49. Battle Junkies (Patreon)

XLIX Battle Junkies The mist shrouding the tunnels paused with the arrival of the mountain spirit. Its presence lorded over the pathways, gr

XLIX

Battle Junkies

The mist shrouding the tunnels paused with the arrival of the mountain spirit. Its presence lorded over the pathways, grounding everything in reality by the sheer fact of it not being real itself.

The shade tried to flee; icy walls burst from the floor and cordoned off exits like they never existed at all.

‘There will be no running, child,’ the spirit said.

Leah sensed for the shade and couldn’t find them. But lorded over by the spirit as she was, she wasn’t afraid of being assassinated.

The spirit stole a glance her way. Leah didn’t like the flash of light in its eyes.

‘Do not insult me,’ he said, ‘and reveal yourself. There’s an offer I want to make.’

Leah frowned.

The quiet chambers grew more silent. Leah whipped to a tunnel on their right, where the mist parted and a woman stepped out. Leah used the term “woman” loosely. It was an orc, for certain, but certain features didn’t match with what was considered the stereotypical orc. The jaw wasn’t square to allow the fangs space to protrude, and her forehead was too fan-like. She also had a tail coming out of her behind. That said, the black skin, eyes, and general bulk of her physique screamed orc, though she was slimmer than usual.

Her two daggers twirled in her hands. ‘What is this deal you speak of, spirit?’ Neither was her voice harsh like that of a regular orc.

‘What name do you go by?’ the spirit said.

‘Vanessa.’

‘Vanessa. I want to arrange passage for one of my kin. They are not related to this conflict and should not have to suffer for it.’

Vanessa laughed. ‘Trying to be a good parent?’

The spirit continued unabated. ‘After their safety has been assured, I’m prepared to reveal my position.’

‘You’re not in any position to bargain,’ Vanessa grinned. ‘Tell us where you are, then we’ll talk.’

‘Honoured Elder,’ Leah said, her stomach beginning to twist in concern. ‘I understand your worries, but she’s just buying time.’

‘So it seems,’ he agreed.

Yet the spirit waited another moment. When it was clear the orc wouldn’t budge, he finally raised his hands. The tunnel came to life. Spikes burst from the walls and ground to impale Vanessa, who danced around them with the deftness of a feline. The orc’s body flickered in the shadows between the debris and the skewers, going from physical to non-physical and back multiple times in the span of a second. Whenever her path was blocked and there was no way to move forwards without suffering injury, her tail and dagger would lash out, cutting straight through the threats.

Leah knew already, but the orc was skilled…

‘We don’t have time to play around, Honoured Elder,’ Leah said.

The mist covering the tunnels roared by with blazing speed, freezing what it touched. Vanessa jump through the mist—her body wreathed in shadows. She hovered in the air and licked her lips before the mist swallowed her once more.

Leah cast the strongest shield available to her. She poured power into every part of the barrier equally; it was always best to focus on where the attack was actually landing. However, the spirit reinforced her barrier with his own, sealing them both in a protective layer. Had the moment been different, Leah would’ve thanked the Elder, but her current enemy had no regards for manners. Vanessa bounced off the walls, using both hand and feet to balance, and the rock and ice broke beneath her. Such was the force and speed behind her movements. The orc shot towards Leah—

Who hastily pumped mana into the target area of the strike. She was just in time. The dagger carved a blue scar into the shield. Fuck, Leah thought. That was a single hit and she had almost cut through. How ridiculously strong was this woman? She wanted to say it didn’t matter and that the spirit would finish Vanessa off, however, the spirit’s moves were always a step too late. Vanessa flickered past, her daggers tearing into the shield protecting both Leah and the spirit. The tears increased, until, eventually, the barrier broke entirely.

 …wasn’t this bad?

The spirit was in agreement with her. ‘Stand back, child,’ he said.

Leah did and watched as the spirit ascended. It levitated in the air. Waves of power buffeted outwards, blowing away Vanessa, who was in the middle of another leaping strike. The spirit stretched his arms. Leah had to lean on the wall for support as the very atmosphere in the tunnel shifted and the ambient weight of mana on everyone’s shoulders doubled.

