I nodded.

  Dejek continued, “Such things are not considered honorable for warriors. They are too close to the way of the Ceorgi, but the elders believed that it was the right fit for my son and even I can not question their judgment when it comes to shards.”

  Understanding sunk into me then. He didn’t want a mage shard in his class, but to me, that made him much more valuable. I only said, “For survival we must explore all avenues of power.” Then I talked about my class. Their eyes went wide, but they accepted what I said. I could see that they were both thoughtful about how they considered mages now, given how well I’d fared against their warriors in melee combat.”

  I also introduced Urg then, who took on a black, spikey form to greet them, before reattaching himself to my shadow. This new behavior of his was odd, but he’d already demonstrated his usefulness and I could feel that something about this was important for our link.

  I then began to explain to both of them about Galen. They were familiar with the idea of a world being inducted or brought under the domain of the heavens, as they called it. Their world had been brought in more than two hundred years ago, but that had set off the original war between Ceorgi and Delmin.

  When I mentioned Galen as a possible new home for the Delmin, they had a great deal of questions. I spoke about my contacts there, as well as what little I knew about the land. They were amazed at the idea of forests and swamps, but listened with eagerness.

  "You'll also have the chance to see Galen when next I go on a mission there. That will only be a day away, so I need to make sure you’re ready for this. I won't lie to you; it's dangerous. The risks are real, but so are the rewards. Together, we can make a difference both for my world as well as for the Delmin people.

  Dejin nodded, a determined set to his jaw. "I understand. I am ready to face these challenges, for my people and for the future."

  Satisfied with his resolve but needing to assess his capabilities, I shifted the topic. "Before we proceed, I need to see what you can do. Your skills, your strengths. It's important to know how we can best work together."

  Dejek stepped back, giving us space. Dejin, understanding the request, set his spear aside and drew his axes. The metal gleamed in the dim light of the cavern. As for me, I pulled out my polearm. I still wanted to work on my short blades skills, but staff fighting was my best dueling skill.

  As Dejin and I began our spar, the cavern grew still and everyone began to watch us. His initial movements were cautious, each of us circling the other, looking for openings while guarding against potential strikes. Dejin, wielding his axes, opted for a stance that allowed him quick, controlled swings, aiming to test my defense without committing to full-force attacks. His first few swings were wide, meant more to gauge my reaction speed than to land any real hits.

  I could only grin. Defensive fighting was my forte, so I felt comfortable letting him show off what he could do. In past missions, I only had my shields, Urg, and Crag to soak up damage. What our team really needed was more damage dealing capacity.

  Dejin lunged forward, his axes slicing through the air in a swift, alternating pattern. He aimed one high and the other low, trying to catch me off guard. I sidestepped the high swing and used my shield to deflect the lower one, appreciating his attempt to outmaneuver me.

  I launched a counterattack, thrusting my weapon forward in a quick jab. Dejin narrowly dodged it, his agility on full display as he danced back, readying himself for another go. He was quick on his feet, circling around me with a predator's grace, looking for an opening. As fast as he was, though, his stats had to be less than mine. Crag always said that Forerunners had unfair advantages.

  He came at me again, this time with a feint from his left axe, quickly followed by a real strike with his right. I saw through the feint and conjured a shield in time to block the incoming blow. His eyes shot wide when he encountered the translucent shield.

  Seizing the initiative, I pushed back, using the greater reach of my weapon to apply pressure and force Dejin to take a few steps back. He recovered swiftly, maintaining his balance and flashing a grin that spoke of his enjoyment of our friendly duel. I found I was already liking him. There was nothing like sparring to speak the truth about a man.

  I adopted a more aggressive stance and advanced on him, bringing my polearm down with intent, aiming to test his defense. He managed to parry with the shaft of his axe, his reactions impressively fast.

  Dejin's counter was a flurry of movements, a quick succession of strikes aiming high and then low, forcing me to parry the first and dodge the second. Our exchange was rapid, a blur of motion as we each sought to outdo the other without landing a harmful blow.

