning them to a crisp. Elijah was far enough away that he only felt a slight buffeting of air, but the other yetis were thrown from their feet. Elijah took that as an opportunity to pounce. This time, though, he didn¡¯t intend to break off and run away. Instead, he savaged one of the fallen yetis, ripping through itspromised armor and into the blue meat beneath. Then, he dashed to another and mped his jaws around the monster¡¯s exposed skull. Its helmet had been thrown off during the st of Kurik¡¯s trap, which meant that the monster was vulnerable to Elijah¡¯s favored means of attack. He savored the feel of crunching bone, but only for a moment before one of the yetis recovered enough to swing its club in his direction. He didn¡¯t see iting until thest second, so he could only twist a little to avoid the full weight of the attack. It still hammered into his ribs with enough force to send him skipping across the open field for almost twenty yards. He came to a stop, wincing at the painncing through his side. But he didn¡¯t dare remain stationary for long. His draconid form was very effective in a wide variety of situations, but it was not meant to take hits. So, when he was in his predator shape, Elijah¡¯s only real defense was evasion. And sitting still ¨C regardless of how much pain he felt ¨C was a good way to get killed. With that knowledge in hand, he sprang to his feet andunched himself way from the rushing yetis. Fortunately, he had no issues evading their pursuit, and he raced into the surrounding crops, leading them away from the main group. At the same time, the others had begun to recover, and the moment they noticed the shallow cave ¨C or more importantly, Sadie¡¯s shining and armored figure ¨C they let out a cacophony of howls before charging. The cave¡¯s mouth was too wide to defend, so it was only a matter of time before they overwhelmed the lone defender. However, clearly, Kurik hadn¡¯t remained idle, because he¡¯d created a series of traps that forced the charging yetis into a much narrower corridor. It was not a perfect solution, but for the time being, it allowed Sadie to make her stand with a reasonable expectation of sess. Temporarily, at least, but that would have to be enough. For his part, Elijah led the splintered group away from the main battle. There were four of them, and predictably, they were among the weakest. He ached to return to hispanions and pitch in, but he knew that his abilities were best suited to keeping the group from being overwhelmed. So, he led them on a fruitless chase, doubling back more than once to repeat his previous tactics. They were on guard, though, and his efforts werergely useless, save as distractions. At the same time, Elijah kept a portion of his attention on the battle at the cave. Against only a handful of yetis, Sadie and the others ¨C who had recovered from their previous injuries ¨C made a fantastic stand, holding the yetis at bay and slowly whittling them down. Meanwhile, Elijah continued his own efforts, and by the time Sadie used that curious summoned-de ability to finish thest of their opponents off, he¡¯d managed to whittle his own pursuit down to only two remaining yetis. He led them to the others, and after a few more minutes of battle, the cavern went silent. Elijah copsed, letting himself resume his natural form. His strategy had been more sessful than he¡¯d had any right to expect, but that didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d escaped unscathed. In addition to the bruised ribs he¡¯d sustained after Kurik¡¯s trap had exploded, he¡¯d picked up a few other nicks and contusions along the way. And the fight atop their pyramid had left them all injured, at least to some degree. But more than that, he was exhausted. Lying there, his breathing in ragged gasps, he said, ¡°Great job. Go team. Anyone else need some healing?¡± As he spoke, he shifted his staff in his hand and summoned Healing Rain. Wet drops of icy precipitation fell upon his upturned face, and he reveled in the fact that, for once, his n had been sessful. Book 5: Chapter 40: Into the Fortress Book 5: Chapter 40: Into the Fortress Cold pinpricks spread across Elijah¡¯s face as he looked up at the sleet falling from above. It was such a curious thing, experiencing natural rain in the middle of a subterranean cavern, and he couldn¡¯t exin it. His scientific mind tried, but nothing he considered really made sense. It wasn¡¯t that difficult to create weather in an enclosed space, but scaling it to the size of the cavern was where his rationalizations fell short. That left him with the same exnation he¡¯d used to exin hundreds of other experiences he¡¯d encountered since the world had changed. Magic. ¡°You¡¯re really weird, bro.¡± Elijah nced back to the shallow cave, where he saw Dat staring at him. The others were huddled around a campfire, their eyes locked onto him. They¡¯d been resting and healing for some time, but even so, everyone still looked exhausted. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That rain is freezing,¡± Sadie said. ¡°And you¡¯re staring at it with this odd expression like it¡¯s the most fascinating thing in the world.¡± ¡°I mean¡­it¡¯s a subterranean storm,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s pretty interesting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s weird, bro.¡± Elijah frowned, then nced at Kurik. The dwarf just shook his head and said, ¡°Can¡¯t disagree with ¡®em.¡±¡°You all don¡¯t think this is cool? Come on. It¡¯s raining underground! And these nts are amazing. They¡¯re actually two organisms living in symbiosis. Or the ice is more like millions of tiny organisms mixed with inorganic material that form awork ¨C¡± ¡°Wait ¨C the ice is alive? That¡¯s awesome, bro.¡± ¡°Right? I thought I was going crazy there for a second,¡± Elijah replied, feeling some level of vindication. ¡°You probably still are,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Dat¡¯s just being nice.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± he asked, fixing his eyes on the Witch Hunter¡¯s pudgy-looking face. Dat wasn¡¯t fat ¨C not precisely ¨C but his face had a roundness to it that made him look that way. Dat shrugged. ¡°Nothing wrong with being nice, bro. And it is interesting, the way you described it.¡± Elijah sighed, recognizing pandering when he heard it. ¡°You¡¯re all missing out. Don¡¯t you ever look around and just appreciate the world for what it is? The setting of my first tower ¨C at least part of it ¨C was underwater, and you wouldn¡¯t believe how beautiful the bottom of the sea was. I mean, it was really deadly, too. And I couldn¡¯t cook my food for the whole time I was in there¡­¡± ¡°How long?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°Uh¡­a month or two, maybe? I don¡¯t know. It all blurred together, especially after I got digested by the whale. Tracking time is kind of difficult in towers.¡± ¡°You spent months inside of a tower?¡± ¡°Uh¡­yeah. But that was just my first time through,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°I was a lot quicker in my second one, and I got through the third in like a day. But that was because the elves I was with got bitten by vampires, and there was a timer before they were converted. So, I had to do a speed run.¡± ¡°How many towers have you conquered?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°A few? I also ran the first one multiple times,¡± he answered. ¡°It was the hardest, but I¡¯ve gotten it down to a science. I can get through it in a day if I don¡¯t get too sidetracked. But it doesn¡¯t give as much experience as it did the first time, and the rewards kind of suck now.¡± ¡°The Sea of Sorrows ain¡¯t beautiful. That ce is a death trap,¡± Kurik muttered. ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°Everything there is tryin¡¯ to kill you!¡± ¡°Yeah, but how many people get to say they¡¯ve seen a monstrous orca the size of a blue whale? Or a forest of kelp and coral? I swear, it¡¯s like I¡¯m the only one in the whole world who can look at what happened to Earth and feel a sense of awe,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Easy to say when you live in paradise,¡± Sadie said quietly. ¡°Our experiences since the world changed are very different.¡± ¡°I was in Mongolia recently. Or what used to be Mongolia, I guess. And you know what I found? A bunch of people living and working together. They struggled, sure. They had to fight for what they had. But there was peace there, too. I tried a bunch of new foods and met some interesting people. The same in Argos,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°You¡¯ve been there. You know what they have. That¡¯s the model of what¡¯s possible in this new version of the world.¡± ¡°You only like Argos because they practically worship you there,¡± Sadie said. ¡°They do not.¡± ¡°They kind of do, bro.¡± ¡°Okay ¨C so what if they do treat me well? I¡¯ve helped them a lot over the past couple of years. I¡¯m part of thatmunity.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°And what if something happens to them? What if, suddenly, there¡¯s an apocalyptic threat that kills half the poption in that city?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°That¡¯s what happened to Hong Kong in the early days. We were all fighting an invasion of zombies. We worked together, but we also saw our families killed. Our friends and neighbors eaten alive, then converted into undead. So pardon me if I can¡¯t really see the beauty in a little subterranean rainstorm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not connected,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You can¡¯t go through life hating the world.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate it,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I resent it. There¡¯s a difference.¡± Elijah was about to respond when he thought better of it. Their experiences since the world had changed were too different for them to findmon ground. Maybe Sadie woulde around, but given what he knew of the threats facing the poption of Earth, Elijah thought there was a better chance that he¡¯d be just as cynical as she clearly was. It was a rational response to the trauma she¡¯d experienced. Byparison ¨C at least from a psychological perspective ¨C Elijah had had it easy. Regardless, he chose the high road of keeping his contradictory opinions to himself. Instead, he focused on the next step in conquering the challenge ahead. They would soon infiltrate the Ice Fortress, where they would presumably need to confront the so-called Betrayer as well as any remaining foes. It would doubtless be just as harrowing as what they¡¯d experienced so far. Perhaps more so. But there was something else on his mind, too. ¡°I want to harvest these nts before we go back. As many as we can hold. And I want to try to keep some of them alive,¡± he said. ¡°At least for a day or so until I can nt them somewhere else.¡± ¡°Why? What do you have in mind?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°Back home, I have this underwater cave where I¡¯ve been growing a lot of ethera-rich sea nts,¡± he answered. ¡°And you know how cultivation requires increasingly dense ethera? That¡¯s what the cave is for. And I was thinking about trying to create something like that here, except with these instead of kelp and stuff. The only problem is that I can¡¯t put it inside the boundaries of the challenge. Even if we could do it again ¨C which I don¡¯t think will be possible ¨C it¡¯s not feasible to have to go through all that just to cultivate a little. So, if I can¡¯te back to the nts, I want to take the nts with me. But I guess that all can wait until after weplete the challenge. I just wanted to give you all a heads up.¡± Still, Elijah did gather a couple of nts, stuffing them into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel before the group set off for the fortress¡¯ gates. Unsurprisingly, it was manned only by the chainmail-wearing, lower-leveled yetis, and the group had no issues with dispatching the guards. After that, they used theirbined strength to lever open the gates, and just like that, they were inside. ¡°This ce is huge, bro.¡± Elijah said, ¡°I know. It¡¯s positivelybyrinthine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need no fancy words to know it¡¯s big andplicated,¡± Kurik muttered. ¡°That¡¯s whatbyrinthine means.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± the dwarf growled. He¡¯d been in a surly mood ever since he¡¯d revealed the nature of his ss, and it didn¡¯t seem that anything but time would lighten that load. Still, Elijah resolved to offer his ear to the Sapper once the challenge wasplete. He might not be able toe up with any real solutions to the dwarf¡¯s unease, but he could at least listen. Sometimes, that was the best anyone could do. Regardless, the group spent the next few hours exploring the halls. As Eliijah had noted the first time through, the architecture was about as simple as it could get, with nothing but straight lines and sharp edges. There was a utilitarian appeal to it that he couldn¡¯t deny. Gradually, they mapped the area, encountering more guards along the way. After fighting the elite yeti patrols, the weaker versions wereparatively easy to deal with ¨C at least so long as they all kept their wits about them. If they lost focus even for a moment, that would change. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t result in immediate injury, but one mistake usually caused a cascade of errors as everyone tried to adjust. So, by the time they reached another set of gates ¨C this pair was far more borately carved ¨C no one was in a great mood. ¡°Open it now?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Might be risky, bro,¡± Dat said, reaching out to touch the giant stone doors. They were at least twenty feet tall, and the carvings along the surface depicted more of the muscr, four-armed creatures Elijah had seen in the frescoes that decorated the cistern he¡¯d recently visited. As soon as Dat touched the doors, a heavy grinding sound emerged from the edges, and they began to swing inward. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± On the other side, a trio of yetis ¨C each onerger and more heavily armored than any they¡¯d faced before ¨C stood. They seemed very much surprised to see the neers, but thatsted only a moment before they hefted their weapons and charged. Unsurprised, Sadie leaped forward to meet them head-on. At the same time, Dat did the opposite, retreating while bringing his crossbow up. It was a move they¡¯d practiced dozens ¨C if not hundreds ¨C of times, and that experience stood them in good stead. Meanwhile, Elijah and Kurik enacted their own well-learned strategies. Even as a glowing Sadie met the trio of yetis ¨C each one almost twenty feet tall, and with enough muscle to make them look bulky ¨C with a furious horizontal sh from her sword, Kurik and Dat peppered the enemy with arrows and crossbow bolts. At the same time, Elijah aimed for the rear-most monster and cast Snaring Roots. Vines of organic ice erupted from the ground, snaking around the creature¡¯s feet. Those tendrils weren¡¯t strong enough to resist the yeti¡¯s strength, but were more than capable of tripping the monster. As Sadie shed with the other two, the third fell on its face, where even more roots snaked around its body and wrapped it in a cocoon of icy vines. Elijah cast Healing Rain, then Soothe, on Sadie. It was just in time, too, because only a secondter, she took a vicious club-strike to the head. Elijah winced at how quickly her body whipped around from the momentum of the attack. But Sadie was made from strong stuff, and she shouldered the blow with only a stumble. Whatever aftereffects she might¡¯ve been forced to endure were mitigated by Elijah¡¯s healing. Meanwhile, Kurik and Dat utilized every ability in their arsenal, piling the damage onto the nearest yeti. Its armor was durable enough, but it could only stand up for so long against such a barrage. For the other, Sadie used de of the Avenger, and a giant sword burst forth from the ground, slicing into the yeti with contemptuous ease. However, unlike the other instances where Elijah had seen her use the spell, this one didn¡¯t result in a yeti¡¯s immediate death. Instead, it only injured the huge creature, slicing off one of its legs. Elijah cast Snaring Roots on the now one-legged monster, and it fell to the ground just like the other. So, for a few seconds at least, the group only had to deal with a single opponent, and they overwhelmed the thing in short order. The next to die was the one Sadie had injured. It put up a decent fight, but being unable to stand made its position quite precarious. The third ended up being the most difficult to kill, and it took almost five minutes ofbined attacks to finish it off. They managed, but not without some difficulty. And in the aftermath, as Elijah healed the wounds they¡¯d incurred, Sadie fixed Dat with a re and said, ¡°From now on, don¡¯t touch anything.¡± He opened his mouth as if to offer a retort, but then looked at the dead yetis before saying, ¡°Good idea, bro. No more touching.¡± Book 5: Chapter 41: Extermination Book 5: Chapter 41: Extermination ¡°This ce is amazing,¡± Elijah said, leaning close to inspect the wall. Like the rest of the fortress, it was made of mostly featureless stone. However, it had the distinction of being run through with geometric patterns of white ice. ¡°These look like snowkes, right?¡± ¡°They look cold is what they look,¡± Kurik growled, rubbing his own arms with a thick nket thrown over his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± Elijah responded, looking from one member of his party to the next. Dat had a nket over his shoulders as well, and Sadie had donned a heavy and hooded cloak, the edges as well as the inside of which was lined with thick, white fur. Still, he could see that her lips had turned slightly blue. The same could be said for the other two, though aside from Kurik, they¡¯d borne their obvious difort silently. ¡°How cold do you think it is here?¡± ¡°I went to Siberia in the middle of Winter once,¡± said Sadie. ¡°I was volunteering to help the natives ¨C called Ns ¨C with addiction issues. Alcohol wasn¡¯t introduced into their culture until fairly recently, so the theory is that they don¡¯t have the generational defenses built up tobat addiction. Couple that with their way of life ¨C which was built around a nomadic existence herding reindeer ¨C having been snatched away from them, and they had serious issues. My partner at the time was a sociologist, so¡­anyway, this is a lot colder.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long way of sayin¡¯ the obvious. It¡¯s cold. Don¡¯t need no fancy story to know that much,¡± Kurik said. ¡°You humans get so obsessed with numbers and such. Cold¡¯s cold. Hot¡¯s hot. Don¡¯t need no arbitrary numbers to tell you that.¡± ¡°Kurik,¡± Elijah groaned. ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°What?¡± the dwarf demanded. ¡°It¡¯s too damn cold to lollygag ¡®round here. We got Mr. Distracted Druid over there inspectin¡¯ the wall art, little Miss Shining Knight talkin¡¯ about reindeer herders, and¡­and meanwhile, I¡¯m sittin¡¯ here freezin¡¯ my damn beard off. I got a right to be a little annoyed.¡± Elijah was about to respond, but then he thought better of it. Often, he forgot that, because of the Cloak of the Iron Bear, he didn¡¯t have to worry too much about extreme temperatures. Certainly, its Temperate effect likely had a limit, but he¡¯d yet to find it. But if the buff he got from it was any indication, the temperature in the lower reaches of the Ice Fortress were predictably severe. If it wasn¡¯t at least twenty or thirty degrees below zero, he would have been incredibly surprised. The only reason the others hadn¡¯t already sumbed to frost bite was because of abination of three factors. First, even the least enduring among them ¨C Dat ¨C had the benefit of a superhuman Constitution, so they were all shielded, at least somewhat, from the biting cold. Second, there was Ward of the Seasons, which normally wouldn¡¯t do much to protect someone from environmental factors.
Ward of the Seasons Harness the power of the seasons, increasing resistance to elemental damage.
It was clearly intended to shield someone from hostile spells, and the fact that it helped against the biting cold within the Ice Fortress suggested that was what they were dealing with. It was an artificial environment, and as such, Ward of the Seasons helped quite a bit. Without it, things would have been much more difficult. The final reason no one had frozen to death was Elijah¡¯s efforts healing them. Throughout their time in the Ice Fortress, he¡¯d cycled Soothe on them, one after another. When one cast of the spell ran its course, he¡¯d use it on the next person in line, returning them to perfect condition. However, the fact that their bodies degraded at all under the effect of the cold told him that it was much more serious than even they knew. Thankfully, using Soothe was not very ethera-intensive, and he was able to keep the cycle going indefinitely. Largely, that was due to his Quartz Mind, which allowed him to refill his core at an rmingly fast pace ¨C at leastpared to the rate at which he spent it. Would that change as he evolved his spells into more powerful versions? That was what had happened when Touch of Nature had be Nature¡¯s Bloom. That spell was now much more potent than its predecessor, but at a far higher cost. Regardless, Elijah¡¯s spells were thankfully quite efficient ¨C at least at the moment. Hopefully, that would continue to be the case. ¡°He¡¯s right. Sorry,¡± he said, ncing from onepanion to the next. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to get distracted.¡± ¡°And I will refrain from telling superfluous stories,¡± Sadie added, her voice t and emotionless. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯m just ornery ¡®cause of the cold. It ain¡¯t natural.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she responded. At least Kurik had the grace to look a bit embarrassed for making her feel bad after she¡¯d opened up a little. Sadie wasn¡¯t precisely closed-off, but she also didn¡¯t go out of her way to share stories from her old life. So, being berated after doing just that probably meant that, at least in terms of their rtionship as a team, they¡¯d taken a bit of a step backwards. Stolen novel; please report. Elijah vowed to correct that course when they had a little time. Sadie wasn¡¯t the most likeable person in the world, but she was still a human being with emotions and insecurities. And given that he wanted the group to remain as cohesive as possible, soothing her hurt feelings was probably a necessity. But not when they were slowly freezing to death in a hostile fortress. So, without any more conversation or distraction, they moved on. Eventually, they reached a set of stairs that led upward, and after killing the pair of chainmail-wearing yetis that guarded the entrance to the stairwell, they ascended to the next level. That was when things began to change. For one, the enemies they encountered were different. There were still yetis about, but they were smaller and thinner than the ones in the lower levels. More, they wore actual clothing and moved with a level of grace that simply wasn¡¯t present among the warriors. Finally, when Elijah and hispanions encountered these yetis, it became clear that they were part of a domestic staff. ¡°He hit me with a broom, bro,¡± said Dat, rubbing his head after theirtest engagement with the enemy. ¡°Pretty hard, too.¡± ¡°I saw,¡± Elijah acknowledged. For his part, he¡¯d had to evade a yeti wielding a silver tter as a bludgeoning tool. The creatures weren¡¯t really that dangerous, but they were just as vicious as their war-like counterparts down below. The real danger was letting any of them escape. Surely, there were more warriors in the upper levels, and if one of the domestic yetis escaped, they would doubtless bring the proverbial cavalry down on the group¡¯s collective head. It represented a different challenge, and though chasing yetis through the halls wasn¡¯t as immediately dangerous as fighting for their lives, it certainly was no easier. That was when One with Nature showed its worth. Elijah could sense everything within a hundred-yard diameter, so when the yetis inevitably tried to hide, he knew precisely where they were. Though the outer reaches of the ability¡¯s effect were a lot blurrier than the area closest to him, Elijah could still easily recognize the shape of a hiding yeti. As they swept through the fortress, it felt a bit like extermination. Necessary. Easy. And ultimately distasteful. Yet, they couldn¡¯t simply refuse the task set before them. If they did, their lives would be at risk. So, they did what they had to do, one ughtered yeti at a time. For the most part, they all took it well. None of them were strangers to killing, after all. However, there were differences in their reactions. Sadie maintained a stoic demeanor, but Elijah hade to know her well enough to recognize her strained expressions for what they were. She didn¡¯t like killing, even when doing so was absolutely necessary. Yet, she would not shirk her duty on the basis of emotions alone. Kurik was the most visibly frustrated, which he took out on the unfortunate creatures, growling and muttering curses along the way. He clearly med the monsters themselves for pushing him into the situation. As for Dat, he seemed the least affected, but Elijah suspected that was a mask the Witch Hunter wore for everyone else¡¯s sake. Elijah was somewhere in the middle, regarding his own demeanor. He hated that so much killing was necessary, but he wasn¡¯t in the habit ofining about doing what he had to do. He just did it, taking no pleasure in the act. However, there was more than a little guilt sitting in the back of his mind,rgely because every kill was at his direction. Still, they kept at it for most of that day until, atst, they had killed everyst yeti on that level. As they¡¯d expected, there was a contingent of warriors headquartered in one corner of the facility, but when Elijah and hispanions found the creatures, the yetis were asleep. Their ughter went off without a hitch, mostly because of repeated castings of Elijah¡¯s Swarm. A few died in their sleep, and the ones that did wake up were so weakened by the afflictions delivered by the summoned insects that they were incapable of putting up a fight. And just like that, the level was cleared. Then, the next after that. On the third level up, they encountered yet another change. Instead of yetis, they found themselves facing off against the very same creatures Elijah had seen depicted in the murals and frescoes he¡¯d encountered within various ruins. They were simr to the wraiths, at least in terms of basic shape. They were equipped with four arms, a slender torso, and smooth-skinned but oddly reptilian features. Yet, they were far more muscr than the wraiths. ¡°They¡¯re naga,¡± Dat said after severing one of the creatures¡¯ heads. They¡¯d just finished a battle ¨C more of an ambush, really ¨C in which they ughtered six of the monsters. ¡°See the tails? No feet.¡± Indeed, they didn¡¯t even have legs. Instead, from the waist down, they were entirely serpentine. ¡°They ain¡¯t naga,¡± Kurik argued. ¡°Naga are aquatic. These arend-based monsters.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re monsters at all,¡± Sadie pointed out. ¡°Me neither,¡± Elijah agreed. That wasn¡¯t what they felt like, at least. Even the domesticated yetis, which disyed human-like mannerisms, had carried with them a monstrous aura. ¡°They bear the weight of sin,¡± said Sadie. ¡°Monsters do not.¡± ¡°Does that mean they¡¯re people?¡± asked Dat. ¡°I think so,¡± she answered. Dat¡¯s shoulders sagged. ¡°I don¡¯t like killing people, bro. Monsters are fine. Same with undead. But people¡­that¡¯s not cool.¡± ¡°I know, Dat. But we don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Sadie said. ¡°These creatures, they¡¯re clouded in sin like no one I have ever seen. I could smell it before I even saw them. They¡¯re not just murderers. They havemitted atrocities the likes of which none of us have seen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen some pretty bad things,¡± Elijah said, remembering the dungeons below Easton. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sure you have,¡± Sadie responded. ¡°These creatures are evil.¡± ¡°Like I¡¯m evil?¡± he asked softly. ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she turned her attention to the fallen group of serpentine people. Kneeling beside them, she rifled through their clothing, clearly looking for anything of worth. They had no valuables, though. No weapons. Just the clothes on their backs. Elijah searched one as well, and though he found the act of looting corpses detestable, and for a variety of reasons, he refused to shy away from it. He discovered nothing of note, aside from a more thorough examination of the creatures¡¯ bodies. They were androgynous, and though they had simr features, they were as distinct from one another as human beings were from each other. In addition, despite their serpentine appearance, theycked scales. Instead, their skin was pliable and rubbery, not unlike what one would expect from an amphibian. ¡°That¡¯s gross, bro,¡± Dat said as Elijah opened one of the creatures¡¯ mouths to inspect its teeth. They were sharp, but there were no discernible fangs. ¡°We need to know what we¡¯re dealing with,¡± Elijah responded without looking up. ¡°What have you found?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°They¡¯re warm-blooded. Not venomous. They¡¯re unlike anything I¡¯ve seen,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯d have to cut them open to find out more.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± Dat pleaded. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to, but I think these might be the natives of this world,¡± he exined. ¡°At least one group. Just after arriving in the Trial, we encountered some others with simr characteristics, though they had legs. I don¡¯t know what that means just yet, but my working theory is divergent evolutionary paths. That¡¯s just a guess, though. I¡¯d need a lot more information before I could turn it into a proper theory.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Yeah. Really interesting,¡± Dat agreed. Kurik rolled his eyes and blurted, ¡°Don¡¯t matter what they are or where they came from, does it? We still gotta kill ¡®em. So, can we move on from this little science experiment and get to the real job at hand. There¡¯s stairs up ahead, and I think that¡¯s the obvious way we¡¯re s¡¯posed to go.¡± The others agreed, and soon enough, they mounted the stairs leading them to the next level. Book 5: Chapter 42: Frozen Book 5: Chapter 42: Frozen Elijah swung his staff, connecting with the little creature and sending it flying across the room. After sailing through the air for almost twenty feet, it hit the wall with a dull thud before falling to the floor in a boneless heap. But Elijah didn¡¯t have time to admire the results of his attack. Instead, the whole of his attention was required elsewhere ¨C most presently, the fact that there were hundreds more of the monsters attacking hispanions. If it had only been one or two, it wouldn¡¯t have been an issue. The creatures¡¯ small size ¨C they were only about three feet tall ¨C was a good indicator of their rtive level of power. However, there were just so many of them that their collective strength rivaled the most powerful yetis the group had encountered. In terms of general shape, the four-armed humanoids resembled the others Elijah and the group had found, though they differed in more ways than just size. If Elijah was pressed, he would havepared them to goblins, though they were far more vicious than anyone he¡¯d met from that race. Certainly, they were a long way from people like Ramik or any of the other goblins back in Ironshore. Instead, they were feral monsters that slithered along on snake-like lower halves, swarming like piranha and tearing into any enemy in their path. Even their handlers ¨C more of therger naga-like creatures they¡¯d begun to see three floors down from their current location ¨C were wary of the small, bestial creatures. Thankfully, when it came tobatting groups of small and rtively fragile threats, Elijah had a fantastic tool he could bring to bear. Shield of Brambles not only provided a small increase in his allies¡¯ durability, but it also gave them a means of easy retaliation. That became apparent when one of the creatures bit into Elijah¡¯s leg, only to be pierced through by a long, sharp thorn. It yelped in pain, but it wasn¡¯t intelligent enough to recognize the cause and effect at y. So, it bit him again, getting another thorn through its belly for its trouble. Four more rapid but ultimately shallow bites, and the creature started to weaken from blood loss. Elijah targeted the slowed monster with a golf swing that sent it sailing through the air to hit the joining of the wall and the ceiling. As was the case with thest monster he¡¯d hit, the thing fell to the ground lifelessly. But there were plenty more to take its ce. Sadie had already used Call of the Crusader, but it had long since run its course, and well before they¡¯d made an appreciable dent in the swarm of monsters. Because of its cooldown, Sadie wouldn¡¯t be able to use it again for a few more minutes. That meant that the swarm waspletely uncontrolled, and each member of the group was forced to defend themselves from the threat. For Elijah, that was fine. He had enough Constitution to keep the monsters ¨C called noglyns, ording to Dat ¨C from doing too much damage. Dat was a little worse off, but his Dexterity gave him enough coordination to fend them off without incurring too many injuries. And with her armor as well as a Constitution attribute that exceeded even Elijah¡¯s, Sadie was perfectly fine.The problem was Kurik. None of his attributes were particrly high. Instead, he relied on his abilities, preparation, and staying out of the line of fire to keep him safe. That just wasn¡¯t possible now, and he found himself paying the price with every passing moment. The noglyns ripped into him, and though Kurik made a good showing with his hatchets, the realities of his ss quickly became apparent. Dwarven blood flowed from a hundred vicious bites, but Kurik continued to fight, courtesy of the bulk of Elijah¡¯s healing attention. With Soothe, Nature¡¯s Bloom, and Healing Rain on his side, he was barely able to keep up with the damage. But he knew that was only a temporary solution. If he tried to keep up that pace ¨C even with his Quartz Mind rapidly refilling his Core ¨C he would quickly run out of ethera. When that happened, people would die. Starting with Kurik. Sadie used de of the Avenger, slicing two of the monsters in half, but the spell was unsuited to the task. Instead, the mighty ability was better used against powerful singr opponents. The same was true of Dat¡¯s abilities, which were mostly intended for scouting and ying his targets. He was a hunter, after all, and as powerful as he was ¨C being in the top twenty-five in the world meant that he could hold his own ¨C his ss was not ideal for fighting in a melee. Fortunately, Elijah could pick up the ck. He only needed a few moments of peace before he could use the spells he knew would turn the tide of battle. However, the noglyns were not cooperative, and they just kepting. It felt like no matter how many they killed, there was always another to take the ce of the in. Finally, when Elijah¡¯s stores of ethera dipped below the halfway mark, things changed. Sadie shouted a challenge as she released Call of the Crusader, and the noglyns responded as one, rushing toward her with single-minded ferocity. Elijah took that as an opportunity to turn the tide of battle, and even as the things swarmed over her, biting into Bulwark of the Faithful, he let loose with Swarm. Then, as the shield broke, he used Cmity. Hundreds of tiny fleas, each one glittering with ethera, descended upon the horde of little monsters. At the same time, the swarm of noglyns were hit by hurricane-force winds that sent them flying into the walls. Lightningnced down from the ceiling, and the earth all around them rumbled. Elijah used the confusion to cast Nature¡¯s Bloom on Sadie, who¡¯d finally taken noticeable damage. Blood pooled beneath her feet, freely flowing from the seams in her armor. Meanwhile, Dat and Kurik leaped at the stunned noglyns. Their weapons descended upon the weakened monsters, cutting the creatures into pieces. It was not an elegant strategy, and in the end, it descended into base ughter. Yet, it was effective, and by the time the effects of Cmity faded, the monsters¡¯ numbers had been cut down to nothing. From there, it was only a matter of a few more seconds before they finished the things off. And then, everything went quiet. ¡°Damn,¡± Elijah muttered, still cycling through his spells to heal hispanions. After bearing the full weight of the monsters¡¯ attacks, Sadie was the worst off, but both Dat and Kurik had been grievously injured as well. ¡°Those things were vicious.¡± Looking at their corpses, they didn¡¯t seem capable of doing the sort of damage they¡¯d wrought. But Elijah¡¯sparison to piranha was apt. Ironically, if he¡¯d been alone, he could have dealt with them a lot more easily. All it would have taken was for him to shift into hismer ape form, use Iron Scales, and wait for them to kill themselves on Shield of Brambles¡¯ thorns. He¡¯d employed a simr tactic in his second tower when a swarm of rats had attacked him, and he felt certain that it would have worked the same against the noglyns. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. But he wasn¡¯t alone. He had others depending on him, and he knew he needed to move past constantlyparing his current situation with a fictitious one where he only needed to worry about himself. That wasn¡¯t how the world worked, and the sooner he adapted his mindset to his present circumstances, the easier he would grow ustomed to the change in attitude required by it. One thing was certain, though ¨C he wasn¡¯t meant to be pigeonholed into one role. In an ideal world, he would be the group¡¯s wildcard, filling any gaps created by their enemies. If the group needed a second defender, then he could do that. Or an extra caster. Another scout. A nker. He could y all of those roles, but with his responsibilities as the group¡¯s only healer ¨C Sadie could heal a bit, but her spells were wildly inefficient and inadequate to the task ¨C he couldn¡¯t afford to frence. Because if he made one wrong move, people would die. That had been made abundantly clear over the course of the previous day-and-a-half, during which they¡¯d ascended three more floors. Mostly, they¡¯d fought against the naga-like residents that Dat had referred to as the Ka¡¯ki. ording to him, the hunters some of the groups had encountered in the jungles were called Ta¡¯ki. There was a clear connection, and not just because, aside from the fact that the Ka¡¯ki had serpentine lower halves while the Ta¡¯ki had legs, of the simrity in names. They were different, but they also seemed to share enough characteristics that they were obviously rted in some way. Whatever the case, they were clearly hostile ¨C likely because Elijah and hispanions had invaded their home ¨C and the group had spent quite some time battling against them. Like other sapient races, the Ka¡¯ki were equipped with a wide variety of sses, which made fighting them a pain. However, it hadn¡¯t taken the group long to recognize and implement appropriate strategies. When a healer was present, that was the first target. Then the casters that could, if left to their own devices, bring devastating spells to bear. After that came the other damage dealers, and finally, the defenders. Of course, those battles wereplicated by the fact that the enemy was capable of devising simr strategies. But given that Elijah was their healer, and that he was incredibly hard to kill, he and his allies had so fare out on top. Would that always be the case? Perhaps not. But Elijah was fine with being the enemies¡¯ primary target,rgely because it let him use his higher-than-normal durability to his advantage. It also made him feel like the lynchpin of his group¡¯s sess. Which felt good and confining, both at the same time. ¡°Might as well see if the handler has anything on him,¡± said Dat, kneeling next to the fallen Ka¡¯ki. ¡°I think they¡¯re agender,¡± Elijah pointed out. He¡¯d done a thorough examination of a couple of their bodies, and he hadn¡¯t found anything but androgyny. Dat shrugged. ¡°I think you¡¯re right, bro.¡± Sadie said, ¡°They probably don¡¯t have anything. None of the others did.¡± After rifling through the Ka¡¯ki¡¯s clothing, Dat confirmed that that was the case. Over the next half hour, the group recovered as well as they could, then moved on. Each time they¡¯d ascended a level, the temperature had plummeted, and by that point, it had reached well below the lowest temperatures ever recorded on Earth. Without their enhanced Constitutions ¨C or Ward of the Seasons ¨C they would not have survived more than a few minutes. As it was, they were in no real danger of dying from exposure, but they certainly weren¡¯tfortable. And it only got worse when they ascended to the next floor. Even Elijah, with the benefit of Temperate¡¯s protection, began to feel the effects. Apparently, the Cloak of the Iron Bear had limitations, and he¡¯d finally begun to approach that line. Gradually, they progressed through that level, fighting against all the same foes along the way. The noglyns represented thergest individual danger, but now that Elijah knew how vulnerable they were to Swarm and Cmity, they knew the best strategy to dispatch them. The most difficult fights came when they were forced to battle mixed groups of Ka¡¯ki and noglyns, and on more than one asion, the group was pushed to their absolute limits. The aftermath of those victories saw them spending more and more time in recovery. To Elijah, it was clear that the party was approaching its limits in terms of what they could handle. If things kept going in the same manner, they¡¯d soon be forced to retreat. It wasn¡¯t ideal. No one wanted to leave ande back when they were stronger. Yet, if the choice was between that or dying, it was an easy one to make. Unfortunately, the choice was taken out of their hands when, after ascending to the sixth level, the door to the stairwell sealed shut behind them. And no matter what anyone did ¨C and they tried everything, including Elijah shifting into his guardian form and hammering into it with his not inconsiderable Strength ¨C it wouldn¡¯t budge. They had no way to go but forward. Oddly, though, they didn¡¯t encounter any more foes on that level. Nor did they see anyone on the seventh. ¡°This is very disconcerting,¡± remarked Elijah as they traversed thetest empty hall. The side rooms were just as deserted, evencking furniture. But at least the temperature was no longer dropping. It wasn¡¯t until they reached the tenth floor that things changed, and in an unexpected way. Elijah looked at the gate with his eyes narrowed in suspicion. There it was. The way out. All they needed to do was walk through that open gate, and they could return to the Nexus Town. Finally, they could once again be warm. It was tempting. ¡°I want to go on,¡± he told the others. Sadie nodded, and Dat added, ¡°I don¡¯t give up, bro.¡± Kurik groaned. ¡°S¡¯pose I¡¯m outnumbered, then. Let¡¯s get to it. The sooner we finish this thing, the sooner we can get warm.¡± With that, they turned away from the exit and headed deeper into the ice fortress. Soon enough, they recognized that they¡¯d finally reached the castle proper, and with it came a few changes. For one, the architecture had taken on a bit more detail. It was still inly utilitarian, but there were a few artistic flourishes that gave it a little more character. For another, they were once again surrounded by foes, which necessitated quite a lot of fighting. At some point, Elijah passed the threshold to level ny-four, putting him on the verge of getting a new spell. However, he wasn¡¯t afforded the opportunity to dwell on the excitement that usually came with gaining another ability. Instead, it was everything he could do to keep everyone alive. Mostly, they fought more Ka¡¯ki, but there were plenty of noglyns as well. In addition, progressing into the upper levels of the fortress saw them once again facing off against the armored yetis. And when they found themselves fighting a mixed group of all three types ofbatants, things became quite dire. Each of those battles took perfect coordination, and even then, the members of the group were usually left with grievous wounds that took some time to mend. Like that, days passed, and there were only two good things toe of it. First, everyone¡¯s progression reflected the difficulties they¡¯d ovee, with Elijah getting ever closer to level ny-five. The others experienced simr gains, though it had be abundantly clear that the days of gaining quick levels were a thing of the past. Even in an ideal situation where they were killing droves of powerful enemies, progression was cial. And Elijah suspected that it would only get worse as they reached new heights. Finally, after nearly a week of fighting through the enormousplex, they found something novel. ¡°They¡¯re so lifelike,¡± Sadie said, leaning closer to an ice sculpture depicting a man in a robe. ¡°I can even see the pores.¡± The sculpture was not the only one, either. There were nearly a hundred of them scattered throughout the enormous chamber. With no rhyme or reason to theyout, the setting looked both chaotic and beautiful, if only for the artistry it would have taken to carve such detailed sculptures. ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°Those aren¡¯t sculptures,¡± Dat answered. ¡°What? Of course they are.¡± ¡°They¡¯re people,¡± Elijah guessed. It had taken him a few moments to recognize the same thing Dat had found. ¡°Or they used to be. It¡¯s¡­the ice is the same stuff we saw with the crops and the trees, but weaponized. This¡­this is a very bad ce. We need to go. Now.¡± Just then, the doors through which they¡¯d juste nged shut, and the ambient ethera in the chamber began to stir. Book 5: Chapter 43: Nature Through a Different Lens Book 5: Chapter 43: Nature Through a Different Lens Elijah immediately cast Healing Rain, then cycled Soothe onto each of hispanions. At the same time, he whipped around, searching for the source of so much movement in the ambient ethera. Yet, he found nothing, even when he focused all of his attention on One with Nature. ¡°I have a really bad feeling about this, bro,¡± Dat said, holding his crossbow to his shoulder as he scanned their surroundings. ¡°A really bad feeling.¡± ¡°You jinxed it,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°Now something terrible is going to happen.¡± Just then, the sound of cracking ice filled the air, drawing their attention to the statues all around them. Elijah peered closer, looking even deeper into the sense granted by One with Nature. And when he saw what was happening, hisplexion turned pale. But before he could warn hispanions, the first ice sculpture moved. ¡°What the ¨C¡± Kurik never got the chance to finish the exmation, because the closest statue hit him with a backhanded blow that sent him flying across the chamber. He mmed into the ground, then slid to a stop a few feetter. Thankfully, Elijah¡¯s quick thinking with Soothe kept the dwarf from losing consciousness, but none of them could afford to pay any attention to his fate. Instead, they were busy reacting to the suddenly mobile statues all around them. Elijah had some insight into what was going on. As had been the case with the trees and crops, the ice in the sculptures wasn¡¯t really ice at all. Or notpletely. Instead, it was a collection of microorganisms that used ethera to bond with their host. The ice was simply a byproduct of that process. However, unlike was the case with the flora, the frost bacteria in the statues had been weaponized and mobilized into something wholly different. Something extremely dangerous. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get on you!¡± he screamed.¡°What? Why?¡± demanded Sadie, already embracing her personal shield. She also used Consecrated Shield on Dat, leaving Elijah and Kurik to fend for themselves. It was a bad move, considering that the dwarf was the most vulnerable among them, but Elijah wasn¡¯t going to tell her how to use her own abilities. Backing away from the statues, Elijah answered, ¡°The ice is like those fungi that take over insects. I don¡¯t know how I didn¡¯t immediately see it. It¡¯s not symbiotic. It¡¯s parasitic. Or viral, maybe.¡± Indeed, the ice-based microorganisms had more inmon with a virus than with fungi, but old, Earth-based ssifications were wholly ineffective in describing their new world. It would take someone much more intelligent ¨C and diligent ¨C than Elijah to understand it all. But for now, he only needed to destroy it. So, as the rest of the statues came alive, Elijah leveled his staff at one, then used Storm¡¯s Fury. A bolt of lightning arced out, mming into the nearest statue¡¯s chest. Oddly, Elijah recognized the shape as a human, and in a moment of rity just before the thing went stumbling backward, he realized that the sculptures almost assuredly had once been other Trial-takers who hadn¡¯t had the misfortune of running into an ice worm. Instead, they¡¯d entered the challenge through the front door. It was a clear warning, and one they could not ignore. ¡°Retreat! Go full defensive,¡± he shouted. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Sadie yelled over the sound of grating ice. She kicked out, connecting with one of the statues. Thankfully, they moved slowly and were quite light, so the result of her kick sent the thing crashing backward into the other ice sculptures. However, when she pulled her foot back, she nearly stumbled as her leg copsed under her. Elijah sent a cast of Nature¡¯s Bloom her way, and she recovered. ¡°I have an idea.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°No time to exin! Just do what I asked! Please!¡± Sadie clearly didn¡¯t like the notion of following his orders, but she wasn¡¯t willing to argue in the middle of a battle. So, she and Dat retreated to where Kurik was struggling to rise, collected the dwarf, then carved a path to one of the chamber¡¯s corners. Without a means of escape ¨C the doors had already sealed behind them ¨C the most they could hope for was a defensible position. That was what the corner represented, though it was far from ideal. As Sadie used her skills to defend the others, Elijah leaped as high as he could manage, then shifted into the Shape of the Sky. He flew to the vaulted ceiling,tching onto one of the beams before adopting his human form. Clutching the stone buttress with one hand, he extended his staff, pointed it at one of the statues, and used Nature¡¯s Rebuke. He had good reason to expect it to work. After all, the creatures were made of the same stuff that had suffused the ice worm, and he suspected that that was the reason his spell ¨C or the system ¨C had ssified it as unnatural. Because that was what the living ice was. It had taken him some time toe to that conclusion, but now that he had, it seemed so obvious. Ice wasn¡¯t supposed to be alive, but even if it was, it certainly wasn¡¯t meant to be weaponized. And he prayed that his spell would recognize that fact. Nature¡¯s Rebuke sted into the statue, and for a moment, there was no indication that it had done a thing. The spell didn¡¯te with any fancy lights or outward effects. Instead, it was entirely invisible,pletely silent, and wholly unimpressive looking. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Until the ice sculpture started to melt. At first, it was represented by a sheen of moisture on its exterior, but then, it started to look like someone had shoved an ice cube into a microwave. It melted, leaving a puddle of water on the ground. That was all the encouragement Elijah needed before he got to work, casting the spell on every ice sculpture in the chamber. As one statue after the next melted, the air filled with more swirling ethera. Moreover, the puddles tried to coalesce and reform into ice crystals, but Elijah¡¯s spell prevented them from amalgamating. Meanwhile, Sadie and the others fought for their lives, defending themselves as Elijah mbered to cast his spell, over and over, as quickly as possible. Then, atst, the final sculpture melted, leaving a floor covered in a sheen of water. The puddles were not inert, though. Indeed, they continued to pull themselves back together. Elijah refused to allow that, continuously casting Nature¡¯s Rebuke until, minutester, the water evaporated. The ambient ethera stilled, and Elijah finally resumed his flight form before gliding down to join hispanions. He spent a few more moments healing them until a voice echoed through the chamber. ¡°How dare you?¡± it demanded in a hiss. Elijah searched for the voice¡¯s owner, yet he found nothing. ¡°Youe into my domain, kill my servants, then destroy my work? Who do you think you are?¡± ¡°Show yourself!¡± Sadie shouted, having fully recovered. She¡¯d only taken a few hits during the fight, though things would have been much worse if Elijah hadn¡¯t destroyed the sculptures so efficiently. Finally, Elijah found the culprit. They were one of the Ka¡¯ki, though arger and more muscr example of the race. More importantly, they were entirely invisible. The only reason Elijah found them was because of One with Nature, and even that sense was barely adequate to the task. There was no void, as there had been with previously encountered invisible opponents like the vampire he¡¯d killed in the Magister¡¯s Estate. Instead, he could only sense a slight agitation in the ambient ethera. Elijah aimed his staff at the spot and let loose with Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightning tore across the chamber, scorching into the invisible Ka¡¯ki. They shed into visibility, though seemed entirely unhurt. ¡°You will regret that, intruder.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not nice to hide from your guests,¡± Elijah quipped, his own ethera stirring as he prepared a number of spells. ¡°Guests? Invaders. How many have you killed, then? Hundreds of my loyal subjects. It is bad enough that we have been exiled, that our has been excised, but then you ughter my innocent retainers?¡± the creature demanded. ¡°Have you no shame? No morality?¡± ¡°They¡¯re stalling,¡± Elijah said, feeling tendrils of living ice creeping across the chamber¡¯s floor. ¡°On it,¡± said Dat. Then, miraculously, he disappeared even from Elijah¡¯s perception. At the same time, Sadie stepped forward, and Kurik drew an arrow from his quiver. For his part, Elijah focused on what he was feeling, and he didn¡¯t like it. Not one bit. There was something familiar, yet corrupted about the Ka¡¯ki and those tendrils of ice. Something disturbing. Something unavoidable. ¡°You¡¯re a Druid,¡± he said. That surprised the creature, and they cocked their head to the side in confusion. Then, their shoulders sagged. ¡°Once upon a time, that was true,¡± they said. ¡°So long ago¡­¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Elijah asked, stepping past Sadie. He was disgusted by what he felt, but there was still a undefinable kinship stretching between him and the other Druid. He wanted answers. He needed to fix the horror of what he felt, to remove the pulsating tumor marring what should have been a beautiful thing. Because it was obvious that the Druid had been corrupted, that they no longer served nature. Elijah needed to know why. ¡°What did not?¡± sighed the Druid. ¡°Do you know what happens to nature on an excised world?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Cut off from the world tree, it bes something else. Something wild and free, but also debased. The taint infects everything, though those of us closest to it feel it most keenly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve felt the world out there,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. A little different, but¡­¡± ¡°Silly child. Nature cannot be denied, even without the input of the mighty World Tree. But we are not so enduring. Nor are our domains. Once, I was the steward of a magnificent grove of ice. The living ice you¡¯ve encountered was once benign. Beneficial, even. But now, it is all I can do to control it. The perversion of the excisement made it so,¡± the Druid said. ¡°That is why you must surrender.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°You are not the only one participating in a Trial,¡± the creature said. ¡°Ours is simpler. More dire. We need only kill your people, down to thest individual, and we will be reconnected to the World Tree. That will save this. Otherwise¡­we are doomed. Even with the protection of the Corruptor, we will sumb. One deity ¨C even one as powerful as the Lightning Emperor ¨C cannot hold back the Ravener for all eternity. He will fall, and with him, the rest of us will be consumed. It is inevitable.¡± ¡°Inevitable,¡± Elijah echoed. ¡°Why was this excised.¡± ¡°That is not important,¡± said the Ka¡¯ki Druid. ¡°The only thing you should be asking yourself is if you believe the lives of a few thousand of your people are more important than an entire.¡± ¡°We can leave,¡± Elijah suggested. ¡°The system has given us that option.¡± ¡°For now.¡± ¡°Are you saying that we¡¯ll be cut off?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°I am. The system is only there to help those who help themselves. It does not care. It is incapable of taking pity. If you do not give it the results it is designed to seek, then it will change the entire paradigm. It is a machine, and one with a purpose. To it, nothing else matters.¡± ¡°Who did you betray?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The system notification we received after entering this challenge called you the Betrayer,¡± Elijah exined, assuming that the Druid was the object of their task. ¡°Who did you betray that it gets you thatbel from the system?¡± ¡°Everyone,¡± the Druid answered. Then, they added in a quiet voice, ¡°And everything.¡± Just then, the floor exploded as vines of ice and corruption erupted through the tiles. Elijah was ready for it, though, and he shoved Sadie and Kurik out of the way. The tendrils themselves were as thick as Elijah¡¯s waist, so when they hit the ground, they did so with enough force to crack stone. The shockwave of the impact sent Elijah and hispanions tumbling to the side. But his quick action only gave them a moment¡¯s respite, because a dozen other icy vines wereing their way. Elijah readied himself, letting loose with his various spells. Precipitation began to fall, bathing them in healing as he cast Nature¡¯s Rebuke on one of the vines. It took hold, and Elijah sensed that its damage was elerated and enhanced by the unnaturalness of the icy vines. However, they were sorge and powerful that he knew that their dissolution wouldn¡¯te quickly enough to save them. Then, suddenly, the vines quivered and fell inert, crashing to the floor before they¡¯d even had a chance to get started with the devastation they were intended to bring forth. And when the dust settled, Elijah saw that the Druid had fallen. Standing over him was Dat, his shortsword covered in blood. ¡°Good job keeping him distracted, bro,¡± the Witch Hunter said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve snuck up on him otherwise.¡± Book 5: Chapter 44: A Constant Threat Book 5: Chapter 44: A Constant Threat An arrow whistled past Miguel¡¯s face, barely nicking his cheek before thudding into the wooden frame of the wagon. He couldn¡¯t spare even a second to ruminate on how close he¡¯de to being killed, because it was all he could do to sweep his sword out and knock an oing spear to the side. Even when he used all of his Strength, he barely managed to redirect the weapon before using Impale. As the skill took effect, he skewered the spear-wielder in the gut, then ripped his sword free. The motion tore a gaping hole in the man¡¯s midsection, spilling his foul-smelling intestines onto the ground a secondter. The bandit screamed, abandoning his spear in an effort to corral his innards. He was unsessful, and they slipped between his fingers to snake their way to the ground. More importantly, the distraction gave Miguel the opportunity he needed to end the threat. The bandit died with half his neck severed, freeing Miguel to focus on the rest of the caravan¡¯s defenses. And things were not going well. Surrounded by the screams of the wounded and dying, the battlefield had be a hellish example of how quickly civilization could dissolve. The bandits hade in the dead of night, and the darkness only added to the confusion. Fortunately, the encircled wagons maintained a few of their etherealmps; otherwise, the battle might¡¯ve been over before it even started. Soon enough, Miguel found his next target. Or targets, given that there were two of them. A pair of tall, thin figures wearing leather armor had cornered one of the teamsters ¨C old Hammond, if Miguel wasn¡¯t mistaken. The dwarf was trying to fend them off with his quarterstaff, but their movements showed the difference between abat ss and someone who¡¯d chosen the route of the nobatant. Miguel raced forward, abandoning his previous position. However, he did retrieve his spear from where he¡¯d previously dropped it. He didn¡¯t sheathe his sword, though. Instead, he hefted the spear like a javelin, took a crow hop, then let it loose. It flew through the air like a ballistae bolt, hitting one of the bandits in the ribs andunching her off her feet. Wincing at the sound of the woman¡¯s high-pitched scream, Miguel forced his mind to remain on task. He didn¡¯t like killing anyone, let alone a woman, but she had chosen her path. She had be a bandit, preying on what she thought was a defenseless caravan. So, she deserved the spear she¡¯d gotten through the ribs. Or that was what he wouldter tell himself in a vain attempt to remove the guilt from the situation. The fact was that he¡¯d been raised not to hit women, and even though the justification for that distinction had disappeared the moment the World Tree¡¯s touch had removed gender from the equation of physical power, old lessons were difficult topletely discard. In either case, that was an issue forter. For the moment, he was wholly focused on the teamster and his remaining attacker. The bandit was a swordsman, and he clearly had some sort of skills that enhanced his physical prowess. Hammond did his best, but he just wasn¡¯t abatant, and he quickly took a de to the chest.As he closed on the bandit, Miguel prayed that the wound wasn¡¯t mortal. He liked the old dwarf. Keeping his mind on track, he used Charge, increasing his movement speed by three-hundred percent. As he covered the distance between him and his target in a blink, he used Enrage. It was the only thing that kept him from being ripped apart. How the bandit had gotten turned around so quickly, Miguel had no idea. What he did know, however, was that the maneuver had nearly spelled his doom. As it was, he took a sword sh to his hip. Though it was partially deflected by his armor, it still carved a gaping wound that was deep enough to expose bone. More troublingly, it carried with it enough momentum to stagger Miguel. That told him two things. First, that he was in big trouble. Losing his footing was one of the worst things that could happen in any battle, and as such, he was suddenly extremely vulnerable. The second thing he realized was that he was in a much worse situation than he¡¯d first thought, because the swordsman was clearly stronger and faster than him. The only thing he had on his side was technique. ¡°You killed her!¡± screamed the bandit in a deep voice filled with rage and sorrow. ¡°You fucking killed her!¡± Miguel barely managed to keep himself from falling to the ground, which was likely the only reason he wasn¡¯t immediately beheaded. As it was, he parried the oing de at thest second, and even though he absorbed some of the swing¡¯s momentum, his own sword was nearly ripped out of his hands. He maintained his grip, though, if only just, and after stymying the man¡¯s first attack, Miguel followed the parry with a thrust that took the other swordsman in the side. The weapon skated off the bandit¡¯s ribs, doing very little damage. More distressingly, the de splintered. It was at that moment that Miguel wished he¡¯d chosen a different ss. While in Norcastle, he¡¯d had a couple of days to look around, and he¡¯d found himself drawn to the district known as Crafter¡¯s Circle. It was there that he met a Woodcarver who Miguel hadmissioned to carve a series of weapons and a set of armor. He¡¯d only been able to afford low-grade wood, but he¡¯d hoped that his skills, Natural Armor Affinity and Weapons of Wood might make the difference. And in the early parts of the battle, they had performed admirably. The armor had even deflected a couple of arrows and, only a few moments before, saved him from near-certain death. And the weapons had done well enough to get the job done. Now, though, he was beginning to see the downsides of using wooden weapons. He didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it, though. Instead, he ducked beneath another blow meant to decapitate him, then kicked the man¡¯s knee. It buckled inward, and Miguel dashed forward in a shoulder charge that took the unbnced bandit in the chest. The man toppled over, hitting the ground with a thud. Knowing he didn¡¯t have any leeway to hesitate, Miguel pounced, using the broken splinters of his sword as a short dagger. He fell upon the man, aiming his ruined de for the most vulnerable bits he could find. The attack took the bandit in the eye, the jagged remnants of his sword plunging deep into the socket and piercing the man¡¯s brain. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. He went limp a momentter. Miguel looked up to see that the battle had ended, and the handful of other guards were staring at him in mingled shock and awe. ¡°Damn, kid,¡± said one of the older guards. Her name was Meredith, and she was even older than his mother. Though, like most of the people who¡¯d survived the world¡¯s transformation, she was as physically fit as someone half her age. More so, when attributes were taken into ount. She was also one of the new additions from Norcastle, and she¡¯d chosen to guard the caravan in hopes of going to Ironshore and visiting the tower off the coast of his uncle¡¯s ind. ¡°You did a number on him. You know who that was?¡± Miguel pushed the long strands of bloody hair from his eyes and shook his head. ¡°No. Should I?¡± he asked. ¡°That was Slim. Steven Rooker. Was a bad guy even before the world went to shit,¡± she said, her Irish brogue bing even more pronounced. ¡°He took to banditry back when Norcastle was still just a collection of families who¡¯d taken refuge in the church. Been a thorn in everyone¡¯s side ever since.¡± Miguel nced at the corpse beneath him, then said, ¡°Not anymore.¡± As he picked himself up, Meredithughed. And when he was finally standing, she pped him on the shoulder, saying, ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. I always thought your generation was doomed, what with all the Tiks and Toks and whatnot. Most of what I saw in Norcastle confirmed that. But this¡­this gives me a little hope.¡± ¡°Fantastic,¡± Miguel said with a shake of his head. ¡°d for your approval.¡± Meredithughed, then threw her arm around him. ¡°I like you, kid. Reminds me of my idiot son,¡± she said. ¡°He was a smartass, too.¡± ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°Smarted off to the wrong bloke,¡± she answered. ¡°Oh¡­sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. He didn¡¯t get killed or anything. Just put in the hospital. He straightened up that smart mouth in a hurry after that,¡± she exined. ¡°Went to school, met a girl, moved to France. Thatst part¡¯s the only mistake he made after getting set straight. The girl¡¯s good for him, though.¡± ¡°Have you seen him since the world changed?¡± Miguel asked, trying ¨C and failing ¨C to pull himself away from the woman. ¡°Nope. But I¡¯m sure he¡¯s okay,¡± she said. Miguel didn¡¯t ask how she knew such a thing. More people than any of them could count had died when the World Tree had touched Earth, so simply assuming that a loved one had made it was quite a stretch. However, he¡¯d also learned not to ask too many questions about that sort of thing. People didn¡¯t appreciate being reminded ¨C by perfect strangers, no less ¨C of their missing families or friends. Instead, he let himself be dragged along as she exined how she¡¯d been making a living as an adventurer, running towers whenever she could find a new one. Finally, she said, ¡°Lost most of my team up north. Nasty tower, that one. Only two survivors. Me and our Healer. And he decided to settle down. Leave the adventuring life behind, so to speak. Opened up a tavern, of all things. Such a waste. Good beer, though. Anyway, my point is that I¡¯ve got an eye for talent, you see? And boy, you¡¯ve got it. Talent, I mean.¡± ¡°Thanks?¡± ¡°I¡¯m prepared to extend an offer to you. You join my team, and you¡¯ll get an equal share of the loot. Minus expenses, of course,¡± she said. ¡°For a young adventurer like yourself, you won¡¯t find a better deal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m half your level.¡± ¡°Not a problem. You¡¯ll catch up in no time,¡± she said. ¡°Call it an investment.¡± Miguel shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll have to think about it,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t think too long,¡± she said, pulling her arm away. ¡°I¡¯ll want an answer as soon as we get to this Irontown or whatever. I n to hit that tower as soon as possible, and I don¡¯t want to spend weeks lounging around.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you know before then,¡± he said. They were still almost a week away from Ironshore, and though his initial reaction was to refuse Meredith¡¯s offer, he chose to give it its due in terms of consideration. But then again, she was all alone, which meant that she didn¡¯t really have a team to begin with so maybe he would have longer than expected to make a decision. Regardless, he had other things begging for his attention. The first was the clean-up, which was necessary if they wanted to avoid being overrun by hungry monsters. So, he and the rest of the teamsters and guards pooled their efforts to gather the dead. Most of them were bandits, but there were a couple of members of the caravan who hadn¡¯t made it. Those, they wrapped in preserving cloth and sealed into coffins. A trek of any distance was inevitably dangerous, and the caravan¡¯s provisioner hade prepared. The bandits got no such consideration, and they were dragged away and dumped unceremoniously into a mass grave. After their possessions were looted, at least. What little they had was thrown together into the caravan¡¯s stockpile, and the items would be sold when they reached their destination, with the proceeds divided amongst the survivors. It was all so routine that Miguel almost forgot that they¡¯d killed more than a dozen people. But he had one reminder of just that, and he couldn¡¯t even begin to ignore it. Congrattions! You have reached level 20! Attributes have been automatically assigned based on ss. He liked the idea of gaining more attributes, but he was far more interested in the fact that level twenty should haveted him a new ability. He¡¯d already gotten Woodsman¡¯s Constitution, Wood Armor Affinity, and Wood Weapon Affinity. And at level sixteen, he¡¯d gained Natural Focus:
Natural Focus Sharpen your senses, perceiving things you otherwise would not. Effectiveness dependent on potency of Nature attunement.
For Miguel, it meant that, when he had the buff active, his senses were doubly effective. That worked hand-in-hand with his level eighteen skill:
Tracking Find and follow trails. Effectiveness dependent Ethera attribute, senses, and experience.
It wasn¡¯t as simple as the description made it seem. He¡¯d only had a few opportunities to test it, but when he had, he¡¯d been incredibly impressed. So long as he knew what he was looking for, he could discern trails that no one else could see. Even experienced trackers couldn¡¯tpete with the skill. He could even use it in the middle of a city like Norcastle, which shouldn¡¯t have been possible. But now, he¡¯d earned a new spell, and he was hoping that it was something more active. So, with bated breath, he sat atop one of the wagons and looked at thetest addition to his spellbook:
Pledge of the Green Warden Pledge yourself to a grove. When you do so, you will gain power in rtion to the grove¡¯s strength. If it falls, so too shall you fall.
It was not what he¡¯d expected, but he sensed that this new ability was the core of the Green Warden¡¯s purpose. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t need to search for a grove to which to pledge himself. However, he was a little worried about thest line of the spell¡¯s description. In any case, he was excited to see just what sort of power the Pledge of the Green Warden would give him. First, he needed to make it back to Ironshore, though. So, Miguel pushed those thoughts out of mind and continued his watch. After one unsessful bandit attack, there was little chance of another, but he didn¡¯t intend to be surprised if one dide. Book 5: Chapter 45: The Aftermath Book 5: Chapter 45: The Aftermath ¡°What the hell?¡± Elijah demanded, ring at the Witch Hunter. ¡°What?¡± asked Dat, an expression of wide-eyed innocence on his face as he stood over the Ka¡¯ki Druid¡¯s body. ¡°He¡¯s not dead.¡± Elijah looked closer, concentrating on One with Nature. It had gone wild during the previous encounter, obscuring his senses to arge degree. But now everything was back to normal, which let him confirm Dat¡¯s im. The Druid was still alive, though his body was entirely devoid of ethera. There was still some in his Core, but the pathways of the Soul were blocked, sealing it away. ¡°What did you do?¡± Elijah demanded. ¡°I¡¯m a Witch Hunter, bro. Killing and disabling powerful magic users is my thing,¡± Dat answered. ¡°Uh¡­in the opposite order, though.¡± Until that point, Elijah had begun to look at Dat as something like moral support. Sure, the man was strong enough to contribute in battle, and he made for a passable scout. However, he didn¡¯t really excel at anything. Now, Elijah could see what made the Witch Hunter special. The Druid was powerful. Not only was he a higher level than Elijah, but his cultivation was far superior. Just one look at the Ka¡¯ki¡¯s soul was enough to confirm that he¡¯d progressed much further down his path than Elijah had traversed his own. Thework of pathways were dizzyinglyplex, weaving together in a maze that Elijah could scarcelyprehend, much less copy. But it represented an opportunity he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever get again. And even if he was afforded a simr chance, it wouldn¡¯t be for a long, long time. So, he asked, ¡°How long can you hold him?¡± ¡°They have genders now?¡± asked Sadie.Elijah shrugged. ¡°I think so. I was just following Dat¡¯s lead.¡± Indeed, Dat had referred to the Druid via male pronouns, and given that the Witch Hunter had ess to more information than anyone else, Elijah had assumed that there was a reason for the shift. ¡°He¡¯s male,¡± Dat said. ¡°At least ording to my skill. I guess there¡¯s always a question of whether or not it¡¯s talking about gender. It might refer to sex. And I don¡¯t know if it responds to someone who ¨C¡± ¡°Not the time, Dat,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Oh. Right.¡± ¡°Can you hold him there?¡± Elijah asked again. ¡°For about an hour,¡± Dat answered. ¡°Using that skill drained me, though. He¡¯ll recover after that, and I won¡¯t be able to do anything about it.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I need to study him. Just let me know when he¡¯s about to break free.¡± Then, he mentally dove into the task of memorizing the Druid¡¯s pathways. He knew that thoseplex patterns represented quite a hurdle, and he¡¯d been incapable of progressing to the second stage of Soul cultivation until he¡¯d cleared it. And even though he¡¯d been concentrating on reaching the Jade stage of Mind cultivation, he wasn¡¯t going to pass up an opportunity to ease his future path. So, he spent the next half hour meticulously studying the Druid¡¯s pathways andmitting them to memory. But he quickly discovered that he was incapable of understanding even a small portion of thatwork. It didn¡¯t even resemble a tree, as he¡¯d expected. Instead, it wasprised of billions of tiny nodes, each one connected via a series of thin threads that Elijah likened to the human nervous system. Though that description was woefully insufficient to describe the sheerplexity on disy. Then it hit him. What he was looking at was closer to a fungal colony ¨C as represented via those ethereal pathways ¨C than anything resembling a nt. However, it was far moreplicated than any colony Elijah had ever seen, which suggested that the Druid was further along the path of cultivation than he¡¯d thought. ¡°You are a rodent staring up at the stars and pretending to understand theplexities of the cosmos,¡± rasped the fallen Druid, his mouth unmoving. He swallowed, ¡°It took me centuries to reach this point. You will learn nothing from studying me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I will not be judged by the likes of you. I did what I thought necessary. The World Tree turned its back on us, and in my search for the power to save my people, I found new sources. Better sources. The system will turn on you, just as it turned on us.¡± ¡°This¡­this is a perversion of nature,¡± Elijah said, gesturing to the chamber. The once-living ice had frozen over,pletely inert after it had been destroyed by Elijah¡¯s Nature¡¯s Rebuke spell. ¡°There is no such thing. If it exists, it is nature. I ¨C¡± One of his fingers twitched. Elijah barely noticed it before Sadie¡¯s sword descended, hacking through the Ka¡¯ki¡¯s neck and severing his head. It rolled free with a disgusting squelch, spilling pale blood into a puddle on the floor. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°It recovered faster than normal,¡± she said, already wiping the blood from her de. ¡°We couldn¡¯t risk it recovering.¡± ¡°Him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Not ¡®it¡¯. Him. He was a person,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°I know. That¡­thing was cloaked in evil stronger than anything I¡¯ve ever sensed,¡± she said. ¡°It lingers, even now.¡± Elijah shook his head. He wanted to understand the Druid, to discover how any servant of nature could have ever fallen so far. But the answer was simpler than he wanted to admit. It came down to priorities. Their world had been excised and cast adrift, and the Druid did what he thought he had to do to protect his people. He¡¯d sacrificed his principles, twisting them to fit a narrative that let him sleep at night, all in service of what sounded like an impossible goal. Had it driven him mad? Maybe. Or perhaps he¡¯d epitomized sanity and made the only viable choice he¡¯d seen. Elijah would never know. But what he did know was that the Trial was far moreplicated than he¡¯d first thought. Not only were there still seven challenges out there, as well as the Immortals and their enigmatic leader, but two separate factions of natives as well. Added to that were the wraiths and the world¡¯s hostile wildlife, creating a perfect storm of danger that would likely kill more people than anyone expected. Elijah sighed. He¡¯de into the Trial knowing it would be difficult, and he was fine with that. To him, it had seemed like a more borate tower. Yet, it was clear that it was far more than that. Sure, there was a possibility that the entire was popted the same way towers were, but Elijah didn¡¯t believe that was true. This was a real, with real people, all with real problems. And they¡¯d been pitted against one another ¨C natives against Trial-takers from Earth. There was no script to follow. No secret passageways to discover. No easy ways to defeat the powerful. In fact, Elijah only had to remember the dizzyingplexity of the Druid¡¯s pathways to recognize that each and every one of the beings on the was far stronger than anyone on Earth. Not surprising, given that it had been scarcely more than five years since the World Tree had touched humanity. But it was a grim reminder that the challenges could very well end up far too dangerous to conquer. ¡°It¡¯s the Shackles, bro.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elijah asked, looking back. He¡¯d been staring at the Druid¡¯s headless corpse for some time. ¡°That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t obliterate us,¡± Dat exined. ¡°My skill says that it restricts them to the first realm. He was almost level five-hundred, but he didn¡¯t feel too much stronger than you.¡± ¡°He was.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Stronger,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°A lot stronger. His cultivation alone put him on a higher tier of power.¡± ¡°I think the bosses are supposed to be at the peak of the Mortal Realm,¡± Dat said, using another gaming term to describe the leaders. ¡°That makes sense, I guess,¡± Elijah said, still feeling a bit mncholy about everything he¡¯d witnessed. But one thing was absolutely clear ¨C if they wanted to conquer the challenges and ovee the Trial, they would need to get a lot stronger. They were all among the most powerful people on Earth, but they still had a ways to go before they reached the peak of the realm. He looked up at Dat, then shifted his gaze to Sadie and Kurik before saying, ¡°I think we need to get serious about progression.¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t what we been doin¡¯?¡± Kurik asked. ¡°We¡¯ve been going through the motions,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But I¡¯m talking about really focusing on cultivation, on pushing for more levels. This is going to kill us if we¡¯re not at our absolute best.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Starting with the reward.¡± The moment she¡¯d decapitated the Ka¡¯ki Druid, a familiar white box had appeared nearby. It looked identical to the one that had contained the Seed of the Whistling Wind, though, at nearly ten feet wide and almost as tall, it was farrger. Because of the chest¡¯s size, Elijah was forced to adopt his guardian form, then let Dat climb onto his shoulders just to open it. And when they did, they all received appropriate notifications:
Congrattions for conquering the Challenge of the Ice Fortress. Progress: 2/9 Reward: Trunk of the Frozen Oak
When Elijah climbed to the lip of the open chest, he looked down to see that the reward was precisely what the name suggested. ¡°I was expecting a trunk, like a treasure chest,¡± Dat said. ¡°Maybe filled with jewels and coins. Not¡­a tree.¡± The trunk resembled those Elijah had seen in the subterranean forests, especially in regards to its crystalline structure. However, where those trees had been an amalgamation of roots and living ice, the trunk inside the chest was clearly a single organism. It didn¡¯t look all that dissimr from the ice sculptures ¨C or frozen people, Elijah amended ¨C they¡¯d just fought. Though when he peered at it via the senses granted by One with Nature, he wasforted to find that it felt like a normal ¨C if powerful ¨C tree. ¡°What does it do?¡± Sadie asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s still alive,¡± he said. ¡°I bet if Nerthus got ahold of it, he could create an entire forest of ice trees.¡± ¡°Nerthus is your tree friend, right?¡± asked Dat. ¡°Spryggent. Kind of a tree spirit made of twisted branches and roots.¡± ¡°Cool, bro.¡± ¡°What do you mean when you say that we need to take progression more seriously? Do you have a n?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°I mean that I¡¯m going to build my cultivation cave, and everyone here is going to take advantage of it,¡± he said. ¡°Plus, I think we need to find a real Healer. I¡¯ve been doing okay with it, but we¡¯re not taking advantage of my full skillset.¡± ¡°We should grind, too,¡± Dat suggested. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Set up somewhere, kill everything we find,¡± he replied. ¡°Boring, but it¡¯s the best way to get experience.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know how I feel about that,¡± Elijah admitted. Killing was part of life, but the only time he¡¯d gone a quest of extermination ¨C at least outside of towers ¨C was when he and the hunters of Ironshore had tried to starve the orcs by killing all the prey animals in the area. That hadn¡¯t left him feeling particrly good about himself, and he never intended to repeat those actions. ¡°We¡¯ll focus on wraiths,¡± Sadie said. ¡°They¡¯re not strong, and individually, they don¡¯t give a lot of experience. But we can kill a lot of them, especially with Kurik¡¯s traps and your area abilities.¡± ¡°Fine. But first, we need to get this hunk of tree back to the Nexus Town so we can figure out what to do with it,¡± Elijah said. Then, a notion urred to him. ¡°Wait¡­scratch that. I think I have a better idea.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°You¡¯ll see. But I¡¯m going to need everyone¡¯s help here. It¡¯ll be a pain, but you¡¯ll thank me when I¡¯m done,¡± he said. Book 5: Chapter 46: Version Two Book 5: Chapter 46: Version Two ¡°Gods bedamned cold,¡± grumbled Kurik as he knelt beside one of the crops beneath the fortress. He cupped his hands, shoving his fingers beneath the frozen soil. From experience, Elijah knew that it took a fair bit of force to prate the ground, and in doing so, one would need to expose themselves to sub-freezing temperatures. He likened it to thrusting his fingers into a pool of liquid nitrogen, though with their inted Constitutions and Ward of the Seasons, they were in no danger of snapping off any digits. Still, it was notfortable, and even less so for someone like Kurik, who was quite sensitive to temperature changes. ¡°I ain¡¯t sensitive,¡± the dwarf growled, gently cupping the nt¡¯s roots and lifting it from the soil. ¡°I just don¡¯t like it s¡¯all. It ain¡¯t natural, this kinda cold.¡± ¡°Did I say that out loud?¡± asked Elijah, knowing the answer to that question. ¡°Could¡¯ve sworn I was only thinking it.¡± ¡°I hate you,¡± Kurik said. ¡°With the molten heart of the mountain.¡± ¡°Ouch. I thought we were buds,¡± Elijah said with a grin and a shake of his head as he harvested his own nt. Once he had it in hand ¨C roots and all ¨C he transferred it to a hastily built wooden trough. There were already fifteen nts in there, but there was room for nearly a dozen more. The nts themselves looked like crystalline flowers, but their stems and roots were far more mundane. However, instead of the parasitic living ice he¡¯d encountered in the fortress, this version felt far more natural. Perhaps the Druid had promoted their growth, but it seemed clear that they were native to the area. But Elijah wasn¡¯t sure that he would ever know for certain how much the so-called Betrayer had meddled with his environment. All he knew for sure was that the natural treasures felt right when he examined them via One with Nature, and he was experienced enough to trust that sense. Gradually, Elijah and the others filled the trough. Throughout, Kurik grumbled, but he didn¡¯t let that affect his work. Indeed, he took great care with the nts, demonstrating an eye for detail and a gentleness that said he¡¯d worked with delicate flora in the past. But then again, he was used to building often-intricate traps. That required a steady hand. Neither Dat nor Sadie were particrly happy with the task, either, though they didn¡¯t give voice to their displeasure. Whether that was because of some effort at stoicism or that their irritation was mitigated by the potential gains that awaited at the end of theirbors, Elijah wasn¡¯t sure. But he was grateful that they kept theirints to themselves. Soon, the trough was loaded, and Elijahbined his efforts with that of the others as they carried it through thebyrinthine system of tunnels until they reached a flight of rough steps that had been carved into the stone. It led to the surface, where they found a cluster of stone buildings that had once yed host to a squad of yetis. They were dead now, killed when Elijah and hispanions had stumbled upon them three days before. They didn¡¯t stop in the tiny settlement, and instead, trekked across thendscape for another two hours beforeing to a stop at the entrance to a cave. Only then did they set the trough down, and everyone but Elijah retreated to a fire pit they¡¯d established on the day they¡¯d found the cave. But Elijah¡¯sbor had just begun, and he started the process of arduously transnting the natural treasures into the cave, then nting them ording to his instincts. The cave itself wasrge and cylindrical, with a ceiling that extended a hundred feet above the surface. But at only thirty feet across, it was narrow. More importantly, tendrils of living ice ¨C the uncorrupted sort that seemed entirely natural ¨C flowed along the walls, emitting bitter cold and dense ethera. Already, Elijah had nted the Trunk of the Frozen Oak in the center of the cave, and to his immense relief, the hunk of wood ¨C it truly did just look like a giant, crystalline log ¨C had begun to sprout branches. They were short, stubby things with prickly leaves of pure ice, but they proved that his n had a good chance of working. Around that oak, Elijah had already nted three troughs¡¯ worth of treasure flowers. A few had taken quite a while to take root, even with him ring Nature¡¯s Bounty the entire time, but at present, they were just as healthy ¨C if not moreso ¨C than they had been in their original fields. But he was only half done. So, after spending a few more hoursboriously nting the small flowers, he gathered the others and embarked upon another gathering expedition. This time, even Sadie and Datined about leaving the fire, but they went along anyway. If they couldn¡¯t handle the gathering process, then there was no way they could withstand the biting cold of Elijah¡¯s new cultivation cave. Over the next week, they worked tirelessly to fill the cave with nts. In addition, Elijah had found a couple of other varieties of icy flora that gave the cave a slightly different vor, enhancing the ethera. More importantly, it brought bnce and, of course, beauty to the cave. Once the cavern was popted, Elijah settled in to enhance its growth and infuse the area with his essence via Nature¡¯s Bounty, One with Nature, and Healing Rain. It was not a pleasant experience, spending each subsequent day being bathed in sleet while surrounded by sub-zero temperatures. However, for Elijah, it felt more like a cold shower than the debilitating and deadly environment it would have been without his distinct advantages. It was fortunate, because it granted him the ability to truly appreciate what he¡¯d built. Of what he had grown. Stepping back, he stared at it in awe. The cave floor was entirely covered in life, with each one glittering with ethereal light. A slight breeze flowed through, rustling the frozen oak¡¯s prickly leaves, and the rivers of icy growth flowing through the walls shone with ethereal power. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The air was dense with ethera, thick enough to rival ¨C or even surpass ¨C his cultivation cave back home. At first, he¡¯d been a bit disappointed with how easily he¡¯d managed to create such a powerful environment ¨C after all, back on his ind, it had taken months of growth to achieve simr results ¨C but heforted himself with the knowledge that the excised world¡¯s ambient ethera was much denser than it was on Earth. It wasn¡¯t quite at the level of his ind, but it was close enough that the ability to build such a powerful cultivation environment should not have been surprising. Especially considering the sheer number of natural treasures he¡¯d used in its creation. Even when he¡¯d first harvested them, they had shown great power, but after weeks of his attention, they¡¯d grown even stronger. But now, he had a slight problem and a choice to make. The first concerned his own cultivation. Now that he had a suitable environment, he needed to confront the fact that none of his methods of advancing his Mind had proven fruitful. He still had a few things he wanted to try, but without a proper technique, the environment would be wasted. In short, he couldn¡¯t do anything with the masterpiece that was his cultivation cave until he knew how to advance. So, the choice was simple ¨C did he spend who knew how long focusing on trying one method after another in a quest to advance to the Jade stage of Mind cultivation, or did he and hispanions continue on with the rest of their ns? They¡¯d spoken of it quite a bit, and they¡¯d resolved to continue focusing on the challenges, just like before. However, if they found somewhere that represented what Dat called a ¡°premium grinding spot¡±, they would take full advantage of it. What qualified an area for thatbel was anyone¡¯s guess, though. Regardless, it was not Elijah¡¯s choice to make alone. So, after taking onest look at his creation, he left the cave and joined hispanions around the fire. They didn¡¯t look so miserable as before, but the cold was obviously still affecting them. Kurik in particr had moved so close to the fire pit that his clothes had begun to smolder. He didn¡¯t seem to care, though. Elijah sat down and, without ceremony, announced, ¡°It¡¯s done. It¡¯s ready if any of you want to give it a shot. I¡¯ll warn you that advancing your cultivation is rarely a painless process. And it usually takes weeks to do it properly. I think it¡¯ll be better once the cave has a chance to marinate a bit, so we may want to wait. You¡¯re also going to need to be prepared for the technique. I¡¯ve already told you all what worked for me, but I can¡¯t say it¡¯ll be the same for you. And if you¡¯re advancing your Core, I can guarantee your experience will be a lot different from what I went through.¡± Indeed, what he¡¯d gone through to take his first steps into the Whelp stage of Core cultivation had been unique to those following the Path of the Dragon. As such, there was no chance any of the others would experience something simr. ¡°Can we see it?¡± asked Dat. Elijah shrugged. ¡°If you want, but it¡¯s extremely cold in there,¡± he said. ¡°Like, if it¡¯s warmer than a hundred below zero¡­¡± ¡°Fahrenheit or Celsius?¡± ¡°He¡¯s American, Dat,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I was a scientist before the world changed, and I used the metric system way more than the imperial system,¡± Elijah said. It was a lie. He¡¯d grown up with imperial measurements, so that was automatically how he categorized things. At work, he¡¯d had to convert measurements in his mind. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. Cold is cold.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth. You humans and your fascination with exact numbers. You¡¯re practically goblins.¡± ¡°Do you want to see it or not?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°We also need to think about what we¡¯re going to do when we leave.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If someone elsees here, they¡¯re going to tear everything apart, harvest all the nts, and chop down my tree,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Those are all natural treasures. Do you have any idea what that¡¯s worth?¡± ¡°A lot?¡± Dat guessed. ¡°More than a lot. Natural treasures aren¡¯t exactly rare on Earth ¨C or here, really ¨C but they¡¯re almost always protected by a powerful guardian. Fighting them is a bad idea unless you¡¯re pretty strong, and even then, it can be a death sentence. For instance, there was this boar terrorizing the ins south of Argos. No weapons could prate its hide, and it was maddened by the loss of its natural treasure. It ¨C¡± ¡°Wait, how does that work?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°Guardians are here because the World Tree wants them here. They¡¯re tied to their treasures, and usually, they¡¯ll die before they let anyone harvest them. But sometimes, people figure out a way to steal them out from under a guardian. And it drives them crazy,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen some that recovered, but it¡¯s just as likely that they¡¯ll go on a rampage. At that point, they¡¯re no better than monsters.¡± ¡°Is there a difference between monsters and guardians?¡± she followed up. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Fundamentally? No. They all have simr origins, from what I understand. But monsters aren¡¯t supposed to be here. Or on Earth, I guess. They kind of got picked up by ident when the World Tree was integrating the. That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been told, at least. I don¡¯t know how true it is, but it seemed right to me. My point is that natural treasures are hard toe by, and because of that, they¡¯re extremely valuable. They¡¯re also used in various tradeskills.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Saide said, tapping her lip. ¡°Then we should seal the cave and camouge it until we¡¯re ready to use it.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Even then, I just hope nobody stumbles on it.¡± ¡°I could trap it.¡± ¡°No,¡± Elijah replied to Kurik¡¯s suggestion. ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill someone just for stumbling onto our cave. If ites to that, I¡¯d rather they just use it.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t no shame in protectin¡¯ what¡¯s yours,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°I said no, Kurik.¡± ¡°Fine. If it keeps us from havin¡¯ toe back here to this gods bedamned cold, I¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡± ¡°You know you¡¯re going to have to use the cave, right?¡± ¡°I know! Don¡¯t mean I¡¯m happy ¡®bout it!¡± That drew a chuckle at the dwarf¡¯s expense before Elijah led everyone to the cave. They were suitably awed by it, but no one wanted to stick around for more than a few minutes. It was one thing to steel oneself against such torturous cold in the name of advancing cultivation, but something else altogether to do so with no discernible benefit. In the end, no one was ready to use the cave for its intended purpose, so they spent another few days piling rocks in front of the entrance, then arranging the local flora to disguise their work. By the time they¡¯d finished, it was indiscernible from any other pile of rocks, so they left the area hoping that they¡¯d done enough to protect their investment. Only time would tell, though. And just like that, they left the second challenge and headed back to the Nexus Town to find the next step. Book 5: Chapter 47: Leaderboards Book 5: Chapter 47: Leaderboards ¡°I¡¯ll meet you guyster,¡± Elijah said as he zeroed in on a familiar figure. ¡°Same ce we stayedst time, right?¡± Kurik said, ¡°I need to restock on some trap supplies anyway.¡± ¡°I wanted to see if there was any news on the other challenges. We have seven more to go,¡± Sadie added. Dat shrugged, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just go hang out with Atticus.¡± With that decided, Elijah focused on his surroundings. They¡¯d just returned to the Nexus Town to find that very little had changed about the settlement itself. The buildings were all the same, but there were still a couple of key differences. First, there were far fewer people around, prompting Elijah to wonder if that was because more Trial-takers had died or if they were merely away from the safe zone at the moment. He hoped for thetter, but he fully expected to discover that the former was to me for the lower poption. The second difference was even more obvious. The market square surrounding the Branch was entirely empty,cking the temporary stalls that had upied the space thest time Elijah had been in town. It only took him a few moments to recognize that those merchants and tradespeople hadn¡¯t gone back to Earth. Instead, they¡¯d established premises in the abandoned buildings surrounding the square. There was plenty of space, so it only made sense that they¡¯d exchanged their tents for more permanent structures. Still, it made the square look like a ghost town, which was the only reason Elijah had noticed the presence of someone he hadn¡¯t thought about since leaving on histest expedition. In fact, he¡¯d almost forgotten himpletely, but the man¡¯spanions still loomedrge in his mind. He¡¯d always liked dogs, after all. As Elijah approached, he knew he¡¯d been noticed. But unlike thest time he¡¯d encountered the pack of dogs, their human handler ¨C or leader, perhaps ¨C didn¡¯t scurry away. Instead, he stood his ground, allowing Elijah to reacquaint himself with the man¡¯s appearance. The first thing Elijah noticed was the man¡¯s dirty and disheveled state. His beard was matted, and his hair hung greasily to his shoulders. Like Elijah himself, he was barefoot, but his clothing was ripped and torn, looking as if he hadn¡¯t changed his outfit since the world had transformed. If it had been new and in a better state of repair, the attire wouldn¡¯t have been out of ce in a big box electronics store. Khaki pants, a blue, polo-style shirt ¨C it was deceptively normal. But with everything ripped and torn, the man looked like he¡¯d been living in the wilderness for years. Perhaps he had. ¡°Hey,¡± Elijah said upon approach. He lifted his hand in greeting, continuing, ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to introduce myselfst time. I¡¯m Elijah.¡± One of the dogs ¨C a tiny shih tzu ¨C raced in his direction, then leaped into his arms. He caught the little ball of fluff, and it immediately climbed his chest to enthusiastically lick his face. That was when the rest of the dogs rushed him, barking excitedly as they danced around, impatient for their turn at his attention. The only outlier was a chihuahua who looked at him suspiciously. ¡°Oscar,¡± the man rasped, his voice rough with obvious disuse. ¡°Ramirez?¡± The man nodded, and Elijah took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯re one of the top names on the list,¡± he said. Ever since seeing the first power rankings, he¡¯d been fascinated by those at the top. And even from the very beginning, Oscar Ramirez had upied one of the first three spots. Aside from when Thor or Elijah himself had taken the top position, Oscar had been number one. That meant he was exceedingly powerful. Elijah set the dog down, then knelt to give some attention to the others. As he scratched a rottweiler mix¡¯s ears, he said, ¡°You have a nature attunement, don¡¯t you? No ¨C you don¡¯t have to answer. I can feel it.¡± ¡°I¡­I do,¡± Oscar said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer now, but I have this grove,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It¡¯s very beneficial to people like us. You¡¯re wee to visit.¡± ¡°Thank you for the offer,¡± the man answered. ¡°But we must go.¡± Miraculously, the entire pack of dogs all looked back at him, then let out a collective whine. He countered with a low growl, and the animals meekly returned to his side. Elijah persisted, ¡°How about a meal, then? I have plenty of supplies.¡± ¡°We ate recently.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± Oscar and his pack of dogs had already started walking away. The little shih tzu gave Elijah ast, regretful look before letting loose a dramatic huff and following. The group disappeared around a corner a momentter, leaving Elijah a little confused. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have made such an overt attempt at befriending someone, but he hadn¡¯t been lying when he said he¡¯d felt Oscar¡¯s attunement. There was a kinship there that he could scarcely quantify, like he¡¯d found a long-lost brother. It wasn¡¯t truly a familial connection ¨C rationally, he knew that ¨C but it felt like he¡¯d found a close friend that had fallen on hard times. And he desperately wanted, perhaps even needed, to help. Of course, helping someone required their consent, and Oscar clearly didn¡¯t want that. But he just as obviously needed it. The man was lost. Elijah didn¡¯t know what was going on there, but after having been through something simr, he thought he had some notion. Oscar hadn¡¯t gonepletely feral, but Elijah wouldn¡¯t have been surprised to learn that he¡¯d spent long periods of time living as an animal. After all, Elijah hade close to doing just that, and he could recognize the signs. More, he saw it in Oscar¡¯s eyes, and he could read it in the man¡¯s demeanor. Once, Elijah had read that some Druids were given the chance to evolve their ss in such a way as to permanently take an animal form. At the time, he¡¯d wondered what could push a person in that direction, but now, after seeing Oscar, he knew how such a thing could happen. If given that sort of chance, Oscar would almost assuredly join his pack in truth. Was it Elijah¡¯s ce to step in? Would his help even be wee? And if it was what he wanted, would it be so bad if Oscar let his bestial side take over? Maybe. Maybe not. But in the wake of the meeting, Elijah certainly had a lot on his mind. For a while, he wandered aimlessly, visiting various shops, and if he¡¯d stopped to pay attention to any of it, he might have marveled at how well-established some of them were. If he hadn¡¯t known better, he would have thought that some of those stores had been there for decades. Idly, he inspected some of the wares on offer, and he even bought some dried fruit that he hoped would supplement his rations, but the bulk of his attention remained on Oscar and his pack ofpanions. Or more urately, on how he might help theme to terms with their nature. This content has been uwfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But he couldn¡¯t think of anything that might help ¨C especially considering Oscar¡¯s reticence to ept even a meal, much less a more focused attempt at providing assistance. Soon enough, Elijah found himself stepping into the familiar confines of the infirmary. It wasn¡¯t as crowded as it had been in those first few days, but there were still plenty of patients. And as had been the case every other time Elijah had visited, Ron was there, tending to those patients. Without a word exchanged between them, Elijah leveraged his spells to pitch in. In so many ways, the act had a calming effect on Elijah. Not only did it soothe his soul, but it also gave him time to think. After all, healing in that setting didn¡¯t really require much thought. He simply needed to keep spells like Soothe and Healing Rain active, while using Nature¡¯s Bloom on the more dire cases. However, even that didn¡¯t give him the answers he sought, and by the time everyone in the hospital had been healed, Elijah was no closer to finding a solution to the Oscar situation than he had been before he¡¯d started. But he did feel better. ¡°Thanks,¡± Ron said, resting his huge hand on Elijah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Would¡¯ve taken me all day to finish if you hadn¡¯te around.¡± ¡°No problem. It needed to be done, right?¡± Elijah responded. ¡°That it did,¡± Ron answered. ¡°Wish everyone else would figure that out. You¡¯d think these idiots would be more careful if they didn¡¯t have a healer around, but they keep throwing themselves into one dangerous situation after another. Lost three of them yesterday. Poison. Didn¡¯t get here in time for me to counteract it. I did what I could¡­but well, you know the limits we have to deal with.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That¡¯s kind of why I¡¯m here.¡± He hadn¡¯t realized it until then, but there was a reason Elijah had wandered into the infirmary. After all, he¡¯d told hispanions that they needed to find a proper healer, so it only made sense to ask the only one he personally knew. Sure, there were others out there ¨C more than Elijah would have thought ¨C but they were all part of teams and usually kept to themselves. As such, he¡¯d not had any opportunity to meet them, and even if he had, they were already spoken for. ¡°Oh?¡± Elijahunched into an exnation of the situation, citing his limitations as a healer and pointing out that his ss was better suited for a more varied role. Then, he asked the question he needed to ask. ¡°Do you know any other healers that might want to join a team?¡± Ron¡¯s eyes briefly widened in surprise before he let out a brief chuckle. ¡°Ah. I see what you did there.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You came to ask me to join you,¡± Ron stated. ¡°But I won¡¯t do it. You know I¡¯m here to help people, and not just one group.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°I asked for a rmendation.¡± ¡°Bah.¡± ¡°Bah?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I didn¡¯t reallye here to ask you to join my group. I just kind of wandered in. But I¡¯ll admit that I do want you. We¡¯re probably the highest level group in the whole Trial, and we¡¯ve already conquered two challenges. If you can¡¯t see that this is a good opportunity, then I don¡¯t know what else to tell you. But I¡¯ll sweeten the deal. Youe with us, and I¡¯ll help you advance your cultivation.¡± ¡°Who says I need help?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°I can feel it. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re stuck at a bottleneck, but I can absolutely guarantee that I can help you take the next step. On top of that, you¡¯ll get an equal share of whatever loot we get. And finally, I¡¯ll owe you one.¡± ¡°And owing you is a big deal?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on top of the power rankings. Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m the strongest person in the world or anything, but it does mean I¡¯m in the mix for thatbel. I don¡¯t know about where you¡¯re from, but most ces have some problem or another to worry about, right? And if not, my sister-inw is one of, if not the highest-level cksmith in the world. I have ess to resources most people don¡¯t. I can help you,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And in turn, you can help me. I don¡¯t see how that doesn¡¯t make sense to you.¡± Ron adjusted his sparkly robe, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. But if I decide not to do it, I¡¯ll try to find someone to fill the role.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re a good kid. You came here and helped even when you didn¡¯t need to. And maybe that was so you could get in my good graces and get a healer for your team, but I don¡¯t think so,¡± Ron exined. ¡°So, I¡¯ll help, even if I¡¯m not willing to go personally.¡± ¡°And what would do that? Make you turn it down, I mean.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m a coward.¡± Elijahughed. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that for a second,¡± he said. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°I told my daughter I¡¯de back,¡± the Healer answered. ¡°And traipsing off into the wilderness to fight God knows what isn¡¯t the best way to do that.¡± Elijah nodded. ¡°Maybe not. But I don¡¯t think I need to remind you that there are still plenty of threats back on Earth. And here, even in Nexus Town. You¡¯re going to need to get stronger. Everyone is, or we¡¯ll end up losing our to monsters. That¡¯s the truth of it. If you want to survive this Trial, it¡¯s probably smart to stay here and keep healing people. You¡¯ll progress a little, and you¡¯ll help everyone else. But if you want to survive what¡¯sing to Earth, I think you need to get a lot stronger, and fast. We all do.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ron said. Then, he massaged the back of his neck before saying, ¡°I still need to think on it. I¡¯ll let you know in the next couple of days. You going to be around?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Elijah answered. After that, they didn¡¯t have anything else to talk about. And given that all the patients had been healed, there was no reason for Elijah to stick around. So, he left the Healer to his thoughts and headed to the Branch at the center of the former market square. There, he essed his ount and was awarded quite a sum of ethereum for his efforts in the Trial. More, when he looked at the Knowledge Base, he found a new guide waiting for him. When he looked at it, however, he found that it wasn¡¯t like any of the other guides he¡¯d seen. Instead, it was a simple list, not unlike the one disying the power rankings back on Earth.
Primacy Rankings 1. Elijah Hart ¨C 7,301 2. Analese Leafstrider ¨C 6,109 3. Benedict Emerson ¨C 6,056 4. Sadie Song ¨C 5,998 5. Kurik Magmadon ¨C 5,901 6. Oscar Ramirez ¨C 5,899 7. Ramul Totenka ¨C 5,831 8. Dat Bao ¨C 5,825 9. Abdul Nasir ¨C 5,821 10. Hu Shui ¨C 5,410 11. Breeze ¨C 5,391 12. Da¡¯jin Silver ¨C 5,303 13. ¡­ 14. ¡­ 15. ¡­
On and on the list went, but Elijah only saw a few names he recognized outside the top ten. Ron Dawson held a ce in the mid-two hundreds, which, considering that he¡¯d only healed sinceing to the Trial, was quite impressive. However, the most surprising thing he saw was the lead he held over everyone else. More than a thousand points separated him from the person in second ce, and there was an even wider gap between him and hispanions. And he had no idea why that would be. Were the few times he¡¯d healed people in the infirmary worth so much, then? Or were there other factors at y? He had no idea. But he was happy to see that his entire team was in the top ten. Now, he just had to keep them there. It was with those thoughts dancing in his mind that he returned to the building they¡¯d taken as their headquarters. Hopefully, the Primacy Rankings was a sign that they were on the right track. Book 5: Chapter 48: Specks of Dust Book 5: Chapter 48: Specks of Dust ¡°I¡¯m doing this for two reasons,¡± Ron said when he arrived a weekter. As always, he wore his sparkly robe, but he¡¯d covered it with a leather overcoat that fell almost to his ankles. Beneath it, he¡¯d donned a sturdy pair of hiking boots,pleting his odd appearance with the fairy godmother style wand he¡¯d tucked into a specially made holster on his hip. Given his big and bearded lumberjack appearance, he was a study in contrasts. Though when Elijah looked at him, all he saw was a reliable man who could make what they needed to do so much easier. ¡°First, you two have shown that you¡¯re good people, healing in the infirmary without asking for anything in return,¡± he said, looking at Elijah, then Sadie. ¡°You never told me you were healing people in your spare time,¡± Elijah said, ncing at Sadie. She shifted nervously under his gaze, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t tell you everything. People needed help, so I helped.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Elijah responded. Then, he asked the new arrival, ¡°That can¡¯t be so rare, right? I¡¯ve met plenty of selfless people who would do anything in their power to help others.¡± Ron shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re lucky, then. From my experience, most people tend to help only when they can get something out of it,¡± he said. ¡°And it¡¯s worse somewhere like here. These people didn¡¯t get to the top by looking after everyone else.¡± ¡°I did, bro,¡± Dat said from where he was leaning against the wall. With his long, ck coat and his hat tipped forward to conceal most of his face, he was clearly going for mysterious stranger. A bit silly, considering the man¡¯s demeanor. He couldn¡¯t hide a grin before he said, ¡°Nice dress. I like the sparkles.¡± For a moment, an expression of irritation crossed Ron¡¯s face, but then Dat¡¯s earnestness washed it away. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. ¡°My daughter made it.¡± ¡°My little cousin is a fashion designer,¡± Dat said. ¡°He was just getting into that world when everything¡­changed. I wonder if he became a Tailor or something. He liked sequins too.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know how to respond to that,¡± Ron admitted.¡°It¡¯s okay, bro. No response necessary. Wee to the team,¡± Dat said. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m going to get my things.¡± Then, he disappeared up the unadorned stone stairs that led to the rooms they¡¯d established as their sleeping quarters. ¡°Was it something I said?¡± asked Ron. Elijah shrugged, but Sadie said, ¡°It¡¯s not a good day. Dat usually tries to remain upbeat, but he can¡¯t keep it up all the time. Today is a bad day for both of us.¡± ¡°You seem fine.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m better at keeping it hidden,¡± Sadie responded. ¡°I think you know how that goes.¡± Elijah was about to respond, but then he shut his mouth. The reality was that he¡¯d taken Dat¡¯s optimism for granted, forgetting that, just like everyone else, the man had experienced quite a lot of trauma. It was natural that it would affect him from time to time. He didn¡¯t know what had happened to darken Dat¡¯s and Sadie¡¯s moods, but he wasn¡¯t so socially inept that he would start asking about something they both clearly wanted to keep to themselves. ¡°This is awkward,¡± Ron said. ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth. You humans and your fluctuatin¡¯ emotions,¡± Kurik agreed with a shake of his head. He¡¯d been sitting in the corner, mostly ignored as he packed various things into arge sack. Apparently, it had been created by a high-level tailor who¡¯d been working with Atticus, and it was at least on par with Elijah¡¯s first spatial pack. Perhaps even better. Everyone else in the group ¨C even Elijah ¨C had purchased one. The dwarf looked up at Ron, adding, ¡°Name¡¯s Kurik, by the way. Only sane one in the group, if you ask me, but nobody ever does. Just be d you weren¡¯t with us in thest challenge. That sparkly robe of yours don¡¯t look like it offers much protection from the cold. You¡¯d have frozen your ¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind Kurik. He¡¯s the group¡¯s grump,¡± Elijah said, which earned him a re. ¡°Wee to the team, Ron.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to hear the second reason?¡± asked the Healer. ¡°Oh, right. Proceed.¡± Ron sighed. ¡°You know what? Never mind. Are we leaving now?¡± he asked. ¡°As good a time as any,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Oh. I got something for you.¡± Then, he headed upstairs to gather his things. Behind him, he heard Ron ask Sadie, ¡°Is he always like this?¡± ¡°Sometimes he¡¯s worse,¡± she answered. Elijah ignored them, instead grabbing his own pack, his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, and his staff. In addition, he picked up a second pack he¡¯d stashed in his room ¨C which was stark, save for the new addition of a bed he¡¯d gotten from another one of Atticus¡¯ crafters ¨C before returning to the ground floor. When he got there, he saw that Dat was back as well, and he carried a new longsword at his hip. Everyone in the group had purchased some supplies or equipment from the crafting consortium, which Eiljah hoped would make the difference when they encountered the third challenge. It had been a week well spent, but still, Elijah had regretted the break. After all, they¡¯d spent the better part of a month building the cultivation cave, so it had been quite some time since they¡¯d made any progress. But at least everyone had used the time wisely, gearing up and gathering information on the next challenge, which was tied to Mortalum. Apparently, it was the realm housing the bulk of the multi-verse¡¯s sapient poption. The further one traveled in either direction ¨C up or down along the World Tree¡¯s trunk ¨C the weirder and more alien things became. There were people who lived in most of those other realms, but there were few natives, and they were far outnumbered by each realm¡¯s natural wildlife. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. In any case, the sheer variety of environments associated with Mortalum meant that they¡¯d had no idea what to really expect from the challenge. So, the dossier Elijah had purchased on the subject would doubtless prove extremely valuable. Even if the description had beencking and a little confusing. Still, he hoped the preparations would help them all survive. After making certain that no one had forgotten anything, the group set out from Nexus Town. Along the way, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of anticipation. Some of that was due to their mission. Conquering the third challenge would mean that they were nearly a third of the way topleting the Trial. So, not only would it represent a great aplishment in and of itself, but it would offer great rewards. But mostly, Elijah¡¯s enthusiasm came from the simple fact that he was extremely close to crossing the threshold into level ny-five. It had been a while since he¡¯d received a new ability, and he couldn¡¯t help but nurture a sense of excitement at the prospect. As they trekked through the jungle, he thought back to his initial runs through towers. Back then, he¡¯d gained multiple levels incredibly quickly, but now, it felt as if he needed to kill thousands of creatures ¨C or heal tens of thousands of people ¨C if he wanted to progress. That gave Elijah some insight into the scale of his new reality. If things kept going at his current rate, he wouldn¡¯t reach demigod status ¨C which came at level two-hundred-and-fifty ¨C for decades. And never mind deification or transcendence. Idly, he remembered the guide exining the different stages of progression:
Whether they are warriors or crafters, schrs or mages, each person is subject to the Divine System, which eases the burden of progression and provides an easily quantifiable means of tracking and guiding an individual¡¯s strength. The generally epted tiers of power are as follows:
Level 1-125 Mortal
Level 126-250 Ascendent
Level 251-500 Demigod
Level 501-1000 Deity
Level 1000+ Transcendent
It wouldn¡¯t be crazy to expect his path to take multiple millennia. Perhaps tens of thousands of years. It was an insane timescale, and yet, it was also exciting. Life spans varied too much to be standardized ¨C for instance, dwarves and elves, even without cultivation or levels, lived more than twice as long as the average human ¨C but Elijah knew that his own life expectancy could now be counted in centuries. And each step he took on his path ¨C be it cultivation or levels, not to mention potions and natural treasures ¨C would lengthen it. ¡°Does anyone else think it¡¯s insane that everyone here is going to live for centuries?¡± he asked, ducking under a low-hanging branch, then sliding down a rain-slick berm. His feet sshed into a small stream as he continued, ¡°I mean, I was expecting to be dead by now, and even without the cancer, I would¡¯ve probably died in fifty years or so. Sixty or seventy if I was lucky. Now, there¡¯s every chance of living for a thousand years.¡± ¡°It makes you wonder what the world will look like then,¡± Sadie agreed, thudding down beside him. She pushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. ¡°Think about Earth a thousand years ago. How much progress will we make in our new and extended life spans?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying!¡± Elijah agreed enthusiastically. Ron said, ¡°I¡¯m older than both of you, and I remember how much the world changed in my lifetime.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not sure if I want to see what we¡¯ll do with our with a thousand years to screw it up.¡± ¡°At least we¡¯ll be here to keep it from getting too bad,¡± Elijah said. It was an interesting concept. Before, the rich and powerful didn¡¯t really care about the environment they left behind because it didn¡¯t directly affect them. But now, they would have to personally experience the repercussions of their actions. Maybe that would curtail some of their worst tendencies. As they traversed the sweltering jungle, the three continued to discuss Earth¡¯s future and their ces in it. Meanwhile, Dat and Kurik scouted the way, returning only periodically to give them directions. For hours more, they kept going until, as the sun set, they made camp. That night passed easily enough, though they were attacked by a small group of wraiths. The creatures were weak enough that they didn¡¯t pose much of a threat, but it gave the group time to integrate Ron into their tactics. He¡¯d clearly been in plenty ofbat situations, and he adapted quickly to their strengths and weaknesses, doing his job more efficiently than Elijah could ever hope to match. There was a benefit to having a real Healer in the group, and one everyone in the party appreciated. For his part, Ron was the least powerful among them, so he actually gained a level from the small skirmish. Hopefully, he would progress rapidly as they fought more dangerous foes. After that, their journey adopted a pattern. Elijah and Sadie remained behind with Ron, while Dat and Kurik took turns scouting their route. Sometimes, they were directed to small groups of wraiths, and they were even attacked by a group of ta¡¯ki hunters. That fight proved far more dangerous than their shes with wraiths or the wildlife, but by that point, the group had be a well-oiled machine. They only killed one of the two-legged ta¡¯ki, but they did manage to drive the others into retreat. That was when Elijah showed the worth of his predator form. Not only did it allow him to move swiftly, silently, and undetected in the jungle, but the instincts that came with the form enabled him to track the remaining hunters and put them down. It took the better part of a day, but his hunt was sessful. It ended with a cat-and-mouse chase through the jungle as the final hunter evaded him. As concerned as he was with the monster pursuing him, the hunter ran headlong into a hastily built trap, impaling himself on a series of pre-built spikes Kurik had bought from Atticus¡¯ people. The ta¡¯ki died momentster when Sadie severed their head, concluding the conflict. Only a dayter, Dat returned from his most recent scouting expedition and said, ¡°I think I¡¯ve found the next challenge.¡± ¡°Were the descriptions urate?¡± Sadie asked, looking in the direction Dat had indicated. With the thick jungle, she could see nothing. Neither could Elijah, but he¡¯d felt the density of the ambient ethera increasing ofte. Dat shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s worse. A lot worse. You need to see it to believe it,¡± he said. After that, the group followed the Witch Hunter for a few more miles until, atst, the area came into focus. ¡°Damn,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I concur,¡± Ron agreed. ¡°Told you, bro.¡± Book 5: Chapter 49: Detritus Book 5: Chapter 49: Detritus The smell was the first thing that hit Elijah, and he was reminded of the few times he¡¯d visited a localndfill back home. Thankfully, those trips had been infrequent ¨C just when he¡¯d had to help his parents clean out their storage shed or garage ¨C but the memories had stuck with him. And they came flooding back into his mind as he beheld the challenge of Mortalum. ¡°Is this what the system thinks of civilization?¡± he muttered, staring at mountains of discarded trash. Even from a distance, he could recognize bits and pieces ¨C like what appeared to be a fully intact ship built in an unfamiliar style ¨C but for the most part, theposition of those trash mountains trended more towards stray parts, each one rusted or rotting. He saw giant gears, wooden beams that were as big around as redwoods, and millions of other items he couldn¡¯t even begin to recognize. The message was clear, though. The first challenge had represented Aesira, the realm of air. The second had simrly been tied to Pruina, the realm of ice. And the mountains of trash were meant to symbolize Mortalum. The implication was a p in the face for anyone who called that realm home. But once Elijah got past the shock of it, he couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge its uracy. He had no experience with other worlds, but on Earth, humanity had destroyed its environment, wasting countless resources in the pursuit of progress. Theirs was a legacy of detritus, a trail of trash they¡¯d left behind as they reached for ever higher peaks. Elijah was no environmental warrior. Despite his status as a Druid ¨C and as a biologist before that ¨C he¡¯d never been blind to the benefits that came from humanity¡¯s constant pursuit of progress. Millions of lives had been saved by technological advances that ruined their environments. However, when he looked at what the system clearly thought of civilization ¨C and not just that of humans, obviously ¨C he was forced to wonder if the universe might have been better off without it. Maybe that was the point. Or perhaps there was no point, except the one he created in his own mind. After all, ording the corrupted ka¡¯ki Druid, the system was merely a machine. It hadn¡¯t been created to make points, but to achieve a specific goal. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure which way he preferred. A system with an usatory agenda meant that, perhaps, civilization wasn¡¯t so bad as the biased system portrayed them. But apletely neutral system? That would mean the impact of various societies was probably worse than the mountain of trash suggested. ¡°I don¡¯t know, bro,¡± Dat said.¡°I read the dossier, but I didn¡¯t expect this,¡± Sadie breathed. ¡°Where do you think it all came from?¡± ¡°Every civilization has trash,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That¡¯s what this is.¡± ¡°One dwarf¡¯s trash is another dwarf¡¯s treasure,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Might we can find somethin¡¯ useful in there. Even apart from the reward, I mean.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Sadie agreed with a neutral expression. Clearly, she didn¡¯t savor the notion of digging through mountains of trash. Elijah wholeheartedly agreed. ¡°Well, the sooner we get to it, the sooner we¡¯re finished,¡± Ron pointed out. Everyone echoed his statement, and after double-checking that they were all as prepared as possible, they pushed through thest vestiges of the jungle and into the no-man¡¯snd surrounding the mountains of trash. Upon approach, Elijah saw that the majority of it was inorganic and often metallic. He couldn¡¯t begin to guess where most of it hade from, but he likened it to seeing piles of old and discarded refrigerators and washing machines. Or maybe that was due to his memories of visitingndfills back on Earth. Regardless, they soon passed the ephemeral line that quarantined the challenge, resulting in a notification that shed before Elijah¡¯s eyes. Presumably, the others saw a simr message:
You have reached the Citadel of Innovation. To conquer the Challenge of Mortalum, destroy the Engineer. Reward: Ingot of Celestial Truegold
Kurik gasped, mouthing the name of the reward. ¡°Celestial Truegold?¡± Elijah asked his dwarven friend. ¡°Is that good?¡± ¡°It¡­it¡­good doesn¡¯t begin to describe it,¡± the Sapper responded. ¡°It is too much. Way too much. Evente-stage Ascendents would be lucky to see such a powerful material, much less own an entire ingot. I am no Miner or Metallurgist, but every dwarf worth his beard knows about Celestial Truegold. It¡¯s practically a myth. I¡¯ve only seen it once, and that was when my n was banished. The King wields a scepter made of the stuff as a symbol of his authority.¡± ¡°What are its properties?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if its an alloy or a pure metal. All I know for sure is that it¡¯s priceless.¡± ¡°So, this is a good reward. Probably means the challenge will be even worse than ¨C¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Look!¡± Dat eximed, pointing at the nearest mountain of detritus. That characterization was not an exaggeration. The pile was literally the size of a mountain, which meant that it took Elijah a moment to recognize what Dat had seen. At first, Elijah thought he was looking at a nest of spiders not unlike the one he¡¯d found in the pass connecting the Ironshore region to the area north of Norcastle. But the glint of metal prompted him to use Eyes of the Eagle, and when he zoomed in, he saw that each of those spider-like creatures was actually a multi-legged machine. Moreover, with his new perspective, he saw that the spider-like robot ¨C if that was the proper characterization ¨C wasn¡¯t the only type. Indeed, there were dozens of other variations crawling across the mountain of trash. Some looked like other insects ¨C the ones that resembled millipedes were particrly disturbing ¨C but there were plenty of others that were nothing like any natural creature Elijah had ever beheld. ¡°They¡¯re eating the trash,¡± Dat said. ¡°No. They¡¯re destroying it,¡± Elijah argued, recognizing the acrid scent of burning rubber. It wasn¡¯t strong ¨C not as far away as they were ¨C but it was powerful enough that Elijah had no trouble identifying the smell. ¡°I don¡¯t think machines eat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t matter none,¡± Kurik said. ¡°What¡¯re we gonna do about ¡®em? ¡®cause I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll let us just stroll up there and kill some Engineer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Elijah agreed. ¡°Do we have much of a choice? We need to get in there.¡± Sadie said. Then, she looked around, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s enough room here for traps.¡± ¡°I can whip something up,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Might can build some fortifications, too.¡± Before the dwarf could make good on that n, the entire mountain came alive. More of those metallic creatures skittered out of unseen holes, making the pile of trash look like someone had kicked an anthill. The robots swarmed all around, then charged down the slope. It was only then that Elijah ¨C still with Eyes of the Eagle active ¨C saw the robots¡¯ target. Three people were running down the valley between two mountains, and they were being pursued by a giant demonic monstrosity. The creature was four-legged, horned, and looked like some edgy teenage artist¡¯s depiction of a centaur from hell. Fire danced across its broad shoulders, and despite how quickly it could obviously cover ground, the trio of humans managed to stay just ahead of the demon. Sadie let out a low growl before dashing forward, her armor and sword already zing with power. Dat wasn¡¯t far behind, hefting his crossbow and loosing a bolt that shed across the mile separating him from the demon. It mmed into the creature¡¯s chest, staggering it for a brief moment. ¡°I guess we¡¯re saving them,¡± Elijah muttered. It had never really been a question, but he didn¡¯t like that Sadie had made the decision without consulting the rest of the group. That wasn¡¯t like her. And it was even less like the usually-cautious Dat. Regardless, the die had been cast, and if Elijah wanted to keep his team together, he had no choice but to follow. The same was true of Kurik and Ron, and even as Elijah shifted into the Shape of the Predator, the others kept pace. He¡¯d already made a habit of bestowing his various enhancements onto his allies, so, courtesy of Essence of the Wolf, they managed to keep up. Still, Sadie and Dat hadn¡¯t bothered to wait for their allies. Instead, they zed past the fleeing trio of humans, and Sadie leapt at the demon, her sword zing with more power than ever before. The de fell, slicing through the creature¡¯s thick arm, but even as the limb flopped to the ground, it leveled a backhanded blow at the leaping Crusader. Suspended in mid-air, she was entirely incapable of dodging, so she took the hit on the shoulder. It sent her flying through the air until she collided with an overturned object that looked curiously like a discarded dishwasher. She didn¡¯t stop there, but instead, cartwheeled across thendscape for another fifty feet before skidding to a stop. That was when Dat let loose with a barrage of crossbow bolts. It was a new ability, and though Elijah hadn¡¯t learned its name, he¡¯d seen it in action. The bolts hit with the velocity and rapidity of machine gun fire, thudding into the demon¡¯s thickly muscled frame. The first few were deflected by the creature¡¯s thick scales, but the sheer number of projectiles ¨C each one glowing with ethereal light ¨C took their toll, carving a deep crater into the demon¡¯s chest. Then, it raised its remaining arm, and a whip of fire zed into being. Its arm fell, and the whip snapped. An instantter, Dat dove to the side. However, the weapon still took a chunk of flesh out of the Witch Hunter¡¯s shoulder. He shouted in anger and pain, but he turned his dive into a roll,ing up firing once again. By that point, Elijah had already passed the trio, who kept running without so much as a nce at their saviors. He did see the terror writrge on their faces, though. In any case, Elijah dipped into Guise of the Unseen as he raced past Dat. At the same time, Ron pointed his sparkly star-tipped wand at Dat, loosing a healing spell that mended the man¡¯s wounded shoulder. For his part, Elijah trusted the Healer to do his job. He knew he had one shot to end the fight, and he didn¡¯t intend on letting himself be distracted. As he stalked toward the monster ¨C moving much faster than he normally would ¨C he saw Sadie picking herself up. She was clearly stunned, but he didn¡¯t think she¡¯d incurred any major injuries. But the Crusader was too far away to affect the fight ¨C at least for a few more seconds. By the time she recovered and rejoined the battle, the demon would have brought that terrible whip to bear, and Elijah had already seen how powerful it could be. Without any hesitation, Elijah circled around the creature. It didn¡¯t notice him. Whether that was due to Guise of the Unseen or because it seemed just as enraged by Dat¡¯s and Sadie¡¯s presences as they were by its existence, he didn¡¯t know. But Elijah was more than willing to take advantage of the distraction. It raised its arm once again, ready to level another attack with that devastating weapon. But before it could snap it forward, Elijah leapt. As he did, he used both Venom Strike as well as Predator Strike, and when hended, he wasted no time before closing his maw around the creature¡¯s neck. He flexed his jaws, embracing the power of his skills as well as the natural structure of his form. At first, the thing¡¯s scales and dense flesh resisted, but that onlysted for an instant before he tore through. Bone snapped a secondter, and the monster went limp. Just as it did, another barrage of crossbow bolts mmed into its chest, and a glowing white sword hacked into its foreleg. It let out a gurgling but weak scream as its bnce was ruined. The demon fell with a loud thud, kicking up mud and stagnant water with the impact. Sadie buried her de in its massive head. And just like that, the monster was in, and the air was filled with the smell of charred flesh. However, one look at the surrounding slopes told Elijah that the battle had only begun. Thousands of robotic monsters had taken note of the battle, and they clearly intended to participate. What was worse was that they didn¡¯t have the benefit of a defensive position or Kurik¡¯s traps to protect them. They were exposed, Sadie was injured ¨C even if slightly ¨C and they were still separated from the other three members of their group by a couple hundred feet. ¡°Dammit,¡± he growled, angry at hispanions for acting without a n. But the damage had been done, so now they could only y the hand they¡¯d been dealt. ¡°Sadie!¡± She stared at the demon¡¯s corpse, her sword dripping ck blood that sizzled when it hit the ground. Elijah shouted her name again, and she gave a start. Whipping toward him, she demanded, ¡°What?¡± ¡°We need to retreat!¡± he yelled. That was when she fully climbed free of her dazed state, and she gave him a nod. It preceded a veritable tidal wave of robotic monsters that fell upon them a momentter. Book 5: Chapter 50: Regrouping Book 5: Chapter 50: Regrouping A flood of insectile machines skittered toward the pair ofpanions, sending an avnche of detritus bouncing down the slopes of the mountain of trash. Elijah¡¯s thoughts raced with various ns, though he discarded each as quickly as they came to mind. But one stood tall above all the others, and hetched onto it as the only hope of escape. ¡°Clench up!¡± he spat, already shifting out of his Draconid form. His posture changed, and his forelegs lengthened into arms that, in turn, became wings. At the same time, his back legs transformed into mighty talons, and as soon as the Shape of the Sky tookplete hold, he used those ws totch onto Sadie beforeunching himself into the air. He made it all of twenty feet before something singed his wing, ripping a huge gash in the thin membrane. Another came an instantter, heralding the arrival of a barrage that tore his wings to shreds. The Shape of the Sky was magical in nature, but it still functioned ording to thews of physics. And with huge, gaping holes in his wings, he could not remain aloft. He - and his cargo ¨C plummeted toward the ground a momentter. Elijah managed to arrest his momentum a little before releasing Sadie, but he still hit the ground with a thud that, a few levels before, would have broken his hollow bones. As it was, he only twisted a few joints, which was a vast improvement over many of his less gracefulndings. Elijah rolled, already taking on a different form. Normally, he would have returned to his natural shape so he could heal his injuries, but he forewent that strategy, choosing instead to trust that Ron would do his job. Besides, a few holes might be enough to ruin his flight form, but those same injuries were little more than annoyances to amer ape. His transformation into the hulking lizard-primate came with a mighty roar that was cut off only a secondter when the wave of robots finally reached him. A giant, metal cockroach reared on its hind legs,tching onto his shoulder with a pair of huge pincers that tore through his scales. Elijah grunted in pain, using Iron Scales as he grabbed the thing¡¯s exoskeleton and ripped it free. A chunk of his flesh came with it as the thing¡¯s legs went wild, stabbing into his torso like spears. The sound of metal on metal filled the air as Iron Scales prevented any major injuries, but Elijah felt his stamina dip noticeably with every fouled attack. So, he spun in ce before throwing the creature as far as he could manage. And given his high Strength, which was further enhanced by his various equipment, the form itself, and Essence of the Lion, that meant that the monster flew hundreds of feet before crashing into the side of the trash mountain. A momentter, it was buried beneath a huge, rusted cube of metal that crushed it t. Elijah had no time to celebrate, though, because there were hundreds more robotic insects bearing down on him. And what¡¯s more, they weren¡¯t all melee-focused, as quite a few were equipped with what looked like guns mounted on their backs. They fired hunks of molten metal that hit his body with a familiar sizzle that told him what had knocked him from the sky. Thankfully, thebination of his high Constitution, durable hide, Iron Scales, and Ward of the Seasons kept them from doing too much damage. After all, themer ape was far more enduring than the Shape of the Sky. Even so, the sheer weight of those attacks was enough to drive him backward, and theirbined damage quickly began to add up. Then, he felt a warm power flow through him. His wounds started to heal, and what¡¯s more, a corona of white light enveloped his body. It shielded him from further attacks, allowing him to go all out in his reprisal. He ripped into the nearest robot ¨C a millipede-like machine that spat fire ¨C tearing its legs off and using its body as a flexible club. He battered another cockroach robot to the side, then tossed the millipede into a mass of other insects. The force of the projectile knocked them aside, giving him room to breathe. More importantly, that brief moment of peace let Elijah take stock of his situation, and he was unsurprised to find that Kurik, Dat, and Ron had joined Sadie. They were backed against the demon¡¯s body, using it to protect their backs. Meanwhile, Sadie guarded the other three as they each fought ording to their role. Dat continued to fire his crossbow, while Kurik fought in a melee, darting in and hacking into the robots with his hatchet. At the same time, Ron waved his sparkly wand, bestowing his healing spells upon anyone who¡¯d taken damage. From experience, Elijah knew that one of Ron¡¯s spells actually helped them recover stamina as well, which kept everyone fighting at peak condition. For his part, Elijah¡¯s enraged battle had taken him almost a hundred feet away from hispanions. That was at the edge of Ron¡¯s range. Any further, and he¡¯d be on his own. Wanting to avoid that, Elijah used the brief respite to shift back into his draconid form and dash towards the rest of the party. Of course, the mass of insectoid robots were unwilling to let him go, and they fell upon him with mechanical fury. However, using the high Dexterity of his predator shape, he was able to dodge the onught of attacks. Dashing and ducking, slithering to the side, then racing forward, he reached the party a couple of secondster. Once there, he shifted back into his caster form and let loose with his own spells. Healing Rain came first, but he followed it up with Swarm and Cmity. Only a momentter, he realized just how useless they both were. Swarm had conjured a mass of glittering metal flies, but they were incapable of delivering their afflictions. Btedly, he recognized how much sense it made. Robots couldn¡¯t be diseased, after all. Cmity was slightly more effective, though the creatures were heavy enough to withstand the winds without losing their footing. More importantly, it seemed that they were incapable of being distracted, rendering the spell¡¯s usual purpose moot. Elijah shifted his focus to his other spells, casting Nature¡¯s Rebuke and, when it failed to do anything, Storm¡¯s Fury. Thetter was slightly more effective, especially when it arced from one metallic monster to the next, but its usefulness was still only marginal at best. At least it stunned them, though, if only for a second. Either way, the message was clear. The robots were either resistant to his spells in particr or, more likely, nearly immune to spells in general. That led Elijah to once again shift back into hismer ape form and join Sadie on the front line. Once there, he leveraged his immense Strength and Constitution to wreak havoc on the monsters. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Smashing robotic millipedes, kicking metallic cockroaches, and even snatching smaller but no less dangerous mechanical grasshoppers out of the air, he fought like a possessed beast. Along the way, Elijah took dozens of wounds. Particrly damaging were the sts of superheated metal that mmed into him from afar, but he nearly lost a leg to a beetle-like robot with enormous pincers that cut through even his Iron Scales-protected limb with ease. The only thing that saved him was when Sadie shed her greatsword through the appendages, and they lost their driving force. A momentter, one of Ron¡¯s healing spells settled onto him, mending the damage over the next thirty seconds. Elijah fought on, mming his great fists into one enemy after another, but each time he slew one of the monsters, another took its ce. And on the few asions when he had a spare moment to look around, he was forced to realize that, despite their efforts, the tide of robotic death was no closer to ebbing. They¡¯d destroyed hundreds, and yet, there were always more. To Elijah, the meaning was clear. ¡°We can¡¯t keep this up!¡± he shouted as one of the smaller robots dashed past Sadie andtched onto Dat. The Witch Hunter responded mechanically, ripping the tick-like robot ¨C it even had a rubber dder to house the blood it sucked ¨C from his flesh. Blood sttered as he tossed it to the ground, then viciously stomped it before resuming his ranged attacks. Where he was getting all those crossbow bolts, Elijah had no idea, but he¡¯d continued to fire throughout the battle. The weak link was Kurik. No matter how skilled he was with those hatchets, his ss just wasn¡¯t suited to the task. As a result, the injuries he sustained due to thatck of suitability began to mount, requiring more attention from Ron. In turn, the burden wore on the Healer until he shouted, ¡°I can¡¯t keep going like this! There¡¯s too much damage going around!¡± Sadie responded by using Call of the Crusader, and the robotic monsters all turned their attention to her. Elijah used that to rip into them, and without fear of reprisal, he finally managed to make some progress. It wasn¡¯t enough, though. With thousands of robotic monsters pouring down the slopes, it never would be, either. It was just when that realization arrived that everything changed. And not for the better. Suddenly, a shadow fell upon the group. At first, Elijah thought that they¡¯d been fighting so long that night had fallen. However, a brief nce at the sky showed him the error of that assumption. A giant wasp with glittering wings and a metallic body hovered over them. If its wingspan was less than a hundred feet, Elijah would have been surprised, and when it swooped low to attack, he was nearly knocked from his feet by the downforce of those enormous wings. It stopped only a hundred feet above them, but any relief Elijah might¡¯ve felt was quickly thrown aside when it pointed its stinger at the group. Ethera gathered at the tip, and Elijah shouted, ¡°Defensives!¡± A beam of pure fire, at least fifteen feet wide, descended upon their position. Elijah screamed as he felt his scales melting under the onught. He was on the verge of using Guardian¡¯s Renewal when a simrly powerful wave of ethera erupted from Sadie. White light swept through the group, pushing the fire back. In addition, it threw the insectoid robots away, tossing them hundreds of feet back. And finally, a wave of healing ¨C unlike anything Elijah had ever felt ¨C raced through everyone. Instantly, Elijah¡¯s wounds mended, and his core returned to full strength. His fatigue washed away, and he felt his attributes increase by dozens of points. In that moment, Elijah felt like he could fight a god. But then, the light faded, and though the attribute increase remained, it quickly became clear that the situation hadn¡¯t really changed. The robots took a moment to recover, and the giant mechanical wasp gathered itself for another shot that Elijah knew they couldn¡¯t endure. More troublingly, Sadie sagged to the ground, exhausted. She caught herself before shepletely copsed, but even as she picked herself back up, it was obvious that she couldn¡¯t continue the fight. ¡°We need to retreat!¡± he yelled, whipping around to search for a way out. However, he was dismayed to see that there were hundreds, if not thousands, of monsters standing between them and the jungle. There were markedly fewer in the direction of the trash mountains. Dat saw the same thing Elijah had, and he pointed toward the narrow valley. ¡°That way!¡± he shouted. It was the path of least resistance, so no one in the group argued with his direction. For his part, Elijah picked Sadie up and led the way, bulling through any monsters that barred their path. Meanwhile, Sadie wasn¡¯t down for the count, and she protected his back, shing the creatures that tried to attack from the rear. Ron, Kurik, and Dat followed, fighting their own battles to the best of their abilities. Even Ron used a few offensive spells, which were simple balls of kic force that did little more than stun his attackers. They charged ahead, beating back the waves of monsters as they forged deeper into thendfill. Their way was slowed by the uneven terrain, but fortunately, their attributes were high enough that they managed to stay just ahead of the pursuing insectoids. Over the next few minutes, they sprinted and leapt, dashed and dove, and all the while, they were forced to fend off their attackers. Elijah was particrly hampered by the fact that he had to fight one-armed, but the only other option was to drop Sadie. She could still fight, but there was no way that, in her weakened state, she could ever hope to keep up with their rapid retreat. Thankfully, she made herself useful by using her own abilities and skills ¨C particrly the one that shielded allies ¨C to keep the others as safe as possible. Along the way, it became clear that without the renewal they¡¯d experienced, none of them would have survived. Ron¡¯s store of ethera had been running dry, but now, he was able to use his full arsenal of spells to heal and protect the group. Meanwhile, everyone else¡¯s fatigue had been cast aside, giving them the energy they needed to flee. With every step they took, the monsters fell further behind, and the ones ahead grew more diffuse. Still, it wasn¡¯t until almost an hourter that they managed to gain a moment of respite. They were just trying to figure out what to do when Elijah heard a voice from nearby. ¡°Over here! I know where to hide!¡± shouted a man. Elijah recognized him, too. How could he not? With his boy band-turned-vampire looks, the man was quite memorable. In any case, Elijah wasn¡¯t one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so he and hispanions quickly followed the beckoning man down a path and through a narrow crevice between two piles of trash. After a few minutes of twists and turns, they found themselves in a small vale. For the first time since leaving the jungle, Elijah saw vegetation. A twisted tree that looked like it was barely hanging onto life sprouted in the center of the vale, casting the area in an aura of peace and protection. Instantly, Elijah knew that it would shield them from the insectoid robots, and he finally let himself rx. Setting Sadie down, he let himself return to his human form. It was only then that the enhanced attributes from Sadie¡¯s ability faded, and he realized just how exhausted he was. He copsed, thest bit of energy fading before he lost consciousness. Thest thing he saw was a handsome man looking down on him. Hopefully, he didn¡¯t have any nefarious purposes up his sleeve. Book 5: Chapter 51: Trying Book 5: Chapter 51: Trying Benedict was trying. He truly was. Throughout his time in the Trial, he¡¯d done everything possible to mind his own business and leave everyone else alone. And for the most part, he¡¯d seeded. Certainly, he¡¯d sacrificed a few people so he could summon another Malicious Guard, but they¡¯d practically begged him to kill them. Not in so many words, but he¡¯d seen the way they looked at him. He¡¯d heard the way they spoke of him. And he could tell which way the wind was blowing. It was only a matter of time before they attacked him. So, in a sense, he¡¯d acted in self-defense. Of course, Benedict only partially believed the pretty, little lies he¡¯d told himself. He knew he was a murderer, and the only true justification for his actions was that he¡¯d needed a minion if he wanted to survive the Trial of Primacy. His experiences on the journey to Nexus Town had made that abundantly clear. So, he¡¯d done what he had to do. But once he¡¯d had his Malicious Guard in tow, he¡¯d resolved to pick his targets more judiciously. No more wanton murder. No more ritual sacrifices. There were plenty of monsters in the jungle, so he didn¡¯t need to prey on humans. And when he¡¯d conquered the first challenge, he¡¯d made the mistake of believing that everything would work out. After all, he no longer looked like a pallid and pockmarked shut-in. He was handsome and powerful, and it should have been easy for everyone to ept the person he¡¯d be. Yet, when he¡¯de to the so-called Citadel of Innovation ¨C more like a Citadel of Trash ¨C he¡¯d only fought for a few hours before someone tried to kill him. Sure, they¡¯d shouted something indignant, using him of consorting with abominable demons, but just like his own justifications, they were hollow. The reality was that those people had seen a single traveler, all alone and with his focus on the group of robotic insects he was fighting at the time. That made him an easy target. Or so they¡¯d thought. The Malicious Guard had another opinion on the subject, and it had ughtered two of them before they¡¯d even had a chance to recognize the danger they¡¯d put themselves in. The others had fought for only a few moments before they saw what should have been obvious and fled. For his part, Benedict had attempted to stop the Malicious Guard from pursuing, but his hold on such a newly summoned creature was tenuous. And as he¡¯d discovered, Malicious Guards were particrly stubborn and difficult to control. As a result, the thing had gone out of range before Benedict had a chance to corral it. It wasn¡¯t a huge loss. Sure, he had expected it to kill the remainder of the group that had attacked him, but that wasn¡¯t a big deal. Like all opportunistic bullies, they deserved what wasing to them. And eventually, the Malicious Guard would havee back. Benedict only had to retreat to the safe zone he¡¯d found and wait for the creature to return. But then, the connection had been severed, and the guard had died. Or perhaps it was the other way around. For a few minutes, Benedict had been stunned, his ethera drained down to nothing. More troublingly, he hadn¡¯t recovered any of his reserved attributes, and for a while, he¡¯d despaired that he never would. It was an hour before his ethera had begun to return, and another twenty minutes before the reserved portion of his attributes recovered. A wave of relief had swept through him, then, but the meaning was clear. His summoned demonic creatures were powerful, but there were consequences if he let them die. He hadn¡¯t noticed that with the imps, but then again, they were much weaker than the Malicious Guard. So, losing one of them wasn¡¯t nearly as impactful. The implication was that the more powerful a summoned creature, the more impactful the consequences if he allowed one to be in. In the wake of that, he¡¯d been a little out of it, and so, when he¡¯d ventured out to investigate, only to see the man who¡¯d healed him fleeing from a horde of machine-like insects, he¡¯d acted without thought, showing him and hispanions to the safe zone he¡¯d found. That had been a mistake. Certainly, he had nothing against the wild, shoeless healer. Nor did he have a problem with the other Healer in a sparkly robe. Simrly, he was ambivalent about the dwarf, though he did find the presence of other races fascinating. Not that he was currently thinking about that. Instead, the whole of his attention was on the other two members of the healers¡¯ party. One man and one woman. They were both fighters, judging by their weapons and the woman¡¯s armor. She was quite attractive, with pale skin and jet-ck hair. The man was good-looking as well, though in a heavier set sort of way that suggested joviality. But Benedict wasn¡¯t concerned with their appearances so much as he was distressed by the way they made him feel. Every nce carried with it an usation. A judgement. Even from the obviously good-natured man, he felt nothing but disdain. And what¡¯s worse, he felt something simr for them. It hadn¡¯t taken long for him to recognize the culprit, especially when his Demon Core roiled angrily every second he found himself in their presence. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Thankfully, he¡¯d recently gained a new ability which he expected was the only reason he was still alive:
Demonic Shroud Hide your power from enemies and allies alike. Effectiveness dependent on rtive stage of Core cultivation.
When he¡¯d gotten the ability, he hadn¡¯t thought much of it. He¡¯d hoped for something he could use in battle, so he hadn¡¯t truly appreciated Demonic Shroud. However, that didn¡¯t mean he hadn¡¯t kept it active. After all, he wasn¡¯t the sort of man to eschew anything that might give him an advantage. And the moment he¡¯d seen those two, he¡¯d thanked his cautious nature because he had no illusions about how they would have reacted to his Demon Core. And given that he didn¡¯t have a Malicious Guard to protect him, staying out of a fight was immensely important. Especially with how powerful they obviously were. ¡°You¡¯re looking at me funny, bro,¡± said the man in the wide-brimmed hat. He had a longsword at his hip and a brace of knives in a shoulder holster beneath his coat. There were two other des on his back. ¡°Do I have something on my face?¡± ¡°Ah¡­no. You don¡¯t. I was just admiring your look. Very¡­Van Helsing.¡± ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°Oh, God,¡± said the woman. ¡°Now you¡¯ve done it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, like, my favorite movie!¡± the man said with a wide grin. ¡°Hugh Jackman fighting vampires? What¡¯s not to like? I watched it a thousand times when I was a kid.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Benedict admitted. ¡°You¡¯re the one who brought it up,¡± the man said. ¡°Dat. You do know that Van Helsing didn¡¯t originate with a crappy Hugh Jackman movie, right?¡± asked the woman. ¡°That character predates cinema by ¨C¡± ¡°Nobody cares about books, bro. Not when there¡¯s an awesome movie where Wolverine hunts vampires.¡± She shook her head wearily. Then, she focused on Benedict. ¡°My name is Sadie Song, and we are in your debt. If it wasn¡¯t for you, we wouldn¡¯t have made it,¡± she said. ¡°So, thank you. If you ever need my assistance, you only have to ask.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± grunted the dwarf, who¡¯d plopped down to the ground the moment they¡¯d entered the safe zone. ¡°But not now. Too tired.¡± After that, hey back and let out a long-suffering sigh. Benedict turned his attention to the man in the sparkly dress, recognizing him as the Healer who ran the infirmary in Nexus Town. That was another mark in the group¡¯s favor, though it was hard for him to think straight with those other two around. He had no idea why his Core had reacted so strongly to them, but he trusted it enough to interpret it as danger. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯ll admit that the only reason I helped you was because of him.¡± He pointed at the unconscious man. ¡°You know each other?¡± asked Sadie Song. Benedict shook his head. ¡°Not really. He healed me when I first got to Nexus Town. Probably saved my life. That¡¯s not something I intend to forget.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± she said. ¡°Now, do you want to tell us what¡¯s going on here? Do you know anything about that demon?¡± ¡°Demon?¡± ¡°Yeah, bro. Huge demon. It was chasing some people when ¨C¡± ¡°They summoned it,¡± Benedict lied. ¡°I saw them, and they attacked me. I think¡­I don¡¯t really know much about this kind of thing, but I think the distraction might have allowed it to break free. I ran away before I could see what happened to it.¡± ¡°We took care of it,¡± Sadie stated. Then, with a shake of her head, she added, ¡°This is bad news. We may have to hunt them down.¡± ¡°Why? They failed,¡± Benedict said. ¡°Demons are bad news, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°Really bad. We¡¯ve been dealing with them for a while.¡± ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You look like Lestat,¡± came a groaning voice from the ground. Benedict looked down to see that the shoeless man was awake. His eyes were still closed, but his mouth was moving as he added, ¡°And not like the movie version. I¡¯m talking book Lestat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an Anne Rice fan?¡± Sadie asked incredulously. He opened his eyes. ¡°Fan is kind of a strong word. I read the books because my sister wouldn¡¯t shut up about them. I¡¯m more surprised that you even knew what I was talking about.¡± The woman blushed. ¡°It was a phase.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not judging. Besides, we¡¯re talking about our savior here. Thanks for the assist. I think we¡¯d have been done for without your help,¡± the man said. Then, he narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think I actually introduced myself before. I¡¯m Elijah. The blushing crusader for all that is good and holy is Sadie. Asian Van Helsing is Dat. The surly one is Kurik. And the man with the impable fashion sense is Ron.¡± He turned his head. ¡°Did I miss anyone? No. Good. And just so we¡¯re clear, I¡¯m not passing out. I¡¯m just resting my eyes. Deeply.¡± Then, with that, he closed his eyes and in moments, was very much unconscious. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°You get used to him,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Sort of.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name, bro?¡± asked Dat. ¡°Benedict,¡± was the response. ¡°Emerson? You¡¯re in the top ten of the powerdder, right? And the primacy rankings, too,¡± Sadie added. ¡°Where¡¯s your team?¡± ¡°No team. And don¡¯t pay attention to those rankings. I just got lucky a few times,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all far more powerful than I am.¡± Indeed, he¡¯d recognized most of their names. The dwarf was a mystery, and he didn¡¯t remember seeing the Healer¡¯s name, but Benedict was certain that the others were all elites. Briefly, he wondered what sort of creature he could summon by sacrificing their power, but he pushed those thoughts aside. Two of the party had proven themselves to be good people, so he was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Besides, without his Malicious Guard, there was little chance of him surviving the current challenge. So, he addressed Sadie, saying, ¡°I know this might be a bit presumptuous, but perhaps we could team up. I think we could help one another.¡± ¡°Sure, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°Dat.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to leave him here all alone. That¡¯s a dick move, bro, and you know it.¡± Sadie rolled her eyes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to suggest that.¡± ¡°Then he¡¯s with us, right?¡± Dat asked. Sadie nced at Ron, then Kurik. The Healer shrugged and said, ¡°No objections here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a bit of difference to me. You¡¯re all odder than a two-armed golem.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Dat asked. ¡°Golems are meant to have six arms. That¡¯smon sense,¡± the dwarf muttered. ¡°Golems notwithstanding,¡± Sadie said, sighing before she continued. ¡°I think we¡¯re all fine with you sticking with us.¡± ¡°Oh. Good,¡± Benedict said. ¡°Because I think I know where to find the Engineer.¡± Book 5: Chapter 52: Rising Tensions Book 5: Chapter 52: Rising Tensions The tree was twisted, with gnarly branches andcking any leaves. To most casual observers, it would have seemed dead. But as Elijahid his hand on the trunk, feeling the rough bark beneath his fingers, he couldn¡¯t deny the sense of vitality it exuded. It was alive, and in the truest sense of the word. Its existence was clearly characterized by struggle ¨C against its environment, against circumstances, and against its very nature ¨C and defying all odds, it was winning. There was a powerful lesson there, though Elijah wasn¡¯t certain how to put words to it. It was more of a feeling, an idea that, even amidst so much lifeless junk, nature could persist. It could even thrive, so long as sacrifices were made. The tree was not aesthetically beautiful. No one would call it that. But the scene it set, of a lone holdout among so much waste and destruction, was striking in a way that very few others could match. ¡°That¡¯s an ugly tree, bro.¡± Elijah opened his eyes and nced back at Dat. ¡°It¡¯s remarkable,¡± he said. ¡°I wish you could feel how much life is flowing through its trunk. And it¡¯s all going toward keeping it alive. It doesn¡¯t care about pretty leaves or flowers. Its only concern is survival.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t those things part of survival, though? Leaves are for photosynthesis, right?¡± Dat asked. ¡°With ethera, I don¡¯t think photosynthesis is really necessary for most nts. Sure, they do it,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But it¡¯s not the only way for them to survive.¡± ¡°Is it sentient?¡± came another voice. Elijah shifted his eyes to see Benedict looking up at the tree. ¡°Can youmunicate with it?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°No. I think it¡¯s aware, though. I¡¯m not sure how that works, and I can¡¯t talk to trees or anything. But maybe one day,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s a consciousness in there that I can only barely sense. It¡¯s like neurons firing, but at a pace so slow that it¡¯s easy to miss. It¡¯s there, though.¡± ¡°Cool, bro.¡±¡°It¡¯s also the reason the robots can¡¯te here,¡± Elijah said. ¡°They can¡¯t abide so much life. I think that¡¯s why they attacked us in the first ce.¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re alive?¡± asked Sadie, who¡¯d just taken notice of their conversation. They¡¯d all huddled next to the tree, unconsciously basking in the protective aura of life. ¡°I think so. I¡¯m not sure what the system is trying to tell us with this challenge, but ¨C¡± ¡°Who says it¡¯s trying to tell us anything? Aren¡¯t these real ces? Like, it¡¯s not a tower, is it? This isn¡¯t manufactured,¡± she pointed out. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I think it¡¯s a little bit of both,¡± he said. He¡¯d been thinking about it quite a bit, and he¡¯de to the conclusion that the Trial had taken real situations and settings, then integrated them into something a little more akin to what they would find in a tower. ¡°I mean, you all did read that the challenges repopte, right? Once a week.¡± ¡°So those aviaks are back?¡± ¡°They were when I conquered the challenge,¡± Benedict said. Then, he went on to describe his experiences regarding the Singing Cliffs. They were simr to what Elijah and hispanions had been through, but some of the details were different. For instance, the nest of aviaks had been located in a giant cave atop the teau rather than in a sinkhole. ¡°Interesting,¡± Elijah responded. ¡°I think I know what¡¯s goin¡¯ on,¡± said Kurik, who¡¯d been filing a steel rod into a wicked point, presumably for one of his traps. He looked up. ¡°I don¡¯te from a well-informed n, but we have legends ¡®bout this kinda thing. I think the first time through a challenge is real. After that, the system just repoptes ¡®em, changin¡¯ things a little to keep it fresh.¡± ¡°So, we could go back and do it all again?¡± asked Elijah. Kurik shrugged. ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know ¡®bout that, but my guess would be no.¡± ¡°Based on what?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°Intuition. The system¡¯s got no reason to let us conquer the same challenges over and over again,¡± the dwarf pointed out. ¡°I tend to agree, but we won¡¯t know for sure unless we tried to repeat a challenge,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And even if we can do it, I¡¯d be willing to bet that it won¡¯t be nearly as useful. Maybe it¡¯ll give less experience. I don¡¯t know. But like Kurik said, the idea that the system would reward that kind of thing doesn¡¯t fit. Even with towers, you get diminishing returns for running them over and over again.¡± ¡°This is all well and good,¡± Ron said. ¡°But none of that helps us with those bug-bots out there.¡± ¡°Bug-bots?¡± asked Sadie, raising her eyebrow. ¡°Seemed to fit,¡± the Healer responded. ¡°But I¡¯m open to any otherbels.¡± Dat said, ¡°Benny said he knows where the Engineer is.¡± ¡°My name is Benedict.¡± ¡°Same difference, bro.¡± ¡°It really isn¡¯t,¡± the man said. ¡°But yes. I found aplex at the center of the junkyard. I believe that¡¯s where we¡¯ll find the Engineer mentioned in the original notification.¡± This tale has been uwfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°But?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°But it is well-guarded, and not just by more¡­bug-bots,¡± Benedict exined. ¡°There are three wasps, each one the size of an airne. I saw one group get obliterated by them.¡± ¡°We ran into one,¡± Elijah said. ¡°And you survived?¡± ¡°Barely,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°Thanks to Sadie, I think. That was some ability you used.¡± She nodded, though she didn¡¯t borate on the ability¡¯s nature. She didn¡¯t need to, though. Dat had mentioned miracles on a few asions, and Elijah expected that that was what she¡¯d used. Still, he wasn¡¯t going to press ¨C not about that, at least. He did have something else he needed to discuss with the Crusader, though. So, once everyone had recovered their strength, they decided to set off through the junkyard, using Benedict¡¯s directions as a guide. Before they left, Elijah pulled Sadie to the side and asked, ¡°Do you want to exin what happened back there?¡± ¡°I will not reveal the nature of my ¨C¡± ¡°Not the miracle. The other thing. You know, where you and Dat left the rest of us behind and charged a giant demon, thereby putting everyone at risk. You put us into a terrible situation, Sadie. And I¡¯m not usually the type to criticize that kind of thing, but it was out of character enough that I think we need to address it.¡± She opened her mouth as if to offer an angry retort, but then thought better of it. After a moment, she took a deep breath, then said, ¡°It¡¯s my core.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It means that when I see a demon ¨C or an undead ¨C I experience this white-hot anger that drives me forward,¡± she said. ¡°The¡­the angel who granted me this core said that I¡¯d learn to control it over time. And usually I can. But I have to be focused, and that demon came out of nowhere. I wasn¡¯t ready for it, and my body was moving before I could wrangle the rage. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I have some experience with ¨C¡± ¡°I said it won¡¯t happen again,¡± she interrupted. ¡°Is there anything else you wanted to discuss?¡± Elijah shook his head, wishing he¡¯d spoken to Dat instead. But of the two, Sadie was clearly the leader, and he¡¯d thought she was the best option. He regretted listening to those thoughts. Regardless, he and Sadie soon joined the group, and they left the safety provided by the gnarled tree. Thankfully, the chaos had died down, and there were no bug-bots in sight. However, the group quickly shifted back into their previous patterns, letting Dat and Kurik scout the way while the others remained together. Like that, they progressed through the mountains. Every now and again, they were forced to fight ¨C usually, the cockroach robots ¨C but there were no expansive hordes barring their way. Like that, hours passed, and eventually, night fell. Under the cover of darkness, the bug-bots became more active and far more aggressive, but so long as they kept their wits about them, the way was safe enough. Then, just before morning, Elijah sensed a vital aura that led them to another gnarled tree. This one was evenrger than thest, with a trunk at least twenty feet wide. It was still squat and twisted, though, with the same naked branches that characterized thest one they¡¯d encountered. It did provide another safe zone, though, and after nearly twenty-four hours of battle, they were all eager to take advantage of the respite. ¡°So, I notice you use damage over time spells,¡± said Elijah, ncing at Benedict. The man had been a bit of a disappointment, and though he hadn¡¯t proven to be a burden, it was difficult to imagine that he would be able to survive on his own, much less conquer the Singing Cliffs without help. But perhaps his spells were just unsuited to fighting inorganic creatures like the bug-bots. ¡°Mostly,¡± Benedict acknowledged. ¡°I have a couple of direct-damage spells, but they¡¯re not quite as effective as I¡¯d like. Not here, at least.¡± The only saving grace was that he could summon a wicked-looking dagger that cut through metal like it was butter. He obviously wasn¡¯t a melee fighter, but that at least had allowed the man to contribute. ¡°So, what¡¯s your story? What¡¯d you do before all of this?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I was a marine biologist, but if I¡¯m honest, kind of an apathetic one. I still don¡¯t know why I chose that field. I¡¯ve been told I don¡¯t even think like a scientist. The curiosity is there, just not the follow-through, if that makes any sense.¡± ¡°I¡­suppose,¡± Benedict said. ¡°I was a medical examiner.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s a cool job. Surprised you didn¡¯t end up as a necromancer or something,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What? Why would you say that?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°Necromancers aren¡¯t cool, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°Really? I think it¡¯d be kind of neat. You know, having your own army of undead to fight your battles for you? What¡¯s not to like?¡± ¡°The smell and the disease,¡± Benedict said, focusing on something in the middle distance. ¡°Corpses are not sanitary.¡± ¡°And necromancers have a tendency to take a forceful hand in building their armies,¡± Sadie pointed out. ¡°We had a problem with that in Hong Kong. With all the deathly energying from the Primal Realm, a few people ended up going down that path. They had power, but ultimately, it always took over. There was one guy who was fighting on our side for a while. He had the best intentions. But then, something happened, and he turned on us. We still don¡¯t know why, but he ended up killing nearly a hundred people ¨C all experienced fighters ¨C before we could defeat him.¡± ¡°He still got away, though,¡± Dat added. ¡°Maybe he had a good reason?¡± suggested Elijah. ¡°I mean, people suck, right? It¡¯s not unthinkable that they attacked him first.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t,¡± Sadie said. ¡°But ¨C¡± Dat interjected, ¡°Just drop it, bro.¡± Elijah sighed, but he didn¡¯t persist. However, in his experience, people brought a lot of prejudices with them, and the word necromancer came with a host of preconceived notions. He obviously didn¡¯t know what had happened back in Hong Kong, but he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Sadie¡¯s people were really as innocent as she¡¯d made them seem. After all, her own attitude suggested that she would attack first and ask questionster if she was confronted with someone she deemed evil. It wasn¡¯t out of the question that others might hold simr attitudes toward the sort of person who could raise the dead. Regardless, that conversation put a damper on the mood, and the rest of the night passed without much interaction between the members of the group. So, when they rose the next morning, there was a pervasive and sour mood hanging over them all. Elijah offered everyone coffee, which helped a little, but only for a while. Thankfully, they had the challenge to distract them. For the next few days, the group gradually made their way through the mountains of trash. At times, they could keep to the valleys, but there were plenty of situations that required them to scale cliffs of rubbish. Fortunately, there didn¡¯t seem to be any organic waste, which meant that it was a little more sanitary than one might expect. Still, it was not a pleasant experience, and it was one that Elijah ¨C as well as all the others ¨C would have preferred to avoid. So, when they finally reached their destination, they experienced a wave of relief. However, that onlysted long enough for them to truly take stock of the situation. When they did, their annoyance was reced by despair. Ron said it best when he asked, ¡°How the hell are we supposed to do get in there?¡± Book 5: Chapter 53: A Little Attention Goes a Long Way Book 5: Chapter 53: A Little Attention Goes a Long Way ¡°Here¡¯s how I see it,¡± said Elijah. As he spoke, he pointed to a rough diagram he¡¯d scratched into the mud. It had begun to rain, so the lines he¡¯d drawn had started to fill with water, but everything was still visible. ¡°Three wasps patrol the area here. They¡¯re evenly spaced, so they¡¯ve got the whole facility covered.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I saw, too,¡± Dat said. Kurik agreed. The three of them had spent the past three days scouting thepound¡¯s defenses, and what they¡¯d found was not encouraging. ¡°Those sensors are the real problem, though.¡± ¡°Sensors?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°All around the perimeter, there are these small bugs that look like fireflies,¡± Elijah said. ¡°They remove all stealth abilities and will raise the rm if they detect anything.¡± ¡°Can we just destroy them?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°Kill ¡®em, and the whole facility responds,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°All three wasps, hundreds of them cockroach bots, and the two beetles.¡± ¡°Beetles?¡± Ron asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I think they look more like ninja turtles, bro.¡± The characterization wasn¡¯t inurate. The robots were bipedal, with huge, armored shells on their backs. However, instead of mutated, pizza-loving turtles, they resembled upright beetles with enormous pincers that could cut through steel like it was nothing. ording to Dat, they were the highest-level creatures guarding the facility ¨C aside from the wasps, which defied his attempts to inspect them ¨C and they represented the final hurdle.¡°Whatever they are, they¡¯re strong,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Round about the power of that top aviak, unless I miss my guess.¡± ¡°How likely is that?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°Not likely. I know how to assess a threat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± she said. ¡°So, do we have a n?¡± ¡°I think we should kick the ho¡¯s nest,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Or more urately, I should. Then, you all head inside while I deal with the aftermath.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous, bro.¡± ¡°Absolutely out of the question,¡± Sadie said. Ron added, ¡°I can¡¯t heal dead.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a great idea,¡± Benedict said. Everyone looked at him like he¡¯d gone crazy. ¡°Not like that. I¡¯m just saying that it looks like what you¡¯re all saying is that we can¡¯t beat these things in a straight fight, right? But we don¡¯t have to, either. The task didn¡¯t say to kill all of these robots. It only wants us to beat the Engineer. So, the next best thing to killing everything is sneaking past them. We can¡¯t do that because of the stealth-sensing fireflies, so the only option is misdirection. And he¡¯s at the top of the power rankings. He¡¯s the best suited to survival.¡± It was the most Benedict had said since he¡¯d joined the group, and he¡¯d broken it down precisely how Elijah would have. ¡°I knew I liked you,¡± Elijah said with a grin. ¡°All in favor of Elijah-gets-chased-by-a-bunch-of-bug-bots?¡± No one raised their hands. What they did do was erupt into a series of arguments as to why he should not, under any circumstances, go through with that n. That left Elijah incredibly annoyed, but listening to others ¨C even when they were wrong ¨C was part of being on a team. ¡°I¡¯m still waiting to hear someone else¡¯s brilliant n,¡± he said, making a show of stretching. He added a yawn. ¡°I guess we could just give up. No shame in quitting, right?¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Sadie groaned. ¡°Just shut up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking!¡± ¡°Well, here¡¯s a little nugget to add to your thought process. I¡¯m pretty sure we get bonus points for being the first to conquer a challenge. So, no rush. Winning isn¡¯t important, right? Someone has to lose ¨C I mean, lots of people will lose ¨C so who says it can¡¯t be us?¡± She threw a rock at him. Elijah easily dodged it, but he wasn¡¯t able to duck beneath the next one, which hit him square in the forehead. It didn¡¯t hurt ¨C not with his Constitution ¨C but he very much didn¡¯t care for having things thrown at his head. ¡°Seriously, bro. Just stop.¡± Elijah was about to respond ¨C and angrily ¨C when he thought better of it. Then, he sighed and sagged his shoulders. ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered. ¡°I just don¡¯t like sitting still. I¡¯m pretty sure I can make that n work, though.¡± ¡°Too much risk,¡± Sadie said, her irritation still coating her voice. ¡°And I apologize, too. I shouldn¡¯t throw things at you, regardless of how annoying you¡¯re being.¡± ¡°Apology epted.¡± After that, their discussion was a little more civil. However, it was no more productive, which meant that no one could figure out a better n for infiltrating the facility. Eventually, even Sadie had to admit that his idea gave them the best shot at sess, so they built around it, establishing a few extra steps. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Once they¡¯d finalized the n, everyone began their preparations. Mostly, Elijah just helped Kurik, and a little less than a dayter, everything was ready. So, he spent another hour centering himself and preparing for what was toe. If he failed, not only would he die, but everyone would be caught out in the open. And that just wasn¡¯t eptable. ¡°Are you ready?¡± asked Sadie, standing over him. Elijah looked up and gave her his best smile as he said, ¡°I was born ready.¡± She groaned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get you sometimes,¡± she said. ¡°One minute, you¡¯re making cracks about cheesy vampire books, and the next, you¡¯re talking about the majesty of nature. Who are you, really?¡± ¡°Not sure what you mean.¡± ¡°Are you the weird jokester? Or are you a serious person?¡± she asked. Elijah thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Guess I¡¯m a little bit of both. I¡¯m serious when I need to be. Like right now. Total game face on.¡± She just rolled her eyes. After that, the group split up. The n called for them to hide in a particrly dense pile of garbage about a hundred yards from the facility¡¯s perimeter, while Elijah went to the other side to prepare for his feigned assault. So, as they went to their assigned location, Elijah slipped into Shape of the Predator, then adopted Guise of the Unseen before circling around. Along the way, he passed dozens of insectile robots, each one destroying a piece of the trash mountain. Ethera was involved somehow, but Elijah had no idea what the process really entailed. All he knew was that the acrid odor of burning rubber filled the air, and the metal monsters looked like they were eating trash. Regardless, Elijah had no issues evading them as he circled around to where he intended to begin his part of the n. As he did, he studied the facility itself. There was a low wall encircling thepound, but it was far too flimsy to hold anything out. Instead, it seemed more symbolic than anything else. Either way, it was absolutely lousy with the firefly robots, which buzzed around in swarms of a hundred. They blinked away merrily, looking as if they didn¡¯t have a care in the world. Beyond that perimeter fence, there was an open area filled with dormant cockroach robots. From their tests, Elijah knew that they would awaken the moment anyone came into range ¨C or when the fireflies alerted on an intruder ¨C which meant that any potential invader would need to fight a horde not dissimr from the one Elijah and his group had battled when they¡¯d first entered the Citadel of Innovation. Finally, Elijah looked up to see the giant wasps hovering around a thousand feet overhead. They circled thepoundzily, though he¡¯d seen how quickly they would respond to any threat. Elijah didn¡¯t see the beetles, but he knew they were there. Once he was in position, Elijah settled in to wait for around an hour, just to make sure that hispanions were in ce. During that time, he focused on his cultivation. Histest experiment was to loop ethera around the various facets, then drag them closer together. Doing it gave him a headache, but he felt like he was on the right track. When everything came together ¨C brief as those moments were ¨C he felt a slight increase in his cognition speed. At first, he¡¯d thought it was a mirage, but after a few tests, he¡¯d confirmed that it was, in fact, real. So, he reasoned that he was going in the right direction. There needed to be some adjustments, he was well aware, but he felt he¡¯d finally cleared a huge hurdle. Now, he just needed to put in the right amount of effort, and everything would work out. Maybe. Or he might just as easily cripple his Mind cultivation by going down the wrong path. Whatever the case, it wasn¡¯t as if he could simply ask a mentor for advice. When he got back to Earth, he fully intended to seek out a Librarian, but he knew the chances that one would be powerful enough to find that particr answer were pretty slim. In any case, the cultivation, while a little painful, helped with the stress of what he was about to do. But eventually, the time came to act, and given that Elijah was not one to shirk his duty ¨C especially when it was his n in the first ce ¨C he refused to let his trepidation dictate his actions. So, without further ado, he crept forward and nted himself just on the other side of the wall. Then, he shifted into his caster form, and before he was detected, he cast two spells. First came Cmity, which swept through the courtyard of the facility with typical fury. Hundreds of cockroach creatures came online, and dozens of other types revealed themselves as well. Some of them were the ranged variants that could sling molten g at their enemies, but the millipede and normal beetle monsters were there, too. In short, there were so many variations of enormous bug-bots that Elijah had a little trouble distinguishing between them. But that was fine. In this case, he didn¡¯t need to know his enemies. He just needed to get their attention. And Cmity was the perfect tool for that job. He also cast Swarm, though he didn¡¯t direct it at the mass of huge bug-bots. Rather, he targeted the fireflies. The glittering swarm was incapable of affecting the bigger robots, but the conjured insects were the perfect size to take out the fireflies. So, that was what they did, dive bombing the shing creatures with ruthless efficiency. But Elijah didn¡¯t stick around to watch. Instead, he was already running along the fence, sprinting as quickly as his legs would carry him. He knew he couldn¡¯t outrun the creatures in his human form, but he hoped it would be enough for him to finish the rest of his n. He circled the facility, aiming more spells at the fireflies. Storm¡¯s Fury proved particrly effective at taking them out, as the little creatures were so clumped together that the current had no trouble leaping from one to the next. Thankfully, it was a cheap spell, too. Just when Elijah was patting himself on the back, two problems showed themselves. The first was expected, and it took the form of the wasps aiming their giant stingers at him and letting loose with three columns of fire. But this time, Elijah wasn¡¯t sitting still, and he managed to evade them. However, he did feel his back blister from the sheer heat of the trio of attacks. That distraction ¨C if getting third-degree burns on his back could be categorized as such ¨C was probably why he never saw the teenage mutant ninja beetles bearing down on him. One hit him like a truck, sending him tumbling across the junk-filledndscape for more than thirty yards. Knowing that he only had a moment to act, Elijah immediately initiated the transformation into hismer ape form,pleting it before he came to a stop. It was still barely in time to protect him from the next hit, which came in the form of a leaping beetle-bot that brought its ws down on him with enough force topletely dislodge a few of his scales. But Elijah was prepared for the attack, and so, he responded with one of his own, hammering into the robot with all the strength he could muster. The two-handed attack staggered the beetle, and Elijah knew he had an opening to follow-up with something even more devastating. But he wrangled his instincts under control, turned, and then fled. And hundreds of robots, three enormous, fire-spewing wasps, and a pair of powerful bipedal beetles followed in hot pursuit. As he ran, Elijah could only hope that he¡¯d gotten them all. Book 5: Chapter 54: Beetle Power Book 5: Chapter 54: Beetle Power The noise was deafening. Hundreds of metal creatures, all nking together as they chased Elijah away from the facility, created a cacophony of sound that Sadie would never forget. It was overwhelming, especially when she knew what it represented. If he made one simple mistake, if he tripped or had overestimated his own speed, they would devour him. Which was why she¡¯d argued so vehemently against the n. It was too dangerous. Too many things could go wrong. And yet, she¡¯d lost the argument based on one, simple and inescapable fact ¨C they had no other choice. Certainly, they could retreat. They could spend the next month grinding away on wraiths or the local wildlife. But even if the each managed to gain five or ten levels ¨C a near impossibility in such a short time frame, regardless of how many monsters they exterminated ¨C they would¡¯ve still found themselves at a distinct disadvantage against such a monumental force. The volume of the pursuit continued to mount until, atst, it was time, as announced by Dat. ¡°It¡¯s clear,¡± he said. ¡°We don¡¯t have much of an opening.¡± Even though Sadie harbored extreme reservations about the n, she and the others were alreadymitted. The moment Elijah had gotten the horde¡¯s attention, the group¡¯s path was set. Now, they were obligated to do their part, lest his efforts be wasted. So, Sadie, Dat, Kurik, Benedict, and Ron set out from the shallow depression in which they¡¯d been hiding and raced down the slope of the trash mountain. Without their inted attributes, they would¡¯ve been forced to take it slow. The terrain was too uneven, the incline too steep, and the footing too treacherous for even experienced climbers to quickly traverse. Yet, because of their physical abilities, they managed it at a sprint, reaching the mountain¡¯s nadir after only a few seconds. During that time, the cacophonous noise of the robots¡¯ pursuit of Elijah had faded somewhat as the Druid led them away. ¡°He got them all, that crazy bastard,¡± Ron breathed as the facility came into full view. Indeed, thepound looked deserted. There were still a few scattered fireflies on the far side, but their point of ingress was entirely clear. Importantly, so were the skies, though Sadie could see the enormous wasps in the distance, firing one pir of me after another as they attempted to fry the Druid who¡¯d gotten their attention. The fact that they didn¡¯t stop was a good sign for his survival. If he¡¯d made it so far, perhaps he really would make it the rest of the way.But Sadie remembered how devastating those beams of fire were. They hadn¡¯t just burned in a physical sense. No ¨C they were mixed with ethera, and they had scorched her very soul. If it hadn¡¯t been for the use of her Miracle, none of them would have survived. And even if they¡¯d managed to endure the mes, it would have left them all crippled. But now, even a weekter, she wondered if she had made the right choice. Miracles were not like other abilities, with distinct parameters and effects. She had no idea when she¡¯d be able to use it again, and it was only through experience that she knew what it did. Even as she dashed across the clearing and leaped over the fence, Sadie remembered its description:
Eruption of Faith Call upon your angelic heritage and enact a Miracle. Cooldown based on umtion of Faith.
