YT YouTube2Text

YouTube2Text → Transcripts → 10 HOUR | The First Legendary Beast Master Part 3 | Audiobook (Sleep/Study/Gym)

10 HOUR | The First Legendary Beast Master Part 3 | Audiobook (Sleep/Study/Gym) — Transcript

by 10HourNovels · 109,645 words · 16,032 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

Open in transcriber Summarize with AI Download SRT/VTT

Full transcript

0:00As he thought about what the protocol
0:01might be for changing locations now that
0:03his official mission was over, Carl
0:05realized that Colonel Valerie was still
0:07here somewhere and he had her number in
0:09his phone. He scrolled the handful of
0:12numbers in the phone's directory and
0:14sent her a simple text message. I have a
0:17request from the church to go to the
0:18seminary academy. Do I need to do any
0:21paperwork to let the school know where I
0:23am? His phone dinged a few seconds later
0:26with her reply. I will take care of it.
0:30Have them arrange for your transit back
0:31to the academy when you are finished or
0:33update the mission log if they're
0:35sending you out again. That was simpler
0:37than he had expected it to be. But then
0:40a second message came in. Sergeant Rita
0:43will join you for your time at the
0:44seminary academy. Are you good to go
0:47now? Doug asked as Carl read the second
0:50message from Colonel Valerie. It looks
0:53like it. They're sending my personal
0:55tutor from the academy to join me during
0:57my time there. So, I think they're
0:59expecting me to be gone for a while.
1:01Carl agreed. They're sending a tutor,
1:05not a professor, Doug asked. Yeah, I
1:09usually train under the guidance of
1:11Sergeant Rita or a pair from the Bureau
1:13of Elite Development.
1:15All three are around somewhere most
1:17days, though the other duo sometimes
1:19have work to do, Carl explained. Doug
1:23nodded and smiled. It looks like we got
1:26to you too late. They've already found
1:28you a cute girlfriend who just needs to
1:30make the first move. The twins laughed
1:33and Carl chuckled. If it's about
1:35Sergeant Rita, she's got competition
1:37from the first years. Oh, do tell. Bob
1:42asked. Carl realized that they didn't
1:45know who he was talking about. I forgot
1:48for a moment that she wasn't on the same
1:50helicopter on the way in. There is
1:53another fast growing student, a mage
1:55named Dana. She's already awakened rank
1:58and has been on all the same missions I
2:00have. Only we got separated onto
2:02different teams this time. Bob smiled.
2:06Well, at least you had the good sense to
2:08go for someone close to your growth rate
2:10instead of befriending the charity case.
2:13That always ends up messy when you get
2:15too far apart in power and end up on
2:17separate details with very different
2:19social status.
2:21or worse, they stopped giving them
2:22details and the company you work for
2:24just hires them to be your shadow or
2:26bedwarmer.
2:27More than one of the lowest performing
2:29elites was hired as an assistant for a
2:32much more powerful friend after they
2:33graduated.
2:35Carl recalled that Bob had graduated at
2:37Awakened and had only made Ascended
2:39afterwards, so in his case, the
2:41experience was likely reversed where his
2:43crush surpassed him and he was the one
2:45left behind by social pressures. He
2:48didn't seem like the type to take a
2:49demeaning or lowpaying job just to be
2:51close to someone. It was a difficult
2:54thought for Carl. Would he end up forced
2:57apart from his friends because of his
2:58progress? He had once heard the mind
3:01foreman say that it was lonely at the
3:03top regarding being an elite or a
3:05company boss. But Carl had always just
3:07assumed he thought like that because he
3:09was a douchebag and nobody liked him.
3:11Doug led them out of the building, and
3:13Carl saw a very familiar head of curly
3:15hair in the distance, pushing a cart of
3:17supplies around. He would know those
3:20curly locks anywhere, even if she wasn't
3:22wearing an academy uniform with the
3:24familiar black awakened rank badge on
3:26the coat. "Speak of the devil," that is
3:29Dana, the mage I went on the mission
3:31with. "I'm not sure what she's doing in
3:33camp here, but we can go say hello if we
3:36have a minute," Carl explained while
3:38waving in her direction.
3:40Dana spotted them and ran over with her
3:42cart to greet Carl with a big hug, which
3:45brought some stifled laughter from the
3:46mages and a whispered, "Aren't they
3:48adorable?" from Doug that he probably
3:51wasn't meant to hear. Dana, it's good to
3:54see you again. When did you get to the
3:56base camp? Carl asked.
4:005 days after we were dropped off. My
4:03group was completely useless and our
4:05guardian cleric brought us back to the
4:07nearest base who transferred us here and
4:09put the other three on work detail for
4:11avoiding their duties. The cleric's
4:14report was far from a glowing
4:15recommendation of their skills and work
4:17ethic, but he put in enough of a good
4:19word for me that I didn't get any sort
4:21of punishment. They just reassigned me
4:23to look for another team. I've been
4:26doing day trips with some groups to get
4:28the experience, but I haven't found a
4:30full-time group yet. It doesn't help
4:32that they upgraded the threat level here
4:34to ascend it, so there aren't many
4:36groups in the area I can even join since
4:38most of them have commander rank
4:40leaders. She complained.
4:43Carl nodded in understanding.
4:45They transferred us here because of that
4:47upgrade. The rest of the team here are
4:50all ascended. This is Bob, the lead
4:53warrior, brother Doug of the Green
4:55Dragon, and the twin mages, Dany and
4:58Donnie. Dana did her best to hide her
5:00envy at Carl, having gotten a good group
5:03right from the start. She had been
5:05bouncing between groups for a week
5:07without any real hope of getting on
5:08full-time. The groups were already at
5:11full strength. They were just taking on
5:13an extra for the day so that she could
5:15get the experience.
5:17Where are you off to now? Back into the
5:19field after you resupply?
5:22She asked with a gesture to her cart.
5:25Nope. Off to the seminary academy for a
5:27bit.
5:28They wanted to talk to us about a thing.
5:31Carl explained vaguely.
5:34All right, good luck. I've got to
5:36deliver these supplies and then I'm off
5:38in the morning with another fresh team.
5:41They've just arrived back, but they're
5:43military, so maybe it will be better.
5:46She replied, then waved at everyone and
5:48made her way toward a group of trucks.
5:51Doug chuckled as she left. If she
5:54thought that things were going to get
5:55better with a military group, she was in
5:57for a surprise. But at least it would be
6:00somewhat stable and they probably
6:02wouldn't ship her back to town after a
6:04single day like these short mission
6:06sorts. Once Dana was gone and social
6:09time was over, Doug led them to a convoy
6:12of white buses with church logos on the
6:14side, which were just discharging their
6:16passengers.
6:17The young clerics were giving Carl a
6:19curious look and he realized that he
6:21actually had met most of these people
6:23before. They were students of the
6:25seminary academy being shipped out to
6:28supplement the groups here. He leaned
6:30over to whisper to Doug. Should we
6:33really be headed back when things are so
6:35bad that they're sending bus loads of
6:37students out to the front lines? Doug
6:39smiled and patted him on the back. It's
6:42not like that. They will be assigned as
6:45the second or third healer for a
6:4710-person military unit to gain work
6:49experience.
6:51This is a common thing for bothmies once
6:53the students are in their second years.
6:56The group stopped to wait for the buses
6:58to be ready to start loading again and
7:00the students took that as permission to
7:01come say hello. Sort of brother Carl. Is
7:07Thor here? One of the girls called from
7:10three buses away. That brought dozens of
7:13eager looks their way, and Carl called
7:15out the happy Sarah to say hello to
7:17everyone. He's getting big. Good
7:20afternoon, Thor. The girl giggled as she
7:23ran over to rub his horns. Thor was
7:26quickly swarmed, and the mages gave Carl
7:29a questioning look. He just shrugged.
7:32Thor is a people person. He makes
7:35friends everywhere that we go. He was
7:38making even more friends here, behaving
7:40like an attention starved puppy around
7:42impressionable young clerics.
7:44At this rate, we're going to have to
7:46give them a refresher in the interacting
7:48with wild animals course when they get
7:50home. Doug chuckled. Thor is thoroughly
7:53domesticated.
7:55But I wouldn't recommend doing that with
7:57a wild lightning sero, though. Who
8:00knows? Maybe they would like it. And
8:02it's just that nobody has tried. Carl
8:05agreed. Oh, someone has tried. That's
8:09why we teach the course. Doug countered
8:12with a smirk that said he was familiar
8:14with the story behind why the course
8:15existed. It took an hour before the
8:18buses were cleaned, restocked, and
8:20refueled for the trip back to the
8:22seminary academy, which was set to take
8:24over 10 hours. Compared to flight, it
8:27was incredibly slow. But in terms of
8:29cost effectiveness, Carl assumed that it
8:32was much better. He didn't know much
8:34about what it cost to run a helicopter,
8:36but it seemed like it would be a lot.
8:39Carl and the team were the only ones on
8:41the bus who weren't part of the church,
8:42and the returning cleric seemed curious
8:44about why they were along on the
8:46mission, but two inquisitors had come to
8:48sit in front of them, and nobody was
8:50brave enough to speak around them in
8:51case the team was in some sort of
8:53trouble. Both of the Inquisitors looked
8:56totally wiped, probably from dealing
8:58with slackers for the last couple of
9:00weeks, and Carl nudged Doug, then handed
9:02him a bit of the moss for tea. "How
9:05about you make everyone a nice,
9:06refreshing cup of tea? I think that
9:09they've earned it," he suggested.
9:13Doug looked startled when he saw the
9:14moss. "Where did you get this? It looks
9:18freshly picked." Carl shook his head.
9:22It's from a previous mission.
9:24But I have ways to store resources that
9:26don't let them spoil. I know it's
9:29usually dried better, but it should be
9:31all right. We made a pot the first day
9:33we got it, and it was fine." Doug nodded
9:36and got out his teapot with a heating
9:38element. A few minutes later, a warm and
9:42earthy aroma filled the bus, and Doug
9:44poured a thermos full of tea, which he
9:46passed forward up the bus. Each person
9:49it passed poured a small cup. And when
9:51the thermos made it back to Doug, it
9:53still had a little in the bottom. He
9:56topped off his cup and started to brew
9:58another pot with the same moss. It's
10:00good for at least two batches, though
10:02the first is the most beneficial.
10:05I know that not many of our clerics are
10:07physical sorts, but it can still be
10:09useful to them. He explained as the
10:12second pot steeped. One of the
10:14inquisitors turned back to talk to them.
10:17That's pretty good. Most of the time the
10:20moss is stale from storage and the
10:22flavor is off. It makes better tea when
10:25it is freshly dried, but this isn't too
10:27bad. Thanks. I think I will put some
10:31cinnamon and nutmeg in the next batch to
10:33liven up the flavor a bit, Doug replied
10:36as he added the spices to the pot. I
10:39heard that we get to do a bunch of
10:41commander rank tests this week. Who
10:44thinks they have it? Surely not Carl.
10:48Though I wouldn't be surprised if he
10:49went for ascended already, the
10:52Inquisitor asked. Doug gestured around.
10:56I think that all the rest of us are
10:58close enough to give the test a go. The
11:00bureau is sending an attendant for Carl,
11:02so I'm not certain if we will get to
11:04test him at all or if they'll make him
11:06wait to do it in private. The Inquisitor
11:09laughed softly. It made no difference to
11:12him. The Inquisition had immediate
11:14access to all the records. Either way,
11:17it was just a matter of who else knew
11:19how fast the most talented student of
11:21the year was advancing. The Academy
11:24might want to hold off until the end of
11:25the semester or until next semester's
11:27midterm for the official test to make it
11:30look like the rate was slower than it
11:31really was. The elite rankings were
11:34public information once they were
11:35published, so eventually everyone would
11:37know, but changing the date of the
11:39official recording could give those
11:40watching a false impression of how
11:42things were going. All the elite
11:44agencies had at least a few agents who
11:46were waiting on official tests, but had
11:48advanced months or even a year earlier.
11:51But for most elites, it was a point of
11:53pride to show off their advancements,
11:55especially to commander rank. For the
11:58clerics, it was an especially large
12:00jump, as the commander rank marked the
12:02high priests and priestesses.
12:05If Doug could make that, he would get
12:07much better assignments at work and
12:09would probably get a few assistants
12:10assigned to him to do the annoying
12:12parts. For the others, it was mostly
12:15semantics, as they already had the
12:17power, but it would help them get
12:18promotions and better paying jobs. Not
12:21that they particularly needed the money,
12:23but you could never go wrong with a
12:25little better quality of life.
12:27The bus rolled through the wilderness
12:29and Carl noticed a group of ogres in the
12:31distance. Are there groups in this zone?
12:35He asked. The inquisitor shook his head.
12:39No, this zone is already cleared, and
12:41there hasn't been anything spawning
12:43here. There are ogres over there. They
12:47don't look fully grown, so likely Lo
12:49ascended or high awakened. Carl informed
12:52him with a gesture toward the tiny
12:54figures in the distance. The inquisitor
12:57took out binoculars to see if he could
12:59tell what Carl was talking about. Sure
13:02enough, there were ogres and they were
13:04headed away from the patrolled zones.
13:06The inquisitor sent a quick text message
13:09inside.
13:10Thanks. They will take care of it. If
13:14you see any other monsters in the area,
13:16please let us know. Sometimes there are
13:19a few that slip through the cracks
13:20during an operation like this, and they
13:22don't always get picked up again until
13:24they're near civilization.
13:26The buses were moving too fast on the
13:28oiled gravel road to send Hawk out to
13:30scout, but he could sit on the roof and
13:32keep watch and relay anything he saw to
13:35Carl. The wind in his feathers made Hawk
13:38happy, and even though he didn't see
13:39much of note, he at least got to be
13:41outside while the other two slept. The
13:44convoy trundled down the roads all day,
13:46and as it started to get dark, Hawk
13:48returned to his space to sleep. Ry
13:51considered taking up his spot on the
13:53roof, but she was fairly sure that the
13:55other drivers would panic if she just
13:57appeared on top of the bus unexpectedly.
14:00It was after midnight when they made it
14:01to the seminary academy, and Carl knew
14:04that it was going to be a rough night,
14:05but Doug led them to the same wing that
14:07he had been staying in last time. It
14:10wasn't the same room, but at least he
14:12would know his way around. I will see
14:14you all at breakfast. I hope you got
14:17enough sleep on the bus because it's
14:19going to be an early morning. The cleric
14:22joked. Bob nodded. We know the routine.
14:27I will see you in the morning. The
14:29routine of the seminary academy didn't
14:31change for anyone, no matter how late
14:33they got back to the academy. And when
14:35the sun came up, there was a knock at
14:37Carl's door, waking him up for
14:39breakfast, and he could hear the
14:40McKenzie siblings getting ready across
14:42the hall. They were much more
14:44enthusiastic than usual, as they were
14:47looking forward to taking the commander
14:48rank test. That was enough to get them
14:51motivated, even at the break of dawn.
14:54The only other one that Carl knew who
14:56was that enthusiastic in the morning was
14:58Thor, and that was because he knew that
15:00there were countless people here to
15:01visit. The showers in the seminary
15:04academy never seemed to run out of hot
15:06water, a fact that Carl was immensely
15:08thankful for as he scrubbed away the
15:09grime of an extended field mission with
15:11the coarse pummus soap that they
15:13provided. The gentle and inoffensive
15:15smell made him feel properly clean again
15:18and reminded Thor of the waters in his
15:20pond, whose bottom was lined with holy
15:22stones. It was a good feeling, and they
15:25even had fresh clothes ready for him, as
15:27Carl hadn't had time to do laundry. It
15:30was what they referred to as a visitor's
15:32robe, a simple white robe without any of
15:34the markings of the church and a rope
15:36tie around the waist. The hass reminded
15:39Carl a bit of wandering around in his
15:41house coat, which was a bit strange, but
15:43it was comfortable. The rest of the team
15:46came out wearing the same outfit, except
15:48for Doug, who obviously had his own room
15:50and clothing here. The green dragon
15:53cleric smiled at their plain white hass
15:55and gestured toward the dining hall.
15:58Let's take our seats and see where we
16:00ended up. Most of the time they will put
16:03the visitors together if they're in a
16:04group, but they might split us up today
16:06since three of you are here for the
16:08commander rank tests and the commanders
16:10will want to meet with their potential
16:12peers. Doug's guess was right and all of
16:15them except the twins were seated at
16:17separate tables with Doug getting a spot
16:19of honor right up at the front with the
16:21high priests. Carl found his table in
16:24the back corner, seated between Alice
16:26and Sergeant Rita, with the rest of the
16:28table filled with priestesses. "What are
16:31you smiling about today?" Rita asked as
16:34Carl took his seat. "It's the same setup
16:37as the first meal I had here." "Just
16:40myself in the corner at a table full of
16:42lovely young ladies," he replied with a
16:45wink. That made Alice laugh and most of
16:48the priestesses blush. He's been taking
16:51lessons in charm from Thor. I'm certain
16:53of it. The bureau agent laughed as Rita
16:56gave Carl a concerned look. The room
16:59fell silent as the matron walked in and
17:01the students began to deliver the trays.
17:04Everything in their room was delivered
17:06smoothly, but Carl heard the crash as
17:08someone tripped in the other room and
17:10the apologies as they ran off to get
17:12cleaning supplies and another tray. Rita
17:15and Alice seemed confused as to what
17:17they were waiting for, though they
17:18understood the rules. The priestesses
17:21just seemed to accept it as part of life
17:23here. If she wanted to wait, she waited.
17:27Carl heard the last tray being delivered
17:29and looked up to the front to see the
17:31academyy's matron smiling back at him.
17:34It was obvious that she knew he could
17:36hear the commotion in the other room as
17:38well, but she didn't say anything and
17:40just silently began her meal once the
17:42last tray was delivered.
17:44The priestess across from Carl smirked
17:46as he moved to pick up his fork just as
17:48the matron took her first bite. "You
17:50really do know what the timing is. I
17:53heard from some of the younger students
17:55that you told them how to pass the
17:56homework assignment, but I didn't
17:58believe it." She whispered. Carl smiled
18:02back and whispered. "They were telling
18:05the truth. Ask them about it later and
18:08I'm sure they can explain how the system
18:10works." Then he gave a meaningful look
18:12toward the front of the room to remind
18:14them that she could hear every
18:16conversation in the dining hall. Is it
18:19true that you managed to kill a
18:20commander rank giant? One of the others
18:23asked quietly with my group. Yes, we got
18:28more than one and quite a few ascended
18:30ranked giants and ogres as well. It was
18:33a very productive trip. Carl agreed.
18:37Wow. then the others on your team really
18:39might all make commander rank this time.
18:42She replied.
18:43Carl nodded. I am not the best at
18:46telling relative power, but in combat I
18:49can say that they should all meet the
18:50standard. They finished breakfast and
18:53Carl followed Rita and the clerics from
18:55his table out of the room and into a
18:57classroom. We have a few things to go
19:00over. The bureau wants you to stay out
19:03and gather experience, but your previous
19:05team looks like they're going to be
19:06promoted, so they will be getting a new
19:08member as you're still officially
19:10awakened.
19:11So, we have chosen a selection of
19:13potential team members to go with you
19:15back into the field. Did you have any
19:18particular requirements
19:20or can we get started with the
19:21introductions?
19:23Rita asked. I think that if you vetted
19:26them, then they've likely got all the
19:27qualifications that we need. I will
19:30admit that being with a green dragon
19:32priest who can make all sorts of food
19:34did spoil us a little bit, but that's
19:36hardly a requirement for a mission. Carl
19:39joked. The clerics laughed at that. It
19:43was definitely a gamecher when you had a
19:45nature gods priest or priestess with you
19:47on an extended mission. All right, that
19:50is an option. There are trade-offs as
19:53nature priests aren't as good at healing
19:55as some of the others and they don't
19:56have the group buff abilities of the war
19:58clerics.
20:00Some, like the wisdom and education
20:02gods, rarely go on missions, so there
20:04aren't any in the room with us, but you
20:06should be able to find someone you can
20:08work with, Rita explained.
20:11What is the rest of the group? What sort
20:14of other elites do we have with us?
20:16Normally, it's one cleric to a group, so
20:19the composition matters a lot.
20:22Bob, the warrior from the group I was
20:24in, specialized in frontline tanking,
20:26holding the enemies back while the mages
20:28cast their spells. If we don't have
20:31that, we will have to adjust
20:32expectations.
20:34If it's going to be random, then the
20:36most versatile of options would be best.
20:39Carl suggested not wanting to single
20:41anyone out or cause any hard feelings
20:43within the group. They were all likely
20:46great options for a mission team, and he
20:48wouldn't want to mess up any future
20:50encounters.
20:51Then we will start with introductions
20:53from left to right. We have Jenny, a
20:56healing specialist from the god of life.
20:59Tessa, a war cleric of the red dragon.
21:02Kira, a battle cleric from the church
21:04guard. Andrea, a holy cleric specialized
21:07in group enhancement spells. And
21:09finally, Lotus, a priestess of the god
21:11of nature. The responses of each cleric
21:14were different, but somehow in line with
21:16their deity. Jenny gave a polite nod.
21:19Tessa went with a smirk that said she
21:21was looking forward to seeing combat
21:23again. Kira nodded in recognition with
21:25her hand on the mace at her side while
21:27Andrea gave Rita and Alice curious looks
21:30as if wondering if they were also group
21:32members. Lotus was the outlier and the
21:35tiny cleric poked Carl in the side with
21:37a pleading look. "Can we see Thor
21:40again?" she asked. Rita laughed but
21:44motioned for Carl not to do anything.
21:46Thor has gotten larger. There isn't
21:48enough room for him in here. We can let
21:51you two visit later. She reprimanded the
21:54cleric who stuck her tongue out at the
21:56warrior in return. Carl turned to Rita.
22:00You still didn't answer the question
22:02about whom the other group members are.
22:04Rita shrugged. That's because we don't
22:07know. What they're asking of us right
22:10now is to pair you with a cleric and a
22:12mage. And we've got our mage right here.
22:15Alice will be your group leader for the
22:16rest of this assignment. But who the
22:18other two members are hasn't been
22:20decided. For all I know, they might send
22:23me with you if they decide that you're
22:25going to officially test for ascended
22:26rank right away. Hawk laughed in Carl's
22:30mind. He had said on the very first day
22:32at the academy that it wouldn't be long
22:34until they surpassed the evil woman who
22:36worked him without snacks, and now it
22:38was coming true. Alice smirked as Carl
22:41realized that she would be his team
22:42leader for the mission. as she was a
22:44commander rank mage and he was picking
22:46from ascended rank clerics. All right, I
22:50am at least vaguely familiar with
22:51Alice's abilities.
22:53She is good with barriers but
22:55specializes more in attack. We're
22:58already well-rounded in attack and
23:00defense with a versatile mage as the
23:02leader. Thor also specializes in defense
23:05while Ray is full offense and Hawk is
23:07our scout. His presence made it possible
23:10to clear an entire zone by lunch because
23:13we didn't have to hunt for the monsters
23:14hiding spots. Carl explained to the
23:17clerics.
23:19So mostly you need someone to keep you
23:21alive and fed while making sure that the
23:23monsters die in a prompt and efficient
23:25manner. Tessa the war gods cleric asked.
23:30Alice nodded. That is a pretty good way
23:33of putting it. We can obviously feed
23:35ourselves and there are ration packs,
23:38but nobody says no to a bit more variety
23:40in their diet. The clerics all nodded
23:43and then they looked at each other.
23:46Lotus smirked at Carl. There really
23:48isn't a bad option here. So, if you're
23:50hoping that someone will eliminate
23:52themselves, you're out of luck. That was
23:55precisely what he had been hoping, but
23:57it seemed obvious now that it wasn't
23:59going to happen.
24:00Well, then I guess we just need to work
24:02on a solid core for the group, no matter
24:04who we get for the last pair. Since
24:07that's the case, who here is good with
24:09both healing and group buffs? We have
24:12barriers taken care of thanks to Alice,
24:14but combat enhancements are important,
24:17Carl asked. All five of them raised
24:20their hands, and Carl gave Rita a
24:23questioning look. They all have
24:25specialties, but I picked five that had
24:27the best qualifications.
24:30she replied.
24:32So, this will not be easy. All right, I
24:35am going to have to find some other
24:37criteria or I will have Alice draw names
24:39to see who goes. Carl sighed. Lotus
24:43cheered. Drawing names is the best way.
24:47She agreed. Jenny rolled her eyes.
24:51That's only because you have insanely
24:53good luck when it comes to trivial
24:54things. I'm not sure that it will extend
24:57to getting a party member, but if we
24:59were drawing straws for first shower,
25:01Lotus would win every single time. Luck
25:04might not be a quantifiable factor, but
25:06it was an incredibly valuable one. While
25:09they were considering their next move,
25:11one of the high priests came in and
25:13silently handed a note to Rita. Carl
25:16didn't think much of it as they were at
25:18the seminary academy, but the look on
25:20her face said that it was something
25:21important. The extra group members have
25:24been decided.
25:26I will be accompanying you and they
25:28request that we pick two clerics to make
25:30up the fivep person group. Rita informed
25:33them, reading from the note she had been
25:34given. Alice looked a bit startled to
25:37hear that and moved the selection
25:39forward. Either they're short on elites
25:42or we're going to be doing something
25:43unexpectedly annoying. I guess that
25:46means we're definitely going to need
25:48someone good with combat buffs and ones
25:50who don't mind fighting. Are there any
25:53of you who don't get along well?
25:55They all shook their heads. There were
25:58no deep-seated rivalries between them.
26:01In that case, I will pick the ones who
26:03like to fight the most. She finished.
26:07That would be Tessa and Lotus. Jenny
26:10laughed. Not Kira. Alice questioned as
26:14Kira was a cleric of the church guard.
26:17Tessa shook her head. She might not look
26:20like it, but the tiny one is scrappy. My
26:23theory is that she's part honeybadger
26:25and as she got more attuned to her
26:27goddess, it made her want to pick fights
26:29with everyone. Lotus definitely didn't
26:32look the part of a fighter. She was even
26:35shorter than Dana despite being
26:36graduated from the academy. On the other
26:39hand, Tessa looked more like a warrior
26:42dressed in a nuns habit than an actual
26:43priestess. Even from here, Carl could
26:47see the muscles on her arms and the
26:48scattering of red scales.
26:51Plus, she nearly stood eye to eye with
26:53his 180 cm height, making her
26:56exceptionally tall for a priestess.
26:59Now, the real question. Can one of you
27:02use advanced food creation? Carl joked,
27:05giving the clerics a wink so they would
27:07know he wasn't serious. Tessa laughed.
27:11Funny story that we both can. Alice
27:15extended her hand to Jenny, who was
27:17closest.
27:19Thank you all for giving us your time
27:21and know that you are still on the short
27:22list for any future missions that we
27:24take. We have to head out again as soon
27:27as the testing is completed. So, we
27:29won't keep you from your daily tasks any
27:31longer. Tessa and Lotus, if you would
27:34like to go pack your mission bags, we
27:36will meet you at the testing cathedral
27:37in an hour. The rejected candidates
27:40waved as they left, while Tessa and
27:42Lotus gave each other a high five as
27:44they went to pack their bags. Well, this
27:47could be an interesting mission. Who
27:50would have thought that we would be
27:51assigned two clerics? Carl muttered as
27:54they left the room. Alice nodded. It's
27:57unexpected for certain, but the colonel
28:00believes that you're up to the task.
28:02That said a lot about how they ended up
28:04with such a strange group and in such a
28:06hurry. Carl assumed the normal state of
28:09things would be for him and his chosen
28:11cleric to go back to one of the base
28:12camps and get assigned someone from the
28:14reinforcements to go with. So, are we
28:17really going to do the test for ascended
28:19before we go? Carl asked instead of
28:22voicing his thoughts about what was
28:24happening with the colonel's favoritism.
28:26We are. I am a commander rank mage, so
28:30normally my group would be all ascended
28:32or higher. If we're going to keep the
28:34military and the government dispatchers
28:36happy, you have to make it to ascended
28:38as soon as possible. We can write off a
28:41few weeks or a month as training, but
28:43after that they will start wondering
28:45what is so special that you are out
28:46fighting when others are stuck in class.
28:49She replied,
28:51so I will be out for some time. Carl
28:55asked carefully. Look at Thor and Ry.
28:59That sort of growth would never happen
29:00in the academy.
29:02So, as long as it keeps up, we will keep
29:05finding new opportunities to keep them
29:07growing. I must say, some of it is
29:09personal curiosity on the part of Rita
29:11and myself to see how fast you really
29:13can grow, but most of it is the
29:15practicality of it. The colonel thinks
29:18you might be the next powerhouse, and
29:20that means doing all we can to make it
29:22come true. Alice agreed. But don't
29:25worry, we will get you back to your
29:27little mage girl before you know it.
29:30Rita laughed. Sergeant Rita cleared her
29:33throat to get Carl's attention. The test
29:36will be administered by a group of high
29:37clerics using a combination of divine
29:40magic and technology to determine if
29:42your combat power and maximum energy
29:44output meet the standards of an ascended
29:46elite. Your class is a bit of an
29:48anomaly, so I am not certain whether
29:50they will count your beasts maximum as
29:52your own, but it is almost certain that
29:54they won't allow you to combine the
29:56outputs to get a more impressive number.
29:58The look on your face says you never
30:00even considered it, but it has come up
30:02in the past with druids and rangers who
30:04had summons. They count the summon as a
30:07separate effect. And while they do allow
30:09you to have it active if you gain a buff
30:11from it, their attack power is not added
30:13to your own. For that reason, the total
30:16effective combat ability of mages who
30:18can use golems or elementals, as well as
30:20classes with various types of summons
30:22can be much higher than a single
30:24warrior. She stepped toward the door and
30:27Carl turned to follow, eager to get
30:29through the test and find out what the
30:31plan was to find another way for the
30:32beasts to advance. He had an idea of his
30:36own. A simple one, but effective so far.
30:40The lizard men and ogres tended to carry
30:42magical gems on them, which could be
30:44used in potions to enhance warriors.
30:47Those should be effective on the beasts
30:49as well, and he even had some coming
30:51from his share of the loot from this
30:52mission. Most of it was in coins, but
30:55they had a rather large pile of magical
30:57gems in Doug's bag as well. Will we have
31:00time to drop in on the commander rank
31:02tests? The team I was with before are
31:05all testing for advancement today, and I
31:08think they would appreciate the extra
31:09bit of moral support, Carl asked.
31:13Possibly.
31:14Not all of them, as they're running at
31:16the same time as your test, but the last
31:18few we should be able to go see unless
31:20they are faster than expected or close
31:22the temple.
31:23Alice agreed. She led them to a small
31:26temple off to the side of the compound,
31:29past the stables, where a small group of
31:31older clerics had gathered. An ancientl
31:34looking man with golden eyes that were
31:35slotted like a goat turned to look at
31:37Carl with a curious expression. "This
31:40must be elite Carl. You have a lot of
31:43the world dragon's luck about you. Are
31:46you confident in your ability to pass
31:47the ascended rank trial?" he asked,
31:51speaking slowly as if each word was an
31:53effort. Yes, high priest. I am confident
31:57that I can pass the trial. Carl replied
32:01politely. A younger priest stepped
32:03forward. Then we will use the divine
32:06trial to test whether you are ascended
32:08or not. When you come back out, your
32:11mark will be glowing golden if you
32:12passed, black if you failed. Alice and
32:16Rita both looked shocked at his words,
32:18but Carl wasn't sure why. The cleric had
32:21just said it was a trial to confirm his
32:23status.
32:24Obviously, the church would have their
32:26own way and not the power meter thing
32:28that the golden divine academy used
32:30along with the teacher's judgment. The
32:33divine trial has been activated. Alice
32:36asked, "Is it such a shock? It is active
32:40for 24 hours when it is used and we have
32:43a high priest testing later today. The
32:46old man slowly answered. Forgive my
32:49impertinence, high priest. I was just
32:52shocked that it was active. I didn't
32:55know that you were elevating a high
32:56priest today. Alice replied. That must
33:00mean that they were confident that Doug
33:02would pass the trials and become an
33:04official commander rank green dragon
33:05cleric, which would grant him the role
33:07of high priest by default. There was
33:10still some internal ranking among the
33:12high priests, but Carl had no idea how
33:14it worked and he didn't really care as
33:16it was unlikely to ever affect his daily
33:19life. The protocol for dealing with them
33:22was all the same for those outside the
33:23church and he already remembered the
33:25rules of courtesy. Dany and Donnie came
33:28over while they were talking with Bob
33:30not far behind them, having an animated
33:33conversation with one of the guards.
33:35From the hand gestures, it seemed that
33:37they were deeply engrossed in the finer
33:39points of sword play. So Carl just waved
33:42to them and waited for instructions.
33:44The seminary academy matron herself
33:47stepped out of the building in front of
33:48them with a gentle smile on her face. We
33:51will be doing the trials today in order
33:53of age as the gods have demanded.
33:56Therefore, the first to enter will be
33:58the beast master Carl, followed by
34:01Donnie, then Danny, brother Doug, and
34:04finally Robert. You can enter any time
34:06that you want after the previous
34:08applicant has entered. The trial will
34:10separate you, and none will be able to
34:12see what happens inside except the trial
34:14taker. The results are impossible to
34:17fake, even for me. So, do your best. The
34:20gods can be unforgiving with their
34:22standards in a way that a standard test
34:24is not. She declared
34:27Carl believed that the trial instance he
34:30was in had very different standards for
34:32those taking the tests than anything
34:33that Carl was familiar with. So if the
34:37cleric set a certain standard for your
34:38test, he knew that the trial wouldn't
34:40allow you to fake your way through or
34:42cheat in any way. She gestured toward
34:45the door, not allowing him any time to
34:47doubt his resolve. and Carl stepped
34:49through the large bronze doors into the
34:51chapel building. Inside, it was very
34:54unobtrusive with a simple stone
34:56interior, wooden benches, and a
34:58collection of magical items along the
35:00walls. It felt like the room was judging
35:03him, and Carl realized that the door
35:05behind him no longer existed. He must be
35:08inside the trial, but he wasn't certain
35:10what he should be doing. There was an
35:12altar at the front of the room, and it
35:14had some sort of devices sitting on it.
35:17That must be the first test it wanted
35:19him to take. Carl walked up and saw that
35:22it even had written instructions, though
35:24the script was archaic and he couldn't
35:26read it. But whoever had made this had
35:29prepared for that, and there were
35:30pictorial instructions as well. Carl
35:33walked up and saw that it even had
35:35written instructions, though the script
35:37was archaic and he couldn't read it. But
35:40place both hands on the device and make
35:42it glow. Carl put his hands on the round
35:45plate and wondered if he should do
35:47something, but then it felt like the
35:49energy was being drained from his body,
35:51and he quickly brought up refreshing
35:52lightning. It was still drawing heavily
35:55from him, as if he was using some
35:57extreme skill, but the lightning eased
35:59the burden a little. Then the standard
36:02increased, and Carl's knees nearly
36:04buckled. But he held on until the draw
36:07increased again, and then abruptly
36:09stopped when Carl couldn't provide the
36:10power that it demanded. He wasn't sure
36:13if that was a good thing or not, but the
36:15altar vanished and Carl found himself in
36:18an empty field. A golden golem appeared
36:21in front of him and a voice whispered in
36:23his mind. Hit it as hard as you can.
36:26Again, simple. Carl checked to make
36:30certain his bracelet that increased
36:31skill damage, the reward he received the
36:34last time that he was here at the
36:35seminary academy was firmly attached to
36:37his wrist and then coated his sword with
36:39both shred and refreshing lightning
36:42before lunging forward and landing five
36:44rapid strikes on the golem, letting
36:46offensive adaptation do its thing. Each
36:50time he hit it, a bit more of the golem
36:52turned from gold to red until after the
36:54fourth strike, it stopped advancing
36:57again. Carl had no idea of how the
36:59measuring system worked. But the scene
37:01changed again and he was sitting at a
37:03desk with a written test in front of
37:05him. He didn't expect a written
37:07component. He couldn't even read the
37:10language of the holy relics. But the
37:12test turned out to be just one question,
37:14and it was in the Golden Dragon Nation's
37:16common language. Which deity do you owe
37:19your allegiance to? That was a tough
37:22question. There was a whole pantheon.
37:25He wasn't a cleric with an affiliation.
37:28So although the world dragon was
37:29considered the primary god of the golden
37:31dragon nation, he wasn't certain how to
37:33answer. Wouldn't a layman like him
37:36picking just one be an uninformed answer
37:38and an insult to all the other gods that
37:40he didn't pick? The page went blank for
37:43a moment and then new words appeared.
37:46Answer accepted.
37:48Carl stared at the words on the sheet.
37:50He didn't recall coming up with an
37:52actual answer, but he supposed that was
37:54an answer on its own. This test was the
37:57most confusing trial he had been through
37:59so far, and he had no idea how he was
38:01even doing. He didn't even know what the
38:04standard was that he was aiming for.
38:07Then the desk vanished, and he found
38:09himself at another temple with steps up
38:11the side, identical to the one in the
38:13last trial instance.
38:15Except this time, every side but one was
38:17shrouded in dark mist. Carl walked over
38:20to the stairs and found himself looking
38:23at the sign in annoyance. It was again
38:26in a language that he couldn't read, but
38:28the picture had a person stepping up the
38:30stairs and an arrow that would be clear
38:33enough for anyone to understand what it
38:35wanted. So he stepped onto the stairs
38:38and a soft sound like a tambourine
38:40symbols jingled. He stepped again and it
38:44was a bit louder and longer. There was
38:46no appreciable resistance as he walked,
38:49so he just kept going, listening to the
38:51song that the symbols were playing until
38:52they were joined by a drum beat. At
38:55first, it only beat with every stair,
38:58but it was slowly gaining a beat as he
39:00moved up the stairs. Then, a flute
39:02joined the music, and a heavy weight
39:04seemed to descend on his shoulders,
39:06making every step a challenge. The
39:08refreshing lightning barrier seemed to
39:10help, and the mana flowing through his
39:12body helped keep him focused as he
39:14realized that he knew this song. It
39:17wasn't some divine hymn or some ancient
39:19ballad. It was a rhythmic working song
39:21that the miners sang that Carl knew by
39:23the name Give the Working Man a Chance.
39:26It was about hard work getting you
39:28nowhere, and that the only way to true
39:30power was to take it by force.
39:32The song was officially banned in the
39:34minds, but not because it was a
39:36revolutionary theme song. The lyrics he
39:39knew advocated murdering the boss and
39:41taking over his job when you knew you
39:43could do a better job. Carl sang along
39:46as he trudged up the steps and that
39:48strange sense of amusement that he had
39:49felt on the steps after the trial
39:51appeared again. One of the gods must
39:54know this song. Or his version of the
39:56lyrics were so very wrong that they were
39:58laughing at him missing the point. Six
40:01steps later, a familiar ache, like the
40:04end of a full shift swinging a pickaxe,
40:06had settled into his bones and muscles.
40:08But still, Carl pushed forward until he
40:10found that he couldn't take another
40:12step. As it had been on the fate steps,
40:15it was simply impossible to move
40:17forward. "No matter where you put your
40:19foot, you somehow ended up on the same
40:21step. This was a trial, so there should
40:24be some way forward," he assumed. Carl
40:28poured extra energy into the refreshing
40:30lightning barrier and slid his foot up
40:32the step. That got it onto the next
40:34stair. But when he put weight on it, he
40:37found it back on the same step as his
40:38other foot. So he added more power with
40:42shred and rend both activated.
40:45Now he was on the step and the other
40:47foot came up behind it. After a half
40:50second that felt like hours, both feet
40:52were on the next step and a flow of
40:54power was entering his body, refreshing
40:56his aching muscles. Then he was flying
40:58through the air away from the temple. It
41:01was ironically familiar after his
41:03attempt to jump straight up on the
41:04stairs in the last trial instance, but
41:06he landed on his feet with a solid
41:08impact that left a 10- m long furrow and
41:10made the refreshing lightning barrier
41:12flicker. The scene faded and he found
41:15himself in the first room again, but
41:17this time he was facing the open bronze
41:19door where he could see the academy
41:21matron and Alice waiting for him. The
41:24others were out of his line of sight,
41:25but the matron was smiling at him. There
41:28is no need to discuss the trials you
41:30faced. They are different for everyone,
41:33and it won't help them to know what you
41:35faced. Congratulations, Ascended Elite
41:38Carl. You have passed the test, she
41:41announced. The claw marks on his arm
41:44were glowing bright gold, and Carl let
41:46out a sigh of relief. "That was a short
41:49test. Most of them take over an hour,
41:52but you're out again in under 30
41:54minutes," Rita noted as Carl stepped out
41:57of the temple. "Half an hour? It didn't
42:01feel quite that short, though. That last
42:03trial messes with your sense of time, so
42:06I suppose that could be right," Carl
42:09replied.
42:10Rita waved off his efforts to explain.
42:13You can keep the content of your trial a
42:15secret. They often contain some sort of
42:18spiritual or personal revelation that
42:20will help you in the future, she
42:22explained.
42:24A revelation that would help him in the
42:26future. Unless there were less violent
42:28lyrics for that song which had been
42:30playing, the trial probably hadn't given
42:32him any sort of deep moral lesson. Carl
42:35found himself whistling the song that
42:37had been playing in the trial and one of
42:39the high priests gave him a strange
42:40look. Do you know that him? Carl gave
42:44him an equally confused look. Him? As
42:48far as I know, it's a worker's song with
42:50a rhythm to swing a pickaxe to. It was
42:54playing in the trial and it got stuck in
42:56my head. The old man nodded. I heard it
43:00once about 50 years ago in my own trial
43:02for high priest.
43:04I couldn't find anything about it
43:06though, even when I spent half a year
43:08looking through him books, old musical
43:10sheets, and composition records.
43:13Carl laughed. This one won't be in any
43:16written record. If you have some time,
43:19go ask the miners to sing it for you,
43:22but don't ask in front of the foreman or
43:24the boss because the song is banned."
43:27The old man smirked. "Why should I wait?
43:31You know it, and we've got a few minutes
43:33before the others finish. I assume that
43:36you're intending to wait to see how
43:37Brother Doug and your friends do. Carl
43:40nodded.
43:42Sure, just give me a moment. I need some
43:44sort of instrument to keep rhythm if I'm
43:46going to sing. Rita smiled and took out
43:48a pair of spoons. I know the song as
43:52well. I will keep time, you sing. I bet
43:56that the minor's version of the lyrics
43:57are more fun than the ones I know. The
44:00old cleric looked intrigued, and he had
44:02already pulled out a notepad and pencil
44:04to write down the lyrics and possibly
44:07write the musical sheets for the song.
44:09She took up the rhythm with the clacking
44:11of the spoons in place of the
44:12tambourine, and Carl started to sing the
44:15lyrics, while the clerics all looked
44:16vaguely scandalized, except the red
44:19dragon high priestess, who began to sing
44:21along after a few verses. She knew the
44:24same lyrics that Carl did, and the old
44:26cleric looked annoyed that he had looked
44:28for so long, and the answer was right in
44:30front of him, but so different from what
44:32he had expected that he wasn't asking
44:33the right questions. When they got to
44:36the end of the song with the line,
44:38"Throw him down the shaft and give the
44:40working man a chance," the red dragon
44:42cleric laughed, and the other high
44:44priests and priestesses clapped in
44:46appreciation.
44:47Rita shook her head and wrote out an
44:49alternate version for the cleric.
44:51These are the words that I know. I grew
44:54up right by the border, so it might be
44:56regionally different, but the rhythm is
44:58the same. It's not a song you will hear
45:01much in public, just when the lowest
45:03class are working hard and not
45:04particularly happy with their employer.
45:07Amazing.
45:08Thank you all for your assistance.
45:11Now, I must plan a journey to find the
45:13original version that all of these
45:15derived from, he insisted, then wandered
45:18away to do exactly that.
45:20The group patiently waited for the
45:22others to come out, mostly with a quiet
45:24professionalism. But every few minutes,
45:26the red dragon high priestess would
45:28begin to whistle a song, and someone
45:30would laugh, annoying the other clerics
45:32who were trying to focus on something
45:34while they waited. The first to appear
45:36was Doug, whose plain green robe was now
45:39layered with black and gold underneath,
45:41and his class marking was glowing bright
45:43gold. "Welcome back, High Priest Douglas
45:46Cormick McKenzie." The matron greeted
45:49him. Doug winced.
45:52Really? You had to full name me. The old
45:56woman smiled. Of course, you're a
46:00dignified high priest now. Everyone gets
46:02to full name you. How else will they
46:05remain reverend of your power when
46:06you're happier playing in the garden and
46:08getting the guards high on their days
46:09off? Doug whistled and looked away,
46:12pretending to be innocent but not
46:14fooling anyone. Well, it is good to be a
46:17high priest anyhow. I believe my goddess
46:20is happy with my work. Doug replied with
46:23a reverent tone when he spoke of the
46:25dragon god of nature. The other clerics
46:28chuckled at his pronouncement, long
46:30since used to the carefree ways of the
46:32nature priests.
46:34Little things like rules and regulations
46:36never bothered them much unless they
46:38interfered with the natural order of
46:40things.
46:41They couldn't even be counted on to
46:42prevent violence among the students
46:44because in their words, "Sometimes
46:46people deserve a punch in the face. But
46:49on the other hand, you could count on
46:51them to deal with the matter fairly
46:52after it happened." The next out was
46:55Bob, whose warrior mark was glowing a
46:57faint gold, barely illuminating the
46:59mark. "It seems that it was a close
47:02thing, but you two have passed the
47:04trials. Congratulations on your success,
47:07Commander Robert McKenzie." The matron
47:10greeted him. Thank you, matron. It got
47:14very touch and go there for a bit, but I
47:16am glad that I managed to satisfy the
47:18gods that I was worthy of the rank. He
47:21replied.
47:23Then he turned to Carl and gestured to
47:25where he had left his backpack.
47:27I have the loot split. If you don't
47:30mind, the mages were quite interested in
47:32the crystals for crafting, but they have
47:34offered a ring of giant strength and a
47:36magic sword in exchange. The values are
47:39equal according to the church auditor.
47:42Bob informed him. Carl nodded. That
47:46works well enough for me. If they know
47:48someone who can make good use of them,
47:50then they are welcome to the gems. Has
47:53the cash been deposited into the
47:55account. I don't know how to check my
47:57card balance away from the academy. Bob
48:00nodded. You can check it at the supply
48:03counter here at the seminary academy or
48:05at any money machine in the towns. But
48:08yes, the money should be deposited
48:11already. It's a rather substantial
48:13amount, so try not to act shocked when
48:15you see it. Alice gave Carl a curious
48:18look, and he shrugged. We brought back
48:21two backpacks half-loaded with coins
48:23from the giants and ogres.
48:26Even split five ways, it should be a
48:28fairly substantial amount, as Bob called
48:30it.
48:32Bob handed over the ring and the sword,
48:34which Carl recognized as the dagger that
48:36they had gotten from one of the giants,
48:38which Bob had been using himself as an
48:40improvement on the other sword he owned.
48:42Carl slipped the ring on his finger and
48:44strapped the blade to his pack until he
48:46could get a scabbard made for it. It
48:49wouldn't fit into the one for the sword
48:50he already owned, and he didn't have
48:52another way to carry it, like the metal
48:54loop that Bob used as a sword hanger.
48:57The supply room should have something
48:59for him, though. They had all sorts of
49:02gear made by the church, and it was
49:04usually reasonably priced from what he
49:06had heard. Even many of the items at the
49:08Golden Divine Academy were made here.
49:11The influx of power from the ring of
49:13giant strength was impressive, and Carl
49:15wondered if he could do like Thor and
49:17flip an armored car from a standstill.
49:20His own strength was improving, but with
49:22the odd tests of the trial instance, he
49:24couldn't say how well it compared to
49:26warriors at the same entry to ascended
49:28rank level. The twins came out at the
49:31same time as perfectly as if they had
49:33planned it and both showing off the
49:35golden wand marks on their hands.
49:38Congratulations, commanders. You have
49:40both done a wonderful job today. We will
49:43be updating your registration in just a
49:45few minutes. Would you like some family
49:47alone time before you are pulled away by
49:49those eager to celebrate your
49:50advancement? The matron asked. A few
49:54minutes at least would be appreciated.
49:56Doug replied with a smile right before
49:59he pulled his sisters into a group hug.
50:02Carl nodded to Bob, who gave him a happy
50:04soldier salute, then went to join the
50:06others. "All right, I think we're
50:09finished. Do you two need anything, or
50:12should I just go grab the last items I
50:14need before we head out?" Carl asked,
50:17"Grab what you need and meet us back at
50:19the front gates in 15 minutes. That's
50:22when the clerics will be arriving."
50:25Alice agreed. Carl ran off to the supply
50:28counter and handed his card to the
50:30clerk, who did a double take as he
50:32noticed it wasn't a seminary academy,
50:34but hadn't noticed that Carl wasn't one
50:36of them while he was wearing the generic
50:37hass. Can I get a scabbard to fit this
50:40blade in two sets of black training
50:42mission fatigues if you have them? He
50:45asked. The man punched in the request
50:48without a word, then tapped Carl's card
50:50against the reader and nodded. We've got
50:53them. Just allow me a minute to grab a
50:55few scabbards and see what fits best.
50:58That looks like it was taken from a
51:00monster, so it's probably not a standard
51:02size. True to his word, he returned in
51:06just over a minute with an armload of
51:08clothes and scabbards, then proceeded to
51:10test the fit of the sword until he found
51:12one that he was satisfied with. "Is it
51:14hanging on that belt?" he asked
51:17dubiously, looking at the rope tie of
51:19Carl's Hassac. "No, I have a sword
51:22belt." Academy Standard issue, but
51:25everything was in the laundry this
51:26morning. Carl explained he hoped it
51:30would all be clean and ready, but last
51:32time he was here, he hadn't returned to
51:34his room for quite a while. But the
51:36supply chief was prepared for that, and
51:38he pulled out a plain black leather
51:40sword belt intended to be wrapped twice
51:43around the waist to adjust the hanging
51:44height of your blade. No charge. It can
51:48replace the standard belts that come
51:50with the fatigue sets. Do you need new
51:53boots? He asked. Carl shook his head.
51:58The plain black ones he had on were
52:00already broken in and comfortable, and
52:02after a short cleaning, they were good
52:04as new. Thanks. I've got to run up and
52:07get packed. We're supposed to leave in
52:0915 minutes. Carl informed the supply
52:12chief, who smiled and waved for him to
52:14get running. When Carl got back to his
52:17room, his school mission uniforms were
52:19all freshly laundered and waiting for
52:21him along with a set of fresh bronze
52:23badges. That had to be from either Alice
52:26or Rita, as they were Golden Divine
52:28Academy badges, not something that you
52:30would expect to see at the seminary
52:32academy, but Carl appreciated the
52:34gesture. If they were here now, then
52:37they had been dropped off before his
52:38trial was complete, anticipating him
52:40succeeding. With well practiced motions,
52:44Carl tucked everything back in his pack
52:46the way that he liked the balance best
52:47and then headed back downstairs to
52:49inquire about the fact that all the
52:51consumables from his last mission were
52:53already depleted and he didn't have an
52:55opportunity to restock them. The clerics
52:58were just getting down to the courtyard
52:59when he arrived and there were stacks of
53:01supplies being loaded into the white bus
53:03convoy in preparation to head back out
53:06again. This time it will just be us and
53:08the convoy guards with the supplies. The
53:11other missions only last for a week
53:13before they return to the academy. So
53:15the bus team will wait for them there
53:17after we deliver the supplies.
53:19Sergeant Rita explained.
53:22All right. I will need to restock as
53:24well. I returned here with nothing but
53:26loot in my pack. Carl replied with a
53:30laugh. Lotus giggled and wiggled her
53:32fingers in the universal children's
53:34symbol for casting a magic spell. Don't
53:37worry about it. We've got all those
53:39sorts of supplies taken care of. Tessa
53:43can also use her magic to repair metal.
53:45So, if you've got damaged gear, we can
53:47take care of that as well once we're in
53:49the field. The tiny cleric explained. It
53:53sounds like we're ready for almost
53:54anything then. All right, I will let
53:57Thor out for a few minutes because he
53:59might not forgive me if he doesn't get
54:00to play with the clerics for a bit and
54:02then we can go. Those were magic words
54:05for Lotus, and Carl wasn't sure who was
54:08more excited to meet the other for the
54:09first time, her or Thor. There was a lot
54:12of happy squealing and rough affection
54:14from both sides, to the point that the
54:16other clerics were hesitant to join in
54:18until the two had calmed down a little
54:20bit. Tessa smiled at Carl. See what I
54:24mean? She's a bit too in tune with her
54:27anim animalistic side, but she's a good
54:30cleric, and you can always count on her
54:32to have your back.
54:33Carl smiled at the war priestess.
54:36That's the only part that really
54:38matters, isn't it? If you can't count on
54:41them to have your back, it doesn't
54:43matter what else they can do or how
54:44their personality is. Once the buses
54:47were loaded, they picked one and loaded
54:49themselves in the front among the
54:51limited space that wasn't taken up with
54:53stacked supplies. The bus seats didn't
54:56fold, but they had done the best that
54:58they could to load them with supplies,
55:00and the bus was packed from the third
55:01row back.
55:03That didn't leave much space for the
55:04five member team and their gear. But
55:06fortunately, none of them was huge and
55:08burly, at least not to the point that
55:11they didn't fit in one of the narrow bus
55:13seats. Carl took the seat closest to the
55:16door, while Hawk took a seat on the roof
55:18rack, which was also loaded with boxes
55:20of supplies for their journey. There
55:23were no off-road or particularly bad
55:25stretches between them and the base
55:26camp, so they had loaded as much as
55:28humanly possible into the vehicles for
55:30the trip. that hit Hawk from sight from
55:33behind. And while it limited his view a
55:35little, he could see enough that he
55:36wasn't afraid of missing any threats to
55:38the convoy. The only real danger that
55:41they would face would be road
55:42conditions, as by the time that Hawk
55:45relayed them, it would probably be too
55:47late to do anything about them. The
55:49morning was passing smoothly with the
55:51miles flowing by outside the bus without
55:53incident until Hawk spotted the same
55:56situation as on the way back to the
55:57seminary academy. There was a small
56:00group of monsters who had escaped from
56:02the containment area and they were
56:04headed toward the road. They might make
56:06it to the road before the bus group gets
56:08there. Hawk warned Carl. Incoming
56:12monsters ahead. They've left the
56:14containment area and they're headed for
56:16the road ahead of us. Carl warned the
56:19driver. The driver relayed the message
56:22and the convoy began to slow as the lead
56:24driver spotted the same monsters that
56:26Hawk had seen 30 seconds earlier.
56:29They were right on the road now
56:31according to Hawk, but they were no real
56:33threat as they were all awakened rank.
56:36Take care of them quickly and then
56:38someone will drag them out of the road
56:39so we can keep going. Carl instructed
56:43that was a pleasure for Hawk. He flew up
56:46off his perch and forward to the front
56:48of the convoy to get in range, then hit
56:50them with a barrage of fireballs.
56:53The flames seemed to melt into their
56:55bodies, remaining coherent like chunks
56:57of magma, and the ogres dropped dead,
56:59falling all along the road and in the
57:01ditches. Your fireballs are becoming
57:04quite impressive.
57:06Carl congratulated him. Fire is
57:09wonderful. I should have had fire from
57:12the start. Hawk agreed. That was a new
57:16attitude from Hawk. Carl was actually
57:19surprised that he didn't use rend, but
57:21with fireball being as good as it was
57:23now, clearly an ascended rank advanced
57:25attack ability, it made sense for him to
57:27switch. That hawk has some serious
57:30attack power. The driver commented as he
57:33listened to the lead guard group going
57:35out to clean up the dead ogres and
57:36scavenge any loot that they could get.
57:39Hawk didn't sense anything worth
57:40keeping, but they might have some money
57:42on them, which the church would use to
57:44pay for the supplies and bus fuel. They
57:47had the road cleared in under a minute
57:49and the convoy was back in motion with
57:51Hawk now sitting on the top of the lead
57:53bus so he could get that extra few
57:55hundred meters worth of warning if there
57:56was anything headed toward the road.
57:59Burning holes in ogres was surprisingly
58:01satisfying and with Carl meditating all
58:03the time lately, his space was starting
58:05to gain enough power that he could feel
58:07a bit of leeway to keep growing his
58:09skills. Keeping up with the demands of
58:11the three growing beasts was more than
58:13Carl could easily manage. But now that
58:15Hawk had found some advancement room, he
58:18was making the best of it to improve his
58:19fire abilities.
58:21Carl could tell that Rey was working on
58:23something as well, but he couldn't tell
58:25quite what it was that she was trying to
58:27comprehend. He still had skill master
58:30active to help their learning, but
58:32without anyone to watch, their growth
58:34would be limited. She was dedicated to
58:37it, though, and she seemed to have a
58:39good grasp on what she was doing. There
58:41was just one last step left that she
58:42wasn't understanding in order to make
58:44the spell work. Once they were in combat
58:47again, she might grasp it as long as it
58:49was something that the group here was
58:51using as well. With the combat
58:53enhancement of a war goddess cleric, the
58:56pets might even manage to learn some new
58:58combat enhancement spells and abilities.
59:01Sure, it was divine dragon magic, but
59:03there was still a chance. The class
59:06marking were divine magic from the world
59:08dragon after all.
59:10There were a few more monsters near the
59:12road just before they got to the base
59:14camp, and Hawk was getting excited about
59:16getting to burn them again. But the team
59:18on patrol in the field got to them first
59:20and had the road cleared before they
59:22arrived. It was their job, but Hawk was
59:25still disappointed that he didn't get to
59:27show off his new skill. The convoy
59:30rolled into the camp, stopping at the
59:32edge of the parking lot so that the work
59:33teams had more room to unload since the
59:36interiors, roof racks, and belly boxes
59:38were all loaded with cargo. The guards
59:41exited the cabs to give the work teams
59:43room to do their jobs, and Alice led the
59:46group toward the base camp office. I
59:49hear you made the public safety officer
59:50cry last time that you were here, so try
59:53to be nice to him this time. We will
59:55inform his office that we have arrived
59:57and then we will be sent out with a
59:59weaker group as their escort. The
1:00:01military does things through the weight
1:00:03of numbers, not with raw individual
1:00:05power, so don't expect an all-star team
1:00:07like you had last time. Alice warned
1:00:10Carl as they walked away from the bus.
1:00:13I've already got an all-star team with
1:00:14me. I don't know what you mean, but I
1:00:17understand that we will be tasked to a
1:00:19regular military unit to help with the
1:00:21sorts of things they struggle with. Carl
1:00:24agreed. That did somewhat explain why
1:00:27they had two healers. If they were
1:00:29accompanying a larger group, they would
1:00:31need more healing. And if the soldiers
1:00:33were fighting above their level, they
1:00:35would face not only more frequent but
1:00:37more serious injuries than usual. The
1:00:40staff member was the same one that had
1:00:42escorted Carl and his team in the last
1:00:44time he was here. But today, she was all
1:00:46business, taking Alice's notes and
1:00:48pulling the assignment for their team
1:00:49from the printed stack of missions. You
1:00:52will be assigned to the 4pm group. Their
1:00:55commander will have more details for
1:00:57you. She informed Alice as they finished
1:01:00the process.
1:01:02Understood.
1:01:03Have a good afternoon and we will see
1:01:05you in a week or two. They left the
1:01:08office and headed for the staging area
1:01:10where the soldiers were gathered. The
1:01:13military insignia on Sergeant Rita's
1:01:15uniform got them through without any
1:01:16unnecessary questions. And in only a few
1:01:19minutes, Carl found himself looking at
1:01:21the largest armored vehicle that he had
1:01:23ever seen. He hadn't realized how big an
1:01:26artillery platform was until he first
1:01:28saw one up close, but Thor seemed to
1:01:30take the presence of the vehicle as a
1:01:32personal challenge. He was supposed to
1:01:34be the group's front line, not some
1:01:36metal truck with too many wheels.
1:01:39Relax, buddy. It's probably not coming
1:01:42with us into the wilderness, and it's
1:01:44certainly not agile enough to be on the
1:01:46front lines of a battle. It stays at the
1:01:49back, far away from the fight to shoot
1:01:51at it. Carl assured him. Thor was still
1:01:55suspicious of the large vehicle, but
1:01:58decided to let the grudge rest as long
1:02:00as it didn't try to steal his job. Alice
1:02:03led them to a captain, who had a group
1:02:05of soldiers with him, ready to leave the
1:02:07base, and shook his hand. Good to see
1:02:10you again, Captain. I've got a proper
1:02:13group for you today, Alice informed him.
1:02:17Oh, and how is that? The soldier replied
1:02:20with a smile for the slightly younger
1:02:22mage. We've got myself and the sergeant,
1:02:25plus two clerics and a beast master with
1:02:27three ascended monsters bonded. She
1:02:30replied, "And who is the small child?"
1:02:34the captain asked with a gesture toward
1:02:36Lotus who gave him a rude gesture in
1:02:39return. That would be the nature
1:02:41priestess Lotus. She's not a child, just
1:02:44very short. At half 3 in the afternoon,
1:02:48the group started to load up into the
1:02:50helicopter to head into the woods. It
1:02:53was the only good way in, and there was
1:02:55already one team waiting in there for
1:02:56them. Carl smiled as he saw the
1:02:59terrified faces of the group that was
1:03:01waiting for them. They were all
1:03:03students, both from his own academy and
1:03:05the seminary academy, and they all
1:03:07looked like they were new to the
1:03:08awakened rank. Alice leaned over to
1:03:11whisper in Carl's ear. The military
1:03:14group has been telling them horror
1:03:16stories, so when they found out that
1:03:17they were being tasked to set up a
1:03:19forward observation base in the woods,
1:03:21where they would treat the wounded and
1:03:22keep the supply lines, they feared the
1:03:25worst. ogre invasions, constant battles
1:03:28where they would have to fight 10-on-one
1:03:30against a single monster to stand a
1:03:32chance. You get the idea. But we will be
1:03:34based out of the camp that they're
1:03:36supplying, which is why we didn't need
1:03:38to pack as heavily this time. There is
1:03:41another group there now holding the
1:03:42position so that it isn't overrun, and
1:03:45there should be base building supplies
1:03:46already on site. That's not our concern,
1:03:49though. Our team will be going outside
1:03:51to clear the more powerful monsters from
1:03:53the area, the same as always.
1:03:56But we can go back to camp at night if
1:03:58once the worst of the infestation is
1:04:00under control. Carl smiled.
1:04:03Well, that will be a change. I got very
1:04:07used to sleeping in the comfort of Ray's
1:04:08webs at night. They're kind of springy
1:04:11and hold the body without any of the
1:04:13pressure points of a cot or a cheap
1:04:15mattress. Sergeant Rita smirked. You
1:04:19weren't exactly roughing it last time,
1:04:21were you? Everyone else came back
1:04:23exhausted from fitful sleep, leaning
1:04:25against tree roots, and your lot were
1:04:27complaining that the smell of gourmet
1:04:29cooking attracted even more ogres than
1:04:31usual. Carl smirked back. Who said that
1:04:35was a complaint? We made out like
1:04:37bandits off those ogres. There was one
1:04:40day when we got four commander rank
1:04:42kills before lunch. The students pald a
1:04:45little at that mention. They would
1:04:47rather not see any commander rank
1:04:49monsters, much less four in one day.
1:04:52What sort of mission had Carl been on
1:04:54that had been so dangerous?
1:04:57Sergeant Rita hadn't noticed that they
1:04:58had an audience, though. You know, we're
1:05:01going to be flying directly over your
1:05:03last deployment location, and it's not
1:05:05that far from our new location, so you
1:05:07might be in luck if the surge picks up
1:05:09again. But this time, you have a whole
1:05:12military group with you, so you'll have
1:05:13to share the glory. The captain of the
1:05:16group they were accompanying laughed.
1:05:19And the loot. Please keep that part in
1:05:21mind as well. You will have to share the
1:05:24loot. I don't think I've ever seen a
1:05:27student decked out in that much magical
1:05:28gear before. And from what I can see,
1:05:31it's all monster dropped. Did your team
1:05:34spoil you, or was there that much? Carl
1:05:37shrugged. We split evenly. The gloves I
1:05:41got as my share. The bracelet was a gift
1:05:43from the church, while the ring and
1:05:45sword were traded for my share of the
1:05:47magical gems we got. The mages wanted
1:05:50them for crafting. The captain shook his
1:05:53head. Well, at least we've got a
1:05:55well-geeared frontline fighter out of
1:05:57the deal. Carl resisted the urge to tell
1:06:00him that he was not on the front lines
1:06:02voluntarily, but because their group
1:06:04didn't have another warrior capable of
1:06:05tanking damage from the monsters.
1:06:08Avoidance tanking had to be a thing
1:06:10because Carl had no intentions of just
1:06:12getting hit. But if he was going to be
1:06:13at the front and drawing the monsters
1:06:15attention, it was difficult to argue
1:06:17that he wasn't the tank of the group.
1:06:19The last of the team took their seats
1:06:21and the doors were closed, leaving Carl
1:06:24in uncomfortable silence while the other
1:06:26students sized him up and tried to
1:06:27figure out who he was. None of them
1:06:30remembered having a classmate like him,
1:06:32but he was wearing a bronze academy
1:06:34badge, so he had to be an ascended
1:06:35elite. It was the students from the
1:06:38seminary academy that finally explained
1:06:40to them who he was as they had seen him
1:06:42during his first visit. So that's the
1:06:45first year wonder kid. How did he even
1:06:48make it to Ascended already? We're not
1:06:51even done the fall term yet and he's
1:06:53already ahead of half the school. One of
1:06:55the students complained
1:06:58half the school. How many students are
1:07:00even going to graduate at commander?
1:07:03Like six out of 500. I would say he's
1:07:06already ahead of most of the school and
1:07:08he's probably going to get some fancy
1:07:10title by the time that he reaches second
1:07:12year. Another one scoffed.
1:07:15Nah, it's most likely just a unique
1:07:17class that gets an early bump. Like the
1:07:20druids that summon a powerful supporter
1:07:22and jump up a rank in a few weeks, then
1:07:24flatline.
1:07:26One of the others replied in a snarky
1:07:28tone, unwilling to accept that Carl
1:07:30really might be the next monster among
1:07:32the elites. Carl pretended that he
1:07:35couldn't hear them as they were making
1:07:36an effort to whisper and didn't know
1:07:38that he could hear everyone in the
1:07:39helicopter, including the air traffic
1:07:42controller speaking through the pilot's
1:07:43headset, guiding them to their
1:07:45destination.
1:07:46Carl looked out the window and his eyes
1:07:49picked out the fort that Ry had made in
1:07:50the lower branches of the redwood tree
1:07:52at their second stop. You were right.
1:07:55We're over the last zone I was assigned
1:07:57to. See, there's the redwood where I set
1:08:00up camp and the clearing by the river
1:08:02where we killed that commander ranked
1:08:03giant. Oh, it looks like someone else is
1:08:07there now fighting. Carl informed Rita,
1:08:10raising his voice a little to be heard
1:08:12over the noise. Rita looked down and
1:08:15shook her head. From this height, I can
1:08:18barely make out that there are people
1:08:19moving down there, much less what they
1:08:21are doing. The helicopter passed over
1:08:24the area and then another 10 minutes
1:08:26passed before Carl saw a military group
1:08:28in the distance. That had to be where
1:08:31they were going, unless there were
1:08:32multiple new base camps being set up.
1:08:35There were piles of supplies surrounded
1:08:37by a group of people in military
1:08:39uniforms and a few elites in plain
1:08:42clothes. The helicopter waited for a few
1:08:45minutes, circling the base as they
1:08:46prepared for the arrival of the rest of
1:08:48their troops. And then it landed in a
1:08:50clearing just outside the perimeter.
1:08:53Everyone out. There is no more space
1:08:56inside the base for helicopters, so we
1:08:58are being rerouted to the clearing. I
1:09:01recommend that you get a proper helipad
1:09:02sorted out before your next supply
1:09:04shipment needs to be delivered, but
1:09:06that's up to you. The cargo master
1:09:08aboard the helicopter informed them. The
1:09:11military teams filed out first, leaving
1:09:14Carl and his group as the last ones
1:09:15aboard. They shook hands with the crew
1:09:18as they departed and quietly followed
1:09:20the teams into the base with a gesture
1:09:23from Sergeant Rita for them to remain
1:09:24inconspicuous.
1:09:26Why? Carl didn't know, but it seemed to
1:09:29be important to her that the people here
1:09:31not realize who they were right away.
1:09:33She led the group in behind the
1:09:35soldiers, then turned to inspect their
1:09:37equipment and storage. We're the ranking
1:09:40elites here, and I want to get a look at
1:09:42their practices before they realize
1:09:43there's someone looking and shuffle us
1:09:45away.
1:09:46If they're not taking care of it, a good
1:09:48chunk of the supplies will get wasted.
1:09:51Rita whispered. But as they walked
1:09:54through, Rita's mood was improving.
1:09:57Everything was organized. Nothing was
1:09:59left in the mud. It was all elevated on
1:10:01pallets or logs, and the general state
1:10:03was just crowded, but not disorganized.
1:10:06"All right, I've seen what I need to.
1:10:09Let's go make our introductions and
1:10:11catch up with our mission team," she
1:10:14announced.
1:10:15That caught the attention of the group's
1:10:17captain, who was chatting with the base
1:10:19commander, while the other man
1:10:20discreetly ordered his people to start
1:10:22working on expanding the base. Ah,
1:10:25Commander Alice, Sergeant Rita, I
1:10:28thought we lost you for a moment there.
1:10:30We will be headed out immediately using
1:10:32the directions that the base has given
1:10:34us on the larger threats in the area,
1:10:37the captain announced.
1:10:39Understood, Captain. Our gear is stowed
1:10:42and we're ready to move when you are.
1:10:45Alice agreed. With a single whistle, the
1:10:48captain had his unit focused and ready
1:10:50to move. Carl wasn't a premier expert on
1:10:53the strength of other elites, but if he
1:10:55had to guess, the only one close to Hawk
1:10:58would be the captain, and the rest were
1:10:59all at the awakened level. So, his team
1:11:03would be the heavy hitters for the squad
1:11:04while they were out on patrol, while
1:11:06they took care of the large numbers like
1:11:08the goblin tribe that his last group had
1:11:10used. golems to eliminate. Carl fell in
1:11:13at the front of the convoy and the
1:11:15captain gave him a curious look. I'm the
1:11:18frontline warrior, so I'm with you. Once
1:11:21we're away from the camp, I will send my
1:11:23dragon hawk out to scout and it helps if
1:11:25I'm next to you to relay any findings he
1:11:27makes. From up there, he can see an
1:11:30entire patrol zone clearly and relay the
1:11:33best route to clear it, Carl explained.
1:11:37So, you're both a scout and a melee
1:11:39warrior? The captain asked. Not exactly
1:11:43a melee warrior, but I have a lightning
1:11:45barrier for defense, so I'm better
1:11:47suited to the front line than our other
1:11:48warrior who has guard. Carl explained.
1:11:53The captain nodded. Your hawk shouldn't
1:11:56find too much. The scouting reports for
1:11:59the area say that there aren't any
1:12:00threats above the low ascended rank with
1:12:02a low overall density. That's why they
1:12:05only sent one stronger team to the area
1:12:08this time. If we actually need the
1:12:10strength of a commander rank mage,
1:12:12something has gone horribly wrong. That
1:12:15was a giant red flag if Carl had ever
1:12:17seen one. And he gave the beasts an
1:12:19advanced warning that they were likely
1:12:21to see real combat sooner than expected.
1:12:24As they walked, Carl let Hawk out, which
1:12:26caught the attention of the soldiers,
1:12:28who were quickly reminded that he was a
1:12:30friendly unit by the rest of Carl's
1:12:32team. Their skittishness was making Carl
1:12:35nervous about sending out the others,
1:12:36especially Rey, who wasn't as friendly
1:12:39looking as Thor. Have they been briefed
1:12:41on the beasts that I have with me?
1:12:44Because Rey is a bloodbath spider, and I
1:12:46really don't want her getting injured by
1:12:48friendly fire. Carl asked the captain
1:12:51quietly. The captain nodded. I have, but
1:12:55I can't guarantee how well they
1:12:57listened. It will be best if you bring
1:13:00Ry out before the fight starts so they
1:13:02can get used to the spider before things
1:13:04get hectic. Hawk, how's it looking up
1:13:07there? Carl asked, "One more kilometer,
1:13:11then you can choose a hobgoblin patrol
1:13:13or some ogres." Hawk replied, "We've got
1:13:17a patrol of hobgoblins and a few ogres a
1:13:20kilometer ahead. I think it's best if I
1:13:22get Ray ready now so they're used to
1:13:25seeing her." Carl replied to the
1:13:27captain's comment. The captain raised
1:13:30his voice. Team, listen up. Elite Carl
1:13:34will be calling out his blood bath
1:13:36spider. It is a valuable asset on our
1:13:39side. Treat it as one of your team
1:13:42members. Carl called her out on the far
1:13:44side of himself. So, he was between her
1:13:47and the team. And Ray hissed as a
1:13:48halfozen of the soldiers turned weapons
1:13:50on her. Fortunately, nobody attacked
1:13:54because an awakened ranked soldier with
1:13:56no magical barriers on them would not
1:13:57take a hit from Rey and survive. They
1:14:00calmed down after a few seconds and a
1:14:02stern look from the captain who had just
1:14:04finished warning them not to do anything
1:14:06dumb. All right, Rey will be traveling
1:14:09with us, possibly in the trees away from
1:14:11the group, but nearby. She will join the
1:14:15fight when we come across our first
1:14:16group of enemies. Carl informed them.
1:14:20Ray stayed in sight just in case they
1:14:22forgot what she looked like. And Carl
1:14:24decided to add Thor to the mix. The
1:14:27lightning Sarah is our additional tank.
1:14:30If you don't want to be charged by
1:14:32ogres, make friends with Thor. Carl
1:14:35informed the group as he summoned the
1:14:36scaled beast. That one didn't alarm them
1:14:40as much, and somehow Thor's
1:14:41expressionless face still managed to
1:14:43look happy to see them. Thor's presence
1:14:46helped set the team at ease. And when
1:14:48Carl saw Hawk circling ahead of them,
1:14:50the soldiers were ready for a battle.
1:14:53Captain, the hobgoblins are through
1:14:55those trees. The ogres aren't far beyond
1:14:58that. Carl relayed from Hawk's
1:15:00information. Tell them that the ogres
1:15:03are ascended rank. Hawk reminded him.
1:15:07Ascended rank ogres,
1:15:09four of them in total. Carl amended.
1:15:13That was a tough fight for the military
1:15:15unit on their own, but shouldn't be a
1:15:17challenge for Carl and his team. The
1:15:20captain nodded. You five split off and
1:15:23take care of the ogres. Then he called
1:15:26back to the team. We will deal with the
1:15:29hobgoblins.
1:15:30Ramirez and Jones to the front, "Bring
1:15:33your shields. The mercenary elites will
1:15:36be splitting off to deal with ascended
1:15:37rank ogres." His voice was hushed, but
1:15:41it carried well through the unit, and
1:15:42the others split off quickly to join
1:15:44Carl, following Hawk's directions around
1:15:46the hobgoblins to get to their fight.
1:15:49Our first fight as a team. Are you
1:15:51mentally ready? Alice whispered as the
1:15:54ogres came in sight. They were looking
1:15:57around, trying to find the sound of the
1:15:58footsteps, as they had heard Thor
1:16:00coming, but he had stopped out of sight,
1:16:02and the ogres hadn't properly located
1:16:04him yet. I'm ready. It will be a big
1:16:08change standing up at the front with
1:16:10Thor, but we've got this. Trust in the
1:16:13lightning barriers and we will be fine.
1:16:16Carl agreed. Of course, Alice cast a
1:16:20barrier over them as well. But her
1:16:21specialty was wind magic, so it wasn't
1:16:24quite up to the standard that Donny's
1:16:25had been. Despite the barrier mage
1:16:27having just made it to commander rank,
1:16:30the barrier was still enough to give
1:16:31Thor all the confidence he needed, and
1:16:33the Sarah waited eagerly for Carl to
1:16:36start the charge into combat. With a nod
1:16:38to his partner, Carl silently raced
1:16:41through the trees while Thor crashed
1:16:42through the bushes the last dozen meters
1:16:44to the ogres, distracting them while
1:16:46Carl sliced the throat of the closest
1:16:48ogre with shred before it could respond.
1:16:51Its hand went to its throat to block the
1:16:53bleeding while it healed, leaving it
1:16:55only one hand to fight. But there were
1:16:57three other ogres and only two fighters
1:16:59in the front. Thor had practice with
1:17:02this and easily rounded up two of them,
1:17:04holding them in place while the mages
1:17:06attacked and Rita moved to the side to
1:17:08attack. Alice summoned a golem to help
1:17:11Carl at the front, making it threeon
1:17:13four with one already wounded. and Carl
1:17:15dodged an incoming strike, then moved to
1:17:18prevent the ogres from getting past him
1:17:19to the mage and clerics. A flood of warm
1:17:22magic surged through Carl's body as
1:17:24Tessa cast a buff on him, and his steps
1:17:27became smoother, both faster, and less
1:17:29encumbered by the gear he was carrying.
1:17:31He was about to go for the knees of the
1:17:33wounded golem when the strangest sight
1:17:35met Carl's eyes. Two odd-looking spiders
1:17:39charged the field, looking like tree
1:17:40golems, but shaped like Ray. The spider
1:17:44in question was right behind them, and
1:17:46all three piled on the wounded ogre,
1:17:48tearing it apart as it screamed in
1:17:50terror. When did you learn that? Carl
1:17:53asked. It's pretty awesome, right? I
1:17:57figured it out when the Alice mage
1:17:59summoned hers. The other golem mage
1:18:02casts it all funny. The spider golems
1:18:05might not have all of Ray's skills, but
1:18:07what they lacked in power, they made up
1:18:09for in pure enthusiasm.
1:18:11Even when the ogre crushed two legs off
1:18:13one of them, it didn't slow down, and
1:18:16Lotus had the lost limbs repaired before
1:18:17the golem could even find the time to
1:18:19care that it was damaged. That left Thor
1:18:22and Carl with one ogre each, and Alice's
1:18:25golem with another. Being commander
1:18:28rank, her golem was much stronger than
1:18:30its opponent. But the ogre seemed more
1:18:32concerned with keeping the trio of
1:18:33spiders away from its back, and it was
1:18:35taking constant hits as it moved. The
1:18:38extra speed let Carl meet every attack
1:18:40of the ogre with a skill of his own,
1:18:42matching attack speed instead of brute
1:18:44strength. Rend was enough to stop the
1:18:47majority of attacks or deflect them wide
1:18:49enough that they weren't a threat and
1:18:51Carl was getting the hang of fighting in
1:18:53close quarters. When the ogre's club was
1:18:56deflected over his head, Carl went for
1:18:58the stomach, cutting the ogre open with
1:19:00ren and then blocked the next strike
1:19:02with his blade. Surprisingly, with the
1:19:05effects of the bestial strength
1:19:07gauntlets and the ring of giant
1:19:08strength, he didn't feel like he was at
1:19:10a disadvantage in the physical
1:19:11confrontation and the ogre wasn't going
1:19:13to last long with the rate that it was
1:19:15bleeding out. The first one wounded was
1:19:18the first to fall, followed closely by
1:19:20the one that Alice had focused with her
1:19:22golem, and then Carl's, which was
1:19:24outmaneuvered and outmatched by the
1:19:25cleric enhanced beast master. The battle
1:19:29came to an abrupt end and Hawk landed
1:19:31among the bodies after making a quick
1:19:33spin by the army group to make sure they
1:19:35didn't get lost on the way to the
1:19:36hobgoblins.
1:19:38Sergeant Rita turned to Carl. You know,
1:19:41a little heads up when your pets gain
1:19:43new abilities would be nice. Carl
1:19:46nodded. I told them the same thing. But
1:19:49that's the first time that Rey has
1:19:51managed to make that spell activate.
1:19:54She's been working on it for days, but
1:19:56couldn't get it right until she saw
1:19:57Alice cast her golem spell. I've had
1:20:01skill master active for ages now, trying
1:20:04to help her learn a new skill. I didn't
1:20:06expect that it would be golems, but
1:20:08skittering tree golem spiders are pretty
1:20:10handy. Lotus had no problems healing
1:20:13them, and their damage isn't bad. Lotus
1:20:17smiled up at Carl. And they're only a
1:20:20little terrifying, so they're a nice way
1:20:22to acclimatize your allies to her
1:20:24presence. They're built like spiders,
1:20:26but they aren't really spiders, so I
1:20:28think that the soldiers shouldn't be as
1:20:30afraid of them." Rita chuckled. "You
1:20:34believe that the tree monster version of
1:20:35spiders will be any less terrifying to
1:20:37the soldiers. While they might not have
1:20:40the reputation of the bloodbath spider,
1:20:42anything arachnid shaped terrifies a
1:20:44significant portion of the population.
1:20:47They should be used to it by now,
1:20:49though. They've already met Ry, so
1:20:52accepting spidershaped golems won't be a
1:20:54stretch for them. If anything, they will
1:20:57think that it is a personal idiosyncrasy
1:20:59of Carl's since golems always take the
1:21:01same shape after they are summoned for
1:21:03the first time. They quickly check the
1:21:05bodies for anything useful and caught
1:21:07their breath, checking the straps on
1:21:09their bags and preparing to walk back to
1:21:11the main group. Tessa gestured back
1:21:13toward the soldiers. We should likely
1:21:16regroup with them right away. I can feel
1:21:19them still fighting, so something
1:21:21probably went wrong. The rest of the
1:21:23group turned and started moving, not
1:21:25wasting any time when the others might
1:21:27be in danger. And the red dragon cleric
1:21:30moved up to run beside Carl. I will stay
1:21:33with Thor during the next fight. Some of
1:21:36my buffs are very short-ranged, and with
1:21:38his massive strength, he will get the
1:21:40most of it, she explained.
1:21:43Just don't get squished.
1:21:45I kind of like your style, Carl replied
1:21:48with a wink. Carl reached the clearing
1:21:51where the hobgoblins were fighting first
1:21:53and found that the danger of the fight
1:21:55had been greatly underestimated, while
1:21:57the actual fight was exactly as Thor had
1:21:59described it. The soldiers were fighting
1:22:02a group of awakened ranked hobgoblins,
1:22:04but among them was an ascended ranked
1:22:06goblin shaman who looked like a normal
1:22:08goblin leader until it started casting
1:22:10healing magic. The hobgoblins had
1:22:12encircled it, and while their numbers
1:22:14had been cut in half, the healing was
1:22:16keeping them in the fight much longer
1:22:18than expected. "Thor, you know the way."
1:22:22Tessa encouraged, and the lightning put
1:22:24its head down, charging past Carl and
1:22:27into the melee. Tessa was right behind
1:22:29him, so Carl followed her through the
1:22:31fight, batting away blades that tried to
1:22:34intercept them and letting the spider
1:22:35golems take his back, which let Ray push
1:22:38through with him. "Where are you going?
1:22:41Carl heard Alice yell, but it was too
1:22:43late. They were already at the center of
1:22:45the fight and the goblin shaman was
1:22:47flying, literally flying, as Hawk had
1:22:50caught him after Thor threw him in the
1:22:52air and was pulling the shaman up in the
1:22:54sky with him. A sharp turn sent it
1:22:57hurling toward the ground at hundreds of
1:22:59kilometers an hour. While the hobgoblins
1:23:01roared in rage at the surprise invaders,
1:23:04Carl slashed out using shred to cut down
1:23:07a wave of goblins who were pushing back
1:23:09their way. And the shaman reached the
1:23:11ground directly onto Thor's front horn,
1:23:14which pierced through the creature's
1:23:15back for a moment before the Sero
1:23:17flicked his head and used the body as a
1:23:19shield against a hobgoblin blade. Carl
1:23:22found himself shoulder-to-shoulder with
1:23:23the spider golems while Ry joined Thor
1:23:26and Tessa behind him with the cleric
1:23:28moved toward the center of their circle.
