Riley woke and stretched. A peaceful quiet lingered in her room, and she looked at her notifications.

[Psionic Assassin (B) has advanced: 270 → 272!]

[Paragon of Music (S) has advanced: 321 → 322!]

[Purifier (A) has advanced: 294 → 296!]

[Spell Thief (B) has advanced: 275 → 277!]

[Noble (C) has advanced: 56 → 63!]

[Infiltrator (D) has advanced: 48 → 55!]

[11845 people have sworn loyalty to you. This bond will break if you fail in your noble duties.]

She shook her head. I guess this side wants the auras. She looked at the massive list and didn’t bother looking for names, clearing it away with a thought.

Standing up, she stretched. I need to clear out the next field. She looked over at the dozing Nicole. A smile spread across Riley’s face. She walked over and gently traced the strange lines that now covered her arms. Are these like roots or something? They seem to be.

Two arms shot out and pulled her onto the small cot.

“Got you,” Nicole whispered, pulling her closer.

Riley chuckled. “What class gave those to you?”

“Ranger. It upgraded to Avenger,” Nicole replied. “I assume Paragon gave you these fake wings?”

“Maybe? It could also be an elaborate prank by Beauty and Mischief.” Riley chuckled. “They like tormenting me.”

Nicole chuckled. “Mischief likes tormenting anyone. I have gotten a quest or two.”

Riley smiled. That he does.

“Ready to go purging?” Nicole sat up.

Riley stood and walked toward the door. I hope Dad’s doing alright.

Slipping out the door, she walked to the kitchens. Nicole jogged up and joined her.

Soldiers turned. Whispers spread through the room, and Faelana darted into the room, joining them while brushing her hair.

Riley turned and chuckled. “It’s not that big of a hurry.”

“I disagree,” Faelana replied, smiling.

“Are those comfortable?” Riley asked, looking at the small antlers on her head.

“Yes, and I can get rid of them,” Faelana said, straightening her robes with a slight frown.

“Sorry. I was just curious,” Riley replied. “I’ll answer anything about mine, but everyone knows they aren’t real.” She turned and waved her arm through a wing. Silly things. They faded, and Riley gasped.

[You earned a break. ~Beauty]

Faelana smiled. “And now they are gone?”

Riley chuckled and shrugged. “I have no idea. How many fields do we have left?”

“Here? There is a massive one to the north and five smaller ones to the south.” Faelana shook her head. “It’s a travesty, though the class upgrades should help.”

Riley looked at her classes and nodded.

A cook walked up and handed small plates to each of them.

Riley took the makeshift sandwich. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It’s always nice to have elves aid us.” She smiled, turned, and headed back to the kitchens.

Riley walked to a table and started eating. I need to hurry. She quickly finished her sandwich and turned.

Nicole swallowed her last bite. “Ready for a jog?”

“Yes.” Riley stood and stretched before jogging out. A contingent of guards did the same, jogging out of the barracks with them.

Heading out the gate, the group sped up, running northward across the snow-covered ground.

Minutes turned to hours. Sunlight bounced off the snow, and a nauseating smell washed over Riley. She looked out at the massive patch of black and red. Like some primordial ooze, it coated the ground, extending into a distant forest.

“Gods,” Nicole whispered. “How did it get this big?”

“Death. Things that died from the forest got sucked in,” Faelana whispered. She grimaced.

Riley frowned. “Do we have enough guards for this?” She looked back at the group.

“Don’t try to purge all at once,” a soldier said, smiling at her.

Riley turned and waited. “Are more coming though?”

“Yes, why?” Faelana asked.

“I got a class upgrade, and I’m worried.” Riley stepped toward the massive patch. If I can save mana, it’d be ideal. Slowly walking closer, she watched the blight begin to burn away. It flaked and billowed up, disintegrating in the air. Okay. That’s cool.

Striding closer, she watched the blight react. It thrashed and tried to move out of her way. Tendrils of it ripped from the ground, revealing dark soil beneath it. Swinging, it lashed out, sending the massive roots flying toward Riley.

