“Ohhhh…. By all the demons of darkness, some who discovered who toppled a building on top of me. ” asked Dave faintly as he woke up again after god knows how long. "I do not know, but I can follow you." Fenris' voice sounded faintly a little from Dave.
When Dave finally got himself together to open his eyes, a tent cloth met his gaze. "Hi Fenri, do you have any idea how long we've been sleeping?" asked Dave. while fighting his way up and sitting.
"I'm not sure, but since I can smell palm wood and water I would guess in a few hours." replied Fenri, who was also about to get up and sit down.
"Well, we have not missed too much." mumbled Dave calmly. Just as Dave was about to say something again, the tent cloth was set aside. "Good to see you are among the living again," laughed Mr. Moonshine as he entered the tent. "It was something of a stunt you did there," he continued as he went all the way into the tent.
"Hi Dad, Dave just asked how long we've been unconscious." Fenri commented as he stretched. Several loud crunches were clearly heard as his back fell into place again. “You have only been unconscious for 4 hours. We have only just managed to camp and set up guards, ”Mr Moonshine replied as he cringed at the sound of his son's back.
"It's good, was afraid we had missed a lot" Dave exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.
"Calm down now kid, you just woke up after fainting, you should stay a few more hours." commented Mr. Moonshine angrily.
“Don't worry, this is not the first time I have fainted due to exhaustion and I know when my body is ready again. Give me a bucket of water and a good meal, and I'm as good as new. ” laughed Dave as he walked towards the opening in the tent. "Hi Fenri are you coming or should you just have a few more hours of beauty sleep?" Dave asked scornfully.
"I'm coming now," Fenri shouted as he jumped to his feet again. Fenris' father could not help but shake his head “What is it with boys and especially spark boys. Always full of energy and drive. Even in my heyday, I would not have come close to recovering now after such a trip. ” He mumbled quietly as he followed the boys.
Although the tenant was fairly scattered around the oasis, finding the boys was no problem. One just had to follow the sound of laughter and the smell of food. Around a large bonfire the soldiers had set up, one could find the boy dancing around while laughing and eating. As the sun went down, more and more soldiers began to join them.
Before long, their little tenant was filled with noise from almost 100 men partying, if they were asked why they were partying the answer would end up being "I don't know but it's cool" or "Durue would party, so would the rest of us". Only late at night did calm fall over the camp.
Early the next morning, Dave could be found sitting and staring very stiffly at his hand, which lay flat against the ground. "Come on, I'm about to be there, just a little bit more and it's in the house." Dave mumbled quietly as he stared at his hand as if to kill a wild animal.
Fenri had woken up a few minutes ago and was standing at a distance from Dave, wondering what he was doing. “Come quietly, feel the ground, see it for yourself. See your limit. And push beyond it. Just a little bit more. ” mumbled Dave further.
Fenri was just about to ask what Dave was doing when something in the air changed. Suddenly, grains of sand and pebbles begin to fly up around Dave.
"Yeah yeah yeah just a little bit more, see your goal and take it" Dave said commandingly now somewhat louder. Suddenly, the many small grains of sand began to gather around Dave's hand. At the same time, Dave's dark dice begin to light up.
Fenri had completely lost his jaw by now. What Dave had going on though that could activate his dark dice such. Suddenly, Dave's light dice begin to shine.If Fenri did not know better he would say that Dave was incorporating a new cube into his own, but there were no dead monsters around him he could take one from.
With a flash of light, everything calmed down and Dave sat and gasped for breath again. "Yes finally it was there." Dave said quietly as he gathered his mana again. slowly he put his hand to the ground again, as he had done so many times before when he had to use his mole sense. It was the name of the technique his family had taken great pride in. But it was also logical, their ground cube, was extracted from a genus of weak level 1 mole demons.
Instead of starting to draw the card that usually appeared when he did this, Dave took it and slowly raised his hand up from the sand. slowly the sand rose up to Dave's hand, where it began to form a 3D model of the tenant.
Everything was visible on it, from the oasis in the middle, to the tents and who was sleeping in which tents. "Dave" Fenri begins quietly so as not to scare Dave.
"Yes, what's Fenri?" Dave asked quietly, without looking at him.
"What just happened, it almost looked like you swapped your dice for a stronger one," Fenri asked in a whisper, as if he were afraid of the words he himself said.
"In a way, I did too, it's a family secret, but I trust you, so you must promise not to tell anyone what you just saw and what I'm telling you." Dave replied as he studied his upgraded ability.