1:23:30She had a chain flail which had a
1:23:32surprising reach and she was using it to
1:23:35keep the hobgoblins from getting at
1:23:36Thor's back. Not that his back was any
1:23:39weaker than his armored head, but it was
1:23:41harder for him to defend.
1:23:43Sergeant Rita cut her way into the
1:23:45center of the fight and took the side of
1:23:47Thor opposite Ray, which gave them
1:23:49enough numbers to start pushing out and
1:23:51driving the remaining hobgoblins into
1:23:53the encirclement by the military unit.
1:23:56Attacked from both sides, they didn't
1:23:58stand a chance, and the fight was over
1:24:00before Alice's slower moving golem could
1:24:02even make it to the fight. "Thank you
1:24:04for coming back so promptly. Did you
1:24:07hear our calls, or did your scout warn
1:24:09you?" the captain asked. Tessa shook her
1:24:13head. I felt the fight still going on
1:24:16after we finished with the ogres, so we
1:24:18came back. The captain shook his head in
1:24:21dismay. The mercenary team might be more
1:24:24powerful, but they were really showing
1:24:26his unit up today. They even managed to
1:24:29come up with a better tactic in the few
1:24:31seconds after they arrived than he had
1:24:32managed to accomplish for the rest of
1:24:34the fight. Of course, he didn't have a
1:24:37lightning sero that could just smash
1:24:39through hobgoblins like they were
1:24:40bowling pins, but he should have been
1:24:42able to come up with something to deal
1:24:43with that healer. The captain whistled
1:24:46to address the group. Check the bodies.
1:24:49We're moving out. This won't be the only
1:24:52group that we come across today, and
1:24:54there are other groups in this region
1:24:55doing the same. You don't want to be the
1:24:58low producers for the day.
1:25:00Sergeant Rita chuckled as she joined
1:25:02Carl, who was cleaning off Thor before
1:25:04he returned to his space. He didn't want
1:25:07to get the mess in his pond, and that
1:25:09meant someone needed to wipe him clean
1:25:11of goblin blood before he returned to
1:25:13his space at the end of the day. It
1:25:15would be easier now than after it dried,
1:25:17and there hadn't been any word of a
1:25:19river or pond nearby to wash in. "I
1:25:22found more people. We should go see
1:25:25them," Hawk suggested. I think that the
1:25:29other groups have their own things to
1:25:30do. Carl reminded him. But Ray's human
1:25:34is here and there is a whole group of
1:25:36ogres to kill near them. Carl had to
1:25:39think about that for a moment. Ray's
1:25:42human? Wasn't he Ray's human? There is
1:25:46another group in that direction about a
1:25:48kilometer and a half. There are more
1:25:50ogres near them and Hawk thinks they
1:25:52might need the help. Carl informed the
1:25:55captain. If he says they need help, I
1:25:58trust him. This fight was going to be a
1:26:01tough one on our own. So, if that one is
1:26:03worse, then reinforcements might save
1:26:05lives. The captain agreed. The soldiers
1:26:09weren't happy about being pushed to
1:26:11start moving again instead of taking a
1:26:13break after a fight, but they were
1:26:14moving, and Carl took the point with the
1:26:16captain while Ray darted off into the
1:26:19trees, but left her golems to walk
1:26:21alongside the column where everyone
1:26:22could see them. The other group of
1:26:25soldiers didn't even notice they were
1:26:26coming until Carl was almost in the
1:26:28clearing with them. He had seen them
1:26:31through the trees over a minute earlier,
1:26:32but their scouting abilities were
1:26:34severely lacking and the group looked
1:26:36exhausted.
1:26:38Rey, keep back. I don't want strangers
1:26:40attacking you. Hawk, you too. Or go
1:26:44scout out the other ogres.
1:26:47Carl warned. I will go scout the ogres.
1:26:51These humans are weak, too.
1:26:53Hawk agreed. Ry wanted to stay, but she
1:26:57knew it was best to stay out of sight,
1:26:59so she moved behind the column to make
1:27:01sure that nothing came up behind them.
1:27:03Carl spotted a familiar curly head of
1:27:05hair in an academy mission uniform and
1:27:08began to laugh. "You mean Dana? Dana is
1:27:12Ray's human now?" Carl asked. "She
1:27:16sleeps in Ray's bed, not yours. She's
1:27:20obviously Ray's human." Carl got the
1:27:23feeling that there was some level of
1:27:24slander in there, but he decided to let
1:27:26it slide as he raised his hand and
1:27:28stepped out into plain view of the other
1:27:30unit. There were numerous hobgoblins
1:27:32dead around them, and Carl saw why they
1:27:35were resting. With roughly even numbers,
1:27:38awakened soldiers versus awakened rank
1:27:40hobgoblins was a hard fight. They were
1:27:43tough as well as much larger and
1:27:45stronger than the humans. The group only
1:27:48had one ascended rank member, and he was
1:27:50wounded with his arm in a sling. Lotus
1:27:53spread a healing spell around the
1:27:54clearing, reviving the weary soldiers
1:27:57and bringing a few smiles to the
1:27:59exhausted team. Dana ran over and gave
1:28:02Carla a hug when she noticed he was at
1:28:04the front of the group, and Rita gave
1:28:05her a startled look, not expecting to
1:28:07have found her here. Are you stationed
1:28:10out of this forward operations base now?
1:28:13I heard that they were sending in
1:28:14reinforcements, but I didn't want to go
1:28:16back to the academy yet. I've been
1:28:18making good progress on my magic out
1:28:20here. Dana asked Carl when she pulled
1:28:23back to look at him. Yeah, we are
1:28:26supposed to be operating out of here
1:28:27once the location is upgraded, but we're
1:28:29on an escort mission with Alice to help
1:28:31the military units in the area deal with
1:28:33the larger threats. We found some more
1:28:36ogres near you, so we came over to give
1:28:38your group a hand."
1:28:40Carl's response caught the attention of
1:28:42the other group's team leader. Did you
1:28:45say there are more ogres nearby? We've
1:28:48been in nearly constant combat since
1:28:49this morning and the lads are beat. The
1:28:52captain of the team with Carl nodded in
1:28:54understanding.
1:28:56We can take care of it. The Hawk should
1:28:59be out there somewhere scouting, right?
1:29:01How is the strength of the group
1:29:03looking? Carl checked in with Hawk, who
1:29:06was circling back after having made a
1:29:08loop around the area to make certain
1:29:09there were no other imminent threats.
1:29:12It's just the ogres nearby. Then we can
1:29:15go a little further along and find some
1:29:17giants or lots and lots of goblins.
1:29:20That didn't sound promising. If there
1:29:23was a huge goblin infestation, it would
1:29:25be one of the priority targets for the
1:29:27region before they became an even worse
1:29:29problem. Will the two units together be
1:29:32able to take out the goblins?
1:29:35Carl asked. I don't see why not. They
1:29:39have mages and lots of swords. How many
1:29:42goblins is each soldier worth? There
1:29:45shouldn't be more than 15 for every
1:29:47soldier if the groups are together. Hawk
1:29:50replied, "Wait, 15 goblins for each
1:29:53soldier if both groups are together. We
1:29:57definitely need to deal with that. We
1:29:59can't let 300 goblins just wander loose
1:30:02in the woods. If they come across a
1:30:04regular group, they would wipe it out.
1:30:07Carl reminded the bird. Hulk wasn't
1:30:10particularly concerned with that. He
1:30:13could take out 300 goblins alone if you
1:30:15gave him enough time, so he didn't see
1:30:17them as a real threat, no matter how
1:30:19easily they could eliminate the human
1:30:21patrols.
1:30:22Carl walked over to his group's captain
1:30:24with Alice and Dana following him, then
1:30:26motioned for the other team leader to
1:30:28join them. Gentlemen, we have an issue.
1:30:32There is a goblin tribe nearby, roughly
1:30:34300 strong. Individually, they are
1:30:38fragile, but with that sort of numbers,
1:30:40we will have to work together to
1:30:42eliminate them safely, he explained.
1:30:45Alice nodded. Their job was to assist
1:30:48the military units, not replace them, so
1:30:51they would fight alongside the units,
1:30:53and not volunteer to do it all
1:30:55themselves.
1:30:56She was glad that Carl was learning that
1:30:58lesson early instead of volunteering to
1:31:00do insane, nearly suicidal missions for
1:31:03the off chance that it would let him
1:31:04push through a bottleneck and reach new
1:31:06heights. There was some merit to the
1:31:09other way, and when you were really
1:31:10stuck, some would still try it. But this
1:31:13wasn't the time or place to be playing
1:31:14the hero. They had two entire military
1:31:18units, and while Carl was probably a
1:31:20stronger military force than both
1:31:22combined, they could still deal with
1:31:23huge numbers of goblins.
1:31:26Carl explained the situation as Hawk had
1:31:28described it, and the two teams started
1:31:30to make plans to ambush the goblins
1:31:32before they could start to move again.
1:31:34They weren't the only enemies still in
1:31:36the area, and if they managed to link up
1:31:38with something stronger and smarter,
1:31:40they would become much more dangerous.
1:31:43Just this morning, we came across an
1:31:45infant chimera. If the goblins get the
1:31:48help of something like that, we will be
1:31:49in real trouble. The other team's leader
1:31:52explained. A chimera?
1:31:56Carl asked. Dana shuddered at the memory
1:31:59and nodded, then took out a poison gland
1:32:01from her storage.
1:32:03Scorpion tail, dragon head, and wings on
1:32:05a lion's body. absolutely terrifying and
1:32:09both venomous and capable of breathing a
1:32:11toxic cloud. We were prepared, but we
1:32:14still almost didn't win, and it was just
1:32:16an infant, hardly larger than a house
1:32:19cat. She agreed. That was a bit of a
1:32:23shame. A chimera might make a good
1:32:25partner for Thor. They were both big and
1:32:28durable. Plus, if they were something
1:32:31like lions, they might be playful enough
1:32:34to keep the lightning sero entertained.
1:32:37All right, we will split into three
1:32:38teams. The two military units separate
1:32:42and then the mercenaries.
1:32:44Dana, you're with them. The mercenary
1:32:47group will lead the strike while the
1:32:49military units take the flanks and
1:32:50encircle the goblin camp to prevent them
1:32:52from fleeing. We will signal the attack
1:32:55when we're in position, so hold back for
1:32:57a moment when you get close." Carl's
1:33:00team captain announced. Alice nodded and
1:33:03called the rest of the team over. We've
1:33:06gained an awakened mage. We will attack
1:33:09the close side when the signal is given.
1:33:12Thor, Carl, and the spider golems are on
1:33:14the front line. Because of the numbers,
1:33:17ranged will not be holding back. I will
1:33:20keep my golem back to protect against
1:33:22encirclement,
1:33:24Alice announced. I can summon a pair of
1:33:27golems as well. Stone golems.
1:33:31Do you want them at the front or the
1:33:32back? Dana asked. Alice considered that
1:33:36for a second. Send them to the front.
1:33:40Most of the fighting will be there, and
1:33:42we've got Tessa with us if something
1:33:43gets past my golem. She might be a
1:33:46cleric, but most warriors wouldn't be
1:33:48able to take her in a fight. Tessa
1:33:51looked a bit crestfallen that she
1:33:52couldn't be up with Thor, but as Alice
1:33:54started to describe the plan, she
1:33:56realized they would only be a few steps
1:33:58back. that was close enough to activate
1:34:01her close-range skills, and she would be
1:34:03able to step forward and touch him for
1:34:05the direct contact ones. Lotus was
1:34:08preparing spells, layering them on her
1:34:10staff in preparation for the battle.
1:34:13Carl wasn't sure what she was planning,
1:34:15but it almost felt like they were
1:34:16pre-cast and waiting for a target. That
1:34:20might be her way of spreading out the
1:34:21stamina draw of extended mana use, but
1:34:24her techniques were her own. "All right,
1:34:27everyone, move out." the captain called.
1:34:30The military units went first and then
1:34:33the mercenary group started to move
1:34:34forward. Everyone was using Hawk as a
1:34:37reference point as he was circling the
1:34:39area over the goblin tribe. They would
1:34:42only see him every minute or two, but it
1:34:44was enough to let them know where they
1:34:46should be headed. The only thing the
1:34:48soldiers regretted was not giving Carl a
1:34:50subvocal microphone so that he could
1:34:52relay Hawk's observations in real time.
1:34:5550 meters from the goblin tribe. They
1:34:58paused to wait for the military units
1:34:59orders. There are more monsters coming.
1:35:02You guys are really slow. Hawk chastised
1:35:06them. What's coming? Carl asked,
1:35:10wondering if it needed to be relayed.
1:35:12Orcs, maybe. Really big green things
1:35:15that aren't lizards.
1:35:17About 20 of them. They are coming from
1:35:20the far side of the camp from you, so
1:35:22you can fight them last. Carl whispered
1:35:25the update into the handheld radio that
1:35:27Alice was carrying and got back a click
1:35:29from the captain in return, letting him
1:35:31know that he understood but couldn't
1:35:33speak right now. Then came the single
1:35:35tone to start the attack and Carl led
1:35:38the charge into the camp with Thor
1:35:39beside him. Remember, not too far in.
1:35:44Everyone is following us this time. Carl
1:35:47reminded him. He turned the flat of his
1:35:49sword on the closest guard and swatted
1:35:51him like a cricket ball, sending the
1:35:53goblin flying halfway across the camp
1:35:56before landing in a crumpled heap. Alice
1:35:58gave him a look as if to say seriously
1:36:01as the camp turned to face them, and the
1:36:03goblins began to form up and charged
1:36:05their way. The spider golems raced past
1:36:08everyone, tearing apart goblins at a
1:36:10frantic pace and every bit as messy as
1:36:12Ry when she attacked them the first
1:36:14time. Now she was more careful in case
1:36:17she got goblin blood in her mouth. But
1:36:20compared to the two golems, Thor's
1:36:22crushing attacks and Carl's hurled
1:36:23bodies were only a minor distraction.
1:36:26That was when the military unit struck,
1:36:28cutting into the side of the camp with a
1:36:30wave of spells before they charged
1:36:32forward. It was textbook perfect. Not a
1:36:36single one of the goblins was watching
1:36:38the flanks when the attack started, and
1:36:40they fell by the dozens.
1:36:42Carl swept through the goblins with Ren,
1:36:44using lower power and wide swings of his
1:36:46sword to send out arcs of energy that
1:36:48sliced through waves of them while Hawk
1:36:50rained down huge fiery explosions from
1:36:52the air. He had gotten the dispersed
1:36:55version of fireball to work and the
1:36:57effect was terrifying in a goblin camp.
1:37:00Then the spider golems expanded to 5 m
1:37:03tall and Ray began to laugh
1:37:05hysterically.
1:37:06The goblins were terrified, but the
1:37:08golems had no intentions of slowing
1:37:10down.
1:37:12Lotus looked inordinately proud of
1:37:13herself for the giant growth spell which
1:37:16only worked on plant type life forms.
1:37:19The goblins couldn't even flee. They
1:37:21were being slaughtered wholesale. And
1:37:23the enlarged golems could spear multiple
1:37:25goblins per second while running on six
1:37:27of their eight legs. But the orcs were
1:37:30here and they weren't about to miss out
1:37:32on a good fight. It was the screams from
1:37:34the military units that attracted Carl's
1:37:37attention to the disaster about to
1:37:38unfold.
1:37:40Six orcs, green-skinned humanoids 2 and
1:37:43a half meters tall with elongated lower
1:37:45tusks and black dreadlocks had charged
1:37:48into the military lines, and their
1:37:49blades were shattering the guard
1:37:51abilities of the warriors like glass.
1:37:54Spider goms, go help the soldiers until
1:37:57I can get there, Carl ordered. They were
1:38:00the only ones that could move across the
1:38:02camp that quickly, but the whole group
1:38:04was moving forward at a steady walk. The
1:38:07spider golems reached the orcs in only a
1:38:09few seconds, and the military unit
1:38:11retreated to let them fight. But the
1:38:13orcs also split up, free to a golem.
1:38:16They had tactics, and while one kept the
1:38:19golem busy, two hacked each of them
1:38:21apart faster than Lotus could repair
1:38:22them. Rey was shocked. Her golems were
1:38:26more durable than she was. So, if she
1:38:28had gone with them, wouldn't she have
1:38:30been hacked apart as well? She summoned
1:38:33another pair as the orcs turned back to
1:38:34the military unit, but they would be too
1:38:36late to get there before the unit was in
1:38:38trouble again. Alice threw a barrier
1:38:41over the first rank of warriors in the
1:38:43military unit, but it was only of
1:38:44limited use as the orcs knew slash and
1:38:47half of the attacks bypassed them to hit
1:38:49the ranks behind them. In order to allow
1:38:52them to fight, she had to cast it on
1:38:54their physical shields, and the orcs
1:38:56were smart or experienced enough to know
1:38:58how to work around that. Carl didn't
1:39:01need to be ordered to change his
1:39:02direction and order Thor to charge at
1:39:04the orcs. Tessa was right behind them,
1:39:07and the [clears throat] others were
1:39:08doing their best to keep up. With his
1:39:10increased strength, Carl could cover an
1:39:12easy 5 m per running step, leaping over
1:39:15the goblin defenders, who were knocked
1:39:17to the ground by the force of his stride
1:39:18if they got too close. The orcs
1:39:21recognized the threat as soon as the
1:39:23trio approached with the spider golems,
1:39:25now back at normal size, surrounding
1:39:27them. And the largest of them did, just
1:39:29as Carl had to begin the fight and
1:39:31swatted at the closest warrior with the
1:39:32flat of his blade, sending the man
1:39:34flying out of the way to clear the
1:39:36battlefield between the champion and
1:39:38Carl. His short sword was going to be
1:39:40woefully inadequate for this, but Carl
1:39:43was going to have to make the best of
1:39:44it, and he leapt straight for the orc
1:39:46champion, using Shred and Ren together
1:39:48on his blade as he thrust it forward.
1:39:51The orc chuckled as he saw the much
1:39:53shorter human coming at him. But when
1:39:55their blades met, his two-handed sword
1:39:57was thrown wide by Carl's strength, and
1:39:59the orc champion took a deep wound
1:40:01across his chest as he turned out of the
1:40:02way. Drawing on his unarmed combat
1:40:05training, Carl kicked the orc's feet out
1:40:08from under him as soon as he landed and
1:40:10followed up with a full strength slash.
1:40:12The two blades met with an explosion of
1:40:14skills, and the orc found himself
1:40:16disarmed at the end of the clash,
1:40:18missing a hand. But his other fist came
1:40:21up and crashed into Carl's refreshing
1:40:23lightning barrier, sending him
1:40:25staggering back. Beside him, Tessa was
1:40:28sitting on Thor's back, using her flail
1:40:30mace to keep two orcs at bay and
1:40:32constantly refreshing the enhancement
1:40:34spells on her and Thor. She enhanced
1:40:37Carl again as he charged back at the
1:40:39fallen champion, who had grabbed a
1:40:41fallen shield in one oversized hand as
1:40:43he got to his feet. Carl drove his blade
1:40:46forward again, straight through the
1:40:48shield and into the champion's chest,
1:40:50knocking him back to the ground with the
1:40:52force of their collision. He narrowly
1:40:55avoided having his head taken by the
1:40:56blade of another orc as he rolled over,
1:40:58but it was too late for the orc
1:41:00champion. Carl's blade had driven
1:41:03straight through its heart with a shield
1:41:04impaled on the blade. Carl reached
1:41:07around for another weapon and found the
1:41:09oversized two-handed blade from the orc
1:41:11champion. It was heavy, but at the
1:41:14moment that didn't matter at all. Carl
1:41:17surrounded it with the lightning barrier
1:41:19and parried the next attack that came
1:41:20his way. The orc in front of him was
1:41:23moving much slower than expected,
1:41:25restricted by Alice's wind magic, and
1:41:27Shred took its head without difficulty,
1:41:29leaving Carl briefly disengaged from the
1:41:32group. The golems were dealing with two,
1:41:34and Thor had another occupied with
1:41:36Tessa, but the others had already
1:41:38fallen. A volley of condensed fireballs
1:41:41from above hit the orc facing Thor,
1:41:43adding more burns to his already damaged
1:41:46body, and the Sarah's horn speared its
1:41:48chest right before Tessa's chain mace
1:41:50crushed the creature's head. That
1:41:52weapon, glowing with golden holy light,
1:41:54couldn't be underestimated.
1:41:57Carl gave the orc champions blade a
1:41:59twirl, getting used to the size and
1:42:01weight, and moved up to engage the other
1:42:03orcs. He didn't need to be at the front.
1:42:06The golems had that, but he did need a
1:42:08good angle to attack from, and Alice's
1:42:10golem was as tall as the orcs were,
1:42:12impossible to attack around. The mages
1:42:15were having the same problem. In a
1:42:18crowded fight, it was challenging to get
1:42:20a direct line to anything that you
1:42:21wanted to attack, especially when you
1:42:23were trying to maintain a safe distance.
1:42:26As much as he didn't want to, Carl found
1:42:28himself only a few meters from the orcs
1:42:30when he threw his next rend attack at
1:42:32them with a downward swing of his newly
1:42:34acquired blade. The attack hit, and the
1:42:37formerly dull blade began to glow with a
1:42:39faint red light. It felt more natural in
1:42:42Carl's hand, as if he had used this
1:42:44weapon for years. The other orc was
1:42:47surrounded with no easy space for Carl
1:42:49to get an attack in, so he turned to the
1:42:51goblin tribe and sent a wave of Ren
1:42:53across the camp a meter above the
1:42:55ground. The blade glowed brighter as the
1:42:58goblins fell in a wave of destruction.
1:43:00And then Carl shivered as a wave of
1:43:02power flowed through him. He couldn't
1:43:04say for certain, but the blade felt like
1:43:06it was stealing the life force of the
1:43:08goblins and transferring a bit of it to
1:43:10him, which then flowed to his beasts.
1:43:13The battle was over with the goblin
1:43:15tribe and the invading orcs all dead,
1:43:17but not without a grave cost. Even the
1:43:20healing magic of the four clerics
1:43:22present couldn't save five of the
1:43:23members of the other group, which had
1:43:25been attacked by the orcs. They had been
1:43:28killed in a single strike with no time
1:43:30to heal them or save their lives.
1:43:32Headcount?
1:43:34The captain of Carl's group asked
1:43:36wearily.
1:43:37One down, seriously injured and
1:43:40recuperating.
1:43:41Their cleric replied, "Five dead,
1:43:44including the major, two injured." The
1:43:47other cleric replied. The captain sighed
1:43:51and shook his head. That orc attack had
1:43:54been too much. From the moment that they
1:43:56had killed two ascended golems in a
1:43:58matter of seconds, he knew that there
1:44:00would be casualties. But losing a major,
1:44:02the other ascended warrior here, had
1:44:04been unexpected.
1:44:06The second group couldn't continue alone
1:44:08without him. It was simply too dangerous
1:44:11out here to allow them to go on without
1:44:13an ascended rank leader, especially with
1:44:15their diminished numbers. While the
1:44:17soldiers mourned the loss of their own,
1:44:19and the clerics did last rights, while
1:44:22finishing the healing of the wounded,
1:44:23Carl searched the bodies. The two-handed
1:44:26blade had bonded with him, and when he
1:44:28thought of dismissing it, it vanished.
1:44:31but remained available as a presence in
1:44:33his mind, similar to the beasts, but
1:44:35just present and not in a space. There
1:44:38were magical blades on all the orc
1:44:40warriors, which made him wonder where
1:44:42they had come from. Even for an elite
1:44:44group, that was too wellarmed.
1:44:47They had faced commander rank ogres
1:44:49before, and they hadn't been anywhere
1:44:51near this level of equipped. But the
1:44:53blades were almost all they had. There
1:44:56were no coins on the bodies, and their
1:44:58decorations were all made of bones and
1:45:00teeth. Even their armor was hardened
1:45:03monster leather, though it was tattered
1:45:05now and unsalvageable.
1:45:07Alice came over to inspect the bodies,
1:45:10while the clerics came to inspect the
1:45:11weapons Carl had gathered after stopping
1:45:14to pat and congratulate Thor, who was
1:45:16celebrating the fact that he had been a
1:45:17Sarah knight for the battle. These
1:45:20blades are all magical. Most of them are
1:45:23just common grade enhanced blades, but
1:45:25this one is a blade of skill. It will
1:45:28reduce skill cost use, Tessa explained.
1:45:32Carl smiled. It was the second time that
1:45:35he had observed that effect, and the
1:45:37other blade was in the hands of Bob
1:45:39McKenzie.
1:45:40Did you need it, Elite? The captain
1:45:43asked Carl when he noticed the smile.
1:45:46Carl shook his head. I bonded with the
1:45:49two-handed blade I took off the
1:45:51champion. Tessa made a grabby gesture
1:45:54and Carl took it out to hand to her. She
1:45:57turned it over in her hands, reading the
1:45:59inscriptions and becoming increasingly
1:46:01confused.
1:46:03I have no idea what that is supposed to
1:46:05do. It says the effect is called the
1:46:07champions reaping, but there isn't a
1:46:09description and the other runes don't
1:46:11make much sense. They're in orish. Not
1:46:14the common magical language, but I am at
1:46:16least a little familiar with them, she
1:46:19explained.
1:46:21That's all right. I know what it does.
1:46:24It's a form of life drain. Carl
1:46:26explained. Tessa nodded, then handed the
1:46:30blade back. Life drain is good. Is it
1:46:34the healing or the strengthening sword?
1:46:36Strengthening? I think I wasn't injured
1:46:40to start with, but it didn't feel like
1:46:41healing.
1:46:43Carl replied, "That might be even better
1:46:46for you, at least for now. You have a
1:46:49whole team with you and the refreshing
1:46:51lightning, which slowly heals you on its
1:46:53own. So, having a stacking combat damage
1:46:57effect will make you more effective in a
1:46:58battle. We will have to examine these
1:47:01bodies more closely as I have reason to
1:47:03think that they might be close to peak
1:47:05ascended orcs. But if command decides
1:47:07that they were low commander rank, there
1:47:09will be extra awards for everyone,
1:47:11including the families of the fallen,
1:47:14Tessa announced. I can store them as
1:47:17well so we can drop them at the base
1:47:18camp for someone else to decide. Carl
1:47:21suggested.
1:47:23Alice shook her head. Unless one of the
1:47:26beasts wants them, there is no need.
1:47:29They will accept Tessa's judgment on the
1:47:31matter. The outcome of the battle should
1:47:33be enough for them to understand just
1:47:35how dangerous this situation was,
1:47:37especially when they struck in the
1:47:39middle of another battle. The four
1:47:41clerics all examined the bodies with
1:47:43increasingly grave expressions.
1:47:46We would say that there were two
1:47:47commander rank orcs and four high
1:47:49ascended ones. This needs to be reported
1:47:52to the base camp. It is way outside the
1:47:55threat assessment for the area. The
1:47:58cleric that had come with their army
1:48:00unit announced. The captain nodded and
1:48:02began to send the message back to
1:48:04command. He nodded along with whatever
1:48:07their response was and then his face
1:48:09turned severe. They say that there are
1:48:12no other signs of monsters outside the
1:48:14danger rating. So, we are to merge units
1:48:16and continue with our mission. He
1:48:18informed the group. That wasn't quite
1:48:21what the second group had been hoping to
1:48:23hear. They had just lost half their
1:48:25team, close friends, and comrades.
1:48:29Continuing the mission was the last
1:48:30thing they wanted to do today. The first
1:48:33thing that needed to be done was to dig
1:48:35proper graves for the soldiers and
1:48:37redistribute their supplies.
1:48:39Fortunately, they had a few skilled
1:48:41mages who could dig proper graves with
1:48:43magic. While Thor used his horns to
1:48:46throw the goblins into a number of huge
1:48:47piles in the middle of the camp. He just
1:48:50used his upper horns like a shovel as
1:48:52the goblins had died in waves. He pushed
1:48:56them together into piles, gathered close
1:48:58enough that they would burn and leave
1:48:59the area cleansed. The unit gathered for
1:49:02the last rights, standing in orderly
1:49:05lines with the civilians off to the
1:49:06side. The priests attached to the units
1:49:09gave a eulogy before the bodies were
1:49:11lowered, and the soldiers shoveled the
1:49:13grave full again. Once everything was
1:49:16finished, they lit fire to the piles of
1:49:18goblins, and the second team tossed the
1:49:20fully looted bodies of the orcs on top
1:49:22of the piles. Hulk went back on patrol
1:49:25once the fires were burning to see what
1:49:27would be drawn to their position by the
1:49:29fire. Many monsters would come either
1:49:32for the smell or the smoke, and they
1:49:34didn't want to end up surrounded. East
1:49:37is clear. If you go that way, you can
1:49:40get away from the things coming and then
1:49:42fight with a small group of ogres, weak
1:49:44ones, Hawk suggested.
1:49:47Close enough for me. Carl relayed the
1:49:50messages and the captain got everyone
1:49:52moving, moving away from the battlefield
1:49:54with the promise of easier fights to
1:49:56come. It wasn't much, but anything had
1:49:59to be better than this battle had been,
1:50:01they assumed.
1:50:03After 15 minutes, they came across the
1:50:05ogres, three juvenile awakened rank
1:50:07males, which the enraged and grieving
1:50:10soldiers tore into with everything they
1:50:11had to give. It seemed to work, and once
1:50:14the battle was over, they were more
1:50:16focused, and it was time to head back to
1:50:18the base camp for the night. Forward
1:50:21command hadn't prohibited them from
1:50:22returning, and the unit needed the
1:50:24normaly for the night. So, the captain
1:50:26turned the back for the camp, intending
1:50:28to be there before dark. Hulk kept
1:50:31scouting. As they returned to base, and
1:50:33Carl realized that while they got closer
1:50:35to the base, the monsters became more
1:50:37sparse and weaker. Groups of five and 10
1:50:40goblins at the common grade, a single
1:50:42lizard man, and threats at that level
1:50:44were all that the short-range scouts of
1:50:46the base would have found. But the
1:50:48further he flew away from the base, the
1:50:51stronger and more numerous the monsters
1:50:53became. So, the problem wasn't that they
1:50:56had found unexpected monsters. It was
1:50:58that the limited scouting that the base
1:51:00had done hadn't given them a proper
1:51:01expectation of the monsters which were
1:51:03in the region. The captain had
1:51:05determined this as well, and as they
1:51:07approached the base, everyone could see
1:51:09his resolve to have a discussion with
1:51:11the base commander and the head of
1:51:13intelligence.
1:51:14They had flown multiple helicopters over
1:51:16the region. They should have some sort
1:51:18of idea what was there, but it seemed
1:51:20that nobody was even looking out the
1:51:22windows. They were met at the edge of
1:51:24camp by a supply sergeant with a
1:51:26clipboard in his hands. Captain, are you
1:51:30in for the night? Our barracks are
1:51:32entirely full at the moment. Triple
1:51:34racked. Would it be too much to ask you
1:51:37to set up on the edge of the base? We
1:51:40have more barracks tents, but no place
1:51:42left to put them. Carl looked inside one
1:51:45of the barracks tents at the rough
1:51:47stretched canvas CS and sideighed. Alice
1:51:51permission to set up a scouting position
1:51:53in the trees. He requested. The supply
1:51:57sergeant thought that was a wonderful
1:51:58idea because he knew they were short on
1:52:00decent scouts. While Alice wasn't quite
1:52:02as sold on the idea of sleeping in a
1:52:04spiderweb in a tree. But after a look at
1:52:07the surplus bargain brand CS, she had a
1:52:10change of mind. Captain, my team will
1:52:13set up further out in an elevated
1:52:15position for the evening. We will rejoin
1:52:18you after breakfast for patrols
1:52:19tomorrow, she announced.
1:52:23Understood.
1:52:24Unit, grab the barrack supplies and get
1:52:27to work. I want them set up and the
1:52:29stove burning to get everything dried
1:52:31and heated by the time that I get back
1:52:33from my meeting, the captain announced.
1:52:36The soldiers nearby made a gesture of
1:52:38condolences for the base commander and
1:52:41anyone else who might happen to be in
1:52:42the room. None of the soldiers from the
1:52:45base knew what had happened on his
1:52:46mission, but it was obvious that he was
1:52:48not happy about it. Alice turned to Carl
1:52:51with a serious look as the others got to
1:52:53work. We're trusting you on this one.
1:52:57Don't let us down. Hawk already had the
1:53:00tree picked out, and Ray got right to
1:53:02work building a new fort. Again, it was
1:53:05as far up the tallest tree in the area
1:53:07as she could get it and blended into the
1:53:09leaves with some branches pulled down as
1:53:11cover. She had only gone a 100 meters
1:53:14from the edge of camp to set up, but
1:53:16Carl doubted that anyone in the base had
1:53:18even noticed. They were watching the
1:53:21ground and only the immediate area
1:53:23around the camp, which was a terrible
1:53:24defensive choice for a remote location
1:53:27on par with the goblins level of simple
1:53:29thinking. Carl could tell he wasn't the
1:53:32only one wondering who was in charge
1:53:33here and how they had gotten the
1:53:35assignment.
1:53:36Forward bases were always run by the
1:53:38army, but not every officer was suited
1:53:41to life anywhere but behind a desk. It
1:53:44was possible that someone in one of
1:53:45those roles had been sent out here for
1:53:47experience leading up to a promotion,
1:53:49and they were just making a mess of
1:53:51things. It only took Ry a few minutes to
1:53:54finish as the group watched from down
1:53:56below, and Alice finally noticed that
1:53:58their group consisted of six people now,
1:54:00not five. She gave Dana a curious look,
1:54:04which was returned with Dana's best
1:54:06pleading face. Volunteers and
1:54:08mercenaries have to set up their own
1:54:10tent. "We're not attached to the
1:54:12military units. You're not going to make
1:54:14me sleep in the dirt when there's plenty
1:54:16of room up here, are you?" she begged.
1:54:20Alice smirked at Carl and nodded her
1:54:22acceptance. "Fine, you're with us until
1:54:25further notice. I'm sure that Rey made
1:54:28enough space for you. I know that you
1:54:31two are good friends. That made Dana
1:54:34laugh, recalling all the times that
1:54:36Jill, her personal tutor, had been
1:54:38webbed by Ry to prevent her from waking
1:54:40them up. Rey sent down a rope ladder,
1:54:43and the whole group side, realizing just
1:54:45how far up the tree their fort was
1:54:47built. How about this? Hold on to the
1:54:51ladder, and I will have Ray pull it up
1:54:53into the fort so you don't have to
1:54:54climb. It will be faster and easier for
1:54:57everyone. Carl suggested.
1:55:01That seemed like a sketchy idea as well,
1:55:03being pulled a dozen stories into the
1:55:05air on a rope ladder made of silk, but
1:55:07it was better than climbing the ladder.
1:55:10You come up first. Rey insisted.
1:55:14Carl smirked as he realized she had no
1:55:16intentions of pulling everyone, just
1:55:18him, and he would have to raise the
1:55:20rest. But it was no problem. He could
1:55:23run up the ladder in 30 seconds or less.
1:55:26I will go first and help everyone up.
1:55:29I've got the strength, Carl explained
1:55:32after he finished talking to Ry. Carl
1:55:34ran up the ladder and the others began
1:55:36to climb. They started with the
1:55:39smallest, so the first on the ladder was
1:55:41Lotus, then Dana, then Sergeant Rita, at
1:55:44which point Carl hauled the ladder up
1:55:46into the fort just in case it didn't
1:55:48hold up to five people's weight. Rey was
1:55:51slightly insulted at that, but
1:55:52attributed it to Carl's lack of faith in
1:55:54his enhanced strength to actually lift
1:55:56them all. Once they were up, Carl sent
1:55:59the ladder back down and began to haul
1:56:02up Alice and Tessa while Lotus happily
1:56:04explored the small fort. "This place is
1:56:07incredible, but why build it with that
1:56:09branch extending through the room?" she
1:56:12asked. "Oh, that would likely be because
1:56:15Doug, the green dragon cleric that we
1:56:17had with us during our last deployment,
1:56:19like to turn a branch into a table to
1:56:21work and cook on. So Ry left you a
1:56:24branch to work with. Carl explained.
1:56:28That is brilliant. I wish I had thought
1:56:31of that ages ago. Shaping branches is so
1:56:34easy. Lotus laughed and then ran over to
1:56:37give Ry a hug. The spider was somewhat
1:56:40mystified by the sudden affection, but
1:56:42she wasn't going to complain. If Thor's
1:56:45presence had taught them anything, it
1:56:47was that there were benefits to everyone
1:56:49liking you. Carl finished bringing the
1:56:51last two up, and Alice looked around the
1:56:54fort. It's waterproof with a double
1:56:57outer shell to keep the wine down, a
1:56:59cooking table, plenty of springy net for
1:57:01sleeping, and loose woven windows all
1:57:03around, so we can scout from this
1:57:05position. I must say, this is a
1:57:08wonderful base, Ry. Alice congratulated
1:57:11her. The spider gave her a head bump,
1:57:14then vanished back into her space to
1:57:16rest in her own den for the afternoon.
1:57:19It was almost sundown and she wanted to
1:57:21get some real sleep before she took her
1:57:23turn on watch after full dark. Hawk had
1:57:26a nest built at the very top of the tree
1:57:28where he could see everything that was
1:57:30going on around them and keep watch for
1:57:32any stronger monsters that got brave and
1:57:34came near the camp. All right, here is
1:57:36your watch schedule. We will watch in
1:57:39pairs since there are six of us. I will
1:57:42take early watch with Dana. The second
1:57:44watch will be Rita and Lotus. The third
1:57:47watch will be Carl and Tessa. That made
1:57:50sense. It did the best to give them a
1:57:52warrior and a caster on each watch so
1:57:55that the skills they had were
1:57:56diversified if there was an attack. Carl
1:57:59nodded in agreement. Hulk will keep
1:58:02watch until full dark. Then Rey will
1:58:04take over as she doesn't need any light
1:58:06to see. Hawk will return to duty when we
1:58:09head out in the morning, while Rey will
1:58:11sleep again once my watch starts or once
1:58:13the sun starts to come up, depending on
1:58:15how she feels." Alice smiled at that. In
1:58:19her estimation, Ry was the cat to Thor's
1:58:22dog, much more whimsydriven and casually
1:58:24violent. If she didn't feel like doing
1:58:27things, you would have to force her, and
1:58:29then she would likely slack. She didn't
1:58:32know for certain as Carl never seemed to
1:58:34push them to do things they didn't want
1:58:36to. But Alice had her suspicions that
1:58:38Rey had a rebellious streak that would
1:58:40run wild with malicious compliance.
1:58:43That evening, they were treated to the
1:58:45combined efforts of Tessa and Lotus in
1:58:47the kitchen. As they could both use
1:58:49advanced food creation spells, they both
1:58:52worked together to make dinner on the
1:58:53table Lotus had formed, and the results
1:58:56were spectacular.
1:58:57Doug was a good cook, but these two were
1:59:00artists.
1:59:01Then everyone settled in for the night.
1:59:04Exhausted from the day, Carl woke up to
1:59:07the feeling of Rita poking him on the
1:59:08forehead to get him up for his shift,
1:59:10and he realized that he wasn't alone
1:59:12under the blanket. Dana was curled up
1:59:15against him, sound asleep, with her own
1:59:17sleeping bag abandoned half on top of
1:59:19his. She must have rolled over at night,
1:59:22and Carl could see from the smirk on the
1:59:24sergeant's face that Rita was going to
1:59:26hold this one against him in the future.
1:59:29Once he was awake, she made a motion to
1:59:31silence him and then quickly slid under
1:59:33his blanket as Carl got out, replacing
1:59:36him in Dana's arms, while the mage
1:59:38mumbled happily and held on to the
1:59:39sergeant. Carl joined Tessa on watch and
1:59:43saw that the cleric's eyes were golden,
1:59:45just like Hawks.
1:59:47Not glowing with holy magic, but
1:59:49obviously enhanced with some sort of
1:59:51spell so that she could see better in
1:59:52the dark. "How is your night sight?" She
1:59:56whispered as Lotus crawled into bed
1:59:58beside Rita and Dana. I can see in low
2:00:01light like Hawk and I can see in zero
2:00:03light using echolocation and thermal
2:00:05imaging like Ray. In the forest like
2:00:08this with so much ambient noise and
2:00:10movement, I can see pretty well,
2:00:12especially if the target is
2:00:14warm-blooded,
2:00:15Carl explained. Tessa nodded. I knew I
2:00:20was in luck with you on watch. Lotus can
2:00:23also see in the dark in her own way. She
2:00:26uses the trees to sense movement around
2:00:28them. It's not as precise, but it gives
2:00:31a good idea of how big the creature is.
2:00:34I think that Alice and Dana relied
2:00:36mostly on sound since Alice is a wind
2:00:39mage. That made Carl wonder if Hawk
2:00:42might pick up some new sensory magic in
2:00:44the future. Skillmaster was still
2:00:47constantly active, so he was being
2:00:49enhanced to pick up new skills. But
2:00:51unlike Rey, who had learned to make
2:00:53golems, he hadn't shown them anything
2:00:55new. That didn't always mean he didn't
2:00:58know it. Just that he hadn't shown or
2:01:00mentioned it if he was using it. There
2:01:03was no movement near the camp for the
2:01:05first few hours, but near the end of
2:01:07their shift, Carl noticed something
2:01:09large moving in the distance, as if
2:01:11scouting the perimeter of the camp. Do
2:01:13you see that? Three large figures,
2:01:16ogresed, scouting the camp. They're
2:01:19circling around outside the patrol range
2:01:22so that the guards don't detect them.
2:01:24But the ogres are close enough that they
2:01:26would be able to smell the humans when
2:01:28the wind is right. Carl whispered to
2:01:30Tessa while he pointed out the ogres in
2:01:32the distance. Oh, those sneaky bastards.
2:01:37I see them now. Should we go take care
2:01:40of them? Tessa replied. They're headed
2:01:43this way. I think we should just wait,
2:01:46but warned the camp that they're being
2:01:48scouted in case there are more groups
2:01:50that we can't see from our position.
2:01:52Tessa smiled and patted Carl on the
2:01:54shoulder. Good call. Very by the book.
2:01:58You've got decent instincts for a
2:02:00firstear student. Carl sighed as he
2:02:03realized that the more experienced
2:02:05cleric was testing him to see what his
2:02:07responses would be. But Carl was getting
2:02:09quite used to how things worked in the
2:02:10wilderness after having been out here
2:02:12for a few weeks with a group that didn't
2:02:14make their planning some obscure
2:02:15leadership task. After another half
2:02:18hour, they spotted a second group of
2:02:20ogres doing the same thing. And again,
2:02:22Tessa messaged the base to let them know
2:02:24the current location of both groups.
2:02:27They hadn't pushed the scouts out, which
2:02:29seemed odd to Carl. But if they couldn't
2:02:32see in the dark, they might just be
2:02:34waiting until it was safer to fight.
2:02:36Tessa started cooking just before dawn
2:02:39when she knew that the others would need
2:02:40to be up in half an hour. The smell woke
2:02:43them up as intended, and Carl could see
2:02:45that the rest of the unit was just
2:02:47starting to get upwardly mobile. But the
2:02:49kitchens in the camp were already hard
2:02:50at work getting prepared for the day
2:02:53with the first batch of breakfast ready.
2:02:55All team members, be ready to move in 1
2:02:58hour. The captain of the unit they were
2:03:01attached to announced as Tessa started
2:03:02serving breakfast.
2:03:04She had come up with the same mushroom
2:03:06steaks that Doug had been so fond of,
2:03:08but cut into thin slices like bacon and
2:03:11wrapped around peppers that were stuffed
2:03:12with something like cheese. It wouldn't
2:03:15be actual cheese given that it was all
2:03:17plant-based, but it was good. She had
2:03:20also come up with an apple jerky for
2:03:22snacks later, and a fruit and nuts trail
2:03:24mix, which most ate on its own, but
2:03:26Lotus poured into a bowl and then added
2:03:28coffee to like most would add milk to
2:03:31breakfast cereal. Not that she needed
2:03:34the caffeine. The nature cleric was
2:03:36already too energetic in the morning.
2:03:39Lotus smiled at Carl as they finished
2:03:41eating. We should send Carl down first
2:03:44while we get cleaned up for the day's
2:03:45patrol. One man can only be so lucky or
2:03:49it will unbalance the world. Carl
2:03:52laughed.
2:03:53Well, that's one way to say get out of
2:03:55the fort while we shower. Toss me a
2:03:58water bag so I can wash up while I'm
2:04:00down there, will you? Alice snapped her
2:04:03fingers to get their attention. We can
2:04:06just set up a dividing curtain. We've
2:04:08got plenty of those, and we're going to
2:04:10want Carl up here to lower us down, or
2:04:13everyone will have to climb that ladder.
2:04:15Two ground tarps were quickly erected in
2:04:17the fort, sectioning off a portion of
2:04:19the far side, where Lotus hung one of
2:04:22the gravity-fed black shower bags she
2:04:24had used her magic to fill with water.
2:04:26You just had to open the spigot, and
2:04:28they would sprinkle water like a shower.
2:04:31They were simple but effective, and if
2:04:33you left them out in the sun all day,
2:04:35the water would be properly hot in the
2:04:37evening. It was warm enough thanks to
2:04:40her magic, and Carl took his time
2:04:42shaking the dirt and dust off his worn
2:04:44outfit before setting it aside and
2:04:45preparing to get cleaned up. He didn't
2:04:48recall how many other shower bags there
2:04:50were in the packs, but the ladies would
2:04:52certainly need some time to get clean
2:04:53and dressed before he came back out. He
2:04:56was about halfwashed when he heard the
2:04:58curtain move and felt a body against his
2:05:00back. A small finger pressed to his lips
2:05:03to keep him silent, and then two gentle
2:05:05hands began to scrub his back. Once he
2:05:08was clean and rinsed, he was turned
2:05:10around to face the curtain instead of
2:05:12looking out of the window, and he could
2:05:14hear Dana quickly putting her clothes
2:05:15back on before exiting the other side of
2:05:17the section. It had to be her. Nobody
2:05:21else in the group was that size, and she
2:05:24was the only one that used that
2:05:25particular academy shampoo. When he came
2:05:28out, everyone was ready and waiting, and
2:05:30it seemed that there was an agreement
2:05:32not to say anything about the shower.
2:05:35So, Carl pulled the ladder up into the
2:05:37fort until they were only a few meters
2:05:39from the end and looked at the group.
2:05:41Who is going down first? Hawk is already
2:05:44on patrol, and the area is clear. Once
2:05:48everyone was down, Carl slid down the
2:05:50ladder like a rope and checked his pack
2:05:52to make certain that it was properly
2:05:53secured. We have 20 minutes to get back
2:05:56to the camp. No rush. They will be
2:05:59gathering for formation in 30 minutes.
2:06:02Alice informed them and started heading
2:06:05back. Carl took his position at the
2:06:07front using his enhanced eyesight to
2:06:09watch for any threats. But this close to
2:06:12camp, there was nothing to see.
2:06:14Not even the local wildlife dared to
2:06:16venture too close in case they became a
2:06:19supplementary food product. The team
2:06:22seemed to be in much better spirits
2:06:23today, but Carl noticed that the captain
2:06:25now had red badges on his uniform
2:06:27instead of gold. There were still two
2:06:30silver bars for his rank insignia, so he
2:06:33didn't get busted down from captain, but
2:06:35it looked like he was on official
2:06:36punishment for however the meeting went
2:06:38the night before. There is a meeting
2:06:40with the base commander before we head
2:06:42out. The whole base except scouts are to
2:06:45be in attendance. The captain greeted
2:06:48them as Carl's group reached the
2:06:50barracks that the others had built last
2:06:51night. Alice nodded. Understood.
2:06:56We have Hawk scouting so we will know
2:06:58what to expect before we head out today.
2:07:01Give him an hour and he will cover
2:07:03everywhere that we can reach on foot.
2:07:05The captain nodded and led their team to
2:07:07the meeting point where the other units
2:07:09on station seemed to smirk a little as
2:07:11they cleared the way for him to take the
2:07:13place of honor at the front right of the
2:07:14formation. It had been deliberately left
2:07:17open for them. A not so subtle nod to
2:07:20the fact that the other units agreed
2:07:21that he had been right. But the real
2:07:23shock was when the base commander and
2:07:24his agitant came out. The base commander
2:07:28was wearing captain's bars the same as
2:07:30their unit leader, but his collar was
2:07:32loose and his jacket unbuttoned. His
2:07:35face was bruised and swollen, and from
2:07:37the looks of his shirt, his ribs were
2:07:39wrapped, which would explain the open
2:07:41coat. The agitant wasn't in any better
2:07:44shape, and Carl could see that his hands
2:07:46were bandaged and he was limping. They
2:07:49had healers on base, lots of them. So,
2:07:53if he was still in that bad of shape,
2:07:55the captain either beat him near to
2:07:56death or the healers refused to work on
2:07:59him, which would be a massive case of
2:08:01insubordination.
2:08:02Attention. The sergeant at the front of
2:08:05the formation called, bringing everyone
2:08:07to order as the commander took the
2:08:09stage. The wounded man cleared his
2:08:12throat and put on a stern face, as if
2:08:14everyone couldn't see that he still had
2:08:15one eye mostly swollen shut. "It has
2:08:18been brought to my attention that our
2:08:20limited patrol radius has led to some
2:08:22inadequacies in the way that the threat
2:08:23level of the region has been assessed,"
2:08:26he began. That was the understatement of
2:08:29the day. As such, we will be reordering
2:08:32our patrols beginning today. The new
2:08:35routes and zones are up on the board. I
2:08:38will expect a full report on every zone
2:08:40on my desk by 0400 tomorrow morning.
2:08:44That is all. He stepped down off the
2:08:47crude stage, flinching at the pressure
2:08:49on his ribs, and the sergeant dismissed
2:08:51everyone, sending them off to find their
2:08:53new patrol routes. Just as they were
2:08:56yesterday, Carl's group was assigned to
2:08:58threat mitigation, also known as the
2:09:00roaming groups. They would go wherever
2:09:03there were reports of more dangerous
2:09:05monsters, and deal with them before they
2:09:07became a threat to the base. Yesterday,
2:09:10there weren't any recorded, so they just
2:09:12wandered. But today, Hawk had a rather
2:09:15interesting list ready for them. He had
2:09:18found all sorts of monsters.
2:09:20Big groups, little groups, powerful
2:09:23loners, small groups with a powerful
2:09:25leader. A bit of everything, as should
2:09:28have been expected of a region where
2:09:29only the sector closest to the base had
2:09:31even been patrolled. They exited the
2:09:34base so that their reports didn't scare
2:09:36the awakened and common ranked troops
2:09:38that had been stationed here. And then
2:09:39the captain turned to Carl for the
2:09:41scouting details. If we start at the
2:09:44south, we have two groups of ascended
2:09:46ogres, both small groups.
2:09:48Then we have a goblin camp, this time
2:09:51with no other large monsters nearby.
2:09:54After that, continuing west around the
2:09:56zone, we have a group of lizard men with
2:09:58an ascended leader, then a group of four
2:10:00awakened ranked giants. I will update
2:10:03you if that positioning changes. Carl
2:10:06informed him. You heard the man. Let's
2:10:10go clean up this mess before the
2:10:11inquisitors get here and start to waste
2:10:13our time, the captain announced. for
2:10:17matters between elites of the same rank,
2:10:19the church usually stepped in if they
2:10:21couldn't settle it peacefully. If the
2:10:24Inquisition was coming, either the base
2:10:26commander had filed a complaint about
2:10:27being beaten senseless, or the captain
2:10:29had filed a complaint for negligence and
2:10:31incompetence, leading to the death of
2:10:33elites, possibly both. The first group
2:10:37of ogres was one that was on patrol
2:10:39during the night, and Carl was happy to
2:10:41get rid of them so that they couldn't
2:10:42report back to whatever had sent them to
2:10:44scout the area. They were still
2:10:46continuing their route, circling the
2:10:48base, when the group caught up to them,
2:10:50and the ogres brought out their secret
2:10:52weapon. They had managed to obtain a
2:10:55militaryissue riot shield somewhere,
2:10:57probably from a group that was forced to
2:10:59flee, and the larger of the two charged
2:11:01straight at Carl. Carl left his regular
2:11:04blade sheathed and took out the bonded
2:11:06two-handed sword to better deal with the
2:11:08larger target. He charged it with shred
2:11:12and used his enhanced strength to swing
2:11:14at the shield of the charging ogre. As
2:11:17should have been expected of an awakened
2:11:18grade riot shield, it was sliced
2:11:20smoothly in half by the enormous blade,
2:11:23taking the ogre's lower arm with it.
2:11:25Then Carl put his shoulder down to duck
2:11:27under the ogre's club and charged
2:11:29forward to do his best impression of a
2:11:31shoulder toss on a creature twice his
2:11:33height. Then he called Thor out, and the
2:11:36Sarah appeared behind the other ogre,
2:11:38who was startled into stopping and
2:11:40attacking the incoming ball of Thor's
2:11:41tail, which brutally transmitted an
2:11:44earthquake through the ogre's body. The
2:11:47sound of cracking bones was clearly
2:11:48audible to everyone. But before the ogre
2:11:51could do anything to defend itself, the
2:11:53first wave of attacks from the mages was
2:11:55there, and the ogre was dead. The
2:11:58captain cleared his throat. Good work,
2:12:00everyone. Collect the heads. We will
2:12:03need proof of our kills for the next few
2:12:05days. That just about settled the debate
2:12:08about what was going on with the base
2:12:10commander. If they really did return
2:12:12with a bunch of ascended rank and higher
2:12:14trophies, he would be on the hook for
2:12:16not doing his job. The captain would
2:12:19still likely get charges for beating
2:12:21him, but they were both the same
2:12:22military rank, so it wouldn't be as
2:12:24serious as if he had hit a superior
2:12:26officer. Keep moving. If they've got
2:12:30anything valuable on them, hold on to it
2:12:32and we will sort it all at the end of
2:12:34the day. I want a productivity record
2:12:37today. We will show them who doesn't
2:12:39know what a commander rank monster looks
2:12:41like," the captain insisted.
2:12:44As the day wore down, the group found
2:12:47themselves at the far side of the
2:12:48region, much too far to work their way
2:12:50back to base before dark. That was
2:12:53almost certainly a deliberate effort on
2:12:55the part of the captain, but nobody in
2:12:57the unit really minded. They had taken
2:13:00six ascended and a commander ranked
2:13:01trophy today. And if Hawk scouting was
2:13:04right, there was a chance to get two
2:13:05more commander rank monsters in the
2:13:07morning. Without Carl's team, that would
2:13:10never happen for them. But it would be a
2:13:12potent reminder of the dangers of an
2:13:14incompetent leader when they brought
2:13:15them back to camp. For the first time on
2:13:18this mission, Carl actually helped set
2:13:20up tents that night. One large canvas
2:13:22tent that was erected by tying the peak
2:13:24of the roof to two different trees.
2:13:27It had been stored in Tessa's bag, and
2:13:29she hadn't brought any poles, as she
2:13:31could just grow them herself, or use
2:13:33spears from the warriors and a length of
2:13:35rope. But the process was still much
2:13:37smoother than Carl expected. Tie the
2:13:40peak, tie the corners out, and then
2:13:42spike the bottom of the walls to the
2:13:44ground. Fortunately, everyone else had a
2:13:47lot of practice with this process.
2:13:50Then, once it was up, Carl realized that
2:13:52this sleeping arrangement was much more
2:13:54crowded than he was used to. They had
2:13:56found a nice level and soft spot to set
2:13:59up, but they would all be packed in
2:14:00shoulderto-shoulder inside the tent.
2:14:03That sounded great for the first few
2:14:05minutes until Carl realized that he was
2:14:07between Lotus, who insisted on being at
2:14:10the door, and Dana, who was possibly the
2:14:12world's most restless sleeper. Tonight,
2:14:15they were on the ground, and the
2:14:17sleeping bags were zipped up and not
2:14:18laid out like blankets. So, she wasn't
2:14:21going far, but she was more active at
2:14:23night than she was while awake. want me
2:14:25to just wrap her up? She sleeps so much
2:14:28better when she's in a hammock. Rey
2:14:31suggested spending the night in her
2:14:33space since nobody on their team had
2:14:35guard duty. I'm sure she will be fine.
2:14:39Carl laughed as Dana tossed one last
2:14:41time, then finally fell still. Morning
2:14:44came far too early the next day, and
2:14:47Carl activated refreshing lightning to
2:14:50take the stiffness out of his muscles
2:14:51from the uncomfortable sleeping
2:14:53position.
2:14:54That's just cheating. I'm not sure why,
2:14:57but I feel like someone beat me up in my
2:14:59sleep. Dana muttered as she packed her
2:15:02sleeping bag back into her gear. Lotus
2:15:05laughed at her complaint. Do we need to
2:15:08assign someone to keep you still while
2:15:09you sleep? You were tossing and turning
2:15:12for like an hour last night before you
2:15:14settled down. Dana shook her head. It's
2:15:18just been a strange couple of days. I
2:15:21should be fine tonight. The team
2:15:23gathered to eat and make their plan to
2:15:25check the spots that Hawk was off to
2:15:27scout this morning. If nothing much had
2:15:30changed, they should be able to get at
2:15:31least one or two more ascended or higher
2:15:33ranked beasts in the zone before lunch.
2:15:36After that, it would be up to whoever
2:15:38called in the reports to send them to
2:15:40more dangerous fights. They set out as
2:15:43soon as everything was packed up, and
2:15:45Hawk led them to their prime target of
2:15:47the morning, a commander ranked giant
2:15:49with six awakened rank ogres. With Alice
2:15:52along, they shouldn't have too many
2:15:54problems with the giant, and the regular
2:15:56military unit could take on six awakened
2:15:58ogres now that they had reinforcements
2:16:00from the depleted unit. So, spirits were
2:16:04high as they moved toward the target.
2:16:06There are poachers,
2:16:08kill stealers,
2:16:10evildoers,
2:16:12Hawk warned. Calm down. What do they
2:16:15look like? Can they even kill steal a
2:16:18commander ranked giant from us? Carl
2:16:21replied, "The smashy ones in white.
2:16:25They're stealing our giant." Hawk
2:16:28complained. "I think there is a church
2:16:30security team already on site." Hawk
2:16:33just warned me that someone is trying to
2:16:35steal our kill. Carl warned the captain.
2:16:39The older elite's face went grim, and he
2:16:41motioned for the team to increase their
2:16:43speed. If the church had believed the
2:16:46base commander, that team wouldn't be
2:16:48strong enough to deal with the giant.
2:16:50And if they had, it was better that he
2:16:52was right there when it died, just in
2:16:54case the base commander had called in a
2:16:55favor. Thor happily crashed through the
2:16:58undergrowth as he chased Carl and the
2:17:00captain through the woods. So when they
2:17:02arrived at the battle in progress, the
2:17:04church guard split to face them as if
2:17:06they were a threat. "The beasts are with
2:17:08me," Carl called as he chased Thor into
2:17:11the crowd of ogres accompanying the
2:17:13giant. The lightning Sarah sent one
2:17:16flying into the air where it was
2:17:17intercepted by Ray's golems, which
2:17:19seemed to appear out of nowhere. The
2:17:22spider had chosen to sit this battle out
2:17:24and remain in her nest, but the golems
2:17:26were dispatched to fight in her place.
2:17:29It was just awakened ogres. If they got
2:17:31into it with the commander, she would
2:17:33get out of bed. As annoyed as he was
2:17:36with her slacking, Carl had to admit
2:17:38that she had a point. This fight was
2:17:41hardly worth getting out of bed for. And
2:17:43if the church guard wasn't in the way,
2:17:45Thor would have charged right through it
2:17:46to the real fight. The golems and the
2:17:49mages were working together to eliminate
2:17:51the ogres. And Carl found himself just
2:17:53leisurely walking through the
2:17:55battlefield up to the high priest who
2:17:57had turned to greet him. Are you the
2:17:59team leader of this expedition? The old
2:18:02man asked. No, high priest. I am
2:18:06Ascended Elite Carl, the frontline
2:18:08warrior for the group. We have Commander
2:18:11Alice and a military captain with us as
2:18:13the team leaders. The man nodded and
2:18:16gestured toward the giant. Care to lend
2:18:19a hand? Carl smiled and focused a shred
2:18:23attack to tear apart the armored plating
2:18:25on the giant's back. Then the spider
2:18:28golems moved in with their piercing
2:18:30fourlegs and began to repeatedly stab
2:18:32through the hole while Carl attacked the
2:18:34backs of the giant's knees. The massive
2:18:37warrior couldn't turn around. The church
2:18:39guard had him occupied from the front.
2:18:41So, the attack on the legs went
2:18:42completely unnoticed until it was too
2:18:44late and the beast was falling. With a
2:18:47running leap and a massive overhead
2:18:49chop, Carl removed the head from the
2:18:51severely injured giant's shoulders,
2:18:53sending it rolling across the ground to
2:18:55stop at the high priest's feet. Another
2:18:57wonderful, just as planned moment that
2:19:00Carl wished he could take credit for. In
2:19:02the distance, Alice clapped as she
2:19:04walked across the battlefield.
2:19:07Unlike Carl, who had superhuman strength
2:19:10enhanced by not one but two ascended
2:19:12rank magical items, she was forced to
2:19:14walk under her own power, which meant
2:19:16Carl and Thor had left her and the back
2:19:18of the column clear out of sight when
2:19:20they charged into battle. She hadn't
2:19:22even known that there were church guards
2:19:24here until she had seen them. She was
2:19:26too far away to hear his warning to the
2:19:28captain. Alice and the captain joined
2:19:30Carl at the fallen giant, where the
2:19:32church guard were giving Carl somewhat
2:19:34reverent looks. Show off," the captain
2:19:38muttered when he walked up, which made
2:19:40the high priest laugh. "He's an
2:19:42enthusiastic one for certain. I don't
2:19:46reckon that I've ever seen spiders as
2:19:47golems before, though. Odd choice," the
2:19:52old man replied. "Strange to see them
2:19:55summoned by a warrior as well." One of
2:19:58the church guards added. That made the
2:20:00old man pause and do a double take at
2:20:03Carl. The guard had a valid point there.
2:20:06Warriors didn't summon golems. I'm a
2:20:10beast master, not a warrior. The golems
2:20:13are summoned by one of my companions.
2:20:16Carl explained. Thor took that
2:20:18opportunity to come over and get Alice
2:20:20to scratch his head in that good spot
2:20:22just between his eyes. It was his
2:20:25favorite trick to calm tensions, and it
2:20:27had the added benefit of having his head
2:20:29rubbed. A win-win situation, really.
2:20:33Well, we can say for certain that there
2:20:35are commander rank threats in the area
2:20:37and that they were not accounted for in
2:20:39the scouting reports.
2:20:41How long has your team been in the area?
2:20:43The high priest asked. The commander
2:20:46frowned. We just got in yesterday. It
2:20:50was a bit of a disaster. There is an
2:20:52official report filed already. The old
2:20:55man nodded. Oh, you're that team. Well,
2:21:00this saves us some time. Our guards will
2:21:03be with you for the remainder of the
2:21:04day. See if you can't find more highle
2:21:07threats and they will help eliminate
2:21:09them. Hawk, you know what to do. Find us
2:21:13some high danger threats within the
2:21:15zone. As many in high ascended and
2:21:18commander as possible, Carl instructed
2:21:22400 m north. If you start moving now,
2:21:25you will meet with a lone commander rank
2:21:27troll thing. Maybe it's not a troll.
2:21:31Sure is ugly. The scout says that we've
2:21:34got a large troll 400 m north. If we
2:21:38move fast, we can intercept it before it
2:21:40gets to a regular patrol group. Carl
2:21:43informed the gathered leadership group.
2:21:46I didn't hear anything on the radio. The
2:21:49high priest replied with a gesture to
2:21:51his earbud.
2:21:53Mental communication between me and my
2:21:55dragon hawk. The troll is moving fast,
2:21:58so I need to go if we're going to
2:21:59intercept it, Carl replied. Tessa threw
2:22:04herself onto Thor's back and grabbed the
2:22:06short spikes on his ridge. Off we go.
2:22:10And Thor took off in the direction of
2:22:11the threat with Carl chasing him and a
2:22:14small group of the church guard in hot
2:22:16pursuit. They had to see this battle to
2:22:19ensure that nobody was lying or bringing
2:22:21in bodies from other zones. It seemed
2:22:24unlikely that this team would when they
2:22:26had the power that they did, but
2:22:28anything was possible. Carl overtook
2:22:31Thor as the beast had to slow down to
2:22:32avoid running into trees or throwing
2:22:34Tessa off and was the first to come
2:22:36across what Hawk had called a troll.
2:22:39That might be what it was, but Carl had
2:22:41never seen anything quite that large and
2:22:43ugly before. It was 6 m tall, covered in
2:22:47moss, and where there was skin visible,
2:22:49it was postulant and rotted. It almost
2:22:52looked like it was undead, but Carl
2:22:54could see the wounded areas knitting
2:22:55themselves together, even as they rotted
2:22:57and fell apart in other areas. That was
2:23:00definitely not something that he wanted
2:23:02to fight in close combat. Hawk, light
2:23:05this thing up. I think a little fire
2:23:08will improve the situation,
2:23:10Carl instructed.
2:23:12The barrage of fireballs seemed to sink
2:23:14into the creature and vanish, but they
2:23:16left smoking craters in the skin, which
2:23:18was slowly closing the gaps as Carl
2:23:20watched. "We need more attack power."
2:23:24Carl informed the others. Rey was as
2:23:27reluctant to touch that thing as Carl
2:23:29was, but to her credit, she did come out
2:23:31to fight and brought the golems with
2:23:33her. They shredded the corpulent flesh
2:23:36from the troll, leaving rancid piles on
2:23:38the ground, and the creature began to
2:23:40gurgle some sort of war cry. "Keep at
2:23:43it! The more flesh we rend off, the
2:23:45slower it is regenerating."
2:23:48Carl cheered the others on as he used
2:23:50shred to hack a large portion of arm fat
2:23:53off, trying to determine where the
2:23:55actual muscles were. Hawk lit the ground
2:23:58on fire, burning the disgusting piles of
2:24:00flesh just as the church guard arrived
2:24:02on the scene.
2:24:04Dragons, what in the world is that
2:24:06smell? One of them asked as he activated
2:24:09a glowing golden circle which did as
2:24:11much to burn away the severed flesh as
2:24:13Hawk's fire. It also caused the outer
2:24:16layer of the troll to begin smoking and
2:24:18the plant life to burn away, showing the
2:24:21disgusting body underneath.
2:24:23Like Carl, everyone was throwing ranged
2:24:25attacks at the beast while Rey and her
2:24:28golems did their best to tear away bits
2:24:30of flesh with their forlims. Call back
2:24:32your spider and have her stand in the
2:24:34purifying light. That troll is infected
2:24:37with the swamp blight and it kills
2:24:39almost anything in minutes. Trolls just
2:24:42regenerate too fast for it to kill them,
2:24:44so it's been wandering around blind. The
2:24:47leader of the reinforcements insisted.
2:24:50Ry didn't need to be told twice. Before
2:24:53he even stopped speaking, she was next
2:24:55to the guard in his cleansing light, but
2:24:58not close enough that she might bump
2:24:59into him and transfer the filth.
2:25:02The golems had no need to slow down.
2:25:05They weren't living things, and the
2:25:06beast was incapable of hitting them as
2:25:08they tore its back apart. "Is it just
2:25:11me, or is this thing actually happy to
2:25:13die?" Carl asked as the church guard
2:25:16focused their attacks to take out the
2:25:18creature's chest. The guard shook his
2:25:20head. "It's trying to get us to cut
2:25:23enough of the corruption away that it
2:25:25can cure itself. Trolls of that sort
2:25:27don't die so easily. If you don't burn
2:25:30the bodies, they'll come back from just
2:25:32a hand eventually.
2:25:34So, the disease was more susceptible to
2:25:37destruction than the troll itself was.
2:25:39And once they had burned all the
2:25:40infected body parts away, it might
2:25:42theoretically be back to full strength.
2:25:45Hawk, keep using fire. The troll can't
2:25:49regenerate fire damage as well. Carl
2:25:52instructed.
2:25:53As they fought, more of the fast-moving
2:25:56warriors were joining the battle,
2:25:57encircling the troll and hacking away at
2:25:59it while making sure the ground stayed
2:26:01burning so that the severed flesh didn't
2:26:03try to regenerate into more blighted
2:26:05trolls. Slowly, painfully slowly, the
2:26:09creature was brought down, hacked into
2:26:11tiny bits, and then the bits were burned
2:26:13to ash to ensure that it didn't
2:26:15regenerate.
2:26:16Well, that was unexpectedly disgusting.
2:26:19Even after burning and purifying it, the
2:26:22area still smells horrific. Carl noted,
2:26:26"It will take a bit more cleansing
2:26:28before any of us can leave the area,
2:26:30especially for the Sero and the spider
2:26:32who actually came into contact with it."
2:26:35Tessa explained
2:26:37she was still riding Thor and hadn't
2:26:40gotten down when he had charged into
2:26:41battle. She had decided that it was
2:26:43better to give him combat instructions
2:26:45instead to avoid having him dig his
2:26:47horns into the beast and end up infected
2:26:49himself. He had fought the whole battle
2:26:52with his tail and with Tessa enhancing
2:26:54him while she rode on his back, but
2:26:56mostly they remained at the edge of the
2:26:57battlefield where Earthquake could reach
2:26:59the target, but they wouldn't suffer any
2:27:01splash damage. The battle was long
2:27:04finished before the rest of the team
2:27:06made it to them and the guard commander
2:27:08gave his report to the high priest who
2:27:10cast an additional cleansing on the area
2:27:12as the creature was commander rank and
2:27:14might have survived the flames of lower
2:27:16ranked elite somehow. This is worse than
2:27:19I feared. The blight is a terrible
2:27:22thing, but more importantly, we don't
2:27:24know where it started or how many other
2:27:26creatures it might have spread the
2:27:27disease to. The high priest side. The
2:27:31captain of Carl's team nodded gravely.
2:27:34That sounds like a real conundrum for
2:27:36the church. This is the first signs I've
2:27:39seen of the blight here as well, but
2:27:41it's only our third day. Would you like
2:27:44to split a team off to search for the
2:27:45source while we deal with the other
2:27:47ranking monsters that the dragon hawk
2:27:49has reported? There are still more
2:27:51threats that the awakened ranked teams
2:27:53here are not prepared to deal with, and
2:27:55plenty more that the common grade teams
2:27:57with awakened leadership won't be able
2:27:58to deal with at all. The high priest
2:28:01shook his head. I will call in a scout
2:28:04team to these coordinates and they will
2:28:06track the blighted troll back to its
2:28:08source. They have the skills to do it,
2:28:11but we are assigned to you and your team
2:28:13until the other matter is settled. For
2:28:16the remainder of the day, Hawk led them
2:28:18on a merry chase around the mission
2:28:19area, chasing groups of ascended
2:28:21monsters and the occasional commander
2:28:24rank monster. As fast as the teams could
2:28:27kill them, Hawk would lead them off to
2:28:29another location. It was getting so out
2:28:32of hand that they had to reassign Thor
2:28:33to pull the litter full of heads from
2:28:35the defeated highrank beasts. Their
2:28:37solid evidence of the base commander's
2:28:39incompetence.
2:28:40Carl had offered to put them in Thor's
2:28:42space, but the high priest wouldn't hear
2:28:44of it. The trophies going into a
2:28:47separate space introduced the
2:28:48possibility of tampering, and that was
2:28:50not up to church evidence standards. I
2:28:53think that's all of them.
2:28:55But the humans looked tired. We should
2:28:57go to the camp now. Hawk suggested.
2:29:01Carl sensed that the desire was not so
2:29:03much because of any empathy for the ones
2:29:05in the group without superhuman
2:29:06strength, but because he could see his
2:29:08nest above the fort from where he was
2:29:10patrolling, and he wanted to go to bed.
2:29:13As the day had progressed, Thor had
2:29:15moved from Sarah Knight to beast of
2:29:16burden to noble pack steed, and now had
2:29:19not only the litter full of heads pulled
2:29:21behind him, but Lotus on his back, as
2:29:23well as both her and Tessa's pack slung
2:29:25over his back. The extra weight was no
2:29:28burden to the mighty Sel, but it was
2:29:30funny seeing him all loaded up like a
2:29:32pack mule in the mines, when in reality,
2:29:34he could rampage through 3/4 of this
2:29:36military unit without any real
2:29:38resistance.
2:29:40Lotus doesn't count as cargo. She knows
2:29:42all the best spots to scratch my scales.
2:29:46Thor countered Carl's line of thought.
2:29:48The small nature cleric was essentially
2:29:50giving him a free massage as they walked
2:29:52and earning herself envious looks from
2:29:54the average soldiers who had been at a
2:29:56jog for most of the day trying to keep
2:29:58up with the number of attackers Hawk was
2:30:00finding. The sight of the camp was a
2:30:02welcome relief to the unit. And as the
2:30:04outer patrols came into sight, Carl
2:30:07could hear the mages and rogues giving
2:30:08sigh of relief. The warriors had better
2:30:11stamina, but they had still been worked
2:30:13hard today, even if they were late to
2:30:15half of the fights because Hawk had been
2:30:17speedrunning them through the battle so
2:30:19they could eliminate all the major
2:30:20threats in one day while the church
2:30:22guard was with them. Unit, prepare to
2:30:25stand down and set camp for the evening.
2:30:28There will be formal questioning
2:30:29tomorrow along with possible formal
2:30:31punishment announcements.
2:30:33You will be notified of the schedule as
2:30:35you are required. the high priest
2:30:38announced as they reached the patrols
2:30:39around the camp itself. Alice looked
2:30:42toward the fort and the guard commander
2:30:44followed her glance. "Does your team
2:30:47have a camp built nearby?" The
2:30:49sandyhaired guard asked up in the
2:30:52tallest tree over there. "It's some
2:30:55distance from the ground, but perfect
2:30:56for long-d distanceance scouting. We
2:30:59will be available by radio if you
2:31:01require our presence." As I understand
2:31:04it, this is a military matter being
2:31:06adjudicated by the church for
2:31:07impartiality, so we might not be
2:31:09involved as we are dispatched elites and
2:31:12not a military unit. Alice replied. The
2:31:16guard commander gave her a soft smile. I
2:31:19doubt that you will get that lucky as
2:31:22your team is the reason that most of the
2:31:23soldiers in the group are still alive.
2:31:25They are going to want you as material
2:31:27witnesses and then they will want your
2:31:29team members to corroborate some of the
2:31:31information because when military brass
2:31:32hears a report that says a war cleric
2:31:34was riding a lightning sero into combat,
2:31:37there will be questions. The hearings
2:31:39will be live cast back to the Department
2:31:41of Defense. Tessa laughed. I am going to
2:31:45enjoy repeating that part of the day.
2:31:48The other red dragon priests are going
2:31:50to be so jealous. Would you like to
2:31:52follow us to the fort so that you can
2:31:54find it again in the morning when they
2:31:55call for us? Or is it fine if we just
2:31:58find our own way back once we are
2:32:00summoned? The guard gestured for her to
2:32:03lead the way, but he fell in beside
2:32:05Alice, subtly flirting with the mage as
2:32:07they walked. He looked up into the tree
2:32:10as Carl quickly scaled the ladder, only
2:32:12now realizing that there was a whole
2:32:13fort built up there, hidden in plain
2:32:16sight. That is quite the scout base. How
2:32:20did you even assemble that all the way
2:32:21out here? That looks like some sort of
2:32:24fishing net. Did you pack all that out
2:32:26here? He asked, confused.
2:32:30It's all spider silk spun by Ry, the
2:32:33bloodbath spider you met today. The
2:32:36outer layer is sticky, but the insides
2:32:38are not, and they make a proper fort for
2:32:40us to rest in at night with a waterproof
2:32:42roof and full visibility all the way
2:32:44around for evening scouting since we
2:32:46have members with night vision. Alice
2:32:49explained. The guard looked impressed.
2:32:53Well, we can't accuse you of slacking on
2:32:55your scouting duties. You're not even
2:32:58technically on duty at night, but you're
2:33:00still keeping tabs on the situation.
2:33:02We have your radio logs, and they will
2:33:04go in the report. He gave Alice a smart
2:33:08salute and then turned to return to his
2:33:10unit while everyone climbed onto the
2:33:11ladder. We know that you can haul us all
2:33:14up at once. He knocked an ogre off his
2:33:16feet with a sword strike and the ladder
2:33:18isn't going to break. Sergeant Rita
2:33:21called up to Carl as they got in place,
2:33:23preventing him from splitting the group
2:33:25in two parts as he had last time. You
2:33:28know, we could have Thor throw you up
2:33:30here and I could catch you as well, he
2:33:33suggested.
2:33:34Lotus laughed, but nobody else seemed to
2:33:36think that idea was amusing. Lotus and
2:33:39Tessa got started on dinner while the
2:33:41others started to clean their gear and
2:33:43check everything for damage. They had
2:33:46been in a lot of combat lately, and gear
2:33:48wore out at the most unexpected moments
2:33:50if you didn't keep up on it. Carl found
2:33:53that was true of his belt, which was
2:33:55starting to wear through where his
2:33:56one-handed blade was hung from it. That
2:33:59seemed like it was too early, but he set
2:34:01it aside for Lotus to patch up with her
2:34:03magic and began inspecting his blades.
2:34:06Both of them appeared to be in perfect
2:34:08working order with no damage to them
2:34:10despite the crude construction of the
2:34:12less used single-handed blade. His
2:34:15combat outfit was still in good shape,
2:34:17though it could use a good wash. If he
2:34:20had been thinking, he would have washed
2:34:22it with the shower water before he
2:34:23changed and let Alice dry it with wind
2:34:25magic. The only issue was that you
2:34:28didn't actually want freshly laundered
2:34:30clothes on patrol. Not only did you
2:34:33stand out, but the scent of laundry soap
2:34:35was so out of place that every monster
2:34:36for miles would pick out your presence
2:34:38and be ready for your approach long
2:34:40before you knew they were even present.
2:34:42Not long after they started cooking, the
2:34:45scout patrols were adjusted so that they
2:34:47passed outside the tree instead of
2:34:49stopping 30 m before it. There might not
2:34:52have been an official announcement yet,
2:34:54but it was obvious that things were
2:34:55already being changed in how the base
2:34:57was operated. When Carl's morning shift
2:35:00came, he found that the patrols were
2:35:02still circling past the large tree, and
2:35:04that they were more numerous than the
2:35:06patrols the first night that they had
2:35:08been here had been. They also had a
2:35:10church guard with some of the patrols,
2:35:12and Carl could see the sour looks on the
2:35:14soldiers faces at the fact. The guards
2:35:17were higher ranking than their team
2:35:19leaders, so they had taken over and had
2:35:21eliminated any chance of slacking on the
2:35:23night shift. "Ry, did we see anything
2:35:26good tonight?" Carl asked as Hawk wasn't
2:35:29awake yet. Nothing much. There were a
2:35:33few wandering goblins, but the
2:35:35[clears throat] scouts got them. Tessa
2:35:37started cooking an hour into their
2:35:39shift, earlier than she usually would,
2:35:41and then set up the petition for the
2:35:43shower.
2:35:44The church hearings always start
2:35:46entirely too early in the morning, so we
2:35:48should be cleaned up and fed before they
2:35:50show up to tell us to head into camp to
2:35:51give our version of events," she
2:35:54explained quietly, not wanting to
2:35:56forcibly wake the others early. There
2:35:58was no shower bag today, just a bowl of
2:36:01water with a washcloth and a bar of
2:36:03unscented soap. It would do the job, but
2:36:06the hot water was always comforting on
2:36:08the muscles. Once he was ready, they
2:36:11switched positions, and Carl stirred the
2:36:13morning stew. It didn't take long for
2:36:16the scent to wake everyone else up, and
2:36:18Ray switched shifts with Hawk. She had a
2:36:21theory that she wanted to test.
2:36:24Offensive adaptation was a versatile
2:36:26skill, and it even enhanced Carl's rend
2:36:28and shred attacks, so it should start
2:36:30enhancing her golem soon. She assumed
2:36:33that meant extra stabby tree spiders,
2:36:36but also the chance that she could teach
2:36:37them other skills.
2:36:39She didn't actually know any other
2:36:41skills to teach them. But in her mind,
2:36:44that was a Carl problem. Once she knew
2:36:47that they could learn the basics, she
2:36:49would convince him to teach the golems
2:36:51more skills. That vine whip that the big
2:36:54tree golems knew would be nice. It
2:36:57wasn't part of the basic golem spell. It
2:36:59was an additional spell that Donnie
2:37:00knew, but cast on the golems. The whole
2:37:04point of having a human around was to
2:37:05make them make you stronger. Rey was
2:37:07certain. and that meant she would have
2:37:09to convince him to find more good skills
2:37:11for her. Hawk agreed with Ry on that
2:37:14last point. They needed to find new
2:37:16skills or good things. They were all
2:37:19reaching maximum growth. And even with
2:37:22his new fire skills, Hawk was convinced
2:37:24that he could do better. What they
2:37:26really needed was a shiny thing. Carl
2:37:29got shiny things. And now he had the
2:37:32strength to fist fight an ogre. Some of
2:37:34that had even spilled over to the team,
2:37:36and Hawk's wings were stronger than ever
2:37:38when Carl was wearing the bestial
2:37:40strength gloves. Having skill master
2:37:44active all the time without a defined
2:37:45target was helping, but they weren't
2:37:47seeing new skills. Everyone they met all
2:37:50knew the same basic set of academy
2:37:52skills. They needed to find cooler
2:37:55monsters and people that knew other
2:37:57stuff. We can go look for cooler
2:37:59monsters after we finish with the ones
2:38:01here. There might still be some shiny
2:38:04gems or other things on them. And you
2:38:06haven't fully mastered teaching
2:38:07offensive adaptation to the golems yet.
2:38:10Don't worry. Once we get a chance, I
2:38:12will find a way to teach everyone more
2:38:14skills or even try to find a way to help
2:38:16them evolve like Hawk did when he got
2:38:18that potion. Carl assured her. Oh, that
2:38:23would be good, too. Maybe I could become
2:38:26invisible or like super durable. Rey
2:38:29agreed. Thor laughed silently at the
2:38:32thought of an armored ray. But the
2:38:34thought of new skills was fun. He just
2:38:37hadn't found any that he liked yet. He
2:38:40didn't even know what sort of skill he
2:38:42would like. Better lightning wasn't
2:38:44really a new skill, was it? That was all
2:38:47he really wanted. But Ry said that ideas
2:38:50to make you stronger were what humans
2:38:52were for. So Thor decided that he could
2:38:54just wait for Carl to come up with
2:38:56something. Their discussion of the best
2:38:58ways to get stronger and how they should
2:39:00just sneak away to go look for really
2:39:02good things was interrupted by the food
2:39:04being served and then by the church
2:39:06guard coming to call all of them to make
2:39:08their official report on the conditions
2:39:10in the field. As far as Carl could tell,
2:39:13it was exactly what he had been facing
2:39:15since he arrived at his second
2:39:16deployment. But according to whoever did
2:39:18the deployments, it was not supposed to
2:39:20be that way. They took a minute to wash
2:39:23all the dishes and pack their gear to
2:39:25head out after the hearing. then
2:39:27followed the church guard back into the
2:39:29camp where a large church tent had been
2:39:31set up in the middle of what would
2:39:32normally be the assembly ground. The
2:39:35high priest will see you right away. He
2:39:37wants to get the outside reports filed
2:39:39before he starts with the involved
2:39:41parties," the guard announced.
