“Get out of my way, Camila!” Zion shouted as, once again, the red-armored girl blundered into his striking path. He used kinetic dash, his body flying forward at an incredible pace, looking like a short-range teleport. While moving, he let loose two rending slashes, the two translucent arcs flying forth from Onyx. The edge of the cuts blazed green as they impacted the mighty troll, and the arcane edge increased their damage. Both attacks landed square into the troll's body, leaving deep gashes in its thick skin.

Beth saw the opening, launching a solidified lance of ice straight into the open wound. It penetrated through the gaping skin to push itself out of the troll's back. A loud bellow of pain escaped its mouth as it fell. Zion rushed in and pierced its skull, ensuring the kill.

“Duck!” Camila yelled, just in time for Zion to roll under a sweeping club. The troll still connected with a kick, Zion getting his buckler up enough to take the impact on its face. The mana spikes drove into its foot, but the force still sent him tumbling backward. Gray troll skin invaded his view as it made to follow, but a series of red-laced spears flew down in a fanning arc, penetrating in various spots. The troll was brought to a halt by the restricting shafts.

It was good she was finally being a team player rather than a solo problem. He took the opening to charge a five-second mana blast into its stomach, wrenching a two-foot gap into its skin. Camila took the opening by thrusting her bloody point into the gap. A shockwave exploded from the tip, creating a mist of blood as it tore all the way through. Two more trolls hustled to fill the gap of their fellows.

Beth didn’t let them close the distance so easily, a sheet of pure ice appearing before the duo. Both of them slipped at the sudden lack of traction, hitting the ground hard. Zion moved to execute an aether storm while they were downed, but once again, Camila wandered into his lane of ingress. Huffing in annoyance, he switched to firing rapid mana bolts at the two, enough to keep them down with arms over their heads.

Camila leaped in the air, bringing her spear down in a spinning arc, red glowing from its body. Two transparent red spears appeared above the bodies of the trolls, the images dripping red blood.The ghostly weapons descended, impaling both monsters through their heads, both going still.

Zion was panting from the constant pace of the fight but had no time to rest as ten more trolls poured from the surrounding woods. “Fuck!” He cursed, seeing the large pack coming their way. “Camila, hold your attacks. I need to get in the center of them. I'll use my aoe attack. Beth, can you cast a spell to open them up for me?” She nodded in answer, her form already beginning to glow a milky white.

Zion surged forward after the oncoming horde. A wave of icicles poured from the sky, blasting the entire group of trolls. Blood stood out as the projectiles left cuts across the gray hide. Taking the distraction, Zion flew forward, the air zooming by his head as he activated kinetic dash. He got within the center of the group, closing his fist when in position. A barrage of concentrated mana hit his enemies and exploded upon contact. The blue circles detonated with unhinged ferocity. The spell ripped apart the trolls' bodies, leaving open wounds.

“Now hurry, finish them.” His call was answered by both women, one sending lancing ice towards her victims, the other appearing with the spear in hand, tip driving into monster flesh. He joined them, dicing bodies as he ran through the group, finishing or maiming the ones who could reach. Ten trolls' corpses mangled behind belief fell still.

Their celebration was cut short as a deep shrill erupted from the woods. Trees toppled over as something gigantic brushed them aside like a newborn child, its momentum not stopping. A troll twice the size of the others burst from the foliage, eyes enlarged in hatred. It glared at them, a bad feeling hitting the pit of Zion's stomach. All three of them had to run as it began to throw massive tree trunks towards them.

Troll Daddy

Rank: Apex

Level: 20

A quick confirmation confirmed Zion’s fears. He leaped over a descending tree, barely managing to clear its hefty trunk. “It's peak tier-two. Do not let that thing hit you,” he screamed at his companions, emitting a series of mana blasts from his palm. The attacks hit it solidly in the chest, doing no more than scratching the skin.