Faith, she¡¯d been told by Gabriel ¨C the angel who¡¯d granted her core ¨C was a more ephemeral form of power than ethera, and it was entirely unquantifiable. It wouldn¡¯t be found on any status readout, and there were no numbers associated with it. However, she could feel it at all times, and though she couldn¡¯t tell how much of it she had umted, she knew when there was enough to fuel the miracle. As far as she could tell, that umtion was based on her deeds, though she¡¯d beenpletely unable to work out which actions were the most beneficial. For instance, she¡¯d gained more Faith from giving food to a starving child than she¡¯d gotten for saving hundreds during battle. For someone as analytically-minded as Sadie, it was frustratingly inexact, though the two times she had used Eruption of Faith, it had made the difference between life and death. Not just for her, but for herpanions as well. So, she was grateful for it, even if she found the mechanics a little irritating. But she didn¡¯t have time to think about that, aside from acknowledging that she didn¡¯t have a Miracle to save them if something went wrong. So, she focused on the task at hand, and as she sprinted across the courtyard, that attention was the only thing that saved her life. She ducked, falling into a slide that allowed her to narrowly avoid a sweeping w. As she skidded across the muddy ground, it felt like the world had slowed. She could see her attacker so clearly, could feel the subtle wind generated by the w as it passed only inches from her face. Then, she sprang to her feet and swept the Sword of the Morning in a backhanded attack that found nothing but air. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The bipedal beetle had already sprung away, flipping backwards to avoid the gleaming sword. Itnded in a mud puddle, sending a ssh of disgusting water to hit Sadie¡¯s breastte. She took a guard position and let out a wordless shout that carried with it the Call of the Crusader. The robotic monster didn¡¯t hesitate before it initiated its second attack, falling upon Sadie with the skill of an expert martial artist, though one armed with supernatural strength, inhuman dexterity, and ws that could surely cut through good steel. Sadie ducked, avoiding one attack, but she took a front kick to the stomach that sent her staggering backward. She recovered quickly enough to avoid the monster¡¯s follow-up round kick, then thrust her sword forward. She hadn¡¯t meant for it to connect. Instead, it was an exploratory attack to establish range and force the creature to react. It didn¡¯t work out like that, though. Instead, the robotic monster took the attack on its ck and corroded carapace, and as the de skittered off, barely leaving a scratch, it dove forward andtched its ws around Sadie¡¯s head. Or that was what it tried to do. Instead, it only caught the ethereal shield of Bulwark of the Faithful, but to Sadie¡¯s horror, the sturdy barrier popped only a second after the beetle flexed its ws. Fortunately, that came with an influx of power as her attributes shot up. Knowing it wouldn¡¯tst, she used that surge of strength to shove the beetle away. Then, with an overhand sh that her jianshu tutors would have called a barbaric hack, she sheered through the monster¡¯s left elbow joint. Before she could follow up on that, she felt something pierce through her armor and impale her through the stomach. Looking down, Sadie saw a rusted and jagged de extending from the beetle¡¯s other arm and disappearing into her torso. It ripped it free, dragging a gaping gash in her stomach. She gasped, but she wouldn¡¯t let the injury ¨C which, in the back of her mind, she recognized as a mortal wound ¨C keep her from doing her job. Even as she saw Kurik leaping through the air, his hatchets raised, she reached out and grabbed the beetle¡¯s remaining arm. That earned her another stab wound, but when the creature tried to respond to the arrival of the new threat, it was slowed by only an instant. That allowed Kurik to descend upon it with all the strength he could bring to the fight. His hatchets fell with inevitable weight, burying their des in its shoulders and sending a wrenching sound of twisted metal to echo across the courtyard. Then, Dat arrived, his new longsword glowing with red power as he shed at its legs. The de bit deep, severing what passed for connective tissue and fouling the joint. The beetle stumbled, but it managed to remain upright long enough to offer a reprisal. As it tossed Sadie aside and aimed a backhanded blow at the defenseless Dat, she used Consecrated Shield, enveloping him in a glowing white barrier of ethera. The attacknded, and the shield shattered. However, when it did, a wave of destructive power swept over it, melting the bits of rubber and stic ¨C or whatever other magical materialposed the more flexible parts on its body. In addition, that wave sent a jolt of vitality through her, which was likely the only reason she didn¡¯t immediately bleed out. Then, another wave of warmth washed over her as one of Ron¡¯s healsnded. It wasn¡¯t enough to mend the gaping wound in her stomach, but it did allow her to regain her feet just in time to see that the beetle had recovered from the shattering of Consecrated Shield. She pped a reaching w aside, then dodged a leaping kick that would have sent her flying across the courtyard. Even one-legged and one-armed, the beetle was more agile than any foe she¡¯d ever fought. It used that speed tounch a flurry of attacks that very nearly overwhelmed her. But Sadie was no novice to battle, and she¡¯d fought powerful opponents before. So, she tapped into her experiences and stayed just ahead of the creature¡¯s outburst of attacks. She wove in and out, and as she narrowly avoided most of the blows, another heal hit her, further mending her wounds. She took the hits she couldn¡¯t dodge, turning aside at thest moment so that her armor could do its job. It was clear that it wasn¡¯t good enough topletely blunt the full weight of the monster¡¯s power, so she focused less on blocking and more on parrying. And for a while, it worked. A normal opponent would have found it frustrating, but the robotic creature seemed above that sort of emotion. So, even though Sadie struggled to stymie its efforts, it never forgot about Dat or Kurik, who¡¯d retreated to pepper the thing with ranged attacks. Kurik¡¯s were mostly useless, though he did manage to wedge a few of his arrows in the thing¡¯s remaining joints. Dat¡¯s efforts were more damaging to the monster, but even his powerful crossbow bolts usually just nged off of its powerfully armored carapace. Eventually, even Ron joined in, using his kic force spell to distract the monster. Benedict, mostly forgotten, swirled with ethera as he cast one spell after another, and though they were invisible, Sadie knew that those spells were likely responsible for weakening the monster enough that their attacks did anything at all. Through it all, Sadie used Call of the Crusader as often as she could. If the monster was allowed to turn its full attention on the more vulnerable members of her party, they would be ripped to pieces. So, she focused most of her efforts on either keeping the beetle¡¯s attention or nting herself between it and her group. Gradually, they wore the thing down, one nick at a time, until atst, Sadie managed to hack through its remaining leg. It flopped to the ground, and for a second, she rxed. That was when it used its lone arm to propel itself forward in an attack meant to take her head off. She dodged to the side, bringing the white de of the Sword of Morning down on the thing¡¯s back. It only scratched the bulging carapace, but the sheer weight of her attack buried it in the mud. Sadie followed that up by attacking its remaining shoulder joint with a series of sledgehammer attacks that eventually dislodged its arm. But the thing still wasn¡¯t dead. In fact, it was still dangerous, as it proved when it nearly severed her foot by mping down on her ankle with its oversized pincers. Thankfully, she narrowly managed to jerk her leg back before it could finish thest-ditch attack. Then, she and Dat took turns hacking at the monster¡¯s neck until, atst, its head rolled free. Only then did Sadie feel a wave of experience announcing the creature¡¯s death. She looked down, her breathing in ragged gasps as another heal settled onto her. Now that the battle was over, the influx of vitality could fully mend her wounds, though it would take some time before she waspletely recovered. In any case, the fight ¨C which hadn¡¯tsted more than a few minutes, despite how it had felt ¨C had hammered home one, simple fact. Even if they¡¯d retreated to level a little before attacking the robots in the courtyard, there was absolutely no way they could have survived. One beetle had nearly killed them, so it wasn¡¯t unreasonable to expect that the entire horde would have ripped them apart without issue. ¡°I hope they don¡¯t catch him,¡± she said, gazing across the courtyard in the direction Elijah had led the rest of the robotic monsters. In the distance, she could see the shing lights of descending pirs of fire, but the wasps themselves were hidden by one of the trash mountains. ¡°We can¡¯t worry about that right now,¡± Ron said. ¡°We have a job to do, right? Let¡¯s do it.¡± Sadie nodded, and then she led the group toward the door. Still, as it slid open, she fervently prayed for Elijah¡¯s safety. Book 5: Chapter 55: Scrambling Book 5: Chapter 55: Scrambling Elijah was on fire, and he regretted ever volunteering to lead the horde of robotic insects away. He dove aside as a roach-bot descend upon him from above ¨C who knew they were capable of flight? ¨C and rolled across the muddy ground to put out the mes ruining his scaled back. He never stopped moving before he sprang to his feet, grabbed a handful of mud, and vaulted himself to even greater speeds. He vacated the area just in time to avoid another pir of me that melted everything in its fiery radius. That included huge hunks of metal that might¡¯ve once been gears for some gargantuan machine, a half-dozen robots of various insectile design, and if he had been only a little slower, a Druid who¡¯d bitten off more than he could chew. Fortunately, hismer ape form was particrly good at traveling over uneven terrain, so he managed to stay just ahead of the pursuit. The wasps were more difficult to evade, as evidenced by the mass of burns that his back had be. But he was still alive, and the n was still just as viable as when he¡¯d begun. Or that was what he wanted to believe. The fact was that he had no idea if he had the strength to survive. The robots were far more powerful than he¡¯d expected, and their pursuit came a lot more quickly than he had anticipated. More, even though he¡¯d felt the wasps¡¯ fury once before, he¡¯d underestimated just how deadly those mes could be. Still, he told himself that if he could just reach the line of trapsid by Kurik, he would have a chance of survival. So, he raced ahead, bounding from one hunk of trash to another. Along the way, he was forced to fend off dozens of robots. Some were just in the wrong ce at the wrong time, but a few were particrly quick-footed members of the horde chasing him. Either way, Elijah knocked them aside with predictably bestial fury, never stopping long enough to finish them off. The wasps did that for him. Pirs of me periodically hit behind him, and Elijah knew that if he stopped even for a moment, he would be cooked. He kept going, darting one way or another at random so that the monsters couldn¡¯t predict his path. It was marginally effective, though on more than one asion, he felt the sting of their fiery attacks. But he couldn¡¯t stop to heal. One little dy, and he¡¯d be broiled alive. On and on he went, covering close to three miles before he saw a few familiarndmarks. He remembered where every trap was supposed to be, but even so, he was forced to slow his pace in order to avoid tripping them himself. That gave the horde an opportunity to catch up.Thankfully, that¡¯s when Kurik¡¯s traps came into y. The first was a simple series of tripwires rigged to set off a set of spring-loaded stakes that hit with enough force to impale the metallic monsters. After that came the expected trenches and pit traps, each lined with various spikes and other methods of delivering Kurik¡¯s power. When asked if his traps would affect the robots, the dwarf had only scoffed and shook his head. As it turned out, Kurik¡¯s confidence was well-ced, and the robots fell in droves. Unfortunately, there were plenty more where they¡¯de from. Elijah kept going, and as he went, the traps grew more magical in nature. There was one that exploded into a lightning storm whose fury put Cmity to shame, while another resulted in a congration that melted the robots down to g. And there were plenty of others whose effects Elijah didn¡¯t see because he was too busy trying to stay alive. Because there were always more to take the ces of the ones killed by Kurik¡¯s traps. What¡¯s more, they were ahead as well as behind, which forced him to fight his way through the neers just so he could stay ahead of the ones who¡¯d been chasing him for miles. But eventually, he knew that his time would run out. So, after clearing the field of traps, Elijah started searching for an appropriate spot to enact the remainder of his n. Briefly, he¡¯d considered leading the robots all the way back to the safe zone where he and the others had spent a few days in recovery. However, he¡¯d discarded that notion for two reasons. First, it was a long way off, and though he could move much faster alone than he could when saddled with the rest of his group, it would still take him a couple of days¡¯ worth of steady travel just to get to that destination. Second, he had no intention of leading such a force back to the gnarled tree. He didn¡¯t think the robots could bypass the protective field of vitality it radiated, but he didn¡¯t want to take the chance of being wrong. So, he¡¯de up with a different, far simpler n. The first part saw him racing up one of the trash mountains. Along the way, he saw more insectile robots, and with every foot he traveled above the surface, the ethera thickened and the monsters grew more powerful. By the time he reached the peak, Elijah was having to fight for every inch, and against creatures that could nearly match him in strength. The only saving grace was that those robots seemed very territorial, and they clearly didn¡¯t see the horde as allies. Instead, they fought against the other insectoid monsters, which kept Elijah from being immediately overwhelmed. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Still, when he found himself close to the top, he was assaulted by an enormous praying mantis with what appeared to be huge circr saws for arms. It pounced on him with those rotating des, cutting through Iron Scales with ease. The spindly thing was light, though, and before the cuts went too deep, Elijahshed out, sending it toppling backwards. Without another moment of hesitation, he transformed into the Shape of the Sky andunched himself skyward. Immediately, a hail of molten g shot up at him, but Elijah was ready for the bombardment, and the second he¡¯d gained enough altitude, he tucked his wings close to his body and dove. That threw the monsters¡¯ aim off, and after he¡¯d plummeted close to the ground, he threw his wings out wide, arresting his fall before once again climbing. The ground-bound monsters couldn¡¯t keep up with his erratic movement, so as long as he kept it up, he was rtively safe from their fire. The same could not be said for the airborne creatures, including the roaches who he¡¯d recently learned could fly. Heshed out with his serpentine head, snapping his jaws around one that tried to dive-bomb him, and he was satisfied with the crunch of twisting metal. Even as he killed that one, three more fell upon his back and started gnawing on his spine. A quick barrel roll dislodged them, but they managed to stop their plummet with furiously beating wings. Elijah put that to a stop a secondter when he swooped back in and destroyed the delicate appendages with his talons. Because there was one thing he¡¯d discovered ¨C while the monsters could fly, they were not nearly as agile or as fast as his flight form. He used that to his advantage as a swarm of the flying roaches ascended with the intention of tearing him to pieces. Elijah fought back, and for a few moments, he thought he could turn his superior flying abilities into a distinct advantage that would win the day. Yet, his expectations were quickly dashed when the fireflies joined the battle. At one point, he¡¯d thought they were merely early-warning sensors, but that was proven wrong when a swarm of the shing monsters kamikazed into him, ripping his wings to shreds. That slowed him down just enough that he was hit by a few of the molten projectiles fired from below. And that, in turn, loosened his grip on the battle, spelling his doom when the cockroaches could finally keep up. With no other choice, he pushed himself higher and higher. With his tattered wings, it felt like he was once again climbing the Singing Cliffs. Though this time, he had to deal with a host of projectiles, swarms of suicidal and exploding fireflies, and a few dozen monstrous flying cockroaches. Oh, and there was a cargo ne-sized wasp turning in his direction, too. Elijah knew he was in trouble, and the way he saw it, there was only one way out. So, as soon as he reached the limit of his capabilities ¨C which was thousands of feet from the surface but markedly less from the peak of the closest trash mountain ¨C he initiated a dive. Tucking his shredded wings close to his body, he pulled his head back and plummeted toward the ground. elerating to terminal velocity in only a few seconds, he used his tail to subtly guide his path. He zoomed past the cockroaches who, only a moment before, had been in hot pursuit. Then, he tore through a swarm of fireflies, and they exploded against his body, doing far less damage than they had against his wings. Finally, just before he reached his destination, he used Shape of the Guardian. By the time he hit the wasp¡¯s back, Elijah had taken on the form of amer ape. He thudded into its back, denting the steel paneling and throwing off its flight path. The enormous metal insect hit the side of a trash mountain, filling the air with the screech of metal on metal, but the huge monster managed to right itself before it fell all the way to the ground. As expected. Meanwhile, Elijah let loose his inner enraged beast,tching onto one of the panels and ripping it free. That exposed a mass of wires and tubes that looked extremely important. So, he dove in, tearing through them with characteristic ferocity. The monster dipped and rolled, and Elijah was very nearly thrown free. However, before he fell, he mped onto the edge of the neighboring panel, where he hung as the monster remained inverted. Fortunately, his ape-like form seemed perfectly suited to hanging from a precipice, so it was only a moment before he once again ripped into those important-looking wires and tubes. With a roar, he tore through the mass of mechanical innards, throwing the pieces out to join the rest of the refuse below. But the wasp remained aloft, its enormous wings creating a downdraft to rival any helicopter. Elijah didn¡¯t care. Cockroaches descended upon him, nipping at his scales. Yet, his guardian form was far more durable than Shape of the Sky, and so long as he kept Iron Scales active, it would be a long time before they could bring him down. Each bite earned the creatures a thorn in reprisal, but their metal exoskeletons protected them from too much damage. Still, every now and again, one of the thorns of Shield of Brambles would find a vulnerable spot ¨C like a wing joint ¨C and when it fell, Elijah would have one less insectile robot to deal with. Still, he was eventually ripped to shreds, his scales having been pried away by persistent mandibles. But Elijah finished his task when, four feet deep, he destroyed a whirring hunk of machinery. Suddenly, one of the wasp¡¯s wings went still, and it fell from the sky. Elijah only had a moment to brace himself before it hit the ground, kicking up mud and sending detritus tumbling across the junkyard. It also crushed a couple of bugs, but the vast majority of the horde had been left behind as the wasp tried to dislodge him. So, for the moment, he was safe. Or that was what he thought until he felt a familiar stirring of ethera, and he looked up to see the second wasp aiming its fiery stinger in his direction. Elijah could only watch as it lit up, ready to send a pir of me down to melt him where he stood. Book 5: Chapter 56: Taking Hits Book 5: Chapter 56: Taking Hits Sadie mmed into the wall, her pauldron crumpling as the impact sent a web of cracks spreading across the concrete surface. But the armor ¨C as well as Bulwark of the Faithful ¨C did its job, preventing her bones from shattering. It was a good thing, too, because if she¡¯d been stunned, even for a moment, she would have had her head taken off by the scything ws of thetest monster. As it was, she narrowly managed to duck beneath the corroded de, which bit into the concrete, shing more than a foot deep into the wall. She sprang away, rolling to the side as another w sliced into the floor. When she regained her feet, she was forced to leap backward, and another oing de skittered off her armor. The weight of the blow still staggered her, but she maintained her footing well enough to offer a counterattack. Her own de arced out, hitting the mantis-like robot in the torso. The attack sliced deep, and sparks of ethera flew, but the creature was far from disabled. It responded with a downward attack that speared through her shoulder. Knowing that she didn¡¯t have a choice, she grabbed hold of the monster¡¯s other scythe and pulled it close. The creature went wild, kicking at her with its multitude of sharp legs. The flurry ripped through her armor like paper, tearing into her flesh and sending blood flying with every passing second. But she¡¯d aplished her goal. Atst, the monster was still. ¡°Hit it with everything you¡¯ve got!¡± she shouted hoarsely. And herpanions did just that. Dat fired his red-glowing crossbow bolts, Kurik leaped from the wall with his hatchets in hand, falling upon the monster¡¯s back with the power of some sort of skill, and Benedict hit it with a bolt of pure darkness. Despite his boy-band good looks, it was easy to forget the man. His spells weren¡¯t shy, and most of the time, they were entirely undetectable. However, without his efforts, the fight against the beetle would have been far more difficult. It was only in the wake of that battle that she¡¯d recognized the corrosion affecting the thing¡¯s softer parts. When Sadie had asked about it, Benedict had revealed that his spells were slow-acting but powerful, causing escting levels of rot and corrosion. He''d used those powers at the start of the current fight, and Sadie suspected that without them, there was absolutely no way her attacks would have done anything but annoy the powerful mantis robot. Benedict¡¯s beam of darkness hit alongside everyone else¡¯s attacks, and the effects were explosive. The first volley didn¡¯t kill the thing. Nor did the second. But the third tore through its damaged carapace and destroyed the vital machinery beneath. By the fifth volley, the creature staggered drunkenly away, and Sadie finished it off with a massive overhand strike that sheered it nearly in two. Throughout the fight, Ron had never stopped healing, so by the time it was finished, Sadie¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t nearly as dire as they should have been. They still hurt, but that was the life of a defender. No matter how potent her abilities, she felt the pain of eachnded attack.¡°That was it, right? There aren¡¯t any more of those, are there?¡± she asked. ¡°Your armor is kind of messed up, bro.¡± Sadie looked down. The armor had been with her for years, and now, it was mostly ruined. It could still be effective, but it wouldn¡¯t be long before she needed to think about recing it. ¡°It happens,¡± she said, trying not to feel the sense of nostalgia racing through her mind. Or was that grief? After all, she¡¯d gotten the armor just after her first tower run, back before she¡¯d known anything about the undead threat. Back when Lisa was still alive. It had been two years since she¡¯d died, and there wasn¡¯t a day that went by that she didn¡¯t rey those events. It was worse for Dat, especially when the anniversary of Lisa¡¯s death had just passed. But she couldn¡¯t allow the tragedy of her sister¡¯s death to distract her. The living depended on her to remain focused. So, she asked again, ¡°Are there any more of them?¡± Kurik shook his head. ¡°Not that I saw,¡± he answered. ¡°But some of them things can use stealth.¡± They¡¯d been inside thepound for almost an hour by that point, and they¡¯d had to fight every step of the way. There weren¡¯t nearly as many enemies as there had been in the courtyard, but each one they found was almost as strong as the beetle. Just surviving had required every ounce of teamwork they could muster, and even then, it was barely enough. ¡°I think this is the way,¡± Dat said, pointing down an adjacent hall. Sadie knew better than to distrust his directions. There was an ability at y, though it was one she didn¡¯t understand. Dat was full of surprises, but he was as reliable as they came. So, after ensuring that everyone was in as good of condition as they could manage, she set off down the hall. The others followed. ¡°Stop.¡± Sadie turned to Kurik and asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°You take one more step, you¡¯re gonna lose that leg,¡± he said, pointing at a slightly discolored bit of concrete on the floor. The whole area reminded Sadie of a vast warehouse, though one that had been inexplicably divided into hundreds of rooms and abyrinth of hallways. Along the way, they¡¯d passed what were clearly manufacturing lines, with robots building robots, but they¡¯d done nothing to disrupt the process. They had one goal ¨C to kill the Engineer ¨C and they wouldn¡¯t be distracted from it. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°There¡¯s a trap there?¡± ¡°More like a security feature. Give me a minute,¡± he said, stepping forward. In seconds, he¡¯d removed that bit of floor and was tinkering with a set of wires beneath. After a few moments, he pulled a small crystal from within the tangle of machinery and let out a sigh. ¡°She¡¯s a beauty, ain¡¯t she? High-quality power crystal. Ain¡¯t seen one of these since I left home.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± asked Benedict, leaning closer. Kurik went on to exin that it was essentially a battery, and one with a multitude of uses. ¡°Back home, they use these to power lights and such. But this one, it could¡¯ve powered my n¡¯s wholepound. This powerful of a crystal is military grade. Meanin¡¯ that the trap it was runnin¡¯ would¡¯ve turned you to ash.¡± ¡°Damn, bro. Good thing we have you here.¡± The dwarf didn¡¯t respond, save to give Dat a nod. After that, the group moved more cautiously, but all the while, Sadie was thinking of Elijah. There was no guarantee that killing the Engineer would help him, but she had to believe that it couldn¡¯t hurt the Druid¡¯s chances of survival. If he was even still alive. It had been so long, and there had been so many robots following him. That wasn¡¯t a productive line of thought, though. So, she focused on the task at hand. Fortunately, they weren¡¯t attacked by any other robots, but they were slowed by a multitude of traps. Each one took Kurik a little while to dismantle, which slowed them down. But at least he seemed excited to acquire so many power crystals. Finally, they reached arge hallway that ended in a pair of immense double doors. Beyond those doors, Sadie could feel a powerful wave of ethera. ¡°That¡¯s not ominous at all,¡± Dat said. ¡°It¡¯s practically burning my nose hairs.¡± Indeed, Sadie felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight up. It wasn¡¯t just dense; it felt like it had been charged with a potent current of electricity. But that told her they were on the right track. So, without any further hesitation, she strode forward and pushed the doors open. Inside was a huge chamber, at the center of which was thergest power crystal they¡¯d yet seen. It was at least four feet tall and half as wide, and it emitted a startling amount of ethera. It was embedded in a metallic column, from which flowed hundreds of wires in every direction. Every couple of seconds, a wave of electricity raced around the room in a circle. But Sadie was focused on two other details. One ¨C what looked like a console was set into the pir, and, though it might¡¯ve been a leap of intuition, she believed that it might hold the key to conquering the challenge. Even if it didn¡¯t provide a direct benefit, the presence of such a console suggested that it might at least give them a hint as to how to proceed. The second detail was even more concerning. Hundreds of mechanical spiders ¨C each one about two feet wide ¨C crawled over the wires like they were part of a web. She wasn¡¯t sure of their purpose, but every now and again, the spiders would shoot a beam of molten sma into various parts of the web of wires. What made their presence even more concerning was the fact that, when Sadie opened the door, the spiders had clearly taken notice. Now, they were all staring at her. ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°Not good at all.¡± * * * Elijah was about to die. He knew that down to the very core of his being. And yet, he refused to give in. So, as much as he recognized it as a bad idea, he threw himself upward and directly into the wasp¡¯s ming stinger. It erupted before his leap reached its apex, bathing him in fiery agony. Yet, his momentum was great enough that he managed to reach the stinger, and with charred hands,tch on. Despite his actions suggesting otherwise, Elijah was not suicidal, though. And even as he yanked himself above the wasp¡¯s eruption of fire, he used Guardian¡¯s Renewal. But to his horror, it met with significant resistance. Once before, in the fight against Thor, the ability had struggled to live up to its description, so he knew it wasn¡¯t foolproof. And yet, the fact that it didn¡¯t immediately prompt aplete recovery was more than a little surprising. Within, the burst of vitality that came with the ability warred against the mes, mending his scorched body even as the fire raged through him. Back and forth, the two forces battled until, atst, one began to wane. Guardian¡¯s Renewal ¨C as stalwart as it had been ¨C was pushed back, steadily and surely giving ground to the fire. Elijah roared in agony, and nearly lost his grip on the monster¡¯s stinger. In the past, he might have scoffed at the notion that someone could will themselves to survival. That they could simply dig a little deeper and fend off certain death. Yet, that was precisely what Elijah did. He didn¡¯t know where he got the strength to yank himself up that stinger and to rtive safety, but he soon found himself clinging to life only a few feet above the still-ongoing mes. His body was more than scorched. He¡¯d moved past pain as his body¡¯s nerve-endings had been burned to nothing. With his grip failing, he dug his ws into the metal stinger and climbed, one inch at a time, until he reached the wasp¡¯s abdomen. Once there, he used the uneven ridges of its exoskeleton as handholds, eventually finding his way to its back. Only then did he let himself rest. Transforming back into his human form, Elijah went through the motions of healing. He could scarcely think. He barely knew where he was. Instead, he acted on autopilot, casting one spell after another as his flesh reformed. Eventually, he managed to recover his wits, and it was just in time for his nerves to reform and send wave after wave of burning pain throughout his body. He endured, hanging on for dear life as the wasp searched for more threats. And he healed, one agonizing second at a time. The good thing about burns was that the body knew precisely what to do with them. He didn¡¯t have to set or reset any bones. Instead, he only needed to give his body the fuel it needed to do its job. However, even as he healed, he knew that he¡¯d assuredly picked up a few new scars. More troubling was the fact that Guardian¡¯s Renewal, which was his personal get-out-of-jail-free card, had failed. Clearly, he¡¯d reached the point where thebination of his body outgrowing the ability and the sheer damage output of some of his enemies could overwhelm the skill. So, he¡¯d have to be a little more careful in the future. The ridiculousness that he had that thought while lying on the back of a ne-sized wasp, after being literally melted by a beam of fiery death was not lost on him. Book 5: Chapter 57: The Engineer Book 5: Chapter 57: The Engineer Electricity arced from one wire to the next, never stopping even for a moment. Somehow, Dat managed to tiptoe through them, his feet never touching a single wire as he made his way to the console. Meanwhile, Sadie fended off the veritable horde of spiders that had descended upon her when she¡¯d used Call of the Crusader. ¡°Hurry up, Dat!¡± she shouted, kicking one of the spiders. She struck it so hard that it actually stung her foot, but the tactic proved sessful when the creature wasunched across the room and into one of the concrete walls. Behind her, she could hear Benedict mumbling nonsense, and every couple of seconds, she felt a surge of ethera that announced he¡¯d cast another one of his damage-over-time spells. Nearby, Kurik had scattered a host of parts across the floor, and he was busy building some sort of contraption. And finally, Ron had everything he could handle, keeping Sadie upright. Every couple of seconds, one of the spiders wouldtch onto whatever exposed piece of skin it could find and sink its fangs into her flesh. She didn¡¯t know what sort of venom they injected with each bite, but she knew it was one of the most painful things she¡¯d ever experienced. It felt like she was melting from the inside out, though when she looked down at her leg, it looked no different than before. Except for the giant mechanical spider steadily trying to gnaw through her limb. Up close, she could see that each spider¡¯s abdomen was slightly translucent, and she could see some sort of green liquid sloshing around inside. She hammered the hilt of her sword against what looked like cloudy ss, and she was rewarded with a loud crack. A secondter, she screamed as the thing burst open, burying a hundred shards of ss-like material into her leg and bathing her in that green liquid. It turned out to be acid. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t immediately melt her skin. She was capable of resisting that much, but that did nothing for the pain. Thankfully, Ron was on top of things and quickly used his most powerful healing spell to mend the damage. But Sadie had no time to rx, because a dozen more spiders were already bearing down on her. She whipped her sword out, severing a few legs and knocking one of the spiders aside. That attack fouled her guard, and another spider leaped onto her chest. It reared back, its metal fangs glistening with green liquid as it prepared to savage her face. And then something hit the thing, smashing it away from her and sending it skipping across the electrified room. Sadie looked over to see that Benedict had used one of the other spiders as a many-legged club.Just then, Dat stepped in the wrong spot, and he let out a scream of agony as untold number of volts of electricity cascaded through his body. Ron cocked his arm and threw it forward like he was throwing a football. However, instead of an oblong pigskin, he only had a sparkly, star-tipped wand in his hand. Still, a huge ball of light ¨C at least the size of a beachball ¨C sailed across the room and hit the convulsing Dat in the chest. It broke apart, sshing light in all directions. Miraculously, Dat¡¯s screams immediately disappeared, and his seizure ceased. ¡°Be careful!¡± Sadie shouted. She couldn¡¯t lose Dat. Not after everything else. ¡°Great idea, bro! I didn¡¯t even think of that!¡± he screamed back, uncharacteristically sarcastic after having recovered from his misstep. ¡°I got this!¡± Sadie didn¡¯t have anymore time for conversation, because the rest of the spiders had finally reached her. As they leaped upon her, she had to fight off the urge to panic; she¡¯d never liked arachnids, and her experiences sinceing to the Citadel of Innovation hadn¡¯t changed any of her opinions. What followed was not pretty. In fact, if Sadie¡¯s childhood instructors had seen what she¡¯d done with all their training, they would have shaken their heads in disappointment. But there was a time for tournament-ready tactics, and there was a time for survival via pure savagery. This was one of thetter. She kicked, she screamed, she wielded the priceless Sword of Morning like a bludgeoning weapon. The sound of screeching metal filled the air apanied the constant buzz of electricity, and Sadie fought on with a ferocity that would have impressed even the wild Druid. Along the way, she picked up dozens of wounds. The spiders¡¯ sharp fangs had no difficulty punching through her armor, and her Constitution couldn¡¯t keep her safe from the wicked acid they injected with every bite. Nor was it possible to keep Bulwark of the Faithful active at all times. The only good thing was that, because she used it as often as possible, she spent much of the fight with the inted attributes that came every time it shattered. She grabbed a spider by its legs and flexed, yanking it apart like it was made of paper. Then, she used the two halves as a weapons, hammering them into theirpanions and sending them skidding away. At some point, she¡¯d dropped her sword, and she hadn¡¯t had the chance to retrieve it. So, she¡¯d used what she had avable. Like two halves of a mechanical spider. Sadie knew she hadn¡¯t grown any stronger. Instead, the only reason she¡¯d been able to rip the thing apart was because of Benedict¡¯s spells, which had weakened the creatures enough that she could do what she needed to do. When everything was over, she¡¯d have to thank him. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. But for now, the spiders just kepting, and Sadie responded the only way she knew how. There was no retreat. No surrender. She could only fight until the bitter end. She was just gearing up for ast stand when, suddenly, the spiders went limp and fell to the floor. It was only then that she realized that the electrified wires had gone eerily silent. ¡°Told you I had it covered, bro,¡± said Dat, looking back at her from the console. A few destroyed spidersy all around him, and his body was smoking from electrocution. Yet, he couldn¡¯t hide the wide grin that had spread across his round face. So, he never saw the thinging from the other side of the room. ¡°Dat, look out!¡± she cried. But it was toote. A hulking monstrosity and already speared him through the chest. Sadie screamed and raced forward, but another sharpened shaft of metal shot out of the ground and impaled her through the leg. ¡°How dare youe into my shop and destroy all of my work? Do you know how long it took me to build those?¡± asked the Engineer. From the waist up, he looked just like any other ta¡¯ki, but that was where the resemnce stopped. Instead of a tail or a pair of legs, like the other two species native to the excised, he had a set of four metallic legs. He sighed dramatically. ¡°No matter. I am not familiar with your species, so you will make for quite interesting test subjects.¡± * * * The cold rain of Elijah¡¯s spell was soothing, though he couldn¡¯t escape the chill that came from the wind blowing on his wet body. Or maybe that was just the natural result of having his skin burned off. Mostly. There¡¯d still been a few bits left, though even that had sloughed off during the healing process. Miraculously, his Armor of the Boar King had survived, though the clothes he¡¯d worn beneath the set of leather equipment had been burned to ash. Along with all his hair. Again. If he was honest, his state took him back to some of his earliest days after the world¡¯s transformation, like when he¡¯d been digested inside the monstrous orca¡¯s stomach or when he¡¯d stripped down to avoid having his clothes burned away by fire ogres. ¡°Those were the days,¡± he said nostalgically. He didn¡¯t worry that the mechanical wasp could hear him. He wasn¡¯t proud of it, but he¡¯d spent quite a while screaming in agony as his healing spells mended his burned flesh. So, if the wasp hadn¡¯t responded to that, then it wouldn¡¯t notice a sarcasticment. ¡°Waspy, you¡¯re a perfectpanion. You don¡¯t say much, but you¡¯re a great listener. And I might be a little delirious from the pain, so you¡¯ll have to forgive me for¡­wait, what am I doing? You¡¯re a robotic wasp. Even if you could hear me ¨C¡± Just then, Elijah¡¯s stomach jumped into his throat as his ride plummeted toward the ground. He barely had time to shift into Shape of the Sky and throw himself free before the thing smashed into the side of a trash mountain. He circled for a moment, thennded. The thing hadn¡¯t even slowed before colliding with the ground, and it certainly wasn¡¯t moving now. ¡°Was it something I said?¡± he muttered, havingnded and transformed back into his human form. He ran his hand over the wasp¡¯s fusge, but itcked the constant hum of machinery that had be so familiar to him. It had been deactivated ¨C that much was certain ¨C but Elijah had no idea how or why that would be the case. More importantly, the crashnding had jerked him back to reality. After being burned alive, he¡¯d been a little out of it, and he¡¯d let his mind wander to all sorts of odd ces. Yet, now that he was back on the ground, he recognized two critical details he¡¯d so far ignored. First, hispanions were likely still in thatpound, and they needed his help. The solution to that was simple, and he ran toward the facility at a light jog. He¡¯d only taken a few steps before he saw a few dormant cockroaches that had tumbled free of the closest trash mountain. It didn¡¯t take him long to put two and two together, and he quickly surmised that all the robots in the area had been deactivated. That was too much of a coincidence for him to dismiss, and he reasoned that his friends were responsible. That spurred him on even more quickly. As he ran, he addressed the second thing he¡¯d missed during his brief convalescence. He had reached level ny-five, and it had resulted in an unexpected choice:
Congrattions! You have achieved the requirements for the evolution of the spell Shape of the Predator. Please choose a path:
Shape of Venom Shape of Pursuit Shape of the Hunter
Evolve your Predator form by incorporating powerful venom into your attacks. Evolve your Predator form by focusing on overwhelming physicality. Evolve your Predator form without focus, improving in all facets.
The choices were not difficult to understand. The first, Shape of Venom, would likely enhance Contagion to a significant degree. And as someone who¡¯d made copious use of Swarm¡¯s afflictions, he knew just how powerful that could be. Byparison, Shape of Pursuit would enhance his draconid form by augmenting his physical attributes. And finally, Shape of the Hunter seemed like the bnce between the two, with less focused improvement. As he ran, he considered the problem. Between the first two, it was likeparing a cobra to a crocodile. They were both very effective hunters, but in very different ways. The third would just be more of the same, which Elijah very much did not want. Aside from how attractive novelty could be, he knew the value of specialization, and if he ever wanted to be more than just the guy who could do a little bit of everything, he needed focus in his forms. That meant ruling out the generic, jack-of-all-trades option. But of the remaining two, Elijah was absolutely uncertain. Not that it mattered, of course. If it was anything like his other spell evolutions, there would be additional requirements associated with each choice. So, it wasn¡¯t something that could help him in the immediate future. As he reached the facility ¨C and saw that the few robots that had returned were now dormant ¨C Elijah pushed the choice out of mind and focused on the task at hand. Because he could feel, via One with Nature, that hispanions were in trouble. With that driving him forward, he shifted into the unevolved Shape of the Predator and stalked into the facility under the Guise of the Unseen. Book 5: Chapter 58: Mad Scientist Book 5: Chapter 58: Mad Scientist ¡°Tell me,¡± said the four-legged amalgamation of flesh and metal as he loomed over Sadie. A huge circr saw whirred to life, its de glistening with ethera. ¡°Does your world know the value of technology? Mine did not. Does not. I was mocked. Derided. Exiled to the far reaches of my, and for what? Because I wanted to solve our problems through science. Meanwhile, those idiots fought against one another, and our doom drew ever nearer.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Sadie spat, ncing to her left and right. Herpanions had already been caught, and everyone else but Benedict had been rendered unconscious. At present, they¡¯d all beenshed to vertical bs of metal. But at least Ron had managed to get ast heal off on Dat, which was the only reason the Witch Hunter wasn¡¯t already dead. For her part, Sadie had been dragged into the center of the room so that she could receive the full attention of the Engineer. ¡°This and that. I have such ack of biological mass with which to work. No onees here anymore,¡± hemented with a sigh. His metallic legs cked against the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t me them, of course. Not after I was forced to kill so many. But then you and your little friendse in, and I just can¡¯t believe my luck. It¡¯s too bad you destroyed so many of my experiments. I can rebuild them, of course, but it will take time. Oh, so much time. I don¡¯t know if it will be enough.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Sadie asked, trying to stall for time. She didn¡¯t really care about the Engineer¡¯s answer. Instead, she only wanted to keep him talking. ¡°To save us, of course,¡± he said. Then, he gestured vaguely toward the ceiling and asked, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s out there? It¡¯s not just the Ravener. She is a looming threat, but even the most powerful entity to have ever existed can¡¯t be everywhere at once. She wouldn¡¯t care about this little anyway. We¡¯re not even a snack for someone that can devour whole universes. But her underlings? They would love to consume even her crumbs.¡± ¡°The Voxx?¡± ¡°The Voxx?¡± he scoffed. ¡°What do you know of the Voxx? Not those little beings the system lets through. They¡¯re barely powerful enough to exist, much less be a threat. They are a curated danger, nothing more. I speak of the real thing. They won¡¯te through rifts or towers. They will descend upon this like a swarm of locusts and devour everything they see.¡± ¡°And you want to fight them?¡±¡°I want to destroy them!¡± he announced, gesturing with his saw. ¡°Because I know the truth. Do you want to hear it? Most don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Uh¡­sure.¡± ¡°The Ravener feeds off life,¡± he said. ¡°She and her minions don¡¯t care about anything that doesn¡¯t incorporate ethera into their being. Do you know what that means?¡± Sadie didn¡¯t answer. The Engineer said, ¡°In theory, if we can separate from ethera, they will leave us alone! That¡¯s what my experiments are meant to do. Machines are the answer! Technology will see us through!¡± Sadie just stared at him. He was obviously mad, but could he be right? She didn¡¯t think so. After all, she¡¯d seen Voxx destroying machines the same as they tried to devour people. It was more likely that the Engineer had been driven insane andtched onto an invalid and unsupported conclusion. And besides, he was obviously a long way from removing ethera from the equation. Every machine she¡¯d seen sinceing to the Citadel of Innovation had been magical in nature. Even the electricity that had arced across the web of wires in the previous chamber had beenced with ethera. Once a was touched by the World Tree, perhaps there was no escaping the magical energy that seemed to suffuse everything. Sadie was about to say as much when something shed behind the Engineer. At first, he didn¡¯t respond, but then he let out a roar and wheeled around. That was when Sadie saw something clinging to the ka¡¯ki¡¯s back. At first, she had no idea what she was looking at. It was scaled, like a lizard, but it was shaped more like a hunting cat. Her first thought was that Elijah hade, but this new arrival was very different than his predator form. At only around four feet long and slim, it was much smaller than Elijah¡¯s form, and instead of ck-and-russet scales, it was mostly green, with ocher highlights. No ¨C it was something wholly different. It bounded away, skittering up the wall and racing away from the monstrous blend of ka¡¯ki and machine. At the same time, the Engineer¡¯s arm broke apart, taking the unmistakable shape of a cannon. A secondter, it fired, sending a pulsating globe of etheraced fire at the retreating beast. But the creature was too fast, and the discharge sttered against the concrete wall, carving a huge divot that spoke of its destructive power. The Engineer didn¡¯t let his miss slow him down, and he fired another three balls of fire in quick session. They all missed, though only narrowly. Finally, the beast reached herpanions, but to Sadie¡¯s immense surprise, it didn¡¯t attack them. Instead, it raked its ws across their bindings, shing through them with ease before leaping away. But Sadie immediately saw the problem. There were two fireballs racing across the room; they¡¯d been intended for the beast, but her friends were going to be caught in the line of fire. So, she pushed through her muddled state and used Consecrated Shield. Once. Twice. Three times, all in the space of a second. So, when the fireballs hit, her allies were as protected as they could be. It wasn¡¯t enough. Her shields shattered instantly, one after another and releasing a wave of intense healing that she could only hope would keep them from burning alive. The Engineer didn¡¯t care at all, and he continued to scream wordlessly as he pelted the area in fireballs. Soon enough, the temperature had risen past the boiling point, igniting the very air itself. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Sadie worked against it, using her abilities to shield herpanions as well as herself. She knew her efforts would fall short, though. Already, her core was running dry, and if the fight went on for much longer, she would be spent. Fortunately, the healing from her shields had driven away her allies¡¯ unconsciousness. And given the situation, it didn¡¯t take them long to recover their wits. At the same time, the curious beast raced past her, slicing through her bonds the same as it had with the others. Sadie knew what wasing, so just before another barrage of fireballs hit her, she used Bulwark of Faith. As had been the case with her other shields, it was not enough. It burst like a bubble, and a momentter, she was bathed in intense me. She screamed, but this time, she had no Miracle to bail her out. Her skin blistered, but then, a potent wave of healing descended upon her. When the fires faded, she blinked and saw that Elijah had finally arrived. More, Ron had recovered his sparkly wand and was aiming it in her direction. There was a subtle difference between the way their respective heals felt, and she could tell that she¡¯d been subjected to both variants. Indeed ¨C that was the only reason she had survived. Which infuriated the Engineer. He erupted into a corona of mes that enveloped his whole body. His metallic legs glowed with red heat, and his serpentine torso erupted into ck veins. Then, he stumbled. Elijah pointed his staff at the figure, conjuring a swarm of tiny insects that immediately descended upon the monster. From the other side of the room, Benedict¡¯s ethera stirred, and he cast one spell after another. They were invisible, but even Sadie could feel their potency as they settled onto the Engineer. Dat added a glowing barrage of crossbow bolts to the mix, but even as they thudded into the fiery Engineer¡¯s chest, Sadie could tell that they weren¡¯t doing much good. As strong as the Witch Hunter could be, his power was very situational. Still, just because the circumstances weren¡¯t optimal didn¡¯t mean that he was going to just sit it out. Sadie rushed forward, drawing her sidearm. It was just a dagger, meant to pierce openings in armor, but the Engineer had taken her sword, so it was all she had avable. She leaped, trusting that Ron would keep her from burning to death, and buried her dagger into the Engineer¡¯s chest. It bit deep, plunging up to the hilt precisely where the ka¡¯ki¡¯s heart should have been. But he showed no signs of slowing down as he grabbed her with one molten hand and crushed her upper arm. She cried out as she felt the bones break. But then, Elijah ¨C in the familiar ape-lizard form ¨C crashed into the creature. The immense Strength behind the charge staggered the Engineer, and he released Sadie. As the two grappled, Sadie crashed to the floor in a tter of metal. When she threw herself upright, her arm hung limp, but she had no intention of retreat. Not when she finally saw the Sword of Morning a few feet behind her foe. She dove between the creature¡¯s spindly-byparison legs, rolling across the room anding to a stop with the fingers of her good hand closing around the hilt. As she rose, she cast Consecrated Shield on Elijah, hoping that it would help him survive even a moment longer. It settled onto him, and miraculously, it held for a few moments before bursting. By that point, Sadie had closed the gap. The intense heat was enough to blister her skin, but Ron¡¯s spells worked overtime to heal them almost as quickly as they appeared. Sadie couldn¡¯t worry about that as she formed a very simple n, then executed it. Her sword whistled through the air, connecting with one of the Engineer¡¯s segmented legs. She¡¯d meant to hit the joint, but the creature¡¯s erratic movements fouled her aim. However, she was surprised to see that the de opened a wide gash in the metal. That spurred her forward, and she hacked at it again. That first attack had gotten the Engineer¡¯s attention, though, and she was forced to duck beneath a backhanded blow that would have sent her flying across the room. As it happened, she narrowly avoided that fate, but the ka¡¯ki still clipped her. She went spinning to the ground, and he followed up with a spearing stomp that impaled her thigh on one of his legs. She cried out, swinging her sword on instinct, but she didn¡¯t have the leverage to put much power behind the blow. Still, the de carved a deep grove in the metal ¨C which should not have been possible. Taking an instant to look a little closer, Sadie focused on the surface of the metal beneath the corona of mes. And she saw splotches of corrosion. Flicking her eyes upward, Sadie couldn¡¯t ignore the ck veins that had continued to spread cross the Engineer¡¯s torso. Originally, she¡¯d thought they were part of the skill that had summoned the cloak of fire, but now, she thought differently. Even so, Elijah was clearly losing his own struggle. But he was sessful in upying the creature. Every couple of seconds, a barrage of crossbow bolts hammered into the Engineer¡¯s chest, and even Kurik had found his bow and added his own projectiles to the bombardment. And to Sadie¡¯s surprise, she saw that the once-ineffective attacks had begun to extract a toll. All that flitted through her mind as she made her choice. She used de of the Avenger. An enormous sword erupted from the ground, but the Engineer flinched away at the swirl of ethera. So, the de that should have ended the fight only managed to slice through two of the creature¡¯s legs. They flopped free, sending him stumbling to the side. That loss of bnce gave Elijah the upper hand, and he used it to pummel the Engineer to the ground. Sadie summoned a second de of the Avenger, but this one was far more effective than thest. It hit her foe in the shoulder, very nearly separating an arm. Pale blood sshed on the floor, and the creature cried out as its mes guttered. Elijah grabbed two of his remaining arms, forcing them out wide. It hammered its lone remaining fist into the Druid¡¯s durable side, cracking scales with each blow. But he ignored it. Instead, he struck like a crocodile, mping his powerful jaws around the Engineer¡¯s serpentine head. The creature screamed, his attacks reaching a new level of fury. But Elijah didn¡¯t let go. Sadie added her third and final de of the Avenger, cutting through his lone free arm. She would have gone for the stomach or chest, but with the de¡¯s size, that would have gotten Elijah too. So, she opted for something less lethal but hopefully just as impactful. Elijah let out a low growl, and Sadie saw the muscles of his jaw tremble. Then, suddenly, the Engineer¡¯s skull gave way. It burst like an overripe melon, erupting into an explosion of blood, skull, flesh, and brains. And just like that, the fires winked out. But Elijah didn¡¯t stop. He hammered the creature a few more times, mming his fists into the corpse before letting out a triumphant roar. Only then did he seem toe back to his senses and look around. He shifted back to his human form, and Sadie was shocked to see that he was entirely hairless. In fact, even his clothes had disappeared, revealing the scarred skin beneath. Oddly, the first thought that crossed her mind was that she was grateful that his armored pants remained. Following that came a wave of embarrassment that quickly faded in the wake of the pain racing through her body. Elijah raced to her side, already casting spells. As she felt her consciousness slipping ¨C had she lost that much blood? ¨C she said, ¡°You look terrible. I hope those scars aren¡¯t permanent.¡± Then, she passed out, letting the peace of unconsciousness overwhelm her. Book 5: Chapter 59: A Viable Choice Book 5: Chapter 59: A Viable Choice Elijahy on the floor, his breathing deep and slow, as he came to grips with the previous battle. In the beginning, he¡¯d thought that his new abilities hadn¡¯t been effective, but as the battle wore on, he¡¯de to realize that the Engineer was just that powerful. He didn¡¯t know what the ka¡¯ki had done to himself ¨C aside from the obvious ¨C but whatever it was, it had made him insanely durable. And the firepower he had at his disposal was absolutely incredible. Was that really possible at the peak of the Mortal Realm? If so, Elijah needed to get there sooner rather thanter. He nced toward where Sadiey unconscious. Ron was busy trying to yank the Engineer¡¯s leg out of her thigh, but it had gone so deep into the floor that it wasn¡¯t budging under the Healer¡¯s efforts. Sighing, Elijah pushed himself upright but Ron said, ¡°Don¡¯t. You¡¯re in no condition to move.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Elijah lied. His skin felt like it would burst into mes at any moment. That wasn¡¯t terribly surprising, given what he¡¯d been through. Even though he¡¯d used Guardian¡¯s Renewal to survive the wasp¡¯s attack, he hadn¡¯t made it through unscathed. Nor had he had enough time topletely heal via his other spells. He¡¯d fought the Engineer before he¡¯d had that chance. He didn¡¯t think it was any coincidence that the ka¡¯ki had used fire as well. ¡°Seriously, bro,¡± said Dat. ¡°You look like Deadpool right now.¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± Elijah muttered, bringing to mind the image of the famously scarred antihero. ¡°Let¡¯s hope I have better luck healing.¡± He had good reason to believe that he would, though he was just as positive that he would still bear some degree of scarring. There was no way the system was going to let him escapepletely unmarked. In any case, as he approached Sadie¡¯s prone form, he cast Healing Rain and Soothe, then added Nature¡¯s Bloom. In addition, he already had three different heals ¨C two that would work over time, and another that worked far more quickly ¨C from Ron active. Hopefully, it would be enough to let him quickly set aside the consequences of his most recent battles.He grabbed the leg, but even with his Strength, it wouldn¡¯t budge. In the end, it required everyone in the group to yank it free, and it took a good portion of Sadie¡¯s thigh with it. Looking concerned, Dat asked, ¡°Is she going to be okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be fine in a few hours,¡± Ron promised, already working on Sadie. He¡¯d begun cleaning the wound, and he¡¯d taken a few bandages from his pack. Apparently, he¡¯d had them treated by an Alchemist that was part of Atticus consortium, and as such, they would promote quicker healing. Elijah checked everyone else for injuries, but aside from being a bit groggy from whatever the Engineer had done to knock them unconscious, they were all perfectly fine. Dat had a half-healed wound in his chest, but he wasn¡¯t in any danger of sumbing to the wound. So, after he re-cast Healing Rain and Soothe on himself, Dat, and Sadie, he settled down to let his body recuperate. While he did, he went over the events of the battle. Or directly preceding it, at least. The moment he saw the situation, he¡¯d made a snap decision to evolve Shape of the Predator. The Engineer¡¯s power was palpable, so he knew he would need to use everything at his disposal. With that in mind, he had chosen Shape of Venom. It wasn¡¯t just a spur-of-the-moment thing, either. Certainly, he¡¯d thought it was the best choice for the situation, but the decision was based on previous experiences as well. The draconid form was strong, but when it came to powerful opponents ¨C which was the only situation where his choice would matter ¨C he¡¯d found that a simple ambush was not sufficient to do what needed to be done. Often, he¡¯d attacked from under the Guise of the Unseen and only wounded his most powerful enemies. But his afflictions ¨C both via Swarm, Contagion, and Venom Strike ¨C had proven that they could wear down a strong foe. And in the battle against the Engineer, it had been even more effective than he¡¯d expected. Largely, that was because of two abilities:
Insidious Mdy Physical attacks made while Shape of Venom is active will infect enemies with a debilitating disease.
Insidious Mdy had reced Contagion, and aside from being an upgrade in terms of damage, it also seemed to carry with it a weakening effect that had clearly slowed the Engineer down. That had allowed them to fight on something closer to even terms. However, the real star of the show ¨C at least as far as Elijah was concerned ¨C was called Envenom.
Envenom Bite an enemy, injecting a potent toxin into their system. Strength of the toxin is based on rtive Core cultivation. Duration is based on rtive Ethera attribute. Current: 72 seconds. Only usable in conjunction with Shape of Venom.
From what Elijah could tell, the toxin associated with Envenom was strong enough that it was his single most damaging ability. It was especially effective when paired with Insidious Mdy, Venom Strike, and Predator Strike. He couldn¡¯t be certain, but he thought that thest actually enhanced Envenom. If so, that would mean that the Engineer was even more powerful than any of them had expected. Another thing Elijah hadn¡¯t expected was to have already satisfied the terms of the spell¡¯s evolution. All it had required was three Feats of Strength and for him to have killed fifty non-trivial foes with only afflictions. Considering that he¡¯d made such copious use of Swarm during his rampage through Easton, he¡¯d likely satisfied those requirements ten times over. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences elsewhere. He didn¡¯t know what to feel about that, so he just pushed it out of mind. As a distraction, he focused on Shape of Venom¡¯s description:
Shape of Venom Take on the shape of a venomous predator, vastly increasing your Dexterity and Strength. Spellcasting is suspended while Shape of Venom is active.
Upon his first transformation using the newly evolved spell, he had discerned that it wasn¡¯t all good news. The new shape increased his Strength and Dexterity by fifty points apiece, which was twenty points more than the unevolved version. However, it did nothing for his Constitution ¨C a tradeoff that, in retrospect, was one he¡¯d make a thousand times over. At least until he took a mortal wound that would have been stopped by nine more points of Constitution. But that told him that the point of Shape of Venom was to avoid being hit, and given the extra Strength and Dexterity, it would be easier than ever to do just that. More, it represented a choice he¡¯d made the moment he¡¯d eschewed the Shape of the Hunter evolution. He wanted to specialize his forms, and that was precisely what Shape of Venom gave him. ¡°Was that you?¡± came Sadie¡¯s voice. Elijah opened his eyes to see that her gaze had locked onto him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The small creature that attacked the Engineer,¡± she said. ¡°The green-and-yellow one.¡± ¡°Oh, is that what color it is?¡± he asked. She started to ask again, and he interrupted her by saying, ¡°It was.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had any other transformations.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That was an evolution.¡± ¡°Evolutions require you toplete a quest.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I already met the requirements,¡± Elijah said. ¡°In fact, that was the case with myst two evolutions.¡± She narrowed her eyes, but didn¡¯t immediately respond. ¡°Why are you red?¡± Elijah nced down at his arm, which was unblemished, though it looked like he had the worst sunburn imaginable. ¡°Too long in the sun?¡± When she frowned, he added, ¡°Oh,e on. It¡¯s just a joke. I was nearly burned alive. Twice. You should¡¯ve seen me a few minutes ago. I was ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s been three hours, bro,¡± said Dat, who¡¯d just approached and handed Sadie a canteen. ¡°But you look goodpared to before. Bald¡­uh¡­suits you.¡± Elijah shook his head and sighed. ¡°You could¡¯ve tried to make that a little more believable,¡± he muttered. ¡°It was so much easier when I was by myself. I didn¡¯t have to worry about my looks.¡± After that, the others caught him up on what had happened, exining that the entire facility had been riddled with traps. When they¡¯d finally reached the main chamber, Dat had used the console to disable all of the robots in the area, but that act had gotten the attention of the Engineer. He¡¯d quickly overpowered the group, and ording to Sadie, he¡¯d been on the verge ofunching a series of experiments on them when Elijah had arrived and kicked off the battle. ¡°You¡¯re a lot smaller in that form than the other one,¡± Dat said. ¡°Deadlier,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°You recognize it?¡± Elijah asked. The dwarf nodded. ¡°Yeah. Never seen one in person, but I read about ¡®em when I was a young¡¯un. Don¡¯t know the proper name, but we all called ¡®em blight dragons. They ain¡¯t dragons ¨C not really ¨C but they are native to the jungles of the Empire of Scale. Stories say that a full-grown blight dragon can bring down an equal level Warrior with one bite. Some of ¡®em are even said to blur the line ¡®tween beast and person, and the most powerful of ¡®em have venom for every situation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of information for someone who¡¯s never seen one, bro,¡± Dat stated. Kurik shrugged, then shoved a piece of dried fruit into his mouth. As he chewed, he said, ¡°There¡¯s a myth about a powerful blight dragon. Three warriors were sent to kill it, one by one, and each one had different strengths and weaknesses. The blight dragon killed ¡®em all in different ways.¡± Elijah waited for the rest of the story, but when Kurik didn¡¯t continue, he asked, ¡°Is that it? It just killed them? What kind of story is that?¡± ¡°An effective one. It was meant to teach kids that some monsters ain¡¯t meant to be killed. Sometimes, you just can¡¯t win,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Not alone, at least. Back home, when someone was bitin¡¯ off more than they could chew, we¡¯d call it ¡®chasin¡¯ the blight dragon¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Perhaps his new form was even more powerful than he¡¯d given it credit for. Or even if it wasn¡¯t in its current state, the potential was there. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say ¡®bout takin¡¯ the form of a famously deadly monster?¡± Kurik asked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t think much about it,¡± he said. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m part dragon, so¡­¡± Kurik¡¯s eyes widened and he looked around like he expected another attack. When one didn¡¯te, he took on a low voice, leaned forward, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever say nothin¡¯ like that again. They ain¡¯t around, and they probably ain¡¯t listenin¡¯, but they don¡¯t take too kindly to people makin¡¯ ims like that.¡± ¡°Who? Dragons? The two I¡¯ve met were super reasonable,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Of course, one was a kid. I¡¯m not sure how old, now that I think about it. How old does a dragon have to be not to still be considered a child? I don¡¯t know, but Sara was definitely young. And a bit uppity. But she wasn¡¯t really in the right frame of mind to be courteous, what with that gnome trying to consume her essence. But her mom was really nice. Gave me a spiffy new core for services rendered.¡± ¡°W-what¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s saying he has a Dragon Core,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Which makes sense.¡± ¡°How does that make sense?!¡± shouted Kurik. ¡°Dragons are practically myths! We know they¡¯re out there, but they don¡¯t mingle with the likes of us!¡± ¡°These do,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Why are you telling us this?¡± asked Sadie, ignoring Kurik¡¯s nearly apoplectic state. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elijah asked. The woman pushed her hair out of her eyes and focused intently on him. It made him feel like a bug that was about to be dissected. ¡°You just revealed something that, so far as I can tell, you¡¯ve kept secret for quite some time. You had no reason to do this,¡± she stated. ¡°And when someone does something without reason, I start to think that I have failed to see the whole picture. So, why did you tell us?¡± ¡°Call it a gesture of goodwill,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I know you don¡¯t particrly like me, and that¡¯s fine. But I want you to trust me. We¡¯ve fought together long enough that I think some of the barriers should start toe down. So, this is me taking the first step.¡± ¡°And you expect us to reveal all of our secrets?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Not really,¡± he answered. ¡°Not yet, at least. I hope you¡¯ll befortable enough to open up a bit, but no pressure. I don¡¯t expect anything in return.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t miss the nce she exchanged with Dat. Nor could he ignore the subtle shake of her head. Apparently, his gesture wasn¡¯t going to be reciprocated. ¡°I have an angel core, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Dat!¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, Sadie,¡± Dat said. ¡°We owe him honesty. How many times has he saved our lives?¡± ¡°But¡­fine.¡± Then, she revealed that they both had been blessed with Angel Cores, which Elijah already knew. Clearly, neither Ron nor Kurik did, though. After Sadie had exined the circumstances that led the angel Gabriel to contact them, Elijah said, ¡°So, we have two elder races represented on Earth. I wonder if there are others. We¡¯re missing mechaniques and demons, I think.¡± ¡°Gabriel imed that there are other elder races out there, too. Thirteen total, though he said that most are practically extinct,¡± Dat said. ¡°So, maybe the chances that they¡¯ll make an appearance aren¡¯t high. Wait, where is Benedict?¡± Elijah blinked in confusion, then looked around. Sure enough, the newest member of the group had disappeared. ¡°Last time I remember seeing him is just before we started talking about cores,¡± he said. ¡°You scared ¡®im off!¡± Kurik eximed. ¡°Damn near did the same to me. Dragons and angels. It ain¡¯t right.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be such a wimp. Nothing has changed,¡± Elijah said. ¡°We¡¯re still the same people you¡¯ve been fighting with ¨C and holding your own, by the way ¨C for almost two months.¡± ¡°It still ain¡¯t right.¡± ¡°Should we follow Benedict?¡± asked Sadie. Elijah shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. He made his choice. We helped one another out for a while, so I don¡¯t see any reason to hold a grudge. He just got a bit spooked,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, it doesn¡¯t really affect us, right? It¡¯s not like he took the reward and ran.¡± With that, everyone turned toward the silver chest hovering in the center of the room. It was unopened, and suddenly, Elijah wanted to change that. So, he picked himself up and crossed the room to crack it open. Book 5: Chapter 60: Ruins Book 5: Chapter 60: Ruins ¡°That¡¯s the biggest damn ingot I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± Kurik said. He tore his eyes away from the bar of celestial gold and asked, ¡°Can I touch it? Just once, so I can tell my n I actuallyid a finger on a bar of celestial gold.¡± ¡°Of course you can touch it,¡± Sadie said. ¡°You earned it, just like the rest of us. By rights, it¡¯s as much yours as it is ours.¡± ¡°Not me,¡± Dat said. ¡°I already got mine, bro.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, Dat,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Just because you got something already doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll eliminate you from getting another reward. This is all about who gets the most benefit out of it. And that¡¯s obviously Sadie, right?¡± ¡°What? Why me?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ll damn well take it if you¡¯re gonna argue ¡®bout it,¡± Kurik said, his tone leaving no question that he was serious. ¡°That bar right there would be enough to set me up for a cou decades. I could buy more cultivation potions than I knew what to do with.¡± ¡°Is that the right y?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°We could sell it, then split the ¨C¡± ¡°Look at your armor,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What?¡±Elijah rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s barely holding together,¡± he said. ¡°I know it¡¯s got some kind of self-repair function, right? But it looks like each time it has to do that still weakens it. I¡¯d be willing to bet that it¡¯s on the verge of losing its power. I don¡¯t know how item degradation works, but I can guarantee that it¡¯s not working as well as it used to. Even from when we first met to now, it¡¯s been seriously weakened.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, bro. You can use it more than we can.¡± Sadie looked away, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°We should do a vote,¡± Elijah said. ¡°All in favor of Sadie getting the celestial gold so she can have some armor made?¡± Everyone agreed. ¡°Well, that settles it,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s all yours. And I have something that¡¯ll make it even better.¡± ¡°Getting a priceless ingot isn¡¯t enough?¡± she asked, a little surly. Elijah had never seen anyone so adamant that they didn¡¯t deserve a reward, but from what he knew of Sadie, it made sense. She had a lot of ws, but selfishness certainly wasn¡¯t one of them. That was something he admired about her, even if it was frustrating to deal with at times. ¡°You know my sister-inw is one of the highest-level cksmiths in the world, right?¡± ¡°And you¡¯refortable volunteering her for this?¡± ¡°If I know Carmen, she¡¯d kill me if I didn¡¯t,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That¡¯s how crafters work, right? They get more experience for working with rare materials and creating powerful items. Letting Carmen work with this would benefit her almost as much as it would help you. I guarantee she¡¯d jump at the chance to do this.¡± ¡°I insist on paying.¡± At that, Elijahughed. ¡°What?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying she¡¯d do it for free,¡± he said between chuckles. ¡°You¡¯re going to pay through the nose for it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered where that phrasees from,¡± said Dat, a pensive look on his face. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pay through the nose, bro. It¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Kurik agreed. Ron, who¡¯d so far been silent, said, ¡°It¡¯s derived from a policy surrounding a Danish poll tax imposed on the Irish in the ninth century. When someone failed to pay, they would slit that person¡¯s nose. Therefore, they paid their tax through the nose.¡± ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s gruesome.¡± ¡°You humans are crazier than a tall gnome,¡± Kurik said. ¡°S¡¯pose it ain¡¯t any better than my people, though. If someone didn¡¯t pay their taxes, they were thrown in the pit.¡± ¡°The pit?¡± ¡°Ofva.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Yeah. It was s¡¯posed to be an opportunity. You know, for cultivation and such. Make ¡®em useful to society and whatnot. But most times, it was just a roundabout way of executin¡¯ somebody. If they had any cultivation to speak of, they wouldn¡¯t have failed to pay their taxes.¡± ¡°Brutal.¡± Kurik shrugged. ¡°n can¡¯t support everybody.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ve gotten a little off track here,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I¡¯ll take the bar of gold, but in doing so, I remove myself from consideration for any of the other rewards, at least until everyone else gets something.¡± Elijah opened his mouth to offer a counterargument, but Sadie spoke over him. ¡°That¡¯s the deal, Elijah.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s insane that you¡¯re making a deal to get less stuff, but whatever. So long as you take the ingot, I¡¯m fine,¡± Elijah said. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. After that, Sadie shoved the bar of gold into her spatial pack. It was at least two feet long and half as wide, so the ingot weighed more than a thousand pounds. How much more, Elijah wasn¡¯t sure, but he knew it was significantly heavier than a normal gold bar would have been. Whatever the case, neither Sadie nor Elijah had any trouble lifting it, but the others, all of which had much lower Strength, struggled. So, maybe it was even heavier than Elijah thought. Regardless, once that was taken care of, everyone settled in to recover from the fight. It took the better part of a day before they were ready to move, but before they left the Citadel of Innovation, Elijah wanted to ensure that they weren¡¯t leaving anything behind. ¡°There¡¯s probably more of them power crystals around, too,¡± Kurik said. The dwarf already had a nice collection of them, including therge one that seemed to power the whole horde of robots, but he imed that having more of them would take his traps to the next level. He even talked about building siege weapons. So, as Kurik searched thepound for crystals, everyone else looked for other useful items or materials. It wasn¡¯t very sessful. Elijah found a lockbox that, when they managed to pry it open, revealed a collection of silver and gold ethereum, but there wasn¡¯t much else that the group didn¡¯t immediately ssify as junk. Still, it took another two days for them to scour the whole facility, so by the time they were finished, they were all eager to leave it behind. It took almost a week to exit the enormous junkyard, and though they kept their guard up, they encountered no other threats. Benedict was nowhere to be seen, suggesting that he very much didn¡¯t want to be found. That left Elijah feeling a little regretful, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about the situation. Even so, he resolved to talk it out with the man if they ran into one another in the future. After leaving the trash heap behind, they once again found themselves in the jungle. The first wraith attack was almostforting after spending so long traveling among the mountains of garbage. It had been bad enough when every step came with the possibility of an attack from the horde of robotic insects, but without them, it was somehow worse. A stillness hadid over the entire area, and it left everyone feeling extremely ufortable. Leaving that behind came with a nearly tangible sense of relief. ¡°Where are you going, bro?¡± asked Dat, poking the campfire with a stick. After a long day of travel, the others were already asleep in their tents, but Dat had been given the first watch. Elijah, meanwhile, was restless. ¡°Last time I climbed one of the trees, I saw a pyramid over that way,¡± he said, pointing to the east. ¡°I want to go check it out.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Call it a sense of adventure,¡± he said. That was part of it, but he also felt that the more he knew about the excised world ¨C and how it hade to its state ¨C the better he and the others would fare during the challenges. So far, it hadn¡¯t really mattered, but his intuition told him that some level of understanding would eventually be necessary. Or maybe that was just an excuse to indulge his inner Indiana Jones. Regardless, after telling Dat that he would return before dawn, he set off into the jungle, shifting into the Shape of Venom along the way. Thankfully, the evolution had done nothing to interfere with Guise of the Unseen, and with the influx of Dexterity and Strength, the ease with which he traveled was unprecedented. In addition, he¡¯d discovered that he could easily stick to just about any surface. On Earth, lizards like geckos used tiny hairs called setae to aplish that feat, and he expected that if he investigated it, he would find that something simr was responsible for his own ability. He''d also found that his venom was incredibly potent. Using only Envenom, he¡¯d taken down a beast the size of a rhinoceros only the day before, and it had taken less than a minute for the creature to keel over. He could have done it more quickly before ¨C ripping out its throat or crushing the base of its skull only took seconds ¨C but Elijah was still impressed by the strength of the venom. More experimentation told him that Predator Strike did indeed increase the potency of Envenom, which made the already-powerful toxin even deadlier. Overall, he was impressed with the increased lethality of his evolved form. He¡¯d also used a mirror he kept in his Ghoul-Hide Satchel to inspect the visual differences. The form was mostly bright green, with yellow streaks along the torso and shing just under the eyes. It was also far more serpentine, almost like a smander, though with a head shape that definitely resembled a viper¡¯s. Thankfully, the new form had retained the previous one¡¯s color-changing ability to blend into its environment. In all, Elijah was pleased with the evolved shape, though he did take the time to wonder what form the other variants would have taken. Whatever the case, in most ways that mattered, the evolution was a vast upgrade, though he did think he¡¯d miss the frighteningly powerful jaws that had apanied the draconid form. The blight dragon was no slouch in that department, but Elijah didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be using it to crush skulls anytime soon. Which meant that he would need to learn new tactics if he wanted to get the most out of his new abilities. All of that yed through his mind as he made his way to the pyramid he¡¯d seen from afar. From miles away, he¡¯d only seen a few details, but he knew it was abandoned and overgrown. Without Eyes of the Eagle, he probably would have mistaken it for another hill. After a little more than an hour, he stumbled upon the outskirts of what he suspected had once been a small settlement. Other than the foundations, there wasn¡¯t much left, and even those had been covered by dirt, debris, and vegetation. Still, there were a few crumbling walls that still stood, though they were under assault from the steadily growing vines that were so ubiquitous in the jungle. In a few years, those creeping tendrils would copse the walls entirely, and a few years after that, there would be nothing left of the settlement. That made Elijah wonder just how much history was buried beneath the soil. The civilization that called the excised world home had clearly been quite advanced. Maybe not in a technological sense, but at least in terms of its ce within the rest of the multi-verse. And now, there was so little left. A wave of regret shed through Elijah¡¯s mind. He wasn¡¯t responsible for anything that had happened to the natives. He knew that. But he still regretted that he¡¯d never seen them in their prime. It also brought to mind the state of Earth¡¯s once-mighty civilization. Elijah had only seen a tiny fraction of the expanded, but he¡¯d traveled through the remnants of the old world enough to recognize that it wouldn¡¯t be long before whole swaths of the looked no different than the excised Trial world. Most people might¡¯ve found the setting a bit frightening. Even during the day, very little light prated the jungle¡¯s canopy, and it became particrly dark at night. However, for Elijah, who had the benefit of One with Nature, the darkness wasn¡¯t particrly onerous. Indeed, the shifting shadows instilled the area with a forlorn beauty that spoke of great loss. Eventually, he reached the pyramid, and even though he¡¯d seen it from afar, he was still impressed by its construction. Even after what looked like millennia of neglect, it still stood tall and proud. Certainly, the huge stones that had been used in its construction were covered in moss and vines, but the structure didn¡¯t look like it was in any danger of copse. Perhaps there was a lesson there, Elijah thought. Even amidst so much decay, some aspects of a dying civilization would remain. Elijah only had to search for a few minutes before he found an entrance. It was overgrown with vines, which formed a concealing curtain, but he could feel the open space beyond. So, it was with some excitement that he stepped inside. And he was not disappointed by the sight. Book 5: Chapter 61: Elemental Book 5: Chapter 61: Elemental Elijah ran his fingers along the damp wall, then pressed his thumb and forefinger together. Because of the algae that covered the stone, they stuck together, though only slightly. In addition, a slightly musty smell hung in the air, suggesting the presence of rot. But he wasn¡¯t put off by that. Instead, he marveled at the sheer amount of life present in the area. Via One with Nature, he could feel everything ¨C right down to collections of single-cell organisms, and the vitality they emitted was nearly overwhelming. It was a different sensation than what he felt out in the jungle, or in his grove, but it was no less potent for it. And for a while, Elijah just stood there, his eyes closed, as he basked in the feel of so much life. He took a deep breath, letting the smell of decay y on his nostrils. It wasn¡¯t like what he¡¯d smelled back in the Citadel of Innovation. That was artificial,posed of rust and corrosion and grease. But the rot inside the pyramid was natural, and Elijah couldn¡¯t help but revel in the way it made him feel. At least for a few moments. Then, his adventurous spirit took over, and he pushed further into the entry hall as he looked for something interesting. The interior of the pyramid was so worn that most of the architectural flourishes had been destroyed by erosion, but there were signs ¨C here and there ¨C of what it might have once been. One stretch of wall bore a relief sculpture with deep grooves that seemed like minimalistic representations of fire. There had once been more there, but time had worn the rest away. As Elijah stepped forward, aiming for a gaping hole in the far wall, he looked around like an astonished tourist. Which he sort of was, he reminded himself. ncing up, he saw that the ceiling was coffered, with glints of gold peeking through the thick algae. For a moment, he considered flying up there ¨C it was only around thirty feet high ¨C and scraping it away. However, that felt oddly disrespectful, so he decided against it. A good thing, too, because when he encountered wall that had been simrly covered, he saw that it wasn¡¯t metal at all, but instead a glittering covering that was less than a tenth of an inch thick. The hole in the wall led to another chamber, which, in turn, led him to a hall. Over the next couple of hours, Elijah found more of the same, but he was no less excited by it. Every time he caught sight of a surviving fragment of art, or a bit of remaining architecture, his excitement was renewed. Then he found the stairs. They led down into imprable darkness, which was troubling enough to give him pause. Up would have been fine, but any time he¡¯d descended deep into the earth, he¡¯d been confronted with difficult situations. But they were almost always rewarding. And besides, the stairway¡¯s decorative handrails suggested that it would lead to the reason the pyramid had been constructed in the first ce. Eventually, his curiosity began to outweigh his caution, and Elijah descended the steps. Nothing happened. There were no hidden monsters. No ancient and inexplicably enduring traps. Just a grand stairway that led deep beneath the ground. After a few dozen feet, Elijah found that some of the frescoes on the wall had survived. Like previous artwork he¡¯d seen ¨C especially in the aqueduct ¨C it depicted scenes of battle. However, further on, the tone changed. Instead of fighting, it looked as if the ta¡¯ki in the frescoes were performing some sort of ritual.And there was one that stoodrger than any of the others. From the electricity flowing around him and creating a halo over his head, the figure in the painting was clearly meant to represent someone that, until then, Elijah had only heard about. ¡°The Lightning Emperor,¡± he said, repeating the title he¡¯d heard in one of the challenges. The frescoes continued on until the stairway ended in a deep pool of dark water. Elijah was not surprised. The jungle above was subject to a tropical climate, which meant that it rained on more days than it didn¡¯t. All that water had to go somewhere, so the moment he¡¯d gone underground, he¡¯d fully expected to find that part of the facility was submerged. He didn¡¯t hesitate for long before he dove in. With the Ring of Aquatic Travel, he didn¡¯t need to fear suffocation, and he felt positive that he could retreat if he found some obstacle he couldn¡¯t ovee. So, he swam down, following the frescoes until they disappeared, having been worn away by the persistent corrosion of being underwater. However, before they disappeared altogether, Elijah did see one that troubled him immensely. It was the same Lightning Emperor, and he was standing before a giant cask that had been opened to spew forth mingled darkness and rays of light. Nearby, there were thousands of other ka¡¯ki and ta¡¯ki struggling against powerful warriors who held them at bay. Elijah didn¡¯t know what it meant, but he didn¡¯t like the implications. He kept going, hoping that he would find more hints as to what had happened after the emperor had opened the cask, but all he saw were more nk walls. Then, just when he was on the verge of turning back, he surfaced in the center of a small room. Elijah squinted into the darkness, hoping that he could get his bearings. The chamber was tiny ¨C maybe ten feet across ¨C but there was an open door on one side. And through that opening ¨C it had clearly once been barred by a stone door that had crumbled into a nearby pile ¨C Elijah saw a glittering stem jutting from the ground. Immediately, he knew it was a Branch of the World Tree, and on that barren branch was a single, glimmering leaf. He almost stepped forward immediately, but he stopped when he saw that one of the walls in the small room where he¡¯d surfaced was decorated with calligraphic writing. To his eye, it appeared to be English, but a little focus told him that it had been written in an entirely differentnguage ¨C whose writing looked more like Sumerian cuneiform than anynguage Elijah knew. The system was clearly doing some heavy lifting when it came to trantion. It read: In the chamber where secrets lie, Elements four, beneath the sky. Fire''s fierce ze, a guiding light, Illuminates the darkest night. Wind''s soft whisper, swift and free, Carries voices across the sea. Water''s flow, both strong and pure, Heals the wounds and wounds the cure. Earth below, steadfast and true, Gives us ground to start anew. Combine them all, the answer''s near, Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Unlock the door, the path is clear. Remember, seeker, this simple creed: Bnce and harmony, the key to seed. Elijah read the poem three times over, but aside from the literal meaning ¨C that the elements must be in bnce ¨C he couldn¡¯t understand what it was trying to tell him. Perhaps it was nothing. Or maybe it was religious in nature ¨C an excerpt from a sacred text. The pyramid certainly had the look of a temple, so that was likely the best answer. In any case, he wasn¡¯t terribly concerned with an old poem. Instead, his attention kept wandering to the next room and the Branch of the World Tree it contained. So, he pushed his most recent discovery out of his mind and stepped into the room. Immediately, a blue tinted shield expanded to epass the branch. The earth rumbled, and the floor all around that circr shield fell away. Elijah stepped back, but the door through which he¡¯d entered had disappeared, and it had been reced with a nk stone wall. ¡°Shit, shit, shit¡­¡± Panic suffused his mind as he searched for a way out. But no matter where he looked, he found no more exits. However, what he did see were four stations located ¨C at least as far as he could tell ¨C in each cardinal direction. The one to the north was a simple iron brazier containing a half dozen ancient logs. The west held a fountain and a trio of bowls. The east, a set of tall, brass pipes. And finally, the closest to Elijah¡¯s current position was a bed of dirt. Then, everything went pitch ck. What¡¯s more, water somehow started to fill the chamber. Then, something pricked his neck, and Elijah immediately felt dizzy. He fell to his knees with a ssh. The water had already risen to a couple of inches deep, and something cold gripped his finger ¨C the one wearing the Ring of Aquatic Travel. He vomited as the familiar feeling of being poisoned coursed through his body. He tried to cast Soothe, but when he attempted to embrace the ethera in his core, nothing happened. It was still there, but there was something keeping him from essing it. He vomited again, and this time, the irony taste of blood came with the bile. His head swam as fear pervaded his mind. However, Elijah wouldn¡¯t allow that to conquer him. Instead, he forced himself to think, and after a few seconds, hetched onto the poem. ¡°Water. Healing.¡± It was a long shot, but he found himself racing in the direction where he¡¯d seen the fountain and bowls. However, he quickly mmed into the wall, nearly knocking himself unconscious. That was when he realized that the darkness didn¡¯t only hinder his vision. Instead, it also blocked the senses that came along with One with Nature. They were still there, but they were muddled. Unreadable. ¡°Fire¡¯s fierce ze, a guiding light,¡± he repeated a line from the poem. ¡°Illuminates the darkest night.¡± He needed to get to the brazier. Even as the water level rose, Elijah forced himself to remember the room¡¯syout. With his Mind cultivation, he had no trouble visualizing it. Then, he put that picture to work and started across the room. A few momentster, he nearly fell through the pit. His foot slipped right through the water and into open air. He would have kept going, but for his high Dexterity that allowed him to bnce on one foot. Elijah had no clue how the water didn¡¯t drain into the pit, but he wasn¡¯t keen to figure it out, either. Not with the venom coursing through his body, slowly robbing him of his strength. So, after pulling back, he methodically made his way around the hole and eventually reached the brazier. The water didn¡¯t flow there, either, but he intuitively knew it wouldn¡¯t remain that way indefinitely. If the waters rose to a high enough level, the entire room would be flooded. The iron was cold, but the logs were blessedly dry. There was only one problem ¨C how was he intended to light them? At first, he tried to use Storm¡¯s Fury, but then, he remembered the Firestarter he¡¯d bought from the Artificer back in Argos. Lars. That was his name. With a shaking hand, he searched his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, only finding the item after a few long moments. It took the shape of aser pointer ¨C the type he¡¯d used when he¡¯d worked as a teacher¡¯s assistant while pursuing his doctorate ¨C and he quickly activated it by pressing the button on the end of the pen-shaped device. The logs caught fire immediately, and in only a second, the entire chamber lit up. More, his senses returned to normal. Until that moment, Elijah hadn¡¯t realized how much he¡¯de to rely on One with Nature. Now, though¡­ Without it, he¡¯d felt blind and deaf. But he didn¡¯t have time to dwell on that. Not only was the water steadily getting deeper ¨C it had reached his knees ¨C but his nausea had increased in its intensity, telling him that he was on two different types of timer. Even if he managed to take care of the poison, he would still run the risk of drowning. He suspected that, like his ability to cast spells, the Ring of Aquatic Travel had been deactivated. So, he lurched across the room, stumbling twice before reaching the fountain. In his muddled state, Elijah found himself wondering how the fountain was still flowing even as it was halfway underwater. But he quickly shook himself out of that and studied what he knew was some sort of puzzle. There were three bowls, all of different sizes. Then, there was the fountain itself and a dry basin set into the ground. After a little trial and error, Elijah figured out the goal of the puzzle ¨C he needed to get the water from the fountain to the basin. The entire thing was so surreal. Even underwater, the bowls and the basin remained empty. None of it made sense ¨C at least from a physics perspective ¨C but he had neither the time nor the inclination to care. So, he focused on what mattered ¨C filling that basin. First, he tried to cup his hands beneath the flow, then ssh the water into the basin. However, he was horrified to see that it only drained away. Then, he used thergest bowl, hoping that the extra volume would make a difference as he quickly transferred water from one to the other. But he encountered the same problem. And as he did, the waters around him continued to rise. More troublingly, his mind grew even fuzzier. He knew that if he didn¡¯t figure it out soon, he wouldn¡¯t have the wits to finish the puzzle. He let out a scream of frustration. Then, a line from the poem stood out to him. ¡°Water¡¯s flow¡­¡± That¡¯s when it hit him. He didn¡¯t need to move the water via the bowls. He needed to create a flow. Hastily, he arranged the bowls fromrgest to smallest, and he was relieved to find that they fit perfectly between the fountain and the basin. As the water flowed, spilling over the lip of one bowl and into the next, all the way to the basin, Elijah vomited again. His hands began to shake as he saw the water level in the basin continue to rise. One inch. Two. Three. It kept going until, atst, it reached the lip of the basin and overflowed. It shed with ethera, and even in his muddled state, Elijah could feel the intense flow of vitality it contained. He dunked his face in it and drank deep. Instantly, the effects of the poison disappeared. Elijah copsed backward, his breathing in ragged gasps as his wits returned alongside his physical well-being. How close had hee to dying, there? When he¡¯d entered the pyramid, he¡¯d done so on a whim. And suddenly, he was in a life-or-death situation? There was nothing quite so humbling as being reminded that, in the scope of the multi-verse, he was little more than a gnat. But he wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet, so Elijah picked himself up and looked across the flooded chamber. The next item on his list was to stop the water, and given that he didn¡¯t think that a bed of dirt represented wind, he zeroed in on the pipes. After wading across the chamber and climbing onto the dais ¨C with his mind muddled, he hadn¡¯t even realized that they were separated from rest of the chamber ¨C and studied the set of pipes. They brought back memories of Dat whistling as they climbed the Singing Cliffs. It didn¡¯t take him long to figure out that he was looking at a crude set of windpipes, so he found the mouthpiece and blew. And nothing happened. Groaning, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not a goddamn musician.¡± But he didn¡¯t give up. After a few moments, he found something approaching a tune ¨C in the same way that idle humming constituted a song ¨C but it was enough. The water stopped rising, and then, drained away. That left only the bed of dirt. Elijah approached it cautiously, fully expecting a surprise. But when he sensed what was inside, he let out a long, relieved sigh. Then, he embraced Nature¡¯s Bounty, and a momentter, a series of nts peeked through the soil. The growth was far faster than anything he¡¯d ever seen, which allowed him to direct the nts a lot more urately than he normally could have. And soon, he¡¯d arranged the nts into the same symbol he¡¯d seen when he¡¯d first entered the pyramid. That was good enough, because the moment he¡¯d finished, the wide crevasse that had opened around the Branch of the World Tree disappeared. So did the shield. Atst, Elijah had a clear path to his goal. He stepped forward, and without fanfare, plucked the crystalline leaf. He only had time to read the name before some invisible force hit him in the stomach and sent him flying all the way across the chamber, through the door, and into the room behind. As he passed through the door, he saw the wall close in. And a momentter, the opening was gone. Elijahy there for a long time before he shook his head and looked at the title of the guide. It was The Tragedy of War. Book 5: Chapter 62: The Tragedy of War Book 5: Chapter 62: The Tragedy of War In a daze, Elijah left the ruins behind. He still paid attention to his surroundings, but he struggled to pull his thoughts away from contemtion of his recent experiences. The puzzle itself hadn¡¯t been terriblyplex. However, his ability to solve it had beenpromised by external factors ¨C like the fact that he¡¯d been on the verge of death almost from the very beginning. But now that he was safe, Elijah could look at it more objectively. And when he did, he couldn¡¯t deny the fear creeping up his spine. For so long, he¡¯d gone through life believing that he was invincible. Certainly, he¡¯d had plenty of close calls. Only recently, he¡¯d very nearly been melted by one of the mechanical wasps. Yet, each time, he¡¯d pulled through by virtue of his many advantages. This time was different. His spells had been inessible. His cultivation and attributes hadn¡¯t been enough to save him. And even his Mind had very nearly failed. That was terrifying. The only saving grace was that Elijah was almost certain that the system had set the puzzle up. But given that that system had, in turn, been created by people ¨C powerful though they were ¨C it suggested his ce in the multi-verse in a way that mere stories and guides couldn¡¯t. So, as he trekked back to the camp, he felt smaller and more inconsequential than ever before. However, with every step, he also felt a sense of purpose. If those people could reach a point where they could do such incredible things, then Elijah could as well. It would obviously take an eternity, but the possibility was there all the same. That wasforting enough to calm his nerves. Soon enough, Elijah reached the camp and settled down next to the embers of the fire. Just looking at it reminded him of the first piece of the puzzle he¡¯d just solved, and a shiver ran up his spine. By that point, Sadie had taken over for Dat, and after a moment, she sat next to him and asked, ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°Context,¡± he said.¡°What does that mean?¡± He shrugged, then answered, ¡°It means that we¡¯re tiny, little specks of dust in a universe bigger than any of us canprehend. There are people out there so powerful that they can crush us with a stray thought.¡± He¡¯d known that almost from the very beginning, but it had always felt so far away. Now, after having his power blocked orpletely overwhelmed, it was closer than ever before. ¡°That¡¯s the way it¡¯s always been, Elijah,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Even before all of this, the universe was infinite.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one thing to know that ¨C from an intellectual standpoint ¨C and something altogether different to have it hammered into you by circumstances beyond your control,¡± he said. ¡°What happened?¡± Elijah sighed, then ran his hand over his bald head. The barest hint of stubble had returned, but it would be some time before he once again had a full head of hair. Even his eyebrows were gone, which made him feel like he hadn¡¯te so far since the worst parts of chemotherapy. He still remembered the looks he¡¯d gotten back then. Disgust. Pity. Compassion. Anger. Nobody liked being reminded that, but for a twist of fate, they could have been in his ce. He exined what had happened, starting with finding the pyramid. Then, he went on to describe the frescoes and, finally, the puzzle he¡¯d struggled to solve. ¡°If I¡¯d been ying a game or something, I could¡¯ve done it easily. But with that poison inside me, I couldn¡¯t think straight. Add the rising water and the ¨C¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Sadie said, putting her hand on his shoulder. She gave it a squeeze. ¡°Anybody would have reacted simrly.¡± ¡°Would you?¡± he asked. He¡¯d seen Sadie in battle. For all that her single-minded, ck-and-white views of the world were frustrating to deal with, that mindset also gave her a rity in battle that he envied. If she felt doubts, she never showed them. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe,¡± she said with a shrug. She still wore her beaten and battered armor. ¡°Do you ever take that off?¡± he asked, wanting to change the subject. ¡°Not in the field,¡± she said. Then, in a quieter voice, she added, ¡°Not at home, either.¡± ¡°Is it really as bad as you say?¡± was Elijah¡¯s next question. She¡¯d spoken of the situation in Hong Kong often enough that he had some idea of what was going on there, but neither Sadie nor Dat had borated on the details. ¡°Worse. My family has a stronghold that mostly protects us,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re well-defended, with enough food and water tost for years. But there are plenty of others that don¡¯t have that. We took on as many as we could handle, and we¡¯ve built what defenses we could. But the undead just keeping, tearing everything down almost as quickly as we can build. People aren¡¯t just in danger of being killed by the undead, though. They¡¯re starving. Much of the water is tainted, too. Just keeping everyone from dying from dehydration is a full-time job. Some people had to take sses specifically to counter that.¡± Elijah tried to imagine what she described, but the best he coulde up with was abination of a war zone and something like he¡¯d seen in apocalyptic zombie movies. It probably wasn¡¯t urate, but even those images were enough to take him aback. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°I still intend to help,¡± he said. ¡°You know that, right? I know we have our differences, Sadie, but¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°You are so difficult to read. My instincts tell me that you are the worst person I¡¯ve met. You have so much blood on your hands. But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve killed a lot of people, Sadie. Thousands, probably. Most of them deserved it, but...but some didn¡¯t. I know that. I have to live with it. At the end of the day, though, I can¡¯t regret my actions because what I did was necessary,¡± he said. He¡¯d thought a lot about what had happened in Easton, and while he knew that he¡¯d been motivated by selfish rage ¨C primarily, at least ¨C he was equally certain that he¡¯d done what needed to be done. The ce had been a cesspool of human corruption. Now, it couldn¡¯t spread that disease. ¡°You think you¡¯re an appropriate judge of who deserves to die?¡± Elijah leaned back, his palms digging into the ground as he said, ¡°Nope. Not even close. And that wasn¡¯t my motivation in the first ce.¡± ¡°What was?¡± For a moment, Elijah considered withholding the real answer to that question. He and Sadie were not friends ¨C in fact, he was certain that the woman hated everything about him ¨C so pouring his heart out to her wasn¡¯t at the top of his list of things to do. Yet, when he opened his mouth, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking, ¡°You had a sister that died, right?¡± ¡°I did. Lisa.¡± ¡°I did too,¡± he said. ¡°Alyssa. We used to be really close, but¡­things happened, and we drifted apart. When the world changed, I was flying home to die. I had terminal cancer, and I wanted to mend our rtionship. We never really had any big disagreements or anything. We didn¡¯t dislike one another. It was just that she lived outside of Seattle, and I was in Hawaii. I had my life, and she had hers. But with death knocking on my door, I wanted to reconnect. I wanted to leave her with better memories than an absentee brother who ran away from home.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I never made it. The world changed, and I ended up on a deserted ind where I spent the next year just trying to find food and shelter enough to survive. But when I got strong enough, I went searching for her,¡± he said. ¡°Not the easy task you might think. With how the world got redistributed and expanded, I had no idea where to even start. At the time, I fooled myself into believing she was fine. Alyssa was always stronger than me. She was smart. And I could see her wife¡¯s name on the power rankings, so I just knew she was fine.¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t, though, was she?¡± Sadie asked. Elijah didn¡¯t immediately answer. Instead, he said, ¡°You remind me of her. I mean, she wasn¡¯t as sanctimonious as you, but I think you two would have been friends.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°She was betrayed by a man she thought was her friend,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°And that man built a city, corrupting everything he touched until they were beyond all hope of redemption. I killed¡­a lot of people. Most of them attacked me first. They were soldiers. But I killed others, too. They deserved it. I know that. But if you think I¡¯m walking around without any guilt, then you¡¯re grossly mistaken.¡± Elijah hadn¡¯t intended to tell the whole story, but in the end, he hadn¡¯t been able to hold back. As he stared at the fire, tears trickled down his cheeks. He didn¡¯t regret his actions, but regret and guilt were two very different things. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sadie said. ¡°For what? You didn¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°For the way I judged you.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You¡¯re dealing with an ability, right? Those can be powerful,¡± he said. She ran a hand through her ck hair, then sighed. ¡°I wish that was the only reason,¡± she said. ¡°Truth is that I¡¯ve always been like this. I¡¯ve worked on it, but¡­¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Elijah said. Then, he nced around, saying, ¡°If you want to get some rest, I¡¯m going to be up for a while. I can take watch.¡± Thankfully, Sadie could recognize the situation for what it was. Sharing was all well and good, but Elijah had a limit to what he could handle in any given day. So, she took the hint and headed to her own tent, where she settled in to sleep. Pointedly, she didn¡¯t even remove her armor. For his part, Elijah dipped his hand into the Ghoul-Hide Satchel and wrapped his fingers around the crystalline leaf he¡¯d gotten as a reward for solving the puzzle. It was a guide just like any other he¡¯d gotten from a Branch of the World Tree, but what made it intriguing was the contents:
The Tragedy of War For eons, the of Ka¡¯arath was no different than any other. Powerful entities rose and fell, civilizations prospered and were wiped out, and their people progressed to the brink of establishing themselves as a true power within the multi-verse. One ka¡¯ki aimed to push them over the edge¡­
As Elijah read on, he discovered that Ka¡¯arath ¨C the name of the excised world on which the Trial was held ¨C had established itself as a powerful C-Grade. Yet, that wasn¡¯t enough for Yloa K¡¯hnam, the would-be Lightning Emperor. He knew that if they were going to push to a higher realm, they would need to do two things. First, the itself would need to take a leap into the B-Grade, which was no small feat. Second, he would need to take control of his entire world. The first was all but out of his grasp for the time being, but the second ¨C well, that was within reach. So, he built the power of his sect, and when he judged that they were strong enough, went to war against the ta¡¯ki. At first, his enemies fell easily, but they quickly regrouped and banded together to form a potent opposition that stymied his progress. The war went on for centuries as the two sides ¨C which had predictably been drawn along racial lines between the ta¡¯ki and the ka¡¯ki ¨C shed in one battle after another. Yloa and his forces won as often as they lost, and the death toll mounted into the millions. However, war was a great catalyst for growth, and the survivors made great strides in their levels and cultivation. Eventually, the progressively destructive battles left whole swaths of the unlivable. But over time, Yloa and his forces won, enving the bulk of the ta¡¯ki. There were still pockets of resistance, but their impact was extremely limited. That allowed Yloa to establish his-wide empire and dere himself the Lightning Emperor. That was where the guide ended, leaving Elijah to wonder about two things. First, how did the ¨C which had just been consolidated under one rule ¨C end up getting excised from the World Tree? And second, how did Yloa mean to address the other issue and push the grade of the higher? The guide had no more answers, leaving Elijah with more questions than when he¡¯d begun reading. Book 5: Chapter 63: Damage Report Book 5: Chapter 63: Damage Report Ramik was frustrated. After five years of wing toward prosperity, Ironshore was finally on the verge of turning a profit. He could see it in his mind¡¯s eye, looming just out of reach. Once they crossed that ephemeral line, everything would change. Already, he¡¯d begun to see the effects. Humans made up almost twenty percent of the popce, and that number was climbing by the day. More importantly, they brought with them a number of necessary skills, including the ability to augment the city¡¯s defenses. Certainly, there had been plenty of problems. Like anyone else, those humans had their own goals, and because they had no real loyalty to Ironshore, they put their needs above the requirements of the city. Still, so long as they were paid on time and given what they needed to progress, they yed the roles given to them. Bncing that wasn¡¯t the source of Ramik¡¯s frustration, but it certainly was a contributing factor. No ¨C the issue was the mine. He turned to Carissa and asked, ¡°How many have we lost?¡± ¡°Seven Miners in the past two weeks,¡± she said. ¡°We sent some Hunters in there, but there ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ to suggest what happened to ¡®em. It¡¯s like they just up and vanished.¡± Ramik groaned, then removed his hat. It was new, created by the Tailor Mari to help keep him alert. It aplished that feat via the trait Wakefulness, which sent periodic jolts of vitality through his body. They weren¡¯t powerful enough to heal him, but they did restore some of his stamina, allowing him to keep going for longer without stopping to rest. Still, he was almost as tired as he was frustrated.¡°We need to shut it down,¡± Carissa said, scratching her chin. She jabbed a stubby finger at the map on her desk as she added, ¡°At least this section here. That¡¯s where they disappeared.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do that, Carissa.¡± ¡°I know it ain¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most profitable section of the mine. If we shut it down, we¡¯ll struggle to keep our heads above water,¡± he exined. ¡°You know what happens if we don¡¯t make those interest payments. The Green Mountain Mining Guild will ¨C¡± ¡°I know what happens if we default, Ramik,¡± she said, losing a bit of her ent. Ever since she¡¯d started hanging around that cksmith so much, her speech patterns had begun to subtly shift. Was it intentional? Or just a result of her exposure to a new dialect? Ramik didn¡¯t have enough information to say for sure, and what¡¯s more, he didn¡¯t care. He liked Carmen, and he knew that she and her project would be a great boon for Ironshore. But that was a problem for the future. For now, she was a secondary concern at best. ¡°Then you know why we can¡¯t shut it down,¡± he said. Indeed, the section of the mine where Carissa¡¯s people had disappeared was far and away the most valuable branch. The others only had fairly weak versions of blood tin and some Crude-Grade iron. But that other section ¨C that was where they¡¯d found the veins of sun copper that had finally let them turn a corner toward profitability. ¡°You think they¡¯ll call the debts due?¡± she asked. ¡°I know they will,¡± Ramik stated. The deal they¡¯d made with the Green Mountain Mining Guild was simple. The organization provided the capital they¡¯d needed to establish the city, and in return, Ironshore was required to pay them back with interest. To date, they¡¯d managed to make the escting interest payments, but Ramik knew that it wouldn¡¯t be long before they¡¯d spiral out of control. And if they started missing payments, he would be held ountable. The penalty for the first missed payment was simple enough. Just an extra payment that would be difficult to make, but not impossible. The second sent that number even higher. But the third? His debt ¨C alongside a few of the other key figures in the town ¨C would be converted to indentured servitude. Which was basically legal very. Ramik had seen it happen to other members of his family, and he knew just how devastating it could be to crawl his way up from something like that. He¡¯d never recover, and he¡¯d end up being a virtual ve for the rest of his pitiful life. So would Carissa and about thirty others who¡¯d put their lives on the line to get the city up and running. Not to mention what would happen to the city itself. Guild-run mining towns were soulless pits if despair where no one was ever given the opportunity to truly advance. If the Green Mountain Mining Guild took over, that would be Ironshore¡¯s fate. That just was not eptable. ¡°We need to send a team in there,¡± he said. ¡°People with experience with this sort of thing.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Carissa asked. ¡°We still haven¡¯t recovered from losing our whole security force. We¡¯ve made some progress, but we can¡¯t spare anyone.¡± ¡°What about the cksmith? She ran a mine before, right?¡± Ramik asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t s¡¯posed to tell you that,¡± Carissa countered. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°But you did,¡± he said, pacing back and forth. Carissa had been a little drunk when she¡¯d revealed some of Carmen¡¯s history, but the fact was that the cksmith was likely as experienced in dealing with mining problems as anyone else in town. Plus, she was one of the highest-level people in Ironshore, so even if she was a Tradesman, she could handle more than most. ¡°Do you think she would do it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Carissa admitted. ¡°She just wants to build her forge and be left alone.¡± ¡°What if we made it worth her while?¡± Ramik asked. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything she needs. With her skills, she¡¯s been makin¡¯ a killin¡¯. She can buy all the materials she wants,¡± Carissa stated. Ramik tapped his chin as he gave it some thought. ¡°What if we give her a stake in Ironshore?¡± he asked after a moment. ¡°It would tie her to us, and it would help her get what she needs to advance.¡± In truth, he¡¯d been considering doing that anyway. The opportunity represented by such a talented, motivated, and high level crafter was unquantifiable. That was especially true, given her work on the Great Forge. It was just starting to take shape, but in a year or two, it would rival some of the wonders of his own native. Perhaps it would even bypass them altogether and be something uniquely powerful. Still, he¡¯d hoped to get some concessions out of her before he took that step. Amitment that would push the city to even greater heights. ¡°She might do that,¡± Carissa said. ¡°She wants somewhere to call home. But don¡¯t you think we should wait for Elijah and the others to get back from the Trial? That¡¯s only a few weeks away.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford it,¡± Ramik said. He knew if they got behind, their chances of ever escaping the spiral of debt would be nil. ¡°I¡¯ll ask her, but I think I can already tell you the answer,¡± Carissa said. ¡°Ask anyway,¡± Ramik said, already trying to think of alternatives. If the cksmith didn¡¯t want to help, then his options were quite limited. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Carissa asked. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do.¡± Ramik shook his head, then took his leave. After stepping out of Carissa¡¯s office, he headed into the city proper. Along the way, he marveled at how much had changed, and in only a few short years. After everything they had endured ¨C from the first run-in with Elijah to the battle against the orcs ¨C it was a minor miracle that the city had continued to grow and, in its own way, prosper. He¡¯d invested all of the city¡¯s spare resources into the future, and now that his ns were on the verge of reaching fruition, the slow-down in the mine threatened to bring it all tumbling down. He refused to let that happen to his city. Not so long as he still drew breath. Lost in thought, he traveled through the city. Their poption had passed the twenty thousand mark, which was quite remarkable, considering how few people they¡¯d had when they first arrived. Most of the city¡¯s industry centered around the mine, but they also had nurtured a reasonably profitable ¨C if very dangerous ¨C fishing operation. In addition, there were hundreds of smaller businesses that had sprung up to see to the poption¡¯s needs. And then there was the trade deal with Norcastle. Thetest caravan was a little overdue, but that wasn¡¯t too surprising. The way was difficult and fraught with danger, so some dys were inevitable. But if they lost more than a couple of those wagon trains, it would be disastrous. That was true of everything in Ironshore. On the surface, it was a booming frontier city filled with happy, productive people. But Ramik knew better than anyone that the entire operation was bnced on the edge of a knife. One wrong move, and everything woulde toppling down. The city¡¯s potential was in to anyone with eyes, though. The ethera density was higher than anywhere he¡¯d ever been, and it was still thickening as the matured. One day, it would surpass even the parts of his home world where people like him weren¡¯t even allowed. He wouldn¡¯t give that up, and not just because of the opportunity it represented. Certainly, that was part of it. He¡¯d fought and bled for Ironshore, and the notion of someone else reaping the rewards for his hard work was abhorrent. However, even that paled inparison to what he expected would happen if the Green Mountain Mining Guild took over. What would they do when they saw the ind across the strait? It was clearly special, and if he knew the guild ¨C or more importantly, the sorts of people they would send to run the city once he was indentured ¨C they wouldn¡¯t be able to resist the call of so much power. And if someone else from Ironshore came to that ind with ill intent, Elijah wouldn¡¯t react well. It wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibility that he would kill everyone in the city. He had the power to do just that, Ramik knew, and he¡¯d already shown that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill anyone who crossed him. Most of the time, he was reasonable enough, but when that ind was threatened, he became something else. Something wild and uncontroble. No ¨C there was more than just Ramik¡¯s freedom at stake. The lives of everyone in Ironshore hung in the bnce. ¡°You look pensive, chief,¡± came a drawling voice. Ramik turned to see the tall swordsman who¡¯de to town with Carmen and her son leaning against a nearby wall. ¡°Somethin¡¯ on your mind?¡± Ramik was on the verge of saying something nomittal when he realized that the answer to his problems was standing right beside him. Colt wasn¡¯t as high of a level as Carmen, but he was a powerful veteran whosebat prowess exceeded that of anyone else in Ironshore. More, he had abat ss that stemmed from the Warrior archetype, which made him even more lethal than most in the city. Ramik had only met him in passing, and then only when he apanied someone else he¡¯d deemed more important. Like Elijah or Carmen. Or even the child who¡¯d just acquired his archetype. However, in retrospect, thepany Colt kept had a lot to do with why he¡¯d faded into the background. He was powerful in his own right, and Ramik felt certain that the man was on the verge of entering the top one-hundred among all humans. ¡°Why is it that you¡¯re still here?¡± Ramik asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure you were offered a spot in the Trial of Primacy.¡± Colt shifted a bit, his hand still on the hilt of his single-edged sword, before saying, ¡°It ain¡¯t thatplicated. Way I see it, if all the strong people went to that Trial, it would make everyone that stayed behind uniquely vulnerable. I don¡¯t care so much about personal power, but there are people here that I do care about. So, I stayed.¡± ¡°And what would you do if something threatened the well-being of those people?¡± Ramik asked. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the kicker, ain¡¯t it? Depends on what that somethin¡¯ is.¡± ¡°For the sake of argument, let¡¯s say that it threatens the entire city,¡± Ramik borated. ¡°Well, in that case, I suppose I¡¯d have to do somethin¡¯ about it,¡± Colt answered. ¡°This ain¡¯t a hypothetical, is it? Somethin¡¯ hase up.¡± ¡°It has,¡± Ramik admitted. ¡°And I¡¯m not overstating it when I say that it does indeed threaten everything we¡¯ve built. Including those people you care about.¡± ¡°I guess you oughta go ahead and tell me what¡¯s goin¡¯ on so I can see about fixin¡¯ the problem, then.¡± ¡°I guess I should. Follow me,¡± Ramik said, already heading toward his office. Hopefully, he¡¯d just found an answer to his problems. Book 5: Chapter 64: Waterfalls Book 5: Chapter 64: Waterfalls Sadie sat atop what was left of the ruined wall, her head in her hands as she tried toe to grips with everything. It didn¡¯t happen often, but every now and then, she found herself overwhelmed by events. Normally, she pushed those feelings aside, shoving them deep down where nobody could see how much they affected her. But sometimes, she had to deal with them in the only way she knew how. She¡¯d never been a terribly emotional person. Before Earth had been transformed by the touch of the World Tree, she¡¯d been described as an ice queen ¨C or some other variant of that same insult ¨C more times than she could count. And for the most part, thosebels didn¡¯t bother her. Or that was what she told herself. In reality, each of those insults cut deep, affecting her self-image in such a way that she sometimes found herself wondering what was wrong with her. She wasn¡¯t some unfeeling robot, but she always endeavored to remain on an even keel. If she had been a man, she might have been called stoic. But as a woman, herck of emotional disy was seen as a negative. Still, it was better than the alternative. She¡¯d seen so many of her female colleagues and ssmates subjected to usations of hysterics. That was just what came with the territory, and she¡¯d long struggled to separate herself from that particr stereotype. If she never reacted emotionally, then no one could use her of being hysterical, after all. And with the choice between being seen as apetent ice queen or an emotional liability, Sadie knew precisely which one she would pick every single time. It had gotten worse after the world had been transformed. With her power, she¡¯d been thrust into a position of leadership ¨C or at least into being a figurehead ¨C and she had been forced to temper her own reactions even further. When she saw hundreds of people ughtered, she couldn¡¯t break down into tears. Her people needed her to be strong. They needed her to be confident. Analytical. They needed her to be a hero, not a weeping and overwhelmed girl. So that was what she¡¯d given them. Her grandfather had made it abundantly clear that was the expectation. He¡¯d also made her understand the stakes, that if she didn¡¯t y her role, people would die.Even after her sister¡¯s death, Sadie had kept those words in mind. She¡¯d be the champion her people needed, internalizing it to such a degree that she couldn¡¯t turn it off. Not even when it was unnecessary. Leaning back, she said, ¡°I know you¡¯re there, Dat.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t hiding, bro. What are you doing?¡± he asked, climbing onto the wall next to her. It was only a few feet tall, so it only took a few moments before he was sitting beside her. ¡°Thinking.¡± ¡°About what?¡± he asked. ¡°Everything. You know this isn¡¯t going to get any easier, right? These challenges are getting harder.¡± ¡°Yeah. Kurik was talking about it yesterday,¡± Dat said. ¡°He thinks they¡¯re more difficult the first time through.¡± ¡°With rewards to match,¡± she said, thinking about the ingot of celestial gold in her pack. It was sorge that it would¡¯ve been better categorized as a block, and from everything she knew about cksmithing, it would be more than enough to create a new set of armor. The other rewards they had gotten paled inparison, at least as far as she was concerned. ¡°Have you seen Elijah?¡± Dat asked. ¡°Kurik was looking for him.¡± They¡¯d been camped in the same ce for the past couple of days, and they¡¯d all grown restless. However, after everything they¡¯d been through ofte, taking a few days to recuperate before finishing the journey back to the Nexus. So, when Elijah had found a secluded de where they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about wraith attacks, they¡¯d taken that as a sign to get the rest they all inly needed. And it had helped. They¡¯d all nearly died in thest challenge, and what¡¯s more, they were well aware that they had a long way to go. Seven more challenges, in fact, and Sadie felt certain that they would each be just as harrowing as thest three. ¡°Probably off exploring some ruins or something,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t think he likes sitting still.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. He always talks about his ind,¡± Dat said. ¡°Sounds pretty sweet, bro. He has a tree-man butler. He¡¯s like Batman, but with nature and stuff.¡± ¡°Spryggent,¡± Sadie corrected her friend. ¡°And actions speak louder than words. You¡¯ll notice that he¡¯s not on his ind right now. In fact, from everything he¡¯s said, he doesn¡¯t spend much time there at all.¡± Dat started to say something, but then thought better of it. After a few moments, he said, ¡°Well, if you see him, tell him that Kurik is looking for him.¡± Sadie didn¡¯t expect to see the man, but she agreed to do as Dat asked. After that, the pair just sat inpanionable silence. As she sat beside her only true friend, she tried to put herself into the frame of mind necessary to appreciate her surroundings. The climate in the jungle was just as hot and humid as it always was, which worked against those efforts. However, even though she was ufortable, Sadie couldn¡¯t deny the area¡¯s beauty. If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Sighing, she slipped from the wall and said, ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go far. Elijah said there are wraiths only a couple of kilometers away,¡± Dat said. ¡°He didn¡¯t use kilometers, did he?¡± ¡°Well, he said miles,¡± Dat admitted. ¡°Of course he did,¡± she muttered. Then, she nodded, thankful that he hadn¡¯t offered to apany her. Dat was a great friend, but he sometimes neglected to remember that, at heart, she valued her solitude. Not always, but there were times when she just couldn¡¯t muster the energy to be around people ¨C even him. Soon enough, she left him behind, and as she was swallowed by the dense foliage, she was struck by how isting the setting became. The humidity served to muffle sounds, and the thick foliage felt like it cut her off from everything. In that moment, Sadie could understand why Elijah preferred being surrounded by nature. Over the next few minutes, she walked aimlessly. In the back of her mind, she kept track of her position rtive to the camp, so she didn¡¯t run any risk of getting lost. However, she did find herself wondering how things might have turned out differently if she¡¯d been in the wilderness when the world had transformed. Would she have followed a simr path to the one Elijah traveled? No. As much as she could enjoy the natural world, Sadie felt no real connection to it. She¡¯d never even wanted a pet, much less tomune with animals or talk to trees. She was content with being an observer. Often distantly. After a few minutes, Sadie heard running water. That wasn¡¯t so unexpected. There were hundreds of rivers and streams cutting through the jungle, after all. Still, her curiosity got the better of her, and she ended up following the sound to a sizable brook. It was almostrge enough to be considered a river. Knowing that bodies of water often yed host to dangerous monsters, she initially kept her distance as she followed it upstream. Then, after cresting a rise, she saw a sight that took her breath away. It was a waterfall. Maybe thirty feet tall and ending in a crystal clear basin that flowed into the stream, it could rightly be called paradisical ¨C especially when she looked closer and saw tiny motes of visible ethera dancing in the waterfall¡¯s mist. But that wasn¡¯t what took her breath away. Instead, the sight of Elijah ¨C naked and basking in the falling water ¨C elicited an audible gasp. Then, a blush. But she didn¡¯t look away. She couldn¡¯t. In the back of her mind, she told herself that she was only studying the effects of his healing. After the battle against the Engineer and his mechanical army, Elijah had been grossly scarred. However, only a little of that remained, pebbling his shoulders with puckered burn marks. That did little to disguise just how attractive he was. Even though he was almost entirely hairless, Elijah was, assuredly and regrettably, precisely her type. Did it matter that she disliked him? That even now, she could see the sin wafting off of his form and mixing with the falling motes of ethera, was inconsequential. Perhaps it even enhanced those primal urges within her. She had no idea, and what¡¯s more, she waspletely at a loss as to what to do with those feelings. With everything going on, she didn¡¯t have time for that sort of thing. And even if she did, she wouldn¡¯t choose to act on her urges with someone like Elijah. He was everything she loathed, after all. It only took the memory of his often flippant attitude to cement that notion in her mind. And yet, that dislike warred with the attraction flooding her mind. Then, he nced back at her, and rather than cover himself like any reasonable person, he waved, grinning like the idiot he was. That was when she jerked her eyes away and turned around. For a moment, she shuffled her feet, not sure if she should flee or stubbornly remain, ignoring him. Meanwhile, her stomach tied itself into a thousand knots as she considered the implications of both strategies. On the one hand, if she stayed, she would prove that she didn¡¯t care. Or maybe he would think that she wanted to get a better look? On the other hand, if she fled, he might think she was embarrassed, that she was running away. Would he think that she was interested? She could only imagine the smug smile that would follow that line of thinking. She was busy debating her options when his voice came from behind her. ¡°You should give that waterfall a go. It¡¯s infused with ethera, and it¡¯s great for healing,¡± he said. He was incredibly close. Maybe only a few feet away. But Sadie refused to turn around. After all, what if he was still naked? ¡°I may,¡± she said. ¡°Kurik is looking for you.¡± ¡°Oh? You know what for?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°You can turn around. It¡¯s weird talking to your back,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¨C I¡¯m decent now.¡± Sadie clutched her fists hard enough that her knuckles turned white. For a moment, she considered just leaving. He would take the hint, right? Nothing said that she disliked him like a rude departure. But she discarded that idea, knowing that it would likely foul the dynamics of their group. With that in mind, she forced herself to face him. It had nothing to do with the fact that she wanted a better look at his¡­scars. Nothing at all. When Sadie finally turned around, she saw that he¡¯d thankfully donned a pair of pants. However, his torso was still as naked as ever, with etheraced water glistening on his scarred chest. Btedly, she realized that her mouth had fallen open, and she immediately snapped it shut. ¡°You look¡­better,¡± she said. ¡°That is good.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, self-consciously running his hand across his mostly bald head. He¡¯d grown a bit of stubble, but it would be some time before his hair came back. ¡°Good thing, too. I really didn¡¯t want to go through life looking like a burn victim. Still, I picked up a couple of new scars. I think the system does that on purpose. Like, there¡¯s no reason that only my back should have been scarred, right? It should¡¯ve been my whole body. It¡¯s barely even noticeable, now. I think. You¡¯d be a better judge of that.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°The scars on my back. How prominent are they?¡± he asked, twisting around. The scars were there, and they were unignorable. However, they looked like they were decades old. ¡°They¡­are¡­fine.¡± ¡°Yeah. I guess. Anyway, I¡¯ll leave you to it. Like I said, you should definitely take advantage of the waterfall. It¡¯s like getting a month worth of rest in an hour,¡± he said. Then, he strode off, leaving Sadie to wonder what had just happened. For nearly ten minutes, she just stared at the waterfall, barely seeing it. Instead, she could only think about the man who¡¯d flustered her sopletely. That wasn¡¯t like her. She was an adult with plenty of experience with men. And yet, there she was, acting like a blushing virgin who¡¯d just seen the subject of her first crush. It was maddening, especially because her disdain for the Druid hadn¡¯t faded. She still disliked him just as much as ever. Or that was what she told herself as the memory of him bathing beneath that waterfall cemented itself in her mind. Book 5: Chapter 65: Usefulness Book 5: Chapter 65: Usefulness Gwenivere sat at the bar, staring into the tumbler of whiskey in front of her. It remained untouched, though she wanted nothing more than to take a drink. After everything she and the rest of the others had been through, she felt that she deserved that much. Yet, she refused. Five years of sobriety ¨C forced by circumstances or not ¨C meant too much to her to be discarded just because she was feeling a little down. It was so frustrating. By all rights, she should have been happy. She had managed to escape that hellish ind ¨C or more appropriately, the harpies that made it home ¨C and found civilization. She was safe and healthy, which was more than she could have said even a few months before. But she wasn¡¯t happy. Not even a little. ¡°You gonna drink that?¡± came a drawling voice from behind her. She didn¡¯t even look up before she said, ¡°Not interested.¡± ¡°Not that kind of conversation,¡± he said. That was when she nced in the direction of the voice, and when she saw the speaker, Gwenivere couldn¡¯t help but snort inughter. ¡°Seriously?¡± she muttered. ¡°What?¡± the man asked, as if his appearance was perfectly normal. Perhaps it was, given the circumstances. However, Gwenivere refused to believe that there were many other people walking around looking like Clint Eastwood had suddenly decided to take up kenjutsu.¡°This can¡¯t be the only time someone¡¯s questioned your sense of style,¡± she said. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d seen the man. Ironshore had a sizable poption, but in the past few weeks, they¡¯d crossed paths a few times. Still, that didn¡¯t make his outfit any less ridiculous. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my sense of style? It¡¯s the white hat, ain¡¯t it? I knew I shouldn¡¯t have been so bold,¡± he said, removing the item in question. He set it on the bar. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me, though. Are you going to drink that? Or just stare at it?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± she admitted, tapping the rim of the ss. She could feel a subtle sense of ethera wafting off of the liquor, so she knew it would go a long way to getting her drunk. ¡°Alcoholic?¡± he asked. She just nodded, still tapping her finger on the rim of the ss. It would be so easy to just take a drink. No one would me her, either. And it wasn¡¯t like it would really hurt her. With her attributes, as well as the avability of healing, she didn¡¯t think liver disease would be an issue. But she knew a slippery slope when she saw one. That single drink would inevitably lead to two. Then three. And before she knew it, she¡¯d be back where she had started, drinking herself into oblivion every night. Before the world¡¯s transformation, she hadn¡¯t even realized how much of a problem she had. She was young and pretty, and she liked to party. There was nothing wrong with that. It was only when she¡¯d had it all snatched away that she hade to realize just how dependent on alcohol she had really be. The first few days were the worst. Even after she¡¯d allocated her starting points appropriately, she¡¯d felt the symptoms of withdrawal, and they hadn¡¯t abated for a week. As terrible as that was, it would have been much worse if she hadn¡¯t had the adrenaline of immediate survival to take the edge off. Gwenivere never wanted to experience that again. Even so, she was sorely tempted to drink the ss of whiskey in front of her. So tempted, in fact, that her hand was shaking. ¡°Been there,¡± the cowboy said with a sigh. ¡°Not alcohol, mind you. That was never my drug of choice.¡± ¡°What was?¡± she asked, ncing in his direction. ¡°Everything else. Cost me my marriage. My kids. More jobs than I can count,¡± he said, his gravelly voice tinged with regret. ¡°I got clean a cou years before all this, but even with all that, with everything that¡¯s happened, I still crave it. I still need it.¡± ¡°How did you do it?¡± she asked. ¡°A friend introduced me to a new way of lookin¡¯ at life. A new code to live by. Back before the world changed, it felt a little silly,¡± he said. ¡°Tellin¡¯ people I practice Bushido wasn¡¯t real popr at parties and family reunions. Most folks looked at me like I¡¯d gone plum crazy.¡± ¡°Bushido, huh?¡± Gwenivere asked. ¡°What does that mean? I¡¯m not familiar.¡± ¡°Way of the warrior. Think of it like a code of chivalry,¡± the man said. ¡°Righteousness, loyalty, honor, respect, honesty, courage, and consistency. In a nutshell. Now, most folks can get behind those values, but the second you attach a word like Bushido to it, people start backin¡¯ away. Especially in the old world where callin¡¯ yourself a warrior was¡­well, a bit odd.¡± ¡°Not so much anymore,¡± Gwenivere said. ¡°How about you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really have a code. Left to my own devices, I probably wouldn¡¯t have stopped drinking. But there¡¯s something about being stranded on an ind and struggling to survive that promotes sobriety,¡± she said. ¡°If only because I couldn¡¯t exactly go down to the pub and get a drink.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°I can see that.¡± She sighed. ¡°So, what do you want? I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I wasn¡¯t interested. And this little conversation hasn¡¯t changed anything,¡± Gwenivere said. He was handsome enough, in a rugged, well-worn, and way-too-old-for-her sort of way, and she had to admit that he was easy to talk to. However, she had no interest in any sort of romantic entanglements. And even though they¡¯d only spoken for a few minutes, Gwenivere could recognize that the cowboy wasn¡¯t a one-night-stand sort of guy. She didn¡¯t want to deal with the inevitable attachment that woulde from that. ¡°I got a job for you,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, but it could end up bein¡¯ very important to this town¡¯s prospects. Pay¡¯s good, too. Plus, we¡¯ll be helpin¡¯ people.¡± ¡°Two questions,¡± she said. ¡°Shoot.¡± ¡°First ¨C what¡¯s the job? I need specifics.¡± He nced around, looking as if he wanted to make sure that nobody was listening. The bartender ¨C a dwarf with a truly glorious beard that hung well below his waist ¨C was on the other side of the tavern, cleaning tables, and it being early afternoon, there wasn¡¯t much of a crowd. Sure, a few people were around, but they were well spaced and more interested in their drinks than listening to a conversation between a pair of humans. The residents of Ironshore didn¡¯t exactly look down on Earth¡¯s native species, but they didn¡¯t really respect them, either. Except for the Druid, though Gwenivere wasn¡¯t sure whether that was respect or fear. After ensuring he wouldn¡¯t be overheard, the cowboy said, ¡°There have been some disappearances in the mine. I¡¯m goin¡¯ in there to investigate, but I need somebody to watch my back.¡± ¡°That brings me to my next question,¡± she said. ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°Honestly? The only other person I trust in this town turned me down.¡± ¡°And you trust me?¡± He shrugged. ¡°After a fashion,¡± he admitted. ¡°No reason not to trust you. But that¡¯s not the main reason.¡± ¡°What is?¡± Gwenivere asked. ¡°You¡¯re tough. Almost five years of survivin¡¯ in the wilderness ain¡¯t easy,¡± he said. ¡°You did it. So did your captain, but I can see in his eyes he ain¡¯t up for this kinda thing. He ain¡¯t a coward. He¡¯ll fight if he has to, but he won¡¯t go lookin¡¯ for trouble.¡± ¡°You think I will?¡± He nodded. ¡°I think you¡¯re bored,¡± he said. Then, he tapped his finger on the bar, adding, ¡°I think you¡¯re like me. You need somethin¡¯ to focus on or you¡¯ll start goin¡¯ down a bad road. I know all about self-destructive habits.¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°You been livin¡¯ underground, right? You probably picked up a few things along the way,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe I could find a few dwarves toe with me. A gnome or two. There are even some other humans around that¡¯d probably jump at this kinda chance. It¡¯s an opportunity, and not just a paycheck. Though that¡¯s generous, too. But no ¨C you do this, and Ironshore¡¯ll remember itter. That¡¯s how these people think. They invest in the sorts of folks who show that, when pushes to shove, they¡¯ll do their part.¡± Gwenivere stared at him for a long moment. Thest thing she wanted was to go back underground. She still had nightmares about some of the things she¡¯d seen in the caves where she and the other survivors of the ne crash had taken refuge, and she didn¡¯t think that would stop anytime soon. Perhaps ever. But what the cowboy said made sense, at least from what she had seen. And if the pay was as generous as he imed, she could outfit herself better for when she went back to the ind to rescue her friends. ¡°I¡¯m not bored,¡± she said. ¡°I just don¡¯t like sitting here and doing nothing while, even now, I have people back on that ind who are waiting to be rescued. They can survive, but without me and the others, they¡¯ll eventuallye face-to-face with something they can¡¯t handle. I know that, but I also know I can¡¯t just go back. Not yet.¡± ¡°You sayin¡¯ you need a distraction?¡± ¡°I am, and this sounds like exactly what the doctor ordered,¡± she said, still eyeing the drink. It was such a struggle not to just down it right then, but she pushed away from the bar and added, ¡°I will need some new equipment, though. Armor and a weapon, at least.¡± ¡°I can do that. It just so happens that I know the best cksmith in the world,¡± the man said with a lopsided smile. ¡°What¡¯s your name, by the way?¡± she asked. ¡°Colt.¡± This time, she couldn¡¯t contain herughter. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re dressed¡­like that. And your name is Colt?¡± she asked. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s on theme, but¡­is that your real name? Tell me the truth.¡± ¡°Course it¡¯s my real damn name,¡± he replied, the smile gone. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± ¡°Come on. You can tell me,¡± she said, nudging him with her elbow. It felt like she was rubbing shoulders with a brick wall. How high was the man¡¯s Strength? ¡°It¡¯s my real goddamn name.¡± ¡°Sure, sure. Colt. I believe you,¡± she said with an exaggerated wink. ¡°I bet your real name is like¡­Marion or something.¡± ¡°My name is not Marion,¡± he growled. ¡°Like I said, I totally believe you. Now, how about we go visit your cksmith friend? Along the way, you can tell me exactly how much I¡¯m going to get paid for this,¡± she said. Then, she added, ¡°Colt.¡± For a moment, she could see his jaw flex. Then, suddenly, he rxed, and his crooked smile returned. It was a remarkable turn that impressed Gwenivere, so she let the teasing go. Instead, she followed him out of the bar ¨C after paying for the drink, of course ¨C and across Ironshore to what looked like a construction site. A foundation for a huge building had beenid, but that was the extent of the progress. Only one figure ¨C a stocky woman with dark skin ¨C seemed to be working on the building. Colt greeted her, and after only a few minutes of conversation, the woman led them back to a shop filled with the highest quality equipment Gwenivere had ever seen. The ce practically glowed with dense ethera, overwhelming her senses to such a degree that, for a while, she just stood there gaping. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna tell you to take your pick, but find some stuff you like,¡± Colt said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re going to need all the help we can get.¡± Gwenivere didn¡¯t need any encouragement, though she did enlist the cksmith¡¯s help in choosing the proper weapon. She wasn¡¯t strong enough to use some of the higher-tier gear, but she ended up finding a very serviceable axe and some chainmail armor that gave quite a boost to her attributes. ¡°I¡¯ll have to adjust the armor a bit,¡± said the cksmith. ¡°Come back in the morning, and it¡¯ll fit you like a glove.¡± ¡°How much would this cost if I wanted to buy it?¡± Gwenivere asked. She was still wrapping her head around the currency ¨C she¡¯d never been exposed to ethereum before escaping the ind ¨C but she knew that the gear was extremely valuable. ¡°More than you have.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re just giving it to me?¡± ¡°Not to you,¡± the cksmith said. Then, her eyes flicked toward the cowboy who was looking through the swords on the other side of the shop. ¡°That man saved my life more times than I can count. I¡¯m doing this for him.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Watch his back,¡± the stocky woman said. ¡°I¡­I will.¡± ¡°I believe you,¡± the cksmith said. ¡°I¡¯m Carmen, by the way. Let me know if you need anything else. Otherwise,e back in the morning, and I¡¯ll have the armor ready to go.¡± Gwenivere just nodded, hoping that she could live up to the promise she¡¯d just made. Book 5: Chapter 66: Connections Book 5: Chapter 66: Connections Elijah crept forward, his footsteps barely making a sound as he held his hand outstretched. His fingers trembled slightly as he reached toward the creature. It cringed away, letting out a pitiful whine, but it didn¡¯t run. It couldn¡¯t. ¡°Shh,¡± he breathed. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± The beast clearly didn¡¯t trust him, but that was the inevitable consequence of its experiences. Arge arrow jutted from its shoulder, the head buried deep enough that it had nicked a lung ¨C at least judging by the foamy nature of the blood. Finally, Elijah¡¯s hand grazed its green fur, and he felt the sheer terror coursing through its tense muscles. But they were weak. The animal was dying. And Elijah intended to change that. But first, he needed to ensure that it trusted him because, otherwise, it would bolt the second the arrow came out. Behind him, Elijah could feel the others¡¯ eyes. They were all watching him, their opinions written clearly on their faces. A few were empathetic, hanging on the fate of the animal as keenly as he was. However, theyprised the obvious minority, with most of the others just looking at him like he¡¯d gone crazy. And then came the other end of the spectrum. The ones who wanted nothing more than to kill the beast. ¡°This is stupid,¡± growled one grizzled man carrying a spear. ¡°That thing is worth half a level of experience.¡± He stepped forward, his intentions clear.¡°Stop,¡± Elijah said, his voice still calm. He didn¡¯t need to do more. No threats were necessary. They had seen his capabilities first-hand, and they knew what it meant to cross him. It should have been enough that he¡¯d saved them. After that, they should have listened to him. But some people just didn¡¯t understand the concept of gratitude. Or empathy. They only knew how to kill. Any other time, Elijah might¡¯ve tried to understand the man¡¯s point of view. But he knew that if he gave him an inch, the man would take a mile. Thankfully, the man stopped. That wasn¡¯t surprising, after what had happened. He¡¯d just watched Elijah tear through a group of ka¡¯ki hunters that had pinned his whole party down. He wasn¡¯t about to oppose someone so clearly above him. But he still didn¡¯t look happy about it. ¡°Fucking hippy-ass mother fucker,¡± he muttered. Elijah turned his attention back to the animal. In many ways, it looked like a sloth, though with a much stouter frame and a wide snout armed with tusks. It was a powerful animal that would have provided the group standing at bay with a decent enough challenge ¨C assuming that they could even find it. Its natural camouge would have made it nearly invisible in the jungle, and the only reason they¡¯d found it was because one of the ka¡¯ki hunters had hit it with a stray arrow. That had knocked it from the tree, where it had fallen and broken a bone in its leg. Finally, Elijah¡¯s fingers closed around the arrow. The shaft was thick enough for a spear, and he knew from experience that the arrowheads were wickedly barbed. That meant that pulling the arrow free would do quite a bit of damage. More distressingly, it would be agonizingly painful for the animal. Not for the first time, Elijah wished he had a spell that could help with that. Thatck was one of the things that separated him from true Healers like Ron, though. As he¡¯d often thought, though he could heal, he was not on the same level as someone dedicated to that role. He put his other hand on the animal¡¯s shoulder, feeling the thick fur of its hide. It was so soft that Elijah could easily imagine that it had once been hunted for its fur, much like minks had back on Earth. He pushed that out of his mind, braced himself for what wasing, and yanked the arrow out. The beast screamed. And with every ounce of Strength it possessed, it tried to escape. But Elijah held it down with one hand, already casting Nature¡¯s Bloom. Then, he used Soothe. Finally, he added Healing Rain. The animal¡¯s flesh did not heal quickly,rgely because it had no idea what was going on. It clearly wasn¡¯t certain if Elijah was a friend or an enemy, and as a result, its body resisted the healing. To counter that, he spoke to the creature in soothing tones, and as the pain subsided ¨C minutely, but noticeably ¨C the healing took hold. Elijah watched as its flesh knitted back together, but more importantly, he used One with Nature to ensure that its shredded internal organs mended properly. They did, and over the next few minutes ¨C which was just another reminder of how strong the creature was ¨C it healed. As it did, the pain dissipated, and its demeanor grew calmer until it was looking at Elijah with something akin to trust. He pulled his restraining hand from its body. When the beast stood, it towered over Elijah by at least a few feet. In its shadow, he felt incredibly small, but he also felt secure, and not just because he¡¯d felt its power and knew, beyond the shadow of any doubt, that he could defeat it. No ¨C he also felt the connection he¡¯d formed with the beast. It wasn¡¯t some magical thing. Instead, there was a level of trust there. A knowledge that neither of them meant the other harm. It was in moments like those that Elijah felt more in tune with nature than ever. There was power in that, and though he didn¡¯t know what form it would take, he felt certain that it would be the key to his development. Not that that was why he¡¯d chosen to heal the beast. No ¨C that was rooted in something far more deeply embedded in his personality. He might not have made for a good marine biologist, but he still loved nature. And he wouldn¡¯t stand by, letting an animal suffer ¨C not when he could do something about it. Stolen novel; please report. The beast turned around and climbed the giant tree, slowly ascending the trunk until it disappeared into the canopy. Only then did Elijah let out a sigh of relief and turn to the group of people he¡¯d just saved. There were seven of them, and as far as Elijah could tell, they had a decent number of levels between them. Not enough to put them on any lists, but enough to hold their own. That was probably the only reason they¡¯d survived against the five hunters that had fallen upon them. Elijah hadn¡¯t seen much of their tactics before he¡¯d stepped in, but had witnessed enough to see that they had a couple of defenders, two Healers, and the rest were ranged damage dealers. He didn¡¯t recognize any of them, but that wasn¡¯t really a surprise, considering that he usually kept to himself when he was in Nexus Town. ¡°We could¡¯ve gotten levels from that thing,¡± said the spear wielder. He was one of the defenders, and in addition to his spear, he held arge tower shield. One of the damage dealers ¨C a woman with ck hair and smile lines on her face ¨C reached out to grab his shoulder as she said, ¡°Bruce, it¡¯s not ¨C¡± He jerked away. ¡°No, Sue. This bastard just stole our kill,¡± he growled. ¡°Maybe we ought to take it outta his hide. What¡¯cha think ¡®bout that, hippy? You gonna hug some trees and ¨C¡± Elijah was in no mood to tolerate the man. So, he stepped forward, already swinging his staff. It hit the man¡¯s shield with enough force to send him tumbling to the side, and he didn¡¯t stop until he hit a tree. He wasn¡¯t hurt, but the impact did leave him a little stunned. ¡°This is the thanks I get?¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°I could¡¯ve just let them kill you.¡± ¡°We were handling it,¡± another member of the group said. ¡°As soon as my Congrate spell was off cooldown ¨C¡± ¡°You would have died,¡± Elijah said. He pointed to the in hunters and said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen what they can do. And I can tell what you can do. Believe me when I say that you wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance.¡± ¡°You beat them easily enough,¡± said yet another. He was a Healer, Elijah had seen, and not a weak one. In fact, he was probably the highest-level member of the group. ¡°And we conquered the first challenge. We¡¯re not powerless.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°Fair enough,¡± he said. He wanted to argue with them, to make them understand that just because they had a few levels under their belt, the threats of the excised world were probably more than they could handle. And even if they could stand toe to toe with the natives, they couldn¡¯t do so without a significant degree of caution. They just weren¡¯t strong enough to do it the wrong way and still survive. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave you to it, then.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave?¡± asked the ck-haired woman. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I can tell when I¡¯m not wanted,¡± he said. Then, without further conversation, he headed off into the jungle. In truth, he didn¡¯t care what the people thought of him. Much. Like everyone else in the world ¨C even the ones who imed not to ¨C he wanted to be liked. But it was far from his top priority. So, he pushed their reaction to his assistance out of his mind, focusing instead on that feeling of connection he¡¯d felt with the unnamed beast. There was something there. Something that he couldn¡¯t quite wrap his mind around. Something important. Something powerful. Yet, as much as he wanted to figure it out, understanding eluded him as he made his way back to his own party. Elijah had adopted the habit of exploring their surroundings each time they made camp ¨C not for threats, but rather, for more hints as to the excised world¡¯s history. When he¡¯d read the Tragedy of War, he¡¯d gotten a few facts, but he knew there was far more to the story than what had been documented in that guide. He''d discovered very little in the days since, but he had seen quite a lot of ruins. The scope of the architecture ¨C even crumbling as it was ¨C suggested a sprawling civilization whose influence had once been even more pervasive than humanity¡¯s back on Earth. The highlight was when he¡¯d found what he¡¯d thought was arge pond, but upon further inspection, he¡¯d discovered that it was a huge amphitheater that once must¡¯ve seated thousands. It had since filled with water, but its presence told Elijah that there had been more to their culture than the conflict detailed in the guide or the various art he¡¯d seen. Upon further reflection, he realized that that fact should have been obvious. If one looked at humanity¡¯s art from the bulk of their history, they would see a pattern of violence and war. Because those events were historic. Few artists ever thought to capture the mundanity of everyday life, and even if they did, those pieces rarely survived long enough to be studied by following generations. The same was likely true of the excised world¡¯s history. There was more to the natives than he¡¯d ever really considered. It was so easy to look at them like he looked at the denizens of towers, like they weren¡¯t truly real. But that wasn¡¯t the case. They were a fallen people with a rich history and aplete culture that he would probably never understand. But that thought brough to mind a simple question. Would the same thing one day happen to Earth? Would some other race be sent there on a Trial and see some of humanity¡¯s wonders ¨C like the Pyramids of Giza, the Eiffel Tower, or the Statue of Liberty ¨C and see them as mere set dressing? Or would they endeavor to understand the meaning behind thosendmarks? Would they try to understand humanity? Or would they simply kill Earth¡¯s natives in hopes of gaining experience or some other benefit? Those questions ¨C and many more like it ¨C apanied Elijah all the way back to the camp. It was still night when he arrived, and everyone but Kurik had retired to their respective tents. Elijah sat next to the dwarf, and after a few minutes, Kurik asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. Just thinking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s never good,¡± the dwarf said, filing a stake meant for one of his traps. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Elijah told him, and when he was finished, he asked, ¡°Is that what¡¯s in store for Earth?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Kurik answered. ¡°Maybe not. Depends on you.¡± ¡°Humanity will fight for ¨C¡± ¡°Not humanity. You. You¡¯re the strongest person in the world. There wille a time when people look to you for protection. For answers. For direction. The question is how you intend to respond.¡± ¡°There are other strong people out there. Sadie and ¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re fooling yourself if you think they¡¯re on the same path as you. You¡¯ve got the Dragon in you. And Dragons lead. They don¡¯t follow,¡± Kurik stated. ¡°Always have, always will. Because as much as all the other elder races want to pretend they¡¯re on the same level, they aren¡¯t. The others might be elders, and they have more power than most canprehend. But Dragons? They¡¯re the founders, and deep down, everybody knows it. They all feel it in their bones, and the further you progress down your path, the more you¡¯ll understand just how far above them you are.¡± Just then, Elijah heard a stick snap, and he jerked his attention in that direction. Then, he saw something that caused his breath to catch in his throat. Kurik stepped out of the brush, still buckling his belt. When he saw that Elijah was staring at him, he asked, ¡°What? Can¡¯t a dwarf take a piss without¡­¡± Elijah didn¡¯t hear the rest. Instead, he turned to face the other Kurik he¡¯d just been talking to. But there was nothing visible. Instead, there was only a whisper of power that he recognized as belonging to the Dragon matriarch he¡¯d only met a single time. ¡°Kirlissa,¡± he muttered, bothforted and terrified by what he¡¯d just experienced. Book 5: Chapter 67: A Natural Predator Book 5: Chapter 67: A Natural Predator A gentle wind rustled the leaves above, and a cacophony of chirps cascaded across the canopy. Twinkling motes of ethera danced in the air, casting the forest floor in a slightly blue glow that, in most situations, Elijah would have found quiteforting. He was distracted, though. Because for once, he¡¯d found a group of ka¡¯ki hunters before they¡¯d found him. Kurik and the others were around three miles away, tired after an entire day of battle. After their experiences in the Citadel of Innovation, the jungle hade alive in a way it never had before. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if it was seasonal or if something else had prompted the change, but their entire trip back to the Nexus Town had been wrought with danger. Mostly, that had taken the form of the wraiths, who had attacked with a characteristk of self-preservation. Elijah and hispanions had killed wave after wave of the creatures, and yet, they¡¯d gued every step the group had taken through the jungle. The creatures were dangerous, but that was mitigated by the fact that they seemed incapable of tactical thinking. That meant that if they couldn¡¯t overwhelm their prey with numbers or strength, then the wraiths were at a distinct disadvantage. Meanwhile, Elijah and the other members of his party had steadily developed and solidified their own strategy for dealing with the vicious creatures. So, the fights weren¡¯t nearly as dangerous as they had been earlier in the Trial. Still, fighting through wave after wave of the monsters was exhausting, which was why the group had decided to take advantage of a hidden position they¡¯d found within a cave. There, they¡¯d set up their camp ¨C including their defenses ¨C so they could get at least a few hours of precious rest. Once Elijah had seen that they were safe for the time being, he¡¯d shifted into the Shape of Venom and set out to scout the area. For whatever reason ¨C maybe because of his advanced cultivation, his levels, or his attributes ¨C fatigue didn¡¯t quite affect him as strongly as it did everyone else. So, he¡¯d taken it upon himself to ensure that no one snuck up on them. He also enjoyed every chance he could get to utilize his newest shape. While he¡¯d expected to have second thoughts, regardless of which choice he¡¯d made with the evolution of Shape of the Predator, he¡¯d been nothing but happy with Shape of Venom. Not only did ite with all the advantages of its predecessor ¨C save for a few points in Constitution ¨C he¡¯d discovered that Envenom was even more powerful than he¡¯d first thought. Certainly, it hadn¡¯t been enough to immediately take out the Engineer, but that was less because of its power than because of the unique nature of the enemy. Elijah couldn¡¯t be certain, but he suspected that, in addition to being at the peak of the Mortal Realm, the Engineer had also altered his body to such a degree that he likely should have been immune to most afflictions. And yet, Envenom ¨Cbined with Insidious Mdy ¨C had torn through his body, weakening him enough that thebined might of his party could take the monstrous ka¡¯ki down. Since then, Elijah had seen just how potent his venom could be, but he¡¯d also begun to think of strategies where he could better incorporate all of his forms to get the most out of his abilities. But he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d need them for the hunters camped below him.Like all of the hunters Elijah had encountered, they were ka¡¯ki, meaning that they had legs instead of thick, serpentine tails. That seemed important, but without more information, Elijah didn¡¯t know what to make of the detail. Regardless, there were a half dozen of the creatures huddled around a smokeless green fire. When Elijah looked at the mes, he sensed swirling ethera that periodically pulsed, sending waves out into the jungle. Was the fire something like his monster-dissuading tent? Perhaps. Or maybe it had some other effect. He couldn¡¯t be sure, but what he did know was that it did nothing to him. Those pulses of energy were entirely ineffective against him, so he¡¯d chosen to ignore them. For a few more moments, Elijah remained on the branch above the group, silently watching and hoping to glean some information from their conversation. He knew they were speaking somenguage other than English, but that didn¡¯t hinder his understanding. Instead, he knew precisely what they were saying, but unfortunately, they spoke very little, and what they said was nothing of consequence. Eventually, Elijah grew tired of watching, and he chose to act. He dropped from his perch,nding on a hunter¡¯s back. Before the ka¡¯ki could react, Elijah sank his fangs into the creature¡¯s neck. He didn¡¯t hesitate before leaping away and biting another member of the group. By that point, they¡¯d reacted. Yet, Elijah was too fast, already skittering across the ground to bite another hunter in the leg. Then, knowing he couldn¡¯t stand up to a unified defense, he raced away, ducking through the underbrush with barely a rustle. That was when the first wave of experience settled onto him. Another followed soon after. And another after that. Only a few seconds had passed, and already, three of the hunters were dead. Behind him, the other three panicked, forming a triangle so that they could see himing. Elijah didn¡¯t care about that. He was already gone, using his gifts to climb a nearby tree faster than he ever could have before his form had evolved. In moments, he was back where he¡¯d started, looking down on the hunters and waiting to make his next move. He could have used Guise of the Unseen, but he¡¯d told himself that he wouldn¡¯t unless absolutely necessary. The blight dragon shape was even better suited to camouge than the draconid form, and he wanted to grow ustomed to that just in case his stealth ability became unavable. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. And despite the fact that the hunters kept looking up ¨C after all, they¡¯d seen where he¡¯de from the first time ¨C they couldn¡¯t detect him. It was a good reminder that, even before the infusion of ethera that hade with the touch of the World Tree, there had been plenty of animals that were capable of bing practically invisible. Elijah aimed to emte those beasts. For a while, he remained on that branch,pletely motionless and watching the remaining hunters. ¡°Is it gone?¡± asked one in a hissing voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the other said. ¡°Did you recognize it?¡± The third shook his head. ¡°It is no species I have ever seen.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± growled the first. They went on like that for a while until they finally decided that they¡¯d somehow survived the attack. The moment they rxed, Elijah pounced once again, killing those three much the same as the others. And just like that, the six hunters had be corpses. Those kills, along with all the wraiths they¡¯d ughtered over the past few days, pushed Elijah to level ny-six. Extra attributes were always nice ¨C even one point each level tended to add up ¨C but he was far more interested in getting new spells or chances to evolve old ones. ¡°One step at a time,¡± he told himself. It wouldn¡¯t do to be impatient. If he kept reaching for more and more power, there woulde a point when he took it too far. The better route ¨C at least as far as he was concerned ¨C was to let ite to him. He wouldn¡¯t refuse opportunities to grow stronger ¨C and in fact, he would seek them out ¨C but he¡¯de to realize that trying to grow more powerful for its own sake was unappealing to him. He needed other goals. Other priorities. Otherwise, he might fall prey to some serious pitfalls. As those thoughts flitted through his mind, Elijah shifted back into his human form and rifled through the hunters¡¯ belongings. There wasn¡¯t much there ¨C just a few spears, some decent armor, and a bag full of rations ¨C but he took what he could, shoving it all into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel before heading out. He circled hispanions¡¯ camp, spending the next hour or so ensuring that they hadn¡¯t inadvertently set up shop right next to a powerful foe. However, other than a few clumps of semi-dormant wraiths, he found no more threats. So, he returned to the camp and, after exining everything to the others, slipped into his tent and went to sleep. As hey there, two things kept going through his mind. First, he thought about how absolutely filthy he was. The way the blight dragon killed was far less messy than fighting as a draconid, but he¡¯d beenpletely unable to avoid a few sshes of blood. Those had stained the clothes he wore beneath his armor, and gotten into what hair had returned to his head. In addition, his armor needed a good cleaning, as the padding beneath smelled like a high school locker room. In short, he looked forward to getting back to the Nexus Town, if only because it would give him the opportunity to clean up a bit. Second, he thought about Sadie. Or more urately, about the way she kept looking at him. At times, Elijah was admittedly clueless, but he was not aplete fool. He knew what those looks ¨C which had begun when she¡¯d seen him bathing beneath a waterfall ¨C meant. However, despite her obvious attraction to him ¨C and the fact that she was quite attractive herself ¨C he hesitated to make a move. Not because he was afraid of being rejected. That was a distinct possibility, because she obviously didn¡¯t care much for him, despite her clear feelings. In fact, if he did take that route, he fully expected to be shut down. Which was fine. He¡¯d dealt with that kind of thing often enough that it wasn¡¯t a big deal. A blow to his ego, maybe, but that had taken enough of a battering through the years that he barely paid attention to it. No ¨C his hesitation was twofold. For one, Delh was still in Nexus Town, as far as he knew. And while they weren¡¯t exactly a couple, there was something there. Maybe it was no more than what it had appeared to be at first nce ¨C just a one-night stand between a pair of consenting adults. Sure, it had extended to a couple of nights together, but that didn¡¯t mean it was a real rtionship. Still, Elijah hade to look at things a little differently. Was he willing to take that step with Delh? Maybe. Maybe not. Was she? Almost assuredly, she would refuse. And yet, Elijah felt that pursuing another woman before figuring that out would be a betrayal of a sort. It didn¡¯t make sense. He knew that. And if he¡¯d brought it up with Delh herself, she likely would haveughed in his face. But one thing was certain ¨C it wasn¡¯t as simple of a situation as it seemed at first nce. That was usually the case when it came to emotions and connections with other people, but knowing that didn¡¯t make it any easier to navigate. But thatplexity was nothingpared to the fact that, on a most basic level, Elijah found Sadie¡¯s whole demeanor off-putting. She¡¯d gotten better. She no longer looked at him with naked disgust. Yet, that judgmental nature was still there, and Elijah had no intention of subjecting himself to that, regardless of how pretty she was. Even if she was willing ¨C and he didn¡¯t think she truly was ¨C it was better for both of them if they ignored whatever feelings of attraction they might¡¯ve felt for one another. Still, as hey there, Elijah¡¯s mind kept turning in her direction. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have long to dwell on those thoughts before he drifted off to sleep. The next morning came soon enough, and they once again set off across the jungle. Thankfully, the wraith attacks waned, and after another day of travel, they finally caught sight of the Nexus Town. However, when they entered, they discovered a couple of major changes. First, there were a lot less people around. The decrease in the poption wasn¡¯t quite as dramatic as it had been during theirst visit, but it was still noticeable. Elijah told himself that most of the people were probably out trying to conquer the various challenges or fighting the wildlife, but while he knew that was true in some cases, it wasn¡¯t the whole story. Some people had died. Others had fled. And slowly, the number of challengers in the Trial of Primacy was dwindling down to nothing. By the time it was over, would only a few remain? Would any? It was a valid question, and one to which Elijah had no answers. The other major change was that Elijah saw a lot more Immortals roaming about. Before, there¡¯d been only a dozen, but by the time Elijah had reached the square containing the Branch of the World Tree, he¡¯d counted at least thirty swaggering around in their masks and ck outfits. There were even more surrounding the Branch itself, almost as if they were standing guard. So, when they arrived at Atticus¡¯ Consortium, Elijah asked his friend, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°A lot has changed over the past month,¡± the slim arms dealer said. ¡°We have a significant problem.¡± Book 5: Chapter 68: Deal with the Devil Book 5: Chapter 68: Deal with the Devil ¡°What kind of a problem?¡± asked Sadie, her tone intense. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The Immortals.¡± ¡°What about them?¡± Elijah asked before Sadie could cut in. ¡°They¡¯re taking over,¡± Atticus responded with a shake of his head. ¡°They¡¯re multiplying. I don¡¯t know how, but every day, there seems to be more of them out there. And they¡¯re not shy about imposing their will on other people, either. The only reason we¡¯re notpletely under their sway is because we paid their price for protection.¡± ¡°What was the price?¡± Sadie asked. Atticus looked away, then sighed before answering, ¡°Equipment. The best we had. My people, they don¡¯t have the best materials to work with here. It¡¯s not as if anyone¡¯s set up a mine, after all. But they¡¯re good at what they do, and they¡¯ve managed to create some High Simple-Grade items. Those have all gone to the Immortals.¡± Elijah narrowed his eyes. His first impulse was to berate Atticus for giving in to the Immortals¡¯ extortive demands. However, on second thought, he understood it. His consortium¡¯s power was more economic than martial, and as such, he couldn¡¯t respond properly to such a tant threat. He could have fought, and his people probably would have joined him. That would have gotten a lot of people killed, though. ¡°The real issue is that people can¡¯t even leave when they want,¡± Atticus went on. ¡°They¡¯ve got ess to the Branch blocked.¡± ¡°How?¡± asked Dat. ¡°Before, there were only a dozen of them.¡±¡°And we took one of them out,¡± Elijah said, remembering the woman he¡¯d fed to a beast in the jungle. There was no way she could have survived that, even with whatever immortality skill she¡¯d been subjected to. ¡°We know they¡¯re patrolling the wilderness, too.¡± Indeed, they¡¯d encountered a few other groupstely, and they¡¯d all reported running into Immortals. In some cases, the ck-d and unkible fighters had been repelled, but in others, their targets had been forced to flee. ¡°They have more people than that,¡± Atticus stated. ¡°A lot more. ording to everything I¡¯ve seen, at least a hundred. Maybe as many as two.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s too many. How did they ¨C¡± Dat cut Elijah off, saying, ¡°They¡¯re recruiting. I need to go check this out. Give me an hour.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Investigate,¡± Dat said. ¡°This is what I do, bro.¡± Elijah was about to offer to help when Sadie said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. He knows what¡¯s he¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°I really do,¡± Dat agreed. Elijah sighed. ¡°Fine. Be careful,¡± he said. Then, Dat disappeared ¨C literally. One second, he was there, and the next, he was gone. Elijah could still feel a vague disturbance in the ambient ethera, but he only noticed it because he was looking for it. If he hadn¡¯t been, his senses ¨C including One with Nature ¨C would have beenrgely useless, and Dat would have been entirely undetectable. ¡°That¡¯s¡­impressive,¡± Elijah said. Sadie responded, ¡°It¡¯s a new skill. He got it at level seventy-five.¡± ¡°When did that happen? Getting to that level, I mean,¡± Elijah asked her. She shrugged. ¡°Back in the junkyard,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve all leveled significantly over the past few weeks. Not enough to catch up to you, but we¡¯re getting closer.¡± ¡°Any other new abilities I should know about?¡± he asked, looking at her, then Kurik. ¡°I got a few new tricks up my sleeve,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°New ways of buildin¡¯ traps and such. Should be a lot more efficient, assumin¡¯ I can get my mind around it. It requires a lot more input on my end. Not like those spells you all fling around. This is based on skill and technique, almost like a crafter.¡± ¡°Interesting. And you, Sadie?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°I got an enhancement called Verdict,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how it works, though. The description is a little vague, and I haven¡¯t had a chance to try it out. It¡¯s supposed to enhance my attacks, though.¡± ¡°That should help,¡± Elijah said. Inwardly, though, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if hispanions were destined to catch him. Tofort himself, he looked at theary Power Rankings:
1. Elijah Hart ¨C Level 96 2. Oscar Ramirez ¨C Level 89 3. Sadie Song ¨C Level 86 4. Hu Shui ¨C Level 79 5. Davu Adebowale¨C Level 78 6. Anupriya Pandey ¨C Level 77 This novel''s true home is a different tform. Support the author by finding it there. 7. Benedict Emerson ¨C Level 77 8. Niko Song ¨C Level 76 9. Ram Khandu ¨C Level 76 10. Dat Bao ¨C Level 75 11. ¡­ 12. ¡­ 13. ¡­ 14. ¡­
He let out a small sigh of relief. He still had a sizable lead, which had actually grown evenrger sinceing to the Trial of Primacy. It shouldn¡¯t have been surprising. After all, he knew that Oscar Ramirez was fighting alone ¨C if hunting with his pack of dogs could be considered alone ¨C which had to be less efficient than what Elijah had been doing with Sadie, Dat, and Kurik. Still, the fact that the man had maintained the second spot was impressive. Idly, he wondered about some of the other names on the list. Were they in the Trial of Primacy, too? One member of the top ten ¨C Niko Song, Sadie¡¯s brother ¨C was still back on Earth, but what about the others? The Trial of Primacy represented a great opportunity, but there was also a good chance that those people had other responsibilities that kept them froming. There was every possibility that, as the most powerful people around, they were dealing with one crisis or another. Elijah shook his head. There was no way to know what was going on with everyone else. It was better if he just focused on his own issues. So, as he waited for Dat to return, he settled into a secluded corner and focused on his Mind cultivation. The looping strategy seemed to be doing something, but he felt that he was missing a key ingredient. He intended to figure it out, though. * * * Dat slipped out of the building and into the alley between it and its neighbor. He could have left through the front door, and because of Ghost Cloak, he would have remained entirely undetected. Even Elijah, whose senses were far better than anyone else¡¯s Dat had ever encountered, couldn¡¯t see him. It was an incredible ability, but like many of Dat¡¯s skills and spells, it left him feeling a little uneasy. He was a Witch Hunter with an Angel Core, and he strove to be one of the good guys. And yet, he knew the truth ¨C his powers came with a steep cost. In reality, aside from distinctly different motives and a shift in focus, there wasn¡¯t much difference between the powers of a Witch ¨C or one of the other Witch-adjacent sses ¨C and a Witch Hunter. The price of his abilities, many of which were hexes and curses, was much the same. He could feel that cost as Ghost Cloak hugged his body, sending a jolt of frigid cold through his Soul. He tried to ignore the feeling of resentment that came with it, instead focusing on his mission. Ghosts weren¡¯t real, he told himself. He hadn¡¯t truly enved a spirit to fuel his spell. It was just another vor of ethera that he didn¡¯t quite understand. Dat didn¡¯t truly believe that, but his choices had been made. His ss had been selected, and the living needed him to do what had to be done. He couldn¡¯t let himself get lost in questions of morality when it came to the ghosts and spirits he used to fuel his most powerful spells. Pushing those concerns out of his mind, he strode forward. When he¡¯d first gotten Stealth, he¡¯d needed to remain cognizant of his stature. It wasn¡¯t perfect, after all, and if he stood in broad daylight, he would be seen. Ghost Cloak was different, though. Better. It rendered him entirely invisible, regardless of environmental concerns. So, even though he wanted to flit from shadow to shadow, he forced himself to walk normally, if only to test its efficacy. Sure enough, no one even nced in his direction as he covered the ground between Atticus¡¯ Consortium and the Branch of the World Tree. Along the way, he saw that the once-thriving square was nearly deserted, save for a few pedestrians hurrying from one ce to the next. And then there was the clump of ck-d Immortals camped out near the Branch itself. Some were sitting beneath a brightly colored tent, while others patrolled the area. Distressingly, Dat recognized a few of them. Singling one out, he used Hex of Scrying on one that looked the least attentive. When the spell hit, the man pped the side of his neck, muttering, ¡°Damn bugs.¡± Immediately, Dat saw a swirl of spirits buzzing around the man. He knew from experience that no one else could see them, but still, he winced at the shing disy of ephemeral shapes. They looked a bit like people, though their faces were featureless, and their formscked detail. A secondter, as Hex of Scrying took hold, he received a notification:
Name: Dexter Fallon Level: 52 Archetype: Warrior ss: Fencer (corrupted) Highest Attribute: Strength
Then, a chorus of whispers gripped Dat¡¯s senses. The voices were breathy and high-pitched as it said, ¡°This creature has been corrupted by a fel bargain.¡± ¡°Demons?¡± Dat asked inside his own head. He¡¯d used Hex of Scrying often enough to know that the voice belonged to the spirits he¡¯d summoned to inspect his target. Still, the fact that they could talk sent a shiver up his spine every time he heard their multitudinous voices. ¡°Worse. Humans who know not the forces with which they meddle,¡± the voices responded. ¡°They have given their souls to another in exchange for power.¡± ¡°What kind of power?¡± ¡°Immortality.¡± Dat¡¯s jaw flexed in anger. He¡¯d seen others make a simr choice back in Hong Kong. He¡¯d watched as they embraced demons and undead, taking sses that pushed them into evil. One and all, those people had turned on their former allies. Some imed that their actions were justified ¨C necromancy and demon worship were more than frowned upon ¨C but others simply wanted more fuel for their own rise to power. And in most cases, it worked, too. Some of those had gathered an incredible amount of strength in a short amount of time, which was one of the reasons Dat and the Songs hadn¡¯t managed to push back the undead threat spilling out of the Primal Realm. ¡°How can we get around it?¡± was his next unspoken question. ¡°You cannot, save to y the progenitor. Beware the heavily scarred.¡± Then, the spirit disappeared from his mind. ¡°Did you feel that?¡± asked Dexter Fallon, looking around. Dat could only see the man¡¯s eyes, but they were wide with fear. ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± asked another Immortal. ¡°It felt like a cold breeze,¡± Dexter said. ¡°Like I was back home in the middle of winter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a thousand degrees out here. You getting sick?¡± the other asked. ¡°I know they said we¡¯re immune to that kind of thing, but I don¡¯t know¡­maybe it was just your imagination.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± said Dexter. ¡°Maybe. You really think we ought to have done this? It feels¡­wrong.¡± ¡°Feelings don¡¯t matter, Fallon. Just results. You think I wanted to take that asshole¡¯s deal? No. But I want to get back to my family, and with everything that happened, this was the only way. I know it¡¯s the same for you, too.¡± Dat remained there for a few more minutes until he¡¯d gotten a basic idea of what had happened. It seemed that the leader of the Immortals ¨C whoever he was ¨C had been recruiting new underlings. How he¡¯d convinced them to take his deal ¨C which sounded pretty bad, even if Dat didn¡¯t know the details ¨C and now, his army had grown. They were still outnumbered by quite a lot, but that could easily change. After all, there was still more than eight months left in the Trial. A lot could happen in that time. Once Dat had learned all he was going to learn ¨C Hex of Scrying had a significant cooldown ¨C he headed back to the Consortium, where he found Sadie waiting for him. The others had gone to do their own thing. When she asked him what he¡¯d discovered, he said, ¡°I think we need to gather everyone. This is serious.¡± Book 5: Chapter 69: More Swamp Life Book 5: Chapter 69: More Swamp Life ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Sadie said, her hands clenched into tight fists as she looked back at the town. ¡°I don¡¯t like this at all. We¡¯re supposed to be helping people, not¡­abandoning them.¡± Elijah was inclined to agree. He certainly didn¡¯t support the notion of letting the Immortals ¨C and their enigmatic and unnamed leader ¨C run amok. But despite that, he¡¯d agreed to their current n of action. Orck thereof. ¡°You heard Atticus, same as me,¡± he said. ¡°They don¡¯t want our help.¡± That was true. The people who¡¯d thrown their lot in with the Immortals had done so of their own volition. It wasn¡¯t something that had been forced upon them. It had only been offered, and they had taken it. ¡°They don¡¯t know what they¡¯ve done,¡± Sadie said. Ron spoke up, ¡°I should¡¯ve been there. If I had been¡­¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault,¡± Elijah said to the sparkly-robed Healer. However, none of them could escape the reality that, in a lot of ways, that statement simply was not true. Before joining their group, Ron had run the Nexus Town¡¯s only infirmary. He¡¯d saved a lot of lives, especially during the first couple of weeks of the Trial. Because of that, people had grown ustomed to his presence. Many had begun to take risks they otherwise wouldn¡¯t have, secure in the knowledge that they could always return to the Nexus Town and have their wounds mended. And then he suddenly wasn¡¯t there, creating a situation that had resulted in a dozen deaths and quite a few people who¡¯d been crippled. It had also set the stage for the Immortals. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if it had been nned, but with how everything had worked out, it certainly seemed to have been. The Immortals had offered a bunch of desperate people a chance, and many had taken it. Nobody outside of their organization knew precisely what they had to do to fend off death or mend their crippled bodies, but it was undeniably effective. People who¡¯d been on the brink were suddenly healthy and whole, which only improved the efficacy of the offer. Before long, they¡¯d had people lining up ¨C metaphorically ¨C to join their ranks. Would it have happened if Ron had been around? Maybe not. But Elijah suspected that if the Healer hadn¡¯t joined his group and left Nexus Town, there was a good chance that he would have been met with some sort of ident. Whatever the case, the new Immortals seemed content with their choices. Perhaps that wouldn¡¯t always remain the case, but Elijah and his friends couldn¡¯t very well save people who neither wanted nor needed saving. So, as rming as the Immortals¡¯ recruitment drive had be, there wasn¡¯t much they could do about it. Besides, they¡¯d brought some degree of order to the Nexus Town. Sure, they charged people a handful of ethereum to ess the Branch, and they sometimes got a bit rowdy, but none of their offenses were terribly egregious. So, without much reason to intervene, the group had spent a couple of days resting before finally setting out for the fourth challenge. But none of them were happy with that choice, even if they knew it was the best option. ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t my fault,¡± Ron said. ¡°But it damn sure feels like it is.¡± ¡°Ron ¨C¡± ¡°Never mind. No sense whining about it,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving. Sooner we get these challenges done, the sooner we can leave this damned ce.¡± After that, they set out. Unlike when they¡¯d tackled the other challenges, they actually had a choice of targets. Three new challenges had been discovered ¨C one that seemed to represent Silvara, another the Underrealm, and finally, Ignis ¨C which meant that, for the first time, they had options. The three challenges were all in different directions, and reaching the closest would take at least a couple of weeks of hard travel. In the end, they¡¯d picked Silvara,rgely because Elijah hoped that his strong attunement to nature would give him an advantage that might allow them to conquer the challenge more easily than the others. It was a slim hope, but it made the difference between their choices. The next ten days were characterized by nearly constant battle. Most of the time, they fought against the ubiquitous wraiths, but they also had a few shes with ka¡¯ki hunters. None of the encounters truly pushed them to their limits, but they each represented different challenges. Most of the hunters seemed to have Ranger archetypes, but there were Healers, Warriors, and Sorcerers among them as well. That made each fight a novel experience that forced Elijah and his group to adapt their tactics to each individual situation. Fortunately, now that they had a proper Healer in Ron, they were an extremely flexible group. With Elijah ying something of a wildcard role, they could adapt to a wide variety of challenges. In turn, that put a lot of pressure on him to be whatever the situation needed him to be. Sometimes, he yed the role of a caster, dealing ranged damage via his spells. Other times, he stalked their more vulnerable targets under Guise of the Unseen, bringing them down with his potent venom. Still other times, he used the Shape of the Guardian, helping Sadie shoulder the burden as a pseudo-defender. And finally, there were multiple asions when he was required to help Ron with the burden of healing. In all, Elijah pushed to utilize every facet of his versatile ss, and his efforts were generously rewarded. He gained another level, bringing him to ny-seven, but he also tested and discarded many of the strategies he¡¯d begun to develop. He kept a few ¨C especially the ones that worked well with hispanions ¨C but for the most part, he knew that his strategy would need to constantly evolve. There was no right answer to any particr situation, and even if there was, the threats they faced were constantly evolving to the point that flexibility became the only answer. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. But they all continued toe up with new methods until, atst, they reached their destination. Sadie muttered, ¡°A swamp?¡± ¡°Nobody said nothin¡¯ about no swamps,¡± Kurik growled. Dat just pped his neck as he was bitten by some sort of flying insect. Immediately, he went pale, but fortunately for him, Ron was there to heal him. ¡°Thanks, bro. Got dizzy there for a second.¡± Just then, a bird ventured out over the swamp, and something threw itself out of the water,tched onto the avian creature, then snatched it below. ¡°Was that a spider?¡± Elijah wondered. ¡°Water bug, maybe?¡± ¡°That bird was a thousand feet up,¡± Elijah said. ¡°At least.¡± ¡°Big water bug?¡± Dat suggested. Whatever the case, it put an end to any thoughts of simply flying over the top of the swamp. If Elijah was honest, he had sort of expected as much. The system wanted them to experience the challenges, not bypass them. ¡°This presents a problem,¡± Sadie said, gazing out at the swamp. ¡°Just the one?¡± asked Elijah with a slight smile. ¡°Be serious.¡± ¡°I am,¡± he said, still grinning. He actually had somewhat fond memories of his time in thest swamp he¡¯d encountered. Certainly, he didn¡¯t enjoy being covered in mud and wading through stagnant, foul-smelling water, but he¡¯d also met Konstantinos and his family there. And Bessy, the tame guardian alligator. However, when he looked out at thendscape stretching before them, he was reminded of all the issues most other people would have to deal with. For one, there were the insects and other pests that congregated in any swamp. If Dat¡¯s reaction was any indication, the ones in this swamp were quite venomous. There were probably leeches in the water, too. Or given that they were on an alien world, something leech-adjacent. Traversal would be a problem, too. Trekking across a swamp would prove treacherous. And when it wasn¡¯t outright dangerous, it would be frustrating. ¡°How do we want to do this?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°Should we build a raft or something?¡± ¡°It would need to be a damn big raft,¡± Kurik said. ¡°I could maybe whip somethin¡¯ up, but¡­¡± ¡°It probably won¡¯t stay together long enough for us to reach the challenge,¡± Elijah said. Sadie sighed, then asked, ¡°Any other suggestions?¡± ¡°I have one,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think any of you are going to like it.¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± He massaged the back of his neck, then said, ¡°I want to go in alone.¡± ¡°No. Absolutely not. I knew you were going to suggest something like that,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°She predicted it the other day when we set out for this challenge. She said you¡¯d want to go alone so you couldmune with nature or something,¡± Dat said. ¡°Is that why?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just better equipped for that swamp life.¡± ¡°Swamp life?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s what I call it. I¡¯ve only done it once, just now, but it¡¯s catchy, right?¡± Elijah said. ¡°It¡¯s not catchy, bro.¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of stupid,¡± Ron agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t get it at all,¡± Sadie stated. ¡°I ain¡¯t got noment,¡± Kurik muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets and pointedly avoiding eye contact. ¡°Wow. Just wow. The betrayal¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Sadie said. ¡°We¡¯re just ¨C¡± Elijah grinned again. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Seriously, though ¨C it makes sense. I can move through the swamp a lot faster than any of you, and I have an attunement for this challenge¡¯s theme. I bet I can dip in, conquer it, then be gone before you all even have a chance to roast marshmallows.¡± ¡°What are marshmallows?¡± asked Kurik. ¡°Not the point. But I do think this is the best way. Besides, do any of you honestly want to go in there?¡± he asked, gesturing toward the swamp. It didn¡¯t just look inhospitable. It looked downright deadly. And on top of that, Dat¡¯splexion had once again paled after being bitten by another insect. In the end, it came down to the fact that, so far, Elijah had proven that he could survive all manner of dangerous circumstances. So, the others reluctantly agreed to let him go on his own, albeit with the caveat that he would retreat if he faced any significant opposition. Elijah agreed to those terms, and once they¡¯d backed away to a safe distance, he shifted into the Shape of Venom, used Guise of the Unseen, and slipped into the swamp. Unlike his previous experience with swamps, the trees in the area were quite a bit sparser than he might have expected. Indeed, they were so spaced out that he was unable to employ his original n, which was to jump from one limb to the next and avoid the water altogether. Instead, he quickly found that the evolved form had another advantage over the Shape of the Predator ¨C it was perfectly capable of swimming. As he cut through the stagnant water, Elijah was well aware of just how many pests, parasites, and predators there were in the area. Not only were there leeches ¨C huge, bulbous things that looked like they could suck someone dry of blood in a matter of minutes ¨C but their enormous mosquito-like insects buzzing around as well. In addition, Elijah saw a host of unfamiliar ¨C but clearly venomous ¨C reptiles, a bunch of rat-like mammals, and even nests of spiders that had woven their webs through the sparse trees. Thankfully, they all ignored Elijah, either because of his archetype or his attunement. Never was he more grateful for that than when a giant serpent ¨C at least a hundred feet long and twenty feet wide ¨C swam past him. A few momentster, Elijah watched in horror as that enormous beast struck a hippo-like creature the size of an African elephant, then killed it via constriction. It happened in the space of moments, proving just how deadly the area was. Seeing that, Elijah was grateful that he¡¯d left the rest of his team behind. There was no way they could have traversed the swamp without being constantly attacked. Perhaps they could have survived, but the terrain was so treacherous that it made for a poor battleground. They¡¯d have had to fight their own inconsistent footing almost as much as the beasts native to the swamp. All of that flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind as he slowly made his way deeper into the marsh. Along the way, he saw the danger escte as the native beasts grewrger and deadlier, while the terrain slowly changed to something closer to what Elijah was used to. The trees ¨C which resembled a cross between mangroves and sprawling oaks ¨C became moremon until they grew in dense clumps that almost resembled inds. On Elijah went, and eventually, day turned to night, and that night became the next day before, atst, he received confirmation that he was on the right track.
