by Riker Kane
“It looks like some sort of demon,” I said. “I don’t think I’ve seen anything like that before.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t kill it.” Lyra let loose with an arrow that went sailing forward like a bullet. It streaked across the plains where the demon was waiting about fifty yards away. In the blink of an eye, the demon dashed out of the way and began charging.
Lyra was undeterred, nocking another arrow and firing. Again the demon moved out of the way and the arrow crashed into the grass in a fiery explosion. She kept shooting and the explosions made it look like the demon was running through a minefield.
Thirty yards. Twenty yards. Fifteen yards. The demon closed the distance, gaining speed with every passing second.
“Lyra!”
I yelled out as she nocked a stone arrow and caught the demon right in the chest. The impact shattered the arrow into fragments of gray stone as the demon fell onto its back.
“I told you I have it.” Lyra quickly nocked another arrow and pierced its head with a flaming arrow before it could get back up.
The beast writhed on the floor before exploding into a small shower of Mana.
“It appears you do,” I said. “A little too close for comfort, in my opinion.”
But the cloud didn’t go away and another demon lowered down. This one was the same misshapen form of energy, using its arms like legs as it galloped toward us. The dark Shadow dodged the next volley of Lyra’s arrows and raced right up to her.
Again she tried to nock a stone arrow but when she fired, the demon leapt into the air then landed right on top of her.
“Hey!” I immediately fired a Radiant Beam and caught it in the head to send it back. “Get off her!”
Lyra jumped back up to her feet and in the same motion, nocked an ice arrow that pierced through the Shadow’s head and turned it into Mana.
“You all right?” I asked.
She sighed and shook off the grass covering her hood. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Maybe you should find another time to practice.”
Lyra didn’t refuse. She couldn’t. Not with an even larger demon coming down. This one was at least ten-feet tall, which made its lanky limbs even creepier. It pounded the ground and let out a shriek you’d only hear from a ghoul or ghost.
Its size wasn’t enough to stop Lyra’s arrows from missing their mark, as it darted back and forth to dodge her.
“You’re not alone, Lyra. I’ll find an opening for you. Just make sure you hit it.”
I ran forward to meet the demon, summoning an Ice Owl. I sent the bird streaking forward right toward the Shadow. It crashed against the demon’s legs, slowing it down enough for me to blast it in the face with a Rock Burst.
It spun around to come at me, quickly closing the distance with a leap in the air.
“Crap—” I moved out of the way but it thumped so hard against the ground, the shaking stunned me long enough for the demon to swipe me on the back. It moved to finish me off with a hard swing but an arrow hitting its head put it in a daze.
I fired a Radiant Beam at its face, trying to pierce a hole through it. “Dang, big guy. What are you made of?”
The demon’s burning red eyes narrowed as it trudged toward me. Lyra continued pelting it with stone arrows, slowing it down long enough for me to back away.
I summoned a Black Viper that wrapped itself around the Shadow’s leg to hold it in place. I didn’t stop there, summoning my Light Clone to fire another Radiant Beam the same as me.
The Shadow let out another shriek as Lyra continued bombarding it. Despite taking so much damage so far, even a demon had its limits. Its shriek cut off as it burst into a shower of Mana.
The cloud of energy faded from the sky and I let out a soft sigh through my nose. While I collected the Mana, Lyra slowly walked up to me.
“It’s a lot easier to hit a target when it’s not coming for you,” she said. “I’m not used to it. It’s been a long time since I’ve fought alongside someone. The last time…” She paused, her gaze focused on the distant horizon. “…with my family. We weren’t good enough to stop them, Virgil. Dad trained me and my little brother to be the best. But we still weren’t good enough.”
The frustration on her face had never been so clear.
I put a hand on her shoulder and noticed how much she was trembling. “Nobody expects you to hold off the invasion of another world. It doesn’t matter how good you are.”
“I wasn’t good enough to save them—”
“Hey!”
She slowly turned her head to me, her eyes widened in surprise.
“I don’t know what happened on Qashia. But if you’re about to blame yourself for it, you know you can’t. I… I lost my father. Not the same way you did but I lost him. The only thing I can do now is make him proud. What would your family want, Lyra?”
She looked away from me. “…They’d want me to keep going.”
“Yeah… That’s what I figured.”
“We’re really going to do this, huh?”
“We are. And we’ll do it together.”
“Together.” She looked back toward me.
Lyra wasn’t trembling but I could see the vulnerability in her eyes. Despite whatever facade she tried to put on and how capable she was with a bow, I knew she was just a woman who’d been through too much.
“We’ll spend some time in Haven,” I said. “No traveling. We’ve had a busy few days. Maybe we should just relax.”
“Yeah,” she said with a nod. “That sounds fun. After I get a little more practice in.”
I sighed as her smile returned to her. It was a perfect day for hunting Shadows on the plains.
~ ~ ~
Ultima
Level 81 Battle God
Hit Points 400
Endurance 200
Earth (Strength) 25 (+3)
Fire (Speed) 27 (+1)
Water (Durability) 24 (+1)
Life/Death (Control) 40 (+4)
“You have gained nine levels since your last visit.”
