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18. Birth of the Beginner Seven

Drake stood before a pile of bodies. The group of fowl smelling corpses were dressed in armor, had tower shields of various quality placed onto each of their breastplates, with spears of varying lengths set into their rigamortus ridden palms.

The work was rushed and Drake had definitely vomited upon its conclusion, but had no time to waste, drawing on her power to raise the group of the dead.

This better fucking work!

She stretched out her hand, remembering how Vanish had raised his last minion, giving every bit of himself to cast reanimation. She had no sense of how the spell truly worked, as she wasn’t given a mana bar in her Overlay to know how much of a resource she had to draw on, nor did she necessarily want one.

She hadn’t been limited by a series of numbers or values thus far, and didn’t want to become reliant on a preconceived measurement of what she should and shouldn’t be capable of.

She formulated a mental picture of what she wanted to create, touching on the energy within, and pushed.

“Rise!”

*Notification* - Reanimation Successful - Battalion of Beginners

You have constructed a unique minion. This bond type has never been seen before in the realms of cultivation, though many have come close, none have infused the limitless potential found within dungeons into their creations as you now have. The Battalion of Beginners is a legion classed monster, and is incomplete, this bond cannot level unless the core of the dungeon it was created within is absorbed by your creation.

Name: Battalion of Beginners

Rank: Beginner

Age: ???

Class: Locked / Legion of Lost souls / Armament

Average Attribute Level: 1.0

Stats -

Offense: 1.0

Defense: 1.0

System: 1.0

Scan Results - This Minion is a walking army. As it grows, so will the capabilities of the armies members.

Warning - This minion only respects a valiant leader, and will only listen to a commander that leads from the front. You have been warned.*

“Woah,” said Vanish, and Drake looked away from her notification to see her newest minion for the first time.

Her eyes fell upon a roiling mass of dissolving flesh, crackling bones, and melting armors. She had no idea what was happening, and was shocked to see the end result as her head began to spin with the intensity of the magics being used.

Damn….

The bodies of all the seven corpses they’d managed to grab had become one, and the newly birthed skeleton that now rested on one knee was an absolute towering Goliath. Its shield was as tall as Drake, and its spear was made of what looked like twisted obsidian and sharpened bones. Drake was astonished by the now skeletal minion that had been birthed before her, it’s basic armor gleaming with the same light that consumed Vanish whenever he used his abilities.

“Now that, is badass baby!”

The minion stared at Drake over the shield it held defensively in front of itself. Crimson flames formed its eyes, the roiling light following Drake as she stepped passed the creature to approach Aurora. The former princess stood beside Vanish and his minions, and Drake needed to ask her opinion of the upgrade selections that had just popped up into her vision.

“You just don’t know how to do anything not impressive do you,” asked Vanish.

“Never, so get used to it,” said Drake sticking her tongue out at the boy, before she glanced back at the new minion, wondering if she should try and name it immediately.

No time for that now, I still need to choose these fucking upgrades if this is going to work. I apparently already fucked it up somehow and turned the seven we needed into one… He’s big for sure, but who knows if the goblins won’t just rush pass him, who knows how slow he is…?

“So what options does it have,” asked Aurora. Drake glanced at the options, gravitating toward one in particular skill that had been what she was going for when she decided to try and raise a group of minions, unsure how the single giant skeleton would be able to pull off what she envisioned.

They didn’t discuss the choices for very long, hearing the sound of incoming goblins, deciding on the offensive skill that had caught her eye named, Phalanx Strike; a defensive skill named, Legion of Shields, and a system skill called Rampaging Charge.

Drake prepared herself, taking Havoc from the grasps of her magical minions, finally seeing the parade of charging goblins racing toward them in the distance.

“Okay big guy, have at em!”

Drake gave the signal for her minion to charge forward, but absolutely nothing happened. Her heart began to race when the skeleton didn’t move at all. It stayed motionless, staring at her over its shoulder.

Drake felt as if she was being evaluated, and mentally prepared herself to fight unaided by the monster. Then a voice filled her head and she frowned.