2:39:44Carl looked around and noticed that
2:39:46there were more command tents here than
2:39:48he remembered. There should have been
2:39:50one for the base commander and perhaps
2:39:52one for the transient units, but most of
2:39:54those were camped outside the base as it
2:39:56was being renovated and upgraded. But
2:39:59there were at least four of them marked
2:40:00with senior officers emblems, plus the
2:40:03one for the high priest. They must have
2:40:06arrived yesterday while the group was
2:40:07out on patrol, but Carl hadn't noticed
2:40:10them. That meant that this was likely
2:40:12going to be more annoying for their
2:40:14captain than just a simple church
2:40:15inquiry into a dispute between ascended
2:40:17rank officers who were both captains in
2:40:19the army. Carl, come with us first. You
2:40:24are the unit scout, so you have the most
2:40:26details of the situation. The guard
2:40:29insisted.
2:40:30Hawk, I hope your memory is good because
2:40:32I haven't been taking any notes. Carl
2:40:35informed his partner. Talk to Thor. He
2:40:38remembers everything in order. Carl was
2:40:41definitely using his notepad starting
2:40:44today. He should have borrowed Tessa's
2:40:46notes before coming inside.
2:40:49But now he was in the tent facing a
2:40:51group of four colonels and a high priest
2:40:53who were sat behind a table with an
2:40:55emblem that said JAG, the acronym for
2:40:57the Judge Advocate General's Department,
2:40:59the military's legal authority. It was
2:41:02too late to turn back. Ascended elite
2:41:05Carl class designation is beast master,
2:41:08a new designation for a previously
2:41:10unseen mark. It says here that you are
2:41:13serving the role of attached scout for
2:41:15the military unit. Is that correct? The
2:41:18aging colonel on Carl's far left asked
2:41:20as Carl walked up to the speaker's
2:41:22booth. That is correct. And can you give
2:41:25us an overview of the situation in this
2:41:27region in your professional opinion as
2:41:30an elite? The man asked. I would say
2:41:33that the common rank monsters are
2:41:35somewhat less frequent though we have
2:41:37come across large packs of goblins.
2:41:40More frequent are the awakened rank
2:41:41ogres and hobgoblins with about a third
2:41:44of our encounters consisting solely of
2:41:46the ascended rank varieties.
2:41:48That is what my team is along with the
2:41:50patrol for the stronger groups. But we
2:41:52have also come across a total of 12
2:41:54commander rank monsters in the last 2
2:41:56days. The heads collected yesterday were
2:41:59brought back to the camp as evidence at
2:42:01the request of the church. The situation
2:42:04appears to be under control as the
2:42:06number of stronger monsters is not
2:42:08increasing on a daily basis, but neither
2:42:10is it noticeably decreasing in the
2:42:12limited time since I arrived from a
2:42:14deployment between here and the regional
2:42:15command location. The colonel nodded.
2:42:19Are you privy to the official threat
2:42:21assessment for the region? Carl shook
2:42:23his head. No, sir.
2:42:27But I am privy to the official scouting
2:42:29reports, though they are somewhat
2:42:30limited in their scope as they do not
2:42:33extend to the edges of the zone. The
2:42:35officers flipped pages while the high
2:42:37priest made notes. And then the man
2:42:40second from the right pointed at a page
2:42:41and asked Carl a question. It says here
2:42:44in the official report that there are no
2:42:46threats above low awakened rank found by
2:42:48the forward observation post scouts.
2:42:51Would you say that this is accurate?
2:42:54Carl frowned. In a way, that scouting
2:42:58report only covers a one kilometer
2:43:01distance from the camp. In that
2:43:03distance, the monster density is indeed
2:43:05made up of only common rank and low
2:43:07awakened rank goblins and hobgoblins.
2:43:10But once you move past the distance that
2:43:12is within the hourly patrol route, the
2:43:15smarter monsters become more common.
2:43:17They all made more notes. And then the
2:43:19high priest asked his question. From
2:43:22your elevated position last night, what
2:43:24did your team identify as potential
2:43:26threats to be dealt with today? There
2:43:28are two groups of ascended ogres camped
2:43:31respectively five and seven kilometers
2:43:33from the camp. There are four groups of
2:43:35roving hobgoblins of unknown strength
2:43:38with numbers in the single digits and
2:43:40low teens and one pair of giants,
2:43:42possibly a mated pair. Oh, plus a war
2:43:46bear den. But that isn't on the list to
2:43:48eliminate as they naturally control
2:43:50monster populations.
2:43:52Carl replied. A clerk brought him a map
2:43:55of the zone, and Carl filled in
2:43:57everything that they had located and
2:43:58hadn't had time to eliminate, plus what
2:44:00they had found last night during the
2:44:02daily spawn. With the help of Thor, who
2:44:05really did remember where all of them
2:44:06were seen last, Carl managed to put over
2:44:0920 spots on the map before turning it
2:44:11back over to the clerk. "Thank you,
2:44:14elite. Your information has been
2:44:16recorded. The high priest announced,
2:44:19dismissing Carl and sending the clerks
2:44:21to bring in another witness. By the time
2:44:24that the tribunal was finished with
2:44:26everyone they wanted to call for
2:44:27witnesses, it was nearly lunch. So, they
2:44:29postponed the final two interviews with
2:44:31the base commander and the captain for
2:44:33after the meal. That cut out almost all
2:44:36chance of getting a proper patrol
2:44:38completed on that day. And that meant
2:44:40double the numbers of dangerous monsters
2:44:42the day after as Carl's team wouldn't be
2:44:44out there to deal with them. But more
2:44:46importantly, with nobody challenging
2:44:48them, there was a chance that the larger
2:44:50monsters would team up and start coming
2:44:52after the base. But very few in the camp
2:44:55were actually concerned about the
2:44:57implications of stopping their clearance
2:44:58duties for a day. They all wanted to
2:45:01know how this drama was going to play
2:45:03out and if there was going to be a new
2:45:05base commander at the end of the day. If
2:45:07there was, then they would expect a
2:45:09whole new set of orders to be coming,
2:45:11and they couldn't rely on routine to get
2:45:13them through tomorrow. Even if the base
2:45:16commander was just censured by the high
2:45:18priest, the tribunal officers would be
2:45:20breathing down his neck for the
2:45:21foreseeable future, and that meant even
2:45:23more chaos than a new commander. They
2:45:26had all realized yesterday when the pile
2:45:28of monster heads was brought into the
2:45:30base that something was horribly wrong
2:45:31outside their patrol ranges, but most of
2:45:34them didn't know the details. They did
2:45:37however know about the altercation
2:45:38between the captain and the base
2:45:40commander. Lunch at the military chow
2:45:43hall was a dismal meal with everything
2:45:45from cans and no clerics assigned to
2:45:47kitchen duties to bring fresh food to
2:45:49the mix. Carl wasn't certain, but the
2:45:52everpresent rice and beans might
2:45:54actually be better than what they were
2:45:55serving here. Lotus must have felt the
2:45:58same way because Carl saw her sneaking
2:46:00spices into everything that she ate,
2:46:02including the tea. For such a tiny
2:46:05creature, the cleric ate a surprising
2:46:07amount, but she was still finished
2:46:09before the meal was over and waiting for
2:46:11the circus to begin. The final decisions
2:46:14would be made within the next hour, and
2:46:16they would find out if they were going
2:46:17to have to patrol in the afternoon or
2:46:19reorganize their team after it lost its
2:46:21captain. There was a very slim chance
2:46:24that they would be sent out without
2:46:25their officer, but Carl's group might
2:46:27well be reassigned to another unit while
2:46:29the one they were with was put on base
2:46:31duty until they could receive a new
2:46:32officer. The Golden Dragon Nation's army
2:46:35was quite flexible with officer ranks as
2:46:38they were mostly based on
2:46:39accomplishments. So you could end up
2:46:40with situations like this where a
2:46:42captain led a platoon of men instead of
2:46:44a lieutenant. But without an officer,
2:46:47nobody would be going anywhere.
2:46:49Someone had soundproofed the tent, so
2:46:51everyone waiting outside could only
2:46:53guess at what happened after the base
2:46:54commander and the captain were called
2:46:56inside. But it was an entire hour before
2:46:58they came back out. The captain, whose
2:47:01uniform insignia had already been
2:47:03changed to red to signify his punishment
2:47:05status, was now wearing the silver bar
2:47:08of a second lieutenant along with the
2:47:10red stripes of an officer under
2:47:11punishment, while the base commander was
2:47:13no longer wearing any military rank at
2:47:15all. His coat and hat had been removed,
2:47:18and he was accompanying the JAG officers
2:47:20to the helicopter they had arrived in
2:47:22the day before. The former captain, now
2:47:25lieutenant, waited beside the high
2:47:27priest while he prepared to make an
2:47:29official announcement, waiting for the
2:47:30crowd to quiet before he spoke.
2:47:33Attention. Our decision has been made.
2:47:37The base will receive a new commander
2:47:39within the next 7 days. Until that time,
2:47:42I will remain here, and the church guard
2:47:44will take over administration of this
2:47:46forward post. For the crime of
2:47:49instigating violence against a fellow
2:47:51officer, a demotion from captain to
2:47:53second lieutenant has been issued, and
2:47:55this matter is now considered to be
2:47:56resolved. May the dragons favor all your
2:47:59lives." That was a much shorter speech
2:48:02than had been expected, but they still
2:48:04only had about 5 hours before it would
2:48:06be dark again, and there would be a
2:48:08spawn sometime tonight that would
2:48:09increase the monster numbers once more.
2:48:12The lieutenant motioned for his team to
2:48:14gather, then for Carl's group to join
2:48:16him. They were going to escape the base
2:48:19before the flood of questions began and
2:48:21get some work done before they could be
2:48:23accused of slacking by those who were
2:48:24friends with the base commander. There
2:48:27was no official word on what had
2:48:28happened to him, but leaving without his
2:48:30uniform. There was a good chance that he
2:48:32had either been stripped of his
2:48:34commission or he was going to jail.
2:48:36Neither one would make the freshly
2:48:38demoted lieutenant particularly popular
2:48:40with those who had supported the base
2:48:42commander's actions. They were out of
2:48:44the base before anyone else had really
2:48:46grasped their intentions. And Carl sent
2:48:48Hawk up to verify the location of the
2:48:50biggest threats. I don't see any
2:48:53commanders today, but we have a number
2:48:55of ascended threats, as well as some
2:48:57nasty groups of hobgoblins.
2:48:59We will have to work fast to get things
2:49:01done, but we should be able to clear at
2:49:03least the west side toward the lake
2:49:05before nightfall.
2:49:07Carl relayed once Hawk was far enough up
2:49:09to give a proper report. A nice dip in
2:49:12the lake tomorrow morning wouldn't upset
2:49:14anyone. Lead the way, Scout Carl. The
2:49:18lieutenant laughed. That would be
2:49:21perfect for them. Gone overnight, still
2:49:24doing their jobs and a nice warm swim
2:49:26before coming back to the base. Hawk led
2:49:29them though a gauntlet of small but
2:49:31intense fights for the remainder of the
2:49:33afternoon, working his way toward the
2:49:35lake. While the group pointedly ignored
2:49:37the constant chatter on the radio as the
2:49:38patrol team struggled to adapt to the
2:49:40orders that the high priest was giving.
2:49:43They should have known that he would
2:49:44have no mercy on them. He was an old man
2:49:47and he had been leading battles against
2:49:49the monsters for decades before the
2:49:51serum injections created the elites.
2:49:54Back when all they had was a cleric like
2:49:56Tessa to enchant their weapons and
2:49:58armor. During battles when they would
2:49:59send otherwise perfectly human soldiers
2:50:01up against the supernatural, he was
2:50:03already a high priest doing the will of
2:50:05the gods and ensuring that the golden
2:50:07dragon nation prospered. Their
2:50:10complaints that they couldn't defeat
2:50:11these monsters fell on deaf ears. They
2:50:14could and they would. They just needed
2:50:17someone to show them how. And the church
2:50:19guard was happy to be the ones to show
2:50:21them. They were all from military
2:50:23deities, mostly the main branch of the
2:50:25church, and they knew the skills to
2:50:27enhance weapons the same as the clerics
2:50:29always had. Tessa could do the same, but
2:50:32other than the basic blessings of
2:50:34increased strength and movement speed,
2:50:36she mostly just enhanced Thor, as he was
2:50:38the only one who would be fighting up
2:50:40close and personal. She could do Ray as
2:50:43well, but the effects were limited and
2:50:45the duration was short. So, she had to
2:50:47return to the group to get it refreshed.
2:50:49And that was just too annoying for the
2:50:50spider who preferred to hide until it
2:50:52was time to fight. The lake is right
2:50:55ahead. No big groups of monsters and no
2:50:58monster fish in the waters. Tell them
2:51:01the best spot to set up camp is 30 m
2:51:03from the shore and 100 m north of the
2:51:05path that leads you to the lake. There
2:51:08is a good spot there that isn't wet.
2:51:10Hawk updated just before the sun went
2:51:13down. Good news. We found our camping
2:51:16spot. Hawk says it's dry, flat, and free
2:51:20of monsters.
2:51:22Carl informed the group who all smiled
2:51:24wearily. They had pushed hard today to
2:51:27get the kills in, and tomorrow they knew
2:51:29they were in for a lot of walking. Carl
2:51:32tested the waters of the lake when he
2:51:34first arrived and found that the water
2:51:36was fresh and cool, though not
2:51:38uncomfortably cold, as well as
2:51:40reasonably clear, which would be great
2:51:42for swimming in the morning. The
2:51:44clearing was a bit cramped, but he
2:51:46wanted to set up along the tree line
2:51:48anyhow so that he could have reconstruct
2:51:49hammocks instead of sleeping on the
2:51:51ground again. Their one big tent wasn't
2:51:54terrible, but given the option, not
2:51:56being on the ground would be better. The
2:51:59next morning, Tessa and Lotus along with
2:52:01the military team's healer made a big
2:52:03breakfast for everyone while the rest of
2:52:05the unit took a swim in the lake.
2:52:08Undershirts and militaryissued boxer
2:52:10briefs were the fashion of the day,
2:52:12getting the essentials clean while they
2:52:14frolicked in the water. The mages had
2:52:16promised to use air magic to dry
2:52:18everyone when they got out. So, for now,
2:52:21it was just time to relax.
2:52:23Once the cooking was done, the healers
2:52:25traded spots with them and ate while
2:52:27floating in the water. At first, the
2:52:30unit thought that they'd gotten the
2:52:32better end of that deal until they
2:52:34realized that it took longer to break
2:52:35camp than it did to cook breakfast. Carl
2:52:38ended up having to use his sword to
2:52:40disassemble their portion of the camp,
2:52:42as Ry had made triple bunk hammocks for
2:52:44them to sleep in, but the web was too
2:52:46strong for a normal knife to cut
2:52:48through. If he pushed that hard, he
2:52:51would cut through the tree instead.
2:52:53You look lost in thought," Sergeant Rita
2:52:56noted as Carl rolled the hammocks around
2:52:58sticks and strapped them to his pack.
2:53:01"Lots to think about today. Everyone is
2:53:04about full grown, and it's time to find
2:53:06a new skill or a way for them to break
2:53:08through. The mental spaces for them are
2:53:11close to complete, and that will push Ry
2:53:13well into the ascended rank without too
2:53:14much trouble. But after that, I might
2:53:17flatline unless I pick up another pet or
2:53:19help these three stooges skip the slow
2:53:21part of their growth. Carl explained.
2:53:25Rita nodded. Yeah, I foresaw that same
2:53:28issue before we came out here, but I
2:53:30didn't expect them to make it quite this
2:53:32far before becoming stuck. What you
2:53:35really need are the accolades right now.
2:53:38All these assists on commander rank
2:53:39kills really add up. And with the
2:53:41accumulated points, we can go to the
2:53:44government university's genetic research
2:53:45lab. They are always working on
2:53:48something, and they might have a clue as
2:53:50to how to help the beasts grow. Other
2:53:53than that, it's pure luck or in-depth
2:53:55research on your own to try to find
2:53:57something that will work for them. We
2:53:59found a way for Hawk, and that brought
2:54:01him up a full rank. So, there is a
2:54:03chance that we can find something for
2:54:04the others as well. Perhaps a lightning
2:54:07based resource for Thor would help his
2:54:09power grow. As for Rey, I'm not certain
2:54:12now that she's showing signs of becoming
2:54:14a mage type support fighter. I would
2:54:17have thought that warrior resources to
2:54:19increase her attack power and durability
2:54:21would be best, but the first additional
2:54:23skill she learned was tree golems. That
2:54:26doesn't match with anything that I know
2:54:27about the species, so there is a chance
2:54:29that we don't really understand them at
2:54:31all. Rey rolled her eyes in her resting
2:54:34spot. Of course, she was misunderstood.
2:54:38Who could comprehend the ways of
2:54:40darkness or the pure beauty that was a
2:54:42bloodbath spider? The humans simply
2:54:45lacked a sufficient sense of majesty to
2:54:47truly appreciate her nature. Carl let
2:54:50her rant about her own majesty for a
2:54:52while as he packed up the camp gear. And
2:54:54then the unit prepared to head out to
2:54:55the first targets that Hawk had spotted
2:54:57that morning. We should go see the other
2:55:00unit first. They will want to fight the
2:55:02ogres with us. Hawk suggested.
2:55:06Carl relayed the information to the
2:55:08lieutenant and he got the unit moving.
2:55:11The other group had camped in a hollow
2:55:13between two hills, not realizing that
2:55:15there were ogres living in caves in both
2:55:17hills. Neither of the entrances pointed
2:55:20toward the hollow, but it wouldn't take
2:55:21the ogres long to realize that there was
2:55:23someone right next to their den. I don't
2:55:26think that they're going to fight the
2:55:27ogres with us unless we hurry. Hawk
2:55:30updated just after the group started
2:55:32moving. And why is that? Carl asked. The
2:55:37ogres are awake now. That patrol is
2:55:40totally going to get eaten if we're not
2:55:42there in like 5 minutes. We've got about
2:55:455 minutes before the ogres find and eat
2:55:47the patrol. Carl updated.
2:55:51That got everyone up to a run with Tessa
2:55:53and Alice on Thor's back while Lotus was
2:55:56riding Ray through the trees using a
2:55:58short length of silk as a harness. The
2:56:01military unit was staying together, and
2:56:03Sergeant Rita had joined Dana in keeping
2:56:05pace with them, but just having the
2:56:07other elites in place for a fight would
2:56:09be enough. The patrol needed at least
2:56:11one of the ascended rank elites with
2:56:13them, and that was Sergeant Rita. While
2:56:15Dana missed her chance to get on Thor
2:56:17before the Sero took off through the
2:56:19trees. The young mage shook her head in
2:56:22dismay as she jogged along next to the
2:56:24military patrol, and Rita patted her on
2:56:26the shoulder in consolation.
2:56:28You've got to move fast if you want a
2:56:30lift. We were both too far away this
2:56:33time, but there's always next time, she
2:56:36offered. Dana smiled and shook her head.
2:56:40If you can't move fast enough to catch
2:56:42up, I have no chance. Even Alice only
2:56:46got on because they nearly ran over her.
2:56:48The lieutenant chuckled at the two
2:56:50bickering elites. From Carl's
2:56:53description, they had over a kilometer
2:56:54left to go, and the unit shouldn't take
2:56:56too much more than 5 minutes to get
2:56:58there. But if the ogres were about to
2:57:00attack a unit that was still half asleep
2:57:02and slacking on the guard duties, they
2:57:04were likely to still be too late. Carl
2:57:07and the others got to the site just in
2:57:09time, as Hawk began to bombard the ogres
2:57:11with fireballs to wake up the camp and
2:57:13cause enough noise that they would know
2:57:15that they were in trouble. The problem
2:57:17was that this was a group of ascended
2:57:19ogres and there was only one ascended
2:57:21member in their team. With half the
2:57:23group asleep or drowsy, they weren't
2:57:25putting on much of a showing of proper
2:57:27defensive formation. Their group could
2:57:30logically defeat these ogres, but it
2:57:33would require teamwork and strategy.
2:57:36That was not the plan that Carl and the
2:57:38others had come up with. as a lightning
2:57:40sero charged through the edge of the
2:57:42camp and Alice leapt from his back into
2:57:44Carl's arms for a gentle landing. Rey
2:57:47had called out the spider golems and the
2:57:49situation in the ambushed camp was utter
2:57:51chaos, unable to understand why they
2:57:54were caught in the middle of a fight
2:57:55between beasts ogres and mercenary
2:57:57elites. In their minds, they were just
2:58:00in the wrong place at the wrong time.
2:58:02But they had been here all night. And
2:58:04with the ogres so close, they were
2:58:06slowly realizing that good timing just
2:58:09saved their day. Alice's voice echoed
2:58:12through the area as her golem stomped
2:58:14into battle. Good morning, ladies and
2:58:17gentlemen. As you can see, your camp was
2:58:20approached to within 30 m without a
2:58:22single alarm being sounded this morning.
2:58:25In fact, you didn't even notice a
2:58:27rampaging lightning sero charging
2:58:28through the forest in your direction.
2:58:31This is not acceptable practice for
2:58:33night watch.
2:58:34If you will kindly bring me your team
2:58:36leader, I would like to have a word with
2:58:38them while my team finishes with the
2:58:39ogre threat. The team leader wiped sleep
2:58:42from his eyes as he tried to get his
2:58:44armor straightened when Alice started
2:58:46yelling. This group was a mess, and they
2:58:49were very nearly literally a mess if
2:58:51Alice and the others hadn't shown up to
2:58:53block the ogres. But there were more
2:58:55ogres coming now that the first group
2:58:57was down, drawn by the sound of combat
2:59:00and the smell of blood. The rest of the
2:59:03unit was almost on site already, and the
2:59:05appearance of another military unit had
2:59:07this camp shaping up much more quickly
2:59:09than one iate commander rank elite.
2:59:12Everyone had heard the new orders over
2:59:13the last day. Even Carl's group, though,
2:59:16they had kept the radios turned low, so
2:59:18the news of other troop movements and
2:59:20combat orders didn't distract them.
2:59:22Everyone who had left the base since
2:59:24yesterday, had a church guard with them.
2:59:26So this team had been in the field for
2:59:27at least 2 days which was unusual as the
2:59:30camp was much more comfortable and the
2:59:32patrol zone was limited. The captain
2:59:35leading this patrol actually looked
2:59:36relieved when he saw that the officer
2:59:38for the incoming group was a lieutenant
2:59:40who was under censure with the red
2:59:42stripes. But after a few seconds he
2:59:44realized just who that lieutenant was.
2:59:46And all the casual demeanor that he had
2:59:48been trying to put on vanished.
2:59:50Lieutenant, thank you for the timely
2:59:52interception of the ogre threat. My men
2:59:55owe your team a debt. He began. You can
2:59:59save it. My team is still finishing the
3:00:02second group of ogres that yours didn't
3:00:04see coming this morning. I'm not going
3:00:06to yell at you, but I will warn you that
3:00:08there is a church guard either waiting
3:00:10for you to return to camp or already on
3:00:12his way out to meet you. It would be
3:00:15wise to have all your protocols in order
3:00:17before they arrive because the high
3:00:18priest is an old school battle priest
3:00:20and his team doesn't believe in coddling
3:00:22elites. the lieutenant replied.
3:00:26Surely they won't usurper leadership
3:00:28from the military officers. The captain
3:00:31asked looking to Alice for confirmation
3:00:33as she was the strongest one present.
3:00:36Alice shook her head. They already have.
3:00:40The church has been asked by the judge
3:00:42advocate general's office to get this
3:00:44zone back in top form and the high
3:00:46priest they chose intends to do exactly
3:00:48that. The captain looked devastated at
3:00:51the news. Under the old system, before
3:00:54the elites, soldiers were honored as
3:00:56potential martyrs because the life
3:00:58expectancy was terrible, and over half
3:01:00wouldn't make it back from a 5-year term
3:01:02of service. But now, elites like him had
3:01:05gotten comfortable doing the bare
3:01:06minimum and reaping glory and promotions
3:01:08along the way. Carl finished the second
3:01:11group of ogres, and Tessa pulled a
3:01:14glowing magical gem out from under one
3:01:16of the bodies. I found something
3:01:18interesting. Give me a moment to
3:01:20translate. It's in that ogre or orc
3:01:23gobbledygook nonsense,
3:01:25she explained.
3:01:27Carl hadn't even realized there was
3:01:29something written on the crystal in her
3:01:30hand, but when she cast a light spell
3:01:32through it, the gem created a set of red
3:01:34letters against the green of Thor's
3:01:36scales, and the cleric slowly began to
3:01:38decipher the writing. It is a gem of
3:01:41wisdom. It helps mages refresh their
3:01:44mana more quickly, but it's worthless to
3:01:46the ogres. They must have kept it
3:01:49because it's shiny. Tessa explained
3:01:53that actually made sense for the ogres,
3:01:55but the gem should be good for clerics
3:01:57as well. You might as well hold on to
3:01:59that at some point. We're going to need
3:02:02all the buffs and healing that you can
3:02:04give us. But speaking of buffs and
3:02:07healing, where are Rey and Lotus? I know
3:02:10I saw them both fighting earlier, but
3:02:12they're gone again. Carl remarked
3:02:14casually in case she was just standing
3:02:17in his blind spot. Who knows? They
3:02:21likely wandered off to find something
3:02:22fun in the forest. I swear that girl is
3:02:26half feral. Tessa sighed. Carl [snorts]
3:02:30checked on Ray in his mind and found
3:02:32that she was about 50 m from the group
3:02:34in a tree where she and Lotus had found
3:02:36a particularly interesting flower that
3:02:38the cleric didn't find in any of her
3:02:39training materials.
3:02:41As a nature cleric, she knew a lot about
3:02:44botany, more than most doctorate
3:02:46students in the subject. It was a gift
3:02:49from her goddess. But she still couldn't
3:02:52identify this flower, and it was
3:02:54bothering her. So, she had brought Ry to
3:02:57go examine it and make notes while the
3:02:58others did people things as Ry described
3:03:01them. While the group leaders had a
3:03:04tense discussion, and Lotus spent her
3:03:06time engrossed in the details of a
3:03:07flower that Ry had every intention of
3:03:09snatching to put in her space later, the
3:03:11slacker team's worst fears came true.
3:03:14The church guard assigned to them
3:03:16arrived with another group of soldiers
3:03:18on patrol. Not only that, but they had
3:03:21brought along a church guard supervisor
3:03:22for the soldiers accompanying Carl's
3:03:24group as well, which proved to be an
3:03:26amusing sight, as he already knew them
3:03:28all from the walk-in. Elite Carl, where
3:03:31did you put the nature cleric? The
3:03:34others said that she ran away with your
3:03:36spider. The guardsman asked curiously as
3:03:39he approached. His smile said it wasn't
3:03:42an accusation, and he was an ascended
3:03:44ranked cleric as well, so there was a
3:03:46good chance that he knew her personally.
3:03:48Lotus is checking out flowers they found
3:03:50in the woods. There's something rare
3:03:53about it. They will come back
3:03:55eventually, or I will call them if there
3:03:57is a fight. They're always up for a
3:04:00fight, Carl replied with a smile. as
3:04:04long as you know where they are and that
3:04:06there is someone covering for them in
3:04:08case a monster tries to sneak up on
3:04:10them. Its policy not to let the nature
3:04:12clerics roam unattended,"
3:04:15he replied. Tessa snickered at the way
3:04:18he phrased it. The guidelines
3:04:20recommended that you did not have any
3:04:22group member alone and out of sight of
3:04:23the group, but the nature clerics had a
3:04:25bad habit of wandering away.
3:04:28Rey the church guard says to keep the
3:04:30spider golems with you and Lotus in case
3:04:33anything tries to sneak up on you. Carl
3:04:36informed the weward spider. Got it. The
3:04:40two golems vanished as Ray summoned
3:04:41another pair and the other groups of
3:04:43soldiers looked to see who had dismissed
3:04:45them. The number of unique golems was
3:04:48still equal to the number of mages who
3:04:50might be using the spell. So none of
3:04:51them could understand where the last
3:04:53pair had come from. Hawk, what is our
3:04:56situation? Where are the nearest groups,
3:04:59and what is their strength? We've got
3:05:02plenty of patrols in this area, so we
3:05:04should get them organized,"
3:05:06Carl requested.
3:05:08Hawk gave them a quick rundown, which
3:05:10Carl relayed to the unit leaders, and
3:05:12then Hawk added one more that he wanted
3:05:14for himself. There was a group of mole
3:05:17men that Hawk thought might taste like
3:05:19giant mice. They weren't strong, but
3:05:22they were a priority target in Hawk's
3:05:24mind, and they were along the route that
3:05:25led to one of the commander ranked
3:05:27giants.
3:05:28Once Ray and Lotus returned from their
3:05:30flower hunting trip, with the flower
3:05:32safely stowed in Ray's space along with
3:05:34the branch it was growing on, Alice got
3:05:36the group moving in the direction that
3:05:38Hawk had recommended for them to follow
3:05:40past the mole monsters. Hawk had already
3:05:43succumbed to temptation and caught one
3:05:45for a taste test, which he found
3:05:46pleasantly mousy with a hint of feral
3:05:49monster.
3:05:50That meant bringing Carl to him so he
3:05:52could stow the bodies in his space
3:05:54before he continued his scouting
3:05:55flights. Alice didn't say anything when
3:05:58she saw the rapidly vanishing bodies of
3:06:00the moles, but the church guard with
3:06:02them did give Carl a strange look,
3:06:04wondering what he was doing and if this
3:06:06was some sort of food stocking ritual
3:06:08that he did for his beasts every day.
3:06:10They didn't actually eat that much. And
3:06:12other than Thor, who was pleading for a
3:06:14fresh update of ascended rank feed every
3:06:17day, even though he had so much it was
3:06:19actually growing in his space now, they
3:06:21were in no need of refreshed supplies.
3:06:24Their spaces were nearly reaching their
3:06:26power and size limits, and soon Carl
3:06:28would be able to begin working on a
3:06:29fourth space in preparation for adding a
3:06:32new friend.
3:06:33Thor's space looked like an idyllic
3:06:35pasture filled with the best feeds, a
3:06:38few trees, and smashing posts, while
3:06:40Hawks was neatly organized. Piles of
3:06:42meat cut and stripped to unrecognizable
3:06:44chunks based on flavor and energy
3:06:46content. Ray, on the other hand, had a
3:06:49very horror graveyard vibe going for it,
3:06:52as she had strung all of her reserves up
3:06:54in her webs, and in the dim light, it
3:06:56almost looked like they were still
3:06:57alive. If you're going to add something,
3:07:00I want a cool friend, Ry commented when
3:07:04she sensed Carl checking on the state of
3:07:06the spaces.
3:07:07Oh, what sort of cool friend? Carl
3:07:11asked. Maybe like a shadow demon or a
3:07:14leaper, she suggested, referring to two
3:07:18species of ethereal humanoid monsters
3:07:20who preferred to hunt in the dark and
3:07:22had incredible magical power. In the
3:07:24wild, they were natural allies of the
3:07:26bloodbath spiders, whose webs would
3:07:28catch and detain prey for all of them.
3:07:31The other two would herd hless monsters
3:07:33and humans into the webs, which the
3:07:35targets would be unable to break free
3:07:37from, and then take the choice bits and
3:07:39leave the rest for the bloodbath spiders
3:07:41as a form of payment for their
3:07:42assistance.
3:07:44As Carl recalled, they were both born at
3:07:46the royal rank and would grow up to
3:07:48become overlord level threats that kept
3:07:50the majority of humanity out of the
3:07:52tunnels in the mountains.
3:07:54I will have to see what we can manage. I
3:07:57don't think that anything above our rank
3:07:58is going to end well though. Carl
3:08:01laughed. Hawk led them to the pair of
3:08:04commander ranked giants that he had
3:08:05found with the church guard following
3:08:07closely beside Carl as he moved through
3:08:09the trees. How can you be so certain
3:08:12that we're going the right way? The
3:08:14guard asked as Carl made a turn to
3:08:16follow a riverbank. because Hawk is
3:08:19still overhead and he will tell me if
3:08:21we're going the wrong way or if
3:08:23something is blocking us. The giants
3:08:26should be just around this bend in the
3:08:27river," Carl explained as he slowed to
3:08:30make certain everyone was ready for the
3:08:32fight. "Don't you think something is off
3:08:35about this forest? The woods here
3:08:37shouldn't be so lush. They should be
3:08:39more barren with the poor soil." And
3:08:41then there was that magical flower that
3:08:43Lotus found earlier. I think that we're
3:08:46coming into an area with higher than
3:08:47usual mana density. That means a chance
3:08:50at some unique rewards, but also
3:08:53stronger monsters. The guard whispered
3:08:56as the others joined them. Dana's eyes
3:08:58lit up in recognition.
3:09:01Like the woods around the holy relic.
3:09:03They were loaded with good stuff, but
3:09:05this time we haven't been looking for
3:09:07it. We were just looking for monsters.
3:09:11Alice smiled.
3:09:13All right. If there are commander rank
3:09:15monsters, there is a chance of commander
3:09:17rank resources.
3:09:19We can't turn that down and it's
3:09:20permitted in our group charter to search
3:09:22for them. I don't know about the army
3:09:25unit, but for certain the six of us are
3:09:27allowed to search. The lieutenant side,
3:09:31"Anything that we gather is to be turned
3:09:33over to military supplies for
3:09:34processing, and a reward will be issued
3:09:36as a portion of its value." That line
3:09:39was straight out of the operator's
3:09:41handbook, and Sergeant Rita nodded in
3:09:43agreement. I will look for magical
3:09:45plants for Ry and the tiny human to
3:09:47collect. Hawk agreed. The last time they
3:09:51went for magical plants worked out very
3:09:53well for him. If they could find another
3:09:56good thing, he might really become a
3:09:58commander rank Hawk. He was so excited
3:10:01about searching for magical resources
3:10:03that he almost forgot to join the fight
3:10:05when everyone moved to surround the
3:10:07giants. Everyone move up to surround
3:10:09them, but leave a way out. We don't need
3:10:12them smashing through the ranks if they
3:10:14try to run. The lieutenant quietly
3:10:17ordered his troops. They were going to
3:10:19try to help, but they all knew that at
3:10:21two ranks higher, the giants could
3:10:23easily kill them with a single hit. If
3:10:26they got into the line of fire, it was
3:10:28over for them, and their attacks would
3:10:30do little more than distract the
3:10:31enormous humanoids. When Carl reached
3:10:34the spot where the giants were waiting,
3:10:36he saw that there was a good reason they
3:10:38hadn't moved, even though they had to
3:10:40have heard the soldiers approaching.
3:10:42There was an intensely magical cluster
3:10:44of grass between them, and the giants
3:10:46had taken defensive positions around it.
3:10:49"Do we know what that is?" Carl
3:10:51whispered to Lotus as she moved forward
3:10:53in preparation for the charge. No idea.
3:10:58I haven't seen it before either. That's
3:11:01really strange. Two unknown plants in
3:11:03one day. She replied quietly. Alice
3:11:07nodded in agreement. Then make certain
3:11:10that we do not destroy it during the
3:11:12battle. It must not be ready yet or they
3:11:15would have picked it. The giants held
3:11:17their position as Carl and Thor stepped
3:11:19out into the open with Alice, Rita, and
3:11:22the church guard behind them. The
3:11:24lieutenant had gone to the left while Ry
3:11:27went to the right so they could attack
3:11:28from the sides while the rest of the
3:11:30unit got in position. The giants made a
3:11:33motion to shoe Carl and the others away,
3:11:35which Carl returned by pointing at the
3:11:37plant as if they would let the giants
3:11:39leave if they gave up the treasure. The
3:11:42one closest to him roared in anger at
3:11:44Carl's arrogance, daring to demand the
3:11:46precious resource from literally between
3:11:48his feet. The giant charged at the
3:11:50arrogant young human, and Carl produced
3:11:52the large vampiric sword from its ready
3:11:54state. If he was going to get gains for
3:11:57his team, this was the perfect
3:11:59opportunity for it. There were plant
3:12:02resources right there, and the blade
3:12:04would suck some of the life force from
3:12:05the giants when they died, giving them
3:12:07all an extra bump of growth. Carl
3:12:10stepped forward using Ren to reduce the
3:12:13power of the giant's attack so he could
3:12:15block while Alice's golem charged at the
3:12:17other giant before it could get in
3:12:19position to assist. The giant facing
3:12:22Carl lifted its blade to hack down at
3:12:24Carl just as Thor charged into the
3:12:26battle, crashing into the side of its
3:12:27knee while Carl attacked its forearms
3:12:30with Ren, toppling the creature over
3:12:32backward. That was Ray's cue to get in
3:12:35on the action. And the spider golems
3:12:37were on the giant instantly, attacking
3:12:39the arms so it couldn't pick up its
3:12:40weapon while Hawk dropped fireballs into
3:12:43the middle of its exposed stomach. Ray
3:12:46herself was hanging back from the battle
3:12:47and waiting for an opening to attack the
3:12:49other giant. The rest of the force were
3:12:52all focusing on it now as Thor and the
3:12:54golems blocked their line of sight to
3:12:56the fallen monster. But then Ry had a
3:12:59brilliant idea. They didn't have to wait
3:13:02for the end of the battle to get the
3:13:03loot. She just had to dart over to the
3:13:06plant and use her for legs to scoop it
3:13:08out of the ground and into her space for
3:13:10later. Nobody even noticed when the
3:13:12plants disappeared. The closest to
3:13:14knowing what happened was the standing
3:13:16giant, who only noticed Ray's approach
3:13:18after the plants were gone when she went
3:13:20for the vulnerable spot between the
3:13:22shoulders where the giants weren't
3:13:24flexible enough to reach her. That only
3:13:26lasted a few seconds until the giant
3:13:29managed to take a swing with its sword,
3:13:31sweeping over its back, and the
3:13:32bloodbath spider was forced to retreat
3:13:34while the golem and the two ascended
3:13:36warriors attacked from the front. Once
3:13:39the resources were safely stowed away,
3:13:41there was no more need to hold back on
3:13:43the combat, and Carl pushed as much
3:13:45energy as he could into the oversized
3:13:47blade, allowing it to slice deeply into
3:13:49the wounded giant.
3:13:51It wasn't going to be that easy to take
3:13:53it out. And despite the heavy bleeding
3:13:55and awkward angle from a prone position,
3:13:57the giant still managed to punch Thor so
3:13:59hard that both barriers on the Sero
3:14:01shattered, and he was sent staggering
3:14:03back. The giant began to get up as its
3:14:06wounds healed at an incredibly
3:14:07accelerated rate, already knitting back
3:14:09together. It reached for the plants, but
3:14:12found them gone, and began frantically
3:14:14searching for them or whoever might have
3:14:16them. The magical signature of the
3:14:19plants would normally give away their
3:14:20hiding spot and make it obvious who was
3:14:23trying to loot the battlefield in
3:14:24advance, but with them safely in Ray's
3:14:26space, it was as if they had never
3:14:28existed. She had even taken the roots
3:14:31with them, just in case that was the
3:14:33valuable part. The distraction turned
3:14:36out to be its downfall, as Carl's blade
3:14:38slid through a partially healed wound
3:14:40and deep into the creature's torso,
3:14:42aimed upward for the vital organs. With
3:14:44a gurgling gasp, the giant turned and
3:14:47swung a backhanded strike at Carl, who
3:14:49dropped to the ground and rolled out of
3:14:50the path of the enormous blade. That
3:14:53effort twisted the blade still lodged
3:14:55through the giant's back, and it
3:14:57collapsed to the ground, already dead.
3:15:00The second giant fell seconds later, and
3:15:02while the warriors caught their breath,
3:15:04the clerics collected evidence and
3:15:06updated their notes. Once he saw the
3:15:08cleric's routine, Carl also made a note
3:15:11of the day's kills, recalling how he had
3:15:13been questioned about them by the
3:15:14lawyers. Hawk flew back up to scouting
3:15:17height and looked for other resources
3:15:19and monsters,
3:15:21mostly resources, and he was finding a
3:15:23lot of them. Carl took notes as Hawk
3:15:26updated the map with resource points,
3:15:28including their likely strength and the
3:15:30monsters that have been drawn to them.
3:15:33In Hawk's mind, that was likely the
3:15:35important part. He might not know what
3:15:38the plants did, but if they attracted
3:15:40monsters that were similar to him, Thor
3:15:42or Ray, then they were likely going to
3:15:44be useful. Most monsters worked on
3:15:47instinct and confirmation bias. If
3:15:50others, like you thought it was true, it
3:15:52probably was. Sometimes it was genetic
3:15:55memory, sometimes just a guess, but
3:15:57everyone would fight over the resources
3:15:59all the same.
3:16:01Carl dismissed his blade, which was
3:16:03trapped under the giant's body, and the
3:16:05church guard came over with a leather
3:16:06pouch from the hip of the other giant.
3:16:09"It's a healing salve of some sort. It
3:16:12looks like it works fairly well, going
3:16:14by the magic in it," he explained. "The
3:16:18giants were regenerating abnormally
3:16:20rapidly as well. I've never seen a shred
3:16:24wound heal that fast before.
3:16:26Normally, the jagged edges make it
3:16:28nearly impossible for monsters to deal
3:16:30with, but these ones were even able to
3:16:32stop the blood flow from lacerate
3:16:34without applying the ointment. Carl
3:16:37agreed. The church guard took a portion
3:16:40of the ointment into a trio of jars and
3:16:42then passed the leather bag to the
3:16:44cleric attached to the military unit.
3:16:46You can turn that in at the end of the
3:16:48mission if you like, but you might need
3:16:50it. The experienced guard cautioned him.
3:16:54The extra jars were passed to the other
3:16:56clerics who would be doing the group's
3:16:58healing duties, and Thor began to eye
3:17:00the plants in Ray's space with renewed
3:17:02interest. If they could make him
3:17:04regenerate that fast, wouldn't he be
3:17:06nearly immortal? He was already tougher
3:17:09than some silly giant who had barely
3:17:11cracked his scales and they were mostly
3:17:13healed on their own. Of course, Thor was
3:17:16overlooking the fact that the giant did
3:17:18that with a single solid hit through two
3:17:20layers of barriers. And if he had been
3:17:22hit anymore, he would have taken serious
3:17:24injuries.
3:17:26That sort of thing didn't matter to this
3:17:27arrow. There was strength in numbers,
3:17:30and if he got hit, someone else could go
3:17:32forward until he healed. It only took a
3:17:35few minutes. Tessa gave Thor a pat on
3:17:38the side and healed the last of his
3:17:40damaged scales along with the slight
3:17:42bruising underneath which left him in an
3:17:44even better mood while the red dragon
3:17:46cleric went to check on the second
3:17:48giant's body. There are some good things
3:17:50here and more of the same ointment that
3:17:52we found on the other giant. We've got
3:17:55an assortment of dried magical herbs in
3:17:57the bag and there are magical bracers
3:17:59which will have to be altered but are
3:18:01potent enough to survive a reforging.
3:18:04she explained.
3:18:06That was the sort of thing that Carl's
3:18:08group had always left behind before.
3:18:10They were huge and heavy, difficult to
3:18:12carry and not immediately useful. But
3:18:16sometimes they would make themselves
3:18:17functional for the right person. Do we
3:18:20know what they do? High priest Doug
3:18:23taught me a trick, and sometimes you can
3:18:25get them to activate and adjust
3:18:26themselves to you. Carl suggested the
3:18:30church guard did a double take. Did you
3:18:33say high priest Doug as in Doug
3:18:35McKenzie?
3:18:37Carl nodded. He took and passed the test
3:18:40to the commander rank at the same time
3:18:41that I made it to ascended rank. The
3:18:44guard shook his head. We will never hear
3:18:47the end of it. Doug McKenzie made it to
3:18:50commander rank before I did. Carl
3:18:53smiled. The clergy is a lot like a small
3:18:56town, isn't it? Everyone knows each
3:18:59other. The guard shrugged. It is at the
3:19:03higher levels, but there are hundreds of
3:19:05thousands of staff, lay priests who
3:19:07aren't blessed with magic, and devoted
3:19:09nuns cloistered around the nation whose
3:19:10names most of us will never even hear,
3:19:12much less learn. But at the same rank
3:19:15and close to the same age, it's hard not
3:19:17to know each other, even if we're in
3:19:19different branches and on different
3:19:21details.
3:19:22Tessa laughed. Plus, everyone knows
3:19:25Doug. He's the only nature cleric I know
3:19:28that's less reliable outside of combat
3:19:30than Lotus.
3:19:32Speaking of which, where did she go this
3:19:34time? Can you send Ry to go find her and
3:19:37bring her back? Ry, can you take your
3:19:41golems and make sure we don't lose our
3:19:43tiny cleric? Give me updates if she
3:19:46finds good things. Carl instructed
3:19:50already on it. She found tasty
3:19:52mushrooms.
3:19:54They eat blood from dead monsters.
3:19:57Rey replied. They were only a few meters
3:20:00into the trees, and if they weren't
3:20:02crouched down looking for mushrooms,
3:20:04everyone would be able to see them. Once
3:20:06he knew where they were, Carl found them
3:20:08with thermal imaging. "She's right over
3:20:11there. They haven't gone far this time."
3:20:15Carl explained.
3:20:17Lotus voice carried through the
3:20:19clearing. "Hey,
3:20:21everyone, come this way. There is a
3:20:24whole bunch of good stuff in the woods."
3:20:27The soldiers spread out, only vaguely
3:20:29aware of what they were looking for. But
3:20:31everyone could at least pick out some of
3:20:33the major magical plants and things that
3:20:35didn't look like they belonged in a
3:20:37normal forest. Sister Lotus, I think I
3:20:40found something. One of the soldiers
3:20:43called, holding up a bright red mushroom
3:20:45with black spots that looked oddly like
3:20:47skulls. Carl looked at Tessa. That's
3:20:51poison, isn't it? She smirked and
3:20:54nodded. Yep. But it's a paralytic, not a
3:20:58lethal toxin. He's going to collapse in.
3:21:02Oh, there he goes. Lotus pranced over
3:21:05and tucked the mushroom in a specimen
3:21:07jar that she threw to Ray before she
3:21:09cast a cleansing spell on the warrior
3:21:11and helped him to his feet. What is the
3:21:13first rule of unknown magical plants?
3:21:16She asked him, "Sister, you see, he
3:21:20began. What is the first rule of unknown
3:21:23magical plants?" she repeated with her
3:21:26hands on her hips, looking fierce
3:21:29despite her dimminionive size. Look with
3:21:32your eyes, not your hands. The young man
3:21:35replied sheepishly.
3:21:37Exactly.
3:21:39Look with your eyes, not your hands.
3:21:42That means no grabbing the death's head
3:21:44mushrooms.
3:21:46Now, are there more of those? They're
3:21:49quite useful for a number of potions.
3:21:52Lotus asked.
3:21:54Sister, there is some sort of glowing
3:21:56grass over here and a plant with leaves
3:21:58that look like golden dragon scales. One
3:22:01of the others reported that drew the
3:22:04church guard over to assist and the unit
3:22:06went into full gathering mode, hunting
3:22:08in the area for more magical resources,
3:22:10the original target plant long
3:22:12forgotten. There were a suspicious
3:22:14number of magical plants in the area.
3:22:16That much was clear to everyone, but
3:22:18they were doing their best to collect
3:22:20what they could, not leaving much to
3:22:22regrow, unlike an area that could be
3:22:24safely farmed later. The magical plants
3:22:27would attract more powerful monsters,
3:22:29and that was the last thing that the
3:22:31region needed when it was already short
3:22:32on elites who were over the awakened
3:22:34rank. Most of the patrols only had one
3:22:37or two ascended members, and Alice was
3:22:39the only commander rank elite in the
3:22:41area before the church guard showed up.
3:22:44Carl wasn't certain of the strength that
3:22:46they brought with them. But there were
3:22:47at least a few commander ranked guard
3:22:49captains in the mix if he had checked
3:22:51the uniforms right. We should start
3:22:54searching the area for freshly appeared
3:22:55relics and hidden places of power given
3:22:58the amount of change that the area has
3:23:00undergone. There are far too many
3:23:02resources here for it to be nothing but
3:23:04a mana surge. Alice informed the church
3:23:07guard who was technically in charge of
3:23:09the soldiers now. He nodded in agreement
3:23:12and began to issue orders to his troops
3:23:14to spread out and start keeping notes on
3:23:16the frequency of the plants as well as
3:23:18the potency if they could determine it.
3:23:21The numbers would go up as they got
3:23:23closer to the center of the disturbance,
3:23:25and the disturbance would be responsible
3:23:26for most of the increase in the number
3:23:28of powerful monsters, perhaps even for
3:23:30the whole extended combat region. They
3:23:33never did find the source of the daily
3:23:35monster appearances, so it was possible
3:23:37that it simply hadn't made itself known
3:23:39yet, and their group might be the first
3:23:41to stumble across it. Fortunately, it
3:23:44wasn't spawning anything above commander
3:23:46rank anywhere yet, since there were so
3:23:48few royal and monarch rank elites to
3:23:50send out, and the handful of available
3:23:52overlords had better things to do than
3:23:54stomp out a monster infestation two or
3:23:56more ranks beneath them. The unit spread
3:23:59out in a wide line while Hawk scouted
3:24:01overhead, leading them in a wide arc
3:24:03that would cover everywhere that he was
3:24:05finding magical plants with the hope of
3:24:07finding whatever hidden good thing might
3:24:09help him advance again. But he made
3:24:11certain that Rey and Lotus, who were
3:24:13scouting ahead, found the very best
3:24:15things before the army line got there,
3:24:17extracting them to be split between the
3:24:19mercenary elites later. There was no
3:24:22good reason to let military command
3:24:24waste the best stuff on elites who never
3:24:26saw the field outside. mandatory
3:24:28missions. Lotus was in heaven,
3:24:30surrounded by high-grade magical plants
3:24:33all afternoon as the group moved in a
3:24:34winding spiral, trying to find the
3:24:36center of the disturbance.
3:24:38She was staying away from the group, but
3:24:40almost all the loot was going into Ray's
3:24:42space for storage, and Carl could see
3:24:44that it was really starting to pile up
3:24:46and that there was quite the variety in
3:24:48there. They had even found more of the
3:24:50moss that was used to make tea and
3:24:53harvested another whole log to go with
3:24:54the one that was in Thor's space right
3:24:56now.
3:24:57You need to come here. There is a thing.
3:25:01Rey insisted.
3:25:03I'm almost at the other end of the
3:25:04formation. Give me a minute. Carl
3:25:07replied, then turned to Tessa, who was
3:25:09beside him. I'll be right back. Ry needs
3:25:13me for a thing, he explained, then used
3:25:16all of his superhuman strength to launch
3:25:18himself through the trees at a run,
3:25:20headed for the spot where Ry and Lotus
3:25:22were waiting. What is the emergency?
3:25:25Carl asked. as he caught a tree not far
3:25:27from where Lotus was crouched on the
3:25:29ground, using the solid trunk to slow
3:25:31his momentum and dropped gently to the
3:25:33ground. Lotus looked up with a smile and
3:25:36pointed at a golden disc formerly buried
3:25:39under the ground and now exposed thanks
3:25:41to her efforts. "What is it?" Carl
3:25:45whispered, confused, but feeling a
3:25:47familiar feeling of power. "We're
3:25:50standing in the ruins of a city. That
3:25:53right there is a system stone. Lotus
3:25:56whispered.
3:25:57You have to be me. The system
3:26:00stones were the holy relic whose magic
3:26:02was used to develop the divine serum.
3:26:05They were the source of the entire
3:26:07nation's hopes and power. As far as
3:26:09anyone knew, there weren't any more of
3:26:12them. The original relic should have
3:26:13been unique and lost to history. But
3:26:16this one, other than the fact that it
3:26:18was covered in dirt, looked like it had
3:26:20been made only days before.
3:26:22Are there more? Carl added. Lotus
3:26:26shrugged. There should be. I saw the
3:26:30diagram of the original formation as it
3:26:32was when it was first discovered. If we
3:26:34don't move anything and it is intact,
3:26:37the shape indicates that there should be
3:26:38another one right here. She began to dig
3:26:42again, and another golden stone appeared
3:26:44from the ground. an arch brick curved on
3:26:46the inner and outer edges with tapered
3:26:48sides indicating that it was part of a
3:26:50circular formation. So Carl moved to
3:26:53where he thought that the center should
3:26:55be based on where the other stones had
3:26:57been found. The moment that he reached
3:26:59the point, golden light erupted from the
3:27:01ground in 100 points all around him and
3:27:04dirt was thrown away from the formation.
3:27:07Words appeared in front of Carl's eyes
3:27:08as the formation activated. Would you
3:27:11like to select randomly? Randomly select
3:27:14what? If there was an option to
3:27:17randomize, there should be an option to
3:27:19select deliberately.
3:27:21No, he thought, wondering if that would
3:27:23be enough for the magic. Gender,
3:27:26species, and class remain unchanged.
3:27:29Generating class reward. That was too
3:27:32close. Far too close. He had to warn
3:27:36Lotus. Don't select the random option.
3:27:39Whatever you do, do not select the
3:27:41random option.
3:27:43Carl warned her. Lotus pouted, but she
3:27:46didn't change, and Carl's attention was
3:27:48pulled away by the magic of the system
3:27:50stones. Class skills unlocked.
3:27:54Skill book allows the beast master to
3:27:57record skills and teach them to others.
3:28:00Identification allows the beast master
3:28:02to discern the effects that magical
3:28:04materials will have on his partners.
3:28:07Mental fortitude. You know you need it.
3:28:10Carl blinked slowly with a system stones
3:28:13throwing shade at him. That last
3:28:16abilities description was almost
3:28:17certainly an open insult. But what Carl
3:28:20hated the most was that it wasn't wrong.
3:28:22He did need mental fortitude because he
3:28:24needed to improve the spaces enough to
3:28:26allow the beasts to advance to command a
3:28:28rank. Carl returned to the present as
3:28:31the magic faded and found lotus pouting
3:28:34in front of him. What if I could have
3:28:36been a dragon or a griffin or like an
3:28:38angel or something? She complained. What
3:28:42if you turn into a fat male half orc?
3:28:45Carl countered. Lotus considered that
3:28:48for a second with a big dick or a little
3:28:51one. I always kind of wanted to know
3:28:54what it was like to have a penis. Carl
3:28:56flicked the little nature priest on the
3:28:58forehead. It might have even changed
3:29:01your class from nature priest to
3:29:02something entirely different.
3:29:05For all you know, you could have had to
3:29:06start all over from nothing. The lights
3:29:09had drawn the rest of the unit to them,
3:29:11starting with the rest of their team, as
3:29:13the lieutenant and the church guard were
3:29:15keeping the soldiers on task until they
3:29:17reached their destination.
3:29:19Everyone stared at the system stones,
3:29:21now clearly visible on a stone platform
3:29:23in the forest, untouched by time and
3:29:26intact. Are they functional? Alice
3:29:29asked. Lotus nodded.
3:29:33Yes, they activated for both of us, but
3:29:37not for Ry. Carl says, "Don't pick the
3:29:40random option, but if you're lucky, it
3:29:42might turn you into a dragon." "And if
3:29:45I'm unlucky," Alice replied, "Who knows?
3:29:50Should we ask someone to try?" Lotus
3:29:53seemed far too eager to see what
3:29:55happened when you randomized, but Alice
3:29:57was with Carl in her thinking. Magic
3:30:00this powerful could cause completely
3:30:01unexpected results if you allowed it to
3:30:03run a muck. Lotus dragged Dana, the only
3:30:07one in the party she could physically
3:30:08drag, to the center of the platform, and
3:30:10the stone glowed again while Dana stared
3:30:13at something only she could see. Then
3:30:16she slowly began to smile. I learned a
3:30:19new class skill, destruction.
3:30:22It increases the damage of all my
3:30:24spells.
3:30:25Tessa picked the mage up to give her a
3:30:27spinning hug, then conveniently placed
3:30:29her down away from the center of the
3:30:31formation and took her place. The golden
3:30:34light flared in seconds later, the red
3:30:36dragon priestess erupted with fire,
3:30:38which coalesed into battle armor with a
3:30:40shield and spiked flail. The weapon
3:30:43looked vicious with five small spiked
3:30:45balls on chains, all engulfed in flames.
3:30:48But the armor was gorgeous. It was a
3:30:51skin-tight bodysuit made of red leather
3:30:53and dragon scales, showing off every
3:30:55toned muscle of the dragon priestess as
3:30:57she flexed, even though it covered her
3:30:59entire body, even encasing her head
3:31:01behind a dragon mask. Alice was the next
3:31:04one in, and after she stepped away, she
3:31:07activated a bit of magic and a tornado
3:31:09began to whip through the area for a
3:31:11moment before being dismissed. I think
3:31:14that it is giving us all class skills.
3:31:16Perhaps our classes aren't fully active.
3:31:19Or maybe we were intended to return to
3:31:21the system stones on a regular schedule
3:31:23to learn new skills as we got more
3:31:25powerful. Has anyone stood on the
3:31:28central stone twice? Alice asked. Lotus
3:31:32nodded. I did. I left after I chose and
3:31:37then walked back to yell at Carl once I
3:31:39realized I could have been a dragon.
3:31:41possibly with an unknown but tiny chance
3:31:44been a dragon. Carl corrected.
3:31:48Sergeant Rita stepped onto the platform
3:31:50with more hesitancy and Carl saw Lotus
3:31:52crossing her fingers hoping that she
3:31:54might pick the random choice. It didn't
3:31:57look like she did as only a few seconds
3:32:00later the light had flared and she
3:32:02stepped away still looking like herself.
3:32:05It gave me warriors tenacity an increase
3:32:07to my constitution.
3:32:09Rita explained as she checked the group
3:32:11to see who hadn't gone yet. She was the
3:32:14last of the six, so the next ones up
3:32:16would be the lieutenant and the church
3:32:17guard. They all gathered around the
3:32:20platform in reverent silence, aed by the
3:32:22aura of holy magic that the area was
3:32:24giving off. All right, guard, you're up
3:32:28next. Pick random. Lotus encouraged.
3:32:34It will randomize your species, gender,
3:32:36and class. Carl warned him. You're no
3:32:40fun. You know that. He's already ugly.
3:32:43How could it be worse? The nature
3:32:46priestess complained. The guard laughed
3:32:49and ruffled her hair as he made his way
3:32:51to the top of the platform. He glowed
3:32:53with golden light for a moment and then
3:32:56smiled as he stepped off the platform.
3:32:58It gave me the sacred zone spell. It
3:33:01slows hostile targets that enter the
3:33:03area and weakens them. It's an excellent
3:33:06large battle defensive spell suitable
3:33:09for buffing an entire battle, he
3:33:11explained.
3:33:13Then he seemed distracted and nodded his
3:33:15head. Golden light enveloped all the
3:33:18soldiers at once, presumably as a result
3:33:20of the magic recognizing them as his
3:33:22subordinates who he could activate the
3:33:24system stones for. For most of them, it
3:33:27was a short and blissful blessing which
3:33:29granted them a new skill. But one
3:33:31soldier apparently hadn't been paying
3:33:33attention to Carl's warning. And where a
3:33:35young woman in a military uniform once
3:33:37stood, now stood a female warjen in
3:33:39battle armor, a combination of leather
3:33:41and steel that left the midriff and
3:33:43lower legs exposed.
3:33:45A very furry midriff and lower legs with
3:33:47an extra joint which flexed opposite the
3:33:50existing knee. I'm a wargen. A wargen
3:33:54rogue. She stammered as she realized
3:33:57what she had done by choosing to
3:33:58randomize.
3:34:00Lotus ran over to examine her.
3:34:03Interesting.
3:34:04She didn't have to start over. She's
3:34:06still awakened rank. What skills did you
3:34:09get? The tiny cleric demanded.
3:34:13Um, I gained backstab, lacerate, impale,
3:34:16claw, pounce, dash, and silent steps.
3:34:20She replied. The warriors next to her
3:34:23looked impressed.
3:34:25That was a more powerful suite of skills
3:34:27than she had before. a much more
3:34:29powerful one if she had the physical
3:34:31strength and speed of a war gen. They
3:34:33weren't technically monsters as they
3:34:35were considered a civilized sensient
3:34:37species, but they weren't native to the
3:34:39golden dragon nation. So, if you saw
3:34:41one, they were normally only passing
3:34:43through between the beastmen nations and
3:34:46wanted nothing to do with social
3:34:47interactions.
3:34:49Occasionally, they might stop somewhere
3:34:51that seemed friendly for a meal. But
3:34:53mostly, they just skirted along the edge
3:34:55of the nation and kept moving. With a
3:34:57fully furred body and a wolf's head,
3:35:00they couldn't pretend to be human like
3:35:01many beastkin could, even if they
3:35:03somehow managed to hide the extra leg
3:35:05joint. So, persecution among humans was
3:35:08a real concern, even though they weren't
3:35:11at war or from officially hostile
3:35:12nations.
3:35:14But now she had accidentally changed her
3:35:16species, and that was going to cause at
3:35:18least a few questions and concerns among
3:35:20the military leadership. Rey approved.
3:35:24The new version of the warrior was much
3:35:26more stabby than the old one. She even
3:35:29had proper claws and not just one, but
3:35:32two swords. Her words were slightly
3:35:34garbled by her new muzzle, and she
3:35:36almost bit her tongue once, but she was
3:35:38rapidly adapting to her new form and
3:35:40looking around at the other soldiers,
3:35:42then at her outfit, which was a harsh
3:35:44contrast to the unit. The uniform she
3:35:47had been wearing had vanished, but she
3:35:49had others in her bag, and she was still
3:35:51roughly the same size, though she was a
3:35:53bit longer in the leg now, and her boots
3:35:56wouldn't fit even if she still had them.
3:35:58The church guard cleared his throat. Did
3:36:01anyone else undergo a large change in
3:36:03status?
3:36:05Change of rank, class, or appearance?
3:36:08One more hand went up and the unit
3:36:10realized that there was a child in their
3:36:12midst, even shorter than Lotus.
3:36:15Crap. Did it revert you to childhood? He
3:36:19asked, "Um, I think so, sir. I also
3:36:24randomized and now I'm tiny. I'm still a
3:36:27warrior class, but my sword change
3:36:29appearance, and my skills changed a
3:36:31little. I gained bow mastery, target
3:36:34lock, enhanced vision, night vision, and
3:36:37forest sense. The child replied. Tessa
3:36:41looked at them for a few seconds and
3:36:43then went to pat him on the head. I have
3:36:46good news and bad news. It didn't change
3:36:49your age. You're still roughly 20, but
3:36:52you're an elf. A 20-year-old elf is
3:36:55still literally a child, and they won't
3:36:57hit puberty for like five more years,
3:36:59after which they will be full grown in 2
3:37:01to 3 years. Your new skills are all
3:37:04elven racial skills, so you're now an
3:37:06elven warrior, not a ranger or any
3:37:08specialty class, unless the system
3:37:10stones told you otherwise." He shook his
3:37:13head. "No, it specifically said that my
3:37:17class was warrior." Tessa nodded. Then
3:37:20on to the good news. Elves live for
3:37:23about 500 years, so you have a really
3:37:26long time to get used to being short.
3:37:28The others laughed at his pain, but
3:37:30elves were incredible warriors, or so
3:37:33they had heard. They were supposed to be
3:37:35superhumanly agile with incredible aim,
3:37:39which meant that they needed to get
3:37:40their newly adjusted warrior a bow.
3:37:43Alice grimaced at the church guard. "Do
3:37:46you think that we can bury this and
3:37:47pretend that we didn't know about it
3:37:49until after the paperwork is done?" The
3:37:51guard smirked back. I have a better
3:37:54plan. I'm going to blame Carl and Lotus.
3:37:58Lotus gave Carl a pitiful look, as if he
3:38:01should take the entire fall for this
3:38:03discovery.
3:38:04Not that it was going to be a negative
3:38:06mark on their record. Very much the
3:38:08opposite, actually. But the discovery of
3:38:11a holy relic of any caliber came with an
3:38:13intensive interrogation, dozens of
3:38:15reports to be filed, hours of
3:38:17descriptions, and much more.
3:38:20Carl had been spared much of that last
3:38:21time thanks to Colonel Valerie's
3:38:23interference, but this time it was
3:38:25system stones.
3:38:27Actual functional system stones. If they
3:38:31brought compatible candidates directly
3:38:33here, they could test them without the
3:38:34dangers of the serum. At least in
3:38:37theory. For all Carl knew, it only
3:38:40worked if you already had the system
3:38:42activated to some degree. Alice sighed
3:38:45and took out her phone, then smirked and
3:38:47handed it to Carl. If we're going to do
3:38:50this, we will do it all the way. She
3:38:53decided.
3:38:54Carl smiled and shook his head,
3:38:56declining the phone, then took out his
3:38:58own emergency phone and dialed the
3:39:00fateful numbers. Number 777.
3:39:04On the first ring, the same receptionist
3:39:07as last time answered. Speak. Ascended
3:39:11elite Carl 95,988.
3:39:16Please wait. Then an older woman came on
3:39:19the phone. Elite, what is your report? I
3:39:23have found a functional and complete set
3:39:25of system stones on patrol. I can
3:39:28confirm they are active. He replied,
3:39:31then waited for the woman to gather her
3:39:32wits enough to answer. 7 minutes. Do not
3:39:37move. Then the line went dead, but Carl
3:39:40could see that there was a blinking
3:39:42light on it and a status update that
3:39:44said, "Tracking."
3:39:46He tucked the phone in the pocket of his
3:39:48jacket and coax Thor to lay down so he
3:39:50could use him as a back rest. You might
3:39:53as well get comfortable, everyone. We
3:39:56have 7 minutes until reinforcements
3:39:58arrive. Carl explained, "Are we not on
3:40:02guard against monsters?"
3:40:04The now wargen rogue team member asked.
3:40:07We are, but Hawk is up in the sky for
3:40:09that, and he says, "Nothing dares to
3:40:11come close to this place," Carl
3:40:14explained. While he waited, Carl began
3:40:17to focus on the items that were stored
3:40:19in the spaces. There should be a new
3:40:21ability to identify what was useful, and
3:40:24Lotus had dumped a huge number of
3:40:26resources into Ray's space. The Death's
3:40:29Head mushroom was listed as a common
3:40:31grade resource, toxic, useful for
3:40:33enhancing paralysis skills used by the
3:40:35Warlock class.
3:40:37It didn't say how, but that was still
3:40:39more information than Carl had to start
3:40:41with. After a few herbs and flowers that
3:40:44all had basic enhancing abilities, Carl
3:40:47came to the strange mushroom that Ry
3:40:48said drank monster blood usable by
3:40:51partner Ry combined with blood lotus,
3:40:54shadow grass, and commander rank or
3:40:57higher vital fluids to create a
3:40:58sympathetic reaction. That was somewhat
3:41:01less detailed than he had hoped. But
3:41:03after a short search, he found both the
3:41:05blood lotus and the shadow grass. Both
3:41:09were awakened great ingredients, and
3:41:11both were in Thor's food piles.
3:41:13Carl put the three plants together and
3:41:16mentally created a bowl to mix the blood
3:41:18in with them. Then he paused. He didn't
3:41:22actually know any alchemy, and there
3:41:24might be more to this than creating a
3:41:25stew. Rey didn't think so. And once she
3:41:29saw what Carl had assembled, she dipped
3:41:31into her space and quickly munched her
3:41:33way through the mixed group of
3:41:34ingredients.
3:41:36What? There's more if it doesn't work.
3:41:39Eating is the best way to mix magical
3:41:41plants. She informed him as a powerful
3:41:44surge of energy began to brew in her
3:41:46stomach. For a moment, the magical
3:41:49energy just kept building, far exceeding
3:41:51anything that the individual ingredients
3:41:53should have provided. And then that
3:41:55energy began to seep through Ray's body,
3:41:57strengthening her and enhancing her
3:41:59carropace.
3:42:00She was still a bloodbath spider, but an
3:42:03incredibly impressive one, and offensive
3:42:05adaptation felt like it was learning a
3:42:07new trick. Carl could feel the skill
3:42:10changing in his mind, where he shared it
3:42:12with her, but he couldn't quite tell
3:42:13what it was trying to learn from the
3:42:15combination of toxic plants and giant
3:42:17blood.
3:42:18The sound of approaching helicopters,
3:42:20three of them according to Hawk,
3:42:22distracted Carl from contemplating what
3:42:24sort of changes the plants had allowed
3:42:25offensive adaptation to master, and he
3:42:28began to mentally prepare himself for
3:42:30what came next. The helicopters didn't
3:42:32land. They just hovered, and the
3:42:34Inquisition team slid down ropes to get
3:42:36to them before carefully lowering down
3:42:38what looked like a throne in a box. Carl
3:42:41had no idea what that might be about. It
3:42:44was a bit ridiculous to be setting up a
3:42:46throne out here in the woods, even if it
3:42:48was the sight of a set of system stones.
3:42:50But as it lowered, Carl realized that it
3:42:53wasn't just a throne. There was a whole
3:42:55set of furniture there for interviews
3:42:57and press releases, including the gold
3:42:59on blue backdrop that the official
3:43:00government news alerts were broadcast in
3:43:02front of. That likely meant that not all
3:43:05these people on the ground were
3:43:06inquisitors, though most of them were
3:43:08young enough to be among the first batch
3:43:10of elites, and the rest were wearing the
3:43:12robes of high-ranking members of the
3:43:14clergy. Tessa was looking grim as she
3:43:17noticed who all was here, and Carl
3:43:19finally stood up from his resting spot
3:43:20against Thor before instructing the
3:43:22three beasts to return to their spaces
3:43:24to rest until the boring part was over.
3:43:27The disappearing lightning ser caught
3:43:29the attention of the clergy and alerted
3:43:31them to which one was Carl without
3:43:33having to search for the phone that they
3:43:34were still tracking. Ascended elite
3:43:37Carl, we have come in response to your
3:43:40call. Where are the system stones? An
3:43:44inquisitor in a fancy pointed hat asked.
3:43:47You're standing in between them. In
3:43:49fact, if the man with the knife strapped
3:43:51to his left leg moves another meter
3:43:53backward, he will activate them. Carl
3:43:56replied. The man took a rapid step to
3:43:59the left and turned, really looking at
3:44:01the ground for the first time and seeing
3:44:03the central circle of the system stones
3:44:05with the world dragon logo on it and the
3:44:08surrounding rune inscribed blocks. Is
3:44:10this how you found it? The inquisitor
3:44:13asked.
3:44:15No, sir. When we arrived, it was
3:44:18overgrown.
3:44:19Once I stepped on the central location
3:44:21and activated it, the system stones
3:44:24cleared the overgrowth from themselves,"
3:44:26Carl explained. The team moved to the
3:44:29side of the stones and started to set up
3:44:31their gear along with the official
3:44:33broadcast screen, and Carl wondered who
3:44:35might be actually giving the speech. The
3:44:38Inquisition wouldn't give a public
3:44:40announcement, but he didn't recognize
3:44:41anyone in the group as a public figure.
3:44:44Then once the stage was set up, magic
3:44:47flooded the area and a portal opened,
3:44:49discorgging a middle-aged mage whose
3:44:51very presence made Carl's instincts
3:44:53recoil at the threat that this person
3:44:55posed. Overlord Drake was dangerous, but
3:44:58somehow this man felt even more deadly
3:45:01than that. If it was possible, he might
3:45:04have advanced a step beyond the Overlord
3:45:06rank, but there should only be one
3:45:07person in the Golden Dragon Nation that
3:45:09was more powerful than the Overlords.
3:45:12That would be the great leader himself.
3:45:15Technically, it could be the world
3:45:17dragon's archbishop, the head of the
3:45:18golden dragon church, but that would be
3:45:21like seeing a mythical creature walk out
3:45:22in front of you and revealing that it
3:45:24was mortal. The world dragon archbishop
3:45:27was supposed to be more dragon than
3:45:29human. And though this person radiated
3:45:31power like a mythical creature, he
3:45:33looked quite human. He settled himself
3:45:35into the throne that had been dropped on
3:45:37location for him, and more people began
3:45:39to come through the portal. First, there
3:45:42were scientists and clergy. Then, a
3:45:44handful of famous reporters and the
3:45:46government's press secretary.
3:45:49Then, the man in the throne turned his
3:45:50gaze toward Carl, and his eyes turned
3:45:52bright gold with slotted black pupils
3:45:55that seemed to see right through a
3:45:56person. As impossible as it had seemed
3:45:59two seconds earlier, it really was the
3:46:01archbishop.
3:46:03The head of the church was here in
3:46:04person to secure the system stones. We
3:46:07should have left and called in the
3:46:09location from a distance.
3:46:11Rey suggested helpfully. It's a bit late
3:46:14for that, but making a run for it does
3:46:16seem like a better idea every minute.
3:46:19Carl agreed. The Inquisitor in the best
3:46:22hat gestured toward Carl and the
3:46:24soldiers. You all need to gather in
3:46:26front of the backdrop.
3:46:28Stand as still as you can and don't say
3:46:30anything, he instructed.
3:46:34Everyone did as they were told. And
3:46:36after a minute or so of waiting
3:46:37patiently without moving, they were
3:46:39ushered off to the side. Excellent. That
3:46:42is all they need you for here. The
3:46:44footage of your interviews will be
3:46:45filmed at a later date. Now come with
3:46:48us. We have questions for you all and
3:46:50the helicopters are waiting," the
3:46:53Inquisitor instructed.
3:46:55The whole group was whisked away from
3:46:57the dignitaries now that they had the
3:46:58footage of them in the background that
3:47:00they would need to dub into the official
3:47:01press releases. and everyone began to
3:47:04relax as they got further away from the
3:47:05sight of the system stones. It was some
3:47:08distance until we could get clearance to
3:47:10land. They will be setting up magical
3:47:13barriers all over the area and
3:47:15establishing a no-fly zone. Tell me, who
3:47:18is the regional commander here? They
3:47:21will likely be getting accommodation.
3:47:24The chief inquisitor asked Carl
3:47:25directly.
3:47:27This area is under the supervision of a
3:47:29high priest on orders of the judge
3:47:31advocate general's office after the base
3:47:33commander was found negligent in his
3:47:35duties. My apologies, but I do not
3:47:38recall his name at the moment. Carl
3:47:41replied. The inquisitor nodded. That is
3:47:45fine. I will look it up once we are at
3:47:47the cathedral. You are in for a treat.
3:47:50Have you ever been to the capital
3:47:51before? Carl chuckled and shook his
3:47:54head. I was born in lithium mine city.
3:47:58I've only ever been there, themies or on
3:48:01missions. Dana looked like she was in
3:48:04the same situation, aruck by the chance
3:48:06to go to the capital, though they likely
3:48:08wouldn't see much of it other than the
3:48:09inside of the cathedral while they
3:48:11answered endless questions about the
3:48:12situation that led to them finding the
3:48:14ruins. Fortunately, there wasn't going
3:48:17to be a lot to tell, and he had some
3:48:19notes to help him along. So perhaps
3:48:22their trip to the capital wouldn't be so
3:48:24bad.
3:48:25Some of the soldiers didn't look too
3:48:27convinced, though. Their level of
3:48:29nervousness was only increasing as they
3:48:31approached the pristine white spires of
3:48:33the city with its millions of people
3:48:35working, living, and visiting the shops
3:48:38all through the city. It looked like
3:48:40something out of a fairy tale, a magical
3:48:42bastion that had stood since time
3:48:44immemorial. But the capital spires were
3:48:46actually quite new. They had been
3:48:49started after the serum was first made
3:48:51public. A revitalization of the Golden
3:48:53Dragon Nation's image after the progress
3:48:55of the experimental elites was made
3:48:57public. Before that, the capital city
3:49:00was a grim place with barracks along all
3:49:02the walls and a rough mercenary culture
3:49:04that bled through to everyone from the
3:49:06sheer number of fighters that it took to
3:49:08defend such a large population center.
3:49:10But for their reborn rogue, this was a
3:49:13much better place to be than some rural
3:49:15deployment. It was much more common to
3:49:17see other species here than anywhere
3:49:19else in the Golden Dragon Nation. War
3:49:22Jen might be looked down upon in the
3:49:24almost entirely human nation, but here
3:49:26in the capital, a mercenary was a
3:49:28mercenary. They would recognize her for
3:49:31her strength even before finding out she
3:49:33was an elite. Down below you is the
3:49:36Cathedral of the World Dragon. That is
3:49:38the site of the nation's most holy
3:49:40relics and the seat of the Archbishop.
3:49:43Normally, we would sell you on the
3:49:45opportunity to catch a glimpse of him
3:49:47when you're here. But we all know where
3:49:48he is right now, and you've already
3:49:50gotten closer to him than anyone outside
3:49:52the church has in decades. Once we land,
3:49:56your group will be split with the
3:49:57military unit headed to the church guard
3:49:59barracks, including Sergeant Rita, who
3:50:02is being called to an official meeting
3:50:03with the senior administrators
3:50:05separately from this matter. Those not
3:50:08under military contract will be guests
3:50:10of the church, and we have prepared
3:50:11rooms for you. The head inquisitor
3:50:14informed them as the helicopter prepared
3:50:16to land. Carl looked down below him and
3:50:19saw not just the majesty of the
3:50:20cathedral, but the dichotomy of a city
3:50:23that had advanced faster than its people
3:50:24could adapt. Modern cars and ox carts
3:50:28full of goods both traversed cobblestone
3:50:30streets. Many walked on the sidewalks,
3:50:32while those with superhuman strength
3:50:34used an elevated walkway and jumped
3:50:36across streets they wanted to cross.
3:50:38The central areas of the city had
3:50:40traffic lights, but the areas further
3:50:42out had no such nicities, and traffic
3:50:45navigated intersections at its own
3:50:46whimsy. Carl didn't see many people who
3:50:49were visibly non-human. But there was an
3:50:52elf in the window of a tower full of
3:50:53what looked like mages training, and a
3:50:55group of beast kin walking into one of
3:50:57the taverns near the gates. Then, in the
3:51:00most run-down section of town, he
3:51:02spotted many more people who didn't
3:51:04quite pass as human. Their features were
3:51:07just a bit off. Not quite right, or
3:51:09sometimes just openly other like the
3:51:11beast kin. One of the inquisitors patted
3:51:14Carl on the shoulder when he noticed the
3:51:16direction of his gaze. Many species of
3:51:19monsters can breed with humanity to
3:51:21varying degrees of success. If they're
3:51:24civilized, we welcome the offspring of
3:51:26such unions into the city, but the
3:51:28lineage comes with a stigma that's far
3:51:30worse than being a foreigner like an elf
3:51:32or a beastkin.
3:51:34Carl nodded.
3:51:35I've never seen anything like it before.
3:51:38Do you know what the schedule is when we
3:51:40get to the cathedral?
3:51:42Nothing too serious today. First up, you
3:51:45all get to do written reports, then an
3:51:48interview after you unwind.
3:51:50You're still a young one, so you might
3:51:52not have noticed yet that after a bit in
3:51:54the field, elites get a hard edge to
3:51:56them, and it scares the average citizen.
3:51:59We can't have you all wandering around
3:52:00the cathedral, ready to fight at a
3:52:02moment's notice. you would terrify the
3:52:05nuns and the visitors. The inquisitor
3:52:08chuckled. Carl looked around a little
3:52:11and noticed that he had a point. There
3:52:13wasn't anything different about their
3:52:15actual appearance. They had been eating
3:52:17well, so they didn't have that slightly
3:52:19emaciated image of war survivors from
3:52:21the films about the integration wars,
3:52:23but everyone had a twitch to them and a
3:52:25sharp gaze on alert for threats at all
3:52:27times.
3:52:28It was essential in the wilderness, and
3:52:31Carl thought that it probably was in the
3:52:32city as well, but you had to hide it
3:52:34better when you were around so many
3:52:36people. Nobody owned anything worth
3:52:39taking in the mines. But here in the
3:52:41capital, Carl had heard horror stories
3:52:43of all sorts of crimes that would be
3:52:44unthinkable at home. The helicopter
3:52:47landed on a large concrete circle in the
3:52:49courtyard of the cathedral, and the
3:52:51inquisitors led everyone out. They
3:52:54passed by the doors where the visitors
3:52:55to the cathedral came to pay their
3:52:57respects or pray. And Carl couldn't help
3:52:59but notice the way that people were
3:53:01looking at him. Not so much the mages,
3:53:04but any of the higher rank warriors as
3:53:06well. Their superhuman strength gave
3:53:09them a particularly effortless walking
3:53:11stride that he had first noticed with
3:53:12Overlord Drake. Combined with their
3:53:15mission packs on their backs and the
3:53:16weapons on their hips, they must be
3:53:18quite the sight. taking in the cathedral
3:53:20with trained eyes and joking with each
3:53:22other. It was a bit different to be
3:53:24observing the stranges of the elites
3:53:26from the inside. Carl hadn't really
3:53:29noticed the changes as they happened.
3:53:31But now that he had people who weren't
3:53:32elites to compare himself to again, he
3:53:35could feel the differences that came
3:53:36from the power and confidence that had
3:53:38overcome all of them. Even the mages had
3:53:41a confidence in their attitudes that the
3:53:43average person did not. The head of the
3:53:45church guard clicked his heel on the
3:53:47cobblestones to get everyone's
3:53:48attention. A subtle gesture, but a
3:53:51distinct noise.
3:53:52Soldiers, you're with me. The rest of
3:53:55the elites are with the lead inquisitor.
3:53:58Carl found himself leading the group
3:54:00toward the inside of the cathedral after
3:54:02Sergeant Rita left with the others,
3:54:04subconsciously taking his position on
3:54:06point as they traveled through the
3:54:07bright stone of the building. The
3:54:09cathedral was beautiful and had a sense
3:54:11of ancient power to it, born of
3:54:13centuries of constant holy magic use in
3:54:16the same spot. He had to restrain his
3:54:18hand as inquisitors stepped out of the
3:54:20shadows, joining the column as they walk
3:54:22down the halls and deeper into the
3:54:24building. That's a pretty good trick.
3:54:27They didn't even use a real skill. They
3:54:29just control their breathing and
3:54:31movement as they stand in an alco out of
3:54:33sight, so you don't notice them until
3:54:34they move. Rey noted. There were two for
3:54:38each group member now, plus the lead
3:54:40inquisitor and Carl's side at the
3:54:42familiar situation.
3:54:44It seemed that the questioning part was
3:54:46going to come first, then the unwinding
3:54:48and adapting back to civilization.
3:54:51Two of the inquisitors led Carl to a
3:54:53luxurious sitting room with comfortable
3:54:55looking leather chairs and an older
3:54:57cleric woman in deep blue robes waiting
3:54:59for them. Greetings, Carl. I am Lilith,
3:55:03a high priestess of the blue dragon, the
3:55:06dragon god of knowledge. Do you mind if
3:55:09we use a bit of magic during our
3:55:10discussion today? It helps reveal
3:55:13details that you might have forgotten.
3:55:15The gentlel looking woman greeted him
3:55:17with her eyes glinting in the soft light
3:55:19of the lamps. They were dragon's eyes,
3:55:22not human, but Carl took the seat beside
3:55:25her with a casual grace. The answer to
3:55:28that question didn't matter. The outcome
3:55:30had already been decided and if he was
3:55:32right, the spell was already in effect.
3:55:35Of course, I only just started taking
3:55:38notes, so there might be many things I
3:55:40have forgotten." Carl agreed. Before he
3:55:44could say anything else, the world
3:55:46seemed to fade, and his mind was racing
3:55:48through everything that had happened to
3:55:49him since he had received the serum
3:55:51injection. The only stutter in the
3:55:54smooth progression was when they got to
3:55:55the trial instances, both in the woods
3:55:57and the one for the ascended rank, where
3:55:59he could feel something take notice of
3:56:01them, and the spell seemed to falter for
3:56:03a moment before continuing. The spell
3:56:06raced through his memories right up to
3:56:08the present moment and then abruptly
3:56:10ended as the two timelines converged,
3:56:12leaving Carl dizzy and disoriented.