You have reached the Swamp of Ill Omens. To conquer the Challenge of Silvara, collect the three pieces of the Broken Branch of the World Tree. Reward: Shard of Nature¡¯s Might
Elijah narrowed his eyes at the reward. He had no idea what a Shard of Nature¡¯s Might would do, but he definitely wanted it. Book 5: Chapter 70: Connected Book 5: Chapter 70: Connected Elijah continuously looped ethera around the facets of his mind. It slowed his regeneration quite significantly, but his instincts told him that he was on the right track concerning the cultivation of his Mind. He wasn¡¯t certain what he was missing, but the moment he found it, he was certain that he would be able to take the next step. Especially in the Swamp of Ill Omens, which featured much higher ethereal density than anywhere else on the ¨C that he¡¯d visited, at least. His new cultivation cave would be better ¨C especially after having a few weeks to grow more potent ¨C but he¡¯d yet to experience that inevitable increase. Part of him wanted to return to the edge of the swamp and ferry hispanions deeper into the bog so they could bask in the increased power. Perhaps they could take advantage of it and step forward on their respective paths. But he knew just how difficult it would be for anyone without a nature attunement to survive. He had no doubts that they could do it, but the trip that had taken him most of a day would have probably been a journey of weeks for them. Each step they took would have brought with it a serious chance of death ¨C and it was not the sort of danger that was easy to ovee. It was one thing to fight wraiths and hunters, but another thing altogether to battle insect-borne diseases, leeches, and ambush predators. No - the more time he spent in the Swamp of Ill Omens, the more he was certain that he¡¯d made the right choice by insisting on attacking the challenge alone. Plus, if Elijah was being honest with himself, being constantly surrounded by people ¨C even if he liked them ¨C had begun to grate on his nerves. He hadn¡¯t always been like that. Once, he¡¯d enjoyedpany as much as the next person. However, spending vast swaths of time alone had left its mark on his personality, and he¡¯de to value his solitude to a high degree. Elijah didn¡¯t consider himselfpletely antisocial, but he certainly had his limits forpanionship. That, as much as a desire to learn more about the and its natives, was probably responsible for his frequent exploratory trips into the ruins dotting the jungle. He could admit that much, at least in his own mind, though he would never have done so aloud. Regardless, Elijah focused on his developing method of Mind cultivation as he traversed the swamp. The Shape of Venom was perfectly at home in the wends, and even when he was forced to swim, he did so with ease. His ability to move through the water didn¡¯t rival that of amphibians or aquatic reptiles, but at least the evolved shape was better equipped for the terrain than its predecessor. More than once, Elijah had attempted to use Shape of the Sky to ease the burden of travel, but each time, he¡¯d faced significant obstacles. The jumping spiders were still around, ready to pounce on anything flying through the air, and that threat was only one of many that kept him on the ground. The worst of them were the tiny, flying snakes ¨C they had wings and everything ¨C that spewed lightning at anything that came into their territory. They wouldn¡¯t have been so dangerous if they didn¡¯t have a frustrating ability topletely avoid his senses until he was right on top of them. More than once, he¡¯d retreated to the ground with singed wings. Not for the first time, Elijah considered the notion that the system had put them in ce to restrict the mobility of people whose abilities allowed them to fly. Which really annoyed Elijah, considering that he desperately wanted to depend on Shape of the Sky¡¯s abilities more fully. But there was no reason to dwell on those resentful emotions. The system was all-powerful, and railing against it was pointless. Instead, he resolved to simply ept the rules ¨C or restrictions ¨C and work within the confines dictated by the system. That was the only way he¡¯d survive. So, he continued on, traveling ever deeper into the swamp. It covered at least asrge of an area as the marsnds south of Argos, which meant that, even with Shape of Venom easing the burden of travel, it was two days before he saw something to point him in the right direction. Until that moment, he¡¯d been progressing deeper into the swamp, following the increasingly dense ethera while hoping that he wouldn¡¯t miss anything important. That led him to a vast hole in the ground. It was at least two-hundred yards wide and, as far as he could tell, perfectly circr. It reminded him of the cenote where they¡¯d found the egg in the first challenge, though when he approached the edge, he saw how wrong that notion was. The edge was worked stone, carved with hundreds of unfamiliar glyphs that somehow kept the murky water at bay. When Elijah looked over the edge, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from letting out a hiss of surprise. And awe. It wasn¡¯t a hole. It was an entrance. A set of stairs spiraled down from the edge, traveling along the outside of the circle until it reached a ledge approximately a hundred yards down. The stonework was far better preserved than any of the ruins Elijah had yet seen, though there were no artful frescoes or other portrayals of the natives. Instead, the carvings depicted snaking vines, expansive trees, and other wild flora. It took Elijah¡¯s breath away, and not just because of the artistry involved. That was certainly a contributing factor, but the true instigator of his quickened pulse was the feeling of belonging he felt when looking at those carvings. It took him a long moment before he realized why it felt so familiar. It was an ancestral circle, not dissimr from his dolmens. Yet, it was far more powerful than anything he had created. An instantter, something terrible gripped his senses, and he fell to his stomach. A secondter, he retched, spewing bile into a puddle. It wasn¡¯t a smell. Nor was it simply a sense of foreboding. It was corruption, and not the sort he¡¯d felt around the Voxx. It was something else. Something much, much worse. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It was the antithesis of the connection he felt via One with Nature, and it both horrified and disgusted Elijah so much that, for a while, he could think of nothing else. With no small degree of self-control, he shoved those feelings into a quarantined facet of his Mind. They spilled over a secondter, infecting another. Then another after that. Elijah warred with that corruption, shoving them back with every ounce of willpower he possessed. By the fourth, he¡¯d managed to thicken the walls of his makeshift quarantine just enough to contain the corruption seeping into his mind. Even then, he knew it wouldn¡¯tst, so he spent the next few minutes piling onto that barrier. At first, he didn¡¯t even realize what he was doing, but after a moment he came to recognize the truth. The looping ethera he¡¯d used to connect the facets during the cultivation process carried with them more than simple energy. They were conduits for his willpower. It was only after that realization that he could predict the purpose of reaching the Jade Mind. Quartz had split it, and in doing so, it had splintered his willpower. It was a necessary step, strengthening him so that he could process all the information to which he had ess. Without it, he never could have borne the weight of his domain, the sensory input of One with Nature, and the concentration necessary to cast his spells in battle. Yet, it also made him vulnerable. And now, that weaknesses had left him exposed to the corruption below. He no longer had the luxury of progressing his Mind cultivation at his own pace. If he didn¡¯t get a handle on it soon, he would be corrupted just like the ancestral circle he had yet to even enter. But there was still something missing. Something prevented him from bringing the full weight of his willpower to bear on the problem. He couldn¡¯t take that final step, no matter how tightly he wound those conduits around the facets of his mind. The best he could do was use them to keep the corruption locked away. Mostly. A little continued to leak out, but after a few more minutes ¨C or it might¡¯ve been hours, for all that he could keep track of time in his state ¨C he figured out how to purge those few drops of corruption before they could stain his Mind. Still, they left a slight residue behind that perpetuated the nausea flowing through him. He could function, though, which meant that he could finally take stock of his situation. When the corruption had ovee him, he¡¯d fallen to his stomach, still at the edge of the circle, so he fully expected to have remained there. Yet, when his awareness returned from his impromptu cultivation session, he found that he¡¯d fallen to the ledge below. And he was not alone. A ka¡¯ki loomed over him, muchrger than any Elijah had ever seen. He slithered away, putting his back to the wall. However, he needn¡¯t have reacted so abruptly. The figure remained stationary. It was a statue, though one so lifelike that Elijah had initially mistaken it for the real thing. Supporting that error was a flicker of vitality within the statue. Then, its eyes opened, bathing Elijah in red light. He flinched away. ¡°You are a curious one,¡± came a resonant voice. ¡°A Druid? Yet you are alone? Join our collective, brother. You will be weed.¡± ¡°Collective?¡± Elijah asked, casting his senses out. There was something buried in the corruption, though it was so weak that he¡¯d initially missed it. The moment he touched it with his mind, he felt the same pull he¡¯d felt during his first steps on the path of cultivation. It was nature in the most collectivist sense, and there was a part of him that still wanted to surrender, to join his spirit with that of the natural world. He might have done just that if it weren¡¯t for two factors. First, he was ready for it, and he clung to his sense of identity firmly enough that he refused to be dislodged. Second, the corruption was far stronger than the Call, tainting everything so thoroughly that the very notion of giving in brought with it a potent sense of nausea. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel the corruption?¡± Elijah knew the answer to that question before he¡¯d even asked it. That taint enveloped the statue so thoroughly that Elijah could scarcely feel anything else. More, it was visible to the naked eye, taking the form of rust-colored tendrils that enveloped the figure of the ka¡¯ki. In most ces, they¡¯d solidified to the point of resembling reddish stone, but in others, they were still moist and coated in bloody mucus. The entire area was the same, with those tendrils creeping along the walls and sullying everything they touched. ¡°There is no corruption. There is only the Call. We will save them. We will preserve my world. If you will not assist us, then you will be destroyed. Just like all the rest.¡± Then, the thing struck. The mucus-covered tendrils struck out, moving almost too quickly to see. However, Elijah was ready for them, and with the high Dexterity that came with the Shape of Venom, he had no issues dodging the oing attack. He twisted around the wet tentacles, unwilling to even let them graze him. They pped into the wall with a grotesque squelching sound, but by that point, Elijah was already on the statue. His fangs sank into the ka¡¯ki¡¯s shoulder, injecting his potent venom before he bounded away. A bit of the corruption slid into his mouth, but he had no issue spitting it out. However, it was more than physical, and if he¡¯d failed to get a handle on the taint, it would have added to the corruption of his Mind. As it was, he quarantined it with all the rest, flexing his willpower to such an extent that it felt like he was strangling the facets of his own mind. It gave him a slight headache, but that was far more preferable than letting the taint run rampant. Elijah darted away, the tendrils chasing him until he¡¯d covered more than a dozen feet. That¡¯s when they hit their limit, and they retreated to their previous position, wrapping around the statue like nothing had happened. A few secondster, the statue-like figure crumbled, and a significant amount of experience flowed into Elijah as the thing died. He barely paid it any mind. Instead, the moment its defeat was assured, the bulk of his attention shifted to his surroundings. Spaced evenly around the ledge which encircled the pit were dozens of statues that looked identical to the one he¡¯d just in. However, he was more concerned with the red, vine-like tendrils that stretched from one edge to the next, criss-crossing the opening like a spider¡¯s web. As he let Guise of the Unseen envelop him, Elijah remained motionless as he inspected the area. There were three exits, each going in a different direction, and via One with Nature, he could sense hundreds of creatures above, below, and in every direction. Distressingly though, he could not quite make sense of their anatomy. They weren¡¯t entirely hidden from his senses, but they weren¡¯tpletely visible, either. What he felt suggested a multitude of legs, but beyond that, he could sense nothing else. Looking up, he saw the same rust-red vines stretched across the opening and obscuring the sky. How he had made it through, he had no idea. Nor did he know how he hadn¡¯t seen it from above. Magic, probably. That was usually the answer to his questions. Whatever the case, this challenge felt far more personal than any of the others. It was like it¡¯d been created just for him. Was it to test him, though? Or was it intended to corrupt ¨C or kill ¨C him? He had a feeling that he¡¯d find out sooner rather thanter. Book 5: Chapter 71: Cocoons and Corruption Book 5: Chapter 71: Cocoons and Corruption Elijah passed into the tunnel, careful to avoid the tendrils of corruption spread across the floor. Fortunately, it was far denser on the walls than the ground, which gave him plenty of room to pass through without touching them ¨C something he wanted to avoid, and not just because he thought that treading on those tendrils would bring unwanted attention. They were also incredibly off-putting, and in a way that turned Elijah¡¯s already-roiling stomach. As soon as he¡¯d made his way inside the hall, darkness enveloped him,pletely obscuring the way back. He could still see, but everything was cast in a red hue that sent a shiver up his spine. When he nced at the entrance to the tunnel, he only saw an opaque wall of ck nothingness. Shaking his head, he continued on. With each step, the corruption he¡¯d quarantined in his Mind grew more insistent. More, he could feel it all around him, almost as if it as a swarm of maggots trying to burrow into his skin. It wasn¡¯t pain ¨C not exactly ¨C but rather, something akin to an itch that no amount of scratching could ever hope to relieve. With that feeling of something crawling all over him, Elijah pushed on, shoving his difort into its own facet of his mind along the way. That strategy was effective enough, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that he was running out of facets. What would happen when he had nowhere else to put the corruption? He shuddered when he considered where something like that might lead. To distract himself from those thoughts, he studied his surroundings. The moist, red tendrils covering the walls and ceiling were so dense that he couldn¡¯t even see the stonework underneath. However, he could feel it via One with Nature, and what¡¯s more, he could sense the power flowing through those carvings of various flora. It made his own dolmens feel positively inert byparison. How much power did the Druid who¡¯d created it possess? More than Elijah couldprehend, he was certain. So, how did it be so corrupted? It wasn¡¯t just a corrupted connection he felt, the Call of nature that had somehow been twisted into something terrible. The taint he usually associated with the Voxx was there, as well. It was a triumvirate of wrongness ¨C the tainted Call, the corruption of the Voxx, and a distinct disconnection from the World Tree ¨C that had all blended together into something wholly different and incredibly troublesome. Elijah wanted nothing to do with any of it. And yet, he couldn¡¯t escape it, either. With every step, it seeped into him, and all he could do was quarantine it so it couldn¡¯t affect him. Gradually, he pushed through, following the hall as it twisted and turned, descending ever deeper into the ground. At one point, it doubled back, passing through the main area ¨C albeit much lower than he had been before ¨C before disappearing into the other side. That¡¯s when he started to see the cocoons. Or polyps, he amended. Each bulbous growth was at least five feet tall and about half as wide, though they weren¡¯t uniform in size. They wereposed of more snaking vines, between which was a translucent membrane that only hinted at what was inside. But Elijah didn¡¯t need to look to know what they contained. Desated ka¡¯ki and ta¡¯ki, even thinner than the wraiths on the surface, floated inside each cocoon. Peering closer, Elijah saw two things that made him take a step back. First, there were hundreds of small tentacles growing out of their skin. That was disturbing enough, but it was the second detail that truly horrified him. They were alive. Barely, almost as if they were in deep hibernation, but they were definitely not dead. How long had they remained in those cocoons? Years, surely. Decades? Centuries? It could have been millennia for all he knew. But Elijah couldn¡¯t do anything for them, so he continued on, passing thousands of them as he covered one mile after another. With every progressive step, the nausea churning inside him intensified, though it was solely due to the corruption he¡¯d tried to quarantine in his mind. Instead, it was a natural consequence of his disgust. The tunnels continued to twist and turn, and after a while, Elijah began to wonder if he¡¯d been mistaken when he¡¯d initially felt the monsters. One with Nature had been practically smothered by the corruption, so he could only feel around twenty feet all around him. It was enough to make him wish the ability was even less efficacious. Slowly, the malignant mass in his Mind spilled over into another facet, and Elijah knew he needed to do something about it before itpletely overwhelmed him. So, even as he continued his trek, he harnessed his willpower to manipte the thick ropes of ethera woven between the facets of his mind, squeezing the ones containing the corruption. The magnitude of his headache increased a hundredfold, but he pushed through it. Pain, he could endure. It was a skill he¡¯d developed as a boxer, honed while fighting cancer, and embraced to its fullest extent during his experiences following the touch of the World Tree. Elijah might¡¯ve been foundcking in a wide variety of areas, but regarding the endurance of pain, he felt he was an unsurpassed talent. So, even as his head felt like it was on the verge of exploding, he continued to squeeze. Then, a single drop of corruption seeped out of the skin on his forehead. It was horrible, like the most foul-smelling drop of sweat to have ever existed, but Elijah was only subjected to its filth for a moment before it evaporated into the air. With that, he felt slightly better. Yet, it was only the beginning. The drop had seemed small, but purging that small amount had removed a sizable amount of the corruption in his mind. So, he did it again. This time was no easier than thest, but Elijah tackled the task with characteristic tenacity. The same was true of the next after that. Seven more times, he purged himself of the filth. As he did so, his mind absorbed a little more ¨C like trying to wring out a towel in the rain ¨C but his persistence pushed the danger down the line. The absorption rate would eventually outpace his ability to purge it, but for now, he only needed to hold on long enough toplete his task. That meant he was on a timer. So, without further hesitation, he resumed his journey through the tunnels, stopping every mile or so to purge another drop. The intensity of headache increased with every effort until he couldn¡¯t contain the tears flowing down his cheeks. In those moments, there was only pain, the purge, and his persistence. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Nothing else mattered. So, even though it took him by surprise when he found that he¡¯d reached his destination, it likely should not have. He staggered into the chamber, and very nearly tumbled over the edge of arge sinkhole. Barely stopping himself before he plunged into the abyss, he stepped back and gaped at the sight before him. The hole itself was jagged, like some giant had reached down with its sharp ws and dragged an entire fistful of earth away. The same rust-red tendrils nketed the area, and in the center of that ragged hole was a pir, upon which rested a single shard of glittering crystal. But Elijah only spared a second to study what was obviously the Piece of the Broken Branch of the World Tree, because it was exceedingly obvious that he was not alone. Indeed, he¡¯d finally found the many-legged creatures he¡¯d sensed far above. From a distance, he might have thought they were arachnid in nature. Regrettably, Elijah was close enough to see how wrong that assessment was. They were wraiths, though unlike any he¡¯d ever seen before. They had all the same pieces ¨C four arms, spindly frames, and hollow eyes ¨C but they also had a few extras. Sharp, segmented limbs of ck chitin sprouted from their backs. From their legs. From their heads. From every patch of exposed skin. The rest of their bodies ¨C save for their mouths ¨C hung limp, as if they were already dead and had been hijacked by some parasitic organism. That would have been Elijah¡¯s guess for what was going on if it weren¡¯t for the screams. Hundreds of them, all piercing Elijah¡¯s ears at the same time, pushed him over the edge. Suddenly, it felt as if his brain had been shattered into a thousand pieces, and he lost his grip on the corruption. The willpower he¡¯d woven in and out of each facet of his mind dissipated into nothing, and suddenly, he felt the tidal wave of filth crashing into his Mind and infusing his Soul. He pushed back. Desperately, he tried to wrangle it back into submission, and after only a few moments, he managed to curtail its spread. However, he couldn¡¯t do more than that because the spider-wraiths had followed their chorus of screeching screams with a charge across the web of rust-red tendrils. For a moment, all Elijah could hear was the squelch of their chitinous legs impacting the webs, but that quickly turned to a cking sound as they left the pit behind and raced across solid ground, clearly intent on devouring him. Elijah acted on instinct, turning to run. It only took a moment to see that a curtain of wet tendrils had sprung up behind him, though. The way out was blocked. The only way out the situation was through the spider-wraiths. He turned back to the rushing monsters, seeing their limp bodies carried along by the sharp legs. Each one had hundreds of ck appendages, and they rolled more than crawled. Elijah didn¡¯t have time to consider just how creepy it was. Instead, he needed to act. He used Flicker Step.
Flicker Step Slip into the shadows, emerging behind your opponent. Only usable while under the influence of Shape of Venom. Cooldown based on Dexterity. Current: 54.1 Seconds.
Disappearing into the shadows, he felt himself cross the distance between him and one of the monsters. When he emerged, he bit into the nearest creature and used Envenom. It screamed as the powerful affliction took hold, and less than an instantter, its body started to dissolve. Even as clumps of liquified flesh fell from the dying creature, Elijah pounced on another. He sank his fangs into its limp shoulder, only breaking the skin enough to inject his venom before bounding away. He leaped from one monster to the next, repeating the process dozens of times in the space of a minute. But his body felt amazing. He felt stronger than ever, like he¡¯d shed ten pounds and reced it all with pure muscle. He ripped through the spiders, though not without taking a few wounds here and there. The creatures attacked via conventional methods, stabbing him with their sharp legs. However, they also fought like wraiths, trying to wrap their limbs around him so they could leech his ethera. By that point, though, Elijah knew how to fight wraiths. He¡¯d been doing it for months. Still, the sheer number of monsters was a problem, and one it took every ounce of Elijah¡¯s considerable experience to ovee. Complicating matters was the necessity of keeping the raging tide of corruption at bay. If he could have stopped, even for a moment, he might have wrangled it back into submission. But the wraith-monsters kept the pressure up, forcing him to spend most of his attentionbatting the threat they represented. Elijah never stopped moving. When he couldn¡¯t bite the creatures, he used Venom Strike and let Insidious Mdy do its job. Meanwhile, he was forced to shift into his caster form from time to time, healing himself and casting Swarm and Storm¡¯s Fury from afar. And like that, Elijah managed to endure until, atst, there were no more monsters left to fight. He settled down, his breathing in hissing pants as his tongue flicked back and forth. There were no more monsters. He¡¯d killed them all. But he¡¯d paid the price. The corruption had broken through, and once again, he found himself in the same situation that had nearly overwhelmed him in the very beginning. He fought against it, pushing back as hard as he could. But it was no use. He couldn¡¯t get it all. So, Elijah made a choice. A little wasn¡¯t going to immediately kill him. Holding as much of it in ce as he could, Elijah focused on rebuilding the ropes of willpower that he¡¯d woven through his mind. As he did so, bits of corruption raged throughout his body, and because he couldn¡¯t spare even an ounce of attention for it, it tore through him unchecked. He could feel its taint. The contamination poisoning him down to his core. It was manageable, though. He just needed to finish his task, and quickly enough that he wasn¡¯t overwhelmed. Slowly, he rebuilt the framework of his Mind, and the second he felt it solidify, he hunted the corruption within him. For that, the instincts that came with the Shape of the Predator ¨C and its newly evolved form ¨C were invaluable. It wasn¡¯t like stalking a rabbit or some other prey animal, but there were enough parallels that he could feel the impact of the instinctual hunter. One mote of corruption after another was corralled until, finally, Elijah managed to shove them all back where they belonged. Then, feeling like he was going to burst, he gradually twisted that malignant mass until the taint seeped from his very pores. One drop at a time, he purged his body. That was when he realized just how potent the ethera in the area was. It exceeded even his cultivation cave back home, and he could feel that it would only grow thicker when he finally reached his goal at the center of the cavern. He didn¡¯t know what that meant, save that the shard that was his goal was incredibly powerful. Once he¡¯d purged what corruption he could, Elijah shifted into the Shape of the Sky, then flew across the expanse and to the pir at the center of the web. At first, he wondered why he didn¡¯t try that in the beginning, but then he flew through a nearly invisible web of tendrils and felt the corruption seep into him. There was no way he could have dealt with that while the monsters were around. No - he¡¯d made the right choice, at least in so much as there was one. Hended gently, then shifted into his human form. On the pir, the density of the ethera was so potent that he felt like he was swimming. It was also clean. Elijah stood there for a long moment, basking in it until he realized that his very presence had a corrupting effect. In only seconds, the purity of the ethera had be tainted ¨C if only a little. So, knowing his respite couldn¡¯tst forever, Elijah saw no reason to prolong things. Instead, he reached out and grabbed the shard. It was like wrapping his fingers around molten steel, and he could feel his soul sizzling beneath the powerful current of ethera. His actual body was fine, but the shard was so strong that it could eventually burn the channels he¡¯d so arduously carved to ash. He quickly shoved the thing into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, and the burning ceased. ¡°Well,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°That¡¯s one piece gathered. Here¡¯s to two more.¡± Book 5: Chapter 72: Whispers Book 5: Chapter 72: Whispers You are weak. The whispered words hung in the air, and for a long moment, Elijah didn¡¯t respond. Then, his mind wrapped itself around the fact that he was not alone. Still standing on the pir at the center of those slimey webs, he whipped around in a circle, searching for the speaker. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he called, his voice echoing in the cavernous chamber. No one answered. A shiver went up his spine, and his heartbeat quickened. But Elijah wouldn¡¯t let his fear control him, so he shoved his mounting terror aside to focus on what mattered. He¡¯d found one Piece of the Broken Branch of the World Tree, and now, he needed to collect three more. He took a deep breath, and he nearly choked on the smell of so much corruption in the air. It wasn¡¯t the odor of decay, though that was buried in there. There was the iron-rich aroma of blood, too. The musky smell of unwashed flesh as well ¨C the moist tendrilsprising the webs and covering the tunnels beyond the chamber, no doubt. But there was something worse woven through it all. Something alien. Something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight. And that same odor, only in more ephemeral form, clung to his Mind. Even though it had been isted, kept there by thick ropes of ethereal willpower he¡¯d woven between the nine facets of his Mind, it had left a disgusting residue behind. He tried once again to purge it, but that film remained behind, mingling with something else more native to his body. You revel in your weakness as if it is a strength, as if it gives your struggle meaning. It does not. Power is all that matters. Morality is a fiction. A lie to convince the strong that weakness is a virtue. You are not one of them. You know you are better. Superior. You deserve to embrace it. Anything less is a betrayal of your own potential. This time, the whispered voice was stronger and more insistent, yet when Elijah once again searched the area, he found no speaker. He was alone. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked, his voice trembling. It was one thing to fight against terrible monsters, but it was something else altogether to hear disembodied voices. He couldn¡¯t do battle against something he could not sense. Elijah clenched his fists, resolving to ignore the whispers. Even after he spent a few minutes searching the surrounding area ¨C and his own Mind ¨C for any sign of a threat, he found nothing. He was entirely alone, which made the voice all that more disturbing. However, there was nothing he could do except to push on. He still had a task toplete, after all. So, after reaffirming the cage of willpower he¡¯d built around his mind, he shifted into the Shape of the Sky and flew across the chasm. The many-legged abominations that had guarded the pir were all dead and rapidly rotting, so for a while, he was beset by some measure of peace. Yet, the whispers continued, and with every step, they grew more frequent. You could not save your sister because you were weak. You ughtered an entire city because of your guilt. You killed hundreds. Thousands. All because you were too impotent to find another way. As the voice enumerated Elijah¡¯s misdeeds, scenes and images from his past shed into his mind. The panther, dying because he didn¡¯t have the power to heal it. The mercenaries that had invaded his ind, dead because he couldn¡¯t see any other way to repel their intrusion. If he¡¯d had more power, perhaps he could have simply captured them. Then came the bear. The people of Easton. All those who¡¯d died when that guild leader ¨C Elijah couldn¡¯t even remember the man¡¯s name ¨C had sacrificed his people so he could stand toe-to-toe with Elijah. If he¡¯d been a bit stronger, perhaps none of that would have been necessary. Over and over, Elijah¡¯s shorings were made abundantly clear until, after a couple of miles of tunnels, he shouted, ¡°What do you want?!¡± There was no answer. Because the voice wasn¡¯t real. It was all in his head. Elijah knew that, and yet, that did nothing to dilute the message. Perhaps it made it that much more potent. After all, if the thoughts were his, then he could trust that they were telling the truth. He shook his head, pushing forward in the Shape of Venom. Cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, he passed the curious eggs with no small degree of caution, though he could tell that, for all that they maintained the barest spark of life, they were inert. Once, they might have posed some sort of danger, but upon closer inspection, Elijah suspected that they were just what they appeared to be ¨C eggs that had never had the opportunity to hatch. Was the whole ce a hatchery? With their semi-reptilian nature, it wasn¡¯t out of the question that the ka¡¯ki ¨C or the ta¡¯ki ¨Cid eggs, so it was definitely possible. Perhaps he would never know, though what he did recognize was that they¡¯d been long since coopted by the corruption. Even if they did hatch, they would be just as monstrous as the wraith-creatures he¡¯d recently defeated. Contemtion of that possibility drowned out the whispers for some time, but eventually, the distraction faded, and once again, Elijah was confronted with his many failures. It would have be monotonous if it wasn¡¯t for just how deeply those whispers cut into his mind. And then, just as he reached the main chamber and went down the second tunnel, the voice changed. You can be powerful enough to save those you love. A Broken Branch of the World Tree is a peerless treasure. The whispers faded, but understanding blossomed in Elijah¡¯s mind. The piece of crystal in his Ghoul-Hide Satchel was the key. He only had to consume it, and he would be rewarded with more power than he couldprehend. Elijah had no idea what form that strength might take ¨C attributes or cultivation, maybe even a spell or something he¡¯d never considered ¨C but he knew in his heart that consuming that treasure would push him to an entirely different tier. Before Elijah knew what he was doing, he reached into his satchel and retrieved the crystalline shard. He could feel the power wafting off of it, threatening to consume him. Or to elevate him. Even holding it was intoxicating. His ethera shifted, then flowed faster than it ever had, cycling through his core and sending power coursing through his limbs. When he looked at his status, he saw that his attributes had jumped by almost twenty points. The boost was temporary ¨C he knew that ¨C but that little taste prompted him to wonder if it could be permanent. He hadn¡¯t felt such an influx of power since he¡¯d attained the Dragon Core. Power the likes of which you have never seen, at your fingertips and waiting to be consumed. You can save them. You can be the patron Earth deserves. The hero it needs. You can have everything you have ever wanted. You only need to take it. Elijah blinked. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. Power. Heroism. Those weren¡¯t the things he wanted. Certainly, he wanted to protect his, to save people if he could. He wasn¡¯t a monster. But all the rest? That just felt¡­wrong. That was when he sensed the bits and pieces of corruption clinging to the framework of his Soul. It was barely noticeable, like a film of dust sticking to a mirror, and yet, it had begun to seep into him in a way he couldn¡¯t have anticipated. He¡¯d thought it was contained, that he had it under control. But he hadn¡¯t. Never was that clearer than when he looked at his arm and saw deep bruising traveling from his fingertips and up his arm, following the branching pattern of his Soul. Were those bruises real? Or were they simply manifestations of the struggle inside? Elijah had no answers to that question, but as he made his way through the tunnels, encountering much of the same, hetched onto two things. First, he had no intention of giving in to the whispers. Not only was he suspicious of any form of easy power ¨C decades of stories about how that tended to work out poorly certainly influenced him ¨C but the whispers¡¯ insistence on consumption felt wrong on the most basic of levels. And given his corrupted surroundings, it didn¡¯t take a leap of logic to make the connection between those whispers and the denizens of the Abyss. Once, Nerthus had warned him of the Devourers, abel for people who took and took from the environment, consuming everything that could offer them even a modicum of power. At the time, Elijah had likened them to greedy corporations who¡¯d stripped Earth of her natural resources. However, now that he¡¯d felt the corruption seeping into him, he knew it went far deeper than that. There was a hunger associated with that corruption, a need that he knew could never be met. Even if he achieved god-like power, it would still drive him to seek more. To consume until there was nothing left of the multi-verse. It was the influence of the Ravener. He could feel it ¨C or her, if the stories he¡¯d heard were to be believed ¨C looming over the corruption,cing it with her will. Elijah steeled himself against her corruptive influence, forcing himself to move on. For the next mile, nothing changed. The eggs continued to popte the tunnels, but they remained entirely inert. Along the way, the corruption within him ebbed and flowed ording to his efforts. If he leveraged the entirety of his Mind towardbating it, he could purge or contain it. However, anything less than the full weight of his willpower was insufficient to keep it at bay. As a result, he was forced into a stop-and-start cadence characterized by long pauses meant to corral the taint threatening to overwhelm him. And all the while, the whispers ¨C ever more insistent ¨C continued, berating him for his weakness while offering him the solution to all of his problems. Elijah did his best to ignore it. He even tried arguing with that insidious voice, but to no avail. He could only endure it. On and on he went, with every second feeling like an eternity until, atst, something changed. A beast whose species he recognized hung from the ceiling. Soft, green fur. Long, sloth-like arms tipped with wicked ws meant for climbing trees. Sharp tusks jutting from its t face. It was the same type of creature he¡¯d recently saved from a hunter¡¯s arrow. Yet, it had clearly been corrupted, as evidenced by the waving ck tentacles jutting from its back and the dead eyes sunk deep into its skull. Unlike the corrupted wraiths, it wasn¡¯t limp-limbed, though. Instead, it was in full control of its body. More, power wafted off the thing, misting into ckced ethera that surrounded it in a cloud of corruption. Elijah stopped, looking up at the thing hanging from the ceiling, and his heart bled for the poor creature. How long had it been corrupted? Was it still in there, somewhere, screaming for release? Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t cure it. He¡¯d tried that with Artemis what felt like a lifetime ago. But his healing spells were entirely ineffective against the corruption that had woven into the cat, and he knew the same would be true if he tried to fix the sloth-like creature hanging above him. If he¡¯d had a Rejuvenation Potion, as he had before, perhaps things would be different. But he didn¡¯t, so he knew he only had two choices avable to him. Either he could put the beast out of its misery, or he could simply sneak past it. In his state, still fighting against the corruption attempting to rampage through his body, Elijah chose thetter. He crept forward, careful not to even graze the red tendrils scattered across the floor. His progress was slow, and more than once, he was forced to take advantage of his superhuman coordination to leap from one open spot to the next. All the while, the corrupted beast loomed over him, the waving tentacles sprouting from its back giving the impression that they were searching, that they were always on the lookout for anything to consume. A shiver ran up Elijah¡¯s spine as he deftly maneuvered across the tunnel. And then, just when he thought he was going to make it through undetected, the entire situation changed. Suddenly, the tendrils on the floor and walls came alive, moving with palpable hunger. The sound of wet squelching filled the air as Elijah¡¯s blood went cold. Mid-leap, he couldn¡¯t avoid the writhing tentacles. He alighted to the floor, his foot barely scraping against a mass of tentacles. But he knew it would be enough to spell his doom. Abandoning any attempts at remaining undetected, he dashed away, and it was just in time to avoid the descending w of the corrupted sloth-monster. It roared, the sound warbling with throat-bound mucus as it dropped to the floor andunched itself at Elijah. He knew he couldn¡¯t stand up to the creature. He¡¯d felt the power of the one he¡¯d healed, and while he could have beaten it, the one chasing him was at least twice asrge, with power that far exceeded the level its size suggested. Whether it was some ethereal instinct or justmon sense, Elijah knew that if he fought that creature, he would die. So, he ran, shifting into the Shape of the Sky and pping his powerful wings in an effort to escape. He sped down the tunnel, banking at every turn. Behind him, the massive monster pursued, mming into walls anytime it tried to turn. Still, the fact that it kept up despite those dys was enough to reaffirm Elijah¡¯s decision to flee. As he did, all of the progress he¡¯d made with the corruption was torn asunder, and it rampaged through his mind and body unchecked. Elijah tried to corral it, but with most of his mind focused on staying ahead of the monster, he slowly lost ground. But he couldn¡¯t let that distract him. Even a second¡¯s hesitation would see him caught by the monster, and while he didn¡¯t intend give in ¨C to the beast or the corruption flowing through him ¨C he knew how that would end. On he went, flying more precisely than he¡¯d ever managed before. Along the way, he sped past dozens of other monsters. Some were more sloth-beasts like the one still in hot pursuit, but Elijah recognized many other creatures from his travels through the jungles. They¡¯d all been corrupted, sprouting waving tentacles, the sight of which turned Elijah¡¯s stomach. But none of them were fast enough to catch him. Then, suddenly, after miles and miles, the tunnel opened into yet another chamber. This one was evenrger than thest, and it sported dozens of pirs, the tops of which were at the same level as the floor. They were evenly spaced, with various runes etched onto the top surfaces. Elijah ignored them, because he was far more concerned with whaty at the bottom of the chamber. Hundreds of yards below, a mass of corruption far more powerful than anything he¡¯d ever felt, writhed. It wasposed of those same rust-red tentacles, but Elijah also saw gaping eyes looking up at him with undisguised hatred. The sheer weight of that gaze interrupted the rhythm of Elijah¡¯s wings, and he nearly crashed into one of the pirs. He righted himself just in time to avoid that fate, though he did clip the top of the column, sending him skidding across it. That dy allowed the sloth-monster to catch up to him. The creature sailed through the air, its unnatural tentacles waving hungrily as its ws stretched toward Elijah. He couldn¡¯t escape. So he resolved to take another route. Initiating the shift into themer ape, Elijah threw himself at the beast. The second the transformationpleted, he used a skill he¡¯d often neglected:
Bestial Charge Charge an opponent. Shielded from harm while charging. Maximum distance based on Strength. Current: 152 feet. Shield efficacy based on Constitution. Only usable while under the influence of Shape of the Guardian.
He hit the beast like a runaway train. It railed against him, ineffectually scraping against the ethereal shield. Mid-air, Elijah threw the entirety of his considerable Strength behind a simple punch. It hit the monster¡¯s shoulder like a hammer, and because its wicked ws could find no purchase on the shield of Bestial Charge, it was knocked away. It hit one of the pirs, shaking it to its very foundations. Stunned, the sloth-beast fell, and it only took a moment before the tentacles down below ¨C ever hungry ¨Ctched onto it. The beast was consumed a secondter. Elijah hit the wall, but unlike the monster, he was ready for it. He dug his own ws into the surface, thenunched himself away. As he did so, the rest of the beasts he¡¯d passed along the way reached the chamber. They let out a collective roar, and Elijahnded on one of the pirs, skidding to a stop only a few inches from the edge. It was just in time to allow himself to brace for the oing charge. Book 5: Chapter 73: Two out of Three Book 5: Chapter 73: Two out of Three Elijah thrust his ws through the chest of an oing beast, and before it couldtch its unnatural tentacles onto his arm, he shook it free. The creature fell, its screeches reaching a crescendo before the sound was cut short by the monster below. Elijah didn¡¯t look down to see the results of his actions. He had neither the time nor the desire to witness that particrly grotesque scene. Instead, he bent his knees and threw himself at another tainted beast, tearing through it with all the savagery he could conjure. Anything less than that, and he would be overwhelmed ¨C either by the corruption flowing through him or by the monsters that had followed him into the chamber. He hit one pir, then bounded to the next. Fortunately, he had just enough Dexterity to maintain his bnce as he tore into the wave of monsters. He couldn¡¯t duck or dodge. There were too many for fancy maneuvers. Instead, Elijah fought like the savage beast he resembled, his ws and teeth ripping through the monsters with animalistic ferocity. There were none in the group that were nearly as powerful as the sloth-beast, so he managed to hold his own. Still, even as he fought, letting his instincts take over, he was well aware of the creeping advance of the corruption. It flowed from his Mind, infecting his Body and Soul, and eventually, it would reach his Core. Common sense told him not to let that happen. So, he pushed back, trying to contain the spread as much as possible. What he couldn¡¯t corral, he purged, and like that, he regained some semnce of an equilibrium. However, seeing the monsters arrayed against him gave him plenty of hints as to his future if he didn¡¯t figure out how to banish the corruption entirely. As he fought, the monsters took a back seat to the real fight raging inside him, and eventually, both battles reached their conclusion. Thest monster fell to the writhing tentacles below, marking a decided victory. The fight against the corruption was a draw, though, and Elijah had all he could handle simply holding it in ce. However, that did allow him to take stock of his situation. He¡¯d only made it to the second line of pirs, but there were forty more rows, each one spaced almost thirty feet apart, between him and the other side, where yet another shardy. He settled down on his haunches, narrowing his eyes. The pirs he¡¯d so far touched were bare on the top, but all the others were decorated with various symbols. It didn¡¯t take a genius to recognize that it was a puzzle of some sort, though he wasn¡¯t certain what shape it might take. Shaking his head, Elijah chose not to y the game at all. Instead, he shifted into the Shape of the Sky and took to the air, soaring over the first three rows of pirs. Then, something stuck him,shing through his wing and sheering down to the bone. The force sent him cartwheeling into one of the pirs, and when he crashed atop it, the thing immediately started crumbling.Awkwardly scrambling to his feet, Elijah leaped to the next. Even with one of his wings injured, he managed to glide a bit, but a momentter, another invisible force ¨C heralded by a surge of ethera ¨C shed into his other wing. He hit a different pir, but this one didn¡¯t crumble. Instead, a gout of fire burst forth from the center, bathing Elijah and the rest of the area in intense mes. Elijah leaped again, his body blistering as he initiated a transformation into his human form. Hended feet-first on another pir, already casting Soothe. With only a couple of facets of his Mind avable, and in tremendous pain, he struggled to make sense of everything. However, when the pir exploded into shards of ice, he was ready for it. It wasn¡¯t until two pirster ¨C one of which had crumbled while the other had buffeted him with powerful winds ¨C that he saw the pattern for what it was. There were five symbols. One denoted fire, another heralded wind, and the third stood for ice. The fourth meant that when he stepped upon the pir, it would fall apart. But the fifth ¨C Elijah hoped that it would be a safe haven. The only problem was that there wereparatively fewer of those, and they were well spaced across the column-strewn chamber. Still, as he leaped from thetest fire-breathing pir, Elijah knew he didn¡¯t have any option but tomit totally to his n. In his human form, he soared through the air, twisting when he felt the pulse of ethera that announced one of the attacks that had ripped through his wings. He narrowly avoided it, but the maneuver meant that he was going toe up short of his destination. Stretching his injured arm out as far as he could, he realized that one wasn¡¯t going to be enough. So, Elijah let go of his staff and grabbed hold of the edge of the pir with both hands. As he hung by his fingertips, the weapon ttered against the column, then disappeared into the mass of tentacles below. ¡°Shit,¡± he growled. The Staff of the First Dragon had been an incredibly powerful piece of equipment. And now it was gone. But it was better that than falling to that beast. One-armed, Elijah pulled himself up, half expecting the pir to crumble beneath him. Yet, it held firm, giving him a few moments to get his bearings. He used his healing spells to patch up his injuries, but it was only enough to get him functional. It would take far longer topletely heal, and with the corruption steadily straining against his control, he knew he couldn¡¯t afford to take that long. In the back of his mind, Elijah wondered if he¡¯d made a huge mistake bying alone. It had made sense when he¡¯d made the decision, but thetest challenge had already pushed him to his limits. And he wasn¡¯t even two-thirds of the way through. However, he knew that the others would¡¯ve had no defense against the corruption. Perhaps no one in the entire Trial could stand up to it like Elijah could. After all, while there were a few who could rival ¨C or even surpass ¨C his attributes, he felt certain that no one had reached the same level of cultivation he had. And there weren¡¯t many who could boast the core of an elder race. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. No - if hispanions hade with him, they would have died. Or worse, been corrupted. Was it instinct that had prompted that decision? Had he known, deep down on some intuitive level, not to bring them? Maybe. Or perhaps it was hubris once again rearing its ugly head. As much as he wanted to work on that, there was a fine line between being confident enough to do the things he did and letting that confidence push him too far. It was a bncing act that he knew was still a work in progress. Despite his frequent mistakes in that arena. Regardless, he couldn¡¯t begin second-guessing his actions when he was on a timer. He couldn¡¯t keep the corruption at bay indefinitely, so the moment he was well enough to continue, he turned his attention to the other pirs. It didn¡¯t take him long to pick out the glyphs denoting the safe columns, so after taking a couple of deep breaths, he shifted into themer ape form, then threw himself at the closest one. His destination was clear ¨C on the other side was another of the pieces of the Broken Branch of the World Tree ¨C so he only needed to reach it. As he leaped from one pir to the next, Elijah fully expected something else to go wrong. Perhaps the tentacle monster down below would suddenly climb out of its pit and kill him. Or some other trap would activate. But he reached the other side without encountering any other problems. So, he was incredibly cautious as he approached the dais containing the shattered piece of the Broken Branch. He even activated Iron Scales, just in case something attacked. Nothing did, and he collected the piece without issue. However, the moment he touched it, the whispers went wild, bing screams in his mind. You let them die! Selfish! Powerless! Weak! Arrogant! The screams cut right through him, causing physical pain that stabbed into his mind. On and on it went, shouting insults that hit far too close to home. Elijah gritted his teeth and focused inward, seeing that the corruption had begun to boil over. He mped down on it with his not inconsiderable willpower, and the voices dimmed. A little. But he could tell that he wouldn¡¯t bepletely rid of them until hepleted the challenge. Or that was what he hoped. He returned the way he¡¯de, leaping from one safe pir to the next. But when he reached the other side, he very nearly missed the ledge when he saw something he never could have expected. A crowd of people, all ripped and torn, faced him. There were humans, all dressed just as they¡¯d been when he¡¯d killed them back in Easton. Gnomes and dwarves, all ring at him usingly. Some individuals, he recognized. Like the red-mohawked gnome. Or the woman who¡¯d been Roman¡¯s second-inmand. A hundred others stood out to him, too, though he couldn¡¯t even remember the details of when he¡¯d killed them. That brought him up short. He¡¯d killed so many people that he couldn¡¯t even recall who they all were. ¡°You killed us,¡± they intoned in a monotonous voice. ¡°You could have saved us. You could have been a hero. You could have¡­¡± Elijah shook his head and, with no small degree of effort, ignored them. They weren¡¯t real. It was all in his mind, as he confirmed when he reached out one hand and saw that his hand passed through them with no resistance. The chorus continued, but Elijah refused to do as they continuously implored him. He would not consume the shards of crystal he had collected. Not for all the power in the world. ¡°Fool!¡± they shouted. He ignored them, pushing on. As he traversed the tunnels, retracing his steps to the main chamber, the shouts reached a crescendo. Each yelled insult and every usation cut deep into his Mind, shaking the very foundations of who he was. Everything began to unravel. The twisted rope of willpower he¡¯d woven between the facets loosened its grip, and the corruption seeped out. He screamed, falling to the ground and clutching his head. ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± But it wouldn¡¯t. It felt like someone was driving ice picks into his skull while beating him over the head with a sledgehammer of guilt. And then, suddenly, it stopped. Tears streaming down his cheeks, Elijah looked up, and all the figures were gone. Instead, only one remained. ¡°Alyssa¡­¡± His sister looked exactly as he remembered her, wearing blue jeans and an old Nirvana tee-shirt. She was young, too. Early twenties at thetest. Which didn¡¯t make sense. Not until he remembered that he was looking at a memory. A flicker of thought made manifest. ¡°They¡¯re not wrong, you know,¡± she said, kneeling beside him. She gave him a tight smile ¨C the same one he¡¯d grown so used to growing up ¨C and continued, ¡°Those little crystals in your bag could give you a great deal of power. With those, you¡¯d reach the peak of the Mortal Realm in no time at all. Noone on Earth could stand against you.¡± ¡°But?¡± he croaked, his voice nearly gone from all the screaming. ¡°No buts. That¡¯s just the truth, Elijah. You know it. So, the question is ¨C why do you continue to resist?¡± she asked. ¡°Why do you insist on taking the hard road when the other path is so much more convenient?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­wrong¡­¡± ¡°Is it? Taking help when it¡¯s offered is wrong? Why?¡± Elijah wanted to answer, but the reality of it was that he had no idea why he felt the way he did. Those pieces of crystal in his satchel were powerful, it was absolutely true. However, they represented something that felt entirely antithetical to who he was. On their own, perhaps they wouldn¡¯t send him down the wrong path, but they would represent the first steps towards¡­something bad. ¡°That is a childish way of looking at it,¡± she said. ¡°You can¡¯t save me. I¡¯m gone. But with enough power, you can help everyone else. Like Miggy. Or Carmen. That pretty knight who¡¯s been following you around. You could save the world, if you had enough power.¡± Elijah¡¯s hand crept toward the satchel. But then he stopped. He couldn¡¯t say why he pulled away. Nor could he articte what he found so objectionable about the notion of consuming the power in those shards. All he knew was that every instinct he had screamed at him to resist, that if he stepped one foot down that path, he would regret it. ¡°Idiot,¡± Alyssa said. ¡°All that opportunity, and you are too afraid to take the leap.¡± Then, she flickered and disappeared. A momentter, the usatory memories returned to echo those sentiments. Only then did Elijah recognize that he¡¯d made it back to the main chamber. So, with corruption flooding his Mind and memories screaming insults in his ears, Elijah picked himself up and trudged down the third and final hallway. Book 5: Chapter 74: Coming Together Book 5: Chapter 74: Coming Together Elijah stumbled along, his fingers trailing across the wall as a thousand usatory voices screamed in his mind. He no longer paid attention to their visual representations, instead simply trudging through them like the figments of his imagination they were. However, he couldn¡¯t ignore the steady spikes of agony stabbing into his brain. He passed a familiar-looking egg containing a particrlyrge ka¡¯ki, realizing that he¡¯d seen it before. He had been wandering in circles for hours, too distracted by the pain, the voices, and most of all, the corruption, to think straight. But on and on he went, too afraid to stop, to take even the slightest pause. If he did, he questioned whether or not he could force himself to resume his journey. ¡°Selfish!¡± ¡°Murderer!¡± ¡°Weakling!¡± Over and over, the shades of his in enemies used him. At first, it had been easy to ignore, but the longer they remained, the more impactful their words had be. Guilt was not a new emotion for Elijah. He was well-acquainted with regret. But what he felt as he slowly stumbled through one corridor after the next was uniquely powerful, and to the point where he could never hope to brush it aside. Endure, he told himself. That was his only hope of survival. So, that was what he did. If the way had been any moreplex than it was, there would have been no chance of him making it. If he¡¯d been attacked, he would have sumbed. But fortunately, the path remained clear, and Elijah sank within himself, deeper and more fully than even the most intense bout of meditation. That¡¯s when he saw it. The corruption had suffused every part of his Mind. On the surface, his efforts at containing or purging it had worked, but the deeper he looked, the more he saw how fully it had rooted itself to the essence of who he was. Like a malignant tumor of filth, it clung to him, spreading with a ravenous need to destroy his very identity. And with every passing moment ¨C with every step he took ¨C it expanded a little more. Greedily. Hungrily. It meant to consume him entirely.The moment Elijah recognized the danger, something inside of him awoke. It was pure in a way Elijah had never seen, and at first, he thought it was his spirit. The ephemeral core of his being that would persist long after his death, that would respond to the Call and join the collective that Nerthus referred to as the Mother. But that wasn¡¯t all it was. His identity was in there, too. The wholly human parts of him that refused to give in, even when every objective truth told him that he stood no chance of survival. The parts that connected with others, the pieces of him capable of love andpassion and hate and anger. His hopes and dreams, fears and nightmares. His strengths. His weaknesses. And everything in between. It was him,id bare in a way that no level of introspection could ever achieve. Nor could he fullyprehend it ¨C not in any way that mattered. But one thing he recognized straightaway was that it was the source of his willpower, and it connected to those tendrils he¡¯d wrapped around his Mind. Finally, he could feel something bestial, lurking in the dark, waiting to pounce at any moment. It, too, was part of his spirit, though only connected by the thinnest of threads. But more than anything, he saw that it roiled with unspent rage. It wanted to be let loose, to be wild, to ignore everything but the most basic of desires. Three sides. The corruption. His human spirit. And the beast within. One did not belong, and yet, it was far too strong for either of the other parts to ovee, and with every passing moment, the corruption grew stronger. Somewhere deep down, Elijah knew that if he didn¡¯t do something soon, it would overwhelm him. It would consume him, just as it had everything else within the expansive circle. So, Elijah gave in. Not to the taint. Instead, he embraced his human and bestial sides in equal measure, drawing strength from both as he pushed back against the corruption. It worked, but only for a moment before the taint shoved back, spreading with even more rapidity. He let out a roar ¨C both in the physical world as well as in his own Mind ¨C as he struggled against it, and yet, it was not enough. He couldn¡¯t contain it. Nor could he push it away. And even with all his power, he knew he could only endure for a few more moments. For a few seconds, he shoved with every ounce of willpower he possessed. The ropes he¡¯d used to corral the corruption as well as connect the facets of his mind red brighter and more powerful than ever before. But it was not enough. Elijah could see them fraying with every passing moment. Then, instincts flowed through his bestial side, suffusing his Mind in a way he only felt when giving into the rage that came with the Shape of the Guardian. And those instincts told him that if he could neither contain nor expel the corruption, there was only one other option. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. He needed to destroy it. Elijah surrendered to the beast inside of him, letting it take control as itshed out at the corruption. The entire thing was in Elijah¡¯s mind, but still, he got the impression of a furious, yet physically outmatched animal defending his territory. It still wasn¡¯t enough, though. After enduring that initial surge of aggression, the corruption shoved back, surrounding the beast and attempting to overwhelm it. Gritting his teeth, Elijah refused to let that happen. With the piece of his human awareness that managed to persist alongside the bestial wrath, hetched onto his spirit and created yet another tendril of willpower, connecting the two. A wave of power swept through the beast, giving it a brief swell of strength that allowed it to rip through a little more of the corruption. That spurred Elijah¡¯s efforts forward, and he shoved as much of his spirit as possible through that narrow space. And for a moment, it worked, but after only a second, he recognized that it wasn¡¯t enough. So, he built more connections. One after another until the ephemeral membrane between the two sides of his Mind shared so many bonds that they very nearly merged. Despite the massive influx of power, the best he could manage was a stalemate. Elijah kept going, his bestial side warring against the corruption even as he funneled power from his human spirit into the fight. He screamed. His bestial side roared. And still, it was not enough. And it never would be, he realized. Even as the two sides grew so close that they began to intermingle, Elijah knew that he was destined to fail. He could not win. The corruption was too powerful. It had been allowed to run rampant for too long. And it was far too ravenous to be denied. Except there was another part of Elijah that he had only barely begun to understand. As he¡¯d recently been told by Kirlissa ¨C in the form of Kurik ¨C he was a dragon, too. And the dragon inside him, straining against the constraints of his Core, wanted to fight, too. He let it loose, just as he had the beast within. Until that moment, Elijah hadn¡¯t really considered himself a dragon. Despite what his patron had said, he was still just a human who¡¯d gotten lucky enough to have been granted a powerful Core. But the moment he freed the dragon inside of him, he realized that it, just like the beast, was a part of who he was. Of who he would be. It merged with the other two parts of him ¨C his human spirit and the beast within ¨C seamlessly, using them both tounch itself forward with unmatched fury. And miraculously, the corruption retreated. That wasn¡¯t enough for the dragon, who threw itself into the fight, ripping and tearing with fang and w. The taint could not stand up to it. And with Elijah pushing to contain it, there was nowhere for it to flee. It was a massacre. The corruption that had, until that moment, seemed so powerful, fell with barely a whimper, and soon enough, the dragon stood victorious in his Mind. Yet, Elijah knew that he wasn¡¯t finished. The entire battle had given him more insight than he could easily process, but one fact stood above all, clear and obvious. There weren¡¯t really three parts of him. Not really. The divisions he saw were fabrications. The walls between them had been manufactured. And if he wanted to step forward, he needed to change the paradigm. He snatched at the thick ethera all around him. It was denser than any he¡¯d ever felt, and after the battle, it was perfectly clean. The corruption had been defeated, inside and all around him. It would return, and the rest of the area was still infected. But for now, Elijah drank in the thick ethera, funneling it into his Mind. He rebuilt the frayed tendrils of will and ethera he¡¯d used to connect each facet of his Mind, though he didn¡¯t stop there. Instead, he wove them into all three sides of his identity ¨C the dragon, the beast, and the human ¨C and when he was done, he tightened the ropes. At first, the three sides didn¡¯t want to move. They wanted to remain separate. Yet, Elijah persisted, leveraging every ounce of willpower he could muster towards the task. Finally, they shifted. One ethereal inch after another, they came closer together. As he pulled, Elijah built hundreds ¨C then thousands ¨C of other connections, but the burden didn¡¯t ease. If anything, it grew more difficult with every passing moment. Still, he pushed. It wasn¡¯t the same sort of battle that he¡¯d fought against the corruption, but it was no less difficult for the differences. And it required every ounce of power within Elijah to move those three sides ever closer until, atst, they started to ovep. That was when the difficulty increased exponentially. Elijah let out a pained gasp, but he barely maintained his grip. In a lot of ways, he felt like As, carrying the world on his shoulders. He knew he couldn¡¯t endure. He knew he was on the verge of failure. And yet, he kept going. Whether it was a simple force of will or he tapped into a hidden well of strength, Elijah had no idea. And with the whole of his Mind focused on the task at hand, he didn¡¯t have the mental capacity to figure it out. For a subjective eternity, Elijah pushed. He shoved. He dragged with all his might. And slowly ¨C ever so slowly ¨C the three pieces of his identity began to mingle. At first, they tried to remain separate, like oil and water. However, the more pressure he applied, the more he saw them merge together. Unsurprisingly, the dragon was the most resistant, but eventually, Elijah wrestled it ¨C or himself, as it were ¨C into submission. He might be a dragon ¨C but he wasn¡¯t just a dragon. He was a human. And, though he¡¯d tried to deny it, he was a beast as well. He was all of them. And together, they became something else. Something stronger than any of them alone. Finally, everything snapped together, and a wave of ethera pulsed through his mind. Then, it exploded outward, sending a fresh spike of pain through him. It faded after an instant, and atst, Elijah felt peace. After a few moments, he realized that he¡¯d copsed to all fours. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, and his muscles felt simultaneously energized and weak, like he was riding a wave of adrenaline after winning a twelve-round boxing match. He opened his eyes to see a stone floor covered in ck gunk. There was a notification begging for his attention, but he didn¡¯t have the opportunity to read it before he heard a voice, and this one wasn¡¯t confined to his mind. ¡°Impressive. I did not think you would survive the corruption,¡± it said. Elijah looked up to see a ta¡¯ki looming over him. The snake-tailed native of the excised gazed down at him, their eyes carrying a note of pity. They turned away and let out a hissing sigh. ¡°I wish I had been strong enough to say the same.¡± Book 5: Chapter 75: The Hunger Book 5: Chapter 75: The Hunger The ta¡¯ki slithered forward, then miraculously, they extended a hand. Elijah took it, and the native of Ka¡¯arath helped him to his feet. ¡°What is going on?¡± Elijah asked. The snake-tailed creature looked away and sighed. That gave Elijah a moment to truly inspect the creature, and he found himself more than a little intimidated. Like all the other ta¡¯ki, this one had thick, white skin and four arms. But unlike the others, they wore an borate headdress that looked so decayed that it was barely holding itself together. Vaguely, Elijah recognized it as belonging to some sort of animal with golden fur, but beyond that, it was unidentifiable. Otherwise, the ta¡¯ki wore a golden pendant sorge that it covered half of their chest. The gold was dull, though, and if it had been silver, Elijah would have said it looked tarnished. The degradation was soplete that he could barely see the symbol etched on the golden surface. Finally, the creature carried a staff topped with a carving meant to represent a magnificent bird with its wings outstretched. Like everything else the ta¡¯ki wore, it was worn and degraded, though not so much that Elijah couldn¡¯t recognize it for what it was meant to portray. ¡°I was once like you,¡± they said with a tinge of regret. ¡°I was idealistic. I thought I could save my world. I was wrong, and in my hubris, I set myself against the encroaching taint. I lost that struggle, and because of my actions, my entire grove was corrupted right alongside me. It started with the eggs, but it spread so quickly that the other Druids could not hope to resist. I was thest to fall, though even as I struggled against it, I knew my fate was inevitable.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Druid.¡± ¡°Archdruid. My grove once stretched for thousands of miles in every direction. Tens of thousands of other Druids followed me. Powerful Wardens protected us as we endeavored to maintain the bnce. We were more than just amunity. We were a nation unto ourselves, as powerful as the empire Yloa would go on to build.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Elijah asked. He could see the tendrils of corruption flowing up the archdruid¡¯s arms and spreading across their torso. But like the one he¡¯d encountered in the Ice Fortress, it seemed this ta¡¯ki wanted to talk, to exin themselves. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Takina,¡± the archdruid stated. ¡°My duty tells me that I should mourn them all equally, but I am not strong enough to do so. They were all my children, but there was a special ce in my heart for those hatched from my own eggs. Perhaps that is normal for any mother.¡±¡°I think that¡¯s natural,¡± Elijah said. ¡°There is nothing natural about this,¡± she responded sadly. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen ¨C¡± ¡°You have seen a mirage,¡± she interrupted with no small amount of venom in her voice. ¡°A single continent that has managed to remain mostly untainted by the Ravener¡¯s hunger. If you saw the world outside of this little bubble, you would be horrified. I was. I am.¡± ¡°Did the system preserve this¡­continent, then?¡± She shook her head. ¡°For that, we can thank Yloa. The Lightning Emperor. The author of our doom and our lone hope for salvation,¡± she said. ¡°At times, I wonder if I made the right choice of neutrality. We thought we were above it, the petty squabbles that wracked the rest of the world. But we felt the consequences even more keenly than anyone else. We¡­we who were closer to the World Tree than any other¡­we were uniquely vulnerable to theck of its touch. Excisement. It was a death sentence. We served nature, and yet¡­and yet, we were tossed aside and left to rot, all because we were in the wrong ce at the wrong time. ¡°I could have escaped. I had the opportunity to flee to another world,¡± she said, the taint writhing under her pale skin. ¡°I could have taken my eggs and started over. But I could not abandon my grove. I could not leave my people. Is that a sin, do you think? To love one¡¯s family more than her purpose, than her calling?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Of course not,¡± she said with a tired sigh. The tendrils of corruption bulged, trying to escape. ¡°You are a child. A mere infant having been thrust into a world you are incapable of understanding. You do not have the capacity to see the truth.¡± ¡°Then tell me.¡± ¡°The touch of the Ravener is inevitable. You fight against it. You just won a battle,¡± she said. ¡°But it will return, and it will consume you. Perhaps it will not be as overt as all of this.¡± She gestured to the wet and fleshy tentacles creeping across the wall. ¡°But it will take you, all the same. Greed. Hunger. Pride. Rage. Every time you make a choice that leads to more power, you will wonder if that was your decision or if it was thrust upon you by the Ravener. She is always out there. Her influence spreads, just like that of the World Tree. It will infect you just as it has infected me.¡± ¡°You seem like you¡¯ve resisted it.¡± ¡°I have thousands of years of practice. I may have been reduced by the Shackles, but my mental discipline is no less developed. Yet, here I am, on the verge of losing control. What chance do you have, then? You can only flee. Run away to the center of the multi-verse so that you may have more time, and when the Raveneres for you ¨C and she will, make no mistake ¨C take your own life so that you will not be used against those you love,¡± she said. ¡°That is my advice to you, should you survive this encounter. I pray you have a chance to heed it.¡± ¡°What ¨C¡± Even as Elijah uttered that single word, Takina backed away. A secondter, the corruption that had been writhing beneath her skin burst forth into a thousand rust-red tentacles. Blood sttered upon the floor and onto the tendrils coating the walls. They wriggled in glee,ing alive and reaching for Elijah. He leaped backward just in time to avoid those grasping tendrils of corruption. At the same time, the archdruid let loose a blood-curdling scream, though Elijah could only make out two words. ¡°Kill me!¡± she screeched, her entire body rigid as she tried to hold the tentacles sprouting from her body at bay. Her staff snapped in two under the immense pressure of her grip, and her words were drowned out when a more primal sound escaped her throat. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Then, like a striking snake, sheunched herself at him. There was nothing of the serene archdruid left. Just a vicious and corrupted beast who only knew hunger. Elijah sprang to the side, casting Storm¡¯s Fury mid-leap. The spell activated almost instantly, then mmed into the corrupted archdruid. Her muscles twitched, but her momentum was unchanged. Thankfully, Elijah kicked off the wall, narrowly avoiding her reckless charge. Then, he used Snaring Roots. A thousand corrupted tentacles sprang from the stone floor, wrapping themselves around Takina¡¯s tail. She tried to rip free, but theytched onto her with undeniable strength. Still, Elijah felt nauseous, knowing that his spell had taken control of those tentacles. He couldn¡¯t allow it to impede the fight, though, so he pushed that difort aside and summoned Swarm. Before the insects even manifested, he was already casting Cmity. They both hit at the same time, with hundreds of unfamiliar, fly-like creatures descended upon the archdruid while hurricane-force winds tore through the corridor. The archdruid ripped away from the effects of Snaring Roots, but she was incapable of pushing through the winds. Instead, she was shoved backward, those thousands of waving tendrils sprouting from her skin acting as an impromptu sail. Then, she leveled her broken staff at Elijah and cast a familiar spell. ck lightning tore across the corridor and mmed into Elijah¡¯s chest. The moment it made impact, his heart seized, and he was thrown backward. He skidded across the floor, stopping only when he hit a wall and caromed a few more feet beforeing to a rest. Tendrils snaked up out of the ground, ready to consume him, but he fended them off with a series of panicked kicks as he initiated a transformation into the Shape of the Guardian. It couldn¡¯te too soon, though, because the corrupted archdruid was already casting another spell. This time, it was her tainted version of Cmity. ck winds blew, colliding with Elijah¡¯s spell and creating a whirlwind where both spells fed off one another. Even as amer ape, Elijah struggled to fight through it. The archdruid, whose power was subject to the Shackles of the Trial of Primacy, had an even more difficult time with it. She was not a creature of Strength, and she clearly hadn¡¯t chosen abat path like Elijah. So, she was at a slight disadvantage that he was more than willing to exploit. For the second time in recent memory, he used Bestial Charge, throwing himself across the corridor with renewed fury. His spell took hold just in time to shield him from another bolt of ck lightning, and he hit the archdruid with a form tackle that would have made any football coach proud. He drove her to the ground, burying his shoulder in her torso, and he was rewarded by the sound of cracking bone. Then, he ripped into her with his ws. Once, then twice. Three times before she managed to slither out from under him. That¡¯s when her tentacles came into y, striking at him like a thousand venomous snakes. Elijah felt the injection of corruption with every bite, and if it had happened even ten minutes before, he would have sumbed to the sheer volume. However, the triumvirate of his identity ¨C dragon, human, and beast ¨C had honed its edge against much more potent corruption than what those tiny tentacles could produce. They ripped through it with ease, allowing Elijah to focus on his enemy. He grabbed a handful of tentacles and ripped. They came loose in a shower of mucus and blood, and the archdruid screamed. She alsoshed out, biting his shoulder with surprising force. He reared back in pain as he felt his corbone snap, and she used that opportunity to cast a spell. Elijah knew what it was, just by virtue of the way the ethera ¨C and corruption ¨C swirled around her, but as much as he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t stop it. Green light,ced with ck and red, fell upon her, and the damage he¡¯d inflicted mended in only a moment. Clearly, she¡¯d taken a more healing-focused path than he had. Renewed by the spell, she attacked again, and with enough ferocity that he couldn¡¯t dodge when she buried the shards of her broken staff in his stomach. He bounded backward, yanking it out and tossing it aside. ¡°Are you in there?¡± he growled. ¡°Please¡­if you¡¯re in there ¨C¡± The archdruid had clearly sumbed to the corruption, though, and she responded to his plea by casting another spell, and it was one with which Elijah had no experience. All around him, the mucus-covered vines twisted together, rising from the ground and extending from the floor until a half-dozen humanoid creatures stood before him. Elijah had no time to wonder what they actually were before they copsed onto him with surprising strength. Alone, none of them could have threatened him. But together, they were more than enough to overpower him. Elijah fought back. He struggled against them. But over the next few seconds, theytched onto his arms and legs, immobilizing him. Takina attacked again with the corrupted version of Storm¡¯s Fury. More, she conjured a thousand insects ¨C each one sprouting hundreds of tiny cilia and reeking of corruption ¨C that fell upon him to deliver their tainted afflictions. Thankfully, Elijah still had his buffs active, and each of those insects could only deliver one bite before they were speared through by retaliatory thorns. Still, that did nothing tobat their afflictions, and in the space of a few seconds, Elijah felt his strength drifting away. He used Guardian¡¯s Renewal, and to his surprise, when it went to war against the causes of his ravaged body, it was pushed to new heights by his unified spirit. Even so, it did not heal him ¨C notpletely, at least. Instead, it only managed to banish the afflictions and mend the worst of his injuries. Some still lingered, but that was much better than dying. So, his strength renewed, Elijah continued to struggle against the vine-creatures. Takina threw more lightning his way ¨C perhaps that was the extent of her offensive capabilities ¨C but it did no more damage than the first casts. Then, the vine-monsters started to lose their strength as the spell that had animated them ran its course. Elijah broke free, but he didn¡¯t immediately attack the archdruid. Instead, he took a gamble and shifted into the Shape of Venom. His reasoning was simple. He needed more damage, and his newly evolved form of the blight dragon was the best he could do. So, the moment he¡¯d shifted into the much smaller shape, he raced forward, dodging more arcs of lightning. He leaped upon the wall, using his sticky feet to climb to the ceiling. That surprised the corrupted archdruid, dying her reactions enough to allow him to drop down and deliver an Envenomed bite. Then, he did it again. And again after that. With his high Strength and Dexterity, he could strike incredibly quickly, and before she managed to knock him away, he¡¯d bitten her more than half a dozen times. Each one wasced with powerful venom as well as Insidious Mdy, which he hoped would be enough. She stumbled, thenshed out, backhanding him hard enough to send him flying across the room. Elijah used Flicker Step while in mid-air and crashed into her back, fangs-first. Still, she would not fall. A secondter, she used another healing spell, and Elijah knew he needed to pile on the damage even more. Now that she was under the effects of his potent venom, he shifted back into themer ape form and threw himself at her. She tried to fend him off, but as he¡¯d discovered before, she had never been a creature of great Strength or Constitution. Since then, she¡¯d been weakened by his venom, and because of his continued assault, she was incapable of healing enough to banish that affliction. The writing was already on the wall. Elijah knew it, and if the archdruid had been capable of rational thinking, she would have recognized it as well. Yet, the fight continued, and Elijah¡¯s advantage grew with every passing second. Still, she fought, casting heals that mended her broken bones almost as quickly as he could administer the beating. In the end, it took nearly half an hour before she finally sumbed, but rather than feeling ted at another victory, Elijah only felt exhausted ¨C mentally and physically. So, for a long time, he just sat there, surrounded by corruption and with a broken ta¡¯ki beneath him. Then, he sighed, shifted back into his human form, and finally remembered the notification he¡¯d had no chance to read before being attacked by the archdruid. Book 5: Chapter 76: The Mine Book 5: Chapter 76: The Mine Shadows danced against the walls, caused by the ming torch in Gwenivere¡¯s hand. Thankfully, it emitted no smoke, instead giving off a scattering of ethereal motes that dissipated after only a few moments. She sighed, ncing around. The structure of the mine was precisely what she¡¯d expected, which meant that it was just a series of tunnels supported by a framework of wooden beams. However, as mundane as it seemed at first nced, she couldn¡¯t deny the presence of the thick ethera hanging in the air. It was even denser than what she¡¯d found in the city far above, which in turn, was far thicker than what she¡¯d grown ustomed to. But as pleasant as being surrounded by much ethera could feel, it was notforting. ¡°You alright?¡± asked Colt, sitting next to her, his sheathed sword across hisp. He took a bite of his travel rations. Gwenivere shook her head. ¡°This doesn¡¯t put you on edge?¡± she asked. ¡°I feel like my hair should be standing on end. I¡¯ve had goosebumps since we first set foot into this mine.¡± He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a bit unnervin¡¯, I¡¯ll definitely admit that. But this ain¡¯t my first rodeo. I won¡¯t get too worked up ¡®til we find somethin¡¯ to work me up, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± she said with a shake of her head, her grip tightening on the haft of her axe. Her armor clinked a little as she shifted, and though she valued stealth, she knew that the protection it provided was far more important. In addition to her chainmail shirt, which fit her like a glove, she had been provided with a pair of armored leather pants. Steel greaves protected her shins, and her hands were d in a pair of armored gauntlets. In short, she felt as protected as possible, though they had yet to encounter any enemies. That wasn¡¯t so surprising, though. The people of Ironshore had been working the mines for a few years, and they¡¯d delved deep into the mountains. She and Colt had nearly reached the edge of their explored territory ¨C apparently, the area was riddled with underground tunnels and caverns, some of which wererge enough to have amodated whole cities ¨C so she had good reason to expect the situation to grow much more dangerous. ¡°How did you lose the hand?¡± she asked, nodding to the injury. It had actually taken her a while to even realize that his hand was missing, as he¡¯d reced it with a fixed, metal prosthetic. He hefted his arm, turning it this way and that. The prosthetic was covered by a ck glove, so there was no metal visible. It didn¡¯t move, though, making its nature clear.¡°Trusted the wrong people,¡± he said. ¡°Betrayal?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Nah. Ipetence, mostly. They weren¡¯t bad folks, just a bit stupid. Too na?ve for a world like this,¡± he exined. ¡°They were still stuck in the old way of thinkin¡¯, where people were equal, more or less. You get enough together, and you could maybe make a difference. That don¡¯t work when your enemy is twice as strong as you.¡± ¡°They died?¡± Colt nodded. ¡°Brutally.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Bad guys got what wasin¡¯ to ¡®em, though. Most of ¡®em are dead now.¡± ¡°You?¡± He gave a harshugh. ¡°Nah, girl. I ain¡¯t got that kinda power. It was the Druid. He swept in there and did what a thousand rebels couldn¡¯t. That¡¯s the kinda world we live in, now. Be grateful you ain¡¯t seen that kinda thing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about Elijah?¡± she asked, thinking back to the sickly man she¡¯d sat next to on the ne. Back then, he¡¯d seemed on the edge of death. But then, everything had happened, and somehow, he¡¯de out of it as one of the strongest people in the world. It didn¡¯t make much sense to Gwenivere, but then again, she and the other survivors had been so isted that they hadn¡¯t been exposed to much beyond the simple struggle to survive. ¡°He¡¯s not as harmless as he seems. That boy¡¯s got the devil in him,¡± Colt said. ¡°He wants to do the right thing. He tries. But there¡¯s more to ¨C¡± He stopped abruptly mid-sentence, and when Gwenivere made to speak, he raised his prosthetic hand. She understood the gesture and went silent. A secondter, the slightest of sounds echoed through the tunnel. It was barely louder than a pin drop, but in the silence, it was obvious. Colt pushed himself to his feet, his movements sure and silent as he drew his sword. She followed his lead, hefting her axe in both hands. As she did so, she embraced Sentinel¡¯s Senses:
Sentinel¡¯s Senses Temporarily increase the efficacy of the Sentinel¡¯s sensory capabilities. Also allows them to see through most forms of stealth. Duration based on Ethera. Current: 39.3 Seconds. Efficacy based onparative Dexterity.
It was the second ability she¡¯d gotten after choosing her Sentinel ss ¨C the first being Eyes of the Sentinel ¨C and it had saved her life more times than she could count. More, it had saved the lives of her friends as well, allowing her to recognize threats well before they¡¯d arrived. Because in the cave system where she and the other crash survivors had taken refuge, many of the dangerous creatures made copious use of stealth. It was not a stretch to say that without Sentinel¡¯s Senses, none of them would have survived more than a few weeks. The moment the ability took hold, a wave of sensory input washed over her. Suddenly, the darkness was no more oppressive than a cloudy afternoon, and she saw the tunnel in more detail than ever before. In addition, thebination of her improved hearing, sense of smell, and touch gave her something she likened to a natural sonar that gave her an idea of what lurked in the area. She blinked. Then, she reached out, tapping Colt on the shoulder. He whipped around, and she held up two fingers before pointing down the tunnel. After that, she held her hand about four feet off the ground, indicating their size. Over the next couple of seconds, she tried to mime the general orientation of the creatures she sensed. They were quadrupedal, covered in hard exoskeletons, and were equipped withrge fangs. By the time she¡¯d finished with her warning, her ability wore off, and she lost the sense of the creatures. But that warning was enough to give them the upper hand. Colt stepped forward, his feet silent as he held his sword in his lone hand. The arm with the prosthetic, he held before him like a shield, and as they turned the corner, that was exactly how he used it. The nightmare monster ¨C which looked like a cross between a wolf and an insect ¨C bounded forward,tching onto Colt¡¯s metallic hand and biting down with bone-crushing force. The man responded with a vicious overhand attack that cut deep into the beast¡¯s snout. It retreated with a chittering sound, bounding backwards to put some distance between itself and the man who¡¯d cut it. That was when Gwenivere used Eyes of the Sentinel: Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
Name: Lycosect Level: 48 Archetype: Beast (Tamed) ss: N/A Highest Attribute: Dexterity
¡°Level forty-eight,¡± she said, stepping up to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Colt. She used her ability on the second creature, which lurked a little behind the first. It was two levels higher, but otherwise, it was identical. She knew that Colt was level sixty-one, which wasn¡¯t powerful enough to put him in the top one-hundred, but it got him pretty close. Byparison, her own level seemed paltry. She¡¯d been the strongest person among the refugees, but it seemed that being level fifty wasn¡¯t enough to set her apart in Ironshore. And she knew from experience that facing two beasts at the same time without a full group tobat them was a dangerous proposition. Not insurmountable, but no easy battle, either. Colt shed his sword through the air, and a secondter, it looked like one of the lycosects had been put through a woodchipper. Pieces of ck-and-purple chitin erupted from its body, and dark blood misted into the air. The thing let out a chittering screech that sounded almost like a whimper. Seeing that, the other monster bolted. After seeing the creature¡¯s details with Eyes of the Sentinel, Gwenivere knew that she couldn¡¯t let it escape. She wasn¡¯t certain what had tamed the beast, but she had no intentions of letting it return to its master. So, she used Halt.
Halt Prevent an enemy from acting. Duration based on rtive Strength. Current duration (minimum): 1.2 seconds. Breaks automatically when the enemy takes damage.
The creature froze, its momentumpletely gone. Because she knew that the beast focused on Dexterity, she expected Halt tost more than the minimum duration. But from experience, she knew it wouldn¡¯t hold for more than three seconds, even if she outssed the beastpletely. Which she did not. So, she dashed forward, using Charge to increase her movement speed. And in only a moment, she was on top of the thing. She swung her axe in a two-handed attack, augmented by Impale and Disabling Strike. The first would cause it to bleed uncontrobly, and the second would lower its Strength and Dexterity by a significant amount. The axe bit into the monster¡¯s back, digging deep into its hardened exterior until the de hit something soft. Yet, the natural armor did its job, protecting the creature from the vicious strike. But Gwenivere had expected that. She knew that her ss wasn¡¯t built to inflict deadly wounds. Instead, the Sentinel was all about control and confinement. In a more civilized situation, she could easily imagine that it would have been taken by men and women who wanted to guard, protect, and police a settlement. The effect of Disabling Strike was immediately apparent as the creature slumped to the ground. It leaped at her, but it felt like the thing was moving in slow motion. Gwenivere easily fended it off, though it did manage to swipe its sharp ws across her midsection. Thankfully, her chainmail armor protected her from permanent damage, and she responded with another attack that she hoped would help end the battle.
Sunder Defenses Decrease an enemy¡¯s Constitution by twenty points. Resistance based on rtive Strength. Each subsequent use decreases Constitution by an additional five points. Maximum: 40.
Cracks spread across the lycosect¡¯s chitinous armor as Sunder Defenses took hold. Gwenivere used it again. Three more times, and the carapace looked as if it was on the verge of crumbling. Only then did she use her most potent attack:
Lethal Force A powerful attack that does additional damage based on the number of negative status effects. Modifier based on Strength attribute. Current: 41% per negative status effect.
Gwenivere had more debuffs she could use ¨C decreasing Ethera and Regeneration, respectively, as well as another that could hinder the enemy¡¯s movement speed ¨C but she felt that Disabling Strike and four iterations of Sunder Defenses was enough. Her axe hit the thing only a few inches from where she¡¯dnded her first attack, and the de blew through the weakened chitin, easily cutting through the more vulnerable internal organs, and nearly hacking the beast in half. It didn¡¯t immediately die, but it was definitely out of the fight. So, Gwenivere turned her attention to the other, only to see that Colt had already cut it into a hundred pieces. It was entirely unrecognizable. ¡°This is bad,¡± she said, her heart beating wildly. She¡¯d grown ustomed to battle, but there was still a part of her that panicked every time she got into a fight. It was easy enough to ignore, but it was also a grim reminder that she¡¯d never set out to be a warrior. ¡°Really bad. Those things were domesticated.¡± ¡°Like cattle?¡± Colt asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°More like hunting dogs, I think.¡± She didn¡¯t need to exin the implications of that. They¡¯de into the mines to search for missing workers, and they had both expected to find a nest of dangerous monsters. However, the fact that there were tamed beasts roaming about said that the culprits were likely sentient. ¡°You think some orcs survived?¡± Colt wondered aloud. ¡°Wormed their way underground somehow?¡± Gwenivere had heard stories about the orc invasion, but she had no context to offer an opinion. So, she shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we definitely need to find out.¡± She didn¡¯t care overmuch about Ironshore or its people ¨C aside from the dictates of basic human decency ¨C but if the Druid came back to find the city had been invaded, his promise of helping to rescue the crash survivors would almost definitely be put on the backburner. Knowing that every dy decreased their chances of survival, Gwenivere couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. Thankfully, Colt agreed, and they both set out down the tunnel, looking for a trail. It didn¡¯t take them long to pass beyond the bounds of the mapped area, and still, they continued to descend until, atst, they found an abandoned camp. Gwenivere kicked a disused fire pit. The coals were still slightly warm, telling her that whoever had used the camp hadn¡¯t been gone for that long. Otherwise, there were a few rocks that had been arranged around the fire, suggesting that they¡¯d used them as makeshift chairs. ¡°Bones,¡± Colt said, kneeling a dozen feet away and pushing something around. ¡°Looks like cave rabbit. Gnawed on, too.¡± Cave rabbits were the colloquial name for a small subterranean varmint that popted the caves. There were other creatures that called the tunnels home, but they were the least dangerous prey animals in the area. A little more inspection found atrine pit, all but confirming they were dealing with intelligent foes. So, going forward, they were far more careful. Their caution paid off when, more than a dayter, they finally found their quarry. There were six of them, all gathered around another fire. A pair of lycosects slept nearby, looking for all the world like some macabre version of family pets. But Gwenivere¡¯s attention was on the clearly sentient creatures around the fire. They had blue skin so dark that it was almost ck, with stark white hair, pointed ears, and an ethereal beauty Gwenivere had only seen on the few elves that lived in Ironshore. From afar, she used Eyes of the Sentinel on the closest one:
Name: Farin Tar Level: 57 Archetype: Ranger ss: Shade Hunter Highest Attribute: Dexterity
She swallowed hard, and after a moment, she motioned for Colt to back away. ¡°Dark elves,¡± he said once they were well out of hearing range. He shook his head. ¡°I knew they existed, but¡­this ain¡¯t good. This ain¡¯t good at all.¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± she asked. ¡°They¡¯re all higher level than me.¡± He took his ridiculous hat off, then wiped his arm across his forehead. ncing back the way they¡¯de, then in the direction of the dark elf camp. ¡°We gotta follow ¡®em. I think it¡¯s clear they took the miners. Killed ¡®em, probably. But we won¡¯t know for sure ¡®til wey eyes on ¡®em.¡± ¡°We need to find out if there¡¯s more out there, too. And where they¡¯re getting into the mines,¡± Gwenivere added, d that she and Colt were on the same page. ¡°What do we know about¡­dark elves?¡± ¡°Not much. Just that they exist and that most other elves don¡¯t particrly like ¡®em. That don¡¯t mean much, given how uppity most elves seem to be,¡± he said. Then, he shrugged. ¡°We need to find out, though. You in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Then, the pair returned to where they¡¯d seen the dark elves and began their reconnaissance. Hopefully, they would soon discover the answers to all their questions. Book 5: Chapter 77: The Shard of Natures Might Book 5: Chapter 77: The Shard of Nature''s Might Elijah copsed onto the ground, having left thetest challenge far behind. For a long time, he justy there, his eyes closed as he steadied his breathing. As much as he had gained inside, he never wanted to see anything like it ever again. He didn¡¯t even want to think about the horrors he¡¯d witnessed, though no matter how much he tried, he couldn¡¯t push any of it away. In retrospect, the battle against the ta¡¯ki archdruid hadn¡¯t been that harrowing. In fact, if he¡¯d had to rank it alongside the other three challenges he¡¯d encountered, he would have ced it at the very bottom. Even the fight against the aviak had been more difficult. Yet, that had never been what the challenge was meant to be about. Rather, the situation itself ¨C of a corrupted circle within a Druid grove ¨C was where the true testy. Elijah¡¯s mind wandered back to the usatory shades that had haunted him for thest part of the challenge. Even knowing they were caused by the corruption hadn¡¯t helped him to deal with any of it. It was only when he¡¯d acknowledged and epted the three parts of his nature that he was strong enough to truly destroy the taint. But that wasn¡¯t all that had happened. As hey there, on a blessedly dry ind in the middle of the swamp, he cycled back to the notification he¡¯d received just before the archdruid had revealed herself.
Congrattions! Your Mind has reached the Jade Stage.
He didn¡¯t really need the notification ¨C or the line in his status ¨C to verify it, either. He could feel it. The facets of his Mind had drawn into a tight cluster, where they were bound together by a dense web of willpower. Each facet was capable of quicker thoughts, and his ability to calcte had improved by leaps and bounds. In a lot of ways, he felt like one of those people who could doplex math problems more quickly than a calctor. But the real benefit of reaching the Jade stage of his Mind cultivation was that his ability to regenerate ethera had once again drastically improved. And because of his improved ability with numbers, he estimated that he¡¯d received a roughly thirty-percent boost. That would doubtless prove to be an incredible benefit, though he knew that it wouldn¡¯t be nearly as impactful for him as it would be for someone who relied a little more on casting abilities. The bulk of his power was tied into his various forms, so while he liked the flexibility of being able to cast spells, he didn¡¯t rely as much on his ethera regeneration as someone with a more spell-focused ss.Regardless, Elijah could think of multiple instances when he would have benefited from a little more ethera regeneration. So, he didn¡¯t disdain the improvement. Perhaps just as importantly, he¡¯d gained two whole levels during his ordeal, putting him at level ny-eight. As hey there, Elijah looked at his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 98
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 159 (113)
Dexterity 158 (102)
Constitution 155 (115)
Ethera 128 (110)
Regeneration 160 (102)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Adept
Body Core This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Mind Soul
Stone Whelp Jade Novice
The numbers didn¡¯t add up, though. He cycled through his notifications, then found the culprit. While he¡¯d been distracted by the agonizing pain ¨C both physical and psychological ¨C of the corruption trying to infect his body, he¡¯d gained eight whole points in his Ethera attribute and an additional four had been added to his Constitution. Which was insane. Elijah was no stranger to increasing his attributes via alternate means like training or through other feats of endurance. Yet, he¡¯d never gained so much so quickly, which left him in awe. More, he came to realize just how dangerous the challenge had been. One wrong move, and he would have sumbed to the corruption. He had no idea what would have happened at that point, but he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it would not have been good. However, he keenly felt the loss of his Staff of the First Dragon, which had increased his attributes by twenty points each, in addition to augmenting his spells by a significant margin. Recing that weapon would be a difficult and time-consuming task, and one Elijah wasn¡¯t certain would be possible in the short term. At least his armor remained intact, as did the attribute bonuses from his coffee. Idly, he remembered that he¡¯d never even used the Rejuvenation ability tied to his lost staff, which seemed like such an oversight. The same could be said for the ability associated with his armor, Bulwark of the Boar King. More than once, he could have used an imprable shield, and even if it had a two-week cooldown, he vowed to make better use of it going forward. The problem was that he had a lot of abilities to juggle, and he didn¡¯t have quite as intuitive of a grasp when it came to the ones granted by items. Even so, he knew that if he was going to survive the rest of the Trial ¨C and get the most out of it ¨C he would need every advantage he could find. Not just the ones that were easy to remember. Hopefully, reaching the Jade stage of his Mind cultivation would help in that department. Elijah knew he wasn¡¯t perfect, though. Far from it, in fact. But now that he had recognized the issue, he would endeavor to fix it. Only time would tell how well that would work out. In any case, Elijah moved on to the next order of business. In order toplete the challenge, he¡¯d had tobine the three pieces of the broken Branch of the World Tree, then ce them at the center of the fallen Druid circle. Doing so hadn¡¯t been difficult,rgely because once the corrupted archdruid had died, much of the taint had dissipated. Uponpletion, the powerful shards of crystal had disappeared, but he¡¯d gained a reward. With an exhausted sigh, he sat up and retrieved the item from his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. Just looking at it, the thing didn¡¯t seem all that special, but when he focused on the Shard of Nature¡¯s Might, he was nearly overwhelmed by the dense ethera running through and surrounding it. If it was any weaker than the Ingot of Celestial Gold, he would have been extremely surprised. From a physical perspective, the shard was a foot-long chunk of cloudy crystal with jagged edges. The interior pulsed slightly with ethereal power, but in broad daylight, it wasn¡¯t really visible. More than that, though, Elijah could feel a connection with it. That shouldn¡¯t have been surprising, given the nature of thetest challenge. Though it had been corrupted, the Swamp of Ill Omen ¨C and the grove within ¨C had been tied to nature. So, it made sense that the reward would be as well. Still, Elijah wasn¡¯t ready to im it as his until he¡¯d had Atticus inspect it. Sure, he¡¯d earned it, fair and square, but if it was something that would benefit one of his teammates more than him, he had no issues with turning it over. Perhaps that wasn¡¯t the cutthroat mentality that many would take, but Elijah knew that he would only go so far as his team. The stronger they were, the better his chances ofpleting every challenge within the Trial and gaining the real rewards at the end. Of course, it wasn¡¯t lost on him that he¡¯d managed to defeat one challenge on his own, but he expected that was the result of a very specific confluence of events. It wasn¡¯t likely that he would be able to rely on that sort of thing going forward. But mostly, Elijah was willing to share the wealth for one, simple reason. Earth was under siege. The Primal Realm in Hong Kong was unlikely to be the only such situation, and if they were going to ovee the dangers assailing their, then humans as a whole would need to grow much stronger. The first step in that direction was helping hispanions. Finally, Elijah picked himself up and looked around. Without any more dy, he shifted into the Shape of the Predator and set off across the swamp. The further he got from the challenge, the better he felt. What¡¯s more, he could sense the changes in his Mind even more keenly with every step. One with Nature hadn¡¯t grown any stronger ¨C and in fact, the radius of effect had shrunk when he¡¯d lost his Staff of the First Dragon ¨C but the depth of his understanding had increased by a significant degree. He felt connected to his surroundings in a way he never had before. On top of that, his other senses had grown stronger as well. Was that a side effect of his Mind cultivation increasing to Jade? Or was it due to the eptance of his bestial side? Elijah wasn¡¯t certain, but he was grateful for the change. The more information he had, the better. Gradually, he crossed the swamp until, nearly two dayster, he found an expanse of solid ground stretching before him. That¡¯s when he finally thought it safe to take to the skies, and he circled the area for another couple of hours until, atst, he saw hispanions. They were standing in the middle of a battlefield, surrounded by the bodies of hundreds of wraiths and dozens ofrge beasts. Clearly, the fight had ended only recently, because they still hadn¡¯tpletely healed. Elijahnded a little ways away, then resumed his human form before approaching. He made certain to be as obvious as possible as he picked his way between the corpses. ¡°You¡¯re back, eh?¡± said Kurik. ¡°You get it done?¡± ¡°Why were you waving like that, bro?¡± ¡°Thest thing I wanted was to surprise you when you¡¯re all geared up for battle,¡± he answered, lowering his hand self-consciously. ¡°And yeah. I finished it.¡± As he said that, he cast Healing Rain, then used Soothe on all of hispanions. Once again, he was reminded that his spells weren¡¯t as powerful due to the loss of his Staff of the First Dragon, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about that for the moment. So, he pushed it out of his thoughts and began an exnation of everything that had happened. He skipped over the worst parts of the psychological torture he¡¯d endured, but he ended by saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think you all would have survived. The corruption in there¡­the only reason I wasn¡¯t overwhelmed was because of my cultivation.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s something we need to address as soon as possible, isn¡¯t it?¡± asked Sadie, using some kind of putty to patch the cracks in her armor. It was almost to the point that even her efforts would be useless in keeping it together, but like his situation with his staff, she didn¡¯t have a good recement. That¡¯s when he remembered his old Staff of the Serpent Healer. It had been cracked during a previous fight, but as far as he could tell, it still worked. The reason he¡¯d been so adamant about recing it was because its augmentation was limited to healing spells and because he knew that one good hit would shatter itpletely. Still, it was better than nothing for the time being. So, he pulled it out of his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and continued to heal. Meanwhile, he answered Sadie¡¯s question. ¡°I think that should be the next order of business,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s going to take a while to get anywhere, but it will be time well spent.¡± ¡°I need to go back to Nexus Town first,¡± Sadie said. The others voiced their agreement, and she continued, ¡°My armor is shot. It¡¯s not even providing any attributes anymore. So, I want to see if Atticus or his people can do something about it. Either repair or rece. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s more likely.¡± ¡°Sounds like a n,¡± Elijah said. After that, they all focused on recovery until, once everyone was in good enough shape, they set off to find a better campsite. The next couple of days were spent in recuperation until they were well enough to trek across the jungle toward the Nexus Town. The trip took almost a week, during which they avoided any unnecessary fights. A little experience wouldn¡¯t go amiss, but none of them were in their best shape. Apparently, the group had spent the entire time he¡¯d been engaged with the challenge fighting against the local wildlife. They¡¯d even fought off a hunting party. The result was that they wanted to take a few days to rest before they pushed on. ¡°What is that?¡± asked Dat, pointing ahead. Elijah followed the gesture and saw a column of smoke snaking into the sky. ¡°That¡¯s in Nexus Town,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t think they just decided to have a bonfire, either. Something is wrong.¡± Everyone agreed with that assessment, and they quickened their pace, hoping that they wouldn¡¯t find disaster when they reached the settlement. Book 5: Chapter 78: Beware the Scarred Book 5: Chapter 78: Beware the Scarred Halima stared at the destruction, feeling strangely detached from the scene before her. Blood covered everything in her field of vision, and body parts were scattered in all directions. At some point, her clothing had been ripped to shreds, exposing her in every way imaginable, but as shameful as that was, she couldn¡¯t even spare a thought for her humiliation. Instead, she could only wonder one thing, to which she gave voice a momentter. ¡°Did I do this?¡± she asked in a rough voice. There was no one to answer, though, because she had killed them all. Almost a dozen people, dead by her hand, and she¡¯d only picked up a few small scratches, easily ignored. They wouldn¡¯t even leave scars, though even if they did, there was little chance anyone could have noticed. ¡°Halima,¡± came a gentle voice. ¡°Be calm. I am here.¡± She did not need to turn in order to know who hade. So, she said, ¡°I lost control, Al-Abadi. I¡­I did not intend to¡­¡± Halima let the words drift away as she dropped to her knees, tears flowing down her scarred cheeks. A momentter, Al-Abadi draped a cloth over her mostly naked body, and he put his arm around her. As she wept, her lord ¨C the Eternal One ¨Cforted her with his mere presence. She could feel the power wafting off of him, wrapping itself around her, and squeezing her tight. It reminded her of her husband¡¯s embrace. But he was gone, having been in in the immediate aftermath of the world¡¯s transformation. Halima hated that she missed the coward. He¡¯d abandoned her almost immediately, leaving her to fend for herself as he ran from the monster who¡¯d invaded their home. It should not have been a surprise. Rami was no fighter, and he¡¯d proved his cowardice well before Earth felt the touch of the World Tree. She¡¯d simply been too blinded by love to see it.Now, he was gone, but the memory of their life together ¨C short as it was ¨C remained to taunt her with what might have been. If the world had not changed, perhaps she never would have been made to suffer for her husband¡¯s craven nature. Maybe they could have lived peacefully. Halima would have liked that. She had killed the beast that had in Rami, and she had reaped the rewards. It was frightening, how quickly she had adapted to the new world. Killing. Fighting. Protecting. She had battled to guard hermunity against the ever-growing threats of their transformed world, and slowly, she¡¯d grown in power. Until the inevitable happened, and they were overrun by a tribe of feral goblins. These creatures were nothing like their more civilized cousins. Vicious and bestial, they were monsters with only the barest semnce of sapience. They¡¯d killed everyone but Halima, who¡¯d only survived because, once the others fell, she had fled. For miles and miles, she had traveled across the unfamiliar forests until she could run no more. That was when the goblins caught her. Most of the time, Halima didn¡¯t think about what they did to her. At the time, she¡¯d thought that torture was the pinnacle of pain. Now, she knew differently. Now, she had experienced true agony. But back then, she was soft. Weak. Her screams echoed through the forest, delighting those feral creatures. They poked and prodded, stabbed and cut. Bones were broken, and she gained her first scars. Then, her savior arrived. Al-Abadi, though he had not taken that title yet. He saved her. He and his men swept through the goblins like the vermin they were, and when all of those detestable creatures were dead, he made her an offer. Immortality, but at the price of loyalty. She agreed, and he held up his end of the bargain. Ever since, she¡¯d endeavored to give him everything she had. He was her savior. Her king. The Eternal One. And he deserved more than even she could give. ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± he said. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted. ¡°I was on patrol, and¡­and they attacked me. I think. I don¡¯t know if they struck first, but¡­¡± ¡°You must meditate on this,¡± Al-Abadi said. ¡°Your mind is not capable of handling the power you now wield.¡± ¡°Y-yes, my king,¡± she breathed through the tears. ¡°I will.¡± After that, they remained in ce for a long while. That such an important man would stoop so low as tofort one such as Halima ¨C it was the other reason he¡¯d earned her loyalty. Al-Abadi was not just a leader. He was more than a god. He was everything to Halima. And if he told her to meditate, then that was what she would do. Eventually, he guided her to her feet and escorted her back to the headquarters they hadmandeered. No longer did they remain in the shadows, hiding on the outskirts of Nexus Town. Instead, they had established themselves as the rulers, controlling ess to the Branch of the World Tree and punishing any whoined. Along the way, Halima saw dozens of new faces. Each one was hidden beneath a ck mask, but she had grown ustomed to identifying people by other means. She didn¡¯t like that Al-Abadi had given so many the gift of Immortality. They didn¡¯t deserve it. They had not earned it. Not like her. Not like the brothers and sisters who¡¯d been with Al-Abadi for so long. But she was not one to question her lord¡¯s decisions. He was not perfect. Halima knew that. But she trusted him to do what was necessary, and to date, that faith had not been misced. As they passed through the headquarters ¨C which was a walledplex a few blocks away from the main square ¨C Halima couldn¡¯t help but notice theck of respect Al-Abadi was given by the neers. They didn¡¯t even acknowledge his presence. Instead, they simply went about their tasks, as if they did not owe him everything. Her fists tightened. Her muscles locked up, swelling with power. And her teeth ground together with enough force that, even a few months before, they would have shattered under the pressure. Perhaps she would need to educate them as to proper etiquette when in the presence of their superiors. A storm of rage swirled in her mind. ¡°Be calm, Halima,¡± came Al-Abadi¡¯s soothing voice. ¡°Master yourself.¡± Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, pushing the unending current of rage deeper within her. Then, she let it out. In. Out. Over and over. She could feel dozens of eyes on her, though she could not be concerned with their meaningless attention. They didn¡¯t matter. There was only Al-Abadi¡¯s voice, her own willpower, and the eternal rage burning within her. Slowly ¨C ever so slowly ¨C she did as she wasmanded and took control of her emotions. Finally, she opened her eyes to find that four other Immortals ¨C veterans who¡¯d been with Al-Abadi at least as long as her ¨C held her down. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. ¡°I am fine,¡± she said. ¡°Release me.¡± ¡°Do it,¡± Al-Abadi said. Halima¡¯s brothers and sistersplied, then backed away. At some point, the cloth covering her had been destroyed, torn to shreds by the sheer power flowing through her. She covered herself as best she could until someone draped another piece of cloth over her. Then, Al-Abadi escorted her through the lobby, up the stairs, and to the room she¡¯d been given as her own. Some of her things were there. A photo of her parents. A bracelet given to her by herte husband. Her wedding ring. They were all reminders of the consequences of weakness. Of what she¡¯d lost. And more, of what she had gained. ¡°Call for me if you need my help,¡± Al-Abadi said as he guided her to the bed. It was a luxurious thing, with a thick mattress and soft nkets made from the hide of some green-furred creature. ¡°I will not trouble you, Al-Abadi,¡± she said. ¡°You will if it is necessary. After everything you have endured, you deserve my undivided attention,¡± he said. An explosion from nearby sounded, and he sighed, ¡°But I cannot give that to you. You must master yourself, Halima. I believe in you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, her shoulders sagging as he left her to her own devices. Inevitably, her mind drifted to the circumstances that led to her situation. She was now different from all the others. She was more, even if she had the same two skills as all the others. Immortality was the same for everyone, and it was self-exnatory. With that ability, granted by Al-Abadi, she could not die. Recently, it had been put to the test, and despite the horrific circumstances, Immortality had proven itself worthy of the name. Diced up and fed to a monster, Halima had experienced pain unlike anything anyone should have ever been forced to endure. Days had passed. Weeks. And eventually, the skill won the battle. She had reformed, the ragged and digested pieces of her bodying together until, atst, she had wed her way out of the beast¡¯s stomach. But she had been changed, and all because of her only other skill. Other than loyalty to Al-Abadi, that was the price of Immortality. With her survival, she had forfeited her ss and archetype ¨C a trade she¡¯d never expected but had chosen to embrace. The same would eventually happen to all the others. It was only a matter of time. As she meditated, desperately trying to control her breathing, Halima looked at the skill¡¯s description:
Memories of the Past Each time the bearer of the skill takes lethal damage, they will be scarred. Every scar will add to their power, granting physical attributes based on the severity of the wound. Once enough scars have umted, ss, archetype are forfeit.
For each scar she received, her power escted, as evidenced by her overbearing status:
Name Halima Al-Zaben
Level N/A
Archetype N/A
ss N/A
Specialization N/A
Alignment M
Strength 439
Dexterity 501
Constitution 409
Ethera 0
Regeneration 0
Attunement N/A
Cultivation Stage: N/A
Body Core Mind Soul
N/A N/A N/A N/A
For some, such a status would have been extremely troubling. Before she¡¯d gained Immortality, Halima had been a Warrior, with a demaster ss. Losing those had been quite a blow, especially in the wake of such a traumatic event. However, with everything that had happened, she knew that her attributes far exceeded anyone else¡¯s in the Trial. Before being captured and fed to that beast, her attributes had barely been a quarter of what they now were. Yet, Halima knew that her power hade at a great price. Not only had it resulted in the mysterious M that had appeared next to her alignment, but since she¡¯d torn free of that creature¡¯s stomach, she¡¯d struggled to control her rage. And finally, as she saw when she rose and looked at her reflection in the nearby window, the scars she bore were hideous. She was barely even recognizable as a human anymore, and certainly not as the pretty woman she¡¯d once been. Her body was almost entirely androgynous, marred by wicked scars, andpletely devoid of anything familiar. But the power was there, coursing just under her hideous skin. And she would use that in service of her lord¡¯s will. Because now that she¡¯d lost everything else ¨C her husband, her friends, and now, her physical identity ¨C loyalty to her savior was the only thing she had left. Her handshed out, shattering the window into a thousand pieces. The explosion of force sent the shards far away, and her mind calmed. With another deep breath, she turned and crossed the room to the small chest at the foot of her bed. Opening it, she found one of her spare uniforms. She donned it, wrapping herself in all ck before reaching down and grabbing the mask at the bottom. It was silver and molded into a demonic visage. That would mark her as different, Al-Abadi had said. It would mark her as superior. When she held it to her face, it affixed itself to her skin. No straps. No buckles. It was magical. With it came an influx of power as her attributes increased. Halima would have smiled, but her face didn¡¯t really move like that anymore. The best she could manage was a snarl. At the bottom of the chest were two shortswords, both billowing with ethera. She could not identify them, but Al-Abadi had told her they were Complex-Grade weapons. Fitting tools for the strongest among them, he¡¯d said. She took them reverently, as much because of their high quality as because they¡¯d been given by her lord. They were tokens of his affection. Of hismitment. And she treasured them ordingly. Finally, there was a pendant. It was also silver, with a simple word: eternal, written in Arabic. Fitting, because that was what she was. She slipped the chain around her neck, then tucked the pendant beneath her top. She was ready. And it was a good thing, too, because the fighting that had been ongoing for the past two weeks seemed to have reached a climax. It was time she lent her swords to the cause. Book 5: Chapter 79: Neighbors Book 5: Chapter 79: Neighbors Colt rammed his sword through the dark elf¡¯s chest until it burst from his back in a shower of blood. In the flickering light of the camp¡¯s fire, the viscera was dark ¨C almost ck ¨C as it sprayed against the side of the cavern. He yanked his de free and spun into a backhanded attack that sliced right through the figure¡¯s slim neck. His head tumbled free, and Colt ducked just in time to avoid getting a spear through the back of his neck. Without hesitation, he turned that duck into a roll that took him out of the path of a descending de which struck the ground with enough force to cleave the rock. If he¡¯d been standing, the resulting shockwave would have caused a stumble. His roll terminated with a spring to his feet, and with de Sense, he could feel the impending arrival of yet another attack. He couldn¡¯t avoid it, so he raised his prosthetic ¨C it was made of high-grade metal and actually counted as a piece of equipment ¨C to block. The oing sword, powered by a slightly stockier dark elf, nged against the fake hand, but Colt didn¡¯t feel its momentum. He still remembered the hand¡¯s description:
Hand of Might Overall Grade: Complex (Mid) Enchantment Grade: Complex (Low) Attribute Bonus: 5 Strength, 5 Dexterity Trait: Immovable
The attribute bonuses were incredible, but the real value was in its durability and the Immovable Trait:
Immovable When used to block iing attacks, absorbs momentum.
Colt had tested it extensively, but he¡¯d yet to find any limits. Regardless of how much force was used, if an attack hit the Hand of Might, it stopped, and Colt wouldn¡¯t feel the repercussions. He expected that the only thing that could ovee that Trait was if the attack was strong enough to destroy the prosthetic altogether. The dark elves were a long way from managing that. As the sound of the de meeting the Hand of Might echoed across the cavern, Colt responded with a vicious thrust that took the surprised elf in the gut. The de wasn¡¯t really meant for thrusting, but with how much force Colt could bring to bear, it was good enough. And when he ripped the weapon free, dragging it to the side just a little, the single edge sliced a gaping wound in the elf¡¯s stomach. A secondter, he was disemboweled. In Colt¡¯s experience, when it came to being gutted, it didn¡¯t matter whether the enemy was an experiencedbatant. Once their intestines started hitting the ground, they panicked. Such was the case with this particr enemy, and as the elf tried to gather the slimy bits, Colt decapitated him. That gave him just a second to look around, and he was happy to find that Gwenivere, with her axe, had already taken one of the elves out and was well on her way to dispatching another. That left two more, both of which were racing toward Colt. Just as one reached him, he used Perfect Parry to deal with her attack. With that ability powering his own de, he had no issue pping the elf¡¯s de strike away, and he countered with Light of the Crescent Moon. An ethereal white de extended from his sweeping strike, bisecting the elf at the waist. Then, Colt used Wind of the Winged Serpent, hastening his steps so he could avoid the final elf¡¯s attack. It brushed past him, missing only by inches before Colt used Storm of the Sword Saint. A thousand attacks hit the elf, all at once. To his credit, he blocked a couple of them, but he could do nothing but try to endure the rest. His Constitution was not up to the task. He was shredded, and when he fell, he did so in meaty and unrecognizable chunks. That was the power of the evolved version of de Storm. The path he¡¯d chosen sacrificed breadth for concentration. Before he¡¯d evolved the ability, he could have filled the tunnel with invisible des, though they were considerably weaker. Now, Storm of the Sword Saint could only affect a singr target, but with incredible potency. He wondered if even someone like Elijah in his guardian form could stand against it. A question he hoped to never have answered. Just as Colt stepped up to help Gwenivere with the final enemy, she dispatched it with a powerful overhand strike that took the dark elf by surprise. But she didn¡¯t kill him. Instead, she opted to sever his arm at the shoulder. The shock of dismemberment opened him up to a brutal kick in the knee, followed by Gwenivere hitting him with a shoulder-charge that sent him to the ground. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. He cried out in pain, but the woman didn¡¯t let that affect her. Instead, she wore an expression of grim determination as she raised her blood-covered axe. ¡°Wait,¡± Colt drawled. To her credit, she did just that, and her hesitation raised her status in Colt¡¯s eyes. He knew that many fighters lost themselves to battle lust, and while he didn¡¯t deride anyone who opted for that route, he had difficulty respecting it. To him, a warrior should be cold. Calcted. Precise. Rage didn¡¯t lend itself to those things. And he was d to see that Gwenivere remained in control. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°Need to interrogate ¡®im,¡± he said, sauntering forward. As he did so, he checked to ensure that the others were dead. He¡¯d gotten some experience already, but in the heat of battle, it was sometimes difficult to distinguish between sources. So, not wanting to fall prey to an elf with a powerful regenerative ability, he opted for a manual inspection. But they were all dead, and as Colt slid his sword into each chest, he crossed the room. When he reached the fallen elf, he knelt down, saying, ¡°Can fix that for ya. You won¡¯t grow the arm back, but we could keep ya alive. But we¡¯re gonna need somethin¡¯ in return, hoss. Tell us where you came from, how many others there are, and why you¡¯re kidnappin¡¯ miners, and I¡¯ll make sure you live through this.¡± ¡°I will tell you nothing, human,¡± the elf spat. ¡°Well, damn.¡± Colt didn¡¯t hesitate before whipping his sword toward the elf¡¯s neck and decapitating him. ¡°What? You killed him?¡± Gwenivere half-shouted. ¡°He was a prisoner and ¨C¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t no Geneva Convention down here,¡± Colt said. ¡°He wasn¡¯t gonna tell us anything, and we don¡¯t have the ability to take prisoners.¡± ¡°He still might have told us something.¡± ¡°You and I both know that ain¡¯t true. You saw it in his eyes, same as me. We could¡¯ve tortured him for a month, and we wouldn¡¯t have gotten a damn thing out of him.¡± ¡°That might be true, but ¨C¡± ¡°Maybe you think it ain¡¯t right. In a perfect world, we could¡¯ve tied ¡®im up and took him back to Ironshore. Locked him up for a good long while. Maybe given ¡®im a trial. But that ain¡¯t how this has to work, and you know it. You knew it when we came down here,¡± Colt said. While most western codes of honor would frown on the execution of prisoners, Bushido allowed for it in certain contexts. Colt felt certain that he¡¯d acted within the bounds of his code. Gwenivere clearly recognized that she wasn¡¯t going to change his mind, so she asked, ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Search the bodies,¡± Colt said. ¡°Take anything valuable. See if there¡¯s anything on ¡®em that might tell us what¡¯s goin¡¯ on. These people had toe from somewhere, right? This ain¡¯t like those orcs Ironshore fought way back when. These are people, just like us.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re hostile, too. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have taken the miners,¡± Gwenivere pointed out as she knelt beside the prisoner. The girl showed a remarkable ability to simply move on, even if she disagreed with what had happened. ¡°I agree,¡± Colt said. ¡°But we won¡¯t know more ¡®til we find where they came from.¡± With that, they searched the bodies. They found a handful of items that Colt judged might be worth something ¨C a couple of rings, a ne, and one of the weapons ¨C but otherwise, their equipment was no better than Simple-Grade. Not worth taking, considering their limited carrying capacity. ¡°Found something,¡± Gwenivere announced. She held up a roll of leather. She unfurled it, saying, ¡°I think it¡¯s a map of these tunnels.¡± Colt frowned. From his experiences in the Silverado mine as well as his conversations with Carissa and Carmen, he knew that the world had been changed in more ways than were obvious from the surface. Carissa in particr had exined that her own home world had multiple subterranean levels containing entire biomes, and the underground portion was at least as expansive as the surface. The deeper one got ¨C or closer to the¡¯s core ¨C the more dangerous the wildlife. Sometimes, there were even towers or primal realms down there, though their presence was much rarer beneath ground level. Those thoughts shed through Colt¡¯s mind as he looked at the map with Gwenivere, and after a few moments, he said, ¡°This ain¡¯t good at all. You seein¡¯ what I see?¡± ¡°I am,¡± she said. Indeed, the map confirmed Colt¡¯s fears that the miners had tapped into one of these subterranean biomes. What¡¯s more, the map seemed to suggest that the dark elves had a sizable settlement down there ¨C perhaps one evenrger than Ironshore ¨C and they¡¯d created multiple gates to guard the way. ¡°Drustwyn,¡± he said, staring at the settlement on the map. ¡°What do we do?¡± asked Gwenivere. ¡°Should we go back and tell the mayor what we found?¡± ¡°We push on,¡± Colt said. ¡°These dark elves took those miners. I guarantee it. You saw how they attacked the second we showed ourselves. They¡¯d have taken us too if they could¡¯ve. I think we can safelybel them the enemy.¡± And that meant that a conflict between them and Ironshore was inevitable. Perhaps if they hadn¡¯t proven themselves so hostile, a truce ¨C or even an alliance ¨C might¡¯ve been possible. But now? ¡°I think this is going to end badly,¡± Gwenivere said. ¡°You ain¡¯t wrong,¡± Colt muttered. ¡°We were hired to do a job, though, and I¡¯m damn well gonna do it. Them miners need to be saved, and we¡¯re gonna save ¡®em.¡± ¡°And if they¡¯re already dead?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Then we do the other thing.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t save ¡®em, avenge ¡®em,¡± he stated. ¡°Can¡¯t let ¡®em get away with this.¡± While Colt wholeheartedly supported that notion, he was no fool. He had no intention of simply charging in and hoping he could ovee an entire city¡¯s worth of dark elves. Instead, he only wanted to scout things out and hopefully find the missing miners. Once they aplished that goal, he intended to reassess the situation and, if rescue was possible, mount a mission to recover them. More likely, he and Gwenivere would retreat once they had all the pertinent information. It was not a great n, but the situation wasn¡¯t ideal. So, without further ado, he and Gwenivere set off through the tunnels, following the map they¡¯d so fortunately acquired. Along the way, they encountered a few more lycosects and other aggressive beasts, but with every mile they traveled, the wildlife grew sparser. Then, they rounded a corner and saw their quarry. The tunnel had narrowed to only a few dozen feet across, and it was barred by a giant gate that looked like it belonged to a fortress. It was lit by a series of smokeless torches and guarded by a dozen dark elves. And those were just the ones Colt could see. de Sense only worked at a distance of about ten feet, so he had to rely on more mundane senses. But even those told Colt that rushing that gate was a bad idea. Gwenivere confirmed that when she whispered, ¡°Those two in front are the lowest level at sixty. The only other one I could inspect was sixty-three.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one with the fancy armor, right?¡± Colt asked, nodding toward the dark elf in question. His armor was silver trimmed in blood red, and he had a massive sword strapped to his back. Gwenivere nodded. Colt indicated that they should retreat, and they did so as quietly as they could manage. Once they were almost a mile away, they stopped, and he said, ¡°This ain¡¯t somethin¡¯ we can handle alone.¡± She let out a relieved sigh. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d ¨C¡± Just then, a tter echoed down the tunnel, emanating from the direction they¡¯d juste. Only a momentter, the silver-armored dark elf rounded the corner and shouted, ¡°Fiends!¡± Colt considered running. But he knew that would be impossible. The dark elves knew the tunnels far better than he or Gwenivere, and they seemed much morefortable beneath the ground. With that in mind, there were only two options ¨C a fighting retreat or a straight-ahead sh. Colt knew which one he preferred, but he wouldn¡¯t put Gwenivere into such a situation. ¡°Run,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll hold ¡®em off.¡± ¡°What? No. Don¡¯t be stupid. There¡¯s only¡­ten of them. We got that.¡± Colt was about to argue, but there was no time. So, he unsheathed his sword, shifted his feet, and prepared to meet the dark elf¡¯s charge. Book 5: Chapter 80: The Inevitability of Conflict Book 5: Chapter 80: The Inevitability of Conflict Oscar Ramirez leaped to the side, then mmed his hatchet into the creature¡¯s forehead. It fell, but he knew from experience that it wouldn¡¯tst. Escobar barked, and with each sound came a softball-sized mass of roiling fire that mmed into the fallen creature. The smell of sizzling meat filled the air, mingling with the scent of blood, emptied bowels, and fear. ¡°Burn them all,¡± Oscarmanded. Escobar barked gleefully, and ethera gathered before a giant ball of fire appeared high above. Oscar and his pack knew better than to be there when it fell, so even as it grew, he and the others dashed away. By the time they¡¯d reached the other side of the square, Escobar¡¯s spell hadpleted. The meteor fell. And everything within a hundred feet of the impact was vaporized. Oscar had seen that spell ¨C only avable once a week ¨C destroy even the most powerful monsters. And yet, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. The five dead bodies were melted beyond all recognition, but that would not be enough. He called to his pack, and they retreated through Nexus Town. With Canine Senses, he could smell dozens of people hiding within the surrounding buildings, and he saw with his own eyes the aftermath of hundreds of battles. The once-pristine settlement now yed host to more than a hundred dead bodies, and many of the buildings surrounding the square were covered in blood. A few had even been destroyed altogether, leaving only piles of rubble behind. That was a testament to just how furious the battles had been. Those buildings were far more durable than they would have been back on Earth ¨C at least from what Oscar had seen ¨C so to see them so thoroughly destroyed was quite a shock. Not that he could concern himself with that. Instead, he guided his pack through the settlement, letting Jojo and Digby scout the way ahead. With Pack Bond, he couldmunicate with them on the most basic level. They didn¡¯t use words, but rather, did so through mental impressions, scents, and bodynguage. Oscar didn¡¯t know how he interpreted it all so urately, but he epted it nheless. Jojo zipped in, letting him know that the way was clear, and together, the pack found sanctuary on the outskirts of town. Once they were safe, Oscar settled down to think. As he did so, he used Pack Mending, and his family was encapsted by an aura of regeneration. It wasn¡¯t as miraculous as what some of the Healers he¡¯d seen in town manage, but it was enough to push everyone back to good condition.¡°They got you too, huh?¡± came a voice from the door. Oscar was on his feet in a second, and the pack responded just as quickly. Jackson and Sophie took the lead, while Ray and Maymay sank to the back of the room. Oscar could feel ethera swirling around them both, and he knew that they were preparing to depower the intruder via various spells that would negatively affect the man¡¯s attributes or restrict his movement. At the same time, Digby circled around, already embracing stealth, and Freddy let out a long, low growl as he prepared to pounce. Finally, Escobar let out a bark, a tendril of smoke curling up from his mouth. ¡°Ie in peace,¡± said the neer, raising his hands. That didn¡¯t assuage Oscar¡¯s suspicion. The man looked disheveled, as if he¡¯d recently been in a fight. His flowing white shirt was ripped in multiple ces, and he had blood on his cheek. It made him look like a Hollywood actor who¡¯d just finished an action scene. Just enough damage to tell the audience that he¡¯d been in a fight, but not so much as to mar his looks. Oscar immediately distrusted the man. ¡°What do you want?¡± he growled, using Pack Bond to tell his family not to act prematurely. A fight was still on the table, but not until the man proved he was hostile. When that happened, they would destroy him. The one thing that truly held Oscar back was that the neer didn¡¯t smell like one of the unkible monsters. Instead, he smelled like something else. Something sickly sweet, with a tinge of sulfur that put Oscar on edge. He didn¡¯t like it. Not one little bit. ¡°Strength in numbers?¡± the man suggested with a shrug and a small smile. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been fighting them. So have I. Ruined my favorite shirt, in fact. Why don¡¯t we work together?¡± ¡°Why do you smell like that?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± the man asked. He lifted an arm and gave a sniff. ¡°I admit that it¡¯s been a few days since I had the opportunity to shower, but ¨C¡± ¡°Like rotten eggs and fruit that¡¯s been left out too long. It¡¯s a deep smell. It¡¯s¡­part of you.¡± ¡°Oh. That.¡± ¡°Exin or leave.¡± Left unsaid was that Oscar¡¯s pack was more than ready to end the man. It wasn¡¯t a fight Oscar wanted ¨C he tried to avoid killing people if possible ¨C but sometimes it was necessary. And after everything he¡¯d seen over the past two days, he was more willing to trust his nose than his eyes. He didn¡¯t believe the neer was one of the monsters-in-human-skin, but he could never be sure, especially when Canine Senses told him to be wary. ¡°It¡¯s my core. I had an opportunity to take a step forward with my cultivation, and I took it,¡± the man said, idly running a hand through his ck hair. ¡°I was visited by a member of an elder race. He helped me, but in exchange, it changed some of my abilities. I think it might have changed even more than that, but I can¡¯t be sure.¡± Oscar didn¡¯t know anything about elder races, but he certainly understood the importance of core cultivation. When he¡¯d taken the first step, it had increased his power by a significant degree, so he couldn¡¯t me anyone for using whatever methods they had avable to do the same. Even if it meant they¡¯d have to deal with the stink. ¡°What is your name?¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°Benedict,¡± the man said. ¡°I was ¨C¡± Just then, the wall exploded, sending shards of stone flying in every direction. Oscar had already been keyed up for battle, so he quickly embraced Pack Empowerment. It was a simple spell that would increase his family¡¯s attributes by a few points in every category. But that was only the beginning. He also used Feral Speed, increasing their haste. And finally, he let out a Bestial Howl.
Bestial Howl Call to your pack, increasing the potency of their abilities. Increase based on caster¡¯s Ethera attribute. Current, 14.3%.
Jackson and Sophie dashed in, putting themselves between the figure who¡¯d broken through the wall and the rest of the pack. As they did so, they were enveloped by a blue shimmer of an ethereal shield. Even as the enemy ¨C one of the mangled humanoid monsters that called themselves Immortals ¨C let out a roar of anger, the whole of its attention fell on the guardian dogs. It attacked, but the pair of rottweiler mixes held firm, returning its blows with strikes of their own. The whole time, they continued to bark, keeping the monster¡¯s attention on them. Jojo sliced in, biting the creature¡¯s ankles. Digby suddenly appeared from behind, taking a big chunk of its hamstrings before once again disappearing. Ray and Maymay cast spells to hinder its movements and lower its attributes, while Freddy attacked head on, moving with such ferocity that he became a blur. And then, Escobar started to cast. ¡°No!¡± Oscar shouted. If the little chihuahua used his spells in such an enclosed space, everyone would be burned. Escobar let out a yip, then cut off his channeling. A secondter, a much weaker ball of fire emerged from his mouth, mming into the monster a momentter. It screamed in an entirely too-human way, but Oscar knew better than to believe his ears. He had seen enough from the detestable creatures to know that they could not be people. They were monsters, through and through. His eyes told him that, as did his nose. But they were also powerful, with physical abilities that far exceeded what Oscar would expect from them. His senses said they were much lower-leveled than him, and yet, in a contest of pure attributes, they would win every time. It made no sense, but over the past two days, he¡¯d learned to ept that he was missing something. In any case, Oscar and his pack piled on the damage, but not without consequence. The creatureshed out, breaking through Jackson¡¯s shield and sending him crashing backward into a wall. He yelped as he hit hard enough to break bones, but as much as Oscar wished otherwise, there was nothing else he could do for his pack member. Pack Mending was still active, which he hoped would be enough to ensure there was nosting damage. More troubling was that Jackson¡¯s situation opened a hole in their strategy, exposing the more vulnerable members of the pack to their enemy¡¯s reprisal. Seeing that, Oscar rushed ahead to take Jackson¡¯s ce on the front line. He didn¡¯t have the dog¡¯s abilities as a defender, but he did have much higher attributes. He attacked with his hatchets, the thick des digging into the monster¡¯s body. He did significant damage with each attack ¨C all of which were enhanced by Wolf¡¯s Bite ¨C but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. The monster kepting, battering both Oscar and Sophie with his simple, if effective attacks. Then, there were more fireballs in the air than Escobar could cast. A quick nce back told him that four tiny creatures ¨C no bigger than toddlers, but far uglier ¨C had joined the fight. Every second saw another fireball from each enter the fray, and they all hit the monster with sizzling power. In addition, Benedict hadn¡¯t remained idle, and ethera swirled around him as he cast one spell after another. Oscar had no idea what any of them did ¨C at least until he realized that the monster had slowed considerably. More than Ray or Maymay could cause. Every few moments, the man threw out a beam of darkness that cut into monster, but still, the creature just kepting. It screamed in rage ¨C or pain, perhaps ¨C its mangled face frozen in an expression that made it even uglier than ever. For long minutes, the battle raged on, and Oscar and his pack ¨C along with their ally ¨C held their own. However, with every passing moment, it became clear that they simply didn¡¯t have the firepower to disable the monster. What¡¯s more, Oscar knew that even if they won, it was only temporary. The monster would rise, regardless of how much damage they did. And it would be even stronger when it did. Just when he was on the verge of calling for a retreat, everything changed. A huge sword cut into the monster¡¯s shoulder, slicing through its torso all the way down to its hip. Then, a reptilian beast appeared on the monster¡¯s back, biting into its neck. A half-dozen crossbow bolts hit it a secondter, followed by arger arrow sprouting from its skull. The beast suddenly transformed, bing a man who leaped away from it and cast a spell. Rain fell from the ceiling, and when it hit Oscar¡¯s back, he felt rejuvenated. ¡°Hack it to pieces!¡± the man shouted. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing?!¡± said the wielder of the sword. She was a beautiful Asian woman in ragged armor, and she smelled as pleasant as Benedict was foul. True to her word, she wrenched her sword free of the now-crippled monster and attacked it again. This time, the de went all the way through, cutting the creature into two pieces. But she didn¡¯t stop there. Nor did Oscar¡¯s pack, who saw the weakened enemy for what it was. They ripped into it, biting and wing until its body was no more than a pile of shredded meat and shattered bone. ¡°It¡¯ll be back,¡± Oscar growled as another man ¨C this one was bearded, wearing a sparkly robe and carrying what looked like a fairy wand ¨C stepped into the ruined building. He zeroed in on Jackson, who stilly whimpering on the floor, and cast a spell. Through Pack Sense, Oscar could tell feel the dog¡¯s injuries healing. ¡°We know,¡± said the man who¡¯d once been a reptile. ¡°We¡¯ll be gone by then. And hey Benny. Long time no see. Are those demons? They look like demons.¡± ¡°The unworthy one speaks to master! May we burn him?¡± demanded the foursome of tiny, foul-smelling creatures. ¡°No,¡± said Benedict, running his hand through his hair. ¡°Guess I have some exining to do.¡± The woman stepped forward, and Oscar could see killing intent in her re. He stepped backward. He had nothing to do with any of these people, and he had no intention of picking sides in what seemed to be an ongoing conflict. The short man reached out to grab her shoulder. ¡°Not now,¡± he said. ¡°Let him exin.¡± ¡°He consorts with demons,¡± she spat. ¡°Foul and ¨C¡± ¡°Not. Now. We have enough problems without adding to them unnecessarily. If he¡¯s evil, we¡¯ll deal with it, but I think he¡¯s earned the right to exin himself,¡± said the reptile-man. He smelled like power. Strength. Domineering in a way Oscar had never experienced. He wanted nothing more than to tuck his tail between his legs and slink away. So did the rest of his pack, save for Escobar, who seemed to take the man¡¯s presence as a challenge. What¡¯s more, Oscar recognized him, though thest time they¡¯d met, he hadn¡¯t felt quite so¡­overbearing. There must have been a story there. ¡°Fine,¡± said the woman, flipping her hair back. ¡°But the moment he betrays us ¨C and he will because that is the nature of those who would consort with demons ¨C I will destroy him. Of that, you can be sure.¡± The domineering man let out a sigh. ¡°Fine. One big happy family, I guess. Let¡¯s go before this one recovers.¡± And with that, he and hispanions left. Benedict looked conflicted before shrugging and following. His¡­demons¡­weren¡¯t far behind. And atst, Oscar went, too. Perhaps they had an answer to the Immortal monsters who¡¯de to gue Nexus Town. If not, then he would flee. Book 5: Chapter 81: People and Monsters Book 5: Chapter 81: People and Monsters ¡°Master, it looks at us with ire!¡± spat one of the little demons as it hopped from one pile of rubble to the next, clearly incapable of standing still. ¡°Make it stop!¡± ¡°Deal with it,¡± muttered Benedict with a shake of his head. He shrugged at Elijah, then apologized before saying, ¡°They¡¯re a little odd.¡± That was definitely true. The four creatures looked simr enough that Elijah had some difficulty telling them apart, especially when they never stopped moving. But as much as they¡¯d tossed res his way, they didn¡¯t seem terribly hostile ¨C to him, at least. The same could not be said for Sadie or Dat, who were the subject of quite a lot of animosity from the demons. That ire was reciprocated, and Elijah knew that if the circumstances had allowed for it, the two would have ughtered the demons. And Benedict as well, now that they had seen his nature. Thankfully, they were both capable ¨C Dat more than Sadie ¨C of pushing their feelings aside for the greater good. Even so, Elijah knew it was only a matter of time before they erupted into violence, but he had no idea how to deal with it. Angels and Demons were mortal enemies, to the point where they naturally hated one another even without any other information. But even with all of that, Elijah was far more interested in two other things. First, there was Oscar Ramirez and his dog pack. He¡¯d gotten a glimpse of how they fought, and he was incredibly impressed with how much power and versatility they could bring to bear. Even that small glimpse had made it clear just how Oscar had remained near the top of Earth¡¯s power rankings. It did beg the question of what the system thought of the dogs, though. To Elijah, they didn¡¯t feel quite like guardians, monsters, or beasts. Nor did they seem like people. Instead, they were somewhere in between, and what¡¯s more, they were obviously intelligent. Most of all, though, they were adorable, and Elijah wanted nothing more than to sit on the ground and be buried under a nket of happy dogs. The situation wouldn¡¯t allow for that, though, which brought him to the other thing that interested him. He¡¯d felt the Immortal that had attacked Oscar and Benedict, and he could say without a shadow of a doubt that they had been a monster on par with the hydra or the spider he¡¯d fought so long ago.But that was impossible, wasn¡¯t it? Not that long ago, they¡¯d all been people. Now¡­now, they were something else. At least some of them were. It just didn¡¯t make sense. After a few more minutes, they found their way out of the Nexus Town and proceeded to travel a couple more miles before Elijah announced that they¡¯d reached a rtively safe area. Once there, they deployed their precautions ¨C including Elijah¡¯s monster-repelling tent ¨C and settled down for a long discussion. Ron asked the most obvious question. ¡°What the hell is going on? What happened?¡± Oscar shook his head, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He spoke with a thick Spanish ent, though Elijah got the impression that the system wasn¡¯t tranting. He also had one of therger dogs draped across hisp, where it was contentedly snoring. The others ¨C all except the chihuahua, who was staring back the way they¡¯de ¨C were sprawled all around the man. ¡°I think¡­I don¡¯t know how they got the way they are, but they feel¡­wrong.¡± ¡°They are, bro,¡± Dat said, sitting next to Sadie. He¡¯d settled down a little, but the woman was very much on edge. She hadn¡¯t taken her eyes from Benedict, who sat as far away as possible, since they¡¯d stopped. ¡°My skill says they¡¯re monsters. They don¡¯t have sses or levels, either. Just¡­a lot of attributes. It¡¯s something to do with their scars.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± asked Ron. ¡°That¡¯s what my skill said. ¡®Beware the scarred,¡¯ it told me,¡± Dat exined. ¡°I think¡­I think they get stronger each time they survive something that should have killed them.¡± ¡°This ain¡¯t good,¡± Kurik muttered. ¡°This is really, really bad.¡± ¡°What? Do you know something?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard some stories, but until now, I didn¡¯t think they were true,¡± Kurik said. ¡°But seein¡¯ what I just saw, I think some of our legends might be more historical than they seemed when I was young.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°These Immortals, they bear a strikin¡¯ resemnce to one of our myths. There was this dwarf, she was an outcast even before she got her ss. Name of Turi.¡± ¡°Just Turi? No surname?¡± asked Ron. ¡°Not in the story. She had a title, though. Turi the Undying. She took the Tactician archetype, you see? Her parents and the other outcasts, they were tired of bein¡¯ shunned by the rest of the ns. So, they prepared her for war, teachin¡¯ her everything she needed to know ¡®bout battle. But after she got that ss, they were raided. Only a few escaped. And then, while she was on the run, she got her ss. ¡°It was called Eternal Lord,¡± Kurik went on. ¡°Or that¡¯s what the myth said. Stories have a tendency to twist things around, though. In the story, she had the ability to grant immortality to her people. They had to agree to it. That¡¯s how all Tacticians work. They only have authority over people who¡¯re loyal to ¡®em. ¡°Anyway, after she got that ss, she built her forces up, only usin¡¯ her skill on the best of the best. Then, they attacked one of her old n¡¯s outposts, and let me tell you, when powerful people can¡¯t die, it makes fightin¡¯ a foregone conclusion. They massacred ¡®em, which only brought her more followers. On and on it went for years as she swept across the continent. ¡°But then things started to change, and it became clear why most civilized worlds keep an eye out for that kind of ss,¡± the dwarf said with a gruff sigh. ¡°Immortality ain¡¯t cheap. It took a lot of ethera to grant it to her followers, but nobody knew the real cost. Nobody could have, ¡®cause those kinds of sses are shut down the second anyone in charge finds ¡®em.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°They lose everything,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Every time that blessing keeps ¡®em from dyin¡¯, they lose a little bit of whatever makes ¡®em people. And if it happens enough, they cross the line into bein¡¯ monsters. But they don¡¯t lose their minds. Not altogether. They¡¯re still in there, and they¡¯re still mostly in control, except for the worst of the worst. Those people lose their sses. Their levels. They lose control, bin¡¯ rabid monsters who only want to do their masters¡¯ bidding. They¡¯re no different from summoned minions, at that point.¡± ¡°How did the story end?¡± Ron asked. ¡°With a whole lot of death. Those monsters might be immortal, but Turi wasn¡¯t. It took an alliance between all the ns, but they eventually fought through her minions and killed her. And that was only possible ¡®cause the minions couldn¡¯t really advance, other than to get stronger each time they should¡¯ve died,¡± he exined. ¡°If this is like that, it ain¡¯t good. We should get out of this Trial as soon as we can.¡± ¡°That sounds like what I saw,¡± Benedict added. ¡°The ones I¡¯ve fought were stronger than they should have been.¡± ¡°Perhaps you were simply too weak. Too craven. Too demonic,¡± Sadie spat. ¡°I should kill you right now, just to rid this jungle of your foul stench.¡± ¡°You are more than wee to try, Angel. I must warn you that it will not be as easy as you suppose.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You two don¡¯t like one another. I understand that, even if I think it¡¯s silly, given that before you knew about your cores, you were fine with each other. Maybe you should look into that before you start killing people based on what kind of core they have.¡± Sadie started to say something, but Elijah continued over her, ¡°Regardless, our backs are against the wall here, right? We can¡¯t afford to overlook any potential alliances. So, let¡¯s work together at least long enough to figure out how to deal with this situation.¡± Left unsaid was that if the Angels and Demon couldn¡¯t get along ¨C at least for a while ¨C Elijah would simply walk away. And Kurik and Ron would likelye with him. Sadie had clearly seen enough to recognize just how unlikely she was to survive going it alone, so she went silent. However, Elijah could still hear her teeth grinding together. Meanwhile, Benedict said, ¡°I have no issues working together.¡± ¡°Good. Then, we need to figure out what we¡¯re going to do here. I¡¯m not willing to leave the Trial. So, I think we should just head off into the wilderness and create a base of operations well away from Nexus Town. Then, we can ¨C¡± ¡°They have hostages,¡± Oscar said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Immortals took custody of all the crafters and nonbatants, and they¡¯ve been forcing them to work for them,¡± he exined. ¡°That¡¯s what started all of this. They were trying to negotiate something with a group of crafters, and things went wrong. After that, the Immortals took over. There was a lot of fighting, but when the enemy can¡¯t die¡­¡± ¡°Dammit,¡± Elijah muttered, knowing that the crafters in question were probably Atticus¡¯ people. It wasn¡¯t a certainty, but as far as he knew, there was only one organized group of nonbatants in Nexus Town, and they were led by his friend. ¡°Survivors?¡± ¡°Most of them surrendered after their guards were cut down,¡± Oscar stated. At that, Ron shook his head. ¡°Those people chose to stay in Nexus Town because they thought it was safe. Even the guards just wanted an opportunity to make connections and get some decent equipment. This is my fault. I should have stayed in ¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re not responsible for this,¡± Elijah insisted. ¡°Yeah, bro. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°Tell that to all the people I failed,¡± the Healer said. Then, he added, ¡°We have to save them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend on abandoning them, and I don¡¯t think anyone else here is either,¡± Elijah said, looking from one person to the next. Predictably, the rest of his group all wore steely expressions of grim determination. They¡¯d all befriended Atticus, to one extent or another, and they were not the sort of people to leave a friend in need. Even Benedict seemed entirely willing. The only outlier was Oscar, who said, ¡°I don¡¯t know these people. They don¡¯t know me. I want to help, but¡­I will not risk my pack for nothing. Do you have a n?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But Dat and I are going to go back into town and scout things out. Hopefully, we¡¯ll figure it out by then.¡± After that, no one had much else to say. So, once everyone had a chance to recover from the previous battle ¨C Oscar and Benedict had incurred a few wounds ¨C Elijah approached Sadie and asked, ¡°Can I speak to you in private?¡± She nodded and followed him a few dozen yards away. The spot Elijah had chosen for the conversation was a small clearing that yed host to a lightning-struck tree. It was twisted and ck, but Elijah could feel a pulse of life deep beneath the surface. It was down ¨C nearly dead ¨C but it refused to give in. Elijah could rte. ¡°What do you want, Elijah?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°I want to know that you¡¯re not going to fly off the handle,¡± he said. ¡°I realize that your skill affects you, that you can¡¯t always control it. But ¨C¡± ¡°I can control it just fine.¡± Elijah sighed. ¡°It was weeks before you could look at me with anything other than disgust,¡± he said. ¡°Even now, it feels like you¡¯re looking for a reason to hate me. And I get it. I can be difficult to like. But I¡¯ve done nothing to hurt you in any way. This isn¡¯t about me, though. This is about Benny.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Give him a little nickname to make him seem less dangerous than he is,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Do you know what I see when I look at him?¡± ¡°Something simr to what you see when you look at me?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s worse. So, so much worse. I don¡¯t know how I missed it before,¡± she exined. ¡°I think he must have an ability that masks his demonic nature. Those things he has with him¡­I have some experience with summoners, and I know something of what¡¯s required to cast those spells. Each is the result of at least one sacrifice. Perhaps more, given their power.¡± ¡°Power? Those little things?¡± ¡°Imps are fragile, but they can cast potent spells. That is beside the point, Elijah. I have spoken to you about Sense of Sin. It tells me that you have killed many people. I have tried to look past it, but¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s hard. I¡¯ve had simr issues in the past,¡± Elijah said, thinking back to his reactions to the bear guardian¡¯s death, what felt like a lifetime ago. In addition, his initial impressions of Ironshore had been colored by his biased perspective. The attunement to nature gave him quite a few advantages, but it also influenced him in many unforeseen ways. The same was assuredly true of Sadie¡¯s attunement ¨C whatever it was ¨C and her Angel Core. The Sense of Sin ability just made it more overt. ¡°The fact is that we can¡¯t afford to let our biases influence us here. Benedict is powerful, especially if those imps are as strong as you say. Even without them, he could influence a battle. And he¡¯s already helped us.¡± ¡°While lying through his teeth. You don¡¯t sincerely believe that demon we encountered in the junkyard was unrted to him, do you? His story was a lie. Likely, he attacked those people first,¡± Sadie guessed. ¡°We don¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°He is a demon. That should speak for itself,¡± Sadie countered. Elijah sighed. ¡°Regardless, I need to know that you¡¯re not going to try to kill him the second my back is turned,¡± he said. ¡°We need as much help as we can get right now. Atticus and his people won¡¯t survive otherwise. Just don¡¯t attack him unless he makes the first move.¡± ¡°You ask much.¡± ¡°I know. Do it for Atticus. For those innocent crafters.¡± ¡°There is no such thing as innocence,¡± she responded. ¡°However, I will agree to this under one condition.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°When the timees ¨C and it will ¨C you will help me put the demon down,¡± she said. ¡°I will not attack except in retaliation, but I am certain that this alliance will end poorly. When it does, I expect you to be on the right side.¡± ¡°Always,¡± Elijah said, though he wasn¡¯t certain that his interpretation of right and wrong was the same as Sadie¡¯s. Whatever the case, now that he¡¯d ensured that she wouldn¡¯t murder the man outright, he and Dat had a job to do. So, without further ado, Elijah headed back to the temporary camp, gathered the Witch Hunter, and set out for Nexus Town. Book 5: Chapter 82: Outmatched Book 5: Chapter 82: Outmatched Nexus Town had never been densely popted. Even a few weeks after the Trial of Primacy had begun, only a few areas had been upied. However, as Elijah and Dat entered the settlement, a pall of abandonment hung over everything. That wasn¡¯t helped by the sight of asional fallen buildings or the plumes of smoke curling toward the sky in the distance. Elijah crept forward, keeping an eye on Dat via One with Nature. ording to the Witch Hunter, he had two different stealth abilities. One was the normal sort, which Elijah could bypass ¨C so long as he was paying attention ¨C but the otherpletely removed Dat from his senses. It was a good reminder that, no matter how powerful he thought he was, there was always the chance that someone would be the perfect counter to his abilities. Regardless, the pair progressed through the town, passing asional clumps of hiding people. Some were injured, but as much as Elijah wanted to stop and help, he knew his assistance would be counterproductive in the long run. He was on a reconnaissance mission, and he couldn¡¯t allow himself to be distracted by a few wounded people. Still, he knew his resolve wouldn¡¯tst if he stumbled upon someone who would die without his help. Thankfully, that didn¡¯t happen. Unfortunately, he and Dat did find a few dozen corpses along the way. In the beginning of the Trial, there were more than five thousand participants. But so many had died since then that Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder if even a thousand remained. Part of him hoped so, but another part hoped that most of them had escaped through the Branch. It was yet another reminder that the system and the event itself were never designed to be fair. In fact, Elijah half-suspected that the Trial was there to weed out the people whocked the resolve to make a real difference in the world. Or that might have been his bitterness making itself known. In any case, they continued along until they finally encountered a pair of Immortals. The two looked the same as ever, dressed all in ck, with simrly colored masks. Elijah didn¡¯t have the benefit of an identification ability, but with his experience, he had developed the ability to judge a creature¡¯s power by its ethereal signature coupled with the way it moved. And these Immortals were far stronger than they should have been. But the rm he felt upon that realization was nothingpared to what he saw via One with Nature. Because of that ability, the Immortals¡¯ ck outfits were no barrier to Elijah¡¯s senses. And those told him that, beneath those ck clothes, these people were heavily scarred.Elijah couldn¡¯t suppress a shudder that went up his spine. How much damage must they have endured to look like that? He was no stranger to pain, but even he was aghast as he imagined the sheer agony those Immortals must have been subjected to. Shaking his head, he moved on. He wanted nothing more than to put those Immortals¡¯ name to the test ¨C as much to put them out of their misery as because they were the enemy ¨C but he was not on a mission of vengeance. Not yet, at least. Instead, he and Dat needed to gather as much information as they could so they coulde up with a n for rescuing Atticus and his people. Defeating the Immortals was a secondary concern, though Elijah suspected that it would be a necessary step toward aplishing the primary goal. As they made their way through the town, Elijah saw signs of the battles Oscar had described. Everyone in the Trial was superhuman ¨C at least in some respects ¨C and as a result of that power, many parts of the settlement had been destroyed. Eventually, they reached the square, where they saw dozens more Immortals, many of whom weren¡¯t even scarred, surrounding the Branch of the World Tree. New recruits, obviously. People who¡¯d been strongarmed into swearing loyalty to the Immortals¡¯ leader, lest they die to their wounds. Seeing them, Elijah wondered what he would do in such a situation. Would he have refused the offer? Or would he have taken any chance to survive? Likely, the Immortals had no idea what was in store for them. They only knew that they¡¯d been offered the power to keep going. Still, when Elijah looked at them, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of disgust. No matter what his rational mind said about them being victims, they felt so unnatural that he wanted nothing more than to expel the rot they represented. It wasn¡¯t so dissimr from what Sadie felt concerning Benedict, though Elijah had a lot more experience pushing those feelings aside. Finally, after crossing through the square, they found their way to the area the Immortals hadmandeered as their headquarters. It was one of thergestplexes in the settlement,prised of a half-dozen sizable buildings, and they¡¯d added a high wall around it. Or more urately, the crafters they¡¯d abducted had done so ¨C at least that was Elijah¡¯s suspicions based on the quality of the work. Either way, it presented a barrier in that Elijah could feel the ethera wafting off of it. Seeing that, Dat led Elijah a few blocks away, and they took shelter on the top floor of an abandoned building. ¡°It¡¯s enchanted, bro. Crossing it will strip us of stealth.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. ¡°We need to get in there, so what do you suggest?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Can you create a distraction?¡± Elijah smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s my wheelhouse.¡± After that, they established their n, and once they¡¯d worked out the details, the pair set off back to the headquarters. Once they reached theplex, they split up and went their separate ways. For his part, Elijah circled thepound, cloaked in the Guise of the Unseen, until he reached the entrance. Once there, he settled down to wait so that Dat had a chance to get into position. After a few more minutes, during which Elijah studied his enemies ¨C finding much the same as he had in the square, which was to say that they seemed to be newly converted ¨C the time to act came. He stalked forward, and when he came into range, used Venom Strike, Predator Strike, and then, finally, Envenom before darting in and biting the Immortal guard¡¯s leg. Then, he repeated the action ¨C without the Predator Strike ¨C to unleash his fangs on the second guard. They were both low-level, which meant that they¡¯d normally have no chance of survival. But Elijah knew that, even as they fell, convulsing after only a couple of seconds, they would rise again ¨C and stronger than before. So, he shot through the gate, and just as Dat had predicted, an rm sounded in the form of a deep, resonant tolling bell. The Immortals inside thepound reacted instantly, and if he¡¯d meant to fight, Elijah would have been forced to use Shape of the Guardian to deal with the sheer number of enemies. Yet, he had no intention of standing his ground. Instead, he was only meant to be a distraction, so after biting a few more Immortals, Elijah raced away, circling along the inside of thepound¡¯s wall, as dozens of foes chased him. Meanwhile, Elijah knew that Dat had already hopped the wall and used his superior Stealth once inside. Hopefully, he could remain undetected to gather the information they needed to establish a rescue n. Elijah darted back and forth, climbing walls and leaping from one building to the next. The Immortals inside thepound were new enough that they hadn¡¯t lost their sses or abilities, so a host of projectiles, cast spells, and other attacks followed him. However, Elijah wasn¡¯t at the top of the power rankings for nothing, and as voluminous as their volley of attacks were, none of those people could ever hope to catch him. Perhaps they could have overwhelmed him if he¡¯d chosen to fight them in a straight battle. That would have been monumentally stupid on his part, though, negating his advantage in speed. In addition, it wouldn¡¯t have been nearly as effective at keeping the attention off of Dat. So, Elijah spent the next few minutes leading the frustrated Immortals on a merry chase through their ownpound. Idly, he realized that it was the first time he¡¯d really let loose with the increased mobility afforded by his evolved shape. With it, he could move in three dimensions, climbing walls and even hanging from ceilings like it was nothing. Moreover, he was treated to a nice disy of power every time he managed to use Envenom. Because he¡¯d typically used it against much more powerful enemies, he¡¯d begun to wonder if the ability wasn¡¯t a little underpowered. However, those thoughts were put to rest when the Immortals fell, one after another, usually only seconds after receiving his bite. Certainly, they rose soon enough, but Elijah was quite impressed with his new ability. But one unintended consequence was that each time he brought one of the Immortals down, he inadvertently made them stronger. He had no way of quantifying just how much more powerful they became, but the results were noticeable. They still weren¡¯t fast enough to keep up with him, but they were getting closer with every passing minute. No sooner had that thought crossed Elijah¡¯s mind when he felt something moving through thepound almost too quickly for him to track. It was only when he caught sight of a ck blur that he realized that he¡¯d finally gotten the attention of one of the most powerful Immortals. He sprang away just in time to avoid a punch that shattered thepound¡¯s wall. He hit the next building, then scrambled upward. The Immortal behind him let out a roar, and the facet of Elijah¡¯s Jade Mind dedicated to One with Nature took stock of the monster. And monster, it was. The thing was so scarred that Elijah couldn¡¯t discern any recognizable features. It was just a mass of scar tissue in humanoid form. It barreled after him, climbing the building as easily as Elijah. Though it used simple Strength to propel it forward more quickly than Elijah would have believed. He knew his attributes weren¡¯t the best ¨C some sses gave ridiculous bonuses at the expense ofckluster abilities ¨C but the sheer physicality of the pursuing creature was enough to strike fear into his heart. He knew he couldn¡¯tpete with the thing. Even in hismer ape form, he would have been far outssed, and it was gaining on him with every passing second. Hoping that Dat had managed to aplish his mission, Elijah made a choice and as soon as he reached the top of the building, he threw himself upward, initiating the transformation into Shape of the Sky. A secondter, his arms had be wings, and he climbed ever higher. Yet, the monster was not to be evaded, and it leaped, higher and faster than Elijah could believe. And ittched its ws onto his legs. He beat his wings, pushing himself further toward the clouds as the creature squeezed. His bones broke beneath its grip as he rolled, trying to dislodge it. But the monster was not to be denied. Its ws dug into his flesh, ripping chunks out of his broken leg, and it was only due to his experiences in the fallen grove that he managed to maintain any sense of rational thought. One thing he knew more certainly than anything else was that if he didn¡¯t do something soon, the monster was going to rip him to pieces. So, as he reached a height of more than a thousand feet, Elijah shifted back into his human form. The difference in size was dramatic, and briefly, the monster¡¯s grip loosened. Even as they fell, Elijah used Storm¡¯s Fury, and lightningnced down from the cloudless sky, hitting the monster directly in the chest. He added Nature¡¯s Rebuke, eliciting a howl of pain from the unnatural creature. Its muscles seized, and Elijah kicked free with his uninjured leg. A momentter, he used Shape of the Sky once again, and after the transformationpleted, he beat his wings furiously as he made his escape. The monster, predictably, plummeted to the ground below, copsing the roof of the Immortals¡¯ headquarters. But Elijah knew it wasn¡¯t dead,rgely because it let out a roar and tried to leap after him. He¡¯d already climbed too high for it to match, though, and he sped away, his leg hanging limp as he left the thing behind. Hopefully, Dat¡¯s efforts had been fruitful, but for Elijah¡¯s part, he¡¯d discovered one, simple fact ¨C he was woefully outmatched by that monster. Book 5: Chapter 83: Drums of War Book 5: Chapter 83: Drums of War Colt smashed against the wall, the impact rattling his bones and dislodging a cloud of dust and pebbles that fell upon his shoulders. For a moment, he struggled to breathe, but he shoved the resulting panic aside and threw himself into a roll that allowed him to narrowly avoid the descending de. It hit the ground with furious momentum, cleaving almost a foot into the rock. That gave Colt a brief moment to bring his own de to the battle. Still under the effect of Wind of the Winged Serpent, he found his feet and danced away. As he did so, heshed out, his de biting into an enemy dark elf¡¯s leg. She stumbled ¨C only slightly ¨C just enough to give Gwenivere an opening. Her axe came down, denting the creature¡¯s helm and knocking the enemy senseless. A tight redirection of the de, and the elf¡¯s head tumbled free. Colt only followed the battle via de Sense. His other, more mundane senses were entirely trained on the armored elf with the enormous sword. He watched as his opponent yanked that broad de free of the stony ground. The elf nced past Colt, and when he saw that his people had fallen, his eyes narrowed, his perfect features contorting in fury. His silvery sword glowed with ck power before he charged. Colt had no intention of standing his ground and receiving that attack. Instead, he used Storm of the Sword Saint. An instantter, a cacophony of metal on metal rung through the tunnel as hundreds of ethereal des shed into the elf¡¯s silver and red-trimmed armor. But for the first time, the ability was stymied. When the effect faded ¨C it only took half a second to y out ¨C the elf¡¯s armor was grossly dented and marred by deep grooves, but it had held. Then, the elf was on top of him, swinging that ridiculously enormous sword. The de was at least five inches across, and it extended more than four feet. However, despite its unwieldy size, the elf had no issues swinging it with ruthless speed and precision. Furtherplicating matters was that if Colt took the full weight of those attacks on his own de, it would shatter his sword. Thankfully, he¡¯d trained for just such a situation, and instead of blocking the oing blow, he simply pped it off course. Not a lot ¨C just a few scant inches ¨C but enough that Colt wasn¡¯t cut in two. However, this was not a simple battle between swordsmen ¨C not with skills, spells, and ethera having been thrown into the mix.After Colt parried the first attack, he felt weakness wash over him. He didn¡¯t need to look at his status to know that his Strength had been decreased. More distressingly, the elf let out a roar and redirected his de far more quickly than he should have been capable of. Colt had read about such spells, and he could recognize that the elf had drained some of his Strength, adding it to his own. But Colt had never been wholly dependent on his Strength. Or his other attributes, if he was honest. His advantagey in technique and experience. So, it scarcely mattered that he was a little weaker, while his opponent had grown slightly stronger. His deshed out, finding the gap between the elf¡¯s bracers and the armor covering his upper arms. It was just a nick, barely prating half an inch, but it was enough to slice into the elf¡¯s elbow tendon. Not through, sadly, but that was more than okay. The elf let out a grunt of pain as his arm went slightly limp. Colt didn¡¯t press the matter, though. Instead, he slowly retreated, backhanding another elf whose attention was solely on Gwenivere. Like the experienced warrior she was, she took the provided opening, cutting through the enemy¡¯s leg with a vicious hack. Her opponent fell, and though Colt¡¯s eyes were locked on his own foe, he felt it when her de descended. The elf tried to fend it off, but he had no leverage. And Gwenivere was stronger. Her de bit into his chest, destroying his chain-link armor and obliterating the life-giving organs beneath. By that point, Colt¡¯s opponent had recovered enough to once again attack him. His de came in much more slowly. Surely, the elf had plenty of Strength to wield the giant weapon with one hand, but due to its size, doing so was extremely awkward. So, with his arm weakened, he had difficulty controlling the de. Colt considered it a rookie mistake. There was a ce forrge des, but they had significant weaknesses in one-on-onebat. The elf would have been better served by a much slimmer weapon. Still, the de¡¯s length put Colt at a disadvantage when it came to reach. So, as the elf predictably shifted into a more defensive stance, the fight reached a stalemate. When Colt used Storm of the Sword Saint, his opponent countered by enacting some sort of defensive ability that blunted the effect. As the pair slowly circled one another, the battle between Gwenivere and the remaining elves raged on. She took plenty of attacks, but her own armor was up to the task of protecting her. Still, she didn¡¯t make it through unwounded, and before long, blood was dripping from a dozen cuts. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Her will never wavered, though, and the sheer weight of her experience meant that the oue was never in question. For the past five years, she had been fighting long odds for her very survival, and it became immediately clear that the elves had never been through such a crucible. They fell before her axe, one by one, until there were only threebatants left. Colt, the armored elf, and Gwenivere. She circled behind the enemy, an expression of grim determination on her pale face. Blood dripped from the de of her axe, while her clothes and armor had been stained red. In that moment, she looked like a goddess of war, and not the sanitized sort one might see in popr media. No ¨C she was a brutalbatant who would give her enemy no quarter. Nor did she expect to be given any in return. She was a survivor. And that was why Colt had recruited her in the first ce. One-on-one, the elf could fight Colt to a standstill ¨C if only by remaining wholly on the defensive and using his reach to keep up with the Samurai ¨C but now that there were two opponents, he clearly knew his days were numbered. So, he abandoned his defensive strategy and rushed forward, hoping to take Colt off-guard. But Colt had expected the change in tactics, and he ducked under the horizontal sh, then darted forward to bury his de in the dark elf¡¯s neck. He wrenched it free, ripping out the elf¡¯s throat, then danced away. It was a good thing, too, because a secondter, the elf used another spell that made Colt stumble. He fell to his knees, then tumbled onto the ground as his entire body was beset by weakness. It wasn¡¯t ack of Strength that afflicted him. Instead, it felt as if he was fighting the worst flu imaginable. His body shook, and his stomach roiled. And more importantly, when he realized that the elf hadn¡¯t fallen and was aiming another attack at his back, he was too weak to respond in time. Fortunately, Gwenivere was there. She buried the de of her axe in the dark elf¡¯s back, cleaving through the armor like it was nothing. There was a skill at y there, though Colt was in no position to consider it. Instead, he pushed himself into a barrel roll that took him out of the elf¡¯s path. The armored foe ttered to the ground, and though he wasn¡¯t dead, he couldn¡¯t defend against Gwenivere¡¯s next attack. Or the next after that. It took five more swings of her axe to get through the armor and kill the elf, but in the end, she managed it. The moment the elf died, the affliction faded from Colt. And after letting out a deep breath, he turned over. Gwenivere stood over him for a long second, her breathing fast and hard, before finally, she extended a hand. He took it, and she helped him to his feet. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. ¡°That thing hit me some sort of draining ability.¡± ¡°His ss was Dread Knight,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that means in terms of his abilities, but it was different than all the rest. They were simple Guards.¡± Colt nodded. Dread Knight sounded like a much rarer ss, which would exin the leader¡¯s increased power. Still, he didn¡¯t like how easily it had bypassed his defenses. It was one thing to lose a sword fight, but something else altogether to have someone yank his attributes away via a spell. He vowed to look into ways of mitigating that sort of attack. ¡°Let¡¯s gather anything of worth,¡± he said. ¡°Starting with this armor. We¡¯ll stash it somewhere close, then head to that gate to see what we can find. Maybe that¡¯s where they took the miners.¡± The first target was the armor worn by the dark elf, followed by the giant sword. It was huge and unwieldy, but it seemed to be high quality. Maybe Carmen could make use of it in some way. Otherwise, they found a few pouches full of copper and silver ethereum, but the other elves¡¯ weapons and armor seemed mostly useless. Still, they stripped the bodies and deposited everything in a small and well-concealed alcove. The bodies were thrown into a pit they¡¯d passed a mile or so back. And just like that, other than a few bloodstains, the evidence of their battle had been concealed. With that done, Colt and Gwenivere marched toward the gate, and when they reached it, they found that it was predictably deserted. Except for the bodies. The miners, naked and bound, had clearly been tortured before someone had slit their throats. And it wasn¡¯t difficult to figure out why the dark elves would do such a thing. ¡°We got us a really big problem here,¡± Colt muttered, untying the miners¡¯ corpses. ¡°They wanted information on Ironshore. That¡¯s the only reason to torture them,¡± Gwenivere reasoned. ¡°Unless they¡¯re just sadistic.¡± ¡°Maybe. Help me gather these bodies,¡± Colt said. ¡°Some of these miners got families back in Ironshore. They deserve to be properlyid to rest.¡± Gwenivere agreed, and after searching the guardhouse ¨C which extended beneath the ground ¨C they found a sizable cloth. Once they¡¯d positioned the bodies atop it, they wrapped the bundle and put it aside forter retrieval. After that, the pair continued down the tunnel, but it was only a few more miles before they found another gate. This one was guarded by an actual fort that had been carved into the stone walls. More importantly, it was popted by at least a hundred dark elves. They both knew they stood no chance of getting through that bulwark, so they retreated to the first gate, gathered the bodies, and returned to where they¡¯d stashed the weapons and armor. What followed was hours¡¯ worth of travel, with each of them weighed down by their burdens. When they finally stopped to rest, Colt said, ¡°I think war¡¯sin¡¯. You saw it, right?¡± ¡°No civilians,¡± Gwenivere pointed out. Indeed, there hadn¡¯t been anything but armored soldiers at the fortress, which supported what they already knew from the map they¡¯d found. There was a muchrger settlement deeper underground, suggesting that what they¡¯d seen in the fortress was a mere fraction off the dark elves¡¯ martial capability. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get back to town, tell the mayor what¡¯s goin¡¯ on down here, then figure out what we¡¯re gonna do,¡± Colt said. ¡°The city ain¡¯t prepared for a fight like what¡¯sin¡¯.¡± Left unsaid was the fact that killing those guards could very well be an inciting incident for a brutal war. And unless people like Elijah came back soon, it was one Colt didn¡¯t think Ironshore could win. Book 5: Chapter 84: How to Kill an Immortal Book 5: Chapter 84: How to Kill an Immortal ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked Atticus, his hand resting on the woman¡¯s shoulder. She was clearly frightened, but, when she looked up at him, mes of defiance danced in her eyes. ¡°Bah ¨C worry about yourself, child,¡± she spat. ¡°These so-called Immortals won¡¯t break me. Not after everything I¡¯ve been through. Mark my words, they¡¯ll meet a bad end. Meddling with things they don¡¯t understand will get them killed. Or worse.¡± Atticus had his money on the second option. The Immortals lived up to their names, and as far as he could tell, they werepletely unkible. They could be disabled, but only for so long before they rose, stronger than before. But what truly worried the Merchant was the clear insanity that came along with every resurrection. Some of them had grown adept at hiding it, but others could not. Thetter could be set off by the smallest thing, and Atticus had seen one of them rip a defiant Woodworker¡¯s head clean off. It was clear that the Immortals wouldn¡¯t maintain their sanity much longer. And when they finally sumbed toplete madness, Atticus and the other captive members of his Consortium wouldn¡¯tst much longer. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± he asked. ¡°Look to your own needs. You¡¯re nothing but skin and bones!¡± she eximed. ¡°And don¡¯t go ming your captivity, either. You were too thin even before all of this. A man ought to have a proper paunch, I always say.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± he said with a small smile. He wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if the old woman ousted them all. After that, he made the rounds, checking on the other members of his Consortium. The room where they were kept was expansive,rge enough to be called a warehouse. Still, with how many of them had been taken captive, along with all of their equipment, space was at a premium. A Cobbler had set up next to a Tailor, and only a few feet away, a cksmith toiled over a smokeless forge. Most were busy, though a fewcked the strength to work nonstop. Hopefully, the leader ¨C known as Al-Abadi, which meant Eternal One in Arabic ¨C would take it easy on them. He¡¯d made it clear that they would be required to meet certain quotas, or there would be dire repercussions. Aside from a spate of the previously mentioned mistakes, none had been executed, but it was only a matter of time before they made some examples.Atticus desperately wanted his people to survive, so he¡¯d taken it upon himself to ensure that they had everything they needed to meet the grueling standards Al-Abadi had set. Still, the going was tough, and he knew that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the various Tradesmen started to slip. After a few minutes, he¡¯d met with all fifty crafters in his Consortium. There were a few other Merchants and even an Explorer as well, but Atticus hadn¡¯t seen them since they¡¯d been taken. Sighing as he considered their fate, he thought back to how they¡¯d been taken. At the time, he¡¯dbored under the impression that everyone in the Trial would maintain the peace within the Nexus. Clearly, he had been mistaken. Atticus wasn¡¯t certain what had started the battle, but one minute, everything was peaceful ¨C if tense ¨C and the next, there was fighting in the square. That had escted into a full-blown battle, and at first, the Immortals had been overwhelmed. However, because of their ability to stave off death ¨C getting stronger each time they were brought back from the brink ¨C the advantage had shifted. When that happened, most of the otherbatants had fled. Some retreated into the surrounding wilderness, but others had taken refuge in the many hiding ces within the Nexus. Since then, the Immortals had gone to great lengths to root them out ¨C so far unsessfully, but it was only a matter of time before that changed. Meanwhile, they¡¯d descended upon the nonbatants, taking them hostage and forcing them to work under threat of death. ¡°I¡¯m stalling,¡± he muttered to himself as he stood in the corner. No one was close enough to hear his confession. In truth, he didn¡¯t believe anyone could have med him for his hesitation. Thest thing he wanted was to confront Al-Abadi ¨C otherwise known as Abdul Nasir ¨C but it was a grim necessity all the same. If Atticus didn¡¯t do it, no one would. So, he took a few deep breaths to steel himself for theing confrontation before heading to the room¡¯s exit. There, he found a pair of the newer Immortals. They¡¯d surrendered recently, and as far as Atticus could tell, they were entirely unscarred. That wouldn¡¯tst long, and he knew they would eventually be just as insane as all the rest. Or worse, they¡¯d end up like the monster. ¡°I need to see him,¡± Atticus said. They knew he¡¯d acted as the liaison between the captured crafters and their captors, so they didn¡¯t object. Instead, one of them led him through the facility ¨C it was farrger than he would have expected from the exterior dimensions ¨C until finally reaching their destination. When he entered, Al-Abadi was sitting behind a desk and holding a glittering crystal leaf. He blinked, then focused on Atticus. ¡°Ah. To what do I owe this pleasure, Mr. Ariti? Are the amodations provided to your crafters to your liking?¡± the man asked. He was tall, with a sharply groomed beard and ck hair. Hisplexion and ent marked him as being of Middle Eastern descent, and from his demeanor, Atticus judged him to havee from wealth. ¡°They need rest. Better food. And somewhere to sleep. With your quotas ¨C¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Unavoidable,¡± the man said. ¡°If we are to conquer this Trial, we need equipment. My people are durable, but theyck attack power. Your crafters are the answer to that deficiency. We have spoken of this before.¡± ¡°I understand, and I will not dispute the necessity,¡± Atticus said carefully. He hated having to measure his words, but he wasn¡¯t so stupid as to pick a fight with the man who held his life in his hands. Instead, he said, ¡°All I ask is for a few amenities. As I said, the quotas are not the issue. Theck of sleep, food, or downtime is the problem. Solve those, and I believe productivity will increase by a significant degree.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Al-Abadi said. ¡°Then you shall receive it. However, I don¡¯t think I need to remind you that if your people fail to meet my expectations, there will be dire consequences. Do we understand one another?¡± ¡°We do,¡± Atticus said. ¡°Then we have an ord. I will send someone to youter, and your people will get what they require.¡± * * * Elijahnded hard, his leg copsing beneath him. He knew he¡¯d torn something, but when he looked at the joint, he realized that it was much worse than he¡¯d first thought. With no small degree of difort, he shifted back into his human form, then took hold of his lower leg. A secondter, he let out a scream of pain as he levered the joint back into its proper position. He looked down to see that it was already swollen to nearly twice its size, and he could recognize the sign of torn ligaments. It was a sobering thought. The monster had very nearly torn his leg off. If it hadn¡¯t lost its grip when it had, there was a distinct possibility that Elijah would have lost a leg. He used Soothe, Healing Rain, and Nature¡¯s Bloom before leaning back, where hey for a long few minutes as his leg healed. That creature had been terrifyingly powerful, and to the point where he knew he¡¯d have no chance of defeating it alone. Even the strongest creatures he¡¯d fought in the various challenges paled inparison to the sheer physical power that thing could bring to bear. It took almost thirty minutes for his leg to mend, and even then, it would have been much longer if he¡¯d remained characteristically conservative with his spells. However, because of the supercharged Regeneration that came with his Jade Mind, he was able to stack casts of Nature¡¯s Bloom on top of one another. It was extremely ethera-intensive, but it was also very effective. Once he felt up to it, he climbed to his feet, then started back toward the camp where he and Dat had left the others. All the while, his mind kept circling back to the monster he¡¯d encountered. At some point, it had been a person. Elijah was certain of that. But now? It was a monster, and one that had abandoned any sense of humanity. Eventually, he reached the camp to find that, thankfully, the battle he¡¯d expected between Sadie and Benedict, had not been forting. Those two remained on opposite sides of the camp, but at least they weren¡¯t trying to kill one another. That seemed like progress. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t see Dat anywhere. ¡°What happened?¡± Sadie asked, springing to her feet the moment he came into view. ¡°Where¡¯s Dat?¡± ¡°We had to split up,¡± Elijah stated. Then, as the others ¨C including Oscar and his pack of dogs ¨C gathered around him, he exined what had happened. Elijah ended with, ¡°And that thing was the strongest monster I¡¯ve ever faced. Its attributes had to be at least in the three-hundreds. I don¡¯t know how we¡¯re supposed to fight something like that.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± came Dat¡¯s voice as he stepped into the clearing. His coat was ripped, and he had a bruise covering half of his face. Otherwise, he looked to be in good health. Still, Ron rushed over to him and immediately cast a heal. ¡°That thing is named Halima, and it used to be the woman we fed to that beast.¡± ¡°The one we took prisoner?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Dat nodded. ¡°I am,¡± he answered. ¡°There are others in thatpound that are like that, too. I think¡­I think that¡­we know that every time they die, they get stronger. But eventually, I think it overwhelms them. They lose their sses and¡­they turn into monsters. After enough damage, I think they¡¯ll bepletely uncontroble, and they¡¯ll turn on their master.¡± ¡°What about the crafters?¡± asked Ron. ¡°Are they okay?¡± Dat nodded, then exined that most of them were still there. In addition, he revealed that the death toll wasn¡¯t nearly as high as they¡¯d originally thought. Perhaps a hundred people had been killed ¨C still a tragedy, to be sure, but not the cmity they¡¯d expected ¨C with almost everyone else fleeing to the surrounding jungle. ¡°So, what do we do?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°I can¡¯t fight that¡­monster.¡± He didn¡¯t want to speak her name. Halima. What they¡¯d done to that woman had been cruel, and they all knew it. They hadn¡¯t really hesitated, though. She was the enemy, and they¡¯d thought that feeding her to that beast would end her life. Their role in what she¡¯d been forced to endure ¨C and what it had turned her into ¨C was a difficult pill to swallow. Elijah didn¡¯t regret it ¨C not exactly. Give half a chance, she would have done worse to them. She¡¯d proved that when she had tried to kill them. Yet, he did feel guilty for what he¡¯d done. ¡°I might be able to help,¡± Kurik spoke up. ¡°It ain¡¯t fool-proof, and it won¡¯t do a damn thing if that monster¡¯s as strong as you say. But for the others? I think I can keep them tied up.¡± ¡°A new ability?¡± asked Sadie. The dwarf nodded. ¡°Gettin¡¯ it set up will take some doin¡¯, though,¡± he admitted. While Elijah had been engaged with thest challenge, the rest of the group had gained at least a level apiece. Grinding was an effective strategy, and they were well positioned to take advantage of it. Still, something about killing just for the sake of progression struck Elijah as distasteful. ¡°And even if we get it to work, it doesn¡¯t really solve the problem.¡± ¡°Because we can¡¯t kill them,¡± Elijah said. ¡°We need to destroy the source,¡± Dat pointed out. ¡°We need to kill their leader.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Sadie said, standing. ¡°We set up this trap, immobilize as many Immortals as we can, and then go after the leader.¡± ¡°We could just leave,¡± Oscar said. The chihuahua barked insistently, and he turned to the tiny animal and added, ¡°Stop. I know you want to burn them all, but that can¡¯t be the solution to everything.¡± The dog barked again, and Elijah got the distinct impression that the chihuahua didn¡¯t agree with Oscar¡¯s assessment. The man sighed, then said, ¡°If we can¡¯t kill these people, then we should just make our way to the Branch. There¡¯s nothing that says we have to stay, and I feel confident that together, we can break through to ess it.¡± ¡°But what happens when theye back to Earth?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°I have friends being held captive,¡± Elijah added. ¡°We don¡¯t run from our problems, bro.¡± Benedict said, ¡°I agree. I don¡¯t like these Immortals. They seem like bullies to me.¡± Ron shrugged. ¡°I just want to get home to my daughter,¡± he said. ¡°This whole Trial was a mistake. But I¡¯m here now, and I don¡¯t think she¡¯d approve if I left those people to fend for themselves.¡± Oscar looked from one to the next, then said, ¡°Fine. I will help.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Now that that¡¯s settled, what do you need, Kurik? Let¡¯s get this thing going. The sooner we take care of these Immortals, the sooner our friends will be free.¡± Book 5: Chapter 85: No Plan Lasts Book 5: Chapter 85: No n Lasts As Elijah ran across the wall, he had to wonder why he always seemed to end up as bait. But he knew the answer. He was the fastest and most capable of adjustment, should the n go awry. Even so, it wasn¡¯t precisely enjoyable, knowing that one little mistake would see him overwhelmed by countless enemies who literally could not be killed. Or maybe he was just worried about one foe in particr. That woman-turned-monster was horrific, and in every way possible. Not only was she terrible to behold, but her mere presence prompted an existential crisis concerning the thin line between humanity and monsterhood. Her situation was unique, though Elijah couldn¡¯t help but draw parallels with his own past. They¡¯d both been digested by powerful beasts, after all. And he¡¯d been changed, just like she had been, albeit in a different direction. And then there was the fear. It wasn¡¯t often that Elijah found an enemy he simply could not fight. Even against the most powerful foes he¡¯d encountered, he¡¯d had at least a chance of winning. This time, though? He knew that if he faced off against Halima, he would be ripped to pieces. She was too strong. Too fast. Too durable, even without the immortality. Even escaping her pursuit had nearly seen his leg ripped off. And that encounter had onlysted a few seconds. What would happen if he actually stood his ground? Nothing good. And here he was, rushing through the Nexus Town on a mission to poke the proverbial bear. The only reason he thought the n had a chance of sess was because, thest time, Halima hadn¡¯t shown up for a few minutes. If that pattern held, he¡¯d be long gone by the time she responded to the threat. They¡¯d spent nearly two whole days helping Kurik set up his traps, but Elijah knew that none of them ¨C even the one they¡¯d deployed specifically to contain her ¨C were remotely strong enough to stop Halima. The others didn¡¯t quite believe his assessment of her power ¨C he could see that much ¨C but Elijah had seen it. He¡¯d felt it. And he knew just how quickly she would rip through them all. But their current n was the best any of them could conjure, so there wasn¡¯t much choice in the matter. If they wanted to rescue the captive nonbatants, it was the only way. So, Elijah steeled his resolve and continued on.In the shape of the blight dragon, he raced along the walls, leaping from one to the next without ever touching the ground. All the while, he remained cloaked in the Guise of the Unseen, and along the way, he passed one Immortal after another as they patrolled the settlement. None felt even close to as powerful as Halima, but a few seemed to possess at least some strength. However, it was clear that theycked awareness of their surroundings because they had no inkling that other Trial-takers had taken refuge in many of the nearby buildings. Elijah felt them via One with Nature, but he left them alone. They could possibly help in theing conflict, but their assistance was not part of the n. And if everything went right, they wouldn¡¯t be needed. Elijah crossed the settlement, seeing the results of dozens of battles along the way. Some of the buildings ¨C which had seemed so solid before ¨C had fallen, while others bore huge cracks along their walls. It prompted thoughts about human nature and its propensity for destruction. They¡¯d only been in the Trial for a few months, and yet, they¡¯d already destroyed a good portion of the settlement they¡¯d been granted. Was that a sign of things toe? Would Earth share a simr fate? It was an interesting ¨C and troubling ¨C question, but not one Elijah felt qualified to answer. Nor did he have time, because just as it crossed his mind, he arrived at the Immortals¡¯pound. To Elijah¡¯s surprise, the walls that had been damaged during his distraction had beenpletely repaired. However, as expected, the number of guards had been increased. There were at least twenty Immortals ¨C all seeming to be newly converted ¨C patrolling the grounds, each one looking extremely wary. Were they afraid of an outside threat? Or did they fear the monster in their midst? It was another good question, but as before, it was one that wouldn¡¯t be soon answered. Perched on the roof of a neighboring building, Elijah took a deep breath, then transitioned into his human form. A secondter, he cast Swarm. Then Cmity. And finally, he bombarded thepound with one cast of Storm¡¯s Fury after another. Powerful winds cut through thepound, slicing through some of the weaker Immortals. Blood flew, and the earth rumbled. At the same time, dozens of bolts of lightning descended from the sky, hitting seemingly at random as hundreds of glittering insects manifested in the Immortals¡¯ midst. Against any other foe, the onught would have been sufficient to kill at least a few of them. Yet, Elijah knew just how ineffective it would be against enemies who could not be in. Even the ones who fell would soon rise again, stronger than before. He continued his magical assault until, atst, one of the more attentive guards recognized the source. The figure pointed and screamed, and just like that, the chase began. Even from the very beginning, Elijah had used his enemies¡¯ aggression against them. He¡¯d done so against the isopod back in the Sea of Sorrows, leading it into a trap of his own making, and he¡¯d used a simr strategy against plenty of other enemies in the years since. So, he had no issue staying just ahead of the pursuing Immortals as he gradually made his way across the Nexus Town. Periodically, he circled back, just so he wouldn¡¯t leave them behind. Only a few weeks before, he wouldn¡¯t have been capable of so much casting, but after having progressed his Mind cultivation, his Regeneration counted for more than ever before. The vortexes in each facet of his Mind had grown far stronger with his advancement to the Jade stage, and as a result, he could pull in more Ethera than he would have thought possible. Some of it got caught up in his Soul ¨C the channels simply weren¡¯t capable of handling quite that much energy ¨C but the result was still incredible. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. So, he had no issues with ethera as he continued to cast on the Immortals chasing him. As he ran, though, he kept one facet of his Mind on One with Nature as he searched for any sign of Halima joining the fight. If she did, he would need to take to the air and flee. Standing and fighting was not an option, especially without the benefit of Kurik¡¯s traps, which he hoped could at least slow her down. Given what he¡¯d seen from her, it was a slim hope. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t appear, and Elijah made it to the first line of traps, which went off without a hitch. Behind him, Elijah sensed a half-dozen Immortals pass through what Kurik referred to as the immobilization zone. The moment they stepped into the traps¡¯ effective radius, thick ropes of white lightning mmed into them. Their muscles seized, stopping them just long enough for the second part of the trap to activate. ¡°Gravity Trap,¡± Kurik had exined. ¡°Anything with less than two-hundred Strength won¡¯t be able to move through it. Won¡¯t kill ¡®em, mind you, but it¡¯ll stop ¡®em cold. Only problem is that it takes it a cou seconds to activate.¡± Elijah felt the Immortals fall. Beneath their feet, the stone street cracked. Bones snapped, and their flesh purpled. It was as if they¡¯d been ttened by an invisible boulder. Then, the third and final part of the trap activated. Thick ropes of etherashed out from the modules hidden in the walls, wrapping around the prone Immortals and draining their energy. That would keep them from activating any skills or casting any spells. It was meant to be a fool-proof system of traps with multiple methods of dealing with enemies, and it showed just how terrifying a Sapper could be. If Elijah was hit with those traps, he would be entirely at the trapyer¡¯s mercy. However, he felt that his powerful cultivation would make a difference, and with his Jade Mind, he expected that he could outpace the drain. Hopefully, he would never be forced to put that to the test. But for now, he needed to leave the captive group behind and lead the others to the next trap. So, he set off, and over the next fifteen minutes, the n went perfectly. Four more groups were trapped, and Elijah began to think that everything would work out. Then, disaster struck in the form of a horribly scarred monster. Halima had finally arrived. Elijah barely had a second between when he sensed her enter into range of One with Nature and when she smashed through one of the walls. Doing so shattered one of the trap nodules, but the Gravity Trap was still strong enough to keep the other Immortals down. Elijah knew that if he allowed her to continue her rampage, she would ruin everything. It was a good thing that they had a n for her as well. And although Elijah questioned whether or not it would work, he didn¡¯t have any other means of dealing with the monster. He could have run, but then what? No ¨C they needed to deal with her, even if it was only temporarily. So, it was with a deep sense of foreboding that Elijah aimed a Storm¡¯s Fury at the figure. Even as lightningshed down from the sky, he turned and ran. This time, he transformed into Shape of the Guardian. If she caught him ¨C and there was a good chance that she would ¨C it was the only way he stood any chance of surviving her fury. He leaped, bounding across the rooftops, and behind him, Halima let out a furious scream as she followed. She was stronger than him. Faster. More dexterous. But Elijah had the benefit of knowing which way he was going, which gave him a slight advantage that he hoped would be enough to see him through. Besides, he only had a few blocks to go. But even with that short distance to cover, Halima very nearly caught him. She closed with frightening speed, but just as she came within a dozen feet, another of Kurik¡¯s traps activated. Lightning shed out, briefly stunning her, and Elijah felt the ambient ethera tremble violently as the gravity field mmed Halima to the ground. The street cratered, and the nearby walls crumbled. But to Elijah¡¯s eternal surprise, it worked. Halima let out another frustrated roar as she attempted to climb to her feet. It was ineffective. The trap held. All of Kurik¡¯s traps were fueled by the power crystals they¡¯d gathered in the junkyard, and the one holding Halima down drew its energy from thergest one they¡¯d taken from the center. It held an unfathomable amount of ethera, to the point where Kurik was certain that it would remain effective even against someone with physical attributes in the three-hundreds. At least for a while. He was cagey about how long it would hold against such a powerful opponent, but that wasrgely due to simple inexperience. Kurik was a great source of information, but much of his knowledge was second-hand or based on myths and legends. It was often helpful, but sometimes, it was important to remember that the dwarf was a member of an exiled n on a backwater. He didn¡¯t know everything. Regardless, Elijah was happy to see that the trap worked against the powerful Immortal. He leaped away,nding where hispanions had set up a defensive position. ¡°Told ya it would work,¡± Kurik said with a satisfied expression ying across his face. ¡°She¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Elijah asked. He didn¡¯t need to hear an answer, because a momentter, Halima let out another roar and broke free of the trap. She was more than a hundred yards away, but Elijah felt the ripples in the ambient ethera just as clearly as if he¡¯d been standing next to her. A momentter, the sound of a copsing building announced that she was on her way. She didn¡¯t bother going around or over the obstacles. Instead, she simply crashed through them. ¡°Activate the other traps!¡± Sadie shouted, stepping forward as the rumbling came closer. ¡°On it!¡± Kurik responded. Dat disappeared. Oscar and his dogs spread out. Ron took a position at the back, and Benedict looked down from the roof of a nearby building. They¡¯d only been in ce for a few seconds before Halima burst through a nearby building and rammed into Sadie. Her personal shield shed, and it was effective enough to absorb some of the shoulder tackle¡¯s momentum. Still, she skidded backward a few yards before she skidded to a stop. That was when everyone opened up on the monstrous woman. ¡°Go!¡± Sadie shouted, narrowly avoiding one of Halima¡¯s arcing swords. ¡°There¡¯s only one way to end this!¡± Elijah knew what he had to do. They¡¯d discussed it as a possibility. Still, he didn¡¯t like the notion of abandoning hispanions. But he was the only one who had the skills to do what needed to be done. So, pushing his frustrations aside, he shifted into Shape of the Sky andunched himself into the air. The battle raged below, but ignored it, instead focusing on the task he¡¯d taken upon himself. He flew, his great wings beating with more power than ever before, as he cut across the settlement. A few momentster, he crashed into the mostly abandonedpound, then cast his senses out to locate the man who¡¯d instigated it all. It didn¡¯t take long for One with Nature to pinpoint the location of Al-Abadi. The man was in the center of thepound, enjoying a cup of tea as if nothing was amiss. That he wasn¡¯t even rmed was a shocking turn of events, but Elijah intended to show him the error of his ways. Book 5: Chapter 86: Traps and Plots Book 5: Chapter 86: Traps and Plots Elijah could feel the captive crafters deep within thepound, but for now, he ignored them. Even if the ultimate goal was to free them, the others were in the middle of fighting one of the most terrifying foes he¡¯d ever encountered, and the only way to stop her was to remove the head of the snake. So, he¡¯d arranged his priorities ording to urgency. Normally, he would have slipped into the Shape of Venom and snuck in, but there were two problems with that. First, it was too slow. It was only a matter of time before the others were overwhelmed by Halima¡¯s sheer power, which put him on the clock. There wasn¡¯t time to slink through thepound. Second, he had a sneaking suspicion that Al-Abadi ¨C or Abdul Nasir ¨C knew he wasing. So, he wasted no time on stealth. Instead, he shifted into his human form, stowed the Staff of the Serpent Healer in his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, and raced through thepound. Fortunately, it was a normal-sized building instead of an unendingbyrinth of halls, so it only took him about thirty seconds before he arrived at his destination. Without stopping, he rammed through the door, intending to hit Nasir hard and fast. But the second he crossed the threshold, Elijah stumbled and fell on his face as he was enveloped by pervasive weakness. All the ethera rushed out of his core, and his body felt like it had lost every point of his inted attributes. His chin hit the ground, then he skidded to a stop after only a few feet. That was when he felt a boot connect with his cheek, sending him flipping across the room until he hit the wall with a thud. ¡°Number one,¡± came a slightly ented voice as Elijah struggled to pick himself up. ¡°In both the power and Primacy rankings. Still, you¡¯re no match for proper preparation, are you? Did you truly believe that I would be undefended? That you could simply walk in here and kill me? Please. You insult me.¡± Elijah pulled in as much ethera as his Jade Mind could handle, and for a second, the air trembled. The building shook, and he saw a series of artistic whorls on the walls light up with blue energy. Yet, as hard as he pulled, the ethera drained out of him just as quickly. It was like his Core had a hole in it, and no matter how much ethera he shoved into it, it had no ability to umte past a few drops. ¡°How?¡± he growled, pushing himself upright. Then, he shoved himself to his feet, his limbs heavy. A quick check of his status told him that his attributes had been more than halved. The difference was dramatic enough to make him feel even weaker than he actually was. ¡°There are advantages thate with controlling the most powerful crafters Earth could muster,¡± Nasir said. Elijah focused on the man. He was tall, with broad shoulders and the body of a swimmer.¡°When you went to your barber, did you ask him for the Jafar special? Or was that just a happy ident?¡± Elijah asked, still pulling as much ethera into his Soul as he could manage. He wasn¡¯t sessful in giving himself any usable amount, but he hoped to overwhelm the enchantment governing the drain. The man shook his head, a rueful smile ying across his face. ¡°What do you hope to gain by insulting me?¡± ¡°Nothing. I genuinely wanted to know if you were trying to look like a cartoon viin. I mean, good job if that¡¯s the case, but ¨C¡± The man darted forward, then buried his fist in Elijah¡¯s stomach. If his attributes hadn¡¯t been crippled, Elijah would have easily avoided the attack. But at less than half-power? He was entirely incapable of keeping up. His back hit the wall with a thud, and he felt ribs break before he doubled over, gasping for breath. ¡°Pathetic,¡± said Nasir. ¡°Is this the best Earth has to offer? You are too weak to ¨C¡± Elijah didn¡¯t let the man finish. Instead, he erupted into a sudden uppercut thatnded solidly on the man¡¯s pointy-bearded chin. The blow hit with enough force to stagger Nasir, but only for a moment. More troublingly, Elijah¡¯s hand felt on the verge of breaking. ¡°You talk too much,¡± he spat, raising his hands. It had been a while since he¡¯d boxed, but he¡¯d spent countless hours in the gym. So, he had no trouble falling back into his old habits. Nasir cocked his head to the side, then rubbed his chin. He spat a glob of blood onto the floor before raising his own hands and saying, ¡°You may regret asking for this.¡± Then, heunched a blisteringly fastbination. Elijah¡¯s instincts snapped into ce, and he avoided the first two attacks. The third caught him on his raised forearm, hitting with enough force to push Elijah backward. He ignored the pain in his arm as he hammered a fist into Nasir¡¯s midsection, then followed it up by stomping the man¡¯s instep. It would have gotten him disqualified from any boxing match, but there were no rules in the current conflict. So, after feeling delicate bones crunch beneath his stomping foot, Elijah threw himself forward in an attempted tackle. To his credit, Nasir¡¯s reaction was perfect, and he avoided the tackle, ramming his elbow into Elijah¡¯s back. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. That was when Elijah felt ethera swirl, and something sliced through the flesh of his shoulders. The cut went deep enough to hit the bone, sending blood to stter across the floor. Heshed out, harnessing what Strength remained to push Nasir away. When he got a little room, he saw that the man was holding a daggerposed of blue energy. ¡°So, that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be?¡± Elijah asked, his back and shoulder in agony. ¡°Don¡¯t confuse honor with your personal morality.¡± ¡°Is that how you see yourself? Forcing people into subjugation is honorable?¡± Elijah growled. ¡°I think it is necessary. People are incapable of acting ording to their own ultimate benefit. Their actions are short-sighed. Their goals are selfish. I am working to unite everyone under the same banner. And what¡¯s more, I offer a solution to the most eternal of fears. No more death. Can you imagine? We could be a true force in this multi-verse!¡± he shouted. Then, in a quieter voice, he added, ¡°But I admit, that is only a secondary concern.¡± ¡°And your primary goal?¡± ¡°Power,¡± he said. ¡°Pure and simple. I am here for me. I will not be ruled by some alien force. I will not be talked down to by those idiots who rush into towers as if they¡¯re in apetition to see who can die more quickly. Selfish, I know, but I am only human.¡± Elijah¡¯s fist tightened and he ground his teeth together. He¡¯d held out hope that the man was simply insane, but now, he knew the truth. He was just selfish, and he¡¯d been given the power to act on the self-interest. And even though Elijah had made plenty of self-interested decisions in the past, he could not condone robbing people of their self-determination. It didn¡¯t matter, though. Elijah just wanted to keep the man upied so that he could work on a n to escape the enchantment. The door had shut behind him, and it glistened with a blue shield, so he knew he couldn¡¯t simply run away. What¡¯s more, even if he could, there was no way that the leader of the Immortals would allow him to do so. No ¨C the only option was to stay and fight while he searched for a solution. So, he once again raised his fists and advanced. Nasir did the same, armed with that ethereal dagger. No matter what else happened, Elijah knew that he was in for a good deal of pain. He could only hope he was equipped to endure what wasing. * * * Sadie swung her sword, clipping the monster¡¯s knee. It roared, but gave no other sign that it had been injured. Sadie refused to think of the detestable creature in human terms. It was a monster, though and through, and her every instinct screamed at her to end its pitiful life. To that end, she used de of the Avenger, catching the monster before it could recover from the slight stumble. But to Sadie¡¯s horror, her most powerful attack nced off the creature¡¯s torso, ripping through its ck outfit, but otherwise doing no harm. It did reveal the mass of scar tissue beneath, though, and Sadie was beset by a wave of nausea as she considered how much pain the creature had been forced to endure. At her hands. Certainly, Elijah had done the deed. He¡¯d fed the woman to the beast. But Sadie had approved. She was culpable for what had happened. She was responsible for its creation. Now, she only wanted to right that wrong and rid the world of her mistake. However, as she¡¯d just proven, she was entirely incapable of harming it. Suddenly, Dat appeared behind the creature, using his Miracle and ramming a dagger of pure light into the monster¡¯s back. That did some damage, and for a moment, Sadie hoped that the attack would prove effective enough to end the threat. The monster fell, blood spurting from its back as the others piled on. The demon and his imps threw a barrage of spells at the powerful Immortal, and her clothes burst into me. Her body followed suit, blistering grotesquely. At the same time, Kurik raised his bow and sent one arrow after another to m into the burning figure. His trap was still active, which was probably the only reason they hadn¡¯t immediately died. But the additional damage he could add was miniscule inparison to what the others could bring to bear. Even Ron cast his lone offensive spell, pummeling the Immortal with balls of kic force. Against most creatures, each of those attacks would be an effective stun, but against this monster, they were entirely ineffective. Sadie shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your ethera! Just focus on healing!¡± Ronplied with her order, and Sadie stepped forward. She aimed another de of the Avenger at the monster, and this time, it sliced into its leg. It was barely a flesh wound, but she figured that every little bit would count. Maybe it would add up, and while they knew the monster was unkible, Sadie also knew that the resurrection wouldn¡¯t be immediate. Keeping that creature down, even for a few minutes, would hopefully give Elijah enough time to y its master. Sadie swung her sword, but by that point, the monster had flown into a rage. It took her attack on a raised forearm, then punched Sadie in the chest. Her armor ¨C already damaged ¨C crumpled, and her sternum broke as she rocketed backward to hit a building with enough force that she punched right through the wall. A heal hit her, mending her cracked sternum, and she leaped to her feet just in time to see that the monster hadtched its gaze onto Ron. Even as it threw itself across the intervening distance, Ron took a step back and used his offensive spell. The ball of kic force did nothing, and Sadie dashed through the broken wall, intent on saving the man. But she knew she would be toote. Just before the creature reached the Healer, a ck blur shed across Sadie¡¯s vision. The monster went through the next building like it was paper, but through the cloud of dust, Sadie saw that Ron had avoided its charge. Benedict hade out of nowhere, tackling the man out of the monster¡¯s path. Sadie didn¡¯t have time to wrap her mind around that. Instead, she dashed toward the stunned monster and brought her sword down on its back with every ounce of Strength she could muster. And she managed to draw a trickle of blood before the creature backhanded her. Once again, she was sent flying through the air until she hit the ground in a graceless roll. Another heal washed over her, and she forced herself to her feet just in time to use Bulwark of the Faithful. The monster hit her again, shattering Sadie¡¯s personal shield in a single blow. However, when it burst, she received an influx of attributes that she hoped would allow her to stand toe-to-toe with the creature. But even as she ducked beneath another attack, she knew any defense would be short-lived. The only hope was for Elijah to aplish his task. Only then would they stand a chance of putting the monster down. Book 5: Chapter 87: Dragon, Unyielding Book 5: Chapter 87: Dragon, Unyielding Elijah mmed into the wall with enough force to break bones. Thankfully, the impact was spread across most of his torso, so he didn¡¯t shatter his skeleton, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t afflicted with an enormous amount of pain. Agony shot through him as the breath left his body, but he didn¡¯t get a chance to recover before Nasir rammed a fist into his stomach. He copsed onto his hands and knees, then took a foot to the ribs that sent him flipping over tond on his back. ¡°You disappoint me,¡± the man known as Al-Abadi said, massaging his knuckles as he circled Elijah. ¡°I expected more from the man at the top of the power rankings. Did you merely get lucky? Is that how you gained all those levels? I suspect you never had to work for anything. You simply gained a powerful ss and have been coasting along ever since. No talent, just persistence.¡± Nasir aimed another kick at Elijah ¨C this time, at his head ¨C but even though he saw iting, he was too slow to stop it. The enchantment had robbed him of more than half his attributes, and because of that, he simply didn¡¯t have the power to avoid the oing blow. It took him in the jaw, and a mixture of blood and teeth went flying. Elijah didn¡¯t allow himself to feel it. Instead, he continued to pull at the ambient ethera as he tried to drain the area of the energy the enchantment needed to maintain its function. As he pushed his Jade Mind harder than he ever had, he focused the other facets on mitigating the damage aimed in his direction by Nasir. It was a fruitless quest. Nasir was not weakened by the enchantment, and he had the full suite of his own abilities avable. The only reason Elijah wasn¡¯t immediately killed was because the man¡¯s ss didn¡¯t seem to have much going for it in terms of directbat ability. Instead, his power was wrapped up in giving his underlings their immortality. He was not a man who normally fought his own battles. He was personally weak, which just made Elijah¡¯s situation all the more frustrating. And painful, given the beating he was forced to endure. Soon enough, that frustration turned to anger. And that anger became an untenable rage that epassed his own body. However, it wasn¡¯t like what he normally felt when he used Shape of the Guardian. That was bestial. Uncontroble. It was reactionary. There were elements of that fury coursing through him, but it felt as if it had been used as fuel to create something else.Something stronger. In his state, steadily getting pummeled by the leader of the Immortals, it took Elijah some time before he remembered the breakthrough he¡¯d made in that ruined Druid circle. It had let him progress to the Jade stage of his Mind cultivation, but that was almost a side effect of the real gain, where he¡¯d begun to fuse the three parts of his identity. There was the human, which was the most familiar. He¡¯d been a man his whole life, and he knew himself well enough to recognize his strengths and weaknesses. Humanity wasn¡¯t as strong as the elder races. It wasn¡¯t as focused as some of the other species he¡¯d seen. But what the human race did have was simple endurance. For all of history, humanity had persevered regardless of what stood before them. Some might call it stubbornness, but Elijah preferred to think of it as the result of the human spirit. Then, there was the beast. The primal creature who brought with it a feral intensity that humanity oftencked. The most easily understood example was the rage he felt as amer ape, but that same trait was present in the hunter¡¯s instincts he¡¯d embraced in the Shape of the Predator andter in the Shape of Venom. Then, there was the dragon. In many ways, it was the most powerful of the three, and it epassed traits associated with the other two. However, above it all was a simple refusal to be dominated. Dragons were not just an elder race. ording to Kirlissa, they were the founders. And the notion that such a creature would sumb to any force was an insult that Elijah could not let stand. The three pieces of his identity came together. Human perseverance. Bestial instincts. And draconic dominance. The enchantment never stood a chance. Elijah used that to push his Mind to new heights, straining his Soul with the sheer weight of the ethera he absorbed and filling his Core so rapidly that the drain could not keep up. The glow of the enchantment flickered as it strained to ovee the sudden increase, but after only a moment, tendrils of smoke drifted up from the carved runes. Then, finally, it exploded. Elijah felt the return of his attributes, and when the unsuspecting Nasir kicked him again, he found something far more durable at the end of his foot. Elijah barely felt the attack as he pushed himself to his feet. That was when Nasir figured out that something was wrong. He looked around, panic in his eyes as he realized that the enchantment had gone dark. ¡°What? How?¡± ¡°A dragon does not yield.¡± Elijah stepped forward. Nasir tried to retreat, but he tripped over his own feet. Before he could fall, Elijah snapped out a hand and caught the man¡¯s shirt. Then, his fist descended, destroying the so-called Al-Abadi¡¯s face. The delicate bones of his nose were the first to break, but the rest of his skull soon followed suit. When Elijah pulled his fist back, Nasir¡¯s face was unrecognizable. Yet, he was not dead. So, Elijah hit him again. This time, there was almost no resistance as his fist crashed through Nasir¡¯s skull and destroyed the man¡¯s brain. An influx of experience told him that Nasir was dead. ¡°Eternal One?¡± Elijah spat, using the system¡¯s trantion for Nasir¡¯s chosen title. He dropped the limp body and shook his head. ¡°I think not.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred tform. Support original creators! * * * Dat leaped over the monster¡¯s head, flipping as he let loose a trio of darts at the creature. They thudded into its back, eliciting a howl of pure fury as purifying energy tore through it. The thing wasn¡¯t evil, per se, and so, many of Dat¡¯s most powerful abilities were far less powerful than they would¡¯ve been against the foes he¡¯d fought against in Hong Kong. Yet, they were still strong enough to do some damage. The problem was that even if they managed to bring the creature down, it would simply rise from the dead. Such was the issue with fighting an Immortal. Datnded in a roll to dissipate his momentum, then wheeled around, his crossbow already in hand. He loosed seven bolts in quick session, and each one found a home in the creature¡¯s exposed chest. They exploded a momentter, tearing a hole in its torso. However, because the creature was far more durable than any monster Dat had ever seen, the results were less than spectacr. The injury barely qualified as a flesh wound, and it did nothing to slow the monster down. Sadieshed out, her greatsword glowing with white light, but even with that spell active, the de barely cut into the creature¡¯s durable skin. Its clothing had been ripped to tatters, exposing its entire body. Dat knew that the monster had once been a person ¨C he¡¯d seen her with his own two eyes ¨C but what was left was entirely unrecognizable as a human being. It wasn¡¯t just the mass of scar tissue, either. Instead, it was the way the creature moved. The sheer disregard it had for its own safety, the ferocity of its attacks. But more than anything, Dat¡¯s perception was influenced by the results of Hex of Scrying, which he¡¯d used the moment the thing came into view:
Name: Undying Minion Level: N/A Archetype: Monster ss: N/A Highest Attribute: Strength
It was a familiar reading, though one he never would have expected to see when using the identification ability on a human being. The entire notification had been troubling, but two things stood out above everything else. First was the fact that it had been ressified as a monster by the system. Dat had had no idea such a thing was even possible, but seeing the thing in action made it easier to ept. Second, the creature didn¡¯t even have a level, which was quite a shock for Dat. Even the monsters he¡¯d encountered back in Hong Kong had levels. The only things he¡¯d encountered that did not were the wraiths, though Dat had no idea what any of that meant. It wasn¡¯t good, though. He was certain of that much. Even worse were the whispers that came with Hex of Scrying, which had told him that the woman had been altered on such a fundamental level that her spirit had fractured from the strain. The result was the monsterhood disyed in the notification. A tragedy, to be sure, but the situation didn¡¯t allow for pity. Dat continued to fire at the monster, though he knew it would do little good. Even his Miracle had failed to kill the thing, which was a first for Dat.