  Attempting a bold move, Dejin executed a spin, extending both axes in an attempt to catch me off balance. I ducked, feeling the rush of air as the axes passed over my head, and countered by blasting him backward with a concentrated bolt of force. Dodging it was beyond his ability and was thrown to the ground. Not that he stayed there long, as he was up almost instantly.

  “Good, good. I’ve got a sense of how you can fight as an aggressor, now, I’m going to see how you can handle something a bit more unconventional.” With that, I conjured four small force shields. My shaping skill was improving enough that I could make them appear in almost any shape I wanted. I formed one into a mace, another into a spear, the third was a sword, and the final one a spinning saw blade.

  Dejin's eyes narrowed as he assessed the new challenge, his stance shifting to accommodate the unexpected arsenal now floating around me. He nodded, a silent acknowledgment of the shift in our sparring dynamic.

  I sent the force mace swinging towards him first, a straightforward attack to test his reaction. Dejin rolled to the side, his movement fluid, then sprung up, ready for the next assault. Without missing a beat, I directed the spear-shaped shield to thrust at him from another angle, aiming to pin him down. He parried with his axe; the impact sent a clear vibration through the air, his focus remained unwavering.

  The sword construct was next, slicing through the air towards him in a series of calculated swings. Dejin danced between the strikes, his axes blurring as he deflected each attack. His ability to adapt on the fly was impressive, his body moving with a grace that spoke of intense training and natural skill.

  Finally, I set the spinning saw blade in motion, sending it cutting across the ground towards him, kicking up dust as it went. Dejin leapt over it, using one of the axes to propel himself higher, a move that showcased not just his physical prowess but his quick thinking.

  With Dejin momentarily airborne, I seized the opportunity to introduce a new element. Lightning crackled at my fingertips, a warning of the incoming attack. I launched a bolt towards him, calibrated to be non-lethal, but enough to test his defensive capabilities further.

  He saw it and even moved his weapons into place to block, but they did him no good. He was struck in the chest and sent flying backward, his muscles spasming.

  I held my hand up. “Enough. I’m sure my master would say you have a great deal of potential but need to refine your edges. I’m not going to be your instructor. I’m too new to this myself, but I will be your teammate and together we’re going to get stronger. Now it’s time to talk about kicking some elf-butt.”

  Chapter 52- Be Very Quiet! I’m Hunting Wabbits…er Elves.

  Dejin and I soon took off. Dejek gave us the best intel he had on the location of the elves and offered to send warriors with us. I simply said, “I wish I could accept the help, but Dejin and I have to learn to depend on one another. For what it’s worth, I believe I’m more than a match for any of the elves, we just have to catch them in a situation that benefits us rather than in one of their traps.”

  Time was running down. By the time we were ready to leave, there weren’t more than eight hours left on the mission timer and I was really hoping we could deal with these elves during that time.

  Once were out of the camp, I took a few minutes to introduce Dejin and Urg. The eidolon was his usual quiet self, but that didn’t seem to bother my newest teammate. I gave him some idea about how Urg could help us in battle. Although, truthfully, I was a bit unsure just how his new form would alter those capabilities.

  Then we were off, moving across the dungeon. Dejin wasn’t a big fan of being carried, but the camouflage capabilities of my flight magic made sense. He did, on the other hand immediately appreciate Mass Physical Boost and the benefit of Inspiring Presence. For once, my mini map came in hand. We found an outcropping of natural rocks, and I picked up a red dot on the map before we saw anything below.

  That prompted us to take a closer look, and since we were flying overhead, they never saw us. My superior Perception allowed me to pick out all three of the elves. It was convenient of them to be in one location. The sun was starting to rise, so I guessed they’d be up soon. Two looked like they were sleeping and the archer was standing guard. That gave me a chance to Identify her as well.

