Bridget comes out next, followed by Leeha, Bo, Bryan, and Sara. Feeling something against my leg, I look down and see Blacky. He sends a feeling of confidence towards me, as though he’s confident in my plan. I smile down at him and then look back up, curious to see what Bridget’s idea was to get everyone across the trap without triggering it.

  They all line up, with Bridget discreetly gesturing at everyone to spread out and keep pace.

  Just as they are about to step on the trap, a dozen, no two, no, holy fucking hell! Hundreds of Elementals of all kinds suddenly appear, each one grabbing on to someone’s clothing, with the exception of Bridget, who has turned herself into an Air Elemental.

  My jaw drops as I watch what happens next. Everyone ends up floating over the ground, just above the trap. Once they are all past the trap’s threshold, everyone is gently dropped.

  “Hi!” Leeha says, grinning from ear to ear. “Oh my gods, that was so cool!”

  Tia lands next and is laughing, looking at the Elementals who had floated her over. “Thanks, little ones!”

  “That was just weird!” grumbles Bryan, straightening his armor.

  “Oh, hush, big guy! That was awesome, Bridget!” Sara says with a laugh.

  Bo lands as well, and he looks pale. “Hmm. That was different.”

  “Now, what’s this thing you made?” Leeha asks me quickly.

  I point to the ground and say, “I want to surprise you all. Though, hmm. Get ready to run in case it doesn’t work.”

  Bridget walks up and places an arm around me and looks up. “It will work. If the context I got for it is any indication.”

  “Thanks for the help with the recipe. I was close, but seemingly far enough that it would not have worked as well. I didn’t have time to experiment.”

  I’m interrupted by a bunch of loud crashes and roars, and I look in the direction that everyone had just emerged from, just in time to see the trees burst under the pressure of over 30 Giants. I cross my fingers, toes and other things. Here’s hoping this works.

  I don’t have to wait long to find out, as the first Giant, followed closely by others, makes the trap go off.

  Suddenly a large wall of clear water appears between us, which is part of the trap. But its purpose is to protect us, not harm the Giants, as suddenly the rest of the trap I had created, with the help of Bridget, Ezza, and unknown number of Elementals, sets off.

  The flame that shoots up out of the ground stretches one hundred feet in front of me, and has a width of over fifty feet, and it almost blinds me. It’s so forceful that it extends over 100 feet up into the air. It’s that powerful. Thank God for the wall of water, as I’m sure without it, we would all be roasted and cooked from the outside in.

  Shit! I forgot to warn others about that. The flame is so hot that I can barely see through it, even with my enhanced eyesight. I can hear a roar, though the roar of the Giants in pain is nothing compared to the roar of the fire.

  This isn’t lava. This is worse than lava.

  It’s thermite. A mix of aluminum and rust. Though I wasn’t sure of the mixture rate, I had read about it once during college. It was so damn hot that it was actually hotter than lava. Whereas lava has a burning temperature of 1,170 degrees Celsius, thermite is closer to 2,200 degrees Celsius. Almost twice as much. And fucking hell, this proved it.

  Even with the wall of water, I can still feel the heat. Binna suddenly hides behind me, and even Blacky moves away from the heat. Tia stands there, I guess with her being a Dragon she’s used to heat from her mountains. But Sara, Bryan, Bo, and even Leeha all move back a good ten feet.

  Thankfully it was working. The thermite trap had gone off, and because of the length of it, most of the giants had stepped into its trap. Even the last smaller straggler of a Giant, who before it died had a notification pop up over its head letting me know it was a Hill Giant. In other words, a regular Giant.

  The ones in the front were not so small, though. They were massive, with the first one being over 70 feet tall. The Flaming Giant.

  Eat on that, you fucking Flaming Giant! See if you can eat THAT flame! I think ecstatically.

  Within minutes, Giant after Giant dies, burning alive and roaring in pain.

  Then suddenly, it’s over. All we hear are the roars of the flames. No more roars of Giants are there, but then again, there are no more Giants. They are slowly burning in the massive pit, with greasy smoke lazily spiraling into the sky, almost like a beacon saying, don’t fuck with Alex, the Elemental Summoner.

