Jonathan weaved through the forest of shards, heading towards his target. The minotaur swiped with its ax, sending the weapon hurtling towards Jonathan like a guillotine. It was so large that dodging it was more like dodging a truck than a weapon. He still managed, dropping back into an inhumanly contorted limbo stance, with his head touching the ground. The weapon whistled overhead, making a noise like a banshee’s howl. Spotting an opportunity, he punched the center of the weapon, sending a charge of Void energy into it. The absolute nothingness of Hungering Decay ate through the metal of the weapon like it was nothing, leaving a large hole there. Then the weapon had passed overhead, and the opportunity was gone.

As the minotaur reversed the strike, Jonathan threw himself forwards, feeling the impact as the monster slammed its weapon down behind him. With the new hole in the center of the metal, the ax had lost some of its structural integrity, and a tiny crack ran up its side. It was small, so small that the minotaur did not see it. However, Edgar did.

A tiny lever of wind extended out from his hand, and slotted into the crack. With a quick snap of his fingers, the wind lever pushed down. With a snapping noise, the metal broke. Sometimes, physics still was the answer, even in a world like this. The monster was left wielding a broken haft, with a few shards of metal on it. Without any meaningful reaction, the minotaur instead used the weapon like a club.

With bellowing cries, the monster laid around itself with the weapon, shattering the rock beneath its blows. Jonathan felt like he was part of some obscene game of whac a mole, where he was the unfortunate rodent trying to survive.

The minotaur began to run out of steam eventually, and when one blow faltered, Jonathan took his chance. The minotaur was a bit too slow in withdrawing the next attack, and he raced up the length of the weapon, using his stamina to enhance his movements. His Void powers ate away at the air in front of him, and to his surprise, a skill notification chimed into being. He pushed it to the side for now.

Edgar was still gamely battering the monster with his elemental attacks, but the mage was seeing little success. He had resigned himself to his lower than average role in this fight, and was doing the best he could. As Jonathan ran, he targeted the minotaur’s hands, slowing down its reaction time enough to make a difference. Jonathan reached the top of the ax handle a split second later, leaping off the end. All things considered, it wasn’t actually that long. Compared to some of the beasts that Jonathan had fought, the minotaur was almost short. As the monster glared down at him, its bovine features contorting into a grimace, he cocked back his fist and surged towards the monster. This strike would have to count.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The purple energy of the Void crackled around his hands as he moved, turning them into conduits for the erasing power of nothingness. His Divinity surged through his very being, and he used the excess to empower his runes. Finally, his stamina pumped like the piston of a mighty engine, propelling his fists forwards. With twin sonic booms, as he was unable to focus enough to cancel the air resistance, his fists struck home. He felt something break in his hands as he struck, but he kept going.

The chin of the minotaur deformed under the strike, as it was already damaged. Spikes of shattered bone impaled its head from below as the punches forced the monster’s head to invert. The charges of Voidlight detonated a moment later, accelerating the bone spikes to terminal velocity. With a dull thump, the monster’s head exploded. Essence poured into Jonathan’s body, but it was unfortunately not enough for another level.

Jonathan leaped backwards as the monster fell, landing in a painful three point landing. His bones were almost repaired, but they were still brittle, especially after rebreaking them against the minotaur’s chin.

Edgar floated down to the ground a moment later, a look of disappointment on his features.

“Gods damn it!” He bitterly cursed. “Why am I so useless in this dungeon?”

“You weren’t,” Jonathan said, trying to comfort the man before he had started to work himself up. As he did so, he stretched his muscles, groaning in pain. “You broke the ax, and provided valuable support from the sidelines.”

“I want to provide more than support,” Edgar spat. “I did not choose my path to be some pocket mage, only fit to aid his far stronger companion. I chose the power of the Wind because it represents freedom. Only, being too weak to affect your own destiny is hardly freedom at all.”

“Maybe your mastery is still too low to utilize it to the best of your abilities?” Jonathan suggested, only recognizing how that sounded a few seconds later.

“Thank you so very much for that sage advice, Jonathan Harlowe, elemental prodigy. Most of us cannot ascend ten mastery stages of our elements within a scant few months.”

Edgar looked furious, but mostly at himself. Jonathan wisely let him be for a bit, simply nodding. To distract himself, he got to his feet, heading towards the throne. It was wrought out of dark stone, with a few inlays of metal. The orb resting on the top was the main prize however, and Jonathan simply leaped up to grab it. Before he could do so, Edgar snatched it with a tendril of wind, a bitter expression on his face.

“At least I’m good for something,” the man said under his breath. With his highly advanced senses, Jonathan heard every word. He let it pass unsaid however. Instead, he made his way back to his friend, analyzing the orb as he went.

Orb of Insight

Untiered

This orb may be used by one person to gain a level of insight into their own fighting capabilities, allowing them to make better use of their own power.