  Desa Rootspinner (uncommon) Race: Elf

  Level: 69

  Threat level: Mild

  She had eleven levels on me, but was still only uncommon. Given that elves were Forerunners too, I was fairly certain that they didn’t know about the better ways to level up. That and at least two of these elves were brand new Forerunners after the race, told me that they probably had weak foundations, to use a cultivation term.

  I flew far enough away that even with double my Perception they’d never be able to hear us, and then we discussed the plan. Dejin was in favor of us just dropping down on the elves from above and attacking with surprise on our side. It wasn’t exactly an elegant plan, but I couldn’t come up with anything better. I could have acted as bait, but there was no guarantee that if Dejin attacked the elves, that two of them wouldn’t break off to deal with him. He was only level forty-six and new to his uncommon class. He had skills, but Forerunners, even new ones, likely had some surprises up their sleeves.

  “Okay, but I take the archer, you take the swordsman. Your duelist ability should make him your best match up. Urg will deal with the mage until I can finish the archer off. But, whoever gets done first, needs to help the others. If you’re in trouble at any point in time, I want you to let me know. Pride doesn’t keep you warm at night, and I don’t want to explain to your father that I got you killed on our first mission together.”

  He didn’t argue with me, which I thought might get old later, but for now, it was comforting. I built up some speed and then began to dive straight at the outcropping. I aimed for where the swordsman was sleeping first and dropped Dejin so that he landed just in front of the elf. He’d wanted me to drop him on the man, arguing that the impact would take any fight out of him, but I pointed out that we didn’t know what kind of magical defenses he might have.

  It turned out to be a good call on my part because I saw a flash of light as Dejin’s spear struck some type of magical barrier. I couldn’t spare any more time on him though, as the archer was already up and drawing a bead on Dejin. That was until I slammed into her, knocking her backward.

  Once upon a time I might have felt bad about blindsiding an enemy or hitting a woman at all, but a few months’ worth of fighting monsters had driven those concerns out of me. Only an idiot would refuse to take an advantage in combat and given the way that magic and stats worked, women were every bit as dangerous as men.”

  She lost her hold on her arrow, but was already drawing another one before I was up. I felt Urg shift off my back, but didn’t pay any attention. I trusted that he knew how to do his own job.

  A shield formed in front of me as I surged forward. Flying was becoming far more natural now, and it made me faster than I had any right to me. I saw her almond-shaped eyes widen in shock at just how fast I was. The arrow smashed into my shield and exploded like a fireball blasting her backwards. I’d thought myself rather clever when I shaped the shield to be concave so that it redirected more of the magical effect back at her.

  I was still pushed back slightly by the concussive force, but not enough to keep me from charging her. The old me would have backed off, given her a warning, or offered to let her go if she promised not to hunt any more humans. That me would have been dead by now.

  Instead, I activated Hunter’s Tether as I crossed the space dividing us. There was a snapping sound in place as the leash extended from my outstretched blade and attached to her. The draining effect of it was immediate, but she was still dazed by the explosion. I was guessing she barely noticed it.

  What she did notice was when the spear like shape, I’d pushed my crystal tip into, drove into her gut and out her back. She’d moved just enough that I’d missed her heart, but if elf anatomy was anything like human, then I’d probably punctured one of her lungs. With how that likely felt, she might have been wishing, I’d just one-shotted her.

  Pain lit up across her face, but then impossibly, despite this being a desert, roots leapt up to grab me. They wrapped around my legs and squeezed like constrictors. Each was as thick as my wrist and gnarled. Even a short time ago, they would have been strong enough, but now all they did was slow me. The power of a Strength stat approaching 250 was not to be underestimated.

  I cast a new spell I hadn’t used yet as I drew out my new dagger, The Means Beyond Life. My main weapon was pinning her to the ground, and I’d been wanting to practice with short blades. This seemed like a prime opportunity.

  Killing Touch

  The spell started to draw the nature of death into my hand and through it, into the dagger.