Avenging Strike Call upon your angelic heritage and enact a Miracle. Cooldown based on umtion of Faith.
Just like Sadie¡¯s and Nico¡¯s Miracles, the description was vague, but he¡¯d used it often enough to know what it did. When activated, it allowed him to augment a single attack to the point where it did an incredible amount of damage. He¡¯d used it eleven times since acquiring the ability ¨C most recently against the fallen Druid in the second challenge ¨C and each instance had resulted in the immediate death of the target. Until the current fight. In fact, the monster had shrugged off the attack without issue, leaving Dat to wonder if it could even be defeated. Not that they had much of a choice in the matter. It was trying to kill them, and it didn¡¯t seem keen on stopping anytime soon. Dat kept firing until his crossbow clicked:
Endless Quiver Use upon a ranged weapon to create enchanted ammunition. Power of projectiles based on Ethera attribute and Core cultivation.
The name of that ability was a little misleading. Technically, the number of crossbow bolts it could create was endless ¨C so long as he had the Ethera to support the ability. Normally, the drain was low enough that his enemies would die before his Core ran dry. However, in this instance, he¡¯d been firing so often that the ability had no more fuel to create new bolts. So, if he wanted to continue to contribute to the fight, he needed to get closer to the monster. With that in mind, he embraced Ghost Cloak, then dashed into the fight. As he sprinted toward the monster, he drew his shortswords and used Curse de before ramming the weapons into the monster¡¯s back. They bit deep, carving into the creature¡¯s scarred flesh. At the same time, the curse took hold, draining some of the monster¡¯s attributes. But Dat could sense that those few points were nothingpared to the total. He also knew that a few of Benedict¡¯s spells had simr ¨C and far more powerful ¨C effects, so if the Warlock¡¯s abilities had been ineffective, then Dat¡¯s weren¡¯t likely to be any better. Still, he had no choice but to do what he could. After all, it wasn¡¯t as if the monster was just going to stop. It was too far gone. Too gripped by rage. The only answer was to somehow put it down. Anything else would result in everyone¡¯s deaths. The monster wheeled around, and with a roar, threw itself at Dat. He used Ghost Clone and dove aside.
Ghost Clone Create an illusion that draws your enemy¡¯s attention. Grants brief invisibility. When contacted, the enemy is afflicted with Curse of Weakness, draining Strength attribute. Potency of illusion based on Ethera attribute. Duration of invisibility based on Dexterity attribute. Current: 2.1 seconds.
Even as the invisibility took hold, Dat dove to the side. The monster hit his illusion, passing through and letting out a roar as it hit a nearby wall. Dat came up, ready to dart back into battle. However, before he could do so, a hulking beastnded between him and the creature. In a vacuum, Dat would have flinched away from the draconic beast, but he¡¯d been fighting with Elijah long enough to recognize his ally¡¯s Guardian form. Elijah shouted, ¡°The leader is dead! We can win this!¡± Then, he sprinted forward to ram his shoulder into the much smaller creature. Even as the wall copsed around the two figures, Dat knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. As strong as Elijah was in that form, he couldn¡¯t hold up to the monster. If they were going to survive, it would take everyone. So, he braced himself for the ongoing battle. Book 5: Chapter 88: Together Book 5: Chapter 88: Together Elijah tackled the monster, leveraging his greater mass to drive it into the ground. As he did, he used Iron Scales, though even with that ability augmenting his defenses, the creature dug its own ws into his body, ripping his scales free. Elijah ignored it, trusting Ron to heal him. Instead, he hammered his fists into the creature¡¯s body, hitting her with so much force that his blows cratered the ground below. But the advantage afforded by his surprise attack didn¡¯tst, and the creature used its superior Strength to throw him aside. Elijah skipped across the rubble, then hit another building. It copsed atop him, but he¡¯d long since passed the point where a fallen building could truly damage him. So, a secondter, he burst free from the wreckage, sending a shower of rocks in every direction. He was just in time to see Sadie descend upon the monster, her sword glowing with white light. It cut into the creature, but only a few inches. The monster had no abilities or skills ¨C Elijah had seen enough to recognize theck ¨C but its Constitution was so inted that even Sadie¡¯s best shot couldn¡¯t do more than graze it. Fortunately, she was not alone. Benedict cast a mass of roiling darkness at the monster, and his imps bombarded the creature with one fireball after another. At the same time, Oscar and his dogs brought their own abilities to bear. The tworgest among them darted in on either side of Sadie, nipping at the monster¡¯s legs. Their bites were no more effective than the Crusader¡¯s, but they weren¡¯t there to do damage. Instead, they were a distraction that allowed the rest of the pack to bring their own unique abilities to bear. The shih tzu was a whirlwind of activity as it dashed in and out ofbat, ripping one wound after another into the monster¡¯s legs. At the same time, another dog ¨C this one a mix Elijah couldn¡¯t identify ¨C suddenly appeared behind the monster and tore a chunk of its hamstring away before disappearing a secondter. However, the real star of the show was the chihuahua, who bathed the monster in dense fire that far exceeded the potency of any mes Elijah had ever seen. They were almost solid, they were so powerful, and they had more effect than any attack anyone else had leveled against the monster. Seeing an opportunity, Elijah shifted into the Shape of Venom, then dashed away. Once he¡¯d turned a corner, he used Guise of the Unseen before returning to the scene of the battle. Embracing Venom Strike, Predator Strike, and Envenom, Elijah jumped atop a pile of rubble, then raced along a still-standing wall, and leaped at the monster¡¯s back. As upied as it was, it didn¡¯t even know he was there until he bit into its neck and injected the potent venom of the shape into its flesh. But Elijah wasn¡¯t finished. Even as the creature tried to dislodge him, he jumped away, then darted in and bit the monster again. And again after that. Six times, he hit and run until, finally, the monster had had enough. It wheeled around, ignoring every attack as it tried to catch him. The creature was strong and fast. Elijah couldn¡¯t even begin to guess how high its attributes were. However, he knew they far exceeded his own. Still, he was no slouch, and he was capable of easily moving in three dimensions. So, he managed to remain just ahead of the creature until, atst, Sadie used Call of the Crusader, snatching its attention back.With a little room, Elijah transformed and cast Swarm before rejoining the fight in the form of themer ape. He crashed into the monster, adding his own attacks to the tidal wave of damage hispanions had inflicted upon the monster. Yet, the creature endured. The fight had been ongoing for almost fifteen minutes when Elijah felt something change. The monster remained as feral as ever, but the difference was that dozens of new people had arrived to add their own efforts to the fight. The monster didn¡¯t acknowledge the neers. Instead, it remained entirely focused on Sadie, who used Call of the Crusader as often as possible. At some point, it was clearly unnecessary. The sheer hatred in the creature¡¯s bloodshot eyes was strong enough that there was no chance of her looking elsewhere. Eventually, the already-unrecognizable monster had lost so much of its scarred skin that it had begun to look like an exposed corpse. Still, it fought on, even as its attacks started to lose their potency. Not because its Strength had given out, but rather because the mechanical connections between its muscles and joints had be so frayed that they began to snap. Finally, it fell, its leg muscles having been shredded. Even then, it flopped around, biting and wing until it couldn¡¯t move. It took thirty more minutes of constant attacks to wear it down enough that, atst, someone destroyed its brain. More experience washed over Elijah, sending him to level one hundred, but he couldn¡¯t muster any excitement for the achievement. Nor could he pay much attention to the notification that came with it. Instead, he could only stare at the shredded pile of organic matter that had once ¨C long ago ¨C been a human woman. His choices had pushed her down a dark road that had eventually turned her into a monster, but Elijah couldn¡¯t deny his own role in her descent. He told himself that she¡¯d had iting, but he didn¡¯t really believe it. Nobody deserved to endure the fate that had been foisted upon her. Death? Sure. That was a fitting punishment for her misdeeds. But to lose her humanity entirely? That was something else altogether. Elijah was busy ruminating on that when someone spoke up. ¡°What do we do with the others?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°I think you know,¡± Elijah answered without looking back at her. ¡°They¡¯re helpless.¡± ¡°And they won¡¯t be once they¡¯re let loose. I don¡¯t know how it all works,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°For all we know, if we let them live, they¡¯ll be able to take the leader¡¯s ce. We need to end the threat, here and now.¡± Finally, he looked back at her and said, ¡°If you¡¯re not up for it, I can take care of it.¡± ¡°No,¡± Sadie said. ¡°We all have a responsibility to do what needs to be done.¡± After that, Elijah and the others all headed to where the remaining Immortals were still bound by Kurik¡¯s traps. None of them were nearly as powerful as the monster, and so, the traps were more than enough to subdue them. It wouldn¡¯tst forever, though, so it was with no small degree of grim determination that they began the extermination. No one sat it out. Elijah and hispanions, alongside all of the other Trial-takers who¡¯d joined the battle against the monster, killed the Immortals. Then, they embarked on a mission to scour the city and the surrounding area, just to ensure that none of the Immortals remained. Such was their ire that no one was willing to let a single one escape. A few of the Trial-takers had tracking abilities that facilitated the hunt, and by the end of that first day, none of the Immortals remained among the living. Along the way, Atticus and the other nonbatants were freed, and the man apologized profusely for his Consortium¡¯s role in building the enchantment that had very nearly gotten Elijah killed. For his part, Elijah brushed the apology off, acknowledging that they¡¯d had no choice in the matter. However, it was a good reminder that, just because someone wasn¡¯t built forbat, it didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t dangerous. After two more days, the Nexus Town returned to some semnce of normality. No one would forget how close everything hade to disaster, but with the absence of amon enemy, everyone went their own way. That included both Benedict and Oscar, who disappeared sometime during the clean-up. Elijah didn¡¯t me them, though he wished that Oscar, at the very least, had remained. Elijah and hispanions took the opportunity to rest and recover. For his part, he stripped off his bloody armor, doused it with cleaning powder, then retreated to an empty room where he used Healing Rain to take a shower. When he was done, he donned a set of mundane clothes, theny down on his bed. And finally, he gave his status the attention it deserved:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 100
Archetype Druid
ss Animist This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 115
Dexterity 104
Constitution 117
Ethera 112
Regeneration 104
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Adept
Body Core Mind Soul
Stone Whelp Jade Novice
Upon killing the monster, he¡¯d progressed to level one hundred, which meant that he¡¯d gained one point in each of his attributes. In addition, he¡¯d also been given a new spell called Savage Might:
Savage Might Embrace your bestial nature, temporarily enhancing your physical attributes by 33%. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 31.1 Seconds.
It would be an incredibly useful ability, though the degree to which it would impact his fighting style would depend on two things. First, he hadn¡¯t seen any restrictions based on form, which meant that there was a chance it would be usable in his human form. If that was the case, then it would be an incredible boon that could turn the tide of battle. Second, its usefulness also depended on the cooldown. If he could chain it back-to-back, then it could change everything. He would need to test things out to find out what restrictions, if any, it had. Still, Elijah couldn¡¯t deny that he was excited about the ability. He was far more excited by the next notification:
Congrattions! Having reached level 100, you havee upon the first major milestone in your development. At this point, you may choose a Specialization. While not a fundamental alteration of your ss, it will serve as a subtle nudge in a particr direction. Choose wisely.
Elijah had read a little about Specializations, and what he¡¯d discovered supported the notification¡¯s assessment. They weren¡¯t as game-changing as ss evolutions, but they had the capacity to enhance certain aspects of a ss¡¯s toolset, pushing it in one direction or another. The efficacy of each Specialization offered was based on Feats of Strength, which meant that Elijah fully expected his to be more powerful than most. So, it was with no small degree of anticipation that he read his options:
Archetype: Druid ss: Animist
Specialization Options
Preservation Savagery Connection
Permanently increase the potency of all healing abilities by 50%. Also grants an additional point per level to Regeneration and Ethera attributes. Finally, increases the efficacy of Mind Cultivation. Permanently increase the physical traits of all bestial forms by 30%. Also grants an additional point per level to Strength and Dexterity attributes. Finally, increases the efficacy of Body cultivation. Permanently increase the efficacy and range of One with Nature by 100%. Also grants an additional point to Ethera and Regeneration attributes per level. Finally, increases the efficacy of Soul cultivation.
Elijah stared at the options, unsure of how to react. They were all powerful in their own ways, but the moment he¡¯d read them all, he knew which one he preferred. Still, he decided to do his due diligence and go through the pros and cons of each choice. The first option, Preservation, was clearly meant to nudge him in the direction of the Healer. And to do so, it dangled before him an incredibly potent modifier to his healing spells. He could already function as a passable Healer, but an improvement of fifty percent to his spells would put him on par with people like Ron. Perhaps not in diversity of spells, but at least in sheer potency. But as useful as that would be, was it the right choice for his development? If he chose that route, would he regret itter? He loved healing people, but it was more of a side project than a calling. More, he expected it would push his evolution options in that direction, and he couldn¡¯t afford to be shoehorned into that role. So, he pushed that option aside and focused on the next two. Savagery was strong. Very, very strong. And it yed to his strengths as well. Yet, he was given pause by one aspect of the description ¨C it specified that it enhanced the physical aspects of his forms. That led him to believe that it would only increase the attribute bonuses, which was slightly limited in scope. If it augmented his bestial abilities as well, it would have been an easy choice, but the fact that it didn¡¯t meant that he needed to consider the third option as well. On the surface, Connection didn¡¯t seem quite as powerful as the other two. One with Nature was not abat ability, which meant that any benefits he did experience would only have a tertiary effect on his fighting prowess. Yet, the option still called to him, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to see why. Almost since the very beginning, One with Nature had been the core of his archetype. Without it, his attunement to nature would not have been nearly as impactful. It allowed him to connect with the natural world in a way that he never would have thought possible. It was through that lens that he saw his surroundings, and he could only imagine what it would be like if it grew more powerful. The fact that it was the focus of an entire option by itself seemed to support its importance. And yet, he hesitated. ¡°You are on the right track,¡± came a familiar voice. Elijah looked up to see Kirlissa standing before him, appearing the same as she had when he¡¯d advanced his Core. To call her beautiful would have been inadequate to the point of bing insulting. ¡°How are you here?¡± he asked. ¡°Can a mother not visit her child?¡± she asked, raising one delicately arched eyebrow. ¡°The moment you stepped foot on the Path of Dragons, I took on a responsibility to see that you had enough information to make the right choices. So far, you have exceeded my expectations. As to how I am here, would you believe me if I said magic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my go-to exnation,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Is that all I¡¯m going to get, though?¡± ¡°The connection between us is special. In most cases, I would be able to appear before you at will. However, because your world is newly touched, there are certain restrictions that will keep me at bay. Those restrictions have been rxed due to the limited influence of the World Tree on this excised.¡± Elijah eyes widened slightly. ¡°You seem surprised. Was that exnation insufficient. I can go in depth as to the ethereal flows and the ¨C¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s fine. I just didn¡¯t expect you to be so forting. Usually, any information I¡¯m given is either iplete, outdated, or only partially applicable,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°I guess it just knocked me for a loop to hear such a straightforward response. Thank you.¡± ¡°You are wee, child,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°However, I must insist that we move on quickly. My time with you is limited.¡± ¡°I see. You think I should pick Connection, then?¡± he asked, returning to the subject at hand. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The same reasons you want to choose it,¡± she answered. ¡°I am no Druid, but One with Nature is, indeed, the core of what makes your archetype what it is. Without it, you would be a mere nature mage. So, it stands to reason that the more powerful that singr ability, the stronger you will be. It is the obvious choice, which is why you were instinctively drawn to it.¡± ¡°But Savagery is powerful. I can see that,¡± he said. ¡°Better Body cultivation, stronger forms. It¡¯s¡­¡± Elijah trailed off as he truly considered the option. There was something about it that just felt wrong. Or not quite right, at least. Then, he uttered a single word, ¡°Hollow.¡± ¡°Indeed. Attributes are a tool, but focusing on them is a mistake.¡± He frowned, though he saw where she wasing from. His ss granted far fewer attributes than many others, though he was still one of the most powerful people in the world. That alone seemed to support her assertion that attributes weren¡¯t everything. Yet, there was something attractive about seeing that tangible representation of his power, and it was difficult to turn it down. ¡°I should point out that you cannot make a mistake with any of those options. Because of your Feats of Strength, your choices are much more powerful than most I have seen,¡± Kirlissa exined. ¡°Whichever route you choose to take, you will continue to grow, and eventually, I will bring you to the Empire of Scale so that your true education can begin.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°My time runs short,¡± she interrupted. ¡°I trust you to make the most appropriate choice, my young dragon. When in doubt, trust your instincts. They have yet to send you down the wrong path.¡± With that, she disappeared, leaving Elijah with even more questions that would go unanswered. He sighed. ¡°Same as always, then,¡± he said. But the visit from his patron had confirmed that his instincts were valid. So, without further consideration, he chose the Connection specialization. The moment he made the selection, a wave of information mmed into his mind, and it was so overwhelming that he only retained consciousness for two agonizing seconds before he sumbed to the ckness encroaching his vision. Book 5: Chapter 89: Looking Forward Book 5: Chapter 89: Looking Forward ¡°They¡¯rein¡¯, hoss. Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ we can do about that. All we can do is get ready.¡± Ramik gripped the arm of his chair, his knuckles paling as he stared at the map on his desk. The man standing before him looked like he¡¯d been through a war. His clothes were torn and bloodstained. He looked uninjured, though the same couldn¡¯t be said for the pale, red-haired woman beside him. She had a bandage encircling her forehead, and another was wrapped around her leg. ¡°How many?¡± he asked. The map showed the natural subterranean passages beyond the mines, which led to a massive cavern containing a sizable settlement. Ramik was no stranger to the deep ces of any world. For miles beneath the surface, his own native had been settled for centuries. The wildlife had been tamed, and the treasures harvested. But gnomes were never quite asfortable underground as some other races. Not like dwarves, who routinely lived beneathrge mountains, and certainly not like dark elves who existed in much, much deeper ces. Their entire species had adapted to it, and their culture had followed suit. Colt shrugged. ¡°Ain¡¯t no way to tell, ¡®less we send some scouts past that first fort,¡± he answered. ¡°That ain¡¯t happenin¡¯, though. Too many enemies, and I¡¯d bet my hat it¡¯s enchanted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the real problem, though,¡± the redhead said. Gwenivere, if Ramik remembered correctly. ¡°What is?¡± the goblin mayor asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know if there are other exits,¡± she said. ¡°For all we know, there are hundreds of ways out of those tunnels. They could surround the city without using the mine.¡± Ramik¡¯s ears drooped. He couldn¡¯t afford to copse the mine. Ironshore¡¯s independence ¨C not to mention his own freedom ¨C depended on the ore within. Without it¡­well, he didn¡¯t want to think about what would happen if he fell behind on his obligations to the Green Mountain Mining Guild. ¡°What do you two suggest?¡± he asked. They were both humans, and neither was a true resident of Ironshore. However, there was a reason he¡¯d sent them into the mines to investigate the workers¡¯ disappearance. Colt was the strongestbatant in town ¨C at the moment, at least ¨C and together, the pair represented a significant portion of Ironshore¡¯s military power. They still hadn¡¯t had the ethereum or opportunity to truly rece Eason Cabbot and his mercenaries. There were a few promising recruits whose levels had been propped up by frequent tower runs, but the budding force would bepletely incapable of defending against the doubtless much more seasoned warriors in the dark elf settlement. Even if they were nothing special, the enemy had been left alone to grow their strength for years, while Ironshore had been forced to start over after the ill-advised sh with Elijah. ¡°We need allies,¡± Colt said. ¡°As many as we can get. Maybe from Norcastle or if we can swing it, from Argos.¡± Ramik frowned. ¡°Argos is a long way from here, and we can¡¯t all travel as easily as you or your friends,¡± he said. Left unsaid was that he didn¡¯t particrly trust the leaders of Norcastle. They were fine trading partners, but a military alliance was something else altogether. He feared trading dark elf invaders for human conquerors. ¡°Way I see it, we don¡¯t have much of a choice. They¡¯rein¡¯. They¡¯ve already fired the first shot. So, unless you think there¡¯s a diplomatic solution here, we need to prepare for war. Sometimes, that means pickin¡¯ the lesser evil. And ¡®sides, you¡¯re forgettin¡¯ one thing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Elijah. When he gets back, none of this matters,¡± Colt answered. ¡°If Norcastle starts somethin¡¯, you can bet he¡¯ll be the one to finish it.¡± ¡°And Argos?¡± ¡°Good folks in Argos. I ain¡¯t worried ¡®bout them.¡± ¡°Okay. Then we need to dispatch a messenger immediately. Someone who can travel through the wilderness without arousing too much attention,¡± Ramik said. Colt nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go myself.¡± ¡°No,¡± Ramik argued. ¡°We need you here.¡± Colt took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair. ¡°Fine. I think I got another idea. Might take a cou days, though.¡± * * * ¡°You have taken quite an interest in that one,¡± said Mano. ¡°He must be quite unique, as much as such a thing can truly exist in the infinite multi-verse.¡± Kirlissa opened her eyes to see an enormous ck dragon blotting out the sky. ¡°Must you appear in that form?¡± she asked. Mano snorted, a small gout of ck mes erupting from his nostrils. On another world, he might¡¯ve destroyed a city with such an outburst, but this was her world, and as such, it was subject to her protective embrace. So, for once, the mes of the dragon known as ck Death were entirely ineffectual. ¡°I see no need to hide my splendor,¡± Mano said, still looming over her. He was the size of a small moon, though Kirlissa was not intimidated. How could she be frightened of her own firstborn son? Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Arrogance will be your downfall, child,¡± she said. ¡°Your fascination with lesser races will be yours,¡± he countered. It was an argument stretching back many thousands of years, and Kirlissa knew that a resolution would not be soon forting. For all his admirable traits, the stain of arrogance had spread to every aspect of the ck dragon¡¯s being. He was her most powerful child, but in the least-used facets of her Sapphire Mind, Kirlissa considered him her greatest failure. Sometimes, it felt as if those two traits came hand-in-hand. ¡°I disagree. Our kind have needed an injection of new blood for eons,¡± she said. ¡°All of the elders agree.¡± ¡°Elders are just as prone to error as everyone else. Perhaps more so. You should know that most of all, mother,¡± Mano stated. Kirlissa schooled her features, keeping her roiling anger from showing. ¡°None of us are perfect, child.¡± ¡°We could be, and yet, you taint our bloodlines with beasts and¡­humans. Our family has be theughingstock of the entire ¨C¡± ¡°Enough.¡± The simplemand was barely more than a whisper, but it carried with it the power of an Ancestor Soul. As yet, no one else in the entire Empire of Scale ¨C even those who could trace their lives back to the very beginning ¨C could boast of having reached that level. There were dozens of Transcendents on Donusa alone, and that was only one among thousands within the Empire of Scale. And yet, she was the only dragon to have achieved the ultimate level of Soul cultivation. That was why she was considered one of the four most powerful dragons in existence. ¡°I will not allow you to insult your siblings, child. They are dragons, just as you are a dragon. ept it as truth, or I shall be forced to punish you. If you were not my son, you would be dead.¡± ¡°You speak of arrogance as if you are not afflicted with such a sin,¡± Mano forced out. ¡°Yet, you smother any dissent.¡± ¡°That is the prerogative of the strong, child,¡± she said, reaching out to touch her son¡¯s snout. He wasrge enough that, if she hadn¡¯t been acting against his influence, he would have altered the veryws of physics upon her world. She rested her hand against the ck scales, saying, ¡°When you pass me, you will make the rules, my son. I can only hope that you will learn restraint andpassion before that dayes.¡± Mano didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he quivered with unspoken rage, ck mes curling up from his nostrils with every breath. And yet, even those fires of destruction were impotent. He was a Transcendent, but he¡¯d yet to progress his cultivation past the Deity stage. At his age, it was remarkable that he¡¯d gotten as far as he had, but he was a long way from bing a true Elder dragon. Finally, he asked, ¡°Will you bring him here?¡± ¡°Eventually,¡± Kirlissa answered. ¡°He will be a perfectpanion for little Saraalinisa as she learns what it means to be a dragon. However, his world is newly touched, and as such, he must endure the challenges set forth by the World Tree before he can leave that.¡± ¡°And you believe he will survive? Why? Most do not.¡± ¡°As you said, he is special,¡± Kirlissa said. ¡°In most ways, he is an average talent. He is not overly intelligent. Nor is he a tactical genius. He can fight passably well, but there are countless others who are far more gifted in that respect.¡± ¡°You make him sound like a poor investment of your time,¡± Mano said. ¡°If that was all there was to him, that would be true. However, he shows a remarkable talent for cultivation. Barriers that should have been nearly insurmountable for someone at his level are ovee without issue. He already approaches the first threshold, and I do not believe he will have difficulty surmounting it,¡± Kirlissa said. Indeed, the boy was remarkably talented. Even with the advantages he¡¯d created or nurtured ¨C especially that tree spirit ¨C he had exceeded all expectations. ¡°But there are many cultivation geniuses in this world and beyond.¡± ¡°Then what is it that fascinates you so? You could be helping true¡­¡± Kirlissa narrowed her eyes, and Mano coughed. Such apse in control would have destroyed half the if she wasn¡¯t keeping his power in check. He needed to work on that. He continued, ¡°You could be helping other dragons progress. Even a few days of your focused attention could help many break the chains for their innate talents and ¨C¡± ¡°There is more to power than cultivation or levels,¡± she said. ¡°His attunement to nature is strong to the point that, by the time he reaches the Deity level, his connection to the natural world will exceed even that of Archdruid Hamehl. Perhaps even before then.¡± ¡°That¡­that is not possible,¡± Mano breathed, once again losing control. ¡°Yet it is true,¡± Kirlissa countered. ¡°The boy is a diamond amidst a world of trash, and I intend to ensure that he achieves his potential.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Mano said, raising his snout to the sky. ¡°I will not question your judgement further, mother. However, I will say that perhaps you should look closer to home for your little projects, rather than training your attention on an unproven child a universe away.¡± ¡°Your concern is noted, my son,¡± she said. ¡°I take it you are leaving? Would you not stay and share tea with me?¡± ¡°This world is too small,¡± he said. ¡°I am ufortable with its restrictions.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Kirlissa said. It would take nothing for him to adopt a smaller form, but Mano had always eschewed such a thing. ¡°Where will you go?¡± ¡°To the front lines,¡± Mano said. ¡°The Ravener¡¯s forces push against us.¡± ¡°They will not break through.¡± ¡°Perhaps, but their endless hordes represent my only chance for growth.¡± Kirlissa said, ¡°Endless pursuit of levels is a mistake. You should be cultivating.¡± Mano shook his great head, which would have caused tidal waves and hurricanes if Kirlissa hadn¡¯t kept the side effects at bay. ¡°That works for you, perhaps, but that has never been my path.¡± ¡°It is everyone¡¯s path, even if they do not know it.¡± Mano said, ¡°I do not wish to revisit this topic.¡± Then, without another word, he pped his enormous wings and ascended to the heavens. A momentter, he disappeared on his way back to the front lines. Doubtless, he would destroy millions of the Ravener¡¯s minions, but Kirlissa knew that her son¡¯s efforts would prove ultimately pointless. Whatever benefits he might acquire from gaining a few levels would make no true difference ¨C not unless he spent millennia engaged in ughter ¨C and no matter how many he killed, it would be as a single drop in a rainstorm. Sighing, she released her hold on the world, pulling her protection back. With Mano gone, the shelter she provided was unnecessary. Hopefully, in a couple of centuries, her son¡¯s arrogance would be tempered. But in the meantime, she had more important things to draw her focus. So, without further ado, she sank back into her state of meditation and turned her attention to cultivation. While Kirlissa had reached the ultimate level of Soul cultivation, the same could not be said of the other categories. In particr, her Body cultivationgged far behind the rest ¨C a problem that, over the next few thousand years, she hoped to rectify. Nothing would ever happen without work, though, so she resolved to expend as much effort as necessary. The stakes required as much. Still, one facet of her Mind remained on Elijah Hart and his progress in the little Trial the system had set up for his world. Book 6: Chapter 1: Reciprocal Book 6: Chapter 1: Reciprocal Miguel let out a long sigh as Ironshore came into view. It was still miles away, but the sight definitely elicited a wave of relief. The city wasn¡¯t asrge or developed as Easton had been. Nor had he lived there for as long. But even so, it felt like home in a way he hadn¡¯t experienced since his mother had died. His eyes flicked to the west, where he saw the ind. Surrounded by ethereal fog, the details of itsndscape were hidden, but he could practically feel the grove within. And more importantly, a sense of anticipation came alongside the proximity to his ultimate destination, all because of a skill he¡¯d received at level twenty:
Pledge of the Green Warden Pledge yourself to a grove. When you do so, you will gain power in rtion to the grove¡¯s strength. If it falls, so too shall you fall.
He¡¯d gained an additional level on the way back from Norcastle, but it was difficult to get excited about a few extra attribute points when what felt like his ss¡¯s defining skill had yet to be realized. Now that he was so close to his uncle¡¯s grove, Miguel¡¯s anticipation had reached new heights. ¡°So, this is where they build monsters,¡± came Meredith¡¯s rough voice from where she was sitting atop one of the wagons in the caravan. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look all that impressive.¡± Miguel nced back at the older woman. She was just as grizzled as ever, with her gray-streaked brown hair tied back in a tail. Along the way back from Norcastle, she¡¯d picked up a few scrapes, just like everyone else, but none were serious. Not surprising, considering that she was the highest-level guard in the caravan. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked, slowing a little to walk beside the wagon. As he did so, he kept his eyes trained on the wilderness on his side of the trail. An attack wasn¡¯t likely so close to Ironshore, but it wouldn¡¯t have been unheard-of, either. And Miguel knew the cost of letting his attentionpse.¡°Monsters like you, kid,¡± she said with a chuckle. ¡°Shame you won¡¯t go delving with me. You still won¡¯t reconsider?¡± Miguel shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that I won¡¯t go,¡± he lied. He didn¡¯t intend to run a tower with the woman, no matter what she offered. The fact was that there was something about her he didn¡¯t altogether trust. Maybe it was that she was alone. There was something to be said for survival, but when you¡¯re thest member of your group left alive, it raised a few questions. Plus, he didn¡¯t like the way she looked at him ¨C a mixture of anticipation, eagerness, and predation. He¡¯d seen simr expressions on other faces, but it still put him on edge. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that I need to check in with my mentor.¡± ¡°And your mom.¡± Miguel shrugged. ¡°She deserves a say.¡± ¡°You want my advice, kid?¡± Meredith asked, though Miguel knew it was a rhetorical question. Predictably, the woman went on before Miguel had a chance to answer. ¡°Be your own man. Nobody likes a momma¡¯s boy. You¡¯ve got some power right now, but it won¡¯t ever amount to anything if you keep asking for permission.¡± Miguel didn¡¯t respond, though he very much wanted to. If he¡¯d been on the fence about whether or not to join Meredith¡¯s team, thatment would have pushed him into a firmly negative position. He refused to be derided because he loved his mother and respected her opinion. Besides, as much as he wanted to think of himself as an adult ¨C by multi-versal standards, he was ¨C he knew, at least in the back of his mind, that he was still barely a teenager. And the notion of going itpletely alone was daunting in a way he didn¡¯t want to consider. ¡°I¡¯ll keep your advice in mind,¡± he said tersely, then pushed forward a little. Meredith knew she¡¯d overstepped, and she tried to get his attention to apologize ¨C in herconic sort of way. However, Miguel simply ignored her and focused on the task at hand. Soon enough, the wagon train dipped below the tree line and made its way through the surrounding forest. The local wilderness wasn¡¯t particrly dangerous ¨C not with how thorough the hunters were in culling powerful beasts. Yet, every now and again, something strong would slip through the cracks, and now that they were so close to their destination, Miguel refused to let his guard down. In the end, his diligence was unnecessary, and after an additional day¡¯s worth of travel, they reached the gate. It was an impressive thing, nearly thirty feet tall and built right into the wall surrounding the city. More, Miguel was familiar enough with crafting and enchantment to recognize that it was more than a mere physical barrier. From a structural standpoint, the wall was far sturdier than even its stone construction would suggest, and it had a variety of enchantments meant to dissuade any potential invaders. After the orcish invasion, the people of Ironshore refused to be caught off-guard again. In the years since that battle, they¡¯d worked tirelessly to prepare themselves to repel any intruders, and all of that effort had borne impressive results. That was clear when Meredith let out a gasp from where she sat atop the wagon. ¡°These people don¡¯t mess around,¡± she said almost under her breath. Miguel felt a bit of satisfaction at the grizzled woman¡¯s response. Perhaps she wasn¡¯t quite as worldly as she put on. After checking in with the two guards at the gate, the caravan progressed into the town and made its way to the warehouse belonging to the merchant guild that had financed the whole thing. It was partially paid for by the city itself, but Ironshore¡¯s treasury was insufficient to pay for everything. So, they¡¯d turned to private interests, of which there were plenty of takers. Not that Miguel cared overmuch about that. He only wanted to collect his pay, then leave the wagons behind. The experience had been interesting, and he¡¯d gained a few levels along the way, but he was eager to reunite with his mother. And to finally use his ss¡¯s defining skill. So, after being given a pouch of ethereum, Miguel headed to his mother¡¯s forge. Unsurprisingly, she wasn¡¯t there, so he traveled a couple of blocks to the site dedicated to her special project. When he reached it, he saw that the foundation for the building had beenid, but the frame of the structure was still a work in progress. Doubtless, if she¡¯d turned to one of the town¡¯s Builders, the project would have already been done. Yet, she insisted on doing everything herself. Miguel understood his mother¡¯s reasoning, but still, he worried about her obsessive nature. When shetched onto something ¨C especially since his other mother had been killed ¨C Carmen had a tendency toward mania. In a lot of situations, that was a good thing. A crafter needed dedication, or she would never progress. But even a fourteen-year-old could recognize the dangers inherent in that sort of obsessiveness. Never was that clearer than when Miguel saw his mother painstakingly running athe over a brick. The act itself wasn¡¯t unusual, though from what he understood, it wasn¡¯t the preferred method of shaping normal bricks. That wasn¡¯t what caught his eye, though. Instead, the thing he noticed more than anything was that his mother had lost weight and looked as if she hadn¡¯t bathed in at least a few days. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Hey mom,¡± he said when he drew close enough. At first, she didn¡¯t react. Then, as ifing out of a daze, she looked up, blinking before her eyes widened. Then, she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around him. After that heartfelt reunion, she insisted on hearing the tale of his journey. He told her the story, leaving out the more harrowing battles he¡¯d experienced and ending with, ¡°I got level twenty-one, though. I have this new ability that I can only use on the ind.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Miguel exined what he knew, which wasn¡¯t much, and when he finished, she said, ¡°Well, then you need to do that as soon as possible. I¡¯ll cut my day short, then get something special for dinner so we can celebrate once you¡¯re done with whatever it is you¡¯ve got to do. I also have some presents I¡¯ve been working on that might help you going forward.¡± He nodded, and as he followed his mother¡¯s directions and took one of their boats back to the ind, he took a few minutes to consider his mother¡¯s perspective. She didn¡¯t like that he¡¯d taken abat ss, and she was even more disappointed when that ss prevented him from using the armor and weapons she could create. So, it left him to wonder what she¡¯d been working on. Regardless of his mother¡¯s state, Miguel couldn¡¯t contain his excitement, and when he finally reached the ind, he tied the boat off before racing toward the grove. Upon reaching the circle of trees, he felt himself rx as the thick ethera washed over him. ¡°Wee back,¡± said Nerthus, suddenly stepping out of a tree beside him. ¡°You have grown stronger.¡± ¡°I¡­I have,¡± Miguel said. He¡¯d felt a connection with Nerthus from the very first time they¡¯d met, and that bond had grown much stronger during his training. ¡°And I got a new ability¡­¡± As he exined it, the spryggent¡¯s expression remained cid, but Miguel could feel Nerthus¡¯ ethera roiling in excitement. ¡°I had hoped you would get such an ability. I am not familiar with the Green Warden ss, but it clearly has elements of the Grove Guardian ss. This is simr to one of their abilities.¡± ¡°What will it do?¡± Miguel asked. ¡°It says it grants power, but it¡¯s not very specific.¡± ¡°It will assuredly give you attributes as well as some measure of authority within the grove. Beyond that, I cannot say. The only way to discover its nature with any certainty is to use the ability.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°I see no reason not to. Fortunately for you, I have the authority to approve the bond. Otherwise, you would have been forced to await your uncle¡¯s return,¡± Nerthus exined. ¡°But if I may make a suggestion? ce your hand on the ancestral tree when you use your ability. It will facilitate the process.¡± With that, Miguel approached the obviously magical tree. Not only was the ethera surrounding it much more potent than anywhere else on the ind, but its coloring ¨C white with blue leaves ¨C marked it as entirely unique. Still, Miguel almost flinched away when he felt a jolt of power as heid his palm on the rough bark. He maintained his discipline, though, and remembering his cultivation exercises, he took a deep breath and focused on the sensation itself. There was a connection there, and one that seemed filled with a promise of power. But there was obligation, too. A mandate to dedicate himself to a life as a guardian. He took another breath, then used Pledge of the Green Warden. Immediately, power rushed into him ¨C enough that he felt on the verge of exploding. His attributes swelled, and ethera enveloped him in a nearly solid cocoon of energy. Then, he opened his mouth and words spilled out. ¡°I pledge to defend this hallowed ground with every breath, to protect against every threat, be it the Abyss or greedy mortals,¡± he intoned. ¡°My sacrifice is my honor. My duty, my life. As long as I draw breath, no harm shall befall this Grove. I will uphold this code, conducting myself with honor until the end of my days or such time as my service is no longer required. This is my solemn pledge, sworn before the World Tree, to honor, serve, protect, and preserve this sacred Grove.¡± As soon as thest word passed between Miguel¡¯s lips, the ethera that had coalesced around him rushed into his body, suffusing him with power. He copsed to his knees, his heart racing out of control as he warred with the sheer magnitude of the energy crashing into him. It enveloped every cell in his body until everything felt on the verge of exploding. Then, slowly, that wave of power receded, leaving him fundamentally changed. When he finally pushed himself back to his feet, Miguel knew that he¡¯d grown taller, his muscles denser. But even more importantly, he sensed that his cultivation had been enhanced as well. Specifically, that energy had bolstered his Core, increasing its potency by a significant degree. Atst, a notification appeared before his inner eye:
You have taken a solemn vow to protect a Druid¡¯s grove. Should you fall, the grove shall be bolstered by your power. Should the grove fall, you will be temporarily empowered so that you may reap the lives of those responsible. When that task isplete, you shall fall as well. In exchange, you have been granted power rtive to the strength of the grove. Use it well, Green Warden.
Miguel read the notification a few times, but it wasn¡¯t difficult to understand the meaning. He¡¯d known that, by using Pledge of the Green Warden, he¡¯d tied his fate to the grove. He epted what that meant. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t think his vow would have been epted. After that, he looked at his status:
Name Miguel Rodriguez
Level 21
Archetype Warrior
ss Green Warden
Specialization N/A
Alignment N/A
Strength 67 (37)
Dexterity 67 (37)
Constitution 64 (37)
Ethera 35 (25)
Regeneration 64 (24)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Cultivator
Body Core Mind Soul
Wood Recruit Opal Neophyte
He gasped in shock. His attributes had nearly doubled, and in every category. Thergest increase came in the Regeneration category, which had been bolstered by forty points. Strength and Dexterity had seen an increase of thirty points, while Constitution was twenty points higher than it had been before he¡¯d used Pledge of the Green Warden. Ethera had seen the smallest increase at only ten points, but even that was an incredible boon. But there was more to it than that. Elijah had once exined how his domain worked. With it, Miguel¡¯s uncle could sense everything on the ind, right down to the smallest detail. What Miguel now felt was simr, but instead of knowing everything about the ind, he only had a vague idea of where everything was. If he¡¯d had to describe it, he would have said that it felt like a watered-down version of Elijah¡¯s sense. Which was still a little overwhelming, but not quite as taxing on his Mind as what Elijah had once described. It made sense, though. How was he meant to protect the grove if he didn¡¯t know what was going on within its borders? Still, he knew he needed to test things out so he could discover the extent of the enhancement he¡¯d received upon making his vow. He looked forward to seeing how everything would work out. Book 6: Chapter 2: Death Toll Book 6: Chapter 2: Death Toll Elijah heaved a body onto the pile, then took a deep breath that he immediately regretted. His sense of smell had recently taken a step forward ¨C or perhaps his Mind was now capable of parsing the sensory information morepletely now that it had progressed to the Jade stage ¨C so getting a nose full of decay was especially disgusting. He turned away and saw that the procession of corpses was still ongoing. ¡°How many, do you think?¡± asked Ron, who¡¯d discarded his sparkly robe in favor of a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt. His boots were stained with old paint. ¡°Atticus said that there were more than a hundred dead, not including the Immortals.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Elijah agreed. The outburst of violence had surprised everyone, so they were lucky the damage hadn¡¯t been more extensive. The only reason the death toll hadn¡¯t been higher was because the Immortals, for all their inability to die, made for terrible and undisciplined soldiers. Despite the muggy heat, Elijah felt a shiver travel up his spine, prompted by the notion of a well-trained army of Immortals. If they¡¯d been a little more capable, there was every chance that they would have killed or converted everyone in the Trial. ¡°Where are the others?¡± Ron asked. He¡¯d spent most of his time healing the injured, and as such, he wasn¡¯t as familiar with the clean-up efforts as Elijah was. ¡°Building a pyre for the Immortals. Everyone agreed that burning them is probably for the best. The others¡­¡± ¡°Mass grave,¡± Ron said, looking at the pile. ¡°Seems almost disrespectful.¡± ¡°Some of the survivors already took their friends¡¯ bodies back to Earth. This is the best we can do with the rest,¡± Elijah said. ¡°We can¡¯t spend weeks digging graves.¡±Left unsaid was that it didn¡¯t matter. The dead didn¡¯t care how they were nted in the ground. If there truly was such a thing as the spirit ¨C and Elijah had some evidence that there was ¨C then they¡¯d long since departed. What remained was just rotting meat. ¡°I can¡¯t keep doing this, Elijah.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I need to get back to Nancy. She needs me,¡± Ron said. ¡°Everyone back home does. My life isn¡¯t just about me. There are people depending on me.¡± ¡°Then why did youe here?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t know. It almost felt like apulsion,¡± Ron said. ¡°We spent so long struggling to survive. Working to get stronger. Then this opportunityes along, and I got an invitation. I had to take it. I needed to see if I could get strong enough to make a difference. Now, though¡­¡± ¡°Nothing has changed, Ron,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I mean, I get it. I¡¯ve got people I care about, too. If you feel like you need to go, I won¡¯t try to convince you otherwise. Just let me know before you do, and I¡¯ll make sure you have directions to Ironshore. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re close enough to get there, but you¡¯re wee to bring everyone. I won¡¯t say it¡¯s entirely safe. I don¡¯t think that can be said of anywhere on Earth. But it¡¯s probably safer than wherever you¡¯ve been.¡± Ron narrowed his eyes, then said, ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± After that, the man turned and left Elijah to oversee the rest of the burial process. It went on for a couple more hours until, atst, the bodies had been ced ¨C as respectfully as possible ¨C into the pit, then covered. Most of the remaining corpses had belonged to loners, but there were a few tearful faces as they were finally put to rest. For Elijah¡¯s part, he simply stared at the mound of turned earth, his thoughts squarely centered on how quickly those people¡¯s fates had changed. They¡¯de to the Trial expecting to grow more powerful, and all they¡¯d found was death. And they weren¡¯t the only ones, either. Elijah had no idea how many had died since the beginning of the Trial of Primacy, but the number had to have reached four digits. His own path had been difficult enough to suggest that the number would continue to climb. The challenges were deadly. From the very beginning, that had been obvious. Even Elijah and hispanions, who were among the most powerful people Earth had to offer, had nearly died a dozen times over. More near-death experiences woulde, too. Of that, Elijah was certain. Given that indisputable reality, perhaps Ron had the right idea. Once everyone had been buried and the makeshift memorial had concluded, Elijah retreated through the Nexus Town, passing rubble-strewn areas along the way. The battle against the Immortals had taken a heavy toll on the settlement, and that extended to the structures themselves. Fortunately, there were plenty of surviving buildings to amodate the survivors. Elijah made his way to the premises established by his friend, Atticus Ariti, who was a high-level Merchant. He¡¯d also gathered the crafters and other nonbatants to work together, creating what he called a Consortium. That had made it much easier for the Immortals ¨C and their leader, Nasir ¨C to practically enve them, but it had also kept most of them from being caught up in the battle. The vast majority had survived, and some had even taken steps forward in their crafting prowess. Like everything else associated with the system, life and death struggle made everything more impactful. Those thoughts skated through Elijah¡¯s mind as he entered the building and found his friend. Atticus was tall, with the broad shoulders and narrow waist of a natural athlete. He also had arge, sharp nose that gave his face the appearance of a bird of prey. He smiled broadly when he saw Elijah. ¡°My friend, our savior!¡± he eximed, extending his hand. ¡°Wee!¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Elijah said, taking his friend¡¯s hand. Then, the man pulled him close in a hug. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful for everything you did.¡± ¡°Other people helped. Sadie and Kurik and ¨C¡± ¡°I know, and I will thank them ordingly,¡± Atticus said, releasing Elijah. ¡°But I believe I know you well enough to recognize that you would have tried, even if no one else had helped.¡± Elijah almost blushed at the praise, but he didn¡¯t dispute it. He would have indeed attempted to save Atticus and the crafters, even if hispanions had refused to help. This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°What can I do for you, my friend? Or is this a social visit?¡± ¡°Do you and the others intend to repair the rest of the settlement?¡± Atticus shook his head. ¡°Most of it, no. But we will ensure that it¡¯s livable and that the Branch is fully essible,¡± he said. ¡°How many of your crafters have left?¡± ¡°Four. Two Woodworkers, another Merchant, and a Weaver,¡± he answered. ¡°More than I hoped, but less than anticipated.¡± Elijah nodded. He¡¯d expected more departures as well, but perhaps that was an error in judgement. After all, everyone who¡¯d been given a spot in the Trial was one of the most powerful people in the world, which suggested real dedication, especially for a crafter. There probably weren¡¯t many people in the Trial who were afflicted with a faint heart. ¡°Can you identify something for me?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°It¡¯s a reward from one of the Trials.¡± ¡°Certainly, my friend. Follow me,¡± Atticus said. After that, the Merchant led Elijah away from the building¡¯s lobby ¨C which functioned as a showroom for his Consortium¡¯s wares ¨C and deeper into their headquarters. After a few moments, Elijah followed Atticus into a room popted only by arge, stone table. ¡°This looks a lot like the one in your shop back in Argos,¡± Elijah said, running his hand along the smooth stone. The center had been carved with various runes, but the outside edge was polished smooth. ¡°One of the members of the Consortium is a Stoneworker,¡± Atticus said. ¡°He specializes in buildings, but he can create all sorts of interesting items. Take this for instance¡­¡± A small, stone statue ¨C maybe three inches tall ¨C appeared in Atticus¡¯ hand. ¡°Limited use enchanted item,¡± the Merchant went on. ¡°That one provides temporary invisibility, but he has a few others that can give buffs to various attributes. Those onlyst around ten minutes, and they¡¯re weaker than even low-level ss abilities. They don¡¯t stack either, but for the solobatant, they might give people an edge.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Elijah said. ¡°How long does the invisibilityst?¡± ¡°Forty-five seconds,¡± Atticus answered. Then, he tossed the statue ¨C which depicted a me ¨C to Elijah, who caught it with one hand. ¡°Keep it. Three uses left. After that, it¡¯s worthless.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Now, what did you want identified?¡± Atticus asked. In response, Elijah reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and retrieved the Shard of Nature¡¯s Might before setting it in the center of the stone table. A secondter, ethera swirled around Atticus, then connected to the table. The Merchant¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Here,¡± Atticus said, waving his hand. A secondter, what looked like a system notification appeared in the air. It said:
Shard of Nature¡¯s Might Overall Grade: Sophisticated (Low) Enchantment Grade: N/A Description: The Shard of Nature¡¯s Might is a sanctioned piece of a Branch of the World Tree. As such, it contains an incredible amount of nature-attuned Ethera, making it a peerless craftingponent.
¡°Sophisticated? Have you ever seen anything with that grade?¡± Elijah asked. He knew that items could be separated between nine grades: Unranked, Crude, Simple, Complex, Sophisticated, Miraculous, Sacred, Deific, and Transcendent. Each grade could be further divided into Low, Mid, High, or Peak. ¡°No,¡± Atticus stated. ¡°It¡¯s¡­this ispletely unprecedented on Earth. I am certain of it, my friend. This is the single highest-grade item anyone on our has ever seen. Given to the right crafter, it could be a truly world-shattering item.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°Indeed. You wouldn¡¯t be interested in selling it, would you?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Elijah answered. It was a priceless item, and what¡¯s more, as a raw material, it could be put to any number of uses. And finally, it seemed tailor-made for Elijah¡¯s purposes. ¡°Not a chance.¡± ¡°Then may I suggest that you allow one of my crafters to work with it?¡± Atticus asked. There was a part of Elijah that wanted to do just that. It would give him an immediately useful item that could help to see him through theing challenges. However, there was something in the back of his mind that told him that would be a mistake. He didn¡¯t know what he wanted to do with the item ¨C not yet ¨C but the more he thought about it, the more certain he was that he would use it himself. Or failing that, let Carmen use it. The notion of letting a stranger use such a treasure just left a bad taste in his mouth. So, he shook his head, then lied, ¡°I have other ns for it. Thanks for the offer, though.¡± Atticus was clearly disappointed, but he didn¡¯t let it show for long. Instead, he invited Elijah to share a meal, as well as some liquor the merchant had found somewhere. For a while, Elijah felt like he¡¯d gone back to the earliest days of his friendship with Atticus. The day they¡¯d met, Atticus had treated him to dinner and a night of drinking and fellowship that gave Elijah something he¡¯d desperately needed at the time. The same was true with thetest instance ofpanionship. After everything they¡¯d been through ofte, a single night where he didn¡¯t have to worry about fighting for his life, desperate challenges, wraiths, or native hunters was precisely what he needed to move on. However, by the end of the night, he found himself looking forward to what wasing. After all, there were still five challenges left, and if the previous four were any indication, the ones remaining would push him and hispanions to their limits. As Elijah considered that, a n for how they would survive the remainder of the Trial of Primacy began to form in his mind. Before long, they were surrounded by other people. Some, like Dat and Kurik, were familiar. Others, like the various crafters, were not. Then, atst, someone Elijah hadn¡¯t seen for quite a while showed up. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d left,¡± Elijah said, having been cornered by Delh. ¡°I searched the bodies¡­¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t even in town when it all happened,¡± the warrior woman said, shifting ufortably. ¡°My brother left, though. He¡¯s not cut out for this kind of thing. He¡¯s fine in a fight, but roughing it in the jungle¡­well, he didn¡¯t care for that.¡± ¡°But you stayed.¡± She nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t just give up,¡± she responded, ncing at the crowd on the other side of the expansive room. Atticus had converted part of hispound into a bar, and it had proven quite popr ¨C before the battle with the Immortals, at least. At present, it mostly yed host to Elijah¡¯spanions and members of the Consortium, but soon, the bar¡¯s doors would reopen to the public. It remained to be seen whether or not anyone would take advantage, though Elijah knew enough about people to recognize that it would likely prove to be very popr. ¡°Do you want to join my party?¡± he offered. She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t belong in that kind of a group,¡± Delh said. ¡°I¡¯m just amon Spearwoman. Everyone in your group is special. I¡¯d just slow everyone down.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m fine with that.¡± And he was. He didn¡¯t see his rtionship with Delh as more than it was, but that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t care about her. ¡°The safest ce in this Trial is next to me.¡± For a moment, she looked at him like he¡¯d gone crazy. Then, she let out a harshugh. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t really believe that, can you?¡± she asked. ¡°Uh¡­yeah? I guess.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re an idiot. Most of us will never even attempt those challenges. We¡¯re just farming experience and gathering materials to take home,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories about the challenges, and I know I would never survive that kind of thing. I¡¯m fine with that, too. We don¡¯t all need to be heroes. I just want to be strong enough to protect the people I care about.¡± Elijah narrowed his eyes. ¡°What happened to looking for adventure?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Adventure isn¡¯t what it¡¯s cracked up to be,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re not all cut out for it, and I¡¯vee to terms with that. Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m giving up. I¡¯ll keep getting stronger. But my goals have changed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­very mature.¡± ¡°Well, I did just turn twenty-five. I figure it¡¯s time to grow up.¡± Elijah looked away. ¡°I feel like that¡¯s kind a jab against my personality.¡± She raised her hands in surrender. ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± she said. ¡°I know you¡¯re different than most people. Your life is fine.¡± She took a deep breath, then added, ¡°For you. It¡¯s fine for you.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Elijah said. ¡°What does this mean for us?¡± She furrowed her brows. ¡°Nothing?¡± she answered. ¡°I mean, just because I don¡¯t want to go running off into the wilderness with you doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t have a little fun, right?¡± Elijah grinned. ¡°I like the way you think.¡± After that, she took his hand and guided him out of the bar and back to his room. Book 6: Chapter 3: Coming to a Head Book 6: Chapter 3: Coming to a Head ¡°Remove those things from my sight, or they will be removed,¡± Sadie intoned, her voice low but firm as she leveled her sword in Benedict¡¯s direction. For his part, the Warlock seemed surprised by the altercation, and for good reason. He¡¯d clearly taken great pains to avoid Sadie, so being cornered in the middle of the square had taken him aback. However, he quickly recovered hisposure and said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember anyone putting you in charge. This is a public ce. I can walk through it if I wish.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± Elijah leaped down from where he¡¯d been perched atop a nearby building. As his feet pped against the ground, he said, ¡°Guys, this isn¡¯t the ce. Just go your separate ways, okay? There doesn¡¯t need to be a fight.¡± Sadie didn¡¯t even flinch as she said, ¡°That is debatable, Elijah.¡± ¡°If you keep going like this, I¡¯m going to have to do some unpleasant things,¡± Benedict said. ¡°You¡¯re wee to try, demon.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Elijah shouted, stepping between the two. He turned to Sadie and continued, ¡°Just leave it, okay? We¡¯re about to head out of town. You won¡¯t need to see him ever again.¡± For a moment, Elijah thought Sadie was going to attack him as well. Then, she took a deep breath before lowering her sword. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it,¡± she muttered before turning on her heel and marching away.When she was gone, Elijah nced toward Benedict. ¡°You really need to get better at avoiding people who want to cut you in half,¡± he said. ¡°Who says I need to avoid her?¡± asked the Warlock. ¡°The way I see it, she¡¯s the one with the problem. I¡¯m perfectly capable of coexisting. If anything, she should be the one avoiding me.¡± Elijah frowned. He understood both sides. From Benedict¡¯s perspective, he was just living his life. He¡¯d not done anything to harm Sadie, and so, he expected to be left alone. However, looking at it through Sadie¡¯s eyes, the man was a fiend. He¡¯d clearly killed people ¨C as evidenced by the presence of his imp minions ¨C and Sadie simply couldn¡¯t let that kind of thing stand. Neither her ability nor her nature would tolerate the man¡¯s continued existence. Did she have the authority to punish wrongdoing, though? Did anyone? He wasn¡¯t so sure one way or the other, but at the end of the day, Elijah only wanted to keep the peace. Benedict had proven himself to be a valuable ally. The man had helped in the Citadel of Innovation and fought against the Immortals as well. Was that alliance temporary? Perhaps. But Elijah wanted to maintain the peace for as long as possible. ¡°Just try to stay out of her way,¡± Elijah advised. ¡°If you keep pushing her, she¡¯s going to take the next step. I don¡¯t know if you can beat her, but I can feel that it would be close enough that you probably don¡¯t want to test it out. So, in the interest of self-preservation, I think we should go our separate ways.¡± Benedict looked as if he wanted to argue, but then clearly thought better of it before saying, ¡°Very well.¡± He extended his hand, and Elijah took it. ¡°One day, we might find ourselves on opposite sides, but I won¡¯t forget that you¡¯ve helped me in this ce. I don¡¯t have many friends. None, actually. But¡­well, you know. Take care of yourself, Elijah.¡± ¡°You, too,¡± Elijah said. After that, the two parted ways. As he crossed the square, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but notice that the confrontation between Benedict and Sadie wasn¡¯t the only one of its ilk. Everywhere he looked, people were at odds. Some only showed it in the way they looked at their fellow Trial-takers, while others resorted to aggressive posturing ¨C especially between different races. Thankfully, no fights had broken out, but Elijah could tell that it was only a matter of time before that happened. Now that the danger of the Immortals had passed, Nexus Town had be a powder keg. One small spark, and it would all explode. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure what the source of so much enmity was. Perhaps it predated the takeover by the Immortals. Or maybe it was as simple as putting a bunch of dominant personalities in the same ce. In that situation, shes were inevitable. Regardless, Elijah didn¡¯t intend to stick around for much longer. The only reason he and hispanions hadn¡¯t already left was because Sadie hadmissioned one of the Consortium¡¯s cksmiths to repair her armor. The man she¡¯d hired wasn¡¯t capable of bringing the set back to its former power, but he was the best avable. Left unused was the block of Celestial Gold; it was far too valuable to allow an inferior craftsman to use. Instead, she¡¯d made it clear that she intended to take Elijah up on his offer of an introduction to Carmen. The crafters in the Nexus Town were high-leveled, but Elijah had found their products wanting. The best any of them could create was Low-Complex, and even that was rare. That was why he hadn¡¯tmissioned one of them to create a new staff for him. The simple fact was that he could do better on his own, though not without a significant time investment. Finally, Elijah reached the building he shared with the rest of his party. Seeing Dat sitting in what amounted to amon room, Elijah nted himself on one of the camp chairs and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Sketching,¡± Dat answered, then held up a piece of paper. On it was a representation of one of the yetis they¡¯d encountered in the second Challenge. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°That¡¯s really good,¡± Elijah said, impressed by the Witch Hunter¡¯s skill. ¡°I wasn¡¯t always this good,¡± Dat said with a sigh. ¡°Extra Dexterity really helps with pencil control. I heard there are artistic sses that can do amazing things. There was this Guide I bought in Hong Kong that talked about paintings and sculptures that could give buffs just from looking at them. Some even make cultivation easier. They neverst long, but imagine putting something like that in a hospital. Or that cultivation cave you built.¡± Elijah had never even considered how art and the system might intertwine, but now that Dat had mentioned it, the notion made perfect sense. In fact, he felt that his dolmens back on Earth took advantage of something simr. Perhaps enchantments worked on rted principles. Not that Elijah had any skills or techniques to take advantage of that knowledge. When he created dolmens or his staves, he let his instincts take over. Outside of maintaining focus and taking all the right steps, it was not a conscious effort. ¡°You ever feel like you¡¯re drowning?¡± Elijah asked, leaning back in the chair. He closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the ceiling. Sighing, he continued, ¡°There¡¯s so much we don¡¯t know, and it would take a lifetime to learn it all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how life works,¡± came Ron¡¯s voice. Elijah opened his eyes to see that the older man had arrived from upstairs. Notably, he wasn¡¯t wearing his sparkly robe. It had been ripped during the battle, and he¡¯d had a new outfitmissioned. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if that was because he wanted to preserve the item created by his daughter or if the old robe had be so damaged that it lost its functions. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°That¡¯s life, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°Nobody can know everything.¡± Elijah responded, ¡°I know that. But there¡¯s foundational knowledge that we always took for granted. Knowing the way everything works on a basic level is valuable. We¡¯re fighting from behind right now.¡± ¡°How do we change that?¡± Ron asked, sitting on another of the empty chairs. ¡°Education,¡± Elijah said. ¡°We need more Schrs. In most ces, they¡¯re seen as the weaker option, right? They can¡¯t craft. They don¡¯t fight. In a survival situation, they¡¯re kind of the odd ones out. But that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re not important. We need schools. Teachers. We need researchers who can find all the relevant information, then ry that information to us in a way we can process it. We need scientists to do experiments and find out new things. We need¡­we need a foundation. Otherwise, we¡¯re never going to survive.¡± Dat said, ¡°We have some Schrs in Hong Kong. Not many. Nobody wants to take that archetype when zombies are knocking down your door. Almost everyone tookbat archetypes.¡± ¡°Or Healers,¡± Ron pointed out. ¡°There are a fair few Explorers, too. But they¡¯re at least partiallybat oriented.¡± ¡°Not to mention that a lot of the people who took nonbat archetypes got killed because they couldn¡¯t defend themselves,¡± Dat added. ¡°So, what do we do about it?¡± asked Elijah. He wasn¡¯t ignorant of his own status, and he knew that, even if he wanted to iste himself, he would y a prominent role in the world¡¯s future. On top of that, the Trial of Primacy yed host to the most powerful people on Earth. Given howrge the world had be, there likely wouldn¡¯t be another opportunity to reach such arge audience ¨C at least not anytime soon. Dat shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, bro. I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s anything we can do. We can¡¯t make people take nonbat sses, especially when they¡¯re fighting for their lives,¡± he said. Elijah sighed. At times, he felt like a superhero. He had plenty of personal power, and he¡¯d proven that he knew how to use it. However, at other times, the sheer size of the transformed world ¨C as well as the problems that came with Earth being touched by the World Tree ¨C felt overwhelming. ¡°What about us?¡± he asked. He had some ideas about how they would use their remaining time in the Trial, but he didn¡¯t want to step on anyone¡¯s toes. ¡°Ron? Are you still nning on going home? There¡¯s no shame in ¨C¡± ¡°No.¡± Elijah¡¯s brows furrowed. Only a couple of days before, the Healer had been adamant about returning to his daughter¡¯s side. So, Elijah asked, ¡°Why not? What changed?¡± ¡°Do you want me to leave?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m just fucking with you,¡± Ron said with a slight smirk. ¡°I realized that my reasons foring here haven¡¯t changed. Do you know how much stronger I¡¯ve gotten sinceing here? Since joining this group? If I keep going like this¡­I might be able to¡­¡± ¡°To what, bro?¡± Ron shook his head. ¡°I might be able to cure her,¡± he said. ¡°My daughter¡­is not well. It¡¯s not urgent, but she gets weaker by the day, and when I left, there wasn¡¯t anything I could do to stop it. Some sort of disease. I don¡¯t know what it is, and none of my spells would help. I figured¡­I figured that if I came here and gained a few levels, I might be able to do something. I¡¯ve gotten two new spells and one upgrade since joining this party. And we¡¯ve got a long way to go before we¡¯re done. I want to save my daughter. That¡¯s why I¡¯m staying. Even though it terrifies me to think of what we might see going forward, I¡¯m not going to give up. Not until I¡¯m made to do so.¡± That wasn¡¯t the exact story that Ron had given when they¡¯d met, but Elijah understood why he hadn¡¯t revealed it before. Regardless, he could empathize with the man¡¯s reasoning. ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Sadie said, stepping into the room. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she carried a sack that clinked when she moved, indicating that she¡¯d finally collected her repaired armor. ¡°When we leave here, I¡¯ll help. You know what my Miracle can do. Maybe it will be enough.¡± ¡°I appreciate that, even if I know it¡¯s a hollow promise,¡± Ron said. ¡°We¡¯re pretty isted, and I don¡¯t even know where we are in rtion to everywhere else. I know you¡¯d help if you could find us, but I just don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Anything¡¯s possible if we put our minds to it, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°And if we can¡¯t help directly, we¡¯ll do so by getting you to as high of a level as we can,¡± Elijah added. Ron looked from one person to another. The only one missing was Kurik, but Elijah felt confident that the dwarven Sapper would have agreed with everyone else. He had a crusty exterior, but inside, he was a softy. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ron said. ¡°You have no idea what that means to me. If I fall¡­¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll keep our promise,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty good at getting around, and if you don¡¯t make it, I won¡¯t rest until I¡¯ve found your daughter and helped in any way I can.¡± After that, everyone vowed to do the same. Ron thanked them once again, but once the moment passed into an awkward silence, Dat changed the subject by asking, ¡°Which challenge do we want to tackle next? I don¡¯t think we should stay here much longer.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Sadie said. ¡°So do I, but I don¡¯t think we should hit a challenge yet. I think it¡¯s time to use the cultivation cave,¡± Elijah said. To that, everyone groaned. ¡°What? I thought you¡¯d be excited. Cultivation is ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Sadie said. ¡°It¡¯s just that we all hoped we were done with the cold.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Elijah said, reflexively pulling his Cloak of the Iron Bear around his shoulders. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know anything about that. Besides, it¡¯ll be worth it. I promise.¡± Book 6: Chapter 4: A Secondary Effect Book 6: Chapter 4: A Secondary Effect Miguel sat in the center of the grove, his eyes closed as he basked in the dense ethera surrounding the ancestral tree. Now that he¡¯d used Pledge of the Green Warden, everything felt so different. It was likeparing a two-dimensional drawing of a forest to walking among the trees, and for the first few hours, it had been overwhelming. That was why he¡¯d sunk into meditation, cycling through the mental exercises Nerthus had given him what felt like a lifetime ago. ¡°How do you feel?¡± came the spryggent¡¯s familiar voice. Miguel opened his eyes to see Nerthus squatting in front of him, his rough-featured face only inches from Miguel¡¯s. ¡°Have you ever heard of personal space?¡± Miguel asked, leaning backward. ¡°Of course. In the forest, there are ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying you¡¯re too close. It¡¯s ufortable,¡± Miguel said, massaging the back of his neck. His attributes had increased significantly, but he still couldn¡¯t sit in the same position for hours without getting a little stiff. ¡°And I feel fine, I guess. Better than fine. I gained a ton of attributes, but the biggest difference is that I feel¡­I don¡¯t know¡­a sense of connection that I never felt before.¡± ¡°That is normal for those who are tasked with defending a grove,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°You are the lone member of the martial branch of this grove, so your blessing is even more potent than what one would normally expect. Tell me ¨C how many attributes did you gain?¡± ¡°A lot. Like double.¡± ¡°In which attribute?¡± ¡°All of them? Well, not ethera. And Regeneration was more than double.¡±¡°That¡­that is too much,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°This grove is powerful, but I did not expect¡­if it keeps going¡­no. It must be the Shard of the World Tree. It was more powerful than even I suspected. The real test will be how it affects you outside the grove.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Miguel asked. ¡°Are these buffs only going to be with me while I¡¯m on this ind?¡± ¡°To a degree. I suspect that the augmentation will lose some of its efficacy once you leave the grove, but it will still provide a powerful boon to your attributes,¡± Nerthus said. ¡°The other benefits will remain, though. I am certain of it.¡± Other benefits. Like the sense of connection to nature he felt and the vague awareness of the grove. In addition, he suspected he would be a little like Elijah in that he would be able to travel through the wildernessrgely unmolested. That wasn¡¯t really new, though. He¡¯d always been fascinated by animals, and they¡¯d gravitated towards him as well. ¡°Any advice?¡± he asked. ¡°Advance your Mind cultivation as quickly as possible. It will be invaluable going forward,¡± Nerthus answered. ¡°Beyond that, I am afraid that I have nothing to offer. You must chart your own path.¡± Miguel nodded, then thanked Nerthus. A momentter, the tree spirit stepped into the ancestral tree, leaving him alone. Or mostly, considering that Trevor, the juvenile stag hade to the grove. Fortunately, he knew better than to eat Nerthus¡¯ nts, which meant that he remained on the outskirts. Miguel rose from his position, then crossed the grove. However, when he saw the deer, he was surprised to see a pair of crystalline spikes jutting from Trevor¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re growing up, huh?¡± Miguel said, reaching out to scratch the deer¡¯s neck. Trevor had experienced quite a growth spurt, reaching a height of nearly five feet at the shoulder. ¡°Me too, I guess.¡± As he scratched Trevor¡¯s neck, a sensation unlike anything he¡¯d ever felt washed over him. Suddenly, he could sense Trevor¡¯s mood ¨C anxious and excited ¨C as easily he could interpret his own feelings. More, he felt the deer¡¯s mind reaching out in an effort to make a connection. Whether it was simple stupidity or instinct, Miguel epted it. And the moment their minds touched, he let out a gasp as he nearly lost consciousness. The sheer weight of Trevor¡¯s thoughts almost overwhelmed him, but through the force of his own will, Miguel managed to resist. But then he realized the problem. He wasn¡¯t meant to fight it. Rather, he was meant to surrender. To ept it. To let the bond between them solidify. From a rational perspective, it felt like an intuitive and unsupported leap of logic. However, his every instinct screamed at him to let it happen. He chose to listen. Ethera swirled all around him, moving so quickly that it rustled nearby leaves. It enveloped both figures, suffusing every facet of their being. Their souls intermingled, tangling together until, atst, the energy died down. When it did, Miguel could feel a presence in his Mind that he knew was Trevor. It wasn¡¯t like he could hear the stag¡¯s individual thoughts. Rather, it was more like he could interpret Trevor¡¯s feelings. Upon realizing that, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he nearly stumbled to the ground. If it wasn¡¯t for Trevor stepping close and offering support, he would have fallen. ¡°What was that?¡± he muttered to himself. Trevor just looked at him like he was stupid. Miguel thought about calling for Nerthus, but then something else urred to him. Trevor wanted to give him a ride. So, without giving it too much thought, he leaped upon the stag¡¯s back, and the moment he was securely in ce, Trevor took off, bounding through the ind¡¯s forest. Once, Miguel had gone on a school field trip out to a farm in the country. Once there, he¡¯d ridden a horse ¨C if being led around at a walk by one of the farmhands counted as riding ¨C but what he experienced on Trevor¡¯s back was nothing like that. There was no saddle. No reins. No tack of any kind. And yet, Miguel had no issues staying mounted, even as Trevor leaped and sprinted through the forest. And then, without slowing, he arrived at the beach and leaped into the water. But he didn¡¯t sink into the waves. ¡°You can run on water?!¡± he screamed, a grin stretching across his face. ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡± ¡°What the ever-lovin¡¯ hell!¡± came a shout from across the water. Miguel looked up just in time to see Trevor leap over a rowboat containing a very shocked Colt, who was struggling to keep the small vessel from capsizing. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Oh¡­crap. Sorry!¡± Miguel yelled as Trevor raced across the waves. He raised his hand, shouting, ¡°My bad!¡± But Trevor had no intentions of stopping. They kept going, and once the shock of what was happening wore off, Miguel realized that the deer wasn¡¯t running across the water. Rather, he ran along a path of moonlight suspended only a few inches above the surface. More, he could tell that, even though every step required some expenditure of the deer¡¯s ethera, it would be hours before he was spent. ¡°How fast can you go?!¡± Miguel shouted. Trevor let out a snort, lowered his head, and then turned it on. Before, Miguel had thought Trevor was sprinting. Compared to their current speed, he hadn¡¯t been. They raced across the surface of the water, covering the distance between the ind and Ironshore in only fifteen seconds. Then, they hit the rocky shore and kept going into the woods. As they ran, Miguel couldn¡¯t keep the grin off his face. Thebination of speed and the bond he¡¯d forged with Trevor filled him with such joy that he could scarcely imagine stopping. But after an embarrassingly long span of minutes, he remembered Colt¡¯s expression, and he knew he owed his mentor an exnation. So, he asked Trevor to turn around. The deer was reluctant toply until Miguel reminded him that his own parents likely would not be happy with his jaunt into the wilderness. That convinced the deer to return to the ind, and after a few more minutes, they had crossed the strait and passed onto the shore. Not long after, Trevor pulled to a stop just outside the grove. ¡°Thanks,¡± Miguel said, slipping from the deer¡¯s back. He rested his hand on Trevor¡¯s side, then said, ¡°Wait just a second.¡± He dashed into the grove, and before Nerthus could stop him ¨C the spryggent had a habit of popping up at all the wrong times ¨C he picked a fruit from one of the new bushes. He tossed it to Trevor a secondter. The deer caught it with his mouth, then swallowed the thing whole. ¡°Nerthus is gonna kill you if you keep pickin¡¯ them fruits. This ain¡¯t like those berries that used to be here,¡± came Colt¡¯s voice. ¡°There¡¯s a delicate bnce he¡¯s tryin¡¯ to maintain.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°But more importantly, what the goddamn hell was that all about? Were you runnin¡¯ on water?¡± Colt demanded, removing his soggy hat. ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡°I mean, yeah. Or technically, Trevor was. And if we¡¯re getting super specific, he was running on moonlight,¡± Miguel exined. ¡°Well, that exins everything,¡± Colt said with a shake of his head. ¡°You care to exin a little more? Or am I s¡¯posed to just assume you¡¯re an idiot?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot!¡± Miguel insisted. ¡°Yeah? At the very least, you¡¯re irresponsible. Jumpin¡¯ over me like that. Ruined my goddamn hat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll get you another one, okay? And I just got caught up in the moment, I guess. Trevor and me, we bonded. Sort of. I¡¯m not sure exactly what happened, but I have this kind of awareness about him now. And I can feel his emotions. Almost like I can read his mind. I think¡­I think we¡¯re stuck together now, and we both got a little carried away is all,¡± Miguel exined. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t mind buying you a new hat. Maybe one that¡¯s not white.¡± ¡°I like white,¡± Colt mumbled. ¡°¡¯sides, that¡¯s enough about all that. I came here to talk to you. I think I¡¯ve got a job for you.¡± ¡°Really? What?¡± ¡°Someone needs to go to Norcastle, then Argos. You¡¯ve been to both, so it might help you get the message to the right set of ears,¡± Colt stated. ¡°And I¡¯ve seen how you are with the wilderness. You¡¯re like your uncle. Things ain¡¯t as hostile toward you as they are with most. And with that deer, you can probably move faster than most. That wasn¡¯t part of the original n, but it¡¯ll help all the same.¡± ¡°You want me to go all the way to Argos by myself?¡± Miguel asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t there someone older? Or¡­I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Might be somebody older, but right now, you¡¯re the best person for the job. I already cleared it with your mom, too. So, if you want it, job¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°I mean¡­I definitely want it. And if mom said it¡¯s okay¡­¡± ¡°She did.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Good. Then you should go see her,¡± Colt said. ¡°She has somethin¡¯ for ya, and I think she wants to spend a little time with you before you leave again.¡± Miguel almost rolled his eyes. Thest thing he wanted was for his mother to smother him, which she was wont to do, given half a chance. His time working the caravan had highlighted that much. Yet, he couldn¡¯t deny that he¡¯d missed her too. So, without further ado, he called for Trevor, who responded without much dy. Then, Miguel mounted his mighty steed and, soon enough, they were racing across the strait. Their arrival in Ironshore caused a slight stir, but most of the residents were ustomed to living in a world of magic, so the excitement died down after only a few minutes. That allowed Miguel to reach the future site of the Great Forge, but for once, his mother wasn¡¯t there. So, he headed to her smithy, where he found her toiling over a breastte. ¡°You weren¡¯t at the construction site,¡± he shouted over the sound of her hammer strikes. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± She looked up and smiled, though there was something missing from the expression. ¡°Hey, mijo.¡± A secondter, she had her muscr ¨C and quite sweaty ¨C arms wrapped around him in a crushing hug. Even with his newly augmented attributes, she was much stronger than him. ¡°Lemme go, mom,¡± he pleaded. She gave him onest squeeze before releasing him. Then, her eyes found Trevor, who¡¯d followed Miguel inside. At present the deer looked both eager to explore and terrified of what he might find. ¡°Want to exin?¡± ¡°Uh¡­sure.¡± Then, he told her everything about the vow. He¡¯d exined it before, so he only needed to recount the effects. ¡°I think the buffs will fade some if I get too far away from the grove, but they¡¯ll always be with me.¡± ¡°So long as the grove stands.¡± ¡°Yeah. But Uncle Elijah won¡¯t let it fall,¡± he said. He tightened his hand into a fist. ¡°Neither will I.¡± She shook her head, muttering something about him being infected by Elijah¡¯s nature. Then, she took a deep breath and said, ¡°Did Colt tell you what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Just that I¡¯m supposed to act as a messenger. I haven¡¯t gotten the specifics yet,¡± he admitted. ¡°Okay, sit down. I¡¯ll exin everything.¡± And she did, starting with the missing miners and the discovery of the hostile force of dark elves. ¡°We can¡¯t stand up to them alone,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s where youe in. We need alliances. The mayor will exin everything else. But for now, there are two things I want to do. I want to have a nice meal with my son, and I want to give you a gift.¡± ¡°Mom, you know I can¡¯t use ¨C¡± ¡°Funny thing about cksmithing,¡± she spoke over him as she crossed the smithy. It wasn¡¯t a big building, so she quickly reached her destination. ¡°I¡¯m best with metals, but I still have a solid foundation as a Tradesman. I can still work with wood. Now, I spent most of the time you were gone practicing so that I could make this work. And I¡¯m pretty pleased with the result, even if it¡¯s probably the best I¡¯ll ever do working with that kind of material. Anyway, I hope it works well for you.¡± With that, she handed him a package wrapped in tan paper. Miguel ripped it open to reveal a set of brown-and-greencquered armor. Thergest piece was a segmented breastte with a carved tree emblem in the center, but there were simrly segmented pauldrons, a pair of bracers, gauntlets, greaves and tassets. There was even a helm. ¡°Mom¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to let my baby go out into the world without proper protection,¡± she said. ¡°I made it out of a reward Elijah got from a tower. Called Bark of the Mother Tree, which was low-Complex. So, that set is likely the best you¡¯ll see for a long while. I also had some wood left over, so¡­here.¡± She retrieved another bundle from nearby, this one long and slender. When Miguel opened it, he found a wooden katana and a spear. The wood used to construct both des was so light in color that it almost looked white. He tested both edges, finding that they were razor sharp. ¡°How?¡± he asked. ¡°Had it treated by one of the Carpenters helping with my project,¡± she said. ¡°It should be stronger than steel, though I¡¯ll admit that it¡¯s probably not as durable as magical metals like faythium, but it¡¯ll hold up pretty well, especially with your modifiers.¡± ¡°Mom¡­this is incredible. Like¡­I couldn¡¯t¡­I never expected¡­¡± He threw his arms around her, and she once again hugged him tightly. As she did, she said, ¡°Just use them to stay alive. I can¡¯t lose you, mijo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful, mom. I¡¯ll be okay.¡± She pulled away, then wiped something from her cheeks. Miguel pretended not to notice her tears as she said, ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you introduce me to your friend here. He¡¯s intelligent, isn¡¯t he?¡± She addressed Trevor. ¡°I¡¯m Carmen, and I expect you to take care of my boy.¡± Trevor dipped his head, which seemed a good enough answer for her. ¡°Good. Now, let¡¯s go get something to eat.¡± Book 6: Chapter 5: The Frontrunner Problem Book 6: Chapter 5: The Frontrunner Problem Elijah opened his eyes, frowning as he looked around his section of the cultivation cave. To say he was disappointed would have been a vast understatement. He¡¯d spent the past three days trying to advance his Body cultivation, but he¡¯d made absolutely no progress. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t know what he was doing, either. He was well-versed in the methods, which weren¡¯t terriblyplex at his current stage. He knew he was doing it correctly. Instead, the problem was the ethera. It just wasn¡¯t thick enough for his purposes. And the implications of that discovery were troubling, given that the cultivation cave he¡¯d built was almost as powerful as the one back on his ind. As a powerful fluctuation swept forth from the other side of the cave, Elijah felt a pang of jealousy. Everyone else was making huge strides, while he was simply sitting still. It would have been different if it was a personal failing. He could work through that and hopefully improve. However, with the issue being external, Elijah had difficulty epting the limitations foisted upon him by the environment. Upon arriving at the cultivation cave, he¡¯d been so optimistic. He and the others had divided the area into five sections, building walls of piled rocks to keep the areas separated so that they could each cultivate in peace without disturbing everyone else. And it had worked quite well, giving everyone the privacy they needed to advance their paths. The others drew closer to personal breakthroughs with every passing day. Meanwhile, Elijah was stuck in the mud. He¡¯d even removed his Cloak of the Iron Bear, thinking that it had shielded him from the powerful ethera. He knew that wasn¡¯t the case, but by that point, he was grasping at straws. Predictably, it had done nothing but make him ufortable. ¡°This is a waste of time,¡± he muttered under his breath before pushing himself to his feet. Then, he left the cave behind, passing Kurik along the way. The dwarf didn¡¯t like cultivating in the cold, but even that hadn¡¯t kept him from taking advantage of the cave Elijah had built. Once he was outside, Elijah reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and retrieved his cloak. Donning it, he basked in the suddenfort it provided via the Temperate trait. Taking a deep breath, he focused on One with Nature. Ever since advancing his Jade Mind, he was able to process more information than ever before ¨C which was a good thing, considering his choice of specialization.Not for the first time, he wondered if he¡¯d made the right decision. While he knew he¡¯d never have chosen Preservation ¨C after all, healing was less of a calling and more of a hobby for him ¨C Savagery had been a viable possibility. Yet, he¡¯d picked Connection,rgely because of some ephemeral feeling he couldn¡¯t exin. Certainly, he¡¯d also taken Kirlissa¡¯s advice into ount; he¡¯d have been an idiot not to listen to such a powerful being. Yet, in truth, his choice was based mostly on his own feelings. Which he didn¡¯t like. It was easy to support a choice if it was made on the basis of verifiable logic. But when it was an emotional decision, it was difficult not to doubt the path he¡¯d chosen. The decision was made, though. So, it was past time that he figured out what it might mean for him going forward. With that in mind, he looked at the description of his chosen specialization:
Specialization: Connection Permanently increase the efficacy and range of One with Nature by 100%. Also grants an additional point to Ethera and Regeneration attributes per level. Finally, increases the efficacy of Soul cultivation.
Upon making his choice, Elijah had felt an immediate difference in One with Nature. However, it was not nearly as powerful as indicated by the description. If he¡¯d had to guess, he would have put it closer to twenty percent, though that was just an estimate, albeit one supported by his experiences. Since then, he¡¯d learned that he could push the range much further than the default, indicating that the description referred to the maximum capabilities, rather than the baseline. With that in mind, Elijah pushed on the ability, and the results were immediate. His awareness rippled out, and if he hadn¡¯t advanced to the Jade Mind stage, he knew he would have been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information avable to him. It wasn¡¯t quite as detailed as the awareness granted by his domain surrounding his grove, but it wasn¡¯t that far off, either. Before, he¡¯d only really sensed living things. He had learned to interpret that in such a way as to give him a decent picture of his surroundings, but that method had always had its limits. Now, though, he saw everything. Not in perfect detail, as he would with his domain, but enough that he could get a sense of his surroundings without having to filter it through interpretation. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. As he concentrated on the feeling, Elijah kepting back to the specialization¡¯s name. It was called Connection for a reason, and it was through that lens that he realized what the difference was. Or rather, how One with Nature truly worked. He didn¡¯t merely sense the presence of living things. He connected with them. And now, the increased awareness of his surroundings came because he was sensing the world through nature¡¯s eyes. The ability did some heavy lifting, filtering that awareness into something he could understand, but the implications of what he felt were massive. If he continued along that path, how would it evolve? Would he one day be able to talk to trees? The possibilities were endless. In addition to the potency of his ability, Elijah could tell that it had grown even more expansive than it had been with his lost Staff of the First Dragon. He couldn¡¯t perfectly measure the radius, but he guessed that, if he pushed One with Nature to its limit, it could epass an area at least a mile wide. Which was incredible, supporting theparison to his domain. For hours, he simply stood there, basking in his increased awareness. Even in the frozen wilderness, there was plenty of life around. But Elijah wasn¡¯t as interested in the native beasts. Nor did he give much attention to the yeti scout he felt almost a mile away. Instead, he focused on his next task. He¡¯d lost his previous staff, and the Staff of the Serpent Healer was barely holding itself together. Even after using the putty Sadie carried around to repair it, the thing was only one good blow away from shattering. So, while the others worked on their own cultivation, Elijah had decided to create a new staff. At first, he¡¯d considered using the Shard of Nature¡¯s Might to augment the process, but it didn¡¯t take him long to discard that notion. The item was far too powerful to use on what he suspected would be an inferior product. Because Elijah wasn¡¯t a real crafter, his results were dependent on many external factors. He¡¯d only managed to create passable staves because of his grove. Without that, any staff he managed to carve would be limited in its power. Still, he needed to do something, so he focused on One with Nature as he searched for perfect material. It only took an hour of wandering around before he came upon an ancient tree that resembled a ck willow. It was situated next to a frozen river, and it had dark blue bark instead of the typical brown Elijah might have expected. In addition, its leaves were white with blue veins, giving it a very distinctive appearance. More importantly, when Elijah connected with it via One with Nature, he felt a surging ferocity deep in its core. For a while, he watched the tree until, atst, he saw something that exined what he felt. A small, rabbit-like creature ventured close to the trunk, but the moment it came within a few feet, a series of thick roots erupted from the frozen ground, wrapped around the fluffy animal, and yanked it underground. Elijah couldn¡¯t see what happened next, though he felt it via One with Nature. The roots acted like boa constrictors, squeezing the creature until it burst like a gore-filled balloon. Its blood seeped into the surrounding soil, only to be absorbed by the roots. Elijah traced the life-giving vitality as it soared through the roots, up the trunk, and to the tips of the tree¡¯s limbs. It all happened over the space of a few moments, leaving Elijah in awe of the efficiency on disy. Carnivorous nts weren¡¯t entirely unheard-of, but on Earth, they normally worked more like traps in which animals ¨C like small frogs or insects ¨C would be stuck and be digested. This tree was far more active, leaving Elijah incredibly intrigued. The scientist in him wanted to settle in and study the tree, but he had other goals in mind. So, he set off for another of the rabbit-like creatures, finding one only a hundred yards away. He snatched it up, then returned to the tree¡¯s location. He tossed it toward the trunk, and a secondter, the scenario repeated itself. Elijah repeated the experiment three more times before he decided that he had no interest in subjecting himself to those powerful roots. Perhaps he could fight free of them, but there was a non-zero chance that the tree was too strong even for him. So, he found another rabbit, and this time, he tossed it into the tree¡¯s limbs. Where it remained entirely unharmed ¨C at least until it fell from the branch and hit the ground. Only then was it devoured by the tree¡¯s roots. Once again, Elijah repeated his experiment, finding the same scenario repeating itself each time. ¡°So, everything aboveground is like a normal tree,¡± he reasoned aloud. Following that assertion, he reasoned that he should theoretically be able tond on one of the branches and get what he needed without putting himself into any unnecessary danger. The only question was what would happen once he took one of those branches with him. Elijah wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to assume the tree wouldn¡¯t have any other defense mechanisms. If it was a normal nt, he wouldn¡¯t have been quite as warry, but the thing had proven itself quite animalistic. And when harmed, animals usuallyshed out ¨C especially when they couldn¡¯t retreat. Given that he was dealing with a stationary tree, Elijah fully expected it to respond to any attack. With that in mind, he knew it was probably best if he simply moved on. But he wanted one of those branches. He could feel the power flowing through them. The savage ferocity of a hunter called to him. One day, he might be capable of calling back anding to some sort of arrangement with the, but he hadn¡¯t quite reached that level of One with Nature. Perhaps when he evolved the spell, suchmunication would be possible. Or when he reached the second specialization at level two hundred. A wry smile spread across Elijah¡¯s face as he shook his head. He¡¯d only just attained his first specialization, and he was already looking forward to the next. He knew that was a mistake. He needed to focus on his current abilities rather than looking ahead, and yet, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what possibilities the future might hold. That, almost as much as the increased power, was what drove him forward. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind, instead focusing entirely on the task at hand. His n wasn¡¯tplex, but he knew that if he overstayed his wee, bad things would happen. So, he shifted into Shape of the Sky, then took off. Once he¡¯d reached an altitude of around a hundred feet, he dove. From the ground, he had identified a perfect branch, so that was where he aimed. A secondter, his talons caught hold, and with a powerful p of his wings, he once again ascended. The motion came with a loud snapping sound, and the branch came free. That was when the tree erupted into motion. Its branches wove wildly, extending toward Elijah¡¯s winged form so quickly that he nearly lost his rhythm. He¡¯d known there would be a response, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be so abrupt. More, Elijah could feel the tree¡¯s rage via One with Nature. It was as deeply rooted as any animal¡¯s to the point where it sent a tremor up his spine. Thankfully, his preparations ¨C such as they were ¨C gave him just enough room to escape the tree¡¯s grasping branches. They only came up short by a few inches, telling Elijah just how close he¡¯de to disaster. However, even as he soared away, he smiled inwardly. He¡¯d gotten precisely what he required, which was the first step in creating a new staff. Book 6: Chapter 6: Savagery Book 6: Chapter 6: Savagery For what Elijah had nned, he needed as much ethera density as he could find. To that end, he returned to his corner of the cultivation cave, where he settled down to inspect the branch he¡¯d stolen. At first, he felt a little bad about breaking off a piece of the tree and taking it for his own uses. But for some reason, that didn¡¯t bother him as much as he might have expected it to. Would he have felt the same way if he¡¯d torn the leg from a beast? Likely not. The only excuse he coulde up with was that animals were incapable of simply regrowing a limb. By contrast, he¡¯d done no permanent damage to the tree. Still, he wasn¡¯t entirelyfortable with the obvious pain he¡¯d caused. Killing was one thing. That was just part of nature. But maiming a creature? That felt different. He didn¡¯t feel guilty about his actions, especially given the sheer savagery he¡¯d sensed within the tree, but even so, Elijah knew he¡¯d need to do some soul-searching before he repeated those actions. Regardless, the damage was done, and given that the others would soon exhaust the cave¡¯s ability to support their advances in cultivation, Elijah knew he was on a timer. So, he quickly got to work. The first step was to familiarize himself with the branch, which was about nine feet long and four inches wide at its thickest. In addition, he could feel the thick flows of ethera still pulsing within, and he was more than a little surprised that it felt so different from what he¡¯d sensed in the trees back on his ind. With that as context, the branch was far more wild, eager, and savage. It put Elijah in mind of a predator who took pleasure in the hunt itself. Or in the kill that followed sessful predation. Elijah knew that there were plenty of animals like that. The most obvious example was the domesticated housecat, but killing for reasons other than sustenance wasmon among dolphins, orcas, foxes, and hyenas as well. Those reasons were a hotly debated topic, with some scientists attributing the behavior to a pursuit of pleasure while others likened it to practice or the results of an irresistible predatory drive. What Elijah had felt from the tree ¨C and to a lesser degree, the branch ¨C leaned toward the former. That tree, at least to such an extent as was possible with a tree, enjoyed killing its prey, and not just because of the consequential influx of nutrients. It reveled in the ughter. That, as much as his previous reasoning, contributed to hisck of guilt at breaking the thing¡¯s branches. If it could engage in such cruelty, then Elijah had fewerpunctions about subjecting it to something simr. What¡¯s more, Elijah intended to tap into that savage cruelty when creating his new staff.To that end, he meditated on One with Nature, delving deeper into those sensations. As he did so, he used Nature¡¯s Bounty as well as Healing Rain, bathing the branch in his own personal ethera. With his new specialization, he could feel the subtle differences between the naturally urring ethera in the cave and the influx of energy he injected into the ecosystem. It wasn¡¯t as dramatic as it could have been. After all, the cave was his, already suffused with his essence. Not to the same extent as his ind, his dolmens, or even Ironshore or Argos, but to a noticeable degree nheless. Under the influence of Nature¡¯s Bounty, the vital energy within the broken branch roiled, flowing almost as if it had never been disconnected from the tree. It had nowhere to go, though, so it simply looped back in on itself in an infinite flow that entuated the branch¡¯s natural strength. Elijah had no idea what grade such a material might be, but he knew it was strong. More, he felt that it grew more powerful with every passing minute ¨C at least until it hit a wall, beyond which it could grow no more potent ¨C at least not in the short term. Perhaps he could have ushered it into a new level of power if he¡¯d kept at it for a year, but the increase would be so minute that he judged that it wasn¡¯t worth it. It did give him some insight into how materials worked, though. Surely, crafters like Carmen already knew as much, but it seemed that every material had a natural limit. One could push it past that point, but not without significant effort and time investment. And even then, the increase would be marginal. It would make far more sense to simply find a more powerful material. Not that Elijah had that option at present, but it was good to know for any future products he might take on. By the time the branch had reached its limit, three days had passed. Elijah had taken a few breaks here and there ¨C mostly to eat ¨C but given that the rest of his party were still engaged with their efforts at breaking through to new levels of cultivation, he had nothing with which to upy himself but the project at hand. In a lot of ways, it felt like he¡¯d returned to those early days on his ind. That first winter had been brutal, which meant that he¡¯d spent the majority of that time in his makeshift shelter. To pass the time, he¡¯d whittled, eventually creating his first staff. He was capable of much deeper levels of concentration now, though, and he applied the full weight of his Jade Mind to the task. There was one key difference, though. When he worked on his various projects on Earth, he often fell into a trance-like state where his actions were driven by instinct. That was not the case on the excised world of Ka¡¯arath. Some vestige of that connection still lingered, but for the most part, he was on his own. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Fortunately, with his high Dexterity, he possessed superhuman coordination, which he used to guide his de as he began to shape the branch. The first step was to cut it down to size. Ideally, he would have used a tool called a spokeshave for that, but given that he only had a knife and a couple of files, he made do with a normal de. Thankfully, he had the attributes to make it easier, but even then, the hardness of the wood made him wish that he¡¯d chosen a slimmer branch. But at least it was straight. Otherwise, the process would have been even more tedious. Over the course of the next day, Elijah slowly stripped oneyer of wood after another until he arrived at the desired thickness of a little more than two inches wide. The end result would be slightly narrower, but for now, it was perfect for the next step. That was when Elijah started carving. The process was more deliberate than in the past, but thankfully, he had a good idea what he wanted. Gradually, it began to take shape, and all the while, Elijah continued to douse it in his ethera. All around him, the water from Healing Rain froze, then dissipated into motes of ethera only to be reced by more ice. Without the Cloak of the Iron Bear, he would have long since sumbed to frostbite. But with it, his attributes reached higher than ever before, topping out at a thirty-point increase to his physical stats. It was an incredibly potent buff, but he was happier with the results of the Temperate trait, without which he never could have endured thebination of the cultivation cave¡¯s frigid temperatures and the freezing water from Healing Rain. Elijah eventually lost track of time. He never slipped into a trance ¨C not like he would have back home ¨C but he did lose himself to the task. With every stroke of his de, he carved a little more wood away, and over time, the intended shape revealed itself. He didn¡¯t acknowledge the overall design, instead focusing on small sections at a time. Like that, the project progressed. Elijah knew what he wanted ¨C in fact, the design harkened back to the Staff of Natural Harmony, at least in the overall shape. There were plenty of differences, but the idea was to carve it into lifelike roots. Part of that decision was based on nostalgia, another part was due to the impact the source tree had had on him, but mostly, he chose that design because it didn¡¯t need to be perfect. He knew he¡¯d make mistakes, so he decided to hide them via a seemingly chaotic design. Gradually, he kept going until almost two weeks after he¡¯d begun the project, he held a new staff before him. Yet, it wasn¡¯t finished. Before he could make that im, he needed to seal it. To that end, he retrieved some wax from his Ghoul-Hide Satchel ¨C he¡¯d brought it with him just in case ¨C and started working it into the staff. Four coatster, he received a notification:
Congrattions! You have created a unique item [Feral Spire]. This item will serve to enhance bestial transformations. Overall Grade: Complex (Low) Enchantment Grade: C
A pulse of ethera apanied the notification, and Elijah held the new weapon out before him. It was a little more than six feet long and about an inch-and-a-half wide. The wood itself was a blue so dark that it looked ck, and it took the apparent form of twisted roots. However, one aspect of its appearance Elijah had not intended was in the pulsing red veins covering the surface. He looked at the notification with mixed feelings. It wasn¡¯t as high of a grade as his previous staff, but he hoped that its effects would be more impactful. After all, the core of his ss was the ability to transform into powerful beasts. So, a staff that specifically enhanced that capability had a chance of being more useful, even if the grade ¨C and overall power ¨C was slightly lower. Regardless, Elijah felt better about his new staff than he did about trying to use the all-but-broken Staff of the Serpent Healer in everydaybat. He gave it a few test swings, but he felt more than a little silly twirling it around. He¡¯d made a little effort to develop his staff-fighting technique, but he¡¯d never really gotten around to serious training. Perhaps he needed to change that when he got back to Earth. Satisfied with his efforts, he used One with Nature to check on the others, and once he found that they were all still engaged in cultivation, he left the cave behind. Judging by the ethereal pulsesing from them, they would be at it for at least another few days, which left Elijah with a little free time. So, as he so often did in those situations, he set off on a quest of exploration. The cultivation cave was situated near the edge of the frozen region, so it wasn¡¯t long before he found himself traveling in a slightly more temperate forest that reminded him of the area north of Norcastle. As he went, he pushed his senses as well as his physical abilities to their limits. In the Shape of Venom, he leaped through trees, climbing their vertical trunks like they were nothing. When he used Shape of the Guardian, he focused on moving rapidly while forcing himself into tight turns that strained his Dexterity. And in Shape of the Sky, he flew among the branches like they were an obstacle course. Like that, he continued on for miles and miles, covering an incredible area in a rtively short amount of time. At the same time, Elijah kept an eye on One with Nature ¨C as much to attune himself to the volume of sensory information as to keep track of his surroundings. It was via that sense that he detected an open area beneath the ground. Beyond that, he could sense nothing inside. Just an absence that raised rm bells in his mind. After a few minutes more of exploration, Elijah found a small statue of a heroic-looking ka¡¯ki, beneath which was a sealed door set into the statue¡¯s plinth. Beyond that barrier, Elijah could sense nothing. He knew he should go back to check on hispanions, but the chances were that they were still engaged in cultivation. He had time to spare. And what better way to spend a few hours than in exploration? As he looked for a way to open the door, Elijah realized that he could very well be walking into a simrly lethal puzzle as he¡¯d found in thest set of ruins he¡¯d discovered. But he was nothing if not consistent ¨C even to his detriment. On top of that, he¡¯d grown up idolizing a certain movie archeologist, so, given that, the call of adventure was undeniable. Book 6: Chapter 7: Cycles Book 6: Chapter 7: Cycles It was almost certainly a bad idea. Elijah was well aware that he should have at least gone back to the cultivation cave to let everyone know what he was going to do. Yet, as he stepped past the threshold, he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the excitement building in his chest. The door itself had been a pain to bypass, and Elijah had been forced to brute force it in his guardian form. Now ity in pieces. Probably not very scientific of him to destroy it, but that just proved what he already knew about his nature. He might have been trained as a scientist, but he definitely didn¡¯tport himself as one. Just like a certain whip-wielding archeologist. He smiled as he considered thatparison and stepped through the doorway. The air on the other side had already mingled a bit with the outside atmosphere, but there remained a stale smell to it that hinted at what he might find deeper inside. Elijah pushed One with Nature as hard as he could, but he could sense nothing in the subterranean ruins. So, relying only on his mundane senses, he descended a set of worn and mud-covered steps. He reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and retrieved a mundane shlight. It was a purchase he¡¯d made back in Seattle, and rather than running on batteries, it used a matrix of enchantments to convert ethera into electricity. Elijah didn¡¯t know precisely how it all worked. That it did was all he really cared about. When he flipped the switch, the shlight cast the narrow stairway in bright, white light. Moisture glistened on the walls, and green algae coated everything. Unlike other ruins Elijah had visited, there were no decorations. Instead, it was just a stairway leading deeper underground. Elijah took one more step, but then he stopped. His heart pounded out of his chest as he realized what he¡¯d missed. He couldn¡¯t feel the algae.There was no life to it. And yet, he could see it. He could smell the musty odor. The scent of decay filled his nostrils, and even so, One with Nature told him that it was all a lie. He backed away, his mind whirling with confusion. His senses ¨C both mundane and ethereal ¨C had nevere into conflict, and so, he learned to rely on them, trusting them fully. But now, he found himself questioning everything. Panic born of confusion filled his mind and body, and it didn¡¯t fade even when he once again crossed the threshold. He could still feel it. That distinctck of life waged war against what he saw with his own two eyes. Even amidst that panic, curiosity rose within him, taunting him with the wanting exnation. Until that moment, he¡¯d thought One with Nature ¨C especially now that it had been enhanced by his specialization ¨C was infallible. But now? He refused to ept that the skill was the problem. The issue had to be with him. So, he pushed against his perceived limitations, focusing not on life, but on ethera. And then, just when he felt on the verge of bursting a blood vessel or two, he felt it. The area beyond the threshold wasn¡¯t entirely empty. There was no life ¨C not as he knew it, at least. Rather, there was something else. A vor of ethera he¡¯d never encountered. It was cold. Decaying. Lifeless. The only word he could use to adequately describe it was death. But once he discovered it, he could sense it spilling through the doorway he¡¯d unblocked and infecting everything around him. But from what he could tell, it wasn¡¯t harmful. Life. Death. It was all part of the same cycle. Elijah felt a kinship to it, though, at the same time, it was clearly apart. There was something else woven into it. Something unnatural. He didn¡¯t fully understand it, and he knew that it would require a lifetime of study before he came close toprehension. Still, it felt dangerous to look too deeply, and in a way he couldn¡¯t hope to grasp. Maybe one day. One thing he did understand was that the aura of death wasn¡¯t strong enough to be dangerous to him. Perhaps it would be for some others, but as death was an integral part of nature, he was inocted against what he strongly suspected was powerful attuned ethera. It could still affect him, but he had the tools to counteract it. Every healer did. With that in mind, he took a deep breath, tasting the decay in the air, then once again crossed the threshold and resumed his descent. As he did, he felt the death-attuned ethera slowly trying to worm its way into him. He counteracted that by casting Soothe, though he knew that if the density of that aura of death continued to progress, the heal-over-time spell wouldn¡¯t be enough to stave off the effects. Still, his curiosity drove him forward, and after a few moments, he reached the bottom of the stairs. There, he saw a long hallway lined with what looked like shelves. Stacked three high, they extended from one end of the hall to the next, each column of shelves only separated by a few inches. Elijah leaned forward, inspecting the contents of one of those ledges. Or cubby hole, more urately. It was around six feet long and half as tall, extending a few feet into the surrounding stone. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The skeleton he found made the nature of the ruins obvious. ¡°A crypt,¡± he muttered to himself. From theirck of legs and presence of a long tail, he could tell that the skeletons were ta¡¯ki. When he leaned closer, he realized that the skeletal structures weren¡¯t simr to snakes as he¡¯d expected. Rather, they more closely resembled aquatic mammals like manatees or seals, though with obvious differences like the absence of lower appendages and the presence of four arms. It was an interesting discovery, though not one that had any real bearing on his situation. So, as intriguing as he found the skeletal structure, he only studied it for a few moments before moving on. With every step down the hall, he felt the density of the deathly ethera increasing, and by the time he reached the end of the corridor, he¡¯d had to add a cast of Healing Rain just to keep up with the decay. And something told him that on the other side of the door before him, it would only grow stronger. For a few moments, Elijah studied the barrier. It was simr to the one he¡¯d crushed to pieces outside, but even without touching it, it felt flimsy to the point that it verged on crumbling without any input from him. He hit it with his new staff, and the thing turned to dust. Elijah coughed, waving his hand in front of him as a thick death aura wafted out of the next chamber, nearly overwhelming him. By reflex, he used Nature¡¯s Bloom. But he knew it wasn¡¯t going to be strong enough, so he exchanged his new Feral Spire for the Staff of the Serpent Healer. The thirty percent increase to the efficacy of his healing spells let him establish an equilibrium, but with each cast using a portion of his finite pool of ethera, he knew it put him on a timer. Without further contemtion, he stepped through the door and when the dust cleared, he found himself looking at arge chamber, at the center of which was a dais. Upon that dais rested a sarcophagus. Made of silver and gold, the upper portion had been molded to resemble a prone ka¡¯ki with their arms folded across their chest. ¡°It really is a tomb,¡± he said, ncing around. There was nothing else in the room, and though he could see smatterings of color, even the frescoes on the walls had faded so much as to bepletely unrecognizable. He stepped forward, and the coffin began to shake as something crunched underfoot. He cast Healing Rain once again, hoping to keep the escting aura of death at bay. Another step, and he lost ground. The sarcophagus continued to vibrate, more violently with every passing second. The pattern repeated itself as Elijah slowly closed on the dais, and when he¡¯d reached a point only five feet away, the lid of the gaudy coffin lifted from the base. A puff of dust rode a wave of escaped air, and the potency of the deathly aura escted. Elijah took a stumble backward, and when he lifted his hand, he saw rotting flesh king away, only to be reced by new muscle, over which grew fresh skin. A secondter, the cycle repeated. There was a lesson there about the cycle of life and death, but Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t endure it long enough to understand it. In fact, he was on the verge of fleeing when he saw a skeletal hand shove the sarcophagus¡¯ lid to the side. It crashed to the ground, cracking the stone floor and sending a metallic echo to spread through the room. But Elijah only had eyes for what that hand held. A glittering leaf. A guide. Answers. Only then did he nce down to see that the entire floor was covered in bones. Most were so decayed that they were unidentifiable, but Elijah saw a few skulls here and there. ¡°You seek my treasure,¡± a voice echoed through the tomb, so loud that Elijah¡¯s first response was to clutch his ears. ¡°Come and take it, child. My burden may yet be relieved.¡± Elijah wheeled around, searching for the source. But there was nothing there. However, the sense of decay had continued to climb, and it only took him a moment to recognize that it came from the coffin. Knowing that his timeframe had been cut significantly, Elijah pushed forward. As he did so, he continued to heal himself even as his body rotted and was reborn in a vicious and painful cycle that stretched his willpower to the very limit. He leveraged his newly evolved Jade Mind to its maximum capacity, forcing the nine apertures in his Mind as wide as possible. Ethera flooded in, racing through the conduits of his Soul and into his Core, only to be drained by his continued healing. There was an equilibrium there, but one that was beginning to tip in the wrong direction. Elijah lurched forward, his joints creaking with the strain, until he mmed into the open sarcophagus. Clutching the edge, he hung on for dear life as he reached up and wrapped his fingers around the glittering leaf. Or that was his intention. In his state, his aim was a little off, and before he could adjust, his fingers closed around the skeletal hand. His strength gave out, but his grip remained firm, even as he fell free of the sarcophagus. Clutching his prize to his chest, Elijah continued to heal as he dragged himself away from the coffin. One inch at a time, he left a trail of decayed flesh to coat the bone-strewn floor. Yet, with every foot he retreated, the decay dissipated until he finally started making some headway. Then, by the time he reached the door and climbed a few steps toward the surface, he¡¯d managed to leave the worst of it behind. Even so, the impact of the experience stuck with him, weakening him to such a degree that even dragging himself up those steps was a massive chore. Only when he finally tumbled free of the tomb did he start to feel better. Then, he vomited, though when he looked at the resultant puddle, all he saw was a green-and-ck sludge that didn¡¯t even begin to resemble any food he¡¯d ever eaten. What¡¯s more, it emitted a dense aura of death that Elijah couldn¡¯t ignore. For a few minutes, he just stared at it before vomiting again. And again after that. For almost an hour, he steadily expelled the run-off from his encounter with that deathly ethera, and even when he finally pushed himself to his feet and stumbled away, he felt it roiling within. It was only when he was more than a mile away from the tomb that he started to feel better, but even then, Elijah knew it would be some time before he waspletely recovered. So, he returned to the cultivation cave, where he began to meditate on the experience. Looking back, the decision to keep going had been stupid. He could recognize that much. Yet, at the time, he¡¯d felt something driving him forward. Something integral to his very being, as if his very nature was telling him that he needed to experience what the tomb had to offer. He hadn¡¯t even questioned it. He¡¯d never considered that he should resist, and even after what he¡¯d been through ¨C he knew precisely how close he¡¯de to dying ¨C he wasn¡¯t sure that he should have fought against those instincts. Because as he meditated, concentrating on the lingering death aura still clinging to him, Elijah could sense that there was a lesson to be learned from the way it interacted with everything else. He just wasn¡¯t sure what form that lesson might take. So, still clutching the skeletal hand that was his prize, he continued to dwell on it. Book 6: Chapter 8: Bane Book 6: Chapter 8: Bane ¡°You already understand it,¡± said Sadie, pushing her sweaty hair out of her face. ¡°I don¡¯t think there are any otheryers to it.¡± Elijah shook his head, then jabbed the fire with a stick. Sadie was not the person he would have normally chosen for esoteric discussions on the rtionship between life and death, but she¡¯d been the first toplete her cultivation, progressing to the Stone Body stage. As the others were still otherwise engaged, she was the only person avable for conversation. ¡°I mean, I know that death is part of life and vice versa,¡± he said. ¡°But I feel like there has to be a deeper meaning there.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Were you expecting to get some sort of reward if you thought about it hard enough? Like, a skill or some extra attributes?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± Elijah lied. In truth, he had expected just that. He¡¯d gotten so ustomed to the system quantifying every step forward that he¡¯d begun to expect it from every situation. And the fact that his experiences in the crypt hadn¡¯t been rewarded by the system was more than a little disconcerting. Still, even if it never came, he felt that the subject deserved contemtion. ¡°Sure,¡± she said, looking at her glistening hand. ¡°Ugh. I¡¯m so gross.¡± ¡°I could use Healing Rain so you can take a shower,¡± Elijah suggested. She narrowed her eyes, and he held up his hands, ¡°Not like that. The area of effect is pretty big now. I can summon it here, and you can go over there or something. And when the spell ends, the water disappears. It¡¯s how I shower when I don¡¯t have any other options.¡±¡°I don¡¯t have any soap.¡± Elijah held up a finger, then dug into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. When he withdrew his hand, he was clutching a square of his homemade soap. ¡°Here,¡± he said, tossing it to Sadie. She caught it. ¡°That¡¯s the best soap you¡¯ll ever use. Homemade and naturally sourced.¡± She gave it a sniff, and her expression changed. Quietly, she said, ¡°It smells like you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± was her quick reply. She stood and scurried away, disappearing behind arge boulder. A minute or soter, she asked him to use his spell, and Elijahplied. Sighing, he turned his attention away from that whole situation. Ignoring some of the interesting things he felt via One with Nature, he pulled a crystalline leaf from his satchel. The skeletal hand had rotted away the day before, crumbling to dust and drifting away on the breeze. For a moment, Elijah studied the guide. So far, he¡¯d resisted looking inside, lest he be distracted from his meditation on life and death. However, now that he¡¯d exhausted that train of thought, he had no more excuses for dy. So, he extended a thread of ethera into the guide.
Lament of the Fallen I fear my time is short. Soon, the tyrant will find my sanctuary and discover my betrayal. When he does, he will surely exterminate me alongside my entire family and anyone foolish enough to call me a friend. I knew it wasing. I saw it, just as I saw the ruin Yloa will bring to Ka¡¯arath. He has already enved the ta¡¯ki for the impurity of their bloodline. Those who managed to escape his grasp have fled to the ends of the world. Iko, the archmage, remains entrenched within his tower. The necromancer Lordan has her army of undead to protect her. The Druids have already fallen, and the Engineer is limited by his insanity. I am the only one left with the power to prevent what ising. To that end, I have forged a Bane weapon specifically created to counter Yloa¡¯s abilities. Without it, his invincibility will remain unquestioned. He is the Lightning Emperor, a genius unequaled. He will transcend soon, at which point even the Bane weapon will lose its efficacy. I pray to the Nine that our heroes will use it before he progresses out of our reach. For security, the weapon has been broken into three pieces. If this¡­
That was where it ended. ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked Sadie, stepping out from behind the boulder with a towel around her head. Otherwise, she wore a thick sweatshirt emzoned with the Harvard logo on the chest and a pair of worn blue jeans. The whole ensemble looked entirely out of ce, considering that Elijah could count on one hand the number of times he¡¯d seen the woman without her armor. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. And he couldn¡¯t deny that he liked what he saw. She wasn¡¯t as statuesque as someone like Delh. In fact, she looked almost petite, especially in the oversized sweatshirt swallowing most of her torso. But he¡¯d have had to be blind not to recognize her beauty. He swallowed and looked away. Then, he said, ¡°Uh¡­yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± She sat across from him, then held her hands close to the fire. ¡°That spell is very useful, but I wish the water was warmer,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do on the next evolution,¡± he said, regaining some of hisposure. ¡°So, do you want to talk about whatever put that expression on your face? You looked like you were about to throw that guide into the fire,¡± she remarked. Elijah sighed. Then, he told her what he¡¯d read, even letting her take a look herself. She saw exactly the same thing, and when she revealed as much, Elijah asked, ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s important?¡± ¡°No ¨C there¡¯s a lot of good information there,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯d be willing to bet that we¡¯ll have to deal with this archmage and necromancer in future challenges. That might¡¯ve been the reason the system put that crypt there in the first ce. We were lucky that you¡¯re the one who found it. If it would have been Dat, he never would have survived.¡± ¡°Really? He¡¯s pretty strong.¡± ¡°Of course, he also wouldn¡¯t have kept going, either. You really need to learn some lessons in self-preservation. You can¡¯t just bull through every obstacle,¡± she went on. ¡°You sound like you¡¯re worried about my well-being,¡± he said with a slight smile. ¡°I¡¯m only concerned with keeping you alive long enough to hold up your end of our agreement,¡± Sadie said. ¡°We need you in Hong Kong.¡± ¡°Is that the only reason you want me to survive?¡± She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the most important one.¡± Elijah sighed, then leaned back. As he did, he shoved the guide back into his satchel and said, ¡°I don¡¯t get you, Sadie. I mean, I know you hated me the second you saw me. But since then, I¡¯ve done nothing but help you. And what have I gotten for my trouble? Just more distrust, and that¡¯sbeling it generously.¡± ¡°Is that the only reason you help people? For adoration? So they will like you?¡± ¡°I help people because it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡± ¡°Then what does my opinion of you matter?¡± she asked. Elijah started to answer, but then thought better of it. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± he said. Then, he pulled another item from his satchel. The skeletal hand had turned to dust, but it had been wearing the ring Elijah now held between his thumb and forefinger. The ring itself was made of some unidentifiable metal. He would havebeled it as silver, but for the red streaks marring its surface. There was a single ruby ¨C barely bigger than a pencil eraser ¨C set into the ring. Most importantly, Elijah could feel that it was a high-grade piece of equipment. ¡°You¡¯re not really thinking of putting that on, are you?¡± Elijah shook his head. He¡¯d already endured a lecture from Atticus about using unidentified equipment, and he knew the dangers well enough to avoid it. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it did. With as much ethera he felt wafting off of it, there was every chance that it was even more valuable than the guide he¡¯d taken. ¡°I know better than that.¡± ¡°But you have to admit that you have a habit of being a little reckless,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Not this time.¡± With that, the short conversationpsed into an ufortable silence that didn¡¯t end until Elijah got up and started to walk away. Being around Sadie always left him feeling like he was somehow not good enough, as if her every nce was judging him. And he was tired of it. ¡°Wait.¡± Elijah turned to face her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be like this, you know. I don¡¯t want to be. I¡¯m trying to do better, but this¡­this ability just won¡¯t stop. And that demon¡­he just made it all worse.¡± ¡°The ability is an excuse, Sadie. You said it yourself that you were judgemental before any of this even happened. Maybe not to the same extent, but still, you can¡¯t just hide behind some ability you can¡¯t control.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like. I ¨C¡± ¡°I know more than you think. Besides, if the problem is that you can¡¯t control that ability, then maybe you should be working on that. You¡¯re the one in charge, not the spell, so stop hiding behind it.¡± With that, Elijah left the campsite, and as soon as he¡¯d dipped out of line of sight, he embraced Shape of Venom. Once the transformationpleted, he used Guise of the Unseen and returned to the area where he¡¯d found the tomb. However, even though he knew he was in the right ce ¨C with his Jade Mind, that was never in question ¨C there was no tomb to be found. Elijah continued to circle until, finally, he gave up on the quest. Clearly, there was some system interference at y. Given that, continuing the search would be pointless. So, for a while, he just wandered aimlessly through the forest. There were plenty of beasts about, but even if he hadn¡¯t been cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, they would have left him alone. Such was the power of being a Druid. Eventually, the sun began to dip below the horizon, and he decided it was time to return to the campsite. When he arrived, he found that Sadie hadn¡¯t moved. Instead, she simply stared at the fire, which had burned down to embers. Elijah decided to see to that, gathering some fallen branches before joining her. As he squatted by the fire and fed the branches to the mes, Sadie finally spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I shouldn¡¯t have snapped at you like that.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not fine. I keep saying that I¡¯m going to get a handle on Sense of Sin, but every day, I make an excuse for why I can¡¯t. I¡¯m too busy. I have other things that need to be done. I¡¯ll do it when the Trial is over. But I think the reality is that I findfort in the fact that it tells me what I want to hear,¡± she exined. Then, she turned to look at Elijah. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought much of people, you know.¡± ¡°I can sympathize. People can suck. Yours truly excluded, of course. I¡¯m demonstrably awesome. Everyone says so.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Undercut every serious conversation with an attempt at humor. There¡¯s something to be said for earnestness.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve been told. I¡¯ve also been told that categorizing myments as humor is¡­generous.¡± She smiled. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to say that,¡± she said, looking away. ¡°But you were thinking it. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve always been a bit odd. I think I convinced myself that I was the cool kind of weird. All that time alone disabused me of that notion,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m awkward and cheesy, but I¡¯m not the monster you want to think I am.¡± ¡°I know. And I will work on Sense of Sin. I promise I¡¯ll get better.¡± Elijah gave her a tight smile. ¡°That¡¯s all any of us can do, right?¡± In truth, he¡¯d seen no evidence that Sadie was capable of adjusting her mindset. She was one of the most rigid people he¡¯d ever met, which meant that the only chance of her getting past Sense of Sin was probably if she somehow managed to evolve the ability. And he knew just how rare those chances were. But he hoped, for her sake, she managed to make good on her promise. Book 6: Chapter 9: Spires of the Fallen Book 6: Chapter 9: Spires of the Fallen ¡°It ain¡¯t proper.¡± ¡°You were wee not to use the cultivation cave, you know. Comining about it now isn¡¯t going to change anything,¡± Elijah said, striding alongside Kurik. Before, the dwarf would have struggled to keep up ¨C on ount of his much shorter legs ¨C but after his bout in the cultivation cave where he¡¯d advanced to Body of Stone, he had no issues maintaining Elijah¡¯s pace. ¡°If my parents could see me now¡­they¡¯d disown me,¡± Kurik went on. ¡°Who ever heard of a dwarf cultivating with ice? Ugh. I feel like I got frozen maggots crawlin¡¯ all over me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be such a drama queen. Advancement is advancement. It doesn¡¯t actually matter how you achieve it,¡± Elijah said. However, he knew that wasn¡¯t necessarily the case, especially inter stages. The information he¡¯d found on cultivation was a bit vague about how it workedter on, but it did mention that the requirements grew more strenuous with every step. On top of that, different environments gave different benefits, though the guide hadn¡¯t mentioned exactly what those benefits were. For now, though, all that mattered was taking each step, and everyone in the party had advanced one aspect of their cultivation. Both Kurik and Sadie had reached the second tier with their Bodies, while Dat had chosen to work on his Mind. Meanwhile, Ron had advanced his Mind, hoping to increase the rate at which he could regenerate ethera. In short, they¡¯d all taken huge strides, and they¡¯d only stopped because the cave¡¯s ethera density needed to recover before they made another push. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if that would ur before the end of the Trial, which was only six months away. In that time, they needed toplete six more challenges. To that end, once everyone had taken the next step in their cultivation, they¡¯d immediately set out to do just that. Thankfully, the map they¡¯d discovered in the Immortals¡¯poundid out the disposition of the remaining challenges, so they merely had to pick the closest one and cross the wilderness. Still, even knowing the way, the trek had taken an additional week, but now that they had drawn closer, the jungle had begun to give way to a coastal ne. That was within expectations, because the next three challenges ¨C the Underrealm, Nira, and Ignis ¨C were located near the sea. They¡¯d chosen the one representing the Underrealm because it was the closest, though not by much. The next in line was Nira ¨C which was the realm tied to the sea ¨C with Ignis being a little ind. That disposition established the order in which the group intended to tackle each challenge. After that, they would be required to cross the entire continent to reach the challenges associated with the Umbra and Ethereum. It was a good n, though one Elijah expected would necessitate some adjustment as they encountered additional problems. The Immortals were gone, but Elijah knew that further conflict wasn¡¯t out of the question. There were too many people, each one with different goals, topletely avoid future shes. They could only hope that those disputes wouldn¡¯t affect the rest of the Trial-takers, though Elijah wasn¡¯t too optimistic on that front.Maybe he would be pleasantly surprised. Kurik continued to grumble as they kept going, but eventually, he fell silent. Meanwhile, Elijah concentrated on One with Nature. He still hadn¡¯t grownpletely ustomed to the wealth of information avable to him, and he expected that it would require another advance in his Mind cultivation to reach that point. Still, he was continuously surprised with just how much he could sense. The effect wasn¡¯t just limited to quantifiable information, either. Sure, One with Nature was the medium through which he felt everything, but the sense of connection he¡¯d developed was the real benefit. Because of that, he felt more immersed in nature than ever before, which he felt could only be a good thing going forward. It was almost as if his attunement had grown stronger. Perhaps it had. Regardless, Elijah no longer felt an ounce of regret concerning his choice of specialization. For one mile after another, he focused on his surroundings, and along the way, vegetation grew less pervasive. Despite the day having barely progressed past noon, the sky became darker as roiling ck clouds blocked the sun. And then, they finally reached their destination. After leaving a sparse stand of trees behind, Elijah crested a slight rise, and he saw a forest of a different sort. A collection of towers, many of which were broken, stretched as far as he could see. Even when he used Eyes of the Eagle, he couldn¡¯t discern their endpoint. The spires themselves were tall andposed of ck stone. Looking closer, Elijah established some sense of scale. The closest were almost a mile away, and yet, he could tell that each spire was at least a couple hundred feet wide at the base, though they were much narrower toward the top. As he¡¯d previously noted, many of the towers were broken, and aquamarine lightning danced between their peaks. Barren terrain stretched between the towers, and in the distance, Elijah saw ck waves crashing against a rocky shore. A few towers extended into the sea, though they stopped after a hundred yards or so. Dark clouds nketed the sky, casting the entire area in perpetual gloom. The only light came from the teal lightning arcing between the towers. ¡°I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°At least you have experience with this kind of thing,¡± Elijah said. ording to the reports they¡¯d read, the Underrealm was popted by undead, which was precisely in Dat¡¯s and Sadie¡¯s realm of expertise. They¡¯d spent years fighting the unliving in Hong Kong, and Elijah hoped that their vast experience would give them some advantage going forward. ¡°Is there anything I should know about what we can expect in there?¡± Elijah asked. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Dat answered, ¡°Zombie rules.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sadie borated, ¡°Destroy the brain. Complete dismemberment can sometimes work, but it usually only makes them immobile. It probably won¡¯t kill them unless you destroy the brain.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s just the normal undead,¡± Dat said. ¡°There are tons of other types that are a lot worse.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Kurik asked. ¡°ording to every guide I¡¯ve read, the varieties are nearly as endless as sses,¡± Sadie exined. ¡°And they¡¯re different on each world. Back home, we encountered ambtory skeletons, wraiths, vampires, and these odd sludges that could envelope people and suck the life out of them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they do. They¡¯re driven to eradicate life because it hurts them.¡± ¡°Hurt might be a stretch. There¡¯s no evidence that they feel pain,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Everything feels pain, bro.¡± ¡°The point is that they can¡¯t survive in areas with high vitality. So, they consume it, somehow transforming that energy into death-attuned ethera,¡± Sadie continued. ¡°If it¡¯s like Hong Kong, when we get far enough into their territory, we¡¯ll start taking damage.¡± ¡°Like the tomb I found.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°But it¡¯s unlikely to be that concentrated, except in pockets.¡± ¡°So, we don¡¯t really know what to expect, except to specify that it¡¯s probably undead monsters who will suck the life right out of you, given half a chance,¡± said Ron. ¡°Oh, and if Elijah¡¯s experiences are any indication, there¡¯s a chance we¡¯ll encounter areas where the flesh will rot right off of our bones.¡± ¡°Basically, bro. It sucks.¡± Ron sighed and shook his head. ¡°Are they sentient?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure,¡± Sadie admitted. ¡°Some people im that the ones who¡¯ve been converted maintain some intelligence. The zombies are just what you expect. Completely mindless. But the more powerful ones¡­they can talk. They can reason. So, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll use the normal formation. Dat and I will scout it out, while you hang out here while we figure things out? Once we identify a target, we¡¯ll advance the same way we always do.¡± Everyone agreed that was the best option, so Elijah slipped into the Shape of Venom and used Guise of the Unseen. After that, he and Dat set out for the collection of towers. As Elijah drew closer, he felt the same absence he¡¯d experienced in the tomb, though there were pockets of life here and there. Then, just as he passed the first tower, Elijah received a notification:
You have reached the Spires of the Fallen. To conquer the Challenge of the Underrealm, disable the towers and defeat the Champion. Reward: Pendant of Vitality
Elijah frowned. It was the first time they¡¯d encountered a challenge that would reward a piece of equipment. Before, they¡¯d gotten raw materials or, in the case of the Singing Cliffs, a consumable item that provided attributes. He wasn¡¯t certain what the change signified, expect that he expected the Pendant of Vitality to be quite powerful. Otherwise, the notification made the goal of the challenge clear. Somehow, they were meant to deactivate the towers ¨C which, if he had to guess, were the reason for the deathly aura suffusing the region ¨C then defeat the Conqueror. Could they do it out of order, though? Did they even want to try? If the other challenges were anything to go by, the boss ¨C forck of a better term ¨C would be incredibly strong, and Elijah had to assume that the towers somehow empowered the Champion, whose nature was still a mystery. Elijah continued forward, even going so far as to climb the outside of one of the broken towers. When he reached the top, he saw a ck crystal suspended in the center of the exposed floor. Upon trying to touch it, an explosion of force sent him flying backward. Panicking, he narrowly avoided plummeting to the ground by reaching out to grab the edge. There, he hung for a long moment, his hissing breathing in gasps. He likely could have survived such a fall, but the moment the force had hit him, Guise of the Unseen had been stripped away. And when he looked down, he saw hundreds of zombies spilling out of the tower. Far too many bodies for the tower to amodate. In addition, thousands of winged creatures descended from the clouds and started to circle. Before they saw him, Elijah reengaged Guise of the Unseen, but it was clear that his actions had once again resulted in serious consequences. The entire region looked like someone had kicked an anthill as hordes of undead creatures rushed to fill the gaps between the towers. Elijah wanted to kick himself. Trying to touch that crystal had been stupid. And in retrospect, the results were obvious. However, in his defense, he¡¯d hoped that doing so would allow him to simply deactivate the tower. Clearly, he was wrong. There was another piece of the puzzle, and finding it was the first obstacle. He nced down at the ground, which was roiling with a horde of undead ta¡¯ki and ka¡¯ki. Then, he looked around at the flying monsters ¨C they looked like humanoid bats, though with bits of flesh dangling from their bodies and giant holes in their wings. Those wings were so damaged, in fact, that Elijah wondered how they remained in the air. Magic, assuredly. That was almost always the answer when thews of physics were treated as mere suggestions. In any case, Elijah scampered down the tower, grateful for the efficacy of his stealth skill. When he reached the ground, he spent quite a lot of time observing the zombies. To his surprise, they moved inrge clumps, and after half an hour, he figured out why when he saw that one of the zombies had the light of intelligence in their eyes. It wasn¡¯t terribly overt, but he sensed that it was not only smarter but more powerful than the others. Those lesser zombies seemed to understand that as well, and they congregated around the elite undead, almost by instinct. Elijah continued to watch until he saw a simr interaction in another clump. Three more instances of the same phenomenon told him that he was on the right track. Thankfully, after a couple of hours, the zombies returned to their towers. When Elijah followed one group, he saw them step through what looked like a grey square suspended in the wall of one of the towers. Once all the creatures were gone, it winked out of existence. Within twenty minutes, the entire region was once again devoid of undead, leaving Elijah to explore at his leisure. After another couple of hours, he¡¯d discovered nothing of note, so he returned to the camp and told everyone what he¡¯d found. Dat arrived about an hourter and confirmed everything Elijah had revealed, though he did have two other things to add. ¡°Those crystals at the tops of the towers can be neutralized,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how, but Hex of Scrying says that the answers are in the bigger spires.¡± ¡°All of those were sealed,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Even when I climbed to the top, I found nothing but an open area with the crystal.¡± Sadie said, ¡°Then I think that¡¯s the first thing we need to figure out, right? How to get inside.¡± ¡°We only explored a fraction of the area,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That¡¯s where we should start. I think my next step is to fly over everything to get a sense of what¡¯s going on. Then, we can make a n.¡± Everyone agreed, though Sadie did caution him to be careful and not touch any other strange crystals. ¡°I¡¯m always careful,¡± he said. Then, he leaped into the air and initiated the transformation into the Shape of the Sky. A secondter, he beat his wings and soared high above the towers. Book 6: Chapter 10: The Pattern Book 6: Chapter 10: The Pattern As Elijah circled the tallest tower in the region, he felt abination of electricity, ethera, and death dancing across his wings. He banked, avoiding a bolt of teal lightning, thentched onto the spire at the top of the tower. Like that, he remained stationary for a few seconds, just surveying the scene below him. From the ground, the forest of towers seemed random, but with the advantage afforded by his current vantage point, Elijah could see a patternid out before him. The towers numbered in the hundreds ¨C perhaps even into the thousands ¨C and they stretched for miles along the coast. The ubiquitous aquamarine lightning cast everything in a teal glow as the sea roiled as if it was under the influence of a violent storm. Yet, there was no rain. No wind. It was an eerie setting, and the onlyparison Elijah could conjure was the hours before a hurricane came ashore. The atmosphere was calm, but on the edge of bursting with natural fury. Making it worse was the aura of death hanging in the air. It wasn¡¯t strong enough to rot his flesh from his bones ¨C not like in the tomb ¨C but it did leave him feeling even more ufortable. Adding to that was the knowledge that, with one wrong move, the entire region would be flooded with various undead creatures that would happily tear him limb from limb. He let out a hissing sigh, pulling his attention away from the environment. He¡¯d been scouting for hours, so none of it was new information. However, as ustomed to the difort as he thought he was, the constant barrage of needling fear and pregnant anticipation left him increasingly on edge. It would have been so much easier if he could act, if he had something to fight. A goal to reach. But he could only observe, which made the anxiety induced by the environment so much worse. Closing his eyes, he focused on One with Nature. There was very little life in the area, but thankfully, it wasn¡¯t nearly as devoid of vitality as the tomb. As such, Elijah could get a vague notion of tower¡¯s interior. Unsurprisingly, it was entirely hollow, with one of those floating ck crystals at the center of the top floor. Having seen precisely what he¡¯d expected to find ¨C which was exactly like all the otherrge, sealed towers ¨C he prepared to move on. But as he red One with Nature to its limits, he felt something slightly different.He focused entirely on his senses, pushing with every facet of his Mind until that tiny detail became clear enough to understand. Since taking the Connection specialization, Elijah had noticed that it had enhanced One with Nature in more ways than set forth in the description. The effective radius and potency of the ability was well-documented ¨C and extremely powerful ¨C but he¡¯d begun to notice that what he could sense had broadened as well. He''d always been able to feel ethera, at least to some degree. At first, he¡¯d only sensed the density of energy in the air, but as he¡¯d grown more powerful, he¡¯d learned to discern between types of ethera. On top of that, he could feel when people were casting spells or using abilities. But as he pushed his focus to new heights, Elijah¡¯s sense for ethera deepened, and as a result, he could feel a thin thread of energy connecting the ck crystal at the the top of the tower to something underground. More, he felt something so obvious that he was absolutely shocked he hadn¡¯t noticed it before. The ground beneath the tower was hollow. There was a chamber down there, and with a little more inspection, Elijah felt that a tunnel extended from that chamber, connected to another, then went on to form a densebyrinth far below the surface. Troublingly, those tunnels were not empty. A few were flooded, but that was to be expected from the proximity to the ocean. No ¨C what worried Elijah was that there were clearly undead monsters down there. He couldn¡¯t feel most of them. Indeed, after only a few dozen feet into the tunnels, the senses afforded by One with Nature went dark. After his experience in the tomb, he could guess why. Finally, Elijah focused on the chamber directly beneath the tower, and he quickly discerned the reason he could feel even as much as he did. There was life down there. It was well-contained, and if he hadn¡¯t recently taken the Connection specialization, it would have been far too faint for him to feel. Yet, now, it zed like a small star in his senses, so powerful that he wondered how he hadn¡¯t immediately noticed it. Elijah threw himself from the spire, then glided down to the ground. When hended, he shifted into his human form, then focused on following the tunnels below. The vital energy only extended so far, and after that, theck blinded him. However, he got a good enough picture to confirm his previous assertion that there was an extensive system of tunnels below the ground. After a few minutes of mapping what he could sense, he shifted back into Shape of the Sky and flew to the nextrge tower, which was more than a mile away. There were dozens of smaller spires in the intervening space, and many of them were crumbling or broken, but none of the ck crystals at their bases were connected to a source of vitality, so the tunnels beneath werepletely obscured to Elijah¡¯s senses. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The nextrge tower was simr to thest, which was to say that it was entirely sealed and the ck crystal on the ground floor shared an ethereal connection with a source of life. That allowed him to map the surrounding tunnels. Elijah kept going after that, hopping from one sealed tower to the next, and he found much the same beneath each one. Hours passed as he explored the area, working his way back to where he¡¯d left the others. So, when he finally reached them, he had a good idea of what they were dealing with. Hended just outside of their camp, then shifted back into his human form before approaching the rest of his group. They all looked anxious, but that wasn¡¯t surprising. The atmosphere ¨C even a little ways away from the towers ¨C was unnerving, and they didn¡¯t even have exploration to distract them from it. ¡°What did you find?¡± asked Sadie, shooting to her feet. Elijah ran his hand through his hair. Thankfully, it had grown back after his experiences in the Citadel of Innovation, but it was still shorter than he liked. Sitting next to the fire, he leaned close and said, ¡°God, it¡¯s cold around those towers.¡± ¡°I thought your cloak kept the cold at bay,¡± Ron remarked. Elijah shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a different kind of cold,¡± he said. ¡°Not physical. It¡¯s more¡­¡± ¡°Lifeless,¡± Dat said. ¡°I felt it, too. It¡¯s the same in certain parts of Hong Kong. It¡¯s a cold that seeps into your bones, even when it¡¯s warm.¡± Sadie said, ¡°Not unexpected. The ce stinks of undead. I don¡¯t want to be here any longer than absolutely necessary. So, I¡¯ll ask again ¨C what did you find?¡± ¡°Tunnels. Or maybe crypts, given the scenario. I can¡¯t be certain, but I think they extend across the whole area, connecting the big towers,¡± Elijah exined. Then, he went on to recount everything he¡¯d found during his scouting expedition. He finished by saying, ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to get to the tunnels. Maybe we can just dig our way down, but I feel like that¡¯s the wrong way to go about it.¡± Indeed, Elijah was well aware that his straightforward problem-solving strategies had made already-dangerous situations much deadlier in the past. For instance, he¡¯d discovered that the system had built in methods to ovee the obstacles within each challenge. Elijah ¨C and to a lesser extent, his group ¨C had chosen to simply tackle those issues head-on, effectively running the whole scenario on hard-mode, conquering them through sheer power. So, while digging into the tunnels was probably possible, Elijah expected that it would almost certainly make things much more difficult than they needed to be. The next hour passed in mostly fruitless discussion where the group attempted to brainstorm the problem. However, it soon became clear that they wouldn¡¯t figure it out by sitting in camp. So, Elijah and Dat set off back into the forest of spires and continued their efforts at exploration. For Elijah¡¯s part, he focused on mapping the tunnels as best he could. Thankfully, the area was devoid of all life, so they were given free reign of the entire region. Still, the entire time he was among those spires, Elijah felt a sense of impending dread. It was like he stood on the edge of a fight or flight response, and there was no relief in sight. Fortunately, he was well versed in dealing with stress, so even if it was ufortable, Elijah managed to keep his mind on the task. Over the next two days, he acted as a cartographer. The mapping device ¨C which he¡¯d gotten from the Artificer back in Argos ¨C helped, but its range was too short to prate the tunnels. Yet, it was notpletely useless, as Elijah found when he saw what appeared to be a random spot that was highlighted on the old Gameboy screen. He approached the indicated location, which happened to be at the edge of the challenge area, with no small degree of caution. It turned out to be unnecessary, because he reached the spot without issue. Standing in ce, he looked around, but there was nothing in the area. Just more barrenndscape, and it was close enough to the challenge¡¯s boundary that the rocky terrain wasn¡¯t even broken up by the ubiquitous towers. So, once again, Elijah sank the entirety of his focus into One with Nature. He found nothing ¨C at least at first. But then, he detected a wisp of vitality flowing into a small crack beneath one of the lifeless, grey rocks. Without hesitation, he hooked his fingers under the boulder and heaved. Only a couple of years before, he would have struggled to lift so much weight. However, because of the strides he¡¯d made with his attributes, he managed the feat without much issue. But he found nothing but bare ground beneath. Frustrated, Elijah kicked a rock. Even as it sailed through the air, he felt an implosion of life draining into the ground. That onlysted a few moments before it ceased, but it was enough to let Elijah home in on a tiny fissure ¨C maybe a quarter of an inch long and half as wide ¨C that descended into the earth. He knelt beside it, then ran his hand over the crack. When he did, he felt a slight difference ¨C almost like the air pressure had subtly dropped. More importantly, via One with Nature, he could feel a thin thread of life energy flowing into that crack. So, he ran his hand over the ground, brushing away smaller rocks and dirt, and to his surprise, found that the crack extended much further than he¡¯d first expected. A little more work, and Elijah discovered that it was perfectly straight until it took a sudden ny degree turn. A few feetter, it turned again. That was when he realized it formed a square. For the next few minutes, Elijah excitedly uncovered a b of worked stone, in the center of which was a simple depiction of a me. More importantly, beyond that b was an open area that he would have bet connected with the system of tunnels. What was clear was that, atst, he had found an entrance. So, after spending another half hourpletely excavating the b, he returned to the camp to reveal his findings to the rest of the group. However, when he did, he saw that Dat had already returned, and after a bit of discussion, he discovered that the Witch Hunter had found another entrance on the other side of the region. ¡°So, which one do we use?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Flip a coin?¡± Dat suggested. ¡°We are not choosing based on a coin flip,¡± Sadie said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°I suggest we investigate it properly, then make a decision based on our findings.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it matters, bro.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Sadie said, already gathering her things. Book 6: Chapter 11: The Crypt Book 6: Chapter 11: The Crypt ¡°You can handle it, right?¡± asked Elijah, ncing back at Ron. ¡°I can¡¯t understate how damaging it can be.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ron said. ¡°I ain¡¯t,¡± Kurik muttered. ¡°How ¡®bout I just sit this one out? I can ¨C¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, bro. It¡¯s just a little death and decay. We¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t scared. I just don¡¯t like it. That¡¯s a valid feeling, by the way. Most people avoid death traps,¡± Kurik pointed out. ¡°But you idiots just rush in there like you¡¯re all invincible.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see you turning back,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Because you won¡¯t let me!¡± Elijah sighed, but before he could form a response, Sadie called the dwarf¡¯s bluff. ¡°If you feel that strongly about it, no one will force you to follow,¡± she argued. ¡°You can go back to the camp and wait for us to finish this thing up.¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t what I was tryin¡¯ to say,¡± Kurik grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m just pointin¡¯ out that this ain¡¯t smart.¡± Then, almost under his breath, he added, ¡°If I don¡¯t go, you¡¯ll all probably get yourselves killed.¡±While that might have been true, Elijah suspected that Kurik just liked toin. He¡¯d done so about the cold, the biting insects that made their home within the jungle, and nearly everything else in the Trial. In fact, the only thing that hadn¡¯t been the subject of hisints was the influx of levels he¡¯d gained. Still, despite all his grumbling, he wouldn¡¯t let them go on without him. ¡°That goes for everyone,¡± Sadie said, standing over the recently opened passage. It had taken thebined efforts of Sadie, Elijah, and Dat to lever the giant b of stone out of the way, and when they¡¯d finally shifted it aside, they¡¯d been inundated by powerfully death-attuned ethera. Elijah and Sadie had resisted it, but Dat, having much lower Constitution, had needed Ron¡¯s intervention. And Elijah knew it would just get worse the deeper they went. If he was honest, he wanted to go by himself. After the tomb, he was confident that he could endure, but that confidence didn¡¯t extend to hispanions. Sadie would likely be fine, but Dat, Ron, and Kurik were all much more vulnerable. However, when he¡¯d brought that up, they¡¯d all rejected his proposition and insisted upon going into the tunnels. He considered handing off the ruby ring he¡¯d taken from the crypt, but that came with some problems none of them were equipped to confront. First, he had no assurance that it would help with the problem at hand. For all he knew, it would only give them a few extra attribute points. Useful, but not the game-changer they might need. But more importantly, Elijah was well aware of the existence of cursed items. The sword Carmen had forged for Roman had been one such item, and it had slowly driven the tyrant to insanity. Since then, he¡¯d dropped that weapon into the ocean, but the lesson remained. Using an unidentified item was a good way to fall prey to just such a curse. Or something much worse. So, the ring, despite the possibility that it might be useful for their current situation, remained in his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. It would stay there until he had an opportunity to return to the Nexus Town and have it identified by Atticus. ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going to go, we need to do it now,¡± Ron said. ¡°I have a lot of ethera, and I¡¯m pretty sure my Regeneration can keep up now that I¡¯ve advanced to the second stage of Mind cultivation. But not if we waste time hanging out here.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with then,¡± Kurik grumbled. Then, he looked at Sadie, adding, ¡°But I ain¡¯t leadin¡¯ the way.¡± She rolled her eyes, then descended the worn steps leading into the crypt. In her hand was the map Elijah had drawn from memory, and she held an ethera-powered shlight between her teeth. Dat came second, followed by Ron, with Elijah taking up the rear. The chances they might be attacked from behind were low, but it was better to be safe than sorry. The formation had saved them on multiple asions while trekking through dangerous areas, and Elijah didn¡¯t expect that to change. The steps descended for almost fifty feet before leveling off and ending in a tunnel measuring about ten feet across. To Elijah, it felt extremely ustrophobic, but he kept that difort to himself. Instead, he focused on the increasingly dense death-attuned ethera. It wasn¡¯t powerful enough to do any damage ¨C not yet, at least ¨C but it did tighten his stomach into knots. And then there was that same cold that felt so pervasive within the bounds of the Spires of the Fallen. ¡°Iing!¡± hissed Sadie. Only then did Elijah hear the muffled sound of footsteps. Then, he narrowed his eyes and looked past Sadie, but all he saw was darkness ¨C until a zombie appeared out of the shadows. It moved like lightning ¨C far more quickly than the ones aboveground had ¨C and it was on Sadie in an instant. Fortunately, she was ready for it, and her sword had no issues bisecting the monster. Then, another appeared. And another after that. In seconds, the entire hall was blocked by densely packed undead ¨C all reaching and wing at Sadie. She¡¯d clearly used Call of the Crusader, keeping their attention locked onto her. Meanwhile, Dat had opened up with his crossbow, sending glowing bolts down the hall to m into the monsters¡¯ heads. Every shot hit with enough force to burst their skulls like overripe melons. Being in the rear, Elijah had no choice but to use his spells. So, he tossed out one Storm¡¯s Fury after another, adding Healing Rain into the mix so he could ease the burden on Ron¡¯s store of ethera. He¡¯d also held out some hope that the zombies would react poorly to the influx of vital energy, but to his disappointment, they seemed entirely unaffected by Healing Rain. What was effective was Nature¡¯s Rebuke.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Nature¡¯s Rebuke Curse an entity to endure the power of nature, doing damage over time. Triple damage against unnatural creatures. Lasts two minutes.
