A barrage of attacks continued, but this time at the smaller bird. Mathew kept an eye on Jeffrey and the larger bird however. He was surprised at how strong the wolf was. He remained latched onto the upper back, using his claws to stay on and continued to bite through feathers with his maw.
The bird just didn’t let this happen as it flew through the air attempting to dislodge Jeffrey. It also occasionally dove at Mathew and his wisps, but every time it’s aim was off enough for it to be easily dodged. Jeffrey’s weight and constant attacks made it hard to focus, Mathew assumed.
Another dive came by Mathew, this time with Jeffrey on the other side. He held out his off hand and dug his knife through the thick feathers. Mathew felt a tug and barely held onto his weapon as it cut through flesh. The bird screeched in pain yet again and took off toward the sky, leaving Mathew on the ground still.
The bird was poisoned, it had Jeffrey being annoying, and was peppered by his wisps. “Just how healthy is this bird? It can’t be that weak, but it seems to fight till the end. I half expected to fly off by now.”
The answer was obvious aftering thinking about it. It was defending not only it’s mate, but it’s eggs.
“That’s it, we are ending this.” He charged yet another large powered [Mana Bolt]. He continued to power it up, draining almost a fourth of his remaining mana. He held it for several moments, waiting for his time to strike.
He was aiming at the larger bird. He had to be careful with this shot. He could deal with a total miss, but if he hit Jeffrey, he had no clue if the wolf would survive it entirely. He could unsummon him as well, but then he was outmatched and forced to fight head on himself.
Mathew took a breath to still his aim, he hardly missed with the spell. Due to it being a fast projectile with little to no drop from gravity affecting it, it was more reliable than any firearm he used in the past. It was different with a fast moving target like this giant bird.
He concentrated on the spell, and for a moment felt more with it. He’s been looking at it too much as a simple spell. A weapon or tool. Yet he used it reliably for both close range and far out targets. This was no different.
As he held the spell, he willed himself desperately to ensure he hit his target truthfully. He imagined a line between the tip of his rod and the side of the bird Jeffrey was not latched onto. Just as the bird turned in the air, he released it.
It flew true and hit the eagle right where the wing met with the bird's chest. Leaving behind a gaping hole with a smidge of frost on the edges. The bird started to fall, no longer controlling itself midair.
As it crashed, Mathew heard the smaller bird squawk in panic. It’s mate was dead. Mathew rubbed at his temple as the beginning of mana drain took him over. He activated his ring, letting the excess mana fill his body.
He saw the smaller bird dash to the edge of a branch, continuing to call out to its mate. “Welp, that’s an easy enough target I suppose.” He then pushed the mana out to resummon Agnox, taking no mana at all to do so.
“You bitch. I could have died! This is what you get for messing with rituals, let alone magic, and not understanding the true effects!” Agnox complained upon appearing.
Mathew just shrugged, “Shoulda dodged there buddy.” He smiled, showing he was joking.
“Dodged? You see that thing?”
Mathew pointed at the far larger one that he killed then to the small one that was stuck on a branch. “You see it’s mate?”
Agnox had his mouth slightly agape, Mathew just smiled. “How about you finish off that smaller one, we rest up and head back to camp. This one fight took a lot out of me.”
“Yea sure, just you. I’m pretty sure there is a stain on the forest floor that is my doing.” Agnox shook his head and readied a [Fire Bolt].
He killed it off after several balls of fire and soon the area was bathed in stillness. Mathew sat down against the large tree and pulled out a canteen to drink from. “Do you need any water?” Mathew asked.
“Not for a while. I need nutrients, but water and food I can go a few days without. Imps are made to not require many resources. Add in the fact I’m a familiar and could survive off just your mana. But that would drain your mana, something I doubt you would like.”
“I would very much not like that unless it’s an emergency.”
“Anyways, want to see what’s in the nest? Smash a few eggs and cook a couple more?” Agnox licked his lips. Jeffrey too licked his lips.
“Are all Infernals just gluttons, or just these two?” Mathew gestured up, “Go for it.”
Mathew watched Agnox fly up. He was curious as to how old the tree was. It looked a bit odd, since it towered over every other tree in the area. Wouldn’t trees grow at a relatively the same rate?
He took a glance at his menu and was surprised by two things. Firstly, his [Mana Bolt] went up two ranks, bringing it up to Beginner 7. The [Ritual] skill also increased by one. His spell to summon Jeffrey ranked up entirely and sat at Beginner 0. He grinned as he looked over the options for his canine companion.
Skill Upgrade - Summon Jeffrey
Thick Fur: Increase resistance to elemental attacks.
Serrated Claws: Attacks from this summon will leave deep gashes that cause severe bleeding
Elemental Affinity: Awaken this summons affinity.
Pack Tactics: Summon three wolves, all weaker and smaller.
