September 16, 493 U.C.

I carefully straightened my dress and wished I had my contacts in on Saturday. I could use a heroic quest after the last week. The mood increased while I inspected my appearance.

“Best behavior, Casey,” Dad said.

“I’m always on good behavior,” I protested and looked at my dad in his black mask and suit.

“False. You are only on it when you shouldn’t be.”

My eyes narrowed. “I’m not killing people, Dad.”

“Casey, don’t start with me. Just behave.” Dad sighed and shook his head.

I’m not doing it. With that thought, I sighed at him. There had to be a better way to save humanity: a way that didn’t involve rampant killing, crime, and destruction. “Ready?” I asked.

“Yes.”

I touched him and sent him to the dank basement. Then I teleported. Seizing the moment, I raced around the room, testing the chairs. Finding one that was far softer than my concrete slab, I took a seat.

“Viper, that’s your spot.” Raptor gestured.

I began swapping chairs, dragging the chair to my spot.

“Leave the chairs alone,” Raptor said with a huff of anger.

I scowled at him. “I’ll get my revenge!”

“Why didn’t you say that to the populace?” Dad asked.

“I did to the video game guy.” I scowled at the chair and wondered if there was a spell for better chairs. That was sorely needed. Taking a reluctant seat, I pulled out a book while people began filing in. I could at least practice a new spell or two while I was here.

Sleep – This spell is designed to render the target unconscious. You may power it further to encompass things in an area; however, the cost increases dramatically and the efficiency drops unless they are grouped.

I flipped the page. I’d already figured that one out. I kept flipping pages and then stopped.

Electric Shock – This spell will send out a shock. The range is limited, but it acts as a base for all electric spells. Due to the nature of electricity, control over the result will diminish rapidly. It is important to remember your conductivity when using this spell. While it is innate for electric users, they have resistance. Electricity is quite dangerous for this reason. Precautions are advised. The insulator spell is advised unless you have a way to deliver the spell without risking it.

I began memorizing the complicated pattern. There were steps outlining it below as well. It was handy having a spell library. This one opened up some fun electric options too. It was likely more entertaining than the boring meeting too.

“Let’s get started,” Raptor said. “Progress reports, everyone. Let’s start with awakening.”

“On progress,” some masked dude said. “We are averaging fifty a week. However, we cannot support additional advancement. The demand for ways to get mana is growing. Food distribution is also difficult. We will take anything that we can get.”

“Timeline before we can sell services?” Raptor asked.

“We will finish all promised allies in two more months. We could begin now for selective clients.”

“Good. Territory?” Raptor asked.

Some noble dude cleared his throat. “We brought in one lord and I have hopes for another. We should move forward now. The fae lack the treaties necessary to do anything about it; it will help our cause.”

“Do it.” Raptor turned to me. “Viper, status report?”

“Sir?” I asked in surprise, looking up from my book.

“Level?”

“Oh. I’m level eight. I have managed to free-cast a few illusions, light spells, and sleep. I am working on an electric one. It’ll take time, but I hope to have a lightning spell in short order. My most potent hive removal spell is Rising Star.”

“And the plans to increase our mana absorption rate?”

I shook my head. Nope. “My experiments are failing on that one.”

“Work on it. We need it by the end of the year.”

I stared at him. The frustration from the week surged. “You know that I don’t have training, right?”

“We need it.”

“Hire the fae then,” I replied and rolled my eyes. Honestly, the blind demands were irking me greatly. There was no way that I’d manage that, and I didn’t want an aberration showing up.

“Viper!” Dad hissed.

I glared at him. “You do it. You have magic. What the hell is wrong with all of you?”

“DO NOT START!” Dad bellowed.

I crossed my legs and arms. Then I turned back to my book. I don’t care anymore, Dad. Stop making rotten demands.

“We also need to start tower escorts,” Raptor said.

That surprised me. It also increased my rage. “You are saying that I need to escort them?”

Raptor nodded. “Yes.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

I flipped him off. “No. Forget it. Not on the table. How many times do I need to tell you that?” Pushing down the growing desire to throttle the guy, I contemplated smashing my book over his head.

“Viper,” Dad hissed.

I flipped Dad off too. “I know that you all think I have infinite mana and time, but I can’t keep single-handedly supplying the entire group with magic materials! Some of you have had magic for years. You need to help them. There are thousands of you! Get off your asses and do something! Stop making the teenager carry you!” I yelled at him.

Dad looked pissed. I didn’t care.

Raptor shot me a stern, angry look. “We need it.”

I held up three fingers. “Pick three things. You get three things.”

“Don’t start,” Dad said angrily.

“Fuck off.”

“Go home!” Dad barked. “I’ll inform you of your roles.”

I glared at him and considered possible tourist spots. There were several cities that I wanted to visit.

“She may stay,” Raptor said. “But cut the sass, Viper.”

I forced my mouth shut while glowering at our demanding leader. I need a new place to stay. Maybe I could hole up in some territory where the fae aren’t allowed without an escort.

“What do we need to do to push for more territory?” Raptor asked.

“I think we should go live with the Tuscan Elite plan,” Pony said. “I agree with Viper. She can’t do it. I know, because I have the same struggle. We need more territory, and we need a command structure.”

I shot a look of gratitude to the man. He seemed to be the sole sane one in the room.

He continued. “She should focus on augmenting our mana absorption. We need to handle territory expansion. I have several who can escort. The problem is territory and overt access to towers and other mana sources. We need to fix that, not rely on her.”