They were strong enough that the spell didn¡¯t melt them immediately as it had with the vampires back in the Magister¡¯s Estate tower, but it was clear that they were unnatural creatures. As such, they felt the full weight of the enhanced spell. As the seconds ticked by, the creatures¡¯ flesh sloughed off and some of them copsed. With Sadie and Dat steadily cutting them down, it was only a few minutes before the hall was clear. Elijah watched as the fallen zombies rapidly dposed until even the bones disintegrated. Focusing on One with Nature, he could barely sense threads of deathly ethera racing down the hall and into the darkness. ¡°Damn,¡± he said. ¡°Is that normal?¡± Sadie shook her head. ¡°No. Body disposal is a big issue in Hong Kong,¡± she answered. ¡°Disease is a problem.¡± ¡°What do we think it means?¡± Ron asked. No one had a response, but they all agreed to keep going. The n hadn¡¯t changed, just because there were a few zombies in the tunnels. In fact, they¡¯d expected a fight, even if they hadn¡¯t known which form their enemies might take. ¡°Do we think these are the same zombies thate out when someone messes with the crystals?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°There¡¯s no telling, bro.¡± It was an interesting question made even more so because, ording to Dat and Sadie, these weren¡¯t normal zombies. ¡°They act the part, but they seem like magical constructs,¡± Kurik said. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Maybe.¡± After that, the group continued on, and they were forced for what felt like every step. The zombies weren¡¯t particrly powerful, but that changed the deeper they went into theplex. As the power of the deathly ethera rose, so too did the strength of the zombies. At the same time, the group was subjected to increasingly degenerative conditions. It never reached the level of the deepest part of the tomb, but Dat and Kurik were particrly affected. Ron took care of it, but Elijah suspected that he couldn¡¯t keep it up indefinitely ¨C especially if it got worse. So, they were on a bit of a timer, even with Elijah using his own healing spells to shoulder some of the burden. On and on they went, and Elijah¡¯s map proved to be invaluable. Without it, they would have quickly be lost. However, thebyrinthine tangle of tunnels did create another issue. Each time they reached an intersection, the possibility of being attacked from the rear increased. So, Elijah had to keep his attention split between the ongoing battles at the front of the procession and the potential for an attack from the rear. His diligence proved warranted when, after a couple of hours, a group of zombies rushed him. He couldn¡¯t afford to shift into his animal forms ¨C not and keep up the healing that was necessary to keep everyone from sumbing to the decay ¨C so he wheeled around and met the zombies in his natural form. But it gave him a perfect opportunity to use his newest ability:
Savage Might Embrace your bestial nature, temporarily enhancing your physical attributes by 33%. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 31.1 Seconds. Cooldown based on Constitution. Current: 68.3 Minutes.
He felt his power soar as he brought the Feral Spire to the fore. As he swung it, he used Nature¡¯s Rebuke, then activated Storm¡¯s Fury just before he made contact with the first zombie. ¡°Attack from the rear!¡± he shouted as he made contact. Lightning arced through the monster, and the sheer strength of the blow sent the zombie crashing into one of the walls, where its bones snapped like twigs. Elijah didn¡¯t pause to watch it, and as he spun,unching another attack at the next attacking zombie, his Jade Mind whirled to cast one spell after another. Nature¡¯s Rebuke cast quickly, and it didn¡¯t even require aiming. However, using Storm¡¯s Fury to augment his physical attacks required precise timing. Thankfully, his powerful cultivation paid off, giving him the ability to think along multiple threads at a time ¨C and with far more brainpower than he would have thought possible. The results were shocking. Elijah had never been a savant with the staff. He feltfortable enough using it as a weapon, but he knew he was no expert. However, with how quickly he could process information ¨C along with the sometimes forgotten Haste effect of his Sash of the Whirlwind ¨C it felt like the zombies were moving in water. He crushed one skull after another, while the back lines sumbed to Nature¡¯s Rebuke. All the while, he kept Soothe and Healing Rain up on his most vulnerable teammates. For a moment, he wondered why he was fighting alone, but then he realized that even more zombies were attacking from the other direction. They were being pincered, the timing of which suggested that it was no mere coincidence. Still, there was nothing Elijah could do with that information. At present, he had an all-important job ¨C deal with the zombies ¨C so that was what he did. One after another fell before him, and for a while, he felt almost invincible. Then, Savage Might wore off. He stumbled at the sudden weakness, and he caught a w to the face for his trouble. Another monstertched onto him with its four arms, and yet another wrapped its long, tail around him like a particrly muscr boa constrictor. Elijah had no choice. He shifted into the Shape of the Guardian. The sudden influx of size broke him free of the zombies¡¯ grasp, and Elijahshed out with his long, ape-like arms. He had to crouch to fit into the tunnel, but with Iron Scales active, the undead creatures couldn¡¯t prate his hide. So, heid into them without fear of reprisal, but even with the extra attributes from his powerful form, the sense weakness persisted. He fought through it, and with the triumvirate of his spirit ¨C dragon, beast, and human ¨C pushing him forward, he could harness his power better than ever before. It wasn¡¯t quantified by attributes or cultivation, but as Elijah let it envelope him, he realized that it was just as impactful. Zombies fell in droves, and vaguely, he was aware that hispanions were fighting just as furiously. Yet, Elijah knew that they would all fall if he didn¡¯t protect the rear. So, with his power driven to new heights by a spirit he didn¡¯t fully understand, he bent his will to the task at hand. Over the next few minutes, Elijah lost count of how many zombies he slew. Dozens, at the very least. Maybe hundreds. It was impossible to tell, because each time one fell, the bodies were beset by powerful decay that removed all evidence of their previous existence. With a roar, Elijah shoved his w through a zombie¡¯s chest, then ripped out its spine. Predictably, the body fell, and he swung the dangling skull at another of the undead. The head shattered, burying hundreds of bone shards in the other creature¡¯s face. Elijah followed that up with a massive backhand that finished the job. And then, everything went silent. He panted, his breath misting in front of him. Suddenly, he felt so cold. So exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to drop to his knees and rest. Warmth enveloped him, and the feeling faded. A secondter, he let his bestial form fall away, and he cast his own healing spells. Theybined with Ron¡¯s, and in moments, he was back to normal, though with a deep-seated fatigue that no amount of healing could banish. But when he looked to the front of the group, he was happy to see that everyone else was safe. Sadie bisected the final zombie in that direction, and just like that, they¡¯d won the battle. ¡°Shoulda nevere here,¡± Kurik grumbled. Then, barely audibly, he added, ¡°But no, I gotta be a hero. A damned idiot, I am, and make no mistake about that.¡± Book 6: Chapter 12: The Guardian Book 6: Chapter 12: The Guardian A paradoxically cold wind drifted through the tunnel, cutting through Elijah¡¯s Cloak of the Iron Bear and seeping into his spirit. He shivered, but after many hours spent fighting through thebyrinth of a crypt, he¡¯d grown ustomed to the difort. And crypt it was, as evidenced by the burial chambers dotting thework of underground corridors. Some were borate, disying golden sarcophagi surrounded by lesser coffins. Others were more like mass graves. But unlike the tomb where Elijah had recovered the ring and the guide, there were no rewards for exploring the subterranean burial ground. Just more zombies waiting to rip the intruders to pieces. And troublingly, they¡¯d grown more powerful with every step taken by Elijah and hispanions as they made their way through the web of tunnels. The leap in strength hadn¡¯t been dramatic, but it was definitely noticeable ¨C especially when Dat revealed what he saw with Hex of Scrying. The first group the party had encountered had only been level sixty or so. Strong, but not overwhelming. However, after many hours and countless fights, their average level had risen by at least five. That wasn¡¯t enough to push Elijah or the others to their limits, but it did raise a question about what they would encounter moving forward. Oddly, the tunnels themselves were entirely bare of decoration of any kind. No frescoes. No carvings. Just empty walls that weren¡¯t nearly as eroded as he would have expected, given the state of the ruins he¡¯d seen elsewhere in the Trial. That led him to believe the entire thing had been conjured by the system. Perhaps the rest of the challenges had been as well, though Elijah got the impression that exnation was only part of the story. Instead, his personal theory was that the system had taken inspiration from real events, popting the challenges with real people ¨C or copies, perhaps ¨C rather than building them from scratch. Was that an energy-saving measure? Or was there another exnation? Maybe the system was trying to teach the Trial-takers a lesson by including the real history of a world that had gone so wrong that it had been excised by the World Tree. There was no way to know for sure, and Elijah expected he wouldn¡¯t discover the truth until the system chose to reveal it in its entirety. So, he endeavored to push those thoughts out of his mind as he focused on his surroundings ¨C as well as the onught of undead guing every step. Every now and again, the group paused for a short break, but as they¡¯d discovered a couple of hours after entering the crypts, they couldn¡¯t afford to wait long. Thinking that the appearance of the zombies was tied to a location, they¡¯d thought they were safe enough to rest and recover. However, that assumption was quickly proved false when the waves of zombies continued to assail them. The implications were clear. Like the persistent rot of the increasingly destructive death-attuned ethera, the threat of the zombies was just something that would apany them throughout their entire time within the tunnels. On top of that, neither Elijah¡¯s nor Dat¡¯s stealth abilities worked properly. The damage caused by the deathly ethera broke their concealing skills, rendering them entirely ineffective. So, they couldn¡¯t even scout the way effectively.But now that they were down there, they weremitted. Perhaps that had been the case from the moment they¡¯d epted the invite into the Trial. There was no backing down now. So, on they went, pushing through the tunnels andying waste to the endless hordes of zombies. Along the way, Elijah got a good look at just how efficiently Dat and Sadie could handle the undead. Their abilities seemed to do more damage, their defenses were sturdier, and their tactics more effective. In short, their experiences in Hong Kong had prepared them well for the current task, and for the first time since grouping up with the pair, Elijah felt that they were better suited to oveing the challenge than him. Of course, he didn¡¯t like that one little bit, so he endeavored to mimic their strategies while pushing himself harder than ever before. Gradually, he adjusted to the enemy type, and after a while, he began to truly incorporate his full suite of abilities. As they fought, he learned that Nature¡¯s Rebuke wasn¡¯t strong enough to finish the monsters off on its own. To fill that gap, he alternated between using his staff and shifting into his various forms. The only limiting factor for that strategy was that each transformation took a second or two toplete, which meant that he was vulnerable during that brief window of time. It was just further evidence that he needed to work on his Soul cultivation sooner rather thanter. While his Mind was tied to the ability to regenerate ethera, his Soul determined how quickly he could funnel the energy from his Core and into his spells. So, his casting speed ¨C as well as the time needed for his transformations ¨C could be reduced by advancing his Soul to the next grade. Still, Elijah had yet to find an area with dense enough ethera to fuel advances in his cultivation. On top of that, there were two other issues he needed to surmount. First, while he was familiar with the pattern necessary to refine his channels, he would need to learn it far better if he was going to start carving it. At the very least, that would take weeks of constant study before he wasfortable making any major changes. The second problem was that he wasn¡¯t entirely certain that would be his next focus. He still hadn¡¯t forgotten just how outssed he¡¯d been by Halima ¨C or rather, the monster she had be ¨C and while he knew he couldn¡¯tpete with physical-based sses, he did believe that he could bridge that gap with cultivation. Advancing to the next stage of his Body would go a long way toward aplishing that goal. Stolen story; please report. And what¡¯s more, he had a good idea of how to aplish it. So, as he and his group continued to progress through the tunnels, Elijah kept his Body cultivation in the back of one facet of his Jade Mind. More than a day passed, and over that time, they had fallen into afortable rhythm. Their group was powerful, and though the zombies continued to grow stronger, Elijah and hispanions were more than prepared to ovee the obstacles they represented. And the experience was good, too. Not individually, but rather, because there were so many enemies, their overall progression went quickly and smoothly. Elijah even gained an extra level, and for the first time, he saw the advantage of his specialization when he received an extra attribute point in both Ethera and Regeneration. It certainly wasn¡¯t enough to make an immediate impact, but over time ¨C and with every progressive level ¨C it would hopefully make a difference. The real benefit was that he drew one level closer to the Mortal peak, after which he would choose a ss evolution. The Animist ss had treated him quite well, but at the time of its choosing, he¡¯d aplished very little ¨C aside from befriending a powerful guardian creature. That would not be the case when he reached level one-twenty-five, and Elijah had high hopes for his potential options. On top of that, he had five more spells ¨C be they evolutions or new additions ¨C between now and then, so the potential for extreme growth was there for the taking. He only needed to keep at it. With that in mind, Elijah continued to do his part as the group progressed through the tunnels. Most of the time, Ron was more than capable of keeping everyone upright, though there were a few instances when the others were injured by particrly vicious waves of zombies, and Elijah was forced to add his own heals into the mix. The role he¡¯d adopted fit like a glove, because he was able to leverage his versatility to maximum effect. He couldn¡¯t defend like Sadie ¨C he simply didn¡¯t have the same durability or tools like Call of the Crusader ¨C and he certainly couldn¡¯t heal as well as Ron. And though Kurik was at a disadvantage in the crypt, he¡¯d already proven that his traps were extremely powerful. Finally, Dat upied a simr role to Elijah. The Witch Hunter wasn¡¯t the best pure damage-dealer. Nor could he take the sorts of hits Elijah or Sadie could. But he was a great scout, and his Hex of Scrying was extremely useful. On top of that, his Miracle, which he¡¯d used against the fallen Druid in the Frozen Fortress that was the challenge of Pruina, was a potential game-changer. With that ability, he could kill most enemies in a single blow. As such, the Witch Hunter was not to be underestimated. None of them were, which left Elijah with mixed feelings. He¡¯d never have said it aloud, but he liked the notion that he was special. Ego didn¡¯t drive his decision-making process, but he would have been lying if he had made the im that he wasn¡¯t proud ¨C at least on some level ¨C of his aplishments. He¡¯d ovee long odds just to survive, and he¡¯d taken it much further than that, bing one of the most powerful people in the world. By all measurements, he was special. And yet, so were hispanions. Even Kurik, who¡¯d fled to Earth to escape the stigma associated with is exiled n, had a powerful ss that allowed him to do some truly extraordinary things. Dat and Sadie had elder cores, just like Elijah, and Ron¡¯s abilities set him apart from any other Healer Elijah had ever encountered. But as much as their presence prompted doubts about his unique power, it was alsoforting to know that Earth had such champions. Those thoughts upied one facet of Elijah¡¯s mind until, suddenly, things changed. ¡°You feel that?¡± he asked. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Sadie, looking back. They¡¯d just defeated a wave of zombies and had taken a few minutes to recover. ¡°Life,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s definitely there. I think we¡¯re getting close to one of the towers.¡± ¡°What do you think we¡¯ll find?¡± asked Ron. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. This doesn¡¯t feel like any other life,¡± he admitted. ¡°It¡¯s almost like it¡¯s partially obscured. It¡¯s just energy. There¡¯s no organisms down here.¡± ¡°Except us, bro.¡± Kurik snorted. ¡°And for good reason. I feel like my skin¡¯s rotting off,¡± he muttered, scratching his forearm. Ron¡¯s ongoing efforts kept the rot from visibly affecting anyone, but that didn¡¯t mean it wasfortable. For Elijah, it felt like he had a vicious rash all over his body, and though he kept that difort quarantined in its own facet of his Jade Mind, he knew the others ¨C aside from Ron, who¡¯d reached the Quartz Mind stage ¨Ccked that ability. ¡°It ain¡¯t natural.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that,¡± Elijah said. Because he could only sense the energy, One with Nature wasn¡¯t nearly as effective as it could have been. The only reason he felt anything at all was because he¡¯d taken the Connection specialization. Otherwise, he¡¯d be just as blind as everyone else. ¡°We move on, right? Nothing has really changed,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I could go ahead and scout it out. I know Guise of the Unseen won¡¯t work, but I¡¯m still the fastest person in the group,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°No. Without you protecting the rear, we¡¯ll be vulnerable,¡± she said. ¡°Plus, you¡¯re not that much faster than us. We move together.¡± ¡°Is that an order? Or a suggestion?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t do that. I can¡¯t make you do anything you don¡¯t want to do, but someone has to take charge,¡± she said. ¡°And it should be you?¡± ¡°Unless you want that burden, yes,¡± Sadie answered. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you if you want to lead, but ¨C¡± ¡°No thanks. But if you expect me to just blindly follow you, you¡¯ve got another thinging. If you lead us in the wrong direction, I¡¯ll say something.¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Sadie said. ¡°This isn¡¯t the military. There¡¯s no court martial waiting for you if you disobey orders. This is merely organizational in nature.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t have too many cooks in the kitchen, bro.¡± Elijah understood that reasoning, even if he didn¡¯t like the notion of taking orders from anyone. He hadn¡¯t always had such an independent streak, but spending years with no one to answer to but himself had shaped him in ways that decades of civilized living hadn¡¯t. ¡°Like I said, we¡¯re following you.¡± With that, they continued on, and with every step, the level of vitality in the ambient ethera continued to increase. Then, atst, they reached their first destination, which was one of the chambers directly beneath a sealed tower. But the interior was not what any of them expected. Indeed, Elijah didn¡¯t know what sort of setting he¡¯d imagined. Perhaps another crystal, except white instead of ck. Or some sort of enchanted circle, maybe. Or some other stationary and powerful object. Whatever the case, he did not expect to find himself staring at a twenty-foot-tall skeleton. And the moment they came into the thing¡¯s line of sight, it tilted its head back as if roaring, but no sound escaped its jaws. Then, it charged. Book 6: Chapter 13: Invincible Book 6: Chapter 13: Invincible The giant skeletal warrior¡¯s steps thundered with incalcble weight that shook the ground beneath Elijah¡¯s feet. It was more than twenty feet tall, and the bones thatposed its body were far thicker than they should have been. They were also pitch ck, as if they¡¯d been charred, and the joints glowed the same aquamarine as the lightning dancing between the towers aboveground. That same light burned in its eye sockets, somehow conveying extreme hate in those flickering, teal mes. Sadie dashed ahead, using her personal shield as she swung her sword in a horizontal strike. The skeleton ignored her attack, and the reason for its disdain quickly became apparent. Her de hit its shin, bouncing back as if Sadie had hit a brick wall. Then, the skeleton ¨C who wielded a massive axe ¨C brought its own weapon down on her. Sadie¡¯s shield shed, but it held against the heavy blow. Still, the sheer momentum of the attack smashed her into the ground, cracking the stones beneath her feet. That¡¯s when everyone else let loose. Dat and Kurik fired their ranged weapons, while Ron leveled his sparkly wand at Sadie and cast a healing spell. Light enveloped her, mending her injuries ¨C which probably included a concussion ¨C so that she couldsh out with another attack. Instead of simply swinging her sword, she used de of the Avenger. An enormous sword ripped free of the ground, mming into the skeleton¡¯s thigh bone. This one had much more effect than Sadie¡¯s mundane attack, and cracks spread across its thick femur. Elijah leaped in, swinging his staff, only to take a swift backhand that sent him skipping across the chamber. He mmed into the wall a momentter, causing a cascade of dust and rocks to fell upon him. He ignored the debris, already shifting into the Shape of Venom as Ron hit him with a heal spell. A secondter, he was racing up the wall and across the ceiling. At the same time, Sadie aimed another de of the Avenger at the creature, but the skeleton didn¡¯t let the sword hit the same spot, which minimized its effect. Dat fired a barrage of glowing crossbow bolts, which caromed ineffectually off the creature¡¯s thick bones. Kurik retreated to the side of the chamber, where he was busy deploying one of his traps. From experience, Elijah knew that would take a few moments. He dropped from the ceiling,nding on the skeleton¡¯s head. He used Venom Strike and Envenom, then bit down as hard as he could manage. His fangs skipped off the hard bone, barely scraping the surface. But that was enough. In the beginning, Elijah had thought Envenom worked like a snake¡¯s bite, injecting caustic venom into his victims. Yet, he¡¯d since learned that it was more like a spell. The liquid that came from his fangs was simply a medium for the swirling ethera the ability used to assault his foes. Even a drop was enough to make the proper connection.Energy swirled and rushed into the skeleton. The moment the skill took hold, the monster tilted its head back and let out a soundless scream. A secondter, spikes of bone erupted from the creature¡¯s skeletal body. There were hundreds of them, each one like daggers of bone, and Elijah narrowly managed to avoid being impaled. Still, he took a few wounds, and the force of one of the blows sent him tumbling from his perch atop the skeleton¡¯s skull. He fell, but before he hit the ground, the creature¡¯s skeletal hand darted out, its fingers wrapping around him. It squeezed. Elijah let out a hissing cry as he felt his bones being rearranged. Shape of Venom had a lot going for it. It was quick and lethal, with the invaluable ability to remain unseen. But it was not a durable form by nature. That weakness was on full disy as Elijah felt his ribs break under the immense pressure the skeleton brought to bear. Tobat it, Elijah used two abilities at once. First, he embraced Savage Might, increasing his physical attributes by more than thirty percent. That kept his bones from shattering as he used Shape of the Guardian. At the same time, one of Ron¡¯s healsnded on him, mending his cracking bones. That afforded him the couple of seconds he needed toplete the transformation. The skeleton¡¯s fingers spread under the influence of his increased mass, and the moment he took on the shape of themer ape, he let out an immense roar and pried the monster¡¯s hand entirely apart. It was strong, but under the influence of Savage Might, he was stronger. He broke away, ripping one of the fingerspletely free of its joint. The teal light that functioned as its ligaments spewed deathly energy onto his scales, but he was durable enough to endure it. He fell free, but he didn¡¯t retreat. Instead, he threw himself at the creature, hammering it with one blow after another. Beneath that onught, bones cracked and shattered, and for a few moments, it seemed as if he would make progress. Then, it erupted with teal light that quickly enveloped it, looking like aquamarine mes. Suddenly, it moved with more strength and speed than ever before, and before Elijah knew what was happening, he found himself once again flying through the air. He had only enough time to twist before he hit the wall, shoulder first. The stone shattered before the impact, but with Iron Scales active ¨C along with the massive increase in his Constitution ¨C he remainedrgely unharmed. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it He fell to the ground, rolling to his feet a secondter. That was when he saw that the battle wasn¡¯t going well. Sadie held her ground ¨C probably using an ability to keep herparatively small body from being thrown aside ¨C but there were a few new dents in her armor. It wasn¡¯t as powerful as her old set, but it was Simple-Grade, making it extremely durable. The fact that, after less than thirty seconds, it was already damaged only confirmed how dangerous the giant skeleton truly was. But Sadie kept fighting, and not just because she didn¡¯t have a choice. She was fundamentally incapable of giving up. It was one of the things Elijah admired most about her and likely the biggest reason he¡¯d tolerated her obvious ws for so long. Not to be outdone, he threw himself at the skeleton, and he got an axe to the side for his trouble. It happened so quickly that he never even saw iting. One second, he was charging the thing, hoping to take out one of its legs, and the next, he had a de buried between his ribs. The force of the blow knocked him aside, and, thankfully, Ron hit him with a heal only an instantter. The wound mended, and he bounded off the wall andunched himself at the creature. This time, he didn¡¯t aim for its leg, though. Instead, he targeted its now-spiky skull. Because he¡¯d noticed a couple of interesting things. First, there were white streaks ¨C almost like veins ¨C spreading across its cranium, starting from where he¡¯d bitten the thing as a blight dragon. That suggested that the venom was doing its job, and while it wasn¡¯t strong enough to kill the thing, it clearly weakened that area. Second, Elijah saw something he¡¯d missed up until that point. Around the creature¡¯s neck was a delicate silver chain, from which hung a milky white gem that reminded him of the crystal at the base of the tower above. Via One with Nature, Elijah could sense a thin thread of ethera extending from that gem and to the ceiling, where it disappeared. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that the crystals were linked, and that they were important. Elijah intended to destroy it. Or failing that, dislodge it from the skeleton¡¯s neck. Racing forward, he saw the skeleton shift slightly, and he ducked. The de sliced through the air only an inch above Elijah¡¯s head. He hadn¡¯t even seen the thing, it moved so quickly. Yet, the skeleton had telegraphed the intended attack, giving Elijah an opportunity to dodge. Then, he leaped, using its ribcage as handholds as he threw himself upward. At the same time, he shifted into the much smaller blight dragon form. The skeleton tried to dislodge him, but with the increased Dexterity, he managed to avoid the grasping bones by skittering to the side. Up and up he went until, less than a secondter, he snapped out and mped his jaws around the white gem. That¡¯s when the battle caught up to him. He saw the blowing. The iing fist seemed almost as big as he was, and he knew he was too slow to get away. He couldn¡¯t avoid it. Instead, Elijah could only hope to endure ¨C though that was a tall task, given that he¡¯d shifted into the much less durable Shape of Venom. Just before it hit, he realized how stupid that decision had been. The reasoning was that the smaller and quicker form would allow him to more easily dodge any retaliation, but he¡¯d underestimated the skeleton¡¯s speed. And now, he was about to be squished into paste. Then, a shield bloomed around him, white and roiling with ethera. The fist smashed into it, and for a second, the blow was stopped dead in its tracks. Then, the shield burst, and the fist rammed into Elijah with the force of a runaway lotive. Yet, even as he felt his bones crunch, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be nearly as bad as it would have been without Sadie¡¯s intervention. More importantly, Elijah managed to keep his jaws locked onto the gem. So, when the monster¡¯s fist retracted, he flexed the muscles of his neck and yanked it free. An explosion of ethera sent Elijah sailing across the chamber, but thankfully, Ron¡¯s aim was true, and a heal settled onto his scales before he hit the wall. Still, bones once again broke ¨C that seemed to be a habit, ofte ¨C and he slid down the wall like squashed bug. Another heal hit him a momentter, mending enough damage to keep him from slipping into unconsciousness. That gave Elijah a good view of the skeleton stumbling to its knees, then falling apart as the teal energy coursing through its joints winked out. In only a second, all that was left of the terrifyingly indestructible monster was a pile of ck bones. Elijah let out a deep breath as he allowed himself to resume his human shape. Once he was able to, he exchanged his Feral Spire for the Staff of the Serpent Healer and cast his trio of healing spells. Even then, he¡¯d taken so much damage that it would take at least half an hour topletely mend his broken bones. But at least none of them needed to be set. ¡°Small mercies,¡± he muttered to himself. Hey there as his body healed, and vaguely, he was aware of everything going on around him. The others asked about his health, and they discussed what had just happened,ing to simr conclusions that he¡¯d reached mid-battle. Sadie had been injured as well, but Dat, Kurik, and Ron were all perfectly fine. So, they guarded the single entrance into the chamber while Sadie and Elijah convalesced. Thankfully, the area was almost entirely devoid of death-attuned ethera, which gave them a much-needed respite. Like that, a couple of hours passed until, finally, Elijah announced that he was fully healed. He¡¯de a long way since needing days to mend his broken legs after his fight with Thor, the Nordic hunter who¡¯d attacked him outside of Seattle. But then again, Elijah knew that if he took that level ofparative damage, it would likely take him just as long ¨C or longer ¨C to heal. It was just that a few broken bones wasn¡¯t as big of an injury as it once had been. It still hurt, though, and even if he could shunt that pain off into its own facet of his Mind, that didn¡¯t make it go away. He still felt it, even if he could ignore it far more easily. ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty clear what we need to do,¡± he said, stretching like he was getting ready to run a marathon. ¡°This crystal is tied to the towers, right? This whole thing seems like it¡¯sid out so we have to gather all the crystals beneath the towers.¡± ¡°What then? Destroy them?¡± asked Ron. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m still working on that part.¡± Indeed, from what he felt, that seemed like a valid option, but it could just as easily require them to bring the two opposing types of crystals together. The fact was they just didn¡¯t have enough information. What seemed absolutely certain, though, was that they needed to visit the chambers beneath all the other towers and gather the white crystals. After that, they¡¯d find the next step. Book 6: Chapter 14: Aura Book 6: Chapter 14: Aura Carmen pressed her foot against the pedal, sending a surge of ethera through the machine and activating the grinder. The attached belt had been made from leather covered by ground dragonstone, creating a fine grit that could grind down the most stubborn of metals. Not that such a belt was necessary for her current material. It was called True Steel, which was just a fancy name for a high-carbon steel that had been through so many rounds of Refine Material and Ethereal Infusion that it effectively be a new type of metal. Still, it was only Low-Simple, meaning that while it was many times better than Crude-Grade steel, it wasn¡¯t anything truly special. One thing it did have going for it was itsck of rarity. The mines of Ironshore were predictably littered with ferrite, and it wasn¡¯t that difficult to add some carbon to that ore to create steel. After that, it didn¡¯t take much for the city¡¯s cksmiths ¨C all much lower-level than Carmen ¨C to do the necessary work to prepare the resulting ingots. They weren¡¯t good enough that Carmen trusted them with the final product, but they could handle that much at least. Perhaps in the future, they would progress their sses far enough to work on final products. It was more than just levels theycked, though. Most of them had been unprepared to choose the ss in the first ce, meaning that theycked the foundation to put their abilities to good use. One day, maybe. Byparison, Carmen had spent years studying for her doctorate, focusing on ancestral studies. Much of that time had been spent at a forge. cksmithing was only a part of a muchrger whole, but that experience had given her the foundation that had helped her stay ahead of most other crafters. Was she the best cksmith in the world? Probably not. But she felt confident that she was one of the highest levels, and she had the skills to put all that power to work. She leaned forward, and the moment her current project hit the belt, sparks ¨C both orange and blue ¨C flew into the air. More importantly, the rough and durable belt had no issues grinding the forge scale from the piece. Once that was done, she started in on the fine shaping. There was only so much one could do with a hammer, and using skills like Shape had a habit of degrading the quality by contaminating the purity of the metal with the wrong vor of ethera. So, as much as it would¡¯ve been easier to use the ability, it would likely result in a slight decrease in the piece¡¯s power. And considering that the material was already a little deficient, she didn¡¯t want to take that chance. So, she did it the old-fashioned way, grinding excess metal away and shaping the piece to match her vision. Fortunately, with the high-quality of the dragonstone belt, it didn¡¯t take long before the piece was finished. Mostly, at least. She still needed to sand it, then polish it, and finally, engrave it. But that would wait until all the rest was done.With that goal in mind, Carmen retrieved another billet from where she¡¯d left it in the forge. It glowed white hot ¨C True Steel needed to be a much higher temperature than its mundane cousin ¨C and she immediately went to work with her summoned hammer. With every blow, she used Ethereal Strike:
Ethereal Strike Imbue your hammer with ethera, transferring power to heated metal.
The ability was the codified version of what she¡¯d been doing all along, though with the new skill, the results were much better. In addition to ttening the billet into a sheet, each hammer strike sent a surge of energy into the metal. Slowly, her hammer fell, over and over, filling the air with sparks and the ting of metal on metal, giving the billet shape. Once the basic form had been achieved, she once again headed to the grinder, where she finished the process before setting it aside forter. Over the next few hours, she repeated the process hundreds of times. The rate at which she worked would have been unbelievable back on Earth, but she could have gone even faster if she¡¯d really pushed. Of course, that would have cost her significant ethera, and by the end of the day, she would have been entirely exhausted. It was better, then, to pace herself. Learning that lesson had been difficult, but very necessary. Thest thing she wanted was to burn herself out. Once she had more than a hundred tes ¨C divided into a few different shapes ¨C she began the quenching process. Heating them in the forge, she waited until they had reached the proper temperature before dunking them into a basin of heated, ethera-infused oil, which was derived from whale blubber. That hardened the tes into a usable form. After finishing that, she got to work on the hinges and buckles, which she¡¯d already cast from faythium. The end product would have been much better if she¡¯d simply used the Low-Complex metal for the whole project, but there just wasn¡¯t enough of it to satisfy her needs. So, she¡¯d opted to use it as an ent, which would hopefully raise the grade of the end product. Despite knowing that it would slightly degrade the metal, Carmen used Bond to attach the hinges and buckles to the tes, connecting them. Taking the time to do it manually would have put her well behind schedule. She knew that. But still, she regretted every drop of foreign ethera that made its way into the metal. Gradually, she pieced everything together until, atst, she received the notification ofpletion:
Congrattions! You have created a unique item [Lorica Segmentata - Chest]. Overall Grade: Complex (Low) Enchantment Grade: N/A
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. It was the expected result, so Carmen didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. Instead, she kept going, carving a series of runes into the inner surface of thergest back te. The resulting enchantment was intended to increase hardness and durability while giving the piece the ability to self-repair. Doing so would require an injection of ethera ¨C aimed at the appropriate rune ¨C but it would be invaluable for whoever ended up wearing the chest piece. Next, she used her etching tool to create a series of artful patterns on the front segments. There was no real form to the design ¨C just whorls ¨C but the end result was quite attractive, especially when she iid those designs with more faythium. Doing so used almost no material, but she hoped it would be worth it, all the same. Finally, when she was finished, she used Tradesman¡¯s Appraisal:
Lorica Segmentata (Chest) Segmented chest armor based on the Roman (Earth) design. Primarily made of True Steel, but with Faythium ents. Overall Grade: Complex (Low) Enchantment Grade: D +7 Strength, +7 Dexterity, +7 Constitution Traits: Self-Repair (Minor)
It was a decent result, especially given the quality of the base material. However, Carmen wasn¡¯t really satisfied with making an inferior product. If she¡¯d had her way, she would only ever work with the best materials, taking her time to truly push her craft to the highest level. But that wasn¡¯t what Ironshore needed. There was a waring, and the people expected to defend the city from the dark elves needed protection. She couldn¡¯t afford to spend a week or more refining materials and creating something truly extraordinary. Instead, she had topromise that vision in order to do what was necessary. So, she set the piece down, then rested her hand on the center te. That was when she activated hertest ability, gained at level seventy.
Mass Produce Copy an existing piece to create a temte for mass production. Then, expend ethera to duplicate the item. Results will be inferior to the temte.
After experimenting with the ability, Carmen had determined that, while it was extremely useful to her current situation, there were significant caveats to its use. First, she could only create three pieces at a time, and even thatpletely drained her ethera to the point where she could only repeat the process twice each day. It still significantly outpaced the one-a-day rate it would take to replicate the original¡¯s quality. Second, the copies were a slightly lower overall grade, which meant that the attribute bonuses were significantly reduced. Still, the material maintained most of its protective qualities, which was the most important aspect of any piece of armor. Third, it wasn¡¯t as if the ability created items out of nothing. She still needed the raw materials, which meant that the other cksmiths and Tradesmen working under her were still required to infuse the metals. Even with those limitations, Mass Produce increased her productivity by a significant degree. With it, she could pump out pieces more than three times as quickly, which more than made up for the decrease in quality. Once she¡¯d copied the temte, she crossed the forge to the pile of ingots with which she¡¯d been provided. That was when she activated the ability once again, and over the next ten minutes, ethera rushed out of her in a wave, enveloped the pile of metals, and slowly formed three identical breasttes. When they were finished, she once again used Tradesman¡¯s Appraisal:
Lorica Segmentata (Chest) ¨C Mass Produced Segmented chest armor based on the Roman (Earth) design. Primarily made of True Steel, but with Faythium ents. Overall Grade: Simple (Peak) Enchantment Grade: E +3 Strength, +3 Dexterity, +3 Constitution Traits: Self-Repair (Minor)
Carmen frowned. She hated the results, even if she knew that using Mass Produce was necessary. The notion of intentionally settling for an inferior product just left a bad taste in her mouth. Even so, she was well aware that the armor was high enough quality that it far exceeded anything the other smiths in the city could create. Some of the tower rewards floating around out there were better, but not by much. And she also knew that the armor was good enough that it could potentially save someone¡¯s life. That had to be enough. As she waited for her ethera to recover, Carmen let her mind wander, and predictably, it settled on the Great Forge project. More than anything, she wished she could head back to the build site and continue its construction, but impending war meant that construction had to take a back seat. Instead, she¡¯d been tasked with helping to equip the city¡¯s fighters as best she could. Meanwhile, her son had been dispatched as a messenger ¨C or emissary, really ¨C to Norcastle, with the hopes of establishing a military alliance. Once he was done there, he was supposed to go to Argos. And while she knew he was well-equipped to do that job ¨C especially after befriending that juvenile stag ¨C Carmen couldn¡¯t help but feel incredibly uneasy about sending her son out into the wilderness. But the new world wasn¡¯t a peaceful one, and if they didn¡¯t contribute to Ironshore¡¯s defense ¨C both in their own ways ¨C the city would likely fall. And given what had happened to those miners, the results of failure wouldn¡¯t be pretty. No ¨C they all had to do their parts, and for Miguel, that meant leveraging his attunement and high attributes to help him traverse the wilderness in rtive safety. Carmen pushed her worries aside. Mostly. She was still a mother, after all, and concern for her son¡¯s safety would never be entirely banished. Instead, she could only ignore that persistent worry by focusing on other things. Like the aura her forge had developed. It was a subtle thing. Barely noticeable, even to her. But as she¡¯d grown in levels, she had be more sensitive to ethera, which gave her some insight into what she was trying to build with the Great Forge. She knew that the grove was nature-attuned, which allowed Elijah, Miguel, and Nerthus to cultivate very efficiently. That knowledge ¨C along with the construction of the temple in Argos ¨C had pushed her to create her own attuned space, birthing the idea for the Great Forge. No expense had been spared in its construction, both in terms of time and materials, and though the foundation had barely beenpleted, it already radiated umon power. But it didn¡¯t quite feel right. Now that she¡¯d been spending more time in her normal forge, Carmen had begun to understand why. It wasn¡¯t attuned. Neither was the ethera in her current location, but it was well on its way. That was something she¡¯d only just begun to understand. Ethera was reactive, and it would adapt itself to its environment. Once, Elijah had told her a story of a battlefield where the entire area had been infected with an aura of conflict. He¡¯d worked tirelessly to cleanse it, seeding after recing that atmosphere of conflict with one of nature. But Carmen remembered the story ¨C or more appropriately, she couldn¡¯t forget the lesson therein. The adaptive nature of ethera meant that it took on the properties of the actionsmitted in any area. That was when she realized what she had been missing. The Great Forge was meant to be something akin to a temple of crafting. So, if she wanted it to reach that state, she needed to use it. She¡¯d done so during the building¡¯s construction ¨C as far as it had gone, at least ¨C but she needed to take it further. She needed to move her operation. It would take some time. And it would be quite a pain, especially when it came time to resume construction, but in the end, she knew it would be worth it. So, without further ado, she used the remaining span of time necessary to regain her ethera to start moving her equipment from one forge to another. Hopefully, the effort wouldn¡¯t be wasted. After all, if the war against the dark elves went badly, then she would never get the chance to finish the project. Book 6: Chapter 15: Crystals Book 6: Chapter 15: Crystals Elijah leaped free of the falling skeleton, flipping through the air until hended on his feet a few yards away. ck bones ttered to the ground, collecting into arge pile as he clutched the faintly glowing white crystal that had been around its neck. After he skidded to a stop, he let out a deep breath and let his shoulders sag in relief. ¡°How many is that?¡± Sadie asked from the other side of the bone pile. ¡°Fifty,¡± Elijah answered. They¡¯d been at it for almost two weeks, during which time they¡¯d in countless zombies. After discovering the easiest way to kill the skeletons ¨C which involved removing their source of power from around their necks ¨C the battles against the enormous creatures had be much easier. The things were still incredibly dangerous, but by this point, Elijah had it down to a science. The only variable was that, even with their invincibility having been removed, the skeletons were still quite tough, and bringing them down required a ton of damage. Fortunately, with Elijah¡¯s group, there was plenty of that to go around. ¡°More importantly, this is thest chamber we had mapped out,¡± Ron said. He¡¯d grown more than any of them, gaining enough levels to get two new spells. One was a much more powerful offensive ability, but the other, which he¡¯d called Turn Undead, had been much more useful in their current situation. With it, he could invoke fear in skeletons or zombies, making them flee. The group had quickly incorporated that into their tactics, and it had removed quite a lot of the danger from their subsequent encounters. For his part, Elijah had gained two whole levels, which would put him at one-hundred-and-three. That seemed like paltry progression considering the number of zombies they¡¯d in, but he wasn¡¯t going toin about gaining so much experience so quickly. In any case, it seemed that the experience after level one-hundred was certainly more difficult toe by than it had been before that threshold. Or perhaps the pool needed to level wasrger. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain, but he knew that it would take a ridiculous amount of killing for him to progress to the peak. ¡°What is the next step?¡± asked Sadie, ncing from one member of the party to the next. Eventually, her gaze settled onto Kurik. So did everyone else¡¯s. ¡°Why¡¯s everybody lookin¡¯ at me?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re the one who keeps stepping up to the te with necessary exposition, bro.¡±Elijah asked, ¡°You have any long-forgotten myths you suddenly remembered? An old legend about undead and white crystals?¡± ¡°A long-lost ancestor, maybe?¡± added Ron. ¡°Anything can help,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I don¡¯t know nothin¡¯ ¡®bout nothin¡¯!¡± Kurik spat. ¡°Just ¡®cause I told a cou stories don¡¯t mean I have all the answers. I ain¡¯t got a clue ¡®bout how none of this works. No member of normal society does.¡± ¡°That sounds like the start of a story,¡± Dat said. Elijah pointed out, ¡°It really does. So, you know something about undead, right? Spill it.¡± Kurik tugged on his beard, obviously agitated. ¡°Fine. But this don¡¯t mean I know what¡¯s goin¡¯ on here. It¡¯s just that everybody knows that you don¡¯t mess with the cycle of life and death. Once somebody¡¯s dead, they¡¯re s¡¯posed to stay dead. You don¡¯t go reanimating their corpses, or bad things start to happen.¡± ¡°What kind of things?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I don¡¯t damn well know, do I? Ain¡¯t no undead or necromancers on my world ¡®cause if there was, they¡¯d have gotten hunted down. It ain¡¯t the sort of thing any society will tolerate,¡± Kurik stated unequivocally. ¡°Even undead towers get taken seriously.¡± ¡°And Primal Realms?¡± ¡°Grave threats,¡± Kurik said. ¡°But I don¡¯t need to tell you that. You know it first-hand, probably better than I do. We don¡¯t have any Primal Realms like that on my world, but you can damn well bet that if we did, we¡¯d have teams tearin¡¯ through it on a regr basis. Can¡¯t let that kind of thing spill out.¡± ¡°No. You can¡¯t,¡± Sadie said, looking away. Elijah could see the pain behind her faraway expression. He knew that she had lost people ¨C most notably, her sister ¨C which probably contributed to her prickly demeanor. After how he¡¯d reacted to Alyssa¡¯s death, Elijah could certainly rte to that. ¡°Any useful information about all of this?¡± ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know nothin¡¯ ¡®bout any of this,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Just that I don¡¯t like bein¡¯ here. So, all you elites need to figure this thing out so we can move on to the next challenge.¡± Dat narrowed his eyes. ¡°Elites?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we call people like you,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Or we did back home. Who knows whatbels you humans use?¡± The term certainly seemed applicable, even if Elijah thought that Kurik probably qualified for thebel as much as anyone else there. The dwarf didn¡¯t seem to grasp his own power, though. ¡°I say we take the crystals up top,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll start experimenting with the ck crystals in the towers. If that doesn¡¯t work, we break ¡®em.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°That¡­doesn¡¯t seem advisable,¡± Sadie responded. Elijah shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m open to other ideas. You all know just as much as I do about what¡¯s going on here, so if you have a better n, I¡¯m all ears.¡± No one did, so they began the long journey through the maze of tunnels and back to the surface. Along the way, the zombies continued their endless assault, but by that point, they group had developed effective strategies for dealing with the onught of undead. So, even if the way was tedious, it wasn¡¯t nearly as dangerous as when they¡¯d first descended into the crypt. Still, it took almost two days¡¯ worth of constant fighting before they finally reached the exit. The atmosphere outside was still overcast, and teal lightning still branched from the peak of one tower to the next. However, it was far brighter than the tunnels, so it took Elijah a few blinking moments before his vision adjusted. When it did, he saw much the same as when they¡¯d descended into the depths. Over the next few hours, they went ahead with the n, experimenting with the crystals. At first, he was careful in his approach, but after an hour, he was banging the white crystal against the ck one as hard as he could. It did nothing. Even the hordes of zombies failed to manifest, like they had the first time he and Dat had meddled with the ck crystals. ¡°What the hell are we supposed to do with this?¡± Elijah wondered as he stood over one of the ck crystals. It looked exactly the same as when he¡¯d first encountered it, which was to say that despite his efforts, it wasn¡¯t even scratched. ¡°Not sure, bro. Hex of Scrying isn¡¯t giving me anything useful.¡± ¡°Anything not useful?¡± ¡°Uh¡­the¡­um¡­whispers are very insistent that I should destroy everything in this challenge. Towers. Crystals. Zombies. Everything.¡± ¡°Sounds¡­frustrating. How does that work? I mean, I know that guards have a skill that lets them identify people and monsters,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But Hex of Scrying seems different.¡± ¡°It is, bro. It does what skills like Identify do, giving me names and levels and all of that, but it alsoes with some unique insights. Lisa thought it was ghosts, but I think it¡¯s just an effect of the spell,¡± Dat exined. ¡°No idea which one of us was right.¡± ¡°Lisa. That was Sadie¡¯s sister, right? Were you close?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Elijah wanted to ask for more information, but he wasn¡¯t so socially inept that he could ignore the obvious reality that Dat didn¡¯t want to talk about it. That he¡¯d even mentioned the woman¡¯s name sounded almost like a slip of the tongue. Elijah could sympathize with that. Sometimes, he¡¯d start telling a story and identally mention his sister. It was only after he said her name that he remembered that she was gone. ¡°And Hex of Scrying isn¡¯t telling you anything?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s telling me lots, bro. Just none of it is useful. It keeps talking about crypts and clouds and stuff like that. It¡¯s nonsense.¡± Elijah shook his head. He¡¯d studied the sky multiple times, and he¡¯d even gone so far as to fly above the clouds. It wasn¡¯tfortable, but it had told him that there was nothing up there. ¡°I think we need toe to terms with the fact that we¡¯re going to have to try breaking one of these crystals, just to see what will happen. It¡¯s the only thing we haven¡¯t tried.¡± That much was true, though Elijah¡¯s intuition told him that it was a bad idea. He desperately wanted to do the smart thing. To execute a real n. He was well aware of just how many mistakes he¡¯d made along the way. He¡¯d had plenty of opportunities to conquer previous challenges in a more controlled way, but he had blundered ahead, trusting himself to simply overpower the obstacles in his way. And he had done just that. It wouldn¡¯t always be possible, though. For a while now, he¡¯d relied too much on his power, but in the beginning, he¡¯d tried to engage challenges intelligently because that was the only way he could survive. He needed to get back to that. But the problem was that he simply didn¡¯t know how, and he¡¯d yet to see any clues that might give him a hint as to which way to proceed. The others weren¡¯t much of a help, either. Sadie was too much like him to offer a different perspective. Dat was a follower down to his core, and given half a chance, Kurik would have just run away. And Ron clearly felt that he was just tagging along. He sighed, then went on, ¡°If we¡¯re going to do this, we need to do it somewhere else. Maybe at the edge of the challenge area. Chances are, there¡¯s going to be some sort of response, and we need to be ready for it.¡± Dat agreed, so they retreated to their camp about half a mile from the closest tower. Once there, they exined their reasoning, and to Elijah¡¯s surprise, the others agreed that destroying one of the crystals was the obvious next step. Even if it didn¡¯t work, it would be one more tactic they could scratch off the list. So, Elijah took one of the crystals out of his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, then set it atop a mostly t rock. After that, he shifted into his guardian form, grabbed another rock, then smashed it against the crystal with every ounce of Strength he could muster. Predictably, it shattered. Not the crystal. Rather, the rock broke into a hundred pieces, proving just how durable the white crystal was. So, Elijah hit it again, this time with his bare fist. Thankfully, his hand didn¡¯t break, but neither did the crystal. That elicited a growl of rage ¨C from both the dragon and the beast inside him ¨C and he used Savage Might before hitting it again. This time, the crystal cracked, but only a hairline fracture an inch long. So, Elijah hit it again. And again after that. Each sessive blow widened the crack until, after the tenth attack, it broke in half. White energy erupted from the sundered crystal, then raced off into the distance, mming into one of the nearest towers. Then, the spire exploded, sending a dense column of turquoise energy into the sky above. ¡°Uh¡­that didn¡¯t look good, bro.¡± Elijah couldn¡¯t disagree, especially when the clouds began to roil violently. It onlysted a few seconds before it died down, though. Still, it seemed like confirmation to Elijah. They were intended to destroy those ck crystals, and it seemed that shattering the paired white crystals was a good way to aplish that feat. ¡°Forty-nine more,¡± Elijah growled in his deep, draconic voice. The next crystal shattered a little more easily, and the one after that followed soon after. Eventually, Sadie lent a hand, breaking a few with her sword. Each time one shattered, one of the towers exploded, and the clouds roiled every more violently with every sessive eruption. But Elijah took that as a sign that they were on the right track, so he kept going. Then, atst, the final crystal shattered, taking with it thest unbroken tower. That was when the clouds parted, revealing a pyramid made of ck stone floating in the sky above the Spires of the Fallen. ¡°Any bets on where we¡¯re supposed to go next?¡± joked Ron. ¡°Uh¡­I won¡¯t take that bet,¡± Elijah said, having shifted back into his human form. ¡°The real question is how we¡¯re supposed to get up there.¡± ¡°You can fly, can¡¯t you?¡± Kurik said. ¡°Yeah, but nobody else can.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I guess I could carry you one at a time¡­¡± ¡°I take it back. We should find a different way,¡± the dwarf stated. ¡°Definitely has to be a set of stairs or a teleporter around here, right?¡± Book 6: Chapter 16: Making an Entrance Book 6: Chapter 16: Making an Entrance The pyramid hovered in the air, suspended by nothing Elijah could sense, and glowing with aquamarine energy. Even though the clouds had parted, the sun was nowhere to be seen, and the world seemed permanently cast in shades of grey. Elijah couldn¡¯t exin it, but then again, he didn¡¯t need to. His innate curiosity had given way to more practical concerns ¨C like the flock of winged monsters circling the enormous floating structure. Thankfully, the creatures seemed disinterested in descent. Otherwise, Elijah and hispanions wouldn¡¯t have been able to enjoy the peace necessary to assess the situation. ¡°You really want me to just fly everyone up there?¡± he asked. To that, Sadie asked, ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Elijah shook his head. He was the only member of the party capable of flight, which meant that the burden of reaching the floating pyramid fell on him. They¡¯d already searched the area for other means of ingress, but even after a day, they had found nothing. Just a rubble strewn coast popted by broken towers. If there was another way up to that pyramid, then it was entirely invisible to Elijah or the other members of his group. Perhaps if they had someone with an Explorer archetype, things would have been different. That was something Elijah had considered quite a bit over the past few weeks. Every archetype had a ce in their world, and they could each be very useful in a wide variety of situations. So, he¡¯d begun to wonder if the challenges hadn¡¯t been designed with an eye toward forcing the people of Earth to work together and use the abilities of every archetype. That would certainly make sense, at least from a practical standpoint. He''d seen in Easton ¨C and to a lesser extent, elsewhere ¨C that nonbatants were often seen as inferior to their more battle-ready peers. At times, they were exploited for the benefits they could provide, but more frequently, they were simply ignored. Perhaps the entire point of the Trial of Primacy was to force people to work with a wide variety of archetypes so that they could take those lessons back to Earth. It could even exin why the mortality rate had been so high. It wasn¡¯t because they weren¡¯t strong enough. Rather, it was because of humanity¡¯s ¨C at least at the higher echelons of power ¨C inability to work together for the great good. Back on Earth, Elijah had seen plenty ofmunities band together to ease the burden of survival. That was how humans had evolved to eventually be the¡¯s dominant species. However, there were always those who thought themselves above the rest, and the addition of the system ¨C and all the powers it granted ¨C only widened that perceived gap. No doubt, it escted those people¡¯s sense of superiority to the point where they thought themselves invincible, to where they thought they didn¡¯t need anyone else. Elijah himself had fallen into that trap. So had people like Oscar and Benedict. But the fact remained that, without one another¡¯s help, none of them would have survived the fight against the Immortals. There was a lesson there, though it seemed that most of the Trial-takers had failed to learn it. The moment the threat had been met, everyone had gone their separate ways. ¡°Those monsters are going to attack us,¡± he said. ¡°And I can only carry two of you at a time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with Ron. Dat can help protect Kurik,¡± Sadie said. Then, to Dat, she added, ¡°Can you cover us from down here?¡± Dat shook his head. ¡°Too far, bro. Plus, I think if I attack them, they¡¯lle down.¡± ¡°We definitely don¡¯t want that,¡± Elijah said. He threw his arms out wide, swinging them back and forth. He didn¡¯t really need the warm-up, but it was a habit he¡¯d developed during his training. And it wasn¡¯t the time to abandon his well-established practices. As he warmed up and stretched, he looked up at the pyramid. There was an opening in the center of the base, which would be his target. ¡°So, are we ready? Once we get started, things are going to get dicey in a hurry.¡± Everyone proimed their readiness, and Elijah embraced Shape of the Sky. As he transformed, he prepared himself for theing flight. He wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to believe that the task before him would be painless. Likely, he was about to get ripped to shreds. The only sce was that Ron was more than capable of keeping him alive, even in his vulnerable flight form. Once he¡¯d finished the transformation, Elijah flexed his wings and said, ¡°Once you¡¯re in position, I¡¯m going hard and fast.¡± ¡°Phrasing, bro.¡± If the form associated with Shape of the Sky was capable of rolling its eyes, Elijah would have done just that. As it was, he just shook his serpentine head. ¡°Don¡¯t get toofortable in the gutter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where I live, bro,¡± Dat said with a nervous grin. ¡°Moving on,¡± Sadie said, grabbing hold of Elijah¡¯s leg. Ron took hold of the other, giving Elijah a nod. After that, Sadie added, ¡°Ready.¡± Elijah took a deep breath, exhaling with a hiss beforeunching himself upward with a powerful leap. He beat his great wings, catching the air and forcing himself into the sky. With his Strength, he had the ability to reach top speed ¨C at least in terms of gaining altitude ¨C very quickly. In only a moment, he was ascending at more than sixty miles an hour. It wasn¡¯t fast enough, though. The second he¡¯d reached an altitude of a hundred feet, the winged creatures ¨C that looked like zombified bats crossed with ta¡¯ki ¨C took notice. With a collective screech, they cut off their pattern and raced toward Elijah. When the first few drew close, Elijah banked, narrowly avoiding a set of raking ws. With one hand, Sadie shed her sword across the creature¡¯s torso, sending a spray of blood and rotting guts into the air. The monster fell with another shriek, but Elijah ignored it. Instead, he was entirely focused on dodging the other thirty or so monsters bearing down on him. He tucked his wings close to his body and dove. The monsters swooped in, their ws finding nothing but air as they soared a handful of feet above him. After a few moments, Elijah threw his wings out wide, catching the air and turning his dive into an arcing ascension that took him past the flock of flying undead creatures. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. But there were plenty more between him and the entrance to the pyramid. Over the next few moments, Elijah raced upward, pushing himself harder than ever before. Then, he was among the monsters. They ripped into him with sharp ws and even sharper fangs, and yet, he kept going. He wasrger than them, and his wings were much more powerful. So, channeling his innermer ape ¨C and the unstoppable nature of the form ¨C he bowled through them. As he did, Ron continuously cast one heal after another. Sadie defended as best she could, sending more than a few monsters to stter on the ground below. Yet, there was only so much she could do from her awkward position, and so, her efforts were limited. Elijah couldn¡¯t focus on that, though. Instead, the entirety of his attention was firmly locked onto surviving the deadly flight. He employed a few maneuvers here and there, but the flying monsters were so numerous that he couldn¡¯t hope to avoid them. Everywhere he turned, all he could see were pping wings, sharp ws, and rotting flesh. So, he tucked his head and flew on. When he finally broke through the flock of monsters, there was no sce to be had in the entrance to the pyramid. But he reached it, which gave Sadie an opportunity to use the full suite of her abilities. More importantly, when Elijahnded ¨C or crashed, more appropriately put ¨C the narrow corridor leading deeper into the pyramid prevented the monsters from attacking en masse. Sadie rolled to a stop, then sprang to her feet, sword in hand. She stepped up, swinging her sword in an inelegant hack. There was no ce for practiced swordsmanship in such a melee. It had been the same against the zombies. There were no clever parries. No fancy maneuvers. Just hacking and shing a horde of monsters that possessed no driving instinct for self-preservation. Such an onught came with a price, though. Even through her armor, Sadie took more than a few wounds. In the space of a couple of seconds, she was dripping with gore. She held her ground, though, and Ron switched his healing target from Elijah to the Crusader, mending her injuries. Meanwhile, Elijah shifted out of his flight form and added a few casts of Storm¡¯s Fury and Nature¡¯s Rebuke to the mix. Unfortunately, his spells were a little underpowered for the current situation, and the effects were disappointing. More importantly, Sadie shouted, ¡°Remember the n!¡± The reminder was unnecessary, and even though Elijah still didn¡¯t like the idea of abandoning the others, he wasted no time before retreating further into the corridor. Fortunately, the slope leading up into the pyramid took him out of view after only a few moments, and he felt Essence of the Wolf kick in. That told him he was out ofbat, so he shifted into the Shape of Venom, let Guise of the Unseen settle onto his scaley shoulders, then raced back the way he¡¯de. Only a few seconds had passed, so the battle still raged, though it looked like Sadie had it well in hand. Elijah sprang onto the wall, then ran across the ceiling,pletely unnoticed by his foes. Once outside, he continued along the base of the pyramid until he was well out of range of the undead monsters. Then, he let go, shifting into Shape of the Sky as he fell. He remained entirely unseen by the monsters, who were in a frenzy as they tried to ughter Sadie and Ron. Elijah wanted to contribute, but he had another task. So, he swooped down,nding only a few feet from Dat and Kurik. The pair didn¡¯t waste time on conversation. Instead, they simplytched onto his legs, signaled they were ready, and held on tight as he threw himself back into the air. This time, Elijah didn¡¯t go straight at the entrance. Instead, he soared to the south, building speed as he circled around. Finally, once he¡¯d reached an appropriate velocity, he turned back toward the entrance and made a beeline toward the mass of attacking monsters. He barreled through the first fewyers, his superior Constitution and the speed of his charge turning him into a scaley missile. He tore through them, head-first as he tried to keep Dat and Kurik from feeling the brunt of the impact. He only made it a few moreyers ¨C out of dozens ¨C before his momentum petered out. Elijah tried to p his wings, but by that point, there was no more room. That was when the creaturestched on and started ripping him to pieces. He growled, giving as good as he got, but with Dat and Kurik clinging to his legs, he only had his jaws for weapons. Fortunately, his two passengers were ready for the halt, and they climbed up his legs, across his back, and leaped into the fray. For a mundane person, such a maneuver would have been a death sentence. However, because both were Dexterity-based in their attribute allocation, they had the coordination to use the writhing mass of undead monsters as stepping stones to their destination. The moment they were free, Elijah dove. It took him a moment to get through the gathering of undead enemies, and when he broke free, his rainbow-colored scales were obscured by dark, red blood. Feeling the weight of his numerous injuries, Elijah dove, and a handful of the monsters broke free to follow. But how could so few threaten him? Undead were dangerous, mostly due to their unending numbers. But when that advantage lessened, Elijah was more than a match for a dozen or more. Even in what amounted to a nonbat form meant for travel. He swooped around, banking sharply and reversing direction. He was on his foes in only a second, ripping into them with his ws and teeth. They didn¡¯t stand a chance, and in only a few moments, they were falling rapidly to the ground below. Now that he was free, Elijah beat his powerful wings and climbed to the upper slope of the pyramid. Once hended, he shifted into his human form, casting three instances of Nature¡¯s Bloom. Then, he used Soothe. His wounds mended, though he knew they wouldn¡¯tpletely heal for a few minutes. He didn¡¯t have time to wait, so he shifted into Shape of Venom, then raced across the pyramid, embracing Guise of the Unseen when he reached the bottom of the slope. Using his ability to cling to any surface, Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate to cross the lip. Then, after flipping upside down, he ran toward the opening, which was still under assault by a hundred or more of the undead monsters. Elijah ran, skittering across the ne until, atst, he reached his destination. Once the monsters were in range, Elijah leaped into battle, using Envenom with every bite. However, his natural weapons in that form weren¡¯t limited to his fangs. His ws were lethal as well, and he used them to good effect, ripping into the creatures with the ferociousness of an angry badger. He lost track of time as he tried to inflict as much damage as possible before the creatures realized he was there. As he swept through the mass, he leaped from one shifting back to another. With Envenom, it didn¡¯t matter where he bit his foes. So long as he injected his venom, the damage would be done. However, with his ws, he targeted delicate wing joints, hoping to foul the monsters¡¯ ability to fly. Minutes passed, and slowly, the number of monsters was whittled down to nothing. Once there were only a few left, Elijah leaped away, shifted into Shape of the Sky, then flew through the entrance. As he passed the threshold, he shifted into his human form. Hitting the ground, he rolled to a stop. A secondter, one of Ron¡¯s healing spells hit him. It was only at that moment that he realized just how much damage he¡¯d taken during the battle. The Shape of Venom was powerful, but it was not incredibly durable. As a result, every attack leveled against him had ripped through his scales, and at present, his flesh hung off him in ragged strips. In a way, he suspected he looked a lot like one of the undead. After augmenting Ron¡¯s healing with his own spells, Elijah pushed himself to his feet and took aim at the remaining monsters. However, thebination of hispanions had already finished the final foe. Sadie was covered in blood, with strips of rotting flesh hanging from the seams in her armor. But everyone else seemed unhurt. ¡°Well, that¡¯s step one, I guess,¡± he said. Then, he nced at the sloped ramp leading into the pyramid¡¯s interior. He could feel the deathly energy billowing down the tunnel from above. To himself, he muttered, ¡°That¡¯s not ominous at all.¡± Book 6: Chapter 17: Monument to Death Book 6: Chapter 17: Monument to Death Elijah barreled through a pair of zombies, throwing them aside with so much momentum that when they hit the wall, they sttered like bugs. Still, he knew they weren¡¯t truly dead because their brains remained undestroyed. He didn¡¯t take the time to finish them off, though. Instead, under the influence of Shape of the Guardian, he threw himself toward the giant skeleton on the other side of the chamber. He had one task, and he couldn¡¯t stop for anything. He leaped, kicking off the ground with as much Strength as he could manage, and hit the skeleton with enough force that the massive, thirty-foot-tall creature staggered backward. Elijah didn¡¯t bother with an attack, though he ached to tear it to pieces. Rather, he climbed the thing¡¯s ribcage until he reached the silver-chained crystal around its neck. Latching his ws around the white hunk of rock, he ripped it free. Then, without skipping a beat, he threw himself backward. As he flew through the air, Elijah transformed into his natural shape, and before he hit the ground, he was human once again. Heshed out with his Feral Spire, destroying a zombie¡¯s head, then shoved the crystal into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. After that, he used Shape of Venom, adopting the form of a blight dragon. In the much smaller shape ¨C it was only five feet long and low-slung ¨C he raced among the zombies¡¯ feet, biting them and injecting his potent venom. Thankfully, his sense of taste was almost nonexistent in the form, else he¡¯d have likely vomited from all the rotting flesh. As it was, he could easily ignored the disgusting situation and focus on inflicting as much damage as possible. Meanwhile, the others had formed up behind Sadie, and they were steadily mowing down anything that came near. That was the normal strategy, though the addition of one of the skeletons had necessitated a slight adjustment. That was why Elijah had separated from the group. In truth, he preferred his current role, running around,pletely independent from hispanions. It let him use his versatility to greatest effect without pigeonholing him into a task for which he was ill-suited. Thest thing he wanted was to be stuck behind Sadie and casting Storm¡¯s Fury over and over again. Or worse, healing others while they did the real fighting. There was a chance that he¡¯d be a bit of a battle junky, but was it so wrong that he enjoyed using the full suite of his abilities? Was it such a bad thing that he liked fighting against overwhelming odds and gaining the advantage? There was a primal satisfaction that came along with oveing an enemy in battle, and Elijah was far from immune to those sorts of feelings. He¡¯d felt them as a boxer back before the world had changed, and they¡¯d grown even more intense as he gained power. And then there was the experience that came with every kill, bolstering those feelings with the positive reinforcement of progression. With that in mind, his preferences were easy to understand. Still, Elijah knew he needed to keep that budding battle mania in check, lest he overreach. Just knowing it was there helped him rein it in. Gradually, the zombies began to drop. That was the good thing about Envenom. The toxin it injected into Elijah¡¯s enemies was magical in nature, and as a result, it could kill creatures that more mundane venom never could have affected, much less in. The only downside was that it had a slight stamina and ethera cost to create the venom, which meant that theoretically, he could eventually run out of steam. He¡¯d yet to find those limits ¨C and he had definitely tried ¨C but he knew they were there all the same.Regardless, it wasn¡¯t long before his venom did its work and the chamber was littered with the inert and putrefying bodies of his enemies. He wasn¡¯t wholly responsible for the victory. Ron, Dat, Sadie, and Kurik had done their fair share as well ¨C as evidenced by the pile of bodies umted in front of the Crusader. However, Elijah was satisfied to see that he¡¯d killed more than all of the othersbined. And after a titanic battle, he¡¯d taken out the skeleton as well. He couldn¡¯t help but smile inwardly at his aplishments. Once everything was dead, Elijah shifted back into his human form. As he did, Sadie shoved her way through the piled bodies, which tumbled down the rotting slope a secondter. ¡°That was reckless,¡± she said, sheathing her sword on her back. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to stay out here.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°It seemed like the best strategy. I can¡¯t really do much if I stay behind you,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m better running around out here.¡± At that, she just shook her head. As she did, Dat and the others stepped through the small opening she¡¯d made. The Witch Hunter looked around, then said, ¡°Damn, bro. They really aren¡¯t dissolving like they did down below.¡± ¡°I think this is probably where all of them came from in the first ce,¡± Elijah guessed. ¡°When we killed them in the tunnels, they came back.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± asked Ron. ¡°Ain¡¯t no point in tryin¡¯ to figure it out. None of us are necromancers.¡± Elijah just shrugged at Kurik, who looked distinctly ufortable. ¡°I was just going to say magic. That¡¯s usually the answer.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to go deeper than that?¡± Ron asked. ¡°Weren¡¯t you a scientist before all of this? Where¡¯s your curiosity?¡± ¡°I was a really bad scientist,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°Like, I did my job and everything, but I think I liked the idea of doing science-y things better than actually doing them.¡± Before Earth had been touched by the World Tree, Ron had been a surgeon. But even before that, he¡¯d done his undergraduate work in biology, and from the man¡¯s demeanor, he¡¯d been far better suited to scientific work than Elijah had been. As a result, he looked at things from a far different perspective. While Elijah was perfectly fine with using magic as the exnation, Ron had demonstrated an intellectual curiosity that begged him to go much deeper than that. Perhaps he should¡¯ve been a Schr. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. In any case, a zombie-infested pyramid wasn¡¯t the ce to discuss their differences. So, Elijah asked, ¡°Should we destroy the crystal?¡± Over the past few hours, they¡¯d encountered six other skeletons, each of which wore the same crystals around their necks as their ground-bound cousins. The first, Elijah had destroyed, which had elicited a reaction he hadn¡¯t expected. The moment its milky white surface had cracked, a blood-curdling scream had erupted through the corridors within the pyramid. More troublingly, the entire structure had rumbled ominously, as if it was under the effect of a weak and very localized earthquake. Or skyquake, maybe, considering that it was floating thousands of feet above the ground. Whatever the case, it was an rming event, and since then, they¡¯d been hesitant to destroy the crystals. However, Elijah wasn¡¯t certain that was the best idea. The challenges were clearly based on the¡¯s history, but they were also contrived by the system. Nothing was there by mistake. So, he had to believe that they were intended to do something with the crystals. But was the intention destruction? Or was it something else. None of them knew, and even Dat¡¯s Hex of Scrying gave no hints as to how to proceed. For hours, they¡¯d aimlessly walked through the pyramid¡¯s corridors, but none of them knew anything about their eventual destination. ¡°Not yet,¡± Sadie answered. ¡°We don¡¯t know what it will do.¡± ¡°I think we should,¡± Dat countered. ¡°That scream was probably supposed to tell us that destroying the crystal caused the boss pain.¡± ¡°Boss?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°Like a video game,¡± Ron said. He shrugged. ¡°Seems to fit. For what it¡¯s worth, I don¡¯t think we should break those crystals until we know what they do. What if it brings the whole pyramid down? Sadie and Elijah might survive that, but I won¡¯t. Neither will Kurik.¡± ¡°I might,¡± the dwarf countered. ¡°I¡¯m hardy.¡± ¡°Your Constitution is the lowest here, bro.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more than my attributes,¡± Kurik insisted. ¡°Quicker you realize that, the better off you¡¯ll be.¡± ¡°Point taken,¡± Ron said, holding up his hands. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to offend.¡± ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be like that. I didn¡¯t mean ¨C¡± ¡°This is beside the point,¡± Sadie interrupted. ¡°Let¡¯s get back on track. I don¡¯t think we should destroy any other crystals.¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s right,¡± Elijah said. She narrowed her eyes. ¡°You do?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t normally agree with me.¡± He shrugged. ¡°First time for everything, I guess.¡± After that, the group moved on, and within twenty minutes, they found themselves in another chamber containing hundreds of elite zombies and a giant skeleton. Utilizing simr tactics to the previous encounters with such forces, they dispatched their enemies quickly and efficiently before leaving the rotting corpses behind. In the crypts below, Elijah had grown ustomed to the zombies simply disappearing once they died. Now, though, he was reminded of just how grotesque rotting corpses could be. It wasn¡¯t just the smell, either. There was an aura about them that made everything in the pyramid that much worse. He could smell it, sure. But he could also taste it. And being immersed in it made his skin crawl. Not to mention the pervasive, spirit-deep cold. More than anything, though, Elijah¡¯s difort could be traced back to the ineffectiveness of One with Nature. He¡¯d grown so ustomed to it that he¡¯d begun to use it as a crutch. So, when the feedback from his more mundane senses didn¡¯t match what he felt via that singr ability, it created a disconnect between the two. Fortunately, his Jade Mind was up to the task of pushing that difort to the back of one facet where it couldn¡¯t really affect him. Not too much, at least. Like that, hours passed into multiple days. Every now and then, the group would stop to rest, but the aura of rot, death, and cold prevented any of them from rxing. Still, they kept going, passing through one corridor after another. Hundreds of giant skeletons fell, and Elijah began to wonder if the pyramid wasrger on the inside than it seemed from without. But he discarded that notion as irrelevant. Even if it was, it wouldn¡¯t change anything. Fortunately, there were only so many ways to go, so it wasn¡¯t a maze, as Elijah had originally feared they would need to ovee. Progress was so mind-numbing that he had to consciously force himself to pay full attention. The zombies weren¡¯t quite as deadly as some foes, and the skeletons were fairly easy to deal with so long as one knew how to attack them. Yet, they were all powerful enough to end the group¡¯s journey if Elijah and hispanions didn¡¯t take it seriously. Even with that in mind, it was easy to fall into a pattern of mechanically ying their roles. Elijah was in one such a dissociated state when things finally changed. It was so sudden that he just blinked in response to something new. Sadie stepped forward, nting herself at the front of the group. Meanwhile, Elijah shook his head and took in the scene. They¡¯d found themselves in a massive, hexagonally shaped room. On each side was a chamber containing an empty pedestal, and Elijah could feel the roiling ethera contained within each area. However, he was more interested in the figure standing at the center of the room. On the surface, Elijah could recognize a ta¡¯ki, though this specimen was far taller than normal. Thinner, too. Even with their voluminous ¨C yet degraded ¨C robes, their figure looked almost skeletal. Beneath their hood were hollow features and eyes burning with teal energy. Each of their four hands held a staff, three of which were tipped with giant, ck crystals. The fourth was empty, though Elijah could see shards of onyx embedded in the crown of that staff. ¡°Atst,¡± came a hissing voice that seemed to emanate from everywhere all at once. ¡°You havee. We have been waiting.¡± Then, the pedestals lit up with teal energy. A secondter, the air ripped open, revealing five portals to another world. Elijah had seen something like it before, but instead of leading to the Abyss, this led to a hellscape of pure death. Dense and deathly energy mmed into the sense associated with One with Nature, briefly stunning him with the sheer weight of it. It was the Underrealm. Elijah knew that the second he felt it. And it was the source of the ta¡¯ki¡¯s power. Those thoughts barely had a chance to flow through one facet of his Mind before skeletons ¨C each one at least thirty feet tall ¨C emerged from the five portals. Then another wave came. And another after that. Elijah could barely make out anything on the other side of the portals, but he could see plenty of shapes waiting to cross over. ¡°You are strong. Perhaps you will be the final step necessary to defeat the tyrant emperor,¡± the voice rasped. ¡°We will see.¡± Elijah and hispanions hadn¡¯t remained stationary. Instead, they¡¯d fallen into their normal tactics, letting Sadie take the lead while the others remained in the rear. However, it quickly became apparent that that was not a viable strategy when Elijah heard a squelching sound from behind. He nced backward and saw a formless wave of rotting flesh ¨C which looked like everyst zombie they¡¯d killed within the pyramid had somehow merged into a slurry of decaying meat ¨C was rushing toward them. Book 6: Chapter 18: Going off Script Book 6: Chapter 18: Going off Script Elijah lowered his staff and cast Nature¡¯s Rebuke. It had been incredibly effective against the zombies, so he expected it to do just as much damage against the tidal wave of rotting fleshing his way. The spell hit the mass, and for a moment, he thought it was going to work. Layers of flesh disintegrated beneath the power of the spell, prompting a wave of hope. Then, rolls of rotting meat surged, closing in around the gaping wounds until, only a momentter, no evidence of Elijah¡¯s efforts remained. ¡°We¡¯ve got a problem here!¡± he shouted. ¡°A big, big problem!¡± Kurik turned, and his eyes widened. The mass filled the entire corridor, and to Elijah, it looked like someone had wrapped decaying silly putty around a bunch of moving ball bearings. Except he could see zombified faces in the mass as well. Reaching limbs, grasping ws, and gnashing teeth were apparent, prompting a wave of nausea that twisted its way through his stomach. So, maybe not like silly putty at all. ¡°What do we do?!¡± the dwarf breathed. ¡°Here,¡± Elijah said, dumping the crystals out of his bag. ¡°We need to destroy these. I¡¯ll protect the rear. Everyone else needs to fight the skeletons.¡± Even as he gave those instructions, the horde of giant skeletons surged forward as one. They didn¡¯t move quickly, but they didn¡¯t really need to, either. Elijah and hispanions couldn¡¯t escape ¨C not with the mass of roiling and rotting flesh blocking the only exit ¨C so they didn¡¯t need to waste their energy on a mad rush. But Elijah knew just how quickly those skeletons could move. He¡¯d fought dozens of the things already, and they were a terrifying foe ¨C especially given that none of the new ones had the ring weakness he¡¯d exploited with the others. No crystals hanging around their necks meant that they werergely invulnerable to any attacks Elijah and hispanions could level in their direction. Even Nature¡¯s Rebuke was little more than a p in the face against such durable foes. Elijah couldn¡¯t concern himself with that, though. His job was to protect the rear, and if he was going to do that, he couldn¡¯t afford to split his focus. So, after discarding the crystals, he shifted into the Shape of the Guardian. By the time the transformation hadpleted, the mass of zombified flesh had closed to within fifty yards. He used Savage Might. Then, without further dy, he raced forward. A secondter, he crashed into the mass, ripping and wing with every ounce of fury he could muster. Ragged chunks of rotting meat flew into the air, creating a miasmic cloud of ckened gore, unidentifiable fluid, pus, and, most importantly, death-attuned ethera that sent a chill deep into his bones. Elijah roared, ripping and wing as he tapped into the three aspects of his spirit. The beast in him drove his savagery, the dragon refused to give in to the odds, and the oft-ignored human searched for a method to defeat the mighty foe. Behind him, the skeletons finally reached Sadie and hispanions, and the sound of their conflict echoed through the immense chamber. At the same time, the disembodied voice continued to hiss meaningless statements about finally defeating the tyrant. For his part, Elijah couldn¡¯t afford to pay any attention to that, because it quickly became apparent that his efforts ¨C for all their fury ¨C were almost entirely ineffective. He¡¯d ripped a wide gash into the amalgam of zombified flesh, but it still surged forward with agonizing inevitability. Eventually, it would reach hispanions, and the battle would effectively end. They would fight on. None were the sorts to give up. However, the writing was on the wall. If they let themselves be sandwiched between the two sides of the enemy¡¯s attack, they would fall. Not soon, and not without taking their own proverbial pound of flesh, but their demise seemed almost fated. Elijah refused to surrender to that. So, he sprang backward, and even as he shifted back to his human form, an explosion of force sent him staggering forward. The pyramid shook, and the ta¡¯ki¡¯s voice erupted into a scream. It took Elijah a second to realize that Kurik had finally destroyed one of the crystals. Fortunately, that caused the mass of zombified flesh to recoil ¨C if only for a moment ¨C which in turn gave Elijah the opportunity toplete his transformation and cast Swarm. Then, he used Nature¡¯s Rebuke and Cmity. The familiar spells swept in, and hundreds of buzzing flies descended upon the mass of flesh. It ignored them, and to its peril. For the duration of the spell, the flies bit the amalgam hundreds ¨C if not thousands ¨C of times, inflicting one affliction after another. Flesh rotted rapidly, disintegrating in seconds as the malicious effects swept through the creature. It wasn¡¯t enough, though. So, Elijah once again shifted. The situation did not call for the brute force of themer ape. That was meeting it on its terms. Instead, he needed the power of the blight dragon. Shape of Venom transformed his body, and he raced back into the fray, climbing the walls and dropping down from the ceiling. Immediately, he started biting. The roiling flesh closed around him, trying to suffocate him with sheer pressure. And it worked. Elijah could feel his bones cracking under the force of so much weight as the rotting flesh enveloped him. Cold death raced through him, strangling the very vitality within him. But Elijah was a Druid. Life was his bread and butter. So, he persisted, his endurance propped up by the triumvirate of his spirit. Within, the dragon roared in defiance, the beastshed out with every single bite Elijah inflicted, and the human clung to consciousness with an iron grip. He bit. He wed. And hundreds of instances of Envenom raced through the amalgamated monster. Additionally, each attack carried with it Insidious Mdy. Normally, it didn¡¯t have the chance to truly build ¨C it was a slow acting, disease-based skill ¨C but the volume of attacks meant that even that gradual esction became a truly terrifying amount of damage. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. As he fought and wed, the monster continued its efforts at constriction. Still, Elijah fought on. His Jade Mind helped keep him on track, though eventually, even that wasn¡¯t enough ¨C especially when Savage Might ran its course. Bones cracked beneath the pressure, and Elijah¡¯s body began to fail. The mechanical connections of his joints counted for nothing when they were attached to crushed bones. Pain raced through him until it lost meaning. In his Mind ¨C in his very spirit ¨C there was nothing but the task at hand. Every tiny scratch he inflicted brought with it Insidious Mdy. Every bite carried Envenom. And even more than that, every second he continued to fight, his resolve cemented itself even further. He might not win. The creature might end up killing him. But he certainly wasn¡¯t going to give up. However, the more rational part of him took hold, and, realizing that he wasn¡¯t going to survive much longer in his current form, Elijah let the Shape of Venom fall away. As soon as he crossed the threshold into humanity, he loaded himself with all the healing he could muster, then cast Swarm again before using Nature¡¯s Rebuke. Finally, he re-cast Cmity, hoping that it would just stack damage onto the amalgamation of zombified flesh. Once he¡¯d finished casting his suite of spells, he embraced Shape of the Guardian. Tiny mites manifested all around him, and they burrowed into mass of decaying flesh, inflicting a vast array of afflictions. Meanwhile, Sooth, Healing Rain, and the after-effect heal of Nature¡¯s Bloom mended his broken body, staving off death just long enough for the transformation into amer ape to fullyplete. Andst, the effects of Cmity ¨C des of wind, rumbling earth, and devastating bolts of lightning ¨C ripped their way through the blob of necrotic flesh from the inside out. The monster writhed as hundreds ¨C perhaps even thousands ¨C of afflictions tore through it. In the form of themer ape, Elijah continued to rip and tear. Biting and wing, he leveraged his high Strength to great effect, and with his increased Constitution, he managed to stave off the worst of the crushing effect. Still, he couldn¡¯t resist it for long before his bones ¨C already weakened ¨C began to once again break. Elijah could read the situation as well as anyone, but he¡¯d already established a pattern that seemed to be working. So, once he felt the effects of Soothe start to wear off, he once again shifted into his human form, cast a few heals ¨C as well as his offensive spells ¨C before shifting into a blight dragon to inflict as many instances of Insidious Mdy and Envenom as he could manage. Then, when he felt his bones giving way to the constriction, he repeated the process, taking on the Shape of the Guardian to tear into the monster via another avenue. The damage ¨C both from and against Elijah ¨C continued to build. The monster quivered, practically melting under his onught. Meanwhile, even as Elijah repeated his cycle countless times, his Jade Mind worked overtime, funneling massive amounts of ethera through its nine apertures and into his Soul. Without it, he never could have managed to cast so many spells. He¡¯d have long since run out of energy. But with it, he could keep going for some time yet. The same could not be said for his body. Even in the durable form of themer ape, Elijah could feel his bones breaking with every passing moment. The ongoing heals took care of most of that damage, but he fell behind a little a time. Inevitably, he¡¯d eventually reach a tipping point where he simply couldn¡¯t endure. Vaguely, Elijah was aware of a series of ongoing explosions. Presumably, the others were busy destroying the crystals, but it could just as easily been the result of the battle against the skeletons. He couldn¡¯t worry about that, though. It was all he could do to manage his own affairs, much less concern himself with how everyone else was engaging the enemy. Elijah continuously used Iron Scales when he was in his guardian form, but even that wasn¡¯t enough to allow him to gain any ground. He continued to fight, but even though he made an enormous amount of headway, he knew he was progressively being pulled further and further into what felt like an endless mass of necrotic flesh. Still, he knew that no monster was limitless. Even Halima had been defeated. And he was a dragon. He would not give in. He would not fall before a mindless slurry of zombified remains. So, he continued his cycle, adding more healing to the mix. He also pushed himself to remain in his blight dragon form as long as possible. Ironically, it was not the monster itself that pushed him over the edge. It was the pervasive aura of death that had slowly crept into his body, suffusing his every cell until he could scarcely move without ripping muscles and ligaments. Elijah shifted back into themer ape form, and activated his final hope. Guardian¡¯s Renewal swept through him, healing the damage that had been wrought. However, as had happened on a few other asions, it was immediately clear that it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Vitality fought with death-attuned ethera, creating a stalemate where his body was destroyed and renewed multiple times with every passing second. Elijah knew that the moment Guardian¡¯s Renewal gave out, he would die. He couldn¡¯t do anything about the constriction inflicted by the mass of rotting flesh, but the aura of death reminded him of the corruption he¡¯d endured in the fallen grove. In the beginning, he¡¯d tried to purge it from his body ¨C and with some sess ¨C but it had ultimately been an affliction of the mind. Still, it was a lesson he hadn¡¯t forgotten. So, he shoved his resolve behind that same technique, and he squeezed the undead aura with every ounce of willpower he could manifest. At first, it did nothing. Even as the power of life and death warred within him, he hung in limbo. Then, something broke. An explosion erupted all around him, the shockwave tearing through the monster. And then it all imploded. Death rushed into the vacuum, smothering him beneath a mountain of ghastly energy. It seeped through his skin, suffusing his organs and infecting his bones. Elijah screamed as pain wracked his entire body. He was dying. He knew it. Agony tore through him like a wildfire, a herald of what was toe. His fate was knocking on his door. But Elijah hadn¡¯t gotten as far as he had by giving up. The dragon, the beast, and the human all coalesced, and he squeezed with all his might. The result was a single drop of deathly energy, given liquid form by the sheer pressure he brought to bear, that seeped out of his chest. Then another came. And another after that. Even as the monster tried to crush him, Elijah was wholly focused on purging himself of that deathly energy. Along the way, he picked up hundreds of other forms of tainted energy. Leftover corruption. Sickness. Imperfections. Toxins of every kind. It manifested in the form a thick sludge that came from every orifice and leaked from every pore. Elijah pushed. And squeezed. And he was remade, better and more perfectly pure than ever before. A notification shed before Elijah¡¯s mind¡¯s eye, but he couldn¡¯t spare it any attention. The pressure continued to squeeze, and the deathly energy pushed against him as furiously as ever before. But it could find no purchase. Elijah¡¯s bones refused to break, and his muscles would not give way. He was just too strong. To durable. And he had a monster to kill. He shifted back into the blight dragon, and he tore into the mass of flesh with more savagery than ever before. His body sang with power as he ripped through the monstrous mass of necrotic flesh, inflicting hundreds of instances of afflictions along the way. They built and built until, atst, the amalgam of zombified meat lost cohesion and fell apart. Elijah flopped to the ground, covered in pus and gore. He felt good. Really, really good. But he didn¡¯t have time to revel in it. Never was that made clearer than when he heard a feminine scream echo down the hall. Elijah turned, seeing that he was hundreds of yards away from where he¡¯d started. But he also saw the giant skeleton looming over a fallen Sadie, and he knew that he was too far away to help her. Book 6: Chapter 19: Broken Book 6: Chapter 19: Broken Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate. He used Flicker Step.
Flicker Step Slip into the shadows, emerging behind your opponent. Only usable while under the influence of Shape of Venom. Cooldown based on Dexterity. Current: 54.1 Seconds.
In only an instant, he was behind the skeleton, though he didn¡¯t attack it. As a Blight Dragon, he had neither the mass nor the Strength to move something thatrge. But his true target wasn¡¯t that big. He dashed forward, slipping between the skeleton¡¯s legs, and hitting Sadie with as much momentum as he could muster. She screamed in pain ¨C doubtless, he¡¯d made her injuries much worse ¨C but she did move. Only a couple of feet, but that was enough to take her out of the path of skeleton¡¯s descending strike. Unfortunately, the tactic also put Elijah¡¯s back right in line with its enormous axe. The de bit into him, severing his spine. His back legs went instantly numb, while a dense wave of pain went up his back and erupted into fiery agony. He let out a hissing cry, but quickly shunted that pain ¨C and the distressing numbness ¨C into its own facet of his mind. Then, he focused on the situation at hand. Sadie had tumbled free, but she was in no condition to continue the battle. In fact, she was barely conscious, which meant that she wouldn¡¯t be any help going forward. The others were still alive, but Ron had been knocked unconscious. Dat, whose leg hung on by a single tendon, had somehow dragged the man to a location made safe by a line of Kurik¡¯s traps. Each one was fueled by a power crystal, so they would likely pack quite a punch, but Elijah knew from experience just how difficult those skeletons were to defeat. The traps would slow their foes down, but the group wouldn¡¯t remain safe for long.That meant that Elijah was alone. And given that the skeleton was already pulling back for another attack, he knew he didn¡¯t have much time to figure out a n. Realizing that Shape of Venom wouldn¡¯t see him through, Elijah initiated another transformation ¨C this time, into his Shape of the Guardian. Because of his previous actions, his store of ethera was beginning to run low. His Jade-Mind-enhanced Regeneration had gone a long way toward mitigating his expenditure, but even that wasn¡¯t enough to let him keep it up indefinitely. By the time the transformation wasplete, the axe fell again. The monster didn¡¯t even bother with Elijah. Instead, it kept its attacks trained on Sadie, who was stillpletely out of it. So, using his long and powerful arms for lotion, Elijah threw himself in her direction. His legs dangled uselessly as he flew through the air,nding atop her just in time to intercept the axe¡¯s de. This time, though, he had the benefit of his inted Constitution and Iron Scales. The de bit into him, but only a couple of inches, so it did nosting damage. As the skeleton pulled back to administer another blow, Elijah wrapped one arm around Sadie and used Bestial Charge. The ability required him to initiate the charge by mundane means, but once he got going, it took over. Elijah threw himself out of the axe¡¯s path, then sailed over Kurik¡¯s traps. A couple activated, but the shield associated with the ability kept him from feeling the effects. A momentter, he hit the ground in a roll that came to a stop when he hit the wall. Without wasting any time, he shifted back into his human form and started healing. His first target wasn¡¯t himself. Nor did he aim Soothe or Nature¡¯s Bloom at Sadie. Instead, he targeted the unconscious Ron, piling as much healing onto the man as was possible. Because while Elijah knew he didn¡¯t have the healing power to push everyone into recovery, Ron certainly did. As he cast, he shouted, ¡°Kurik, get more traps up. Just keep them off of us until everyone¡¯s on their feet.¡± It took four casts of Nature¡¯s Bloom before Ron¡¯s eyes started to flutter open. Even with Soothe and Healing Rain constantly providing vital energy, it was another thirty seconds before awareness returned. And half a minute is an incredible amount of time in the heat of battle. Traps went off, sending ethereal chains of blue energy to wrap around the front line of skeletons and binding them in ce. But only a few secondster, Elijah could see the cracks spreading across each link. ¡°Fifteen seconds!¡± Kurik growled, deploying more traps by throwing them into ce. They looked like crystals, albeit with glowing wire wrapped around them. ¡°These ain¡¯t strong enough to hold ¡®em off for much longer.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Just then, one of thergest ck-bone skeletons broke free of its chains and stepped forward. More chains erupted from the recently deployed traps, wrapping around the thing¡¯s legs. The creaking sound of highly-stressed metal echoed through the chamber. Only when Ron began to stir did Elijah focus on himself, casting one spell after another as he tried to mend his severed spine. But to his horror, nothing worked. Elijah was well aware that some injuries were beyond his ability to heal. For instance, no matter how much ethera he pumped into the task, he couldn¡¯t regrow someone¡¯s lost limb. He could reattach one ¨C so long as he had the pieces ¨C but he couldn¡¯t fix it with healing alone. Was a severed spine one of those injuries he couldn¡¯t fix? If only he hadn¡¯t used Guardian¡¯s Renewal, he could have stood a chance. As he healed, he cast Soothe on Dat and Sadie as well. Then, Ron croaked, ¡°What¡­what happened?¡± He blinked again. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for an answer before he started throwing heals around. In seconds, every member of the group was glowing with white light. Elijah felt his wounds healing, but his legs remained entirely numb. ¡°Elijah¡­¡± The expression on Ron¡¯s face was all he needed to see to know that things didn¡¯t look good. So, he said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll figure it out once we¡¯re ¨C¡± Just then, the wave of skeletons ¨C there were more than a dozen of them ¨C broke free of one set of traps. ¡°Maybe ten more seconds!¡± Elijah knew better than to dwell on his injury. Not in the heat of battle, at least. After they won, he would have plenty of time for self-pity. For now, there were people depending on him. So, without further consideration for his severed spine, he turned his attention to the problem at hand. The skeletons were too durable. The only reason they¡¯d defeated any of them in the past was because of the link between their existence and the crystals they¡¯d worn around their necks. The neers had no such crystals on their bodies. No weaknesses. They weren¡¯t invulnerable, but Elijah didn¡¯t think any of them had the power to defeat the creatures in a fair fight. And if they couldn¡¯t, then nobody in the Trial could. That meant there was something else at y. So, Elijah demanded, ¡°What happened to the crystals?¡± ¡°Destroyed,¡± Kurik said, still tossing out traps. ¡°Better do somethin¡¯ quick, or we¡¯re gonna be in trouble.¡± Elijah looked around, his eyes quickly finding the figure at the center of the chamber. The huge ta¡¯ki hadn¡¯t moved, but something had changed. It took Elijah a second to realize that the crystals on the creature¡¯s staff had been broken. Only one remained intact, though it bore hundreds of tiny cracks that made it look as if it was barely holding together. He sank his Mind into One with Nature, pushing it harder than ever before. And then, just barely, he sensed a thin thread of ethera emanating from that nearly broken crystal. The string of energy was incredibly small, but it was also denser than anything Elijah had ever felt before. As soon as it left the crystal, it split into dozens of strands that eventually connected to the skeletons. That was enough of a hint for Elijah. Realizing that Ron couldn¡¯t heal him further, Elijah shifted sideways, then initiated a transformation into Shape of the Sky. His arms sprouted wings, and his body elongated. But that didn¡¯t make his lower half any more responsive than before. But he didn¡¯t need his tail or ws to fly. Or that was what he thought as he threw himself upward. With his Strength, he had no issues getting aloft. However, the dead weight of his tail certainly threw him off. More, he could feel that he¡¯d underestimated just how crucial it was to steering. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t need to execute any fine maneuvers. Instead, he pushed himself as high as the chamber would allow. Its ceiling was more than two-hundred feet high, so even with his tail dangling below, he had plenty of room to soar over the skeletons. Then, he took aim at the ta¡¯ki in the center of the room and dove. As he did so, he transformed into themer ape, using Iron Scales and Bestial Charge as he fell from the sky. He hit with the force of a wrecking ball, but even that was only enough to make the robed figure stumble. He¡¯d never intended to kill the creature, though. Instead, his target was the crystal atop the staff in the ta¡¯ki¡¯s top left hand. And it was just in reach. Elijah grabbed hold of the creature¡¯s shoulder, then stretched. It was just out of reach, though. And the ta¡¯ki had begun to recover. Elijah¡¯s legs dangled uselessly as he threw himself at the staff. His fingers closed around it, and through sheer weight and surprise, he managed to rip the weapon free. He tumbled to the ground, forcing himself into an awkward roll. Then, he felt a foot connect with his stomach,unching him a dozen feet away. Barely, Elijah managed to maintain his grip on the staff, but he could feel his organs burst from the magnitude of the blow. The only other attack he¡¯d felt that could even begin topare to what he¡¯d just experienced was when he¡¯d fought Halima. The results were predictable. Elijah had no idea if he was dying, but in that moment, he just didn¡¯t care. Kurik¡¯s traps were on the verge of failing. Sadie had yet to recover. And even if he was healthy, Dat was incapable of doing what was necessary. ¡°You think to defeat me. But ¨C¡± Elijah had no interest in listening to another monologue. So, he reached back, then swung the staff with every ounce of Strength he possessed. Without the use of his legs, he had trouble getting leverage. However, with his high attributes, even if he just used his arm, he could harness a truly devastating degree of force. And the crystal was already damaged. When it hit the ground, the thing shattered. So did the staff itself, splintering at about the halfway point. The ta¡¯ki screamed in rage, but Elijah wasn¡¯t concerned with their tantrum. Instead, he only had eyes for the line of skeletons, all of which copsed the second the crystal shattered. Elijah had seen that before, and he couldn¡¯t deny how incredibly satisfying it was to see them fall into a pile of disconnected bones. But then the enraged ta¡¯ki was on top of him. Elijah used Iron Scales just before the creature grabbed him, but even that wasn¡¯t enough to protect him from their ws. He screamed as his torso was ripped to shreds. However, given the power the thing had already disyed, the wounds weren¡¯t nearly as deep as Elijah might have expected. Still, it was enough to send Elijah¡¯s blood sttering across the floor. Then, in a fury, the creature heaved him across the room. Elijah hit the wall only ten or fifteen feet from hispanions, shattering the stone with his impact. Bones broke, and his organs ruptured even further. Blood spurted from his eyes and mouth, and his thoughts became muddled. ckness crept into his vision as unconsciousness threatened to overwhelm him. In the back of one facet of his Mind, he tried to initiate a transformation into his human form. His ingrained habits told him that he needed to heal himself. And yet, he couldn¡¯t muster the willpower to stir the ethera in his core. So, hey there, watching as the ta¡¯ki approached, murder in their eyes. Book 6: Chapter 20: Pushing Through Book 6: Chapter 20: Pushing Through With the rhythm of Elijah¡¯s waning heartbeat, blood spurted from a dozen different wounds. He pushed with all of his willpower, trying desperately to stave off the darkness creeping into his field of vision. With his muddled mind, he could focus on nothing else. And yet, his efforts were useless. When the ta¡¯ki reached him, he tried to fend them off, but he could scarcely lift his arms, much less stop the robed native of the excised world. The creature mped their w around Elijah¡¯s thick neck, then lifted him free of the ground. He couldn¡¯t resist. His legs dangled limply, and even when he summoned enough strength to try to pry himself loose, he found himself stymied. Even as he ineffectually wed at the creature, they said something Elijah was too far gone to hear. The ta¡¯ki¡¯s grip tightened, and both his windpipe and the bloodflow to his brain were cut down to nothing. Panic suffused his mind as he realized that he was about to lose consciousness. A surge of adrenaline gave him just enough energy to gouge a small wound in the monstrous ta¡¯ki¡¯s wrist, but the resultant trickle of blood was too miniscule to matter. The creature pulled him close, and atst, Elijah could hear their words as they hissed, ¡°You are a tiny, pitiful creature. Even with my power shackled, you are no more than an insect. You ¨C¡± Just then, a white light shed, and suddenly, Elijah was falling. The creature¡¯s ws were still around his neck, but they¡¯d lost all strength. His breath left his lungs as he hit the floor, but when he breathed in, his airways were unrestricted. He was no longer suffocating. A secondter, warm vitality suffused his body, and, all at once, he realized that someone ¨C or something ¨C was screaming. He blinked, then looked up to see that Sadie had nted herself between the ta¡¯ki. Glowing with her personal shield, she looked like a fabled white knight. Of course, that perception was slightly marred by the damage to her armor. Once again, it had been ripped to pieces, but the woman beneath held strong. Sheshed out with her sword, and the ta¡¯ki danced backward. The de still cut deep into the creature¡¯s hastily-raised arm, but even as its white blood sprayed onto the floor, it looked mostly unaffected. Except for the fact that it was missing one hand. Another heal settled onto Elijah, and his mind continued to clear. Sadie aimed another blow at the creature, but it was clearly exploratory. She never intended for it tond. Rather, she was keeping it at a distance while measuring the space between herself and her opponent. With their size, the creature had an advantage of reach, but they seemed much slower than her. Was that due to ack of Strength? Or an inability to control that explosive power? Elijah couldn¡¯t quite tell if they were physically weak or just uncoordinated, but the results were the same. The thing simply couldn¡¯t keep up with Sadie. The ta¡¯ki backed away as Sadie advanced. Every few seconds, she aimed de of the Avenger at the creature. In each instance, the huge sword erupted from the ground, sheering hunks of flesh from the monstrous creature¡¯s thin body. Then, Dat and Kurik recovered enough to pitch in, shooting crossbow bolts and arrows at them. That was when the necromancer ¨C for that was the best way to describe them ¨C got serious. Waving all three of their remaining hands. A secondter, teal lightning arced out, mming into the three attackers. Sadie stumbled slightly as her shield shattered, and both Dat and Kurik paled as Elijah felt their vitality flee their bodies and race toward the necromancer. When it hit, the ta¡¯ki¡¯s wounds mended. But by that point, Elijah hadpleted his transformation back into his caster form. Once he¡¯d returned to his natural shape, he started casting. First came Swarm, then Cmity. After that, he tried Nature¡¯s Rebuke, but it immediately became clear that the necromancer was not considered an unnatural creature. So, he fell back on Storm¡¯s Fury, channeling it through his staff and into the creature. Finally, between lightning strikes, Elijah used his healing spells to help ease the burden on Ron. In the back of one facet of his Mind, Elijah couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that he still had no feeling below the waist. He tried to push those thoughts aside, but even as he fell into a rhythm with his casting, the knowledge that his lower half was paralyzed ¨C likely permanently ¨C twisted his stomach into knots. Even so, he refused to let up. He wouldn¡¯t let it derail his efforts. So, as hundreds of glowing insects descended upon the creature, he did everything he could to assist in the ongoing battle. It wasn¡¯t enough, though. That became immediately clear when deathly beams of teal light descended from above, mming into each member of Elijah¡¯s party, and draining their life force at an elerated rate. By itself, it wouldn¡¯t kill them, but the ta¡¯ki had many more spells up its sleeve. Elijah had difficulty distinguishing between each one, but he could feel himself getting weaker as various afflictions took hold. And he bore the brunt of so many deleterious effects much better than the others. Dat, in particr, staggered around like he was drunk, and his crossbow bolts missed more than they hit. Kurik was slightly better off ¨C at least until he bent over double and vomited a mixture of blood and bile that smelled like charred flesh and garbage. Ron did what he could, throwing out one healing spell after another. The air around him swirled powerfully as he pulled ethera into his Mind, but it was obvious that he couldn¡¯t keep it up indefinitely. This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience. Aside from Elijah, Sadie took the barrage of afflictions better than anyone else, but even then, her movements were markedly slower with every passing moment. Meanwhile, her own ethereal attacks had ceased, and she had begun to rely almost entirely on pure swordy. There were only two reasons she didn¡¯t immediately sumb. First, she was quite a talented fighter, which had been obvious from the moment Elijah had first seen her in battle. She¡¯d since revealed that she had trained in various martial arts before Earth was touched by the World Tree, and she¡¯d only gotten better in the years since. That allowed her to stand toe-to-toe with a much more powerful opponent. But the second reason she wasn¡¯t overwhelmed by that gap in power was a simple one ¨C she was armed, while the ta¡¯ki was not. Elijah had broken one of their staves, while the other three had been destroyed when their crystals had exploded. However, even with those advantages, Sadie was slowly losing the fight. Elijah couldn¡¯t allow that. So, without further ado, he initiated the shift into his blight dragon form. In the couple of seconds it took for the transformation toplete, Sadie lost more ground. Elijah gritted his teeth as his body transitioned, and the second it wasplete, he used Flicker Step. After slipping into the shadows, he was instantly transported to a position just behind the ta¡¯ki necromancer. He¡¯d slipped from the creature¡¯s field of vision, so a secondter, he was out ofbat. The thing never even knew he was there, and once he¡¯d adopted Guise of the Unseen, he faded entirely from visibility. That was when Elijah used Predator Strike, Venom Strike, and Envenom. Ethera swirled within him as the abilities took hold. He dug his front ws into the floor, then threw himself forward. He hit face-first, his gaping jaws mping down as his fangs pierced the creature¡¯s left leg. A secondter, his amplified venom flooded the limb, delivering with it a powerfully destructive affliction. Insidious Mdy came with it, and Elijah had a feeling that the necromancer would not prove nearly as durable as the amalgam of merged zombies. The creature howled in pain, then tried to kick him free. However, even with only two ws, Elijah was as stubborn as any badger. He clung to the thing¡¯s calf, administering one bite after another. With his attributes, he could strike incredibly quickly ¨C at least once with every passing second ¨C so the afflictions continued to pile up. Then, the monster did something Elijah never could have expected. The necromancer produced arge knife ¨C seemingly summoning it from nowhere ¨C andshed out at their own leg. The de bit deep, and Sadie took that brief distraction tond another blow, cutting into the necromancer¡¯s side. The ta¡¯ki ignored the wound, continuing to hack at their leg. Elijah saw what was happening, so he scrambled up the creature¡¯s body, dragging himself to the necromancer¡¯s torso with only his front legs. Then, he continued his attacks, reasoning that, while the creature might seed in cutting off their leg and removing the site of so many afflictions, they could not remove their back. In the back of his mind, Elijah did wonder if such a strategy would be effective. Theoretically, it should work so long as the venom didn¡¯t have a chance to enter the veins and get pumped throughout the body. But Envenom ¨C as well as Insidious Mdy and the results of Venom Strike ¨C were magical in nature. So, he suspected that they wouldn¡¯t behave like normal venom. Finally, the ta¡¯ki managed to seed in amputating their own leg, but by that point, thebined might of Elijah¡¯s afflictions ¨C with the effects of Swarm not to be forgotten ¨C had begun to take their toll. The necromancer continued to drain vitality from the others, but that was a losing strategy. Eventually, their efforts would be ovee by the sheer weight of so much damage. After all, Sadie hadn¡¯t stopped her own onught, and Dat as well as Kurik had continued to fire in the necromancer¡¯s direction. Many of those projectiles went wide, but enough hit that they couldn¡¯t be ignored. And the creature soon seemed toe to that same conclusion, because they stopped trying to mitigate the damage, shifting their strategy to inflicting as many wounds as they could manage. Elijah was the obvious target. With his mobility cut down by his paralyzed lower half, Elijah couldn¡¯t move nearly as quickly as normal. Even if he¡¯d been at full health, he wasn¡¯t fast enough to indefinitely avoid the creature¡¯s efforts at catching him. So, it was inevitable that he would eventually be caught. And when he was, the thing grabbed hold of him with an iron grip ¨C one hand on either side of Elijah¡¯s body ¨C and ripped. Elijah was tough. But the necromancer was far stronger. He let out a primal scream as he felt his entire body ripping in half. His scales protested. His dense flesh resisted. And his bones briefly held fast. But eventually, his body simply gave out. In a shower of gore, Elijah was ripped into two pieces. For the second time that day, he felt the darkness of unconsciousness creeping into his field of vision. One half of his body sailed through the air, while his upper half was used as a weapon as the creature bludgeoned Sadie. Vaguely, he was aware of his vital organs slipping to the ground, but strangely, he felt no more pain. Sadie screamed, the sound so filled with emotion that it cut through even Elijah¡¯s detached thoughts. A secondter, she erupted with white light, and Elijah felt a burning that epassed his body, mind, soul, and spirit. Even his core roiled in agony as he suddenly flopped to the ground. Looking up, he saw Sadie ¨C glowing even brighter than ever before ¨C fall upon the weakened and one-legged necromancer. Her sword moved so swiftly that Elijah couldn¡¯t even track it. He did see the results, though, as the necromancer fell into two pieces. Sadie didn¡¯t stop there, though. She leaped atop the thing¡¯s head, then buried her white de into their gaping face. Elijah lost consciousness after that, but the ckness onlysted for a couple of seconds before he blinked. Looking down, he saw that he¡¯d returned to his human form, and to his immense surprise, he actually saw a pair of legs. His body was whole. And very naked from the waist down. His hands shot to his groin in an effort to preserve his modesty, but he needn¡¯t have bothered, because Ron was beside him a momentter, covering him with a curiously sparkly piece of cloth. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. He didn¡¯t need to add a question about the fate of the necromancer. He¡¯d felt the influx of experience that had pushed him up another level. ncing around, he saw Sadie, gulping air as she stared down at the fallen ta¡¯ki. A few secondster, she blinked, then turned to face Elijah. Her eyes went down his body, then settled onto his intact legs. They were covered by the sparkly cloth, but they were evident nheless. He wiggled his toes, astounded by their presence as well as the fact that they weren¡¯t numb. Dat, who¡¯d approached alongside Ron, said, ¡°A Miracle, bro. That¡¯s what happened.¡± Book 6: Chapter 21: In Pieces Book 6: Chapter 21: In Pieces With Ron¡¯s sparkly robe wrapped around his waist like a towel, Elijah looked down on his dismembered legs with narrowed eyes. ¡°This is really weird,¡± he said. He¡¯d sometimes wondered what would happen if someone with a powerful enough spell were to mend an amputated limb, but now, it seemed that he knew the results firsthand. His legs had grown from his torso, while the lower half he¡¯d once called a part of his body had be nothing more than a big hunk of lifeless meat. ¡°Tell me about it, bro. I¡¯ve never seen that Miracle heal so much damage before,¡± Dat said, standing beside him with his hands on his hips. ¡°That thing ripped you in half. What did it feel like?¡± ¡°Fantastic,¡± Elijah deadpanned. In reality, he had difficulty describing what he¡¯d felt. Part of that was because he was fairly certain that he¡¯d been in shock ever since having his spine severed, but it was also due to the sheer oddness of the situation. Not many people could say they¡¯d been cut in half and lived to tell the tail. And the ones who had were in no condition to look at it objectively. By all rights, Elijah should have been a blubbering mess of a man as he contemted a life without anything below his legs. But there he was,pletely healthy and feeling better than he¡¯d felt sinceing into the Trial. It made sense, at least insofar as he applied the logic of the situation. Magic was powerful, but it seemed Miracles were capable of exceeding even his lofty expectations for all things ethereal. He¡¯d heard a few stories about strong healers being able to help someone regrow a limb, but that was a long and difficult process that usually took months. And he¡¯d sprouted a new pair of legs ¨C as well as another all-important appendage ¨C in the space of a couple of seconds. However, whatever reasoning supported what had happened, Elijah couldn¡¯t quite wrap his head around it. The human mind ¨C even enhanced by cultivation ¨C wasn¡¯t meant to deal with that kind of thing, and he was wracked by feelings of confusion, guilt, and gratitude. But if there was one thing Elijah was good at doing, it was burying his feelings in an oft-ignored corner of his mind and hoping it went away. So, that was what he did, though even with that flimsy quarantine in ce, he couldn¡¯t quite escape the residual emotions racing through him. ¡°I think I¡¯m still in shock,¡± he said. ¡°The medical term. But I guess the other meaning kind of works, too. I shouldn¡¯t even be alive.¡± ¡°But you are.¡± And he had Sadie to thank for it. ¡°Is it always so¡­powerful? Her Miracle, I mean.¡±Dat shook his head and nced back to where Sadie was trying to mend her armor. ¡°No. Faith works differently than ethera. In a lot of ways, it¡¯s closer to experience. The more we act ording to our nature, the more Faith we umte. For me, that means hunting down evil monsters and killing them. But for Sadie, it¡¯s different. She gets faith for bing an instrument of justice. I know that sounds vague, but that¡¯s how she describes it. Regardless, it¡¯s not quantified in our status, but we can feel it in our Cores. Building and building without letting up. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a limit to how much Faith we can store. ¡°But that¡¯s just quantity. Quality is different. Ites from emotion. From the surety that we¡¯re doing the right thing. Love helps, I guess. So do things like avenging an unjust act. The more intense the emotion, the stronger the Faith is.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Sadie felt really strongly about¡­what happened to me?¡± Dat shrugged. ¡°Maybe. It might have been a reaction to the lich. Or both. I¡¯ve learned not to look too deeply into Sadie¡¯s motivations,¡± he said. It took Elijah a few moments to realize that the Witch Hunter had dropped his affable demeanor in favor of something far more somber. Serious looked odd on Dat¡¯s face. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m d she did what needed to be done. We don¡¯t stand a chance without you.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re selling yourself short,¡± Elijah said self-deprecatingly as he ran his hand through his hair. Thankfully, he hadn¡¯t been entirely denuded like he had after so many other major battles. Though he did quicklye to realize that something else was wrong. Thework of channels he¡¯d so meticulously carved for his ethera to travel throughout his body were riddled with disconnections. More, even the undamaged parts were thinner and more ephemeral than they had been before he¡¯d been bisected. It was almost like those pathways were more memory than real. As a result, his ethera had begun to pool in ces, which definitely didn¡¯t seem like a good thing. Moreover, he sensed that if he tried to use any spells that incorporated his legs ¨C like his transformations ¨C he would have more than a few issues. ¡°Damnit,¡± he said, kneeling beside his legs. Thankfully, he still remembered all the patterns, so he felt confident in redrawing his pathways. And fortunately, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d need particrly thick ethera to do so. The afterimages of his channels would make it easier to rebuild thework, meaning that he felt almost certain that he could do it just about anywhere. Silver linings, he thought bitterly as he thought back to how painful the process of carving those channels had been. But then again, the alternative was that he would have died. Or been forced to live his life without legs. So, perhaps he was looking at things all wrong. Sure, redrawing his pathways would be frustrating, butpared to the alternative, he knew he was lucky. However, with that realization came the surety that he didn¡¯t have any time to waste on the diforting situation before him. So, he knelt next to his former lower half and began the process of stripping his equipment free. To preserve his modesty ¨C or whatever, considering it wasn¡¯t really part of his body anymore ¨C he retrieved a towel from his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and covered the more personal bits. ¡°You okay?¡± asked Kurik, who¡¯d approached while Elijah was busy with his task. The dwarf seemed fully recovered, though he was rattled by what they¡¯d just experienced. That was understandable, considering that, against the necromancer, they¡¯de closer to death than ever before. Even the battle against the Immortals had been less potentially deadly. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But taking my pants off like this is really weird.¡± He tried to force a smile, but he feared it looked more like a grimace. So, he wiped the expression from his face and focused on the task at hand. After only a few more seconds, he managed the feat and retreated out of sight to once again don his armor. It fit the same as always, but it still felt constricting in a way he couldn¡¯t quite quantify. Like he was wearing someone else¡¯s clothes. In any case, he pushed that difort aside, piling it onto all the other feelings he didn¡¯t want to deal with, then returned to the main chamber. There, the others were gathered around a small, silver chest. ¡°Waiting on me?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Of course,¡± said Sadie, who¡¯dpleted the repairs on her armor. Even though she¡¯d had an expert forge a new set back in Nexus City, its durability had quickly degraded during the fight against the necromancer. She¡¯d done what she could with her magical putty ¨C Elijah had no idea where she¡¯d gotten it, and she refused to reveal its origin ¨C but the once-impressive set of armor looked like it was only a few good hits from falling to pieces. The woman herself didn¡¯t look much better off. Sadie rarely appeared fragile, but standing there in the center of that chamber ¨C with the body of the necromancer rotting nearby ¨C she seemed somehow less substantial. It was as if a strong breeze might blow her away. Was that because she¡¯d used her entire store of Faith? Or was it something else at work? It was easy to forget that Sadie was a human being, and as such, she was obviously afflicted with all the same issues as everyone else. She wasn¡¯t just an unthinking automaton of justice. She was a twenty-something woman who was just as in over her head as everybody else. In that moment, Elijah wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and just give her a hearty hug. She needed it. He knew that. But just as surely, he recognized that he was the absolute wrong person to provide thatfort. Despite her insistence that she didn¡¯t actually hate him, the evidence that she at least disliked him was too dense to ignore. No - Elijah wouldn¡¯t be going down that road. Even if she was amenable ¨C and maybe she was, given the way she looked at him at times ¨C he knew that any rtionship that came between them would be fraught with toxicity. Even simple friendship seemed impossible. The best he felt he could hope for was tolerance. So, he said, ¡°Thanks. Let¡¯s see what a Pendant of Vitality is.¡± As they discovered when Dat opened the chest, the item was precisely what its name suggested. A thin golden chain supported a small emerald, and when Elijah looked closer, he saw a current of dense ethera swirling within the gem¡¯s interior. More importantly, he felt thick vitality emanating from the emerald, suggesting that it was an extremely powerful piece of equipment. Elijah definitely wanted it, but given that he¡¯d taken thest item ¨C the Shard of Nature¡¯s Might that was still sitting in his satchel ¨C he didn¡¯t think it would be fair if he took it for himself. Dat used Hex of Scrying, and though he couldn¡¯t determine the item¡¯s exact effects, he could rule out the possibility that it was cursed. In addition, he said, ¡°It gives strong bonuses to Regeneration and Ethera, and the whispers say it might be good for a Healer. I can¡¯t be any more specific than that, though.¡± ¡°Seems like a pretty easy decision then, right?¡± Elijah said. Sadie agreed, nodding her head as she added, ¡°It¡¯s obviously best for Ron.¡± ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t take ¨C¡± ¡°Just take it, bro,¡± Dat interrupted. ¡°Take care of the Healer, and the Healer¡¯ll take care of you,¡± Kurik said. Ron looked from one person to the next, then let out a sigh. After that, he reached out to take the amulet. He slipped it over his head, then bound it by injecting some ethera into the gem. Immediately, his eyes zed over, but that onlysted a second as he read the effects of the item. When he did, he let an uncharacteristic whoop, then pumped his fist, saying, ¡°Fifteen points in both Ethera and Regeneration!¡± After a little experimentation, he also revealed that after donning the Pendant of Vitality, he could cast his spells more quickly. ¡°It¡¯s not a huge difference, but it¡¯s noticeable, especially on Wave of Mending. This could be big.¡± Elijah was happy to see that Ron was so satisfied with the item. More, he only felt a tiny twinge of jealousy,rgely because his own Snake Totem still put in good work every time he used one of his afflictions. Making those effectsst longer didn¡¯t seem immediately impactful, but he¡¯d seen the modifier really shine during their most recent battle. Besides, he wasn¡¯t a Healer. It was more useful sitting around Ron¡¯s neck. Once the loot was taken care of, they looted the pieces of the unnamed necromancer¡¯s staves, then took everything the ta¡¯ki had been wearing. In addition, they gathered the shattered remnants of the crystals Dat and Kurik had broken while Elijah had been enveloped by the rotting flesh of the zombie amalgam. They didn¡¯t feel like they held any energy, but there was a chance that they could still be useful. After they¡¯d taken everything they could, the group set out for the exit. Crossing through the empty halls came with an eerie feeling that was made even odder by the tiny tendrils of life returning to the atmosphere. It wasn¡¯t enough to make anyonefortable, but without the influence of the necromancer, the area seemed to be normalizing. That was a relief, though Elijah knew that if another group were to embark upon the challenge, they would find it much the same as when he and hispanions had first arrived. He had no idea how such a thing would work ¨C even a quantum physicist would probably struggle to exin it ¨C but he didn¡¯t really care enough to investigate. It was clearly system shenanigans at work, and he was content to let it do its thing without his exploration or interference. After all, if it was a malicious entity, surely Kirlissa would have said something. No ¨C it was a tool, and he intended to treat it as such. After descending from the floating pyramid, they reached the site of their old camp. The only remnant of their previous upation was the cold fire pit Kurik had dug on the first day. Otherwise, it looked much the same as the rest of the area. ¡°I need to take care of something,¡± Elijah announced. ¡°But before I sink into meditation, I want to thank everyone for having my back. Especially you, Sadie. I know what you did isn¡¯t normal, and I¡¯ll always remember that you saved my life. So, thank you. Everyone. I wouldn¡¯t be alive without any of you.¡± Sadie blushed, mumbling something about him not worrying about it. Kurik said, ¡°And you best not forget it. Especially when ites time to share out the loot.¡± He waggled his eyebrows as he grinned. Ron said, ¡°Saving people is kind of in the job description. But you¡¯re wee. It feels good toe out on top.¡± And Dat said, ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for, bro.¡± That brought a smile to Elijah¡¯s face. He could acknowledge that he wasn¡¯t the easiest person to befriend. Social awkwardness aside, he tended to keep people at arm¡¯s length. However, he had to admit that ¨C aside from the taciturn Sadie ¨C the rest of his group had finally passed the line frompanion to friend. It was with those good vibes suffusing his thoughts that he settled in to take a look at the notifications begging for his attention. The first one pushed his grin even wider than before. Book 6: Chapter 22: Striding Forward Book 6: Chapter 22: Striding Forward A deathly aura lingered in the air, but it was nothingpared to what Elijah had felt in the tomb. Part of that was due to the fact that they¡¯d left the immediate area of the challenge, but mostly, it was because they had defeated the necromancer who was the challenge¡¯s eponymous fallen champion. Killing the thing ¨C and the amalgam of in zombies ¨C had pushed Elijah closer to death than any fight that hade before, but as seemed to always be the case in his new reality, his survival had been well rewarded. Not with the official prize that came with oveing the challenge within the Spires of the Fallen. That had gone to Ron, who seemed ted with the powerful Pendant of Vitality. Instead, Elijah had been rewarded with something far more enduring. As potent as a good piece of equipment could be, the reality was that, at his level, gear came and went, but advances in his inherent power would always be there, bolstering his abilities in asting way. So, when he finally turned his attention to the notifications he¡¯d received during and after the battle, the slight disappointment he¡¯d felt at ceding the Pendant of Vitality to the Healer washed away. First came the message telling him that he¡¯d gained another level, and he could feel that he was on the verge of reaching the next, which would award him a new spell. He took a look at his status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 104
ArchetypeDruid
ss Animist
Specialization Connection
Alignment N/A
Strength 120
Dexterity 108
Constitution 131
Ethera 124
Regeneration 115
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Adept
Body Core Mind Soul
Iron Whelp Jade Novice
There were three things that stood out for him. First, he felt an odd satisfaction every time he saw that the space next to Specialization had been filled. Perhaps it was thepletionist in him, but he had to admit that part of that feeling was due to how useful the specialization was. Connection had stood him in good stead so far, and he suspected that it would be a gift that just kept giving. The second thing he couldn¡¯t help but notice was that his attributes had once again risen by one point per level in the physical categories and two points each level for Ethera and Regeneration. If it kept going like that, it wouldn¡¯t be long before those were his most potent attributes. He¡¯d chosen to take a shower before settling in to redraw the channels in his lower body, and he¡¯d yet to don his gear. Even his Feral Spire remained in his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, meaning that his attributescked augmentation from the equipment or buffs he usually used. And rather thanment the temporaryck, he felt a surge of pride at seeing that everything had naturally hit triple digits. But the numbers did not add up, which led him to the next series of notifications, each of which told him that, due to his extreme circumstances, he¡¯d gained extra attributes ¨C and more than a couple. It was enough to make him wonder if he should throw himself into such situations more often, but it only took the memory of being ripped in half to disabuse him of that notion. More attributes were beneficial, but he couldn¡¯t descend into masochism just for a couple of extra points. And besides, it wasn¡¯t like Sadie would always be there to pull him out of the fire. He didn¡¯t think he could have done anything differently, so he didn¡¯t regret his actions. However, he did notice a pattern of behavior that frequently saw him rushing into deadly situations. Without a series of coincidences or the intervention of his teammates, he would have been in many times over. That was not sustainable, but given the stakes, Elijah just didn¡¯t know what he could have done differently. If he hadn¡¯t acted the way he had, everyone would have died. He was certain of that much. So, the only other option was to give up and y it safe like so many of the other trial-takers, many of which never intended to attempt to ovee the challenges. They were content with taking what scraps the system gave them. Elijah wouldn¡¯t endure that. He would conquer the challenges or die trying. So far, it felt like he was trending toward thetter path, but he also knew that that was how people progressed. There was a safe path, but given the situation back on Earth, he didn¡¯t think he could afford to take it. Besides, he could admit ¨C at least in his own mind ¨C that a life without danger would have felt at least a little empty. Did that make him a battle maniac? An adrenaline junky? Maybe. Or maybe he was just a man who¡¯d found his calling. One way or the other, Elijah didn¡¯t think he could change. And even if that was possible, he wasn¡¯t certain that he would want to. This book is hosted on another tform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. So, as close as he¡¯de to dying, the rewards he¡¯d gotten cemented the notion that he¡¯d gone down the right road. One thing was certain, though ¨C pain had be a part of his life. Nothing proved that fact more than the next notification:
Congrattions! Your Body has reached the Iron Stage.
It was such a simple statement. He¡¯d gone from Stone to Iron in his Body cultivation. But looking back, he knew that was one more factor in his survival, and it was probably the only reason he hadn¡¯t died the moment the necromancer had torn him in half. And it was certainly why he hadn¡¯t been crushed to death by the zombie amalgam that had so thoroughly enveloped him. A dozen other details from the battle showed him just how much the progression meant, and at present, he felt stronger and healthier than ever before. It remained to be seen just how much stronger he¡¯d be, but he knew it was a significant increase. Going from Stone to Iron represented arger jump than the one from Wood to Stone, but he wouldn¡¯t know more until he pushed himself to his limits. He was eager to do just that, but first, he had some channels to carve. So, he settled down, summoned his recollection of the pattern he¡¯d memorized, then got to work. Yet, he only got a few minutes in before he realized that he was wasting an opportunity. The channels were more malleable than normal, and the ethera in the area was dense enough to let him get to work on taking the next step in his Soul cultivation. He knew he would only be able to make a little progress, but even if he only extended the channels by a few percent, it would be an invaluable head-start for when he took the next step. With that in mind, Elijah leveraged every facet of his Jade Mind toward reconnecting his ethereal channels. At the same time, he widened them slightly while extending the branches just a little further than before. His memory regarding the pattern was perfect, but in the unlikely event that he forgot something, the slightly out-of-phase ghost of the broken channels functioned as an ideal guide. Moreover, he had also memorized the pattern associated with the next stage, so he had no issues with improving on the old design. Still, just because it wasn¡¯t difficult, that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t both painful and tedious in equal measure. Regardless, Elijah was well ustomed to a little difort, and he¡¯d long since established that tedium wasn¡¯t enough to dissuade his efforts. As a result, he leveraged every ounce of his considerable focus into the task, and minute by minute, he made progress. At first, each step forward was miniscule, but as those minutes stretched into hours, which in turn became more than a day, he kept at it. In the end, three days passed before he judged that it wasplete enough to test. Tentatively, he circted ethera through the pathways he¡¯d just carved, and to his relief, the flow was mostly wless. However, mostly wasn¡¯t the perfection he sought, and he spent another day smoothing out a few problem areas. But when he finished, all that effort seemed worth it. Not only had he aplished his primary goal of repairing his channels, but he¡¯d gotten a significant jump on the next stage. Finally, he opened his eyes. Squinting at the light, he let One with Nature once again stretch out, and what he felt was more than a little surprising. Nearby, Sadie and the rest of his group were sitting around their camp. But there were neers as well. Elijah recognized that one of them was a muscr elf with slightly gray skin, while the rest of the visitors were human. They were far enough away that he waspletely ignored, but he didn¡¯t even begin to believe that the neers weren¡¯t aware of his presence. So, nestled behind a boulder, Elijah took a few minutes to dress himself. He would have preferred to take another shower ¨C sitting in meditation for four days umted more than a little grime ¨C but he didn¡¯t want to dy. So, once he¡¯d donned his equipment, he took a deep breath, then stepped out from behind the rock. Almost two-hundred feet away, the war elf¡¯s eyes flicked in Elijah¡¯s direction, but he didn¡¯t otherwise react. So, Elijah stepped forward and approached the camp like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world. ring One with Nature, Elijah could feel three unseen figures surrounding the camp. Their stealth skills were high-quality. On par with Dat¡¯s Ghost Cloak. And if it wasn¡¯t for the improvement to One with Nature, Elijah never would have known they were there. That was troubling. Briefly, he considered attacking them without warning. It wouldn¡¯t have been outside the norm to consider their actions a threat, and Elijah wasn¡¯t one to let threats go unmet. Still, he restrained himself. From what he could feel, only the war elf was strong enough to be a real threat to the group. The other two in the camp were probably dangerous, but not so much that Elijah needed to jump straight to preemptive attack. The stealthy figures were an unknown, but given that they¡¯d yet to attack, Elijah was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. ¡°Character growth,¡± he muttered to himself as he approached. ¡°What was that?¡± asked the war elf when Elijah came into range. ¡°I said I¡¯ve grown as a person. I¡¯ve been on a journey of self-development, and I¡¯m on my way to being a better person because of it,¡± he answered without hesitation. ¡°You should try it. Very gratifying. You really feel it in your gut.¡± Sadie shook her head, saying, ¡°Elijah¡­¡± ¡°So, do you want to tell me why you¡¯ve got three stealthed fighters surrounding our camp?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I mean, some people would consider that a threat. Not me, because of all the character growth. But some people, for sure.¡± ¡°Stealth?¡± blurted Dat. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything, bro.¡± ¡°Oh, they¡¯re there,¡± Elijah said. Then, he pointed to one, saying, ¡°Right there. And there.¡± He hiked his thumb over his shoulder, adding, ¡°And back there. Oh, they¡¯re moving. Seriously, man ¨C just drop it. This isn¡¯t a parlor trick or a guess. I can see you in as day.¡± That wasn¡¯t necessarily true. The current incarnation of One with Nature was extremely powerful, but even so, he could only barely feel the life in their bodies. And the atmospheric vitality being so low in such close proximity to the death-attuned challenge made them stand out like a sore thumb. If they¡¯d been in the middle of a forest, it might¡¯ve been a little more difficult. Though Elijah suspected that connecting to the flora would help. It was something to investigate going forward. The war elf made a gesture, and the three stealthy people suddenly appeared. To Elijah, the muscr elf said, ¡°You are as impressive as I¡¯ve heard. It¡¯s one thing to see a name at the top of a list, and it¡¯s something else altogether to meet the most powerful human in the world.¡± ¡°Oh, those lists are just numbers. There are plenty of people more powerful than me out there.¡± ¡°Assuredly,¡± the war elf said. ¡°But not among the humans.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± asked Elijah, not bothering to watch the suddenly visible elves as they stepped into the camp. With their grey skin and the brutish perfection of elven features, they clearly shared an origin with their leader. ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to meet you before we entered the challenge. Yourpanions have been kind enough to share some insight into how it works,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯m d you conquered it before we made an attempt, even if I would have preferred the better reward.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elijah asked. That was when the war elf exined something that Elijah already suspected. The challenges were most deadly before they were conquered for the first time. After that, the danger declined significantly, but the rewards ¨C both in terms of the items awarded uponpletion and the points associated with the Primacy rankings ¨C were simrly reduced. In that way, being a forerunner was both incredibly rewarding and extremely dangerous. Elijah wouldn¡¯t have had it any other way. However, it did beg the question of how the system managed it. Apparently, when the war elf looked at the Spires of the Fallen, he saw a scene simr to what Elijah and hispanions had encountered upon arrival. By contrast, Elijah now saw a healingndscape devoid of teal lightning and with many of its towers having fallen. Was it all an illusion? Or was it about shifting reality based on certain parameters? Elijah had no idea, and he didn¡¯t think he would discover the truth anytime soon. Regardless, when the war elf finished his exnation, he pushed himself to his feet. That¡¯s when Elijah asked, ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°What did you expect?¡± Elijah shrugged. His only information about war elves was when Sadie had revealed that a tribe had been waging war against the humans of Moscow. But given that she seemed perfectly fine in their guest¡¯spany, there was probably something else going on. ¡°You know what ¨C I don¡¯t know. Just haven¡¯t heard much good about war elves,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± He frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t like that name.¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Some of my kind revel in thatbel. Others do not,¡± the grey-skinned elf stated. ¡°But I suspect we are no less diverse than humans. Some are warlike. Others are peaceful.¡± ¡°And you?¡± He spread his arms wide. ¡°A little of both, I suppose. But we¡¯ve taken up enough of your time, so we¡¯ll take our leave. I hope you will not think so poorly of my people in the future,¡± the elf said. After that, he turned to leave. Before he could go a step, Elijah asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ikan.¡± ¡°Well, Ikan, I apologize for jumping to conclusions,¡± Elijah said, though he didn¡¯t really mean it. The war elf¡¯s intentions might have been benign, but if that were the case, his stealthedpanions wouldn¡¯t have surrounded them. He¡¯de prepared for a fight. But that wasn¡¯t necessarily an indictment of his intent. It was enough to keep Elijah from rxing. ¡°I hope our future interactions will be peaceful.¡± ¡°I do as well,¡± said Ikan. Then, hispanions rose silently and retreated. The other three waited until they were a few feet away to slip back into stealth. Elijah watched them via One with Nature until they were long gone. Then, he let out a long sigh. ¡°That was tense,¡± he said, looking from one friend to another. ¡°You can¡¯t help but antagonize, can you?¡± asked Sadie. It was only then that Elijah realized that they¡¯d remained mostly silent throughout the conversation. ¡°He was using a skill, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Elijah asked. He hadn¡¯t felt a thing, but he had enough experience with mind abilities to recognize the effects. Besides, even if silence was in character for Sadie or Ron, there was no way Dat or Kurik wouldn¡¯t have had something to add to the conversation. ¡°I think so, bro,¡± Dat said, shaking his head. ¡°Subtle, too. It wasn¡¯t overtly harmful. Just kind of nudge to keep my mouth shut.¡± ¡°I will kill him,¡± Sadie growled. ¡°As much as I wouldn¡¯t mind that, he didn¡¯t actually hurt anyone,¡± Elijah reminded her. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a killing offense.¡± ¡°I could beat him, then,¡± she seethed. ¡°Just a few broken bones.¡± Dat ignored her and addressed Elijah, ¡°When did you get reasonable, bro?¡± Elijah smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? It¡¯s called character growth. I¡¯m practically a new man.¡± Then, he looked down at his legs and said, ¡°At least half of me is.¡± Book 6: Chapter 23: A Grim Reminder Book 6: Chapter 23: A Grim Reminder Miguel bent forward as Trevor raced across thendscape. The young stag never ran in a straight line. Instead, he leaped over obstacles,unching himself even higher on nes of moonlight before crashing to the ground with ever more speed. And rather than grow irritated with the deer¡¯s antics, Miguel reveled in the thrill of speed and unpredictability that came with Trevor¡¯s yful nature. Besides, as time sensitive as their mission was, they were still ahead of schedule, having left the mountain pass behind hours before. The trip so far had only taken three days, which was barely a quarter of what the wagon train had taken to cover the same distance. Miguel¡¯s gauge of Trevor¡¯s speed wasn¡¯t entirely urate, but he estimated that the stag could reach speed exceeding a hundred miles an hour. Of course, he rarely had an opportunity to move that quickly, but even over rough terrain that required him to go a little more slowly, he was incredibly fast. On top of that, his endurance seemed endless, only matched by the sheer exuberance making its way through the bond he shared with Miguel. It was a joy so pure that Miguel couldn¡¯t help but be affected by it. However, the trip hadn¡¯t been all good. Only a few miles away from the ind, he¡¯d discovered that the buffs he had received from Pledge of the Green Warden had been significantly reduced. At present, he only received a five-point boost in his physical attributes and Ethera, while gaining ten points to Regeneration. By all ounts, the increase was still incredible, but it was nothingpared to the influx of power he¡¯d gotten while within the bounds of the grove. The vague knowledge of his environment had also been weakened, cementing in Miguel¡¯s mind that his ss, while powerful, would never be as strong as it was in the grove. Still, he had no regrets about his choice, and arge part of that came from his bond with Trevor. He¡¯d always loved animals ¨C even going back to his youngest years ¨C and that had only grown stronger after Earth had been touched by the World Tree. And being able to make an emotional connection with the juvenile stag had firmly etched those feelings into Miguel¡¯s spirit. Especially because he knew that Trevor felt the same way. Miguel couldn¡¯t quite exin it, but the deer felt like the little brother he¡¯d never had and didn¡¯t even know he needed. Those thoughts flitted through Miguel¡¯s mind as he continued on his way, racing across the rockyndscape and into the temperate forests abutting the mountain range. With the trees spaced further apart, Trevor could really let loose, and Miguel couldn¡¯t help but let out a joyousugh as they covered one mile after another at highway speeds. Then, he caught a whiff of a sour odor just before something leaped from one of the trees, intent on tackling him from the deer¡¯s back. But that warning ¨C feeble though it was ¨C proved to be just enough to allow Miguel to react. Still, even as he ducked beneath a blow that might have decapitated him, he realized that another monster was alreadying at him from below. Trevor leaped, bounding off another ne of moonlight.Another monster hit Miguel in a tackle that tore him from Trevor¡¯s back. He hit the ground hard, but he managed to turn the fall into an awkward tumble that absorbed most of the impact. Meanwhile, his attacker ripped into him with sharp ws, but the wooden armor gifted to him by his mother proved more than up to the task of protecting him. The creature¡¯s ws skipped off thecquered wood without even leaving a scratch. Miguel kicked out, using his enhanced Strength to create a little separation between himself and the monster. Then, he yanked a wooden dagger from his belt and stabbed the thing in the eye. It hissed in pain as it recoiled from the blow, but Miguel knew when to press the advantage. His dagger found its way to the reptilian creature¡¯s chest, digging deep as it sliced between its ribs and pierced its heart. It died a secondter, choking on its own ck blood. It happened in the space of a couple of seconds, but even that was enough to give the other attackers ¨C Miguel btedly recognized them as Voxx, and ones with enough power to be a real threat ¨C to recover from their failed ambush and close on him. Fortunately, Miguel wasn¡¯t alone. Trevor barreled into one of the monsters, sending it flying through the air until it hit a pine tree with enough force to crack the trunk. It didn¡¯t put the creature down, but it did give Miguel enough time to draw his sword from the scabbard at his waist. He recovered his feet just before the Voxx closed on him. Preemptively, he used Impale, then Enrage. Outnumbered and against opponents that were probably more powerful than him, Miguel knew better than to hold back. He needed to hit hard and fast, and with everything he could muster. Otherwise, they¡¯d have a chance to overwhelm him. Trevor had given him a chance, but for all his own power, he wasn¡¯t yet a fighter. So, Miguel tried to convey that he wanted the juvenile stag to stay clear of the fray. Despite his frustration, Trevor agreed. Once the two skills took hold, Miguel used Charge,unching himself forward twice as fast as his attributes would normally allow. Then, he buried his sword in the chest of an extremely surprised Voxx. However, unlike the surgical attack he¡¯d inflicted upon the previous opponent, this blow slightly missed the mark. Instead of shredding the creature¡¯s heart, it tore through its lung. Probably fatal, but not immediately. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. And with the attributes a creature like that possessed, anything but an immediate kill put Miguel at a distinct disadvantage ¨C especially in such close proximity. Even as the monster¡¯s jaws mped down on his shoulder, Miguel used Champion¡¯s Shout. Then, he added Shockwave. Stamina flowed out of him like water as he used so many skills in such quick session. But it was effective. With the clear level difference, Champion¡¯s Shout was only mildly effective. But it did loosen the creature¡¯s jaws just a little. So, when Shockwavended, Miguel was able to rip himself free. Then, he whipped around with a backhanded blow that hit the still-stunned monster in the neck. The wooden de might not have been quite as durable as some of the more magical metals his mother normally worked with, but it was still stronger than steel and twice as sharp. It cut through the Voxx¡¯s scales, slicing into the flesh beneath and only stopping when it hit bone. When Miguel ripped the weapon free, a fountain of ck blood erupted from the resultant wound. That was when the brief stun wore off, but by that point, the effects of its wounds ¨C and the increased bleeding caused by Impale ¨C had weakened it enough that it stumbled backward. Miguel didn¡¯t let up, though. He leaped forward, ready to end the fight. He never even saw the monster Trevor had sent flying into a tree. It was clearly injured, likely with multiple broken bones, but it wasn¡¯t so wounded that it was out of the fight. It was a rookie mistake to lose track of the monster, and one Miguel hoped he would have an opportunity to regretter. Because that would mean he¡¯d managed to live through the encounter. Despite looking like vicious beasts, Voxx weren¡¯t stupid. Miguel knew that from the few times he¡¯d fought against them. And they were more than capable of learning, which proved to be a problem when the creature attacked the gaps in Miguel¡¯s armor. In this case, the inner part of his elbow and his right armpit, both of which were entirely unprotected. Fortunately, under the enhancement of Pledge of the Green Warden and Woodsman¡¯s Constitution, his durability was his highest attribute. So, even though he took a few deep gouges, none were immediately disabling. Miguel grappled with the creature, and after only a few moments, they fell to the ground. He¡¯d had some training in wrestling, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as extensive as his weapon¡¯s drills. Still, he held his own, matching the creature¡¯s strength point for point. Then, he heard the uneven stato of footsteps, and he looked up to see that the other monster still wasn¡¯t dead. It wasn¡¯t long for the world, judging by the copious amount of blood pouring all over the forest floor. But it didn¡¯t look like that was going to stop it from ripping Miguel to pieces. Given that it took all of his power to keep the other one at bay, he was almost entirely defenseless. As the creature drew closer, his mind whirled with possible tactics that might free him. But the reality was that he was doing everything he could to keep from being torn to shreds, so if he tried to switch things up, it would provide an opportunity for his current opponent to do even more damage. Then, his fate would be sealed. As if it wasn¡¯t already. He saw no way out, so he steeled himself to simply taking the pair with him. He was afraid. Certainly, he didn¡¯t want to die. But he was his mothers¡¯ son, and he knew that neither of them would ever surrender without fighting to their veryst breath. Neither would Elijah. Or Colt. Or anyone else Miguel idolized. Just as he was getting ready to switch to more aggressive ¨C and ultimately doomed ¨C tactics, he saw a snow white stag rushing toward the Voxx, and with enough speed that there was no way Trevor would survive the impact uninjured. But he wasn¡¯t alone. Miguel had the perfect skill to protect his boundpanion. He used Bulwark:
Bulwark Summon a shield of Ethera to protect allies. Strength of shield based on caster¡¯s Constitution.