  After a couple of minutes of silence, the first one to say anything is Leeha, who whispers “Holy mother of gods, that had to hurt.”

  I turn to her and grin, but abruptly my vision is filled with notification after notification.

  You have killed a Flaming Giant.

  You have killed a Flaming Giant.

  You have killed…

  Oh, fuck this. You have killed a shitload of Giants. Yay, you. Here is your prize.

  Congratulations, you have reached Angel level 3.

  I look at the information, stunned. I had been so busy that I forgot I can level up my Angel level. Makes sense, after killing this many Giants. Which reminds me that I get spells with my Angel levels. Except for level 2, as Peter had told me that I wouldn’t get new spells at that level. I bring my information up to see if I got a new one.

  Ability: You cannot die. You will resurrect within 1 hour of dying, next to your body or at a spot of your choice. (Note: Pain is still a thing)

  You are currently limited to one revive spot: Boromour.

  You have gained a new Divine Spell: Resurrection.

  Spell: Resurrection

  Allows you to resurrect one member of your circle.

  You are limited to members of your circle only: Partners.

  Spell cost: 1000 Divine Energy.

  Spell: Thermite Fire ring.

  Allows you to create a trap made of thermite that is sized to your requirement but to not exceed 100 feet by 100 feet.

  Duration: 30 minutes after triggering.

  Spell cost: 1000 Divine Energy.

  When I see the third one, my eyes get bigger, and I get a big grin on my face. Leeha, who had returned to my side, looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

  “What?” she asks me.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  I grin at her and exclaim exuberantly, “I got a new spell!”

  “How did you get that?” she asks excitedly.

  “I leveled to a level 3 Angel and got a new spell. I can now create this,” I say, pointing to the billowing hole with all the flames still going. “Without help. Though, it uses a fuck ton of divine points,” I grumble.

  “Wait, you can now create that as a spell?” Tia cries out in disbelief.

  I turn to her and grin, nodding.

  “Fucking hell,” she says, shaking her head. “I would kill to have a spell like that! And I’m a fucking Dragon with Fire as my Element. By the way, Alex. Just what kind of flame is that? I’ve never seen anything like it, even with the lava I have running in some of my caves! Did you add Magic to it?”

  “Nope,” I tell her with a grin. “It’s something from my world.”

  And with everyone listening, I explain to them what thermite is and just how hot it can get.

  “You’re saying that that,” Tia says with suspicion in her voice. “That that there,” she points to the firepit, which is still smoking. “That there is hotter than lava?”

  “Yup,” I tell her with a grin. “I’m sure there are other things even hotter than what I used. I’m sure the middle of this world’s core is hotter.”

  “This world’s what?” Leeha asks, confusion on her pretty Elven features.

  Instead of explaining what is in a planet’s core, I wave my hand dismissively because that would require a good two or three hours of explaining.

  “Later. Right now, we need to move and get past the line that Binna says uses Magic to keep these fuckers away. We need to go quickly. I’m sure we have caught the attention of all the other Giants with the loud screams of the deaths of these ones.”

  Suddenly everyone looks around nervously, especially looking back the way they had just run from.

  “Yeah,” Leeha says nervously, licking her lips. “Maybe we should move. Because having that many Giants chasing me will be giving me nightmares for years. That, Alex, was the scariest shit I have ever had happen to me. I’m pretty sure I almost got snatched up a minimum of four times. I think we all did.”

  Looking around, I see everyone nodding, even stoic Bryan.

  “Then, let’s get the fuck out of Dodge,” I say.

  Sara, confusion showing on her white-furred face, asks me, “Dodge? Why would someone dodge?”

  Sighing, I tell her, “Sorry, it’s a saying from my world. I keep forgetting that sometimes they don’t translate very well. What I meant was, let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  “Then just say that,” she replies with a snort.

  I laugh and stick my tongue out at her.

  She laughs. “Don’t tease.”