3:56:15What an intriguing time you have had in
3:56:16the few months since you awakened. The
3:56:19last reports were correct. You do have
3:56:21the world dragon's own luck, always
3:56:23finding yourself in the right place at
3:56:25the right time. The old woman announced
3:56:28as Carl tried to get his bearings. Carl
3:56:31chuckled. I suspect that the world
3:56:33dragon didn't find himself seated in
3:56:35rooms full of holy inquisitors quite so
3:56:37frequently as I have. The high priestess
3:56:40laughed at his assessment and shook her
3:56:42head. Oh dear, you have misunderstood.
3:56:47I am not part of the Inquisition. I am
3:56:50the head of the historians here within
3:56:51the church. But now that I have recorded
3:56:54your personal history for our archives,
3:56:56there are a few things that I would like
3:56:58to request as I don't have a clear
3:57:00understanding from your memories. When
3:57:02you stepped onto the system stones, it
3:57:05granted you more of your class skills.
3:57:08One of them is identification, but
3:57:10limited to what helps your beasts.
3:57:12One is mental fortitude of which you
3:57:14didn't seem to be lacking to begin with.
3:57:17But the third is known as skill book,
3:57:20and if my guess is right, it is every
3:57:22bit as good as what the inscriptionists
3:57:23can use. The two inquisitors were
3:57:26immediately on guard, not against Carl,
3:57:29but double-checking the room to make
3:57:30certain that nothing else was here or
3:57:32eavesdropping on them. One would almost
3:57:35think that the high priestess had
3:57:36announced that they were under attack
3:57:38from the way that they responded, but
3:57:39her demeanor never changed. still
3:57:41intently focused on Carl. Sure. I don't
3:57:46actually know how it works. I have never
3:57:48tried it. Give me a moment and I will
3:57:50let you know what I need for the
3:57:52process. Carl spent a moment deciding
3:57:54what skill would be best to try with
3:57:56first. Probably not rend or shred as
3:58:00those were already common enough skill
3:58:02books. The historian would be looking
3:58:04for new knowledge to add to her
3:58:06collection or more correctly the
3:58:08church's collection. And if you wanted
3:58:10to get on her good side, that meant
3:58:11showing her something good right from
3:58:13the start. Refreshing lightning seemed
3:58:16like a good start. When Carl focused on
3:58:19it, a list of items appeared in his
3:58:21mind. I will need a lightning element
3:58:24gem powdered and immersed in commander
3:58:26rank blood to use as ink. And then 15
3:58:28pages of paper, ash from an awakened
3:58:31rank or higher beast, vaporized by
3:58:32lightning, and a pen made of stone with
3:58:35a golden tip. Carl recited. What sort of
3:58:39requirements are those? The inquisitor
3:58:42behind Carl asked, confused.
3:58:45They're what the skill needs to create
3:58:46the book I wanted to make her. Do we
3:58:49have those things? Or can we get them?
3:58:52Carl informed him. If they couldn't get
3:58:55them, his day would become immeasurably
3:58:57easier. Having to write a 15-page book
3:59:00did not sound like fun, and his
3:59:02handwriting was atrocious.
3:59:05However, the man nodded and sent a text
3:59:07message. They only had to wait a minute
3:59:10before a scribe came tapping at the door
3:59:12with an armload of goods. There was far
3:59:15more than Carl had requested, as if they
3:59:17had expected him to fail multiple times
3:59:19before he got it right, as would be
3:59:21quite normal for a beginner scribe. It
3:59:24was possible that was true, but Carl got
3:59:26the feeling that the challenge was not
3:59:28in making the book, but in using it.
3:59:31Refreshing lightning wasn't a human
3:59:33skill, but the innate skill of the
3:59:34lightning ser. Thank you. Carl greeted
3:59:38them as the child set his burden down on
3:59:40the table, then bowed and ran back out
3:59:43of the room. The blue dragon high
3:59:45priestess just stared at Carl, waiting
3:59:47for the magic to begin. Literally,
3:59:51the moment that he arranged the
3:59:52ingredients and filled the pen, then
3:59:54dusted the paper with the ash as the
3:59:56spell instructed, and shifted his pen to
3:59:58the writing position and activated the
4:00:00skill. Everything seemed to happen at
4:00:02once. The ink flowed from the pen to the
4:00:04sheets without him moving his hand. The
4:00:06pages arranged themselves, and then a
4:00:09green scaled binding that looked exactly
4:00:10like Thor's back, but with much smaller
4:00:13scales formed over it, and a buckled
4:00:15latch shut the book tight. On the cover
4:00:18was a simple description.
4:00:20Refreshing lightning.
4:00:22Well, it looks like it worked, the
4:00:24dragon priestess noted, then gestured
4:00:27for the inquisitor to pick it up. Can
4:00:29you make another?" she asked. Carl
4:00:33focused and there didn't seem to be a
4:00:35cool down and there were still some
4:00:37supplies left. I should have the
4:00:39supplies for at least one more and I
4:00:41don't see a cool down on the skill. He
4:00:44agreed. The high priestess gestured for
4:00:47the inquisitor to use the book and he
4:00:49struggled with the clasp, unable to open
4:00:51it at all. Then he shrugged and passed
4:00:54it to the other inquisitor. He also
4:00:56couldn't work the buckle, so they called
4:00:58in a mage. She didn't have any more luck
4:01:01than the others. The book was firmly
4:01:03locked, unusable by any of them. Well, I
4:01:07guess it's one of those picky skills.
4:01:09The high priestess side as she took the
4:01:11book back and gently rubbed the scales
4:01:13in appreciation.
4:01:15The latch popped open and the book
4:01:17vanished, making Carl laugh. Of course,
4:01:20the skill book made from Thor's skill
4:01:22wouldn't open unless you petted it
4:01:24gently. Or perhaps it opened because she
4:01:27was a blue dragon priestess and she
4:01:29would have some affinity for scales and
4:01:31lightning. But there was no denying that
4:01:33she knew the skill when a barrier of
4:01:35lightning formed around her body a few
4:01:37seconds later. It's a cleric class
4:01:40skill. The inquisitor asked clearly
4:01:43confused.
4:01:44Or it just wanted you to pet it gently
4:01:46before it would open. Carl suggested
4:01:49making the inquisitor's smile. If you
4:01:52would kindly make us another, we will
4:01:54test that theory. The historian agreed.
4:01:58Again, Carl activated the skill,
4:02:00creating a second book, but giving
4:02:02himself a blinding headache that made
4:02:04the dim lamp feel like spears of holy
4:02:06light digging into his brain. Here,
4:02:09drink this. That feeling is mana
4:02:12exhaustion. Give it a moment and the
4:02:14feeling will pass after you finish the
4:02:16potion. It looks like one is the limit,
4:02:19though the second one did successfully
4:02:21form. The high priestess noted. The mage
4:02:25picked up the book, eager to see what
4:02:27that barrier was like for herself. But
4:02:30nothing happened, though she seemed
4:02:31enthralled with petting the scales. The
4:02:34same was true for the warriors that they
4:02:36called in next. So, the high priestess
4:02:38reluctantly called in another cleric. A
4:02:41young cleric with a snobish look on his
4:02:43face walked in and turned to the high
4:02:45priestess.
4:02:46This had better be good. I am on my day
4:02:49off. The cleric complained.
4:02:52Don't take that tone with me, young man.
4:02:55Try to use this book. Just do what feels
4:02:58right. She instructed. The new cleric
4:03:02gently picked up the book and then took
4:03:04a cloth from his pocket to clean the
4:03:06fingerprints off before sniffing at it
4:03:08and then tapping the latch, causing it
4:03:10to fall open. He flipped the cover open
4:03:13and read the first pages. What an
4:03:16intriguing toone. A lightning barrier
4:03:18skill. Is this new for the archives?
4:03:22He asked with real excitement in his
4:03:24tone. So, it's not all clerics.
4:03:28Yes, that is a skill tome of refreshing
4:03:30lightning. I had thought that it was a
4:03:33cleric class skill that the beast master
4:03:35had gained from his pet, but it appears
4:03:37that it is not. Thor was laughing in
4:03:39Carl's mind that they thought just any
4:03:41human cleric would be compatible with
4:03:43his skill. Blue dragons had lightning
4:03:46breath. Of course, their high priestess
4:03:48would be compatible with refreshing
4:03:49lightning. Nature priests might as well
4:03:52since they were more attuned to animals
4:03:54than humans. But the average
4:03:57run-of-the-mill cleric, guard, or any
4:03:59other class, highly unlikely.
4:04:03Maybe a druid might be able to use it,
4:04:05but Thor didn't know any druids. He had
4:04:07only heard of them and seen a few. You
4:04:10seem to know something that the rest of
4:04:12us don't. The high priestess informed
4:04:14Carl with a serious look. Blue dragons
4:04:18have lightning breath. Carl replied
4:04:20simply. The high priestess face bombed
4:04:24and then sighed. Of course they do. So
4:04:28it's not a matter of just the class
4:04:30category. You have to have an affinity
4:04:32for lightning. All right. I will have to
4:04:34make copies later and then teach them to
4:04:37some other blue dragon clerics. We don't
4:04:40usually go out and get in fights, but
4:04:42not all knowledge is conveniently
4:04:43indoors and in books. Plus, when you're
4:04:46teaching the more rambunctious students,
4:04:48the skill might come in useful. Carl
4:04:51wondered what sort of classes she had
4:04:53been teaching that might require
4:04:54defensive magic on the part of the
4:04:56teachers.
4:04:58Certainly no class that he had been in,
4:05:00but maybe they were instructing new
4:05:01clerics who hadn't mastered their
4:05:03abilities yet. The younger cleric that
4:05:06they had called and flipped to the first
4:05:07page of the book again. Why is this book
4:05:10credited to Thor the Lightning Sarah?
4:05:13Thor cheered in Carl's mind, making him
4:05:15smile at the room full of clergy. That's
4:05:18the beast that I learned the skill from.
4:05:21Naturally, the book would credit him and
4:05:23not me. It's his skill. Are there any
4:05:27other skills that you might be able to
4:05:28teach? The High Priestess asked. The
4:05:32passive physical enhancements weren't
4:05:34anything he could focus on, nor was
4:05:36offensive optimization, which left just
4:05:38two. At the moment, just shred and rend.
4:05:43Carl replied, but then he realized that
4:05:46there was one other skill, the beast's
4:05:49base skill. He focused on it for a
4:05:52moment and on the skill before receiving
4:05:54a message. skill locked, insufficient
4:05:58skill level. But as he examined the
4:06:01spaces, Carl realized that they were
4:06:03almost at their maximum, and the
4:06:04efficiency of forcing more energy into
4:06:06them was slowing. They were ready for a
4:06:09qualitative change, but he wasn't quite
4:06:11certain what needed to happen. First, it
4:06:14was to create an environment, then to
4:06:16make it more realistic.
4:06:19Something needed to change to allow more
4:06:21growth. But Carl wasn't certain what he
4:06:23had missed. If that was the ability he
4:06:26had gotten from the system stones, he
4:06:28would have been overjoyed.
4:06:30Skill books just seemed like a recipe
4:06:32for having other people make him work.
4:06:34Even if only a few people could use
4:06:36them, it would still be a good chunk of
4:06:38his time at one a day. At least the ones
4:06:41who could use them were blue dragon
4:06:42priests who seem to have inscription
4:06:44among their repertoire of skills. What
4:06:47do you think of the church? The high
4:06:50priestess asked, sending Carl's thoughts
4:06:52for a hard left. He hesitated to come up
4:06:55with an answer as thoughts flashed
4:06:57through his mind. The church was
4:06:59helpful, sure, but what came to mind
4:07:02first was the assortment of cute cleric
4:07:04girls. Even Tessa was sweet in her own
4:07:07way as she encouraged and buffed Thor as
4:07:09they rode into battle. The high
4:07:12priestess gave a very undignified
4:07:14giggle. "Well, I wasn't expecting that
4:07:17answer. cute cleric girls with a
4:07:20fondness for monsters and the knowledge
4:07:21of how to scratch a Sero's head just
4:07:23right is definitely not at the top of
4:07:25most people's minds when they are asked
4:07:27about the church. She laughed, reminding
4:07:30Carl that she could read his thoughts.
4:07:32Even the inquisitors were smiling in
4:07:34Carl's peripheral vision while the young
4:07:36cleric that had been called in to see if
4:07:38he could work the skill book looked
4:07:40scandalized.
4:07:41The blue dragon priestess turned her
4:07:43attention to her subordinate with a
4:07:45gentle smile. Don't get so offended,
4:07:48Nathan. It's not like you had a chance
4:07:51with those two anyhow. Tessa would hurt
4:07:54you, and Lotus would really hurt you.
4:07:57Nathan made a gesture of protection at
4:07:58the mention of Lotus name, and the pair
4:08:00of inquisitors straightened their faces
4:08:02so he didn't see the mockery in their
4:08:04smiles. What the boy had done to earn
4:08:07himself Lotus enmity must have been bad
4:08:09if everyone knew about it. She wasn't
4:08:11even from the capital. You may leave
4:08:14now. send in brother Choi as well. He
4:08:18should be outside by now. The high
4:08:21priestess instructed, sparing him from
4:08:23any further embarrassment.
4:08:25Then she turned to Carl with a smile
4:08:27that said that she was definitely
4:08:28breaking some sort of rule he didn't
4:08:30understand.
4:08:32You see, everyone wants to get their
4:08:34hands on the best talents, and you,
4:08:36young elite, are the best talents.
4:08:39So, we have arranged a little extra help
4:08:41for you in hopes that you will become
4:08:43more amanable to working with our forces
4:08:45in the future. The inquisitors pretended
4:08:48that they didn't hear the high priestess
4:08:49saying the inside part out loud as
4:08:51Nathan darted out the door like he was
4:08:53late to the toilet. And a second later,
4:08:55a muscular church guard in polished
4:08:57steel armor stepped inside. "What did
4:09:00you do to the boy this time?" "He's
4:09:02never going to heal from the trauma if
4:09:04everyone keeps making fun of him," he
4:09:07announced.
4:09:08Brother Carl came in with sisters Tessa
4:09:10and Lotus. The Inquisitor whispered,
4:09:13"Too low for most to hear, but clear to
4:09:16Carl's ears." Choy laughed and shook his
4:09:19head. "Poor Bugger!" Just when he
4:09:22thought that he escaped. Carl gave him
4:09:25an intrigued look, and the guard known
4:09:27as Brother Choy smiled. Nathan grew up
4:09:30with Tessa, and he had an extreme crush
4:09:32on Lotus at the seminary academy. He
4:09:35even went as far as proposing marriage
4:09:37and begging her to join him in
4:09:39renouncing their vows so they could get
4:09:40married and run away with each other. Of
4:09:43course, nobody told Lotus that he was in
4:09:45love with her and she beat him nearly to
4:09:47death for playing pranks on her. He
4:09:50suffered from gyophobia ever since. Carl
4:09:54could see that. Lotus was tiny, and in
4:09:57his experience, anyone who was too far
4:09:59from average in any aspect tended to be
4:10:01sensitive to mockery after a lifetime of
4:10:03overexposure.
4:10:05Plus, she was far too close to being on
4:10:08Ray's wavelength for anyone's safety.
4:10:10Then, Brother Choy turned to the High
4:10:12Priestess, who nodded at Carl. This one
4:10:15needs mental ability training.
4:10:18Something about the nature of mental
4:10:20spaces or the void or something. You're
4:10:23a monk. You should know some things
4:10:24about that," she explained.
4:10:28Brother Choy looked over Carl's tone
4:10:30physique, still live and muscular
4:10:32without being too bulky from martial
4:10:34arts, with approval and nodded. "I
4:10:37suppose I could teach him a thing or two
4:10:39about a monk's mental discipline." "How
4:10:41might it help him, though? Impulse
4:10:44control issues or pure curiosity?"
4:10:47Carl shook his head. "I have three
4:10:50beasts bonded to me for my primary class
4:10:52skill.
4:10:53They live in a mental space that helps
4:10:55feed their growth, but I'm reaching a
4:10:57plateau in the development of the space.
4:11:00I don't know how to change and improve
4:11:02it next, and if I can't, it will limit
4:11:04their growth. Brother Choy smiled. So,
4:11:08it is a matter similar to the void of
4:11:10the monk classes. All right, we can work
4:11:13on that. Just let me set up the training
4:11:16dates after you finish with whatever
4:11:17you're doing, and we will be all good.
4:11:20The high priestess shook her head. No,
4:11:23you will start now and continue until he
4:11:25breaks through. It has been ordained by
4:11:28our superiors.
4:11:30They wish to see the youngest commander
4:11:32in history. Carl raised his hand. I
4:11:36would like to point out that I just made
4:11:37it to ascended rank. The priestess
4:11:40shrugged. Not my concern. They want what
4:11:44they want and brother Choi is going to
4:11:46help you with your mental state.
4:11:48Oh, that gives me an idea. He can
4:11:51accompany your group when you leave. The
4:11:54Inquisitor cleared his throat. High
4:11:56priestess, there are already two clerics
4:11:59in that group. A third would be against
4:12:01regulation unless we added more members
4:12:04of other specializations.
4:12:06The old woman tapped her fingers on the
4:12:08arm of her chair, and Carl realized that
4:12:10she had just embarked on a
4:12:12self-appointed mission. She wanted to
4:12:14know the answer to how long it would
4:12:16take him to make commander, and she just
4:12:17needed to find a way to make it happen.
4:12:20Most likely, her goddess demanded it. It
4:12:23was new knowledge that nobody else had
4:12:25recorded before. I will have the group
4:12:28enhanced before they are sent out again.
4:12:31What else did we need them here for? She
4:12:34asked. They discovered the new set of
4:12:37system stones. They are here for
4:12:39publicity and for safekeeping until we
4:12:41are certain that these system stones
4:12:43really do belong to the world dragon.
4:12:46The inquisitor reminded her. Who else
4:12:49would they belong to? Carl asked. There
4:12:53was another system recorded in the
4:12:54dragon god's holy books from a time
4:12:56before the world dragon was born run by
4:12:59a chaos god who cared for nothing as
4:13:01much as his personal amusement.
4:13:03Because these system stones suddenly
4:13:05appeared in the monster zone, there is a
4:13:07suspicion that they might have come from
4:13:09the same place as the monsters, so they
4:13:11might not belong to this world. The
4:13:13inquisitor informed him. Carl honestly
4:13:16hadn't expected to get an answer to that
4:13:18question, and now that he had, he was
4:13:21beginning to wish that he hadn't asked.
4:13:23Brother Choy led Carl out of the
4:13:25questioning room and out toward the
4:13:27central courtyard of the cathedral
4:13:28complex. The rooms for guests face the
4:13:31central courtyard where all the tourists
4:13:34visit. It's become our way of keeping
4:13:36everyone in easy sight and keeping them
4:13:38from getting lost. As an ascended elite,
4:13:42you will be on the fourth floor with a
4:13:44courtyard view instead of an interior
4:13:46room with no windows on the lower floors
4:13:48that we use for the general population.
4:13:50The rest of your team will be here with
4:13:52you. And as you notice, there are no
4:13:54others in this section except for the
4:13:56church guards. If you want to go
4:13:59somewhere, it will be with an escort.
4:14:01Your movement within the church isn't
4:14:03limited, at least not beyond what the
4:14:05other secular elites are limited to, but
4:14:07they don't want anyone running off or
4:14:09getting lost if they should need them
4:14:10for an interview or want questions
4:14:12answered. Carl chuckled at the cleric's
4:14:15honesty and sighed as he saw the simple
4:14:17stone room that he had been assigned. It
4:14:20was just like the ones at the seminary
4:14:21school. And though the bedding was high
4:14:23quality, it was the same simple one bed
4:14:26and a desk setup with the showers and
4:14:27toilets down the hall. But at least his
4:14:30group would all be together, so it
4:14:32shouldn't be too bad and they could get
4:14:34some quality rest while they were here.
4:14:37Carl dropped his bag at the foot of the
4:14:38bed as he didn't want to put a dirty
4:14:40backpack onto the furniture, then
4:14:42realized he didn't have anything proper
4:14:44to change into. I really need to start
4:14:47keeping one uniform for formal
4:14:49occasions.
4:14:50He sighed as brother Choi waited for him
4:14:52by the door. I'm sure you look fine in
4:14:55the visitors.
4:14:57Everyone wears them here anyhow. We
4:14:59don't let the tourists into anything but
4:15:01the public areas without changing. This
4:15:04is the capital Grand Cathedral after
4:15:06all. Carl realized that there was a robe
4:15:09and fresh slippers waiting for him on
4:15:11the back of the door along with a clean
4:15:13towel. I will give you time to get
4:15:16washed and ready. Then we can work on
4:15:17your advancement technique. I might not
4:15:20seem like the best option, but I
4:15:22probably am. The monk class is trained
4:15:25at the Golden Divine Academy, but most
4:15:27of us end up at the church after for the
4:15:30meditation and mental conditioning that
4:15:31is needed to build our focus. Once you
4:15:34understand a bit better, it will make
4:15:36perfect sense, Brother Choy explained.
4:15:40Carl grabbed the fresh clothes and
4:15:42headed for the showers.
4:15:44So what god do you follow as a monk of
4:15:47the church and not a cleric class whose
4:15:49goddess is decided for them? He asked as
4:15:52he turned the water on. The human god of
4:15:55battle and wisdom also known as the
4:15:58human god of magic. Did you know that in
4:16:01the ancient mystic language both of you
4:16:03have the same name? Carl nodded though
4:16:06the monk couldn't see it. My mother
4:16:08always said that my name meant wisdom
4:16:10and power. I learned in school that I
4:16:13was named after one of the ancient human
4:16:14gods. It's fairly common where I come
4:16:17from. Brother Choy chuckled. It is
4:16:21everywhere.
4:16:23If you weren't Ascended Elite Carl, you
4:16:25would have quickly gotten a nickname or
4:16:26second name, just like all the boys
4:16:28named John, Dave, Chen, and Mo. In a
4:16:32small town, you might be the only Carl
4:16:34in your generation. But in the big city,
4:16:36you need another name. Same in the
4:16:39church. We're one big family of sorts
4:16:41and we can't all share a name. It would
4:16:44be a mess. Carl laughed as he finished
4:16:47washing up and got into the hass and
4:16:48slippers.
4:16:50I don't know. An army of Dave could be
4:16:53fun. He joked. Carl came out into the
4:16:57changing room and found that brother
4:16:58Choy had removed his armor for comfort,
4:17:01tucking it into a basket with his name
4:17:02on it. He wasn't going to shower this
4:17:05early, just getting his armor off after
4:17:07his shift. And when they left the
4:17:09showers, he brought the basket to drop
4:17:11off at his room. Let's go to the
4:17:14meditation area. That should be the best
4:17:16spot as they have enchantments to help
4:17:18you focus and build mental strength.
4:17:21What was the most difficult challenge
4:17:23you've been having? The monk asked. I
4:17:26don't know where to progress toward. Do
4:17:29you have a separate mental space? Carl
4:17:32asked.
4:17:33Of course, it's essential for a monk.
4:17:36But ours is probably a bit different
4:17:38from yours as I don't have anything
4:17:40living there. What we start with is a
4:17:43simple candle. Then we build a starry
4:17:45sky followed by a lake of power.
4:17:48Eventually that becomes complete and we
4:17:51have to move on. Carl nodded eagerly at
4:17:54that part. That was where he was stuck.
4:17:58The next step is both a tricky one and
4:18:00the most delicate of processes for a
4:18:02monk. Once your sea of soul, as we call
4:18:05it, is complete, it needs guidance.
4:18:08You need to imbue the essence of a true
4:18:11path into the space to guide your future
4:18:13growth. Without that guidance, any more
4:18:16power you put into a completed space
4:18:18will be lost. It is the true essence of
4:18:21what and who you are. Now for your
4:18:24spaces, they are individual to the
4:18:26beasts, right? It might be that you need
4:18:29to fully understand your partners and
4:18:31what they are trying to become in order
4:18:32to grow their space. Brother Choy's
4:18:35description made perfect sense to Carl,
4:18:37but both Hawk and Ry were laughing at
4:18:39him. He's more vague and dramatic than
4:18:42Ry. Hawk laughed. Understand the true
4:18:46essence of the spider. To become the
4:18:49spider, you must think like the spider.
4:18:52Ry mocked in a fake sage voice. Carl
4:18:55tried not to let the amusement show on
4:18:57his face. Still, I think that he has a
4:19:00point. What is the difference between an
4:19:03ascended and a commander rank beast?
4:19:06That might be what we need to change.
4:19:08Some intangible bit of the energy flow
4:19:10or makeup of the space. Carl replied
4:19:13seriously.
4:19:15All three beasts began to think of what
4:19:17it might be that they needed to improve
4:19:18their space.
4:19:20They instinctively knew the difference
4:19:22between ascended and commander, but they
4:19:24didn't know how to make that part of
4:19:25their space or even how to explain it
4:19:27properly to Carl. Frognol.com,
4:19:31which was of course why they were all
4:19:34stuck. One of them had to understand how
4:19:37to change the space from an ascended
4:19:38space to a commander rank or higher
4:19:40space and then explain to the others.
4:19:43You know what this spot needs? Nice warm
4:19:46sunshine.
4:19:48Thor noted as he soaked in his pond full
4:19:50of holy stones. That gave Carl an idea.
4:19:54If it worked, it would be brilliant. If
4:19:58it didn't, then Thor would get his warm
4:20:00sunlight. Anyhow, what they needed was a
4:20:03change in the essence of the power. The
4:20:05same way that the monk started with a
4:20:07candle to create a core of higher grade
4:20:09power that would seep into their space.
4:20:12But instead of a candle, Carl thought
4:20:14that a sun, or in Ray's case, a moon
4:20:17would be perfect for that focus.
4:20:19All right, we can start here. Find a
4:20:22comfortable spot and clear your mind.
4:20:25I'm sure you know at least the basics
4:20:27already. Brother Choy announced as they
4:20:30reached a small soundproof room. Carl
4:20:33settled onto a cushion and began to
4:20:35focus as he imagined the sun in Thor's
4:20:37space with everything that came with it.
4:20:40The energy, the warmth, the light.
4:20:43Brother Choi's voice floated into his
4:20:45consciousness as Carl focused.
4:20:48Yes, that's the way. Now condense the
4:20:50energy. Don't let it leak and spread.
4:20:53Keep it contained to one brilliant point
4:20:55of light. That is the secret to growing
4:20:58the flame. Carl wasn't making a flame,
4:21:01but a sun. The idea should be the same
4:21:04in practice, though. He just had to keep
4:21:07the energy stored in the ball of light
4:21:08until the quality made a breakthrough
4:21:10and exceeded the natural state of the
4:21:12space. Then he should be able to use
4:21:14that to spread energy to the rest of the
4:21:16space and the beasts in it. Only time
4:21:19would tell if it was the right way, but
4:21:21it felt like it was working, and Thor
4:21:23could feel the warm sun on his scales,
4:21:25which was all that he was after to begin
4:21:27with. Carl lost track of time as he
4:21:30meditated, but it didn't seem like
4:21:31anyone was going to bother them until
4:21:33the dinner meal, and the room was
4:21:35perfectly silent other than the sound of
4:21:37their breathing, with a relaxing scent
4:21:38in the air from an incense cone burning
4:21:40somewhere. After a few seconds, Carl
4:21:44found that it was easier to have the new
4:21:45feature form in all three spaces evenly,
4:21:48as an imbalance in them was going to
4:21:49cause him to have to alternate. That
4:21:52proved to Carl that this was definitely
4:21:54something different than he had done
4:21:55before, as the other additions to the
4:21:57spaces he had been able to add freely to
4:21:59each of them independently. They were
4:22:01just decorations.
4:22:03It was only after the basics of the new
4:22:05power cores in the spaces were in
4:22:07balance and properly formed that the
4:22:08energy increases started to spread
4:22:10between them, keeping the three focal
4:22:12points in balance naturally. Hopefully
4:22:15doing things this way wouldn't preclude
4:22:17him from forming another space as Carl
4:22:19got the feeling that he should be able
4:22:21to add another one when he reached
4:22:22commander rank. The natural progression
4:22:25seemed to be one per rank, but he had
4:22:27rushed things when he bonded both Thor
4:22:29and Ray at the same time. So, he was
4:22:31going to have to advance through
4:22:32ascended just trying to recover from the
4:22:34damage he did to his progression. If
4:22:36there was another beast master in the
4:22:38future, he would be certain to warn them
4:22:40not to try that and to take things in
4:22:42the proper order. But until then, he was
4:22:44going to have to use himself and his
4:22:46partners as guinea pigs to see what
4:22:47worked and what didn't. Hulk [snorts]
4:22:50was quite certain that wasn't a good
4:22:51thing. Guinea pigs were a species of
4:22:54mouse as far as he was concerned, and
4:22:56you never wanted to be the mouse. But if
4:22:59it was going to make him a commander,
4:23:01then he would submit to some
4:23:02experiments.
4:23:04Thor thought that trying new things was
4:23:06pretty good. The sun was warm on his
4:23:09scales, and it was very comfortable to
4:23:11lay in his pond full of shiny rocks.
4:23:14Those shiny rocks were having a rather
4:23:15profound effect on his pond now that
4:23:17Carl was adding the new sun to the area
4:23:19as well. They glowed in the light,
4:23:22making the pond shimmer, and Carl could
4:23:24feel the energy emanating from them to
4:23:26be soaked up by the lounging Sarah. At
4:23:29this rate, they weren't even wrong to
4:23:31call him Brother Carl because he was
4:23:32going to end up with a holy beast in his
4:23:34menagerie.
4:23:36Now, exactly which god or goddess would
4:23:38find the sorow to be sacred was a
4:23:40question, but going by the responses he
4:23:42had gotten so far, it could be any of
4:23:44them. Even the war priestesses thought
4:23:47that he made a mighty steed. Thor pined
4:23:50in pride at the idea of being as
4:23:51valuable as a mount, while Ry giggled at
4:23:54the memory of Lotus riding her through
4:23:56the trees.
4:23:57While Carl might not be much of a
4:23:59mounted combatant and preferred to use
4:24:01his own two legs, that didn't deter the
4:24:03priestesses from finding faster methods
4:24:05of transport than simply running places.
4:24:08The only one in the group who was faster
4:24:10than Carl was Hawk or possibly Ray on
4:24:12open ground, which she preferred to
4:24:14avoid if at all possible. As he worked,
4:24:17Carl took an inventory of all the random
4:24:19items that the beasts had been
4:24:21collecting. Mostly it was just body
4:24:24parts in two of the spaces and plants in
4:24:26Thors. But as Carl searched, he found a
4:24:29number of gems and trinkets in both Hawk
4:24:31and Ray spaces left on bodies or
4:24:33carelessly tossed on the ground. That
4:24:36was odd as he couldn't forcefully put
4:24:38such things in the space, and Carl had
4:24:40assumed that they couldn't enter at all.
4:24:43But once he looked at them more closely,
4:24:45it was easy to tell that they all had
4:24:46something in common. Flame Ruby usable
4:24:50by Hawk combines with zombie ash and
4:24:52phoenix down to trigger a constitution
4:24:54improvement.
4:24:56Well, they definitely didn't have any
4:24:58down feathers from a phoenix, so that
4:25:00one would have to wait. Damaged ring of
4:25:03giant strength usable by Thor should be
4:25:06crushed to powder and combined with red
4:25:08veined alum fern and ground drake scales
4:25:10for an improvement in physical power.
4:25:13That one might actually be plausible.
4:25:16The inspection of the damaged ring,
4:25:18which was cracked open by an attack,
4:25:20highlighted the other two ingredients in
4:25:21Carl's vision, and he mentally pulled
4:25:23them over as he worked on the energy
4:25:25focus in the three spaces.
4:25:27Grinding the items in the mental space
4:25:29only took a little effort and left him
4:25:31with a pile of powder that Carl
4:25:33sprinkled over some of Thor's favorite
4:25:34feed, which he moved next to the pond,
4:25:37so the Sarah didn't have to stop soaking
4:25:39to test the improvement.
4:25:41Free food was free food, and he didn't
4:25:43even have to get up to eat them. But
4:25:45Thor was slightly disappointed when
4:25:47there was no instant and massive change
4:25:48in his body after completing the snack.
4:25:51He could feel extra power in his body,
4:25:54but he was also soaking in the pond full
4:25:56of holy stones, so that was fairly
4:25:58normal. It was also the only way that
4:26:01his growth could keep up with Hawk, who
4:26:03had evolved, and Rey, who would make
4:26:05commander on her own if given enough
4:26:06time. Don't worry about it too much. I'm
4:26:10sure we will see the results the next
4:26:12time we're in combat. Carl assured the
4:26:15Sarah as he continued his work to
4:26:17improve the spaces. He had totally lost
4:26:20track of time, so it was a shock when a
4:26:22gentle rustling noise alerted him to
4:26:24movement in the room. It's dinner and
4:26:27there will be plenty of curious people
4:26:28waiting to meet you. The beast master
4:26:31who made ascended in the first semester
4:26:33at school is a hot topic, even here in
4:26:35the capital. Normally, both you and Dana
4:26:38would be the center of attention for
4:26:40your growth rate, but with your most
4:26:42recent advancement, it looks like you
4:26:44will be stealing the spotlight from her
4:26:45for the moment. Brother Choy whispered.
4:26:49Carl chuckled. I'm sure she doesn't mind
4:26:52too much. You should have seen her face
4:26:55when she found out that the school
4:26:56wanted her to become an idol. The next
4:26:59arch mage, singing and dancing by night,
4:27:02elite mage by day. They even had a
4:27:05career path planned for her by the end
4:27:06of the day after she made Awakened. The
4:27:09monk smiled back. You say that like it's
4:27:12in the past tense, but you should know
4:27:14that those dramatic old Cronhn won't
4:27:16give up that easily. What is the phrase?
4:27:20Living life vicariously through others.
4:27:23They can't become pop idols themselves,
4:27:25so they will stop at nothing to be known
4:27:27as the force behind the next great idol.
4:27:30That description seemed to fit the
4:27:31middle-aged ladies of the dance and
4:27:33vocal training classes exceptionally
4:27:35well. They weren't elites, nor were they
4:27:38famous actresses, singers, or
4:27:40songwriters.
4:27:42They were the behind-the-scenes staff
4:27:43who had tried but never really made it
4:27:45to a professional level before being
4:27:47forced to support those who surpassed
4:27:49them. And it had made them bitter and
4:27:50jaded. At least in the magic and combat
4:27:53specialties. The people training you had
4:27:55real skills, not just a talent for
4:27:58teaching others to use their skills.
4:28:00Though even that was questionable. The
4:28:03classes who had an aptitude for singing
4:28:05like the bards would get magical
4:28:07enhancements to their voices, rhythm,
4:28:09and even their looks. So the value of
4:28:11the teachers in that department really
4:28:12was suspect.
4:28:14Carl's mind was still on Dana's
4:28:16unfortunate life plan when he saw her
4:28:18coming out of the showers in the same
4:28:19hass he was wearing with her deep
4:28:21chocolate curls still wet and bouncing
4:28:23all around her face. He couldn't blame
4:28:26the teachers for wanting to make her an
4:28:28idol. Not when she was standing right in
4:28:31front of him looking like a wingless
4:28:32angel. Sister Lotus, Sister Tessa, it's
4:28:36good to see you again. I met with an old
4:28:39friend of yours not long ago. Choi
4:28:42greeted the two clerics as they came out
4:28:44behind Dana. So I heard. Nathan ran past
4:28:48us like someone had lit him on fire and
4:28:50apparently made quite the spectacle of
4:28:52himself.
4:28:54Someone really should convince him to go
4:28:55to the therapist more frequently. He's
4:28:58never going to get better if just the
4:29:00memory of being turned down by Lotus is
4:29:02enough to make him like that even after
4:29:04all this time. Tessa agreed. While she
4:29:08had a point, everyone else was more
4:29:10interested in what Tessa had done to him
4:29:11over the years that her name also
4:29:13elicited a trauma response.
4:29:16The whole group, minus Sergeant Rita,
4:29:18was seated at the same table with
4:29:20brother Choy and two church guards who
4:29:22Carl hadn't seen before. I take it that
4:29:25you two are the evening shift. My
4:29:28apologies for the trouble. Carl greeted
4:29:31them. The guard smiled and nodded, but
4:29:34didn't say anything as they waited for
4:29:36the meal to begin.
4:29:37The process here was a bit different
4:29:39from the seminary academy as everyone
4:29:41here was already graduated and working.
4:29:43So they only waited for the staff to
4:29:45bring the meal and then someone rang a
4:29:47bell and everyone began to eat. Carl
4:29:50realized quickly that the guards on duty
4:29:52were not supposed to speak as they
4:29:54simply gestured to be passed items from
4:29:56the table instead of asking. If they had
4:29:59been able to speak to anyone, it would
4:30:01have made sense to just ask brother Choi
4:30:03for what was closest to him. But it all
4:30:05worked smoothly enough as the other
4:30:07clerics knew the routine already. There
4:30:10was no ritual packing of the rice balls
4:30:12at the end of the meal. Instead, the few
4:30:15leftovers that came from the tables
4:30:17would be kept for snacks, and whatever
4:30:19wasn't served to the tables would be
4:30:20distributed to the needy citizens of the
4:30:22capital. They were led back up to their
4:30:25rooms after dinner, and Carl prepared to
4:30:27spend the night in meditation and
4:30:28focusing to build up the energy focus in
4:30:31the three spaces. It was a bit
4:30:33embarrassing to admit that he had
4:30:35entirely skipped the first step that the
4:30:36monks would have taken, and that it had
4:30:38caused him to hit a dead end in his
4:30:40growth, but he would have it sorted out
4:30:42soon enough, and from there, hopefully
4:30:44the beasts would be able to reach their
4:30:46full potential. There wasn't much to do
4:30:48in the cathedral in the evening. Only
4:30:51the major areas had lights, and the rest
4:30:53of the building kept their schedule from
4:30:55sun up to sundown. The cathedral was
4:30:58primarily a working church, so the daily
4:31:00visitors were the vast majority of the
4:31:02workload, and it was only on a full or
4:31:04new moon that anyone would come to
4:31:06worship at night. That made the sleeping
4:31:08quarters nearly as silent as the
4:31:10meditation room when Carl settled in for
4:31:12the evening, and allowed him to focus on
4:31:14building the energy cores right until
4:31:16the first rays of sunlight hit his face
4:31:18in the morning. He couldn't say that he
4:31:20was well rested, but the act of
4:31:22meditation did refresh the mind to some
4:31:24degree. Fortunately, he had refreshing
4:31:28lightning to soothe everything else away
4:31:30and leave him ready to face the day
4:31:32after a long shower. Dana stepped up on
4:31:35one side of him and Carl tucked an arm
4:31:37around her shoulders. Lotus did the same
4:31:40thing on the other side and giggled as
4:31:42Carl did the same while she was silently
4:31:44mouthing the word spider over and over
4:31:47until Carl relented and called out Ry to
4:31:49play with her friend. The two of them
4:31:51took off out a window, leaving the guard
4:31:54staring at them in shock. But they
4:31:55didn't go far. They were just in the
4:31:58trees outside, still clearly visible
4:32:00from the hallway, playing in the
4:32:02branches. Brother Choy walked over to
4:32:05see what the commotion was about. Nature
4:32:08priests, you never really get used to
4:32:10them. Where did she find a bloodbath
4:32:12spider? He wondered. Rey is one of mine.
4:32:17They became good friends while we were
4:32:19hunting.
4:32:20Carl explained. The monk nodded. That
4:32:24makes sense. Beast master and nature
4:32:27priest are even more of a natural choice
4:32:29than druid and nature priest. Those two
4:32:32are too similar. Their little
4:32:34differences always seem to cause
4:32:36friction. Carl shifted to hold Dana's
4:32:39hand as they made their way to
4:32:40breakfast, and Ry returned to her space
4:32:42after returning Lotus to the hallway a
4:32:44few seconds later. He suspected that
4:32:47they had been yelled at by the guards,
4:32:49but Lotus didn't seem like the sort that
4:32:50took it too personally if she got in a
4:32:52little trouble for reinterpreting rules.
4:32:55They were met at the table by two high
4:32:57priests today, an older man and a
4:32:59younger, who took the seats of the
4:33:01relieved looking church guards who went
4:33:03to eat with their comrades.
4:33:05Good morning, elites.
4:33:08After the meal, myself and brother John
4:33:10have a few questions for you all
4:33:11together, and I do hope that you can
4:33:13answer some of them. We will explain
4:33:16everything once we are in a less public
4:33:17venue. But there have been some
4:33:19questions about the recent discovery
4:33:21that you made. It appears to be
4:33:23authentic, but that has only increased
4:33:25the number of questions that the high
4:33:27clergy have about the situation," the
4:33:29old man explained. The food was served
4:33:32and the high priests remained silent
4:33:34while everyone ate, then led the group
4:33:36out of the dining hall and into a larger
4:33:38meeting room with a round table in the
4:33:40center and a number of clerks already
4:33:42waiting along the wall to take notes on
4:33:44what was said. The brown-haired high
4:33:47priest known as Brother John spoke as
4:33:49they were seated. Now, if everyone is
4:33:52ready, our questions are probably not
4:33:54what you might be expecting. We have
4:33:56read your reports and they are quite
4:33:58comprehensive. So, we're not going to go
4:34:00over the basics again. Instead, what we
4:34:03would like to know is how such a
4:34:05strangely effective group keeps forming
4:34:07around each of you. Now that you have
4:34:09been put together, your combat
4:34:11effectiveness is far beyond your
4:34:13rankings. But even through your
4:34:14histories, there is a trend of such
4:34:16events. We believe that this might have
4:34:19to do with the favor of the world
4:34:20dragon, which could in turn relate to
4:34:22the reason that it was your group that
4:34:24found the system stones intact. We have
4:34:27verified from previous scouting missions
4:34:29that they should not have been there in
4:34:30the past, or if they were, they were
4:34:32inactive.
4:34:34But when your group arrived, they
4:34:35activated in response to your mere
4:34:37presence with no ritual prayers or
4:34:39spells required. Everyone in the group
4:34:42looked at each other, unsure what to
4:34:44say. Dana looked a bit skeptical after
4:34:47her misadventures on this last trip and
4:34:49the misfits that she had been put with
4:34:51before she began to freelance trips with
4:34:53the military. Lotus shrugged. She just
4:34:57assumed that was how things were
4:34:58supposed to be. Her patron was the
4:35:01goddess of nature and when you had her
4:35:03favor, the world was right all around
4:35:05you. Carl had assumed it was political
4:35:08interference by Colonel Valerie for the
4:35:10most part and possibly by the academy.
4:35:13But these high priests had access to the
4:35:15official files, so they should have
4:35:17known if it were someone in politics
4:35:18pulling all the strings. The older high
4:35:21priest was looking at Carl, who had been
4:35:23central to multiple recent incidences,
4:35:26including an overwhelming number of
4:35:27above rank monster kills that were
4:35:29padding his accounts and his combat
4:35:31records at an astonishing rate. Carl
4:35:34took a second to form his thoughts
4:35:35before speaking. Well, I suppose that I
4:35:38can start at the beginning since you
4:35:40already have all the classified details.
4:35:43The first mission was entirely luck. It
4:35:46was just a standard firstear outing in
4:35:48an area that had been scouted to have
4:35:50mediocre but newly appeared resources.
4:35:53We went on the trip and found a trial
4:35:55instance in a cave that was scouted to
4:35:57have magical stones that the mages in
4:35:59the group all wanted. The next major
4:36:01series of incidents would have started
4:36:03on the flight to the combat region we
4:36:05were last in. I met with the McKenzie
4:36:08brothers on the helicopter. We cracked a
4:36:10few jokes and they invited me to join
4:36:12them without even knowing my class or
4:36:14specialty. Their sisters picked them
4:36:16because they saw the names on the
4:36:18incoming members chart when the threat
4:36:19was upgraded due to the presence of the
4:36:21Edin mage. Then it was central command
4:36:24that had us moved to the higher threat
4:36:26area despite being underleveled. And
4:36:28after that, most of the decisions were
4:36:30made by the Bureau of Elite Development,
4:36:32helping me out to find group members and
4:36:34sending me back to the battle lines to
4:36:36gain experience, as that's how my beasts
4:36:38grow the most efficiently. They listened
4:36:41intently to Carl's description of
4:36:42events, which seemed like perfectly
4:36:44reasonable situations given his
4:36:46circumstances.
4:36:48But the results didn't match the
4:36:50situations he was in. All right, Sister
4:36:53Lotus, how is it that every time you go
4:36:55out, something strange happens?
4:36:58Last time you found a rare earth mineral
4:37:00vein that has turned into a large-scale
4:37:02mining project, and this time you were
4:37:04spotted riding a bloodbath spider into
4:37:06combat when their species is supposed to
4:37:08be extinct.
4:37:10The high priest asked. "I blame Carl for
4:37:13the last part. The spider's name is Rey,
4:37:16and she's his partner." Lotus announced
4:37:19with a cheeky smirk. The high priest
4:37:22stared evenly at the tiny nature cleric.
4:37:25So, are you denying that you were riding
4:37:27a bloodbath spider through the woods or
4:37:29that you were operating as a team in
4:37:31combat? Lotus shook her head. I do not.
4:37:36I just wanted to clarify that the
4:37:38situation did not involve a wild
4:37:40bloodbath spider. She belongs to Carl
4:37:42and she's bonded to him with his class
4:37:44skills. Also, I should probably mention
4:37:47before one of the guards mentions it
4:37:49later, we did take a little outing to
4:37:51play in the trees earlier. The high
4:37:54priest John sighed and rolled his eyes.
4:37:57Priestesses like Lotus were the reason
4:37:59that half the clergy had gray hair and
4:38:01was balding from pulling it out in
4:38:02frustration. He was absolutely certain
4:38:04of it. However, that was just the way of
4:38:07the nature god. And even if they tried
4:38:09to stop her, they would be going against
4:38:11the will of the gods and it probably
4:38:13wouldn't work. At least not in the long
4:38:16term. Yes, I already heard. It caused
4:38:20quite the commotion among the civilians
4:38:22to see a monster in the cathedral
4:38:24forest. He replied, then let the other
4:38:27high priest continue the meeting. While
4:38:30we can dismiss the experiences of Sister
4:38:32Lotus as a case of curiosity meeting the
4:38:34nature goddess favor, that doesn't
4:38:36actually explain much about your group's
4:38:38most recent outing. For example, the
4:38:41total commander rank kills for the
4:38:42combat zone that your group just left.
4:38:45Do you know what percentage of them were
4:38:46yours? He asked. Everyone shook their
4:38:50heads.
4:38:52100%.
4:38:54There were four other sightings, but in
4:38:56all cases, the groups were forced to
4:38:58flee. Every commander rank kill in the
4:39:01area is credited to yourselves and your
4:39:03attached military unit. Alice nodded in
4:39:06understanding.
4:39:08There was no way that wouldn't look
4:39:09suspicious on the official records. The
4:39:12logs of the disciplinary matter would be
4:39:14filed separately. So they might not have
4:39:16put together the fact that there was
4:39:18only one group in the area that was
4:39:19capable of efficiently dealing with
4:39:21commander rank monsters with the numbers
4:39:23that they were seeing in front of them.
4:39:25Did you know that there were 14 other
4:39:27groups assigned to patrol duty that had
4:39:29three or more ascended rank fighters in
4:39:31them, none of which managed to score a
4:39:33single commander rank kill until after
4:39:35the church guard took over command of
4:39:36the operation. he asked. That implied
4:39:40that there had been at least one since
4:39:42then, and that couldn't have been an
4:39:44easy feat, even with the help of a
4:39:46church guard. The patrol groups, there
4:39:48were definitely not the most
4:39:50combat-minded of units. They were mostly
4:39:52only there due to minimum combat
4:39:54duration rules within the army. They
4:39:56were desk jockeyies by day.
4:39:59The lieutenant would probably get a
4:40:00perverse sense of pleasure out of the
4:40:02current situation where the laziest of
4:40:04his counterparts were being forced to do
4:40:06their jobs by an uncompromising high
4:40:08priest and actually succeeding at the
4:40:10tasks that they had been too scared to
4:40:11do on their own. Alice shook her head. I
4:40:15wasn't aware that any of the groups had
4:40:17multiple ascended rank fighters in them.
4:40:20We were informed that we were the only
4:40:22group capable of taking on commander
4:40:24ranked challenges, though there weren't
4:40:25supposed to be any there, according to
4:40:27the scout reports. High priest Jon waved
4:40:30that off, and a flash of golden light
4:40:33from his eyes showed that his internal
4:40:34emotions weren't as settled as his
4:40:36facial features. When priests got
4:40:39emotional, their magic tended to flare
4:40:41up. That matter has been taken care of.
4:40:45But it's the string of coincidences that
4:40:47have brought us to this point that are
4:40:48the real highlight here.
4:40:50I have a spell that checks for divine
4:40:52magic, essentially for luck. What we
4:40:55plan to do is check your group and see
4:40:57what sort of bonds that magic might have
4:40:59formed, and if sending you all together
4:41:01in the future is likely to have
4:41:02similarly positive results. Carl nodded,
4:41:06then remembered that Thor had a literal
4:41:08pond full of holy stones just sitting
4:41:10there, leaking holy magic into his
4:41:12space. That was bound to throw off the
4:41:15readings at least a little bit, but it
4:41:17was too late to say anything. And the
4:41:19room had already begun to glow with
4:41:21golden holy light, creating strings of
4:41:24magic that reminded Carl of Ray's webs.
4:41:27The connections between Lotus and Tessa
4:41:29were forming rapidly, which made sense
4:41:31to Carl, as they had been friends for a
4:41:33long time. But the number that were
4:41:35coming from him to the others dwarfed
4:41:37anything except the friendship between
4:41:38the two clerics, and they were still
4:41:40growing in number and intensity as the
4:41:42spell progressed. Dana smiled as the
4:41:45links continued to grow between the two
4:41:47of them, with some encircling their
4:41:49bodies without actually touching them,
4:41:51and some starting and ending at their
4:41:52bodies in a straight line. There was
4:41:55certainly some meaning to how each of
4:41:56the links formed, especially since there
4:41:59were multiple designs, but everyone had
4:42:01some. Even Alice, who wasn't as often
4:42:04with Carl in the past, had quite a few
4:42:06of the links. Carl checked his bases and
4:42:10noticed that some of the stronger links
4:42:11went straight from Alice to Thor and
4:42:13Ray, while only a few weaker ones went
4:42:15from Alice to Hawk. The links between
4:42:18Tessa and Thor, and Ry and Lotus were
4:42:21also both numerous and strong,
4:42:23indicating their friendship and frequent
4:42:24interaction. Hawks with Carl were the
4:42:27most plentiful of any of his partners,
4:42:29as they had been together the longest.
4:42:31But hawks to everyone else except Ry and
4:42:33Thor were limited as he preferred to
4:42:35observe from a distance and certainly
4:42:37wasn't going to let people manhandle him
4:42:39like Thor enjoyed. That is astonishing.
4:42:43Look at the density. One of the clerks
4:42:46along the wall gasped, breaking everyone
4:42:48from their observation of the links. The
4:42:51elderly high priest nodded and spoke in
4:42:53a raspy, even tone. I would only expect
4:42:56a number of fate links this high among
4:42:58an old married couple, not among a group
4:43:00of young adventurers who have just met.
4:43:03Other than Lotus and Tessa, who we
4:43:05already knew were faded to be lifelong
4:43:07friends, the rest of you can't have met
4:43:09more than a year ago. And yet already
4:43:11the bonds are so strong. But more
4:43:14importantly, we have a central focus for
4:43:16these events. Almost all the faded bond
4:43:19links involve Carl in some way. There
4:43:22are a number which involve the whole
4:43:23group, others that involve only part of
4:43:26the group, but almost always Carl and
4:43:28someone else. Perhaps we should bring in
4:43:30someone skilled in divination. The other
4:43:33high priest shook his head. I doubt that
4:43:36is necessary.
4:43:38They won't be able to see past the
4:43:40interference of the divine to see what
4:43:41is going to happen, at least not the
4:43:43important parts, and these youngsters
4:43:45won't want their futures spoiled for
4:43:47them with fornowledge.
4:43:48It took a moment to realize the true
4:43:50horror of having your future told to you
4:43:52by an oracle. Once you had been told,
4:43:55how could you trust that any choice you
4:43:57made was your own? Would you
4:43:59deliberately sabotage the good things
4:44:01that might happen to you while
4:44:02attempting to change the choices that
4:44:04might lead to the undesirable options
4:44:06that you had been informed of? Worse,
4:44:09would you lose all sense of direction
4:44:10once you felt that your fate had been
4:44:12settled just going through the motions
4:44:14of life? All right, I think that we have
4:44:17seen what we need to. There are more
4:44:19people involved in this tangle of fate.
4:44:21I could feel the tendrils reaching
4:44:23outside the range of the spell. I
4:44:26suspect that the sergeant who arrived
4:44:27with you is one of them, though she will
4:44:29be occupied for some time, and there
4:44:31will surely be other elites entangled in
4:44:33a fateful event this large. But we have
4:44:35enough now to know that it is best to
4:44:37keep you all together. The closer, the
4:44:39better. The high priest paused and then
4:44:42continued.
4:44:43Do not take the direction to stay close
4:44:45as permission to sleep with a bloodbath
4:44:47spider in the cathedral park either,
4:44:49Sister Lotus. I know how you think.
4:44:53Lotus smirked while everyone else in the
4:44:55room tried to stifle their laughter.
4:44:58Even without implied permission, she had
4:45:00probably already been considering it. In
4:45:03fact, if Carl left Ry out tonight, the
4:45:06two of them would definitely go on a
4:45:07misadventure together. There was no
4:45:09doubt about it. High priest John looked
4:45:12at Carl and Dana. This is the second
4:45:15holy relic that the two of you have been
4:45:17involved in discovering in the past few
4:45:18months. I know the circumstances behind
4:45:21that, but I must say that the
4:45:23coincidence level after putting all of
4:45:25that and your combat records together is
4:45:27extraordinary.
4:45:29Free novel.com.
4:45:31With Dana still being at the awakened
4:45:33rank, though attached to a unit with a
4:45:35commander rank leader, on paper, it
4:45:37truly does seem outlandish that you have
4:45:39been involved in so many noteworthy
4:45:40incidents. Then the older high priest
4:45:43took over from him with a stern look on
4:45:45his aged face. What were your plans
4:45:48after leaving the field? Surely you have
4:45:51put some thought into your progression
4:45:52from this point forward. Carl nodded. I
4:45:56had planned to use the credits that I
4:45:58had earned to ask the university to help
4:46:00me create some resources that would help
4:46:02the three contracted beasts evolve and
4:46:04grow. I have some idea how to do it
4:46:06thanks to my class, but they are the
4:46:09specialists and they likely know much
4:46:10more than I do and have access to
4:46:13resources I haven't even heard of. The
4:46:15high priest nodded. That sounds
4:46:18reasonable. What about you, Miss Dana?
4:46:22Dana brushed her curly locks back out of
4:46:24her face again inside. Unless I can find
4:46:27another form of the single-use mana
4:46:29enhancement potions. I'm in a cycle of
4:46:31growth and enhancement.
4:46:33There are too many mages for too few
4:46:35resources. It's a drawback of having
4:46:38such a common class. Jon smiled gently
4:46:41in understanding.
4:46:43Well, you do have noted access to
4:46:45ascended and commander rank resources
4:46:47thanks to your kill record, so you can
4:46:49bypass the most common and highly
4:46:50sought- after resources to go straight
4:46:52for the rare and potent options.
4:46:55Talented mages can grow rather rapidly
4:46:57when given the right combination of
4:46:59resources. It's a wonderful thing to see
4:47:01them shoot right up once they're
4:47:02positioned for success. He wasn't even
4:47:05trying to hide the fact that they had
4:47:07resources that would make mages jump up
4:47:08a rank or more that were reserved for
4:47:10the truly promising elites who would be
4:47:12thrust into the spotlight or onto the
4:47:14front lines of the battle against the
4:47:16monsters. They likely also came with a
4:47:19cost. Nothing that powerful was ever
4:47:22without side effects in Carl's opinion,
4:47:24but it had to be worth it if they were
4:47:26still saving it for the very best. The
4:47:29older high priest looked thoughtful for
4:47:31a moment. You know, a field trip to the
4:47:34university might do us all some good.
4:47:37They have the resources that every
4:47:38member of this group needs, and I
4:47:40haven't been outside the cathedral in
4:47:42some time. Are there side effects to the
4:47:44potent resources for mages? You implied
4:47:48that it's not a big deal to get them to
4:47:49skip ranks or advance rapidly to high
4:47:52power, so there has to be a drawback or
4:47:54they would be passing it out like candy
4:47:56with a government subsidy. Carl asked
4:47:59the high priests, too curious not to
4:48:01speak.
4:48:02Jon shrugged. According to the Mage
4:48:05Council, less than one in a hundred who
4:48:07get the mage class will ever make it
4:48:09past commander on their own. The
4:48:11concoctions they've prepared will
4:48:13rapidly move a mage past that natural
4:48:15bottleneck, but it sacrifices any
4:48:17natural talent that they had left. So,
4:48:20they will move from commander to royal,
4:48:22monarch, or even in one case overlord
4:48:25rank. And then that's it. That's where
4:48:28they stay with their potential exhausted
4:48:30no matter how hard they work. Carl
4:48:33nodded as he thought about the idol
4:48:35known as the arch mage. She had been
4:48:37extremely promising in school and
4:48:39graduated as a commander, then gained a
4:48:42mysterious opportunity and moved to
4:48:44royal within a few months. There was a
4:48:47chance she was still growing and it was
4:48:49natural, but it did sound like there was
4:48:50a chance she had hit her limits and
4:48:52tried this method to limit break and see
4:48:54how far she could get. Dana was
4:48:57intrigued by the notion. So there is a
4:49:00bottleneck at the peak of commander
4:49:01rank. She asked. The high priest nodded.
4:49:07It exists for all magic users, even
4:49:10priests.
4:49:11We overcome it with faith. The mages
4:49:14have to do something different. The
4:49:16warriors don't suffer from it as much,
4:49:18but they eventually hit the extent of
4:49:20their ability to advance at different
4:49:22points depending on their skills and
4:49:24training. Eventually, their bodies just
4:49:27decide that they are in peak form and
4:49:28stop upgrading.
4:49:30Carl turned to Alice.
4:49:33So, you will have to find a way to break
4:49:34the bottleneck as well. Alice laughed
4:49:37and shook her head. I am from the early
4:49:40years of the elite program, and I was
4:49:42inducted late. I'm already 28 and still
4:49:46on the low side of commander. If I make
4:49:48it to the peak, I will already be a
4:49:50middle-aged woman, and at that point,
4:49:52I'm unlikely to be able to advance
4:49:54anyhow, even if I wanted to keep trying
4:49:56and staying in a combat role. As the
4:49:59high priest said, one in a hundred at
4:50:02best can do it on their own. Dana
4:50:05nodded. So, it's a trade-off.
4:50:09If you can't make it past the
4:50:10advancement on your own, it might be
4:50:12worth it. But if you can't get close
4:50:14enough to peak commander, you won't be
4:50:16able to acquire the resources to jump
4:50:17past it anyhow. The elder high priest
4:50:20nodded. And it's potential based, or you
4:50:23could say life force-based. So the
4:50:25younger you are when you take it, the
4:50:27better it works. That was a real
4:50:30conundrum, Carl thought. How young was
4:50:33too young to give up on the dream of
4:50:35ever making it past commander rank
4:50:36naturally? and how old was too old to
4:50:38take the opportunity if you had it. It
4:50:41would never be easy, especially for an
4:50:43elite, to admit that they had peaked,
4:50:45and they would never do any better. But
4:50:47if they held out too long, then it
4:50:49wouldn't matter even if they changed
4:50:50their minds. The old priest continued,
4:50:54gently smoothing his robes out of
4:50:55unconscious habit. A lot of it has to do
4:50:58with foundation.
4:51:00Too long establishing your foundation
4:51:02and you miss your peak growth ages. But
4:51:05if you use too many resources to
4:51:07increase your growth rate, then you will
4:51:09end up with an unstable foundation for
4:51:11your magic, and it won't be able to
4:51:13support you at higher ranks. That's
4:51:15especially true for warriors.
4:51:18A lot of them will go for things like
4:51:20dragon's blood and stone skin elixirs,
4:51:22which will help their growth, but it
4:51:24damages their body at the same time, and
4:51:26they can't fully recover. That's what
4:51:28happened to Overlord Drake. He found a
4:51:31powerful resource that brought him from
4:51:33royal rank straight past monarch to
4:51:35overlord, but the internal damage it
4:51:37caused has greatly slowed his growth.
4:51:40Now, he's still one of the stronger
4:51:42overlords, and he might not have ever
4:51:44become one without it. But at the same
4:51:46time, it's a shame. That's why the
4:51:49university is working so hard on new
4:51:51products so that they can reduce the
4:51:52side effects of the resources which we
4:51:54can grow ourselves or artificially
4:51:56reproduce.
4:51:58You hear that? Too many resources and
4:52:01you will hurt your foundation.
4:52:03Carl informed his team. I think that
4:52:06only counts for humans. You're like
4:52:09below common grade to begin with. Even
4:52:11goblins can kick the average human's
4:52:13ass. We're proper beasts. Just give us
4:52:16the good stuff. Hawk countered. Ry
4:52:20nodded in agreement inside her space. He
4:52:23has a point. You're trying to go from
4:52:26arguing with Earth mice over living
4:52:27space to royal rank. I'm just trying to
4:52:29go from commander as an adult to royal
4:52:31right now. That's one step like a human
4:52:35going to the awakened rank. I've got
4:52:37some leeway. What do the beasts say?
4:52:41Alice asked as she noticed that Carl was
4:52:43distracted within his own mind. They say
4:52:46that it's not a big deal to them since
4:52:48humans are so much weaker than they are
4:52:50to begin with. They would all make
4:52:52Ascended or Commander on their own,
4:52:54though Hawk had to evolve to make that
4:52:56true. So, they're looking forward to
4:52:58whatever the university can make for
4:52:59them. The high priest smiled. That's the
4:53:03spirit. We can call this meeting close
4:53:06enough to done now that we have the
4:53:08answers that we came here for. You
4:53:11should all be kept together as much as
4:53:12possible. And being together will
4:53:14increase your chances of coming across
4:53:16rare opportunities thanks to fate. Now,
4:53:19if we can just get you all a bit more
4:53:21advanced, those opportunities can be
4:53:23ones that will make a difference on a
4:53:25much larger scale.
4:53:27The high priests didn't waste time once
4:53:29they had made up their mind, and they
4:53:30quickly escorted everyone out of the
4:53:32cathedral and across the street into
4:53:34what turned out to be one of the
4:53:36university's research labs. Carl hadn't
4:53:39realized that the two were located
4:53:40adjacent to each other, as they both had
4:53:42vast green spaces around their main
4:53:44buildings, which made it look like the
4:53:46cathedral was located in a city park.
4:53:49There were armed security at the doors
4:53:51to the university lab, preventing anyone
4:53:53without a pass from entering. But the
4:53:55high priests didn't seem bothered by the
4:53:57fact, and they simply waited for the
4:53:59supervisors to come down and let the
4:54:00group in after announcing their
4:54:02intentions to the guards. The arrival of
4:54:05this group seemed to have caused an
4:54:06extreme level of excitement within the
4:54:08university labs. And Carl could hear and
4:54:10see people running around frantically
4:54:12preparing various projects or gathering
4:54:15notes and waiting by the doors of their
4:54:16workspaces in preparation to receive
4:54:18visitors.
4:54:20That seemed like a good sign, like they
4:54:22might really get access to good things.
4:54:24the way that Hawk was hoping. But they
4:54:27also had something to offer. If they
4:54:30offered up one of the spears of the
4:54:31commander rank grass from the fight with
4:54:33the commander ranked giants, these
4:54:35researchers might be able to make
4:54:37something that would benefit all the
4:54:38beasts. His identification skill said
4:54:41that the grass would help Thor. But Carl
4:54:43didn't recognize any of the other
4:54:45ingredients, and he couldn't well tell
4:54:47these scientists that he knew what would
4:54:48work, but not how or why. Well, he
4:54:52could, but Carl wasn't at all certain
4:54:54that they would take him seriously or
4:54:55believe that it was a class skill. The
4:54:58plants also didn't always have the same
4:55:00names in the listing that they did in
4:55:01common use, so they might not even
4:55:03understand what he was talking about and
4:55:05assume he was making it up to sound
4:55:06impressive.
4:55:08Welcome elites to the Capital
4:55:10University's advancement research
4:55:12division. Here we have all the Golden
4:55:14Dragon Nation's finest minds working on
4:55:17ways to combat the threats facing our
4:55:19nation through the rapid evolution and
4:55:20advancement of the elites. The director
4:55:23greeted them as he opened the door,
4:55:25clipboard in one hand, and a whole suite
4:55:27of pens and tools in the pocket of his
4:55:30white coat. Now, I see that we have two
4:55:33mages and a beast master here today, as
4:55:35well as our fellows from the church. Can
4:55:38you tell me, are the beasts actual
4:55:40beasts, or are they summoned each time
4:55:42they are needed? The director asked,
4:55:45unclear about the nature of Carl's
4:55:46abilities.
4:55:48They're actual beasts currently living
4:55:50in a separate space, Carl explained.
4:55:54So, they require resources to help them
4:55:57grow. We have a division for that. They
4:56:00have been working on ways to tame more
4:56:02tigers as guard animals. Carl gave the
4:56:05man a confused look. A Moore tiger was
4:56:08roughly the size of a bus. Compared to a
4:56:11full-grown lightning sero, it was three
4:56:14times the size, and it was a royal rank
4:56:16beast when fully grown. What could you
4:56:19even offer it that might make it loyal
4:56:21to humans? That is further down the
4:56:23building, so perhaps we could start with
4:56:25the mages and see what we can offer
4:56:27them. One of the two mages looks like
4:56:30she is still a student, so she should
4:56:32currently be in her prime growth state,
4:56:35the director suggested.
4:56:37How long does the prime growth state
4:56:39last? Dana asked. Unclear as to the
4:56:42definition.
4:56:43It's generally considered to be 2 to 3
4:56:46years after the serum injection, which
4:56:48is why the academy runs for 4 years in
4:56:50total. By then, they already know how
4:56:53most of the elites are going to shape
4:56:55up. There are some exceptions who grow
4:56:57faster after they leave, but that is a
4:56:59rarity, he explained.
4:57:03Dana smiled. If it lasted two to three
4:57:06years, she had plenty of time left to
4:57:08try to catch up to Carl. He was already
4:57:11pulling ahead of her, and if he
4:57:13continued to outpace her like that, the
4:57:15government would consider her too far
4:57:16beneath his rank to keep going on
4:57:18missions with him. "Now, did you have
4:57:21any resources that you might have
4:57:22brought with you?"
4:57:24I know many working elites do as it
4:57:26offsets the cost of treatments from the
4:57:28university labs. The director asked with
4:57:31a gesture toward a cart with dozens of
4:57:33sealed and sterilized empty sample jars
4:57:35on it. Everyone turned to Carl who
4:57:38nodded. I have a few things here. I have
4:57:42this fungus which reads as an ascended
4:57:44rank plant by energy though I haven't
4:57:46personally identified it. We have these
4:57:48herbs and flowers. I've got some broken
4:57:51magical accessories. And I've got this
4:57:53odd commander rank plant, which I think
4:57:56might be good for my lightning sero, as
4:57:58it greatly increases the regeneration
4:58:00rate of monsters who use it. Those were
4:58:03all out of his share of items, but if
4:58:05the others needed what the items made,
4:58:06he would just trade since their portions
4:58:09were all still in his space as well, and
4:58:11the only one likely to even know the
4:58:13majority of the loot existed was Lotus,
4:58:15who had given much of it to Ry for
4:58:16safekeeping.
4:58:18The director stared at the rapidly
4:58:20filling jars as Carl and his assistants
4:58:22loaded everything away and shook his
4:58:24head in dismay. I take it you're not
4:58:26going to ask me for something small and
4:58:28simple today. The value of those items
4:58:31is incredible and I was half expecting
4:58:33you to pull up a spare holy stone from
4:58:36out of nowhere to put on the pile just
4:58:38to put the value off the charts. The
4:58:41director joked, "I've got one if you
4:58:44need one. A spare holy stone. That is
4:58:48Carl commented evenly. The director
4:58:51laughed at the joke, but Carl borrowed a
4:58:54small and weak one from Thor's pond and
4:58:56placed it in an empty jar. Damn it, I
4:58:59was joking. Don't just go putting holy
4:59:01stones in my sample jars. The professor
4:59:04complained.
4:59:06Fine, I will put it back in storage.
4:59:09Thor likes the smell of them. Carl
4:59:12shrugged, but the director immediately
4:59:14moved to protect the stone. I see how it
4:59:17is. I'm sure the lab can make good use
4:59:20of it. Carl chuckled while the high
4:59:23priest softly laughed at the researcher.
4:59:26The church made holy stones, so they
4:59:28weren't as rare for high-ranking
4:59:29clerics. But still, the value of them to
4:59:32the common person as the researchers of
4:59:34the university labs were was immense. If
4:59:37they could keep it for themselves, there
4:59:39was a chance that they would naturally
4:59:41awaken holy magic like the clerics did
4:59:43without the serum.
4:59:45All right, it is safe to say that enough
4:59:47rare resources have been provided to
4:59:49offset the cost of any of the more
4:59:51common treatments and heavily subsidize
4:59:53the others. Those blood lotus blossoms
4:59:56alone are worth more than most of the
4:59:58ascended and commander rank treatments.
5:00:01Where did you even find them? No, don't
5:00:04answer that. I don't want to have to
5:00:05fill out the paperwork involved in
5:00:07knowing the answer. I will just gladly
5:00:10accept the rare flowers as payment.
5:00:12Though they were called a blood lotus,
5:00:14they didn't show as being of particular
5:00:16benefit to Ry according to Carl's
5:00:18identification skill. It just said that
5:00:21they were useful for life drain type
5:00:23abilities,
5:00:25which technically lacerate was not. It
5:00:28didn't steal the life, just let it bleed
5:00:31on the ground. Alice and Dana both gave
5:00:34Carl happy hugs as the director
5:00:36basically gave them a free pass to
5:00:37choose the resources that they wanted
5:00:39today. But the research assistants were
5:00:41even more excited. Mr. Carl, is it true
5:00:44that you will be looking for resources
5:00:46to help your pets advance? You see, we
5:00:49are from the defensive beasts division,
5:00:51and the research from your advancement
5:00:53has already been quite valuable to us.
5:00:55One of them asked, "Oh, you got the
5:00:58notes from the treatments that the
5:01:00bureau oversaw."
5:01:01Carl asked, and the researchers nodded
5:01:04happily. We got notes from the bureau
5:01:06about your time in the field as well.
5:01:09The possibilities are incredible.
5:01:12If only we could bond them the way that
5:01:13you do, the researcher side. Carl
5:01:17shrugged. Give it time and I might learn
5:01:20the method to teach that to others as
5:01:22well. It would be quite the trick having
5:01:25regular citizens become beast masters if
5:01:27they couldn't become elites.
5:01:29The research assistants looked dreamy at
5:01:31the notion of being able to bond a
5:01:33monster to call upon in their time of
5:01:35need, like a guardian spirit that would
5:01:37make them the equivalent to an elite
5:01:38blessed by the gods through the divine
5:01:40injection. But it was time for them to
5:01:43focus as the newest items for the mages
5:01:45were on display in the first area, and
5:01:47there were two mages interested in
5:01:49testing their work. The researchers got
5:01:52recognition within the department when
5:01:53the elites chose their new products over
5:01:55an existing and proven formula or
5:01:57device. So this was showtime for the
5:01:59research lab. All right. As we have you
5:02:02recorded as a wind and a golem mage
5:02:04respectively, we will bring forward the
5:02:06projects that are most likely to be of
5:02:08interest to you. We have a number of
5:02:10formulations that should be of great
5:02:12benefit to you both. So let's get
5:02:14started. First up, we have the summoning
5:02:17stone, as it has been dubbed by its
5:02:19developer, the Grand Mage Sandra. An old
5:02:23woman in a lab coat waved happily as her
5:02:25invention was sent forward by her
5:02:27assistants who would be the ones to
5:02:28introduce it to the elites. We have
5:02:31completed initial testing on the stone
5:02:33with extremely promising results. When
5:02:36ingested, the magic successfully bonds
5:02:38with the user with a 100% success rate,
5:02:41increasing their mana strength and has a
5:02:4334% chance of causing the activation of
5:02:46a secondary skill informally known as
5:02:48indestructible constructs.
5:02:50There have been no noted side effects.
5:02:53We have not yet tested on a live
5:02:55subject, but the data from the research
5:02:57mimic should be accurate and the
5:02:58resources used are all awakened grade or
5:03:01lower with an ascended rank outcome. One
5:03:04assistant announced while the other held
5:03:06up pages with graphs and data charts on
5:03:08them that should show the results of
5:03:09their tests. What is a test mimic? Dana
5:03:14asked. Oh, it's a wonderful thing. The
5:03:18Grand Mage learned a spell that creates
5:03:20a clone body accurate to the real one in
5:03:22every way except that it lacks a
5:03:24consciousness.
5:03:25Many of the research teams use them for
5:03:27testing as the mimic will respond to
5:03:30potions and show signs of gaining skills
5:03:32as well as the duration of potions. It
5:03:35cannot tell us what the skill is
5:03:37obviously, but we can extrapolate the
5:03:39data from our predictions and the Grand
5:03:41Mage's observations of her mimic. So,
5:03:44the product hadn't actually gone through
5:03:46human testing yet, but they were
5:03:48somewhat confident that it would work.
5:03:51That would explain why the director was
5:03:52so eager to get volunteers and why he
5:03:55said that it wouldn't be a hassle to
5:03:56purchase nearly anything they were
5:03:58making. They were here to get stronger,
5:04:01but they were also the guinea pigs
5:04:02testing new resource combinations.
5:04:05Dana nodded. That sounds perfect for my
5:04:08skill direction. I have learned from my
5:04:11group members that having golems to
5:04:13block for you while you cast your
5:04:14offensive magics is by far the superior
5:04:16way to fight. Even better if you can
5:04:19enhance the golems with offensive magic.
5:04:22Alice nodded in agreement. She used both
5:04:25barriers and a spell known as tearing
5:04:28wind on her golem whenever it was in
5:04:30combat. Hawk hadn't gotten the hang of
5:04:32it, which was a bit surprising, but the
5:04:35change to Dragon Hawk seemed to have
5:04:36changed his elemental affinity from wind
5:04:38to fire. The assistant brought the
5:04:41container with the stone over, and
5:04:43everyone gathered with their notepads to
5:04:44record the event. There is a security
5:04:47camera overseeing the area. Please feel
5:04:50free to proceed when you are ready." The
5:04:52director informed her with a happy
5:04:54smile. The first item they had brought
5:04:57up, and already they had a volunteer to
5:04:59try it. That was a much better than
5:05:01average acceptance rate, though the
5:05:03sample size was limited. Dana cautiously
5:05:06took the stone-shaped pill out of the
5:05:08jar and set it on her tongue, then
5:05:10swallowed. The effects weren't
5:05:13immediate, but after a few seconds,
5:05:15there was a slow buildup of power, and
5:05:17then Dana began to smile. The official
5:05:20name for the skill is durable
5:05:22constructs, according to the system, so
5:05:24you were close. She informed the
5:05:26researchers.
5:05:28Can you summon your golem and explain
5:05:30any changes it has undergone? We should
5:05:33have had you summon them before so we
5:05:35could get proper before and after data.
5:05:37The assistant realized
5:05:40the Grand Mage chuckled at their
5:05:41oversight. She would get many more
5:05:44opportunities to test now that the
5:05:46product had proven effective without
5:05:47immediate side effects, so she wasn't
5:05:50concerned. But they were students at the
5:05:52university and missing steps in the
5:05:54process affected their grades. Dana
5:05:56called out her golems, and everyone
5:05:58nodded in satisfaction at the changes.
5:06:01The golems were formerly classically
5:06:03nude and muscular marble statues, but
5:06:05now they were wearing bronze armor,
5:06:07which included a form of segmented armor
5:06:09skirt that somewhat hid their assets
5:06:11from view. They look like they did
5:06:14before, except that they were nearly
5:06:15nude. Now they're wearing armor. It
5:06:19looks functional, so I would say that
5:06:21the golems have definitely gained an
5:06:22advantage from the new passive skill.
5:06:25Dana explained.
5:06:27The director sent the team back and
5:06:29called up another set of presenters. It
5:06:32looked like he was willing to let them
5:06:33try anything that they were willing to,
5:06:35and he was just calling everyone whose
5:06:37work was relevant today. The next one up
5:06:40was a wind element resource that sounded
5:06:42good to Carl, but Alice shook her head,
5:06:44declining it. They returned, not
5:06:47dissuaded by the rejection, and another
5:06:49pair stepped forward. Oh, get me the
5:06:52good thing. I want it, Hawk demanded.
5:06:57This might not be quite what you're
5:06:58looking for, but we have developed what
5:07:00we call the burning soul pill, a
5:07:02combination of fire resources that
5:07:04increases elemental affinity with fire.
5:07:07It has been tested by four elites
5:07:09before, one of which managed to acquire
5:07:11a new fire spell, and none of whom had
5:07:14any noted side effects during or after
5:07:16the process. The presenter began. Carl
5:07:20called Hawk out to stand on his
5:07:21outstretched arm and the scientists
5:07:23turned to look at him. Hawk wants to try
5:07:26it. Carl explained. The scientist looked
5:07:30startled, but they nodded in acceptance
5:07:32and everyone got out their notepads.
5:07:35Should we? One of the assistants began.
5:07:39No testing fire skills indoors.
5:07:42The director reminded them, making both
5:07:44Hawk and Carl laugh. We have been told
5:07:47the same thing in the past.
5:07:49We're not laughing at you, Carl assured
5:07:52the research assistants.
5:07:54The assistant noticed the look in the
5:07:56bird's eyes and quickly opened the jar
5:07:58before Hawk could smash it, allowing him
5:08:00access to the pill. As it had last time
5:08:03he advanced, flames rose from his body
5:08:06as he absorbed the fire resources and
5:08:08his feathers turned a bit more bright
5:08:10red before settling down. Shared skill
5:08:13gained. Flaming body. Flaming body
5:08:16surrounds the body in damaging flames.
5:08:20Hulk gained a new fire skill. Flaming
5:08:23body. He can now surround himself in
5:08:25flames. It seems to have helped the
5:08:28damage done by his fire spells as well,
5:08:30but I can't verify that yet, Carl
5:08:33explained. Hawk surrounded himself in
5:08:36flames and then shot a short burst of
5:08:38fire from his wings, an extended attack
5:08:40that created something akin to a fire
5:08:42blade, but he didn't let it detach and
5:08:44go flying around a room full of humans
5:08:46and precious shiny objects.
5:08:49Hawk had great respect for the good
5:08:51things that the humans made. Lotus moved
5:08:54up to stare at Hawk, who had returned to
5:08:56his normal form, and then gently stroked
5:08:58his feathers, making sure not to ruffle
5:09:00them. The feathers retain their softness
5:09:03and flexibility, but their temperature
5:09:05is elevated. The size of Hawk seems
5:09:08unchanged, but the color is more
5:09:10vibrant. The lack of additional scale
5:09:13development suggests that he isn't
5:09:14evolving toward a dragon template, but
5:09:16the lack of intense heat suggests that
5:09:18it isn't toward an elemental or phoenix
5:09:20direction either," she narrated as she
5:09:23gently massaged Hulk. "Thank you,
5:09:26priestess.
5:09:27I was unsure how we were going to gather
5:09:29data on a bestial subject, but it
5:09:31appears that you are a natural. The
5:09:34director noted. She really is. I want to
5:09:38thank whoever taught her to massage and
5:09:40pina wing. Hawk agreed. All right, let
5:09:44us see what else we might manage to find
5:09:46here. Are there other elements that
5:09:48might be useful to your group? The
5:09:51director asked. Well, there is a
5:09:54lightning sero with the obvious
5:09:56abilities and a bloodbath spider who has
5:09:58learned to summon a form of tree golems.
5:10:01Carl offered tree golems. That's the
5:10:05nature magic department next door. We
5:10:08could try the regular golem pill for
5:10:10her, but we don't have any more ready.
5:10:12One of the assistants from the first
5:10:14group replied, "That's all right. We can
5:10:17try the new things from the nature magic
5:10:19swords. Who knows? It might actually be
5:10:22useful for beasts in a way that it isn't
5:10:24for most human magic users, Carl
5:10:27suggested.
5:10:29The other groups conferred for a moment
5:10:31to see if they had something that might
5:10:32be relevant to a lightning magic user,
5:10:34but there wasn't anything in the works
5:10:36at the moment. There were some already
5:10:38made, but they were the research
5:10:40division. They were already finished
5:10:42with those ones and didn't keep them
5:10:43around. But while they were waiting
5:10:46around for a decision to be made on what
5:10:48was happening next, Carl noticed that
5:10:50something was happening with Rey. She
5:10:52had taken a concoction yesterday and it
5:10:54had started a process that looked like
5:10:56it was completing. She wasn't completely
5:10:59changed, but the power level in her body
5:11:01was rapidly increasing, and the red of
5:11:03her legs was moving toward a crimson at
5:11:05the tips of her legs, while it darkened
5:11:07toward black again on her upper legs and
5:11:09body. The fur on her torso seemed to
5:11:12multiply until her actual carrapase was
5:11:15barely visible and a shadowy miasma
5:11:17seemed to hang over her body. Looking
5:11:20good, girly. Carl congratulated her.
5:11:24This is good. We should make more of
5:11:26that later. I think I'm almost at my
5:11:29final adult form now, and I'm just
5:11:31waiting on something. Maybe for you to
5:11:33finish that power moon in my space. She
5:11:36agreed, placing the blame for her not
5:11:39reaching commander rank today firmly on
5:11:41Carl. I will make you another batch
5:11:43later. Don't forget to remind me. Carl
5:11:46informed her as another group of
5:11:48researchers came into the room with a
5:11:50bunch of carts. There were more products
5:11:53on them. Some were pills, some were
5:11:56liquids, some were baskets full of meat
5:11:58or feed. That had to make them the
5:12:00nature department. And they were all
5:12:02going insane about something. Their
5:12:05leader, an elderly man with a walker,
5:12:07raced forward, or at least attempted to,
5:12:10given his condition, and then
5:12:11protectively cradled the regenerative
5:12:13grass plant that Carl had donated. "When
5:12:16was this picked? How long has it been
5:12:18out of soil? Is it still viable?" he
5:12:22asked in a deep baritone that didn't
5:12:24match his frail body. It was picked
5:12:27earlier this week, but it has been in
5:12:29stasis, so you can consider the elapse
5:12:32time to be roughly 15 minutes.
5:12:34The roots are intact, so it should be
5:12:36absolutely viable. We even left native
5:12:40soil around them to ensure that it
5:12:42didn't suffer from an extreme transplant
5:12:43shock. Alice explained carefully before
5:12:47Carl could think of where to start. An
5:12:49assistant went running out of the room
5:12:51and returned seconds later with a large
5:12:53pot half full of some sort of blue gel
5:12:55into which the plant was carefully
5:12:57lowered before the old man breathed a
5:12:59sigh of relief. Freewevel.com.
5:13:03Do you have any idea how valuable that
5:13:05plant is to be just leaving it out like
5:13:07that with its roots exposed?
5:13:09Idiots, all of you. It's good that I
5:13:12managed to save it. The regenerating
5:13:14properties are most potent while the
5:13:16plant is still alive. He ranted. Alice
5:13:20chuckled and took a small empty vial
5:13:22from one of the carts. She filled it
5:13:25with the regenerative paste that they
5:13:26had gotten from the giants and handed it
5:13:28to the old man. That is how the
5:13:30commander ranked giants were using it.