When a worthy commander leads, I shall follow. The deep voice touched her mind like what Drake assumed a giant would sound like if it was trying to whisper.

“Wow, then fuck you buddy, don’t know how I couldn’t take that one personally…

“Hmmm, we don’t have time for this…!

Drake widened her stance and began to feed on the anger that rose in her chest. She would need everything she had if they were going to survive this, even if she had wasted her time on a minion that may inevitably have been a waste.

“Back me up Vanish, freeze as many as you can, and I’ll do my best to take care of the rest!”

Aurora prepared herself for what was to come, feeling like she wouldn’t be much help. She felt her heart sink once Drake commanded her new minion to take action and nothing happened.

I guess some things won’t come so easily for us.

She wracked her brain trying to find a helpful solution, watching Drake as she set herself between their party, and the incoming stampede of goblins.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

What should I do?

“Back me up Vanish, Freeze as many as you can, and I’ll do my best to take care of the rest!”

Drake charged, rushing at a full swarm of goblins. The monsters snarling an cackling as they battled to be the first to get to Drake.

Aurora watched in suspense as Drake cocked back her weapon, and swung, aiming for the group that met her first, cleaving through the first five enemies with ease, only for the next handful to trample over their brethren, completely uncaring of those in front of them that were now crumpled and dying at their feet.

A life orb smashed into the next group, stunning the next foes just briefly enough to give Drake an instant to swing again. Vanish’s healer continued to throw the life stealing orbs, and Drake used the explosions as opportunities to turn and lash out at goblins that tried to push pass her.

Vanish’s martial artist minion stepped forward, attacking the few minions that managed to slip by Drake, and it was in this moment that Drake’s newest minion stood, and turned to face the goblins.

Drake glanced over her shoulder, and was nearly jumped on by a goblin, but Zen struck out at the diminutive monster, swatting the goblin from the air with ease.

Aurora felt for the moment the tide of battle was in their favor, but knew with how many goblins she saw approaching them in the distance that luck could shift at any moment and they could be overwhelmed. She knew that her team had their limits, and was glad to see them holding out for the time being.

Maybe we won’t need her new, Aurora started to think, still racking her brain to find a way to help, wondering if any of her runes would or even could make the giant skeleton Drake had raised move, when the sound of a spear striking a shield caused her to focus on the giant skeleton behind her.

Aurora’s thought stopped as the giant minion beside her crouched slightly, and charged. The battle changed in an instant, and for the first time since she’d seen the overwhelming odds they were going to have to face, Aurora was filled with hope.

Thank the maiden!!

The giant skeleton raised its shield, and collided with the goblins that tried to break through to the side of Drake. A crunch was heard as the massive tower shield crushed nearly a dozen goblins. Drake’s minion managed to push back against the charging horde with brute strength alone, the giant skeleton raising its spear before a violent attack was sent toward the horde.

The spear tore through the air, making a hissing sound as it formed six copies of itself, piercing through the bodies of just over a dozen foes all at once.

Drake roared, and pushed further into the mob, and Aurora watched as the strangest competition of supremacy she’d ever seen began.

Drakes magical weapons rose into the air separating from Zen’s mantle and started to fire. Electricity froze a swath of goblins, only for Havoc to smash into them, while any foes missed by the attacks were pierced by a swarm of thrusted spear points.

Drake spun through foes, while Zen sent out palm strike after palm strike toward any goblin that dared to approach.

Vanish fired Dread Beams, freezing goblins at moments that insured their swift deaths by the hands of Drake and her massive minion.

Drake then pushed even deeper into the goblins, killing everything that moved, and Aurora’s eyes went wide at what her charges newest minion did to stay by its master’s side.

The giant skeleton slammed its shield down, and the armament lit up with crimson light, causing the monster to be flanked to either side by six more skeletons that all held tower shields and spears of their own. As one the group of seven armored skeletons pushed forward, causing a wave of goblins to be thrown back.

The group continued to step forward, crushing the goblins underfoot. A rain of spears were then thrusted down killing any that managed to survive being flattened.