"Family secret?" Fenri asked confused.
“Yes a secret, you see my ancestors have spent thousands of years mapping different abilities out gained from different monsters. Through their studies, they have found ways in which we can raise our elemental level without having to fight stronger monsters than the ones we have already won over. What you just saw was that my earth side just broke through to level 3 ”Dave explained as he held up his dark cube so Fenri could see how that his cube now had a large 3 number on the earth side where there had previously been a 2.
"Well ... how… .I ... I do not understand .." Fenri exclaimed. "All right, but these are just now, it may take some time to accept, I just told you that you do not have to bet your life against insane odds, to become stronger." the answer Dave.
“Come and sit down, and I'll show you what I can do now, and I can tell you a little bit about the benefits of doing it the way I do. You can see one day, maybe I want to share with you how I do it ”laughed Dave as he patted the sand next to him.
When the sun had finally risen completely, people in the camp began to wake up after their party. "So now you can see multiple layers at once and much larger area" Fenri started. "Yeah almost 500 yards now" Dave interjected and got a look that clearly said let me finish talking.
"And you can do that with all your pages up to level 6?" Asked Fenri.
"Yes I can, it takes a war to do unless you find the perfect place to train, but it's clearly better than risking being killed by high - level monsters." Dave replied with a big smile.
"Yes it must be said hope you will at some point teach me to do it" said Fenri but got no response. He did not have to wonder why he did not get an answer as soon as he looked at Dave again. All the muscles in Dave's body were tense and his gaze locked on the 3D model of the tenant.
"What's Dave?" Fenri asked uncertainly. In response, Dave jumped up and filled his lungs with air "ALARM ALARM ENEMIES ON THE HORIZON. GET READY FOR BATTLE.
OMMANDERS TO ME!" before he had finished shouting. Was the tenant in full swing.
Everywhere there was noise from people blowing around to get their armor back on and get ready for battle. From one of the big tents, both Fenris' father but also the captain roared out and towards Dave. "What's on the way." Asked the captain at the same time as the sergeants arrived.
"It appears to be a bunch of sand dancers classification levels 1 demon" Dave replied while a model of them was formed of sand between the commanders,The model that appeared was shaped like a forward-bent bald human, with long canines and unnaturally long fingers.
Although Dave did not have much color to work with, he had managed to find some brown and almost black stones which gave the model a black sheen all over his body, in addition to the claws on his feet and hands.
"How big are they?" Asked Mr. Moonshine. "The model is actually size" Dave replied as he kept tracking the movement of the demons. The captain was the next to inquire into how many they are.
"I can count about 70 of them," Dave replied calmly. "So no more than we can handle without the big problems," the captain interjected.
"Okay sergeants, we've practiced this before, get yours but in formation, let's show them that they have chosen the wrong oasis to attack" commanded the captain "Dave, you and Fenri are fast enough, I want you to make a ambush. If you can drop them in the back while we give them some shields to focus on, we'll probably be done without the big problems, ”laughed the captain.
He loved a reasonably sure victory. "What do you say Fenri, ready to change our competition." Dave asked as the model of the sand dancer collapsed.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"What do you suggest?" Fenri asked, a ferocious smile speading across his face.
"Who comes first, and who killed the most" without waiting for an answer, Dave had already leaned forward, ready to run at full speed. "Of course I agree with it" was the answer before a black flash announced that Fenri had changed shape.
Sand dancers were not a big threat individually, but together they could be intimidating. Their build and height, made them most of all look like some crooked children. The long claws and sharp teeth were then frightening yes, but their small bodies meant that they only had a short range.
A well-placed arrow or a good hammer blow would most often kill these little crap.
The problem came when they gathered in droves and overpowered one. The only thing that could really be a problem between them was if there were any of them who had found their mana and there with their element. Sand dancers came in two variations. One with wind and one with earth.
The difference was hard to see, but wind users could jump higher than normal and ground could handle a few more blows, but no threat to some finely trained soldiers.
Dave and Fenri had quickly circled around the sand dancing flock, which blindly toned against the wall of shields that had been erected on the edge of the camp. The captain's voice could be clearly heard over the noise of weapons being drawn.
"Shooter get ready, shoot my signal" Many arrows were tensioned and made ready to rain the first wave of death down over the demons. Together with the archers, all the sparks had made their base attack ready. “Shoot” screamed the captain as the demon herd was within reach. Suddenly there was panic in the demons, the first 10 of their flock were already dead before they had reached the formation of humans.