5:13:33Now, are you ready to calm down or
5:13:36should I get you somewhere to sit and
5:13:37catch your breath? She asked. The man
5:13:41flipped a panel on his walker which
5:13:43latched in place to form a platform and
5:13:45then he took a seat on it, alternating
5:13:47between glaring at Alice and lovingly
5:13:49staring at the paste. Go ahead and use
5:13:52some. You've got a whole plant to
5:13:54replace it from. She encouraged him. The
5:13:58old man mixed some of the salve into a
5:14:00cup of tea that his students presented
5:14:02him and then rubbed a bit of the salve
5:14:04on his throat. Carl was curious about
5:14:07what the tea would taste like, as the
5:14:09plant smelled somewhat like aloe, but it
5:14:11seemed to help whatever was wrong with
5:14:13the old man. The assistants all got
5:14:15increasingly excited as the man's health
5:14:17visibly improved over the next few
5:14:19minutes. And then he got up out of the
5:14:21walker and stood smiling at the elites
5:14:23and the other researchers.
5:14:25Well, this has been an unexpectedly
5:14:27profitable day. Now, what did you need
5:14:30my help with? Anything that my
5:14:32department can provide is yours for the
5:14:34asking. The other elites smirked at
5:14:37Carl, who called out Thor and Ray to
5:14:39join Hawk. I am looking for a way to get
5:14:42these three to commander rank. They're
5:14:45bonded to me by my class, and their
5:14:47growth directly affects my growth, Carl
5:14:50explained. The old man stared at them
5:14:53and nodded solemnly. "So, we've got a
5:14:56mutated dragon hawk, a lightning sparrow
5:14:59who radiates holy power, and an adult
5:15:01bloodbath spider who hasn't reached her
5:15:03advancement yet. We can work with that
5:15:05as long as they're not hostile." He
5:15:08agreed. "They're not, but I don't
5:15:11recommend ruffling Hawk's feathers or
5:15:13touching Ry. She can be particular."
5:15:16Thor, the lightning, on the other hand,
5:15:19is very affectionate.
5:15:21Carl explained. "What additional skills
5:15:24have they learned so far?" the professor
5:15:27asked, gaining vitality by the second as
5:15:29the bomb worked its way through his
5:15:31body. Hawk knows fireballs, windshield,
5:15:34rend, shred, and flaming body. Thor
5:15:38knows refreshing lightning and
5:15:40earthquake.
5:15:41Ray knows offensive optimization and
5:15:43would golem. Carl explained, "What is
5:15:47offensive optimization?"
5:15:49One of the assistants asked. It's the
5:15:52bloodbath spider's innate passive skill.
5:15:55It's how they can tear through
5:15:57everything so effectively if you give
5:15:58them a few minutes to practice. The
5:16:01assistant looked clueless, but the old
5:16:03professor looked grim. You might not
5:16:06know as they are supposed to be extinct,
5:16:08but a full-grown bloodbath spider is a
5:16:10commander rank beast that can tear
5:16:12through the hull of an armor transport
5:16:14in a matter of seconds.
5:16:16When it comes to combat power, they are
5:16:18among the finest in their rank, and if
5:16:20they were given any defensive abilities
5:16:22or ranged attacks, they would almost
5:16:24certainly be ranked as a royal rank
5:16:26threat," he explained.
5:16:29The students looked shocked as they
5:16:30looked at Rey, who was standing a bit
5:16:32more proudly at the kind reference to
5:16:34the powers of her species.
5:16:36However, in the eyes of the others, that
5:16:39only made her look more intimidating
5:16:41until Lotus came up to rest against her
5:16:43side and whisper something to the
5:16:44spider. Not even Carl's sensitive
5:16:47hearing could pick it out, but Ray's
5:16:49amusement was clear in his mind. The
5:16:51group from the nature department
5:16:53discussed the matter very seriously,
5:16:55then came forward with two large veils
5:16:57of glowing liquid and an intricately
5:16:59carved glowing rock. The high priests
5:17:02looked at the glowing rock in shock. You
5:17:05can't be serious.
5:17:06The high priest scoffed. I am quite
5:17:10serious.
5:17:11I believe that it will work. The old man
5:17:14replied with great dignity. Carl had no
5:17:17idea what the object was, but one of the
5:17:20assistants brought it forward for Thor.
5:17:23Um, he just needs to eat this and then
5:17:25it should take effect right away. I
5:17:28mean, assuming that it works. It looked
5:17:31like the high priest wasn't the only one
5:17:32who wasn't sold on the fact that this
5:17:34resource was right for Thor. But nobody
5:17:36tried to stop them as Thor opened his
5:17:38mouth and she placed the carved stone on
5:17:40his tongue. Thor chewed and swallowed
5:17:43with a happy grunt, kind of fizzy,
5:17:46pleasantly bubbly. "Warm, too," he
5:17:50explained. Then a flood of golden light
5:17:53came from him and created a circle on
5:17:55the floor. "Oh, I learned a thing.
5:17:58Circle of protection. Thor says it is a
5:18:01circle of protection. Carl informed the
5:18:04room while the clergy all stared at him
5:18:06in shock. He learned holy magic. "How
5:18:10does that even work?" Tessa asked as she
5:18:13stepped into the circle. The high
5:18:16priests both followed her and their
5:18:18looks turned from doubt to curiosity.
5:18:20"It really is a circle of protection. It
5:18:24reduces damage taken in its area of
5:18:26effect and restores stamina.
5:18:28The senior of the two high priests
5:18:30explained
5:18:32for the tank. Tessa agreed as she patted
5:18:35his scales. How much of an effect will
5:18:38the spell have? Carl asked, unfamiliar
5:18:41with the magic. He had seen the golden
5:18:44circle that damaged enemies and the one
5:18:46that slowed and weakened them, but not
5:18:48the one that reduced damage. Against
5:18:51other ascended and low commander rank
5:18:53enemies, it should reduce his damage
5:18:55taken by about half.
5:18:57that will also be effective for anyone
5:18:59standing near him. So against a large
5:19:01target like a giant or an ogre, it will
5:19:03protect the whole melee group, the high
5:19:06priest explained.
5:19:08That's impressive.
5:19:10With this in place, very few enemies
5:19:12will be able to get past the golems at
5:19:14all. Alice noted. That's a good point.
5:19:19With half as much damage done to the
5:19:21golems and the recent upgrade that Dana
5:19:23got to her golems, we should be able to
5:19:25hold quite well against stronger
5:19:27threats. Carl agreed.
5:19:30Now that Thor had finished his
5:19:31enhancement that left the two large
5:19:33vials on the cart, waiting for someone
5:19:35to remember about them in all the shock
5:19:37and confusion of a lightning sero using
5:19:40circle of protection. Thor was basking
5:19:43in all the attention that he was getting
5:19:44from the clerics who were making
5:19:46intensive notes on his abilities,
5:19:48completely forgetting that everyone was
5:19:50here for a reason that wasn't studying
5:19:51Thor. Right now, getting back on track.
5:19:56This particular concoction should be
5:19:57perfect for Commander Alice. It's
5:20:00designed specifically for wind element
5:20:02mages and should strengthen your
5:20:03abilities and future growth rate. I know
5:20:06for commanders that is usually the most
5:20:08important part as the growth can be
5:20:10painfully slow. The ancient professor
5:20:13announced looking much more healthy than
5:20:15when he had hobbled into the room. Alice
5:20:18looked more than a little skeptical
5:20:20about drinking a potion that held more
5:20:21than the average coffee mug, especially
5:20:24since they were intended to be ingested
5:20:25in one go and not sipped over an
5:20:28extended period of time. But it was a
5:20:30commander rank potion and designed
5:20:32specifically for wind mages, which she
5:20:34was. There was probably no better
5:20:37resource for her. And if they were going
5:20:39to part with it without arguments, she
5:20:41would be an idiot to turn it down. So
5:20:44she found herself swallowing the entire
5:20:46veil full of the herbal concoction while
5:20:48energy built all around her, and her
5:20:50power level steadily grew. The beasts
5:20:53could feel it, the strengthening of the
5:20:55magical power that Alice could wield.
5:20:57And through them, Carl had a fairly
5:20:59accurate guess of her current growth
5:21:01state. But for the others in the room,
5:21:03it was just a lot of bleeding energy.
5:21:05And then they would have to test
5:21:06afterwards to know how well it worked.
5:21:09My maximum mana control rate is
5:21:11definitely better than it was before.
5:21:12And I can feel the wind magic more
5:21:14clearly. Alice did her best to explain
5:21:17the changes that had happened with the
5:21:19potion. We will run a suite of tests
5:21:22later when we have more time. I need to
5:21:24study the salve that you provided once I
5:21:26return to my labs. And then there are
5:21:28all the other results as well. But there
5:21:31is still one more vial here. What was
5:21:34that one again? The old professor asked
5:21:37his assistants.
5:21:39That is an atunement potion double dose
5:21:41for humans. So it can be split between
5:21:43the two clerics in the group. The
5:21:45assistant reminded him. Oh, that's
5:21:48right. High priest. We made this one for
5:21:52your people. The ingredients are a bit
5:21:54rare and therefore difficult to obtain,
5:21:57but with the church's resources, it
5:21:59shouldn't be a problem to obtain enough
5:22:00to provide this to all of your promising
5:22:02members. The professor passed over the
5:22:05ingredients list and a packet of details
5:22:07to the high priests who looked at some
5:22:09of the ingredients in concern.
5:22:12Sure, they had access to vast amounts of
5:22:14resources, but they also had a massive
5:22:16number of clergy.
5:22:18Plus, this was a commander rank potion,
5:22:20and the side effects on a common grade
5:22:22or awakened priest could be
5:22:24catastrophic.
5:22:25At best, they could administer it after
5:22:27reaching ascended to see if the
5:22:29promising priests could make it to
5:22:30commander rank and become high priests.
5:22:33The potion was split in half and handed
5:22:36to both Tessa and Lotus, who gave it
5:22:38very different looks.
5:22:40Tessa was holding it away from herself
5:22:42to avoid the smell, while Lotus was
5:22:44intrigued and taking careful sniffs,
5:22:46trying to determine what was in it
5:22:47without looking at the ingredients list.
5:22:50"Well, bottoms up." Tessa reluctantly
5:22:53agreed. She tilted the smaller vial back
5:22:56and down the potion in one long slug,
5:22:59followed by lotus. Both priestesses
5:23:02grimaced at the flavor, but their bodies
5:23:04were gathering energy into themselves
5:23:06and giving off a sense of divine power.
5:23:09It was a shame that Sergeant Rita missed
5:23:11out on this opportunity, but everyone
5:23:13else had made out very well today, and
5:23:15their advancements had given the beasts
5:23:16a chance to learn new skills in the
5:23:18future. Ry was eagerly looking forward
5:23:21to deciphering how to make her golems
5:23:23were clothing, color adaptive camo
5:23:25netting, to be specific, so they could
5:23:26hide as well as Ry herself did. But even
5:23:30Thor was looking forward to combat so he
5:23:32could try to learn the cleric tricks now
5:23:33that he knew he could make a circle of
5:23:35protection.
5:23:36The high priests were about to lead
5:23:38everyone back out. Carl could sense it
5:23:40in their demeanor, but the researchers
5:23:42weren't done. There is one more left.
5:23:46Now, the field of warrior enhancements
5:23:48is pretty well studied, but we do have a
5:23:50few things left that might help the
5:23:52beast master himself.
5:23:54This next one could be considered a
5:23:56somewhat exotic potion, and we weren't
5:23:58certain that we would ever find a
5:23:59suitable test subject, but today might
5:24:01be the day. Assistant, could you go
5:24:04fetch item fla12c3
5:24:07freednavvel.comcm?
5:24:09The assistant looked confused, but went
5:24:11and gathered the object from a storage
5:24:13room down the hall, still steaming with
5:24:15the intense cold of the ice magic that
5:24:17was used to preserve potions and pills
5:24:19that might become unstable when left at
5:24:21room temperature. Inside was what
5:24:24appeared to be a gummy bear. It was even
5:24:26gummy bear shaped. Carl gave the priest
5:24:30a questioning look, but he just
5:24:31shrugged.
5:24:33I ran out of other molds as this was a
5:24:35side project, so I used what I could
5:24:37find in the foods lab. Carl made a
5:24:40mental note to avoid gummy bears from
5:24:42the university. He would never trust
5:24:44their equipment after it had been used
5:24:46for experimental potions.
5:24:49But then they were making experimental
5:24:51food products out of magical plants and
5:24:53monster meat already, so perhaps it was
5:24:55no worse than any other piece of
5:24:56equipment. The professor passed the
5:24:59gummy to a clean petri dish with a pair
5:25:01of sterilized tongs and carefully warmed
5:25:04it with fire magic using a handheld
5:25:06device. There it is, right back to
5:25:09perfect temperature. You will want to
5:25:11eat that quickly. I didn't do a good job
5:25:13of stabilizing it as a gummy, and the
5:25:16flavor could be unfortunate.
5:25:18Carl nodded and tipped the gummy
5:25:20directly off the dish and down his
5:25:21throat, the same way that Hawk usually
5:25:24ate anything he didn't have to tear
5:25:25apart. The energy of the gummy hit him
5:25:28like a sledgehammer to the head, and
5:25:30power flowed from it through his body,
5:25:32completely bypassing him to fill the
5:25:34spaces. It was probably a good thing
5:25:37that the beasts were outside at the
5:25:38moment, as Carl focused on concentrating
5:25:40the energy into the sun and moon
5:25:42equivalents he had been using in place
5:25:44of the candle light that the monk
5:25:45centered their space around. There was a
5:25:48lingering power in the spaces. Carl
5:25:50could feel it, but he couldn't quite
5:25:51grasp what he was supposed to be
5:25:53learning from the pill or what sort of
5:25:55skill it should be.
5:25:56Then, as the energy settled and his
5:25:58spaces began to change in nature,
5:26:01becoming more alive, as if they were a
5:26:03real place and not just a bubble of
5:26:05mental energy, that was what they had
5:26:07been missing. Carl realized the
5:26:10bottleneck that was holding the beasts
5:26:11back from their advancements.
5:26:13It would still be some time before any
5:26:15of them were actually commanders, but
5:26:17they should be able to make it there
5:26:19now. But the energy wasn't done. It was
5:26:22leaking from the spaces to his own
5:26:24consciousness and to the void he focused
5:26:26on to meditate. A soft golden light
5:26:29filled the space for a moment, then
5:26:31coalesed into what looked like a holy
5:26:33stone or a golden dragon scale. It
5:26:36wasn't doing anything, but when Carl
5:26:38focused on it, he could feel the
5:26:40improvement in his meditation speed.
5:26:43Everyone was staring at him, waiting for
5:26:45a verdict. It enhanced the spaces for my
5:26:48beasts, and I think that it improved my
5:26:50meditation as well. There is a golden
5:26:52stone in the void where I meditate now
5:26:54and it gives off an impressive amount of
5:26:56energy. Carl explained, "There is
5:27:00something in your void that is quite
5:27:02interesting and very close to our
5:27:04expectations for psychic type mentalist
5:27:06classes if they were given the
5:27:08treatment." The concoction is made with
5:27:10the neural nodes of a mind flare, Drake
5:27:13blood, and an assortment of herbs. It is
5:27:16safe to say that it is unlikely to see
5:27:18another of them made in the near future,
5:27:20but I do have a few others from the same
5:27:21batch. Now that I know they will really
5:27:24work as intended, we might be able to
5:27:26use them to help the accuracy of the
5:27:28oracles and the seers. For some reason,
5:27:31they don't trust my creations.
5:27:34The professor ranted. They could see the
5:27:37future. There was likely an excellent
5:27:39reason they didn't trust his creations.
5:27:42The high priests thanked the researchers
5:27:44and then one of them handed out slips to
5:27:46the teams whose concoctions had been
5:27:48chosen for testing today. Some sort of
5:27:50compensation chit. Carl assumed. We
5:27:53really must be going. I have been
5:27:56receiving messages from the Inquisition
5:27:58that we are needed again. And then there
5:28:00is a meeting with some of the other high
5:28:01priests later this morning. The older of
5:28:04the two high priests with them
5:28:06sideighed. Carl side. It was going to be
5:28:10a long day if all that was scheduled for
5:28:11before lunch. He did wonder what the
5:28:14Inquisition wanted that they were
5:28:16calling them back so quickly. There
5:28:18couldn't have been that much discovered
5:28:20in the past few hours that the church
5:28:21would be in a panic, so there must be
5:28:23some question about the answers that
5:28:25they got yesterday. The inquisitors were
5:28:28waiting when the group got back on the
5:28:29church grounds, and Carl found himself
5:28:31separated from the others and brought
5:28:33down the stairs towards a proper
5:28:35questioning room instead of the library
5:28:37where he had met with the blue dragon
5:28:38priestess who could read minds. If they
5:28:41hadn't gotten enough information out of
5:28:43him by reading his mind, he wasn't
5:28:45certain what they thought that they were
5:28:46going to get today. But they looked
5:28:48quite determined, and they were
5:28:49completely silent as they led him into
5:28:51the depths of the cathedral.
5:28:53Finally, they stopped in front of a
5:28:55blank wall, and the inquisitor to Carl's
5:28:57left pressed his hand to the stone, then
5:29:00tapped three times. The illusion
5:29:02vanished, and Carl saw that there was a
5:29:04scanner of some sort there, and that the
5:29:06inquisitor had tapped on a wooden door,
5:29:09not the stone wall. "This is as far as
5:29:12we go. We will be waiting here for you
5:29:14to return." The inquisitor informed
5:29:17Carl, then pushed him through and shut
5:29:19the door. There were only two people
5:29:22inside. one woman in ornate black robes
5:29:25and one man in red. Both were dragon kin
5:29:28with mostly scaled bodies as well as
5:29:31wings and tails, and both were immensely
5:29:33powerful near the peak of the overlord
5:29:35rank by Carl's estimation.
5:29:38The black robed woman began to speak
5:29:40directly into Carl's mind. Greetings,
5:29:43brother Carl. We have been watching you
5:29:46for some time now, and I must say that
5:29:48we are impressed with your abilities.
5:29:51Carl bowed politely and spoke in
5:29:53response. Thank you. The gods have
5:29:56favored me. That made the two of them
5:29:59chuckle. The red robed man replied out
5:30:02loud with a smile on his face. You have
5:30:05no idea how right you are. I am the
5:30:08avatar of the red dragon, the highest
5:30:10authority for the war goddess on this
5:30:12world. And beside me is the avatar of
5:30:14the black dragon, the dragon god of
5:30:16death. Our deities have taken an
5:30:19interest in you and ask that we see you
5:30:21in person. I have gained the attention
5:30:24of the war and death gods. Excuse my
5:30:27shock, but I am only an ascended rank
5:30:29elite. Carl replied, too shocked to come
5:30:32up with a better response. The woman in
5:30:35black spoke out loud, a haunting sound
5:30:38that seemed to echo from another world
5:30:39and sent chills down Carl's spine. It is
5:30:43not your pension for war and death that
5:30:44caught their attention. Though you do
5:30:46have a particular affinity for it that
5:30:48would have made you an exceptional
5:30:49priest. She stopped and took down her
5:30:52hood, revealing a delicate and beautiful
5:30:54but childish face with jet black horns
5:30:57and shockingly silver hair that
5:30:58shimmerred in the light. She smirked at
5:31:01Carl's shock. And when she spoke again,
5:31:03her voice was a musical and kind tone
5:31:05that made Carl instantly want to like
5:31:07her. Death's blessing is eternal. Her
5:31:11high priestesses do not age and her high
5:31:13priests do not die. But what has caught
5:31:16the attention of the divine dragons is
5:31:18your affinity for the system. Focus on
5:31:21the power of the system in your mind and
5:31:23speak the word status. Carl wasn't sure
5:31:26what she meant, but the new focus in his
5:31:28mind seemed to be the logical point to
5:31:30start as it was a focal point for power
5:31:32and that power came from the divine
5:31:34injection created from the system stones
5:31:37status.
5:31:39A long string of text appeared in his
5:31:41vision. System active name Carl. Class
5:31:47beast master. Partners
5:31:50Hawk ascended rank dragon hawk. Ray
5:31:54ascended rank bloodbath spider. Thor
5:31:57ascended rank lightning sparrow.
5:32:00Available skill points 34.
5:32:03So what do you see? The avatar of the
5:32:07black dragon asked eagerly in her
5:32:09musical voice. I see a set of text. My
5:32:13name, my class is beastmaster, and the
5:32:16names of my beasts. Then at the bottom,
5:32:18it says that I have 34 skill points,
5:32:21whatever those are, Carl explained.
5:32:25The two avatars smiled at each other.
5:32:28You see, the divine injection doesn't
5:32:30fully awaken the system in anyone. It
5:32:33only gets you a small fraction of the
5:32:35way there. It looks like you might
5:32:37actually have a fully functional version
5:32:39now that you have stepped on the system
5:32:40stones. The other clerics have tried
5:32:43bringing promising candidates to test
5:32:45the ones you found, but for those
5:32:47without a system, they won't activate at
5:32:49all. They won't even activate for
5:32:51priests who gain their powers through
5:32:53faith, even though some of them were at
5:32:55the awakened rank.
5:32:57So naturally, we want to know if you
5:32:59really do have the full power of the
5:33:01ancient system. Focus again and think
5:33:04the word skills or skill list, she
5:33:07insisted.
5:33:09Carl sighed as none of them worked and
5:33:11then a faint message appeared in his
5:33:12vision. Skill list unavailable.
5:33:16Randomly assigned skill points. Carl
5:33:19smiled. It says that the list is
5:33:22unavailable and asks if I want to
5:33:24randomly assign my points. The two
5:33:26avatars sighed and shook their heads
5:33:28before the red dragon avatar answered in
5:33:30his deep voice. You can if you wish, but
5:33:34it appears that your system is not
5:33:35completely activated. So, I recommend
5:33:38holding off until you can find another
5:33:39holy relic. If you don't know what the
5:33:42skills are, it might not tell you what
5:33:44you have gained, so you will never know
5:33:46what powers you have that you're not
5:33:47using," he explained.
5:33:50Carl nodded. Having more spells and
5:33:53attacks would be wonderful. He didn't
5:33:56know how many points each of them would
5:33:58cost, but he could likely get at least a
5:34:00few more with what he had. Carl
5:34:02considered the situation for a moment.
5:34:05Is there anyone with a completed system
5:34:07that I could ask for advice? The
5:34:10laughter of the two filled the room, a
5:34:11booming chuckle overlaid with a delicate
5:34:13giggle like ringing bells. There hasn't
5:34:16been a fully active system in this world
5:34:18for hundreds of thousands of years.
5:34:21Take a seat and we will have a little
5:34:23history lesson that might help this all
5:34:25make sense. The black dragon avatar
5:34:28replied.
5:34:29Not even you two. Carl asked as he took
5:34:32a seat. They were the most favored of
5:34:35their gods. If anyone had a chance, it
5:34:38was them. We are neither subject to the
5:34:40system nor are we born in this world. We
5:34:44only stopped in to see what the
5:34:45commotion was all about after our gods
5:34:47asked us to observe from the shadows.
5:34:50When we are finished our work here, we
5:34:52will leave and watch until our deities
5:34:54ask us to take on another task. But that
5:34:57is only incidental to the situation at
5:34:59hand. Our deities were wondering if your
5:35:02people could really earn the forgiveness
5:35:03of the world dragon and reactivate the
5:35:05system or if you would have to carve an
5:35:07entirely new path for yourselves. It all
5:35:10started with a rebellion as most changes
5:35:13do. At the time, the system had been
5:35:16active for longer than the world had
5:35:17kept recorded histories. You know how it
5:35:20is. Time wears all away. And after a
5:35:23number of wars, changes of leadership
5:35:25and such, the original documents were
5:35:27lost and only legend remained. That was
5:35:30when a group of demagods thought that
5:35:32they could become the next system
5:35:33administrator.
5:35:35They led a revolution against the world
5:35:37dragon, intending to usurp the world
5:35:39from his control. They shattered the
5:35:42world dragon scale that had been placed
5:35:43in this world to maintain his will. But
5:35:46they had gravely misunderstood the power
5:35:47of the world dragon.
5:35:49The backlash alone was enough to
5:35:51obliterate their very essence. But the
5:35:53damage was done. The world was cut off
5:35:56from its primary source of divine power.
5:35:58And without the world dragon scale,
5:36:00there could be no more system
5:36:02activations by the will of the world
5:36:03dragon. For the next few thousand years,
5:36:06the surviving system users kept the
5:36:08system stones powered, and new
5:36:10generations gained power as they should.
5:36:13But as everyone should have predicted,
5:36:15the movement to overthrow the world
5:36:17dragon wasn't truly gone. And a
5:36:19surviving demagod, a titan named Omega,
5:36:22shattered the system stones. But just
5:36:25when he thought that he could take over
5:36:26this world in the name of the giant
5:36:28races, tragedy befell him as well. A
5:36:31nature dragon demagod was passing by and
5:36:34saw him at his weakest in the midst of
5:36:36the divine tribulation to ascend to
5:36:37godhood. So she ate him. It is unknown
5:36:40whether that was enough to push the
5:36:42dragon demagod to true godhood, but it
5:36:44hasn't been seen since, so there is a
5:36:46good chance that it ascended. Carl's
5:36:49laughter stopped her story for a moment.
5:36:52Sorry, please continue. I just thought
5:36:55about the nature dragon clerics that I
5:36:57know, and I can totally see them doing
5:36:59it if they had a chance. The black
5:37:02dragon avatar smiled. After that, things
5:37:05went downhill fast.
5:37:07There was a world full of system users,
5:37:10but no new generations could gain the
5:37:12system. And without the system, the
5:37:14existing powers in the world rapidly
5:37:16fell into chaos, separating into
5:37:18factions to protect themselves.
5:37:21There is a lot more. Hundreds of
5:37:22thousands of years worth of history. But
5:37:24the start is the important part. Now
5:37:27that you have the system halfway
5:37:29activated, all that is left is to see if
5:37:31it is possible for you to gain the rest
5:37:33of its hidden powers or if the world
5:37:35dragon expects you to forge your own
5:37:36path. Carl sat in stunned silence as the
5:37:40black dragon goddess Avatar finished her
5:37:42story. He was still a bit shocked to be
5:37:45in the presence of the representatives
5:37:46of the gods of war and death, and then
5:37:48to be told that the hubris of the
5:37:50world's most powerful had been the
5:37:52downfall of the entire world. He
5:37:54couldn't process it all that quickly. So
5:37:57once upon a time, everyone were elites,
5:37:59even those of the other species, and it
5:38:01all ended because someone thought that
5:38:03they could take on the world dragon.
5:38:05Carl requested, desperately, trying to
5:38:07make sense of the situation.
5:38:10The red robed man nodded grimly. Foolish
5:38:13notion that nobody ever wins those
5:38:16challenges.
5:38:18But you are correct that every species
5:38:20on this world once had the full powers
5:38:21of the system on their side. Even the
5:38:24beast kin, though some of them insist
5:38:26they were actually cursed by the world
5:38:28dragon to be used by others as good luck
5:38:30charms. Carl chuckled at the notion. How
5:38:34would a beast kin be a good luck charm?
5:38:36Were they like a holy stone and granted
5:38:39a luck buff if you held them? He
5:38:41supposed that wasn't impossible if the
5:38:43gods were getting directly involved in
5:38:45the lives of the people. What if I can't
5:38:48activate the ancient system and I just
5:38:50am what I am, a beast master with the
5:38:52ability to grow and learn skills like
5:38:54every other elite? Carl asked. The red
5:38:58dragon avatar shrugged. Then I wish you
5:39:01the best of luck becoming the most
5:39:03powerful elite in the world. I have no
5:39:06idea if it's possible, but the path of
5:39:08the divine beasts is a good one. In the
5:39:11ancient legends, there was a hero with
5:39:13the beast lord class, though they
5:39:15summoned their beasts instead of bonding
5:39:17living ones. I have never heard of a
5:39:20class like yours, but I would pay
5:39:22particular attention to the children of
5:39:23the green dragon. They are the god of
5:39:26beasts who don't have their own deities,
5:39:28so they will eventually take interest in
5:39:30you as well. They Carl asked. The man
5:39:35frowned. It's a tricky question. Nobody
5:39:39really knows if the green dragon is a
5:39:41female who uses divine power to
5:39:43fertilize her eggs or a male who uses
5:39:45divine power to create the eggs he
5:39:47fertilizes.
5:39:49What we do know is that there is no
5:39:51other involved in the process of
5:39:52creating green dragon demigods. And if
5:39:55they know, they're not telling. All this
5:39:58talk of gods and ancient treachery was
5:40:00giving Carl a headache. Even if he knew
5:40:02some of the answers now, there was
5:40:04nothing that he could do about it except
5:40:06possibly tell someone who would write it
5:40:08down. so it wasn't forgotten again. The
5:40:10black robed woman opened a portal on the
5:40:13wall behind them and nodded toward the
5:40:14red dragon avatar. It seems that our
5:40:17time is up and we must run to another
5:40:20duty. Thank you for your time and you
5:40:22may return to your day. The avatar of
5:40:25the war god announced as he rose to his
5:40:27feet. That was it. They just walked
5:40:30through the portal which closed behind
5:40:32them and then the door behind Carl
5:40:34opened allowing the inquisitor's entry.
5:40:37Brother Carl, welcome back. Did you have
5:40:40a productive interview? The Inquisitor
5:40:43asked. Carl opened his mouth to answer,
5:40:46but found that he couldn't speak at all
5:40:48about anything that had happened in the
5:40:50room. He could remember it, but no
5:40:52matter how he tried to phrase it, he was
5:40:54unable to tell them. The best he could
5:40:57give him was a generic confirmation.
5:41:00Productive would be a good word for it.
5:41:02Yes, he agreed. The faces of the two
5:41:06avatars were already blurring in his
5:41:08mind, leaving behind a general
5:41:09impression to recognize them by, but not
5:41:12enough to accurately describe them, even
5:41:14if he could speak about the topic. That
5:41:16room is for foreign dignitaries of the
5:41:18church. Anything that happens in there
5:41:21is usually confidential, so we won't ask
5:41:23you for details. There is one thing that
5:41:26you should know, though. 6 minutes ago,
5:41:29just before you entered the room, the
5:41:31system stones that your team discovered
5:41:33disappeared.
5:41:34They were in the middle of a test and
5:41:36then every single one of the monsters in
5:41:38the region as well as the system stones
5:41:41and an entire mountain vanished.
5:41:44An entire mountain? Now that's a missed
5:41:47opportunity.
5:41:48Carl gasped, shocked that nobody had
5:41:50noticed an entire mountain just
5:41:52appearing in the area. How bad were the
5:41:55maps they were working from? Or did
5:41:57nobody actually read them? The
5:42:00Inquisitor sighed, realizing that Carl
5:42:02hadn't known anything about it and
5:42:04hadn't been informed of it beforehand.
5:42:07The Inquisitor was hoping that even if
5:42:08he couldn't speak about the topic, there
5:42:10would at least be something in his
5:42:12response that would indicate that
5:42:13whoever he was meeting might have
5:42:14provided him with information about it
5:42:16in advance. They walked back up to the
5:42:19main floor, and Carl realized that the
5:42:21others were taken somewhere else. What
5:42:24were the rest of us called back for? The
5:42:27high priest said we were all summoned
5:42:28and that was before the big event would
5:42:30have happened. Carl asked as they
5:42:33walked. Ah, right. There was no time to
5:42:37fill you in on all the details. Your
5:42:40group was called back for a formal
5:42:42recognition of your contributions.
5:42:44I'm not certain what will become of that
5:42:46now that the thing happened, but we are
5:42:48taking you to the others. The Inquisitor
5:42:51explained
5:42:52that was right. They had said that they
5:42:54had a meeting and then a publicity
5:42:56thing. But if the system stones had
5:42:59vanished, then there would be no grand
5:43:01announcement to the public, unless the
5:43:03archbishop had managed to salvage their
5:43:05power somehow. Carl was led into a room
5:43:08where the rest of his team, along with
5:43:10dozens of high priests, some from every
5:43:12god that Carl had ever heard of, going
5:43:14by the differences in their robes, had
5:43:16gathered. They were all waiting for
5:43:18something and the inquisitors left Carl
5:43:20to do as he pleased while they went to
5:43:22join the other inquisitors who had
5:43:24gathered by the door. Everyone was
5:43:27waiting for news and Carl saw Tessa and
5:43:29Lotus's concern as he joined them at
5:43:31their table up front. Have you heard?
5:43:34The tiny nature priestess asked. Carl
5:43:38nodded and the table fell silent again
5:43:40while they waited. A few minutes later,
5:43:43the archbishop himself entered the room,
5:43:45and Carl immediately noticed that his
5:43:47unique layered robes with the gold on
5:43:49the outside were the direct equivalent
5:43:50of the robes that the red and black
5:43:52dragon avatars wore. That would make him
5:43:55the archbishop of the golden dragon
5:43:57church, but the avatar of the world
5:43:59dragon, or perhaps the golden dragons,
5:44:01which were technically a different
5:44:02species entirely and specialized in
5:44:05organization and leadership. He looked
5:44:07weary as he took his seat at the front
5:44:09of the room on a throne facing the
5:44:11assembled priests. Only Carl's group
5:44:14included anyone who wasn't from the
5:44:16church, which couldn't be coincidental.
5:44:18The people in the room were most likely
5:44:20those who had seen the system stones for
5:44:22themselves, as they would need to know
5:44:24what had happened and what the official
5:44:26statement would be on the matter.
5:44:28Greetings everyone. As you may know,
5:44:31there was an upheaval today.
5:44:33The newly discovered set of system
5:44:35stones along with the underground temple
5:44:38complex of the seventh dynasty vanished
5:44:40along with the remains of a monster
5:44:42influx.
5:44:43There was no warning and from what we
5:44:45can tell, nothing else was affected.
5:44:48None of the groups who were in the area
5:44:50remember anything out of the ordinary.
5:44:52Only those in this room even recall that
5:44:54there was a temple complex under the
5:44:56mountain. Only those in this room recall
5:44:59that our team arrived in the zone to
5:45:01study the system stones.
5:45:03Even the inquisitors that we assigned to
5:45:05assist the church guard elsewhere in the
5:45:07region have forgotten the circumstances
5:45:08behind their deployment.
5:45:11Fiwend.com
5:45:13Why that is, we do not yet know. What we
5:45:16can say is that while the system stones
5:45:18were active, dozens of clerics and
5:45:20others gained a new system skill from
5:45:22the anomaly. Now that they have
5:45:24vanished, we will be treating this
5:45:26incident as a one-time trial instance
5:45:28with no way to recreate it. The contents
5:45:31of the trial are to remain confidential,
5:45:33but the gains will be in your official
5:45:35records along with the achievements that
5:45:37were made during the influx period.
5:45:40That will be all for today's meeting.
5:45:43All other press conferences, meetings,
5:45:45and discussion groups are cancelled for
5:45:47the day while the schedule is reworked.
5:45:49Then the wearyl looking archbishop got
5:45:51up out of his chair and left the room.
5:45:54The rapid change left everyone a bit
5:45:56confused as to what they should be doing
5:45:58for the day as their whole schedule had
5:46:00just been cancelled. The members who
5:46:02were on the media team were close to
5:46:04panic though. They were supposed to
5:46:07start broadcasting in under an hour and
5:46:09they no longer had a story to report.
5:46:12Just nothing. But within seconds they
5:46:15latched on to the best opportunity that
5:46:17they had left. The events in the field
5:46:19weren't classified. Only the ones to do
5:46:22with the system stones.
5:46:24Everyone else would remember the
5:46:25timeline mostly as it was. Only where it
5:46:28involved the system stones were the
5:46:29memories of those involved blurred. You
5:46:32can be the story. You elites who managed
5:46:35to get 100% of the commander rank kills
5:46:38in an entire zone for a week. Yes,
5:46:41that's perfect for tonight's news.
5:46:44Please don't leave. We have to film 30
5:46:46minutes of footage that needs to go on
5:46:48air in an hour. One of the clergy
5:46:51assigned to news releases pleaded. We
5:46:54already have the footage of you in front
5:46:55of the official background so we can do
5:46:57informal interviews here and then fill
5:46:59the time with reporter explanations.
5:47:02It will be perfect. We even have stock
5:47:04footage of giants, ogres, and other
5:47:06monsters to work with. Another of the
5:47:09reporters agreed. The elites all sighed
5:47:12while Tessa rolled her eyes as Lotus
5:47:14vanished beneath the table. She knows
5:47:17that we know where she went, right? One
5:47:20of the reporters asked.
5:47:22Yes, but she's hoping that you will
5:47:24forget about her before she has to be on
5:47:26the news. Tessa agreed. Carl, hide me in
5:47:30Ray's space. They'll never look there.
5:47:34Lotus pleaded. You can't put living
5:47:36things in there. Well, maybe I could,
5:47:40but it might bind you to me like Rey is.
5:47:43Carl laughed. Lotus paused like she was
5:47:46actually weighing the option, then came
5:47:48back out from under the table. Fine, but
5:47:51a short interview for the nature goddess
5:47:54and no trying to make me famous. She
5:47:56reluctantly agreed. The room was quickly
5:48:00rearranged so that they could do
5:48:01multiple interviews at the same time,
5:48:03each facing the walls, which
5:48:05conveniently were created from multiple
5:48:06panels with identical patterns, so it
5:48:08would look like they were filming them
5:48:10one after another in the same studio.
5:48:13Carl was led to the actual podium stage
5:48:15instead of one of the identical spots,
5:48:17and he sighed. You know, Commander Alice
5:48:20is the leader of the team. He reminded
5:48:23them. The priestess with him nodded
5:48:26happily. But you have a lightning sero.
5:48:30She replied.
5:48:31Carl chuckled, understanding where they
5:48:33were going with this. All right, let's
5:48:36get this rolling. The reporter gestured
5:48:39to the cameraman, who gave them a thumbs
5:48:41up as Carl adjusted his position to face
5:48:43the camera that was over the reporter's
5:48:45left shoulder. The interview would be
5:48:47taken from two angles so the person
5:48:49speaking could speak toward the camera
5:48:51without an unnatural turn away from the
5:48:53interviewer. That would also give them
5:48:55plenty of room to call out Thor, who
5:48:58Carl and the reporter were hoping would
5:48:59become the star of the evening news.
5:49:02Good evening everyone. This is Sister
5:49:05Clara with you again to provide a
5:49:07special report regarding the topic of
5:49:09the week among the active combat elites.
5:49:12For those of you who missed the
5:49:14beginning of the broadcast, there was a
5:49:15group of elites on a defensive mission
5:49:17this past week who managed to score 100%
5:49:20of the commander rank kills for an
5:49:21entire zone. That's right. They
5:49:24single-handedly managed to contain the
5:49:26commander rank threats in their combat
5:49:27zone. And we have them here at the
5:49:29Capital Cathedral Studio for a quick
5:49:31interview before they return to their
5:49:33regularly scheduled duties. With me
5:49:35right now is Carl, an ascended rank
5:49:38elite student of the Divine Golden
5:49:39Academy. Can you tell us where you came
5:49:42from and possibly say hello to those who
5:49:44are important to you? She asked. Of
5:49:48course. I come from lithium mine village
5:49:51and I would be remiss if I didn't at
5:49:53least say hello to my loving parents
5:49:55Jake and Ella. Plus a special shout out
5:49:59to the miners of the third shift. I wish
5:50:02I could say I miss working with you but
5:50:04I really don't miss the bottom of the
5:50:06mines. Carl replied with a genuine
5:50:09laugh. The reporter smiled and Carl knew
5:50:12that when this aired the mines would be
5:50:14celebrating like crazy to have made the
5:50:16news. The third shift was 6:00 in the
5:50:19evening to midnight, the usual shift for
5:50:21students, though they were sent back up
5:50:23at the halfway mark. So, they only
5:50:25worked 6:00 until 9:00 and they would be
5:50:27ready for school in the morning. A minor
5:50:30turned beast master. I'm certain your
5:50:32hometown is very proud to call you one
5:50:34of their own, especially as an ascended
5:50:36rank elite already on the front lines
5:50:39while you're still in school. Tell us,
5:50:41what is it like working in the
5:50:43wilderness?
5:50:45She asked. make up a pretty lie. The
5:50:48cameraman was silently shouting at Carl
5:50:51as he realized that Carl had never done
5:50:53one of these interviews before. Well, I
5:50:56must say that the experience is greatly
5:50:58improved when you have a nature priest
5:50:59with you. With the blessing of their
5:51:02goddess to create all sorts of plants,
5:51:04including spices, dinner becomes much
5:51:06more pleasant both for myself and for my
5:51:09bonded companions.
5:51:11Carl replied, leading the reporter in
5:51:13the right direction, for which he could
5:51:15see the thankfulness in her eyes, though
5:51:17her expression remained professional. "I
5:51:20have heard wonderful things about your
5:51:21bonded beasts from which your class gets
5:51:23its name. Might we meet one of them
5:51:26today?" she asked, following the cues.
5:51:30Frog novel.com.
5:51:32Of course, Thor, would you come out and
5:51:36lay down next to me? Carl spoke out
5:51:38loud. If he didn't lay down, the
5:51:41lightning sero would be mostly out of
5:51:43the camera's frame, and that would just
5:51:45annoy the staff. Thor settled in with
5:51:48his head right next to Clara's chair,
5:51:50but facing the front, where the reporter
5:51:52could lean forward to pet his head, and
5:51:54he would be in the shots of both of
5:51:55them, but not in the way of the upper
5:51:57body of either. He instinctively knew
5:52:00where he needed to be, and the reporter
5:52:02smiled as she stroked his head between
5:52:03his eyes, exactly as Lotus had
5:52:05instructed her to do, while everyone was
5:52:07waiting here to see what was going on.
5:52:10While Carl was gone for a secondary
5:52:12interview, that was what they had done.
5:52:15Sat and waited and shared gossip. He is
5:52:18a lovely one, isn't he? For our viewers
5:52:21at home, Thor is an adult male lightning
5:52:24sero, and we don't recommend that you
5:52:25approach them in the wild, but this one
5:52:27is quite tame and sociable," she
5:52:30explained as Thor made a happy rumble.
5:52:33Carl smiled and nodded in agreement. Not
5:52:36only is he possibly the most social
5:52:38member of the group, he's also an
5:52:40incredible frontline fighter. His
5:52:42lightning barrier can defend him against
5:52:44the strongest of ascended rank attacks,
5:52:46and he works well with others to
5:52:48strategize and control the movement of
5:52:50the monsters we are clearing from the
5:52:51wilderness before they can threaten the
5:52:53nearby towns." Thor nodded happily and
5:52:56then moved his head to bump up against
5:52:58her legs when the reporter sat back
5:53:00upright and stopped patting him. The
5:53:02gesture made the camera operators and a
5:53:04number of the others in the background
5:53:06laugh. Thor was precisely the
5:53:08spokesperson that they needed on camera
5:53:10today. It was impossible not to love
5:53:12him. Can you tell us a little about a
5:53:15memorable battle? I know the others in
5:53:18the group have been asked the same
5:53:19thing, but I won't mind if it's the same
5:53:21one as one of them has mentioned. The
5:53:24reporter asked with genuine interest in
5:53:26her soft blue eyes. Carl smiled at the
5:53:29camera. Well, I have one in mind, and
5:53:32I'm not sure if it's the same one as the
5:53:34others have mentioned. We were on patrol
5:53:37and had just finished a fight with a
5:53:38group of ogres when Hawk, our scout,
5:53:41informed us of a group of hobgoblins who
5:53:43were giving the military unit we were
5:53:45attached to some trouble. We rushed back
5:53:47to the scene and found that the
5:53:49hobgoblins had a shaman with them,
5:53:51healing the filthy monsters as the
5:53:52elites of the army fought a valiant
5:53:54battle toward the center of the
5:53:55hobgoblin formation, where the cowardly
5:53:58little shaman was hiding.
5:54:00Now, Thor here is a good bit larger than
5:54:02your average hobgoblin, and he just
5:54:04plowed right through them and tossed
5:54:06that goblin shaman 20 m in the air where
5:54:08our ranged attacks could take it out.
5:54:11Carl accompanied the explanation with
5:54:13hand gestures, and at the right moment,
5:54:15Thor gave a flip of his head, showing
5:54:17the cameras how to toss a goblin. The
5:54:20camera operators were both giving Carl
5:54:22enthusiastic gestures while the reporter
5:54:24smiled and nodded along. It sounds like
5:54:27quite the scene. How did the battle end?
5:54:31She asked more seriously.
5:54:34Only minor injuries among the military
5:54:36unit that our clerics healed before the
5:54:38battle was even over. A resounding
5:54:40victory.
5:54:42Within minutes, all the interviews were
5:54:44finished and the reporters started doing
5:54:46their own bits, recording speeches over
5:54:48stock footage and giving a highly
5:54:50censored version of events that wouldn't
5:54:52scare the general public while still
5:54:53honoring the fallen soldiers and elites
5:54:55of the many battlefields around the
5:54:57nation. That was a fairly standard part
5:55:00of any ongoing events broadcast as there
5:55:02were always battles to be fought, but it
5:55:04did use a solid portion of the time that
5:55:06they needed to fill. And when combined
5:55:08with the interviews, it wouldn't seem as
5:55:10dull and routine as it did when they
5:55:11were just speaking alone in studio. Carl
5:55:14retreated to the back of the room where
5:55:16he found the blue dragon high priestess
5:55:18he had met earlier, the head of
5:55:20historians, whose name he had quickly
5:55:22forgotten, waiting for him. Fortunately,
5:55:25Lotus was there to save him. Greetings,
5:55:28High Priestess Lilith. Did you have a
5:55:31request for us? I made some great notes
5:55:34on plants I don't remember seeing in the
5:55:36study guides. The nature priestess
5:55:38greeted the historian. Her eyes were lit
5:55:41up with excitement about the list of new
5:55:43plants. And between a nature priestess
5:55:45and a blue dragon high priestess who was
5:55:48obsessed with new knowledge, there was a
5:55:50very real chance that they were about to
5:55:51become best friends for the day. The
5:55:54high priestess looked just as excited as
5:55:56Lotus. And for a second, Carl thought
5:55:58that the two were going to get lost in a
5:56:00conversation about plants. But the older
5:56:02woman turned her attention to Carl.
5:56:05Actually, I have a request for you all,
5:56:08an official one. We would like to ask
5:56:10that your group, with their exceptional
5:56:12affinity for stumbling across valuable
5:56:14new things, takes on a mission to the
5:56:16Boundary Mountains. There is said to be
5:56:19a strange phenomenon there, and the
5:56:21other groups we have sent in lost days
5:56:22of time with no memories of them, but a
5:56:25feeling that they failed some sort of
5:56:26trial. With the luck that your group has
5:56:29shown, we have some hope that you will
5:56:31be able to bring back some information.
5:56:34That's official straight from the church
5:56:36council.
5:56:37Of course, if the elites choose to turn
5:56:39it down, we won't be sending you and
5:56:41Tessa alone, but we have some hopes that
5:56:44everyone present will agree, Lilith
5:56:46explained.
5:56:48Carl was about to answer when he sensed
5:56:50a familiar presence over his shoulder
5:56:52and a sense of menace that wasn't
5:56:53directed at him, but past him. Colonel
5:56:56Valerie stepped up beside Carl with a
5:56:58fake smile, wearing a visitor's hassuk,
5:57:01as all guests to the cathedral church
5:57:03would. She waited for the high priestess
5:57:06to notice her and put together her
5:57:07unexpected appearance here with who she
5:57:09was and what it likely implied. Lilith
5:57:12smiled at her. Ah, Colonel, what a
5:57:16surprise to see you here. I had thought
5:57:18that you would still be with your tour
5:57:20group. Valerie's resting angry face
5:57:23didn't even budge at the comment.
5:57:25Naturally, I came to check on my elites.
5:57:29It seems someone is quite intent on
5:57:30borrowing them from the bureau, and I
5:57:32would hate to lose track of their
5:57:34whereabouts.
5:57:35Her tone said that she was not planning
5:57:37to spare the high priestess any of her
5:57:39wrath, which could turn into an epic
5:57:41battle of wills between the
5:57:42representatives of the church and the
5:57:44government. So, both Carl and Lotus took
5:57:47a half step back from what was shaping
5:57:49up to be an epic cat fight. But the two
5:57:51leaders preferred to fight with mental
5:57:53jabs and not fists.
5:57:55That would be a shame, would it not? The
5:57:58Bureau for Elite Development unable to
5:58:00even track the elites that they're
5:58:02supposed to be developing. A tragedy of
5:58:04bureaucracy, really. Lilith agreed with
5:58:08a solemn nod.
5:58:10Indeed. It seems that holy quests are
5:58:13becoming increasingly common these days
5:58:14when it comes to new students. The will
5:58:17of the gods is a strange thing. Colonel
5:58:20Valerie snapped back. that got a rise
5:58:23out of the high priestess that was
5:58:25quickly stamped down. It wasn't directly
5:58:28doubting the will of the gods, but it
5:58:30was coming perilously close to insulting
5:58:32her deity as well as her personal
5:58:34motivations.
5:58:36Fortunately, they weren't the only
5:58:37people in the room, and after a few
5:58:39seconds, some of the inquisitors came
5:58:41over to see what all the glaring was
5:58:42about, just in time to catch the last
5:58:44round of barbs between the two. Colonel
5:58:47Valerie continued, "I believe that it is
5:58:50time that the students return to their
5:58:52education.
5:58:54It would be a shame to keep them away
5:58:55from their training for too much of the
5:58:57semester."
5:58:58High Priestess Lilith smiled back, and
5:59:01Carl was certain that her graying hair
5:59:03turned a bit more of a royal blue color
5:59:04as she spoke next. "It is the will of
5:59:07the goddess of knowledge that the group
5:59:09takes this trial. It must proceed," she
5:59:13declared in a voice that seemed to echo
5:59:15as if coming from a massive being, not a
5:59:18rather unremarkable priestess.
5:59:20Then she continued in a more normal
5:59:22tone. "But you will be happy to know
5:59:24that one of your own agents has been
5:59:26called upon to join the mission. She
5:59:29must be there," the fates demanded. Two
5:59:32clerics wearing the uniforms of the tour
5:59:34guides burst into the room, looking for
5:59:36their weward tour group member, and
5:59:38Colonel Valerie side. I will have a
5:59:41tracker put on them if this continues to
5:59:42be an issue. Carl, Dana, I will catch up
5:59:46with you when you return. Sister Tessa,
5:59:49Sister Lotus, it was good to see you
5:59:51both again, and I will be waiting for
5:59:53your reports after this holy quest from
5:59:55the church has finished. Then she
5:59:57followed the angry tour operators out of
5:59:59the room, and Carl noticed just how
6:00:01quiet it had gotten as everyone stopped
6:00:03to watch the drama. Lilith turned to the
6:00:06room and made a dismissive gesture.
6:00:09Shows over everyone. You have your
6:00:12duties. I suggest that you get to them.
6:00:15That made all the news staff scurry back
6:00:17to their work while the inquisitors
6:00:19pretended that listening in on juicy
6:00:21gossip was beneath them and the other
6:00:22clerics in the room scattered, leaving
6:00:24to find something to do elsewhere where
6:00:26they wouldn't get in trouble with the
6:00:27high priestess.
6:00:29Carl considered doing the same, but she
6:00:31was here for him and the group, so
6:00:33trying to run would just make her chase
6:00:35him down again. Should we start packing
6:00:37right away then? Carl asked as he still
6:00:41needed to restock and finish cleaning
6:00:43and repairing all his gear. You have the
6:00:46remainder of the day as the flight will
6:00:48leave in the morning with another round
6:00:49of clergy transfers. The details will be
6:00:52provided to you privately later, but the
6:00:54inquisitors have agreed to help you
6:00:56upgrade your gear for the current
6:00:57situation.
6:00:59She agreed, straightening her deep blue
6:01:01robes. That actually sounded pretty
6:01:04good. With all the trouble they'd seen
6:01:07lately, his various uniforms weren't
6:01:09cutting it anymore, and it was probably
6:01:11time to switch to armor. It would be
6:01:14expensive, and there was a good chance
6:01:15that he would outgrow it, despite the
6:01:17growth spurt that he had already been
6:01:19through. However, if that happened while
6:01:22the armor was still in good shape, he
6:01:24could always resell it to the supply
6:01:26staff. Of course, having Lotus and Tessa
6:01:29with them, who could repair armor, was a
6:01:31huge benefit. It would make their gear
6:01:34last much longer than it could otherwise
6:01:36be expected to, and between them they
6:01:38could take care of both leather and
6:01:40metal armors. Carl nodded his head at
6:01:43the high priestess before catching the
6:01:45attention of one of the church guards
6:01:46who had been shadowing them since they
6:01:48arrived. "Thank you, High Priestess
6:01:51Lilith. I will take my leave to upgrade
6:01:53my equipment now, and I will be ready to
6:01:55leave right after breakfast tomorrow."
6:01:58Carl agreed. Lotus raised her hand. Oh,
6:02:02I will come with you. You look like you
6:02:05have no fashion sense. Carl stared down
6:02:08at the unrepentant little nature
6:02:10priestess, who saw nothing at all wrong
6:02:12with what she had said. Lotus gave him a
6:02:15single raised eyebrow look of challenge.
6:02:18What? Don't tell me you're suddenly
6:02:20fashionable.
6:02:22I bet that if I let you go unattended,
6:02:24you do something like trying to outfit
6:02:26match with Thor. Go, go. Let's go to the
6:02:30armory and find something that won't
6:02:32make you look like a dork. Carl let
6:02:35Lotus drag him to the armory room,
6:02:37following the two church guards who were
6:02:38navigating them through the corridors of
6:02:40the cathedral, avoiding the public areas
6:02:42which were packed with tourists during
6:02:44the middle of the day. With so many
6:02:46different gods, there was a reason for
6:02:48numerous travelers to come to the
6:02:50cathedral every week of the year. But
6:02:52this week was the anniversary of one of
6:02:54the larger subjugation wars which had
6:02:56freed an eastern region from the control
6:02:58of a giant clan.
6:03:00So every year, people from that region
6:03:02used their holidays to come here to the
6:03:04capital and celebrate the anniversary
6:03:06with parties and a trip to the cathedral
6:03:08in honor of the priests and priestesses
6:03:09who had come to their rescue, leading
6:03:11armies of church followers. The armory
6:03:14was hidden at the back of the cathedral
6:03:16complex in a newer building next to the
6:03:18loading docks. If he hadn't known that
6:03:21they were still within the grounds,
6:03:23thanks to the number of ancient stone
6:03:24buildings around them, Carl would have
6:03:26thought that this was part of the
6:03:27commercial district. From the outside,
6:03:30this loading area was hidden by trees
6:03:32and a long driveway, but it was modern
6:03:34enough that they could move all the
6:03:36goods they needed in and out efficiently
6:03:38and without interfering with the
6:03:39experience of the visitors to the holy
6:03:41buildings. What can I do for you? The
6:03:45clerk asked as Lotus waved happily at
6:03:47him. Carl here needs new battle armor.
6:03:51We get to go fun places.
6:03:53Lotus replied, "Excited about the day's
6:03:56upcoming events." Freewobe novel.com
6:04:00ascended rank. And as he doesn't have
6:04:02armor yet, I will say that he's not the
6:04:04team leader, so it will be ascended
6:04:06minimum with a heavy dose of commander
6:04:08rank targets. We can do that as long as
6:04:12he has the merits and access. That is
6:04:15the clerk agreed. Carl handed over his
6:04:18card and the clerk scanned it through
6:04:20the reader. That should do it. Do you
6:04:24need weapons as well or is what you have
6:04:26good enough? He asked. I've got an
6:04:29ascended rank bonded sword and the
6:04:31ability to code it in ascended rank
6:04:33attack skills. It should be all right as
6:04:36far as my abilities go. Carl replied.
6:04:41The clerk nodded. Can you take it out
6:04:43and show me? It's better if I know what
6:04:46we're working with just in case you
6:04:48might need a backup. Carl took out the
6:04:51blade and then used the new shared
6:04:53skill, flaming body, that Hawk had
6:04:55shared to coat his lower arms and the
6:04:57blade in flames. Ooh, when did you learn
6:05:00that? Nice trick. Lotus cheered. When
6:05:05Hawk learned it, it should work out
6:05:07fairly well, and I can use it with the
6:05:09refreshing lightning barrier to keep up
6:05:11my defenses.
6:05:13Carl agreed.
6:05:15The clerk made a short note and then
6:05:16tapped a button to update his listings
6:05:18based on what Carl had mentioned for his
6:05:20skills. Well, we don't have much that's
6:05:23compatible with both lightning and fire,
6:05:25but we do have either or. If you're
6:05:28using lightning as a defensive shield, I
6:05:30would recommend this suit. Are there any
6:05:33pieces of gear that you need to keep on?
6:05:36He asked, "My gauntlets.
6:05:39I've got a set of bestial strength
6:05:41gauntlets that should be kept on when
6:05:42I'm heading into combat. Then there's a
6:05:45ring I keep on as well, but that
6:05:47shouldn't interfere with the armor, Carl
6:05:50explained.
6:05:51A ring with what properties so I know
6:05:54what to build around. The clerk asked as
6:05:57he refined the search. Carl did his best
6:06:00not to laugh as he realized how lopsided
6:06:03his buffs were. It's a ring of giant
6:06:06strength. The clerk blinked twice slowly
6:06:09and then entered it into his computer.
6:06:12You didn't look like the smash
6:06:14everything to paste type of warrior, but
6:06:16I guess appearances are deceiving. Lotus
6:06:19giggled. Oh, he's not a warrior. He's a
6:06:22beast master. We just happen to have
6:06:25fought plenty of giants recently, and
6:06:27they value strength above all else. I
6:06:30see. It was obvious that he didn't quite
6:06:33get what a non-warrior class would want
6:06:35with all that strength. But he also
6:06:37wasn't wellversed in actual combat, just
6:06:39in the theoretical aspects that went
6:06:41into balancing gear to distribute to the
6:06:43other elites. Being strong also meant
6:06:46being fast in a way. It didn't help your
6:06:49reflexes, but Carl were already
6:06:51excellent thanks to his class, so he
6:06:53could react smoothly while moving at
6:06:55much higher speeds than his body was
6:06:57normally capable of. All right, I have a
6:07:00match. It has strong defense, a natural
6:07:03affinity for lightning attacks, which
6:07:05should strengthen your barrier, and no
6:07:07gloves required, so you can wear your
6:07:09gauntlets," the clerk announced before
6:07:12turning the screen to face Carl. It was
6:07:15a superhero.
6:07:17The entire outfit was designed to make
6:07:19the wearer look like a children's
6:07:20cartoon superhero, complete with a
6:07:23masked helmet that Carl was certain had
6:07:24to be some sort of copyright violation.
6:07:27Heart ranger go. Lotus laughed as she
6:07:31saw the outfit. That was precisely what
6:07:34Carl had been thinking and the church
6:07:36guard with them nodded in agreement. I
6:07:39take it you would like me to look for
6:07:40something else. The clerk asked
6:07:42sheepishly.
6:07:44Normally, if the armor was the best that
6:07:46you could get, but it was ridiculous
6:07:48looking or it was mismatched and
6:07:50peacemeal as many elites would wear when
6:07:52they didn't want to spend the money on a
6:07:53crafted set, they would wear it under a
6:07:55combat uniform instead of over. Lotus
6:07:58didn't like the combat uniforms, though,
6:08:01and Carl was trying to get away from
6:08:02destroying them as well. The clerk went
6:08:05through the options that he thought
6:08:06would be suitable and at least wouldn't
6:08:08interfere with the skills that Carl was
6:08:10using and came up with three options
6:08:12which he brought up on the screen behind
6:08:14him. Those are your better-l lookinging
6:08:16options,
6:08:18not cartoonish or superhero.
6:08:21These ones were designed more for the
6:08:23working mercenaries than the upand
6:08:24cominging stars who are likely to be
6:08:26recorded and put on the news, but if
6:08:28that's what you prefer, we've got them.
6:08:30the clerk explained.
6:08:33That's very much what I prefer. I spend
6:08:35a lot of time scouting and on point in
6:08:37the wilderness. I would rather not look
6:08:40like a super ranger. Carl laughed. One
6:08:44of the men in the back laughed as he
6:08:46heard the conversation.
6:08:48Tell the kid it's not that bad. We all
6:08:51go into the woods with bright white
6:08:52robes on. That made both Carl and Lotus
6:08:56laugh. The church guard did indeed go to
6:08:59battle in bright white robes, and their
6:09:01defensive magic even ensured that they
6:09:03stayed pure white for as long as
6:09:05possible. Who had decided that was a
6:09:07great tactical decision, Carl had no
6:09:10idea, but it had been a tradition for so
6:09:12long that even suggesting changing it
6:09:14now would be unthinkable to most of the
6:09:16church members. Lotus pointed up at the
6:09:19screen there, that one second from the
6:09:22left. What are its properties? I
6:09:25wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen next
6:09:27to that," she asked. It's lightning
6:09:30neutral, fire element friendly, and has
6:09:33an ascended grade durability.
6:09:35The materials are a mix of monster
6:09:37leather and enchanted metals with no
6:09:39additional enhancements to benefit the
6:09:41user. That means it is one of the budget
6:09:44options at the ascended rank. However,
6:09:47it is a quality magical product and will
6:09:50hold up well to long-term use with the
6:09:52leather pants and the ability to be
6:09:53bonded should the user be sufficiently
6:09:55compatible.
6:09:57Lotus smiled. Oh, bonded is good. What
6:10:01about the one on the far right? Roughly
6:10:04the same, neutral to lightning magic,
6:10:06but more attuned to fire. It also makes
6:10:10fire magic a bit less mana inensive to
6:10:12use. It can also be bonded by the right
6:10:15user, but it is all leather, no metal.
6:10:18Can you bring them both out? If Carl can
6:10:21bond with one of the two, that would be
6:10:23the preferred option, just for the sake
6:10:25of daily combat use," Lotus suggested.
6:10:29The clerk nodded and tapped the screen,
6:10:32eliminating the others. A few minutes
6:10:35later, a muscular warrior came out from
6:10:37the back room with two boxes of gear and
6:10:39a smile on his face. Priestess Elite, I
6:10:44couldn't help but overhear your
6:10:45conversation.
6:10:47I think that too many people overlook
6:10:49the benefits of not looking like an
6:10:50idiot when you're on patrol, especially
6:10:52when you're young. Sure, you might think
6:10:55it's cool, but the team members who have
6:10:57been out in the field longer probably
6:10:59don't appreciate the walking flag in
6:11:01their midst. No, I can say for certain
6:11:04nobody appreciates that. I might not be
6:11:07one of the elites, but I served over a
6:11:09decade on the front lines with the army
6:11:11before retiring. I doubt that having
6:11:14superpowers instead of a battle cleric
6:11:16will have changed the basics. The clerk
6:11:19gestured to the two boxes. You just have
6:11:22to put on one piece of the equipment,
6:11:24and if you are compatible, it will bond
6:11:26with you. Now, keep in mind that once it
6:11:29does, you've bought it. No returns,
6:11:31exchanges, or refunds.
6:11:33Carl turned to Lotus.
6:11:36I suspect that how I look matters much
6:11:38more to you than it does to me. So, you
6:11:40pick which one we try first. If it
6:11:43works, that's the look I will have for
6:11:44the foreseeable future. The tiny cleric
6:11:47side then put on a serious face and
6:11:50turned her hair from black to a model
6:11:52brown that reminded Carl of tree bark.
6:11:54Oh, the nature priestess has her game
6:11:57face on. What's it going to be, sister?
6:12:01The clerk asked. All leather first. My
6:12:05instincts say all leather first. Lotus
6:12:08replied before her hair changed back to
6:12:11blonde. Carl wondered how long he had
6:12:14missed the fact that she had been
6:12:15changing her hair color with her mood.
6:12:17So he almost didn't notice when he
6:12:18picked up the helmet and set it over his
6:12:20head that the rest of the equipment
6:12:21vanished and his now had a full suit of
6:12:24armor underneath it. "Well, take it off.
6:12:27Take it off. The Hassac,"
6:12:30Lotus demanded, upset that she had been
6:12:33denied the sight of her chosen armor
6:12:34option. Carl laughed as he untied the
6:12:37belt and pulled the Hassac over his
6:12:39head, revealing the plain flat black
6:12:41armor underneath with a long sleeve
6:12:43green tunic shirt underneath that Carl
6:12:45didn't remember being in the pile of
6:12:47gear. It felt a bit strange being
6:12:49restricted by armor after always being
6:12:52in just cloth, especially the way that
6:12:54the leather pants with their stiff
6:12:56additional plating on the thighs and
6:12:57lower legs moved against him. Lotus
6:13:00circled Carl three times before she made
6:13:02her decision that it was good enough for
6:13:04her. I like it. The green tunic was a
6:13:08nice touch. Thanks, guys. She
6:13:11congratulated the workers in the supply
6:13:13room. There was no tunic in the pile. We
6:13:16just assumed he was already wearing it.
6:13:19The clerk replied confused.
6:13:22I was only wearing the hass.
6:13:24Carl replied with a shrug. The clerk
6:13:27shook his head. You've been around the
6:13:30nature priests too long. Normally
6:13:33visitors wear a layer underneath and
6:13:35don't just freeball it. Carl laughed.
6:13:39Well, I had no clean clothes and this
6:13:41was what was in the room, so this is
6:13:43what I'm wearing. The clerk shrugged off
6:13:46his concerns and decided that it was all
6:13:48part of the systems magic that added the
6:13:50shirt to complete the armor set. Not
6:13:52that there were gaps that needed
6:13:54covering, but it looked more natural
6:13:56with the tunic between layers. Well, it
6:13:59looks like I'm good on armor now. I
6:14:02suppose that I should see what they were
6:14:03planning to do to change my supplies.
6:14:06The academy backpack has been pretty
6:14:08good to me, but it sounds like the high
6:14:10priestess was planning to make some
6:14:11changes,
6:14:13Carl added as he admired his new armor
6:14:15in the mirror on one wall. Now he had
6:14:18not just a weapon, but a full suit of
6:14:20armor that could be stored in a separate
6:14:22space. And if he was right, the armor,
6:14:24like the weapon, should come out clean
6:14:26again when he put it on. The weapon
6:14:29didn't take any blood or viscra back to
6:14:31the space with it. So the armor should
6:14:33be the same. Put the hass back on before
6:14:36you leave the room. It's regulation.
6:14:39The clerk reminded him when Carl turned
6:14:41to go show off his new gear to the
6:14:42others. Right. Almost forgot about that.
6:14:47He removed the helmet and set it aside.
6:14:49Then awkwardly slid the loose- fitting
6:14:51robe back over himself and tied the
6:14:53waist. Then, as a test, he dismissed
6:14:56just the helmet back to the separate
6:14:58space and sighed with relief when he
6:15:00found that he could go without it and
6:15:01not have to put away the entire set of
6:15:03armor. All that was left that wasn't
6:15:06bonded were the gauntlets, and those
6:15:08were easy enough to transport wherever
6:15:09he went, as they were made of leather
6:15:11with steel plating on the top. Once they
6:15:14had resized to fit him, they could
6:15:16easily enough be tucked in a side pocket
6:15:18of his bag or a pouch at his waist. he
6:15:22would say tucked in his belt, but it
6:15:23would never do to accidentally lose one
6:15:25while he was running. It's a definite
6:15:28improvement over the silly combat suits
6:15:30that make everyone look like a mall
6:15:31security wannabe. Lotus informed him as
6:15:34they left the supply room. That's one
6:15:37way to look at them. We didn't have a
6:15:40mall in the town I grew up in, so I have
6:15:42only seen them on television. Carl
6:15:45laughed. Lotus giggled. You don't even
6:15:48know what you're missing out on then.
6:15:51You know, you're most likely what one
6:15:53would call rich by now. When you get
6:15:55some time off, you could go out shopping
6:15:57in the capital, take in the sights,
6:16:00learn to live a little. Carl raised an
6:16:02eyebrow at the way she directed it
6:16:04straight at him. Just me? You're not
6:16:07going to come along and show me what I'm
6:16:09missing at the shopping mall. The nature
6:16:12priestess just shook her head. I would
6:16:14personally rather play with Ry in the
6:16:16forest, but I have it on excellent
6:16:19authority that the mall was a highlight
6:16:21of the childhood of those who lived near
6:16:22one. The pair joked as the church guard
6:16:25led them back to the main building where
6:16:27brother Choi was waiting for Carl to
6:16:29return, ready to continue their
6:16:31meditation practice at the instruction
6:16:33of the high priestess.
6:16:35Don't worry, it's all for your own
6:16:37benefit. If you're going to run away
6:16:39tomorrow before we can finish the
6:16:41process, it would be best if you at
6:16:43least had one more afternoon of practice
6:16:45so I can provide guidance on any aspects
6:16:47you haven't mastered. The monk greeted
6:16:50them. Lotus waved to brother Choi as she
6:16:53kept walking. I will make sure that your
6:16:56gear gets properly updated for the
6:16:57mission. Go and learn your focus thing
6:17:00so Rey can make it to commander rank and
6:17:02take me through the trees even faster.
6:17:05I'm glad you have your priorities in
6:17:07order. I will see you at dinner. Carl
6:17:11called back as she headed into the
6:17:12building, followed by one of the two
6:17:14church guards. The orders to follow the
6:17:17group around so they were available
6:17:18anytime they were needed were never
6:17:20changed and at this point probably
6:17:22wouldn't be as they were leaving in the
6:17:24morning. So, everyone had an escort and
6:17:26there was no chance that the inquisitive
6:17:28mind of a nature priest might lead lotus
6:17:30astray in the nation's largest
6:17:31cathedral.
6:17:33They returned to the same meditation
6:17:34room as the last time. But this time,
6:17:37Brother Choy had more knowledge to
6:17:38impart. Since you're going to be gone
6:17:41when you get to the important part, I
6:17:43will try to explain it now. You will
6:17:45finish the flame and then you will feel
6:17:47stuck again. But you're actually not.
6:17:51Once the flame is finished, you need to
6:17:53draw the aura of the flame out through
6:17:55the whole space. And then when it feels
6:17:57like it is balancing out again, rebuild
6:17:59the flame to a new, higher standard. It
6:18:02will only go so far beyond the
6:18:04surrounding area before it feels
6:18:06complete and won't advance. So, you need
6:18:08to keep layering more and more power
6:18:09through the space from the focus. If you
6:18:12don't bring it from the focus, it won't
6:18:14stay or increase the potency of the
6:18:16space. It's hard to say how many times
6:18:19you will have to do it, but eventually
6:18:21you will make it to commander rank.
6:18:23While you were busy, I did a bit of
6:18:25research using the reports that the
6:18:27bureau has made on you. And I think that
6:18:29you don't actually need to push yourself
6:18:31all the way to the commander rank with
6:18:32your mental space. Once you get far
6:18:35enough, the beasts will naturally
6:18:37advance and they should pull you up with
6:18:39them. That's something that I can't do,
6:18:42but in your early reports, it was clear
6:18:44that the advancement of Hawk was driving
6:18:46you forward. So, the same should remain
6:18:48true as you advance further. Carl
6:18:50considered that for a while. Can I
6:18:53spread the aura of the focus before it's
6:18:55at its maximum? Brother Choy nodded. You
6:18:59can, but it's not as efficient because
6:19:01there isn't enough energy there to make
6:19:02a nice even advancement layer. Like the
6:19:05rings of a tree, you need it to be even
6:19:07all the way around for it to be perfect.
6:19:10That made sense. So Carl gave him an
6:19:13affirmative thumbs up and began to
6:19:14meditate to finish building up the three
6:19:16focal points. Now that he had a
6:19:19guaranteed way forward, it was much
6:19:21easier to focus on the task at hand and
6:19:23not worry about what he should be doing.
6:19:26The next morning came entirely too early
6:19:28as Carl felt that he was finally making
6:19:30real progress on his spaces. But the
6:19:32promise of a unique challenge for the
6:19:34group with the promise of even better
6:19:36rewards was enough to eliminate most of
6:19:37the concerns that his time might be
6:19:39better spent in the meditation room. His
6:19:42backpack had been upgraded while he was
6:19:44away, including a small note from Lotus
6:19:46about the state of his supplies.
6:19:49Carl, I replaced all your camping gear
6:19:51other than what Ray made, which I
6:19:53transferred from a stick to a proper
6:19:55lightweight pole. There is a folded
6:19:57cloth tent, your hammock, rope,
6:20:00lightweight kitchen wear, extra boots,
6:20:02and socks, and then the essential
6:20:04grooming kit. Since you're with us, I
6:20:07only included the small fuel stove with
6:20:09one can, but normally you would carry a
6:20:11spare. The cup that goes with the stove
6:20:14contains a coffee perk and some fresh
6:20:16ground beans if you find yourself in
6:20:18need of better coffee in the mornings.
6:20:20There is a week's worth of ration packs
6:20:22in there, as is protocol, and an extra
6:20:25canteen full of good water. I also added
6:20:28some extra clothes since you never have
6:20:30anything clean when you get back to
6:20:32civilization.
6:20:33Your laundry is tightly rolled and
6:20:35packed in the central pouch. Please
6:20:38refer to the diagram. Her handwriting
6:20:41was beautiful, so what had happened to
6:20:43her picture drawing abilities? Even the
6:20:46shape of the backpack was barely
6:20:47recognizable, much less the stuff she
6:20:49drew inside.
6:20:51Fortunately, the labels were perfectly
6:20:53clear, and Carl understood without
6:20:55completely unpacking the bag. Instead,
6:20:59he just opened the sections and pockets
6:21:01to doublech checkck before curiosity
6:21:03overcame him. And he pulled out the
6:21:05grooming kit to see what Lotus had
6:21:06thought were the essentials for a man's
6:21:08grooming. There was a straight razor,
6:21:11shaving soap, and a brush, which looked
6:21:13higher quality than his old one. Then
6:21:16there was a comb, scissors, nail
6:21:18clippers, a sewing kit with both fine
6:21:20and leather supplies, instant set glue,
6:21:23leather soap, mink oil for conditioning
6:21:25the leather, and then condoms.
6:21:28So many condoms.
6:21:30Now, Carl wasn't a particularly prudish
6:21:32young man, and he did keep one in his
6:21:34old supply bag just in case, but there
6:21:38were nearly 30 of them here. Was Lotus
6:21:41trying to tell him something? Or was
6:21:43this an oddity of what she considered
6:21:45essential supplies?
6:21:47Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long
6:21:49as the cleric in question came to check
6:21:51on him just as he was putting everything
6:21:53away.
6:21:54Lotus, why is half my grooming kit bag
6:21:57filled with condoms?
6:21:59Carl asked as the smirking woman walked
6:22:01in. You see, the standard operating
6:22:04procedure is 14 days of supplies except
6:22:07water, which would be too heavy to carry
6:22:09for most of us. So, 14 days, and two a
6:22:14day makes 28. There are precisely 28
6:22:17condoms in your bag. And if that number
6:22:19changes, we will have some questions for
6:22:21you, young man. Lotus replied in her
6:22:24best motherly voice before devolving
6:22:26into giggles.
6:22:28Well, it's not like they're heavy, but I
6:22:30admire your optimism. I didn't tear the
6:22:33pack apart, but it looks like everything
6:22:35is there. Is it time to leave? Carl
6:22:39replied, "Yeah, we head down in 10
6:22:42minutes. That's what I came over to tell
6:22:44you, just in case you were meditating."
6:22:47They hate waiting for people, especially
6:22:49elites, who should know better. The
6:22:52pilots hate waiting on anything. But I'm
6:22:55all packed up now. Should we get going?
6:22:58Carl replied.
6:23:00The others should be waiting. The word
6:23:03waiting turned out to be an
6:23:04understatement.
6:23:06One helicopter was shut down for
6:23:08maintenance, and there were 50 clergy
6:23:10members standing around outside with
6:23:11their gear, as the other pilots wouldn't
6:23:13leave him to fly without his formation
6:23:15if they didn't have to. There weren't
6:23:18many monsters who could take one out
6:23:19when it was loaded with clerics and
6:23:21elites, but if they were taken by
6:23:23surprise, even Hawk could be a deadly
6:23:25threat to the transport vehicle. The
6:23:27mechanisms were complex and fairly
6:23:29delicate, so a single fireball to the
6:23:31rotors would take a helicopter out of
6:23:33the sky. For that reason, the bus was a
6:23:36more popular option. But for wilderness
6:23:38deployments, it simply wasn't an option,
6:23:41as it couldn't get you close enough to
6:23:42the deployment zone, and the Golden
6:23:44Dragon Nation was a large one.
6:23:47As he scanned the group, Carl noticed
6:23:49that there was another team that stood
6:23:51out even more than his did. While half
6:23:53of his team was in armor instead of the
6:23:55robes of the clergy, the final team was
6:23:57in a different style of robes with a
6:23:59light chest plate and swords on their
6:24:01hips in a delicate style that Carl was
6:24:03certain would shatter the first time
6:24:04they took a hard parry. Obviously, they
6:24:08weren't for fighting head-on, but more
6:24:09of a martial arts style of combat. But
6:24:12they didn't look like monks, unless this
6:24:14was some odd fashion of the capital that
6:24:16he didn't know. Spellb blades. Tessa
6:24:19offered a one-word explanation.
6:24:22Oh, Carl had heard of those. They were
6:24:25mages who trained in the ways of the
6:24:27warrior. Not elites, but trained mages.
6:24:31They weren't known to be as quickrowing
6:24:33as the elite mages, but they had a long
6:24:35history, hundreds of thousands of years,
6:24:38and they were the primary fighting force
6:24:39of many of the magical nations. He
6:24:42wondered if they were going to get to
6:24:44see them in action wherever they were
6:24:45going, or if they were on some other
6:24:47mission. That answer was solved easily
6:24:50enough when an aging mage came to join
6:24:52them and quietly informed his group that
6:24:54he had arranged other transportation and
6:24:56that they were headed to the airport.
6:24:58But before they could leave, the crew
6:25:00announced that the helicopters were
6:25:02ready to go and they could start loading
6:25:04now. That caused a moment of indecision,
6:25:07but the mage waved the spells words
6:25:09toward the military helicopters and made
6:25:11a phone call to cancel the arrangements
6:25:13for the other flight. That was how Carl
6:25:16found himself seated next to a young
6:25:17woman in black robes who had a large
6:25:20scar on the side of her face and a
6:25:22serious chip on her shoulder. Is this
6:25:24the grade of warrior they're sending
6:25:26into combat these days?
6:25:28Aren't you a bit weak to one of the
6:25:29elite brutes?
6:25:31She asked. The other elites were about
6:25:34to respond, but when they saw that Carl
6:25:36wasn't bothered, they held back,
6:25:38wondering what he would do. For Carl,
6:25:41who had grown up the smallest, being
6:25:43called weak was no real insult anymore.
6:25:46He was too used to it to take offense.
6:25:48But one thing that Rey had noticed right
6:25:50away was that this spells word was still
6:25:52at the awakened rank. You know, given
6:25:54that there is a whole rank between us, I
6:25:57thought that you could be more polite.
6:25:59Something along the lines of, "Have you
6:26:01been ill, senior brother? You look far
6:26:04too slender and handsome for a warrior.
6:26:07That would be much more suitable, don't
6:26:09you think?" From the look on the woman's
6:26:12face, you would think that Carl had
6:26:13slapped her. Why in the seven realms
6:26:16would I call you senior brother? You're
6:26:19still an awakened rank spells word.
6:26:20While it won't be long before I move
6:26:22from ascended to commander rank,
6:26:25certainly that deserves some
6:26:26consideration.
6:26:28Her teammates were smirking but holding
6:26:30back from getting involved. Whether to
6:26:33prevent a fight from breaking out or
6:26:35because they were looking down on the
6:26:36elites, Carl didn't know. But when it
6:26:39came to a battle of wits, he wasn't
6:26:41completely unarmed.
6:26:43As if I would call some young child
6:26:45senior brother. She grumbled as she
6:26:48realized that Carl really did have the
6:26:50power advantage.
6:26:52He didn't know how their factions
6:26:54internal rankings worked, but the elites
6:26:56went mostly by power. The more you had,
6:26:59the more respect you got. Most warrior
6:27:02groups should be the same, and Rey was
6:27:04quite certain that the oldest two in
6:27:06their group were commanders, while the
6:27:08others were all awakened. Teams one and
6:27:11seven, you are up first. You will be hot
6:27:14dropping into a combat zone, so be
6:27:16prepared for action. The cargo master
6:27:19announced, cutting off their argument.
6:27:22Alice nodded in acceptance as they were
6:27:24team one, and it appeared that team
6:27:26seven was the spell's words. It was just
6:27:29his luck. They really were going to the
6:27:31same deployment, and they were already
6:27:33off to a not so brilliant start. Maybe
6:27:36there was a chance they weren't working
6:27:38together, but just near each other.
6:27:40Everyone unloaded as the helicopter
6:27:42touched down and a bearded blonde royal
6:27:45rank mage came forward to greet them.
6:27:48Good. You all made it and you've had a
6:27:50chance to meet each other. He paused to
6:27:52laugh at his own joke and the obvious
6:27:54tension between the two groups. I am
6:27:57Prince Corbin and as you might already
6:27:59know, these four are Larry, Daryl,
6:28:02Daryl, and Darren. And finally, our ray
6:28:04of sunshine is Rosalind.
6:28:07The royal rank mage introduced himself
6:28:09and the spell's words with a teasing
6:28:11glint in his eye that dared the girl to
6:28:12speak out. The fact she hated the name
6:28:15wasn't a secret. Everyone could see it,
6:28:18but it was just as obvious that she had
6:28:20done something to annoy the royal rank
6:28:21mage and make him use her full name.
6:28:24Corbin was dressed as an elite, so
6:28:26Prince would most likely be a power
6:28:28related title as commander and overlord
6:28:30were. Larry and Daryl were the commander
6:28:33ranked leaders, while the other Daryl
6:28:35and Darren were the awakened pair,
6:28:37making for a larger power gap than most
6:28:39groups. But if they had Prince Corbin
6:28:41with them, it was probably some
6:28:43Spellblade clan related mission, as they
6:28:45were all from the same group. Now, I'm
6:28:48not going to ask you all to work
6:28:49together. That would be pushing my luck
6:28:51too far, but I will request that the two
6:28:53groups not attack each other if you see
6:28:55each other in the wilderness. My people
6:28:58have an assignment to hunt beasts above
6:29:00their rank, and the rest of you are here
6:29:02for whatever mission the church had, so
6:29:04your goals shouldn't overlap by too
6:29:06much." Corbin finished before nodding in
6:29:09satisfaction in a way that reminded Carl
6:29:11of his father when something went right.
6:29:14Alice reached out and shook his hand.
6:29:16"Prince Corbin, good to see you again.
6:29:19For those who I haven't met yet, I am
6:29:21Commander Alice. Then we have Sister
6:29:24Tessa and Sister Lotus, Dana, and
6:29:26Brother Carl. Brother Carl? Corbin
6:29:30asked, looking at Carl's leather armor
6:29:32with the green tunic. That wasn't church
6:29:35guard uniform, and he didn't feel like a
6:29:37priest. The church summons him so often
6:29:40you'd think he was a priest. He's
6:29:42actually a beast masterclass elite, so
6:29:45if you see oddly tame monsters around,
6:29:47they might be his. I wouldn't pick a
6:29:50fight with them. They're stronger than
6:29:51they look.
6:29:53Rosalyn scoffed, but Corbin looked
6:29:55excited. Perhaps we could have a little
6:29:57sparring match as we have two clerics
6:30:00here to deal with any mishaps.
6:30:02It would help build recognition between
6:30:04the two groups, he suggested.
6:30:08Sure, the young lady and Carl seem to
6:30:10have a companionable rivalry going on.
6:30:13Perhaps he could duel her without his
6:30:14beasts active, and they could get a
6:30:16taste for each other's skills. Alice
6:30:19offered. Rosalyn pulled her short black
6:30:22hair back away from her face and
6:30:24smirked. "You don't think that I can
6:30:26handle one elite with his gimmick pets."
