Willem chanted earth magic and created an earth shield around himself. The dirt from the ground lifted up and began floating around him, creating a solid barrier with which he could cast without worry. The earth shield that Willem created had the capability to withstand five strikes from a level four magical beast before dissipating but it remained untested against a level five or six monster.
He then chanted a fire magic spell imbued with darkness magic in order to bypass the tough carapace of the Astral Spider. The imbuement was placed on each of the weapons that the fighters were using, but the non magical mace and battleaxe would be irreparably damaged once the magical effect had ended.
Willem then casted wind magic to mask their presence to the monsters, forcing their scent and voices to not carry in the air. Finally, with darkness magic, he concealed himself within the accompanying shade and became invisible to the group. The only noise that could be heard was his footsteps on the soft ground as he walked toward the magical beasts.
This also became the signal for the fighters to advance and join the fight. As they approached the deepest corner of the hollow, weaving through the cobwebs, the hellboars were the first to notice them and began to roar frantically. This action was completely noticed by the Astral Spider, shifting it's perspective to see both enemies but not changing it's primary focus. It maintained a look of complete dominance toward the hellboars and spit acid toward the already injured hellboar in the back.
Unable to dodge, the hellboar could only cry out as the acid burned through its hide and bone. The fighters quickly went into action when they saw that the hellboar hide was damaged, and attempted to gain the attention of the Astral Spider. Sir Kris banged his longsword against his shield, creating ample noise to distract the large Spider while the other three got in position to strike it. This change of position did not go unnoticed by the hellboars, and the four that could still move attempted to run toward the only exit that was available.
Before the hellboars could reach the exit, they were viciously cut down by an invisible force. Only one hellboar had enough time to thrust a tusk toward the invisible force attacking its kin. The tusk struck out and hit a floating piece of dirt before the hellboar was indiscriminately sliced apart. The earth shield that Willem casted fell apart from the strike indicating it could only handle one attack from a level five monster before ending. Small incisions and blood spatter appeared on the legs of the hellboars. Before long, each hellboar had a wound no larger than a dagger through their skulls that oozed blood and brain matter.
Willem had stayed near the exit knowing that given the chance, the hellboars would attempt to escape. He prepared by taking out two punching daggers and imbuing them with darkness magic chantlessly. Though slightly weaker than chanted magic, it still had enough raw power to cut through the hide of a level five hellboar hide. He prepared himself to use his magical force to propel his legs, giving him enough speed to swiftly end the lives of the hellboars. First he aimed for the hamstrings in their legs and once they had been immobilized he struck the daggers through their skulls. The result was an efficient kill that could only be described as extremely calculated. Everything from the intended escape, to the path and the means necessary to end them was all within Willem's mind. It was as if the hellboars were marionettes and Willem was the person pulling the strings.
Seeing this scene, the fighters could now fully focus on the Astral Spider and not worry about an ambush from behind by the hellboars. This allowed them to fully concentrate and hone their senses to the enemy in front of them. The Astral Spider saw that the hellboars were felled before they could escape and gave out a clicking clatter before spitting acid toward Sir Kris. Sir Kris deftly dodged the acid before flourishing his longsword and striking out at the closest leg of the Astral Spider. While the attention was on Sir Kris, Sir Rowan attacked from behind, avoiding the stinger that was secreting a deadly poison. He sent the two daggers into the joint of the spider leg, and found that with a enough strength behind it, his daggers could pierce through the tough exoskeleton of the Astral Spider leg. The spider shifted it's legs before Sir Rowan could break through the chitin completely and only managed to leave two dagger sized holes in the leg.
This puncture was enough to make the spider bleed, and a bluish green liquid slipped down it's leg. If not for the dark-vision elixir, Sir Rowan would almost not have noticed the liquid seeping down slowly as it blended in remarkably well with the leg color. The piece of the leg connecting to the joint seemed to barely be working, and was only pressed upon lightly compared to the others. The Astral Spider struck his stinger toward Sir Rowan with force, allowing an opening for the two apprentices to get an attack in toward two other legs. While Sir Rowan deflected the attack with his daggers, Mark and Eli attacked with all their might. Using both force and momentum, they struck at the legs of the huge Spider, severing the legs at the joint. The debilitating force left the Astral Spider unable to completely stand, and it's body tilted toward the two apprentices while it still remained focused on Sir Kris.
As it fell down, the Astral Spider attempted to slipstream through the world into another plane. When Willem saw that the Astral Spider was trying to phase through to another plane he took out a magical inscription from his spatial spell and forced magic into it. The inscription sent forth a blast of magical force, wrapping chains around the legs and body of the spider. As the fighters watched this incredible magic being cast, they held their breath until it looked like the Astral Spider was completely subdued by the chains. Though they were dismayed when they saw that the Astral Spider was shifting before they could deliver the finishing blow, they saw that the magic Willem employed forced it's body to stay in this plane. The Spider attempted to send out one more spit of acid toward Sir Kris while he looked distracted and before it was completely restrained, but Sir Kris moved away from it without too much effort. The effects of the elixir was still powerful and allowed him to sense the impending danger of the acid. He shifted his position and his legs carried him twenty feet from where he was within a single breath of time.