  “Come on,” Leeha says, grabbing Sara and turning her in the direction we need to go. “We can talk about that later tonight, once we are safely away from these Giants. I don’t know about you all, but I slept like crap knowing there were Giants out there. And after this little adventure, I never want to sleep in these woods again,” she says with a visible body shiver.

  Everyone around us nods forcefully.

  I start to turn around and head the way we need to go, but Bridget pipes up.

  “Alex? Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  I turn and look at her, puzzled. “I am?”

  She points to the large hole with thermite still burning the bodies of the Giants, who I’m sure are nothing more than ash by now, where black smoke is billowing into the air.

  “Oh right,” I say, chagrined.

  I turn back to Bridget. “If you would do the honors of letting all the Elementals know they can get rid of this and cover up the hole?”

  “Sure. They will need power for that.”

  “How much?”

  She turns to look at the hole critically and sighs. “I would say at least 5,000. Because not only do they need to cover this hole, they need to stop the reaction of that thermite.”

  “Yeah. I don’t want to leave that burning. I have no clue how long it would take for it to burn off and actually cool down on its own. And,” I say, looking around at the forest. “While I hate these Giants, I’m not about to burn down the whole forest.”

  That would be like throwing the baby out with the bathwater, I guess.

  Your Elemental has requested the use of 5,000 points of power.

  As you have already approved this request, power has been transferred to her.

  After using all that Magic, I nervously bring up my power information and cringe. I still had not recovered fully from the power that I had to give Bridget to Teleport. It still sucks that I can’t do it, but Bridget can go long distances like that, and Bo can go short distances.

  Power Remaining: 325,000/995,000

  Divine Energy Remaining: 5,000/5,000

  Sighing at the amount of power I have used in the last week, I honestly hope I don’t need more to fight against Lucifer. Right now, at the rate I regenerate, it will take me over a week to get back to normal, or close to normal power levels.

  “Leave it to them,” Bridget says. “We should be good to head out.”

  I nod and yell out, “Ezza!”

  “Yes, Master!” she cries, appearing abruptly in front of my face with a big grin on her Earth Elemental face.

  “Scout ahead again. Same as usual.”

  She gives me a smart salute and is gone instantly.

  “You’re going to spoil her,” Bridget grumbles.

  “How so?”

  “By calling her up all the time, you are letting all the other Elementals know that she’s your favorite. After me, of course.”

  “Is that a bad thing?” I ask, puzzled.

  “Not for you. For her, she gains power every time you use her. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I know you won’t replace me with her. She grins. “I’m much better.”

  “And you have a sexier ass,” Leeha laughs.

  “And that,” Bridget replies with a smirk, turning to her.

  “Binna, can you stick next to me to show us the way, since you can tell what way the ocean is?”

  “Of course,” she says, coming up and standing next to me.

  I look at Bo and Bryan, and they nod that they’re ready as well.

  “Blacky, scout up ahead with Ezza, please?”

  I get an affirmative from him, and he slinks into the shadows and disappears.

  It’s still amazing to see him do that. I know, with the name Shadow Wolf, it means they somehow use the shadows, but it’s still freaky watching him suddenly disappear into thin air as soon as he touches a shadow. The one he just walked into was one created by one of the large trees around us, with the sun behind it.

  We all head out, with Bryan taking the rear to cover us. Leeha comes to stand on my left, with Binna on my right. Sara and Tia are behind me, while Bridget is in front of me.

  We walk for the next hour, keeping our ears open for any noise that would suggest that a Giant was about to attack us, but all we hear, and jump at, are smaller animals leaping out. The one advantage to that is we got to fill my bag with meat. Within an hour, Leeha had bagged two rabbits, and a small boar, and we had nabbed a small white-tailed deer, though that one was sniped by Sara with a Magical arrow. Even I got a rabbit out of it.

  After a good hour of us walking with bodies full of tension, Bridget finally says, “You know that I can warn you guys if anything comes within 100 feet of Alex, right?”

