Plus one attribute point.

Select one new spell:

* Body Ward

* Elemental Absorption

* Shock Grasp

* Boom Blade

He decided to tackle the list from top to bottom this time, starting by placing the attribute point in strength. With that done, he gave the first two familiar options a quick scan, then focused intently on the last two, ready to analyze them in depth.

Body Ward grants the caster resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Elemental Absorption allows the caster to use an element to increase their attack damage, and grants some resistance to elemental damage.

For Elron, the choice was anything but simple; both options had strong potential. Yet, as always, there were gaps in the details. Body Ward promised resistance to specific types of damage, but to what extent? Would it deflect a blade entirely or merely soften the blow? And if it was the latter, just how much would it lessen the harm? Meanwhile, Elemental Absorption seemed poised to amplify his flame attacks, but like Body Ward, its precise defensive benefits were vague—he knew uncertainty alone could be the difference between life and death.

He mentally squinted, trying to pick at random between the two options. Yet, the temporary sphere that was leveling-up wasn’t a realm of indecisiveness where one could simply choose at random. After a moment of consideration, he chose Elemental Absorption.

As Elron snapped back to reality, Sylra and Kael rushed up to him.

“You did it, huzzah!” Kael cheered, his eyes wide in admiration.

Sylra offered Elron a hand, helping him down from the slain beast. “Thank you, that was—” She cut him off, while still holding his hand and suddenly punched him clean across the face. “Don’t do that shit again,” she warned, though a smile tugged at her lips afterwards.

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Elron wiped his mouth in shock, feeling the sting on his cheek. “Apologies,” he muttered, his voice tinged with embarrassment.

Kael took a step back, his gaze fixed on the fallen beast. “I never thought I’d ever see a bridge troll, let alone help kill one. We should harvest the heart and eyes. They’d fetch a couple of gold in the next town over.”

“Speaking of gold,” Sylra interjected, her eyes drawn to the open bag of coins lying nearby. She walked over, scooping up the bag with a curious look. “Where the hell did you get so much gold?!”

Elron hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I... Well...” he stammered, but the exhaustion weighing on him made it impossible to come up with a convincing lie on the spot. The looks Sylra and Kael were giving him made it clear that any story he concocted wouldn’t be believed anyways. Sighing, Elron realized there was no use in hiding anymore and finally came clean.

There was a heavy silence after Elron confessed his true name and origins. Sylra and Kael exchanged blank stares before turning their gazes back to him, repeating the cycle several times in disbelief.

Kael knelt, “Forgive me, I never knew.”

Sylra, still holding the bag of gold, looked down at Kael in confusion and began to kneel as well, but Elron quickly spoke up.

“Please, Kael, stand up. We’re friends. There’s no need for that,” Elron insisted, waving him back to his feet.

“You’re the youngest son of the Kingdom, the literal product of peace between our kingdom and the Empire of Ardune. I feel unfit to protect you,” Kael summarized, awe evident in his words.

Sylra rolled her eyes at Kael’s unnecessary display of servitude. “He doesn’t want your protection. Now, get to cutting. I don’t want to stand in front of this rotting corpse any longer,” she said, pressing her sheathed blade into Kael’s hands.

Kael looked overwhelmed, his gaze shifting between Elron and Sylra, uncertain of what to do next.

Elron, sensing his indecisiveness, nodded in agreement. “Well, it does stink,” he admitted, wrinkling his nose at the pungent smell.

Sylra tossed the pouch of gold to Elron with a smirk. “You’re buying the drinks for now on,” she declared, already gathering firewood for their camp.

Elron caught the pouch, feeling its weight in his hand as he watched Sylra and Kael work. The tension in the air eased, the group settling into their roles as they prepared to move on from the battle, stronger and more unified than before.