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The magic from the spell chained the legs of the spider out and to the ground so that it was unable to move. The chain wrapped the body to the ground and it's stinger was lodged into the Earth. Defeated, the Astral Spider clacked it's fangs together aggressively before it's head was forced into the ground by magical chains. Sir Rowan and Sir Kris severed the spider's head from it's body, and cut the legs and stinger from it's body just in case.
Before the blood could spill, Willem placed the body of the Astral Spider into his spatial spell. When the fighters looked back toward the hellboars they saw that those bodies were gone as well, most likely to the same place as the Spider. The last hellboar that had slowly been eaten away by acid was too damaged to be used for materials, but was good as proof of the hunt. Willem told the group to keep quiet about hunting the level six magical beasts and the five hellboars. They nodded to each other, even if they did say something no one would believe that only two Knights and two apprentices defeated an Astral Spider, even with the help of a Grand Mage and good elixirs.
The darkness infused fire spell that had been casted on the fighter's weapons slowly waned and then disappeared as if sated by the blood of the Astral Spider they had fought. The battleaxe and Mace had melted away and were no longer usable, so the only thing they could do was discard the small amount of remains around a tree in a nearby grove.
Before Willem created a teleportation honing array, he collected twenty wooden spools of gossamer from the spider's hollow. When the fighters went to pick up the hellboar body, a rancid smell came from the burning flesh and hide. Doing their best to not breathe in the horrid smell, they brought it to the teleportation array and everyone returned to the spot ten minutes away from the training grounds entrance. They trekked to the training grounds entrance, where they were greeted by the guard's protecting the door. The Knight Captain came to greet them when word came that they returned, and saw that they were carrying a hellboar. Though it gave off a horrendous smell and most of it was damaged, it could still sell for a decent price as the tusks were mostly intact.
The Knight Captain greeted the Grand Mage while carrying two begs of coin for the two Knights. Normally he would not do this personally, and instead have someone deliver it for him but in this case since the Grand Mage asked him to do it he would comply.
"The Magical Core is still within the body, as my gift for your time Sir Gehrig. I may yet come again before the battle, as I intend to provide these four with armors as a thank you for their assistance." Willem gave a slight bow and waited for the Knight Captain's response.
"Truly, we thank you for your visit. Though this gift is not necessary, the training grounds thanks you for everything you have done today. I personally thank you for bringing humility to my squire when I had failed him." The Knight Captain bowed his head deeply, and then ordered a nearby squadron to help carry the hellboar to the trading post.
"The effects of the elixirs will last for another thirty minutes, please do take care if you intend to spar." Willem gave a light chuckle before disappearing into the shadow of a nearby building.
Sir Gehrig blinked a few times awestruck before inquiring to the Knights about the elixirs they had taken. He had never had anything higher than a level three elixir which lasted no longer than five minutes. They told him they had been given a special elixir for hunting the hellboar but were asked by the Grand Mage not to reveal the details. Bitterly, Sir Gehrig nodded his head and went back to guard's office to continue his work.
The fighters all gathered around the two Knights waiting for them to describe the hunting of the hellboar. In the history of the training grounds, no one had dared mess with a hellboar pack. The Knights made up an excuse that the hellboar had been separated from its pack due to a previous fight and was much weaker than it should have been. Though not entirely true, it was close enough to what happened and the other Knights accepted it. The apprentices gathered around Eli and Mark and mocked them for losing their weapons. Eli and Mark looked embarrassed but did not say anything.
Willem reappeared in his Private Sanctum to a fully sober Kinsey feeding the White Tiger cub. He thought about the sight before and chuckled to himself before she noticed his arrival.
"Kinsey, I have returned." Willem looked at her inquisitively but she could not meet his gaze when he announced himself.
"Welcome home Master, I apologize for the sight you saw before. Thank you for the gift you have given me. I will cherish her forever." Kinsey would not dare raise her head.
"Ah, so it is a female, how nice for you to find some female companionship. I have some experiments, but I would like some tea." Finally Kinsey looked up at Willem and he saw that she was beet red. He sighed gently, and placed his hands on her waist before she could leave. She leaned into his embrace, and could feel his warm hands caressing her body.
"You know, I quite enjoyed the sight you showed me before. Perhaps I will see it again soon?" He held her in his arms but did not look at her directly. Even if he did look at her, he had a feeling she would just lower her head and mumble something incoherent even to his magical hearing.
"Yes, Master." Kinsey unfurrowed her tense brows and calmly embraced the warm that was washing over her. She felt her body getting hotter just by touching her Master. What kind of attendant would be so lucky as to have such a forgiving and understanding Master to serve?
What she did not know was that as soon as Willem embraced her, he chantlessly casted a warmth spell on her.
For a while, they stood in the Private Sanctum embracing each other, before Kinsey pulled away hesitantly. She remembered he had asked for tea and intended to go prepare some for him.
Feeling that the tender moment was over, Willem headed to the study room and began to re-read the functions of the runic symbols as Kinsey served him tea.
Soft mewling could be heard from the Tiger Cub as she had somehow gotten stuck in a small barrel and did not have the strength to get out on her own.