It was one of the most basic Warrior abilities, but that didn¡¯t mean it was weak. Indeed, it might not have been fancy, but in Miguel¡¯s experience, it got the job done. A blue shield shimmered around Trevor,sting just long enough for him to hit the staggering Voxx. It was like watching an animal being hit by a car going sixty miles an hour, only the car in question ¨C Trevor, in this case ¨C was entirely protected from damage. The shield shattered upon impact, but by that point, the Voxx was already rocketing backward. Miguel couldn¡¯t hear it, but judging by the way the thing flopped around, he expected that its bones were immediately broken. And if that was the case, they shatteredpletely when it hit the trunk of arge pine tree. The sound drew the attention of the Voxx atop Miguel, which gave him an opening to slither from its grip and stab it with his dagger. He didn¡¯t stop there, though. He tore into the monster with all the ferocity he could muster, but even then, it held onto life for far longer than he would have expected. Eventually, though, it died. And suddenly, the forest went silent, save for Miguel¡¯s ragged breathing. After a second, Trevor¡¯s wet nose found his neck, and he let himself rx. Three Voxx. That was more than he would have expected, especially so close to Norcastle. As far as he knew, they routinely engaged in patrols, which meant that any spontaneously manifesting Voxx should have been detected and dealt with. Something was wrong. So, it was with a rapidly beating heart that Miguel pushed himself to his feet, leaped upon Trevor¡¯s back, and took off for the city in question. Less than an hourter, he saw his worst fearse to life. Smoke curled up from the smoldering ruins of Norcastle. How long had it been since he¡¯d been there? A few weeks? A month? Everything had been fine back then, but something had clearly changed. And even more disturbing than the state of the city was the realization that there would be no assistance forting from Norcastle. As urgent as his mission was ¨C especially now that the only hopey with Argos ¨C he knew he owed it to the people of Norcastle to investigate what had happened. So, it was with a heavy heart ¨C and an alert mind ¨C that he descended the slope and entered the devastated city. Book 6: Chapter 24: A War of Aggression Book 6: Chapter 24: A War of Aggression Miguel ripped his spear from the Voxx, then whipped around to see Trevor trampling one he¡¯d already injured. No matter his preference for swordy, the spear was a superior weapon against the Voxx. The extra reach it provided was invaluable, and it was much easier to use. No wonder his mother had preferred it. As Trevor finished the fallen Voxx, Miguel searched the area for any additional foes. There were none there, which was a wee change. For the past hour since entering Norcastle, he¡¯d been fighting almost nonstop. All of his opponents had been Voxx, but he¡¯d also seen plenty of evidence that something else was at y. After all, Voxx weren¡¯t known for burning down buildings. He gestured at Trevor, saying, ¡°Come on. It¡¯s dead.¡± The stag gave the creature onest kick, then followed Miguel as he made his way down the street. There were dead bodies scattered all around, though less than he would have expected, given Norcastle¡¯s poption. That gave him hope that some of them had survived whatever had happened. Increasingly, he¡¯de to the conclusion that the tower had experienced a surge ¨C which didn¡¯t make any sense. ording to the notification he¡¯d seen regarding the Trial of Primacy, such mechanics were supposed to have been suspended until the event¡¯s conclusion. But the evidence suggested otherwise. After all, the Voxx had to havee from somewhere, and while it was theoretically possible that they were all the result of spontaneous manifestations, that didn¡¯t seem very likely, given the numbers at y. It was a mystery, and one Miguel didn¡¯t have time to investigate. Instead, he¡¯d resolved to ascertain the fate of the natives of Norcastle, then continue on his way. Anything else would take too long. So, on he searched. Along the way, he looked through some abandoned shops, finding them mostly empty. What he did find seemed worthless, though he did pocket a few scattered ethereum he stumbled across. The owners, whose bodies had been close by, wouldn¡¯t miss them, he reasoned. As he and Trevor made their way through town, the stag grew ever more restless. Every step came with a furtive nce, and Miguel got the impression that hispanion only remained within the city because of the bond they shared. Otherwise, the deer would have long since fled. That realization was both troubling and reassuring. The former, because if Trevor was spooked, then there was probably a good reason. But his continued presence wasforting because of the implications. He refused to abandon Miguel, even when every instinct told him to run. Eventually, Miguel found his way to the ancient castle that was the city¡¯s namesake. It looked to him like something out of a movie set in medieval times, though it did bear a few nods to modernity. Like the metal signs out front dering it the center of the local government. Or the unlit etherealmps. Miguel hadn¡¯t seen much of the castle during his previous visit, but he knew that, in addition to being the headquarters of the city¡¯s bureaucracy, it was also home to the Branch of the World Tree. More than that, like most castles, it had originally been built for defense and had served that purpose in the direct aftermath of Earth¡¯s transformation. Because of that, he suspected that if there were any survivors, he would find them within the castle¡¯s walls. So, it was with some hope in his heart that he approached the stone fortress. Unsurprisingly, he found the gates barred. He nced at Trevor, then at the top of the wall. ¡°Think you can get up there?¡± Trevor looked at him like he¡¯d asked the stupidest question in existence. So, without further hesitation, Miguel climbed atop the stag¡¯s back, then urged him forward. Trevor responded by taking a running leap, bounding off a ne of moonlight, then soaring over the wall. He hit the ground on the other side, then turned an excited circle. Clearly, he hadn¡¯t been quite as confident as he¡¯d pretended. Miguel patted the stag¡¯s neck, then looked around the courtyard. It was deserted, save for a few rapidly dposing Voxx bodies that filled the air with an acrid scent. ¡°Stop!¡± shouted someone from one of the arrow slits above the main door. Miguel looked up to see an arrow pointed in his direction. Raising his hands in surrender, he announced, ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt anyone. I¡¯m a messenger from Ironshore, and I¡¯m just trying to figure out what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Ironshore? How¡¯d you get through all the Voxx?¡± ¡°I fought them,¡± Miguel said evenly. ¡°Can I put my hands down now?¡± ¡°How do we know you¡¯re not with them?¡± ¡°With the Voxx? I don¡¯t think they have allies,¡± he answered. ¡°No. Them. Those purple-skinned elves.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± That was one piece of the puzzle that finally slid into ce. It seemed that the dark elves beneath the mountain had spread much further than anyone in Ironshore had expected. But there was still one major question that needed to be answered. Before that, though, Miguel had a job to do, and he couldn¡¯t aplish his task from the courtyard. ¡°Can you let me inside? I came here on a diplomatic mission,¡± he said. ¡°I have a message for whoever¡¯s in charge.¡± If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. There was some discussion inside, but even with his slightly enhanced senses, he couldn¡¯t make out what anyone was saying. So, he had no option but to wait until they came to some sort of decision. Finally, a feminine voice spoke over the others, pointing out that they couldn¡¯t just remain holed up in the castle for all of eternity. ¡°Ironshore has strong fighters. They can help us,¡± she pointed out. No one seemed to have any answer to that, so it was only a few more moments before the heavy doors swung open to reveal a corridor. Miguel crossed the bailey, then entered the keep. Upon stepping inside, it immediately became apparent that the interior had been built with defense in mind. The hall was lined with murder holes and arrow slits, and the residents had further fortified the hall by piling sandbags into a makeshift wall. The only problem was that most of those arrow slits and murder holes were unmanned, indicating that there weren¡¯t that many survivors within the castle. He stepped forward, still atop Trevor¡¯s back. Thankfully, the arched ceiling was tall enough to amodate his mounted height. When he reached the end of the corridor, he crossed into the keep proper, where he was met by a trio of people. One was a young woman ¨C maybe in her early twenties. Another was a tall, slender man with a military bearing, and the final person was a short, stout man with an borate tattoo crawling up his neck. Miguel knew better than to judge a book by its cover, but thest figure¡¯s demeanor ¨C as well as the cauliflower ears ¨C marked him as a man who was no stranger to a fight. ¡°My name is Miguel Rodriguez,¡± he announced, slipping from Trevor¡¯s back. He was unwilling to disarm himself, so his spear remained in his hand. ¡°And as I said, I have a message from Ironshore. Who should I give it to?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± said the tall, slim man. At that, Miguel unslung his pack, then retrieved a sealed letter, which he handed to the man. After that, he stepped backward and waited for a response. And as he watched the man¡¯s expression, he knew it wouldn¡¯t be positive. When he finished, he said, ¡°This is not the news we wanted.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Miguel asked. The trio exchanged nces, then the woman began, ¡°It happened about three weeks ago. They hit us just after thest convoy left.¡± ¡°Before that,¡± the heavyset man grunted, grunted in a cockney ent. ¡°People¡¯ve been goin¡¯ missin¡¯ for weeks, mate. We just thought it was beasts or something. We know better now. It was those damned elves.¡± After that, the woman ¨C who introduced herself as Jess ¨C went on, exining how the dark elves had attacked the city unprovoked. The raid killed a few hundred people, but they mostly focused on taking anything that wasn¡¯t nailed down. ¡°Then the Voxx came.¡± ¡°Was it a tower surge?¡± Jess shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t think so. The system wouldn¡¯t lie. Plus¡­¡± ¡°Those bastards let ¡®em loose,¡± the muscr man growled. ¡°We don¡¯t know that, Mr. Barker,¡± said the slim man. ¡°You¡¯re blind, Essex. A dozen people said they saw ¡®em lettin¡¯ those monsters loose.¡± ¡°Frightened people in the dead of night,¡± Essex argued. ¡°No chance of any mistakes there, right? The fact is that we¡¯ve never heard of anyone taming Voxx. As far as we know, it isn¡¯t even possible.¡± ¡°Nothin¡¯ is impossible,¡± said Barker. Miguel chose that moment to interrupt. ¡°What is your n now?¡± he asked. ¡°I think the way is mostly clear, so you can probably leave the castle and clear out any Voxx that are left. Or¡­¡± ¡°Or what?¡± asked Essex. It seemed that he was in charge, but the others had a say as well. ¡°How many people do you have left?¡± he asked. ¡°A few thousand, most of them packed into this castle like sardines,¡± Barker said. ¡°This ce was never meant to hold that many.¡± ¡°Fighters? Or nobatant?¡± ¡°About thirty-seventy,¡± answered Jess. ¡°Mostly nobatants.¡± Miguel tapped his chin, but before he could give voice to his idea, Essex said, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. You want to lead us to Ironshore.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t!¡± Jess said. ¡°We have too many wounded, and ¨C¡± ¡°They won¡¯t get better in this castle, girl,¡± Barker said. ¡°If anything, it¡¯ll just get worse. Especially if the elvese back, which they will. Mark my words, they¡¯lle back to finish what they started.¡± After that, Miguel listened to the trio argue about the issue, and their desperation quickly became clear. He didn¡¯t have many years under his belt, but even he could see that they were in dire straits. And it wasn¡¯t difficult to see why. The dark elves had taken so much, and the Voxx had descended upon the city, doing what they did best. That so many had survived was a small miracle. What Miguel really wanted to know was how the dark elves had managed to harness the vicious monsters for their own gains. Was it a ss? Or had they simply caught the creatures and imprisoned them until it was time to let them loose? Was that even possible? Either situation was frightening, but the former was far more worrying. The conversation went on for a while until, atst, they came to the conclusion that seemed so obvious to Miguel. ¡°We can¡¯t say here,¡± Essex said. ¡°The dark elves will be back. Mr. Barker is right. Will Ironshore wee us?¡± Miguel nodded. ¡°There is strength in numbers,¡± he said. ¡°When will you leave?¡± ¡°Immediately. We have a few Explorers who can help us avoid the most dangerous parts of the wilderness,¡± Essex exined. ¡°Hopefully, that will be enough to help us survive.¡± That was good enough for Miguel, and it wasn¡¯t long after that when Jess offered him the opportunity to rest. He chose to take her up on it, so long as Trevor could be amodated. Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t an issue, and he was escorted deeper into the keep. Along the way, he got a glimpse of the aftermath of Norcastle¡¯s fall. True to Barker¡¯s im, the survivors were packed into the castle, and the vast majority of them looked malnourished, weak, and, in many cases, injured. So, Miguel only stayed for a few hours, taking the opportunity to eat a few of his rations before he¡¯d had enough. He wasn¡¯t as antisocial as his uncle, but he definitely had no interest in submerging himself in the human misery present in that keep. Predictably, he was asked to stay. As young as he was, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that he had some level of power. However, he refused, using the excuse that he still had a mission before him. In truth, he just wanted to get back into the wilderness where things made more sense. So it happened that by nightfall, he was racing through the fields surrounding Norcastle as he made his way toward Argos. As Trevor ran, Miguel could only hope that the refugees could survive the trip to Ironshore. Not only would it be best for them, but the fighters who managed to make it would go a long way toward shoring up the city¡¯s defenses. However, in the back of his mind, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it would be enough. If the dark elves could harness the power of the Voxx, was victory against them even possible? It was with those dark thoughts aspany that he continued his journey. Book 6: Chapter 25: Masks Book 6: Chapter 25: Masks Elijah leaned back, his arms resting against the granite rim of the hot spring. Despite the slightly sulfuric smell and the rough edge of the rocks under his arms, he couldn¡¯t have been more at ease. Since being transported into the Trial of Primacy, he¡¯d had very few chances to rx. It seemed that each day brought with it a new danger, and even though most of those situations were of his own making, he had to admit that he¡¯d been in desperate need of a break. Fortunately, after traveling for four days toward the next challenge, he¡¯d found the hot springs. They were unlike anything he¡¯d ever seen before, taking the form of a terraced mountain where each tier yed host to a huge pool of scalding water. Clearly, it was no natural formation, with the terraces having been carved by the¡¯s natives, and it prompted visions of hundreds of those alien creatures lounging about. Perhaps the mountain had once been a tourist attraction. The thought brought with it a slight giggle, then a rxed sigh as the hot water seeped into his muscles. He¡¯d never had a hot tub, but he¡¯d always imagined that it would be quite an enjoyable amenity to have at his disposal. Perhaps he could get Nerthus to work on one when he returned to the grove. Or maybe it would be his next project when he got home. ¡°God knows I¡¯ve earned a few weeks without something trying to bite my head off,¡± he muttered. It was just as the words left his mouth that he felt someone approaching. It only took a second before he realized it was Sadie. She was still more than a hundred yards away, but she was clearly making her way in his direction. That wasn¡¯t so surprising. The other terraces were difficult to reach, which was why he¡¯d chosen his current location for himself. Because of that, a meeting seemed inevitable. Thest thing he wanted was for his rxing afternoon to be interrupted by someone who clearly hated him, so with an annoyed sigh, he pushed himself out of the water. A few momentster, Sadie arrived just as he was pulling on his shirt. He couldn¡¯t help but notice that she¡¯d taken off her armor, opting for an oversized maroon sweatshirt emzoned with the Harvard logo. ¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were using this one. I¡¯ll ¨C¡± ¡°No ¨C it¡¯s fine,¡± Elijah said, waving away herment. ¡°I was just leaving.¡±¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± Sadie replied. ¡°You must¡¯ve just gotten here. The spring is big enough for the both of us.¡± He raised an eyebrow, asking, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve gotten the distinct impression that you hate me. Now, I¡¯m not arguing that it¡¯s not deserved. I can be annoying at the best of times,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I¡¯m aware of my shorings in social situations. So, if ¨C¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Elijah.¡± To punctuate that statement, she took off her sweatshirt, revealing a ck, one-piece swimsuit. Before Elijah could embarrass himself by staring, she slipped into the pool. She looked up and said, ¡°So? Are you going to just stand there gaping like an idiot? Or are you getting in?¡± As a response, Elijah once again undressed down to his underwear, then stepped into the water. Sinking up to his neck, he let out a relieve sigh. ¡°I really need to have Nerthus build one of these when I get home.¡± ¡°You have mentioned this person before. Who is he?¡± ¡°A spryggent,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°Kind of a tree spirit. Like a person made of twisting roots and branches. When I met him, he was only about a foot tall and couldn¡¯t even leave his tree. But now, he¡¯s got full run of my ind and can even visit Ironshore. Oh, and he¡¯s about five feet tall. Really good guy. I¡¯d be dead without him.¡± ¡°How so?¡± she asked, her voice devoid of the vitriol it usually carried when directed at him. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve told you about what I was going through when the world changed, but long story short, I was flying home to die,¡± he said. ¡°Cancer, and not the treatable kind. I felt it from the moment I was diagnosed. The doctors tried. I went through chemotherapy and radiation, but I knew I wasn¡¯t going to make it.¡± ¡°But you did.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t factor magic into my calctions,¡± Elijah said with a half grin. ¡°Maybe I should have. Anyway, the ne crashed ¨C there was this huge bird that tore it to pieces ¨C and I ended up washing ashore on a deserted ind. I don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Sadie said, raising a hand. ¡°You survived falling out of crashing ne? How?¡± ¡°There¡¯s this storm off the coast of my ind,¡± he exined. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it at the time, but I guess the wind kept me from hitting as hard as I should have. Or that¡¯s my theory for now. Then I was saved by a dolphin and pushed ashore, so ¨C¡± ¡°A dolphin saved you?¡± she asked incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± ¡°There are many documented cases of dolphins saving people.¡± ¡°I guess, but ¨C¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Anyway, my dolphin buddy saved me, and then I was briefly eaten by giant crabs. I fought them off, but I was still, you know, dying. I tried to fix it by allocating my attributes into Constitution, but that only bought me a little time. It wasn¡¯t until I found Nerthus, and he helped me with my Body cultivation that I overcame the cancer,¡± Elijah exined. He knew precisely how many coincidences it had taken for him to survive, but he didn¡¯t think he was all that unique. Anyone who made it through the immediate aftermath of Earth¡¯s transformation had likely experienced just as many lucky turns. Many more hadn¡¯t gotten so lucky, but they were no longer around to tell their tales. ¡°That¡¯s not what I imagined when you told me you had your own ind,¡± Sadie admitted. Elijah shrugged, saying, ¡°It was pretty rough in the beginning. For months, I only focused on finding food and shelter. Then, I was almost killed by one of the Voxx, and things started snowballing from there. My ind was invaded by a gnome with a mohawk. Like a big, red mohawk. He led a group of mercanaries onto the ind, and I killed them all. Then ¨C¡± ¡°All? How many?¡± ¡°Forty-nine.¡± ¡°How could you ¨C¡± ¡°They were going to take my grove. I couldn¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡­I¡­don¡¯t know.¡± That was only partially true. Before he¡¯d be a Druid, Elijah would have taken one look at such an invading force and run. However, after creating the grove, the notion of abandoning it to someone like Eason Cabbot was unthinkable. He would defend that ind with his life, and he wouldn¡¯t regret it one bit. For a moment, Sadie just stared at him, but then her expression softened and she looked away. ¡°I feel the same sometimes,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve told you about Sense of Sin, but I can¡¯t really exin it fully. It¡¯s more than just cloud of sin around you. It¡¯s a feeling. Something deep in my gut that I can¡¯t exin, telling me that you are¡­evil. I¡¯ve tried to control it. I want to ignore it. I know it doesn¡¯t tell the whole story. But¡­but I feel like I¡¯m being pushed in a direction I don¡¯t want to go.¡± ¡°If it makes any difference to you, your skill isn¡¯t wrong. I¡¯ve done a lot of bad things, Sadie.¡± ¡°Killing people who invade your home isn¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the tip of the iceberg. I don¡¯t even know how many people I¡¯ve killed. God,¡± he said, running his hand through his wet hair. ¡°Do you know how ufortable that makes me to admit? It must be in the thousands at this point. I think most of them deserved it, but¡­but in some cases, I just can¡¯t trust my own judgement. For instance, there was this time I made friends with a guardian bear¡­¡± Then, Elijah told her about killing the hunters. At the time, he¡¯d felt entirely justified in his actions, but since then, he¡¯de to realize that he¡¯d ceded control to abination of his attunement, his ss, and his own frustration. ¡°That¡¯s when I tipped over the edge,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°That¡¯s when I really became a killer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­I really don¡¯t know how to respond to that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to agree with what I did. Like I said, I felt like I was doing the right thing. It felt like justice, and maybe it was, after a fashion. I don¡¯t think they were good people. I saw cruelty in them. But I had no right to kill them,¡± he said. He took a deep breath, then said, ¡°But I think the reason you have such a strong reaction to me is because of what I did in Easton.¡± ¡°Easton?¡± ¡°They were calling it something else when I got there. Valoria, I think. Stupid name thought up by a stupid man,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That was where my sister lived before all of this happened.¡± Then, he told Sadie what he had learned of Alyssa¡¯s contribution to that city¡¯s establishment. He didn¡¯t know everything, but he¡¯d gotten most of the details out of Carmen. He shifted, and a small wave rippled out from his motion. ¡°Roman killed her,¡± he continued. ¡°Betrayed her in a tower and lied to everyone about how she¡¯d died. When I found out, I held it together for a while. I needed to be strong for Carmen and Miggy. I needed to make them safe. But over those weeks, hatred festered in my heart. So, when I finally got to Easton, I couldn¡¯t hold it in. I saw it for the cesspool it was. I hunted down his lieutenants, and then I infiltrated his pce. I executed most of his guards. It was easy. Too easy. Most of the time, they never saw meing. I don¡¯t know if those people were evil, but in my mind, they were stillplicit in everything I saw in that doomed city. ¡°Then, I cornered Roman. In my head, I¡¯d conjured images of some epic battle,¡± he went on. He snorted derisively. ¡°But that¡¯s not what happened. I killed him without even straining. He had a few levels, but he was a weak man. I thought that would be the end of it, but as I was leaving the city, I saw a statue of my sister. They¡¯d torn it down. And¡­and I lost it. From that moment on, I didn¡¯t hold back. I killed hundreds. Maybe thousands. Most of them attacked me first, but not all.¡± He paused for a moment, then repeated, ¡°Not all.¡± He hadn¡¯t intended to confess so much, and it wasn¡¯t until he¡¯d finished that he realized what had happened. ¡°You got another skill, didn¡¯t you?¡± he asked, his voice even. ¡°I¡­I did,¡± Sadie admitted. ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, hanging her head. ¡°The description is vague. All it says is that in my presence, the guilty shall be unburdened. I¡­I didn¡¯t know it would ¨C¡± Elijah pushed himself out of the water. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t say anything to you that someone else couldn¡¯t have. Kurik knows most of it. So does Atticus. Delh knows a little, too. But next time you want to know about my past, you should just ask,¡± he said without looking at her. He could practically feel the shame radiating from her. He didn¡¯t want to me her for it, but at the end of the day, Elijah was still a human being. Sure, he was also a dragon. And a beast. But emotionally, he was the same man he¡¯d always been. And he didn¡¯t like having his mind manipted. So, he said, ¡°Get a handle on that skill, or you¡¯re going to have an even harder time going forward. Some people might not be quite so forgiving as to let it slide.¡± As Elijah gathered his things and left the hot spring behind, he realized just how isted Sadie must have felt. Few people in the Trial were without sin, so she was constantly exposed to the worst parts of everyone¡¯s past. Now, she¡¯d gotten another skill that would make being around other people that much more difficult. He hadn¡¯t been lying when he predicted that others might react extremely poorly to the maniption of hertest ability. At best, it just made people tell the truth. At worst, it was meant to force them to reveal their deepest, darkest secrets. That wasn¡¯t going to end well. With that in mind, he focused on One with Nature, and he was surprised to find that Sadie remained in the hot spring, her face buried in her hands as she wept uncontrobly. It should not have been such a shocking scene ¨C being emotionally distraught was probably the most normal reaction she could¡¯ve had ¨C but for some reason, Elijah would never have imagined her crying. Every instinct told him to turn around andfort her, but he resisted that impulse, knowing good and well that his presence would only make things worse. As much as he wanted to help ¨C and surprisingly, he very much did ¨C he chose to keep going, climbing to a higher tier to continue his rxing afternoon in peace. Meanwhile, he kept a close eye on her via One with Nature. She continued to weep for almost an hour until, suddenly, she wiped her eyes and adopted the same stoic expression she normally wore. But Elijah recognized it for the mask it was. Book 6: Chapter 26: Fire Book 6: Chapter 26: Fire ¡°I feel like I¡¯vee home,¡± said Kurik, a twinkle in his blue eyes as he stared at the massive volcano in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, ain¡¯t it?¡± Even from miles away, Elijah could feel the oppressive heat emanating from within. They¡¯d been traveling along the coast for a few days, and he¡¯d begun to wonder if the maps had gotten everything wrong. Then, the terrain had begun to change, and far more quickly than should have been geographically possible. Suddenly, instead of walking along a coastal in abutting a massive sea, they were looking at an enormous mountain range. The earth shook as the sound of a distant explosion echoed through the area. Another volcano had just erupted, filling the sky with ash, fire, and debris. It had been an entire day since Elijah had seen the sun, and every breath came with the thick smell of sulfur. ¡°Bro, I don¡¯t think that word means what you think it means,¡± Dat remarked with a shake of his head. He removed his wide-brimmed hat, wiping his forearm across his sweaty and soot-stained forehead. The entire area was a hellscape of igneous rock,va flows, and sulfuric springs that would melt the skin from a person¡¯s body. What precipitation they¡¯d experienced was almost as damaging, and it had required healing to keep them from taking injuries. But Kurik seemed like he¡¯d stepped into heaven. ¡°This is a proper environment for a dwarf,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Do you know what people back home would pay just to cultivate here? It¡¯s paradise.¡± Elijah thought it veered in the other direction, but he wasn¡¯t one to put a damper on his friend¡¯s good mood. So, he said, ¡°Maybe we can find somewhere like this on Earth. I¡¯m sure environments like this have to exist, right?¡±¡°Count me out, bro.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± said Ron. Sadie, predictably, remained silent. She hadn¡¯t spoken much since the incident at the hot springs, and Elijah didn¡¯t think they were close enough for him to try to help her get ahold of her emotions. If he tried, she would doubtless take offense, making their partnership that much more onerous. So, he¡¯d let her suffer in silence as he focused on everything else. Fortunately, the trip hadn¡¯t been terribly eventful. They¡¯d been forced to fight off a couple of groups of hunters, both of which had beenposed of fairly high-level fighters, but Elijah and hispanions hade out on top. One group had retreated after realizing they were outmatched, while the other had been killed before they could make a simr discovery. Otherwise, they¡¯d had a peaceful journey, which left Elijah feeling a little pent up. He¡¯d tried to explore a little, but the region was almost entirely devoid of any interesting ruins. And the ones he did find gave him no new information as to the fate of the native civilization. So, he was admittedly a little frustrated. As a result, even though he knew it would assuredly prove to be at least as dangerous as the others, he¡¯d begun to look forward to the next challenge, which was tied to Ignis, the ne of Fire. ¡°Are we taking bets on where the challenge will be? Or are we all fine with the assumption that it¡¯s going to be in that big volcano back there?¡± he asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure,¡± Sadie pointed out. ¡°Yeah. But you just know that¡¯s where it¡¯s going to be,¡± Elijah said. Over the next few minutes, they continued on until they reached the banks of a river ofva. It reminded Elijah of the cave where he¡¯d witnessed the birth of the first dragon, though as far as he could tell, there were no beasts swimming in the molten rock. As they traveled along the riverside, the heat continued to mount until it reached truly oppressive levels. Without their superhuman attributes, they would have all passed out after only a few hours. Except for Elijah, whose Cloak of the Iron Bear kept him infort. Dat stuffed his cloak in his pack, revealing a sweat-soaked shirt. ¡°This is terrible, bro. Like being in a sauna fully dressed.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t take your clothes off,¡± Ron said. ¡°What? I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You kind of had that look,¡± Elijah added. Ron said, ¡°I¡¯m happy to be wrong, but¡­¡± ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Sadie said. Then, to Elijah she asked, ¡°Do you see that up ahead?¡± Elijah squinted in the indicated direction, then used Eyes of the Eagle. ¡°A bridge,¡± he said. It was almost a mile away, and the only reason it was visible at all was because it glittered like ck ss. ¡°Want me to go check it out?¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± said Dat. ¡°Need the distraction.¡± Elijah nodded at that, and Dat slipped into stealth. Pointedly, he did not use Ghost Cloak, instead opting for a more mundane option. Because of that, Elijah had no issues tracking him, at least until he reached the limits of One with Nature¡¯s effect. After a little experimentation, he¡¯d discovered that if Dat used his more powerful concealment spell, he could still remain mostly undetected. It was just further proof that Elijah wasn¡¯t the only human with a little power. After Dat left, the group settled down to wait behind a giant boulder of volcanic rock. When the Witch Hunter returned about ten minutester, it was with a grim expression. ¡°This isn¡¯t good, guys,¡± he said. ¡°What is it?¡± That¡¯s when Datunched into an exnation of what he¡¯d seen. First of all, the bridge was the only way across theva flow, and it connected to a road that seemed to lead into therge volcano Elijah had indicated previously. ¡°That¡¯s the good news,¡± Dat added. ¡°The bad news is that it¡¯s guarded by char goblins.¡± ¡°What the hell is a char goblin?¡± asked Ron. As it turned out, they were precisely what the name implied ¨C goblinoid creatures with cracked ck skin that spewed smoke. ¡°They¡¯re only about four feet tall, but Hex of Scrying says they¡¯re dangerous,¡± Dat stated. ¡°That¡¯s all I got out of the spell, but a few goblins isn¡¯t the worst part. Past that bridge, I caught sight of some things called magma golems. I think the goblins either control them or summon them. I don¡¯t know, but I saw one of those golems attack this big dinosaur looking thing and melt it into slurry.¡± ¡°What kind of dinosaur?¡± Elijah asked. There was a big difference if they were facing velociraptors or t-rexes, after all. ¡°You know the ones that look like they have sails on their backs?¡± Dat asked. ¡°Dimetrodon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one. Were you into dinosaurs when you were little, too? My favorite was the triceratops.¡± ¡°Every kid is into dinosaurs,¡± Ron said. ¡°My daughter made me watch all the Jurassic Park movies on loop. Even the newest ones.¡± ¡°Sorry, bro.¡± ¡°I never cared about dinosaurs,¡± Sadie muttered. ¡°Anyway,¡± Elijah said after an awkward moment. ¡°So, these golems are pretty dangerous. Okay. Ward of the Seasons should help with that.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not the worst part, bro. I got a glimpse of where the road led.¡± ¡°And?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°It¡¯s a fortress set into the side of that big volcano. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve got a really bad feeling about this one,¡± Dat said. ¡°I like it,¡± Kurik stated, his first contribution to the conversation. ¡°If we made it through that crypt, we¡¯ll be fine with this.¡± ¡°You just like the heat,¡± Elijah responded with a roll of his eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t deny that.¡± ¡°As much as I enjoy inane banter, I feel I should be the one to ask what we n to do? The most prudent course of action is to use the same strategy we¡¯ve used so far. Dat and Elijah can scout the ¨C¡± ¡°Small problem, bro.¡± She flexed her jaw. ¡°What, Dat?¡± ¡°Those golems can see through all kinds of stealth,¡± he said. ¡°Plus, that bridge is enchanted.¡± ¡°Can I just fly in and create a distraction, maybe?¡± Elijah asked. Dat looked up. ¡°There are things up there in the ash.¡± ¡°What¡­sort of things?¡± As it turned out, the answer to that question was both fascinating and disturbing. In those dense clouds of ash lived the fire-attuned equivalent of the spirits they¡¯d encountered in the Whistling Cliffs. Dat imed that he¡¯d seen a bird venture too close to one, and it was burned to a crisp before it even knew what was going on. That was enough to dissuade Elijah from giving flight a try. Not that he¡¯d expected it to work anyway. Every challenge they¡¯d faced had featured some sort of flight deterrent. Whether that was a featuremon among more advanced societies of the multiverse or if it was just the system creating obstacles, Elijah had no idea. But he was certain that he didn¡¯t want to see just how durable Shape of the Sky really was. ¡°What¡¯s the alternative?¡± she asked. ¡°I think we all know the answer to that question,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Full frontal assault.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the dumbest thing I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± said Kurik. I¡¯ll build some traps. We¡¯ll ¨C¡± ¡°I was joking. Obviously,¡± Elijah lied. Kurik frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t sound like a joke.¡± ¡°You sounded serious, bro.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard,¡± Ron added. Elijah nced at Sadie, who just shrugged. He let out a sigh, then asked, ¡°Is that really what you all think of me? I don¡¯t just go charging into every situation.¡± ¡°Just a couple of weeks ago, you went into an unknown tomb without telling anybody, bro.¡± ¡°That was different.¡± ¡°And you almost died in those ruins you were talking about. The ones with the really simple puzzle,¡± Sadie pointed out. ¡°How was I supposed to expect it to be booby trapped?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve also told us stories about going into multiple towers without any backup,¡± Ron said. ¡°Even when you didn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Right, but ¨C¡± ¡°I think you might need to acknowledge you have a problem,¡± Sadie interrupted. Then, against all odds, she reached out and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The first step to getting better is admitting that you have an issue. Then, you can ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem,¡± Elijah insisted, pulling away from her touch. ¡°Besides, what none of you want to acknowledge is that I survived all of those encounters. That has to count for something.¡± ¡°Sheer luck?¡± suggested Dat. ¡°The favor of the gods?¡± Kurik said. ¡°Chance?¡± Sadie guessed. ¡°It¡¯s skill!¡± Elijah said exasperatedly. ¡°I take those chances because I know that I can survive. God, I feel like I¡¯m taking crazy pills here. I¡¯m ¨C¡± That¡¯s when Dat cracked a smile and opened the floodgates ofughter. Even Sadie joined in with a couple of giggles. ¡°Oh. I see how it is,¡± Elijah said with exaggerated affront. ¡°Just pick on the poor Druid, right? It¡¯s not like I recently got ripped in half. Literally. In half. You¡¯d think that would get me a little sympathy, but I guess not.¡± Then, he grinned as well. Elijah wasn¡¯t aboveughing at himself. In fact, he had learned the value of self-deprecating humor early on in life, and it had really been hammered home during his battle with cancer. Without it, he never would have survived with his mind intact. ¡°You know we¡¯re just teasing you, right?¡± said Dat. ¡°I¡¯m painfully aware that I am now the butt of everyone¡¯s jokes,¡± Elijah said, still smiling. ¡°But seriously ¨C as cathartic asughter can be, we need to figure out what we¡¯re going to do about this challenge.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re forgetting somethin¡¯,¡± Kurik said. They all looked his way. ¡°Gettin¡¯ in might be the first problem, but I got a feelin¡¯ it won¡¯t be the hard part. Fightin¡¯ through that fortress ain¡¯t gonna be easy. Mark my words on that¡¯n.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just figure it out as we go, I guess,¡± Elijah said. Though based on everything they¡¯d experienced so far, he knew that Kurik was probably right. Getting in had never been the hard part when it came to the challenges. Surviving whatever was inside was. Book 6: Chapter 27: Refining Tactics Book 6: Chapter 27: Refining Tactics Elijah perched upon one of the boulders made of ck, volcanic rock. Cloaked in Guise of the Unseen, he was entirely undetectable, which gave him a perfect view of the battle a few dozen feet below. Sadie stood at the head of the obsidian bridge, her sword shing with bright light as she took down one char goblin after another. Each time she hacked into one of them ¨C even if it was only a scratch ¨C red magma erupted from the wound. So, after cutting one in half at the waist ¨C Elijah could sympathize with its plight ¨C she danced backward to avoid the explosion of molten rock. At the same time, six other goblins remained immobilized by one of Kurik¡¯s traps. Despite the desperate heat, their feet were frozen to the ground by huge blocks of ice. They were free to attack, but as had been established in the previous few battles, the creaturescked any long-range options. They were capable of breathing fire, and theva that came from their wounds came with a little extra reach, but they were mostly brawlers. The same could not be said for the golem at the end of the bridge. It was at least a dozen feet tall and so thick that its limbs looked almost indistinguishable from its torso. Made of jagged ck metal, it cut quite an intimidating figure ¨C even more so because Elijah had seen one in action. In the first fight, he¡¯d found himself on the receiving end of its attacks, and it was an experience he never wanted to repeat. He watched as the thing rumbled forward, its footfalls heavy enough to shake the bridge. Each movement came with a hiss of steam, though Elijah knew that there was no machinery beneath its metallic exterior. Instead, there was just more metal upon which had been etched a delicate framework of enchantments. The thing was not alive in the most general sense, but it was close enough that disabling it gave experience. As the creature approached, its gait steady but unhurried, Elijah held his breath. If it reached Sadie, bad things would happen. The Crusader could probably survive, but in doing so, she would assuredly take quite a few grievous wounds that would take hours, if not days, to heal. That was what had happened the first time they¡¯d tried to cross one of the bridges, and the second one hadn¡¯t been much better. It had forced them to reevaluate their tactics, resulting in their current adjustment. Elijah could only hope that it would be enough to prevent the worst. Just as the golem crossed the halfway point, it stumbled. A secondter, a powerful surge of ethera swept over the thing, and it fell face-first onto the bridge. It wasn¡¯t dead ¨C as much as a creature like that could die ¨C but it had been temporarily disabled. Dat, who¡¯d so far remained unseen, leaped atop it, and used one of his daggers to pry a panel off its back. It had taken quite a bit of time to find that spot, but despite the hours of effort spent on the endeavor, Elijah knew there was no guarantee that it would work. Still, after yanking free the ck iron paneling, Dat plunged his dagger into the cluster of enchantments beneath. Another explosion of ethera erupted from the fallen golem, and the thing lost all power. It went limp, nking against the surface of the obsidian bridge. But even then, Elijah didn¡¯t move. His time to act woulde soon enough. Gradually, Sadie and the others began to whittle down the small horde of char goblins, though not without arge degree of difficulty. From his vantage point, Elijah got a good look at everyone¡¯s abilities, and he had to admit that he was more than a little impressed. They¡¯d all grown tremendously since the beginning of the Trial, which was a trend he expected to continue. However, as they¡¯d discovered while trying to cross thest bridge, their current level just wasn¡¯t enough. That was why they¡¯d once again been forced to adapt their strategy, employing new tactics in the hopes that they could confront thetest obstacle without nearly dying. A few minutes into the battle, a trio of neers approached. Moving with far more finesse, the three figures were much taller than the char goblins. Despite its height, the one in the middle was just as spindly as the ones engaged in battle with Elijah¡¯spanions. However, the two nking it were far more muscr, and he didn¡¯t need an inspection ability to recognize that they were dealing with hobgoblin variants. Of course, Elijah had already known as much, having encountered a simr trio the day before. That had been a vicious battle that he and hispanions had only narrowly survived. And that had only been due to sheer luck, rather than skill or power. He was well aware of just how much damage they could inflict, so he wasted no time in leaping from his position and racing across the rocky ground before hetched onto the side of the bridge. To ensure he wasn¡¯t detected, Elijah flipped around and crawled across the underside until he reached the far side of the bridge. Dat had already abandoned his position atop the golem, retreating to where Sadie and the others continued to fight. So, there was nothing barring the three hobgoblins from reaching the group. At least as far as they knew. Elijah waited until the creatures were a few feet onto the bridge, but the second they passed the spot he¡¯d marked in his mind, he skittered to the topside and used Venom Strike, Predator Strike, and Envenom before leaping at the one in the middle. The second he got close, a red shield bloomed into being, singing Elijah¡¯s face, but it burst only a momentter. Even as he sank his fangs into the hobgoblin¡¯s shoulder, a wave of dense fire erupted from its body, washing over Elijah. If his Constitution attribute had been even a few points shy of its current mark, the fires would have charred his scales. But thebination of his high attributes and Ward of the Seasons kept the damage to a minimum, and he delivered his payload of venom ¨C along with Insidious Mdy ¨C before leaping free. It was just in time, too, because he only narrowly avoided the grasping w of one of the stockier, melee-focused hobgoblin guards. He hit the obsidian ground on the run, and predictably, the trio wheeled around, intending to take care of him before turning their attention to therger group. Fire, dense and hot enough that Elijah could feel it even a dozen feet away, manifested upon the hobgoblin mage¡¯s hands. However, just as it turned to face Elijah¡¯s retreating form, a barrage of crossbow bolts mmed into the mage at the center. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. They all knew that the spellcaster was by far the most dangerous of the trio, so it wasn¡¯t long before Sadie and Kurik added their own attacks to the mix. The huge de of the Avenger burst from the ground, sheering one of the creature¡¯s legs down to the bone, while one of Kurik¡¯s arrows mmed into its slim torso. But those were just distractions for the true attacks. Dat¡¯s crossbow bolts glowed with blue ethera, and when they hit, they did so with enough power to send the creature staggering. More importantly, those bolts carried with them the Hex of Tongues, which Dat imed would prevent spellcasting for at least three seconds. The mage stumbled to its knees, and the fire encasing its hands winked out. It looked on, panic in its eyes as Elijah¡¯s venom took hold. It seized, and ck foam spewed from its mouth. It managed to cling to life for another few moments, but it did no good. The thing died only ten seconds after Elijah¡¯s first attack. However, just because the most dangerous foe had fallen, it didn¡¯t mean they were in the clear. There were a few smaller char goblins remaining, and they were powerful enough to injure his teammates. Of more concern were the pair of hobgoblin guards, both of which were stronger than they had any right to be. And with theirpanion down, they lost all sense of reason. The moment they realized the mage was dead, the two hobgoblin guards let out a string of indecipherable curses, each one more guttural than thest, then charged the closest enemy. That happened to be Elijah. Knowing he couldn¡¯t outrun them, Elijah initiated the shift into his guardian form. Even as his body took on the shape of themer ape, he used Savage Might. Then, in a move he seldom employed, embraced Venom Strike. Normally, he didn¡¯t use it in anything but his blight dragon form. Yet, he¡¯d recently discovered that that strategy was a mistake. Using it in his guardian form drained his stamina quite a bit ¨C which was a bit troubling, given that he usually used Iron Scales as well ¨C but it was more than capable of adding a bit of extra lethality to his already savage attacks. The transformationpleted, and Elijah met the two hobgoblins¡¯ charge with one of his own. And when they collided, they did so with enough force to shake the very foundations of the obsidian bridge. However, Elijah definitely got the worst of the exchange. Part of him med the fact that he was fighting two-on-one, but he knew the truth. The hobgoblins were physically stronger than him. More durable, too. He¡¯d discovered that in a previous sh against their ilk. That was why he¡¯d held nothing back, using Savage Might and Venom Strike to augment his attributes and damage. He barely held his own, but inch by inch, he gave up ground. Yet, every wild attack hended carried with it a little venom. It wasn¡¯t enough to turn the tide of battle on its own ¨C it was quite weak when used outside of the Shape of Venom ¨C but it was more than capable of weakening the creatures over time. Elijah absorbed a hacking sh to his shoulder, then winced when he took a club to the ribs. Even with Iron Scales mitigating some of the damage, enough leaked through that he knew he couldn¡¯t hold up for much longer. Still, he returned those attacks by raking his ws across a hobgoblin¡¯s unprotected face, then snapped out a bite that ended with him mping down on a forearm. The bone cracked beneath the force of his jaws, but it didn¡¯t break altogether. The hobgoblin ripped the limb free, leaving behind a few chunks of flesh as it kicked out. Elijah took the blow in his chest, which sent him tumbling backward with enough force that, if it weren¡¯t for the bridge¡¯s guardrail, he would¡¯ve ended up in the river ofva below. As it was, when he looked up, he saw an enraged hobgoblin leaping at him through the air. Pure hatred marred the thing¡¯s expression, but Elijah could only focus on how much the thing looked like his friend Venka. Certainly, its skin was coarse and pitch ck, just like the char goblins¡¯, but the features were remarkably simr to those of the only other hobgoblin he¡¯d met. He didn¡¯t dwell on the simrity even for a second. He knew the creatures were put there by the system. He didn¡¯t know how. Nor did he want to think about what that meant in terms of their sapience. Instead, he could only focus on the danger they represented. So, he threw himself at the monster, taking another axe-blow to the hip, but he barely managed to use his superior weight to throw it aside. That was when Sadie arrived. She didn¡¯t bother with any skills, other than the one that made her de glow. Instead, she simply hacked into the creature¡¯s back, breaking ribs with every blow. Meanwhile, Dat took on the other hobgoblin. He fought like a martial artist, but not the fancy sort one might see in a kung fu movie. Rather, he moved like an MMA fighter, though one armed with a pair of shortswords. That was to say that, despite his clear handicap in terms of attributes, he made the hobgoblin look like an untrained amateur. Part of that was because it had been wounded by Elijah, but even if it had been healthy, the thing would have had trouble keeping up with Dat. However, all it would take was one solid blow from the hobgoblin, and the fight would end. It was a fine line to walk, but in that situation, it was necessary. Elijah pushed himself away, then took on his caster form. With Sadie and Dat taking the attention of the hobgoblins, he seized upon the opportunity to heal himself. He needn¡¯t have bothered, because one of Ron¡¯s heals hit him a second before his transformation wasplete. Still, Elijah didn¡¯t resume one of his bestial forms. Instead, he added damage to the battle via his spells. The fight wore on for a few more minutes, with the durable hobgoblins stubbornly clinging to life until thest of their endurance faded. When the battle finally ended, it did so anticlimactically, with both of the monstrous humanoids simply copsing when they no longer had the strength to stand. Sadie took on the task of hacking them to pieces until everyone received a wave of experience. And just like that, the fight was over. Elijah, breathing hard, said, ¡°That went well, right?¡± ¡°It was passable,¡± Sadie agreed. ¡°Only four more bridges to go,¡± Dat said. The day before, Elijah had found a promontory from which he¡¯d gained a little more insight into their intended path. And from what he¡¯d seen, there were indeed a handful of bridges between them and the gate that was their ultimate destination. ¡°Should have plenty of time to refine our techniques, then,¡± Sadie said. Then, she went on to exin every single thing everyone had done wrong. It would have been frustrating if she hadn¡¯t turned her attention to her own performance, and with at least as much criticism as she leveled at everyone else. By the time she was finished, Elijah found himself wondering if they¡¯d really won the fight or if he¡¯d just imagined the whole thing. Regardless, there was plenty of daylight left, and as Dat had pointed out, they needed to cross four more bridges before they even reached the challenge. So, after enduring Sadie¡¯s after-battle criticism, they took what they could from their fallen enemies ¨C there wasn¡¯t much aside from a couple of obsidian daggers and a handful of ethereum ¨C and set out for the next bridge, which was still a few miles away. Book 6: Chapter 28: The Gate Book 6: Chapter 28: The Gate Sadie was not a stealthy person. Indeed, given her prerogative, she would simply stride toward any obstacle and dare it to stand in her way. But that wasn¡¯t the way the world worked, and more often than not, she was forced to admit that she simply wasn¡¯t strong enough to maintain that sort of attitude. On more than one asion since entering the Trial, she had been grossly outmatched. The only reason she¡¯d survived so far was because of her teammates. And she found that galling. Not because she didn¡¯t appreciate their efforts. Nor was she jealous. Rather, she hated the creeping suspicion that she was neither as strong or independent as she had been led to believe. When she¡¯d been visited by Gabriel and given an Angel Core, she¡¯d thought herself special. By now, she knew that wasn¡¯t really the case. Sure, she could boast more raw power than most others, but it came with a significant price. Sadie had taken the Crusader ss, hoping that it would give her an edge against the undead guing Hong Kong. Fighting against such abominations was its specialty, at least ording to the description she¡¯d found. And at first, it seemed perfect. Her skills were strong against any opponent, but against the undead ¨C or the demonic creatures that came with them ¨C they were peerless. Then, she¡¯d fallen prey to hubris, and her sister had paid the price. Certainly, no one med her. It wasn¡¯t her fault, they¡¯d said. But she knew the truth. She was the strongest. She was always meant to protect Lisa, and she had failed in that all-important endeavor. It was at her lowest point, with the war against the undead having pushed them to their limits, that Gabriel hade. He¡¯d offered salvation in the form of a powerful elder core. None of them could resist. They simply couldn¡¯t afford to refuse, especially with the power on offer. Yet, Gabriel hadn¡¯t exined everything. He¡¯d imed that doing so would taint their perception. But knowing now what she hadn¡¯t known then, Sadie suspected it was more likely that he¡¯d withheld that information so that they would have no reason to refuse. The problem wasn¡¯t the power. That had been as advertised. Sadie¡¯s core was at least as strong as anyone else¡¯s on Earth. She nced at Elijah, who was kneeling beside her and amended that assessment. Dragons, apparently, trumped Angels, and even if it wasn¡¯t by much, the difference was noticeable.Regardless, Sadie had no issues with the level of power she¡¯d been given. That had set her apart, and it had given her the tools she¡¯d needed to further resist the onught of undead. Because of her efforts, the war had reached something of a stalemate, which was the only reason she¡¯d been given the mission of recruiting allies. No ¨C she was happy with her power. The issue was with how her core had affected her ss. At first, she¡¯d thought Sense of Sin was simply a part of the Crusader ss. After all, it fit well enough. However, after reading a guide on the subject, she¡¯d learned that it was a vastly more powerful variant of a skill called Sense Truth. Ever since gaining the ability, she¡¯d struggled to control it. Everywhere she looked, she saw sin. It was at its worst in the Trial, where every participant was absolutely drenched in blood. Survival was a brutal prospect in the post-apocalypse, and most people had been forced to do horrible things simply to remain among the living. Sadie had. So had Dat. And they were not unique. Rationally, she knew she had no right to judge anyone. Not with how much blood was on her own hands. Yet, the ability was too powerful to ignore, and it had driven a wedge between her and basically everyone but Dat. She struggled to control it. She wanted to ignore it. But the reality was that she simply wasn¡¯t strong enough. Now, she had another problem in the form of a skill called Confession:
Confession Subtly nudge the guilty to unburden themselves of their sins. Effectiveness based on rtive Ethera attribute.
Sadie had tried everything to deactivate the skill, but like Sense of Sin, Confession was always on. She¡¯d spent hours in meditation ¨C especially after advancing her Body to the Stone stage ¨C as she¡¯d attempted to rein it in, but she had been entirely unsessful. It seemed that was the point. It begged the question of what the system meant for her ss to be. Was she intended to take on the role of some fanatical inquisitor? And if so, was there a way to resist it, to reset her path? So far, she had found that the answer was a resounding no. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Because of that, she¡¯d begun to pull away from everyone. While traveling together, she couldn¡¯t avoid the others entirely, but she¡¯d discovered that Confession had a fairly short range. That had given her some peace, at least. ¡°Do you see what I see?¡± asked the Druid, his ever-present cloud of sin only a few inches away. It nearly made her retch. ¡°Two golems. Ten hobgoblins. And whatever is on the other side of that gate,¡± she answered sinctly. ¡°And in the guard towers. We¡¯re not close enough for me to really scout it out, but there¡¯s something in there, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°Any suggestions?¡± She narrowed her eyes and stared at the gate. They had spent the past few days crossing one bridge after another, and while the volume of kills had been entirely insufficient to push their levels any higher, they had received plenty of experience of a different sort. Their tactics were now much crisper, and they had begun to work together better than ever before. But the force guarding that gate was far too much to handle without significant adjustment in tactics. ¡°We should find another way in,¡± she suggested after a moment. ¡°The other challenges always had alternate routes. I think we need to find one here.¡± ¡°About that¡­I don¡¯t think that makes much sense,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I was talking to Dat, and we both agree that it¡¯s more likely that the first clear of a challenge is the most difficult. There might be other ways in, but I think it¡¯s more probable that those don¡¯te into y until after a challenge has been cleared the first time.¡± ¡°Is this just conjecture? Or do you have any real evidence this is the case?¡± she asked. ¡°A little of both,¡± he admitted. ¡°Take thest challenge with the undead. Dat and I spent days scouring that whole area, and we didn¡¯t find any other ways into the crypt, much less to defeat the necromancer. Between us, we have better sensory capabilities than just about anybody else in this Trial. So, if we didn¡¯t find anything, it stands to reason that there was nothing to find. But I¡¯ll admit that it¡¯s not much more than a hypothesis at this stage, and not one we can prove.¡± He took a breath, then continued, ¡°My point is that I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s another way into this challenge except to go through the gate. And if that¡¯s the case, then we need to focus on figuring that out rather than looking for a shortcut that probably doesn¡¯t exist.¡± It was a well-reasoned argument, but because it came from a man absolutely teeming with sin, Sadie found herself looking for a reason to shut him down. However, she was self-aware enough to recognize Sense of Sin¡¯s influence. ¡°Dammit,¡± he muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to say half of that out loud. Or thatst part. That new skill of yours is incredibly inconvenient.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, her eyes downcast. She hated manipting people, even if it wasn¡¯t intentional. He sighed. ¡°No real harm done. Any progress on controlling it?¡± She shook her head. ¡°That sucks. Alright, so what do you want to do? You¡¯re in charge.¡± ¡°You only say that when you don¡¯t know what to do,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Guilty. But I¡¯ll remind you that you¡¯re the one who insisted you were best suited for a leadership role. Plus, you¡¯re smarter than me. Or less impulsive at the very least, which often amounts to the same thing.¡± He mped his mouth shut, telling Sadie that he hadn¡¯t intended to say all of that either. ¡°Sorry,¡± she repeated. But she couldn¡¯t keep the hint of a smile from turning up the corners of her mouth. If it wasn¡¯t for the dense cloud of sin surrounding the man, she might¡¯ve found his inability to keep his mouth shut slightly endearing. ¡°Not a big deal. Just spilling my deepest, darkest secrets. Don¡¯t mind me,¡± he said. Then, he added, ¡°But I do think I¡¯m right. I mean, obviously. I wouldn¡¯t believe what I believe if I didn¡¯t think it was right. But that¡¯s neither ¨C¡± She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. It felt like touching a maggot-wreathed cadaver. ¡°I agree. And just so you know, Confession doesn¡¯t make you talk. It just nudges you to be honest. You can remain silent if it makes you morefortable.¡± ¡°Did you just politely tell me to shut up?¡± ¡°Maybe? But it was for your ownfort.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a first,¡± he said. After that, the two backed away, careful to stay low to the ground as they retreated to where the others had set up. It wasn¡¯t a camp per se, but it was the best they could do with the situation being what it was. None of them dared sleep, but even zoning out for a couple of minutes could be invaluable. Once Sadie had gotten everyone¡¯s attention, she went over her n. There wasn¡¯t much to it, but that was mostly because of their limited resources and the fact that, if they wanted inside that mountain, they had no choice. After discussing it, everyone submitted a few changes to her n, but in the end, the simplicity of it meant that there were only so many ways it could go. That was how, almost an hourter, Sadie found herself once again staring at the gate. This time, though, she only had Ron and Kurik forpany. Both Dat and Elijah had their own missions. Such was the nature of their Angel cores that Sadie could vaguely sense Dat¡¯s location as he cut across thendscape, dodging from one outcropping of obsidian to the next on his way to the gate. Presumably, Elijah was doing the same, though he was probably much less careful about it. Gradually, Dat made his way into position, and fortunately, the hobgoblins and golems on duty were none the wiser. From experience, she knew that they had some limited ability to see through various forms of stealth, but it had such a short range that Dat was in no danger of being detected. Once he was where he was supposed to be, Sadie started counting down from two hundred. As she did so, she studied the forces arrayed against them. A group of ten hobgoblins was an overwhelming force, but adding two golems to that number was absolutely unnecessary. And then there were whatever fighters were stationed inside the guard towers built into the side of the mountain. There was no telling what that entailed. Still, Sadie had reason to expect sess. Not only had herpanions proven to be up to surmounting whatever obstacles stood in their way, but she felt that her n, while simple, gave them the best chance of sess. Even so, a lot of it hinged on hope. Finally, Sadie reached the end of her countdown and said, ¡°Alright. Everything ready here?¡± Kurik nodded. So did Ron. With that assurance, Sadie stepped out from behind the outcropping of obsidian and charged the guards standing in front of the gate. At first, they didn¡¯t even see her, but when they finally did, Sadie could see the shock in their expressions. And rightly so. What she was doing was absolutely ridiculous. Once she¡¯d drawn within a hundred yards of the hobgoblins, she cocked her arm back and threw the javelin Kurik had made for her. It was just a long, jagged piece of obsidian, but its profile was close enough to a spear that it flew remarkably well. It hit one of the hobgoblins directly in the chest, rocketing it backward until it smashed into the gate. That¡¯s when Sadie came to a stop. ¡°Come on, you ugly mother bitches!¡± she yelled, waving the sword she¡¯d drawn the moment the makeshift javelin was in the air. The hobgoblins nced at one another, obviously confused by her cutting insult. She took some pride in that. Then, they recovered their wits, gathered their weapons, and charged. Sadie turned tail and ran, hoping that Kurik¡¯s traps were up to the task of slowing the hobgoblins down. Book 6: Chapter 29: More than Expected Book 6: Chapter 29: More than Expected The ground rumbled as the enormous magma golems raced away from the gate. Hobgoblins, each one with skin that looked like the bark on a well-cooked brisket, jogged alongside the huge creatures as they responded to Sadie¡¯s oddly put provocation. Clearly, she was unused to hurling insults, which Elijah found simultaneously adorable and hrious. Regardless, he couldn¡¯t afford to focus on her. Instead, he had his own task demanding his attention. So, once he saw that the hobgoblins had vacated the area, he skittered up the side of one of the guard towers nking the gate. As he did, he kept One with Nature trained on everything in range. He knew there were four figures inside the tower ¨C char goblin mages, if he wasn¡¯t mistaken ¨C which meant that he would have his work cut out for him. The creatures were not physically gifted, but the sheer firepower they could bring to bear was as impressive as it was intimidating. It made Elijah wonder if they should find a true Sorcerer to fill out their group. After all, if there was one weakness of the party, it was that theycked the pure damage dealing capability of a dedicated mage. Sure, they weren¡¯t versatile, but what theycked in adaptability, they more than made up for in magical potency. It was definitely something to consider, though that line of thought wouldn¡¯t help much with the current predicament. So, Elijah pushed it aside and focused on his job. Once he reached the gap between the wall and the roof ¨C which was called the embrasure, if he remembered correctly ¨C he slipped through. Because the opening was less than a foot tall, he was forced to tten his body, not unlike a lizard. Thankfully, there were no enchantments to strip him of Guise of the Unseen, so he didn¡¯t raise the rm. More importantly, it gave him a perfect opportunity to position himself for an attack. However, he held back, knowing that the n called for him to wait until Dat struck first. The Witch Hunter was no weakling, and his ss featured quite a few assassin-like characteristics. But he stood a much higher chance of detection by alert enemies. So, Elijah waited for a full ten seconds until, atst, a mor erupted from the guard tower on the other side of the gate. It was almost forty feet away, but when Dat struck, he did so with no small degree of bombast. An explosion of ethera raced out in a shockwave that the four goblin mages that were Elijah¡¯s target couldn¡¯t fail to notice. Immediately, they reacted, gathering ethera to lend their aid to the hobgoblin mages in the other tower. They never even knew Elijah was there. Not until he attacked the first, using his full suite of abilities to inflict as much damage as possible before springing at the next in line. Even as the first fell before the might of Elijah¡¯s potent Envenom, he attacked the second, biting it three times before it could even react. But by the time it attempted to fend him off, he was onto the next. However, that was when the advantage of surprise ran out, and Elijah was treated to a hastily cast Fireball to the face. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d been hit by such a spell, and even if it charred his scales, the effect of Ward of the Seasons ¨C along with his Constitution ¨C protected him from what should have been a lethal effect. It did nothing for the pain, though, and he let out a hiss of agony as he shunted those feelings into a separate facet where he immediately quarantined them. The real issue was that the fireball carried with it significant momentum, and when it exploded in his face, it knocked him off course. So, it took the full weight of his Dexterity attribute to turn that careening fall into a controlled barrel roll. He quickly found his feet, then leaped toward the wall before springing in the opposite direction. Another fireball ¨C from the fourth Mage ¨C hit the spot he¡¯d just vacated, and this one managed to melt ayer of the durable ck stone. Elijah felt more ethera gather, and he immediately changed course. It was just in time, too, because another Fireball mmed into the floor, missing his tail by only an inch. Then, he jerked to the side once again before leaping at the third Mage. His teeth quickly found the creature¡¯s throat, but even as Envenom raced through his fangs, a corona of fire erupted around the hobgoblin, searing its way through him. He tried to jump away, but his muscles spasmed under the effects of so much damage, turning the leap into more of a flop followed by a desperate roll. With the benefit of his Jade Mind, it only took Elijah a moment to recognize what had happened. All Sorcerers had ess to a personal shield. Often, it was their first andst line of defense. However, once one took a ss and gained some levels, they usually had the opportunity to evolve the spell into something more focused. In this case, it seemed that the Mages ¨C which were likely some sort of fire-based magic casting ss ¨C had turned the shield spell into one with a damage reflection characteristic. The only question was whether or not the damage was static or if it was based on the strength of the iing attack that would be reflected. But Elijah wasn¡¯t in a position to test things out ¨C which became obvious when one of the Mages ran toward an opening in the floor, clearly intending to escape. Without time to measure his attacks, Elijah leaped back into action. This time, though, as he darted across the floor, he initiated a transformation into his guardian form. After all, if he couldn¡¯t avoid damage, he would simply have to endure, and nothing was better for that task than the form of themer ape. His body lengthened, and his limbs thickened. After a second, the transformation had reached the halfway point, but Elijah couldn¡¯t dy any longer. The hobgoblin had reached thedder, and it would only be a moment before it disappeared to the level below. Elijah refused to allow that, so even before his transitionpleted, he threw himself into another attack. Latching onto the only thing he could reach, he wrapped his ws around the hobgoblin¡¯s head like he was palming a basketball. Then, he lifted. The creature fought back, tossing another Fireball that hit Elijah¡¯s chest. However, even with his transformation only partiallypleted, he had enough durability to endure the attack. A few scales were scorched, but that wasn¡¯t much more than an annoyance. Then, finally, the transformationpleted, and Elijah let out a roar of anger as he rammed his other hand into the monster¡¯s chest. As expected, the attack elicited a response, and dense mes licked out and mmed into Elijah¡¯s stomach. They scorched through his scales and ripped through his midsection, doing far more extensive damage than a mundane me could have managed. Yet, the Shape of the Guardian was tailor made to endure far more punishment than the hobgoblin Mage could muster, and the agony of the reciprocal attack only pushed Elijah¡¯s rage to new heights. He used that as fuel as he wrapped his hand around theparatively small hobgoblin¡¯s waist. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The creature struggled in his vice-like grip, but it might as well have been fighting against a force of nature for all the good it did. Elijah lifted the creature in one hand, then mmed it down with as much force as he could bring to bear. Bones cracked beneath the blow, and blood spurted from the hobgoblin¡¯s every orifice. But even denser mes erupted from the Mage, wrapping around Elijah and burning him to a crisp. He ignored it, mming the creature into the floor again. And again after that. Another Fireball hit Elijah in the back, reminding him that the final Mage was still alive, but he felt no urgency in dealing with it. After all, with Elijah standing over the exit, it couldn¡¯t escape. So he took the necessary time to finish the creature off, then turned his attention to the final remaining Mage. The hobgoblin threw a barrage off Fireballs in his direction, and when they hit, they did so with predictable damage. Yet, Elijah¡¯s form was durable enough to withstand the assault. His charge was inevitable. Unstoppable. And effective. He crushed the final creature in his ws, then finally shifted his eyes to the other tower. Dat¡¯s fight was still ongoing, so Elijah wasted no more time before initiating another transformation, this time back into his Shape of Venom. Once he¡¯d taken on the form of the blight dragon, he slipped through the window, then leaped free. He hit the ground at a run, then threw himself at the other tower. A secondter, he was skittering up the tower, cloaked in Guise of the Unseen. When he reached the top, he peeked inside to see that Dat had already taken care of two Mages. However, he was struggling with the final pair, who¡¯d taken on a defensive posture. Elijah knew exactly what to do in that situation, and he slid through the window, climbed to the ceiling, then positioned himself above the creature. Once he was satisfied with his approach, he dropped down upon one of the hobgoblins. Predictably, when he bit into the monster, he received quite a bacsh. But it wasn¡¯t nearly as potent as expected. Certainly, the mes licking his scales were powerful, but he¡¯d been banking on the nature of his damage-over-time abilities to protect him from the worst of the reciprocal damage. The idea wasn¡¯tplex. Their shield spell reflected damage back on any attacker, and it scaled based on the power leveraged against them. However, the spell only took immediate damage into ount. So, while he¡¯d been subjected to extremely potent mes when attacking in the form of amer ape, he only had to deal with the reflection of his bite when in the Shape of Venom. And as the name implied, the blight dragon¡¯s true power came from the potency of its venom, which because of its nature, wasn¡¯t part of the calction regarding the reflected damage. So, he didn¡¯t run the risk of burning himself to a crisp when he only had to take the proportional damage of a simple bite. Still, it wasn¡¯t exactly pleasant, given the form¡¯sck of durability. But that was the price he needed to pay to even the odds for Dat. Even as he leaped away, racing up the wall and onto the ceiling, the hobgoblin mage stumbled. That gave the Witch Hunter an opening to dash toward the other remaining Mage. His shortswords shed, cutting into the creature with ruthless precision. Fire licked out, but to Elijah¡¯s surprise, it was blocked by what looked like a ghost. It happened so quickly that he never would have caught it without his recent increases in cultivation. One of the advantages of advancing his Mind was quicker processing speed, and that worked hand-in-hand with reaching the Iron stage of Body cultivation. At times, it felt a lot like the Haste effect associated with his Sash of the Whirlwind, though it was different enough that he could differentiate between the two. Regardless, the ghost faded beneath the onught of mes so quickly that Elijah immediately began questioning his own senses. Whatever the case, Dat wasted no time before finishing the now-unprotected Mage, then turned his attention toward the one Elijah had attacked. He needn¡¯t have worried, because the hobgoblin had already fallen to its side, where it had begun to convulse uncontrobly. A few secondster, Elijah experienced a wave of experience that announced that the creature was dead. The entire assault ¨C from the moment Elijah had entered the first tower until thest Mage was dead ¨C had only taken thirty seconds or so. Even then, he couldn¡¯t help but worry about the others. Ten hobgoblin fighters and a couple of magma golems made for arge enough force to overwhelm Sadie and the others. Even with Kurik¡¯s traps to slow them down. So, Elijah and Dat had no time to waste. With that in mind, they quickly descended from the tower and ran down the road, hoping to hit the others from behind. When the ongoing battle lines came into sight, they both slipped into their versions of stealth before falling upon the enemy¡¯s back with ruthless efficiency. The hobgoblins made for easy targets. They were strong and fast, but without the protection of personal shields like the Mages, they were ill-equipped to deal with the swift and deadly attacks Elijah and Dat could bring to bear. After only a few seconds, Elijah had bitten all ten of them, with the first victim of his attack having already fallen before thebined effects of the Predator Strike-enhanced Envenom and Venom Strike. The others stumbled under the unbuffed version of Envenom, but it would take a while for the potent affliction to tear through their stout Constitutions. Still, it provided enough of a distraction to turn the tide of battle. Soon after, thest hobgoblin fighter fell before Sadie¡¯s de of the Avenger, leaving only the magma golems that had been temporarily neutralized by one of Kurik¡¯s traps. That wouldn¡¯t have been possible if they¡¯d been organic creatures, but one of his abilities worked extremely well against things like golems. He couldn¡¯t kill them alone, but he was more than capable of keeping them immobilized for a few minutes. That, as much as anything else, had made dealing with the magma golems possible. Without the dwarven Sapper¡¯s efforts, things would have gotten very dicey extremely quickly. In any case, once they were isted, Sadie took the lead, keeping the golems¡¯ attention while Ron repaired any damage they inflicted. Without her focus on the Constitution attribute, her personal shield, or Ward of the Seasons, she would have quickly been melted by the streams of molten rock spewed by the golems. Even with all of those advantages, it took Ron¡¯s focused attention to keep her from sumbing to so much damage. But they managed it, giving everyone else the freedom to pelt the creatures with their most potent attacks without fear of reprisal. In that way, Elijah was more than a little grateful that the golems were not thinking creatures. Otherwise, the ensuing battle would have been much less controlled. As it stood, it took about half an hour for the group to whittle the things down. It would have been much easier if Dat could have simply used the previous methods to disable them, but each time he tried, the things erupted into a corona of fire that made that kind of tactic impossible. Curiously, the golems didn¡¯t die like normal creatures. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure how it all worked, but when they took damage, they used the magma within to repair any wounds. However, that came with repercussions ¨C chiefly, that they began to overheat. So, when they finally reached the point of no return, they didn¡¯t just flop over like a normal creature. Instead, they exploded. ¡°It¡¯s about to blow!¡± Elijah shouted. Everyone scattered. Elijah and Dat retreated the way they¡¯d approached, which took them closer to the towers. Meanwhile, Sadie, Ron, and Kurik went in the opposite direction. They only got about thirty yards away before the thing erupted like a miniature volcano. Thankfully, that caused a chain reaction as the other one took significant damage from itspanion¡¯s explosion, and it fell only a few secondster. Finally, the battle was finished. Elijah took a deep breath, his lungs burning from the sheer heat of the atmosphere before he said, ¡°If getting into the challenge is this hard, think about what it¡¯s going to take toe out on top.¡± ¡°Yeah, bro. That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about, too.¡± Book 6: Chapter 30: Emberstone Keep Book 6: Chapter 30: Emberstone Keep Elijah burst through the gate, eliciting an ear-splitting screech as the pivot points were ripped free. The gate itself flew inward, crashing to the ground with a heavy tter that echoed through the corridor beyond. A secondter, the shield associated with Bestial Charge winked out, and Elijah let out a deep but satisfied breath. After resuming his human form, he turned to the others and said, ¡°Told you I could get through it.¡± ¡°Literally no one imed you couldn¡¯t,¡± Sadie pointed out. ¡°We just said that you shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± he asked with a grin. ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°Seriously, Elijah,¡± said Ron. ¡°I thought it was cool,¡± Kurik said. ¡°I did use that word right, didn¡¯t I? Cool used to describe somethin¡¯ good doesn¡¯t sound right.¡± ¡°Your wed judgement aside, you used the term correctly,¡± Sadie said, stepping past Elijah to take her position at the front of their established formation. ¡°Hopefully, we¡¯re not swarmed by hobgoblins that have been alerted to our presence.¡± ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon,¡± Elijah pleaded. ¡°We looked for another way to get them open, but ¨C¡±¡°For less than five minutes,¡± she pointed out. Elijah replied, ¡°I was bored.¡± ¡°You need to learn some patience, bro. I can teach you some meditative techniques if you want,¡± Dat offered. ¡°My daughter was the same way,¡± Ron added. ¡°But once she found her calling as a Tailor, she settled down. Now, her biggest issue is that she tends to hyperfocus. I have a therapist friend who could help ¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem,¡± Elijah muttered. ¡°Can we just go? I feel like everyone¡¯s ganging up on me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say nothin¡¯.¡± ¡°Except Kurik. My only true friend.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°I only barely tolerate you, and that¡¯s mostly ¡®cause you get me levels and might kill everyone in my city if I offend you.¡± ¡°What? I wouldn¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°You literally threatened it nine times when you first came to Ironshore,¡± the dwarf said. Then, he adopted what he probably thought was an approximation of Elijah¡¯s voice, raising his fist as he said, ¡°¡¯Don¡¯t mess with me, or I¡¯ll murder everyone in their sleep. Even the kids.¡¯ That¡¯s basically what you said. Nine times. I counted.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­you know what? I¡¯m done with this conversation. Let¡¯s just go,¡± Elijah said before letting out a long-suffering sigh. Then, under his breath, he said, ¡°So unfair.¡± Sure, he had threatened the people of Ironshore, but that had been entirely justified at the time. After all, they¡¯d just sent a fifty-person force to kill him and take his grove. Then, that Rogue ¨C Elijah had forgotten the goblin¡¯s name ¨C had tried to ambush him in the tower. By all ounts, his actions had beenpletely understandable. ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Sadie said. Then, she gave a slight, barely noticeable smirk of her own before adding, ¡°This time.¡± Elijah rolled his eyes, but as annoyed he was, he was even more grateful that they were moving on. So, in abined attempt to establish the nature of his surroundings and ignore the unfair criticism leveled in his direction, he focused on the corridor. The gate led to a fairly simple hall whose defining characteristic was that it was made entirely of polished ck stone. ¡°Is this onyx?¡± he asked, resting his hand on one of the square pirs carved into the wall. ¡°Or obsidian?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± asked Dat. ¡°Obsidian is volcanic ss,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Onyx is a variety of quartz. And saying that, I realize how unnecessary my question was. Given the environment, it¡¯s obviously obsidian. But it¡¯s usually too brittle to use for building material.¡± ¡°Magic, bro.¡± ¡°Touche.¡± The hall itself was mostly unadorned, save for the squared columns. It gave the design aesthetic a brutalist cast that was entuated by the all-ck d¨¦cor. When Elijah looked up, he gave a slight start upon seeing that the ceiling seemed to have been made of slowly flowingva. Upon further inspection, he saw that it was all contained by ethera. ¡°Definitely magic.¡± Once they¡¯d wrapped their heads around their surroundings, the group set off down the corridor. After only a few steps, Elijah saw a notification sh before his inner eye:
You have reached Emberstone Keep. To conquer the Challenge of Ignis, ovee the invader known as Cinderath. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Reward: Seed of the Ash Lotus
¡°Emberstone Keep. It fits,¡± Sadie said. ¡°And the target is an invader. What do we think that means?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no telling,¡± Ron said. ¡°For all we know, it means that this boss is an invader from a different country. I know we¡¯ve been functioning under the assumption that these people were monolithic, but ¨C¡± ¡°They¡¯re not. The natives, I mean. There¡¯s evidence of three different factions. Obviously, there¡¯s the ta¡¯ki and the ka¡¯ki, and I think they were at odds. Like, the ta¡¯ki were part of a lower caste, probably because they were seen as more bestial in nature. Then there are the wraiths. I¡¯m not sure how they fit into the hierarchy. Maybe they don¡¯t. It¡¯s possible that they are to the ka¡¯ki as apes are to humans. But I think there¡¯s more to it,¡± Elijah exined. Then, he saw the expressions on everyone else¡¯s faces. ¡°What?¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Ron asked. ¡°I pay attention. And I explore. There¡¯s a ton of information out there for anyone who wants to find it,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve found anything that can help us. Except for that guide that mentioned some sort of bane weapon for the Lightning Emperor, but just knowing about it isn¡¯t that helpful, especially when the person who made the thing already died. ¡°My point is that we know there were multiple factions on this world. Probably dozens at the very least,¡± Elijah added. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there weren¡¯t at least as many countries as on Earth. Likely far more, considering that this is muchrger than our. And that¡¯s not even considering historical factions. I mean, I know we¡¯re looking at this as a manufactured and curated set of challenges, and it¡¯s definitely that. But it¡¯s more, too. This is a living, breathing world popted by civilizations with history longer than humanity¡¯s entire existence. Forgetting that seems like a good way to end up dead. Or with inferior gains.¡± That definitely didn¡¯t wipe the expressions of surprise from his friends¡¯ faces, and Sadie seemed particrly shocked. That was somewhat gratifying, but it was extremely annoying as well. While he knew he didn¡¯t always take every situation as seriously as he probably should have, the idea that hispanions were shocked that he knew things was more than a little disheartening. ¡°I see,¡± Sadie said after a moment. ¡°Anything else you¡¯d like to add?¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°No. Not right now. But I can¡¯t be the only person who finds the idea that this world was excised from the World Tree interesting. And relevant. I don¡¯t know what happened here, but I do know that I want Earth to avoid this world¡¯s fate.¡± ¡°That is remarkably well put,¡± Ron said. ¡°It is, but for now, we need to focus on surviving this challenge. I don¡¯t think any of us believes it will be easy,¡± Sadie added. Then, to Elijah, she said, ¡°Just let us know if you find anything that¡¯s relevant to the current situation.¡± ¡°Aye, aye, cap¡¯n,¡± he said with a rakish grin and a crisp salute. At that, Sadie rolled her eyes. After that brief discussion, the group continued on. The hall itself was hundreds of yards long andpletely without off-shoots, so they didn¡¯t linger. When they reached the end of the corridor a few minutester, they found themselves facing another gate. Elijah let everyone search for a way inside, but in the end, he was forced to repeat his actions and break through it. Secretly, he loved that. Or given his obvious eagerness, perhaps not so secretly. Regardless, he broke through the gate, revealing a sizable chamber that looked a lot like a lobby. The room was perhaps fifty yards wide, with a multitude of exits. The architecture was simr to what they¡¯d seen in the hall, though with a few extra flourishes that said it was meant to be functional as well as attractive. The most noticeable of those features was the floor, which was covered in patterned tiles that formed a huge, orange me that seemed to shimmer in the light emanating from the magma that flowed through the ceiling. In the center of that me was a statue, though none of them could see precisely what it was intended to depict, because it had been so thoroughly melted that the details had been entirely lost. ¡°What do you think it was?¡± asked Ron, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. ¡°Looks humanoid,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Maybe the owner of the keep?¡± suggested Dat. ¡°Ain¡¯t no tellin¡¯,¡± Kurik pointed out. ¡°Best to move on.¡± That seemed like a good course of action, but the question remained regarding which way they were intended to go. There were nine exits, and after a cursory inspection, it wasn¡¯t obvious what differentiated between them. As far as they could tell, one direction was as good as any other. So, they picked one at random, then proceeded down the corresponding hall. It looked simr to the one leading into the Emberstone keep, though it was much narrower. After about an hour, the hall opened up into another chamber, though this one had clearly been the site of a battle. The walls looked wet, though when Elijah inspected them more closely, he saw that the obsidian had actually been melted at some point. As a result, the surface bore ripples where the semi-liquid result had flowed down the walls, then hardened as it cooled. But they were all much more concerned with the bodies. There were dozens of them, all grouped into two clumps. When Elijah reached out to touch one, it crumbled in on itself, starting a chain reaction that filled the air with ash. He coughed, covering his mouth, and when he regained hisposure, he said, ¡°They were ta¡¯ki.¡± ¡°Some ka¡¯ki over here,¡± Dat said from the other group. He hadn¡¯t touched them, but the movement of his passage had elicited a simr reaction. They crumbled as well, and after a few seconds, nothing remained but piles of grey ash. ¡°What could do something like that?¡± asked Ron. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elijah admitted, but one thing he knew was that it definitely didn¡¯t bode well. Suddenly, their flippant attitudes from before felt entirely out of ce. ¡°This is as much a tomb as thest challenge.¡± That statement proved to be true when they moved on, finding more natives who¡¯d been turned to ash along the way. Elijah lost count of the number of people who¡¯d died, but it had progressed into the hundreds. So, he was more than relieved when they reached the end of the path. Instead of being confronted with another gate, they found a pair of double doors that were more than thirty feet tall and made of dense stone engraved with more depictions of the same me design that had decorated the lobby¡¯s floor. When Elijah tried the door, it swung open effortlessly. ¡°That¡¯s troubling,¡± he muttered to himself as a st of intense heat billowed out from the opening. That wasn¡¯t unsurprising. The entire area was hot enough that it would have killed a normal person from Earth within minutes. But with Ward of the Seasons, he didn¡¯t have to worry about heat exhaustion or, as the intensity of that wave of heat suggested was possible,bustion. Still, it wasn¡¯tfortable. In any case, the heat was only a secondary concern, because Elijah¡¯s full attention was upied by two things. First, the doors opened into an enormous cavern ¨C it was miles wide, and he suspected many times deeper than that ¨C crisscrossed with glittering ck bridges. At various intersections, webworks of crystalttice enclosedrge, castle-sized tforms. By anyone¡¯s measure, it was a beautiful ¨C if imposing ¨C sight. However, in terms of garnering Elijah¡¯s attention, it fell far short of the area¡¯s other feature. ¡°Are those giants?¡± asked Dat in a whisper. ¡°I think so,¡± Elijah answered. Book 6: Chapter 31: Fire Giants Book 6: Chapter 31: Fire Giants Despite being more than a mile from the nearest giant, Elijah found himself instinctively crouching in ce as he tried to make himself smaller and less noticeable. He would have been embarrassed, but the fact was that the creatures down below warranted such an act. Each one was more than thirty-five feet tall and at least half as wide, with ckened skin simr to what Elijah had seen with the char goblins. Just like the goblins, the giants had mostly humanoid features ¨C meaning that they had all the right parts ¨C but they were all out of proportion. Bulbous noses, broad and prominent brows, and heads that looked a bit toorge for even their gargantuan bodies gave the creatures a brutish appearance that reminded Elijah of renderings of cavemen he¡¯d seen during college. At first, Elijah thought the creatures were on fire, but upon looking closer with Eyes of the Eagle, he realized that the mes he saw were what constituted the creatures¡¯ hair and beards. It gave them a wholly alien appearance thatpletely nullified any simrities to humanity he might¡¯ve otherwisetched onto. They clearly were not native to Ka¡¯arath. Throughout the huge cavern, Elijah saw groups of the monsters congregated around thetticed intersections of the onyx bridges. Miles below, a sea ofva roiled as something swam within. ¡°Can you use Hex of Scrying on them?¡± Elijah whispered. The creatures were so far away that there was no chance they could hear him, but he wasn¡¯t willing to take any chances. He was not easily frightened, but the sheer size of the giants certainly put him on edge. ¡°Too far,¡± Dat said. ¡°But I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about them.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Elijah said. In a way, the giants reminded him of the skeletons they¡¯d fought in the previous challenge. Not in a cosmetic sense. They werepletely different in every way but size. Rather, it was the feeling he got when he looked at them, that they were alien creatures who¡¯d invaded somewhere they didn¡¯t belong. They weren¡¯t natural denizens of this world ¨C of that, Elijah was absolutely certain ¨C but instinctively, he knew that something like Nature¡¯s Rebuke wouldn¡¯t prove effective against them. They were simultaneously natural and natural, which left Elijah feeling both confused and frustrated at his own ignorance. As Elijah watched the giants, he caught a flicker of movement in the distance. Instantly, he focused on that location, but at first, he saw nothing. Then, he noticed a swirl of ashes before a winged creature came into view. It looked a bit like a pterodactyl, though with a blunter face and wings glowing with fire. Upon its back was a char goblin. ¡°That bad feeling just got a lot worse,¡± Elijah said, backing away. Thankfully, he hadn¡¯t been seen, but he knew that wouldn¡¯tst if they remained at their current location. So, without further hesitation, the group returned to the hall and shut the heavy stone door behind them. For a while, no one said anything, but a couple of minutes after they were out of sight, Elijah shattered the silence. ¡°This is going to be really difficult. No flight. Those giants are probably at least as strong as the skeletons in thest challenge, and we¡¯ll bepletely exposed on those bridges. Any ideas on how to go about this?¡± Now that the silence had been broken, everyone tried to speak at once. But after only a second or two of them trying to speak over one another, they ceded the floor to Sadie. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t see that there¡¯s much choice here. We¡¯re probably going to have to go straight in. We¡¯ll clear the giants out, then try to focus on those flying creatures. After that¡­we need to find Cinderrath and beat it.¡±¡°Can we even kill those giants? They look like they¡¯re made of volcanic rock,¡± Ron pointed out. ¡°I think they¡¯re like the char goblins,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But before we charge in, it¡¯s probably best if Dat and I scout things out. The more information we have, the better. For all we know, we won¡¯t even need to face the giants. There might be another way to the boss.¡± While it wasn¡¯t aplex n, it was a pattern they¡¯d developed over the course of four other challenges and months spent traveling from one corner of the continent to the other. So, once everyone agreed that it represented the best course of action, Elijah and Dat set off on their task. After he¡¯d transformed into the Shape of Venom and adopted Guise of the Unseen, Elijah went back to the door and stepped onto the onyx bridge. It was warm beneath his feet, but it wasn¡¯t ufortable. Still, Elijah couldn¡¯t deny the ominous feeling that swept over him the moment he stepped foot onto the bridge. It was with that anxiety settling over his Mind that he proceeded forward. Dat followed, using his less powerful stealth ability to remain unseen. On a whim, Elijah slipped over the borate handrail, then climbed onto the bottom of the bridge. Only then did he feel the unease dissipate. That was when he realized what the problem was. Throwing caution to the wind, Elijah shouted, ¡°Dat! Something¡¯s watching ¨C¡± That¡¯s when it struck. A te-gray entity of vaguely humanoid shape burst into being directly in front of Dat. It reached out to grab him, but the Witch Hunter¡¯s reflexes were well-honed. He leaped backward in a back handspring that belied his size, narrowly avoiding the thing¡¯s outstretched hand. Dat came up firing his crossbow, and soon enough, blue-wreathed bolts filled the air. They hit the creature, and for a moment, the thing burst into localized puffs of ash, revealing a ck silhouette that looked like the ashen shadow of slenderman. It let out a hoarse and crackling screech as it lumbered forward. Elijah knew better than to let the opening go to waste. He skittered atop the bridge, then leaped into battle. After using his full suite of abilities, hended on the creature¡¯s back and sank his fangs into its shoulders. The taste of ash ¨C powerful and acrid ¨C filled his mouth as venom flooded into the monster. Elijah wasted no time before biting again. And again after that. With his high attributes and advanced Body cultivation, he could strike with incredible quickness, and he leveraged that ability to great effect as he filled the monster with potent toxins. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A loud clicking filled the air. Once. Twice. And then, on the third time, it burst into mes. Elijah leaped free, but not before he felt the sting of serious burns. He ignored the pain, taking on his caster form. The transformationpleted as he slid to a stop. Then, he leveled his staff at the monster and let loose with Storm¡¯s Fury. Lightningnced from the tip of the staff, mming into the creature and sending it stumbling forward. As it did, Elijah could see bits of its shadowy form king off with every passing second. Was that the effect of Envenom? It affected different creatures in different ways, so he suspected that was the case. However, it also reminded him of the uneasiness he¡¯d felt when looking at the giants. They didn¡¯t belong. They were unnatural. Perhaps this creature was the same. So, he cast Nature¡¯s Rebuke, and when the spell¡¯s effect took hold, it let out another hoarse screech before turning its attention on Elijah. It only got one staggering step before another volley of crossbow bolts mmed into it. Elijah cast Storm¡¯s Fury again, and the monster burst into a cloud of ash. But it didn¡¯t die, as evidenced by the fact that he¡¯d received no experience. That supposition was further confirmed when that cloud of ash swept toward him and coalesced into the same shape as before. Elijah wasn¡¯t going to stick around to feel its wrath, so as he cast Nature¡¯s Rebuke once again, he vaulted over the railing and initiated a transformation into the Shape of Venom. Itpleted a secondter, and he skittered across the underside of the bridge. The monster couldn¡¯t follow. Elijah could barely feel it via One with Nature, and he used that awareness to confirm that it had once again turned on Dat. However, when it moved toward him, it did so with an uneven gait that suggested that it was barely holding on. In the interest of finishing it off, Elijah ran along the underside of the bridge, embracing Guise of the Unseen the moment he leftbat. Then, he repeated the battle¡¯s first actions, using Envenom and Predator Strike to inflict his potent toxin upon the creature. With every step it took after that, the thing fell apart. First, the ash only ked off, but soon enough, one of its legs crumbled. It tumbled forward, and when it hit the ground, it burst into a cloud of ash. However, unlike thest time, this one was apanied by a surge of experience that announced the creature¡¯s death. Elijah took a deep breath, then resumed his human form. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked Dat. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What? Are you hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. That¡­thing wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. It¡¯s called an ash assassin, and it¡¯s a native to Ignis,¡± Dat exined. ¡°Creatures like that can¡¯t just cross over to our ne. They function on an entirely different set of rules. We can¡¯t go there, either. Not without significant preparation and a lot of levels.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s here,¡± Elijah said. He nced back at the giants. Thankfully, they hadn¡¯t responded to the ruckus, probably because they were so far away. So at least the rm hadn¡¯t been raised. ¡°And I¡¯m going to guess that those giants are simr to the ash assassin.¡± He gestured toward the ceiling a half-dozen miles up above. ¡°Those things flying up there, too.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it has to,¡± Elijah said. Perhaps it was explicable because the world had been excised and used for the Trial. Clearly, the system had done some heavy lifting to create the challenges. So, maybe it had simply imported some denizens of Ignis to give it a little more authenticity. ¡°Besides, those skeletons from thest challenge were from the Underrealm. They didn¡¯t belong here either.¡± ¡°This feels different,¡± Dat said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but it just does.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t disagree, but it doesn¡¯t really matter,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°Right this second, we need to figure out a new n, because that thing could see through our stealth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Sorry. I kind of let it get to me. Do you know what those things can do?¡± Dat asked. Elijah shook his head. ¡°Those people we saw in thepound above,¡± the Witch Hunter said with a shiver. ¡°That¡¯s what an ash assassin can do. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯d be effective against us, but¡­¡± He let the thought hang in the air. The idea of a creature being capable of turning people to ash was horrifying, especially considering that Elijah had seen the aftermath with his own two eyes. Of course, with his cultivation and attributes, he hoped he could withstand such an attack, but there were no guarantees. One little touch, and his path could be cut short. ¡°I think they¡¯re shackled just like the natives of this world,¡± he said. ¡°You know, levels reduced by the system. Maybe that will keep them in check.¡± Dat said, ¡°I hope so.¡± It was a slim hope, and they both knew it. Despite the effects of the shackles, the creatures popting the challenges were incredibly powerful. Elijah and the others had barely managed to survive so far, and they weren¡¯t foolish enough to believe their journey would be any easier. With that, the pair returned the way they¡¯de. However, once Dat was safe, Elijah convinced everyone that he could manage to remain undetected while continuing their mission to scout the situation. His n was simple ¨C all he had to do was stay on the underside of the bridges, and he¡¯d be fine. So, that was what he did, using the Shape of Venom¡¯s ability to stick to any surface to his advantage. It went precisely as expected, and he avoided detection all the way to the first intersection. When he peeked his head above the railing, he was first struck by the fact that the giants seemed evenrger than they had from afar. Even the smallest was more than thirty feet tall, and the others were even bigger. They sat around a device that looked curiously like a hookah, which meant that it was a cylindrical piece from which snaked a half-dozen tubes, each one held by a giant. ¡°Too cold,¡± one growled. ¡°Need home.¡± ¡°No go home. Too dangerous.¡± The smallest said, ¡°We fight. We win. We go home.¡± ¡°Stupid runt. You first die.¡± On and on they went until, once he¡¯d gotten an idea of what was going on, Elijah retreated. It seemed that the giants weren¡¯t there by choice. But was there a way he could use that to his advantage? Fighting them in a straight battle was a mistake. He was certain of that. But he wasn¡¯t sure what other choice there was. Returning to the group, Elijahid things out, but no one had any bright ideas for how to attack the situation. Finally, Elijah decided to give voice to what he¡¯d been thinking from the very beginning. ¡°Guys, I think I have an idea, but I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯ll all call me an idiot for even suggesting it.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t judge you, bro.¡± Elijah took a deep breath, then told them what he was thinking. ¡°You¡¯re suicidal,¡± Sadie said. Book 6: Chapter 32: Diplomacy Book 6: Chapter 32: Diplomacy Elijah was not entirely convinced that hispanions were wrong. Indeed, every ounce of reason within him screamed that he should turn around and flee towards hispanions. Certainly, they¡¯d yet to find an alternative route to conquering the challenge, but they¡¯d not explored the entire chamber. They hadn¡¯t even searched the whole fortress above. So, it stood to reason that they¡¯d probably missed something important. Yet, deep in the core of who he was, Elijah felt that he was on the right track. It defied reason. It didn¡¯t bend the knee to logic. And still, he was sure that his actions were the optimal way to attack the challenge. So, hanging from the bottom of the bridge nearest the first intersection, Elijah took a deep breath to steady his nerves. Then, he skittered to the edge, climbed the railing, then slithered into position. Far behind him, he could practically feel hispanions¡¯ eyes boring into him. Obviously, they couldn¡¯t see through Guise of the Unseen, but they knew precisely where he was going. And they were understandably worried for his safety. From their perspective, his n did indeed seem suicidal. He knew that. But they couldn¡¯t feel the things he felt. Even if they could, they wouldn¡¯t know how to interpret them. In truth, Elijah didn¡¯t understand any of it either. But he¡¯d learned to trust his instincts, and those told him that he was on the right track. So, after taking another deep breath, he resumed his human form. Surprisingly, the giants ¨C each one clutching a silvery tube connected to the device in the center of the tform ¨C didn¡¯t even notice him. He stepped forward, his bare soles feeling the heat of the bridge beneath his feet. It wasn¡¯t until he was only twenty feet away from the enormous creatures that one of them looked up and saw him. At first, he just blinked, the fires of his beard and hair dancing in a nonexistent wind. Then, as if the realization had mmed into him like a runaway truck, his eyes widened. ¡°Intruder!¡± he bellowed, his voice gravelly and hoarse. Elijah raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Ie in peace!¡± he said with no small degree of urgency. After all, it was difficult to stare up at six thirty-plus-foot-tall giants and not feel at least a twinge of fear. Or more than a twinge, if he was honest with himself. The things moved far more quickly than Elijah would have guessed possible, and thergest among them was on top of him in just a second. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t just squash Elijah as a matter of course. Instead, he stared down at him with ck eyes, then growled, ¡°Peace? We know no peace. We are the eldpursar. We only know war.¡±¡°Wars sometimes necessitate alliances,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That is what I propose.¡± ¡°Alliances require that you have something we need, puny one.¡± Elijah decided to employ his first gamble. He¡¯d expected that giants wouldn¡¯t necessarily respect a human, so he¡¯d decided to use something else. With that in mind, he reached deep down into his spirit and grabbed hold of the dragon. He¡¯d be more familiar with it ofte, so he had no issues with embracing that side of himself and pushing it to the forefront. ¡°I am no human, giant. Do you not recognize a dragon when one ventures into your midst?¡± To entuate his point, Elijah initiated a transformation into his most dragon-like form. He knew Shape of the Sky was a poor substitute for the real thing, but he hoped that the giant wouldn¡¯t know the difference. Perhaps he would simply assume that he was a young dragon like Saraalinisa. In any case, the giant took a step back when Elijahpleted his transformation. To drive home the point, he spread his wings wide and said, ¡°I require your assistance. And you need me as well. We can work together to get what we both want.¡± ¡°And what is that¡­dragon?¡± ¡°You want to go home,¡± Elijah stated. Then, he nodded toward the device emitting the smoke they¡¯d all been imbibing. The other giants had remained behind, but they were all on their feet, ready to fight if the situation called for them to do so. ¡°That helps you stay here, right? But it doesn¡¯tpletely do the trick, does it? How did you get here? And why do you stay where you so clearly don¡¯t belong?¡± The giant sighed. ¡°We were summoned,¡± he rumbled. ¡°And we are kept here by foul magics. The portal is barred, and Ignis is out of reach.¡± ¡°How is it barred? And where is this portal?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°At the bottom of this cavern,¡± the giant answered, gesturing toward a particrlyrge tform just above the pit ofva far below. ¡°Guarded by Cinderath, who has been enved by a foul master of ill intent and even shoddier control of the me.¡± ¡°And if I somehow unbar the portal, would you assist me in killing this foul master?¡± Elijah asked, assuming that he would be dealing with yet another of the natives. Like the necromancer, this one would have delved too deeply into their chosen magic. Doubtless, they would be an incredibly difficult opponent, but against a bunch of giants? There was little chance that creature could endure. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°You must free us.¡± ¡°How?¡± Elijah asked. That¡¯s when the giant exined that the keep itself formed aplex enchantment that entuated the master¡¯s powers and allowed them to maintain control of the portal as well as the denizens of Ignis they had summoned. ¡°Each point you destroy will weaken his control,¡± the giant said. ¡°Three will allow us to resist our mandate. Five will give us the freedom to assist in the battle against Cinderath. And seven will free us entirely.¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t so sure he liked the look in the giant¡¯s eyes. Or the way he seemed to be straining with every passing second. It was as if he was barely able to keep himself fromshing out. ¡°Your mandate? What is it?¡± ¡°Destroy all intruders and protect the master,¡± the giant stated. ¡°I am the strongest among us, and as such, I can resist for a time. The others have not the willpower to do so. I caution you, dragon ¨C do not return unless you have destroyed at least three of the nodes. Otherwise, we will be forced to fight. Now you must leave, lest I lose the battle with the mandate enving me to the master¡¯s will.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t need to be told twice. So, he immediately turned and, after returning to his human form, sprinted away. Fortunately, there were no ash assassins between him and the door, so after a mile of running along the onyx bridge, he reached the safety of the keep. Only when he ducked out of sight did he let himself rx. He hadn¡¯t realized it until he had a little room to breathe, but he could tell beyond the shadow of a doubt that the giant was much, much stronger than him. That surety was the result of years of experiencebined with a subtle sense gained from One with Nature, and it was an instinct he¡¯d learned to trust. While it didn¡¯t give him exact levels like a guard¡¯s inspection skill, it did give him a notion of a person¡¯s general power. With that in mind, the possibility of fighting the giants disappeared. Besides, if he managed to free them, it wouldn¡¯t be necessary. However, he did take issue with the leaders¡¯ wording regarding the destruction of seven nodes. He had imed that it would free the giants entirely. Elijah wasn¡¯t a suspicious person by nature, but even he could see how that could backfire. If a bunch of fire giants got loose to rampage across the continent, it would makepleting the Trial almost impossible. Once he reached the others, he recounted his meeting with the giant, then informed the group of his concerns. Thankfully, they picked up on the same issue. Sadie said, ¡°We should only destroy five nodes. Those giants are too dangerous to let loose.¡± Dat pointed out, ¡°But they just want to go home, right? They can¡¯t survive here.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s the role of whatever they were smoking,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It keeps the environment from killing them, so they could probably just pick up those canisters and use them like air tanks. Meanwhile, they would tear through the ¨C¡± ¡°We get the picture, Elijah,¡± said Ron. Kurik asked, ¡°You sure we can¡¯t kill ¡®em? It¡¯s bad luck to anger a creature from Ignis, but if you think they¡¯re that dangerous, it might be best to just put ¡®em down.¡± Elijah shook his head and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand how strong these things are.¡± ¡°Neither do you,¡± Sadie argued. ¡°I know they¡¯re at least as strong as those skeletons, and they¡¯re intelligent. Some more than others,¡± he amended, thinking of the conversation he¡¯d overheard when he¡¯d first spied on them. Those giants hadn¡¯t been much smarter than ogres, but the leader was as eloquent as a human being. ¡°And they¡¯re not wearing convenient weak spots, either. If we fight them, we die. At best, we¡¯re forced to run away. I don¡¯t see any scenario where we win.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Then we go back upstairs and start searching for these nodes.¡± ¡°You know they ain¡¯t gonna be unguarded, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, bro. Probably more of those ashassins.¡± ¡°Please tell me you didn¡¯t just put those two words together,¡± Sadie groaned, massaging the bridge of her nose. ¡°I think it fits. Ashassins. I mean, if you try to say ash assassins too quickly, it gets kind of ¨C¡± Sadie interrupted, ¡°Please just stop.¡± ¡°You take all the joy out of the world, bro.¡± ¡°I thought it was very clever,¡± Ron said in a voice that sounded like the sort he¡¯d probably used to praise his daughter¡¯s kindergarten art projects. ¡°Moving on,¡± Sadie said. ¡°So, those ash assassins are ¨C¡± ¡°Ashassins,¡± Elijah interrupted with a grin. When Sadie red at him, he said, ¡°C¡¯mon. Get on board the ashassins train. It¡¯s a great ride.¡± She just shook her head. ¡°Those ash assassins are dangerous,¡± she persisted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they¡¯ll do against us, but I don¡¯t really want to find out.¡± ¡°If they touch us, they¡¯ll turn us to ash, bro.¡± ¡°I touched one when I bit it,¡± Elijah pointed out, magnanimously leaving the ashassins debate aside. ¡°You can touch them. They can¡¯t touch you,¡± Dat said. ¡°The voices were clear on that. It¡¯s a skill, so it¡¯ll activate almost immediately. Maybe Sadie and Elijah can endure it so long as they¡¯re both getting heals, but none of the rest of us can. They also have ranged abilities. I¡¯m not sure what form they take ¨C except for what we saw before ¨C but they¡¯re dangerous even from a distance.¡± ¡°Plus we can¡¯t really see them,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°Even with my senses, the most I got was a vague feeling that I was being watched. I¡¯ll have to explore that further to really dial it in.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t forget that they can see through stealth,¡± Dat stated. ¡°Probably not Ghost Cloak, but I wouldn¡¯t rule it out.¡± ¡°So, what do we do here?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°If we just blunder ahead, they¡¯re going to kill us.¡± ¡°I think I have some ideas about that,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°But it¡¯ll be dangerous. Mostly for me, but well¡­¡± ¡°So one of your normal ns,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I mean¡­¡± ¡°You do have a habit of throwing yourself into danger,¡± Ron pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s enough to keep me up at night, wondering if you¡¯ll end up picking a fight you can¡¯t win. My heals aren¡¯t Miracles.¡± It was at that point that Elijah realized that the events of thest challenge hadn¡¯t only affected him. In fact, they¡¯d probably hit Ron just as hard, especially because his healing abilities had been entirely incapable of fixing what had been done to Elijah. ¡°I don¡¯t see another way,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°I know it sucks, but unless someone has a different n ¨C in which case, I¡¯m all ears ¨C this is how we need to attack this problem¡­¡± Book 6: Chapter 33: Decisions Book 6: Chapter 33: Decisions Despite the certainty he¡¯d disyed with hispanions, Elijah was anything but confident that his n would work. For one, it required him to act in an uncharacteristic manner. Most of the time, he preferred to scout things out and choose the time and location of any battle. However, because of the enemy¡¯s nature, that just wasn¡¯t possible in his current situation. So, instead of approaching in the Shape of Venom, protected from detection beneath Guise of the Unseen, he strode down the hall as if he didn¡¯t have a care in the world. He even whistled a jaunty tune, settling on Manic Monday by the Bangles. It reminded him of his sister in all the best ways. A few dozen feet behind him, the others followed, each one more than ready to leap into battle and assist him. Not that they would get there in time. He¡¯d seen the ashassins move, and he knew precisely how quickly they could cover ground. No ¨C if he screwed things up, he would need to confront his foe alone, at least for a few moments. And that would almost assuredly spell his doom. ¡°Better not screw up, then,¡± he muttered to himself. They¡¯d scoured the keep for hours before finding what they thought was the location of the first node. It was behind a heavy door inscribed with all sorts of runes, so there was no way to be sure, but Elijah and Dat felt that it was the likeliest location. Either that, or it was a treasure vault, in which case, they intended to rob the ce blind. Elijah wasn¡¯t a particrly materialistic person, but he had expenses. And he didn¡¯t think building a hot tub in his grove woulde cheap. As a result, he was more than willing to engage in a fair bit of pige. Besides, the original owners were all dead and turned to ash, so they probably wouldn¡¯t mind. Whatever the case, Elijah approached the door with no small degree of caution. If an ashassin really was on the other side, it would see him the second he opened the door. He almost wished he hadn¡¯t been the one to volunteer to confront the thing. Surely Sadie would take his ce if he asked. She was the sort to engage in noble sacrifice, right? She¡¯d probably thank him for the opportunity.But no ¨C Elijah wasmitted. And if he was even slightly honest with himself, he would have to admit that there was absolutely no chance he would have foisted the responsibility on anyone else. Perhaps he and Sadie had more inmon than he¡¯d first thought. Regardless, because Dat and Kurik had already spent half an hour fouling the enchanted lock holding the door closed, Elijah had no excuses for hesitation. So, without further dy, he nced back at the others to ensure that they were ready, and once he was certain that they were, he reached out, pulled the great door¡¯s handle, then yanked it open. The second the door moved, Elijah felt that creeping sensation of being watched. But he didn¡¯t dare give the ashassin an opportunity to get moving. Instead, he engaged the first spell on his list ¨C Cmity. The interior of the room ¨C which was about a hundred feet wide and decorated with a circle of carved pirs ¨C erupted into a furious windstorm. Lightning forked down from the ceiling, and the earth rumbled. Wind des sliced through the atmosphere, turning the room into a massive grinder. Predictably, the ashassin was caught in the center of that vortex of destruction. And as Elijah had expected, the damage inflicted by Cmity fouled its stealth. It appeared in the center of the room, being whipped to and fro by the sharp gusts of wind that rippedyers of ash from its elongated body. The moment it was visible, Elijah cast Snaring Roots. The spell took hold, and a thousand orange-glowing vines erupted from the floor. They snaked around the creature¡¯s feet, climbing its legs, and encircling its waist. It tried to free itself, but the ashassin was a creature of Dexterity and magic. It simply didn¡¯t have the strength to break the vines. That¡¯s when the others arrived. Sadie shouldered past, then aimed an instance of de of the Avenger at the creature. The enormous sword exploded from beneath the ashassin, sheering one of its legs off. The limb burst into a cloud of ash, but before the substance could reform, the grey particles were swept away by the furious maelstrom. That¡¯s when Elijah cast Swarm, then Nature¡¯s Rebuke. Thetter wasn¡¯t that effective ¨C the creature didn¡¯t qualify as an unnatural entity ¨C but still, it added to the damage piled upon the thing. As Elijah cast his spells, Dat and Kurikid into the ashassin with their ranged attacks. Particrly effective were the Witch Hunter¡¯s crossbow bolts, each of which glowed with blue power that interrupted any ability to cast spells or use abilities. However, Kurik¡¯s own arrows, which exploded with green power upon impact, were more than useful as well. Of course, the ashassin wasn¡¯t going to take the onught lying down. It struggled against the vines until it realized it couldn¡¯t escape. Then, it employed its ranged abilities, sending ance of ck ash directly at Sadie. It never reached her, as it was stymied by her personal shield. The ability crashed against the bubble of white light, then exploded into a cloud of ash that was subsequently swept away by Elijah¡¯s still-ongoing Cmity. He added multiple instances of Storm¡¯s Fury, pushing himself to cast the spell as quickly as possible. The recent improvements to his Soul let him push more ethera through his channels than ever before, but he was still limited by the spell¡¯s innate cast time as well as hisgging cultivation. Even as he continued to cast one spell after another, Elijah knew that he would need to work on that sooner rather thanter, lest he fall behind. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. His ss was strong. His archetype was rare. But at the end of the day, his attributes wereckingpared to some others. His solution to that issue was cultivation, and so far, it had worked well enough. As far as he could tell, in that facet of his development, he was ahead of just about anyone else on Earth. Even the non-natives were incapable of keeping up with him ¨C at least based on what he knew. So, following that, it was necessary that he y to his strengths. But that wasn¡¯t a problem that could be solved in a day. In more than five years since the world¡¯s transformation, he¡¯d only made a handful of advances in cultivation. And while that pace of improvement set him apart from many others, it was still slow. Going forward, it would only get more difficult. ording to some of the guides he¡¯d read ¨C and stories he¡¯d heard from non-natives ¨C the higher stages of cultivation often took millennia to conquer. If he wanted to maintain his advantage, he couldn¡¯t let up. But he also needed to be patient. In any case, in the middle of a battle against a monster that could easily turn them all to ash probably wasn¡¯t the best time to think about such things. Even when it seemed entirely confined by Elijah¡¯s roots, the creature was incredibly dangerous. So, he pushed himself to continue casting, adding two more instances of Swarm and Cmity ¨C with dozens of casts of Storm¡¯s Fury in between ¨C before, atst, Dat finished it with a glowing white crossbow bolt to its chest. The thing burst into white mes, and when they winked out a secondter, nothing of the monster remained. ¡°Did you just burn ash?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°Called Purifying Shot. Kind of like an execute, you know? It gets close to death, and I can finish something like that thing off,¡± Dat said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t work against people, though. Or beasts. Just monsters and creatures from other nes. Like that ashassin.¡± ¡°Undead, too?¡± ¡°Yeah, bro. That¡¯s why I took it as an evolution.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± After that, Elijah and Sadie approached the center of the room where a dais rested. Upon that tform flickered a red me. ¡°How do we put it ¨C¡± Elijah had already summoned Healing Rain. Initially, the drops of precipitation only sizzled in the fire, but after a few seconds, the deluge managed to douse it. That act elicted a slight rumble, but otherwise, there was no sign that the enchantment had been affected. ¡°I guess that works,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Straightforward seemed the best solution,¡± Elijah pointed out. Now that they had proven the viability of their n, Elijah and hispanions set off to find the other nodes. In the end, it wasn¡¯t a difficult task. The keep, while expansive, wasn¡¯t a collection of maze-like halls. Instead, it followed a logical pattern that they had no issues following. Still, it was by far thergest building Elijah had ever seen, and he suspected that it upied the entire mountain. So, while not terribly difficult, finding the nodes took quite some time. The second ashassin went down just as easily as the first, but the third location yed host to two of the creatures. Still, after the initial surprise of facing a pair of opponents wore off, the fight went much the same as the previous battles. The fourth, though, was much more difficult. Dat imed it was because the lone ashassin guarding that node was of a much higher level, which tracked with what Elijah felt. It wasn¡¯t confined by Elijah¡¯s Snaring Roots, which meant that their questions about whether they could survive its touch were soon answered. Fortunately, it went for Sadie. Anyone else would have died. Even Elijah would have sumbed, but due to the Crusader¡¯s high Constitution, she managed to withstand the creature¡¯s touch long enough for Ron and Elijah to hit her with a barrage of healing energy. Still, she almost lost that battle as her hand turned a sickly gray and bits began to ke away. For a long few moments, the two forces ¨C ash and vital energy ¨C warred to a standstill, but then, Elijah¡¯s Nature¡¯s Bloom spell bloomed, tipping the bnce against the ash. It faded soon after. To her credit, Sadie had barely even acknowledged that she was on the verge of, at the very least, losing her arm. Instead, she fought on, which was why the ashassin fell only a few minutester. Still, it was a close call, and if any of them had needed a reminder of the stakes, that close brush with death definitely served that particr purpose. After that, the fifth node, which ended up being a battle against four of the monsters, didn¡¯t seem so difficult. Certainly, it was dicey, and there were a couple of close calls, but the near-death experience had left them all uniquely focused, which was all that was necessary to ovee the obstacle. However, it also marked the point where they needed to make a decision. In the back of his mind, Elijah had hoped that the choice would be taken out of his hands. It was possible that the ashassins would prove so powerful that defeating more than was absolutely necessary would be out of the question. Yet, that was not the case. The group was more than capable of keeping going until all seven nodes were broken. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea, bro.¡± Elijah was of two minds. Implied in his deal with the giants was that he would free them if he could. But that ignored the danger of doing so, and he found himself agreeing with Dat¡¯s assessment. It wasn¡¯t a good idea. ¡°If we don¡¯t do this, I think it¡¯lle back and bite uster,¡± Elijah said. Then, he spoke over Sadie¡¯s objection, adding, ¡°Not in this challenge. Probably not in the Trial. But I¡¯ve begun to think about things a little differently than before. Earth is isted right now, but how long is that going tost? Eventually, we¡¯re going to find ourselves dealing with others. And maybe, other nes like Ignis. We need to be conscious of the reputation we cultivate with the rest of the multiverse. To that end, I say we destroy the other two nodes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with Elijah,¡± Kurik said. ¡°It makes sense to me,¡± Ron agreed. Sadie shook her head. ¡°This is too dangerous.¡± ¡°I already said what I think.¡± ¡°Three against two,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Assuming we¡¯re approaching this democratically. But here¡¯s the thing ¨C I don¡¯t want to do it like this. So, if you two really don¡¯t want to do this, we won¡¯t. I just think you should rethink your stances.¡± Sadie frowned. For a moment, Elijah thought she was going to scream at him. Then, suddenly, her face lost its expression and she muttered, ¡°Why did you have to be reasonable about it? Fine. We destroy the other nodes.¡± Dat, of course, followed her lead. And just like that, they were set on finishing the job. Elijah knew he should have been satisfied with that, but he was more confused than anything. Still, he managed to corral his focus so that they couldplete the task they¡¯d been given. The final two nodes proved to be the most difficult so far, with both guarded by a pair of the stronger ashassins. But in the end, Elijah and hispanions prevailed. When they finally doused thest me, the earth gave a slight shake. But otherwise, nothing happened. Until they reached the cavern containing the crisscrossing bridges. That was when they saw that a war had broken out between the giants. Book 6: Chapter 34: Staying Focused Book 6: Chapter 34: Staying Focused Every bridge in the cavern shook as if under the influence of an earthquake as hundreds of enormous giants waged war against one another. Magma flew in every direction as the sound of uncountable heavy blows mingled with inarticte screams of agony and anger. Beasts with wings of fire ¨C Dat called them magma-forged gargoyles ¨C popted the sky, spitting huge balls of destructive fire onto thebatants while their char goblin riders threw spears of obsidian at their enemies. And from the rtive safety of the door leading to the keep, Elijah and hispanions could only watch in horror. ¡°What do we do?¡± Ron breathed, his voice barely audible over the cacophonying from below. Just then, Elijah heard the lead giant ¨C he¡¯d never even gotten the creature¡¯s name ¨C let out a massive bellow. Then, the nearly forty-foot-tall figure ripped the arms from another fire giant before battering another group into submission with the detached, rock-like limbs. It was a striking disy of bestial savagery that Elijah would never have expected from the calm-seeming giant. Perhaps the lesson to be learned was that creatures from other nes ¨C even ones that looked and sounded human-ish ¨C were not predictable. Humans, especially Earth-bound ones, were ill-equipped to understand such creatures. And the scene below was a good reminder not to make assumptions. ¡°Our task has not changed,¡± said Sadie. ¡°We still must find this Cinderath and kill it. Likely the master who enved it, as well.¡± ¡°Where do we find it, though? And how are we going to get through all of that?¡± Dat asked. Elijah answered, ¡°I think Cinderath is in theva pool below.¡± ¡°Magma, bro.¡±¡°See, I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re right. I mean, magma refers to molten rock below the Earth¡¯s surface, but when it¡¯s gathered in a pool like that¡­¡± ¡°Not the time, boys,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Right. Sorry,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Anyway, I think Cinderath is down there. In theva.¡± As he said that, he pointed below. The web of onyx bridges descended to a location only a few feet above the surface of that magma pool. Elijah couldn¡¯t make much out at such a distance, but he could see that the most central tform was besieged by giants. The domedttice encapsting it prevented him from seeing what was happening on the tform itself, though. But if he was a betting man, he would have put his money on that being the master¡¯s location. And where it was, Cinderath wouldn¡¯t be far. Elijah ryed that information to the others, then said, ¡°There¡¯s only one question. Do we fly? Or do you all want to take the long way?¡± ¡°You mean fall, bro. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re getting through all of that without those magma-forged gargoyles ripping you to pieces,¡± Dat said. ¡°Much less getting back up here for multiple trips,¡± Ron added. ¡°So little faith,¡± Elijah muttered. In truth, he knew they were right to be skeptical. He¡¯d barely survived against the flying creatures in thest challenge, and they weren¡¯t nearly as powerful looking as the gargoyles. ¡°Just wanted to give you all the option.¡± ¡°We go on foot,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Is everyone ready?¡± ¡°I was born ready,¡± Elijah said with a steely glint in his eye. ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Sadie groaned. ¡°Were you saving that one? And is that your action hero pose?¡± asked Ron. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Kurik said. ¡°I really need to set up a theater in Ironshore,¡± Elijah said with a shake of his head. ¡°And it was a joke.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t sound like you were joking, bro.¡± ¡°You did sound serious,¡± Ron agreed. Elijah coughed awkwardly, then turned to Sadie and said, ¡°Right. Are we¡­ready? Please say yes.¡± She gave a soft chuckle that Elijah was certain wasn¡¯t meant to be noticed. That made him feel a little better about his group¡¯s tant derision of hispletely normal deration of readiness. She didn¡¯t smile often, so anything that broke that chilly demeanor was a good thing, as far as he was concerned. After that, the group prepared themselves as best they could. After dealing with the ashassins, they¡¯d taken some time to recover as well as they could, but the intense heat of the environment prevented them from reaching perfect condition. However, they were in as good of shape as they could manage, so the group wasted no more time before setting out across the bridges. The first thing Elijah noticed was the precarious footing. From afar, it wasn¡¯t obvious, but the ongoing battle between multi-ton creatures violently shook the bridges, all of which were connected by one point or another. So, the onyx bridges swayed enough to tax even their enhanced Dexterity. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Still, it only took a few moments before they¡¯d limated to the movement, and they wasted no more time before plunging ahead. The first group of shing giantsy at the initial intersection, where much of the onyxtticework had beenpletely destroyed by the battle. As Elijah and his group approached, none of them could ignore the sheer impact of those creatures¡¯ blows. None of the giants attempted anything approaching a defensive posture. Instead, they only concerned themselves with offense, meaning that they simply slugged one another back and forth until one fighter broke. And despite theck of skills on disy, the ferocity of the creatures was unmatched. So, it was with no small degree of trepidation that Elijah and hispanions dove into the fray. One small mistake could see any of them squashed into paste. Elijah knew that even in his most durable form, he wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance of enduring one of those mighty blows. So, he opted to take on the Shape of Venom instead, if only because it allowed him to present a much smaller ¨C and quicker ¨C target. Dat had the highest Dexterity among them, so he fared the best as they dodged between the giants¡¯ legs. However, Kurik, with his shorter stature, seemed well-suited to the task as well. Even Sadie proved adept at dodging, less because of her attributes and more due to her training as a warrior. She had an ingrained ability to read a battle, and she used that to good effect as she anticipated the giants¡¯ moves in order to avoid them. But Ron had it worst of all. Despite being quite fit, the Healer just didn¡¯t have the attributes to keep up. He made do with wariness, but more than once, one of the others was forced to help out. In one instance, Sadie simply threw him over her shoulder and darted past one of the brawling giants. They didn¡¯t attempt to fight. Not only would it have beenrgely useless ¨C the giants were far too strong and numerous for them to have any hope of winning ¨C but it just wasn¡¯t necessary. The giants never paid them any attention. Instead, they were far too focused on trying to beat one another to death. And it was clear why, too. ¡°You betray master!¡± ¡°He no master! He evil! We no ves!¡± On and on it went, the words often slurred beyond recognition. Finally, they made it through the first tform and onto the next stretch of bridge. However, none of them rxed until they were almost a hundred yards down the slightly sloped surface. ¡°Why are they fighting?¡± Ron wondered. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Elijah asked in response. ¡°These giants have been here a long time. Some of them don¡¯t know anything but very. They probably don¡¯t even know what it means to be free, so they¡¯re fighting against the ones who are intent on killing their master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so sad,¡± Dat said. And it was, but there wasn¡¯t anything Elijah could do about it. So, he didn¡¯t participate in that conversation any further. Instead, he focused on the bridges around him, mapping a course that would hopefully take them to the bottom of the enormous cavern. It was miles wide and many times deeper, so getting from one point to another took no small investment of time. Furtherplicating that was the fact that each tform along the way yed host to furious fighting between the giants, the gargoyles, and even a few ashassins. The only scey in the absence of fighting on the bridges between each tform. On a couple of asions as they slowly made their way ever downward, they were forced to battle an ashassin or one of the magma-forged gargoyles, but those fights went about as expected. After all, those creatures had been active participants in the battle. So, they were already worn out and often injured. Still, they proved to be formidable opponents that were more than capable of killing Elijah or hispanions if they lost focus. They didn¡¯t. And as such, they gradually carved a path down to the bottom level. With every foot they¡¯d descended, the heat grew more intense, and by the time they found their way to the final tform, they were being broiled alive. The only reason they didn¡¯t die was because of Ron¡¯s constant efforts. What the mancked in physical abilities, he more than made up for in the sheer efficiency he brought to the Healing arts. Elijah was certain there wasn¡¯t another Healer in the Trial who could have kept them all upright without running out of ethera. But Ron managed it all the same. For his part, Elijah felt almost no effects of the extreme temperatures, but he did feel something. That told him that his cloak¡¯s Temperate trait wasn¡¯t entirely foolproof. It had limits, just like everything else, and the Emberstone Keep challenge had found them. ¡°Wait,¡± Elijah said, having shifted back into his human form in order to help Ron with the heals. ¡°What? We can¡¯t stay here much longer,¡± Sadie said, her teeth gritted in pain. Just because they were being healed as soon as the damage was done, it didn¡¯t mean that they could escape the pain of being cooked alive. ¡°Look.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want us to see.¡± The tform itself was thergest in the entire cavern, which meant that it was at least a hundred yards across, with thetticework dome of onyx extending around a hundred feet above the surface. Thirty feet below that was the sea of roiling magma. There were a dozen giants ¨C including the leader Elijah had met ¨C banging their fists against the woven web of onyx, but it held firm. Elijah could sense the thick ethera keeping the normally brittle crystal from shattering under their mighty blows. ¡°We need a n for what we¡¯re going to do here. We still haven¡¯t seen Cinderath, and we have no idea what form the master will take,¡± Elijah exined. ¡°And if those giants can¡¯t get through to the tform, then what chance do we have?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go back, can we?¡± Ron asked, sweat pouring down his face. His clothes clung to his body like he¡¯d just stepped out of the ocean. Elijah shook his head. ¡°No. I think I need to talk to the leader. See what ¨C¡± Just then, the bridge shook even more violently than ever before. More disturbingly, something shot from the magma below and wrapped around a giant. A secondter, the enormous figure was yanked from his feet and dragged from the bridge. He screamed in terror, but that ceased after only a moment when he disappeared beneath the surface of the sea of magma. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Ron muttered. Dat, who was closest to the edge of the bridge, just pointed. Elijah crept forward, then looked at the fiery ocean below. Or rather, at the creature half-submerged in its depths. It looked like someone had taken a dinosaur and mashed it together with a giant squid, then thrown in some octopus for good measure. That was to say that it had bright red scales, dozens of thick tentacles, and a shape that looked both familiar and alien at the same time. ¡°Is that a¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s ava kraken,¡± Dat said. ¡°Named Cinderath.¡± ¡°I¡¯m out,¡± said Ron. ¡°Me too,¡± Kurik added. ¡°I am not fighting that thing,¡± Sadie agreed. ¡°Do you think it wants to be friends?¡± Elijah asked,rgely because, even from so far away, he could recognize that the thing was a guardian. Book 6: Chapter 35: The Power of Friendship Book 6: Chapter 35: The Power of Friendship ¡°I repeat ¨C what the fuck was that?¡± Ron muttered. ¡°Did you just ask if it wanted to be friends?¡± added Kurik. ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°It¡¯s kind of cute, right? Like a pug, but instead of a tinypdog, it¡¯s a giant tentacle beast.¡± Kurik cut in, ¡°Monster. The word you¡¯re lookin¡¯ for is monster.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a monster,¡± Elijah argued. ¡°If anything, I think it¡¯s closer to a guardian, and one that¡¯s been kidnapped and enved.¡± Indeed, the moment Elijah hadid eyes on the enormous beast, he¡¯d realized two things. First, that it had picked up that giant without breaking a sweat ¨C and with only a single tentacle, too. What¡¯s more, the act seemed perfectly fitting, like watching a lion take down a gazelle. But as impressive as that was, Elijah was far more concerned with the second thought that hade to him. The creature was a guardian. He didn¡¯t know how things worked on the other nes, but he trusted his instincts. He could feel the kraken¡¯s nature, and it felt almost identical to what he¡¯d felt with the panther back on his ind. And Snappy the turtle. The guardian bear as well. Elijah had enough experience with guardians to feel entirely secure inbeling the kraken as such. The only question was what he intended to do with it. His first instinct was to save the creature. It had been unjustly harnessed, and its envement set Elijah¡¯s blood to boiling. It was one thing to kill a guardian. He didn¡¯t like it, and he would certainly never approve of such action. But he also knew that it was always a distinct possibility, and he had little choice but to ept that, sometimes, it was even necessary. However, there was no excuse for capturing and enving such an impressively mighty creature. That someone had was both troubling and infuriating, both in equal measure. But Elijah couldn¡¯t very well exin that to hispanions. Not adequately, at least. So, he opted for an abbreviated version. ¡°It¡¯s a Druid thing. I¡¯m not leaving this ce until that kraken is free,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t expect any of you to understand, and I get it if you don¡¯t want to ¨C¡± ¡°We¡¯ll help you,¡± Sadie said. ¡°We will?¡± asked Kurik. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand. That ain¡¯t just some squid down there. It¡¯s a ¨C¡± ¡°I have eyes, Kurik. But Elijah would support us if the situation was turned around, so we owe him the same. Besides, as I understand it, that thing has been enved. Even if it is a monster, that is a despicable thing, and I won¡¯t let it stand,¡± Sadie stated. Then, she turned to Elijah and asked, ¡°So, what do you want to do?¡± Elijah blinked in confusion before he finished processing what she¡¯d said. To that, she cocked her head sideways, but before she could ask what the issue was, he said, ¡°Thanks. I didn¡¯t really expect anyone else to understand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s instinctive. If anyone gets that, I do. Yours seems a lot more altruistic than mine, though.¡± ¡°Still, thank you. Now, as to what we¡¯re going to do? I have no idea. I was hoping one of you would have a suggestion,¡± he said. None did, and they didn¡¯t have time to stand around debating various courses of action. Already, they¡¯d garnered the attention of a few of the gargoyles, which were on their way. So, Elijah said, ¡°I¡¯m going down there to talk to it.¡± ¡°You can talk to animals?¡± ¡°Uh¡­no. But I hope I can get through to it,¡± he said. Then, without further discussion, he added, ¡°Just stay alive until I get back.¡± Then, he leaped over the side of the bridge, already having cast Shape of the Sky. Before he hit the pool of magma, he snapped his wings out and glided in the direction of the kraken. It was only partially submerged, so at least it was visible. And what Elijah saw was a truly magnificent creature whose head was the size of a school bus. Elijahnded on its ridged head, which definitely didn¡¯t go unnoticed. In the space of a second, one of the thing¡¯s tentacles was already on its way. So, he wasted no time before digging deep into One with Nature and delving into the creature¡¯s vital essence. Time felt like it slowed down as he dug through all the noise until, atst, he found the guardian¡¯s core, which was teeming with so much life that Elijah almost didn¡¯t notice the fire. Hetched onto the former, using the sense granted by One with Nature to give him ess. He had done something simr with the guardian panther, though back then, he hadn¡¯t had a clue what he was doing. He¡¯d formed a bond with the creature, which had, in turn, given him ess to the Animist ss. This time, that was not his goal. Instead, he only wanted to create a temporary alliance based around an exchange of services. Elijah wanted to set the creature free, and in return, the guardian kraken would help them dispatch its master. A win-win if there ever was one, and if Elijah was honest, he expected the goals to be one in the same. Yet, the kraken was horrified at Elijah¡¯s touch and pulled away the second he made contact. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED!¡± it roared in a voice that shook the entire cavern. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Elijah eximed, stumbling backwards and very nearly sliding from the slick surface of the kraken¡¯s skull and into the magma below. ¡°You can talk!¡± ¡°SO CAN YOU!¡± ¡°Oh¡­uh¡­touche, I guess. Look, Mr. Kraken. I¡¯m a Druid of upstanding moral character, and I want to help free you. In exchange ¨C¡± ¡°YOU ARE NO DRUID.¡± ¡°What? Yes, I am. I don¡¯t have a badge or anything, but my status is pretty clear about my druid-hood.¡± ¡°A DRUID WOULD NOT REQUIRE PAYMENT.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for payment!¡± Elijah said. ¡°I just thought I needed to ¨C¡± ¡°LIES!¡± ¡°Look here, buddy. I¡¯m just trying to help you out. You¡¯re not here by choice, are you? I want to get you out of here, and I think the guy who¡¯s keeping you here is the same guy I want to take out. This is a win-win.¡± ¡°WIN-WIN? I DO NOT KNOW THIS TERM.¡± ¡°It means that we both get what we want. I want to help you, and I need to kill the person in charge. The same one the giants are trying to kill. You want to be free.¡± ¡°I WISH TO GO HOME.¡± ¡°Yeah. That. So, what about you help me, and I¡¯ll help you. And please stop waving your tentacles at me. We both know you¡¯re not going to use them. I touched your core. I know what¡¯s in your heart.¡± ¡°WHICH HEART? I HAVE SEVENTEEN.¡± ¡°Metaphor, man. Or woman. Or agender squid-lizard-thing. Whatever. My point is that I¡¯m a Druid, you¡¯re a natural creature in need, and I think we can help one another out. What do you say to that?¡± ¡°YOU WILL KILL THE FIEND? HE IS FORMIDABLE AND PROTECTED.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I came here to do,¡± Elijah said. Sure, the terms of the challenge called for him to ovee Cinderath, but he expected that sending the kraken back to its own world would satisfy those terms. How he would aplish that feat was anyone¡¯s guess. ¡°THEN WE HAVE AN ACCORD.¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± Elijah said with a grin. ¡°So, what are we dealing with?¡± That¡¯s when the creature exined ¨C in much a much quieter tone ¨C the situation. The master, who was predictably one of the ta¡¯ki, had used his magic to summon a host of fire spirits from Ignis, then harnessed their power to fuel a muchrger portal. That was how he¡¯d brought the first fire giants over, and eventually, he¡¯d enved Cinderath, keeping the giant kraken in check by holding its eggs hostage. Once Elijah had all the necessary information, heunched himself back into the air, pped his wings once, then glided toward where he¡¯d left hispanions. After that, he exined the situation before saying, ¡°So, we need to get into that dome, defeat the so-called Master, then send everyone home through the portal. Once that¡¯s done, we can free the fire spirits as well. Simple, right?¡± ¡°What are this Master¡¯s powers?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an Elemental Summoner. He shouldn¡¯t be that strong by himself, but he¡¯ll be guarded by minions he¡¯s summoned from other realms. Probably fire-themed, given the setting.¡± All the while, the battle between the giants had continued without pause. It was only because of the sheer noise of it all that the meeting between Elijah and Cinderath hadn¡¯t been overheard. Instead, it had been lost in the cacophony. However, that short conversation had given Elijah all the information he needed to ovee the challenge. At first, Elijah had considered asking the giants for help, but it only took one look at the ongoing battle to recognize the error in that line of thinking. They were so busy fighting one another that if they even tried to retreat, the other side would doubtless take the advantage. So, once again, the goal became less about ying the giants ¨C if they were even capable of such a thing ¨C and more about slipping through the cracks. The only reason Elijah suspected it was even possible was because he and hispanions were so much smaller than the giants. The only issue was that Elijah had no idea how to get inside thettice dome. Fortunately, while Elijah had been engaged in pleasant conversation with a kraken, Dat had used that time to study the situation from afar. He¡¯d even used Ghost Cloak to get close enough toe to a few conclusions ¨C chiefly, that he thought he could open the door. When Elijah asked about it, Dat just gave him a wide grin and said, ¡°I¡¯m a Witch Hunter, bro. I can do lots of cool stuff.¡± With that, the group made some final preparations before plunging into the fray. They¡¯d spent the past hours steadily descending through one battle after another, so Elijah thought himself prepared for what to expect. However, this fight was between the biggest giants of the bunch, each one of a size with the leader. So, he felt smaller and less significant than ever before. Fortunately, their prediction that the giants wouldn¡¯t care about their presence proved prescient, and after dodging between so many enormous giants¡¯ legs, they finally reached the door. It was sized to fit a ta¡¯ki, which meant that the giants had left it alone. Instead, they¡¯d focused their efforts on fighting one another and, when possible, trying to tear through thettice itself. Because of the giants¡¯ focus, the door was mostly left alone, giving Dat an opportunity work his magic. Ethera swirled around him as he knelt before it, and suddenly, a silver padlock manifested before him. He wasted no time before attacking it with a pair of lockpicks, and a secondter, it clicked open. When it did, the door followed suit, swinging inward on unseen hinges. And exposing a scene of horrors on the other side. Elijah had no connection to elemental creatures, but even he could feel the pain radiating from five ss cylinders surrounding the room. In the center was a dais, upon which was a portal that resembled the ones they¡¯d encountered in the Underrealm challenge ¨C though on a muchrger scale. Sitting before it on a throne made of onyx and glowing with molten heat was a ta¡¯ki d in ck armor. Elijah hated the creature the second heid eyes on him. ¡°So the time hase,¡± the creature said, pushing himself upright. His lower half was exposed, but Elijah could sense a shield of shimmering ethera surround it. The armor was high quality and studded withrge, decorative rubies. In its hand was a massive sword with a de that was at least five inches wide. ¡°The emperor sent you, did he not? I will not surrender. I will fight ¨C¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t sent by your emperor. We havee to free the creatures you have enved,¡± Sadie said, stepping forward, her own de in hand. ¡°You will pay for this injustice, fiend. You wear your sins as armor ¨C a practice I will not abide.¡± ¡°Sins? All necessary. You have ¨C¡± He never got the chance to say more, because he was cut off by a blue crossbow bolt mming into him. The projectile bypassed the ta¡¯ki¡¯s shield, piercing through his armor as well. Not much, but just enough to interrupt whatever spell he¡¯d been casting. ¡°No casting for you, bro,¡± Dat announced. And just like that, the battle began. Book 6: Chapter 36: Summoners Pact Book 6: Chapter 36: Summoner''s Pact Elijah ignored the ta¡¯ki summoner¡¯s monologue, instead preferring to focus on the task at hand. He crept forward under the concealment of Guise of the Unseen, covering the ground as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Sadie leveled a scathing insult at the summoner that sent him into a rage. He leaped at her, sword held high, but when the de fell, her personal shield remained intact. More importantly, she countered with a horizontal sh that gouged his armor. ¡°You dare?!¡± he screamed, spittle flying from his reptilian mouth as he retreated. She kept it up, using de of the Avenger to keep him on the back foot. At the same time, Kurik and Dat continued to fire upon him. Crossbow bolts and arrows filled the air. Some, he knocked from the sky with his giant de, but others reached him. Kurik¡¯s arrows failed to prate the ta¡¯ki¡¯s armor, but Dat¡¯s pierced through the thick metal, eliciting hisses of pain. That was when Elijah leaped upon his back and unleashed the power of the Shape of Venom. The caustic toxin that flowed from his fangs was both physical and ethereal in nature, and it was augmented by Venom Strike, Predator Strike, and, of course, apanied by Insidious Mdy. To his credit, the ta¡¯ki summoner reacted quickly, slithering bonelessly to somehow dislodge Elijah from his back. For his part, Elijah narrowly avoided being caught. Instead, he bounded away, skittering across the floor beforeing to a stop. Just as he recovered his feet, the summoner bellowed, ¡°Strike me down, and you wille to regret your pitiful lives!¡± None of the others paid the statement any mind. Instead, they continued to pile damage upon the ta¡¯ki by various means. It wasn¡¯t like it mattered, though. The summoner¡¯s fate was sealed the moment Elijah had gotten close enough to bite him. Now, it was only a matter of time before he sumbed. Which didn¡¯t make any sense. Even as the summoner wobbled in ce, pelted by a half-dozen projectiles a second, Elijah wondered why he wasn¡¯t putting up more of a fight. He¡¯d felt the power of the archdruids. He had experienced the might of the necromancer. And he¡¯d barely survived fighting the aviak champion in the first challenge. Byparison, the summoner seemed like an afterthought. Had Dat¡¯s Hex of Tongues truly been so effective that it had neutered the summoner¡¯s power entirely? Thebel implied that the ta¡¯ki wasn¡¯t a physical fighter, but then again, neither had been the necromancer. No ¨C something was wrong. Elijah just wasn¡¯t sure what that something could be.So, he shifted into his caster form andid on as much damage as he could. He cast Swarm and Storm¡¯s Fury, adding Cmity for good measure. He even cast Nature¡¯s Rebuke, though it wasn¡¯t the supercharged version he could employ against unnatural creatures like the undead. And over the next ten or fifteen seconds, the ta¡¯ki was ripped to pieces. He continued to scream nonsense, iming that they were making a mistake, but they couldn¡¯t afford to let up. So, they kept going until, atst, the creature fell before theirbined might. ¡°Is that it?¡± asked Dat, looking around for more enemies. ¡°Uh¡­I don¡¯t think so. I just ¨C¡± Elijah never got that full statement out, because the portal on the dais in the center of the room shimmered, dragging his attention away from what he¡¯d meant to say. Before he could remark, that shimmer turned into a white light so intense that it rendered him briefly blind. His vision recovered a momentter, but by then, it was toote. A w the size of a Honda Civic gripped the portal. Elijah screamed, ¡°Run!¡± He needn¡¯t have bothered. There were threats they could meet head-on, but the owner of that hand wasn¡¯t one of them. Elijah sprinted toward hispanions, and once he saw Rongging behind, he took a page out of Sadie¡¯s book and tackled the man around the mid-section. A secondter, he heaved the Healer onto one shoulder in a fireman¡¯s carry as he sprinted toward the door. Behind him, the world rumbled. Not just the walls. Or the ground. The very air vibrated and burned. And all the while, Elijah thought he could hear the summoner¡¯s final words. ¡°You and the emperor wille to regret this!¡± That much was already true. Elijah and the others barreled through the door, mming into the railing. It was fortunate it was there, because they would have otherwise plummeted into the magma below. As it was, the railing allowed them to rapidly change directions and race down the bridge. They only made it a few feet before they realized that, unlike was the case with their entrance, they couldn¡¯t escape unseen. Miraculously, the battle between the giants had ceased as they all focused on the domed tform. Or more urately, on the monster emerging from the portal. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. No one could see it yet, but the giants clearly knew what it was. The leader bellowed, ¡°The master is dead! Leave your enmity aside and focus on theing cataclysm!¡± It was at that moment that the dome broke, and every eye ¨C human, dwarf, and giant alike ¨C found their way to the monster that had appeared in their midst. Elijah had no words to describe the creature, which wasposed of shadow, ash, and fire wrapped around a monstrous figure that defied exnation. It was hundreds of feet tall, and it hadn¡¯t even fully emerged from the portal. ¡°Umbrafyix!¡± the leader of the giants shouted. ¡°MY BOND IS COMPLETE. MY WRATH IS ABSOLUTE. BURN.¡± The creature waved its hand and the giants closest to the tform burst into mes, then burned to ash in the space of a second. ¡°BURN,¡± the umbrafyix echoed. Elijah had no idea what to do. The creature before him didn¡¯t just feel powerful. It was so far beyond him that he couldn¡¯t imagine fighting it. It may as well have been a god, for all he could stand up to it. The only answer was to run, but even that seemed like a fantasy. Never was that more obvious than when the giants¡¯ leader ¨C a creature that, on its own, could have ripped Elijah in half ¨C tried to attack the umbrafyix. And the giant was swatted aside like an insect. He screamed as he plummeted to the sea of magma below. The other giants raced forward, intent on attacking. Perhaps they knew something Elijah didn¡¯t, because their charge proved suicidal. And it wasn¡¯t a long, drawn-out process, either. They were in in seconds, and the gargoyles as well as ashassins followed soon after. Elijah¡¯s mind whirled as he tried to think of a n, but as the creature finally leveled its gaze on him and his friends, he found nothing. So, he fell back on the same tactics they¡¯d established in a hundred other fights. He cast Healing Rain, then loaded hispanions with Soothe. Meanwhile, Ron started casting his most powerful heal, and Sadie encased everyone in shields. Dat and Kurik used what defensive abilities they possessed while Elijah initiated the shift into his most durable form. They all knew it was useless. It was obvious that they couldn¡¯t stand up to that creature¡¯s attacks, and now that all the giants had been in, there was nothing else in the cavern to draw its attention. ¡°SLAYERS. DIE NOW.¡± The thing raised its arms, clutched its shadowy ws into fists, and then brought them down upon the remnants of the onyx dome. It shattered, but Elijah was more concerned with the wave of etheraced mes racing in his direction. Even as his transformation into amer apepleted, he knew he couldn¡¯t survive their touch. Nor could he dodge. Those mes reached hundreds of feet into the air, so there was no escape. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for ¨C¡± Just as he¡¯d begun his apology, the mes reached them. With a sound like a rushing freight train, they swept past. He closed his eyes, and as he was enveloped by intense fire, Elijah was surprised that he didn¡¯t feel any pain. It was only when he opened his eyes that he realized that he was entirely unharmed. Moreover, he was looking at bright red scales. Only a momentter, he heard Cinderath¡¯s voice say, ¡°SAVE THE EGGS. PRESERVE THE PORTAL. I WILL DEAL WITH THIS ABOMINATION.¡± ¡°ABOMINATION? BURN!¡± Elijah nced back at hispanions, and he saw that they were just as surprised as he was. Sadie said, ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You were going to point out that making friends with the monster was a good idea,¡± she replied. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°But it was?¡± ¡°Bro. Not the time.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± he said. Then, he asked, ¡°How are we going to¡­oh, wait, there we go.¡± The kraken had just lifted its tentacle to reveal that another of its tentacles had formed a ramp that eventually led to the tform. It didn¡¯t take the group long to recognize that it was their only option. ¡°I don¡¯t belong here,¡± Kurikined as he followed Elijah and Sadie out onto the tentacle. ¡°It ain¡¯t right¡­¡± ¡°You said you like this kind of thing, bro.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± After that, they all went silent as they raced along the impromptu bridge, which dipped below the onyx path and circled around. Apparently, the kraken¡¯s tentacles were far longer than Elijah had suspected. Meanwhile, a titanic battle raged overhead. The kraken wailed on the umbrafyix, and it scratched and wed, sending gouts of fire that were hot enough to burn even the creature who lived in a pool of magma. It also kept screaming, ¡°BURN!¡± over and over again. Even from a distance, the heat of it was enough to blister Elijah¡¯s scales. Thankfully, Ron was on top of things, healing the damage as soon as it appeared. The distance they needed to travel wasn¡¯t great, so they quickly found themselves back on the original tform. By that point, the battle between the kraken and the umbrafyix had moved on, with the pair descending into the magma pit. However, the damage was already done. Three of the five ss tubes were cracked. The fire spirits within had gone wild, hammering against the tubes in an effort to escape. The ss held, but the rapidly spreading cracks suggested that wouldn¡¯t remain the case for much longer. So, repairing those became the first order of business. ¡°Sadie, you still have that putty, right? The stuff you use to repair your armor?¡± Elijah asked. She nodded, and he continued, ¡°We need to use it on those tubes. If they fail, the portal goes with them.¡± She didn¡¯t need any other instructions. Instead, she retrieved the can of putty from her pack, then ran to do as he¡¯d suggested. At the same time, Elijah cast his senses out and looked for the eggs. Thankfully, they were just out of sight behind the now-dead summoner¡¯s throne. Elijah ran to inspect them, and when he arrived, he saw that they were entirely unharmed. From a visual standpoint, the eggs looked like freshly blown ss, but to his senses, they screamed with potent vitality. He knew he was looking at future guardians, and as such, his vow to protect them meant that much more. Complicating that resolution was the fact that, while they were all upied with the tasks at hand, a trio of powerful ashassins had climbed out of the portal. These neers wererger and more magically potent than any Elijah and hispanions had yet to encounter. What¡¯s more, the biggest of the three took one look at him and smiled before saying, ¡°Little Druid, give us those eggs, and your death will be quick and painless. Resist, and you will die suffering.¡± Elijah¡¯s answer was as predictable as the rage suddenly blooming within his heart. He let out a roar and threw himself at therge creature, never even considering what the thing¡¯s touch might do to him. Book 6: Chapter 37: Righteous Book 6: Chapter 37: Righteous Agony coursed through Elijah¡¯s veins as the monster wrapped its unnaturally long arms around him. He flexed his every muscle, pushing against it with every ounce of Strength he possessed, but it was no good. The ashassin¡¯s grip was like iron, and Elijah simply wasn¡¯t powerful enough to escape. So, he did the next best thing. His head darted out, and he mped his jaws around the monster¡¯s slim neck. Then, once he had a mouthful of ash, he ripped free. Of course, the nature of the ashassins dictated that they were more than capable of reforming from such an attack, but to do so, they were forced to dissipate into a more nebulous form. And that allowed Elijah to break free of the thing¡¯s grip. A second after he hit the ground, a powerful heal settled onto him, soothing the pain and repairing the damage wrought by the powerful monster. With that buoying Elijah¡¯s confidence, he threw himself back into the fray the moment the creature reformed. His wsshed out, ripping into the ashassin¡¯s slender body. Every now and again, he¡¯d hit something a little more solid than the rest, which elicited soundless howls of pain. That told him he was on the right track, which spurred him ever forward. After all, he had his mission ¨C to protect the eggs ¨C and he refused to fail. Those little orbs of what appeared to be molten ss represented nascent life, and Elijah refused to let them be destroyed. Fortunately, hispanions were onboard as well, and Sadie battled the two smaller ashassins on her own terms. Meanwhile, Dat and Kurik added their own contributions, with the former sending a volley of powerful arrows to tear through the trio of monsters while thetter busied himself with deploying one of his traps. Elijah didn¡¯t recognize it as one of the dwarf¡¯s usual designs, but he could feel the power radiating from the crystals he used to power it. Hopefully, it would be strong enough to make a difference. Elijah continued his battle against the ashassin, and all the while, the fight between the two titans below set the entire mountain to shaking. Those two creatures were so far beyond Elijah that the fact that they were both from a different world seemed secondary. If he had ever thought himself powerful, their strength would have served as a wakeup call. Thankfully, his asional meetings with Kirlissa had disabused him of the notion that he was anything more than an insect in a world of gods. But talking with a friendly dragon ¨C no matter how powerful ¨C was far different than seeing that pair of creatures battle it out. It wasn¡¯t out of the question that one wrong move would see him be coteral damage. Still, Elijah knew that to progress was to put himself in danger. He only hoped that he could survive long enough to see the fruits of hisbor. To that end, he levered the enhanced Strength of themer ape to his advantage. And while he wasn¡¯t quite as powerful ¨C on the whole ¨C as the ashassin, he quickly discovered that he could stand toe to toe with the thing in a physical confrontation. The only downside was that, for every second the thing touched him, his flesh was turned to ash. Thankfully, Ron was there to mend the damage, but healed or not, that didn¡¯t make it any easier to endure.Sadie had it easier, if only because the two other ashassins weren¡¯t quite as strong as the one Elijah faced. Quantity often had a quality all its own, but when it came to sheer power, fighting one strong opponent was far more difficult than fighting a pair ofparatively weaker foes. Especially when her personal shield kept them from touching her. Constitution yed a role in helping them resist the effects of the ashassins¡¯ touch, but they were both a long way from being able to endure it without issue. So, aside from having Ron there to reverse the effects, simply not being touched was the best defense they could muster. Unfortunately, that just wasn¡¯t possible for Elijah. So, he marshaled his willpower and pushed the pain aside as he steadily ripped through the monster before him. It did little good, aside from prolonging what Elijah was beginning to think of as the inevitable. They¡¯d learned that the ashassins¡¯ ability to reform after taking damage wasn¡¯t infinite. It depended on ethera, and eventually, it would run out. However, it seemed that Elijah¡¯s foe was a long way off from that mark. It made him wonder which would run dry first ¨C Ron¡¯s or the ashassin¡¯s supply of ethera. Still, the pain Elijah experienced from being repeatedly turned to ash was nothingpared to what he¡¯d endured within the amalgam of necrotized flesh he¡¯d battled in the Underrealm challenge, and it certainly didn¡¯tpare to being ripped in half. Silver linings, he supposed. The battle itself wasn¡¯t technically impressive. Nor was it as satisfying as many Elijah had fought. There was something so inherently disappointing about ripping into his enemy and getting nothing but a cloud of ash for his trouble. The beast within him wanted to rend flesh and see sttered blood, and the dragon was frustrated with the ashassin¡¯s stubborn refusal to submit to the dominant force Elijah represented. His human side was no less annoyed, but more because he could read the writing on the wall. He knew that, unless something changed, and soon, he would begin to wear down. Winning, it seemed, just wasn¡¯t possible. No sooner had that morose thought settled onto Elijah¡¯s mind that Kurik shouted, ¡°Done! Bring it this way!¡± Elijah didn¡¯t hesitate toply, and a secondter, he¡¯d wrapped his arms around the monster¡¯s slim waist. He twisted like a wrestler, yanking it from the ground andunching himself backward. A secondter, he released the surprisingly light creature, and it flew in Kurik¡¯s direction. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. The dwarf¡¯s eyes widened, but he held his ground. Just before the ashassin reached him, a bright, blue light shed, and fingers of ice erupted from the floor. They wrapped around the ashassin in mid-air, then squeezed. It tried to diffuse into a cloud of ash, but the icy w pulsed with enough ethera to foil that effort. Then, Kurik pulled back his bow string and let loose a white arrow bristling with power. It hit the icy fingers, and for a second, nothing happened. Just when Elijah was wondering what the point of it all was, an explosion of ethera rippled through the area. However, that shockwave of pure energy never reached him. Instead, it stopped after only a few feet, then imploded. Like a ck hole of ethera, it copsed onto the ashassin, pelting the creature with shards of ice. The thing tried to fight free. It attempted to disperse into ash. But its every attempt was fouled by the sheer potency of the magic at y. Finally, its efforts slowed, and the pressure of the imploding energies folded in on it. Then, after only a second more, the energies disappeared, leaving only a tiny sphere of dirty ice behind. It clinked to the ground, then rolled to a stop only a foot or soter. Then, it rapidly melted before evaporating into nothing. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Elijah breathed, not even noticing the still-ongoing battle between Sadie and the other two ashassins. What he¡¯d just witnessed defied everything he understood. ¡°Counter trap,¡± Kurik grunted. ¡°Not gonna get into the technicals of it, but it takes creatures of ethera and counters ¡®em. New skill evolution, and a good¡¯n.¡± ¡°Damn right,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Can you do that to the others?¡± Kurik shook his head. ¡°Cooldown¡¯s too long,¡± he said. ¡°But I can cook somethin¡¯ else up. Gimme a sec.¡± With that, he started pulling things out of the pack he¡¯d deposited onto the ground. As he did that, Elijah turned his attention to the other fight and quickly surmised that he was best served by the Shape of Venom. So, he initiated the transformation and raced across the intervening distance and leaped upon the back of one of the creatures. It was so focused on Sadie that it never even reacted until Elijah delivered an Envenom. Before it could respond, he leaped free and did the same to the other creature. However, he quickly discovered that it was the wrong move. The ashassins immediately burst into a giant cloud of ash that soon began swirling around the room like a tornado. Elijah countered it by shifting back into his human form and casting Cmity, but as powerful as that spell was, it could do nothing to neutralize the storm of ash. And where that cloud touched, it bored into them and tried to convert them to ash. It wasn¡¯t as powerful as the concentrated touch of one of the fully formed ashassins, but it made up for that with sheer pervasiveness. It didn¡¯t impact only one person. Instead, it affected them all. Ron worked overtime in an attempt to mend the damage they all suffered, but it quickly became clear that his spells ¨C as powerful as they were ¨C just weren¡¯t up to the task. So, Elijah shifted into his human form and threw out as many heals as he could. Still, they barely kept up. Fortunately, Sadie was mostly protected because of her shield, and she¡¯d also used her other shield spell to protect Ron. However, that still left Elijah, Dat, and Kurik fully exposed. And it was at least as agonizing as enduring the touch of the most powerful ashassin. That was when Dat said, ¡°Get down!¡± Everyone dropped to their bellies, and a secondter, a burst of purple light ripped through the area. The windstorm ceased, and the ash drifted to the ground. Elijah had no idea if the reprieve was temporary, but he was more than grateful for the chance to catch up on the healing. A few secondster, he saw that the news was both good and bad. Dat¡¯s ability ¨C whatever it was ¨C had brought an end to the storm of ash, but it hadn¡¯t killed the creatures, as evidenced by the fact that the ash had slowly started clumping together. Soon enough, the creatures would reform. Thankfully, they had Kurik on their side. He retrieved a contraption he¡¯d just pieced together and threw it at thergest gathering of ash. But it didn¡¯t do anything. ¡°Kurik¡­¡± ¡°Wait for it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think ¨C¡± ¡°I said to wait for it!¡± A second passed. Then two. Until finally, just as Elijah was about to say something else, the contraption lit up. At first, it didn¡¯t seem that anything had happened, but then, the air shimmered, and a hundred beams of pure ethera mmed into the various clumps of ash. After only a second, they froze into blocks of ice, and Kurik shouted, ¡°Break them!¡± Elijah was more than happy toply. So was Sadie. Together, they raced around the room, shattering ice ¨C Elijah in hismer ape form, and Sadie with her sword ¨C until, atst, they all received a wave of experience that announced that the creatures were dead. It was only then that Elijah realized that the sounds of battle from outside had ceased. Fearing the worst, he ran to the door and craned his neck to peer at theva. There was nothing there. ¡°What the¡­¡± Only then did a tentacle emerge, followed by a dozen more, and then, the kraken appeared. Its enormous and bony head was deeply scarred, and one of its six eyes had been ruptured. But it was alive. Clearly, the umbrafyix was not. ¡°DRUID. ARE THE EGGS SAFE? IS THE PORTAL STILL OPEN?¡± ¡°Yes on both counts,¡± he answered. ¡°But there might be a problem. The portal¡¯s only so big, and you¡¯re¡­uh¡­you probably won¡¯t fit¡­¡± As it turned out, that was not an issue. Elijah had no idea what kind of spatial shenanigans were at y, but when Cinderath pulled itself up to the tform, gathered the eggs, and went through the portal, it just disappeared inside. His Mind whirled to try to make sense of it, but nothing he saw followed thews of physics. ¡°Magic, I guess.¡± That was his go-to answer, it seemed applicable to the current situation. ¡°THANK YOU, DRUID. YOU ARE AN HONORABLE ENTITY. IF YOU EVER COME TO IGNIS, SEEK ME OUT.¡± ¡°Uh, sure,¡± Elijah said to the creature as it slowly disappeared into the portal. It was missing nearly half its tentacles, and many of its wounds were even more severe than normal. So, he attempted to cast a heal on it, and though the spellnded without issue, it was nothingpared to the thing¡¯s sheer vitality. That, as much as anything, told Elijah just how far above him Cinderath was. The creature didn¡¯t say anything else. Instead, it wrapped a tentacle around the eggs and, only a few momentster,pletely passed through the portal. That left Elijah and the others to deal with the aftermath of the battle. ¡°You guys feel that?¡± Elijah asked as the earth rumbled. ¡°I think we should run, bro.¡± Elijah didn¡¯t dispute that supposition, and together, everyone raced across the tform and to the nearest bridge. Book 6: Chapter 38: Eruption Book 6: Chapter 38: Eruption ¡°Just grab the reward, and let¡¯s go!¡± shouted Elijah, struggling to maintain his bnce. It wasn¡¯t just an earthquake. Nor was it simply a volcanic eruption, though in one facet of his Mind, Elijah wondered how he could be so dismissive of one of the most destructive forces in existence. However, he felt confident that, with his Dexterity making him more coordinated than anyone in pre-World Tree human existence, he should have had no trouble keeping his feet. Yet, there he was, stumbling around like a drunken idiot after a long bar crawl. That, along with the dense ethera racing in every direction, told him that something else was at y. Not that there was much he could do about it at the moment. The only avenue was to escape, so, even as Dat opened the silver reward box, Elijah ignored the notification that he¡¯dpleted the challenge of Ignis and turned his attention to the problem at hand. Chiefly, the issue centered around the fact that they had miles upon miles of bridges to cover, and judging by the steadily increasing potency of the rumbling below, they didn¡¯t have much time to do so. No one wasted time on conversation. Instead, they all sprinted from the tform, which copsed only seconds after they¡¯d departed. Elijah didn¡¯t spare a nce backward, but he felt the onyx structure disappear beneath the pool of magma. He was only grateful that it didn¡¯t take the entirework of bridges down with it. As they sprinted along the ck crystal surface, they passed dozens of corpses. Some belonged to giants, others to the magma-forged gargoyles, and Elijah even saw a few piles of ashes he knew had once been ashassins. He paid them no heed, knowing that they didn¡¯t have the luxury of inspecting the bodies and taking loot. Instead, he and the others dodged around or vaulted over the often-massive corpses. What Elijah btedly recognized as a volcano rumbled far more powerfully than ever before, and he nearly lost his feet. Sadie did stumble, but Elijah was there to catch her on the way down. A secondter, she was upright and sprinting. Ron fell next, a particrly vicious quake sending him careening out of control until he rammed into one of the railings. It cracked under the stress, though Dat reached out to grab the man before it copsed entirely. After that, they all experienced simr falls or stumbles as they continued running, but together, they managed to avoid any disasters. However, when Elijah nced back, he saw that the bridges had continued to copse behind them. And seeing the rate at which they fell into the magma, he knew they wouldn¡¯t have time to escape. Not if they kept going the way they were. ¡°This isn¡¯t working!¡± he shouted. ¡°We¡¯re not going to make it!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t see any other options!¡± Kurik exasperatedly spat in return.But Elijah did. While he knew that there was normally no way he could carry all four of hispanions while in the Shape of Sky, he thought he had a trick up his sleeve that might give him the Strength necessary to aplish that feat. So, he yelled, ¡°Everych on once I transform! Kurik and Ron, legs. Sadie on my back. Dat, wrap your arms around my chest. Back when they¡¯d been faced with the problem of how to get up to the undead pyramid, Elijah had considered an optimal weight distribution in case he needed to fly everyone up at once. Ultimately, he¡¯d realized that doing so just wasn¡¯t possible, but he put those ns to good use as he shifted into his winged form. Despite knowing all the problems with Elijah¡¯s n, the situation was desperate enough that no one questioned it. Even as hepleted the transformation, everyone obeyed hismands, piling on in the directed order. The Shape of the Sky was not a creature of Strength, and because of that, Elijah felt every extra pound as hispanionstched onto him. He ignored the strain, and the second they were in ce, he used Savage Might. Not wasting any time, he beat his wings more powerfully than ever before, and despite the weight, he managed to lift off. It was just in time, too, because only a momentter, the bridge copsed beneath him. In the past few months, Elijah had been through a lot. He¡¯d been tested in myriad ways, from mental to physical and everything in between. However, fighting against gravity was a new kind of challenge, and one he strained to ovee with every p of his multi-colored wings. Gradually, he climbed, using every point of his Savage Might-enhanced Strength to propel him upward. All around him, the copse of the webwork of bridges outpaced his ascent, and he was forced to focus more than one facet of his mind on dodging falling debris. Sadie, upon his back, lent her assistance by shielding him when he was incapable of avoiding the falling shards of onyx, but each impact set him back. Her shield protected him from damage, but it did nothing to mitigate the lost momentum. For that, Elijah could only rely on himself. He strained with every muscle, using every ounce of hard-won flying experience he¡¯d acquired since his first transformation into the dragon-like creature. Yet, it was obvious that it wasn¡¯t enough. Far below, the volcano continued to rumble and bubble. It was on the verge of eruption, and if Elijah didn¡¯t get well clear, he and hispanions would perish. But all he could do was continue to push. To keep pping his wings as powerfully as he could manage. Then, when he was only halfway to the entrance to the keep, the volcano finally erupted. The oxygen in the air ignited, with Elijah and the others along with it. As he was burned alive, every facet of his Jade Mind screamed in agony. It wasn¡¯t just fire, either. Nor was it limited to suffocation. Instead, he was assaulted by dense fire-attuned ethera that tore through his limited defenses with ease. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The only thing that kept him from sumbing immediately was Ward of the Seasons, which managed to block the worst of magical fire. Still, the mundane mes that came with it were more than enough to turn him to ash. Yet, he didn¡¯t die. Even though there was a part of him that wished it were otherwise, if only to stop the pain. It took Elijah a few moments to recognize that Ron was steadily pouring ethera into his most powerful healing spell, dying what was seemed, more and more, like inevitability. Sadie tried to mitigate some more of the damage by using her shields, but as rapidly as she cast them, there was only so much she could do. The ignition of the air was only the preamble to the real event, though, and a momentter, a shockwave of immense proportions tore through the cavern. Elijah¡¯s delicate wings broke under the onught, but by that point, they weren¡¯t that important. One way or another, they were getting out of the volcano. Without their attributes, which made them superhuman, as well as the constant attention of Sadie and Ron, they all would have been pulverized into jelly. However, because of those factors, they held themselves together long enough to ride the shockwave ever higher. The top of the mountain exploded only moments before they reached the cavern¡¯s ceiling, and briefly, Elijah saw open sky. A secondter, that was obscured by a cloud of ash that seemed to pervade everything. He and the people clinging to his body like it was a life raft soared ever upward, and if Elijah had been capable of rational thought amidst all the pain, he would havee to the inevitable conclusion that he¡¯d reached the end of his path. But then, the worst of it passed. Ron¡¯s healing ¨C which was still ongoing ¨C began to outpace the damage, and Sadie¡¯s shields held for a split second longer. All the while, Elijah¡¯s body seemed like it was unmade and reconfigured again and again with every passing moment. It came as something of a surprise when they flew clear of the eruption, and it took Elijah a few seconds to remember to fly. But by that point, Savage Might had run its course, and his tattered wings were in no condition to hold them aloft. So, they fell more than they flew, hitting the ground and tumbling across the rockyndscape until they came to a rest only a few feet from a river ofva. For almost a minute, no one said anything. Elijah could feel that everyone was still alive, and what¡¯s more, Ron¡¯s efforts had ensured that no one was in danger of dying. Yet, that didn¡¯t mean they were in good condition. Indeed ¨C everyone was more broken and battered than at any time that hade before. Except Elijah. He was just as injured as the rest, but he¡¯d endured much worse. So, he kept his wits about him enough to shift back into his human form and cast Healing Rain. That helped ease Ron¡¯s burden, but there was no escaping the fact that the Healer had his work cut out for him. Finally, after Elijah had a chance to gather his thoughts, he said, ¡°That certainly was an explosive situation.¡± Sadie groaned. Datughed. And Kurik justy there, suffering in silence. Whether the source of that suffering was Elijah¡¯s bad joke or the situation they¡¯d just endured, Elijah had no idea. ¡°Seriously, is everyone still intact?¡± he asked. Sadie said, ¡°I never want to do that again.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± Elijah asked. The challenge of Ignis had certainly been different than all the rest, and it had ended with a bang none of the other challenges could match. ¡°Look on the bright side. If we ever actually go to Ignis, we have a friend waiting for us. All in all Cinderath wasn¡¯t a bad guy. Or girl. Or agender behemoth from a different reality.¡± ¡°Says you,¡± Kurik muttered. ¡°That thing woulda eaten me in a second if you weren¡¯t there. You ever think about bonding a creature like that, you best not bring it back to Earth.¡± ¡°No thanks. It was a guardian and a sapient creature. That would be like bonding another human.¡± ¡°You think that don¡¯t happen?¡± Kurik asked. Elijah was about to say that such a thing was impossible, but then he thought about the Immortals. Or the guild leader back in Seattle. It looked different, with contracts and such, but those people had been bonded to their leaders just as surely as a beast to its tamer. Of course, Elijah didn¡¯t approve of the notion of a tamer in the first ce. Instinctively, he felt it implied an unequal partnership, as if the beast in question was subservient to its master. If Elijah were to ever bond a creature ¨C other than the mist panther that had protected him during the first part of his journey ¨C he would only do so on equal terms. Otherwise, considering the intelligence disyed by the guardians he¡¯d encountered, it would be no better than very. Those thoughts and more flickered through Elijah¡¯s mind as he continued to convalesce. It only took a few more minutes before he progressed to the point where he was no longer in danger of keeling over, but still, he didn¡¯t move. Instead, he focused on the notifications he¡¯d received in the wake of the conclusion of the challenge. The first was predictable:
You have conquered the Challenge of Ignis, Emberstone Keep. Reward: Seed of the Ash Lotus
Of course, Elijah hadn¡¯t actually taken possession of the item in question. Dat still held onto it, but Elijah would have been lying if he didn¡¯t admit that he was curious as to what the item did. Was it simr to the Seed of the Whistling Wind, which had given Dat a permanent boost to Dexterity? Or was it an actual seed that could be nted? If it was the former, Elijah had no intention of iming it, but if it was thetter, he wanted it for his grove. Who knew what sorts of miracles Nerthus could create with a seed powerful enough to have been a reward for one of the challenges? The next notification was far more exciting, though. At some point during the battle, he¡¯d progressed his level, as denoted by the system message floating before his inner eye:
Congrattions! You have reached level 105. Attribute points allocated ording to ss and specialization.
Elijah wasn¡¯t terribly interested in the level itself or the attributes that came with it. Sure, he liked getting stronger, but he was far more concerned with what it meant. At level one-hundred and five, he would get a new spell or an evolution. With that in mind, he eagerly shifted his attention to the next notification. Book 6: Chapter 39: Spell Evolution Book 6: Chapter 39: Spell Evolution It should have been an expected turn of events, but Elijah was still a little surprised when he saw that an evolution was avable for one of his spells. From the guides he¡¯d read ¨C as well as conversations with those few people he¡¯d met who were willing to discuss their spells and skills ¨C he knew that his ss and archetypebination was blessed with a glut of abilities. It made sense, after a fashion. After all, he had four distinct forms, three of which ¨C human, blight dragon, and guardian ¨C had defining abilities associated with them. On top of that, he needed healing spells, damage spells, and control abilities. As a result, he had almost double the number of abilities that were given to most. Because of that, he received far fewer opportunities for ability evolution. It was just another factor supporting the notion that the Druid ¨C and subsequently, the Animist ss ¨C was based on versatility. So, when Elijah received the opportunity to evolve one of his spells, it was a huge deal. With that in mind, he looked at the notification with great interest:
Congrattions! You have achieved the requirements for the evolution of the spell Cmity. Please choose a path:
Typhoon Volcano Stormborn
Evolve Cmity by focusing on the breadth of the effect, harnessing the power of a true natural disaster.Evolve Cmity by focusing on the intensity of the effect, incorporating the unfettered fury of the earth. Evolve Cmity by taking an entirely different path. Wreathe your body in the power of the storm.
As had been the case with other spell evolutions, the wording was a little vague. However, upon looking over the options, Elijah thought he had some notion of what was in store with each choice. Typhoon felt like a straight upgrade over the current spell, and while it wasn¡¯t the exciting option, it was probably the safest. Cmity was already one of his most powerful spells, but ofte, its effects had been outpaced by the strength of his opponents. So, he usually used it more as a distraction than as the devastating area spell it was probably intended to be. Likely, it would have already been upgraded if he¡¯d chosen a different ss. However, with this new option, there was a good chance that it would be far more useful as a pure damage spell. That definitely filled a hole in his toolkit, because the only other area spell he had was Swarm, which barely even qualified for thatbel. Still, when Elijah looked at the option, he got the feeling that the evolution focused more on the size of the area of effect, rather than the potency. The second option seemed like the opposite. It was also a clear deviation from the current form of Cmity, focusing on the titr volcano rather than the power of a storm. And given what he¡¯d just experienced, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of excitement at harnessing even a fraction of the power he¡¯d endured during the recent eruption. But the third choice truly called to him, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to see why. Since he¡¯d gained his Animist ss, Elijah had focused on close-quarters fighting. Every time he was forced to act the role of a Mage or Healer, he¡¯d found himself extraordinarily frustrated. He did it when necessary, but his every instinct screamed at him to use his powerful bestial forms in battle. So, the Stormborn option seemed like a perfect fit. It also bore the least descriptive exnation, which made it a bit of a gamble. He had no idea what it meant to wreathe his body in the power of the storm, and he wouldn¡¯t unless he took the evolution. Or found a guide that mentioned it, which was a faraway hope at the best of times and even less likely within the Trial, where there weren¡¯t even any Librarians to hire. The question was whether or not he wanted to rob himself of the one facet of versatility Cmity provided. Perhaps the evolution would still give him some of that, but based on the description as well as his instincts, it would send that line of spells down an entirely different path. So, it was a choice between versatility and specialization. On the one hand, he¡¯d relied on the former ever since he¡¯d attained his archetype, responding to every situation with an appropriate ability. He could heal, cast damaging spells, and fight in melee via his two most prominent transformations. On the other hand, he knew that specialization was the path to more potent abilities. He was already powerful, so what could he do with a bit more focus on his preferred method of fighting? It was an interesting debate, but Elijah knew that he¡¯d made his decision the moment he¡¯d understood what was on offer. With that in mind, he picked Stormborn, eliciting another notification detailing his newly evolved spell:
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Stormborn Harness the power of the storm, granting increased damage from every attack. In addition, each form gains a new ability: Shape of the Guardian: Thunderp Shape of Venom: Stormbind Shape of the Sky: Lightning Rush Human: Lightning Domain Each ability requires an expenditure of stamina and Ethera. Potency based on Core Cultivation.
The pace of Elijah¡¯s heartbeat quickened as he looked at the description. What he saw was even better than he¡¯d dared to hope, but he wouldn¡¯t know for sure whether he¡¯d chosen correctly until he saw the individual ability descriptions. So, he opened the one for Thunderp:
Thunderp Erupt into a brief fury of lightning, damaging and briefly stunning opponents. Potency based on Core Cultivation. Cooldown based on Constitution Attribute. Current: 7.9 Minutes. Only usable when under the effects of Shape of the Guardian.
¡°Damn,¡± he muttered before moving on to the next.
Stormbind Attack unseen, binding your opponent in ce and preventing all spellcasting or ability use. Duration based on Core Cultivation. Current: 2.4 Seconds. Cooldown based on Dexterity Attribute. Current: 10.3 Minutes. Only usable when under the effects of Stormborn.
That was even more interesting, and Elijah¡¯s Mind whirled as he considered all the past situations where such an ability would have proved useful. He was immediately reminded of Dat¡¯s Hex of Tongues, though the immobilizationponent was just as important. To say he was satisfied would be aplete understatement. He moved on to the penultimate ability granted by Stormborn:
Lightning Rush Transform into a bolt of lightning, increasing speed ordingly. Duration (and subsequently, distance) dependent on Core Cultivation. Current: 1.9 Seconds. Cooldown based on Ethera. Current: 2.3 Hours.
It only took a few moments¡¯ worth of calction for Elijah to let out a gasp as understanding washed over him. Given the speed of lightning, he could cover around seventy-five miles in that amount of time. The Shape of the Sky was already fast, but the ability to basically teleport seventy-five miles away would assuredly be quite a boon, and not just regarding travel. If he¡¯d had Lightning Rush even a few hours before, he and the others never would have had to deal with being inside a volcano while it erupted. Finally, Elijah moved on to thest ability ¨C the one associated with his natural form:
Lightning Domain Be a conduit for the power of the storm, sending arcs of lightning to assail your enemies. Caster must remain stationary while Lightning Domain is active. Maximum Duration dependent on Ethera Attribute. Current: 7.2 seconds.
Lying t on his back, Elijah pumped his fist and let out a ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± asked Kurik, who¡¯d propped himself up on bit of volcanic rock. The others were simrly arranged, though they weren¡¯t paying much attention to Elijah. Not surprising, given what they¡¯d all been through. Ron was busy healing everyone back to full viability, and the other two were likely going over their own gains. ¡°Nothing,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Just a new ability.¡± It was more than that. The one thing he was afraid of about choosing the Stormborn evolution was losing the area-of-effect damage that Cmity provided. Now, he had something simr. However, it wasn¡¯t all good news. Lightning Domain was almost assuredly smaller in terms of effective radius, and it wouldn¡¯t result in the atmosphere of confusion that Cmity had forged. Still, given that he¡¯d effectively gained four new abilities ¨C five if he counted the passive buff ¨C in exchange for one, he was pretty happy with the tradeoff. More importantly, he was incredibly eager to give everything a try. Before that, there were a couple of things they needed to take care of. Because of his advancement to the Iron stage of Body Cultivation, Elijah¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t nearly as severe as they should have been. In addition, he had noticed that his natural ability to regenerate had taken a step forward. So, because of that, he was the least injured of hispanions. Ron and Kurik had gotten the worst of it, experiencing severe burns across their bodies as well as multiple broken bones. But Dat wasn¡¯t much better off. Sadie hade through it reasonably intact, but even she was in worse shape than Elijah. Still, he needed some time to recover, so he remained where he was, lying as still as possible while he healed. To upy his Mind, he worked on his Soul Cultivation patterns. He¡¯d already memorized thework of channels, including the changes he would have to make before he could move on to the next stage. However, he¡¯d alsoe to realize that the established pattern wasn¡¯t set in stone. The possibility of variance remained, and he had a feeling that, if he tailored the channels to his own needs, he could gain a bit more from the advancement. So, he studied his channels ¨C or more importantly, the way the ethera moved through them ¨C so that he could note the spots where the flow became clogged. It never stopped, but he¡¯d found multiple points ofcking efficiency. Maybe those were meant to be fixed with future tiers of Soul cultivation, but Elijah felt that he could do better than the guides suggested. With that in mind, he continued to study and plot the future course he intended to take. Like that, hours passed until he felt well enough to rise to his feet. The others were still deep in the throes of convalescence, so he didn¡¯t dare abandon them. Instead, he stretched a little, then headed a few dozen yards away. He could still feel hispanions via One with Nature, but they were far enough away that he could activate his new abilities without fear of disturbing their recovery. With that goal in mind, Elijah used Stormborn. The moment the castpleted ¨C it took almost four seconds ¨C his body was enveloped in subtle arcs of lightning. For a few moments, he twirled his staff, going through the motions of the pseudo-kata he¡¯d developed back on his ind. At the culmination of each strike, electricity swirled, eliciting a crack of thunder. He had no idea how strong those lightning strikes would be, but it reminded him of when he used Storm¡¯s Fury in close quarters. Once he¡¯d familiarized himself with that, he shifted into his guardian form, finding that when he shadowboxed, he saw a simr effect at the end of each punch. However, he was far more interested in Thunderp. When he used it, the eruption of lightning was secondary to the sheer auditory sensation of the apanying thunder. The drain in stamina was fairly steep, but with his Constitution, he had plenty to spare. Next, he shifted into the Shape of Venom, but to his dismay, there were no enemies on which to try Stormbind. Still, he was happy to note that the lightning encircling his body was much more subdued in his blight dragon form. He couldn¡¯t very well use Lightning Rush at the moment, so he forewent the Shape of the Sky, instead using Lightning Domain in his human form. And it was even more impressive than he expected, causing three distinct pulses of lightning tosh out from his position. He sensed that if he pushed the duration to eight seconds, a fourth would be added. But that would take a massive influx to his Ethera attribute, so he wouldn¡¯t need to think about that for quite some time. There was no telling how much damage it would cause, but judging by the amount of Ethera it cost to maintain, Elijah expected it to be quite deadly. All in all, he was incredibly satisfied with his choice of evolution, and he was eager to see how his new abilities worked against enemies. Book 6: Chapter 40: Harried and Harassed Book 6: Chapter 40: Harried and Harassed The arrow whistled past as it narrowly missed Miguel¡¯s head, but the next projectile had much better aim. It mmed into the segmented te of his helmet, skipping off thecquered wood before spinning off into the underbrush. Meanwhile, Trevor leaped to avoid a Voxx that tried to disembowel him. The stag¡¯s hooves came down hard, digging into the monster¡¯s thick scales. But Trevor knew better than to linger. There were six pursuers and five more Voxx in the area, and if they hesitated even for a moment, the enemy would catch them. And given the four Miguel had already killed, they likely wouldn¡¯t treat them with respect or dignity. No, getting caught was more than a death sentence. Instead, it was assuredly a path toward torture and long captivity. Miguel refused to allow that for himself, let alone Trevor. So, he bent close to the stag¡¯s neck and urged him to greater speed. The deer responded, embracing his moonlight powers until he glowed with ethereal light. Using that ability to push him his speed to new heights, he soon began to outpace their pursuers. Trevor leaped over a dry ravine, then darted to the left just in time to avoid a descending spear. Miguel repaid the owner of that weapon with a quick sh of his sword. It wasn¡¯t a weapon meant for mounted use ¨C it was far too short for that ¨C but he made do. The wooden de sliced through the dark elf¡¯s forearm, stopping only when it hit the bone. To the elf¡¯s credit, she didn¡¯t even cry out. Instead, she clutched at the wound as she fell behind. Miguel didn¡¯t see any other reaction. Another arrow missed him by a wide mark, thudding into a nearby pine tree. ¡°Faster,¡± Miguel coaxed the stag, and Trevor responded. The sprint was enough to outrun their pursuers, but Trevor couldn¡¯t keep it up indefinitely. Eventually, he¡¯d find the limits of his stamina ¨C especially after making such copious use of his lunar abilities. They allowed him to run faster than even his attributes would normally allow, and he could also use them to create nes of moonlight so he could travel over water or bound high into the air. However, he was still a very young deer, and as such, he¡¯d not had the time to build his reserves. That was one thing Miguel had learned about guardian beasts. They were powerful creatures, but they were not infallible. From what he could tell about Trevor, the deer only had one ability, and if he pushed it, he could quickly run himself out of stamina. So, it was up to Miguel to rein him in, lest he push himself too far and make himself vulnerable. Of course, if that happened, Miguel would protect his friend, and he knew that if their situations were reversed, Trevor would do the same for him.For the next few minutes, they continued their mad dash through the forest, but it soon became clear that they wouldn¡¯t escape so easily. The dark elves were everywhere, and even if Miguel and Trevor managed to leave a few behind, their path soon took them into another group. That pattern repeated often enough that Miguel began to wonder just how many dark elves hade to Earth, and how far they¡¯d managed to spread. More troublingly, he started to realize that if he was going to survive, he only had three options. And none of them were good. The first was to simply keep going, but as Trevor¡¯s heaving chest told him, that n¡¯s viability had a distinct expiration date. Soon, Trevor¡¯s stamina would give out. Maybe it would take hours more, but the stag simply couldn¡¯t keep going indefinitely ¨C not at full speed, at least. Making that even worse was the notion that they weren¡¯t just being chased. The dark elves were everywhere, and even as they left one group behind, their path took them into another group. So, outrunning them wasn¡¯t really a good n. That brought him to the second option ¨C hiding. There were a few caves here and there throughout the area, but he questioned whether or not hunkering down in the dark elves¡¯ native territory would be a good thing. They were subterranean creatures, so trying to hole up in a cave seemed like a very bad idea. That made the second choice even worse than the first. Finally, there was the third option, but it was one that Miguel didn¡¯t really want to choose. He just wasn¡¯t sure he had much of a choice but to fight back. He had no idea how many elves there were, and from what he¡¯d seen, they were powerful enough to push him to his limits. Perhaps well beyond. If he fought, there was a distinct possibility that he¡¯d die. But wasn¡¯t that true of every time he went into a battle? He couldn¡¯t go through life avoiding danger ¨C especially when there was no other viable choice but to fight. It was a simple concept, but the realization was still profound. With that gripping his mind, Miguel shifted his focus frommenting hisck of choices to making the most out of the one path that had a chance of survival. The first order of business was to find a properly defensive position. As he¡¯d previously established, caves wouldn¡¯t do, and for obvious reasons. He didn¡¯t know which ones might lead further underground, and he didn¡¯t have time to explore them thoroughly. A cliff face might work, but with their advantage in range and likely attributes as well, there was a good chance that the elves would simply climb the cliff and attack him from above. So, natural formations were probably out. That left the possibility of finding a defensible building. It had only been a little more than five years since the world had been transformed by the touch of the World Tree, and that amount of time wasn¡¯t enough to tear down all of the buildings. Sure, some ¨C like the prefabricated houses that had popted much of suburban America ¨C had fallen, but there were plenty of others that had survived intact. And Miguel had seen enough of them during his journey to recognize that he stood a good chance of stumbling upon one during his flight from the elves. He just needed to keep an eye out. Over the next half hour, Trevor bore him through the forest. Elves attacked frequently enough, and more than once, Miguel was forced to counter their ambushes with vicious attacks of his own. He even managed to kill one. However, his previous conclusions held firm, supported by the fact that, in all that time, he didn¡¯t break away. Then, finally, he and Trevor stumbled upon a gold mine of a location. It was a container yard next to an enormous warehouse that Miguel expected had once been a distribution center for a shippingpany. The collection of buildings was so damaged that the structures were useless for his purposes, but Miguel was far more interested in the shipping containers themselves. They were made of solid steel, and while that didn¡¯t make them quite as fortified as it would have before Earth had changed, it was still enough to stymie the elves¡¯ pursuit and hopefully force them into a bottleneck. So, with a n in ce, Miguel urged Trevor to greater speed, and the stag responding with a burst of eleration that took them into the forest of stacked containers. Many of those stacks had been overturned, spilling their contents onto the ground, and most of the others remained locked. Miguel and Trevor raced past those, looking for one that met their requirements. After only a minute or so ¨C with the dark elves still in hot pursuit ¨C Miguel found the perfect one. It was positioned on the ground level and surrounded by a half dozen other containers on each side. There were three stacked atop it as well, which meant that if the dark elves wanted to get to him, they¡¯d need to go through quite a lot of steel ¨C and whatever was contained within the huge, metal boxes ¨C to do so. The final advantage was that it stood open, and it was clear that someone had looted most of what had been inside. Miguel saw a couple of mostly rotted boxes that suggested it had once contained electronics, which told him that it had been empty for quite some time. Regardless, the emptiness gave him plenty of room with which to work. So, he ushered Trevor inside, and the moment Miguel dismounted, the stag¡¯s stamina finally gave out. Trevor copsed, his breathingbored as his emotions went wild with fatigue, a desire to help, and shame that he couldn¡¯t do so. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Miguel soothed. ¡°You did a great job. It¡¯s my turn to protect you.¡± With that, Miguel closed one of the container doors, then jammed a wooden dagger through the ground to keep it shut. That was all the preparation he could make before the first pair of dark elves came into view. They did so warily, both carrying bows with nocked arrows. One had a sh across her cheek, which Miguel vaguely remembered giving her. At the time, he hadn¡¯t known she was a woman, but in retrospect, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to care. An enemy was an enemy, regardless of gender. ¡°Surrender!¡± she called from afar, her melodious voice sounding like a song on the wind. ¡°We will treat you fairly!¡± Miguel remained silent. He had no intentions of giving up. Even if he trusted that they wouldn¡¯t kill him ¨C which he didn¡¯t ¨C he couldn¡¯t afford to fail his mission. The people he¡¯d sent back to Ironshore from Norcastle represented a good start, but most of those refugees had been nobatants. If his city was going to survive theing war, they needed a lot more fighters. The dark elven woman, with her purplish-blue skin and white hair, shook her head, then raised her bow. A secondter, an arrow was in the air. Miguel pped the projectile aside with his sword. He didn¡¯t need to use any skills or spells. His swordsmanship and attributes were more than enough to aplish a feat that was possible, albeit rare, even before the world had transformed. The dark elf frowned. Then, she rapidly fired six more arrows. Miguel could scarcely see how she had drawn so many so quickly, but he didn¡¯t have time to worry about that. Instead, he used histest ability, Protection of the Wind.
Protection of the Wind Surround yourself with gusting wind, protecting you from ranged attacks and spells. Power determined by rtive Constitution.