Mist twirled like a twister and congealed on Vanessa’s position. Not having whatever the spirit was brewing, the lithe orc crashed through a series of pillars, putting distance between her and the spell at whatever cost. But the spirit had frozen most of the floor during their exchange, and Vanessa picked the wrong place to land.

Blood launched as the spike penetrated through her hip. Her knife flashed to cut the pillar off at the base, when a second and third spike shot out. Both missed vital areas but hit. Vanessa’s scream cascaded through the tunnels. Then the mist was on her. It swirled around her, eager to embrace her like a child did its mother.

The spirit clenched his fist. Fog snapped like an explosion and hardened, freezing Vanessa from head to toe and locking her into a sphere shaped like a giant egg.

A few seconds passed as the spirit made sure its spell had hit its target, then it vanished.

Though the cage will kill her soon, she’s not yet dead.

‘How long does she need to stay in there?’

Ten minutes…its voice trailed and vanished.

Ten minutes, Leah thought, looking at the cage. Vanessa’s eyes were open. Her black pupils bore into the apprentice.

Beyond the tunnel walls, Leah could hear the growing cries and screams of demons and orcs. The spikes blocked any paths towards the cage, and the mist still clouded sight. That would help her. But ten minutes may be too long.

Leah twirled her staff and sighed. ‘Always up to me in the end.’

She made her way to the closest group of enemies.

[Undead Mystic specialisation changed!]

Undead Mystic lvl 10. —> Deacon lvl. 1

Total of twelve skill points gained!

Ellen’s presence grew heavier. The Holy tome in her hands darkened, and one of the chains holding the book together snapped, now hanging limp to the side of the tome.

Upgrade your guardians, I told her. Leave your remaining skill points for now.

The Deacon followed my commands. Her guardians, which had rushed to her side, upgraded just like the rest of her. Their presence turned more physical. The ghostly woman’s claws retracted. Her robe beautified and a violin entered her hands. Her husband beefed up, gaining a buckler and spear, his face now covered with a half-formed helmet.

The muse’s dark note rang out. Instantly, my body weighed lighter, and the flow of necrofrost smoothened. Gore’s spell, on the other hand, grew weaker.

‘A paltry trick,’ he called out. But despite his words, he wasn’t able to shrug off the effect.

I formed a layer of necrofrost over my daggers, extending them to the size of a small sword.

The orc and I paused, watching each other for a hint of motion. A statue finally growing weak enough to collapse started the battle again. Gore’s attack was no laser or blast, but a dimensional twist. Wherever his staff pointed, space warped and constrained, breaking bones and twisting off limbs.

But I had gotten faster. No longer was I a blur, but a flash of light. The mist was my domain, and the fog gladly allowed my passage. The dark tune of Ellen’s guardian still rang.

Gore grunted. ‘Away with you!’ He whirled on the musician, which her husband wouldn’t allow. His shield rose, glowing dark and blue at the same time. Necrofrost spiralled around them, shielding them from view, and though space twisted, it didn’t break through the barrier.

‘You’re easily distracted,’ I commented.

Sword-first, my form penetrated through the fog at Gore’s side. He tutted his lips. Space whistled and Gore vanished and reappeared on the other side of the chamber.

So he could also use the spell like that.

A smile couldn’t help but crest my lips. ‘You’ll make a powerful undead, Gore.’

He chuckled, not sharing in my mirth one bit. ‘We’ll see about that, Lady Dread.’

A torrent of space distortions rippled through the air towards me at a swipe of his staff. He’s fast. I dematerialised right away, yet the blast caught me on the edge. Another part of Wraith’s soul-blueprint vanished, and I grimaced. I needed to pin Gore down and finish this.

Learn Scorch, I commanded.

The priest lifted her book and chanted. Death and frost miasma shot forth from right above Gore, forcing the black orc to block. I raced towards him. Barriers always had a weak point. Any great mage would leave some in their shield, paradoxically, because powering every part of the barrier equally was just a waste of mana—you were rarely attacked from all sides at once.