"Shooter switch to melee support, we must not hit our men in the field." shouted the captain, as he himself drew his weapons. With a bang, the demons hit the wall of shields. Not a millimeter did the wall move, but quickly the demons fell back again. Again, many of their own had fallen, this time to a combination of their own death marsh, where they had crushed each other when they hit the shield, and many to the many blades that had crept out between the shields and cut them to pieces.
"Their sprint is broken, attack formation." Shouted the captain. Just like their show, the formation opened up and out stormed the soldiers ready to kill. Normally it would be foolish of the captain to give such a command, as he risked his men's life now, but he had an ace up his sleeve. As soon as he had shouted for counterattack, Fenri and Dave had started their attack.
With a large enemy that the soldiers constituted and an enemy as frightening as two sparks in the back, the demon herd quickly disintegrated and the slaughter could begin.Fenri was a tangle of winds as sharp as knives, those that were not torn to pieces by the wind, were by his sharp claws and teeth,.
On the other hand, those who attacked Dave did not feel much better. although his magic was more passive in form, he was still a terrible opponent of these simple creatures.
His katana slid through them as easily as nothing. With an unnatural understanding of where everything was constant, it was impossible for them to get behind him. This combined with his incredible flexibility, quickly created a death zone around him.
Even the slightly stronger earth touched sand dancers, could not withstand the strength of his blade as fast as he swung it around him. There was a single wind touched which thought it could catch him by hovering over the earth, but Dave's own wind magic caught him and with a quick turn the demon was split in two before discovering what was happening.
After 5 minutes, all the demons were dead and silence fell over the area. "Well fought the people," cried the captain. "Sparks hurry to see if there are any element touched here you will steal from." he continued, working his way towards Fenri and Dave, who were trying to settle their bets.
"Let's see with the one I got there in the end I count 17, what about you Fenri, what did you reach." Dave asked "also got 17, so think it must be a draw." Fenri replied with a crooked smile.
"Good to see that you are still in a piece, but should not you be in the process of finding out if there are any elements you are interested in?" asked the captain as he reached all the way to them.
"I already have a wind and a soil that is stronger than what they have." Dave replied, shrugging. “I have no interest in the ground element that they have and my wind is far stronger than theirs, I would not really get anything out of it and do not want to spend one of my shifts on a small boost to my wind." answered fenri.
Dave stood for a moment, looking puzzled. "Use one of your shifts?" Dave asked wondering.
“Of course you would not know it when your family does as they do, but us normal sparks, have only a limited number of shifts, or that is, we have a number of times we can endure it. When you make a change of an item, it feels like tearing your heart out and putting a new one in again. Not a nice feeling.
Most people can only stand it a few times, that's why you do not see a lot of pure sixes, if they could just keep at it, they would just work their way up slowly until they could handle the sixes with a full 5 ' is dice. ” explained Fenri.
"Well that makes sense…. Fuck run!" Dave shouted, but it was already too late. Up from the ground just between Fenri and Fatan, a demon sprang up. Before reacting, it had spun around itself and smashed monsters long claws into the side of both Fenri and Fatan. They were both thrown far away from the monster, due to the enormous force.
"Shoot it down. A few picked up Fenri and the captain." Shouted Mr. Moonshine panicked. Dave had stopped for a moment. His eyes fully unfolded and his magic in full swing.
"Huge sand dancers, no wait, it's a sand drums bigger stronger version of sand dancers, but otherwise nothing special. Earthbound, it was such it avoided that I discovered it, classification level 3 demon." Mumbled Dave before his eyes sharpened again. "It hurt Fenri and the captain," he hissed.
Before Dave had finished reviewing his analysis, the others had already rescued Fenri and the captain to safety. "Keep your distance and focus on defense." Shouted Dave loudly before sprinting to attack.
His shouts had caught the demon's attention. Without hesitation, it turned towards Dave and made a roar. Although its back was now totally bare, no one wanted to attack it. No one dared bet they would not hit Dave.
When he reached the demon, it swung one of its huge arms quickly in a sweeping motion. Dave quickly slid down under the arm aimed at his head. While sliding there, he tried to cut off the monster's arm, but even his dwarfs forged steel could not penetrate its skin.
