Adam had no idea what a Stone Sentry was, but judging by the other’s reactions, he didn’t think it was a good thing. He jumped to his feet as well. With years of his life spent responding to life and death situations, he felt oddly comforted by the familiarity. Still, he wasn’t sure how he could help so he ended up standing still, knees bent a little just out of instinct and being told his whole life that would make responding easier.
The others burst into action immediately. Finn spun his hands around making a complex series of shapes while the purple rings on his finger glowed brightly, pushing a violet reflection from his glasses onto the surroundings. Caius sprinted directly at the stone monstrosity, a sword appearing in each hand and Ava had both hands pointed toward Caius. Adam could just make out a thin stream of green weaving through the air between them that spanned from Ava’s hands to Caius’s back.
A crackling of purple appeared around Caius as he jumped, soaring far higher than Adam had ever seen a human jump before. He nearly reached the ceiling before a thin veil of purple appeared around him again and he plummeted like a meteor toward the Stone Sentry.
A sound like stone slamming against pavement reverberated through the barn. Dust billowed out from the impact site and Adam covered his eyes. When he looked back, the Stone Sentry stood unmarked from the attack with Caius standing before it, his two jagged swords held at the ready, small arcs of blue lightning dancing between them.
The Sentry burst into motion, the bottom half of its body rotating and moving independently from the top. Two of its arms dropped in a fall of stone toward Caius who dove out of the way, bringing both swords across its arms in a slashing motion. The Sentry’s attack barely missed him, a small crater forming in the ground where it had hit. It followed Caius, using the recoil from the ground to propel itself forward like a spinning top.
Finns hands were outstretched now toward the fire with a ruby glowing brightly on both hands. The fire swirled around his arm and wound its way around his body in a serpentine torrent. He pointed at the Stone Sentry again, the fire moving in an explosive beam toward the monster who was still distracted by Caius dancing around it.
The beam of fire impacted the Stone Sentry’s back, flowing into it in a constant wave of searing heat. It was like nothing Adam had ever seen. The stone grew red, then yellow, then to a bright white. Adam could feel the heat from where he was standing, and it was stifling. He felt like the very air in the room burned his lungs as the inside of the barn was turned to an inferno. Finn pushed harder, the stream of fire that had been circling him had long since been exhausted. Still, more flames poured from his hand as the rubies on his fingers glowed brighter and brighter until they were just as white as the fire.
It lasted for another five seconds before Finn dropped his hands to his side, chest heaving as he sucked in deep breaths. His hands were blistered and red and sweat poured off him. He looked to Adam like he had just run a marathon in the south Florida heat in the middle of summer.
A stream of green brushed over Finn as Ava focused on him and Adam watched his hands heal before his eyes. The skin on his hands rapidly knit back together. Finn nodded toward her in thanks.
Adam turned his attention back toward the Stone Sentry who had completely ignored the attack, still focused on smashing Caius into the ground. Its back a glowing red where Finn had aimed the torrent of flames. The rock almost looked… soft.
“Hit its back where Finn blasted it.” Adam called out. He looked around him, searching for anything that he could use to help. There were only small stones on the ground around him from debris that had been knocked off the Stone Sentry’s body.
To his side, Finn was extremely pale. Sweat still poured from his brow as his chest heaved. Ava was focused on Caius, the stream of green energy flowing from her to him, but he could tell she was growing increasingly tired with each passing second. She too was growing pale, her arms trembling as she held them out. Caius, for his part, was starting to lag as well. Each swing of the Stone Sentry’s arms coming closer with some landing and sending him tumbling through the air. His only saving grace was the Stone Sentry’s decreased movement. Its legs having been whittled down by Caius’s relentless assault.
“Over here you overgrown geode.” Adam called, acutely aware that insulting the monster probably wasn’t the best idea. He threw some stones he had gathered - aiming for the point on its back. If it had a weakness, it had to be there.
Caius was hit with a crunching blow to his ribs and flung to the side. His body rolled across the stone, only coming to a stop when he slammed into the barn wall. Ava screamed, pouring everything she could into the green energy flowing toward him. Caius lost his grip on his swords, and they scattered across the barn. One of the blades skittered to a stop at Adam’s feet.