I didn’t materialise fully beside the orc. My figure was there, but my body was all fog. Gore watched me intently. Wherever he thought I would strike, the energy flow of his barrier shifted, strengthening the location. I steered the mist, which rose and surrounded his veritable cocoon. The ray of necrofrost quit just as I caged him in.

This wasn’t like before. To warp, he would need to wrest control of the miasma around us from me. But the mist powered me. The fog revolved, sharpening itself into multiple, singular points ready to shape and penetrate at a moment’s notice.

‘I wonder how quick you are, Gore,’ I said, my voice rippling through the mist.

‘I’ve been a student of magic since I was born, Lady Dread.’

The first volley arrived. Mist condensed into necrofrost, shooting forwards like javelins. Dozens of attacks crashed against his barrier.

Gore’s eyes were still glued to me. He showed his fangs.

Chuckling, I fired the second volley, keeping back a few of my constructs while I searched his barrier.

‘You know,’ I said, ‘someone I knew well had a term for people like you.’

‘Trying to distract me, are we, Lady Dread? It won’t work.’

‘He called people like you “battle junkies.”’

His brow raised. ‘Battle junkies?’

‘Yes. You live for a good fight. Are always willing to put yourself in grave danger if it means getting to enjoy a battle.’

Gore laughed. ‘Then your acquaintance got me, Lady Dread.’

I laughed with him, the mist rumbling as I did.

Another scorch fired from the heavens a little on the right and to the side of the barrier. He loved reinforcing that spot, so I gave it to him. It’s the one he would be most attuned to shielding on instinct. I busied the rest of his magic by attacking from both sides and the top, and threaded two more drills at my side. They were a distraction for the one piecing together at his rear.

‘I understand it,’ I said. ‘Battling is fun. Especially when you’re strong. After every duel, you get this rush.’ My face appeared right in front of his barrier, and I stared deep into his emerald eyes. ‘You feel like you understand the world better, like you can take on the universe with your skillset.’ Hands forming, I pressed on his shield, forcing his focus as far away from his rear as possible. ‘Hubris, you called it, didn’t you?’ I mouthed.

Gore’s face was entirely strained. Sweat went down his skin in rivulets.

‘What’s wrong, Gore?’ I said. ‘You’re no longer—’

The drill fired in the middle of my sentence. It fired straight, but curved at the last moment, shooting to the very top of the barrier. I had made it as thin as a needle. The necrofrost pierced through the shield.

Gore’s gaze went wide. He let go of his staff with one hand and flourished his wand just in time to veer the attack off-course from his neck and into his shoulder instead. He cried out in anguish as the needle dropped its necrotic content in his flesh.

‘—laughing,’ I finished.

His barrier rippled. It spoke to the orc’s skill and talent that his shield held on even after being struck directly. But the barrier cracked.

‘You shouldn’t have come here, Gore,’ I whispered, ready to burst inside at the slightest opening.

He huffed and went to his knees, his barrier keeping him afloat. His emerald pupils had lost their lustre. I could feel the death and decay snaking deeper and deeper into his bloodstream towards his heart.

Gore chuckled. ‘It was fun, Lady Dread. Next time, I’ll be more prepared.’

My smile vanished as he pulled a rune out of his chest pocket. He crushed the stone and a gateway appeared. I assaulted the barrier with as many constructs as I could form, finally breaking the shield. I rushed—

Gore vanished into the portal.

‘Follow me if you dare,’ he laughed.

I crashed to a stop right in front of the gate and seriously considered it. But the chance was high its destination was not in my range. Following could strand my most powerful soldier.

With great difficult, I turned my back on the rift. The portal closed a moment later. I surveyed the battlefield and glanced through the eyes of my other undead, looking at what happened with Malakai. He was still fighting. The number of orcs and demons he had slain was growing. Enough for Tina and Radi to also reach their next class today.

I sighed. It wasn’t all bad, I thought.

Then I made my way towards my guard captain.