I didn’t need Cybil to explain it to me but it was nice hearing her voice as she went over my new stats. When she pointed them out, I noticed the changes in my body. Three points in strength made my arms swell more than usual. I was getting to the point where I would be able to beat ordinary Shadows without having to use my abilities.
Elemental Levels
Light - Level 3
Dark - Level 3 (+1)
Water - Level 2
Fire - Level 3 (+1)
Stone - Level 3
“You have gained a level in your affinity to dark and fire elements.”
“Hmm… I should start using water more often.”
“I would advise Ultima to balance all of the elements at his disposal, however, there is some merit in preferring one over the others.”
“Radiant Beam hasn’t failed me before. I go to it a lot more often than the others. I just wish my Light Clone didn’t drain so much endurance. It would be a lot easier to have it around.”
“As long as you continue to gather Mana, the potential for improving yourself in all aspects remains.”
I’d spent the whole day on the plains with Lyra. There were no Shadows that gave us any serious threat but I was still exhausted by the end of the day. After the sun was down, I was happy to return to Zion to see everything.
Despite having no emotions, something told me Cybil was happy to see me. Funny how I could sense that just from a line on the screen.
“You have more Mana Bonds.”
Mana Bonds
Zafina - Level 5: 20% Ability Damage Bonus
Rhiannon - Level 5: 20% Summon Speed Bonus
Araceli - Level 3: 10% Rune Endurance Drain Decrease
Sawyer - Level 3: 10% Physical Attack Damage Bonus
Yuma - Level 3: 10% Damage Resistance Bonus
Lyra - Level 3: 15% Ability Channel Speed Bonus
Cellica - Level 1: 10% Damage Bonus for nearby allies
/>
Vacindra - Level 1: 10% Dark Element Damage Bonus
“That reminds me… Say, Cybil. You know anything about Aeona? A giant snake that lives here in the Sol Lands?”
“My reduced power makes it difficult for me to access the archives of this world. However, your reference to Aeona is recognizable.”
“I’ve met all the other gods before. The people in Asrath worship her. Any chance Aeona was a god you missed out on?”
“Aeona is an ancient being though this snake you speak of does not possess the same qualities as those who exist in Zion.”
“So Aeona’s just a really powerful snake? I guess if you’re gonna worship something, at least it’s something strong…”
A small podium rose from a hole in the ground. On it, a blue energy resonated in the shape of a small sphere.
“I almost forgot about the last Core. What’s this going to do for me?”
“You have an option for this one, Ultima.”
“Oh, I like choices.” I rubbed my hands together in anticipation.
“This can be applied directly to your bond with the elements. You can either strengthen your Radiant Channel, allowing you greater elemental strength for yourself. Or you can level your Spectral Summon, which will increase the strength of your familiars. The choice is yours.”
“Hmm, that’s a tough choice.” I rubbed my chin as I thought about it. “Strengthen my beams or strengthen my familiars. Either one would help.”
“You do not have to make this decision with haste.”
“That’s all right. I can decide now. Let’s go with my Spectral Summon.” I grabbed the energy and it flowed into my hand through the rest of my arm. The rush of energy made me sigh and it was confirmed when I saw the stats on the screen.
Radiant Channel (Level 4)
Control energy and manipulate it into the power of any or all chosen elements
Spectral Summon (Level 3) (+1)
Summon an autonomous familiar with the element of your choosing
“You have grown considerably yet there is still room for more improvement.”
“Getting stronger isn’t as important as building the Holy Light Cannon. It shouldn’t be too much longer until it’s done. Is there anything I should know while I’m building it?”
“You have access to all of the necessary blueprints.”
“Then I guess I’ve got everything I need. I’m done here.”
“I await your return, Ultima.”
29: Ultima’s Day Off
The sun rose over the eastern walls, just enough to turn the nighttime sky into a dark shade of blue. The bonfires from the night before continued to burn while some of the villagers of Haven slept peacefully next to them.
The process had begun. Queen Cellica had her people transporting the ore from the mountains. Mistress Vacindra had sap, swamp mud, and lumber gathered.
I emptied my thoughts of Pandora completely that morning. With most of Haven still resting from a long day and night of work, I sat peacefully on the edge of a lake in the northern part of the village.
It wasn’t nearly as large as the waters back in Navica, with it being less than a third its size. But the water was clear enough I could see the fish were plentiful. Now it was just a matter to see if they were biting.
A makeshift rod dug into the dirt, I watched my line and waited for any sign of tension. A piece of meat on the end of my hook bobbed back and forth but none of the fish swimming by seemed interested.
“That’s okay, little fella. I’ve got all day. If you can wait it out, so can I.”
The crisp morning air was cool but not bitter enough to make me want to put on anything more than the tunic and pants I had on. With the grass comfortable underneath my seat, I was prepared to sit for the entire day if I had to.
“Have you had any luck?” Zafina appeared next to me, peering into my empty bucket with a smile on her lips.
“It’s still early. The fish are still waking up.”