The Stone Sentry lumbered toward Caius. Its gait slow and unstable as Caius had carved them to thin spires of what they had been before. Adam jumped when the ground began vibrating slightly before the chipped off pieces of rock started to roll toward the Sentry and attach back to its body and legs. Some of the stones even rumbled up and began to patch themselves over the still glowing spot on its back that Adam had been throwing at. He only now realized he had probably been helping the creature by throwing stones at its back.
His entire life, Adam had thrown himself headfirst into danger, and he didn’t see the need to stop now. It was natural at this point, like it was what he was born to do. He sprinted toward the jagged sword on the ground in front of him, a jolt running up his arm as he lifted the shockingly heavy sword. It felt like he had just grabbed an electric fence and a forty-five pound dumbbell instead of a thin piece of jagged metal. Still, he held on, grabbing the hilt with his other arm to manage the weight better. Unfortunately, this sent another spasm up both arms.
He rushed the Sentry, hefting the sword toward the rapidly closing glowing spot on its back and slammed the point in, feeling the blade slice into the molten rock. A crunching roar came from the Sentry as the top half of the body rotated, stone arms swinging in a furious arc that slammed into his body.
Adam was flung through the air, pain erupting in his chest. As he flew back, Adam noticed small eddies of white swirl around him. He braced for impact, but his body came to an abrupt halt just inches before he hit the stone wall. The eddies of wind flickered for a second longer before coming to a stop and he was dropped on the ground with a thud, his ribs screaming in pain.
He looked up as a warm sensation fell over his body, encompassing him and easing the pain around his chest. He tried to talk but felt no air moving through his lungs as it all had been blasted from him. Instead, he found himself just pointing toward Caius who was back on his feet and going toe to toe with the massive stone monster. Ava nodded and refocused on him.
Caius weaved in and out between the Sentry’s blows. He ducked, side stepped, somersaulted and dove between blows that would have caved in his head, the strikes barely a fingers breadth from making contact. He was swordless, just doing his best to keep the attention on him. He moved at a lightning pace, even faster than he had before. Finn lay face down by Ava, the only sign he was even still rise and fall of his chest with each breath. That had to be from him over exerting himself to stop Adam from slamming against the stone wall. He would have to thank Finn if they made it out of this alive.
Adam let out a low groan as he struggled to his feet. He refused to be a burden. To sit by while these others fought while he was useless. It just wasn’t who he was. Adam stood and charged the Sentry, grabbing Caius’s other abandoned sword as he did. He gripped the handle, feeling the same shocking pain shoot up his arm as the prior time but he shoved the pain to the back of his mind.
He jumped toward the Sentry’s back when he was only a few feet away, which he realized when he was in the air was a horrible thing to do in combat. The Sentry turned toward him, stone hand already extended and caught him in the air. It held him aloft, two burning embers for eyes staring directly at him. He could feel the heat from scorching his skin from where Finn had blasted into it with his torrent of flames. The beast held him aloft, seeming content to let him dangle there in his failure. Adam wouldn’t let this stop him. Afterall, the sword was never actually for him. He tossed it toward Caius, praying that he could finish the Sentry. A warm tingling enveloped him as Ava focused her healing abilities on him once more.
Throwing the sword must have angered the Sentry as Adam felt his body cave under the pressure of the Sentry’s grip contracting around him, slowing pushing in on itself as the fist of stone closed tighter and tighter around him. His vision blurred, then darkened at the edges until he could just barely make out anything before him. The last thing he saw was Caius’s jumping form, snatching the sword he tossed out of the air, a smirk adorning his face as he raised the sword toward the Sentry’s back.
He had the fleeting thought that it can’t be good to pass out this many times in one day before darkness enveloped his mind once more.
***
Adam jerked awake, his arm punching out in front of him as the memory of the Stone Sentry holding him aloft surged to the front of his mind. A firm hand caught Adam’s fist and pinned his arm to his side.
“A fighter through and through,” a calm voice said. It was Caius. He released his grip on Adam’s fist and sat back down by Ava.
“Well at least we know he’s not a pansy. An idiot maybe, but not a soft one.” Adam could feel the warm touch of Ava’s healing magic probing his body as thin tendrils of green connected him and Ava.