6:30:29Alice gave her a vicious smile. "Why
6:30:32don't you try him first and then see if
6:30:34you think you're up to a fouron-one
6:30:35fight or rank above yourself?" Everyone
6:30:38backed away, all confident in their
6:30:40contestants chances of winning, despite
6:30:42knowing very little about the opponent.
6:30:45I would like to make one condition if I
6:30:47win. Never call me Rosalind again. The
6:30:51girl demanded of her royal rank mentor.
6:30:54I will consider calling you Muffin again
6:30:56if you win one-on-one against him. If
6:30:58you can take him and his pets, I will
6:31:00call you Rose. Corbin countered. That
6:31:04seemed to be as good as she was going to
6:31:06get. And Rose drew her blade, glaring at
6:31:09Carl, who took the two-handed blade out
6:31:11of stasis. As I thought, a big slow
6:31:14brute. She laughed, then launched
6:31:17herself forward using a skill that
6:31:19nearly caught Carl offg guard. But he
6:31:21was both fast and strong, and his
6:31:23eyesight had picked up the faint flare
6:31:25of magic around her. As the skill
6:31:27activated, he brought up refreshing
6:31:30lightning along with flaming body, which
6:31:33he focused on his hands and sword as he
6:31:35leapt to the side of the clearing and
6:31:37then used a tree to launch himself back
6:31:38at the recovering spells word, who had
6:31:40skidded to a stop after missing her
6:31:42target. She darted out of the way as the
6:31:45massive sword whistled through the spot
6:31:47she had been standing a split second
6:31:48earlier, leaving a trail of flames in
6:31:51its wake. Her taunting look turned
6:31:53serious as Carl spun the blade and
6:31:55reversed its direction without shifting
6:31:57his feet, a maneuver that anyone with
6:31:59normal human strength would never manage
6:32:01with a weapon that large. With the
6:32:03spells word off balance, he chased her
6:32:06back across the clearing with a flurry
6:32:07of attacks. As she studied his fighting
6:32:09style, she activated skill after skill.
6:32:13unable to use her more powerful spells
6:32:15now that they were so closely engaged.
6:32:17But with the melee range activation and
6:32:19her power disadvantage, none of the
6:32:21spells that she managed to activate
6:32:22could overcome the trail of fire left by
6:32:25flaming body to actually hit Carl. She
6:32:28was by far the superior swordsman, but
6:32:31with a wall of flames in front of him, a
6:32:33reach advantage of over a meter and
6:32:35supernatural strength, it was not easy
6:32:37for her to get close enough to show it.
6:32:39Rose couldn't parry his strikes. they
6:32:41would knock the blade from her hands.
6:32:43But when Carl missed with a strike, she
6:32:45ducked underneath his blade's flaming
6:32:47path and went for his open body. Only
6:32:50Carl simply took one hand off the blade
6:32:52and swatted her sword away, letting
6:32:55refreshing lightning take the damage as
6:32:57he charged into her with his shoulder,
6:32:59knocking the smaller fighter from her
6:33:00feet. Once she was in the air, didn't
6:33:03let her hit the ground and get away. The
6:33:06unarmed combat class had taught him
6:33:08better. Instead, he dismissed his sword
6:33:11and grabbed her by the robes to reverse
6:33:13her momentum and hurl her across the
6:33:15clearing. Rose made a startled squeak as
6:33:18she found herself truly airborne, headed
6:33:20for the treetops at an alarming
6:33:22velocity. Corbin caught her in a net of
6:33:24water magic and set the spells word back
6:33:26on the ground. Freewevel.com.
6:33:31That was dirty fighting. Rose
6:33:33complained. He's as strong as an
6:33:36ascended giant. It's a good thing that I
6:33:39caught you or you'd be stuck in the
6:33:40treetops right now. I know you can win
6:33:43step to get down, but it is slower than
6:33:45his normal movement speed thanks to that
6:33:48monstrous strength. That's why beating a
6:33:50solo monster a rank above you is the
6:33:52challenge I have set. They're not as
6:33:55smart as a human or as agile. Corbin
6:33:58chastised her. I understand. Instructor,
6:34:03I have lost. She sighed.
6:34:06See, that's my muffin. You learned so
6:34:10fast. Carl wasn't certain that was
6:34:12actually an improvement, but the way the
6:34:14others smiled made it seem like a term
6:34:16of endearment. Perhaps they were
6:34:19related. That might explain the teasing,
6:34:22but they didn't look alike. I know his
6:34:24tricks now. I will win for certain next
6:34:28time. She agreed. And that will have to
6:34:31wait until after the mission. I don't
6:34:34want any of you challenging each other
6:34:36in the wilderness.
6:34:37Now, I have the maps for all four
6:34:40groups, and then we can all get going.
6:34:42The two commanders moved to stand next
6:34:44to Daryl and Darren, and Prince Corbin
6:34:47moved to stand next to Rose while he
6:34:48handed Alice the updated map of the area
6:34:51with monster sightings and harvested
6:34:52resources.
6:34:54Alice looked over the map and nodded. It
6:34:57hadn't changed too much since yesterday
6:34:59when theirs was updated. Good luck. And
6:35:02if you need anything, look for us. We
6:35:05have two healers, and both can magically
6:35:07repair gear. So, if you damage a blade
6:35:10or your armor in combat, we can get you
6:35:12going again," Alice reminded them. The
6:35:16spells words all raced off into the
6:35:17woods to get started on their mission,
6:35:19while Alice gestured toward the mountain
6:35:21northeast of them. "That is our first
6:35:24target. There have been strange
6:35:26sightings around the base of the
6:35:27mountain, and it might mean that
6:35:29whatever we're looking for has been
6:35:30hidden there. She instructed the group.
6:35:34Carl moved to the point position and
6:35:36called out Hawk to begin reconnaissance.
6:35:39This place is busy. There are monsters
6:35:42everywhere.
6:35:43Furry ones, big furry ones, scaly ones,
6:35:47big scaly ones. Hawk notorized his
6:35:50estimation of their threat level. There
6:35:53was only one problem. He had no idea
6:35:55what any of these creatures were called.
6:35:58He had never seen them before, and he
6:36:00hadn't seen them in the lesson books
6:36:01that Carl had gone through back at the
6:36:03academy when they were studying monsters
6:36:05to help his growth rate. Well, there are
6:36:08officially monsters everywhere. If I
6:36:11knew what they were, I would tell you,
6:36:13but there are big, scaly ones coming
6:36:15this way, Carl informed the group. All
6:36:18right, let's move toward them. We don't
6:36:21want to lead monsters to the assembly
6:36:23point, Alice ordered. Thor roared in
6:36:27rage as Carl called him out to prepare
6:36:29for the fight. He couldn't see the enemy
6:36:32yet, but he could smell them, and every
6:36:34Sarah knew the smell of their natural
6:36:36predators. The scaly things are some
6:36:38sort of bipeedal lizard. Carl relayed as
6:36:42he tried to interpret Thor's enraged
6:36:44thoughts. His mind just called them
6:36:46enemies, and the seropacs didn't have a
6:36:49name for them either, but there was no
6:36:50doubt that they were carnivorous and
6:36:52pack hunters. What he hadn't expected
6:36:55was the size. The first of them came
6:36:58crashing through the trees, standing 3 m
6:37:00tall, but nearly 7 m long as it stood on
6:37:03two powerful legs with its tail
6:37:05extending behind it, and Carl could hear
6:37:07more of them coming. Thor bugled a
6:37:09challenge at them, and the reptilian
6:37:11beasts turned to charge at their natural
6:37:13prey, forgetting about the small humans
6:37:15in favor of a real meal. This lightning
6:37:18Sarah was no pushover like his average
6:37:20pack kin, and Thor whipped his
6:37:22armor-plated tail ball at the first one
6:37:24to charge, sending it careening into a
6:37:26tree, where Carl was able to get a good
6:37:28swing at it. His body surged with power
6:37:31as the two clerics both buffed him. And
6:37:33his blade shown with holy light under
6:37:35the fire as it cleaved down into the
6:37:37creature's neck, leaving the awakened
6:37:39ranked beast's muscles severed and the
6:37:41head tilted at an odd angle as it
6:37:43crashed to the ground and bled out on
6:37:44the mossy ground. That curbed the
6:37:47enthusiasm of the other two monsters
6:37:49that had been incoming, but they had
6:37:51bigger problems than Carl and his sword.
6:37:53The clerics had also buffed Ray and her
6:37:56spider golems, which had just jumped out
6:37:58of the trees and onto the back of one,
6:38:00while Alice's golem cut off the escape
6:38:02route for another. Dana's golems were
6:38:05already surrounding the beast, and with
6:38:06the additional damage that they had
6:38:08gained when she learned destruction,
6:38:10which added damage to all her spells,
6:38:12the two stone golems, who were now armed
6:38:15and armored, were having no problems
6:38:16hacking through the thick hide. It was a
6:38:19huge improvement from before they had
6:38:21found the system stones. And even if the
6:38:23two mages hadn't been casting anything
6:38:25else, the two awakened ranked golems
6:38:27would have easily defeated the beast.
6:38:30The new weapons and armor were a real
6:38:32upgrade for the golem, and the stacked
6:38:34improvements were quickly putting Dana
6:38:35near the top of the awakened rank for
6:38:37combat power. The smaller furry things
6:38:40are coming your way. Maybe dogs, Hawk
6:38:44suggested.
6:38:46The last of the reptiles hadn't even
6:38:47finished twitching yet, and there were
6:38:49already more attackers. But if they were
6:38:51wolves, it wouldn't be so bad. Wolves he
6:38:55could handle. But of course, that wasn't
6:38:58the case. Hulk knew what wolves were,
6:39:01and these were not it. They had a
6:39:04similar muzzle structure, but they were
6:39:06the size of a bear, and they had wings,
6:39:09actual leathery wings. But those were
6:39:12less concerning than the size of the
6:39:14claws on their feet. As Carl parried an
6:39:16incoming attack, the claws sparked like
6:39:19steel as they met the fire magic on his
6:39:21blade, but they didn't appear to be
6:39:23damaged. Carl stepped back to put
6:39:25himself into Thor's circle of protection
6:39:28while remaining between the monsters and
6:39:30the rest of the group. That retreat
6:39:32seemed to be a signal to the beasts, and
6:39:34they teamed up to grab one of the bodies
6:39:36and drag it away. The group decided to
6:39:39just let them go for the moment until
6:39:41they could figure out what they had just
6:39:43been attacked by.
6:39:44Is anyone familiar with those? Alice
6:39:47asked hopefully, looking at Lotus. I
6:39:50know countless monsters, but not that. I
6:39:54almost thought it was an overgrown
6:39:55hellhound, but there was no fire or
6:39:58brimstone smell, Lotus replied. Their
6:40:02claws didn't shatter against an ascended
6:40:04rank skill, so they're at least that
6:40:06tough, Carl added. Ask Hawk what else is
6:40:10in the area, and for a more detailed
6:40:12description.
6:40:13Something is really wrong here, and I
6:40:15hope that the other groups will be all
6:40:17right since they went out in pairs, and
6:40:19the beasts here seemed to operate in
6:40:21packs. Alice replied, "That was a good
6:40:25point. The awakened spellblades would be
6:40:28a liability in a fight like that, and
6:40:30there was only one commander with the
6:40:32boys. The royal rank mage was a
6:40:34different story. He had enough power
6:40:36that nothing here would be a real
6:40:38concern to him. But if they saw the
6:40:40others, they should at least give them
6:40:41some warning. There are no more of the
6:40:44big lizards. They ran away when they saw
6:40:46the furry things. Those are taking the
6:40:49food they stole back toward a cave in
6:40:51the hills to your east. Freewe novel.cm.
6:40:55There are smaller lizard men and other
6:40:57furry things that stand upright. Hawk
6:41:00finished with a detailed list of where
6:41:02they all were, which Carl relayed to
6:41:04Alice, who plotted their course for the
6:41:06day. We don't want to be fighting all
6:41:09day and night. But we do need to clear
6:41:11many of the monsters in this area if we
6:41:13are going to do any searching for hidden
6:41:14resources.
6:41:16So I have set a course that will lead us
6:41:18to the first suspected anomaly point
6:41:20which we will set up camp near and
6:41:22explore in the morning. It is unlikely
6:41:25that we will have a peaceful night
6:41:26tonight. So I will ask Ry to return to
6:41:28her space and get some rest well before
6:41:30dark. She will be needed to keep every
6:41:33watch with us after it is too dark for
6:41:35Hawk to see well. But she will also need
6:41:37to help set up a safe fort for us
6:41:39tonight. Carl nodded in agreement.
6:41:42Sleeping on the ground seems like a bad
6:41:44idea for tonight with those predators
6:41:46wandering the area. Do we know what the
6:41:49bipeedal furry things might be? Some
6:41:52sort of monkey or ape that might chase
6:41:54us into the trees? Lotus frowned. I
6:41:58don't think so. It's going to be close
6:42:00to freezing overnight and even worse
6:42:02further into the hills. I think that
6:42:05they will more likely be a species of
6:42:06yeti than apes. Everyone else waited for
6:42:09Lotus to elaborate as they weren't
6:42:11familiar with the species. The level of
6:42:14intelligence and the type of magic that
6:42:16were innate to the species could make a
6:42:18significant difference to their plans.
6:42:21They're about as smart as ape-type
6:42:22monsters, which is to say more
6:42:24intelligent than most. They also have
6:42:27opposable thumbs, so they can use
6:42:29handheld weapons. They have a thick hide
6:42:32under dense fur that makes for durable
6:42:34armor and they are virtually immune to
6:42:36water and wind type attacks. Fire is
6:42:39their great bane and they will usually
6:42:41run if there is fire involved as they
6:42:43cannot survive long in the heat. Full
6:42:46grown, they are ascended rank, usually
6:42:48on the low side, but they travel in
6:42:50packs of up to 10 plus any juveniles
6:42:52that haven't moved on to form their own
6:42:54group yet. Alice nodded.
6:42:58So, we're looking at up to a dozen
6:43:00intelligent ascended rank monsters at a
6:43:02time. What does Hawk have to say on
6:43:04their numbers? Carl conferred with Hawk
6:43:07for a moment. He counts five in this
6:43:10group, and two are smaller juveniles at
6:43:12the awakened rank, but no females.
6:43:15Lotus frowned. That means they'll be
6:43:18extra aggressive. They're not
6:43:21particularly protective of their
6:43:22females, but they get extremely violent
6:43:24when they don't have any in the pack.
6:43:27Alice turned to Carl. It looks like
6:43:30you'll be at the front again as fire
6:43:32magic is their weakness. Lead the way
6:43:35and we will take them out before moving
6:43:36on. Carl followed Hawk's directions to
6:43:40the pack of what turned out to be Yeti,
6:43:41which were essentially furry orcs in
6:43:43Carl's mind. They were the same size,
6:43:46and though they didn't use weapons and
6:43:48preferred their claws and ice magic,
6:43:50they were on the same near human
6:43:52intelligence level. The group of them
6:43:54stared down Carl as he approached alone
6:43:56out of the trees, then growled when he
6:43:59brought up refreshing lightning and
6:44:01flaming body. The fire magic enraged
6:44:04them, and the pure gall of this human to
6:44:06think that he could take on an entire
6:44:08yeti clan on his own showed them that he
6:44:10did not respect them nearly enough. But
6:44:13Carl wasn't alone. He was just the
6:44:15distraction, and the others had
6:44:16surrounded the group while he postured
6:44:18and wasted time. We're in place, Ry
6:44:22informed him, and Carl launched into
6:44:24action. His blade swatted away a flurry
6:44:27of ice bolts as the mages summoned their
6:44:29golems. Then Ren blocked the claws of
6:44:32the largest yeti. The beast was fast,
6:44:35blindingly fast with the swirl of snow
6:44:37and fog that surrounded it, making it
6:44:39hard for Carl to properly target. As
6:44:41they traded strikes, he saw an opening
6:44:44and went in for the kill, driving his
6:44:46blade straight into the chest of the
6:44:48oversized beast.
6:44:50But the blade found no purchase, and the
6:44:52ice covered fur simply turned it aside
6:44:54with a cloud of steam as the clashing
6:44:56elements fought for dominance. The two
6:44:59of them were evenly matched in power,
6:45:01and the yeti's claws caused Carl's
6:45:03lightning barrier to flicker as it took
6:45:04advantage of his overextension.
6:45:07The two of them moved back to regroup,
6:45:09completely focused on their own battle,
6:45:11while the other, weaker members of the
6:45:13Yeti clan were handled by the others.
6:45:16The yeti's claws were surrounded by ice
6:45:18magic the same way that Carl did with
6:45:20Ren when he was fighting with claws, but
6:45:22against an opponent so much larger, it
6:45:24was better to use the two-handed blade.
6:45:27It could still throw attacks just fine,
6:45:29and he had the skill to use them without
6:45:31an actual weapon now. But the Yeti was
6:45:34born to the power of ice. It was no
6:45:37slouch in combat, and for a few minutes,
6:45:39neither of them could get through the
6:45:41others defenses. The advantage changed
6:45:44as they fought. An offensive adaptation
6:45:46began to give Carl the edge, allowing
6:45:48him to reduce the power he was using in
6:45:50the fight while the Yeti was getting
6:45:52tired. But the final decision was made
6:45:55by Rey, who finished her opponents and
6:45:57drove both sharp forlims through the
6:45:59back of the Yeti, impaling it through
6:46:01the heart and lungs, killing it before
6:46:02it even realized it had been ambushed.
6:46:05"You were taking too long," she
6:46:08complained.
6:46:10feed null.c Sigma M. All the other yeti
6:46:13were dead and the group had moved up to
6:46:15make certain they were within range of
6:46:17circle of protection in case something
6:46:19was attracted to the noise. Hawk, what
6:46:22do we have out there? Carl asked more
6:46:26big walking furry things. Once you get
6:46:29past the next hill, the mountains are
6:46:31all covered in snow and they're
6:46:33scattered everywhere. I think they live
6:46:36in the caves. Hawk says there are many
6:46:39more yetis around and that they're
6:46:40living in caves in the mountains. Carl
6:46:43explained to the group that means this
6:46:46might be the spot. There shouldn't be
6:46:48yeti here. There shouldn't even be snow
6:46:51here. But there is. I think that we will
6:46:55need to find a safe spot in the
6:46:57mountains and check for entrances to the
6:46:58caves tomorrow morning. Alice
6:47:01instructed.
6:47:03They still had a lot of daylight left,
6:47:05which would give Hawk time to search for
6:47:06a safe spot for the evening. The black
6:47:09clothes people are fighting yeti ahead
6:47:11on your left. Then there are more yetis
6:47:13coming from every direction except yours
6:47:15toward them. Hawk informed him in a
6:47:17helpful tone. Hawk says that a fight
6:47:20between the spells words and the local
6:47:22beasts has attracted every yeti for a
6:47:24few kilome.
6:47:26Carl sighed. We should go help. If there
6:47:30are that many, it could spell trouble
6:47:32for them. They're here to challenge a
6:47:34beast above their level, not do a mass
6:47:36clearance of the monsters. That's closer
6:47:39to our mission, though our primary
6:47:41purpose is to look for opportunities.
6:47:44Alice agreed. The way to the battle was
6:47:47clear, as everything was already headed
6:47:49their way, and Carl could hear the
6:47:51frantic battle and feel the crackling of
6:47:53magic up ahead as the spells words
6:47:55fought. I will lead the way in so they
6:47:58don't attack Thor and the others. He
6:48:01called back to the group. Tessa climbed
6:48:04on Thor and Ray grabbed Lotus while Dana
6:48:07and Alice caught rides from Dana's
6:48:08golems. It was the most energyefficient
6:48:12way to travel for them and it would get
6:48:13them to the battle much more quickly
6:48:15than walking. When Carl arrived, he
6:48:18found that the commotion was focused
6:48:20around Larry and Daryl. They were
6:48:22similarly built, dark-haired young men,
6:48:25though the commander, Larry, was a solid
6:48:27decade older, and Daryl was still a
6:48:29student close to Carl's age. The pair
6:48:32were engaged in a desperate battle
6:48:34against five ascended rank yeti, similar
6:48:36to the one that Carl had been fighting
6:48:38earlier. The battle was not going well
6:48:41for them, and they were reduced to
6:48:42fighting backto back, despite Larry
6:48:44having a rank advantage on the beasts.
6:48:47The Sero and Spider are mine. We're here
6:48:50to help.
6:48:52Carl called as he charged into the
6:48:53battle, activating the flames on his
6:48:55sword to distract the Yeti clans. Again,
6:48:59there didn't appear to be any females in
6:49:01the group, and what Lotus had said about
6:49:02the male monsters getting aggressive
6:49:04when there were no females around seemed
6:49:06to be true. The monsters charged Carl,
6:49:09but with the experience he had from the
6:49:11first fight, he knew the easy way to get
6:49:13one over on them. With the flaming body
6:49:16effect on his blade set to somewhat
6:49:18weak, Carl charged straight in.
6:49:21The weak attack would give the monster a
6:49:23false sense of superiority. And then at
6:49:25the last second, Carl launched Shred to
6:49:28break the ice barrier on the monster
6:49:30before bringing the flames to full
6:49:32output and driving the blade deep into
6:49:34its chest. He kicked the beast away from
6:49:37him, sending it flying with his blade in
6:49:39its chest, knocking two more of the yeti
6:49:41over. That took a lot of the pressure
6:49:44from the belleaguered spells words, who
6:49:45looked concerned that he had just kicked
6:49:47his blade across the battlefield.
6:49:50Carl dismissed the blade and brought it
6:49:51back to his hands, refreshing the flames
6:49:54over it as he used Ren to block the next
6:49:56three attacks from the other beasts.
6:49:58Thor was there now and raise golems,
6:50:01which meant that Lotus and the spider
6:50:02were somewhere nearby. Damn, it's good
6:50:06to see you. Can you get the clerics to
6:50:08treat Daryl? He's half paralyzed from
6:50:11the ice attacks and he's too slow to
6:50:13fight properly.
6:50:15Larry asked. Thor charged over with
6:50:18Tessa, knocking the last of the yetis
6:50:20away from the magic warriors and giving
6:50:22her a chance to dismount while he
6:50:24fought. Tessa assessed the young mage. I
6:50:28will take care of him. You help Thor.
6:50:31He's got a circle of protection active,
6:50:33and it should include you, but his
6:50:35attack power is lower than his defense.
6:50:38The group moved to the middle of the
6:50:40clearing while Carl and the spider
6:50:42golems forced the enemies back to give
6:50:44the mages time to recover and prepare
6:50:45for a drawn out battle. Alice turned to
6:50:48the other commander and Larry frowned.
6:50:51"I take it that you have bad news for
6:50:53me," he asked before she could speak.
6:50:57"All sorts of it. Your battle here
6:50:59attracted every monster for kilometers.
6:51:03Or perhaps something else in the area
6:51:04did, but they're all coming here. Don't
6:51:07burn through your mana too quickly.
6:51:09You'll need it soon, she warned. Is
6:51:13there any good news? Larry asked,
6:51:16smiling in a way that said he knew they
6:51:18were in trouble. We've got five golems
6:51:21to fight for us, a circle of protection,
6:51:23two clerics, and a lightning serenate
6:51:26stamina. That's the best that I can
6:51:29offer. Some of these beasts are a match
6:51:32for an elite on the same level, Alice
6:51:35replied.
6:51:36Some of them are a match for an elite
6:51:38above their level. I had trouble with a
6:51:41high ascended rankwinged wolf earlier.
6:51:44As if summoned, Lotus dropped down from
6:51:46the trees on a string of spider silk. Do
6:51:49you know what those things are? I didn't
6:51:51recognize them. She asked. Larry shook
6:51:56his head. No, I've never seen anything
6:51:59like them, but it's as good a name as
6:52:01any. There were more sounds of combat
6:52:04coming their way as if someone were
6:52:06fighting a running retreat. So Carl had
6:52:08Thor bugle out a greeting that should
6:52:10bring the humans their way. If it were
6:52:13the other spells words, they should know
6:52:15that he had beasts with him. And if it
6:52:16were other elites, they might come to
6:52:18what sounded like a seropac for safety.
6:52:21The animals were herbivores, but they
6:52:23would fight back viciously if other
6:52:25monsters attacked them. A second later,
6:52:28Prince Corbin was next to them with a
6:52:30bloodcovered blade in one hand and an
6:52:32unconscious rose in the other. Tessa
6:52:35immediately began a healing prayer spell
6:52:37and golden light surrounded the injured
6:52:39girl. What happened? Carl asked. The
6:52:44damned tunnels happened. The entrances
6:52:47were covered in ice until we passed. And
6:52:49then the Yeti clans came flooding out to
6:52:51fight. I killed hundreds of them until I
6:52:54started to run out of mana and they
6:52:56broke the barrier over Rose. He
6:52:59explained, "If they broke the barriers
6:53:01of a royal rank mage, that meant that
6:53:04they likely had multiple commanders with
6:53:05them, and that was bad news for
6:53:07everyone. How many are still following
6:53:10you?" Alice asked, forming a battle plan
6:53:13that didn't involve being here in the
6:53:15trees when the yeti attacked. Not more
6:53:18than 10, but I ran into more that were
6:53:20already headed this way. He sighed.
6:53:23About 30 now, counting the ones from the
6:53:26other sides. Hawk updated. Our scout
6:53:30says 30 in total, coming from three
6:53:32sides. The way we came from is still
6:53:35clear. Carl relayed. Corbin looked
6:53:39suspicious.
6:53:41Why are they all over us like fat kids
6:53:43on a cupcake? And there is no horde of
6:53:45angry monsters coming your way. Carl
6:53:47shrugged. They are now that we're
6:53:50standing next to you. It might be a
6:53:52smell thing, either your magic or
6:53:54something about all of you. Ray sniffed
6:53:57the air, but didn't detect anything. She
6:54:00could sense their magic, but that wasn't
6:54:02a long- ranged ability. The monsters
6:54:05spread out to circle them, roaring and
6:54:07grunting in a primitive language that
6:54:09was effective enough to arrange the
6:54:10battle. Any words of wisdom?
6:54:14Lotus whispered to Carl as the monsters
6:54:16came into view. "Yeah, I don't think
6:54:18they can climb trees, so if things go
6:54:21sideways, get ready to pull you up out
6:54:23of sight." Carl whispered back. The tiny
6:54:27nature priestess smiled and patted him
6:54:29on the back, and Carl shifted position
6:54:31so that the golems, plus him and Thor,
6:54:33made up the outer rank of defenders.
6:54:36Prince Corbin needed a moment to catch
6:54:38his breath and recover his mana. While
6:54:40Rose was still recovering under the
6:54:42effects of Tessa's magic, and the other
6:54:44spells words were not tank type
6:54:45fighters, so they would join after the
6:54:47first charge was blocked. We could use
6:54:50some more room to fight. Prince Corbin
6:54:53sighed as he assessed the dense trees in
6:54:55front of them. Thor gave a whistling
6:54:57snort in response, and when the first of
6:54:59the yeti began to move forward, he
6:55:01smashed the ground with his tail,
6:55:03dropping a dozen trees with earthquake.
6:55:06"Well, that's one way to do it. All
6:55:09right, once the fight starts, I will
6:55:11clear a few more trees from our path so
6:55:14we don't have to dodge them as we
6:55:15fight." Ry was not a fan of that plan.
6:55:18She was intending to use the trees as a
6:55:20chance to ambush from above. But even if
6:55:23she had to go a few extra meters, it
6:55:25shouldn't hurt her tactics too much. The
6:55:28attackers paused as they saw the
6:55:29destructive potential of the lightning
6:55:31serow and the formation of humans
6:55:33arrayed against them. The Yeti clans
6:55:36might not often fight in large groups,
6:55:38but that didn't mean they were incapable
6:55:39of it. And after a few seconds, they
6:55:42began to shift positions, intending to
6:55:44swarm the two awakened ranked golems,
6:55:46which were the softest target on the
6:55:48outer loop. That was a monumental
6:55:50mistake, as right behind them was Prince
6:55:52Corbin, and no sooner had the yeti
6:55:55attack reached the golems than they were
6:55:56sliced clean in half by a blade of wind.
6:55:59The ones behind them couldn't understand
6:56:01what went wrong. The wind blades were
6:56:04nearly invisible, and with the swirling
6:56:06snow and fog, they had never even seen
6:56:08them coming. To the others, it looked
6:56:11like the two awakened ranked golems had
6:56:13taken out the first to attack.
6:56:16So, they all charged at once, intent on
6:56:18overcoming the humans by pure force if a
6:56:20targeted strike wasn't going to work.
6:56:23Thor's circle of protection flared,
6:56:25surrounding the defensive formation.
6:56:28That was all the courage Carl needed as
6:56:30he sent the strongest shred that he
6:56:32could into the incoming wave of yeti
6:56:34warriors.
6:56:35Hey, these other ones have weapons. Hawk
6:56:39warned them just as Carl's shred took
6:56:41out a trio of furred monsters. Hawk says
6:56:44that the next ones coming have weapons.
6:56:47Carl warned as he sent a rend attack
6:56:50straight forward with an overhand slice.
6:56:53Yeti don't use weapons. Corbin called
6:56:56back as he defended the point behind
6:56:58Dana's golems. Do you think someone
6:57:01forgot to tell them that? Carl asked,
6:57:04using a rend attack to highlight the
6:57:06fact that there were ones with weapons
6:57:07already in sight. That's not right
6:57:11at all. Alice cursed as she saw what
6:57:14Hawk was informing Carl of How is our
6:57:17count? Tessa called as she refreshed the
6:57:20buffs on everyone's weapons and stamina.
6:57:23Not more than 12. All extra strong with
6:57:26weapons. I don't think that the count
6:57:28will matter for long. Daryl and Darren
6:57:31just paged for emergency rescue. They're
6:57:34too far from here for us to get to, but
6:57:36there are other elites nearby and
6:57:38they're all having issues. Corbin
6:57:41informed them. He had an earbud in so he
6:57:44could hear all the radio updates. And
6:57:47things were suddenly chaotic for
6:57:48everyone who was within communications
6:57:50range. Carl stared down a pair of
6:57:53oversized yetis who were wielding short
6:57:55swords in both hands with eyes glowing
6:57:57like blue gemstones as they channeled
6:57:59magic. Carl stepped forward to give
6:58:02himself room to fight, but mentally made
6:58:04a note of Thor's circle of protection.
6:58:07If he was going to go two-on-one against
6:58:09commander rank monsters, he was going to
6:58:11need all the help he could get. He
6:58:14wasn't the only one that was about to be
6:58:15in trouble. All the armed monsters were
6:58:18commander rank beasts, and their ice
6:58:20magic was resonating with that of the
6:58:21ones near them, creating a swirling
6:58:23vortex of ice around the battlefield.
6:58:26"Hawk, find us a way out of here." "A
6:58:29nice cave somewhere that we can't be
6:58:32surrounded by these things," Carl
6:58:34instructed as the bird circled overhead,
6:58:36still scouting until he was given orders
6:58:38to attack. "Got it! I will look for
6:58:42something." The creature in front of
6:58:44Carl turned up its mouth into a sneer,
6:58:47and the two attacked in unison, sending
6:58:49a wave of ice Carl's way. A flick of his
6:58:52wrist sent a wave of flame toward them,
6:58:54intercepting the icicles, but most of
6:58:56them still made it through, slamming
6:58:58into his refreshing lightning barrier
6:59:01and draining his energy. That was the
6:59:04insidious part of the ice attacks. They
6:59:06tried to slow you until you were frozen,
6:59:08and they could eat you at their leisure.
6:59:10Tessa's magic warmed him from the
6:59:12inside, and Lotus had cast a spell over
6:59:14the area that was counteracting the ice
6:59:16magic with plants. But it wasn't enough,
6:59:19as each of the beasts were individually
6:59:21stronger than she was, and their magic
6:59:23resonated. Another volley was partially
6:59:26blocked as Carl switched to using Rend,
6:59:28which had already optimized itself
6:59:30against the Yeti magic, and cut deep
6:59:32gouges into the closer of his two
6:59:34targets. But in return, Carl took a
6:59:36direct hit that punched through his
6:59:38lightning barrier, leaving a bleeding
6:59:39wound in his side that quickly closed
6:59:41under the effects of lotus magic. We
6:59:44need to get out of here. Alice called as
6:59:47she took out one of the monsters
6:59:48fighting her golem. Larry was with Thor
6:59:52still, and Corbin was with Dana's
6:59:53golems, which she was using all her
6:59:55focus to keep active as they took
6:59:57continual hits from the ice magic. Hawk
7:00:00is on it. He will have something soon.
7:00:04Carl called back as Ray crept down the
7:00:06trees to launch a surprise attack on the
7:00:08yeti's back before vanishing again. They
7:00:11weren't healing quickly and within 10
7:00:13seconds the blood was beginning to pool
7:00:15at its feet from the wound. That was a
7:00:18good sign and Carl expanded flaming body
7:00:21to cover all of himself over the
7:00:23lightning barrier. It would break first
7:00:26and wouldn't be available to attack for
7:00:27a bit afterwards. But the fire did a
7:00:29much better job of negating the damage
7:00:31from the ice attacks, and Carl couldn't
7:00:33afford too many more hits like the last
7:00:35one. If it wasn't for the flying spells
7:00:38and the two spells words darting in and
7:00:40out to slice and chop at the beasts, it
7:00:42would almost look like a stalemate on
7:00:44the battlefield. But when Ry got a
7:00:46flurry of attacks into the back of the
7:00:48second beast that Carl was fighting, and
7:00:50her golems went on a kamicazi mission to
7:00:52support Larry on Thor's side of the
7:00:53encirclement, Carl knew that it was
7:00:56almost time for them to go. When there
7:00:58is a chance, run to Thor's side. 500
7:01:02meters that way is a cave with nothing
7:01:04inside. Hawk explained.
7:01:07Everyone get ready to move. Punch
7:01:10through on Thor's side and keep moving
7:01:12500 m to a cave. Got it. I will shift
7:01:17sides for a hard push. You take the rear
7:01:19guard. Everyone else, run as fast as you
7:01:22can, but stay together. Prince Corbin
7:01:26instructed.
7:01:27Prince Corbin attacked through the
7:01:29breach on Thor's side of the circle
7:01:30faster than most of the elitees eyes
7:01:32could follow, cutting down a swathe of
7:01:34yetis and burning through his mana to
7:01:36get everyone clear of the encirclement.
7:01:38Tessa pulled Alice and Dana up on Thor's
7:01:41back while Ray grabbed Lotus with a
7:01:43strand of silk and pulled her into the
7:01:44trees, escaping the encirclement before
7:01:47the furry monsters could even realize
7:01:48that the nature priestess was unharmed.
7:01:51The golems held their positions around
7:01:53Thor while the spell's words used their
7:01:55magic to increase their movement speed
7:01:57and keep in the protective circle around
7:01:59the lightning.
7:02:01Carl chased after them, using fire to
7:02:03keep the monsters at bay as everyone
7:02:05ran, ignoring their injuries and
7:02:07exhaustion to keep up with the royal
7:02:09rank mage and the rampaging Sero. The
7:02:12golems were the first to fall, forced to
7:02:14stop to hold off the wave of attackers.
7:02:17Then Daryl took an ice bolt to the knee
7:02:19that dropped him to the ground, leaving
7:02:21him far behind the main group. Carl
7:02:23picked up the wounded spells word as the
7:02:25man downed a healing potion, then hurled
7:02:28him back ahead and into the main group.
7:02:30At the back of the pack, they were
7:02:32taking too many attacks for the
7:02:34exhausted mage to keep his armor up. But
7:02:36Carl's lightning was still holding
7:02:37strong as he hurled attacks at the
7:02:39monsters approaching the sides of the
7:02:41group. The monsters were as fast as
7:02:43Thor, and they weren't giving up the
7:02:45chase. But the constant barrage of
7:02:47attacks was keeping them from closing in
7:02:49again. As 300 m passed, then 400 and the
7:02:53cave came into sight. Lotus and Ry were
7:02:56already waiting for them along with the
7:02:58spider golems, which Ry could only
7:03:00summon next to her after they had fallen
7:03:02in battle. Once they were closer, the
7:03:05mages created new golems to defend the
7:03:07cave mouth, and everyone dismounted from
7:03:09Thor as he stopped to guard the
7:03:11entrance. But the Yeti clans were no
7:03:14longer following them.
7:03:15Once they got within 50 m of the caves,
7:03:18the beasts broke off the chase, milling
7:03:20about, but unwilling to get too close to
7:03:23the caverns.
7:03:24That was probably not a good thing, Carl
7:03:27decided. But for the moment, it was
7:03:29keeping them from being attacked, and Ry
7:03:31had disappeared inside to scout, but
7:03:34didn't find anything at all other than
7:03:35stone walls and some dripping water from
7:03:37the melting snow above. Once everyone
7:03:40was inside, they dismissed the golems,
7:03:42and Carl called Thor back into his
7:03:44space. The Yeti clan still weren't
7:03:47approaching, so it wasn't the defensive
7:03:49force that was keeping them away, but
7:03:51something about the area around the
7:03:53cave. Hawk, do you see anything
7:03:55threatening above? Something that might
7:03:58actually be a danger to a commander rank
7:04:00yeti? Carl asked, "Nothing.
7:04:05Other than them, there is nothing here.
7:04:08Not even mice. That didn't sound
7:04:10promising, but they would have to work
7:04:12with it. Ry returned empty-handed, but
7:04:15with insight about the caves. They
7:04:18extend another 15 m. Then they stop at a
7:04:21stone wall with water flowing down it.
7:04:24The water runs out somewhere at the
7:04:26bottom, but I'm too big to fit in there.
7:04:28We should be safe in here, she
7:04:31explained.
7:04:33Ry says the caves are empty, but there
7:04:35is a water drain at the back wall, so
7:04:37they're not completely sealed. We should
7:04:40be able to hide and rest here, then
7:04:42continue in the morning." Carl whispered
7:04:44to Alice, so he didn't alert anything
7:04:46outside. Corbin cast a spell over the
7:04:50entrance, creating a false stone wall,
7:04:52and Carl called Hawk back to his space.
7:04:55"The three of you, get some sleep. If
7:04:58we're attacked, we will likely need all
7:05:00of you in your best shape again, he
7:05:03instructed.
7:05:04The trio settled into rest, and Carl
7:05:07turned his attention to the conversation
7:05:08between the commanders and Prince
7:05:10Corbin. There shouldn't have been
7:05:12commanders here at all, much less dozens
7:05:14of them with weapons. The anomaly was
7:05:17strong enough when we saw snow start to
7:05:19fall in these mountains, when it has
7:05:21never done that before. But to have
7:05:23sudden appearances of an entire force of
7:05:25commander ranked Yeti, that's far too
7:05:28unnatural.
7:05:29Prince Corbin was muttering. For once, I
7:05:33actually envy Daryl and Darren. They
7:05:35managed to get a ride out of here. Larry
7:05:38replied quietly. Corbin shook his head.
7:05:42No, they didn't. The helicopter was
7:05:44attacked and was forced to turn back.
7:05:47They joined up with the other elite
7:05:49units in the zone to gather and retreat
7:05:51on foot.
7:05:52The radio communications say that
7:05:54they're still alive, but they've been
7:05:56attacked multiple times as well. The
7:05:59strength of the attackers is falling as
7:06:00they head out of the hills, so we have
7:06:02to be close to the core of the problem.
7:06:04But I have no idea how we're going to
7:06:06even investigate it. Daryl and Rose are
7:06:09in no shape to be going anywhere and
7:06:11likely won't be until sometime tomorrow
7:06:13afternoon. And as we learned today, it's
7:06:15not even safe for me to travel alone
7:06:17here.
7:06:18I might be at the royal rank, but 10 or
7:06:2120 on one commander rank magic users are
7:06:24still going to overwhelm me. As he
7:06:26watched, Carl noticed that the healing
7:06:28of the group wasn't complete. Both
7:06:31Corbin and Larry were still showing
7:06:32distinct zones of cold where the
7:06:34damaging ice magic was lingering in
7:06:36their body, weakening them internally.
7:06:39The strongest fighters had been on the
7:06:41front lines, so they had taken the most
7:06:43damage. And while Lotus and Tessa were
7:06:45excellent healers, they weren't strong
7:06:47enough to immediately the strongest
7:06:48fighters had been on the front lines, so
7:06:50they had taken the most damage. And
7:06:52while Lotus and Tessa were counteract
7:06:54the magic of the Yeti ice, so he made
7:06:57his way over to the whispering group.
7:07:00Pardon my intrusion, but I think it
7:07:02might be best if none of us move too
7:07:04soon. I have thermal vision, and I can
7:07:07literally see the lingering ice magic
7:07:08damage to your bodies.
7:07:11The magic will resonate with the next
7:07:12attack you suffer, freezing you more
7:07:14quickly. Once that starts to happen,
7:07:17we're screwed. Carl whispered. Larry
7:07:21cursed, then softly laughed. You're one
7:07:24to speak. I can still see the ice on
7:07:27your armor. Carl looked down and
7:07:30realized that he had 10 times as much
7:07:32lingering damage as they had, despite
7:07:34the refreshing lightning, that he still
7:07:36had active working to nullify it. The
7:07:39spell itself had cold spots where it was
7:07:41fighting off the lingering spell
7:07:43effects, and Carl frowned at the
7:07:45pernitious nature of the attacks. It had
7:07:48been hours, and the magic hadn't even
7:07:50made it through his defenses, but it was
7:07:52still lingering, and if he took down the
7:07:54lightning, it would succeed.
7:07:56Instead, he coated himself in flaming
7:07:59body, lighting up the cave like a beacon
7:08:01and rapidly warming the area as well.
7:08:04that nullified the lingering magic on
7:08:06his body in only a few seconds, leaving
7:08:08a nice, even warmth in the cavern.
7:08:11Problem solved. Carl checked on the
7:08:14beasts in their spaces and found that
7:08:16both Hawk and Ray were predictably fine.
7:08:19They weren't frontline fighters, but Ry
7:08:22looked distracted.
7:08:23She was trying to learn something again,
7:08:26so Carl left her to it. She was the
7:08:28smartest of the three, and if it was
7:08:30possible for her to learn a new skill,
7:08:32she would have it soon.
7:08:34Thor still had cold spots all over his
7:08:36body, but he had increased the
7:08:38temperature of the springs in his space,
7:08:40and the holy stones were dissipating the
7:08:42lingering magic at a visible pace. The
7:08:45others in the group looked all right,
7:08:46though Rose was exhausted from the after
7:08:48effects of all the healing magic that
7:08:50had been used on her, and Daryl was
7:08:52hiding bruises all over his body that
7:08:54Carl could see as slightly flushed areas
7:08:56where the warmer blood was close to the
7:08:58surface.
7:08:59Lotus still had an area healing spell
7:09:01active. So a few minutes ago, everyone
7:09:04would have been much worse, and Tessa
7:09:06looked like she was already half asleep
7:09:08after the effort of keeping everyone
7:09:09buffed and the healing work she had done
7:09:11during the battle. While it was their
7:09:13most important ability, saving someone
7:09:15of their own rank from a near-death
7:09:17state or closing multiple critical
7:09:19wounds was an energyintensive activity.
7:09:22Doing it every 10 seconds for four
7:09:24different people must have stretched her
7:09:26abilities to the limit. As Thor relaxed
7:09:29in his pond, he activated Circle of
7:09:31Protection, which helped restore stamina
7:09:34as well as reducing damage. That was
7:09:37what everyone needed the most right now,
7:09:39and it was no trouble for him to keep it
7:09:41active while he napped. "Who is in shape
7:09:43for first watch?" Corbin whispered to
7:09:46the other commanders as the circle of
7:09:48protection settled over them. "I am. My
7:09:52skills refresh stamina, so I will keep
7:09:54first watch while my beasts rest. I can
7:09:57also see in absolute darkness, so there
7:10:00is no need to keep a light on for me.
7:10:02Carl replied,
7:10:04Larry chuckled. But it is for the rest
7:10:07of us. This place will be unnervingly
7:10:10black without one. Can you keep that
7:10:13flame spell of yours active, or is it
7:10:15draining even when it's not taking
7:10:17damage? Carl smiled and took out his
7:10:19bonded sword, then walked to the wall
7:10:21beside the entrance and stuck it into
7:10:23the stone with the flame surrounding it.
7:10:26He reduced them to a faint glow and
7:10:28return to the conversation.
7:10:30That should be a good enough nightlight
7:10:32for everyone as well as a decent space
7:10:34heater. It doesn't take any effort to
7:10:37keep active as it was intended to be a
7:10:39passive skill. Only when using it to
7:10:42attack or taking damage does it take
7:10:44effort. The blade was positively humming
7:10:47with energy today after all the fighting
7:10:49that it had gotten to do. Carl hadn't
7:10:52noticed with his injuries, but the
7:10:54amount of life that it had stolen was
7:10:55really rather excessive. It was only a
7:10:58small portion of the energy from each
7:11:00kill, but Carl had downed a significant
7:11:02number of monsters alone, including
7:11:04multiple commanders toward the end of
7:11:06the battle. The energy hadn't been fully
7:11:09assimilated by his body yet, but it soon
7:11:11would be, and he was focusing it all
7:11:13into the three focal points in the beast
7:11:15spaces. It didn't take all of his focus.
7:11:18So, as everyone ate their dinner, for
7:11:20which the Spellblades were happy to have
7:11:22a nature priest, and then settled into
7:11:24bed, Carl continued the energy transfer.
7:11:28Once everyone was asleep or on their way
7:11:30to it, he put most of his attention into
7:11:32it, leaving just enough to keep watching
7:11:34the tunnel entrance and the back wall in
7:11:36case something came from that direction.
7:11:39The back wall of the cave was only very
7:11:41dimly lit, even to his night sight, but
7:11:43the trickle of water was steady, and as
7:11:45Rey had said, it had to be going
7:11:47somewhere, as it wasn't filling the
7:11:49cave. Carl let them sleep a bit longer,
7:11:52as they had started the rotation of
7:11:54night watches early due to exhaustion,
7:11:56and waited 4 hours before he woke Tessa
7:11:58for the second watch. "The light will
7:12:01stay on while I meditate. I need to
7:12:03absorb the leeched energy from the
7:12:05battle. He whispered as she straightened
7:12:08her robes and brushed her hair. Is there
7:12:11anything to report? She asked. Nothing
7:12:15at all. It is eerily silent out there,
7:12:18and I don't hear anything moving near
7:12:19the cave mouth. The wind has died down a
7:12:23bit, so the noise of the trees is
7:12:24quieter, and I can hear some small
7:12:26animals, but nothing else.
7:12:29Carl settled into a deep trance while
7:12:31laying in his sleeping bag and was only
7:12:33vaguely aware that at some point Tessa
7:12:35had traded spots with Alice for the
7:12:37third watch. Alice had just traded spots
7:12:40with Prince Corbin when Carl felt
7:12:42something changing in his spaces. He had
7:12:44been stuffing them with excess energy
7:12:46that his body couldn't absorb quickly
7:12:48enough all night. And it was then, with
7:12:50a feeling that spread through his body
7:12:52like the ringing of a bell, just a
7:12:54subtle vibration that made every bit of
7:12:55his body sing with energy, they stopped
7:12:58changing, and a fourth space began to
7:13:00form. It already had a small focus in
7:13:03it, though it was otherwise barren and
7:13:05no larger than a bedroom instead of the
7:13:07acres of space that the others now
7:13:08encompassed. The change immediately woke
7:13:11the beasts up to see what was going on
7:13:13in their homes, and they all noticed the
7:13:15new addition.
7:13:17So our homes have reached the standard.
7:13:20Now we just need to make it to commander
7:13:22rank and we will be the powerful ones on
7:13:24the team. Hawk pined already imagining
7:13:27the majesty of his feathers when he
7:13:29reached commander rank. Yes, all shall
7:13:32bow down before us when we are
7:13:34commanders.
7:13:35Rey agreed. She mentally added maybe not
7:13:39that overlord Drake guy, but she was
7:13:41otherwise confident that the humans
7:13:43would no longer be her match. Carl
7:13:46sensed Corbin's attention on him and
7:13:48opened his eyes to acknowledge the royal
7:13:49rank mage, who had carefully arranged
7:13:52himself, and even trimmed his beard a
7:13:54little to look more youthful and less
7:13:55disheveled than he had at the start of
7:13:57the evening. All signs of lingering ice
7:14:00magic were gone, Carl noted with
7:14:02pleasure, meaning that their strongest
7:14:03fighter was back in top shape. "Did you
7:14:06make an advancement or gain an epiphany
7:14:08of some sort?" "I sensed the surge of
7:14:11power," Prince Corbin asked. My beast
7:14:15spaces made a breakthrough. They
7:14:18shouldn't be holding the beasts back
7:14:19anymore, and in due time, the team will
7:14:22be able to make it to commander rank, he
7:14:25explained quietly. The mage looked
7:14:27impressed.
7:14:29You know, it's a shame that someone with
7:14:31your potential wasn't scouted as a mage.
7:14:34With that level of mental fortitude, you
7:14:36should have a rather easy time learning
7:14:38new spells. Carl smiled at the thought.
7:14:42the beasts have an even easier time. I
7:14:45have a skill that helps them learn by
7:14:47watching or being instructed by others.
7:14:50If it's a compatible skill, then within
7:14:52a day or two of watching, they can
7:14:54usually get the basics of it down. We
7:14:56haven't had enough time to just stop and
7:14:58study new skills. But we also haven't
7:15:00come across many compatible skills so
7:15:03far, and that has limited the expansion
7:15:05of their talents. That made Prince
7:15:07Corbin a bit suspicious.
7:15:10So, you're saying that your beasts are
7:15:11watching us and trying to steal our
7:15:13skills? Carl tried to laugh quietly, so
7:15:16he didn't wake anyone else up? Doubtful.
7:15:20None of them have thumbs, so sword
7:15:22skills aren't exactly their forte, and
7:15:24none of them are actual mages. Hawk has
7:15:27an affinity for the fire element, but I
7:15:30didn't see any of you using it during
7:15:31the fight, but he's the only one who
7:15:33uses actual magic other than Ray's
7:15:35ability to summon golems. Corbin smiled
7:15:38at the memory of the wooden golems
7:15:40charging out of the trees to tear apart
7:15:41the Yeti warriors.
7:15:44Those are quite impressive, by the way.
7:15:46If they could use defensive magic or
7:15:48ranged attacks, they would be
7:15:50incredible.
7:15:52Carl nodded. Give us time and we will
7:15:55find a spell that either I can cast on
7:15:57them or that Ry can use herself to
7:15:59protect them. When they make it to
7:16:01commander rank, they might pick up a new
7:16:03skill. though. According to the studies
7:16:06I've done, many beasts do. Corbin
7:16:09nodded. It's common for them to get a
7:16:12skill at commander and almost mandatory
7:16:14that they learn something other than
7:16:15their racial ability to advance to royal
7:16:18rank. Royal rank beasts can all use some
7:16:21sort of advanced magic, though for some
7:16:23it is hidden either as insane defense or
7:16:25some sort of physical change like the
7:16:28yeti that we face today. There is
7:16:30something called a king of snow, which
7:16:32is an evolved version of that species.
7:16:35They can control ice and snow in all its
7:16:38many forms, but they can also use
7:16:40powerful wind magic, usually including
7:16:42either tearing winds or tornado.
7:16:45Carl understood the concept, and his
7:16:47pets should all be well on the way to
7:16:48that standard. They had all learned
7:16:51skills that weren't part of their racial
7:16:53abilities, and they just had to make it
7:16:54to that power level, unless there was
7:16:56some barrier to them as well, the way
7:16:58there was for humans. But the immediate
7:17:01concern was getting them to the
7:17:03commander rank standard. They were
7:17:05growing fast with the input of the
7:17:07vampiric sword. But Carl was certain
7:17:09that there was more he could be doing
7:17:10other than hunting randomly for monsters
7:17:12to kill and random items to feed them.
7:17:15Prince Corbin smiled at him. Relax.
7:17:18You're thinking too hard. Sometimes what
7:17:21you need is not to push forward, but to
7:17:23build your base good and strong. Once
7:17:26you have a better foundation, you will
7:17:28find that it is easier to build the
7:17:30levels that come above it. Think of your
7:17:32potential like a pyramid. It needs to be
7:17:35broadest at the base to grow properly.
7:17:38You can make it look like an obelisk,
7:17:40but they're unstable, and a good hit can
7:17:42knock them over. That's not what you
7:17:44need for steady growth.
7:17:47Everyone else will be up soon. So, if
7:17:49you want a bit more meditation time, get
7:17:51it now before they start cooking. Carl
7:17:54focused on his meditation while the last
7:17:56shift of the night ended, and the newly
7:17:58formed fourth space began to rapidly
7:18:00expand in his mind, absorbing everything
7:18:02that it could get, along with the
7:18:04lingering remnants of energy that Carl's
7:18:05blade had provided during the previous
7:18:07day's fight. With the other three spaces
7:18:10waiting for their occupants to advance,
7:18:12and this fourth space being so small,
7:18:15the change was immediately obvious, and
7:18:17the enhancement of the focus was
7:18:18expanding the area much more efficiently
7:18:20than simply pouring energy into the
7:18:22space hat. The monks knew what they were
7:18:25doing for certain, and this was so far
7:18:27superior to trial and error that Carl
7:18:29felt silly for not having thought to ask
7:18:31them in the first place.
7:18:33The others began to wake and Carl could
7:18:35smell food cooking. So, he shifted most
7:18:37of his focus to the outside world and
7:18:39let the new space form naturally. What
7:18:42sort of new friend are we getting? Thor
7:18:45asked as he took his cue from everyone
7:18:47else and began to eat breakfast.
7:18:49I have no idea. What sort of friend
7:18:52would you like? Carl asked. More
7:18:56lightning sow. Thor replied confidently.
7:19:00He really should have seen that one
7:19:02coming. Thor was a pack animal, so of
7:19:05course he would want to be with more of
7:19:06his kind if given the option. Hawk
7:19:09chimed in with his opinion. All that
7:19:12we're going to find here are snowy
7:19:13things. Oh, the fluffy snow cats are all
7:19:17right. I think they never finished their
7:19:20food. Ry wasn't picky. Just pick someone
7:19:24cool. All right, so we're looking for
7:19:27someone cool. Maybe a snow cat and
7:19:29potentially a friend for Thor, but we
7:19:32should cover for holes in our skills. We
7:19:35don't have anyone who enhances the group
7:19:37except for defense. We don't have a
7:19:39healer, and we only have one long-
7:19:41ranged attacker. Ooh, ooh, I can be the
7:19:45healer. Healer sounds like a fun job.
7:19:49Thor volunteered.
7:19:51Well, all right. As soon as you learn
7:19:53healing magic, I will let you try out a
7:19:55run as the team's healer, and I will
7:19:57tank with the golems. Carl replied,
7:20:00indulging the Sero's idea. That
7:20:03shouldn't be hard. I have felt lots of
7:20:05healing already, Thor replied
7:20:08optimistically.
7:20:10If he really could manage it, the new
7:20:12cleric students at the seminary academy
7:20:14would never live down the shame.
7:20:17Outclassed in their own class by a
7:20:18lightning sero, Carl was contemplating
7:20:21what would be best for the next addition
7:20:23to their team. When breakfast was
7:20:25served, and it was time to start the
7:20:26serious part of their planning for the
7:20:28day, everyone could use a bit longer to
7:20:31recover after yesterday, at least a late
7:20:33morning start, and the cave had been
7:20:35safe so far. That led to the natural
7:20:38idea to make it their base for the next
7:20:40few days of exploration.
7:20:42After the fiasco yesterday, they needed
7:20:44to know what was going on here and if it
7:20:46was going to be an expanding threat to
7:20:48the surrounding areas. If the ice
7:20:51continued to spread, it would be
7:20:52everyone's problem soon, and they had a
7:20:54responsibility to at least try to find
7:20:56out what the situation was so that
7:20:58appropriate forces could be sent to deal
7:21:00with it. Lotus gestured to the back wall
7:21:02of the cave as she was finishing
7:21:04breakfast.
7:21:05Can you go grab some water and boil it
7:21:07for coffee? The runoff should be pure
7:21:10after being filtered by the sandstone
7:21:12around the cave. Carl walked to the back
7:21:15of the cave and extended the larger
7:21:17canteen toward the water flowing down
7:21:19the back wall. However, the moment that
7:21:22his fingers touched it, the wall
7:21:23vanished, revealing an extensive tunnel
7:21:26network extending from the room on the
7:21:28other side. I thought you checked the
7:21:30area. Carl asked Ry as the spell
7:21:33vanished. You look with your eyes, not
7:21:36your limbs. Did you want me to check the
7:21:39water temperature when I could already
7:21:40see it was cold? Rey retorted.
7:21:44Sorry, you're right. But now we need to
7:21:47be on guard from this side as well. Um,
7:21:50minor issue. Carl called to the group
7:21:53who turned to face the back wall that no
7:21:55longer existed.
7:21:57Prince Corbin breathed. Couldn't
7:22:01have said it better myself, Alice added
7:22:04as she prepared defensive magic. A stale
7:22:07odor was coming from the caverns, and in
7:22:09the distance they could feel a pulse of
7:22:11magic, as if there was some grand spell
7:22:13active in the heart of the mountain. We
7:22:16will explore it after breakfast. The
7:22:18barrier over the entrance should keep
7:22:20anything from following us, and Corbin
7:22:22will feel if it is attacked, so at least
7:22:24one side is secure." Alice sighed as she
7:22:27looked at the meal that was just waiting
7:22:29for water to make coffee. Lotus made the
7:22:32water with magic, already heated, and
7:22:34got the meal served.
7:22:36Nobody wanted to go anywhere this
7:22:38morning, but now that they were looking
7:22:40at a huge tunnel complex and not just
7:22:42one small cave to hide in, they had to
7:22:44be proactive and ensure that they
7:22:46weren't about to get ambushed. Alice
7:22:48looked at the group they had assembled.
7:22:51"Are you lot going to head back out and
7:22:52try your luck to finish your goals?" she
7:22:55asked. Larry and Corbin shook their
7:22:58heads. "If you don't mind, we would
7:23:01prefer to stay with your group, Strength
7:23:03in Numbers. Yesterday's fiasco nearly
7:23:06cost our clan its most talented
7:23:08proteges, and we really can't afford to
7:23:10have another ambush when it's not safe
7:23:12for the helicopters to come extract us.
7:23:15Corbin replied, "See, he knows.
7:23:20Strength in numbers." Thor agreed. This
7:23:24day's trip might be rough on him and
7:23:25Hawk, neither of whom would have an easy
7:23:27time in the caves, so they would have to
7:23:29spend most of their time in the beast
7:23:31spaces. But Alice's golem would have
7:23:34issues as well, unless she knew how to
7:23:36shorten it. They had been fighting all
7:23:38taller enemies outdoors since he met
7:23:40her, so there really hadn't been a
7:23:42reason for her to do it before. Dana's
7:23:45golems were only a little taller than
7:23:47the tallest members of their group. But
7:23:49even their normal height would be a
7:23:50tight fit once they got further into the
7:23:52caves, if Carl's guess was right. He had
7:23:55a lot of experience underground, and he
7:23:57was likely the only one who would be
7:23:58truly comfortable there, especially if
7:24:01the ceilings were high enough that he
7:24:02could stand properly upright and not
7:24:04have to use the minor's duck walk. Once
7:24:07the meal was finished and everything was
7:24:09cleaned and packed away, Carl led Ry in
7:24:11front of the group as she was still a
7:24:13bit shorter than he was in her normal
7:24:14standing position, though much wider and
7:24:17longer. They could both see perfectly
7:24:19well, no matter the light conditions, so
7:24:21they were the obvious choice to scout
7:24:23the area, and they could move ahead of
7:24:25the group to check the multiple tunnels
7:24:27that joined the room on the other side
7:24:28of the now vanished barrier. Something
7:24:31felt wrong the moment that he stepped
7:24:33through, and when Carl turned to check
7:24:34on the group behind him, he saw the
7:24:36stone wall that had vanished on their
7:24:38side. His hand passed through it, so he
7:24:41wasn't trapped in here, but he would
7:24:43have to remember where it was, or they
7:24:45would end up lost in the tunnels.
7:24:47Rey had the answer to that. She used her
7:24:50form to carve her name into the stone by
7:24:53the door so they would know if they saw
7:24:54it again. "You check the left side
7:24:57first, and I will start from the right.
7:25:00Don't get out of sight of each other,
7:25:01but look as far down the tunnel as you
7:25:04can." Carl instructed.
7:25:07The first one on the right made a steep
7:25:09downward slope, then a hard left, so he
7:25:11couldn't see far until he moved down the
7:25:13ramp away, then saw that it was a
7:25:15continued spiral downward.
7:25:18So he returned to the main room and
7:25:20checked the next. It extended for a 100
7:25:23m before making a 90° left turn,
7:25:25obviously constructed and not natural.
7:25:28At the far end of that hallway was a
7:25:30closed door, but he could see the
7:25:32flickering of flames on the other side.
7:25:34So, something was likely alive in there
7:25:36and probably not Yeti. Ry found a dead
7:25:39end with a nice pit trap that she
7:25:41avoided due to her body design walking
7:25:43along the edges of the floor and then
7:25:45another downward spiral that she didn't
7:25:47fully explore before returning to Carl.
7:25:50Well, we know what is in the area now.
7:25:53Let's ask the others what we're doing.
7:25:56The rest of the group came to join him
7:25:57in the main room and were briefly
7:25:59startled when the doorway appeared to be
7:26:01gone. Like Carl had, Alice stepped back
7:26:04through and found that she had no
7:26:06resistance. It was just an illusion and
7:26:08touching the other side had broken it.
7:26:11The real question was whether the one
7:26:12who made it was trying to keep something
7:26:14out or to keep something in. It hid the
7:26:17only way out of the tunnel complex, so
7:26:19it could be either. Should we see what
7:26:22set a fire in the room on this level, or
7:26:24should we see what's below us first?
7:26:27Alice asked Corbin and Larry, conferring
7:26:29between the three strongest fighters to
7:26:31see what they felt was safest. Go with
7:26:34what we know could be a threat first.
7:26:36The room with fire, Corbin suggested.
7:26:41Nobody else had an objection to that,
7:26:43and they wouldn't want to leave it
7:26:44unchecked when they went down in case
7:26:46the tunnels were a dead end and whatever
7:26:48was in there either blocked them or did
7:26:49something like vent poisonous gas down
7:26:51them. Carl moved to lead the way, but
7:26:54Corbin stopped him.
7:26:56If we're going into an unknown room, I
7:26:58should go first. I might be a spellb
7:27:01blade, but I'm also a royal rank mage,
7:27:04and my barriers are much stronger than
7:27:05yours are," he whispered.
7:27:09So Carl and Ray moved to the second and
7:27:11third position, ready to flank Corbin
7:27:13once the door was open, and the others
7:27:15followed them down the narrow corridor
7:27:17to the decrepit wooden door. The coarse
7:27:20yellow sandstone had been crudely hacked
7:27:22at to create the doorway, and the
7:27:24fitment was terrible, suggesting that
7:27:26whoever made it was no skilled
7:27:27craftsman. But when Carl peakedked
7:27:29through the gaps, he didn't see anyone
7:27:31inside, only a few flaming brazers near
7:27:33the walls. He shrugged at Corbin,
7:27:36indicating that he couldn't see
7:27:38anything. And the prince kicked the door
7:27:40open, rushing inside with Carl right
7:27:42behind him, only to find that the room
7:27:45was empty. five meters on each side with
7:27:48two brazers lit and one door on the far
7:27:51side. The others followed them inside as
7:27:54Carl scanned the room for hidden traps.
7:27:56And the moment that Larry entered and
7:27:57everyone was inside, the door slammed
7:28:00shut and a set of runes appeared on the
7:28:02wall. We triggered a magical trap.
7:28:06How did I not notice that? Corbin
7:28:08muttered, trying desperately to decipher
7:28:11the writing. Trial begins in 10 seconds.
7:28:15he read out loud. Then in front of
7:28:18Carl's watchful gaze, half the group
7:28:20disappeared. He was left with Ry, Tessa,
7:28:24and Lotus. Everyone else had vanished.
7:28:28Ascended.
7:28:29Lotus informed them, pointing at the
7:28:31wall. It says ascended. The trap split
7:28:35us up by rank. That should mean that
7:28:38Dana was with Daryl and Rose, while
7:28:40Alice was with Larry. But Corbin might
7:28:42be trapped alone in a trial.
7:28:45The room wasn't comfortably large enough
7:28:46for Thor or Hawk to be called out. Even
7:28:49Ray was enough to make it a bit cramped
7:28:50in here, so the awakened group with
7:28:53Dana's two golems would be similarly
7:28:55crowded. Then the room surged with
7:28:58magic, and a whole battlefield appeared
7:29:00around them. An open snow-covered field
7:29:03with the bodies of slain soldiers and
7:29:04yeti warriors scattered all around them.
7:29:07One last group was approaching and Carl
7:29:10hesitantly called out Thor and Hawk,
7:29:12unsure how the magic worked. Hawk soared
7:29:15into the sky, confirming that inside
7:29:17this trial, there was actual room to
7:29:19fight. Tribesmen, embrace the curse of
7:29:22the beast. Drive these interlopers from
7:29:25our lands and return the eternal snow.
7:29:28The leader of the group, a massive
7:29:30warrior with a scar that ran from the
7:29:32left side of his chest to his right hip,
7:29:34was shouting. That was new. The yeti
7:29:38couldn't speak. Once his encouragement
7:29:41was over, the warriors surged with power
7:29:43and Thor activated circle of protection
7:29:46as he prepared to meet their charge.
7:29:49Tessa climbed onto his back while Lotus
7:29:51moved to stand behind Carl and Ray
7:29:53summoned her golems. They still had the
7:29:56numbers advantage, but these warriors
7:29:58were all on the low side of Ascended
7:30:00other than their leader. Lotus spoke
7:30:03softly to the group. attack in 3 2 1.
7:30:07Vines shot up from the ground, tripping
7:30:10the warriors when they were 10 meters
7:30:11away, close enough for Shred to make it
7:30:13to them in a split second, right before
7:30:15the spider golems were on them, and
7:30:17Hawk's fireballs began to bombard the
7:30:19leader of the group. It wasn't enough to
7:30:22kill them, but the beasts were heavily
7:30:24wounded by the time that they fought
7:30:25their way free of the entanglement. And
7:30:27then Thor's charge reached the left side
7:30:29of their lines, impaling two and holding
7:30:31them in place for Tessa's chain mace to
7:30:33crush their skulls. Thor kept moving,
7:30:36circling back for another charge as the
7:30:38ice magic began to swirl around the
7:30:40warriors, forming the early stages of a
7:30:42blizzard. Carl drew his sword and
7:30:45charged, hacking deep into the chest of
7:30:47one target, then parrying the blade of
7:30:49another as the blizzard faded before it
7:30:51was even formed. These yetis were
7:30:54terrible combatants. They lacked
7:30:56fighting instinct and experience.
7:30:58In half a minute, it was all over, and
7:31:01the beasts rejoined Carl and the
7:31:02clerics. Nobody said anything, not
7:31:05wanting to jinx their chances of getting
7:31:07out of here, but it looked like their
7:31:09odds weren't that good to begin with.
7:31:11There was more writing, this time
7:31:13appearing on the snow in front of them.
7:31:16"Stage complete," Lotus read. "Now, what
7:31:19do we do?" Carl asked as Tessa rubbed
7:31:23Thor's scales, getting him psyched up
7:31:25for another fight. The words vanished
7:31:27and new words replaced them. "Rewards
7:31:31earned." Beginning stage two. Carl
7:31:35wasn't certain what he got as a reward,
7:31:37but he did know that there were now two
7:31:38of those groups with five low ascended
7:31:41and one high ascended fighter between
7:31:42them. If the other groups were facing
7:31:45these odds at their own power levels,
7:31:47this might be a nasty fight. and Carl
7:31:49hoped that they were going to get
7:31:51everyone back in one piece. Thor and
7:31:53Ray, take left. I will take right with
7:31:56Hawk. Carl instructed.
7:31:59Their opponents were weak to fire, and
7:32:01they hesitated as they saw Carl's body
7:32:03burst into flames, coating the lightning
7:32:06and melting the surrounding snow. Then
7:32:08the barrage of fireballs came down from
7:32:10the sky, and they charged, knowing that
7:32:13in order to focus on their ranged
7:32:14attacks, they were going to have to deal
7:32:16with Carl first. In the back, the leader
7:32:20was attacking Hawk, but between one
7:32:22spellcaster and a very agile bird, none
7:32:24of the attacks were even getting close
7:32:26to hitting. Tessa was chanting some sort
7:32:29of enhancement spell as they fought, and
7:32:31Lotus had trapped the leader's feet with
7:32:32vines on Carl's side, preventing him
7:32:35from avoiding the barrage of fireballs
7:32:36that Hawk sent his way. Carl hacked into
7:32:39the bodies of the warriors, using his
7:32:42overwhelming strength to overpower the
7:32:43beasts which were at the bottom of
7:32:45Ascended while he was near the top. It
7:32:48could hardly even be called a fair fight
7:32:50when he had so many magical items on his
7:32:52side and two clerics granting him buffs
7:32:54and restraining the enemies. The fight
7:32:57was quickly ended and the group gathered
7:32:59to make a plan as for how to deal with
7:33:01the third trial. Tessa considered the
7:33:04likely outcome of a third stage. Three
7:33:07groups the same as the first. That's
7:33:10going to be a lot of incoming enemies,
7:33:12and three of us isn't enough to cover
7:33:14every side. Unless we have Ray and the
7:33:16spider golems split up, which leaves me
7:33:18and Thor short on damage dealers.
7:33:21Ba, send more of them. I'll give them an
7:33:23extra dose of find out. Hulk muttered in
7:33:26Carl's mind, getting annoyed by the
7:33:28constant Ice attacks. Ice was just the
7:33:31evil cousin of the water family, and he
7:33:34was about done with their nonsense.
7:33:36This would be more fun if the lights
7:33:38were off.
7:33:39Rey agreed as she waited for the next
7:33:41development to take place. Even if there
7:33:44were more, it wouldn't be difficult to
7:33:46sneak up on them if it wasn't the middle
7:33:48of the day. Though, it was rather
7:33:50pleasant mixing all these whites and
7:33:52grays of armored bodies and snow with
7:33:54the blood red when she adapted her
7:33:56coloration to match the battlefield.
7:33:58As far as settings went, this was about
7:34:00the most pleasant one she had seen that
7:34:02wasn't filled with trees. The words
7:34:05changed again, and Lotus frowned. It
7:34:08says rewards granted. Basic testing
7:34:10passed, she explained.
7:34:14That sounds a lot like we should be let
7:34:15out, doesn't it? Carl asked. It does,
7:34:20and I'm wondering why we're still here,
7:34:23Lotus agreed. Then the symbols changed
7:34:26again. Beginning advanced testing.
7:34:29Advanced
7:34:31was all that Lotus said as Carl and
7:34:33Tessa sideighed. Oh, they want some of
7:34:36this, do they? Yeah, I'll give them some
7:34:40stupid cold water magic people. Hulk
7:34:43cheered. Ry laughed at his enthusiasm.
7:34:47Of course, he was ready for the fight.
7:34:49He was way up there above it, where he
7:34:51had plenty of time to dodge the attacks.
7:34:54Again, a clan of Yeti warriors appeared
7:34:56in front of them, but this time it was
7:34:58only one clan, but nine warriors and a
7:35:00leader. By Carl's estimation, they were
7:35:04all low commander rank, including the
7:35:06leader, though he might qualify as
7:35:08mid-commander.
7:35:09"Oh, this is going to suck." Tessa
7:35:12sighed as she realized what they were up
7:35:14against. It was basically a poorly
7:35:17version of the same force that chased
7:35:19them into the cave yesterday, but only
7:35:2110 of them instead of three dozen or
7:35:23more. All right, we can do this. Stay
7:35:27close. So, we're all in the circle of
7:35:29protection with Lotus in the middle as
7:35:31our primary healer. Tessa, I'm not sure
7:35:34if you still want to be on Thor since
7:35:36these ones are a bit taller, but that's
7:35:38your call. Everyone else, you know what
7:35:40to do, Carl insisted.
7:35:44The warriors began to spread out to
7:35:46surround the group, and Carl launched
7:35:48himself forward the moment they reached
7:35:49the edge of Thor's circle of protection.
7:35:52His sudden strike shattered the crude
7:35:54blade of his opponent, and a combination
7:35:56of shred and flaming body let the blade
7:35:58cut deep into the commander rank hide of
7:36:00the beast, leaving it gushing blood from
7:36:02the wound in its chest. The beast
7:36:05collapsed backward, holding its chest
7:36:07and trying to plug the wound, while Carl
7:36:09turned on another. Thor charged forward
7:36:12to assist, bringing the rest of the
7:36:14group running after him, while Ray's
7:36:15golems went after the one behind the
7:36:17yeti that Carl was fighting. They traded
7:36:20one round of attacks with it, then went
7:36:22for their true targets. One leapt on the
7:36:25furry monster, blocking its sight, while
7:36:27the other went for the back of Carl's
7:36:29opponent, tearing it open with lacerate.
7:36:32These monsters regenerated slowly, and
7:36:35they would likely bleed to death if the
7:36:36group could hold out long enough. They
7:36:39just needed to inflict the necessary
7:36:41wounds first. The spiders broke off to
7:36:44defend Rey, who was now under attack
7:36:46from the monsters who had come around
7:36:48the back of the fight. And Carl noticed
7:36:50that one had doubled back to cast ice
7:36:52magic on the chest of the downed
7:36:53fighter, freezing the wound and stopping
7:36:55the blood flow. That might work to stop
7:36:58the damage from lacerate, but that
7:37:00particular target had its organs
7:37:02punctured and burned. Sealing the leak
7:37:04wouldn't help for long. Still, with the
7:37:07damage patched, the beast carefully got
7:37:10up and retreated from the battle. He
7:37:12didn't get far. Once he was away from
7:37:15the others, still too injured to defend
7:37:17himself, Hawk was raining fireballs at
7:37:20him from above while taunting the
7:37:21monsters with his agility.
7:37:24Unfortunately, his arrogance caused him
7:37:26dearly, and Hawk took a direct blast
7:37:28with an icicle that sent him directly
7:37:30into his beast space, frozen stiff. He
7:37:33was still alive, but he had taken heavy
7:37:35damage, and Carl worked to increase the
7:37:38temperature of the space and thaw him as
7:37:40quickly as possible. What happened to
7:37:42Hawk? Lotus called. Icicle blast. Carl
7:37:48called back without enough time to
7:37:50explain.
7:37:51Freewevel.com.
7:37:53He was facing three of the Yeti warriors
7:37:56now, each more powerful than he was, at
7:37:58least on the basic skills level. He
7:38:01still had the advantage in brute
7:38:03strength and Carl was using that to keep
7:38:05them from being able to dictate the pace
7:38:06of the fight. Carl couldn't go far or he
7:38:10would leave Lotus open, but he could
7:38:12move a few meters in a flash out of the
7:38:14range of their attacks and then back in
7:38:16to hack at any openings they left. A
7:38:19lucky strike took the leg off one of the
7:38:21yetis at the knee. And though it was
7:38:22quickly frozen over by his companions,
7:38:25the warrior was out of the fight and
7:38:26dragging himself away. twoon-one, Carl
7:38:30stood a much better chance, and he
7:38:32spared a glance to see how the others
7:38:34were doing. Lotus still looked
7:38:36reasonably fresh. She wasn't sweating or
7:38:38panting with exertion, and she had the
7:38:40whole area encompassed in a green
7:38:42glowing healing circle. Tessa was still
7:38:45riding Thor as it was the best way to
7:38:47get at the vitals of the larger
7:38:48opponents, but they hadn't managed to
7:38:50take any down yet that he could see. The
7:38:53real winner in this fight was Ray with
7:38:55her golems. Not only had she crippled
7:38:58one near Carl and blinded another, she
7:39:00had killed two of them outright since
7:39:02the battle began. There was a copious
7:39:05amount of black blood on the ground that
7:39:06could only have come from her. But the
7:39:08bloodbath spider was still fighting with
7:39:10all her might and relying on Lotus to
7:39:12keep her healed. Unexpectedly, blue
7:39:15light flashed over everyone, including
7:39:17Ray's golems, as Thor's refreshing
7:39:20lightning spread from himself to the
7:39:22whole group. I did it. I am the healer
7:39:26now. The lightning sero screamed
7:39:29mentally while bugling in victory. While
7:39:32it wasn't technically a healing spell,
7:39:34it did increase your regeneration speed.
7:39:36So Carl was going to give him this
7:39:38victory. With the extra barrier, Ry no
7:39:41longer had to hold back as much. She
7:39:43could take some extra risks to land
7:39:45blows on the attackers. and one of her
7:39:47spider golems came to assist Carl, going
7:39:50for the back of his opponents after
7:39:51quickly using lacerate across the throat
7:39:54of the blinded yeti who had retreated a
7:39:56dozen meters from the battle. Carl
7:39:58searched for the leader of the group,
7:40:00but couldn't see where he had gone. They
7:40:02all looked the same when you were
7:40:03fighting them, but Thor was having
7:40:05problems with his opponent, the only one
7:40:07he had left after everyone else had gone
7:40:09to support the fight against Ray. With a
7:40:12shout, the opponent on Carl's left cast
7:40:14a spell, and an ice spike launched up
7:40:16from the ground, slamming into Lotus and
7:40:18throwing her into the air, which caused
7:40:20her healing circle to fall as the
7:40:22priestess was knocked unconscious.
7:40:25Thor got the barrier back up before she
7:40:27hit the ground, but she would need time
7:40:29to recover, and Carl quickly realized
7:40:31that everyone had been relying on her to
7:40:33keep casting refreshing spells, and they
7:40:35were quickly running out of stamina due
7:40:37to the ice magic trying to freeze them.
7:40:39Carl could feel his body getting
7:40:41sluggish as another of the yeti warriors
7:40:43fell to the spider golems, leaving him
7:40:45in a golem against only one opponent.
7:40:48But Tessa had been knocked from Thor's
7:40:50back and was now fighting on foot while
7:40:52casting buffs that would hopefully
7:40:54counteract the freezing effect and heal
7:40:56Lotus enough to bring her back to
7:40:57consciousness.
7:40:59Carl tackled his opponent, leaving its
7:41:01neck open to the spider golem as its
7:41:03blade shattered both layers of his
7:41:04shield and cut into his armor. That was
7:41:07the end of another yeti, and he turned
7:41:09to face the last few monsters just in
7:41:11time to see Thor gouged down his side,
7:41:14shattering his remaining lightning and
7:41:15sending him frozen into his beast space.
7:41:18Rey, guard the clerics.
7:41:21It will just be me and the golems on a
7:41:23fence, Carl instructed.
7:41:26He was still fast enough, faster than
7:41:28any average human, but no longer faster
7:41:31than their opponents. It shouldn't
7:41:33matter, though. The golems were freshly
7:41:36summoned and not suffering from any ill
7:41:37effects. And both remaining targets were
7:41:40wounded. Lotus was conscious again, but
7:41:43barely, while Tessa had retreated to
7:41:45stand over her, so the area that she
7:41:47needed to cover with her magic was
7:41:48reduced.
7:41:50Carl led the two golems forward as the
7:41:52Yeti leader roared. And suddenly, they
7:41:54were all standing in an empty
7:41:56battlefield.
7:41:57Task successfully failed. Partial reward
7:42:01granted appeared in the snow in front of
7:42:03them.
7:42:04It says that we failed successfully,
7:42:07Lotus commented, not quite sure that she
7:42:10had translated the ancient language
7:42:11properly.
7:42:13Well, nobody is dead. At least, I don't
7:42:16think they are, Carl replied as he
7:42:19checked on Thor and Hawk. Both were in
7:42:22bad shape, but the magic of the beast
7:42:24space had called them home on the verge
7:42:26of death, and they were slowly
7:42:27recovering. The ice was gone with the
7:42:30end of the trial, and the healing waters
7:42:32of his pond were rapidly bringing some
7:42:34life back to Thor as the hundreds of
7:42:36small wounds that had either cut through
7:42:37or slipped under his scales were closed.
7:42:40His personal lightning was active again,
7:42:43so he should be fine. But Hawk was
7:42:45looking pretty listless, and Carl
7:42:47couldn't call him out of the space for
7:42:48Lotus to heal. Hawk needs time to
7:42:51recover before I can ask him to come out
7:42:53again, but he is better than when he
7:42:54went in. Thor has his lightning barrier
7:42:57active again, so he will be fine soon
7:43:00enough, Carl explained.
7:43:03Rey was exhausted, but still functional
7:43:05when Carl both felt and heard something
7:43:07snap inside her body before the rear
7:43:10half of her outer carropase fell away,
7:43:12molted like some insects do, and
7:43:14replaced with an identical looking body
7:43:16from underneath. Ry worked to pull the
7:43:19old layer off her legs and upper body,
7:43:21then shook the goop from her fur as
7:43:23Tessa cast a healing spell on her to
7:43:24help the new carropase recover and
7:43:26harden. And that's how a bloodbath
7:43:29spider reaches commander rank, she
7:43:32announced.
7:43:33Did she just shed her carropase to take
7:43:35on her adult form? Lotus asked weekly,
7:43:38excited to see Ray's transformation, but
7:43:41too weak to get up and inspect her
7:43:43properly. She did. Rey, come closer. You
7:43:47know Lotus wants a better look. Carl
7:43:50laughed. The bloodbath spider dismissed
7:43:53the golems and then called them back,
7:43:55revealing drastically changed bodies.
7:43:58For an elite, the progression was a
7:44:00smooth one. The beginning of the
7:44:03commander rank was only a fraction above
7:44:05the top of the ascended rank, but for
7:44:07beasts like Ry, it was an entirely
7:44:09different phase in their life cycle. Her
7:44:12power as an ascended ranked juvenile was
7:44:14far below what she could wield as an
7:44:16adult, and the spiders reflected that.
7:44:19They had gone from being made of woven
7:44:20branches to being covered in small
7:44:22leaves, which were quickly shifting from
7:44:24their natural green to white and gray
7:44:26with red spots to better match the
7:44:28battlefield.
7:44:30Just like Ry, they could adapt
7:44:31themselves to their surroundings now,
7:44:33and the aura that they gave off was much
7:44:35more intimidating.
7:44:37There was no low commander rank for Rey.
7:44:39She had evolved past that. And now that
7:44:42the fight was over, Lotus had plenty of
7:44:44time to get a good look at her. Or Carl
7:44:47hoped she did anyhow. They had failed
7:44:50the last trial. Successfully failed,
7:44:53whatever that meant. But it had promised
7:44:56them rewards so they could be waiting on
7:44:58that to happen. The first trial instance
7:45:01he was in gave them a chest when they
7:45:02returned to the starting position, but
7:45:04this one wasn't returning them at all. I
7:45:07wonder if everyone has to be present to
7:45:09return like if we have to call Thor and
7:45:12Hawk back out. Lotus wondered. That
7:45:16could be possible. They hadn't been out
7:45:18when they arrived at the trial, but they
7:45:20were when the first announcement that
7:45:22they got rewards was made. It will still
7:45:25be a while before Hawk is conscious and
7:45:27able to come out. So, we might as well
7:45:28rest a bit, Carl decided. Lotus created
7:45:33a patch of wide leaves for them to sit
7:45:35on out of the snow. And Carl meditated
7:45:37to help everyone recover, while he also
7:45:39checked on Ray's space to ensure that it
7:45:41was suitable for her advanced state. It
7:45:44seemed more alive now with natural wind
7:45:47and a sense of vibrancy that wasn't
7:45:48there before. Focusing on the dragon
7:45:51scale in his mind, and letting that
7:45:53filtered energy flow to the spaces
7:45:55seemed to be the most efficient method.