“You can take the Mana Point back to Navica. I’m certain Yuma would be more than willing to assist you.”
“I don’t need Yuma’s help with this. Plenty of time, Zafina…”
The Mana Seer had her hands behind her back as she stood quietly next to me.
“Something on your mind?” I said. “Are you thinking of asking me to train?”
“I’m aware of how long these past few days have been. There is no need to push yourself any harder. A proper respite will rejuvenate you for what lies ahead. I merely wanted to make sure you are doing well.”
“I’m doing fine. How about you just let me fish, eh?”
“Perhaps I will take in the waters for myself.” Zafina lowered her slick green robe and the skirt around her waist, leaving her in nothing but the bra on her chest and the bottoms that didn’t do enough to cover her entire firm backside. Her tan body on display, she looked as fit as any Omega I’d seen back at the District.
She splashed into the water without a care, floating in it with only her head above the surface.
“Cold?” I asked.
“I can control the elements around me. The fire keeps me warm. The temperature of the water is comfortable.”
“Maybe while you’re in there, you can tell the fish to wake up.”
“I will see what I can do for you.” She grinned as she lowered herself into the water.
While my line continued not getting any attention, I watched Zafina swimming peacefully across the small lake.
“She appears to be enjoying herself.” Rhiannon stood next to me, her arms crossed as she enjoyed the view. Her attention turned to my empty bucket, which made her raise an eyebrow. “You have not caught anything?”
“No!” I exclaimed. “I haven’t caught anything. Why is it so hard to believe that they aren’t biting so early in the morning?”
Rhiannon laughed softly, pursing her lips to hold back her smile. “I apologize. A skilled fisherman like you knows what he’s doing.”
“Don’t patronize me.” Seeing Rhiannon’s smile was enough to make me realize how worked up I was getting. I sighed a deep breath and leaned back in my seat, my palms pressing against the grass. “I just want to take a day off and maybe fry a fish for lunch.”
“An appealing picture. I have experienced the same effects of the venom as you have. It was more taxing on our bodies than those in Asrath would have us believe. Zafina has the right idea. Perhaps I should partake in the waters the same as her.”
It was easy to approve of Rhiannon’s suggestion but she was already taking her own initiative. Her armor didn’t leave much to the imagination but she still stripped it off to reveal even skimpier clothing beneath. A black bra and matching panties did nothing to hide the pale skin of her athletic physique. Every inch of her was covered in muscular striations, though she had slim, feminine curves that would have made any warm-blooded man stare at her.
She plunged into the water and joined Zafina, the two of them quickly taking turns swimming laps back and forth across the surface.
“Still haven’t caught anything, huh?” Lyra closed one eye as she stared into my bucket. I didn’t even realize she was there. She snuck up on me like a thief in the night.
But I was less concerned about her sudden appearance, instead trying to deal with the frustration churning in my gut.
“The fish are not active in the morning,” I said. “Once the sun comes out, they’ll get energized and start biting.”
“You want me to use an arrow? I can spear one of these things and we can have enough fish to feed Euphoria and Asrath.”
I put my hand up. “Please. I’m Ultima. If I wanted a fish, I could blow up this whole lake if I needed to.”
“You might have to…” she said under her breath.
“What was that?”
She looked away innocently. “Nothing. We have so many beasts out in the wild, nobody ever bothers trying to fish. I suppose it’s a good thing, since it would be easy to empty the lake c
ompletely.”
“Once we get all this done, we might be able to terraform this lake and expand it to the waters farther east. Then you’ll have an endless supply of fish from the sea.”
“Not to mention whatever else might be lurking out there. We just came back from a town surrounded by a giant snake. I like Haven being nice and cozy like it is, thanks.”
Lyra took a seat next to me, twiddling with the blades of grass as she watched Zafina and Rhiannon enjoying the water.
“You plan on joining them?” I asked.
“I’d bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you? To see me strip down to my underwear and get myself wet.”
I’d never heard Lyra talk like that before, so it was surprising to hear. I almost wasn’t sure I heard it right. But she raised an eyebrow, her silver-eyed stare joined by a mischievous grin.
“It’s not about me,” I said, looking back toward my line. “It’s about you enjoying this day off. No obligations. No work. No worries. Just an opportunity to recharge.”
“It does seem appealing. But it’s a little too cold for my frail body to be jumping into the water so early.”
“That’s surprising, Lyra.”
“Why’s that?”
“I didn’t think you’d be so afraid.” I didn’t bother holding my smirk. Even though it was obvious I was joking, Lyra narrowed her eyes at me like she wanted to put an arrow in my skull.
“I’ll get in that water… If you go in with me.”
I shook my head. “I just want to fish.”
“You’re not doing a very good job of it. You might as well have fun with the rest of us.”
Lyra was playing some kind of game with me. I didn’t mind playing along. But I wasn’t going to let her win so easily.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll get in the water with the rest of you. As long as you do it first.”
“Are you a man of your word?”
“You know I am, Lyra.”
She moved closer to me, leaning her face in so she could look right in my eye. Her gaze narrowed like she was trying to peer right into my soul.