“Are we ready for that?” Raptor asked.

“Yes,” Pony said. “And I approve of it.”

“Do it.”

“When?”

“As soon as you are ready. Inform me.”

“Villainy?” another asked.

“Don’t get caught and keep it outside of our territory. Those are the rules.”

Pony frowned. “And don’t expect Viper to bail you out. That needs to stop. We need her mana for the food, potions, defense, and future growth projects. She can’t babysit overzealous fools or help you level. The next time she sends someone back from an unapproved activity, I’ll kill them myself. You’ve cost us hundreds of enchantments. Our expansion is slow because of those incessant requests. Stop making them,” he barked.

I was starting to like Pony. The guy was my rock of understanding in this place. I gave him a grateful look.

“Now, to fae relations,” Raptor said. “We need to sour them further. Viper, can you break into command? We need something to push them away completely.”

I shook my head. “Nope. They have enchantments against teleportation and who knows what else.”

“We need it done.”

I sighed and shrugged. “I will get caught, sir. I mean that. They are far stronger and far more skilled. They have jails that ward against teleportation. I can try it. I will end up in one. If you prefer me in jail, I can go to jail.” I rolled my eyes. Do they really think a teenager can outsmart that entire race? Come on. They have their weaknesses, but that isn’t one of them.

Raptor sighed. “We’ll rely on rumors then, but I don’t imagine it will work?”

“Not well. Those rumors have existed forever,” another replied.

“Do we have other options?”

“The same as we have now.”

“We need the Tuscan Elites,” Worm said. “They need an alternative. Until that happens, we can’t push further. It’s too unknown. They are clinging to the only source.”

Pony nodded. “Agreed.”

“Very well. – Viper, push your level. We will need you.”

“I’m trying,” I muttered. I’ll spare us both the remainder of the meeting. After all, info-dumps are boring and that became one quickly. Cigarette got frustrated and started throwing out information left and right while debating readiness.

With increased annoyance, I froze time and let out a scream of exasperation. Then I swapped to my Platinum outfit and dumped out my drone. It could monitor things while I did something to appease my annoyance.

Appearing in the same library, I was greeted with stares from everyone. Ignoring them, I began searching for some target somewhere.

Oh. Why not? Some flock of emus were causing utter havoc. Their ability to run away made it so much worse. With a spin and pose, I teleported to Australia.

The satellite images aided my search. I used Haste and dashed forward. Pulling out glowing axes, I began hacking the dinosaurs that remained on Earth, sinking my glowing weapons into their necks.

Like the grim reaper of Emus, I hacked and chopped my way through the group, knocking down an entire generation of mutated emus with serrated beaks and longer legs. A drone whirred overhead, filming things. I waved at it before finishing off my work.

The last crumpled, leaving a smear of blood across the ground. I froze time and swapped outfits. Then I swapped myself with the drone and resumed time. I pretended to read while listening.

“… We need more health potions. I’m down to three hundred and twenty-six.”

I turned my focus back to the book instead of erupting like a raging volcano. They were going through them so fast that I wondered if they were drinking the things for the flavor. When it was finally over, I went home.

Then I looked at my phone and frowned.

Job: Casey, talk to me! I just wanted to make sure you were safe.

Me: Leave me alone. I knew you worked for him. I didn’t know how much.

My eyes started to water as my phone buzzed again.

Job: It’s not like that, Casey. I just had to make sure he wouldn’t do anything foolish.

I huffed and tossed the phone away. While Job likely didn’t mean harm by it, it did not help my mood a bit. Trying to ignore it, I began working on my chores.

Current Level 11 Current XP 21.66% Current Max Mana 9958.63 Regen per minute 15.09 Reputation 12000

Tier Skill Cost Tier 11 User Time Dilation (Haste)

- User experiences 256 seconds for 1 earth second.

- Force transference limited to 25%. 1 mana per earth second. Tier 7 Pocket Dimension

- 128 cubic meters of pocket space.

- Rapid stash and rapid draw.

- You may tether objects to your pocket space.

- Your pocket space cleans, preserves, and organizes items inside based on your will. 32 mana Tier 7 Time Stop

- Caster leaves spacetime. They may remove and place things back in spacetime.

- You may control the flow of time in the demiplane.

- You may summon in willing living creatures.

- This automatically triggers if you take significant damage.

- Recast to gain vision. 200 mana to cast.

Variable cost to move items in and out. Tier 7 Teleport.

- Teleports the caster or a willing creature.

- You may cast this on a willing or unwilling creature if they are within fifty meters.

- You may teleport inside an object, causing the matter to push outward.

200 mana for the caster.

400 mana for a willing creature.

1000 mana for an unwilling creature with no resistance.

- Short range casts cost less mana.

Tier 3 Attire Swap

- Locked to a single outfit. Current outfit set to Magical Girl Uniform.

- Attire cleaned on swap.

- Attire repaired on swap. 20 mana. Tier 3 Enhanced Body

- Caster’s body is enhanced by a factor of eight. 2 mana per caster second. Tier 2 Enchanting.

- Enchantments last twice as long. Variable cost. Tier 2 Potions.

- Potions last twice as long. Variable cost. Tier 2 Familiar Manifestation. 20 mana to cast Tier 2 Free casting

- Cast any spell you can replicate.

- Slotted Spell. Use half the normal cost of the spell to store a single spell for future use. Cast the spell for the remaining cost. Variable cost. Penalty of 8x mana.