Cassian stepped quietly through the narrow tunnel. Keaton’s torch sent a wave of light stretching past him, gleaming off of the chainmail Kit was wearing. A few minutes passed and as the party rounded a bend, firelight danced in an open cavern a few meters ahead of them. No sound came from the cavern other than the crackling of wood in the fire. A shuffle of noise to the right of the entrance into the cavern caught Cassian’s attention. Cassian opened a message to his friends as the three of them stopped in the tunnel.

Cassian: Hold on. Heard something just inside. Probably an ambush. Message like this so we don’t make noise.

Kit: Damn. There’s a fire and I can see at least two tents from here, so there’s definitely more than just the one guy.

Keaton: So what do we do?

Kit: I can rush in and attack one side, but you guys will have to follow pretty quick to cover my back.

Tara: I’ll need to run further in so I can shoot properly.

Cassian: Okay. You and Keaton run in and cover us while we take whoever is next to the opening. Kit, go right, I’ll take the left in case they’re covering both sides. We’ll wing it after that. Good?

Kit: Sounds like a plan.

Cassian closed the message and prepared himself. His heartbeat roared in his ears. In a flash, Kit charged out of the mouth of the tunnel and brought his shield up to intercept the blade that swung out at him. Cassian charged immediately after, spinning to the left and barely blocking the wrist of a man who thrust a knife at him. Cassian engaged, throwing a fist into the man’s throat. The jagged crystals bit into the man’s Adam’s apple and Cassian felt something crunch. His attacker’s eyes went wide and Cassian heard his knife clatter to the cavern floor. The man’s hands clutched at his broken throat as Cassian grabbed the side of his head and smashed it into the rough stone wall. His opponent crumpled and gasped for air, dragging himself away before eventually going still. With no time to think about what had happened, Cassian turned to take stock of the battle happening around him.

More enemies had joined the fray, harrowing Tara and Keaton with arrows and spells. Tara was wounded but refused to slow down, sending two arrows into the chest of a woman who had sent out a ray of frosty energy at her. Keaton healed her as arrows deflected off of his shield, keeping her mobile as she continued to drop enemies coming from further in the cavern. Kit had slain the first man he engaged and moved on to an axe-wielding brute in thick leather armor. As Cassian looked back to Tara and Keaton, a shiver went down his spine. Something in the darkness behind them shimmered. A figure appeared out of the shadows and thrust a dagger at Keaton’s exposed back.

Cassian exploded into action, barreling across the room to his friend. The knife slipped into Keaton and he cried out in pain as he fell to the ground. Cassian launched himself at the assassin, smashing his knee into the man’s temple. The assassin reeled and turned, sending a series of quick stabs at Cassian’s ribs. Cassian parried each thrust but was unable to land any of his counterattacks. The man was too quick. Another stab flashed out and Cassian twisted just enough for it to glance off of him. Paying no mind to the thin line of blood it drew, Cassian grabbed the hilt of the knife and pulled himself close enough to deliver a vicious headbutt to the man’s face. Having earned an advantage as the man staggered back, Cassian pressed him and struck out at his body. Stone fists bit into soft flesh as Cassian attacked with a flurry of blows and split his opponents body with each strike. Cassian twisted and delivered a side kick to the assassin’s face, finally ending the man as his teeth caved back into his mouth. The cavern went quiet.

“Te… Curo!” Keaton managed to choke out. Cassian watched as the blood soaking through Keaton’s tabard evaporated and the puncture in his kidney sealed itself shut.

Cassian knelt down and asked, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Keaton wheezed, “I’m alright. That hurt like hell, though. Is anyone injured?”

Kit limped over as a deep gash in his thigh knitted itself together. “I wasn’t sure how much mana you’d have left, so I drank a potion,” he said. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

Keaton hauled himself to his feet. “Thanks. Anybody else get a level up?”

Cassian checked his notifications and saw the notice.

Level Up!

New Monk Skill Gained: Ki Control (Basic, Always Active)

Ki Control allows you to focus your spiritual energies throughout your body at will, enhancing your innate abilities

New Monk Skill Gained: Disruptive Strike (Activated, Combat)

You are able to channel your Ki into an opponent's body when you strike them, disrupting the natural flow of their energy. Can stun enemies out of active skills.

5 Free Stat Points gained. Total: 7

Okay, thought Cassian, not bad. Realizing he had forgotten to apply his starting stat points, he put two into Vitality and Dexterity and one into Endurance, Toughness, and Perception. His stats now read:

Vitality - 15

Endurance - 14

Toughness - 11

Strength - 12

Dexterity - 17

Perception - 13

Intelligence - 10

Satisfied with the spread, he closed out the menu and flexed his fingers. Focusing on his gut, he tried instinctually channeling his Ki up into his arms. A warm, golden glow enveloped his fists. “Hey guys,” he said, “check it out. Ki control.”