“Obviously, it's peak dumbass! Do you see the size of the bastard!” Camila snapped, doing her own version of the limbo. That girl really had an attitude on her. Zion got closer and let loose a rending slash to see it only just penetrate the skin. “That's not going to work, Zion. I’ll keep its attention. Beth, both of you channel a spell and release together. Aim for its chest.”

Zion hopped back, getting out of the troll's ridiculous range. He began to charge mana bolt and saw white flicks of mana as Beth did the same. Camila weaved through the attacks of the big guy, her movements fluid and precise. She had the look of a dancer performing the most difficult part of the show. She didn’t just dodge, using her extended reach to cover Troll Daddy with a series of cuts.

“Ready!” He heard a breathless Beth scream. Hollering back in ascent, he launched his mana bolt in conjunction with her icy magic. This bolt was not even in the same ballpark as his previous ones. Having held it for a ten-second duration, the dart of mana was massive, easily the size of a hay bale. It slammed into Troll Daddy's chest, ripping into it with unrelenting force.

He watched as the creature was pushed back; the motion accelerated as Beth's spiraling storm of ice impacted the same area. The two spells merged, erratic energies feeding off one another as they drove into the big guy's sternum. Camila, not being undone, launched her spear at the mob. It flew perfectly straight, traveling through the expanding energy and entering the area where its heart should be. The mob lost its footing then, hitting the ground with an ear-rattling thud.

The three of them fell on their backsides as movement came to a halt. “Thank you, Creation!” Beth exclaimed. “I didn’t have much left in the tank.” A series of agreeing grunts echoed her sentiment. “We really need to work on our teamwork, you two. We spent a lot of time backpedaling from the constant mess-ups.”

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“You mean fuck-ups?” Camila fumed sarcastically. “If someone would be a proper mage and provide support from behind.” She stared daggers at him.

“How are you so dense that you think I’m a mage?” Zion scoffed at the audacity of Camila. “Not only did I deal just as much melee damage as you, I took down more trolls than you! I’ll say it again. I am a spell-blade.”

Beth moaned in exasperation, “Can you both knock off the alpha bull-hockey? When we get back to base, we're going over everyone's strengths and weaknesses. If this were a Champion, we’d have died from your bickering!”

Zion burst out laughing as Beth talked, receiving a venomous glare for his action. “Sorry. You're right, I swear,” he told her, still wheezing. “I’m only laughing because you said bull-hockey. Do you really not cuss?”

“It’s not proper!” She stammered, her pale face flushing a deep crimson. Now Camila joined him in the mirth, the pair laughing hysterically. Beth sat there fuming in embarrassment, refusing to look at her tormentors.

Finally, both of their giggles faded, cheeks wet from tears of deep laughter. Zion knew that the humor wasn’t meant just to tease Beth. They had seriously messed up today, and one wrong move would have ended in tragedy. The laughter had been a release of the built-up tension. Poor Beth had just been the starting cause.

“You really are right, Beth,” Zion said sullenly. “We could have died today because of me and Camila.” He looked at the fiery girl. “Let’s do better.”

“Totally, but what the hell is up with the name Troll Daddy? Was he some kind of pimp?” All three of them lost it at that, eruptions of laughter causing them to grab their sides.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Zion asked the ever-important question of an adventuring party. “Did anyone level?”

Beth's hand shot up and started waving frantically. “Me, me, me, I did! I hit level four, I’ll put all my points into affinity. I want to be able to take down any opening you two give me.”

Zion bobbed his head in support of the idea. “That sounds like a good idea. You can be our heavy hitter. I hit level six with this battle. I’ll tell you more about my…unique situation later, but I am gonna raise my acuity to thirty and then work on the spirit. Right now, I can fill in the role of tank. Currently most suited for it.”

“Level four here, and well, if you're gonna let the baddies beat up on you, then I can start putting more points into agility.” Camila told them, her eyes already unfocused on her status screen. “Mise well, hit them before they hit me.”