A gust of wind swirled around Miguel, and the arrows went wide. As they ttered against the walls of the steel container, the elven woman raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°I see.¡± Even as she spoke, ten more elves stepped into view. Thunder rolled before a few drops of rain sttered against the concrete ground, but otherwise, the atmosphere was one of pregnant silence. Miguel steadied his breath, but in his chest, his heartbeat had reached a crescendo of anticipation, excitement, and fear. Then, they rushed him. Miguel reacted immediately, using Enrage to improve his attributes before activating Impale even as he lunged toward the first elf in line. His wooden sword shed through the fighter¡¯s armor like it was nothing, slicing into the elf¡¯s vitals before Miguel ripped his de free. Blood spurted, but Miguel paid it no mind. He kicked out, sending the elf staggering backward and into the other charging fighters. In a split second, Miguel sheathed his sword and drew his spear from its harness on his back. Because of its extended reach, it was a much better weapon for the situation. The elves were all armed with axes or swords, so he hoped to exploit that particr advantage. The group recovered, then rushed him again. This time, he didn¡¯t bother with any abilities. With his armor and Protection of the Wind, he was as well-defended as he could manage. And over the next few minutes, he used every ounce of skill he possessed in order to keep the elven warriors at bay. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t get the chance to inflict any other easy wounds. That first elf was still out of the fight, so it wasn¡¯t a waste. However, that attack had driven the others to wariness, and their approach reflected their increased caution. They darted in, attacking in coordinated, back-to-back strikes. Miguel¡¯s work with the spear wasn¡¯t as deft as his sword techniques, but he had enough experience ¨C and the attributes to back it up ¨C to keep them at bay. And in the space of the next thirty seconds, he even managed to take another elf out via a spear de to the throat. But then he lost himself to the flow of battle. Often, when he sparred with Colt or one of the other Warriors back in Ironshore, he found himself thinking of them like a dance. Or a boxing match that went back and forth, perhaps. True battle, especially against multiple foes, wasn¡¯t like that. It was brutal and vicious. Within the confines of the container, there was no space for fancy maneuvers. Not time for nning. Just reflexive blocks, counters, and attacks. Miguel sank into that state, relying on his extensive training, rtively high attributes ¨C alongside his cultivation ¨C and some ephemeral battle sense that he¡¯d always taken for granted. He had always understood fighting. Some might call it talent. Others would attribute it to hard work and repetition. Still others would see histent battle-rted attunement in there. Whatever it was, it allowed Miguel to instinctively anticipate his opponents¡¯ moves and counter them efficiently, and without conscious thought. Gradually, the fight wore on. Despite the fact that they¡¯d scored a few hits, Miguel¡¯s armor and attributes kept those injuries¡¯ severity to a minimum. The elves weren¡¯t so fortunate, and within twenty minutes, half were already dead. Most of the others were injured, with only two ¨C including the elven woman who¡¯d first attacked him ¨C remainingrgely unharmed. At some point, more elves joined the fight, but because of his efforts at finding a defensive position, they could only approach one or two at a time. Still, at some point, his spear broke beneath an axe de that he didn¡¯t parry properly, and his armor took more than one serious gouge. The tes held, but every set of armor was beset with plenty of gaps. And the elves were adept at finding them, which meant that with every minute of battle, Miguel picked up another wound. Fortunately, none were serious on their own, and because of his Constitution ¨C enhanced by Pledge of the Green Warden and Woodsman¡¯s Constitution, as well as the bonuses from his armor ¨C thesting effects were kept to a minimum. Still, the sheer umtion of injuries took their toll. The elves had it much worse. Miguel lost track of how many he killed, but he could see the piles of bodies that further restricted their approach. On top of that, he knew he was gaining levels. He didn¡¯t know how many, and he didn¡¯t dare spare the attention necessary to check his notifications. However, he didn¡¯t have such arge pool of attributes that he didn¡¯t feel the effects of each gained level. But the elves just kepting. Dozens fell before him, and he paid the price for each one. After thirty minutes, his body was a collection of wounds, his armor was scored in a hundred different ces, and his avable stamina had dwindled to nothing. With weariness dragging him down like a tangible weight, he fought on. His technique grew sloppier, and his blowscked the strength driving them in the beginning. Still, he refused to fall. In the end, when all but two of the elves had perished, Miguel could barely stand. Even so, he forced his shoulders back and red at them as he asked, ¡°Why?¡± The female elf who¡¯d begun the fight had stayed back the entire time, and she¡¯d actually managed tond a few arrows. Thankfully, his armor had protected him from the worst of it, but a handful of his wounds could be traced back to her efforts. ¡°Resources are finite. The world knows no kindness. Only the strongest are fit to survive.¡± With that, she drew her sword and attacked. The other remaining dark elf did the same, though he was clearly her inferior in terms of attributes and technique. She moved like liquid, and because she¡¯d mostly sat the fight out, she was fresh. Meanwhile, Miguel was exhausted. But he¡¯d kept something in reserve.
Recover Focus your Ethera, tripling your Regeneration.
It was not a high-level ability, and often, Recover wasn¡¯t enough to truly make the difference in battle. With his Regeneration, even tripling it wouldn¡¯t heal his wounds quickly. However, what it did do ¨C and the purpose of the ability, as far as he could tell ¨C was to give him a second wind. The influx of Regeneration did just that, and his fatigue faded in mere seconds. So, when the elf made contact, she found that her opponent was as fresh as when the battle had begun. Because of that, he managed to surprise her with a wicked riposte that took her in the throat. Even as she clutched her profusely bleeding neck, the other elf attempted to stop, but his momentum was such that he had no defense when Miguel turned his attention in his direction. The oue was predictable. And yet, as the leader copsed due to blood loss, the lone remaining elf fought with every ounce of ferocity he could muster. It wasn¡¯t enough, and Miguel dispatched him soon after. The moment that elf fell, Miguel¡¯s shoulders slumped. His physical exhaustion had faded, but mentally, he was a mess. However, he knew that his efforts had only bought him a little time. So, he took the leader¡¯s bow, gathered the few arrows he could find, then took everyone¡¯s ethereum pouches before taking off in Argos¡¯ direction. The threat posed by the dark elves had always been dire, but given the numbers he¡¯d faced ¨C and so far from Ironshore ¨C Miguel knew that the situation was even worse than anyone had expected. So, his mission was even more necessary now than ever before. And he refused to fail. Too much depended on him. With that driving him forward, he led the still-recovering Trevor from the shipping container and left the site of the battle behind. Book 6: Chapter 41: The Spire Book 6: Chapter 41: The Spire It took three days for him to recover. But in the wake of the challenge of Ignis, Elijah felt better than ever before. For one, he had a brand-new spell ¨C or five of them, if he wanted to get technical ¨C and for another, he¡¯d taken one more step toward reaching his ss evolution. On top of that, everyone in his group had progressed significantly as well. So, as he soared through the air in his Shape of the Sky, he had reason to feel optimistic about his situation. He banked, reveling in the feel of the air as it rippled past his wings. There was ethera at y, though it was so subtle that without Connection, he¡¯d never have felt it. It wasforting, after a fashion, because ording to thews of physics with which he was familiar, there was no way he should have been capable of flying as easily as he did. No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than he saw something glinting in the distance. He''d left the volcandscape of the challenge of Ignis behind, and the terrain had returned to its jungle-like roots. From his vantage, it looked like a carpet of green spread out below him. As he sped toward the metallic glint in the distance, it resolved into a silver spire jutting from the jungle. At first, he thought it was an obelisk like the Washington Monument, but as he drew closer, he realized that it was actually a tower. The highest point red into a tform not unlike the Space Needle in Seattle, though entirely silver and t on the top. At the speed he could travel, it didn¡¯t take Elijah long to reach the spire, and on closer inspection, he could see that it wasn¡¯t in great shape. The silver exterior was terribly tarnished, with huge gashes running down the otherwise sleek sides, and a good chunk of the tform at the top was missing entirely. Elijah descended through the jungle canopy, and only a momentter, he found the missing piece half-buried beneath the local soil. Barely anything was visible above the surface, but via One with Nature, he could feel it well enough. Elijah didn¡¯tnd on the ground. Instead, hetched onto the branch of an enormous tree, where he settled in to take stock of the situation. There was nothing rming about the area. Sure, there were some wraiths hibernating beneath the ground, but not in abnormal numbers. Otherwise, the local wildlife was the same as he¡¯de to expect in the other parts of the jungle. Still, it was difficult not to get lost in the sheer tide of vitality that came with such verdant terrain. There weren¡¯t just thousands of organisms in the area. There were millions. Perhaps even billions. Some were microscopic ¨C barely discernible even with his Connection-enhanced senses ¨C but there were plenty of rodent-sized, stealth-based animals in the region. Normally, those would remain entirely unseen, but there was no hiding from One with Nature. Then there were somerger animals. They were rarer, but no less impressive for it. Their little world shook with their every step. They were tyrants in their own right. Alpha predators who faced few challenges to their unquestioned authority. To Elijah, it was beautiful. Everything coexisting. Not peacefully. Never that, but still, they all yed their own little part in the ecosystem. For a long time, he just watched. He listened. He felt. And it soothed his Mind in a way he couldn¡¯t really exin. More than anything, he wanted to descend upon that jungle and be a part of that ecosystem. However, he knew that he didn¡¯t belong. He was an outsider in a strangend, and the moment he took a part in that world, it would be irrevocably changed. Maybe for the better, but more likely, it would be worse. He let out a hissing sigh, then threw himself back into the air. A couple of ps of his wings sent him soaring above the canopy. After a few times circling the spire, he realized that he could feel nothing inside. It wasn¡¯t like the tomb he¡¯d visited, where life simply didn¡¯t exist within the confines of the crypt. Rather, it was as if something was blocking his senses. That definitely didn¡¯t bode well for whatever was inside, but Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he might find in there. So, after seeing a door in the center of the tform, hended and decided to give it a look. Upon setting down, he returned to his human form, then decided to check his status before descending into the spire:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 106
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization Connection
Alignment N/A
Strength 188 (122)
Dexterity 176 (110)
Constitution 193 (133)
Ethera 166 (128) If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Regeneration 197 (119)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Adept
Body Core Mind Soul
Iron Whelp Jade Novice
With all of his equipment on and his buffs active, his attributes were enormously enhanced. His Regeneration was on the verge of passing the two-hundred mark, and he expected that it wouldn¡¯t be too long before all the rest of his attributes followed suit. It wasn¡¯t often that he wasn¡¯t under the influences of those powerful bonuses, but on the rare asions when he took off his armor and let the buffs fall away, the difference was more than noticeable. More impactful was his progression to the Iron Body stage. It seemed that every day was apanied by a little better limation to the new tier of cultivation. He¡¯d felt a difference immediately upon achieving that mark, but he¡¯d felt himself growing stronger with every passing day. He knew it would eventually level out as he grew more used to the influx of power, but for now, he found himself reveling in the ever-increasing strength of his body. He hadn¡¯t expected the limation process, but in retrospect, it made sense that he wouldn¡¯t immediately be able to push his body to its limits. It took time to adjust to the other categories of cultivation ¨C especially his Soul and Mind ¨C so the Body being simr wasn¡¯t terribly surprising. That step forward was probably the reason that the others hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the challenge of Ignis. There were still some lingering injuries that took even Ron¡¯s powerful heals some extra time to mend. Elijah, on the other hand, was in perfect condition, which was why he¡¯d gotten restless and chose to explore a little. He approached the door, which was set into the top of the tform. The entire structure was made of some sort of silvery metal, but Elijah felt fairly certain that it wasn¡¯t actually silver. More importantly, a note of ethera ran through it, suggesting that it was far more magical than it appeared at first nce. After a little effort, he managed to lever the door open, letting loose a burst of stale air and revealing a stairway that led deeper into the spire. Elijah descended the steps, and to his surprise, the moment he crossed the threshold, his senses were unmasked. However, he could only feel the corkscrew passage that led down into the tower. He produced an ethera-powered shlight he¡¯d bought back in Seattle from his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and proceeded deeper. It only took a moment before he found the first cell. After a single nce inside, he identified the building¡¯s purpose. It was a prison, and oddly, the cell he was looking at was remarkably simr to those back on Earth. The bars maintained a spiral pattern as opposed to the vertical orientation of the cages back home, but the purpose seemed identical. Especially considering that Elijah could see the remains of the former resident. The skeleton was bare of any flesh, and only a few ragged strips of cloth remained of their attire. He shifted the shlight, and he saw w marks upon the wall, suggesting that the ta¡¯ki had attempted to tear their way through the silvery metal. When Elijah touched the bars, he felt a low hum of ethera coursing through the material. It was weak, but still noticeable enough. Beside the cell, set into the wall, was a small depression that looked like a sunburst with seven rays extending from the central circle. He shook his head and continued his exploration, finding dozens of such cells on his way to the bottom. There was no indication as to what had happened, but at the lowest level, he did find a cell that seemed far more isted than the rest. Inside was the skeleton of arge ka¡¯ki, the distinction between the two native species made clear by the presence of legs. Nestled within the confines of its ribcage glinted something crystalline. Elijah tried to bypass the bars, but his efforts proved insufficient. He couldn¡¯t even rattle the cage, much less get inside. So, after a few minutes of trying, he moved on, eventually discovering a collection of mundane rooms. They¡¯d all been deserted, but judging by the presence of furniture like beds, desks, and cabs ¨C inside of which were some low-quality and degraded weapons ¨C it wasn¡¯t difficult to ascertain that he¡¯d found the living quarters of the guard staff. Finally, he stumbled upon an apartment that was a littlerger and better furnished than all the rest. For quite some time, he searched the collection of rooms ¨C there was a bedroom, an office, a sitting room, and what Elijah suspected was a bathroom ¨C until he had to acknowledge that there was nothing there. Anything that wasn¡¯t made of metal or stone had sumbed to the ravages of time. He did find a gold dagger that he stuffed into his satchel, though. Just as he was going to chalk it up to an interesting but ultimately useless expedition, he felt something via One with Nature. Crossing the room, he knelt beside one of the tiles on the floor. There was something below it. A cavity that he suspected contained something interesting. So, without further ado, he smacked it with his fist. Surprisingly, the tile didn¡¯t shatter. He hit it again, but to a simrck of results. ¡°Alright, then. Bringing out the big guns.¡± In this case, the big guns in question happened to belong to a giant ape-lizard monster with way too much Strength. After shifting into his guardian form, he reared back and smashed the tile with a double-fisted, two-handed blow that should have been enough to pulverize rocks. But the result was only a hairline fracture in the surface of the tile. ¡°Damn,¡± he muttered to himself, seeing how much damage it could take. Still, now that it was cracked, it wouldn¡¯t take much to shatter itpletely. So, he repeated his actions and, after three more blows, it broke. Unfortunately, when it did, it released a wave of etheraced force that sent him flying backwards until he collided with the wall hard enough to dent it. He also received a severe concussion for his trouble. Thankfully, his Regeneration helped him shake off the cobwebs ¨C at least enough that he remembered to shift back into his human form and cast a couple of heals that mended his bruised brain and, he suspected, cracked skull. Once he was back to normal, Elijah pushed himself to his feet and approached the brand-new hole in the ground. Upon first nce, he only saw the remnants of rotted cloth inside. However, peering closer, he found something solid. He reached down and wrapped his fingers around the object in question, and when he pulled it free and dusted it off, he saw that he held a key. Of course, it didn¡¯t really look like keys back on Earth. Instead of a toothed hunk of metal, it was a crystal cylinder with seven prongs spreading from its tip. Yet, Elijah recognized it the moment he saw it, because he¡¯d seen simrly shaped receptacles beside each of the cells on his way down. It didn¡¯t take a genius to make the connection. What¡¯s more, there was one cell that begged for his attention. So, without further dy, he retreated to the cell in question, and to his surprise, he found that the key worked its magic without issue. So, after the door swung open, he stepped inside and dug through the skeleton to retrieve the glinting item from its confines within its ribcage. Once he wrapped his fingers around it, he pulled it free and held it aloft. It was a fluted cylinder with a bulbous piece at one end and a slot in the other. Elijah stared at it for a moment, but he couldn¡¯t identify its purpose. However, what he could feel was the dense ethera swirling within. It was obvious that the item was valuable ¨C perhaps it was a weapon ¨C so Elijah tucked it into his satchel and continued his search. None of the other cells held anything that seemed important. That wasn¡¯t surprising, considering that the spire was a prison. It probably would have defeated the entire purpose if the prisoners were allowed to bring valuables with them. Still, Elijah searched every single cell within the spire, finding nothing as he slowly worked his way back to the top. When he once again found his way to the tform at the tip of the tower, he saw that night had fallen. So, after a quick nce at the site of histest exploratory adventure, he shifted back into the Shape of the Sky and flew toward where he¡¯d left hispanions. It was time to move on to the next challenge, and it was one for which he had high hopes. He¡¯d spent quite some time underwater in the Sea of Sorrows level of his local tower, so he felt that he was uniquely qualified to attack the challenge associated with Nira, the realm of the sea. Book 6: Chapter 42: The Difference Between First and Second Book 6: Chapter 42: The Difference Between First and Second Elijah stood on the beach, staring out into the surf and feeling a wave of nostalgia for home. Not because it looked all that simr. Indeed, it looked more like what he¡¯d seen in various equatorial climates, specifically in South America. The trees lining the coast weren¡¯t mangroves, but they looked close enough that Elijah thought theparison apt. The odor ¨C like a pervasive scent of rotting eggs ¨C was simr as well. Still, even though it wasn¡¯t reallyparable to his ind, it put him in mind of home. ¡°It¡¯s out there, right?¡± he asked. Dat, who stood beside him, consulted the map they¡¯d gotten back in the Nexus Town. On it, three challenges were marked, two of which they¡¯d already conquered. That left only the one associated with Nira, the realm of the sea. And ording to the notes they¡¯d received, it was located more than a mile off the coast and deep beneath the waves. ¡°That¡¯s what it says, bro.¡± Elijah shook his head. ¡°And you really think those potions are going to be enough?¡± ¡°They have to be. They¡¯re all we have,¡± said Sadie, who was sitting nearby and patching her armor. She was running low on her magical putty, but she didn¡¯t dare hold back in its use. That armor had saved her life more than once, and she likely knew that pattern would continue. Each challenge had pushed them to their limits, and they still had a few more to go. First, they had the closest challenge. Nira. Clearly, it was a water-based setting. After that, they needed to find the Umbra, which was sometimes referred to as the ne of Shadows. And then, finally, they would need to confront the challenge associated with the Ethereum, or the Realm of Magic. Then there was the final challenge, which was somehow themed around the Abyss. Although, Elijah thought that there was something missing from the equation, and it didn¡¯t take him long to figure out what that was. The excised world itself ¨C called Ka¡¯arath ¨C clearly had a role to y. They¡¯d heard enough about the Lightning Emperor Yloa that he fully expected to be forced into a confrontation at some point. Whether that would be woven into one of the challenges or if it would necessitate an addendum to their current task, Elijah had no idea. But he wouldn¡¯t be surprised at either. And he intended to be prepared when that situation was thrust upon them.Still, he was getting ahead of himself, so he nced back at Sadie and said, ¡°I think we should rethink this. Maybe go back to the Nexus Town where we can find items that will let everyone breathe underwater. Those potions only work for around eighteen hours. That¡¯s not going to be enough.¡± Indeed, potions had a lot of strange rules around them. They could do wondrous things like bringing a person back from near-death ¨C or let someone breathe underwater for nearly an entire day ¨C but one could not imbibe them without restriction. Those same healing potions were less effective with each dose ¨C at least until enough time had passed for the soft cooldown to reset ¨C and the Aqualung potions they¡¯d bought back in Nexus Town could only be used a single time. After that, the user would need to wait a week before getting any effect out of another one. That meant that if they didn¡¯tplete the challenge in eighteen hours, everyone but Elijah would drown. Of course, he still wore his Ring of Aquatic Travel, so he didn¡¯t need to worry about that. ¡°What choice do we have? If we want to ¨C¡± Just then, Elijah felt something via One with Nature. He held up a hand, silencing Sadie by saying, ¡°Someone¡¯sing.¡± Everyone in the group immediately reacted. Dat disappeared from view, and judging by how vague Elijah¡¯s sense of the man was, he used Ghost Cloak to do it. Kurik threw out a couple of tiny crystals that briefly red with ethera. Sadie was probably the least prepared for battle. She couldn¡¯t very well patch her armor while she was still wearing it, so she was only d in the yoga pants andpression shirt she normally wore beneath. Still, with her enormous sword in hand, she definitely looked ready for anything. Ron pushed himself to his feet and, gripping his staff, prepared to cast his most powerful healing spells. For his part, Elijah just stared in the direction of the people he¡¯d sensed. There were six of them, and judging by what he felt, they weren¡¯t in great shape. One was missing an arm, while two others looked as if they¡¯d been digested by some great beast. Only one man remained uninjured, probably because of the thick armor he wore as he led the group through the thick clumps of semi-aquatic trees and toward the shore. Then, they came into view and, oddly enough, visibly rxed. ¡°Hey ¨C you got heals?¡± shouted the armored man. He was huge ¨C probably six-and-a-half feet tall and built like he lived in the gym ¨C but his bearded face looked friendly enough. Ron rushed forward, already casting. Elijah followed soon after, tossing out Soothe, Nature¡¯s Bloom, and Healing Rain. However, unlike his group¡¯s Healer, he did so cloaked in a significant degree of wariness. He hated having to remain on guard for betrayal, but he¡¯d experienced enough since the world had transformed ¨C or really, even before the World Tree had made contact with Earth ¨C to know just how quickly people could turn sour. Sadie came next, using herparatively tiny heals ¨C they were really only good enough for minor injuries or to stave off fatigue ¨C to add what she could. Almost instantly, the injured people¡¯s condition began to improve, and they visibly rxed. ¡°Thanks,¡± said the big man once he saw that hispanions were no longer on death¡¯s door. ¡°Don¡¯t know how much longer Helen and Billy could have stuck with us. Didn¡¯t expect to run up on three Healers, though.¡± ¡°Only one Healer here,¡± Elijah said, nodding toward Ron. ¡°Sadie and I just dabble.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Dabble, huh? Feels like more than that,¡± the man said. Then, he stuck out a meaty hand and introduced himself, ¡°Name¡¯s Lamar Sims. Tank by trade. Even before the apocalypse, I guess.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. There was something familiar about the man, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on when they might¡¯ve met. As he wracked his brain for an answer to that question, Ron asked, ¡°Wait ¨C you¡¯re the Lamar Sims? Linebacker for the Eagles?¡± The man grinned. ¡°Once upon a time. Been a while since I yed football, though. Not much call for games when the world¡¯s gone to shit, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the truth,¡± Ron said with a genuine smile. ¡°You were my daughter¡¯s favorite yer. We had to move away from Philly, but she never stopped being a fan. She even donated her birthday money to your charity for three straight years.¡± Lamar frowned sadly. ¡°It was a good cause. Not much use for leukemia research anymore, though.¡± After that, the short conversation died. Nobody liked to be reminded that, in the wake of the World Tree¡¯s touch, many people who were already fighting for their lives ¨C be it the result of cancer or other serious illnesses ¨C fell by the wayside. Sure, by now, there were Healers who could treat those diseases, but that didn¡¯t help the people who¡¯d already died. Elijah should have been one of them, but for a chance meeting with a certain tree spirit who¡¯d ushered him forward on the path of Body cultivation. Sometimes, he forgot just how lucky he¡¯d been, but then he¡¯d meet someone like Lamar who hammered home his good fortune. Clearly sensing the awkwardness of the silence, Sadie asked, ¡°Did you and your group conquer the challenge?¡± At that Lamar perked up. ¡°We did. First clear, I think. We got a lot more out of it than the other challenge we conquered,¡± he said. ¡°Not that it didn¡¯te with a cost¡­¡± As he spoke, he looked back at the man who¡¯d lost his arm. So far, Ron hadn¡¯t reached the level he would need to regrow a limb ¨C if he ever would ¨C which meant that the man would be permanently disabled. And he obviously knew it, too, as even after he¡¯d been healed, he just stared at the ground, a vacant look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m Elijah, by the way. That¡¯s Ron. Sadie and Kurik,¡± he said, going through the group. Despite the pleasant tone of the meeting, Dat had chosen not to reveal himself. The encounter with the war elf Ikan had left a mark on the group, and they wouldn¡¯t take anyone¡¯s good intentions for granted. ¡°I knew who you were the second Helen sensed you,¡± Lamar responded. ¡°Really?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re famous. Even if you weren¡¯t, I was at the battle in Nexus Town against those Immortals assholes. We all saw what your group did,¡± Lamar stated. ¡°A lot of people wouldn¡¯t be here without y¡¯all.¡± ¡°Oh. Uh¡­thanks,¡± Elijah said, massaging the back of his neck. After that, the conversation turned to more pleasant things. Apparently, Lamar and his group hade from what was left of Phdelphia, and he wasn¡¯t the only former football yer. The now one-armed man ¨C Derrick ¨C had been the backup quarterback for the team before the apocalypse, and the others were former staff members at the organization¡¯s facility. ¡°Most of them were idiots,¡± Lamar said of his former teammates. ¡°God bless ¡®em, but they all approached it like it was a game. It worked for a while. I mean, they were all elite athletes who¡¯d made it to the peak of their professions, so of course they would have a physical advantage. But it made them cocky, and most of them made a lot of bad choices. By the end of that first year, more than half were dead. The second year saw more than half of those killed. After that, everyone sort of drifted their own ways. Most of the ones who survived ended uptching onto Vinnie, though.¡± Thest, he said with more than a little anger. ¡°Vinnie?¡± ¡°He was a nobody,¡± Lamar said. ¡°Some people say he was homeless before all of this. I don¡¯t know about that, but within a year, he¡¯d built his own little fiefdom. He calls it the Heaven¡¯s Chosen Sect. There¡¯s been a war going on for the past six months. People rose up against him, but it isn¡¯t going well. He¡¯s too strong, and that¡¯s not counting the people around him. That¡¯s what he does. He gives them whatever they want, and because of that, they stay loyal. He also has this might-is-right mentality where if you¡¯re not in his sect, you don¡¯t deserve rights. Even the people who¡¯ve sworn allegiance to him have to adhere to a strict social hierarchy. And if you run afoul of someone above you? Well, you¡¯d better hope for mercy because that¡¯s the only thing that¡¯s going to protect you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Sadie said. Elijah agreed, but he also recognized a sales pitch when he heard one. It wasn¡¯t that he distrusted Lamar¡¯s version of events, but rather, that he could predict what wasing next. ¡°I know we just met,¡± the big man said. ¡°But we could really use your help.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Sadie responded without a second¡¯s hesitation. ¡°If things are as you say, then I can promise that we will do everything in our power to help. However, you should know that your situation is not unique. Moreover, my people are dealing with dire circumstances as well. So, I will propose a deal: if we help with your problem, then you will assist in Hong Kong. An alliance benefits everyone.¡± Lamar said, ¡°I think I can live with that. But I won¡¯t abandon my city. I¡¯ll help, but not at the expense of my own people.¡± ¡°I think we have a deal.¡± ¡°An alliance,¡± Lamar said. ¡°I should warn you that I can only speak for myself and my otherpanion. Elijah, Ron, and Kurik are their own people,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re not all together?¡± ¡°We¡¯re allies,¡± she answered. ¡°Elijah has agreed to help in Hong Kong, but¡­¡± ¡°I have responsibilities in Ironshore,¡± Kurik said. ¡°I can¡¯t abandon my daughter,¡± Ron stated. ¡°But once I can ensure her safety, I will help in any way I can.¡± All eyes turned to Elijah. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot on my te right now,¡± he admitted. ¡°But yeah. I¡¯ll help if I can.¡± But there was only so much time in any given day, and Elijah knew that if he stretched himself too thin, everyone would suffer. He was only one man, after all. Still, he saw opportunity there as well. Not only was helping people its own reward, but he still sensed that humanity would need toe together if it wanted to survive whatever the system had in store. Whether that would take the form in another structured challenge or simply be the problems associated with exposure to the wider multi-verse, he didn¡¯t know. But what he did know was that they couldn¡¯t survive if they fought amongst themselves. So, making inroads with other surviving poption centers only made sense. For now, though, he was more focused on the trial. ¡°What can you tell me about this challenge?¡± he asked. That¡¯s when Lamarunched into an exnation of what they¡¯d been through. The other members of his group chimed in with details here or there, but for the most part, they ceded the floor to the big defender. As Lamar described the obstacles they¡¯d faced, Elijah found himself beset by mingled excitement and horror. The former, because, even with how terrible the challenges were, he could acknowledge that he craved the sense of aplishment that came with oveing them. Not to mention his well-developed need for adventure. However, on the other hand, Lamar¡¯s group had been through the wringer. One man had lost his arm, while the others had been on the verge of death until Elijah¡¯s group had begun to heal them. So, the challenge was clearly a difficult one. Yet, one thing stood out above all others. It had taken Lamar¡¯s group more than a week to defeat the challenge. Even if Elijah and his group could halve that time ¨C which wasn¡¯t out of the question ¨C they still wouldn¡¯t be capable of staying underwater that long. The other party was only capable of it because of a unique ability from Helen, who was an Explorer, that let them endure the airless environment. It was just further confirmation of what Elijah had suspected from the very beginning. He needed to tackle the challenge of Nira alone. Book 6: Chapter 43: Alone Again Book 6: Chapter 43: Alone Again Elijah floated only a few dozen feet below the surface, but his attention remained fixed on the scene below. As Lamar had described, there was a city down there, but it looked nothing like what he might have expected on the surface. Constructed of coral and decorated with various sea nts, it was unlike anything he¡¯d ever seen. Adding to that impression were the denizens, which the former linebacker had described as mermaids. In the most basic sense, they lived up to thatbel. They were clearly hybrids between the¡¯s native ta¡¯ki and fish, which gave them a reptilian cast that more resembled eels with arms than what Elijah had been led to expect by popr movies. Each one carried a trident, and on more than one asion, Elijah had seen ¨C from afar via Eyes of the Eagle ¨C the creatures tearing into one another. That they¡¯d managed to build a city at all, given their obviously warlike nature, was quite a surprise. That was part of the scenario, ording to Lamar. The aquatic humanoids were known as ken, and they considered themselves the true natives of Ka¡¯arith. As was the case with Earth, the was predominantly covered in water, and in the sea, ken were the undisputed masters. What¡¯s more, they had been hit even harder by Ka¡¯arith¡¯s excisement from the World Tree, and the vast majority of their civilization had fallen. Only their most prominent city, led by the most powerful among them, had survived. However, with the fall of their entire society came a regression in their mindset. They¡¯d always been warlike, but after many of their leaders had been in ¨C or in some cases, fled before the excisement was finalized ¨C they became even more aggressive. Now, they had be at least as savage as orcs, and the only reason they hadn¡¯t spread was because they were confined to the sea. It was yet another cautionary tale, and one that seemed to have been repeated throughout Ka¡¯arith. Excisement from the World Tree hadn¡¯t simply cut them off from the rest of the multi-verse and set them adrift in the Abyss. It had brought out the worst of their natures, sending them back to more primitive times. Yet, even as those thoughts skittered through Elijah¡¯s mind, he found himself wondering why, if the world had indeed been cursed to existence in the Abyss, they hadn¡¯t found any Voxx. Sure, there was corruption here and there ¨C like in the fallen grove where Elijah had been confronted by the whispers of his own failures ¨C but he¡¯d yet to see a single Voxx. That didn¡¯t make much sense. Still, in the Shape of Venom, he looked down on the city and wondered how much had changed after Lamar and his team had managed the first clear. He¡¯d long suspected that the first time through a challenge would be far and away the most difficult, but he¡¯d never had the opportunity to experience the difference himself. And he was eager to do so. With that in mind, Elijah cloaked himself in Guise of the Unseen, then swam downward. After a few hundred feet, he started to feel the pressure of the depths, but because of his Iron Body and his attributes, he had no difficulty enduring it. Perhaps he could visit the Mariana Trench when he returned to Earth.If it still existed, which was far from guaranteed. Once Elijah came within a half mile of the city ¨C which stretched at least five miles in every direction ¨C he received the notification he had expected:
You have reached the City of Toh. In order to conquer the Challenge of the Nira, y the King and Queen. Reward: Drop of the Ocean
His heart fell. Lamar and his group had been a bit cagey about the reward they¡¯d received, but after they¡¯d grown a little morefortable, Helen the Explorer had let slip that it was a powerful staff they¡¯d given to their Sorcerer, Kent. Elijah had hoped to receive the same reward, but clearly, his suspicions about being the forerunner was true. Being first meant getting better rewards. Still, he hoped that the Drop of the Ocean would prove valuable in its own right. Besides, there was the Primacy Ranking to worry about. Even if he wasn¡¯t the first to clear the challenge, it would still him quite a few points that would hopefully allow him to maintain his lead. The rewards for the overall Trial far exceeded anything avable from a single challenge. So, with that in mind, he continued his descent, following the directions Lamar had given him. The hulking defender had looked at him like he was insane when he¡¯d voiced his decision to attempt the challenge alone, and he¡¯d spent more than an hour trying to talk Elijah out of it. His voice was only one of many, with everyone ganging up on him. However, he had one factor on his side ¨C the others simply couldn¡¯t survive underwater without their potions. And given that those were finite, it just didn¡¯t make sense for them to go along. Of course, there were workarounds. Elijah knew that as well as anyone. But he was self-aware enough to recognize his own nature, and that nature dictated that, ofte, he¡¯d felt a little stifled by constantpanionship. In any case, the others had eventually acquiesced, in no small part because the idea of spending days underwater left them all a little uneasy. People weren¡¯t meant for that kind of existence, and it didn¡¯t take much for Elijah to convince them to adhere to their own natures. For his part, he¡¯d long since gotten over any uneasiness he might¡¯ve felt with that particr environment, so he had few issues with enduring it. In fact, he quite enjoyed being underwater and exploring wondrous seascapes full of interesting life. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Lamar and the others had spent quite some time exploring Toh, and they¡¯d been forced to fight for every inch they traveled. The ken were extremely territorial, so they had more of an attack-first mentality when it came to visitors. Or each other. Or native wildlife. Elijah, however, had the benefit of foreknowledge ¨C as provided by Helen ¨C so, he made straight for one of therger pces near the center of the city. At first, he¡¯d wondered why someone like the King and Queen would be so difficult to find, but the moment he came into range of the appropriate district, he recognized the issue. The region was absolutely lousy with enormous pces made of coral. There were hundreds of them, and it seemed that each one wasrger and more borate than thest. Thankfully, Helen¡¯s description was more than adequate for the purpose of picking the royal pce out of the bunch. So, Elijah had no issues finding his destination. ording to Lamar¡¯s story, getting into the royal wing of the pce required a set of five keys, each one held by a different guard captain who presided over a different wing of the pce. It was a silly and oveplicated system, which meant that it was probably set up by the challenge itself ¨C not unlike the entirely manufactured towers with which Elijah was very familiar. Even so, it was nice to have a clear goal and a means of aplishing it, so he wasted no time before making his way to the first guard captain. Elijah was eager to test his new skill, so he¡¯d already used Stormborn ¨C along with all of his other buffs ¨C before even descending into the city. The lightning coursing through him tingled, but it didn¡¯t really behave like natural electricity. Probably a good thing, considering he was entirely submerged in water. Regardless, he¡¯d chosen his first target so he could test Stormbind. After progressing through the wing ¨C the interior of the structure seemed more organic than constructed, with rough walls made of red coral and lit by glowing bubbles ¨C Elijah found himself in a room with his target. Up close, the ken looked even more alien than before, with ridged fins, slimy-looking skin, and a face that resembled a catfish. In most cases, Elijah would have had difficulty telling the creatures apart, but thankfully, he had One with Nature on his side, and the difference between the one hovering over a crystal in the center of the room was obviously different than all the rest. Not only was it more powerful, but it was also slightlyrger. It carried a staff tipped with flowing seaweed rather than the typical tridents he¡¯d seen. That was all Elijah needed to see in order to mark the creature as the first guard ¨C a powerful mage that had very nearly killed Lamar with its first attack. Considering the man was in his low-eighties, and with a powerful defender ss to boot, that was quite a feat. So, Elijah had no intention of taking the ken¡¯s defeat for granted. He stalked forward, embracing the full suite of his abilities. Predator Strike. Venom Strike. Envenom. And finally, Stormbind. The creature never saw himing, and when Elijah sank his fangs into the thing¡¯s slimy flesh, lightning flowed through him and into the creature. It froze as even more lightningshed out, binding its tail. Elijah slithered away, grateful that the blight dragon was just as at home in the water as it was onnd. Normally, he would have bitten the thing again, but he wanted to test his new ability and see how much weaker the creatures in the second clear would be. So, he focused on the mage, and he felt the thing attempt to cast a spell. However, the moment its ethera gathered, a shock tore through it, and the magical energy dissipated. If it was possible in his blight dragon shape, Elijah would have grinned. And that expression would have widened when, only a secondter, the thing started to convulse. ck veins pulsed beneath its grey-green skin as it was rocked by a powerful seizure. Even when the effects of Stormbind faded, the ken couldn¡¯t muster the strength to cast a spell. It died within five more seconds, practically dissolving beneath Elijah¡¯s potent venom. When it was all said and done, barely more than fifteen seconds had passed, and in that time, Elijah¡¯s venom had eaten through the thing¡¯s flesh to the point where it had be unrecognizable. That, he¡¯d expected. Maybe not as quickly as it had happened, but he¡¯d seen his venom at work often enough to know what it could do when augmented by Predator Strike. However, what he¡¯d really wanted to test was Stormbind, and Elijah was more pleased than he¡¯d expected to be concerning the ability¡¯s performance. The mage had been entirely incapable of casting, which was precisely what the description had promised. Still, he¡¯d been a bit skeptical about its viability, so he was very happy with the results. After gathering the key ¨C it looked like an ordinary key, though it was made from a seashell ¨C Elijah headed to his next destination, where he decided to test Thunderp. And he was just as happy with the results as he had been with Stormbind. When he activated the ability, dozens of lightning tendrilsshed out, burning the ken fighter that was his second target. More importantly, the ability also stunned the creature long enough for Elijah to rip its arms off before tearing it in half. Being on the other end of that kind of an attack felt surprisingly cathartic. One word that could not be used to describe the fight was challenging, though. Against Lamar and his party, the guard in question had been the reason Derrick had ended up without one of his arms. But against Elijah in his guardian form? The thing was weaker than most of the hunters he¡¯d encountered in the wild. That was just further confirmation that there was a sharp decline in difficulty that came withing in second. The third and fourth guard captains fell just as easily as the first two, and Elijah collected the keys. However, the fifth was the one he was really looking forward to tackling,rgely because the captain had an entire squad apanying it. So, Elijah chose to use the third ability that hade along with Stormborn. He nted himself in the center of the room, dropped Shape of the Predator, and cast Lightning Domain. Whips of electricity exploded from his body,shing all five opponents with potent magic. Immediately, Elijah understood that this ability had a different vor than the others. Thunderp and Stormbind were both powerful in their own right, but any damage they inflicted was a secondary effect. Instead, they were intended to help him control the battlefield, stunning and silencing opponents rather than killing them outright. Lightning Domain had the opposite focus. Certainly, it stunned the guard captain and its retainers, but that was just a side effect. The primary impact was far deadlier, with each whip of lightning severely burning the ken fighters. Two died on first contact, but the others managed to survive. However, all but the guard captain itself were so injured that they posed no more threat. And the primary target? It was wounded, but it still attempted to fight back. Elijah ended that with a furious burst of staff strikes that crushed its bones and sent even more lightning tosh its injured flesh. When the ughter concluded, it left Elijah feeling a bit like a bully. The ken had stood no chance against him, and his new abilities were far too much for them to handle. As he collected the final key, he could only hope that the King and Queen would prove more challenging. Otherwise, it would start to feel like pointless ughter. Book 6: Chapter 44: A Different Kind of Call Book 6: Chapter 44: A Different Kind of Call Elijah was bored. And considering he was in the middle of a challenge in the Trial of Primacy, surrounded by potential enemies that wouldn¡¯t hesitate to ughter him, given half a chance, he should not have been. Yet, he¡¯d grown ustomed to a certain level of danger, and when that simply wasn¡¯t present, he found his mind straying to more interesting situations. He stopped in his tracks, only a few feet from one of the ken. By all rights, it should have been capable of detecting him, if only because of the swaying currents he sent out with every flick of his tail. Yet, it was entirely oblivious. If he¡¯d ever needed confirmation that Guise of the Unseen used ethera to achieve the stealth it provided, that would have been sufficient. But did it affect the environment? Or the minds of those who fell under its effect? Elijah expected it was the former, but with the things he¡¯d seen concerning mind control ¨C both with Barry the would-be demagogue back in Seattle and his recent brush with the war elf ¨C he wouldn¡¯t rule out thetter. Regardless, he needed to focus on the task at hand. The aquatic humanoid had been tasked ¨C alongside another of its ilk ¨C with guarding the Royal quarters. ording to Lamar¡¯s exnation of the challenge, they¡¯d both be found within. The battle between the former linebacker¡¯s party and the pair of rulers had been long and involved, and most of them had barely escaped with their lives. After conquering the challenge, they¡¯d been beset by wave after wave of guards ¨C after all, such a battle couldn¡¯t go unnoticed ¨C and they¡¯d been forced to carve a path through a veritable army. It had not ended well, which was why they¡¯d all been so close to death. Elijah hoped to do things a little more efficiently. And given the ease with which he¡¯d killed the guard captains, he expected sess in that endeavor. So, without further ado, he embraced his suite of abilities, swished his tail to propel him forward, and struck the first guard. He trusted his venom to do its job, so he used the nearby wall to his advantage, kicking off the solid surface and throwing himself through the water. He hit the second guard before the creature could even respond to his appearance. This time, though, he didn¡¯t use Envenom. Nor did he have the advantage of Predator Strike. Instead, he only used his momentum and sharp fangs. The results were different than thest encounter, but no less deadly for the deviation. His teeth found purchase in the creature¡¯s neck, sinking deep before Elijah flexed his powerful neck muscles, ripping them free. A slight gurgling sound escaped the ken¡¯s throat, sending a stream of bubbles and blood to erupt into the water. It dropped its trident, which drifted toward the floor even as the creature clutched its ruined neck. Elijah dug his ws into the ken¡¯s body, then thrust forward with another bite. The creature¡¯s alien eyes had only a moment to widen before Elijah¡¯s jaws closed around his face. A secondter, the ken¡¯s skull was crushed. By that point, the other guard had already fallen, its flesh so ruined by Elijah¡¯s potent venom that it was barely recognizable. Blood clouded the water, staining it red. But rather than be disgusted by it, Elijah could only feel pleased. It was easy to forget just how strong he really was, especially when he constantly challenged himself against such powerful opponents. The denizens that popted the first-clear challenges weren¡¯t scaled ¨C not exactly. In fact, Elijah suspected that they were close to, if not at, the peak of the mortal tier of progression. Yet, he¡¯d also noticed that, as the Trial went on, they grew stronger. The why behind it all was a mystery, and one he wasn¡¯t certain he would ever solve. But one thing he wasfortable with confirming was that engaging challenges subsequent to that first clear was much, much easier. Instead of feeling a sense of relief ¨C as would be the case with most sane people ¨C Elijah only found himself disappointed. And as he¡¯d already noted, a little bored. Still, he was happy to see that he was stronger than ever, even if the rtive power of the creatures within the previous challenges made it sometimes seem otherwise. Regardless, he didn¡¯t intend to dwell on it. Rather, he focused on his task, intending to defeat the challenge as quickly as possible so he could get the reward and move on to the next. Because if Lamar¡¯s group had proven anything, it was that the other people in the Trial were there for a reason. They were all strong enough to defeat the challenges within, and if Elijah and his friends were going to get the most out of the whole ordeal, they had to beat the others to the punch. In short, there was no time to waste. Even so, there was another thought in the back of his mind that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ignore. The challenge wasn¡¯t difficult ¨C at least not to him, and presumably, not to his group, either ¨C but each kill gave a little more experience than the level of the difficulty suggested it should. Alone, those kills weren¡¯t enough to move the needle, but there were a lot of ken in the City of Toh. What¡¯s more, they weren¡¯t real creatures. Like denizens of towers, they were created by the system, and as such, Elijah felt no guilt at putting them down. In short, it represented a perfect opportunity to grind out a few levels ¨C provided they could solve the water-breathing problem. But time was the issue. As he¡¯d already noted, the other Trial-takers had not remained idle, and Elijah and his group would need to weigh the benefits of a first clear against what they would gain from attaining a few extra levels. It was something to think about, but for now, Elijah needed to focus on the task at hand. With that in mind, he shifted back to his human form ¨C and immediately regretted it. He would never disdain his natural shape, but there was something to be said for scales ¨C chiefly that blood and other viscera tended to wash right off. Hair didn¡¯t have that characteristic. Neither did his armor. Or the clothes beneath. In short, he found himself in a cloud of diluted blood, and it was just as disgusting as that descriptor implied. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. But that was what showers and soap were for, and he intended on making copious use of both the moment he got back onshore. For now, though, he reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel ¨C which thankfully kept everything dry, even when he opened it ¨C and retrieved the five keys. Then, he thrust them into ce, all the while thinking it was a bit of a silly setup. Only when he started turning those keys did he see that they each unlocked different mechanisms. One was the physical door, but the others were tied to various enchantments. One, in particr, hissed with familiar electricity that Elijah thought would have been quite painful to endure. Whatever the case, the keys worked to deactivate each of those security features, and soon enough, the door opened. And Elijah saw a dozen ken hovering a foot above the floor in the room on the other side. Each one looked strong ¨C a bitrger even than the guard captains he¡¯d fought earlier ¨C and, oddly enough, the first thought that went through Elijah¡¯s mind was that, just maybe, he¡¯d finally found an opportunity to test himself. Without hesitation, he threw himself into the room, swimming forward with powerful kicks. The ken, though, were natives to the ocean, and they were far more maneuverable. So, to mitigate that, Elijah embraced Swarm. Immediately, hundreds of tiny minnows manifested, each one with overlyrge jaws that put him in mind of piranha. Even as that cloud of tiny fish descended upon the stunned ken, Elijah forced himself to a halt. Then, he used Lightning Domain. Whips of electricityshed out, covering the entire room as they cut into and through the creatures. Bubbling screams erupted from catfish-like mouths as the painful arcs of lightning burned them. But they didn¡¯t immediately die. Elijah suppressed a grin as he embraced the form of themer ape. One of the biggest ken endured the effects of Lightning Domain well enough tounch its trident in Elijah¡¯s direction. It hit while he was in mid-transformation, sinking deep into his side. Thankfully, the three prongs hit his ribs, preventing any serious damage. And when Elijah¡¯s transformationpleted, he wasted no time before ripping it free and letting out a gurgling roar of his own. He threw it back where it hade. However, he¡¯d never really thrown a javelin before, and even if he had, the guardian shape wasn¡¯t suited for such a meticulous movement. Instead, he simply whipped it out like a frisbee. It whirled, spinning like a saw before it hit one of the stunned ken. The creature copsed, its ribcage broken. The trident bent in two from the sheer velocity, ruining the weapon. Elijah didn¡¯t care about any of that. The beast within him came to the fore, with the dragon pushing from behind. The human part of his spirit took a backseat. Theing battle didn¡¯t need it. He let out another gurgling roar, then used Thunderp. A web of thin lightning bolts erupted from his body, further damaging the gathered ken, but despite how shy that web of electricity looked, it was only the preamble to the real effect. Simr to what would happen when a grenade exploded underwater, the shockwave of Thunderp was much more intense than it otherwise would have been. A few of the closest ken were entirely pulverized, their bodies purpling before blood erupted from their every orifice. The ones that were further away weren¡¯t as strongly affected, but they didn¡¯t escape unscathed, either. Via One with Nature, Elijah could feel their bones shattering under the impact of the shockwave. Only one survived mostly unharmed, but even thergest and most powerful among the group was stunned by the sudden onught of Lightning Domain, followed by Swarm, and ending with Thunderp. So, it never even saw Elijahing. He hit the thing with all the force his nearly two-hundred-point Strength attribute could wield, and when he made contact, he felt the creature¡¯s bones break under his driving shoulder. He could have stopped at that point, and the thing wouldn¡¯t have fought back. But the beast within wasn¡¯t satisfied with merely disabling its opponent. It didn¡¯t care that he¡¯d just killed nearly a dozen ken with his abilities. It wanted blood. It wanted to rend and tear, to rip its foe apart with its own two ws. Elijah gave in to those impulses, grabbing the limp ken by the arms and flexing. The creature was strong. Probably on par with a normal Trial-taker. But Elijah wasn¡¯t normal. On paper, he was the most powerful man on Earth, and, at least as far as the beast was concerned, it was time he started to act the part. The dragon agreed. And in that moment, the human part of Elijah¡¯s spirit reveled in that feeling of dominating his enemy. The first thing to give were the creature¡¯s joints, but the ligaments and muscles followed soon after. The ken¡¯s arms ripped free of its body in a cloud of blood. It regained its wits enough to scream, but the sound was muffled by the water and easily ignored. Elijahshed out, mping his jaws on the agonized creature¡¯s head. He flexed his jaws. The ken¡¯s skull shattered, and viscera flooded Elijah¡¯s mouth. For a moment, he reveled in the taste. After all, none of his forms were herbivores, and his instincts screamed at him to savor the vor of meat and blood. But then, his human side regained control. Elijah didn¡¯t recoil. He¡¯d eaten raw meat often enough ¨C usually in his draconid, or subsequently, the blight dragon form ¨C so he was no longer disgusted by it. It wasn¡¯t as if he would run around eating raw flesh in his human form. Not unless it was absolutely necessary, at least. But he wasn¡¯t entirely turned off by the notion, either. Regardless, when Elijah pulled back and looked down at the ken¡¯s headless corpse, he had to admit that he was a little ashamed of losing control. The beast was always there, waiting to be unleashed. It was most prevalent in the guardian form, but it was present when he took on the Shape of Venom, too. And Elijah knew he couldn¡¯t allow it to be the dominant force in his mind. Once, he¡¯d nearly sumbed to the Call ¨C that ephemeral pull that would have seen him merge with nature in a way he still didn¡¯t really understand. But just because he¡¯d not felt anything like that again didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d escaped its grasp. The beast was just another facet of the same thing, and if he gave in, he would descend into a wild frame of mind that wouldpletely overwhelm the other parts of him. He shook his head, grabbing hold of the idea that despite his ability to take on other shapes, he was still a human being. At that assertion, the dragon seemed smugly amused. Regardless, Elijah hade to the challenge for a reason, and now that the guards were all dead, he needed to kill the King and Queen. So, without further ruminations on the nature of his very spirit, Elijah turned his attention to the door on the other side of the room. Upon entering the royal quarters, he¡¯d stepped into an anteroom of sorts, and he knew that on the other side of that door waited the object of the challenge. Elijah stepped forward, ready to get it over with as quickly as possible. Book 6: Chapter 45: Royalty Book 6: Chapter 45: Royalty Elijah didn¡¯t bother with stealth. It wouldn¡¯t have done much good, given that he needed hands ¨C or more importantly, opposable thumbs ¨C to open the door. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if the royals on the other side could have missed themotion of his previous battle. So, if the door suddenly opened and nothing stepped through, the likelihood that he would be detected skyrocketed. It was better to simply push through while prepared for whatevery on the other side. With that in mind, he entered in his guardian form, using Iron Scales to mitigate the effects of any attack he might be forced to endure. His preparation was fortunate, because the moment he stepped into the next room, he was beset with a flurry of invisible attacksing from every direction. It took him a moment to recognize that they were des of pressurized water, and they cut right through his defenses, gouging shallow grooves in his scales. That told him his opponents ¨C which he spied across the room ¨C had at least a little power. However, it would take a lot more of that to actually hurt him. His scales were thick, his Constitution attribute was massive, and Iron Scales was scarcely taxed. No ¨C he¡¯de looking for a challenge, but it seemed that he would be leaving the royal quarters unsatisfied. The pair of ken were almost identical in appearance, with the only nod to gender being that one of them had a few rainbow stripes along its shoulders. Elijah had no idea as to their genders, so he had no way of differentiating between which one was the king or queen. Not that it mattered. He was tasked with killing them both. So, still in hismer ape form, Elijah bounded forward, the near weightlessness giving his gait an odd feeling. More, the water worked against him, slowing his not-very-aquadynamic form slightly. Even though it wasn¡¯t as useless underwater as his old mist panther form, the guardian shape was never meant to fight in such an environment. Still, Elijah decided to make do by relying on his incredible attributes to make up the difference. Bubbles churned as he rocketed forward, and the pair of ken scrambled to react. They both held tridents, but they were so surprised by the ineffectiveness of their previous attack that they were slow to bring them to bear. Unfortunately, Elijah could only hit one at a time, so he chose the colorful one as his first target. He hit the creature like a torpedo, but to his surprise, just before he made contact, the water condensed into something akin to gtin, shielding the creature from the brunt of the impact. Momentum dictated that it still went flying backward, but when it hit the wall on the other side of the room, it bounced rather than broke. Unfortunately, the second ken used Elijah¡¯s brief focus on its mate to enable a viciously quick stab with its trident. The weapon¡¯s tines dug deep, bypassing Elijah¡¯s thick scales and ignoring his defensive ability. It scored one of his ribs, then exploded with power. des of water swirled beneath Elijah¡¯s flesh, ripping the muscles on his side to ribbons. He¡¯d been through worse. But that didn¡¯t mean he could simply ignore the gaping hole in his side. Nor did he want to. Instead, he tore free of the trident, then used Bestial Charge. The ability was powered by ethera and stamina, so it didn¡¯t concern itself with the environment. Thews of physics weren¡¯t really applicable, which meant that Elijahunched himself through the water ¨C trialing blood and flesh the whole way ¨C with blistering speed. He hit the ken with his shoulder, and this time, he didn¡¯t have to worry about some odd shield to block the impact. The creature crumpled beneath his charge as it was mmed into the wall. A secondter, a wave of water followed, mming into Elijah¡¯s back and shoving him against his foe. Elijah¡¯s side screamed in protest, but he ignored it. Instead, the second he recovered from the disorienting feeling of being battered by the wave, he brought his ws to bear. He ripped and tore, and to his immense surprise, the creature resisted. Its rubbery skin fouled Elijah¡¯s everycerating blow. So, he switched tactics and started battering the creature with blunt force. Whatever ability it used reduced the effectiveness of each attack, but Elijah knew it couldn¡¯t keep it up for long. Every ability had a cost, and he was determined to find the limits of the creature¡¯s reserves. So, he continued his barrage until, a few secondster, he felt somethingnce into his back. It only pierced his flesh by three or four inches, but it wasn¡¯t alone. An instant after the first attacknded, ten more needled into him. Elijah let out a roar of frustration, grabbed the battered but unbroken creature beneath him, whipped around, and tossed it through the water. With so much Strength at his disposal, Elijah managed to do so with quite a bit of velocity. The living projectile bubbled with its passage before mming into the now-recovered second ken. Seeing that his guardian form wasn¡¯t doing the trick, Elijah let it fall away. Even as his human shape reasserted itself, the creatures untangled themselves from one another. But it gave him a moment to cast Soothe and Nature¡¯s Bloom before using Shape of Venom. As theparatively small ¨C to the guardian form, at least ¨C shape took over, Elijah threw himself to the side in an attempt to avoid thetest barrage of water des. His body transformed, and he became a blight dragon. The Shape of Venom was far more adept than themer ape at moving through the water. In that way, it was capable of cutting through the water like a caiman, and Elijah used his thick tail to propel him forward with unprecedented speed. The changing scope of the battle clearly shocked the two ken, which allowed him to close the distance. Without the protection of concealment afforded by Guise of the Unseen, he was vulnerable to attack, but he was also much more dexterous. That tranted to an ability to move quickly, contorting his body to avoid the ken pair¡¯s increasingly desperate attempts to kill him. He twisted and changed direction before darting in to bite the rainbow-scaled creature. If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. His fangs sank deep, and his venom went even deeper. It screamed, the sounding out high-pitched and bubbling. Elijah ignored it, slithering through the water andtching his fangs onto the other ken. The creatureshed out, spearing him through with its trident. And without the durable hide ¨C or Iron Scales ¨C that came with the Shape of the Guardian, Elijah only had his Constitution to mitigate the damage. It wasn¡¯t enough. The weapon¡¯s tines went through his side, shattering ribs and piercing his vital organs. The ken ripped it free with a bubbling snarl, but its eyes widened when, suddenly, Elijah¡¯s wounds closed. Nature¡¯s Bloom had just bloomed, sending a wave of vitality through him. Apanied by Soothe, it was enough to mend the damage wrought by the fancy pitchfork. By that point, the first ken Elijah had bitten began to wilt. Its flesh around the wound ckened with necrotizing flesh, and blood started to leak from the corners of its eyes. It threw another desperate flurry of water des his way, but a recovered Elijah had no issues dodging around the vaguely defined forms. He felt them via One with Nature, rather than seeing them, which gave him just enough of an impression to avoid the spell. Only a few secondster, it fell backward. Its tail went limp, and convulsions rolled through its body. Even as that creature seized, its death throes were mirrored by the other ken, only a few secondster. The battle was won. Elijah knew it. He only had to avoid anyst-minute attacks they might throw his way. So, he retreated, never stopping moving as the first creature sumbed, sending a wave of experience through Elijah. The second weakly attempted to pursue him, but even though it was in its native environment, the venom coursing through its veins prevented it from keeping up with him. Still, it proved far more durable than he would have expected, suggesting that it had a Constitution-based ss. Perhaps a Warrior variant. Or something akin to that. As far as Elijah knew, the system didn¡¯t treat monsters, guardians, or beasts the same as it approached sapient races. The ken seemed to qualify for theter treatment, but he knew the line between them tended to grow blurrier with progression. For all he knew, they¡¯d begun as something akin to dolphins. Intelligent, butcking true sapience. But then again, Elijah wasn¡¯t even sure how true his old assumptions about the difference even applied anymore. Maybe there was nothing to truly separate any of the categories he used to describe the various creatures of the multi-verse. Just reactions to different circumstances. Those musings flitted through Elijah¡¯s mind as he watched the ken die. It held on for almost a full minute before it copsed. Even then, it didn¡¯t sumb to death until Elijah approached and ripped its throat out. After that, it surrendered to the inevitable, leaving Elijah to sort through the confused feelings that came after every battle. He liked fighting. And in a lot of ways, he enjoyed killing, too. There was something so visceral about oveing an opponent in a life-or-death battle, and Elijah wasn¡¯t immune to the influx of adrenaline that came with that situation. Those feelings were augmented by the bestial and draconic sides of his spirit, making them difficult to ignore. So, Elijah had given up on even trying. He understood that, if he was going to survive in the multi-verse, killing would need to be a part of his life. He had no choice but to ept and embrace it, lest he go insane with guilt. Which was the other facet of the emotional aftermath of any battle. Killing might be necessary. He knew that. It was the natural order of the universe. Yet, more than thirty years of learned morality shed with that assertion,cing everything with a thin tendril of remorse. He didn¡¯t ignore that, either. It was part and parcel to being a human being, and to push it aside was to deny that part of his identity. Neither did he dwell on it. Instead, he acknowledged it, felt it fully, then moved on. He used the same strategy with the tion associated with that other, more savage part of his being. And like that, he would keep an even keel. He hoped. In the meantime, he was more interested in the silver box floating in the center of the room. After returning to his human form and casting his full suite of healing spells, Elijah approached the box and opened, receiving the expected notification:
You have conquered the Challenge of Nira, The City of Toh. Reward: Drop of the Ocean
As he¡¯d already surmised, the reward was different than what Lamar and his group had been awarded. They¡¯d gotten a powerful staff, and inside the box before Elijah was a simple blue gem the size of his thumb. It swirled with ethera, but otherwise, there was no indication what it was intended to do. He slipped it into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel, then waited a few minutes to heal from his injuries. Despite the gruesome nature of having a hole ripped into his side, the wound wasn¡¯t as severe as he¡¯d first anticipated. Even without healing spells, he would have survived and recovered ¨C albeit over the course of a few weeks ¨C so it wasn¡¯t exactly life-threatening. However, it seemed that the rm hadn¡¯t been raised, so he took the opportunity presented by the period of peace so he could convalesce. After fifteen minutes, he was back to normal. So, he shifted into the Shape of Venom, adopted Guise of the Unseen, and swam out the way he¡¯de. His caution was warranted, because the pce was crawling with guards. Part of him wanted to kill them just for the experience, but he held back. As he¡¯d previous noted, time was of the essence. With that in mind, he avoided battle by remaining cloaked in Guise of the Unseen. Eventually, he left the pce behind and swam above the city. No one followed, and after a few more minutes, he exited the area associated with the challenge. He didn¡¯t rx until he reached the beach, though. When he was around a hundred yards out, he shifted back into his human form and approached his friends¡¯ camp. As expected, Lamar and his people were still there taking advantage of Ron¡¯s healing. As Elijah stepped from the ocean, everyone looked up. ¡°So? You¡¯re already done?¡± asked Sadie. Elijah shrugged. ¡°Yeah. Kind of disappointing. We definitely need to make sure we get to the next ones first, though, because that was entirely unsatisfying,¡± he said. Lamar and his group just stared at Elijah. Sadie shook her head in resignation, and Dat grinned. Kurik pretended he was napping, while Ron didn¡¯t even look up from his work. ¡°Monster,¡± Lamar muttered under his breath in a ton Elijah felt certain he wasn¡¯t meant to hear. Book 6: Chapter 46: Purpose Book 6: Chapter 46: Purpose As Sadie saw Elijah standing there, wearing an innocent expression on his face, she just shook her head. Even after he¡¯d exined his theory of how the challenges work, the notion that he¡¯d stepped into the ocean and, after less than a day, emerged having defeated one of the Trial¡¯s challenges, marked him as an absolute monster. And he¡¯d done it alone, proving that he was a true anomaly. Most sses in their new world were focused on filling a very specific role. Even her Crusader ss was geared toward defending others while taking damage exceptionally well. She wasn¡¯t the quintessential tank that Lamar imed to be ¨C the man seemed absolutely indestructible ¨C but she had a few other tricks up her sleeve that allowed her to assist in a variety of roles. She could heal a little. She had a buff she could give to herpanions. And she had abilities like Sense of Sin and Confession that were purely nonbat in nature. Even so, if she¡¯d tried to conquer one of the challenges on her own ¨C even one that had already been defeated and was thus less dangerous ¨C she would have died. Or if not that, then it would have taken her ages to defeat. The same was true of Dat, whose power was mostparable to Elijah¡¯s. Or one facet of the Druid¡¯s skillset, at least. But while they could both move around undetected, Dat couldn¡¯t heal. And he certainly couldn¡¯t survive the sorts of things she¡¯d seen Elijah endure. Were there other people out there like Elijah, who were capable of doing everything alone? Maybe. The demon seemed like one. Sadie could grudgingly ept that the man was powerful, and the presence of his demonic minions ¨C which he saw as mostly disposable ¨C meant that he didn¡¯t have to put himself in the line of fire. As despicable as he was, that made him uniquely suited to going alone. Which was probably for the best, because she couldn¡¯t imagine anyone enduring his loathsome presence. Then there was Oscar, the Pack Leader. Unlike the grotesque demon, he seemed to care deeply about his dogs. They were like a family, and as such, he wouldn¡¯t throw them to the proverbial wolves. Still, the fact that he¡¯d spent much of the time since Earth had been touched by the World Tree at the very top of the power rankings said volumes about his capabilities. Perhaps there were a few other anomalies who could survive ¨C and thrive ¨C alone, but Sadie didn¡¯t think any of them couldpare to someone like Elijah. ¡°What?¡± he asked, running his hand through his still-wet hair. ¡°Is there something in my hair? It got kind of bloody down there, so¡­I mean, if I¡¯m honest, I usually don¡¯t have to worry about that kind of thing. Most of the time, I end up having my hair singed off. Or dissolved, I guess. Did I tell you about that time I was digested by a whale monster? Yeah ¨C I went for the full Jonah experience, minus the God stuff, I guess. I never thought to pray while I was in there, but ¨C¡±¡°You¡¯ve told that story a million times, bro,¡± Dat said, cutting Elijah¡¯s babbling short. ¡°Oh. I guess I need new stories,¡± he said, obviously a little disappointed. ¡°But we¡¯ve been together for a few months now, and that¡¯s a lot of nights around the campfire. Plus, you¡¯ve all been there for mytest adventures.¡± ¡°Is that what you call getting ripped in half?¡± Ron asked. Elijah winced. ¡°Misadventures, then?¡± he suggested. ¡°To put it mildly,¡± Ron agreed. Meanwhile, Lamar and his team just stared silently at the exchange, and Sadie knew precisely what was going through their minds. She hadn¡¯t developed the ability to read thoughts, but she expected that everyone who met Elijah felt something simr. The man was infuriatingly flippant about the most serious of topics, and he seemed to regard his own death-defying stunts with something akin to amusement. Maybe it was a coping mechanism. But even so, the neers had been struck dumb by his demeanor. ¡°What¡¯d ya get?¡± asked Kurik, who¡¯d been engaged with building his traps since they¡¯d stopped outside of the Nira challenge. Sadie respected his work ethic, even if she found his demeanor a little off-putting. He wasn¡¯t particrly rude, but he definitely hadn¡¯t made any overtures of friendship ¨C not with her at least. And Sadie didn¡¯t know how to bridge that gap, which she attributed to their different cultures. ¡°Please tell me you found some power crystals. My supplies¡¯re runnin¡¯ low.¡± ¡°No such luck, bud. But I did get this,¡± Elijah said, reaching into that grotesque-looking satchel he always wore. It looked like someone had skinned Frankenstein¡¯s monster, then turned the resultant grey leather ¨C which had been crudely stitched together ¨C into the world¡¯s most macabre purse. He pulled a blue gem out and tossed it to the dwarf. ¡°Not sure what it does, but if it helps your traps, you can have it.¡± Kurik caught it, but before he could inspect it, Dat said, ¡°Let me see, bro.¡± A secondter, what Sadie suspected was the reward for defeating the challenge was flying through the air. Dat caught it deftly, then used Hex of Scrying. He cocked his head to the side as he listened to the voices that came with the skill, then said, ¡°It¡¯s called A Drop of the Ocean. Not much use for any of us, but the ghosts tell me it could be used to make a water-breathing treasure like that ring of Elijah¡¯s.¡± ¡°A bitte for that, ain¡¯t it? He already beat it.¡± ¡°I think ¨C¡± ¡°Wait. I have an idea,¡± Elijah said. ¡°So, the Nexus Town is what? About a thousand miles that way, right?¡± ¡°Uh, roughly, yeah,¡± said Helen, who was the Explorer who¡¯dtched onto Lamar¡¯s group. Her ss was some sort of hybrid that afforded her a fewbat abilities, but she still maintained the advantages of her archetype. One of those was an impable sense of direction. Another, which was the reason Lamar and the others had managed to find their way through the challenge at all, was geared toward sensing what she called points of interest. Those abilities, along with the one that let her party survive underwater, made Explorers and their variants a highly sought-after archetype. It didn¡¯t matter that they weren¡¯t really capable of filling the other group roles. They didn¡¯t need to defend, heal, or do damage if they could help the party avoid unwanted dangers while pointing them toward important areas. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°So, what if I go back to the city real quick?¡± he asked. ¡°I take any of the other stuff we¡¯ve picked up along the way, and I¡¯ll see if Atticus can¡¯t hook us up with a crafter who can make these water-breathing rings? I can farm those little gems pretty quickly, and if we all have rings like mine, we won¡¯t have to worry about running into this problem again. Plus, we can use this challenge to push our levels a little. There are thousands of those ken down there, and all together, they represent a lot of experience.¡± ¡°We have been looking for a ce to farm, bro.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my point exactly,¡± Elijah said, grinning as he pointed at Dat. ¡°It might take a couple of days to set it all up, but we can devote a week or two to this, and I think we¡¯ll all gain a level or three.¡± Sadie asked what she thought was the obvious question. ¡°What are we supposed to be doing while you¡¯re flying back and forth and killing mermaids?¡± ¡°Merpeople, bro.¡± ¡°Not important, Dat.¡± ¡°I just call them ken. It¡¯s more urate, and if you saw them, you probably wouldn¡¯t call them mer-anything. More like eels with arms and carrying fancy pitchforks.¡± ¡°Tridents, bro.¡± ¡°Again, not important, Dat,¡± Sadie persisted. Then, she looked at Elijah. ¡°So? My armor has beenpletely repaired, and I don¡¯t feel like wasting more time just sitting around. I can¡¯t afford to bezy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s thest word I¡¯d use to describe you,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But I¡¯m not talking about a few days. I¡¯m talking a day. Maybe two at most. I can slip in there and kill the appropriate targets without issue. Honestly, I think the going back and forth to town will take the longest, even if I use Lightning Rush. Which has a cooldown and only covers about seventy miles.¡± Sadie didn¡¯t know the full breadth of Elijah¡¯s new ability, but from what she¡¯d discovered, it seemed wholly unfair. Rather than feeling envious, though, it made her look forward to her own spell evolutions even more. If she could upgrade Consecrated Shield, for instance, she could better protect her allies. ¡°In the meantime,¡± Elijah continued. ¡°There¡¯s a horde of wraiths about ten miles from here. I sensed them on the way in. You could set up a defensive position and grind a little until I have enough rings for everyone. Then, we go down to the City of Toh and get some levels.¡± ¡°Can I say something?¡± asked Lamar, who¡¯d remained silent the entire time. ¡°You don¡¯t need to raise your hand, bro.¡± ¡°Right,¡± the former linebacker said. He shrugged his massive shoulders, continuing, ¡°You people are crazy. You know that, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Elijah, again with that innocent look on his face. ¡°We¡¯ve done a few of these challenges,¡± he said. ¡°None were first clears like this one, but it¡¯s safe to say that we know a thing or two about how dangerous they are, even after monsters like you all sweep through.¡± ¡°And?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°They¡¯re not to be taken lightly,¡± Lamar said. ¡°We¡¯vee close to dying a hundred times since this Trial started. Most of those came in those challenges. I had an aviak almost rip me in two ¨C¡± ¡°Been there. Don¡¯t rmend it.¡± ¡°Not the time, Elijah,¡± Sadie said with a shake of her head. Dat added, ¡°Read the room, bro.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t no room. We¡¯re outside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an expression, Kurik,¡± Ron provided. ¡°Guys¡­¡± They all looked at Sadie. ¡°Let him finish.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Proceed,¡± Elijah said, gesturing for Lamar to do just that. ¡°My point is that you¡¯re talking about going in there and grinding? Do you know how insane that sounds?¡± the big man asked. ¡°I¡¯m no stranger to hard work. Or danger. I¡¯ve risked my life hundreds of times since all of this started. But I just don¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t imagine going back in there and¡­¡± He sighed, looking down at the fire they¡¯d built. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think that I¡¯m not built for this,¡± he admitted. ¡°You¡¯re built like a brick house, bro.¡± Sadie said, ¡°Not what he¡¯s talking about, Dat.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he said. Then, he looked at Lamar and went on, ¡°You¡¯ve got the tools. You¡¯re strong. Seems like you have a good ss, right? But nobody is ¡®built for this¡¯. You have to change your mindset. You need to inocte yourself to danger. My uncle was a Gurkha. He ¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re Vietnamese. Aren¡¯t Gurkha¡¯s Indian?¡± ¡°Uncle by marriage. Do you want to let me finish?¡± asked Dat. ¡°And they¡¯re Nepalese.¡± Elijah held up his hands, saying, ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Right. Anyway, Gurkhas are famous for their bravery and battle prowess, but my uncle said they aren¡¯t just born that way. They¡¯re trained. They¡¯re forced to endure far more than they should be able to handle. Then, they¡¯re put into terrible situations, over and over again until it bes routine,¡± Dat exined. ¡°I think about him a lot, about some of his stories. That¡¯s the mindset we all have to adopt. It¡¯s the only way any of us are going to survive. We can¡¯t run from danger anymore. We can¡¯t fear death. We can¡¯t walk around expecting to live a life of safety, because I don¡¯t think that exists anymore. And it won¡¯t return for a long, long time. So, the way I look at it is that I¡¯m fighting for the future. Every time I risk my life, I¡¯m doing so because that contribution might bring safety back a little bit quicker. So, you say you aren¡¯t built for this, right? Well, I say you are. You have the physical abilities. A good ss. People to support you. The rest of it is up to you, bro. You have to turn yourself into the sort of person who can do what needs to be done.¡± It was one of the longest statements Sadie had ever heard from her friend, and probably the most earnest. Many times, it was easy to see him as an unserious person. His demeanor supported that. But beneath that exterior was a thoughtful, fiercely loyal, and, above all, good man who truly wanted to do what was best for everyone. Seeing the insightful side of him ¨C as rare as it was ¨C usually left Sadie in awe of just how much lurked beneath his affable surface identity. More importantly, Dat¡¯s speech seemed to affect Lamar as well as the rest of his group. Even the one-armed Derrick adopted an expression of resolve. ¡°I guess that¡¯s what we¡¯ll have to do, then,¡± Lamar said after a few moments of silence. It was a simple statement, but one carrying a mountain¡¯s worth of meaning. ¡°I just want to say that this is a nice moment,¡± Elijah said, reaching out to grip the former football yer¡¯s massive shoulder. ¡°Humanitying together.¡± ¡°What am I? Crushed rocks over here?¡± asked Kurik. ¡°And dwarfanity. Is that a word?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Is there a better ¨C¡± ¡°Just stop,¡± the dwarf said. ¡°And for what it¡¯s worth, I agree with him. This is a good opportunity to grind.¡± ¡°What about what I said, bro?¡± asked Dat, switching back to his normal demeanor. ¡°That was good too. A bit obvious to anybody with half a brain, but I guess it needed to be said.¡± In the end, everyone agreed that Elijah¡¯s n was probably the best course of action. So, after resting for a few minutes and taking a shower, he transformed into that great, dragon-like beast and took to the skies. For their part, Lamar and the rest of his group decided to stick around long enough to recover, then head toward their next target ¨C the challenge of Ignis. Even as Lamar gave voice to that n, Sadie hoped that it turned out better than her own experience within that volcano. But after everything she had endured since the World Tree had touched Earth, she agreed with Dat. Anything that didn¡¯t kill or permanently maim her would only make her stronger, both in mind and body. With that in mind, she turned her attention to the horde of wraiths Elijah had mentioned. Book 6: Chapter 47: A Catalogue of Treasures Book 6: Chapter 47: A Catalogue of Treasures The first time Elijah used Lightning Rush was one of the most exhrating things he¡¯d ever experienced. One second, he was soaring above the jungle, and the next, he was a bolt of lightning ripping across the sky. Time seemed to slow, and even though it onlysted a couple of seconds, it felt like an hour or more. And in that time, Elijah knew what it was to be a bolt of electricity. It wasn¡¯t painful. In truth, it was only mildly tingling. Yet, when he burst back into his Shape of the Sky ¨C followed by an extremely loud crack of thunder ¨C a wave of adrenaline unlike anything he¡¯d ever felt before swept through his serpentine body, infusing every cell until it seemed like he was going to be ripped into pieces. But in a good way. He couldn¡¯t quite exin it, but the closest he coulde to a valid description was to say that it made him feel alive and on the precipice of being unmade, both at the same time. It was terrifying and thrilling, both in equal measure. It also covered a little more ground than expected, which gave some credence to the notion that magical lightning was different than what might be found in nature. Because obviously. The addition of ethera changed everything, so why would lightning ¨C especially if it was the result of a spell ¨C be any different? Regardless, Elijah judged that he¡¯d covered closer to a hundred miles with one Lightning Rush, and because the momentum didn¡¯t immediately dissipate, he traveled another fifty miles before he returned to his normal flight speed. A hundred-and-fifty miles in the space of a few seconds ¨C that was definitely something to write home about. Still, he had quite some ways to go, so he beat his wings and pushed himself to top speed. Back on Earth, he¡¯d judged that to be around two-hundred miles an hour, but with the influx of Strength that hade with his recent levels, he could push that much harder. That didn¡¯t trante to a different category of speed altogether, but it was noticeably faster. As he flew, a dozen feet above the canopy, he kept a proverbial eye on his surroundings via One with Nature. The breadth of the effect was expansive enough that he could keep track of the surface, so it wasn¡¯t surprising when he felt something interesting. It was an overgrown za popted by hundreds of stone statues, reminding Elijah of the famous terracotta warriors in China. Though these were obviously not shaped like humans, but rather were modeled upon ka¡¯ki. Elijah wanted nothing more than to descend upon that za, overgrown by the jungle as it was, and explore. He didn¡¯t need the mapping device provided by the Artificer back in Argos to know that the area was somehow important. However, he resisted the call to adventure, recognizing that he was on a schedule. His previous resolution to stop wasting time ¨C lest others get the first-clear credit in the remaining challenges ¨C notwithstanding, the rest of his group was waiting on him. So, he marked the location in his mind and continued on. As it turned out, reaching the Nexus Town took a little more than three hours, which meant that it was probably close to nine-hundred miles from the challenge of Nira. That tracked with Elijah¡¯s previous estimates, and it further underlined just howrge the Trial area was. If it was smaller than Australia, he would have been extremely surprised, and he suspected that it was probably moreparable to the continental United States. Thankfully, with their superhuman attributes, everyone could travel much more quickly than before. They couldn¡¯t achieve highway speeds ¨C except for special cases like Elijah¡¯s, at least ¨C but they could certainly cover ground on foot at a much faster rate than would have been possible on a pre-World Tree Earth. And if the terrain hadn¡¯t been so difficult and popted with threats, they could have gone much faster. In any case, Elijah pushed those thoughts aside as he set down a few miles outside of Nexus Town. Many people in the settlement had seen him shapeshifting during the battle with the Immortals, but he didn¡¯t want to advertise his full capabilities to anyone who wasn¡¯t aware of what he could do. So, he approached the city on foot. Predictably, his arrival caused a bit of a stir. As Lamar had already indicated, he¡¯d be a bit famous, and when he strode into town, people noticed. No one approached him, but most people stopped whatever they were doing and watched him. Some, warily. Others, with open admiration. But mostly, they were just interested. Elijah wanted nothing more than to shift into his blight dragon form and slink away under the Guise of the Unseen. He wasn¡¯t averse to attention, but there was a distinct difference between what he¡¯d experienced in the past and being famous. The scrutiny that came with thetter was more than a little off-putting, and his first instinct was to escape. He didn¡¯t give in, though. Instead, he simply went on like everything was normal, and eventually, he arrived at Atticus¡¯ Consortium. The moment he stepped inside the building, he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh of relief. ¡°That bad, huh?¡± came his friend¡¯s familiar voice. Elijah looked up to see Atticus, with his slim build and hawk-nosed features smiling back at him. ¡°When Ie back, I¡¯m using stealth.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Atticus predicted. ¡°Or more urately, they¡¯ll get used to your presence.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Elijah allowed. ¡°So, how did you know I was here?¡± ¡°New skill,¡± Atticus answered. ¡°It lets me set up a temporary shop. It¡¯s not as strong as my premises back home, but it gives me a few benefits. Not the least, that everyone working in this building gets extra experience. It also lets me know when someone arrives.¡± Elijah nodded, ¡°Seems useful.¡± ¡°Would¡¯ve been much more useful before,¡± Atticus pointed out. Elijah knew he still carried some guilt over how everything had worked out with the Immortals. He med himself for losing a few of the nonbatants who¡¯d put their trust in him and his Consortium. Of course, without his influence, many more would have died, but Atticus didn¡¯t want to hear that. Elijah sympathized with his friend¡¯s feelings, because he knew better than most that guilt was rarely rational. He was interested in the new skill, though. He¡¯d learned from his friend that many Merchants possessed powerful skills that were tied to their shops. Inside their chosen premises, they were as close to all-powerful as one could be. Of course, there were limitations. If the difference in levels or cultivation was toorge, then no skills could ever hope to bridge the gap. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s always how it is, though. Just have to keep moving forward,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Truer words have never been spoken, my friend. What brings you back to town?¡± he asked. Elijah had two goals in mind. The first was the one he¡¯d revealed to hispanions, so he told Atticus what he needed. Fortunately, one of the crafters who¡¯dtched onto the Consortium was an aplished Jeweler, which boded well for Elijah¡¯s ns. It also put him in mind of poor Grod, who¡¯d died before the Trial had ever really begun. How many others had ended up like the altruistic ogre? How many more would follow that path going forward? Quite a few, Elijah expected. But he couldn¡¯t protect everyone. He didn¡¯t even think he¡¯d want to, considering that they¡¯d alle to the Trial seeking progression. Certainly, he would help where he could, but trying to shield them all would just be a waste of time and counterproductive to boot. After being introduced to the Jeweler ¨C whose name was Ezra ¨C Elijah exined what he needed, and thankfully, Ezra imed that he could make it work, given that he was provided with the right materials. The Drop of the Ocean, along with a hunk of silver Elijah had looted at some point along the way ¨C he couldn¡¯t even remember where ¨C turned out to be sufficient. Along with a godly sum of ethereum. ¡°Good work doesn¡¯te cheap, Mr. Hart,¡± Ezra said. ¡°And you won¡¯t find anyone else in the Trial who can do this job.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he said, rolling his eyes and transferring the funds via his folio. ¡°But if I find out you¡¯re gouging me, we¡¯re going to have some issues.¡± ¡°I would never.¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, remembering the usations Kurik had recently leveled his way. He¡¯d gotten into the nasty habit of threatening people when he was irritated, and he wanted to get over that. ¡°Just trying to make sure I¡¯m not getting ripped off. How long will it take?¡± As it turned out, the Jeweler could get it done in only a couple of hours, but he cautioned Elijah that such quick work wouldn¡¯t be as aesthetically pleasing as it would be if he took his time. Of course, Elijah didn¡¯t care about that kind of thing, so he said, ¡°Just get it done as quickly as you can. I only care about the effect.¡± Muttering about his client¡¯sck of taste, the Jeweler went to work, which left Elijah with some time to aplish his other goal. He had looted quite a lot of equipment over the previous weeks, and he wanted to get it all appraised. Hopefully, Atticus would take some of it off his hands, too, because his Ghoul-Hide Satchel was getting to be a bit overfull. The first wave of items werergely mundane weapons and other things he¡¯d looted from various enemies along the way. None were remarkable, but Atticus offered to buy them anyway, saying, ¡°Not everyone can afford the best, my friend. Besides, many of these items are made from decent materials, so they¡¯re useful to my crafters. And this gold one is Low-Complex. Only marginal attribute bonuses and no real Traits, but it¡¯s pretty. Someone will definitely overpay for it.¡± After adding the dagger¡¯s value to the tally, Elijah brought out the reward from the most recent challenge. The Seed of the Ash Lotus turned out to be a natural treasure that could be used as the coreponent of another powerful item. Or an alchemist¡¯s potion, perhaps. ¡°But will it function as an actual seed? Like, if I nt it somewhere, will it grow?¡± he asked. ¡°I believe so, but I¡¯m not horticulturist. It would require a favorable environment in order to flourish, though,¡± Atticus stated. ¡°Or perhaps it will create its own environment. As I said, I can only tell you what my appraisal skill tells me, and it doesn¡¯t mention anything about that.¡± ¡°What if I ate it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Atticus answered without skipping a beat. ¡°That thing would likely kill you if ingested.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty durable.¡± ¡°Not that durable. Raw natural treasures contain too much power to be consumed without significant preparation. That¡¯s why we have Alchemists. Well, one of the reasons, but probably the most important.¡± Elijah was a bit disappointed to hear that, but he epted it nheless. ¡°Oh, I made this, too,¡± Elijah said, pulling out his Feral Spire. Heid it on the stone table Atticus used to assist with his appraisal. ¡°Mind telling me what it does? It¡¯s supposed to increase the potency of some of my abilities, but I¡¯d like to know specifics.¡± The results were quite informative:
Feral Spire Overall Grade: Complex (Low) Enchantment Grade: C Description: The Feral Spire was made by and is bound to the Druid, Elijah Hart. Made from the savage blood oak, it is a formidable weapon. Attribute Bonuses: +15 Strength, Dexterity, Constitution Traits: Bestial Wrath ¨C Potency of all bestial abilities increased by 10%.
¡°That exins a few things,¡± Elijah said. Most of the abilities associated with his shapeshifted forms were a bit amorphous and difficult to quantify, but the increase in potency exined why Lightning Rush was stronger than expected. ¡°It is a powerful weapon,¡± Atticus agreed. ¡°Too bad your products are bound to you, else we could make quite a fortune.¡± ¡°We?¡± ¡°Of course, my friend,¡± Atticus said, throwing his arm around Elijah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to worry about all those stuffy negotiations, would you? That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for. And I would, of course, take a modest fee for my invaluable services. That¡¯s only fair.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Elijah said. Finally, he retrieved another item he¡¯d had in his satchel for quite some time. The ring he¡¯d taken from the tomb ¨C alongside the guide mentioning the bane weapon that had been created to counter Yloa, the Lightning Emperor ¨C had still yet to be identified. However, when Atticus set it on the table, the resulting notification left Elijah more than a little disappointed:
Keystone Ring Overall Grade: ?? Enchantment Grade: ?? Description: A seemingly simple ring with a ruby set into silver. It has no discernible purpose. Attribute Bonuses: -15 to all Attributes Traits: Restriction: Slows the flow of ethera.
¡°It seems cursed,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Atticus assured him. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a training tool. I¡¯ve heard about such things.¡± ¡°Sort of like weights for your ethereal system?¡± ¡°Just so.¡± Elijah just shook his head. He¡¯d had high hopes for the ring, but it seemed mostly useless in the short term. So, he slipped the item back into his satchel. At the very least, he could give it to Carmen when he returned to Earth. The materials seemed to be high quality, so perhaps she could disassemble it and use thoseponents to make something useful. ¡°Now, for the other reason for my existence ¨C good food and even betterpany. I¡¯ve managed to attract an actual Chef to the Consortium. She¡¯s a bit standoffish, and she spends most of her time out in the wilderness hunting ingredients, most of which are the bestial sort. But she¡¯s very talented,¡± Atticus said, leading Elijah deeper into the building. ¡°That sounds good. I haven¡¯t had a good meal in a while.¡± And given that Ezra wouldn¡¯tplete the ring for another hour or two, they had some time to kill. So, it was with some anticipation that Elijah followed Atticus deeper into thepound. Book 6: Chapter 48: The Grind Book 6: Chapter 48: The Grind Sadie rammed a shoulder into a particrlyrge wraith, sending it stumbling backward across the ground before it hit a clump of its fellows. In the same motion, she spun, bringing her de in a sweeping, horizontal strike that sheered through four other wraiths. That left her open to attack from another set of monsters, but even as they copsed onto her, she ignored their efforts. They wed and bit at Bulwark of the Faithful, and even with the sheer volume of their onught, they were entirely incapable of prating her personal shield. Vaguely, she could feel Consecrated Shield on herpanions, which gave her an idea of their positioning. It was a good thing, too, because surrounded as she was, there was no chance she could visually keep track of their locations. An explosion of fire erupted from somewhere to the rear, telling her that Kurik had utilized another one of his traps. This one was far more destructive than the slowing traps he¡¯d used to control the flow of wraiths, telling her that the dwarven Sapper had been forced to get serious. Her every instinct told her to retreat to the secondary location they had prepared, but it was far too early for that. Instead, she chose to trust her group to do their respective jobs, at least until they showed themselves incapable of doing so. So far, they had done just that. Even through multiple challenges that should have killed everyone in the party, they¡¯d kept their heads and ovee all obstacles. If anyone had earned her trust, it was them. Still, in the back of her mind, she felt a need to protect them. After all, that drive to defend others was one of the reasons she¡¯d chosen her initial archetype. And after that, her Crusader ss. So, she desperately wanted to personally ensure their safety, rather than allow them to take responsibility for their own well-being. Another explosion sent a shockwave across their chosen battlefield, and Sadie used that brief distraction to dislodge her attackers, throwing theparatively light wraiths aside like they weighed nothing at all. That was her Strength at y, though after seeing Lamar, she wondered how strong she really was. The man had invested almost exclusively in Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity, and the automatic allocation that came with his ss furthered that path. He¡¯d also managed to achieve the Stone Body stage ¨C apparently, ess to powerful alchemists was one of the advantages of being in the Trial ¨C which augmented that path of progression. He¡¯d neglected his Mind, Soul, and Core, but when he was a physical juggernaut who relied almost entirely on his body and stamina-based skills, those facets of cultivation seemed a little less necessary. Byparison, Sadie¡¯s ss allocated points into Ethera and Regeneration ¨C a necessary amodation for her reliance on spells. The result was that she could do more than him, and she was far less reliant on a team, but in his chosen role, Lamar was an absolute beast. Unfortunately, he and his team had chosen to head back to Nexus Town to mentally recover from their ordeal before engaging the challenge of Ignis. Sadie expected that they wouldn¡¯t seek out any more first-clears for the duration of the Trial. However, the experience would hopefully give them the power they needed to seed when they went back to Earth. That was the point, after all. umtion of power without purpose wasn¡¯t the goal. Instead, they progressed because that was what the situation required. For her part, that meant growing strong enough to beat back the undead threat and conquer the Primal Realm. Until she did that, she couldn¡¯t rest. She couldn¡¯t consider a real future until she took care of her people. After that, she would worry about everything else. But at the moment, she had to focus on the fight. Labeling the process grinding implied that it was easy, and in a lot of ways, it was. They¡¯d long since achieved the power and skill levels necessary to deal with a horde of wraiths. After fighting them so often, her group was well-equipped to do just that. However, the four-armed creatures were savage fighters who would seize upon any opening. So, if Sadie or herpanions made a mistake, the horde was more than capable of ripping them limb from limb. Or worse, draining their ethera until they were nothing but husks. So, Sadie narrowed her focus, pushing all superfluous thoughts out of mind as she destroyed one wraith after another. At the same time, she continuously cycled Bulwark of the Faithful, keeping it fresh so it wouldn¡¯t burst and go into cooldown. It was ethera-intensive, but she had enough energy in her core to do that much. She also kept Consecrated Shield on herpanions ¨C paying special attention to Ron ¨C so that they could endure the attacks of any wraiths that made it past her position. Because they¡¯d chosen and prepared their ground appropriately, funneling the wraiths through a small gap between two earthen berms, very few got through. And those were met with furious assaults from both Kurik and Dat. Between those few instances, the two damage-dealers aimed their attacks at the horde of wraiths confronting Sadie. She kept them bottled up, and the others cleared them out. It was a good strategy. And yet, the weight of their endless numbers was irresistible. After hours of steady fighting, Sadie called for a retreat. To ease that burden, Dat and Kurik stepped up. The dwarf tossed out a few clumps of power crystals ¨C grumbling at the cost the whole time ¨C while Dat took aim with his crossbow. When the crystals hit, they erupted into a whirlwind of frigid ice, freezing the front few lines of wraiths into ce. Meanwhile, Dat unleashed a barrage of blue arrows that exploded upon impact, adding a green cloud of mist to the atmosphere. The wraiths stopped moving. They slumped their shoulders, looking around as if they¡¯d forgotten what they were doing or why. Dat said his new ability was called Curse of Delirium. ¡°Now!¡± Sadie called. Everyone knew the n of retreat, so they didn¡¯t need her orders. For her part, she backed away, keeping her white-glowing sword at the ready. Some of the wraiths blinked, clearly regaining their wits ¨C such as they were. Sadie knew they wouldn¡¯t have time to reach the secondary defensive position. The wraiths would recover more quickly than Dat had hoped ¨C probably because they had better attributes than he had expected. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition. But they had a n for that, too. So, even as herpanions sprinted back to the fallback position, Sadie continued her methodical retreat. The wraiths recovered a little with every passing moment until, after seven seconds, the strongest among them pushed the confusion aside in favor of their characteristic savagery. They screeched, waking others from their delirium, and just like that, they surged. Sadie used her minor Miracle, Bell of Faith:
Bell of Faith Let your Faith echo across any battlefield, stunning enemies and empowering allies. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 6 seconds.
It didn¡¯t drain her Faith as powerfully as Touch of the Divine, which she¡¯d used to heal Elijah. That drained every ounce of Faith she¡¯d managed to umte, so she barely had enough to power Bell of Faith. Even that wouldn¡¯t have been possible without the events within the challenge of Ignis. Their actions in that volcano, saving the eggs and attempting a peaceful solution with the giants, had been quite a boon for her Faith. Otherwise, it would have taken months to collect enough to power even the rtively inexpensive Bell of Faith. An illusory bell manifested above Sadie¡¯s head. It swung, sending a cold, clear tone across the battlefield. It carried with it unfathomable meaning, feeling as if it wasced with the divine will of gods. When it swept over the wraiths, they looked as if they¡¯d been physically struck by someone with the Strength of a giant. They fell, stunned and incapable of thinking, much less moving. A little less than seven seconds. That was all Sadie and herpanions had before the wraiths would recover. And when they did, they would not be happy. There was something about Miracles ¨C even minor ones ¨C that tended to remind people of their ce in the world. They were made to feel small and inconsequential, as if, regardless of any umted power, they were no more significant than insects. Sapient beings tended to grow introspective at that, but creatures like the wraiths ¨C or zombies ¨C reacted with increased savagery. So, even as she sprinted past Kurik¡¯s traps, stepping around them with all the care she could manage, she knew that the battle was far from finished. With that in mind, she reached the fallback fortifications they¡¯d built ahead of time. The berms were steeper and taller, and they were lined with stakes to prevent the wraiths from climbing over. Many of those makeshift spears wereced with Kurik¡¯s abilities, which he imed would slow down even the most powerful among the wraiths. Most that ran afoul of those fortifications would die. When Sadie had asked why he didn¡¯t use those more often, he exined that the ability that governed those traps was incredibly resource intensive. Once Sadie reached her position, she wheeled around and readied herself for the onught. She needn¡¯t have been so hasty, because the wraiths had reached another one of Kurik¡¯s ¡°Killin¡¯ Fields¡±. Explosions of fire and ice tore wraiths ¨C as well as the ground ¨C apart like the area had been subjected to artillery fire. Hundreds of the creatures died in seconds, and more followed as they surged through the trap-strewn ground, entirely unfazed by the deaths of theirrades. Finally, a much thinner horde reached Sadie, and she resumed the fight. The opening she defended was even narrower, and behind her, Kurik and Dat had ced themselves upon a hill that gave them an unfettered view of the wraiths. They used that to their advantage, cutting the creatures apart with repeated use of their ranged skills. For her part, Sadie acted to plug the gap between the two berms, rendering the vast majority of the hordepletely incapable of reaching the pair of ranged attackers. The wraiths piled atop one another in their furor, but Sadie continuously hacked into the creatures that acted as the base, subduing their attempts to overwhelm her. After that, it was just ughter. Over and over, she chopped the creatures apart until the bodies were piled so high that she was forced to ram them with her shoulder just to topple the tower of dead flesh. On and on, the fight went until, atst, the battlefield went silent. ording to Elijah, there had been thousands of wraiths nearby. And those creatures, by their very natures, were incapable of retreat, so the only exnation was that she and her group had killed them all. More importantly, Sadie had reached level one hundred. And in doing so, she¡¯d received a new spell as well as the ability to choose a specialization. She looked at the spell first:
Judgement Embrace the pursuit of justice, significantly enhancing your physical attributes. All offensive spells used during Judgement¡¯s duration will be subject to increased damage. Potency based on Core cultivation. Duration based on Ethera attribute. Current: 3.2 seconds. Cooldown: 1 Day.
The description was a bit vague, though based on the cooldown and some of the wording, she expected the effect to be incredibly potent. It was clearly meant to be a difference-maker in battle ¨C a kind of mini-Miracle ¨C that could turn the tide in a hurry. However, she couldn¡¯t deny that she was eager to try it out. It also established something she¡¯d long suspected: her ss seemed prone to intense bursts of power. Between her Miracles as well as spells like Judgement, she could be a true terror. Yet, that didn¡¯te without a cost. Those abilities all had extremely onerous cooldowns, and what¡¯s more, their durations were short. It hinted at the future of her ss, especially when she finally achieved her first evolution at level one-twenty-five. She knew that Elijah was still ahead of her by a few levels, but the gap seemed evenrger, considering how much experience it took to surpass each level. And he¡¯d imed it only got worse after level one hundred. That told her that reaching that first evolution would take quite some time ¨C or at the very least, a lot of killing. She was ready for it, though. Because her people back in Hong Kong needed her to be as strong as possible. Otherwise, they¡¯d all die. So, she had high hopes for her specialization, which she knew had the potential to shift the direction of her path. Hopefully, it would do so in a direction that would make saving the people she loved a little easier. Before she could address it, Sadie needed to ensure the safety of her group. With that in mind, she spent a few minutes making certain that all the wraiths were dead, and the thread had ended. Once that was done, she checked on the others, and after they told her they were fine, she led everyone back to their camp. It was miles away, and the anticipation of what wasing almost made her check her notification prematurely. Recognizing the distraction it represented, she resisted the urge until, atst, they reached camp. A few minutester, she had retreated to a secluded area so she could clean away the blood and viscera she¡¯d umted during the battle. After that, she realized that she was stalling. So, without further ado, Sadie settled in next to the shallow stream she¡¯d used during her impromptu bath and turned her attention to the notification that she could choose a specialization. The moment she opened the notification, she heard a melodic voice. ¡°I hope you choose wisely, young Crusader,¡± said Gabriel, the angel who was responsible for her elder core. Book 6: Chapter 49: Sense Book 6: Chapter 49: Sense Gabriel was beautiful. His skin shimmered golden over perfectly sculpted features that would have been entirely at home on a statue of a Greek god, while his hair ¨C which seemed like it wasposed of strands of pure, white light ¨C danced in a nonexistent wind. But his eyes, bearing iprehensible symbols instead of irises, drew more attention than any of his other traits. If he¡¯d imed to be a god, Sadie would have believed him. ¡°How are you here?¡± she asked breathlessly. ¡°I am not,¡± he said, his voice ringing with the tone of resonant bells. ¡°This form is but an illusion. It is the tiniest sliver of my spirit given a shape of light and sound.¡± ¡°I¡­I see,¡± she said. ¡°You do not, but I do not expect you to. Your perception is too limited to fully understand the scope of my words,¡± he said. There was no arrogance in the statement. Only fact. ¡°However, I did not attend you in order to speak of things you have no hope ofprehending. Instead, I havee to offer advice. Perhaps incentive, as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Sadie stated, struggling to gather her wits. The man before her had a human shape, and though he wore simple robes of white, she knew that he was a prominent fighter. She could feel that much in her very spirit. His mere presence was overwhelming, and to every one of her senses, both mundane and magical. ¡°Do you trust me?¡±¡°No.¡± His eyes widened, but the expression was gone well before Sadie could decipher whether it came from surprise or anger. ¡°Why not?¡± he asked, his voice betraying none of his feelings. In fact, it sounded so innocent that Sadie almost forgot her own grievances. It only took another moment before they all came rushing back to her. But one stood out above all others. ¡°Your core changed my ss,¡± she said. ¡°Of course. All elder cores will alter your abilities.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know what I was getting into,¡± she stated. ¡°Some of these abilities¡­they¡¯re too much. Every day, I have to live with seeing the worst of everyone I meet. And there isn¡¯t a human being out there who¡¯spletely without sin. It¡¯s too much. It¡¯s overwhelming. I feel entirely isted, like I don¡¯t belong. Like I never will.¡± ¡°That is by design.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Do you know why I chose you?¡± Gabriel asked. Up until that moment, Sadie had thought she knew the answer to that question. She was fighting against a force of undead that seemed to consort with demons, the natural enemies of angels. But the angel¡¯s demeanor suggested that there was more to the decision than she had previously suspected. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she admitted. ¡°Good. Acknowledging your ignorance is a necessary step toward enlightenment,¡± he said with a tight smile that never touched his runic eyes. ¡°I chose you for a variety of reasons. I looked into your heart, and I saw a kindred spirit who valued justice and order. Likely, you already know the second reason. The enemy of my enemy is a potential ally. You fought the undead and the demonic trash with whom they cooperate. Yet, we do not grant elder cores to all who fight our enemies. Even if that was our wish, we simply do not possess power on that scale.¡± ¡°You seem strong enough to do whatever you want,¡± Sadie said. It wasn¡¯t a flippantment, either. Even the illusory version of the angel ¨C which was apparently barely a fraction of his real self ¨C put pressure on her spirit in a way nothing else ever had. Byparison, even theva kraken or the umbrafyix were nothing. And both of those creatures could have squashed her like an insect. ¡°Would that were the case,¡± he acknowledged, a wistful note to his voice. ¡°I am not here to discuss the power necessary to grant an elder core. Suffice it to say that it is a very rare urrence, reserved only for those who meet strenuous requirements. One of those necessary factors is your ss.¡± Sadie didn¡¯t respond, but she was more than a little skeptical. The Crusader ss wasn¡¯tmon, but she¡¯d done a little research and found that it was barely considered rare. Surely, there were plenty of people out there who¡¯d taken the ss. ¡°While the ss itself is not considered rare, most who are offered the chance to be a Crusader end up taking less focused sses,¡± Gabriel stated. ¡°So, there are not many who take it. Most are like you ¨C people who are protecting their worlds from incursions of evil origin.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Sadie acknowledged. ¡°So, it¡¯s rarer than it seems.¡± ¡°Indeed it is,¡± the angel agreed. ¡°Yet, even that is not enough to garner our attention. The fact that you are on a newly touched world sets you apart. You will be afforded opportunities for growth that few others can boast. In addition, you have established yourself as extraordinary. From the very beginning, you have been near the pinnacle of your race. All of that together is why you were chosen.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Sadie said. ¡°So, what does this mean?¡± ¡°It means that you must be tested. You must endure a crucible.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it At that, she nearlyughed. It seemed that everything she¡¯d been through since the world had transformed had been a test. She¡¯d been fighting for her life since the very beginning, and participating in the Trial had forced even more danger upon her. She had lost count of how many times she¡¯d nearly died. So, if a crucible was necessary, she felt secure in the notion that she¡¯d already been through one. ¡°Not of physical danger,¡± he added, obviously seeing her skepticism. ¡°That skill of yours, Sense of Sin ¨C do you know what its original form was?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even certain that it had been changed.¡± ¡°Your core has changed many of your abilities,¡± Gabriel revealed. ¡°Most have to do with the Miracles avable to you, but Sense of Sin and Confession are both far more powerful now that they are powered by an angel core. For instance, for most Crusaders, Sense of Sin is a much weaker ability called Pursuit of Justice. It only gives them a minor sense of misdeeds, and it is easily ignored.¡± Sadie had already suspected as much, but having it confirmed only cemented her distrust of the angel. He¡¯d given her power, but that action had also doomed her to pay a cost she¡¯d never agreed to pay. If she had known what the angel core would do to her ss¡­ She still would have taken it. The stakes were too high to worry about her personal difort. If saving her people meant that she had to endure abilities like Sense of Sin, then that was something she would just have to live with. ¡°Good. Your priorities are well ordered.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Gabriel answered, ¡°I want to ensure that you do not make a mistake in your choice of specialization.¡± Sadie still hadn¡¯t even looked at her choices, but it seemed as good a time as any to do just that:
Archetype: Warrior ss: Crusader
Specialization Options
Inquisition Sanctuary Vengeance
Permanently increase the potency of all nonbat abilities by 25%. Also grants an additional point per level in the Ethera and Regeneration attributes. Counts as a Feat of Strength for ss evolution. Permanently increase the potency of defensive abilities by 15%. Also grants an additional two points per level in the Constitution attribute. Increases the efficacy of Body cultivation. Permanently increase the potency of all offensive abilities by 15%. Also grants an additional two points per level in the Strength attribute. Increases the efficacy of Body cultivation.
The options were powerful. Sadie could see that much, if only by looking at the additional attributes and the modifiers on the efficacy of her cultivation. However, as she read the descriptions, she saw a pattern. Sanctuary was intended to push her more toward being a true defender, while Vengeance was meant to lean into the offensive side of her powers. The odd one out was Inquisition, which seemed to focus on the other aspects of her ss. But there was one factor that would determine whether or not she would even consider Inquisition as a potential path. ¡°Do you know what options I have been offered?¡± she asked. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Does Inquisition include Sense of Sin and Confession?¡± He hesitated for only a moment before answering, ¡°Yes. It also improves your healing spells as well as Path of the Faithful.¡± ¡°So, that one is out,¡± she said. ¡°You said you¡¯re here to advise me, and judging by your expression, you don¡¯t like that I¡¯ve already ruled out Inquisition. Why should I consider it when it¡¯s only made my life that much more difficult?¡± ¡°It is the primary reason we watch Crusaders. That specialization is incredibly rare, especially at the potency you have been offered,¡± Gabriel exined. ¡°Okay? It¡¯s still not a path I want to follow,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve spent the past few months struggling to connect with ¨C¡± ¡°That is the point,¡± Gabriel stated. ¡°Do you recall when I said you needed to go through a crucible? This is that test. Enduring the Inquisition specialization is recognized by the system as a potent Feat of Strength.¡± ¡°Okay? So, I might get a better ss evolution,¡± she said. ¡°What does that matter if I can¡¯t stand to be near other people?¡± ¡°A true judge is meant to stand apart. Impartial. Imcable. Unfettered by personal rtionships. Only truth matters. This is training for the life you could lead, for the warrior for justice you could be. That is who you are. If you take the Inquisition specialization, you will not only achieve a more powerful ss evolution, but you will also begin to work toward taking the next step in the cultivation of your core.¡± ¡°And?¡± she asked. ¡°I can do that already. I¡¯ve begun to research ¨C¡± ¡°This will ease your path,¡± he said. ¡°You crave power, but not for yourself. You need the strength to save your people, do you not? That is a noble goal. I am here to tell you that the Inquisition Specialization will unequivocally grant more power than the other twobined. You merely must endure a little difort if you wish to seize the strength to do what must be done.¡± ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t,¡± she said. What she felt in the presence of other people wasn¡¯t just difort. It was psychological torture, in and simple. ¡°You must.¡± ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± ¡°My time here is limited,¡± Gabriel stated. ¡°I have said what I came here to say. I trust that you will do the right thing.¡± Then, without further conversation, he disappeared, leaving Sadie to wonder what she was supposed to do. On the one hand, Gabriel was right. She needed as much power as she could gather, and Inquisition offered to meet that need. However, it also felt like she was on the verge of stepping off a cliff and hoping that she would suddenly sprout wings. The other two options were obviously safer, especially in terms of her sanity. But she kept going back to one simple fact: no one ever did anything worthwhile by taking the easier route. Making a difference ¨C especially on the scale of saving an entire city ¨C took sacrifice. But in the end, it came down to one factor. Or rather, a memory. In her mind, she saw Lisa, her sister, being obliterated because Sadie wasn¡¯t strong enough to save her. If she¡¯d had more power at the time, she could have stepped in. She could have shielded her. And now, if she could simply put her own fate ¨C and mental well-being ¨C aside, she could save everyone else. It was the same choice, just on a different scale. Even so, Sadie hesitated. She stared at the notification in her mind¡¯s eye, wishing that, somehow, the facts would change. They did not. If herpanions had been privy to her thoughts, they might have advised her to take one of the other specializations. But she was alone. And she made the only choice that made sense. She picked Inquisition. Book 6: Chapter 50: Rotten Fruit Book 6: Chapter 50: Rotten Fruit Elijahnded just outside of camp, where he found the others gathered around the fire. The only one who was missing was Sadie, but he sensed her sitting just a dozen or so yards away. Far enough that she probably wasn¡¯t burdened by the conversation between the rest of the group, but not so distant that she couldn¡¯t respond to an emergency. Judging by her position, he assumed she was meditating. Perhaps she¡¯d decided to push her core to the next stage, which was a change that would inevitably make future challenges much easier to conquer. Either way, he chose not to disturb her. Instead, he approached the campsite, which had taken on a more permanent air. Elijah couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what had changed, but the area felt lived-in in a way that it hadn¡¯t when he¡¯d begun his quest to provide hispanions with water-breathing rings. But now that quest was finished, which he punctuated by tossing one of the silver rings to Kurik. The dwarf didn¡¯t even look up as he caught it. ¡°Guess there ain¡¯t no dyin¡¯ it now,¡± he muttered, throwing his cards on the stump they were using as a table. ¡°I don¡¯t like this game.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like anything, bro.¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t true. I like a good cave. Comin¡¯ home to a cozy fire and a short-bearded woman is nice, too.¡± ¡°Wait ¨C dwarven women have beards?¡± Elijah asked. The ones he¡¯d metcked facial hair. ¡°The good ones do. Not a great bushy beard like mine. Somethin¡¯ dainty. Wispy. The sort you can curl your fingers around. Sign of nobility, it is,¡± Kurik exined. ¡°Weird, bro,¡± Dat responded with a shake of his head. He grinned as he added, ¡°But I never turn down a new experience.¡±At that, Kurik let out a guffaw. ¡°You? Ain¡¯t a dwarven woman would give you the time of day, bearded or not.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m attractive, bro.¡± ¡°Not to dwarves. Too tall. Too round. Too¡­you.¡± ¡°Ouch.¡± Elijah sat in one of the empty camp chairs they¡¯d brought along. ¡°Dat¡¯s attractiveness to dwarven women notwithstanding, is there anything we need to do before we get this n moving? We¡¯ve got a lot of levels in front of us,¡± he said. ¡°You want to go in at night?¡± asked Ron, ncing at the starry sky. ¡°I thought we¡¯d wait until morning.¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°It really shouldn¡¯t make a difference. Toh is well-lit, and I don¡¯t think the ken sleep much. So, night or day, I don¡¯t think we should waste any time,¡± he said, feeling the urgency of the Trial pressing down on him. They¡¯d begun with a year to conquer all of the challenges, which had seemed like quite a lot at the time. However, with more than half of that span having passed, Elijah felt like they didn¡¯t have enough time to aplish all of their goals. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go when you are,¡± said Dat, who still wore an injured expression. ¡°And for what it¡¯s worth, I n to prove you wrong, Kurik. Mark my words ¨C I¡¯m going to find a dwarven woman who likes me.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± Kurik said with an uncharacteristic grin. It looked a little sadistic on the normally grumpy dwarf. In an attempt to steer the conversation back on track, Elijah said, ¡°Anyway¡­¡± ¡°I agree with him,¡± said Sadie, who¡¯d ceased her meditation to approach the campsite. ¡°We need to use our time wisely, and that doesn¡¯t includezing about and ying cards.¡± In the couple of days it had taken Elijah to collect enough Drops of the Ocean to provide rings for everyone, the rest of the group had cleared the immediate area of any threats. And they¡¯d reaped the rewards of so much fighting, with Sadie having reached level one-hundred, Dat attaining level ny-two, and Kurik getting level eighty-nine. Bringing up the rear was Ron, whose progressiongged a few levels behind the dwarf¡¯s. Elijah suspected that by the time the Trial was finished, their group would be the most powerful on Earth. Part of that was due to the rewards for achieving primacy, which included a bunch of free levels. But the challenges themselves ¨C as well as the nned grinding in the City of Toh ¨C would them significant progression as well. But at the moment, Elijah was concerned with something else. He addressed Sadie, asking, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the woman said. That certainly didn¡¯t look to be the case. She had dark circles beneath her eyes, and her hair was more disheveled than normal. In addition, it was clear that she hadn¡¯t showered in some time. Normally, Elijah wouldn¡¯t have cared, but as far as he knew, the group had been idling for the past day. She should have had plenty of time to clean up. He didn¡¯t particrly care about anyone¡¯s hygiene, but what he did care about was a deviation from her established patterns of behavior. Something had changed, though he had no notion of what that might be. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Perhaps she¡¯d finally begun to crack under the pressure of her own ss. Or maybe she¡¯d grown moody from the tension inherent in fighting through so many dangerous situations. Or it could have been the result of past trauma, of which they all had plenty. Regardless, Elijah knew he wasn¡¯t the one to address the issue. He and Sadie had grown a little friendlier over the months since they¡¯d arrived in the Trial of Primacy, but they certainly weren¡¯t friends. If he pushed, she would only grow annoyed. So, Elijah resolved to ask Dat to look into his friend¡¯s psychological well-being. After that short exchange, everyone prepared for theing challenge. Even though it wasn¡¯t a first-clear, and they had the advantage of Elijah¡¯s repeated runs through the city, the dangers were not to be underestimated. One wrong move, and they could be overwhelmed. So, everyone took their preparations seriously, checking and double-checking their weapons, armor, and other supplies. Elijah did the same, and after about fifteen minutes, they all set off into the nearby surf. The group had spent some time limating to not needing to breathe underwater, so they didn¡¯t hesitate to forge ahead and begin the long swim to the challenge of Nira. Thankfully, with their attributes, they could move through the water at incredible speeds that would have put an Olympic swimmer to shame, so they reached their destination after only a few minutes. They all knew the n, which they¡¯d reviewed a dozen times over the past couple of days, so no one hesitated before heading down into the city. The idea was to clear the thing out as efficiently as possible, so the first order of business was to establish a beachhead. To that end, Elijah had chosen what looked to be a small park popted by various sea vegetation. Waving stalks of seaweed would provide cover while Kurik went to work building traps. Once that was finished, Dat set out into the city to start pulling the poption to their deaths. Everyone already knew their roles, somunication wasn¡¯t really necessary. Still, they¡¯d established a set of simple hand signals. Thus prepared, everyone fell into their ces. Sadie took the front, while Kurik remained at the rear with Elijah and Ron. When Dat returned, Sadie attacked with a viciousness that was normally absent from her fighting style. Her technique was still wless ¨C even underwater ¨C but beneath her helmet, she wore an expression of fury that seemed out-of-ce. For his part, Elijah started off only using his spells. That was the first phase of their n. In his caster form, Elijah could respond to any deviation in strategy. More, he always had his heals at his fingertips, so he was ready to help Ron at a moment¡¯s notice. If the situation called for it, he would shift into one of his bestial forms, but for now, they opted for a more cautious approach. Everyone else yed their part, with Kurik¡¯s traps ¨C weaker variants that he could deploy quickly and without much in the way of cost ¨C hampering and harming the oing ken. Dat used his own abilities sparingly, relying on his mundane crossbow bolts unless absolutely necessary. Still, he was forced to use Hex of Tongues on the rare asion that they found themselves facing off against a mage. Otherwise, everyone held back their most powerful abilities, knowing that they needed to pace themselves for the long haul. After all, there were thousands of ken in the City of Toh, and it would be disastrous if they suddenly ran out of ethera or stamina when confronted with a strong foe. The set-up was a meat grinder, and soon enough, they were all swimming in diluted blood. A cloud of ken flesh covered the immediate area, and bodies drifted only a foot or so above the ground. But on and on the residents of the city came, and they were subjected to a ughter of epic proportions. Elijah was forced to shift into hismer ape form on a few asions when it looked like Sadie was on the verge of being overwhelmed, and he even used Lightning Domain when the onught reached its peak. The spell worked extremely well, with the whips of electricity snaking around hispanions so that only enemies were affected. It was a good thing, too, because Elijah had been worried about friendly fire. Normally, his spells functioned off his perception of other people. For instance, Healing Rain only affected those he deemed allies. However, with every new spell, he worried that he would discover that it was different. So far, that hadn¡¯t been the case, but he knew better than to bank on that always being true. Aside from that bit of tension, the battle progressed ording to their ns. After months spent fighting wraiths, the members of the group were well versed in fighting hordes of creatures, and they put that expertise to good use. The bodies continued to pile up ¨C or float around, as it happened ¨C until, eventually, the flow slowed to a trickle. Then, it stopped altogether. Elijah held up his hand, then raised two fingers. It was the signal for the group to shift to the second location. They wasted no time before swimming off, and unlike Elijah¡¯s previous experiences within the challenge, that area of the City of Toh was entirely deserted. They¡¯d killed thousands of ken in only a couple of hours, but it was just the beginning. They still had six other battle sites, then the pce itself to conquer before they could retreat to the beach and let the challenge reset. That would take a couple of hours after they left, and then they¡¯d be free to head right back in. That was precisely how it went, and with each site, the battles quickened. Everyone knew better than to rx, so they pushed themselves to be more efficient. They¡¯d agreed to spend a week grinding ¨C anything else would put them in jeopardy of missing out on the other challenges ¨C and they intended to get as much experience in that time as was possible. So, that was what they did, eventually ying the king and queen in an anticlimactic fight thatsted only half a minute. Once they¡¯d grabbed the reward ¨C another Drop of the Ocean ¨C they retreated through the now-deserted pce and swam out of the city. Along the way, Elijah marveled at the sheer level of carnage they¡¯d authored. He¡¯d been there, right in the middle of it all, but it was still shocking to see the number of bodies in the city below. As he beheld the fruits of theirbor, he tried to remind himself that the poption of the city wasn¡¯t real. They were manufactured by the system to challenge them. However, even though he rationally knew that was the case, there was a distinct difference betweentching onto that fact and experiencing a tidal wave of what constituted murder. Still, as he¡¯d done in the past, he pushed the seeds of guilt aside and focused on his gains. He hadn¡¯t progressed to the next level, but he¡¯d made significant progress. That alone was enough to justify their actions, because Elijah suspected that unless they improved significantly, future challenges would result in their deaths. After reaching the shore, everyone mechanically went about the post-battle preparations. They ate. They tried to sleep. But all the while, they were focused on a week of unfettered carnage. Hopefully, it would all prove to be worth it. Book 6: Chapter 51: Golems Book 6: Chapter 51: Golems Elijah¡¯s shoulders slumped in exhaustion ¨C both mental and physical ¨C as he took a long, deep breath. The salty air tasted almost sweet after spending so much time beneath the ocean, fighting against wave after wave of ken. He waded forward until he reached the beach, then dropped to his knees before rolling over and copsing onto his back. One deep breath followed thest as he closed his eyes. ¡°That was pretty rough, bro.¡± Elijah opened one eye to see Dat sitting beside him. The Witch Hunter was staring off into the middle distance, his gaze entirely unfocused as he clearly considered their actions over the past week. ¡°To say the least,¡± Elijah agreed. And it was true, too. While grinding against the ken hadn¡¯t been as dangerous as enduring the other challenges, it hade with a few other issues none of them had anticipated. Chiefly, the weight of killing tens of thousands of clearly sapient beings pressed heavily upon their minds. Certainly, everyone knew the creatures weren¡¯t real ¨C not in the traditional sense. That fact was confirmed when the entire challenge reset after they¡¯d left. However, that line between real and conjured tended to blur when you were surrounded by floating entrails, submerged in the blood of those purportedly fake enemies, and listening to their muffled and bubbling screams of agony. Perhaps things would have been different if they¡¯d given themselves a break between iterations of the challenge. However, with time being of the essence, they¡¯d chosen to chain grinding sessions after only a couple of hours in between each one. That had turned the past week into a tidal wave of death, blood, and other viscera that none of them could endure unscathed. Apparently, post-traumatic stress was still a thing, even after the world¡¯s transformation. It didn¡¯t cripple anyone. Nobody was going to wake up screaming in the middle of the night, and they certainly weren¡¯t going to descend into panic at loud noises. However, the other signs were still there. ¡°I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I never want to do that again,¡± Ron stated. Elijah felt him nearby, lying on the pebbled shore only a few feet away. Sadie was still standing, but her posture mirrored Dat¡¯s. Byparison, Kurik busied himself by grumbling under his breath and cataloguing his remaining traps. Everyone coped differently, and Elijah knew the dwarf well enough to recognize the stress within him. ¡°We can¡¯t avoid killing,¡± Sadie said. ¡°That¡¯s our world, now.¡±Ofte, there hadn¡¯t been much time for anything but ughtering the eel-like ken, but Elijah could recognize that something had changed with Sadie. She¡¯d never been particrly personable, but she¡¯d grown even more standoff-ish than ever before. He worried that he¡¯d done something to offend her, yet he knew that broaching that subject would only make her angry. Or angrier. So, he¡¯d kept his concerns to himself, choosing to address it with Dat when they had a little privacy. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest my eyes a bit,¡± he muttered. He was dirty, covered in blood and salty water, with bits of gore and seaweed in his hair, so he knew he needed to take a shower. But at the moment, his goals were much simpler. After casting Healing Rain and Soothe on everyone, he promptly fell asleep. When he awoke a few hourster, he regretted that. ¡°Gross,¡± he muttered, looking down at his armor. He could only hope that his cleaning powder would take care of all the blood and other nastiness that had seemingly seeped into the leather. So, after telling the others what he was doing, he retreated to a secluded area surrounded by boulders and began the arduous process of removing the grime from his armor, clothing, and most importantly, himself. The armor, he doused in cleaning powder before setting it aside. However, when he looked at the clothing he wore underneath, he realized that, regrettably, it represented a lost cause. There were so many rips and tears ¨C not to mention stains ¨C that it had be unsalvageable. Better to simply destroy it than to spend time and resources patching the clothes. Once that decision was made, he tossed the bundle of cloth aside to be burnedter, then embarked on an epic quest of self-cleaning. That¡¯s when his decision to immediately fall asleep came back to bite him. The blood and salt had dried on his body, forming a truly grotesque crust that took quite a lot of vigorous scrubbing before it came off. Thankfully, his homemade soap was up to the task, and it left him feeling invigorated in a way that he couldn¡¯t quite exin. ording to Nerthus, the soap was capable of slowly inching him forward in regards to his body cultivation. It would take decades for it to do so on its own, but the fact that it could even do that much made it extremely valuable. Still, he used it because of the way it made him feel, rather than some far-off benefits that wouldn¡¯te to fruition for years. But it was a nice side-benefit, nheless. In any case, it took almost half an hour of vigorous scrubbing before Elijah felt clean. By that point, the cleaning powder had already done its work on his armor, so after donning one of hisst outfits, he strapped the leather set into ce. With it ¨C along with all his other equipment ¨C came an influx of attributes that only entuated his refreshment. Finally, when he returned to their camp, he pulled out his French press, boiled some water, then made some coffee. Everyone else ¨C aside from Sadie, who maintained her inexplicable disdain for the miraculous beverage ¨C partook, following it up with a meal of dried pork that restored thest of Elijah¡¯s buffs. And just like that, he felt normal enough to check his gains:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 109
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization Uwfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Connection
Alignment N/A
Strength 191 (125)
Dexterity 179 (113)
Constitution 196 (136)
Ethera 172 (134)
Regeneration 203 (125)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Adept
Body Core Mind Soul
Iron Whelp Jade Novice
During their grinding session, he¡¯d gained three levels. At one point, that wouldn¡¯t have seemed like such a big deal, but after he¡¯d reached level one hundred, Elijah had discovered just how difficult it was to progress. Each level, even from the very beginning, took more experience than thest, but after passing the century mark, the amount required to reach the next level increased at a much higher rate. If he¡¯d had to quantify it, he would have said that it took half again more experience to go from level one hundred to one-oh-one than it had to progress from level ny-nine to the hundredth level. And that increase seemed to hold, with each level taking fifty percent more than thest, with every subsequent step of progression. As a result, his march toward his ss evolution had all but stalled. So, gaining three levels in a week was an incredible amount of progression. Even so, Elijah was a bit disappointed that he hadn¡¯t quite tipped over to one-ten, which would have given him a new spell. The others had all experienced significant gains as well. Elijiah knew that Sadie had past the century mark even before the session, but Dat, Ron, and Kurik still hadn¡¯t. Because of that, they¡¯d gained more levels, which Elijah had to admit, made him a little jealous. More, it made the gap between them seem a bit less impressive than it really was. Regardless, he was happy for hispanions. ¡°Should we go back in?¡± asked Ron, still enjoying his steaming cup of coffee. ¡°I feel like there¡¯s still a lot of experience to be gained.¡± ¡°We agreed on a week,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see another ken for as long as I live, bro.¡± ¡°I just got my beard dry,¡± Kurik added. Sadie said, ¡°We need to move on. They¡¯ve already started to give diminishing returns.¡± That was true, and to Elijah, it made sense. The same thing happened with towers, and though the rule seemed to have been rxed with the challenges, the system clearly didn¡¯t want them to spend the entire Trial running the same challenge over and over again. ¡°I agree. I¡¯m ready to go to the next challenge,¡± he said. In his trips back to the Nexus Town, he¡¯d asked around, and he had found that two other challenges had already been discovered. The one associated with the Umbra ¨C or the Shadow Realm ¨C was located far to the north within a forest that was eternally cast in shadow. The Explorer who¡¯d found it lost his entire group, and there were a few others who¡¯d gone in and failed to return. Not surprising. First clears were always rough. Then, there was the challenge dedicated to the Ethereum, or the ne of Magic. It took the form of a massive tower that stood sentry over an enormous chasm that was described as radiating corruption. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain what that meant, but he was relieved to find that it was contained by a wall of ethera that kept the worst of it at bay. Those were thest two challenges, but there was one that he expected would be different than all the rest. The Abyss was represented within the Trial, though no one had discovered that challenge¡¯s location. Still, crossing the entire continent and oveing the other two challenges would take at least a couple more months. So, they didn¡¯t have time to dawdle. Even so, the others needed a little more time to recover ¨C both mentally and physically ¨C from the grinding session, which left Elijah a bit fidgety. That was why, after enjoying his coffee and meal, he found himself gliding over the forest¡¯s canopy. There was one location that stood out in his mind, and it was one he¡¯d been itching to investigate since its discovery. That was how he found himselfnding just on the outskirts of the overgrown za which contained hundreds of stone statues. Some had been destroyed, crushed to pieces by wildlife or pulled down by creeping vines. The effects of erosion, felt over what looked to be hundreds of years, likely yed a part as well, and many of the statues were half-buried beneath the jungle¡¯s rich soil. Elijah approached in his Shape of Venom, hidden beneath the Guise of the Unseen. He didn¡¯t sense any hostile creatures nearby, and his Connection-boosted One with Nature gave him significant insight into any hidden dangers associated with the environment. It wasn¡¯t foolproof ¨C as he¡¯d learned during previous adventures ¨C but it was enough to tell him that there were no booby traps or other hidden mechanisms. The area was just as it appeared to be ¨C an abandoned ruin begging for exploration and hopefully yielding some exnation. With that in mind, Elijah padded forward, and soon enough, he was among the hulking statues. Each one boasted a core of weak ethera that Elijah could only barely sense, though he had no notion of what that meant. Those little balls of energy, nestled deep within the huge statues¡¯ chests, flickered and periodically faded, almost as if they struggled to maintain ignition. What little of the za remained uncovered put Elijah in mind of a chessboard. The tiles alternated between light and dark, but that gave him no notion of their ¨C or the za¡¯s ¨C nature. Was it simply an art instation? Or was something else at y? Elijah couldn¡¯t fathom the answers to those questions. So, he continued his exploration, eventually finding two interesting characteristics. First, ringing the za were the remnants of great columns that he¡¯d initially mistaken for boulders. Only when he saw the fluting ¨C weathered by the elements and time ¨C that he recognized their nature. Soon after, he saw a piece of white rock with incredibly straight lines that he quickly surmised had been the pediment that rested atop those columns. Following that, he found other remains of what he eventually came to think of as an open-air temple boasting hundreds of tall columns and a sloped roof. The second major discovery he made was in the center of the temple¡¯s remains. Surrounded by hundreds of statues was a tall plinth, at the foot of which was a fallen and broken sculpture that was so weathered that it looked like nothing more than a collection of rocks. It didn¡¯t take much to recognize that it had once stood upon that central pedestal. But more interestingly, there was something buried beneath all the rubble. Elijah could scarcely discern its shape, it was filled with so much ethera, but if something was that powerfully magical, then he definitely wanted to look at it with his own two eyes. And take it. Because no adventurer worth his salt turned down loot. So, after shifting back into his human form, he dug through the rubble, tossing aside hunks of stone that weighed more than a ton until he finallyid eyes on the item. It was a long, tapered shaft of blue-white crystal. Down the center of that shaft was a yellow core. Elijah reached out, barely touching it with the tip of his finger, but when nothing happened, he wrapped his hand around it and pulled. At first, nothing happened. It was stuck fast, and regardless of how much he yanked, the thing wouldn¡¯te free. So, he took on the Shape of the Guardian and put some real muscle to the task. Even then, it resisted mightily until, atst, the sound of breaking rock heralded the shaft¡¯s freedom. Elijah went tumbling backward, but he was less concerned with his loss of bnce than the wave of ethera that swept through the za. A secondter, the sound of grating rock drew his attention. When he looked out across the za, he realized that he¡¯d made a huge mistake. ¡°Oh, shit,¡± he muttered to himself as hundreds of stone statues came to life. Book 6: Chapter 52: Scope Book 6: Chapter 52: Scope The first of the stone statues ¨C or golems, Elijah realized ¨C was on him in less than a second. The thing moved so quickly that Elijah couldn¡¯t even react before it mmed a fist into his chest. He flew backward, hitting another group of golems with so much force that the impact toppled the multi-ton things over. Elijah¡¯s mind whirled as he struggled to wrap his mind around the situation. He should have expected something. Even though he¡¯d spent more than an hour scouring the site of the ruined temple, he should have anticipated that there would be some sort of response to his intrusion. It had happened in other ruins, and it wasn¡¯t surprising that it had happened again. This time, though, he had a n for his escape. The onlyplication was how quickly everything had gone wrong. The golems were too fast for their bulk, and as he¡¯d already discovered, they were far too strong to fight. Before he could enact his n, he needed to extract himself from the pile of living statues. So, he pushed one aside ¨C it took all of his strength ¨C before using Thunderp. Lightning hit the creatures, but to Elijah¡¯s surprise, the resultant stun was almost entirely ineffective. So was Debilitating Roar. The creatures were either too powerful to be affected or, more likely, they were simply resistant to lightning and fear. That they were obviously creatures of earth probably exined the former, and it didn¡¯t take a genius to realize that statues ¨C no matter how mobile ¨C were incapable of feeling fear. In any case, Elijah was only afforded an instant of peace before the stun wore off. In that time, he¡¯d already initiated his transformation into the Shape of the Sky. He¡¯d also thrown himself into a roll that he hoped would free him from their clutches. Even as he changed shape, the ground rumbled with heavy footsteps, and when he came to a stop, he saw that every golem in the area hade alive. They charged, moving far more quickly than their bulk should have allowed. Elijah knew he didn¡¯t have any chance in a fight. They were made of solid stone, and even in the Shape of Venom, he had no hope of matching their speed. His only hope was escape, and for that, he would rely on flight. His transformationpleted just as the next golem reached him. With a mighty p of his wings, he threw himself into the sky, but he just wasn¡¯t quick enough. The creature hadtched onto his leg with a grip that felt like iron. It pulled against him, and even with his powerful wings, he couldn¡¯t extricate himself. It pulled.Elijah beat his wings with every ounce of Strength he could muster. He even activated Savage Might, but it was no good. Recognizing the dire situation for what it was, his mind spun with potential avenues of escape. Yet, they all hinged on him getting free of the creature¡¯s powerful grip. He had two choices before him. One meant activating the ability associated with his Armor of the Boar King. It would grant him three seconds of invulnerability, but it was a one-time thing. After that, he could never use the ability again. And what would happen after three seconds? He would still be in the same situation. A shield wouldn¡¯t free him from the creature¡¯s grip. The second option was worse, and he had no idea if it would even work. But given hisck of options ¨C and time constraints, considering that it would be only a second until the other golems arrived and killed him ¨C he knew he didn¡¯t have a choice. So, he used Lightning Rush. As he¡¯d hoped, the ability activated without issue, and he became a bolt of lightning streaking through the air towards the upper atmosphere. Unfortunately, the presence of the golem deactivated it only a momentter. It sputtered before reengaging, then came to a stop almost seventy miles above the surface of the. Which was rming for three reasons. First, people just weren¡¯t meant to survive on the edge of space. Elijah felt his blood begin to boil and the air in his lungs started to expand. Fortunately, his Constitution seemed high enough that he didn¡¯t immediately die. That, along with the rity of thought that came with his Jade Mind, gave him enough time to enact a n for survival. He shifted out of the Shape of the Sky, pausing only long enough to cast Soothe and Nature¡¯s Bloom before transforming into the Shape of the Guardian. That eased the burden on his tortured body and took care of the first issue. More importantly, it let him deal with the second problem. The golem was still there, though in the near weightlessness of the current environment, it seemed to have lost some of its power. That allowed him to lever himself free and kick the thing away. It spun as it drifted downward, but Elijah couldn¡¯t afford the attention to track its path. Because he could finally see the true scope of Ka¡¯arath¡¯s excisement. Above him, there was a dome of pure ethera, on the other side of which was the Abyss. Elijah had difficulty processing the horrors he witnessed. His previous experiences with the Abyss were limited to when he challenged Rifts, which had led him to the impression that it was something like a twisted version of the familiar. Yet, what he saw on the other side of that shield was so alien that he had no context through which he could understand it. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. It was easy to imagine that some people might have gone mad at the sight. Elijah jerked his attention away, focusing on the world below. The shield stretched on, but it did not epass the entire. Far from it. Instead, it only surrounded a single continent. The rest of Ka¡¯arath had been ovee by the Abyss. Hulking monstrosities loomedrger than mountains, steadily mming themselves against the dome of energy. And yet, it held. Until that moment, Elijah had considered excisement a terrible but manageable turn of events. The world he¡¯d found was dangerous, wild, and mostly unsettled, and yet, he and hispanions had no trouble surviving the rigors it represented. However, getting a glimpse of the Abyss ¨C and the monsters that came with it ¨C elicited a fear unlike anything he¡¯d ever experienced. If something like that happened to Earth, it wouldn¡¯t only kill him. It would spell the extinction of everything on the, and recing it all with those nightmarish creatures Elijah could only scarcelyprehend. Then, he was falling. As the atmosphere thickened, the only thing keeping Elijah from burning to a crisp was his enhanced durability that came from nearly two hundred Constitution and the vitality still singing through his veins. Even that only got him through the worst of it, though. He fell, and Soothe ran its course. A few secondster, Nature¡¯s Bloom did as well. The jolt of healing helped with the burns, but it was a temporary measure. If he was going to survive, he needed two things. There was only one chance to repair the damage he knew he would endure before it was all said and done. He held his breath, ready to activate Guardian¡¯s Renewal the second he passed the point where the very atmosphere would stop trying to kill him. It came sooner rather thanter, and he activated the ability. The ability warred with the damage wrought upon his body by his brief exposure to the mesosphere while struggling against the burns he¡¯d endured. A few times in the past, Guardian¡¯s Renewal had proven insufficient to the task of living up to its description. Elijah¡¯s only exnation was that, like many other abilities, its potency was based on a variety of factors that weren¡¯t mentioned in the spell¡¯s exnation. Perhaps it could only heal so much damage before it ran out of steam. Or maybe it was percentage based. It could¡¯ve even had something to do with him possessing a higher Constitution attribute than normal ¨C at least in rtion to other Animists. Whatever the case, Elijah knew that it wasn¡¯t infallible. Still, even though it wasn¡¯t entirely effective, it did pull him through the worst of his injuries and allow him to enact the second part of his n. He shifted back into the Shape of the Sky, then snapped his wings out before leveling off into a glide. He found himself at a greater altitude than he¡¯d ever experienced, which meant that he was exposed to greater dangers. There were norge airborne predators on Ka¡¯arath, but there were plenty of wind spirits. They didn¡¯t immediately attack. Instead, they seemed almost curious. But then, they reacted to the intruder in their midst, cutting into him with vicious des of air. Thankfully, he was moving so quickly that he soon began to outpace them. Not before they ripped him to shreds, but quickly enough that he didn¡¯t think he was in danger of dying. Still, a rain of blood apanied his flight as he made his way to the jungle below, and he was grateful when, after only a few more minutes, he set down in a clearing he¡¯d spied from above. Immediately, Elijah shifted back to his human form and cast a series of heals that mended hiscerated body. There was still plenty of damage from his brief bout of space exploration as well, so it took a few hours before he found himself returned to full health. In that time, he considered what he¡¯d witnessed. And he merged that first-hand experience with the ounts he¡¯d read sinceing to the Trial. That allowed him to piece together a general idea of what had happened to Ka¡¯arath. He still didn¡¯t know why the had been excised, but he now knew that one continent had been shielded from the Abyss, probably through the Lightning Emperor¡¯s efforts. How powerful was Yloa that he could keep the Abyss at bay? Elijah expected that he was a Transcendent, just like Kirlissa, though probably not quite on her level. But that assumption was likely based on personal bias rather than any verifiable facts. Either way, Yloa the Lightning Emperor was a fearsome being who Elijah very much hoped he would never have to face in person. While he sat there, he looked at the shaft of crystal in his hand. Somehow, he¡¯d managed to maintain his grip on the prize he¡¯d earned. However, as he studied it, he couldn¡¯t figure out a purpose. The hunk of crystal had clearly been made by a skilled crafter, with sharp edges and tapered tip that suggested it might¡¯ve once been a de. Remembering the Lament of the Fallen he¡¯d read, he immediately thought of the weapon that had been broken into three pieces. Perhaps he¡¯d found the first part. Then, he remembered the fluted cylinder of crystal he¡¯d recovered from the prison. It could have been a sword hilt. With trembling hands, he reached into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and retrieved the piece. There was a space in the center that he thought might fit the de¡¯s tang. So, without further hesitation, he slotted it into ce. And nothing happened. More, it clearly didn¡¯t fit, because the de just fell out the second he relieved the pressure holding it in ce. ¡°Well, that¡¯s disappointing,¡± he muttered to himself. Still, both items glowed with ethera, so they had to be valuable. Btedly, he realized that he should¡¯ve had Atticus identify the cylinder during one of his trips back to Nexus Town, but for whatever reason, he¡¯d forgotten to do so. He¡¯d just have to remember to do that next time he was in the area. For now, though, he ced both items into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel andpleted his convalescence. After another hour, he felt well enough to return to hispanions. Which presented a bit of a problem. During his brief time in space, the had continued to rotate. Meanwhile, he¡¯d remained stationary, which meant that in the space of a handful of seconds, he¡¯d been thrown far off-course. So, it took him another hour of flying around before he saw something familiar. That led him back to the site of the temple, and he was relieved to find that the golems had once again returned to their inert state. Once he¡¯d established that they wouldn¡¯t pose any danger to anyone else ¨C so long as they weren¡¯t disturbed by a thoughtless Druid ¨C he retraced his original flight path and returned to camp. ¡°You look pretty bad, bro. Is that blood?¡± Elijah shook his head. His face was entirely covered in blood that had leaked from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. More, he still wasn¡¯tpletely healed, so his entire body was covered in one huge bruise. ¡°You did something stupid again, didn¡¯t you?¡± asked Sadie with a re. ¡°Uh¡­no?¡± Nobody believed him. So, after receiving Ron¡¯s healing attentions, he once again retreated to a secluded area so he could clean himself up. Book 6: Chapter 53: The Umbra Book 6: Chapter 53: The Umbra ¡°I remember going to an amusement park a few years before the world changed,¡± Ron remarked as they trekked through the jungle. ¡°My daughter always loved roller coasters, and with everything going on, I decided to treat her. Anyway, when we got there, I saw this woman who¡¯d attached leashes to her children. The kids kept trying to get away, and they almost ran into a restricted area where they would¡¯ve definitely been injured. I think about that a lot these days. Leashes, I mean.¡± He spoke as though he wasn¡¯t directing the statement at anyone in particr, but everyone knew he was really talking to Elijah. After he¡¯d regaled hispanions with the story of his most recent adventure, he¡¯d expected them to be awed by his knack for survival ¨C or at least intrigued by what he¡¯d discovered. Yet, they¡¯d all piled on to berate him for taking unnecessary risks. Even Dat had criticized him for going at it alone. And now Ron was likening him to a child who was so unruly that he needed a leash to keep him out of trouble. It was maddening. ¡°For the record, I am not an out-of-control child. Just wanted to throw that out there before people got the wrong idea,¡± he said with a long-suffering sigh. ¡°I¡¯d never imply that you were,¡± Ron stated. ¡°But those kids, they probably thought much the same thing. They probably never considered that running into an area with heavy machinery was even dangerous. Not that that has any bearing on our current situation. I¡¯m only telling an amusing anecdote from my past.¡± Elijah was about to respond, but instead chose to take the high road. He could acknowledge that his actions probably looked reckless from afar, but he also knew that if he¡¯d taken anyone else along, they¡¯d probably be dead. There was no standing up to those golems. No fighting back. He was the only member of the group capable of escape. Of course, he could have simply chosen not to poke the proverbial bear, but that just went against his every instinct. For better or worse, he was a curious person, and because he had the tools to extricate himself from a wide variety of dangerous situations, he probably wasn¡¯t nearly as cautious as others expected him to be. Still, he had survived, and he¡¯d picked up an interesting artifact along the way. In addition, he¡¯d discovered the truth about the excised world, which he fully expected to be important sometime in the future. If not in the Trial itself, then as a cautionary tale that could influence how they approached Earth¡¯s future. In short, though he understood where Ron ¨C and the others ¨C wereing from when it came to their evaluation of his actions, he rejected the premise they espoused. The reality was that he¡¯d survived, and he¡¯d gained valuable insight along the way. That was worth the risk, so far as he was concerned. And if he was entirely honest with himself, he didn¡¯t intend to change his ways. With that in mind, it was much easier to ignore Ron¡¯s pointed jabs at hisck of instincts for self-preservation ¨C which continued as they traveled through the jungle on the way toward the challenge associated with the Umbra. Over the next two weeks, the group traveled across the continent with unprecedented speed. Their recent influx of levels brought with it a wave of increased attributes that made traversal of the terrain easier than ever before. The few times they encountered wraiths, they tore through the wretched creatures without slowing for more than a few minutes. On a couple of asions, they were stalked by ta¡¯ki hunters, but the creatures were wholly incapable of keeping pace. One instance saw them being ambushed by more hunters, though that ended with a wholesale ughter that Elijah hoped would dissuade further attempts at a simr tactic. He didn¡¯t expect that would be the case, though. The hunters, for better or worse, seemed entirely dedicated to their task. Certainly, they would retreat if they thought it necessary, but that just meant that they woulde back at a more advantageous time. Or if they were too badly outssed, they would seek out other prey. Giving up just wasn¡¯t in their nature. With what Elijah suspected about the Lightning Emperor¡¯s role in keeping the Abyss at bay, he understood their dedication. What remained of their society owed their continued existence to Yloa, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that they would be fanatical about following his orders. The only question was why they had been instructed to hunt the Trial-takers. By all rights, they could have simply sat it out and let the people from Earth tackle the challenges unmolested. Instead, Elijah and the other participants in the Trial of Primacy had been hunted from the very beginning. It just didn¡¯t make much sense. Then again, that wasn¡¯t surprising. There were so many other factors at y that Elijah would have been shocked if he understood even half of the situation. Not only was the system toying with everyone and everything, but there wereary politics to consider. ss warfare, too. From everything Elijah had seen, the native species didn¡¯t get along, so there was racism in there as well. In short, trying to understand how it all fit together was a fool¡¯s errand, and he suspected that it was meant to distract the participants in the Trial from what truly mattered ¨C at least to them. Conquering challenges and gaining advantages that they would take with them back to Earth was more important than trying to understand the situation on ka¡¯arath. Along the way, hispanions mostly kept to themselves. Traveling across the continent was a dangerous prospect, and though they were among the strongest people from Earth, they knew that if they let down their guard, they could get injured or killed almost as easily as anyone else. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Because, as Elijah had discovered many times, the world of ka¡¯arath had plenty of dangers that were far stronger than they were. But even among the mostly silent group, Sadie¡¯s demeanor stood out. She rarely spoke to anyone, and when she did, it was in clipped sentences. She didn¡¯t even confide in Dat anymore, which left Elijah worried for her mental well-being. If they¡¯d been a little closer, he would have taken her aside and inquired as to her psychological state. Or maybe offered a friendly ear so she could unload her problems. Yet, each time he drew close to her, herplexion paled, and she looked as if she was about to vomit. That was as good a hint as any that his presence wasn¡¯t wanted. Which was a little disappointing. He¡¯d thought that they¡¯d gotten over the proverbial hump with their rtionship. He knew she was still under the influence of her skill, but they had been making progress. Elijah didn¡¯t know what had changed, but he wished things would go back to normal. Grudging eptance was better than outright disdain. Or as seemed to be the case ofte, disgust. Regardless, she didn¡¯t do anything overtly hostile, so Elijah kept his thoughts to himself. His previous resolution to ask Dat to intervene seemed like it would just make things worse, so he decided to shelve the idea until they reached a safer and more peaceful environment. Given that their time in the Trial was steadily growing shorter, Elijah expected that wouldn¡¯te until they returned to Earth. And even then, there would be other issues that he knew would take precedence. It was a depressing realization, but it urred to Elijah that they may never get the chance to figure things out between them. After all, they lived on different sides of the world, and once their interests no longer aligned ¨C meaning that the Trial was finished and Hong Kong was safe ¨C they would have little reason to endure one another¡¯spany. It was far more likely that they¡¯d simply go their separate ways. That had happened with many of Elijah¡¯s friends from high school, and he¡¯d rarely even considered the fate of his acquaintances or coworkers from his life in Hawaii. And he¡¯d known some of them for years. It was just the nature of human rtionships that as paths diverged, rtionships wilted until even the memories faded to almost nothing. Such morose thoughts apanied Elijah as they traveled across the continent. At some point, the sweltering jungle gave way to a more temperate climate, and the nature of the vegetation and local wildlife followed suit. Clearly, their evolutionary paths had pushed them to adapt to the much cooler temperatures, with many of the animals having thick coats of fur. Of course, thanks to his cloak, Elijah felt no difference. The others couldn¡¯t say the same, and both Dat and Ron voiced their appreciation for the improved climate. Eventually, they reached their destination, and predictably, given the gloomy nature of the challenge, it came with a thunderstorm. Dense sheets of rain fell, and thunder rolled across thendscape as Elijah and hispanions stood on a bluff overlooking the challenge associated with the Umbra. ¡°Say whatever else, but at least it¡¯s consistent,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°It does fit,¡± agreed Ron. ¡°It looks interesting,¡± Dat said. ¡°Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ interestin¡¯ about that,¡± Kurik stated, nodding toward the shadow strewn valley in the distance. Very little of the forest itself was visible, but from what they could see, the trees were gnarled, with grey leaves and twisted branches. To Elijah, they looked like they were in pain. ¡°What do we know about it?¡± Elijah asked. In a terse voice, Sadie answered, ¡°Nothing. Just that two groups went in a couple of months ago, but no one ever came out.¡± That wasn¡¯t surprising. Unless they were well-prepared and extremely powerful, any group that attempted a first clear was bound to have issues. It wasn¡¯t a pretty thought, but the groups that went in were likely dead. ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡± asked Ron. ¡°There¡¯s no information other than the location,¡± Sadie stated. ¡°Do we want to go in now? Or rest a little before we try it?¡± ¡°I vote for rest,¡± Elijah said. ¡°We want to be at our best.¡± Everyone else agreed, and they decided to make camp a few miles from the shadowy valley. Once there, Elijah hunted down a beast that seemed very simr to a feral pig, though with a thick coat that reminded him of a yak. It was also the size of a bull, so there was plenty of meat. After butchering it and setting the hide aside to dry overnight, Elijah presided over a good, old-fashioned barbecue. He''d obtained some sauce from the Consortium¡¯s Chef, so he used that along with some seasoning he¡¯d gotten back on Earth to help with the cooking. It wasn¡¯t a substitute for someone with a cooking skill, but because those ingredients had been prepared by someone with just such an ability, they helped maintain the taste. ¡°This isn¡¯t bad,¡± said Ron, having taken a bite. ¡°Not great, either. Just better than normal.¡± ¡°I miss the Stuck Pig. It¡¯s a restaurant back in Ironshore, and it reminds me of so many of the best barbecue ces from before the world¡¯s transformation,¡± Elijah said. ¡°They even made orc ribs taste good.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ wrong with orc,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Tender meat. Lots of vor. You just got to kill the orcs first, which makes it a bit dicey.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have anything like that back home,¡± Ron admitted. ¡°We have a few Cooks and such, but no restaurants. It¡¯s more of amunity cafeteria setup.¡± ¡°I bet it¡¯s good, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± Ron said with a grin. Dat cut in, ¡°I miss pizza so much.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a pizza ce in Norcastle,¡± Elijah said. ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t had pizza in years,¡± Dat said with no small degree of wistfulness. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll treat you when all this is over. Norcastle isn¡¯t far from Argos. We can hit that restaurant then head to Hong Kong. I¡¯ll even introduce you to Jess. You two will get along great,¡± Elijah said. Dat went red in the face, but he mumbled something that sounded like, ¡°Okay.¡± After that, the group enjoyed the meal as well as the affablepanionship as they spoke of the things they missed from before the world¡¯s transformation. Pointedly, Sadie remained silent, and as soon as she finished eating, she mumbled her thanks then said she was going to stand lookout. Before Elijah could point out how unnecessary that was ¨C One with Nature¡¯s effective radius wasrge enough for him to keep watch without leaving the campfire ¨C Sadie was gone. ¡°Is she okay?¡± asked Ron, proving that Elijah wasn¡¯t the only one to have noticed the change. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, bro. But she¡¯s going through some stuff. Just try to be understanding,¡± Dat said. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine in the long run. I think.¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t so sure. No one could tackle every issue alone. However, as he¡¯d previously noted, he was not in a position to offer help. With that in mind, he remained silent until everyone had finished eating. He retreated to his monster-dissuading tent and fell asleep. He knew that theing challenge would likely prove as difficult ¨C or probably more so, given the pattern of esction they¡¯d already experienced ¨C as any other. Book 6: Chapter 54: The Vale of Whispers Book 6: Chapter 54: The Vale of Whispers ¡°I really don¡¯t like this,¡± Elijah said, focusing on the sense granted by One with Nature. So close to the forest, he could feel its atmosphere so intensely that it verged on overwhelming. His previous supposition that the forest was in pain was only partially urate. Nature didn¡¯t cry out, but strangled by shadow, it did whimper slightly. It was like looking at an abused animal. A beaten dog that cringed at every turn. ¡°This ce is evil.¡± ¡°Worse than the Spires of Fallen?¡± asked Dat. Elijah nodded. Bad things had happened within the challenge of the Underrealm. But the very nature of the world around it hadn¡¯t been changed. That was not the case with the forestid out before them. Perhaps in another frame of mind, Elijah would have marveled at the endurance of nature, that it could persist through such a torturous existence. However, with the metaphysical whimpers of a ruined forest filling his mind, he could only feel sadness. It was tinged with anger, though. ¡°Do you want to sit this out?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°We should be capable of ¨C¡± ¡°No,¡± Elijah said, his tone firm. He didn¡¯t want to turn away and flee. Instead, he wanted nothing more than to find the culprit who¡¯d corrupted nature so thoroughly that it felt like an enved and abused animal. And when he did track them down ¨C whoever they were ¨C he would unleash the full fury of nature¡¯s vengeance upon them. As a Druid, his role was often to protect. To nurture. To heal. But there was another side to who he was, and one that he¡¯d only let loose a handful of times. It harkened back to when he¡¯d stalked those hunters and ughtered them for their indiscriminate murder of the guardian bear. Or when he chose to kill the people who¡¯d invaded his ind. Looking at that shadowy forest and seeing the twisted shapes of the trees within, Elijah was driven to avenge the injustice imposed upon nature. In that, all three parts of his spirit were aligned. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s just do this,¡± he stated. By that point, their pattern of exploration and travel was well established. So, Elijah shifted into the Shape of Venom and slipped into stealth. Dat did the same, and together, they set off into the shadowy forest. Sinceing into range of the challenge of the Umbra, the rain had been pervasive. As a result, the atmosphere was overcast, with very little sunlight peeking through the clouds. Every now and then, lightningnced down from the clouds, briefly illuminating the area, but even that was insufficient to truly pierce the gloom. And it got worse the second Elijah stepped into the forest itself. The darkness behaved like fog, drifting between the gnarled trees and obscuring everything outside of a three-foot radius. Ten feet away, Elijah could see nothing but ck mist. Then there was the cold. It was simr to what he¡¯d felt around the Spires of the Fallen, but different, too. The amorphous chill of fear versus the rigid cold of a corpse. It was as if the warmth of the sun had entirely faded, giving way to the chill of eternal night. To call it ufortable would have been a vast understatement. Normally, Elijah wasn¡¯t prone to intense fear. He felt it from time to time, but it was usually fleeting ¨C the result of an extremely dangerous situation. However, the note of terror wafting through his Mind was ubiquitous and enduring. It was like stepping foot into an alien world where nothing made sense, and the resulting feeling twisted his stomach into knots of anxiety. He shunted that difort aside, quarantining it in its own facet of his Jade Mind. Although he quickly discovered that that strategy, which he usually used to deal with intense pain, was insufficient in dealing with the shadowy fear. It stretched out its tendrils, infecting every other facet of his Mind with formless anxiety. It was weaker, but still there, ubiquitous and undeniable. With a subtle shiver, he continued on. The others would soon follow, and he needed to do his job as a scout. Gradually, he covered ground until, atst, he received the notification he¡¯d expected:
You have reached the Vale of Whispers. To conquer the challenge of the Umbra, illuminate the Shadows. Reward: Umbral Shroud
No sooner had Elijah read the notification than he felt something via One with Nature. He jerked his head in that direction, expecting to see the vaguely humanoid shape he¡¯d sensed, but instead, he saw nothing. Another darted past on the other side. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Then another. Elijah could barely feel them. Likely, the only reason he could sense them at all was due to his specialization. Without it, they would have been just as undetectable as Dat had once been when under the effects of Ghost Cloak. However, as he remained rooted in ce, Elijah knew the shadowy figures had not used a stealth skill. Instead, they were perfectly suited to their environment, seemingly made of simr stuff. Elijah focused every facet of his mind until he got a vague sense of their nature. The creatures were shaped like ka¡¯ki, though it was difficult to sense enough details to determine their ultimate origin. More interestingly ¨C or terrifyingly ¨C they seemed to emanate the same shadowy energy that pervaded the environment. That was the source of their near invisibility. And it was a serious issue. As far as Elijah knew, none of hispanions possessed any significant sensory abilities. Dat might have something that helped him out, but the rest of the group would be blind and deaf to the presence of their enemies. And they were clearly enemies. Elijah could sense the demeanor of a predator in their every gliding step. It wasn¡¯t difficult to imagine one of them stalking and ughtering someone like Ron or Kurik before either even knew it was there. With that in mind, Elijah retreated, finding the others on the verge of entering the Vale of Whispers. He stopped them just in time, dropping Guise of the Unseen and saying, ¡°Retreat. I think it¡¯s too ¨C ¡± Just then, a grey limb cloaked in darkness reached out and grabbed hold of Elijah¡¯s tail. He reacted instantly, jerking away just as a dagger wrought of pure shadow descended. It grazed him, tearing through his scales with ease before hitting the ground and kicking up a spray of loamy turf. Thankfully, Sadie was on her guard, and she moved the instant the creature¡¯s arm darted out of the shadowy mist. Her glowing white sword arced out, hitting the shadow monster in the torso. Sparks flew, and the sound of sizzling meat filled the air, followed by an unholy scream of pure agony. It pulled away, disappearing into the shadows, though the echoes of its pain remained, bouncing here and there for a couple of seconds before fading away. Elijah let out a hissing breath, then dropped the Shape of Venom. As soon as he returned to his human form, he inspected his wound. It was just a scratch, but he could already feel cold tendrils of some sort of foreign ethera spreading from the point of impact. He used Soothe, then Nature¡¯s Bloom. Ron added his own heals to the mix, but that cold, ethereal infection resisted. It took a few more moments before it retreated, then disappeared. The wound healed only a secondter. ¡°That was¡­¡± ¡°It was too strong,¡± Ron said. ¡°Poison?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t feel like it,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°It was more like¡­¡± ¡°Shadows, bro,¡± said Dat, who¡¯d just exited the forest. He made a point to nt himself just out of reach of any monsters that might reach out. ¡°I can feel it. It resonated with my attunement.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± asked Kurik. ¡°Darkness,¡± Dat stated. ¡°Really?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°How does that work with having an angel core? I mean, it¡¯s not like ¨C¡± ¡°There are all kinds of angels, bro.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to discuss it,¡± Sadie reminded them, never taking her eyes from the dark forest. ¡°Let¡¯s get somewhere safe, then we can figure out how to proceed.¡± Everyone agreed with that n of action, so they headed back to their previous camp, where Elijahid out what he¡¯d felt. Dat added a few details, like the fact that the shadow creatures weren¡¯t actually monsters. Instead, they were ka¡¯ki who¡¯dpletely embraced their shadow-rted attunements. That Elijah hadn¡¯t sensed as much was a little troubling, but he reasoned that he needed to ept that the ability ¨C even bolstered by Connection ¨C wasn¡¯t entirely foolproof. Or maybe he just needed it to evolve. His other spells had progressively grownparatively weaker to the increasingly powerful enemies he often faced, so it wasn¡¯t out of the question that One with Nature would follow that same trajectory. It was still an incredibly powerful ability, but Elijah expected that factor was at least as much due to Connection and his Core cultivation as it could be credited to the ability itself. Regardless, the situation they¡¯d been presented with was enough to derail their normal ns. It wasn¡¯t until Ron spoke up that they were able to pivot. He said, ¡°The way I see it, all of these challenges have ways you¡¯re supposed to ovee them, right? There¡¯s probably something like that here. A path we can follow. We just need to find it.¡± That was how Elijah found himself once again cloaked in Guise of the Unseen while he explored the Vale of Whispers. Thankfully, if he narrowed the focus of One with Nature ¨C a trick he¡¯d been working on ofte ¨C he could get a better sense of the shadowy ka¡¯ki that popted the forest. What he felt was still fleeting, but it was enough to guide him along. So he went, exploring the area. The creatures still couldn¡¯t see through Guise of the Unseen, but Elijah expected that if he lingered for long enough, that would change. He kept moving, steadily weaving between the gnarled trees as he tried to simultaneously keep an eye on the shadow creatures while attempting to ignore the feeling of wrongness that pervaded the area. He was moderately ¨C but not entirely ¨C sessful on both counts. But he found nothing. The area seemed devoid of any important points of interest, though he did find a copsing wall that looked like it would have been more at home in a fancy garden than as a defensive fortification. He followed the wall for a few hundred yards until it ended abruptly, leaving him a little unsure of where he should go next. In the end, he opted for a search grid that saw him crisscrossing the same areas over and over as he looked for anything of note. Thatted a few discoveries ¨C like a couple of dry fountains and small, abandoned buildings ¨C but there were no hints as to how the challenge was meant to be conquered. Like that, hours passed until night began to fall. Thinking it would be best if he wasn¡¯t within the challenge after dark, he retreated to the camp where he¡¯d left the others. Surprisingly, Dat had already returned after searching his own side of the forest. Once he was in the circle of flickering light provided by the campfire, Elijah let Shape of Venom drop away and returned to visibility. ¡°I didn¡¯t find anything,¡± he said before the others could respond to his sudden appearance. ¡°But I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve only searched a tiny fraction of the challenge area. So, this might end up taking longer than we thought.¡± Thest was said with a significant degree of disappointment. Dat grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I found the way through,¡± he said. Before Elijah could respond, Dat exined what he¡¯d found. Most of it was simr to what Elijah had discovered over the course of his own search, but he¡¯d found something that would hopefully change everything. ¡°Are we sure about this?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I mean¡­no offense, but that feels like a leap of logic, there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Dat said withplete confidence. ¡°This is the way.¡± He nced from one face to another, and he saw that everyone else seemed to feel the same. So, Elijah said, ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll go back in at sunrise.¡± Book 6: Chapter 55: Candles Book 6: Chapter 55: Candles It was difficult to gauge when the sun had truly risen. Even though the pitch ck of night had faded, the effect was not nearly as in as Elijah would have normally anticipated. It was just further evidence ¨C as if he needed any ¨C that the world of magic didn¡¯t necessarily follow the thread of his expectations. Thankfully, Dat had a keen sense of such things, which meant that when he said it was time to go in, Elijah trusted the man¡¯s judgement. So it happened that the pair headed back into the forest. Under the scrutiny of One with Nature, Dat¡¯s Ghost Cloak was never infallible. Within the forest, its effectiveness clearly changed, though. The shadows seemed to augment the ability, making Dat all but undetectable, even when Elijah narrowed his focus. Still, One with Nature provided enough feedback that Elijah could follow hispanion¡¯s path, which went on for more than an hour until, atst, something changed. Elijah slowed his steps as an eerie glow came into his field of vision. The source was still obscured by the tortured trees, but that didn¡¯t seem to bother Dat, who kept going without skipping a step. The glow steadily grew stronger as they progressed closer to the origin, but it was much further away than Elijah had expected. So, it took almost fifteen more minutes before, atst, they reached their destination. A single candle stood upon a pedestal, casting everything within a twenty-foot radius in pale, flickering light. Dat stepped inside, and he immediately appeared. Elijah followed, and panic gripped his heart as Guise of the Unseen was ripped from him. In the immediate aftermath, he felt more exposed than he had in his entire life. It was like he¡¯d been stripped naked and made to parade in front of everyone he¡¯d ever met. That sensation faded after only a few moments, but the echoes lingered, leaving him almost as ufortable than the pervasive chill of the shadow-twisted forest. ¡°That was¡­unpleasant,¡± Elijah whispered, his voice hoarse as he let Shape of Venom dissipate. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention that.¡± ¡°Sorry, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°This is it, then? You think it¡¯ll keep the shadows at bay?¡± Elijah asked, pointing to the candle. The object in question was about as big around as a baseball bat and approximately a foot long. The waxprising it was also pitch ck, giving the item an odd look that still somehow seemed appropriate. Perhaps it was the setting, which was a stone pedestal carved with sculptures of writhing creatures. ¡°I know it will, bro. You felt it cancel your stealth, right?¡± he asked. It was a rhetorical question, made unnecessary by Elijah¡¯s previous reaction. ¡°Besides, Hex of Scrying made it pretty clear. The ghosts tell me that it¡¯ll onlyst a few hours, though. After that, we need to find another.¡± ¡°And if we don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Bad things, bro. Really bad things. Those creatures are deadly,¡± Dat said. ¡°They¡¯re called shadow yers. I don¡¯t know much else about them, but¡­they don¡¯t feel right, bro. They¡¯re like people, but¡­but wrong. Like they¡¯ve got one foot in each of two worlds. It¡¯s not natural.¡± ¡°Nothing in this ce is,¡± Elijah agreed. ¡°Okay, so here¡¯s what we should do. Now that we have an idea of how to get through this, we need to find more of these candles so we can find a path to the goal. Which we still don¡¯t know what it is.¡± The challenge was to illuminate the shadows, whatever that meant. And Elijah suspected that it would take some time to figure it out. There was only one problem, and it was one they hadn¡¯t anticipated. ¡°Uh¡­I can¡¯t use Guise of the Unseen while in the light,¡± Elijah pointed out. ¡°And those things¡­¡± Indeed, there were a half dozen shadow yers flitting around just outside the ring of illumination. The moment Elijah stepped out of the light, he would be attacked. And given what he¡¯d felt thest time through, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d survive a fight against one, let alone all six. There was also no guarantee that they wouldn¡¯t call more. ¡°Leave it to me, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who got some levels. I have two new abilities that I think will help here,¡± he said. ¡°One is called Ghost Step, and it lets me move really fast. Like, Usain Bolt fast.¡± ¡°I can jog faster than that, Dat. So can you.¡± His face fell. ¡°I know that. I¡¯m just¡­it was just a good¡­never mind. My point is that I can outrun them.¡± ¡°Are you going to leave the forest, because ¨C¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s where my other new abilityes in. Reaper¡¯s Escape. It lets me use Ghost Cloak even if something¡¯s staring right at me,¡± he said. So long as his abilities worked as advertised, Dat¡¯s n made sense. He¡¯d go first, leaving the safety of candle¡¯s light and using Ghost Step. Then, once he¡¯d led them away, he would utilize Reaper¡¯s Escape. By that point, Elijah would have already left the circle and cloaked himself in Guise of the Unseen. ¡°Okay. But one issue,¡± Elijah said. Then, he gestured toward the forest. ¡°Those things are sapient, right?¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°Maybe? I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t they hear us?¡± ¡°Uh¡­maybe?¡± Dat admitted. ¡°What if they don¡¯t follow you?¡± Elijah asked. Dat didn¡¯t have an answer for that eventuality, which wasn¡¯t unexpected. In the end, though, his n was the best they could conjure. If it didn¡¯t work out like Dat hoped, then Elijah would simply shift into the form of themer ape, then throw himself towards the forest¡¯s edge with as much speed as he could muster. And given his inted Strength, he could move incredibly quickly, so long as he didn¡¯t have to turn. In addition, he hoped that his guardian shape would allow him to endure the shadow yers¡¯ attacks. If that failed, he would chance a transformation into the Shape of the sky, though his every instinct told him that there was something waiting for him to do just that. All the other challenges had featured some limiting factor that kept him out of the sky, so he felt that it was a good assumption that the shadows hid something that would make flying a very bad idea. In any case, it didn¡¯t appear that they had much of a choice. So, once Elijah said he was ready, Dat enacted his n. When he used Ghost Step, the effect was obvious. His body turned ephemeral, and when he moved, a series of afterimages followed. More importantly, even the smallest twitch seemed to happen at triple speed. And when he took off at a dead sprint, he was gone in an instant. Predictably, the shadow yers followed in a swirl of shadow that made them briefly visible to the naked eye. Then, they were gone, racing after Dat as quickly as they could move. Once he felt certain that they¡¯d vacated the area, Elijah, who¡¯d already shifted back into the Shape of Venom, stepped out of the circle of light. And he was immediately attacked. The shadow yer had remained hidden even from One with Nature ¨C a first, since he¡¯d taken Connection as a specialization ¨C and it had nned its ambush well. However, as keyed up as he was, Elijah was ready for it. He darted to the side, dodging a descending dagger of unadulterated darkness. Then, he leaped at the creature, baring his fangs as he sailed through the air. He hit the shadow-wreathed ka¡¯ki, then mped down on the thing¡¯s shoulder. Envenom activated, sending a dose of venom to course through the shadow yer¡¯s mmy flesh. But as Elijah tried to leap free, the shadows surrounding the creature wrapped around him like dark tentacles of somehow-solid mist. Then, they squeezed. Elijah tried to slither away, but every second came with further constriction. He felt his bones creak under the pressure, but squirm as he might, there was no escape. Not so long as he confined himself to conventional movements. He used Flicker Step. Until that moment, Elijah had never used the ability on anything but a humanoid enemy. However, he¡¯d long suspected that sentience wasn¡¯t really necessary for it to activate properly. Just life and the right mindset. So, firming his perception of the skill, he targeted one of the nearby trees. And the ability activated, sending him through the shadows and depositing him on the other side of the twisted tree. Slightly surprised that it had worked, he dashed up the trunk, climbing it as quickly as he could manage as the shadow yer went wild. Its shadowy tendrils whipped out in obvious fury as it flitted back and forth. But it couldn¡¯t find him. What¡¯s more, every passing moment let Envenom work its terrible magic. At first, the effect was barely noticeable, but after a few moments, the creature visibly slowed. What¡¯s more, it seemed incapable of melting into the shadows. So, Elijah shifted into his human form and, perched on a branch, cast Swarm. Then, he used Storm¡¯s Fury. Instead of channeling it through his staff ¨C which was his preferred method of aiming ¨C he let the lightningnce down from the sky. Hopefully, that would keep the creature from pinpointing his location. An onught of tiny gnats with wings of darkness descended upon the shadow yer, delivering their afflictions with imcable reliability. And then, atst, the creature stumbled. It fell, convulsing on the turf. Elijah cast Storm¡¯s Fury again, then shifted into the Shape of Venom. The shadow yer died a few momentster, and just in time. Even as Elijah leftbat and used Guise of the Unseen, a wave of darkness announced the return of the other shadow yers. However, Elijah¡¯s attention remained locked on the body of the creature he¡¯d managed to kill. It hadn¡¯t been incredibly durable, though thebination of its powers meant that it would be a deadly foe. On top of that, the fact that the thing had been alone was probably the only reason Elijah had managed to survive. The body itself, which had been exposed by the dissipating shadows, was disgusting. Pale gray, with unfeeling eyes of shadow, it was thinner than most ka¡¯ki Elijah had seen. What¡¯s more, it was visibly wet, as if it was in the throes of a powerful fever. Finally, ck ws extended nearly six inches from its fingers, making it look less like the sapient ka¡¯ki and more like the monster it seemed to be. It was also naked, eschewing the clothing that every other ka¡¯ki ¨C or their ta¡¯ki counterparts ¨C wore. Fortunately, the rest of the shadow yers had no clue he was there. So, still hidden by Guise of the Unseen, he descended from his perch and headed off in the direction of his search. He and Dat had decided that splitting up was the best course of action ¨Crgely so they could cover more ground, but also because, once they¡¯d been separated, there was little chance of finding one another. They could have picked andmark to facilitate a meeting, but Dat had no way of detecting Elijah. So, it would have done no good. With that in mind, Elijah set out to the west, while Dat was assigned to the east. After about an hour of searching, Elijah found another candle. Another hour, and there was a third. Over and over, at regr intervals, he discovered more and more candles until, atst, he saw their destination. It was an enormous building that could only be described as a pce, though one that had fallen into gross disrepair. The parapets were crumbling, while the walls had long since sumbed to erosion and the forest¡¯s creeping vines. Elijah was no expert in architecture, but it reminded him of the Duomo di Mno, though without that cathedral¡¯s symmetry. It was just as jagged, designed with a more is better mentality, but far more chaotic. Spires rose from all the wrong ces, theyout was mismatched and off-bnce, and with far too many statues. Yet, there was an anarchic beauty to it as well, an impression that was only supported by the vortex of shadows swirling just above it. In the center of that cyclone of darkness was a level of ckness that defied description. Until that moment, Elijah had assumed that he understood what an absence of light was. However, the sight before him put that the lie to that assumption. He knew he was looking into the Umbra. And it left him feeling small, chilled to the bone, and afraid in a way he could not quite exin. It took Elijah a few minutes to pull his attention from the portal to another ne, and another few moments before he jerked his gaze from the pce beneath. Only then did he realize that the ce was crawling with hundreds of shadow yers. They didn¡¯t bother cloaking themselves in shadow. Instead, they clung, naked andpletely motionless, from the pce¡¯s every edge. That made one thing absolutely clear. Trying to get into that pce ¨C which was obviously the goal ¨C would be a fool¡¯s errand. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Book 6: Chapter 56: Webs Book 6: Chapter 56: Webs ¡°This is unnerving,¡± Ron said, his eyes flicking back and forth at every hint of movement. Elijah wasn¡¯t certain if the Healer could actually see the shadow yers surrounding them, or if he felt them via sometent intuition. Perhaps it was like feeling someone¡¯s eyes on you. Whatever the case, he agreed with Ron¡¯s statement. If the man knew just how many of the creatures were out there, he probably would have gone from diforted to outright terrified. ¡°Eyes on the prize, bro,¡± said Dat, holding the candle aloft as they moved through the forest. The first leg of the journey, which had required them to grab the candle closest to the edge of the forest, head back to the others, and escort them forward, was the most difficult part. The candles could only burn for so long, and they were clearly meant tost only so long as it took to get from one candle to the next. The detour back to the edge of the forest had taken far too much time, and as a result, they were in very real danger of being stranded in the middle of the Vale of Whispers without the light to protect them. As a result, Dat had wasted no time, setting a pace that Ron ¨C being the person with the lowest attributes in the group ¨C struggled to maintain. Fortunately, they still had the benefit of Essence of the Wolf, which increased their movement speed by quite a bit. That was probably the only reason they stood any chance of making it to the next candle location. Even though the group wasn¡¯t forced into battle, the journey was just as nerve-wracking as the trek through the crypt-like tunnels beneath the Spires of the Fallen. Elijah did wonder if they would have any chance against the shadow yers, though. The creatures weren¡¯t incredibly durable, but they were extremely fast and absolutely deadly. On top of that, the forest was awash with the monstrous things, meaning that they would almost assuredly be overwhelmed. Perhaps if they found a bottleneck, they would stand a chance, but the forest seemed tock naturally defensible positions. They could build some, but that would require time, which the steadily burning candles would not provide. In addition, the shadow yers seemed capable of moving in three dimensions, meaning that even if they couldn¡¯t necessarily fly, they could do a decent imitation by flitting from one tree to the next, which would render most defenses moot. The result was that the group needed to proceed through the challenge ording to the rules it had set up. That meant going from candle to candle until they found a way to illuminate the shadows. Fortunately, he and Dat had explored the forest well enough that they had a good idea where they would find the answers to that challenge. The only issue was the finite protection of the candles, so they knew they couldn¡¯t afford to tarry. The group¡¯s passage seemed to enrage the shadow yers. The creatures churned the ubiquitous darkness, furious in their impotence. Elijah did his best to ignore them, but it was difficult when he knew just how lethal those creatures could be. The first leg of the journey took a little less than an hour, and in that time, the candle had burned down to almost nothing. Dat held it aloft, with barely a quarter of an inch worth of wax remaining. The used portions had simply dissolved the moment it had melted. So, when they reached the next candle, their arrival came with no small degree of intense relief. Elijah let out a sigh. Then, he said, ¡°Three more to go before we get to the temple.¡± ¡°Are we sure about this?¡± asked Sadie. ¡°It¡¯s the best option we¡¯ve found,¡± Dat stated. ¡°We¡¯re not getting into that pce. It¡¯s too well-guarded. Besides, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re meant to just barge in. This is a puzzle, bro.¡± ¡°An easy one,¡± Elijah said. The idea was simple. There were five temples scattered across the forest, which surrounded the pce at the center. Dat had suggested that they formed a pentagram, which had been confirmed by Elijah¡¯s artificed map that marked each location when he visited them. More importantly, each temple contained two features that suggested they were incredibly important. The first was the presence of a series of braziers that stood at positions of prominence within the temples. That suggested that they were the entire point of the structures. Second, they were well-guarded by shadow yers, who surrounded those areas in numbers previously unsen ¨C a detail that seemed to indicate vital significance. But those were the facts. Elijah was more interested in his instincts, though. Nothing in the challenges was there by chance. That meant that if there were five intact temples within the Vale of Whispers, then they were important. The braziers and the guards simply supported that notion. So, their goal was to reach each temple, ascertain their purpose, and use them to ovee the challenge. It wasn¡¯t aplex n, but it was the best any of them could conjure. As Dat had indicated, the pce was too well-guarded to infiltrate. The ce was also sealed tight, meaning that going in under the cover of stealth wasn¡¯t an option. The temples represented their only clue as to how to ovee the challenge of the Umbra. The second leg went much better, with the candle only burning down halfway before they reached the next one. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t wasted, and through some iprehensible magic that Elijah couldn¡¯t track, the leftover wax was added to the new candle. That gave them a little leeway which turned out to be necessary to allow them to reach the next candle. And then, finally, they arrived at the first temple. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of skulls,¡± Ron said, staring at the structure. The entire building seemed to have been made of ka¡¯ki skulls that had been used like bricks. The Healer added, ¡°And webs.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like spiders,¡± Kurik muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t like ¡®em one little bit. Got webbed by a drachnid when I was a wee one. Was stuck to a tree for three days ¡®fore they came and got me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a drachnid, bro?¡± ¡°Spider people. Mostly peaceful, but this one was an asshole.¡± ¡°You had a spider-bully?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°Leave it, Elijah,¡± Sadie chided. ¡°We have other things to worry about.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Like the giant shadow spider guarding that temple,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°It¡¯s actually called a shadespinner, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°And they¡¯re kind of interesting. The ghosts said that they aren¡¯t actually shadow attuned. They feed off creatures that are, and they use sources of light for protection.¡± Elijah nodded. The spider inside the temple didn¡¯t feel the same as the shadow yers, which supported Dat¡¯s exnation. However, it was also clearly a monster. Otherwise, he might¡¯ve tried tomune with it as he had with Cinderath. That wasn¡¯t possible with monsters, though ¨C at least as far as Elijah could tell. Perhaps someone with more experience would fare better. Regardless, his inability to get through to monsters meant that they had little choice but to fight the creature. Shadespinners were extremely territorial and quite aggressive, ording to Dat¡¯s Hex of Scrying, which only reaffirmed what Elijah felt via One with Nature. ¡°So, same n as always?¡± asked Elijah. ¡°Bear in mind that I can¡¯t use stealth, so my opening won¡¯t be quite as damaging as it usually is.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll manage,¡± Sadie said, her face expressionless. She wasn¡¯t the most demonstrative of people at the best of times, but ofte, she seemed almost robotic in her demeanor. Like she was wearing a mask. After establishing that no one had any addendums to their n, Sadie advanced. She¡¯d kept her sword drawn the entire time, so she was already prepared for battle. The same was true of everyone else. Dat held his crossbow to his shoulder, while Kurik kept an arrow nocked, but the string undrawn. Meanwhile, Elijah had shifted into Shape of Venom. The idea was to pile on the damage as quickly as possible and in a burst of attacks, bring the shadespinner down before it had a chance to fight back. Not very sporting, but the best way to fight a creature with potent venom of its own. Ron could offer a cure to most afflictions ¨C one of his newest spells ¨C but no one was eager to test it. Sadie took the lead, with Dat, then Kurik, and Elijah following close on her heels. Ron was in the rear, holding the candle so that Dat had the use of both of his hands. The second Sadie stepped inside, she used her personal shield. And it was just in the nick of time, too, because less than an instant after Bulwark of the Faithful sprang into being, a glob of sticky webbing sttered against it. Sadie charged through the projectile, but she stumbled to a stop after only a few steps. She had unwittingly charged right into a dense patch of webbing, and her feet had be stuck to the ground. But Elijah wasn¡¯t worried about her. She could protect herself better than anyone he¡¯d ever met. Instead, he was more concerned with the hulking example of arachnophobia looming on the other side of the room. The spider was shaped like a ck widow, with spindly legs and a shiny carapace. However, instead of ck coloring, it was a white so pale that it was nearly translucent. That feature was only magnified by the flickering mes of the bonfire burning in the center of the room. Its body measured nearly fifteen feet long, with its legs spreading far wider. It was a nightmare given form, and one Elijah wasn¡¯t eager tobat. Especially in hisparatively fragile Shape of Venom, which had been stripped of the protection provided by stealth ¨C its only real defense mechanism. So, as soon as he followed Sadie into the temple, he used his Dexterity to great advantage, darting to the right. In seconds, he was skittering up the inner wall until he reached the ceiling. Once there, he flipped upside down and shot across the surface until he was directly over the shadespinner. It gave no indication that it had seen him, and he¡¯d avoided the patches of webbing covering most of the interior. He dropped, but just as he let go, the monster turned its bulbous abdomen in his direction and let loose with another shot of webbing. Elijah twisted in mid-air, though he knew there was nothing he could do to avoid that glob of white webbing. He used Flicker Step. He hated employing the ability so early in battle, but if he didn¡¯t use it, he knew he¡¯d end up mired in webbing. That could prove fatal. He slipped through the shadows, emerging atop the spider. Then, he bit down. His fangs, even powered by his prodigious Strength, barely prated its chitinous exoskeleton. But that was enough to deliver Envenom. More importantly, it also came alongside Stormbind, which interrupted the creature¡¯s ability to shoot webs. It was just as Elijah bit the creature again that Kurik¡¯s and Dat¡¯s projectilesnded. The shadespinner reared on its back legs, screeching in pain as one of Dat¡¯s crossbow bolts exploded. Meanwhile, Sadie ¨C who was still stuck to the floor ¨C used de of the Avenger. As the enormous sword exploded from the floor, apanied by a metallic hiss, the shadespinner attempted to dodge. However, it couldn¡¯t move nearly quickly enough to entirely avoid the de, and a secondter, one of its legs flopped to the floor,pletely severed. Elijah bit the creature again, injecting even more venom. The shadespinner bucked, trying to dislodge him, but the blight dragon form was capable of clinging to any surface. And that included spider carapaces. So, he was nearly impossible to dislodge. Over the next few minutes, he bit the creature one time after another while the rest of his team continued to attack. And it wasn¡¯t long before the shadespinner started to fade. Familiar ck tendrils spread from where Elijah had bitten it, though the creature persisted far longer than expected. Before it fell, three more of its legs had been severed, while it bore a gaping hole in its abdomen where Dat had shot it with one of his crossbow bolts. Meanwhile, Sadie had taken a few hits herself, though she had the advantage of having a powerful Healer in her pocket. Predictably, Elijah¡¯s venom proved the creature¡¯s end. By that point, a web of ck tendrils had spread across most of its body, and it had weakened so much that it could barely move more than a few twitches at a time. Then, anticlimactically, it simply flopped to the ground. All in all, it had taken almost thirty minutes to kill the creature, but no one had been seriously injured. It was a nice change of pace for the challenges, though Elijah knew enough to expect it to grow much, much more difficult. But more importantly, they needed to figure out what to do with the brazier at the center of the temple. It was the key to the whole challenge, and Elijah didn¡¯t think they were meant to carry it like one of the candles. ¡°Well, any ideas?¡± he asked, having shifted back to his human form as he stood atop the fallen shadespinner. Book 6: Chapter 57: Illumination Book 6: Chapter 57: Illumination It almost felt routine. Until it didn¡¯t. They were already on the fifth temple, and Elijah had just watched hispanions dismantle thetest shadespinner. He¡¯d contributed, of course, but only in his human form, which he thought needed some work. He relied so much on his bestial forms that he often neglected his natural shape. So, for that fight, he¡¯d acted the part of a mage, peppering the giant spider with lightning bolts and tiny, affliction-delivering insects. He hadn¡¯t bothered with Lightning Domain,rgely because it wasn¡¯t really necessary. The creature died with a chittering whimper that sent a pang of regret through Elijah¡¯s heart, but he steeled himself against the monster¡¯s suffering. It was an obstacle, and he needed to remember to treat it as such. But in the back of his mind, he knew that wasn¡¯t all the creature had been. Monsters were like mistreated dogs or rabid beasts ¨C products of their environments who only knew how tosh out. Or were they? Elijah didn¡¯t know. But he desperately wished he could somehow cure the shadespinners of their ultra-aggressive nature. He also knew that they were what they were, though. He could feel that down to his very bones. Those creatures weren¡¯t just out of ce. They were irredeemable, and in ways he didn¡¯t quite understand. He felt the difference between them, guardians, and beasts. Indeed, it was in as day. Yet, there were enough simrities that Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder what they might have been, had things turned out a little differently. It was a moot point, though. Monsters were not capable of holding back. They were creatures of pure instinct, and their nature dictated that they attack first, without even the capability of asking why. Still, the situation was regrettable.Once the creature had died, they took a few minutes to inspect the temple. Like all the others, it was made entirely of bone ¨C mostly skulls ¨C and featured arge, stone brazier at the center. It had taken them close to half a day to figure out what they were supposed to do with the fire, but once they had, things had gone smoothly. ¡°You want to do the honors?¡± he asked Sadie. ¡°Dat can do it,¡± she said. ¡°I want to remain on guard. This is thest one, and we don¡¯t know what will happen when the lights merge.¡± Dat grinned, then headed to one of the room¡¯s corners. There, he uncovered a cleverly concealed lever, which he pulled. A grating sound echoed through the temple, and the ceiling began to move. Webs came loose as the surface retracted into the walls. Where it went, Elijah had no idea, and One with Nature was no help in discovering the answer to that question. It simply disappeared. What was left behind was a series of mirrors that suddenly dangled from the ceiling. ¡°You¡¯re up,¡± Ron said, nodding toward the ceiling. Elijah suppressed a groan, but he shifted into his blight dragon form without hesitation. Then, he climbed the wall and skittered across the ceiling. As he did so, the others directed him to reposition the mirrors so that they caught the light at the proper angles, reflecting them across the temple. Soon enough, the air was alive with glimmering illumination, but it still took close to an hour before the job was done. That state was announced when the mes suddenly exploded in height, and the light bounced around until, atst, it shot through a tiny window in the center of the ceiling. A momentter, it joined the other four beams, and when they joined just above the pce, the muchrger shaft of light mmed into the huge structure. ¡°Do we think that did it?¡± Elijah asked, dropping from the ceiling. He shifted back to his human form. ¡°Because ¨C¡± He was cut off by an explosion of epic proportions. The ground shook with the impact, and a shockwave threatened to tear the temple apart. At the same time, a wave of dense ethera swept through them, burning his channels and searing his core. He copsed in agony, convulsing so violently that he briefly lost control of his own thoughts. He came back to himself a secondter, only to hear a cacophonous roar, followed by the loudest voice he¡¯d ever experienced. ¡°Agony!¡± it screamed. ¡°The light!¡± It kept screaming, but Elijah¡¯s eardrums burst after only a few moments. That came with the blessed relief of silence. He cast Soothe, then Healing Rain, followed by Nature¡¯s Bloom, hoping to recover from whatever had burned its way through his channels. It was a mistake, which he discovered in no uncertain terms when his eardrums healed before promptly bursting once again. It was a salve to his aching body, though. More importantly, it gave Elijah a second to take stock of the situation, and it was definitely not good. The temple was gone. He had no idea when that had happened, but all that remained of the building was its foundation and a few scattered skulls. The brazier had gone out, and with it, the safety of the light it had provided. Fortunately, the entire area had been stripped of shadows, exposing the yers¡¯ unnaturally thin and pale bodies. The explosion had obviously affected them as well, which meant that they had been just as stunned as Elijah and hispanions. However, he could see that they¡¯d already begun to recover, likely because of the shadows flooding back into the area. Elijah knew he didn¡¯t have much time to act. Robbed of their shadows, the creatures were vulnerable, so he needed to take advantage of that fact. So, without further ado, he cast Swarm, then Lightning Domain. Tiny, glowing wasps manifested before descending onto the dozens of shadow yers, but the creatures ignored the danger they represented. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Because they had other issues. Namely, the whips of lightningshing out to stun and burn them. Elijah didn¡¯t dare rely solely on that, though. The spell was powerful, but it was not strong enough to finish the creatures off. Not by a long shot. So, he initiated a shift in the Shape of the Guardian, and the second he took on the form of themer ape, he threw himself into the fray. There were dozens of shadow yers in the area, but without their shadows to protect them, they were incapable of standing up to the bestial fury he brought to bear. The second he was among them, Elijah used Thunderp, sending a peal of thunder and arcing lightning out to once again stun the creatures. Then, after using Savage Might, he fell upon them, ripping and tearing, bashing and throwing. He was a whirlwind of bestial power, and his efforts were rewarded with a wave of experience that announced his enemies¡¯ demise. But there were so many of them, and the shadows were soon to return. Thankfully, the rest of the group had begun to recover. Elijah had used Nature¡¯s Bloom on Ron in the hopes that the Healer could bring everyone back. That strategy¡¯s sess was made clear when Sadie charged into battle right next to Elijah. Her swordshed out, hacking through the still-lethargic creatures and sending sprays of white blood with every stroke. Dat added his own brand of damage, peppering the horde with steady crossbow fire. Meanwhile, Kurik threw out bundles of crystals that, when they made contact with the uncloaked shadow yers, erupted into various elemental effects. Spears of ice, rings of fire, and bursts of blinding light assailed the monsters. None of those effects were extremely powerful, and they were all short-lived, but they served to thrust an aura of chaos onto the battle that yed to the group¡¯s advantage. Elijah lost count of the number they managed to kill before the shadows returned, but he could only hope that it would prove to be enough. Because the second that wave of darkness swept over the area, the battle changed shape. Suddenly, the creatures grew faster. Stronger. More durable. Despite the ongoing onught, the remaining shadow yers quickly recovered. ws raked across Elijah¡¯s side, and even though he¡¯d activated Iron Scales, they bit deep into his flesh, sending jolts of cold through his body. Behind him, he felt Sadie¡¯s personal shield shatter, and a wave of dense ethera coursed through her. She used that brief burst of attributes to cut down another one of the shadow yers, but another five quickly reced it. They were naught but swirling darkness, and though Elijah¡¯s fury never waned, they stubbornly flitted aside from his every attack. He managed to hit a few more of them, but even with the sense granted by One with Nature, he struggled to keep track of their fleeting forms. Frustration bubbled within him. The beast railed against its own inadequacies. The dragon roared mightily as it tried to assert its dominance. And the human searched for a way to turn the tide of the battle. In the end, it was the human side of Elijah¡¯s spirit that settled upon a viable strategy. He couldn¡¯t track the creatures well enough. And even if he could, they were too fast. Too slippery. So, he needed to change the paradigm. Without further hesitation, he shifted back into his human form and shouted, ¡°Keep me alive!¡± Before the transformation waspleted, his body was ripped to shreds by the opportunistic shadow yers. However, when he managed to reestablish his human side, he applied Shield of Brambles ¨C which he often forgot ¨C then once again embraced Lightning Domain. The cost of the spell was nearly doubled when used so quickly after the first incarnation. Yet, Elijah¡¯s core wasrge enough to handle it. He poured ethera into the spell, and the now-familiar lightning whipsshed out in a wide circle. The shadow yers attempted to dodge, and in many cases, were sessful in that endeavor. However, as Elijah continued to funnel ethera into the ability, those bolts of electricity multiplied. Until that moment, Elijah had yet to push the spell to its limits ¨C either in terms of duration or intensity ¨C and he was surprised to see just how devastating it could be. Barely an inch of the area within fifteen yards of his stationary form was spared from the lightning whips. And given the fury with which the shadow yers had rushed them, that meant that quite a few of those creatures were subjected to the spell¡¯s effects. However, Elijah didn¡¯t make it through unscathed. The creatures continued to rip into him. Even as Lightning Domain sent untold amounts of electricity to burn through their bodies, they maintained their assault. Chunks of flesh flew. His armor proved insufficient to stopping their sharp ws, and it was torn to shreds as well. Yet, with every attack ¨Crge or small ¨C the thorns of Shield Brambles answered the call. In most cases, it would never result in an overwhelming amount of damage. However, with the unfettered rage racing through the shadow yers, they seemed entirely incapable of measuring their attacks. So, they fell upon Elijah without regard for their own safety. That was a mistake. Hundreds of thorns sprouted with every passing second, shoving their way through the shadow yers. Meanwhile, Elijah¡¯s wounds were mended by Ron¡¯s ongoing efforts. The man was healing everyone all at once, but due to his recent strides forward ¨C both in terms of levels and cultivation ¨C he managed to keep everyone alive. Indeed, even as the shadow yers impaled themselves on Elijah¡¯s thorns and were torn to pieces by his ongoing Lightning Domain, they began to lose ground. Elijah was forced to recast Lightning Domain, and once again, the cost was doubled. His ethera drained at a record pace, but he kept it up. The third cast only got through half its duration before he ran entirely dry. He copsed as a wave of exhaustion raced through his limbs. Using the entirety of his store of ethera didn¡¯t just prevent him from casting any other spells. Instead, it resulted in a level of fatigue that went far deeper than his muscles. He was helpless. But he also had allies to step in. Sadie stood over him, defending his fallen form as stoically as she¡¯d ever fought for anything before. The others did their parts as well, and because of Elijah¡¯s previous efforts, the shadow yers had slowed considerably. The group was quick to take advantage, and they cut the creatures down until, atst, the surge of ceased. Only then did Elijah realize that his hearing had returned. However, it seemed that the voice had faded as well. There were still rumbles in the distance, but the sound was no longer powerful enough to burst his eardrums. Looking up, he asked, ¡°Did we do it? Is it over?¡± He knew it wasn¡¯t. He had received no notification. ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to go to the pce after all,¡± Sadie said. That was what Elijah had feared. He copsed backward and closed his eyes. ¡°Just give me a minute to rest my eyes. Then we¡¯ll go fight whatever eldritch monstrosity could make that kind of a sound.¡± ¡°What sound, bro?¡± Dat asked. ¡°The voice. It was screaming about the light burning,¡± Elijah said, suddenly more alert. He looked from one concerned face to another, asking, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear it?¡± Sadie shook her head. ¡°All we heard was the earthquake,¡± she said. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°Uh¡­no. No, I¡¯m not,¡± he said. ¡°But what¡¯s new, right? I¡¯ll figure it out. First, though¡­give me a few minutes to rest.¡± Book 6: Chapter 58: The Nature of Shadows Book 6: Chapter 58: The Nature of Shadows ¡°Wake up, bro.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asleep. I¡¯m just resting my eyes,¡± Elijah muttered. He would have already passed out, but for the rumbling emanating in the distance. It wasn¡¯t nearly as powerful a quake as what they¡¯d felt in the immediate aftermath of their previous actions, but it was more than enough to distract him from descending into blessed unconsciousness. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t drain your whole core,¡± Dat responded. ¡°It¡¯s super bad for you.¡± ¡°You think?¡± Elijah groaned. The exhaustion he felt in the wake of using all the ethera in his core was moreplete than any he¡¯d ever experienced. He could move, but it was like he¡¯d gone back to the first few days after Earth was touched by the World Tree, when he was still suffering from cancer and the results of chemotherapy and radiation. In short, it was as if none of his attributes mattered anymore. Which gave him some hints as to how those attributes worked. A good part of his power was clearly dependent on ethera. He didn¡¯t know if it created a constant drain on the ethera in his core or if the core, once its contents had been exhausted, drained the ethera from the rest of his body. But the consequences were obvious. As Dat had said,pletely draining his core was super bad for him. As hey there, Elijah focused on his Jade Mind. The vortexes in each facet swirled sluggishly, but with every passing moment, their speed picked up. And after a minute or so, they managed to funnel a trickle of ethera into his channels, which flowed down to his parched core. It was like a rainstorm in the middle of a drought. Slowly, Elijah felt his power return until, after ten minutes, he felt like he¡¯d returned to normal. His core was still mostly empty, but now that his body had been sated, it was free to refill. And with his Regeneration, powered by his powerful Jade Mind, it wouldn¡¯t take that long before it was full. Maybe an hour, but that would depend on how hard he wanted to push his Mind. That was one thing he¡¯d learned about the system. It functioned ording to basic parameters, but ofte, he had discovered that it was more a system of ranges, rather than absolute values. For instance, his most recent use of Lightning Domain was far more powerful than it had ever been before. He likened it to running. He could maintain a moderate jog almost indefinitely, but if he really pushed himself to sprint as fast as possible, he would quickly run out of energy. The difference was that when spells ¨C or cultivation ¨C were pushed, they drew their energy from multiple sources. Ethera was always a factor. So was stamina. But just as important as either of those other aspects was willpower. So, in that way, it really wasn¡¯t so different from intense exercise. Just because someone¡¯s muscles were capable of great feats didn¡¯t mean they had the will to push their bodies to that extent. It was one of the elements that set elite athletes apart from everyone else. Thankfully, Elijah had a long history ¨C going back to his days spent in the boxing gym, but not unaffected by his fight with cancer ¨C of pushing himself harder and longer than most. It was probably the single biggest reason he¡¯d managed to survive so long. Once he felt better, Elijah opened his eyes to find that the area was entirely covered in shadow. It was deeper than ever before, and if he hadn¡¯t had the benefit of One with Nature, he would have been almost entirely blind. ¡°Uh¡­can any of you see?¡± he asked. ¡°No. The shadows have grown deeper with ever passing second,¡± Sadie stated. ¡°Oh. Good thing I have this,¡± Elijah said, pulling out his ethera-powered shlight. When he flicked the switch, it sent a beam of light out to pierce the darkness. However, it was far weaker than it should have been, and it only traveled a few scant feet beforepletely dissipating. Disappointed, heined, ¡°Come on. This is a police-issue Maglite.¡± ¡°Magic darkness, bro.¡± Elijah just shook his head. ¡°Does anyone have anything that can burn?¡± he asked. As it turned out, Ron carried some bandages in his pack, which they wrapped around gnarled sticks they found on the ground. Once they¡¯d built torches, Elijah retrieved his firestarter ¨C which took the form of aser pointer ¨C and set one of them aze. The flickering light it provided was meager, but it was better than nothing. It also showed the extent of the damage the area had experienced. Many of the trees had beenpletely uprooted, and the ones that had managed to survive the quake had had their limbs sheared off. It looked like abination of an earthquake and a hurricane had fallen upon the area. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n?¡± Ron asked. ¡°I vote for runnin¡¯ away,¡± Kurik answered. Under his breath, he added, ¡°Not that nobody¡¯ll listen to good sense.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not leaving. We¡¯re already halfway through the challenge. The hard part¡¯s done,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You don¡¯t believe that, do you?¡± the dwarf asked. ¡°Uh¡­depends on what you consider the hard part? I mean, trying to figure things out is harder than just fighting a monster, isn¡¯t it?¡± he suggested. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I thought you used to be a scientist,¡± Ron remarked. ¡°I was. Not a good one, mind you, but¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not leaving,¡± Sadie stated. ¡°And I think it¡¯s clear what our destination should be. Whatever we¡¯re supposed to do, it¡¯s in that pce.¡± They all agreed with that assessment, so it wasn¡¯t long before they set off in that direction. Dat and Elijah, both of whom were equipped with extrasensory capabilities and stealth, scouted the way, while the other three used their makeshift torches and Elijah¡¯s shlight to pick through the decimated forest. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t encounter any other shadow yers. Not living ones, at least. There were plenty of dead bodies, suggesting that the disaster hadn¡¯t been picky about its victims. What that meant, Elijah had no idea, but he filed that information away in the back of one facet of his mind nheless. Perhaps it would be importantter. In any case, they slowly made their way through the Vale of Whispers, eventually finding that all of the unused candles had been snuffed out. To stretch the duration of their torches, Elijah coated the bandages in some of the fat he¡¯d rendered from the boar guardian. He only had a little in a jar ¨C there was much more stored back home ¨C but when he lit the fat-coated strips of cloth, he found that they burned much longer. On top of that, the light went much further. In retrospect, it made some sense. After all, that fat hade from a powerful creature that Elijah had only managed to kill by running it to exhaustion. It was also quite a boon to the progress of their exploration. Elijah had no issues sensing his environment well enough to make his way quickly and efficiently, but Sadie and the others had nothing like One with Nature. Except Dat, of course, who seemedpletely unbothered by the shadows. Obviously, that was due to his attunement. In any case, the new, fat-burning torches allowed them to move much more quickly, so it was only a few more hours before they came into range of the pce. And to everyone¡¯s surprise, it waspletely devoid of shadows. A shaft of sunlight shone down on the jagged and asymmetrical building. There were no glimmering reflections of that light, though. Instead, the whole thing looked matte ck, as if it absorbed the sun¡¯s rays. After everyone else had made it to his position, he shifted back into his human form and asked, ¡°That¡¯s weird, right?¡± Ron answered Elijah¡¯s question with one of his own, ¡°Can¡¯t that word be used to describe everything we¡¯ve been through sinceing to this Trial?¡± ¡°Fair,¡± Elijah acknowledged. Then, he nced at the others, asking, ¡°Do we just go in the front door? Or¡­¡± Indeed, the front gate to the pce was wide open. Or more urately, the doors had been shattered and torn free of their hinges. A few splinters remained, but not enough to bar their view of the shadows within. One thing was certain ¨C that gaping door filled with darkness did not look inviting. ¡°I think you know the answer to that question,¡± Sadie said in a monotone voice. Elijah sighed, then shifted back into the Shape of Venom, but before he left, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a little while. If there¡¯s another way in, I¡¯ll find it.¡± The moment he was out of sight, he used Guise of the Unseen and approached the pce. However, when he passed into the miles-wide beam of sunlight, his stealth was stripped away, leaving him entirely exposed. Looking up, he saw that the vortex of darkness that had once swirled above the pce had disappeared. Fortunately, there were no enemies around to take advantage. Which was bothforting and troubling. The first, for obvious reasons. He didn¡¯t want to get torn to pieces. But thetter was true as well, because he knew that they hadn¡¯t killed nearly enough shadow yers to depopte the entire challenge. There were thousands of the things hanging on or around the pce, and the fact that they were no longer there filled Elijah with anxiety. After all, if they weren¡¯t there, and they hadn¡¯t been killed, then where had they gone? It was with those diforting thoughts flowing through his mind that Elijah approached the pce. Without the avability of stealth, he shifted back into his human form. It was his most versatile, which he expected might be necessary going forward. The shaft of sunlight was wide enough to epass the entire pce as well as the grounds for hundreds of yards all around. Elijah couldn¡¯t make an estimate as to how broad it truly was, but he knew it was at least a couple of miles wide. He took his time on his way to his destination, focusing multiple facets of his Jade Mind on One with Nature. But he felt nothing. There were no enemies lying in wait. No traps meant to trip him up. Just a bunch of splintered trees and churned earth. To call it unnerving would have been a vast understatement. The fact that his senses didn¡¯t extend into the pce itself made it especially ufortable. Even worse was the sense of the pce itself. It didn¡¯t feel like a building. Instead, it was almost like a living thing, though one so alien that he could scarcelyprehend it. It was also big. Powerful in a way he¡¯d not felt since the umbrafyix. But it was also inert, almost like a creature on the edge of death. The challenge of the Umbra was unnerving in a number of ways, but that left him chilled to the bone. Gradually, Elijah circled the structure, and he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the architecture. As he¡¯d previously noted, there were characteristics simr to what could be found in buildings on Earth. Like the cathedral in Mn, with its jagged, cluttered, and wholly gothic design that still somehow worked. However, there were alien details as well, like curious overhangs featuringce-like stonework that shouldn¡¯t have been structurally sound. To Elijah¡¯s eye, it looked like the designer had tried to cram hundreds of concepts into a single building, and rather than creating a unified aesthetic, they¡¯d only achieved chaos. Beautiful chaos, but the nature remained the same. Maybe that was the point. Or maybe the architect had been mad. But they were obviously talented, as were the craftsmen who¡¯d created it. As Elijah circled the building, using One with Nature to search every nook and cranny, those thoughts echoed in his mind. He didn¡¯t have any answers to the resultant questions, which left him frustrated. He wanted to know the world¡¯s history. He wanted to experience their culture. Because after all, what was the point ining to an entirely new if one didn¡¯t see the full breadth of who the natives were? The fruitless search ¨C both for answers and another entrance ¨C left Elijah irritated, so when he returned to hispanions, his statement that there was no other way in came with none of his usually affable tone. ¡°I guess we don¡¯t have a choice, then,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I guess not,¡± Elijah agreed. The pair exchanged a pointed look, but Sadie broke her gaze after only a second. Then, she stated, ¡°Then we should get it over with. I¡¯ll take the lead. Elijah, in the rear. Everyone else knows their roles. Let¡¯s move.¡± Elijah wanted to make some petty remark about not needing her orders, but he restrained himself. There was something in her eyes that told him that doing so would be a big mistake. So, unsatisfied with his own silence ¨C as well as the situation ¨C Elijah fell into line as they trekked toward the shadowy entrance to the alien pce. Book 6: Chapter 59: Shining a Light on Failure Book 6: Chapter 59: Shining a Light on Failure Darkness pressed in on Elijah, so powerful that it verged on suffocating. His pulse quickened, his skin grew mmy, and his breathing became shallow. It felt like he was on the precipice of a panic attack, though he¡¯d never been prone to that particr problem in the past. ¡°We ain¡¯t meant to be here,¡± Kurik said, his voice quavering. ¡°That¡¯s obvious, bro. Just put your big boy pants on and deal with it,¡± Dat responded. ¡°I ain¡¯t never said I wasn¡¯t dealin¡¯ with it,¡± the dwarf argued. ¡°Just pointin¡¯ out that the atmosphere in here is all wrong.¡± Elijah was inclined to agree. It wasn¡¯t just the darkness, either. There was something cold and threatening about it, though he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Then, it dawned on him. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m a little kid whose nightlight just went out,¡± he said. It was like going back to when the dark held the promise of monsters and danger, even in his own childhood bedroom. ¡°It¡¯s not pleasant. We all acknowledge it. So, let¡¯s stop talking about it and get this challenge over with,¡± Sadie stated. Her voice was mostly emotionless, but there was a hint of frustration there as well. Ofte, he¡¯d hoped that she had gotten the better of Sense of Sin, but it seemed like she had begun to backslide. Elijah couldn¡¯t imagine living with something like that. It had to leave her feeling isted, exhausted, and alone, even amongst people who could have been friends. But she was right. So, when no one objected, they pushed forward into the anteroom. That¡¯s when they found the bodies. A carpet of shadow yer corpses obscured the floor. Each one had been broken and burned almost beyond recognition. The burns were easily exined by the shaft of sunlight bathing the pce, but the twisted and broken bodies were a little more difficult to understand. Kneeling beside one, Ron said, ¡°This wasn¡¯t done by an earthquake.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± asked Dat. ¡°I¡¯m a trained physician, remember? These things were subjected to multi-directional forces. The explosion and the resultant earthquake wouldn¡¯t have done that. At most, they would have been mmed against walls,¡± the Healer exined. ¡°But these¡­they look like something toyed with them.¡± ¡°What could do that?¡± asked Sadie. It was a good question. The shadow yers weren¡¯t quite as durable as some of the creatures they¡¯d encountered in the Trial, but any creature ¨C or force ¨C that could twist them into knots was clearly powerful on a scale they¡¯d only seen from things like theva kraken and the umbrafyix. Perhaps even stronger. ¡°Nothin¡¯ we want to mess with,¡± Kurik answered, saying what they¡¯d all been thinking. The escting nature of the challenges meant that they could very well be facing a threat that they couldn¡¯t handle. Sadie didn¡¯t respond, instead leading the group further into the pce. The flickering torchlight didn¡¯t do much to illuminate the immediate area, but Elijah caught sight of a few tapestries that depicted shadowy figures preying upon unaware prey. Were those shadow yers? Or something else? The d¨¦cor was opulent, though many of the interior design choices were just as alien as the architecture. Pirs where there should have been walls, ceilingsprised of multiple domes that made Elijah feel as if he was looking up at the interior of a cluster of bubbles, and golden statues of a serene-looking ka¡¯ki were the most prominent characteristics, but there plenty of others that made certain that Elijah felt entirely out of ce. Then there were the bodies. The collection of corpses in the anteroom was thergest, but as they progressed through the pce, they saw plenty of others. And they¡¯d all been simrly twisted out of shape. It was enough to make Elijah nauseous, especially when he saw their expressions. The natives of Ka¡¯arath were not always the easiest creatures to read, but Elijah could recognize the results of extreme pain when he saw them. But despite the admittedly creepy atmosphere, there were no living enemies to assail them. In a way, the anticipation was almost worse than having to fight their way through the halls. Making a tense situation worse was the fact that, from time to time, a cold breeze would inexplicably flow through the halls. Each time they felt the tickle of frigid air, their stress levels skyrocketed. And still, no threats presented themselves. They had free rein of the area, which allowed them to explore to their hearts¡¯ content. However, even Elijah found himself too distracted to do so. Instead, he and the others hurried through the halls, noting only that the pce remained empty ¨C both of living creatures and furnishings. There was no furniture or anything else to suggest that it had ever yed host to any upants. ¡°It¡¯s like it was built but nobody ever moved in,¡± Dat remarked. ¡°And they hired the world¡¯s creepiest decorator,¡± Elijah added. ¡°I mean, you all see these tapestries, right? Who reveres death like this?¡± Ron asked, ¡°Do they have death cults on Ka¡¯arath?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there are death cults everywhere,¡± Elijah answered. ¡°But I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s what this is. If it was, I¡¯d expect the tapestries to depict sacrifices or something. But none of these actually show any killing. It¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°It¡¯s irrelevant,¡± Sadie cut in.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Elijah acknowledged. ¡°But maybe not. Figuring out what¡¯s going on is usually a good idea.¡± She flexed her jaw. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s just not tarry.¡± ¡°No arguments there,¡± Elijah said, holding up his hands in surrender. He certainly didn¡¯t want to antagonize her, even if he had no idea why she¡¯d suddenly turned the hostility up. Still, he wasn¡¯t going to ignore obvious clues to their situation, especially if going that route would put them in greater danger. So, even though Sadie clearly wanted to move more quickly, he spent extra time inspecting each area in its entirety. Only when he was satisfied that he hadn¡¯t missed anything did they move on. Fortunately, the torchessted quite well, and they didn¡¯t run any risk of running out. Hours passed while they moved from through the halls, exploring each room in turn. But they only found more of the same. Until that changed. Ron breathed, ¡°What the¡­¡± It was arge stone que, upon which had been engraved what Elijah btedly realized was a poem:
In the veil of night, where the silence grows, The shadows dance, and no one knows, Silent whispers, a breath, a sigh, Where light fades out, the dark draws nigh. Beneath the moon''s cold, silvered gleam, The penitent move like a deadly dream, No footfall sounds, no de does sing, Yet death arrives on unseen wing. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. They dwell where shadows fold and creep, In alley¡¯s crook, where the city sleeps, Cloaked in shadows, they wear the dark, Eyes like embers, and frigid hearts. A fleeting flicker, a darting hand, A life is stolen, a fate is nned. Their deeds are whispers in the night, A fleeting glimpse, gone with the light. For shadows keep their secrets well, And in them, silent assassins dwell. No dawn can chase their steps away¡ª They fade like myths with the birth of day. Our vows in darkness, permanent, We are the subjects of the Shadeborn Covenant.