“Sweet,” said Kit, “I got a charge attack.”

“Fire arrows for me,” said Tara

“I get a new spell,” said Keaton, “Barrier. Looks like it gives some physical and magical resistance to whoever I cast it on.”

Cassian nodded. “That’ll be useful,” he said. Gesturing to the small camp they were in, he continued. “I think we should search everything here. It looks like the cave continues on for a bit, so we might as well rest a bit and find what we can.”

The group searched the tents scattered about, but no one went near the bodies. Cassian knew it was inevitable, but confronting the lives they had ended was too much for now. After several minutes, they tallied what they’d found. The tents had each held a small chest, holding a total of 120 Gold Shards, which they split evenly. Other than some rations, the rest of the supplies they’d found had been trash. Broken or rusted swords, torn clothes, and shattered bottles were all that was left. After some debate, it was decided that they would break down two of the tents to take with them. Thankfully, each tent only filled one inventory slot. After catching their breath, the party suited back up and started further into the cavern.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Kit once again led the way through the tunnels. As they moved, their steps got progressively louder as the floor of the tunnel started to accumulate water. Cassian looked back where they’d come from. Sure enough, the floor was on a downward slope. As the group continued, the water eventually reached their waist before Kit stopped and turned to face the rest of them.

“Are we going swimming?” he asked. “It looks like it’ll put us completely underwater in a bit. ”

“We have to, right?” asked Cassian.

“I won’t be able to see,” said Keaton, “I’ll have to go in blind.”

Tara put a hand on Keaton’s shoulder and squeezed past him.

“I’ll lead,” she said, “just hold onto my bow.”

Shouldering off her bow, she passed one end of it to Keaton. Makeshift solution in place, Kit continued waded forward until the water was up to his neck. With a deep inhale, the four of them plunged their heads under the water. Cassian’s eyes adjusted, allowing him to see the faint outline of Kit swimming through the quickly narrowing tunnel. Grabbing the craggy stones surrounding him, he pulled himself forward, launching after Kit.

Thankfully, the dive lasted less than a minute. Shortly past the point they had gone underwater, the ceiling of the tunnel opened back up and allowed them to surface. Taking in new breath, the four of them found themselves in a large circular cavern. It seemed to be naturally formed, but was large enough that Cassian’s Low-Light Vision couldn’t see the other side. Stone steps carved into the pool allowed them to easily climb out and take stock of their surroundings.

The cavern had mostly smooth walls, seemingly worn down over time by the water gently streaming down them. Small streams of water flowed throughout the room into the small tunnel Cassian and the others had come from. Wooden planks created makeshift bridges that crossed them, leading up an incline to a large blue tent. Blue light flickered from inside of it, sending long shadows skittering across the room. A figure was prone outside of the tent, facedown on the stone. As the party approached, a man stepped out of the tent. Dressed in plain blue robes, he turned to the group and addressed them.

“Well. I’m all conflicted now,” he said, running his hands through his hair.

Cassian stepped forward and Identified the man.

Anders Mukor - Lvl 5 Necromancer

“What the hell’s going on? What do you want?” he shouted.

“How much do you know about Necromancy?” Anders asked.

Cassian’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

The man began to pace in front of the figure on the ground. “The stronger the body, the stronger the soul. The two are intertwined to such a degree that growth in one results in the growth of the other. I had planned to… study the men you dispatched on your way here.”

Cassian scoffed and stepped closer. “Sorry,” he said, “but I don’t feel too bad about ruining your study group.”

“No, it would seem not,” said Anders, a smile splitting across his face, “but tell me, what’s better? A ragtag band of local thieves, or the four people who easily defeated them?”

“Flagra!” shouted Keaton, and a bolt of white energy streaked towardAnders. The man threw up a barrier, causing the spell to splash across it harmlessly.

“Let me teach you some manners,”he sneered. “Black ropes. Frozen stars. Pared flesh.” The necromancer’s hands wove into seals with each statement as the body in front of him rattled and began to rise. Cassian recognized it. Carlo, the kid who had robbed him, now stared at Cassian with his mouth agape, the contents of his skull running down his ruined face.

“You bastard!” Cassian shouted.

The necromancer laughed. “Carlo here got a little overzealous. He should have waited for my orders rather than doing as he pleased. I think he learned his lesson, though. Isn’t that right, Carlo?”