Mathew was now at a crossroads. He was just about to instantly pick Pack Tactics. Having three wolves sounded like an amazing upgrade. Yet, what Agnox said before stopped him. He needed to think about how he wanted to grow in power, including his summons.
He used Jeffrey as a meat shield, so Thick Fur sounded like a perfect upgrade for him. Then again, Elemental Affinity also sounded perfect. What if he had an element related to steel or earth? Would he be an Infernal Earthen Wolf? Is that a thing?
Looking up at Jeffrey, Mathew called him over. “Jeffrey, come here. I know you can understand me, when you want to. Do you know what element you would unlock if I did that option?”
A voice shouted from above him. “My money is on either Fire or Necrotic for the wolf. Infernals have a natural affinity for those two. It’s why we can learn fire spells naturally without the assistance of The System.”
Mathew frowned at that. He wanted to be a bit more well rounded than having only ice and fire elementals. The bush Gaia would grant him seemed like Earth…or grass? Is that an element?
He looked at the options again, already knowing which one he planned on picking. With a mental push, he selected the first one, making his tanky wolf tankier. A random idea of outfitting him with armor came across his mind. Did wolf armor even exist?
“Oi Mathew, you are going to want to see this mate.” Agnox shouted from up above.
“What is it?” Mathew said, looking from the ground. “I am not going to climb that tree to look at some eggs.”
“Oh you are going to. Otherwise I’m keeping it for myself. Trust me, it’s not just a pigeon in this pear tree.” Agnox snickered.
Mathew refused to groan. That would just encourage him to do it more often. “Just tell me. If it’s that valuable you would have kept it for yourself.”
“And waste it as it sits raw? Blasphemy. There's a natural treasure growing on these branches!”
“What’s a natural treasure?”
Agnox flew down, tired of yelling. “Okay, i’m going to give you yet another pass since you are a dumb human.”
Mathew narrowed his eyes as the Imp tested his limits. He wasn’t going to say anything…yet.
“There are treasures that appear in the universe. Some appear naturally in the wild. These are not your run of the mill plants that anyone can grow. They require specific circumstances to occur. High mana density, and a little bit of luck. Not to mention the other natural affinities in the area. It explains why the birds were so big and strong. They have probably been eating them for weeks now.
“And the one here, what does it do?” He asked.
Agnox shrugged, “Not a clue. If I had to guess, probably a stat boost at worst.”
“At worst? What’s the best?” Mathew asked, his eyes growing with greed.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“Could be anything. Affinity increases, helps you form new Axioms or ponder upon more truths for the one you have now, it could help grow a spell, trait, skill, who knows! That’s why you need people you trust to look into them.”
“Well, I could ask Di…” Mathew said out loud in thought.
“That Merchant will charge you an arm and a leg to know. Plus I doubt anyone here can distill them properly. You depend upon him way too much.”
An idea popped up into Mathew’s head. “How many are there?”
“Eh, like four or six. Didn’t really look that hard.”
“Grab them all for me. And the eggs as well. I imagine people would love having an animal companion if that’s a thing.”
“Oh it is. Pittrux’s profession involved being a wolf tamer. I also only smashed one out of spite.”
“Anogx! That’s wasteful.” Mathew scolded.
“Eh, what the flying fuckers get. One of their offspring, dead. Payment for the pain and suffering done unto me, your rarest of familiars. Remember, I know all! See all! Am all!”
Mathew shook his head. Agnox flew off to collect the fruits. He needed to get his hands on yet another mana core. He could take one from a Dungeon Core, but those are feeding into the Hearth Crystal. There was the option of buying it from someone in the camp. He really needed to get more Dungeon Cores or Hearth Crystal under his claim.
If he acquired another Hearth Crystal it would just function like a Dungeon Core.
Agnox flew down with seven fruits in his arms. Each the size of a baseball but shaped like a five pointed star. Mathew knew nothing normally grew to take such a shape. Their skins were a yellow and green hue mix. “I imagine more were here before, but the two larger birds ate them. Hence why they were so strong. These were saved for the babies is my guess.”
“I think you are right on that assumption.” Mathew said. He put the fruits in his bag, along with five eggs. They were all a beige color. But seems fine to Mathew. “Let's head back. The ritual is still running, so we should take the long way back.”
“How long does it last?” Agnox asked.
“I thought you read it.” Mathew said with a sly grin.
“Not all of it. Just enough to know it’s a stupid way to fight things.”
“And look what we got out of it! How many levels did you gain from killing the bird?” Mathew asked as they walked back to the camp.
“I’m at Level 5. I gained [Fire Mastery] thankfully. Sadly I gained another skill. One I could do without.” He grumbled.
“Can’t be that bad, what is it?”
Agnox sighed, “[Dodge]. I got it from avoiding the mama birds beak in that fucking nest.”
“That doesn’t seem like a bad skill. Gives you more survivability.”
“I can fly Mathew. I can rely upon my stats to avoid attacks, I didn’t need a skill before.”