Riley turned and ran. Gods, it’s a plant? The roots slammed into the ground behind her and began disintegrating. Pulling out the lute, she began playing.

The sound carried across the fields, sending waves of ash into the air.

“What?” Faelana whispered. “How are you doing that?”

“I got the purifier class,” Riley replied. “It gives me some innate aura that disintegrates blight and undead.”

Faelana went quiet. Her eyes widened. “How many wraiths have you killed?”

Riley shrugged and played, letting the sound roll across the area. The blight thrashed, and wraiths began forming. The dark clouds smoldered and smoked under the deluge.

Walking forward, Riley got closer and played louder. A wraith wailed and flickered. Feeding inspiration into the class, Riley sent the energy rippling across the field.

The blight began receding, pulling itself into a massive cocoon.

“Attack it!” Faelana shouted, unleashing a stream of ice at the thing.

Riley grimaced and ran forward, stashing the lute. Humming loudly, she conjured blades and launched them across the field. They ripped through the cocoon, and it pulsed.

“Gods, I ask a favor.

Aid us on this day.

We need to end this monster.

And that is what we pray.

Don’t let another avatar

be brought into this land.

Help us then destroy it.

Give a helping hand.”

With her voice rippling across the field, she launched another set of blades. They streaked through the forming monster, and her aura slammed into the cocoon. Pieces began disintegrating, and a rain of arrows and stones slammed into it.

Not bothering with her book, Riley formed a single rune in her mind and let her magic flow. A torrent of purple crackled around her, ripping into the cocoon and some nearby wraiths.

Wails filled the air. The blight lashed out, launching a thick root-like appendage at the group. Riley hummed, and purple lightning cracked through the air.

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The root disintegrated into floating ash, and the palace-sized cocoon cracked. A long arm burst from it, sending a spray of red across the field.

Condemnation. Riley looked up at the arm and threw her blades. Willing them to stay in existence, she tried to control them with her mind. The blades began dancing around the creature, cutting and ripping into the giant.

Like a small swarm of bees, the blades ripped across it. A tether formed between the giant and Riley.

“Join me!” the giant bellowed in her mind.

Riley slammed her will onto it, ripping into its mind with a surge of psychic energy.

Anger and fear came rolling back, slamming into her and dropping her to her knees. Gods. Breaking the tether, she staggered back to her feet and groaned. That was a mistake. Conjuring her blades, she attacked, using them to rip into it.

A massive arrow sunk into its flesh. A stream of stone ripped through its leg, and it toppled, slamming into the ground with a thunderous boom.

Riley watched its leg begin healing. Sending a small stream of void magic into the leg, she watched a group of soldiers charge past her with axes raised.

Like a swarm of woodcutters, they hit the giant and furiously chopped at it. Focusing her mana on healing them, Riley pulled out her lute and resumed playing, boosting her aura further.

Pieces of the creature broke off and decayed. It thrashed, sending soldiers flying. Sending bursts of healing to them, Riley looked up and at the swirling storm. She shut her eyes.

Thunder boomed through the air. The giant bellowed, and Riley opened her eyes to see a massive scorch mark that went through it. A stream of fire hit moments later, engulfing it. Pieces burned away, and Riley plucked out a tune on her lute.

Just let them wear it down. With her auras blazing around her, she watched the giant roll and thrash, trying to get off the ground. The wounds decayed and continued to open at an increasingly quick rate.

We’re winning. Riley smiled and felt a presence slam into her mind. “Get out!” she screamed back.

“Aid me. We can break their chains!” the voice bellowed into her mind.

Riley poured her resolve into snapping the tether. It broke, and she threw up a mental barrier, pouring effort into stopping the next attack.

The giant bellowed and went still, its body disintegrating into a massive pile of ash.

Reaching up, Riley wiped at her nose and found a smear of red. She sighed and turned, looking at the group. A wave of healing magic hit her instantly, and her headache vanished.

Wiping the blood from her face, she stowed her lute. “How’s everyone’s mana?”

“Dismal,” a soldier said, staring at the field.