"Well then you use soil to strengthen your skin" laughed Dave, "two can play that game" he managed to say before turning away from the claws that tried to crush him against the sand. The next time some could see Dave, he hung a few feet above the demon.
For a moment, time seems to stand still while Dave hangs there. His black blade seemed strangely diffuse, as if the knife did not end when the steel ended.
Suddenly, the monster let out a howl of horror. Out of a deep fling that stretched from the monster's fingers all the way to its shoulder stood blood in an explosion. The wound was at least 30 cm. deep and bled profusely at once.
Before the monster managed to recover from the pain in that arm. Had Dave started his dive down towards its face. The demon just manages to twist away at the last second, from the spiral of death that was called Dave. With a bang he landed between its large legs. Driven by anger, the sand drummer hit Dave hard with his good arm. Dave took and twisted around himself, and the demon's attack, so he ended up standing by the demon's injured arm. With great precision, Dave cut fluidly through the demon's knees.
Another cry of pain sounded. This time in a tone that cut through the soul. Very appropriate, Dave thought. He had just cut through both muscle and bone. Suddenly, the earth around Dave begins to move.
"Only now are you serious." Dave laughed out loud now completely high on adrenaline and hate. The whole company crouched down when they heard that sound. Only once before had they heard Dave sound so energetic.
There was a broad consensus that, although Dave hated the military's strict rules and formations. Then he loved to fight, they could all see it in him when they were driven out to kill their first demons. Dave had taken it upon himself to kill as many as possible of the little simple level 1 monsters that lived around the city. When they had all gathered in the barracks late at night, Dave had come walking slowly back across the square.
They had all come running to him to see if anything was wrong since he had come walking so drowsily. When the light finally fell on him, it had dawned on them that he was smeared in blood, but that was not what had stopped them all. No, what had given them all the same nightmares for the next many days, but also made them come to respect him so much, was the fluffy smile and the constant laugh flip that flowed from him.
He looked like someone who had spent the last few hours on his favorite hobby. One of the dwarves had described it amazingly to their captain. "He looked like someone who had slaughtered an entire army, while at the same time getting some of what's really good from the princess."
They were not prepared to hear it again here, but there was the laughter that promised death and destruction to everything that stood in his way.
With the monster next movement, which was very clumsy, now that it was on one leg, large columns of earth also flew with the swing. They made it somewhat difficult for Dave to dodge, but if there was one thing Dave could do, it was to adapt. With a small twist of mana, a pillar of earth shot up under Dave, so that he was again over both attack and demon. This time, Dave had aimed just a few inches above its head. "This is your end," he roared. Before the buoyancy from his hop end.
Just as suddenly as he had been shot up in the air, just as suddenly he was gone again. With an incredibly slow motion, as if it was just going to dawn on the monster what was happening, the demon rolled backwards. Down along that face and body was a wound so deep that the entire chest was cut open. The skull was broken from the top of the forehead and down through the jaw, Dave's knife had continued down through the neck tube and down and cut one lung up and right through the heart. the monster was dead so fast that it did not realise it right away.
Only when the blood exploded out of it, when it landed hard on the sand, did it dawn on everyone what they had just seen.
"Hey folks, do you just want to stand there and stare, or is there someone who will have his spark? it is a level 3 earth, so it is somewhat stronger than anything else you have. ” shouted Dave as he stood wiping blood from his blades.
It took a long time before everyone had recovered from their shock. before there were any who tried to take the possible level 3 earth cube that lay right in front of them, the elves asked Dave “Hey sure you do not want it, it is your killing” Dave just turned his gaze to the body before shrugged his shoulders.
"No thank you, I already have the land item I want." replied Dave.
While the other sparks tried to figure out who should have the demon's land, Dave calmly walked over to Fenri and the captain, who had regained consciousness. "Hello, are you okay?" Dave asked, the concern evident in his voice. "Yes we are okay, think our armor absorbed most of the damage" replied Captain groggy.
Fenri had woken up faster than the captain, and had seen the end of the fight, but it did not make it any less violent to see Dave standing there smeared in blood from head to toe.
"Are you sweet and take a bath as soon as possible, it's going to smell like hell when it dries." asked Fenri, who was already holding her nose. "What's going to smell?" Dave asked incomprehensibly.
"That" Fenri just replied, pointing to dave. Dave stood for a long time looking down at himself before it dawned on him what Fenri meant.
"When… ..yes must rather for it washed out before I for a red armor instead of its normal black." Dave laughed faintly before going to the oasis where he could wash himself.