7:45:57But even after warming Hawk's face, it
7:45:59still took him 15 minutes before he was
7:46:01up and moving again. "That was a close
7:46:03one, buddy," Carl whispered as Hawk
7:46:07began to stretch his no longer frozen
7:46:09wings. "I thought I was done for, that
7:46:12the evil cold water had won." "How long
7:46:15was I frozen?" Hawk asked. "About 20
7:46:19minutes in total." "Oh, that's too long
7:46:22for you to fight without me. How did you
7:46:25survive without fireballs?
7:46:28Flaming body and a lot of luck with the
7:46:30golems. But you missed the big news. Ry
7:46:34advanced to commander first. No, it
7:46:38should have been me. I was here first. I
7:46:41will never forgive them. Hawk cried
7:46:44while Thor made consoling noises. It was
7:46:47a painful moment during an already
7:46:49painful event for Hawk, but putting off
7:46:51telling him would only make him
7:46:52depressed later when they might need him
7:46:54to fight again. Getting it all out of
7:46:56the way at once gave him time to recover
7:46:58and gather his wits before coming back
7:47:00out into the real world. We think that
7:47:03everyone needs to come out to get their
7:47:05rewards before we can leave this place.
7:47:07So once you are recovered, everyone can
7:47:09gather. Until then, just rest a little
7:47:12longer. Carl suggested, "Give me like
7:47:16five more minutes until the cold leaves
7:47:18my wings. Then I will come out and the
7:47:21healers can heal me. If I go too early,
7:47:24I get the feeling that the ice magic
7:47:26will take effect again," Hawk explained.
7:47:30He did still look freezing all over to
7:47:32Carl's mental sight, even in the
7:47:34tropical warmth of his space, which he
7:47:36would normally find stifling. The first
7:47:395 minutes of meditation weren't enough,
7:47:41but they did go a long way toward
7:47:43improving the four spaces, adjusting
7:47:45them according to the changes that were
7:47:47made when Ry advanced.
7:47:49Now that he had seen it once, it was
7:47:51easy to adjust the other spaces to be
7:47:53more like the proper commander rank
7:47:54space. Hopefully, that would pull the
7:47:57others toward their breakthrough at a
7:47:59faster pace and help them along their
7:48:01way to the next bottleneck between
7:48:02commander and royal rank. Carl was
7:48:05actually looking forward to seeing
7:48:07Prince Corbin at his full power and not
7:48:09exhausted and defending weaker party
7:48:11members. He was certain that the royal
7:48:14rank spells word would be a real marvel
7:48:16to behold in allout combat. Freewagn.com
7:48:21The little that he had a chance to show
7:48:22his skills on the push to the cave was
7:48:24already impressive, clearing a smooth
7:48:26path for the group, but Carl was certain
7:48:28that was only a fraction of his power as
7:48:30he had already been injured and near
7:48:32exhaustion. The more that he could
7:48:34observe that power, the better his
7:48:36partners would understand it and the
7:48:38easier it should be for them to
7:48:39understand the changes they needed to
7:48:41push through to the next rank. They
7:48:43should already meet the minimum
7:48:45requirements, but for humans, the
7:48:46commander rank was a major bottleneck,
7:48:49so it might be for them as well. Ry
7:48:51didn't think so, as commander rank was
7:48:54her natural state, and Thor would
7:48:55naturally make it to ascended rank. Hawk
7:48:59was a bit of a mystery as he was evolved
7:49:01from his base state, but it shouldn't be
7:49:03too much harder for him. The first five
7:49:06extra minutes weren't enough, so Carl
7:49:08gave Hawk 10 more before checking in on
7:49:10him again and found the bird gingerly
7:49:12flying around his space, shaking off the
7:49:14aches in his muscles. "Are you ready to
7:49:17go see the healers?" Carl asked. "Let's
7:49:21go. Just tell them to warm the place.
7:49:24I'm still too tired for flames." The
7:49:27trio came out to meet the others, and
7:49:29the scenery around them faded away,
7:49:31replacing the battlefield with a plain
7:49:33black void, with a stone platform that
7:49:35held them all with room to spare. This
7:49:38time, the words didn't appear in ancient
7:49:40script on the ground, but in Carl's
7:49:42vision, in the increasing familiar font
7:49:44of the system interface.
7:49:46Ascended round one and two trials
7:49:48complete. Commander round one trial
7:49:52successfully failed. Calculating
7:49:54rewards.
7:49:56Reward calculated. Six skill points.
7:50:00Skill menu activating.
7:50:02Carl gasped as a beautiful picture
7:50:04appeared in front of his eyes, then
7:50:06turned suspicious when he realized that
7:50:08all but the bottom row was grayed out
7:50:09and unusable.
7:50:11But there were lines between all the
7:50:13skills. So perhaps he just needed to
7:50:15learn some of them. So he looked at the
7:50:18bottom row. There were only three
7:50:20options,
7:50:22offensive specialist, defensive
7:50:24specialist, and between those two,
7:50:26balanced combatant.
7:50:28Each of them cost 10 skill points, so if
7:50:31the next round cost the same or worse,
7:50:33twice as much, he wouldn't be adding too
7:50:36many skills. But the descriptions were
7:50:38interesting to say the least. Offensive
7:50:41specialist gains access to the offensive
7:50:43beast skills, which can be freely
7:50:45transferred to bonded partners by touch.
7:50:48Defensive specialist gains access to the
7:50:51defensive beast skills which can be
7:50:53freely transferred to bonded partners by
7:50:55touch. Balanced combatant pays a premium
7:50:59price to gain access to any beast skills
7:51:01which may be utilized with the command
7:51:04ability or transferred freely to bonded
7:51:06partners by touch. That last one sounded
7:51:09the best to him. If he could just pick
7:51:11and choose abilities and write them in
7:51:13skill books, he would be a living legend
7:51:15by the time he was an overlord.
7:51:18but he didn't know what the command
7:51:19ability was. It wasn't listed under his
7:51:22class skills, which were now visible,
7:51:24and he couldn't read any of the other
7:51:26skill descriptions until he picked a
7:51:28path. Hawk and Ray were cheering on full
7:51:31offense, while Thor thought it might be
7:51:33better if they all had more defense so
7:51:35they didn't get smashed again. I will go
7:51:38for balanced combatant so we can all get
7:51:40something we like, even if it costs
7:51:42extra, he informed the team. Balanced
7:51:46combatant chosen.
7:51:48Command skill gained. Command allows the
7:51:52beast master to use their known skills
7:51:54on bonded partners which are not within
7:51:56the standard range. Choosing balanced
7:51:59combatant opened up an entire row of
7:52:01pictures representing new skills. Three
7:52:04from attack, three from defense, and one
7:52:07more that was the progression skill for
7:52:09the balanced path. That was the one that
7:52:11he checked first. 10 points. Beast space
7:52:15upgrade upgrades the mental spaces to
7:52:17match the needs of the beasts residing
7:52:19within. Carl simply stared in annoyance
7:52:22at the description for a few long
7:52:24minutes. Was that why he got no guidance
7:52:27on how to advance his beast spaces?
7:52:30Because it was a skill that he could
7:52:31just learn. No, there was no skill like
7:52:34that attached to the other two trees.
7:52:37They would still have to improve their
7:52:38own, but they would get many more beast
7:52:40skills in exchange.
7:52:42Quite a few more. as he quickly realized
7:52:46on the defense side, he had the option
7:52:48for barrier, bestial regeneration, and
7:52:51refresh.
7:52:53All of those were skills to be used by
7:52:55the beast master on his team, and all of
7:52:57them were currently being provided in
7:52:59some basic sense by Thor's group
7:53:01refreshing lightning. So, Carl turned to
7:53:04the offensive side. Two points, 10
7:53:07points for balance. Haste improves the
7:53:09speed of the target beast by 10% per
7:53:12rank, 30% at ascended. Two points, 10
7:53:16points for balance. Terrorize improves
7:53:18the damage done by the target beast by
7:53:2010% per rank, 30% for ascended. Two
7:53:24points, 10 points for balance. Brutality
7:53:28increases the size and strength of the
7:53:30target beast by 10% per rank, 30% for
7:53:33ascended. that points cost differential
7:53:36was completely insanely unfair. The next
7:53:40rank also looked like it contained all
7:53:41sorts of actual attack abilities that he
7:53:43could grant his pets for a period of
7:53:45time, all of which could come in useful
7:53:47in the future. And Carl was tempted to
7:53:49pick terrorize just to get to see the
7:53:52descriptions.
7:53:53But the first that Carl wanted to spend
7:53:55some of his 30 remaining points on was
7:53:57beast space upgrade. The three spaces
7:54:00quickly adjusted, changing the setting
7:54:02inside to be more elaborate and detailed
7:54:04than what Carl had created on his own.
7:54:07Though the actual energy level didn't
7:54:08change much, it felt like it didn't
7:54:11actually improve the power level of the
7:54:13space, except for rays, which adjusted
7:54:15up to better match her power. So, he
7:54:18would still need to meditate to improve
7:54:20them. He just wouldn't have to worry
7:54:22about the bottlenecks anymore. That was
7:54:25spectacular, but not as earthshattering
7:54:27and overpowered as it had seemed at
7:54:29first. Choosing that skill caused two
7:54:32new skills to appear as available above
7:54:34it in his skill tree. 50 points
7:54:37evolution. Cuz any bonded pet to evolve
7:54:39into a form one rank higher than when
7:54:41the skill is used. Usable once per
7:54:44beast. Some materials may be required.
7:54:47That one was out for now. He didn't have
7:54:50the points. 10 points. Skill master rank
7:54:53two usable only by those with the skill
7:54:56master learned ability allows learned
7:54:59skills to improve to one rank above the
7:55:01bonded partner's current rank with
7:55:02practice.
7:55:04Now that was the sort of ability that he
7:55:06couldn't turn down. Skill master
7:55:09upgraded to rank two. Skill master rank
7:55:12three available 100 points allows all
7:55:16skills to evolve to a related skill one
7:55:18tier higher than their current tier with
7:55:20practice. If Slash was tier one, while
7:55:23Rend and Shred were both considered tier
7:55:252 abilities, as was Lacerate, improving
7:55:28any of those to tier three would be
7:55:30devastating on the battlefield.
7:55:32Even refreshing lightning, if it was
7:55:35improved by an entire skill tier, would
7:55:37be something fearsome. If it were
7:55:40improved by two tiers, Thor might
7:55:42actually be unkillable at the same rank.
7:55:45But not only that, the way that the
7:55:47skill was worded made it sound like the
7:55:48potential was limitless.
7:55:51one rank higher than the current rank
7:55:52with practice.
7:55:54So, if they just kept training their
7:55:56skills, they might move up even further.
7:55:59That left him with 10 points and a
7:56:01desire to know how to obtain more. Once
7:56:04he focused on the need for knowledge, he
7:56:07noticed a small circle with a question
7:56:08mark in it. Just what he needed, answers
7:56:12to common questions.
7:56:14Skill points are awarded for quests,
7:56:16achievements, and accomplishments.
7:56:18Each rank improvement increases the
7:56:20maximum points range of the available
7:56:22awards.
7:56:24That made sense. The higher the risk,
7:56:27the higher the reward, and the more
7:56:29powerful you were, the stronger the
7:56:30skills you would need, so the larger the
7:56:33number of points that would be required.
7:56:35That left him with 10 points and a
7:56:37conundrum. He could do as Rey was
7:56:40pleading and use them for terrorize, or
7:56:43he could do as Thor was suggesting and
7:56:45use them for bestial regeneration, which
7:56:47would grant the target a rapid healing
7:56:49ability. Both were good to have, but
7:56:52ultimately they were still mostly
7:56:54working in a group, and they had basic
7:56:56recovery abilities. The most important
7:56:59part was being able to effectively deal
7:57:01with threats above their rank. If they
7:57:04could eliminate them even a little
7:57:05faster, a lot of damage could be
7:57:07prevented from ever being taken.
7:57:10So, the decision was a fairly clear
7:57:12victory. 10 points were spent on
7:57:15terrorize, which Carl found was an
7:57:17active skill, but with no specified time
7:57:20limit, so it could just be left active.
7:57:23He would find out the actual conditions
7:57:24when it deactivated for the first time.
7:57:27But even if he just had to activate it
7:57:28when he called them out, that would
7:57:30still be fine. Of course, there could be
7:57:33some timer built in that it didn't warn
7:57:34him about, but Ry was so happy to have a
7:57:37skill called terrorize that it would be
7:57:39worth it even if he had to reuse it
7:57:41every few minutes. Of course, you should
7:57:44reactivate it all the time. What could
7:57:47be better than terrorize?
7:57:49Rey asked, listening in on his thoughts.
7:57:52Freewebble.cm.
7:57:54Purchasing terrorize opened three
7:57:56options from the next row of abilities
7:57:58and a note. Tier three skills activate
7:58:02on beast master and all deployed beasts.
7:58:0510 points, 20 points for balance.
7:58:07Shatter physical strikes cause
7:58:09vibrations through the opponent's body
7:58:11that damage organs and may break bones.
7:58:1410 points, 20 points for balance.
7:58:17Sharpness, slashing, stabbing, and
7:58:19disintegration type abilities increase
7:58:21in damage by 10% per rank. 30% at
7:58:25ascended, 10 points, 20 points for
7:58:28balance. crushing blows. Blunt impact
7:58:31skills increase in damage by 10% per
7:58:34rank. Effective on damage caused by
7:58:37shatter, 30% at ascended. Carl finished
7:58:41his changes and found that everyone was
7:58:43waiting for him and they were still in
7:58:45the same spot. All right, I'm done with
7:58:48the changes. I got some new skills, Carl
7:58:52explained.
7:58:54That's just unfair giving out skills
7:58:56like candy to you. Tessa sideighed. She
7:59:00had the battle armor spell that she had
7:59:02learned not long ago still active. And
7:59:04if Carl was right, it looked much more
7:59:06draconic, and that golden glow around
7:59:08her was also a new skill. But there was
7:59:10an unspoken, don't ask, don't tell
7:59:13policy in place, and everyone liked to
7:59:15keep something in reserve for
7:59:16emergencies.
7:59:18If they underestimated what you could
7:59:20do, they wouldn't be as likely to put
7:59:22you in a situation that you couldn't
7:59:23survive.
7:59:25Carl stood and stretched tired muscles
7:59:27while Lotus flopped out on top of Ray
7:59:29for a nap and waved a hand at Tessa.
7:59:32"All right, come up with an idea for how
7:59:34to get out of here. I will be here."
7:59:37Tessa smiled at her. "All right, we're
7:59:40finished." She called out to nobody in
7:59:43particular. The snowy battlefield
7:59:46vanished and they found themselves back
7:59:48in the room where they started. Dana and
7:59:51the two awakened spells words were
7:59:53already there, heavily wounded and doing
7:59:55their best to stop the flow of blood
7:59:57with minor healing potions and bandages.
8:00:00Lotus activated her area healing spell,
8:00:02closing their wounds in seconds. The
8:00:05little cleric didn't even look up from
8:00:07her spot on Ray's back as she spoke. I
8:00:10take it things didn't go as well as you
8:00:12had hoped. Dana gave a bitter laugh. The
8:00:16first and second waves went from bad to
8:00:18terrible, but we almost died. the moment
8:00:20the third one appeared. We used the
8:00:23golems as shields and ran until it
8:00:25kicked us out. Carl nodded. That's
8:00:28similar to what happened to us, only we
8:00:30could fight the third wave, but it still
8:00:32kicked us out at the end of it. That
8:00:35freezing effect was rough. The spell's
8:00:38words looked at him strangely.
8:00:40Freezing effect. We were in the middle
8:00:43of the desert. Oh, we were on a frozen
8:00:46battlefield covered in snow and bodies.
8:00:49Carl explained.
8:00:51Prince Corbin was the next one back, and
8:00:54Tessa jumped into action, adjusting his
8:00:56position and checking his body while
8:00:58using her more powerful healing magic
8:00:59and whistling for Lotus to do the same.
8:01:02Between the two of them, they barely
8:01:04managed to save the heavily injured
8:01:06royal rank mage. But fortunately, his
8:01:08severed left arm had come back out with
8:01:10him, and Tessa held it in place during
8:01:12the healing, so it reattached without
8:01:14issue. The prince was out cold but
8:01:17breathing steadily when the last two
8:01:19came back exhausted but uninjured.
8:01:22"Well, good news. If you run when things
8:01:25get bad, it will let you out." Alice
8:01:28joked with Larry, then realized that
8:01:30everyone else was already here and
8:01:32mostly covered in blood. "Goddice, what
8:01:35happened to you all?" she asked. "No, we
8:01:39want to know what happened to you all
8:01:41that wasn't a disaster." Prince Corbin
8:01:43countered without opening his eyes from
8:01:45where he was laying in the double
8:01:47healing circles. Larry frowned. There
8:01:51was another space that said Commander
8:01:52rank trial and then an endless wave of
8:01:55ogres coming our way. We fought them
8:01:57while retreating and then we were
8:01:59returned here. From their description,
8:02:02it didn't sound like they had gotten any
8:02:04sort of reward. Carl suspected that the
8:02:07awakened rank group had gotten something
8:02:09as they had at least finished the first
8:02:10two waves, though they nearly died on
8:02:12the third. That was nearly as good as
8:02:15his team had managed and they got new
8:02:17skills. It was impossible to tell how
8:02:20Prince Corbin had done as he was in no
8:02:23shape for questions, but the rewards
8:02:25that Carl's group had gotten seemed
8:02:26pretty impressive. "What do we do now?"
8:02:30"We finished the challenge in the room,
8:02:32but do we dare to keep going?" Carl
8:02:35asked. Prince Corbin laughed. Finished?
8:02:40Oh no, that wasn't what finished looks
8:02:42like. At least not from my side. I
8:02:45suspect that was intended to be a group
8:02:47battle. Well, technically we lost as
8:02:50well, but it's over now and we're out.
8:02:53Three people was barely enough to get
8:02:55through, but I think that five at the
8:02:57same rank would have been better. Carl
8:02:59agreed. Even with the beasts, Dana
8:03:03asked, leaning against Rey, who still
8:03:05hadn't retreated to her space. At first,
8:03:09it was all right, but as the numbers
8:03:10increased, and then the power, it was
8:03:13rough, even with them. Maybe it keeps
8:03:16going until you lose. Carl suggested,
8:03:20Alice gave him a curious look. Well,
8:03:23let's hope that we don't have to find
8:03:24out. There is a second door to this
8:03:27room, and if we're going to explore the
8:03:29caverns, we will have to move along once
8:03:31we're all healed and rested. If not, we
8:03:34will have to report it and give up any
8:03:36chance at the hidden loot so they can
8:03:38send and match teams to face this sort
8:03:40of trap. The awakened group and Prince
8:03:42Corbin both side, suggesting that they
8:03:44had indeed gotten something out of their
8:03:46time. Corbin got to his feet, signaling
8:03:49for the others to get up now that they
8:03:51were healed. All right, we should get a
8:03:54move on. We need to search more than one
8:03:57room of the cavern complex per day if
8:03:59we're ever going to get through it.
8:04:01Leave all the doors open after we pass
8:04:03through, and I will mark the walls so
8:04:05that we don't get lost on the way back.
8:04:07When it gets later in the day, we will
8:04:10return to the area near the cave mouth
8:04:11for safety. he explained.
8:04:15How safe that would be was questionable,
8:04:17as they had been chased in here by
8:04:18monsters to begin with. But after the
8:04:20challenge that they found in the first
8:04:22room they entered, there was no
8:04:24guarantee that they wouldn't have a
8:04:25harder time trying to navigate the
8:04:27complex than they had outside. Corbin
8:04:29opened the next door, and Carl took up
8:04:32the back of the column with Ry. She was
8:04:34commander rank now, and while Thor and
8:04:36Hawk had both retreated to their spaces,
8:04:39Thor had kept the refreshing lightning
8:04:41active around her, which he had now
8:04:43spread to the rest of the group. The
8:04:45mages had created a light to float above
8:04:47the group, giving them enough light to
8:04:49see by, and Corbin was moving one along
8:04:52in front of them, which Carl still
8:04:53thought was a terrible idea for the man
8:04:55on point. But only a dozen meters down
8:04:57the hallway, they found doors on both
8:05:00sides again, though without any light
8:05:02behind them. The royal rank spellblade
8:05:04motioned left, and Carl noticed that
8:05:06there was a large chunk of his blonde
8:05:08beard missing where his face had been
8:05:10freshly healed. The cleric magic looked
8:05:13like it had prevented scarring, but it
8:05:15didn't regrow the hair that had been
8:05:16removed by whatever had hit his face. He
8:05:19breached the door with a gust of wind
8:05:21magic and stormed inside while Carl
8:05:24waited at the back of the pack to see
8:05:25what happened. "Clear,"
8:05:28he called out just loud enough for the
8:05:30group to hear him. Alice breached the
8:05:33one on the right, also finding it empty.
8:05:36It was better than finding out that
8:05:38every room in this place was a trap, but
8:05:40everyone had been hoping for some sort
8:05:41of treasures to be left behind in these
8:05:43caverns.
8:05:45There's something ahead. I can see the
8:05:48temperature change in the next room. It
8:05:49doesn't match this hole, Ry warned,
8:05:52catching on to clues that Carl would
8:05:54have missed. He whispered his warning
8:05:57just loud enough for the group to hear.
8:05:59The next room is a different
8:06:01temperature.
8:06:02it might be warmed by something inside.
8:06:05That put everyone on guard and they
8:06:07doused the lights to the bare minimum
8:06:09which revealed the fact that there was
8:06:10glowing plant life in the next room
8:06:12providing faint illumination but enough
8:06:15for everyone to see by. It was dim to
8:06:18most of the group except Carl and the
8:06:20clerics who had their own ways to
8:06:22enhance their eyesight but it was enough
8:06:24to see by and Corbin cast a spell to
8:06:27silence their footsteps.
8:06:29He stopped just short of the entrance to
8:06:31the room and whispered back to the
8:06:33group. I count 30 red goblins.
8:06:37I've never seen anything like them, but
8:06:39they're strong. If the royal rank mage
8:06:42said that they were strong, then Carl
8:06:44would take his word for it. He obviously
8:06:47didn't mean that they were just stronger
8:06:48than regular goblins, which wasn't a
8:06:50hard standard to meet. Keep the awakened
8:06:53in the middle of the group. I will lead
8:06:55the way in, Corbin instructed. And the
8:06:58group shifted their positions to protect
8:07:00the more vulnerable members. That had to
8:07:02mean that these were on the strong side
8:07:04of ascended at the least, or the
8:07:06awakened members wouldn't have had to
8:07:08retreat to protected positions. The
8:07:10ceiling was low in the room, low enough
8:07:12that the golems were going to have to be
8:07:14shortened, and Carl couldn't use Thor to
8:07:16fight. His horns would get caught on the
8:07:19roof, and he would barely be able to
8:07:21move. Ray's body shifted colors to have
8:07:24a bit of shimmering soft blue in it,
8:07:26looking like she was covered in the
8:07:27luminescent plant, and she summoned out
8:07:29her golems. They took on the same
8:07:32pattern, and the refreshing lightning
8:07:34spread over them as a soft blue glow,
8:07:36preparing them for battle. Now, Prince
8:07:40Corbin ordered, and Carl surged forward
8:07:43with the group, moving to the right to
8:07:44cover the flank while the golems went
8:07:46left. As he passed her, Carl could see
8:07:49the furious look on Rose's face, mad
8:07:52that she had to stand back from the
8:07:53battle against what looked like regular
8:07:55goblins in a new color. But when the
8:07:57first of Dana's golem blades hit one,
8:08:00and it only left a deep cut and didn't
8:08:01eviscerate the creature, it made much
8:08:04more sense. 30 wasn't many regular
8:08:07goblins.
8:08:0830 ascended rank mutant goblins were an
8:08:10actual concern for the group. frog
8:08:13novel.com.
8:08:15Not so much for Ry and her golems, who
8:08:17had already begun a reign of terror, as
8:08:20she got to test out her combat skills as
8:08:22a commander rank beast and a new
8:08:24terrorize skill that Carl had activated
8:08:26for her. Interestingly, when he cast it
8:08:29on her, the spell spread to her golems
8:08:31as well.
8:08:32The spell must consider them to be part
8:08:34of the same hole. And 40% extra damage
8:08:37for the three commander rank beasts who
8:08:39were nearly invisible in the room as
8:08:41they looked so much like their
8:08:42surroundings was more than enough to
8:08:45distract the goblins from the presence
8:08:47of Ry and her minions. Carl activated
8:08:50flaming body filling the room with faint
8:08:52red light that caught the attention of
8:08:54all the goblins at the same time. That
8:08:57proved immediately fatal for five of the
8:08:59beasts as his teammates took advantage
8:09:00of the laps and then Carl was throwing
8:09:03shred into the deceptively small and
8:09:05weak-l lookinging beasts. Two of them
8:09:08actually managed to parry it while one
8:09:10took a deep cut across its face that
8:09:12left it blind in one eye. Larry moved to
8:09:15Carl's side of the fight as Prince
8:09:17Corbin was holding the center, but there
8:09:19wasn't much immediate threat. The beasts
8:09:22had been stopped by Carl's attack, and
8:09:24the three spiders were coming at their
8:09:25backs already. The commander rank
8:09:28spellblade pushed forward, throwing
8:09:30lightning from his blade into the
8:09:31goblins. So Carl charged with him,
8:09:34squeezing the goblins into a pinser
8:09:36between them and the spider golems. That
8:09:38let them move to encircle the survivors,
8:09:41and within minutes, the red goblins were
8:09:43dead. Good work, everyone. Let's see
8:09:47what they had on them. The red goblins
8:09:49were surprisingly well equipped. Four
8:09:51goblins.
8:09:53Each of them had an enchanted crystal
8:09:55dagger, and Ry noticed quickly that the
8:09:57magic on them was the same as the
8:09:59glowing moss in the room. I think we
8:10:01need to gather some of this moss. It has
8:10:04the same aura as the enchantment on
8:10:06their weapons. Carl informed the others.
8:10:10Lotus nodded, already inspecting the
8:10:12moss to see what was special about it.
8:10:15You're right. There is something special
8:10:18and it's not a moss I know either. This
8:10:21place is strange. There are so many
8:10:23things that I don't know when I should
8:10:24know almost all plants and animals," she
8:10:28complained.
8:10:29Her voice held a pouting tone, but her
8:10:31face was hidden by her hood as she
8:10:33kneled on the moss to inspect it more
8:10:35closely. Then she began to gather it,
8:10:38carefully pulling it up by the roots and
8:10:40holding it up in the air. Carl laughed
8:10:42and took it from her to place in Thor's
8:10:44space where it would be safely stored
8:10:46until it was needed. While it was there,
8:10:49Carl decided to take a good look at it
8:10:51using his identification skill.
8:10:54Underworld Moss usable by Carl Ray Hawk
8:10:59combines with underworld crystals.
8:11:01Commander rank or higher vital fluids
8:11:03corrost potion grants a chance at the
8:11:06paralytic strike skill. That sounded
8:11:09pretty good if he could gather the rest
8:11:11of the ingredients. The crystals might
8:11:14be nearby, and the core of frost sounded
8:11:16like something they could find outside,
8:11:18so there was a good chance. Carl looked
8:11:21around the cave and realized that the
8:11:23crystals were closer than he had
8:11:24thought. They were what the daggers were
8:11:27made from, and there were dozens of them
8:11:28along the walls, embedded in the moss.
8:11:32Rey took that as her cue to go gather a
8:11:34few dozen of them, just in case the
8:11:36potion didn't work the first time. Then
8:11:38she realized that they were also good
8:11:40for weapons and stuffed even more of
8:11:42them into her area. The glow was
8:11:45actually quite pretty, sparkling like a
8:11:47field of stars, so she added even more
8:11:50until all the ones she could
8:11:51conveniently reach were picked and half
8:11:53her space's floor was filled with a
8:11:55layer of crystals and moss. "If I hang
8:11:57the bodies upside down, it will look
8:11:59like the night sky is above them once
8:12:01again," Rey declared proudly as she
8:12:04began to plan how to rearrange her
8:12:06trophies.
8:12:07I'm glad you like them. Is Ry planning
8:12:10to clear the entire room? Lotus asked as
8:12:14the bloodbath spider finished her work.
8:12:17She's got all that she wanted. She is
8:12:19making an art installation in her space,
8:12:21and it needed something to sparkle like
8:12:23the night sky, Carl explained. The
8:12:27spellblades looked a bit confused, but
8:12:29Dana reached over to brush moss off
8:12:31Ray's back where it had fallen while she
8:12:33was gathering crystals. I'm certain that
8:12:36it is lovely. You'll have to show us
8:12:39sometime. The mage joked. Ry considered
8:12:43that for a while. She couldn't bring
8:12:46Dana in, but she could put some in the
8:12:48gazebo roof when they got home, and that
8:12:50would be good, too. Hopefully, someone
8:12:53was taking care of their plants while
8:12:54they were away. There were plenty of
8:12:57pretty ones that should have fruits and
8:12:58flowers soon. The group got ready to
8:13:01move and Corbin motioned for Carl and
8:13:04Ray to head to the front. They could see
8:13:06best and again there was only one exit
8:13:08to the room headed back not far from the
8:13:11direction they had entered. Ry went in
8:13:14front as concerned about threats now
8:13:16that she had lightning around her. The
8:13:18spider golems took up the rear of the
8:13:20pack and they walked down the hallway
8:13:22careful not to make any excessive noise
8:13:24that would echo in the tunnels. Carl
8:13:27could still hear them moving, so any
8:13:29beast with sensitive ears would as well,
8:13:31but it was better not to advertise their
8:13:33presence. Another room lit with brazers
8:13:36was ahead, and Carl became suspicious.
8:13:40Something was up with this place, and he
8:13:42wasn't certain what it was. It's the
8:13:44same, Rey noted as she inspected the
8:13:47room. It is, Carl agreed. Everything was
8:13:53the same. size, shape, brazier
8:13:56placement. There's another room. He
8:14:00whispered to the others. Situation?
8:14:03Alice asked. It's identical to the last
8:14:07brazier lit room. Alice called Corbin up
8:14:10and the two discussed the plan for a
8:14:12moment. We want to try something new.
8:14:15Would you be willing to enter with Lotus
8:14:17and Tessa, then close the door behind
8:14:19you? go with the group that's the
8:14:22strongest at their level and see if it
8:14:23triggers the same sort of trap. Carl
8:14:26asked. Alice nodded gravely and Carl
8:14:30turned to the clerics. Lotus shrugged. I
8:14:34think it's for the best. If it works, we
8:14:37get loot. If it doesn't, we just open
8:14:40the far door and have you stand in the
8:14:42doorway while everyone else passes
8:14:43through. Last time it didn't do anything
8:14:46until we were all fully inside. I would
8:14:49appreciate it if you could leave one of
8:14:51the healers here. Rose muttered as she
8:14:54realized what the plan was. Corbin
8:14:57sighed. She has a point. If we're
8:15:00attacked while they're gone, it would be
8:15:02best if we had a healer with us. The two
8:15:05clerics turned to face each other and
8:15:07then began playing rock paper scissors.
8:15:10The first to win was Tessa, who smirked
8:15:13at Lotus. I will go with Carl. Lotus
8:15:16will stay with the rest of the group in
8:15:18case you're attacked. We will call for
8:15:20you if nothing happens. Carl called Ry
8:15:23into her space in case there was some
8:15:25issue with her being commander rank to
8:15:27his ascended. The previous trial
8:15:30instances had recognized the beasts as
8:15:32individuals, so these traps might as
8:15:34well. Carl led the way with Tessa right
8:15:37behind him. She closed the door once
8:15:40they were through and they waited for
8:15:42most of a minute before she sighed and
8:15:44opened the door again only to find that
8:15:46there was nobody there. I guess that
8:15:48means it worked. Now, where is the
8:15:51writing? Let's see what is going on. She
8:15:54announced. The letters appeared only a
8:15:57few seconds later. Welcome to the mixed
8:16:00group challenge. Tessa read then
8:16:03laughed. this one. We could have all
8:16:06entered together and fought together,
8:16:08but now they're going to either be
8:16:09short, the two of us, or they'll be
8:16:11waiting for us to return. Carl suspected
8:16:14that the stress might have cracked the
8:16:16war priestess, but she actually looked
8:16:18overjoyed.
8:16:19It's a mixed group event. You can enter
8:16:21together. Carl tried calling out to the
8:16:24group in case they could still hear him,
8:16:27though he couldn't see them. Then he
8:16:29found himself standing on the front
8:16:31lines of a massive defensive battle with
8:16:33Tessa right beside him. There were
8:16:35thousands of soldiers around them in the
8:16:37formation. Humans, beastkin, and even
8:16:40ogres.
8:16:42Charging toward them was a tide of
8:16:43elves, trolls, fairies, drys, and
8:16:46creatures Carl had no name for. Mixed
8:16:49group battle, he muttered. It seems so.
8:16:54Tessa agreed. The surrounding soldiers
8:16:57gave them strange looks and someone
8:16:59shouted as they moved forward to set a
8:17:01shield wall. Frobvil cm. Crap. They
8:17:06don't speak our language. Tessa just
8:17:09shrugged. War is war. We don't need
8:17:12words. Bring out the beasts so the
8:17:15others have time to get used to them and
8:17:17prepare to fight. Carl called everyone
8:17:20and the soldiers smiled. It looked like
8:17:23beasts in battle wasn't that uncommon to
8:17:25them. And even when Ry called her
8:17:27golems, the soldiers didn't panic. The
8:17:30leader of this force called something,
8:17:32and the rank behind the shieldbearers
8:17:34hefted spears, setting them on top of
8:17:36the shields as a brace against the
8:17:37impact of the incoming trolls that made
8:17:39up the front rank of the FA force. The
8:17:42front lines were about to crash together
8:17:44when suddenly Carl realized they had
8:17:46reinforcements.
8:17:48The rest of the group had entered,
8:17:49standing behind him and Tessa.
8:17:52The sound of snapping wooden spears
8:17:54filled the air an instant before the
8:17:55sound of trolls hitting shields and a
8:17:57battle cry that sent the humans allied
8:18:00forces forward. Ray sent her golems
8:18:03while Hawk took to the sky, but Thor
8:18:05stayed back, waiting for the first of
8:18:07the trolls to breach the line so he
8:18:09could plug the hole. What is going on?
8:18:12We heard you call for us to come in.
8:18:15Prince Corbin called out. humans and
8:18:18allies against fa group battle. Tessa
8:18:21yelled back, trying to be heard over the
8:18:23den of the battle as Carl began to hurl
8:18:26attacks at the taller Fay. I guess we're
8:18:28doing this then. Prince Corbin side. 3
8:18:33hours later, Carl sat with his back
8:18:35against Thor in the ruins of the
8:18:36battlefield. The humans had won a pirick
8:18:39victory at best, and with the losses
8:18:41that they had suffered, if there had
8:18:43been any fay left alive, it might have
8:18:45been counted as a loss.
8:18:47The town that the humans and their
8:18:49allies were defending had been half
8:18:51raised, and most of the civilians were
8:18:53presumed dead. Less than one in 50 of
8:18:55the original thousand or so warriors
8:18:57were still alive, and all of them were
8:18:59currently catching their breath. The
8:19:01battlefield smoldered where Hawk had
8:19:03bombarded it with fireballs to prevent
8:19:05the trolls from regenerating, leaving
8:19:07acurate smoke hanging over the planes,
8:19:09which were now largely devoid of life.
8:19:12After meditating for the last 10 minutes
8:19:14to recover some strength, slowly
8:19:16spreading the energy from the focuses in
8:19:17the beast spaces to improve their
8:19:19quality before rebuilding the focus to
8:19:21improve everyone's strength, Carl opened
8:19:23his eyes and decided it was time to get
8:19:25back on his feet. Carl looked out at the
8:19:28massive number of bodies and slowly got
8:19:31to his feet, ready to go check them for
8:19:33loot and valuables.
8:19:35With that many, there had to be some
8:19:36good stuff there somewhere.
8:19:39However, as soon as he got up to go
8:19:41check the nearby bodies, those familiar
8:19:43magical words appeared on the ground.
8:19:46Trial successfully completed. Time 2
8:19:49hours 47 minutes. Tessa read. Then they
8:19:53all waited to see what the next message
8:19:55would be. Would it send them to another
8:19:58round? It hadn't said failed. It did
8:20:01tell them that they were successful
8:20:02despite the heavy casualties and the
8:20:04damage to the town behind them. rewards
8:20:07granted. Everyone waited to see what
8:20:10they would get, but there was no sign of
8:20:12prize boxes, no additional notification,
8:20:15and then they were back in the plain
8:20:16room with the brazers again. That was
8:20:19when the prizes appeared. One small box
8:20:22in front of each of them. There were
8:20:24three silver boxes, three gold boxes,
8:20:27two platinum boxes, and one that looked
8:20:29like it was made of pure ruby. Prince
8:20:32Corbin looked at the boxes.
8:20:35Well, I think that we can guess how
8:20:36they're supposed to be distributed.
8:20:39Now, you just need to pick one from your
8:20:41group. The three awakened rank members
8:20:44all looked wistfully at the boxes with
8:20:45other colors on them. Dana certainly had
8:20:48experience with these reward boxes, and
8:20:51the better your rank, the better the
8:20:52box's contents.
8:20:54However, there wasn't another mage in
8:20:56the ascended group to plead with, and
8:20:58Alice was unlikely to give up her loot
8:21:00for an awakened rank box after spending
8:21:023 hours keeping up barriers and
8:21:04eventually being held upright by archers
8:21:06who ran out of arrows so that even when
8:21:08she was too exhausted to stand, she
8:21:10could stay within the protective circle
8:21:12around Thor and regain her stamina. Dana
8:21:15and the two awakened spellblades went
8:21:17first, then traded boxes until they got
8:21:19one that they could open. Both spell
8:21:22blades got new swords in a similar style
8:21:24to the ones they were using, while Dana
8:21:26got an ornate wooden wand with golden
8:21:28patterns down it. Not bad. The wand is
8:21:31rechargeable and casts magic missile up
8:21:33to 20 times. Dana informed the group.
8:21:38That wasn't too bad at all. It would
8:21:40save her a bunch of mana during fights
8:21:42that she could consume when they weren't
8:21:44in danger.
8:21:46She already knew magic missile, so her
8:21:48proficiency with the spell would extend
8:21:49to the wand, allowing her to split the
8:21:52magic missile into multiple missiles,
8:21:54though the damage would drop. That would
8:21:56give her an advantage against weaker
8:21:58targets and help with the rapid clearing
8:22:00abilities of the team. Lotus handed out
8:22:03the next round of boxes, and
8:22:05surprisingly, none of the three needed
8:22:07to be exchanged.
8:22:08Carl opened his reward box and found a
8:22:11beautiful crystal bow inside.
8:22:13Strangely, it had no string. But when he
8:22:16held it, he instantly understood the
8:22:18concept. If you made the motion to pull
8:22:21the non-existent string, intending to
8:22:23fire it, the bow would create an arrow
8:22:25and fire. There was no mana cost and no
8:22:28listed capacity of charges. It was just
8:22:31a magical bow. However, he could attach
8:22:34skills to those magical arrows and send
8:22:36them to a much more distant target.
8:22:39The range on Shred and Rend wasn't bad,
8:22:41but that was for the average battle.
8:22:44Anything beyond 20 m and they began to
8:22:47lose power. But attached to an arrow,
8:22:50they could fly 200 m and they would
8:22:52still be fine. It looks like it's
8:22:55weapons day. Lotus laughed, waving a
8:22:58carved wooden staff around. It doesn't
8:23:01have to be a weapon. Tessa disagreed,
8:23:04holding up a red and gold metal shield
8:23:06that matched her robes.
8:23:08Smashing tools are still weapons. Lotus
8:23:12shrugged. Larry laughed and passed a box
8:23:15to Alice while Corbin moved to the ruby
8:23:17chest. All three took out weapons, a
8:23:20gold wand with clear crystal inlay for
8:23:22Alice and swords for both of the others.
8:23:26It looks like the reward system is
8:23:28judging us for our low damage output.
8:23:30Carl noted. It definitely is. Dana
8:23:35sighed. She had destruction plus two
8:23:38heavily upgraded golems and multiple
8:23:40attack spells, and it had still given
8:23:42her a weapon, though it was one to save
8:23:45mana, so perhaps that was the issue with
8:23:48her combat skills that it was concerned
8:23:50with. Prince Corbin looked at his watch
8:23:52and frowned. That took longer than I
8:23:55expected. We should head back to the
8:23:58entrance where we know it's safe to
8:24:00rest. We will call it an early day
8:24:02because none of us will be up for
8:24:04another one of those trials today. There
8:24:06were no objections to that. They had
8:24:09three solid hours of combat in that
8:24:11second room, and another long fight
8:24:13would simply be too much for them. It
8:24:16was only when they reached the first
8:24:17room that they realized going back might
8:24:19be as much trouble as going forward. The
8:24:22door leaving the first room that they
8:24:24had very deliberately left propped open
8:24:26was closed again, and they were looking
8:24:28at the same scene that had triggered the
8:24:30last two trials.
8:24:32All right, we will set up camp for the
8:24:34night in the last trial room in case the
8:24:36goblins in the larger cave aren't the
8:24:38only ones around. They have a way of
8:24:40finding a way through the smallest
8:24:42cracks. And who knows what's hidden
8:24:44under that moss. If the way back is
8:24:46sealed, we're as safe here as anywhere.
8:24:49But we will keep watch in case the
8:24:51trials reset and not just the doors to
8:24:53the rooms. What is the watch schedule?
8:24:56Carl asked as he prepared to head back
8:24:58into the second trial room. Freed
8:25:01novel.cm.
8:25:03Prince Corbin gestured to Carl. We will
8:25:06use a twoperson watch so one can defend
8:25:09while the other wakes the group. One
8:25:11commander with someone else. Carl, you
8:25:14and I will take first. Who wants second?
8:25:17Alice nodded. I will take second with
8:25:20Rose. And that puts me and Daryl third.
8:25:24Larry agreed. Everyone else has the
8:25:27night to rest. And we will cycle
8:25:29partners tomorrow if it's reasonable.
8:25:32Nobody wants the healers to be overt
8:25:34tired. Carl couldn't argue with that
8:25:36logic. When things were bad, it paid to
8:25:40have the clerics on your side, fresh and
8:25:42ready to work. So he set down his pack
8:25:45and took out his sleeping bag, wanting
8:25:47to have it ready to crawl into when he
8:25:49finished his watch. Dana sat up next to
8:25:52him while the clerics prepared dinner.
8:25:54The spells words were about to take out
8:25:56ration packs when they noticed that
8:25:58there was a rather surprising amount of
8:26:00food available. Where did all that come
8:26:02from? Do you carry a whole kitchen? Rose
8:26:06asked. No need for that. We can both use
8:26:10advanced food creation blessings.
8:26:13This is all magic. It didn't exist 2
8:26:16minutes ago. Just get comfortable and it
8:26:18will be cooked in 15 minutes. Tessa
8:26:21explained.
8:26:23They were making some sort of stew with
8:26:25the ingredients they had conjured. So
8:26:27Carl offered up a large chunk of meat
8:26:28from one of the awakened rank reptiles
8:26:30they had fought that morning. Hawk had
8:26:33claimed the body, but it would take him
8:26:35forever to get through it all. Here, cut
8:26:38this thinly and it should cook quickly
8:26:40enough, he offered. Prince Corbin looked
8:26:44dubious about the mystery meat from
8:26:45nowhere, but he didn't say anything and
8:26:48decided to just trust the clerics not to
8:26:50poison them all. Even if they did, they
8:26:53were the ones with the cleansing spells,
8:26:55so it was in their best interests to be
8:26:56safe with the food. But they seemed to
8:26:59trust Carl's food supply. And as soon as
8:27:01he passed it over, Lotus began to cut
8:27:04paper thin slices that would cook in
8:27:06seconds in the stew pot. After the meal
8:27:08was finished and the supplies were
8:27:10packed away, Carl sat down next to
8:27:12Prince Corbin, but facing the opposite
8:27:14door so they could start their watch,
8:27:16which Carl honestly didn't expect to be
8:27:18anything but dull. They were inside what
8:27:21appeared to be an enchanted tunnel
8:27:23system, and the only other room down the
8:27:25hall was sealed. If anything happened,
8:27:28it would be this one resetting. and if
8:27:30it happened on his watch, it would be a
8:27:32real pain as they were still exhausted
8:27:34and mentally drained. At first, neither
8:27:37of them said anything. They just
8:27:39silently watched their doors while
8:27:41everyone fell asleep. They had all
8:27:43zipped their backpacks into the sleeping
8:27:45bags with them in case the trial
8:27:47activated, so they didn't end up leaving
8:27:49anything they might need on the outside.
8:27:52This one had been a 3-hour long
8:27:54nightmare, and they had nearly depleted
8:27:56their water and snacks before the
8:27:57clerics had restocked everyone at
8:27:59dinner. Once the others were asleep,
8:28:02Corbin turned his attention to Carl. You
8:28:05know, you're getting incredibly close to
8:28:06the commander rank, and I'm certain
8:28:08after that last instance that your
8:28:10spider is already there. Are you sure
8:28:12that you want to report that to the
8:28:14church? They're the masters of guilt-
8:28:16tripping people into doing their
8:28:18bidding. the prince whispered, knowing
8:28:21that Carl's hearing was extremely
8:28:22sensitive.
8:28:24Do you actually think that they won't
8:28:25know? There are two clerics with us that
8:28:28are moving through the ascended rank at
8:28:30breakneck pace, and last I heard the
8:28:32high priests were considering having an
8:28:33oracle look in on us. Carl whispered
8:28:36back, "Good point. Just saying. There
8:28:40are other factions to consider other
8:28:42than the church." Carl smiled. like the
8:28:46Bureau of Elite Development. Who do you
8:28:49think Alice works for? Corbin sighed and
8:28:52shook his head. You grew too fast, and
8:28:55you likely haven't even learned the
8:28:57polite and effective ways to say no to
8:28:59them yet. Commander is a big change. And
8:29:02if you don't stand up and demand the
8:29:04respect that goes with the rank when you
8:29:05get it, you'll find yourself in the suck
8:29:08on terrible borderline suicide missions
8:29:10until one of them really is a suicide
8:29:12mission. Carl nodded. I'm bad at saying
8:29:16no to people when I get the puppy eyes
8:29:18from them. I will have to work on it, I
8:29:21guess. I just didn't expect everything
8:29:23to come at me so fast, you know. I'm
8:29:26still in my freshman year. It's only
8:29:28been a few months since the divine
8:29:30injection. Corbin did a double take.
8:29:34You're a freshman. I thought you were a
8:29:36babyfaced junior, a thirdyear student.
8:29:40Carl shook his head.
8:29:42No. Both me and Dana started school at
8:29:44the same time. The royal rank mage
8:29:47looked between the two and nodded. Her I
8:29:50could see being the prodigy of the first
8:29:52year. She's at that mid to late awakened
8:29:55rank point that comes with a load of
8:29:57resources at the start of the freshman
8:29:58year. I will talk to her later as well.
8:30:01Make sure she doesn't fall for the big
8:30:03push that burns potential for speed.
8:30:06She's got it in her to go far if she
8:30:08just keeps grinding at it. You two are
8:30:11good friends, so you might be able to
8:30:13look out for her after you advance
8:30:14again. Carl nodded. I will do what I
8:30:18can. The two fell into comfortable
8:30:21silence, and when Corbin's watch blinked
8:30:23a few hours later, he went to wake up
8:30:25the next team. Read Neville.com.
8:30:29Carl was awoken sometime in the early
8:30:31morning by a gust of warm air on his
8:30:33face that had him instantly opening his
8:30:35eyes and preparing for battle. But it
8:30:37was just a gust of hot air from the
8:30:39morning meal being prepared, and he
8:30:41relaxed again, then summoned his armor
8:30:43to instantly get dressed. The morning
8:30:46meal was oatmeal and diced fruit, which
8:30:48was absently devoured while everyone
8:30:50discussed the plan for the day. It seems
8:30:53likely that every major room we come
8:30:54across is going to have a challenge in
8:30:56it. So, if one of them takes an
8:30:58inordinate amount of time, we will call
8:31:00it a day, no matter where we are. We got
8:31:03through three rooms yesterday and
8:31:05ideally we would be able to do that
8:31:06again today, but I'm not willing to have
8:31:08anyone overextend themselves and end up
8:31:10dead. Corbin announced his team, himself
8:31:15included, had taken multiple beatings
8:31:17yesterday, so his cautions made sense,
8:31:19even if it meant that they would be
8:31:21exploring the area at a crawl. "Aren't
8:31:24we going to try the first fight over
8:31:25again and get out of here?" Daryl asked
8:31:28somewhat sullenly.
8:31:30with the rewards we got from that last
8:31:32battle. I don't think so. We will search
8:31:36this place, fight as much as we must,
8:31:38and perhaps you can go home ascended.
8:31:41This isn't the sort of resource that
8:31:43comes along often with multiple
8:31:45challenges all giving rewards.
8:31:47It's somewhat like gaining access to a
8:31:49dozen challenges at the same time. We
8:31:51just have to fight our way through.
8:31:54There is also a major source of magical
8:31:56energy somewhere in this mountain. And
8:31:58after what we have seen, I have reason
8:32:00to think that it might be one of the
8:32:01lost divine dungeons, the original
8:32:03repeatable challenges that the world
8:32:05dragon set up for the first people to
8:32:06train. Tessa and Lotus looked shocked,
8:32:09while the younger members just looked
8:32:11confused, other than Carl, who knew the
8:32:14history already. Aren't those a myth?
8:32:17Rose asked. Corbin shrugged.
8:32:21Maybe, but I can say for certain that
8:32:23they exist. It's just not clear where
8:32:26they came from.
8:32:27a trial dungeon more intense than what
8:32:29they had found. That last fight
8:32:32yesterday had been intense enough. Or
8:32:35perhaps it just gave better rewards.
8:32:38That would be nice. Carl led the group
8:32:41out of the room this time, and everyone
8:32:42was a bit more relaxed with Thor
8:32:44covering them all in refreshing
8:32:46lightning. Not only for the defensive
8:32:48benefits, but for the fact that it kept
8:32:50their stamina refreshed and their minds
8:32:52relaxed. The hallway wounded down
8:32:55through the mountain for some time with
8:32:57no sign of other rooms until Carl heard
8:32:59an echo below them. There is a cavern
8:33:02beneath us. We're nearly underneath
8:33:05where we started somewhere between the
8:33:08first and second trial rooms. If we keep
8:33:11following this tunnel down, we should
8:33:13end up in the cavern soon. He quietly
8:33:16informed the others. All right. Are you
8:33:19certain about the positioning? Alice
8:33:22asked. I grew up in the mines. I have an
8:33:26excellent sense of direction
8:33:27underground.
8:33:29With the curve in the tunnel and the
8:33:31slope, I say 200 more meters, Carl
8:33:34replied. The echo and the sound of
8:33:37something banging became audible to
8:33:39everyone over the next 100 meters. Then
8:33:41the faint blue bioluminescence lit up
8:33:43the mouth of the tunnel as it reached
8:33:44the cave. Carl dropped to the ground and
8:33:47crawled to the last corner with Ray
8:33:49hovering above him. The tunnel opened 15
8:33:52m up the wall of a massive cavern
8:33:55complete with its own biome full of
8:33:56fungi, grasses, and some sort of
8:33:59bipeedal creature. Carl focused on them
8:34:02and did his best to get perfect details.
8:34:05They looked like elves, but with ashy
8:34:07black skin, white hair, and glowing
8:34:10violet eyes. They had a whole city down
8:34:13there made of the black stones of the
8:34:15cavern. And on the far side from where
8:34:17the tunnel ended, there was a massive
8:34:19glowing portal 20 m tall. Carl went back
8:34:22and relayed the information to the
8:34:24others who were even more concerned than
8:34:26he was. They sounded like elves, and the
8:34:29species was known to be temperamental at
8:34:31the best of times. But if they were some
8:34:33sort of mutated monster version of the
8:34:35elves, like the red goblins were to
8:34:37regular goblins, they could be in real
8:34:39trouble. Their group certainly wouldn't
8:34:41be able to take on a whole village, and
8:34:43they didn't want to leave that portal
8:34:45behind. "So, what do we do? Is there a
8:34:49chance we can sneak through the less
8:34:51populated areas?" Carl asked, "They're
8:34:55elves. They will know right away if
8:34:57someone touches their plants. I doubt it
8:35:00will be possible to sneak past them."
8:35:02Lotus sighed. "Then what do we do?"
8:35:06Alice sighed, looking toward the end of
8:35:08the tunnel. If that really was a dungeon
8:35:11portal, she wanted to go in. Carl
8:35:14considered the options for a moment. I
8:35:16think that we might have missed a side
8:35:18tunnel. Do you remember how the other
8:35:20one was hidden? There might have been
8:35:23another like it. The city down there has
8:35:26dozens of tunnels leading out into the
8:35:27mountain. So, what are the odds that the
8:35:29one that leads outside doesn't have a
8:35:31single branch? Alice smiled as she
8:35:34considered the options. Well, it's worth
8:35:37checking before we try sneaking to
8:35:38another tunnel and hoping that it heads
8:35:40in the direction that we want. The
8:35:42closest tunnel was only 50 m away, but
8:35:45at ground level, and it had fairly
8:35:47regular traffic through it. That clearly
8:35:50wasn't an optimal choice. But there was
8:35:53one about 70 m to their left, and that
8:35:55one was halfway up the wall and also
8:35:57looked abandoned. It was also slightly
8:36:00lower, so he could have Ray make them a
8:36:02zipline, and everyone could slide over.
8:36:05Prince Corbin looked back down the
8:36:07tunnel. Let's check all the walls back
8:36:09to the last room. If that doesn't show
8:36:12us any missed branches, we will try for
8:36:14another tunnel. I know Daryl and Muffin
8:36:17don't really understand how valuable
8:36:19that portal is, but we absolutely need
8:36:21to find our way to it. Rose bristled at
8:36:24being called Muffin, but she fell into
8:36:26her position in the middle of the pack
8:36:28as Carl led them back up the tunnel,
8:36:30using his swords to check both walls for
8:36:32anything that wasn't as solid as it
8:36:34looked.
8:36:35But after only a dozen paces, he paused.
8:36:38The tunnel isn't the same. We're headed
8:36:41down again. He informed the others. It
8:36:45took them a moment to realize what was
8:36:47wrong with that statement. They had been
8:36:50on a steep decline all the way to the
8:36:51chamber, so they should be climbing back
8:36:53up the ramp now, but according to Carl,
8:36:56they weren't. Corbin cast some sort of
8:36:59elementary spell, and a handful of
8:37:01marbles appeared in his hand. He
8:37:03scattered them on the floor, some in
8:37:05front, some behind the group, and they
8:37:07all rolled away. Both sides are
8:37:10downhill. We're definitely in an
8:37:12illusion, or the tunnel was changed, he
8:37:16agreed. Carl closed his eyes and
8:37:18whistled softly, letting Ray's
8:37:20echolocation tell him what was around
8:37:22them. This way. Behind us is still the
8:37:26chamber, but the real upward tunnel is
8:37:28on our left. In front of us is solid
8:37:31rock.
8:37:32Everyone hold hands and follow me for a
8:37:34few steps. He instructed.
8:37:38That sounded a bit foolish to the
8:37:39others, but they followed the
8:37:41instruction. And when Carl got four
8:37:43steps through what had looked and felt
8:37:44like solid rock, they were in a new
8:37:46tunnel. He took a few more steps, then
8:37:50pulled everyone to them and called Ry to
8:37:52her space, then brought her back out
8:37:54again. She couldn't close her eyes, so
8:37:57she was unable to get past the illusion
8:37:59on her own, even though she could
8:38:00clearly tell that what she was seeing
8:38:02was not right. Once they were all in the
8:38:05new tunnel, Carl took out a strip of
8:38:07cloth from his bag, intended to be a
8:38:09bandana or dust mask, but it would do as
8:38:11a blindfold.
8:38:13He needed a bit of eyesight to use
8:38:15thermal vision, and the folded over
8:38:16cloth made a hazy, but not completely
8:38:19impenetrable view, though he couldn't
8:38:21see anything in the dark with normal
8:38:22vision. All right, illusion resistant
8:38:25eyewear engaged. I will lead us forward.
8:38:29Just warn me if there is anything
8:38:30strange going on with my actions so that
8:38:32we don't get separated. He informed the
8:38:35group. There was a short pause and Carl
8:38:38turned back to the group only to find
8:38:40them staring straight ahead. There
8:38:43wasn't anything there by his vision,
8:38:45though. Rey, what are they looking at?
8:38:48He asked. No clue. They all look pretty
8:38:53freaked out though. Maybe swat at the
8:38:56air with your sword or something, she
8:38:58suggested.
8:39:00Carl did, and everyone started moving
8:39:02again, looking around as if expecting to
8:39:04be ambushed.
8:39:06I'm pretty sure we're still in the
8:39:08illusion. I didn't see what you do, and
8:39:11when I waved my sword around, you all
8:39:13came back to me, Carl explained. If it
8:39:17even got Corbin in its trap, perhaps we
8:39:19should find another alternate way.
8:39:22Larry suggested.
8:39:24It does seem as if they put in
8:39:25significant effort to trap this tunnel,
8:39:27doesn't it? Carl agreed. "And there are
8:39:31elves in the tunnel behind us. I can
8:39:33hear them." Rey added, "Going back is no
8:39:37longer an option. There is someone in
8:39:39the tunnel we came from. Stay close and
8:39:42ignore anything that you see. Close your
8:39:45eyes and hold on to someone's clothes if
8:39:47you have to. Just keep following me,
8:39:50Carl ordered. He led the group down
8:39:52through a set of winding corridors until
8:39:54he sensed a door on the left. Then he
8:39:56pulled everyone inside and closed the
8:39:58door behind them. They were in another
8:40:01of the brazier rooms and everyone was
8:40:03giving him strange looks. Sorry, the
8:40:06elves were catching up to us and this
8:40:08was the first door I found. He
8:40:11whispered, motioning for silence, but
8:40:14they continued to wait and nothing
8:40:16happened.
8:40:17There was no magical writing and the
8:40:19sound of running footsteps and swearing
8:40:21in the corridors faded after a few
8:40:23minutes. Then it returned as the patrol
8:40:26retraced their steps, but they didn't
8:40:28stop outside the door and just kept
8:40:30moving back toward the tunnel mouth that
8:40:32Carl's group had stopped near. "What do
8:40:35we do now?" "There's no second exit from
8:40:38this room, and there's a whole city of
8:40:39them out there," Dana asked. Prince
8:40:43Corbin sighed, then smiled. I have
8:40:46either the dumbest or most brilliant
8:40:48idea ever. When the guards passed by the
8:40:51second time, I managed to record them
8:40:53for my disguise spell. I can disguise
8:40:56everyone as the patrol and we can just
8:40:58walk through to our goal. Alice
8:41:01chuckled. Definitely one of the dumbest.
8:41:04How are we supposed to get back out once
8:41:06they notice we've gone through the
8:41:08portal? You know they will have it under
8:41:10security and the disguise spell doesn't
8:41:12last long so we won't be able to spend
8:41:15time scouting even if we spoke their
8:41:16language. How about we use the disguise
8:41:19spell to look for a way out? At the
8:41:22least they wouldn't attack on site if
8:41:24they mistook us for guards. Larry
8:41:27offered. Corbin raised his hand and
8:41:30suddenly everyone looked like the
8:41:32dark-skinned elven guards. They were all
8:41:35the same height with the same hairstyles
8:41:37as they had before. But it was at least
8:41:39enough to get them through a cursory
8:41:40examination.
8:41:42All right, let's go see if we can find a
8:41:44way to the portal. The royal ranked mage
8:41:47instructed.
8:41:49Carl sent Ry back to her space to help
8:41:51with the disguise and opened the door,
8:41:53only to find that they were no longer in
8:41:55a hallway, but a large courtyard in the
8:41:57middle of a fantastic city. His first
8:42:00instinct was to close his eyes and let a
8:42:02collocation tell him the truth. But when
8:42:04he did, it still seemed to be real. He
8:42:08turned back to the group. What do you
8:42:10think the chances are that we stepped
8:42:12into a trial and didn't notice? We
8:42:14didn't get a notification in here. But
8:42:16what if that was because I was leading
8:42:18us blind through the illusions when we
8:42:19entered? Prince Corbin stepped up beside
8:42:22him and looked out at the city, which
8:42:24was made up of twisted black spires with
8:42:26a bright blue sky overhead and alien
8:42:29looking plants growing everywhere.
8:42:31Well, we aren't in the underground city,
8:42:34that's for certain.
8:42:35Let me check with a locating spell. He
8:42:38whispered in case something nearby could
8:42:41hear them. He cast the spell and shook
8:42:43his head. We're definitely inside a
8:42:46trial. Either that or we're more than a
8:42:49thousand km from where we were
8:42:51yesterday. I can't locate any of our
8:42:54other clansmen and there is nothing
8:42:55coming in over the radio. Alice took a
8:42:58device out of her pack and nodded. We're
8:43:01not in contact with any government
8:43:03signals. I would say that we're almost
8:43:05certainly inside a trial of some sort.
8:43:08What does the outside of the building
8:43:10we're in look like? Carl stuck his head
8:43:13out and found that the door was black
8:43:15oak on the outside and they were in one
8:43:17of the many black spires, the same as
8:43:20the ones you can see across the road.
8:43:22We're on the main floor of a spire. Carl
8:43:26explained. Alice nodded. which means if
8:43:30we leave, this entry point will probably
8:43:32vanish and we will have to complete
8:43:34whatever sort of trial we're in before
8:43:36we can exit. This sort of situation
8:43:38matches with the reports that we got
8:43:40from other elites, but they reported
8:43:42losing huge amounts of time while they
8:43:44were in strange trials or simply didn't
8:43:46remember anything. Great. So, is there
8:43:50any way to see what sort of mission
8:43:51we're on? Larry asked. There was one
8:43:55sure way to tell. Quest status.
8:43:59One ongoing quest. Find and enter the
8:44:02dungeon portal. Conditions. Survival.
8:44:06Carl looked at the simple listing from
8:44:08the system and frowned. Find and enter
8:44:10the portal without dying. Yeah, that was
8:44:14basically what they were trying to do
8:44:15anyhow. There wasn't much of a reason to
8:44:18issue them a quest for it. Unless they
8:44:21had been in one all along and
8:44:22misunderstood, thinking that they had
8:44:24exited. If they had entered a trial when
8:44:27they left the last room, or worse,
8:44:29hadn't left the first one that they had
8:44:31entered at all and were simply moving
8:44:33around areas of it, their entire
8:44:35experience could be an illusion. Carl
8:44:38looked outside, using every form of
8:44:40vision that he could, but found that the
8:44:42only people around were a scattering of
8:44:44the dark-kinned elves. I can still sense
8:44:46the portal, even if the city changed.
8:44:50Rey informed him from her space. Rey
8:44:53says the portal is still nearby. Should
8:44:56we get a move on and see if we can make
8:44:57it there? I don't know what happened to
8:45:00the city, but I believe we're in a trial
8:45:02and it's still the goal," Carl
8:45:05whispered. There were some shared looks
8:45:07of concern, but after a moment, both
8:45:09Alice and Corbin motioned for him to
8:45:11lead the way out of the room and through
8:45:13the city toward where he thought that
8:45:14the portal should be. Their disguises
8:45:17weren't perfect, but they blended in
8:45:19well with the locals, who had a very
8:45:21eclectic fashion sense, with the only
8:45:23rule seeming to be that it must be black
8:45:25clothing with white hair. They didn't
8:45:28speak as they moved through the city
8:45:29streets headed for the center of town,
8:45:32where everyone could soon see the glow
8:45:33of the immense portal. There were more
8:45:36people moving their way by the minute,
8:45:38as if there were some type of big event
8:45:40going on, and Lotus was getting excited.
8:45:43I speak Elvish, and while their accent
8:45:45is archaic and harsh, I can hear them
8:45:47saying that the portal is open. That
8:45:50must mean they're going to let people
8:45:51through, she whispered. Alice laughed
8:45:55softly. If we can just walk through the
8:45:58portal, I am throwing a party when we
8:46:00get back. How well do you think you can
8:46:03emulate the accent? Well, enough to get
8:46:05us in. Trust me, Lotus replied as she
8:46:10came to walk beside Carl at the front of
8:46:12the group. They just followed the flow
8:46:14of people to the portal, hoping that the
8:46:16disguise spell held and wasn't seen
8:46:18through. Everyone in town was going the
8:46:21same way toward the man in the black and
8:46:23white patterned robe that was shouting
8:46:25something in ancient Elvish. He says
8:46:27they're an outreach program and they are
8:46:29looking for volunteers who are willing
8:46:31to risk their lives to prove that they
8:46:33have what it takes to be the champion of
8:46:34the dungeon.
8:46:36I don't know what that means, but I'm
8:46:38going with it. Before anyone could
8:46:40speak, Lotus threw her hands in the air
8:46:42and waved at the man in the black and
8:46:44white robes. He smiled and pointed at
8:46:47her while the elves all looked stunned
8:46:49that someone was volunteering without
8:46:51asking for any more details.
8:46:53Lotus made a gesture that they were all
8:46:55together in a group, and the man
8:46:57motioned them up onto the platform where
8:46:59the dungeon portal was. Only nine you.
8:47:02The options are five or 10.
8:47:05The man asked Lotus in Elvin. This will
8:47:08be good enough for the 10-person
8:47:10challenge. Have faith, she replied. The
8:47:15man in the odd cleric robes, black on
8:47:17the left, white on the right, smiled and
8:47:20patted her on the head, then gestured to
8:47:22the portal for them to enter. The first
8:47:24volunteers for the new dungeon are now
8:47:26entering. May the blessings of the
8:47:29ancients be upon them. The man announced
8:47:32as they walked inside, and Lotus almost
8:47:34stopped to ask him questions, but didn't
8:47:36want to give herself away with her
8:47:38foreign accent. Lotus and Carl led the
8:47:41group through, [clears throat] and they
8:47:42stepped into a strange swamp with
8:47:44crystallin trees and groups of snake
8:47:46monsters with vaguely humanoid torsos.
8:47:49"Naga"?
8:47:51Lotus announced in awe. "Are they
8:47:53powerful?" Carl asked. "They can be.
8:47:58They're semi-intelligent, brutal, and
8:48:01they use magic. Hawk looked out over the
8:48:04surroundings from his space and gave a
8:48:05squawk of pure hatred in Carl's mind.
8:48:09Evil, they're pure evil. Nothing but
8:48:12swamps and water magic. This place
8:48:15should not be allowed to exist. After
8:48:17his close call with the Yeti clans,
8:48:19Hawk's hatred for water magic seemed to
8:48:22have gotten more intense. But as Carl
8:48:24looked out over the swamps, he saw
8:48:26potential. There were leaders at the
8:48:28commander and high commander ranks,
8:48:30countless awakened drones and ascended
8:48:32warriors, as well as lesser subspecies
8:48:34that Carl believed were common grade and
8:48:36may or may not pose a threat. Lotus was
8:48:40the only one of them that knew much
8:48:41about the species, and she hadn't
8:48:43mentioned the others. So, Carl assumed
8:48:45that they were most likely common grade
8:48:47creatures, though he could see them
8:48:48using simple water magic, so they
8:48:51weren't completely harmless. The scaled,
8:48:54almost human shaped upper bodies of the
8:48:56Naga were throwing Carl's sense of scale
8:48:58off. Most of them only had two arms, but
8:49:02some had four, and they all had fully
8:49:04reptilian heads like a cobras with the
8:49:06widen hood. Only theirs didn't only
8:49:09flare as a threat. It was held wide all
8:49:12the time, either on purpose or by
8:49:14evolution.
8:49:15They came in a huge variety of sizes,
8:49:18from torsos the size of a child to as
8:49:20large as that of an ogre. The Naga also
8:49:23wore some clothing and jewelry while
8:49:25carrying weapons as needed, which
8:49:27convinced everyone in the group that
8:49:29they were indeed an advanced species.
8:49:31Carl didn't want to send Hawk up and
8:49:33draw the entire area toward them, but
8:49:35from the entrance, they could see quite
8:49:37a bit of the village. Carl focused on
8:49:40the quest status again now that they
8:49:42were inside and found that it had
8:49:44updated. Clear the Naga dungeon and
8:49:47eliminate the Naga king. That would
8:49:50definitely have to be done in order. But
8:49:52there was something strange about this
8:49:54place other than the fact that it was
8:49:56full of naga or that it shouldn't exist
8:49:58in the location where they found it or
8:50:00the weather in the swamp. Dana was the
8:50:03first to put it together. They can
8:50:05clearly see us standing here. Why
8:50:08haven't they attacked?
8:50:10She asked. Corbin smiled at her. It's a
8:50:14unique feature of the dungeons. I've
8:50:16been in a few before and as long as none
8:50:19of your group leave the starting
8:50:20platform, nothing will attack. Once we
8:50:23move forward, they will engage as usual
8:50:26and we will have to remain out of sight
8:50:27of patrols and other groups while
8:50:29preventing them from calling for
8:50:31assistance.
8:50:32See, this place is evil. Hawk reminded
8:50:36Carl. Actually, I have a great idea. Why
8:50:40don't you stay on the shoulder of one of
8:50:42the mages, which will keep you away from
8:50:44the fighting, and then you can throw
8:50:45fireballs at all the water magic users
8:50:47without attracting too many, Carl
8:50:50suggested.
8:50:52Oh, that's good. I will stay with the
8:50:55Dana mage. If I stand on her head, I
8:50:58will be the same height as everyone
8:51:00else. Maybe just on her shoulder. Your
8:51:04claws are sharp, and she's not wearing a
8:51:06helmet. Hawk agreed to compromise and
8:51:09went to stand on her backpack to look
8:51:11over her head. Carl called Ry and Thor
8:51:14out and the group prepared to move
8:51:16forward to where the first group of Naga
8:51:18were waiting for them. As Corbin had
8:51:21said, the moment that they stepped off
8:51:22the platform, the Naga took action,
8:51:25shifting into an attack formation and
8:51:27preparing to engage the group. The
8:51:29creatures didn't seem to know what they
8:51:31should do with the presence of a
8:51:32lightning ser. If snake faces could look
8:51:35confused, that was the vibe that Carl
8:51:38was getting from them as Thor charged.
8:51:39Then horror as they realized that he
8:51:41didn't have to spear them with his horns
8:51:43to cause damage. The naga twisted in
8:51:46between the large upper horns on Thor's
8:51:48head. But the Sarah just violently shook
8:51:50his head back and forth, whipping the
8:51:52unfortunate warrior from side to side
8:51:54and leaving it unconscious on the
8:51:55ground. The others tried to restrain
8:51:58Thor to rescue their teammate, but they
8:52:00were only awakened rank fighters, and a
8:52:02pair of fireballs from Hawk took them
8:52:04out before they could even get close.
8:52:07Corbin nodded in satisfaction.
8:52:09Everyone stay close and try not to make
8:52:12any noise. We will grab the groups one
8:52:15at a time. There are no non-combatants
8:52:18in a dungeon trial. They're all here to
8:52:20fight, and the normal standard is to
8:52:22eliminate them all and see what sort of
8:52:23rewards you get. It can be quite
8:52:26extensive, but these instances are rare.
8:52:29Carl touched the first body, intending
8:52:32to roll the creature over to check if it
8:52:34had anything decent. But as soon as he
8:52:36touched it, the body vanished, and a
8:52:39small stack of coins was left on the
8:52:41ground. What the hell was that? He
8:52:44whispered.
8:52:46Oh, it's one of those dungeons.
8:52:48This will be spectacular.
8:52:51Touch every monster that we kill and try
8:52:53not to kill any of them out of reach. It
8:52:56will give us loot as we go and we can
8:52:58split it how we want. The reward could
8:53:01be money, items, clothing, nearly
8:53:03anything. I've even heard of them
8:53:05turning into food, so don't miss any.
8:53:08The item is usually based on the power
8:53:10of the monster. Corbin informed them.
8:53:13Dana whistled softly as she followed the
8:53:16prince's instructions and held up a blue
8:53:18coral ring. Hawk grumbled in discontent,
8:53:21and Carl was almost certain that it was
8:53:23a water elemental buff. "Does anyone
8:53:26know how to identify these?" Dana asked.
8:53:30Tessa held out her hand, and a golden
8:53:32glow surrounded the ring for a moment
8:53:34before the cleric looked startled. "It's
8:53:37a common grade ring of pure water, like
8:53:40the spell that we use to make water with
8:53:42meals, but anyone wearing it can use it
8:53:44if they have the mana," she explained,
8:53:47then handed it back to Dana. It wasn't
8:53:50like the cleric needed it. Dana took off
8:53:53her glove and slid it on her finger,
8:53:55then replaced the glove as the spell's
8:53:57words gave her envious looks. "It's just
8:53:59the first fight and a common grade item.
8:54:03Just wait. We're bound to get all sorts
8:54:05of good things out of here with the
8:54:06variety of classes in our group." Prince
8:54:09Corbin promised. He threw a spell at a
8:54:12nearby group of Naga, killing one
8:54:14instantly and making the others run
8:54:16toward them. It was brilliant and almost
8:54:19as if some of the intelligence of the
8:54:21monsters had been removed to make them
8:54:23respond in a predictably aggressive
8:54:24manner, even when they should have been
8:54:26smart enough to just run when someone
8:54:28was instantly decapitated.
8:54:30The spell blades and Carl were on the
8:54:32group the next second, cutting them
8:54:34down, then tapping the corpses to see
8:54:36what happened.
8:54:37More coins and a pair of black leather
8:54:40gloves that certainly weren't anything
8:54:41the Naga had been wearing were the
8:54:43results, leaving everyone impressed by
8:54:45the level of magic that it must have
8:54:46taken to create something like this. I
8:54:49believe that these dungeons are a
8:54:51creation of the world dragon, a form of
8:54:53divine magic. The risks might be immense
8:54:56as the enemy groups will contain
8:54:58opponents that can challenge Corbin
8:55:00because he's with us, but the rewards
8:55:01should be similarly great as the world
8:55:04dragon took care of the people. Tessa
8:55:06informed the group in a serious tone
8:55:08that reminded them she was a cleric
8:55:10first and knew all the essentials of
8:55:12church doctrine.
8:55:14Step back into the long grass. Lotus
8:55:17warned quietly, sending everyone
8:55:19scurrying for cover. Fortunately, there
8:55:22were no bodies left to give them away
8:55:24because there was a patrol of larger
8:55:26forarmed Naga coming and by Carl's
8:55:28guess, there were four commanders and
8:55:29either a high commander or prince rank
8:55:31leader. Corbin gestured that he would
8:55:34take the leader with Alice's golem as
8:55:36his guard, which left Carl and Thor to
8:55:38hold off the others while the ambush
8:55:40worked its magic. Of course, Larry and
8:55:43Alice were going to have to help with
8:55:44the leader. But with Ry and her golems
8:55:47on the team, they weren't completely
8:55:48outmatched by the other four guards. The
8:55:51Naga were scaly, but not hard scaly like
8:55:54Thor, they were supple and flexible,
8:55:56meaning hard to hit as they avoided
8:55:58Carl's strikes. These guards also had a
8:56:01water barrier around them that had
8:56:02enraged Hawk, who was furiously hurling
8:56:05fireballs at them as his flaming body
8:56:07surrounded both him and Dana. Carl
8:56:10didn't think that Hawk had even realized
8:56:11he could do that. He was too focused on
8:56:14eliminating the water magic from
8:56:15existence, working through his trauma
8:56:17one charred corpse at a time. At this
8:56:20point, even Ry felt bad for the angry
8:56:22bird and did her best to let him get the
8:56:24last hit on a failing shield before
8:56:26having her golems ambush from behind to
8:56:29take out the targets. The golems were
8:56:31also subtly different than he
8:56:33remembered. Carl noticed they had plates
8:56:36of black metal armor on their torsos and
8:56:38encasing their already dangerous forlims
8:56:41like blades. That had to be Dana's golem
8:56:44armor type ability. durable constructs,
8:56:47he believed it was called. Combined with
8:56:50the lightning, it was incredibly
8:56:52effective, and the Naga were being
8:56:54decimated by the two golems. The agile
8:56:57warriors that Carl had such a hard time
8:56:59hitting were no match for the
8:57:00eight-legged golems, and Carl wondered
8:57:02if he should invest in haste when he had
8:57:04enough skill points. For Commander Rank
8:57:07Ray, that would be 40% more speed, and
8:57:10that should nearly eliminate the chance
8:57:12that the Naga would be able to dodge
8:57:14them. It might not be the optimal
8:57:16choice, but it probably wouldn't be the
8:57:18wrong choice either. He would get more
8:57:21points as he adventured, and now that he
8:57:23had a taste of it, Carl fully intended
8:57:25to keep going. Bob McKenzie had the
8:57:28right idea. It was better to be free out
8:57:31here than under someone's supervision.
8:57:33But unlike Bob, Carl was happy to have a
8:57:36reliable group with him. Carl kept the
8:57:39warriors occupied while the spider
8:57:41golems went for their backs and the two
8:57:43awakened rank spells words hesitated.
8:57:46They couldn't take one of those hits
8:57:47like Carl could. Though Carl was
8:57:50parrying the majority of the flurry of
8:57:51attacks while the beasts took care of
8:57:53business and Dana's golems did their
8:57:55best every time they were reummoned
8:57:57after taking enough damage to have their
8:57:59combat ability reduced. The two boys
8:58:01didn't dare approach and risk a misstep
8:58:03that would mean instant death. Tessa
8:58:06couldn't even hold out against the Naga
8:58:07patrol and had been forced to retreat
8:58:09from Thor's back. The Spellblades had a
8:58:12commander rank barrier over them,
8:58:14courtesy of Alice, but that wouldn't
8:58:16last long against opponents with blades
8:58:18in all four hands and magic on their
8:58:20side. The mages did throw some spells,
8:58:23but awakened rank magic against
8:58:25commander rank beasts didn't do much.
8:58:28The leader of the patrol fell just
8:58:30before the last of the patrol team, and
8:58:32Carl took a moment to tap the commander
8:58:34rank corpses. "Oh, there are more
8:58:37leather gloves, Tessa. What are those
8:58:40good for?" he asked, tossing them to the
8:58:43cleric. Awakened rank gloves of watery
8:58:46death. "Enhanced water magic damage,"
8:58:50she replied, then carefully patted
8:58:52Hawk's flaming head as he glared at the
8:58:54item. "They're just gloves. They don't
8:58:57make their own water magic.
8:59:00Relax.
8:59:01She consoled him. Hulk was feeling
8:59:04better after killing a bunch of water
8:59:06magic users, but Tessa was pretty good
8:59:08at printing his head, so he kept up the
8:59:10act just a little longer. Carl suspected
8:59:13that he was learning bad habits from the
8:59:15others. "This is pretty good stuff,"
8:59:19Dana noted as they prepared to move
8:59:20forward. Corbin shook his head. That's
8:59:24the dungeon equivalent of trash. It's
8:59:27two full ranks below the monsters that
8:59:29dropped them. When these were originally
8:59:32made, the system users who fought in
8:59:34them would have had full sets of gear at
8:59:35their own rank, and they would be
8:59:37looking for rare items and specific
8:59:39benefits.
8:59:41Times were different then, and everyone
8:59:43was so much more powerful. After
8:59:45clearing three more groups without
8:59:47gaining anything but a water orb, which
8:59:49was a basic magical crafting resource
8:59:52and some coins, the path led them to a
8:59:54large open area where a massive four
8:59:56armed Naga was standing. It was wearing
8:59:59strings of bones and shells, and it
9:00:01carried a staff with a glowing blue
9:00:03crystal in one hand with trinkets in the
9:00:05others. Some sort of shaman, Carl
9:00:08decided. It was also at the commander
9:00:11rank and the lower ranked members of the
9:00:13team side.
9:00:15They would be basically sidelined again,
9:00:17and the best rewards would predictably
9:00:19go to the strongest among them. All
9:00:21right, we know how to fight together.
9:00:24Dana, keep your golems back to protect
9:00:26the others, just in case. Prince Corbin
9:00:30announced as he activated a spell that
9:00:31let him leap into battle with a single
9:00:33stride. Carl and the beasts were a step
9:00:36behind him. Hawk had moved to stand on
9:00:39Thor's back so he was closer to the
9:00:41action and so he didn't draw attention
9:00:43to Dana. Ray was blended into the Lykan
9:00:46covered crystallin plants around the
9:00:48platform and circling behind the shaman
9:00:50when the first strike landed and the
9:00:52enormous Naga leader activated a spell
9:00:54that called out a dozen ethereal Naga
9:00:56spirits. Carl swiped at one and it
9:00:59dissipated when it was cleaved in half.
9:01:02Dana, you guys are on the spirits, their
9:01:04awakened rank. He called as he sent it
9:01:07toward the shaman. The Naga shaman was
9:01:10hopelessly outmatched. Carl thought as
9:01:12he moved to surround the creature,
9:01:14letting Corbin take the front while he
9:01:16and Thor took opposite sides. It was six
9:01:19commander rank attackers, including the
9:01:21golems, and one royal rank mage against
9:01:23a single commander rank shaman. But the
9:01:26creature didn't seem as concerned as
9:01:27Carl thought it should. Instead, it
9:01:30surrounded itself with a vortex of
9:01:32water, forcing Carl and the beast's
9:01:34back, then created water tornadoes that
9:01:37moved erratically around the platform.
9:01:39Hawk saw that the attacks were only
9:01:41about 6 m tall, so he took off from
9:01:44Thor's back and began to bombard the
9:01:46shaman inside while the others hurled
9:01:48spells at its protective barrier while
9:01:49dodging the swirling water attacks. The
9:01:52entire battle was chaos with everyone
9:01:55running around attacking the spirits
9:01:57when they got in the way as the three
9:01:59awakened rank members couldn't control
9:02:00them all and doing their best to land a
9:02:02hit on the shaman. The spell would
9:02:05fluctuate with every attack from Corbin,
9:02:07but it wasn't falling and Carl was
9:02:09unable to tell how effective Hawk's
9:02:11fireball attacks were. Daryl failed to
9:02:14notice an attack and was hurled most of
9:02:16the way across the platform before
9:02:17catching himself on one of Thor's horns
9:02:19to prevent being thrown down the cliff
9:02:21on the far side. He wasn't seriously
9:02:24injured, but he was now surrounded by a
9:02:26water barrier that was slowing his
9:02:28actions and threatened to leave him in
9:02:30the path of more vortexes.
9:02:32Then one of Carl's strikes managed to
9:02:34cut a notch in the protective spell,
9:02:36leaving the Naga momentarily visible.
9:02:39The next attacks by Corbin and Alice did
9:02:41the same, and they were back in the
9:02:43fight as the barrier fell. The spider
9:02:46golems were on the back of the shaman
9:02:47the second the barrier fell, and Carl
9:02:49noticed that there was still a faint
9:02:51water barrier over the naga, which had
9:02:53been whittleled away by Hawk's dedicated
9:02:55efforts. Having to go through those two
9:02:57barriers, one after another, would have
9:03:00sucked, and Hawk had saved them a lot of
9:03:02headache, with the shaman now hurling
9:03:04offensive spells at them, both water and
9:03:06ice magic types.
9:03:08It was definitely commander rank and
9:03:10maximum power, but it didn't seem to run
9:03:12out of mana, and it just wouldn't die.
9:03:15Over the course of the next minute, the
9:03:17shaman was hit dozens of times while its
9:03:19barrier was down, and while it was
9:03:21bleeding heavily, it was still fighting.
9:03:24They were doing damage that was clear,
9:03:26and it wasn't healing unnaturally
9:03:28quickly, but it just wouldn't die. It
9:03:30was beginning to slow down, and the
9:03:32spells were coming more infrequently.
9:03:34But Carl got the feeling that this was
9:03:36not the end, but the buildup to a larger
9:03:38attack.