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“What… What happened?” Adam said. He was slowly coming to his senses as he sat up. His head felt like it was about to implode and his ribs felt like they had been cracked in multiple places.
“Well. You decided it would be best to charge into a Baron level opponent with insufficient knowledge of its strengths, weaknesses, or any general knowledge of the world you’ve found yourself in. Armed with a weapon you don’t know how to use and without the slightest shred of armor. All in all, I’d say it turned out quite well for you.” Finn said. He flashed a crooked smile toward Adam.
“A little foolhardy, but you showed great instincts and quick reactions. Given the situation, I’d say we couldn’t have asked for a better response. Your tactics and actual maneuvers in battle can be trained and honed, but you can’t teach guts.” Caius said. He reached a hand toward Adam and pulled him up. “I doubt there are many who would have jumped in like that in your situation. Besides, you played the perfect distraction to set up the killing blow.”
Adam stood slowly, a little wobbly on his feet but he quickly gathered his senses. He nodded appreciatively toward Caius but felt awkward with the praise. “I was just trying to help. Not sure I really did much to be honest.”
Ava stepped forward and placed a hand on his side, pushing more of her odd healing magic into him. He felt his ribs shifting beneath the torrent of warm energy and a few seconds later his body was back to new. “I feel the need to apologize. I was too hard on you at first. We no doubt would have been better off with Ellis here, but you performed admirably given the circumstances. Ultimately, I’m not sure we would have survived without you.”
Adam let out a small laugh at the back handed apology, though he couldn’t blame her. They would have been better off with this Ellis here. Even if he was some insufferable ass.
“We’re just lucky the Sentry only appeared to have access to one skill. Perhaps a function of it being so early in the trial. There’s no doubt more, and they’ll only get more powerful as time passes. We need to shore up our strategies and get some skill slots unlocked.” Caius said. “We also need to talk about how we could have improved and what we did wrong.”
“Ohh come on, Caius. Give us a few minutes. Adam just woke up and Finn is likely still struggling from energy deprivation. Hell, I was close myself to running out. Another minute of healing and I would’ve been tapped.” Ava said.
“No. It is best to review a battle immediately, when it’s fresh. We learn from our mistakes and don’t make them again.” Caius said, sounding like a coach talking to his team following a tough loss. “Finn you can’t burn through all your Primordial Energy like that. It was a strong blow, but far too risky. Not to mention you only used two aspects of your [Elemental Rings] ability.”
“I agree with Caius. Directly following an exercise is the best time to review events. The longer we wait the more we lose.” Finn replied. “As for my energy expenditure, I deemed it the most logical course of action at the time. While my gravity manipulation opened well for a powerful joint attack with you, the attack proved futile. The source of fire being readily available allowed me something to draw from without having to create my own as I would have with water. The Sentry was too heavy and too powerful to be affected by anything other than flames. Therefore, I poured everything I could into one blast, either to burn straight through the Sentry or create an opening.”
“I appreciate the effort, Finn. Your logic is sound and ultimately provided the opening for the finishing blow. But you left yourself unconscious and a liability. If the Sentry had decided to lumber its way over to you it would have exposed us even more having to move your body. We need you mobile, even if it means you can’t create as powerful attacks. I’d wager you could have held off a bit and still created the same opening.”
Ava sighed. “I guess we are doing this now.” She tapped her lip as if struggling to think of something she could improve upon. “Other than keeping you idiots alive the entire fight, I suppose I could have managed my energy expenditure better as well. My [Healing Stream] skill isn’t overly expensive, but I ran it pretty much continuously even when you didn’t need it. I panicked with the Stone Sentry and overreacted by healing when you didn’t need it.”
Caius nodded appreciatively. “And I was overly cautious and didn’t utilize the lightning aspect of my [Armament of the First King] skill. I thought it wouldn’t have any affect against the stone but I clearly didn’t account for the core of the Sentry. I was fighting conservatively even after Finn gave us an opening with his all or nothing gambit. I should have capitalized on the opportunity and trusted in Ava to keep my health up if caught.”
The group grew quiet for a second, seeming to think back over the fight.