¡°Assassins,¡± Elijah said aloud after reading the poem. ¡°That¡¯s what this is. This is the headquarters of hired killers.¡± ¡°Almost sounds religious,¡± added Ron. ¡°It¡¯s super creepy, bro,¡± Dat stated. ¡°Does this change anything?¡± Sadie asked. ¡°I¡¯m as interested as anyone else, but isn¡¯t this just a distraction? We need to kill whatever is at the center of this pce.¡± Even as she spoke, the ground shook. ¡°I agree,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Just file that information away. Maybe it¡¯s relevant, but maybe it¡¯s not. Either way, we need to move on. Just¡­wait¡­¡± Elijah wasn¡¯t sure if it had happened due to the quake, or if it had always been the case, but one of the stones near the base of that que had shifted. It was only enough to create a tiny crack, but that gap, small as it was, allowed Elijah¡¯s senses to prate the walls. Until that moment, he¡¯d felt nothing in there, but now, he could feel a crawlspace. Fortunately, there were no monsters in there. However, he did feel something else. Something peculiar. ¡°What is it?¡± Ron asked as Elijah stepped closer. ¡°Just a minute,¡± he answered. Then, he retrieved a spare dagger from his Ghoul-Hide Satchel and rammed it in the tiny crack. The space was so small that even the slim dagger could only prate an inch or so. However, he hoped that was enough to give him the leverage required to pry the stone free. He pushed, but the thing remained stubbornly intact. ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked Sadie. Frustrated, Elijah shook his head and turned to answer. He told the group what he¡¯d felt inside the wall, adding, ¡°It can change everything. It might be the clue we need to figure this challenge out.¡± ¡°I think I might be able to do somethin¡¯,¡± Kurik said, unshouldering his own pack. The thing was huge ¨C almost as big as his torso ¨C and it contained all manner of trap-making materials. Kurik opened it, then practically dove inside. Over the next few moments, he muttered to himself as he rummaged in the pack. Finally, he announced, ¡°Got it!¡± When he pulled free, he held a small tube that reminded Elijah of toothpaste. ¡°Uh¡­what is it?¡± Elijah asked as Kurik tossed it to him. ¡°Explosive paste. Just spread it where you want it, and the second it interacts with ethera, it¡¯ll blow,¡± Kurik exined. ¡°You have about a quarter of a second to get clear. Good luck.¡± ¡°Sounds dangerous, bro.¡± ¡°Well, it is. And I can¡¯t use it yet.¡± ¡°Why do you have it, then?¡± asked Ron. Kurik shrugged. ¡°Best to always be prepared.¡± Elijah shook his head, then crossed the room ¨C which was around forty feet wide ¨C and crouched next to the opposite wall. He put his hands over the back of his head and bent down. Finally, he announced, ¡°Alright. I¡¯m ready. The rest of you best get clear, too. Don¡¯t want to go pickin¡¯ up pieces of you.¡± Elijah looked at the tube in question, then back at Kurik. He¡¯d seen the dwarf fiddling with traps that could stop powerful creatures like the Immortal Halima in their tracks. If he was suddenly cautious, then there was a good chance that the explosive paste was far more potent than Elijah had first suspected. But could it do the job? More, could he get clear in time to avoid being blown to bits? Both were good questions, but he reasoned that there was only one way to find out for sure. So, once everyone had nted themselves in the next hall ¨C Kurik decided that the other side of the room wasn¡¯t quite far enough away ¨C Elijah shifted into his guardian shape. Then, he knelt next to the crack and, after taking a deep breath, opened the tube. Without hesitation, he squeezed it, depositing a dollop in the crack. Then, he wheeled around, used Bestial Charge, and raced away. He made it one step before a powerful explosion erupted behind him. Most of the shockwave was directed elsewhere, but even so, Elijah was sent rocketing across the room until he rammed into the opposite wall. He hit with enough force that, if he hadn¡¯t just upgraded his Body cultivation, he might have broken bones. As it was, he only jarred a few teeth loose. ¡°Ow,¡± he muttered, thankful he¡¯d had the presence of mind to use Bestial Charge. The shield had protected him from the worst of the impact, but the sudden start and stop had definitely hurt. He nced back at the wall, and as the shadows swirled, he saw that the crack had only barely widened. The walls of the building were just that strong. He lumbered forward, his gaid one appropriate to a drunkard, until he felt one of Ron¡¯s healing spellsnd. His thoughts cleared, and his mind came back into focus. It seemed that even as powerful as he was, he wasn¡¯t immune to concussions. When he reached the crack, he bent down to inspect it. It was now about an inch wide, which was far from enough. However, further inspection told him that it had loosened quite a bit. So, he shifted back into his human form ¨C because his ws were far toorge to fit ¨C shoved his fingers into the gap, and pulled. It moved a little, but it took another few minutes of tugging before, atst, it came free. Finally, his prize was within reach. He eagerly grabbed the crystalline leaf and pumped his fist in celebration. ¡°So? What is it?¡± asked Sadie. Elijah pushed some ethera into the guide, and a notification appeared before his inner eye:
The Shadeborn Sect Established in the second century of the thirty-fourth age, the Shadeborn were a sect of powerful shadow-attuned assassins. They did not work for money or power. Rather, they employed their talents for more important reasons. First among those motivators was the pursuit of the ideal form of their craft. Perfection was not attainable, and yet, they were driven to strive for just that. Their methods were ever-evolving, and their results were peerless. The second reason was moreplex. They thought of themselves as arbiters of justice. Like the mythical Angel Inquisitors, they took it upon themselves to police the powerful, killing any who went too far in their own pursuit of progression. However, all sapient beings are prone to corruption, and the Shadeborn Sect was no different. Soon enough, the two primary reasons for their existence came to odds. Standards of justice rxed, and for the right price, they became much more flexible. Innocents were killed, and over the centuries, the sect¡¯s power grew until they were one of the preeminent forces on Ka¡¯arath. Then the man who would be Lightning Emperor appeared. At that time, Yloa was only a promising prospect ¨C barely a demigod who¡¯d still garnered the support of those who wished to usher Ka¡¯arath into a new age ¨C and yet, he refused to bow. He would not acknowledge their power. And as a result, they attempted to kill him. They failed, but they ughtered much of his family, sending him down a dark road of revenge. The Shadeborn Sect and their allies fought back, but they were a whetstone for the de that Yloa became. His ruthlessness in the pursuit of vengeance is one of the primary reasons for the rebellion that followed. Only one elder of the Shadeborn Sect survived the culling. Even the mighty Lightning Emperor was incapable of killing her, for she had truly embraced the shadow, forging a connection with the Umbra itself. To keep her contained, Yloa ordered his most prominent Tradesmen to build a counter to her power, which would not only confine her to the Vale of Whispers, but also serve to weaken her if she ever stepped out of bounds. However, in her desperation, she opened a portal to the Umbra, allowing a host of shadowy parasites through. They infected the outer members of her sect, infusing them with great power that allowed them to ughter the Tradesmen as well as their guards. The mechanism wasplete, but none aside from the Lightning Emperor himself was strong enough to enter the Vale of Whispers and survive. So, it remained unused, save to quarantine them from the rest of the world. Thus is the tragedy of the Shadeborn Sect. They began with the noblest of intentions, but fell to corruption that, in the end, transformed them into monsters. Learn this lesson well, for it is a tale that has been repeated on nearly every world throughout known history.
Elijah finished reading the guide. ¡°Well, there¡¯s good news and bad news,¡± he said, looking up at hispanions. ¡°Which one do you want first?¡± ¡°The bad news, bro. Always start there so we have something to look forward to.¡± ¡°Well, I think I know what caused all this damage,¡± he said before describing thest surviving elder of the Shadeborn Sect. ¡°She¡¯s ultra powerful, and she¡¯s probably not happy with us.¡± ¡°And the good news?¡± ¡°Well, she should be weakened,¡± he said, reasoning that the weapon mentioned in the guide described the braziers they¡¯d lit. ¡°So, we might have a chance of survival.¡± Book 6: Chapter 60: Absolution Book 6: Chapter 60: Absolution ¡°So, what do we do?¡± asked Dat. ¡°Um¡­we need to kill her,¡± Elijah said. ¡°I think. The quest just says to illuminate the shadows, so I¡¯m not sure what it¡¯s supposed to mean.¡± Sadie barely heard the discussion. Standing so close to herpanions was a special kind of torture. Even Ron and Dat, both of whom had barely triggered Sense of Sin before she¡¯d made the wrong choice of specialization, were nauseating to look at. Not only were they surrounded by a cloud of murky sin, but they¡¯d also begun to look like monsters. Waxy skin. Pockmarked cheeks. Thin hair. Their every w was magnified until they became, by anyone¡¯s measure, ugly. But none of thatpared to what she saw when she looked at Elijah. To her eyes, he was truly evil, and in a way that exceeded anything she¡¯d ever witnessed. Even the zombies and other undead back in Hong Kong couldn¡¯t measure up to what she saw when she turned her gaze on Elijah. He had all the same characteristics as Ron and Dat, but far more exaggerated. He was like something out of a horror movie, the sort of person who, when they stepped into frame, the audience immediately knew that they were the viin. And to make it all worse, Sadie knew it was Sense of Sin at work. She knew Elijah didn¡¯t really look like that. And what¡¯s more, she knew the story behind his sins. Did she believe he was entirely justified? No. But she also didn¡¯t think she would have acted that much differently. Sense of Sin didn¡¯t care about any of that, and neither did her perception of the world around her. The thoughts and feelings swirling through her mind elicited no small degree of guilt, but she didn¡¯t have the time to figure out how to live with it. Instead, she¡¯d thrust herself into another challenge, partially because she hoped it would be a distraction. And it worked, after a fashion. So long as she had a threat in front of her ¨C or a task to bepleted ¨C she could ignore the results of her most troubling ability. Yet, in moments of peace, she could not push it aside. ¡°What do you think, Sadie?¡± Elijah asked, his voice dripping with venom she knew wasn¡¯t really there. Even his smile, meant to be reassuring, carried with it a note of cunning dishonesty ¨C like the world¡¯s sleeziest used car salesman. ¡°We move on,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out when we get there.¡± Her tone was curt as she added, ¡°Unless someone else has a better idea.¡± She found herself ring at them all in turn. Even Kurik, whose only real crime was surliness, earned her ire. No matter what she¡¯d tried, she just couldn¡¯t help it. The best she coulde up with was to forego all expression, but even that carried with it a significant aura of disdain. Thankfully, no one else had anything to add, so they soon set off through the halls. Due to the ubiquitous shadows, she couldn¡¯t see anything outside of the ring of flickering light cast by the torch, but it felt like there were hordes of monsters waiting in the wings. She had never really been afraid of the dark, but her experiences in the challenge of the Umbra made her rethink that position. The pce was huge. Easily a mile wide and featuring multiple levels that required exploration. And Elijah insisted that they needed to inspect everyst inch, leading them to the tops of tall towers and into scarily spotless dungeons. But aside from the intended purposes of such areas, nothing really changed. The d¨¦cor remained simr, following the same chaotic theme, while each hall blended together until Sadie lost track of where they really were. But slowly, they progressed toward the center. The only indicator that they were getting closer to their destination was the thickness of the shadows, which grew so dense that the radius of their torches shrank to almost nothing. The group huddled closer together so as to take advantage of light, which only exacerbated the effects of Sadie¡¯s skill. She didn¡¯t just see their sins. She smelled them. She tasted them with every breath. And what was even worse, she felt those sins burrowing into her skin and threatening to corrupt her. Over and over, she reminded herself that it wasn¡¯t real, that she¡¯d seen herpanions¡¯ nature and found them to be good people. Yet, with the weight of so much sensory input bearing down on her, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from being affected. It was almost enough to elicit tears. Yet, Sadie was tougher than that. She wouldn¡¯t allow the skill to defeat her. She refused to give in. So, while it was overwhelming, she¡¯d been dealing with overbearing odds ever since the world¡¯s transformation. She was used to it, and she applied the willpower, earned over years¡¯ of fighting against an endless tide of undead, to her situation. That helped. Marginally. Though any stride forward was one for which she would be appreciative. Besides, it was the only way she managed to maintain her sanity while in such close proximity to so much sin. And then, it all came crashing down when they finally reached their destination. There, sat a ka¡¯ki woman. Normally, Sadie had trouble distinguishing between the genders of the natives of Ka¡¯arath, but in this instance, she was certain. There was something about the way she held herself. The way she moved. Graceful, yet with distinct purpose. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. However, Sadie could only focus on the cloud of disgusting sin surrounding her. In a split second, that grace became something else entirely. Until that moment, Sadie had never seen anyone with an aura of sin as thick as Elijah¡¯s. However, this ka¡¯ki woman put the Druid to shame. If Elijah had killed thousands, she was responsible for the deaths of millions. Perhaps the count was innumerable. Clearly, she was the lone surviving elder of the sect of assassins, and she wore that evil like a cloak of pure sin. Sadie¡¯s hand tightened around her sword¡¯s grip, but she held back. Because she knew just how powerful that creature was. She could feel it, and not just because of the pulsing ethera. Shadows swirled around her like a typhoon, angry and ready to be a raging storm. ¡°You have arrived,¡± the assassin said, looking up. She stood, and through the cloud of sin, Sadie could see that she was wearing a hooded robe of pure shadow. However, in her hand was a small ball of light. It was no bigger than a marble, and it gave off no more light than a flickering candle. But she held it close, as if it was an item of great reverence. ¡°I have been waiting.¡± * * * Elijah knew they were in trouble. The surviving sect elder was part of it. She was extremely powerful, though when she rose from her throne ¨C and that was the only way to describe her massive chair ¨C Elijah saw a slight hitch. Moreover, he could sense that her ethera wasn¡¯t quite focused. It was simr to the effect of Stormbind, though not nearly as absolute. In short, as the guide had suggested, she¡¯d been weakened by the activation of the weapon. But Elijah was less worried about her than he was about Sadie. The Crusader¡¯s entire body was tense, her every muscle contracted. She was practically shaking with hatred and rage, as if she could barely control herself. It was confirmation that something had changed. Sadie had never been particrly epting, but she¡¯d never let her nature or her Sense of Sin ability affect her in a battle. But Elijah knew that if he didn¡¯t step in soon, that would change. So, he did just that. Raising his voice, he said, ¡°I take it you¡¯re thest surviving member of the Shadeborn Sect.¡± The ka¡¯ki cocked her head to the side. ¡°So I am,¡± she said. ¡°Woe unto me, for I have seen the fall of everything I deemed important. Come. Kill me, if you can. My most potent remaining regret is that my pride will not stand aside and let you win. I will fight back. I will kill you. But on the off chance that you are capable of putting me out of my misery, please know that I never meant to be what I became. I ¨C¡± ¡°Liar,¡± Sadie rasped. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Sadie, don¡¯t ¨C¡± ¡°I called you a liar,¡± she insisted, brushing off Elijah¡¯s hand as she stepped forward. Her jaw flexed, and she held herself ramrod straight as she leveled her sword at the powerful elder. ¡°You hide behind circumstances. You say that they pushed you into corruption. Yet, you had every opportunity to right the ship. You set out to do the right thing, didn¡¯t you? You wanted to protect those who couldn¡¯t protect themselves. Then, you became the very thing you were meant to fight. Now, you want us to pity you? You expect us to believe that you had no chance to stop the fall? Well, I don¡¯t. And if you im to believe otherwise, you are a liar.¡± The ka¡¯ki assassin rolled the little, glowing marble in her hand. Elijah could sense it burning her fingers as she stared at the floor. Then, she looked up and said, ¡°You speak of a subject you cannot understand.¡± ¡°I understand honor. I understand being true to yourself. And you failed on both counts,¡± Sadie said. ¡°How many innocents have you killed? Thousands? Do they outnumber the guilty who fell before you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°And yet, you still see yourself as you were. As a noble warrior who was willing to rid the world of filth. You were never that. You believed it, but not deeply enough to matter. Otherwise, you would not have fallen.¡± ¡°You do not know me. You are but a child,¡± came the reply, but only in a rasping whisper. ¡°I am your judge. If you truly believed your own lies, then you will not fight my verdict,¡± Sadie said, her eyes practically glowing with purpose. ¡°Admit your sins.¡± It was only then that Elijah felt ethera swirling around her. But there was more than that. Something he couldn¡¯t really perceive. It only took a second for him to realize that it was Faith. When the elder assassin answered, Elijah knew that Confession was in y. ¡°I never cared about the powerless,¡± the ka¡¯ki said, her eyes downcast. She copsed to her knees. ¡°The only thing I truly cared about was growing stronger than my sister. She was the golden child. Our parents saw that she was better than me, and they supported her every endeavor. Meanwhile, I was fed scraps. ¡°That was when I found him. The Father of my sect. He showed me the way. He gave me the tools to ovee my weakness and surpass Iami. I killed her a few years after I joined the sect. She¡¯d beaten a maid to death. I was so happy to hear her name whispered by the shadows. I did not kill her quickly, either. She suffered for a long time before I finally ended it. After that, it was easier to use our mandate as an excuse. I started manufacturing names,¡± she exined. Raising her eyes, she admitted, ¡°They were all people who wronged me as a child. My parents were among them. Their friends, too. Schoolmasters. Trainers. Former lovers. I killed them all, and the shadow grew. ¡°Thousand of years. I continued to progress, bing one of the most powerful members of the sect. And we became¡­we were an institution. An open secret. A true power. The records show that Yloa authored our fall, but in reality, it was me. The moment I corrupted our purpose for personal gain, we were doomed. Those are my sins. You asked me how many people I killed. I do not know how many lives I took with my own de, but millions died because of my actions,¡± she said, her shoulders sagging. ¡°I thought I could¡­I thought I could punish myself with this,¡± she said, holding up the glowing marble. ¡°It corrodes the shadows. But it is only an annoyance, and it is less than what I deserve.¡± As the ka¡¯ki assassin¡¯s head fell in shame, Sadie strode forward, sword in hand. When she was looming over the broken creature, she said, ¡°I will give you what you deserve. What, in your heart, you truly believe you deserve. I will release you from your sins.¡± ¡°Can you do such a thing?¡± asked the surviving elder, looking up with glistening and somehow hopeful eyes. ¡°I can,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I offer absolution. Do you ept?¡± ¡°I¡­I do.¡± ¡°Then bow your head and ept your fate.¡± Miraculously, the creature did just that. Even as her body shook with fear and sadness, Sadie¡¯s sword erupted into bright light. Faith and ethera continued to swirl as she brought the de down. The ka¡¯ki¡¯s head rolled free, and a notification appeared before Elijah¡¯s inner eye. ¡°What just happened?¡± whispered Ron. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± Book 6: Chapter 61: Inevitability of Mortality Book 6: Chapter 61: Inevitability of Mortality It was only a whisper. But in Miguel¡¯s ears, it was as loud as any shout. He shot to his feet, ayer of dirt and dried blood cracking with his every motion as he erupted from his hiding ce in the hollow beneath a huge, exposed root. His swordshed out in a backhanded swing that met flesh after only an instant. A momentter, the dark elf¡¯s head flew free with a spray of blood. It went to the right, while the rest of the would-be assassin¡¯s body went to the right. He didn¡¯t stop moving, though. To stop was to die, as evidenced when a trio of arrows thudded into the muddy turf he¡¯d just vacated. He skidded across the wet ground, bending backward to avoid a spear thrust that would have impaled him. His momentum took him past the dark elf wielder, but Miguel managed to slice his de across the back of his foe¡¯s ankles. Supernatural durability or not, joints and tendons were still mechanical things. And if the Achilles tendon was severed, a person couldn¡¯t walk properly. If at all. It was simple physics. Adding to the attractiveness of that particr tendon as a target was the fact that it was rarely armored, meaning that Miguel¡¯s de bit deep, cutting through the stringy bit of flesh with ease. As the owner of said tendons flopped forward, Miguel continued his skid before using an exposed root to halt his slide. He popped up, wheeling around to parry an oing sword strike. He knocked the other de aside, then kicked its owner in the knee. The attack would have crippled a normal person ¨C especially with Miguel¡¯s Strength ¨C but the elven woman only grunted before throwing a punch that connected with his jaw. He¡¯d long since lost his helmet, so he had no protection. And the woman was strong. Much stronger than him, as he discovered when his jaw cracked. Painnced through the side of his face and down his neck, but Miguel couldn¡¯t allow himself to really feel it. Instead, he countered with a shoulder tackle that knocked herparatively slimmer body aside. That was when Trevor thundered forward, ramming his tiny antlers into her back. They were no longer than six inches, but that was enough to pierce the elf¡¯s vital organs. The momentum of his charge sent the enemy flying forward. Miguel, who¡¯d seen Trevoring, used that distraction to disguise his next attack. He whipped a dagger out of its sheath at his waist, throwing it in one smooth motion. Hitting a moving target with a thrown de wasn¡¯t easy, even with his Dexterity, but Miguel had had plenty of practice. The dagger¡¯s trajectory was a little off-target. He had intended to bury it in her throat. But the throw was urate enough that the de ripped through the side of her neck, cutting through her femoral artery and sending a spray of red blood into the air. She wasn¡¯t finished, though. What¡¯s more, she wasn¡¯t alone. Two more dark elves charged Miguel, while one tried to corner the staggered Trevor. The stag had used almost all of his energy on the previous charge, so after weeks of hard travel through enemy-infested territory, he could barely stand. Miguel wasn¡¯t much better off, and he¡¯d taken dozens of wounds during that time. Some had healed, scabbing over quickly, but a couple were far more serious. He ignored his injuries, digging deep to power another mad dash. This one ended with him ramming his sword into the back of the elf who¡¯d intended to attack Trevor. That left Miguel open for reprisal from his enemy¡¯s allies, and he hunched his back to take the blows he knew wereing. des dug deep into his armor, sending chips ofcquered wood flying. The momentum of those attacks sent him staggering into Trevor, and the stag fell, his chest heaving with pain and exhaustion. Miguel managed to maintain his feet, and seeing hispanion¡¯s plight ignited the fires of rage in his heart. With a growl that was more feral than human, he whipped around so quickly that he managed to take the next elf by surprise. He rammed his de into his opponent¡¯s exposed chin, and it ripped its way upward and into his brain. The elf died instantly, and Miguel tore his sword free with a savage fury that dislodged most of the fighter¡¯s jaw. He couldn¡¯t spare the gruesome sight a moment¡¯s notice. Instead, he pushed close to the other attacker, grabbing him with his free hand and pulling. The surprised elf staggered slightly, which allowed Miguel to once again bring his de to bear, stabbing his foe in the stomach. He ripped the de away, disemboweling the unfortunate elf. By that point, the final two elves had recovered. The woman led the way, unleashing a furious barrage of sword attacks that pushed Miguel to the absolute limit of his skills. She was stronger and faster than him ¨C likely due to a much higher level ¨C but he was better with the de. As a result, they were evenly matched. Unfortunately, she was not alone. The second elf kept his distance, using a spear to take opportunistic shots whenever Miguel was distracted by the swordswoman. That put him at a distinct disadvantage, and he struggled to maintain the equilibrium of the fight. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the vition. He tried everything he could, but he was hamstrung by three factors. First, he was wounded, and with every passing moment, his power waned. Soon, he¡¯d copse from sheer exhaustion. Second, the aforementioned disadvantage of numbers. He could fight against multiple opponents, but it was exceedingly difficult, especially when said foes were ustomed to working together. And finally, he couldn¡¯t use the entire battlefield. Trevor still hadn¡¯t risen, which meant that if Miguel tried to move away, it would expose the stag. Likely, the spearman would kill him. And while that might ensure Miguel¡¯s escape ¨C or allow him to win the battle ¨C it was not a sacrifice he was willing to make. So, as had been the case so many times over the past couple of weeks, Miguel had no choice but to stand his ground and oust his enemies. It was a losing battle, though. Somewhere in the back of his mind, beneath all the strategic thinking, fear, and anger, he knew that he couldn¡¯t win. Not with so many factors stacked against him. But he wouldn¡¯t give up. He refused to give in. For his own sake as much as Trevor¡¯s, he fought on. The sound of metal against wood apanied grunts of pain and exertion as the battle wore on. Miguel fought valiantly and with all the skill he¡¯d learned from Colt. Victory was not in the cards, though. After a few minutes that felt like an eternity, he took a wicked sh across his thigh. It hacked apart the already-damaged armor, biting deep into his flesh. That wound spelled the end. It slowed him down just enough that the next serious wound came soon after. And that facilitated a stab to his exposed side. The elven woman seized upon the advantage, going in for a strike that would have decapatiated him if he hadn¡¯t tilted his head down. Still, the wound went deep into his scalp, staggering him even as blood flowed down his forehead. The spearmen used that brief moment to stab him again. Trevor stirred behind him, but the stag was incapable of rising. He wasn¡¯t going to contribute further to the battle. And Miguel was on hisst leg. That was okay, though. He¡¯d killed dozens of elves. He¡¯d done everything he could. The numbers just weren¡¯t in his favor. Only a couple of years after the world had changed, he¡¯d made peace with his own mortality. He¡¯d had to, with all the people he had been forced to watch die. Friends¡¯ parents went out to scavenge or patrol the area around Easton, and they¡¯d nevere back. His own mother had been killed in the tower. Death was just part of life, and he was okay with it. His only regret was that he hadn¡¯t ensured Trevor¡¯s survival. The stag was terrified. Miguel could feel it through their bond. And it wasn¡¯t surprising, either. Trevor wasn¡¯t old enough to understand how the world worked. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to make peace with the realities of life and death. So, even as he fought an unwinnable battle, Miguel tried to send calm and reassuring thoughts through their bond. It was only marginally effective. They couldn¡¯t read one another¡¯s minds. Yet, he hoped that it would help ¨C even if only a little ¨C so that Trevor¡¯sst moments wouldn¡¯t be full of panic. The minutes stretched on, and Miguel took more and more hits. He managed to inflict a few wounds of his own, but normally those came at the expense of his own defenses. Because of that, hetched onto the idea of taking his opponents down with him. Certainly, he knew he wasn¡¯t going to win. That ship had sailed. However, he did think he could bring them down with him. Or at least one of them. So, he switched tactics, adopting a far more aggressive style that he usually only used when he outmatched his opponents. It was great for dispatching weaker foes very quickly, but it came with a cost, opening him up to easy reprisal for anyone with the skill to seize upon the opportunity. And the elves were just such opponents. He rushed forward, taking another stab wound to his hip. Still, he managed to get inside the spearman¡¯s guard and batter him across the head with the hilt of his sword. That staggered the elf, which allowed Miguel to headbutt him. Just as he brought his de down, shearing through the spearman¡¯s neck, the swordswoman stabbed him in the back. Her de went between his ribs, piercing his lung anding out the other side. It didn¡¯t have enough momentum to get through the front of his segmented chest armor, but that didn¡¯t really matter. The damage had already been done. Miguel threw himself forward, feeling every inch of the de as it pulled free. He copsed to the ground, already coughing up blood. A foot connected to his side, flipping him over so he could see his enemy. She loomed over him, a snarl on her face. ¡°You have killed hundreds, child,¡± she spat, leveling her sword at him. He responded by trying to kick her shin, but the attack was weak. Slow. Ineffectual. He coughed, sttering blood all over his chin. ¡°For that, you will pay.¡± It didn¡¯t seem to matter that the elves were the ones who¡¯d first attacked him. Obviously, she didn¡¯t care that they¡¯d harassed him for weeks as he raced toward Argos. He¡¯d been forced to fight a running battle, burying himself beneath exposed roots just so he could get a little rest. He¡¯d barley eaten. He hadn¡¯t really slept. And he¡¯d been pushed to his absolute limits. And from her skewed perspective, he was the bad guy. It was madness. He tried to say as much, but his voice simply wouldn¡¯t cooperate. All that came out was another blood-filled cough. She smirked down at him, then raised her sword. It glinted in the sunlight as time seemed to stand still. And all Miguel could think was that he hoped she would spare Trevor. Then, the de fell. Miguel somehow managed to bring his own sword up and p the elf¡¯s weapon just off target. It skipped off his shoulder guard, shaving a bit of wood from the armor. The elf snarled, then kicked him in the side. Painnced through Miguel¡¯s entire torso, distracting him just enough to allow the elf to kick his de away from his hand. ¡°Die with dignity, human,¡± she hissed. Then, once again, she raised her sword. It descended with all the finality of a headsman¡¯s axe. Miguel raised his arms, knowing good and well that they wouldn¡¯t do much to stop what wasing. It was just an instinctive reaction. But even if he managed to block the first attack, his survival wouldn¡¯tst long. Sometimes, the odds were just too long. Sometimes, death was inevitable. Book 6: Chapter 62: Solace Book 6: Chapter 62: Sce Miguel greeted his impending death with a snarl. The sword fell, glinting in the faint light of a setting sun, and his stomach twisted into a thousand knots as he considered all the things he¡¯d intended to do with his life. Now, none of that would be possible. Like his mother, he would go too soon. He only hoped that his family would understand, that they would be able to ascertain his fate. Even as he made amends with the end of his life, the de continued its inexorable fall. He closed his eyes, finally surrendering to the end he could no longer deny. It didn¡¯te. Even after a few seconds, he remained among the living. So, he opened his eyes to see the elven swordswoman looking down on him. Instead of the disdain she¡¯d worn like a mask, her eyes were wide with surprise. A thin, red line appeared on her neck, and a momentter, it began to gush blood. As Miguel¡¯s mind reeled, her head toppled free, and her body copsed into a heap. He blinked, confused at the turn of events. He couldn¡¯t make sense of it. He was alone in the forest ¨C save for the elves ¨C and he certainly didn¡¯t have any allies in the area. Argos was still days away, and there were no settlements nearby. Finally, as his vision blurred, a hulking shape stepped into view. Miguel couldn¡¯t see precisely what it was, but it seemed toorge to be human. He struggled to stave off unconsciousness, but the ck spots gathering at the corners of his unfocused vision told him that he only had a few seconds before it overwhelmed him. ¡°What¡­¡± The word came out as a croak and was quickly cut short by a bloody cough. Just before he lost consciousness, the blurry figure knelt beside him, and he felt an enormous hand mp down on his shoulder. He couldn¡¯t discern anything else about his savior ¨C if that was an urate description ¨C before he passed out. He didn¡¯t dream, and his rest was over in an instant. He only awoke for a few seconds, but he saw that he¡¯d been moved to an unfamiliar location. Judging by the ceiling, it was a house ¨C or some other sort of building ¨C with rough-hewn beams crossing the ceiling. ¡°Trevor,¡± he groaned, but that was all he got out before he was forced to once again surrender to unconsciousness. After that, he went in and out a dozen or more times. For some brief bouts of wakefulness, he was barely lucid, but for others, he managed to stay awake long enough to get a decent idea of his location. As he¡¯d first suspected, it was a house, though it looked more like a log cabin, with various herbs hanging from the rough beams. He also got a glimpse of his savior, who was the biggest man Miguel had ever seen. If the man was less than seven-and-a-half feet tall, Miguel would have been incredibly surprised. His body was also heavy with muscle, with wide shoulders and a thick, trunk-like torso. However, unlike his hulking size might have indicated, the man had a kind, if in, face that, for whatever reason, put Miguel in mind of a caring father. Some indeterminate amount of timeter, Miguel finally awoke for good. Sunlight filtered through one of the windows, and when he took a deep breath, he smelled mint, garlic, and a host of other less recognizable scents that all mingled together into a weird cacophony of odors that felt oddlyforting. ¡°Awake atst, eh?¡± came a rough voice from nearby. Miguel followed the sound, seeing that it hade from a tiny woman with a hunched back and white hair that had been gathered into a neat bun. She stood on a stepstool which allowed her to stir an enormous cauldron that was at least asrge as she was. Probably much bigger. ¡°Good. Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d make it, hmm. Going around and getting holes put in you ¨C that¡¯s bad for your health. Didn¡¯t your mother ever tell you to stay away from dark elves?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Or are you one of those boys who won¡¯t listen to his mother, hmm?¡± she asked, never looking up from her cauldron. ¡°I have a grandson like that. Never listened to me, and he¡¯s worse off for it. Come to think of it, most of my family are the strong-willed type. They need to touch the fire before they believe it¡¯s hot. I wonder where they get that, hmm.¡± Only then did she turn to look at Miguel. She tilted her head and cut her eyes in his direction, but even that nce was more than enough for him to establish that she was not human. She had pointed ears like an elf, but it was her eyes that really drew Miguel¡¯s attention. They didn¡¯t look overtly different than any other set of eyes he¡¯d ever seen, but there was something about them that made him feel so tiny that he wanted nothing more than to skitter away like an insect. ¡°Where am I? Who are you?¡± he asked, mustering his courage. She hadn¡¯t killed him yet, which meant that she probably didn¡¯t want to. ¡°So many questions, hmm. What makes you think you¡¯re entitled to answers?¡± she asked. He opened his mouth to answer, but she cut him off. ¡°Rhetorical question, boy. Just like my grandson. So rigid. I sent Birk to save you because you needed saving. And because I don¡¯t like dark elves. Nasty, warlike creatures that are perfectly happy to live a might-makes-right philosophy. Right up until someone strongeres along. Then, they¡¯re quick to beg for mercy so their doesn¡¯t get blown up, hmm.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. She turned, pulling a wooden spoon from the cauldron. She shook it at Miguel, saying, ¡°Let that be a lesson to you, boy. If you¡¯re going to believe something, believe it wholeheartedly, even if it¡¯s going to get you killed. Otherwise, you¡¯re just a pretender. And we tolerate those even less than we tolerate dark elves.¡± ¡°I¡­um¡­okay?¡± ¡°Not very talkative are you? I suppose that¡¯s normal, given how many holes you had in you. Did I mention that you should try to avoid that, hmm?¡± ¡°You did. But you¡­you didn¡¯t answer my questions.¡± ¡°I suppose I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Are you going to?¡± ¡°Maybe. In the meantime, you need to regain your strength,¡± she said, grabbing adle from a nearby rack. A cab also openedpletely of its own ord, and a caly bowl floated out. ¡°Nearly dying will take it out of you, hmm.¡± She dipped thedle into the cauldron, pulling it out a secondter. She poured the contents into the bowl, then added anotherdle-full on top of that. After that, the old woman descended from her perch atop the stepstool and shuffled across the room. Upon offering the bowl to Miguel, she said, ¡°You need to eat.¡± With trembling hands, he took the bowl, and to his surprise, he found that it contained only a hearty soup filled with chunks of meat and plenty of vegetables. She¡¯d already provided a spoon, so he dipped it in, taking a bite. And he was more than a little shocked at what he tasted. ¡°This is amazing¡­¡± The old woman smiled slightly, her wrinkles bing even more prominent as Miguel dug in. It felt like every spoonful came with a dose of vitality that rivaled his uncle¡¯s healing spells. After a few short minutes, he¡¯d drained the entire bowl, and already, he¡¯d begun to feel better. ¡°Alright, up and out of bed,¡± she said. ¡°You need to pay for that.¡± ¡°What?¡± he asked, suddenly suspicious. ¡°I need firewood. And I need someone to gather some herbs. Birk will show you the ropes. Now go on, hmm. Get out of my house. You can have some more stew in a couple of hours.¡± Miguel was feeling better, and he certainly didn¡¯t begrudge the woman payment for her services. In fact, he felt certain that he couldn¡¯t do anything to repay her for saving his life. So, he slipped out of bed, but the moment his feet touched the dirt floor, he remembered two things. ¡°Where¡¯s Trevor?¡± he asked. ¡°The baby guardian beast? He¡¯s fine. He¡¯s helping Birk outside.¡± ¡°And my armor?¡± was his next question. She hooked her thumb over her shoulder, indicating a pile ofcquered wood he hadn¡¯t seen from the bed. His sword was there, too. The armor had a self-repair function, but it required an influx of ethera to activate. While fleeing the dark elves, he hadn¡¯t had any chance to do that, so it was in truly sorry shape. Hopefully, it wasn¡¯t so far gone that the repair function wouldn¡¯t activate. After gathering his sword and strapping it to his waist, he decided to do as the woman had asked and go outside where he could repay her and check on Trevor at the same time. He padded across the single-room cottage on bare feet, then stepped outside. He squinted in the bright light, recognizing that it was around noon. The exterior of the house was as he¡¯d expected. It was just as rough-hewn as the interior, made of untreated logs and featuring a thatch roof. Still, it looked very sturdy and cozy enough, especially with a curl of smoke rising from the chimney. A grunt drew his attention, and he turned to see the enormous Birk nearby. The man was carrying a bundle of firewood, but Miguel was more interested in the sight of Trevor, who had a huge sack strapped to his back, not unlike a pack mule. Before he knew what he was doing, Miguel tried to run to hispanion. However, he only got one step before his legs wobbled, and he pitched forward onto his face. ¡°Ow,¡± he muttered as Trevor¡¯s wet nose found the back of his neck. He flipped over, and promptly received a snort from the young stag. He reached up and patted the side of Trevor¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just didn¡¯t realize how weak I still was.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Miguel nced at the door to the house to see the old woman just shaking her head. She said, ¡°Fool children.¡± A momentter, Birk was helping him back to his feet. The giant man was surprisingly gentle. Once Miguel was standing, Birk deposited his bag of herbs next to the house, then set off back into the nearby woods. He got to the edge of the forest, then looked back at Miguel and gestured for him to follow. ¡°Guess he¡¯s not a big talker,¡± Miguel remarked, following Birk as the giant stepped into the forest. Over the next couple of hours, Miguel was escorted through the woods, where Birk pointed out various herbs meant to be gathered. He also indicated the ones that should be avoided, though he never spoke. Instead, hemunicated via grunts, nods, and hand signals. Miguel didn¡¯t mind, because it gave him an opportunity to take stock of his situation. He wasn¡¯t far removed from making peace with his own demise, so it was a little surprising to find that he was alive and seemingly well on his way to recovery. As he quickly discovered, it would still take some time before he was well enough to travel, though. After only fifteen minutes, he felt fatigued, and after two hours, he was absolutely exhausted. Thankfully, Birk understood his condition, and he¡¯d timed the gathering expedition to coincide with Miguel¡¯s exhaustion. When they returned to the cottage, he deposited the herbs and mushrooms where he¡¯d seen Birk leave the previous sack, then copsed. Miguel was no stranger to fatigue, but he¡¯d never felt quite as bone tired as he did just then. To his good fortune, the old woman soon appeared with another bowl of soup, which he scarfed down like a starving wolf. That sent another jolt of vitality coursing through him, though not so much as topletely banish his fatigue. The next task was to gather firewood, which was even more tiring. After that, he and Birk set about splitting and stacking what they¡¯d collected. Only when night came was he allowed to rest, though not in the cottage. Rather, he and Birk were relegated to a small shack to the rear of the main house. The big man barely fit, though there was just enough room for the pair. So, after another meal, they both retired for the night. The next morning, Birk woke him up, and for the first time, he spoke. ¡°You can follow directions. That is good. Now, training.¡± Book 6: Chapter 63: Terrifying Power Book 6: Chapter 63: Terrifying Power ¡°Uh¡­should we loot?¡± asked Ron. ¡°No,¡± Elijah said, still staring at Sadie. The woman had just disyed a terrifying amount of power, effectively forcing a powerful enemy to surrender without a fight. That, among other things, needed to be addressed. ¡°We need some answers first. I¡¯m not going another step until I¡¯m satisfied with the exnation of what just happened.¡± ¡°But ¨C¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Dat said. His gaze hadn¡¯t wavered from his longtimepanion, either. ¡°We need to know what¡¯s going on.¡± With that, they approached Sadie, who hadn¡¯t moved from her position standing over the ka¡¯ki woman she had just beheaded. By all rights, it should not have been possible. Elijah had felt the elder assassin¡¯s power, and he knew that it should have taken dozens of attacks just to get through her neck, much less sever her head. ¡°I know what you want,¡± Sadie said without looking back. Her sword had stopped glowing, and its tip rested on the floor. When the Crusader looked back at them, her cheeks were wet with tears. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if I can give it to you.¡± ¡°Just tell us what you did,¡± Dat coaxed. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. I was looking at her, and I saw so much¡­so much sin. Then, something came over me. It was like I had finally found my purpose. I knew exactly what to do,¡± she said. ¡°It was Confession. I poured so much ethera into it. I used Faith, too. It didn¡¯t just make her tell the truth. It made her confront her own sins. She already regretted it, I think. She knew she had gone astray. She was guilty and¡­and it was too much. So, when I offered to end it for her, she epted it.¡± Sadie looked away. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick,¡± she muttered only a second before bending double and retching. ck sludge erupted from her mouth, then puddled at her feet. When Elijah looked at it, he felt pure evil. All power had a cost. Most of the time, it was counted in ethera or stamina, but Faith seemed to muddle some of those lines. And clearly, part of the price of Sadie¡¯s actions was that she¡¯d been forced to take on the sin of that ancient assassin. And given the ka¡¯ki¡¯s confession, there was quite a lot of evil in there. However, seeing what had happened, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but draw parallels between her fate and what Sadie could potentially do to him. He thought he¡¯d made peace with the guilt over what he¡¯d done in Easton, but the weight of so much death still pressed down on him at times. What if Sadie caught him at a weak moment? Would he then beg her to put him out of his misery? What of the others? None of the hands in their party were clean. They¡¯d all killed. They¡¯d even tortured a woman into bing a monster. Would Sadie decide to absolve them in the same way she¡¯d relieved the ka¡¯ki assassin of her guilt? Those were all good questions, but in the end, it all boiled down to whether or not Elijah trusted Sadie. If he did, then none of them needed to worry about her. If not, then he knew what needed to be done. Because if he didn¡¯t trust her, she was far too dangerous to let live. ¡°I know what you¡¯re all thinking,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Because I would be thinking the same thing.¡± She shook her head, adding in a quieter voice, ¡°I am thinking it. I¡¯m too dangerous.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not ¨C¡± She cut Dat off, saying, ¡°You know I¡¯m right, Dat. There are only two choices. You kill me now before I have a chance to turn my powers onto you. Or I go my own way. That¡¯s the only way any of you will be safe.¡± ¡°I go where you go,¡± Dat stated firmly. ¡°And what happens when I decide you¡¯re guilty, too? What if I decide to absolve you of your sins?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that, Dat. You can¡¯t. Because I don¡¯t. When I started talking, I had no idea what I was going to do. It was like my instincts took over,¡± she said. ¡°I could¡¯ve fought them. I think. But it wouldn¡¯t have been easy, and in my heart, I didn¡¯t really want to, either. Not with her. She deserved it. I think she wanted it,¡± Sadie said. In Elijah¡¯s experience, there were two distinct brands of evil. There were those people who were simply born wrong. They possessed no conscience. They felt no distinction between right and wrong. They simply did what they wanted to do. Sometimes, that manifested in small evils like theft or dishonesty, but other times, it took the form of monstrous actions. There was an aura about being in the presence of someone like that. They could usually hide it, but the moment they took off their masks, it was obvious that something about them was just wrong. Elijah had seen documentaries about serial killers who¡¯d been caught and imprisoned, and after that, he couldn¡¯t deny the existence of true evil of the most primal sort. He didn¡¯t see how anyone could. But the other form of evil was situational. The result of a steady decline where each decision resulted in moving further away from morality. Until one day, those people looked around and saw what they¡¯d be. By then, it was toote to turn back. Toote to right the wrongs. A lot of politicians were like that. They began their journeys with the best intentions, but onepromise after another ¨C all in the name of the greater good ¨C would lead them down a dark road of corruption. Before it was all said and done, they were even more dangerous than the other sort. More troubling, too, because it was a path that anyone could follow. Elijah wasn¡¯t sure which version of evil the assassin had been, but in the end, it didn¡¯t matter. She¡¯d gone too far, and the only way out was to give up. Sadie¡¯s ability gave her the nudge she needed to do just that. ¡°Is it mind control?¡± he asked. She shook her head. ¡°No. It just¡­it just forces honesty,¡± she said. ¡°With oneself as much as with other people. She couldn¡¯t stand up to her own scrutiny, and so, she surrendered. There¡¯s no way I could have killed her otherwise. Even weakened as she was¡­¡± ¡°Do you really think we should fear you?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s only one answer,¡± he stated, stepping forward. When he put his hand on her armored shoulder, she flinched slightly. ¡°Just do it,¡± she said. ¡°What? I¡¯m not going to kill you, Sadie,¡± he said. ¡°Nobody here is. The problem is your ability, right? It¡¯s always affecting you. The way I see it, we need to deal with the source of your issues. So, that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! ¡°How?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Cultivation,¡± he said. ¡°Specifically, of your Mind. If we get you to Quartz, you¡¯ll be able to quarantine Sense of Sin in its own facet. I do it with my domain and One with Nature. And pain. It makes it infinitely easier to ignore them.¡± ¡°And how am I supposed to do that? We don¡¯t have time to ¨C¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take the time, Sadie. I can fly us to the cultivation cave in a few hours. After that, I can guide you through the process,¡± Elijah offered. ¡°If we¡¯re attacked in the air?¡± ¡°You can protect me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re putting a lot of trust in someone who just ¨C¡± ¡°Is there a reason I shouldn¡¯t trust you?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯re not nning on absolving me of my sins, are you? If you are, I should tell you that I¡¯mpletely at peace with the things I¡¯ve done. I regret some of them, but I¡¯m not really one to dwell on the past.¡± That wasn¡¯t entirely true. More often than Elijah liked, he found himself ruminating on his previous actions. It would take a true monster to be able topletely move on from some of the things he¡¯d done. Still, he felt that, because of his superior cultivation, he expected that he would fare better than most against Sadie¡¯s influence. Or maybe it was due to the dragon within him, which seemed to look upon Sadie¡¯s abilities with no small degree of dismissiveness. Elijah trusted himself far more than he trusted Sadie¡¯s restraint, but she didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°I¡­¡± Dat said, ¡°You need to do it, because we¡¯re not going to kill or abandon you. You¡¯re family.¡± Ron added, ¡°I think this is the only way, and if Elijah thinks it¡¯ll work, I believe it too.¡± All eyes turned to Kurik, who seemed surprised at the scrutiny. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°I ain¡¯t part of this conversation. From the beginning, I¡¯ve just been along for the ride.¡± ¡°Bro. You¡¯re part of the group.¡± Kurik groaned. ¡°Fine. Go with the Druid. He¡¯ll set you straight.¡± After everyone had voiced their part, Sadie let out a long sigh that contained no small amount of relief. ¡°Okay. But first, we need to collect our reward, loot what there is to loot, then get out of this challenge.¡± ¡°We should probably get to the next challenge so that the others can start scouting things out,¡± Elijah said. ¡°No. I mean, the others can start the journey, but I don¡¯t think I can rx until I take care of this,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t trust myself, Elijah.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± he agreed, realizing that the situation was far more dire than he¡¯d first suspected. Was she so close to losing control that she couldn¡¯t wait a week or two before fixing the issue? It seemed so. Once they¡¯d agreed to a n that would see Dat, Ron, and Kurik heading toward the challenge of the Etherum, everyone started scouring the room for treasures. However, aside from the tiny ball of light and the reward for defeating the challenge, there was nothing to take. Even the ka¡¯ki assassin¡¯s robes of shadow had dissipated the moment she¡¯d lost her head. The Umbral Shroud turned out to be a cloak that looked as if it had been made of shifting shadows. Given that Elijah already had a cloak ¨C with which he was very happy ¨C he didn¡¯t see any reason to disagree when everyone else decided that it should go to Dat. After insisting that someone else should get it, the Witch Hunter finally agreed to take it. Despite his protests, he was obviously happy with the turn of events, as indicated by his wide grin. ¡°Looks cool, right?¡± he asked, turning back and forth. ¡°Thirty points to Dexterity, too. And I can see in the dark now.¡± ¡°No active abilities?¡± Elijah asked. Dat shook his head. ¡°No. Not that I¡¯mining, bro. This is awesome.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just happy because it matches your outfit,¡± Ron pointed out. Dat neither confirmed nor denied that assertion, though Elijah thought that theck of a denial was confirmation all its own. Regardless, once that was taken care of, they had nothing else keeping them in the Vale of Whispers, and none of them wanted to dy their departure. With Dat leading the way, they had no issues navigating the forest on their way out, which allowed Elijah to check his own notifications. Aside from the system¡¯s deration that they¡¯d defeated another challenge, he also saw that he¡¯d finally reached level one-ten. That came with the normal increase in his attributes, which were disyed in his updated status:
Name Elijah Hart
Level 110
Archetype Druid
ss Animist
Specialization Connection
Alignment N/A
Strength 192 (126)
Dexterity 180 (114)
Constitution 197 (137)
Ethera 174(136)
Regeneration 205 (127)
Attunement Nature
Cultivation Stage: Adept
Body Core Mind Soul
Iron Whelp Jade Novice
While Elijah was happy to see the state of his ever-rising attributes, he was far more interested in the next notification:
Congrattions! You have satisfied the requirements for the evolution of the essence line of spells. Please choose a path:
Wild Infusion Savage Spirit Feline Agility
Combine all of the essence line of spells into a single augmentation that provides an equal benefit to all attributes. Combine all of the essence line of spells into a single augmentation that provides a benefit to all attributes, but with an emphasis on Strength. Combine all of the essence line of spells into a single augmentation that provides a benefit to all attributes, but with an emphasis on Dexterity.
Elijah stumbled over a fallen tree. ¡°You okay, bro?¡± asked Dat. ¡°Uh. Sure. Just¡­distracted,¡± Elijah said in a vast understatement. He had hoped for a spell evolution, but he hadn¡¯t expected to evolve multiple spells at once. However, it seemed he had a big choice ahead of him, and he didn¡¯t see a lot of specific information on how to do that. Book 6: Chapter 64: A Little Help Book 6: Chapter 64: A Little Help ¡°Attacks have increased in frequency,¡± said Rasana, the gnomish scout. She was one of Kurik¡¯s team of hunters, though instead of her ssing from a Ranger archetype, she¡¯d begun her journey as an Explorer. And while her ss had given her a fewbat abilities, her origin could not be ignored. Once an Explorer, always an Explorer, Ramik thought. Even so, she was the best scout in the city, even if she didn¡¯t always conduct herself with the decorum one might expect. ¡°Those dark elves have gotten bolder. They¡¯ve pushed past the second gate, and they look like they¡¯re going to move on the first.¡± Ramik removed his hat, then wiped his forearm across his brow. After Colt and Gwenivere had discovered the first gate, they¡¯d soon led another mission down to the tunnels. Due to their efforts, they¡¯d managed to take the gate, which gave them a foothold from which to defend the city. So far, they¡¯d managed to keep the dark elves at bay, but no one had ever expected it tost. The numbers were too unfavorable for Ironshore¡¯s defenders, and the only reason they¡¯d managed to hold the line so long was because of the gate itself, which served to even the odds a bit. Ramik was no general, but he knew that a soldier holding a wall was worth ten assants. But it was only a dying tactic. At some point, the dark elves would get serious, and the moment that happened, the gate would fall. That was why Ramik had directed his most powerful Tradesmen to work on defenses closer to home. He¡¯d even considered copsing the tunnels altogether, though that came with a host of issues that made him hesitate. For one, if he took that route, it would likely mean the end of Ironshore as they knew it. Digging through the rubble after the threat had ended would take too much time, which would mean that he¡¯d default on his contract with the Green Mountain Mining Company. Indenture would be his only future. Not to mention that the town itself would fall under theirplete control. If that happened, things would get much worse for the residents, many of whom would end up just like Ramik ¨C virtually enved, with no hope of crawling out. But that wasn¡¯t what truly worried him. Instead, what really frightened the goblin mayor was that the representatives of the Green Mountain Mining Company would almost assuredly fail to honor the truce Ramik had negotiated with Elijah Hart. They would see the Druid¡¯s ind as a resource to be exploited, and they would immediately set out to do just that. Ramik knew how that would work out. And given Elijah¡¯s proclivity toward violent defense of his home, it was a near certainty that the people of Ironshore would get caught up in his wrath. The human had ughtered fifty people just for setting foot on his ind. So, what would he do if it happened again? And given that years had passed since that fateful day, he would be much better at ughtering anyone in his way. Ramik shuddered to consider Ironshore¡¯s fate if Elijah returned from the Trial of Primacy only to discover that someone had defiled his grove. It was difficult to imagine that he wouldn¡¯t hold the entire city ountable, and if that happened¡­ It would not be good. Besides, copsing the mines wouldn¡¯t be an effective deterrent. At best, it would slow the dark elves. At worst, the enemy would abandon its half-hearted efforts at waging a war and embark on a true mission of conquest. That seemed inevitable, but the longer Ramik could dy that turning point, the better prepared Ironshore would be. Because he knew that the mines weren¡¯t the only means of reaching the surface. Other scouts had found signs that the dark elves were already topside, and Ramik had heard enough stories of the race to know that there were probably many more they hadn¡¯t discovered. No ¨C war was definitelying, and Ironshore wasn¡¯t ready to meet it head-on. He needed time, butplicating matters was that he couldn¡¯t go all-out and force the dark elves to respond with the full force of their might. He was trying to walk a knife¡¯s edge until young Miguel ¨C and the handful of other scouts he could afford to send out ¨C found help. After Rasana finished her report, Ramik thanked her. Upon her departure, he let out a groan. ¡°That bad, eh?¡± came a voice from the door. ¡°You don¡¯t knock anymore?¡± he asked, his head tilted toward the ceiling. He didn¡¯t need to open his eyes to know that Carissa hade to visit. The chair on the other side of his desk scraped against the floor as she flipped it around. ¡°Nope. No reason. You met with little Rasana, right?¡± she asked, staddling the chair. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°The verdict?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hopeless,¡± Ramik stated with a sigh. Then, he finally opened his eyes and focused on the mine¡¯s foreman. The dwarven woman looked just as stout and solid as ever, though her face was covered in dust. ¡°Rough day?¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. ¡°It ain¡¯t so bad, is it?¡± she asked, lifting one of her arms and smelling. ¡°Ugh. Maybe I shoulda taken a shower.¡± ¡°Why are you here, Carissa?¡± ¡°Two reasons,¡± she said. ¡°First, me and my miners been hard at work over the past few weeks. If them dark elvese through, they ain¡¯t gonna have a happy day.¡± ¡°Traps?¡± She nodded. ¡°Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯pared to what Kurik can do, but we don¡¯t need skills to build a proper trap. Sure, they might not stop ¡®em cold, but they¡¯ll damn sure be distractin¡¯. That might make the difference,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe,¡± Ramik agreed, though he didn¡¯t have high hopes. If the dark elves were as high-leveled as he¡¯d been led to believe, a few trenches and stakes weren¡¯t going to do much. ¡°Got ol¡¯ Biggle to help out, too.¡± ¡°Oh? He finally ¨C¡± ¡°Got off his ass?¡± she provided. ¡°He did. Alchemists are a funny bunch. They get their noses in their vials and such, and they don¡¯t see what¡¯s goin¡¯ on in the rest of the world. But I made ¡®im understand just what¡¯ll happen if the dark elvese. They¡¯re not known for takin¡¯ captives, as I understand. Once he understood that, he got onboard pretty quick.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Carissa said. ¡°How long do we think it¡¯ll be before the Trial ends? Elijah ¨C¡± ¡°Too long. We can¡¯t just expect him to solve all of our problems. He¡¯s not even a citizen of Ironshore,¡± Ramik stated. Sure, they had an agreement, but he knew just how easily things could turn. And he also knew the dangers of being weak while depending on the powerful for protection. Sometimes, it worked out, but more often than not, the weak ended up getting exploited. Would Elijah do that? Probably not. He seemed more inclined to simply kill them all than to try to enve them. But Ramik would never im to know the man¡¯s mind, so he couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Then I think you¡¯ll be happy with the other news.¡± ¡°What other news?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the reason I came to talk to you,¡± she said with a pleased grin that stretched across her broad face. She waggled a bushy eyebrow, adding, ¡°Not that I don¡¯t enjoy yourpany, mind. You¡¯re a bit gloomy for my taste, but ¨C¡± ¡°Just spit it out, Carissa.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she said, crossing her arms across her chest. ¡°Miguel was sessful in his mission.¡± ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you lead with that? How many soldiers havee?¡± Ramik demanded. It was too soon for the aid to havee from Argos, so he reasoned that they must¡¯vee from Norcastle. ¡°Well, not as many as we might like,¡± Carissa said. ¡°That¡¯s the other reason I didn¡¯t start with that.¡± Then, sheunched into a tale that chilled Ramik to the bone. She told him how Norcastle had been invaded by the dark elves. As bad as that was, it wasn¡¯t the worst part, though. ¡°They¡¯ve tamed the Voxx?¡± he breathed. ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°Tame might be a bit of an overstatement. The way it was described sounded more like they captured some of ¡®em, then just let ¡®em loose when the time came to make use of ¡®em. But we know they¡¯ve got real Tamer sses in their ranks. Disgusting stuff, that. I ain¡¯t a Druid, but¡­¡± Ramik understood her feelings. Thest thing he would call himself was an environmentalist. He didn¡¯t particrly care about nature, save to make a point not to ruin the environment around him. But even that would take a backseat to his goals. However, the goblin mayor still felt a particr disdain for true Tamers. The ss¡¯s bad reputation was well-earned, because they enforced their will on often sentient creatures, enving beasts, monsters, and guardians alike. That was different from those who created reciprocal bonds with powerful beasts. Those rtionships went both ways, with neither party having an upper hand. With Tamers, the power was one-sided. ¡°Can a Tamer enve a Voxx?¡± Carissa shrugged. ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know. But the refugees from Norcastle brought someone with them that might help,¡± she said. ¡°A Librarian. He only just got his ss, but the kid could help us figure some things out.¡± ¡°But what about fighters?¡± ¡°Maybe a hundred,¡± she said. ¡°Some of ¡®em are already injured, though. Most are gonna take some time to recover, too.¡± ¡°How many could fight right now?¡± ¡°Fifteen, but that number will probably double in a week,¡± she answered. ¡°And how many refugees?¡± ¡°A little over a thousand. Mostly children, but there are a few valuable nonbatants in there, too,¡± she responded. ¡°I know it ain¡¯t the army you wanted, but it¡¯s better than nothin¡¯. And the scouts are still out there, lookin¡¯ for more help. I don¡¯t imagine the dark elves have reached Argos yet.¡± Ramik suppressed a groan. Norcastle had been a city with a poption in the tens of thousands, and only a thousand had survived? The threat posed by the dark elves grew graver with every passing day. Still, having another hundred fighters at his disposal would be a great boon, especially if they were deployed correctly. However, the spread of the enemy posed another problem. ¡°We need to bolster our defenses,¡± he said. ¡°We don¡¯t have a lot of soldiers, but we have plenty of Tradesmen. Let¡¯s use them. I want the wall heightened, with war towers. I¡¯ll dip into the city coffers for the designs.¡± ¡°Is that necessary? They¡¯re going to attack from below, and towers ain¡¯t gonna do much in those tunnels.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not justing from down there,¡± Ramik said. ¡°They¡¯lle from every direction.¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t like dark elves,¡± Carissa stated. None of them had much first-hand experience with the reclusive race, but they¡¯d purchased a couple of guides that gave them a decent impression of the tactics they typically employed in war. And everything they¡¯d read told them that dark elves rarely fought on the surface, preferring to target other subterranean targets or mining towns. But these dark elves seemed different. Perhaps they¡¯d adopted new tactics when they¡¯de to Earth. Or maybe the guides weren¡¯t entirely urate. It was even possible that the differences could be chalked up to individual variance. Regardless, the fact that they¡¯d attacked Norcastle, which didn¡¯t follow their normal pattern of behavior, was enough to tell Ramik that the guides weren¡¯t urate enough topletely trust. ¡°I need to speak to whoever¡¯s in charge of the refugees,¡± Ramik said, climbing to his feet. Carissa nodded and said, ¡°That would be Essex. He¡¯s the closest thing to a leader they¡¯ve got. Seems like a good man with military experience.¡± ¡°Good. We need all of that we can find.¡± And it was true. One of the many problems that hade with Elijah¡¯s ughter of Eason Cabbot and his ck Sun mercenaries was that Ironshore simply didn¡¯t have any fighters suitable formand. There were people like Colt and Gwenivere, but neither were strategic thinkers. Other than them, most of the remainingbatants were too young and inexperienced to shoulder the burden ofmand. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet this human, then,¡± he said. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Book 6: Chapter 65: Talent Book 6: Chapter 65: Talent Sadie erupted into motion, letting out snarl as she mmed her fist into the frost-covered boulder. It cracked beneath the blow, but due to being bathed in dense ethera for months, the rock was durable enough to withstand the unwarranted attack. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s helpful,¡± Elijah said from his position across the cultivation chamber. He¡¯d been pondering the shape of his soul while trying to usher a nt back to health. He didn¡¯t know what it was called, but the nt was a prickly ball of thorns. He could feel the beauty within the nascent buds that he hoped would bloom into beautiful flowers. ¡°This is useless,¡± she groaned, flopping back on her back. ¡°We¡¯ve been at it for days, and I¡¯m no closer to partitioning my mind than I was when we started.¡± Theint was warranted. For Elijah, it hadn¡¯t been that difficult to break his mind into multiple facets. The biggest issue for him was getting enough ethera to fuel his cultivation, so he¡¯d expected Sadie to knock it out in a day or two. But the attempt had proven to be much more difficult that he could have anticipated, with Sadie struggling to even conceptualize the process, much less put it into practice. ¡°You¡¯re holding back,¡± she used. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to surpass you.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°Just wow. First of all, you¡¯re not going to pass me. I¡¯m two stages higher than you right now, and I¡¯ve already got some ideas on how to take the next step. And second, I¡¯m literally trying to help you here. That¡¯s the whole reason I brought you back to the cave. Which I built for you all, by the way. I get nothing out of this.¡± ¡°Except you get to watch me fail over and over again. You probably enjoy that kind of thing,¡± she spat. ¡°It¡¯s the beratement, really. That¡¯s my goal. I just want to hear you insult me over and over again. It¡¯s kind of my thing,¡± he said. ¡°W-what ¨C¡±¡°Jokes, Sadie. It¡¯s a joke. Jesus ¨C you really are worked up,¡± he said. ¡°Can¡¯t you just trust that I¡¯m here to help you? Why won¡¯t you believe that?¡± ¡°Other than the fact that none of your ¡®advice¡¯ has worked?¡± ¡°Did you just air-quote me?¡± ¡°It seems appropriate.¡± He let out another sigh. ¡°Seriously. That¡¯s how it all worked for me,¡± he said. He¡¯d already exined ¨C numerous times ¨C how he¡¯d broken his own Mind into multiple facets and achieved the Quartz stage of his development. Either she hadn¡¯t listened, or she refused to follow his instructions. Or maybe she just didn¡¯t have the talent for it. Elijah knew that cultivation wasn¡¯t a hard science. But with the amount of research people had done into the subject, there were a few epted facts. One of them was that, like most other elements of a person¡¯s development, sess depended at least a little on talent. One could ovee that requirement through work or, as was the case with most people, sheer investment of time, but talent made it easier for some people to cultivate than others. His own experiences supported that notion. Cultivation wasn¡¯t easy for him, but he¡¯d yet to hit any walls. Meanwhile, people like Sadie struggled to move past even the first stage. That did not bode well for her future, considering that each subsequent improvement was even more difficult than thest. Easing that burden was the fact that the way grew easier if one¡¯s cultivationgged behind their level. For instance, levels one to one-twenty-five were generally considered the Mortal Realm of progression, and the first few stages of cultivation coincided with that. So, for a mortal, progressing through those stages was at peak difficulty. Once they reached the ascendent levels, it grew marginally easier. So, most people who attained a significant number of levels would have at least some advancements in cultivation to back them up. What really set elites apart was when, like Elijah, their cultivation kept pace with their levels. Or in some cases, even exceeded it. When he¡¯d learned that bit of information, that had immediately be his goal. Yet, saying that was what he wanted to do and putting it into practice were two different things, and he knew he had a difficult road ahead of him. Sadie¡¯s would probably be even harder to travel. ¡°I know that,¡± she said, her expression softening. ¡°It¡¯s just that being cooped up in here with you is not¡­not conducive to concentration.¡± ¡°Are you asking me to leave?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you that if you stay here for much longer, I¡¯m going to give in to my instincts.¡± ¡°Good instincts or bad instincts?¡± ¡°I think you know the answer to that question,¡± she said with a dangerous glint in her eye. Elijah didn¡¯t think she would actually attack him, but then again, he had no idea how strong Sense of Sin had be. She¡¯d talked a powerful ka¡¯ki into surrendering to execution, so there was no telling what capabilities Sadie might possess. With that in mind, Elijah decided that it was better to be safe than sorry. So, he quickly excused himself, exiting the cave and nting himself far enough away that she couldn¡¯t hope to sense his presence. Then, he sighed, his breath misting as he looked around the area. The terrain was just as frozen as it had been during their first visit, but it was far more popted. It seemed that word had gotten out that the challenge had already been conquered once, and the rest of the Trial-takers had decided to test their mettle upon the frozen fortress. Elijah wished them luck, but there was a bit of resentment there as well. A good bit of his pride was wrapped up in the notion that he and hispanions were special. That they¡¯d aplished things others couldn¡¯t. And while that was still true, the idea that other people might experience ¨C and defeat ¨C the challenge of Pruina was enough to leave a sour taste in his mouth. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Did it matter that they were facing a much weaker version? Not really. Whatever the case, he¡¯d noticed more than a few groups trekking through the area. A couple had even stopped by his camp, though the moment they recognized him, they hurried along. Apparently, he had a bit of a reputation. After a few minutes, Elijah tried to focus on other tasks. Outside of the cultivation cave, he couldn¡¯t really work on his soul. So, that was out. He tried to whittle some, but hecked inspiration. Then, he started working out, but his body had outgrown his attempts. If he wanted to push himself in any meaningful way, he would need specialized equipment. Finally, he thought back to his decision about histest spell evolution. He¡¯d chosen the Wild Infusion option,rgely because it offered the most bnced benefits. The other two would push him in one direction or the other, which wasn¡¯t what he wanted. He used Shape of Venom and the Shape of the Guardian equally, depending on the situation, and as far as he was concerned, their governing attributes carried the same import. Still, upon ncing at the new spell description, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder just how powerful the other versions might have been:
Wild Infusion Harness the power of nature, increasing all physical attributes by sixty-five points. Also increases resistances by a small amount determined by Core cultivation.
It was an incredible increase in his attributes, though if he thought about it, the amount shouldn¡¯t have been that surprising. When he¡¯d first gotten ess to his essence line of spells, the resulting buffs had nearly double his attributes. The new version didn¡¯t quite go that far, but in order to avoid bing useless, Wild Infusion needed to offer a significant increase to his attributes. Bolstering his resistances was just icing on the cake, and he hoped that the new spell would help him ovee the remainder of the Trial. For now, though, he was incredibly bored, and his mind wandered across a hundred different subjects. It was just when he was contemting trying to build a chair that he sensed someoneing. Or many someones, as it turned out. More, he recognized the neers. So, when Oscar and his pack of furry friends appeared out of the forest, he was not surprised. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked with a grin as the two biggest dogs bounded toward him. He¡¯d seen them ripping apart Immortals with ease, so he knew just how terrifying they could be. But to him, they just felt like balls of friendly fluff. And there was just something cathartic about petting a dog. It made everything better. ¡°I thought it was you.¡± ¡°Hungry?¡± he asked. He¡¯d saved quite a lot of the wild pig-beast he¡¯d killed only a week or so before, and it had remained well-preserved in his pack. ¡°I¡¯m not much of a cook, but I can make it taste decent at least.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Oscar said, dropping to his haunches. ¡°But the dogs will take it raw.¡± The chihuahua yapped at him, and one of the big ones whined. ¡°No. Spices are bad for you. You don¡¯t want a repeat of the chocte situation, do you?¡± he chided. That shut them up, though the big one ¨C it looked like a rottweiler, but mixed with abrador ¨C dropped dramatically to the ground. The huff he let out sounded so pitiful that Elijah almost found himself trying to convince Oscar that it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. ¡°Are you going to attempt the challenge?¡± Elijah asked, already pulling meat out of his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. There was around forty pounds of the stuff left, but he worried that wouldn¡¯t be enough. Something told him that the dogs would eat far more than they would have before Earth¡¯s transformation. Oscar nodded. ¡°It is good training,¡± he said. Then, he looked at the dogs. ¡°They need it.¡± The chihuahua barked. ¡°Yes, you. We¡¯ve talked about this.¡± ¡°Can you understand them?¡± Elijah asked, retrieving a spit from his satchel. He¡¯d gotten it from one of the crafters in Atticus¡¯ consortium. It wasn¡¯t artificed, but it was enchanted. That made it slightly better than normal. ¡°Mostly,¡± Oscar admitted. ¡°No words, though. Just feelings. Where is your team?¡± ¡°Sadie¡¯s back there,¡± Elijah answered, hiking his thumb of his shoulder to indicate the opening that led to the cave. It was barely visible even though he knew it was there. ¡°The rest of them are headed to the Ethereum challenge.¡± ¡°Did you split up?¡± ¡°No,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Sadie and I just needed to get away for a little while.¡± ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t know you were together.¡± ¡°I just told you she¡¯s right back there. I don¡¯t¡­oh,¡± Elijah said, feeling his cheeks flush. ¡°No. It¡¯s not like that. She hates me. We built a cultivation cave here, and she¡¯s trying to take advantage of it right now.¡± At that, two of the dogs perked up. The little shih tzu and the chihuahua sprang to their feet, barking their high-pitched barks. ¡°A cultivation cave,¡± Oscar mused. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re thinking that it¡¯s a cave with extremely high ethera density that¡¯s perfect for advancing your cultivation, then yes,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Jojo and Escobar would like to take advantage of it,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re both close to advancing to the third stage of their specialization. Jojo focuses on Body, while Escobar¡¯s specialty is his core. The others would like to as well, so long as there is enough ethera to go around.¡± Elijah asked, ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°My packes first,¡± Oscar answered. ¡°I can get behind that,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But sure. So long as they don¡¯t bother Sadie, it should be fine. I built the cave so that it could amodate my whole group, so it shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he said with an earnest nod. Then, he turned to the dogs and said, ¡°Eat first. No, that¡¯s not negotiable.¡± After that, they fell into apanionable silence as the dogs ate a few hunks of raw meat he tossed in their direction. Unlike most dogs ¨C at least in Elijah¡¯s experience ¨C they didn¡¯t all wolf down their meals. The two smallest dogs ¨C Jojo and Escobar ¨C picked at their meals daintily, while the big rottweiler-mixes attacked their meals with gusto. The others were all somewhere in between. Once Escobar and Jojo had finished their meals, Oscar gave them permission to go into the cave. They shot off ¨C Jojo going almost too fast for Elijah to track ¨C eagerly entering the cave and beginning their cultivation. Meanwhile, Elijah asked, ¡°So, how did all of thise about? I think you¡¯re the only other person I¡¯ve seen bonded to animals.¡± ¡°There was another?¡± ¡°Yeah. Me,¡± he said before exining what had happened with the mist panther back on his ind. ¡°I think about him a lot.¡± ¡°There were cats in the shelter where I used to work, but when¡­everything changed, they all went their own ways,¡± Oscar exined. ¡°Some of the dogs did, too. But my pack, they stuck close, and we learned to work together. Now, we¡¯re inseparable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not surprising. Dogs and humans, we¡¯re social animals. We need one another,¡± Elijah said. He could survive on his own, but his experiences had told him that if he wanted to thrive, he needed at least some social interaction. ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°Originally, Miami. Now¡­a little bit of everywhere.¡± Then, he went on to exin how he¡¯d be something of a wanderer, spending most of his time in the wilderness. ¡°Coming here reminds me why I¡¯ve avoided civilization. It¡¯s dirty and unpredictable. The forest is easier.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t really argue with that,¡± Elijah said. ¡°But if you ever need somewhere to rest, I want to reiterate that you¡¯re wee in my grove. I¡¯ll have Nerthus grow you a house and everything.¡± Oscar only nodded, and Elijah couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the man was thinking. Was he hesitant to make ns for the future because he didn¡¯t know how the Trial was going to work out? Or was it because he had no idea how to reach the grove? Maybe a little of both. But Elijah suspected that Oscar¡¯s issues went a lot deeper than that. He didn¡¯t know what the man had experienced before or after the world¡¯s transformation, but there was trauma there, he was certain. However, he didn¡¯t know how to help the man, save to offer his friendship. Maybe that would end up being enough. Book 6: Chapter 66: As It Seems Book 6: Chapter 66: As It Seems It should have bothered him more. As Miguel looked at the shimmering wall of ethera, he reached out and touched it. The surface was permeable, but not so diffuse that it wouldn¡¯t take significant effort to bypass. However, what should have rmed him was that on the other side of that translucent barrier, time looked like it was standing still. At first, he hadn¡¯t really noticed it, but after a while of staring at the forest, he saw a bird hanging in the air, its posture making it clear that it was in mid-flight. After that, he saw dozens of other signs. A squirrel sitting on a tree branch, eternally gnawing on an acorn. The forest itself, frozen in ce, without even the slightest breeze to rustle the trees¡¯ leaves. It all added up to something truly distressing. And yet, he wasn¡¯t rmed. That frightened him more than anything else, because it represented the notion that his mind was not wholly his own. ¡°I knew you¡¯d find it eventually, hmm.¡± Miguel nced back at the old woman who¡¯d suddenly appeared behind him. As the days had worn on, and he¡¯d recovered, her inhumanness became that much more apparent. She was only a littlerger than a dwarf, and she shared their slightly tapered ears. However, that was where the simrities ended. Instead of the overly broad shoulders of a dwarf, she possessed a human-like stature. But most of his attention fell upon the old woman¡¯s skin. Back in the cottage, he¡¯d not noticed it, but the texture was reminiscent of bark, with tiny green tendrils glowing from within her deep wrinkles. More importantly, to his more ethereal senses, she felt simr to the trees all around. Not as much as Nerthus, but enough that Miguel had to wonder what she was.¡°Are you a spryggent?¡± Her eyes widened slightly, but then she let out a deep guffaw. Bending double, she pped her knee as her body shook withughter. Miguel ground his teeth in frustration, but he endured her amusement silently. Finally, she recovered enough to say, ¡°I apologize, hmm. I forget how little of the multi-verse you know. Your ignorance is not your fault. To answer your question, no ¨C I am not a spryggent.¡± ¡°Then what are you?¡± he asked. Miguel hadn¡¯t even been treated to the woman¡¯s name, though until that moment, he¡¯d not thought anything of it. It was as if being in her presence made him forget otherwise important things. ¡°Are you messing with my mind?¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± she answered. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t, you would have already gone mad.¡± ¡°Wha-¡± Sheughed again, though this time, it was slightly more subdued. ¡°So gullible, hmm. I altered your perception so you wouldn¡¯t discover the time bubble sooner. Couldn¡¯t let you panic and leave before you were ready.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m ready now?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why have you ¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m not all powerful, boy. You have a keen mind, and it takes a lot of energy to keep it corralled. But now we need to have a conversation,¡± she said. Suddenly, her tone became much more serious. ¡°You are unprepared for what awaits you.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Your life. You are family to the most powerful man on Earth. A dragon who will one day be relevant on a multi-versal scale. Worse, if you were to die out here in the woods, it would send him down a very dark road,¡± she stated. ¡°I was sent here to help avoid that fate.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to help in Ironshore?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But you said ¨C¡± ¡°There are rules associated with a newly touched world,¡± she said. ¡°One of those is that someone like me or Birk cannot participate in conflicts. The most I can offer is training. Not that it would matter. In this form, I can barely channel ethera at all.¡± ¡°But Birk killed that dark elf.¡± ¡°Killing one little elf doesn¡¯t constitute participation. Not in the eyes of the system, at least,¡± she reponded. ¡°Are you a dragon?¡± She smiled. ¡°No. Drake, actually. Think of me as a lesser dragon.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± Miguel asked. ¡°Draconic society is aplex thing. There are dragons and drakes, serpentors and wyrms. There are also more humanoid beings from worlds within the Empire of Scale. Comparatively, dragons are incredibly rare. Drakes like me less so. Serpentors form the core of dragonic society, though they take many different forms depending on their world of origin.¡± ¡°And wyrms?¡± ¡°Pitiful creatures who rejected the path of dragons in favor of a more savage existence.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference? I mean ¨C¡± ¡°We are not here to speak on such things,¡± she stated. ¡°We are here to train you to confront the dangerous circumstances in which you find yourself.¡± ¡°What kind of training?¡± Miguel asked. ¡°The sort that takes more time than we have,¡± she answered. ¡°Thus, the chrono-bubble. I made it myself, hmm.¡± ¡°Are you a time mage, then?¡± he asked. ¡°Bah ¨C so many questions!¡± she replied with a wave of her gnarled hand. ¡°No. I¡¯m no mage. I only dabble a bit in crafting. Most Druids do.¡± This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°You¡¯re a ¨C¡± ¡°Of course I am, boy. Don¡¯t you trust your senses?¡± ¡°I¡­I thought I felt something, but¡­¡± ¡°That is your problem, hmm. You have so much power at your fingertips. So much potential. Yet, you do not know how to use it. That¡¯s where Birkes in. His ss is simr to yours, though even he would say that you could be so much more. He is a simple Grove Guardian. Strong. Loyal. And fiercely protective of our grove, but he is no Green Warden.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s rare?¡± ¡°Only one per grove, and that¡¯s only if a suitable candidate can be found. Few groves are so lucky. Very, very few. You are not unique, young Miguel, but you are certainly rare. I say this to emphasize just how much you¡¯ve been screwing it all up.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯ve been training as ¨C¡± ¡°You have created a solid foundation, but you are far behind where you should be. Children in the Empire of Scale are trained from a very young age so that no potential is wasted,¡± she said. ¡°You are years behind. That is why I am here.¡± Miguel narrowed his eyes. ¡°Wait. What about dragons? My uncle told me about a young dragon who ¨C¡± ¡°True dragons are different. You are not one of them, hmm. Don¡¯t go looking at one of them and thinking that you should approach life the same way,¡± she said. ¡°Now, do you ept my help? Or will you insist upon continuing your quest before you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°No more than six months,¡± she said. ¡°In that time, less than a day will pass out there. When you emerge, you will be far better suited toplete your task. However, I caution you that it will be quite difficult. You¡¯ve already experienced some of Birk¡¯s methods, but know that he¡¯s been taking it easy on you. If you ept this offer, he will train you as he was trained. The moment you ck off orin, we will be done. Do you understand well enough to make a decision?¡± Miguel¡¯s mind whirled. He knew he was looking at an unprecedented opportunity. As he¡¯d discovered while fleeing through the forest, he wasn¡¯t powerful enough to fight the dark elves. Sure, he¡¯d been outnumbered, which contributed to his defeat. However, the reality of it was that they were almost all stronger than him. The only reason he¡¯d survived was via tactical thinking and, more importantly, his partnership with Trevor. With the stag on his side, he could move so much more quickly than the dark elves. And Miguel wasn¡¯t so na?ve that he thought he would have made it even a few miles without hispanion¡¯s help. He needed to get stronger. So did Trevor. Otherwise, they¡¯d never live through what wasing. ¡°You can make me stronger, right?¡± he asked. She nodded. ¡°No levels. No cultivation. That¡¯s the problem with time magic like this,¡± she said. ¡°But we can work on your technique. We can help you gain a few attribute points, too. In six months, we can turn you into an entirely new person.¡± That wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d hoped for. After all, if he could gain even a handful of levels in what amounted to a day outside the time bubble, he would stand a much better chance of survival. Advancement with his cultivation would be even more impactful. Yet, with the situation being what it was, Miguel couldn¡¯t even consider refusal. The consequences of failing his mission were too dire. Too many people depended on him to get to Argos and find help. It was just a shame that neither Birk nor the old woman could directly assist. But providing training was the next best thing. And besides, Miguel had always enjoyed that kind of thing. So, he said, ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± The woman grinned, the expression carrying with it a host of meaning. ¡°Good, good. Now, let¡¯s get you started.¡± After that, Birk appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Miguel hadn¡¯t sensed him at all. The big man ¨C or whatever he was ¨C simply said, ¡°Sprint back to the cabin. If you do not run as fast as you can, you will regret it.¡± Miguel hesitated for only a second, which earned him a punch to the back of his head. He fell on his face, his world spinning for a moment before a wave of ethera fell upon him. He recovered in a second, but judging by Birk¡¯s stance, he couldn¡¯t afford to tarry. So, he immediately scrambled to his feet and took off at a dead sprint. He leaped over fallen logs and shallow ravines, pushing himself to his limits. That was a rarity. Normally, he paced himself, conserving energy so he could run for a longer duration. His lungs burned, and after a quarter of a mile, his legs had turned to jelly. However, he covered that distance in under forty seconds, which meant that he did so faster than anyone in recorded history. At least before the World Tree touched Earth. Still, he struggled to push himself harder. To go faster. Because if he didn¡¯t force himself to his limits, then the training would be rendered useless. As Colt was fond of saying, he was free to ck off, but if he did, it only hurt himself. Miguel had taken that to heart, and so, he pushed through the burning in his lungs, reaching an entirely new pace that took him back to the cottage even more quickly than before. To his shock, Birk was already there waiting on him. ¡°eptable level of effort,¡± the huge man said, tossing him a hunk of wood shaped like a de. Unlike his sword, it was clearly not meant to be a real weapon. ¡°Defend yourself.¡± Then, Birk threw himself forward. Miguel tried to react, but before he could even move, the practice sword hit him in the neck. He copsed, but a wave of healing brought him back to normal in only a second. ¡°Too slow. Again.¡± The second time, Miguel managed a twitch before he was sent back to the ground. On the third iteration, he raised his fake de to block, but it was quickly knocked aside. An instantter, he was back on the ground, his chest feeling as if he had a boulder lying atop it. He hadn¡¯t even seen his trainer¡¯s footsh out, but he¡¯d certainly felt the impact. Birk healed his broken sternum, and their ¡°training¡± session continued. Over and over, Miguel was beaten to a pulp. Each time, he was healed, but by the end of the first hour, he¡¯d begun to regret his choice to endure the training. The second hour had him cursing Birk in his mind. And the third ignited his fury. But he did improve, if only slightly. More and more often, he managed to get his de up, but it was useless against Birk¡¯s superior strength and speed. Never did he even get the chance to counterattack, the session was so lopsided. Finally, after four hours, Birk ordered him to sprint around the edge of the bubble six times. Thankfully, Trevor joined him, though by the thirdp, the stag was just as ragged as Miguel. They both continued, pushing themselves well past the point where they should have copsed. At one point, Miguel considered simply slipping through the bubble and leaving the sadistic giant behind. Yet, he refused. Partially, that was because he didn¡¯t want to give Birk the satisfaction of giving up. Mostly, it was that. But in addition to sheer stubbornness was the surety that it would work. He wouldn¡¯t enjoy getting stronger. Not this time. But if it gave him the tools to aplish his mission and, in turn, help to save Ironshore, then he was more than willing to suffer. So, he continued on. Periodically, he received a jolt of healing that refreshed him ¨C if only slightly ¨C but for the most part, he and Trevor were on their own. Finally, theypleted their run and returned to the cottage. By that point, the sun had begun to set, so Miguel hoped that he would get a slight break. However, Birk shoved a bowl of soup into his hand, saying, ¡°Eat. You have five minutes. Then, training continues.¡± Miguel knew better than to argue. He dug in, and the hearty soup sent continuous jolts of vitality through his body. It wasn¡¯t enough to fully recover, but he knew it would allow him to keep going for hours yet. Trevor got a simr treatment, though his meal consisted of a basket full of vegetables and mushrooms. The moment they were finished, Birk subjected them both to another round of ¡°training¡±. And the results were simr. So it went for the next week. During that time, Miguel didn¡¯t sleep a wink, and if it wasn¡¯t for the day-night cycle, he would have lost track of time entirely. He lost count of how manyps he¡¯d run. He couldn¡¯t remember how many times he¡¯d been beaten by Birk. Though there were plenty of times when, instead of running, he was forced to lift progressively heavy rocks. Those were worse. Finally, at the end of that first week, Birk announced. ¡°eptable. Tomorrow, real training begins. Sleep now.¡± Miguel immediately copsed, snuggling close to Trevor and falling asleep. Book 6: Chapter 67: Justice Book 6: Chapter 67: Justice Elijah¡¯s advice was useless. He went on and on about facets and partitions, as if any of that made sense to Sadie. He might as well have gone on another of his soliloquies on nature, for all the good it did. Normally, she could appreciate that side of him ¨C even through the disgusting cloud of sin he usually wore ¨C but since she¡¯d taken her specialization, his presence had be unbearable. And yet, he was the only person who could help her. He was the only person who¡¯d offered. In the wake of what she¡¯d done to that assassin, even her closest friend had looked upon her with undisguised horror. She understood it, too. She felt it as well. If she could take it all back¡­ No. She still wouldn¡¯t. Regardless of the consequences to her personal rtionships, Sadie was absolutely rigid in her belief that she¡¯d done the right thing. People like that ka¡¯ki assassin needed to be held ountable. Otherwise, sin would run rampant. And worse, chaos would reign. Sadie didn¡¯t want to see herself as an arbiter of morality. If asked, she would say that she had no interest in judging others. Yet, that was the path she had chosen ¨C if not consciously, then through her actions. In the beginning, she¡¯d only wanted to defend her city from the undead threat, but the events with the Immortals had opened her eyes to just how unjust the world could be if it was left unchecked. She knew she could never stand back and allow the powerful to oppress the weak. But was that enough? If she had the strength to change things, to hold such people ountable, didn¡¯t she have a responsibility to seek them out and do just that? It needed to be done, and if not her, then who would shoulder such a burden? Who else could? Elijah was strong enough, but he seemed, at best, disinterested. Certainly, he would react if such injustices were brought to his attention ¨C and it was convenient to act ¨C but he would never be the sort to actively work toward a more egalitarian world. In fact, he was much more likely to go the other direction, so long as it suited his needs.Dat had the right moralpass, but he possessed the wrong demeanor. He was a follower, and what¡¯s more, he simply wasn¡¯t strong enough to do what needed to be done. Not in terms of raw power or in the strength of his convictions. In short, he was too soft-hearted to make the hard decisions. The other powerful people she had met had simr issues. Disinterest. Unsuitability. Untrustworthiness. None of them could do what she could. She sighed, her breath misting in the frigid cold of the cultivation cave. None of that mattered if she couldn¡¯t learn to control her own mind. Isted as she was, it was easy to forget just how powerful Sense of Sin had be. But after what she¡¯d experienced since choosing her specialization, she knew well enough that she couldn¡¯t keep going the way she¡¯d been. Something had to change, and if it wasn¡¯t the cultivation of her Mind, then it would have to be something else. It was while she was pondering those things that she realized that she was going about things all wrong. With the ambient ethera so dense that it almost felt like she was beginning to suffocate, Sadie realized that she was following the wrong path. Elijah¡¯s method worked for him because of who he was. By contrast, it couldn¡¯t work for her because they were very different people. Cultivation was not one-size-fits-all. The first step was mostly the same for everyone, but after that, one had to take into ount their personality, goals, ss, and a thousand other factors that could influence their path. In that respect, Elijah had an advantage. He knew what he wanted, and he knew what he would do to get it. That wasn¡¯t to say that he was always certain of himself, but he seemed to instinctively know his own path. Sadie didn¡¯t have that going for her. Nor would she want it. Instead, she needed to choose every step, and as carefully as she could manage. It was much slower, but it gave her control over her destination. And that was the most important factor, because she knew how quickly things could spiral out of control. With that in mind, she focused on what she wanted, on who she needed to be. Her ss and Angelic Core pushed her toward bing an arbiter of justice, and while a part of her resented being led around by the nose by Gabriel, she couldn¡¯t deny that such a role fit her. She might not be what he expected her to be, but she could get behind the notion of protecting the weak and innocent from the powerful and amoral. But what was justice? Was it simply obeyingws? Or some moral strictures epted by society? Or was it something more ephemeral? The first was bnce. Any arbiter of justice sought to create harmony between all parties, ensuring decisions maintained equilibrium within society. Imbnces had to be corrected to prevent greater discord. Next was truth. Uncovering and acknowledging undeniable truth was a cornerstone of justice. Facts held weight, and as an arbiter, she would focus on verifiable and objective truths. Without them, the world would sink into a mire of misinformation, where right could be wrong, and, more disturbingly, the reverse could also happen. The third element was intent, one of the most nuanced. A crime of passion differed from premeditation, and the key distinctiony in intent. Someone who knowingly and willingly harmed society was far more dangerous than someone who acted impulsively. Both were threats, but the former was far more severe. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Then came mercypassion, empathy. To truly serve justice, Sadie knew she would have to consider context. Some crimes were unforgivable, no matter the circumstances, yet even then, mercy had its ce. For lesser crimes, too, understanding andpassion were what set true justice apart. Alongside mercy was proportionality. "The punishment must fit the crime," she muttered, shivering in the cold she¡¯d been ignoring. The sixth element was restoration. Justice wasn¡¯t just about punishment; it was about making amends. Whether it was restoring stolen property, mending rtionships, or healing the damage caused, restoration was integral to justice. Honor followed. Sadie knew that holding herself to a higher standard of conduct was crucial. Though she had always lived by her own code, she had never formalized it. Now, she intended to create a personal code, much like the knights¡¯ chivalry or the samurai¡¯s bushido. But her code would extend beyond her own conduct¡ªit would epass how she treated both victims and offenders. Everyone deserved dignity and respect. Without it, she would be no better than the very people she sought to oppose. The penultimate element was knowledge. She could never stop learning. Although she didn¡¯t n to be awyer, searching for loopholes, she recognized that ignorance could derail her efforts. To pursue justice, she would need deep understanding. Finally, Sadie considered legacy. Justice wasn¡¯t just about the present; it was about the future. Her decisions would ripple outward, affecting the broader fabric of Earth¡¯s future¡ªperhaps even beyond. The fate of the world might one day rest on her judgment. And she refused to fail. Even as the multi-faceted concept of justice coalesced in her mind, the ethera within her surged. It raced through her Soul and into her Mind. At the same time, the vortex she¡¯d formed upon reaching the Opal stage of Mind cultivation whirled faster than ever before. Ethera rushed into her, flooding her Mind and pushing the limits of her Core. All the while, she kept the nine facets of justice firm in her thoughts, and to her immense surprise, crystalline structures began to form around them. Sadie had no idea how it all worked together, but she knew that each crystal represented a piece of that concept. Even as Sadie felt her Mind take shape, she also felt her purpose solidify. Perhaps her concept of justice wasn¡¯t all-epassing, but it was a good start. There was something else hovering over everything. A throughline connecting it all together, and one she couldn¡¯t ignore. Sacrifice. If she was going to walk her path, it would be a thankless road. People would fear her. Certainly, the powerful would oppose her efforts. She would make plenty of enemies, and most people would only see her as the person telling them what they can and cannot do. It would not make her popr. At best, she would be respected, but she would always be aloof. Apart from everyone else. Alone. The process came to a screeching halt. Was that what she wanted? No. Of course not. Who would? But on the heels of that admission came the certainty that it was absolutely necessary. It wasn¡¯t meant to be enjoyed. It was meant to be endured. The greater good demanded as much. Her progression to the next step of Mind cultivation teetered on the edge ofpletion, but it refused to budge further. She was missing something. Then, Sadie spoke: ¡°I will be an avatar of justice, an arbiter of integrity. I will maintain the bnce, revere the truth, and pay heed to intent. I will be merciful, meting out justice with regard to proportionality. When punishment is necessary, it will be appropriate and focused on restoring what was lost. Or removing what cannot be allowed to exist. I will hold myself to the highest standards of honor, setting an example above reproach. I will endeavor to learn, so that ignorance may never be an excuse for injustice. And I will forever take future generations into ount, so that my legacy does not put an undue burden upon their shoulders. This is my vow. This is my path.¡± She took a breath. ¡°This is who I am.¡± Finally, the process solidified, and she received a notification:
Congrattions! Your Mind has reached the Quartz Stage.
The first thing she noticed was one of the benefits that Elijah had described. With only a little effort, she managed to shove the effects granted by Sense of Sin into one of the facets. It was only after it settled into ce that she realized that it was the one associated with Truth. Was that intentional? Or just chance? It would bear consideration going forward. However, one thing Sadie knew for certain was that it felt like taking a weight from her shoulders. Springing to her feet, she immediately set out to confirm that it had worked. Excitement built as she exited the cave, but to her disappointment, Elijah was nowhere to be found. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± came his familiar voice from behind. She whipped around, demanding, ¡°Where did youe from?¡± ¡°I was practicing with Guise of the Unseen. Fun fact ¨C I don¡¯t think spells and abilities are fixed. I think they¡¯re more like a range of effect. Like¡­wait, why are you smiling?¡± ¡°It worked,¡± she said. Vaguely, she could still see the cloud of sin clinging to Elijah, but it was so diffuse that she had to focus to see it. ¡°It worked!¡± Without hesitation, she lurched forward and threw her arms around him. It was only when she realized just how awkward the situation was that she pulled away. She could feel her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sadie said, her eyes downcast. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that. I was just¡­you have no idea how relieved I am.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Elijah said. ¡°You give a good hug. So, tell me how it went. Did my advice work?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± she admitted excitedly. ¡°But I figured some things out. About myself and about my future. I think that¡¯s the only way it would have worked.¡± ¡°Huh. Weird,¡± Elijah said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t at all how it happened for me. Either way, I¡¯m d you were sessful. Now, I don¡¯t have to worry about you shanking me in the middle of the night.¡± ¡°What? I would never!¡± ¡°I mean, did you see the way you were looking at me before?¡± he asked. ¡°I mean, obviously not. But I¡¯ve had people who tried to murder me look at me with more kindness. So, I think a midnight shanking was a distinct possibility.¡± ¡°Oh, that wasn¡¯t what I was talking about. If I was going to execute you, it wouldn¡¯t be in the middle of the night. You would definitely see meing.¡± ¡°Uh¡­that doesn¡¯t make me feel better.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to.¡± Elijah rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I thought we¡¯d made progress, but ¨C¡± That¡¯s when Sadie broke into a wide grin, followed by a manic chuckle. ¡°Wait¡­was that a joke? You don¡¯t joke.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had other things on my mind,¡± she said, still smiling broadly. ¡°Touche, I guess. So, you need to rest or something? Or should we go ahead and go? You missed Oscar by the way. Or maybe you saw the dogs. I don¡¯t know. But I should point out that the chihuahua managed to cultivate faster than you. He was in and out in like a day. Anyway, they¡¯re going to stop by on their way out of the challenge, so if you want to see them, we can stick around for another day or so.¡± ¡°No. Let¡¯s go. The others are counting on us.¡± Elijah nodded and said, ¡°I hope this flight is a little more pleasant than thest one.¡± Book 6: Chapter 68: The Footfalls of Giants Book 6: Chapter 68: The Footfalls of Giants Kurik mmed the de of his hatchet into the wraith¡¯s skull, and the thing¡¯s head exploded from the impact. He paid it no mind. Instead, he moved on to the next creature that had been subjected to one of his traps, dispatching it in the same manner. Then, he found the next. And the next after that. Over and over, he ughtered the helpless things like the pests they were. Before he¡¯de to the Trial of Primacy, he might¡¯ve felt sorry for such pitiful creatures. In the intervening months, he¡¯d killed so many of them that he¡¯d grown inured to such emotions. Mostly. At times, all the killing still left him feeling nauseous. Despite his ss ¨C and the expectations that came with it ¨C Kurik just wasn¡¯t built for the ughter. He had no issues trapping and killing game. That felt different. Nor did he have problems with defending himself, either. But wholesale butchery ¨C like what he¡¯d done in the City of Toh ¨C was something else entirely. ¡°Is it so wrong that I just want a cabin in the woods, a good dwarven woman with a silky beard to keep mepany, and a job that don¡¯t include killin¡¯ hundreds of these sorry creatures each day?¡± he groused. He answered himself, ¡°Course it is. That damn Druid is to me. He dragged me here, and now I¡¯m stuck as a butcher.¡± His axe fell again, and another head exploded. ¡°Bro. You don¡¯t have to hit them so hard. They¡¯re already trapped,¡± Dat said in his annoyingly affable way. Just once, Kurik wished the man would get drunk on bad beer and get in a fight. But no. He couldn¡¯t even do that. He got drunk and made friends. As if that was something a proper dwarf would do! ¡°I know that!¡± Kurik growled, hitting the next one even harder. The results were the same, save that he got a bit more brain and skull on his good trousers. Why had he worn them, anyway? Oh ¨C right. It was because all his others had been destroyed. Nobody even offered to reimburse him for the loss, either. Finally, he killed thest wraith, then gazed out over thetest version of his killin¡¯ field. He¡¯d used less traps, but he¡¯d gotten better results than ever, killing hundreds of wraiths. His skills were growing, and soon, he¡¯d need to address a decision looming in his near future. By all rights, he should¡¯ve already made it. It wasn¡¯t as if the choices were going to change. But with level one hundred fast approaching, he¡¯d still not made a choice as to his specialization. Unlike hispanions, he didn¡¯t have some weird, rarely seen ss. He was a Sapper, and as such, he knew what choices he would be offered. He¡¯d memorized them the moment he took the ss. Tinkerer, Siegesmith, and Combat Engineer. The long and short of it was that the Tinkerer specialization would enhance his temporary trapping skills. Usually, someone who took that option would focus on creating traps and weapons on the fly, steering into the versatility of the specialization so they were better in personalbat. It was a great option, especially considering his current needs, but Kurik didn¡¯t like what that meant for his future. After all, he¡¯d onlye to the Trial of Primacy because it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. In the beginning, he¡¯d thought he would simply follow Elijah around and soak up excess experience. That hadn¡¯t been the case, and he¡¯d been pushed much harder than he could have ever imagined possible. But that wasn¡¯t necessarily the life he wanted to live. However, there was a distinct possibility that it was the best chance he had of ever making it through the Trial. So, it bore consideration. Next came the Siegesmith specialization, which was the preferred route for those Sappers who wanted to make powerful weapons meant to knock down walls and sunder defenses. Considering that he didn¡¯t intend on engaging in a war of conquest, Kurik didn¡¯t think that was the best option. Though if his time on Earth had taught him anything, it was that his intentions rarely affected the sorts of trouble he found himself in. So, Siegesmith could very well be a powerful addition to his already potent arsenal. Finally, there was the Combat Engineer specialization, which focused on building permanent traps and other fortifications meant for defense. Often, Combat Engineers worked closely with Architects, Builders, and Ethereal Engineers to create truly terrifying bastions of defense. That certainly appealed to Kurik. The notion of hunkering down and building his defenses was every proper dwarf¡¯s dream. The only thing that would make it better was if it all took ce in a mountain fortress. The degree to which each of those specializations would affect his ss varied based on one¡¯s Legacy, but Kurik expected that he had enough Feats of Strength to get a decent result. If his younger self ¨C even from five years before ¨C could have seen how far he¡¯d already climbed, he would have been aghast at his progress. Yet, there was a cost for everything, and Kurik worried that his sanity might be the price he was forced to pay. Never was that clearer than when he gazed across the ghastly killin¡¯ field and saw hundreds ¨C if not close to a thousand ¨C mutted bodies. They all belonged to wraiths, but even those pitiful creatures deserved better than that fate. He let out a sigh that sounded more like a grunt. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. ¡°What¡¯s up, bro?¡± ¡°Nothin¡¯.¡± ¡°Something is wrong,¡± Ron said, wiping his own hands on his shirt. How he¡¯d gotten them bloody was a mystery. He¡¯d been in the back the whole time. Never in danger. And yet, he¡¯d managed to get his hands dirty. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk ¡®bout it, alrigh¡¯?¡± Kurik growled. When both men continued to stare at him, he let out a dramatic groan. ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t like killin¡¯ like this. It ain¡¯t natural or normal.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing normal about this ce, bro.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m notfortable with it, either,¡± said Ron, running his freshly cleaned hand through his short hair. At least he had a proper beard. ¡°I set out to heal people. Even before all this, I was a surgeon. I saved lives. But this¡­I don¡¯t know. It feels more like extermination, doesn¡¯t it? These things are just pests.¡± ¡°They ain¡¯t.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pests. They¡¯re more¡¯n that. I feel it in my bones,¡± Kurik said. And it was true. He didn¡¯t know why he felt the way he did, but he was certain that there was more to the wraiths than they¡¯d yet discovered. He wouldn¡¯t go so far as to put them on par with sapient races, but they were intelligent enough to feel fear. To react to pain. To feel glee, albeit only when they were ripping their prey apart. Kurik had seen all of that and more from the wraiths throughout his time in the Trial. ¡°I hope not,¡± Dat said with a shake of his head. Kurik understood that. If the things really were more than the rabid beasts they seemed to be, then their group had a lot to answer for. Maybe Sadie woulde back and absolve them of their sins. That thought sent a shiver up his spine, and there was a part of him that wished Elijah would simply remove the problem. And the other part ¨C a bigger one, he hoped ¨C hated that he¡¯d ever had that thought. Still, what she¡¯d done was terrifying on so many levels, bringing to mind the legends he¡¯d heard as a child. In those stories, dragons and angels were mere myths. Sure, he knew they¡¯d existed at some point, but not for people like him. Now, he was looking at that sort of power first-hand. Every eye was focused on Sadie and Elijah, but Kurik knew there was another angel in their midst. If Sadie could force a powerful, millennia-old assassin to surrender to execution, what could Dat do? It was difficult to see the man as a danger to anyone but their enemies, but Kurik knew as well as anyone just how silly that notion was. He¡¯d watched Dat kill a powerful fallen Druid in a single blow. Even Elijah couldn¡¯t have done that. No ¨C Kurik found himself in thepany of giants, and all he could think of was how to avoid being stepped on. In the meantime, with all of his traps spent, they needed to move on as quickly as possible before they attracted attention they couldn¡¯t handle. ¡°Ain¡¯t got time for maudlin chit-chat,¡± he said. ¡°We need to move.¡± The other two agreed, and they set off for the rendezvous point they¡¯d established before splitting up. Hopefully, they wouldn¡¯t have to wait there long before Elijah and Sadie arrived, though Kurik expected that would not be the case. One couldn¡¯t simply decide to advance to the next cultivation phase. It took hard work, dedication, study, and preparation. And even then, it wasn¡¯t a sure bet. But then again, those two weren¡¯t normal people. It was easy to forget that. Sure, they might¡¯ve been normal before everything changed about their world. Kurik didn¡¯t know one way or another. But their sess couldn¡¯t just be chalked up to an ability to adapt. Everyone in the Trial had that going for them. Instead, Sadie and Elijah were a cut above the rest. Apart from their elder cores, it wasn¡¯t clear what set them apart. But it didn¡¯t really matter, either. Not in a practical sense. Instead, the only thing that Kurik needed to know was that they were both on a trajectory that would take them much further than Earth. So, he had two choices ¨Ctch on and hope to get whatever scraps they left behind or get out of their way. So far, he¡¯d taken the former route, but eventually, he knew he¡¯d have to resort to thetter. He wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up. He just wasn¡¯t talented enough. Oddly enough, if he¡¯d have stayed on his home world, he would have already garnered plenty of attention and been marked as one with potential. Some organization or guild would have snatched him up and showered him with resources in the hopes of developing him into a potent weapon of war. But among people like Elijah and Sadie, he was just a tag-along. With that in mind, it wasn¡¯t really a surprise when, a few dayster, they reached the rendezvous point to find Elijah and Sadie waiting on them. ¡°What took you guys so long?¡± asked the Druid, that annoying smirk on his face. Kurik liked Elijah. He really did. But the man could also be infuriating when he forgot that everyone didn¡¯t have it quite as easy as him. ¡°Sess?¡± asked Dat, already racing toward Sadie. She nodded. ¡°Sess.¡± He threw his arms around her and picked her up, eliciting a squeal that definitely didn¡¯t sound right,ing from her. He narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to Elijah. ¡°Did you rece her with a shapeshifter?¡± he asked out of the corner of his mouth. ¡°Blink twice if you did. I won¡¯t tell nobody.¡± ¡°What? No. Is that a thing?¡± asked Elijah. Kurik shrugged. ¡°My cousins used to tell me stories about it,¡± he muttered. Those had terrified him for longer than he wanted to remember. The idea of someone in his life being reced by a shapeshifter? Horrific. ¡°So, that¡¯s really her? It looks like her, but it don¡¯t act like her. Are we sure it¡¯s not ¨C¡± ¡°I can hear you, you know,¡± said Sadie. ¡°Oh. Sorry. Unless you¡¯re a shapeshifter,¡± he said, already rummaging in his pack. After only a second, he found what he was looking for ¨C an iron rod. After pulling it out of his pack, he extended it toward ¡°Sadie. ¡°Touch it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not touching your rod.¡± Dat giggled. ¡°Get your mind out of the gutter,¡± she chided. ¡°Sorry, bro.¡± ¡°It¡¯s iron,¡± Kurik said. ¡°To prove you¡¯re not a shapeshifter. They can¡¯t abide the touch of iron.¡± ¡°I thought that was fae,¡± Elijah said. ¡°No, it¡¯s shapeshifters,¡± Kurik said. ¡°My cousins were clear about that.¡± ¡°I am not a shapeshifter!¡± Sadie insisted. ¡°Just what a shapeshifter would say,¡± Elijah remarked with a smirk. At least he was taking it seriously. ¡°Pointedly, while avoiding touching Kurik¡¯s rod.¡± Sadie once again rolled her eyes, then took the hunk of metal. ¡°There. Happy? I¡¯m not a shapeshifter!¡± Kurik crossed his arms. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not definitive,¡± Elijah said, mimicking Kurik¡¯s posture. ¡°I think we need more tests. I heard that ¨C¡± ¡°Guys,¡± Ron chided. ¡°That¡¯s enough. She¡¯s not a shapeshifter.¡± ¡°She might be,¡± Elijah persisted. ¡°You¡¯ve been with me the whole time!¡± Sadie eximed. ¡°But shapeshifters are known for being tricky, right? Wily, one might say. Who knows what they might do?¡± Elijah wondered. ¡°I hate you,¡± Sadie groaned, throwing Kurik¡¯s testing rod on the ground. She nced around, adding, ¡°I hate you all.¡± ¡°What¡¯d I do, bro?¡± ¡°And I was on your side,¡± Ron said. But by then, Sadie had already stalked off. Elijah pped his hands together and said, ¡°That went well. I¡¯ve had a long flight, and I¡¯m starving. Anyone else hungry?¡± Book 6: Chapter 69: Academy Arcana Book 6: Chapter 69: Academy Arcana Elijah was content. Part of it was the setting, which was a stretch of ancient forest that radiated vitality and history. It reminded him of the Redwood Forest back in California, though with farrger trees and alien wildlife. In any case, the region left him feeling satisfied in a way he couldn¡¯t quite articte. More impactful on his mood was Sadie¡¯s demeanor. Since progressing to the next step of cultivation of her Mind, she¡¯d been an entirely different version of herself. Sure, she was still the same person, but she actually smiled now. Not often, but even once or twice was a vast improvement. She no longer shunnedpany, and she wasn¡¯t giving him the silent treatment anymore. And most of all, she didn¡¯t look at him like he was a steaming pile of trash. Until recently, he hadn¡¯t even realized how much that had affected him. But with the benefit of hindsight, he could now see the obvious. For months, her visible reaction to his presence had soured his mood. Perhaps that was even one of the reasons he¡¯d so often taken to exploring the wilderness. And finally, his mood had been buoyed by the fact that they only had one challenge to go before thepletion of the Trial. Elijah didn¡¯t just miss his grove. He missed Earth itself. He missed Carmen and Miguel and everyone else in Ironshore. He missed traveling around and meeting new people while experiencing different cultures. That had been sorely missing during the Trial, and no amount of exploration could fill that gap. But before he could go back, he needed to conquer thest Trial. The guide exining the nature of the Trial of Primacy had said there were ten, but the final challenge had yet to be found. And Explorers had scoured every inch of the continent, so they¡¯d all just given up on looking for the challenge associated with the Abyss. Elijah was fine with that, though. As much as he wanted to cater to his innerpletionist, it was probably better that the tenth site remained hidden. So long as it did, no one else would have a hope of passing him on the Primacy Rankings, which meant that he would gain thergest rewards. Even if one of his teammates passed him ¨C which was unlikely, based on thest time he¡¯d checked the points total ¨C it would be fine. ¡°What¡¯re you grinnin¡¯ at?¡± asked Kurik, who was striding beside him. ¡°Just happy to walk beside my surly friend,¡± he answered with a grin. ¡°I ain¡¯t surly.¡± ¡°Sure you¡¯re not, bud,¡± Elijah said. Kurik just grunted in response, and they continued on. Dat had taken scouting duties for the day, so Elijah didn¡¯t have any responsibilities except to keep a lookout for trouble. Nothing had attacked them since entering the ancient forest, so he didn¡¯t think that would change anytime soon. There weren¡¯t even any wraiths around. Gradually, theypleted thest leg of their journey, and when the site of the final challenge came into view, Elijah couldn¡¯t help but let out a slight gasp. ¡°Does that look like a college campus to anyone else?¡± he asked, nked by the other members of his group. ¡°Except that huge tower in the middle, of course. I don¡¯t think anywhere on Earth has anything like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more worried about the other side,¡± Ron remarked. From their perch on a slight rise, they could see the entire city stretched out before them. However, a third of it had been cut off by the same translucent dome of ethera Elijah had witnessed from the low reaches of space. There was nothing they could see on the other side, but with what he¡¯d witnessed before, he knew those abyssal giants couldn¡¯t be that far. Otherwise, the area on the other side of that barrier was monochromatic, popted by slightly blurry shapes that made it look like a ck-and-white impressionist painting. The shield stretched across the horizon as far as Elijah could see, though he could barely perceive a slight curve that confirmed it¡¯s circr, dome-like nature. ¡°I don¡¯t think anything can get through,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Until the bubble pops, bro,¡± Dat added. ¡°It hasn¡¯t yet,¡± Sadie pointed out. Kurik countered, ¡°Yet. That word ain¡¯t veryforting.¡± Elijah understood the dwarf¡¯s unease, because he felt something simr. Indeed, it was probably worse for him because he was the only member of the group to have truly seen what was on the other side. Those giant monsters weren¡¯t just terrifying. They defied logic or description, both in size and form. Hopefully, the others wouldn¡¯t be forced to see what he had seen. Otherwise, their difort would turn to terror in a second. With that shield ¨C or rather, the implications of why it had been erected ¨C looming over everything, it was difficult to focus on the city itself. However, what Elijah saw supported theparison to a college campus. The form itself wasn¡¯t that simr. The buildings followed the same alien architectural standards with which Elijah had be familiar. He¡¯d seen the same in dozens of ruined structures all across the continent. Yet, it had the right aura. Or maybe that was the result of the name of the challenge, which was one of the few things they knew about the ce. ording to the Explorer who¡¯d discovered it, the ce was called Academy Arcana, and upon first impression, it certainly seemed to live up to that moniker. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Predominantly, the buildings had been built from white stone, but there were plenty of red ents that gave it a uniform look. Otherwise, the ce was sprawling, spanning many miles in every direction. If it had been something simr to a university, it was many timesrger than any ce of learning hosted by Earth. ¡°How many people do you think lived and worked here?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Tens of thousands, at least,¡± Sadie answered. ¡°Maybe more, depending on the poption density.¡± ¡°Seems spread out,¡± Ron said. ¡°And the buildings are mostly only a couple of stories tall.¡± ¡°Lots of trees,¡± Dat pointed out. ¡°And fountains.¡± Even in a state of disrepair ¨C from afar, it seemed entirely abandoned ¨C the academy was a beautiful ce. ¡°Do we know anything about this ce?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°We all read the same report,¡± Sadie answered. ¡°The Explorer went in, but she didn¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°Bad feelings, bro.¡± ¡°And she was frightened,¡± Sadie amended. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what the report said,¡± Elijah countered. ¡°Pervasive feelings of unease.¡± ¡°That sounds like another way to say she was afraid,¡± Ron agreed with Sadie. ¡°She was right to be scared,¡± Kurik added. ¡°With that loomin¡¯ over everything¡­¡± He didn¡¯t need to specify what he meant. The shield ¨C or rather, what was on the other side ¨C practically radiated mysterious menace. One would have to be insane not to be afraid of such a thing. ¡°Anyway, she ran,¡± Elijah stated. ¡°As far as I know, we¡¯re the first in. If anybody else has tried, they didn¡¯t tell anyone about it. So, we¡¯re going in mostly blind. Same strategy as always?¡± ¡°Seems appropriate,¡± Sadie responded. The rest of the group agreed. So, they advanced as a party, but when they reached the edge of the sprawling campus, everyone but Dat and Elijah made camp. Meanwhile, the pair set out to explore the area. After shifting into the Shape of Venom and adopting the Guise of the Unseen, Elijah entered. After only a few steps, he felt the sense of unease described by the Explorer. The difference was that he recognized it for what it was. After all, he¡¯d felt something simr within the challenge of Ignis, when the ashassins had stalked him. He let Guise of the Unseen fall away, then shifted back into his human form. The feeling of being watched didn¡¯t abate, but it didn¡¯t intensify, either. The implications were clear. Stealth wasn¡¯t going to be very effective within the academy grounds. Dat appeared beside him only a few momentster, confirming Elijah¡¯s suspicions. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s watching us, but we¡¯re definitely being observed,¡± the Witch Hunter stated, his eyes darting around. Even only a few steps within the sprawling campus, there were plenty of ces to hide. ¡°Go back and get the others?¡± ¡°Probably smart.¡± Upon their return, Elijah saw that the others had barely progressed in setting up the camp. Kurik asked, ¡°Back so soon? Let me guess ¨C monsters that see through stealth?¡± Elijah shrugged. ¡°Might be some kind of detection enchantment,¡± he answered. ¡°But something in there¡¯s watching us. We think it¡¯s best if we stick together.¡± They all agreed, then packed up the pieces of the camp they¡¯d already deployed. After that, they adopted the same formation they normally used. Sadie in the front, Elijah in the back, with the others in between. They advanced, everyone alert for any potential dangers. At first, there was nothing, but the sense that they were being watched steadily intensified until Elijah felt like there were thousands of spectators following his every move. That, coupled with the looming presence of the Abyss on the other side of the shield, left Elijah tense and jumpy. Then, atst, they crossed the invisible threshold of the challenge, initiating the expected notification:
You have reached Academy Arcana. To conquer the Challenge of the Etherum, breach the tower and y the First Mage. Reward: Key of Twisted Ethera
The moment the notification shed before Elijah¡¯s inner eye, he heard a nking sounding from a nearby alley. More distressing was what he felt via One with Nature ¨C the presence of a dozen creatures. They weren¡¯t alive, though. He knew that the moment he sensed them, and when the first one came into view only a secondter, that notion was confirmed. It was a moving suit of armor, though of alien design. Four-armed and two-legged, just like a ka¡¯ki, it moved with an unhurried but purposeful gait. In each hand was a wickedly curved sword, and the armor itself featured gracefully curved ridges that looked like fins. The helmet followed the same theme, with arge crest running down the center like a mohawk that extended down its back. A second exited the alley a momentter. Then a third came. Elijah stopped counting by the fifth, because another set had suddenly appeared in the opposite alley. And another after that a hundred feet down the street. ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± he muttered. ¡°Not good at all.¡± The most concerning thing Elijah felt wasn¡¯t that each set of armorcked a person to motivate it. Instead, he was far more interested in the ethera within. It was so dense that it was nearly solid. Normally, ethereal density tranted to power, and if that remained the case, these things were incredibly strong. Everyone reacted at the same time. Sadie stepped forward, and her personal shield bloomed into being. At the same time, Dat and Kurik raised their weapons, ready to let loose the second Sadie gave the order. Finally, Elijah and Ron readied their healing spells. They had no idea how much damage these suits of armor could inflict, so they resolved that it was better to overheal than to go in the opposite direction. It was a good thing, too, because when Sadie met the first creature, its swords sliced through her shield like it wasn¡¯t even there. Fortunately, her armor held up against the cutting edge, though it was incapable of stopping the momentum of the de. With a loud wrenching sound, the armor protecting her upper arm crumpled, and Elijah felt certain that the bone broke under the impact. But she was already under the effect of Soothe, and Ron¡¯s powerful healing spellnded a secondter, mending the damage. She bore the pain stoically, returning the thing¡¯s attack with one of her own. Her sword nged against its armor, denting it with a single blow. However, the creature paid the damage no mind, already aiming one of its other swords in her direction. How Sadie managed to parry the attack, Elijah couldn¡¯t tell. But she pped the de aside, then immediately switched directions to do the same to the next. ¡°Fire!¡± she shouted. And everyoneplied. A stream of glowing bolts rocketed from Dat¡¯s crossbow, with Kurik¡¯s arrows not far behind. At the same time, Elijahshed out with Storm¡¯s Fury, channeling it through his Feral Spire to ensure he wouldn¡¯t miss. The barrage of attacks mmed into the suit of armor with enough force to send it staggering backward. But when the dust settled, it was entirely unharmed. Indeed, from what Elijah felt within that suit, it had grown stronger. That supposition was borne out when it attacked Sadie much more quickly than before. ¡°Don¡¯t use magic!¡± he shouted. ¡°We need to take it apart with physical attacks!¡± Even as the words left his mouth, the rest of the suits of armor converged on their location. As Elijah shifted into his Shape of the Guardian, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they might not have finally bitten off more than they could chew. Book 6: Chapter 70: Boomstick Book 6: Chapter 70: Boomstick ¡°We should retreat and regroup!¡± shouted Sadie, holding off the small army of armor. She used her greatsword more like a club than a de, but with howrge and heavy it was, it did a passable impression of a blunt weapon. However, it was obviously less effective than normal, and it wasn¡¯t difficult to see why. Spells ¨C like the one that Sadie used to enhance her attacks ¨C were useless against the things. ¡°Not yet!¡± Elijah growled, his transformation into the form of themer apepleting. Under the effects of that spell, he was more than a match ¨C at least in terms of size ¨C for the creatures. Even as Elijah shoulder tackled the nearest suit of armor, an explosion erupted among their ranks. Via One with Nature, Elijah felt Kurik lighting what seemed like a stick of dynamite and tossing it into the mass of metal. Another explosion sent them tumbling away, the metal of their armor twisted out of ce. The one Elijah had tackled went to the ground without issue, though when he brought his fists down, he found that the thing was incredibly durable. Fortunately, he was also incredibly strong. Scaly fists rained down on the thing, sending the sound of ringing metal out to join the cacophony of Kurik¡¯s ongoing explosions and Sadie¡¯s attempts to batter one of the suits of armor into submission. ¡°Go for their cores!¡± Kurik yelled. ¡°And where are those?¡± Elijah roared in response. ¡°In their chests, ya idjit!¡± That made sense, especially considering that that was where the creatures¡¯ armor was the thickest. Elijah battered the thing, and after the fourth blow, the damage was enough that he could hook his ws under one of the seams. He did just that, and once his grip was firm enough, he ripped the breastte away, revealing a rotating sphere of solid ethera.Elijah didn¡¯t waste any time before reaching into the chest cavity of the iling suit of armor, wrap his ws around the ball of ethera, and yank it free. He regretted it immediately. The second he touched the roiling sphere of energy, his scales blistered, melting through his Constitution instantly. Thankfully, a heal hit him just as he pulled the core free. ¡°Toss it!¡± shouted Kurik. Elijah trusted the dwarf enough not to hesitate. He heaved it away, but it only got about six feet before it exploded. Everything on the street felt the shockwave. The suits of armor went sprawling, but Sadie managed to maintain her feet ¨C that had to be a skill. Dat, Kurik, and Ron were the furthest away from the explosion, but even they were thrown aside by the shockwave. As for Elijah, he went flying backward. More distressingly, he couldn¡¯t feel anything on the entire front of his body ¨C a sure sign of severe burns if there ever was one. He hit the ground, then tumbled into one of the buildings. It survived the impact unscathed, which was something that Elijah couldn¡¯t say for himself. A wave of dizziness and nausea swept through him as he tried to stand. He stumbled back into the wall, and he didn¡¯t recover until a few secondster when another of Ron¡¯s heals suffused him with vitality. His mind cleared, and the burns covering most of his body began to mend. ¡°Ow,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°You idjit!¡± Kurik shouted. ¡°You don¡¯t just go and grab an ethereal core with your bare hands!¡± Elijah just looked at the dwarf, then shrugged. How in the world was he supposed to have known that? Sure, a roiling ball of magical energy probably didn¡¯t scream that it wanted to be touched, but he never could have expected it to be quite so vtile. In truth, he hadn¡¯t stopped to think at all. Perhaps that was the problem. Before he could give that issue the attention it deserved, he saw that the armor monsters had already recovered to swarm Sadie¡¯s position. Her sword whirled as she defended herself, but with how many foes she faced, she could do little more than keep herself from being overwhelmed. She battered the creatures away, but each one she attacked was soon reced by another. What¡¯s more, she was quickly bing surrounded. ¡°Retreat!¡± Dat yelled, thinking the same thing Elijah was. They¡¯d discovered what they could about the creatures. Now, they needed to regroup and n. Sadie nced backward, which was a mistake. That brief instant of inattention was all the creatures needed to overwhelm her defenses. They piled onto her, pummeling her with their swords. She disappeared beneath a pile of armor. Elijah activated Savage Might as he shot forward, covering the ground between them in barely a second before he rammed into the pile. A few went flying before the force of his momentum, and heshed out with a backhand that took another out of the equation. Then, hetched onto a fifth and heaved. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. After that, the fight descended into a primal melee. He couldn¡¯t concern himself with fancy techniques or ns. Instead, the whole of his attention was upied by two things, both in an effort to rescue Sadie. First, trying his best to avoid taking a blow head-on. With Iron Scales being useless, that was likely the only reason the armor creatures¡¯ swords hadn¡¯t already hacked him to pieces, and if he let it drop for even a second, that would change. Second, he focused on pushing himself as hard as possible. Lately, he¡¯d discovered that his spells and skills represented a range rather than a precise oue. That, as well as how he¡¯d felt when his core hadpletely drained, suggested that he wasn¡¯t getting the most out of his attributes. If the strength of his abilities was variable, then could he push his body further as well? The real question wasn¡¯t whether or not he was living up to his potential. He knew he wasn¡¯t. Rather, the thing that he needed to discover was just how far he could go. So, he flooded his Soul with ethera ¨C but not to fuel a specific spell. Rather, he held it there, hoping the saturation would trante to more power. And briefly, it did. In that time, he threw the armored creatures aside like they were lighter than feathers. But his increased power was short-lived, and after only a dozen seconds, the ethera in his body went crazy. His blood vessels burst from the strain, and his muscles went ck as energy gushed from his every pore. Fortunately, Ron hadn¡¯t remained idle, and one of his healing spells mmed into Elijah only a momentter. That was probably the only reason he didn¡¯t immediately ck out. Even then, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from copsing. Again, one of his teammates came to the rescue. It was only when he was being dragged away that he realized what was happening. ¡°Heavy,¡± grunted Kurik. Elijah let Shape of the Guardian fall away, and he returned to his human form. That eased the dwarf¡¯s burden, but it only exacerbated Elijah¡¯s condition. Without the increased Constitution of hismer ape form, his body couldn¡¯t hold up to the damage he¡¯d done to himself. He got a brief look at his arms, and he saw that they were already swollen and badly bruised. He was barely conscious, but he did see that Dat was dragging Sadie away as well. After only a few seconds, they crossed the invisible line of the challenge. The pursuing suits of armor stopped and stared. Then, after a few more moments, they turned around and retreated the way they¡¯de. Finally, Elijah rxed. And realized just how much damage he¡¯d done. It wasn¡¯t catastrophic. He could already feel Ron¡¯s healing spells working to fix what he¡¯d broken. But it certainly wasn¡¯t pleasant, either, and what¡¯s more, he knew just how close he¡¯de to making things much worse. Perhaps there was a reason he hadn¡¯t heard anything about anyone trying to use ethera to push themselves harder. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± demanded Kurik. Elijah coughed up a little blood, then haltingly exined his actions. He ended it by saying, ¡°I wasn¡¯t strong enough to get to her without help. Not before¡­how is she?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± came Sadie¡¯s voice. ¡°Mostly.¡± Elijah nced in her direction, and he once again saw that her armor was damaged seemingly beyond repair. This time, it might just be true, too, because as far as he knew, she didn¡¯t have any more of her magical putty. Beyond that, she looked almost as bruised as he did. And that was saying something, considering that his skin was almost entirely purple. ¡°Bro. You need to be more careful.¡± ¡°And less stupid,¡± Kurik added. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± Elijah responded haltingly. ¡°I ain¡¯t worried ¡®bout you. I¡¯m worried about my home. And about what your sister-inw would do to me if I let you die.¡± ¡°Aww. So sweet,¡± Elijah muttered through bloody lips. ¡°Give me, like, five minutes. I think I need a bit of a rest. In the meantime, figure out how to beat those things without blowing up. Oh, and also ¨C were you using freaking dynamite? When did you get dynamite?¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t got a clue what that is,¡± Kurik said. ¡°Those bombs, bro,¡± Dat said. ¡°They looked a lot like dynamite.¡± ¡°You keep sayin¡¯ that word like I should know what it means. Last time we was in Nexus, I got with an alchemist and we worked together to make some boomsticks. They¡¯re made of ¨C wait. Why¡¯re youughin¡¯? These things ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ to ¨C¡± ¡°Boomsticks,¡± Elijah wheezed between chuckles. ¡°God. Please don¡¯t make meugh like that when my body¡¯s just one huge bruise.¡± ¡°What in all the hell¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Kurik demanded. ¡°That¡¯s the best name you coulde up with?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°Bro. You know what that¡¯s from, right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Shop smart. Shop S-Mart, bro.¡± ¡°Come on, Elijah. Even I know this one,¡± Sadie said. ¡°I¡¯m drawing aplete nk,¡± he admitted. ¡°No ss at all,¡± Sadie stated primly. Then, she promptly coughed up a little more blood. ¡°I think I punctured both lungs.¡± ¡°Can you all stop treating this all like it¡¯s a joke? Elijah nearly killed himself back there, and Sadie¡­well, those things are dangerous,¡± Ron chided. Elijah couldn¡¯t have agreed more, but a few jokes went a long way toward relieving the tension of a near-death experience. What¡¯s more, there would never be a situation where he would pass up an opportunity to rile Kurik up. The dwarf clearly had no idea what they were talking about, which was precisely the point of it all. Of course, he didn¡¯t understand the reference either. He just thought boomstick was a silly name. ¡°Well, are you going to keep me in suspense?¡± Elijah asked. ¡°I thought you were cool, bro.¡± ¡°Clearly not,¡± Sadie muttered. ¡°How could he be if he¡¯s never seen Army of Darkness?¡± ¡°Is that a move? Or a ¨C¡± ¡°Bro!¡± ¡°Seriously, Elijah. It¡¯s a ssic,¡± Sadie said. ¡°Couldn¡¯t be that much of a ssic if I haven¡¯t even heard of it,¡± he maintained. ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡± Dat grinned, then excitedly exined how it was a sequel to Evil Dead ¨C which Elijah had heard of, but never seen ¨C where the protagonist was transported through time to the middle ages. Apparently, it was a horroredy. ¡°I don¡¯t really do scary movies,¡± Elijah admitted. ¡°My sister made me watch Creature of the ck Lagoon when I was really young, and I¡¯ve had an aversion to horror movies ever since. I didn¡¯t sleep right for a week.¡± ¡°That one¡¯s not even scary, bro.¡± ¡°It was to a six-year-old,¡± Elijah said. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to rest my eyes a little. Then, once you all figure out how to kill those suits of armor ¨C¡± ¡°Sentry golems,¡± Dat said. ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯re called.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. That makes sense,¡± Elijah responded, though by that point, his eyelids had begun to droop. He gave onest chuckle before he said, ¡°Boomstick.¡± After that, he descended into blessed unconsciousness while hispanions presumably made a n. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!