  “Are others coming?” I demanded to allow my spell a few more seconds to build up.

  She sneered and then coughed up blood. Any appearance of toughness she might have been aiming for was immediately erased. The blood dripped down her chin and covered her leather armor.

  “That’s okay, I wasn’t expecting you to answer.” Then I thrust forward with the blade. Her arms moved weakly to try to block the attack, but she was too slow. The tip drove through her armor with ease and then I felt the spell discharge. It was like Life Mana flooded her but Life Mana which was turned inside out. Her body stiffened and then went still. It took me a moment to realize that the sudden silence I heard was the absence of her heart beating.

  You have gained 2% of target’s Strength (2) and Agility (3) for 15 minutes.

  Ooh… I liked this dagger. It wasn’t anything significant, but throughout a longer fight, it could really add up. I turned to size up the situation. Dejin and the swordsman were dueling like something out of a movie. Their movements were fast, not so fast that I couldn’t follow, but they definitely went at full speed. If I had to guess, I would have said the elf was slightly faster, but Dejin was definitely holding his own. It looked like he had things well in hand.

  So I scanned over until I saw Urg. His form was something like a black cat if the head was squished into his shoulders and he was as large as a mastiff, with spikes all over his body. He was on the defensive though, as he kept pouncing from one refuge to another. The mage continuously released a steady stream of ice bolts that blasted the rock apart. Urg was returning fire with his black lightning, but the mage had to be burning through mana at a ridiculous rate based upon how rapidly he was firing off attacks.

  I smiled. Urg had him completely occupied, so it was the perfect chance to try something else. I cast Killing Touch again, and then activated Stealth before beginning to creep toward him. My feet were still hovering a few inches off the ground, so the sound of footsteps wasn’t a problem. I felt Stealth and the camouflage function merge to hide me completely. Then I crept up behind him until I was in perfect position.

  When I was in place, I drove the blade into his back, aiming for where it sounded like his heart was beating from. The blade went through his robes easily enough and then hit his flesh. There was surprisingly little resistance, but I just assumed that he had fewer stats put into Durability.

  The blade punched out of his front, and he lived just long enough to look down and see his blood dripping off its tip. The spell discharged then, and his life force was snuffed out.

  You have landed a sneak attack. Damage is automatically doubled. Bleeding condition applied.

  You have gained 2% of target’s Strength (1) and Agility (2). Timer for stat gains from The Means Beyond Life has reset to 15 minutes.

  Well, that answered one question for me.

  Behind me, I heard the sound of an axe being buried in flesh followed by a weak gasp. I spun immediately and sighed in relief, Dejin didn’t need any help. He’d split his foes head like a melon. I only turned in enough time to watch the elf’s dead body collapse on the ground.

  He did a double-check by removing the head of his foe. At first I thought it was overkill. But it seemed my newest team member was just making sure his enemy was truly dead. Considering the undead I’d fought, taking the head off was actually quite reasonable. I remembered the ‘two to the body, one to the head model,’ and pulled my dagger out before driving it into the mage’s head. There—he was dead for sure. Then I turned to look at the archer and cursed.

  She was standing up. There was still a gaping hole in her chest, but pixels of golden light were streaming off of her. Fricken Forerunners! She obviously had a lifesaving ability that triggered upon, or near death. I should have considered that before, and honestly felt cheated that as a life mana user, I didn’t have anything like that in my arsenal. It was clear that it didn’t restore her health completely, but it still gave her enough to get back on her feet.

  She was already reaching for an arrow and pulling back her bow. Her motions were fluid and at ease despite the hole in her body. I didn’t want to get shot though, so I used Force Protection and sent a fist thick bolt of force straight at her head. She didn’t move or even flinch as it hit the golden pixels faster than any arrow could fly.

  But the notification I got had me cursing and yelling for everyone to take cover.

  Target is protected by Crucible of Rebirth. For 6 more seconds, she is impervious to any damage.