Riley turned and looked. She watched a portal slowly form, crackling out onto the field.

Nicole jogged up. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Riley nodded and looked. Was there a crystal again? She searched the ground and felt Nicole bump into her.

“I got it. It’s yours.”

Riley smiled at her. “Thanks.” She turned toward the group.

“We’re going to build a minor fortification around this one while it heals.”

Riley nodded. Should I use that one in there too? Or should I wait? She debated it and paused. Reaching over, she bumped out a message. “You should go inside and sacrifice it. Be ready to kill any wraiths that form.”

Nicole turned and shook her head. “I’m not fighting whatever comes out of this. I’m not good against them.” She handed Riley the crystal.

Riley took it and walked to the portal.

Riley Milvsky

Level: 360

Music's Paragon (S)

Level: 322 + 5

Dominating Presence C +1 level to the assigned class. Enemies within 100 meters of you lose 20 strength, 20 dexterity, and 20 speed. You may expend bardic inspiration to increase the effect. Heavenly Refrain C +1 levels to the assigned class. Use this skill to have the heavens join your song. Grants +100 charisma for the duration of the song and may only be used as long as the gods are willing. Restoring Presence B +2 to the assigned class. Subjects regain 1% stamina and 1% mana every 30 minutes; their healing is augmented by 50%. Allies within 100 meters count as subjects. You know of injuries and may use mana to heal allies within fifty meters. You may use inspiration to expand and increase the effect. Empowering Presence C +1 to the assigned class. Your subjects gain +20 strength, +20 dexterity, and +20 movement speed; allies within twenty meters count as subjects. You may use Bardic Inspiration to temporarily boost the range and the effect.

Psionic Assassin (B)

Level: 272 + 12

Assume Disguise S +30 charisma. Enhance your current disguise by altering your displayed information and taking on the disguised form. Grants +5 levels to the assigned class. Perception and Insight suffer -250 levels against your disguise and -50 levels against your deception or stealth. Penalty applied: Gods’ Oversight. Momentous Tempo B +10 speed. This boost will increase to up to +100 for every ten seconds you are in motion. Slowing in any way will reduce the effect. +2 levels to assigned class. You may use a charge of inspiration to boost your movement speed by an additional 10 for a minute. Death's Cloak A Slain enemies will grant experience to your base level and active classes. +3 levels to the assigned class. Perception and insight suffer -25 levels against you. Penalty applied: Covenant. Ambush B +10 speed. +2 levels to the assigned class. Costs one stamina to use. On use, you teleport to a shadow within 20 meters. Penalty applied: Covenant.

Spell Thief(B)

Level: 277 + 3

Focused Sight B +2 to the assigned class. Your perception and insight are boosted by 50, increasing to 100 when studying the same target for over a minute. This boost is not reduced by low light or no light. You may use 1 stamina to double this effect for ten seconds. Spirit Blade C +1 level to assigned class. Manifest an ethereal blade of psychic energy that will vanish after thirty seconds or six seconds after being thrown. Costs one stamina or one mana to manifest a blade.

Purifier (A)

Level: 294

Psionic Storm C +1 to the assigned class. Conjure a storm of void or psychic energy. Variable cost.

Pretty C Use a mana to get Beauty’s help! She may provide it anyway. Oh, and you’ll stand out in a crowd! After all, everyone knows a Beauty. Music's Lute - You may summon this lute from the heavens. It will return to the heavens when you will it away.

Noble (C)

Level: 56 Inactive. Enchanter (E)

Level: 320 Inactive. Alchemist (D)

Level: 242 Inactive. Infiltrator (D)

Level: 55 Inactive. - -

Conjure Storm D Manipulate or conjure up a storm. Mana cost varies. Conjure Potion C +1 to assigned class. Conjure a potion that you understand. You may add an additional minor healing effect to any potion. Cost varies based on the potion and potion duration. Control Water E Manipulate the water around you. Cost varies based on amount.

Dexterity 2531 Strength 720 Speed 1505 Intelligence 1278 Charisma 1402 Stamina 1004 Mana 3802 Inspiration 1012