Adam coughed. “I guess I could have gotten some shoes and a shirt before the fight. Maybe an actual skill that could help contribute other than hollow insults.”
The others laughed, breaking the tension that had settled over them. “You really looked like a crazy man charging a Stone Sentry in nothing but orange underwear. That story is going to get some serious laughs when we get back home.” Ava said.
Adam looked down at his swim trunks. “Ohh, these aren’t underwear. They’re swim trunks.”
“Why would you wear swim trunks when grabbing a soul crystal? Seems like a ridiculous choice.” Finn said.
“How was I supposed to know that I’d end up transported to some crazy trial?” Adam exclaimed. He was feeling oddly bonded with the other three. He wasn’t one to make friends quickly, not that he didn’t get along with people just fine, just that he didn’t particularly like many people. He found most lazy and annoying, especially after he had left the military. “If I had known I would have worn some combat gear!”
The others laughed again, the mood lightening even more, but Adam couldn’t help but feel a pang of fear that he wouldn’t make it back home for a long time. If he even could make it back home. Not that he had all that much to go back to, but he couldn’t stand the thought of leaving his brother behind.
“Speaking of skills, I think it’s time you got an actual skill that can help keep you and us alive.” Caius said, pulling Adam back to the present as Caius grabbed a dark gray crystal from his dimensional fanny pack. It looked similar to the previous crystal he had found but was in the shape of a cube and had what looked like a burning ember in the center. He gripped it between two fingers and held it out toward Adam. “This was left from the body of the Stone Sentry. We all talked about it and agreed that you should be the one to use it. It’s a body skill crystal, and a powerful one at that.”
Adam stared at the cube. The pain from the last crystal he had used rushing to the forefront of his mind. “Are you sure? Wouldn’t we better off with one of you gaining another skill?”
“Strategically speaking, our overall tactical ability would be greatly increased by you getting a skill. Otherwise, you’re more likely to die or just get in the way. Besides, you earned it after that showing.” Finn said. Adam was quickly coming to really enjoy the young man’s company. He was quirky and startlingly straight forward, but had an earnest air about him that couldn’t be faked, much like his brother.
“Just take the crystal.” Ava huffed. “Even if I would likely get a ridiculous healing ability from that one, I can make due with my [Healing Stream] for now.”
Caius pushed the crystal closer to Adam who hesitantly accepted, wincing as the crystal hit his hand as he half expected it to burn a hole in him or something like that. He let out a sigh of relief as no pain followed.
“How do you know this is a high tiered crystal?” Adam asked, examining the small cube in his hand.
Caius suppressed a chuckle as he watched Adam’s expression of relief. “Because of the shape.” He replied. “Skill crystals essentially come in five tiers and typically represent the potential of a skill, with some exceptions. But you don’t need to worry about those.”
“Not to say that a low tiered skill can’t be extremely powerful in the right hands, or a high tier skill squandered, but in general the potential is much higher with a high tiered skill crystal.” Ava added.
“Higher tiered crystals tend to come with far more utility as well.” Finn said. “Where a Tier 1 crystal might allow you to put your hand in fire without getting burned, a Tier 3 could allow you to do the same, but also actively manipulate the fire in other ways. The increased variability is where the real value lays.”
“A crystal that looks like a thick needle is considered a Tier 1 crystal. In general, these are avoided by anyone who has any intention of going into combat and are mainly utilized by non-combat citizens such as farmers and tailors. They’re relatively plentiful, but I’ve never heard of anyone making it past Knight who filled their skill slots with these.” Caius continued. “Tier 2 come in the shape of a sphere. This is the tier most in the army have. Still plentiful and the skills provided aren’t as varied. It makes it easy to create strategies that work on a grand scale due to the similarity and simplicity in skills provided.”
“My father actually got a dimensional manipulation skill from a Tier 2 crystal. He’s quite happy with it.”
“Well, your family is something of an anomaly.” Ava said to Finn. “And we’re speaking in general terms for Adam’s sake here.”
Caius ignored them and continued. “Tier 3 becomes exponentially rarer and generally reserved for those deemed to have potential as future leaders or members of elite teams. They appear as small pyramids. The Kingdom will purchase these at great cost from any that come across them to get them in the right hands. They’re essentially worth small fortunes.”