Zion took the opportunity while listening to spend his points in acuity and spirit. Hitting thirty in acuity caused his body to feel like it was growing. Glancing at his status, he saw why. His mana had risen to one thousand and fifty. An additional two hundred more than the normal twenty-five per acuity point. Zion had heard that hitting milestones brought better benefits, but that much bonus mana was a huge windfall for him. He had hit sixty percent mana in that fight, which had mainly been physical. He chugged a mana potion while thinking about it.

Camila stood up, brushing the dirt from her armor. “Time to get going back. You two ready?” Getting the okay, the three of them made the trek back to the guild site.

It took them about an hour to return to base, heading straight for guild HQ. Randan, the orc that had sent them on the mission, met them. They were once again escorted to the small room, the muscular orc overjoyed at their return. “I knew you'd get the job done!” He beamed. “How many did you need to put down?”

“About twenty-two in all. One was an apex rank,” Camila told him, digging at her nails. “You say you knew, but it was pretty dicey for a while. But not dicey enough that you couldn't have had other members take care of it.” Randan stiffened at that. “So why would you send three newbies against a host of trolls for their first mission? The real reason.”

He coughed awkwardly into his hand, the motion odd for one so large. “Truth is, I needed to test you three. We have some issues going on in Neva. Both mob and adventurer related.” The way he rubbed his eyes hinted at the toll of the problem. “Simply, this Sphere needs to be cleaned up, and I don’t have many that are trustworthy. Those who are don’t have the strength to help.”

“So you sent us into possible death and expect us to help you? Not exactly the most endearing method of making allies, Randan,” Zion commented, leaning back on the wall with his arms crossed.

“Once you’ve been running a branch for ten years, you whelps can tell me how to do my job. Now, are you gonna help me bring order to this place, or just run your mouths? If it's the latter, go back to the front desk 'cause I'm finished with you.”

“Fine, we'll hear you out, but no one’s promising to help. Just tell us what's going on, and we'll play it from there,” Zion informed him, getting approval from the girls.

“That's all I ask,” Randan replied, bringing up his comm bracelet, the purple gem flashing with light. A slim elf appeared. “Chance, please take care of any issues that arise. I will be indisposed for the moment.” With that, he clicked, turned the comm off, and gave them his full attention.

“First off, nothing leaves this room. Rumors are dangerous,” he began, and seeing no complaints, he resumed. “I have a group of adventurers that keep losing their party members. They always have a good story and proof to back the claim, but it's too convenient. I would put good money down on them, killing off the other members and hiding their gear. What I need is for one of you to join the party while the others trail. Stop them or kill them; it does not matter. One way or another, they need to be put down.”

“The second problem is of the more normal variety. Simply put, I have a dungeon that no one has cleared yet. No one has managed to get past the first level, and we need it cleared before we push further in that direction. A dungeon this close to the main settlement won't do anyone any good, so if you can clear it, you are welcome to its core with the guild's blessing.”

Once he finished, he gave the trio time to soak in the news he had just dropped on them. Killers weren't an unknown problem for the guild, but it was a serious one. From what Zion had heard in class, the killers were usually peak tier and heavily kitted out, making them a real danger to confront. This normally led to long sprees before they were put down.

The dungeon problem wasn’t a problem at all. To Zion, it was a chance to grow and make a killing while doing it. Dungeon cores were worth hundreds of gold, as getting one legally was rare. He didn’t doubt Beth and Camila would jump at the chance of delving into the dungeon.

With a motion, he called both of them to a corner. “I think we should help with both problems. One for the money, the other because it doesn’t sit right with me that murderers are growing richer by the day,” Zion explained his stance.

“Well, obviously, none of us want to see killers roaming free, but it will be dangerous. Whoever was the bait would have to endure the initial assault before help arrived. I think we still do it, but it's a risk,” Beth said her peace, waiting for Camila to finish the conversation.

“I’m down for both. Money and vengeance for the dead? Sounds like my type of quest,” Camila enthusiastically chimed in.

“Well, looks like we're all in, sir. Let's do this,” Zion said, turning towards Randan. His words were rewarded with a message.

Quest acquired:

Defeat the killers

0/5 defeated

0/1 motive found