Even still Drake pushed further ahead, committing an absolute slaughter of the monsters. If it were not for the incredible odds they fought against, Aurora’s charge would not have left anything for her minions and Vanish to fight.

Aurora floated upward to be able to see Drake in the distance; the girl illuminated by the glowing ceiling above. Vanish followed suit, forcing his cathedra to fly higher, continuing to fire Dread Beams over the shield wall of minions in front of them.

Aurora was downright stunned by the assault taking place, only slightly shocked when she noticed Life Orbs begin to be lobbed over the shield wall. She glanced to her side to see that Vanish’s healer had climbed up to sit on the arm of its master’s chair and rejoined the battle.

Don’t mind if I do, thought Aurora, sitting on the opposing arm rest of Vanish’s cathedra.

Aurora had a moment of clarity. An epiphany struck her, and she once more inscribed the mapping rune, this time in the air, too far to be able to write on the wall nearest to her, using the rune once more to see how much of the goblins had been slain.

Can’t believe I didn’t think of that sooner.

The pulse shot out in all directions and Aurora was amazed to see that they had already claimed the lives of fifty goblins and showed no sign of slowing down.

Instead of the mapping pulse being directional, it instead traveled in every direction at once, even turning around various corners all at the same time, which her previous uses hadn’t done in the slightest, cutting off at any sharp turns.

Aurora heard Drake roar again, and turned to see her push further ahead. Her metallic magical minion had transformed itself into that of a sword, covered in a darkness that seemed to draw in her enemies as it sliced into her foes. While its partnered magical minion had transformed into a spear made of bone that stabbed through multiples of the goblins, electrifying chains of the creatures, shooting arcing lightning with every stab made.

“How will we ever be able to keep up with a monster like that,” mumbled Vanish beside Aurora. The boy’s words barely heard through the cries of the now screaming goblins.

“I have no idea…”

Aurora knew that Lilith believed that her power was going to make her into a mighty Cultivator from what they’d discussed over the past few days, but as she watched Drake surging forward, completely unhindered and seemingly growing more powerful with every breath she took, Aurora wondered at just what she could do to ever compare to the monster being born before her very eyes.

Drake are you okay up there, Aurora asked Drake mentally, and no words were returned. Instead a sound of rage and chaos filled Aurora’s mind as Drake roared.

Drakes mind was completely overtaken by her rage. Her only thought was that of the slaughter she’d committed herself to.

A chant had been taken up in her head which only fueled her inner drive to ravage the foes before her. Her newest minion’s voice emanated throughout her mind with a powerful resonance that filled her entire being with utter malice.

PUSH!

The word came over and over and over again.

PUSH!

The more she heard the word, the more goblins died at her hands. She could see flashes of the dead that she’d been forced to walk passed, and the part of herself that wished to heal those in need was suppressed and replaced by a desire to enact a revenge for those lost to the monsters that had taken their lives.

She didn’t know those that had died, yet still her soul cried out for justice. The will of the lost who only tried to become stronger and survive in a world full of inequality and powerlessness made her blood boil to a new height.

Finally she wasn’t able to keep in the sensation that built in her chest and roared. The violent sound bloomed from her chest and ripped down the hall she tore through, filling the goblin horde with fear.

The goblins began to turn and try and run, but this only filled Drake with even more fury.

You dare flee from me… Die!

Drake’s giant skeleton charged forward behind her, and the formerly one now seven known as the Battalion of Beginners defied their name and showed a level of skill far beyond the mere unexperienced fighting force they were described to be.

The group of seven spun, lashing out in every direction, charging forward as a unit. Their every movement devastating as they shield bashed, stabbed and trampled every foe that dared turn their back to them.

Drake saw this and instead of slowing down, she picked up the pace, pushing into the mass of fleeing goblins with even more deadly force than she’d dished out up to that point.

PUSH!

The sound that Cortez heard in the distance made his blood run cold. He’d been following an odd collection of goblin packs, and found himself afraid to approach the direction that he'd seen a convergence of the instance monsters rush toward.