Carlo’s body shuddered as frost began to swirl around him. One by one, pieces of armor materialized out of the frost, forming a sleek blue set around the corpse. With a flash, a weapon appeared in his hand - a trident, gleaming silver with blue gems set into it. Anders stepped back as Carlo’s body took a fighting stance, the trident twirling in his left hand. “I usually wouldn’t bother using such a powerful spell on someone so weak, but this should bring him up to par with the four of you. Let’s have ourselves a good clean murder.”

Carlo Baylin - Lvl 5 Revenant

Kit launched into action, blasting forward as he activated his charge skill. Water sprayed upwards as Cassian followed close behind. Kit’s blade was caught in the forks of the trident as Cassian’s foot snapped toward Carlo’s head in a vicious kick. Carlo’s body moved faster than should have been possible and caught Cassian’s foot. A flaming arrow streaked through the space Carlo’s head was a moment earlier as he moved out of the way of Tara’s attack. With his foot still in Carlo’s hand, Cassian lashed out with an uppercut, meeting the corpse on the jaw with a crack. Kit wrenched his sword free. In an instant, a small pillar of ice smashed into Cassian’s face, conjured at an angle underneath him by Anders. Carlo released his foot as Cassian tumbled to the ground, vision dancing with motes of light.

“Oh! Keep an eye on your surroundings, boy!” the necromancer jeered.

“Shut… up!” Cassian roared as he stumbled to his feet. Carlo was easily holding his own against Kit now, with Tara’s arrows unable to find purchase as he dodged out of the way. Keaton slid to a stop next to Cassian and released a wave of healing into him as he helped him up.

“Murus!” shouted Keaton, and a thin barrier shimmered into place around Cassian.

“Thanks,” said Cassian, “can you and Tara hold the necromancer off? Keep him busy while Kit and I figure out what to do against Carlo?”

“We’re on it!” said Keaton, rushing back to support Tara. Cassian launched toward the Revenant with a flurry of attacks. Carlo roared as one of Kit’s swings bit into his flesh. With a spin of his trident, Carlo slammed the butt of the weapon into the ground. A torrent of water formed in less than an instant and blasted Kit and Cassian away. Cassian tumbled to a stop and regained his footing. Carlo’s trident wove a hypnotic pattern in the air, conjuring multiple jets of water that hurtled toward Cassian. Slipping out of the way of the barrage of water, Cassian finally drew close to Carlo again. Enveloping his hand in amber Ki, Cassian smashed his fist into the Revenant’s icy midsection, triggering Disruptive Strike. Carlo’s body doubled over from the force. An instant later, Kit was standing in front of him, sword buried in the Revenant’s head after activating his charge.

Cassian’s vision flicked to Tara and Kit as they engaged Anders. He was loosing spell after spell at them, sparing no mana as he launched spears of ice and tried to control their movements. Cassian dug his legs into the stone beneath him and sprinted across the cavern to meet Anders head-on. With a flick, the necromancer sent an icy lance into Cassian’s leg. The Barrier spell around him shattered as the ice speared through the thigh and exited on the other side. Cassian tumbled to the ground, howling in pain as his momentum carried him to the feet of Anders.

“Stop!” Anders shouted. In a split second, a dagger of ice had formed in his hand, the tip hovering just above Cassian’s throat.

“Any more moves,” said Anders, “and I’ll open him up.”

“Eat shit.” Cassian snatched the necromancer’s wrist and swung his legs around the man’s arm. Ignoring the blistering pain from his thigh, Cassian torqued his body until a sickening snap! sounded throughout the cavern. Anders screamed and fell to the ground as Cassian mounted him, pinning his good arm to the stone floor. Rearing back, Cassian charged both fists with Ki and unleashed a storm of punches until his stamina was nearly completely drained. Cassian rolled to the floor panting.

“Te Curo,” said Keaton, “are you alright?”

Cassian sighed in relief. “Yeah, man. I’m okay. Thanks.”

“That was really brave.” Tara knelt down, placing her hand on his.

“Really stupid, more like,” said Cassian.

“I dunno, man,” said Kit, nudging Anders’ body with his foot, “you kind of got him.”

Tara lifted Cassian from the floor. Looking at the pulp that used to be a man, he felt bile rise in his throat. He had brutalized him. Well past the point of death, he just… hadn’t been able to stop. He was a murderer, he told himself, He killed that kid and was puppeteering his corpse around. With his conscience mildly soothed, Cassian crossed over to Carlo’s body.

“Sorry, kid,” he whispered. As the frosty armor dissipated into the air, Cassian noticed the trident stayed. He quickly identified it.

Wavemaker - Magic Weapon, Trident (Uncommon)

Created from a Necromancy spell enhanced with Profane Chants, this trident holds a vestige of Water magic. The user can summon water in two ways - Tidal Wave and Water Jet. Both uses’ efficiency is determined by the user’s skill with One-Handed Weapons