Mathew thought back to how hard of a time he had hitting Agnox when they first met. “True, but this works out. You could go for a rogue build. I’m sure Zack would love to talk to you about something like that.”
“I throw fire. How is that sneaky at all?” Agnox humphed. He floated down onto Jeffrey’s back, not finding the act of flying worth his time. Jeffrey didn’t mind, as he was carrying a bird leg he apparently took as a personal reward.
“Didn’t say you needed to be, just a suggestion.”
“Again, it would be easier if I knew how to compliment your path. Just going for what I did last time is lazy and wasteful. It will also increase your chances of good upgrades for your class, along with the powers you can learn. Not to mention that Axiom of yours. You can’t ignore a Truth you learned, Mathew.”
“Why not? It’s useful on its own.”
“Ugh.” Agnox groaned. “Okay, I know I keep educating you on things, but you need to figure this stuff out on your own to a degree. Didn’t you buy books from Di?”
“Didn’t you just say to not rely on him?” Mathew was enjoying teasing Agnox. He seemed normal. His goal was to establish a good relationship with the Imp. He had a hidden worry he could still backstab him at any moment. Always keeping an eye when he was out and about.
“That’s it. I’m done. Unsummon me so I don’t have to listen to your horrible banter. What do I know? I’m just a Familiar who can give you some answers on how the rest of the universe works for those who wish to become powerful. Not like I was a Familiar to two rising stars. One of which you almost died to.”
“Alright alrighty I get it. How about this? What do you think I should do?”
“Depends on your Axiom. Axioms are important Mathew. If you have an Axiom of fire, and train yourself to be a water elementalist, then you are harming yourself. There will forever be a part of you tied to fire. Now, if you combined water and fire to create something else. That would be perfect, and you would be stronger than any other elementalist without a Fire Axiom.”
Mathew nodded absentmindedly. How would he incorporate Resistance into his power set? He can’t even use it reliably since it seemed to work on metal attacks. Can he use it in other ways?
----------------------------------------
Several hours, and some more wild animals slain, the forest thinned out and the start of a new wall came into view. Turns out they went wider around then they originally thought, causing Mathew to go through one of the bigger gates connected to the main road. Several of the guards waved as he walked up.
“Mathew, evening.” The guard eyed the large bird leg in Jeffery’s maw. “I take it you had…fun.”
“Just a couple of giant birds, I killed them easily enough.” Mathew said. He looked at the fortifications that were starting to form. Walls being rebuilt. Even the guards seemed better outfitted with gear, but it was all mismatched. He looked up on the wall, seeing a sign that said ‘Blue Oaks’.
“What’s with the sign?” Mathew asked.
“Oh, well that's the name of the base. The proper name anyways.” One of the guards said.
Mathew raised an eyebrow curiously. He didn’t know that.
“We were lucky, this sign survived the damage. General…errr Payne had us remove them not long after S-Day. I’m glad Captain Henderson put them back up. It gives the place a bit of hominess ya know?”
“You are right, it does.” Mathew said. He did catch a few side glances at people eyeballing Agnox. He in turn did what he was instructed, which was to not provoke a fight. So long as he continued to behave, Mathew would let him have freedom of being out and about
He walked through the gates with no problem, since they all recognized him. As he walked, he turned toward the Hearth Crystal and opened his own menu up. He quickly went to the section special to only him involving the crystal.
He eventually found the spot where he can change the name of the safe zone. Sitting there currently was Base 331. Mathew changed the name to ‘Blue Oaks Town’, keeping with the fact he wanted people to start considering this place exactly that. A home.
After confirming the name a new box appeared, causing Mathew to pause and a smile grew on his face.
Timed Quest: Path to Sovereignty, Part I
Reach the upper reaches of nobility in the universe and claim the titles for yourself. Leaders are not born, but are created. As an owner of a Hearth Crystal, and thus a safe zone, you too have a chance to become one of the greats.
Acquire 5 Hearth Crystals 1/5
Acquire 7 Dungeon Cores 2/7
Reach Level 25
Rewards:
Title Choice: Baron, Chief, Magister, or Manager
Upgrade to Safe Zone
Time Left: 332 Days
This was a fantastic quest. Sure, the rewards seem vague or at worst, weak. But it was something he already planned to do in the long run. This was just extra incentives. Not to mention the fact it was Part 1 of a quest. Which means there were more quests just like it, with equal or better rewards.
He looked at the timer and realized it lined up exactly for when Phase 1 ended. Just around 11 months to complete it. To Mathew, it was easy. Four more Hearth Crystals and five more Dungeon Cores? How could he mess this up?
The two of them traveled back to Mathew’s room. Mathew went to shower and clean off, while Agnox was unsummoned to relax. He mentioned something about revisiting what he experienced and learned.
Mathew let him be, and after putting on clean clothes, decided to head to the market area. It was just outside where all the crafters conjoined. He snagged a golf cart to make his travel time easier. He did after all just walk several miles and fought a couple battles.