He sat crouched at the edge of one of the many hall like tunnels that filled the catacombs, and stayed ready to flee at the first sign of danger.

“I’ve never seen them react like this, why are so many of them headed in this direction?”

Then Cortez froze. The sight before him was that of absolute carnage and chaos.

He watched from a distance as goblins seemed to be fleeing from the hall they’d entered, until a beautiful girl emerged from behind the pack amidst a terrifying spartan kick that sent a goblin hurtling through the air,. The monster splattered against a wall, immediately dead on impact. The monster had gotten off easy from what Cortez witnessed the girl do next.

The spinning hick she performed within the middle of the pack of goblins was intense. A crimson light left a streak through the air behind her foot as spinal cords were heard snapping underneath the pressure of the powerful blow. She spun again, sweeping a strange weapon outward, killing more of the monsters instantly.

Cortez’s shock grew as he realized the weapon was a skeletal arm; its hand opening to grab a goblin by the head at the apex of its wielder’s swing, crushing it in its grip, even while the girl continue to dance through the goblins. More odd weapons flew through the air striking out at the girl’s enemies, slashing and piercing through goblins with utter ease.

The strange flying sword swung in one direction, causing a strange black wave of energy to slice outward. The energy yanked the goblins backward through the air the moment it touched them, and the sword returned to where it had been originally, cleaving in the opposing direction, decapitating three goblins in a single breath.

A spear made of bone penetrated through a cluster of lined up goblins, before a surge of furious crimson lightning incinerated the group, leaving nothing but a pile of ash and burned bones.

Cortez thought the scene could get no worse, only for a titan of a skeletal monster to come crashing out from behind the girl, flanked to either side by an additional six skeletons. The group savagely dispersed of any of the goblins the girl missed, charging through the monsters like a storm of whirling spears and bashing shields.

The girl roared, and Cortez was shocked to hear the sound come from such a graceful looking girl. Her elegance was so refined that even as she filled the monster’s hearts with fear, Cortez couldn’t help but be entranced by her features.

Is she a goddess of fury and beauty?

Cortez was stunned to see the power of the girl who looked to be his younger sister’s age expelling goblins in mass quantities as easy as she seemed to breathe. He watched as more emerged from the hall, seeing a young man who seemed to be some sort of prince, floating through the air on the most regal throne Cortez had ever seen, aided by two more skeletal minions that allowed for not a thing to approach him. Black beams of power lanced out from the boy’s eyes at every monster that tried to escape down the branching halls the group strode passed, followed by a barking skeletal creature that looked like a wolf.

What kind of group is this for them to be so powerful already, is this the savants of an enemy school?

Another beautiful girl that looked similar to the first he’d seen sat upon one of the arms of the boy’s throne, casually conversing with the boy, seemingly excited as if a massacre wasn’t occurring before her very eyes.

Cortez pulled back when she looked in his direction, and waved, smiling like that of a princess atop a pegasus during a royal celebration . He retreated enough that he couldn’t be seen by them, nor could he see them around the corner.

Fuck, she saw me, should I hide, or reveal myself?

His training told him to hide, but the girl’s smile had been so friendly that he questioned his next move entirely.

I could follow them, they don’t seem to be taking any of the goblin weaponry…

He peeked once more, watching the group head away from him, chasing more of the fleeing goblins, ducking away once more as the same friendly girl turned back, again waving at him. Knowing he’d been caught for sure the second time, he leaned around the corner to see the girl still looking, and waved back.

Your an idiot Cortez a pretty face doesn’t mean that your safe…

His eyes darted around at all the discarded daggers, and he frowned.

No, I’d be stupid if I didn’t follow them, even if they don’t lead me out of here, I can at least finish my assignment.

Cortez sighed and stepped out into the hall once again after the group had made it a far enough distance down the hall for him to feel comfortable enough to follow at a distance, when he once more stopped short and realized a very important detail. His stealth magic was still fully operating, and the girl had obviously been waving at him.

How the fuck did she see me?