9:03:40So when the creature's mana surged, his
9:03:42first instinct was to order everyone
9:03:44back. "Big attack coming," he called,
9:03:48unsure what it would look like. "The
9:03:50mana buildup turned into a surge of
9:03:52water, first spiking out, then rotating
9:03:55around the room in curved waves. Carl
9:03:58began to move, avoiding the waves, which
9:04:01were pulling away from the Naga shaman
9:04:02as they traveled.
9:04:04He could see everyone going in, but Hawk
9:04:06and Ray were both thinking the same
9:04:08thing. Trap. Get clear of the waves,
9:04:12then back away. It's a trap. Carl called
9:04:16as the Naga sent out a shotgun blast of
9:04:19ice pellets around itself. Carl tanked
9:04:22it with flame body while Alice and the
9:04:24other commanders absorbed it with their
9:04:26shields. The awakened rank fighters hit
9:04:29the ground to get under the attack while
9:04:30Ray used her golems as a shield, and
9:04:32Thor turned his head down so it didn't
9:04:34hit his eyes. Then the spider golems
9:04:37were on the shaman's back again, and
9:04:39Carl drove his blade deep into the
9:04:41creature's belly as Corbin leapt over
9:04:42him to go for the creature's throat. The
9:04:45Naga shaman fell into a slumped pile of
9:04:47coiled body with its arms toward Corbin
9:04:50in one last desperate attempt to grab
9:04:51and strangle him. "Well, that went as
9:04:54well as expected. Are there any
9:04:57injuries?
9:04:58Carl asked as he realized the monster
9:05:00was truly dead and wasn't reacting to
9:05:03the golems continuing to stab it. Ry
9:05:06eventually called them off and Corbin
9:05:08tapped the body, making it vanish, and a
9:05:10small pile of items appear on the floor.
9:05:13Tessa stepped up to cast her
9:05:15identification magic. But there was one
9:05:17item that caught Carl's attention. Core
9:05:20of ice. It was a small crystal,
9:05:23unassuming among the dozens of other
9:05:24small gems, but it was one of the items
9:05:27Rey needed to make a concoction with the
9:05:28moss and crystals she had gotten earlier
9:05:30in the goblin cave. There were multiple
9:05:33piles of cloth, a staff with a blue orb
9:05:36that looked like the one that the shaman
9:05:37had been using, and an assortment of
9:05:39coins and gems. Alice picked up the
9:05:42staff and frowned at it. "That's odd. I
9:05:45can't use it. I can use water magic,
9:05:48though," she muttered.
9:05:51Then she handed it to Dana, who also
9:05:53frowned and shook her head. She passed
9:05:56it to Lotus, whose eyes lit up with
9:05:58excitement. "Oh, this is pretty good. I
9:06:02like this stick," she announced.
9:06:06Once she realized that everyone was
9:06:08waiting for a description, she
9:06:09continued. "It lets me use the shaman's
9:06:12signature water vortex spell, the
9:06:14wandering tornado things."
9:06:17The other items were all ascended rank
9:06:19cloth armor, but the fashion wasn't bad,
9:06:21and the enchantments on them were
9:06:23strong, so they were split between Dana
9:06:25and Rose, who were the only ones who
9:06:27suited the fashion. It seemed that
9:06:29either because it was a female shaman,
9:06:31or the Naga didn't have legs, the armor
9:06:34was created with a long skirt. When they
9:06:36put the armor, which was a significant
9:06:38status improvement over what they were
9:06:40wearing, which was mostly common in
9:06:42awakened grade cloth, which was all that
9:06:44the mage class could wear, Carl couldn't
9:06:46help but do a double [clears throat]
9:06:47take. The Naga style was somewhat modest
9:06:50and elegant with full flared sleeves,
9:06:53but covered in gold and jewels for
9:06:54decoration, and the robes gave them both
9:06:56a regal look that made them seem more
9:06:58like fashionable debutants and less like
9:07:00students on a mission. Rose's was
9:07:03shorter and slid up one side for
9:07:05mobility with matching cloth pants,
9:07:07while Dana's hung well past her knees,
9:07:09but was folded in the front of the skirt
9:07:11like a kimono so it would expand as her
9:07:13legs moved. "Wait, there's more." Corbin
9:07:17laughed as he held up one last piece of
9:07:20cloth. Dana laughed as she saw it, but
9:07:23Carl didn't realize right away what it
9:07:25was. an ancient style cloth chest
9:07:28binding, the precursor to the modern
9:07:30sports bra, and it was enchanted. Corbin
9:07:33was holding it out to Rose, so it must
9:07:35be good for her stats, but Tessa was
9:07:37snickering. The spells word put it on,
9:07:40hanging the cloth over her neck to let
9:07:42the item equip if it was able, and her
9:07:44chest went as flat as a board. The chest
9:07:47binding of smooth movement.
9:07:49Now, isn't that better than having to
9:07:51wear an uncomfortable binding and having
9:07:53your chest in the way of your swing?
9:07:55Corbin teased. Darl has bigger breasts
9:07:58than I do in this thing. Do you have any
9:08:00idea what that will do to my fragile
9:08:02pride? If it didn't add melee range
9:08:05attack damage, I would trade with you.
9:08:08You're getting a bit spare in your old
9:08:10age. You could use it as much as I can.
9:08:13Rose retorted. Carl walked over and
9:08:16picked up the ice core for Rey and
9:08:18quickly assembled the ingredients needed
9:08:20into a bowl, being careful not to mess
9:08:22up her art exhibit on the floor when he
9:08:24stole the moss and crystals. It could be
9:08:27used by her, Hawk, and Carl with the
9:08:29chance to grant them a new skill of
9:08:31paralytic strikes, which Carl was eager
9:08:33to find out about. As the three
9:08:36ingredients settled into the bowl, they
9:08:38quickly turned to a paste, dissolving
9:08:40the moss and the crystals on contact.
9:08:43So Carl split it into three portions.
9:08:46Each was a large vial, so it should be
9:08:49enough, he hoped. We will take a break
9:08:52here and regain some stamina and mana. I
9:08:55suggest eating some trail mix and
9:08:57getting a drink while we have time.
9:08:59Alice announced once everything from the
9:09:01last fight had been distributed, they
9:09:04were going to need the rest after that
9:09:05strangely durable shaman. Once everyone
9:09:08sat down to rest, the three beasts
9:09:11returned to their spaces where they
9:09:12would recover the fastest, and Carl
9:09:14began to meditate, recovering his energy
9:09:17and mental focus, though his stamina had
9:09:19been recovered by the refreshing
9:09:20lightning. Hawk and Ray both immediately
9:09:23downed their potions before Hawk began
9:09:25to splutter and curse in Carl's mind as
9:09:28the cold liquid reached his stomach.
9:09:30"You fed me ice element," he complained.
9:09:33It has a chance to teach you paralyzing
9:09:35strikes, Carl explained, hoping to
9:09:38mllify the angry bird. The mixture did
9:09:42seem to have some effect on him, and
9:09:43Hawk's claws became a bit more
9:09:45crystallin and his body a bit more
9:09:47powerful, but it seemed he didn't gain
9:09:49any skills from it. Ry didn't complain
9:09:52about the potion. It had the comforting
9:09:54feeling of natural darkness, but she
9:09:56also didn't gain the skill. Carl
9:09:59considered giving her the last dose, but
9:10:01it did say that it was good for him as
9:10:03well, and there was a chance they could
9:10:04get more of the ice cores now that they
9:10:06knew what it looked like. They might
9:10:08even get another in this dungeon as it
9:10:10was an ascended rank ingredient.
9:10:13So, he downed the potion and felt the
9:10:15cold flow through his veins and then
9:10:18merged with the refreshing lightning
9:10:20that he had gained from Thor. New skill
9:10:23gained, stun. That wasn't what the
9:10:26identification skill said, but he would
9:10:28take it. A stunning strike was something
9:10:31that the group lacked, and as he was the
9:10:33one who knew it, he could use skill book
9:10:35to record it and earn himself some
9:10:37brownie points later when he had gotten
9:10:39himself in trouble and needed a way out.
9:10:42It would also change his combat tactics.
9:10:45Stun was a melee range skill, which
9:10:48wasn't a big deal, but if he led with
9:10:50it, then switched targets, the spider
9:10:52golems could ambush the helpless target.
9:10:55He didn't know how long it would last or
9:10:57how well creatures would resist it, but
9:10:59even a few seconds under their not so
9:11:01gentle ministrations was enough for the
9:11:03spider golems to take out most targets.
9:11:06After a few minutes rest, Alice and
9:11:08Corbin prepared to move out again. They
9:11:11would be leading the group to attract
9:11:13the groups of Naga with their longer
9:11:15ranged attacks. But Alice had an extra
9:11:17instruction this time. Let Thor rest for
9:11:20a bit. We're going to need to sneak
9:11:23through a few areas and it's not going
9:11:25to be easy for him. It's swampland, and
9:11:28while a lightning ser has no problem
9:11:30moving through that, it's far from a
9:11:32silent process, she explained.
9:11:36All right, he can take an extended rest.
9:11:39I will leave Ray in there as well, but
9:11:41she will call her golems out when we
9:11:42need them. If we're going for stealth,
9:11:45the smaller the group, the better. Carl
9:11:48agreed. After that, all the golems were
9:11:51dismissed until the next fight, and the
9:11:53group began to make their way through
9:11:55the dense foliage of the swamp,
9:11:57following a Naga patrol route, but
9:11:59staying out of sight among the taller
9:12:00plants that grew between the crystallin
9:12:02trees.
9:12:04The next group was standing in a
9:12:05clearing beside the road and Carl
9:12:07checked in with Ry to be sure that she
9:12:09knew what the plan was. She was safely
9:12:12hid in her space away from the swamp
9:12:14water, but Hawk came out to use Dana as
9:12:17a mobile fire platform.
9:12:19She would be well away from the actual
9:12:21combat and her backpack put him at just
9:12:23the right height to see over her head.
9:12:26Corbin nodded and the fighters spread
9:12:28out to ambush the enemies. one commander
9:12:30ranked spellcaster and four awakened
9:12:32warriors. On his signal, Carl charged
9:12:35into combat, leaping silently out of the
9:12:38water and hitting the spellcaster with
9:12:40stun before it could even react. There
9:12:43was no visible effect, but it wasn't
9:12:45moving at all, even as Alice's wind
9:12:47blades and Corbin's enchanted sword
9:12:49sliced it apart. The spider golems went
9:12:52straight for the warriors when Ray
9:12:54summoned them out, and the entire group
9:12:56was eliminated without a sound.
9:12:58That was how the next hour worth of
9:13:00fights went. A quick ambush from the
9:13:03swamp and then loot the bodies and
9:13:05retreat out of sight before the patrols
9:13:07noticed and raised an alarm. Then they
9:13:10found themselves at a crossroads.
9:13:12There were two patrols, both coming
9:13:14their way, and another platform with
9:13:16another oversized naga. We will split.
9:13:20The patrol on the right is all awakened
9:13:22with an ascended leader. So Daryl, Rose,
9:13:25and Dana, you're on that with Thor.
9:13:28The other is a commander with ascended
9:13:30members, so the rest of us will focus on
9:13:32that until Thor returns.
9:13:34Once those are done, we will deal with
9:13:36the oversized Naga. I don't see any
9:13:39other Naga in the area, so this might be
9:13:41the end of the dungeon. Some of the
9:13:44dungeons are massive, others are small
9:13:46like this," Corbin explained.
9:13:49Carl nodded. "Make the call and I will
9:13:53charge one group with the spider golems
9:13:54while Thor goes for the others.
9:13:57Wait just a little. We want them all to
9:13:59be within range of the clerics. It will
9:14:02be two fights, but I don't want to split
9:14:04the group completely. He replied.
9:14:08Prince Corbin was a careful strategist,
9:14:10and Carl could tell that his caution was
9:14:12beginning to annoy Alice at some points,
9:14:14but she agreed on this one. Sending the
9:14:17lower ranks too far away could put them
9:14:19in danger if there was some ambush that
9:14:21they had missed. Corbin counted down
9:14:23from five on his fingers, and Carl
9:14:26called Thor out in front of the second
9:14:27group as he launched his attack. The
9:14:30commander in the patrol didn't seem too
9:14:32surprised to see him coming. But when
9:14:34the spider golems suddenly appeared at
9:14:36his shoulders as Ray left her space, it
9:14:38was certainly caught unaware and reeled
9:14:40back, coiling its long body underneath
9:14:42itself for balance. Not far enough, as
9:14:46Carl didn't care if his first strike was
9:14:47to a vital area. stun hit the lower body
9:14:51of the commander and it went lethargic
9:14:53for a moment, just long enough for the
9:14:55spider golems and ray to swarm it. The
9:14:58commander had four arms, but the upper
9:15:00two were quickly immobilized as the
9:15:02golems stabbed at them and used their
9:15:04multiple limbs to pull them back at an
9:15:06awkward angle. Rey was more practical
9:15:09and went for the long tail, slicing it
9:15:11as many times as she could with lacerate
9:15:14to make the creature bleed profusely. It
9:15:17was still trying to parry Carl's blade
9:15:18with its lower arms. And Carl mentally
9:15:21calculated that stun was only of limited
9:15:24effect on creatures above his rank,
9:15:26slowing them, but not completely
9:15:27immobilizing them unless he got a solid
9:15:30hit. He had expected the other patrol
9:15:32members to be coming for him by now. But
9:15:34they were occupied with Alice's golem
9:15:36and Prince Corbin's blade. Carl briefly
9:15:39wondered where Hawk was in all this and
9:15:41then recalled that he was perched on
9:15:43Dana's backpack and not given explicit
9:15:45orders, so he was probably still there.
9:15:48That should be more than enough damage
9:15:50to deal with the second patrol. Carl
9:15:53didn't push for more attacks. He only
9:15:55kept the commander busy as Ry and her
9:15:57golems tore it to shreds, letting it
9:15:59collapse into Carl's arms and vanish
9:16:01into a pile of gems and a chain mail
9:16:03armor piece. The awakened team had no
9:16:06problems with their group and they were
9:16:08only seconds behind on the kills. That
9:16:11probably meant that Hawk was slacking as
9:16:13there was only one ascended member with
9:16:15the patrol, but there were no injuries,
9:16:17so all was well. That ended well.
9:16:19Everyone turned to where the oversized
9:16:21Naga was standing on the platform. There
9:16:24were tents around the perimeter, which
9:16:26suggested it might not be alone, but
9:16:28their fight hadn't attracted any of
9:16:30them, and only the one was out in the
9:16:32open. Do we have a plan? Those tents are
9:16:35making me nervous. Tessa noted as they
9:16:38checked the loot. She had just
9:16:41identified the armor from the commander
9:16:43and she was looking at the chain mail
9:16:44coat in appreciation.
9:16:47It reduces casting cost by 15% while
9:16:50wielding a shield. It's perfect, she
9:16:53noted. Very nice. I don't think that any
9:16:57of us will begrudge you, Carl replied.
9:17:01Even when it's a commander rank armor
9:17:03piece, Tessa asked, looking around the
9:17:06group. Freewebble.cm.
9:17:09Prince Corbin chuckled. You're the only
9:17:12one of us that even owns a shield. She
9:17:15had gotten it yesterday, but he had a
9:17:17point. None of the others had a shield
9:17:20or any intention to use one. All right,
9:17:23up armored cleric it is. Carl smiled at
9:17:26her enthusiasm.
9:17:28That's probably for the best if you're
9:17:30going to keep riding Thor into combat.
9:17:32Prince Corbin moved forward to scout the
9:17:35area around the final oversized Naga in
9:17:37the dungeon. This was likely to be the
9:17:40hardest fight of all, and it was almost
9:17:42certainly designed for 10 fighters of
9:17:43equal power, but none of them really
9:17:45knew what quality of fighters the black
9:17:47and white robed man at the dungeon
9:17:49entrance meant. The fact that they
9:17:51didn't recognize those robes or the god
9:17:53that they belonged to concerned Tessa as
9:17:56they looked like a cleric's robes, but
9:17:58in the middle of a city full of
9:17:59potential enemies, they weren't going to
9:18:01start asking questions. Corbin returned
9:18:04to the group and made a quick diagram in
9:18:06the dirt. There is a naga of some sort,
9:18:09oversized like the last one, and at a
9:18:11similar power level. The tents around
9:18:14the naga boss are empty, but I suspect
9:18:16that won't be the case once we attack.
9:18:19Either there will be naga summoned into
9:18:20them or portals will open to bring in
9:18:22assistance. The outfits make the
9:18:25oversized naga look like a royal. And
9:18:27this one seems to have male anatomy, a
9:18:30more muscular upper body, wide pecs
9:18:32instead of rounded breast analogs.
9:18:35So, I would call it a naga king. I don't
9:18:38know what it will do once we're in
9:18:39combat, but there are weapons all over
9:18:41the platform. Carl nodded along as he
9:18:44took in the information.
9:18:47So, it sounds like it's a melee combat
9:18:49type of opponent. Avoidance will be key
9:18:52in taking it down. With four arms, it
9:18:55will be able to fight like multiple
9:18:57opponents, and the tail is likely to be
9:18:59dangerous as well. That shouldn't be
9:19:02anything that we can't deal with if it's
9:19:03near the same level as the last one. But
9:19:06the issue will be when more naga show
9:19:08up. We should try turning it around so
9:19:11that the mages and less armored
9:19:12combatants can stand near the stairs,
9:19:14away from the tents. Alice drew a mark
9:19:17on the diagram. If we're here, it should
9:19:20be good, provided that the Naga king can
9:19:23be turned around. We just need to worry
9:19:25about the reinforcements coming down the
9:19:27road instead of from the tents. But will
9:19:30the two of you be all right at the far
9:19:32side? Three of us. I will take Thor with
9:19:36me and Corbin. That should be enough to
9:19:39keep it facing us, I hope. If the
9:19:42reinforcements come from behind you,
9:19:44withdraw your golems to hold them off.
9:19:47Carl suggested.
9:19:48Corbin smiled. Good planning skills. I
9:19:53hope that your skills match up to your
9:19:55confidence.
9:19:56Carl chuckled as he looked at his skill
9:19:58points. He had enough for another
9:20:00upgrade. So, if things got really bad,
9:20:03he would grant himself another skill to
9:20:05make up for what he was lacking. Alice
9:20:08looked toward the sky. We should send
9:20:10Hawk up to scout the area and make
9:20:12certain that we didn't miss anything.
9:20:14Now that we're almost out of enemies, it
9:20:17should be safe enough. Carl motioned for
9:20:20him to comply and Hawk took off,
9:20:22circling the swamp, searching for
9:20:24opponents.
9:20:25Nothing, just that big one. He
9:20:28confirmed.
9:20:30Stay up high and you can join the fight
9:20:32after we get him turned. Carl replied.
9:20:36Hawk says we're good. Carl and Corbin
9:20:39rushed past the king like they were
9:20:41going to attack its back and Carl
9:20:43summoned Thor from his space once they
9:20:45were in place. Getting the fight started
9:20:46with the king facing away from the ramp.
9:20:49The others joined from the steps with
9:20:51Ray's golems moving forward to engage
9:20:53from the sides far enough forward that
9:20:55the king wouldn't have to turn around to
9:20:57look at them. That made it look like a
9:20:59fiveon-one from its point of view until
9:21:02the mages and lower ranked spells words
9:21:04began their ranged bombardment.
9:21:06The wounds stacked up at an insane rate
9:21:08as Corbin focused all his energy on
9:21:10parrying all four swords and keeping the
9:21:12king from landing a single strike. It
9:21:15was becoming a lopsided battle, and
9:21:17Hawk's fireballs were searing away
9:21:19scales all over the creature's body. As
9:21:22they had expected, the king eventually
9:21:24cast a barrier over itself and let out a
9:21:26battle cry that made dozens of Naga
9:21:28appear on the path toward the platform
9:21:30and from the tents. The spider golems
9:21:33turned to face the ones from the nearest
9:21:34tents while Carl dealt with the few that
9:21:37were behind them. The mages would be
9:21:39engaged for a while, but between Ry and
9:21:42the spider golems, the Naga warriors who
9:21:44were summoned weren't a major threat. It
9:21:47was the steady stream of enemies coming
9:21:48up the ramps that was the real issue. At
9:21:51the moment, Corbin was stuck on defense,
9:21:54so the only ones landing any hits on the
9:21:56boss was Rey, while Thor and Carl dealt
9:21:58with the additional fighters. Lacerate
9:22:01was doing its job and the floor was
9:22:03covered in Naga blood. But the boss
9:22:05wasn't showing many signs of weakening
9:22:07as it threw down its small swords and
9:22:09grabbed two larger ones from the ground,
9:22:11holding each in two hands from the same
9:22:13side of its body. Even Corbin couldn't
9:22:16properly parry those with the brute
9:22:17strength of the much larger Naga king,
9:22:19and Carl was forced to roll out of the
9:22:21way of a downward slash. The moment that
9:22:24the last of the warriors from the tents
9:22:26fell, the tents were blown back by a
9:22:28wave of water magic as a spectral
9:22:30version of the shaman boss joined the
9:22:32fight. Take this evil water snakes.
9:22:36Hawk called happily as he dive bombed
9:22:39the platform. It took Carl a second to
9:22:42realize what he meant. There were what
9:22:45appeared to be naga eggs in one of the
9:22:46tent sightes and Hawk was going for
9:22:48them. No. Carl called out an instant too
9:22:53late as Hawk tossed his prized snack
9:22:55into the mental space. It landed in the
9:22:58fourth beast space, which immediately
9:23:00filled with the strange swamps and long
9:23:02grasses of the dungeon while the eggs
9:23:04sunk into the mud and waters. "My
9:23:07snack!" Hulk wailed as he realized what
9:23:10had happened. "Get your brain back in
9:23:12the fight. We're not done yet." Carl
9:23:16reminded him. He would remove the egg
9:23:19later and the space should reset. Or at
9:23:22least he hoped that would work. He
9:23:24managed to take Thor and Ray's eggs back
9:23:27out after putting them in the space. But
9:23:29now the ghostly shaman was building up
9:23:31to their wave attack as the spectral
9:23:33form entwined itself in a defensive
9:23:35formation with the king. Carl launched
9:23:38himself forward, narrowly avoiding an
9:23:40incoming strike from the king and hit
9:23:42the shaman with a stun attack. The
9:23:46building attack stopped and the mages
9:23:48unleashed a wave of attacks on it
9:23:50accompanied by Hawk's frustrated
9:23:51fireballs.
9:23:53With its major attack interrupted, the
9:23:55spectre needed time to recover, and this
9:23:57form was far weaker than its original
9:23:59body had been. It was already beginning
9:24:02to become incorporeal under the weight
9:24:04of attacks that the spider golems were
9:24:06sending its way. The king slammed the
9:24:08ground with its blades, sending an
9:24:10earthquake in all directions as the
9:24:12spectre was eliminated by the concerted
9:24:14efforts of the group. Carl jumped and
9:24:17Thor counterattacked with his own
9:24:18earthquake to keep himself stable. But
9:24:21the others were thrown to the ground as
9:24:22the king was surrounded by a red
9:24:24barrier. It was going berserk and its
9:24:27attacks were increasing in speed,
9:24:29shattering the barriers over Corbin, who
9:24:31was on one knee. Carl attacked from the
9:24:34other side to draw its attention while
9:24:35the spellblade recovered. But even his
9:24:37magically enhanced strength and large
9:24:39blade were no match for the enraged
9:24:41boss, and he was tossed to the ground on
9:24:43the third strike. He threw himself to
9:24:46the side to dodge and continued his
9:24:48defense, keeping the king facing away
9:24:50from the mages, who were slower to
9:24:52recover and who had taken a fair bit of
9:24:54damage from the earthquake. The bleeding
9:24:56was taking its toll on the boss, and the
9:24:59red barrier was fading along with the
9:25:01king's attack power by the time that it
9:25:03turned back to Corbin. Carl had bought
9:25:05enough time for the spellblade to find
9:25:07an opening, and he drove his blade deep
9:25:09into the creature's chest where a
9:25:11human's heart would be. Blood flew
9:25:14everywhere, coating Corbin and the
9:25:16platform around him as the boss
9:25:17collapsed. And then the corpse vanished,
9:25:19leaving behind a large golden chest.
9:25:22Dungeon complete. A haunting voice spoke
9:25:25through the area, leaving everyone
9:25:27relieved and panting for breath as they
9:25:28stared at the chest. "Who do we choose
9:25:31to open it?" Tessa asked as she cast a
9:25:34refresh spell on the group. "I say we
9:25:38let Prince Corbin. If it's going to go
9:25:40by who opens it, he's the best choice.
9:25:44He's the highest ranked. Plus, he's both
9:25:46a melee fighter and a mage." Carl
9:25:49suggested
9:25:50freednol.com.
9:25:53Corbin shook his head. They're based on
9:25:56luck. Who here has the most luck or
9:25:59favor of the world dragon? The others
9:26:01pointed at Carl. There was no doubt that
9:26:04it was him. The spell that the high
9:26:06priests had cast had proven it. The high
9:26:09priests had him tested. Lotus explained
9:26:12to the confused spells words. Carl
9:26:15reached out and touched the chest which
9:26:17swung open. Rewards are being granted.
9:26:21The same voice announced.
9:26:24Most damage dealt. Ray bonus award
9:26:27granted. Most healing done. Lotus.
9:26:31Bonus award granted. Under level
9:26:34completion. Dana, Daryl, Rose, Remy.
9:26:38Bonus granted. Everyone looked around at
9:26:41each other. Whose real name is Remy?
9:26:45Lotus finally asked, confused.
9:26:48Nobody seemed to know, but in Carl's
9:26:51mind, the egg that Hawk had thrown into
9:26:53the fourth space began to tremble and
9:26:55crack. "You've got to be kidding me,"
9:26:58Carl muttered as the model blue egg
9:27:00began to hatch. "Send it out, stupid
9:27:04water snake," Hawk demanded. "It's too
9:27:08late. The bonding is complete, and
9:27:10they've gotten an award from the
9:27:12dungeon." Carl informed him. Now he just
9:27:16had to find out exactly what sort of
9:27:18naga creature he had gained as his
9:27:20fourth companion. Remy is a hatchling in
9:27:23my fourth mental space. Hawk threw an
9:27:26egg from the boss platform in intending
9:27:28to eat it. Carl explained.
9:27:31Lotus burst into laughter which only
9:27:34grew in intensity until she was holding
9:27:35her middle and rolling on the ground.
9:27:37Tears of mirth running down her face.
9:27:40Hawk picked a naga as your fourth
9:27:42partner.
9:27:43Oh, that is priceless,
9:27:46she gasped. Hawk hurled a fireball at
9:27:49the laughing cleric, but the refreshing
9:27:51lightning barrier around her stopped it
9:27:54without damage.
9:27:55Sorry, Hawk, but that really is too
9:27:58funny. Lotus finally managed to
9:28:01apologize.
9:28:03They were so distracted by the addition
9:28:05of a team member and Lotus response that
9:28:07everyone nearly missed when the spider
9:28:08golems began firing spears of wood into
9:28:11the grass.
9:28:12I got a new skill, spear. Look, I can do
9:28:17it with my silk as well. Ry informed
9:28:20them, then sent out a burst of silk
9:28:22shaped like an arrow that impaled a tree
9:28:24just away from the platform. Well, Ry
9:28:27got a new skill as a bonus. What did
9:28:30Lotus get? Alice asked. The nature
9:28:34cleric did her best to stop laughing
9:28:36before Hawk came down to attack her in
9:28:38person. She cast a spell and her body
9:28:41was surrounded in water, brushing away
9:28:43all the dirt and wounds from the battle.
9:28:46"I got a new healing spell, revitalizing
9:28:49waters,"
9:28:51she explained.
9:28:52Then everyone turned their attention to
9:28:54the other three that the voice had named
9:28:56as getting bonuses. "They were still in
9:28:59shock and hadn't examined themselves,
9:29:01but to the others, it was obvious that
9:29:03they were all freshly ascended rank
9:29:05mages or spells words." A gentle,
9:29:08slightly terrified voice entered Carl's
9:29:10mind. Evil Bird can't get to me here,
9:29:14can he? Remy whispered. "No, he can't
9:29:18get to you. That's your space." Carl
9:29:22assured her. Remy, as the dungeon had
9:29:25called her, was a small blue snake with
9:29:27shimmering crystallin scales, a black
9:29:29swirling pattern on her back, and golden
9:29:31belly scales. Her head was hooded like a
9:29:34cobra, similar to the naga, but she was
9:29:37definitely all snake. "Yes, safe," she
9:29:42exclaimed, then cast a minor spell that
9:29:44created four tiny water tentacles, which
9:29:46she swung wide in the same motion that a
9:29:48baseball umpire used. And Carl wondered
9:29:51where she had learned that a baby spirit
9:29:54snake, as Remy appeared to be, wasn't a
9:29:56humanoid creature. They were a magical
9:29:58water snake that existed in the Golden
9:30:00Dragon Nation. Carl was only vaguely
9:30:03familiar with them from his research,
9:30:05but they were a strong commander rank
9:30:07threat and could grow to 10 m long. But
9:30:10what Lotus knew was that they were
9:30:12considered one of the spiritual beasts
9:30:14as they were known to develop advanced
9:30:16magic of various sorts. And when they
9:30:18matured after they reached adulthood,
9:30:20they would naturally evolve into one of
9:30:22three directions. They would either
9:30:24become naga warriors, naga workers, or
9:30:27guardian spirit snakes.
9:30:29The third sword never gained the
9:30:31humanoid features or extra intelligence
9:30:34and instead focused on growing its
9:30:35reptilian body. Carl focused on the new
9:30:39addition, doing his best to see what he
9:30:41could tell about the team's newest
9:30:42addition. Pet added Remy Shaman Princess
9:30:48rank ascended. He hadn't been expecting
9:30:51that. She was tiny, but apparently she
9:30:55was born as an ascended rank shaman. The
9:30:58inspection didn't tell him what skills
9:30:59she had, but they would logically be
9:31:01water related, as she was somehow
9:31:03related to the Naga. A tiny blue spirit
9:31:06snake with black patterns on her back, a
9:31:09pale golden underside, and a
9:31:10wedge-shaped head. Corbin reached into
9:31:13the golden treasure chest and got a
9:31:15confused look on his face. Member reward
9:31:18granted to Corbin. The voice of the
9:31:21dungeon announced, "I guess we can't
9:31:23pick what we want from the box. Well, we
9:31:26could likely trade afterwards, I
9:31:28suppose, he commented as he looked at
9:31:31the golden bracers in his hands. They
9:31:34were intricately carved with images of
9:31:36Naga on them and looked like they should
9:31:38have some sort of worthwhile magic
9:31:39imbued into them. The most powerful
9:31:42stuff was always the coolest looking in
9:31:44Carl's experience.
9:31:46Thor stuck his snout in the box trying
9:31:49to see what was there and came back with
9:31:51a necklace on. Thor gets bling, too.
9:31:55That's wild. Lotus laughed as the voice
9:31:58announced that Thor had received his
9:31:59reward. Hawk took his cue from the
9:32:02lightning sparrow and came back out of
9:32:04the chest with a large red gem in his
9:32:06mouth. A gem which he promptly ate,
9:32:09causing himself to flare with magic.
9:32:12Come on, commander. You can do it. He
9:32:16cheered himself on as power surged in
9:32:18his body. Just when Carl thought he was
9:32:21going to fail, flaming body surged with
9:32:24power and Hawk's eyes flickered to a
9:32:26bright glowing blue that shimmerred like
9:32:27a flame. That's a commander rank
9:32:30advancement for Hawk. Carl stated the
9:32:33obvious as the others cheered him on.
9:32:36One after another, the others reached in
9:32:38to grab their rewards and came back out
9:32:40with gear. Ray got a shadowy gem that
9:32:43she also ate, though it didn't propel
9:32:45her through an entire rank.
9:32:47Carl was last up and Remy appeared on
9:32:50his hand as he reached into the chest.
9:32:52Member reward granted to Carl. Member
9:32:55reward granted to Remy. Hawk screeched
9:32:58in annoyance.
9:33:00She didn't even do anything. She wasn't
9:33:03even born when the fight ended. Carl
9:33:06sighed. Look, you two are going to have
9:33:09to get along. I also know that you ate
9:33:12the other eggs from that nest already,
9:33:14so don't pretend like you lost something
9:33:15precious. He sensed Remy's smug
9:33:18attitude. Hulk had eliminated the
9:33:21competition for her. Now she just had to
9:33:24eliminate the Hawk and she won. Won
9:33:27what? Carl wasn't certain, but he
9:33:30mentally chastised the baby monster.
9:33:33That means you two get along with the
9:33:36others. Carl made it an order and felt
9:33:38the two beasts wills bending under his
9:33:40order as they reluctantly came up with
9:33:42ways to do the bare minimum to comply.
9:33:45Remy now had a spear in two of her four
9:33:47water tentacles while Carl was looking
9:33:49at a simple golden coin. Skill token
9:33:53grants one random skill. What is that?
9:33:57It feels like holy magic. Tessa asked.
9:34:01It grants a skill when used. Carl
9:34:04explained.
9:34:06Wow. So, like a skill book. What skill?
9:34:10She replied, eager to see what new power
9:34:12Carl would gain. It uh doesn't say. It
9:34:17says it grants a random skill. Corbin
9:34:20whistled in appreciation.
9:34:22That's quite the find. It could either
9:34:25be the most valuable item you'll ever
9:34:27hold or the most disappointing bonus
9:34:29you'll ever get. I've seen something
9:34:32like that before. And when it says
9:34:33random, it means random.
9:34:36Completely random. In that case, should
9:34:39I hold off? Carl asked. I don't think it
9:34:44matters when you use it. Corbin
9:34:46shrugged. The only problem was that Carl
9:34:49didn't know how to use the coin. He only
9:34:52knew what it did. The magic of the coin
9:34:54told him that much. Flip it. Tessa
9:34:58suggested.
9:34:59If it was random, a coin flip made
9:35:02sense, Carl supposed. He looked at the
9:35:05coin, which had the world dragon logo on
9:35:07both sides, so there were no heads or
9:35:09tails. He just flipped it and caught it,
9:35:13then flipped it onto the back of his
9:35:14hand, the way you always did for a coin
9:35:17toss.
9:35:18Skill gained. Silent movement, the
9:35:21dungeon voice announced. Not a bad
9:35:24ability for a scout. Alice congratulated
9:35:27him. Agreed.
9:35:29Tessa informed him with a satisfied nod.
9:35:33Prince Corbin looked around at the group
9:35:35who had long since reverted to their
9:35:36natural human forms. I should cast the
9:35:40spell on us all once we get to the
9:35:41entrance. Then we will have to find a
9:35:43way out of that city and the trial that
9:35:45it was in. We did well here, but there
9:35:48will still be challenges ahead of us. He
9:35:51reminded the others. Carl put all the
9:35:54beasts away in preparation to head out,
9:35:56and Corbin prepared their disguises.
9:35:59Lotus, you're up at the front again. If
9:36:02they have questions, you're the only one
9:36:04likely to understand. Corbin instructed
9:36:08with a nod from the spellblade. The
9:36:10group made their way through the
9:36:12dungeon, retracing their steps. They
9:36:15stopped at the entry platform to check
9:36:16their gear and make certain they hadn't
9:36:18dropped anything before stepping through
9:36:20the portal in a group and directly out
9:36:22onto a snow-covered hillside. They were
9:36:25out of the mountains near the edge of
9:36:27the abnormally cold anomaly zone nearly
9:36:2950 km from where they had started. For a
9:36:33moment, everyone's expressions went
9:36:34blank while refreshing lightning surged
9:36:37as if they were under attack. And then
9:36:39they recovered. Alice looked around
9:36:42them. How did we get here? Carl
9:36:45shrugged. When we left the dungeon, this
9:36:48is where it brought us. For a second,
9:36:51the others looked confused and then
9:36:53realization came to their faces as
9:36:56refreshing lightning fought off whatever
9:36:58status effect was placed on them and
9:37:00their memories returned.
9:37:02Nice save, Thor. Carl congratulated his
9:37:06partner. I told you I was the healer
9:37:09now. Thor declared, which made Remy
9:37:12giggle. Prince Corbin snapped his
9:37:14fingers. I get it now. That's what
9:37:18happened to the others. They entered an
9:37:20instance and when they finally escaped
9:37:23it, their memory was wiped. But we were
9:37:26all under the same protective spell when
9:37:28we left the dungeon and we managed to
9:37:30remember. Larry patted him on the back.
9:37:33Good work, boss. We couldn't have done
9:37:36without you being mauled by a Naga king
9:37:38for 10 straight minutes. But we've got
9:37:40more to celebrate. There is a new
9:37:43commander in the group. Corbin turned to
9:37:46Carl. So there is. As they stood in the
9:37:50snow near the foothills of the
9:37:52mountains, Carl checked his body for
9:37:54obvious changes, and immediately noticed
9:37:56the differences. His power had made a
9:37:59notable jump, likely when Hawk advanced,
9:38:01at least 20% from where he was before.
9:38:04And the feeling of his power was
9:38:05slightly different, the same way that
9:38:07Hawk and Ray had changed when they
9:38:09advanced. "How can you tell that without
9:38:11a test?" Rose asked skeptically.
9:38:15She still viewed Carl with a level of
9:38:17distrust, but it didn't seem personal.
9:38:20She treated all men the same way, just
9:38:22not as obviously as with Carl. He feels
9:38:26like a commander rank beast. If I wasn't
9:38:29familiar with him, I would think that
9:38:30one of the local monsters had just
9:38:32advanced,
9:38:33Prince Corbin explained. That was what
9:38:36one of the nearby elite groups had
9:38:38thought as well. And they came running
9:38:40into the area, searching for the beast
9:38:42that had just advanced, hoping to catch
9:38:44it while it was still vulnerable during
9:38:45the aftermath, the way that Ry had been
9:38:48when she shed her kitan. "Where did you
9:38:50all come from?" "We were informed that
9:38:53everyone else had evacuated from the
9:38:54mountains. We're just here to prevent
9:38:57the spread of the anomaly monsters."
9:39:00The team leader, a commander rank
9:39:02warrior, asked. Carl's group was larger
9:39:05than usual, nine people, and the
9:39:07Spellblade outfit suggested that it was
9:39:09two groups mashed together for safety.
9:39:12To the patrol, that meant their
9:39:13information that the region was clear of
9:39:15elites was incorrect, and they needed
9:39:17some answers. We were on a mission in
9:39:20the mountains. Dispatch code 025678.
9:39:25Prince Corbin replied. The team leader
9:39:28punched the code into his phone, sending
9:39:31a text message to someone, and promptly
9:39:33got a message back. I see the issue.
9:39:37You've been gone 10 days and were
9:39:39presumed lost when the monsters surged.
9:39:42It's good to have you back, Prince
9:39:44Corbin, the commander replied. "Not it,"
9:39:49Carl shouted as the man finished
9:39:50speaking. "Not what?" he asked,
9:39:54confused.
9:39:56I'm not taking the blame or doing the
9:39:57paperwork for this one. It's someone
9:40:00else's turn. Carl laughed. There were
9:40:04definitely going to be questions about
9:40:05what they were doing for 10 days, though
9:40:07it only felt like two in the minds of
9:40:09the group. I will call for an extraction
9:40:12team. Where will you all be returning
9:40:15to? The commander asked. My team will be
9:40:19going to the Golden Divine Academy, and
9:40:21I believe the others will be going to
9:40:22the capital. Alice announced
9:40:26that would be a change. Carl hadn't been
9:40:29back to his room in ages and he could
9:40:31use a nice long rest. They simply waited
9:40:34as the extraction helicopter came to
9:40:36pick them up. Carl knew there would be
9:40:39all sorts of questions when they got
9:40:40back to the academy. Like how he made it
9:40:43to commander, how Dana made ascended so
9:40:45fast, where all this new gear came from,
9:40:48and what they were going to do with him
9:40:49now. that reminded Carl of the warning
9:40:52that Prince Corbin had given him. Once
9:40:55he was back, he would have to learn to
9:40:57stand up for himself. Even if he was
9:41:00still a student, he was also a commander
9:41:02rank elite and theoretically on the same
9:41:04social standing as the professors of the
9:41:06academy or even Alice. He might not have
9:41:10the usual record and accolades to go
9:41:12with it, but he did hold the rank. Their
9:41:15ride was one lone helicopter, a smaller
9:41:17one and not one of the larger cargo
9:41:19helicopters that would transport 50
9:41:21elites at a time to multiple locations.
9:41:24Everyone piled in and the co-pilot made
9:41:26a motion for them to buckle up. The
9:41:29large sliding doors on the sides were
9:41:31open so they could attack out of the
9:41:33vehicle if there were flying threats or
9:41:34ranged attacks, but the pilot was
9:41:36keeping fairly close to the treetops.
9:41:39That wasn't normal from what Carl knew.
9:41:42It was safer to be way up in the sky
9:41:44where attacks from the ground couldn't
9:41:46get to you. And this only made sense if
9:41:48you were hiding from a threat in the
9:41:50air. They were unable to hear anything
9:41:52being said over the noise. But the
9:41:54helicopter was headed straight for the
9:41:56academy if his sense of direction was
9:41:58correct. Carl was in the middle seat at
9:42:01the back, so he chose to meditate while
9:42:03they flew, establishing the power level
9:42:05of his newest space and getting to know
9:42:07Remy. So, you're a shaman. What sort of
9:42:11skills can you use? Carl asked the tiny
9:42:15spirit snake. Her rich blue scales faded
9:42:18to pale gold along her belly with black
9:42:20swirling patterns on her back, making
9:42:22her look a bit like a python. Though the
9:42:24pattern of the black markings wasn't
9:42:26right for a python, and the blue of her
9:42:28scales was more like a gemstone than the
9:42:30camouflage of a common snake monster. I
9:42:33know minor water control and chain
9:42:35lightning and blizzard and healing
9:42:37splash. It's not a big healing spell
9:42:40like the clerics use, but it closes cuts
9:42:43well. She announced proudly. Hulk was
9:42:47glaring at her from the moment that she
9:42:48said Blizzard, but he wasn't trying to
9:42:50break into her space, and he wasn't
9:42:52hurling mental insults at her. At least,
9:42:56not anymore. Remy was still hiding under
9:42:59the plants in her space in case he came
9:43:01for her. But Thor had been sneaking her
9:43:03chunks of meat, and Carl had just
9:43:05realized that he had stolen a corpse
9:43:07from Hawk's space to get it from, as his
9:43:09didn't have any. Remy made sure to dip
9:43:12them all in the water and wrap them in
9:43:13leaves from one of the tall grasses
9:43:15before eating them, like she was making
9:43:17sushi rolls out of meat bits that she
9:43:19chopped with her spear. It was adorable,
9:43:22and it didn't interfere with her mental
9:43:24communication.
9:43:25Thor gave her more plants to see what
9:43:27she liked, and the Naga got very excited
9:43:30before folding one of them into a simple
9:43:32leafy crown that she tied with vines. Ry
9:43:35donated some bones to the cause, and the
9:43:38little shaman added them to her crown,
9:43:40then made a necklace of them. Even Hawk,
9:43:43though he pretended that he absolutely
9:43:45hated her, donated a few small but shiny
9:43:47stones to her outfit. I will get you a
9:43:50proper hat later so that you don't
9:43:52destroy your leaf crown, Carl. informed
9:43:55her the supply room at the school would
9:43:58have something for her that was rank
9:43:59appropriate and would hold up to combat
9:44:01damage. Thor will give me a lightning
9:44:04barrier and that will protect it for a
9:44:05while. There are lots of the big leaves.
9:44:09They're growing here. Remy dismissed the
9:44:12concern for her decoration, which would
9:44:14likely fall off her head the moment she
9:44:16came out into the open. Anyhow, she
9:44:19didn't actually care about the coverage.
9:44:21It was the decoration she was after. She
9:44:24was a spirit snake shaman, not a common
9:44:26monster. She needed pretty things so
9:44:29everyone knew she was impressive.
9:44:32Once she had filled herself with the
9:44:33meat rolls, Remy promptly passed out on
9:44:36a rock with a large leaf bent over
9:44:38herself so she couldn't be seen from
9:44:40above. You scared her. Thor chastised
9:44:44Hawk. She was supposed to be food, not
9:44:47friend. Hawk retorted. But she's a
9:44:51friend now. Ry countered, ganging up on
9:44:54Hawk, who was still upset about the
9:44:56incident. Fine, fine, I will be nice. At
9:45:01least she's only part water magic. She's
9:45:05got lightning as well, and lightning is
9:45:07warm." Hawk reluctantly agreed. Carl
9:45:11meditated the next 4 hours away, waiting
9:45:13for them to reach their destination. As
9:45:15everyone rested, the amount of power
9:45:18flowing both into him and into his
9:45:20spaces was twice what it had been a few
9:45:22days ago when he last had time to
9:45:24properly meditate. The feedback from the
9:45:26two commander rank beasts had proven to
9:45:29be a real boon to his development. The
9:45:31energy level in both Thor and Rey's
9:45:33spaces was growing at a noticeable rate,
9:45:36as was the newborn snake. She had been
9:45:39absolutely tiny when she hatched, and
9:45:41the influx of food and energy had grown
9:45:43her by about a third, to the point that
9:45:45she would actually fill Carl's palm.
9:45:47Now, she was still no thicker around
9:45:49than his pinky, except at the base of
9:45:52her head, where the hood flared out like
9:45:53a cobra or a naga. When she was asleep,
9:45:57the hood of scales around her head was
9:45:59gone, tucked flat instead of spread to
9:46:01make her look larger. Or perhaps it was
9:46:04more than a threat display and worked
9:46:05like ears for a naga. Carl didn't know
9:46:08much about their biology.
9:46:11Hopefully, Sergeant Rita would be here
9:46:13already. He couldn't wait to tell her
9:46:15about all the things he had seen, but
9:46:17any side quests would have to wait
9:46:19because there was a large group of
9:46:20government vehicles sitting next to the
9:46:22helipad on the academy grounds as they
9:46:24approached.
9:46:26Carl hadn't really had to deal with them
9:46:27before, other than Colonel Valerie and
9:46:29her people from the bureau, who wouldn't
9:46:31need to assemble a group to greet their
9:46:33team, unless there was some formality to
9:46:35welcoming Prince Corbin and the
9:46:36Spellblades.
9:46:38The helicopter landed, and the co-pilot
9:46:40motioned for them to wait inside until
9:46:42the blades spun down. That gave them
9:46:45time to see who was waiting for them,
9:46:47and it appeared to be a rather
9:46:49illustrious group of dignitaries from
9:46:50every branch of the government. Remember
9:46:53what I told you? You're going to need a
9:46:55backbone here, firm but polite, or
9:46:58they'll walk all over you and treat you
9:47:00like an unruly child. Prince Corbin
9:47:03whispered to Carl. Alice gave him a
9:47:05questioning look, wondering what he was
9:47:07talking to Carl about. But before she
9:47:09could ask, the royal rank mage stepped
9:47:12down from the helicopter and greeted the
9:47:13crowd. Ministers, chief researcher
9:47:16Davies, generals, what brings such an
9:47:19illustrious group here today with their
9:47:21assistance?
9:47:22Corbin asked as he walked toward the
9:47:24crowd. Corbin had been seated next to
9:47:27Carl, who followed Alice out of the door
9:47:29with Larry right beside him. As he
9:47:32turned, Carl could see that the staff
9:47:34were holding the others back, having
9:47:36everyone disembarked by rank, so the
9:47:38ascended would be at the back of the
9:47:39group. When they reached the gathering,
9:47:42they held those ranks. Prince Corbin was
9:47:45in front with Larry and Alice flanking
9:47:48Carl and the others in behind. Lotus and
9:47:51Tessa didn't stay there long and went to
9:47:53greet a high priest in the crowd
9:47:55personally. That gave the teachers the
9:47:58opportunity to whisk Dana away along
9:48:00with Rose and Daryl, leaving just the
9:48:02four senior members to greet the
9:48:03politicians.
9:48:05Oh, have you found a promising junior to
9:48:07introduce to us today? Corbin? One of
9:48:10the men asked. Who? Commander Carl. Yes,
9:48:16he is quite promising, but hardly a
9:48:18junior anymore. Ascended Minister
9:48:20Gerald. From the look on the young
9:48:22minister's face, you would think that
9:48:24Corbin had slapped him. Carl guessed
9:48:27that bringing up the fact that he was
9:48:28ascended was considered to be an insult
9:48:30despite his position as a government
9:48:32minister, which was among the highest of
9:48:34appointed positions.
9:48:36Oh, a young commander, is he? I'm
9:48:39certain that we can find some suitable
9:48:41work for him. The minister simpered in
9:48:44an unsightly display of sucking up that
9:48:46made Carl's skin crawl. I will see where
9:48:49I can fit you into my schedule,
9:48:50minister.
9:48:52Thank you for the offer. Carl replied
9:48:55politely and saw the split second where
9:48:57Corbin's neutral look flickered to a
9:48:59smirk. In his peripheral vision, Alice
9:49:02was doing a much worse job of hiding her
9:49:04amusement. While Larry was stone-faced,
9:49:06simply standing there like a statue,
9:49:08perhaps hoping that they would forget he
9:49:10was present. A man in a general's
9:49:13uniform stepped up and shook Alice's
9:49:15hand. agent. Good to see you again. Tell
9:49:18me, how is the colonel? Alice gave him a
9:49:21genuine smile. The last that I saw her,
9:49:25she was dealing with an incompetent
9:49:26forward operations base manager. She
9:49:29wasn't in a good mood, but her health
9:49:31has been well. A rather fragile looking
9:49:34person in a vibrant peachcoled suit
9:49:36stepped up, holding a clipboard. Prince
9:49:39Corbin, would you like to sign up for
9:49:41one of the assistance groups? I have all
9:49:44the paperwork prepared for you, ready
9:49:46for signature, they asked with a tone of
9:49:49demand in their voice. No, thank you. I
9:49:53am quite busy with the spellblade
9:49:55training program. You see, Carl was
9:49:58beginning to see what he meant. If you
9:50:01didn't say no to them, they would
9:50:02monopolize every minute of your day with
9:50:04their pet projects, using your power and
9:50:07reputation to earn themselves bonuses at
9:50:09work. Alice was relatively safe as a
9:50:12member of the bureau, and Larry had
9:50:14Prince Corbin as a shield, but Carl
9:50:16would have been thrown to the wolves if
9:50:17anyone had known in advance that he had
9:50:19made the commander rank. Should we
9:50:21proceed to the official commander rank
9:50:23testing elite Carl? A deep voice asked
9:50:26from behind him. The voice was familiar,
9:50:29and Carl turned to find Tank, the
9:50:32Berserker training instructor, standing
9:50:34there with a smile on his face. That
9:50:37sounds good. It's best to get the little
9:50:39formalities out of the way first. Carl
9:50:42agreed. Tank smiled as Carl made his
9:50:45escape, headed back toward the warrior
9:50:48training grounds. You don't need a mage
9:50:50area, do you? I don't know what you've
9:50:53been up to since you left here. The big
9:50:56berserker asked. "No, a warrior training
9:50:59area should be just fine." Carl agreed.
9:51:03He must have called ahead because they
9:51:05were already setting up the energy
9:51:07measuring equipment when the pair
9:51:08arrived. You know the routine. Power up.
9:51:11No summoned creatures.
9:51:14Then activate your skill against the
9:51:16target and we will measure the energy
9:51:17output. The instructor who was manning
9:51:20the station informed them in a dry tone.
9:51:23At first, Carl thought that the man
9:51:25didn't know or care who it was that had
9:51:27made commander. Then he realized that
9:51:29there were whole lines of students
9:51:30awaiting tests. It was exam week and he
9:51:34just happened to be here for it. The
9:51:36examiner didn't even look up as Carl
9:51:38grabbed the two-handed training sword
9:51:40and activated refreshing lightning and
9:51:43flame body. Pass low commander. The man
9:51:48informed them in the same board tone.
9:51:50Respectfully, I haven't even activated
9:51:52an attack skill yet. Carl informed him.
9:51:57That made the man look up and see the
9:51:58energycoated weapon still tipped down
9:52:00against the ground. He gave an odd look
9:52:03for Carl being in armor with a backpack
9:52:05on instead of in school uniform, but
9:52:08didn't comment on it before getting back
9:52:10to business. Oh, sorry. Please proceed.
9:52:16Carl focused and added shred to the
9:52:18ability stack, then realized he had
9:52:20gained new abilities from Remy. he could
9:52:23use her chain lightning, which seemed as
9:52:26if it would go better with refreshing
9:52:28lightning than Shred did. So, he
9:52:31switched and slammed an attack into the
9:52:33armored plate. Pass. Still technically
9:52:36low commander energy, but the damage
9:52:38output is mid-commander.
9:52:40Thank you, examiner.
9:52:43Carl replied, then put the test weapon
9:52:45back. Tank smirked and handed Carl a
9:52:48golden badge. You can put those on your
9:52:51uniform when you change back. You will
9:52:54need a fresh set, by the way, as
9:52:56commander ranked students wear the
9:52:57teacher's business suit around the
9:52:59academy, not the plain black school
9:53:01uniform. If you make it to royal before
9:53:04you graduate, you get a cape. Well, I'll
9:53:07try to escape to my room and get
9:53:08changed. What time of day is it? It
9:53:12should be almost dinner, right? Carl
9:53:15asked. It had been daytime since they
9:53:18got out of the portal, so he wasn't
9:53:20entirely certain what time they started
9:53:22their day. It is almost 5:00 in the
9:53:24afternoon. We got the message that your
9:53:27team members were coming back just after
9:53:29lunch. Carl smiled.
9:53:32Perfect. Then I will be done changing
9:53:34just in time to eat. Tank shook his hand
9:53:37and looked toward one of the other
9:53:39testing areas. I will go register your
9:53:42results. You go get changed. Wandering
9:53:44around the school in armor and a
9:53:46backpack attracts attention. Carl made
9:53:49for the supply room and found the halls
9:53:51of the dorm building curiously busy with
9:53:53gawking students.
9:53:55Sure, class would be out, but nobody
9:53:57hung out in the hallways like this. The
9:54:00rumors didn't take long to reach his
9:54:02ears that he was the next famous prodigy
9:54:04of the school. Reaching commander in the
9:54:07first year and that he was the reason
9:54:09all the government people were here for
9:54:10the exams. Of course, that was unlikely
9:54:14to be true. They had gone straight to
9:54:16trying to wrangle Prince Corbin into
9:54:18deals when they arrived, but that didn't
9:54:20change the students rumor mill. Hi, I'll
9:54:23need a new uniform. Carl greeted the
9:54:26older man at the counter. Wrecked one
9:54:29during exams. Did you? No worries. I've
9:54:32got plenty. He replied, "Actually, I
9:54:36passed the commander rank test, so I
9:54:39need a change of uniform."
9:54:41Carl replied, holding up the golden
9:54:43school badge. "Oh, easy peasy. They
9:54:47might be dusty, as I don't go through
9:54:49many, but they're always in stock." The
9:54:52old man took out two bags, then looked
9:54:55over Carl and changed them for two
9:54:56others. "There you go, a new uniform,
9:55:00plus a formal suit. These ones will bond
9:55:03once you wear them, so do take care of
9:55:05them, as they'll cost you to replace."
9:55:07The daily wear uniform is black and the
9:55:10other one is the formal white for
9:55:11official events, the clerk explained.
9:55:15Thanks. I will see you again soon. I
9:55:19will need a few equipment pieces when I
9:55:21have a bit more time to talk. Carl
9:55:24replied with a subtle nod toward the
9:55:26students openly eavesdropping.
9:55:28Of course, see you soon.
9:55:32Carl checked on the plants that filled
9:55:34his balcony and found them freshly
9:55:35watered, then changed and showered
9:55:37quickly before trying on the two new
9:55:40suits. As promised, they bonded the same
9:55:43way that Armor did, allowing him to
9:55:45dismiss them with a thought and get
9:55:47dressed again just as easily. Now, he
9:55:50wouldn't have to worry about the spare
9:55:51clothes in his bag, as he had something
9:55:53to change into other than armor for when
9:55:55they got back to town. But he did notice
9:55:57that there was one oddity about these
9:55:59two outfits. The badge, the golden
9:56:02emblem of his commander rank, bonded
9:56:04separately from the suits. He could take
9:56:07it out and show it to people without
9:56:08changing or put it on whichever outfit
9:56:11he wanted. That was truly convenient. It
9:56:15still marked him as a student of the
9:56:16Golden Divine Academy, which should be
9:56:18no shock to anyone given his youth.
9:56:22However, the mirror on the wall was
9:56:24showing him a much less childish face
9:56:25than he was used to. That babb-ish peach
9:56:28fuzz was becoming a proper beard, and
9:56:30the childish look was fading toward what
9:56:32he would call young adulthood. Like his
9:56:35beasts, the advancements had helped him
9:56:37through the adolescent awkward phase,
9:56:39and he was looking more like a proper
9:56:41adult. He quickly shaved and put a bit
9:56:44of pomade in his hair as he brushed it,
9:56:46keeping it in place now that it was
9:56:48beginning to grow out from the crew cut
9:56:49that he had finished middle school with.
9:56:51His parents would be proud of how far he
9:56:54had come. So Carl sent a message to them
9:56:56as both would be out of the house at
9:56:58this hour of the day. When he went
9:57:00downstairs in his suit, none of the
9:57:02students recognized him right away. They
9:57:04simply nodded politely as he walked by,
9:57:07mistaking him for one of the part-time
9:57:09teachers assistants that came and went.
9:57:11But the cafeteria ladies weren't nearly
9:57:13as easily fooled. Student Carl, welcome
9:57:17back. We've got some ascended rank bear
9:57:20meat in. if you're re beasty would like
9:57:22to give it a try. Hulk wasn't feeling
9:57:24enthusiastic about the prospect with all
9:57:26the meat he already had and Remy wasn't
9:57:29sure what a bear was, so Carl shook his
9:57:31head. We were lucky enough to stock up
9:57:34on meat while we were out, but I could
9:57:37use a double serving of your shepherd's
9:57:38pie and a coffee. The worker nodded
9:57:41happily and gestured toward the seating
9:57:44area. You can take a seat. We will bring
9:57:47it out. or are you going to be in the
9:57:49staff lounge? I'll sit here. I must say
9:57:54I'm getting all the special treatment
9:57:55today. Carl replied, "You're all fancy
9:57:59now. You get the privileges."
9:58:02She laughed, then waved him over to the
9:58:04tables. The students were beginning to
9:58:07realize who he was, and the excitement
9:58:09to talk to him was building. To prevent
9:58:12utter chaos in the cafeteria, Carl
9:58:14picked a table in the corner where he
9:58:16would be able to talk without being
9:58:17surrounded. Having to turn around to
9:58:20answer questions from behind would be a
9:58:21pain, as well as blocking most of the
9:58:23room. So, it seemed like the best
9:58:25option. At first, it was the generic
9:58:28congratulations on having made commander
9:58:30from people whose faces he barely
9:58:32recognized. Then, some of the mages from
9:58:34Hawk's training class came in to have
9:58:36dinner and saw Carl in his suit with the
9:58:38gold badge.
9:58:39What the hell? How is that even fair? I
9:58:43haven't made it to Ascended yet, and he
9:58:45already made commander. One of the water
9:58:48mages complained. Carl felt Hawk's
9:58:51smuggness in his mind at the man's
9:58:53comment. The victory over that
9:58:55particular bit of water was complete.
9:58:58What are you going to do now? I mean,
9:59:00once you are as good as the teachers, is
9:59:03there really much that you can learn in
9:59:04the academy? One of the other mages
9:59:07asked. There's always more to learn, and
9:59:10combat isn't the only subject that we
9:59:12need to know. Sure, I could and will
9:59:15likely spend a lot of time doing
9:59:16mercenary hunting jobs because I have
9:59:18beasts to feed, but the other courses,
9:59:21martial arts training, and theory
9:59:22classes are all still valuable, Carl
9:59:25replied. The mage laughed. I suppose
9:59:29that's right. They'll expect big things
9:59:32of you now. But did you hear the news
9:59:35while you were away? There's a big thing
9:59:38happening with the Frost Giants nation.
9:59:40Apparently, they've been using some sort
9:59:42of ice magic to attack neighboring
9:59:44countries and spread their borders. I
9:59:47saw it on the news the other day. That
9:59:50got Carl's attention when they were
9:59:52sent. The thought was that the anomaly
9:59:54was what was causing the cold in the
9:59:56region, but the anomaly ended up being
9:59:58some sort of dark elf village trial and
10:00:00a Naga dungeon. Neither of those was of
10:00:03the ice element, though there were
10:00:04frozen battlefields in some of the
10:00:06trials that they faced. Finding out that
10:00:09it was most likely the beginning of an
10:00:11attack by the frost giants along that
10:00:13border made sense of a number of things,
10:00:16like the fact that when they came out,
10:00:17the mountains had been evacuated, and
10:00:19the people left behind were feared dead.
10:00:22With an ongoing conflict between them
10:00:24and the frost giants, it wouldn't be
10:00:26safe to go train there for the
10:00:28foreseeable future. The staff brought
10:00:30his dinner while Carl answered
10:00:32questions, and after a few minutes, Dana
10:00:34came to join him at the table. So far,
10:00:38nobody else had been brave enough to
10:00:39take a seat. But Dana looked more
10:00:41concerned about the meal on her plate,
10:00:43while her curly hair slowly dried and
10:00:45turned into a giant mass of frizz.
10:00:48"We've been in the field too long. It's
10:00:50weird seeing a meal with no rice and
10:00:52beans," she commented as she began to
10:00:55eat. It was actually they were such a
10:00:59common staple in Lotus and Tessa's
10:01:01cooking that he didn't even think about
10:01:03it, but they were missing from the
10:01:04academy meals. Carl cut up a bit of
10:01:07roast chicken and wrapped it in lettuce,
10:01:09then brought Remy out of her space to
10:01:11say hello to everyone. The baby spirit
10:01:14snake was growing fast, now over 30 cm
10:01:17long, and starting to take on more of a
10:01:19dull sheen, which Carl suspected meant
10:01:22that she would be shedding her skin
10:01:23soon. Is that Remy? The baby Naga spirit
10:01:27snake or whatever she was. Dana asked.
10:01:32She is Remy. This is Dana. Would you
10:01:36like to say hi? He asked as Remy grabbed
10:01:39a chicken ball and maneuvered it toward
10:01:41her mouth. Remy flicked her tongue in
10:01:44greeting and used minor water control to
10:01:47make a pair of tentacles to wave at the
10:01:49mage before filling her mouth to prevent
10:01:51any more questions.
10:01:53Wow, I didn't think that you could bond
10:01:55a spirit snake. They're technically
10:01:57magical beasts since they can't speak a
10:02:00language and they're not much smarter
10:02:01than dogs, but still when they evolve
10:02:04into Naga, they grow up to look
10:02:06partially humanoid. A mage from the
10:02:08morning training commented. Dana looked
10:02:11up. The ones we saw in the dungeon could
10:02:14communicate well enough. That startled
10:02:17the mage. They were speaking like
10:02:21hissing at each other to coordinate
10:02:22attacks. I grew up near the swamps and
10:02:25there is a theory that in ancient times
10:02:27Naga were semi intelligent beings, but
10:02:31now they're basically snakes with arms.
10:02:34They can't even be trained to perform
10:02:36labor tasks. Dana nodded. There was a
10:02:40whole village full of naga in the
10:02:41dungeon, complete with tents and
10:02:43furniture. That's wild. I wonder if Remy
10:02:47will be that smart or if it was just the
10:02:49magic of the dungeon making a home for
10:02:50them. Remy looked up at Carl. Slap him
10:02:54for calling me a snake with arms, she
10:02:57demanded.
10:02:59Carl chuckled, catching the mage's
10:03:01attention. She is quite insulted to hear
10:03:04the naga called snakes with arms. But I
10:03:07can communicate with my beasts much more
10:03:09clearly than with regular animals, so
10:03:11being bonded to me most likely brings up
10:03:13their intelligence level. Hawk speaks in
10:03:16my mind, speaks in a human language
10:03:18which his body could never make. So,
10:03:20it's hard for me to say how smart the
10:03:22other Naga actually are. But Remy, for
10:03:25certain, knows when people are insulting
10:03:27her. Remy nodded as she ate and took out
10:03:30her spear to wave it at the mage using
10:03:32the water control tentacles.
10:03:35It should have been menacing, but given
10:03:37her size, it was smaller than a
10:03:39chopstick, and much of the effect was
10:03:41lost in translation.
10:03:43Got it. No insulting the tiny snake
10:03:45girl. Is she a warrior? Then I see that
10:03:49she has a spear already. The warrior
10:03:52beside the mage asked. If Carl was going
10:03:55to be sending his pets to train with the
10:03:57other students again, he wanted to know
10:03:59how long he had before some crazy snake
10:04:01girl with a spear was coming to beat his
10:04:03classmates up. She's actually a shaman.
10:04:07The spear was a birthday gift. Carl
10:04:10replied. Dana hid her laughter with a
10:04:13mouthful of food. Yes, a birthday gift.
10:04:18On the day that she was born, from the
10:04:19dungeon that she was born in. Once
10:04:22dinner was done, Carl took Dana back up
10:04:24to his room to relax, away from all the
10:04:27excitement of the academy on exam day.
10:04:30Rey came out as soon as they opened the
10:04:32door and went to improve her living
10:04:34space using the new design ideas she had
10:04:36gotten since they left, including the
10:04:38forts they had been sleeping in. She had
10:04:41the space and she could attach them to
10:04:43the whole wall of the building since she
10:04:45didn't care about anyone else's windows.
10:04:48Unfortunately for her, Carl caught that
10:04:50line of thought and stopped her before
10:04:51she could web up the entire side of the
10:04:53academy to make herself a mansion. She
10:04:56did upgrade their hammocks and check on
10:04:58the plants she had been waiting for.
10:05:01Some of them had been picked by whoever
10:05:03was watering the trees, but there was a
10:05:05lot of ripe fruit here for her to stuff
10:05:06in her space for later.
10:05:09That gave Rey a great idea. Hawk threw
10:05:12Remy into the space and they got to keep
10:05:14her. Rey walked over to Dana, picked her
10:05:17up, and then vanished into her space,
10:05:19leaving Dana behind to drop back to the
10:05:21ground. Three times in a row, she tried
10:05:25before giving up and complaining to
10:05:26Carl. If Thor gets to pick a Naga egg,
10:05:30why can't I pick a Dana? Carl and Thor
10:05:33both laughed while Hawk rolled his eyes.
10:05:36Thor mumbled a response. half asleep in
10:05:38his pond. Carl is a beast master, not a
10:05:42Dana master. If you find a way to turn
10:05:45Dana into a puppy or a kitten, then you
10:05:47could probably keep her. Carl really
10:05:50wished they would stop giving each other
10:05:52strange ideas. Remy was already
10:05:55wondering if shaman magic could
10:05:56shapeshift people so they could invite
10:05:58friends over to show off their homes.
10:06:00And Rey was making plans to find a way
10:06:02to turn Dana into a tiger. Don't you
10:06:05think you should ask her before turning
10:06:06her into a tiger? Carl teased Rey,
10:06:10disrupting her train of thought. It's
10:06:12easier to ask forgiveness than
10:06:14permission. I read that in the ethics
10:06:17textbook. While he was fairly certain
10:06:19that Rey had misinterpreted something in
10:06:21that textbook, Carl left them to their
10:06:23own devices and pulled Dana down into
10:06:25the newly expanded hammock. It's good to
10:06:28be home. We can finally get some real
10:06:31rest and maybe we might even sleep in.
10:06:34He whispered to the mage in his arms.
10:06:37Dana just laughed. Did you forget that
10:06:40Sergeant Rita and Jill are both here at
10:06:42the academy? We're guaranteed to be
10:06:44pulled out of bed at the crack of dawn.
10:06:47With all the stress of the long trip,
10:06:49they both drifted off to sleep early
10:06:51that night, still sharing a hammock.
10:06:54That was where they were found when
10:06:56Sergeant Rita and Jill came looking for
10:06:58their students. The next morning, Carl
10:07:00woke up to the sound of careful
10:07:02footsteps on the balcony. "Agent Jill,
10:07:05good morning," he whispered. "You have
10:07:09good hearing." "I was coming to wake you
10:07:11up, but I didn't want to wake Ry." Jill
10:07:14quietly replied. "She already knows
10:07:17you're here. Don't worry, she's not
10:07:20going to tie you up today." Carl joked.
10:07:24Not that she hadn't considered it. Carl
10:07:27equipped his new uniform as he swung
10:07:29himself out of the hammock, waking Dana
10:07:31up when she suddenly found her arms
10:07:33empty. Rita shook Carl's hand when he
10:07:36reached her, and her usually stern look
10:07:38turned to a big smile. Well, it looks
10:07:41like you've outgrown my tutelage.
10:07:44I remember when we first met, Hawk said
10:07:46that one day he was going to be more
10:07:48powerful than I am. And what do you
10:07:50know? It hasn't even been half a year.
10:07:52and he's already there," she informed
10:07:54him with a mixture of sadness and pride
10:07:56in her expression. "I take it that
10:07:59you're being reassigned now that I've
10:08:00advanced,"
10:08:02Carl asked. Rita nodded and gestured to
10:08:05her uniform. "They've made me a warrant
10:08:08officer, and I'm being reassigned to the
10:08:10Ministry of Education as a liaison
10:08:12officer. I will be tasked with helping
10:08:15rare classes and special cases make
10:08:17their early benchmarks in the hopes that
10:08:19I can replicate your success.
10:08:21How much time do we have or have you
10:08:23already been reassigned?
10:08:26Carl asked. I meet my new student today,
10:08:29a transfer from out of the country who
10:08:31will be moving here. I think you might
10:08:33already know her. Rita replied, "I might
10:08:38know a foreign transfer student." Carl
10:08:40asked confused.
10:08:42He didn't know many people at all, so
10:08:44the odds of him meeting a random
10:08:46transfer student in advance were pretty
10:08:48low unless it's Rose, isn't it? The
10:08:52ascended rank spellblade.
10:08:54Carl asked, "Good try, but not quite."
10:08:59Rita stepped out into the hallway and
10:09:01came back in with a young teen girl who
10:09:03looked oddly familiar to Carl. He had
10:09:06seen her somewhere recently, but it was
10:09:08taking him a second to figure it out.
10:09:10the seminary academy. You were serving
10:09:14breakfast,
10:09:15Carl announced once he put the pieces
10:09:17together. But how does that make you a
10:09:20foreign transfer, sister? It's not that
10:09:23far to the seminary academy. The girl
10:09:26smiled. My name is Kora and I'm not a
10:09:29sister of the orders. I grew up in a red
10:09:32dragon priestess run orphanage and I was
10:09:34in the process of transferring to work
10:09:36at one near here when you came through
10:09:38the seminary academy with Thor. Since
10:09:41I'd only missed the injection by a
10:09:42month, they decided last week to give me
10:09:44the shot early instead of waiting for
10:09:46next year. They didn't want to risk
10:09:49letting me go through training then
10:09:50losing me if I gained a class marking.
10:09:53Is Thor here somewhere? Can I meet him?
10:09:57Dana laughed. That's the answer I was
10:10:00waiting for. Everyone loves Thor. Carl
10:10:04nodded in agreement. What class did you
10:10:07get? Hunter. The one with the bow and
10:10:11the wolf head. She announced proudly.
10:10:14That mark should be for a type of hunter
10:10:16that summoned a companion animal. The
10:10:19summoned pets were not strong combatants
10:10:21in the long term as they never left the
10:10:23common rank, but they could be very
10:10:25useful in many situations.
10:10:27Do we have any feathers? If I can get a
10:10:30feather quill and some ink, I will make
10:10:32you a skill book with my talents as a
10:10:34welcoming gift. Carl offered. Rita
10:10:38blinked slowly, staring at Carl. Right.
10:10:41He had a bird. Hawk, have you molted a
10:10:45feather that I can have? I want to make
10:10:47her a skill book for Ren. Hawk pointed
10:10:50to a feather sitting in his space, which
10:10:52Carl pulled out before realizing it
10:10:54wasn't one of his own. It was a feather
10:10:57from one of the damaged Naga necklaces
10:10:59that Hawk had been hoarding. Broken
10:11:01magical items had been useful before, so
10:11:04he didn't want to let them go to waste.
10:11:06All right, I have my quill. I have ink
10:11:09in the school supplies. I have paper.
10:11:11And this is an easy one, only four
10:11:13pages. I hope everyone can wait a
10:11:16minute, Carl explained. He quickly wrote
10:11:20out, ren, and passed the thin manuscript
10:11:23to the newly minted hunter. It vanished
10:11:25from her hands as soon as she tried to
10:11:27open it. And Kora pulled Carl into a
10:11:30hug. Thank you so much. That is an
10:11:33incredible skill and it's going to work
10:11:35so well with my night vision skill. Hawk
10:11:38made a happy noise. That was all that a
10:11:41true hunter needed. Rend and good
10:11:44eyesight. Every windsp speed hawk knew
10:11:47that. All right, Commander Carl. I think
10:11:51we've taken enough of your time. And
10:11:53Jill needs to bring Dana to be tested
10:11:55for her ascended rank badges this
10:11:57morning. We will see you around the
10:11:59academy, but you are welcome to drop in
10:12:01to give lectures if you have some spare
10:12:03time. Rita announced. I will see you
10:12:07soon. The ladies all left, and Carl
10:12:10realized that maybe he really would be
10:12:12expected to give lectures about
10:12:14something. He was a commander rank
10:12:16elite. He knew his skills. asking him to
10:12:19teach others who had similar skills
10:12:21didn't seem too outlandish, and they
10:12:23would likely give him school credits for
10:12:25it. Left alone in his room, it didn't
10:12:28take long to discover that he had no
10:12:30plans at all for the day. He could go
10:12:32get breakfast, then just relax and
10:12:35meditate, catch up on sleep, and get
10:12:37reacquainted with the pace of life in
10:12:39the academy. It didn't sound half bad,
10:12:42and Thor was on board with the idea that
10:12:44there was no harm in a little more
10:12:45sleep. Of course, simply sleeping the
10:12:49day away when you were the talk of the
10:12:50academy was easier said than done. Carl
10:12:53hadn't even had time to sort through his
10:12:55gear to see what was depleted and what
10:12:57needed replacing before there was
10:12:58someone knocking at his door. Then
10:13:00another, more insistent knocking. Good
10:13:03morning. Was there something you needed
10:13:05assistance with? Carl asked the
10:13:07sternlooking woman at the door. She was
10:13:10wearing a visitor's pass, which she
10:13:12would have needed to get up the stairs
10:13:14without being redirected by the spell.
10:13:16And she was holding a briefcase in one
10:13:18hand and a clipboard in the other.
10:13:20Wonderful. You are still here. Come with
10:13:23me and we can get started, she
10:13:26announced.
10:13:27Started on what? Perhaps you can explain
10:13:30what you are talking about over
10:13:32breakfast. Carl responded.
10:13:35I'm afraid that our time is short, so if
10:13:37you would, we need to be going.
10:13:40She replied, "Madam, I have no clue who
10:13:43you are or what you want. If you wish
10:13:46for me to go anywhere except to the
10:13:48dining hall for breakfast, you are going
10:13:50to need to provide more details."
10:13:52Carl retorted, exasperated by this
10:13:55stranger, who wasn't even authorized
10:13:57academy personnel. If she had been
10:14:00clergy or from the Bureau of Elite
10:14:02Development, she would have gone to the
10:14:03headmaster and had herself put on the
10:14:05staff list, so she would have a staff
10:14:07badge and wouldn't need the visitors
10:14:09pass to get around. It didn't take long
10:14:11to realize what she meant by time being
10:14:13limited. Though, Carl could already hear
10:14:16running down the hallway, and it was
10:14:18hard sold shoes, which only an office
10:14:20worker would wear. The students wore
10:14:23running shoes or boots and the staff
10:14:25wore either soft sold shoes or military
10:14:28boots depending on their preference. The
10:14:31woman looked annoyed as a halfozen more
10:14:33government workers ran up all wearing
10:14:35visitor passes with their clipboards and
10:14:37briefcases.
10:14:38One night was more than enough time for
10:14:40their departments to find out about the
10:14:42new commander and come up with a plan to
10:14:44try to rope him in. Carl looked at the
10:14:47masked group of recruiters with his best
10:14:48fake smile. Wonderful. We can all go for
10:14:52breakfast together and you can make your
10:14:54pitches. He announced, closing and
10:14:57locking his door behind him. He started
10:15:00to walk and one of the men in the back
10:15:02with a nasal voice that made even Thor
10:15:04wsece asked the question that was on all
10:15:06their minds. Who might we be competing
10:15:09against? Has anyone already made a pitch
10:15:12for your time? Carl turned to smile at
10:15:15him. Indeed, one high priestess of the
10:15:18blue dragon clerics, no fewer than two
10:15:21bishops, one spellblade clan, and the
10:15:24bureau of elite development have all
10:15:25beat you to the punch and are in
10:15:27consideration.
10:15:28If you don't think that you can compete
10:15:30with what they are likely to have
10:15:31offered, I won't be offended if you
10:15:33choose to withdraw politely.
10:15:35All but one of them looked a bit nervous
10:15:37at that list of names. They were from
10:15:40smaller special interests. They couldn't
10:15:42provide the sort of benefits that the
10:15:43church or the bureau could.
10:15:46The best that they could hope for was
10:15:47that one of their projects caught his
10:15:49interest. They had been counting on the
10:15:51fact that students are generally naive
10:15:53and unprepared to get him to sign on to
10:15:55a time intensive commitment. But if he
10:15:58was already calling them out, then the
10:16:00bumpkin from the mines wasn't nearly as
10:16:01clueless as they were led to believe by
10:16:03his background report. That had to be
10:16:06that damnable bureau agents fault. If
10:16:09she had prepped him for this situation
10:16:11before they returned, of course, the
10:16:13bureau would have a head start.
10:16:15The fact that they were competing
10:16:17against the church was a given. The
10:16:18clergy used the blanket method.
10:16:21All-inclusive recruitment. Everyone
10:16:23welcome. Everyone who was anyone and
10:16:26some who would never amount to much were
10:16:28all approached by the church and every
10:16:30elite tried to keep friendly ties with
10:16:32them because they had all the healers.
10:16:35felugnov.co.
10:16:37Little did they know that it was the
10:16:38church or the bureau, but a rather jaded
10:16:41Prince Corbin, who had warned Carl that
10:16:42saying no was in his best interests, and
10:16:45then proved it when they got off the
10:16:46helicopter.
10:16:48The fact they were still going after
10:16:49Corbin, despite the fact he had a
10:16:51faction and commitments, showed Carl
10:16:53very clearly that they would never give
10:16:55up. Alice was waiting at the bottom of
10:16:58the stairs with a gentlel looking high
10:17:00priestess of the green dragon, the
10:17:01nature god. The high priestess smelled
10:17:04heavily of giggleweed smoke and incense,
10:17:07and her eyes were slightly glazed, but
10:17:09her smile was warm and friendly. Alice
10:17:12nodded to Carl as he came down. "Do we
10:17:15have room for two more for breakfast? I
10:17:18didn't hear screaming, so I assumed that
10:17:20things went fairly smoothly upstairs."
10:17:23Carl chuckled. If I had gotten
10:17:26frustrated, I'm quite certain there
10:17:28would have been screaming. Yes, I would
10:17:30love to have you and your friend join us
10:17:32for breakfast. High priestess, you must
10:17:35be hungry. As hunger was a side effect
10:17:38of the herb she had been smoking. That
10:17:41was guaranteed.
10:17:42But the high priestess curtsied quite
10:17:44formally as she looked up at Carl. That
10:17:47sounds lovely. I have brought some tea.
10:17:51Alice led them to the staff dining hall,
10:17:53which was nearly empty already and away
10:17:56from prying ears. Once they were seated,
10:17:59Alice gestured for the staff to bring
10:18:01them all the breakfast special and
10:18:02drinks, then turned to get the morning
10:18:04chaos started. Colonel Valerie will be
10:18:07here in an hour, but she has asked me to
10:18:09inform you that she's looking to
10:18:10formally recruit you for the bureau. I
10:18:13don't know the terms, but it would be
10:18:15full-time agent status with conditions
10:18:18probably including finishing your
10:18:19classwork to cover the core subjects. A
10:18:22few of the others saw that as a chance
10:18:24to challenge the bureau agent. If they
10:18:27were just trying to hire him, that
10:18:29wasn't much of an offer. He made
10:18:31commander as a firstear student, not
10:18:34like Alice, who only made it to
10:18:35commander years after graduation.
10:18:38The green robed high priestess sipped
10:18:40her coffee, then poured herself some hot
10:18:42water from the insulated pot on the
10:18:44table into a teapot and started to steep
10:18:46her tea. I'm sure agent Alice is
10:18:49omitting some important details because
10:18:51that sounds boring. Even I can offer you
10:18:53a generous stipend and a cute cleric to
10:18:56play with. The others looked
10:18:58scandalized, but Carl laughed. And did
10:19:01the cleric in question phrase it exactly
10:19:03that way? Or did she say that she was
10:19:05bored this morning and wanted to go to
10:19:07the woods with Ry and play instead of
10:19:09whatever she's supposed to be doing? The
10:19:11high priestess looked thoughtful. It
10:19:14might be the second one, but if you're
10:19:17Ry, it's the same thing, really. She's
10:19:20out in the yard somewhere exploring.
10:19:23Rey, go find Lotus and keep her from
10:19:26getting lost or injured. Carl instructed
10:19:30the recruiters hit the ground, diving
10:19:32out of their chairs when the enormous
10:19:33spider suddenly appeared in the room,
10:19:35but Ry just ran outside looking for
10:19:37Lotus so they could make a fort in the
10:19:39woods and look for flowers. What in the
10:19:42seven hells was that?
10:19:44One of them wailed, her eyes tearing up
10:19:46in fear as she cowered under a table.
10:19:49Oh, that's Ry. She's my partner and the
10:19:52one that the team's nature priestess
10:19:54wanted to play with. The high priestess
10:19:57pointed at Carl as if he had just made a
10:19:59great revelation.
10:20:01You know, that makes so much more sense.
10:20:04Nature priestesses rarely want to play
10:20:06with humans. The man with the nasal
10:20:09voice glared at Carl and the high
10:20:10priestess.
10:20:12If you just wanted us here to mess with
10:20:14us, we can come back later. I would
10:20:17rather you didn't. Now, please feel free
10:20:20to make your presentation and I will
10:20:22give you some warning before more giant
10:20:24monsters appear in the room. The high
10:20:26priestess smiled. You should warn them
10:20:29about little ones, too, because even if
10:20:32they insult the little spirit snake
10:20:34shaman, it will still be prohibitively
10:20:36expensive to have them resurrected. The
10:20:39man cleared his throat. As I was about
10:20:42to say, I represent the seventh bank and
10:20:44investment conglomerate who are working
10:20:46on an expansion into the southern wilds.
10:20:48And we think you could be just the
10:20:50person to head security for our new
10:20:51facility. A banking conglomerate could
10:20:54likely put up some decent pay, but
10:20:56full-time compound security for a
10:20:58southern outpost.
10:21:00No thanks.

About this transcript

This page contains the full transcript of 10 HOUR | The First Legendary Beast Master Part 3 | Audiobook (Sleep/Study/Gym) by 10HourNovels, generated from the public captions YouTube serves with the video. The transcript has 109,645 words across 16,032 segments, with the original timestamps preserved so you can click any line to jump to that moment in the embedded player.

What you can do with it

Use the transcript to take notes, quote the speaker, build a study guide, generate a summary with ChatGPT or Claude via the YouTube Summary tool, or export it as a timed subtitle file with YouTube to SRT. You can also re-open it in the transcriber to translate the transcript into 100+ languages.

Free YouTube transcript tool

YouTube2Text is a free YouTube transcript generator — no signup, no daily limit. Paste any YouTube link and get the full transcript instantly, with timestamps, click-to-jump, translation to 100+ languages, AI prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, and exports to TXT, SRT, VTT, or Markdown.