“But no individual is required to give up a skill crystal. At least not in our Kingdom.” Ava supplied.
Adam raised his brows at that. In his experience, something that valuable wouldn’t just be allowed to sit in the hands of a common person to do with what they want.
“What’s that look for?” Ava asked.
“I don’t know. I guess I just find it hard to believe that people wouldn’t be forced out of their Tier 3 crystals if they were really that important.”
Finn nodded, as if he had the same feelings regarding the situation. “The Kingdom can definitely impose its will where it wants, in many ways that are wrong under the guise of the ‘greater good’. Luckily, this is one law in our Kingdom that is as set in stone as can be. Any reports of a skill crystal being forcibly taken or deemed unfairly influenced by external forces is met with the swift, public, and brutal judgement of the King himself.”
“It’s not something that happens often. Maybe once in a generation when the memories of the last judgment have faded. My uncle is not a subtle man and makes sure to imprint the fallout on any that would think to replicate the act.”
“I guess that’s a good thing.” Adam said. He had similar ideas for his own society, but wasn’t sure his more brutal impulses would be good for the rest of society. “Is the only way to get one of these crystals by killing something?” Adam asked. He had to imagine that it would make murder a lot more common if that were that the case.
Ava shook his head. “No. But it’s the most common way. The skill crystals are just extremely condensed Primordial Energy. It’s possible to occur naturally. In fact, I’m sure were going to find some laying around this city at some point.”
Caius gestured toward the cube in Adam’s hand. “Tier 4 is represented by a cube, like the one you are currently holding. It’s also the tier of each of our skills. Ava’s [Healing Stream] is extremely powerful and cost effective. Most Squire and Knight level skills are one off casts with longer cool downs. Finn’s [Elemental Rings] ability is one of the most rare magical weapon abilities giving him a broad range of powerful attacks and use in diverse situations, as long as he doesn’t over extend himself.” Finn reddened at the comment. “And I have a weapon summoning skill called [Armament of the First King] that allows me to summon the swords of my great grandfather. He was a legendary lightning wielder, and some of his power still remains in the swords I summon.”
“And Tier 5?” Adam asked. He was slowly getting a grasp on this strange new world he found himself in, loving every second of it. Before he felt like he had lost all meaning. He used to be a soldier. Part of a team with a job where he felt needed and important. But it had been taken from him. This felt like a chance to get that back but with the added bonus of magical abilities.
“Tier 5 crystals only come from killing a Duke or higher and come in the shape of a star.” Ava said. “And even then, the chance is small. The actual data on Tier 5 crystals is so restricted that access to the records of them require a writ of approval from the King himself. It’s rumored even he only has one Tier 5 skill, though that’s unconfirmed.”
“And what about a hexagonal crystal?” Adam asked, remembering the glowing blue crystal that had given him his soul skill. “Those must be a Tier 6, right?”
Finns eyebrows rose at the statement and Ava let out a huff as if dismissing the question.
“There’s no such thing as a hexagonal skill crystal.” Ava said, though she didn’t sound so confident.
Adam rubbed his head feeling a little bad. By the sound of it, he had found something so exceedingly rare that even these scions of their Kingdoms didn’t even know existed. And he had only just been introduced to this world of Primordial Energy and skills.
“I… I’m pretty sure the crystal I found was hexagonal.” He told them of the experience. Every detail down to the crystal coming toward him on its own and the excruciating pain.
“What I wouldn’t do to have been there to take some readings. The energy fluctuations to create a thermal interaction alone must have been astronomical!” Finn said excitedly.
Adam smiled back at him. “A man after my own heart. I was actually thinking the exact same thing when I was diving for the crystal. Not because I knew what it was, just because the water had gotten so much hotter.”
Ava only looked at him, an incredulous expression on her face.
Caius looked troubled, but quickly schooled his expression to one of interest. Adam wasn’t sure what to make of it but decided to leave it alone for now. He was peppered with questions from Finn over the next few minutes about every minute detail until thankfully Caius saved him.
“I think it’s time we use that skill crystal. What do you say Adam?”
Adam shrugged, looking at the small cube in his hands again. “Nothing to lose, I guess. What do I do?”