  “Yes,” Sara snorts. “But I also saw how fast those things can cover 100 feet.”

  “Valid,” Bridget says with a laugh. “But, we should be,” she starts, but then stops and holds up a hand just as Ezza pops up in front of me.

  “There’s something up ahead,” she says.

  I stop, and everyone else does as well.

  “What is it?”

  Ezza looks confused. “I’m not sure. It’s hiding pretty good. I can tell there is something there, but not what it is.”

  “I get that as well,” Bridget adds. “It’s almost as if something is hiding its signature.”

  “Magical in nature?” I ask both of them, turning to each one separately.

  Bridget frowns, and Ezza defers to Bridget.

  “Yes and no. I can tell it’s alive and it has Magic, but it’s so well hidden, even from me, that I can only tell that it’s small. It’s not a Giant.”

  “So, do we get ready for another fight? Do you think it’s Lucifer?”

  She shakes her head. “I doubt it would be him already. I’m sure we will see him at this Temple. Unless he has an Avatar here?”

  “Shit. All right, folks. In case it’s one of his Avatars, get ready for a fight,” I cry out. “Ezza, lead the way to where you felt this thing.”

  “Yes, Master,” she says, and instead of disappearing this time, she zips to the front and turns around, floating in midair to make sure we are following her. Once we move out, she flies ahead again but stays about thirty feet in front of us.

  After a good five-minute walk, with tension mounting, Ezza stops and points, or more like she waves, in front of herself.

  She then zips over quickly and whispers, “Somewhere there.”

  I nod to her without looking away from the area she had referred to, but honestly, all I see is a forest with trees, brush, and leaves. Nothing else. Without moving my eyes away from where I am searching, I call out to the group.

  “Anything? Can anyone see anything?”

  I get quiet negatives back from everyone, including Bridget.

  “Let me try something,” I say.

  With a thought, I open my Third Eye, and superimposed over the trees, I get a flash of Magic. Or what Magic is inside someone. It’s faint, but I can see it. The sunlight doesn’t hide that. To me, looking at Magic with my Third Eye, it shows up even if I have my eyes closed. It just shows up in my mind’s eye.

  The good thing is it’s only one Magical signature, but even I can tell by the flickering of it, that it’s not normal, as Ezza and Bridget had mentioned. It’s like it’s hiding. How the hell is it doing that? Because of how faint it is and its flickering nature, I realize I could be fighting something powerful or something weak, that can hide its signature.

  Suddenly, the hidden nature of it is gone, and out of the forest walks something massive. Though it’s not a Giant, thank the fucking gods, what walks out still makes me cringe.

  It isn’t a Giant, yes. But the information that pops up over its head makes it even worse, to my thinking, having played games.

  Corrupted Shadow Griffin.

  It’s massive. While not as tall as a Flaming Giant, at 70 feet, this thing stands a good 30 feet high and would give a Mountain Colossus a reason to run. It has the body of a lion, and the head of an eagle with wings. Though, its wings are odd. Instead of feathers, it has wings that seem to be made of black smoke, billowing behind it.

  Its eyes are red, like blood, and I can see what look like sores all over its body, with some even leaking puss.

  “What the fuck is that!” Leeha exclaims in horror.

  Tia, on the other hand, growls, and there’s hate there, causing me to turn to her swiftly.

  “That,” she spits. “Is a Corrupted Shadow Griffin. I thought we had destroyed them all. They are a corrupted version of Griffins. Some Mage, ages ago, had thought of playing a God and created these fell creatures. My kind, who are the masters of the sky, took them all out. Or I thought we had. My grandfather had said that we had killed them all, including the Mage who created them.”

  “Are they powerful?” I ask her.

  She glances at me quickly, as her eyes don’t move from the Corrupted Shadow Griffin.

  “It took three full Dragons to take one down. Though this one looks younger.”

  “Shit,” I say, lifting my hands up. “Get ready for a big fight, everyone. I don’t think I have a trick up my sleeve like I did for all those Giants. And I have no time to think of something. This will need to be a straight-up fight.”